Which non-indian film u saw recently has made u post here???

[kid-glove]

The last shot, after the credits, might be the best one. Someone maybe should do a superhero film on the 'waiting time'.

[wizzy]

Drumline..crap movie but exquisite soundtrack

sample this mix from the movie..Kombula Poova Suthi would fit nicely in this movie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejKYxlgEmEw (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejKYxlgEmEw&feature=related)

[groucho070]

The Avengers

Multiple viewing. I wondered why its called Marvel's The Avengers. Then, I remembered that Connery shit in the 90s. Fun movie, and take out Tony Stark, it would stink. Finally a Hulk/Dr. Banner I liked. The cartoonish side punching Thor was hillariouis.

[wizzy]

Looper- couldn't resist saw the TS..movie of the year :clap:

[povAferdeack]

The Lives of Others - A masterpiece.
*Edit : Just read that it got the Oscar for best foreign language film in 2006

[Arvind Srinivasan]

Looper: quite an entertainer..was really good.Joseph Gordon Levitt is sure going places...Bruce Willis does well too ( if you could ignore the rotfl moment when he's seen with a wig to resemble Levitt...:lol:)

[Sunil_M88]

Skyfall - I didn't want to see it but I'm glad I did and even though the movie has some flaws, I'll still rate it 10/10!

Daniel Craig proves he's not an unconventional Bond :cool: The villain is not your typical one, who is hellbent in conquering the world, he is subtle and doesn't come across as a maniac like all other villains but where he does act OTT is justified.

Bérénice Marlohe :howl: :yesplease:

I would definitely recommend it to bond / non-bond fans alike! :) :thumbsup:

[hattori_hanzo]

http://www.movieposterdb.com/posters/12_04/2012/401729/l_401729_699341e2.jpg

The movie which toppled Ishtar & Waterworld to become Hollywood's biggest flop by making a loss of >$200 million for Disney this year.

Its not an entirely bad movie though. Not as bad as some other Hollywood blockbusters. Seriously I couldn't sit through some of the biggest BBs like Transformers 3 or Resident Evil sequels.

One major drawback was, most scenes were already seen in other sci-fi movies - alien planet, warring tribes, hero being elected as the 'chosen one', weird species of animals etc, time-travel. The sad thing is that the story on which John Carter was based on(A Princess of Mars, written by Edgar Rice Burroughs, about 100 years back) was the first of its kind. This was the novel which inspired George Lucas and James Cameron. Now that it bombed, several factors are being attributed to its failure by Hollywood pundits. I feel it would have done a lot better if it had been marketed well. Even kids, who usually get attracted to such visual extravaganzas, do not know such a movie was released.

You can go for it if you like 'Clash/Wrath of the Titans' kind of movies.

[Siv.S]

The Ring - :clap: :clap: to discover the reasons for the appearances of the things in the tape is really creepy, everyone did their best :thumbsup:

[Surya]

TED :thumbsup:

[A.ANAND]

BIUTIFUL [the maxican movie]from the dir.of amores peross,babel,21 grams
alagendro gonzelez innaritu

http://www.movie2k.to/movie.php?id=674691&part=2#

[VENKIRAJA]

Barney's version.
Neat film. Fine performances.

[A.ANAND]

Diarios de motocicleta

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHc4E_tIV-Y

[Surya]

Romper Stomper - A film about a group of skinheads who harass asian immigrants in australia. Asian immigrants have had enough, hit back, skinheads go on the run, and in the end get arrested, shot, and kill eachother.... Pointless, didn't like it. American History X was a much better dipiction of Skinheads (In america tho, not australia), and had a lot more depth... Romper Stomper was just a movie with Boobs, Ass, Knuckes, Beer and Blood and had very little to do with the actual skinhead ideology..

[A.ANAND]

BUS 174

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=RzdyW-eRvjI#!

[A.ANAND]

“Y Tu Mama Tambien” – This sex drama remains one of the best Latin American movies ever made. The movie is a road trip, coming of age story, featuring two young men who meet an older woman and both explore their sexuality. The movie was nominated for Best Screenplay at the Academy Awards.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmSu-BVBVME&bpctr=1358854144

[A.ANAND]

1997, Captain Nascimento has to find a substitute for his occupation while trying to take down drug dealers and criminals before the Pope comes to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (115 mins.)

ELITE SQUARD

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CvUaDC9kyU

[P_R]

Django Unchained
oru thadavai pArkkalAm.
appo IB pAkkalAm pOla irukkE..

[SoftSword]

watched only the half of Django... naduvula konjam iluvai... but the first encounter was amazing... continue pannanum...
but i would say IB was much better...

[Balaji.r]

Django Unchained
oru thadavai pArkkalAm.
appo IB pAkkalAm pOla irukkE..

from where you unchained Django :mrgreen:

Havent seen DU, but IB is pretty good. Even for that matter death proof is fun

[ajaybaskar]

The Last Stand

Typical Arnie brand action. A good entertainer.

[Balaji.r]

jee woon debut flick. Trailer nemba sumaara irunthuchu

[Prabo]

Three Days of the Condor - Low-key political thriller where tension builds up around 20 minutes into the movie and maintained mostly throughout.

[ajithfederer]

https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/559969_10151448235885199_72331603_n.jpg

Great portrait from Pulp Fiction!!

[Prabo]

The killers (1964) - Only after sometime watching the movie, I realized I have even watched the original version, but very long back. While the original is a classic noir, this is an ultra violent action movie. Jeez man....Charlie and Lee are so rude. Guess, Jules and Vincent have some inspirations here....


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4Cw_nDt6ws

[A.ANAND]

TAKEN 2

http://watch32.com/movies-online/taken-2-272012/episode-2.html

nanru pathamaga araitha masala!

[ajithfederer]

Some scenes in Moneyball - Pitt and Jonah hill :clap:

[ajaybaskar]

Sony Pix?

[ajithfederer]

Yes. Missed this in big screen.

[ajithfederer]

Lincoln :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: - Exhibition of great acting all around.

DDL :bow:. I don't know what height props they used for DDL. As they say Honest Abe is so damnn TALL. The man is a witty, has a story for almost every situation and a complete visionary. One of the greatest figures in history w/o a doubt :bow: His relationships with his 2nd son and his wife is so very complicated.No wonder he showers and spends most time with the younger kid who by the way is a treat. His scream when he hears his fathers death is so natural.

Tommy Lee Jones - What an effortless unrestrained acting from the veteran actor. Absolutely sarcastic, thoroughly convincing in his stand against slavery. I did want more scenes in the film with him. I hope he wins the oscar.

Sally field :) More later.

[ajithfederer]

Absolutely great cast. Good to see TV actors Gale boetticher and Jared harris getting good roles.

[A.ANAND]

Endgame (2009)

http://watch32.com/movies-online/endgame-2009-2348

[Arvind Srinivasan]

Side Effects- Decent entertainer. Watch it for Jude law's and Rooney Mara's performances.

[A.ANAND]

Gun Hill Road [must watch movie]

http://www.movie2k.to/Gun-Hill-Road-watch-movie-2570195.html#

[ajithfederer]

Zero Dark Thirty - A documentary movie. Definitely needed subs as there was way too much detail to be understood. Acting, Taking is all Top Notch as came to be expected. Jessica Chastain is earnest, solid and very determined as Maya. A good documentation of CIA Black sites and torture methods used. The Camp Chapman attack scene was :clap:. I only hope the real life Maya is alive and let to live as we know some of the NAVY SEAL men have died under mysterious circumstances (http://articles.latimes.com/2011/aug/06/world/la-fg-afghanistan-chopper-20110807) and some live in fear for their lives. Needs re-viewing.

Avery good link to read regarding the film and in general about the hunt of Osama (lots of spoilers though)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/film-news/9869992/Zero-Dark-Thirty-fact-vs-fiction.html

[ajithfederer]

Oh yes was surprised to learn from the film that the CTC Chief in CIA is nicknamed Roger(Not named for security reasons obviosuly) and has actually converted to Islam and is leading the charge :)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/at-cia-a-convert-to-islam-leads-the-terrorism-hunt/2012/03/23/gIQA2mSqYS_print.html

http://www.matthewaid.com/post/19890661554/roger-chief-of-the-cia-counterterrorism-center-ctc

[Balaji.r]

.

Avery good link to read regarding the film and in general about the hunt of Osama (lots of spoilers though)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/film-news/9869992/Zero-Dark-Thirty-fact-vs-fiction.html

Pretty good docu-drama. Liked it.

Jennifer Ehle was good :smile2:

[kubrick]

Easy Rider

This film was a brilliant watch and the performances were great. Attaining a soul and feel was done so effortlessly and this could be because of all the chaos which was happening behind the scenes. Till now portraying the confused era of America is being tried by filmmakers but this one seems to do it without much effort and that definitely is a win for the writer and director.

[A.ANAND]

CRONICHALE OF AN ESCAPE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mIIUQKT7Cs

[ajithfederer]

Silver Linings Playbook - Thoroughly rewarding for a Localite like me :bow:.

Uniquely Funny film. Lots of nostalgia moments. Lincoln financial field, Comcast One cente and lots of other roamed around places. The Llanerch Diner where the date happens is <4 miles from the University I've been and the place I lived. The movie happens in 2008 according to the game results said in the film. Loved the epic retort by Pat Sr on what's more american than a cowboy to the punk ass Dallas fan. Very good acting by Jennifer and Cooper. The crowd loved the film. I really didn't expect an half filled theatre in Sathyam for this fim.

Sennipar Laaranss :clap:. Bradley Cooper(Another philadelfian), Bobby :)

[ajithfederer]

Hangover 3 :victory: :2thumbsup:

http://www.imdb.com/media/rm3945243392/tt1951261

[A.ANAND]

El Aura

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIRagZcdFXk

[A.ANAND]

Duel (1971) Steven Spielberg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnHjfGaN3kw

[P_R]

Persona
eh?

[ajithfederer]

Definitely, May be (2008) - Good

Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011) - Good.

New Year's eve (2011) - Bland.

[venkkiram]

Breakdown (1997) -

Engrossing. Kurt Russell acted good. Only limited characters throughout the movie but well managed. Direction from Jonathan Mostow and Cinematography from Douglas Milsome are praiseworthy.

Longing for one such film in Tamil. We don't even go that extend and spend money. With a good screen play, we can come up with a film in economic budget.

[ajithfederer]

The Help - Good. Stone, Jessica chastain and others :clap:.

[Arvind Srinivasan]

Magnolia- Amazing just amazing. No wonder PTA calls it his best.

[ajithfederer]

Django Unchained :clap: :clap: :clap:

[ajithfederer]

Sherlock Holmes - 2: I am attracted by RD jr's charisma. In terms of enigmatic charisma he is right after my other fav the Japanese/world cinema great Toshiro Mifune. Purely IMHO.

[Saai]

Infernal Affairs - better than Departed.

Tony Leung is just amazing...is an understatement. Tony is head and shoulders above decaprio in the role.

[ajithfederer]

Not bad - We bought a zoo..

[kubrick]

This is 40 seems to be severely underrated all over. The characters are defined with depth which makes the situations funny though not hilarious which strikes instantly. Found Paul Rudd's performance to be top-notch and he seems to be a natural in being at awkward places with ease. The too many confrontations throughout the film keep the film moving but never look forced which is a huge win, writing wise.

[littlemaster1982]

The Raid: Redemption. As Vadivelu would say - "Ennaa adi" :shock: Hand to hand combat scenes were incredibly choreographed and shot :thumbsup:

[littlemaster1982]

The Last Stand. Arnie looked very tired in this movie, but he's still got his action hero attitude. I was expecting a half-boring film, but it turned to be quite decent.

[ecureuhapis]

Cannibal (DE) - 2006 - Don't watch this. if you're interested in seeing the visual, read this first.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armin_Meiwes

You've been warned

[JamesDap]

Network (1976). It's actually nearly a week since I saw it but I still can't stop raving about it. An incredible film if you have a taste for conspiracy theories, dystopia, etc.

[PARAMASHIVAN]

Elysium is pretty good! but not excellent!

[Prabo]

The Body (El cuerpo) pretty good thriller, but I guessed the ending twist. Still it was good throughout....

[Prabo]

Sleepless Night (Nuit blanche) - Watched this as I saw Tomer Sisley's name. OK action movie, got monotonous after sometime.

[uruzalari]

Headhunters (Norwegian Movie) - a nice thriller....... liked it

[uruzalari]

The Body (2012) - Spanish movie

"El cuerpo" (original title)

------ was a rivetting thriller. Absolutely loved it.

[ecureuhapis]

Rush - Very good. Maybe because of dearth of F1 and racing movies in general. Great graphics and the amount of details went to the script was fantastic (the 6 wheel tyrrell,old shell logo, the curb-less tarmac, Murray Walker commentary etc). Wish they didn't limit themselves to 1976 season alone as Lauda would have more success later in his career and James Hunt went on become one of the biggest sports celebrities in UK and has huge cult following including our good old Iceman.

Sequel must be Senna and Prost surely?

Gravity - Best movie of the year.

[ajaybaskar]

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

The movie runs for around 150 minutes. And we get into the actual tournament only during the final hour. But there is not a single moment which makes you feel for the film's length. Jennifer Lawrence is stunning and carries the film on her shoulders. The first part was good but this is even better and have already started expecting the final two installments.

[littlemaster1982]

Captain Phillips - very well made. Not surprising given the credentials of the director. Tom Hanks was solid as ever, but the surprise element was the lead Somali pirate. He was fantastic.

[Dinesh84]

The Wolf of Wall street - :oops: I didn't like this movie. May be this is the first time i didn't like Caprio's role. Bit padam range ku irukku

[mappi]

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014 : English : Marvel)
The same pot of pop corn buster, each time more grandeur and many paper aero-tank models going pop pop yet another time. A very long saga of our Captian trying to stop what Batman couldn't, well watch it to have some great fun. And Scarlett "Johnson" was preety-tweety red haired Black Widow who never fails to burst some b.... well, baddies ! And she does get a lovely chance to kiss our Captain, how amazing it is ! Sit back during the during the End Credits and you will be rewarded !
Captain America: The Winter Soldier - Explosive

Mea culpa (2014 : French : Thriller)
A fight of a father to save his son from the baddies after the kid becomes the witness of one of their acts. And there is some drama involved with the dad's life, well pay attention or get surprised ! Watch the awesome finale happening on the TGV.
Mea culpa : Tense & Dense

[mappi]

Wer [2014 : American : English]
Genre : Horror [Sub : Thriller, Crime, Suspense] [Category : Werewolf film ; Sub-Category : Found Footage ]

A wonderfully titled fiction based on a found footage from a lawyer's bureau that holds her encounter with a client who is not so normal. For a found footage movie, which usually makes one wonder what the camera man had smoked, Wer is pretty decent with a limited dose of shaking. It gets a bit late to pickup, where the film maker William Brent Bell intelligently crafts the myth of werewolf giving it a modern look. A bit violent here and there which could disturb certain audience, but would be a fun for those who are into such genres.

Wer : Catchy
[Wer is German meaning "man" from which evolved 'werwoulf' that got translated to "werewolf" in english. And there is more to this german word 'wer' if you wish to look into it]

[mappi]

Sunday Back-to-Back Feature Films

Snabba Cash I & II aka Easy Money I & II
Country : Sweden

Snabba Cash (Easy Money) is 2006 novel by Jens Lapidus, which is also the first in the Stockholm Noir Trilogy based on Drug Mafia. The other 2 from the trilogy were released duing 2008 (Aldrig fucka upp - Don't Fuck Up) & 2011 (Livet deluxe - Deluxe Life). I have not read these books, to be much clear, never heard of them before watching these two film gems.

Snabba Cash I [2010 : Swedish : Drama (gangster, thriller)]
aka Easy Money
Written for the screen & directed by Daniel Espinosa
Starring : Joel Kinnaman as JW

The first Episode follows 3 characters, the prime being JW who is an enthusiastic economics student. The other 2 are a small-time criminal who has escaped prison and a hitman who is after this escaped criminal. All three have one thing in common - to make money quickly. In between are the characters who are related to them or get accquinted to them on their journey. For ex : JW with a help of a friend starts cocaine business and seeks the escaped criminal to larger his territorial sale. To help him out, JW works with the escaped criminal to take down the people who had double crossed him. This is when the hitman comes into picture, hired by the crooked minds to take down the escaped criminal. Then, its all about who they all fight it out in an spine chilling dramatic thriller.

