mike-adly5 Reviews

Due Date (2010)

In a Nutshell (Short Review): "Due Date" (7/10)

[6/10 · 8 December 2010]

From the director of "Old School" and "The Hangover".....but I feel the urge to tell you more!

Ever since the astronomical success of "The Hangover" everyone is been waiting for director Todd Phillips to come back to us with a follow up, or at least something to keep us going until the release of "The Hangover 2" next year. Well, "Due Date" does the job, it is no Hangover but it is quite funny, entertaining and has two hilarious dudes that we all love.

A classic mix up in Atlanta airport ends up getting Peter (Robert Downey Jr.) and Ethan (Zack Galifianakis) kicked out of the plane. Even though they've just met and hit it off on the wrong foot, they both share a furious ride to LA with different motives; Peter in a hurry to make it to his child's birth and Ethan to get to Hollywood and become an actor.

Galifiankis side by side with Downey Jr. is what I call good casting, and it serves the movie right. The story, however, may seem a bit overdone at times specially on Downey's character side; it gets tense and you may even hate him for a few seconds which should not happen in such a comedy, but apart from that it's one long series of unstoppable laughing.

Unstoppable (2010)

In a Nutshell (Short Review): "Unstoppable" (7/10)

[7/10 · 8 December 2010]

For the fifth time it is Denzel Washington in a Tony Scott movie, and for the second time in a row, it's both of them with one big train. They've evidently fell for the thrill of the subway action in "The Taking of Pelham 123", they thought why not take this baby to the railroad. Then again, Washington plus Scott equals A-class action, and that's what you get when you watch Unstoppable.

Picture "Speed", but this time, it's a train, it's a true story and it's directed by mastermind Tony Scott. Inspired by rather bizarre, yet true events, this picture tells a story of a fatal railroad engineer's mistake that leaves a freight train carrying toxic chemicals unmanned, uncontrollable and unstoppable. Veteran engineer Frank (Denzel Washington) and rookie conductor Will (Chris Pine) take on the mission of preventing the disaster.

As usual of a cinematic course served by Tony Scott, Unstoppable is an intense thriller with gripping suspense from beginning to end. Add to that, the notable chemistry between Denzel Washington and Chris Pine, flavored by Rosario Dawson's performance. With cinematography and visual effects worthy of such a journey, I found Unstoppable quite entertaining. You may get the feeling that it could be better, but after all, it's an unstoppable train thriller, how good can it get?

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010)

In a Nutshell: "Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 1" (8/10)

[8/10 · 8 December 2010]

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1..."These are dark times, there's no denying"

If you read around and check out reviews on The Deathly Hallows, you'll see that the most predominant theme of the hype about this film is anticipation. Literally, the most redundant keyword in the first paragraph of any article, any review or any news report is the word "Finally". HP7 is tagged in its trailer as the finale of the worldwide phenomenon, the motion picture of a generation. Needless to say, it is one of the best selling stories of all times. Bottom line is, like the movie or not, it made over 300 million dollars in the first few days, and judging by how things look, this should be just a tiny fraction of its coming success.

As a result of the intense criticism on the last three Potter movies for not being worthy of the books, David Yates and Warner Bros. had to spread the finale on two long films; a decision leading to an utter cinematic and commercial success. And since the fans can't get enough, you can always give them some more on the boy who lived, the chosen one and his magical adventures that have become the prevailing obsession of millions around the globe.

The gloominess of the opening scene and the dramatic dose you get from the film's first lines spoken by Rufus Scrimgeour (Bill Nighy) tell you all about what you're in for; a journey of darkness, a daring quest of the good to defy the evil, a hopeful adventure shadowed by blood, love, tears and death. After the sad ending of late Dumbledore, it is now Harry's mission to find and destroy all the horcruxes that shield Lord Voldemort from death. As Potter accompanies his lifetime mates Ron and Hermione through their ultimate journey, they stumble across some of the most significant and powerful secrets of the wizarding world, the deathly hallows.

When you watch The Deathly Hallows Part one, you'd only wish they did the same with at least the last two books; split them in two. God knows how many scenes and characters had to be knocked out to fit in something like The Order of the Phoenix in one movie. This time they fill it in with details that even book readers may have forgotten about. The events go on sort of an inverse bell curve scenario; it starts off exhilarating and thrilling, it mellows down a bit in the middle and then it gets all fired up towards an ending that comes very quick.

It is safe to say that behind the scenes aspects, of making a movie, all played out quite well in this one. We've seen more sophisticated cinematography and art direction in previous episodes of the saga, but this still does have its eye catching moments as well. Acting, however, has evidentially elevated quite a bit here. An obvious reason for that is the age of the main three characters that have grown in shape and experience through ten years of shooting. But it is not to be ignored that Emma Watson is the one that stands out this time; her character's confusion of emotion, determination and humour were damn sure not easy to be portrayed as good as she did.

We've also seen something new to the saga in this one, and it was indeed some of the most amusing three minutes of the whole thing, an actual animated short. The tale of the three brothers narrated by Hermione plays back in a shadow, puppet- like animated sequence, that is just pretty entertaining.

