''Exam'' (2009 movie)- Review

Directed by: Stuart Hazeldine
Released: 2009
Country: United Kingdom

Cast: Adar Beck, Gemma Chan, Nathalie Cox, John Lloyd Fillingham, Chukwudi Iwuji, 

Genres: Psychological thriller, Mystery, Drama

Rating: 4 out of 5

Review

Eight candidates. In a room. For attending an assessment for a job. There are strict rules... But there is no question. The candidates co-operate with each other to find what the question is. And in doing so, they come across revelations, arguments, quarrels, and there are a lot of psychological effects...

''Exam'' is a splendid psychological thriller. It's a very deep and intense mystery and the psychological effect and intensity was really very, very impressive. I enjoyed every moment of it.

The invigilator mentions three rules:
(1) If the candidate ruins his/her paper, he/she will be disqualified.
(2) If the candidate tries to talk to the invigilator or the guard, he/she will be disqualified.
(3) If the candidate tries to leave the ruins his/her paper, he/she will be disqualified.

But when the candidates look at the paper, there is no question in it! They cannot ask the guard, because if they do so, they will be disqualified... But then they recall that they are allowed to talk to each other! They co-operate and try to work together to find out the question. They give each other nicknames: Blonde, Brunette, Dark, White, Black, Brown, and Deaf (there was another candidate who was disqualified at the very beginning of the exam, for ruining her paper).

On co-operating, discussing, trying to find new methods to discover the hidden question, they find out about each other, about the company, and more revelations. As the atmosphere grows tense and suspenseful...

This film was indeed very, very tense, very suspenseful, very puzzling, very engrossing! I loved the concept and also the twist at the end! The performances were brilliant, and the atmosphere, the situations were so well developed. It's a really very good film with a very clever storyline. 

4 out of 5

''Chinatown'' (1974 movie)- Review

Directed by: Roman Polanski
Released: 1974
Country: United States

Genres: Crime, Mystery, Thriller, Drama

Cast: Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, John Huston, Perry Lopez, John Hillerman, Darrell Zwirling, Diane Ladd, Belinda Palmer

Rating: 5 out of 5

Review

Jake Gitties (Jack Nicholson) is a private investigator, who investigates about people committing extra-marital affairs. One day, a woman, introducing herself as Mrs Mulwray, comes to him, and tells him that her husband is, apparently, involved with another woman, and asks him to find out about this. On investigating this, Gitties finds out about secrets and crimes, murders and personal secrets of the past. 

Roman Polanski's Chinatown is a mystery with a lot of drama and depth in it, with excellent performances, screenplay, dialogue, and score. It's a film that remains quite unforgettable.

Hollis Mulwray (Darrell Zwirling) is apparently in a relationship with another woman. After the supposed Mrs Mulwray hires Gitties, he starts spying on Hollis and his girlfriend. But, after some time, a woman (Faye Dunaway) comes to Gitties and tells him that she is Mrs Mulwray. Then who was the woman who had hired Gitties? And for what purpose did she try to impersonate Mrs Mulwray? 

But before long, Hollis Mulwray is found dead. His death was apparently caused by drowning. Or was it actually murder? Gitties investigates and spies, and comes across a plot, a secret, a crime. Hollis Mulwray apparently came to know about it, and he was murdered. But who is behind all these? Gitties takes the help of Mrs Mulwray, and in time, comes across shadows and personal secrets related with the crimes...

Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway are excellent as the two lead characters. Dunaway's performance remains quite unforgettable, for example, the confrontation scene at the car, the scene where Mrs Mulwray tells Gitties the identity of Katherine, and of course, the last scene. Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, and John Huston- all of them were excellent in the final scene.

The story was excellent and the wonderful screenplay developed the situations excellent--- it always remained suspenseful and exciting and dark, sometimes a little violent, and near the end, emotional as well.

