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Reviews
Homeland (2011)
Begins Well, Cruises thrillingly but droops badly at the end.
This is just and average TV show that has a very good plot line but fails to deliver because of the Characterization of the lead Carrie Mathison and casting. Carrie is one of the most annoying female leads i have seen ever in a TV show. She pulls the whole Series down and drags it to dust with her acting and darn big eyes. Next thing is the last few episodes in each season is so bad, it's pace is so lethargic that you feel old by the time it ends and it does not end by building tension. IT JUST ENDS. By the end you will end up just liking Quinn, Saul, Estes,Mike, Dana and Jessica. Funny thing is that they are the supporting characters. The Nazir guy is a joke and his plans are silly.
If you like this genre very much I would recommend you watch Zero Dark Thirty.
BRODY AND CARRIE ARE ANNOYING AS HELL!!!!
50/50 (2011)
Funny and touching
PLOT:
Adam Lerner ( Joseph Gordan Lewitt) is a happy going lucky guy who is true to his friend, girlfriend and parents. He is not your regular hero who is the style statement of the society he lives in, no he is shy and refuses to give up the " about volcanoes" piece to go on air. Yup he works at a radio station. Then all of a sudden he gets to know he has a rare cancer. He undergoes chemotherapy and goes to a therapist. His life around him breaks apart. How does he lead a life where there is uncertainty? Does he survive?
CHATACTERS:
Joseph Gordan plays the trouble youngster (well he is 29) who gets cancer which happens to be rare and the survival rate is 50% ( you guessed it right, that is why the movie is called 50/50). His transformation is well etched, not only mentally but also physically. After he gets cancer he becomes paler and paler and so thin. He loses interest in life and loses his confidence gradually. The scene where he breaks down in the car makes you want to applaud, not because it is well acted but because you know that is how you would feel when you are in that situation. His character is so relatable.
Seth Rogen plays Adams friend. Surprisingly he is less annoying (Remember Green Hornet). He reads the book How to Face Cancer Together and he constantly tries to make Adam secure and happy. These things make you feel good. They trash down the painting of Adams ex-girlfriend together and it is so much fun to watch.
Anjelica Huston plays Adams mother who is portrayed as a strong woman who has to look after her husband who has Alzeimers and at the same time has to make her son feel secure.
Anna Kendrick is the therapist who is so quirky and finally falls for Adam. It is not s big surprise but you keep rooting for Adam to win her over.
MOVIE:
Basically, nothing really wrong with this movie. You never want it to get over and when it ends you are not left with the feeling that " Damn I hope it had not ended". No you do not feel that. It is well paced and well written. It is not too dramatic and has a light sprinkle of humor all over. So you do not get tired of the characters.
The music is heart warming and not so jarring. The colors are gentle and you do not see colors that are sore to your eyes.
VERDICT:
It is really a heart warming tale of a guy who has cancer and is so troubled to face it. It is a really feel good movie with good humor. I will really recommend you to watch this movie for good performances and a clean story.
Bronson (2008)
Hardy all the way
Bronson is said to be one of Tom Hardy's best performances in his career and it is said to be a thrill ride. Read my review to know more.
PLOT:
Michael Gordon Peterson is a notorious criminal who wants to become famous. He is renamed as Charles Bronson by his fight promoter. He is born to a very respectable middle class family and becomes United Kingdoms most feared criminals and spends his entire adult life in solitary confinement. The movie is based on Peterson's life.
CHARACTERS:
There is no other big character in this movie other than Tom Hardy. Hardy plays this role with impeccable timing. His mannerisms induce laughter while his looks send chills down your spine. He is cool and some times innocent to look. He seems to be eccentric but he is so strategic in what he does. A very hard character to understand, Hardy just nails it. For the first 40 minutes or so you are left thinking " uh is he mad or is he acting". When he is injected with a sedative that when all his acting prowess is seen. Hardy is the glue that holds the movie together.
THE MOVIE:
The movie is not a masterpiece nonetheless a bad movie. It has its fair share of bad moments and good moments. For example Hardy gets naked many a times in the movie which is not comfortable to look. But when he is clad in suit he is mesmerizing. The director Nicholas Winding works his way establishing Bronson's character in a very fulfilling way but he fails to establish any other characters. The movie is not well paced, it feels fast at times and it drags at times. But, Hardy provides a solid performance that immerses you into the movie.
VERDICT:
The movie is a good entertainer only because of Tom Hardy's performance. It has his moments when Hardy wrecks havoc in the prison but falls short at places. But it is still a stylish refreshing movie with a reverberating performance from Tom Hardy.
I go with 7 stars out of 10. Wort a Watch.
The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Epic Ending
If you have not watched the Batman Begins and the Dark knight please watch them and also the The Dark Knight Rises before you read this review.