It makes one get a feel of TFI film maker Sasikumar movies. But due to language problem and "something lost in translation" syndrome, "Snabba Cash I" seems to be flowing slowly rather swiftly. That does not mean anything, as if you are into ganster genre, this film, its characters and the whole narration of spining, swindling and intervening sub-plots is fantastic to watch. Also the film seeks your attention in abundance, but following each character gets a bit confusing at times, given that its swedish language.

Snabba Cash I - Power over intelligence

Snabba Cash II [2012 : Swedish : Drama (gangster, thriller)]
aka Easy Kill : Hard To Kill
Directed by Babak Najafi
Starring : Joel Kinnaman as JW

The movie takes off exactly where its former ended. Can't tell you much, doing so will spoil the Part 1. The film continues in the same route, but becomes more and more gripping when it starts a new angle of survival as one of its sub-plots - if you want to GET OUT, sometimes you got to GO ALL IN !

Snabba Cash II - Intelligence over Power

Goign to get the translated versions of Stockholm Noir Trilogy. The book would give more insight and depth that the visual narations missed to bring out.

NB : Snabba Cash III is under-production.

[mappi]

Supercondriaque [2014 : French : Comedy]
Written & Directed by Dany Boon
Starring : Dany Boon as Supercondriaque & Kad Merad as the Doc

Hypochondriasis (French : Hypocondrie) aka Health Phobia - getting too much worried about or scared of falling sick.

The title plays with this term and replaces Hyper by Super. As per the definition, our hero goes over the top scared of getting sick, that he had been harrasing his doctor for the past 18 years, thru non-stop consultations for imaginary illness. The doc decides to get rid of him as by his presence, the doc's personel life is going for a toss. The doc convinces himself that his patient being single is the root cause of everything and thus helps his patient to find a new partner so that he will occupy most of his energy on her rather than worring about his fake illness. What happens next are hillarious episodes which makes the doc cryout why he stuck his nose into unwanted affairs.

An hour or so, the movie is completely enjoyable, with light hearted french humour expressed by very good artists. But its after that the film self-kills itself, taking away our premission to get satisfied from it. Its still enjoyable, if you wish to skip or forget the last few minutes of the movie.

And yes, it has traces of TFI movie, the Kamal Starrer Thenali, now how wonderful it is to hear or What About Bob ?!?

Supercondriaque : Super beginning, Hyper-disaster later

[mappi]

Frozen Grounds (2013 : English : Drama [Suspense, Mystry, Thriller])
Written & Directed by Scott Walker
Starring: Nicolas Cage & John Cusack

Based on true events.

Investigating a series of missing cases, the investigator corners down an individual when a single victim escapes from the horrible clutches of the killer. But the officier cannot get the materialistic evidences to convict the culprit as the victim he works with is a prostitute and the law does not want to take her testimony legit. Then, its all about how the officier not only confronts the culprit but also how he fights against the law to establish justice and stop the massacres.

Frozen Ground may not work for many, as today's cinema is more about "twist and turns". Gone are the days where the naration has suspense, as the audience seek more "jaw-opening" moments and go around like a headless chickens shouting " I did not see it comming". So today's film makers first create the twists and then pull something called "a story" around it, ironically it works well with the current audiences. But Frozen Ground is old-school. It has a solid story, gripping drama and moreover it allows us to take a walk around, while the investigations are going on. The movie has nothing to hide, or does pieing in the name of twists. But yet its quite engaing with some awesome soundtracks and background scores. The lead actors, esp. during the interogations, have given one of their best performences. Kind of liked Vanessa Hudgens too.

I would rate the movie +16 for nudity, language & drug use, but there are not much of shocking things happening that could hurt any viewer.

Frozen Ground - Twisted Crack

[mappi]

Captain Phillips - very well made. Not surprising given the credentials of the director. Tom Hanks was solid as ever, but the surprise element was the lead Somali pirate. He was fantastic.

Got a chance to watch Captain Phillips yesterday. Still wondering how Tom Hanks pulled out the post climax performence. Amazing. Happy to see hollywood movies are slowly getting back their needed intelligence, notably, the character does not readout loud his emails while composing them. Apart from the movie being repetitive with the scenes involving the take over of the ship and a "chewing gummish" rescue operation, the movie is quite engaging, thanks to Tom Hanks & the 4 pirates. The drama unfolds without any leaks, well accompanied by an excellent background score. I like the tension that it mounts during the 2nd attack on the ship. And, yes, the movie is very well made too.

Captain Phillips : Everything Gonna be Okay, Irish !

[mappi]

Haunter [2013 : Canadian : Horror (Suspense)]
Directed by Vincenzo Natali (Cube, Splice)
Starring : Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine) & Stephen McHattie

A teenage girl who is just bored of her routine day-to-day life, discovers something interesting to meddle with, those which not only turns disastrous to her family, but her own existance.

A wonderful story about ghosts and has a different take over the Haunted House sagas keeping intact the creepy atmosphere. The film keeps you hooked, and you should be if you want to follow the film. Its not complicated, but it passes quite rapidly with so many things to gasp from each moment. Miss a second, you need to hit the rewind button. Thats how the story is constructed and narrated. What stands tall is the screenplay, its complexity is a beauty. And has a wonderful climax too. The movie has its flaws, but the entertainment it provides thins them down. The only problem we had with the film is, it was a bit too much 'teenish-kind', but well 'sometimes' those types work well too.

Haunter - Alice in a ghost land

[littlemaster1982]

The Lone Ranger - not as bad as I expected. Johnny Depp kinda played Jack Sparrow in a different make up. All aside, this movie is worth watching for those two spectacular action sequences.

[pavalamani pragasam]

Watched Rio-2 in the theatre with our kids and their kids just as we did Rio-1. Very enjoyable movie! Good messages about the disciplined life of forest creatures and the selfish, thoughtless ways of the humans.

[chevy]

SilverLinings Playbook

Wonder why I never watched it earlier. The first few minutes, that showed the hero's despair when in lurch was so disturbing. The movie released in Nov 2012 , that timing especially is uncanny, for me personally. But unlike the movie folds open, people don't get over that despair that easily. It takes many months. Probably why, I am watching it now in 2014 April.

I really wanted quit watching the movie after few minutes (till the part he attacks his parents, and Jennifer Lawerence says she trusted him and he used it back against her), but being a famous movie, I figured it might unfold and have a happy ending, which it does.

They've tried to show the reality of these emotions we see in everyday life and then quickly changed to show a happy ending. Which in reality never happens. A mind that is just fixated on its loss, will never see any other "door" open up for them that easily and most often there may probably not be another door opening. How Tiffany (J Lawence) grieves her husband is given very little time, grief is a big emotion but they've underplayed her grief and Pat Sr (de niro)'s psychological problems. So at least, I would have liked them to show Pat. Jr. trying to overcome it or how his emotions undergo change and how he starts to have feelings for Tiffany.

Its a nice movie, showing hope after despair. A feel good movie, at most. But nothing really to show the seriousness of emotional disturbances.

[chevy]

The working woman (1986?)

An old movie but really worth watching. Inspiring, especially for working women, who make it up the ladder on their own!

[mappi]

Big Bad Wolves [2013 : 1h50m : Thriller (Suspense, Crime, Drama)]
Country : Israel
Language : Hebrew

Written & Directed by Aharon Keshales & Navot Papushado

+16 for violence, gore, language

Unsolved kidnaping and murders of female childs, leads the investigating officier to violently interrogate an ex-convict suspect which turns bad for him as he looses his job when the last victim is found dead. Now he is on a personel run to make the suspect talk. Meanwhile the father of the last victim too needs justice. From here its all about how their paths cross, who teams up with whom and finally who is behind all these gruesome killings.

A much awaited film is available on DVD/Bluray. I found the film awesome - dark, gore and at many places witty. Aharon Keshales & Navot Papushado have nailed it again after Rabies. [Rabies (2011) is the 1st Isareli Horror Film, if you have not watched it, please do.] All the lead actors did a fantastic job, well supported by an intriguing BGM and suspenseful camera work. The opening shot itself will tell you that you are going to witness an amazing film. Think the director duo have watched our Mysskin films or have watched the films viewed by Mysskin. They have a lot of similarities in filming. The subtitles were great too, that you can catch the humour.

Big Bad Wolves - A tale that makes the Fairy shiver.

There are several posters of this film, and the ones I liked are :

http://cdn.bloody-disgusting.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/big-bad-wolves.jpg

http://cdn.bloody-disgusting.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/big_bad_wolves_ver10_xlg.jpg

[kubrick]

They Live 1988 (http://letterboxd.com/nyk/film/they-live/)

Watched May 04, 2014

Conceptually this is absolute class and that seems to be enough for sometime during the film for us to be glued to it but there are some clumsy instances which pushes us to laugh out loud. Watching 'The Thing' was laborious but this film is nothing like that, thanks to the principle moral which the film is based on. The subject which is being dealt with in 'They Live' is more relevant now than it was when the film originally came on the screens. And looking at the way in which we all are living today the relevance is going to get closer and closer. Drawing parallels to consumerism and slavery, and other such thoughts of the writers are very well converted into the film and such ideas seldom seem preachy which is one of the aspects which makes the film an unmissable. But hazardous directional goofs and stale logical events pull the film down like someone is sitting on the other side of the see-saw. It is understandable that the film after the success of 'Halloween' has attained a cult status, but if you aren't part of that cult, though you wont be bored, you wont consider much of this in a day or two however relevant the theme may be.

[mappi]

Noah [2014 : English : 2h30m : Epic Fantasy (Action, Drama, Suspense)]
Written & Directed by Darren Aronofsky

Banner : Paramount Pictures

Principle Characters :
Noah (Russel Crowe)
Noah's wife, Naameh (Jennifer Connelly)
Noah's 3 sons - Japheth (Leo McHugh Carroll), Shem (Douglas Booth), Ham (Dakota Goyo)
Noah's adopted child Ila (Emma Watson)
Noah's Grandfather Methuselah (Anthony Hopkins)
Noah's nemesis Tubal-Cain (Ray Winstone)

Firstly, let me break from all those religious connections.
The accounts in this paragraph is just what I looked upon and understood. Actually this topic changes according to the person who is talking about it, that’s the reality, so no offence in anyway is meant. I just wish to tell people who like to look deep into the realms of the movie in a religious angle that they should first construct the time line and understand it. Noah happens even before God was addressed as God. Name ‘God’ appears only after he meets up with Moses in the Mountain. [That's why you hear 'Creator' during the whole length of the movie]. Yet another clue is that Noah dates during Mesopotamians time, even before Judaism was practiced. You should also look into The Epic of Gilgamesh. So connecting Noah to a particular religious book is not a wise call, as the myth dates when demi-god fiction of today was believed to be a reality of a period or even to a whole civilisation. In any which way you look at it, Noah is a story of Mass Murder of Humanity operated by the Creator of Earth when the humans have largely crossed the line. The creator instructs one of his chosen ones to take care of other side of business - building an ark [a bit like Manu] and boarding a pair of each species excluding Humans - when the creator himself will be busy flooding the Earth. From here there are different branches to the story as to who lives and who dies, but all is well in the end where a new earth is found and everything starts to flourish again. Its basically to make us realise that if we do not behave ourselves, we will be perished. That’s a gist of Noah.

The film projects more on what the character, Noah, undergoes in different situations and circumstances and very less on the Ark he builds. Its broken into two fine parts where the whole Ark sequence is spectacular, while the other occupies the dense emotional drama which forays the decisions of Noah. There is this 3rd docudrama part where the creation/evolution is explained in an amazing manner. All these three are well conceived and creatively narrated without leaving anything aloof but beautiful spinning them together. As we all know the Ark was built & it reached a safe place, but what happens inside the Ark during this tiresome journey to an unknown destinations, takes us deep inside a dark sub-plot, where many of the human natures are explored thru the family members of Noah - the prime drama surrounding and coupling Noah himself.

Act 1 - Spectacular Special Effects

Noah & his family are dwelling in the scattered lands, surviving in the after-earth, the earth which was destroyed by mankind. The decedents of Noah Family are the chosen ones, in the sense they are in command of the Creator himself. The remaining earth is conquered and ruled by Cain, an Evil Man, who questions the creator and dismisses the miracles as magic tricks. Except for the Noah family, every other surviving humans are following Cain. Noah gets instructed in his dreams, but he is not able to connect the lines. He has visuals but the meaning he doesn't now. He goes in search of his grand father, a wise mind, to help him decipher it. On his journey, he saves a young girl and his family adopts this child from the horror of her family's massacre. His grandfather is in a land guarded by the fallen angels, who are cursed to be rocks. After convincing the Angel-Rocks, and talking to his grandfather, Noah realises that his task is to build an Ark. Some miracles make it possible and the Angel-Rocks help him to construct it. First guests are the birds, then the reptiles and finally all the land animals take shelter inside the Ark. After seeing the animals moving in the same direction, Cain follows them to the Ark. He speaks for the people and orders Noah to help his race to survive than the animals. Noah refuses stating that the whole project is to bring in the doom to humanity. Cain challenges the creator thru Noah and pledges to take over the Ark for himself and his followers. They attack the Ark, which is guarded by the Angel-Rocks. When the fight gets intense, the Angel-Rocks duty seems to be over and they are liberated from the curse, that one by one they rise up again to their creator. Its then the flooding happens and every land on the phase of Earth becomes water, drowning down every single human.

[Here you have to take note of the visuals if you are willing to look beyond the film ; also each vision of Noah, be it destruction or past or future could serve as good "look-upon" materials].

Act 2 - Dark Drama

So, what we saw in Act One is elaborated here. In between focusing on fast paced action sequences, Act One not only introduces us to Noah's family but also gives us a glimpse of their desires, expectations and their whole hearted acceptance to their father's quest. The adopted daughter Ila, and Noah's eldest son Japheth are in love now, but Ila cannot become a mother, thanks to the massacre that happened when she was a child. Noah's second son Shem could not accept the fact that he is going to die alone without feeling a women if what his dad says is going to happen. The third son, Ham, is a kid who sees his family as the only world and is growing up looking out for them, learning things from their actions and decesions. Noah's wife, Naameh, supports every action of her husband, but worries too much for the future of their children.

With all these differed thoughts which are loosely knotted with Noah's realisation of his creators command, gets slowly unfolded inside the ship, when they all come to know that they will be the last family alive on earth and the third son of Noah will be the last human. To make things worse there are 2 things happening around, the first one, I let you to discover it. Its the last part of Act 1, which is poisoning Shem and turning him against his own father. The second thing is that Ila becomes pregnant, a miracle. Now, Noah does not accept it as his duty is to make sure no humans are alive, (or that’s what he believes). So he cannot allow the child to be born, but he compromises saying that if its a Boy-Child he will let him live, the one who will take the place of his third son and become the Last Human on Earth. If its a Girl-Child, he will not hesitate to murder it. This provokes Japheth to turn against his father, when already Shem is waiting for an opportunity to avenge his father for one of his father’s decision that crushed down his hope. In between this Naameh confronts Noah's decision.

All these are piercing the noble man Noah - the one who does not even harm a flower is now prepared to kill his own kin - not to mention he had been a puppet in the mass murder. When Ila gives birth, all escaped ‘Evils’ are now focusing on Noah.

Act 3 - New Found Earth

On the new found Earth, Noah is depressed and alcoholic, for various reasons. Finally Ila convinces him to join them stating that if the creator had choose him to do such a task, the decisions Noah made was also the creator's wish. Fair logic here, and Noah goes to live with his family, but Shem quits them driven by more than just guilt [Actually there is more to it, I suppose, but the films stops by just showing him walking away].

The animals and plants start to live in harmony and from what I guess, this earth is Herbivorous now too, even though they did not show a lion feeding on a grass.

Its from here where our world started to exist and maybe we are still living to tell the tale what we are doing with it !

Summary

Russel Crowe and Anthony Hopkins still prove to be the ace cards for the film. Crowe endures some subtle emotions, anger, helplessness etc. through his various transformation as Noah with a task. Jennifer Connelly over plays in many parts, and think she did not mentally travel to the era of Noah, but stayed in 2014 quarrelling with a husband whom she just found to have been cheating on her. Actually Emma Watson can retire ! Ray Winstone was menacing but he did what Anthony Hopkins already did in Waterworld.

