Ant Man

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.

Fury

A very philosophical statement half way down David Ayer’s second movie of the year (The forgettable Sabotage starring Arnold Schwarzenegger was released earlier this year) is probably the high point of Fury.  Seargent Don “Wardaddy” Collier (Brad Pitt) tells Private Norman Ellison, “Ideals are peaceful.  History is violent”.

American Hustle

My admiration for David O Russell keeps growing with every movie that he directs.  My first experience was with Fighter where he took Christian Bale and Melissa Leo to Oscars.  Next up was Silver Linings Playbook with Jennifer Lawrence making her mark with the coveted statuette.  Now it seems to be the turn of Amy Adams and Jennifer Lawrence who have brilliant roles and have backed it with performances that deserve their nominations.

Turbo

The Snail is fast

The Snail is fast

The Snail is fast, fast, fast, fast, fast
Just one of the songs created exclusively to promote Turbo the superfast snail

Gangster Squad

Do you like Gangster Movies? Of the likes of say The Untouchables, Bonnie & Clyde a True Story etc.? You get my drift right? One that has a lead villain who you want to get into screen and kill yourself or at least put behind bars if you could. One that has one or a few good cops who are more intent in putting the gangster behind bars.

Lincoln Lawyer

The term smooth operator is personified by Defense Attorney Mickey Haller (Matthew McConaughey). He is suave, smart and thinks on his feet. He knows the tricks of the trade like very few others. And did I mention that he is a superb negotiator – knows fully well that most cases are actually decided, won or lost outside the courtroom and not inside. He can well make it to the big league but for reasons best known to him, he has played ball only at the lower levels to date. He is divorced but on extremely good terms with his ex-wife Maggie McPherson (Marisa Tomei). They have a daughter who the two love very dearly. And he has his contacts – thanks to most criminals who he helps get out of jail. He trusts very few people – occupational hazard. But one of those he trusts is his right hand man Frank Levin (William H Macy). The latest addition to his life is Earl (Laurence Mason), who drives him around in his Lincoln – aah now I know why the movie is called Lincoln Lawyer.


Mickey’s talent (for lack of any other word) finally lands him into a big league case when his contact, bail agent Val Valenzuela (John Leguizamo) puts him through to a wealthy real estate agent Louis Roulet (Ryan Phillippe). Louis has been charged with assault and attempted murder of a prostitute who picks him up at a bar. Louis claims that she is only trying to fleece him off his money and that he is falsely accused. Louis’ mother is also willing spare no expense in getting her son out of the case. Sensing that it’s a great opportunity to rake in the moolah, Mickey takes up the case. Louis’ is convincing enough and is not even willing to arrive at an out of court settlement. He wants the case to go to trial and prove a point of some sort. Bail is set @ $1 million and Mickey begins building his case.

Lincoln Lawyer is young director Brad Furman’s second movie to date. And with the exception of a couple of cuts which he could have done with, it is a well made movie. He builds up the tension throughout the movie very well – leading upto a good solid climax. We definitely have a solid prospect here. Ryan Phillippe is eerie in his portrayal of Louis Roulet. I only fear that he will soon be typecast into the “ice cold person role” that he keeps getting himself into. There is very little else that he does. Maybe it’s a personal fetish that we aren’t aware of. Minus the drawl, Matthew McConaughey continues be the correct choice for roles that demand sheer good looks with just enough acting capabilities to make it through. I could not quite understand the reason for having a superb talent like Marisa Tomei and barely getting anything out of her but for a few minutes of screen time. Could have done with a meatier role. That was probably the only flaw other than a couple of cuts as mentioned earlier. Definitely a dekko. 6.5 on 10 from my side.

Watch the trailer at http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi1627364121/

World Invasion : Battle for Los Angeles

I had this really bad feeling about this movie even when I was watching the trailers which came in about a month or 2 back. Not that the trailers were badly made. Just that sinking feeling which says, “GAWD not another movie about the end of the world”. And then someone sends you a joke which says, “Ever wondered why in all Hollywood movies, all the aliens of the world attack only the US”? A simple and straightforward rhetoric. So I am guessing that our average director Jonathan Liebesman (Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Killing Room) wanted to keep the angle from that silly joke covered. And he started the movie that was about an invasion of the world as the title so aptly indicates. So this one is not just about an invasion of the United States but encompasses most geographies that mean a bit to them such as Europe and South Asia and China and Japan and the likes. But mind you that’s only the beginning. You have to remember that Hollywoods first responsibility is towards the less than 400 million people that inhabit the states. And therefore the second part of the title – Battle for Los Angeles. So there is no lack of clarity that this movie is about a bunch of aliens who invade all of earth together. But since we have less than half an hour, we will no focus on what happened in the city of Los Angeles during this invasion and how there were a bunch of unknown people who turned out to be unlikely heroes thanks to this opportunity that life decided to present to them and eventually succeed in bringing down one of the most technologically advanced aliens to have invaded earth – correction – invaded Hollywood.

The story follows Staff Seargent Michael Nantz (Aaron Eckhart) who is about to be moved into training from a field role. Why is that? Because on his watch 3 seargents lost their lives. A story – on a serious note – that would haunt most of us for a really long time. But SSgt. Nantz’s exit from the field will prove to be short lived due to the sequence of events that have been explained in the previous paragraph of this write up. He is now called back to lead a bunch of marines (gawd – why is it that every US soldier in a Hollywood movie has to be a marine?) to help get back a bunch of civilians who are stuck in an area that has been attacked by aliens. And the rest as they say is history 

Such a short paragraph for the story? But that’s all there is. Yes there are a couple of angles explored about how one of the marines is the brother of another who was killed on Nantz’s watch. And the choice of Michelle Rodriguez who seems to be the only female marine ever to be born in the United States. There is also eye candy in the form of Bridget Moynahan who comes onto screen for all of 3 minutes and 28.5 seconds. Damn!!! Just when you think there is something to look forward to in an otherwise drab and boring end of the world movie, you get reminded that all good things in the world must come to an end. Come on Jonathan Liebesman. Surely you cannot be such a spoilsport. I am glad I got this one out of the way on a Saturday night after India lost to South Africa. Trust me, it made me feel so much better that there could actually be something worse than losing a closely fought cricket game which may decide our future in this world cup. If I were you, I would give World Invasion a pass. I give it 4 on 10 for the solid use of special effects and for some semblances of acting shown by some of the better known names.

Watch the trailer at http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi3897661977/