''The Village'' (2004 movie)- Review

Directed by: M. Night Shyamalan 
Released: 2004
Country: United States

Cast: Bryce Dallas Howard, Joaquin Phoenix, Adrien Brody, William Hurt, Sigourney Weaver

Genres: Horror, Mystery, Thriller, Drama

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

Review

M. Night Shyamalan's ''The Village'' started incredibly well. The visuals were excellent, the cinematography was fascinating, the music was WONDERFUL, and the story was overall engrossing. The presentation remains wonderful throughout the film... Only, the story just gets far less interesting, far less engrossing, far less nice. What we guessed was a horror story, turns into something else. While the acting is absolutely excellent, the storytelling and the screenplay wasn't satisfactory. That being said, The Village is a really well made film, with excellent score and cinematography, but the story gets uninteresting near the middle of the film.

The Village is set in 1897. A group of people live in an isolated village. The village, surrounded by a mysterious and scary woods, has no connection with the neighboring town. There are mysterious and scary creatures living in the woods. For this reason, nobody dares, nor is allowed, to go to the woods. The people live with peace and harmony, and the constant fear of the creatures living in the wood.

Our protagonist is a blind girl, Ivy (Bryce Dallas Howard). She is a kind, sweet young woman. Her fiance is Lucius Hunt (Joaquin Phoenix), who has a deep wish to cross the woods one day, and reach the town. One day, the crazy man of the village, Noah (Adrien Brody), stabs Lucius, apparently because of jealously (apparently, he loves Ivy). 

Lucius, after the incident, is injured and may die without immediate treatment... But the medicines are not available in the village. To save the life of Lucius, Ivy decides to cross the wood and go to the town herself, to get the medicines.

Then a shocking twist is revealed that almost changes the entire story. I won't say that the twist was something bad. I must admit that it was something very well thought of. But, ultimately, it wasn't very satisfying.

You can see beautiful images and scenes throughout the film. At the very beginning, scenes like the villagers doing their regular works, are very well shot and presented. The scenes in the village is well executed and beautifully designed. It was a visual beauty. And the music, oh, it was beautiful. I can't deny how well made the film is.

But what lacks is the storytelling. It was really very engrossing at the beginning, but later I somehow lost interest. The film has a nice (and sweet) story that could have been told in a better (and fast) way. Ultimately, I didn't think it was a bad film. The beautiful cinematography, the beautiful music, the excellent acting, all these cannot be denied. It starts as a horror film, but after the twist is revealed near the middle, I didn't have an idea what genre I should call it. I think it should be rather called a drama/mystery.

2.5 out of 5



 

 

''The Lady Vanishes'' (1938 movie)- Review

Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
Released: 1938
Country: United States

Main cast: Margaret Lockwood, Michael Redgrave, Paul Lukas, Dame May Whitty, Cecil Parker, Linden Travers, Naunton Wayne, Basil Radford, Catherine Lacey, Josephine Wilson

Genres: Comedy thriller, Mystery, Drama

Rating: 4 out of 5

Review

I did hear a lot how remarkable The Lady Vanishes is. But I didn't have any idea that it would be SO good. I did hear that it was one of the best, maybe the best British film directed by Hitchcock, but I thought it can be almost called a classic. True, it is not an excellent film like Vertigo or Psycho or North by Northwest, but certainly, it is an early sign of the master of suspense's brilliance and excellence, which he would later prove with the beautiful Vertigo, the scary and suspenseful Psycho, and the suspenseful Rear Window.

The Lady Vanishes starts in an inn. Because of an avalanche, the train cannot run, so the passengers who would be in the train are forced to spend the night at an inn. Among the characters who stay at the inn are our protagonist, Iris (Lockwood), an elderly governess, Miss Froy (Whitty) and a musicologist, Gilbert (Redgrave). This part is filled with fun, jokes and comedy. The first twenty minutes or so of the film tend to be extremely light, without giving us a hint of how suspenseful it will become. The first shock comes as Miss Froy is standing at her window, hearing delightfully to a musician who is playing nearby, and when she looks away, a hand strangles the man who was playing the instrument...

