"Crank" (2006) - Movie Review

When I watched the trailer of “Crank” a few months ago, I was all pumped up to watch it. I was not able to view it in the theatres and hence immediately put it in my queue of DVD list. It was Friday and I had the DVD. I removed the logical part of my brain to view the fast paced non-stop action thriller, “Crank”. And then it happened. I got fooled by the trailer. “Crank” directed by Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor stars Jason Statham and Amy Smart.

Chev Chelios (Jason Statham) gets injected by a potent and weird Chinese medicine. As usual, the people who wants him dead, need some fun and provide a nice opportunity to make a professional hitman go crazy. Hence instead of shooting him in the head while he is sleeping, they inject him with some crazy drug. The drug “supposedly” slows down his heart and the only way for him to stay alive is to keep the adrenaline rush consistent. The simplest of all things to achieve it is to “Run” but Chev has other plans. He wants to get vengeance and make “love” to his girl friend in front of some 200 people.

“Crank” is the typical example of how a nice plot can be butchered by worst possible direction and screenplay. Adding to it, they mix it up with out of place soundtrack. The story plot definitely had the three main ingredients to keep the viewers glued to the seats – Action, fast pace and some kick ass dark comedy. They had all the right intentions of delivering those but the translation of plot into a screenplay failed. It is not failure as is in “failure”. It is a failure as in “FAILURE”. Something went horribly wrong and the viewers are puzzled on what exactly they want to achieve.

The viewers may not need to understand what kind of person Chev is, but at least there needs to be some justification for his actions. He kicks off the TV screen after seeing he was poisoned. Typical. The antagonist laughs with suppressing his anger seeing his brother’s hand. Typical. Trying to have a dark comedy to pep up the pace. Typical. Of all the ways to pump adrenaline, Chev blows up things, stands on a bike and falls, get shot in his butt and wage a fight against a group of armed men in a club – Not Typical, but horrible.

Jason Statham wanted to maintain his “Transporter” image and tries to incorporate it with some crazy screeching shouts and stern responses. It is either that the characterization was not proposed to him in a proper manner or he did not want to shed his hard and fast character of “Transporter”. Amy Smart as Eve has nothing to do but aimlessly satisfy her boyfriend. “Paper thin characters” are said when the characters have no explanation or conviction for their actions, but the characters in “Crank” roam around like a headless duck.

I do not know who made the trailer for this but they did an amazing job. If it was shot by the directors, then they have the right solid intentions to give a solid entertainer but everything went wrong during the process of “Crank”. If it is shot by some one else, then the movie should have been directed by them. “Crank” is a disappointment.

"Sophie Scholl: The Final Days" (Language - German) (2005) - Movie Review

I mentioned in my review for the movie “Amazing Grace”, that a character says that when people talk about bravery, peaceful person is rarely mentioned and Sophie Scholl is one such person. “Sophie Scholl : The Final Days” directed by Marc Rothemund is the encounters of Sophie Scholl during her last days, who along with her brother Hans Scholl and friend Christopher Probst were convicted of high treason by the then “People’s Court” of Hitler. Julia Jenstch portrays Sophie Scholl while Fabien Hinrichs plays as her brother Hans Scholl.

The viewers see Sophie singing with her friend happily for a song. The year is 1943 and it is the war at its peak. She then realizes its getting late and heads to a studio wherein along with her brother and some friends they post leaflets carrying contents opposing the war conducted by Hitler. They plan to distribute them in the university they are attending. They believe that would open the eyes of the youth and would join hands with them and also with their organization “White Rose” to end the war. The remaining movie is what happens to them when they distribute those leaflets and the consequences of it.

While the film has brilliant sequences of taking the viewers to edge of their seats during their distribution of leaflets in the university, then in the interrogation of Sophie with the inspector Sophie marked with pace and pulse, the real movie hits everyone hard during the final thirty minutes. The words and expressions of Sophie along with her brother and friend is the most moving emotion expressed. Sophie is not afraid and her intelligence is compelling when she handles Inspector Mohr. She does not panic or neither does she gets into the edge of disturbance. She knows what she is doing. They have calculated everything. They knew the consequences and the worst is nothing but living in a society of wrong conscience and disrespect for fellow human beings. There is the charm in her eyes and submerged confident smile in the corner of her lips. Even when she is ripped of the lies she tried to cover things up, she comes out firing with calm expositions of ideas. She does not argue or accuse strongly. She states the mental states of a human in a dominated narrow minded society. The argument of “Law and Order” against conscience is the one of high points in the movie. The film is the expert handling of how freedom was and how it was tortured and ripped away from a twenty one year old girl along with most of the other people in the country. The movie shows that the difference among all the people is the courage and conscience it took for her and her organization to wake up the people. The power of conscience with simple words but strong thoughts. The concept of peace and the proceedings of performing it in the same way.

Julia Jenstch brings out the Sophie Scholl in herself. There is no way one can bring out the ideas and courage in words as her unless she wore those concepts in her mind. The act of handling the character in a tender age and yet the bravery to face the terror is magnificent. The restrained sorrow and fear are enacted with calculated precision by her. The second in the list is the Gerald Alexander Held playing the Inspector Mohr. He pities Sophie but cannot able to come out of the blinding mask of convictions imposed by the society developed by Hitler. He wants to prove her wrong and save herself and in turn convince himself. The untold psychological war between him and Sophie is the scenes to watch for his enigmatic and thoughtful portrayal of the character.

What does “Sophie Scholl: The Final Days” offers to the viewers? What does it offer apart from brilliantly occupying the viewers by their seats? It is plain and simple; Freedom. The idea of freedom which had been mishandled and shattered by the mindless molded people. It is the display of nerves been altered to believe the unbelievable. The film is the example of peace. It is the solution not only to the war but to the process of stopping it. Sophie Scholl was young and influenced. It is not that she was made to believe in peace, but it was her experience and by it her own independent decision. She knew how it is and she wanted the people of Germany to feel the same. The film exactly brings out that in heart shaking dialogues and excellent acting.

The film has minimal locations and within that confined piece of area, they rattle the camera work to apply the maximum use of it. They swing back and forth between the characters during interrogation with such ease that the viewers are placed in between them. The placement of lightings to get the best complexion of reactions and the editing to assist those come with unison. They struck so well and as the viewers are enjoying those, the screenplay with its impressive dialogues lifts it to further heights of mesmerizing tones.

“Sophie Scholl: The Final Days” is a film of exemplary employment of peace. It is the depiction of how age does not attach to wisdom and the idea of conscience. It is the functionality of how education should and be addressed. It is the power of strong and peaceful words. It is how Sophie Scholl with her minimal time in a world of suppressed ideas tore the sheets of hatred with peace and through her life.

"Sin City" (2005) - Movie Review

When “Kill Bill – Vol. 1” came with bright stars and strong direction of Quentin Tarantino, I was thrilled to see it. While I liked the way the movie was made, I did not like the blood it splattered all over the place. Then came, “Kill Bill – Vol. 2” and I loved it. The characters were developed and well made. It was a treat to watch the last 15 minutes in it. Here comes, “Sin City” and similar to “Kill Bill – Vol. 1”, I did like the way the movie was made, for its visuals and narration style, but the blood bath was unnecessary even with a “Graphic Novel” tagged attached to it.

Frank Miller’s graphic novel, “Sin City” takes the screen form with the assistance of Robert Rodriguez and special guest director Quentin Tarantino. There are four segments with common characters and lots of blood in between them. The movie kicks off with Josh Hartnett playing a hitman, followed by the rescue mission of Hartigan to save a little girl and then later goes on with the savage vengeance of Marv (Mickey Rourke) for his one night love Goldie (Jaime King). After those segments come how Dwight McCarthy (Clive Owen) joins hands with his ex-girlfriend Gail (Rosario Dawson) to save the truce which exists between the Police and the brave prostitutes. To its finale, the movie goes back to the start of finishing of the broken first segment. All these depict how the Basin City, nick named Sin City is flooded with corruption, murder and mayhem. There are tons of stars and bodies falling from all places in the movie.

