Dino and Depth

In Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, the lead pair of Manny and Ellie have a baby, whom they name Peaches. The other concurrent trail that runs right through is the discovery of a huge enclave (shadows of The Lost World) of dinosaurs that have survived the Ice Age, ostensibly by being proximate to a lava pool and below the ice shelf. The stand-out character of the movie is undoubtedly Buck, a weasel with an eye patch that sees himself as the somewhat indulgent caretaker of naïve mammals is what is a world of largely ferocious reptiles. Like the many Pixar masterpieces, this is another movie where the personality that is imbued in animated characters simply takes your breath away (not the least because of 3D – the first such movie that I can recall seeing). This seems to me like a good avenue for a hobby, or perhaps even a long shot career option, away from the relentless stress… but I digress. This is a remarkable movie in the way pretty much every animated movie out of America seems remarkable. While special effects in the context of action sequences has become somewhat been-there-done-that no matter which the movie, the world of animation is just about entering a Golden Age with the likes of the Ice Age series

16.5/20

The Free Generation

Harold and Kumar is one of the most interesting media to convey the immigrant dilemma in America with startling clarity. Here in Harold and Kumar go to White Castle, the intrepid duo escape inhibition and racist slurs, angsty trysts with extended families and oppressive Investment Banking bosses, run-ins with “white boys” that give them a hard time – all in their singleminded quest for those little things that embody the Great American Dream – coke and pizza, hash, and pussy. Yet again the movie trails off with Amsterdam and free will. Yet another entertainer, but not one that deals with quite as many issues as its successor (Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay)

12.5/20

Get This Message

I am bigoted, biased, or maybe plain discerning (:-))– but while I watch a fair number of Hindi movies, none seem to move me. There is the mediocre acting, the cinematography that is usually decades behind Hollywood, the emoting that is so contrived that I am shocked as to how it manages to consistently move people, but most of all – the movies do not seem to have anything to convey. And it is the last of the tests that New York fails to meet. Forget the acting, and do not even begin to compare the cinematography with the dozens of stunning Hollywood movies that use the Big Apple as backdrop. What will move you is the consistent message that terrorism just cannot be condoned, no matter what the motivations of the terrorist and no matter how much such motivations may draw our empathy. So, be it torture in custody or or be it abetting in the name of love – whatever be the insinuation or emotional reason – terrorism does not work. The positive message in all this – the dark shadow of this relentless persecution of terrorism shall not fall on the near and dear ones of terrorists – no matter how close the latter are. And this is the greatness of this movie, the way it rounds it all off and makes sense of the need to purge violence with violence, but highlights equally vehemently the need to show compassion for those that are left in the wake

15.5/20

Museum of Horrors

After the first edition, one could at the very lest expect that Night at The Museum II - Battle of the Smithsonian would only build upon the excitement of museum exhibits coming alive. After all, could the theme of a museum – with untold possibilities in terms of exhibits – possibly go wrong? Yes it can. It is possible to go overboard with too many characters, completely misplace characters (a pathetically funny Kamun-ra who is neither menacing nor amusing), a Capone who has nothing to do in the movie to speak of, an Amelia Earhart who seems to have confused irrepressible flirting with a sense of adventure, and, in the middle of it all, a Ben Stiller – why he is posited as a millionaire entrepreneur in the overall context of the movie is the only mystery that lingers in my mind after this movie. One movie that I will forget overnight, not in days

7/20

Someone Transform this Series

One part of me wants to trash Transformers II – Revenge of the Fallen so bad that Michael Bay and his merry men would think twice before turning this into a trilogy. Another part, however, asks – what is it we were expecting anyway. Sam Witwicky, vulnerable and quite the center of affairs. Megan Fox, sizzling, a modicum of dialogue also thrown in for effect. Relentless action sequences (with the added side effect of trashing the last of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World). This is a teenage movie series, and we stepped in, forewarned of the same, and got everything that we might have expected. The question is – did this movie lift the franchise to a higher level? Did it lend character to Optimus Prime the way it clearly sought to do. Did you want us to make up our minds about whether humans should be taking sides in an extraterrestrial battle, or whether the Autobots should be sharing their technology with humans. I guess not, because this movie did not quite click

