eshwarmail Reviews

Game of Thrones: The Iron Throne (2019) Season 8, Episode 6

Rushed but the storyline is as good as it gets

[9/10 · 22 May 2019]

While understanding the disappointment from the built up hype of 2 years from many angry fans, the storyline is as good as it gets for a GoT finale.

However the execution is far from perfect. The screenplay is muddled and convenient, pacing is extremely rushed, battle strategies laughable, many loose ends left as is and the small council finish was in poor taste.

While the journey to reach there was imperfect, the storylines and the character arcs are mostly intact as how GoT set out to be from the first episode.

A solid finish to a game changing TV series which is known for its cinematic production values and shock twists.

Ready Player One (2018)

If you are a 90s kid or if you are not. Go watch it.

[8/10 · 30 January 2019]

What a ride!! Steven Spielberg's new sci-fi saga is a ton of sweetness with effectively used pop culture sprinkled all over a blasting of Van Halen's 'Jump' at the right moments - it isn't a new invention from a Michelin star chef but your very own favorite grandma's recipe served in a new way which has a better probability to succeed.

The year is 2045. The world is consumed collectively by a virtual reality game - OASIS. When it's creator dies, he leaves an Easter egg for the world to find and the finder gets to own and control the OASIS. There are individuals, families, friends, conglomerates employing gamers - all trying to solve this mystery until Parzival/Wade (Tye Sheridan) stumbles into a clue that changes the whole dynamics.

Steven Spielberg left no stone unturned to mount this simple storyline on to the big screen. There are dinosaurs, rolling boulders, King Kong, DeLorean, Atari and other innumerable pop culture references that can't be missed by a 90s kid. Features a mix of familiar and otherwise ensemble cast that puts up an apt show without weighing it down by taking themselves too seriously. The simplicity of the script helps the audience to focus and cheer the amateur group from one victory to the other. A clear good vs. evil setup does the same too.

The script, the references, the acting - are all for naught without the spectacular visual effects show that is rich, detailed, not too realistic to clearly differentiate the game vs. reality and plays an integral part of storytelling. The peppy music picked out of yesteryear super-hits is just an icing on the top.

If you are a 90s kid or if you are not. Go watch it.

Dunkirk (2017)

Dramatic, twisted and uplifting. Not the best of Nolan, but a great attempt to retell an almost harrowing story

[8/10 · 31 July 2017]

It can be a presumed general consensus that it is easier to become a star actor than a star director. While some enjoy cult following, others are more mainstream. Very few among them are able to consistently balance between the both which is where Christopher Nolan stands on a pedestal among his contemporaries. Nolan had a strong cult following throughout the early part of his career and then 'The Dark Knight' happened. The fans were at a fever pitch during conclusion of the trilogy with chants like "in Nolan we trust" reverberating the entire social media; there is no such precedence for a movie director.

'Operation Dynamo' which is a code name for the evacuation of Allied soldiers from Dunkirk is a widely recorded operation that took place at the end of May 1940. When the British Expeditionary Forces along with French and Belgian armies were trapped in France surrounded by Nazi Germany troops at the height of their power, the only way out seemed to be an evacuation from Dunkirk which had adequate port facilities.

The story is said from 3 perspectives -

LAND: Where the ground troops are desperate to find their way to any of the ships available that can ferry them home;

SEA: Told from the view of crew of one among many merchant navy and personal boats which came to the rescue

AIR: A Spitfire squadron of three in lookout for any Luftwaffe threats

The thing that strikes you most is the fact that you are in the middle of the operation as soon as the movie starts without a background or a narrative (even when I was not expecting one). The gloomy vista of the beach, pale and desperate soldiers, a body here and there sets up the chaotic but silent atmosphere without hardly a word being said. The electrifying yet subtle background score keeps you at the edge of your seat and takes the overall experience up a notch. A similar compliment for cinematography too.

Christopher Nolan has so far been able to meet the sky high expectations of his fans and critics alike but there has always been a trick up his sleeve to wow his audience at some point in the movie. This is not that movie. It has far little character driven story to be considered as a dramatic movie and a complete lack of background narrative to be taken for a documentary. But it does hold a small trick that Nolan has perfected over the years - scrambled screenplay with intertwined timelines; It has become a bit of a habit to let the audience solve the puzzle which is his screenplay and the gratification one gets when the pieces are put together gives him a box-office hit. While I got entertained, I still find it evolving into a pattern.

There have been many WWII movies. Some great ones too. What does Nolan's Dunkirk bring to the table in an already crowded genre? It neither has the grit of Saving Private Ryan as much as you hardly see a drop of blood in a war movie, nor does it feature the drama or compassion as in The Pianist or the flamboyance and entertainment value of The Great Escape. But it does hold its ground by staying grounded. There are no faux heroism sequences, an unremarkable debut of a very popular singer and does not try to suffocate itself with too many stories. The ensemble cast delivers to the point that you no longer see them to be acting. The irony of a victory in evacuation is not lost in its storytelling.

Dramatic, twisted and uplifting. Not the best of Nolan, but a great attempt to retell an almost harrowing story.

Imperium (I) (2016)

A Daniel Radcliffe show that is taut, thrilling and insightful

[7/10 · 15 April 2017]

A smart honest rookie cop goes undercover, broken to the edge and survives, sympathizes with the gang and eventually rises above the dilemma and does the right thing. Each of us has come across at least one movie with a similar storyline. What makes the writers, directors and film makers revisit this theme that has been told over and over? Going away from the glamorous and over-the-top Bond or Ethan Hunt style spy movies, the closest you would come across in terms of reality are these undercover thrillers. If they are done well, there is an immediate connect with the audience, they root for the protagonist, they empathize with the emotions leading to repetitive views and healthy box office collections. Movies based on white supremacist antagonists in Hollywood are not common. While they come sporadically, featuring mainstream actors is rarer like American History X, A Time to Kill etc.

Nate Foster (Daniel Radcliffe) is a loner but highly intellectual FBI agent eager to make a mark. An imminent threat alert drives the department over the edge to investigate and identify the source of the threat and the entire department directs their focus on radical Islamic terrorism. When officer Angela (Toni Collette) suggests a possibility of domestic terrorism involving right wing fascist groups, her superiors and peers ridicules her except Nate. Angela manages to convince her boss and requests for Nate to go undercover as she has seen him before on how he could connect with suspects and get them to talk. Using her years of undercover experience, she gives a crash course to Nate on how he could infiltrate a potential fascist group which can lead him to connect with the nationwide leader who provokes through fascism Dallas Wolf (Tracy Letts).

