L.A. Confidential (1997)

Director: Curtis Hanson
Screenplay: Curtis Hanson, Brian Helgeland (based on the book by James Ellroy)
Cast: Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, Kevin Spacey, Kim Basinger, Danny DeVito
Music: Jerry Goldsmith 
Time: 133 minutes
Bottom-line: Not the greatest cop film, but a stylish entertainer

I recall reading this in an article few months ago: “If Curtis Hanson directed The Departed, it would be called L.A. Confidential.” This crime thriller features an ensemble cast consisting of new actors like Russell Crowe and Guy Pearce, and also veterans like Kevin Spacey, Danny DeVito and Kim Basinger. Nominated for nine Academy Awards, competing with James Cameron’s Titanic, the film ended up getting two: Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Supporting Actress.

1950s, Los Angeles: Sergeant Edmund Exley (Pearce), son of a legendary LAPD detective, is smart, law-abiding and determined to live up to his father’s reputation. Officer Bud White (Crowe) is obsessed with brutally punishing woman-beaters. He is hired by Captain Dudley Smith to beat up criminals trying to fill in the place of Mickey Cohen, the gangster. Sergeant Jack Vincennes (Spacey) is a narcotics detective. He is connected to Sid Hudgens (DeVito), who tips him for leading Sid to celebrity arrests, bringing more readers to his magazine: “Hush-Hush” (which is a reference to the actual 1950s scandal magazine: L.A. Confidential). The three men investigate one case: the Nite Owl killings – a series of six homicides. From then on it is a case of survival, betrayal and typical cop-criminal drama...

Crowe as Officer White, and Basinger as Lynn

To be honest, I did not think the story was so great. It is not a storyline that focuses on one particular track – the first twenty minutes or so introduce the three different cops to the viewers, each with a different background and duty. Then comes the Nite Owl killings that unites the three of them, in a way. Enter Lynn Bracken (Basinger), a Veronica Lake look-alike prostitute, with ties to the case. The story then deals with the separate investigations carried out by White and Exley, and how a series of events affects the rivalry between them. It is pretty much like Martin Scorsese’s The Departed: three cops, one case, and you know that someone in the police department isn’t exactly who he seems to be. The timeline is different, and the characters are better developed here.

Pearce as Lt. Exley

The main thing I loved about L.A. Confidential, was the acting. At a time when Guy Pearce and Russell Crowe had just started acting, Curtis Hanson took a bold decision to include them both, along with veterans like Kevin Spacey and Basinger. This is the film that gave the two of the new actors a lot of fame, thanks to their stellar performances. The “dynamic duo” of Pearce, as the faithful and honest detective, and Crowe, as the violent officer really spice things up in the film. I liked the way their characters had been developed, and the way their rivalry is shown on screen. Kevin Spacey has a comparatively small role to play, as does Danny DeVito, but these two characters provide important links which are responsible for the story to go smoothly. Kim Basinger seemed to put up an okay performance, in my view... and I don’t see why she deserved the Oscar.

Spacey as Sergeant Jack Vincennes

However, the cinematography and dialogues were excellent. The way the violence is shown on screen has a certain style to it, and in fact, every take perfectly captures all the emotions that the director wants the audience to see: be it wrath, envy or sorrow. L. A. Confidential could have been a bit better, in terms of the storyline, but overall, with brilliant acting from Crowe, Pierce and Spacey, the film still provides enough substance to keep you riveted to your seats...

My Rating: 4/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 99%

Despicable Me 2 (2013)

Director: Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud
Story: Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio
Cast: Steve Carell, Russell Brand, Kristen Wiig
Music: Heitor Pereira, Pharrell Williams
Time: 98 minutes
Bottom-line: Double the fun! 

This is one of the few films, according to me, that are better their prequel. Despicable Me 2 comes with more laughs, more action, and importantly, more minions than the first installment of the series. Steve Carell reprises his role as the super-villain Gru, as does Russell Brand as Dr. Nefario. Kristen Wiig and Benjamin Bratt co-star. This film was nominated for two Oscars at the 86th Academy Awards: Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song (losing both to Frozen).

