Directed by: Debra Granik
Released: 2010
Country: United States
Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, John Hawkes, Garret Dillahunt, Shelley Waggener, Kevin Breznahan
Genre: Drama
Rating: 4 out of 5
Review
Winter's Bone is a film which I had been eagerly waiting to watch. And when I finally watched it today, I was overwhelmed. It was such a gentle, captivating film with excellent performances.
Jennifer Lawrence is one of my favorite actresses. And I think she is one of the most talented young actresses today. Her portrayal of Ree Dolly is so memorable, so touching. There is the screenplay, that is filled with excellent dialogues and situations, dialogues delivered so fascinatingly by the actors.
The first scene of the film shows two children playing. They are Ashley and Sonny, younger siblings of our protagonist, Ree. Ree Dolly has to take care of her two little siblings and their mentally unstable mother. Their father isn't home. He hasn't been home for a long, long time. Her father is involved in drug dealing. Ree, the only able member of the family, has to look after her family members.
All of a sudden, a terrible thing happens. The local sheriff informs Ree that her father has to appear at the court, and if he doesn't appear, the family will lose their house and the nearby woods. Ree, shocked by this news, has to find her father. Where can he be? To save her house, to keep her family safe and alive, she has to either find her father, or to prove him dead. And Ree suspects that her father is dead, he might have been killed. But how will she find her? She meets many characters, goes through difficulties, comes across characters who do not help her in her quest, but make it more difficult for her.
The protagonist, Ree, is extremely memorable. She is a gentle, poverty-striken girl, who has to look after her family, who has to struggle against poverty to provide for her little siblings. However pissed off she gets, she doesn't lose her patience. She answers all the questions that she is asked, no matter how much that irritates her. Even in those situations which should have tested her patience, she remained calm; strict in her quest, yet gentle. There are only a few scenes where you see a little roughness in her character. Jennifer Lawrence definitely deserved the Oscar nomination that she received for this role.
Another character that gets much significance is Teardrop Dolly, Ree's uncle. He is also involved in drugs. John Hawkes is excellent as well.
Throughout the film we see Ree's encounter with characters who are difficult to deal with, who are dangerous.
The cinematography is fascinating, and the performances are really very good. Winter's Bone is a gentle and captivating film, emotional and bleak. Poverty, characters' emotions, a person's attempt to keep her family safe. Winter's Bone is a grim and slow-paced film, yet so gently deep and excellently acted.
Brief Encounter (1945 movie)- Review
Directed by: David Lean
Released: 1945
Country: United Kingdom
Cast: Celia Johnson, Trevor Howard, Cyril Raymond, Everley Gregg
Genre: Romantic drama
Rating: 5 out of 5
Review
Brief Encounter is a beautiful and touching film about, as the title refers to, a brief encounter. Celia Johnson gives a breathtaking performance, and the film is a deeply moving story of love, pain and guilt.
The first scene of the film takes place at a refreshment room of a train station. The protagonist of the film, Laura, is sitting with a man. A typical small town gossip lady, Dolly, arrives and starts trying to strike up a conversation with Laura. Laura introduces the man as Dr Alec Harvey. Alec leaves the refreshment room as his train has arrived, and some time later, Laura and Dolly also get into their train. It is evident that Laura is troubled and worried.
Upon reaching home, Laura and her husband, Fred, sit in their library. Laura looks at her husband, and then starts thinking about the pain she is in. Just a few weeks ago, her life had been perfect, free from any kind of troubles. But now... a lot has happen in the past few weeks. Laura starts to think of all the incidences that happened in the past weeks.
Every Thursday, Laura goes to shopping and for watching movies, to Milford. One such Thursday, while sitting at the refreshment room of the railway station, she had come across Dr Alec Harvey. Something had gotten into her eyes, and Alec helped her to clean that up. It didn't seem a very memorable incidence, but over the next Thursdays, she and Alec come across each other repeatedly. They go to movies, they take lunch together, they drive around together. As both admit that they are in love, they are both struck with grief because they know that all these cannot last long. They both are married, both have happy families, and Laura feels terrible guilt, knowing that she is cheating on her husband.