9/20

While You were Sleeping

Once in a while comes a low budget movie that literally sweeps you off your feet. While I cannot in all honesty accord such generous description to The Hangover, this is unqualified wholesome entertainment. After a long time comes a comedy that does not involve romantic tiffs and goofy slapstick. What makes The Hangover stand out is that a lot of the audience can relate to the overall theme, and the escapades are hilarious without being ludicrous. There is also the element of unraveling the events of the night past step by step, which, while not always consistent, does keep the audience engaged. One of the best comedies going in a while

12.5/20

You Wont Like Me When I'm Angry Part IV

I first saw X-Men Origins - Wolverine in a truly disastrous edition on the PC. The graphics were incomplete, and Hugh Jackman and the rest of the cast and crew were justifiably livid over the release of this pirated edition. Wolverine’s beginnings have shadows of that of Magneto – a repressive family bringing memories of a Nazi concentration camp. A complex relation with a brother who falls astray and a few twists later, one could well be convinced that there was sufficient provocation behind the coming-of-age of a truly angry (young?) man, But then, I don’t think the audience needed any convincing on that front anyway in respect of Wolverine. A watchable movie but superfluous in terms of its contribution to the X-Men franchise

12/20

The Franchise Stands Salvaged

What clearly stands out in Terminator – Salvation is the liberal usage of the last editions’ unforgettable snippets. From “I’ll be back” to the cryogenic freeze, to the eponymous bike-over-truck reversal, the elements mercifully do not appear out of context though. The one other aspect that stands out is the performance of Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington) who brings out his conflict and clear loyalties through a great performance. The movie is unmemorable in terms of the storyline, and, as may be expected, will lead to one or more sequels, and trails off that way. A movie that clearly keeps the franchise alive and kicking without Schwarzenegger, and with much more conviction than say Rise of the Machines

14.5/20

All Movie

Another good site abt the movies: http://www.allmovie.com/

Christendom Overdose

Dan Brown’s eponymous novels clearly do not translate to the silver screen. While The Da Vinci code was merely insipid, in Angels and Demons, the latest edition, the incredulity of generating antimatter in a pilferable bottle in Zurich that Implodes in 24 hours (remember cold fusion in Moscow in The Saint?), the agony of following antagonists that need to commit heinous acts in indecipherable patterns, the casuality of interaction between papacy and the hoi polloi, and the overarching theme of an irrelevant conflict in today’s day and age (Illuminati vs the Church) – if it were not for pleasant movie halls and the visual spectacle that is Rome, this would be agony compared to its predecessor’s light torment. Besides, Tom Hanks is ageing and in a merely ageing kind of way, ie not the graceful Harrison Ford way

9/20

The First Trek

The first thing that struck me about Star Trek is the simplicity of execution. For a TV series that I remember for its inherent complexity in terms of the issues depicted, the introduction to the key characters, their motivations and their budding interrelationships is surprisingly devoid of complications. The special effects though undoubtedly top of the line (and hence in sharp relief to the TV series), are by no means the focus of the story. This is about how young leaders take responsibility for thinking through and resolving challenging situations, well too aware of the consequences if they take a misstep. In terms of characters, while Kirk is a little over the top as a brash young man, Spock comes across as the conflicted half-man half-Vulcan with all the inherent conflict in such a character. Not worth # 46 all time on IMDB, but definitely an un-missable movie of the year

16.5/20

If Truth Be Told
Kate Beckinsale puts in a stellar performance in Nothing But The Truth, where a matter of principle is taken to its morally logical end. Much suffering is endured – a family broken, a child’s custody lost – because of the need to protect a witness. The identity of the witness, though, comes as a surprise to all. A movie that has overtones of Angelina Jolie in Changeling – and all the associated undercurrents of prejudices against a woman taking up a cause. This is a movie that gradually builds up in its intensity and rounds off with a delectable surprise. After a long hiatus, a thriller worth the time