Gru (left) and Dr. Nefario (right)

When the world needed a hero, they called a villain. Super-villain Gru has now become a father of three: Margo, Agnes and Edith. He is now using his minions to produce jelly on a large scale, and Dr. Nefario, saying that he has “missed being evil”, leaves Gru for new employment. Gru however, is recruited by the Anti-Villain League, to locate and bring back PX-41, a powerful mutagen. Though reluctant, he is paired with Lucy Wilde (Wiig), and they search the local mall, where the mutagen is supposedly located. They meet Eduardo Pérez (Bratt), a restaurant owner, whom Gru suspects to be El Macho, a legendary super-villain. The adventures Gru and Lucy have together, in the course of which they develop a liking for each other is what the film is about.

Lucy

No matter how old you get, you will always picture the minions as “cute”! And that is perhaps one of the main reasons I loved this film more than its prequel – more minions! The story is interesting – here we see Gru as a family man more than a villain. We see his transition from a good guy to a bad guy now. He starts to have romantic feelings as well (look out for the way his mood changes before and after the song “Happy”). The thing is, I like the way the same character is used, but he has completely new attributes this time. The twist of events in the story is quite unexpected... here’s something for you to think about: what would happen if the minions became evil vicious monsters??

My favourites !!

Even if the overall plot is not that innovative or interesting, it is the animation that makes it worth watching. Illumination Mac Guff has done a terrific job. In nearly every scene the dialogues are funny, or the mere sight of what is happening makes you want to laugh! Watch out for the scene where the minions are on the beach, the scene when Dr. Nefario is given a 21-gun fart gun salute (!!) and the one where the minions are sucked in by the ice cream truck... and yes, these are just few of the many interesting scenes from the film.

Once again, Steve Carell is excellent in voicing Gru, and Kristen Wiig, in the end did a good job too. Despicable Me 2 manages to combine slapstick comedy, drama, romance and action into a 100 minute package, that also comes with brilliant animation. Don’t expect a great story, but you can expect a visual treat!

My Rating: 4/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 74%

Gone Baby Gone (2007)

Director: Ben Affleck
Screenplay: Ben Affleck, Aaron Stockard (based on the book by Dennis Lehane)
Cast: Casey Affleck, Michelle Monaghan, Ed Harris, Morgan Freeman
Music: Harry Gregson-Williams
Time: 114 minutes
Bottom-line: A well-made film, with a climax that may not please everyone

Ben Affleck, as an actor, needs improvement, but as a director, all three of his films have been critical and commercial successes. His feature film debut, Gone Baby Gone is a mystery thriller starring his brother Casey Affleck, and Michelle Monaghan in the lead roles, with Amy Ryan, Morgan Freeman and Ed Harris in the pivotal roles. The film deals with several themes, the main one being the abduction of a four-year-old girl.

Casey Affleck as Patrick, and Michelle Monaghan
as Angie

Dorchester: A four-year-old girl, Amanda McCready is kidnapped. Private investigators Patrick Kenzie (Affleck) and his girlfriend Angie Gennaro (Monaghan) are requested by Amanda’s aunt to find her. The mother, Helene (Ryan), is a coke addict. Helene and her boyfriend Ray had stolen money from a Haitian drug lord, and suspicion arises that he may have Amanda. Patrick and Angie join police detectives Remy Bressant (Harris) and Nick Poole, who are assigned to the same case by Captain Jack Doyle (Freeman). Soon a plan is devised for exchanging Amanda for the money Helene and Ray stole. Is Amanda dead already? Does their plan work? Watch Ben Affleck’s film to find out!

Ed Harris as
Remy Bressant

The film begins with this monologue from Patrick: I always believed it was the things you don't choose that makes you who you are. Your city, your neighbourhood, your family. When your job is to find people who were missing, it helps to know where they started. The film does not deal with the urban “high-class” part of Boston, but the sub-urban part of the city. It makes sense that when someone is kidnapped, the neighbours play a big role. The film talks about the attitude of the neighbours and family members of Helene – how they are desperate to find the girl but still hate the mother for being a coke addict.

The story kicks off immediately. The dialogue-driven thriller contains a fair amount of violence, and a lot of swear words! The film can be classified as a mystery thriller, but towards the end of the second half, the theme shifts to something completely different. The climax is a debatable one, and in fact, the reason for it is a debate between Patrick and Doyle. (Spoiler) What is more important: a child being with her mother even if she does not take care of her, or a child being with any family that cares of her? Patrick feels the former is right, while most of the viewers would choose the second option. There is no right or wrong here... it all depends on the scenario. Maybe the mother could change, maybe she will not. In last scene, we understand that Helene did not even know the name of Amanda’s doll... does that does not necessarily mean Patrick’s decision is wrong.