The next morning, as everybody is preparing to get into the train and Iris is talking to Miss Froy, somebody throws something, apparently targeted at Miss Froy, and the thing hits Iris instead. Miss Froy, who is an extremely kind lady, takes care of her. In the train, Iris and Miss Froy have tea together, and then they go to their compartment. Iris closes her eyes, falling asleep...

Iris opens her eyes, and sees... that there is no Miss Froy in front of her. When she asks the other passengers of the compartment, they reply that there was no elderly lady traveling with her. And then she asks everybody who had apparently seen her with Miss Froy. And they also reply that there was no old lady with her, that she had taken her tea alone, the steward even showing the evidence that tea had been ordered for only one person. Where has Miss Froy disappeared? Has something terrible been happening to her? Is she in danger? Iris teams up with Gilbert, the young musicologist, to search for Miss Froy, and to save her from the danger that she is possibly facing.

The Lady Vanishes is really a suspenseful film. And there is a lot of comedy as well. The film is filled with humor and at the same time, with thrills. Humor is present in most Alfred Hitchcock films, but mostly they remain wry. The Lady Vanishes is meant to be a comedic thriller. It's meant to make the audience feel afraid and thrilled, and at the same time, laugh at the humor and the funny actions of Iris and Gilbert.

Margaret Lockwood gives a perfectly excellent performance as Iris, while Michael Redgrave is amazing as Gilbert. Dame May Whitty, as the kindly, warm, elderly lady Miss Froy, is perfect. 

The last scene was really heartwarming. The puzzle and mystery was excellent, and while I didn't think that the solution to the mystery was excellent, it was satisfactory and nice as well. Overall, I absolutely enjoyed this movie. Filled with suspense, thrills and humor, this is a must-watch for all Hitchcock fans.

4 out of 5
  

''V for Vendetta'' (2005 movie)- Review

Directed by: James McTeigue
Released: 2005
Country: United Kingdom

Genres: Action, Fantasy, Thriller, Mystery, Crime

Cast: Natalie Portman, Hugo Weaving, Stephen Rea, John Hurt, Stephen Fry

Rating: 4 out of 5

Review

V for Vendetta is a thoroughly entertaining and energetic film- I'm speechless. It impressed me. A lot. I mean, it's such a fast-paced, well-made film! I just had to stare at the screen because it was so... AMAZING!

Set in a near future, V for Vendetta depicts the world as a chaotic place. Most of the nations of the world are in a state of great turmoil, but only the United Kingdom prevails. But it prevails with cruelty, intolerance, oppression, under the leadership of a dictator, Chancellor Sutler. 

Evey Hammond is a regular, normal young woman who one evening goes out for some chore. But there's a curfew. The ''Fingermen'' secret police stop her. There is something wrong in their intentions. Evey, searching for a way to escape, becomes helpless. However, she is soon rescued by a mysterious person, covered in black clothes and wearing a Guy Fawkes mask. 

Portman and Weaving in ''V for Vendetta''

Evey spends some time with the mysterious masked man, who, in front of her eyes, destroys the Old Bailey. Known simply as ''V'', he is apparently a vigilante. He wants to make the country peaceful again. He wants to give the people a peaceful life, a life without the oppression, without the the cruelty, without the intolerance, that they are leading now. His past, related to a detention camp, is revealed in course of the film.

Meanwhile, the police looks for both the masked man and also Evey- because she was seen with V during the destruction of the Old Bailey. Meanwhile, taking over the television, V calls for the citizens to revolt on the 5th of the November, the next Guy Fawkes Day. Police are looking everywhere for V. It is the strict command of Sutler. But V has his own genius hiding place and method. And he also protects Evey- who is suspected of having connections with V and his plans.

