WALL-E

Title: WALL-E

Language: English

Year of Release: 2008

Director: Andrew Stanton

Production House: Pixar Animation Studios in association with Disney

Voices: Ben Burtt, Elissa Knight, Sigourney Weaver, Jeff Garlin, Fred Willard



Ladies and Gentleman, now that you have clicked on my page, I assume that you are reading this. On this auspicious day, I am here to propose a theory, something which has been reconfirmed for the past 13 years. My apologies for what you might read here, this is something which will shake the very grounds of our existence. So, here is what I propse to the World...



God Doesn't Exist Anymore!!!



Well, don't strike this statement off just yet as just another hoax; I have more than enough evidence to prove it. I am not an atheist, but I strongly believe that God doesn't exist anymore...in Heaven! He has a new address and I recently stumbled across his new home....

Ha....Gotcha! Does that site look familiar to you? It is where God has shifted his base to. Located in Emeryville, California-USA this place has become a synonym for some spectacular work of art over the past several years, forcing God himself to lend in a word of advice and some creativity to the Humans who habituate this place.

How else can you explain the creation of characters like, Sherrif Woody (Toy Story), Sulley (Monsters Inc.), Marlin and Nemo (Finding Nemo) and the latest WALL-E and EVE (WALL-E)? How else can you explain that these works of art have continued to amuse you day after day and everytime you look at them, some sort of adrenaline is shot through your entire body forcing you to instantly fall in love with them!! Maybe I could go to an extent to quote that they are our new age versions of what was born once from the hands of Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo and other great artists...I shall soon be devoting my time to understand what makes all these characters so lovable!....

Till Then,

Adieus Amigos.



Hey...Hey...wait...wait...I am not done yet. That was just my conscience beating me in the race to express itself. Now that it has finally come out, lets get down to our usual business and here's my latest rambling of truly, one of the greatest works of Animation I have seen in my life so far. It's called "WALL-E" (an acronym for, Waste Allocation Load Lifter-Earth class).



WALL-E is the story of a waste disposal robot which has somehow managed to keep itself active even after 700 years of its inception. And while building skyscrapers of garbage, it has developed a keen interest in finding things which amuse it, and ends up collection several items, like an electric bulb, small toys, lighters, a iPod, a tape of "Hello, Dolly!" etc. One fine day, it even finds a cockroach which becomes its wingman and after sometime a small plant which has been hiding itself from the world outside inside a refrigerator. WALL-E, after several re-runs of “Hello, Dolly!” teachers itself to dance and yearns for a touch with someone whom he could fall in love with. And luck smiles upon him one day, when EVE (Extraterrestrial Vegetation Evaluator) is sent to Earth. WALL-E instantly falls in love with EVE, but realizing that something is sneaking around itself, EVE tries to destroy it. After several narrow escapes, WALL-E confronts EVE directly and takes her to his hide-out and after several attempts to impress her, he ends up showing his most loved things, like the lighters, “Hello, Dolly!” and finally the plant. As soon as EVE sees the plant, its mission is accomplished and upon seizing and storing, it deactivates. A spaceship from the Cruise Liner, “Axiom” is sent to Earth to retrieve EVE, forcing WALL-E to embark on an extra-ordinary journey to win EVE’s heart.

*Note: This part of the review contains some spoilers and certain things whose beauty can be understood well only after seeing the movie. So, if you haven’t seen the movie already, I suggest you to go watch the movie first…but if you are curious about it, then….

There are many around us, who haven’t fully understood the scale of awesomeness which Animated flicks can take you to. I can’t remember an animated movie which has got its soul in the wrong place. Of course, the sequels of several movies haven’t struck the right chords to be in your memory for a long time; since the cynosure of all eyes here is Pixar, I will stick to the movies and characters they have come up with. Their main USP so far has been the themes they have selected for all their movies and the characters, sets seem to magically take shape once that premise is set. For instance take “Monsters Inc.”, it was really a heart-warming story about friendship between Sulley and Boo, the concept was terrific and the characters so adorable, it was an international rage in 2001. Let’s fast forward to 2003, when “Finding Nemo” was released. Nobody till that time had done such a detailed work of art about the life in the depths of ocean…sure we have been watching innumerable episodes of “The Little Mermaid”, but “Finding Nemo” took it to a whole new level of believability. Further, it’s by far among the most touching renditions of a Father-Son relationship. Then came Incredibles, Cars, Ratatouille each beautiful in their own sense. All of them have been reiterating the fact that Animation Industry has come a long way from what Walt Disney had created in 1928 in the form of Mickey Mouse. Animation flicks are no kids thingy now…

