ashi-lance Reviews

25th Hour (2002)

25th Hour.. (2002)

[7/10 · 27 August 2013]

The movie tells the story of Monty Brogan(Edward Norton), a guy who is gonna serve a 7-year prison sentence and spends his last day of freedom getting together with his close friends and family. Monty is scared of what awaits him, and suspects his girlfriend (Rosario Dawson) of setting him up against the cops. The film, the first to be granted access to Ground Zero, got an excellent cast of actors in the likes of Phillip S. Hoffman & Norton along with Rosario Dawson Norton's girlfriend all gave outstanding performances. The story has no relationship with 9/11, except for being in New York, but Spike Lee smartly showcases the acting talent he's assembled encompassing situation of Manhattan post 9/11 with its healing/grieving underlying metaphor perfectly balanced with its protagonist's certain unsteady future. Don't miss the extraordinary sequences, like the big "fuck you" that Monty delivers in front of the mirror to everything he can't stand about NY, and the alternative moving finale… Plus, there is a very important sequence on the DVD, when the Russian mobsters discuss Monty's situation, that was deleted from the story.

MY RATING: 7/10

The Crying Game (1992)

Crying Game- Good Noir Cinema (1992)

[8/10 · 27 August 2013]

"The Crying Game" is one of those films that you see and would like even more in retrospect. The film was huge in 1992 and earned a Best Picture nomination from the Academy, with director It is a complicated puzzle that involves an IRA (Provisional Irish Republican Army) volunteer Fergus(Stephen Rea) befriending with Dil (Jaye Davidson) girlfriend of an English soldier Jody(Forest Whitaker) whom he had kidnapped. The twists and turns of "The Crying Game" are what make the film work. The movie although has flaws in several areas, but overall ranks real high on the list of other great films of the 1990s. Director Neil Jordan creates a modern-day noir, and the film scores on both the levels of plot and character evident with the fact that he won Academy Award for Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen along with 5 other nominations for his movie.

MY RATING: 8/10

Wonder Boys (2000)

Indeed Wonder Boys..

[7/10 · 27 August 2013]

"Wonder Boys" is that wonderful little film about writers that perhaps we've all been waiting for and has strange cast in the lead that comprises of Mic Douglas,Robert Drowney Jr. & Tobey Maguire. Michael Douglas stars as English literature professor Grady Tripp, and it's going to be the most hectic and unpredictable weekend of his life. He must deal with his wife leaving him, his affair with the chancellor's wife Sarah (Frances McDormand), his editor Terry Crabtree (Robert Downey, Jr.) who's in town looking for his latest novel (which is coming in at 2500+ pages, and there's still no ending in sight), and the unwarranted advances of student boarder Hannah Green (Katie Holmes). To top it all off, his most gifted and bizarre student, James Leer (Tobey Maguire), is attached to him at the hip after learning of the young man's certain perpetrations over the last 36 hours. The movie goes downhill, unfortunately, after the "murdered pet" incident, a perversely funny scene, and the only one in this self-described dark comedy. Instead of laughing at the continuing dog scenes, you're left wondering why the animal doesn't appear to bleed, or stink. Directed by Curtis Hansen (earlier directed L.A. Confidential) the movie has been wonderfully scripted by Steve Kloves adapted from Michael Chabon's novel. Moreover, the movie won Oscar for Best Music by Bob Dylan, that was pleasure to listen to. I have no reason to explain why this movie wasn't a box office gold which it deserved to be. Whosoever was responsible for promoting this movie, shame on you as you were not able to take this movie to its actual place that it deserved.

MY RATING: 7/10

The Last of the Mohicans (1992)

Another Must watch from DD Lewis

[9/10 · 27 August 2013]

"The Last of the Mohicans" was one of the most popular and acclaimed films of its time. Its vision of early America, as it was during the French and Indian War, is captured in its utter brutality and beauty, complete with the many driving ambitions and clashing cultures with everyone being involved. This movie has a bit of action, romance, war, and passionate drama. The director, Michael Mann, knows the story well and it appears that he has researched well into the James Fenimore Cooper's book on which the movie is based. The story is all over the place, with three frontier scouts - Hawkeye (Daniel Day-Lewis), Chingachgook (Russell Means), and Uncas (Eric Schweig) - escorting a British colonel's daughters – Cora Munro (Madeleine Stowe) and Alice Munro (Jodhi May) - to safety at the besieged Fort William Henry. Major Duncan Heyward (Steven Waddington) rivals Hawkeye for Cora's affections and a vengeance-driven Huron named Magua (Wes Studi) seeks to have both daughters killed in retribution for the loss of his own children. This is by far Mann's best film yet and he uses the lush wilderness settings to great effect. He also makes good use of the editing, which actually comes in handy when showcasing the brutal violence that dominates much of the film's action sequences. The film's last 20 minutes are a definite stunner that can only be described as classic and vicious. This is a great movie that shows America in its infancy; complete with the rivalries, intrigue, and violence that I'm sure was an everyday part of life during that hectic time period.

