Iron Man 3 (2013)

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Iron Man 3 (2013)

Genre:     Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi | Superhero

Starring:  Robert Downey, Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall, Jon Favreau, Ben Kingsley, Stephanie Szostak, James Badge Dale, Ty Simpkins

Directed by: Shane Black

Rated: US: PG-13, UK: 12A, India: U/A

Running Time: 130 minutes 

Movie Review:
To tell you the truth - I so wanted to give this movie 10/10. But as they say 'hope in reality is the worst of all evils because it prolongs the torments of man.' and my first mistake was - after watching The Avengers (for 3 times in theater and several times on DVD - well I stopped counting after 3), I put all my hopes on Iron Man 3 and believed that it was going to be a masterpiece of a Super Hero Movies. Pity, it was not like that. Nevertheless, though Iron Man 3 did not deliver the way expected for it has a plot without vision and exploited villain far from what they were in the comics, this film did not disappoint in terms of action, comedy and visual effects.

Based on the character developed by Larry Lieber, Don Heck, Jack Kirby, Stan Lee - comic book writer, editor, publisher, media producer, television host, actor, voice actor and former president and chairman of Marvel Comics, Iron Man 3 is a fast pacing slapstick action comedy which concludes from where the The Avengers left. The near death experience of Tony Stark in The Avengers has resulted him to suffer post-traumatic stress disorder. Restless with his trauma - he has build up his personal Iron Man suits army. Being hubristic, he challenged a terrorist who, in return, devastate and tear apart his home and his pride (maybe) with it. Now its time for him to rebuild himself and return for vengeance, but wait! There is more to it, he also has one more enemy to deal with which can be the deadliest enemy he has ever met.

Robert Downey, Jr. is one actor with plethora of skills. You can always trust him for he will never let you down. With his skilled serious comedy and his ingenuous one liners, he can make you rofl. For the first time you can see less of Iron Man and more of Tony Stark who happens to have fighting skills regardless of the suit. Iron Man 3 is a well crafted visual  stunner and stick-to-couch kinda film which has a prolix run time of 130 minutes. It does not bore you but is not worth the storyline it has. Nevertheless this film is a worth watcher for its mesmeric effects, blood gushing action and brilliant 3d effects. But do not keep your expectations high, this film is relatively better than Iron Man 2 but don't think of comparing it with The Avengers. The Avengers was a masterpiece and Iron Man 3 is just a puzzle piece of the puzzle board The Avengers 2 is gonna provide. The more is yet to come.


 My Verdict:
I liked Iron Man 3, but did not love it. The story line is crappy but the way the film has been portrayed is amazing. There were some questions of which I did not get answer and I was a bit disappointed for the way they exploited the villainous characters from the comics. Also I felt that this film is worthlessly lengthy and few scenes should have been avoided to cut the length a bit and focus more on story. Nevertheless, Robert Downey, Jr. has always impressed me with his acting skills ( I wish someday I will see Downey with Johny Depp sharing the screen together - Man! It is gonna be a ride! Can actually we have a story so strong which can improvise both their acting skills? Hey! Directors - are you listening this?). But what amazed me was its stunning Vfx and hard core actions. Iron Man 3 is purely a scenic ride which you may love to enjoy in theater, just remember not to keep your expectation too high as you may have after watching Avengers.

Why See?: Visual effects, action, adventure, 3d effects

Why Not?: Crappy Storyline.

Rating: 7.5/10

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Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)

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Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)

Genre:     Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

Starring:  Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, John Cho, Alice Eve, Bruce Greenwood, Peter Weller, Benedict Cumberbatch, Anton Yelchin

Directed by: J. J. Abrams

Rated: US: PG-13, UK: 12A, India: U/A

Running Time: 133 minutes 

Movie Review:

After the magnificent performance by Star Trek in 2009, it was quite clear that a sequel was on the way, which took a long road to reach to the theater - Obviously 4 year is a long span when Marvel Comics did the whole The Avengers concept in 4 years - which includes 2 Hulk, 2 Iron Man, a Thor and a Captain America and finally - The Avengers... and mind my maths but it calculates what? 7 movies! Not that is what we call Business! And now when the sequel is here, it is sure to create some ripples with its jaw dropping visuals and astounding 3d effects. This is what Star Trek Into Darkness is all about, it is a refreshing film with a weak story line, which is unlikely as the predecessor came with flabbergasting visuals and resplendent storyline along with the cast ensemble which were just perfect for a Star Trek installment. And Star Trek Into Darkness promises the same, the difference being is its underwhelmed story which does not impress anyhow.

