127 Hours (2010)

Director: Danny Boyle
Screenplay: Danny Boyle and Simon Beaufoy (based on the book by Aron Ralston)
Cast: James Franco
Music: A.R. Rahman
Time: 93 minutes
Bottom-line: Gruelling, compelling, but far from comfortable viewing

If you are one of those people like me, whose first impression on the film was “It’s a movie about a man and a rock... how boring!” – ensure that you put 127 Hours right on top of the list of your “To-Watch Movies” list. This 2010 biopic survival drama by Slumdog Millionaire director Danny Boyle is an engaging film, although it will be a gut-wrenching experience for most.

There is no force on Earth more powerful than the will to live.
Adventurer Aron Ralston (Franco) heads to Canyonlands National Park, Utah, for a day of hiking. While exploring on his own, he slips and falls, and a boulder traps his arm against the canyon wall. He yells out but realises he is completely alone. Over the course of the next 127 hours, he tries various methods to free himself – chip off the rock, build a pulley... but nothing works. He rations food and water, but eventually he is forced to drink his own urine to survive. Watch the tale of Aron Ralston, as he finds himself between a rock and a hard place (literally!).   

Franco as Aron 

What makes 127 Hours unique as a survival tale is that Boyle makes you sure you focus on Ralston and Ralston alone – almost throughout the film we see what Aron does to free himself, how his mind and body slowly stop functioning, and then his eventual triumph. But with no other part of the storyline to throw us off track (except 15 minutes in the beginning), it really does feel like the viewer is also stuck with Aron in the canyon; you can feel his every emotion, and you vicariously endure all the struggles he undergoes. Yes it is true that the film is pretty much about “a man and a rock”, but only Danny Boyle can make it an unforgettable watch.

The cinematography in Boyle films is something to look out for, and in 127 Hours, though the camera rarely moves out of the crack in the canyon, it is able to capture all the nuances in emotions, the hallucinations, and not to forget the loneliness of Aron. Towards the end the content shown on screen gets disgusting and bloody, but it is part of the experience – you were stuck with Aron till then, and so you must watch the film till the end however sick it may be! I also liked A.R. Rahman’s score for the film (in his second collaboration with Boyle after the Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire).

The real Aron Ralston

Often critics praise actors by saying “It is a one man show!” but only watching the film I realise how loosely the term is being used! This is the perfect example for the so-called one man show because literally, there is only one man for 90 out of the 93 minutes of screen time! All eyes are on James Franco, who delivers one of the greatest performances of the past decade, and I am shocked that the Oscar (and most of the major acting awards) went to Colin Firth for The King’s Speech. The way Franco makes the transition from the care-free adventurer to the man who almost loses hope in living is sensational, and for someone who has had very few major performances till then, Franco carries responsibility on his shoulders with amazing panache!

In a year with a lot of blockbusters like Inception, Toy Story 3 and my personal favourite, The Social Network, this biopic went unnoticed by many. But it is certainly a well-made film, with James Franco giving the performance of his life!

My Rating: 4/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 93% 

The 88th Academy Awards (2016)

The 88th Academy Awards were well underway at the Dolby Theatre, by early morning today, where I am. It was one hell of an event too! Hosted by Chris Rock (he voices Marty in the Madagascar franchise), this event brought forth many surprises, laughs and will give us memories to remember, with the main highlight being Leonardo DiCaprio winning his first Oscar after a long wait!

The host: Chris Rock

The main issue with this year’s award ceremony was the fact that there were no black nominees. While this may have been controversial to many, Chris Rock certainly did make the most of it to entertain everyone around. His line, “Black people don’t care about these! We’re too busy being raped and lynched to worry about who won Best Documentary Short!” He also questioned the need for separate categories for males and females in acting! After all, if you are an actor you should be able to play both! As he said, “Robert de Niro is not gonna say ‘I’ll slow down here to let Meryl Streep catch up with me!’” The other interesting thing that occurred was Chris Rock advertising Girl Scout cookies, and it resulted in a collection of over $65000 too!

