Gone Baby Gone (2007) - Rick Hart

Starring: Casey Affleck, Amy Ryan, Ed Harris, Morgan Freeman
Director: Ben Affleck

It may be a while since Ben Affleck, the actor, has delivered anything worth watching (Changing Lanes maybe). Ben Affleck, the director though, has come through with the goods with Gone Baby Gone.

In an attempt to ‘keep it in the family’ he enlists his little brother, Casey to take on the main role. And little brother doesn’t disappoint. He’s made a film, which deserves all the praise it has received. Unlike many other suspense-filled dramas, GBG doesn’t play it safe and the line between right and wrong is well and truly blurred throughout, especially in its ending.

After a little girl goes missing, fearing the police aren’t doing enough, the girl’s aunt hires a private detective (Casey Affleck) to use his local knowledge and contacts to get some answers. What follows is one man’s determination to find the truth no matter what the cost. Casey Affleck’s ability to combine hard-edged with the right amount of sensitivity is great and will surely see him stepping out of Ben’s shadow once and for all.

There are some other fine performances throughout, with special mention going Amy Ryan as the girl’s drugged out, ‘always looking for a good time’ mother and Ed Harris as the hard-nosed cop heading up the case. Ryan’s performance, for which she earned an Oscar nomination, is a highlight. You don’t know whether to hate her, feel sorry for her or both. Testament to how well she delivers in the role.

A brief, but story critical performance from Morgan Freeman also adds weight to the quality cast.

GBG takes you on one hell of a ride and keeps you guessing and glued all along. It leaves you questioning right from wrong and what you would do in such situations. If you are anything like this viewer the answers may not be so easy to come by.

If there is a criticism of GBG it’s that, while the ending has a great twist, it all seems a little hurried.
That said, even this does little to detract from what is a high quality movie.

Rating: 8 out of 10

21 [2008] - Shelvia

"Inspired by the true story of five students who changed the game forever"

Director: Robert Luketic

Starring: Kevin Spacey, Jim Sturgess, Laurence Fishburne, Kate Bosworth

The movie tells the story of this very smart student who's very good with numbers, Ben Campbell (Jim Sturgess), who needed money to go into Harvard Medical School (which cost ridiculously large amount of money!). His gift with numbers was noticed by his teacher, Micky Rosa (Kevin Spacey), and he got invited to be a part of a group of students who count cards in Vegas.

The plot of the movie is quite straight forward and might be a little predictable. But, the actors are really good and the movie is very well wrapped together, making it a very enjoyable watch. I remember thinking the movie became a little slow and felt a tiny bit extended [123 mins - according to IMDB], somewhere in the middle of the movie, but then it picks up! :)

One thing though, a Math problem was presented early in the movie about the probability of picking the door with a car behind it when choosing between 3 doors (with 2 goats and 1 car). I cannot fathom the answers presented in the movie! It distracts me from the movie quite a bit! So if you're the type who gets curious (like me!) and might find it difficult to focus on the movie, please make sure you understand this Monty Hall problem (Wikipedia) before you go to the movie! :P

Rating: 8/10

Street Kings (Allen Zeng)

After a year of silence, Keanu Reeves is back. In the form of a tough cop who deals violence with violence. Keanu, while being one of my favourite actors, did not present an overall satisfactory performance though. In scenes where acting skills are essential, Keanu only does an OK job.
Action-wise, this movie has enough to keep you entertained. See how Keanu's character takes the bad guys out in all sorts of awkward situations, ranging from being shot to being bound.
As to the storyline, well, I figured out the ending about 15 minutes into the movie. I sat there hoping some interesting twists might come my way, and, unfortunately, while there were quite a few twists, the interesting one never came. The ending is quite lengthy though, to me it's partly because of Keanu's performance.

Rating: 6/10

The Other Boleyn Girl [2008] - Shelvia

“The only thing that could come between these sisters... is a kingdom.”

Director: Justin Chadwick
Starring: Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson, Eric Bana

This movie is definitely HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! Seriously - if you haven’t watch it, make sure you do! (Go to the cinema!!!)

The movie tells the tale of the two Boleyn sisters, Anne Boleyn (Natalie Portman) and Mary Boleyn (Scarlett Johansson), their rivalry, their sisterly bonds, and their relationship with Henry VIII (Eric Bana). The movie also shows the life of women and their limitations around that era. The exceptional performances by Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson and their outstanding characters made the movie extremely engaging. Plus, they look amazing in the splendid costumes and amazing movie sets.

