"The Hunter" (2011) - Movie Review

“The Hunter” which could have easily been an unnecessary annoying slow turmoil of a mercenary in the hunt for a last existing Tasmanian Tiger, ends being a calm emotional journal of a lonely man. Martin David (Willem Dafoe) is that man who gets hired to hunt and bring blood, flesh and other samples of a one Tasmanian Tiger. He agrees without a question as it is not of his business. In the video archives taken in the early thirties, the animal looks like a cross between a wold and a hyena. No wonder they called it as Tasmanian Wolf from what Wiki says. This is not a film about someone consistently in the woods trying to outsmart this rare being into submission that methodically would kill. Instead it is the backdrop and the backbone, it is a repeating expression in a poem and finally becomes a unexplainable emotional response.

This Australian film directed by Daniel Nettheim lays out this tale without any kind of punctuation. It begins in a modern city and then moves instantaneously to the gorgeous Tasmania. With woods spread like ocean, Martin finds his temporary new home where he is greeted by a vocal and energetic kid Sass (Morgana Davies) and her brother Bike (Finn Woodlock). The house is a wreck with no power, dirty tub and nothing of an existence of a happy living. Their mother Lucy (Frances O’Connor) is grieving for the husband’s disappearance in the woods. To Martin this is not his concern. He tries to find a new place only to be met with resistance and hatred from the locals as they seem to believe he is with the environmentalists stopping the deforestation thereby making them jobless. Lucy’s husband Jarrah seem to have been the wrong books with the locals too.

One has to talk about the appearance of Willem Dafoe and the attire he goes along. Lean, seasoned and thoroughly chiseled is his body. He takes good care of his rugged beard and suits up with the hunting attire like a perfectly fitted glove. He has the most focussed look and when he gets into the woods setting up traps and waiting for the tiger to be trapped, he shows patience without even having to add intense scenes. The suspense though is there in seeing this mystical species, is underplayed purposefully. Except for one moment, there is no hurried motion or intense chases scenes. When it does happen, those are the spontaneous and effective 10 seconds of chase one would encounter.

“The Hunter” which begins as this dark tale of this lone mercenary trying to find an animal turns into him forming a connection with the family robbed of happiness. He slowly begins to take the role and responsibility of Jarrah. Bike especially seem to know what he is upto and provides clues silently through his drawings. Soon we realize that Jarrah was there for the same purpose. The company that has hired Martin are more driven to get this species. But those are plot points that does not become bigger than it has to. It causes bigger tragedies but are again played with a melancholy that never goes for melodrama.

Cinematography by Roberts Humphreys has some stellar shots of this magical place that gets sunbathed, snow showered and basked in mist to provide the kind of peaceful, sad yet beautiful poetry this film emulates. Daniel Nettheim wrote this screenplay based on the novel by the same name by Julia Leigh and I am more intrigued to read the book. Another story about a hunt comes to mind “The Ghost and the Darkness” which has nothing in common with this film apart from the hunt yet there is a mesmerizing scene of Val Kilmer’s character freezing by seeing this animal in front of him. There comes a moment in “The Hunter” and we see all the sides to Martin’s action. It does not comes contrived and we understand everything that follows it without a drop of unnecessary melodrama.

“The Hunter” is a movie that would take its time because the process needs to be real. It would appear that the actual hunt does not happen and I am sure any true hunter would agree the wait and patience that gets to that one single moment. The film does not bore us with that and shows the work of Willem Dafoe’s Martin precisely of what is required. And Dafoe brings forth this man with an authority that is neither arrogant nor cheesy. This man reacts for a true feeling and has stayed away I think more by choice. Here he tries to be like that but he gets in connecting with this family without his awareness. Before he or we know it, he has integrated himself into this nest. “The Hunter” does it all without a haste and in the meanwhile provides a peacefully collected with right thrills that ends melancholically.

"The Bourne Legacy" (2012) - Movie Review

The predominant success of the Bourne trilogy was the simplicity in the screenplay and the kinetic force in the stunts. Th simplicity in the screenplay is due to the motivation of Bourne who took every instant with a splurge of tiny plans. Those plans when went wrong sprung more of those kind keeping the predictability of his mind to us in unpredictable ways. We began to like for this amnesiac super hero who is initially looking for answers settles for love and then for vengeance and justice. We cared just enough for Jason Bourne played with conviction by Matt Damon. That was the real legacy of the Bourne series. Here comes “The Bourne Legacy” with a director who penned that trilogy and wrote/directed one of my all time movies in recent times “Michael Clayton”. 

There is no more Jason Bourne or his story happens parallel when this one unfurls. It must have been one busy hell of a week at CIA that they had to tackle this shit storm. Jeremy Renner is the central man in this film as he goes through a training exercise in Alaska when Bourne’s unraveling of Operation Blackbriar and Operation Treadstone hits the fan. That initiates cover up response which leads to Eric Byer (Edward Norton). Look how easily Norton convinces us that he is the man for the job and how easily he can place himself without any hesitation on eviscerating this program to its death. He is made to look old that falls poorly but he makes it up through his presence and delivery. A man who saw through this new program called Outcome need to be this authoritative, merciless and methodical.

Writer/Director Tony Gilroy is on the right track of making this film purely his own. He goes through the talking heads and exposes this world of people who knew the repercussions there were in and the moralities they decimated. These are the people like the one “Michael Clayton” knew the game and consequences but when the situation becomes real, they have to balance what they expected and what they have to deal with. In this film, there needed something more thorough performances and characters beyond Edward Norton to aid in those. Then again Gilroy is not going for the drama out here as he was in “Michael Clayton”. He wanted just enough drama to set the audience up for the much awaited stunt sequences this franchise is known for.

Many of the reviews complained that there is no reason for such a long and unclear first one hour. I was fine with the introduction and the circle of events surrounding those. I had no problem in following those and the people rolling out the dices with the known numbers to turn and fall, except one. The let down for me were the action sequences which were delivered with great effectivity in the series. The way the single man moves through his opponents be it bare knuckle combat or vehicular manipulation towards a busy streets of a totally unknown location, he would make it look with a rugged elegance and things become suddenly organic in the chaos he pulls through. That magic misses by a great margin in this installment.

Rachel Weisz is the tag along woman for Jeremy Renner’s Aaron Cross we come to know. She is the doctor who has detached herself from the subjects she has done analysis on this new scientific experimentation to enhance their physical ability and mental astuteness. Aaron needs his meds and the doctor is picked for the ride. That was another problem was that the chemistry between them falls through because of not much of a foundation in their attraction other than saving each other time to time. Jeremy Renner despite the fact takes up the job seriously and dutifully does not get screen time for proper emotional moment nor does the action sequences provide clear face of his length in which he goes through those.

Yet, the final nail in the coffin for me is the absence of a worthy opponents Bourne had. Here they pull up the next version of Aaron who comes to kill and he does not even get a decent opportunity on anything. He is good at jumping and climbing but the action was not executed properly. There were this small exchanges between Bourne and his opponents in previous films where they talk tersely and precisely just before the stunts. They formulated a shift in mood and a sense of rawness that when they pummeled Bourne or were being pummeled by him gave a new perspective. They become real people sculpted by this program into something else and are fighting for their existence as Bourne himself. That element is hugely missing.

There cannot be an escape from being not compared to the previous three films. I was drawn into the closed room drama Gilroy was taking me along and the correct amount of exposure to Aaron’s outdoor skills. I was looking for an encounter in the home territory with a stunt sequence that I could follow, see and enjoy. Instead the film immersed into the shaky camera that lacked all the energy it tries to impart into moving images of shoddy presentation which robs the experience I have thoroughly enjoyed in its predecessors. There is a sufficient hint for sequels, parallel-quels (yes, I coined that word) or prequels but I hope Gilroy writes and directs it and leaves the action to Paul Greengrass and team.