MY RATING: 9/10

The Bank Job (2008)

The Bank Job '08

[8/10 · 27 August 2013]

It's a British crime thriller starring Jason Statham. It cleverly weaves together a number of real- life events in 1971 into a "this might be what happened scenario" involving a bank robbery that happened at The Baker Street in Central London, the details of which never came to light. The movie started off strangely and almost lost me. The opening scenes were of someone secretly taking pictures of a sexual romp and I thought for a moment whether it is some kind of a porn –flick and I had the wrong movie. West Indian crime lord Bombass (Alki David) takes compromising photos of a high profile royal figure on holiday in the Caribbean and secures them in a top secret bank vault to be used for extortion means at any time, whilst establishing his own crime empire. MI5 get wind of this and assign sexy Agent Martine Love (Saffron Burrows) to get them those photographs and she approaches Terry Leather (Jason Statham), a car agent and his mates which lead them to a daring and complex break in to the bank's vault to retrieve cash and valuables for themselves for a secure future & clearing off their debts and bring photos for MI5 (about which Love never tells to Terry), a commitment that Love has to keep in order to stay out of the crime (possession of Drugs) that she has committed for which she was caught by MI at an Airport The first half of the movie is the heist, the second half is what happens afterwards when our gang is at the mercy of the British establishment and also the underworld figures who want back sensitive items which have disappeared from their rifled safety deposit boxes. Plus, the surprising elements of corruption that are very much alive in the British System of Bureaucracy comes to light. The best part is that the pace and thrill of the movie holds you back at the edge of your seat and result is a thrilling action flick where Jason Stathom stands out.

MY RATING: 8/10

Sense and Sensibility (1995)

Sense and Sensibility '95

[8/10 · 27 August 2013]

Before The tigers crouched and the dragons hid, before the boys of mountain Brokeback, there was Ang Lee's masterpiece Sense and Sensibility, that invites everyone's attention for. It is probably the best adaptation of Sense and Sensibility (Jane Austen's novel) you will ever see, with stellar performances by Kate Winslet, Hugh Grant and Emma Thompson, all who give award worthy emotions throughout the film. I found "Sense and Sensibilty" to be one of the most charming movies with a warm feeling and is very welcoming. The story is absolutely beautiful. In the 1990's, many of Jane Austen's huge novels were made into movies and some even in television series. Most of them were good, but Sense and Sensibility really stood out and was the best as per my perception. Most thanks to Emma Thompson and her brilliant screenplay. Sense and Sensibility stars Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet as sisters, who are left poor after their rich father dies and leaves all his wealth to his son from his earlier marriage, making both the sisters poison for their future husbands because of the lack of their ability to offer dowry. This doesn't stop them from love, however, which causes many problems and heart breaks. Thompson is the 'sensible one as She is reserved and nurturing, while Winslet is the overtly passionate and artistic one. Their acting, as well as the excellent supporting cast's performances are wonderful and believable. However, the real star of the movie is the direction The incredible landscapes and the beautiful cinematography is a character in itself. In one particular scene, Winslet is taking a walk after hearing some unfortunate news, and the very atmosphere around her envelops her and makes the scene so much more fulfilling. Ang Lee is a brilliant artist, and has shown such amazing versatility with his portfolio of work that anytime I hear that a new Lee film is going to be released, I go crazy.

MY RATING: 8/10

Felon (2008)

Felon '08

[8/10 · 27 August 2013]

A powerful movie that will get you have you emotionally involved, drained and white knuckled. A young small business man, Wade Porter(Stephen Dorff), kills an intruder while trying to protect his family. The system is fouled and fails Wade, who is convicted of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to three years inside a maximum security prison. Porter will share a cell with a notorious mass murderer, John Smith(Val Kilmer). Porter will need to make use of any wisdom he can garner from Smith in order to survive. He must deal with vicious prisoners and a sadistic and corrupt head prison guard Lt. Jackson(Harold Perrineau). It will prove that the fit of the fittest is who will survive. Survival is the key in the cases of many of the characters, including some of the 'good guards' (Nate Parker, Greg Serano), the steadfast Laura, her mother (a small but well defined role for Annie Archer), and for former guard Gordon (Sam Shepard) a friend of John Smith. Dorff and Kilmer provide very strong characterizations as does Perrineau, but without the fairly large cast of 'fellow prisoners' who set the scenes, their overall performances would be less impressive. It is here that director Ric Roman Waugh demonstrates his talent for handling the mixture of physical brutality with the fragility of each individual's mind that makes the film work..

MY RATING: 8/10

Babel (I) (2006)

Babel (2006)

[8/10 · 27 August 2013]

ONE LINE REVIEW: "Babel is a wonderfully Crafted, thought-provoking and powerful film that is highly recommended to people who have taste for International Cinema."

