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Tiger Stripes (2023)
A coming-of-age tale in Rural Selangor
Amanda Nell Eu debut effort is a surreal study of a 12 year old girl's coming-of-age experience told against the backdrop of rural Selangor
Tinged with magical realism, the story is a simple slice of life tale with Zafreen Zairizal's impactful performance as Zaffan being the definite showstealer. Told through her lenses, we see her navigate the changes of puberty and the challenges of a small conservative town school life in an ever evolving modern world
The cinematography (by Gaudi Award nominated Jimmy Gimferrer) is excellent, with some breathtaking shots and framing of Malaysia's rainforest and the Titiwangsa range. The background score was also superb, an almost raw tone from Indonesian duo Gabber Modus Operandi.
The Batman (2022)
The most comic accurate live action Batman
This is we may see. You see a pained, conflicted Bruce Wayne, in what his second year donning the cowl
The story is a cerebral murder mystery and we finally see the Worlds Greatest Detective at work. The plot is fleshed out although it runs close to 3 hours, I only felt the length towards the final 20 minutes
There is sparse action setpieces but man are they worth it, lovers of the Arkham game franchise will feel pumped watching the hand to hand combat and chase scenes
There are several influences from 7even and Zodiac with Blade Runner-ry overall vibe
Michael Giacchino (coming off his triumphant 'No Way Home' score) triumphs yet again with a visceral score and song choices
Robert Pattinson is fantastically understated in parts and scarily verbose in others. Great job by him to show what Bruce and more importantly a Year Two Batman suffers due to his nocturnal activities
Zoe Kravitz dons the catsuit with ease, bringing to life a very Frank Miller-ish Selina Kyle
Colin Farrell chews every single scenery he is in and marvelous as The Penguin, can't wait for his HBOMax spinoff series
Andy Serkis' Alfred is underused but we see a more involved Jim Gordon, Jeffrey Wright is again top class in his portrayal
Finally, Paul Dano, taking a cue from his perfomance in Prisoners, embodies a new kind of Edward Nash, a creepy, psychopathic serial killer who believes he is cleaning up Gotham. A Riddler that could easily fit in any Fincher film but seems so at ease in the Gotham setting
Matt Reeves, take a bow. You promised a lot, and you bloody well delivered!
Yep, I'm saying this is my favourite live action Batman ever!!!
9.2/10.
Joker (2019)
Brutal, vicious and grounded, and is perhaps the path that DC should take with all future adaptations, a disconnected, non-cinematic-universe-binding, standalone story
***Spoilers ahead in what will be a very long read***
First off, let's get this out of the way. This is a not your average comic-book romp with flashy CGI, placed humour (often forced) and grand centerpiece sequences. This a character study rooted deeply in the 70s-80s gritty dramas of which I have personally longed for a return to. It is clear to all, that is a Warner Bros film and not really a DC one from the title card and those who are expecting this film to be a faithful comic book adaptation will be disappointed. Personally, as a huge fan of that section of literature, I went into this film not expecting any lifting from the pages of comics or graphic novels and therefore, absolutely loved the end product. I do however have to state in no uncertain terms, that saying I love this film may be a misnomer on its own, as it is an extremely difficult watch. I felt overwhelmed, a little disturbed and all in all flabbergasted as the credits rolled
Make no qualms about it, true comic-book fans will love this film and will understand that this is an Elseworlds story. Yes, it may be based in parts on the anarchic character (who in my opinion is comicbook-dom's greatest villain surpassing even Darkseid, Doctor Doom et al) whom we have gotten used to in various depictions on-screen. There are a few character traits and plot points lifted from the source material namely the failed comedian angle and the quote "All it takes is one bad day to reduce the sanest man alive to lunacy" (from Alan Moore's 'The Killing Joke'), the story taking place from the villain's point of view (from Brian Azzarello's 'Joker') and the climactic riots (from the line in Ed Brubaker's 'The Man Who Laughs' - "One by nne, they'll hear my call. Then this wicked town, will follow my fall"), however that is where the similarities end
Todd Philips is unapologetic in his clear tributes to various directors from the golden era of cinema. Never are they more apparent in his shot compositions, use of atmospheric music and noir themed cityscapes which harken back to the literary-cum-celluloid musings of Sidney Lumet, William Friedkin, Roman Polanski, Ingmar Bergman, Werner Herzog, Federico Fellini, Andrei Tarkovsky, Milos Forman and Claude Chabrol. He reserves his absolute homage to Martin Scorsese though, in the storyline and lead character's motivations. To think that the comedic director behind The Hangover trilogy (out of which only the first one was really great), Old School and War Dogs (a little more serious than his prior films) could come up with something this cerebral and violent is almost asinine. He succeeds brilliantly and puts all doubters to shame. It is set in the late 70s, early 80s Gotham City (analogous to the New York City of the same decade) where the rich are getting richer while the poor are getting poorer. There is a garbage strike, rats are abound in the city and crime is rampant. Gotham City is descending into a hellhole and many of its nondescript residents are its biggest victims