"The Amazing Spider-Man" (2012) - Movie Review

While many wondered why reboot the Spiderman franchise in a decade, I was optimistic , one being director Marc Webb who provided “(500) Days of Summer” and second that Christopher Nolan rewrote the definition of reboot . Granted that Webb’s previous venture was a different genre, style and presentation but it marked something intelligent, creative and passion. While all of them are present in “The Amazing Spider-Man”, none of it come into complete fruition.

Sam Raimi’s film is still afresh in my memory and the movie does not re-invent itself. It needs a birth within, may be a clean sheet of genesis of this high school kid trying to enter this unfair world filled with crime and secrets. It is Andrew Garfield as the lean, flexible and troubled Peter Parker. He gets bullied, beaten and discarded. It is sometimes hard to believe Garfield gets pushed away but there is blonde beauty Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone) who notices him just enough and lets him make the move.

Gwen works as an intern at Oscorp under Dr. Curt Connors (Rhys Ifans). Peter’s parents Richard Parker (Campbell Scott) and Mary Parker (Embeth Davidtz) leave him with his Uncle Ben (Martin Sheen) and Aunt May (Sally Field) as they appear to flee from danger. Decade and half later, Pete is on the hunt for his curiosity on his parent’s disappearance through an old suit case. That leads to Dr. Connors to the eventual spider biting and skills development we have seen.

Yes, the graphics and stunts are immensely impressive. Yes, it is nail biting to see him hold the vehicles over the bridge and tackle The Lizard at the same time. Yet, none of those complete Webb’s presentation. There are several things I did like about the film which is how they treat Peter Parker as the confused teenage kid. His joy in learning the skills and putting his mind to use and his anger and guilt haunting him to swing through the sky scrapers.

Emma Stone is a perfect choice for Gwen Stacy who is the perfect equal necessary for Parker. She is strong willed and has some stinging lines that puts her someone as a necessary character than a pure love interest. Garfield makes a good Spiderman but not a convincing high schooler through Peter Parker. In Raimi’s version, Parker tries to balance school and night activity while here it comes and goes as it pleases.

“The Amazing Spider-Man” is a summer blockbuster and remains that way. It is a level above the mindless entertainment but level below for something far greater than the regular churns of super hero films. It has a sense of humour that needs further amplification but stays within as the studio might have brought its iron claw in rewriting the script. What ends up is an half hearted attempt that does not sweep us our feet and look forward for a sequel.

Rhys Ifans’ Connors is motivated due to a drug addiction rather than a philosophical or profound change in the perspective of giving something to the world. His Lizard while is powerful and beastly becomes just another thing to beat than to ponder on the motivation. Another supporting role that would have used some more time on the screen would be Denis Leary’s Captain Stacy who is hell bound in catching Spider-Man than the Lizard. The cops never likes someone who is outdoing their duties. Not everyone is Commissioner Gordon!

Of course there will be a sequel and I am not sure whether the same team returns but the hope would be to bring in a dimension that Raimi did not take. Why cannot be a darker turn and make a real birth of the boy into a man? Why cannot one be truly faithful to the comic and yet paint a much more deeper picture of these masked people whom in my child hood have seen as a symbol of pure good? That there are things in the real world that creeps into their superhero laws to sustain. I Nolan has set up a much higher scale for these kind of films.

"Savages" (2012) - Movie Review

It is unsure what kind of film Oliver Stone wanted “Savages” to be. A tale of two young boys and their shared free love for their bonding girl or the twisted political turn of events on the border of US and Mexico that causes a game of power or is it simply the fun he can have in giving an action thriller with some intelligence peppered on it to tune the seriousness down on his regular presentations? I think he simply mashed everything up to provide an all round performance that constantly searches for a firm ground and never settling.

As Blake Lively through her character “O” begins the narration, I was in wonderment when was the last time I blatantly noticed that it was so out of a film and detached from it even before it began. May be it is the voice of Lively or the fact that it does not carry the intrigue generally these kind of narration begins. The idea is that the narrator has a strong presence as a character too but that falls flat as the magical aspect of “O” never really comes out beyond her beauty. Regardless she has the presence director Oliver Stone was going for which he easily gets. She is the Sun these two planets Chon (Taylor Kitsch) and Ben (Aaron Johnson) circle around. They are in the business of superior brand of marijuana. What comes out of that is the story narrated with not so powerful voice of Lively.

This is a film about lot of bad people. Strike that, it is a film only about bad people. The only reason these three are even considered to be the slightest fade of goodness is that they are initiated and provoked. Then one cannot be naive about the ways of Chon, an ex-soldier who is the muscle in this business. Ben is the hippie who is happy to be the mind and peace of this development. Regardless both are not naive in the situation they are in. Ben has been outside of these chaos and Chon has kept it in the best interest to keep it that way. As the movie opens, this has been working good for them except now the Mexican Drug Cartel wants their product and share. Of course they do not want in and what results is the participants in this chaos to shed blood, shoot mercilessly and take what they want.

While the film is an effort to combine all elements of a good crime thriller with sufficient darkness to the presentation, it does not have the powerful writing it would have needed to dictate itself. It does carry the dark humour which I would have expected in immense from Benicio del Toro’s Cartel enforcer Lado. Nor does it have the absolute reality of the intricacies in this mess and the clever ideas these two come up to battle the most cruel people in their world. 

There are two notable performances that would have needed more screen time. That would be DEA Agent Dennis played by John Travolta with snaky sneakiness and the other is the aforementioned del Toro’s Lado. While Travolta’s DEA Agent is corrupt in so many ways and deflects a situation into an impulsive chess game, Toro’s Lado is pure evil. Both of them have one scene together where you see Agent Dennis playing the situation of him being dead into a methodical plan to benefit both him and Lado. “Savages” would have benefitted a ton from these two people.

In no way “Savages” is an under performed film. It has these three newcomers who are not intimidated by the roles they were given and going after it with great gravity. The film holds its ground and needed an rocket launching trigger in the screenplay. The writing by Shane Salerno, Don Winslow and director Oliver Stone needed some devious conversations more than the unnecessary gore and violence Stone splashes on the screen.

Salma Hayek who is supposedly this powerful woman Elena creates no fear whatsoever  and merely comes off as a sexy bitch. Lively’s character projects nothing of her real pain or the past or the cunningness one would have expected. It is not that we have to root for someone in a film and definitely not here as all are quite firm on surviving in this cruel world. Take Ben who gets exposed to this world he knew he was in but never took the front lines. He is terrified by the violence but his shock and change are shushed away. His buddy Chon has seen it all and there are no heart to heart to see this supposed see no evil shattered in his friend. Oliver Stone had a good story out of the novel of the same name by Don Winslow but unfortunately it suffers from the weakness of a not so powerful screenplay. 

"The Dark Knight Rises" (2012) - Movie Review

Probably one of the most anticipated film in the past decade, “The Dark Knight Rises” is the film for which I prepared in refreshing viewing the predecessors in my backyard assembling my friends. Such is the love I have for this franchise by director Christopher Nolan who has constructed each of this piece with care for the art of cinema, logic and entertainment in perfect harmony. He extracted some of the best works from his supporting roles and the best in his last venture of late Heath Ledger in “The Dark Knight”. The expectation as much as one can contain has only exponentially increased and as much as I shunned the pure brilliance of its predecessors, “The Dark Knight Rises” is quite tough to meet those standards. Yet Nolan has proven us wrong with “The Darkn Knight” that ousted “Batman Begins”. “The Dark Knight Rises” is a thorough good work from Nolan and his team, nevertheless it is a victim of a successes of its predecessors. 

