Fight Club (1999)

Director: David Fincher
Screenplay: Jim Uhls (based on the novel by Chuck Palahniuk)
Cast: Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, Helena Bonham Carter
Music: The Dust Brothers
Time: 139 minutes
Bottom-line: A classic! Unforgettable! 

1000 days of Revisiting Films, With KRK! 

                          In Tyler we trust... 
Once you’ve crossed the required age limit to be able to watch R rated films, Fight Club is the first film you should watch! What was initially viewed as one of the most controversial films for its violence and portrayal of criminal behaviour, eventually emerged as one of the most talked about cult classics of the 90s, and that’s precisely what it is! This is Fincher’s most successful film based on public ratings, as it is ranked #10 on IMDb’s top 250 films.

Brad Pitt as Tyler Durden

This is your life, and it’s ending one minute at a time. On a long enough time line, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero. Meet the everyman, the unnamed narrator of the film (Norton). He works as an automobile company worker, suffering from insomnia. When he starts attending various support groups, he meets Marla Singer (Carter) who is also an imposter, without any actual disease or problem. On a flight back home, the narrator meets Tyler Durden (Pitt), a person who makes and sells soap. As they meet up in a bar, Tyler asks the narrator to “hit him as hard as he can”, and this starts a fistfight. As they continue doing this, several men are intrigued by this act, and soon Tyler and the narrator form a fight club in the bar’s basement, where men fight recreationally. As the club grows, it evolves into Project Mayhem, an anti-Corporate organisation. In this process the narrator starts to realise that the club is going out of control, just like his own life...

Edward Norton as The Narrator

The first thing I liked about the film is the portrayal of the narrator – he could be you or me, or just any ordinary white-collar-job person, doing the thing this quote mentions. He comes across a unique personality, Tyler, who introduces him to live the way he wants, instead of going with the crowd. While the actual story may focus more on the actual fighting and development of the fight club, it takes a second watch and some careful analysis to understand the meaning of the incidents. As Tyler says during the first fight, “How much can you know about yourself if you’ve never been in a fight?” That’s the idea the film develops on. As fight club grows, the narrator becomes more aware of who he really is... to say more would reveal too much.

Helena Bonham Carter as Marla Singer

The main highlights of the film are the acting, and the dialogues. This is one of Norton’s first films, and boy, has he given the best performance of his career! Playing the mentally unstable “everyman” required Norton to learn boxing and taekwondo, but the end result is well worth it. But the real star is the man playing his “teacher” – Brad Pitt. With numerous one-liners and as many meaningful quotes, the manner in which he portrays the smart, cunning and powerful Tyler makes it clear why this is widely considered his magnum opus. Bonham Carter superbly portrays the psychotic Marla Singer, whose significance is understood only on analysing the story.

Another quote from the movie. 

The most important part of the film is the twist ending. There are enough but very cleverly hidden clues throughout the film, be it in dialogues or the background. Once the film is over the ending may seem obvious, but when you’re watching, you are so engrossed in the web that Tyler and the narrator weave that the twist still hits you in the face! With the story built-up so well, thanks to the splendid acting, the endless quotes and the cinematography, the climax is simply perfect.

 

Last but not the least, the eight
rules of Fight Club

I have only one rule of Fight Club: if this is the first time you are hearing about the film, you have to see it! Get ready for Mischief. Mayhem. Soap.

My Rating: 4.5/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 79% 

Mission: Impossible (1996)

Director: Brian de Palma
Story: David Koepp and Steve Zaillian
Cast: Tom Cruise, Jon Voight, Emmanuelle Béart
Music: Danny Elfman
Time: 110 minutes
Bottom-line: Has its moments...but not as stylish as expected

Although the film is based on the television series of the same name, Mission: Impossible is the film that gave us one of today’s most iconic characters: Ethan Hunt. The film stars Tom Cruise, Jon Voight and Emmanuelle Béart in the lead roles, with Ving Rhames, Jean Reno and Henry Czerny in the supporting roles. The stunts and action sequences of the future sequels makes those of MI seem “mild”, but as a film on its own, it is pretty thrilling.

