The character of
Ant Man is over 50 years old – 53+ to be precise. It debuted in 1962 and about 17 years on, he
appeared on Saturday Night Live. Of
course, it wasn’t remotely popular as the other “mans” around that time which
would probably explain the 5 decades that we’ve had to wait for the big screen debut
of a character which will be part of the Avengers next year.
Showing posts with label Michael Douglas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Michael Douglas. Show all posts
Friday, 24 July 2015
Monday, 17 February 2014
The Game
If I were get
around to making a list of my favourite directors, David Andrew Leo Fincher would
definitely be on that list without a shadow of doubt. In his 3rd movie (after Alien3
(1992) and Se7en (1995), Fincher comes up with yet another brilliant concept. I remember having seen The Game around 15-16
years back to the date and I was completely blown away.
Sunday, 17 November 2013
Last Vegas
When you have Michael
Douglas, Morgan Freeman, Kevin Kline and Robert DeNiro together, you know that
you have to make a beeline to the nearest screen that is showing the
movie. Now this is a guaranteed formula
for success because you know that whatever is written in the script, these guys
will ensure that it doesn’t look bad even if the scriptwriter has tried is best
to make it look horrible.
Luckily for us, Dan
Fogelman (Cars, Cars 2, Tangled, Bolt) is a good scriptwriter. He maintains his style that you may have seen
in feature films (not animated) like Crazy Stupid Love. So we have funny situations that are backed
with a flavor of slapstick but for some reason, seem better than just tasteless
one liners. So now all John Turtletaub
had to do was get the casting right and let the actors do their thing.
Billy (Michael
Douglas), Paddy (Robert De Niro), Archie (Morgan Freeman) and Sam (Kevin Kline)
are best of buddies since they were 6 years old somewhere in the 50s. Now, 58 years later, Paddy is mourning the
loss of his childhood sweetheart and wife.
Archie is divorced and struggling with a bad heart and is under house
arrest. Sam is totally in love with his
wife of 40 years but has several replaced bones in his body.
Billy is a
successful business man of sorts who has stayed single all these years. He is nearly 70 and decides that the best
time to get hitched is now. So at a good
friend’s funeral, he is giving a eulogy and suddenly decides to deviate from
that and propose to his girlfriend. The
problem – Lisa (Bre Blair) is old enough to be his daughter – maybe even his
granddaughter (I know I am stretching it).
The four friends
decide to gang up for old time’s sake by giving a bachelor party to Billy. And therefore the movie is titled on a
thought that it could well be their Last party ever. Ergo – Las(t) Vegas. Corny as it may seem, that is what you are
also in for in the movie. Don’t walk in expecting some stunning one liners that
you will remember for the rest of your life.
Walk in
expecting moments that you could associate with old men having a blast would
do. So you have Archie who gets lucky at
the blackjack table and converts $15K to $100K+. Their greatest party follows. With the best suite in the house, pool
parties galore, alcohol that is flowing all over the place – all building
towards a concoction that is almost like Hangover meeting The Bucket List.
Last Vegas is a
must watch for fans of these 4 brilliant actors of our time. Go with an open mind. Watch like it is your last movie and I can
bet that you will enjoy it. It isn’t the
best work from these four by a country mile.
But it will bring a smile to your faces.
6 on 10 is my verdict. Make it a
part of your weekend.
Watch the trailer
on http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi3383666713/?ref_=tt_ov_vi
Sunday, 11 March 2012
The Ghost and The Darkness
One of the biggest conundrums I have had in recent times. Should I classify The Ghost And The Darkness as an Action movie or a thriller or a horror movie. In the end, I went with Thriller and Horror both. You would not have much or a debate with the rating once you have seen it. I have probably seen it over 10 times to date and each one of those has been an experience that was as scary as the other. Without any exception.
