Body of Lies

Let me start by pointing out that this movie was not on my radar when I went out to get my first (yes, my VERY FIRST) blu-ray DVD copy, two days back.
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In fact, I would have missed it all together, if it wasn't for the sudden loss for options that I faced...and if I hadn't been so poor with cash...
(now I understand why some people JUST wanna be rich...I need MONEY!!)
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But now, having watched this film, i'm positive that there isn't a better option I could've hoped to start with...

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For starters, the quality in High-Def was grand!! Viewing an entire movie in this mode (compared to just trailers and such) absolutely thrilled me...plus the sound effects were fantastic!! When you're granted a Saturday night alone with your TV and sound system...after sooooo bloody long, you can't possibly hope for anything better than this sort of experience...

Now, moving on to the main part our discussion...

(Warning, spoilers below!)

The movie, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe is a (from what i've gathered) "spy-cum-action-cum-drama" flick...yes, all these elements are there. It has a serious story-line behind it, and if you're not paying close attention, you will miss out on a lot of the intrigue.

I remember constantly trying, from the start, to figure out how the title could be linked to the movie (and no, i don't do this for every movie, only when it matters). It's called Body of Lies for many reasons...there are many parts involving lies and betrayals, some of which are completely unexpected, and these will keep you on high alert throughout the story.

Director Ridley Scott gives full focus to the protagonist (DiCaprio) in the movie. The 'villains' are whoever the protagonist happens to fight against, even occasionally the protagonist's boss (Russell Crowe) for getting in his way during missions.

Crowe's character holds a lot of control in the story...and there's the steady dose of arrogance and pride (which i think fit his role perfectly...it always does, Crowe's just meant to play such characters).
But even with all the power in hand, his character seems incapable of doing anything he's obligated to...from raising his family and kids to handling his job via their high-tech spy aircraft...

I guess that's pretty much how it seems that "The War" is being fought...a bunch of people without a clue regarding what is going on, flailing around with explosives and losing their sense of purpose in between.

But the acting kudos (in my opinion) goes to Mark Strong, who plays the Jordanian Chief of Intelligence, Hani Salaam. I'll admit, I had a hard time figuring out his significance in the story during his first few appearances...and I certainly didn't think (until the turn of events that occured towards the end of the story) that I would grow to respect his character as much as I do now. He really does stand out as the "intelligent" character that he portrays, in every possible sense of the word...a good conversationalist, he proves himself more than a match for DiCaprio and Crowe in some key scenes. "Never lie to me..." is one phrase which I noticed, he held on to without fail, throughout the movie.
And these bits of 'trust' that the other characters gain...and take so lightly from Hani, prove more than essential...ecspecially when things start getting out of hand towards the climax of the story.

This film really got me thinking about a lot of things, and it had me engaged entirely.

Plus, I really appreciate where DiCaprio is going with his career (with reference to his previous movies like The Departed and Blood Diamond). At least now I can finally put away his performance in the Titanic and look at his acting from new perspectives.

On an overall note...this may not seem like your typical feel-good movie, but there are definitely some inspirational ideas to gain...ONLY if you're willing to sit through, really focus and put in the necessary effort to try an understand every significant detail in the movie.

The Trailer:

Thank you people.
Cheers!!

The Princess and The Frog

DISNEY'S BACK!!

Finally, after 5 painstaking years of waiting, a brand new full length 2-D animated feature film! I'm so excited for this movie!!

I can just see this film making it into Disney's archive of classics. And this will be Disney's first movie to feature a black princess! She goes by the name "Tiana". And the frog/her prince, of Caucasian origin is named "Naveen".

This will be a more...modern...re-telling of the story, set in 1920's New Orleans.

The movie is being directed by John Musker and Ron Clements (the duo who worked on The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and Hercules). Can anyone ask for a better pairing?

And Randy Newman will be working on the music!! (Yay!!)

Check out the first official trailer for this movie. The artwork is spectacular, and the music sounds great. Can't wait for it's release at the end of the year. Only 7 more months to go!!

The Trailer:

Angels and Demons

First of all, this movie was much, much better than The Da Vinci Code!

(Plus, Tom Hanks looked way, way better, thank goodness!!)

I'd already read the book, multiple times in fact. And to be honest, i'd predicted a complete disaster out of this movie...

...i was expecting the usual altered storyline, minimized plots, an overall 'difficult to follow' movie (with reference to my experience watching The Da Vinci Code)

But, i was wrong.

Plot-wise, they made a few changes to the beginning (but nothing too dramatic), which I found acceptable, because they kept things 'in formula' with the book.

What i mean is, the basic idea of the story was followed: Guy gets mutilated...Robert Langdon gets called in...guy's adopted daughter wants revenge...the whole shebang...and the seemingly evil character is proven to be good.

And I really liked Ewan McGregor's role in this movie, as the Camerlengo. Just loved the guy. He was perfect for the character.
Except, he wasn't Italian in this one...either that, or they downplayed his Italian accent for the movie.

And then there's the Assassin (Nikolaj Lie Kaas). They didn't explain much of his role in the Illuminati group, due to time constraints i suppose. But his character was more...mellow...in the movie, which surprisingly, i liked.
He only killed the Cardinals because he was getting paid for it, he didn't take pleasure in the what he did...and he didn't prolong his victim's deaths...(this pissed me off initially, because i was looking forward to seeing the 'sadistic' bastard from the story, rather than a more 'human' one) .

Director Ron Howard (who also did The Da Vinci Code) 'cloaks' the entire movie in a dark, ominous atmosphere...and Hans Zimmer's score, rather obviously (but brilliantly) adds to the feeling of foreboding, throughout the entire story.

