I missed the
preview show of Noah because I wanted to catch up with it at an IMAX
Theatre. I did so, on Friday after India
qualified for the semi-finals of the World Cup.
A 22:55 hrs show @ IMAX Wadala with a guarantee that I was spending in
excess of `1500 for the entire experience (`1060
for tickets + `300 for the cab back home + `300
for snacks). Was it worth it? HELL
YES!!!
Showing posts with label Ray Winstone. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ray Winstone. Show all posts
Sunday, 30 March 2014
Sunday, 10 June 2012
Snow White and the Huntsman
How many adaptations of Snow White in a single year. 2 already. Mirror Mirror and now Snow White and the Huntsman. And news is that Disney is already planning a re-mastered release of the original animation this year. Technically, Mirror Mirror released last year world over and came into this country a wee bit later. So I guess it is one adaptation a year. The good news though is that all of them have been really well made and distinctly different from the other. Not just for getting news bites which say, “We have a different take on Snow White” but a serious attempt at differentiation.
Snow White and the Huntsman, is my first experience with a version of the fairy tale which is distinctly action oriented and not soppy fairy tale types. It begins with the story of Ravenna (Charlize Theron) who is saved by the king and taken back home to be the queen. But little does the king know that he is adding to the list of Ravenna’s victims to date. Ravenna’s desire to stay young forever drives her to move from kingdom to kingdom and she uses her power and magic to suck the youth out of young girls at frequent intervals. She takes over from the king and jails his daughter Snow White.
Many years later, when Snow White turns 18 and the mirror has to inform Ravenna that she is not the fairest anymore, Ravenna sends her brother to get Snow White. However Snow White escapes into the Dark Forest where Ravenna’s powers are useless. So she sends a desperate huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) after her by promising him a life time of joy and happiness by bringing his wife back to life. And so the chase begins.
This time around, the emphasis on the dwarves is very minimal. Although we have the likes of Ian McShane and Bob Hoskins playing them, their part is restricted to less than 25% of the movie. There are other aspects such as the sinister nature of the Dark Forest and the village of women who have scarred themselves in an attempt to stay alive have been given a lot of screen time.
And that’s what makes this version very watchable to say the least. Add to these twists, a finale that has an amazing set of special effects. Actually made me wonder why this was never released in 3D in India. Would have been brilliant. Something that debutante director Rupert Sanders missed out on I guess. And surprisingly too. Because he had only Charlize Theron to play with in the cast – who was brilliant as Ravenna – but the rest of the lead cast with the insipid Kirstin Stewart and plastic Chris Hemsworth gave him nothing much to play with. As such, it didn’t matter because the movie was well made and entertaining for certain. 6 on 10 and worth a dekko I say.
Trailer on http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi2494275609/
Snow White and the Huntsman, is my first experience with a version of the fairy tale which is distinctly action oriented and not soppy fairy tale types. It begins with the story of Ravenna (Charlize Theron) who is saved by the king and taken back home to be the queen. But little does the king know that he is adding to the list of Ravenna’s victims to date. Ravenna’s desire to stay young forever drives her to move from kingdom to kingdom and she uses her power and magic to suck the youth out of young girls at frequent intervals. She takes over from the king and jails his daughter Snow White.
Many years later, when Snow White turns 18 and the mirror has to inform Ravenna that she is not the fairest anymore, Ravenna sends her brother to get Snow White. However Snow White escapes into the Dark Forest where Ravenna’s powers are useless. So she sends a desperate huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) after her by promising him a life time of joy and happiness by bringing his wife back to life. And so the chase begins.
This time around, the emphasis on the dwarves is very minimal. Although we have the likes of Ian McShane and Bob Hoskins playing them, their part is restricted to less than 25% of the movie. There are other aspects such as the sinister nature of the Dark Forest and the village of women who have scarred themselves in an attempt to stay alive have been given a lot of screen time.
And that’s what makes this version very watchable to say the least. Add to these twists, a finale that has an amazing set of special effects. Actually made me wonder why this was never released in 3D in India. Would have been brilliant. Something that debutante director Rupert Sanders missed out on I guess. And surprisingly too. Because he had only Charlize Theron to play with in the cast – who was brilliant as Ravenna – but the rest of the lead cast with the insipid Kirstin Stewart and plastic Chris Hemsworth gave him nothing much to play with. As such, it didn’t matter because the movie was well made and entertaining for certain. 6 on 10 and worth a dekko I say.
Trailer on http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi2494275609/
Saturday, 7 May 2011
Rango
It is inexplicable how movie houses fail to see the magic that a movie creates and move it off the screen within the blink of an eyelid. Just when I thought that I would take the opportunity to add another movie to my “must make everyone see” list, Rango moved out of screens this week. It’s a sad but true story of how quality work will never get enough critical mass in this country. In the same breath, an average animation movie such as Rio – and I tip my hat to 20th Century Fox’s marketing team on timing – is ringing in the cash across the country for over a month now. I say fantastic timing because it coincided with the kids vacations and every parent that I see at the box office counters is going nuts. Thank God for small mercies that there is no merchandise that has yet hit the stores. Is TCF missing a point here? I would guess so. But this write up is more to do with probably the best Animation movie released since Toy Story. An I would not be incorrect if I were to say that Rango moved out sooner than it should have because people just did not get it – because it is not a kids animation movie. It is one, for the more cerebrally evolved.
