Ticker Talks Film

Real Steel

2012-02-29T10:04:00.000Z

I am actually lost for words. Real Steel did this to me. It's a film that has its heart in the right place, but fails on so many levels that it disheartened me tremendously.

Real Steel stars High Jackman as an ex-boxer, now participating in robot boxing, down on his luck and left with a son that he disowned. The film simply put lacks originality. Taking ideas from a few movies of the 80s and 90s it never rises up to anything spectacular. It primarily takes its story from Sylvester Stallone's Over The Top and places it in the not-so-distant future where rather than hand-wrestling we have robots fighting. There is an endless wait throughout the movie for something to happen. Unfortunately, when it does happen, and I’m guessing it is the end fight, which resembles Stallone's Rocky IV, it is nothing but a fizzle.

Real Steel lacks emotion. The supposed father-son bonding does not have the same angst that we had in Over The Top. The "air boxing" that Hugh Jackman does in the final climatic fight is laughable. The family dynamics are just too Disney-esq and might have worked a couple of decades ago, but not anymore when people look for some reality and edge in relationships, even on screen.

Surprisingly enough, the only interesting aspect of the movie comes from hunk of metal piled together in the form of robots. The robot fights are fun, in-your-face, and intense. They are pictured meticulously and turn out to be the only saving grace during the entire abysmal film.

Real Steel works as a clean family movie, especially if you have a pre-teen son. It tries to be uplifting, with the father and son coming together as underdogs to take on the reigning Robot champion, but unfortunately it is the robots that show more emotion than the humans and that is why probably Real Steel is nothing but a stylized piece of movie dud.

Rating 2/5

The Story of #MTOS ... So far

2012-02-27T12:10:00.000Z

It's been almost 6 months since our little project started. I'll be the first to admit that it wasn't an original idea. But, it was an idea that had not been explored.

Having just started being active on twitter, soon enough I came to know about these weekly chats that would take place. Mostly, due to my interest, I started participating in travel chats like #TTOT (Travel Talk On Tuesday) or #TNI (Traveler's Night In). Surprisingly, there was no such chat on Twitter that catered to the cinephiles.

Once I had Rachel onboard (after asking a few people to help, she was the only one who came forward), I feel we made a somewhat selfish yet encouraging idea of involving the very cinephiles who were our target to also help us with the event. It took a little bit of consideration and eventually we had a structure, a time (20:00 GMT) and a day (Sunday) when we would hold #MTOS each week.

The different aspect of #MTOS, one that differentiates it from other such talks across the other lifestyle (Travel, Photography, Food) talks, is that we decided to have a different host each week along with a different topic. To encourage the participants to take part, we decided to ask the hosts to make the questions and post them on their blogs so that in return they also got some traffic and free advertisement for their blogs. Not only did this make it easier for us and less stressful, but it proved to be a great way to give back to the film blogging community.

I still remember the very first #MTOS. While I fiddled with the questions, Rachel was busy calling people in and getting them to participate. Add to that the extensive work we had to do to explain the whole method to each new participant. But, eventually it paid of and we might not be hugely successful today, but I like to think we make a difference once a week and bring about some fun in people's lives.

#MTOS has not been without its problems. The time has always been an issue. It's obvious we cannot cater to the whole world and thus we decided on a time when it would be day in USA, evening in Europe, what I call "owl hour" in Asia, and morning in Australia. Asia definitely got the wrong end of the stick, but in all honestly, most cinephiles on Twitter, in my opinion, are in the western world, so it seemed okay to give them the benefit.

#MTOS has also had some very passionate supporters, and I thank them for that. But this passion in some cases also led to negative feedbacks. I believe in life one should take criticism and praise on equal levels. I've personally never spoken about the questions that were raised about #MTOS till now, but I would like to address something today.

#MTOS has never been about looking at film in deep details. I find it absurd to even imagine that we can discuss the nuances of cinema in 140 characters of less. So #MTOS is shallow. I actually take pride in that. When I started blogging, it was because I wanted to write reviews that were in common everyday language. I did not want to use big words. I did not know big words. I did not want to talk about different aspects of a film in detail. I never had and never will have a journalistic approach to writing reviews, but then that is the whole point. Film for me should always be experienced by each individual and each one should take a different, personal story from the film they watch. If I don't understand a film, and I am curious, I look up or ask someone. The same holds true for #MTOS.

#MTOS has always been about fun. That is the baseline. It's about discovering new films. Not talking about them in detail, although you can if you want to. We do have topics that cover all aspects of films, so as to make the event more interesting. It is about finding like minded people. It's about having a laugh and even a rant without getting heated up. It's about learning what others, around the world, think about a film and respecting their opinions. In short, just like any film, #MTOS is what you, the participants, make of it individually.

#MTOS has also had its success stories. Recently I found out about a couple who actually found out about each other during #MTOS and are dating now. How wonderful is that! We have new people joining in each week curious about that hashtag that pops up on their timelines every Sunday. We have had blogs that came into limelight and have increased their traffic ever since they hosted a #MTOS.

And that's the story of #MTOS so far. Rachel, my partner-in-crime, has been a tremendous driving force ever since we started, and has been the one to keep me and things in place every time frustration sets in with last minute host dropout and what not!

We are halfway through our second "semester" which ends in April and hope to start opening the "bookings" for hosts sometime in March. My request to everyone participating would be that we do #MTOS for no financial gain. We spend our time and energy on it, along with that of the hosts, so please if you love films, if you love to talk about them, if you like people who like films, then try and make it to the next #MTOS and the one after that, and the one after that, and the one after that...

It's on the Walls – Film Decor!

2012-02-24T10:55:00.000Z

Rummaging through my old photo stash, looking for photographs for a travel article I was writing, I came across some photographs I took of my college dorm room. I was rather lucky in college for not having a roommate, ever, and pretty much lived in space luxury for the four years I was enrolled. What this also allowed me to do was "decorate" the room according to my own choice and also skip the whole tie on the door routine.

My craze for the movies didn't just start recently. I cannot pinpoint a day, but I do think that this craze came into full form sometime during college. This should be evident from the photographs posted in this article.

As you can imagine, the entire process of putting up everything was tedious and took time, usually from a week to anywhere around three weeks. I normally would avoid any visitors during this time, considering the entire room floor was covered with posters and cuttings. The cuttings, as you might have guessed were mainly from film magazines, and primarily from Empire.

Once the room was ready, each year I would have a "room warming" party with a few friends which was actually a glorified Movie Night. Considering we were in a small town of Germany where English movies were hard to find, I had to take a 45 minute one-way train to Stuttgart, then walk another 15 minutes to The English Shop (which also had a film rental section) and rent a bunch of movies or sometimes episodes of Friends. The same trip would have to be done again within the next two days to return the films.

Now, the whole decoration part was usually fun, what was not was taking it all down at the end of the semester/year. Imagine how loathsome taking off BlueTac from the walls can be, and then multiply it by 10, and that is how I felt. As you would guess, this was one thing no one ever helped me with :-(

Still, I never regretted setting up my room the way I did. It was a nice little place to mingle and just relax after a hard day of classes. Granted, most people might find it distracting to study in a room like this, but for some reason I did not.

Now, at home where there are a number of personalities living under the same roof, I can only dream about having a room like this. I have been generously allowed to have a few (5-6) posters in my home theater. Someday, I just need to man up and get some posters framed and hang them up... obviously before I do that, I better make sure I go out and buy a nice comfortable couch to sleep on :-)

Briefcase (Short)

2012-02-23T03:45:00.000Z

The first thing that struck me about this 6 minute short was the camera angles used throughout the film. Stepping aside from the conventional angles, the film plays around with low angle shots, tilt shots, in a subtle way without making a gimmick out of it. That, considering the length of the film, works rather well and brings about freshness in the film.

The story of Briefcase is about a man on the run with a briefcase whose contents remain unknown to the audience till the very end. In short (no pun intended) it's a chase film, but mysterious enough to keep the audience guessing as to what actually is happening. Once again, since it lasts only 6 minutes, it manages to capture the audience in the right frame of mind, and ends in a way that leaves space for discussion. The fact that the film is not clear about its ending (at least after the first watch), and also has a pretty shocking end, on one end can be disappointing as the audience might leave confused, while on the other, to my liking, it encourages exploring the different possibilities.

I thoroughly enjoyed this six minute adventure and look forward to future projects by the makers of the film. The filming, production, and overall feel of the short are quite exceptional and reflect the work that went into the making. Since it's only six minutes of our life, but many hardworking hours for the makers, I highly recommend that you watch this film.

Briefcase

(Please click on the link to view the film on YouTube)

SPOILER ALERT

Since I had the opportunity to email the maker of the film, Nate Golon, he was kind enough to send me the story of the film and the "mythology" behind it. I strongly recommend that you view the film before reading the blurb below, as Briefcase is all about discovering and guessing what's going on, on your own first.

"In this film's universe, right before you die, a briefcase is left near you for Death to pick up. This briefcase has a picture of you at your moment of death. Death comes into the world momentarily in human form in order to collect the briefcase. If Death does not come and get the briefcase in time (which happens very rarely), "miracles" occur, where a person comes back to life after being pronounced dead. When Death is in human form (most of the time it is just for a few moments), he follows the same rules as a normal human does. He takes many human forms - a doctor, paramedic, onlooker at an accident, or in this case, a cop. His only heightened sense when he is in human form is his sense of where the person he is going to collect may be. But he must still follow human rules in order to get to that person (and the person's briefcase) he is after. It is only after he successfully obtains the desired person's briefcase that he is free to leave the human form.

Carter cheats death by seeing the briefcase and seeing the contents inside. The gunshot goes off right as he looks at the picture, and at the end, when the cop is looking at the picture of Carter dead, he sees what should have been Carter's moment of death, next to the car. The scene at the very end with the mom and daughter is what happens normally when a person dies, where people never see the briefcase. Inside that briefcase is the picture of the little girl."

Photo Courtesy - Nate Galon

New Girl (TV) (Comedy)

2012-02-22T06:19:00.000Z

There is something mesmerizing about Zooey Deschanel. Is it those big eyes, the womanly husky voice, or maybe just the fact that she can be a total girly girl, yet be one of the guys? I'm not sure, but what I do know is that she is the force behind the new TV comedy series New Girl and she also is responsible for me watching the show.

The set-up is quite simple. Three guys (Jake Johnson, Max Greenfield, and Lamorne Morris) living together and add into that the New Girl which is the one factor that will bring about change in their lives and supposedly comedy in ours. Having watched close to 10 episodes, of the 13(?), unfortunately New Girl has a long way to go before it reaches the same comic timing of say Friends or How I Me Your Mother. What the New Girl has is heart and it seems to be in the right place.

Most comedies, as was the case with Community, take a while before they really lift off. The same holds true for New Girl which somewhat starts to get interesting around the 4th episode, once all the characters have been introduced and their mannerisms are somewhat known to the audience. The series works because even though Zooey's character Jess is the titled New Girl, the episodes give equal weight to the remaining three housemates. New Girl also entertains because although they have the now obligatory Indian character, but instead of a nerdy accented guy, they have the sexy CeCe (Hannah Simone) who is a model and pretty feisty and smart. In addition, with guest appearances from known faces like Justin Long and Rachel Harris, they seem to be on the right track and knowing the friendship Zooey Deschanel shares with Joseph Gordon-Levitt it's only a matter of time before we see him on the show, I Hope.

On the negative side, the most important issue I have with the show is the content. It is so far only moderately funny with a few laugh-out-loud moments. With the emphasis on sex related jokes, the show at times seems to be desperately trying to tap into the college audience rather than the slightly older 25+ one. Lastly, some of the plot lines seem to be old and rather Americanized and done to death. Case in point being the one where Jess's boyfriend says "I Love You" and she only says "Thank You" in return. I'm sorry, but this is such an old and now boring topic that it's no longer funny or sad or romantic.

The other thing that seems to be bothering me a little is that New Girl has certain similarities to Friends. Zooey’s Jess is an amalgamation of Rachel, Phoebe, and Monica. Jake’s Nick is somewhat on the lines of Ross. Schmidt played by Max Greenfield is Joey from another dimension, and lastly Lamorne’s Winston gives out a slight hint of Chandler. I’m taking into account a very broad generalization, but it is there for sure.

Am I sticking with the series? Yes! The character development seems to be going in the right direction and Zooey Deschanel is charming as ever. I just hope that the comedy is less college humor and upped a notch.

Note: I have since writing the above viewed the remainder of the three episodes and I still stand by the statement that the plot line seems to be going in a clichéd and hence the wrong direction. At the present rate, I would give the series a maximum of three seasons, but I do hope we see something fresh soon and it can go one for a lot longer.

An Interview with Anish Trivedi

2012-02-19T09:33:00.001Z

The best way to introduce Anish Trivedi would be to pull up his bio from his Twitter account @Anish_Trivedi (see below). I've known Anish for the last year or so, only through Twitter, and what really impressed me, besides his approachability and the fact that he is always there to help, is that he can take a joke on himself as well as make one (especially on a public platform), and for me that says a lot about a person.

Seeing how multitalented Anish is, I requested him to answer a few questions for my readers so that we can get to know him and also share some of the knowledge he has acquired over the years;

Hello Anish. Thank you very much for taking out the time to answer our interview questions. Jumping straight in, as mentioned above, you have worked/participated in many fields (education, VJ, theater, radio, business, investment banking, writer), what has been the most satisfying work professionally and personally?

I began as an investment banker, something I did for 15 years, and I’d be kidding myself if I weren’t to admit that the financial compensation you get in that industry is hard to beat. But I found that wasn’t enough for me after a while, and I needed to be doing something I enjoyed. At a time when radio didn’t exist in India, we founded Banyan Tree, a company that’s been at the forefront of cutting edge radio, whether in terms of programming or platforms. I’m very proud of the fact that we were the first Indian company to do internet radio for the Indian diaspora, the first to do satellite radio, the first to do mobile radio. On the personal front, I’d say it’s my first play, Still Single, and my first novel, Call Me Dan, that make me glad I do what I do.

You were one of the very first Video Jockeys (VJs) that this country had. Now, music channels are filled with either film adverts or teenage dramas or reality shows and negligible music. Do you miss the good-old-days or has TV just progressed with time and represents the present society?

When Meghna and I started hosting Mangta Hai on Channel V, there was nothing like it on Indian television. We took the request show format and turned it on its head. Unfortunately, music channels now don’t bother about the music, preferring to compete with every other station with formats that range from soap operas to reality shows. I’d hate to think that this is all we want as a viewing audience. I think it’s more representative of the laziness that creeps into a programming team. Family drama does well on a GEC format, so let’s do teen drama on music television. Reality shows rock, so let’s forget about rock ‘n’ roll. And unfortunately, it’s getting to be that way on radio too.

I came to know you through Twitter. You are also one of the few hands-on celebrities on Twitter that interacts with his/her followers. Why this interest in Twitter? Is it a business tool, or just a personal pastime, or as some people say, simply waste of time?

I had to set up a Twitter account in 2010 because I was a part of an international online tasting panel choosing the cask that would be Glenfiddich’s Vintage Reserve that year. We were scattered across the world, but put our tasting notes up on Twitter in real time. I let it languish for a long while after that, but then found myself drawn into conversations with people like you, about topics as diverse as political inaction and single malt whisky. I’ve never met most of the people with whom I interact, and I probably never will. But they offer me a point of view that’s different, and one that I thoroughly enjoy receiving. But the day you get me tweeting about my personal life or what I had for breakfast, please, shoot me.

You've written a piece of fiction called Call Me Dan which to me is a humorous look at the changing lifestyles of India. Where did the want to write a book originate and where did the idea for the character of Dan come from? Also, can we expect some new literary works from you in the future?

Call Me Dan came from just that changing lifestyle that we’re seeing in India today. Like Gautam, the protagonist in the novel, there is an entire generation that is earning more money than its parents ever did, is spending it in places like bars where its parents would never dream of entering, and yet goes home every night to the value systems of a traditional middle class upbringing in India. There is a huge dichotomy in the lives of kids today. My parents’ generation may have been the first to live in a free India, but it’s this generation today that is really embracing freedom, both economic and social. I write about contemporary India, the one in which you and I live. Gautam, and Dan, are the guys who are this generation, and that’s why I like them, and the women they date.

The next novel has been slow in starting, only because it’s sometimes difficult to balance running a business and taking the time off to go and write. But I know what, and about whom, I want to write. So if I spend less time this year doing online interviews (he said, with a straight face), I’m hoping to start writing the damned thing soon.

We would love to know a little bit about your "origins". Where were you born, your childhood, your life in a paragraph or two?