The special effects gets a BIG mentions and the camera works too. Think Aronofsky has watched several Mani Rathnam movie, all the shots are close, reminded me a lot about Iruvar. But what takes away the entire limelight is the fantastic narration of Evolution / Origins of Earth and its species. The whole creation science in Aronofsky vision’s is absolutely fantastic. BGM score quite high as in any Hollywood Fantasy movie, but nothing remarkable. Found the end credit song well sinking the ‘after-film’ ambience.

All major credits goes to Aronofsky for picturising some mesmerising moments of a complex structured story in a fluid creative visual narration which can meet the eyes beautifully.

I thoruoughly enjoyed the film Noah for its artistic presentation, extraordinary idea & its implications.

Noah - Is it right to believe your belief ?

[mappi]

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 [2014 : English : 2h30m : Superhero (Action, Drama)]
Directed by Marc Webb
Story : Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci & Jeff Pinkner

Banner : Colombia Pictures

Starring : Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Sally Field & Jamie Foxx

Spider-Man is a celebrity is NYC. He cooly swings to the rescue of the people. But Peter Parker is sliding down due to his love affair falling apart as well as his urge to know more about his parents - (I don't know how much you remember Part 1). The Norman's son, Harry, takes over the Oscorp and learns that he is having the same problem just as his dad. He comes to know that Spidy's blood could be a cure, but Spider-Man cannot just give his blood, could he ? Max is an electrician in Oscorp, and an accident makes his Electro (name says it all). He gets captured by Spider-Man and is put in a special prison. When harry needs a cure desperately, he escapes and teams up with Elctro to take down Spider-Man in a historic finale.

Amazing Spiderman follows the gritty dark age comic, where the writers try to experiment and explore more with the characters. The moive is more of an emotional drama than a super-hero spectacle. It has a opening fight sequence, followed by tear jerkers, a middle spectacle, followed by tear gas, and a grande climax exploding again with tear bombs. It may appeal to today's comic fans, but in no way its going to attract a old-shool comic geek like myself. As a movie the drama works a bit, its more like a teenage love-break suituation that really suits the character Peter Paker. But it certainly does not seem to affect Spider-Man. Its a split personality saga, where Peter cries when he does not wear a mask, and cracks jokes and is really funny when he has buckled up his suit. That really looked so weird. Add in the messy story, the whole web gimmicks does not click.

Its the best 3D movie that I saw in recent times. It was just Amazing. If you planing to watch it, watch it in 3D. Myself a bit allergic to this technology, really enjoyed it and after about 150mins, I still did not get a head ache. Another amazing factor is the Spidy POV Web Spinings. It was fabulous. The transformation of Jamie Foxx to Electro was superb, and the climax fight was jaw dropping. All with some stunning camera work, innovative idea & some spectacular special effects, that too in 3D. Awesome. And Electro was fantastic eventhough his back-story looks a twin to Riddler's. The Climax fight was quite nicely pulled with some awesome sound effects.

While the movie draws to the end, it catches up well with the Amazing Spider-Man comics which I really appreciated. Don't click the spoiler coloumn if you are planning to watch the movie.

If you had followed Gerry Conway series, at a point of time you will know where the story is heading. I told my girl friend whats gonna happen, even though she was upset that I gave away the spoilers (LoL), but I was rather curious to know how they are going to pictorize it. All I could say is that, it was best, just falling a bit short of Watchmen movie. The whole episode was narated brilliantly, the one perfect shinning aspect in the film.

Peter Parker has many girl firends. He has to, as he is a teenager and the whole Spider-Man idea was born for that purpose when you had Captain America, Superman and Batman, whom we can look upon but not relate to. So here is Spider-Man, the 4th superhero, who comes from our neighborhood. So, following Peter Parker; a struggling student, a struggling youngster to find a job after his graduation, comes from a lower middle class family but takes his strides as it comes; Peter Parker life crosses with many interests, with whom he builds a affair. His very first love was Gwen Stacy, his class mate.

When the Spider-Man original series came to an end, it paved ways to story arc, a way of extending the current material. Gerry Conway started the Amazing spider-Man series for Marvel, and he did not hit the bulls eye this time, but shot right at the heart. He killed Gwen Stacy and wonderfully titled the comic in the end, precisely in the 2 volume.

http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20060122014414/marveldatabase/images/1/17/Gwen_stacy_dies.JPG

http://www.spidervillain.com/SpiderManCovers/Amazing/ASM121/Page4.jpg

Thats exactly what you will see, but it all happens in a clock tower which was awesomely filmed.

Kind of getting settled with Andrew Garfield. He does match up both as Peter Parker as well as Spider-Man. He pulls a good performence in the end. Jamie Foxx was awesome as a nerd as well as Electro. Just that the story should have more on Rise of Electro rather than Weeping Spider-Man. Emma Stone was pretty, but still had that funny hair dress. She does perform well as Gwen, but still she got to choose and do more roles like in the film The Help (wonderful drama that will connect your emotionally with some stunning performence by the lead ladies => Must Watch). Sally Field takes up the aunt role quite seriously and there is an emotional aunt-son moment (well the movie is loaded with such artifacts).

There are so many messed up things in the movie, to name a few, all the Villan Back stories are not grippy and are quite silly too. Max aka Electro want to avenge Spidy just because Spidy did not recall what his name was. Harry tries to murder Spider-Man just because he does not give him his blood, fair deal, but in the basement of Oscorp there are gadgets that can do wonders ! The Rhino misses not its foot, but its footage. So on so forth. But still Amazing Spider-Man 2 is a watch that MAY satisfy you. Its like a birthday cake, no one will get a good piece, but all are happy to share it.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 - Sloppy Spidy

... and stay thru the end credits to be rewarded with a glimpse of ... ?!?

[mappi]

Sunday Double Damaka - UK back-to-back feature films

Hits of Paddy Considine

Dead Man's Shoes [2004 : English : 1h30m : Thriller (Mystry, Suspense)]
Directed by Shane Meadows
Written by Paddy Considine

Starring : Paddy Considine & Toby Kebbell (RocknRolla)

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51YQM8TJR9L.jpg

(Eligible viewership +16, for violence, blood, language, drug use & brutality)

Richard is on a killing spree. He hunts and murders a gang of drug dealers. His motive and his methods of executing them is what is explained during the whole run time of this wonderfully titled film.

When I first saw it in 2004, I always wanted to revist it. Glad that I can get a re-look at it after a decade. The film is the most authentic presentation of a storyline, well narrated and executed. Its angle of moving the story thru the activities of the drug users was super original. Paddy Considine gives a memorable performence. He takes your attention 10 minutes into the film, while in a bar, and then gives it back to you only towards the end. The whole sub-plot is emotionally moving, and just like Death Wish, you will not feel for any murders Richard commits. Apart from a wonderful direction, the art of filming the characters was eye-poping. It elevates the performence and in the audience POV; it gives a inside drive around the scenes. There are several interesting moments both in motion and performence. The dialogues get the story ticking and kicking - "God will forgive them. He'll forgive them and allow them into heaven. I can't live with that". And yeah, talking about dialogue, you got to switch on the subtitles (well, I did), as the regional British accent is very thick.

This movie is certainly a "not-to-miss" category, for its innovative attempt.

Dead Man's Shoes - "Dance at my party"

Honour [2014 : English : 1h35m : Thriller (Drama, Mystry,Suspense)]
Written & directed by Shah Khan

Staring : Paddy Considine & Aiysha Hart (a very talented and upcomming British actress)

http://108media.vodgateway.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/tumblr_static_cropped_honour_image.jpg

(Just mind for the the laguage in the film, mostly the rest is not disturbing until you read the message card by the end of the film and also, the theme may not be appropriate for small kids.)

Mona is on the run for more than one reason. Comming from a muslim family and falling in love with another community male is just a drop of her problem. The waves hit her life hard when the eloping goes all wrong, and the actual tsunami engulfs her when her family hires a bounty hunter (Mr. Nobody played by Paddy Considine) to find her and bring her back home. Even if Mr. Nobody finds her, she cannot get back home, again for more than one reason. Then its not only all about the cat & mouse episodes, but also the revelation which even squeezes the ruthless hunter and sends him crushing not knowing how to handle Mona.

The film is a slow pacer. But the beauty is, it keeps you hooked with thrills & shocks, and some may even attempt a mild scream. The plot is what Harlan Coben would have loved Myron Bolitar & Win to investigate. Paddy Considine does an extended cameo, where he shows his agony over his existence due to his past deeds. Aiysha Hart as Mona takes the movie forward with her exceptional performence. The movie is actually in 2 languages, Urdu & English and you have hard subtitles for Urdu portions. Thats a bit of a diappointment for those who do not wish to watch a movie while reading subtitles.

The horror in the movie can be only felt after watching it till the end. Honour is sure to stay with you, well, atleast for a while.

Honour : "How about you tell me your story and I'll tell you mine?"

If you liked these films, check a much light hearted British comedy film The World's End starring the hillarious duo Simon Pegg & Nick Frost supported by Paddy Considine.

[ajaybaskar]

Million Dollar Arm

A sports movie with a predictable storyline. But not a single dull moment, thanks to the humour quotient, performances of the lead artists.

ARR's music is a big plus and his presence is evident right from the start. Should be his second best Hollywood film after 127 hours.

Sent from my GT-I9082 using Tapatalk

[mappi]

The Disappearence of Alice Creed
[2009 : English : 1h45m : Thriller (Suspence, Crime, Drama)]
Written & Directed by J. Blakeson

Starring :
Gemma Arterton (Quantum of Solace, RocknRolla, Gretel),
Martin Compston (Doomsday)
Eddie Marsan (Sherlock Holmes, V for Vendetta)

Country : UK

http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/126/8/3/Alice_Creed_Movie_Poster_by_beyondwonderwall.png

[Just a check on nudity will do, nothing disturbing in the movie, well, atleast from the visuals]

Alice is not in a Wonderland or Horrorland, but in a KidnappedRoom, taken by 2 ex-convicts for ransom. Little that the three knew that when there is money involved, deception fills the pocket as a discomforting change.

Again, please, do not watch the trailer or read any review, as they give away too much on such a wonderful thriller. The best part of the film is that there are only 3 characters, a room, a van/car & an isolated warehouse. The story travels with them only and thanks to some electrifying performence, other matters does not matter atall. Secondly a well accompanied BGM. And last but not far from least, the twists. There are about half dozen things happening in this sweet little movie, a very few are predictable (myself considered the title a big give away - watch the movie and see the beauty how the title gets credited). And the twists & turns are not thrown at you, but thats how the story unfolds. Only disappointment I had was with the dialogues and a few "macho" type scenes. Dialogues are short and seems to be repetitive. For a British thriller, I expected more sharp one-liners, but had to settle down with only a few which were really catchy.

The Disappearence of Alice Creed - Twist Tarte

[littlemaster1982]

http://static.squarespace.com/static/51b3dc8ee4b051b96ceb10de/t/52de9f74e4b076a2fa3bf388/1390321525610/IxpMDvG.jpg

Raid 2 - I have seen my share of violent action films, but this one made everything else look like a kids movie. Takes a good 70-80 minutes for the action to start, but once it starts, it never lets up. The car chase and the pre-climax fight were :shock:

AF,

You MUST watch this film.

[mappi]

LM,

Is the Raid 2 DVD out ?

[littlemaster1982]

DVD isn't out yet. It's getting released on Home media in a week or so. I watched it in theater. This movie is meant for watching with a group of people :thumbsup:

[mappi]

Edge of Tomorrow [2014 : English : 2h15m : Sci-Fi (Fantasy, Action, Thriller)]
Adapted from 2009 Japanese novel "All You Need Is Kill" by Hiroshi Sakurazaka

Written for screen by Christopher McQuarrie, Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth
Idea & Directed by Doug Liman
Original Score by Christophe Beck

Starring : Tom Cruise & Emily Blunt

http://www.impawards.com/2014/posters/edge_of_tomorrow_ver5.jpg

As the caption in the poster is a sort of a give away, I try to tell you whats it all about.
Man vs Machine, yes, yet again. This war, we face the ones called Mimics, a kind of machines that can manipulate our stratergies. Cage is put into this war without his accord, and as expected he dies within minutes (Beleive it or not, immortal Tom Cruise dies). But he wakes up again, during the moment he entered the war camp (I take back what what I mentioned on your beleif). He goes back into the war, and he dies again. Rinse, Repeat until he meets Rita in the battle field. From here Cage and Rita should unlock the secrets behind "Live. Die. Repeat", and use it to their favour and defeat the machines (ofcoarse without the help of Monsieur Bale).

An Amazing Film. A must for Sci-Fi fans. A must for Action fans. And a must for people, 'who like to look beyond', to see whether they pick up the second story !

Tom Cruise delivers this time. A movie which has all the blockbuster ingredietnts coupled with some amazing layered fiction naration, where his performence only aliments your thought process to build up a theory. Well, the movie is straight forward, if you want it to be. But, if you pay attention, you will certainly be rewarded. Actually the plot has holes, which can be contructed into a theory or more. Its been a while I came across such a film, and its been hours now that I am trying to convince myself with the theories that comes up.

The action is quite realistic. Eventhough the movie burrows plots and lines from various other films & games, the basic idea of incroporating them was brilliant. Going on predictable lines, its the action that maintains the movie on track. Doug Liman had mentioned that he wanted to use the checkpoint in games into his visual naration. He had largely suceeded in it. Just like how you restart from the checkpoint if your die in a game, the film restarts at the same point several times whenever Cage, played by Tom Cruise, dies. The beauty is that the repetions only increases your interest. The ending is a brain squeezer, but does not have that "certain impact" and people may forget or can't realise how much wonderful this film was. The last parts of the film and the final scene is where the film projects itself to be crooked. Would be very glad to discuss it with any one interested, worth our time, trust me.

3D was good, in the sense that my head was not pounding while and after the film. 7.1 surround was amazing. All the sound setup, esp. the machine noises were good and during the battle field action sequences you hear a lot of noises all around the hall, a great experience.

Edge of Tomorrow - Exploding Today

[mappi]

Sabotage

http://imageserver.moviepilot.com/sabotage-is-it-really-that-bad-sabotage-written-and-directed-by-david-ayer.jpeg?width=800&height=601

Thought it would be kind of Arnie's film with awesome oneliners, but the movie just roamed aimelessly, where Arnie hasn't a clue. During an attack operation on a drug cartel, the DEA team headed by Breacher (Arnie) gets into trouble when 10 million dollars goes missing from the pile. From then each one of the team members meet grusome death, leading the surving rest suspect one another. Finaly, when the turth is blown out, it proves to be explosive. Its more of a suspense thriller than action, a kind of late night CSI TV episodes. Great casting but for the wrong show. None of them took the game seriously and were seen goofing up their parts trying hard to be either funny or smart. Arnie gets a few cigar shots and not so catchy liners (the 48% fat dig made my day), and tries to make up to it at the end, but its already too late. Another disappointment comes thru Sam Worthington, though his attire was KickA$$. David Ayer has given yet another time a soup from his dinner bowl.

Sabotage : Total Damage

[ajithfederer]

Whoa!. Do people still write here?. Thanks LM. I will check it out. Maapi, you are a blessed man. :)

[kubrick]

Martha Marcy May Marlene 2011

(http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1441326/)Martha Marcy May Marlene was a film which I expected to be something and was completely something else. Take a look at the poster and read the title a couple of times mindlessly and have a vision about the film. I am pretty sure it wont be the one of the actual film. This is one of those rare films which seems to be better if you go in without watching the trailer.

The film is just about the paranoia of a young girl, Martha, who has exposed herself to a wild cult which does very weird things which she isn't expecting, she is a naive girl indeed. The film starts with her escaping from the cult and finding her sister who is married and living in a huge lake side house.

This is as much a thriller as a psychological study it is. The flashbacks to the happenings in the cult keep revealing the motives of her current actions and vice versa. And when we find what causes Martha's breakdown it is reasonable but what is more stinging is how much it has affected her.

This is an insightful film which makes us understand how good and simple a girl Martha used to be before the cult without showing it at all.

We constantly keep moving towards the reactions of Martha all through the movie getting closer and closer to what she feels as time goes by which shows how strong the way the story is being narrated.

This is top notch directing which couldn't have been possible without such acute cinematography which shows the green around the locales with such depth. That green all over the film is something what Martha Marcy May Marlene probably wanted after all.

This is a powerful film with a powerhouse of a performance from Elizabeth Olsen and the actor who plays her sister too. But Olsen is the one who steals it by encapsulating all of Martha's lost naivety which has plunged her into the void of paranoia which she might never come out of unless she ignores it completely.