The film is the presentation of how a new narration of a story can be done. The movie is the clear portrayal of how the current technology in film industry can be employed to give the novel and creative experience to the audience. “Sin City” opens the doors to the world of digital movie making on to a new level. The detailing of the screen, pixel by pixel to the finest shine possible, provides one of the best visual experiences anyone could have watched. The shady lights, the glossy skins, the selective colours to come out and excellent execution of the comic onto screen are the courses for getting the best out of the technology. The characters are shady and fearless. They show emotions in and out of them. There is solidity in those blood seeking paper thin characters. After a point of time, the viewers just sit back and watch. They get used to the mindless killings and colourless blood. The viewers somehow become numb to all the graphics after a point of time. Is this due to the fact of how well the movie has been executed? Maybe. Or is it due to the fact that there is no more to expect out of graphic novel onto the film screen? Maybe. Or is it just the fact that the film invokes so much violence; the viewers are caught by the characters itself? Bingo! Strangely is it the success of the movie or the downfall of it? Yes and No.

I have not read the comic book and the performers bring those in the screen. They give the portrayal of the characters and stay loyal to it (which I assume it is). The movie handles all the characters with equal depth and shallowness as well. Visual may bring out the clarity and experience but editing pieced it together like a perfect match. The score brings out the detective noir experiences which sometimes seem like a spoof.

Film is a medium of art which are used to convey what anyone wants in a most interesting and entertaining way. While it is an absolute freedom of every individual to show case the thoughts, there is a purpose to everything. “Sin City” has the purpose of show casing a city filled with the most atrocious crimes possible. Almost all the characters in the movie get a chance to hold a dead head. It may be compared to the current dark corners in the society but is it a solution or a mere pleasure of giving a graphic content? There are so many questions which need to be asked as regular movie goers.

“Sin City” is definitely a path breaking movie as far as movie making is concerned. It can be even said as the landmark in the execution of a stunning visual display. The harsh truth is that it gets covered in its own mud. There is too much blood and it is just too much. They try to paint it with different colours (quite literally) and yet it never dulls down. All the stories could have been said with little goriness as possible but they stuck loyal to the novel and hence the result.

“Sin City 2” is up next and I am hoping it to be more of characterization as “Kill Bill – Vol. 2” did. I am hoping that Robert Rodriguez with the same employment of skill in this movie brings out the human inside the characters who appear to be merciless blood thirsty beings. While there seems to be couple of characters showing signs of all those, there is so much happening that the viewers miss those essence in the midst of all those. “Sin City” clearly delivers the new style in the movie making as “Pulp Fiction” but sadly falls apart due to blood which comes in different colours with the same sick effect.

"Brick" (2005) - Movie Review

There are some movies which definitely do not bore the audience but at the end of it, they get out with feeling nothing. Does it mean that the movie is not a good one? Is it bland? While it is arguable, “Brick” falls out in the hard line category of the above mentioned feeling of getting out from it with nothing but a stylishly different film. What makes this movie interesting is to never give the viewers the feeling of restless ness? The style of it is elegant and gauzy. The technicality and the screenplay makes the viewers sit throughout the movie without any problems.

The movie falls into the genre of film noir. The characters are strange and gloomy. They are a puzzle and also the clue forming the film style randomized and gritty. The movie starts of with a high school kid Brendan (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) staring at a girl lying motionless in front of a tunnel. The next shot takes the viewers two days back with the girl named Emily (Emile de Ravin) asking help from Brendan who is her ex-boyfriend. Brendan is curious on what is happening with her, since she looks and talks in the most depressing and concerned way. He starts his investigation of what is happening with her. With the sequence of events, the film comes back to the first shot. The movie then deals with how Brendan hunts down who is responsible for his loss.

The film does not offer the luxury of knowing the logic behind the actions. It is quite astonishing and depressing to see high school kids get into the most horrible places. The film is not a definitive messiah of solid contents but is a different kind of entertainer. The appreciation goes for the way the camera has been placed and garbled to get the best out of the little details. The images are crystal clear which is unusual since the chain of events is depressing and dubious. The way the movie takes its form through Brendan getting all geared up with his geeky yet resourceful friend Brain (Matt O’ Leary) is the first time I have witnessed a slow paced picture taking the seriousness on a totally weird and interesting manner.

The film is seemingly heroic and clichéd but the art of shaking things up, quite literally in the screen makes it watchable. The soundtrack brings the dark and disproportionate style of movie making as expected. As said earlier, editing is solid and stylishly shaky. It seems that most of the special effects shots were taken with real time camera shoots rather than computer graphics. It is quite surprising to see something like the editing style been done in the film without any computer edgy gimmicks. The movie screenplay is so dozed off and enjoyably lethargic. The viewers bite their nails in slow motion. The performance of Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Matt O’ Leary stands out among rest of the cast. They are pale and unusually straight forward for the characters they have been given.

Apart from all these, “Brick” does not appeal as a solidly made movie with substance. It is a detective story set in a totally unexpected environment of high school. This is sometimes disturbing but yet the truth. The same story could have been said with any back drop but would have been normal. Hence director Rian Johnson chose the place where no one will try to take detective story, the high school. It is no denial that the movie did not bore me but at the same time it did not interest me in the end as well.

"Zodiac" (2007) - Movie Review

Before I was about to watch, “Zodiac”, there was a little uncomfortable ness in me. The nudge in my heart was that whether a movie about a serial killer who shook the San Francisco really necessary? The brutal crimes which resulted in ripples of victims with their families suffering for so many years, is to be made at all? Since this is directed by David Fincher who gave cult hit “Fight Club” and nerve racking thrillers such as “Seven” and “The Game”, I had some confidence that my nudge will be cleared off. It did. “Zodiac” excels with terrific presentation and some rigorous extensive search for the souls inside a group of people who dedicated their lives trying to hunt down the killer.

The film starts off with the lovers getting shot by a man in dark in a remote town in 1969. Then the newspaper San Francisco Chronicle receives strange cryptic codes with the letters from the killer himself. In the subsequent further killings and letters to the newspaper, the killer gives himself the name “Zodiac”. Robert Graysmith (Jake Gyllenhaal) is the cartoonist in the newspaper and silently observes all these and gets himself close with the reporter who is covering it, Paul Avery (Robert Downey Jr.). Inspector David Toschi (Mark Ruffalo) and Inspector William Armstrong (Anthony Edwards) gets assigned to the case when the killing hits the San Francisco main city. Rest of the movie deals with the internal strategies, the strenuous efforts and unusual soul search of Robert Graysmith. This movie is not about the killer. This movie is about the wide spectrum of people who dedicated their career and lives to find the truth.

This is the most truthful and unusual movie in this genre. While “Seven” dealt with the stress and strains of the police officers involved in a serial killer case, “Zodiac” goes beyond that. It brings down the public reaction and how the series of events alters the fulcrum of how a city operates. The story depicts the curiosity of the people who believe that the danger will never strike them and the people who take advantage of it. The political obstacles with respect to the co-ordination of all the killings in different regions, the time progress and the lead investigation, the obsession of one person to find the truth and the search of the conscience in oneself to go for a hunt like this are some of the very few main topics the film offers. The fear the killings brought and the disturbance in a day to day life and as time flies by, it becomes obsolete with being piled up as junk files in some cabinet in a deserted town. The film brings how a gruesome act looses its brutality in the public as the time goes on. How the citizens forget and get delved in their own lives. As it is said in widespread as “Truth is stranger than fiction”, this movie demonstrates it in the most extensive fashion anyone can imagine.

The depth and the labour of the information and extensiveness of the subject are evident throughout the screen. Covering the whole incidents ranging from 1969 till the 90s is an arduous task for any director and this film travels between those in a manner without any disturbance. That reminds anyone on how much work the editing and screenplay would have required. The elimination and addition of the scenes to extract the right contents and formulae to bring out the quality in this movie is simply brilliant.

There are at the least seven to eight main characters in this film and they take on it right in the spots required. Jake Gyllenhaal once again proves his presence. Mark Ruffalo and Anthony Edwards working with each other as partners are unnoticeably interesting. The same chemistry works out in a very mild manner in between the characters of Robert Downey Jr. as Paul Avery and Jake’s portrayal of Robert Graysmith.

There are brilliant sequences which spits out the sad truth of the progress of the killings and the intense ness in various situations. The viewers are up for the most extensive and in depth investigation portrayed on screen. The viewers feel the tired ness in each character investigating for a long period of time. The viewers get restless as the police officers do. They want an answer for all this senseless crimes. They need to pin down so that they can go home and sleep peacefully. The cop’s sense of satisfaction for their sleep to be justified for making one more night safer for the city and its people. Robert Graysmith wants to know the truth still not being his job is another portrayal of how a conscience filled person reacts. He knows that his aware ness is a bit more than most of the common man in the city. He is shy and feels it’s not his place. He tries to contact with the people who do their job of this hunt. He wants to assist but does not get the motivation. His drive to do something comes from his minimal mentorship, Paul Avery’s drunken frustration.