Joaquin Phoenix is an arresting presence, the focus throughout the film and he reels you in from the first frame of the film where we first meet Arthur Fleck. We see him sitting in front of a mirror and applying his clown make-up. He attempts to put on a smile and resorts to holding the corners of his mouth as a single tear rolls down his cheek unbeknownst to him, all the while disrupting his make-up with it. This single scene sets the tone for the film. How a carefully, regimented façade is disturbed and ultimately destroyed by a simple action. There is no costume or monologues, just a man. A sad clown
Phoenix's gaunt and often emaciated appearance is scary (you can't help but wonder what he had to do to get in this "shape") and evokes memories of Christian Bale's Patrick Bateman from 'American Psycho'. He contorts his frail, spindly frame and on occasion breaks out into a frighteningly joyful, Kabuki-esque dance that is mesmerizing. Phoenix is in his absolute element, and proves once again why he is one of his generation's greatest actors. He portrays Fleck as one of life's victims, a freak to everyone else but someone who is constantly pushed down until he finally snaps. He is mocked, beaten up and often misunderstood by even those closest to him. Phoenix revels in showing pain in each and every sinew of his fibre, his eyes are haunting and hollow, his physicality is precise in the way he walks, sits, smokes or when he shrinks into the shadows. Fleck's hyena-like cackle is uncomfortable and painful and is attributed to Pseudobulbar Syndrome in the film but fits in very well with the overall narrative. You start to sympathize for Fleck but it soon turns from one of affinity similar to the ones we felt for the lead characters of 'Serpico' or 'Dog Day Afternoon', to one of pity that is more akin to the lead characters from 'Taxi Driver', 'A Clockwork Orange' and 'One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest'. His damnation begins with one after another "bad day" and ends in a brutal, violent and utterly savage actions
Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, Brett Cullen, Frances Conroy and the rest of the cast are pretty much just supporting characters and they appear for a miniscule amount of time. They however perform well, De Niro especially, channeling his very own Rupert Papkin from 'The King of Comedy'. On the technical side, the film is littered with masterful brilliance. Scott Silver who co-wrote the film with Phillips utilizes simple but ultimately chilling dialogues to considerable effect. Lawrence Sher delivers a career best cinematography wherein his wide angle and close up shots were both immersive and introspective (especially on IMAX). I also have to give a very big kudos to composer Hildur Guðnadóttir, whose haunting theme, musical cues and overall soundtrack choice work perfectly throughout the film. This should be her big breakthrough and I foresee a lot of awards for her in the future
There are a few drawbacks namely the fisting of certain characters from the larger Gotham universe which no doubt was done to appease the so-called modern comic-book fan. I for one felt that it was unnecessary as they could have been named anything else and it would not have made a dolt of difference in the end product. There is also a worry that the film glorifies incels who resort to violence, but then again, anyone with a sane mind would be able to differentiate real and reel life
Joker has already won a few awards in its fledgling run, including the Leone d'Oro (Golden Lion for Best Film), Graffetta d'Oro (Audience Award for Best Film), Premio Soundtrack (Best Score) and an 8 minute standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival with Phoenix also winning the Tribute Actor award at the Toronto International Film Festival. This augurs well for the film's Academy Awards chances as the last two winners ('The Shape of Water' & 'Roma') both went on to win Best Picture at the Oscars. Joaquin Phoenix alongside Jake Gyllenhaal is one of my favourite actors who often win plaudits for their performances but not awards. In my opinion, Phoenix should be a shoo in for a Best Actor nomination joining Leonardo DiCaprio (for 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood'), Taron Egerton (for 'Rocketman') and potentially Adam Driver (for 'Marriage Story') as well as Christian Bale (for 'Ford v Ferrari')
To compare this Joker with Mark Hamill's playful menace (from the animated series and several animated films), Heath Ledger's chilling anarchist (from 'The Dark Knight') or even Jack Nicholson kitschy gangster (from 1989's 'Batman') would be superfluous (I purposefully chose to ignore the meth-head emo dude that Jared Leto plays in 'Suicide Squad'). This is an origin story for "A" Joker not "THE" Joker and that is how we should evaluate the film. As the Clown Prince of Crime himself once said, "If I'm going to have a past, I prefer it to be multiple choice"
In this film, the Joker is someone who lets his mental illness get the better of him and essentially leads him into what he feels is justifiable violence. This Joker is born of our apathy, we made him and we deserve him
Arrambam (2013)
Arrambam - Old Wine in a New Bottle
Yet again, Ajith delivers an action film that satisfies all his fans, however will general & neutral moviegoers enjoy it? I am probably a bit biased but I would say that film thrilled in parts but lagged at many points.
Ajith Kumar is once again at his best, playing a role tailor made for him with shades of grey. The first shot of him saw the whole cinema reverberate in loud whistles and claps (and this was in TGV KLCC @ 11:30am mind you). He excels in all areas that you expect him to. Action sequences are top notch & his dialogue delivery is flawless and impactful. His salt-and-pepper look, 5 O'Clock shadow beard, shades and wardrobe suited him to a tee.