I used to begin by saying I was born a poor black child, but Steve Martin stole that line and used it in a movie. Less interestingly, I grew up in Mumbai in a good Gujarati family. Parents who neither drank, smoked or allowed meat to cross their threshold. By the standards of wealth we see in this country today, I guess we’d be classified middle class, but then in those days we were all middle class because the government taxed away all our money. Twelve years of school at Cathedral where I learnt to write, run and play rugby. Economics and international relations at the University of Southern California, where I learnt that not all Americans are as ignorant as the international press makes them out to be, that I will never understand baseball but I love American football, and that Jack Daniels and I are never going to be friends.

You have been working in and around the entertainment industry for quite a long time. Any anecdotes that you can share, with or without names?

You mean like going on the road for a radio documentary with Jethro Tull and drinking with Ian Anderson? And having him sing snatches of Thick As A Brick in a Bangalore bar to a young lady who went on to win an international beauty contest and then become an actress, nudge, nudge, wink, wink, say no more? Or the newsreader who forgot to switch off her body mic while she did a cameraman in the green room? Now, really! How could I possibly have such stories?

Now, adding to your many talents is that you are also a playwright. Recently, you started work/performance on another Play that you have written. Tell us a little something about the Play and where can one get to see it. Also, do you think theater is a dying art in India or does it still have a strong hold on society?

I wrote my first play, Still Single, because of a bet. I was told then that all I wrote were newspaper columns and that I knew nothing about what went into the creative process of theatre. So I decided to write the play. Seventeen rewrites later, we put it on stage. Had it not done well, I’d probably have slunk off and gone back to propping up bars, but it did do well so a year later, I wrote my next play, One Small Day. And most recently, we opened my third play, Famous Last Words.

Famous Last Words is a black comedy about an author who hasn’t written anything for the past 5 years, and ends up depending on his ex-wife to help him get his life back in place. Of course the only place he’d like it to be is the nearest bar. And no, there is no autobiographical element in it.

Theatre in India? It’s not quite dying, but it certainly needs life support. There are no theatres. In any other part of the world, you’d write a play, book a theatre, and do shows for many months. Here, you try and get one weekend at the NCPA, finally do after a year of trying, and then sit down to write your play. Thinking of it as a career option? Don’t.

As I run a travel blog, I can't help but ask for your favourite places in the world and why they are so special?

Ah, Scotland for sure. Apart from the fact that I love single malt whisky, it’s a place I’ve been going to for the past 15 years, and one I try to visit at least once a year. I fell in love with it the first time down in Argyll, and I think it’s just the raw nature of the land that draws me to it. Well, yes, that and a steady supply of damned fine whisky.

Whisky and Cigar, more so "Good" Whisky and Cigar have always been special for you. When and how did this love affair start? What tips would you give to first-timers who want to enjoy these finer things in life?

I got lucky. Most kids start out with rum and cola or beer in their teens. I only started drinking, really, when I went to university. And instead of beginning at the bottom, my eye, and my palate, latched onto a bottle of Glenfiddich, which was pretty much the only single malt you could buy in the US in those days. And 32 years later, I’m still drinking it. I drink beer, wine and vodka as well, but it almost always comes down to good malt for me. Cigars too. I’ve never smoked a cigarette in my life, but I enjoy cigars, and have for coming on a couple of decades now.

I’ve always said that there’s no such thing as a bad whisky. It’s just that there are some that are better. If you’re starting out, drink the best you can. Life’s too short to waste on something that’s not worth it. Try different whiskies, from different regions and with different finishes, to see what you like. The same with cigars.

And ignore the snobs. You will be surrounded by know-it-alls who will tell you there is only one brand of cigar you should smoke, or that you’re drinking the wrong whisky. Be polite. Don’t tell them where to stick it. But just do what you enjoy. And spit in their glass when they’re not looking.

This next one is probably the most clichéd question, but still, if you were to tell the younger generation one thing that you have learnt from your life, what would it be?

Follow your dreams for sure. But make sure you have enough money to pay the rent and feed the kids before you do. Passion doesn’t pay the bills. And at some point, your parents won’t either.

Since this is a film blog, we cannot let you go without telling us your top 3 favourite films? Just to make it easy, we would like 3 International (English/Non-English) films and 3 Indian Films please?

International- On The Waterfront, Scent Of A Woman, Breakfast At Tiffany’s.

Indian- Aradhana, Mera Naam Joker, Sahib Biwi Aur Gulam.

Thank you, once again, Anish for taking out precious time from your schedule to answer the above questions. I look forward to having numerous more fun conversations over Twitter and hopefully meeting you in real someday.

I strongly encourage everyone on Twitter (no matter where you are from) to follow @Anish_Trivedi.

Blogathon - Movie Products

2012-02-16T12:17:00.000Z

My very first Blogathon participation comes from a blogathon started by Nostra from MyFilmView.com

Taking bloggers into the world of science fiction gadgets/products, my mission is to change movie history and in some cases include myself in movie stardom by answering these following questions;

Which movie would you find in your own Pulp Fiction briefcase? (One which you would treasure or is impossible to see because it is not available)

I've actually been trying to get my hands on the DVD of an excellent Indian film called Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron. Although the movie was made in the 70s, it still remains one of the freshest and funniest movies to ever come out of Indian cinema. Furthermore, lightheartedly looking at corruption in India, the films still hold true after decades.

If you had a Back to the Future DeLorean, which cinema related time period would you travel?

I honestly cannot answer that. I don't think I will truly be able to appreciate the 20s to 50s period and 80s onwards has been pretty average and something I've lived through. So, either have a look into the future, or if I must travel back in time, I guess the time of free love and radicalism would be fun to experience, so 60s and 70s it is, especially since the true Summer Blockbuster films also originated around then.

If you woke up tomorrow morning and found out that you were living your own Groundhog Day and could only escape it by watching all the movies from a specific genre, which genre would you choose and why? And which genre would be your personal hell?

If I was living my own Groundhog Day, then first I would arrange to meet Anne Hathaway. If that works out, I guess I will not be watching any films because I would be in my celebrity heaven. If the plan fails, then I would probably go for the brainless action films (Fast and the Furious, Transporter, and the like) which would take my mind off living my life in a loop. As for my personal hell, period dramas. I can take only small doses of those every few years, and having to watch them day in and day out would be horrible.

You have the Neuralyzer from Men in Black in your pocket. Which movie would you travel into to use it on one of the characters to change the movie in a fun or interesting way and what would happen because of the change you made?

It would have to be The Usual Suspects. I'd like for Verbal Kint to have a memory loss on the ship after the explosion and then see how the movie progresses since he would then not know who Kyser Söze is ;-)

If you would be able to enter the dreams of a famous movie character like Cobb did in Inception using the dream machine, which character's dreams would you jump into to get to know that character better and what do you think their dreamworld would look like?

I'm a big fan of psychology, so there would be a number of characters whose brains I would like to pick to see what's really going on in there. Jack Nicholson from One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest. Maybe Edward Norton from Primal Fear. Or even Anne Hathaway from Rachel Getting Married which is such an underrated performance. I think all the three characters would have edgy dreams, but that of Edward Norton in Primal Fear are the ones that are bound to be the scariest.

Lacuna Inc, the company from Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind just opened on the corner of your street. Which one movie memory would you delete to experience it for the first time again?

You know I asked this questions recently when I was watching Predator one day. How cool would it be to watch a movie without knowing anything about it? I would definitely love to experience some of the movie greats like Star Wars, Indiana Jones, or even Clerks again without knowing anything about them...not even a trailer.

Right next to Lacuna Inc, another company Rekall from Total Recall has opened as well. Which character in which movie would you like to be to experience it in first person?

No doubt, Ferris Bueller from Ferris Bueller's Day Out. That would be an amazing experience.

Thank you Nostra for the opportunity to participate in the Blogathon. Cheers!

An interview with Producer/Director of The Ultimate Ultimate, Joe Benarick

2012-02-15T10:50:00.000Z

The thing I love about cinema is that there is always something for everyone. Besides the different genres, films end up being unique based on the style of filmmaking. Add to that the individuality that everyone brings working together to make movies for us. One such individual is Joe Benarick whose "indie-comedy" The Ultimate Ultimate will be hitting the festival circuit real soon. I had a chance to ask him a few questions about his film, his cinema preferences, and the art of filmmaking.

Hi Joe and thank you for taking out the time to answer some of our questions.

Oh, my pleasure.

Raghav Modi (RM) - The Ultimate Ultimate definitely sounds like the ultimate movie, but still tell us a little about the title and why did you select this very title?

Joe Benarick (JB) - You’re right, it is the ultimate movie. The title, The Ultimate Ultimate, comes from a line from one of my favorite comedies, Windy City Heat. Everyone needs to check out that movie. After a dozen views, it’s still the funniest thing I’ve ever seen. The title of our movie is really just a nod to that. The movie’s about two buddies taking a trip to a nearby town to get away from their problems at home, so there’s no real relevance, just something I thought of. It works anyway.

RM - Having just seen your trailer, the humor and the language is very much adult and very Jackass-y. Was it a conscious decision to maybe use it as a unique selling point because by going R rated you are limiting your target audience?

JB - My humor’s always been R rated. I don’t think I could censor it; I lack a filter. Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg tried to censor theirs in Green Hornet, and even though I like that movie, I was thinking, “The f-word would’ve been great there” the whole time. I think the only two PG-13 comedies that have lasted with me are Dumb & Dumber and Kingpin—Kingpin’s my favorite comedy. Those movies both have heart, though. I don’t have a heart, so I use filth as a crutch. But I’d love to write and direct something with emotion one day. I’m sure everyone would see through it, like, “This guy clearly doesn’t know what it’s like to have a dead wife,” but I could try. And there’s always going to be an audience for R rated comedy. That 18-34 year old male demographic is the one everyone’s trying to catch.

RM - Comedy has obviously played an important role in your life, and reflects in the films you make. When did you figure out that you had a knack for comedy and that this is the line you wanted to take professionally?

JB - Kindergarten. I did a Jackie Gleason impression and the kids lost it. No, I don't know. I've always loved comedy. As far back as fifth grade I wanted to be a stand-up comic. I thought I had a little talent for it, and as I got older it became something I wanted to pursue—something I wanted to be great at. I still do. I want my name ultimately to be up there with the greats, on both sides of the camera.

Joe Benarick

RM - Joe, you seem like a man of many talents especially with your name recurring a number of times in the credits. Was it a necessity that you had to take over a number of roles, or was it something you wanted to do from the start?

JB - Both, I guess. Writing is my first love; I’ll always be writing. I’ve grown to really enjoy directing, too. I’m looking forward to doing something down the road that I don’t have to act in, and I can just direct. I’d like to write something for our guy Frank Aguirre to star in, and I can stay behind the camera. Frank’s the half brother of Deco Drive host Louis Aguirre. He stars in The Ultimate Ultimate and our last movie, Days of Lightning. He’s very good. He could carry a movie. Up to this point, I’ve had to act in everything we’ve done because it’s tough to find good actors, and let’s face it, I’m very good. Brando-ish. I’m also easy on the eyes, if you like guys who aren’t good-looking. If you’ve ever said, “I don’t like really good-looking guys, I’m into 6’s,” I’m your Ryan Gosling. Or Shia LaBeouf, if you like him. I pronounce his last name “La-Boo”—real French.

RM - Please tell us something about your production house A Set of Works? A little about the origins and also what are the future plans?

JB - I started A Set of Works in 2007 when I was living outside Philadelphia, just doing little online videos. I was doing some stand-up comedy. Then I moved to Miami, Florida—Miami is awful, by the way. A really deplorable city. But I got down here and my buddy KB and I started doing a lot of stuff together. Our buddy Back to the Futrell helped out with ideas. It’s grown from there. I’m really trying to get the hell out of this city and move west. We have two or three other scripts ready to go. But we can’t keep doing things the way we have, i.e. funding them all ourselves. It’s not enough. But The Ultimate Ultimate is getting out there, and we’ll see what happens with that—where it takes us. I really stand behind this movie.

Harry - Harry Stergo, looking like the shrink from Office Space

RM - Let's talk about the term Indi-Comedy. You said that The Ultimate Ultimate is an indi-comedy, so what is this genre all about according to you and why the necessity to differentiate comedy in segments?

JB - Yeah, it is an indie-comedy, and I don’t like that title because, to me at least, it evokes thoughts of weird, unfunny, obscure stuff that you see on IFC or something. I can name two indie-comedies that I love: Clerks and The Foot Fist Way. People will say some movies go over your head if you say you don’t like them, and I’m like, “No, it just sucked. I got it. I got that it was dull”. I aspire to do mainstream comedy because I think it’s better. Until you’re backed by a studio, though, you’re indie. I still want to look like we can stand next to the big boys, even on our own with no money or names attached. If “indie comedy” means our humor has to appeal to 3% of the audience, or we have to use a shaky cam and nauseating zooms like the Duplass Brothers, or we have to get Jason Schwartzman to star, I don’t want that. But that’s the label we’ve been dealt.

RM - You talk about mainstream comedy, which also is divided into segments. We have the family comedies with Kingpin and Dodgeball which are somewhat borderline family, but there are also comedies like Clerks and American Pie which are more geared for the college crowd. Which of the two are you more inclined towards and why?

JB - Our content is geared towards the college crowd, definitely. Not only them but the young knucklehead crowd in general. We gravitate to the adult stuff as fans, too. Except KB. He likes that Raining Meatballs kid movie—the CG one. How unbecoming, right? Now, I don’t like vulgarity for the sake of vulgarity. It has its place, and it doesn’t belong everywhere. That’s a big issue with a lot of comedies these days: they’re trying to outdo each other in terms of shock value. That’s a direct result of a lack of creativity. Some guys have no originality, so every picture is an attempt to outdo the last one’s gags. With that said, the audience is clamoring for it, so how can you blame the studios for giving them what they want? Shock value is nothing new, though, it’s just more prevalent these days.

And I have nothing against kid friendly comedy—not at all. I think Meet The Parents is one of the best comedies of the last 10-15 years. Will Ferrell has made some classics in that lane. Napoleon Dynamite is still amazing. I don’t know if those are family films; they’re as clean as I can go. I haven’t seen a PG comedy in 20 years. Unless Napoleon Dynamite is PG. I watched approximately one second of Toy Story 3 and was like, “I got bigger fish to fry,” and turned it off.

Joe and Frank Fish 3 - Joe Benarick and Frank Aguirre on vacation

RM - What about the actual filming of The Ultimate Ultimate. Tell us about some of the challenges you faced and how important was the location to your film, be it indoors or outdoors?

JB - We shot in and around Miami. It’s tough; Miami doesn’t want to help. If it’s not a Castro documentary, they’re not interested. Other filmmakers are selfish down here. They’re on year 4 of pre-production on their Scarface-influenced film, and that’s it. We had some luck on The Ultimate Ultimate with our locations. We rented a motel room nearby for a bulk of the movie’s scenes. We weren’t able to finish on time because we lost an actress—literally lost her, she died. She didn’t die, no, but she bailed on us, so she may as well have. And when we went back to the motel to wrap, the owner said we couldn’t film anymore because too many cops were watching the place because they rented rooms by the hour, which is illegal in Florida. We waited till he was gone one afternoon and knocked out the missing exterior stuff on property. I gave that dude fifty bucks beforehand—there’s no reneging, pal.

I do think setting a movie in a tropical environment is attractive to an audience. People love that look; they want to be there. It adds kind of a warm, upbeat feel. In that sense, Miami’s good for us. We can achieve that look all over Florida, though. Oh, I’m so bitter, can you tell? I just threw a Heat hat on the ground and stomped on it. They don’t have real fans, so it’s fine.

RM - As a director have you had any formal training in the field and also what sort of equipment did you use to film?

JB - No, no formal training. I thought about film school after high school, but I hated school way too much, I really did. I couldn’t fathom paying for more. The first camera I bought was a Panasonic PV-GS320 Mini-DV consumer camcorder. No external mic, no add-ons. I think I was 19. I read as much as I could on filmmaking, really studied film, and taught myself. It shows in our early stuff. I was a point-and-shoot director. I could write my ass off, though. But failure is to be expected. We even used that old camera for Days of Lightning. The visuals held up, I think, but it sounded terrible. For The Ultimate Ultimate we used a Sony HXR-MC50U with a shotgun mic, and an additional Rode mic for some exterior stuff. Edited in Final Cut Express on a MacBook Pro.

Trailer of The Ultimate Ultimate

(Please keep in mind that the trailer has language that might be offensive for some)

Film synopsis

RM - With the increase availability of the internet, especially blogs, and promotional tools like Facebook and Twitter, has there been a change in the whole independent cinema business? For one, you are able to reach a whole new audience, but what other benefits or negatives do you associate with this technological evolution?