Brief Encounter is a painful and emotionally intense film. Celia Johnson is just amazing. Her narration throughout the film makes the film more intense; her description of her sufferings, her pains, her guilt- are all so very memorable. Trevor Howard as Dr Alec Harvey is just as amazing. There are some very memorable scenes, like the scenes where they go for driving. Brief Encounter is the story of a brief encounter, an affair that is destined to end one day because of the people involved in it. It is an excellently acted and directed motion picture.
5 out of 5
Warm Bodies (2013 movie)
Directed by: Jonathan Levine
Released: 2013
Country: United States
Genres: Horror comedy, Romance
Cast: Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer, Rob Corddry, Dave Franco, Aneleigh Tipton, John Malkovich
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Review
Warm Bodies is the love story between a human and a paranormal creature. Oh, don't worry, it's not Twilight. Warm Bodies is set at a time when there are so many zombies... the number of the zombies have increased and humans have been forced to abandon the beautiful world where they once lived. They now have to live in special enclaves to remain safe from the zombies.
Our protagonist is a zombie, who doesn't remember his name. He just remembers that his name used to start with an 'R'. He lives a life without any fun or enjoyment, in an abandoned airport, with other zombies. He is the narrator throughout the film, though he can hardly speak.
One day, zombies attack some humans, and R saves one of the humans, Julie. R protects Julie, keeping her in the airplane which he uses as a home. Julie eventually starts to trust R and understands that it is not safe to try to run away now. However soon the other zombies get to know about Julie's presence. They try to attack her, but the sweet relation between R and Julie, brings a strange but wonderful result: the zombies begin getting back life once again.
Now, there are two groups between the zombies: human-like zombies and the skeleton-like zombies, called ''bonies''. The bonies attack the human-like zombies as they are starting to get back life. The human-like zombies realize that they need to team up with the humans to defeat the bonies and make the world peaceful once again. But the humans won't easily understand that they (the human-like zombies) are good. How will Julie and her friend Nora convince the humans that teaming up with the zombies is the only way to defeat the bonies and make the world peaceful once again?
Warm Bodies is a sweet film and provides smart and effective entertainment. Nicholas Hoult is really sweet as the innocent, awkward zombie protagonist. Teresa Palmer is nice as well, as the female protagonist Julie. The concept itself is very nice. A memorable scene is the one where Julie meets R in the balcony, a scene similar to a scene of ''Romeo & Juliet''. Among the funny scenes is the scene where Julie pretends to act like a corpse to make the zombies think that she is also a zombie.
While ''Warm Bodies'' may not be an excellent film, it provides real entertainment, and is overall, sweet and worth a watch.
3.5 out of 5
Directed by: Pedro Almodovar
Released: 2011
Country: Spain
Genres: Drama, Sci-Fi, Psychological thriller, Horror
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Review
Ah, Pedro Almodovar, you are amazing. The Skin I Live In is meant to be a psychological thriller. The result is a blend between thriller, horror, drama, and sentiments. While chiefly a thriller, it also touches sentimental aspect, though there is no melodrama. The Skin I Live In is a haunting film, a disturbing story told beautifully, with an excellent presentation and screenplay.
Robert Ledgard (Antonio Banderas) is a plastic surgeon and is successful in face transplantation. He comes up with a new idea, about skin that are resistant to insect bites, burns, etc. He is, however, forbidden to go on with this experiment.
But however, secretly, Ledgard has kept a young woman, Vera, hidden in his home. He is testing that very idea on Vera. Vera is kept hidden in a room of his house. She can't get out. The only people who know about her existence are Ledgard and his servant, Marilia.
One day, an odd man wearing a tiger costume arrives in the house. He is actually Marilia's son, Zeca. Marilia tries her best to get rid of him. She cannot let anyone get a hint about Vera. However, Zeca discovers Vera, and then after breaking into her room, rapes Vera. However, Robert soon arrives and kills Zeca.
Marilia reveals to Vera the tragic past of Ledgard, about the suicides of both of his wife and his daughter. From that time, Vera and Robert seemingly fall in love and Robert is promised that they will be no more locked doors in future.
And then... there is flashbacks... We are shown everything of the past. Of what exactly had happened to Robert's wife and daughter. And who Vera actually is. A tale of suicides, revenges, mistakes, desperation, and terrible results of revenge.
The back story is shocking. Just shocking. It was like... a bolt from a blue! I mean, it is kind of a twist. And the background is told so beautifully, and often disturbingly.
