Blood Out

Cardboard acting by almost everyone, lack of good action, a couple of washed out stars from the past that fail to make any impact, a predictable storyline, and a film that tries to be cultist, but fails miserably.

Blood Out has an independent feel to it. It definitely isn't one of the stylized Hollywood films even though it has Val Kilmer, Vinnie Jones, and 50 Cents making cameos. The story is the age old revenge tale of a cop brother (Luke Goss) infiltrating a "gang" to avenge the wrongful death of his younger mischievous sibling. The film could have gone dark; it had the potential to play with some hard emotions and human nature, but unfortunately stays on the safe path wherein the good guy remains good till the very end.

I'm not quite sure how to place Blood Out. It has a cult feel to it, but lacks anything that would make it into a cult classic. It hardly has any memorable dialogue that the audience might want to repeat except for maybe the cheesy "Blood In, Blood Out" said a couple of times. To be honest besides cheesy it just sounds stupid. The film is an action film, but again the fights are depressing. The drama is just too clichéd.

The sad part about Blood Out is that it even narrowly misses the "So Bad, It's Good" tag. It's a forgetful film. A film that you need to think twice before you watch it, even if it is being shown for free.

Rating 2/5

  

True Grit (2011)

I'm not one that goes out of his way to watch Westerns. In fact I try and avoid Westerns most of the time. As a cinephile, I hate missing out on any genre, but I do have my preferences.

I think the closest I came to really liking a movie that might have a feel of a Western was No Country For Old Men. Surprisingly enough, True Grit just happens to be a film made by the same directors, Ethan and Joel Coen. Although I had been avoiding True Grit for the longest time, I finally gave in, and I sure am glad.

I've almost always enjoyed the work of the Coen brothers and as a result I have often favored their style of direction. This film is no different in that it captures the slow pace of a western quite well, but still manages to be interesting. The rugged terrain of the "wild west" is brought about beautifully adding substance to the story and almost proving to be a supporting character in the film.

The film is about Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld), a young girl, who hires a drunk US Marshall Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) to find the killer of her father. En route they encounter LaBoeuf (Matt Damon), a Texas Ranger, who has a agenda of his own and is after the same killer as Mattie.

Jeff Bridges gives a pretty great performance, but overall I could not help but imagine the Dude being reincarnated as a drunk US Marshal and ending up in this film. Moreover, the accent at times was so strong that not having watched the film with subtitles, all I could get was mumbles. It didn't take away from the enjoyment of the film, but nevertheless it was something that bothered me on instance.

Matt Damon as LaBoeuf failed to leave an impact. He carried his role, but throughout the film it felt odd, a bit out of place. The awkwardness might have just worked because here was a Texas Ranger who is in a new town making new acquaintances to capture a killer he has been following for a while, but although I like Matt Damon as an actor he did not do justice to the role.  

Barry Pepper and Josh Brolin have limited roles, but they shine in their respective parts. The surprise of the entire film, the breakthrough performance, the act that not only made the film for me, but also made me recommend it to others is Hailee Steinfeld's Mattie Ross. Hailee Steinfeld carries the entire film on her back, and considering that she is in the company of movie legends like Jeff Bridges, it means a lot. Determined, witty, stubborn, unafraid, Mattie Ross is a girl with a mission, one that she will complete at any cost, and Hailee manages to tap into that persona with all her gusto to give a performance of a lifetime.

True Grit is a great film that stands out for a commendable performance by its lead actress.

Rating 4/5 

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

I have to confess, I am not a huge fan of the whole Planet of the Apes series. I have seen a few (including the adaptation with Mark Wahlberg), but they have never really struck a chord. So, after much hesitation, and a number of good reviews from fellow bloggers, I finally bought the DVD of the latest for a viewing.

My first and immediate reaction was that I liked it, no, I enjoyed it. The story moved along nicely and managed to captivate me. It's simple enough to pass as a popcorn flick, but complicated enough to satisfy someone who always wants a little more from their movie going experience.

In a nutshell, Rise of the Planet of the Apes sees how a medication to cure Alzheimer's, being tested on an ape Caesar (Andy Serkis), eventually results in giving him heightened brain function. As the experiment is closed, he is secretly adopted by the lead researcher Will Rodman (James Franco). Hereon, the movie moves on covering different events over a few years that eventually leads to the Ape uprising.    