The film that begins 8 years after the tragedy Joker has imparted, Gotham has survived without Batman. Thanks to the lie by Batman through Commissioner Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) of Harvey Dent’s killings put on him that gave birth to Dent Act which has given ultimate control in removing criminals that has made Gotham a peaceful place. Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) lives in Wayne Manor as a recluse limping through life and has been drowning in his sorrows of lost love. I would have liked to know the 8 years Bruce went through in convincing himself of being discarded and retired. Or may be not as the sight of depressed man going through life with no sense of purpose would be a separate film on itself. This is not a indie drama we are talking about as it is one of the most popular comic book heroes rejuvenated splendidly on the screen. But in Nolan’s world he exists much more real than anyone would have ever seen in a super hero film.

Bane is played by dangerously built up Tom Hardy whose facial reactions are nothing but eyes as the gas mask covers up his entire face. Sadly his eyes are not ferocious enough and the processed voice needs real close listening to understand. He begins a machination that characterizes the events in bringing Bruce out of his cave onto his Batcave. He suits up with the help of Lucious Fox (Morgan Freeman) and tries to battle the new evil as Bane. Bane’s purpose are solely driven by what Ra’s Al Ghul (Liam Neeson) left in “Batman Begins”. Even that purpose is only told through the summary laid out by Alfred (Michael Caine) for Bruce. While Heath Ledger’s Joker cannot be beaten or matched up, Bane’s belief is not enunciated by himself. He appear to be mercenary and thus the match in the mind game does not equate well enough. Yet the sheer mass and power Tom Hardy brings in this giant is thoroughly entertaining. We believe in the force of this evil and he comes down on Batman effortlessly. There is a drive in bringing him down. Death is not an immediacy of punishment he is looking for his master’s life. He puts Bruce in a prison where hope is torture.

The end to the trilogy cannot be more elaborate. It cannot get bigger than this. And Christopher Nolan does not blow up buildings without a reason. The range of the stunts are brought on to the same gravity and reality “The Dark Knight” had. It does not go beyond it but retains it. When you watch this film with a foundation it lays on in the first hour and we sparsely see the masked hero, we are bombarded with plethora of characters that gets introduced and eliminated properly. There is Selina Kyle better known as Catwoman played by Anne Hathaway with a bite of humour and sliver of hope in change within. Then there is Miranda Tate (Marion Cotillard), who appears to be a proper solace for the lone man who has discarded any form of happiness. Finally there is up and coming officer John Blake (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) who knows the man and the mask just by the way Wayne acts out. He is where Bruce was in “Batman Begins” trying to find justice and unable to cope with idealism being beat down by good people.

The best scenes are the ones with Alfred and Bruce. We see the old butler trying all he can to talk some sense in enjoying this small life Wayne has gotten. Caine and Bale have formed a bond through these characters right from “Batman Begins” and their scenes brings forth the much needed and justifiable emotional part the film needs and we truly sympathize with Alfred and through him towards Bruce Wayne. Yet the best of all scenes is the rejuvenation of the old and tiring Bruce Wayne finding meaning in existence and the will to fight in the hellish prison Bane put him through. This is the class of Christopher Nolan who brings epiphany for a character that we can relate and believe. When the magic happens and when we know the character is going to conquer his fears and come through stunningly, we are elated within in being convinced of that than a plot leverage to advance. The joy of the character’s success is organic in Nolan’s presentation. We know this will happen and we are with Bruce Wayne when he makes the leap.

The screenplay by the Nolan brothers is nothing short of complex. It intertwines these people and stitches them up with no idea how the end will be nevertheless keeping us appreciatively guessing. The humour is still there as sarcasm and condescension  oozes which are trademark to Nolan’s writing. In all this is the thumping score of Hans Zimmer riding solo without James Newton Howard and he brings the much needed hair rising experience in a scene filled with gravity or a stunt that requires the extra energy for the audience to root. Through the undergrounds, skyscrapers and chases is Wally Pfister with his cinematography taking us in the IMAX presentation that the film truly deserves.

“The Dark Knight Rises” on its own is a thoroughly entertaining, brilliantly acted, spectacularly choreographed and faithfully performed film. It suffers from the bright lights of the “The Dark Knight” and due to that I was mildly disappointed by the lack of fuel power the villain in this. Sometimes I wish to write a review for a film on different stages, on its new born form, slightly seasoned and in its nostalgic antique/art state. But what that actually means is that me as a person and the surroundings changing along with it and how it alters the way I see the film on different times, surroundings and expectations. While I do not want to do that for all the films, I would like to do for the films I thought I enjoyed but left with a small residue of dissatisfaction. A year from now, if I watch “The Dark Knight Rises”, I might enjoy it more or notice more of its flaws but for now all I can say is that Christopher Nolan has provided the best super hero films one could not possibly imagine and ended it with all his guns blazing gloriously. It is a fitting finale and he can be proud along with his team in pulling it off.

"Moonrise Kingdom" (2012) - Movie Review

I always wonder on the thoughts of a first time Wes Anderson viewer would think of with no idea whatsoever of this man’s preceding works. Will they laugh or look in confusion of the world he creates and the views he presents, the songs he chooses, the camera he horizontally and vertically moves or simply the characters that you will not find anywhere else? He has without any doubt created his own genre and has stuck with it. One would think that this genre would die and get repetitive but oddly enough Anderson seems to strike the same chord and produce different sounds. “Moonrise Kingdom” is no different.

In the deadpan treatment of a serious issue, “Moonrise Kingdom” presents two kids falling in love in the tenderness of innocence. One is Sam (Jared Gilman) and the other is Suzy (Kara Hayward). Suzy’s residence is where the film opens which resembles the old fairy tale home that is both beautiful and creepy at the same time. Here she lives with her parents Walt Bishop (Bill Murray) and Laura Bishop (Frances McDormand) and three of her brothers. Walt and Laura are lawyers and there is nothing much happening between them. Suzy is glued to her binoculars awaiting for someone and something to come closer.

We see Sam’s empty tent rather than himself when his Scout Master Ward (Edward Norton) finds out in his regular chores that Sam is missing. All this are in a small island that conveniently sets out the odd land of the director. The characters in their oddity are human underneath. While for initial viewers it might appear presumptuous and even preposterous to these people wander around with nothing but quirkiness, there is a sense in presenting them like this. There is a deep sudden seriousness that emerges out of them that pricks you in the heart when you least expect.

Sam is an orphan we come to know and Suzy met him a year earlier in a dressing room with her Raven costume. The striking question he directs at her tells everything about the desire and affect Suzy made on him. They are in love. They begin to write which has culminated in both of them abandoning their supposed home and venture out in the wilderness in the hopes of being together. They meet at distance at the far of the screen and get into work. There is no awkwardness or rather they direct it towards their escape plan. They begin to work together, assemble things, share things and in doing so does something most couple of in love fail to do, to connect.

The supporting roles are by Bruce Willis as Island Police Captain Sharp with Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton as Social Services, Jason Schwartzman and a surprising Harvey Keitel in the midst of this. Bruce Willis and Edward Norton share the boy’s emotion as they seem to have grown up from him and confined to the needs of the social pressure even in the odd world of Wes Anderson. McDormand’s Laura and Sharp are in an affair which forms an emotional depression for Murray’s Walt. In the whole film, the most intimate Walt and Laura get are in their separate beds discussing their cases and finally their problems. Laura asks him to stop feeling for himself and Walt responds with a question and that just pierces through the brutality of the situation. 

