Reviews

As a die-hard fan of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, which I think cannot be bested in any way whatsoever, it was really hard for me to put myself into the mood to watch The Rings of Power. I'd go ahead and be honest and say that none of the teasers and trailers of Amazon's billion-dollar magnum opus could impress me... not even in the slightest.

But then, I checked the reviews the day the first two episodes aired, and they weren't bad. So I decided to give it a shot. Till now, six episodes have aired, and I've watched them all... I can't tell you how wise it was of me to decide in favor of watching this series. The Rings of Power does not come close to Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings. But it's AWESOME in its own right! Do NOT, I repeat, do NOT compare the two cinematic marvels.

First, I'll talk about the things that The Rings of Power cannot beat The Lord of the Rings at just so that those who read this review and decide on watching this series are mentally prepared. The cinematography is great, but it's not as great as Andrew Lesnie's masterful work. The original score is not even half as good as Howard Shore's, which is probably one of the greatest movie scores of all time. The characters are not as interesting as they were in LOTR. The same can be said about the story and performances by the huge ensemble.

Then what's left to praise?

1) Amazon has made sure that your jaws are hanging low once you start watching the first episode and that they remain that way till the very end. The production values are astonishing! The visual effects are of the very best quality and surpass some of the modern standards set by Hollywood.

2) I had a few qualms when I saw the trailers and noticed forced inclusivity and diversity in the show. Believe me, you don't mind that at all. I won't say that the casting is top-notch, but there are a few characters for you to root for. Halbrand (played by Charlie Vickers) is one of them. Arondir and Bronwyn are another two characters that hold your interest. And, dare I say, Adar (played by Joseph Mawle) is a magnificent character shrouded in the cloaks of mystery that keep your eyes glued to the screen.

3) The writers have brilliantly infused the series with scenes and sequences that will simply leave your stomach in knots and will make you watch the episode with bated breath. The tension is palpable, my friends. I will leave that upon you to find out what I mean on your own, but trust me on this... those nail-biting sequences start from the very first episode.

4) For those who have seen the sixth episode will relate to what I'm saying. Let's just say... this episode left the viewers and critics speechless. This is the episode that made people believe that Amazon's commitment to the show is not a fluke. It's real. This episode will make you gasp and will change your opinion on the entire show for sure.

The Rings of Power may not have a very strong storyline that would work in its favor, but it has terrific subplots in its pocket. It may not be the masterpiece The Lord of the Rings was, but it's thoroughly entertaining. And I can't wait to see the last episodes unfold. Heck, I can't wait for the next season. The writers at Amazon sure have some outstanding ideas in their minds, and I'm very eager to know how they translate on the screen.

DO NOT MISS IT!!!

Certainly not a big fan of Andrew Dominik, and Blonde doesn't make me one either. But there's no denying the fact that Blonde MUST be watched... at least once... for Ana de Armas. Her commitment to the role and Dominik's vision is unparalleled. It's almost scary to watch how she has entrusted herself to the hands of the director and the lengths she has gone to portray an icon.

There are a few things that I wish to clarify. Those who are complaining that the film glorifies Marilyn Monroe's tragic and disturbing life need to understand that the movie is an adaptation of a fiction novel in which Monroe has been used as a character. It's NOT a biopic. Both the novel and the movie are meant to make you restless. It plays like a horror movie and leaves you feeling like a horror movie should... uncomfortable and terrified.

Another thing I'd like to clarify is that people dissing the movie for being too graphic are wrong. The explicit content in the movie (a glimpse of an erect penis and opening of the vaginal canal) literally flashes before you on the screen. You blink, and you miss th fleeting images. Even the rape scene is off-screen.

It's not like the movie is a masterpiece of some kind. It's actually far from it, thanks to Andrew Dominik's various creative choices that almost everyone I've talked to doesn't agree with. But de Armas' unflinching portrayal of Hollywood's beloved icon is mesmerizing. If it were up to me... I'd have her nominated for an Oscar. I can't see why not.

Suffused with an atmosphere which makes you feel as if someone is walking close behind you and you can feel the breaths of that entity on the back of your neck, Alex Garland's mature, confident and path- breaking directorial debut is a film that requires several viewings to absorb all there is to take in and once you do that, you won't be able shake a single scene, character or a dialogue off your mind.

It's that provocative, intense and heavy. Garland makes sure that he never loses the subtlety in each involved department which together develops an environment that gets to you like a shadow creeping in the dark, and that's the whole beauty of his unparalleled screenplay. The film is dense and dark masterpiece.

Oscar Isaac gives his career's best here, it's not his presence that intimidates you, it is in his eyes that makes you feel you're in presence of an ominous being. The fear he emits is in his body, oozing out of his skin, and like that he sinks his teeth into the flesh of his narcissistic bastard of a character flawlessly.

Alicia Vikander gives what you can call the very core mass of her potential as an actress. Every step she takes every breath she draws in and wherever she looks with that irreplaceable glass tint in her eyes speaks volumes. The tiniest of an expression that passes across her face is so layered that it practically hides some and gives away some hints of Ava's multifaceted personality. Ava is, believe me, a pivotal character of this decade.

