R.I.P.D.

At first it was Tommy Lee Jones & Will Smith who took us through 3 movies where they save us all from the “Scum of the Earth”.  Apparently there are people out there who believe that despite the success of the franchise, there is space for yet another bunch of guys who can save the earth from aliens… or should I say, the Undead.  In this case, they are cornily called, “DEADDOES”.

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

The Croods

The most surprising part that I found about The Croods in my research is that the story is co-written by John Cleese.  The John Cleese from Fish Called Wanda? I beg the makers to clarify.  The imdb link indicates that.  Either ways, it will not impact my rating of the movie because it turns out to be one that is slightly above average at best.

Safe House

Safe House rates amongst one of THE most anticipated movies of the year 2012. It released yesterday in the US and I wonder what the response has been like. I honestly was disappointed to see yet another CIA movie with little or no difference in either story or the making of the movie. It is the same old stale CIA story that the audiences would probably yawn through this time. I know that I did. In fact, in a rare instance, I walked out mid way to get myself something to eat. Something my close friends know that would be impossible unless 2 conditions are met – 1. I am extremely hungry and 2. I am not terribly excited with what is happening on screen. Both necessary and sufficient conditions were met this time around.

Daniel Espinosa is another one of those newbie directors who has joined an endless list in Hollywood (and for that matter even Bollywood). A list which grows by the day. A list that includes all newbie directors who need to move back to film school or get an internship or Assistant Directorship under a big name for a few years and then come back to attempt direction.

But in all fairness, Espinosa is not the only one to blame this time around. The writer of this story is David Guggenheim again a newbie who seems to have created Safe House as a mishmash of several espionage movies from the past and presented a goulash to the audiences who he definitely believes are not intelligent enough to work out that it is just “old wine in new bottle”. The only difference in angle that I could see is the introduction of the concept of a place where CIA suspects or “guests” as they call them are taken. This place is called a “Safe House” – no points for guessing that.

Denzel Washington is far too talented and mature an actor to be caught wasting his time with silly stories like these. I would have expected Ryan Reynolds to also look the other way when approached with the concept but then Reynolds hasn’t had his share of action / Espionage movies in his resumé. And what was Vera Farmiga doing there with a silly outfit which does no justice to the fact that she is one of THE most good looking women in Hollywood today – not to mention one of THE most talented actresses as well.

Saved by the cast is what Espinosa would be thinking to himself currently. Without this the man could have kissed everything he had good bye. Lucky Espinosa. Not so lucky producer. 5 on 10 for this average spy story. Can download instead of watching on big screen. Maybe rent a DVD.

Watch the trailer at http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi3006438937/

The Proposal

Now, how many of us (men) would love to have a hot female boss? All those who said no can hang a board around their necks which says “LIAR” in big bold italics in the largest font available these days. Now I am at no point of time suggesting that Sandra Bullock is your version of a “Hot” Boss. It was just a fictional question. Now think about how many of you would want to get married to a boss that looks like Sandra Bullock and behaves like she is the bitchiest (if there was a term like that) person on mother earth? In this case, I am quite certain not too many of us would like to. But then such bosses do not really look at consensual marriages right? Especially when their existence in a country is threatened because she has over stayed the period as allowed by her visa. And worse, there is a promotion due. Well, you have the best possible concoction for a romantic comedy which is not too much of a drag per se but definitely gets a bit boring in parts.

The Proposal is director, Anne Fletcher’s (one of the regrettably few female directors we have on the block) 3rd movie if I am not mistaken. She did have notable mentions in Step Up which has gone onto become a reasonably successful franchise if I understand correctly and 27 Dresses which starred the gorgeous Katherine Heigl and was one of the better RomComs made to date. Doesn’t make Fletcher a great director or anyone in the league of the likes of a Garry Marshall. The Proposal barely makes the cut as a Romantic Comedy. Quite a few unnecessary “awww” moments that are expected to look cute but fall a bit flat. I personally thought the scene with the dog, mobile phone and an eagle thrown in should have been chopped off on the cutting board. Fletcher’s team doesn’t exceed too many benchmarks in terms of screenplay either with it being uninspiring in most parts.

And the acting is barely average. Now that I think of it, almost all aspects of this movie are barely average. Surprising to say the least that the likes of Sandra Bullock who got her Oscar in the same year as The Proposal right – for the Blind Side. I guess she reserved most of her acting talent for the more serious movie. Not that she has been a shining beacon of hope for most actresses but she is definitely more capable than what I saw in this movie. I would say the same of Ryan Reynolds who has been brilliant at picking up some of the most horrible movies ever. Thankfully for him, The Proposal wasn’t really as bad as some of the other disasters in his life. The only performance that seemed to be a bit endearing was that of Betty White as Annie Gammy (Grandma). Entertaining in bits but a bit below par on all counts to sum it up. 5.5 on 10 but watchable.