Amy Ryan as Helene

In all the other aspects, Gone Baby Gone does not disappoint. The cinematography is excellent, and the acting is simple superb. Casey Affleck plays the lead role with a lot of style, and few of his dialogues were impressive and catchy. Next is Ed Harris with another powerful performance. Michelle Monaghan and Morgan Freeman have given good performances as well. Credit also goes to Amy Ryan, who plays Helene McCready, who won an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress. I liked the way the characters were sketched. You don’t realise who is the “good guy” or who is not till the end (and maybe not even then!) – it depends on how you want the story to go. If you feel the ending is justified, then you view the characters in one way. If not, then you view them the opposite way.

And Morgan Freeman as
Captain Jack Doyle

Perhaps the way to “describe” the film’s idea would be this tagline: Everyone wants the truth... until they find it. The film is a gripping thriller in the first half, but the second half is full of unexpected events. Whether or not you like the story, the film will certainly impress you, thanks to the brilliant acting, screenplay and presentation.

My Rating: 4/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 94% 

Birdman (2014)

(or)
The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance


Director: Alejandro G. Iñárritu
Story: Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Jr., Armando Bo
Cast: Michael Keaton, Edward Norton, Emma Stone, Zach Galifianakis
Music: Antonio Sánchez
Time: 120 minutes
Bottom-line: Soars high up 

The beautiful thing about Birdman or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance is that it criticises critics – a small quote in the film says “A thing is a thing and not what is said of that thing”. But still, I felt that I should go ahead and write a review of the film, and here it is. The 120 minute comedy drama film features Michael Keaton, Edward Norton and Emma Stone in the lead roles, with Zach Galifianikis and Naomi Watts in the supporting roles. The film is about an actor, who attempts to regain his fame by directing and starring in a play. While the story is not very impressive, the cinematography and the acting are responsible for making Birdman soar above the rest of the films. Birdman is tied with The Grand Budapest Hotel for maximum Academy Award nominations this year, with nine, including Best Picture, Director and three acting nominations.

Keaton as Riggan, with Birdman behind him

Riggan Thomson (Keaton), an actor known for playing the superhero “Birdman” (also voiced by Keaton) several decades earlier, is now almost unrecognised. He seems to be able to perform telekinesis and levitation, because of Birdman, who appears to be a personality inside Riggan. He attempts to reinvent his career by directing, writing and starring in a Broadway adaptation of a short story: What we Talk About when we Talk About Love. Riggan realises he needs another good actor, and hires a brilliant but explosive method actor, Mike Shiner (Norton). Riggan’s daughter Sam (Stone) is a recovering marijuana addict, who serves as his assistant. With Shiner’s unpredictable nature causing a disastrous preview, and Sam’s drug addictions creating problems, Riggan must find a way to win back his family, his career and his life.

Norton (right) as Mike 

The story was not that great to me. I liked the main theme: how an actor puts heart and soul to creating a successful play, and how he pulls through all the mishaps and speed bumps en route. What I didn’t like was the split-personality of Riggan – the “character” of Birdman hardly appears for more than 5 minutes in the film. Perhaps the one reason I can think of, as to why Birdman is important, is we see Riggan’s transition from “supernatural” in the beginning to “super-real”, towards the end (which will be evident once you see the film). Birdman combines comedy and drama quite superbly. There are few scenes to watch out for: the scene where Mike stars in the first preview, the one where Sam lashes out against her father, and of course, the scene where Riggan is locked out of the theatre in his underwear! The “shocking” that Riggan does on the opening night to show his devotion to realistic portrayal wasn’t that shocking to me because I have already seen the same thing happen in another play here, few years ago. The last scene of the film is left ambiguous for us to interpret what happens: I, for one, can’t find a satisfactory explanation, and am still thinking about it...

Stone as Sam

Now, what I loved most, was the cinematography. The entire film consists only of long shots – giving the impression of a continuous flow. There are very few cuts – all the scenes flow smoothly from one to the next, even though it is not exactly real time. I think that this gives relates the film to a drama, where the actors have only one shot to get their dialogues and actions right: there is no second chance. What the audience see is really what they see, and is not edited or created using a computer. Emmanuel Lubezki certainly deserves the Oscar for cinematography. I remember being so amazed when I saw few long shots in GoodFellas. This film has just left me speechless. Another unique thing about the film is the score: it contains only drums and some classical pieces. But the remarkable thing is that the percussion score actually works – somehow it seems to be in accordance with the scene.