The movie is the true depiction of how justice behaves in a strange way. While one may question the whole system of implicating a criminal, the foremost fundamental format of rights of a free man getting weighed against a one deviant in the system through a serial killer is untold but felt through the movie. “Zodiac” gives a chance to all the people to tap the inner questions and truth to know factor. This is the film which may be viewed as a serious commercial movie but has all the subtleties of harsh messages. The viewers get the same drive what Robert got driven to. When the cops get fed up, there lies the responsibility as a citizen to do the best anyone can do. Robert says that he needs to see in the eyes of killer and know the truth when his wife asks what he is aiming in this obsession of finding the killer and so does the viewer.

“Zodiac” is one of the most detailed and well researched movies since “JFK”. Clearly it molds out the purpose of it. I am saying it again, it is not about the killer but it is about the people who gave their souls and lives for finding him. David Fincher does not spend his time on the killings but on the people who wanted it to stop. Rather than so many complains and misuses in the name of the killer, “Zodiac” sheds the light on the unknown regions of the dark and dirty work of the cops and a cartoonist’s search for truth. While both of them arrive at the same place, the process and the reasoning defines who they are and how the world still is running on a safe land.

"The Prestige" (2006) - Movie Review

“Every great magic trick consists of three acts”, says Mr. Cutter at the start of the movie and explains the three of those, which are “The Pledge”, “The Turn” and “The Prestige”. The viewer expecting the intricacies of performing a magic trick does not realize that the whole movie is the demonstration of those acts. “The Prestige” directed by Christopher Nolan stars Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman, Michael Caine, Scarless Johannson and David Bowie. The movie is loosely adapted from the novel with the same name written by Christopher Priest.

The film is about the rivalry between two famous magicians Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Chrisitan Bale) which happens during the late nineteenth century. They develop the enmity during the process of working under another magician early in their career. One of the tricks fails and the result is the death of Angier’s wife. Angier along with the viewers doubt that Borden is the cause of it. Both take different routes after that but starts sabotaging each other every now and then. As time flies by, vengeance becomes an obsession for both of them to know each other’s secrets behind their tricks. The rest of the film tells how their lives turn out due to this dangerous obsession.

Nolan is a master storyteller juggling effortlessly with a spectacular screenplay and an amazing editing. Lee Smith who laid out the terrific entertainer “Batman Begins” joins hands with Nolan again for this movie. Their charm works with an interestingly knitted film. The movie shifts in between the first note narration of both the magicians reading the diary of each others. The film may seem scrambled with the frame change from one time zone to other, but the feeding structure never lets the viewer get confused in those. Magic, is to show what needs to be shown and when it needs to be shown and editing does the same. This skill of editing is the art of feeding the right essence of the deviation to cultivate necessary doubts and finally clear it off with the master act.

This film while viewed as a commercial entertainer reeks out the art work and the dedication spent on picturizing the narration of the film. The movie constantly alarms the viewer to “watch closely” and try to find out the truth, if there is one. The art of performing a trick is to convince the audience what they are seeing is not true yet make it astonishingly believable. The audience knows that this is “magic” and it is not real. As the film says, “they want to be fooled”. But do the viewers of the movie feel the same? From the very first screen shot, the audience expects a stumping suspense. So Nolan attempts something different. He took the concept of those acts of magic and fits it in the screen. The viewers may see a very normal suspense movie, but it is not which is the first act “The Pledge”. The audience investigates as much as possible sub consciously to eliminate the deceiving factor. The movie circles around these two magicians and the start of the movie flips out the “The Turn” act when Angier dies. The third act, “The Prestige” is where all the twists and turns happen.

Christian Bale is a talented actor. He did it in “American Psycho”, “The Machinist” and “Batman Begins”. As the confident and dedicated magician, he takes the character which always looms with secret eyes and devious smiles. He makes the audience never trust that character. Hugh Jackman on the other side as Angier is the surprise package for me. He comes out of the “X-Men” cartoonish character into the real world. Angier is the character the viewer starts sympathizing initially. But in a lethargic manner he injects the cunningness of the character. The transformation from a sympathizing husband to an obsessive magician who extends his wrongful mind to the darkest nature of a human is classic. This is the Hugh Jackman, everyone would like to see in the future. Michael Caine who had a similar role of a wise old man as Alfred in “Batman Begins” comes up with the right toned business minded pragmatic mentor, Mr. Cutter. He knows the darkness of the trade and hence remains backstage. The movie does not show the inner character of him, but in depth the war of doing a trick and the pain of causing it, is evident in his small talks. Scarlett Johansson acts as the bait for both the magicians. Along with them, the viewers doubt her as well. Even when there is a genuine concern or truthfulness in the character, everyone doubts it. She enacts the role of her nicely as well.

Christopher Nolan who impressed the cinematic world with the stunning execution of “Memento” has sweetly made one more presence after “Batman Begins” with “The Prestige”. The audiences are extremely cautious and always looking for clues in suspense movies now a day. Movies like “The Usual Suspects”, “The Sixth Sense” and “Fight Club” have made them wary of the unknown loose knots and encourage them to outwit the director. It’s a tight rope to walk on. “The Prestige” is not great for its ending. The ending is not the real magic; it is the narration of the story which makes it an extremely entertaining and artful movie. Watch “The Prestige” for its magical charm wherein the audiences are happy to be fooled.

"Ten" (Language - Persian) (2002) - Movie Review

A boy gets in a car. The viewers get the dash board view of him. The quality of the movie looks like it was made with a home video camera. The boy starts talking with the driver which the viewers do not see at this point. By the voice of the driver, the viewers identify her as a lady who is the mother of the kid. The boy converses with her and accuses her of being selfish. When I was watching this, my room mate happens to slip by and watched it for a while. After sometime, he told me with annoyance and sarcasm that I should take a home video camera and start shooting the conversation between us and maybe it would be a great film. I thought, “Why not?” “Ten” directed by the Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami is the ten sequence of experience of a female cab driver in Tehran. As my thought, it would definitely inspire many upcoming film makers to shoot with minimal equipments and yet come up with an impressive movie.

As expected, there are no particular plots in this movie. This is pure experiment with respect to film making. The movie focuses more on the natural expressions and conversations which may not go well with all the audiences. It takes some immense patience at certain point of the movies to get the viewers concentration on to the film. This may seem frustrating but there lies more depth and detail in this movie. The film portrays the various issues prevalent in a society through the day to day life of a female cab driver in Tehran. This does not make it to take sides but rather brings out the contemplation and dilemma in everyone regarding the existence and relationships. Through the characters there comes out lot of problems which exists in the society regardless of cultural and geographical factors. The film takes the philosophical discussion of existentialism and counter culture which may astonish the viewers. If the viewers open their mind there lays the real truth of humanity. The unwritten rules defined either by the government or parents or dictators or the normalcy as followed for centuries and centuries are teared apart into pieces during some intense discussions.

This film definitely is not for a movie seeker who looks for entertainment and glossy factors. This film is for the viewers who are ready to stretch them out and work hard to the screen to grab some substance out of it. This is the weakpoint of the movie that it is not easily approachable. The intense conversations are interesting and astonishing. The film starts with kick out conversation between Amin and his mother. The content and maturity expressed by that kid is scandalizing and indulging. While one can wonder how a kid of age seven can brilliantly shed his opinions so clearly, it is partly due to the fact that the society treats him as one too, except her mother at times. The film shows the contrast of how the mother reacts to confrontation of facts. While there is no proof other than the kid’s words for the viewers, there is this natural tendency of believing a kid not able to lie when he is emotional and frustrated is what Kiarostami takes advantage of and puts the mother on the guilty counts. The viewers witness the same woman being very gentle, helping and understanding with other characters. Maybe she gave up on his son or maybe as she says, she wants to live her life for herself. The problem is that there is this human being she gave birth to which automatically becomes her shared responsibility with her husband. She wants his son to understand but Amin wants the same with her too. While he expresses his opinions clear and in detailed manner, the mother is not able to digest the harsh fact. Amin is caught up between the blame games of his parents and goes for the minimal destruction, his grandma and father. As a kid, his fragile mind works onto different clock work and is not able to comprehend the fact of his Mother being “irresponsible” as he states.