Nayantara meanwhile is revelation, playing an action heroine role with ease. Is there any other South actress who is so apt with hand-to-hand combat or a gunfight and yet look so ravishing while at it? I doubt it. Her dressing style in the film is very different to what we see of heroines in Tamil films. Big props to costume designer Anu Vardhan for Ajith's, Arya's & especially Nayan's look in the film.
Arya is his usual comic self and carried his role well. However, his love scenes with Taapsee were not very interesting and probably hampered the film a bit. The rest of the starcast did their parts well, especially Kishore, Atul Kulkarni & Rana Daggupati. Special mention to Mahesh Manjrekar, as the Marathi director/actor does extremely well as a villain, plus he also dubbed in his own voice which is a rarity nowadays (among non Tamil actors)
Technically, the cinematography by Om Prakash & Sreekar Prasad's editing were the plus points. All the stunt sequences were also well choreographed and shot. Vishnuvardhan's direction was par for the course, however writing duo SuBa will have to stop "rebottling old wine in a new bottle". There is nothing new in the lead pair's motives to their actions in the film. Screenplay was racy enough but I sure wish that there were no songs at all (well maybe apart from the opening song ) as it would have had a smoother feel to it.
The biggest minus point though is surprisingly Yuvan's BGM. He lets down the film at many points with a very mediocre score. The VFX is also very cartoony for what is for all intents & purposes a high budget film. There are also several plot holes in the film whereby deus ex machina is used as a plot device for several scenes.
On the whole, Arrambam is a very watchable action flick, with the climax being racy & action packed. It meets the expectations of the Thala fan in me, but an unbiased opinion would be that it could have been much better.
So, one thing I have learned after watching his last two movies is that I really need tone down my expectations. It does seem that Thala Ajith is stuck in an average run of films. With Veeram not really stoking my fires, I really do hope he gets a really good film soon.
Final rating: 7/10 - Old wine in a new bottle
Breaking Bad: Ozymandias (2013)
The King of Kings Has Fallen
"My name is Ozymandias, king of kings; Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!" Nothing beside remains. Round the decay Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare The lone and level sands stretch far away"
The above stanza from Percy Shelley infamous sonnet about the fall of Ramesses II is the most apt description one could give for the current place that Heisenberg is in. Gone is the confident, marauding, menace of a man that systematically manipulated his way to the top of the meth empire. All that remains are the ruins of his once booming business. He has lost all his money and the family which he began the meth cooking business for.
This gut wrenching antepenultimate episode of what is in my opinion one of the greatest TV shows of the last five years took us on a wild ride. There was never a moment to stop and catch your breath. From the minute Hank uttered his last words to the point where Walt entered the van to begin his new life.
It was also without a doubt one best hours of TV I have watched in a long time. Praise needs to be given to both the writing team as well as the actors. The small details like the cold open (showing Walt's pants as Jesse & he cooked for the first time) to Walt rolling that barrel past that same pants (albeit now weather ravaged) just went to cement this episode as one of the greatest.
The dialogue was fantastic and the leads acted so well that I felt their pain. Kudos to Bryan Cranston, Anna Gunn, RJ Mitte, Dean Norris and even the baby that plays Holly!
Scene after scene felt like another stab in the gut. Walt slowly falling to the ground after Hank is shot, Walt finally admitting to Jesse about Jane, our glimpse into Jesse's forlorn future as Todd's assistant, Walt Jr finding out the truth about his dad, the whole family breaking apart once the realization that Hank is dead sets in and of course Walt abducting Holly!
Walt's last phone call to Skyler was another excellent scene where his voice remained stoic and threatening but we could see that he was saying each word with pain etched in his face. He was essentially exonerating Skyler.
The final shot was fantastic, as we reach the last embers of Walt's journey.
This isn't Walter H White, the sweet, chemistry-teaching, Aztek-driving, mustachioed family man.
Neither is it Heisenberg, the ruthless, porkpie-hat-wearing, french- bearded drug lord who eliminated all that came his way.
No, now he is just a shadow of his former self, he is just like that lone stray dog that crossed the street at the end of this episode.
The Wolverine (2013)
The Wolverine - Makes His Mark!
This will once again divide many, as in my opinion, the non-comic book reading fans wouldn't like this as much. I, on the other hand loved it! Very dialogue driven & story based.
Logan is tested emotionally & physically in this movie, and Jackman is once again in his element, it is as if, he was made to play Wolverine. There is lesser action & special effects compared to recent superhero films, which is refreshing.
The absence of mutants apart from Wolverine & Viper though is a small letdown. The treatment & ret-conning of The Silver Samurai is also somewhat a bust, as they take a totally different route as opposed to the original source.
However, I'm pleased by the film on the whole, in fact I would rate this as the best among the 3 superhero films released this year, yes even above Man of Steel.
Do wait for the credits to roll as the post-credit scene is a doozy. Many who were silent throughout much of the film were cheering and whooping while I let out one too many vulgarities!!