I first saw the story of the worst place on earth - yes that's what Samuel (John Kani) calls Tsavo - way back in 1997 if I remember correctly. The impact that it left on me has been identical ever since for some eerie reason. The fascination that Col. James Patterson (Val Kilmer) has with Africa is a huge driver in his decision to leave a pregnant wife Helena Patterson (Emily Mortimer)
The commitment is that he will build the bridge across the river Tsavo within 6 months. He wants to be back before his first born comes into the world. His wife is supportive of his decision. But the acidic Robert Beaumont (Tom Wilkinson) doesn't really care much about his family or anyone else. Just the bridge. Patterson doesn't really know that there are aspects about Africa that are far more scary than some cheap heartless people like Beaumont. His worst nightmares are about to come true with The Ghost And The Darkness.
Stephen Hopkins is very good to say the least. The use of music during the hunts for the 2 man eaters gives me goose bumps even thinking about it. One can imagine the fear you will feel while watching it. The editing and cinematography is perfect to create and even more intense fear of the unknown. Look closely into the grasslands and u will see silhouettes of the feared beasts walking through. Some sequences such as the one where Patterson's wife comes to see him with his first born only to be mauled @ the railway station are horrific and scary. And the use of enhanced sound for the petrified baboon is just stunning.
4 of the finest actors that I have known in my lifetime come together for one of my favourite movies of all time. Val Kilmer, Tom Wilkinson, Om Puri and the evergreen Michael Douglas. I have taken it upon myself to get everyone that I know to see it. I loved it. I am sure most of you will. 8 on 10.
Watch the trailer at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCb6-Nz0Nkg
I first saw the story of the worst place on earth - yes that's what Samuel (John Kani) calls Tsavo - way back in 1997 if I remember correctly. The impact that it left on me has been identical ever since for some eerie reason. The fascination that Col. James Patterson (Val Kilmer) has with Africa is a huge driver in his decision to leave a pregnant wife Helena Patterson (Emily Mortimer)
The commitment is that he will build the bridge across the river Tsavo within 6 months. He wants to be back before his first born comes into the world. His wife is supportive of his decision. But the acidic Robert Beaumont (Tom Wilkinson) doesn't really care much about his family or anyone else. Just the bridge. Patterson doesn't really know that there are aspects about Africa that are far more scary than some cheap heartless people like Beaumont. His worst nightmares are about to come true with The Ghost And The Darkness.
Stephen Hopkins is very good to say the least. The use of music during the hunts for the 2 man eaters gives me goose bumps even thinking about it. One can imagine the fear you will feel while watching it. The editing and cinematography is perfect to create and even more intense fear of the unknown. Look closely into the grasslands and u will see silhouettes of the feared beasts walking through. Some sequences such as the one where Patterson's wife comes to see him with his first born only to be mauled @ the railway station are horrific and scary. And the use of enhanced sound for the petrified baboon is just stunning.
4 of the finest actors that I have known in my lifetime come together for one of my favourite movies of all time. Val Kilmer, Tom Wilkinson, Om Puri and the evergreen Michael Douglas. I have taken it upon myself to get everyone that I know to see it. I loved it. I am sure most of you will. 8 on 10.
Watch the trailer at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCb6-Nz0Nkg
Thursday, 20 January 2011
Wall Street : Money Never Sleeps
Nearly 2 decades back, Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas) proudly proclaimed, “Greed is good”. After spending 8 years in prison for various crimes including insider trading, he comes out of jail to the coldest possible reception. Every other inmate who is released with him has someone or the other to receive him. He takes a step towards a black limousine which pulls up only to find out that it was meant for someone else. Left with no choice, he gets into a plain city cab to make his way back into New York and start rebuilding his life. 7 years further down, he is now a successful professor / lecturer and author of a best seller titled – no points for guessing – GREED IS GOOD. He makes his living by encouraging the audience to keep in mind just 3 words which are the secret to getting rich – READ MY BOOK .