In a nutshell, The Deathly Hallows Part one is merely is a lengthy introduction to the ultimate climax of this masterpiece of a story. It's truly beyond me how J K Rowling is not yet up for a Noble Prize in Literature. This film paves quite the road to what's coming ahead, and looking at that combo trailer, it gonna be quite fun. It will feel at the end as if someone has switched the TV off in the middle of your movie. You will really want some more. Too bad you'll have to wait another eight months for it.

The Social Network (2010)

In a Nutshell: "The Social Network" (8/10)

[8/10 · 8 December 2010]

The Social Network..."A million dollars isn't cool. You know what's cool? A billion dollars!"

Alright, put it this way; you wake up on a good morning and you say I'm gonna make a movie about something 500 million people use, like and spend time on every day. How do you think this movie is going to do? The answer is really one of three options; one, it earns loads of money and tops everyone's expectations. Two, it becomes as horrible as any twilight movie and just makes the money based on anticipation. Or three, it sinks in so bad, you regret waking up that morning. My fellow movie goers build your hopes up, it is option one.

As you may have seen, read or heard, this is the story behind the creation of one of our current time's most prominent inventions, Facebook. But, as interesting as it may sound, I thought it's quite scary; because such an idea is not one that gets a second a chance. If a movie is made about it, there isn't a big chance another one will be. The good news is, the minds behind making such a picture aren't of some average movie makers.

This is a tale of success and a parody of emotions, a blend of sophisticated intellect and willful deceit. The story goes around college life of Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg , a man who, as depicted on the poster, is a punk, a genius, a traitor and a billionaire. From a college nerd hacking into Harvard's network, to the world's youngest billionaire, the road isn't as bumpy as you may think, but as Mark manages to make 500 million friends, he gets himself some enemies.

On the movie making side, the genius bunch, behind the scenes, lead this project to a quite impressive outcome. Executive producer Kevin Spacy, Hollywood's infamous screenwriter Aaron Sorkin and Academy Award nominated director David Fincher of "Se7en" and "Fight Club", all combine their efforts to take a few uprising acting talents and one of the coolest ideas for a movie this year, and make a blockbuster.

From the opening dialogue of the film you know you're in for a screen writing treat. But as it moves forward, chemistry arises between all sides, from acting to editing to screenplay and ultimately to directing. I recall 20 minutes into watching this, all I wanted to do is find out who's editing; the answer is Kirk Baxtor and Angus Wall, editors whose last project had been Fincher's "The curious case of Benjamin Button". The artistic mix and mash of scenes from the past and the present, and the clash of flashbacks and flash forwards in "The Social Network" depict the exceptional talent of the editing team and off course David Fincher himself.

In this film, upcoming youngster Jesse Eisenberg plays the lead role of the man behind Facebook; Mark Zukerberg. I remember a few weeks before the movie release I saw a picture of Eisenberg online captioned "The next Michael Cera?!!". I guess an opposite scenario would be Cera's best fit now because Jesse Eisenberg has just stepped his game up quite a few notches. We've seen Eisenberg before, the clumsily funny side of him in "Zombieland" side by side with mighty Woody Harelson, and the awkwardly confused teenager in "Adventureland" against the world champion of the awkwardly confused "Kristen Stewart". This time, however, Eisenberg takes it deeper into serious drama accepting the challenge of portraying a real life significant character that everyone can relate to. The way he did it makes me think he'd probably watched every video and heard every speech of Zuckerberg since he's made it to fortune and fame. A little award shower on Eissenberg's head wouldn't be much of a surprise in the next few months.

And how can I forget, our beloved Justin Timberlake who's probably finally found his perfect acting fit in the role of Sean Parker, creator of Napster, the other punk that inspired Zuckerberg's success. Eissenberg, Timberlake, together with Andrew Garfield who plays Zuckerberg's best friend Eduardo Saverin are about the 3 faces you'll be looking at all movie long. They'll do anything but bore you.

In a nutshell, even if "The Social Network" doesn't strike the liking of Mr 26 year old 6.9 billion dollar Mark Zuckerberg, it will serve the opposite to its viewers. Set your expectations on watching a realistic drama about the life of the planet's youngest self-made billionaire and his most controversial story in the business world today, and you won't be disappointed.

The Expendables (2010)

In a Nutshell: "The Expendables" (7/10)

[7/10 · 8 December 2010]

The Expendables...A humorous action flick, little better than expected!

I guess you only need to look at the poster to know what you're in for. A bunch of tough guys with tougher names who've most been able to carry major action flicks on their sole backs before. In "The Expendables" they all come together within an entertaining story about a line-up of mercenaries led by mighty Stallone, who go on a rather rough mission in Latin America; to find a little more than their common day to day action waiting for them.

Despite the long list of big guys, their contribution to the story varies greatly. While the Statham, Stallone duo eats up most of the action, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis make their mere guest appearances. You still, however, get a little bit of humor from Jet Li, some wise man talk from Mickey Rourke and some bad guy acting from Oscar nominee Eric Roberts.

In "The Expendables" two time Oscar nominee Sylvester Stallone takes his eighth shot at directing and his twenty second at writing a screenplay. Having the experience in combining both, together with acting, in titles like "Rambo" and four of the "Rocky" series, Stallone successfully employs each of his players' charismatic characters in their best fit. It reaches a point where if you try to reverse roles in your head you'd think it's impossible.