Having not followed Daniel Radcliffe's filmography except for the initial Harry Potter movies, I had nothing to expect of his performance or his script choices. But definitely looks like he has come a long way. There are moments in the movie which doesn't quite add up - some of them plainly contrived while others loosely written, but Radcliffe shoulders the burden of patching them up and even turns some of them into gripping, gritty and soulful sequences. The supporting cast gives good performances as well if we ignore some clichéd characters here and there. There are 2 important points of note that transcends to real world on how radicalization occurs - a charismatic leader delivering an irresponsible speech not knowing the consequences, brainwashing the children at a very tender age before they could understand and decide for themselves.

Going to the technical departments, the runtime is crisp with the screenplay and editing departments that knows where to indulge and where to be brief. The background score is an asset to the movie that varies by the mood and at times even sets it up. While it has its overwhelming positives, it is not a smooth road always especially towards the end when Radcliffe's character attempts to convince too many people. Also the character Gerry Conway played by Sam Trammell has a sudden change to the character arc where he goes from a loving family man, a rational thinker but with a fascist mindset to a downright radical ready to give up his life in a spur of the moment. However there are enough elements to keep the audience at the edge of their seats leading up to the suspenseful climax even if one could guess how it might end from a mile away.

A Daniel Radcliffe show that is taut, thrilling and insightful.

The Raid 2 (2014)

With the element of surprise gone, the sequel struggles to compete as a regular action movie

[6/10 · 12 March 2017]

The popular Indonesian frantic gruesome martial arts saga is back with a bang with Rama again in the middle promising more of what made the original so effective. With no expectations whatsoever, The Raid Redemption became a sleeper hit both with the audience as well as the critics with none having a clue of what hit them. The dynamics have changed now and people tend to expect and compare from which very few attempts hit the mark.

This story starts from where its predecessor has left off with Rama (Iko Uwais) is getting debriefed at an unconventional location. A police chief coerces Rama into going undercover to both unearth another corrupt cop and also to take heat off from him and protect his family. Rama infiltrates the syndicate run by Bangun (Tio Pakusadewo) a wise patriarch through his hot blooded son Uco (Arifin Putra). He has to struggle to keep his identity a secret, discover the secrets, collect evidence and miss his wife and newly born son. When Uco comes up with his own agenda, can Rama survive?

Since this story is out in the open world and not constrained within an apartment building - it is both good and bad. The innovation to excel within its limitations is where the original made its mark but in the open world - it is just as any other movie. The director tries to squeeze everything into it like the prison riots, car chases, modern gadgets along with its famous punches and kicks. He even brought back his Mad Dog Yahan Ruhian in different role with a completely different look. Everything looks like they should from a technical stand point but many things doesn't add up from dramatic and emotional point of view.

The original had the relentless pace, even before the previous action set piece is concluded a new one is already midway. The same cannot be said here as it invests in a bigger story, more characters and their development which doesn't seem to be the director's strengths - leading to a bloated runtime. Its plot drivers are riddled with holes like what happens to the injured guy who will be taken away for treatment in the beginning, Rama is seen extremely struggling with an injury and a moment later he is fighting off dozens of bad guys without a sign of the injury and many such continuity issues. Bringing the story to the open world also introduces us to a long list of characters like the 'Hammer Girl' who is similar to Gogo from Kill Bill, the baseball bat guy, Uco and his father, his Japanese friend/rival and his son etc. where most characters get uninteresting in a short-while.

With the element of surprise gone, the sequel struggles to compete as a regular action movie.

Operation Avalanche (2016)

Unconvincing take on a popular conspiracy theory with an undecided tone. Opportunity wasted!!

[5/10 · 26 February 2017]

Many of us would have debated on either side of whether the man has ever set foot on Moon? Was the footage featuring Neil Armstrong and Co. staged? Was Stanley Kubrick who has just directed a near perfect space adventure involved in anyway? Was CIA involved? 'Operation Avalance' tries to answer exactly that using the found footage style of presentation that feeds on to the conspiracy theories surrounding this event.

In the height of cold war and amidst the space race between USA and USSR, Russians are winning by sending a man to space through their Vostok program. John F. Kennedy made a promise to people that they will put a man on the moon by the turn of the decade. There is immense pressure on NASA to deliver. At the same time there is paranoia that Russia could have a mole within NASA to both steal the technology as well as know the latest status of their space program.

Matt Johnson and Owen Williams are enthusiastic CIA agents who talk themselves into infiltrating NASA as documentary film makers to identify the Russian mole. During the process they learn that NASA doesn't have the technology to put a man on the Moon and bring them back safely. They come up with another outlandish suggestion to stage the event as an alternative workaround and even get it authorized. How this mission affects their lives, their friendship in a desperation to keep this a secret and inability to trust anyone else and a possibility that their lives could be in danger forms the rest of narrative.

Though most part of the movie has an upbeat tone, there is one word that keeps popping in your head throughout - unconvincing. This movie is more of a fantasy that is built on top of the existing conspiracy theories and tries to justify how some of the discrepancies would have come into existence. Acting is natural and since this is all presented as a found footage, thankfully there isn't much scope for melodramatics. The cinematography is as if viewed through a camera from that era (doesn't make sense again since most of the documentaries at that time are done in b/w and this movie presents it in color).

This is more of a geek's fantasy to have a closure on one of the most popular conspiracy theories of the past century but I look at it as an opportunity wasted. It neither goes in a comedy route nor as a serious version of the events and just ends up flip-flopping. The screenplay is repetitive and keeps circling back to the same place making it redundant and boring at times. The fact that CIA allows a rookie CIA agent to be at the helm of creating such a staged footage out in the open (even within the watchful eyes) already sounds ridiculous. And allowing to film the filming of this staged event is beyond ridiculous.

Unconvincing take on a popular conspiracy theory with an undecided tone. Opportunity wasted!!

The Infiltrator (2016)

May not be your best true story backed crime drama, a great story and good acting makes it watchable

[6/10 · 25 February 2017]

I don't think there is any dispute when one says that Bryan Cranston's career took off into the A-lists after the stupendous success of Breaking Bad. He has been working in some very big movies in roles tailored for him. To a man in his position, it is easy to get swayed into accepting big money meaningless roles that would have come thick and fast post his stardom. Bryan Cranston didn't budge. Instead he used this same stardom and new found influence to get him into doing some very interesting roles and gave very passionate performances to further his legacy in acting.

Pablo Escobar's drug empire might not be a very sophisticated one. It was more or less operated by may be intelligent but rather uneducated people. They followed procedures and people what the best money or intimidation could buy. In such duress, you don't get innovation - you only get workarounds. There were numerous attempts by dedicated DEA and Customs teams to poke at this clunky model and dismantle the operations, but with the reach and the money generating prowess of its business, ten more such models would crop up just as one goes down. 'The Infiltrator' is based on a real life account of one such operation, a rather successful one.