Kiarostami experiments this style of film making because he mentions during an interview that a video camera brings out the real emotion in a person which the 35mm camera sometime fails to. There are no background scores except for the real time traffic sounds and silences in the streets and highways of Tehran. The actors/actresses were guided on what to be enacted and Kiarostami left them with the dash board camera. Kiarostami would have given a detailed clear picture of what he wanted which is evident in the performances. Two main artists excel in this dry and complex movie. They are Mani Akbari, the female driver, the mother of Amin and Amin Maher as Amin. Both of them have the chemistry of getting on each others nerves as Mother and kid on the screen. It is strange that, even though I do not know the language, the timing and delivery of the dialogues are immaculate and terrific, which appeals at the right spots.

“Ten” needs patience and of all open mindedness. The discussion of the driver with the prostitute is the most philosophical and honest truth about the existence of humans as different sexes.

Roger Ebert, the famous film critic and whom I admire the most, said in his review as, “Anyone could make a movie like “Ten” Two digital cameras, a car and your actors, and off you go. Of course much would depend on the actors, what they said, and who they were playing (the little actor playing Amin is awesomely self-confident and articulate on the screen, and effortlessly obnoxious). But if this approach were used for a film shot in Europe or America, would it be accepted as an entry at Cannes? I argue that it would not.” While it is arguable about the selection, I was able to definitely admire most of the sequences and the conversations. It was not due to the fact that is experimental but it was interesting and thought provoking. The same concept if it would have been made in different country with right substance is still watchable and can be appreciated for its achievements. There are at times the movie gets on the viewers’ nerves for couple of segments. The main reason is that the emotions are real and to some extent it hurts the viewers. It hurts in an unknown way and makes them uncomfortable. This may seem as the success of the movie but sadly it drags away the curiosity and intent of seeing it further.

With couple of segments going over the head, “Ten” is the path breaking experiment which clearly conveys the points of women in the society as general. It discusses the various perspectives of needs and wants in a relationship. It explains the betrayal of men and liberation of women taken too much at different focal points. “Ten” is the tour into the raw and dark minds of the society in the most natural way. A bit too raw and natural that makes most of the movie goers shun away in the middle of it.

"Letters from Iwo Jima" (2006) - Movie Review

In “American History X”, at the end of the movie, the essay written by Danny Vinyard paints the dark picture of the root where the hatred all started; during their discussion with their parents. There his dad in a much mellowed manner plants the aversion and dislike towards a group of people in Derek Vinyard’s mind. But he encounters his catharsis inside the prison with another inmate from the same background, Derek hated. He realizes when he allows the chance to know someone he hated almost his life. The opportunity to allow another human being to respect and be respected is the message out there. “Letter from Iwo Jima” is definitely a different movie than “American History X” but the commonality of supporting the religion of human beings is what makes this review start with the totally different movie.

The movie is shot displaying the emotional tangles and opinion about war on the side of a camp at Japanese Island. They are getting ready to defend and attack the Americans when they land in the Iwo Jima. The film while explores various characters, concentrates mainly on three - General Tadamachi Kuribayashi played by Ken Watanabe, Saigo portrayed by Kazunari Ninomiya and Shimuzu played by Ryo Kase. Their letters is what makes the movie searching for the last touch of emotions for soldiers. The island stands no chance in front of the monumental American troop. Everyone in the troop is aware they are not going see their wife or mother or new born baby. Yet they are there for their country willingly or by pressure. The film portrays the internal politics inside the camp and how human factor gets attached to each of their actions. The whole film is about the exploration of human value and their convictions with them for something they have been told to fight.

The performance of Ken Watanabe is phenomenal. It is quite surprising not him to be seen in the nominees for Best Supporting Role for the Oscars. His portrayal of the General who has an internal battle of compassion with his duties to his country is touching and moving. While on the other, Saigo portrayed by Kazunari who is afraid of unable to see his baby and wife with the nice touch of survival instincts with right respect towards a man of a character is brilliant as well. Ryo rightly fits the character of Shimuzu, with his anger of getting rejected from a group for having the compassion. Of all one of the impressive character who brings out the right moment for the movie is the character of Baron Nishi played by Tsuyoshi Nara. The best sequence in the movie is performed by him when he asks his soldiers to head away and staying alone in the cave.

Cinematography is an obvious praise for a movie like this. But the implication of using the black and white with the bright red colours is spectacular creativity. The musical score which weaves the oriental flavour with the orchestration will be haunting the viewers after the movie was over, permanently in their minds. Screenplay and Editing support each other in harmonious manner.

This is one of the great attempts by Clint Eastwood. An attempt to explore the other side with respect to being in America. Even though everyone is aware there lays a family and innocent souls all over the world, the situation of a war puts the people in a complex scenario. This has been dealt straight forward when General has his farewell party with his American friends. They pose the same question and he answers as a “true soldier” as his American General says. But it is not his choice but his chance to show the country he loves the most and the passion, even though it is against his “convictions”. There are many brilliant scenes which would linger in the minds of the viewers. The act of treating an American soldier by Nishi, the General’s concern over his soldiers, the emotional trauma surrounding the soldiers is few to name which would make the mark in the hearts of viewers for a long time.

There have been tons of war movies made and many have deeply touched the viewers. “Letters from Iwo Jima” is another war movie but it is one of the most emotional movies in the recent days in this genre. The slow movement in the story which is the initial one hour makes the viewer get used to the location totally strange to them. Once it is done, the film takes the moving tour into the hearts which threw the bullets on the American soldiers. The hearts which are in every manner the same as theirs and yet for the mere reason of being born in a different country, they need to do their “duties”. The movie is the depiction of humans fighting among themselves by the choices they opted for right or wrong reasons.

“Letters from Iwo Jima” has been nominated for the 2007 Academy Awards for the Best Picture. My brother called me up and asked how the movie is and I replied that it is wonderful. He questioned me, which movie I would give the award even though I feel all the movies deserve the place of equality in appreciation. I said that “Babel” will be the one but “Letters from Iwo Jima” comes second best to it. With Oscar to be announced in a few minutes, it does not matter whether the film wins an award or not, it clearly invokes the emotion in the members of the audience. The emotion of being a human.

"Amazing Grace" (2006) - Movie Review

Warriors are praised as the brave and courageous. They return home with that pride and sleep with the nightmares of the killings they performed in the name of bravery. A peaceful person accomplishes the task of impossible with the same bravery and inspires millions to follow the same path. The path of non-violence aimed towards continuous improvement of making a better world. “Amazing Grace” directed by Michael Apted is the true story of one such person, William Wilberforce who marked the passing of bill to abolish the slave trade in Britain, forever. Michael Gambon as Lord Charles Fox delivers the first few lines with some nice dialogue deliveries in the film.

William Wilberforce (Ioan Grufudd) is not able to sleep peacefully. He has been consistently haunted by the failure of an agenda, for which he dedicated his youth and health. Broken in his attempts, he is residing and ailing from health at his cousin’s place. There he is pushed to meet Barbara (Romola Garai) who in turn pushes him to tell his fight against the injustice of slavery. The film goes back in his life and explores the path he lead and the voices he raised for abolishing the slave trade. The movie moves on with his continual efforts of those and the process of finally achieving it.

The viewers are well aware of the ending. The bill is of course going to be passed. William is going to be the hero of the much awaited victory of justice. With everything aware, what makes this movie still interesting and inspiring? The film moves on as the most regulated steady conveyor belt routine. That does not mean it bores the members of the audience, but gives a constant steady movement towards the well known end. The minimal discussions and subtle points are well enacted. In the current era, everyone is well aware of the fact of slavery. It is cruel and it is inhuman to perform it. Audience being so clear about something and the protagonist is fighting against it, makes it difficult for the director to introduce something novel. Michael Apted does it his own style. The occurrence of events consecutively one after another over a period of fifteen years is a nice employment of traditional technique. While William is the center of attention, the inspiration and support from the people surrounding him makes him run the race without any tiredness. Without good people, it is quite a strenuous process to change something; the whole society has been drenched in it for years and years. The film projects that it is a fact that there are good people everywhere and there requires the right leader and the support to trigger major change in a society of injustice. Gandhi was able to do it with perfection. He had good people and so does William. His consistent group of Lord Charles Fox (Michael Gambon), Thomas Clarkson (Rufus Sewell), James Stephen (Stephen Campbell Moore), Oloudaqh Equiano (Yousou N’Dour), his best friend William Pitt (Benedict Cumberbatch), his wife Barbara and of all his mentor and guide John Newton (Albert Finney) lift him when William is down and move him forward.

The score did not excel out of the ordinary but stuck to the old book of not mingling with the film in depth. Editing is traditional and provides the steady flow of screenplay very well. The rest of the technical team let the content do its part and modestly paved its way of normalcy over extraordinary. It is evident that the technical departments were advised to do the basic formula and not to experiment. I guess that elevates the content in depth and wide.