“Moonrise Kingdom” is not as impressive as “Fantastic Mr. Fox” which I absolutely adored, loved, admired and was charmed. Wes Anderson’s navigation from PG to PG-13 has taken beautifully. The romance between these two demands great comparisons to best films in those category. Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward show surprising maturity in handling Anderson’s weird presentation. They converse as kids but bring out their inner maturity sublimely. 

With his regular cinematographer Robert Yeoman, Anderson paints yellow and pink and bright brick red as he pleases. He navigates the camera to angles you are not used and yet very used to when it comes to his films. In his style it never becomes something one is trying hard rather than a way to accentuate his emotional presentation. Therein it never comes off phony or put up and becomes one and the same of any other great presentation. “Moonrise Kingdom” has all the bits and pieces of Anderson’s signature and weaves his childhood memories into it. 

"Everything Must Go" (2010) - Movie Review

There is sadness in every obnoxious comedian. That is the trend that very well existed in the film world when I grew up back in India. It might not necessarily be true but seeing Adam Sandler in “Punchdrunk Love” and now seeing Will Ferrell in “Everything Must Go”, one might begin to believe that because they embody that sadness with a look and form that makes it seem so easy to enact. 

Will Ferrell is Nick Halsey, a successful salesman who has slipped in his sobriety to lose his job and wife on the same day. You know how you talk yourself into things you will regret doing? I think it works terrifically well for alcoholics. Their misery feeds their addiction. We never see his wife and listen to Nick’s voicemails to her. She has been sober we learn and she just cannot move on with Nick’s drunkenness. Sexual encounter with another woman that caused his unemployment does not help in her staying either. As much as we hate her for leaving his stuff on the yard, changing the locks and freezing the bank account, there is a harsh justifications to those actions. May be that is why Nick is not all mad at his wife despite his rock bottom situation.

Nick begins his descent into chain drinking further and his days begin when the sprinklers turn on. Dan Rush’s film is a slow but thorough exercise in a man’s lowest point and it keeps getting lower. The rock bottom is not there when you know you have crossed it. Nick seem to have accepted this and the eventuality is death because there appears to be no turning back. Yet we see hope when the basic human instinct is to communicate and connect. Nick does with two people. One is a young boy Kenny (Christopher Jordan Wallace) in the neighbourhood who has nothing but time to kill while the other is his new neighbour Samantha (Rebecca Hall).

In between these two Nick develops empathy rather than sympathy. Both of them sees through him yet keeps it cool. Nick has lot to offer. A successful man who made a good life for himself is slowly throwing away those. It is quite tough to do nothing especially when you are exposed like Nick is out in the yard as people watch and wonder. Kenny immediately goes further and enquires. Soon enough both of them begin to have a conversation. Samantha is pregnant and new to the area only to be left aloof by her husband. Nick sees through her which shows his ugly face in the end. Samantha is cautiously compassionate.

Such is most of the characters who wants to be help Nick but knows he is in deep dark place. One such is Delilah (Laura Dern), a high school girl who wrote something nice about Nick when he brushes through his year book. He decides to contact knowing the absurdity of it. She sees him and knows something is odd yet goes forward within the boundaries of her compassion. In the end they both leave with something in their heart.

“Everything Must Go” is the kind of film that does not drench in the sadness of its central character. We feel lightheaded in the despair he carries. We understand him as he understands himself of his situation and consequences of his actions. That is part that makes it a better film and most of all say lot about Ferrell’s ability in acting which is that he knows every step of the way of why he is in a rut. There is a constant acknowledgment in the way Nick presents himself in the few days we observe him after his worst day in his life.

I was reminded of one of my favourite films “The Station Agent” which has a central character living his life in sadness and isolation because of his appearance and of no fault of his. There we see another connection with a cheery guy who cannot leave him alone and a mother in grief needing a shoulder to rest. “Everything Must Go” while in no way is similar to the characters or the story line has the connections in common. It shines on the fundamental fact of humans to connect and move on if they want to by any way they can, even in the most depressing state.

The film meditates on the depression. The mannerisms Ferrell brings forth through Nick though casual and effortless makes not alone to see this man go into spiral but see his life draining in his eyes in giving up. It is a shame when you know the capability of these comedians in delivering impressive performances not completely embrace more than they should. Sandler gave up completely after his “Reigh Over Me” while people like Robin Williams and Jim Carrey went that mile. Now here is Ferrell who is every bit capable to providing serious roles and come out convincingly. His Anchorman 2 would be hilarious and I am sure he enjoys doing those but occasionally I would love to see him in roles like these.

"Prometheus" (2012) - Movie Review

My childhood memories of Alien franchise are nothing but horror. I did not care for umpteen ventures and the original in terms of characters, the story and the film itself whatsoever because it caused a permanent scar of scare that ingrained after seeing Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley having a nightmare of an alien coming out from her stomach. Those images are still vivid and visceral which caused me to shun any kind of contact with that franchise. Infact that might very well be the reason for my dislike towards horror genre along with Evil Dead. Now after twenty odd years I am here witnessing “Prometheus”, a supposed prequel to Alien and the best thrill I got from it is a violent, disgusting and horrific scene that involves Noomi Rapace’s Elizabeth Shaw in a highly technological medical pod that does precise surgeries on her stomach. 

The haunting question of a curious mind is the idea of life, beginning and ending. We understand the science of the beginning and the biological end of it. I personally in my laziness believe in the concept of nothingness. Makes my life real simple but given there is a box full of answers, I might very well tilt towards learning about the secrets. We are indeed curious people. Hence comes “Prometheus” which begins with an abnormally huge and chiseled human like being swallowing a gooey potion with a space vessel above to disintegrate to give the audience up and close DNA development. Director Ridley Scott with his writers Jon Spaihts and Damon Lindelof goes for the holy grail of origins, existence and demise of the humankind.

The year is 2089 and Dr. Charlie Holloway (Logan Marshall-Green) with his love interest Dr. Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) have long investigated ancient cave drawings of star map. We are not exposed or explained in to that in big deal. We are only made aware that a wealthy man Weyland shares this passion of finding this moon and therein find the “Engineers” they call it who gave birth to us, the humans. Elizabeth strongly believes in that faith of those Engineers creating the man kind. As they sleep in to cryostasis on this journey, Michael Fassbender is David, a perfectly groomed and systematic robot that is human in every way except the so called soul. He takes care of them in their sleep, reading through their memories and dreams, watching Peter O’Toole’s mannerisms in films and learning all the knowledge he could to guess on the possible dialect these Engineers might speak. He does not emote through his face but he has agendas and he executes them mercilessly. He in my opinion has a soul. Charlize Theron is Meredith Vickers, a lead woman who knows the purpose and has the authority over this crew. Idris Elba is the Captain Janek who is as detached and at the same time a logical and compassionate person amongst the crew. They are here to be answered and then fight for their lives.

“Prometheus” apart from having stellar cast is mainly engaging. It has creepy creatures killing people in the darkest of places. It has this new world where they explore only one structure to have all the adventures and chaos they could hope and have got more than they bargained for. It has some breathtaking visual that would keep any audience riveted through the seats. Yet it does not go all the way in explaining itself in detail. While it is foolish to expect a detail thesis on this whole thing, the way they arrived to the conclusion of the star map is nothing but baseless. Nevertheless it creates a terrific thought provoking idea of the origins of life and mainly the characters’ perspective.