14/20

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQxdIjyujZA
Times We Are In

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQxdIjyujZA
Times We Are In

Out of this World Consistency

What can I say about the Dreamworks franchise except that for me the name has become an eponym for the perfect animated movie. Monsters Vs Aliens is no exception. Will remember this movie for the fact that Rikk (all of 1.5 yrs old) watched it in total silence. And that is no mean feat for a movie, notwithstanding the large screen and digital audio et al. Reese Witherspoon anchors a near perfect animated performance that sees her co-star with a snob fiance, a genius cockroach, a "missing link", a jello and a giant larva. And it all makes sense, and mankind is saved once again, and none of it looks trite or boring. Rob Letterman (Shark Tale fame) roduces another near perfect entertainer. Go watch it irrespective of age. Any age

15.5/20

The Long Watch

To do justice to a critically acclaimed movie like Watchmen one should have done one’s homework – i.e. have read the cult 12 part graphic novel series. Perhaps that in itself explains the movie’s principal failure. Throught the movie, the viewer does not for a moment doubt that he is watching a remarkable visual spectacle and possibly the most intricate character portraits of superheroes since The Dark Knight. The additional challenge being that unlike The Dark Knight and its likes, Watchmen profiles several different characters at a difficult time for America, juxtaposing their individual moral ambiguities against the tribulations facing a nation. The failing is the attempt to try to condense a 12-part series into a single movie. It is a surfeit of emotions and animation, and the viewer would find it difficult to absorb any train of thought before the movie moves on. This is not a movie to be watched over a 2 hour popcorn munching session. This is incursion into serious moral territory and at the least one should have read the related novels and braced oneself for a 3 hour

10/20

Intrigue Entree

Clive Owen and Naomi Watts lead in The International, that dwells on a topic close to every Swiss Banker’s (at the time of writing) heart – the world of offshore private banking. A personal rant would be that the offshore private banker has really little chance of escaping vilification in this tumultuous economy. Cut to the movie. Fast paced script, action scenes that range from good to exceptional (the one at the Guggenheim in New York), great locales. On the other hand, not much of a storyline, a complete absence of suspense, and the rounding off in an unconvincing morality tale fashion. Worth a watch, but definitely not one for posterity

10/20

Charmed
Vicky Christina Barcelona, like good food or fine wine, lingers in the senses long after the movie. Vignettes stick in one’s mind – in no particular order:
- The beautiful sights and sounds of Barcelona, in a lovely yellow tint. Last time I remember it is the no less beautiful French countryside in A Good Year
- A strictly right-side-of-the-brain movie with art and spontaneity and passion
- Vicky’s confused affections that cannot reconcile till the very end
- Christina’s clarity about choosing ambiguity in relationships
- The torrid Hispanic Elena
- The matter-of-fact narration that lets you draw you own conclusions, unhindered
Watch the movie as a strictly sensory pleasure without judgement. With of course Woody Allen’s masterful hand at depicting relationships

14/20

Grappling with Fate

The hardest thing in life is to reclaim it from your own mistakes. Gradually, you fade into the sunset, or, in the case of Randy the Ram in The Wrestler, into an existence where reconciliation with one’s daughter and seeking means of leading a so called normal life with so called normal jobs, has become one’s raison-de-etre. And then, over a night of being spurned in love, relapse into the ghosts of the past, and estrangement all over again are all brought to a head over a minor incident at the butcher’s shop. And Randy the Ram becomes a wrestler again, and stops running away from his place in destiny. This is a movie without a definitive storyline, and without a definitive end. But you will share the journey of a man trying to find his calling, While the story is heartwarming, the vignettes are somewhat repetitive and the movie a tad too inconclusive.

13.5/20

French Fun

True to the first installment, The Pink Panther 2 begins with much promise by way of Inspector Clouseau’s own brand of semi slapstick humour, loses its way somewhere around the middle, and then finds it again to round off a fairly watchable movie. As far as humour is concerned, one gets the feeling that there is an overlap of far too many elements – the stereotypes, the action sequences, the warped logic, the karate kid family create sequences that are delightful but in certain instances a trifle too much. Good to see Aishwariya in a substantial role, not the least towards the end. The ending is definitely not guessable, though I am not sure whether it is entirely logical. Well, all is fair in Clouseau’s end-justifies-the-means-and-hilarity world

12/20