Galifianikis (right) as Riggan's friend
and producer. Naomi Watts as Lesley,
another actress in the play

As far as acting is concerned, Birdman has a great chance of bagging two out of its three nominations: Keaton is simply stunning as Riggan Thomson. There is not a single flaw in his performance from starting to finish. As many others have said already, it would be a shocker it he does not win this time. In fact, the only reason Keaton should not win this time... is because I personally want Cumberbatch to win! Edward Norton is equally remarkable. With his character’s volatile nature, he provides us with loads of entertainment, and his acting style is superb. Norton is my pick for the Supporting Actor category this year. Emma Stone has a comparatively small role, but her performance is amazing, especially in the scene where she has a powerful monologue. Not to forget Zach Galifianikis, whose acting is quite good, and much better than his role as Alan in the Hangover series.

Based on what I have heard and seen, I believe that almost all of the impartial movie watchers have chosen Birdman as their pick as the Best Picture this Oscar ceremony. With powerful acting performances and terrific cinematography as its strengths, Birdman or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance is expected to win big at the 87th Academy Awards. The story is okay, but almost everything else about the film is worth mentioning. It provides a whole new experience: a new way of viewing cinema, because of its theme (a film about the theatre) and cinematography. If you love films, Birdman is not to be missed!

My Rating: 4/5

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 92%  

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

Director: Wes Anderson
Story: Wes Anderson and Hugo Guinness
Cast: Ralph Fieness, Tony Revolori, Willem Dafoe, Adrien Brody, Edward Norton
Music: Alexandre Desplat
Time: 100 minutes
Bottom-line: Delightful to watch... a superb drama

The film with the 9 Oscar nominations – the most this year – The Grand Budapest Hotel seems to be sitting pretty, with a very good chance of garnering awards at the ceremony. Wes Anderson’s film combines comedy, drama, violence, romance... all against the background of the period between the World Wars, into a nice, compact story. Ralph Fieness and Tony Revolori play the lead roles, with a long list of supporting actors, including Willem Dafoe, Edward Norton, and others like Bill Murray and Harvey Keitel in cameo roles.

The story is split into seven parts. The first part starts in the present day, with a girl reading a book written by “The Author”. The time shifts to 1985, where the Author narrates his experience of staying at The Grand Budapest Hotel. Back in 1968, when a younger Author (Jude Law) went to the hotel, he notices that it is in a poor state, with very few guests. The state is also ravaged by war. He meets the owner, Zero Moustafa (Murray Abraham), who agrees to share with him his tale. He takes the Author to 1932, when the hotel was under strict supervision of the concierge, M. Gustave H (Fieness), and at that time, Zero had joined as a lobby boy (Revolori). Gustave courts many elderly women residing at the hotel, one of them being Madame D. (Tilda Swinton). A month later, she dies under mysterious circumstances, and in her will, she leaves an expensive painting to Gustave. Hoping to save the painting from the angry family members, Gustave and Zero steal it. Soon, Gustave is also framed for her murder. The pursuit of Gustave by Madame D’s son (Brody), other related events, and how he gets control of the hotel are narrated by Zero to the Author.

Fieness as Gustave H (left)
and Revolori as Zero

Ralph Fieness in a comedy role... that was something that shocked me initially! I mean, seeing him as Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter series and an equally ruthless villain, Amon Göth in Schindler’s List and now knowing that he would be playing the lead role in the comedy film made me eager to watch The Grand Budapest Hotel. I am still stunned, but this time because I am left speechless by his performance... it was simply amazing. So many subtle expressions, displayed with such panache and grace... he has truly given one of his career-best performances here. Tony Revolori, in his debut film, is quite impressive. Though his face carries a deadpan expression throughout the film, what I liked is that he was able to support Fieness in the lead role. He makes sure the audience notices him, and it is not as though his acting is completely overshadowed by that of Fieness. Willem Dafoe plays Jopling, an assassin hired by Madame D’s son to pursue Gustave. He has the same look – and job – as Schwarzenegger in The Terminator, the doings of Jopling could send a few chills up your spine too! All the other actors do not have much screen time. But one thing I feel is that, because of the costumes and facial make-up, it is quite difficult to recognise some of the familiar faces in the film – personally, it was difficult for me to spot Edward Norton and Harvey Keitel, or even Owen Wilson till I saw their names in the closing credits.