"Babel" is a deep and multi-layered movie which follows various story lines to get its complex points across to a wide range of audience members. In Morocco, a troubled American couple (Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett) become part of an international firestorm when the latter is shot in a freak accident which traps the duo in a small, primitive village with no medical attention. Across the world a deaf teenager (Rinko Kikuchi) in Tokyo struggles for acceptance and existence as she tries to come to terms with her mother's death, a father who is rarely around due to his work, and her budding discovery of her sexuality. Meanwhile, an illegal Mexican nanny (Adriana Barraza) in California decides to take her two young charges (Elle Fanning and Nathan Gamble) south of the border with her nephew (Gael Garcia Bernal) so she can attend her son's wedding. A seemingly innocent situation though turns potentially dangerous for all involved due to misunderstandings, coincidences, and bad luck. Mexican director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (known for his modern home-runs like "Biutiful " and "21 Grams") goes beyond the cinematic realm of excellence here with an intriguing concept of utilizing several languages, along with the sign language, to get cinematic narratives across to produce a movie that has appeal among masses all around the globe. "Babel", involving three stories, four countries and several different languages, is a hugely ambitious work, and that ambition has paid off. All three stories succeed as powerful and moving human dramas; their juxtaposition, which in less skillful hands could have seemed like a cheap gimmick, here has the effect of intensifying the power of the storytelling. The film well deserved its "Best Picture" and "Best Director" nominations for Academy Awards.

MY RATING: 8/10

L.A. Confidential (1997)

L.A. Confidential (1997)

[9/10 · 25 August 2013]

People seem to feel the need to compare this remarkable film with the film noir genre as well as with the time honored classic Chinatown. Although they are not wrong in their comparisons, LA Confidential should be taken as a great film in its own right. A movie like this has a plot so well woven, with acting to support, and a cast that will blow you away, that it can't help but stand out. Everything from the great acting to the fantastic direction to the remarkable screenplay (which contains some truly great lines... "Go back to Jersey..."), is so perfectly executed that I find it amazing how studios consistently release such mediocre junk these days when they could elect to finance films like this. Gritty homage to film noir about three detectives, Spacey, a big hotshot T.V. police adviser, Crowe, a defender of women against abusers and Pearce, an ambitious yet naive detective are involved in a complex case of sex, scandal, and murder. Strange, fascinating mystery in the best Hammett/Chandler tradition is vivid and atmospheric, all thanks to the superb cast including Bassinger, who richly won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar as the Veronica Lake-ish fem me fatale who's surrounded by her Oscar-worthy costars including Cromwell as the police captain who's more important than you think. Directed by Hanson, who with Brian Helgeland won a well deserving Best Adapted Screeplay Oscar. A modern masterpiece of film-making based on James Ellroy's novel. The movie plays out like a series of events that seem to be separate but is eerily connected, and a plot like that holds the most commendment I can award a film with. This movie totally kicks Titanic's butt! This should have won best picture (just my personal view). It had an excellent story, acting, and set design. All in all it has something for everybody, action, romance, comedy, suspense, mystery, crime, drama and anything you name it.

My Rating 9/10

Casino (1995)

Casino (1995)

[9/10 · 25 August 2013]

"Casino" is another modern classic from Martin Scorsese. Drawing parallels with his earlier "Goodfellas" , "Casino" again teams Scorsese up with writer Nicholas Pileggi having De Niro & Joe Pesci in lead traditional favourite of Scorsese. The result is a truly engaging tale of mobsters setting up a new gambling empire in Las Vegas and the subsequent ripple effects that involve the local authorities and the police.

A joy from beginning to end, "Casino" is an example of a perfect movie. There's nothing you'd want to change about this film. It's full of memorable scenes that are rich with outstanding performances and dialogue and it simply demands a repeat viewing.

Casino spans three decades and chronicles the true story of a faction of the mob who ran Las Vegas casinos. Robert De Niro plays Sam Ace Rothstein, a fantastic bookie who is chosen to run the Tangiers hotel and Casino. Along the way, he marries a drug-addicted con-artist trophy wife (Sharon Stone) and struggles with his friendship with loose-cannon Nicky Santoro (Joe Pesci). Rothstein is a complicated figure in that he is not a heavy, yet he wields a lot of power due to the respect he has gained from his mob bosses back home.

Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci are both fantastic in their roles, and Sharon Stone actually turned out a non-irritating performance. As the viewer, you can't stand her, but that is the point. Scorsese seems to have several different directing styles, and Casino follows in the tradition of Goodfellas as a pseudo-documentary. A lot of the exposition is revealed by the characters themselves in the form of voice-overs, and several scenes are filmed in documentarian fashion. The entire production however, is sleek and very quick. The use of music bears mentioning as well: Most Martin Scorsese films have an amazing soundtrack that adds to and enhances the scene. Scorsese doesn't just utilize the soundtrack, he makes it part of the storytelling - by the music, we chronologically know what time period we are witnessing, since one cannot rely on other factors, such as fashion alone. One of my favorite scenes in film which effectively involves music is actually from Casino - the very intense scene when the relationship between DeNiro, Stone and Pesci come to a head in the climax of the film. The pounding music cut throughout this scene is a cover of "Satisfaction" by Devo and the result is absolutely brilliant.