JB - Oh yeah, a big change. Everyone’s doing it now. The benefit of it is like you said: you’re able to reach a whole new audience. The downfall is oversaturation. Look at Twitter: everyone on Twitter thinks they’re a comedian. Maybe 2% of them are funny. The market’s overflooded. It’s great that people are getting discovered via YouTube and stuff—good for them, but most of the stuff is dreadful. The YouTube stars are terrible. And for someone calling me a hater: you’re right, I hate them. It’s very competitive now, and competition can lead to great things, but I’m not really seeing it. I think, and maybe I’m wrong, but some truly talented people are going unnoticed because, maybe, their content doesn’t appeal to the kids and nerds who have the time to sit on YouTube for hours on end. Of course, I’m talking about us. Just kidding. I’m not kidding.

RM - Since this is a film blog, I honestly cannot let you go without you telling us your Top 5 films of all time, and why you regard them as the best?

JB –

1. American Psycho – This has been my favorite movie since I saw it in like ’99 or 2000. It’s hilarious. I quote it every chance I get. And if I don’t have a chance, I force it. Pat Bateman is the greatest. I still want to get him with the butcher knife tattooed on my arm someday.

2. Fight Club – It’s such a great movie. I wish I could articulate this better, but I just love it.

3. Goodfellas – The greatest gangster movie of all time. A gangster was the first thing I ever wanted to be, seriously, and this one is the best portrayal of that life ever on-screen.

4. Kingpin – My favorite comedy. This movie really struck a perfect balance between comedy and heartfelt emotion. The Farrellys have always been great at that. Someone’s going to say, “What emotion?!”, but come on, when Roy loses the tourney to Bill Murray, and he’s alone—Ishmael bailed on him...I’m going to trail off there.

5. Clerks 2 – Kevin Smith is one of my favorite comedic writers and directors, and this is his best film to me. Like Kingpin, it earned the spot because it’s a lot more than laugh-out-loud funny. The go-kart scene and Randall’s subsequent explanation for why he loves go-karts is one of my favorite parts of any movie.

Thank you answering the questions. We wish you all the best for The Ultimate Ultimate and your future endeavors.

Thank you, and let us know what you guys think of The Ultimate Ultimate.

Last Man Standing - Will There Ever Be A Last Hollywood Hero?

2012-02-10T11:31:00.000Z

Last week while watching a TV program consisting of a couple of Indian directors, an actor, and a film critic, discussing Oscan nominations, George Clooney and Brad Pitt were referred as the "last Hollywood heroes". This got me thinking if there ever can be a "last" Hollywood Hero?

Hollywood, or rather the American Film Industry which is by far the strongest film industry and one that is known the most the world over, has always had a few actors and actresses who have stood a few pedestals higher than their counterparts. In case of the actresses, time and again there is someone coming up with the right grace, charm, and attitude that makes them the nations (or the world's) beloved. I might tackle them in a later article.

These Hollywood greats are usually the women and men who have a certain dignified way of presenting themselves in public. You never see them get angry or lash out when there are people around. They are diplomatic and usually know what to say and most importantly when to say it. They obviously have universally accepted good looks. It also goes without saying that you are not likely to see them get involved in any major scandal. They live their life in private, coming out of their shells only to promote films. They have an aura around them. They are legends in their own rights. They don't always have to be American, but must predominately work in Hollywood. They are always dressed immaculately. They are, one of a kind.

While the women seem to pass on the baton from one to another without much fanfare, the men in this case seem to have more of a problem. I'm not going to go into Kelly or Sinatra or even Pitt and Clooney, but rather look at some of the stars that according to me are self grooming themselves to take over and become the next true Hollywood Heroes.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt - Multi-talented, JGL has an equal fan following amongst the girls and the guys. He's been in some truly exceptional film, shinning through even in ones where he is not the lead. Hip to the T, JGL in my opinion has to be the next generation Hollywood Hero.

Ryan Gosling - I'm yet to see Drive, but I've seen more man love for this guy than anyone else. Once again, he stays clear from scandals emerging from his private life just when his movie is about to release. A diverse actor, he seems to ooze the persona of a Hollywood Hero in the making.

Ryan Reynolds - I'm sure a lot of you will disagree on this choice. But, once again he has mostly stayed out of scandals. He did take Scarlett Johansson away from us, briefly, but we can forgive him for that...and I guess Green Lantern (Which incidentally I enjoyed). Well dressed and presentable and having acted in a number of roles, he seems to be ready for Hollywood greatness. He does needs a little nudge in that direction.

Justin Timberlake - Yes, a very controversial choice. He's had his share of scandals (especially during the Britney era), but has since groomed himself well. Yes, he might not be the best actor around, but he is trying. Businessman, musician, dancer, actor, hipster, he seems to be on the right path, but does have some way to go.

Matt Damon - Staying in the company of Brad Pitt and George Clooney (Ocean's 11 trilogy) seems to have worked wonders as it's obvious that their Hollywood charm has rubbed off on him. Family man, scandal free, and talented, I think he is already ready to take the pedestal from the present Hollywood Heroes.

Leonardo DiCaprio - Once again, just like Damon, DiCaprio has already in my book achieved the Hollywood Hero status. His collaboration with Scorsese and just overall growth since his early days, along with a budding film career has made him stand out of the crowd.

Christian Bale - Somewhat of a loose canon, the personal and filmy scandals that have surrounded him might have tarnished his reputation a little, but lately his choice in iconic roles has brought him back and made him a people's favorite. There is no question about his acting abilities, but is he the next Hollywood great? The jury still seems to be out on this one.

I could have thought hard and added a few more people to the list, but I wanted to leave a few spots open so that you, my dear and beloved readers (oh yeah, I know how to get you back to reading my blogs) can tell me who should be added to this list and why.

Do tell...

True Grit (2011)

2012-02-06T11:19:00.000Z

I'm not one that goes out of his way to watch Westerns. In fact I try and avoid Westerns most of the time. As a cinephile, I hate missing out on any genre, but I do have my preferences.

I think the closest I came to really liking a movie that might have a feel of a Western was No Country For Old Men. Surprisingly enough, True Grit just happens to be a film made by the same directors, Ethan and Joel Coen. Although I had been avoiding True Grit for the longest time, I finally gave in, and I sure am glad.

I've almost always enjoyed the work of the Coen brothers and as a result I have often favored their style of direction. This film is no different in that it captures the slow pace of a western quite well, but still manages to be interesting. The rugged terrain of the "wild west" is brought about beautifully adding substance to the story and almost proving to be a supporting character in the film.

The film is about Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld), a young girl, who hires a drunk US Marshall Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) to find the killer of her father. En route they encounter LaBoeuf (Matt Damon), a Texas Ranger, who has a agenda of his own and is after the same killer as Mattie.

Jeff Bridges gives a pretty great performance, but overall I could not help but imagine the Dude being reincarnated as a drunk US Marshal and ending up in this film. Moreover, the accent at times was so strong that not having watched the film with subtitles, all I could get was mumbles. It didn't take away from the enjoyment of the film, but nevertheless it was something that bothered me on instance.

Matt Damon as LaBoeuf failed to leave an impact. He carried his role, but throughout the film it felt odd, a bit out of place. The awkwardness might have just worked because here was a Texas Ranger who is in a new town making new acquaintances to capture a killer he has been following for a while, but although I like Matt Damon as an actor he did not do justice to the role.

Barry Pepper and Josh Brolin have limited roles, but they shine in their respective parts. The surprise of the entire film, the breakthrough performance, the act that not only made the film for me, but also made me recommend it to others is Hailee Steinfeld's Mattie Ross. Hailee Steinfeld carries the entire film on her back, and considering that she is in the company of movie legends like Jeff Bridges, it means a lot. Determined, witty, stubborn, unafraid, Mattie Ross is a girl with a mission, one that she will complete at any cost, and Hailee manages to tap into that persona with all her gusto to give a performance of a lifetime.

True Grit is a great film that stands out for a commendable performance by its lead actress.

Rating 4/5

Horrible Bosses

2012-02-04T05:00:00.000Z

Expectation is a funny thing. Just when I wasn't expecting much from Horrible Bosses, it surprised me by being a pretty good comedy. Most of the credit for me liking Horrible Bosses goes to the cast. There is a barrage of familiar faces from TV and film including Bob Newhart (remember watching the Bob Newhart show growing up), a couple of people from The Wire, Jamie Foxx, and of course the main cast of Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Spacey, Collin Farrell (in a pretty awesome role), Jason Bateman... you get the idea.

The story of the movie is simple. It's sort of a modern take on Strangers on the Train (and it doesn't hide away from that fact) with three friends out to kill their respective "horrible" bosses and pretty much everything going wrong, or right in some cases. The film could have taken two directions. It could easily have turned into something dark, more black-comedy, but rather it stays with the juvenile comedy that is ever so popular nowadays. As much as I would have loved to see the film go dark, it does well in its present state. It's like how everyone enjoys kids using swear words in films, well the film is adults acting like kids using a lot of swear words. Obviously, the actors seem to be having more fun than the audience, but eventually it's contagious.

Performance wise, Kevin Spacey resurrects his Swimming With Sharks boss from hell, but a more somber version. Collin Farrell is brilliant, but it's becoming common now to take on over-the-top roles where the appearance of a well known actor is changed ever since Tom Cruise did it in Tropic Thunder. Jennifer Aniston brings about certain sassiness, but it was more like watching Rachel Gone Wild than anything else. Jamie Foxx was an opportunity gone waste, but then most of the fun in the movie is derived from his name which I shall not mention here. The reminder of the cast brings nothing exciting to the table, but it is fun when every few minutes you end up saying "Hey! I know him/her. They were in...(Insert TV series)".

Horrible Bosses makes for a fun movie if you are having a few beers with friends on a movie night. It's light comedy that entertains, but is equally easily forgetful.

Rating 3/5 Stars.

Mary & Max.

2012-02-03T05:12:00.000Z

The word charming doesn't do justice to this film. Imagine that much talked about 5-7 minute montage in UP. (Right, sorry for reminding you. Just wipe your tears and come back to finish reading this when you are done.) Mary & Max as a movie on the whole brings about the same emotions those 7 minutes did. I'm not comparing, just getting you ready, so that incase like me if you don't have a running nose, you can think of a way to hide those tears from your wife/husband.

Based on a true story Mary & Max is a claymation animation that looks at a child's innocence and a grownup's isolation and combines that in a wonderful web of emotions that are linked with friendship. Mary is an 8 year old girl in Australia, with an alcoholic mother, who one day at the spur of the moment writes to Max, a middle aged man suffering from anxiety attacks, in New York. A relationship that in any era would be frowned upon, slowly takes on a beautiful path as they both write to each other over the years discussing their inhibitions and fears and in return comforting each other in times of need. The film is a love letter to friendship. It's a reminder that friendship sees no age, colour, gender, or location.

While talking about the film on Twitter, someone mentioned that the reason for UP's montage to work was that it's an animation and the same emotions could not have been pulled from the audience had it been real actors in it. I agree with that. Mary and Max works because it is claymation. But, having said that, the story is so engrossing that after a little while you forget to focus on the animation aspect of the film. Furthermore, the film is not one for the kids. They might enjoy the claymation from time to time, but the dialogue and just the overall intricacies of the relationship are very much adult in nature.

As a film, Mary & Max is brilliantly voiced by Toni Collette (Mary) and Phillip Seymore Hoffman (Max) along with Eric Bana as Damien (Mary's husband). The soothing voice of Barry Humphries as the narrator is the final key that eventually, at some point of time, opens up the floodgates of emotions in the audience.

I can't promote this movie enough. It's one that should be talked about more. One, that should be seen by everyone. It simply is one of the best films I have ever seen.

No point guessing, it gets a 5/5 Star Rating from me.

I would also like to thank Orange for their brilliant initiative wherein they let customers download a different movie every Thursday from iTunes. Had it not been for them, I probably would never have seen this film. So Thank You Very Much!

Agneepath (Hindi) (2012)

2012-01-31T06:30:00.001Z

Brash, Gritty, Bloody, Unapologetic, that's Agneepath for you. A remake of the Amitabh Bachchan 1990 film of the same name, Agneepath stands its ground firmly. It's an updated version, more in your face, with just one essential emotion carrying the film forward, Revenge!

It's important to mention that although I have seen the original Agneepath and remember liking it, it has been years (maybe more than a decade) since I last saw it. I remember bits and pieces from it, but I was glad about that because I wanted to enjoy the new Agneepath as a separate film and not a remake.

Agneepath is the story of Vijay Dinanath Chauhan who witnesses his father being wrongly accused of a crime and being hanged by a local criminal Kancha in their village Mandwa. Vijay, along with his mother and sister, head off to Bombay and the film is all about his rise to power in the Bombay underworld in order to take back Mandwa from the now dictator Kancha.

Starring Hrithik Roshan as Vijay Dinanath Chauhan, Sanjay Dutt as Kancha and Rishi Kapoor as Rauf Lala, Agneepath somehow miraculously manage to extract the best performances, by all the three leads, in a very long time. Hrithik's Vijay is a man on a mission and although there are emotional aspects to his character, it's his single goal in life, revenge, that fuels him. Sanjay Dutt has come a long way from his Rocky and Khalnayak days and seeing him in an all out negative role was pure entertainment. Rishi Kapoor's portrayal of the child selling, drug dealing, local gangster Rauf Lala is by far the best performance. His evilness is so brilliantly disguised that when we see him in his final act being as bad as he can be, it comes almost as jolt of surprise.

Agneepath, a gritty revenge drama, is filmed so beautifully that each frame is a piece of art. The use of colours in the sets brings about richness to the film that is mostly shot in decapitated and burned down buildings. The background sound throughout the film is what made it so much more intense. Technically, although there are parts which seemed a bit fake (explosions), the film was far superior to a lot of Indian films I have seen.

The main reason for Agneepath holding on the audience captive for almost 3 hours is that it doesn't slow down. The story progresses at a breakneck speed with one event after another adding to the story and characters. There are a few characters that seemed unnecessary, and my fear was the unintentional emotional baggage they might bring about, but once again the film doesn't slow down for anyone. It felt that every time the film diverted towards the emotional road (mother-son, brother-sister, boy-girl relationships) there was someone standing tall to give the film a slap and put it back in the direction of that one emotion, Revenge!

Agneepath will not be liked by everyone. It has a love angle, but that too is kept in place on the side. It has its item number and numerous songs, but they play an important part in the film's continuity and are just not there for the sake of it. So, do I want to compare the original with the remake? Not really. Sometimes, even when the stories are similar, it's best to take each film as a separate entity. Enjoy this movie for the direction, for the cinematography, for the acting, and lastly for being bold enough to take a step towards a new form of cinema, one that is unapologetic about not satisfying everyone.

Rating 5/5

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

2012-01-29T05:34:00.001Z

I have to confess, I am not a huge fan of the whole Planet of the Apes series. I have seen a few (including the adaptation with Mark Wahlberg), but they have never really struck a chord. So, after much hesitation, and a number of good reviews from fellow bloggers, I finally bought the DVD of the latest for a viewing.

My first and immediate reaction was that I liked it, no, I enjoyed it. The story moved along nicely and managed to captivate me. It's simple enough to pass as a popcorn flick, but complicated enough to satisfy someone who always wants a little more from their movie going experience.

In a nutshell, Rise of the Planet of the Apes sees how a medication to cure Alzheimer's, being tested on an ape Caesar (Andy Serkis), eventually results in giving him heightened brain function. As the experiment is closed, he is secretly adopted by the lead researcher Will Rodman (James Franco). Hereon, the movie moves on covering different events over a few years that eventually leads to the Ape uprising.

James Franco continues to wow me with the diversity in his roles. It's not a challenging role, yet he performs it well. John Lithgow and Tom Felton were a pleasant surprise. Andy Serkis, makes the most of the performance capture technology, to bring Caesar to life, and without doubt is the star of the film. As for Frieda Pinto… meh!, as always (sorry I still cannot get around liking her in films). From a technical viewpoint, the film is supreme.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes is a good starting point for anyone who wants to get into the whole Ape franchise. I'm not sure if sequels are planned, but watching some of the previous releases after this one will definitely whet your appetite in case there is time before we see another Ape-fest.

Rating 3.5/5

The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (Documentary)

2012-01-28T05:34:00.002Z

It might seem that King of Kong is a documentary about gaming, and it is, but it is more so a documentary about human nature, especially its competitive side.

With the popularization of the modern day gaming consoles the classic Arcade games seem like a thing of the past. There are however people who remain true to the original form of gaming and King of Kong is about them.

Billy Mitchell had been the longest standing champion when it came to a number of Arcade games. Over the years his records were broken until he was left with only one title, that in Donkey Kong. Because of his popularity and records, he almost had/has a God like persona in the gaming community. The Documentary is a great look into the life of Billy and at times how he comes across as almost manipulative when his records are about to be broken, but in reality it is all, to me, simply human nature.

King of Kong also follows newcomer Steve Wiebe who having broken the record of Donkey Kong has to prove his scores (A VHS copy of his record breaking score not being accepted) whereas Billy on the other hand simply sends in VHS tapes in place of actually facing Steve in competitions.