 Based on the series of the same name created by Gene Roddenberry, Star Trek Into Darkness is actually the 12th installment in the Star Trek film franchise which has been into continuation since 1979 when the first motion picture of Star Trek was released. The 2009 Star Trek was, however, a spinoff and took the Star Trek film franchise to a new level. But that does not mean that you have to watch each and every Star Trek to get hold of what exactly it is.

After bombing a secret installation in London, the starfleet agent John Harisson tries to kill the high ranking officers at starfleet, which result in deaths of several officers including Rear Admiral Christopher Pike. Harisson successfully escapes to a planet, which turns out to be Kilngton, the home planet of Kronos. Kronos are enemies to humans and now its time for the Starfleet Team which includes - Captain James Kirk, Spock, Dr. Leonard McCoy, Hikara Sulu, Nyota Uhura and many more, to go behind this fugitive with only two options - bring him back to justice or kill him for his evil deeds. The emotional Kirk, aghast by the death of Pike, is filled with rage and he is sure that he will end up killing Harisson. But Harisson is powerful and he know secrets that can shake the core of starfleet officers. And there is something new waiting for Kirk and his team, which is ruthless and ugly than Harisson himself. What will Kirk, Spock and their team gonna do? Watch out for this fast pacing adventurous yet dangerous ride with Kirk and his crew where they will save lives and more importantly, will save their dignity.

 My Verdict:

Star Trek Into Darkness is hell of a ride. With its appealing 3d effects, this film is a good to go. Just its storyline, which does not looks to be fresh and in the end - with all its whoa! effects, you may end up saying - 'I think I have watched films with similar story line'. But the place where it does not fail at all is - 'Entertainment'. Star Trek is visually perfect, with its jaw dropping sequences and its stunning visual effects, it takes you to a fast pacing adventurous ride where action and entertainment is guaranteed. And when you have your 3d glares on, you know that you took the right decision to go for this film because the 3d effect of this film, takes you to a magnificent joy ride.

Why See?: Visual effects, action, adventure, 3d effects

Why Not?: Storyline - which does not look fresh.

Rating: 7.5/10


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Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters (2013)

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 Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters (2013)

Genre:    Action | Fantasy | Horror

Starring:  Jeremy Renner, Gemma Arterton, Famke Janssen, Peter Stormare

Directed by: Tommy Wirkola

Rated: US: R, UK: 15, India: A

Running Time: 88 minutes 

Movie Review:
Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton as Witch Hunters? Sounds fun! So I had to see it, keeping my fingers crossed that it should go head-to-head with the same genre movies like Van Helsing (2004) or Brothers Grimm (2005). And Voilà! It was not that bad but the problem was... It was not that good either. Superior to Brothers Grimm and inferior to Van Helsing though, Hansel & Gratel is a time pass gory entertainer which promises nothing but fun.

A spinoff from German folk fairy tale by Brothers Grimm, Hansel & Gretel casts Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton as the duo siblings, who, because of the series of events happened in their childhood, are now the best known Witch Hunters. 11 kids have disappeared from a town of Augsburg, and they are just a part of a ginormous satanic scheme of witches. Hansel & Gratel have been appointed to find out the truth and slay the witches behind this evil act. But witches know them better than they know themselves, and they are more than ready for them so action is guaranteed.

Gemma Arterton is fabulous, and watching her fighting on the screen is enchanting. Jeremmy Renner cracked some nice one liners. The news had been that this film was delayed for 10 months, so that Jeremy Renner can complete his roles in highly anticipated Marvel's Avengers and The Bourne Legacy. Which means that Jeremy was always the first choice for this film and he has to perform real well, which he did. The plot is feeble though, which is really sad as this film had a high chances to be much much better.  Even the way of presenting a scene is mediocre at places. But as Vfx is good and this film is full of gore action which is the first demand of a evil hunting action flicks, this movie does not lack in that and turns out to be an 88 minutes of disappointing fun (A fun filled film which also disappoints simultaneously? Boy was that possible.... All hail to Timmy Wirkola.)

