Oz The Great And Powerful

Sam Raimi is no mean name in the business of entertainment.  He has given us a superbly webbed trilogy (how corny is that???) over the past decade – one that I am told, held the record for the best opening ever for a really long time.  With Oz The Great And Powerful, Raimi gives us yet another reason to celebrate.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

And yes the rumours are true – The Rise of the Planet of the Apes has nothing to do with The Planet of the Apes starring Mark Wahlberg which released in 2001 OR for that matter the Charlton Heston version 33 years before its remake. This one works the other way round actually. The previous two spoke about how the lead cast find themselves in a planet where the Apes are way ahead in terms of civilization and how homo sapiens sapiens come to terms with the existence of such a race. However, this one is far more normal to begin with but over the course of the movie kind of morphs itself into yet another one of those sci fi movies which you take at face value and assume that it is possible. Don’t watch TROTPOTA (that acronym itself is so long one would forget the movie before it starts) unless you would go to the movies to watch something totally real (which would make you someone who doesn’t like James Bond).
Will Rodman (James Franco) is a scientist who is working on a cure for Alzhiemers through Genetic Engineering. He has been working on it for quite a while (I could have been fooled considering that he hasn’t aged one bit in his job – would have started quite early in life). He works for an organization called Gen Sys and he boss, Steven Jacobs (David Oyelowo) like any average business man is clear that he is willing to invest more money in the project provided there is some progress. Will thinks that they has been a lot of progress made thanks to a chimp which the project fondly calls Bright Eyes shows loads of improvement. However, hell breaks lose for no apparent reason and Bright Eyes goes on a Gen Sys destruction spree only to lose her life. Jacobs orders all the other chimps to be put down. However, Bright Eyes has left a baby just before she died. Turns out she was only trying to be protective. But she has passed on the strain to Ceaser.

One would find it quite obvious that loads of scenes in the movie have actually used the “green screen” or in other words appear pasted. It is quite surprising in this day and age considering the extent of technology that we have access to. And then there is James Franco who continues to be just about average. I am totally convinced that Franco got his nomination for 127 Hours purely on sympathy. I mean he is good alright but doesn’t seem to get under the skin of his character like a lot of actors from his age do like Leo DiCaprio if I were to name one. Freida Pinto is just part of the furniture and nothing more. The movie pretty much belongs to Ceaser and no one else – in terms of focus that is. The transition from just average intelligence to one that yearns to lead a pack of apes and does it successfully is shown quite well. One of the few good things about TROTPOTA. Not too great or too bad actually. 5 on 10 is what I would give it. The hall was full however, so I guess the world would beg to differ.

Watch the trailer at http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi1615502617/

127 Hours

I think I have finally cracked the solution to make really really really big bucks. One has to do something that is super duper stupid under the pretext of having a “sense of adventure”. Maybe play with severely poisonous snakes or crocodiles like that guy from down under used to do. Or follow the footsteps of our protagonist and walk into the Grand Canyon. Alone. And make it a point that you don’t inform anyone – I repeat – don’t mention it to a soul as to where you are headed. They may just about prevent you from taking a step towards your first zillion. Just ensure that in the bargain you don’t kill yourself. Someone else will take all the money instead.

Aron Ralston (James Franco) in one adventure crazy dude. There is no other way I can describe him. His idea of a great time is to take off on the weekend and explore areas of the Canyon around Utah. Just random exploration. And he likes to take challenges that are otherwise not imaginable. If it has to do with the canyon then he would happily hop onto the band wagon and have a super duper time. And if he doesn’t have company – who the hell wants it anyways. He is perfectly capable of doing it on his own.

This particular weekend, he does exactly that and heads out to The Great Drop. A quick drive followed by about 20 kms on his bike and then a bit of a walk and he should be there. The bible for the Canyon has been written by Blue John (Fenton Quinn) who used to be the right hand man of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (Blue John makes a brief appearance in the movie when Aron drops into one of his hallucinations). Now Blue John says it will take 4.5 hours to get to this spot but our hero would like to do it in under 3:45. And he seems to be on course. But en route some distraction of the female kind – Kristi (Kate Mara) and Megan (Amber Tamblyn) – 2 damsels in distress who have lost their way. Keeping his aim for the record aside (I would if it were him and women looked like either Kristi or Megan), he decides to show the women a good time – which he manages successfully. Soon enough he finds himself on the way back towards the Great Drop. But a few minutes later, a large, extremely heavy loose rock also finds its way onto his right hand, rendering our man immobile. The count down to 127 hours has begun.