If you still haven’t bought my argument, go and watch WALL-E and you will realize what exactly I have been saying. The interpretation of how universe looks like is even more beautiful than the pics which NASA publishes from time to time. The post-apocalyptic setting of a city on Earth, the eeriness which is ubiquitous, garbage neatly piled up as Skyscrapers and loneliness to battle with; what do you expect a lonely robot WALL-E to do in such a setting? What would anyone want to do if one’s confronted in such a situation? The point is, 5 minutes into the movie, you will realize why you cannot take WALL-E as just a robot. Those binocular lens kinda eyes convey a lot more meaning that you may expect. And the way he looks around for items which amuse him…my favourite one is when he finds a small box with a diamond ring (check that out…and you will realize why you can’t stop yourselves falling in love with him!!). One day, he comes across a Cockroach whom he decides to take care of (I have a feeling that they have been particularly carefully in selecting Cockroach as WALL-E’s wingman…they should have referred to this theory by journalist Richard Schweid). The brief time the roach spends with WALL-E has its sparks. And then there’s “Hello, Dolly!” the musical film which induces WALL-E to yearn for a touch. It serves as a motif to suggest the extent of loneliness which our protagonist endures day in and day out. Somehow I see a WALL-E and that eerie setting all around me…in a way each one of us represent WALL-E. His daily schedule of mechanically labouring day after day, doing the same kind of work (that hilarious scene of WALL-E waking up to put on the conveyer belts) delves into the day-to-day lives of Humans. Perhaps, searching for things which amuse him is one of the most fascinating thing which WALL-E does on any given day, much similar to what we do to bring a smile by experiencing the little things which life offers us. The entry of EVE and the subsequent events which WALL-E endures to grab her attention are sure going to be some of the most endearing moments in this flick. I had heard this quote in a flick called “Girl Next Door” and it says a great deal about how WALL-E feels about EVE….it goes like this…

“…I think moral fiber's about finding that one thing you really care about; that one special thing that means more to you than anything else in the world. And when you find her, you fight for her. You risk it all, you put her in front of everything, your future, your life, all of it…”

EVE on the other hand is introduced as a ruthless robot sent to Earth to evaluate the possibility of life…this until she stumbles across WALL-E. Moved by his innocence and down to earth nature, she develops a soft-corner for him. And when she realizes what an extra ordinary journey he has embarked upon to be with her she’s determined all the more to save him from any untoward incident in the alien land (this when they both go into AXIOM). Among other characters that you will absolutely adore is a decontamination robot named M-O. This bot is obsessed with keeping the surroundings clean and it’s confrontation with WALL-E will have you in splits…:-P.

There are just too many characters and aspects which one could about this flick, but I would like to throw some light on couple of things here…

I cannot imagine how the director Andrew Stanton and the creators could weave such a magic with less than 30 minutes of dialogues. And what’s even more impressive is the fact that the only thing WALL-E and EVE talk is pronounce each other’s names!!! It’s splendid in a way that so many emotions are conveyed in the way their names are pronounced. And the way how WALL-E yearns for a gentle touch from EVE is heart touching…I never realized that a gentle touch had so much power. (Too bad…I couldn’t try that with the people sitting on my either side…both happened to be uncles!!!..: -P…:P…hehehe). The music by Thomas Newman is a major asset for the movie. It’s in a way the soul of the movie, filling up the vacuum which one might experience while watching the movie. Don’t miss the bits of music which you will hear during EVE’s trip on Earth and the one when WALL-E and EVE dance in the space outside AXIOM…pure symphony throwing you into new levels of ecstasy.

I bow to the CGI department which has come up with some jaw-dropping imagery of a futuristic world. (Check out the massive interiors in Axiom!!!).And there’s a perfect story that you cannot find fault with, which brings several themes like consumerism, dependence on machines, pollution, destruction of environment and how Governments put their citizens in an illusion to completely blanket them from reality. But more than anything it’s a beautiful love story. It’s a pure rendition of what a love story should be like with no clichés which otherwise you will normally end up finding in countless ‘romantic’ movies like “A Walk to remember”, “Notebook”…etc.

Last month I had written about “Dark Knight” and claimed that it’s the best action flick I have ever seen and among my all time favourites. If I were to take a scale and put it on for measuring the awesomeness of a movie, I would rate Dark Knight a -10…and WALL-E a +10. I don’t mean that Dark Knight is any less when compared with WALL-E, but it’s at the other end of the spectrum. It is dark, sends a chill down your spine and hits you in your guts…yet you come out with that feeling of awesomeness with your head reeling because of some spectacular action sequences and of course The Joker. Whereas WALL-E, is inspiring, cute beyond imagination…if you aren’t much of a fan of E.T., then WALL-E is the best thing to happen to you. I have already rated Kung Fu Panda as the second most entertaining movie of this year with Dark Knight occupying the number one position…and I still stand by that, with a small inclusion. So, here’s how I put it…WALL-E stands at number one position, jointly with Dark Knight.

20 years from now, I can see myself sitting with my kids to talk about movies…and I already see myself telling them that the summer of 2008 has been one of the greatest ever for movie buffs, because we had the Awesome Trio of…WALL-E, Kung Fu Panda and Dark Knight. And that ladies and gentlemen, is no accident. I think nature is trying to tell us something…that’s it’s time that you buckle up and be awesome!

