Source Code (2011)/Movie Review

Release Date:1 May 2011 (India)| Runtime: 93 min

Genres: Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Sound Mix: Dolby Digital  | DTS

Tagline: Make every second count

An action thriller centred on a soldier who wakes up in the body of an unknown man and discovers he's part of a mission to find the bomber of a Chicago commuter train.

Director:  Duncan Jones

Writer: Ben Ripley

Cast:

Jake Gyllenhaal | Michelle Monaghan |Vera Farmiga  |Jeffrey Wright| Michael Arden |Cas Anvar |Russell Peters | Brent Skagford| Craig Thomas| Gordon Masten | Susan Bain | Paula Jean Hixson| Lincoln Ward | Kyle Gatehouse| Albert Kwan

Storyline

Colter Stevens, a US Army helicopter pilot whose last memory is flying in Afghanistan, wakes up on a commuter train. However, he discovers that he has assumed the identity of another man. 8 minutes later, the train explodes and Stevens finds himself in some kind of pod. He then talks to someone named Goodwin, who tells him he has to go back and find out who the bomber is. He is sent back to go through the whole thing again and attempts to find who the bomber is but fails. The bomb goes off and Stevens finds himself in the pod again. He is sent back another time, yet still cannot find out anything. When he returns, he asks what is going on. Goodwin and Rutledge, the scientist in charge, tell him that he is part of a project that can put someone in another person's consciousness during the last 8 minutes of their life. Stevens then asks why he cannot just stop the bomb. He is told that...

Box Office

Budget: $32,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend: $14,812,094 (USA) (3 April 2011)

Gross: $54,696,902 (USA) (10 July 2011)

Production Co: Vendome Pictures  | Mark Gordon Company, The

Filming locations

Chicago, Illinois, USA  |Cloud Gate, Millenium Park, Downtown, Chicago, Illinois, USA |Montréal, Québec, Canada

Review

Only those with a degree in quantum physics might understand the science behind it but essentially this whodunit mystery with Jake as our protagonist (Airforce Captain, Colter Stevens) trying to find out who caused a bomb on the train is an attention grabbing ride. Initially Colter confusion about what's happening to him is a bit drawn out at first but important in light of events later on in the film which reveal what the source code is and how he is being sent through time.

There is a twist to the film although cannier viewers than me might summarise this early on however and this is built up gradually. when the real situation is revealed it is a poignant moment and really anchors the predicament of Jake with the viewer.

I'm almost certain that everyone who leaves the film will be pondering the same question and that is whether Duncan Jones' movie would have made a more lasting (albeit darker) impression if ended at a crucial moment in the last act of the movie. Who knows what the original ending was conceived to be but in this case I think it's fair to say its the destination rather than the journey that could have elevated this to something extra. Still I would say 'all board' to those of you meaning to catch this.

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Water for Elephants (2011)/Movie Review

Release Date: 22 April 2011 (USA)  Runtime: USA: 120 min  

Genres: Drama | Romance

Tagline:  Life is the most spectacular show on earth.

Filming Locations: 20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Directed by Francis Lawrence

Writing credits (WGA) : Richard LaGravenese

Original Music by James Newton Howard

Cinematography by Rodrigo Prieto

STORYLINE

After his parents' death, Jacob Jankoski is left penniless and homeless. Events lead him to joining the circus as their vet, working under their unstable boss August whose violent tendencies give everyone reason to be cautious around him, including his beautiful and quiet wife Marlena, whom August is very possessive of and who Jacob finds himself soon falling in love with.

MAIN CASTS: Reese Witherspoon, Robert Pattinson , Christoph Waltz , Paul Schneider ,Jim Norton , Hal Holbrook , Mark Povinelli , Richard Brake , Stephen Taylor , Ken Foree ,Scott MacDonald , James Frain , Sam Anderson , John Aylward , Brad Greenquist

Box Office

Budget: $38,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend: $16,842,353 (USA) (24 April 2011) (2817 Screens)

Gross: $58,700,247 (USA) (7 August 2011)

Production Co: Fox 2000 Pictures, 3 Arts Entertainment, Flashpoint Entertainment 

REVIEW

Water For Elephants got released here a full week ahead of the US and first let me indulge in the joy of being able to review such a highly anticipated film before my fellow American film-loving counterparts.

The film completely fulfilled my expectations. It is a well scripted, meticulously shot and finely acted period drama, the likes of which are increasingly less to come by at the movies these days. A big congratulations to all those involved with the production for having the confidence to delve into this venture. Actually I am very curious about its box-office. Last year was a surprisingly profitable year for adult dramas and if that is any indication, this fine film should continue the same trend.

