Thozha (2016)

English translation: Friend
Director: Vamsi Paidipally
Screenplay: Vamsi Paidipally
Cast: Nagarjuna, Karthi, Tamanaah 
Music: Gopi Sunder
Time: 158 minutes
Bottom-line: Much longer than needed, but still a level higher than most of the recent Tamil films

Note: The same film was simultaneously released as Oppiri in Telugu with the same lead actors 

Thozha is one of those rare Tamil films that receive surprisingly positive reviews from audience and critics alike, and that is what caught the attention of my family as well. The film, also released in Telugu as Oppiri, (with the same lead actors but with a slightly different supporting crew) talks about the bond between two men, each coming from polar opposite parts of the society.

Karthi as Seenu and Tamanaah as Keerthi

The film begins in the present day but the timeline soon shifts back a few months. Seenu (Karthi) is a thief who is just released from prison, on parole. With help from his uncle, he is determined to show that he can be useful to the society, in a period of four months. Being astonished by the affluence of Vikram Aditya (Nagarjuna) – a billionaire who is paralysed from the neck down – and falling in love with his secretary Keerthi (Tamanaah) at first sight, Seenu decides to apply for the post of Vikram’s caretaker. Somehow impressed by Seenu’s happy-go-lucky behaviour, and his seemingly rowdy appearance that others look at in disgust, Vikram appoints him. Soon the lives of Vikram and Seenu undergo a sea change, and despite their widely different social status, they find in each other, a friend, a companion...a brother.

I wonder if the reason Karthi was chosen to play Seenu is because he fits the description of a careless, charismatic and jovial guy, or some other weird reason, because I have never had the opinion that Karthi was capable of being a good actor. But in Thozha he proves me wrong, and in a convincing fashion too. The way he plays a spoilt young man initially, then a caring friend is amazing, and every instant throughout the film he brings a charm to the screen. Nagarjuna has acted quite well, using only his facial expressions to convey all his emotion, although his Tamil could have been much better. Prakash Raj’s cameo role was a delight too.

Karthi, with Nagarjuna as Vikram

The film runs for about 40 minutes longer than necessary, mainly due to the comedy track, which at times was a drag, but at least, not all jokes were not clichéd or lame. The songs were way below standard; not even one of them was worth listening to, be it the tune or the lyrics. I liked the main theme which is about the friendship between Vikram and Seenu, and how they go from being strangers to brothers, and how they make each other’s lives sparkle. One message the film tries to give is that wealth alone will not give happiness, but to know that there is someone who loves you and takes care of you will give you immense joy. The scene where Seenu’s simple methods to surprise Vikram on his birthday overcome those of Vikram’s friends who think they are actually throwing a “surprise party”, highlights it.

While Thozha is still far from being a perfect film, it is the filmthat has come closest to being one, among the other Tamil films of 2016. Despite its flaws, this is a family movie worth watching!

My Rating: 3/5 

Spotlight (2015)

Director: Tom McCarthy
Story: Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer
Cast: Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber 
Music: Howard Shore
Time: 129 minutes
Bottom-line: Elegant, clean and captivating

The Best Picture winner at the 88th Academy Awards was this drama based on the real life Pulitzer Prize winning investigation. Nominated for six Oscars, Spotlight ended up with two – Bes  Picture and Best Original Screenplay. The film stars Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo and Rachel McAdams in the lead roles, with Liev Schreiber, Stanley Tucci, Brian d'Arcy James and John Slattery in the supporting roles.

Break the story. Break the silence. 
2001 – The Boston Globe’s new editor, Marty Baron (Schreiber) meets Walter Robinson (Keaton), editor of the Spotlight team, a group of investigative journalists consisting of Mike Rezendes (Ruffalo), Sacha Pfeiffer (McAdams), Matt Carol (James) and Ben Bradlee Jr. (Slattery). After reading an article about a lawyer, Mitchell Garabedian (Tucci) – who claimed that the Archbishop of Boston knew that a priest was sexually abusing children but did nothing about it – Baron encourages the Spotlight team to investigate. The team slowly begins to unearth a pattern of sexual abuse by Catholic priests. As they press the issue further, they realise that the case is far deeper, and far more sinister...