What follows are revelations, surprises and V's work on the revolution...

The film was extremely energetic and attractive. Natalie Portman is touching and effective as ever. Hugo Weaving never shows his face, he always remains hidden behind the mask, but nevertheless gives a superb performance. Stephen Rea as the inspector was also fascinating. John Hurt's role as the antagonist is significant but his appearances are mostly brief so it doesn't get much deep. Imogen Poots is present as Valerie, a small role with no speaking lines, but nevertheless is memorable.

Some scenes are very memorable. The last scene, as an example. Also, the scene when there is rain in the rooftop, and parallel is drawn between Evey and V (the time when V had been burning because of the terrible fire at the detention camp) is also quite memorable.

V for Vendetta is overall a memorable movie. The fight scene near the end seemed slightly illogical but it was okay, on the whole. With excellent performances, superb scores, and a wonderful script (based on a graphic novel Alan Moore and David Llyod), V for Vendetta is indeed a must watch.

''Safe Haven'' (2013 movie)- Review

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'' and ''The 39 Steps''

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

''Minority Report'' and ''A Walk in the Clouds''- Short reviews

Minority Report (2002 movie)

Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Released: 2002
Country: United States

Genres: Sci-Fi, Thriller, Mystery, Action

Starring: Tom Cruise, Max von Sydow, Colin Farrell, Samantha Morton, Steven Harris, Kathryn Morris, Peter Stormare, Mike Binder

Rating: 4 out of 5

Short review: Steven Spielberg's Minority Report is set in a future where murders can be detected before they are committed, and as a result, it can be said be said that murders have almost stopped. The year is 2054. John Anderton (Tom Cruise) is the chief of the PreCrime police force. The murder to be commited, the victims, and the murderers, are foreseen by three precogs, who are actually humans who are in charge of detecting the future crimes. John Anderton, the chief, has a painful past; his son had apparently been kidnapped several years ago, which made him join the police force. Something very odd happens: the Precogs detect that Anderton will murder somebody named Leo Crow. Anderton is shocked: he has never even heard about anyone named Leo Crow. He thinks he is being set up in this, and runs away and hides, attempting to find a solution. He comes to know that sometimes the three Precogs differ in their foreseeing the future; and the ''minority report'' is the alternate future about what the murderer would do. And... Anderton set off to find his minority report--- a task too dangerous...

Spielberg is, as usual, brilliant in his direction. The story and conception are very good, and overall this is a very good film. I enjoyed it. Technically, it was well made, with dark cinematography and excellent visuals, and the performances of Tom Cruise, Colin Farrel, Samantha Morton and Max von Sydow are top-notch.

4 out of 5

A Walk in the Clouds (1995 movie)

Directed by: Alfonso Arau
Released: 1995
Country: United States, Mexico

Main cast: Keanu Reeves, Aitana Sánchez-Gijón, Giancarlo Giannini, Anthony Quinn, Angélica Aragón

Genres: Romantic drama

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Review

Visually, ''A Walk in the Clouds'' is a beautiful film. The bright cinematography, dimly lit warm scenes, and the wonderful, orange, red sunlight reflected on the scenes--- absolutely make the film a beautiful one, a real treat for the eyes! As a love story, however, it is only a little more than mediocre- but the visual beauty and the overall sweet screenplay makes this film worth watching. 
 
Sgt. Paul Sutton (Keanu Reeves) returns to his home, the war having ended. He has a pretty wife, Betty, played by Debra Messing. He is a chocolate seller, starts a journey on train, in order to earn a living. On the train, he meets Victoria Aragon, and after some confusion causes their tickets to swap, he finds himself on a bus with Victoria, who is going to her hometown. After some incidences which make him and Victoria very friendly to each other, Victoria reveals that she is afraid that her father will kill her. And that's because she, after an affair with her Professor, is pregnant, and her father has promised to kill the person who would disgrace his family. He means what he says. Always. Paul suggests that he would pose as her husband for a short time. Though Victoria's father wouldn't accept it easily that her daughter has married an American man (Victoria's family is Mexican) without his permission, it would be better than to inform him that Victoria is pregnant without being married. As expected, Victoria's father doesn't really accept Paul, though the other members of the family receive him warmly. But--- as you may predict, Victoria and Paul will fall in love, but Paul has a wife already, and how long will the two (Victoria and Paul) conceal from her family the fact that they are not even married?