A spectacular perspective is that of David, the robot created by humans. He asks Charlie Holloway what is his drive in meeting these Engineers and why was he disappointed on the sight of their absence. Charlie replies that he wants to know why and David responds with why they created robot like him and Charlie says because they could. David’s response would make you wonder on the things of simple acceptance of certain things and make the life easier. It is a philosophical plane wherein Ridley Scott weaves some serious entertainment.

Noomi Rapace is the perfect choice for this role. While she portrayed a rather callous but emotional Lisbeth Salander in the The Girl with Dragon Tattoo trilogy, she brings forth the raw survival skills of that but adds and exhibits deeper emotional compassion and beauty to Elizabeth Shaw. I mentioned about the scene that had the best thrill in the most disgusting and violent nature of it and in that Rapace makes it seamless to work that in its highest degree.

I enjoyed “Prometheus” for its grandeur nature in employing special effects for what it really is. It has thrilling sequences to keep you glued and yes some various natures of reptilian beings sucking the life out of the crews in stomach churning manner. It has few predictable scares as well but the core of the film is the discussion it brings and the boldness in presenting them despite the people’s nature to make it unnecessarily controversial. The film ends with more unanswered questions opening for the inevitable sequel.

"Men in Black 3" (2012) - Movie Review

Time travel in films just does not make sense on so many levels because it is a very complex concept and you have to be very careful in making sure that the viewers are not pondering on this too much. When it is presented like a setting for a good story like it did in “Frequency” though not time travel but a rift in that space-time continuum, it worked well and mostly rooting for this father-son relationship both of them trying to save each other. “Men in Black 3” though would please a regular movie goer looking for action with weird creatures and Will Smith trying really hard to crack a joke, it passes as a mediocre presentation.

I barely remember the previous installations but the first one had a good impact on me because of the way Will Smith’s character Agent J gets recruited and him as actor taking us through this unbelievable world hiding right in front of our face. The job that is assigned to these people requires out of the box thinking and a behaviour which brings the man to that spot. Tommy Lee Jones is Agent K, the old man who seem to be sucked out of any form of enjoyment and emotions. With a yapping man like J, he had to be really dry of anything to have seek for something resembling fun. This of course bothers J which forms an underline to the extent in which he would go for rescuing K and a mild basis to the film in the end.

Anyhow, there is yet another alien trying to destroy Earth for universal domination and this time the tool is time travel. Do not get me started on that but the prisoner is dangerous to a next level like all the aliens. What kind of justice system they use to determine punishment for intergalactic crime because a capital punishment in Boris’ case would have saved many lives and a movie. Boris the Animal (Jemaine Clement) escapes from a prison situated in Moon! He or It has an insect within his hand that would spit claw nails at super fast speed. The zest for world domination is another thing to ponder but let us put that aside and see this film for what it is.

Agent K apprehended this man in 1969 and for whatever reason they decided to jail him wherein he got to be outside of Earth and put in a prison that is severely guarded and chained for no movement whatsoever. Might as well have executed him. Did not I say that already? Ok, I will back off on this. He decides to travel back in time and kill Agent K so that the security system K put on Earth would not happen there by Boris’ clan of folks can annihilate Earth 40 years later. He does it which results in change in the future but J is the only who has his memory intact otherwise this would not make sense. He does the crazy thing to travel back and hence the movie.

Will Smith tries either too hard or very little to bring his trademark comedy and punch lines to the film. I was seeing “I, Robot” the other day which was a mediocre film of its own but his lines were delivered with such a serious comedic value. And I remember gracing through the first “Men in Black” and there was such an energy in him to give everything he has. Somehow Smith seems to have been content with himself in delivering Agent J. Tommy Lee Jones has not so much screen time other than staring emotionless for most times. Josh Brolin comes as younger J in 1969 and provide some good laughs in the process. Yet the better character in the film is Griffin (Michael Stuhlbarg), an alien who could see multidimensional space-time and has some profound insight. I would have love to see more of him.

“Men in Black 3” is not devoid of entertainment for action scenes and jaw dropping stunts but I am getting tired of it unless there is a good foundation for those or at least have some intelligence. The film has one such in the end where Smith’s J uses the time travel to tackle one of the Boris. Aside from that it becomes an exercise and we know how it is going to end.

Barry Sonnenfield who directed the first installment comes back as the director and there is not much to work with. The story is nothing original and the idea of numerous aliens in the Earth has become old news. The characters are which that would bring any film home and here despite the established duos and having Brolin come in to provide an extra run does not work completely well.

"Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara" (Language - Hindi) (2011) - Movie Review

Zoya Akhtar’s “Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara” is what the Bollywood cinema absolutely needed, a mature film. Not a hint of going overboard on obvious emotional explanation and simply treating the audience fairly and importantly with intelligence are the magnificent stellar stroke this movie knocks. It carries good sense of the characters and most of all has the humility. It has good actors playing their part to their true nature and staying within the limits of their director’s tender care. It is not deeply profound nor unnecessarily shallow rather just enough depth to weave its viewers for a pleasant journey for a feel good film that arrives organically.

Kabir (Abhay Deol), Imraan (Farhan Akhtar) and Arjun (Hrithink Roshan) are childhood friends embarking on a tour through Spain to fulfill their pact. Each has to choose an adventure sport that would be kept under the wraps of what it is until the day they actually do it. This is the bachelor party Kabir has planned for himself as we see him propose to his girl friend Natasha (Kalki Koechlin) when the movie begins. Yes there is no way this movie would escape comparison with “Dil Chahta Hai” which strangely was directed by Farhan Akhtar. I think the concept of three is the sizable number to provide enough characterization and revelation. Despite that, the film takes a stand on its own. It provides a different outlook on the well to do upper class. 

Us humans regardless of the social structure are always designated ourselves with our own problems. Money and comfort would eradicate the hedonistic needs of a person but our minds are so spectacular in finding problems. Those problems despite other supposedly real issues are for that person very real. This applies to the everyday life of any human. “Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara” might appear as three spoiled brats worrying about problems that are insignificant but I think the reason for me to look at it in this manner is due to the nature of good and great films of Indian cinema always took serious issues in the society than a regular human issue especially if the person is a wealthy individual. The problems these young men are facing in their times reflect the nature of Indian economy and more so about the cultural change it is going through. This transition is crucial and in the ultimate fiasco of terrible Bollywood films, this presentation marks great significance than one would generally view.

Thus begins the journey of these three who are not all hunky dory in hitting the road with harmony and celebrations. We instantly find out the cold atmosphere between Arjun and Imraan. Zoya Akhtar does not immediately make it obvious of this strain between these two. Both different in their mannerisms, outlook and character clash on their own techniques in attacking each other. If Imraan is too jovial and knows how to play around with Arjun then Arjun simply shows off his successful career to put Imraan in his place. Kabhir becomes the bridge and the instigator between these two. We are led to believe Kabhir is the truly happy one without issues until part of his issues are revealed. Imraan has a secret agenda of his own and Arjun despite his success is alone. Three of them find a way to make peace with those in this trip.

The resolution is crucial in these kind of films. More than predictability it is the truth in which they imbibe those to themselves and to the audience that becomes convincing in the execution of the story. Imraan realizes that his real father walked out when he was a child and he gets to meet him as Nasiruddin Shah. Their meet is honest and the outcome truthful. Similarly is Arjun’s love interest Katrina Kaif as Laila who might have been just an eye candy yet she becomes a trigger for what Arjun has been missing and not brave enough to embrace.

“Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara” has some spellbinding cinematography by Carlos Catalan. There are some cool shots which are enhancements than distractions. It paints this beautiful country on to the next level of colour, cheer and simple peace one expects out of a road trip. The acting though not stellar is respectable. Its characters slightly animated are well within the bounds of flesh and blood. The only qualm I have is that they could have left out the unnecessary song during end credits. The way the film ended is the way it should have been left and somehow Zoya seem to have wanted the audience have a closure, an unnecessary one. The most beautiful films for most of the times are the ones which are left poetically incomplete much as the insightful, moving and genuine poetries the film has. “Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara” is not alone a simple entertainer but a sensible, cheering and genuine film.

"The Avengers" (2012) - Movie Review

Joss Whedon can deceive you into thinking him as Michael Bay taking cheesy titles, characters and plots but he perfectly knows what he is approaching and attacking in each of his projects. As a mark of a fulfilling director, he is on the side screen smirking at the witty dialogues he made his characters work through. He brings that not alone for laughter in the event of the story but acknowledge some of the ridiculousness each of them holds and act. That worked in his cult TV series "Firefly" and the movie finale of it in "Serenity". Here he has the onus of not alone venturing a blockbuster but has plethora of characters to deal with and weave them equally to provide a sensible story and a thorough entertainment. He does that with a command.

We have had enough of super hero films and it keeps getting worse with one installment after another but it keeps getting better in the hands of skillful directors. Besides the obvious mastery of Christopher Nolan in handling Batman, we have had Jon Favreau with the aid of of cool cat nature of Robert Downey Jr. in his "Iron Man" series has made worth the audience’s time in investing in to these people. Downey Jr. brings that magic out here but he is not the only character to drop splendid lines and steal the show. Every one of them get their day on the screen in most deserving manner and they have fun along the way.

You never hear from this reviewer on saying a film as "wholesome entertainer" but I think here it is because Whedon takes his passion in these people and satiates that side of his palette but then turns around and gives a lengthy and dutifully long action scene in the end to leave audience who came for that. In both these territories he treats with the same passion though the special effects does some complicated scenes and of course destroys Manhattan thoroughly to aid him in succeeding in that.

The story as much as is preposterous carries some value towards it. Loki from the "Thor" is out for the power and the magical mystical and weirdly ridiculous Tesseract is the object he goes for. That currently has been discovered by Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) with the SHIELD team along with the sleeping Captain America (Chris Evans). In the process of stealing that material, Loki goes for using magical powers through his scepter to mind wash Jeremy Renner's arrow man and the scientist played by Stellan Starsgard. Hence begins the eventual assembling of the super heroes who have issues of their own.

Edward Norton nor Eric Bana do not show up as Bruce Banner/Hulk rather it is Mark Ruffalo and he is a convincing and mainly depressed man with struggle inside literally for obvious reasons. Then there is Captain America trying to make sense of this new world he awakened and of course our friendly neighborhood narcissistic jerk Tony Stark. We get Chris Helmworth as Thor swinging his hammer and Scarlett Johannson as Black Widow kicking asses. All this assemble chaotically as the story demands but methodically as Whedon lines them up.

The result is a full on funny film in completely serious moment which are ridiculous for its genre. While an artist makes something of his own to quench his inner need to express, there are other artists who can gel their passion along with empathizing with their audience. The latter is Whedon's skill. He precisely knows what the audience are thinking as they watch a particular scene and not alone acknowledge their presence but winks at them. You become a buddy to this presentation and the presenter.

As mentioned earlier, the film has a lengthy and grand action finale that does not overshadow the film's characters. You get a sense of these costumed heroes battling inside and relate to them if you want to. They are flawed, heroic, preposterous but mainly very human. In a movie that is filled with flurry of important characters and fans for each of them, it fulfills with great conviction. "Avengers" is not a profound and deep film as the precedence of recent Nolan's ventures for but it goes beyond the skin just enough to make them stick out and provides a much more tougher entertainment in a blockbuster action film, humor.

"The Hunger Games" (2012) - Movie Review

My initial thoughts were that I should not have watched “The Hunger Games” without watching “Lord of flies” and Japanese film “Battle Royale” to understand the similarities, dissimilarities and may be to throttle the ammo if it turns out quite the opposite of the expectation. But I do not think that should be the case as any film should stand on its own overcoming these comparisons. “The Hunger Games” as numerous films that gets adapted from best selling novels should over come those expectation. A presentation is measured and judged on its singular existence of what it is than the purity and adaptation from the source. Often it has been proven that a film cannot fulfill the imagination that was manifested through a book. It is apples and oranges and the mediums provide an unique but different experience in its own realm.

“The Hunger Games” should have been a dark and depressing film to start with. Of course the idea is to reap millions which they have comfortably attained and for a PG-13, the film tones up high enough for the darkness and violence but falls far short on the actual gravity of the film’s undertone. Having not read the books and knowing only the skeletal of the plot line, I was mildly impressed with the way the film opens with little to none explanation of the time and place. The place is District 12 and it appears like a struggling coal town. People live by simple means and scraping food of their empty vessels. In that poverty is our stunning and strong protagonist Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), brilliant in bow, affectionate towards her little sister (Willow Shields) and keeps quite to herself. She is not there to please anyone and that is exactly that makes her incredibly likable.

Her sister is worried and scared as Katniss comforts her. We all know the ritual. The children of the town gather around as this ridiculously dressed Elizabeth Banks comes off to pick two names, a boy and a girl. The purpose still not revealed is for a game we would come to know and the reason, well to remind the perils of war. There begins the logical question of why such a cruel game to remind the folks on the war and why it is called hunger games? Let us table that for now and move on.

Katniss along with the Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) travel to the Capitol where fashion has taken a wrong turn somewhere. Everyone wears flamboyantly annoying colours and I would have liked a character either to connect the dots on those or at least make a joke out of it to sync with its audience. “The Hunger Games” chronicles the preparation and insight into this society where bad theatrics invites applause and apparently Stanley Tucci whitened his teeth too much and decided to provide a character that is neither insightful nor comical.

What the film has is Jennifer Lawrence, that brilliant actress who nailed the role in “Winter’s Bone” is the top contender for all leading strong female roles. She aptly is the perfect person to the play Katniss. When the game begins and the rampage of kids killing each other is put forth mildly for the content, the fear is so subdued. This is their entry to death and we are not bothered much about it because we are made to be aware of the characters whom we would not mind getting killed and then there are few who the audience would bawl for slightest scratch.

Nothing is more hurtful and insulting than ripe opportunity for a wonderful film gets lost in the midst of expectation and box office greed. There has been powerful examples of how both can be successfully achieved. Katniss is not the only soul who is been put through the misery of coming from a distraught town rather all the other kids including the bad ones should be empathized and sympathized. The wicked ones especially should have been given an insight on what kind of society they live in to volunteer and take great pride and glory in this cruel sport. Yet “The Hunger Games” is about Katniss and how her primary survival is the only focus and everything else becomes a shadow in a cave.

Directed by Gary Ross, the film began with much promise and dragged itself to the ultimate doom of predictability, implausibility and finally insulting its viewers treating them as people with finite expectation out of the book. While I snobbishly see the films outside of its business agenda, that is where we have to distinguish good art even through the box office need for profits. Here it begins to descend considerably and as my friend said after the film, “when the dog came out of thin air, that is when I could not take it anymore”.