Lars (Johnny Depp) is a chameleon who has been relegated to the position of a pet. Yep – a pet chameleon who stays in a glass box with a few inanimate objects. A decapitated miniature doll, a plastic toy fish, lots of gravel, a bowl of water amongst other not so exciting things. And I can only assume that the family is shifting or doesn’t want to leave home without their darling chameleon – which explains why Lars is in the back of the car under the hatch. He is biding his time here by honing his acting skills – he believes that he is God’s gift to acting in the chameleon world. However, in between a skillful rendition of a romantic hero, an unexpected bump on the road and a near accident finds him ejected from his comfort into the desert – a place that he has never been in. After saving himself from an eagle on his way to a town called Dirt, he finds himself with Beans (Isla Fisher), a lizard who helps him to the town. He gets there only to find out water is as good as gold. But Lars’s survival instincts get the better of him and using his passion for acting he weaves a story about how he single handedly killed seven notorious brothers and how he is close pals with Rattlesnake Jake (Bill Nighy) the most dreaded animal other than the Chihuahuan Raven. He then begins his conquest, along with the Mayor John (Ned Beatty), a desert tortoise to find out where the water has disappeared.
I would have to agree with my good friend Vinay Zende on this one (not that we agree too much these days). Rango is not an animation movie. It’s a western. And I strongly recommend that you watch it like you would if you were watching a classic Clint Eastwood – who is by the way the inspiration for the character of The Spirit of the West (Timothy Olyphant). The quality of animation is lifelike – almost alive – as good as Clint from TGTBATU – and if u don’t know what that ridiculous abbreviation means I suggest you have a relook at your status as a lover of Western Movies. The voice overs especially the ones by Bill Nighy for Rattlesnake Jake send a cold shiver down your spine. The narration by the four Burrowing Owls is amazingly amusing and yet so creative. I honestly cannot find fault with Rango in too many places, but there are a few consistency errors which can be noticed by probably the seasoned movie watcher only. The Gore Verbinksi and Johnny Depp combination has done it again I say!!!! Don’t miss Rango – its definitely a 7.5 on 10 if not an 8. My first pick for the nominations from 2011 for the Academy awards.
Watch the trailer at http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi2047646233/
Lars (Johnny Depp) is a chameleon who has been relegated to the position of a pet. Yep – a pet chameleon who stays in a glass box with a few inanimate objects. A decapitated miniature doll, a plastic toy fish, lots of gravel, a bowl of water amongst other not so exciting things. And I can only assume that the family is shifting or doesn’t want to leave home without their darling chameleon – which explains why Lars is in the back of the car under the hatch. He is biding his time here by honing his acting skills – he believes that he is God’s gift to acting in the chameleon world. However, in between a skillful rendition of a romantic hero, an unexpected bump on the road and a near accident finds him ejected from his comfort into the desert – a place that he has never been in. After saving himself from an eagle on his way to a town called Dirt, he finds himself with Beans (Isla Fisher), a lizard who helps him to the town. He gets there only to find out water is as good as gold. But Lars’s survival instincts get the better of him and using his passion for acting he weaves a story about how he single handedly killed seven notorious brothers and how he is close pals with Rattlesnake Jake (Bill Nighy) the most dreaded animal other than the Chihuahuan Raven. He then begins his conquest, along with the Mayor John (Ned Beatty), a desert tortoise to find out where the water has disappeared.
I would have to agree with my good friend Vinay Zende on this one (not that we agree too much these days). Rango is not an animation movie. It’s a western. And I strongly recommend that you watch it like you would if you were watching a classic Clint Eastwood – who is by the way the inspiration for the character of The Spirit of the West (Timothy Olyphant). The quality of animation is lifelike – almost alive – as good as Clint from TGTBATU – and if u don’t know what that ridiculous abbreviation means I suggest you have a relook at your status as a lover of Western Movies. The voice overs especially the ones by Bill Nighy for Rattlesnake Jake send a cold shiver down your spine. The narration by the four Burrowing Owls is amazingly amusing and yet so creative. I honestly cannot find fault with Rango in too many places, but there are a few consistency errors which can be noticed by probably the seasoned movie watcher only. The Gore Verbinksi and Johnny Depp combination has done it again I say!!!! Don’t miss Rango – its definitely a 7.5 on 10 if not an 8. My first pick for the nominations from 2011 for the Academy awards.
Watch the trailer at http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi2047646233/
Tuesday, 20 July 2010
The Edge of Darkness
Do you like Mel Gibson? Do you like the intensity that he gets to the movie screen. Do you like the fact that he hogs most of the screen time in most of his movies probably because the others in the movie are lesser known or unknown actors. Do you love Lethal Weapon and Ransom and Payback. Well if the answer to all of these was in the affirmative then Ladies and Gentlemen – He is back!!!! And back with a bang.