Cruise as Hunt - inside the vault at Langley

“If we're going to Virginia, why don't we stop by Fort Knox. I can fly a helicopter right in through the lobby and set it down inside the vault. And it would be a hell of a lot easier than breaking into the damn CIA.”
Jim Phelps (Voight) and his team: the IMF (Impossible Missions Force) plan to get the IMF’s NOC (non-official cover) list from the American Embassy in Prague. The mission fails as all the members are murdered, except Ethan Hunt (Cruise). Hunt informs this to the IMF director Kittridge (Czerny), and when they meet, the former realises the whole operation was a mole hunt, and since he’s the only one alive, the IMF suspects him. Hunt manages to flee and is later met by Claire (Béart), Jon’s wife, who says she escaped being killed. Hunt hires two more agents: computer expert Luther Stickell (Rhames) and pilot Franz Krieger (Reno) to help him retrieve the NOC list. How does Hunt clear his name? Who is the actual mole?

Rhames as Luther and Reno as
Franz (right)

The acting is average. There is no humour at all, while the last two instalments had sufficient amount (mainly due to Benji’s character). The only bright spot in acting is that you feel Cruise is the best person to play the role of Hunt, and he has done extremely well to perform that role in all the future films. One important scene in the film is when the crew break into the vault at the CIA Headquarters at Langley, with Hunt hanging by his legs as he tries to steal the list. He has to get past a volume sensor, temperature sensor and a pressure sensor, and has to be so careful that not even a drop of sweat can reach the floor of the room!

Beart as Claire

The story is exciting, but does not have that required level of suspense, except in that one scene, and the first encounter between Hunt and Kittridge, where Hunt escapes after being named the mole. Even the climax I felt, could have been bettered (how many people-running-on-top-of-trains sequences have we seen already?). The special effects are quite good, and the action sequences – even if not that impressive – have been filmed well.

Voight as Jim 

So Mission: Impossible isn’t a movie you would recommend to someone looking for a good thriller/action movie. It is fairly good, but more importantly its moderate critical and excellent commercial successes set the foundation for the MI franchise. This is one film series where the later instalments are better than the first film.    

My Rating: 3/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 63% 

Whiplash (2014)

Director: Damien Chazelle 
Story: Damien Chazelle
Cast: J.K. Simmons, Miles Teller
Music: Justin Hurwitz
Time: 106 minutes
Bottom-line: Exhilarating, thrilling and inspiring 

Perhaps the most inspiring film among all the Best Picture nominees at the 87th Academy Awards, this independent drama by Damien Chazelle is about a student-teacher relationship. Miles Teller and J.K Simmons play the lead roles, with Paul Reiser and Melissa Benoist playing the supporting roles. Whiplash won three Academy Awards – Supporting Actor for Simmons, Editing and Sound Mixing.

Shaffer Conservatory, New York – Andrew Neiman (Miller) is a jazz artist who plays the drums. Seeing him practice, acclaimed conductor Terence Fletcher (Simmons) decides to give him a chance in his band. But in their first class, Fletcher abuses Andrew – physically and verbally – when he can’t keep up the tempo. Despite this, Andrew gets a chance to impress Fletcher and is eventually promoted to the core drummer. As the story progresses, we see how Andrew’s life changes because of competition from peers, Fletcher’s eccentric behaviour, and his determination to become one of the best musicians (the next Charlie Parker, as he puts it).