"Game Change" (2012) - Movie Review

I have been a stranger to the current affairs and always have considered myself to be an outsider in that part of the world. My daily updates of current affairs comes through reading Google news and other media news as “Conan”. Funnily enough, the 2008 Presidential election was the one I paid close attention to. While I was curious about the system of election created by “Recount”, the obvious attention came from the stunner of Vice President nominee by Republican camp runner Senator John McCain.

Coming from the same crew who brought “Recount”, “Game Change” goes through the chaos that happened behind the calamity. The choice of Sarah Palin and the eventual media craziness that followed through cannot be forgotten as it was the biggest display of real time entertainment in the ultimate seriousness of the election and in the midst of global economy crashing deeper than that. Written by Danny Strong off the book of same name by John Heileman and Mark Halperin, Jay Roach directs this with somewhat subdued version. He does not go for the theatrics as he did with “Recount”.

To choose someone to play Sarah Palin would be a challenge and to portray her without making her a complete joke but retaining the sense of it and grounded to reality would have been a tremendous challenge. Julianne Moore stands up for the challenge and quite spectacularly makes us not laugh on her impersonation as Tina Fey did in the SNL (that runs throughout the film as well), but make us see her as this person who is suddenly brought into the spotlight and flooded with fame and response overwhelming her.

The film is through the eyes of one of the campaign front line personnel Steve Schmidt (Woody Harrelson). They are the sharks in this open water and they can smell blood a mile away. Here they sense it through the threat Barrack Obama poses. He is of course immaculate in his speeches, thoroughly prepared and has the presence someone can be proud calling their leader. All those qualities attribute to a celebrity and that is exactly the race is. Schmidt and his colleagues Rick Davis (Peter MacNicol) and speech writer Mark Salter (Jamey Sheridan) bring forth to John McCain (Ed Harris). McCain asks them to pick a player for their worries. Rick finds the woman.

After the 2008 election, I had the opportunity to read about John McCain through one of the essays of David Foster Wallace wherein he covered the Republican nomination primaries in 2001-2002. I developed a great respect for the man and here he is portrayed as the same who is quite vehement on his morales. Despite that politics plays its ugly games on you when desperation seeks in. They do not have the money as that of the Democratic party and they need a great stir monetarily and psychologically.

“Game Change” goes through most of its contents in recreating interviews which was out in public. Those are of course quintessential to this story but the back door scenes are where we really learn about Sarah Palin. She is a good looking and caring mother with great belief in the belief she holds dear. One would have imagined her yelling and jumping on the air for the opportunity but she is perturbed, collected and calm. Despite her naivety, she is so clear on the path she has been alloted. Schmidt is surprised by that. Yet at the same time, they know there is more to this woman. She is a wild card and importantly a gamble. They take that.

The film despite its good execution and definitely a fair treatment on the person and the situation lacks the punch “Recount” had. May be it is because I knew the drama that happened in this ruined the anticipation. Harrelson and Harris play a stellar supporting role but the clear winner of course is Moore as Palin. She makes her a full person rather than a caricature to be laughed on about, which we do but with a different perspective. The film follows the curve of this person who without a doubt created a stir and rode the wave. She is likable as everyday person. She loves her country and the god she believes in. She is devoted to her family and adores Alaska. She is instantly encouraged to heights and discouraged to deep end. What we see is a grown up woman going through the cycle of this unforgiving field of politics and behaving like a kid. Steve Schmidt and company take the heat as they should as they overlooked the process of vetting her and paid the price. They were more involved in turning around the buzz that they forgot about the real reason of the election despite the cynicism it has bode over the years. Deep underneath those reality show media and dirty games, there still is the great expectation of good leaders in the country that hails the freedom in its deepest sense.

"Encounters at the End of the World" (Documentary) (2008) - Movie Review

This it the first documentary I have seen of Werner Herzog and his voice is something that livens up the experience. It is of course not the instant wiseness we respect and absorb as that of Morgan Freeman or James Earl Jones but it has something beyond that. It has got the true emotion and the truth of a man’s desperate need for looking out adventures, answers and mystic. This is Werner Herzog as a person curious like anyone among us venturing out those curiosity on to the horizon and beyond it. He is fascinated by the world he lands, the people he meets and he wants to share it.

An underwater picture from the South Pole by his friend has invited the interest in this daring man. He picks up the camera and ventures out with his minimalist crew with no idea whatsoever on coming up with a film. I am sure avid enthusiasts of nature and far side of the world would have sat through immense documentaries done with intense style offered by Discovery and National Geographic channel. And I am sure they would have been educated, learned, enthralled and even encouraged to visit that world. What is so different about Herzog’s presentation? Apart from his deep pronouncing explanations and honest gravity to those, he wanders across this world for everything it has to offer. Right from the point of being annoyed by the civilization of the McMurdo Station to the deep sounds the Seals make he gives a true pure experience of being in that place. Yet he never does completely confess his feelings. He states and moves on.

His stress on the scenarios, people and places are there as is. We see his interest towards it but cannot really deduce what his deep liking or dislike towards them. The man so out and clear on his voice is as mystic as the bright, cold and vast Antarctica. This is “Encounters at the End of the World” and it will not blow your mind but brings a serenity and a dimension you would not have met with.

The people out here are not the norms the society has uglily, truthfully and boringly defined. There are cooks who are scientists, florists who are linguists and there are people who simply fall outside the envelope of the conventional living. They spread their wings towards the deepness of the whiteness. There is a philosopher who operates forklifts and has a thing or two to say about the land. There is a lady who has seen enough adventures for several lifetimes and wants more of it. The people are crazy, daring, at peace and deeply in a non-stop meditation of life.

The film is the closest one can come in terms of living through the routines of McMurdo and the launching it gives towards the rest of the place. The one who cannot travel to this land and sit on their couches to look at the impossibility of the current life that bore down to those comfy locations. For a mystical film such as this, the poetry on it does not come of as easily I expected. There are spellbinding places the camera takes us through and we are in wonderment of the geography and the life in that unexplored and unknown. Yet the film is not that alone. It covers the humans in those places and the zeal each of them carry in focusing on the agenda they are in.

There is a scientist desperately seeking the meaning of sub-atomic particles. There is a man dedicated his life in knowing about Penguins and their odd behaviour of going towards a goal that pretty much would cause their death. There is zoologists, physicists, linguists and several of many experts in their field digging through this thick ground of ice for something beyond their life. The need to understand and to depart from the regularity of the world, these are the people define the future world in unpredictable manner. Their idea of partying seem to be more cool than one can ever attain or imagine. Think about playing a performance on top of a trailer in the bottom most part of the world.

“Encounters at the End of the World” is not your usual film or for that matter not even your usual documentary. There is no agenda and there is no propaganda. It exists in its purest form and leaves us thinking on these characters, possibilities and pondering through the minds of our own. It is philosophical yet simplistic. It is deep yet plays on the shallowness of great visual to provide the magnanimity of the life we have. While it might not make emotions with exuberance, it is a film unlike any other.

"A Separation" (Language - Persian) (2011) - Movie Review

I know many of my friends mention their reason to go see a film is to escape from the reality. I think they would not want to see “A Separation” because much like real life resolve is not the resolve we get in this film. What we get is a continuous process of ever failing attempt on being numb and be stale to words and actions. We cannot. I would though would love for my friends to see this film as it says so much about the art of film that is dripping with reality in pain, pleasure, ego and love.

The film begins with Simin (Leila Hatami) and Nader (Peyman Moadi) in a court for divorce. The reason being Simin’s wish to leave the country while Nader cannot leave his Alzheimer’s affected father (Ali-Asghar Shahbazi). That is their disagreement which has gone enough for Simin to pull the plug. They still love each other and their 11 year old daughter Termeh (Sarina Farhadi) is caught in between them as it is the terrible ordeal every kid goes through when the parents break up.