James Franco continues to wow me with the diversity in his roles. It's not a challenging role, yet he performs it well. John Lithgow and Tom Felton were a pleasant surprise. Andy Serkis, makes the most of the performance capture technology, to bring Caesar to life, and without doubt is the star of the film. As for Frieda Pinto… meh!, as always (sorry I still cannot get around liking her in films). From a technical viewpoint, the film is supreme.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes is a good starting point for anyone who wants to get into the whole Ape franchise. I'm not sure if sequels are planned, but watching some of the previous releases after this one will definitely whet your appetite in case there is time before we see another Ape-fest. 

Rating 3.5/5

The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (Documentary)

It might seem that King of Kong is a documentary about gaming, and it is, but it is more so a documentary about human nature, especially its competitive side.

With the popularization of the modern day gaming consoles the classic Arcade games seem like a thing of the past. There are however people who remain true to the original form of gaming and King of Kong is about them.

Billy Mitchell had been the longest standing champion when it came to a number of Arcade games. Over the years his records were broken until he was left with only one title, that in Donkey Kong. Because of his popularity and records, he almost had/has a God like persona in the gaming community. The Documentary is a great look into the life of Billy and at times how he comes across as almost manipulative when his records are about to be broken, but in reality it is all, to me, simply human nature.  

King of Kong also follows newcomer Steve Wiebe who having broken the record of Donkey Kong has to prove his scores (A VHS copy of his record breaking score not being accepted) whereas Billy on the other hand simply sends in VHS tapes in place of actually facing Steve in competitions.

Although the documentary follows the competitive nature of Arcade gaming, it eventually focuses on the rising clash between Steve and Billy. On the one side Steve is an out of work teacher who takes on gaming to pass time and on the other is Billy who has built his empire (which includes selling a special Hot Sauce) on his success over the years.

King of Kong proved to be an exceptionally wonderful watch because although I am not a die-hard gamer, it still took me into a world of competitive gaming that I knew little about. Furthermore, personally, being a psychology major, the documentary provides an opportunity to witness human nature in its rawest form.

A must watch documentary even if you do not like video-games.

Rating - 5/5

       

Shadow of a Doubt

The brilliance of Hitchcock was that he was able to bring murder, suspense, and mystery to the level of the common man. Here, an average middle class family becomes the center of attention as one of its members is suspected to be a serial killer on the run. Keeping up with his ingenious ways of story telling, Hitchcock moves the focus of the investigation away from the Police and puts it in the hands of a niece (Teresa Wright) who suspects her visiting uncle (Joseph Cotten), whom till recently she adored, to be the serial killer.

Shadow of a Doubt combines two genres beautifully. Initially, the "mystery" of the murderer is kept from the family members and the audience with subtle hints given along the way that lead to the identity of the killer. The second half becomes more "thriller" like with the tension that arises between the family members as the identity becomes known to some, while others are left completely in the dark.

All along, till the very end, Hitchcock still manages to leave a little doubt, both in the minds of the investigating niece and the audience as to the true identity of the killer. That Shadow of a Doubt that lingers in the mind till the final act is what makes Hitchcock one of my all time favorite film makers.  

Rating 4/5 

To Catch A Thief

So far my least favorite Hitchcock thriller, To Catch A Thief is a whodunit on the surface and a love story at heart. A supposedly retired international jewel thief (Carry Grant) living his life in the Rivera is being blamed for a spree of robberies. We follow him as he goes around the beautiful locals trying to find the actual culprit which would prove his innocence to the police and to his ex partners in crime, who themselves are being suspected.

Now, although just the presence of Grace Kelly makes the film worthwhile, I fear that as a thriller it fails tremendously, especially were we to compare it to say North By Northwest. There is no doubt the acting is excellent, but the entire movie seems more like an extended vacation for the crew. Maybe it's the beautiful setting, but aside from a few suspenseful scenes and some good witty dialogue, there really was not much going on.

From a different point of view, the movie also works as a love story between the cocksure thief Grant and the somewhat fascinated-by-a-criminal Kelly. Looking at it from this angle, with the love story amidst all that is going on in the story, the film does come across as more likable. But then again, if I were to go with my feelings during the time of watching the movie, and not analyzing it afterwards, then I would have to stick with my original thought of it as being my least favorite Hitchcock so far.

