typical me!!!

Amazing, the best sequel released this year.

I can still remember the time I went to see The Bourne Identity back in my college days, not having a clue what kind of a movie it was gonna be. At that time I couldn’t connect the dots between Matt Damon and action movie. I liked it. The Bourne Supremacy was even complicated and better.

The Bourne Ultimatum seemed more clever, neat close shot stunts, good editing IMO and had an amazing cast, some of the best actors from my list of good actors, David Strathairn(Good Night and Good Luck), Albert Finnney( Big Fish, Miller’s Crossing) and of course Matt Damon and Joan Allen( The Upside of Anger) too. Shaky camera shots I didn’t mind which by the end I thought it fitted well with the context of the movie making it more original unlike other action movies. Paul Greengrass delivered with very much of ruggedness and style, making this movie pretty much a good experience.

As I mentioned, out of all the sequels released this year this was the best.

****1/2

P.S Well prestidigitator pointed out that it needed more credit than being compared with sequels or movies this year. Maybe the review didn’t hit the spot.

Bourne Supremacy is already there in my top 20 Action/Adventure list along with Star wars series, Die Hard 1, The Matrix . The Bourne Ultimatum also deserves to be in the list.

Even though I abhor the idea of Cricket being watched in every house, every time( mostly because I can’t watch other programmes during that time), I couldn’t help but be excited that Yuvraj Singh had hit six sixes in an over. Finally it was good to watch India bat, every batsman did their thing, but right there when India started to bowl, my mind reached the hate cricket mode. Even though India did win the match, it was a hopeless victory.

…and in the news was about the new ShahRukhKhan movie much hyped up multi cameoed ‘ Om Shanti Om’, was about two distributing companies who bagged the distributing rights for a very large sum of money attracted the Income tax people, and the usual that happens, happened. Apparently ShahRukhKhan underwent physical training to build up a six pack Abs for the movie. Everybody watches the ‘monkey faced’ King Khan, all WOW’ing and OOH’ing like they’ve never seen another guy with six pack abs, both men and women. If one goes to construction site, one can see many men with them. How come they don’t get all that? And mind you, it was the same ShahRukhKhan that made fun of Salman Khan(not in a bad way though) in a Clinic Plus ad.

Last weekend I saw a Malayalam film, ‘Arabi Katha’, which is a story about a communist “cuba” Mukundan. Mukudan will do anything for his pary “The Communist People Party” and will do nothing to bring a bad name to his party.According to him the promised land are Cuba and China, where communism still upheld. But when something terrible happens, he has no choice than to go to Dubai to work. Hence the name “Arabi Katha” (An Arabian Tale) . The movie sends across mixed views to one’s mind about keralites working in the gulf countries. Even though this movie is no heights of Film making, it’s got it’s humorous side and some good characters.

Cast: Nikki Blonsky, Zac Effron, John Travolta, Christopher Walken, Michelle Pfiefer, Queen Latifah, Britanny Snow, Amanda Bynes, James Marsden

My Rating : **** 

Tonight’s show with Jay Leno had Cuba Gooding Jr. and Zac Efron as Guests, that’s when I realised that I didn’t write the review of Harispray. Ususally I don’t fancy anything that is over enthusiastic. Hairspray didn’t turn out to be that, it is a totally energetic musical with a cool cast. Hairspray is a about a young light hearted girl’s dream to make it to a popular dance show, Corny Collins Show and a fight against racial discrimination.

Good songs, good performance by the cast and a special mention about Christopher Walken’ s witty performance who always put a smile on one’s face even though we don’t get to see him dance like in the Fatboy Slim video, but he does dance. John Travolta, did not live up the expectations ( that’s the thing…even though of his previous movies, i still expect him to perfom well everytime). A typical movie to ease off one’s mind.

Finally…. After almost three months of waiting, the movie has released over here. I think the master print of the DVD must be out.