“Amazing Grace” vibrates the fact that impossible is a word which needs to be negated. It shows that good people makes great results. Even the greatest of great leaders have their moments of frustration. Those frustrations may push them to the edge of giving up. The people who support him make the difference of saving or making them fall into the hands of weakness. This film is the story of William and the people who made the cruelest trade disappear once and for all.

Having discussed all that, what prompted Michael Apted to pick up a story to reveal to a society well aware about it. Slavery got abolished but indirectly and in the most political way it still happens in the name of hatred. He wants the people to look at William and his army of peace. He wants the viewers to get inspired and change their attitude towards instinctive hatred ness. He wants to invoke the William in the leaders and also the people to support the Williams and keep them running. “Amazing Grace” may not be a path breaking extraordinary film, but it sings the song loud and clear.

"Bridge to Terabithia" (2007) - Movie Review

When I entered to view “Bridge to Terabithia”, I was expecting one another fantasy movie about attaining the impossible and a feel good factor at the end. While it starts as a typical children’s movie, “Bridge to Terabithia”, directed by Gabor Csupo is far from the normal fantasy film. The lead casts are mostly children with Josh Hutcherson, AnnaSophia Robb, Bailee Madison and Robert Patrick as Jesse’s Dad, Jack Aarons. The movie is adapted from the acclaimed novel By Katherine Paterson.

Jesse Aarons is the only son in a family with four sisters. Jack Aarons and his wife are finding it just enough to have a decent living, financially. Jesse and his younger sister May Belle finds it hard to cope up with the tough kids in the school. Leslie Burke enters, who is vibrant, enthusiastic and full of imagination into Jesse’s life. Immediately she befriends Jesse and May Belle. She takes him to the woods nearby their house and forms a kingdom. A Kingdom of imagination, wherein they free themselves from the stressful outer world. Together they bend the ambience surrounding them and delve into their heroism in their imaginary world. They name their empire, Terabithia.

From there on, the viewers encounter how they balance the both worlds and get the best out of it. The handling of imagination as the escape from the tough and stressed environment is brilliant. When the film enters the school sequences, the tendency to have stereo typed bullies bodes darkness in the uniqueness of the story, but the change of heart in one of the characters in the further part of the story is convincing and real. Leslie is full of energy and positive attitude. She sees the beauty in even the slightest hint of it. She never shrugs of for competition yet very amicable. Of all, she forms the living core of individualism. This may seem too mature for a kid but the way it has been given is entertaining and possible. When the viewers see all energy reeking out of Leslie, there is Jesse who is shy and longing for dad’s love. He is full of imagination too as Leslie but never discloses it. He lives in his blanket covered nights of art. He has a crush on his music teacher but develops an emotion for Leslie. They are shown as the best of friends. Personality separates them but imagination unites them. With them in place, the cutest character in the movie is May Belle. She is the typical younger sister every family has. She supports her brother and hangs on to him all the time. She is fine when both Leslie and Jesse hide in the secret world, leaving her to carry Jesse’s schoolbag. She never questions his brother and loves him next to her dad. All these three characters done by Josh Hutcherson, AnnaSophia Robb and Bailee Madison takes the characters out of the paper and bring it to real on the screen. Robert Patrick as the stern but loving dad is impressive as well.

Editing is crisp and in a definitive style. The musical score brings out the smiles in the faces of the viewers. Watch out for the scores in the initial scene of racing in the school and the exploration of woods by Jesse and Leslie. The background score is mesmerizing in those two sequences. Dialogues are simple yet profound. Bringing out deep meaning from a kid’s mouth is a challenging task and they have conquered it. Screenplay flows like an undisturbed stream at an enjoyable pace.

The film is about the kids who may “supposedly” have a normal childhood, are still in fight for their identity and desire. It places the standpoint of woman liberation in the most interesting way through Leslie. The conversation in between Jesse and Leslie are the real issues in our society. Taking the trade/job of parents seems the best choice for many people while Leslie argues otherwise. She wants a world of talent and happiness. She inspires Jesse and Jesse inspires her in a calm fashion. The chemistry in between them is so romantic yet there is no sequence to substantiate those. Leaving that very open ended is creative. The chemistry is so intense; the last half an hour of the movie is very emotional due to that.

“Bridge to Terabithia” is advertised as a fantasy movie but it is definitely more than that. It is not the typical children’s movie. It is not alone a children’s movie. It is a film for all age group. It provides the windows of imagination which may help everyone in their tough times. It delegates the opportunity of self recognition and individualism. It facilitates the concept of unique creativity and the handling the love. It is the poetic portrayal of the love shared in between various characters so subtle yet powerful.

During the first one hour of the film, I was saying to myself, “This is one of the cutest films for the year of 2007”. At the end of the movie, I was saying to myself, “This is one of the cutest and best films to provide the nice start for 2007”.

"The Number 23" (2007) - Movie Review

“The Number 23”, directed by Joel Schumacher is about a man who accidentally stumbles upon a book, makes him go obsessed with the number 23. The film stars Jim Carrey and Virginia Madsen. Joel Schumacher known to handle all genres very well, has chosen Mystery and Thriller.

Walter Sparrow played by Jim Carrey, who works at the Animal Control, narrates his story of events which made him to read the ill fated book. The book drives him to the edge when the number and the story in the book connect very much to him. His wife Agatha portrayed by Virginia Madsen, gets concerned over this obsession and goes for help. While Walter still continues his search towards a mystery of all these unimaginable coincidences. He starts getting nightmares and gets terribly worried whether he would hurt anyone. Does Walter find the solution for his questions or does he hurt someone due to a mere number? The rest is the story of how all comes to a place wherein audience should get the exclamation they got in “The Sixth Sense” as Joel Schumacher expects to happen.

The same execution of plot has been witnessed umpteen times and still great directors get the idea of portraying a little bit better than the best. The film definitely dives right into the plot without any unnecessary introduction. It is a nice employment of jumping into the story which does not comfortably irritate the audience. The nice aspect of the film is that it does not give the viewers the luxury of knowing the characters well. When I say that, it makes the events open for surprises. The characters can behave in an extremely haphazard way while the director can escape with the calculated avoidance of characterization. It is quite a brilliance to apply that with great actor like Jim Carrey in hand. “The Number 23” moves briskly as it supposed to. It invokes the questions and doubts of both Walter are having while what Agatha doubts. The viewers know that there is a big suspense ahead and it should be so shocking that it all makes a definite sense. This makes it tough for the director to explain the smallest information necessary to make it fool proof.

The film of course accounts for all the coincidences and mysteries surrounding it. It keeps the audience guessing and never under estimates them. But the major let down in the movie is about 30 minutes before the ending. Joel Schumacher should have brought the connection of dots well before it. Honestly, the viewer gets tired of the number 23. While initially the viewers put themselves to fill the screen with 23 in their mind, it becomes an ordeal before the film puts down its explanations.

And the biggest let down is the silliness of committing the mistake of letting a woman alone in a building in a sequence. It is dark and deserted. She goes without any protection. There is a “red” light. Now why a deserted old psychiatric hospital will have that? The answer is that it would form a nice trailer sequence. Coming back to the sequence, why would she want to go alone? This is a blunder and there the viewer loses all the enthusiasm to know about the secret.

In spite of all that, the ending is quite nice and convincing. The film had a purpose. It had a nice story and suspense. It also had the fifteen minutes of unwanted blatant sequence of “thrill” factor attached to it. A movie like this demands the momentum to keep the audience riveted to their seats. “The Number 23” definitely had it. It had for the first one hour and lost it. When it again regained, the moment was over and so was the patience with the audience.

Jim Carrey as the inquisitive and perplexed common man and also as the dark character in the book as Fingerling, does have the diversity of emotions well jolted by the screenplay. After “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”, he carries the seriousness of the role with right mimic and comic touch required for it. Virginia Madsen as a caring housewife, Agatha and a sex vixen, Fabrizia does not have that solidity of the roles demanded. There was not enough scope for her but she does well for the time she gets in the screen.

The contrast usage of different colour complexion for the imaginary story in the book and the normal course of the movie are thoughtful. The score of the movie does not come out of the screen but it satisfies the basic requirement for a thriller movie. Very normal screenplay and editing when compared to all other complex ending stories the viewers have encountered in recent days.

“The Number 23” would have been a definite emotional movie when the viewer gets aware of the suspense but it was too late for that. Unfortunately as the protagonist gets obsessed with the number and loses his life, the movie does the same with itself. A film which jumped into the plot right away and had the viewer guessing ruined itself by the clichéd sequences and number obsession. Alas! The last sentence has 23 words! Is this a coincidence? No, I broke my head for five minutes to come up with it. Not good right? So is the movie.