Watch the trailer at http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi125895193/

Green Lantern

Everyone associated with movies in this world would have this in their bucket list for certain. It is not debatable and anyone who denies it is bound to be a liar. I mean its just too obvious right. Surely you guys know what I am talking about considering this is the review of the Green Lantern – Its being associated with a Super Hero movie in some way or the other. Look at it. Its just such an obvious money spinner. So why do you think acclaimed director Martin Campbell (2 Zorro movies, 2 Bond movies under his belt) and chocolate boy hero Ryan Reynolds or for that matter Gossip Girl (ooops – Blake Lively for the uneducated) be any different. I mean even Tim Robbins and Angela Basset want to be in one for crying out loud!!! And if all of these can crave to be in a super hero movie then why not Geoffrey Rush also.
What do you need to make one? Simple – a comic book superhero that not too many people have heard of. Something with a very reasonably interesting story line. With a little different angle on the source of the power of the super hero – now this is very important – some rock from a different planet or radioactive arachnoids are passé I say. Too predictable. Then there is the woman in the scheme of things who has to be gorgeous and exceptionally understanding (yeah right!!! No wonder they call it fiction) – someone who is strong as a rock face but yet vulnerable enough for the hero to help her out. And yes there has to be some conflict in the romance right. How else can it get romantically exciting as well right? A super hero movie would be incomplete without a villain with a bent of mind that is kind of similar to the hero – mind you this is extremely important – the villain has to be appear a bit humane in a super hero movie. He has to have been cheated of something very important in his life and has to have some hope of getting back to being a good guy – but alas he will die in the end because it has all happened too late. Alternatively, the villain can be a really bad ass guy with no hope for return which the audience would love to see pulped. Studies have however revealed that the more humane villain is more successful than the bad ass villain. Lastly there has to be a narrator – someone with a strong voice to carry audiences all the way through. Now how is that for a guaranteed formula for success – and of course, if reasonably made and finished with just that little bit open then there will be sequels for follow.

What will intrigue you about Green Lantern is the concept of using emerald energy in the form of will and fighting against yellow energy which comes in the form of fear. DC Comics will celebrate 75 years of the Green Lantern in 2015 and considering that 6 people have been Green Lanterns - Alan Scott, Hal Jordan, Guy Gardner, John Stewart, Kyle Rayner & the gorgeous daughter of Alan Scott – Jade, you can be rest assured that there would have been one more edition of the Green Lantern before that if not 2 more. This one deals with Hal Jordan. It has all the ingredients of a super hero movie that’s got most of the points right. It is an easy watch with reasonable 3D (Avoid PVR thanks to the huge glasses which could fracture your nose) and good special effects. You can take your kids along as well. 6 on 10 is what I say.

Watch the trailer at http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi3445005593/

X Men Origins - Wolverine

What defines a successful movie franchise? Or for that matter, any successful franchise? I would guess it would be scalability. In the easiest possible manner. When the first edition of X Men, directed by Bryan Singer was released 10 years back, I think the makers would have given serious thought to ensure that it was not the last time an X Men movie was released. 3 successful movies later, it was only natural that they go into letting people know how they all started in the first place. One can’t help but think that Wolverine is the first in the series of X Men Origins. Actually, one would hope that this is not the last coz they are all very well made to say the least. And they have Stan Lee and Jack Kirby to thank for starting it all nearly 50 years back.
James Howlett, as a young boy, kills his biological father Thomas Logan in a fit of rage when Logan Sr. kills his father John Howlett. Logan Sr. leaves behind Victor, who is James’ elder brother. Both of them then take off and Victor gets James to promise that they would look out for each other for as long as it takes. What they don’t quite understand is that they have natural regenerative powers. In other words, it would take a lot and I mean A LOT to really kill them. Over the next few decades, they grow into James (Hugh Jackman) and Victor (Liev Schrieber) Logan through all possible wars from the late 1800s to date.
As the years roll by, Victor’s rage gets completely out of control till he kills an officer who stops him from raping an innocent girl in ‘nam. After a while, Major William Stryker (Danny Huston) offers the brothers a place in the Team X which includes Bolt (Dominic Monaghan) who can control electricity, Wade (Ryan Reynolds) and manic swordsman, Agent Zero (Daniel Henney) an expert marksman, John Wraith (Will I Am) who can teleport and Dukes (Kevin Durand) who is indestructible in a manner of speaking. However, with Victor’s rage not improving and not being in agreement with the concept of Team X, Logan decides to part ways.
Six years later, Stryker tracks Logan who is now settled with Kayla Silverfox (Lynn Collins) and informs him that someone is killing the members of Team X one by one. Stryker asks Logan to help him in vain. However, when Kayla is killed shortly after, Victor agrees and gets enrolled into a programme where his bones are bonded with a new substance called Adamantium which is literally indestructible and recovered from a meteorite. However, he hears Stryker asking the team to erase his memory and flees. Knowing that Kayla was killed by Victor, Logan begins the search for his brother so that he can get his revenge. The transition is complete when he changes his dog tags from Logan to Wolverine.
Wolverine is directed by little known director Gavin Hood whose claim to fame before this would have been the 2005 South African Academy Award winning movie Tsotsi. That one was quite critically acclaimed. I haven’t seen that one yet and Wolverine does not completely inspire me to either. Hoods direction is just about at par and does enough to ensure that the excitement of the X Men franchise continues and keeps you looking forward to the next one.
Hugh Jackman continues to play the role of Wolverine like no else I can think of. The rest of the cast is quite passé. The movie overall is very exciting and quite full of action. Similar to the previous 3 editions of the X Men. Special Effects are definitely up there. Overall I would give this a 6 on 10. Worth a watch for sure. Preferably on the big screen though.