Unlike Fight Club and Se7en, this David Fincher movie is not about thrills. This movie is based on the book by Robert Graysmith, which he wrote based on the case files, who happens to be the main protagonist in this movie played by Jake Gyllenhaal. The movie reels around three characters Paul Avery, crime reporter(Robert Downey Jr.), Dave Toschi, a police detective (Mark Ruffalo) and Robert Graysmith, a political cartoonist(Jake Gyllenhaal) who in their own ways are obsessed about the then serial killer, Zodiac.

The investigation starts off when The San Francisco Chronicle receives letters and ciphers from the Zodiac killer, who wanted the news of his killings to be in the Front page. Paul Avery, a writes the articles regarding the Zodiac. Robert Graysmith, who also works in the Chronicle becomes interested in the ciphers send by the killer. Detective Dave Toschi, comes close to solving the case by catching the suspect, until the Department realizes that the handwriting from the letters and from the suspect does not match.

Robert through his obsession decides to write a book on the Zodiac case files, continues the investigation, getting help from the people who before investigated about the Zodiac.

The case went on for 25 years. The case still remains unsolved. The Zodiac committed 5 murders and took credit for the other killings which he did not commit.

Good movie. Stunning soundtrack. Commendable performances by Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr., and Mark Ruffalo. Made sit at the edge of the seat for two and a half hours, even though slow paced.

I’ll give it ****.

It’s been a long time since I blogged. Actually I think about posting everyday, but it’s either the lack of ideas or most of the time it’s presnting the ideas in a decent, readable, understandable way. Everybody get’s ideas. That’s blogging and I intend to get better. Someday. I hope.

Over here I’m trying to get ‘Ratatouille‘, and the cbr format of the 52 Countdown series. I just figured out that using bittorrent is different from lime wire. What am I supposed to do?

I saw Paris, Je t’aime a month back, but the thing is that I feel that I can’t give a decent review for that movie. All I can say is that, it’s a good movie and I’ll give it ****.

Die Hard 4.0…that’s what the name of the movie is in India, not Die Hard or Live free. Even though I thought it might suck since it’s a PG-13 movie. It’s like “C’mon what good is a die hard movie when it’s a PG-13 .” Some year for Hollywood, 4 sequels out and one more is on it’s way. Soon we’ll have only sequels. Every movie name will have a number beside it. It’s starting out over here in India. Dhoom:2. Soon for originality it’ll be Dhoom returns, which is not original. We’ll even have Sholay 2: Gabbar Returns.

Anyway I’ll give Die Hard 4.0, ***1/2

But what Happened After the Die Hard movie was the real highlight. It was the day when it rained heavily in Mumbai and I walked in the flood against the current for around 10 kilometers. It was quite an experience. Apparently I along with 3 others were the only ones who was pretty much shocked about the floods in the beginning. Everybody else were having their time of their life. One group were playing cricket(or some game…I can’t remember). Another were sitting on top of somebody else’s car with booze. A group of three were having their evening stroll in the floods.The water was in the height of around 3 feet. I just have to exaggerate it and tell it as a story to my grand kids someday. I’ll be their Hero.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truman_Capote

Capote is a film which reels around the life of Truman Capote during his literary phase of his non-fiction novel, ‘ In Cold Blood: A True Account of a Multiple Murder and Its Consequences‘, which he researched along with his childhood friend Harper Lee(To kill a Mockingbird). The book is regarding the murder of a family in Kansas. The film shows how Truman Capote manipulates one of the killers, Perry Smith in order to get information for his book as in why he commited the murders.He later sympathizes and then befriends him.

One wouldn’t be surprised why Philip Seymour Hoffman got a Oscar for his portrayel as the gossiping, non-masculine Capote. Actually in my opinion non-debatable. The other actors were good as Philip, especially Clifton Collins Jr. who played Perry Smith. This rather slow film almost got me emphathise with Perry Smith’s character until he murdered the family. Good Film.

Rating : ****

“You take down one Ocean, you face them all. What are the odds of getting even?”