Here’s recommending you again…if you want to see what magic the hand of God could bring forth, please check into your local theatres and watch “WALL-E”…it’s an adorable flick oozing with romance. And as you enjoy this flick with your loved ones…I get back to my business of finding my EVE….

I look up in the sky and shout…..

EVE….EVE….EVE…..EVVVVVVVE………………EVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEEEEEE....

Kung Fu Panda...

Title: Kung Fu Panda

Language: English
Year of Release: 2008
Director: John Stevenson and Mark Osborne
Actors: Jack Black Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Lucy Liu, Seth Rogen, David Cross, Ian McShane, Jackie Chan

"All you people out there...put your hands up and praise the brand new Dragon Warrior, an unlikely hero in the land of Kungfu who's out to save the world... the Panda"- I am sorry for the corny introduction to possibly this Summer's second best entertainer (No offence...but "Dark Knight" is still Numero Uno!!!). I know, I know...Po (The Panda) wouldn't wait a minute to use his "Wuxi Finger Hold" Technique had he known that this is how I introduce the greatest kungfu warrior of our times. (Good for me...he doesn't know that I exist!!...:-P)...

So, naturally a question arises, why is it I have chosen this boring way to write about such an "awesome" (you are gonna hear a lot of that!) flick of this year? Huh...you got it! I am as boring and lazy as a sloth can be! Although I don't make noodles nor do I dream about saving the world, there's an uncanny resemblance between me and Po. We seem to love Food...(Yum!), and gobble down whatever and whenever we feel like eating...and the most striking of all, there seems to be an awesome psychic understanding that being "BIG" isn't that bad at all...(More of this later...I wouldn't want the Dragon Warrior to doze off, if at all he chooses to stumble across the Blog!)

Directed by John Stevenson and Mark Osborne from the house of "DreamWorks Animation" comes an awesome flick, animated actually, which straight away blows you away with its style. Probably the last time you had seen something this beautiful, touching, inspiring...this Awesome, would be "Finding Nemo". The flick has already been declared a smash hit across the world, and India, I hope is no different. You will hardly find someone who hasn't come out of the cinema hall with a huge smile spread across the face after watching this movie. The reason being, not only it's incredibly funny but also it takes you along for a joy ride, and leaves you with a feeling of awesomeness by the end of it. Another thing I must add is the genuine respect for the Chinese Culture which is quite evident from the film, where there's hardly any cliche' when it comes to characters.

"Kungfu Panda" is the story of Po, the Panda (Voice Over by Jack Black) who assists his father, the goose (for some odd reason!!!) in running the restaurant preparing noodles. But he always dreams of becoming a Kungfu warrior, something which he's unable to express to his father. And one day, when Master Oogway (The Tortoise) reveals the prophecy that Tai Lung (the Snow Leopard) will escape from the prison, it drives his student, Master Shifu (Red Panda, VO by Dustin Hoffman) crazy. He orders the security to be doubled at the prison, but the over confident and reluctant commander of the armed forces doesn't heed to Shifu's request. After an unusually awesome escape sequence, Tai Lung manages to escape from the prison and claim his rightful position. In the meantime, it's announced that the next "Dragon Warrior" will be chosen, who will be capable of protecting and bringing peace to the valley. When the whole valley's waiting for Oogway's decision about the next Dragon Warrior, Po-the Panda, falls from sky all of a sudden. And to the dismay of Master Shifu and his very skilful students, Po is chosen the new "Dragon Warrior". After some unsuccessful attempts at disparaging and making Po quit, and upon the advice of Oogway, Shifu finally relents and decides to train Po to become a pro at Kungfu....the rest of the story has to be seen on screen to bask the actual awesomeness!

Be it the scene, where Po tries to get inside the palace, or that when Tai Lung escapes from prison and the stylishly shot chopsticks fight between Shifu and Po...there's a uncanny style which mesmerizes you, sucking you into its brilliance for the entire 90 min footage. I should confess that I was watching this flick in my room with some friends...I so wish I had seen the Imax version in the first place! Coming back to the characters...the flick belongs to Po and Shifu. Po for his overbearing personality (he's awesomely cute in his knickers...:-P!) and striking sense of humour who has the potential to turn around any serious or grim discussion into a funny and witty one. Thank God, the writers realised that he should be the way he is throughout the movie...otherwise a scene of the Panda stretching to build a six pack, would have taken quite a few pounds away from his awesomeness...:-). All hail Jack Black, who's given a stunning voice over for Po...I somehow have this feeling that they might have drawn Po's character after seeing Jack Black in Nacho Libre and otherwise!...hehehe...wouldn't you agree??!:-D....and Dustin Hoffman as Master Shifu completes Jack Black with his performance at the other end of the line. He scorns, hisses at almost everything Po does, but at the same time he's genuinely caring and guiding light to his students. The rest of the star cast, the Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Monkey (Jackie Chan), Viper, Mantis, Crane are cool...they have got the kicks and moves of a brilliant Kungfu Master. A special word for Tai Lung, the Snow Leopard whose character is so well developed that it's hard not to empathize with him.
But then as one expects...Good always has the last laugh in the fight with Evil. This is what's so predictable in the flick...you know that Po's gonna beat Tai Lung in the final battle...you know that he's gonna save the world...but you can't walk out. You can't choose to move your eyes away from the screen...I guess it's an obligation for most of the animated flicks to end on an inspiring and good note, this is what exactly makes them a worldwide rage. And "Kungfu Panda" is already among the finest flicks you would see this year...