My Verdict:
I had high expectations from Hansel & Gratel: Witch Hunters. Even someone who would see the trailer would say the same. Though this film did not quench my curiosity much, but it did not disappoint me either. You want bloody action where witches are getting killed by some pretty cool gadgets and techniques - you would not want to miss it. But if an unpredictable and sensible plot is what you seek, this film will never meet your expectations. These pros n cons make this film an average entertainer which is fresh as movies of this genre has not been in the spotlight recently. But this film promise a better sequel (no no its not like that the movie does not end here, but a sequel is sure to come), and I will be waiting for the sequel.
  

Why See?: Intense action scene, good performance, good humor at times

Why Not?: Weak Storyline, less humor

Rating: 6/10

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Tranformers 3: Dark of the Moon (2012)

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Tranformers 3: Dark of the Moon (2012)

Genre:   Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

Starring:  Shia LaBeouf, Josh Duhamel, John Turturro, Tyrese Gibson, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Patrick Dempsey, Kevin Dunn, Julie White, John Malkovich, Frances McDormand

Directed by: Michael Bay

Rated: US: PG-13, UK: 12A, India: U/A

Running Time: 157 minutes 

Movie Review:
Decepticons are back! And this time they are loaded with more fire power, a super demoniac plan and a leader more powerful than Megatron himself. Autobots are going to feel on a weaker side and now its time for human to join the party and yell the 'kill-em-all' locution. This film had to be one of the most awaited movies of 2012, and for Transformers fans like me, every day of the countdown was a curious one. Everyone wanted it to be bigger, better and smarter than the predecessors, alas!

It is bigger of course (157 minutes duh! too much length for a sleazy plot), 'better' depends on your perception, to which, we will come later, but smarter? Hell no! (Mind my French :P) This film is a goof box if you are going to consider it a sci-fi film with some sense. It is too much to handle at a time, and I wonder how Michael Bay can be proud when everyone is gonna say - 'Hey! this scene is a complete nuisance!'. Action and style are surely Michael's cup of tea, but Basic Laws of physics? He well knows how to defy them from its core. But nevertheless, being a Transformers fan, you cannot miss this one so I have an advise -  'keep your expectations low', this is not anywhere better than Revenge of the Fallen or Transformers, except for its mind blowing action sequences and conspicuous CGI effects and remarkable 3d effects. If these are your criteria, you are surely gonna love this film, just do not give a damn about physics, sense and plot.

Based on Transformers action figures by Hasbro, Dark of the Moon  is the third installment to Transformers live action film series. Autobots have been working with human to capture 'decepticon punks' since three years of the previous encounter. Soon they realize that human have been hiding a long lost technology since the moon mission, 42 years back, where it was found. And now its time for Autobots to keep that in possession before Decepticon arrives and use it to destroy Earth and to pull Cybertrone - The ex home of the Transformers, to our Solar System (does not make sense? Yea exactly my point!).  But there is a space-craft hidden in moon and the secret inside it, can change the war's face to an unimaginable extent.

The way Michael Bay has shown the connection of secrets with moon's mission and the reason behind the sudden cease of man missions to moon is exuberant. After that, the plot goes incoherent. But as the Michael Bay film has always been, Dark of the Moon never goes out of style and presentation. When it comes to show action with style in jaw dropping way, Michael Bay has always proved himself an ace. Shia LaBeouf is a hard working actor and it shows, though there is nothing new about him to watch here.  The-miss-who-replaced-Megan-Fox aka Rosie Huntington-Whiteley is flawlessly pretty yet falls a step behind as an actress. But you cannot deny to the fact that she don't have to act much because when she is on the screen - all eyes are going to be on her. At some places you may find that dialogues have been put unnecessarily but it won't bother you as there is action everywhere to enjoy. Nonsensical plot cannot be avoided though, and it really bothers as absurdity at such level can be hard to digest. The length of the movie is too much as plot is not that intriguing, but CGI and action is. And CGI and action is all what is worth to see in this high end intensifying action flick

My Verdict:
Transformers: Dark of the Moon is a high end CGI live action film with mesmeric 3D effects whose fast paced action is really nail biting. But the way it defies common physics and its weak plot with high end absurdities is a major drawback and is unavoidable. Also some of the action sequences have been stretched too much that becomes difficult to assimilate all at a time, and hence the length of the movie is an issue. Thus, though being and excellent panorama of action, visual  and 3d effects, Dark of the Moon do not stand in the category of intelligent and excellent movies. Nevertheless, regardless of its flaws, this film excels in one thing and that is - Entertainment. Length can be an issue though but it keeps you engaged with its pace. It turns out to be a no-brainy hi-fi nifty action matinee which is worth to give a try, but is not a keeper.
  

