Interstellar (2014)

Director: Christopher Nolan
Story: Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan
Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Michael Caine
Music: Hans Zimmer
Time: 169 minutes
Bottom-line: Jaw-dropping, enthralling... Nolan’s imagination has no bounds

OK, I’ll be frank – I have been planning to watch this film since June. Finally, after a couple of hectic weeks I had the chance to view the latest Nolan film: the science fiction drama, Interstellar. Now, this film is unlike anything Nolan has ever done before, and though it may not be his best, it is arguably his grandest film till date. The film stars Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain in the lead roles, with Michael Caine and Mackenzie Foy in the supporting roles.

Mankind was born on Earth. It was never meant to die here. In a futuristic world, crop blight becomes responsible for the majority of the population to turn to agriculture for a living. One such farmer and ex-NASA pilot, Cooper (McConauhey), lives with his father-in-law, teenage son and 10-year old daughter, Murphy (Foy). Murphy is very much interested in science, but still believes that a ghost in her room is trying to communicate with her. Cooper figures out that the “ghost” is an unknown source sending coded messages, which lead to a secret NASA installation, led by Dr. Brand (Caine). He tells Cooper that an alien intelligence has created a wormhole near Saturn, perhaps offering humanity a chance to survive on another planet. Cooper is requested to fly a crew to search for potentially habitable worlds. Interstellar is about the adventures experienced by the crew in their journey, and whether or not they are able to return safely, back to Earth.

McConaughey as Cooper

Watching a Nolan film usually has three steps: one, start watching, hoping for all sorts of fantastic stuff. Two, after enjoying most of the film, slowly start scratching your head because things get really confusing. Three, come home, think about the film, read some analysis, and more often than not, plan to watch it again. Then why the hell are his films so good? Because he does not just put some nonsense together to rattle your brain; once you understand it properly, the story actually makes a lot of sense.

Hathaway as Amelia Brand

The story starts out slowly, mainly highlighting the father-daughter relationship between Cooper and Murphy. From the entry of Caine’s character, the science part begins. Basically his idea is, “It is not about saving the planet; it is about leaving it. Brand is working on some (sophisticated, of course) gravity equation, which, on solving, can give a way to take most of the humans on earth to the other planet, if found habitable. Once the crew is launched into space, the story becomes similar to that of Gravity. So why is Interstellar different? Because Nolan introduces some sentiment into the storyline.

This film has more content about love and emotions than any other Nolan film. Why? That you will know towards the end. The interesting thing, however, is that there is no non-linear narrative structure (yes, that’s true!). Now why would Nolan do that? That’s because he has gone to the next level of “playing with time”. You must realise that he has taken the viewers to a place where the word “time” has no meaning! I mean, in space, especially when it comes to black holes and such, a whole set of associated terms like relativity, time dilation etc come into picture. In fact, in one planet the crew visits, every hour spent there is equivalent to twenty three Earth years, because of the severe gravitational time dilation. So, in case you haven’t watched the film yet, just browse through some space and time related articles and books to have a better understanding of the film. The ending gets really confusing, so don’t worry about it too much. With time you will start to make sense out of it.

Chastain as (the adult) Murphy

One drawback of the film, I felt, is that it is way too scientific. The works of physicist Kip Thorne was the inspiration for the film. I am not in a position to say if it is scientifically accurate or not (not that I care) but though it is understandable that Nolan wanted to make the film as accurate as possible, I didn’t find any need for so much “geek talk”. The dialogues should have been written in a better way. There is no ambiguity in the climax (I guess that’s a disappointment to many) but a clear indication of a sequel, in my view. The visual effects are dazzling... and mind you, this film is in 2D! The wormhole, the other planets and in fact everything is so beautifully created and superbly shot.

McConaughey leads from the front, with a commendable performance. Anne Hathaway, who plays another astronaut, Amelia Brand, has done well too. But the better performance was given by Jessica Chastain, who plays the adult Murphy. And of course, not to forget Mackenzie Foy, whose role as the 10-year-old Murphy was interesting to watch. Matt Damon also has a cameo role in the film. The film’s score is brilliant – Hans Zimmer has put together some great pieces of music. His work was apparently quite secretive, because he had announced that the music that you hear in the trailers were not his compositions. Anyway, the final result is impressive.

In Interstellar, Nolan takes you to the next level of science fiction movies. Of course, films like these have probably come before, but he manages to take the theme a little further. Like I said, just brush up a little on some science terminologies and you should be fine. You may have been able to make sense of other films, but Interstellar requires you to have some scientific knowledge as well. One you satisfy this requirement, get ready, to be dazzled!