Robert Mazur (Bryan Cranston) is a U.S. Customs Officer and is a veteran in undercover operations. The mission starts off to collect evidence against some higher members of Escobar's echelon along with his trusted associate Emir (John Leguizamo). Soon the dynamics change and the mission gets bigger with members of the cartel getting very interested with Mazur's proposal. The need to find a bank which could be talked into doing the laundering work for them arises which is when the BCCI (Bank of Credit and Commerce International) steps in. With the evidence mounting up, his life constantly in danger, personal life in shambles, he has to find a way to bring all players under a single roof for indictments.

Being made from a real life account of Robert Mazur, one would imagine the story to be opinionistic and highly perspective. However the makers had made sure they take an objective route in telling their story but does indulge in some personal views of Mazur. The idea of choosing BCCI (the biggest product of Pakistan on international stage) amongst many other options isn't well shown. The direction is upbeat especially with John Leguizamo's histrionics and members of Medellin cartel's lifestyle. It has Bryan Cranston playing the lead and another seasoned Hollywood actress Diane Kruger playing a crucial role, with everything going for it - there seems to be something missing throughout the movie making it incomplete.

The attention to detail for the period is done well, the background score always is high spirited and apt, the color theme and cinematography adds into the period feel. It has its moments of emotional depth where the characters of Mazur and Kathy (Diane Kruger) has to walk a thin line between the new friendships they are making and the knowledge of the fact that they are also collecting evidence to eventually bust them. Considering the story is backed by a real life account which already has a huge conspiracy undertone, intriguing twists and involves a popular figure like Escobar looming over it - I felt the resulting movie could have been a little more engaging than it turned out to be.

May not be your best true story backed crime drama, a great story and good acting makes it watchable.

The Raid: Redemption (2011)

Not your average martial-art themed action flick, but every other can become a child's play after seeing this.

[8/10 · 25 February 2017]

Martial arts has always been a fascination to the world at least in the movies since Bruce Lee's foray into Hollywood. The same enthusiasm has been carried forward by Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Tony Jaa and the likes in their own style while adapting to changing times. Thus far, the primary combination has always been that of martial arts, modern technology and modern crime world along with a healthy dose of PG entertainment thrown in with occasional fantasy setups and animation. With 'The Raid: Redemption', it is taken to a whole new territory of gore, grit and overall graphic violence which marks a definitive shift in its target audience while putting the Indonesian movie industry in the global map of cinema along the way.

Rama (Iko Uwais) is a rookie in the tactical police team which has been assigned to engage a crime syndicate operating from an apartment building. The team is led by Jaka (Joe Taslim) based on the intel procured from Wahyu (Pierre Gruno) and the operation was expected to be quick and silent. The mob boss Tama (Ray Sahetapy), his muscle Mad Dog (Yayan Ruhian) and brain Andi (Donny Alamsyah) along with a huge network of spotters (generally children), surveillance cameras and mercenaries was underestimated by the tactical team. The whole operation goes downhill as soon as it starts with body count rising and a never ending barrage of bad guys popping up in every corner. Rama and Wahyu have their own agenda amid all the chaos. Can they make it out alive?

You get a similar scenario as that of 'Black Hawk Down' where a large and sophisticated military team go into Somalia for a quick and clean mission but end up losing many men and the rest scared and desperate to get back in one piece. 'The Raid' isn't about getting back in one piece but to pursue on relentlessly and at the same time playing for the masses every opportunity it gets. The graphic violence and the gore is on another level compared to movies of this genre. Even though there are a lot of gun battles, there are even more fist and knife fights which is where things get murkier. Skulls crushed, arms and legs broken, spines twisted, jaws cracked, torsos slashed and blood everywhere. Definitely not your average action movie.

Considering the entire story is just the movie's namesake - a raid, even though the twists, revelations, human relationships etc. are all projected with the right intensity and strategically timed - it is the visual display of those martial arts combined with graphic violence that wins big for it. The action choreography is very innovative where the kicks and punches come in lightening pace and bodies are crushed in ways a normal viewer wouldn't have imagined. Complementing it is the excellent cinematography where each kick and punch is captured and projected with the maximum intensity for genre audience's pleasure. Generally the acting in Asian movies are a little overboard, but 'The Raid' makes sure the standard is very different from normal by maintaining the correct tone and the actors are to be commended for it. With a short runtime, crisp screenplay and enough twists in the script to keep the viewer engaged, the movie is a complete package for whoever can stomach the gore and violence.

Not your average martial-art themed action flick, but every other can become a child's play after seeing this.

Inferno (I) (2016)

Muddled mess without a focus, ridicules a partially interesting premise

[4/10 · 6 February 2017]

Playing Robert Langdon was probably one of the poorest choices Tom Hanks in hindsight- and its not just once. It is tough to adapt a Dan Brown book into a movie and tougher to make it likable for its reader. Considering the immense challenge in front of - Ron Howard takes a ridiculous shortcut to disregard any sense the book could have made and ended it up with a senseless cat and mouse chase that neither has the slickness of a thriller nor the intelligence to keep a viewer guessing.

Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) wakes up at a hospital in Florence with no recollection of his last 48 hours. When a policewoman barges into the hospital and starts shooting her way to Langdon's room, Dr. Sienna (Felicity Jones) who is attending to him and also a fan of Langdon's books helps him escape. While Langdon is trying to comprehend the events, he is more confused with visions of suffering, torture, plague and a woman in the midst of it all. Meanwhile a video of a billionaire Bertrand Zobrist (Ben Foster) who committed suicide a couple of days ago surfaces with content of his plan to solve the current crisis of Planet Earth - over population. It is a race against time for Langdon, Sienna, Harry Sims (Irrfan Khan) - head of a security agency which Bertrand hires, Dr. Elizabeth Sinsky (Sidse Babett Knudsen) of WHO and Christoph Bouchard (Omar Sy) and all with their vested interests. Can they all stop before Mr. Zobrist's plan comes into motion?

What this movie lacks desperately is focus. It has got all the technology and cast that top money can buy, but misfires in all directions without hitting any due to complete lack of focus from its director and writers. On one side it is about world population, on another side there is this symbolic reference to Dante's Inferno - a renaissance artist's interpretation of Hell as we know it, then the unpredictable human aspect. On paper, one might think the combination sounds right, but the execution has gone awry. While you trudge through the bore of predictable choices of its characters during its lengthy runtime, it gets even worse to see how dumb and senseless it gets by the end of it. The original plot points which could have made it interesting are thrown off the window and we have a poorly made run-of-the-mill action thriller that deserve neither the budget nor the cast.