And the final battle cry
Prepare for Awesomeness!!!...Because he's coming to steal your heart...his name is Panda, Kungfu Panda...the Dragon Warrior.

P.S: My second recommend of this summer after....Dark Knight! Hope you have liked what you have read...and as you bask in awesomeness, I most probably would be watching the flick right now!

The Dark Knight

Title: The Dark Knight
Language: English
Year of Release: 2008
Director: Christopher Nolan

Actors: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman.

For the past 8 years of so, ever since I switched my loyalty to Star Movies, HBO, I have tried to ask myself what is it about Hollywood flicks that makes me watch more and more? For the past 8 years I haven't been able to understand why I have fallen in love with movies so much!!! For the past 8 years, I have tried to compare one movie after the other and come to a conclusion which is my favourite movie of all...I think, my search ends now and on 20th July, 2008 I got the answer for my quest so far. I saw "The Dark Knight".

Before getting into the details of the story, a little bit about the reviews I had read before watching the flick...Rottentomatoes gives a 90% fresh rating, IMDB ranks it at no.1 among the Top 250 movies of all time, atleast for now...and among the Indian Critics, Rajeev Masand of CNN-IBN gives a 4 star rating out of 5. And added to that little reviews from my friends added to my curiosity. Too many good things...huh?! I guess the best was yet to come and the IMAX version of the flick (I somehow managed to get a ticket for Sunday) made the "best" a little better!!!..

Sitting in the 5th row from the screen amidst a packed crowd, the story unfolded. The flick opens with a bank robbery which the antagonist, Joker (Heath Ledger) carries out along with others. The nemesis of the criminals in Gotham, Batman (Christian Bale) has been largely successful in controlling the crime rate along with Lieutenant James Gordon. But as the new District Attorney, Harvey Dent(Aaron Eckhart) vows to put every lawbreaker behind the bars, Batman is forced to reconcile his resolution to save the city all alone. He finally decides to give up everything and let Harvey take control. But before he would do it, he's confronted with Joker, the lip smacking, greasy, pyschopath, whose main aim is to spread chaos across Gotham forcing everyone to madness. He demands that Batman must come forward and make his identity public, saying that the city needs the hero with a face.

The rest of the story...well, I am gonna leave it to you to watch it on the Big screen! Because to reveal everything would be like trying to explain how Leonardo painted his "Mona Lisa"....[:-)]

I find it rather difficult to not use any superlatives/adjectives for the spectacular work done by each and every department and each and every character associated with the flick. But have got two words for Nolan and Ledger, Fuckin Awesome!!!!!! I don't know what it takes to be a genius at something, I think it's only after you see the product that you appreciate the creator. Christopher Nolan, who's directed films like, Memento, Prestige, Batman Begins pulls off another masterpiece. Never reeling into boredom, this 150 min+ flick packs a powerful punch especially in terms of the pace of the storyline; the characters just keep getting better and better and the same with the action.

I think the initiative to do away with "Breaks/Intervals" for an English flick is one of the good things which has been introduced. Popcorn and Cool Drinks, will be sold anyway!!! But it's the experience to watch a English flick uninterrupted for this long which pays off eventually. Never giving you a moment to ponder upon any possible loopholes, everyone around is sucked into the mood of the film. Dark beyond one's imagination, you cannot help but gaze with a feeling of awe at Joker's evil mechanisms. To masterfully spread havoc across a city requires either a genius or as Joker would put it, someone who just does it without any plan!!! He's evil beyond one could fathom to an extent which leaves a lump in your throat at the end of it. My favourite scene from the movie is that 5 minute scene where people aboard a ferry have to decide who lives....what a scene!!!

To cater to your adrenaline, there are enough fights, guns, bombs, chases, I love the Batpod!!! But it's not gory where you find blood spilling around...I think the lump in my throat had to do more with the fact that, you are actually trying to understand what Joker would do next, who's the next to die, how will he carry out his evil plans, for a moment, you are one among the denizens of Gotham. Watch out for that scene where Batman chases Joker in his Batpod and eventually flips the truck at a 180 degree angle, and his own Batpod doing a 360!!!!....Stunner!!! Truly one of the several "Woah" moments in the flick...