Nader is a modern man leading a comfortable middle class life working in a bank. He wants his kid to grow up to be strong and intelligent. He is a dedicated father doing his duty in guiding her daughter for betterment. He is a dedicated son wherein he is going through with this though he is in slow denial that his wife will be back. He is the man we begin rooting for and we see Simin in a bad light despite our empathy on her situation. She is caring for her daughter to have a better future and Iran seems to be not the place she would like that to be. Alzheimer’s is a deadly disease on torturing the loved ones on a daily basis. Nader’s father has no idea of his existence but he is there and we are crying along with Nader on this.

The film is not about their separation though that is the spine the film runs on. The real turmoil comes in when Nader hires a Razieh (Sareh Bayat) who comes with her cute and adorable daughter Somayeh (Kimia Hosseini) to take care of his father. Deeply religious and trying to make her living as we learn that her husband is struggling to find work, Razieh is going her own rough time. The first day for her does not go good as Nader’s father soils himself and she calls her religious advisor on whether to clean him or not. We are in wonderment of the deep rooted religion. This is not her hesitation in being uncomfortable with the situation but more about the repercussion of something written. Yet you will see her pain and reasons.

In this happens an incident which turns the whole situation into a complete different predicament. One would think that when bigger troubles and things fall in, it would bring the broken up couple to reconcile. Of course if it is an escaping film but not this. Nader is stubborn beyond his modern attitude. Then we are introduced to Razieh’s husband Hodjat (Shahab Hosseini), a man who under normal circumstances has kind eyes and concerned look but when things go astray he loses temper as if that is his only way to deal with things. We learn his troubles in later stages of film. Razieh and Hodjat are struggling to make ends meet and in their ultimate goodness and dedication towards religion and belief cannot take their troubles anymore and begin to act out in unpredictable manner.

The beauty and sadness of Asghar Farhadi’s film is the nature of human in unexpected situations. We see the principled Nader lose his sight, we see devout Razieh doing unspeakable thing of leaving Nader’s dad unattended yet deeply human and we see Hodjat’s reason for his situation, we see Simin’s side of inability to have a common conversation with Nader and we see the children deeply affected by their parents’ set of actions. This is life at its worst and getting disintegrated right in front of our eyes. We cannot do much about it and we see the people not doing much about it. Despite their good natured actions, they consistently cheat and deceive themselves on the system of not accepting their fault and trying to proceed with a dialogue. And that does not make this reviewer any different as I could see me and anyone becoming like that and posed with the question of choosing the right thing to do and walking away from it. All of them does and that decision pushes the next generation to do that. We see the innocence lost in Termeh as she is asked to be in front of a judge twice and asked the most difficult questions.

“A Separation” consistently goes from one deadlock to another. The actors bring that tense and ordeal on to the screen with great command. This is a drama that unfolds step by step and you hope at every moment that these people would come to an amicable situation and see it floundering as reality grips its ugly claw over them. In the end all we are left is sadness and how unjust and potent when emotions combine with stubborn nature in anyone causing incredible pain we all endure. Yet we go ahead with our lives fighting through it taking actions and making decisions. Why do we do what we do? May be because we see the simple convincing moments of Nader with Termeh, Nader with his father, Termeh and Somayeh, Nader with his mother-in-law and the reasonability he has in the end with Razieh and Hodjat. And we do not see him share the same with Simin though we know how he loves her in the way male ego lets him to. “A Separation” has of course the cross section of two classes in Iran and we see the flurry of cars and traffic in it. Yet we can directly take the drama and put it anywhere in planet with similar results.

"Puncture" (2011) - Movie Review

“Puncture” obviously reminded of “Michael Clayton” not alone due to the fact of a troubled lawyer and the big villain of giant corporation but also due to the dynamics of that lawyer amongst his other characters. George Clooney played Michael Clayton as the once successfully contented lawyer beginning to question his line of work and mainly getting tired of that work. He has a gambling problem and his family is disintegrated. His long time mentor and friend is in a spiral of self destruction. He does not have a good time during film. So is Chris Evans playing Michael David Weiss who almost plays Clayton in his young years only that Mike is a high functioning drug addict and we are not really sure of his drive beyond the drugs.

Directed by Wassen brothers, “Puncture” places its film based on a true story of two ambulance chasing lawyers Paul Danziger (Mark Kassen) and Mike Weiss trying to get the newly invented syringe that could preempt tens of thousands lives yearly of accidental pricking by a contaminated needle. The guy who invented this is Jeffrey Dancort (Marshall Bell), an old and hard working Texas man. The film chronicles their effort to get their case around while being bullied and bludgeoned quite calmly and effectively by the United Medical Group. Their reason being the necessity to revamp the production and the cost that has to be incurred. Despite its ultimate safety, this causes them to deny any possible opportunity for Jeffrey to mass produce this.

Chris Evans is in the paths of what Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt were. While he is not going blazing guns as them, he definitely gets type casted on the roles he gets and he does not get much to do with that either. Here he is taking his very first step towards trying something outside of his regular roles. This is the kind of role that would beg Nicolas Cage to go crazy on his toes to play and note that fact he sufficiently played a amped up druggie in “Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call - New Orleans” admirably. Evans does his best and I would say he works hard. He makes the man bleed through the emotions and we see him capable, miserable, desperate, brilliant and pathetic.

Paul and Mike gets to meet former nurse Vicky Rogers (Vinessa Shaw) a happy mother who got accidentally pricked by a contaminated needle at the start of film to get infected by AIDS. Now she is not seeking for big pay off rather get Dancort’s product to make a difference in several lives. Mike is clearly distracted yet absorbed by this story. He smells something huge and whether the drive for is to do good is unsure but he pursues it with an obsession. Paul is the sanity check in this partnership. A regular Joe trying to make ends meet with a baby on his way. Paul goes along as he follows his gut remembering the times and the reason they got into law school.

The film is not the kind of fast paced action in a law and order deal one would see. Yet it tries to have a conspiracy angle in mystery men and car following them around as they make noises. This film based on a true story has all the flavour of something great. It has the two main characters balancing this act of high octane drug use and the semblance of normalcy. Mike is not portrayed as a bad person but a druggie who forgets meetings, paying bills, basic cleanliness and what not. He is consistently shooting himself with cocaine, heroin, cigarettes, alcohol and pain killers to top it off. For a person who is putting his body through such an ordeal, he is in a terrific shape.

There is a wonderful scene where Mike in the sadness of being lonely of deservingly his wife leaving calls a number from a back of a newspaper titled “sex therapy”. Chris Evans thoroughly shows prospect in those scenarios. He brings the same when he is asked to remove himself from the case by a Senator. We see a lonely sad man hooked on to drugs and desperately trying to keep himself head above the water though not showing any sign of concerns for anything. We are completely unsure of his priorities beyond drugs but then again those are his only priorities.

“Puncture” is a good film that missed the train on a great opportunity. There is an element of human connection missing forth outside of Mike and Paul. There is the opponent lawyer Nathaniel Price played by Brett Cullen who plays him in a manner that dances on the line of sneaky and pragmatic. In the final scenes he has a candid discussion with Mike and I cannot believe how much of a great film this could have been. I enjoyed “Puncture” but I wanted to enjoy it beyond its capacity and there it missed a beat in one more strong character. Yet I would definitely recommend the film for Chris Evans and some good supporting performance with a solid founding screenplay and direction.