Maryan (2013)
Maryan - A breathtaking visual & aural experience that is let down by a rather slow, disjointed and overall weak screenplay
First off, without a shadow of a doubt, I'm going on the record and saying that Dhanush is the best actor of his generation bar none. This film further highlights his acting prowess (which we, the Tamil film audience have grown accustomed to) that began with 'Kadhal Kondein' and continued with superlative performances in 'Pudhupettai', 'Polladhavan', 'Aadukalam', 'Mayakkam Enna', '3' & the recently released 'Raanjhanaa'.
He carries this film on his fragile shoulders through scenes of joy, love, hate, anger, despair & helplessness. We laugh with him during his fun times and we anguish with him when he suffers.
The story itself had the potential to be superb (it being based on a true event that saw four Indian oil platform workers abducted and held for ransom in North Africa), however Bharat Bala did not do justice with his extremely weak screenplay.
This is his Indian feature film debut (having previously directed a short film, a documentary, a foreign film & a few ads and music videos) and it is glaringly evident that he has a long way to go. His screenplay fails to sustain the viewers attention, to be honest if not for the lead pair, many would not have watched till the end. The pace is extremely slow, which is fine if the scenes are not disjointed, however it feels like there one too many unnecessary scenes. The African villains were poorly conceived as neither were their motives explained nor were they engaging. They were basically cut board cutouts of continental African caricatures. 'Kadal Rasaa' song felt out of place, the idea was great but could have been explored differently. The notion that a fisherman is at his strongest only in his element, the sea, is fantastic and proves to be the plus point in the climax.
The lead pair has performed excellently, their chemistry is very prominent. The slow build up of their love is refreshing and funny. Parvathy Menon's acting deserves praise, and she looks great as a village belle. Dhanush really tugs at your heartstrings in certain scenes especially the second half when he is a hostage. That phone call scene will leave you reeling. You will know what I mean when you watch it, I wouldn't want to spoil too much.
The rest of the cast have been grossly underused except for Jagan & Appukutty. It is a shame to see Salim Kumar's talents wasted as the father of Parvathy's character. After all, he also won the National Award for Best Actor for his heart wrenching performance in 2010 Malayalam film 'Adaminte Makan Abu' (incidentally he was a joint winner with Dhanush that year).
A.R. Rahman was at his ethereal best as both his songs & background score was pure aural ecstasy. Although all the songs were great, the best was saved for last, as 'Nenjae Ezhu' coupled with an amazing visual spectacle could not be topped by the rest of the songs.
A big kudos to Mark Koninckx, a Belgian who is pretty well known in his country but whose only previous claim to international fame was the unheralded 2008 Franco-Liberian film 'Johnny Mad Dog'. His framing and angles were evocative. Be it the fishing hamlet that is beautifully hugged by the blue sea or the harsh dry dessert that is both arid & stunning to look at.
On the surface of it all, this is just a love story that could have been brilliant if it had been supplemented by a better plot twist.
I give it 7/10, mainly for the lead pair's performance which was complimented superbly by Rahman's magical tunes & Koninckx's visual feast
Man of Steel (2013)
A Triumphant Return to the Silver Screen
The newest silver screen reboot of one of the most popular superheroes of all time has divided fans and critics alike. You either loved "Man of Steel" or you hated it. I absolutely loved it!
Now after the disaster of 2006's "Superman Returns", I felt that the Last Son of Krypton just could not be played by anyone but Christopher Reeve, and that "Superman II" was the last good film in this series. Thankfully, with Christopher Nolan's guidance and David S. Goyer's story (he also wrote the Batman reboot "Batman Begins" which incidentally is my favourite film of that trilogy), this installment starts off the right step towards what I hope is a Justice League film in the near future.
The best part of the films was sans-action for me. The lengthy prologue scenes on Krypton (hugely influenced by similar scenes in 1978's "Superman") were fantastic; the repartee between Jor-El & Zod was great. It showed that both of them ultimately strove for the same goal yet had diametrically opposite routes to get there.
The film then delves in a Nolan-esque non-linear narrative with constant flashbacks. The flashbacks were also a good way of showing Clark's childhood instead of having an origins prologue that included Clark's beginning on Earth. In fact, the scene of Clark first discovering his powers in his elementary classroom was one of my favourite scenes of the film, with the child actor really portraying how a kid who thought he was normal was actually different. More than any other Superman film since the 1978 one, "Man of Steel" reminds us over & over that Superman isn't human, yet the Clark Kent in him is as human as us.
The action scenes were somewhat repetitive, but I liked it nevertheless. Snyder's touch is very apparent in those action scenes where Faora & Nam-Ek first wrecked Smallville in the battle with Superman before General Zod & Superman literally crushed Metropolis into a heap of rubble. This is derivative in all superhero films of this era i.e. New York was destroyed in The Avengers. Now, Zod unleashing his World Engine to terraform Earth into a new Krypton and in doing so destroys much of what is in its way; is totally understandable as he is a villain. Why Snyder in all his wisdom decided to allow Superman to annihilate Metropolis in the guise of battling Zod is a puzzle to me. It was not needed; perhaps something different could have been done. The ending was not a big surprise to me, as Superman has killed before in the comics & even in "Superman II", and in that scene, it can be clearly seen how much it pained him to resort to that. It may be, that this was the act that made Superman swore off killing his enemies in the first place.