I have always wondered, how writers create a character; and my curiosity just got increased after seeing Joker and Harvey Dent! Such variations in their characters, your heart goes out to them in both ways, sure they are both dark and evil in the end, but the reason why they have turned that way and they would end up doing; you cannot take your eyes off them and at times you want to see them more than Batman! Probably for the first time, it's a villain who overshadows a superhero...the menacing, lip smacking, man of the moment is the Joker, portrayed so brilliantly by Heath Ledger. Truly a performance which is worthy of Oscar and almost every other award imaginable. For a moment, I suspected that his facial expressions might come close to "V" in "V for Vendetta". But Heath Ledger completely takes you by surprise with his awesome portrayal of Joker. His versions of how how got a big smile on his face, the simplicity with which he drives everyone around him into confusion, chaos sends a chill down your spine. And kudos to the writers who have given him some memorable one-liners. Harvey Dent, played by Aaron Eckhart is another surprise package. He's sincere, focused as the DA, but equally scary as the "Two Face" who would stop at nothing to exact revenge.

You must be wondering why I haven't put a word for Christian Bale who's donning that Batsuit for the second time in a row! Well, that's what he does through most part of the flick...with Joker around, he doesn't face the camera as the charismatic Billionaire Bruce Wayne for long, except when he's conversing with Alfred, his Butler (Micheal Caine) and Fox (Morgan Freeman) or partying with some blondes and meeting Rachel (Maggie Gyllenhaal). If at all, I have a problem with this film...then that would be the voice modulation of Batman once he gets into that suit...somehow, he sounds like Sylvester Stallone with a sore throat!!...:-P...but that doesn't matter, because he's got this awesome Batpod this time...and performs some death-defying stunts, whether he's flying across Hongkong skyscrapers or in Gotham. And everytime, he dives from the top of a skyscraper, you wish you had that suit with you!!!

And finally, the director of the movie, Christopher Nolan. I bow to the genius and his team who have come up with such dark interpretation of the characters from this comic book. He's really pushed Batman far ahead than Spiderman, who's the closest superhero to Batman who has been brought to life on screen. (Somehow, in all these years, Superman is the only character who's got such ridiculous interpretations...after having watched all these superheroes, I think it's time for a makeover for Superman!). The filming with IMAX cameras is a big asset to the flick, and the CGI is out of the world. Watch Harvey Dent after he turns into "Two Face" if you don't believe me...

I think I can go on like this...but the fact of the matter is, I understand what I have been looking for. I have a perspective that there's no shortage of creative talent and irrespective of what region it comes from, it will eventually find its audience. I bow to the entire team of "The Dark Knight" for delivering this gem of a movie and specifically to Wally Pfister, the Cinematographer of the flick, Zimmer and Howard who composed the music, Christopher Nolan, the Director and Heath Ledger who's delivered a awesomely scary performance as Joker. He's in a way, the very reason why you should watch this movie.

Sometimes, I get this feeling that film critics across the world have been little harsh on the flick. Why rate it only at 4 out of 5?! Its not every time, you end up with tears in your eyes and clap at the end, unless you have seen something overwhelmingly terrific. I am gonna go with 5 out of 5 for this flick and without hesitation, I declare that this is the best Action/Superhero flick I have ever seen...cancel all your plans this weekend and make all possible attempts to get tickets for this flick. Make sure you watch it only in the best cinema hall in your place( the best would be IMAX, if it's playing there), and if you are in the city of Hyderabad, please watch it only in Prasads, IMAX. It belongs to the rarest set of flicks which give a feeling of "Awesomeness!!!".

I wonder if 90% rating on Rottentomatoes is this good, then how would a 97% rating for a flick be!! Watch out for that next...it's the latest from the house of Pixar Studios..and it's called "WALL-E".

Iron Man

Title: Iron Man

Language: English

Year of Release: 2008

Director: Jon Favreau

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Jeff Bridges

I had never seen the cartoon of the same name, until I heard about it from a friend who claims to have been following it for a long time. I guess it was his recommendation and the promos of the flick that gave me a great impetus to check this one out. One thing which I was wary about was what would be the storyline of this “Man”? To be frank my interest in most of the Superhero movies has been waning for quite sometime. Although Superman has got the steel, there’s not much of variety in what he does (Correct me if I am wrong!!...:-P)…and Spiderman, I loved the first part about a dud turning into a DUDE! Honestly, I am kinda curious about the type of spiders lurking around me…hehehe…. But it turned out to be yet another gyan session on countless occasions…where kids are advised to be good…and how about those scenes where Spidy would come from nowhere to save those who are in danger…..more or less all the superhero movies have fallen under this category, which is what gets so boooooooring flick after flick. I had no clue what to expect from this one…but thanks to some rave reviews, this one promised to be one helluva roller coaster ride.