My Rating: 4/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 73%

Ocean's Eleven (2001)

Director: Steven Soderbergh
Story: George C. Johnson, Jack Golden Russell
Cast: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, Julia Roberts
Music: David Holmes
Time: 117 minutes
Bottom-line: Highly impressive and stylish; a no-holds-barred joy ride

The early 2000s may be Soderbergh’s best period in cinema, as he directed three highly successful films during that time: Traffic, Erin Brockovich and Ocean’s Eleven. A comparatively light-hearted heist drama, the film stars George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Andy Garcia and Matt Damon in the lead roles, with Julia Roberts, Don Cheadle and many others playing the supporting roles. If Ocean’s Eleven is Soderbergh’s definition of a “fun-filled film”, he couldn’t have defined it in a better way than this.

Clooney as Daniel Ocean

Daniel Ocean (Clooney) is just released from prison. Violating his parole, he goes to LA to meet up with his friend "Rusty" Ryan (Pitt) to propose a plan for a robbery. The plan is to rob three casinos in Las Vegas: The Bellagio, MGM Grand and The Mirage, simultaneously. All three are owned by Terry Benedict (Garcia). Realising they need a big crew, Rusty and Daniel recruit eight more members, each with his own skill. They also receive help from Reuben, a man wanting to take revenge on Terry for bankrupting him. When Rusty finds out that Daniel is performing this heist because his ex-wife Tess (Roberts) is now with Terry, he starts to get suspicious. 3 Casinos. 11 Guys. 150 Million Bucks. Ready to Win Big?

Pitt as "Rusty" Ryan

There is no actual “plot development” here, but the main story starts right from the beginning. Except for a few scenes just to introduce the different members of the crew, there is no unnecessary scene or sequence. This is probably the main reason why Soderbergh was able to provide loads of entertainment within two hours of screen time. Then again, there is no character development either, but there is no need for that here. This is a film that focuses on how eleven men rob three casinos, and that’s it. Compare this with some film like Speed: a pure “popcorn thriller”. You wanted entertainment, you got it. That’s the reason I said Ocean’s Eleven is a comparatively light-hearted film.

Garcia as Terry Benedict (left) and Damon
as Linus

The acting is quite excellent too. George Clooney brings in style that can be associated with him alone. Accompanying him with an equally good lead performance is Brad Pitt. Others like Damon and Cheadle (who put on a cockney accent for this film) have done well too. Another aspect of the film that I liked is the humour. The script is witty, funny and crisp, but the actual humour and style that is screen on screen is mainly due to the acting. The dialogues, facial expressions and body language of the actors make this possible. Andy Garcia and Julia Roberts don’t disappoint either.

Julia Roberts as Tess 

I liked the background score by David Holmes, and the cinematography was quite good as well. There is no particular scene to look out for; every sequence has its own charm: a little thrill, little humour... This is not exactly a serious crime drama, but who cares! Ocean’s Eleven provides much more than just a caper film: it is perhaps one of the few films to make you sit on the edge of you seat for a moment, and immediately make you roll back laughing. And yes, there are as many twists and turns in the story as you would see in any other good crime film.

The members of "Ocean's Eleven"

Powered by terrific lead performances by Clooney and co., along with superb direction from Steven Soderbergh, Ocean’s Eleven promises entertainment every inch of the way. As long as you are 15 or older, you can watch the film with family. Don’t expect anything – just start watching and be surprised by what you see!

My Rating: 4/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 82%

Now You See Me (2013)

Director: Louis Leterrier
Story: Boaz Yakin, Edward Ricourt
Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, Mélanie Laurent, Isla Fisher, Dave Franco, Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman
Music: Brian Tyler
Time: 125 minutes
Bottom-line: Now I see why this is a stupid film

When it comes to films about magic (or anything closely related to magic), I have very high expectations, because my benchmark for this genre is Christopher Nolan’s The Prestige. So well, Louis Leterrier’s Now You See Me proved to be a major disappointment for me, thanks to the lousy acting, average storyline and the attempt to pack a truckload of “entertainment” within two hours, thereby compromising on other important aspects. “Look closely, because the closer you think you are, the less you will actually see” is the film’s tagline, and in my view, is should have been, “The more you expect from this film, the less you get”.

Eisenberg as Daniel Atlas

Harrelson as McKinney 

Four exceptional magicians, called the Four Horsemen: Daniel Atlas (Eisenberg), Merritt McKinney (Harrelson), Henly Reeves (Fisher) and Jack Wilder (Franco) perform street magic in different parts of the US. They are brought together by an unknown man. One year later, they perform in Las Vegas, and in one trick, they rob a bank in Paris by teleporting a man there and asking him to activate the air duct, thereby shifting the money from Paris to Las Vegas. The money is actually found to be missing, and the four magicians are arrested. After being investigated by Agent Dylan Rhodes (Ruffalo) and Alma Dray (Laurent), they are released due to lack of evidence. The agents decide to approach Thaddeus Bradley (Freeman), an ex-magician who exposes other magicians’ tricks. What is the Horsemen’s actual purpose? Is there a fifth horseman who is aiding them? Who is actually chasing whom? Watch the film to find out...