From top left: Fieness, Murray Abraham, Mathieu Amalric,
Brody, Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum, Harvey Keitel (bottom left), Jude Law,
Bill Murray, Edward Norton, Saoirse Ronan and Jason Scwartzman

The visual style of the film is something else I loved. Now, visual style is not synonymous with visual effects – in fact, I hardly found any effects being used, and in several scenes, the settings looked very artificial. What I liked, however, is the content I saw on screen: the superb performances, costumes and the colourful way (probably the best example of Anderson's stylised use of colour) of presentation on screen. The comic actions, the violent murders, the chases in the snow... all this accompanied by a foot-tapping, racy score by Alexandre Desplat (who has two nominations this year, for this film and The Imitation Game) make The Grand Budapest Hotel a treat to watch.

The story is a little slow to start with, and in fact, it gets interesting only after the death of Madame D. There are many instances of subtle humour, either due to action or due to the dialogues, but you cannot watch the film without laughing all the way. Like I said before, Wes Anderson has beautifully woven a tale of romance, comedy, murder, and friendship. In fact, if you may be wondering why the story is told in several layers (first the girl with the book, the then the Author, and then Moustafa...), the answer is told towards the end. We see how, after spending several years and undertaking many dangerous routes, all to save the picture, in the end it ironically hangs in a pitiable condition in one of the hotel walls. Also, we come to know that the reason Moustafa continues to run the hotel, though it is practically making no business, is because it is his last connection to his love. When he is doing all he can to protect it, the least the Author can do is to keep it the tale alive. So that is the reason I think, as to why the story is narrated in this fashion – to show that the story is not completely dead, and that it has survived for well-over 50 years.

With a fast-paced story, first-class performances from the ensemble cast, wonderful visuals and not to forget the “bouncy” score, Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel is one of the best feel-good films of recent times. However, I wouldn’t recommend it for people of all ages, because of some language and violence; but otherwise, this is one of those films that you must see, for it gives you all-round entertainment, without taking too much time.

My Rating: 4.5/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 92%

Gone Girl (2014)

Director: David Fincher
Screenplay: Gillian Flynn (based on his book)
Cast: Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris
Music: Trent Renzor and Atticus Ross
Time: 150 minutes
Bottom-line: Brilliant direction and script, except for the climax

Few reasons I liked Fincher’s films were because they had good, entertaining stories, and because he knew to use just the right amount of violence in his films. Gone Girl, his latest film, turned out to be a bit of a disappointment. The mystery thriller film starring Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike in the lead roles is about how a man searches for his missing wife. What started out as a good thriller ended poorly, with a climax I still can’t understand.

Affleck as Nick

July 5th: On the fifth wedding anniversary of Nick (Affleck) and Amy Dunne (Pike), the former finds his wife missing from their house. The matter gains a lot of publicity because her parents were the authors of a children’s book series, whose inspiration was Amy. Detective Rhonda Boney (Kim Dickens) is assigned to the case, and initially she seems to believe that Nick is innocent. However, Nick’s unusual behaviour makes the public think that he killed his wife. Flashbacks show that their marriage wasn’t a perfect one, and that Nick and Amy often fought. Nick comes to know about Amy’s ex-boyfriend, Desi Collings (Harris), against whom she had filed a restraining order. After Boney finds signs of a struggle inside the house, it becomes clear that the whole “kidnap” of Amy was staged. The question is, who staged it, and for what? And where is the “gone girl”?

Pike as Amy

The first hundred minutes or so are brilliant. The plot has been built very well, with several twists rapidly coming up one after another. With the platform for the climax strongly set, I expected the film to become an edge of the seat thriller, but what I saw was completely unexpected - in the good sense and the bad. Wen the truth is revealed, I could not help but admire the ingenious planning of the whole set up and execution; Gillian Flynn is a genius to have thought of the plot! What I didn’t like is the happenings of the last half hour or so. (Spoiler alert!!) As far as the first half is concerned, she wants to stay away from Nick. Then what happens in the interview that suddenly makes her change so much that she would even kill for it? The smooth flow of the story became turbulent because of what was meant to be a “twist”, but to me, the last half hour was a letdown. Amy killing Nick would have been a better ending, for at least then it would be a proper revenge story – maybe she tries to get him arrested and when that does not work, she decides to take him on herself... or something like that.