“Iron Man” is the story of Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) billionaire industrialist and the chief of Stark Industries which is one of the chief Arms Supplier to the US Army. Tony is on a trip to the desert of Afghanistan to give a demo of his company’s new weapon “Jericho”, a cluster missile capable of mass destruction. Later his convoy is attacked and Tony is shocked to see that a missile made by his own firm has been used to attack him. His captors attach an electromagnet to his chest to keep the shrapnel from touching his heart. He’s threatened of murder by the Terrorist Group if he doesn’t build the “Jericho” missile for them. After gaining enough insight as to what lays ahead of him, Tony demands absolute privacy while building the missile, but he instead builds an Iron armour powered by an miniature arc reactor which will give the electromagnet enough energy from letting the shrapnel touch his heart. He manages to escapes from his captors and is somehow found by the US Army. Back home, he’s advised by his company’s executive Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges) to lay low from the media. Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) is Tony’s assistant who is in love with him but doesn’t express it. Tony builds a more powerful miniature “Arc Reactor” and tells Obadiah about his earlier one. He secretly builds a new armour equipped with all the gizmos. (PHEEwwww…..you should check out all that drawings and designing yourself…mind blowing!). When he comes to know about how his own weapons are creating havoc, he decides to take the matter in his own hands…and what follows is a stunning gamut of some terrific stunts, gadgets and a fight for the good to prevail.

What makes it such an enjoyable flick is its story and the absence of senseless action! It’s completely believable the way things go on, especially when a fact that Tony is an inventor, is established. Of course, it’s upto your discretion if you wanna believe all that! But think about it, if you can accept Bruce Willis doing all those stunts in Die Hard-4 and Indian Jones escaping an Atom Bomb explosion by enclosing himself in a lead-lined refrigerator…then all that Tony does makes sense!!..:-P The thing I loved most about the flick was that, it was more of a sci-fi action adventure, rather than a superhero who’s on a mission to save the world! Yes, Iron Man does that eventually…but the way he does is SO different from any of his peers…you want another reason to look upto him?!...He doesn’t wear an undie on top of his pants!!!...hehehe…[:-P]. If you are a gadget freak…then look for his suit which doubles up as his armour and the capability to fly, the weapons, his maneuvers while on a flight ….nothing short of a Visual Orgasm! After checking out at his house on top of rock on the Malibu seafront, can you not dream of such lavish lifestyle?!?!...the garage filled with the funkiest of the cars…some awesome robots, a private jet…multi-billion dollar Business Empire…!!!...Phew!

Robert Downey Jr. delivers a classic…his histrionics as a billionaire industrialist, playboy, inventor are brilliant…but what’s more blatant is this, he’s one hell of a super cool…charming…stud whose heart goes out to those who have suffered directly or indirectly because of his company (Check out his expressions and the intensity he puts in his acting in that village scene where he saves scores of people). Jeff Bridges, who plays the character of Obadiah Stane, the executive of Stark Industries with a mission of his own, stands out in his character, especially from the point where his plan is revealed (although many of us must have sensed it early in the flick), he gets better and better as the story progresses. Gwyneth Paltrow is sweet in her role as Pepper Potts who’s in love with her boss…almost giving the impression of a love story from yesteryears where both the protagonists wait for the other one to confess first. Whoever has designed the iron man’s suit needs to be given special credit…it’s absolutely fantastic.

I guess I have written too many good things about the flick…although there are some weak links which some of my fellow movie buffs have raised…like, how did Stane gain some much knowledge about how Tony’s armour and the gadgets…How does Stane escape from that altitude?! And even the melodramatic climax, a David Vs Goliath fight…looks kinda too much. Above all…however intelligent one might be, creating something that big, how does Tony manage to do everything all by himself!!(Somehow I feel too much of Intelligence is difficult to digest!!!...). This flick will definitely be in the list of Best Movies of 2008…and if you are an action movie buff…then, this one is bound to be on top of that list…atleast for this year!I saw this flick, last month, but I can still remember lots of details particularly those involving Tony testing his new suit, he dodging couple of fighter planes, the robots assisting Tony in building the suit…

Laced with wit and some cool action, this is a must watch for all the action movie buffs…it’s also something you can watch out for, even if you don’t like cartoons…for there is no trace of anything of that sort here. If only, one can lie hands on that suit…and fly away to glory..:-)

check out this teaser of the flick...

Eastern Promises

Title: Eastern Promises
Language: English
Year of Release: 2007
Director: David Cronenberg

Actors:Viggo Mortensen, Naomi Watts, Vincent Cassel

The first weekend of June was quite exceptional in many cases. I caught up with some friends after an year or so…and worked on a Saturday after more than 3 months! Since I am here to talk about cinema…I will stick to that! Couple of big Hindi flicks released last week, “Sarkar Raj” (this one seems to have gathered a universal thumbs up from the audience, although quite a few critics haven’t been so impressed) and then “Aamir” (starring Rajeev Khandelwal, which has been strongly recommended to watch by too many critics, although I haven’t met too many people who have seen it!). But I chose to watch both the flicks at a later stage. My primary concern in this city was to watch as many english flicks as possible (ironically, despite having around 100+ screens, an english flick rarely sticks around…and if it doesn’t have big names associated, then it would be a miracle if it is given a slot for more than 2 weeks!). And last week my choice was…David Cronenberg’s “Eastern Promises”.