[mappi]

Martha Marcy May Marlene : Its on PS Store (HD version costs 4 euros). Will be watching it after dinner tonight. Looks promising, thanks Kubrick.

[mappi]

Martha Marcy May Marlene [2011 : 1h40m : English : Drama (Psycological, Social, Terror)]
Written & directed by Sean Durkin

http://extras.mnginteractive.com/live/media/site36/2011/1028/20111028__ae30scstarz1~p1.jpg

What an amazing film ! Proves that Arthouse films are much bigger than the abnormal blockbusters.

Let me spin it in first : Its not for the pop-corn munchers, you need to pay attention else it will be your longest 100 minutes.

As Kubrick had pointed out, the cinemotography brings in the needed ambience. What really works are the lengthy structured scenes and punctual dialogues, which goes back and forth between flashbacks and present, slow & terrifying music, crisp editing that breaks the path but keeps intact the flow and the Human emotion in its process and overall the casting plus the performence with an enormous involvement from each & every artist.

And the ending is a mindblower. An open ending it is, but it can be judged only if you have followed the movie attentively and the last frame where you see the face of Martha, you tend to slowly experience the terror. The last frame of Martha's face close-up - a performence that indeed justifies however you wish to close the story.

Well my companion said, "She's gone completely paranoiac. She seems to see & imagine things now. Poor girl."
I replied, "No dear, there is much more to what naked eyes meet."

Martha Marcy May Marlene : Poignant

[mappi]

Transcendence [2014 : English : 2hrs : Sci-fi (Drama, Terror)]
Directed by Wally Pfister starring Johnny Depp, Rebecca Hall, Paul Bettany & Morgan Freeman

Pretty good film. The opening is quite interesting - a guy uses his laptop as a door stopper - which increases the curiosity and the urge to know more. But half way thru its all evident where the movie is heading. A scientist, Will Carter, specialised in creating, manupulating & exploiting artifical intelligence through consiouness; sucessfully connects hi-tech central server with with a lab monkey's brain. He is assisted by his wife Evelyn and his friend/collegue Max. The doubt of where we are heading with such technologies forms an anti group who are hell bound to stop any technological advancement. At one fatal encounter, Evelyn & Max have left with few choices that they create a parent server using Will's consious. Evelyn feels the presence of Will through the system and tries to acheive what Will wished for - an universal super power computer system which changes the technological path completely. Doomsday nears when Will - the super computer - tries to become the creator - the God Himself.

The movie is quite attractive with stunning visuals and the narration is quite fluid for a complex story. They have kept it soft without going over board which is not so common for a Sci-fi movie where blowing couple of satellites is a must. Only Miss Hall has a large scope with screen presence and performence which will be easily forgotten, the rest of the cast are much of an extended cameo. A pure sci-fi film which will disappoint action film fans. Also, the terror on the technological advancements, the real world we are living in, is not transmitted, making the film just about an above normal experience.

Transcendence : Virtual Frankenstein

[mappi]

The Expendables 3 [2014 : English : 2hrs : Action (Action, Action & Action)]
Written by Sly
Directed by Patrick Hughes
Music Brain Tyler

Banner Lionsgate Films

Starring : Awesome 80's Action heroes who 'wish-not' to put down their toys

Barney Ross founder and leader of Expendables, a mercenary group of fearless specialists, gets a new contract to eliminate a weapons dealing about to happen at an habour. Calculating the risks, the Expendables escape Doctor Death and use him to sail smooth in their new mission. But more than fire works, surprise awaits Barney at the habour, when he faces that face which supposed to have faded longtime back. Barney's panic ensures the threat for the whole team, but their trained gifts in weaponary gets them out with a wounded soldier. Deceived and depressed of putting his team in danger, Barney dissolves the Expendables, but flies off to the set things right, by looking out for a fresh team. Thus Kiddy-Expendables is formed to take out Barney's nightmare Conard Stone Banks, the face that he saw at the habour. The new team suceeds using a technique alien to Barney, going stealth, to capture Banks, but they are outwitted by Banks resulting in the capture of the team, ofcoarse, except Papa Barney. Now, Barney goes "One Man Army" to get back his new recruits and settle scores with Banks, when the original Expendables join him at a service they are best in delivering.

Easily the top amoung the trilogy. The film, asusual, is funny, gritty and toping that is Non-Stop Action. There is a huge display of weapons, twice bigger than its predecessors. Like in Rambo (First Blood Part 4), much importance is given to the weapon types and the way its used by each character. Its so live and intense. When the rescue is over, they know that they are trapped & have about 25 minutes to escape, and we are about 25 mins from the end of the movie. Thus, its not Expendables against baddies, but a whole (f-word) army - AWESOME.

Arni does not stop lighting his cigar near the fuel tanks. Ford complains about the 'short' notice while addressing Jet Li. Snipes gets a huge 'welcome back' applauds. Sly takes Christmas for a ride as a co-pilot with his funny liners. And then Antanio Banderas who suprises us with all his witts, and some jaw dropping stunts. Himself & Miss Rousey have a huge action block all for themselves under a roof dropping hall. Again comes Arnie dismounting the the gun from the gunship while Snipes & Statham do a ballet with their knives all the while Sly doing a "wink-and-you-are-dead" shootout. So, you see, there are so many interesting stunts happening that will leave you wanting more.

Mel Gibson as Banks is the one who makes the whole story spin as it should. He is cruel, menancing, cunning & funny. He crushes Sly just with his looks. The dual at the end is quite beleivable, as Gibson proves there is something to perform during an action sequence too. Sly asusual comes with his crooked smile and makes a spoof out of himself. The Cliff Hanger dig made me laugh out loud. And Arnie asks Sly to retire just like himself ... LoL, and later says "I am Bored" in his magical tone. Statham has much less to do, but he just hikes in here and there filling up the blanks. Ford mesmerises with his smile, while Jet Li just gets a minimum cameo.

The BGM by Tyler gives an altogether different dimension to the action blocks. Esp. just after Sly sees Gibson at the harbour, and the aftermaths along with the escape in a truck was so intense majorly for the BGM, camera works and finally awesome stunts. Simarly Snipes rescue was a perfect Heroic dramatisation for Snipes 'welcome back'. Patrick Hughes has read the pulse of the old-school action movie lovers, and has just given the right dosage with the help of technology driven gimmicks which are exiting to watch.

If you are 80s kid and sat over the millenium thinking about your favorite "Last" Action Hero, this is the movie that shatters the "Last" and proves they are still firing awesome bullets in their trademark style.

Watch it in a modern theatre to extract the best from the Action.

Expendables 3 - Arsenal Exhibition

[venkkiram]

50 first dates

#மைடேக்கு

கதை, திரைக்கதை, வசனம், பாத்திரத் தேர்வு எல்லாமே சிறப்பு! இதுபோல ஒரு கதைக்கரு என் நம்ம ஆட்களுக்குத் தோன மாட்டேங்குது! மறதியை வைத்து நம்ம ஆளுங்க (அதுவும் காப்பி அடித்ததுதான்) பழிவாங்கும் படலத்தை எடுத்திருக்கிறார்கள். ஆனால் காதல் கதை.. மென்மையான உணர்வுகளை ரொம்ப இயல்பா எடுத்துவைக்கும் காட்சிகள் மனதை அள்ளுது. விபத்திற்கு முந்தைய அப்பாவின் பிறந்தநாளையே மீண்டும் மீண்டும் உருவாக்கும் யுத்தி.. அதை அப்படியே நாயகன் மாற்றி ஒவ்வொரு நாளும் தூங்கி எழும்போது நடந்தவைகளை புரியவைக்கும் காணொளி. இதன் மூலம் நாயகி தனது எஞ்சிய வாழ்க்கை பற்றிய புரிதலில் முடிவுகளை எடுக்கும்போது கதை நகர்வில் ஈடுபாடு தானாகவே வந்துவிடுகிறது. நோய், நோயின் சிகிழ்ச்சை முறைகள் இதிலுள்ள தர்க்கப் பிழைகள் காதல் கதை என்ற புனைவில் சுவடு தெரியாமல் போய்விடுகிறது. Adam Sandler - Drew Barrymore இவர்களை உலக காதல் ரசிகர்கள் தங்களது ஆதர்ச வெள்ளித்திரை இணைகளில் ஒன்றாக வைத்துக்கொள்வார்கள்.

[mappi]

http://www.thomasormsby.com/MOVIE/MostWanted.jpg

Fantastic film, if you are in for some amazing spy works, inteviened with a dense drama and a conclusion quite reviting. I cannot tell more and take away the cream, but allow you to experience it.

Philip Seymour Hoffman, sad that I cannot expect anymore of his outstanding performences, but this movie, I will keep it close to me as a tribute and revisit it as often as possible.

The author Le Carré does not need an intro, and his novel(s) is standing tall in my spy thriller collection. The adaptation is quite brilliant where the dialogues do an immpressive job to move the story along. And the timed deliveries increases the interest. Also, they pulled of the pre-climax quite intensely. Got the same kind of "increase in heart beat count" while watching the movie, just as I felt while reading the novel. Brilliant.

A Most Wanted Man - A Salute to Hoffman [July 23, 1967 - February 2, 2014]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUyYBrlF_W8

[mappi]

Stonehearst Asylum (2014 : English)
aka Eliza Graves

If you have another 2 hours to spare and wish to invest in suspense-mystery, Stonehearst Asylum is your perfect bet. Excellent performences, creepy atmosphere, couple of mind blowing twists makes it a splendid watch.

http://cdn.screenrant.com/wp-content/uploads/stonehearst-asylum-poster.jpg

[mappi]

iNumber Number [2013 : South Africa : Language Zulu : 103 mins : Thriller (Crime, Heist, Action, Suspense)]
aka Avenged
aka Con Game

Written & Directed by Donovan Marsh

A cop story - undercover - greed - cover blown - heist - loyalty - and a lot much more happening in this South African production iNumber Number.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/blog_post_349_width/2013/10/inumber_number_poster_a_p.jpg

[mappi]

Predestination [2014 : Australian : English : 90 mins : Sci-Fi Time Travel (Drama, Suspense)]
Written & directed by Michael Spierig and Peter Spierig (The Spierig Brothers)
Starring : Ethan Hawke & Sarah Snook

Based On : Well don't investigate much on the source before watching this film. Less known gives the best experience.

http://resources2.news.com.au/images/2014/08/27/1227038/827858-e8784d94-2cb9-11e4-b8c6-b83ae0004ecc.jpg

Writing about films based on Time Travel is interesting at the same time challenging too. I love talking about them - the awesome plots, the bootstraps, the paradoxial characters, and far from least, obviously the loop holes which multiple itself in its own looping. But Predestination-the film, makes it harder for me to talk about it, not that its difficult to write 'spoiler-free' reviews, but the narrative structure is quite complex. The assembly of the symetries in the naration is fabulous, that words cannot express but only a viewership will give you that experience.

Let me knock of few introduction to help myself in completing this review. What we are looking at is a theoritical phenomenon in sci-fi called Predestination Paradox, which is actually a time traveller loops himself inside a self defined loop of time (or something like that). Then there are others theories which aid the scenario of time travel, like the objects (traces) he leaves behind, that serves or disrupts the future, again not comiting a danger to the loop itself. Finally, the break, when the traveller deceides to mess up with the source, obviously in the past, where his own existence in the present and future is nullified.

The film Predestination is about the time loop in which a time traveler, titled Temporal Agent (played by Ethan Hawke), gets himself looped in a closed time frame, his objective is to stop a crime - the attack of the Fizzle Bomber - which killed more than 10000 civilians. Its 1975, the time zone where he travels to trap the Fizzle bomber, but meets failure each time which keeps the future intact, giving him yet another opputunity to put an end to the Fizzle Bomber. His latest try puts his life in danger, and upon waking up after shaking hands with Death, the Agent embarks on his last journey to stop Fizzle bomber, this time definitely or maybe ...

Seems to be an action film, but turns out to be a intense and suspenseful Drama, that I feel you would also conclude with me that Predestination is one of the best Time Travel Sci-Fi made in recent times. So the Agent travels to 1963, meets a guy named John, listens to his whole story and takes him to another time zone to correct the events that were wronged in John's life. The bootstraps, the evidences they leave, puts them in a primary loop, where another character Jane gets affected. Going back, that is tracing Jane until her baby-hood, put them back at the primary point of the same time zone. In between all these, the Agent deviates from the rules of contract with his agency, which is punishable, and goes for a retirement chosing the same time frame during which theactual bombing happened, where he finally meets the Fizzle Bomber.

Thats not confusing, is it ? But trust me the movie is not. Inbetween each line, there is a symetry of events happening, and the final revelation is nothing but awesome. For me, the movie was a bit predictable at times, but nonetheless the whole point the film made or tried to make was fabulous. There is also another phenomenon rarely touched in Sci-Fi films, which I felt Predestination has wonderfully handled, quite intelligent and interesting. Rest of the technical aspects were top notch, special mention to editing, without which the continutity would have been ambiguous and the suspense would have been less interesting. Adding to the lot are the dialogues, crisp and embeded with lot of clues, that the converstations during Act 1 between John and the Agent serves as an answer during Act3.

Sarah Snook has given a tremendrous performence. There is a particualr scene where she practices to be someone else - really superb. Ethan Hawke was tremendrous asusual. Casual in the suituations he has already mastered, anguished in the suituation that he is yet to discover. The film sometimes becomes quite monologued due to lack of other characters. Apart from few other obvious clichés, Predestination is a film not to be seen but experienced. Hats off 'The Spierig Brothers'.

Predestination - Forever and Ever.

Few dialogues that interested me :

What if I could put him in front of you ? The man that ruined your life ? If I could guarantee that you'd get away with it would you kill him?

I know where I come from. But where do all you zombies come from ?

Don't ever exceed the jump limit.

You know, the terrorists never came in the building because I blew it the fuck up.

And taking into account I've known you for a whole 30 seconds.

Time catches up with us all.

[mappi]

Tom Hardy Double Dhamaka

Lawless [2012 : English : Drama (Crime, Biopic, Epic, Gangster, Social)]
A film by John Hillcoat
Country : US of A

Also starring : Guy Pearce, Gary Oldman, Jason Clarke, Mia Wasikowska, Jessica Chastain & Shia LaBeouf

http://www.dreammoviecast.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/lawless-character-poster6.jpg

Bondurant brothers traffic moonshine whisky in their county during the prohibition. Its a period where syndicates and mafia groups open their shops. Rakes, a reputed guy from Chicago wants a share from the brothers in their buisness, which obviously is refused. Thus Rakes plots the doom of the brothers and they confront him in the county which is Lawless.

Amazing film. It is a quick ticket to 1931. Performences were remarkable. Glad that the film, eventhough it had potential to, did not move away from its genre, and kept its whole running time quite intense and at times funny. But it can disappoint fans who wish to see Guy Pearce or Gary Oldman, or for that Tom Hardy himself as their roles look like an extended cameos. Nevertheless, when they are on screen, we get rewarded. Actually, the story moves in and around Shia, which is quite a disappointment, eventhough he tries his best.

Lawless - A slice of moonShiny days

http://www.flicksandbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/the-drop.jpg

The Drop [2014 : English : Drama (Crime, Suspense, Gangster)]
A film by Michaël R. Roskam
Country : US of A
Based on Animal Rescue, a short story by Dennis Lehane

Also starring : Noomi Rapace & James Gandolfini

Bob tends a bar. Syndicate uses this bar to launder their money. When a break-in robbery threats the bar, the Syndicate decide to take matters in their own hands. Caught inbetween is Bob who is not willing to take The Drop.

Dennis Lehane stories don't need any introduction. The Drop-the film is intriguing, with an awesome performence from Tom Hardy as Bob. He is well supported by James Gandolfini as Cousin Marv. The film is average to its best depending on the investment you wish to make. A well adapted tale, with some very good dialogues in it.

The Drop - Decoy

[mappi]

Films from England

If you liked 'hooligan' movies The Warriors or Harry Brown, these 2 Brit Films should interest you.

Film 1

We Still Kill the Old Way [2014 : English : Drama (Action, Crime)]
A film by Sacha Bennett

Starring : Ian Ogilvy, Dani Dyer & Others

http://www.richwaterfilms.com/communities/4/004/012/323/984//images/4611726451.jpg

When Ritchie's brother gets mob-murdered, he comes out of his exile and teams up with his trusted camorades in crime, to flush out the killers and send a message to others that they are back and they still kill the old way.