Just for Tom Hanks credibility sake, I wish Dan Brown holds off on releasing another Robert Langdon book and hopefully 'Lost Symbol' doesn't get the nod. While I agree that Tom Hanks is a slightly over- rated actor, he did feature in some of the most iconic roles and has given memorable performances. The art is not about technicality but how much the roles have affected a viewer that decides their benchmark. While Felicity Jones had a meaty role, I don't think it was well etched out or at least not leveraged to what could have been. Irrfan Khan now seems to be stereotyped in Hollywood as a wise-mouthed sarcastic supporting character (which is rather a better stereotype than most from Indian origin gets a chance to) who dies in every movie.

Muddled mess without a focus, ridicules a partially interesting premise.

Jason Bourne (I) (2016)

Not even for the fans of the franchise - uninspired, lacks intelligence and poorly acted.

[4/10 · 4 February 2017]

Jason Bourne became a household name when Matt Damon stormed into the big screen as a man with many capabilities who has forgotten his past. The world has since got hooked into this new age action full of high octane chases, intense hand-to-hand combat sequences and a human element brought in by Matt Damon. There may have been moments in the trilogy where the script might have faltered a bit and immediately comes the next action set piece to completely distract and make you lose your train of thought. While this isn't in the same league, I might go as far as calling it a pale imitation of the Bourne movie imitators.

Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) has secluded himself to a life of torture punishing himself for his past. Nicky Parsons (Julia Stiles) hacks into the CIA network and steals the details about all the black ops files including the latest one - 'Iron Hand'. When she contacts Jason Bourne to help her get this content public, CIA director Robert Dewey (Tommy Lee Jones), Cyber Head Heather Lee (Alicia Vikander) along with an Asset (Vincent Cassel) unleash the full wrath of the agency into finding them to put an end to their nemesis.

Matt Damon is a very unorthodox actor and I never saw him play a role very convincingly. Good Will Hunting was an exceptional movie, but I never felt that he was the best person to play the title character. In fact I feel the same for most of his movies. But not while he is playing Jason Bourne. For me, he is Jason Bourne. However this movie shows that he is clearly past his prime to play that character and just comes off as a brooding sociopath who just likes to play cat and mouse with the Agency.

Alicia Vikander seems to have extended her role Ava from Ex Machina, in fact she shows much more emotions there. Tommy Lee Jones character is one of the most clichéd characters played over and over in Hollywood where his persona and skill makes it watchable, rather bearable. Riz Ahmed is going from strength to strength and is building up an impressive filmography, he suits the role of a young tech billionaire. Vincent Cassel just joined in for the brooding contest and his role is uncooked and inconsistent.

So far from the review, I have definitely made the point that it is a partially boring, heavily predictable and poorly acted Bourne movie, it is also the most logically unsatisfying, contemporarily lost one. To describe a few instances - the analytics and customer personalization abilities speech by Aaron Kalloor is at least 15 years too old, why does a Cyber head run field ops, the final chase has the Bourne's Dodge getting knocked around by so many vehicles and the air bags doesn't pop out, all the top secret black ops files are present sequentially in the file system of CIA servers, in fact anything to do with technology seems to be done by someone who doesn't understand it or not updated with the current ways, the manner in which the previous agents cause mayhem when they run amok in the traffic chasing each other in the name of collateral damage (reminded me of Transformers). These are just a few that I could recall when writing this review and I am sure there were a lot more.

The chases, hand to hand combats, especially dialogues are uninspired. The editing department should have chopped at least 30 mins runtime off the movie that could have made it at least a little more bearable. Paul Greengrass is not someone who just made the shaky camera cinematography famous but has made some excellent movies too. Greengrass, Matt Damon and the rest of the crew should have stayed off this project. My next dream Jason Bourne movie would be to have him placed living a peaceful life in a suburb and he needs to use his skills to save the day in a small domestic environment as an action comedy.

Not even for the fans of the franchise - uninspired, lacks intelligence and poorly acted.

The Accountant (2016)

The story of a mathematician sans logic doesn't quite equate, but the entertainment factor as the variable solves that puzzle.

[7/10 · 4 February 2017]

A rather pleasant throwback to the escapist action movies of the '90s that should be watched for pure popcorn entertainment but falls apart if you try scrutinizing its logic. I sometimes wonder how Ben Affleck chooses his movies as an actor especially after he started part- timing behind the camera. Apart from 'Gone Girl' which is rather similar to his choice of movies as a director, rest seem to just make money for him to produce his next venture. Doesn't sound like a bad idea at all!!

Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck) suffers from high-functioning autism but a gifted mathematician who takes up high profile jobs across the world from terrorists, failed states, mafia, cartels etc. to process their accounts. He also maintains a very low profile when he is back home in a small accounting firm as his front. When he takes up a new normal client which is a robotics conglomerate to uncook their books, his discovery leads to putting him as well as the young accounting executive of the firm Dana (Anna Kendrick) who initially identified the discrepancy in danger. All the while the US Treasury Department comprising of Ray King (J.K. Simmons) and Medina (Cynthia Robinson) are closing in on identifying him from his past deals. Can he put himself and Dana out of harm's way and identify who is behind targeting them?

Ben Affleck gives a somber performance which is apt and fits the role perfectly that doesn't require him to emote beyond his poker face. Anna Kendrick doesn't enjoy a meaty role here and she is just for a distraction. The best part of the movie are its screenplay and editing which brings together different threads of the story in the most entertaining way possible. When I said that it is one of those many movies which would fall apart with a little scrutiny on logic, this one rather has way too many holes to ignore and at times they are too glaring.

The big climax revelation can be guessed from far away but it does end up entertaining. The writers seems to be suffering from the same condition as that of its title character to obsessively cover all the loose ends to bring a logical conclusion and that leads to unnecessary footage which hampers the experience. Especially the story behind the robotic voice he keeps hearing throughout the movie. Despite its runtime the movie is rather breezy and doesn't feel dragged at any point. Another best part was the director's ability to capture some genuinely good moments which makes you forgive some logical misgivings.

The story of a mathematician sans logic doesn't quite equate, but the entertainment factor as the variable solves that puzzle.

Ouija: Origin of Evil (2016)

Fumbles both on human and other aspect with a passable story and occasional thrill

[6/10 · 28 January 2017]

There was a time when Hollywood was obsessed with period crime dramas which seemed to have spilled on to the horror genre. It could be either the higher supply of Hollywood props leading to discounts or the ease of storytelling without having to deal with modern communication and other technology. Also in the recent times this genre has collectively matured into a less gory and more character driven plots and sometimes featuring popular actors. Ouija, the popular childhood game to invite spirits to answer silly questions forms the basis of this plot but it gets more irrelevant as the story unfolds.