First things first, this flick was supposed to be “coming soon” for a long time! And it finally saw the light last weekend. I had faintly heard about this one, but later decided to watch it on the advise of a friend and also some good reviews on IMDB.com and Rottentomatoes.com, which is to say that I knew what to expect from it. And I am sure I wasn’t disappointed at the end of it, although I guess I will have enough number of people contradicting my point.

The flick opens with a brutal murder of a Russian mobster followed by the death of Tatiana, a 14 year old girl during childbirth. The mid-wife stumbles upon a diary of this girl and upon Tatiana’s death, she is determined to translate the diary to English, to see if she can find the whereabouts of Tatiana’s relatives. She comes across a card belonging to Trans-Siberian Restaurant and tracks down the restaurant in London, thus meeting the owner of the restaurant Semyon, who’s also the boss of the Russian Mafia or Vory V Zakone ("Thieves of Law"). She accidentally mentions to him that she has the diary and Seymon who’s more than curious about the contents of the diary convinces her to bring the diary to him. But her Russian uncle happens to read it and tells her that it has many dark secrets about her life and also that of the Vory v Zakone’s activities. Kiril who’s the son of Seymon does some deals without informing his father with the help of his chauffeur, Nikolai Luzhin . This enrages Seymon who’s certain of a backlash from the now deceased mobster’s kin. He hatches a plan to save his son and thus takes Nikolai, who’s promised to stand up for Kiril in trouble, into confidence. What follows is a desperate attempt to find out what had happened to Tatiana and who had caused all that ghastly things to her. And also how the Vory v Zakone’s try to clean their sins…but as the tagline of the flick goes….Every Sin Leaves a Mark.

The story of the movie is not that difficult to understand, but what makes it different from a normal one is its screenplay which makes a strong impact. Like a carefully painted portrait every scene in the flick is brilliantly directed with even the minute details taken care . The major emphasis in most part of the story is on the characterization of the actors. There’s Luzhin, who begins as a ruthless maniac who will stop at nothing to take care of Kiril but as the story progresses, he sympathizes with Anna, the mid-wife and in a way tries to find out what had happened with Tatiana. Anna, who’s obsessed to find out the truth behind Tatiana’s death goes on a trail and tumbling across the mobster along the way. Kiril, the son of the mob head who’s dreaming to fill in his father’s shoes soon but at the same time shows compassion towards Luzhin always treating him like a brother. Seymon, with his calm expression hisses venom under his innocent looks. And a gamut of others who are some way or the other connected to them put in a splendid performance.

The person who stands out, from almost every frame in which he’s part of is Nikolai Luzhin, brilliantly enacted by Viggo Mortensen (he’s the same fellow who played Aragorn in LOTR). I would call him the soul of the film who blows your mind with his composed performance and each dialouge of his hitting you like a brick. One of my favourite lines from the flick is from the scene where Anna asks him, why is he helping them? To that he replies, “I can't become king if someone else already sits on the throne.” There are plenty of one liners which stay on for quite sometime….Undoubtedly a performance worthy of many awards (he was nominated for Oscars this year, which finally went to Daniel Day Lewis for his gem of a performance in “There will be Blood”.). Viggo puts on a Russian accent for his performance (although I have no clue if that’s how it’s supposed to be spoken!), but I guess he brings in a certain amount of mystery to his role…you just can’t read his mind! Sometimes he’s a cold-blooded person who won’t listen to anyone, and another time he goes an extra mile to help others. Another point here is about the style of his activties, there’s no shooting at others, no bombs exploding, no shouting at the top of lungs to drive a point home…just plain expressions (like the one with his confrontation with Anna’s Uncle).

Naomi Watts as the mid-wife Anna, is remarkable and is quite successful in catching the attention of the audience till the end. I guess a lot of credit must go to the director David Cronenberg who’s been quite successful in getting such remarkable performances from his actors. His strength in direction is quite evident in more than few scenes, but the scenes which I loved were the ones between Luzhin and Kiril.

I must confess that I have seen an Indian version of this flick and as per the norms of the censor board, I realise that I must have missed quite a few scenes related to violence and Nudity, in particular the Bathroom knife scene which has been touted by many as one of the best things in the movie….God knows when would these “elite” people understand that audience almost everywhere is quite mature to receive the matter…I wonder what do they do with all those zillions of reels of edited content!!!...:P…any guesses?!!..J

When I saw this flick, many people were disappointed with the ending and few didn’t even understand what was going on in the flick…and I still have some unanswered questions about the flick…like what does the title mean? What’s the point of view of others who have liked the flick? And if I have missed observing something….then what all are they?! . But maybe you should watch the flick before coming to a conclusion…don’t miss this one, you might miss a good crime thriller flick loaded with some cool dialouges to have released in a long time! Roger Ebert, gave the film a 4/4 rating…imdb.com puts it at 7.9/10 and rottentomatoes.com gives it a solid fresh rating of 89%...and all I can do is recommend you to watch this flick before it is thrashed into obscurity.