Now, onto the winners:

Best Picture: Spotlight (Michael Sugar, Steve Golin, Nicole Rocklin, and Blye Pagon Faust)

Todd McCarthy’s biographical crime drama talks about The Boston Globe’s “Spotlight” team, that investigated the widespread and systemic child sex abuse in the Boston area by numerous Roman Catholic priests. The Globe earned the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service. It was one of the top contenders for the accolade, with The Revenant being the only other close competitor (my pick was The Martian). “The film gave a voice to the survivors, and the voice is amplified by this Oscar” the team said as they accepted the final award of the night. Michael Rezendes, the real life reporter (played by Mark Ruffalo in the film) was present for the occasion.

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Best Director: Alejandro G. Iñárritu (The Revenant)
Winning the award for Best Director second time in a row, after last year’s Birdman, (the third director to do so) Alejandro G. Iñárritu continues to impress us with his versatile filmmaking styles. The Revenant is the survival tale of Hugh Glass, a fur trapper who was left for the dead by his team after being mauled by a grizzly bear.

Best Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio (The Revenant)
Ah, this was the best moment of the night, for a Leo fan like me! After being eluded by the Oscar for his better performances in Blood Diamond and The Wolf of Wall Street, DiCaprio finally had a chance to give his Oscar speech following a long standing ovation. He plays Hugh Glass, the survivor of the film. With barely any dialogue but with a wide range of expressions and good use of body language, this was a well-deserved win. Being an environmentalist, he also gave a shout-out to climate change before signing off – “Climate change is real, it is happening right now… it is the most urgent threat facing our entire species and we need to work collectively together and stop procrastinating. Let's not take this planet for granted. I do not take tonight for granted.” DiCaprio was all praise for Tom Hardy too, saying, "The only thing better than his acting on screen was his friendship off screen."

Best Actress: Brie Larson (Room)
You have seen her as the crazy school girl in 21 Jump Street, but get ready to see her as Joy "Ma" Newsome, the mother who is held captive in a room for seven years, who has the responsibility of introducing her child to the world outside. “The thing I love about movie making is how many people it takes to make it”, she said, after accepting her accolade.

Best Supporting Actor: Mark Rylance (Bridge of Spies) 
Well this was a surprise! Personally I considered Rylance’s performance to be a bit overrated; it was terrific, no doubt, but I felt that Tom Hardy, for The Revenant, deserved the award more. Rylance plays the Soviet spy Rudolf Abel, held captive in the US, while the Americans try to use him to settle for an exchange of spies. His referred to his famous line in the movie “Would it help?” during his speech, saying, “If anyone asks 'Would it help working with Tom Hanks?', the answer is certainly yes”.

Best Supporting Actress: Alicia Vikander (The Danish Girl)

While there was slight controversy about placing Vikander in the supporting category and not the lead actress category even though the title refers to her character, the award was well deserved. Vikander plays Gerda Wegener, the wife of Einar Wegener (played by Eddie Redmayne, also a nominee), the letter being the one of the first people to undergo a sex change operation.

Best Animated Feature: Inside Out (Pete Docter and Jonas Rivera) 
I was disappointed this film didn’t become the fourth animated film to be in the Best Picture category, but I am certainly happy it won the Best Animated Feature award. As the recipients said, “This film was born from watching our children grow up...”, the film is about a 11-year old girl who has five emotions/personalities in her head, and how we see the world through their eyes. This is one family film worth watching, and is as good as any other Pixar film you’ll come across.

Best Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki (The Revenant) 
Three years in a row – following Gravity and Birdman – Lubezki has been the proud recipient of this award. The Revenant gives him an opportunity to use his skills again, as he gives us some terrific action scenes, and equally grueling ones too. The scene where the grizzly bear attacks Hugh Glass is one to look out for!

Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Costume Design, Best Editing, Best Makeup and Best Production Design: Mad Max: Fury Road

This post apocalyptic thriller (the fourth installment in the Mad Max franchise) emerged as the film with most wins, bagging 6 out of its ten nominations! While the storyline was not that impressive, I really loved the sets, camerawork, and the mind boggling action. This film certainly deserved the awards, and credit must be given to its artistic touches.

Best Original Score: Ennio Morricone (The Hateful Eight)
It’s not often you see a Tarantino movie winning in categories other than screenplay, but well, here’s surprise! This was one award the film deserved winning, even if it otherwise fell way below my expectations in terms of acting and storyline.