Like any action flick, you'll get the crazy gun shooting, the wild fist fighting and the anything but real moves from the guys with the big arms. If you're not planning on swallowing ideas like someone grabbing a taking off plane by his hand a hopping on it, then this is not for you. On the other hand, the film is overall quite entertaining whether you're into this kind of things or not; like Terry Crews said in an interview about the making of "The Expendables", that it is going to impress everyone that's a fan of genre and even the ones new to it.

In a nutshell, The Expendables is more than just your average action flick; it has an ensemble of Hollywood's most prominent action stars. It's got the eye candy alright and it's got a little laughing to offer as well. It is not a waste of time!

The Graduate (1967)

In a Nutshell Masterpiece: "The Graduate" 1967 (8/10)

[8/10 · 8 December 2010]

The Graduate...Here's to you Mrs. Robinson!

40 years ago they made a romantic drama as fast paced as 21st century sci-fi action blockbusters. Starring Dustin Hoffman in his late 20s, The Graduate is a story of Ben Braddock (Hoffman), a recent college graduate who gets involved in an affair with Mrs Robinson, a family friend. Later on, Ben also falls in love with her teenage daughter Elaine, and there starts the complications.

In many ways, the significance of this movie lies mostly in acting and dialogue. Having said that; there are three main characters that contribute to more than 80% of it; first of all, there's Dustin Hoffman who plays the lead role of Ben Braddock, picturing the ultimately realistic confusion of a recent successful college graduate, unsure of what to make up of his life. His tone, his gestures, his actions, his reactions, all showed worthy enough to gain his first of seven Oscar nominations in his career.

Secondly, there's Academy Award winner Anne Bancroft, who plays sort of the center piece of the movie, in other words "Mrs Robinson"; a hot, rich and strong woman in her 40s who finds satisfaction in trapping Braddock (Hoffman) in an affair. Anne Bancroft, a much bigger name then than Dustin Hoffman himself, was a necessary base for the whole acting cast to be built on, especially that the other two pillars of the movie were recent talents at that time. Bancroft has later earned a Female Lead nomination for her role in The Graduate.

Last but not least, there is Katharine Ross who portrays Mrs. Robinson's teenage daughter Elaine; a young naive extraordinarily beautiful girl, who instantly strikes the liking of her mother lover Ben Braddock. Katharine Ross here excels in presenting the female equivalent of Hoffman's character, planting thoughts in the viewers' minds of what should and should not happen if they both had existed in a perfect world.

Needless to say that if a movie's main reason of success is good acting, that we can only relate to a strongly genuine script. The Oscar nominated screenplay provided not only the complex reality in similar real life situations but also the blatantly realistic conversations that come with it. Now take that script, those actors and hand them over to Mike Nichols who's just made his directing career debut with "Who's afraid of Virginia Wolf", a picture that earned no less than 5 Oscars. If the first movie you direct earns you an Oscar nomination and wins another five, it's only fair that you win one on your second film, and that's what happened when Nichols walked away with his first Oscar for directing The Graduate and the only one won for the movie out of 7 nominations.

The Graduate's identity is finally perfected by a soundtrack that spices its visual entertainment and takes it to a deeper dramatic level. Folk- rock duo Simon & Garfunkel's music fills up the film with various songs and background music from beginning to end. "The Sound of silence" has become a constant reminder of the picture for whoever watched it and the hit single "Mrs Robinson", which knocked off The Beatles from the top charts in 1968, forces whoever comes across it to recollect the whole Graduate experience, especially its ending.

In a nutshell, The Graduate is a cinematic landmark of the 1960s with a directing Oscar win and 6 other nominations, and with a lead acting debut for legendary actor Dustin Hoffman. It is, without a doubt, an acting, writing and directing cinematic icon.

Inception (2010)

In a Nutshell: "Inception" (9.5/10)

[9/10 · 8 December 2010]

Inception...You think you know about dreams, think again!

8 years is how long it took "Inception" to cook in the head of mastermind writer, producer and director Christopher Nolan. During that time he has successfully served us with things like "Memento", "The Prestige", "Batman Begins" and "The Dark Knight". This picture is one of a kind to say the least and will undoubtedly be noted through decades to come.

Dom Cobb (Leo DiCaprio), a master dream invader, leads a team of thought manipulators each of his own specialty, through the ultimate mission of their craft. After many jobs of stealing corporate secrets, they're now assigned to be creators rather than thieves. They're off to implant ideas rather than taking them away.

A good story could always be a solid foundation to making a good movie, now imagine a story so genuine like almost nothing that's been told before. "Inception" is one of those films that are likely to go wrong, with an idea that could potentially have numerous loopholes unless written by someone like Christopher Nolan. The mind bending thoughts that you get throughout the movie keep you alert, attentive and almost on edge that you may miss something. But then again it's taken him all those years to produce that coherent script, how many times you think he has read and reread every scene?

Needless to say that this movie is likely to be on top of the nominee list for Film Editing at the next Oscars, other areas of film making have been presented in a, more than a world class, layout. Look at it this way, if it hasn't all come together, "Inception" would've gone straight to DVD. You hear a train cutting through a hot pursuit on a side street, and you think of sound mixing and editing. You see buildings twisted and world physics messed up, you think of visual effects. Let alone, the cinematography and the art direction that constantly stand out from the opening scene right through the last minute.

