Well Rendered

The unlikely combination of Australia (ANZAC) and Turkey – the battle of Gallipoli is the stage where Connor (Russell Crowe) loses his three sons to battle. Or does he? The Water Diviner sees his wife Eliza (Jacqueline Mckenzie) take her own life, and, left with nothing in the world to live for, makes his way to Gallipoli to find his sons. Connor finds his way to the home of Ayshe (Olga Kurylenko), wherein love blossoms between erstwhile enemies. Connor makes a dangerous journey into the heartland, making unlikely friends and allies along the way, in the quest to find his three missing sons. With a depiction of the Outback that is as well-rendered as the nuances of Turkey in 1919, The Water Diviner is a low-profile hit and one that is definitely worth a watch

14/20

Be Real

Sitting with Rikk sleeping on my lap, on a Sunday evening, I wished for my very own six-year old that he always remains Divergent – at least all of Erudite, Dauntless and Abnegate. And this is where this piece of teen fiction-turned-movie is a winner for me. It has a core thesis – a rarity and a great find – and some great acting in terms of a very central lead Beatrice Prior (Shailene Woodley), who, with the weight of being a Divergent, has to find an acceptable path for herself, her affections, and her world. Well-paced, reasonably authentic, somewhat gripping, a must-watch

15/20