Other winners:
Best Original Screenplay: Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer (Spotlight)
Best Adapted Screenplay: Adam McKay and Charles Randolph (The Big Short) 
Best Original Song: Writing's on the Wall" - Music and Lyric by Jimmy Napes and Sam Smith (Spectre) 

The Revenant entered the ceremony with the most nominations (12) (winning three) and Mad Max: Fury Road ended up winning the most (6). The ceremony went well, thanks to the excellent hosting by Chris Rock. The performances of the nominated songs were excellent, and overall, the event went smoothly.

#Oscars #Oscars2016 #88thacademyawards

Skyfall (2012)

Director: Sam Mendes
Story: Robert Wade, John Logan, Neal Purvis (based on the character created by Ian Fleming)
Cast: Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Javier Bardem, Ralph Fieness
Music: Thomas Newman
Time: 143 minutes
Bottom-line: Bit goofy, but exhilarating! 

Skyfall marks the fiftieth anniversary of the classic, unforgettable MI6 agent, James Bond. The twenty-third installment in the James Bond franchise stars Daniel Craig as 007 and Judi Dench as M. The film begins in Istanbul, where Bond and Eve (Naomi Harris) chase a mercenary. As Bond and the mercenary fight on top of a train, M orders Eve to take a direct shot, which ends up hitting Bond, who falls into a river, and is presumed dead. Following the event, M faces pressure from Gareth Mallory (Fieness), the Intelligence and Security Committee, to retire. After a terrorist attack, the MI6 is forced to relocate its emergency offices underground. Bond eventually returns after hearing about the attack, and though he fails all the required tests, M approves his return to the field. After a series of events Bond meets Silva (Bardem), the film’s villain. The rest of the film focuses on the Bond-Silva encounters, with particular importance on M’s character.

Craig as Bond. James Bond

The film begins with an exciting encounter, as always; but then it slows down a bit. The process of Bond getting back to the field is shown in detail. But nevertheless, the action sequences were interesting, especially the drama at the Macau casino. One thing odd about Skyfall is that the villain makes an entry only after 70 minutes into the film (“He’s the villain we’ve all been waiting for... for seventy minutes, that is!”). Silva is that one villain more bent on destroying M rather than Bond, which is why the film’s climax is unique.

Bardem as Silva

Daniel Craig impresses again, playing the role I feel he was born to play (as I wrote earlier in Casino Royale, Craig has always been my mental picture of Bond). Judi Dench does an amazing job as M, and among her recent films, it is one of her best performances. The new characters are Gareth Mallory, played well by Fieness, the bond girl – surprisingly with a very short screen time – Bérénice Lim Marlohe as Séverine, and finally, the villain – Silva. I felt that Bardem could have done a much better job at playing a more horrific villain – his role as Anton Chigurh in No Country in Old Men still haunts me. Craig and the others manage to throw in a few bits of dry humour as well (like during Bond’s word-association test!)

Dench as M

The film’s cinematography is superb, as is the background score. Perhaps the main highlight of the technical aspects is Adele’s Skyfall theme that plays as the opening credits roll, immediately after Bond is shot. The song later won the Oscar for Best Original Song, and boy, was it good! The stunts were exciting to watch, but again, as in most films, the more exciting it is, the more ridiculous it is (I mean which driver continues to drive a train after half of it has been “sawed” off??) The climax was goofy; it looked more of a Home Alone type showdown!

Marlohe as Severine

Thanks to its terrific acting performances, camera work and stylish presentation, Skyfall marks the fiftieth anniversary in such finesse and elegance. To me, Casino Royale was a better Bond film, but this one definitely is worth a watch!

My Rating: 3.5/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 92%

21 Jump Street (2012)

Director: Phil Lord and Christopher Miller
Screenplay: Michael Bacall and Jonah Hill (adaptation of the 1987 TV series)
Cast: Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum
Music: Mark Mothersbaugh
Time: 109 minutes
Bottom-line: You’ll be on the floor laughing before you know it!

Chief Hardy: “Do you even know the Miranda rights?”
Jenko: “Well it obviously starts with... if you have the right to... remain an attorney...”
Chief Hardy: “Did you just say you have the right to be an attorney?!?”
Schmidt: “Well, you do have the right to be an attorney if you want to...”