In many ways Inceptions's main feature is simplicity of complexity. More of that is obvious in the movie score. Edith Piaf's "Non, Je ne regrette rien" is featured as not only a song but a main factor in intensifying the story at some point. Take that tune, put it on a very low pitch and you've got yourself Zach Hemsey's Mind Heist which is the main Inception theme. That well distorted trumpet you hear in the trailer and all over the movie is none other than a tempo adaptation of Piaf's music. If time is slower during a dream, so should music. Talk about story coherence. Furthermore, Nolan simplifies the complex even in front of the camera many times, to name one, rather than using visual effect in low gravity scenes, he decides to put the whole set on hydraulics and spin it so that it'll look more real. Wait till you see Joseph Gordon-Levitt walk on the ceiling.

Having all, behind the scene, aspects as tight as they've been, Nolan's following mission was to put a team together in front of the camera. With roles high in diversity, choosing actors had to be anything but an easy task. It is established that Leonardo DiCaprio was Nolan's first and last choice for the role of Cobb, but he's gone through a whole list of names before choosing the rest. The way I see it, he made all the right choices. Joseph Gordon-Levitt was James Franco's contingency to play "Arthur". Ellen Page, our beloved Juno, who played "Ariadne", was considered among names like Emma Roberts, Rachel McAdams and more. And Tom Hardy "Eames", Cillian Murphy "Fischer" together with Oscar nominee Ken Watanabe "Saito" has successfully filled in their characters' shoes in a way that is up to the standards of something as big as "Inception".

More to the list of stars, Academy Award winners Michael Caine and Marion Cotillard each represent an important relationship to Cobb in "Inception". The later plays a very complex role from an acting perspective leading the audience through a roller-coaster of confusion and emotional disturbance; she nonetheless represents a very important side of the story that if talked about more, may spoil much, despite what master critic Rogert Ebert said about the movie being "Immune to spoilers".

From beginning to end, you don't get to turn your head. You're right in the creative hands of a film making genius who knows what your mind loves and feeds it. Exceptional talent surrounds every bit of this journey. Enjoying it is not an option, it's forced upon you.

In a nutshell, Watch it!

Toy Story 3 (2010)

In a Nutshell: "Toy Story 3" (8/10)

[8/10 · 8 December 2010]

Toy Story 3...Lovable "To infinity and beyond!"

It is usually a tough task to get satisfied when you walk into a movie after your expectations have been shot to the extremes. With Toy Story 3, the story is different. You may have seen 1 & 2 and in case you haven't, they tell a story of a bunch of toys belonging to a kid named Andy. These toys go through various adventures trying to spend most of their time with their owner and not get away from him for any reason. In the 3rd part, Andy is off to college and no longer in need for his toys, but through a classic mix up, the toys get delivered to a day-care center instead of the attic, and there begins a new adventure.

Animated features, especially Pixar's, have always been presented in the form of a funny, well entertaining story with a deep moral lesson behind. However, a turning point to the history of Pixar and the whole animation industry was "Up", which won 2 Oscars and was nominated for 3 more. Some of the reasons to that success were adding a few more dramatic elements to the plot, surrounding the movie with high class music and making the story constantly eye catching. In Toy Story 3, Pixar looks back at "Up" and builds upon on its success using almost every aspect involved. You get the music, the laughs, the drama, and the cliché moments and end it all with a perfect resolution.

The similarities with "Up" go even deeper with the significant character resemblance between the villains in both movies. Both Christopher Muntz, the explorer from "Up" and Lotso the notorious teddy bear of "Toy Story 3" appear to have been good hearted at the earlier stages of their lives, which are presented in flashback forms in both films. Pain and grief ignite hatred and corruption in their personalities and turn them to who they are now.

Like "Up", "Toy Story 3" is full of well crafted dramatic moments and overwhelmingly funny ones as well. It's a pretty satisfactory journey from beginning to end for the viewers regardless of their expectations. As the story builds up, it turns so realistic; not until Buzz starts speaking Spanish that it hits you that you're watching an animated movie not a real one.

In a nutshell, Toy Story 3 has something definitely special and different to present to the series fans. It will leave you knowing for sure that it's the best of the trilogy. It has a unique plot, a beautiful score and a hilarious bunch; we've learned to laugh with long time ago. I guess the Pixar lot are expecting to add another Academy Award to the collection in 2011. Watch it in 3D!

In Bruges (2008)

In a Nutshell Masterpiece: In Bruges (8.5/10)

[9/10 · 8 December 2010]

In Bruges..."You've got to stick to your principles"

Defining the genre of Dark Comedy, In Bruges presents a cinematic course of continuously entertaining dialogues in a classic clash of humour and drama. A story of two hit men, "Ray" (Collin Farrell) and "Ken" (Brendan Gleeson), sent on time off in Bruges, Belgium by their boss "Harry" (Ralph Fiennes) after a tough job. During the few days they spend in the little gloomy town, circumstances lead them to show more of their characters and their thoughts on different matters of life.