The lead three characters - Keaton as Robinson
(centre), Ruffalo as Mike (right) and
McAdams as Sacha

Unlike the plot – one of the most controversial cases in Boston history – the film however, captures it in a clean manner. The film emphasises more on the power of journalism, and not on exposure of the Church. It’s one of those rare masterpieces like Zodiac, which bring a set of actual incidents to life, on screen, and portray them so faithfully without any unnecessary drama. The pace is well-set: rapid enough to keep you raving for more, while being slow enough to capture every single detail. The language is simple enough – anyone watching the film can follow the events happening, unlike the other biographical film of 2015 – The Big Short, which according to me, was too complex for a layman to understand.

The cast is well chosen; I particularly liked the combination of Michael Keaton and Ruffalo. The latter is someone who has had few bright spots in his career (The Avengers, Begin Again to name a few), and now I add Spotlight to that list. Ruffalo brings to the screen a charismatic performance as the inquisitive and cogent journalist. The former, is the experienced guide/veteran, who impresses again, following one of career best performances as Riggan Thomson in Birdman. Rachel McAdams seemed to be a bit of a disappointment; she hardly shows any interest in playing the role. In fact her minor role as Irene Adler is Sherlock Holmes was more exciting to watch. The supporting actors like Stanley Tucci have done well too.

The Spotlight crew - Schreiber as Marty(2nd from left),
Slattery as Bradlee Jr (2nd from right) and
James as Carol (rightmost)

In two hours Spotlight compiles all the drama of a case that shook the world, thanks to its well developed plot – with enough substance thanks to the fact based true story – powerful acting, and overall presentation. It ended being a box office failure compared to the other 2015 films (The Force Awakens grossed over $2 billion!!), and not half as action-packed, but nevertheless, Spotlight is the film that certainly deserved Best Picture, and justly ended up winning it too!

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

Forrest Gump (1994)

Director: Robert Zemeckis
Screenplay: Eric Roth (based on the book by Winston Groom)
Cast: Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise 
Music: Alan Silvestri
Time: 142 minutes
Bottom-line: A charming film, with Hanks at his best

In a year that produced a lot of popular and memorable films, Forrest Gump emerged as one of the most charming, inspirational and well-made films. Starring Tom Hanks – who won his second consecutive Oscar for acting – and Robin Wright, supported by Gary Sinise and Sally Field, the film covers several (sometimes life-changing) incidents of its titular character.

"My name is Forrest Gump. People call me...
Forrest Gump" 

1981 – Forrest Gump (Hanks) narrates the story of his childhood to random strangers who sit next to him on a public bench. His story dates back to the 1950s, where Forrest, as a child, had to wear leg braces. His mother (Field) knows he has below average intelligence but still motivates him by saying "stupid is as stupid does". As he goes to school he becomes best friends with Jenny – or as he calls her, “Jennayyy” (adult role played by Wright). One day when some bullies chase him, Forrest realises that he can run extremely fast. This eventually gets him a spot in the College Football All-America Team. This is only the beginning of the tale of one of the most influential people of the 20th century – Forrest Gump.

Wright as Jenny

How does Tom Hanks do it? How can he bring so much of passion and commitment into acting that just whatever he does on screen wins your admiration? Every time we see a child do something innocent it brings a smile to our face, and our minds think “If only everyone was as innocent as that”. But if a man in an adult body can make you feel the same way, you know that only Tom Hanks can do it. Forrest is one of the most intriguing and mysterious characters you’ll come across – he’s not smart, but sure is brave; he’s naive, but come on, when you see such a person, cheating him is the last thing that comes to mind! He seems to have no clue what he’s doing half the time, but yet the results are fascinating. To see him be so innocent in his actions and thoughts may makes everyone around him seem all the more worse.