The absence of John Williams's signature Superman theme was somewhat alleviated by Hans Zimmer's fantastic uplifting score. His new theme was great and the score throughout the film was fantastic.
Henry Cavill shines as Kal-El, showing his struggle between his real self and his shadow on Earth, he also looked the part when he first donned the cape too. It is only as Clark Kent where he falls slightly short of emulating the amusing antics of Christopher Reeve or even the small town charm of Tom Welling. Since it's his first outing and we didn't really see Clark Kent that much, I'll give it a pass (hell it was thoroughly better than Brandon Routh).
Michael Shannon is suitably cast as General Zod, menacing in his stare and steadfast in his aim to see Krypton be born again. Russell Crowe & Kevin Costner played their father figure roles fantastically well surpassing their counterparts from previous iterations. It was strange to see Goyer dispensing away with the canonical death of 'Pa Kent (he died of a heart attack in all previous adaptations) instead going for a more harrowing death scene, which I'm sure shaped Clark's psyche. Amy Adams needs to convince me that she can be a Lois Lane, while Diane Lane did well as 'Ma Kent.
I loved the fact that they took a different direction with regards to his costume, the Fortress of Solitude and the 'S' symbol. It is not as if they deviated totally, as the costume (Kryptonian Armor) has appeared in "The New 52" comic series while the 'S' being the House of El sigil appeared in the "Superman: Birthright" comic series. I also loved the easter eggs that littered the film, hinting at the future of this series, and maybe even a Justice League film in the making. The most prominent seems to hint that the sequel's villain will be Superman's arch nemesis, Lex Luthor. This included the Lexcorp logo appearing on the top of tower, a Lexcorp truck drops Clark off at the barn, the side of a tanker bearing a Lexcorp logo during final fight between Zod & Superman and the appearance of a Lexcorp construction site. Additionally, the Wayne Industries logo on the satellite when Superman & Zod battle in outer space, the empty pod in the Fortress of Solitude that hinted that it could be Kara Zor-El aka Super Girl who was the first to arrive on Earth, the presence of Captain Farris who shares the same name as Hal Jordan aka Green Lantern's girlfriend & finally Dr. Emil Hamilton who would go on to head S.T.A.R Labs (which will be instrumental in the creation of Cyborg).
"Man of Steel" was moody, cerebral & very intense and that was what made it great for me. It was a triumphant return to the silver screen for Kal El, and I hope this is the beginning of wonderful journey for future DC films.
Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)
As a Non-Trekkie, Loved It!
Star Trek Into Darkness was the kickstart that I needed for the summer film season, especially after the underwhelming Iron Man 3. JJ Abrams second outing started off with a bang, the initial sequence was breathtaking, considering that I watched it unfold in glorious IMAX 3D (and I hate 3D, wanted to watch it in IMAX 2D, but my cinema only showed the film in IMAX 3D)!!
And the fun did not stop there, as the film continuously thrilled me with its fantastic action sequences and humour. The CGI was amazing as is expected from the geniuses at ILM. At times, I was wowed by what I was watching, the volcano scene, the bombing of Section 31 & the Vengeance crashing. The music was a major plus point for me, I was humming the theme (Enterprising Young Men) as I walked out of the cinema.
JJ Abrams does a solid job yet again, he does not disappoint. The screenplay though might irk some longtime Trekkies due to its similarity with The Wrath of Khan, in fact some might even consider it a poor rehash. I am not a big Trekkie, in fact I have only watched Abrams' 2009 reboot & a few episodes of The Next Generation, so I loved how this film was handled in terms of storyline. It had some socio-political undertones which mirrors our current state of affairs.
Moving on to the cast, for me, Benedict Cumberbatch was head & shoulders above the rest, playing his character with ease and menace. Zachary Quito was excellent as well, with Spock showing a wider range of emotion. The rest were adequately used as each had their individual story arcs fully fleshed out. Plus I also loved the new look of the Klingons on their planet, here's hoping we get them as villains for the 3rd film.
I would give this a high rating as I thoroughly enjoyed, best movie of the year thus far for me.
Iron Man Three (2013)
Iron Man 3 - Total Disappointment
This would be the film where we finally meet Iron Man's nemesis, The Mandarin. Bear in mind, Iron Man's rogue gallery isn't really great when you compare it with the rest of the Marvel superheroes, however if there was one villain that I wanted to see adapted onto the big screen for Iron Man, it was most definitely The Mandarin. The promos & posters had me pumped about Black's interpretation of this famed villain. When Ben Kingsley was announced as the man to play The Mandarin, my enthusiasm rose tenfold. I thought this could be the best villain we've had since Heath Ledger's Joker in "The Dark Knight".
Iron Man 3 however failed to live up to its expectations. Although I enjoyed the first half of the film, doubts started creeping as soon as Eiffel 65's annoying "Blue Da Ba Dee" started playing at the beginning. I mean remember how Iron Man started? AC/DC's "Back in Black" booming through as the US Air Force convoy drove through Afghanistan and ending with Black Sabbath's classic "Iron Man" as the credits rolled.