The first hour of this film is spent with introductions. We are introduced to the characters, the situation. But we have no questions about who Vera actually is, how Vera is related to Ledgard's tragic past. She just seems an innocent girl, an innocent victim of Ledgard's experiments. The next part is the flashbacks, the background. The flashbacks answer the unasked questions. Ah, my mouth dropped open with surprise! Each of the back stories were so fascinating and shocking. I'll say no more about this part!!! The last part... well, I better not say anything about that!
Antonio Banderas is excellent as Ledgard. Elena Anaya, as Vera, delivers a strong performance as well. With strong performances, excellent concept, and an extraordinary screenplay this is a splendid film. It was so haunting, so amazing, so memorable. The last scene almost brought tears to my eyes!! Almodovar, salutes to you!
4.5 out of 5
Directed by: Lasse Hallström
Released: 2013
Country: United States
Main cast: Julianne Hough, Josh Duhamel, Cobie Smulders, David Lyons, Mimi Kirkland, Noah Lomax, Irene Ziegler
Genres: Romantic drama, Mystery
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Review
I must say that after coming across several negative reviews of this film I
thought that it may not be a satisfactory film. In spite of that, I
decided to watch this film because I had absolutely loved the original
novel by Nicholas Sparks. And I must say that I wasn't disappointed with
this film. I wasn't at all disappointed with this film. It may not be
an excellent film, it may have qualities of chick flicks, but however, I
liked this film.
Based
on the novel by Nicholas Sparks, the style of storytelling in the film
has a difference from the original novel. However, I really liked the
alterations. I try NEVER to judge a film based on how much accuracy it
has with the novel it is based on. Therefore, though the style of
storytelling is altered and different, the film itself is beautiful. Not
excellent, but yes, really nice.
A
mysterious woman named Katie (Julianne Hough) arrives in a small
fishing town. There, she becomes friends with a store owner, Alex, and
also becomes close to his little daughter, Lexie. Katie also become
close with her neighbor, Jo (Cobie Smulders).
Slowly,
Alex and Katie fall in love. In course of the film, Katie's background
is revealed. Her real name is Erin. She has run away from her abusive
husband, Kevin, and has taken a false name and false identity. When Alex
comes to know about this, he decides to help and protect Katie.
However,
Kevin cannot forget Katie. He takes all efforts to find Katie, to take
his wife back home. What happens? How can Katie hide from her abusive
husband? Will Katie and Alex able to find peace through their love?
Julianne
Hough's performance as Katie is really excellent. Josh Duhamel and
Cobie Smulders also give remarkable performances. Another aspect that
requires special mention is the background music. I was highly impressed
by the background music. From the beginning to the end, the score kept
amazing me, because it was very pleasant and beautiful.
The
screenplay is also pretty good. As I mentioned before, there are
several differences in the storytelling from the original novel. And I
really appreciated the style of storytelling. The twist at the end is very well portrayed and the
ending was really wonderful! However, I must say that
the climax is slightly altered and has much less suspense than that of
the original novel.
Overall,
I thought it was a good movie. I didn't love it, but I did like it.
Sometimes, I was indeed slightly disappointed because of *a few* of the
differences in the storytelling, I liked the overall movie.
3.5 out of 5
ParaNorman (2012 movie)
Directed by: Sam Fell, Chris Butler
Released: 2012
Country: United States
Cast: Kodi Smit-McPhee, Jodelle Micah Ferland, Tucker Albrizzi, Anna Kendrick, Casey Affleck, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Leslie Mann, Jeff Garlin, Elaine Stritch
Genres: Comedy horror, Adventure, Fantasy, Family
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Review
Norman is a boy with an unusual quality: he can communicate with dead people, including his late grandmother. His parents don't appreciate this quality. He is bullied at school, being called a ''freak''. He learns in school about a person who was accused of being a witch, three centuries ago. The ''witch'' gave a terrible curse to the seven people who had accused her, causing them to become living deads (zombies).
One day, Norman comes across his elderly and strange uncle Prerderghast, who tells him that since he can communicate with dead people, only he can save the town from the zombies by keeping the curse under control. Norman is puzzled, but after the sudden death of Prenderghast, his (Prenderghast's) ghost visits him, giving him instruction about how to keep the curse under control.
How can Norman control such a terrible curse, all by himself? There follows twists, perils, revelations, and humor.