The story is simple, and the screenplay, dialogues, are just good. But the visual beauty and cinematography (described before) makes the film a treat; it may not be excellent, but quite worth watching!

3.5 out of 5

''Inception'' (2010 movie)- Review

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

 

''Mama'' (2013 movie)- Short review

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 

''Jane Eyre'' (2011 movie)- Review

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!
 

''The Prestige'' (2006 movie)- Short review

Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Released: 2006
Country: United States

 Genres: Mystery, Drama, Psychological thriller

Main cast: Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Rebecca Hall, Scarlett Johansson, Piper Perabo, David Bowie, Andy Serkis, Ricky Jay

Rating: 3 out of 5

Short review

''The Prestige'' is a very complicated and very nonlinear film. Christopher Nolan does a brilliant work, and it is a well-directed, well-written, well-made and well-acted film. The plot is about two magicians, Angier (Hugh Jackman) and Borden (Christian Bale), who had once been friends but then turned rivals as Angier believes Borden had killed his wife (Piper Perabo) during a trick. Over the time, the rivalry becomes strong as Angier tries to prove himself as a better magician and works hard to know the secrets behind Borden's most surprising trick, and eventually there are revelations. A very well-made film it is. I really liked the cinematography. It is a dark and good-looking picture. Well, the revelation is also good. But I think after watching 2 hours of complicated elements, extremely complicated, I didn't really have interest in the ending. So, this movie wasn't very fine with me. (That doesn't mean it is a bad film. It is a good film, but you just have to have patience while watching it).

3 out of 5

''Vertigo'' (1958 movie)- Review

Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
Released: 1958
Country: United States

Main cast: James Stewart, Kim Novak, Barbara Bel Geddes, Tom Helmore

Genres: Psychological thriller, Romantic-drama, Mystery

Rating: 5 out of 5

Review

I have been sick for the last few days, and having nothing to do.  I decided it was time to revisit Alfred Hitchcock's ''Vertigo''. The first time I had seen it, probably September or October of 2012, I realized that it was a great movie, but until now, I had considered ''Psycho'' to be Alfred Hitchcock's best. But now I consider, after watching ''Vertigo'' for the second time, that Vertigo is Alfred Hitchcock's best film. It is a moving poetry, a beautiful love story, a passionate tale.

There is a strange melody and a beautiful poetry running through ''Vertigo'' that is not generally found in Hitchcock's films. Among the Hitchcock films I have seen, ''Vertigo'' I have found most poetic. ''Vertigo'' is, along with it's emotional depth, a technical beauty, with the color red and green being often seen, and beautiful scores it has, and powerful acting it has, and a beautiful script it has.

The film's protagonist, Detective John Ferguson (James Stewart), known among his friends as ''Scottie'', has retired after his acrophobia has been the cause of an accident. His old friend, Gavin (Tom Helmore) meets him and gives him the job to follow his wife, Madeleine (Kim Novak). Why? Because sometimes it seems she becomes a different person; she goes to different places about which she does not afterwards  remember anything, she behaves strangely. Though at first hesitant as he has retired, John, however, agrees.

James Stewart and Kim Novak in ''Vertigo''

He follows Madeleine, and after seeing everything, he is hinted that there is a connection with this with Madeleine's ancestor Carlotta Valdes, and it may be so that Carlotta's spirit is possessing Madeleine. The second day Scottie follows Madeleine, she unexpectedly jumps in the San Franscisco Bay. Scottie saves her, they are introduced to each other, and then follows a poetic and emotionally intense tale of love, loss, gain, betrayal, and revelations...