Being a complete movie buff, I generally don't watch films that feature certain stars, I go to films by certain directors and Scorsese is definitely one of them. The man is a complete genius, and a gift to any movie buff - my suggestion is to watch some of his films, then check out his unbelievable series, "A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies" which was done the same year as Casino. The series is essentially a primer on the history of film, sectioned off by film genres. You not only will experience his amazing intellect and massive knowledge of film history, but his incredible humility as well.

Casino has to be one of the most underrated films that Martin Scorsese directed in the nineties. The acting by the leads is good and the script is excellent. Robert De Niro gave an Oscar worthy performance and Joe Pesci is chilling yet funny again. Even Sharon Stone is good in this brilliant film.

My Rating – 9/10

99 (I) (2009)

99 (2009)

[7/10 · 9 February 2013]

99 is targeted at youth and multiplex audience inspired by real life events of match fixing that happened in year 1999 that took cricket world by storm. The movie has the right script, good actors and the humor at right place, which is able to take the movie ahead especially with unconventional music and Cricket being involved. The story is about two small time goons – Sachin (Kunal Khemu) & Zaramud (Cyrus Broacha) who work for AGM (Mahesh Manjrekar), a known name in bookie world as they have to clear their long owed debt to him. The story gets candid as both Sachin and Zaramud are send to Delhi from Mumbai to bring Agm's money from Rahul (Boman Irani) who is obsessed with betting and is big time looser like Sachin & Zaramud. The trio is known to struck at 99, a step before they could make it big–time. The story moves forward as they get to know about JC (Vinod khanna), a match-fixer and the trio gets befriended seeing each others financial and sympathetic condition and agree to take a life changing bet that would clear off all their debts and make their dreams true.

MY RATING: 7/10

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)

[8/10 · 9 February 2013]

ONE LINE REVIEW:

The movie is a good example of Johnny Depp's own defined genre – bizarre, strange, full of mystery and might seem pointless at times but in the end it is all entertainment and about wild side of life & more or less about those rare beings that do exist around us.

"Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" is a twisted, outlandish venture into the mind of a warped junkie, a reporter who is traveling to Nevada in order to cover a Hells Angels motorcycle race, along with his Samoan attorney Dr. Gonzo (Benicio Del Toro, who gained forty pounds for his role). "We were somewhere around Barstow when the drugs began to take hold," is the line that opens the movie in an expeditious manner, as a red convertible roars from right to left, in the direction of the movie. The vehicle's trunk is packed with an abundance of deadly drugs. "We had two bags of grass, seventy-five pellets of mescaline, five sheets of high-powered blotter acid, a salt shaker half full of cocaine, a whole galaxy of multicolored uppers, downers, screamers, laughers. Also a quart of tequila, a quart of rum, a case of beer, a pint of raw ether, two dozen amyls." The narrator of the story is Raoul Duke (Johnny Depp), a balding, stumbling shell of a man, constantly smoking or inhaling drugs, his body overloaded with deadly substances. He is in a permanent daze throughout the entire film, constantly consuming drugs every time the camera pans onto him. He is also the reporter, the main character of the film, and he is in such a daze that after the motorcycle race is over, he's not even sure who has won. The movie is based on the semi-autobiographical memoirs of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson, who traveled to Las Vegas in 1971 with an overweight "Samoan lawyer" named Oscar Zeta Acosta. Many claim that "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" glamorizes drugs. If anything, it demonizes them (sometimes quite literally), and the constant drug use is merely present to account for the duo's wacky behavior. I personally feel "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" is a harmless film. Under the wrong circumstances, it could be misunderstood, which is why it was nearly slapped with an X-rating by MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America). Depp is the reason the film's narration succeeds as well as it does -- a lesser actor might come across as annoying. Depp seems to be channeling the physical freedom of Steve Martin and the slurred speech patterns of Thompson himself -- although he was given ample time to pick up on Thompson's mannerisms, since they spent much time together prior to shooting and throughout the filming process.

MY RATING- 8/10

Luck by Chance (2009)

Luck By Chance'09

[8/10 · 9 February 2013]

A story of a talented, hardworking yet smart guy named Vikram(Farhan Akhtar) who comes to Mumbai and dreams of making big in B-town, where Vikram has to struggle a lot as he comes to terms among harsh realities where people treat strugglers & newcomers as minnows and somehow Vikram fits himself and adjusts well with his sweet and charming ways that might not be pleasing but still you feel sympathetic for him. I will like to praise FARHAN AKHTAR for carrying this role with such ease bcoz its not easy to get audiences on your side while you are playing a negative character. The story reveals plots that goes in the making of a Hindi flick like Hollywood inspiring stuff, hard work and abuses that assistants generally go through, starry tantrums, how people of film industry try to get their friends and relatives involved in B-town ignoring new talent to maximum limit and how shitty stuff comes along the way while a commercial project is down the line. Hrithik is fantastic in supporting cast as he plays a big-star who somehow betrays a filmmaker(Rishi Kapoor), who is responsible for Hrithik's starry status and Rishi Kapoor gives one of the revolutionary performance of his career that never got the kind of attention that it deserved as he carries various emotional, formal and professional moments with greats expressions and confidence. By the way, don't miss the guest appearances of many big stars in the movie and Shahrukh Khan giving a memorable Quote that I believe is the one of the best scene that Srk has ever shot. Other Great moments of the movie include the love debutant Director Zoya Akhtar has for bollywood, what kind of insensitive moral values the stars generally have, more importantly how the Luck factor that comes from nowhere in between…