As you watch In Bruges you can't help getting pulled right into the plot and what it presents from dramatic reality. The key to that is none other than the actual setting of the movie. Think about this; the most preserved medieval town in Belgium, old buildings and little canals, and two Irishmen trying to make something of it. It all makes the place itself very interesting to the viewer even while Collin Farrell keeps going at it as being a s*** hole. Bruges may not make it to the top the viewers' favourite cities list but what makes it very fit for this film is its dull atmosphere and cloudy layout where morning scenes are as dark and gloomy as night ones; an essential element for shooting a black comedy.

Evidently the strongest, most significant factor that makes In Bruges an anything but ordinary kind of film is its Oscar nominated screenplay. A rich flow of dialogues and random conversations, so irrelevant and so inappropriate sometimes that it daringly shows the awkward reality of different life situations usually acted out differently in the movies. This appears clearly in what I consider one of the most enjoyable phone conversations ever acted on the big screen; it's Harry (Fiennes) vs. Ken (Gleeson) talking about Bruges and how Ray (Farrell) feels about it. Even the excessive swearing and the use of the F word 126 times throughout the film help darken the dialogues and perfecting them for one of the most inspirational black comedies in the history of the genre.

But there's always something special about any movie that's written and directed by the same person. When you take a closer look at In Bruges, you figure that Martin McDonagh has shown pure brilliance in directing his very own tight script. Having created the story himself, his presentation constantly gives a hint of pure originality in every scene. The dramatic depth of In Bruges is only deepened even more by what I believe to be the perfect cast; it's one of those rare movies where you think the writer thought of the actor even before the character itself was written. Farrell, Gleeson and Fiennes, each an acting phenomenon on his own, fill in their roles in a quite convincing manner; good enough to earn Collin Farrell a Golden Globe in 2008.

In a nutshell, In Bruges is one deep sophisticated yet simple story, full of morals and symbols. It is funny, it is dark and it is fully entertaining. The piano score, the medieval city and the awkward conversations, all make it quite the ride, the kind of ride you don't miss.

August Rush (2007)

In a Nutshell Masterpiece: August Rush (8/10)

[8/10 · 8 December 2010]

August Rush..."The music is all around us. All you have to do is; listen!"

Wishing for a perfect mood-fix that will revive your senses and leave you with a smile? There you have it. This film will top everything your cinematic desires will wish for in a light, romantic, musically influenced picture. August Rush cannot be categorized as just a story, it is a fairytale, though without unicorns and butterflies, still very inspirational and uplifting in an indescribable way. It's a story about Evan "Freddie Highmore", a young music prodigy separated at birth from his parents, who uses his magically inherited musical talents in his quest to reunite his family.

What's unique about this movie is though it is set in the real world, it is nonetheless filled with endless fairytale elements that give it its special identity. From love at first sight on a roof of an NYC building, to the derelict, Oliver Twist like, children and their Wizard of a leader, to the magical musical and spiritual bond between three family members yet to be united. All these elements contribute in making August Rush an epic on its own terms.

Music is the fundamental rudiment of this picture, and it is undoubtedly a strong base for a stronger structure. With the assistance of the sound mixing and editing, almost every sound in the movie is transformed into rhythm. You can hear melodies through the blowing wind and beats through the sound of a dribbling basketball. The original soundtrack of August Rush is very powerful and it only adds the right flavor to the very simple, yet very touching story. The song "Raise it up" is arguably the only thing that is not left underrated in this film and that is due to its Oscar nomination in 2008 for best original song.

I can go on and on about how August Rush is satisfying on all levels, but there's one undeniable fact; that acting, especially that of Freddie Highmore is the corner stone of the whole thing. This is the same kid that fascinated Johnny Depp when they worked together in "Finding Neverland" and made him request him one more time to be the Charlie in "Charlie & The Chocolate factory". His smiles, his gestures, his calmness and his ability of transforming his character's inner thoughts and feelings to the audience, these all are factors in leaving the viewers no choice but to enjoy what they're seeing.

On top of that and besides the satisfying performances of Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Keri Russell (the parents), you get the perfect portrayal of the caring Child Services officer by Terrance Howard and the leader of a gang of street performers by Academy Award winner Robin Williams. Their characters, though secondary, they serve tighten the story and give it more meaning and morality.

In a nutshell, August Rush is a fairytale of music, magic and love. It is like that song you'd play on regardless of your mood. It starts with a thought and ends with a rhapsody. It definitely leaves its audience with the perfect rush. So, let the music fill you up and make the most of it. It is a very pleasant experience!

Requiem for a Dream (2000)

In a Nutshell Masterpiece: "Requiem for a Dream" 2000 (9/10)

[9/10 · 8 December 2010]

Requiem for a Dream...The psychologically disturbing path of self destruction.

Defining a cinematic genre of its own kind, Requiem for a Dream enriches you with an experience, though severely troubling, yet morally fulfilling. It tells the story of Harry (Jared Leto), his mother Sara (Ellen Burslyn), his girlfriend Marion (Jennifer Connelly) and his best friend Tyrone (Marlon Wayans); four dreamers whom drug addiction, coming in different forms, is their ultimate downward spiral.