Harris as Desi 

On the other hand, I feel that in Gone Girl, Ben Affleck gives one his better performances as an actor. I am not saying it is amazing or such, but just that compared to his other performances, this one was a lot better. But the real star was Rosamund Pike, who is also nominated for the Best Actress Academy Award this year. Amy’s character is the most complex of them all, and the Pike has portrayed her, with a variety of emotions and expressions, is simply stunning. There are several scenes where her acting is amazing - towards the end, the scene where she gets robbed, to name a few - and too appreciate it you have to see the film yourself. All the others have also done superbly, especially Kim Dickens, Carrie Coon – who plays Nick’s sister – and Tyler Perry – who plays Nick’s lawyer. The way the characters have been created is the highlight (as Nick’s lawyer says, “You two are the most messed up people I have ever known.”); in my view, “messed-up” is the perfect description for Nick and Amy!

David Fincher’s Gone Girl didn’t come up to my expectations – the climax messed it up, but in other aspects, especially acting, the film is excellent. There were few trademarks of Fincher I could spot, starting with the deeply messed-up characters, the way violence has been employed, the cinematography and the way he has shown the dark side of marriage. The film is smooth most of the way, and Pike’s performance is superb till the end. Gone Girl is far from Fincher’s best work, but overall, is a decent film. Read the book; you'll enjoy it far more than the film.

My Rating: 3.5/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 88%

The Imitation Game (2014)

Director: Morten Tyldum

Screenplay: Graham Moore (based on the book by Andrew Hodges)

Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode, Mark Strong

Music: Alexandre Desplat

Time: 114 minutes

Bottom-line: A spellbinding film, with Cumberbatch at his very best

There have lived many scientists, mathematicians and inventors whose works have often gone unnoticed. Some of them have been honoured posthumously, and who knows – maybe several works of other famous scientists are yet to be discovered. One of the most brilliant minds of the 20th century, whose work during the Second World War went unnoticed for decades, was mathematician and cryptanalyst, Alan Turing. The Imitation Game is a biopic on this genius, and the film focuses particularly on his efforts during WWII. The film is nominated for eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. 

Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays Alan Turing

Behind every code, there is an enigma. Benedict Cumberbatch stars as Alan Turing. The story contains several timelines, from 1928 to 1953, that is, from Turing’s school days till the year before his death. During World War II, the Nazis used an Enigma code to send messages. It was, at that time, the most difficult code to break. Turing approaches Commander Denniston, requesting an opportunity to try his hand at deciphering the code. Turing doesn’t get along with the other scholars and cryptographers who are already employed, and begins working on a machine by himself. He employs Joan Clarke (Knightley) who is also a cryptanalyst. Soon it becomes clear that only a machine, and not man, can crack the code, and that Turing cannot do it alone. How the group of code-breakers at Bletchley Park try and crack the Nazi code is what the film is about. 

The father of computer
science: Alan Turing

I think it has become quite evident from the nine episodes of Sherlock that Benedict Cumberbatch has a knack of portraying characters who are “smarter than the rest”. Here too, he may not exactly resemble Turing in looks, but his acting is impeccable. The way he delivers his dialogues (with that constant stammer too), his body language and facial expressions are perfect. Cumberbatch has a good chance of bagging the Oscar this year. Keira Knightley supports Cumberbatch with a superb performance as Joan Clarke. I liked the way the contrast is shown between Turing and Clarke – the former, eccentric, completely serious and indulged in work, while the latter is equally smart but more jovial. In both the film and in real life, the relationship between Clarke and Turing was short-lived. Knightley is nominated for the Oscar in the Best Supporting Actress category. The other actors portraying the code-breakers, including Matthew Goode, Alan Leech, and Matthew Beard have done well.  

Joan Clarke (left), played by Keira
Knightley (right)

In terms of accuracy, I feel that The Imitation Game is okay, and does justice to Alan Turing, though there are several instances of historical inaccuracy. The period settings and costumes seemed pretty accurate to me. The pace of the story is well-set, and I feel that whatever should have been conveyed in the 114 minutes has been conveyed. Now, Turing is an interesting man to make a biopic about because there are many things people do not know about him, and the film attempted to throw light on that aspect. But there is the sensitive issue about Turing being a homosexual. Nevertheless, Tyldum and Moore have done well to portray the incidents that are not too “insulting” or such. Few instances have been modified to give dramatic effect, but nothing else. For example, the machine here is named Christopher (after Turing’s childhood friend), whereas in reality it was known as the Bombe. Unlike the way Turing is portrayed in the film, sources say that in real life he had several friends, and a good sense of humour too. 