Teller as Andrew Neiman

The chemistry between Andrew and Fletcher is quite engaging, right from the start. The first encounter where Fletcher hurls a chair at Andrew and abuses him gives the perfect introduction to the former’s martinet attitude. We see the kind of perfection he wants when he auditions all three drummers in taxing sessions till 2 AM. The scene where he dismisses Andrew from the band shows his crazy side but later we see that all he really wants to do is “push people beyond what’s expected of them”. That is what any good teacher will want, but Fletcher’s methods make you think twice if what he is doing to his students is morally right. Andrew’s character as a student goes through all the emotions one gets under such a teacher – depression at being rejected, sacrificing so much to achieve his goal, determination to succeed, and willing to suffer for it... and finally succeeding when the time comes.

Simmons as Fletcher

Whiplash makes you consider to what length you are willing to go before you succeed, or, on the contrary, break down. We hear the story of another student, a highly successful musician under Fletcher, but who committed suicide because of suffering from depression and anxiety. When Fletcher tells Andrew that he is so terrorising as a teacher because he is actually trying to create a “second Charlie Parker”, Andrew asks him what would happen if he student broke down before actually becoming that way and Fletcher responds by saying a true Parker would not break down. While the film inspires you to drop everything and move towards your goal, it also makes you think to what extent you are willing to push yourself, and whether achieving it will ultimately make you happy.

Something to think about... 

While you absolutely loathe his character for being so eccentric and abusive, you simply love J.K. Simmons for portraying Terence Fletcher. The director told Simmons that he needed to see an animal on stage from his character, and what a fine performance indeed! Simmons induced genuine terror from the band members, who are actual musicians in real life, and after the movie you’ll pray to never have Simmons as your teacher! Miles Teller gives an exceptional performance too. The way he shows determination and anger must be applauded. His role in the scintillating climax of the film (with an amazing drum solo) is the highlight.

Overall, Whiplash is thought-provoking, inspiring and highly captivating. Watch it for the acting, the story, and of course, the music!

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

WALL.E (2008)

Director: Andrew Stanton
Story: Andrew Stanton and Pete Docter
Cast: Ben Burtt, Elissa Knight 
Music: Thomas Newman
Time: 98 minutes
Bottom-line: Charming, funny and moving... Pixar has done it again!

Before WALL.E, the closest I ever got to being sentimental in a robot film is in the climax of Terminator 2. It is true that robots cannot feel emotions like humans... but can humans feel for robots? WALL.E is the story of two robots whose story is so moving, it could very well bring you to tears.

After 700 years of doing what he was built for - he'll discover what he's meant for.
The year 2805: all life forms have abandoned the Earth, which is now just covered with heaps of garbage. Seven centuries earlier, a mega-corporation Buy ‘n’ Large (BnL) had evacuated all the humans into automated star-liners, leaving behind WALL.E units (Waste Allocation Load Lifter – Earth-class) to clean up the Earth until they return (if they do). Only one unit now remains, and thanks to several years of life experience, this unit can feel emotions like humans do. WALL.E discovers a growing seedling one day. Soon a spaceship lands, and a robot EVE (Extraterrestrial Vegetation Evaluator) – or “Eeeeevaaa” as WALL.E calls her – searches the Earth for vegetation. WALL.E falls for her immediately, and as he takes her to his habitat, she finds the plant, stores it inside herself, and shuts down. We later understand that EVE’s mission, assigned by BnL, was to inspect the Earth for signs of vegetation. As the spaceship retrieves EVE, WALL.E manages to enter it too. The adventures the two of them have after this is what the film is about.

WALL.E (left) and EVE

There are barely any dialogues in the film – most of the story is understood through body language and the images. In fact, the robots WALL.E and EVE don’t say anything more than each other’s names, and the words “directive” and “plant”. But yet, the message of love, friendship and nostalgia is conveyed in such a beautiful manner that even if this was a silent film, it would have been equally captivating. This is one of the best pieces of animation I have seen (second probably only to Finding Nemo)– through the eyes and body language of two robots, so many emotions are displayed, that even reach out to the viewer! The last few minutes when EVE tries to fix WALL.E is really moving. These two could well be two of the most– if not the most – adorable characters Pixar has ever created.