One such memorable quote

The story mainly builds on four relationships of Forrest – with his mother, friend, colleague and lover. Sally Field portrays the strong-willed single mother who is Forrest’s inspiration and guide, as seen from the way he sticks to all her quotes. To see her be so supportive and benign to Forrest when no one else is, makes you feel all the more sad for Forrest when she dies later in the story. The “friend” is his partner in the Vietnam war, Bubba (Mykelti Williamson). A personality as weird as Forrest himself, Bubba inspires Forrest to join him in the "shrimpin’ business", but unfortunately doesn’t make it past the Vietnam border. Forrest keeps up his side of the promise and starts the Bubba-Gump Shrimp Co. The colleague is Lieutenant Dan (Sinise), a man to whom Forrest (unknowingly) teaches the value of life. Losing his legs in Vietnam, the only thing that would have made Dan happy was to die a hero, but Forrest saves his life by bringing him back to the US. When you see him come to Forrest’s wedding, as a changed man (with magic legs too!), you can’t help but smile when you think how influential Forrest has been. Forrest describes his relation with Jenny as “Jenny and me was like peas and carrots”. Her character is difficult to understand – when you see her get into bad practices, almost commit suicide, you think why Forrest stills want her. But when you are in Forrest’s position, where everyone mocks you and tries to fool you, when one girl is able to touch your heart, you will do anything for her. If the film has any effect on you then you surely will shed a tear when Forrest talks to Jenny's grave.

The cross-country run that Forrest does has become a memorable event in Hollywood cinema, being used as a reference numerous times. With so many memorable quotes, not to forget Forrest’s bits of dry humour (thanks to his child-like innocence), a spellbinding performance from Hanks, and a well-paced storyline, Forrest Gump is one of the best Tom Hanks films. But my personal favourite film of 1994 will remain The Shawshank Redemption, which I believe deserved the Oscars for Best Picture and Director.

My Rating: 3.5/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 72%

Room (2015)

Director: Lenny Abrahamson
Screenplay: Emma Donoghue (based on her novel)
Cast: Brie Larson, Jacob Tremblay 
Music: Stephen Rennicks
Time: 118 minutes
Bottom-line: A terrific film, albeit a distressing watch 

If it weren’t for the powerful performances of Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay, Room would have certainly been an unnoticed masterpiece among this year’s films. Nominated for four Oscars, including Best Picture and Director, Room emerges as the film with perhaps the simplest plot and setting, but the most touching story.

Joy “Ma” Newsome (Larson) is a 24-year-old mother living with her five-year-old son Jack (Tremblay) in a garden shed they call “Room”. Joy was abducted by her captor – Old Nick – seven years ago and has been living in Room ever since. The mother and son share a bed, toilet, bathtub and the only way light enters is through a skylight. Despite being raped often by Nick when Jack’s sleeping, Joy tries to overcome her depression to stay optimistic for her son. When she finds out Nick has lost his job and cannot support them anymore, she decides to introduce Jack to the “world outside Room”, and use him as a means to escape. How they manage to do so, and later survive in a changed world is what the film is about.

Larson as Ma/Joy

The main theme of the film is the relationship between mother and son. The mother is an undernourished, depressed female who has brought up her son by convincing him that Room is all there is to the world, and the rest of the world is just something seen on TV. The son is someone so intimately acquainted with Room and his Ma that actually escaping from the Room is out of the question for him. We see how Joy teaches her child the concept of the “world beyond Room”, and how desperately she tries to train him to be the instrument of escape. The second half the film deals with the after-effects of depression. Jack talks only to his Ma and doesn’t respond to anyone else. Joy attempts suicide after a news reporter makes her feel guilty of not letting Jack into the normal world when he was an infant. I felt that the story could have been a little longer, by giving a little more detail about how Jack develops as a child and how Joy recovers from her trauma/depression; the ending seemed abrupt.

Tremblay as Jack

Brie Larson’s performance clinched her almost all the major acting awards, with barely any competition too! Known earlier for her supporting/lead roles in only a few major films, her career is certain to reach the sky after Room. At the outset, she wins our admiration when we see how she’s has trained Jack into believing that Room is the world (after all, what else can a mother do when trapped in a room for five years with her son?) and keeping Jack happy with whatever they share. Despite her own pitiable state she tries her best to keep her son jovial. She plays a character who is not the “perfect Ma”, but under the circumstances, she is what any child would have needed. Jacob Tremblay’s performance is one of the best by a child actor. The nine-year-old is highly impressive, with his ability to perfectly transition from one mood to another, and to portray a child who is introduced to the world only at five. His inquisitive expression to follow whatever’s going on around him is so authentic!

Room is not really a comfortable watch; in fact it could be the Best Picture nominee with the most depressing story. But the way it is presented on screen, powered by two heartfelt, committed performances by the lead actors will transform you in the course of two hours. Room introduces to two of the most powerful characters among this year’s films. This is one mother-child relationship that will remain in your memory for a long time to come!  

My Rating: 3.5/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 94%

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%