ParaNorman was a fun watch. I liked the overwhelming humor, the comedic horror elements, the twist, and the truth. The voice actors do a great job. The visuals are also great. The scene I loved most was the final confrontation between the ''witch'' and Norman. It was superbly designed, and the scene following this, the scene at the forest, was also beautiful. Overall, it was a light and refreshing film.
3.5 out of 5
The 39 Steps (1935 movie)
Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
Released: 1935
Country: United Kingdom
Genres: Mystery, Thriller
Main cast: Robert Donat, Madeleine Carroll, Lucie Mannheim, Godfrey Tearle, Peggy Ashcroft, John Laurie, Helen Haye, Wylie Watson
Rating: 4 out of 5
Review
Before he moved to Hollywood in 1939, Alfred Hitchcock, one of my favorite directors of all time, made many films in Britain, almost none of which are particularly remembered as his great movies. However, two of his British films, The 39 Steps and The Lady Vanishes, are often considered among his great films. The 39 Steps is often considered to be one of the first movies where Hitchcock showed his common elements: the excellent suspense mixed with humor, the man struggling to prove his innocence, and one of the very memorable features of his films, the blonde heroine. This is the film where Hitchcock introduced a blonde heroine who is found in many of Hitchcock films.
In the midst of the chaos that suddenly start in a music hall, a man named Richard Hannay meets a strange and mysterious woman who looks very afraid and requ
ests Hannay to take her to his home. Hannay, though puzzled at the woman's attitude, does so. There, the woman introduces herself as Annabella Smith demands absolute security and solitude, and tells Hannay that she is working to unravel spies who are going to smuggle a secret very valuable to the country. But because of her work, the spies are wanting to kill her. Hannay doesn't know whether to believe her or not, but nevertheless shelters her. Late at night, when he is sound asleep, Annabella rushes to him, apparently having been stabbed by the spies, and soon dies. Hannay, confused what to do, decides to go to Scotland, where Annabella was supposed to meet somebody important. Meanwhile, word gets around that it was Hannay who killed Annabella. Now Hannay can prove his innocence in only a single way: he has to expose the spies who are planning to smuggle the secret out of the country.
Alfred Hitchcock's excellently directed film really fascinated me. I hadn't watched a Hitchcock movie for a while (the last I'd watched was Notorious, back in April), so it was great to return to his movies! I liked the depth of the situation and the characters. Madeleine Carrol, who played the first ever blonde heroine in Hitchcock films, gives a very remarkable performance. Overall, it is an enjoyable, suspenseful film and one of the earliest marks of the greatness that Hitchcock would be showing in future with such great films as Vertigo, Psycho, The Birds, Strangers on a Train, and Shadow of a Doubt.
4 out of 5
Directed by: Michael Haneke
Released: 2012
Country: Austria, France, Germany
Genres: Drama
Main cast: Jean-Louis Trintignant, Emmanuelle Riva, Isabelle Huppert, Alaxandre Tharaud
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Review
Amour is a hauntingly beautiful film. It is emotionally intense and reflects a reality- about the misery that comes in old age, and how love always remains the same, in spite of the miseries and sufferings that attack people. The film reflects the fact that we feel terrible when we see a loved person suffer in a terrible way, and we do all we can to protect them, to try to return to them the happiness that they deserve, the happiness that they once had, even knowing that perhaps these efforts will someday not work anymore. This is a film reflecting the sufferings, and the terrible things that we face in our old age.
The film brought tears to my eyes. It is a lovely film, beautiful and emotional.
The two leads- Jean-Louis Trintignant and Emmanuelle Riva, give powerful performances, and they are supported by the wonderful Isabelle Huppert.
Georges and his wife Anne are both in their eighties. Despite of being so aged, they still deeply love each other and it can be said that they live a happy life. But however, one morning, Georges notices that Anne is not responding to anything, but after a while, she is all right once again. After a surgery, her right side becomes paralyzed, and she has to depend on a wheelchair for movements. Eventually her condition starts deteriorating. She does not want to go to a hospital or a care home.
Georges takes care of Anne himself. Though he is himself so aged, he takes care of Anne all by himself (with a little help from a doctor and nurses and a neighbor). Their daughter, Eva (Isabelle Huppert), repeatedly requests Georges to put Anne in a nursing home or a hospital. But Georges does not listen to her. He nurses Anne all by himself. But some day, this will all end--- decades of love, decades of shared smiles and happiness, will end one day...