All in all, a good movie. Could do well with a little extra 'Tom Hanks ego' bits, haha. The guy was just made for his character!

And, try not to read the book before you watch the movie, trust me, you'll love it more that way.

The Trailer:

Animation Turns 101 Today!!!

Okay, time for a small tribute, cause I have to admit, i'm a real fool of a Disney junkie!

I've just always been inspired by Walt's works...from the breathtaking animation and the genial storylines, to the ever outstanding scores and soundtracks. None of his works have failed to impress me.

Animation was very much alive before Walt's time though, which brings us to the discussion of our current topic...

This is a fact that most people today are not aware of, mainly because Walt was the first and only animator to succeed in his work on a global scale and earn fame in the industry.

To help shed some light on my point, here's a historical recap of how the concept of animation first came about.

Back in 1908, Emile Cohl (one of the earliest animation artists) created a short animated excerpt called Fantasmagorie. It debuted on May 18, exactly 101 years ago. For the curious ones, here's a video of the original creation:





Although there isn't much to understand from the video, this is a piece of history in it's own right.

This piece was made using lines on paper. The printing for the original work was then turned to negative, thus creating the somewhat chalky looking effect.

And mind you, this one minute run used over 700 handrawn pages. That's a lot of work, considering how easily such stuff can be created today.

Thus, drawing us back to the the purpose of this post...
Here's to Emile, a small heartfelt appreciation, for all his contributions...
Where would the animation industry be today without him?

Recently Watched Movies: Capote, The Terminal and The Snow Walker

Philip Seymour Hoffman at his best, I must say...

I have always felt, that the Oscar for Best Actor should go only to actors who deliver performances that are 'unique' to themselves. Some great examples, Tom Hanks as Forrest Gump and Anthony Hopkins as Dr.Hannibal.

Hoffman was, without a doubt, a proper recipient for the award. His version of Capote was one heck of an imitation.

He had the voice, the physique and that 'gesture-down' pat. And beyond all that, Hoffman managed to provide a moving look at one of the most brilliant minds ever to rule history.

Listening to Capote's voice through the movie though, for me, was like listening to someone scrape a fork on a plate.

Nevertheless, this story is sure to live up to all your expectations. This is definitely a movie worth seeing.

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This film is a marvel.

I love Tom Hanks. I love watching this guy act. I loved him in this movie. I really did. This may possibly be the first story ever written without any flaws.

If you're a fan of watching someone act (and I mean act for no apparent reason whatsoever), this is the film for you. Tom Hanks kicks ass in this kind of thing, he really does.

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He proves that he is the best living actor out there, with a style of his own, and with no equal to match.

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Not one of Spielberg's bigger, more epic works. Much like "Catch Me If You Can", this story is lighthearted, breezy and straightforward. And with John William's score to top it all off. This movie is sure to win the hearts of all viewers.

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The Snow Walker. To summarize, this film had a nice storyline, pleasant scenery. It's in focus. Yeah, but that's about it...

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It was a quiet little movie that didn't have much to say. If you like tales of survival, with a bit of romance stashed in, this should work for you.

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The story is about a pilot, who works in a rural territory in Northwest Canada. After a generous bribe, he agrees to pick up an Inuit girl (with tuberculosis) from the area and fly her to a hospital. His plane then crashes halfway, and the two must somehow keep alive.

That's basically it. Really, I mean it. Take the first three sentences of this paragraph, and read them continuously for an hour and a half. And you'll have a rough idea what it is like sitting through this movie.

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To be fair, there were certain moments of interest in specific parts of the movie. But none of them lasted long. If you can stay awake through this movie, you may find the story mildly interesting. But who am I kidding, you won't make it :)

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If you're interested in consciousness, you may want to pass on this one and go for better options.

August Rush...

Now this was a tale completely drenched in
sentimentality.

It's the third movie I've watched this month. At this rate, I think I would soon become a freelance film reviewer or something...
Such films just can't go unsaid about.

That being the case, let me start off...

This is the story about a very gifted kid, named August Rush. He is sent, as a baby, to an orphanage center, where for 11 years of his life, he is made to believe that he does not 'belong' to anyone, anywhere.

August inherits a profound love for music from his parents, who are both talented musicians.

He then 'follows the music', which he believes will lead him in the path of destiny, to find his long lost parents.

You'd probably find the storyline very miracle-ish.
It's just a bit unrealistic for a kid, with no experience what-so-ever, to actually pick up a guitar and start playing like a pro.

But the story was very touching. And I really liked seeing August (Freddie Highmore), smile with content every time he played his music...not to mention the great soundtrack. Mark Mancina did a really good job with the score.

I would definitely recommend this to both movie and music lovers alike.

Here's the trailer for your reference:

By far the best film I've seen this year!

This film absolutely threw me for six!

And to think, this movie was at the very end of my 'to-watch' list on HBO. (Glad it didn't turn into a case of missed opportunity)

I was never a big fan of Colin 'See-How-Good-I-Look-When-I-Brood' Farrell... And crime thrillers usually thrill me about as much as a plate of boiled fish. (With very few exceptions from geniuses like Alfred Hitchcock)

But right from the start, this small tale, set in the small Belgian town of Bruge, shook me to my foundation.

I couldn't help but marvel at how director Martin McDonagh managed to rouse every human emotion possible to make viewers like me sympathise with, believe it or not, three murderers...making me laugh, cry and feel for each character all the way through, right till the end.

And for all that, I'd have to rank this movie head and shoulders above all other films I've seen this year (for the past 4 months, at least), including, yes, the much lauded 'Slumdog Millionaire'.