The film is not great just for it's story. Rather, it's the combination of everything that makes it a great movie. The script is amazing. The cinematography is extremely fascinating. A memorable scene in the film was the green light that was reflected on the curtains, that was reflected on Kim Novak's face. At times, suddenly, everything becomes reddish or greenish: for example, the background suddenly has reddish light, and reddish light is reflected on the characters' faces. All these brilliant light effects in this film are wonderful.

My two favorite scenes in this film were:

(1) when Scottie and Madeleine visit the Muir Woods. At that scene, some of the dialogues spoken by Kim Novak's character are extremely memorable and iconic.  Many of the trees in the woods are over a thousand years old. A tree has been cut down and there are records of the historic events that the tree had witnessed. Kim Novak's character says: ''Here I was born, and there I died. It was only a moment for you; you took no notice.'' It will be a very memorable quotation. 

(2) The very next scene, the scene at the shore, was also deeply memorable. Kim Novak's acting brings all the emotions to life, adding much sublimity to the two beautiful scenes.

In many Hitchcock films, there is a outspoken, carefree character. Here we have Midge (Barbara Bel Geddes) Scottie's ex-fiance, and a painter, with whom Scottie spends much time with. It is also a memorable character.

James Stewart and Kim Novak are amazing. And Vertigo is amazing as well, with it's powerful screenplay. The cinematography, and the so remarkable lighting, and the beautiful score, and the acting, so remarkable, everything are so memorable. By the time we have watched this movie, it seems like a poetry, a sublime, sad, emotional ride throughout.

5 out of 5!

Black Swan (2010 movie)- Review

Directed by: Daren Aronofsky
Released: 2010
Country: United States

Genres: Horror, Psychological Thriller, Drama, Mystery

Main cast: Natalie Porter, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel, Barbara Hershey, Winona Ryder

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Review

Dark, grim, scary, disgusting, strange, beautiful, ''Black Swan'', directed by Daren Aronofsky is a great movie indeed. It is a disturbing and dark film, but oh, it's so beautiful and intense! Natalie Portman, in her role as the protagonist, delivers a brilliant performance in this horror film.

It is a weird film, I repeat, with the overall thing disturbing, strange, confusing and dark. Yet it is made with so much skill, and it has so much intensity and power in it that easily makes it among the best pictures of 2010.

The film centers on Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman). She is a ballet dancer. She is beautiful, timid, innocent, and with a lovely personality. Her mother is a former dancer.

Celebrated ballet dancer Beth (Winona Ryder) has to retire because of her age. The director, Thomas Leroy, starts seeking for a dancer who can perform the roles of both the beautiful White Swan and her seductive twin, the Black Swan, in ''Swan Lake''. Thomas finds Nina just too suitable to be the White Swan only, but he thinks Nina will have difficulty to immerse herself into the role of the Black Swan. Nevertheless, after an incident, he accepts her to play both the swans in ''Swan Lake''.

Nina has difficulty to fit into the role of the Black Swan, but then we realize that the role is getting her completely insane. She starts getting immersed into the darker side of the character, her sweet and timid character starts changing as she slowly transforms...

There's another important character in the story, Lily (Mila Kunis), a new dancer,  who...

The film creates a dark, grim, and oft-scary, thrilling, suspenseful, and dramatic situations by the use of darkness. The sets, and the dark and smooth cinematography are delightful enough. A mentionable thing is that it doesn't have much brightness and the lighting is never that bright. The dark and gloomy atmosphere that is created is wonderful. Along with this, there are the background music which are mostly so beautiful.

  The overall film is strange enough: at times we come to know of Nina's hallucinations, and we come across a number of surprises and twists which I won't like to reveal here.

Then there are the costumes, and the makeup, which are all so very pretty! 