A quote I found interesting

The epilogue tells us that Turing committed suicide on June 7th 1954, aged 41, but the cause of his death is still a debate. The epilogue also tells that in 2013, Queen Elizabeth II granted him a royal pardon, and honoured his achievements. The sad part is that while Turing homosexuality became a public issue, the fact that his machine shortened the war by nearly two years – thereby saving thousands of lives – remained secret for over fifty years. The last two lines pretty much summarise the genius in Turing: Turing’s work inspired generations of research into what scientists called “Turing Machines”. Today, we call them computers. 

With Cumberbatch and Knightley putting their best efforts into acting, The Imitation Game stands a good chance of winning many awards this year. The script is excellent, and the film is a delight to watch. As one of the taglines of the film says: It took a man with secrets, to break the biggest one: Turing may not have been the perfect man, but I believe that, as I type this on my desktop, all of us should know the true brilliance of Alan Turing, the father of the modern computer. A nice, clean biopic, The Imitation Game is a film that you should not miss.

My Rating: 4.5/5

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 90%

Jigarthanda (2014)

English Translation: Cold Heart
Director: Karthik Subbaraj
Story: Karthik Subbaraj
Cast: Siddharth, Lakshmi Menon, Bobby Simhaa 
Music: Santhosh Narayanan
Time: 171 minutes
Bottom-line: Full of surprises, the main one being Simhaa’s performance!

Despite being more or less a typical masala movie, Jigarthanda somehow races past the other films to emerge as one of my favourites of 2014, because it has not one or two, but loads of surprises! This film by Karthik Subbaraj stars Siddharth, Lakshmi Menon, Bobby Simhaa and Karunakaran in the lead roles. Though the film is a longer than needed, it manages to provide all round entertainment mainly because it combines various genres: gangster, drama, comedy etc.

Karthik (Siddharth) is a short-film director, looking for an opportunity to showcase his talent. In one such reality show for upcoming directors, he gets rejected in the semi-final round, but a producer is willing to produce Karthik’s first feature film. However, the producer demands that the feature should be a gangster film. So Karthik goes in search of an actual gangster, and he comes to know about “Assault” Sethu (Simhaa), a ruthless, psychotic gangster in Madurai, who burnt a person alive for just writing an article about him in a magazine. Karthik decides to make a biopic on Sethu, and he goes to Madurai to do so, with the help of his friend Oorani (Karunakaran). Things go well initially, and Karthik also falls in love with a girl called Kayal (Lakshmi Menon). But soon, Sethu finds out that someone is spying on him, and Karthik finds himself in a deep mess, that could well ruin his life...

Siddharth as Karthik, and Lakshmi Menon
as Kayal

You would have seen posters classifying Jigarthanda as a “musical gangster” film. It is not a musical, in any way; gangster, yes. The film is not mainly about the doings of “Assault” Sethu, but about how Karthik manages to make a film about him. First we see how Karthik tries to get information from Sethu’s powerful but stupid hitmen, and when those fail, he tries to spy on Sethu himself, and this puts him in a very dangerous situation. How he escapes from there and how he is able to use the situation to his advantage is what the film is about. Jigarthanda is much more violent than any other recent Tamil film that I have seen, but that’s part of the thrill. You get the hint that there is going to be a lot of killing from the moment Sethu gives his entry. Spoiler: The twist in the story that Karthik shoots the film unknown to Sethu is similar to the theme of films like Velli Thirai and its original Malayalam movie, but still, till that instant, you would never have guessed that Karthik would do such a thing.

Simhaa as "Assault" Sethu

On the other hand, the film offers you plenty of laughs. The comedy track is not a separate one, but is cleverly interwoven with the main theme. In between the bloody murders you will also find yourself laughing, especially after the entry of the character of the acting coach. The romance between Karthik and Kayal is not given much screen time, though it affects the story. What might be bothering you now is the duration of 171 minutes – I feel that importance has also been given to character development, so the 171 minutes is worth it. A rigorous inspection would probably find about ten minutes of needless scenes, but other than that, the pace never slackens.

As far as acting is concerned, only two words come to mind: Bobby Simhaa. After Soodhu Kavvum and Neram, this is the third film I am seeing him in, and this could be his best performance for a long time to come. “Assault” Sethu could never been as terrifying as this if someone else had acted in place of Simhaa. Towards the end of the film, the nature of Sethu’s character changes, and Simhaa has done extremely well to change his acting style accordingly. Siddharth and Lakshi menon have done a decent job, but could have improved a lot. Karunakaran, in his third or fourth film, does well to provide humour.