Domhnall Gleeson is fantastic as the same bait being used by both opponents in the film that is a modern masterpiece of contemporary cinema.

There's so much to this movie that it's difficult to zero in on a solid reason why The Martian is the year's best movie.

Is it due to Drew Goddard's pitch-perfect screenplay which captures the soul and essence of the very difficult to adapt source material? Is it due to the fact that the film is of high importance in modern times when we seem to have exhausted Earth's resources and need to explore space in collaboration with other countries for human survival? Or is it because this film is Ridley Scott's one of many masterpieces which have shaped the dimensions of world cinema in almost each decade since 70's?

I think it's all of these reasons and more. From meticulous attention on each production aspect to the exotic and haunting landscapes of Wadi Rum, Scott just captures your mind, heart, soul and consumes your existence in only the opening few seconds. It's like he grabs you from your collar and drags you into the canvas to tell a story with a perfect balance of humor, heart, emotions and drama.

Never has Scott let himself go so free in terms of storytelling. This is something this legendary director has never made before, and may never make any film as tenderly affective as The Martian.

Matt Damon was born to play Mark Watney. This is his career's best turn as an actor. He lives in and breathes life in his character with sensitivity and appears to be totally in sync with the character. The huge ensemble cast is perfectly chosen and turns in first-rate performances. Each actor leaves his/her indelible mark.

All in all, The Martian is a wholesome experience that is simply perfect.

Nowadays there are few films which have ability to provoke thoughts and leave a lasting impression. Cafe de Flore was one movie i was easily going to skip but i forced myself to see the trailer once before cutting the title off my list. The trailer was enough to compel me watch the film and thus i did. Now, i have got to say this is the best movie so far of 2012.

The movie is a revelation by all means, it's something we haven't seen before and to experience such a quality cinema these days is a rarity. To write too much about the plot would be unfair but it revolves around to parallel stories, one in Paris 1960's about a mother and her mongoloid son and the other in contemporary Montreal about a DJ who give up his first love for another girl.

The acting in this ensemble drama is a complete standout. The ones which leave a mark are Vanessa Paradis, Kevin Parent and child star Marin Gerrier.

I would have to praise the director Jean-Marc Vallee for making a film with such innovation in film making. His style and approach is completely different, the movie is in fragments put together. Different characters, periods, ages and subplots all jumbled and the element that binds the movie together is music. Movie uses the music in a best way possible, it transcends the movie high and creates an effect which would be impossible to create without such brilliant use of music.

I could have given the film 10 but a little improvement towards the ending could have helped make it a masterpiece. I won't write about that. Also a little further development in few characters would have been better.

I think the movie wouldn't have been of such intensity if it wasn't made in such bizarre manner, it confuses you, gives answers and makes you think. Still i believe the movie won't be praised by everyone, it requires people who like experiencing something unconventional and strange yet plausible. Perfect example of modern movie making and totally unique love story with near perfect impact.

Well to be honest i wasn't expecting much from this French thriller but i was convinced enough by the trailer that i should give it a try. When i started watching i realized how right i was about the film and how correctly i wasn't expecting much from the film. For about 50 minutes of the film i started counting the films i had seen based on wife cheating her husband, getting charged with infidelity and then good husband getting upset and finally taking care of the problem.

I shouldn't have watched this film i thought...

It was after the first 50 minutes of the film when i was taken aback by the jolting surprise and a bizarre movie experience which remained with me after few days even. THIS FILM MUST BE SEEN.

It explores that side of a character that is commonly not paid attention by the filmmakers. The movie takes a sharp turn and gets lost into infinity, where everything gets stagnant, slow and becomes endless. It can go on and on like this for hours. To me it felt very unusual experience, something both poetic and strange, beautiful and scary at the same time.

Eric Lartigau, the writer and the director did a fabulous job in both of his departments. Although a little more character development of the supporting roles in the second half would have been beneficial making the narrative more deep.

Romain Duris comes up with a startling performance, his character transitions from one mode to another and the actor just goes freely along with it. His deep influential performance is another fact why the movie haunts you after it ends. I was moved to tears by the intensity of his approach towards the character. This one role should transcend his career as an actor to higher level.

The movie was adorned with lilting musical score and gorgeous cinematography enhancing the impact of the film on the viewer. By the end i was thankful to myself that i saw the movie truly relying on my instincts, i was so glad i came across such a warm movie and I'm sure others who watch will feel the same.

Do i need to write more than stating the plain fact that the movie won 5 Emmys? When i heard of the film long time back when HBO announced the project, i thought we'll come across another political drama with characters delivering dialogues in prolonged scenes endlessly but when the time came and i got to watch the film, i realized how wrong i was. Jay Roach's film is one of the finest movie experiences of the year.

What makes it a movie which should be watched by everyone is the fact that it's not an ordinary political drama. It engages you from the start and even though you know how it'll all end, you surprisingly stay hooked till the very end with an urge to find out how the story progresses and concludes. To create that feel in the movie is very difficult particularly when the topic is a recent history by which almost everyone who reads news is aware about.