As if actors have been casted before the story has been written, every character falls into place with its portrayer making the film as real in the viewer's eyes as it could ever be. The human desperation to become wanted and desired is vividly presented by Ellen Burslyn who performs an Oscar nominated role of a life time with a character that walks pitifully through the pathway of sanity to insanity undergoing the painful transformation from human to clown in search for a wild dream. On the other hand, Leto, Wayans and Connelly, each in his own frame succeed in playing their very intense roles compellingly.

Director and mastermind Darren Aronofsky accomplishes a tough yet a necessary mission of putting the audience in a state of acquaintanceship with the complicated characters of the movie. As the story goes on, you feel attached to them, like you're a part of the group, as if you're another junkie on quest for a sniff or a desperate old timer hallucinating from diet pills. And then, with the speedy snapshot-like frames, the split screen scenes and the shots from the characters' view angles, we see cinematography and editing giving the director a well deserved helping hand that contributes to the making of a masterpiece.

Generally in the world of film making, music has always played a huge role in creating a film's identity. However, in "Requiem for a dream" music has played the center role, the lead which everything follows. The remarkable original theme coming from composer Clint Mansell stands out as the one thing that will always remind you of this film. Throughout the movie it makes you feel that all events revolve around it. It provides quite the goose bump effect required to let the audience appreciate the dramatic depth of what they're watching. And even in scenes where the main theme is not used, deep psychedelic music plays on pushing the audience forward to a unique state of euphoria that makes them feel exactly the same way the characters do.

In a nutshell, "Requiem for a dream" is a tale of sex, drugs and shattered dreams. It is so well-woven it takes control of the viewers' mood. As dark and grim as it is, it is also inspiring in its own way. Appreciate the acting, understand the lesson and fix yourself with a stand up comedy a while after to alter back your mood.

Killers (2010)

In a Nutshell: Killers

[5/10 · 3 June 2010]

Killers...So unreasonably stupid, I actually enjoyed it!

I went to see this one to make up for my needy romantic comedy desires unfulfilled by "The Bounty Hunter". I gotta say; it isn't as intriguing as I wanted but to a certain extent enjoyable. "Killers" is a story about Jen (Katherine Heigl), recently dumped, who goes on vacation with her parents to France where she meets Spencer (Ashton Kutcher) the man of her dreams. As they become 3 years married, violent secrets about lovely Spencer begin to unveil and then the adventures begin.

"Killers" is one foolish, unrealistic, anything-can-happen, whatever- the-director-wants kind of movie. You'll find it impossible to judge it with reason. If you drop your brains at the door of the theater, and decide to enjoy a sequence of some random eye candy scenes with good looking characters running around, you'll love it. "Killers", just like other movies this year, is a based on one fabulous idea, that could have been well executed to create a different kind of film.

Moreover; I think this movie is chronologically impaired (definitely not in a Tarantino way). The events are in a timely order, but in a wildly shifting manner. Things happen so fast and you're moving from one stage in the story to the other so quickly. It makes you think they're underestimating your intelligence. You'll find yourself, in many parts of the movie, saying "really??" sometimes out loud. But then again, leave them brains out of the game.

Kutcher appears as charming as usual, but ironically, he fits in the character he fakes a lot more than his real one in the movie. Heigl who's undoubtedly one of the most beautiful women in Hollywood these days, brings in her funny side and succeeds to give a few chuckles. Finally, Tom Selleck and Catherine O'Hara who portray Heigl's parents add their 2 pennies of comedy during their short appearances which are nothing less than amusing.

In a nutshell, "Killers" is a comical, no story, chain of events that take place in no brains land. Watch it with just your eyes and you may have fun. You may also give yourself one free pass to use your brains so that you can imagine the whole lot of events that happen off the screen as they're surprisingly more than what happens on it.

Kick-Ass (2010)

In a Nutshell: Kick Ass

[7/10 · 1 June 2010]

Kick Ass...Entertaining but a little less than its name!

Once you see the trailer of this movie you know you're in for something special and a lot more than ordinary. Kick Ass is anything but ordinary. But beware, this is actually tailored to a certain chunk of the audience and for them it will really kick ass. For others it may be just OK and for many, trust me, it will be ridiculous.

Kick Ass is about Dave, a high school nerd, unsurprisingly a fan of comic books, who decides to become a superhero since no one has done it before in the real world. As the story of him becoming a vigilante goes on, he meets other real world superheroes and gets involved in a quest of brining down a drug lord and his gang.

As much as I enjoyed it, I have to say the ratings, which are through the roof, sort of ruined what could have been a more pleasant experience for me. It made my expectations go so high, I spent the whole movie on waiting mode, holding my breath for something magical to happen so that I can meet those expectations. America has always overrated whatever fell in what I call the rule of four: vampires, aliens, dinosaurs and blood (you thought I was gonna say superheroes, didn't you?). Kick Ass falls in the last category, with bad guys brutally murdered, burned, sliced and in one part grinded and that, for many, could be the main reason they'd watch a movie and actually laugh.

Actors of Kick Ass are actually a great fit despite their diversity, mainly of age, which I believe is one of the reasons for the movie's great reception. The humour is also enjoyable for the most part. And what's special about it is that it actually has a story to follow which is usually a rare factor in similar films. But on a moral level, I'm just not sure that a 10 year old girl shooting and savagely killing big guys is a great idea. It is to some extent fun to watch, but may not be for everyone.