 

Rating 2.5/5

Dial M for Murder

Hitchcock at his best. A husband (Ray Milland) planning to kill his adulterous wife (Grace Kelly). A murder gone wrong. The murderer (Anthony Dawson) ends up murdered. Perfect set up for an intense and compelling story.

There have been a number of remakes of this brilliant piece of a murder mystery that takes the genre and reverses it by telling the audience everything from the get go. The mystery, as the audience watches, is for the film characters to slowly put the pieces of the puzzle together.

Dial M for Murder is full of suspense and thrills and manages to entice the audience in a sort of cat and mouse one-upmanship game that takes place between the characters. The brilliance of Hitchcock is that although the identity of the culprit is known, all the characters have shades of grey making the audience question their decisions throughout the film.

Obviously, the tension build-up in the final act is typical Hitchcock, edge of the seat, fun. Considering that the entire film has a claustrophobic feel to it, as it is mostly filmed in the confined area of an apartment, and it still manages to entertain, proves why Hitchcock has always been known as the "master" of suspense.

4/5 Star Rating

Despicable Me

I wasn’t expecting much from Despicable Me. The reviews had been pretty much down the middle. I did however like the premise of this animation which is all about an evil villain, Gru (Steve Carell), trying to get back in the game by stealing the Moon all the while getting outsmarted by a much younger villain, Vector (Jason Seagel).

Despicable Me works because it is short. It doesn’t drag and has the right amount of comic elements mixed with emotions that are provided by three orphan girls that Gru adopts as part of his plan. For me, the minions that Gru houses in his secret “evil” lair were the scene stealers. Funny, charming, cuddly and not at all annoying; not only did they entertain the three orphan girls, but I am sure most of the film audience as well.

Animation, with time, has become more varied. Its focus has changed from just children to teens to even adults. Even the themes of this new breed of animations have become more complex. Not that I am complaining, because as an adult I do enjoy this new wave of animation, but it was quite refreshing to simply enjoy a movie that goes back to the basics and works well for the young and the young at heart.

As always I did watch it in 2D and I’m not sure if it ever was available in 3D, but unless there were things flying out, I see no reason why extra money should be paid for the unnecessary dimension.

Despicable Me comes with a powerhouse of voice support with the likes of Julie Andrews, Will Arnett, Miranda Cosgrove, Russell Brand, Kristin Wiig, Danny McBride, and Mindy Kailing, so it would be a shame if you were to miss out on this 3.5/5 rated brilliant animation that is sure to make you laugh and at least once say “awwwww”.  

Immortals 3D

It's pretty in parts, but comes nowhere close to the beauty of The Fall. It's bloody, but you just cannot compare it to 300. It's seeped in Greek mythology, but I would still prefer Troy over the Immortals.

The "story" of Theseus, Immortals has more that needs covering up than it can brag about. The characters, almost all of them, lack passion. It seems the makers thought that the fancy headgear that most characters wear would cover up their acting talents, but unfortunately that too doesn't help. The story itself is too shallow, almost like a masala Indian film from the 80s.

The latest trend in movies seems to be that films should end in a way so that if necessary a sequel can be made to cash in on the success. The Immortals not only falls in the same category, but also is a perfect example of a film that tries to put style over substance.

Now, normally I do not talk about actors individually, but in this case I must;

Take, Mickey Rourke. In SinCity and The Fighter he made a stand-up-and-pay-attention comeback. Then with Iron Man 2 he sort of went into familiar territory. But, my fear is that with him doing almost a similar role in the Immortals, he is making the same mistakes and just getting himself typecast again.

Frieda Pinto. I have to be honest and tell you that I'm so glad Hollywood decided to adopt her. In my book she remains one of the most overrated actresses and honestly I could not tolerate seeing her in Indian films. So, thank you Mr. Danny Boyle and Mr. Woody Allen for keeping her on the other side of the planet. 

Lastly, Henry Cavill in the role of Theseus was fairly good, although could have been better, but still I do not see him as the next Superman. There is a certain oddity about him that I can't put my finger on.