The film is very intense--- and much of the applauds go to Jean-Louis Trintignant (as Georges) and Emmanuelle Riva (as Anne) for bringing their characters to life, bringing the intensity of the screenplay to life. The incidences shown in the film are themselves so heartbreaking- Georges is also elderly; he is also weak, but he will not give up, he will not put his dear wife solely under the care of doctors. Despite his old age, he nurses his wife sweetly, tells her stories, feeds her... He knows very well that one day it will all be over. And that's what makes everything so sad. The film not only shows us the miseries of life, but it is also a portrait of what can happen in old age.
In this film, we see two elderly people completely dependent on each other. If something so horrible happens to one of them, how can the other person survive without the love which he has received for decades? Amour is a heartbreaking film, has a sad and moving story, and I would absolutely recommend it.
Just Beyond That Forest (1991 movie)
Directed by: Jan Lomnicki
Released: 1991
Country: Poland
Genres: War drama
Rating: 3 out out of 5
Review
I was quite interested about this film after reading the summary, thinking if it is not great, at least it would be a satisfying and emotional experience. Bu
t this film was not what I had expected. It was not as good as I had thought it would be. It had it's moments, but had several drawbacks as well. The story is about an Aryan woman, Kuglawcova, who once used to work as a washerwoman for the Sterns, a Jewish family. In 1942, Mrs Stern calls her to Warsaw Ghetto, and requests her to take her daughter, Rutka, to a safe residence with a Christian family. Though she initially argues, later she agrees when Mrs Stern gives her expensive dresses and jewelries. Rutka poses as Kuglawcova's granddaughter, and together they start their journey. Kuglawcova's feelings towards Rutka soon becomes deeper; they form a warm and intimate friendship, and amidst the danger of being caught by Gestapos, they walk amidst the forests, with the goal of safely reaching the place they are heading towards, and now Kuglawcova is even prepared to risk her life for the girl.
The story and concept is good, but the screenplay and presentation wasn't as good as I had expected. The beginning and the early parts, were quite good, and it kept me interested in the film. But however, then it had a lot of problems. For example, the length. Despite building up an interesting situation, the short length actually prevented the film from becoming something really good and deep. It could have been much, much better. Also, the conclusion leaves a lot of questions. If only it had been slightly deeper with a better screenplay, it would have been far more memorable.
But however, what it has is quite powerful. And it didn't bore me or made me think it a
terrible movie. It was an average film, and had the potentiality to be more, much more better.
The Impossible (2012 movie)
Directed by: Juan Antonio Bayona
Released: 2012
Country: Spain
Genres: Drama, History
Main cast: Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor, Tom Holland, Samuel Joslin, Oaklee Pendergast
Rating: 4 out of 5
Review
Juan Antonio Bayona's ''The Impossible'' is a vividly disturbing, effective, and realistic film, and it's surely one of the best films of 2012. The story, set in the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, gives us a vivid portrait about the tragedies and horrors that can happen as a result of such natural disasters.
The story centers around a family who have come on a vacation to Thailand, and fall victims to the tsunami. The mother, Maria (played by Naomi Watts, the character is based on MarÃa Belón) and her oldest son Lucas (Tom Holland) manage to survive, and are soon escorted to a hospital. Unknown to them, the father, Henry (Ewan McGregor) and the younger sons, Thomas and Simon, have also survived, and Henry is desperately searching for Lucas and Maria. The family is separated, but their emotional bondage stands powerful against the horrors of the outcomes of the tsunami. Will they be reunited?
The film gives us a picture of the horrific outcomes of natural disasters like the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. Along with this, the emotional unity of the family shown in this film is beautiful. How families can be so terribly impacted by these terrible natural disasters like this, is skilfully portrayed in this film. The screenplay is extremely powerful, and the performances are excellent. Naomi Watts, for example, is excellent (she always is, such a talented actress). Ewan McGregor, whom I first saw in Tim Burton's Big Fish, is excellent. More mentionably, young Tom Holland gives a terrific performance.
Overall The Impossible is an excellent film, giving us a vivid portrait of the terrible outcomes of such natural disasters; it is a very skilfully made film.