In one of the most hilarious and scintillating comedy films of the decade, Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum star as the (polar opposite) buddy cops Morton Schmidt and Greg Jenko respectively. The former is bookish and socially awkward (struggles to even ask a girl out to prom night), while latter is dim-witted but muscular. They become friends at the Police Academy, and partners on bicycle patrol. After a foiled arrest (involving the above conversation between Hardy and Jenko!), the two of them are assigned to a mission where they infiltrate a high school to control the spread of a new drug HFS (guess the expansion?). Due to their youthful appearance, they fit right in, but not before accidentally switching their identities and taking the drug themselves, and soon getting into all sorts of trouble!

Whether Jenko manages to learn any chemistry in his AP class or not, (according to him, “Chemistry's the one with the shapes, right?”) there is definitely some excellent chemistry between the two lead actors. Both Hill and Tatum do a terrific job in making you laugh, whether it is because of their comic dialogues or gauche actions... the fact that they unintentionally interchange their student profiles and enter into classes not suited for their character adds to the fun – Jenko goes to AP Chemistry along with “geeks” while Schmidt goes to drama lessons. One of the best moments of the film is when the cops themselves are forced to take HFS to maintain their undercover identity (made even funnier by the CGI used to portray their delirium and hallucinations!)

Hill as Schimdt (left) and
Tatum as Jenko

The plot is made entertaining mainly because of the acting, including that of the supporting cast. The scene where the cops meet Captain Dickson (Ice Cube), manager of the Jump Street program, is one where you most certainly will be on the floor laughing, thanks to the dialogues involving Ice Cube in his cameo role! The plot twists are good, and the best part is that every one of them adds to the fun in this roller-coaster ride. The content is risqué is many places but the story is written such that the profanity or crude humour doesn’t spoil the main plot. There is one road chase which was completely unnecessary. The only time the film becomes a little serious is when Jenko and Schmidt get into a fight. But that adds to the drama; and of course, one cannot forget the dramatic sacrifice Jenko makes towards the end, when they face the villain.

With a uproarious, side-splitting plot, powered by captivating, animated performances by Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum (who, in particular, has done an extremely good job), numerous one-liners (loads of vulgar ones too!) and a list of memorable scenes to watch over and over again, 21 Jump Street is one comedy film you will not regret watching... and I can guarantee that you will burst out laughing!

My Rating: 3.5/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 85%

Bridge of Spies (2015)

Director: Steven Spielberg
Story: Matt Charman, Joel Coen and Ethan Coen 
Cast: Tom Hanks, Martin Rylance 
Music: Thomas Newman
Time: 141 minutes
Bottom-line: Not the best war film, but a well-made history-drama 

Steven Spielberg’s 1993 drama Schindler’s List is undoubtedly the best film I have seen about World War II, and when I knew that Bridge of Spies was also a war film from the same director, I immediately had high expectations. But the film actually turned out to be a silent but powerful political drama, with many, albeit evanescent, bits of brilliance from Hanks and Rylance.

Hanks as Donovan

1957, New York – Rudolf Abel (Rylance) is arrested by FBI agents when they find evidence of him being a Russian spy. James Donovan (Hanks), a lawyer specialising in insurance, is asked to defend Abel, so that he can have a fair trial to reduce the Soviet Union’s chance to use it for propaganda. Donovan agrees, but he realises that he seems to be the only one to take his work seriously; everyone around him thinks he is just putting up an act. Meanwhile, Francis Gary Powers, an American agent, is shot down and captured in Russia, and an American economics student is also arrested for being a spy, in Germany. Donovan is asked to request the exchange of Powers for Abel, but he also tries to include the student, to make a 2-for-1 exchange. How does he do it?

The real James Donovan

Though almost every summary/review categorises Bridge of Spies as a “thriller” film, it is actually just a war drama; not a “thriller” like an Indiana Jones film or Jaws. There’s nothing special about it, except that the spies, both Russian and American, are portrayed as actual spies, not James-Bond-type spies, in the sense that importance is given to the way they behave in the enemy camp and the people trying to get them out, not on the audacious stunts that you expect them to pull out any moment. The thrill comes from the dialogues and acting, and the story is made more authentic thanks to the settings.