Detective Thomas Craven is an experienced detective in the Boston PD who receives a surprise when his 24 year old daughter, Emma Craven (Bojana Novakovic) who decides to visit. However, it isn’t the best of surprises since she turns out to be extremely unwell – she throws up in the car. As Tom is about to take her to the doctor, calamity strikes with Emma being shot dead right @ his doorstep.
Obviously the case takes high priority since it involves a cop’s family. The cops believe that the assassins were after Tom and not Emma and begin a massive investigation.
However, Tom not only believes that the cops are in the wrong direction, but also starts a covert investigation of his own which leads him to find a gun in Emma’s baggage. However, the gun is not registered in Emma’s name but is in the name of her boyfriend (Shawn Roberts). Tom tracks him down and after a minor fight contains him. David is petrified but not of Tom. He believes that the organization he and Emma are working for, Northmoor, is spying on them.
He returns home and as he is burning Emma’s effects in the lawn, he encouters Jedburgh (Ray Winstone), a consultant in clearing up government messes. The kinda guy like Wolf (Pulp Fiction – Harvey Kietel) – only this time its kinda official and not ganster. Jedburgh would usually have disposed off the problem but somehow decides to just forewarn Tom about the mess he is getting into.
Failing to heed Jed’s warnings, Tom makes his way to meet Jack Bennet (Danny Huston), CEO Northmoor to figure things out about what his daughter was working on. However, he only meets with the word – CLASSIFIED.
Further investigations lead him to understand that Emma was working on something that was sensitive enough not to come out in the open and that somehow it was also linked to 3 bodies that were found on the banks of the Connecticut river, the night before his daughter was shot dead. Obviously it was also intriguing that everyone else Tom speaks to is not just worried but scared of losing their lives.
The movie is peppered with shots where Tom speaks to Emma as if she were still there next to him. As if he would rather be with her than alive. Like he regrets not having spent enough time with her when she was alive and is trying to make it up to her.
Martin Campbell does not create as much excitement as he does in Goldeneye and then Casino Royale. There are enough thrills and loads of intensity but honestly its not like anything you haven’t seen before.
As the story builds, one gets the distinct feeling that it is another typical Mel Gibson movie where he is the good guy ensuring that the bad guys are beaten up. Dear Mr. Gibson – u r pushing 60. need something different at least now. The intensity is still there but need a new concept folks.
Other than Ray Winstone who is really good in his minimum screen time, the others are not too great or just don’t have any significant part to play. All in all, as mentioned earlier, great for a Gibson Fan. But nothing new. 5 on 10 for this one.
Detective Thomas Craven is an experienced detective in the Boston PD who receives a surprise when his 24 year old daughter, Emma Craven (Bojana Novakovic) who decides to visit. However, it isn’t the best of surprises since she turns out to be extremely unwell – she throws up in the car. As Tom is about to take her to the doctor, calamity strikes with Emma being shot dead right @ his doorstep.
Obviously the case takes high priority since it involves a cop’s family. The cops believe that the assassins were after Tom and not Emma and begin a massive investigation.
However, Tom not only believes that the cops are in the wrong direction, but also starts a covert investigation of his own which leads him to find a gun in Emma’s baggage. However, the gun is not registered in Emma’s name but is in the name of her boyfriend (Shawn Roberts). Tom tracks him down and after a minor fight contains him. David is petrified but not of Tom. He believes that the organization he and Emma are working for, Northmoor, is spying on them.
He returns home and as he is burning Emma’s effects in the lawn, he encouters Jedburgh (Ray Winstone), a consultant in clearing up government messes. The kinda guy like Wolf (Pulp Fiction – Harvey Kietel) – only this time its kinda official and not ganster. Jedburgh would usually have disposed off the problem but somehow decides to just forewarn Tom about the mess he is getting into.
Failing to heed Jed’s warnings, Tom makes his way to meet Jack Bennet (Danny Huston), CEO Northmoor to figure things out about what his daughter was working on. However, he only meets with the word – CLASSIFIED.
Further investigations lead him to understand that Emma was working on something that was sensitive enough not to come out in the open and that somehow it was also linked to 3 bodies that were found on the banks of the Connecticut river, the night before his daughter was shot dead. Obviously it was also intriguing that everyone else Tom speaks to is not just worried but scared of losing their lives.
The movie is peppered with shots where Tom speaks to Emma as if she were still there next to him. As if he would rather be with her than alive. Like he regrets not having spent enough time with her when she was alive and is trying to make it up to her.
Martin Campbell does not create as much excitement as he does in Goldeneye and then Casino Royale. There are enough thrills and loads of intensity but honestly its not like anything you haven’t seen before.
As the story builds, one gets the distinct feeling that it is another typical Mel Gibson movie where he is the good guy ensuring that the bad guys are beaten up. Dear Mr. Gibson – u r pushing 60. need something different at least now. The intensity is still there but need a new concept folks.
Other than Ray Winstone who is really good in his minimum screen time, the others are not too great or just don’t have any significant part to play. All in all, as mentioned earlier, great for a Gibson Fan. But nothing new. 5 on 10 for this one.
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