Although the documentary follows the competitive nature of Arcade gaming, it eventually focuses on the rising clash between Steve and Billy. On the one side Steve is an out of work teacher who takes on gaming to pass time and on the other is Billy who has built his empire (which includes selling a special Hot Sauce) on his success over the years.

King of Kong proved to be an exceptionally wonderful watch because although I am not a die-hard gamer, it still took me into a world of competitive gaming that I knew little about. Furthermore, personally, being a psychology major, the documentary provides an opportunity to witness human nature in its rawest form.

A must watch documentary even if you do not like video-games.

Rating - 5/5

Sherlock Holmes – A Game of Shadows

2012-01-27T13:33:00.000Z

You would imagine that with Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes sequel hitting the screen around the time Sherlock the British TV series starts its second run, everyone would have had enough of the detective? Well, if you did, you would be wrong, because so powerful are the writings of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle that it seems there never can be enough of elementary deductions.

Sticking with the film, A Game of Shadows surpasses its predecessor on a number of levels. With no requirement to explain the intricacies of the different relationships or the format/technique (slow motion depicting Sherlock thinking future moves) in which Ritchie has shot both the films, more importance is given to the story. A Game of Shadows also over-shines other sequels in general because for a change the makers actually thought of naming the sequel something other than a simple "2".

The introduction of Sherlock Holmes' (Robert Downey Jr.) arch enemy, Dr. James Moriarty (Jared Harris), was probably the most important and correct path for the franchise. Where the first movie gave ample opportunity to Holmes to show off his powers of deduction, A Game of Shadows pits him against an equally intelligent, but by far a more influential nemesis. Herein lays the actual excitement.

The good thing about both the first and the second film is that they can be appreciated even if a person is not well versed in the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Still, those who have read the books will enjoy the numerous references and story links throughout.

Sherlock Holmes – A Game of Shadows is proof that a good story never gets old. A lot of the credit for the two films and the TV series goes to the makers for re-inventing the master detective in their unique ways. Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law (Dr. Watson) compliment each other throughout the film with Noomi Repace's Madam Sizma Heron bringing a welcome change in the dynamics of the characters.

Sherlock Holmes - A Game of Shadows is a must watch for any "Sherlockian" or one who expects his/her cinema experience to be enjoyable and entertaining.

Rating 4/5

The Adjustment Bureau

2012-01-26T11:35:00.000Z

I feel like giving a standing ovation to the people behind The Adjustment Bureau. The writer(s) for coming up with a story that actually very skillfully disguises a "chick flick" as a film that is borderline sci-fi. The makers for keeping just the right balance between the lovey-dovey stuff and the mystery making sure that both the sexes are equally satisfied.

(Note: I know I am generalizing the genres with the sexes, that is not my intent, but just a tool to better explain the film in a somewhat lighter/comical manner)

The Adjustment Bureau is about David Norris (Matt Damon) who meets Elise Sellas (Emily Blunt) just when he has lost a senate seat and has one of those love-at-first-sight experiences. Unfortunately, soon afterwards he finds out about a certain mysterious organization that is in a way responsible for making sure the world functions properly, to put it mildly. According to this organization, he is never to meet Elise again. The remainder of the story is over a period of time (sometimes jumping 3 years in one go) wherein David discovers more about these mysterious men and realizes that he will leave no stone unturned (talk about using a clichéd phrase) to be with Elise.

Matt Damon and Emily Blunt perform as professional actors are expected to. There are no real scene stealers, but there are also no negatives when it comes to acting. Both the primary actors look good together and probably for the first time I really enjoyed Emily Blunt's performance (I haven't seen very many of her movies).

The film as a whole keeps just the right pace. It doesn't turn into a race-against-the-time thriller nor does it get entangled too much in the romantic side and slows down. The only disappointing aspect, for me, was the fact that the action scenes (and action is mostly running around not fighting) are somewhat at par with the remainder of the film. On one end, these scenes fit in well, but on the other, the action is more fun when it is slightly super-charged.

The Adjustment Bureau is a nice little watch than can even pass by as a date movie, one where neither of the members will have reason to complain afterwards. Although, it doesn't exceed expectations, it does manage to hold its ground firmly making watching it a pleasant experience.

3.5/5 Star Rating

Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (Documentary)

2012-01-23T10:18:00.002Z

Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room is a documentary that categorically explores the origins of the company and the people who ran it and uses evidence, interviews, and televised hearings to put forth an explanation of how the company was involved in a number of fraudulent deals that led to its demise leaving a number of its employees suddenly jobless and without pension.

I am aware that I am half a decade late catching up on the story of Enron but nevertheless the documentary provides a great insider's view into one of the leading companies of the world and its rise and eventual downfall. The documentary, although released in 2005, still works as a general insight into the corporate world and its dealings.

As a documentary, the film is edited well and features some good relevant background music that synchronizes perfectly with the story. It covers all aspects of Enron as a company, from traders to CEOs and their escapades, and in doing so looks at a number of loopholes that are in place in our financial institutions.

Enron: The Smartest Guys in the World is an entertaining watch, but more so an important watch because it cautions us against taking multinational companies at face value. In this highly unstable economic world, the story of Enron is an eye opener and one story that everyone should be aware of.

This Is It (Documentary)

2012-01-22T12:46:00.000Z

If you grew up listening to Michael Jackson as a child, This Is It is the perfect documentary for you. Unlike other stories and documentaries on Michael, this one is simply about his music, particularly practice sessions of what would have been his comeback tour had it not been for his untimely death.

This Is It is about the music. It's about one man's life long passion for music. Completely ignoring any controversy, or debates, the documentary simply looks at Michael Jackson on stage, preparing for his comeback, interacting with the tour director, immersing himself into the music, and doing what he does best, make music. The documentary gives us a glimpse into the musical legend that he was.

There is a scene that stands out for me in the documentary. While practicing, there is a solo by one of the guitarists. She misses a note and stops. Michael simply reassures her and tells her that this is her moment, her moment to shine, and that everyone, including him, is here to support her. There’s no ego, just pure love for music and musicians.

Covering quite a few of his classics, the documentary was a walk down memory lane. It is also a testament that with time and age Michael never lost his voice, his dance moves, and still had amazing stamina. It is also meant for the fans. Someone who has never been aware of the craze that Thriller, or Bad, or Black or White caused, it might be hard to appreciate the documentary.

This Is It is a great homage to the musical legend that is Michael Jackson. An individual who has inspired generations with his musical and dancing skills. Although, part of his life has been enveloped in controversy, but, This Is It looks beyond everything... It's simply about passion, passion for music.

Film Blog Thoughts - What's the difference between a Blog and a Website?

2012-01-20T03:03:00.001Z

Once again a topic that covers pretty much all blog writers and again something that not necessarily have to do with just films. My thought for today is - What exactly is the difference between a Blog and a Website? Agreed, it really is not a big deal, and to be honest not many would care about it, but is there a fine line that a blogger eventually crosses that makes his blog turn into a website?

To start with take my blog(s). I feel I am a blogger. I don't post regularly. I have four blogs so I switch between them from time to time, each one covering different areas (Film, Travel, Photography, and Personal). My web addresses are all Blogspot addresses. My layouts are pretty basic from the ones available to everyone through the hosting site. My blogs are free.

On the other hand is my friend Scott's "website" Front Room Cinema. Now, I have literally seen it grow over the last year and in my view what was a blog a year back has developed beautifully into a full fledged website. Scott writes only about film. At present he has a team of writers working/volunteering for FRC. His web address is a ".com" address. He has a timeline that he adheres to and recurring features. Moreover, he has developed contacts in the Industry over the year as well. His website's layout is more "original" and not run-of-the-mill, and he has sponsors.

Now, comparing my blog (just the film) to that of Scott's, anyone can see the difference. There is a certain organizational difference. His website comes across as maybe more professional. But then, Scott hasn't changed much during the year. As far as I know he has had a regular listing process from the start. So maybe he has more regular writers, but I have guest writers from time to time. Maybe he has a ".com" address, but then I have seen many "blogs" with .com addresses. Still, I feel that now Front Room Cinema can be called a website rather than just a blog.

Also take into account introducing your webpage. Say, you were to meet or talk to someone from the film industry. Would it carry more weight-age if you refer to your page as a "website" or as a "blog"? I recently met with officials from Singapore Tourism during an event and introduced myself as a blog writer. I didn't see any difference in their tone and they were wonderful hosts, but once again what if I had said I run a "website"?

So, is it just the professional aspect that matters? Is it the traffic that you get? Or is it when you have a team and are no longer the solitary blogger that your blog becomes a website? Maybe, it is the content of your webpage?

I know, once again, it don't really matter what you call it, but do you think there is a difference, or are we in such a state that blog and website are just synonymous?

Let me know...

Note: Thank you Scott for letting me use your website as part of Movie Thoughts.

#MTOS in Posters

2012-01-19T06:07:00.000Z

Those of you who follow #MTOS on Twitter, here are just a few posters that I have worked on from time to time over the last 6 months or so. Most of them have been made through applications on my iPad, but if you like #MTOS feel free to use them on your blogs or anywhere else. Also, do tell which one you like the best?

My Collection 10 by Nostra

2012-01-18T07:00:00.002Z

The Collection 10 series continues with Nostra from The Netherlands .

Those who are new, the aim of the series is for people to take 10 DVDs from their collection at home, photograph them, and write a line or two about them. They do not have to be favourites, but just movies that have a story behind them. You might like them, hate them, or till now didn’t even know you had them, it is all about letting everyone know a little about your likes and dislikes.

First of all I would like to thank Raghav for this opportunity to send in a selection from my collection. It was difficult to pick one as I have bought quite a lot of DVDs through the years. In the end I settled for these 10;

Black Swan - this is my all time favorite movie (another one from my top 3 features later). It's a movie which moves me every time I watch it. Just like the last line of the movie: It's perfect.

Alien Quadrilogy - I bought this because just look at it, it looks awesome. I will have to admit that I didn't see all 4 movies yet, only the first 2, but that happens to a lot of movies in my collection

Allemaal Film - this is another example of something I still have not seen yet. It's a 9 part documentary about the history of Dutch cinema from 1945 till now. It's always good to know about the history of things from your own country!

Mr. Nobody - in my all time favorite top 3 this is number two. A complex story which looks at the consequences of our choices and this movie tries to show a lot of them. The scientific bits only add to that feeling of complexity and completeness. One I can't get enough of.

The Odd Couple - When it comes to comedic actors these two are my favorite and have quite a selection of the stuff they did together.

Green WIng - While this isn't a movie I just had to include this comedy series from the UK. In my opinion the funniest TV show ever made.

Shaolin Soccer - I'm a big fan of Asian cinema (lately watched a lot of Korean movies) and Shaolin Soccer is a very funny movie with some great special effects which makes this so much fun to watch.

Spirited Away - When it comes to hand drawn animation Studio Ghibli is the best there is. They have shown that stories can be very complex and don't always need a princess.

Back to the Future - In my opinion there are not enough movies that deal with time travel, but this is one of the most enjoyable ones ever made.

I, Robot - Although the movie itself isn't amazing, the box in which the DVDs are stored is just awesome and looks great in my collection.

Thank you Nostra for taking out the time to do the post for Ticker Talks Film. You can view Nostra's blog at www.myfilmviews.com and follow him in Twitter (@MyFilmViews). I would also like to specially mention that Nostra has been a great source of information for me, personally, when it comes to Documentaries and Korean Cinema, and is somewhat partly responsible for me appreciation both the genres.

If you would like to share your Collection 10, please get in touch with me via Twitter (@raghavmodi) or via email (raghavmodi9@gmail.com)

Movie Thoughts - Does your traffic dictate your blog & your movie watching experience?

2012-01-17T07:00:00.001Z

Now, this question relates to pretty much all bloggers and not just film bloggers, but honestly speaking have you ever specially gone and seen a movie, or skipped one, because you thought that it would/not appeal to your blog readers?

Although I have never really done this, but often when I write about an Indian film or like right now I am planning to write about two books on Indian films that I have just read, I do wonder how many people will actually read it considering most of my readers are from the western world and not too much into Indian cinema. Moreover the books cater to people who have seen the movies, which I am pretty sure most of my readers have not (although I am always pleased to be proved wrong).

Now, I do go ahead with writing articles and reviews on Indian cinema because I have a personal goal of trying to make it more popular. I also did a recent post on when someone might have had to go watch a movie when they really did not want to, be it to impress a girl or even for their blog. This question is more specific in that knowing who your readers are, and where they are from, or what they like, are you thinking about what you write and maybe even how you write, when you do write?

So far I’ve tried to keep true to myself. I know I have a very basic writing style and I like to write as little or as much as I want to about a movie, but there is always a question in the back of my mind, checking to make sure, if the post will be "popular" amongst my readers.

Have you ever thought about your readers when you stood in the theater deciding on your next film, or has it always been what YOU want first and then the reader?

Let me know...

The Artist

2012-01-16T07:00:00.000Z

James J Lee is my very first guest reviewer and I'm really glad about it. James seemed simply ecstatic about the movie and his enthusiasm has put The Artist on the top of my must watch list. His review follows;

Like Someone Has Just Uncovered A Lost Masterpiece

It may have been a cold night in Leicester Square tonight but I left the cinema with a glow, my faith completely restored in cinema having just seen this heartwarming classic.

There's little point going through the deeply romantic/dramatic plot set in stark contrast against the shallow world of 1920's Hollywood as it may only spoil it for those yet to see, but in summary this film is a real gem, a true joy to behold with a clever little unpredictable twist at the end. Fabulous acting, superb score, great cinematography and look out for a star turn from a little performing dog which is quite amazing at times.

With lots of classic touches woven throughout this movie, expect to laugh out loud, cry real tears and go through a roller-coaster of emotions as you will no doubt watch in fascination, the vivid recreation of an exceptional time in the history of cinema (the advent of talkies)and the history of the America (Wall St Crash/Great Depression).

Though it is a silent film, sound is used in a very clever way. Similarly the director meshes subtle modern cinema techniques with some classic framing and detail. This is a glorious mixture of the old and the new and has great balance between light comedy/entertainment and dark and intense emotions. The result being interesting characters that engage on many levels.

It's worth mentioning the nods to some of cinema's all time classic films like Singing in the Rain, Sunset Boulevard and Citizen Kane(and several Chaplin classics) but it's not plagiarism, parody or irreverence - it's a beautiful pastiche of the cinema's finest. Watching The Artist, feels like someone was clearing out an old Hollywood Studio and stumbled upon one of the greatest silents (if not films) of them all and suddenly the lost masterpiece is revealed to the world.

Emerging from the Cinema and into the crisp night air of Leicester Square, my thoughts were on one thing...how many Oscars will this instant classic win come February? It will certainly take something very special to beat it in most categories.

A big thank you to all who were involved in this magnificent production, a truly wonderful film, delivering a great cinematic experience.

James is a film buff, budding screenwriter and film reviewer. He love the oldies especially comedy, film noir and crime/thriller. In his student days, he did make some short films and was an extra in a mainstream which was good experience to learn how the process works. In 2012, his resolution is to watch more movies, submit more scripts and come up with more ideas to entertain before he goes to that big cinema in the sky!

The review of The Artist by James is also available on IMDB at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1655442/reviews-106

My Collection 10 by Chip Lary

2012-01-15T07:37:00.000Z

The Collection 10 series continues with Chip Lary from United States of America.

The Matrix - This was the first DVD I ever bought. It was in early 2000 and it was even before I owned a DVD player. I knew I was going to be getting one in a couple of weeks, so I wanted to make sure I had something to play on it when I set it up.

Lawrence of Arabia - Defines "epic" when it comes to movies. This was a special edition with a really nice cloth covered case. Later releases of this movie on DVD went with a standard plastic case.

Total Recall - Speaking of special packaging, Total Recall was first released with a separate metal Mars case that sits on top of a thick paperboard base. The DVD is inside the metal case on a foam support to prevent it from scratching.

Black - I have worked with many Infosys contractors from India and I would discuss movies with some of them. One of them had a Netflix account before I did and after he watched this movie he loaned it to me before he returned it. I liked it and wanted to buy a copy of my own, but somehow Netflix had managed to get Region 1 DVDs for rental before the movie was even released in the United States. About a year later I finally found a DVD I could buy on a U.S. website that specialized in movies from India.

Hoop Dreams - Speaking of hard to find: I saw this movie on a cable channel back in 1995, but it was never released to DVD until a few years ago. I think that Criterion sometimes is too much of a groupie for certain directors, but when it comes to this film I wish I could personally shake the hand of whoever at Criterion got the rights to it so that it could be put on DVD. It is the best documentary ever made.