Ian Ogilvy just keeps the movie kicking forward. His pals are at times funny, and limited times gruesome too. The hooligan gang leader Dani Dyer did give some daring performence, worth metioning as its his first film. The movie moves without any hinderence and does not give time to ask questions. Worth your Sunday afternoon.

We still kill the old way - And they got the message.

Film 2

Guvnors [2014 : English : Drama (Crime)]
A film by Gabe Turner

Starring : Doug Allen, Harley Sylvester & Others

http://www.britflicks.com/pictures.aspx?id=21725

Adam, the hooligan-gang leader, during an interrogation comes across the name Guvnors. He wanted to know more about Guvnors, so he pays a visit to a bar which is said to be crowded by Guvnors. He is not quite welcomed there when he mocks at a old fella. This incident of insult takes high on Adam, thus he is bound to take down the Guvnors, the oldest and the terrific gang of London.

A nice little film, and having a twist in such a brit-hooligan-genre film is a suprise eventhough the twist came as a pie on the face, but the film is quite enjoyable. Harley Sylvester as Adam has given a memorable performence. The cruelity follows as a shadow in every scene he is present. The Guvnors did some remarkable job too.

Guvnors - Kingdom of Hooligans

[mappi]

This is for Quentin Tarantino (QT) and Guy Ritchie (GR) fans. Missing their movies, here are two movie which could get a pass, and it follows the same pattern of humour, action, violence, characters, dialogues & filming as one could watch in the OT & GR films.

Film 1

The Baytown Outlaws [2012 : English : Action]
Country : US of A
A film by Barry Battles

Starring : who cares, its just a pop-corn movie (but the poster is just wonderful, one of my favorite one)

https://m1.behance.net/rendition/modules/84850947/disp/9ecfc2506f8d1620f4258162cf6dbb51.jpg

Brick Oodie: They took the kid. I thought I told you to strap him in.
McQueen Oodie: They took the fuckin' door, man. I really don't think a fucking seat belt would have mattered, right?

That conversation happens during a badass chase sequence when 'the kid' gets picked from a moving car by thugs on a Ramming-Gun Blasting-Huge-Truck. Oodie brothers live an unimaginable life of serving crime by doing a crime. When they get a contract that not only helps them financially but also go on hiding, they accept it without calculating the concequences. The kidnap was easy, but it is very difficult to keep the package as it belongs to the most notorious ass kicking mafia lord Carlos, who can go to any extent to get back what belonged to him and he has just started by announcing a bounty on the Oodie brothers, and man, what you gonna see is not something hitting the fan, but what after it had just hit.

What makes the movie hillarious are the principle characters, their mannerisms and obviously their dialogues. The scenes, be it action or thrills, just add up to it. The Oodie Borthers, played by Clayne Crawford as Brick Oodie, Travis Fimmel as McQueen Oodie & Daniel Cudmore as Lincoln Oodie, were funny. And Billy Bob Thornton as Carlos and his side kicks were hillarious too. The stunts were good, and the film does retain some seriousness here and there, which helps it big time. The film has got some cool soundtracks too. Just sit back and enjoy your next 90 minutes.

The Baytown Outlaws - "Welcome to the South, <censored> !"

Film 2

Redirected [2014 : English : Heist (Crime, Comedy)]
Country : Lithuanian-British
A Film by Emilis Vėlyvis

Starring : well Vinnie Jones is there, who else you want !

http://img.diena.lt/sites/default/files/styles/didele/public/Vilniausdiena/Vartotoju%20zona/k.dainyte/capture_4_90.jpg?itok=PwCFfrWO

Three friends - well there are four actually, the last one joins only in the last - so, four friends take away what should not be taken from Golden Pole (thats the name of Lord who runs illegal Casino). They thought their escape to another country, say, Malaysia, will solve all their problem, when another problem strikes them in the form of a Redirection, that their flight could not land in Malaysia due to Volcano Smoke, instead it landed in Lithuania. 'Lith-a-fucking what?' happens when Golden pole comes in search of them at a place where their vaccation is already turning into a nightmare.

After a long long time, I totally laughed out watching this movie. This movie is really funny. The whole setup is hillarious, and the suituations they all get mingled-in are tickling. I think its the last film by the actor Vytautas Sapranauskas, a very grand actor who is no more. He comes as the priest, and adds more fun to the adventure. Even though most of the jokes (dialogues) are Rated R, well, how well could an adult enjoy if its made like yet another Devine Disney Fairy Tale. More than having the regret of missing it, you will not have the regret of having watched it.

ReDirected - Laughter on wheels

[mappi]

Song of a Gun [2014 : English : Drama (Heist, Crime, Suspence, Action)]
Country : Australia
A film by Julius Avery

Starring : Ewan McGregor, Brenton Thwaites, Alicia Vikander & others

http://cdn.indiewire.com/dims4/INDIEWIRE/0c50041/2147483647/thumbnail/680x478/quality/75/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fd1oi7t5trwfj5d.cloudfront.net%2F 82%2F16%2F9b7943b74f9cb4b13a266133a88d%2Fsog-1.jpg

A complicated story, not only in its telling but in its structuring too. I found this movie interesting as it includes several genres inside itself and never sticks to any particular, thus providing an wholesome entertainer for every viewer. JR with 'past-emotional-problems' meets the notorious Brendan Lynch in the prison. From there he gains a healthy relationship with him, which leads him to become his main partner in crime. Slowly JR starts to understand and tries to cope up & live in the world where deception is the core part.

The Drama unfolds beautifully, where the JR/Brendan relationship is masked under action. The sentiments of both needing each other for reasons from their past is just sprinkled allowing you to narrate it all by yourself. Then you have the female character Tasha, who initially is a solid bridge, but later turns to be the draw bridge. It has loads of awesome background music and soundtracks accompaning the entire film, which really helps in mounting the needed emotions.

Sun of a Gun - Fire(in)arm

Here is an amazing song that features at a crucial point of the film : Enter One by Sol Seppy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypApKTXuOxU

[mappi]

Before I go to Sleep [2014 : English : Thriller (Suspense)]
Country : United Kingdom
A film by Rowan Joffé
Based on the novel by the same name authored by S J Watson

Starring : Nicole Kidman, Colin Firth, Mark Strong (awesome actor) & others

http://media.movietalkies.com/posters/hollywood/movies/2014/beforeigotosleep/beforeigotosleep-1b.jpg

Christine leads a routine life - wakes up, dresses up, eats, goes to bed, wakes up - well whats new in that ? Just that she does not have any memory. Each day is new to her. She lives like a stranger to herself. Dr. Nash helps her to regain herself, but in turn puts her life in jeopardy when she slowly turns the stones that confuses her very existence and doubt on everyone around her, including Dr. Nash.

Madame Kidman all the way, eliminate here, the movie goes down the sink. Mark Strong as Dr. Nash supports her brilliantly eventhough his role is close to a cameo. The whole suspense is wonderful and you seem to be suddenly following Christine. Well, the only drawback that I found is in the ACT3, it was quite rushed. They could have taken much more time as the previous acts were gripping and narratively strong. Suddenly they deceided to finish the affair, and the movie ends. But, the suspense is well gaurded even through a rushed climax.

Before I go to Sleep - Remember Me

[mappi]

Two Modern Cinema Westerns

Film 1

Salvation [2014 : English : Western]
Country : Denmark / South Africa
A film by Kristian Levring

Starring : Mads Mikkelsen & Eva Green (wonderwoman)

http://www.filmoria.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/salvation-trailer-0512014-071824.jpg

Jon is sucessful after years of toiling in the 19th century America. He is now ready to bring his family-his wife and kid-from Europe into the shelters of the new found land. Arrival goes well, but before they reach the doors of their dream-life, nomad cowboys massacre his family. Steping on the path of vengence, Jon searches for his Salvation.

The entire film is well shot, be it sets or dusty atmosphere or gun slinging, everything is sleek. The film carries the traditional charisma of westerns and touches few aspects revolving around the period 1870. Mads Mikkelsen is terrific and Eva Green is awesome. The other supporting cast mingle in the story giving it the necessary ambience. A crisp little western which should appeal to the fans and neutrals.

Salvation - Absolution

Film 2

The Proposition [2005 : English : Western]
Country : Australia
A film by John Hillcoat

Starring : Guy Pearce, Ray Winstone, Emily Watson, Danny Huston, John Hurt & Others

http://www.dvd-covers.org/d/25456-2/2168The_Proposition_CUSTOM_COVER.jpg

Charlie Burn is offered a proposition - Kill your Big Borther to save your Little Brother. Thus charlie voyages through the dune to find Arthur and save Mikey.

This film was was proposed to me a while back and was lying in my never-ending pending list. Glad that atlast I watched it. The film ran inside me for couple of days and had to revisit it many times during the weekend. The Proposition-the film, is a simple story, but what complicates it is the narration. It has got all the needed Western Style ambience, but what makes it apart is its indepth structure which is the skin, but when you peel it, its goes deep, deep down. When you watch the movie, it too looks simple, with not much detailing involved. But when you see its other side like 'who-is-who', slowly you get introduced to the power of film making. And the OST by Nick Cave/Warren Ellis is mesmerising.

The proposition may not appeal to the normal eyes, but its a feast for anyone looking beyond what they just saw. Invite me to a discussion, I will be more than ready to participate.

The Proposition - Redemption

[mappi]

Final movie before a break, the Hollywood movie of the year 2014 :

Nightcrawler [2014 : English : Thriller (Drama)]
Country : US of A
A film by Dan Gilroy

Staring : Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Riz Ahmed & others.

http://www.flickeringmyth.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/nightcrawler-600x450.jpg

"If you want to win a lottery, you have to make money to buy a ticket"

Louis Bloom (calls himself Lou - Cliché - Loup in french is for Wolf, and the 'p' is silent when pronounced), Lou is excellent in what he does-robbing, stalking, negociating, arguing, etc., - which makes him the best knowledgeable criminal too. When he learns the art of making money through "When it bleeds, it leads", he instantly jump on to this opputunity wagon and starts filming events that pass during the night and bids the visuals to news channels. From here he builds a niche for himself in buisness and its not only about how he crawls to reach there, but who actually he is during the night.

Been seing Jake from Donnie Darko days, in many variety of films like Brokeback Mountain & Zodiac and with my limited knowledge over the craft, I can say that Nightcrawler is his best performence till date. The character Louis Bloom is going to become a cult and there are going to be analysis and study over Jake's performence and Dan's characterisation. The film is a small university by itself and shines in every aspect be it as a original feature and also for the different homages it pays to movies like Taxi Driver or Magnolia.

There is no disturbance in the movie as its flow is purely circumstantial. This is the very important aspect of the film where you are forced to travel with Lou and abide by his decesional forces that are taken wrt to the present. No memory recap, not 'I am this and I am that', but all clutched inside the events that happen. Here is where the beauty of the script lies, where Dan slowly emits the poisonous Lou. Rene Rousso was marvelous. Riz Ahmed was too good. The candid way of filming certain portions increases the curiosity and builds in the needed suspense. There is a fanstatic chase that should keep your heart pumping more for a while. James Newton Howard soundtracks for the bgm of the film varies too, just like Lou, and its very apt.

This is the film you got to be watching the next time you switch on the media player.

Nightcrawler - Malevolent

[mappi]

WhoAmI [2014 : German : Thriller : 1h45m]
Country : Germany

Written & Directed by Baran bo Odar

http://cdn.movieweb.com/img.news.tops/NEH0kHB9874eJO_2_b.jpg

Who am I ? I am Benjamin. And this is my story.

Just like the unix command 'whoami", the film shows, well, a hacker tells us WhoHeIs. Much much more happens in this film, where the narrative is so elegant.

WhoAmI - IAmInvisible

[mappi]

Dias De Gracia (Days of Grace) [2011 : Spanish : Crime (Drama, Thriller) : 2h10m]
Country : Mexico

Written & Directed by Everardo Valerio Gout

Living in Mexico is like Hell. Sometimes you live to say it. Sometimes you don't.

Here is a police officier trying to battle himself out of corruption & smoking out the rats and then there is a wife stuck between law, ransom & deception when her husband is kidnapped. Inbetween is a kidnapped victim who is masked and tortured by an unknown gang in an unknown dungeon. The 'here', 'inbetween' & 'there' are magically transformed to the years 2002, 2006 & 2010 by just a 360° pan. And thats what makes and marks this movie as an epic.

Technically the movie is brilliant. Louis Sansans cinematography and Gout's idea are fabulous. This film has everything in it right from steadicam, moving/shaking camera, fades, blurs, dissolve, slow motion, grey to bleached-out colors, jump cuts, cross cutting, shot reverse shot cutting etc. There is a gun shootout/chase that happens around 20mins into the film, its a single-take - I would roll on the ground to get the 'mise-en-scène' for this particuar shot. The whole narrative is quick, fast paced and even the Drama unfolds in a thrilling manner. Apart for casting and acting, the load of characters handled through a complex narrative shows the command of the director over the writer in Gout. The music is fabulous and the heavy beats blends thoroughly with the edit-cuts.

This movie maybe confusing as there is not much distinction between the events happening 4 years apart and also it unfolds as a single story of jumbled scenes. A little attention here and there will reward immense satisfaction. If you have watched & liked the Portuguese films City of Gods (Cidade de Deus) & The Elite Squad (Tropa de Elite), I am sure you will enjoy this movie too.

Days of Grace : Terrific

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQFz55kRE6Y3n8-_PUYm5Q7xkNDF3LYM4HkegLO8Ur7jFztFQr1

[mappi]

Child 44 [2015 : English : Mystery (Drama, Thriller) : 2h40m]
Based on Bestselling Novel by the same name by Tom Rob Smith (I have not read this novel, heard that its the first in the Trilogy)

Directed by Daniel Espinosa (Safe House)
Adapted by Richard Price (Ransom)
Produced by Ridley Scott (Prometheus)

Starring : Tom Hardy (Max Rockatansky), Noomi Rapace (Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows), Gary Oldman (JFK), Joel Kinnaman (RoboCop), Vincent Cassel (The Monk) & others

There is no murder in paradise.

Yet another hard hitting Drama from Tom Hardy, where he undulates through changing atmosphere of the film. 'Child 44' narrates the story of Leo, a MGB agent, [MGB : Russian inital to Ministerstvo gosudarstvennoy bezopasnosti : English - Ministry of State Security, we will leave SSSR, CCCP or Soviet Union in choice). An orphan boy is baptised with a new name Leo who becomes a valliant soldier during the 2nd world-war and then takes an important position in MGB. The 10 years transition after the war, Soviet Union is a peacful land where there is no crime - 'or is it so ?', is what we see next to the Bio-pic of Leo. Mingling inbetween are the marital & professional life, its mishaps and hicups faced by Leo. There are many things in motion already, when a bit of spy angle & secret services are briefly introduced. And to make sure you are quite glued, a serial killer is thrown in to mount up the tension.

The film pretty much gives a painted image of Russia post-II-World-War. The ambience is great. The shots are a poetry. The narration is poignant. The performences are intense. The action is live. And the thrills are 'seat-scratchers'. It has enough drama & exploration and the events end up with realisations. I enjoyed the flow of the film, its dark setup and how the events were coupled with each other, just as mentioned before - a painting.

Child 44 - Less aint none*

(* From the novel "No Country for Old Men" by Cormac McCarthy)

http://www.blogbusters.ch/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/child-44-blogbusters-filmdatenbank.png

[ajithfederer]

Maapi, :clap: :bow: :notworthy:

Please continue your greater service.

[mappi]

Mad Max Fury Road by George Miller [2015 : English : Action (Dystopian) : 2hrs]

Oh, what a movie, what a Lovely Movie.

Pure Action Movie. There, the 3 words summerises it. You can stop further reading here and go and watch the film, moreover if you are an action movie fan, you must take the ride. And Watch it in 3D, bigger the screen, better.

A group of good people amoung the evil people try to escape from the bad people. The Wastelands teaches them a realisation, how far are we going to run ?. They turn back for Redemption. Furiosa, the furious commander of Immortan Joe transports conveys through the Wastelands, with semi-zombish white lads called war-boys who are a kind of brain-washed childs. Half way thru the wastelands, surrounded by other enemy clans, she takes a D-turn. And thats into 15 minutes of the film. The next half an hour is worth your investment (time & money) and anything following after that in its run time close to 120 minutes, is a give away.

