Interstellar

There are some movies that are hard to review. It doesn't mean that such movies are of high quality. It is just that writing about it can reveal too much and take away from the pleasure if the movie was one for the ages. This is one such movie and I will do my best not give too much away about this one.

The Earth is ravaged by blight and humanity's hope for survival looks bleak. It is evident from the posters and trailers that some space travel is involved in search of a solution. Throw a wormhole into the picture and the possibilities are endless. As you watch the film you hope for another Contact but as your excitement grows the finale kind of leaves you a little deflated. Maybe the weight of expectations flattened the balloon.

Rating: * * + 

Poster licensed under Fair use via Wikipedia.

The Dark Knight Rises

Gotham finds itself fairly free of crime in the aftermath of the Harvey Dent's death and the Dent act. Batman seems to have disappeared in to the twilight and Bruce Wayne has turned hermit. With a sinking Wayne Enterprise and a guilt filled Commissioner Gordon, Gotham seems ripe for the picking again. Enter the mysterious Bane. But then there is always Batman. There are hints of Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns in the makeup of the film, however the majority of the plot seems to be from Knightfall. Christopher Nolan has also thrown in some hits against Occupy Wall Street though that could be a matter of interpretation. In spite of that the movie turns to be an excellent final piece in Nolan's Batman trilogy.

Rating: * * *

Inception

It must have been the IPAs that I got through earlier in the evening that had me collapsing spontaneously into this latest Chris Nolan movie about dreams and dreams within dreams. It was a big struggle staying in the moment as I was being pulled deeper into the cold warmth of the theatre. With waves of the beery subconscious running through me, the plot helmed by the capable Di Caprio was taking form - the kind that a Chris Nolan can attempt to build and not many others. Dreams are as elusive a subject as any and here it was being manfully deconstructed & subsequently constructed by an A-Team with the sole focus of understanding and influencing life. Brilliant premise. However, through my brief phases of consciousness, I felt that the linkages, those that are critical to any strong plot, were destined to play second fiddle to the brilliance of the premise. It doesn't really matter, there are no alibis in dreams.

Rating: * *                                           

PS: Michael Caine is in the movie for all of 2 scenes. Ellen Page is irritating.

                                

Flawless

Ms. Quinn (Demi Moore) has worked tirelessly for the London Diamond Corporation and slowly worked her way up. Give then fact that it's in the 60s makes it remarkable. But she soon finds her upward path blocked in the male dominated work place. Even worse she is left out to dry as a result of some oily political maneuvering.

Mr. Hobbs is a soon to retire janitor who shuffles harmlessly around the building mopping and cleaning. So much so that he is barely visible to the rest of the staff. When he approaches Ms. Quinn with a diabolical plan to steal a few diamonds, she is shocked at his audacity. But then which girl can resist diamonds especially when it can chisel through the glass ceiling she is up against. Let the heist begin...

Rating: * * +

The Wilby Conspiracy

A good old fashioned adventure story set in South Africa, as Michael Caine gets unknowingly involved in helping a black political activist (Sidney Poitier) who is running from the law & a racist Afrikaner cop. Based on a novel by Peter Driscoll, who I believe would be similar to Alistair Maclean, Desmond Bagley, Wilbur Smith and the likes. As one can expect, the movie is full of various types of chasing, some funny lines (Michael Caine to Sideny Poitier: You come to conclusions so quickly, because you aren't slowed down by thought!), betrayals and then more chasing. A good watch.


Rating: * * +

Deathtrap

Had heard a lot about this Sidney Lumet directed thriller starring Michael Caine - half expecting it to be as good as Sleuth. It wasnt, but keeps you going till the end as the plot takes a series of unexpected turns. Besides the presence of Michael Caine, the use of just one room for the entire movie will naturally draw comparisons with Sleuth. Caine plays a once famous playwright struggling to come up with something original - and then comes with up a wicked scheme to kickstart his career again, and enlists his wife's reluctant services. Christopher Reeves makes his appearance as an innocent stranger and the catalyst for the action to follow. I suppose for viewers who have not watched Sleuth, this should make a thrilling watch.

Rating: * * +

The Dark Knight

The Dark Knight continues the fine tradition started by Batman Begins. Akin to how Frank Miller made Batman relevant again in the graphic novel arena, Christopher Nolan has given the brooding hero a breath of fresh intense air on the big screen. In print sometimes a certain character takes over the whole book and somehow enthralls the reader holding him in a vice like grip. Heath Ledger does exactly that in his role of the Joker. The film heralds the arrival of the laughing madman in the life of Batman and shows us the tip of the titanic struggle that will enshroud the rest of their existence. But with the passing of Ledger, one wonders who can replicate his panache and screen presence as the Joker...

Rating: * * *

The Weather Man

Every now and then you see a movie that has been viewed by more than 100000 people and you think there is hope for humanity. But then again maybe they didn't like it.