Water For Elephants really impresses with the production design, atmosphere, costumes and stunts. Most of the time I felt like I was watching a classic film made during the studio era; it looked that authentic and faultless. The three main actors all seem satisfied for having such meaty parts and deliver more than satisfactory performances. Robert Pattinson shines and proves that he is capable as a serious actor. Reese Witherspoon has always been a true professional and here with her stunts demonstrates that again. She also fits surprisingly well to the 1930s platinum blonde beauty type. Christopher Waltz is a wonderful actor and here it becomes very clear that his success in Inglorious Basterds was not a one-off. The story is very emotional and while it touches the heart romantically, it also manages to lay down a heretofore unseen dark aspect of old era circus entertainment in particular and also crowd entertainment as a whole. I almost wished for a three hour epic after it ended; it left me wanting more. The whole thing was really interesting.

All in all a wonderful and deeply satisfying experience at the movies, well worth every dime. Go see it so that adult dramas of this caliber (in terms of star power, production budget and subsequent attention to detail) could continue to be made.

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Your Highness (2011)/Movie Review

Release Date: 8 April 2011 (USA)|  Runtime: 102 min

Genres: Adventure | Comedy | Fantasy

Filming Locations: Ballygalley, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, UK

Tagline: Get your quest on.

Director: David Gordon Green

Writers: Danny McBride, Ben Best

Cinematography by Tim Orr Original Music by Steve Jablonsky

Storyline

Throughout history, tales of chivalry have burnished the legends of brave, handsome knights who rescue fair damsels, slay dragons and conquer evil. But behind many a hero is a good-for-nothing younger brother trying just to stay out of the way of those dragons, evil and trouble in general. Danny McBride and James Franco team up for an epic comedy adventure set in a fantastical world-Your Highness. As two princes on a daring mission to save their land, they must rescue the heir apparent's fiancée before their kingdom is destroyed. Thadeous (McBride) has spent his life watching his perfect older brother Fabious (Franco) embark upon valiant journeys and win the hearts of his people. Tired of being passed over for adventure, adoration and the throne, he's settled for a life of wizard's weed, hard booze and easy maidens. But when Fabious' bride-to-be, Belladonna (Zooey Deschanel)..

Cast:

Danny McBride, James Franco, Rasmus Hardiker, Natalie Portman, Toby Jones,

Justin Theroux, Zooey Deschanel, Charles Dance, Damian Lewis, Simon Farnaby, Deobia Oparei, B.J. Hogg, Matyelok Gibbs, Angela Pleasence, Anna Barry

Box Office

Budget: $49,900,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend: $9,360,020 (USA) (10 April 2011) (2769 Screens)

Gross: $21,557,240 (USA) (15 May 2011)

Production Co: Universal Pictures, Stuber Productions

REVIEW

The only accountable reason i can arrive at for all the negative feedback i heard from critics and the public is that i feel they were expecting something a little more Holy Grail, because of the setting and the English accents and instead i felt this is more Blazing Saddles, very un-pc, whilst gently goosing (oo-er) its chosen genre.

It is immature and crude, but the laughs were consistent enough, its a comedy notion which would usually have a B grade budget, but has somehow been made with an A grade budget and for me that was part of its charm. Its like the slackers broke into the set of Lord of the Rings and mucked about all weekend and managed to film it.

Maybe i did the right thing in retrospect, sometimes its better to watch something after the dust has settled, just watch this cold and i'll bet you'd enjoy it. In years to come i think this film will have quite a loyal following, across a certain demographic, including me.

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The Conspirator /Movie Review

Release Date:15 April 2011 (USA)    Runtime:122 min

Genres: Drama

Tagline:  One bullet killed the President. But not one man.

Mary Surratt is the lone female charged as a co-conspirator in the assassination trial of Abraham Lincoln. As the whole nation turns against her, she is forced to rely on her reluctant lawyer to uncover the truth and save her life.

Director:  Robert Redford

Writers:   James D. Solomon,  James D. Solomon

STORYLINE

In the wake of Abraham Lincoln's assassination, seven men and one woman are arrested and charged with conspiring to kill the President, the Vice-President, and the Secretary of State. The lone woman charged, Mary Surratt, 42, owns a boarding house where John Wilkes Booth and others met and planned the simultaneous attacks. Against the ominous back-drop of post-Civil War Washington, newly-minted lawyer, Frederick Aiken, a 28-year-old Union war-hero, reluctantly agrees to defend Surratt before a military tribunal. As the trial unfolds, Aiken realizes his client may be innocent and that she is being used as bait and hostage in order to capture the only conspirator to have escaped a massive manhunt, her own son.