Alice Zander (Elizabeth Reaser) is a recently widowed mother of two - teenage Lina (Annalise Basso) and 9-year old Doris (Lulu Wilson). She runs small scams as a fortune-teller or as someone who talks to spirits out of her house with her daughters as accomplices. She purchases a Ouija board when suggested by Lina for adding it to her props. When they get a notice of foreclosure for her house, Doris finds a package full of money hidden in their basement by previous tenants. This discovery along with solving their present crisis, also brings forward Doris's abilities to really communicate with the spirits that booms her business. Is Doris able to positively use her new ability or is she getting consumed by it?

The movie establishes a moderately happy family where they collectively try to contribute towards running their house. All the standard tropes you would see like a single mother striving to stay above water, a rebellious teenager and her crush, an adolescent handling her bullies at school etc. While this is all well established, the mom's character is shown to be flip-flopping though the tone of the movie still continues to show her in a positive note. Instances like when the mom doesn't try to investigate much further into the money purse discovery, doesn't pay heed to the changes in Doris after her new ability and just pushes on to exploit it etc. With the eventual revelation about the spirit, having the Ouija board in the center of it doesn't make any sense.

The acting is moderately good which has very minimal characters overall much like most other movies of this genre. Most of the scenes either happen indoors or at a school's entrance which means that the entire movie was shot in a shoe-string budget despite its period setting - considering this is observed only in retrospect shows the quality and it is worth to commend the production design of this movie. The atmosphere setup is one of the most important element in a horror movie which it gets right to most extent. But the overall quality of the story or the thrills plays the spoiler where the origin story is very under-cooked and full of holes leaving a lot of content that doesn't make sense. A serious evil doing mischievous things is what I can't comprehend in most horror movies and this movie isn't any different.

Fumbles both on human and other aspect with a passable story and occasional thrill.

The Girl on the Train (2016)

Manipulative, contrived and illogical elements fizzles out the mystery and suspense. Some good performances couldn't save it either

[5/10 · 28 January 2017]

Extremely popular thrillers are generally dumber than the actual good ones. Going by the popularity of its source material, I did have my inhibitions on how this might be. There is a minor but there is a chance of having the material improvised when transforming it on to the big screen, I had counted on it - How wrong was I? Apart from a predictably superlative performance by Emily Blunt, everything else just falls apart.

Rachel (Emily Blunt) is a drunk divorced woman living in a friend's apartment and takes a train for work every day. Her ex-husband Tom (Justin Theroux) who cheated on her, currently lives with his present wife and a newly born in the same house which Rachel and Tom bought together. As the house is by the rail tracks which she passes by on her train commute every day, she gets obsessed by a couple who stays a couple of houses further from her house - names them Jess (Haley Bennett) and Jason (Luke Evans) in her head and wonder about their lives. One day she finds Jess intimate with someone who is not Jason, being in a heavily inebriated condition she impulsively wants to confront Jess and gets off the train. She wakes up the next morning bruised and blacked out of previous night's memory. Megan (Jess in her head) is missing and it is all over the news...

When the book took the world by storm, it was admired for its breezy read full of twists and turns. There wasn't many who were fond of its too many gray characters or the quality of its story. Not having read the book, I will leave that observation from news articles as is. It definitely got its teaser trailer right, infusing that intrigue in you with all the mystery, suspense and modern story- telling. The movie hardly had anything more to offer from its teaser as it looked like it was just stretched out from it. Not every single person you meet in life could be as twisted as in Paula Hawkins world which makes it unrelatable. The plot twists are sometimes ridiculous and the important sequences that drive the story ends up being illogical. You will know the major climax revelation from a mile away and how it eventually pans out is quite a dampener.

Something from a viewer's perspective is that you don't get a character to root for. With each character having their own misgivings, you'd rather think they are better off at where they are. Most of the actions look illogical and unbecoming of their characters especially the eventual victim and murderer. Emily Blunt has had an interesting filmography but I don't think her potential has been fully realized yet even though she got a chance to showcase her brilliance in bits, same goes in this movie too. Once you figured out the gist of the story and know where it is going, it becomes a plodding bore and a lot of time to get there. The background score didn't standout and the cinematography is just apt. When adapting from a book, the most important consideration would be to identify which section to highlight, which section to omit - as it isn't possible to carry forward in its entirety. Not having read the book, I can't comment about these choices but knowing how popular the book became - there is a chance that something went wrong in this process.

Manipulative, contrived and illogical elements fizzles out the mystery and suspense. Some good performances couldn't save it either.

The Magnificent Seven (2016)

Unrealized moments and desperately lacking innovation leaves it underwhelming

[6/10 · 27 January 2017]

A story that has been retold in various versions and backdrops across the world makes its way back to Hollywood again with Antoine Fuqua at the helm. He brings together the stars from his smash-hit debut 'Training Day' hoping for a box office miracle that has eluded him. Easily one of the best looking westerns you would come across especially going by Fuqua's technical abilities, aesthetics and attention to detail. But sadly that's all there is to it.

Bartholomew Bogue (Peter Sarsgaard) is a ruthless business man using intimidation and graft to convert a settlement into a mining yard oblivious to its settler's woes. When he takes a step too far by burning down the local church and killing some innocent civilians who revolted against him, Emma Cullen (Haley Bennett) who is widowed from the incident vows revenge. She recruits a Warrant Officer Sam Chisolm (Denzel Washington) to help her exact revenge who in turn has a bone to pick on Bogue. Knowing Bogue's ego, his love for power and his assets, Chisolm needs an army to stand a chance.

Right from the word go, it is driven by a template featuring all the stereotypes of a western world. Its as if he has made a list of such and stuffed them up into this wafer thin script. The way the town looks, characters of inhabitants, introduction to its protagonist, antagonist, period jokes everything you can think of has been done many times before. As the movie progresses, it becomes utterly predictable voiding it of any thrill or suspense throughout. The characters of the magnificent seven are not well etched out making them just caricatures who would react in a pre-programmed manner to a given situation. The background score is passable, the screenplay is so by the book might well has been written by a film student as part of an assignment, editing department could have worked a little harder to chop off some extra lengthy dinner scenes. But the background locales and the cinematography stands out making it a visual treat. To conclude, I felt that there were moments in the movie which were not seized leaving it underwhelming at the end.

Coming to performances starting with Peter Sarsgaard, his character as a baddie in the movie can be defined in like just 3 words. Denzel Washington does shows some moves as a gunslinger but I couldn't buy into his western act. Chris Pratt has been giving the exact same performance since his breakout role as Peter Quill and just serves as a comic relief. Ethen Hawke, the returning star from Training Day and a veteran of unconventional roles bows out here to play the silliest character (in a bad way) written in recent times. Only actor who makes something out of this venture is Haley Bennett - especially because of my lack of expectations on her. She definitely had her moments and her plight and grit looks believable in parts.