I could probably go on for a bit about the negative aspects of the movie... and I will. Why was Stephen Dorff not given a meatier role? Why at times the movie tries to be like 300, but the action sequences just don't match up. Why-o-Why did the cinema theater only have it in 3D when they should be aware I so despise watching films in 3D (and yet I fall down in-front of the system and pay extra to watch movies that would have been equally good in 2D). 

On the positive side, the final battle scene does look good. It's still nowhere close to the other realistic and visually stunning battle scenes from films like Troy or 300, but nevertheless it was exciting. What I do not understand is when will the whole having a fight scene with intermittent slow motion shots get old? Okay, I do still find it cool and maybe it's because of people like me that filmmakers still use this, but it is getting outdated. We've had this is in so many movies that eventually there will come a point when people will just not respond to it. Maybe till then we let the filmmakers milk the special effects cow?

Shallow, mostly unimpressive, boring, and without any real substance versus a few cool fight sequences. That'll be a disappointing 2/5 star rating for me.  

Captain America: The First Avenger

Having read a number of rave reviews, my expectation from Captain America were sky high. But, as the saying goes, "all things that go up must come down," my expectations came crashing down.

It's important to note that I have never read any of the Captain America comics and his origin was unknown to me, so I cannot compare how close the story is to the original comic-book. Although on the outset the entire set up is very good and comprises of a number of factors that are evident and essential in any superhero film, the story falls short coming across as shallow and one sided.

Injected with a serum that makes a puny, eager to fight Hitler, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) into Captain America, the story is simply predictable to say the least. At the other end we have Hugo Weaving as Red Skull who is on an agenda of his own with his organization Hydra which eventually defies Hitler. In fact Captain America (the film) to me seemed almost comical at times when the henchmen, after the rebellion, begin to shout Hail Hydra rather than Hail Hitler. I secretly wished that Mike Myer's Dr. Evil would pop out from the corner and do his iconic evil laugh.      

On the positive side, the film fits in beautifully with the entire Marvel universe. I like how Howard Stark, first introduced in Iron Man 2 with the Stark Convention video, is part of Captain America from the offset. I like how the movie ends with the now obligatory visit from Samuel L Jackson's Nick Fury. I also liked the propaganda retro posters that were used to promote the film. I'm not sure if the film was available in 3D as well, but once again watching it in 2D I know I enjoyed it more than I would have in 3D. The action was good, the comic moments few, and the drama a tad childish.

I did wonder if Captain America was too American for my liking, but then I've never really had a problem with a movie before if it was too patriotic with regards to any country. Also, since it is Captain "America", I think to an extent it needs to be Americanized.

Captain America - The First Avenger is a part of the Marvel puzzle and fits into it perfectly. Unfortunately as an individual piece of cinema it leaves a lot to be desired. A mediocre action film that gets a 2.5/5 star rating from me.      

Memories of Murder (Korean)

Every time I am about to watch a Korean film, my heart simply warms up. There is something so spectacular about the movies that have come out from this part of the world, that it amazes me why it has not yet become as mainstream as say Indian cinema. You are unlikely to find Korean films in a theater (aside from Festivals) and they have usually only gained success by word of mouth. Brash and genuinely original, Korean cinema is any cinema lovers dream come true.

Memories of Murder is a rather unorthodox serial killer film. Documenting one of Korea's still unsolved serial rape/murder case, the film follows a team of police officers as they try and nab a serial killer who is sexually assaulting and killing victims in a small village.

Initially, the movie seems farcical with the two police officers, Detective Park Doo-Man and Detective Cho Young-koo, almost comically running around the village trying to catch anyone suspicious, including a mentally disabled young man, to pin down the murders on. But, as the movie progresses, the audience realizes that the film amidst all the killings and growing mystery subtly highlights social issues such as police brutality. It also cunningly portrays the mounting frustration felt by the police officers as the serial killer goes about attacking, always a few steps ahead of them. The story does take a more serious investigative turn on arrival of the city Detective, Seo Tae-Yoon, but the desperation faced by the village detectives soon seeps into him as well with each new murder.

Memories of Murder is not for everyone. It's not gory, never really showing the murders taking place, but it is very gritty, realistic, and direct. The movie is extremely sexual in nature when it comes to the dialogues and like most Korean films Memories of Murder does not hide behind curtains. It uses a very "in your face" approach making the audience squirm every time new details about the serial killer emerge.