Fisher as Henly Reeves

Franco as Jack Wilder

                                            First of all, too many characters! Well, all the characters played a role, and all of them were sort of important, but the point is that when you have 7-8 main characters, and you don’t develop even one of them, it sort of gets “stuffy”. Of course, if you say that films like Ocean’s Eleven didn’t have any character development either, that is because there was no need for it. Here, the twist in the end sort of makes it necessary. I feel that a twist ending (especially when it has something to do with the nature of a character) has a better impact on you when there are clues that help you guess what’s coming, but you still don’t, and you are like, “Oh! How did I miss that??”

Ruffalo as Agent Rhodes and
Laurent as Agent Alma Dray

Except for maybe Morgan Freeman and (surprisingly) Mark Ruffalo, the acting was horrible. Jesse Eisenberg’s fast and catchy dialogues worked well in The Social Network, but not here. Michael Caine has a small role as the Horsemen’s sponsor and insurance magnate, Arthur Tressler, and for the small role, his acting was good.  Woody Harrelson was okay, but I felt that Isla Fisher and Franco tried to be a bit too stylish in their roles, and hence, didn’t perform well.

Freeman as Thaddeus Bradley 

The technical aspects are where the film finds success. The score, visual effects and cinematography were excellent. So I am guessing the director tried to use these to cover up the film’s poor story-telling, but it didn’t work out. Now You See Me starts off well, and initially you are glued to the story because somehow people like films where a bunch of characters are brought together for some “mission”. You might even enjoy the entire film. But I watched it expecting perhaps a bit too much, and hence was disappointed. Some more focus should be given on character and plot development (perhaps a few clues leading to the twist ending), but if you just want to see some “cool” magic tricks even if the acting and story are not so good, then you can go ahead and watch the film. But for a really good film of this genre, I strongly recommend The Prestige.

My Rating: 2.5/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 50%

Angadi Theru (2010)

English Translation: Market Street
Director: Vasanthabalan 
Story: Vasanthabalan, Jeyamohan
Cast: Mahesh, Anjali
Music: Vijay Antony, G. V. Prakash Kumar
Time: 157 minutes
Bottom-line: A vivid eye-opener

One year has gone by since the inception of Revisiting Films with KRK, and on this day, I review one of my favourite Tamil films of this decade.

Anyone familiar with the shopping locations in Chennai will know that Ranganathan Street in T.Nagar is the ultimate place for any sort of textile shopping. But behind the glamorous shopping malls and shops, there lies a dark side. Angadi Theru explores this dark side, that is, it talks about a textile showroom, but from the workers’ point of view. The film features debutant Mahesh and Anjali (in her second major film), with A. Venkatesh and Pandi in the supporting roles.

The story begins with Jyoti Lingam (Mahesh) and Kani (Anjali) roaming about in the streets at night, trying to find a place to sleep. As they finally find a place to sleep along with workers from a construction site, an accident causes a lorry to run over most of the people. The story shifts to a small village in Tamil Nadu, where Lingu lives. After his father dies in an accident, he becomes the sole earner of the family. His friend Marimuthu and he get a job in a textile store in the famous Ranganathan Street. Though initially they are happy to be earning money, they soon realise that the job is a nightmare. The store supervisor brutally beats up anyone who violates the rules or fools around during working hours. Lingu falls in love with Kani, a bold and fearless sales girl. The pitiable working conditions, the difficulties the workers face, and what sacrifices they make are the main themes explored in Angadi Theru.

New actors, relatively new director, completely new theme... how will it run in theatres? A big round of applause for Vasanthabalan for making the film despite these questions that would have been in his mind as well. The reason for directing Angadi Theru is perhaps to indirectly portray the pitiable working condition of employees in an actual textile showroom in Ranganathan Street. There have been cases of employees/customers being abused. And consequently, the reason the film is successful is because of its raw content and realism.

Anjali as Kani

The dialogues of the film reveal a lot of things. When the villagers are recruited for the job, the employers make sure to choose only the orphans, because “only they will do the job properly without giving trouble”. Once the workers enter the shop, they have to be report on time or else they lose a part of their salary for every minute they are late. The mess is literally a mess, where all the workers gobble up food (just in order not to starve) in dirty and unhealthy conditions, and even snatch plates from others to get food. An ex-employee tells Lingu that working twelve hours a day without sitting down ever for a minute has now permanently damaged his legs and made him immobile. “They take you in, drain your energy, and throw you out like garbage” is what he says. Lingu is made to run up and down five floors multiple times to get saris, and when found taking rest, he is abused by the supervisor. Another incident shows a sales girl committing suicide when another salesman rejects her love due to fear of the supervisor.