The story addresses many themes, starting with the consequences of consumerism, and how human activities can eventually make the Earth a wasteland. In the film we see that all the humans are obese, and are living a mechanical lifestyle, in a world where everything is automated. We also get an idea of what would happen if robots actually had emotions like humans did. Another theme is nostalgia – portrayed in the way the captain battles the machines to get humans back to the Earth, the place where they belong. The best part is all these messages are shown in a fairly realistic manner – entertaining and funny, and at the same time, thought-provoking.

A minimalist poster of the characters (WALL.E, EVE, the plant,
the AI autopilot, the human pilot, the cleaner robot
and two humans in the star-liner)

You know a film is going to be terrific when it’s from Pixar Studios, but WALL.E is really an extra-special movie. In 98 minutes we are given such a wonderful experience, and so many memories, be it WALL.E’s eyes or the robots holding hands etc. Do not miss this film.
Get ready for an adventure, beyond the Ordinar-E! 

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

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Director: Jonathan Demme
Screenplay: Ted Tally (based on the novel by Thomas Harris)
Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Jodie Foster, Ted Levine 
Music: Howard Shore
Time: 118 minutes
Bottom-line: Utterly terrifying and immensely captivating in equal measure; will haunt you for days. 

My 200th review: co-written by Taruna Sudhakar.

Well, Clarice, have the lambs stopped screaming?
1991 is a year that saw few of the most memorable Hollywood villains, and Dr. Hannibal Lecter takes the cake! In a year that introduced us to the new Max Cady and T-800, this horror thriller gave us the brilliant psychiatrist/cannibal, portrayed in the most magnificent manner by Anthony Hopkins (who surprisingly has barely twenty minutes of screen time!). The film co-stars Jodie Foster, Scott Glenn and Ted Levine.

Quantico: FBI trainee Clarice Starling (Foster) is called upon by Jack Crawford (Glenn) to interview cannibalistic serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter
(Hopkins), who might prove useful in tracking down another serial killer Buffalo Bill (Levine), who skins his female victims’ corpses. Dr. Lecter is kept beyond unbreakable Plexiglas at the Baltimore State Hospital for the criminally insane. He agrees to help Clarice and profile Bill in return for being transferred from the doctor who’s in charge of him. But soon Clarice realises that when it comes to Dr. Lecter, nothing is as simple as it seems. Before she knows it, their encounters turn into a deadly psychological game...

Hopkins as Lecter

Starling, believe me, you don't want Hannibal Lecter inside your head.  
Well Clarice may be an FBI trainee who can (almost) successfully tune her mind into keeping Lecter out of there, but the viewers like us are stuck with him for the rest of our lives! He is however an extremely gifted psychiatrist capable of delving into people’s minds and figuring out who exactly you are, your history, your deepest, darkest secrets... he knows you better than you know yourself, so much so that he can predict your actions and invariably make you do what he wants you to. This power he has is what makes him so terribly scary. From the first scene in the prison where we see him taunt Clarice, blatantly invading her personal space, till the last scene where he leaves us with a chilling “I'm having an old friend for dinner. Bye”, the movie revolves around Lecter. The crux of the film is not about how the FBI catches Buffalo Bill, rather, it is about the relationship between Lecter and Clarice.

Foster as Clarice

What starts out purely as an attempt to “use one to catch one”, turns into a battle of wits. Lecter uses his method of “quid pro quo. I tell you things, you tell me things” to delve into Clarice’s traumatic past memories, while Clarice must use her willpower and mental strength to complete her job of capturing Bill, without breaking down . His clues are never direct, they are difficult riddles, anagrams that are brilliantly composed. It’s his way of showing off and toying with Clarice at the same time. The part which involve Buffalo Bill, and the climax where Clarice encounters Bill are not as exciting as the psychological games between Lecter and the others. The reason the film is categorised as “horror” is probably because of a few bits of gore and one grizzly sequence where Lecter attempts to escape from his prison. Seeing Lecter go from the calm old man with impeccable manners to the raving monster he becomes, those 15 minutes of intense violence will truly shock you. He oscillates between exceedingly vile and atrociously charming. In contrast you get the minor villain: highly clichéd transsexual, Buffalo bill, who yearns to be a proper woman. He hates himself rather than his victims and it is this self-hate that drives him into killing. He is exactly what you expect him to be - uncouth, depressed and angry with obvious behavioural ticks that put you on guard at first sight. This is unlike Lecter who, mind you, is highly functioning and immensely proud of it.