"Me and You and Everyone We Know" (2005) - Movie Review

“Magnolia” is one of the movies which brought the purest form of art in a movie. It took the forum of reaching all genre audiences to feel the poetic depth in a motion picture. After “Magnolia”, “Me and You and Everyone We Know” directed by Miranda July who has also acted in the movie brings the purest form of art subconsciously attaching the attraction to all genre audience.

Richard (John Hawkes) is a shoe salesman, handling his separation while coping up with his kids. Christine (Miranda July) is fighting to find her place in the contemporary art arena while drives elderly people as her job. The motion picture flows in and around these two characters along with the people they know. Richard’s kids Peter (Miles Thompson) and Robby (Brandon Ratcliff) are in their strange childhood and the inquisition of the physical unexplained behaviour is haunting them. They handle it in their own strange way. Richard’s neighbour has a daughter, Sylvie (Carlie Westerman) who connects with one of the kids. There is Richard’s colleague, Andrew (Brad Wiliam Henke) who still is confused about what he wants. Christine’s friend and customer Michael (Hector Elias) is falling in love for first time in his seventy years with a female who is in her final stage of life. There are so many characters but there is no such instance wherein the viewer is overwhelmed by those. Rather it is a treat to encounter a wide varied people with respect to age, attitude, needs and fantasy.

The characters can be dissected and analyzed with brilliant precision to give the sweet moments of life. The movie is made up with amazing art style. “Broken Flowers” had the theme of pink colour which gave a fresh yet gloomy outlook while Miranda has used it only at very fine moments to get the appeal necessary for that frame. Richard is the complex and interesting character of all. He is clear and imaginative. He sees life as a straight plane with geometric angles of emotions, measured and calculated. It is perfect at times but shuns itself away from the risk which needs to be taken for attaining the love. He does not want to commit the mistake again of falling for instance attraction. He wants to take time to heal the wound. The blatant yet subtle sweetness of showing Richard’s burned hand healing when he realizes his option of driving himself towards what he wants is simply poetic.

The movie contains poetry in numerous occasions. It gives the thrills with simplest and most moving scenes. The initial sequence involving Gold Fish is the best example of all. Playing with the human emotions of caring and the frustration of helplessness is dealt with amazing movie making. The intense moments with the play of words in between Richard and Christine are the best romantic sequences which are impressive after “Before Sunrise” and “Before Sunset”. It sets its foot into the hall of fame where those movie lie in top. The film carries around with all the emotions of sadness, desperation, love, death, confusion, caring and art in all elegant way.

John Hawkes identifies himself with one of the best performances I have ever seen in recent days with respect to portraying an imaginative and submissive character. There is no doubt that he is going to deliver some more amazing performances like this if handled well. Miranda July participating in the movie as an actress is one more feather in her cap of cinematic talent. All the performances are top notch and especially from the kids since the content are very emotional and tough to express.

Three things I generally analyze individually and also which determines the film’s technical appeal. They are the soundtrack/back ground score, editing and cinematography. Excellence is the right word for all of those employed in this film. Direction and Screenplay are the captains of the ship which cruises without any problem.

This film is about the art. It is about the art of making mistakes. It is the art of second chances and the will to take something forward without hesitation. It is about being in a community wherein everyone is interrelated. Being unified by emotions of strangeness is something viewers cannot expect in a cine screen apart from their own life. The movie is the best example of how an art movie can be executed with wide range of different characters.

“Me and You and Everyone We Know” shoulders the art in a way how it should be. It is encouraging for movie goers to enjoy such a motion picture with subtlety written all over it. Subtlety is one of the best ways to communicate art. It is a movie of excellence in the field of contemporary modern classics. It is an art of an art.

"An Inconvenient Truth" (Documentary) (2006) - Movie Review

Images speak so much to wide variety of people where the words may find it difficult to reach. When it comes to motion pictures, the power of media can be so gargantuan that it can shake up the entire world and bring them to the real horrific situation they are residing in. “An Inconvenient Truth” rightly taps the medium of film sticking honestly to the facts. “An Inconvenient Truth” is a documentary directed by Davis Guggenheim which shows the slideshow the former Vice President of United States, Al Gore has been touring around the world explaining that the limit of tolerance has crossed in human civilization with respect to Global Warming and its effect on climate, to get up and act accordingly. The movie edits and connects the slide presentation of Al Gore along with the mode of documentary to bring out the truth of drastic climate changes and its effects.

Mostly the documentary films have a common data laid and the viewers decide on their observations and actions on their own. The ethical and social boundaries of a documentary film is so fragile and contemplative in between portraying and requesting action from the audience that it may sometimes distort the purpose of the film altogether. Al Gore along with Davis Guggenheim walks on the thin line of facts and actions and they come out as torch bearers on this burning out world of ours.

There needs no more further explanation and the common effects of Global Warming on the atmosphere. It has been discussed so many times by so many people and the viewers may tend to think that the movie is overkill. It is true that so many people have discussed this and it is also true that the common effects publicized has also been well aware among the people, but how many of the people have taken it forward into actions? How many really put those things into their day to day life on accomplishing the reduction of releasing less Carbon dioxide into the atmosphere? Very minimal.

The movie rattles the brains of the viewers into that lethargic irresponsible behaviour of us. The way it has been presented clearly indicates the sincerity and the honesty in the outcome of it by the film makers. They do not dwell upon on the political issues but unravel the individual negligence of the truth. The responsibilities brushed up under the carpet of every house placing the immediate good results favouring over the slow and steady death of our planet Earth.

The film uses the right frames to punctuate the emotional and social responsibility of Al Gore being driven for his campaign on saving the Earth. It accelerates as a film while elaborating the in depth details and conclusions drawn upon by the scientists. It plays with the numbers and brings out the harsh reality of the conditional ignorance of the well educated people. The musical score of the film peels off the sensitive layers of human values and principles being butchered submissively and postponing the death of the Earth to our children.

It clearly puts out two definite and brutal reality of human nature; being Selfish and Irresponsible. Selfish with respect to willfully ignoring the facts to sustain our current lifetime while forgetting what we are leaving our children. Irresponsible, with respect to not shouldering the consequences of their actions on damaging the climate due to our sedation and loss of touch with the ambience surrounding us.

“An Inconvenient Truth” uncovers the traces of people’s continuous attitude towards taking things for granted. It shows how most of us take the things lightly as the feel of “single man cannot change the world” effect to cushion into the luxury of ignoring the reality. The movie is an experience and educational while it blatantly shoots our irresponsibility on avoiding the obvious and “An Inconvenient Truth”.

While there may still be skeptics and doubtful personalities questioning the “exaggeration” of the issue, the movie applies universally to all the inhuman things, ironically enough, a human may do to Earth. This movie is appealing not due to the issue it handles but it is the general misconceptions and mistakes the people takes upon to convince them that everything is fine and sane. It is the time for every human being to recognize themselves as the one who does those mistakes. It is time to take responsibility for those and act accordingly. It is time for us to “Wake Up”. If there is a movie which needs to be put as course requirement and take actions to live on this Earth, it should be “An Inconvenient Truth”.

"Lost Highway" (1997) - Movie Review

"Dick Laurent is dead", a voice tells over Fred Madison's home intercom. He looks out and no one is there. Fred suspects his wife Renee to be cheating on him. The couple gets a video cassette on their door which shows someone picturing their home. It gets even worse when the subsequent video cassette deliveries shoots them sleeping inside their home. They call the police while the tension in between them grows more. Fred gets freak encounter with a strange weird guy in a party and next thing; police interrogate him for murdering his wife Renee. He is sentenced to death and spends headache filled sleepless life in his cell. One fine day, the guard checking his cell freaks out to see Fred transformed into a totally different person physically and mentally as well, named Pete. Welcome to the movie making of David Lynch.