Why See?: Mesmeric Vfx, action abundance, brilliant 3d, stylish.

Why Not?: Nonsensical scenes, logically whacky, lengthy.

Rating: 6.5/10

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Triangle (2009)

Triangle (2009)

Genre:  Psychological | Thriller

Starring:   Melissa George, Liam Hemsworth, Rachael Carpani

Directed by: Christopher Smith

Rated: US: R, UK: 15

Running Time: 99 minutes 

Movie Review:
Have you ever wished to see a film that boggles your mind and mess it up even after getting over with it? Triangle is one of those psychological thriller that plays with your mind, twists and turns your brain from the when-climax-starts to till-the-end. And even after it gets finished, it does not finishes terrifying your brain. The plot so intriguing and so unpredictable that you would not want to miss a single shot and may not be able to guess a single time what it has in the next scene. Only when it ends, you would know that the film has ended, but maybe your brain won't agree to it.

Written and directed by Christopher Smith, Triangle is a story of Jess (Melissa George) who lives with his autistic son and is invited for a sail on a yacht by friends. Soon they struggle for life as the yacht hits a storm which destroys the yacht. The only hope of survival is a ship sailing in the lonely sea. When they board the ship, to their surprise, the ship is deserted. But Jess is terrified, only to know that she has the feeling that she knows the ship, that she had been there, that its a deja vu' for her. Soon Jess realize that they are not alone, someone is there who is trying to kill them, Jess would do anything to get back to her son and only she can stop this terror but sooner or later she is going to realize the facts that are going to twist her life. This film does not only twist her mind, it plays with your mind simultaneously. It keeps you intrigued until it ends and when it ends, you realize that this film is still going on in your mind. Maybe even for days. Consider it as a warning! lol

My Verdict: Triangle is one of the best made psychological thrillers lately. It is one intelligent film that has a potential to keep your mind alive over what you saw and can keep your brain out of sync even after it ends. This film twisted my mind for three days when I first saw it. It is not easy to get over it once you find yourself involved in the film. Christopher Smith has written a plot so twisting that even if you try to find some goofs in it, you will think to do that the next time, because this time, you just want to see the twist and turns it has to keep you engaged. Triangle is not for people who are looking for a plain entertainment, if you have a heart for psychological thrillers then only go for this film. And if you don't know that you like psychological thrillers or not, then go for it as an experiment, maybe you will like it, but only if thrillers are your cup of tea. And if you interested to drink from this cup - Rent it right away!.

P.S.: Do not watch the trailer if you do not like the spoiler, watch the movie instead right away!

Oh! wait something is coming... What is it? A spoiler?? O Yea! 'This film is not for people who likes to find logic in everything - Even Transformers has no logic... Keep that in mind ;)'

Why See?: Twisting plot, intriguing story line

Why Not?: Only if bloodshed and psychological thrillers are not your type of films.

Rating: 7.5/10

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Changeling (2008)

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Changeling (2008)

Genre:  Drama | History | Mystery | Thriller

Starring:  Angelina Jolie, Jeffrey Donovan, John Malkovich, Jason Butler Harner, Colm Feore

Directed by: Clint Eastwood

Rated: US: R, UK: 15

Running Time: 141 minutes 

Movie Review:
Some stories come and go and some some stays with you forever, Changeling is one of those stories. The agonizing pain of a mother who can go to any extent to find her own son and to fight for the truth that the child the police found did not belong to her when the police itself is trying to prove that the child is hers and that she is delusional. And what makes it more heart touching is - it is based on a true story.

The power packed performance by Angelina Jolie and beautifully crafted by Clint Eastwood himself, Changeling is a story of love, grief, belief, faith, hope, strength and what not. When you start believing that it is in fact a true story, you automatically find yourself connected to it. It feels like Clint Eastwood has put his heart and soul to create this heart touching film, even, to my surprise, the background score is done by Eastwood himself who, along with Ron Howard, Brian Grazer and Robert Lorenz, is also a producer of the film. J. Michael Straczynski, the writer of Changeling has done some deep research, according to him - he drew 95% of the script from around 6,000 pages of documentation and it took him years to research the historical records. And his hard work has been paid of really well as the script is really a strong part of this film.