Tom Hanks does pretty much nothing in the film except talk – he talks to his wife and children like a family man worries that his family is in danger because of his defending Abel; to Abel he talks like a trustworthy lawyer, though he knows he is dealing with a Soviet spy; to the Russians he talks in a cogent manner with a bold tone, convincing them for the exchange... in short, if someone can make you get such an array of vicarious feelings just by hearing him speak, it can only be Tom Hanks! It is very rare to see critics praise a co-star when you have Hanks in a film, but somehow in Bridge of Spies, Martin Rylance seems to be one to have stolen the show, according to general opinion. But to me, while he did do an excellent job of playing the docile, well-mannered Soviet spy, the performance was nothing compared to that of Hanks. The scene in the bridge where the exchange takes place is touching, when Abel gives a gift to Donovan, who suddenly realises he has nothing to offer, and also when Abel so selflessly agrees to wait till both prisoners are exchanged.

The actual Rudolf Abel (left), and the
same character played by Rylance (right)

The background score by Newman, the sets and cinematography were first-class, just like any other Spielberg film; there are no compromises on the technical categories. The story could have been paced a little better in my view, but I liked the fact that Spielberg has decided to make a film to focus on the characters rather than the action of the Cold War. The way he brings out the subtle differences between the two countries is worth noticing (like when Donovan looks out the window of the train). The acting is magnificent, and the direction, matchless.

My Rating: 3.5/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 91%

The Martian (2015)

Director: Ridley Scott
Screenplay: Drew Goddard (based on the book by Andy Weir)
Cast: Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Jeff Daniels, Chiwetel Ejiofor
Music: Harry Gregson-Williams
Time: 141 minutes
Bottom-line: Matt Damon all the way! 

Help is only 140 million miles away...

Ridley Scott is one of those directors who has had a bumpy career in my view. His successful movies pop up occasionally, but the impact they have is tremendous. His 2015 science fiction thriller The Martian strikes all the right notes and it emerges as one of the highest rated films of 2015, and one to look out for this award season!

The year 2035: The crew of Ares III manned expedition to Mars, consisting of botanist/astronaut Mark Watney (Damon), geologist/commander Melissa Lewis (Chastain), Rick Martinez (Michael Peña), Beth (Kate Mara), Dr. Beck (Sebastian Stan) and Dr. Vogel (Askel Hinnie) are forced to abort their mission as they are struck by a severe dust storm. In this process, Watney is hit by debris, and loses contact with the crew, who presume him to be dead. Lewis gives the order to launch, leaving Watney behind. But of course, Watney isn’t dead; not yet at least! He makes his way back to the Hab and nurses himself, and finally comes to know what has happened. How does this astronaut aka “The Martian” survive on Mars, without any contact with NASA, with barely enough food for 300 sols?

Damon as botanist Mark Watney

How often does a space film offer so much of everything? The Martian is the package I’ve been waiting for all year – it has a fair amount of science, comedy, emotions and enough drama to keep you glued to your seat. The film talks about the various plans Watney comes up with to establish contact, to grow food (on a planet where nothing grows, as he puts it), produce water and so on... Simultaneously we also see how the people of NASA and other organisations, as well as the crew of Ares III put forth their efforts to rescue Watney. Of course, it is a little ridiculous to think how an astronaut can do some many things perfectly – but then, he is the best botanist on the planet, and all survival films need that sort of ultra-talented hero to make a story!

Chastain as Commander Lewis

The acting is the best part, and in that aspect, Matt Damon steals the show. This actor has got used to playing the role of a person waiting to be saved by others (following Interstellar, Saving Private Ryan and so on...), and in The Martian, he is funny, dramatic, and scientific enough, to earn himself a well-deserved Oscar nod. His humorous one-liners are one of the highlights of his performance (including his emphatic "In your face, Neil Armstrong!" ), and I also liked the way he expresses a wide range of emotions – though at times you wonder how an astronaut in that situation can afford to be so casual!  