I’m no historians – so I won’t be able to tell you how much of the story is true – but it is such a compelling movie to watch. How I wish my history teacher would show this kind of movie instead of getting me to read from the boring history textbook!

Rating: 8.8/10

Drillbit Taylor [2008] - Shelvia

“You get what you pay for.”

Director: Steven Brill
Starring: Owen Wilson, Nate Hartley, Troy Gentile, Ian Roberts

I was dragged to this movie by my sister and went in with very little expectation. But - I find myself still smiling two hours later from one of the lines in the movie.
Don’t get me wrong, it is a silly movie. :)
I guess with Owen Wilson in it, it just has to be one!
I personally think the movie was quite well done and it is enjoyable to watch. Still - I would recommend this more as a DVD than a movie.

Rating: 7.1/10

Death Defying Acts [2007] - Shelvia

“There is no escape.”

Director: Gillian Armstrong

Starring: Guy Pearce, Catherine Zeta Jones, Saoirse Ronan

I’m a big fan of magicians and stories around them – so I might be biased. But I’ll try to be as fair as possible in reviewing this movie.

The movie is set around 1926 – to tell the story about Harry Houdini, the great escapist from Britain. The story is extremely captivating and having actors like Catherine Zeta Jones and Guy Pearce telling the story really did make a big difference. Saoirse Ronan definitely adds an extra punch with her impeccable appearance. She seems so suited to the role that I can’t picture her anywhere else.

I can’t talk too much about the storyline without spoiling it. Just make sure to catch it on DVD when it comes out.

Rating: 7.6/10

No Country For Old Men (Rick Hart)

Directed by: Joel and Ethan Coen
Starring: Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, Tommy Lee Jones

Having been somewhat of a Coen brothers fan for some time (Fargo, The Big Lebowski, O’ Brother Where Art Thou) I went along to see their latest Oscar winning offering, No Country For Old Men. Trying my best not to be swayed by the hype and kudos that has surrounded the film, I sat prepared, popcorn in hand (largely finished before the feature commenced).

You may already know the landscape. Violent drama set around the American/Mexican border, about a drug deal gone bad, a (truly) frightening bad guy after some drug money that someone else stumbles onto and takes. But there’s so much more to this story and the way the Coen’s handle it is a credit to their film-making abilities. For the two hours it ran, I was glued, losing total track of time.

No Country centres around three main characters played by Josh Brolin, Tommy Lee Jones and Javier Bardem. The latter a deserved winner of his recent Best Supporting Actor award at the Oscars. Is there a more frightening psychopath in recent movie history ? The sense of fear and anticipation he drives throughout the movie needs to be seen. The fact that Bardem doesn’t steal the film totally is a credit to Brolin and Jones for their first class performances.

How Josh Brolin (as the object of Bardem’s violent pursuit) was not nominated for any kind of award shocks the hell out of this viewer. If nothing else this will surely help put the Canadian born actor on the ‘A’ list map. Jones as the laconic, yet assured, yet self reflecting sheriff delivers yet again. He was surely an automatic choice for the role. The performances from the main three and an ever-cool, if brief, cameo from Woody Harrelson not only help carry this film but lift it to the heights it reaches.

Yes, No Country has its share of violence, but it is totally in keeping with the context of the story. In fact I didn’t find myself in any way fixated with this aspect of the movie because the story being told was so good.

If there are any criticisms towards the film, then it is the ending. I felt a little bit of the “Is that it ?” syndrome. Maybe I just didn’t want it to end.

No Country For Old Men is an absolute winner.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Juno (Shelvia)

"A comedy about growing up... and the bumps along the way."

Director: Jason Reitman
Writer (WGA): Diablo Cody
Starring: Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman

A very refreshing comedy movie.
The story unfold in a very real life manner.
The innocence and sincere elements of the relationship between Ellen Page (Juno) and Michael Cera (Bleeker) were captured very nicely in the movie.
Definitely worth watching! :)

Rating: 8.1/10

I AM LEGEND (Harpreet)

Director - Francis Lawrence
Actor - Will Smith

In one line – “This movie is much more than one line”.

It’s a dream project for any actor as it simply outshines one man (remember Castaway with Tom Hanks, Erin Brockovich with Julia Roberts). Even though, as a remake of The Omega Man (1971), this movie provides Will Smith a perfect platform to make the world recognize his acting capabilities are much more than what he did in MIB, Wild-Wild West, and even I-Robot.