Jigarthanda is not a film that will be enjoyed by people of all ages, mainly because of its violence, and not everyone will be amused by the jokes. But nevertheless, if you are willing to see any entertainer, then this would be one of the best movies of 2014 to meet the needs. It may start slowly, but never slows down after that. It is nothing more than a light-hearted, but effective entertainer that gives you enjoyment... just like a cup of jigarthanda!

My Rating: 4/5

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011)

Director: Brad Bird
Screenplay: André Nemec and Josh Appelbaum
Cast: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Paula Patton
Music: Michael Giacchino
Time: 132 minutes
Bottom-line: Gripping action... impossible to miss!

Tom Cruise reprises his role as Agent Ethan Hunt in the fourth installment in the Mission: Impossible franchise. The 2011 film comes with more action, more thrills and a much tougher mission. The cast includes Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg and Paula Patton in the lead roles, with Anil Kapoor, Michael Nyqvist and Léa Seydoux in the supporting roles.

Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt

After a brief opening sequence in Budapest, the story immediately shifts to Moscow, where Ethan Hunt (Cruise) is spending his time in a prison. Newly promoted field agent Benji (Pegg) and Jane Carter (Patton) rescue Ethan from the prison, and en route to receiving his mission, Carter tells Ethan that they are looking for a certain “Cobalt”. The task Ethan receives is that he should infiltrate the Kremlin’s archives to extract information about Cobalt. Something goes wrong, and Ethan is forced to abort. He barely escapes, when the Kremlin is bombed. He later comes to know that the Russians have held the IMF responsible for bombing the Kremlin, and so, the American President has initiated Ghost Protocol: the entire IMF has been disavowed. Analyst William Brandt (Renner), Carter, Benji and Ethan are all that is left of it. The team comes to know that Cobalt has acquired a nuclear launch-control device, and all he needs to launch the missile are the activation codes. The four of them are the only ones left to stop him from creating a nuclear war. The mission begins...

Jeremy Renner as Brandt

Now the key thing to remember is, when Tom Cruise does something, it always works out. Of course, this is not new... this has been happening since the time of James Bond, and even before that. When you create a hero who provides non-stop entertainment, the viewers often have to take reality out of the picture. But despite this constraint, MI: 4 is impressive in almost every other aspect. First off, the action: in my view, MI: 4 contains some of the best action sequences among films of this decade, in my view. I think the sequence of Ethan Hunt scaling the glass surface of Burj Khalifa is quite popular, even among those who haven’t seen the film yet. But the film also contains some other impressive stunts, like the sandstorm chase that follows, the Kremlin sequence, and of course, the finale between Ethan and Cobalt in Mumbai. Again, remember, when Ethan climbs the Burj, all of Dubai’s security are too lazy to notice him, or the glass panes he breaks. And Ethan is probably the only one who can drive a BMW i8 at high speeds on a Mumbai road!

Patton as Jane

To compromise for the superhuman talents of the heroes, the writers decided to give a tougher mission. I guess that’s what MI: 4 the most interesting film of the series, because it is about just four people who stand against nuclear war (as the tagline says “No plan; No backup; No contact; No choice”). The story moves at breakneck pace, and what I found amusing is the way the writers’ minds worked when they decided the stunts Ethan would perform: like the way he re-enters the Burj from outside, and the way he drives the car off the platform ten storeys down to disable the missile in time!

Simon Pegg as Benji

Tom Cruise has done a remarkable job in the film. He plays the lead role with unmatchable style and he does exactly what the audience want him to do: entertain them thoroughly, without a pause. Accompanying him with another commendable performance is Jeremy Renner. Simon Pegg does well do provide humour whenever needed. Only Paula Patton, I felt, could have improved a little bit more. But another interesting piece of information is that all the stunts were performed by the actors themselves, without any stunt doubles. The cinematography was top-notch, and in fact, Brad Bird insisted on using the IMAX format rather than 3D to get sharper images. The background score was superb too, and the title sequence of the film was also innovative.

The picture on the left is one that
 has been going around
for a while, showing Tom Cruise actually posing
on the top of Burj Khalifa's spire.
The second picture gives you an idea of how the
shooting took place.  

While Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol certainly requires you to start watching it with an open mind, which is ready to believe anything it sees, the film provides everything that you expect from an action film: stunts, thrills, car chases... everything – watch out for the Burj Khalifa sequence, in particular. This is one hell of a ride that you can’t miss, especially if you are a fan of action films.

My Rating: 3.5/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 93%