The Host (2013 movie)
Directed by: Andrew Niccol
Released: 2013
Country: United States
Main cast: Saoirse Ronan, Jake Abel, Max Irons, Chandler Canterbury, Frances Fisher, Diane Kruger, William Hurt, Boyd Holbrook, Scott Lawrence, Emily Browning
Genres: Sci-Fi, Romantic-drama, Adventure, Action
Rating: 2 out of 5
Review
The Host was one of the 2013 films that I had been eagerly waiting to watch. I had loved the original novel written by Stephenie Meyer. I don't like Twilight, but I simply loved the novel The Host. But I must say that the 2013 film adaptation disappointed me. Really disappointed me. Now, I try never to judge a film according to the original novel or story or play. If I do that, it would be judging the film as an adaptation, not the overall film itself. But I must say that The Host is disappointing not only as an adaptation, but also as a film itself.
The Host is a weak film, first of all. First I would discuss the storyline (which is great; but it just wasn't presented nicely). Set in a future, the earth has been invaded by an alien species, called ''Souls''. They are parasitic aliens, and they are inserted in a human host. Human race is nearly extinct (as their bodies have been occupied by the souls), and the few surviving humans are in hiding.
A human, Melanie Stryder (played by Saoirse Ronan) is captured, and a soul, Wanderer, is inserted into her body. Wanderer finds out that her host is resisting; that the host still exists. The Seeker (Diane Kruger) wants Wanderer to go through the memory of the human body, and give her information about the hiding humans. But however, Wanderer has grown to love the humans in Melanie's memory: Melanie's lover, Jared, and her brother, Jamie. So, she, with the help of Melanie, sets out to search for Jared and Jamie. She finally reaches the hiding place, where many other humans besides Jamie and Jared are hiding as well. But none trusts Wanderer, nobody believes that Melanie is still with her. Meanwhile, Wanderer falls in love with Ian, one of the hiding humans. Jared and Melanie, on the other hand, deeply love each other. What will happen? On the other hand, the Seeker is searching for Wanderer and the humans... Wanderer's innocent presence sadly poses a threat to the humans.
I love the storyline. I loved the original novel. I loved the depth. But however, the screenplay of this adaptation was just not okay. It had little depth in it. Melanie's loud voice in Wanderer's head made thing unintentionally funny. The voice was supposed to be somewhat different; not funny at least! Saoirse Ronan, one of my favorite actresses, gives a good performance, but the problem is, her character is not well-written. No character is well-written, to tell the truth. Almost none of the scenes have the depth to make it a good film. The love triangle has none of the depth and sweetness found in the original novel. The effects and cinematography, on the other hand, are quite good.
That doesn't mean it was a terrible movie. The Host had it's moments; at least, they were not cliched like Twilight. The Host did have some effectively emotional moments, for example, the last few scenes. Finally, for those who haven't read the novel, this film might seem slow and boring and ridiculous; on the other hand, those who read the novel (and loved it) will find this film to be disappointing. On the whole, it's a not a recommended film.
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Released: 2010
Country: United States, United Kingdom
Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Main cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Lewitt, Ellen Page, Tom Hardy, Ken Wantabe, Dileep Rao, Cillian Murphy, Tom Berenger, Marion Cotillard
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Review
I have just finished watching Christopher Nolan's ''Inception'', and it would be rather difficult for me to put in words how much I liked the movie. Seriously, I loved it. Action is never a genre fine with me, but Christopher Nolan presents a conception so unforgettable, and also presents it to us with a very sharply brilliant screenplay and direction- Inception is without a doubt one of the best films from 2010.
The conception is excellent. Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) can learn about other people's thoughts and ideas by entering their dreams. Now, he is given an extremely difficult and almost impossible task of imposing a new idea on a person by means of controlling and designing his dream. This task is known as ''inception''. He is asked to plant the idea to Robert Fischer, whose father is in his deathbed, of breaking his father's company. If Robert takes over the company, then within a short time he would be taking over half of the world's energy. Because of it's difficulty, Cobb initially denies to do this, but he is said that if he manages to do this task, he can return to his two children, to whom he is prevented to return because it is suspected that he had killed his wife. Desperate to reconcile with his two children, Cobb agrees to this plan, and, along with some people, gets on to work on the idea. Their plan is to build layers of dreams- dream within dream within dream, to plant the idea on Robert's mind.