PLOT:
The Joker pushes both Batman and Gotham to the edge where both break, leading to Batman's disappearance and Bruce Wayne's Confinement. Eight Years have passed and still there is no sign of Batman. The city's organized crime has been cleaned thanks to the new law called the Dent Act. The city is in peace until a Cat burglar comes to town to disrupt Bruce Wayne's life. Then a new terrorist leader comes to town with only one aim in mind, TO DESTROY GOTHAM. Batman must come back.
CHARACTERS:
The usuals like Alfred Pennyworth, Jim Gordan, Lucius Fox and Bruce Wayne do their job in a fine way and also they take acting to a next level. The surprises are from John Blake, Miranda Tate, Bane and Selina Kyle. Who would have thought that Anne Hathaway would portray such a character with so much ease and perfection. Joseph Gordan-Lewitt is so wonderful to watch on screen. He takes the place of Comm. Gordan when he is not around is so charming. Tom Hardy's Bane is so scary, Menacing and huge and really looks like person who can defeat Batman. All his emotions are conveyed through his eyes and voice modulation. Lastly Christian bale as the tormented Bruce Wayne is a pleasure to watch. He portrays Batman with style and Bruce wayne with perfection. The Best Batman Ever.
THE MOVIE:
This is no ordinary superhero movie where the hero is always stronger than the villain. Here both are equals and here the best man wins. Christopher Nolan takes his time to establish the characters and the story before a 45 minute extravaganza of a climax which is stunning in every frame. The film is 164 minutes long and it does not feel bloated ( I am Indian and mostly i sit through movies even longer on a regular basis) the main reason is the screenplay which is not linear, it jumps back and forth in time or show two sequences at the same time which is Nolan's trademark film making technique. The last one hour is so captivating, you do not want to blink and you do not want to miss even a single frame.
Wally Pfister's cinematography is commendable, it has all the colors but are at the darkest end of each tone. The tone of the film is dark and cold. The lighting is extraordinary.
Hans Zimmer keeps proving himself in every film he is in. It is so chilling and gives you goose bumps after every drum beat. The Bane chant remains in your mind even after leaving the theatre. Deshi Desi Bashara Bashara......
The special effects ...... well most have them have been shot for real and only the sequences where the visuals effects cannot be avoided have taken the use of graphics.
No movie is devoid of negatives, in TDKR there is this 15 minutes in the movie where it feels so rushed, its like the movie throws a lot at you that you cannot handle. It really takes a second watching.
Being a finale there were a lot of speculations about the ending but Nolan brings a killer of an ending which is satisfying and also thoughtful.
VERDICT:
A very satisfying end to a very superior line of superhero movies. An End to the The Dark Knight LEGEND in Epic proportions. Even with so much Hype and Hoopla this film will satisfy even an average film-goer. But if you are going in looking for childish mindless action like in the Avengers you are going to be disappointed. The movie is not about a person saving people but a movie which believes in creating a symbol to give people hope and courage. Christopher Nolan entertains us yet again not with action set pieces nut with memorable characters. KUDOS!!
Velayudham (2011)
Velayudham - Entertainment only
Surely a movie to enjoy after a long days work as it will surely entertain The action sequences will keep you glued to the screen Vijay is surely a live-wire on screen
Hanshika is strictly a no no Genelia-Vijay scenes add tempo to the movie Santhanam brings the roof down
Interesting movie overall.
Positives: Vijay Concept Action sequence Screenplay Direction Santhanam Dance
Negatives: Hanshika Sentiment Song Placement Running time
Verdict: Surely more than expected
Mankatha (2011)
A Temple for AJITH KUMAR . Nothing more.
The main plot of the movie is surely ripped off (not copied that is too subtle) from the Italian job and wild things. You may think it is a coincidence but coincidences don't happen often. Next the action sequences have been taken from the movies like Takers, Red (Bruce Willis), Oceans 11,12,13, Wanted (not the Hindi one). This leaves only the song sequences and the other third rated scenes. Songs and the background score is MIND-BLOWING. AWESOME!! that too when Ajith walks out of BINNY mills in that white suit you get goosebumps. Ajith is as charming as he can. He just captures your heart as a hero. Other characters other than Arjun don't stick to your mind. Half baked action scenes, hue smitten cinematography, poorly lit shots, badly used heroines are the point that sticks out when I watched this movie. Ajith has tried a negative character, A pat on his back but the characterization is more larger-than-life than a joker from dark knight or fletcher from dasavataram. Venkat prabhu is a director who seriously lacks creativity. But his sense of humor is the only thing that keeps him afloat in this Industry. A humongous monument by an ajith fan to ajith with the bricks stolen from other monuments.
MY VERDICT: Amateur movie making at its best.
one star for Ajith, one for Yuvan, One for the editing and minus one for the director who lacks intelligence.