The Ares III crew - Watney, Lewis,
Beth (Mara), Dr. Beck (Stan; in black)
and Dr. Vogel (Hinnie)

The Martian is outstanding in cinematography; every sequence is captured in a crystal-clear manner (without unnecessary shaky-cam or such). The settings and visual effects are marvellous too. I liked the way how the story portrays science, while still keeping within bounds of human abilities. As I said earlier, the hero is ultra-talented, but is not a superhero (though Watney wants to fly like Iron Man). That is the reason why as each sol goes by, you as a viewer silently keep cheering Watney to go on, and when he finally signs off, you immediately feel like applauding this brave astronaut.

Ridley’s Scott’s latest sci-fi drama is certainly one of his best films, and easily a favourite of this year’s Oscars. The story may not be entirely believable, but Damon’s magic entices you so much that you don’t really care! The Martian is my pick for this year’s Academy Award for Best Picture.

My Rating: 4.5/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 93%

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

Director: George Miller
Story: George Miller, Brendan McCarthy and Nico Lathouris
Cast: Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron
Music: Junkie XL
Time: 120 minutes
Bottom-line: Bit overhyped; maybe not my type of film  

Following The Revenant, Mad Max: Fury Road leads the Oscar nominations with a whooping ten, including Best Picture and Director! George Miller directs the fourth installment in the Mad Max franchise, and Tom Hardy replaces Mel Gibson for the titular role. While most critics and audience liked the film, I for one, find it not as great as the reviews and ratings say; to me, ten Oscar nominations seem absurd!

Hardy as Max

Oh, what a day! What a lovely day!
Set in the future, following a nuclear holocaust, the world is now a desert with barely any water or gasoline. One survivor is Max Rockatansky, (Hardy), who is captured by the “War Boys”, the army of a tyrant: Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne). One of Joe’s soldiers is Imperator Furiosa (Theron), who is given responsibility to ferry gasoline between Gas Town and Joe’s Citadel. En route, she takes a detour away from Gas Town, and we come to know that her mission is actually to protect Joe’s Five Wives – one of whom is pregnant – and take them to safe custody. Joe sends an army after Furiosa to capture her. In the road battle that ensues, Max and Furiosa team up, despite their initial hostilities. How the two of them fight out Joe’s army in one extended road battle is what the film is about.

Theron as Furiosa 

For a budget of $150 million, the settings, cinematography, visual effects and costumes were outstanding! There is nothing new about the filming techniques; I’ve seen better action films and much better cinematography, but for a pure action film such as this, the director and the crew did well to pace each sequence and film it precisely to keep all the viewers gasping for more. I liked the portrayal of the post-apocalyptic world too: the way the people have become so emaciated, their desperation for water and most importantly, their will to survive. Though I am not usually a fan of gun violence or continuous action, Fury Road interested me because of the new style of action - to see new weapons, new types of armies and of course, all those monster truck type vehicles induced a liking for the movie in me.

Though on screen we are just shown one long road battle, the central theme of the story is supposed to be survival, though how so is still not very clear to me. Yes it is obvious that Furiosa, Max and the others are all looking for the Utopian “Green Land” and they all are willing to help each other even by sacrificing themselves when needed. (Spoiler) But when they eventually find out that the land is not what it was and they turn back, is it supposed to symbolise that there is no ideal place? And in the end why does Max disappear into the crowd? These are few things still unclear in my mind.

Keays-Byrne as Immortan Joe

As far as acting is concerned, Charlize Theron steals the show. Being almost unrecognisable with her new haircut and grease-stained forehead, she plays a powerful female hero, leading the pack of Wives to safety, away from the gang of men in hot pursuit. Her character is like The Bride in the Kill Bill films but on a grander scale. I think Theron is one actress who does a sublime job at playing strong-willed heroes, particularly after her career-best performance in Monster. Tom Hardy hardly has any expression or dialogue, and occasionally mumbles out a few words. His performance in The Revenant is a dozen times better than this one.

The war rig 

So I guess Mad Max: Fury Road is just not my type of film. I still fail to see how it is rated so high; probably because it revived the series in a grand manner, but otherwise there’s not much to it. It is "just another action film", but the action is terrific, no doubt.