Yet, I still harboured hope. It was going well, the action sequences were top notch yet again. The attack on his mansion was great. Seeing the new suit in action was fantastic as well, now that Tony Stark is able to remotely control the Mark 42 suit via the microchip implants he has injected himself with. I was even OK with him then losing his suits and having to go MacGyver in rural Tennessee.
However, I lost all interest in the film as soon as the so-called twist occurred. The reveal of The Mandarin as nothing more than an actor hired to play the part, absolutely deflated me. The Mandarin is Iron Man's arch nemesis as I stated earlier. He is The Joker to Batman, General Zod to Superman, The Green Goblin to Spiderman & Sabretooth to Wolverine. It was a total cop-out, a middle finger to all the fans of Iron Man.
The reveal that Aldrich Killian is the man behind The Mandarin was ridiculous as it totally butchered the pre-established continuity from the first two Iron Man films. The Mandarin in the comics wields a mystical power in his ten rings, which in Iron Man 1 & 2 had a presence via the terrorist unit called The Ten Rings. Having Trevor Slattery, a drunk, dope addicted & washed up Cockney accented actor from Croydon, South London (who ridiculously cheers when Liverpool score against Chelsea, what the hell was that about?) play a role created specifically for Killian to control the war on terror was bordering on stupidity. Killian is a minor character in the Extremis comics so why elevate him to another in the line of techno-terrorists like Obadiah Stane (Iron Man) or Justin Hammer (Iron Man 2)?
Up to that point, I must say that Ben Kingsley simply stole the show as The Mandarin. His vocal inflections, menacing stare and a believe that he was meting out justice; all of that was great. Then, that twist happened, and I sighed out lout in the cinema.
Moving on to the rest of the characters, I really wanted to see the Iron Patriot (who is actually Harry Osborn aka The New Goblin, in the comics, but since all Spiderman characters belonged to Sony, they changed it here). James Rhodes was reduced to bit-part character here which is sad considering the calibre of Don Cheadle.
Gwyneth Paltrow took on a heavier role, in fact we got to see a glimpse of Rescue (Pepper Potts in Iron Man Armour) which was OK, although having her infected with the Extremis virus was a tad much. The Extremis soldiers were minor characters in the comics, but it was nice to see Eric Savin (Coldblood), Jack Taggert (Firepower) & Ellen Brandt even if they were adapted for this storyline and are never called by their alter-egos.
Aldrich Killian was played pretty well by Guy Pearce, but him having the dragon tattoos and breathing fire was confusing. Was he supposed to Fin Fang Foom? Or Firebrand? And why would they make him the founder of Advanced Idea Mechanics? We all know that AIM is an offshoot of HYDRA, so why not have that in the new Captain America movie? If would have been great to see Baron Wolfgang, Baron Zemo & MODOK!
Robert Downey Jr, meanwhile, excelled as Tony Stark. Indeed, it is the role he was born for. He shows good emotion as he suffers from PTSD from the Chitauri invasion (slight forced but I was still OK with it). As for the end, I did not like the fact that Tony had his chest arc reactor removed. What does this mean for Iron Man in The Avengers sequel? The post-credit scene although slightly funny was absolutely irrelevant to setting up or teasing Phase 2 of the MCU.
The few things I liked about Iron Man 3 were as said earlier, the action sequences and some minor easter eggs/cameos like Dr Yinsen (from the first film) & Dr Wu Chen Lu (who would go on to be Radioactive Man in the comics, which could have nicely segued into the Ant Man film since they're archenemies), mentioning of Roxxon Energy Corp & seeing the Iron Legion in action (the different types of Iron Man armour in the climax fight).
To quote Nolan (blasphemy I know, but I'm a fan of both DC & Marvel, sue me), The Mandarin was the villain that we fans deserved, but not the one that Shane Black gave us. Instead, we got a derisory, fire-breathing Extremis infused maniac.
Paradesi (2013)
Bala's Best since Sethu
A brilliant film yet again from Bala & team. He takes us on a journey of hardship through the eyes of tea plantation slave workers in pre- independence India. As always, the characters are great and fleshed out, often making us, the audience, feel part of the suffering. All the actors & extras are great. Camera-work was fantastic with its sepia tones. G.V.P's music was a massive letdown, Isaignani's touch was sorely missing. The only minus points would be the rather wooden, 2 dimensional characterization of the Britishers and the unnecessary proselytizing song towards the end. The film ends rather abruptly, but it does so to show the never-ending lives of these workers. Based on the 1969 novel Red Tea, this is in my opinion Bala's best work since Sethu.
Looper (2012)
A time-travelling, philosophical, intelligent mind-bender of a film
I entered the cinema not expecting much, which in hindsight was probably a good thing. Looper is in essence a brief study of man's constant dilemma of fate vs. choice. What if I had taken the other path, what would be life be like? Writer/Director Rian Johnson takes this simple yet convoluted premise and adds in some action and a whole lot of science fiction that results in an excellent film.