Levine as Buffalo Bill

Anthony Hopkins plays this role to perfection. He has the excellent balance of emotion, voice modulation and body language that make one of the most terrifying movie characters ever – in fact, Dr. Lecter was voted the #1 villain of the century by the American Film Institute. It is never his physical violence or cannibalism that makes him dangerous, although watching it visually will scare you, but it is the fact that he has such a powerful control on his victims’ mind that makes him so terrifying.Who can forget the famous “A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chi-an-ti”. Jodie Foster does a remarkable job. As another critic put it, her character is the short woman in an elevator full of tall men. I liked the way she plays the strong, brave woman and the way she tries her best to stay calm and bold in front of Lecter, despite knowing she is powerless, is amazing to watch.

The Silence of the Lambs won the “big five” at the Oscars – Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress and Screenplay, the only film to do so after One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and It Happened One Night. So with sublime acting, spectacular cinematography (especially those close ups of Lecter’s eyes that hypnotise and petrify you; he looks right at you, into you), subtle metaphors bordering on genius along with a good dose of violence and “horror”, this 1991 psychological thriller is something you will never forget. Believe me, you don’t want Hannibal Lecter inside your head... but he’s going to end up there nevertheless.

My Rating: 4.5/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 95%

The Game (1997)

Director: David Fincher
Story: John Brancato and Michael Ferris
Cast: Michael Douglas, Sean Penn
Music: Howard Shore
Time: 128 minutes
Bottom-line: Irresistible! 

Fincher’s second feature film, The Game is one where you have to realise, it’s not Michael Douglas who is playing, but it is you! Douglas plays Nicolas Van Orton, a wealthy investment banker, traumatised by his father’s suicide on his 48th birthday. On Nicolas’ 48th birthday, his brother Conrad (Penn) presents him with a voucher for a game organised by CRS (Consumer Recreational Services), with a promise that it will change his life! Nicolas reluctantly decides to give it a try. As the story progresses, Nicolas realises that CRS is toying around with his life – he starts to believe that his wealth and safety are at risk. He meets a waitress, Christine (Deborah Kara Unger) who also seems to be affected by CRS’ game. How do the two of them, and eventually Nicolas alone, encounter the dangers and play the game?

Douglas as Nicolas

This was a time when Fincher had just started to make a mark in the film industry. But despite his later success, The Game remains an underrated film. The story is highly entertaining, and I love the idea of how a man can get so terrorised by everyone and everything around him, believing it part of the game, trying to ruin him. The incidents occurring to him seem so natural, but everything seems to be part of the plan – someone spilling a drink on his dress, getting a taxi ride, even entering his own house (look out for the scene with the life size clown!). That is when you realise that you, as a viewer, are also part of the game; Fincher’s toying around with your mind! You are so involved that the climax hits you like a train hitting a fishbowl! The finale, like most Fincher films, is the debatable part. I, for one, liked the ending; it seemed logical, though it is practically impossible for such a thing to happen.

Penn as Conrad

Michael Douglas has done an outstanding job to play the lead role. He has the right look and temperament to play that character. I was amazed at the way he displayed all those emotions – fear, anger, the look of revenge, and every other emotion to show his transition from being a millionaire to a man roaming on the street. In the two hour long film, he is present on screen for over 100 minutes, and it is predominantly his performance that is the driving force. But the film does not have the usual trademarks of Fincher – no dim lit surroundings, no exploration of dark sides of people... rather it is a film about what all life can throw at you, either by fate or by someone else’s careful planning. This is about a man who is driven to the end of his wits, and how he deals with it.