Excellent direction, excellent acting, traditional but immaculate action and very good camera movements makes this movie a must watch. Though, computer effects are not charming and use of real people instead of computer generated images for the infected people would have been much better.

About the director Francis Lawrence’s (Constantine) work – one, he knows how to fright the audience and two, he did a very smart thing by not wasting time in showing how the population disappeared. For critics who do not agree with second point and say that the event should have been elaborated, understand that - this movie is all about saying why Robert Neville (Will Smith) became a legend and not on a medical blunder.

Robert Neville lives alone in the city with his dog and NO human being. He gets the luxury of free grocery shopping, gets away by doing a runner at petrol pump and enjoys the golf sessions on military planes but the loneliness and the fear of dark and infected haunts both until the dog dies while saving Robert from an attack.

As always, I read the reviews on websites before watching the movie. Almost all the websites said - "except the end, the entire movie is good". From my perspective, this movie cannot have a better ending than this. The movie, as suggested by its name, explains why Robert would be called a Legend by the future – not because he was a legendary fighter or a legendary scientist or even a legend that survived alone but because of his efforts to get not just “human beings” but also “humanity” back in the world.

A must watch.

Rating: 8/10

(Please note these are my personal remarks and may or may not be different to views expressed by others)

1408 - Harpreet

1408

Director Mikael Hafstrom
Actors John Cusack
Samuel L Jackson
Year 2007


Question -> Why is this movie called 1408? Why not – “Feel scared (please)”, “I’m scary - - Ooh”, “Hollywood’s Another Disaster”, “Don’t watch me” or just “Scary Movie 6” (scary movie 5 is coming in 2008 – incase you are a scary movie fan).

The movie starts with Mike Enslin (John Cusack) entering a (not-to-remember-name) hotel with some devices to witness/track the said paranormal activities. The start gave an impression of ‘ghost hunting’ which, actually, does not happen. In fact, the movie is not about ghosts. The movie revolves around Mike, a writer or an over confident, victim of life, agnostic, frustrated, alcoholic writer who believes only in himself and an evil room. The movie had few twists which can be appreciated but on the whole if you watch too many suspense or horror movies then you can easily predict the next scene and in some instances even the next dialogue.

Olin (Samuel L Jackson) appearance looks like of a guest star as he there only to warn Mike.

I think movie lacks direction as in the most crucial part of the movie, the director shows a sea storm in the room and Mike drowning in it (can’t believe). Stephen King’s novels, on which the movie is based, usually do show some weird stuff but the director, Mikael Hafstrom (Derailed, Vendetta –TV series) can use his skills to present the scene in his own better way.

I had only two fright moments in the movie and had numerous laughs (seriously).

The last fifteen minutes of the movie are better than the other reel. The movie does a very good loop and brings the terror back from where it started forcing the audience to accept it. It gives a terror of things getting worse but then you know the movie is about to end and nothing massive can start again.

The acting in the movie has been good but the ghostly special effects were childish, reminded my of the black and white vampire movies.

It’s so strange that many websites, whom I trusted, have given a good rating to this movie causing a waste of money.

On the whole – The movie has few scary scenes but poor direction and in totality misses the point of being really scary.

Rating – 5.5/10

(Please note these are my personal remarks and may or may not be different to views expressed by others)

Good Luck Chuck (2007) - Shelvia W

Starring: Jessica Alba, Dane Cook

I thought it was one of the cute chick flick - turns out to be directed for guys!
I should have realised that they didn't cast Jessica Alba in the movie to attract girls.
Keep your expectations low. Enough said.

Rating: 6/10

The Fountain (2006) - Shelvia W

"What if you could live forever?"

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Rachel Weisz
Director: Darren Aronofsky

I find the movie interestingly different.

Three parallel love stories, each from the past, present and the future, all with Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz playing the main characters as follows:

• Past Story: About Tomas being a conquistador in the Mayan underworld, who's looking for "the tree of life" to free his demonized Queen Isabel;


• Present Story: Dr Tommy Creo, an oncologist who's researching "various trees" through animal testing, trying to find a cure for his wife, Izzi Creo;


• Future Story: Tom, an astronaut who travels in an ecospheric spacecraft housing a "living tree", towards a golden nebula. He was often accompanied by with visions of Izzi.

