praveer-mishra Reviews

The Other Woman (2014)

Scheming Mistresses Get Their Revenge

[3/10 · 5 May 2014]

Carly (Cameron Diaz) has the perfect boyfriend Mark (Nikolaj Coaster-Waldau) tall, handsome, and upwardly mobile. There is just one little tiny problem with their relationship, Mark is married to Kate (Leslie Mann).

Fate introduces Kate to his husbands' mistress Carly, when Carly decides to show up unannounced at Mark's home. Kate mistakes Carly to be some kind of strippergram gag for Mark but the two shortly learn that Mark has been using them both. Kate then becomes obsessed with trying to become Carly's friend in order to learn what she has that Kate does not, because in life most women want to befriend their husband's mistress. As the two find enough reasons to spend time with each other they plot their revenge on Mark. During their little reconnaissance mission of the supposed business trip Mark is on, the movie continues to devolve with the introduction of Mark's third woman, Amber (Kate Upton). The subplot involves Mark not only carrying on affairs with all three women but also setting up Kate to possibly take the fall in a shady business scheme. The remainder of the movie is filled in with equal parts gross out comedy, and some really awful physical comedy, as the trio torments an unsuspecting Mark. Add in a really pointless role for Nicki Minaj as Carly's secretary with some cliché dialog, and that is where this thing really bottoms out. While Mark suffers through one lame gag after another, unfortunately the real torment is inflicted on anyone who has to see this movie.

THE VERDICT:

The Other Woman is supposed to be a romantic comedy that is neither romantic nor comedic...unless you can laugh at how bad this is. The film tries to leverage the success of the film "Bridesmaids" but the difference is that Bridesmaids contained likable characters in funny situations. The Other Woman misfires on all levels. Leslie Mann who is a an otherwise good comedic actress is left mugging for the camera and whining throughout. Which is actually an improvement over how one dimensional Cameron Diaz is in this movie. As for Kate Upton? She should stick to modeling, most definitely stick to modeling. The Other Woman is really ends up in territory that should be left for Adam Sandler only.

Oculus (2013)

Evil Mirror Mirror On The Wall

[7/10 · 5 May 2014]

Tim Russell (Brenton Thwaites) has just been released from a mental hospital. Several years have passed since he shot his father to death. His older sister Kaylee Russell (Karen Gillan) has spent years going through foster care and college sharing a dreadful and eerie secret with Tim regarding circumstances surrounding the horrific death of their parents.

Oculus is the brainchild of writer/director Mike Flanagan. The centerpiece of the story is the centerpiece of Alan Russell's (Rory Cochrane) home office. An antique centuries old mirror that looks every bit as ominous and dark as the story of the Russell family. An evil demonic force contained within the mirror has cursed every owner of the mirror and now the upper middle class Russell home is slowly becoming a twisted reflection of the worst fears of each member of the Russell family.

The film goes back and forth from flashback memories of Tim and Kaylee and their parents moving into their new home. Their software engineer father, Alan has bought a new antique mirror to decorate his office. Much to the consternation of Alan's wife, Marie (Katee Sackhoff) who isn't exactly thrilled with Alan's new purchase. Jumping back to the present, Kaylee has been obsessively following the journey of the mirror from owner to owner noting the bizarre and dark deaths of the individuals that have possessed the mirror from hell. Kaylee has been plotting her revenge on the mirror she is convinced drove her parents into the depths of insanity.

Now that Tim has been released she has acquired the mirror from an auction house and has an devised an ingenious plan to chronicle the evil in real time and destroy it. Tim while in the hospital has been cleansed of his paranoid and horrific thoughts regarding the mirror, is no longer convinced the mirror is to blame. Kaylee while setting up experiments to prove the mirror is evil is also contending with Tim's doubts and her own paranoia. Director Mike Flanagan beautifully directs the flashback and present time sequences as the film progresses with a growing sense of dread. As the evening continues, Kaylee and Tim experience a growing sense of paranoia toward the result of their "experiments" and towards each other. Flashbacks and present time are no longer easy to differentiate. What is reflected is becoming real and what is reflected is terrifying. Time is running on Tim and Kaylee to survive the night…and each other.

THE VERDICT: Most horror films follow the same formulaic plot of bogeyman coming back over and over to haunt and slaughter victims in some gory and awful manner. The best horror films feature well paced supernatural thrills and chills with vulnerable characters finding themselves in a cold and desolate environment. The best horror films stay with you after the credits roll. While Oculus certainly isn't The Exorcist, the film efficient delivers your moneys worth of chilling suspense. Most importantly, Oculus does leave you wanting to see the sequel!