CASTS

James McAvoy ,Robin Wright ,Kevin Kline ,Tom Wilkinson , Evan Rachel Wood , Justin Long ,Danny Huston , James Badge Dale ,Colm Meaney , Johnny SimmonsAlexis Bledel ,Toby Kebbell ,John Cullum ,Jonathan Groff ,Stephen Root

BOX OFFICE

Budget:$25,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:$3,509,048 (USA) (17 April 2011) (707 Screens)

Gross:$11,535,474 (USA) (21 August 2011)

Production Co:American Film Company, The, Wildwood Enterprises

Filming Locations:124 Abercorn St, Savannah, Georgia, USA

REVIEW

I was reluctant to see "The Conspirator" because it has racked up a critical consensus of a kind I dislike: the film is said to be cold-hearted, and to make political points with a heavy hand. Neither of these, happily, turns out to be true. The film is utterly impassioned, and its interest for today is nicely noted without being too underlined. Nearly every element one wants in a great film is there: visual beauty, strong acting, fine pacing, stirring and well-made music. But there is a flaw. The creators have taken their creation too seriously. There's not a shaft of levity or humor anywhere. A requirement for great art is thereby missed. It doesn't matter how somber the subject is supposed to be. King Lear has his fool; even Wagner's ultra-dark Ring cycle has its powerful currents of humor. It's got to be there; otherwise, the whole organism suffers. I think this is the weakness to which reviewers have responded, even if none of them has precisely named it. On that ground, the film falls short of greatness; but in every other respect it approaches or achieves greatness. "The Conspirator" is hugely recommendable and I will certainly see it again.

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Rio (2011)/Movie Review

Release Date:  8 April 2011 (India)  Runtime: 96 min

Taglines:  This turkey can't fly

When Blu, a domesticated macaw from small-town Minnesota, meets the fiercely independent Jewel, he takes off on an adventure to Rio de Janeiro with this bird of his dreams.

Director:  Carlos Saldanha

Writers:  Carlos Saldanha (story), Earl Richey Jones (story)

STORYLINE

In Rio de Janeiro, the macaw baby Blu is captured by dealers and smuggled to the United States of America. While driving through Moose Lake, Minnesotta, the truck that is transporting Blu has a minor accident that drops the box where he is trapped on the road. The girl Linda finds the bird and raises him with love. Fifteen years later, Blu is a domesticated and intelligent bird that does not fly and lives a comfortable life with the bookshop owner Linda. Out of the blue, the clumsy Brazilian ornithologist Tulio visits Linda and explains that Blu is the last male of his species alive and he has a female called Jewel in Rio de Janeiro. He invites Linda to travel with Blu to Rio de Janeiro to mate with Jewel and save their species. Linda travels with Blu and Tulio to Rio de Janeiro and they leave Blue and Jewel in a large cage in the institute where Tulio works. While they are having dinner…

Box Office

Budget: $90,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend: £1,515,853 (UK) (10 April 2011) (522 Screens)

Gross: $143,323,281 (USA) (7 August 2011)

Production Co: Blue Sky Studios, Twentieth Century Fox Animation

CASTS:

Karen Disher , Jason Fricchione  , Sofia Scarpa Saldanha , Leslie Mann , Kelly Keaton  ,Jesse Eisenberg ,

Wanda Sykes , Jane Lynch , Rodrigo Santoro , Gracinha Leporace , Jamie Foxx , Will i Am ,Phil Miler,  Anne Hathaway , Bernardo de Paula

REVIEW

Rio-an epic, lovable, beautiful and visually stunning animation

Not many animations like Rio come around these days.When i first saw the trailer and the team behind this very anticipated animation, the Ice Age team, i knew it will be very enjoyable and fun to watch.Seeing a TV spot right now, i remember that it was all those things, but much more as well.The quality of the animation was unique-only two or three movies can still compete with this and those are Tangled, Up and How to Train Your Dragon.But still, there was so much going on in Rio, the birds, the colors, the non-stopping stream of movement, lights, music and songs, around the carnival in Rio or in the opening and closing scenes with the singing and dancing of the birds in the forests around the city.So much was going on and with such quality, that no animation has matched.And those epic proportions of the animation are its strongest qualities.Something one can't see every day.

The character development was very good, beginning with a little background of the macaw bird Blu's life, with his owner Linda in Minnesota.Maybe, the other macaw, Jewel, was a little underdeveloped as a character, but with positive reviews coming, there might be a sequel coming on the way as well.Then, Jewel's background might be better developed.

With an animation of such proportions, some box office power along with a few Oscar noms will surely be along the way and the fact that it takes place in Rio alone, will act as an audience magnet, given that Rio's one of the most popular and non-stopping cities in the world.This magical feeling stays all along the movie.You just can't forget you're in Rio. Rio is as well another example of an animation, worth the time and money of both young and grown-ups.That's what catches the eye.20-th Century Fox has made a great animation and with the possible box-office power of the movie, a sequel might as well be on the works.

So, a great animation, very epic and visually stunning, Rio will keep everyone mesmerized and captivated long after the end, and personally for me is one of the best, if not the bast animation i've seen.

I definitely hope for a sequel and i'll definitely see it again, at the movies.

10/10 for this stunning, colorful, heartwarming and breathtaking experience, named Rio!

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