Ariadne (Ellen Page), the architect who is in charge of designing the dream, soon comes to know that Dom still makes himself dream about his late wife, Mal (Marion Cotillard), and that he has many past secrets that are later revealed, in course of the film. Meanwhile, they go on with their plan, but the dead Mal haunts Cobb, bringing a conflict between dream and reality, and the past flashed, guilt revealed, obstacles and...
Christopher Nolan's screenplay and direction are both extraordinary. The only other Nolan film that I've seen is ''The Prestige'', which I found to be extremely irritating. ''The Prestige'' was filled with so much complicated elements that it made me lose my interest in the subject matter and feel no interest in knowing the climax. Anyways, ''Inception'' is brilliant, far too better from ''The Prestige''. ''Inception'' also deals with a complicated- in fact very complicated subject matter- but the presentation is so brilliant that it kept me engrossed and interested in it.
Leonardo DiCaprio's acting as Cobb, a cool-headed man with a past, secret, and guilt, is beyond remarks. Joseph Gordon-Lewitt is excellent. Ellen Page gives an excellent performance, as usual. Cillian Murphy, as Robert Fischer, is really good.
Technically, the cinematography and editing are two other memorable elements of this film. The action scenes are well-constructed and well-written, and nothing crosses limit, which is one of the thing which makes an action film better. Continuous action scenes without art gives me headaches- I had hated ''Transformers''. Well, it's funny that I'm mentioning ''Transformers'', since there is no resemblance between ''Transformers'' and ''Inception''. But, I have not seen too many action films and I need something to compare it with! Anyways, getting back to the topic, the fight scenes in ''Inception'' are well-written and well-made. The background music is pleasant but not memorable.
Inception makes us enter in the world of dreams, demanding our complete attention so that we can understand the overall subject matter. It's not a film to be missed.
4.5 out of 5
Directed by: Andres Muschietti
Released: 2013
Country: Spain, Canada
Genres: Horror, Mystery
Main cast: Jessica Chastain, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Megan Charpentier, Isabelle Nelisse, Daniel Kash, Javier Boter, Jane Moffet
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Short review
''Mama'', directed by Andres Muschietti, is a excellently photographed and well made film, and it is a scary, enjoyable, and entertaining journey. It is a well-acted film, and most remarkably, the performances of young Megan Charpentier and Isabelle Nelisse are worth mentioning. The story: A man left his two daughters, Victoria and Lily, in a cabin in the woods. He thinks of killing his daughters before committing suicide, but then a mysterious figure kills him. Five years later, the girls' uncle, Lucas (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), who has been searching for the girls for a long time, and his girlfriend Annabel (Jessica Chastain), finally find the girls. The girls, especially Lily, are animal-like in their behaviors. How did they survive in the woods during the last five years? Victoria says that a particular ''Mama'' had taken care of them. It is initially thought that Mama is an imaginary figure, but we soon come to know that Mama is not imaginary; she still visits Victoria and Lily...
The actors are well-cast in their roles. Jessica Chastain, in the particular hairstyle, looks quite unrecognizable. Also, the kids give a remarkable performance. It is a beautifully photographed film, and sometimes it looks quite Tim Burtonish. The score is also quite good. Makeup and effects are good. On the whole, it is quite a good film, and it is touching and pretty, and at the last scene, I was almost in tears because it was so moving.
3.5 out of 5
Directed: Cary Joji Fukunaga
Released: 2011
Country: United Kingdom, United States
Main cast: Mia Wasikowska, Michael Fassbender, Jamie Bell, Judi Dench, Sally Hawkins, Holliday Grainger, Tamzin Merchant, Imogen Poots, Sophie Ward, Jayne Wisener, Harry Lloyd
Genres: Romantic Drama, Mystery
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Review
I'm a big fan of the Bronte sisters. I can spend hours after hours reading Jane Eyre or Wuthering Heights. So, you can guess that I am very enthusiastic about the adaptations of ''Jane Eyre''. I have seen two Jane Eyre adaptations, a made-for-TV movie, and this 2011 adaptation of the novel. This adaptation, directed by Cary Joji Fukanga, is a slightly flawed film, but overall, it is a good film.