A borderline serial killer chase movie, an investigative journalism piece, and a fascinating study of human nature, Memories of Murder is cinema at its best.

A 5/5 Star Rating           

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (Hindi)

The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of ZNMD is that it is simply poetry in motion. The second thing is the slight resemblance it has to Dil Chahta Hai, but I plan to overlook that aspect of the film.

Three school friends played by Farhan Akhtar, Hrithik Roshan, and Abhay Deol go on a road trip across Spain that they have been planning since their school days. The purpose of the trip is that each one has a secret adventure sport planned that all three must participate in. In between the activities all three fight their inner demons and inhibitions meeting new people and forming stronger bonds between themselves and the people that in one way or another influence their lives.

ZNMD has a rather leisurely pace to it, and I loved this aspect of the movie. While some might find it a tad slow, I found it just right. It's almost as if the movie on one end tells you to quickly experience life because you never know if you will be alive tomorrow, but simultaneously also says that take it slow and look around you, enjoy life, experience it. Watching the movie I kept remembering what Matthew Broderick says in Ferris Bueller's Day Off "Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it”. ZNMD also weirdly reminded me of Luc Besson's excellent film The Big Blue. The stories are poles apart, but there is a certain similarity in terms of the "feel" of both the films. 

Obviously ZNMD is also the best tourism promotional video Spain could have. The beauty of the lesser explored Spain is simply amazing. I've been to Spain a few times enjoying the coastal areas, but I too was surprised with the natural beauty that Spain has to offer. The now world famous Tomatina festival and "Running of the Bulls" event are beautifully incorporated in the movie as well. In short, Spain better gear up for an influx of Indian tourists.

ZNMD succeeds as a film because the audience can see the actors have fun. All the three main male leads have excellent chemistry together and compliment each other beautifully. Katrina Kaif and Kalki Koechlin, both, for a change, don't seem out of place. What really stood out was the lack of over dramatization that can be seen in Indian films. While it does have the song and dance numbers that are synonymous with most Indian films, it does not drag. It ends when it should. The movie does at times preach, but then it is up to the audience to make what they want out of these lessons in life.

Zindagi Na Milegi Doobara is modern cinema at its best. Zoya Akhtar taps well into the psyche of the metropolitan youngster making the film hip and happening and one that relates well with the now globally conscious Indian. Since I’m on a small crusade to get my twitter friends to watch more Indian films, it would be great to know what they think of it, because although the film is shot predominantly in Spain and is very modern in its outlook, it still is grounded in Indian culture and ethos.

As for rating the film, it gets a well deserved 4.5 stars out of 5 and I hope that everyone puts it on their must watch list. 

       

The Other Guys

So, for change I decide on a couple of short reviews because certain movies are just not that great to be analysed in detail.

Let's see... Will Farrell doing what he supposedly does best. Personally his brand/style of comedy is kind of getting old for me. Yes it makes me laugh at times, but it feels similar, even repetitive.

It's always good to see Mark Wahlberg in a film. Unfortunately he seems to be getting roles somewhat similar to the one in The Departed. But since I am a huge fan of Entourage, I can't say anything bad about him. Yes I'm partial... Deal with it :-)

So, it has action, comedy, and a story that is well ... childish, but still it entertains. It gets a solid 3/5.  

Resident Evil : Afterlife

Afterlife!

While viewing the film I kept wondering why I decided to waste my time watching the movie in THIS life. I also realized that the whole franchise has a certain routine. The first movie was great, the second pretty bad. They upped their act in the third one making it almost as good as the first one, but now the fourth one pretty much went down the drain.

As for the story, it pretty much can be described in one sentence; Milla Jovovich kicks some zombie arse.

In its defense all I can say is that I did not watch it in 3D. Since I am not a big fan of 3D I am not sure how much of a difference it would have made. I'm guessing and hoping the next one which should be the end will be big and beautiful, just like the main lead of the movie ;-)

Sadly it gets a 2/5 rating.

10 Reasons Not To Watch X-Men First Class

I am aware that I am late for the party. Most people have already seen the new X-Men and almost everything has already been written about it. So in order to bring about a change, I present to you 10 reasons why you should not watch X-Men.