While this is the main theme, the romance between Lingu and Kani is the secondary theme. There is also some comedy here and there, thanks to Marimuthu’s character. Another thing I noticed is the way the workers express “happiness”. Are there really happy moments for them? Well, that’s pretty much the point: their working conditions are so pitiable that anything other than work brings them joy. In the beginning of the film, just roaming on the streets, splashing rain water on each other brings Kani and Lingu immense joy. Later in the story, when actress Sneha comes to the store to shoot an advertisement, all the men folk immediately bathe and clean up because they are so happy just to see her. The song “Unn Perai Sollum” is another example. Both Lingu and Kani are locked up in the store, and they are afraid of getting caught. But they decide to look at the bright side: when else do they have a chance of trying all the clothes that they otherwise only see and sell? Oblivious to the fact that they are caught on CCTV, they have fun (and for once, the hero and heroine donning a variety of costumes in the middle of a song is not surprising!).

Mahesh as Lingu

Angadi Theru could well be Anjali’s magnum opus. All emotions flow in freely to her face, be it fear, happiness, anger etc. The film gave her instantaneous fame, and she went on to win several awards for this role. Mahesh is impressive in his debut film, with an equally powerful lead performance. I think that’s why the film was able to portray the pitiable conditions properly (I mean, the locals will never ever remain silent if some popular hero gets beaten up by another character, without paying back!). A. Venkatesh, who plays the lewd and aggressive supervisor, has done well in playing the main antagonist role. Pandi, who plays Marimuthu brings in little humour in an otherwise tragic film.

A view of Ranganathan street (yes, it is always this
crowded!)

Look out for the songs “Aval Appadi Ondrum Azhagillai” and “Unn Perai Sollum”. The photography is excellent, for it is able to capture all the brutality, violence, happiness and romance perfectly. In fact, many sources report that most of the film was shot using hidden cameras in the actual street in Chennai. The cumulative effect of the brilliant acting, photography, and the scorching storyline which is brought to life in this vivid, raw, powerful manner leave an impact on you that you will never forget for a long time. Once you watch the film (and this is not a film that you just keep watching multiple times because you are bored), your shopping experience will never be the same again. Angadi Theru is not a pleasant watch, but it is certainly, a must-watch.

My Rating: 4.5/5

Traffic (2000)

Director: Steven Soderbergh
Screenplay: Stephen Gaghan (based on Traffik by Alastair Reid)
Cast: Michael Douglas, Don Cheadle, Benicio Del Toro, Catherine Zeta-Jones 
Music: Cliff Martinez
Time: 147 minutes
Bottom-line: Traffic provides entertainment thanks to its powerful narrative structure and some good bits of acting

Steven Soderbergh won the Academy Award for Best Director for this 2000 thriller film, Traffic. With a huge cast and multiple interwoven storylines, the film is about drug trade (illegal of course!) from the viewpoint of different people. Michael Douglas, Don Cheadle, Benicio Del Toro and Catherine Zeta-Jones play the lead roles, with Dennis Quaid, Erika Christensen and Luis Guzmán in the supporting roles. Three storylines, two hours of thrill, one film: Traffic.

Douglas as Robert Wakefield

Mexico: Police officer Javier Rodriguez (Del Toro) and his partner Manolo Sanchez are hired by General Salazar to help him wipe out the Tijuana Cartel. Javier agrees to work for Salazar, but soon it becomes clear that Salazar himself is not clean, and Javier is indirectly working for a criminal...

Washington/Ohio: Robert Wakefield, an Ohio judge, is appointed to head the President's Office of National Drug Control Policy, taking on the title drug czar. However, as his own home, his daughter Caroline, (Christiansen) is becoming increasingly addicted to cocaine.

San Diego: Two DEA officers, Ray (Guzman) and Gordon (Cheadle) arrest Eduardo Ruiz, a high-stakes drug dealer. Wanting immunity, he gives up his boss, Carlos Ayala, one of the biggest drug distributers. His pregnant wife, Helena (Zeta-Jones), faces death threats. She decides to hire an assassin to kill Ruiz, thereby ending the case against her husband. As the story progresses, we see that all the characters get engaged in a game – a game, where nobody gets away clean. 

Del Toro as Javier Rodriguez 

While many critics praised the acting of everyone, my opinion differs in some ways. First, I liked Douglas’ acting, for more than the character of a judge, he played the role of a father very well. Benicio Del Toro was good, but not so good that he deserved the Oscar for his role... Gladiator was also released the same year, and Joaquin Phoenix, who played Commodus, did a much better job than Del Toro in this film. Dennis Quaid’s role seems a mystery to me – I still don’t find any significance of it (though technically he is a lead actor in the film). The three actors in the San Diego storyline: Don Cheadle, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Luis Guzman have given very good performances. An unnoticed performance may be that of Erika Christiansen, who plays Robert’s drug-addicted daughter. Though she may not be as well-known as the lead actors, her performance was quite excellent.