The escape is not that simple. Followed by 'middle-finger' cladded War boys, Furiosa faces a fire-sand strom ahead of her. She gets her War Machine, an immense truck equiped to live stronger than ever, into the storm. Thats like a climax : be warned its not, we are still at the intro, say ACT 1. Every others following, enter into this vaccum spin of sand, along with the Theme song composed by Tom Holkenborg a.k.a JUNKIE XL and then, everything comes to an end. I watched this movie with about 2000+ other spectators. Soon after the sandstrom there is calm, inside the movie too. And its then you hear not the Dolby Digital 7.1 setup sounds, but the real exhale. Everyone calmed down too by letting out the breathe they were holding for more than 30 minutes. Yes, its possible, experience it on the Fury Road. Director George Miller strikes again with his wand to captivate the contemporian audience, just the way he did about 3 and half decades back.

- You have blood on your face. You are bleeding.
- Its not his blood.

And that's Max for you. Detailing which you get this :

The Man, we called Max. To understand who he was, you have to go back to another time, when the world was powered by the black fuel and the deserts sprouted great cities of pipe and steel. Gone now, swept away. For reasons long forgotten, two mighty warrior tribes went to war, and touched off a blaze which engulfed them all. Without fuel they were nothing. They'd built a house of straw. The thundering machines spluttered and stopped. Their leaders talked and talked and talked but nothing could stem the avalanche. Their world crumbled, the cities exploded. A whirlwind of looting, a firestorm of fear. Men began to feed on men. On the roads it was a white-line nightmare. Only those mobile enough to scavenge, brutal enough to pillage would survive. The gangs took over the highways, ready to wage war for a tank of juice. And in this maelstrom of decay ordinary men were battered and smashed. Men like Max, the warrior Max. In the roar of an engine, he lost everything and became a shell of a man, a burnt out, desolate man - a man haunted by the demons of his past. A man who wandered out into the wasteland.

And it was here in this blighted place that he learned to live again.

- The Road Warrior.

http://www.flickeringmyth.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Mad-Max-Fury-Road-Poster-Posse-1-600x900.jpg


Fury Road assumes that you already know Max - through 3 earlier episodes. Even if you don't know Max -The Toecutter or The Nightrider or The Humungus or Aunty or Bartertown - the movie will still look fresh. Fury Road just brings in few memeory bits and says not why Max can't be killed, but why he shouldn't be killed. And Max just can't die, he is a Survivor. Fury Road also carries a lot of references from its own Classic - crank operated music box, saw gun, medical bag, etc., - which is indeed quite fun for a fan like me to collect them.

So, what has all this to do with Max, the once Justice, but at present, The most Wanted Man in the Wastelands - I am the only one running for the alive and the dead. [Similar quote from Max 3 : I'm the guy who keeps Mr. Dead in his pocket.] Max, the survivor, gets caught between the escape of Furiosa, during his own escape. Voilà, the reason for all the explosions. Just like in the classics - Max just wanted to take a vacation & Max just needed some gas to roll away & Max just needed his things back - just like in the classics, in Fury Road too Max gets caught in a suituation he never demanded for.

Fury Road could be the direct sequel to Mad Max 2 : The Road Warrior. The movie is about motors, dodges & explosions. You get the intro from Mad Max 1 and few other references including the Sand-Fire Storm (the aftermaths of Pox-Eclipse) from Mad Max 3 : Thunderdome. There are also several scenes from the classics put inside - 'hair cut scene' ref. Max 3, 'carrying Nux' ref. Max 2, 'pole vaulting' ref. Max 1, 'Saw gun firing only fumes' ref. Max 2, 'buried in the sand' ref. Max 3, Bubba-Wez-Ironbar Bassey-Rictus Erectus : the 4 unstoppable side-kicks from respective episodes, etc. The lastest episode is quite close to The Road Warrior, where Drama is served cold.

Tom Hardy plays Max Rockatansky, a perfect sucessor to Gibson. He got the role right and played it right. Charlize Theron as Furiosa is great. Hugh Keays-Byrne who played The Toecutter in Mad Max, is the menancing Immotan Joe. What a Mask ! [In Road Warrior, the villan-The Humungus wears a hockey mask]. Thought the others did a good job too, think they were to perform cheesy and they exactly did that. The war-boys and their make-up were extraordinary. The editing & BGM lifts the movie throughout, which is already placed high by the cinemotography. The various (movement) shots, just like in the classics, gets upgraded here. The coloring is flawless and helps a lot with the 3D conversion. There are movies which give hommage to stuntmen, George Miller gave them jobs, those which are taken away by the CGs. Almost 80% of the stunts are real, the rest 20 % went for corrections likes accelarations, continuity, explosions, speed-up, etc.

No gore, but a bit violent, nothing that you cannot handle. As I am affected with 'give-me-more' syndrome, felt the end was bit rushed, eventhough it was awesome. Another 30 minutes before the close of the film is all I ask for.

Remember... no matter where you go, there you are !* The madness has began at a theatre near you, can you survive ?

Mad Max Fury Road : Dying times's here*

*From Thunderdrome

Here is my favourite picks from the OST

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpH_vqAdsKI

[mappi]

You thought Mad Max is the reason, nope, its him, the Main Man responsible for all the Madness ... Oh! What a Music !

https://uproxx.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/mad-max-fury-road-awesome-guitar-guy.gif?w=650&h=374

[mappi]

Spanish Films
Back to Back Alberto Rodriguez Crime Thrillers

Grupo 7 (Unit 7) [2012 : Crime : 2hrs]

http://www.lesdoit.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/lesdoit-grupo-7-22.jpg
(The Man in the Middle is Alberto Rodriguez)

Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.”
― Abraham Lincoln.

Anti-Drug Squad labeled Unit 7, a four member team led by Angel, operates by taking violent measures to remove small and big time drug dealers from the city before the 1992 World Expo begins - time left 5 years. As the years pass and too much involved with cleaning up, including their own trails, Unit 7 is in the breach of crossing every line, those lines which they were supposed to guard.

The film does not explain anything and thats where its intelligence lies. Just like the movie 'Proposition', it allows you to narrate it to yourself. As we follow the actions of the Unit 7, we come to know who everyone (really) are. A bit violent at times, the runtime skates past.

Grupo 7 (Unit 7) - Duty & Drugs

La isla minima (Marshland) [2014 : Crime (Mystery, Suspense) : 1h45m]

http://twinlensfilm.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/la-isla-minima.jpg

The world is full of obvious things which nobody by any chance ever observes.
- From 'The Hound of the Baskervilles' by Arthur Conan Doyle.

Detectives from the city, Pedro & Juan, investigate the disappearence of teens in a 'time-forgotten' Guadalquivir Marshes, an agricultural marshy land. They don't heistate to follow the leads and the misleads by working round the clock to solve the piling missing cases before the cultive season begins, finally suceeding in cracking themselves as the killer advances on his latest prey. More than the mystery before them, coping up with each other becomes a bigger challenge.

Not the usual 'Good Cop - Bad Cop' scenario, Marshlands is more on characters and emotions. A great film making in all aspects.

La isla minima (Marshland) - Mystery March

In both the films, however hard you try, you cannot miss the fabulous music score by Julio de la Rosa and the fantastic cinemotography/camera works by Álex Catalan including some outstanding performences/stunts and Alberto Rodríguez's screen writing & direction.

[mappi]

Norwegian Double-Deal Dramas
[Starring Stellan Skarsgard]

King of Devil's Island [2010 : Drama : 2hrs]
(Norwegian Working Title: Kongen av Bastøy [King vs Bastoy])

Directed by Marius Holst.

Based on True Story - An historical uprising at Bastoy Prison, an island fortified by sea, bought and put into function as a juvenile detention centre by the then Norwegian King during the late 19th century. If you are interested, several documents and documentries are available on Bastoy Prison. This film is a faithful reproduction of events, for Cinema.

http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTU1Mzk0MzIxMV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNjgzMzgxNQ@@._ V1._SX640_SY448_.jpg

Lieutenant. I need to talk to someone higher up. I wish to speak to the King of Norway. Tell him ... it's the King of Bastoy.

The above are Epic Lines/Moments in Cinema. The prisoners, or the kids judged inapt for the soceity, go by code names during their 're-eductaion' stay at the island, Bastoy Prison. C-1 is awaiting his release, while a new kid code named C-19 gets enrolled. Events make their paths cross which increases a bondage between them, thereby allowing them to lead the rest of the kids to revolt against Bastoy Administration. Thus, C-19 talks to the Lieutenant, which does not go well with the King neither.

What makes the movie amazing, apart from extrodinary visuals & performence, is the dialogues. They are short and pop up at right moments.

"Here, I'm your captain. This island is my ship. The housefathers are my mates. Our goal, and your goal, is to find an honorable, humble, useful Christian boy in here. Shape and polish him. And if we don't find him ... you'll stay here."
- The Governor

Erling: What had you done at eleven to be sent here?
Olav: I stole from the church donation box.

http://medias.unifrance.org/medias/34/251/64290/format_page/king-of-devil-s-island.jpg

King of Devil's Island - Divine Right of Kings

In Order of Disappearance [2010 : Drama : 2hrs]
(Norwegian Working Title : Kraftidioten)

Directed by Hans Petter Moland

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/917WCpLTOQL._SL1500_.jpg

Yes, you can say that I am a Pathfinder. Eventhough I find the same path again and again.

Three fathers, strangers to each other, battle it out for their kin - Nils a snow plough driver is in search of the individuals who could have ended his son's life ; Papa, a Siberian druglord wants to avenge his son's brutal murder ; Aron who runs the powerful drug cartel is looking for his kidnapped son.

A well shot film with a bit of humour always around including its title. Apart from getting a bit violent few times, the dialogues are quite hillarious too. But the Drama is pungent.

In Order of Disappearance : "I hope you burn in hell". 'Fine ... you can join me by the fire then'

[ajaybaskar]

The Lazarus Effect

Looks like the director has watched our Thakkali Srinivasan's Naalaiya Manidhan. Same story of bringing back from the dead and the experiment going wrong.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Denomg]

247 Fahrenheit. Interesting concept and based on a true story. Four friends go visit a relatives cabin which has a home made sauna in it. One of the friends leaves for the bathroom knocks something against the door blocking the other three in. He falls asleep when he wakes up he looks everywhere except the sauna for them. As they we supposed to go to a party he thinks they went without him. Next morning when the discovery is made one of the friends is dead one unconscious.

[mappi]

Back-to-Back Horror Comedies
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/c9/c8/ce/c9c8ce18bc633359b976769599680b2b.jpg

British Horror Comedy - ZomCom

http://cdn-static.denofgeek.com/sites/denofgeek/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/cockneys-full.jpg?itok=H5hnh4zy

- Those things are vampires! We need crucifixes, garlic, silver, holy water, and Christopher Lee!
- No, you soppy tart, those things are fucking zombies!

Brothers with their pretty cousin checkout thier grand-dad and his inmates in a Retirement House surrounded by reanimated dead flesh. "Boys, boys. Now you're talking my language."

And I had the subs switched on.

Cockneys vs Zombies - "Piss off, you muppets!"

Spanish Horror Comedy - Werewolf

Lobos de Arga (English Working Title : Game of Werewolves)

http://comics.imakinarium.net/notis/2012/1/120115_lobos_arga/0_los_lobos_de_arga_cartelb.jpg
(Not the movie poster, as I like the comics cover)

Village Arga is cursed (something simlilar to Stephan King's Thinner) and the villagers wait 100 years for the chosen one to pass by so that their curse could be removed once and for all. But sometimes when you ask for more, you will get more !

A hillarious film, with a strong and interesting story.

Lobos de Arga : 'Fuck the rural tour!'

[mappi]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bS5P_LAqiVg

Kung Fury - Masterpiece

[mappi]

The Blue Elephant (El Feel El Azraq) [2014 : Arabic : Mystery (Horror, Suspense) : 2h31m]
Country : Egypt

Directed by Marwan Hamed

Based on the novel by the same name by Ahmed Mourad (I have not read the novel)

Strictly For Adults Only

http://new2.alsiasi.com/en/cache/plg_jdvthumbs/thumb448-5f579547b70958a86153a2ba590b3c33.jpg

Been a while I have seen an intense film. Can't say much about the movie as it shifts genres elegantly and the way it leads us to the revelation is amazing, also, as there are few unexpected horror parts inside the film. If you are planing to watch the movie, irrespective to your likeness to such genres, please do yourself a favour by not checking the reviews on internet.

Here is a gist of the film : When one of the collegue/friend of a psychotherapist lands in the prison accused for murder, the Doctor should find ways to protect the victim who seems to be suffering from schizophrenia during the act of crime. But in the process, to find the cure or solve the mystry, the Doctor should open such doors which could lock him inside forever. Slowly loosing the ability to distinguish, the Doctor should hurry not only to save his friend but himself too.

The vision seen through the travels are wonderfully picturised and the theme music (given the link below) is vibrant. The camera works are so punctual that it enhances the genre paths that this film travels on, in its 150 minutes runtime. The dialogues are terrific even for a subtitled translation (and they are quite easy to follow with a bit of attention here and there). The artists and the technical crew, I don't know any of them to credit individualy, but every one were fabulous, esp. the man behind the camera during the final act and the climax.

http://www.mad-solutions.com/press/img/press/the%20blue.jpg

The Blue Elephant - Silence of an Egyptian Lamb

Here the music that raises the viewing experience.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhoazsCW3AQ

[Arvind Srinivasan]

Ant Man- Just watched this on the big screen last weekend. The movie makes no pretenses about what it wants to say and it is apparent that the makers knew right at the start that this cannot rival bigger Marvel productions such as the Avengers, Iron Man or Captain America. So it pretty much sticks to its USPs and scores right. While beating every superhero movie cliche out of the park, it does score some points on novelty with the inclusion of Michael Pena in the mix. The analogy between Dr. Hank Pym and the Ant Man and their roles as fathers could have been explored a lot more though. That could have made up for the lack of character development. Overall though the action set pieces should be good enough to rake the moolah.

And I am halfway through OldBoy (2000). Wonder how I missed this for so long. Mesmerizing film making especially the way the story is structured and how the camera work goes hand in glove with the plot. And not to mention the sound track as well.

[ajaybaskar]

Unfriended

A neat horror film. Recommended..


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mappi]

Fantasy/Epic Tales

Skammeren's Datter [2015 : Danish : 1h30m : Fantasy (Family, Action, Adventure)]
Country : Denmark
English Working Title : The Shamer's Daughter

Adapted from Danish Young Adult (YA) series by Lene Kaaberbol.
The film is episode 1 from The Shamer Chronicles #1 (I think).

Directed by : Kenneth Kainz

https://m2.behance.net/rendition/pm/24862117/hd/4672ad8ecbcb022f7d536fae2bd08ef0.jpg

A medieval setting with castles and forts, warriors and witches, dungeons and dragons, kings and deception, Skammeren's Datter follows the adventure of a gifted child who finds herself in a suituation to save her loved ones. A must for any Fantasy film lover, or anyone wishes to watch a movie with their kids during a quite evening. Initially I thought it could be a Female Harry Potter, and got into watching the film to have few giggles. But suprisingly, the film was engaging, wonderfully shot, sets up exciting premises and the visual effects were mind blowing. I simply fell in love with the Dragon, who ever designed it, hats off. The film moves swiftly and I think Kenneth Kainz uses this part to throw in all the principle characters (I have not read the books). So, there is not much of a development or bonding, and hope a Part 2 will happen soon. And movie is quite emotional too, and the kid was awesome. Not just that, few more suprises in Action & Adventure.

