Se7en (1995)

Director: David Fincher
Story: Andrew Kevin Walker
Cast: Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, Gwyneth Paltrow
Music: Howard Shore
Time: 127 minutes
Bottom-line: A thrilling, gut-wrenching murder mystery, with an unexpected climax

David Fincher makes his entry into Hollywood with this murder-mystery film, Se7en. Starring Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt in the lead roles, the film is about a serial killer. What make it unique are the superb performances, chilling atmosphere and score, and of course, some brilliant directing and story-writing by Fincher and Walker. Se7en is not for the faint-hearted – there is no “horror” content, but watch out for some gruesome images of some ghastly murders.

Monday – In a city of constant rain, Detective William Somerset (Freeman), who is about to retire, is partnered with a young, short-tempered detective, David Mills (Pitt), for a murder case. They discover an obese man who has been forced to feed himself till his stomach bursts, causing him to die. Tuesday – a wealthy attorney has been murdered by cutting a pound of flesh from his body, with the word GREED written in his blood. Somerset puts forth a theory that the killer is choosing his victims according to the seven deadly sins – gluttony, greed, pride, envy, wrath, lust and sloth. He says that five more murders will follow. Sure enough, the next victim, representing sloth, is found in his apartment the next day. Seven sins, seven murders, seven ways to die, seven days in a week... what happens next?

Brad Pitt as David Mills

I have read many reviews about the film saying that it has a “haunting climax”, and some have categorised it as a horror film. There is a lot of blood, yes, there are some gruesome images and all, but no real “horror”, in my view. I am guessing that the concept of a killer committing a series of murders based on some pattern is not new, but Se7en proves to be a success because Fincher gives the right amount of time for every part of the story: thrills, violence, character development – and even the seemingly unnecessary scenes have some significance (known in the climax) – instead of just focussing on one thing in particular.

Morgan Freeman as William Somerset 

The suspense is always taut; there is no compromise on twists or thrills. The climax of the film is in some ways the best part, and in some ways, is sort of a let-down. The actual “climax” according to me is the last 15 minutes if the film. The suspense is held in a such a way that  you expect all sorts of things to happen in those 15 minutes, but what actually happens is comparatively “simple” (if I can call it that), but perhaps the most logical as well. This sort of abrupt ending may or may not please you. But I felt satisfied by it.

Freeman’s performance is also a highlight in the film. Alongside him, Brad Pitt has given an impressive performance, considering that this film was one of the first films where he played the lead role. Gwyneth Paltrow also has a small role – that of Mills’ wife, Tracy. The importance of her character is known in the climax. The cinematography, special effects and score are perfect. So, Fincher’s debut film Se7en is superb in all aspects, but to some, it may be too violent – but that’s what makes it effective. Don’t miss the film because of the violence– cover your eyes or do something, but do not miss the film!

My Rating: 4/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 79%

Catch me if You Can (2002)

Director: Steven Spielberg
Screenplay: Jeff Nathanson (based on the book by Frank William Abagnale Jr.)
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Christopher Walken, Amy Adams 
Music: John Williams
Time: 141 minutes
Bottom-line: A breezy entertainer

Two of my favourite actors, and one of my favourite directors came together to make this film, Catch me If you Can, and I finally had the chance to watch the film. Based on the life of Frank William Abagnale Jr, a man who performed cons worth millions of dollars. Leonardo DiCaprio plays Frank, with Tom Hanks, Christopher Walken, Amy Adams, Nathalie Baye and many others playing the supporting roles. This may not be Spielberg’s work, but is as entertaining as any other classic, like Raiders of the Lost Ark and Jaws.

DiCaprio as Frank Abagnale Jr. 

1963 – Frank Abagnale Jr., a teenager, lives in New York with his father, Frank Abagnale Sr. (Walken) and mother Paula (Baye). The family faces financial problems because of difficulties with the IRS, and the family is forced to move into a smaller apartment. As the situation becomes worse, Frank’s parents opt for a divorce, and at the same time, Frank runs away from home. Unable to earn money in simple ways, Frank relies on his confidence and boldness to successfully perform large scale scams, and he stashes up to 2.8 million dollars. Meanwhile, Carl Hanratty (Hanks), an FBI agent, is given the job of tracking down Frank. By the time he tracks Frank down, the latter has already impersonated an Airline Pilot, a Doctor, and a prosecutor. What else does Frank do, and that too before his 19th birthday? Watch the film to find out!

Hanks as Carl Hanratty

The first thing that caught my eye was the tagline of the film – The true story of a real fake. Now there are many films about heists, like the Ocean’s trilogy, Inception (in a way) etc, but why Catch me If You Can is different is because there is equal importance to everything – character development, humour, suspense, emotion and thrill. So this is a thriller that can be watched with family – a film that entertains everyone. The pace rarely slackens, and even if it does, don’t get bored – there is always a surprise around the corner.