Jacob "Jake" Moore (Shia Lebouf) is a successful trader at a well known financial services firm called Keller Zebel investments. He strongly believes in the power of alternate energy options such as fusion and has been pushing the board to invest their monies behind it but not so successfully yet. He is seeing Winnie (Carey Mulligan) who doesn’t really believe in marriage thanks to her parents who she doesn’t hold in high regard. Did I mention Winnie’s last name was Gekko? Jake is in complete awe and respect for his mentor, Lewis Zebel (Frank Langella) who heads up Keller Zebel and considers Jake to be his protégé. So much that he gives him a bonus of $1.5 million and pushes him to get married soon. Jake senses that there is something wrong but Zebel doesn’t reveal much. He hears some rumours about KZ going under but brushes them off. Even Lewis stalls him and doesn’t reveal much but says, “The question is not whether KZ is going under. The question should be who is not”?
The next day, Keller Zebel crashes despite Lewis’ best efforts with the chairmen of the US Treasury at the Federal Reserve, thanks to Bretton James (Josh Brolin) effectively blocking him out. James offers Lewis a best price of $3 per share agains the $75 peak that it was trading at a week before. Not able to handle to crash, Lewis kills himself by jumping in front of a train. A shattered by calm Jake decides to get to the bottom of the entire incident by joining hands with the master himself. He gets into a deal with Gekko wherein Gekko will help him get to the bottom of the Lewis Zebel suicide and why KZ failed. In return, Jake would help him get closer to his daughter who otherwise would have nothing to do with him.
Wall Street Money Never Sleeps once again stamps the authority of on Oliver Stone as a director. Is it his best to date. Not by a country mile. But even an out of form Stone has more class than tons of directors put together. Like most Oliver Stone movies this one too is extremely dialogue intensive and to make it worse for a financially dyslexic moron like me, it was a complete nightmare trying to keep up. But I managed somehow. Knowing Stone, and having watched the first edition, I was kind of prepared for it. Michael Douglas even Josh Brolin are both fascinatingly cruel and cold. Shia LeBouf seems to be making his transition like a Leo DiCaprio did nearly a decade ago from chocolate boy hero to more intense, meaningful roles and is doing a great job out of it as now. But the outstanding performance comes from an actor who I have begun to admire since Frost/Nixon. Frank Langella is simply brilliant in the less than 5 minutes of screen time that he has. His sheer presence makes the screen come alive.
To sign off with a line from Gekko, “I once said that Greed is Good… but now seems it has turned legal”. Definitely an 8 on 10.
Watch the trailer at http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi875627545/
Jacob "Jake" Moore (Shia Lebouf) is a successful trader at a well known financial services firm called Keller Zebel investments. He strongly believes in the power of alternate energy options such as fusion and has been pushing the board to invest their monies behind it but not so successfully yet. He is seeing Winnie (Carey Mulligan) who doesn’t really believe in marriage thanks to her parents who she doesn’t hold in high regard. Did I mention Winnie’s last name was Gekko? Jake is in complete awe and respect for his mentor, Lewis Zebel (Frank Langella) who heads up Keller Zebel and considers Jake to be his protégé. So much that he gives him a bonus of $1.5 million and pushes him to get married soon. Jake senses that there is something wrong but Zebel doesn’t reveal much. He hears some rumours about KZ going under but brushes them off. Even Lewis stalls him and doesn’t reveal much but says, “The question is not whether KZ is going under. The question should be who is not”?
The next day, Keller Zebel crashes despite Lewis’ best efforts with the chairmen of the US Treasury at the Federal Reserve, thanks to Bretton James (Josh Brolin) effectively blocking him out. James offers Lewis a best price of $3 per share agains the $75 peak that it was trading at a week before. Not able to handle to crash, Lewis kills himself by jumping in front of a train. A shattered by calm Jake decides to get to the bottom of the entire incident by joining hands with the master himself. He gets into a deal with Gekko wherein Gekko will help him get to the bottom of the Lewis Zebel suicide and why KZ failed. In return, Jake would help him get closer to his daughter who otherwise would have nothing to do with him.