Skammeren's Datter - Beautifully Entertaining

Flukt [2012 : Norwegian : 1h20m : Survival (Action, Thirller, Slasher, Epic)]
Country : Norway
English Working Title : Escape

Directed by Roar Uthaug (Cold Prey)

Starring one of my favourite actress Ingrid Bolso Berdal

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/77/b2/e2/77b2e2140a223fd0d5a7701bf6aa1fdd.jpg

Another drama set in the medieval with swords & crossbow, plains and jungles, hunters and survivors, barbarism and brutality, Flukt-the film, takes us running along with a escaped teenager during the Black Death. Ingrid chases her through the terrains as she has got something that belongs to her. Its amazing to see how the film makers throw in the emotional quotient in such dark tales of survival. The actress are pretty and give their best to bring in the realism & horrors of the said period that Roar Uthaug wanted to (re)create visually. Everything seems to be sitting perfect for a Survival genre film.

http://cdn.film-book.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/isabel-christine-andreasen-flukt-escape-01-1920x1080.jpg

Flukt - Pretty Impressive

[mappi]

Crime Films from Argentine

Hits of Ricardo Darin (such an awesome Actor)

El secreto de sus ojos [2009 : Spanish : 2h10m : Crime (Murder Mystery, Drama)]
English Working Title : The Secret in Their Eyes

Written & Directed by Juan Jose Campanella

http://campus.belgrano.ort.edu.ar/video/imagen/480435

Benjamin (Ricardo Darin) starts authoring a fictional work on a crime that had hiccups to be solved during the days he practised law under the Buenos Aires prosecutor’s office. While undergoing few research over the topic chosen, he suddenly seems to unearth hidden truths that link the 'happened' with the present. The mystry that the past reveals devastates Benjamin by pushing him to unsolve it, yet another time.

I recomend this movie to everyone who loves mystry and see a crime tale place its pieces and then reassembling it in such an interesting manner.

The Secret in Their Eyes - Classified Shred

Tesis sobre un homicidio [2013 : Spanish : 1h45m : Crime (Murder Mystery, Drama)]
English Working Title : Thesis on a Homicide

Direction : Hernan Goldfrid (based on a book written by Diego Paszkowski)
Spl. Mention : Music Composed by Sergio Moure de Oteyza & Cinematography Rodrigo Pulpeiro

http://cines.com/files/2013/02/poster-tesis-sobre-un-homicidio.jpg

Roberto (Ricardo Darin), an ex-criminal lawyer and a now visiting professor in Criminal Law School, gets a bit more deep by taking a murder at the parking lot very personel. He starts to investigate with a theory that he manipulates himself to beleive and the facts point him to the conclusion which tears him apart that he starts to loose him own identity.

A riveting tale of human mind and its games. The suspense is wonderful, and so are the music and cinematography. A poetical Crime Thriller.

Thesis on a Homicide : Absolute Theory

[gane14]

Kingsman: The Secret Service (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2802144/) - Fun and Entertaining, Liked it

[kubrick]

TED 2

Ted 2 isn't half as bad as it is touted to be. Or probably I had just very low expectations of it and I was satisfied.

Ted 2 wins for me because, unlike in the first movie, Ted feels like a real character and not like a piece of mediocre animation.

Amanda Seyfried comes in for Mila Kunis and fits the shoes perfectly, which were a bit tight for Mila Kunis in the previous film.

More than half the things that happen in Ted 2 could be predicted by just knowing that this movie exists. But the fun in the film is how the relationship between Ted and John (Wahlberg) is still intact like a couple of friends who can keep being a lot of fun always.

There are some films which are called comedies but they take themselves too seriously for us to enjoy them. Ted 2 isn't one of them even though it has more than a countable number of instances where it could've been a tad too serious. Which is good.

Except for a scene or two there aren't any moments here that might make us laugh out loud. But it is comfortable enough for us to enjoy the rest of the finely drawn comedy in the film with a smile as the makers themselves realize the subtlety of humor in it and have played it that way.

Now that it has a sequel I guess 'Ted' is now a franchise and this one has it's limitations. But the limits with which it plays self consciously is why I might wait for the third movie. The pop references and the current affair satire throughout the movie is top shelf stuff.

[mappi]

The Visit [2015 : English : Thriller (Horror, Cringe Comedy) - Found Footage : 1h35m ]

http://cdn.bloody-disgusting.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/The-Visit-Teaser-One-Sheet.jpg

Family circumstances put teens Becca & Tyler to visit their grandparents for the week. Happy to be with their Nana & Papa, the teens soon discover the bizzare behaviour of their grand-parents, esp., during the night. Explanations about illness that takes over during oldage, reasures them untill they start to experience fear. But as usual the realisation comes too late.

A creepy & fun movie. It is certainly for faint hearted, and if you are watching it beside/with them The Visit would be 'intensely humoristic'. Deanna Dunagan who plays Nana is too good. Found the music score & the songs playing in the background enjoyable, well if you are a horror genre fan. And for those who are allergic to Found Footage just like me, this film does not shake that much and is easily watchable like any other ordinary movie (except towards the climax, where the runnings begin, but still manageable).

The Visit - "There's something wrong with Nana"

http://a.abcnews.go.com/images/Entertainment/AP_the_visit_jt_150911_16x9_992.jpg

[mappi]

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. [2015 : English : UK/USA : 2hrs : Spy Thriller (Period)]
Co-written, Produced & Directed by Guy Ritchie

Music : Daniel Pemberton ; Cinematography : John Mathieson ; Edited by James Herbert

Based on 'The Man from U.N.C.L.E.' by Ian Fleming
[also, an adaptation of the TV Episodes of the same name]

https://moviesinthephilippines.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/man-from-uncle.jpg

Split by attribute, be it method or mode, two secret agent must unite to stop a nuclear threat which not only would put an end to the world, but more importantly accuring the technology would put the owning country to rule the planet. Stuck into this spiral, the two agents must get past their ownselves and face the dangers coiled around themselves.

Guy Ritchie films don't really need an introduction. His latest "The Man from the U.N.C.L.E" is exactly as awesome like his previous films. Adorable casting, classic songs in funky suituations - this time Guy goes Tropical, freaking awesome stunt sequences, funny dialouges, charming characters - Alicia as Gaby is a scream, tangy villans, awesome title cards - with spectacular fonts & images with pleasing colours, mind blowing editiion and a trendy way of naration - the climax chase is a blast, eventhough there are no explosions to drive in the adrenaline, but just 3 vehicles racing through the mountainous terrain; the way its shot, cut and projected is simply brilliant.

Henry Cavill as Napoleon Solo and Armie Hammer as Illya Kuryakin were too good, they looked exactly what they talked & did on screen. Eventhough I have not watched the TV Series, but have heard a lot about it and also had burshed through few comic strips. The adapted film version takes care of minute details when going into period film genre, and I am sure it will be a treat for the TV Series fans to re-discover their favourite Heroes back in action.

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. simply beats everything merely by the way Guy Ritchie has visioned, presented and directed the film.

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. - Triple Agent.

My favourite OST from the film :

1/ This song is a blast, when the spies should race against time on a Scooter and rescue themselves from their cover getting blown.

Jimmy, Renda se by Tom Zé
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUH0TExH7-A


2/ This track changes the mood of the film, as it does while listening (esp, hear how it shifts around 2m25s).

Drums of War (OST)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6x87lzV5zAk

3/ This one is sort of a theme for the movie, after a wonderful opening they have nailed it during the last minute of the track.

Escape from East Berlin (OST)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SYLWfmHEvA

There are 28 tracks in the OST of 'The Man from U.N.C.L.E.', a must for a Guy Ritchie Fan.

[mappi]

The Hallow [English : 1H40m : Fantasy-Horror (Creature Feature)]
Country : Ireland

Written & Directed by Corin Hardy
Cinematography : Martijn Van Broekhuizen ; Edited : Nick Emerson; Music : James Gosling; Sound Design : Steve Fanagan

http://mister-s.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/The-Hallow-Poster-1.jpg

A young couple, Adam & Claire, move to their Forest House with their new born child Finn. Ignoring the warnings from the localist, the family starts to explore and adapt to the new enviornment, when mysterious attacks claim their clamness. The family has to survive from their mysterious aggressors.

A Nightish Shyamalan setup works fantastically for the film-The Hallow. Corin Hardy has enhanced the 'fairy-tale' Horror quality with an excellent cast. And the major highlight of the film is the sound design & camera works. Coupling them both is the editing done excellently. James Gosling original score is spooky along with the shadows & dry trees which already look eerie. Everything is "on camera" effects, and that's a rarity these days. It was possible mainly beacuse Corin Hardy is a Visual Artists for films and he is currently working on The Crow Reboot.

Van Broekhuizen :
Lighting and camera-wise we made a couple of distinctive choices; how we would address the scene and work with the actors was another. We created a mixed light situation in which we made the exterior night a little bit more cyan to give it a bit more of a “fairytale” look, and we made the interior (practical) light very warm to create a big shift between the inside and the outside. The tungsten light, which plays a role with the creatures, had a very specific role throughout the film. (Shot with camera ALEXA).

The Hallow - Darkly Sacred

http://cdn.bloody-disgusting.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/the-hallow.jpg

http://static.omelete.uol.com.br/media/extras/conteudos/the_hallow.jpg

[ababasenuupam]

Paranormal Activity: Ghost Dimension

This is the worst movie of the series. It doesn't explain anything from the previous installments. Also makes the whole point of the Marked Ones a huge waste of time. Being a fan of this series I was highly disappointed.

[ababasenuupam]

Bone Tomahawk

http://cdn.movieweb.com/img.news/NEPrEhK2SLH4TR_1_1.jpg

Genre: Western.

Synopsis

Kurt Russel is The Sheriff of a small town in The West in the 1700s. As it was during the time, there is a gruesome on going war with The Indians. The occasional shot gets fired and a tribe might ambush a group of settlers every now and then. The movie starts with two drifters who claim no allegiance to anyone, robbing a group of campers and escaping through an Indian Burial Ground, decorated with human skulls and femurs. They get ambushed by a couple Indians who don't look like the average tribe. One of the drifters escapes and makes his way to Kurt Russel's town, decides to spend his night drinking at a bar, and is taken into custody, getting shot in the process. A local Nurse is asked to handle the gun shot wound at the Sheriff's Station. The Nurse is married to a Cowboy (Patrick Wilson), who seems to have broken his leg trying to fix his roof, so he is bed ridden. That night, the town gets ambushed by the Indians who come looking for the Drifter who had earlier disrespected their Burial Ground. The next morning, The Drifter, The Nurse, and a Sheriff Deputy are missing along with several horses from the Stable. The Sheriff (Kurt Russel), The Crippled Cowboy (Patrick Wilson), Another Sheriff Deputy who is a weak, old and dull man, along with A Local Gentleman (Mathew Fox) who fancies himself to be quite the "Indian Killer" (Killed more Indians than everyone else in the Town combined as he states) all decide to go after the "Godless Heathens" to retrieve the hostages. They call in a local professor, to explain the specific tribe, and he states that this is no ordinary Indian Tribe. "These Heathens do not belong to any specific tribe. They are barbaric animals. They rape their own mothers, and eat their own offspring. The have no respect for anything. They're barbaric Cannibals!" he says. The Journey makes up the rest of the Film.

The Review

This movie is suspenseful, gritty, gory, disturbing and keeps you watching until the very end. Kurt Russell is a pleasure to watch as a badass sheriff. Mathew Fox does justice playing the blood thirsty quasi racist who you would want on your side in a fight. This film is an engaging treat if you have the stomach for Gore and Violence, but with good reason.

http://s3.birthmoviesdeath.com/images/made/BONE-TOMAHAWK_GENTLEMAN_11X17_1200_1855_81_s.jpg

In A Nutshell: Blood, Guts, Duty, and Glory in the Wild West = The Bone Tomahawk.

[mappi]

Suburra [2015 : Italian : 2h15m : Drama (Socio-Political, Gangster, Thriller)]
Country : Italy

Directed by Stefano Sollima (the man who made the fantastic film A.C.A.B)

First film produced by Netfilx ; Based on a novel of the same name by Carlo Bonino and Giancarlo De Cataldo.

Starring : wonderful actors -
Pierfrancesco Favino - The Cobra from A.C.A.B - Got to see this guy carrying himself as a Politician in this film.
Elio Germano - "The young man with dark eyes" from the movie The Lady in the Car with Glasses and a Gun [While watching his enact, I always felt that he is the Italian version to Christopher Waltz)
Claudio Amendola - Another amazing character oriented artist who emits the mirror image of the role he plays.
Giulia Elettra Gorietti & Greta Scarano - pretty & stoned ladies (LoL)

http://th.cineblog.it/g5KzuA2z2sWSM7SM7OuaDiNbUN0=/655x437/http://media.cineblog.it/3/3dd/suburra-trailer-ufficiale-featurette-poster-e-foto-del-film-di-stefano-sollima-1.jpg
Rated R (The film shows a suicide too, apart from violence & sex)

Suburra-the film accounts the crucial last seven days of a major deal involving money and politics that could change the entire face value of Italy. Piloted by a man called "Samurai", who actually goes to any extent to corrupt anyone around him to make the trade work, orders the warring gansters to hold to their calm until the bill is passed in the parliment. But greed fetches each one to tear apart each other, while three other characters - a sacred entrepreneur, a prostitute and a girl madly in love with her man - get mingled without their accord in the blood bath that follows.

Wonderfully picturised film with great characters acted by brilliant artists. Its a Drama which gaurds the attention with its pace, slow but sturdy. Stefano Sollima has got some very bright vision on the way he wants to narrate his tale. For those who really look into such thing - this film holds a fabulous opening & closing shots, they way it is depicted is simply superb. The movie is loaded with cool sound tracks too. The song that follows a suituation inside a sea-side house is very effective. The rain in the movie is a wonderful touch - The cleansing water that could potentially change Rome, unfortunately polluted with corruption drowns the city. (Well that's a kind of spoiler, but actually it does not give out much but would make sense once you have watched the movie).

Suburra - A Flood of Corruption

http://static.panorama.it/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/foto-suburra-22-low-1000x600.jpg?068e59

"The song that follows a suituation inside a sea-side house is very effective"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWsUNbdc5IM

[mappi]

Deadpool (The Movie) [2016 : English : 1h50m : Marvel Super-hero]
Based on the character 'Deadpool' by Fabian Nicieza (writer) & Rob Liefeld (artist) in 1991 for The New Mutants (a Marvel Comics group)

Movie Directed by Tim Miller and almost everything else by Deadpool.

Starring : Deadpool

http://themepack.me/i/c/749x468/media/g/229/deadpool-comics-theme-1.jpg
Rated R - for almost everything, esp. the first film to show a "butt-shot".
Write-up Rated R too, for explicit language, so it gets inside a spoiler tag


From the studio that inexplicably sewed his fucking mouth shut the first time, comes ... me! - Deadpool

Wade Winston Wilson, as seen in the trailer, is dying. He accepts to volenteer for a cure. The treatement, well "an unauthorised medical nuclear infused atomic experimental test", simply put injecting a fluid substance into the veins that tortures the patient physically and finally rips off his skin. But it gives the body an abilty to grow itself, again and again and once again.

Deadpool narrates his story, rather his first film. He had finally found a studio to finance his film (reality is that the Film got in and out of the cans for about 15 years and from New Line Cinema to Fox to Marvel dusted their hands on the franchise) and he is happy to walk us through the events that occured in his life in between a "car crashing gun blazzing" action sequence. Ofcoarse, he was Wade Winston Wilson, if you have not guessed it already, but now has become Deadpool the super-hero, oppps, the Super-Villain who has the revenge mode loaded up and errect to find the man who had done all this, well, who made him get behind a mask to hide his ugly face.

So, when Deadpool is kicking around, the villain kidnaps his girlfriend. Oh yeah, Wade Winston Wilson was in love with Venessa and Deadpool is in love with Venessa, still (oh! come on). Their first meeting was at a bar, where she had only 30 minutes of spare time. So they play with the games-machines, and when they find out that they only have 3 more minutes left, they perform a quickie. Throughly contended of sharing a same life style, the couple spend some fantastically gorgeous time with each other walked through by a Holiday themed sex routines.

"I ain't super, and I'm no hero. But when you find out your worst enemy is after your best girl, the time has come to be a fucking superhero." - Deadpool

Now Deadpool can't show his face to her, at the same time he cannot leave Venessa in the hands of Ajax whom he thinks had lifted his nick name for a dish-wash commercial. Here, Deapool turns quite serious, serious as exactly as in serious. He advices a cab driver - an Indian lost in Romance, gets along with friends and keeps his promises, gives the side-kicks a second chance and finally takes down Ajax keeping in mind what his friend Colossus had told him about being a super-hero - There are only four to fives instances in life that one gets to prove to be a real super-hero.

The film ends with Deadpool promising that he will make sure to look for the remaining 4 chances to become a Superhero.

... well, well, wait after the credit and don't tell anyone that I told you to !

Deadpool - "I'm touching myself tonight."


