Alex Proyas is an Australian filmmaker who specializes in dark, noir-like films, usually with science fiction, fantasy and the supernatural. His most famous films are the gems of the 90s Dark City And The Crowthat are typical of his style. He favors dark, gothic themes with philosophical undertones, often about the nature of reality, human consciousness, and the struggle between good and evil. Aesthetically, Proyas’ films are usually visually imaginative, atmospheric, and dark. “For me, the ultimate creative thrill of filmmaking is not so much capturing the real world, but creating a world that exists only in my head,” he has said.

At their best, the director’s projects are unique and iconoclastic, bucking trends and following a singular vision. They are not all successful (2016 Gods of Egypt was a total mess), but they are usually fascinating and creative. For this reason, Proyas’ filmography is worth checking out. Given the recent release of the remake of The CrowHere are his ten strongest projects, sorted by rank.

7 “Gods of Egypt” (2016)

With Brenton Thwaites, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Gerard Butler

“Stealing from a god? Only a madman would attempt such a thing.” This fantasy adventure is by far Proyas’ most despised project and revolves around a mortal hero named Bek (Brenton Thwaites), who next to the god Horus (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) embarks on a quest to save the world from chaos, the set (Gerard Butler), the god of darkness. After Set blinds Horus and takes the throne, plunging the realm into chaos, Bek steals one of Horus’ eyes and sets in motion a daring plan to restore order.

The concept is intriguing, with its riff on real Egyptian methodology, but the execution is decidedly lackluster. The script is full of predictable dialogue and the plot is a little closely based on films like Raiders of the Lost Ark And Clash of the TitansThe inclusion of stars from game of Thrones And 300 comes across as a gimmick and detracts from the experience rather than adding to it. And finally, sloppy special effects undermine the remaining potential. In short, a terribly missed opportunity.

Gods of Egypt

Duration

95

Authors

Matt Sazama, Burk Sharpless

6 “Garage Days” (2002)

With Kick Gurry and Maya Stange

“Where do we get $1200?” In a departure from Proyas’ usual grim narrative style, Garage days is a light-hearted coming-of-age comedy about a rock band striving for fame and fortune in Sydney, Australia. They struggle with inner conflicts and personal insecurities while trying to stay united by their shared passion for music. The main character is Freddy (Kick Gurry), the band’s charismatic lead singer, who overcomes the trials of love, ambition and the pitfalls of show business.

There are some fun elements at play here, such as unexpected camera tricks, a quirky style, and a general visual flair. This is most evident during a hallucinatory scene in which some of the characters experience an LSD trip. Unfortunately, one-dimensional characters test the viewer’s patienceSome of the band members border on stereotypes. Overall, while Garage days is not as catastrophic as Gods of Egyptit offers little that is worth considering.

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5 “Knowledge” (2009)

With Nicolas Cage and Rose Byrne

“I have found evidence of a series of super-eruptions from a star in the outer Pleiades region.” Nicholas Cage In this sci-fi thriller, John Koestler plays a professor who discovers a time capsule containing a list of seemingly random numbers. Upon closer inspection, he realizes that the numbers accurately predict past and future global disasters. As John races against time to decipher the remaining predictions, he discovers a prophecy that hints at an impending apocalypse.

To know isn’t quite the profound eco-thriller it wants to be, but it’s a decent piece of pulp entertainment, carried by Cage’s performance. Proyas confidently increases the tensionwhich features some exciting scenes such as a plane crash and a catastrophic subway accident. Plus, striking visuals and a fair amount of biblical imagery add to the mystery. Some of the scientific details are pretty crazy, but fans of this subgenre should find enough here to hold their attention.

To know

Knowing is a 2009 science fiction and thriller film starring Nicolas Cage. In Ryne Douglas Pearson’s story, humanity “knows” when impending disasters and apocalyptic events will occur, thanks to a strange piece of paper covered in numbers.