MY RATING: 8/10

Hey Ram (2000)

Hey Ram (2000)

[8/10 · 9 February 2013]

A semi-fictional tale of Saket Ram (Kamal Hassan) who in flashback remembers India of 1940s where he and his pal Amjad Ali Khan (Shahrukh khan) work as archaeologists trying to uncover Harappa civilization. Ignoring the political happenings around they try to stay happy among their lives as they soon realize their life is much different as Saket Ram goes to Calcutta to be with his wife and soon discovers himself becoming part of the riots as he comes to terms with Abhyankar (Atul Kulkarni), a Hindu militant after his wife (Rani Mukherjee) is raped and brutally murdered by Muslims in the midst of chaos. Saket Ram is unable to come to terms that life moves on even after remarrying and holds MK Gandhi responsible for his wife's murder and division of India. He develops a strong hatred against Gandhi Ji and decides to assassinate him and is unable to cope with his work and his new married life. Many events like offering grant to Pak by India after division and invasion of Kashmir by Pak happens side by side that leads to more and more hatred among Hindu militants and Saket Ram against MK Gandhi. Then happens re-union of the archaeological friends when their life and perspective have utterly been changed regarding political and social scenario surrounding them. And the end that is the real soul of he movie that you can't afford to miss as it grips you to the edge of the seat and gives fair idea regarding different views among different people. I would like to say that this CONTROVERSIAL Indian movie is slow but of International standard made from heart by one of the most versatile artists Kamal Hassan challenging the belief regarding the last words "Hey Ram" said by Gandhi Ji as depicted in Ben Kingsley's Gandhi movie and moreover screenplay and portrayal of characters of that time seems so actual that you can't get away from your seat.

MY RATING: 8/10

True Romance (1993)

True Romance'93

[7 February 2013]

It is one of those movies that combines the genre of action well with the comedy like any of the other Tarantino's movies. Christian Slater plays Clarence, who works in a comic-book and happens to meet a prostitute named Alabama (Patricia Arquette)and soon they get engaged. Clarence then confronts Albama's pimp played by Gary Oldman where In a remarkable turn of events the couple found themselves involved in a Cocaine deal which they stole from Drexl(Gary Oldman) and try to sell in tinsel town... In the end you will find yourself caught in the trademark Tarantino scene Mexican Standoff(where roomful of guys waiting to see who shoots first) I like to applaud the efforts of Director Tony Scott for directing this movie well along with the efforts of Quentin Tarantino.

MY RATING: 8/10

Raising Arizona (1987)

Raising Arizona'87

[9/10 · 7 February 2013]

Criminal Herbert I. "Hi" (Nicolas Cage) after his continued visits to a prison happens to marry Edwina "Ed" after his latest release from prison. Soon the couple discovers that Ed is not fit to be a mother and are unable to adopt a baby due to Ed's Criminal record. So they decide to kidnap one of the Quints of a local furniture magnate "Nathan Arizona" believing it to be Nathan Jr. Problems arouse as Hi is visited by his prison buddies and he thinks of returning to his notorious lifestyle along with his supervisor discovering that kid is not his after he made an unsuccessful wife swapping offer to him. Matters get worse as a bounty hunter named Leo Smalls gets in search of Nathan Jr. to sell him in the market and Hi's buddies taking undue advantage of junior's identity. Do watch this early Coen Bros. movie because of some great comic scenes especially the scene where Hi steals a pack of diapers and it is one of those movies that gives us the insight into the kind of characters the duo generates, dialogues they write and unconventional music score that became symbolic for their future movies.

MY RATING: 9/10

Gattaca (1997)

Gattaca (1997)

[9/10 · 7 February 2013]

Director Andrew Niccol's Gattaca, in my humble opinion, is the peak of the motion picture art form. All aspects of the production serve the story spectacularly. Vincent (Ethan Hawke) is one of rare naturally born children, who is condemned to die in young age with 99% percent probability. Vincent wants nothing more than to be an astronaut, so he buys himself a different life as Jerome (Jude Law), who has been crippled in an accident. From here begins Vincent's deception game to reach the stars. Basically the plot deals with the issues of human spirit: what Vincent can achieve despite of his condition. Can he be better than the perfect people? Can he deceive everyone? Also there are lots of issues between the perfect and their humane flaws and how Vincent as flawed contrast with them. Gattaca represents a rare genre of intellectual sci-fi movies that contains minimal amount of action and none of larger than life stuff (usual weapons and monsters kind) This kind of genre is heavily relied on the actors and settings. Settings for Gattaca are originally adapted where the future children are not conceived naturally, but through genetic engineering. This has brought up new kind of racism: perfect versus flawed Watching Ethan Hawke's role as Vincent evade the relentless pursuit of the authorities while trying to be on the Titan mission, romancing Irene (Uma Thurman), and micro-managing his samples from Jerome (Jude Law in a very impressive supporting turn) made for some the most riveting viewing ever. The best part for me regarding the movie is the greed and passion Hawke carries to be successful on his mission despite the disabilities on his side......At that point of time it doesn't matter whether he gets caught or not but his passion really stole my heart giving an insight into the hard work he really does although is not very legal though... Do watch the movie for great screenplay,stunning cars,and great sets and decoration and Uma Thurman delivering a great performance in one of the most glamorous role of her career accompanied by excellent acting of two leads well played by Eathan Hawke and Jude Law. The retro-style art direction, script, acting, music, and lighting all brought to life, much too chillingly, a cold and soulless world where the content of your genes counted for everything while the content of your character counted for nothing.