1. First of all what is there to like about a movie that compliments the entire series and simultaneously opens the door for future sequels. Are action movies supposed to be like this? Shouldn’t they just reboot the entire thing with a new cast (as they did) and start afresh?

2. First Class is basically an “origins” movie and it works wonderfully as that. My problem with X-Men is that now even the non-comic reading public will know everything there is to know about the characters, like Charles Xavier/Professor X (James McAvoy) or Hank McCoy/Beast (Nicholas Hoult). This means that the one thing we had over them, the knowledge of how it all began, has been taken away from us. That was the one thing that separated “us” from “them”.

3. So seriously what was up with all the subtitles? Haven’t the studios learnt that we moviegoers love it when foreigners speak with each other in a funny English accents rather than talking in their native language?

4. Two words, one name - January Jones! Again, who in their right mind would want to watch a scantily dressed January Jones portray Emma Frost. Like having the coolest real name wasn’t enough, she had to go out and do a superhero movie. If I were you, and only if I were you, I’d boycott the movie for this reason itself.

5. After watching a classy movie like X-Men: First Class, you are bound to compare it to other superhero movies. The problem with that is that your expectations will be really high henceforth and that will eventually lead to disappointment. So avoid this movie and go watch Daredevil instead. I promise you that all the movies to follow will delight you.

 6. I never knew that an action movie was supposed to be this intelligent. I mean should it not have been dimmed down so that we can watch it without using our brains. The subtle seduction of Raven/Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) by Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto (Michael Fassbender) is nothing but pure brilliance as is Erik’s decent into what he is to become. Trust me; you don’t want this kind of intellectual entertainment in a movie.

 

7. Oh My God! The movie was not in 3D. How in the world did that happen? The very thought of not paying extra for your ticket and not having to suffer a headache from wearing those glasses is simply appalling. I mean who in their right mind, in this day and age, would go and watch a non-3D movie?

8. Right, so what is up with the running time of this movie? At close to 130 minutes I was starting to think it was an Indian movie and that too without a song and dance sequence. The fact that the movie kept me at the edge of my seat and completely engrossed and interested in it has nothing to do with this. A movie so long deserves boring moments or a song and dance sequence.

9. Also by avoiding X-Men you not only save money, at the expense of losing out on pure unadulterated entertainment, but you do not have to wait the next few years in anticipation of the sequel. My eagerness for the sequel is already at a high, but that was a small price I was ready to pay just so that I could warn you about this movie.

10. Lastly, the much talked about cameos. So, if you decide not to go and watch this movie, which I am sure, you will not after reading my post, there is no need for you to not talk or know about the cameos. In fact I will do you all a favor and tell you all about it here. That is the least I can do. So it’s like these two men…


Note: Due to the nature of the post and information about to be given out, this blogger has been taken to an undisclosed location till further notice.

 PS: The blogger has requested we inform his readers that the above blog is a sarcastic take on his experience at the movie. He absolutely loved the movie and recommends that each and everyone should go and watch it. If he were to complete his post, he would have given it a 4.5/5 star rating.

Embarrassingly reviewing JLS 3D - Eyes Wide Open

I really want to be gentle towards this concert movie considering I won a couple of free tickets for it and that is the only reason I went to watch it. But, I don’t think in all honesty I can be.

JLS 3D (which could easily have been 2D and really here is another reason why 3D should not gain popularity) is a pretty average concert movie. When I won the competition I actually had to look up who JLS were. They are a boy band (imagine the horror) who gained popularity once they came in second at the X-Factor.

As expected the theater was full of mostly teenage girls and their bored looking parents. Thank God I was there with my wife and didn’t really look out of place. After the initial “Woooooo” and “Yeah” it wasn’t until half the movie was over that people really got into it and started clapping and waving their hands with the songs.

The songs were pretty okay. I would not go out and buy a CD, but they had a few dance numbers worth tapping your feet to. Then again I really am not their target audience.

The movie had all the elements of a concert movie. Covering their gig at the London O2 arena intermittently it featured their road trip and individual stories. There were funny moments, and friendly banter. There was emotion and the whole brotherhood talk; obviously most of it was done with the band members being topless which got the most “Wooooooo” from the audience in the theater. There were bits that were interesting, like when their cover of Backstreet Boys “Everybody” was intercut with their training session.