Cheadle as Gordon, with Guzman as Ray (behind)

Now to the aspect that makes the film unique, the narrative structure. There is no proper order – the tracks interchange every now and then, but Soderbergh has done it in such a way that it is not too confusing to follow all the three storylines. Unlike my (and I am guessing many others’ as well) expectations, the tracks don’t converge to a thrilling finale or something... most of the time they are independent of the others, and in fact, no character from one story meets any character from another (except one scene where Javier, Salazar and Robert meet). However, all the incidents are significant in some way or the other, and together produce a good film.

Catherine Zeta-Jones as Helena

Another interesting thing I found about the story is the realism. The script is cleverly written, for it is a story from the viewpoint of people one would usually associate with drugs: a politician, a cop, and a user. There are no sudden heroics, no unnecessary stunts, but just a straightforward story. that is the reason the film is able to leave an impact on you.

The photography was also good. I liked the way Soderbergh distinguished the storylines using camera work. The Mexico track has a particular bright yellowish shade to it, and the Wakefield storyline had another shade. With masterful direction from Soderbergh, good performances from an ensemble cast, and an excellent screenplay, Traffic isn’t exactly a pure thriller, but it is, for sure, a terrific entertainer. It may not be the director’s best film, but it might be the best film to be made on the topic of drug trade and trafficking.

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

Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge? (2010)

English translation: Dear guest, when will you leave?
Director: Ashwni Dhir
Screenplay: Tushar Hiranandani, Robin Bhatt, Rutvik Oza 
Cast: Ajay Devgn, Paresh Rawal, Konkona Sen Sharma
Music: Pritam
Time: 115 minutes
Bottom-line: Nice, simple family entertainer

Ever had a guest who irritated you to the core? Someone you wanted to kick out but just couldn’t? Well then this is just the film for you! Ashwni Dhir’s comedy is a movie that revolves around a family welcoming a guest into their home, only to suffer in his presence. The film stars Ajay Devgn, Paresh Rawal, Konkona Sen Sharma in the lead roles.

Film script writer Puneet (Devgn), his wife Munmun (Sen Sharma) and their son Ayush live in Mumbai. A normal middle class family, they seem to be well off, with the only problem being that they never had, and never have, guests. One day, a man by the name of Lambodar (Rawal) comes to their home, claiming to be a distant uncle. They welcome him, and soon they realise that it was a big mistake to do so. He possesses many habits that irritate them, and does all sort of things (and even gets Puneet fired from work!), but as he is elderly, Munmun and Puneet feel bad to just chuck him out of the house. How they manage, and how, towards the end, the “trouble” in the form of Lambodar turns into a blessing is what the film is about.

Ajay Devgn as Puneet

The first thing I liked about the film: the theme – just a simple story that probably takes place in everybody’s house. All of us have guests now and then, but in my view, other than the fact that they usually bring something to give you (biscuits or chocolates maybe!) they tend to cause more trouble than pleasure. Likewise, Lambodar appears a huge burden to this family. He wakes them up very early with his obstreperous gargling noise, he invites a bunch of friends over and asks Munmun to cook for all of them... but surprisingly, he also has some very good habits. He gives Munmun money just for making delicious food (even blessing her by saying that no one who comes to their home will ever go away with an empty stomach), and he also creates joy in the neighbourhood by singing in the temple regularly.

Konkona Sen Sharma as Munmun

The story is quite hilarious and importantly, it also manages to deliver a message to the viewers towards the end. While you cannot stop laughing in the scene where Lambodar goes to the movie set, you also feel sad when he apologises to Puneet after that, for getting him fired. Most of the humour comes from the way the family tries to send away Lambodar out of the house, but in a seemingly “polite” manner! But towards the end the message the film provides is Athithi Devo Bhava, a popular saying meaning “guests are God”. Any so-called “trouble” of a guest can also turn out to be a blessing.

Paresh Rawal as Lambodar

Paresh Rawal is the star in acting. He almost single-handedly manages to make a super entertainer from such a simple storyline with his acting. Ajay Devgn and Konkona Sen Sharma have also contributed by giving some good performances.

It may not have big stars or expensive set design, but with a simple but effective story, Athithi Tum Kab Jaoge? is quite good for a family entertainer. I like the selection of the theme (and it should have taken a lot of persuasion to choose, I think, for these type of films usually don’t run in the theatres), and the message it delivers. Watch for Paresh Rawal’s classy acting as well!