Done the Impossible - This is a DVD that you can't even buy, except from the people who made it. It is a fan produced documentary of the death of the TV show Firefly and its rebirth as the movie Serenity. It's not cheap looking, though. The people who did it were professionals. There is a ton of content on it, including hours of interviews with the cast.

Whale Rider - I'm including this just because I try to get as much notice for this film as I can. It features a great story and an absolutely terrific debut performance from Keisha Castle-Hughes, who at the age of 12 became by far the youngest female ever nominated for a Best Actress Oscar.

Bikini Summer 2 - Why include this? Just like The Godfather Part II, it is a sequel that is better than the original. Okay, maybe not *just* like The Godfather Part II. Seriously though, I included it just to show that I'm not completely highbrow when it comes to movies.

Amelie - I'm including this because the character of Amelie may just be the most appealing person ever put on film. I also love Audrey Tautou's expression on the cover.

Black Cat White Cat - Finally, I am including this DVD because I only just bought it after spending 12 years trying to see this movie. I found an all regions Korean import I could buy. Why was I looking for this movie? Because I needed it to complete seeing every single movie on the IMDB Top 250 year end lists since 1998 (a personal goal). This Balkans movie - made during the time that Yugoslavia was still breaking apart - appeared in the 1999 year end list and I have never been able to find it until now. I look forward to watching it.

Thank you Chip for taking out the time to do the post for Ticker Talks Film. You can view Chip's blog at www.tipsfromchip.blogspot.com

If you would like to share your Collection 10, please get in touch with me via Twitter (@raghavmodi) or via email (raghavmodi9@gmail.com)

My Collection 10 by Mark

2012-01-11T07:50:00.001Z

The Collection 10 series continues with Mark from Brighton, UK.

Platoon - A great movie, which stars Charlie Sheen back in the days before he went completely crazy. I think the cover shot on the DVD is brilliant with Willem Dafoe on his knees as he gets shot dead by one of his own.

Zulu - One of my all time favorites. Introduced to me by my Granddad when I was young, I have some very fond memories of watching this with him over and over again. I love watching this back and seeing a very young looking Michael Caine lead his regiment of limited numbers in a stand off against thousands of Zulus.

Jaws - A classic that is a must have for everyone’s DVD collection. Jaws shows off the raw talent of a young and upcoming director Steven Spielberg from back in 1975. A film that has struck fear into everyone entering the sea for the years since, Jaws is not only brilliantly shot but also has some excellent acting performances considering most of the movie is set around three men in a boat out at sea chasing a big fish. I have always loved Richard Dreyfuss in this.

Anchorman - Yes, this happens to be one of my most used DVDs in the collection, which means I could actually recite the movie word for word now. The DVD is nearly worn out mainly because you can just sit back and relax in the world of Ron Burgundy. My favorite of all Ferrell's films and adding Steve Carell and Paul Rudd at there very best makes this one of the best comedies ever.

Black Adder - I am a massive fan of British comedies and this happens to be one of my favorites. The box set contains every episode of the brilliant series and I often watch a couple of episodes when ever there is nothing else on to watch. The cast is fantastic and the writing is even better. A timeless comedy that will still be funny 50 years from now.

Bottom - Another British comedy, but this in my opinion is by far the funniest every comedy series. The duo of Rik Mayall and Adrian Edminson playing the disgusting and stupid Ritchie and Eddie is nothing short of hilarious. Each episode is as funny as the last and if you have never seen any episodes I highly recommend you do so. The series was very popular in the 90's and still has a bit of a cult following today. They moved on from the series to do a number of live shows which were brilliantly crafted. I was lucky enough to go to a few of them. I still hold on to that bit of hope that they will come back once more for a special episode.

Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas - One that I forgot I had in the collection and found lurking at the back of a cupboard. The strange world of drugs is shown by Johnny Depp sporting a bald head which isn’t the best look for him. An interesting watch if not a bit strange!

Stir Crazy - This is Gene Wilder (Skip) and Richard Pryor (Harry) at there very best, classic comedy from the pair who seem as if they were made to work together. Incredibly funny and is another must watch if you have never seen it before.

Pulp Fiction - Had to add this one, many people will agree that this movie is worth a spot on the greatest films of all time list. Tarantino at his very best with a killer plot and a cast that is flawless, this DVD seems to almost get better every time I watch it.

Star Wars 1-6 - The complete collection, well no collection is complete without these. Granted the 1,2 and 3 don’t get watched as much as the original trilogy but I still had to have the full collection.

Thank you Mark for taking out the time to do the post for Ticker Talks Film. You can follow Mark on Twitter @Reviwer or view his blog www.ultimatereviews.co.uk If you would like to share your Collection 10, please get in touch with me via Twitter (@raghavmodi)

#MTOS Twitter Handle

2012-01-09T16:18:00.001Z

As some of you are aware, we now have a Twitter handle (@MovieTOS). The reason for creating the handle was to give an option to the participants of the event to go about taking part without overcrowding their followers timelines.

Please do read the following points and decide accordingly;

If you feel you tweet a lot during #MTOS and your followers are not liking it, then the best way to avoid overcrowding their timeline would be to give out your answers to @MovieTOS. You may also give them out to the host of the week, but since the host is usually busy, I feel that by overcrowding their timeline would just add more pressure on them.

Example : @MovieTOS A1. I like Star Wars #MTOS

This way the message will be for only @MovieTOS and your followers who are not part of the talk and not following @MovieTOS will not have your message show on their timeline.

I am aware that by adding the handle we are limiting our letter count, but for now it seems like a small price to pay.

It is very important to still put #MTOS at the end, so that everyone who is taking part in the talk sees your answer if they are using the search function, no matter if they follow you or not, as we still want #MTOS to be a way for film people to find each other.

Following @MovieTOS is not compulsory in order to take part in #MTOS. It's just an option.

We would however advise that the HOST please follow @MovieTOS just for the week they are hosting.

Also, if you have not had complaints from your followers, then you may continue as before, as technically that would be the best way.

Or you can always do a few tweets to @MovieTOS and a few as you have been doing before.

@MovieTOS will not be following anyone back. It's just there as a medium to let you tweet without overcrowding the timeline. Both me (@raghavmodi) and Rachel (@askimrach) will still be using our regular Twitter handles for everything else.

This is just an experiment we are trying and if it becomes too confusing or does not work, then at a later date we will scrap it.

On a separate note, I am sure most of you are aware of some of the confrontations that are taking place from time to time during #MTOS. My humble request to each and every participant would be to simply ignore the comments and not give them any attention whatsoever.

Thank you for understanding and we are always eager to hear your views and recommendations.

My Collection 10 by Russell

2012-01-08T03:12:00.000Z

The Collection 10 series continues with Russell from Australia.

American History X

One of the most powerful movies I have ever seen. Edward Norton was beyond impressive in this. American History X was one of the very few select movies that I went to see 3 times at the cinema. A true power house of a film.

Any Given Sunday

I loved everything about this movie. I thought that Oliver Stone did a hell of a great job showing the American footballers as modern day gladiators. One of the best scenes is where Lauren Holly is yelling at Dennis Quaid in the kitchen about how she married a footballer…it’s terrifying!

Black Rain

There is nothing that I didn’t love about this movie. In fact I have one copy I purchased in Australia and another one that I purchased again in the States for the special features. Standout scene is Andy Garcia and Ken Takakura singing Ray Charles in the karaoke bar.

Chopper / Two Hands

Both of these movies revolutionised Australian cinema for me. They showed that Australia can make modern crime movies that can stand up to the rest of the world. They both have action, drama, and a distinct Aussie humour which made them a must have!

Collateral

Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx showing a different side to their usual film roles. Michael Mann went above and beyond creating a isolated feel in a heavily populated city. The shoot out in the Korean bar is one of my favourites and could only be handled by Michael Mann. Also the movie has my favourite commentary track.

Falling Down

Personally this is my favourite Michael Douglas movie. He created an “everyman” character dealing with the frustrations of daily life by reacting in increasingly violent ways. The parallels between Douglas and Duvall are brilliant and multi-layered. Quite easily in my top 5 movies of all time.

Play it to the Bone

I saw this at the cinema. I heard that Harrellson and Banderas hated each other during the filming so the fight scenes were real. It was a great movie. The first half is a character study of 2 friends preparing to fight each other and the second half is a full on action movie. Worth a watch.

Point Break

This movie is just a whole lot of fun! Keanu at the top of his game. Swayze is iconic as Bodhi. And starred Lori Petty too…whatever happened to Lori? It’s like the tagline says “100% pure adrenaline”. The question is, why wouldn’t you watch it?

The Godfather

What can I say about The Godfather. The great film of all time. No DVD collection is complete without it. Plain and simple.

Thank you Russell for taking out the time to do the post for Ticker Talks Film. You can follow Russell on Twitter @Russell_Oz or view his blog www.137exactly.com. If you would like to share your Collection 10, please get in touch with me via Twitter (@raghavmodi)

My Collection 10 by Rachel Horn

2012-01-06T08:00:00.000Z

A brand new series and who better to start it with than my #MTOS Partner-in-Crime Rachel Horn from United Kingdom.

The aim of the series is for people to take 10 DVDs from their collection at home, photograph them, and write a line or two about them. They do not have to be favourites, but just movies that have a story behind them. You might like them, hate them, or till now didn’t even know you had them; it is all about letting everyone know a little about your likes and dislikes.

Harvard Man

The year was 1999, I was 19 years old, and I went to the cinema to watch Drive Me Crazy with Melissa Joan Hart and Adrian Grenier. It was love at first sight. I had found my ideal man and I still love him to this day, but back then I bought everything I could with him. Harvard Man is a terrible movie, but it is a guilty pleasure because of him.

13 Going on 30

This is one film I can watch again and again. Jennifer Garner is my female crush and I love her, but this film is awesome too. I love that she plays a silly part so different from her awesome Sydney character.

Blue Crush

I lived in Turkey for a few years and when I came back I worked at a surf shop for 7 years and wearing Boardys and flip-flops for work was awesome. During my time there Blue Crush came out and we went to a special screening together and we all loved the film so much and played the soundtrack a billion times a day at work. It makes me think of really happy memories.

24 is the best show ever. I LOVE Jack Bauer. I was in labour with my first child and I wouldn’t go to the hospital until I had watched the new episode on SkyOne.

Band of Brothers

What can be said about Band of Brothers? It is a brilliant mini-series. The actors are all amazing and this really drew me in. I was thinking about it weeks after watching it. If this was a 10 hour movie, this would be my favourite movie.

James Bond

James Bond makes me think of my childhood watching it with my Dad. Even though I own all the DVDs, I always watch them when they are on TV. My favourite Bond is Roger Moore.

Police Academy

Another childhood favourite, I had most of them on VHS. The best ones are with Mahoney in them though.

Super Troopers

This is such a funny film and takes me back about 7 years when my best friend was living here from Canada and with her husband they lived with other students, and we would all quote the movie all night and watch it again and again. Great film.

The Goonies

I don’t think there is a person on Twitter that doesn’t know my favourite childhood film is The Goonies. My VHS tape was nearly worn out when I was a kid.

Lord of the Rings

This is my favourite film ever. I remember hating my friends for making me go and watch it, but I came out and was like WOW! Then I did my normal obsession thing and went mental buying loads of memorabilia, stamps, coins, glass necklaces, rings, etc.

Thank you Rachel for taking out the time to do the post for Ticker Talks Film. Rachel can be contacted on Twitter via @askimrach. If you would like to share your Collection 10, please get in touch with me via Twitter (@raghavmodi)

City of Violence (Korean)

2012-01-04T12:46:00.001Z

I always end up with this fuzzy feeling when I am about to watch a new Korean film. Lately, I have been furiously searching for new material and there seems to be a lot available. So far I have been lucky enough to have liked all (yes all) the Korean films that I have seen. City of Violence came very close to being the worst yet, but manages to rise like the phoenix towards the end.

When one of his friends is murdered, city cop Tae-su (Doo-hong Jung), travels back his to home town to pay respect and decides to stay on and find out who killed his friend. The story of five friends that moves between the past and present, is on one end a gangster flick, but simultaneously is more about friendship and honor and to an extent about revenge.

As Tae-su goes about finding the truth, he is accompanied by Seok-hwan and they initially have a pretty awesome showdown where they fight gangs of street dancers, BMX riders, baseball players, school uniform dressed girls, and a few others.

The film does get extremely slow in-between with too much emotional baggage. On hindsight, it might have been important to break the violent streak of the film in the beginning and one that is about to come.

City of Violence really makes an impact in the last 30-40 minutes. Finally figuring out the reason and person behind the death of their friend, the last half hour is full of great fight sequences and some heavy drama. I especially loved the way the film ends (sorry can't say much as it would spoil the movie).

City of Violence has a very basic story that is portrayed rather well with some great performances and fight sequences. The last few minutes remain its strong point and bring about the entire film together with its bleak yet courageous end.

A 4 out of 5 Star Rating

My VHS Favourites

2012-01-03T12:23:00.000Z

Till the time I became a Twitter addict, I used to think I was one of the last few people on this Earth who still had a Video Cassette Player and a bunch of VHS Tapes. But, was I wrong or what? I do still think that I might be amongst maybe 10 people in India who actually uses VHS to view movies in this day and age.

My VHS collections isn't huge anymore, around 100 tapes, partially because I upgraded a few movies over time and others just went bad, but I still enjoy watching some movies in the format I first saw them (aside from the theater).

Here's a list of some of my favourite movies that are in my VHS collection.

Cinema Paradiso - The first ever "foreign film" that I saw and loved. Along with The Last Emperor, it is the only non-Hindi/English film that I remember watching as a child. The brilliance of Cinema Paradiso is that if you ask any cinephile today, there is a good chance that they have seen it and it has had some part in guiding their love towards films.

Grosse Point Blank - I've tried thinking of another actor that could possibly replace John Cusack in this brilliant dark humored film, but honestly no one comes to mind. Cusack plays the character of a hitman going to his school reunion with such über-coolness that were it not for Grosse Point Blank or High Fidelity, he would have never survived the debacle that was 2012.

JFK - Conspiracy theories aside, the film really is a masterpiece when it comes to a journalistic approach in a film. A great cast and some pretty awesome blink-and-you-will-miss cameos by a number of legendary stars, the film remains of one Oliver Stone’s greatest works.

Love and other Catastrophes - A small indie-esq gem of a film that follows a group of students during one day of their life. Quirky and fun, it works as a lovely little date film.

Monty Python and the Holy Grail - I was officially introduced to Monty Python in college by my History teacher who played the entire Holy Grail in class to especially show the scene of the history professor doing the TV show being killed. For me Holy Grail will always be better than the more appreciated Life of Brian.

Primal Fear - There was nothing better than watching the entire film unfold before my eyes in the last 10 minutes when all the secrets come to light. There has only been one other film that has had the same effect on me and that one is mentioned below. Story aside, Edward Norton performed brilliantly, and the fact that I had just decided on making Psychology my double major brought about a whole new angle to the film.

Curdled - I haven't heard many people talk about this film. In fact I too was given this tape by a friend who had seen it and thought I would like it. It's a nice psychological dark comedy that has a blood clean-up lady going head to head in a battle of wits with a serial killer.

Reservoir Dogs - It is better than Pulp Fiction any day...and that is a fact!

Rope - My favourite Hitchcock film, I just love how the story, which is a fierce battle of one-upmanship, works so well in the claustrophobic surroundings of an apartment, and to top it all, goes about doing so in extremely long takes. This murder why-dunnit tells the audience everything straight on, yet keeps them captivated throughout. Pure brilliance.

Swimming with Sharks - Kevin Spacey is the boss from hell. Dark, funny, dramatic, if this movie were to be made now, it would have been turned into torture-porn, but thankfully the story along with strong performances is what makes this one of my favourite films.

The Castle - This Australian gem based on real life events is the story of a family as they fight the government who wants to take over their house to extend a nearby airport. The film is funny and charming, full of eccentric likable character, and is pure Australian gold.

The Usual Suspects - Yup! It's that other film which has an ending like no other. A film that remained my favourite for the longest time and just the thought of the ending now gives me goose bumps. Brilliant!

Trainspotting - it had me at “Choose Life”.

Transformers: The Movie - The only film that I own in VHS and DVD format. It might be animated, but it is so much better than any of the live action Transformers we have seen in the last decade. With some great voice support and a strong storyline, Transformers is a must have for any fan of the toys or even anime.

Do you have any VHS cassettes lying around? What are your favourites? Do tell...

Super 8

2012-01-01T23:59:00.000Z

If you've grown up watching films like ET, The Goonies, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and the likes then there is a good chance you will enjoy Super 8 because of the nostalgia it is likely to bring out in you.

Set in the 1970s the film follows a bunch of kids who while making a movie (on a Super 8 camera) during their summer break, witness a train crash and eventually end up running from the military and an unknown entity in their sleepy little town. Part action, part children, and part monster movie, the film is edge of the seat entertainment with some brilliant acting from the younger cast members especially Elle Fanning.