Deadpool is as funny as its vulgur - visual gags, adult jokes, spoofy dialogues [the theatre errupted for the pun at the movie Taken, also by the mention of Wham (LoL)], insults, curse words, fart jokes ... the list goes on. So its obviously not for kids. The major and the only problem with the film is the constant styled comedy, which at most of the time works well. The stunts are extremely good & gore. This is a kind of movie that should be watched amoung an outraging audience, saw the prémiere on Tuesday at GrandRex with about, well the hall was FULL, and the crowd enjoyed every single gimmicks of Deadpool.

A simple story, top notch techies, wonderfully directed, funny dialogues, interesting plot advancements, very limited characters who are charming, Morena Baccarin and above all Ryan Reynolds (at a point he says "No green suit please" Lol) as Deadpool is certainly more than enough to watch the movie, absoulutely with your girlfriend or a partner.

Deadpool - "Crime's the disease, Meet the Cure"

http://0.media.dorkly.cvcdn.com/69/54/5cfb2a336be89d6278d12a0bc9c05b8d.jpg

[kubrick]

Room 2015



Watched Feb 18, 2016


Room starts and ends trying to be a conventional film, but that's the beauty of it as it isn't.

The direction is brilliant, you will see it in the scene in the hospital as the little guy Jack is being carried by his mum Ma. From the infinitely big room with unending space when taken into the real world he feels claustrophobic. That scene is what much of the film is about, the changing perception of the child, like how we will feel if we suddenly aren't attracted to the ground beneath our feet.

Kept wondering throughout the film where I have seen Brie Larson before and a click in IMDb told me "Spectacular Now". 3 years back she pulled off being a highschooler and now in this she shines like a crazy diamond as a mom of a five year old who has experienced the Stockholm syndrome so much that she tells herself that she has to escape with her only aid, her five year old son.

There are moments where the little guy says some really perfect lines which may seem far-fetched but at least he isn't that annoying smart kid who does everything right. This kid forgets some important things, this kid talks to tables and chairs, this kid doesn't show off smartness, but this kid is full of heart and courage, so is this film. This dark horse contender might be overlooked, might even be forgotten in years to come but once in a while a film fan will chance upon this and be blown away. That's how good Room is.

[mappi]

Mike Flanagan Duology

Writer, director & editor.
Prime Genres : Supernatural - Psychological mixed inside Horror / Thriller
Country : US of A

Mike Flanagan takes a simple plot, explores it under a different perspective squeezing them into a psychological braket while crushing the characters inside horror (thriller). His writing is fresh and original, which does not rely on gore but injects bloodiness inside the mind through his fabulous narration, visualisation and presentation technics.

(Be kind to yourself by not peeking at the trailers of these 2 films. Hit directly the play button and jump in to experience some fine chillness.)

Oculus [2013 : English : Horror (Psychological)]

Starring : The Russel Family
Katee Sackhoff as Marie Russell & Rory Cochrane as Alan Russell - Parents
Karen Gillan as Kaylie Russell, Brenton Thwaites as Tim Russell - Siblings
[Annalise Basso as 12-year-old Kaylie & Garrett Ryan as 10-year-old Tim]

https://thewolfmancometh.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/oculus-movie-katie-sackhoff.jpg

The Russell family moves to a new "shinning" house, but the house is not haunted, it's the mirror which brings horror by pocessing the parents. A tragic night puts Tim in a rehab and years later the siblings reunite to retell the story of that calamitous night. Thus, Man versus Mirror begins where man tries to outplay the mirror all the while been played by the mirror itself.

There are few many wonders in this film right from performence to scene setting to eerie music. It's during the ACT3 Mike charms us with his narration where the past events experienced by the siblings as kids reflects on the adult brother & sister. The incidents merge where the suituation of the kid version is experienced by the adult version. Moreover, at a point of time what is real and which is irreal turns the events interesting.

http://s2.dmcdn.net/EMQUY.jpg

Oculus - Eye of the Mirror

Hush [2016 : English : Thriller (Horror)]

http://m.cdn.blog.hu/sm/smokingbarrels/image/hush_1.jpg

Starring : Kate Siegel as Madison "Maddie" Young & John Gallagher Jr. as The Man

Well, the picture says it all.

Hush - A calm night, A lonely night with A stalker.

PS : If you liked these films and are a fan of supernatural thrillers, check Mike's Absentia & Before I Wake films.

[mappi]

Dual Heist Thriller Films
http://2016.miamifilmfestival.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2016/01/cien-anos-de-perdon-1-1.jpg

Film 1
Cien años de perdón [One hundred years of forgiveness] (2016)
English working title : To Steal from a Thief
Country : Argentina / Spain
Language : Spanish
Runtime : 1h35m

Directed by Daniel Calparsoro (screenplay by Jorge Guerricaechevarría)
http://www.demasiadocine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/100-a%C3%B1os-de-perdon-estrenos-q.jpg

A group of thiefs take over a bank in Valencia using bomb jackets and guns. Before performing the heist, they had well planned their exit route. Their leader takes the negocitor for a ride by demanding a van and a plane to buy them time, while his assosiates empty the vault. When their exist plan does not work, the theives are now desperate to re-negociate the terms with the police in exchange to the lifes of the hostages. But as time runs short shrinking their escape, so does the terms as the negociator gets replaced by the army general while his men have completely surrounded the bank.

Cien años de perdón (To Steal from a Thief) - Twists, Turns & Thrills.
http://cinepivates.gr/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Cien-anos-de-perdon-001.jpg

Film 2
Triple 9 (2016)
Country : United States
Language : English
Runtime : 1h50m

Directed by John Hillcoat (screenplay by Matt Cook)
http://cdn1-www.comingsoon.net/assets/uploads/gallery/triple-9/triple9postersmall.jpg

A pack of theives sucessfully carryout a heist job for a mafia group. These men come from different professions and silently accept such assignments to make some quick money. When the mafia, using their methods, force the theives to pull out one last job inside a highly secured building, which is far too dangerous leave alone its sucess rate, these men decide to accept and execute the robbery with a plan to create a diversion - Code : 999.

Triple 9 - Unlucky Streak
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/film/triple9/triple9c-xlarge.jpg

These two heist thrillers look like extended Payday games, with awesome masks and weponary. Both the films are wonderfully written and directed. Even the drama steps in suspensefully and the relationship the charcters share are crisply elaborted. The movies have short and well shot action sequences, esp. Triple 9 has got couple of amazing shootouts. Of coarse the way they are filmed along with an intense musical score pumps the urge to follow the proceedings.

[mappi]

Department Q [Afdeling Q] Trilogy (2013-2014-2016)
Language : Danish
Country : Denmark

Genre : Crime Drama

http://i.onionstatic.com/avclub/5856/16/16x9/960.jpg

Titles :

Keepers of the Faith (2013)
Danish Title : Kvinden i bure

The Absent One (2014)
Danish Title : Fasandræberne

A Conspiracy of Faith (2016)
Danish Title : Flaskepost fra P

http://images.amcnetworks.com/ifcfilms.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/trilogy_low.jpg

Detectives duo, Carl and Assad, are pushed to the record rooms under a new department called Q. Both of them are put behind the desk, where they are assigned to close unsolved cases, simply by producing few pages of report for each case, so that the law enforcement statistics could shoot itself favoring the administration. An extremely reticent man, Carl has to cope up with the soft spoken Assad. Together they pick a random case, and move in to solve it rather than just closing files with excuses, at the same time they are bound to respect the time allotted by their superior to handle the chosen case.

In Keepers of Faith, the detectives got three days to find a missing person. Carl convinces Assad that the person who was reported to have committed suicide maybe still alive. They trace down the final hours of the victim, which gradually sucks them into a vacuum pressure transducer.

The Absent One sends the detectives hunting for the murderer of twin teenagers, but to find the killer, they had to bury themselves in the past so deep that digging out becomes the major challenge than solving the mystery itself.

A Conspiracy of Faith, is bit different from the other two parts of the series. Even though a crime is investigated, the characters are explored on the basis of their beliefs which in return orchestras the investigation of missing kids. The third in the Department Q series is more violent, so viewer discretion is advised [be informed that in all three films several close up on victim's photos flash regularly on screen, which are gruesome].

Apart from the narrative, where the past and the present are collided effortlessly, the atmosphere under which the drama unfolds is original. The psycological point of view of the victims and the maelvolents are elaborated. The lighting effects are superb, and I am still wondering how they have shot the indoor/outdoor & night/day scenes by maintaining a steady luminosity on the picture. Of course, there are several metaphors, particularly potrayed by the characters themselves who deliver a meaning when they are spun together. Such is the story, brilliantly written for the screen, and directed with immense novelty.

No, I have not read the novels, for that, never heard of them before. There are four more volumes in this Danish crime fiction written by Jussi Adler-Olsen (http://jussiadlerolsen.com/). I am planning to get the rest in the series on paperback.

Department Q Trilogy - Dead have Rights

[mappi]

Skif (2018, Russian)
Written & directed by Rustam Mosafir

http://data.sueursfroides.fr/affiche-the-scythian-3590.jpg

I very much looked forward for the russian film Legend of Kolovrat (2017), but it turned out to be another "300" like, with over the top effects that diluted the real heroism, I mean the barbaric sub-text these type of movies tried to carry with them.

I was also expecting for Rustam Mosafir's Skif (working title in english "The Scythian" & European Blu-ray title "Rage"); finally, watched the movie this weekend. The film is wonderful, as I would ask for, with blood and gore forming the artistique backbone to the story. The narration was cool, with 2 principle characters trying to get along and other supporting characters playing along for them; and others with beasty masks and bizare face packs. The costumes and makeup were outstanding, ..., and last but not least, the action were realistic and original with some cool weapons that inflict bad cuts and smooth slices.

If I am not wrong, the spl. effects were used only thrice, in three action/dramatic sequences, the rest were constructed with outstanding use of editing techniques. The heroism was well captured by the lead actors, esp. the final scenes is superb. Its amazing how close they have come to potray reality in an epic-fantasy film. I watch such films for their epic music too. Skif has some original celtic techno musical pieces.

Viewers discretion is adviced. Available on VOD as well as on Blu-Ray in Europe (with French Subtitles). I have no idea about the rest of the world.

Skif - Brutal

[mappi]

The Perfect Host (2010 - English)
Written & Directed by Nick Tomnay

http://www.dvd-covers.org/d/255579-2/Copy_of_The_Perfect_Host_DVD_Cover_2011.jpg

It may look like you have the upper hand, but if you're not paying attention your opponent can blind side you.

Twist after Twist. Enjoyed the movie, as it was rather entertaining than hosting a 'Cerebral Contest'. Check it out if you are interested in home invasion mixed with a roberry and witty dialogues as in a black humour.

The Perfect Host - Malice

[mappi]

Upgrade [English : 2018 : 1h35m : Oddball Science Fiction]
Written & directed by Leigh Whannell

Starring : Logan Marshall-Green (he resembles a lot to Tom Hardy, a reason that kept me glued to the screen)

http://www.joblo.com/posters/images/full/Upgrade-poster-1.jpg

Upgrade is an exploitation film. It is a richly made B-Film. Grey's life suddenly gets sucked into void. He looses his girlfirend and physically becomes a vegetable. He gets an upgrade done by Eron, a tech innovator, and soon is befriended by Stem who seems to know much more than Grey could ever thought of. Thus, Grey and Stem embark into the dark world of vengence.

Upgrade has few graphic violence, nothing that could not be managed, still viewers discretion is advised. The entire film depends upon Logan, and he has pulled off each physical movement demanded by the character he is playing. The film has few sleek action blocks filmed using camera techniques assited by a fabulous bgm score. the special effects are done with atmost care not to make them look like special effects. The film looks more like an updraded version of 'Robocop' with the ambience of 'Hugo with a Shotgun' and is certainly not an artsploitation. Upgrade is neat entertainer, if you are into exploitation films.

Upgrade - A-Part

[mappi]

Apostle [(2018 : English : 2H10 : Horror (Mystery, Thriller, Fantasy)]
Written, directed & produced by Gareth Evans (The Raid) starring Dan Stevens (The Guest)

Available on NETFLIX
Viewers discretion is advised

http://cdn.collider.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/apostle.jpeg

"And we showed them the glory and the love of God himself, and then they showed us the Devil."

A resurrected warrior of God, who had left behind his faith during the process, must reach an island and confront a religious leader convicted of crimes.

The film is gore and violent, but has its own scenic beauty in it. Apostle is completely different from The Raid series and concentrates this time on social and enviornmental issues. Gareth Evans throws much politics inside where all those who go against the government are not saviours. Just like his previous films, the Apostle is wonderfully shot, suspenseful, scary at the same time entertaining too. The film quietly shifts genres keeping intact the interest eventhough the basic model of the scenario puts a doubt of watching a fable. Dan Stevens reminds me a lot my favourite super-hero Bruce Campbell (The man called Ash who had fought evil for several decades ... LoL). The Guest was the first movie that I saw of Dan Stevens and I quickly recognised the villainous brace behind the charming face. Just like Ryan Gosling, for that Di Caprio, Dan Stevens can emit pure evil. Its amazing to see writers creating dark characters and allowing them to meet a bigger evil and see what happens. Lucy Boynton is a doll. The mysterious island surrounded by creepy atmospheric music sometimes increases the heartbeat. The metaphor is quite cleverly planted while contructing the story running along with the dialogues and action.

Apostle - Evil Alive

[mappi]

The Night Comes for Us [2018 : Indonesia : Lang - Indonesian, English, Mandarin, French : Action (Indonesian martial arts - Pencak Silat) : 2h]
Written & Directed by Timo Tjahjanto (Headshot) starring Julie Estelle, Iko Uwais & Joe Taslim

A Netflix Exclusive
Viewers discretion is STRONGLY advised

https://img00.deviantart.net/3d20/i/2018/237/1/8/the_night_comes_for_us_v3_by_mcjade-dcl4jfg.jpg

Iko Uwais does an extended cameo in the film, and participates in a One-to-One Pencak Silat with Joe Taslim. There are few other artist who get to play some nasty & blood-soaked violent action :

1/ Julie Estelle [Hammer Girl from The Raid 2 (2012)] is a 'proper-nameless' assassin code named : The Operateur. In the begining her contract was to trap a killer who had gone rogue, but she changes her objective to take a defensive stand and battles against two other contract killers who were trained in her assassin academy. The fight happens inside an appartment and follows through the corridor over the debris of dead human bodies who were exploded into pieces by a grenade just a moment before.

2/ The Killer has to get to a butcher shop and retreive a package while being well aware that a contract has been put on his head. The butchers are waiting where even a bone of the dead animal is a weapon of defense for the Killer. Inside the hanger, the men brawl with sharp objects around the blood dripping fresh dead meat. Then arrives the cavlary with shot guns blazing punching anything that moves with exploding shells.

3/ While the Killer leaves to the butcher shop, his three friends protect his appartment. Just like a rain downpour, the contract killers flood inside the appartment with chinese cleaver, machetes, batons and "whatever-else-that-inflicts-pain". The trio must fight their way down till the parking lot, with only one objective - Kill or be killed : Chop Chop Human Sushi

Well, the above snippies on fight sequences should avert you as to why 'Viewers discretion is STRONGLY recomended', meaning, the film is not only restricted to kids, but to the adults also who don't have the stomach to feed in the ultra violent and brutal action.

The Night Comes for Us is a gonzo spectacle. It has a lots of unique action sequences, original visual designs mixed with realism. There are very few movies that are made with gonzo concept, and many spectateurs (claiming to be critics and reviewers) don't know the existance of such piece of filmwork. Gonzo film-making is nothing to do with story or editing or cinematography or any other front line filmy jargons blah, blah, blah. Its about the subjective narrative (A narrator of a subjective point of view (also known as 'limited omniscience') knows everything about a single character only, and sees the story through the eyes of that character). It will apply weird ideas like the imaginary "The Six Seas" and their activities in The Night Comes for Us. Timo Tjahjanto had brought everything of Pencak Silat while showing the violent side of the Indonesian martial arts.

Enjoy the film if you are already introduced to artsploitation and gonzo type of films. Try it to experiment keeping in mind that film is ultra violent. Else, there are much other films to see that suits your savour.

The Night Comes for Us - Vicious

PS : Iko Uwais also stars in Mile 22 (2018). Again an extended cameo with couple of martial arts fight sequences. I thought - Mile 22 as a novel would have been great to see how the events unfold with an exception that the dialogue transcript should be reworked. As a film, it is not in my recomendation list. Watch it if you like the work of Iko Uwais. Plus its a Mark Wahlberg starrer ... no further comments.