Check out this teaser of the flick..

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of Crystal Skull

Title: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of Crystal Skull

Language: English
Country: USA
Year of Release: 2008
Director: Steven Spielberg
Actors: Harrison Ford, Cate Blanchett

Indy is Back!!!

A shadow in front of an US Army Truck bending down to pick up his Fedora who’s surrounded by a group of KGB agents marks the return of Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) after 19 long years! To be honest, I haven’t seen any of the Indiana movies of the past, still the premise of going to this flick was definitely the media hype and also the fact that certain biggies like Spielberg, Lucas were associated with it. And what more can I say?! I loved it…Loved it for the way the story unfolded (although I would say kinda complicated for my lack of knowledge in this legend!), loved the characters, the direction, the cinematography, and many more like that.

Set in the year 1957, amidst the Cold War, a group of Russian KGB agents lead by Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett)) infiltrate into a Military Location in US on the lookout for a crate which they believe contains an alien sort of thing which was recovered a decade ago from New Mexico. Indiana Jones was one of the few people who had worked on that project to restore the alien sort of thing safely; he’s captured by KGB and after being double crossed by his longtime friend Mac, he agrees to help them in finding out that crate (You must watch this scene on screen, especially for the technique which he uses!!, one of my favourite scenes in the flick). A fight commences and Indy manages to escape from the clutches of KGB, but runs straight into a town, which in fact is a Nuclear testing site; guess what?!!! Indy manages to escape this too by enclosing himself in a Lead lined Refrigerator (hehehe….reminds me of the countless unbelievable stunts I have seen in Indian flicks!.. since it’s Hollywood, there is some sense of believability. But escaping from a Nuclear Bomb?!!! Phew! ). He’s later interrogated by the FBI agents, for his associated with Mac, who turns out to be a Soviet Agent. Despite his repeated claims of innocence, FBI rummages around his office which compels the University where he’s teaching to let him go on a long leave of absence. Disappointed by the attitude of the University, Indy plans to leave for New York and there after go to London. But when the train to NY is about to leave, he comes across Mutt Williams (Shia LeBeouf) who tells Indy that he needs his help to find Oxley, an old colleague of Indy and mother who have disappeared somewhere in South America. After a brilliant motorcycle chase around the college campus (again brilliantly filmed), Indy and Mutt escape to Peru where they find out that Oxley had once been locked in a psychiatric hospital until he was kidnapped.

In the cell, Indy is successful in deciphering some clues which would lead them to the Crystal Skull which is believed to contain mystical powers. The search leads them to the grave of Fransisco, who went missing in the 1500s while seeking Akator (also known as El Dorado). Here, they successfully find the Crystal Skull which was hidden by Oxley. But they are soon captured by Spalko’s gang who force Indy to translate what Oxley could tell about Akator. Indy reunites with his longtime friend Marion Williams who’s the mother of Mutt; but later comes to know that he’s the real father of Mutt. What follows next is a gamut of fights, chases, some spectacular locales depicting the jungles surrounding Amazon River and finally the destination…Akator!

You must watch all this on screen to fully appreciate the cinematography, direction and the story. Lot of reviews have compared it with the previous Indy flicks and thus came to a conclusion that it doesn’t have the same charm because of a predictable plot and so on…but I don’t know how many of us actually have seen the movie! (It’s very difficult to watch movies which are 15-20 years old unless you have the perfect source or if you are lucky enough to watch them on the movie channels!!). Sure, it’s predictable, but the way, things move on is what keeps us (or atleast kept me) interested to watch the flick. Coming to the characters, Ford is still good to perform such a demanding role despite his age! The series has five parts, of which four have released till now. It would be interesting to see if Ford appears in the last part too! In this one, Ford delivers a good performance with some cool stunts, and charm that’s evident on screen. The Transformers hero Shia LaBeouf is making waves with his performance, first with Transformers and now with this…check him out for that scene where he prepares himself for a fight and that comb!!! His Marlon Brando kinda style is sure gonna go down well with the audience. And with Starwars fame, George Lucas, and E.T fame Spielberg around, how can we not come to the world of Extraterrestrial beings!!

Whatever maybe the case, this flick has all that what it takes to make a full-fledged action-adventure flick, although it's kinda tough to digest it for a 2008 flick! But as Lucas says, it looks like it was filmed just 3 years after the last Indy film was released! Watch it with a suspension of disbelief …it won’t disappoint you. If only there was someone like Megan Foxx with Shia LaBeouf in the film!!...Hope Spielberg is listening…:-)