Wall Street Money Never Sleeps once again stamps the authority of on Oliver Stone as a director. Is it his best to date. Not by a country mile. But even an out of form Stone has more class than tons of directors put together. Like most Oliver Stone movies this one too is extremely dialogue intensive and to make it worse for a financially dyslexic moron like me, it was a complete nightmare trying to keep up. But I managed somehow. Knowing Stone, and having watched the first edition, I was kind of prepared for it. Michael Douglas even Josh Brolin are both fascinatingly cruel and cold. Shia LeBouf seems to be making his transition like a Leo DiCaprio did nearly a decade ago from chocolate boy hero to more intense, meaningful roles and is doing a great job out of it as now. But the outstanding performance comes from an actor who I have begun to admire since Frost/Nixon. Frank Langella is simply brilliant in the less than 5 minutes of screen time that he has. His sheer presence makes the screen come alive.
To sign off with a line from Gekko, “I once said that Greed is Good… but now seems it has turned legal”. Definitely an 8 on 10.
Watch the trailer at http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi875627545/
Thursday, 4 November 2010
ROMANCING THE STONE
OK I am not trying to brag out here but when you have a reasonably large collection of DVDs, it is only obvious that you have a choice to re-live the moments that you grew up with. The year was 1984 and Robert Zemeckis gave us his 2nd movie. I would probably call it his first coz Used Cars (1980) wasn’t really big at the BO. Nevertheless, 30 years down the road and old Bob has given us nearly 15 movies that can be watched almost anytime of the day. This is the one that started the very misconceived notion of a trilogy – Romancing the Stone (1984), Jewel of the Nile (1985) & War of the Roses (1989). War of the Roses did star the magical trio of Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner and Danny DeVito but was in no way related to the Jack T Colton and Joan Wilder adventures that were released before.
Joan Wilder (Kathleen Turner – did they make women more beautiful then or is it just a figment of my imagination and my singledom talking) is a successful romance novelist. She writes Western Romance novels with a principle characters called Angelina and Jessie who she believes is the manifestation of the ideal man. She believes that her Jessie is somewhere out there and is waiting to be found. He publisher, Gloria (Holland Taylor) is also continuously on the look-out for a potential man for Joan. As she is about to leave home in a massive hurry to give Gloria her next book, she gets a nondescript envelope which she doesn’t bother opening. She returns to find her house ransacked and turned completely inside out. To make matters worse, she gets a call at the same time from Elaine (Mary Ellen Trainor), her sister who has been kidnapped.
Elaine asks Joan to come to Cartagena (pronounced Cartahena), Columbia with the package. Her kidnappers are Ira (Zack Norman) and his cousin Ralph (Danny DeVito). Joan lands into Columbia and boards the wrong bus thanks to being incorrectly led by Zolo (Manuel Ojeda) – the guy responsible for ransacking her home. Ralph is also present @ the airport but misses her and realizes it only when the bus has already left. A few hours later Joan finds herself up in the hills of Columbia. As she asks the bus driver as to how much longer it would take to Cartagena, the bus crashes into a stationary jeep and obviously breaks down. Using this opportunity, Zolo tries to extract the map out of Joan at gun point. However, our hero, Jack T Colton (Michael Douglas), the owner of the now trashed jeep and the birds worth nearly $20K appears. A gun fight ensues and Zolo runs away unsuccessfully.
Romancing the Stone, as mentioned earlier, released in 1984. The challenge in rating the movie right now would be to get to a comparable level that existed in the early 80s. In its time, RTS was a very well made movie. But if you look at it today, you can easily make out the use of blank cartridges in the guns and you would probably laugh at the ease with which our protagonists dodge bullets. It does have a charm of its own – heroes dodging bullets that is – but very honestly thoda far fetched. Unlike a James Bond where anything is considered possible, Jack Colton is not really associated with doing the impossible.