In a nutshell, it is not one of the best movies ever, like listed on some websites but it is definitely funny and entertaining. It is rated R, so no kids (talk about irony). But if you are in the mood for some kids running around chasing bad guys, I say grab the pop corn and play this one on.

Date Night (2010)

In a Nutshell: Date Night

[7/10 · 31 May 2010]

Date Night..Welcome to the roller-coaster of Hilarious!!

It is always nice to see some of your favourite TV characters on the big screen. 30 Rock's Tina Fey and The Office's Steve Carell team up for a very amusing comedy that will give you a lot more than chuckles. Date Night is about a boring, married with kids, couple from New Jersey who decide to go on a date in a fancy restaurant in Manhattan. When they take someone else's reservation, a case of mistaken identity kicks in. And from there starts a series of unfortunate and dangerous events on their side and unstoppable laughing on yours.

I'm never capable of keeping this inside whenever his name comes up but I'm neither a fan of Steve Carell nor of his idiotic moron comedy. But, as honest as I can ever be, he made me laugh enough in this one to make up for all of his previous performances, at least the ones I've seen. Needless to say, Tina Fey is not just fun to watch, she's undoubtedly one of the funniest women who ever made it to fame. Only a few days ago she has been chosen to receive the Mark Twain Humour Award as the funniest woman in America.

And coming from Shawn Levy, director of the two "Night at The Museum" movies and writer "Josh Klausner" who's behind the latest two Shrek movies, the comedy film audience would expect nothing less than an uproarious show for their money, and they get one. Not only are you fully served by the one and a half hour of Fey and Carell, you also get, not one not two, but four little first-rate comically flavoured toppings; Mark Ruffalo, Mark Wahlberg, James Franco and Mila Kunis. And by the way, the Franco and Kunis scene is undeniably the movie's best.

In a nutshell, Date Night presents a good comedy combo of the classic mix-ups, the spontaneous comebacks and the dangerous, yet very funny unfortunate events. I enjoyed it!

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010)

In a Nutshell: Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

[7/10 · 30 May 2010]

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time..If you're thinking that this is another cheesy video game based movie, think again!

As much as being based on a major video game makes a movie widely anticipated, it also makes the audience very hesitant towards going to see it. This one may not be perfect but it's a win for your money. At least this is not another "Street Fighter" or "Max Payne".

The Sands of Time or the first of The Prince of Persia series gives us the Genesis of Dastan (Jake Gyllenhaal), your favourite video game Prince, the story of how he is adopted by the good king of Persia and how he becomes a part of the royal family of one of the biggest kingdoms of the world. The story goes on to tell us about Dastan's brothers making the decision to invade the Holy City of Alamut in which Dastan joins hands with Princess Tamina for a dark race against evil forces to protect an ancient dagger that has the power of releasing the Sands of Time.

The good thing about The Sands of Time is that all aspects of moving making behind the lens come together to put on a good show. Cinematography and Art Direction play some of the biggest roles in this picture. The shooting angles and the set decoration make it all so vivid and so real. There are times in the movie where you think you're in the game itself, that you're moving Dastan, as he jumps from one roof top to the other, with your own hands. For all this to happen, you have to have Oscar winning cinematographer John Seale directing those cameras, the man behind photography of "The English Patient", "City of Angels" and "Cold Mountain".

About the acting, I have to say it was average except for Alfred Molina who portrays the character of Sheikh Amar, a desert con man who runs ostrich races. Not only does Molina excel in every line of his role, he also plays lead in the comic relief side of the story. Molina gives you the laugh you need every now then between sword fighting and knife throwing scenes. No wonder he's become the top story of every critic's review about this movie since it was released. But regarding the role of Princess Tamina, let's just say it was very unfortunate for that Iranian actress who was planned to play it to get arrested before the shooting, because as far as I can see it; Gemma Arterton has made the princess of the, supposedly Holy City, look like a sorority girl.

In a nutshell, apart from the acting that could have been more satisfying in some parts, this film is an entertaining ride. This is good fantasy movie making with a strong promise of a sequel.

The Bounty Hunter (I) (2010)

In a Nutshell: The Bounty Hunter

[5/10 · 29 May 2010]

The Bounty Hunter..Jenny and Gerry get together for a less than average comedy.

I was so eager to see this one and I'm sure, so did many fans of Jennifer Aniston and her romantic comedies. Add to that, the fact that it's Gerard Butler she's up with and you've got yourself a long line of excited viewers. But is that really what the audience waited for?!!

In this movie, Gerard Butler portrays Milo Boyd, a bounty hunter who hunts wanted felons down for rewards. Milo finds out that his next target is none other than his ex-wife Nicole (Jennifer Aniston) and from there, the wild adventures begin.

As much as the idea sounds so promising for a good comical ride, writer Sarah Thorp decides to add a twist of action to the story and surprisingly flaws what could have been a much more enjoyable film. I believe that adding a side story of crime and conspiracy was boring and unnecessary. It only caused distraction from the story we want enjoy, the one where sexy Jenny continuously tries to run away from handsome Gerry, the one with the ex-wife ex-husband fun fights and awkward emotional moments.