See more reviews at www.silverscreened.com

Draft Day (I) (2014)

12 Hours Until the fate of a franchise and a city are determined

[7/10 · 5 May 2014]

The countdown clock is rolling…Sonny Weaver Jr (Kevin Costner) the General Manager of the Cleveland Browns has a decision to make. Sonny has the first pick in the NFL Draft. Whomever he selects, his job, the job of Coach Penn (Denis Leary) not to mention the future of a billion dollar franchise and the hopes and dreams of a city ride on what he decides.

Draft Day is the latest entry in the sports drama from Kevin Costner, no stranger to epic sports films such as Bull Durham and Tin Cup. Draft Day is about the hours leading up to the NFL Draft and the turbulent drama, relationships and chaos enveloping the beleaguered General Manager of the Cleveland Browns…Sonny Weaver Jr. The film opens with Weaver's girlfriend and colleague, Allie (Jennifer Garner) announces to him that she is pregnant with their child. As the day continues Weaver works the phones with various general managers, all of whom try to fleece him for draft positioning. With pressure mounting by owner Anthony Molina (Frank Langella) Weaver succumbs to the rip off deal proposed by the Seattle Seahawks GM to move up to the top pick in the draft. As news of the trade is leaked via the Twittersphere, everybody and their brother is up in arms as the previously expected pick of fearsome linebacker Vontae Mack (Chadwick Boseman) is now thrown into doubt and the projected top pick in the draft, Wisconsin Quarterback and franchise making player Bo Callahan (Josh Pence) is within reach for Sonny.

As the film continues, Weaver investigates the curious Bo Callahan via his head of security who uncovers some bizarre behavior by the top prospect. Meanwhile Weavers mother arrives at Sonny's office to honor her late husband (who died the previous week) Sonny's dad and former coach of the Cleveland Browns…whom Sonny fired. Through the day Weaver is left to resolve his issues with Allie in between screaming matches with his owner, players, coaches and basically any body he makes eye contact with. There are plenty of cameo appearances with real NFL players and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, including a rather pointless appearance by Sean "P-Diddy" Combs as Bo Callahan's agent

THE VERDICT: Draft Day is ultimately a story about choices, their consequences and ultimately redemption set again the wheeling and dealing of what has become an important day for sports fans. Comedy directing legend, Ivan Reitman (Ghostbusters, Stripes) takes a departure into the realm of the sports drama to helm DraftDay. Reitman expertly guides his characters through the standard sport films clichés and keeps the film at a high level so that hardcore sports fans as well as non sports fans can appreciate the film. The film is a well paced whirlwind drama that makes for an enjoyable outing at the movies.

See more of my reviews at www.silverscreened.com

Open Windows (2014)

High Tech Voyeurism can be deadly

[5/10 · 5 May 2014]

Beautiful film starlet Jill Goddard (Sasha Grey) is one of the hottest young actresses in Hollywood, and is the object of Nick Chambers' (Elijah Wood) affections. Nick runs a fan website devoted to Jill. Lucky for Nick he has just won a contest to meet Jill in Austin, TX. As Nick sits in his hotel room awaiting his dinner date with Jill he is watching a webcast of a press conference with Jill to promote her new movie. Nick is contacted by a man named Chord (Neil Maskell) who claims to be Jill's manager as the press conference is happening live. Chord informs Nick that Jill has decided not to meet him. Nick is disappointed and angry, but Chord has another way Nick can meet Jill… All Nick has to do is perform a series of tasks for Chord. Open Windows is a Spanish-American production from writer / director Nacho Vigalondo. The film is told through a series of different browser windows on a computer screen where the characters are being manipulated by the mysterious Chord. Chord draws Nick into his game by allowing Nick to get "special access" to Jill by tapping her smart phone and manipulating a liaison for Jill and her boyfriend to take place at hotel Nick is staying at so Nick can watch. After Nick is caught peeping into their room by Jill's boyfriend Tony, Chord manipulates Nick into attacking Tony which is all Chord needs to trap Nick into doing whatever he wants. A pointless sub plot of the film involves a group of French hackers who are online watching all of Nick's moves who Nick tries to recruit into stopping Chord and his evil plot. THE VERDICT: While the movie starts off well introducing the characters and their motivations, the gimmick of seeing these characters evolve through various browser windows on a screen gets old fast. Midway through the second act of the film the introduction of the French Hackers adds a hackey and pointless element to the film that distracts from the central plot themes. While the film initially starts off showing the dangers of the networked online lives that we all live these days it ends up the same by the numbers territory that all of these movies end up in. Open Windows might make for an interesting DVD release, it certainly isn't worth a trip to the theater.