Unrealized moments and desperately lacking innovation leaves it underwhelming.

Snowden (2016)

Not sure about its sincerity and authenticity, but I just enjoyed it as a well made thriller full of good performances

[7/10 · 27 January 2017]

Edward Snowden has had an interesting episode in his life defying the most powerful spy agency and in the process becoming both a hero and a villain depending on our view of his actions. What Oliver Stone got right is his casting and what he got wrong is that he picked a side. Considering this is a contemporary issue with an on-going raging debate about his actions, a popular movie showcasing Edward Snowden as a hero will no doubt influence the public perception whoever doesn't watch it with an open mind.

Snowden (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is a patriotic youngster who joins the army to serve his country. When a training accident leaves him unfit for field duty, his expertise and interest in computers leads him to join the training for the virtual battleground under his mentor Corbin O'Brian (Rhys Ifans). When he meets his liberal girlfriend Lindsay Mills (Shailene Woodley), a section of his thought process gets unlocked leading to him questioning the actions of his agency and also himself. On the side, the sequences shown in the documentary where Snowden meets journalists and filmmakers Laura Poitras (Melissa Leo), Glenn Greenwald (Zachary Quinto) and Ewen MacAskill (Tom Wilkinson) in a Hong Kong hotel unfolds in a non-linear mode;

There is no doubt about the weight of Snowden's revelations. Snooping on the private space of normal citizens across the world including the domestic American citizens is something that cannot be ignored. At the same time, how else does a security agency preempt an attack or a conspiracy without having options to filter between harmless and dangerous? It is a very thin line on which most of the security agencies around the world might walk in.

Getting Joseph Gordon-Levitt to play the titular character is job half done for Oliver Stone. Though Levitt looks already all geeky, he's hardly had an opportunity to play one and when he got one, he gives a performance par excellence. Bringing in the veterans like Leo and Wilkinson along with a proved talent like Quinto adds in the necessary depth and seriousness to the recreated documentary sequences. However the dramatization and and fictionalization might have gone a little too far when showing the entire NSA personnel having a very callous attitude towards private data of citizens which could not be true.

All the performances were excellent and especially enjoyed a very restrained performance by Nicolas Cage after such a long time. The background score adds to the thrill in some scenes and the screenplay is good in parts. However the runtime might be a little too long for a story which most knows how it ends. The bias is clearly visible when Snowden is shown as a hero and it could evoke some passionate discussions and debates from opinionistic viewers which is good for the movie.

Not sure about its sincerity and authenticity, but I just enjoyed it as a well made thriller full of good performances.

Sully (2016)

A crackling performance by Tom Hanks dealing a powerful incident with operational efficiency

[7/10 · 26 January 2017]

It is difficult to forget the positivity and heartwarming end to some powerful events that we come across in our daily life or through the media and 'Sully' covers one such event which consoled the world that not every bad incident would end in a tragedy. While the incident is still powerfully etched in our minds due to its coverage, this movie tries to cover the human aspect and behind-the-scenes events from the perspective of the man who made this possible - Captain Chesley Sullenberger.

On 15th January, 2009 US Airways Flight 1549 (Airbus 320-214) took off from New York's LaGuardia Airport with the experienced and sure-handed Captain Chesley 'Sully' Sullenberger (Tom Hanks) at the helm along with his First Officer Jeffrey B. Skiles (Aaron Eckhart). Three minutes into take-off, the flight was hit by a flock of Canada geese leading to the shutdown of its engines and flight losing its thrust. Using all his experience as a flight safety expert, glider pilot as well as his instincts, Sully landed the plane on the River Hudson without any casualties despite instructions to return to the source airport or the other nearby options. An inquiry was ordered by NTSB whose initial evaluation through flight simulators suggested that it would have been possible for the flight to have made it back to LaGuardia airport. With evidence mounting against him, can Sully come out of this serious accusation of endangering lives of all the passengers and crew aboard the flight.

It is impossible to not draw comparisons with a similarly themed Robert Zemeckis's movie 'Flight' which also deals with a freak and impossible crash landing followed by an investigation. The major difference apart from one being fiction is the melodrama quotient. 'Sully' deals the entire episode with operational efficiency without bringing in emotion where it was not necessary. The surprising and overwhelming nature of the situation that doesn't have a precedence is well countered by the experience, maturity and confidence of the Captain who is a veteran of thousands of flight hours and air-crash investigations - aptly portrayed by Tom Hanks. The way Sully is shown to conduct himself in this extraordinary situation makes you respect the real man even more. While the focus is mostly on Sully, Aaron Eckhart shows his quality by making his presence felt without actually having to force it in. One more interesting segment is how Sully deals with the situation on the personal front with his wife Lorraine (Laura Linney) while speculating possible outcomes from the impending investigation.

Apart from the leads, Anna Gunn (Breaking Bad fame) also gives a nuanced performance as Elizabeth Davis, an NTSB panel member who was heading the investigation. Rest of the cast gives an apt performance despite just being in the background. Coming to the technical departments - the visual effects of the crash looks natural, the screenplay makes the events more interesting by non-linear flip-flopping between the incident and the investigation. However the final hearing of the investigation is hurried to bring the revelations hastily in a day which in reality would have taken weeks to conclude. Despite its short runtime, it sometimes felt repetitive and dragging occasionally. Age seems to be just a number for director Clint Eastwood who has maintained relevance and quality in his second innings (last 10-15 years) which is a stark contrast of the genre for which he was a superstar for decades previously.

A crackling performance by Tom Hanks dealing a powerful incident with operational efficiency.

The Devil's Double (2011)

Far from factual, nowhere near boring

[6/10 · 9 January 2017]

Reviewed May 2012

It neither has the subtlety nor the attention to detail one might expect of a biopic and runs along as a thrill ride concocted from the mind of some over-the-top fiction writer where the focus is more on the sleazy and gory details than the emotional side of its characters. But the last word is that it entertains.

Uday Saddam Hussein (Dominic Cooper) needs no introduction as his reputation is well documented. What this movie intends to show is the perspective of his Fiday (body double), Latif Yahia (also played by Dominic Cooper). In the monarchical Iraq where eccentric Uday has no bounds to his sadistic ways, Latif a soldier of the Republican Guard is identified and offered a position as his body double without a choice. Uday and his team introduces Latif to an ultra luxurious lifestyle with quite a few tight strings attached. Latif is forbidden to contact his family and soon grows tired of Uday's antics and atrocities. All along, Sarrab (Ludivine Sagnier) a mistress Uday is quite fond of gets close to Latif and both dreams of life free from Uday's clutches. One day, Latif thinks enough is enough and does the unthinkable and the consequences are supposed to be history.