My Rating: 3/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 97%

Thani Oruvan (2015)

English translation: The Lone Man
Director: Mohan Raja 
Story: Mohan Raja, Subha
Cast: Jeyam Ravi, Nayantara, Arvind Swamy
Music: Hiphop Tamizha
Time: 155 minutes
Bottom-line: A new type of thriller, with Arvind Swamy giving the performance of his life!

“Un edhiri yaar endru sol... Nee yaar endru solgiren” (translates to “Tell me who your enemy is; I’ll tell you who you are”).

2015 managed to produce at least one good Tamil film, and it is this drama from Mohan Raja. With some terrific acting and an engaging storyline, Thani Oruvan proves that to become successful at the box office and amongst critics, one need not make a masala film all the time.

Jeyam Ravi as Mithran 

The film begins with the arrest of a juvenile, for supposedly murdering a politician. After the opening credits, the timeline shifts several years later, and we meet Mithran (Ravi), an IPS trainee, and his four friends. His lover is Mahima (Nayantara), but Mithran has no plans of having a relationship. Mithran’s main reason for joining the police force is because he wants to root out all the criminals in Chennai, by capturing the three main leaders. As the story progresses we see that all three of them work for a bigger crime lord – a scientist, Siddharth Abimanyu (Swamy). Siddharth seems to have influence in every field and is practically impossible to destroy. Watch what Mithran – the thani oruvan – does to stop Siddahrth’s crimes, as the two involve in a battle of wits...

Arvind Swamy as Siddharth 

This film has that Face/Off type background – two guys, one good one bad, playing out each other to such an extent that at one point you don’t know whether you love the hero or villain. While Mithran’s goals and good heart win your admiration, Siddharth’s debonair portrayal of the villain is way too amazing! He’s everything Tony Stark is – and I mean the style too – but is on the villains’ side. Siddharth is probably the best Tamil movie character of the year! No one can make you so emphatically hate a movie character than this guy, at least among recent films! Jeyam Ravi plays the counterpart, and his acting was excellent too. The way he expresses anger and determination, when Siddharth keeps crushing upon his goal, is something to look out for. Nayantara did a decent job too – it was interesting to see her in a non-romantic role for a change!

Nayantara as Mahima

The story, its loopholes and masala elements apart, is exciting, and paced superbly. The film does not use any of the usual storylines – lover’s father being the villain, or the hero being a poor guy trying for a rich girl or anything like that. The story has a solid foundation, and most it is firm except for a few bits. The twists hit you at just the right moments, and the acting of Ravi and Swamy do the required to hold you in an iron grip. The climax was, in particular, very interesting, especially Siddharth’s part; it was something completely unexpected! The other highlight of the storyline is the punch lines spoken by Mithran and Siddharth, including the latter’s “Love at first sight; kill at first betrayal”.

Thani Oruvan was an enjoyable experience. It wasn’t the greatest film, but it was certainly an unexpected entry into this year’s Kollywood films. Watch the film for Arvind Swamy’s and Ravi’s acting... they make sure that the 155 minutes will not go wasted!

My Rating: 3.5/5

Die Hard (1988)

Director: John McTiernan
Screenplay: Steven E. De Souza, Jeb Stuart (based on the novel by Roderick Thorp)
Cast: Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman 
Music: Michael Kamen
Time: 132 minutes
Bottom-line: Could well be the definition of “action film” 

As a tribute to actor Alan Rickman who passed away recently, I review what I consider to be his magnum opus, Die Hard. This 1988 action film set a benchmark for countless action films to come, and its impact on film-goers is mind-blowing!

Christmas Eve: NYC Police Detective John McClane (Willis) arrives at Nakatomi Plaza, LA to meet up with his ex-wife Holly (Bonnie Bedelia). Just before the events are about to commence, a group of men arrive in a truck. They are later found be twelve terrorists, led by Hans Gruber (Rickman). While all the guests are held hostage, McClane alone escapes with nothing but his gun. Gruber demands the executive, Takagi, to give the codes to the vault. With thirteen men against one cop, and hundreds of lives in danger, what does the cop do to save possible save everyone? The odds are against John McClane... but that’s the way he likes it. 