Super 8 has some tremendous backing with Spielberg as the producer and JJ Abrams directing, but the story is pretty simple and at times I did feel that certain elements were rather clichéd and did not add much to the story. Nevertheless, the initial suspense and then the trills make up for whatever the story falls short on. The biggest problem I had with Super 8 was the ending. A tad abrupt and hugely anti-climatic, the film could have done with a much stronger and grander ending.

Everything else aside, Super 8 is back to the basics family entertainment reminiscent of past films that glorify the importance of friendship, family, forgiveness, and lastly the right to live freely.

Having finally seen the film, I could understand if the newer generation doesn’t like it as much, but then I’m part of the older generation that grew up on movies like Adventures in Babysitting and as a result thoroughly enjoyed Super 8.

A 4 out of 5 star rating.

Movie Thoughts - How often do you watch a movie you really don't want to watch?

2012-01-01T11:04:00.002Z

Thinking about the movies that I have seen, I usually come across quite a few that I watched even though they did not interest me. This could be at home on a DVD or in a theater. The benefit of watching a DVD is that I have control over the movie and if nothing else I can get up and do other stuff. In a theater, although the option of leaving is there, but honestly speaking once I have paid for it, there is a good chance I will sit through it no matter what.

So, thinking back, how many movies can you think of that you have seen against your own will. I'll be lying if I said I never watched a movie, or at least claimed to have watched one, to impress a girl. Let's not even get into the number of movies I sat through with my wife during the "honeymoon" period of our marriage. Not putting the blame on her, I know she sat through some with me that she had absolutely no interest in, like one of the Harry Potter movies even though she has never read the books or seen any movie (Yes! big revelation, but I have tried my best to get her to watch the movies let alone read the books, and have eventually given up in vain).

Now, be it to impress a girl, or tag along with friends, or to sound cinematic go into a theater while running away from the police to hide, there comes a time when enough is enough. I feel I have reached a stage in my life that it doesn't matter anymore, and pretty much nothing (except for when my daughter looks at me with those innocent eyes) can make me go sit in a theater to watch something I am not interested in. So much so, after realizing that our film tastes are poles apart, my wife and I hardly ever go to the cinema together. I'm not complaining about it. I think she has the right to a choice as much as I do and rather than making the other person miserable, its better we work around it.

Having said that, there have been instances, when movies I "knew" would not be to my liking, have turned out to be quite fun. The thing about movies is that I love to be proved wrong. I like it when I go into a movie with utter hatred because it's only showing in 3D and come out actually liking the 3D aspect. It's always fascinating when I get dragged into watching a Indian movie (it's either a choice between a movie with the wife or a visit to the mall) thinking it will be the usual run-of-the-mill crap, but come out taken aback by a fresh entertaining film. Unfortunately, in the end, the negatives of going into an unwanted movie outnumber the positives.

So, how many times have you been to the movie theater unwillingly? Can you remember any movie that you just did not want to watch and still went for it for some reason? Or maybe a movie you knew would be horrible, but in the end you liked? Let me know...

Black Swan

2011-12-31T11:16:00.000Z

It feels redundant going into a full review of a movie that has over the past year been a part of each and every bloggers blog (except mine). Nevertheless, I felt that since the movie, which I finally saw yesterday, is so exceptional that I should at least mention it in my blog.

Black Swan is probably one of the strongest psychological thrillers I have ever seen and it is pretty much borderline horror. The reality mixes so seamlessly with the fantasy that let alone the characters of the movie, the audience is left mesmerized as they try to figure out what is going on.

Natalie Portman is simply outstanding and gives one of the most amazing performances I've ever seen. Her portrayal of the Black and White Swan sees a transformation that could give any seasoned actor goose bumps. The direction brings together this complex film together beautifully. The music during the entire film works so well that it takes a character of its own. I felt that after a long time I could appreciate the presence and importance of background music in a film.

Black Swan might not appeal to everyone. It is a strong piece of drama that can prove to be quite heavy at times, but it is a masterpiece when it comes to filmmaking and story telling. Needless to say it deserves and rightly gets a 5 out of 5 star rating from me.

The Poor Memorabilia Collector

2011-12-30T09:14:00.000Z

For the longest of time movie props have been the ultimate memorabilia item for any self confessed geek. The thought of having a prop from one of the classics, showcased in a room in your house, for all those who visit to see, but not touch, probably gives you the same tingly feeling that I am getting writing about it. But, in this age of economic hardship that dream bubble takes only a few minutes to burst. And, if you have a spouse who is not a "geek", that's just extra work convincing him/her.

So, in a world where your geek-standards are measured by the volume of your collection, be it comics, movies, or memorabilia, it's not always necessary to go for the most exclusive and more expensive options. There are other cheaper memorabilia curios, which might not get you as much credit as say the official replica of the light saber, but nevertheless they help you have a more rounded and diverse collection.

Here’s my list of a few cheaper memorabilia options;

Postcards – They can mostly be found in movie theaters for free, but even if you have to buy them, they are rather cheap. Group them up together and frame them if you like, or just have a collection. Easy!

Posters – The bigger versions of a postcard, posters are once again easy to find. Spend some time on Twitter following movie production companies and you just might get lucky in getting one for free. A lot of independent cinemas give them out at the end of the year or have sales. Even if you have to buy a poster, they don't cost that much. Especially with the new trend of classic/retro/arty posters, they make for some great wall art and a topic of conversation.

Stamps – You’d be surprised by the number of stamps that are based on Film and TV. I believe most movie producing countries have cinema based stamps and they are a simple and easy way to get some movie memorabilia.

Bobble-heads – Who doesn’t like bobbleheads? They are small, cute, and bobbly (yeah I’m at the stage where I can start making words up). Normally I would have loved to have a huge collection of bobbleheads, but for the longest time I’ve just had the solitary Marvin the Martian one. Place it on the subwoofer when you are watching Transformers or Fast and the Furious and it’s fun to see them bobble every time there is an action scene.

Fast Food Toys – Most big-budget movies now involve fast food joints as part of their extensive marketing campaigns. As a result, small toys become a part of their kids menu (usually). Now, in my case it helps, because my daughter is as excited as I am about the toys, and because she is just 4 she gets bored of them after a day, or they mysteriously disappear, only to be found much later in a corner of my home theater. Wonder who does that?

Novelty Items – Since films are such a popular medium of entertainment, everything that is even remotely linked to them (chocolates, popcorns, drinks) somehow get inspired and as a result novelty items like the two M&Ms watching a 3D film dispenser are made available in the market. They really make for a fun addition to your TV room/home theater etc.

Figurines/Models – Be it Tron or Phineus and Ferb, figurines are believe it or not big business. My advice is to wait a bit till after the whole buzz of the movie has died down before you go buy these figurines because most often than not by that time they are on sale.

Mega Packs – It’s common knowledge that one of the reasons movies come out in Mega Packs (sets of 2 or more dvds) is because production companies can get rid of their stock that is not really popular by linking it with a blockbuster movie. What is really nice about these packs is that they generally include something else along with the DVDs. I’ve seen plush toys and in the case of the photo a special edition Monopoly.

Art and Film – Similar to the new trend of fan made posters it’s interesting to see how companies from different fields come together to cash in on the success of a film. I’ll be the first one to admit that I was jumping with joy when I came across the photographed Moleskine Star Wars Notebook. Simply brilliant, now if only I can get myself to actually use it.

Comic Books – Again it’s nothing very expensive, but collecting comic books or special editions is a good way of starting your memorabilia collection. I personally am not a comic book collector but when I came across the Batman Vs Ragman comic book I had to buy it simply because I was nicknamed “Ragman” by a few friends in school.

Film Magazines – Total Film and Empire, two of the most popular movie magazines, have special covers and special editions from time to time that make for a great collection. Add to that my present favourite Little White Lies which is in itself highly collectable due to limited printing and a rather unusual look and feel for a film magazine. Display them together or just collect them for reference later, they are an amazingly cheap way to connect with the movies you love.

Do you have a collection? What is your most prized piece of memorabilia? Do tell…

Don 2 (3D) (Hindi)

2011-12-28T11:29:00.000Z

My problem with Don 2 starts with Shahrukh Khan and ends with the story. I've always been an avid Shahrukh film watcher, but off late his acting has just become too repetitive. The worse part is that not having watched My Name is Khan and Ra.One I still felt that there hasn't been any change in his mannerisms onscreen. Now, most people might say that that is his appeal and that's fine, but to me I would love to see a Shahrukh Khan that has grown professionally since his days of DDLJ (which I know he has and hints can be seen in movies like Chak De).

The other major problem with Don 2 is unfortunately the story. Not only was the entire execution of the film a bit drab with not much really happening, the film simply glorifies Shahrukh Khan's Don as the be all and know all. It's as if he can do no wrong and holds some mystical power which as a result made the film extremely predictable after a while.

Don 2 also lacked any real link with the previous Don. Replace the character's name and some of the people who have trickled down from the previous film and Don 2 could have been any other con-caper. It lacked a heart and a soul and simply focused on the look.

Enough thrashing, the film did have a few elements that really surprised me. I went into the theater ready to lash out at the 3D. Surprisingly, leaving aside a few out-of-focus fight shots, the 3D was pretty good. Now, it would not have made much difference in 2D, but yes I do give credit that although it did not add much to the film, it still was executed well especially during the song sequence.

The locations, the cinematography, and to an extent the direction was spot on. I've pretty much liked most of Farhan Akhtar's directed and acted films so I was not expecting anything less. I also admire the subtle hint to the next Don and the special appearance that no one saw coming.

Now, most people might argue that Don has a larger than life persona so that reflects in the acting by Shahrukh Khan, but I felt he needed to be more grounded and take a step or two down from the pedestal that he was on. More human if I may say. The story needed to be faster and meatier with more emphasis on the characters.

Don 2 is a fun watch. It doesn't have the charm of Don and moves more in the territory of movies like Dhoom or the soon to be released Players. I would love to see Don 3 be more bold maybe even darker, but then we can only hope for such things.

Don 2 disappointingly gets 3 stars out of 5. If the 3D hadn't impressed me or had I watched the film in 2D, I would have given it 2.5 stars.

Midnight in Paris

2011-11-30T08:59:00.000Z

The quickest review of Midnight in Paris would be that it's a magical and charming time travel whimsical American tale set amidst the beauty that is Paris, France with classic (Woddy) Allen-esq neurotic characters. It's also a film that proves to be every art majors wet dream come true.

In fact i'm going to take the easy way out and won't go into detail anymore, except that the cast is spectacular (notably Kathy Bates, Michael Sheen, Marion Cotillard, and Adrien Brody) and Owen Wilson captures the neurosis of Allen perfectly, making this one of the best romantic fantasy comedies of the year.

The magic of Midnight in Paris is going to watch it without knowing much about it, as I did. It catches your attention when you least expect it and takes you on a journey, along with its cast, that is simply enchanting and colorful.

If you like good cinema that excites the brain, then make sure you watch this wonderful adventurous story that raises the question of whether "the good ol' days" really are what we make of them?

Rating 4.5/5

COMPETITION - LAST EXIT TO NOWHERE

2011-11-28T04:40:00.001Z

Competition Closed

WINNER - Chris Mason @grumpyduckuk

Thank you all for participating. Till next time, best of luck in everything you do.

Finally it has happened. My little blog that I started a year back is holding its very first competition and I have none other than the wonderful people of Last Exit To Nowhere to thank for this.

There is a pretty good chance that you have either heard of Last Exit To Nowhere or have at least knowingly or unknowingly come across one of their film inspired t-shirts. They have been in the business since 2007 and have been a benchmark in this industry stamping Tees, Caps, Hoodies, and Posters with some of their original film based designs.

I do have to confess that the one thing that has always "pulled" me towards them is their company name. Last Exit To Nowhere is such a filmy name and one that is extremely intriguing and very mysterious at the same time. Considering the business they are in, it suits them beautifully.

I have often found myself just flicking through their website looking at the designs they have on display and I must confess that it really is a fun pass time that can be hard on the wallet too.

For a change I decided to share with you some of my favorite designs from the Last Exit To Nowhere collection and why they are special to me;

The one scene that has lingered in my mind ever since I saw The Usual Suspects is the falling of the tea cup towards the end as the camera fixates on the company name, "Kobayashi", and since the movie remained my favorite for almost a decade, I obviously love this design.

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is special for most Indians, especially my age, because it featured Amrish Puri as the evil "heart pulling" Mola Ram. Most Indians who were raised during the 80s and 90s know him rather well as he has been one of the most celebrated villains of Indian cinema and thus this movie is always attached with my childhood memories.

I came across The Blues Brothers (music and film) in college when one of my best friends introduced them to me. I think I liked it so much that I still sometimes use the term "I'm on a Mission from God" to the bewilderment of the people I say it to.

Jaws - Need I say more?

Now, here is one T-Shirt I would never buy. Why? Because after only recently watching The Shinning, for the very first time, the last thing I need is to open my wardrobe and see something that would bring back those scary scenes in my mind. The fact that a t-shirt can evoke such feelings says a lot about Last Exit to Nowhere and their designs.

Now for the Competition;

To WIN ONE T-SHIRT OF YOUR CHOICE FROM LAST EXIT TO NOWHERE simply comment below and tell me one movie that you would proudly wear an inspired T-Shirt of and why?

Although all entries will be eligible, but if you make them witty, you just might get noticed more.

Competition Ends on December 3, 2011 (23:59 GMT), so make sure you comment before then.

The best news is that the generous people of Last Exit To Nowhere will send the winning T-Shirt anywhere, so this competition is open to the UNIVERSE.

PS: If you are an alien, you can still participate, but you will need an address on Earth and your comment should be posted translated in English.

Last Exit to Nowhere can also be followed on Twitter via their handle @LASTEXITshirts

All photographs courtesy Last Exit To Nowhere

Movie Thoughts - Is there too much information out there?

2011-11-25T08:05:00.000Z

The other day I was watching Predator while at the Gym and it made me think about the impact of the movie on a film watcher who would have viewed it for the very first time, in the theater, when it was originally released, without knowing much about it? How awesome would be that feeling?

We now live in a world where information is broadcasted to us from all directions. Not only is it hard to get away from all the NEWS, but the nature of the information available has such a wide range of quality that discriminating between it can often become tedious.

So, I wondered, as an avid film enthusiast, if the presence of internet, cable, and mobile technology has stripped us from the experience of enjoying a film in its purest form. Trailers, TV spots, special features, leaked images, spoilers, first day reviews, and plot lines are so abundantly available even before a movie is "officially" announced that I fear we miss out a whole lot more than what the people enjoyed when all this was not the norm.

I still remember watching Star Wars on VHS just knowing that it was hugely popular in the West. My experience of watching it for the very first time has stayed with me till now. I honestly cannot say the same about any of the movies I have seen in the last decade or so. There is always a degree of expectation involved with the recent movies thanks to the extensive marketing techniques used by the makers, and often that very expectation is also the resulting factor in the movie not being successful at the box office.

Lately, Twitter has been quite active with the buzz surrounding The Dark Knight Rises. We have had too much information thrown at us and honestly speaking I simply skip a tweet that mentions TDKR with a link attached. I must confess, in this regards I almost favor Facebook because it lacks the same amount of intensity when it comes to spilling out details of movies.

I often imagine going back to the basics. Now, a movie trailer has saved me a number of times from having to waste money on something I know I would detest, but isn't part of film watching also experiencing something new and unknown? I recently watched the Immortals without knowing much about it or without even having seen the trailer let alone any production stills. Although I disliked the movie, but I know I went into the theater with an open and clean mind, not expecting anything, with just a hint of a desire to be wowed. I don't regret my decision of not wanting to watch the trailer, but then again a few duds like this and I would be tempted to view every trailer ever made.

So, what do you think about the overflow of information? Should the producers limit themselves to simple theatrical trailers, or is there too much at stake for them that marketing budgets will keep on increasing? I for one would be more than happy to forego everything except for maybe an odd trailer and prefer to go watch a movie not knowing too much about it.

Shadow of a Doubt

2011-11-24T13:00:00.001Z

The brilliance of Hitchcock was that he was able to bring murder, suspense, and mystery to the level of the common man. Here, an average middle class family becomes the center of attention as one of its members is suspected to be a serial killer on the run. Keeping up with his ingenious ways of story telling, Hitchcock moves the focus of the investigation away from the Police and puts it in the hands of a niece (Teresa Wright) who suspects her visiting uncle (Joseph Cotten), whom till recently she adored, to be the serial killer.

Shadow of a Doubt combines two genres beautifully. Initially, the "mystery" of the murderer is kept from the family members and the audience with subtle hints given along the way that lead to the identity of the killer. The second half becomes more "thriller" like with the tension that arises between the family members as the identity becomes known to some, while others are left completely in the dark.