The only thing that goes smoothly in the life of David Sprintz (Nicolas Cage) is his job. He is a weather man and the minute he steps out of work his life is akin to the Chicago weather he predicts. Divorced and alienated from his kids, David walks his life in a disconnected stupor. David tries hard to clear the cobwebs and grab on to every lifeline available just to feel connected. Sliced with some cunning humor the film takes you to that place where you float blissfully. And to think I decided to see the movie just for Michael Caine...

Rating: * * * *

Children of Men

It is the year 2027 and humanity is infertile. Mankind has forgotten the sound of a child crying. The playgrounds are silent. The only music around is despair. The movie is about what happens when there is a ray of hope in this bleak landscape.

The bleakness of the landscape is reflected in the eyes of Clive Owen who has outdone himself. The ray of hope is seen in the smile of Michael Caine.

Rating: * * +

Educating Rita

Adapted from a play, this ones about an alcoholic English prof who unwittingly becomes a victim of unrequited love, as a working-class hairdresser lady turns up in his room to learn English. As Julie Winters character aspires to transform her life with the education, the cynical alcoholic is increasingly attracted to the spontaniety of her working-class background.

Michael Caine as always delivers a strong performance, while Julie Winters makes the transformation very real.

Rating: * * +

Funeral in Berlin

A classic spy film that you wish to see more of. Based on a Len Deighton novel, and directed by Guy Hamilton - the maker of many Bond movies. The story is all right - apropos a paperback spy novel. But the pithy lines delivered by the immaculate Michael Caine along with the stark (some call it lazy directing) nature of the flick, made it an extremely enjoyable watch.

I was checking out Guy Hamilton's filmogrpahy and hes got loads of famous Bond films to his credit directing Sean Connery and Roger Moore at various points in time. But am quite certain, he couldnot have seen a better spyster performance from that of Caine as a reluctant Harry Palmer.

Harry Palmer gets imbroiled in a plot that turns out to be very different from that he was originally recruited for. But with minimal bloodshed, he manages to find his way out of the mess.

Rating: * * *

The Quiet American

"They say you come to Vietnam and understand a lot in a few minutes.
"The rest has got to be lived.
"They say whatever it was you were looking for you will find here."

It is the year 1954. The Indochina war is drawing to a bloody close in Vietnam and the seeds of US involvement in Vietnam are being sown. Michael Caine plays Gordon Fowler, a Brit correspondent stationed in Saigon, who has the breathtaking Phuong (Do Thi Hai Yen) as his mistress. Caine himself has called this role one of his finest. He conveys sadness and loss with poise and reckless abandon. I wish I could ask Tony Leung if he has been influenced by this Brit. Brendan Fraser finally shows he can act as Alden Pyle, an idealistic US aid worker. A love triangle forms between the three which is mirrored by the triangle between the Communists, the Americans and the people of Vietnam. Chris Doyle, ever watchful behind the lens ensures that you don't miss a single color in this wonderful palette.

The movie is based on a novel by Graham Greene. I have to say I enjoyed both tremendously. After my recent South East Asia trip I can identify more with Fowler doing the Saigon Flip. The easy paced life with a goddess by your side and opium to numb ones brain plus the warmth of the common man can bewitch most people.

The movie at its close left me with this feeling... What matters the most at the end of the day is the one you love...

Rating: * * *

The Prestige

Lot of hype surrounding the movie - understandable, considering it was Chris Nolan & about magicians. The beginining and the build-up of the story was good - Michael Caine explaining the basic tenets of magic tricks, the manic obsession of the main characters for their craft, and their sheer ruthlessness came across very well.

But the last bit wasn't half as tight as it should have been. I understand that the book, from which the movie was adapted, was different - esp the latter part of the story. Probably explains the sudden dilution of events in the movie. Usual tricks are present: the movie transports the viewer to&fro across time - which sadly is not a novelty anymore. Good performances though from everyone.

A good movie, but certainly not in the same class as Memento.

Rating: * * +

Sleuth

Arey, what a movie man.. Deadly Deadly.

Watched it again a couple of days back - and my view on Michael Caine's second half performance has only been reinforced. Amongst the most spectacular performances of all time. Ya, thats right - of all time.

Laurence Olivier also did his bit.

My first glimpse of this story was the play version put out by the Loyola Theatre Society at the Museum theatre. Think Zen was in it.. Was he? Not sure. But I remember Samir Rao ore overacting in it.

Anyways, the movie is a classic. Definitely on my all-time, ever expanding, list of Top 10 movies.

Rating: * * *

The Last Valley

A powerful movie with powerful performances in a story set during the Thirty Years War. The last bastion of peace in the continent catches up with the evil ones - terrorists fighting for the cause of religion. An enduring theme.

Probably a bit biaised on how good the movie is because its got Michael Caine in it. Supported by Omar Sharief.

An epic story directed on an epic scale by James Clavell.

Rating: * * *