Now Aron Ralston is no fool. After he managed to get himself out (yes that’s the good news) of his mess, he decided to write a book about it. Its aptly titled, “Between a Rock and a Hard Place”. And in 2010, one of the most over rated directors in the world, Danny Boyle, sees his opportunity to make a few million bucks by making a movie out of this example of rank stupidity. And what do you know – it gets nominated for a few Oscars as well. Danny Boyle has this knack of making his movies look and feel much larger than life like he did with Slumdog and The Beach (haven’t seen Trainspotting yet). Does he deserve an Oscar nomination over Christopher Nolan – definitely not. Is he going to give the heebeejeebies to his co-nomiated directors? Probably not. Superb editing has been the hallmark of all movies from Boyle’s table to date and that continiues. His use of brilliant sound and light is probably responsible for getting the nomination. Coming to the acting part, James Franco’s best performance to date, but it will not be able to push Colin Firth from being the favourite for the Best Actor Award. Rahman’s music is again not his best to date. Overall an enjoyable movie but not Oscar winner kinds. Above average on all counts but not the best on any. 7 on 10.

Watch the trailer at http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi768149785/

Eat Pray Love

There are movies where the book is better and there are movies where the movie is better. And then there is the type where both are probably as good. I was a few pages down Eat Pray Love when I could not take the risk of the movie leaving the screens in Mumbai. It had been 2 weeks since the release. Plus my schedules were going downright crazy. Could not catch up with completing the book. So just went right ahead. I am not sure, in which category would EPL (not the soccer variety) fall into but I am kind of willing to stick my neck out and say it would be the third variety.


Elizabeth Gilbert (Julia Roberts) is a thirty something author who is in a marriage to Stephen (Billy Crydup) which dreams are made of. Settled, big house, well to do husband and her own career going northwards. And the prospect of going the family way also seemingly around the corner. But what if she doesn’t want any of this? What if she is not ready to be a mother? What if she suddenly realizes that the past few years were nothing but a mistake? That she is not the kinds who is willing to settle down in the first place. That her choice of getting married was probably the biggest mistake of her life? – BITCH is what most of us would call her isn’t it?

But then, Ms. Gilbert finds herself in exactly this position. After days on end of crying herself to sleep and trying to figure out what she prefers – Being called a bitch or staying in a marriage that is not what she wants. Liz takes option 1. Which I personally believe is the choice one needs to have the courage to make. Seriously what is the point of being in a relationship, friendship or whatever one wants to call it if one is just not interested – isn’t it? So Liz makes the choice of bailing out on her marriage.

In between all of this on a trip to Bali she meets Ketut Liyer, a medicine man who predicts that Liz would lose everything, come back to Bali for a few months and then make everything that she lost back. True to Ketut’s prediction, when she returns and breaks her wedding, she actually loses everything that she has made coz Stephen decides to take her to the cleaners. Somewhat on the rebound, she finds herself in love with David (James Franco) an actor. But is still not able to find any happiness. She finally decides to quit everything and follow her heart to three places – Italy (Eat), India (Pray) and Indonesia (Love).

I am totally in awe of Julia Roberts. I don’t think there is any role that she cannot play. And when there is an opportunity to play a serious character role like that of Liz Gilbert, she comes out on tops totally. Just like she did with Erin Brockovich. The classic example of a method actor. I am certain that she takes the concept of getting under the skin of her character to the highest possible level. The more I think about her, the only word that comes to mind is ETHEREAL. The rest of the cast is quite good but pale in comparison to her just because of the sheer presence that she gets to the screen. And had it not been for the magical Javier Bardem who plays the role of Filepe, it would have probably been called The Julia Roberts Show and not Eat Pray Love.