All along, till the very end, Hitchcock still manages to leave a little doubt, both in the minds of the investigating niece and the audience as to the true identity of the killer. That Shadow of a Doubt that lingers in the mind till the final act is what makes Hitchcock one of my all time favorite film makers.

Rating 4/5

To Catch A Thief

2011-11-23T13:00:00.000Z

So far my least favorite Hitchcock thriller, To Catch A Thief is a whodunit on the surface and a love story at heart. A supposedly retired international jewel thief (Carry Grant) living his life in the Rivera is being blamed for a spree of robberies. We follow him as he goes around the beautiful locals trying to find the actual culprit which would prove his innocence to the police and to his ex partners in crime, who themselves are being suspected.

Now, although just the presence of Grace Kelly makes the film worthwhile, I fear that as a thriller it fails tremendously, especially were we to compare it to say North By Northwest. There is no doubt the acting is excellent, but the entire movie seems more like an extended vacation for the crew. Maybe it's the beautiful setting, but aside from a few suspenseful scenes and some good witty dialogue, there really was not much going on.

From a different point of view, the movie also works as a love story between the cocksure thief Grant and the somewhat fascinated-by-a-criminal Kelly. Looking at it from this angle, with the love story amidst all that is going on in the story, the film does come across as more likable. But then again, if I were to go with my feelings during the time of watching the movie, and not analyzing it afterwards, then I would have to stick with my original thought of it as being my least favorite Hitchcock so far.

Rating 2.5/5

Dial M for Murder

2011-11-22T13:00:00.000Z

Hitchcock at his best. A husband (Ray Milland) planning to kill his adulterous wife (Grace Kelly). A murder gone wrong. The murderer (Anthony Dawson) ends up murdered. Perfect set up for an intense and compelling story.

There have been a number of remakes of this brilliant piece of a murder mystery that takes the genre and reverses it by telling the audience everything from the get go. The mystery, as the audience watches, is for the film characters to slowly put the pieces of the puzzle together.

Dial M for Murder is full of suspense and thrills and manages to entice the audience in a sort of cat and mouse one-upmanship game that takes place between the characters. The brilliance of Hitchcock is that although the identity of the culprit is known, all the characters have shades of grey making the audience question their decisions throughout the film.

Obviously, the tension build-up in the final act is typical Hitchcock, edge of the seat, fun. Considering that the entire film has a claustrophobic feel to it, as it is mostly filmed in the confined area of an apartment, and it still manages to entertain, proves why Hitchcock has always been known as the "master" of suspense.

4/5 Star Rating

Blogger Syndrome - The Pressure to Review

2011-11-21T19:22:00.001Z

When I started blogging about a year back I came across a relatively famous blogger (can't remember his blog name) who after about a month of me reading his posts declared that he was going to quit writing. The reason for this sudden decision was that he found himself not enjoying movies anymore. He claimed that in place of letting the film entertain him, he found his mind wandering off towards what to write in the review.

I too seem to be suffering from this case it seems. Lately, I have found my mind get distracted while watching a movie thinking what I would want to write in its review. I don't like this one bit. Just the other day, while watching True Romance for the very first time, I made a conscious decision that I would not write a review of the movie. To my surprise I enjoyed the movie a whole lot more because it had my 100% attention throughout its course.

I know some of you are seasoned bloggers who watch movies on a daily basis as well as publish reviews everyday. My question to you is if you too suffer from the same problem which i've termed as the "Blogger Syndrome"? Do you feel that as a result of the pressure to review a movie, be it for a personal blog or professionally, more time is spent fixating on the positives and negatives of the movie rather than its total enjoyment? In fact, in-between I even started taking my iPad to take notes while watching a movie in my home theater, a practice that I did not continue after a couple of movies.

In a perfect world, I would love to disassociate myself from any thought during the movie and just think about it afterwards when I write about it, but unfortunately that has not been the case. I have tried not writing a review on my immediate return leaving it at times for weeks afterwards, but still I find myself forming sentences for my write-up mid-movies. Ideally, repeat watching would be a great solution to the problem. Enjoy the movie the first time round and then look at it critically the second time, but with the abundance of movies to still watch, repeat viewings are few and far between.

For now I haven't reached the stage where I would give up writing and that might disappoint some of you, but I have had a hard and long thought over it and if this does continue, I fear I might one day follow on the footsteps on my above mentioned fellow blogger.

#MTOS Schedule - January 2012 to April 2012

2011-11-21T18:37:00.001Z

Hello hosts and welcome to the #MTOS family. Thank you for your continuous support so far and wishing you all the best for your respective hosting events. Please check the details below and do let me know in case something needs to be changed.

01 January 2012 - Coen Brothers - @Celluloidical
08 January 2012 - Star Wars - @TGP73
15 January 2012 - Awesomely Bad Movies - @Audreejo
22 January 2012 - Movie Soundtracks - @Screen1ne
29 January 2012 - Space Movies - @Thommojo3

05 February 2012 - Monster Films - @Cannonball15
12 February 2012 - Trilogies - @Littlestpicshow
19 February 2012 - James Bond - @R-ViewMovies
26 February 2012 - Oscars - @FramedPanda

04 March 2012 - Hollywood Fails - @PopPeelings
11 March 2012 - Cult Films - @Dudefozz
18 March 2012 - Sports Films - @Kimnmilward
25 March 2012 - Going to the Movies - @deusexcinema

01 April 2012 - Teen Movies - @Dale_SaxonIII
08 April 2012 - To Be Decided - @Filmoria
15 April 2012 - Disaster Films - @Lewmos
22 April 2012 - Tarantino - @MaxwellHubbard
29 April 2012 - Movie Marketing - @Martha_Knight

An Interview with Paul Atkins (Arcane Movie Tees)

2011-11-17T08:17:00.003Z

Some of my readers will be aware that I am a Business (and Psychology) major. So, whenever I come across a business enterprise that I witness growing and one that I find interesting, I am always intrigued about its "back story". What truly made Paul Atkins from Arcane Movie Tees all the more interesting was the fact that here is a man who not only had great business sense, but one that went ahead and did something most of us desire to do all our lives; he managed to mix his passion, for movies, with his business giving the term "don't mix business with pleasure" a run for its money.

I came across Arcane Movie Tees and their products via Twitter and while I was convincing them to host #MTOS I thought it was perfect opportunity to get to know more about the man behind the company. In my last minute attempt to coincide the hosting with the interview, I would like to thank Paul who was kind enough to answer the questions in rather a short period of time.

Paul (wearing one of his own creations) with his Son.

Raghav Modi (RM) - Hi Paul, thank you for taking out the time to answer the questions of the interview. I would like to jump right into it and simply ask what made you start your company Arcane Movie Tees? Was it simply love for cinema and business, or is there more to the story?

Paul Atkins (PA) - I have a genuine passion for movies and I wanted to vent that passion in some way. My other main love is Music and I previously used to produce artwork and websites for my own band and friends bands. This led to creating tees and other clothing for some of them and it was at that point I thought it would be cool to create some ideas inspired by Movies also. I wanted to create designs that I thought were lacking in that market and I would also love to wear myself. It started with creating ideas that were appealing to me and soon enough appealing to those others I showed. The idea then turned into a business model and here we are today.

RM - Take us back to your earliest childhood memory of watching a film. Which film do you remember had the biggest impact on you as a kid?

PA - I certainly remember watching Robocop for the first time when I was only 9 and that had a very profound effect on me at the time! A friend of mine acquired it from his Father's VHS collection and we thought it would be a cool idea to watch. I can tell you it’s a very disturbing Movie to watch as a 9 year old. That stayed with me for quite a while. Even by today’s standards, I feel the violence in that Movie is quite shocking.

Arcane Movie Tees latest design

RM - Why "Arcane"? What significance does the name Arcane have in your life? Also, if you could please give us a short history of the origins?

PA - Arcane was a name I worked with throughout a graphic design project in my younger years. I used it then to create the identity of a fake record label, but loved the word and it’s meaning from then on. When I founded AMT it seemed a very fitting name to work with as one of its meanings is ‘known or understood by only a few’. Exactly the subtlety I wanted to project in some of the brands intended designs.

RM - Moving on with the company, why did you decide on making the Tees only in limited editions of 150? Has it been a good business move so far?

PA - We wanted to create something even more unique here at Arcane and felt that limited edition tees would be perfect. Its a very saturated market, so by having a limited number of each design, it makes our tees stand out as they will not be around forever. And only an exclusive amount of people Worldwide would ever own the same t-shirt as the other customer who purchased it. We thought that was a cool approach to producing such rare garments. We have found that our customers really love this exclusivity and love the fact that only a handful of people share the same tee.

RM - Tell us some films that you are proud to have in your collection and some that you desperately want to add?

PA - There is currently a long list of films wanted that I am constantly updating. I generally seem mostly to be boosting my Blu-ray collection. Either with new titles, or usually ones I already own on DVD, but it’s got to be done! I even have some of them still on VHS, so I am prepared for all occasions!

Work-in-progress @ Arcane Movie Tees

RM - I know Arcane Movie Tees has been quite pro-active when it comes to using the social media. It is after all the new form of advertising. How important and crucial is it to your business and to any business for that matter?

PA - It is by far the most important form of advertising and customer interaction to us. We were relative novices of Twitter until a few months ago, but our Facebook page has been a very useful marketing tool since the beginning. Along with being able to promote our products direct to the people who would most appreciate them, it’s a fantastic way to interact with our fans/customers on a more personal level, which is definitely the most crucial aspect when creating such an esoteric Brand.

RM - Arcane Movie Tees is amongst a number of companies that are giving out a similar product. Although there seems to be healthy competition between everyone, how do you try and stay a step ahead of everyone?

PA - I feel that we try to stay ahead of the game for a few reasons. Its no secret that the market is now more saturated with similar designs, that’s why we now also try to create different designs that are not the same in any way. We still create designs that are inspired by fake brands, companies or locations from Movies, but they are now the style of Movie tee that can be found from a multitude of places. We don’t want to disregard that style or the subtlety they evoke, but feel there is room for far more. We also feel that by creating our other design ranges (e.g. Suspects, Decade and Iconic Images) we are moving away from what any other Movie tee company can offer. It is a precise balance of unique and diverse style limited edition designs, a great value price structure and the fact our tees are available on a wide range of colours to suit everyone’s taste that make us, I feel, one of the most exciting tee brands out there.

RM - Tell us a little about films that you are passionate about? What do you like, dislike, love to hate, and hate to love?

PA - Horrors are my main passion. My partner and I both share the same healthy obsession with the genre and have a few particular favourites. The Shining has to be my ultimate personal favourite and The Lost Boys and The Thing are simply awesome. Horrors aside The Godfather trilogy is incredible. I’ve lost count of the amount of time I have spent watching it. I even love the much-slated 3rd, even though to be fair, it isn’t a patch on the first two parts. My guilty pleasure have to be early Van-Damme movies, he tries so hard! Much the same can’t be said of Seagal films, that guy has no charisma what so ever.

The one I own - Inspired from the movie High Fidelity

RM - Which direction according to you is the movie industry heading in now? Are you a supporter of 3D and is that the future of cinema?

PA - That is a tough one. There are still plenty of amazing films released each year, but that said I do feel that Hollywood has gone re-boot crazy of late. There seems to be far to many remakes, re imaginings, prequels, sequels and re-boots of Movies that we just don’t need. Also the big Hollywood re-workings of great foreign films seem a little like a general lack of ideas for totally original concepts. 3D is a medium I tend to avoid. I much prefer the standard 2D versions of the film and in reality most of the 3D adaptations of Movies are just cashing in while it’s such a popular format and I don’t feel it really adds anything to the Movie going experience, except maybe those annoying glasses!

RM - In the end, without giving away much, what more can we expect from Arcane Movie Tees in respect of designs and or products?

PA - We will continuously push to create more new and interesting designs and develop more original ideas as we go. We will be showcasing a little more of our illustrative side also after the amazing reaction to our Suspects range and at the same time still create the style of design we are best known for producing. Also look out for the AMT Ultimate Movie Crew coming soon. It’s not a tee, but that’s all I can divulge this time.

RM - Thank you for your time and wishing you all the best in your future endeavors.

Arcane Movie Tees can be contacted through their website www.arcanemovietees.com or on Twitter with the handle @arcanemovietees

Despicable Me

2011-11-14T05:31:00.000Z

I wasn’t expecting much from Despicable Me. The reviews had been pretty much down the middle. I did however like the premise of this animation which is all about an evil villain, Gru (Steve Carell), trying to get back in the game by stealing the Moon all the while getting outsmarted by a much younger villain, Vector (Jason Seagel).

Despicable Me works because it is short. It doesn’t drag and has the right amount of comic elements mixed with emotions that are provided by three orphan girls that Gru adopts as part of his plan. For me, the minions that Gru houses in his secret “evil” lair were the scene stealers. Funny, charming, cuddly and not at all annoying; not only did they entertain the three orphan girls, but I am sure most of the film audience as well.

Animation, with time, has become more varied. Its focus has changed from just children to teens to even adults. Even the themes of this new breed of animations have become more complex. Not that I am complaining, because as an adult I do enjoy this new wave of animation, but it was quite refreshing to simply enjoy a movie that goes back to the basics and works well for the young and the young at heart.

As always I did watch it in 2D and I’m not sure if it ever was available in 3D, but unless there were things flying out, I see no reason why extra money should be paid for the unnecessary dimension.

Despicable Me comes with a powerhouse of voice support with the likes of Julie Andrews, Will Arnett, Miranda Cosgrove, Russell Brand, Kristin Wiig, Danny McBride, and Mindy Kailing, so it would be a shame if you were to miss out on this 3.5/5 rated brilliant animation that is sure to make you laugh and at least once say “awwwww”.

Immortals 3D

2011-11-13T06:53:00.000Z

It's pretty in parts, but comes nowhere close to the beauty of The Fall. It's bloody, but you just cannot compare it to 300. It's seeped in Greek mythology, but I would still prefer Troy over the Immortals.

The "story" of Theseus, Immortals has more that needs covering up than it can brag about. The characters, almost all of them, lack passion. It seems the makers thought that the fancy headgear that most characters wear would cover up their acting talents, but unfortunately that too doesn't help. The story itself is too shallow, almost like a masala Indian film from the 80s.

The latest trend in movies seems to be that films should end in a way so that if necessary a sequel can be made to cash in on the success. The Immortals not only falls in the same category, but also is a perfect example of a film that tries to put style over substance.

Now, normally I do not talk about actors individually, but in this case I must;

Take, Mickey Rourke. In SinCity and The Fighter he made a stand-up-and-pay-attention comeback. Then with Iron Man 2 he sort of went into familiar territory. But, my fear is that with him doing almost a similar role in the Immortals, he is making the same mistakes and just getting himself typecast again.

Frieda Pinto. I have to be honest and tell you that I'm so glad Hollywood decided to adopt her. In my book she remains one of the most overrated actresses and honestly I could not tolerate seeing her in Indian films. So, thank you Mr. Danny Boyle and Mr. Woody Allen for keeping her on the other side of the planet.

Lastly, Henry Cavill in the role of Theseus was fairly good, although could have been better, but still I do not see him as the next Superman. There is a certain oddity about him that I can't put my finger on.

I could probably go on for a bit about the negative aspects of the movie... and I will. Why was Stephen Dorff not given a meatier role? Why at times the movie tries to be like 300, but the action sequences just don't match up. Why-o-Why did the cinema theater only have it in 3D when they should be aware I so despise watching films in 3D (and yet I fall down in-front of the system and pay extra to watch movies that would have been equally good in 2D).

On the positive side, the final battle scene does look good. It's still nowhere close to the other realistic and visually stunning battle scenes from films like Troy or 300, but nevertheless it was exciting. What I do not understand is when will the whole having a fight scene with intermittent slow motion shots get old? Okay, I do still find it cool and maybe it's because of people like me that filmmakers still use this, but it is getting outdated. We've had this is in so many movies that eventually there will come a point when people will just not respond to it. Maybe till then we let the filmmakers milk the special effects cow?

Shallow, mostly unimpressive, boring, and without any real substance versus a few cool fight sequences. That'll be a disappointing 2/5 star rating for me.

#MTOS Hosts Wanted

2011-11-12T13:00:00.015Z

Well, hello there. First, I would really like for everyone interested in hosting #MTOS to go through this entire post before commenting below. Also I would like to thank a few people who have been instrumental in making #MTOS what it is today.

Rachel (@askimrach) - Who has been the best co-founder ever and deserves all the credit for making #MTOS popular. She is also the one who has kept me sane when things got a little irritating, to put it lightly :-)

Hash Tracking (@HashTracking) - The team of Hash Tracking and especially Charlie have helped compile the statistics of every #MTOS for free from the start. It has helped us actually see our small talk grow and also provides transcripts for people who for one reason or another miss out. So, thank you for being so generous.