Time-travel plays a massive part of the film's storyline and this means you just have to not think about the paradoxes, lest it causes your brain to melt. Joseph Gordon-Levitt takes on a different tone as he is not his usual charming self that we are used to seeing in his previous films. Instead, as Joe Simmons, he portrays a ruthless contract-killer known as a Looper; and he does not flinch a muscle when he completes his assignments. In 2074, time travel has been discovered but outlawed and when the mob wants to get rid of someone, the target is sent 30 years into the past to be killed by the aforementioned Loopers. However, when it's time for the Looper to go, they are sent back in time to be killed by their younger versions, in what is called 'closing the loop'.
Bruce Willis plays the older Joe who gets sent back but with a small twist, he escapes the younger Joe. Older Joe then goes on his mission to hunt down the Rainmaker, the man who controls the mob in 2074, only he is just a kid in 2034. What happens next forms the crux of the film that sees it ending with a great riposte to that age-old paradigm of fate vs. choice.
Gordon-Levitt continues to show why he is hell-bent on being his generation's best actor as he undergoes a total facial change to look like a young-ish Bruce Willis. His portrayal as frayed, fragile yet strong junkie is fantastic. In fact, in the diner scene, he goes toe-to- toe with Willis in the way he speaks down to cadence and slight Jersey accent that Willis naturally has.
Willis meanwhile is solid in every single frame he is in, displaying his emotional range as well as his undoubted action credentials. Jeff Daniels looked like he really enjoyed himself playing Abe, Joe's present day boss who was sent by back by the Rainmaker to keep things on a leash in 2034. Emily Blunt as Sara is sufficient although to be honest that role could have been played by anyone.
The person that almost steals the show is the young Pierce Gagnon who displays a maturity in his acting that is far beyond his age. It is astonishing to think that he was only 5 at the time of filming. As Sid, Sara's son, Pierce shines as boy who is unable to control who he is. I'm not going to give much more, watch the film to know what I mean.
This is without a shadow of a doubt the best Sci-Fi film of 2012 (well at least until I watch Cloud Atlas, which looks pretty good as well). In fact, I would go as far as to rank this in the Top 5 Sci-Fi films of the 21st Century (Inception, Donnie Darko, Looper, District 9 and Moon in that order)
Catch this ahead of any over-hyped drivel (yes I'm looking at you Total Recall etc.) that is showing in cinemas now
The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
The Dark Knight Rises – A Fitting End
After waiting for about a week, I am finally writing a review for what in my opinion, is the biggest movie of the year. Given the significance of the plot and reveals, I chose to wade out the time so everyone could watch it first. Plus, I have also been suffering from withdrawal symptoms.
Yes, Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy-saga has finally come to an end. The man himself has said that he will not direct another Batman film, confirming his earlier promise that he will tell the story of how Batman began, fell & rose.
Let's get straight into it then, first off, The Dark Knight Rises is definitely not the best movie in the series. The popular opinion has always been that The Dark Knight will be the stand-out film in Nolan's trilogy; now based on early reviews and fan reaction, that does seem to hold true. I, on the other hand believe that Batman Begins just edges the other two, purely because it not only set the tone for the latest incarnation of the Caped Crusader but also firmly placed it back where it truly belongs.
The Dark Knight Rises is inspired by the 1993 graphic novel, Knighfall, Gotham City is free of crime no thanks to the events of The Dark Knight, Batman is basically retired, and Bruce Wayne is shadow of his old self. He is then forced to don the cape & cowl again as a new menace threatens his beloved city.
Nolan includes has references to real world problems like the 99% movement & terrorism. Selina Kyle; portrayed surprisingly well by Anne Hathaway, is at first a foe to Batman, then a friend and finally a lover to Bruce Wayne. Catwoman's background is explained very subtly, she is the 99%; she takes from the 1% of Gotham City. Yet, as a bigger terror dawns, she join forces with Batman.
Bane is the formidable foe that is visceral yet cerebral in the same frame. This is shown to full effect in many sequences throughout the film, none more so than in the excellent prologue and the fight "that broke the bat". Tom Hardy's brilliant portrayal is amplified mainly due to the mask that hides most of his face. His vocal inflection and his eyes and body language are impactful.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Gary Oldman are efficient in their respective roles, while Marion Cottilard is average as Miranda Tate, until she takes an excellent turn towards the climax as Talia Al-Ghul.
Christian Bale continues to show why he is by far the best Batman while Michael Caine & Morgan Freeman impress in their minimal scenes.
Massive props to the DoP Wally Pfister & Hans Zimmer, whose cinematography and music respectively lend a hand in invoking emotions for the whole duration of the film.
Jonathan Nolan's writing is par for the course, but twists towards the end with the reveal of Talia Al-Ghul and John Blake's first name received applause in the cinema. Many of us suspected that Cottilard was indeed playing Talia, but the manner in which it is revealed is riveting. "Robin" John Blake entering the Batcave can be seen as a massive hint at what might come in the future. Who knows, we might see Nightwing instead of the Boy Wonder. I for one am very intrigued!