My Rating: 4/5

GoodFellas (1990)

Director: Martin Scorsese
Screenplay: Martin Scorsese and Nicholas Pileggi (based on the book Wiseguy by Pileggi)
Cast: Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Lorraine Bracco
Time: 140 minutes
Bottom-line: Violent, stylish and superbly act and shot, GoodFellas is a first-rate gangster drama

For my 150th review, I choose the film, GoodFellas, often considered by many as one of the greatest films ever made, by the director, and in general. Veteran director Martin Scorsese takes his viewers through three decades of mafia life in this 140 minute film, and by the end of it I felt that this is as good a gangster film you will ever come across. GoodFellas stars Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta and Joe Pesci in the lead roles, with Paul Sorvino and Lorraine Bracco in the supporting roles.

Ray Liotta as Henry Hill

1955, Brooklyn – “As far back as I can remember I always wanted to be a gangster. To me, being a gangster was better than being President of the United States”, says Henry Hill (Liotta). You have probably read this line in every review of this film written so far, and the reason is, I think, is because that’s exactly what the film is about – is being in the mafia really that great? Through Henry’s eyes, we get to experience the mafia life for nearly three decades, from 1955 to 1981. At a young age, he starts working for the local mob capo, Paulie (Sorvino). His mentor is James “Jimmy” Conway (De Niro), whose associate is Tommy DeVito (Pesci), a man with a temper that can make him go mad. The story explores their initial successes, their ups and downs, and decay.

GoodFellas, I felt, is more of a case study about the mafia. The reason it is accurate is probably because it is based on the true story of Henry Hill, who narrated his story to Pileggi, who eventually wrote the book that formed the basis for the film. The reason the film seems authentic in terms of characters, dialogues and screenplay is because Scorsese gave the actors freedom to improvise. In fact, Joe Pesci even directed one sequence from the film, where he scares Henry with his famous line, “I mean funny like I'm a clown? I amuse you?”

Robert De Niro as Jimmy Conway

Ray Liotta has given a magnificent performance, and he seems best suited for the role. I liked his acting especially towards the end, where his world comes crashing down and he is finally arrested by the cops. This is the first time I am watching De Niro in a Scorsese film, and I admit I loved his acting too. He is a mentor for Hill, a gangster, a hijacker and (as we see later) a ruthless murderer, and the way De Niro changes his method of acting to bring authenticity into all the different types of characters is amazing. But the most memorable (I wouldn’t say “best”) character is Tommy DeVito, played by Pesci. His performance as the humorous, aggressive and unimaginable crazy DeVito is a class apart – and the Oscar was rightly given to him as well. The same guy who made you laugh in the Home Alone series by making a fool of himself now shocks you with his aggression and violent attitude. Lorraine Bracco’s acting was impressive as well, and she deserved an Oscar nomination.

Joe Pesci as Tommy DeVito

Though there is no real story as such, the film basically tells how the mafia life actually is. Initially we see their power, indicated by this line said by Hill: “If we wanted something, we just took it. If anyone complained twice they got hit so bad, believe me, they never complained again.” And of course, there’s the other side of the coin: “For most of the guys, killing's got to be accepted. Murder was the only way that everybody stayed in line. Shooting people was a normal thing. It was no big deal.” We see how Hill, Conway and Tommy make money by performing heists, how they murder a “made man” and put themselves in danger, how they manage to stay afloat, and finally, what they do when they reach a stage where only betrayal and murder prevail. It is ironic how Conway’s first advice to Hill is, “Never rat on your friends and always keep your mouth shut,” and in the end Hill is the one who gives the others away.

Lorraine Bracco as Karen Hill

I may have given written about many parts of the story that occur in the second half and towards the end, but to me, there are no major twists in the film, like maybe Shutter Island or The Departed. GoodFellas should be viewed for its sharp, stylish and realistic portrayal of the rise and fall of three gangsters in a span of three decades. Filled with outstanding performances by all the leads, Joe Pesci in particular, some memorable dialogues (and of course, the swear words!), superb camera work (including many long shots, quick cuts and freeze frames), GoodFellas is one of the best films by Martin Scorsese, and is a classic in the gangster genre.

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

Chak De! India (2007)

English translation: Go India!
Director: Shimit Amin
Story: Jaideep Sahni
Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Vidya Malvade, Shilpa Shukla, Sagarika Ghatge
Music: Salim-Sulaiman
Time: 153 minutes
Bottom-line: In most aspects, as good as Lagaan

Perhaps Shah Rukh Khan’s finest film till date, and one of the most patriotic films after Lagaan (2001), Shimit Amin’s Chak De! India proves to be a compelling family entertainer, and a superbly made sports film. First, a special word of praise for the crew responsible for the script and direction, for making a film about hockey, a sport that is only remotely familiar among the people when compared to cricket. The film talks about how a man coaches the Indian Women’s Hockey Team and attempts to take them to the World Cup.