My Rating - 9/10

21 Grams (2003)

21 Grams Lost as I Died

[8/10 · 7 February 2013]

The title might mislead the casual non-viewer. One might be led to believe the title is in reference to drugs. In fact, it is a reference to what is purported to be the amount of weight that a person loses when they die. Fitting enough, because this movie seems to be all about death, both literal and spiritual. Snapshots of tragedy: the lives of three people--a wife and mother of two, a dying man in need of a new heart, and an ex-con turned counselor at a religious center-intersect after a tragic car accident. The film consists of episodes in their lives (before and after the accident) which are shuffled about, with scene after dramatic scene served up-one may assume-in random order; yet there's a method to this editing madness, and the film's narrative actually feels much more linear in retrospect. In masterpiece movies like Once Upon a Time in America, Reservoir Dogs, and even Memento, the scrambled story structure had a purpose, adding appropriate twists and turns for the audience. 21 Grams has that non-linear basis to it too, and sometimes it works for the audience to react. But I think there would be a lot more power to how these characters' fates and tragedies unfold if it was told linearly from start to finish. In many moments in the film I found myself knowing a little too much before a particular scene unfolded, or I found myself guessing about something that I didn't need to as one of the points of non-linear storytelling is answers first, questions later. It wasn't an aspect that made the film bad, yet the stock that writer and director put into this structure over interlocking the stories in order, or perhaps telling each story separately, is the film's only drawback. The acting by Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro, and Naomi Watts was over the top. All three put in first-class performances to tell a story that was intense from start to finish. I do recommend the movie, but I should warn you: don't expect anything light and fluffy.

My Rating - 8/10

Notting Hill (1999)

Notting Hill'99

[7/10 · 7 February 2013]

It was a pleasant, simple and mostly implausible romantic comedy about a famous fictional actress and the man that loves her. A romantic comedy starring Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts is not normally my sort of thing but sometimes, a good girlie film such as "Notting Hill" can be just what the doctor ordered. "Notting Hill" is one of those movies for people who appreciate the particular British sense of humor. British humor is a full plate, let's face it. This movie, when it comes to humor, romance and simplicity, is at the same level of "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and "Bridget Jones Diary", which makes it a good alternative to these movies. Although it contains some vocabulary of discussable taste, it isn't profane at all and doesn't contain dirty humor which makes this a much more intelligent movie.

The characters here are interesting and humorous, without being great (in fact they deliver an ordinary performance especially Julia Roberts). The supporting characters, on the other hand, have more depth than I expected. Unfortunately, it's not their story. Nevertheless, the actor who portrays Spike is who makes this movie so hilarious. Spike is so goofy, so silly and so humorous - congratulations to the actor (Rhys Ifans) who played him, 'cause he did a perfect job for this kind of role. I really didn't like the overuse of pop music in the film, especially the overblown music used to bookend the film. It felt a little tacked on or inorganic to the soul of the film and almost seems to try to "sell" the scene as emotionally related to the piece of selected music. In terms of romantic comedy, this film basically gets the touchstones right. There are quirky, but fleshed out supporting characters. Silly scenarios are quite good. It's cute enough to be smile- making funny, albeit nothing laugh-out-loud. It's likable.

My Rating - 7/10

Rescue Dawn (2006)

Rescue Dawn (2006)

[8/10 · 7 February 2013]

Highlight: Based on the True story of U.S. Navy Pilot Dieter Dengler , who escaped after being taken as hostage during Vietnam War

Adapted from a documentary, Little Dieter Needs to Fly , starring Dengler himself

One of the best movies of last decade and possibly the best survival-drama with theme of war ever made, that's exactly what 'Rescue Dawn' is, 2 hours of pure "tour de force" covered by terrifying acting and characteristic landscape of Vietnam. Even if this movie's story and plot isn't the same as the plot of movies like 'Cast Away' and 'Robinson Crusoe' , still it is great to watch the "survival" aspect, it's so much more realistic, after all this is based on a true story which just makes this movie more exciting, amazing and definitely inspiring. Christian Bale shows up his star acting capabilities while his acting and impression just glows throughout the movie. This movie also shows incapability and ignorance of U.S. army towards their soldiers that have been made hostages, and a man's will and power to keep hope, make a plan and escape from hopeless situation. Many movies I saw and I'm sure many movies that still are to be made will try to compete with this story and this film, those movies that came before 'Rescue Dawn' failed to deliver what this movie did, and those movies that are still to come will have to offer something amazing to even get in a same sentence with this film. Wherever you are, whatever you do, whatever your opinion on war may be and whether you're pacifist or no, you should watch this movie as soon as possible, because it's been made for absolutely everyone!