They wanted money and one wanted to get his love back, so they went to heist a casino. Then they had no choice and they went on to heist in Amsterdam where another one’s love is. This time the love intersets are mising whereas everthing else is the same. Reuben after losing his land to Willy Banks leaving him almost bankrupt, inspite of knowing the kind of person he is , gets a heart attack(too bad he didn’t check with his palmist this time) and the Oceans want revenge.

This time Terry Benedict provides them finance for the heist and and Roman Nagel( the guy who got them the 3D egg in Oceans 12) joins the gang. The Film is hilarious, clever, and the characters were good(as usual).

The film looked good. Split screens, rusty picture( looks like Steven Soderbergh used that special HD Digital cam in this movie too), dialogues, no time wasted and fun it was.

Danny and Rusty: Suave

Terry Benedict: Not as cool he was shown in the trailer.

Linus: Gets to be a major player and watch out for the time he gets caught.

Basher: “It’s nice working with proper villans again”, heehee. What good is the Oceans gang without him.

Malloy twins: The funniest characters in this movie. This time you think they won’t fight and ……there they did it.

Saul: . Watch out for his accent.

The Amazing Yen: He sure is the grease man this time.

Livivngston Dell: nervous wreck.

Frank: “They might as well call it White Jack.” nuff said.

Reuben: The smile on his face when he comes back after his attack. Priceless.

Willy Bank: Cheat. Jackass. Even though Al Pacino not at his best, he sure was the only man fit to be against all the Oceans after Terry Benedict.

All in all a ***3/4.

I’ve always wondered ” How will this movie be ?”. I’ve only seen few musicals, I can even name them Seven Brides for seven brothers, Oh! Brother, Where art thou?. That’s it I guess and these two films remained in my top 15 or 20 for a very long time. So I decided to buy Grease. At first I thought it wouldn’t be that good, but except for John Travolta’s gay walk( well I know it was required in the film), I totally enjoyed it. Especially all the songs and the dances. Very good choreography. Makes you think how crazy the 70s were. All that Gel and small clicks.

Pirates of the Caribbean : At World’s End

Well, I totally enjoyed the film unlike the others who came along with me to see the film. It was 3 hrs long and I really didn’t mind. Maybe because I am a Pirates of the Caribbean fan. It was fun and I guess the predicton I did in the post remains the same ***3/4. Amazing cast. Witty Jack Sparrow…was good as usual, Keith Richards was amusing. Geoffry Rush back as Barbosa was fun too. Chow Yun Fat was k.

Crazy ol’ me will go for Oceans 13 coming week. damn it really is the 3-quels year. Four consecutive weekends Spidey, Shrek, Pirates and then the Oceans.

Spideman III

Ok…Spiderman III wasn’t as good as the second part, but that did not mean that this is a bad movie. It had awesome graphics, cool looking villans, Sandman and Venom. I liked the Green Goblin character unlike Spiderman I, the costume of the Green Goblin was more than satisfactory.

I’d give this film a *** 1/2

Shrek the Third

Shrek the third is fun, but not that much as the previous two movies. It has some of the good laugh, like the death of the Frog King and some of the sarcastic funny moments when Shrek encounters Arthur and Merlin. Shrek the third was just satisfactory, but shrek is supposed to satisfactory.

I’d give this one ***

Tomorrow I will see Pirates of the Carribean: At World’s End. I don’t have my hopes high, but Cap’n Jack Sparrow will be good and Barbosa is back. I see no reason why it let me down.

Prediction: ***3/4

But most of all I think Oceans 13 is gonna rock. Atleast by the trailer I think so.

Predictions: ****

Voilà! In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of fate. This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is a vestige of the vox populi, now vacant, vanished. However, this valorous visitation of a bygone vexation stands vivified, and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin vanguarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition. The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta held as a votive, not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous. Verily, this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose, so let me simply add that it’s my very good honor to meet you and you may call me V.

– V’s introduction to Evey