I tend to not reveal the story details for any movie in a review, since it spoils the movie going experience and puts unnecessary thoughts and expectations on viewers. The above synopsis may seem out of my league in revealing the story plots but trust me, there would be nothing short of full of surprises the viewers can expect. “Lost Highway” stars Bill Pullman, Patricia Arquette and Balthazar Getty taking the crucial roles. I was not impressed by “Mullholland Drive”, due to some simple reasons. There should not be complexity and whirlwind screenplay thrusted onto a movie to squeeze the juice of it for no specific aesthetic or cinematic value. I was perplexed and confused by the ending in “Mullholland Drive” and the same continued in “Lost Highway”. While the frustration of not understanding the ending constituted some percentage of it, there was no satisfaction with respect to style of movie making or spell bounding dialogues or breathtaking visuals. I generally tend to have an open mind when trying to watch any movie and I have got deceived and felt foolish for not able to understand a movie. I give it couple of tries and then research it. If there comes out a special value and meaning to the piece, I blame myself and watch it again to get the complete satisfaction. “Magnolia” is a movie whose ending totally stumped me but after doing my research, that became the best movie I have ever seen. Sadly, “Lost Highway” did not suffice those criteria.

While there is lot of questionable and unexplained scenes in the movie, making it totally ridiculous at the end, there is no doubt that David Lynch is a good director. “The Straight Story” is an excellent example of how a true and moving story can be made with perfection and clarity. It is weirdly pathetic to see a great director trying to give a meaning out of a blank wall hiding a picture. The director suggests breaking the wall hard. And adding to it, the wall is made with bricks of non-conformities and blandness.

There are very rare moments in the movie which makes the viewer enjoy a bit. The movie could have been made where in the viewers are given the option to identify or sympathize or hate Fred, but the script did not have enough meat to drive the audience to achieve it.

Of all the factors, editing would have had the toughest job imaging what David Lynch would have demanded. Whatever Lynch demanded has been achieved. The soundtrack never made it any more soothing or appealing than the already faltered direction. Bill Pullman as the cold suspicious Fred does the role very pleasantly while Patricia Arquette gets the most screen time wherein she did what she was supposed to. The mystique nature of fear, lust, greed and viciously cunning has been portrayed well by her.

“Lost Highway” is said to be supposedly adapting the concept of Psychogenic Fugue with respect to the transformation of Fred to Pete, but the fantasy world did not have enough intriguing factors to make it interesting.

As everyone would expect a reviewer to say, “Lost Highway” completely gets lost in its way of movie making. Being lost, it stumbles and makes a bad crash into a desert of nothing but confused characters.

"Little Miss Sunshine" (2006) - Movie Review

There are six out of normal characters and they are packed in a same bus. They are honest and true to their values that they make each other go crazy. Despite their differences, they all unite to support their sweet little kid in their family for a beauty pageant. “Little Miss Sunshine”, directed by the couple Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris is a story of the members of an unusual family who take on a road trip from New Mexico to California in order to make her family kid, Olive to participate in a beauty pageant. The movie has been nominated for four Academy Awards including “Best Picture” category.

Sheryl Hoover (Toni Collette) goes to hospital to get his brother, Frank (Steve Carell) who just managed to survive of a suicide attempt. Sheryl’s husband, Richard (Greg Kinear) is desperately hoping for his motivational step-by-step to success implementing in his own day to day life with rigorous solemn tortures. Dwayne (Paul Dano) is son of Sheryl, who has taken the “vow of silence” in order to achieve his dream of becoming the test pilot. Richard’s dad, Edwin (Alan Arkin) finds peace in training his grand daughter Olive (Abigail Breslin) for beauty pageant and taking heroin. Their journey from New Mexico to California opens up the spectrum of emotions in everyone with minuscule incidents to the final grandeur of the pageant itself.

The movie while maybe mistaken for a wedding of “Midnight Run” with “American Beauty” does have the subtle relationship getting build up on abnormal quarrels. With a proper small introduction of the characters, the movie jumps in the bus to make the viewer explore their way of handling things in an entertaining and emotional manner. When all the chaos happens, they try to contribute their two cents of unselfish human side for the girl they love. The interesting part about the movie is how the misery of characters somehow tickles us and makes the viewer feel guilty about it in a second. When Frank is so shy to show his failure and bizarre purchases at the gas station when his lost love comes past him, while the viewer gets tickled, his emotions being shattered and rambled upon over a feeling he is been looked down for judgmental reasons.

Greg Kinear’s portray of Richard as the irritatingly go-getter sometimes walks on the line of clay model character and being natural. Yet he comes out clean and cool as a cucumber in the end. As for Alan Arkin as the bad mouthing grandpa with transparent layers of words of wisdom is truthfully entertaining. Steve Carell and Paul Dano maintain the chemistry in between the characters that it takes a brief two minute conversation for them to convey what they have to. Toni Collette and Abigail Breslin cuddle each other with their love in a typical mother-daughter relationship.

The movie projecting itself as a comedy is more of soul search among the viewers themselves. The story while acupunctures with strong needles at the most untouched and fragile places, it continuously drive the factor of comedy all along the way. The viewer may aimlessly look for a sharp twist in the movie even though aware of the nature of it; the blandness does interestingly bring out its own form of flavour in to this piece. The rash decisions may be strange but the family is known for their strangeness and nevertheless there lays their own way of reasoning with each other. End of the day, there will always be people judging everyone for the very brief time they see, but is it really worth to change it for them? Is it really worth to alter the whole notion of anyone’s thought for that matter? “Little Miss Sunshine” is not about a small kid trying to get some winner title in a beauty contest, rather it is the way world works around. When there are millions of third persons’ trying to prejudice themselves into shutting themselves up into knowing a blossoming learning character, there will always be the family of one without any of those to accept for their originality. The movie brings out the untold and the silent communication shared in between Dwayne and his step sister Olive. While he sheds away everyone, her simple presence makes his frustration take a back seat and make her happy.

The husband-wife combination brought out the best in themselves with bright yellow painted art, “Little Miss Sunshine”. The direction is intact and never falters its way out of the theme of interesting blandness. While the editing helps the theme hold on to it, it is the music which adds on its right tingly tunes to set the emotions straight and moody. “Little Miss Sunshine” is the movie which needs to be taken for its very subtle and hard content of prejudices and judgments, success and failure, life and death and to identify the “winner” out of the “loser” in themselves.

"Once Upon A Time In America" (1984) - Movie Classics

“Once Upon A Time In America” is the last film directed by the famous director Sergio Leone. It revolves around the main character David Aaronson who is known better as “Noodles”. The movie stars Robert De Niro, James Woods and Elizabeth McGovern giving their best performances. As the viewers sit down to expect a usual stylized mafia movie, they get it with a different tinge of artwork iced all over it. Noodles’ life is given in three pieces with his child hood, his youth and in his old age. The transition happens along the movie in a nicely weaved manner.

Robert De Niro as Noodles is hunted by some of the men at the start of the movie. The viewers come to know that he ratted out his gang to the cops. They witness him leave the place and he comes back as old. From there on, there is the editing playing the hide and seek with the current Old Noodles with the kid and the young same person. The movie runs on for nearly four hours. The film does not depend on strong and profane dialogues. It entirely builds upon the slow and steady motion of frames. It concentrates on the facial expressions. It swings upon the actions of the characters. The film focuses on the way everyone carry themselves with respect to explicitly expressing their anger or views towards certain decisions. It is very much evident that Sergio Leone decided to play the viewers with their thoughts. He basically jig sawed the three different time division of the same character in nicely diced fashion.

Cinematography and artwork forms the spine of the movie for the following reasons. The movie transcends between three era of same town and hence the portrayal of each building, the clothes and the automobiles plays a significant role. The second technical department which bags the notice is the editing. It seems that they had around eight to nine hours of footage before editing. Nino Baragli edited it to shorten to six hours. Sergio Leone had plans of releasing it in two parts but due to commercial reasons settled for straight one cut. When the viewers see the movie, all of the frames seem so irremovable and essential for its gravity of the sequence while some represents classical representation of the art itself.

Robert De Niro playing as the young man and old Noodles calculatedly emote the necessary maturity and immaturity weighed for the character. The proper presentation of the confused and loyal friend, his work is really impressive. James Woods with his sharp eyes and stale face brings the diplomatic, cunning and “crazy” Max. Bringing in the mystique and subtlety to the young Deborah by Elizabeth McGovern is brilliant as the other two.

The movie juggles the dark world of ghetto gang with the stylish and mesmerizing artistic excellence. The characterization of Noodles has been presented in a very unconventional and true framework. While Noodles can respect the woman he loves with unbelievable suave and polished way, he can also be the devastatingly desperate man to shamble all those in a moment of brevity to earn her physically. It may shock the viewers to witness those but that is how Noodles is. He does not show much of resentment because he moves on with his life or at least pretends to. The same character maturing through experience is shown in end sequences with his final encounter of secrets. Max on the other side is very clear on what he wants. He wants to be a man of power and wealth. He has laid out his plans right from his childhood. With all those, his devotion to his friend is quite different and surprising. There never comes a moment one can doubt him for betraying. He is crazy but knows what he is doing. He respects his friend and his emotions.