Duration

115 minutes

Authors

Ryne Douglas Pearson, Juliet Snowden, Stiles White

4 “Spirits of the Air: Gremlins of the Clouds” (1987)

With Michael Lake, Norman Boyd and Rhys Davis

“You don’t understand. It’s so simple. You just have to… look up.” Proyas’ film debut was this avant-garde, post-apocalyptic film set in a desolate desert landscape. The story revolves around Felix (Michael Lake) and his paraplegic sister Betty (Rhys Davis) who live isolated in a remote outpost. Their quiet life is disrupted by the arrival of a stranger named Smith (Norman Boyd), who is fleeing from an invisible enemy. Together, the trio sets out to find a flying machine that could offer them a way out of their desolate surroundings.

The film combines elements of surrealism with a minimalist narrative and places more emphasis on mood and tone than on dialogue. Although it has some rough edges, it shows the director’s talent for atmospheric settings and expressive images. Despite the low budget and the shooting on 16mm, Spirits of the Air punches above its weight class and is impressive for a first feature film.

3 “I, the Robot” (2004)

With Will Smith, Alan Tudyk and James Cromwell

“Can a robot write a symphony?” Freely inspired by Isaac AsimovShort stories by I, the robot shows a future in which robots are an integral part of everyday life. In this world, Detective Del Spooner (Will Smith) investigates the murder of a leading robotics scientist. Spooner’s distrust of robots leads him to suspect that one of them, named Sonny (Alan Tudyk), has developed the ability to override his programming and thus poses a potential threat to humanity.

If any, I, the robotGiven recent advances in artificial intelligence, the premise is even more relevant today than it was in 2004. While the film plays with interesting ideas and boasts solid special effects, it is essentially a spin-off, quoting older science fiction classics rather than forging its own path. It is more fast-paced and entertaining than thoughtful and provocativeOn the positive side, some of the action scenes are well done and some of the conversations between Spooner and Sonny are charming and funny.

I, Robot (2004)

In 2035, a technophobic police officer investigates a crime possibly committed by a robot, leading to a larger threat to humanity.

Authors

Jeff Vintar, Akiva Goldsman, Isaac Asimov

2 “The Crow” (1994)

With Brandon Lee, Rochelle Davis and Michael Wincott

“It can’t rain all the time.” The recent remake received lukewarm reviews, but the original is a 90s classic. The Crow tells the story of Eric Draven (Brandon Lee), a musician who is brutally murdered along with his fiancée by a gang of criminals. A year after her death, Eric is resurrected by a mystical crow who gives him supernatural powers to take revenge on those responsible.

The plot is not groundbreaking; instead The Crow captivates viewers with an abundance of mood and style. Proyas tells this blood-soaked story with a gothic aesthetic, atmospheric cinematography and a haunting industrial soundtrack featuring artists such as The Cure, Nine Inch Nails, Helmet and Rage Against the Machine. This dark, dynamic mood was arguably ahead of its time. The Crow is best known for Lee’s tragic death on set, but It is a really good film and worth seeing because of its qualities. It is not without reason that the film was quickly declared a cult classic.

The Crow

Duration

102

Authors

James O’Barr, David J. Schow, John Shirley

1 “Dark City” (1998)

With Rufus Sewell, William Hurt and Kiefer Sutherland

“You have your power. You can make things happen by your will alone.” Proyas’ best film is this sci-fi neo-noir about John Murdoch (Rufus Sewell), a man who wakes up in a strange city with no memory of his past and is accused of murder. While trying to regain his identity, John discovers that the city is controlled by mysterious beings known as the Strangers, who have the power to alter reality and manipulate human memories.

As the title suggests, this is a film with a dark color palette dominated by deep blacks, browns, intense greens and blues. However, the shot is brilliant and a feast for the eyes. Proyas conjures up an immersive visual world that brims with atmosphere and hints at an unseen depth. It’s a nice complement to the enigmatic plot that zigzags, piling up secrets and dead ends. Taken together, Dark City stands for a flawed but bold and undeniably stylish production whose unique mood would influence subsequent films such as The Matrix And Memory.

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