Changeling is based on real life incident connected to "Wineville Chicken Coop Murders" in 1928 where, about 20 children were slain by a barbaric psycopath killer Gordon Stewart Northcott. A mother in Los Angeles, comes home one day and finds her boy missing. She files missing report and after few months she is informed by the LAPD that the boy has been found. On the day of reunion she realizes that the boy they found is not her child but is an imposter. She tries to prove that the boy is not hers to city officials who surprisingly turns their back and prove that she is delusional. But her fight does not stop here and does she moves heaven & earth to prove herself right or is she really delusional and what it has to do with  Wineville Chicken Coop Murders makes the story so interesting that you would not want to leave your couch until you know what is going to happen next.

Changeling probes womanhood, motherhood, corruption, trauma, and much more. Angelina Jolie's emotional appearance is heart melting, cast ensemble is good and the story is strong. All in all it is a film that will impact your mind and will make you ponder over it.

My Verdict: Changeling teaches a lesson - 'You never start a fight, but you always finish it.' No, no, do not learn that lesson from the film...lol. It actually teaches that no matter what, if you believe that what you believe is the real truth, than no matter, if the whole world is against you, you fight for it and prove that you are right. The emotional outcome of Changeling and powerful performance by Angelina Jolie makes this movie a must to see. And when you know that this is a true story, it will come to you as a surprise that 1928 was a turmoil for Los Angeles. The only drawback of this film is its slow pace - as a Clint Eastwood directed movie use to be. Maybe it is because Eastwood did not want to miss the emotional thread this movie carries. But Changeling is for me, one of the finest movie of 2008. Its a Keeper.

Why See?: True story, strong plot, well acted, surprising elements.

Why Not?: Nothing particular but it has a slow pace.

Rating: 8/10

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Lincoln (2012)

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Lincoln (2012)

Genre:  Biography | Drama | History | War

Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, David Strathairn, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, James Spader, Hal Holbrook, Tommy Lee Jones

Directed by: Steven Spielberg

Rated: US: PG-13, UK: 12A, India: U

Movie Review:

Lincoln, a plethora of acting, directing and screenplay finesse', is a splendid film made so well that no one could have made this movie better than the one of the finest director Spielberg himself.

Lincoln has been outstandingly directed, beautifully acted and effectively written and is going to be in the hall of fame for one of the finest movies ever made on Abraham Lincoln and also one of the finest film of 2012. Tony Kushner, the man behind its screenplay shall be widely applauded for his mesmeric dialogues and astonishing writing skills. Daniel Day-Lewis aka Lincon, Sally Field and Tommy Lee Jones along with other ensembles have set a milestone of acting geniuses with this film.

Based on some parts the biographic book 'Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln' by Doris Kearns Goodwin, Lincoln depicts the last four months of Abraham Lincoln's life focusing mostly on Lincoln's effort to abolish slavery in United States by achieving the passage through the constitutional amendment. But the task is tougher than it looks, as the American Civil War is winding up to a conclusion and peace is going to prevail soon, and if the peace comes before the amendment is passed, the amendment will not get the chance to become a law. How did Lincoln managed to pass it, what cost he had to pay for it, is all you would love to see.

Lincoln has shown how difficult it was to get the equality for humanity in United States and teaches a lessson to respect the freedom at any cost. Daniel Day-Lewis is an actor that will be remembered for his role as Abraham Lincoln for a long long time and Tony Kushner's writing skill along with Spielberg's direction has made a film that is a Great Tribute to a Great Man ie., Abraham Lincoln.

This film is more of a political drama than being a biopic which can be difficult to understand for people who are not into politics much. Also it does not explains history much so you may have to do a bit of homework if you are unaware of political terms and history behind the 13th amendment.  But this film unfolds few stories which were not known to people that happened during that period which can make you ponder over the situations of that time.

My Verdict: Lincoln is an exploration of the era when the 16th President of United States of America aka Abraham Lincoln was fighting his own war to abolish slavery by adding a law into the constitution. This film is an acting, direction, writing gem. The only drawback is that its more of a political drama than being a biopic which, though a demand of the film, can be confusing for people who are not into politics or history that follows.

Why See?: Well written, beautifully directed and well acted film which unfolds many aspects that should be known to the people who are interested to know about the abolishment of slavery in United States of America.

Why Not?: Only if you totally hate politics or you are not familiar with political terms and way it works.

Rating: 8/10

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