It is undeniable that the movie is going to give you a few chuckles here and there, especially when Gerry teases Jenny every now and then, and in times when they try to act as a real couple, but then again I expected more. I think everyone who saw the poster or the trailer were like "Oh I can't wait to see those two together!", well, so was I. I guess we can blame it on the expectations.

In a nutshell, this one should not be classified as a disappointment; it's merely a victim of high expectations. Yes it's Jenny and Gerry and yes it's Andy Tennant, who once directed "Hitch" but No do not expect much because this one goes under JUST OK!!

From Paris with Love (2010)

In a Nutshell: From Paris with Love

[4/10 · 26 May 2010]

From Paris with Love..A "plotless" action flick with a hint of awkwardness.

US ambassador's personal assistant in Paris "Reece" (Rhys Meyers) teams up with American spy "Wax" (Travolta) for a special assignment of stopping a terrorist attack. As they both meet up, it's a typical ride of gun shooting and blowing bad guys up like you've seen it before. If you're in the mood for some guns, bombs and hot pursuits backed up by a good story, this may NOT be what you're looking for, as it lacks the later part.

Coming from writer Luc Besson who once wrote a masterpiece like "Leon" and director Pierre Morel of "Taken", one would expect a strong plot to begin with. Well, there wasn't any. The movie is no more than silly shots-everywhere-scenes linked by awkward moments between Wax and Reece, who by the way had no chemistry to save their own lives. I think Besson and Morel thought so hard of how a stereotype would look like, from the spy to the terrorist to the young diplomat, and tried so hard to portray the opposite. From where I'm standing I believe they overcooked what could have been a good meal.

As far as the acting; we all love to see a good Travolta movie. I have to say he made me chuckle once or twice with his spontaneity, his violent humour and taking his gun for a wife, not to mention the Royale with cheese which really reminded me of "Pulp Fiction" and like Roger Ebert said "the last thing you should do is remind the audience of a movie they'd rather be home watching". As much as I tried to enjoy his character, the idea of Travolta being out of place never stopped building up until the end.

But who rather seemed out of this world was Jonathan Rhys Meyers; who ironically had the same name in the movie with a twisted "Reece" spelling. In case you didn't notice, this is Jonathan Rhys Meyers of August Rush, the same guy who won a Golden Globe for portraying Elvis Presley in the 2005 TV picture "Elvis". Throughout the movie he appears too helpless and naive as he stands in the background bemused by how Wax (Travolta) takes care of everything. He looked like a fifth grader who just teleported to junior high. Desperate to prove himself and save the day he could only bring me back to the idea of overcooking the avoidance of stereotyping in the characters.

As the movie ends, it all becomes clear that what was on the minds of the writer and the director was just an idea, hardly developed into a story that barely composed a one hour and twenty minute movie.

In a nutshell, I believe this one could have been done way better if the plot wasn't so cheesy for its own good. I mean, seriously, if you have someone as good as Travolta on board, you should make the most of it.

Shutter Island (2010)

In a Nutshell: Shutter Island

[9/10 · 23 May 2010]

Shutter Island..A journey from darkness to revelation.

Highly anticipated through the vibe of Here's-another-Scorsese-DiCaprio- collaboration, Shutter Island delivers what's expected and more. It is an acting-directing masterpiece that won't fail most of its viewers. Set in 1954, this is a story of Teddy Daniels (DiCaprio), US marshal, who's called for a special investigation of the disappearance of a psychiatric patient from an island based asylum for the criminally insane. As Teddy steps foot into grim Ashecliffe, he's disturbed by the looks of the patients on the outer grounds of the hospital, but he has no idea that what he's about to encounter is out of his wildest expectations.

Based on a novel with the same name by Dennis Lehane, writer of "Gone Baby Gone" and "Mystic River", this story needed a great ensemble of actors lead by none other than legendary director Martin Scorsese to live up to its viewers expectations, and luckily it did. Scorsese had also chosen his all time buddy Film Editor and 3 time Academy Award winner Thelma Schoonmaker, the lady behind editing movies like "Gangs of New York", "The Departed" and "The Aviator", to become his editing mastermind. I say, since Marty chose to employ flashbacks, visions and short intervening scenes to help reach the dramatic climax of the story, he needed the helping hand of such a remarkable editor.

In this picture, not only is your mind captivated by the thrill of the story, but also your senses by its absorbing setup and its powerful score. Throughout the movie, you can tell that a great effort has been exerted in the art direction especially in scenes of Teddy's dreams, visions and flashbacks. And it's all only backed up by a brilliant choice of music that serves achieving no less than the desired emotional state of the audience.

And just as if you aren't satisfied with brilliant acting of DiCaprio, Ruffalo and Kingsley, Martin Scorsese presents a triple serving of spectacular short appearances by Emily Mortimer, Patricia Clarkson and Jackie Earle Haley. Each with a story of their own, they not only deliver dazzling performances that may very well earn them supporting role nominations, but they also push the story forward toward its ultimate revelation.

In Short, apart from a rather limited hype of negative criticism towards the similarities of the story and an old silent film called The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Shutter Island has had a great reception worldwide and had been very well appreciated by the book readers and those who just saw the movie. I say if a movie is the highest grossing and the most financially successful in Martin Scorsese's career, you should see it if you haven't already.