Machine Gun Preacher

Marc Forster has given us quite a few movies over the years which are memorable. Not in the league of a cult movie but just about enough to leave a lasting impression. Finding Neverland, Quantum of Solace, Monster’s Ball and that really cool movie called Stranger Than Fiction which I had rated as a 7 on 10. So it came to me as a bit of a surprise that the in the first half of Machine Gun Preacher, I felt a bit let down and as my movie mate in Bangalore, Kevin Mendonca, stated, “Not able to connect with it”. I think somewhere Forster took just a tad too long to get to the actual crux of the topic which was the orphanage in the war zone between South Sudan and Northern Uganda. Forster peels off layer by layer of the Sam Childers (Gerard Butler) onion. Could he have made it a bit faster and a bit more tight – I would guess so. I have seen most of his movies and haven’t found them to be ones that meander about aimlessly. Maybe he had a solid creative reason for taking it slow but I thought he could have ct about 15 to 20 minutes of the movie which lasts eventually for over 2 hours. Makes a world of a difference to the audience and critics alike.

The posters may belie your expectations about Machine Gun Preacher. I had seen the trailer a while back and could not recollect the South Sudan part till I walked into the hall. It was an eventuality before they made a movie on the South Sudan formation was the thought that crossed my mind. But it turns out that MGP was about anything but random conflict between nations. It is the true story of one man’s steely determination to not give up on the one thing that finally gives his life some purpose. From his days of being a biker gangster and drug dealer, Sam Childers came back home to a wife, Lynn (Michelle Monaghan) who has quit stripping to be a born again Christian. But Sam wanted nothing to do with it. He decided to stick to his gangster ways till he killed a hitchhiker in self defence and eventually finds the path to god. He visited Africa to do some social work but the experience influenced him like nothing else in his life and drove him towards starting the orphanage.

Trauma to the Lips, A child killing his mother, land mines blowing kids legs away, Children being burnt to death, snipers who are no more than 10 years old – Marc Forster has tried to make it as real as he possibly could. The version on screen these days seems to be heavily and obviously censored. As the movie moves along, it distinctly grows on you and you begin to relate with Childer’s statement towards the end, “If your child was abducted by a mad man or a terrorist and if I could tell you that I would get her home, would it matter to you how I got her back”? 7 on 10 yet again for Forster’s capability to keep the movie as true to life as possible and Gerard Butler’s solid portrayal of Childers.

Watch the trailer at http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi3407191065/

The Spy Next Door

Bob Ho (Jackie Chan) is a plumber by profession and he stays in a quiet suburb somewhere in the US. He is of Chinese origin (of course) and is single. He is an exceptionally sweet guy to say the least and helps the people of his neighbourhood at the drop of a hat. Especially if the person is Gillian (Amber Valletta) who is his next door neighbor. With Gillian he doesn’t have much of a choice honestly. He is well and truly head over heels about her. A fact that Gillian is well aware of and endorses. So much that she has already said yes to his proposal for marriage. Something that hasn’t gone too well with Gillian’s 3 kids – Farren (Madeline Carroll), Ian (Will Shadley) and Nora (Alina Foley). I would be unfair if I said that all 3 hate him. It would seem that Ian and Nora are fine but are under the influence of Farren who is Gillian’s step daughter actually. So as you can see, it is all a very complicated situation that these five people find themselves in.

Complicated? You must be kidding me. Ho is regarded as one of the best spies to ever have existed in the world and is on loan from Chinese Intelligence. In fact, he goes by the pseudonym – Super Spy Man – in most inner circles of spydom. He also has a lovely song that has been written for him like there is one for Spiderman or Fireball XL5 (if you remember). In short, he is a revered person in his circles. And he has already called out to his colleagues Colton James (Billy Ray Cyrus – I thought the only time he acted was in Hannah Montana) and Glaze (George Lopez) that he is on his last assignment which has to do with the capture of renowned world terrorist and most wanted Poldark (Magnús Scheving). After that he will retire for good and settle down with Gillian and her 3 children. He does catch Poldark in the first few minutes of the movie. But then the movie would be finished right? And as expected Poldark manages to escape!!!!

The Spy Next Door is one of the four movies of Jackie Chan that released last year. And for those who do not know, he turned 57 this April. 57!!!! And I am struggling to get to work @ 36. He does 4 movies that involved all of his antics and more in the same year???? He is indeed Super Spy Man. I have always loved Jackie Chan for his absolutely humility on and off screen that makes him an actor who is so sought after no matter what genre of movies you like. I have yet to meet anyone who really hates Jackie Chan movies. If there are any, I say – get a life guys. The man has enthralled us for nearly 50 years now. And with stunts that most people cannot even imagine. I liked The Spy Next Door since it is vintage Jackie Chan again. The rest of the cast pales in comparison. They do their jobs for certain but it is the Jackie Chan Show all the way. You will not get bored for the 90 odd minutes that the movie runs for. Director Brian Levant ensures that there are enough and more action sequences with the little master and lots of slapstick comedy also thrown in. I may not a give it a great score at 6 on 10 but I do believe that it is extremely enjoyable for both Jackie Chan fans or otherwise alike.

Watch the trailer at http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi3031631129/