So while the climax is a questionable topic, the rest of the film is exhilarating. Fincher and Douglas strike all the right notes to bring you a mesmerising mystery thriller, with no shortage of entertainment.

My Rating: 4/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 71%

The Conjuring 2 (2016)

Director: James Wan
Story: James Wan, Chad Hayes, Carey Hayes
Cast: Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Frances O’ Connor, Madison Wolfe
Music: Joseph Bishara
Time: 134 minutes
Bottom-line: Predictable; not frightening at all 

Horror films can be like The Exorcist – has barely any storyline, but does an exceptional job of scaring the daylights out of you; or like Yavarum Nalam amd Shutter Island – not frightening but somewhat “logical” horror films, and my favourite type. The other category is the films that try to scare you and tell a story, which in most cases, fail. The Conjuring 2 falls in the third category.

1974 – When paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren (Wilson and Farmiga) are documenting the Amityville murders, Lorraine sees a vision where she relives the murders, sees a demonic apparition dressed like a nun, and also witnesses Ed’s death. The story shifts to 1977, England, where strange happenings occur at the Hodgson residence. The youngest daughter, Janet (Wolfe) is possessed by the spirit of Bill Wilkins, the man who had lived and died in the same house. As Janet shows more signs of being possessed, Ed and Lorraine are called to investigate. What they find, and whether or not they are able to relieve Janet of the spirit is what the story is about.

Wilson as Ed and Farmiga as Lorraine

The “horror” aspects of the film are all clichéd, and hence, the incidents become predictable quite often. This is why The Conjuring 2 fails as a horror film, but because of the mediocre storyline to support, it turns out to be a decent drama. The text in the beginning tells us that it is based on a true story, and the corresponding real life characters are shown along with the closing credits. One good thing the film did was to popularise Elvis Presley’s Cant’ Help Falling in Love, which is one of the most beautiful songs I have heard. The comments section on YouTube makes it clear that a large number of people heard the song because of the movie.

The acting was good, by all the actors. Farmiga and Wilson reprise their roles from The Conjuring. The former has done really well, in terms of body language and facial expressions, and the latter wasn’t so active on screen, but one highlight was his performance of the Presley song. Madison Wolfe is worth noticing in the film. She plays the possessed child Janet, and even if the makeup and acting don’t scare as much as Regan’s character in The Exorcist, this is a commendable performance too.

Connor as Peggy (left), Wolfe as Janet (middle)
and Lauren Esposito as Margaret

I still haven’t seen The Conjuring but I don’t think it is a necessity to see the prequel to understand this film. There’s nothing really unique in The Conjuring 2, except for the song. The story’s predictable, and it does not scare you to the amount you expect from a proper horror film. The sets and atmosphere aren’t really scary either because they’re old school (rainy nights, dingy cellars...). It’s a mildly entertaining movie at the most, but not really worth going to the theatre to watch.

My Rating: 2/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 76%

The Breakfast Club (1985)

Director: John Hughes
Story: John Hughes
Cast: Emilio Estevez, Ally Sheedy, Anthony Michael Hall, John Kapelos, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald
Music: Gary Chang, Keith Forsey 
Time: 97 minutes
Bottom-line: Funny, charming and relatable 

This 1985 coming-of-age drama film revolves around one Saturday in the lives of five high school students. Set almost entirely in one room, and a timeline of nine hours, this movie focuses on the interaction between the students and how they get to know each other.