World Cup Final, India versus Pakistan; Pakistan lead 1:0. One minute from the close of the match, India gets a penalty shoot. Captain Kabir Khan (SRK) takes it, misses, India lose. Seeing Khan shake hands with the Pakistani captain after the match, reporters immediately spread a rumour that Khan is a traitor, and following this, he is forced to leave his home. Seven years later, Khan is appointed as the coach of the Indian Women’s Hockey Team. He drills the team rigorously, and his strict attitude is not welcomed by the team, and soon they rebel against him. The rest of the film is about whether the team get on with Khan’s training methods, and whether or not he is able to make them win the World Cup.

Shah Rukh Khan as the coach, Kabir Khan

The main theme is India’s national game, hockey (which is what makes the film “patriotic” in the first place), but many other issues are also dealt with along with the main storyline. From the first scene where Kabir Khan coaches the team, making them acknowledge that they play for India and not for their respective states, till the last scene, we see how he induces the team spirit in all the players, and unites them despite their own regional prejudices. In the beginning, the theme of India-Pakistan rivalry is also portrayed: reporters frame Khan as a national traitor, and the fact that he supposedly helped Pakistan induces more anger among the people. Few scenes also deal with the gender discrimination that prevails in India, where men are considered superior and women are considered inferior. When the girls play against the men’s team, Khan advises them, saying, “Don’t think you are playing against men; think as though you are playing against all the idiots in the country who think women cannot do anything”.

The "Chak De!" team

I feel that this is Shah Rukh’s magnum opus in terms of acting – he really put all his effort to make his performance flawless. During the film you don’t see him as the actor, but as though he is a real coach; he displays all emotions and speaks all his dialogues in such a way. If you look at his role from the girls’ point of view you sort of hate him for being a martinet. But of course, in the end you (and the team members) realise that his “tyranny” (as they thought so initially) actually helped them to unite. This is also one of the rare films (if not only one) where SRK is comparatively passive but the other lead actors do most of the stuff. SRK later won the Filmfare Award for Best Actor for the film, though the other favourite was Darsheel Safary, for his role in Tare Zameen Par. All the members of the hockey team have given good performances as well, especially Shilpa Shukla (who plays Bindia Naik, the senior-most player), Chitrashi Rawat (who plays Komal) and Sagarika Ghatge (who plays Preeti). Before shooting, all the newly chosen actors had to go through a strict diet and proper hockey coaching so that the way they played hockey looked authentic. On the other hand, those who were already players had to learn to act well!!

The photography was amazing. The way the hockey matches were shot, and the way the camera captured the emotions of the players was perfect. Be it the message of teamwork and unity, class acting, good music and some delightful display of hockey, Chak De! India provides everything within 153 minutes. The story is taut (with no unnecessary melodrama), and SRK is at his very best in acting. A first-rate family movie... don’t miss it!

My Rating: 5/5

Sherlock (TV Series) - Season 3

Creators: Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss
Written by: Steven Moffat, Mark Gatiss, Stephen Thompson (based on the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle) 
Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman, Amanda Abbington
Music: David Arnold, Michael Price
Time: 88 minutes (per episode)
Bottom-line: The thrills have reduced, but towards the end everything is back on track

After the twist ending of Season 2, all Sherlock fans would have screaming to watch the latest season to see how Sherlock Holmes miraculously escaped from “whatever he did in the last episode of the previous season”. All the actors reprise their roles: Benedict as Sherlock, Freeman as Watson, and the new character is Mary Morstan (Abbington), Watson’s fiancé. Compared to the first two seasons, I felt that the thrills have reduced considerably, and the overall quality has dropped by a wee amount as well. However, even if not through thrills, this season promises entertainment in other forms!

Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock

The first episode, The Empty Hearse is sort of a continuation from the Christmas mini-episode. Philip Anderson, a man working for Inspector Lestrade, puts forth a theory that several mysterious incidents happening around the world seem to be getting closer and closer to London. He believes that these are Holmes’ works, and that he will return soon. Meanwhile, Holmes actually does return, to help his brother Mycroft (Gatiss) uncover a terrorist attack in London. This episode mainly deals with how Watson and Holmes reunite, Watson’s love life with Mary, and what Holmes to stop the apparent terrorist attack on London.

The second episode, The Sign of Three, is perhaps the least thrilling Sherlock episode made so far. The episode tells how Sherlock prepares to give the best man’s speech at Watson’s wedding, and in the process he also narrates two old, unsolved cases: The Bloody Guardsman and The Mayfly man. By the end of the episode, Sherlock realises that both the incidents are connected, and that someone else at the wedding is going to be murdered as well.

Martin Freeman as Watson, with Sherlock

The final episode, His Last Vow, brings back all the thrills that the earlier episodes failed to provide (in my view). Holmes faces a new nemesis, Charles Augustus Magnussen (Lars Mikkelsen), a newspaper owner who has information about practically everyone. All the information is stored in hard copies, and using them, he blackmails people. As the episode progresses, we see that he has information on Mary that can send her to prison for a long time. As Sherlock tries to resolve matters with Magnussen, he realises that the latter’s target is not Mary, but something much bigger...