The scenes in this movie were very pretty (especially when combined with the beautiful music). The movie has a very interesting dreamy-like calming effect.

Rating: 8.2/10

P.S.: This movie was originally going to start in 2002 with a budget of $70million - starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett. This was shut down.
The project was resurrected in 2004, with half the original budget.

The Hills Have Eyes (2006) - Victor Kwong

This movie revolves around police detective "Big Bob" Carter and his family who travel to California in celebration of his wedding anniversary. What is suppose to be a fun and relaxing vacation turns out to be the trip from hell as their car unexpectingly breaks down in the middle of the desert near a town which was used as part of nuclear testing by the American military. The result of nuclear testing has mutated and deformed the residents of the small town and anyone who passes near their town dies a horrific death.

There is some disturbing and quite graphic scenes in this movie so it's definitely not for the faint hearted. I also recommend not watching it late at night (as I did). Lots of gore and violence, I give it 6/10.

Pride and Prejudice (2005) - Gemma Smyth

Yet another remake of the ol' classic. This is not too bad, but its more of a rainy Sunday afternoon type movie, for the girls to watch.

Rating: 6/10

Becoming Jane (2007) - Gemma Smyth

A biographical portrait of a pre-fame Jane Austen and her romance with a young Irishman. Not really my cup of tea but I enjoyed it all the same. It was a little slow in parts but a very "nice" story to watch. No really one for the blokes.

Rating: 6/10

The Notorious Bettie Page (2006) - Gemma Smyth

Movie based on the life of Bettie Page, a notorious pin-up model / sex symbol from the 1950's. With Gretchen Mol playing the title role, the story shows a very naive and "nice" girl who gets talked into taking nude photos based on her need for acceptance. It includes flashbacks to horrible incidents in her past and is a bit disjointed at times but overall was a well told story. This was not a movie I originally planned on watching but enjoyed it all the same.

Rating: 7/10

Pan's Labyrinth (2006) - Gemma Smyth

A strange mix of fact and fantasy, set in the 1940's Fascist Spain, its about a child whose step-father is a brutal army officer in a remote area. She looses herself in a fantasy world where she is a princess. Its a fascinating movie and I was glued to the screen for the entire time. The characters are very believeable (even for adults) and there's plenty of emotion. Definitely one to watch.

Rating: 9/10

Sunshine (2007) - Gemma Smyth

A sci-fi flick about a group of scientists, in the future, who are sent to the sun to re-ignite it and save the Earth. The previous mission disappeared without a trace so they are the last hope. On nearing the sun they come across the original ship and decide to investigate. Of course it all goes downhill from there when strange things start to happen. Not really much happening in this movie. The idea is a bit worn and I'm not really sure what happened half the time !! Only really watched it since Cillian Murphy is a fellow Corkonian.

Rating: 5/10

Elizabeth the Golden Years (2007) - John Grant

Elizabeth the Golden Age

This film focuses on the historical events associated with the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1st of England. This is the age of Sir Francis Drake, Sir Walter Raleigh and the Spanish Armada. In order to fully appreciate the content of the film you would have to have some background knowledge of the era. Elizabeth has come to the throne after the death of her half sister Mary who was the daughter of Katherine of Aragon King Henry the Eight’s first wife and a former Spanish princess.

Spain has significant difficulty with England because under Elizabeth, the split with the Roman Catholic Church been formalised with the formation of a Church of England. Dissident Catholics abound at this time in Elizabethan England. Philip of Spain sees it as his God given mission to return England to the Catholic Church and builds a large fleet “The Spanish Armada” with which he plans to invade. Under Sir Francis Drake the Armada is engaged in battle. At the same time a severe storm drives back the Armada and the Spanish are defeated. Spain pays dearly for this defeat and faces economic ruin. England continues on into a Golden era.

Excellent photography and costumes.


If you like history you will enjoy Elizabeth the Golden Age, 7 out of 10

Charlotte's Web (2006) - Shelvia

-- Based on the Book by E. B. White

A very enjoyable movie!

The story line was simple and pure, yet very sweet.
The barn-talking-animals and the story were made for the kids; but Dakota's act, Wilbur's cute voice, Charlotte's wisdom along with the way the story unfold were nicely put together to touch the heart of the adults (it definitely touches me!! :P).
The sweet magical theme music was a great companion too.

Check it out if you haven't - especially when you feel like winding down with a sweet and lovely movie...
It does the job in a short hour and 53 mins...

Rate: 8.8/10