March 24, 1984 (Saturday), Shermer High School: five students – Claire, the princess (Ringwald), Andrew, the athlete (Estevez), John, the prisoner, (Nelson) Alicia, the basket-case (Sheedy) and Brian, the brain (Hall) report for a full day detention. Each of them has been punished for a different cause, and none of them have similar traits. Claire is rich and pampered, Andrew is a champion wrestler, John is a bully, Alicia is a recluse, and Brian is a nerd. The principal, Richard Vernon (Paul Gleeson) assigns them a 1000 word essay on what they think they are, under the condition that none of them must leave the room, or talk to each other for the next nine hours. As time progresses, the students argue, interact, even smoke cannabis, and slowly, despite their different positions in society and different traits, they form friendships, and even romantic relationships.

The cast (from left): Nelson as John,
Estevez as Andrew, Sheedy as Alicia,
Ringwald as Claire, and Hall as Brian

Along with films like 12 Angry Men, The Breakfast Club is one that shows the power of communication. When you are stuck in a room of people with nothing else to do, then talking with those around you can make a lot of difference. The entire movie is based on this idea – at first none of them get along with another, so they keep arguing and hollering. Then slowly the students open up about their personal lives and their problems. They realise that one thing all of them have in common is that they face similar problems, and this leads to a new type of bonding. In the process they not only realise who they are, but also who the others are.

The acting is worth praising here. All five of them, as well as Gleeson, have done exceptionally well for portraying the characters in an authentic fashion. Whether it is in terms of body language, rendition of dialogue, their performance is very much like any high school student. This is what makes the movie more interesting – the fact that we can relate to the characters in terms of performance and the traits. In particular I liked Judd Nelson, who plays the obstreperous bully John Bender. The encounters between him and the principal are quite interesting to watch.

The message the film wants to portray is that conversing with the right people in the right manner can bring about a huge change in oneself. Perhaps the message is shown using high school children because that is the age where the maximum changes occur in one’s life – mentally and emotionally. Thanks to the performances, the dialogues and simple story, The Breakfast Club says this loud and clear. If you’re a teenager, this film is a must-watch!

My Rating: 3.5/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 89%

There Will be Blood (2007)

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Screenplay: Paul Thomas Anderson (based on the novel by Upton Sinclair) 
Cast: Daniel Day Lewis, Paul Dano
Music: Jonny Greenwood
Time: 158 minutes
Bottom-line: There will be...a standing ovation for DDL!

By 2007 the world knew Daniel Day Lewis was undoubtedly one of the best Hollywood actors of all time, and in There Will be Blood, he proves it yet again. This historical drama by Paul Thomas Anderson is the story of a businessman/family man, who tries to balance his duties as both. The film was nominated for eight Oscars, winning two (Best Actor and Cinematography).

The film starts in the year 1898 but quickly shifts to 1902, when Daniel Plainview (DDL), a silver miner finds oil near Los Angeles. Soon after setting up a small drilling company, a worker dies, and Daniel adopts his son, and names him H.W (Dillon Freasier), thus becoming a “family man”. In 1911, Daniel is approached by Paul Sunday (Dano), who claims that his family property holds oil, and offers to sell it at a bargain price. However Paul’s twin, Eli (also Dano), is greedy and demands $10000 for the church for which he is a pastor. The remainder of the film is about how Daniel expands his oil business, and how it starts to affect the relationship with his son, his animosity towards Eli, and ultimately, his own life.

DDL as Plainview

There’s no clear cut plot in There Will be Blood. It is more of a case study of a businessman/father. We see the life of Daniel from 1989 to 1927, where he starts by being a silver miner all by himself, then slowly building up on his hard work in search of oil, in the process becoming a family man, and later dissolving all other needs to give full priority to his business, and finally becoming a raging solitary (but opulent) alcoholic. The timeline is chosen to match with Southern California’s oil boom; in fact, Sinclair’s book is based on the oil tycoon Edward Doheny (the basis for Plainview’s character). Throughout the film we see the change in Daniel’s character from a doting father, to someone who abandons his deaf son, and again establishes a relationship after accepting (in a humiliating fashion too) that he is a bad father, and finally cuts it off completely by informing his son that he is an orphan.