The script definitely would have taken the liberty of manipulating quite a few facts for dramatic or commercial or fill-in-the-blank purposes and anyone watching the movie for historical accuracy may get disappointed. Where it succeeds is the flamboyance with which Dominic Cooper portrays the eccentric Uday Hussein and the same measured held back performance while playing Latif. Also it induces quite a few comic touches and add in a lot of nudity, vulgarity and gore the elements that are closely associated with Uday and they are the same elements that makes a product commercially viable too. No major incident reported in the history is handled with the gravity of its impact instead takes the spectacle route. Certain facts are contrived and some emotions are just laughable for a biopic, but hey who knows what was cooking in Uday's mind, he might have reacted in the exact same way. Uday was shown mostly as an immature, mindless nut with a lot of comic histrionics and unpredictable temper. There is a pattern here as I have seen a BBC biography on Uday which is handled in the exact same way as this movie, a contrast with the rest of their work.

Having said all that, what finally mattered was its ability to grab my attention by bribing me with guilty fun. Do not watch it for serious cinema, there is a lighter side to the worst of elements.

The Help (2011)

Made for the galleries and entertain it does

[8/10 · 9 January 2017]

Reviewed April 2012

Not many movies can be branded clichéd, stereotypical, predictable and at the same time excellent and interesting. This movie is just that, of course some excellent acting and likable characters did help too. I always admire a maker's clarity on what they want to present, even if there are some glitches in execution, but this movie has none.

Skeeter (Emma Stone) an aspiring author during the wake of Civil Rights movement, wants to write a book on the African-American maids point-of-view on their masters. The times are dark and for a black person to come forth and talk is also a crime in the State of Mississippi. After a few refusals, Aibileen Clark (Viola Davis) comes forth to talk and share her views. After a few more incidents, another maid Minny (Octavia Spencer) joins. Soon there are plenty of maids who want to share their stories after an injustice after another mounts on them. Skeeter has a neutral point-of-view and is determined to complete what she started, no matter what sacrifices she has to make.

As I had mentioned earlier, this plot is completely cliché driven and the characters and sequences align themselves to present a viewer friendly closure to every incident present. But this whole mess is wrapped in such a nicely packed presentation, though it crossed the corner of my mind while watching, I could point them out only when I think of the scenes when writing the review. So in a way the movie has succeeded it's objective of holding the viewers attention and entertaining them too and the portrayal of those stereotypical characters to be likable is another peak to mount, which this ensemble cast does with ease. A special mention should go to Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer as the maids in focus, they are the ones that produce and control the emotional aspect of the movie. There she is, Jessica Chastain again featuring in the immediate movie I have watched, she does her reputation no harm here also displaying another dimension to her acting. She resembles a lot of Julia Roberts to me in both looks and acting wise.

All the negative things you might have heard about this movie are probably true. But what triumphs is the excellent presentation and it should be a case study for that aspect, to hide all the limitations and plot holes at least until its runtime. A definite watch.

The Debt (I) (2010)

Watch it for the new star, Jessica Chastain and some thrilling spy action sans fancy gadgets and over-the-top styling

[7/10 · 9 January 2017]

Reviewed April 2012

An intriguing spy thriller about three Mossad agents about their mission 30 years ago and how its consequences are affecting them now. Excellent performances, a little rough on the edges yet competent screenplay and an even tone makes this an interesting watch before it all gets messed up by the end.

Sarah Gold has just launched her book about a Mossad mission that took place 30 years back where a Nazi war criminal was captured and killed from Russian occupied Berlin. The mission consisted of 3 agents Rachael Singer (Now: Helen Mirren/Then: Jessica Chastain), Stephan Gold (Now: Tom Wilkinson/Then: Marton Csokas) and David Peretz (Now: Ciarán Hinds/Then: Sam Worthington). Sarah is the daughter of Rachael and Stephan. The mission was to capture Dieter Vogel (Jesper Christensen) responsible for experimenting and killing hundreds of Jews during the Nazi rule and delivering him back to Israel for a trial. The agents plan and prepare for the delivery, but the circumstances go off their plan and the rest is about how they managed it then and how it is affecting them now. Also deals with Rachael's feelings for both men in her team and how they end up.

The real star of this movie is Jessica Chastain. She is unbelievably beautiful not just for her looks but also the portrayal of her character as a vulnerable yet determined young agent going to any lengths to fulfill her mission objective. Most interesting part is also the time line during their mission, which is shot with the right ratio of subtlety and panache. Sam Worthington and Marton Csokas also deliver apt performances. Where it all goes wrong is towards the end, not just because I am not a huge fan of sudden change of mind about honesty, but the way it is dealt with. Apart from the climax mess, the rest is so compelling made more by Jessica Chastain.

Watch it for the new star, Jessica Chastain and some thrilling spy action sans fancy gadgets and over-the-top styling.

Ghost World (2001)

A teen movie that is surprisingly mature and engaging

[8/10 · 9 January 2017]

Reviewed April 2012

Though treads on a familiar path, never come across a teen movie with so much wit and introspection into teen angst and all of this done in a surprisingly lighter tone.

Enid (Thora Birch) and Becky (Scarlett Johansson) are childhood friends who just finished high school and are planning to move into an apartment. Both are mischievous and rebellious, Enid more than Becky and decides to call on a personal ad what seemed to be from a lonely man. They ask the ad placer to come to a specific restaurant and enjoy the disappointment of the man one Seymour (Steve Buscemi) who waits and leaves. Enid gets interested in Seymour and gets to know him and becomes friends. On her personal front, she is conflicted with her own ideas and makes some poor decisions making her lose the scholarship, Becky, Seymour's friendship and a chance to move into the apartment. How she copes with all this forms the entire story.

Without knowing anything about the movie the initial 15 minutes hinted this as a girl version of Superbad. It changes soon getting more intimate on what is happening in a teenager's mind who is resorting to pride when there is a feeling of being left out. Scarlett Johansson looks stunning but she does not have a lot of role here as Thora Birch is the star. Though there is no scope here for great acting, she does a terrific job portraying the troubled teenager. The director deals with this delicate subject with steady and confident hands never toning down the spirit of a teenager. Buscemi does his character with ease as a lonely weird stranger.

Never boring or awkward (as most teenage movies tend to), tells a simple story in the most effective way it is possible to.

Attack the Block (2011)

Got its pace and presentation right - but definitely overrated

[7/10 · 9 January 2017]

Reviewed March 2012

An amalgamation of a silly script, mediocre acting, smart production values and a perfect blend of execution - neither too serious nor just funny.