While all the six episodes of the previous two seasons had some mystery or the other, here, the first two episodes focussed more on other things. The Empty Hearse initially is only about how Sherlock returns, and what he actually did two years ago. The Sign of Three was boring, though the humour was effective, and Sherlock’s best man speech, I admit, was the highlight – that is perhaps the only thing I found enjoyable. The final episode is a roller-coaster ride – for the second time (after The Reichenbach Fall) we see that Sherlock is not on the winning side. There are many unexpected twists, and the events happening in the last few minutes will make you desperate for the release of Season 4 (and that's something the creators have done right every time - provide a huge twist at the end of the final episode of  every season, and make the viewers wait two years to know what happens!).

The wedding: Watson (left), with Mary (Abbington)
and Sherlock

For once, I found the acting of Martin Freeman better than that of Benedict, in the first episode. But both of them maintain their acting quality throughout the season. The main highlight, however, is Lars Mikkelsen – who plays Mugnussen. Just when you thought Moriarty was the only nemesis Holmes had, there comes this guy with such a convincing performance that his character was, in a way, terrifying (as described by Moffat as well). In Sherlock, as far as the nine episodes are concerned, acting plays a big role in the effective portrayal of a good villain, and both Andrew Scott and Mikkelsen have not disappointed.

The photography, score and other special effects were perfect, like always. So while the third season of Sherlock didn’t quite match my expectations, it is still a joy ride for those die-hard fans of Sherlock. Only the second episode is a bit boring, but nevertheless, there are many more things to praise about. Watch for the splendid performances of Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman and Mikkelsen, and of course, do not miss the last few minutes of His Last Vow! Another good season with an electrifying finale... go for it!

My Rating: 4/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 97%

Drishyam (2013)

English translation: Visual
Director: Jeethu Joseph
Story: Jeethu Joseph
Cast: Mohanlal, Meena, Ansiba Hassan, Baby Esther
Music: Vinu Thomas, Anil Johnson
Time: 164 minutes
Bottom-line: Better than most modern thrillers 

My first review of a Malayalam film is that of Drishyam, which set a record of having crossed 10000 shows within 26 days of release. It is also the highest grossing Malayalam film of all time. Starring “The Complete Actor” Mohanlal and Meena in the lead roles, the film is perhaps the first one to be termed as a true “family thriller”, which is probably why it went on to become so popular among the locals and across the globe. Why was the film so well-received? Read on...

Mohanlal as Georgekutty

Georgekutty (Mohanlal) is an ordinary family man living with his wife, Rani (Meena), and two daughters: Anju and Anu. He runs a cable TV service in a rural part of Kerala. Being very helpful and friendly in nature, almost all the villagers are ready to help him anytime. Only one constable in the village, Sahadevan (Kalabhavan Shajon), has a grudge against Georgekutty. The actual story begins about 50 minutes into the film – Anju gets photographed in the bathroom by Varun, the son of inspector general Geeta (Asha Sarath). He blackmails her one night, and he is accidentally murdered by Anju and Rani. They hurriedly bury him in their land, and this is seen by Anu as well. When Georgekutty comes to know about this, he takes responsibility to protect his family against all odds. Meanwhile, Geeta starts an investigation, and Sahadevan immediately suspects Georgekutty. What the latter does, and how he protects his family is what the film is about.

First up, to enjoy the film, you need to patient for the first hour or so. The build-up for the main plot is too lengthy in the film, but according to Jeethu Joseph, that is how it was supposed to be. He said that in a family film, there needs to be some elements about family as well, and hence, that’s what the first 50 minutes are about. So hopefully, if you are still interested in watching the rest of the film, you will be entertained thoroughly. What makes it all the more enjoyable is that it is about an ordinary family – so you empathise with them in their troubles.

Meena as Rani

The twists and turns are quite good, and there is a fair amount of suspense as well. Like I said before, the main idea of the movie is to show how an ordinary family – including two girls of ages seventeen and six – survives police assaults and inquiries, and what an uneducated man is able to do to protect his family, based on general knowledge and smart thinking. Credit for making the story really effective goes to Mohanlal, who has given a splendid performance. At times funny, at times cunning and at other times smart, he lifts the film to a high level. Along with him, the co stars, Meena, Ansiba Hassan, Baby Esther, Kalabhavan Shajon and (especially) Asha Sarath have given superb performances as well.

Ansiba Hassan as Anju

The score and cinematography are also good. Overall, Drishyam is an excellent film, the second half of which as perhaps better than most modern “thriller” films. The first half is too elaborate in my view, but the end result is more than satisfactory. All the actors have given good performances, and the overall story is superb. A family thriller that provides a truck-load of thrills more than expected, Jeethu Joseph’s Drishyam could well be the beginning of a new “sub-genre” of thriller films.

My Rating: 4/5