Hosts - There have been quite a few and I have mentioned them all below, but you have been great in helping us organize the event and honestly making it so much easier for us. Simply put, you are the lifeline of #MTOS

Participants - #MTOS would not exist without all the participants. We have had so much love from everyone, even if they do not take part, we cannot thank you enough. From mentions in podcasts and blog posts to a team doing round-ups to ReTweets to just generally being exited and talking about #MTOS, you all make #MTOS what it is today. So, THANK YOU, and YOU, and YOU!!

Now, getting down to business, we have had tremendous interest for the hosting duties of #MTOS. We simply love and cannot believe the excitement that we see in all the people. To make things a little simpler this is how you can sign-up for being a host from the start of January till the end of April;

Below I have mentioned all the previous #MTOS we have had with the themes and the hosts. Please go through the list to make sure your choice of theme has not already been done. Eventually we will be repeating themes, but for now we would like to go with new themes only.

After that, just for reference, I have mentioned all the dates that are available for hosting in the months of January - April. Please remember that all dates lie on a Sunday and #MTOS begins at 20:00 GMT. As a host you will also be responsible for writing a blog with the 10 questions relating to your theme on the Tuesday before your hosting date.

All you have to do in order to host is comment below with your preferential date, your theme, and your twitter handle. There are a total of 18 spots that are available.

IMPORTANT: Please read the following points carefully before commenting below;

The months of January and February are reserved only for "new" hosts. So if you have already hosted #MTOS and would like to host again, please only select a date in March or April.

Please, before commenting, read all the comments to make sure you are not duplicating a date that has already been taken. If you do duplicate, we cannot guarantee you a spot at a later date.

Kindly select only one date. If you are unsure, select a later or earlier date. If you mention two dates in your post, once again we will be unable to guarantee you a spot on either of the dates.

Also, please try and make sure that your theme has not been taken or done before. If you do select a duplicate theme, you can change it at a later stage, but at that point, you might have limited choice. If you are unsure, simply state the Theme as "To Be Decided" for now.

If you have already hosted #MTOS and you select a date in January or February, then again we will not be able to guarantee you a spot at a later stage, so please be careful about the date you choose.

Lastly, please make sure that your comment is showing in the comment box, by refreshing the page.

All this might seem a tad complicated, but we felt it would be the fairest way to go about selecting the hosts.

The way #MTOS is going, I am sure we will continue to have the event for a long time, so please if you do not get a spot this time, you will surely have a better chance in the next round of bookings that we plan to open in March.

Previous #MTOS Hosts and Themes of 2011

7th August New York & Films @raghavmodi

14th August Superhero Films @askimrach

21st August Sci-fi &Fantasy @filmoria

28th August Action Films @raghavmodi

4th September Horror Films @cine_cite

11th September Romantic Films @realtormathew

18th September Foreign/ World Cinema @RozD

25th September Thrillers @RozD

2nd October Comedies @Discuss_Cinema

9th October Sequels @PopPeelings

16th October Mystery Films @love_cinema

23rd October High School Films @filmsamurai

30th October Animation @UberTorso

6th November War Movies @kindamoviesnob

13th November Books to Films @filmvsbook

20th November Movie Duels @ArcaneMovieTees

27th November Time Travel Movies @Zack_Parks

4th December Gangster Films @maxwellhubbard

11th December So Bad So Good @DrunkonVHS

18th December To Be Decided @FlixChatter

25th December OPEN HOUSE

Themes: "Going to the Movies", "Hollywood Fails", and "James Bond" have been requested. The people requesting them have not been guaranteed a spot, but if they do get a spot, please leave the themes for them.

AVAILABLE DATES (Sunday) for JANUARY/FEBRUARY/MARCH/APRIL

01 January 2012 TAKEN

08 January 2012 TAKEN

15 January 2012 TAKEN

22 January 2012 TAKEN

29 January 2012 TAKEN

05 February 2012 TAKEN

12 February 2012 TAKEN

19 February 2012 TAKEN

26 February 2012 TAKEN

04 March 2012 TAKEN

11 March 2012 TAKEN

18 March 2012 TAKEN

25 March 2012 TAKEN

01 April 2012 TAKEN

08 April 2012 TAKEN

15 April 2012 TAKEN

22 April 2012 TAKEN

29 April 2012 TAKEN

Thank you

The Host (Korean)

2011-11-11T08:59:00.001Z

Another day, another Korean film. The smile on my face before it even starts might lead you to believe that I am now biased towards film from this region. To be honest, you are partially right.

The Host starts off as a typical B-grade monster movie with a chemically generated gigantic fish that can stay in water and on ground attacking the public. Our unwanted hero is a bumbling immature comical food stand owner who would rather drool on the food than actually sell it. When his daughter is taken by the monster, the film takes a turn and suddenly becomes a more intense and exciting "search" film. Joining him on his quest are his father, brother, and sister, each with his/her own quirks and individualistic characteristics. This makes for the Park family that over the remainder of the film discover something about themselves and each other as they search for their youngest family member.

The Host manages to withhold itself beautifully even though it tackles a number of genres. There is high drama between the characters, with each having their own side stories. It does begin as a monster film, but slowly it becomes much more than that. There are enough intense thrilling and borderline horror moments to make the filmgoer jump on his seat. The "special effects" are pretty good and don't seem all too fake most of the time. The acting, especially by the younger cast, is commendable.

Although the story progresses towards it main goal, which is of the father desperately searching his daughter, there are enough diversions, or hurdles for the Park family if you may, that makes the film much stronger. There are also a number of twists along the way with a couple which I believe only Korean cinema is brave enough to explore.

The Host is an emotionally fueled film with acts that will make you laugh, cringe, cheer, and eventually make you appreciate the brilliance and variety of cinema originating from Korea. A solid 3.5 star rating out of 5.

Superheroes (Documentary)

2011-11-05T08:18:00.000Z

Superheroes is a documentary by Mike Barnett that is not only well timed, but tackles a rather serious issue for the society.

The documentary is a look inside the lives of common men and women who dress up as superheroes and walk their neighborhood streets protecting the public. Armed with basic "legal" weapons and self trained, these men and women are somewhat minor-celebrities, but to them they are simply guardians of everything that is good.

In a world where crime sees no end and no place is safe, do we need these vigilante citizens protecting us? Why not? The police is always short on personnel and if a group of people were to come together to simply keep a watch, what's wrong in that?

The problem I believe lies in the fact that these individuals dress up and call themselves names like Mr. Xtreme and Zimmer. Does it make them look and sound less serious? Maybe. I liked the innocent honesty that comes out when these individuals talk about their lives. They don't boast about their conquests or lie about a glitzy lifestyle. Instead almost all of them have a single goal, that to protect the innocent in a way they deem best.

Unsurprisingly, most of the "superheroes" are heavily influenced by comic books and maybe it's their way of mixing in some fun with doing something right, but it does raise issues of safety when one of the superheroes explains that he needs a can of beer in-between his patrols to stay fresh.

I do however like the attitude of the police towards these individuals. Rather than mocking or dissuading them, the police keeps a close watch on them and constantly advice them to stay clear of any real danger.

Superheroes comes at a time when movies like Kick-Ass and Super, that deal with similar issues, have been hitting the theaters. The documentary is a look at real life and that puts it a step above the other films. Although it might be hard to take these homemade superheroes seriously at first, but once the audience realizes that all they want is what's good for the society, it is bound to appreciate and admire what they do.

The tone of the documentary is very subtle. It does not glamorize the superheroes, nor does it take a side, leaving it up to the audience to make a judgment on the individuals. A very good and thoughtful documentary that is an entertaining watch. A 4/5 Star rating.

Captain America: The First Avenger

2011-11-04T09:09:00.000Z

Having read a number of rave reviews, my expectation from Captain America were sky high. But, as the saying goes, "all things that go up must come down," my expectations came crashing down.

It's important to note that I have never read any of the Captain America comics and his origin was unknown to me, so I cannot compare how close the story is to the original comic-book. Although on the outset the entire set up is very good and comprises of a number of factors that are evident and essential in any superhero film, the story falls short coming across as shallow and one sided.

Injected with a serum that makes a puny, eager to fight Hitler, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) into Captain America, the story is simply predictable to say the least. At the other end we have Hugo Weaving as Red Skull who is on an agenda of his own with his organization Hydra which eventually defies Hitler. In fact Captain America (the film) to me seemed almost comical at times when the henchmen, after the rebellion, begin to shout Hail Hydra rather than Hail Hitler. I secretly wished that Mike Myer's Dr. Evil would pop out from the corner and do his iconic evil laugh.

On the positive side, the film fits in beautifully with the entire Marvel universe. I like how Howard Stark, first introduced in Iron Man 2 with the Stark Convention video, is part of Captain America from the offset. I like how the movie ends with the now obligatory visit from Samuel L Jackson's Nick Fury. I also liked the propaganda retro posters that were used to promote the film. I'm not sure if the film was available in 3D as well, but once again watching it in 2D I know I enjoyed it more than I would have in 3D. The action was good, the comic moments few, and the drama a tad childish.

I did wonder if Captain America was too American for my liking, but then I've never really had a problem with a movie before if it was too patriotic with regards to any country. Also, since it is Captain "America", I think to an extent it needs to be Americanized.

Captain America - The First Avenger is a part of the Marvel puzzle and fits into it perfectly. Unfortunately as an individual piece of cinema it leaves a lot to be desired. A mediocre action film that gets a 2.5/5 star rating from me.

Bodyguard (Hindi)

2011-10-23T07:51:00.000+01:00

The world amazes me sometimes. If we were to talk about one of the highest grossing movies in India, you would expect nothing short of a spectacular film. We Indians love our "masala" films that are full of song, dance, emotion, action, tragedy and what not? Bodyguard has all of that. We love our almost godlike superstar actors and actresses gyrating to catchy item numbers. Bodyguard has that in Salman Khan and Kareena Kapoor. We love our over the top action sequences that defy all laws of physics. Bodyguard has that too, although in moderation. But, aside from that, Bodyguard is a snooze-fest.

Quite frankly I am amazed how a movie so boring could be breaking box office records. Is it really all about the star power? Doesn't the quality of the movie have anything to do with its success? Salman Khan recently once again became one of the top grossing stars of Indian cinema with back to back questionable (in my book) hits. It seems his "star power" is so huge that the content of the movie is generally sidelined by the audience when it comes to viewing his movies.

Bodyguard is primarily a love story wrapped around a thin layer of action. Salman Khan, a bodyguard, is asked to protect the daughter or a man who once saved his mother. While on the job, he falls for a girl who keeps calling him on his phone. Unbeknownst to him, it is the very person he is protecting (Kareena Kapoor) who is calling him on the phone, just so that he would cut some slack when it comes to being her bodyguard (as he would go with her everywhere almost invading her privacy). Over time while playing this game, she actually falls in love with him and then there are a bunch of misunderstandings leading to some heavy duty drama.

I am sure you almost slept reading the description of the movie, so imagine my state of mind after actually viewing the film. Yes, the movie is boring. Yes, even from a love story point of view, it fails to entice any emotion in the audience. Yes, you should avoid it even if you are a die hard fan of Salman Khan or Kareena Kapoor. Lastly, if I were to hear that annoying “tain tain” song being played as someone’s ringtone, God save that person.

A yawning 1 out of 5 stars rating.

Chaos

2011-10-20T12:25:00.000+01:00

Chaos is quite an entertaining watch. Featuring Jason Statham, Ryan Phillippe, and Wesley Snipes, the film is the perfect amalgamation of a bank heist, chase, and con caper. What the director, Tony Giglio, does is intertwine the three genres so well that it becomes hard to distinguish where one stars and the other ends.

Full of action and expected paper thin dialogue, the movie follows Statham's Quentin Conners and Phillipe's Shane Dekker as they try and track down bank robber Lorenz (Wesley Snipes) and his team. I do like that the movie stays on track and does not deviate from its main plot with unnecessary sub-plots and comes together beautifully towards the end. The twists, and there are a few, are both predictable in some cases and surprising in others. A word of advice; refrain from reading about the movie on imdb because if you were to go through the cast list, you are bound to figure out the second biggest twist in the movie.

On the negative side I was extremely disappointed with the lack of a meaty role that should have been given to Wesley Snipes. His potential is hardly explored as the movie focuses primarily on Statham and Phillippe. Although the production value of the film feels considerable with the action sequences, there is still a certain "IT" factor that the movie lacks.

Chaos proceeds at just the right pace for an action flick. It succeeds in captivating the audience by making them guess the outcome of the story at every stage of the film. A must watch for Statham fans and for those who enjoy a bit of mystery in their stories, Chaos gets a 3.5 out of 5 star rating from me.

Memories of Murder (Korean)

2011-10-19T08:09:00.000+01:00

Every time I am about to watch a Korean film, my heart simply warms up. There is something so spectacular about the movies that have come out from this part of the world, that it amazes me why it has not yet become as mainstream as say Indian cinema. You are unlikely to find Korean films in a theater (aside from Festivals) and they have usually only gained success by word of mouth. Brash and genuinely original, Korean cinema is any cinema lovers dream come true.

Memories of Murder is a rather unorthodox serial killer film. Documenting one of Korea's still unsolved serial rape/murder case, the film follows a team of police officers as they try and nab a serial killer who is sexually assaulting and killing victims in a small village.

Initially, the movie seems farcical with the two police officers, Detective Park Doo-Man and Detective Cho Young-koo, almost comically running around the village trying to catch anyone suspicious, including a mentally disabled young man, to pin down the murders on. But, as the movie progresses, the audience realizes that the film amidst all the killings and growing mystery subtly highlights social issues such as police brutality. It also cunningly portrays the mounting frustration felt by the police officers as the serial killer goes about attacking, always a few steps ahead of them. The story does take a more serious investigative turn on arrival of the city Detective, Seo Tae-Yoon, but the desperation faced by the village detectives soon seeps into him as well with each new murder.

Memories of Murder is not for everyone. It's not gory, never really showing the murders taking place, but it is very gritty, realistic, and direct. The movie is extremely sexual in nature when it comes to the dialogues and like most Korean films Memories of Murder does not hide behind curtains. It uses a very "in your face" approach making the audience squirm every time new details about the serial killer emerge.

A borderline serial killer chase movie, an investigative journalism piece, and a fascinating study of human nature, Memories of Murder is cinema at its best.

A 5/5 Star Rating

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (Hindi)

2011-10-18T09:01:00.000+01:00

The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of ZNMD is that it is simply poetry in motion. The second thing is the slight resemblance it has to Dil Chahta Hai, but I plan to overlook that aspect of the film.

Three school friends played by Farhan Akhtar, Hrithik Roshan, and Abhay Deol go on a road trip across Spain that they have been planning since their school days. The purpose of the trip is that each one has a secret adventure sport planned that all three must participate in. In between the activities all three fight their inner demons and inhibitions meeting new people and forming stronger bonds between themselves and the people that in one way or another influence their lives.

ZNMD has a rather leisurely pace to it, and I loved this aspect of the movie. While some might find it a tad slow, I found it just right. It's almost as if the movie on one end tells you to quickly experience life because you never know if you will be alive tomorrow, but simultaneously also says that take it slow and look around you, enjoy life, experience it. Watching the movie I kept remembering what Matthew Broderick says in Ferris Bueller's Day Off "Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it”. ZNMD also weirdly reminded me of Luc Besson's excellent film The Big Blue. The stories are poles apart, but there is a certain similarity in terms of the "feel" of both the films.

Obviously ZNMD is also the best tourism promotional video Spain could have. The beauty of the lesser explored Spain is simply amazing. I've been to Spain a few times enjoying the coastal areas, but I too was surprised with the natural beauty that Spain has to offer. The now world famous Tomatina festival and "Running of the Bulls" event are beautifully incorporated in the movie as well. In short, Spain better gear up for an influx of Indian tourists.

ZNMD succeeds as a film because the audience can see the actors have fun. All the three main male leads have excellent chemistry together and compliment each other beautifully. Katrina Kaif and Kalki Koechlin, both, for a change, don't seem out of place. What really stood out was the lack of over dramatization that can be seen in Indian films. While it does have the song and dance numbers that are synonymous with most Indian films, it does not drag. It ends when it should. The movie does at times preach, but then it is up to the audience to make what they want out of these lessons in life.

Zindagi Na Milegi Doobara is modern cinema at its best. Zoya Akhtar taps well into the psyche of the metropolitan youngster making the film hip and happening and one that relates well with the now globally conscious Indian. Since I’m on a small crusade to get my twitter friends to watch more Indian films, it would be great to know what they think of it, because although the film is shot predominantly in Spain and is very modern in its outlook, it still is grounded in Indian culture and ethos.

As for rating the film, it gets a well deserved 4.5 stars out of 5 and I hope that everyone puts it on their must watch list.