Between these two characters there is this bond of friendship which forms the core of the movie. They have their moments every now and then. They laugh and swim together. Of the four, they are able to connect to their differences in character. Both are equally genuine and caring to each other. The strongest point of this film is that it makes the viewers trust in both the characters. It is no misunderstanding but plain and simple facts of different characters trying to do well to each other. The surprise at the end is the shocker and is well placed and executed.

Having said all about this, the debate of how the movie ends is inevitable. There will be discussions and representations of the demoniac and crooked smile of Noodles under Opium influence. I look it as the painting left unsigned with a traditional marking of the artist which cannot be easily noticed on it. The movie even though deals with the cruel and greedy gang; it is the substance of handling various emotions which makes this movie, an experience. While I was sometimes left impatient, the final thirty minutes shot the bullet right at the forehead in between the eye brows.

While it may be argued as the ending forming the cinematic conclusion of an art, all I was able to see was the betrayal and forgiveness. I was able to see the bond of two friends going beyond the normal way anyone would perceive. I was able to see the love of the life can be shredded into pieces by blinded lust and power. I was able to see the, “Once Upon A Time In America”, where Max and Noodles were able to live together and within themselves happily for a brief period of time.

"The Up Series - 49 Up" (Documentary) (2005) - Movie Review

In 1964, Paul Almond with his then research crew with Michael Apted in it, started out what is now the most compelling, truly realistic and invigorating life experience for the people in and outside of it, “The Up Series”. The series started with choosing 14 then age seven kids in UK, varied in different financial classes of society. The team interviewed them at the age seven and from then on re-visited all of them every seven years. The recent addition is the “49 Up” and the kids getting older and wiser, as they stand in front of a life seen almost yet expecting full of surprises.

After “7 Up”, Michael Apted took on the most excruciating and painful task of carrying this series and making it one of the most meaningful series ever witnessed in the film industry. In “49 Up”, the viewers see almost all of the people whom they would have been following for the past 42 years. Apted as usual does his technique of letting the person doing the raw and beeline details in a very light and impressive tone. I will not go through analyzing the fact of each and every person in the series and how they have developed. The movie does that strenuous task very skillfully and issuing the absolute justification of the purpose of the films.

This is one of the most influential series of documentary films, the industry has been seeing for quite a long time. The image which cuts through the screen is not the life of 14 people but the life of the viewers. Of course it may not be who they are and what they are, but it is the actions of the world and themselves reacting on their lives. As the chain of circumstances paves way in to all of their lives of eventuality of family and children, there is this undeniable fact of interesting and harsh realisms what the viewers learn from it. The movie does not talk about their internal turbulence of emotions in deep manner as the sometimes gruesome reality shows does. Rather it is something “what you see is what you get” factor which cuts out yet reaching the deep meanings reeking out from the participant’s mind.

Before stating the intensive meaning of the series, significant amount of appreciation goes to the people who made all this possible in over the span of 42 years. It is yet not complete and the next installment is supposedly to be out in 2012 or 2013. Editing is the defining element in documentaries, which fills up the cabinet of the film flow in an unambiguous way. These films shoulders the 14 personalities whose reflections and journey towards their life in the past seven years need to be laid out with total commitment which could not have been possible without a gleaming editing as this. The idea of sequencing each person in a particular order does bring the brightness and sullenness demanded by a documentary.

“The Up Series” as said earlier is the reflection of everyone’s life. As I watched all the films from “7 Up” till “49 Up” within a span of one week, I had the luxury of growing up till 49 within that short period of time. Even though if one can understand and grasp most of the important aspects what the film “49 Up” is providing, I would go ahead and strongly recommend to watch all the previous films before this. As it may give the viewers the impression of by far the most emotionally expressive “The Up Series” ever, this film would not have been possible without those previous six amazing films. There will be no doubt that “56 Up” will be even more emotional and touching as there unfolds lot of cruel truths in life and also their encounter into the unpredictable end of life.

While the movie can be flexed by how the viewers perceive it, Apted achieved something far from it from this real life interviews at various stages of life. The achievement is making the audience confront themselves and maybe coax a little bit into their past mistakes. The film opens the doors of discussions rather than pointless regrets and resentments. The start of the discussions with their loved ones and also towards the broken relationships of their life. This film is not a comparison of the personalities but the underlying common facts in all of their lives. The series propels the concept of how life turns around for each one of the people in the world. It accelerates and breaks the life into hope, destruction, loss, love, hate and the seeing themselves in their off springs. The film lightens up the dark places with muddy compositions in the viewers’ hearts with lucidity of how life of them is right and wrong when it is viewed as an outsider. It is not a documentary of those 14 courageous people who are letting millions of people to know their lives every seven years, but it is their candidness. The candidness, which identifies the stumbles in their journey and assist them on how to pick them up to keep on going.

“The Up Series” is not yet complete. It is one another giant and impressive step from its previous films. For first time, in this series, the viewers will be able to see how Apted has grown along with them. Apted’s chemistry with them which makes him ask the most sensitive questions for which anyone else would be shunned off easily. It is the trust and bond Apted shares with these people that make them open up without any concerns and touch the viewers.

The usage of the art to visualize the life kaleidoscope of various personalities to get a glimpse of them is innovative and creative. I am greatly honoured and obliged to Apted and the people participating with their loved ones in this series for providing the most enlightening and compelling documentary in this era of film making.

"Smokin' Aces" (2007) - Movie Review

The movie with a surprising twist in the end, making the audience guessing all the time is one of the style, all the Hollywood directors have been constantly attempting and have succeeded sometimes. “Fight Club”, “Memento”, “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels” are some of the few to be named in that category which immaculately succeeded in making the viewers go crazy and just wonder how they missed it. The key for the success of those movies is not the twisted ending but the brilliant screenplay consistently occupying the audience’s mind to enjoy the substantive contents of the film. The clever ending just formed the bonus for the already enthralled viewers. The lesson to be learned is when some one attempts in that genre, they should keep in mind that the ninety nine percent to work on the story and style than on the mind boggling ending. “Smokin Aces” directed by Joe Carnahan fails consistently letting down while also trying to be too clever and assuming audience to be feeble minded.

The movie starts off with the FBI agents Richard Messner (Ryan Reynolds) and Donald Carruthers (Ray Liota) tracking that mob head Primo Sparazza wants the key witness Buddy “Aces” Israel (Jeremy Piven) against him to be dead and places a one million dollar for his heart. The stakes are high and hence there are bunch of people who gets the contract while the FBI tries to protect him. The audience gets to know a lot of characters during this whole situation. Even though the concept of flashing the name of the character when they appear was invented by Tarantino, it does not hurt to use the same technique for nice story telling. There needs to be a necessary though and there are at least fifteen character introduced in that fashion. I was not able to remember any one of their names and I got the story properly. There is no definition for anyone’s character using that technique. There are umpteen people going all around the place where Buddy Israel is and easily get access by all means. FBI even though have not fixed the deal with Buddy Israel does the flaky job of sending the agents just when they hear the hit, while they do not even have a surveillance over his place. The film pretty much gave away the suspense when both the agents discuss about Sporazza having so many facial surgeries. Revealing that, the director had the hope of giving a mind turning ending is truly sad.

This piece entirely depended on technical department and without a proper solid script even a top notch crew cannot salvage a movie. Editing is really good migrating in between the umpteen characters but is not extraordinary. Soundtrack is not good at all which crucially plays a part in this kind of movie genre. Cinematography is good enough to give in the sleek and slick look demanded by the story.

Andy Garcia, Ben Affleck, Ryan Reynolds, Jeremy Piven and of all Ray Liota are entirely gnawed away by the hole full of script. No one really gets a chance to show their skills except for Ryan Reynolds. There is a lot of potential in him and expect some stunning performances in near future for sure.

I did enjoy one particular sequence in the movie which was simply great and entertaining. The bail bondsman Jack Dupree (Ben Affleck) and his crew meet the lawyer Rip Reed played brilliantly by Jason Bateman who has the information about Buddy Israel. The sequence was nailed with precision by Jason Bateman. That’s the only highpoint of this movie.

“Smokin Aces” is another example of how risky is to mimic the great movies, which has accomplished the job of satisfying the cinematic entertainment while still sticking to the innovative and substantive film making. There is nothing wrong in attempting it, but underestimating the audience is a blunder. “Smokin Aces” tries so hard in fooling the audience that they fool themselves which made its own destructive factor.