All in all it was a fun experience giving me and my wife a little time together. The movie obviously catering to the same audience the band’s music aims at was sugar coated. There are no revelations or controversies discussed. Although it gets a modest 2.5 stars out of 5 from me, I could tell that some of the other more age appropriate audience enjoyed it a lot.        

Social Networking with The Social Network

So really what's the big deal about this movie? I mean first of all half the world doesn't know how much of it is true? The other half calls it the Facebook Movie and I pretty much dislike the fact that someone can't even remember or care to find out the title of the movie they are watching. Furthermore, there are no action sequences, no grand situations involving death defying stunts, maybe very little cursing, and finally no slapstick or gross comedy. So what's there to watch... Right? If you thought right, well then you are grounded for a month. Seriously!!

This is out-and-out a writers film. Okay, firstly the makers are smart enough to have made the movie now, when Facebook is at its pinnacle. Everyone knows about it and everyone alive is on it. It's a brilliant piece of cinema in terms of the story narrative, the dialogue, and the presentation. It doesn't try to stylize anything or anyone. Take Justin Timberlake, playing Sean Parker, creater of Napster. He has a larger than life persona in real and so did his character, yet you don't see him enter a room in slow motion with dramatic music in the background. Everything from the geek talk to the party scenes are simple, plain, just like everyday life. Jesse Eisenberg takes over the role of Mark Zukerberg comfortably and makes it his own. And finally I could see Andrew Garfield as the next Spiderman.

Okay, so I agree that this is not for everyone. It's a thinking person’s film, and yes at times you just want pure entertainment without bothering to listen to anyone explain the nitty-gritty of what they want on their website and how they will go ahead with it. Also let's face it, courtroom dramas are not everyone's cup of tea. But the brilliance of this film (which should be seen by everyone who loves cinema) lies in the stellar performances, the subtle humor, and the overall simplicity. All this besides the star of the film, which in this case is the screenplay (Credit for that goes to Aaron Sorkin).

Lastly, two things that truly made me give this movie a 4.5/5 rating were the score, which was brilliant considering it's a dialogue centric movie and then the fact that after a long long, long, long time (read first time for me :-) has a movie done justice to the book it is based on (Accidental Millionaires by Ben Mezrich). On a slightly separate topic Ben Mezrich's book Bringing Down the House is one of my favorites and was unfortunately made into the movie 21.

So there it is... I can't wait for it to come out on DVD as this is a perfect movie to watch at home when you have time for some good ol' pure cinematic brilliance.

The One Word Movie/TV Series Review (which is more than a few words in some cases)

Invictus - Semi-Inspirational                  3.5/5

Shutter Island - Brilliant                          4/5

Event Horizon - Scari-Fi                      3.5/5

(Scari-Fi? - That's a Scary Sci-Fi for ya :-)

Dexter Season 4 - Outstanding          5/5

Knight and Day - Ridiculous              1/5

Next Friday - Disgustingly Fun! 3/5

 The Good, The Bad, The Weird - Korean 4/5

(Okay first of all anything in parenthesis is not counted. Yes, yes I know you think I'm just making this up as I go, but simply my blog post, my rules. Secondly, as for this stylized, funny, must watch movie, lately I've realized that Korean film are pretty damn good and hence just saying it is Korean is a good enough indication of a movie being good.)

Entourage Season 7 - Depressing        3/5

The Hurt Locker - Intense                         4/5

Scott Pilgrim Vs The World - Wicked!     4/5

Knight and Day (Redux)

 Okay I tried to keep it to one word, but this was eating me
 up inside. I just had to write about this one. First of all who in the world had the bright idea of casting the star and producer of the Mission Impossible franchise in a somewhat similar movie? Seriously this person should re-think about being in the business. Now as for the movie, you have two of Hollywood’s biggest stars and for most parts of the movie they are asleep. No-no I'm not talking about their acting, they really are drugged and asleep for the most part. The chemistry is missing, the action fake, and the story absurd. There I feel much better now. Oh and I'm being really generous by giving it a1 star.  

I am glad I was able to watch some really fun and well made movies since the last post. I have to admit that doing the One Word Movie Review was pretty unsatisfying. Usually there is a bit more I would like to say, so it just might be the last time I try this ... well unless I'm feeling really lazy ;-)