My Rating - 8/10

In regards to the efforts of Director Werner Herzog, there has been much discrimination against his treatment with the movie, For More Info visit http://rescuedawnthetruth.com/

Good Will Hunting (1997)

Good Will Hunting '97

[8/10 · 7 February 2013]

Highlight: Nominated for 9 Oscars and won two Oscars that includes Oscar for Best Supporting Actor (Robin Williams) and Best Screenplay (Matt Damon and Ben Affleck) Good Will Hunting proved to be a rise to Stardom for Matt Damon

This is an intelligent film about Will Hunting (Matt Damon) a young genius, who because of his disadvantaged and abusive childhood, ends up as a janitor at MIT where he could easily be the head of the Mathematics department. Though the story is a bit far stretched (it is hard to believe a kid this bright wouldn't have been noticed by someone who would have guided him towards higher education), once you put that aside, it is a fascinating character study of a very complex and dynamic young man. Will is discovered after solving a math challenge left on a blackboard by the head of the math department at MIT. This throws his life into turmoil, as the mathematicians want to make him into a prodigy. He also begins seeing a therapist (Robin Williams) who forces him to confront many deep emotions and experiences he had been repressing. The effect this has on him, and his relationship with his friends is powerful and makes for an engrossing tale. The cast is well-assembled with Matt Damon delivering a fine performance which snagged him his only Oscar nomination till date. Minnie Driver, as Will's love interest, also landed out with an Oscar nomination. Robin Williams won his first Oscar for his role after three previous nominations. The rest of the cast is solid, particularly the under-appreciated Stellan Skarsgård The story is interesting and quite entertaining .The comedy is done well and placed well throughout the film. I do have a complaint about the film that is the absurd amount of swearing in the film. I agree that sometimes it is necessary, but there is a truly unnecessary amount of language in the film. But please, don't let that discourage you from seeing the film; it is a great film to watch. Overall, "Good Will Hunting", despite the incredibly precious title, is worthwhile a film. Fine performances and a compelling (Oscar-winning) script combine to produce a memorable film that should be fondly remembered for years to come.

My Rating - 8/10

When Harry Met Sally... (1989)

When harry Met Sally- Highly Recommended!!

[9/10 · 7 February 2013]

Highlight : Went on to be a Trend Setter among Romantic Comedies

"When Harry Met Sally..." is one of those rare, one in a million motion pictures that becomes a cultural icon. It's been needlessly ripped off, and endlessly spoofed since its release in 1989. There have been romantic comedies that don't quite appeal to me, but When Harry Met Sally is just wonderful. It is for me everything a romantic comedy should be, funny, witty and charming. The screenplay from Nora Ephron got nominated for an Oscar, and so it should have done. There were times when I laughed out loud (I'll have what she's having), and other times when I was like "that's really sweet". The direction is wonderfully astute and detailed, as is often the case with Rob Reiner ( Director of The Bucket List and A Few Good Men). It's a wonderful romantic comedy about a man and a woman who struggles to keep their relationship afloat after the threat of sex endangers it. Two perfectly cast stars benefit from a sharp script that deeply explores friendship, romance, and the differences between men and women.

The New York locations are really beautiful, and the soundtrack is awesome. The lovely story argues the question of whether men and women can ever have a friendship without sex, and there are so many funny and charming scenes, particularly the fake-orgasm set piece. And of course the acting is outstanding. Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan(at her prettiest I think, though she was stunning in Sleepless in Seattle as well) are perfect together, while Carrie Fisher and Bruno Kirby give a real sense of edge to their supporting performances. Overall, a delightful romantic comedy. Highly Recommended!!

My Rating - 9/10

Thank You for Smoking (2005)

Thanks! for for making the movie..

[9/10 · 7 February 2013]