But it has several problems. First of all, it might be a little tough for those who haven't read the novel, to understand the film. That's a problem, and then there are some problems with the characters. Young Jane Eyre was supposed to be smart, but, though there is smartness shown in this film, the characters lacks the original depth found in the novel.
But more of that later. First, the storyline. Jane Eyre, an orphan, had been raised by her widowed aunt, Mrs Reed. Mrs Reed is cruel, spoils her children, and treats Jane with no affection. She sends Jane to the Lowood School, a harsh boarding school, and there, Jane spends several troublesome and sad years. After becoming an adult, Jane is appointed as a governess in Thornfield Hall, a big, grand and ancient house. Her student is Adele Varens, a French ward of Edward Rochester, owner of the house. Mr Rochester rarely comes to Thornfield Hall.
Mr Rochester (Michael Fassbender), though somewhat cold, gradually becomes good friends with Jane. Jane slowly falls in love with him. There is something strange and mysterious going on in Thornfield Hall (I won't reveal it here!).
It seems to Jane that Mr Rochester loves the beautiful Miss Ingram. After some times, Mr Rochester reveals that he doesn't love Miss Ingram; he loves Jane. They spend some happy days, and then they are to be married. But there is an obstacle, an unknown mystery, a shocking revelation, that changes their lives.
If you ask me about what I felt about this film, I really liked it. The beautiful and memorable background score is still ringing in my ears. It is a subtle, lyrical picture. It is extremely well made. The production design deserves special praises. The green sceneries are extremely beautiful. Cinematography is wonderful. The acting, mentionably that of Mia Wasikowska, is wonderful.
But it has lots of problems as well, for example, though it is would be a good treat for any person who liked the original novel, it might be slightly difficult for those who haven't read the novel yet. It lacks much of the depth of the original novel. Some characters are not very well-developed, for example, young Jane (Amelia Clarkson). Young Jane was supposed to be more smart, wasn't she? Mrs Reed (Sally Hawkins) should have been more nastier. Mrs Fairfax (Judi Dench), Thornfield's housekeeper, wasn't very warm, but near the end of the novel, she showed a memorable warmth.
Other than these, it is a good and memorable film. To me, the most memorable thing about this film is the scenic beauty and the score, both of which are extremely beautiful. The film itself is good, and I think, as an adaptation, it is more than okay. A subtle, yet lyrical journey.
3.5 out of 5!
Directed by: Lisa Cholodenko
Released: 2010
Country: United States
Genre: Comedy-drama
Cast: Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Mia Wasikowska, Josh Hutcherson, Yaya DaCosta, Zosia Mamet, Kunal Sharma, Eddie Hassell
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Review
''The Kids Are All Right'' is a comedy-drama film that remains quite light and at the end, it gives you a simple ending, not something fairytalish. It is an enjoyable, quite charming film, that may not touch your emotions, but remains a movie highly worth watching.
It is about a lesbian couple, Jules (Julianne Moore) and Nic (Annette Bening), and their happy family. They have two children, Laser (Josh Hutcherson) and Joni (Mia Wasikowska, ''Alice in Wonderland''). They were given birth using the same sperm donor. Joni is the elder, a sweet, charming, and intelligent girl who is to start college soon. Laser is the younger, sensitive, athletic and soft-spoken.
Now, Laser wants to get in touch with the sperm donor. But he can't do so as he's not 18 yet. Joni agrees to do so, and soon, they get in touch with their sperm donor. The person is Paul, played by the charming and handsome Mark Ruffalo. He runs a restaurant, and is a very likeable person.
Laser and Joni decide not to tell anything to their Moms. But however, soon they come to know about it, and they decide to meet Paul as well. Soon, Laser and Joni get very close to Paul, and Jules decides to design Paul's garden, as she has decided to start a business of landscape designing. While Nic's relation with Paul remains distant, Nic and Paul start an affair. Soon, this starts bringing problems and tensions to the family.
No, it is not a love triangle film. It is far from that. Instead, it is rather a film about them, about Nic, Jules, Paul and their children. Julianne Moore, Annette Bening, Mark Ruffalo, and the kids, Mia Wasikowska and Josh Hutcherson, are well-cast in their roles, and give quite excellent performances. The screenplay is witty and good. Cinematography is VERY praiseworthy.
And overall, ''The Kids Are All Right'' may not be an excellent film, yet it is a smart, good, and enjoyable one.
3.5 out of 5