Amy Adams as Brenda - a hospital
nurse and Frank's fiance 

There are many who say that Martin Scorsese is the one who moulded Leonardo DiCaprio into a good actor, and it is evident in the film. This was his next film after Gangs of New York, and one can see that his acting has greatly improved when compared to that film or even Titanic. He shows versatility in playing numerous roles – a pilot, a doctor, a lover (I guess that real Frank Abagnale Jr. was also impressed by Leo’s performance) and also in displaying the emotions and feelings of a teenager! On the other hand, the veteran actor, Tom Hanks has done an excellent job of playing Carl Hanratty. The encounters between these two characters are quite interesting to watch. Amy Adams is almost unrecognisable in her first major film, and she has done well too. Walken was nominated for the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, but I still don’t see why – his acting seemed ordinary to me.

Walken as Frank Abagnale Sr. 

In terms of background music, the film is no different – I have loved the score in every film where John Williams has composed it. In this film, I especially liked the opening sequence – an animated sequence showing the various disguises and roles Frank plays. This sequence is in fact, a summary of the film itself! The music is hypnotic, suspenseful, mysterious...everything out together – as good as what Williams has ever composed before. The real Frank Abagnale Jr. though did not personally involve in script-writing, believed that Spielberg was the only one who could bring justice to the film. He hoped that the film would be “entertaining, exciting, funny and bring home an important message about family, childhood and divorce", and that’s exactly what it does! In fact, a lesser known fact is that Spielberg’s parents also divorced when he was a teenager, similar to the situation experienced by Frank.

The real Frank Abagnale Jr. -
a much older one too!

While Catch me If You Can can’t exactly be categorised as a drama or a heist or a thriller, Spielberg makes sure we get a dose of everything. Whether or not the dose of each is sufficient depends on the viewer. I for one felt it to be nearly perfect. The acting, story, score and the dialogues all fit in perfectly. This is a film where you actually sympathise with the crook himself; in the words of Spielberg – “Frank was a 21st century genius working within the innocence of the mid '60s, when people were more trusting than they are now. I don't think this is the kind of movie where somebody could say, 'I have a career plan.’”



My Rating: 4.5/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 96%

Sherlock (TV Series) - Season 2

Creators: Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss
Written by: Steven Moffat, Mark Gatiss, Stephen Thompson (based on the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle) 
Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman
Music: David Arnold, Michael Price
Time: 88 minutes (per episode)
Bottom-line: Unpredictable, stylish, thrilling... crime-solving at its best

Just when you thought Sherlock couldn’t get any better, it does! After a two-year gap, Mark Gatiss, Steven Moffat and crew return in the second series of Sherlock, the TV series about the legendary detective created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman reprise their roles as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson respectively. Two characters who are also a major part of the series are Mycroft Holmes (played by Gatiss), and Holmes’ arch-nemesis, Jim Moriarty (Andrew Scott).

Cumberbatch as Sherlock

The first episode, A Scandal in Belgravia, begins from where the last episode of Season 1 ended – the showdown between Holmes and Moriarty. Few weeks later, Holmes receives a case through his brother Mycroft, about Irene Adler (Lara Pulver), a dominatrix who has valuable information in her mobile phone. How Holmes and Watson manage to retrace the secrets in Adler’s phone, and the other encounters they face on the way form the story. The second episode, The Hounds of Baskerville tells about Henry Knight (Russell Tovey), a young man who witnessed his father’s death twenty years ago. He comes to Holmes, saying that he again saw the hound that killed his father. Holmes becomes interested because of the word “hound”. As Holmes visits Baskerville, he realises that though the hound is just a local legend, something else is seriously wrong... in fact, Holmes has to face the fact that he himself is starting to believe in the local legend. In the last episode, The Reichenbach Fall, Holmes comes face to face with Jim Moriarty. The latter simultaneously breaks into the case where the Crown Jewels are kept, opens the cells of Pentonville Prison and also opens the vaults of the Bank of England. As the story goes, Holmes finds out that Moriarty has destroyed Holmes image, to the extent of getting him arrested. How Holmes solves the final problem with Moriarty is what this episode is about.

Andrew Scott as Jim Moriarty

Once again, it is Benedict Cumberbatch who gives a powerhouse performance in the lead role. Smart dialogues, stylish acting... an excellent portrayal of the brilliant detective – this is sure to be the best portrayal of Holmes for a long time to come! Martin Freeman has done an excellent job in playing John Watson, especially in the third episode. But the star of the series (after Benedict of course), is Andrew Scott, who plays Jim Moriarty. How villainous should a proper villain be? This man shows how! In the first scenes of A Scandal in Belgravia, and throughout the final episode, I was amazed by how powerful a villain Scott portrayed.

In terms of the story, the first one starts off slowly, but gets really exciting towards the end. Watch out for the twist in the last minute, just before the closing credits! The Hounds of Baskerville was entertaining all the way. I liked the way the spooky atmosphere was created (and for the first time in the series too). The third episode is, again, the best. For the first time we see Sherlock actually “losing” to someone. There are so many twists in this episode that one just has to applaud the writers of the script. Here too, there is a twist just before the closing credits. By the time you are done watching the second series, you might even be willing to do anything to get the third series, for such is the twist.

Freeman as John Watson

If anyone tells you that the first part of some series is always better than its sequel, this series provides the counter-example. Better than the first series in story, humour, suspense and overall presentation, Sherlock proves to be perhaps the best TV show of today. This is also the best example of why quality prevails over quantity – just three episodes per season, but what pristine quality!

My Rating: 5/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 100%