Willis as McClane

With an impossible task in front of him of protecting the people against the terrorists, it is going to take a ridiculous amount of stunts, action and luck for things to go McClane’s way. So, requirement #1 before watching Die Hard ¬ assume anything and everything is possible; after all, fortune favours the brave! The story does not give much of a build-up to the plot; we are thrown almost immediately into the action. One action sequence follows another, as we are caught in the battle of wits and guns of McClane and Gruber and co. It is almost like a real time story, with the entire “adventure” taking place over few hours on Christmas Eve.

Die Hard features the best terrorist villain I have seen in Hollywood films, and probably one of the most popular villains of all time. Alan Rickman, - this being his first movie - couldn’t have made a better entry into cinema! With his cold voice, menacing stare and ingenious planning, his character Hans Gruber is a class apart. Bruce Willis does an amazing job, playing the superhero cop, and in the process becoming synonymous with the name John McClane (though the other Die Hard films he starred in did not even remotely close to matching this one). With several punch lines, dry humour and tremendous charisma, Willis takes this thriller to a whole new level!

Rickman as Gruber

The action in this film has no bounds, but that’s what makes the film a classic. Look out for the scene where McClane catches the attention of the cop by throwing out a corpse, and the scene where Gruber pretends to be a hostage. In fact, the impact Die Hard has had on action films is so much that there is a list of action films that are just a version of this one – Speed (Die hard on a bus), Under Siege 2 (Die Hard on a train) and so on... in my opinion the next “action” film that has come close to competing with this 1988 film is The Matrix, released 11 years later.

So with terrific acting, humour, drama and 40 stories of sheer adventure, Die Hard is a holiday classic that will remain unmatched for its action. Though Alan Rickman’s most popular role is that of Severus Snape in the Harry Potter franchise (2001 – 2011), I will remember him as the man who played Hans Gruber.

In memory of Alan Rickman (21 Feb 1946 - 14 Jan 2016)

My Rating: 4/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 92%

45 Years (2015)

Director: Andrew Haigh
Screenplay: Andrew Haigh (based on the short story by David Constantine) 
Cast: Charlotte Rampling, Tom Courtenay 
Time: 95 minutes
Bottom-line: Meant especially for married couples

This British film is one of the not-so-popular films of 2015. Based on a short story, the film talks about a couple, Kate Mercer (Rampling) and Geoff Mercer (Courtenay), who are one week away from celebrating their 45th anniversary. But then Geoff receives a letter, saying that the body of his ex-girlfriend Katya has been found preserved in the glaciers of the Alps, where she fell to her death, 50 years ago. This does not seem a big deal, but Kate notices that her husband is changing after receiving the letter – Geoff starts smoking again, wakes up at midnight to look at Katya’s photos; Kate gets the feeling that their 45th anniversary may not take place at all...

I quote another critic who so beautifully said, “The most important character in the film is only spoken about, but never speaks.” Indeed, he was referring to Katya. Everyone has a chapter of their life that they don’t read aloud, and this film specifically talks about that one chapter in Geoff’s life. His fifty-year old memories come rushing back to him, and suddenly he is not the same anymore. I love the way all the character transitions are shown purely through emotion, and the dialogues have very little importance in the film. The camera work is splendid; Lol Crawley, the cinematographer does well to time each shot perfectly, just long enough to capture that subtle change in expression and emotion in each character’s face.

Rampling as Kate

Both Courtenay and Rampling use this film to showcase their best acting performances. Rampling plays the wife who sees her forty-five year relationship shatter in a week’s time. I liked the way she plays a character so calm on the outside, but has a mountain of emotions hidden inside her – I mean who wouldn’t be sad if their husband undergoes such a sudden change in behaviour? Her acting in the last scene gives way to a two-way ending, which is left to the viewers to the decide – is she smiling because she is so happy, or is it because she knows it is all only temporary? Courtenay plays the husband for whom suddenly everything is a dilemma. He too, using only his voice modulation and body language, subtly conveys all his inner feelings about love.

Courtenay as Geoff

There is no real story. The film is just to show how fate can play around with your life... sometimes after waiting for 45 years to pull out the surprise package! I for one liked the way the film shows the complicated relationship using very simple dialogues and powerful acting, but married couples may be able to empathise more with the characters. Nevertheless, this is one film worth watching; very rarely does a 95 minute film give you so many thoughts to mull over...

My Rating: 3.5/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 98%