The film is also a satirical comedy with witty one-liners and characters make you laugh at times. The screenplay by Danny Strong is very comprehensive, precise, concise and all in all very effective. The film in entirety leaves a mark, thanks to vivid characterizations and gripping series of events depicted in the film.

I've always believed that even a boring story can be told with vigor, energy and effectiveness if the casting is good, here the cast just is perfect and their portrayals are highly convincing. Woody Harrelson, Ed Harris, Sarah Paulson and Ron Livingston were pitch-perfect.

But it was Julianne Moore (an actress i admire so much) in her Emmy winning performance who completely steals the movie with her meticulous performance as Sarah Paline. Every expression that passes on her face is praiseworthy. The way she speaks, debates, walks and carries herself are so immaculately captured by the actress that she ends up carrying the entire film flawlessly. This performance is another shining medal in her illustrious career.

It is highly recommended that do yourself a favor and watch this film, it is even for those who get severely bored and take a snooze in political dramas. This one believe me will keep you awake, till the very end and i mean it.

Poland has had a very tough luck at Oscars always, whenever the country comes up with some quality film it is overshadowed by something better. Similar is the case with IN DARKNESS who lost Oscar to A SEPARATION (IRAN).

"Another holocaust movie" is what one might think before watching this film but this movie turns out to be very different and depicts a different angle to the genocide in Poland.

The film boosted stellar performances from its entire cast, Robert Wieckiewicz gives an incredible performance as a sewer cleaning man who gives refuge to a group of Jews in sewer initially for money but ends up turning on their side and does everything in his control to protect them from the mass killing taking place over the sewer. The ensemble supporting cast was terrific and sincere to their respective roles.

The film was visually stunning, the dark and cold cinematography authentically elevates the mood and atmosphere of the film.

Agnieszka Holland succeeds in exploring the tragedy and the circumstances in which these Jews survived with utmost intensity. Though the sex in the film looks forced and the film could've done well without those explicit sex scenes, the film never disappoints you on the subject level and that's what really counts.

I could literally smell the grotesque sewer while watching the movie, it was unimaginable how these people kept themselves alive in such difficult time in such a place in constant fear.

This is going to be the easiest review i have ever written.

Considerably better cast taken on to portray the characters, one clearly see the difference. Andrew Garfield excels in the titular role and gives an impression Tobey Maguire was never able to give.

The problem with the movie was that i could not help think why make such a repetitive movie with same story, twists and turns. I knew what was going to happen throughout the film which disappoints exponentially. I sincerely expected that if the makers were daring to redo spider-man again, they must have something different for a change, but i was proved wrong in the first half an hour of the movie.

Had this been the start of the trilogy which would have been released before the previous trilogy, i would have said the movie was really good and effectively made but now, it was totally forgettable and a waste of money to produce the same stuff again and again.

Austria has been hitting aces with films like THE COUNTERFEITERS and REVANCHE and again with BREATHING, the country proves it has got what it takes to be considered amongst quality film making countries.

The film is small and poignant driven by a brave, bold and haunting performance by Thomas Schubert. The boy delves deep into the character and comes up with a nuance and sincerely enriched performance stating that he clearly lived every second of the film and literally felt the character making him able to wear the character over himself like a costume.

The supporting cast was adequate and served their purpose decently.

Karl Markovics is a known actor who inspired me with his acting skills in THE COUNTERFEITERS but here he comes up with an even better film and inspires with his directing and writing skills. The scenes were meticulously crafted, the feelings of the reclusive lead character were so rich that one watching the film can easily feel the mental pain and torture that he goes through.

The scenes i like best were when the Schubert releases the trapped bird, it carefully tells how his character has evolved into someone less brutal and caring person.

The score by Herbert Tucmandl and cinematography by Martin Gschlacht was cool and provided with the accurate mood of the film; dense, low but yet beautiful.

This movie might not be appealing to everyone but the lovers of art-drama films will surely cherish this small gem from Austria.

An intense watch-on-the-seat's-edge kind of film which lives up to it's much talked about and hyped trailer. Gareth Evans makes you watch this gritty and brutal action movie, making you feel arrested with the film's plot and its execution.

There are several films which not only grabs your attention from the first scene but also make knots in your stomach by the time movie comes to an end. This sure does sound like an interesting combination and it actually is.

The film is not only recommended for those who crave mindless action movies and would see anything in the name of action, THE RAID offers a different kind of action and would surely entertain those who thought that action genre has gone lukewarm in the recent years.

One has to mention the action choreography when talking of THE RAID and the credit goes to the respective people.

IKO UWAIS is a magnificent person to watch on screen, he's got the right presence and delivers an okay performance but magnificent action sequences choreographed by him. His character is very interestingly drafted and he makes it an engrossing character study.

The visuals were spectacular and the cinematography was good together with the rock music score adding more to the adrenaline rush the film provides. The only thing missing was a strong screenplay which would have added some additional strength to the movie but it goes fine along without it.

I don't actually know the science behind how Gareth Evans shot the film capturing each individual movement of the action sequences with detail and precision, what i know and care about is that it's a solid movie which offers thrills and action that was missing from the cinema for a very long time.