Natalie Portman's acting is extremely good and she indeed deserved the Oscar which she won for this film. From her portrayal of the timid and soft ballet dancer Nina, to her darker side, her hallucinations, her shocks upon thinking about what is happening- it is extremely well-acted by Portman. Mila Kunis is present as Lily, another weird role, and she gives a much good performance. Barbara Hershey is excellent as Nina's mother, a former ballet dancer who is somewhat stubborn and strange. Vincent Cassel as the director John is excellent. Winona Ryder is good enough. The others who are present remain simply minor supporting characters.

In spite of the disgusts and extremely disturbing element that sometimes gets too intense (at one very disturbing scene, I looked away), the film is, oh, so very beautiful. ''Black Swan'' is a strange film, weird and disturbing, dark and sometimes violent, but it's a very excellent film. 

4.5 out of 5!

"To Catch a Thief (1955 movie)- Review

Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
Released: 1955
Country: United States

Genres: Thriller, Crime, Mystery, Romantic

Main cast: Cary Grant, Grace Kelly, Jessie Royce Landis, John Williams, Brigitte Auber, Charles Vaner

Rating: 2 out of 5

Review

''To Catch a Thief'' is as disappointing as it could be: dull and stupid. It's so unexpected, as it is directed by a genius like Alfred Hitchcock, whose excellent films like ''Strangers on a Train'', ''Psycho'' and ''Vertigo'' made us fall in love with their merits. And I looked forward to see similar thrills and have an enjoyable experience watching ''To Catch a Thief''. And how do I feel about this film? It's so awful...

Let's get this thing straight: the main thing which makes the whole movie terrible is the undeveloped characters, and the screenplay which is not up to the mark. There are some bad elements in the movie but these are the basic ones.

The protagonist of this film is John Robie (played by the marvelous Cary Grant). John used to be a notorious thief stealing jewelries. He was nicknamed ''The Cat''. Now, however, he had been imprisoned once, but was later granted parole. Now he lives an honest lifestyle, earning his living through his own beautiful vineyard.

A thief starts stealing jewelries imitating the techniques used by Robie. It is widely speculated that The Cat has restarted burglary. Police comes to his house, nevertheless he manages to escape them. He decides to make himself free from the accusations and to find the real thief.

He manages to acquire a list of the most expensive jewels and the people who own them. The first people on the list is are a middle-aged woman (played by Jessie Royce Landis) and her daughter Francie (played by Grace Kelly, the actress who had starred previously in Hitchcock's ''Dial M for Murder'' and ''Rear Window'').

While a romantic relation starts between Robie (disguised under the name of Mr Burns) and Francie, but Robie still has other matters to worry with. How will he catch the actual thief and make himself free from all the accusations?

While the story of the film may be, and it is, quite very interesting, the presentation is as dull as it can. By dull, I don't mean lifeless. It is a lively film filled with lively performances, but the presentation bothers me. Something about it is so unpleasant that made me dislike this film.

One of the few positive things I can say about this film is the cinematography. With great camera works, wonderful colors and great resolution, the film has a very impressive cinematography. Next, the green landscapes are delights to look at! The costumes and makeup used on the characters at the party near the end of the film are wonderful.

Performances are also generally excellent, with Cary Grant and Grace Kelly (in her last role in a Hitchcock movie) giving superb performances as the leads, and they are supported by Jessie Royce Landis (as Francie's mother Jessie), John Williams (the same actor who played the police inspector in ''Dial M for Murder'', Williams plays an insurance man in this film), Brigitte Auber (in an important role as Danielle), Charles Vaner, Jean Martinelli, Georgette Anys, and others.

But however, it is a very dull film, and is, to put it simply, a bad movie. I disliked it. It is not without merits, though. The scenic beauty, cinematography, the score, and the performances are delightful, yet the overall movie is unsatisfactory and disappointing; unexpectedly a bad movie.

2 out of 5!