Dano as Eli

The best part of the film – and the reason why most people (myself included) choose to watch the film – is the acting. Daniel Day Lewis plays, with impeccable style, the oil merchant, and Paul Dano, in probably his career best performance, plays (mainly) Eli, the pastor/nemesis of Daniel. DDL did extensive research on the life of Doheny, and also modified his voice accordingly, to suit the role. The end result is yet another gem of a performance, and as a viewer you just automatically feel like applauding and showering praise for him. The body language, the accent, and overall presentation of Daniel Plainview set the standard for “good acting”. The final encounter between Plainview and Eli in the bowling alley will haunt you for a long time!

Admittedly Plainview's best quote from
the film. 

The cinematography and period settings are excellent. The background score is chilling at times, but suits the scene perfectly. Few scenes to look out for are the scene where Daniel insults Eli when the latter asks for money, the scene where Daniel is baptised, and the climax in the bowling alley. There Will be Blood is a masterpiece for both DDL and Paul Dano.

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

Dumb and Dumber (1994)

Director: Peter and Bobby Farrelly 
Story: Peter Farrelly, Bennett Yellin, Bobby Farrelly
Cast: Jim Carrey, Jeff Daniels, Lauren Holly 
Music: Todd Rundgren
Time: 107 minutes
Bottom-line: A classic comedy; unforgettable! 

This cult comedy is probably the most famous Jim Carrey film, and arguably one of the most famous comedies of the 90s. Co-starring Jeff Daniels and Lauren Holly, the film is the story of buddies Lloyd Christmas (Carrey) and Harry Dunne (Daniels), the former being a limousine driver and the latter, a dog groomer. Lloyd gets the chance to drive Mary Swanson (Holly) to the airport, and he falls in love with her at first sight. He notices her leaving her briefcase at the airport terminal and immediately rushes to hand it over to her, without realising that it contains money for the kidnappers of her husband. Unable to meet her, Lloyd and Harry decide to go to Aspen – where Mary is going – to return the briefcase, hoping that she would return the favour by improving their lives. Following them every inch of the way are the kidnappers themselves, hunting for their briefcase. Watch how the road trip and subsequent events turn out to be life-changing for Lloyd and Harry, and for everyone around them!

Jim Carrey as Lloyd and Jeff Daniels
as Harry (in the scene where they mimic
Dr. Hannibal Lecter)

Dumb and Dumber is one film that will lighten you up and get you cracking up no matter what mood you are in. This is one laughter ride that impresses with nearly every bit of humour – be it the comic actions of the duo, hilarious dialogues and what not! There are innumerable scenes and lines to quote, and who can forget the body language of Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels that none other can imitate so perfectly! The scene in the motel where the duo unknowingly kill the kidnapper, the scene where Lloyd drives the wrong way and Harry lashes out at him, the scene with Harry and Lloyd in the gas station, and the prank Lloyd plays on Harry on the night of his date are few memorable ones that come to the top of my head, but there is a long list of them!

Lauren Holly as Mary

The stupider the acting, the more hilarious it is to watch... and though how in real life dealing with stupidity gets on your nerves, in Dumb and Dumber it gets you cracking up even more! This was the film that solidified Carrey’s career and gave a strong entry into cinema for the Farrelly brothers. Jeff Daniels does a remarkable role, for in no other film has he brought out his funny side as much as he does here! Jim Carrey did a lot of improvisation to perfect his role too, including the idea of “the most annoying sound in the world”.

Yes, the jokes may be old, and yes you may have seen the same thing over and over again too many times in other films, but despite the continuous delivery of nothing but one gag after another, Dumb and Dumber strikes the right notes thanks to the chemistry of its lead actors, and the charm that they bring to the screen. With its more or less family friendly comedy, comic performances and a catchy soundtrack, this film is still one of my favourite comedies. In the words of Lloyd, “I like it a lot.”

My Rating: 3.5/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 66%