Aaron Eckhart made his first big-screen impression in Neil LaBute's 1997 flick "In the Company of Men". Since then, he not been given good enough leading man roles, but luckily, this time was not the case as he stars as Nick Naylor, tobacco industry lobbyist extraordinaire, in first-time director/writer Jason Reitman's (later directed Juno and Up in the Air) wonderfully acerbic comedy about the power of media spin around the availability of cigarettes despite inescapable evidence that smoking kills. Nick's two lobbyist buddies are played with barbed precision by David Koechner as the Bush-sound-alike firearms specialist and the wonderful Maria Bello as the sharp-tongued alcohol representative. The film's perspective is ruthlessly cynical and most of the characters are morally ambiguous, but those are the primary reasons why this movie sizzles full of shrewd insights about political gamesmanship in both the public and private sectors. Aaron Eckhart is used to great measure to portray a character who has a moral black hole and an eager disposition to show just how black it is.Nick's lobbying powers make him a god in his world. He cannot do wrong, he flies coach and mingles with the people (and induces them to smoke), and he's become the favorite of the tobacco czar (Robert Duvall) who is using his own money to bribe a former Marlboro man dying of cancer, played by Sam Neill, not to talk against the industry and to use the money for a charity. He's also trying to negotiate a smart move (against his bosses' wishes) with a Hollywood super-agent (Rob Lowe) to re-introduce smoking in films because nowadays, only Europeans and psycho-villains smoke -- it's deglamorized Hollywood. They suggest bringing Brad Pitt and Catherine Zeta-Jones in a movie about smoking in space. (Listen to them talk, and listen to how they would resolve the "minor" issue that smoking cannot be done in space.) Beginning with the inventive artwork of the opening credits, the plot goes in unexpected directions, and while the ending is a bit soft, overall the movie satisfies. The smart, provocative characters really make you think about the persistent hypocrisy of big business and government in refreshing ways that are not remotely disdainful. . Don't miss the scenes involving MOD Squad and how Katie Holmes exploits Nick. Even the comparatively soft-centered scenes of Nick with his son have a nice edge, and with his translucent blue eyes, Cameron Bright strikes the right, non-judgmental notes as Joey. Reitman seems fully capable of bringing an acidic flavor to the most Capra-esquire situation. Reitman has recruited a first-class cast to bring his brittle satire to life starting with a superb turn by Eckhart, who alternates easily between unapologetically smug and begrudgingly likable..

My Rating- 9/10

Ray (I) (2004)

Love you Ray

[8/10 · 7 February 2013]

This is the true story of the great pianist and jazz singer/legend Ray Charles (Oscar, BAFTA and Golden Globe winning Jamie Foxx) telling how he became one of the most loved souls of Music that people of America ever saw . He was born in a poor African American-town, and he went blind at 7 years old, but with his skills of touch and hearing, this is what would later in life would lead him to stardom. By the 1960's he had accomplished his dream, and selling records in millions, and leading the charts with songs and albums. But the story also showed his downfalls, including the separation from his wife and child, because of his affair with a band member , his drug and alcohol use, and going to prison because of this. It is a great story with a great singer impression, the songs, including Hit the Road Jack, are the highlights due to which the movie is must watch for any music fan. Also starring Regina King as Margie Hendricks, Kerry Washington as Della Bea Robinson, Clifton Powell as Jeff Brown, Harry J. Lennix as Joe Adams, Bokeem Woodbine as Fathead Newman, Aunjanue Ellis as Mary Ann Fisher, Sharon Warren as Aretha Robinson, C.J. Sanders as Young Ray Robinson, Curtis Armstrong as Ahmet Ertegun and Richard Schiff as Jerry Wexler.

Talking about supporting cast, Kerry Washington is superb as the understanding and long suffering mother and wife, Della Bea Robinson as are the rest of the supporting cast. While Foxx does some of the singing, we mostly hear the voice of Ray Charles from his hit recordings. But Foxx is so good we have to remind ourselves that it isn't really him performing them live. The ending feels a bit raffled, as if they were saying Hey the movie is 2 and a halve hours long now, lets put an end to it. But yet the movie covers that needed to be covered, so I tend to forgive them makers for that.

A good biopic movie. You don't have to be a fan of Ray Charles or his music to like this movie.

My Rating - 8/10

Layer Cake (2004)

Layer Cake '04

[8/10 · 7 February 2013]

Matthew Vaughn (Director of Stardust & Kick-Ass) made an impressive Directorial debut with Daniel Craig in the lead for the first time in his career in Layer Cake, a British movie.Craig, portrays a successful cocaine dealer at the top of his game, and he's planning to get out while he is ahead. His boss has one last assignment though, to find the missing daughter of his old pal. Caught up in a major ecstasy deal, a brutal Serbian gang and everyone trying to double cross each other, Craig has go against his own rules and outwit the lot of them. The movie packs on the machismo and revels in the outlaw's contempt for the "straight" world without ever losing track of the menace and danger of the outlaw way of life. The plot is full of twists and turns and may take more than one viewing to take in, which is good for movie fans who like their films "chewy". Layer Cake runs a fairly brisk hour and forty some odd minutes. It's well paced and has great narration. The lead character played by Daniel Craig (aka the next/future James Bond) is interesting as sort of someone obviously greedy but smart enough to know he's in the wrong business. There's an excellent mixture of fear in his character's actions/dialogue which is well placed earning believability.The supporting cast, on the whole English produce polished snappy dialogue with cool, collected energy. The editing is fast paced, but thankfully the director has chosen a fairly linear storyline. Layer Cake is based on a novel by J.J. Connolly, who wrote the screenplay for the movie. Originally Guy Ritchie was due direct but he had to put out because of scheduling conflicts. This was a blessing really because we all know that Ritchie would have just made Layer Cake a comical mockery fair. What Vaughan did was he played the material as straight as possible, keeping comedy to a minimum and a made an good example of a British Gangster film. Vaughan shows that he could handle the material and do some stylist directing trick like a pro, fitting in with the film.

My Rating 8/10