The ode to the comic book universe of Batman is completed by Batman's rise from Nolan's version of the Lazarus Pit. The decision of not trying to explain Joker's absence makes you respect Christopher Nolan's vision more. He probably understood that the late Heath Ledger's Joker was the ultimate villain, and therefore chose to leave it that. While the Joker was an anarchist, hell-bent on random chaos & internal destruction, Bane was a flat-out pure terrorist, calculating, deliberate & absolutely physical. Nolan pretty much summarized all his films main villains into 3 profound words that mean a lot; Fear, Chaos & Pain.
Personally, I have been a massive fan of Tim Burton's duology, in which Gotham City was painted as a dark dystopia that bared a very close resemblance to how the world was back in the 80's and where the villains were campy yet menacing. In both Batman & Batman Returns, you were fully immersed into a brand new Batman, who up to then was left to our imaginations.
Then, came the over-the-top, homo-erotic nonsense, Batman Forever & Batman and Robin which truly killed the franchise. In fact, the animated film, Mask of Phantasm was a way better film compared to the tripe that Schumacher churned.
And so, when it was announced that the man who blew my mind with Memento would have the unenviable task of breathing life back into one of comic's greatest heroes, I was wary but hopeful. Nolan did not disappoint, Bob Kane, Frank Miller & Alan Moore can be very proud of all 3 films.
Christopher Nolan's trilogy-saga will forever be entrenched in the minds of comic book fanboys and moviegoers alike as the definitive portrayal of Batman. The Nolan brothers & David S. Goyer deserve all the praise that come their way, watch all 3 films back-to-back and you will understand what I mean. The 10 hour trilogy can actually be a standalone feature and still give you all the travails of a graphic novel. This is by far one the greatest trilogies in film history.
Batman Begins revitalized a dying franchise which reached its zenith in The Dark Knight and delivered a poignant farewell in The Dark Knight Rises.
Billa 2 (2012)
Billa 2 - The Rise of a Don
Being a massive fan of 'Thala' Ajith since Amarkalam days, it is only natural that I entered the cinema with mountainous expectations. And as the film opened with Thala surrounded by goons, and he utters the now infamous dialogue of how he carefully crafted each and every single second of his life; my expectations skyrocketed. However, as a self- confessed connoisseur of gangster flicks, admittedly, the film fell short on certain aspects. I left the cinema with a tinge of could-have- been better in my head, although my heart thoroughly enjoyed it. The question though is how do I write this review, with my head or with my heart? I decided to go with a bit of both, so here goes.
The prequel to 2007's Billa lives up to a few things of its predecessor. In fact, I would go as far as to say the technical aspect of Billa 2 is simply brilliant. The fantastic cinematography of RD Rajasekhar, with his quick changing shots during the action sequences and the tonal changes the film goes through which perfectly essays the changes that the protagonist/antagonist David Billa experiences as he climbs the ladder towards what he sees as ultimate power; are cinematographic magic. The action sequences, choreographed by Stefan Richter & his team are well done; knives take centre stage in most of the early fights, while bullets take over later on. The stand-out scene has to be the helicopter stunt, where Thala hangs off the edge of the helicopter as he fights one of the baddies at an altitude of 3000-5000 feet. BGM by Yuvan is a massive highlight, as in many scenes it conveys emotions otherwise not seen on screen.
Sudhanshu Pandey is very convincing as the Big Kahuna, his looks suited the character of Abbasi very well; plus him dubbing in his own voice was a plus point. Yog Japee as Ranjeeth does well and he proves to be David Billa's right hand man from the get go and their relationship from 2007's Billa is well established here. The other smaller characters performed sufficiently with Rahman appearing briefly as Jagdeesh. On the other hand, the characterization of Dmitri is one-dimensional, although Vidyut Jamwal does well in his action sequences. Bruna Abdullah's Sameera is stunning in every frame she appears in, but adds very little value to the film, while Parvathy Omanakuttan's Jasmine wasn't really needed except for the added emotional quotient. The two lead actresses' roles could have been trimmed to one singular character instead. The bevy of beauties that appear in the item numbers ooze glamour all out.
Chakri Toleti shows his creative side in two great scenes, the intro and also the picturization of "Unnakule Mirugam"; both of which were amazing. The montage shot as the song plays was one of best picturizations of a mass song I have seen in a long time. One small qualm though, that the "Gangster " & "Unnakule Mirugam" songs had their places swapped instead. Having the montage of Billa at the end would have been more impactful for sure. Chakri does have a future in films if he continues to be experiment with shots, montages and action scenes. However, he could have made the screenplay more tauter. Despite its relatively short running time of 2 hours 7 minutes, the film lags a bit just before the interval, but then it's non-stop action as David Billa completes his journey and finally becomes "Don Billa". Thala Ajith Kumar, what can I say, he is a tour-de-force. Be it the action sequences or his dialogue delivery, I can safely say that there will never be a more convincing don in Tamil films in the near future. Thala's mass was apparent in the cinema, every single time he appears; he captures the audience's attention.
Overall, the film is a stylishly done gangster flick although, not as entertaining as the rip-roaring masala-laced Mankatha or as polished as 2007's Billa, yet it carves a niche of its own. Billa 2 – Paisa Vasool, Thala Marana Mass!!!