Lesser known fact I am sure would be that Michael Douglas also produced RTS. I guess it helped being born to a family where acting was in the genes and loads of money in the bank. What makes it admirable is that he actually produced his first movie 10 years before RTS @ the age of 30. Surprise Surprise – One flew over the cuckoo’s nest. He doesn’t look a day over 30 even in RTS. Strong performances by the 3 lead characters make RTS an evergreen classic. Zemeckis’ direction seems to be just about moving in the right direction at this stage. One which would peak with Forrest Gump a few years later. Fast Paced & never short of action but a little stretched at the beginning. Takes a while for the action to start. Lets hope the remake which is due to release next year addresses some of these issues. Not too tough an act to emulate. 6 on 10. Next up is Jewel of the Nile followed by a weekend of releases. So it would be back to current movies. Watch out this space for more. HAPPY DIWALI FOLKS!!!!!
Joan Wilder (Kathleen Turner – did they make women more beautiful then or is it just a figment of my imagination and my singledom talking) is a successful romance novelist. She writes Western Romance novels with a principle characters called Angelina and Jessie who she believes is the manifestation of the ideal man. She believes that her Jessie is somewhere out there and is waiting to be found. He publisher, Gloria (Holland Taylor) is also continuously on the look-out for a potential man for Joan. As she is about to leave home in a massive hurry to give Gloria her next book, she gets a nondescript envelope which she doesn’t bother opening. She returns to find her house ransacked and turned completely inside out. To make matters worse, she gets a call at the same time from Elaine (Mary Ellen Trainor), her sister who has been kidnapped.
Elaine asks Joan to come to Cartagena (pronounced Cartahena), Columbia with the package. Her kidnappers are Ira (Zack Norman) and his cousin Ralph (Danny DeVito). Joan lands into Columbia and boards the wrong bus thanks to being incorrectly led by Zolo (Manuel Ojeda) – the guy responsible for ransacking her home. Ralph is also present @ the airport but misses her and realizes it only when the bus has already left. A few hours later Joan finds herself up in the hills of Columbia. As she asks the bus driver as to how much longer it would take to Cartagena, the bus crashes into a stationary jeep and obviously breaks down. Using this opportunity, Zolo tries to extract the map out of Joan at gun point. However, our hero, Jack T Colton (Michael Douglas), the owner of the now trashed jeep and the birds worth nearly $20K appears. A gun fight ensues and Zolo runs away unsuccessfully.
Romancing the Stone, as mentioned earlier, released in 1984. The challenge in rating the movie right now would be to get to a comparable level that existed in the early 80s. In its time, RTS was a very well made movie. But if you look at it today, you can easily make out the use of blank cartridges in the guns and you would probably laugh at the ease with which our protagonists dodge bullets. It does have a charm of its own – heroes dodging bullets that is – but very honestly thoda far fetched. Unlike a James Bond where anything is considered possible, Jack Colton is not really associated with doing the impossible.
Lesser known fact I am sure would be that Michael Douglas also produced RTS. I guess it helped being born to a family where acting was in the genes and loads of money in the bank. What makes it admirable is that he actually produced his first movie 10 years before RTS @ the age of 30. Surprise Surprise – One flew over the cuckoo’s nest. He doesn’t look a day over 30 even in RTS. Strong performances by the 3 lead characters make RTS an evergreen classic. Zemeckis’ direction seems to be just about moving in the right direction at this stage. One which would peak with Forrest Gump a few years later. Fast Paced & never short of action but a little stretched at the beginning. Takes a while for the action to start. Lets hope the remake which is due to release next year addresses some of these issues. Not too tough an act to emulate. 6 on 10. Next up is Jewel of the Nile followed by a weekend of releases. So it would be back to current movies. Watch out this space for more. HAPPY DIWALI FOLKS!!!!!
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