Moses (John Boyega) and his gang of friends encounter and kill an alien that has fallen from outer space. While they are off celebrating their kill and making plans on how to spend the money they would get by selling the corpse, an alien invasion begins as hundreds of the tough creatures looking like a bear with glowing teeth descend to attack the block. With no choice to save themselves and their block, they grab everything they think of as a weapon and get on the offensive.

It is a little putting off initially with the slang continually trying to impress the viewer with the words they use but one should get used to it a little while into the movie. The screenplay maintains a serious tone for most part with the lead character never smiling and people getting killed occasionally. A super relief in all this are the child characters who are wannabe tough kids calling themselves Mayhem and Probs. The visual effects are minimal but done neatly. Nick Frost might have done a courtesy role here since there is no wit in what he says nor there is any importance to the character.

Definitely overrated, but not a bad movie at all. My rating for this movie is only because of its pace and the presentation given its limited budget.

JFK (1991)

Time flies despite its daunting runtime - An informative and important film

[9/10 · 9 January 2017]

Reviewed April 2012

The movie might have exaggerated, dramatized or manipulated certain real events, but what a stunning presentation featuring one of the best ensemble performances and intense screenplay that holds the audience attention for well over 3 hours. Though it reminds a bit of 'All the presidents men', it doesn't have its subtlety.

It all starts after the assassination of John F. Kennedy and the conspiracies surrounding the investigation. Jim Garrison (Kevin Costner) a DA of New Orleans is convinced that there is a lot more to what the officials are willing to share and after finding a lot of loop holes in the Warren Commissions report, starts an unauthorized investigation with a small team from his office. He starts putting together facts, speculates certain conspiracy theories and the case starts consuming him. The fear, humiliation, object of losing his family doesn't stop him from going further.

The amount of information, fact or fiction fed to the audience in extraordinary and since it is a little speculative and involves one of the most popular conspiracy theories, there is a better chance the audience gets sucked into it. Screenplay doesn't allow a single dull moment and every actor gives a one up performance scene after scene. The look of the period and a clever mix of real and shot footage helps too. One problem here is that, it does not just present the important facts and let the viewer decide, it thinks for the viewer too. Thus dumbing down and ending up one dimensional.

Knowing the runtime beforehand might be a daunting task for you to attempt to watch this, trust me time flies is an idiom never more appropriate while watching this movie.

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011)

Don't believe the hype and watch with a clear mind, there is a chance you might like it.

[7/10 · 9 January 2017]

Reviewed December 2011

Way too much hype undid the movie for me. It didn't have the mean bad guy the other missions had and the stunts are only as good as MI3. But still it is a fantastic ride and a welcome addition to the franchise.

It starts with a delivery intercept gone wrong where some top secret information has gone to the wrong hands and a macho prison break of Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) from a high security Russian prison aided by his team consisting of computer guy Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg) and Jane Carter (Paula Patton). On accepting a mission to recover secret tapes from inside Kremlin, things go wrong as vested interests uses IMF team as bait to distract and steal the Russian nuclear launch codes. IMF is implicated in the blast and theft and a number of people are looking for them. His team with limited ammunition and support, has to clear their name and save the world.

The screenplay is breezy but the script is far from tight. There has never been a mission where Hunt works from inside IMF and this one is no exception. What lives up to the hype surrounding the movie are the couple of fantastic thrills involving Burj Dubai. Tom Cruise gets a special mention for his effortless stunts while exhibiting the charisma. The final showdown ends in a hurry (though not void of some exhilarating stunts) but the conclusion of the movie takes its time. Scenes involving Anil Kapoor and Mumbai are shoddy and extravagant.

MI3 is definitely a better movie elevated by Hoffman, but MI4 doesn't do too bad either. Don't believe the hype and watch with a clear mind, there is a chance you might like it.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)

A surprise package for skeptical viewers, and I would say seeing is believing

[8/10 · 9 January 2017]

Reviewed February 2011

Unabashedly good fun. It is based on a winning formula that has been tried upon an enormous number of times and only a few have succeeded in execution and this will be right among the best. The thrills, visuals and drama are just breathtaking.

Will Rodman (James Franco) is a bio-scientist on the verge of pitching his latest invention, a cure for Alzheimer's disease currently being tested upon apes. All seems to be going well when the ape being tested upon goes berserk before a demo resulting in temporary suspension of the project. Later Will and the team realizes that the ape that was to represent the demo, just had given birth to its child and the earlier reaction was protective than aggressive. Will adopts the baby secretly and names him Caesar. Caesar has inherited the vaccine given to his mother and displays extraordinary analytical skills and emotions. In a freak incident, Caesar attacks a neighbor and gets detained. Spending time with his species for the first time and realizing the conditions of the place he is in and the attitude of humans towards the caged animals, he starts a revolt.

Andy Serkis needs no introduction and one should not expect anything less than excellence if he is playing a central character, an ape. He delivers just that. He and the technical team makes you believe in Caesar's emotions, the pain and the urge to hit back. Animation is excellent and screenplay never drags. Has never been a fan of this franchise and this movie is the one to suck many new fans just like me. James Franco delivers a controlled performance and for most part lets Caesar to take center stage. Frieda Pinto is neither effective nor serves as eye candy. Background score mixes with the action and emotions well.

A surprise package for skeptical viewers, and I would say seeing is believing.

Never Let Me Go (2010)

Though artistic and well performed, this one required a lot more life to save the characters

[5/10 · 9 January 2017]

Reviewed March 2012

It comes across to me as a highly toned down and sensitive version of The Island. But the only problem here is that there is no plot building as it leaves nothing for the viewer to expect after a little while into the movie. The entire movie feels like one long dragging scene.

Young versions of Ruth (Keira Knihtley) and Kathy (Carey Mulligan) are friends and classmates in a special boarding school which takes care of students who will grow up to be organ donors. Tommy (Andrew Garfield) is another student who is always picked on for his temper and slow mind. Kathy develops a soft spot for Tommy and becomes friends with him but Ruth being jealous of their connection barges in and gets Tommy under her whim. They grow and grow apart where Kathy becomes a carer for donors. She meets Ruth after 10 years during her regular job by when Ruth has finished 2 donations and in a bad shape. She comes to know that Tommy and Ruth are no longer together and goes to find Tommy.

In the film's first scene they show how it is going to end. So it is one slow long wait for it to get formally completed. It features a visually excellent backdrop and the cast does a tremendous job portraying their characters. A single thread background music keeps repeating occasionally and it is quite good. The main culprit is the screenplay as it never builds up to anything and there is only so much one can emote with the characters singular problem.

Though artistic and well performed, this one required a lot more life to save the characters.