Director Ryan Murphy is known for the TV Series Glee. Now in the past I have said that TV directors should stick to TV. But Mr. Murphy seems to be out to prove me wrong. Slightly stretched but I guess it had to be for the book @ hand. And specifically, the India segment was probably not handled with the best of finesse. At the end of the day, I think he does a pretty good job out of it. Some poignant moments especially when Richard from Texas (Richard Jenkins) breaks down in front of Liz while telling her his story and what got him to India for the past 10 years. All in all, EPL is a pretty good watch. Scores 6 on 10 in my books. But more importantly another potential Oscar nomination for Julia Roberts on the cards.

In the Valley of Elah

Hank (Tommy Lee Jones) and Joan (Susan Sarandon) Deefield are an elderly couple who have lost one of their sons to war. Their second son Mike (Johnatan Tucker) also joins the army, much to the disappointment of his mother. He returns to the US and surprisingly goes AWOL - Absent Without Leave for those who are unfamiliar with Army parlance. Its very unlike Mike not to have called.



After waiting for a couple of days, Hank who is a retired Military Police Sergeant decides to follow up with the MP and people at the base. A two day drive gets him there but most of them prove largely unhelpful. Other than expressing their concern and surprise, no one is able to give any leads. The officer leading the investigation Lt. Kirklander (Jason Patric) stonewalls any questions that Hank may have.


Luckily, when Hank visits Mike’s quarters, he manages to squeeze out his old mobile phone – illegitimately of course. A local phone / computer geek offers to help Hank with the images / videos that are stored in the phone which is in badly damaged condition. With no choice left, Hank accepts the offer and leaves the phone there. Maybe…just maybe it may have some evidence that would lead him to Mike.


Not happy with the progress @ the base, Hank decides to go to the local police where he meets Detective Emily Sanders (Charlize Theron). Unfortunately, since the case involves the army, the only people who are authorized to investigate are the MP. Sanders and the other detectives refuse to help.


Coincidentally, that very night, the local police is called to investigate a badly burnt body that was found close to the military base. Before further investigations can take place, the army intervenes and claims the property to be theirs and hence out of local police jurisdiction. The local police is more than glad to give up. Kirklander then calls Hank over to the base to identify the body which they have placed as Mike, thanks to a partial fingerprint. The MP now believes that Mike was involved with some drug dealers and was a mule for them and the Drug Dealers were responsible for the murder. The investigation strongly takes shape towards this theory.


Unconvinced and obviously not to pleased that the MP is handling the case, Hank hounds Sanders till she takes him to the spot of the crime. Sanders and Hank then come together using Hank’s experience as an MP and Sanders’ intent of proving a point that she is as capable of being a detective in a male dominated job.


Paul Haggis has in each of his attempts created a super movie. Although ITVOE does not have the concept of parallel story lines that Crash had, it is equally layered and explores the myriad of emotions that people go through. How do old parents feel when they are informed that their only son is no more and no one knows why? What goes through the mind of an up and coming woman in a man’s world when she is continuously ridiculed and questioned on her way up? How does an officer in the army put duty before the truth so that the army does not have to face the brunt of it?


Could not have thought of anyone better to execute the role of Hank and Joan Deerfield. Tommy Lee Jones’ intensity on screen is incomparable. I probably use the word “intensity” too often in my reviews but isn’t that what acting is all about. Susan Sarandon is simply brilliant in what could probably be the smallest role that she has played in her life. And then there is Charlize Theron who cannot but give her best to every single role that she does.


Paul Haggis has successfully portrayed the pressures that defence personnel go through. The day to day experiences of an average private in the US Army OR for that matter a Jawan in the Indian Army have severe repercussions both physically and psychologically. It handles the sensitive topic of Post Traumatic Stress in as bold a manner as possible.


In the Valley of Elah was nominated for the Best Movie in the 2008 Academy Awards. Cant quite remember who it lost out to. But it ought to have been brilliant enough. Else Paul Haggis would have got his 2nd oscar for sure. Surprisingly, Katherine Bigelow made it with the Hurt Locker that handles a similar issue albeit in a with a different perspective.


Definitely a 8 on 10 in my books. However be forewarned that the pace is quite slow and the movie is dialogue intensive.