PREDESTINATION (2014)

 
Genre: Science Fiction
Running Length: 1:37
Cast: Ethan Hawke, Sarah Snook, Noah Taylor
Director: The Spierig Brothers
Screenplay: The Spierig Brothers, based on "All You Zombies" by Robert Heinlein

I don't even know where to start with PREDESTINATION. If I can summarize it, it's one helluva of "mind-***k" movie - not in a controversial kinda way but the premise is still disturbing nevertheless. It's a low budget science fiction film which demands the audiences' full attention and concentration. There are no big action sequences as the narrative is built around ideas and its characters. The story unfolds slowly revealing one puzzle at a time and if you're patient enough, you'll be pleasantly surprised with several "holy crap!" moments. It's difficult to talk about the movie because there are just so many concepts the film makers try to cram into the slim 90+ running length such as time travel and free will. It actually feels like an extended short film which focuses on tight story telling and beautiful photography. Although this film didn't garner the "likes" from mainstream audiences, it should be destined for cult status. 

Rating: 7.5/10

FOXCATCHER (2015)

 

Genre: Drama
Running Length: 2:14
Cast: Channing Tatum, Steve Carell, Mark Ruffalo, Sienna Miller, Vanessa Redgrave
Director: Bennett Miller
Screenplay: E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman


"The father figure is something I love, but also suffocate from and want to work against." Ang Lee

FOXCATCHER is not your typical inspirational sports movie. In fact, it's quite the opposite. It's a dark drama which explores the effects of isolation, the search for significance and the absence of a strong father figure on human nature. What's really disturbing about this film is that it's based on true events. Although the setting is based on the Olympic sports of wrestling, but the narrative focuses more on the relationship among the principals' played by Steve Carell, Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo. Carell plays Mr Du Pont, one the wealthiest man in America - and I must say, he deserved to be nominated as Best Actor this year. At times, the shoddy make-up was a little distracting but nevertheless, "Carell the comedian" completely disappeared into his character here. He is pathetic, awkward and unpredictable - a coiled serpent waiting to strike. In fact, Foxcatcher's main draw is its dreadful atmosphere - the whole time, I felt that something bad is going to happen anytime. And that's a testament to great filmmaking. Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo are equally solid here. Those looking for a feel-good sports movie about an underdog who overcomes all odds is recommended to look elsewhere as this is a very mysterious but fascinating psychological study on the warped side of human beings. 

Rating: 8/10

 

THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING (2015)

Genre: Drama
Running Length: 2:03
Cast: Eddy Redmayne, Felicity Jones, David Thewlis
Director: James Marsh
Screenplay: Anthony McCarten, based on "Travelling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen" by Jane Hawking

There are many great performances this year nominated in the best actor category but none as uncanny as Eddie Redmayne's turn as Stephen Hawking in THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING. When you see him on screen, you don't see Redmayne acting as Hawking but you actually see Stephen Hawking himself. His physical transformation is astonishing but more importantly, viewers will actually experience the slow degeneration (due to ALS) of the brilliant physicist's motor skills and emotional breakdown unfolding in front of our eyes. It's painful to watch at times. By the end of the film, Redmayne's acting is only limited to his face and eyebrows but yet we can still sense his tenacity to lead a normal life. He is deserving of Best Actor in this year's Oscars. Felicity Jones' turn as his first wife is equally convincing as in the beginning, she truly believes that love will tide them over but by the end, as a caregiver, she is forced to admit defeat. The narrative presented is pretty straightforward but I'm glad that the angle the filmmakers took; rather than concentrating on theoretical physics, it focuses more on the real-life challenges of a couple faces when one of the partner is stricken with physical illness; it forces the viewers to re-evaluate the "theory of love" - to be together in sickness and health.

Rating: 8/10


 

KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE (2015)

 
Genre: Action/Comedy
Running Length: 2:08
Cast: Colin Firth, Taron Egerton, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Caine, Mark Strong, Sophie Cookson, Sofia Boutella
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Screenplay: Jane Goldman & Matthew Vaughn, based on the comic book "The Secret Service" by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons

KINGSMAN is a fast-paced high energy action flick with a morbid sense of humour. The build-up is engaging especially the no holds barred last man standing recruitment contest to select a "kingsman" (modern day knights). But the last act was a little tiresome even though the action was pretty solid. The biggest highlight to me is Colin Firth, as he makes a surprisingly suave but down-to-earth action hero. It is said that Firth did 80% of his own stunts (and fight scenes) and this is very much evident in a wtf orgy of violence sequence set in a church. Samuel L. Jackson is serviceable as the main villain; OTT with a scarily but valid motivation. I think I would have enjoyed more if it was tighter as it suffers from some pacing issues; it felt repetitive during the training sequences. If only it was shorter, it may have resulted to a possibly much stronger and more focused film. Personally, I'm beginning to enjoy older method actors (above 50) dabbling into the whole action genre ie. cast against type; Liam Neeson, Kevin Costner, Sean Penn and now Colin Firth. That's just something very "jantan" (macho) about it. 

Rating: 6/10

THE IMITATION GAME (2015)

Genre: Drama

Running Length: 1:54

Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode, Allen Leech, Matthew Beard, Charles Dance, Mark Strong

Director: Morten Tyldum

Screenplay: Graham Moore, based on the book "Alan Turing: The Enigma" by Andrew Hodges

There is nothing more painful than a broken heart especially those involving a break-up or unresolved romantic relationship. It takes a person on a seemingly endless emotional roller coaster ride. But for some, like Alan Turing in THE IMITATION GAME, it was the source of his motivation and inspiration in creating a machine (that will eventually evolved to what we called "computers" today) that will crack the German Enigma code. His work shorten WW2 by two years, thereby saving thousands of lives. The movie provides 3 glimpses into Turing's life; a rejected boy during his formative years as he was a recluse and a homosexual, the building of the code breaker and his final days before he took his own life. With such a meaty narrative and Benedict Cumberbatch playing Turing, I was expecting to be moved. I was waiting to hold back my tears towards the climax of the movie but it didn't do it for me. I didn't dislike the movie but I just thought it could have been much better under the direction of a director who has more experience in handling such material. To be fair, there were some dramatic moments. One scene came to mind where Turing and his team were faced with an impossible dilemma, right after they successfully broke the Enigma, but such scenes were few and far between. The Imitation Game is a war movie where no glorious battlefields are shown. It illustrates an important concept that is even more valid today - that mathematicians and scientists play a critical part in winning the war on terrorism. 

Rating: 7/10

BOYHOOD (2015)

Genre: Drama
Running Length: 2:45
Cast: Ellar Coltrane, Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke, Elijah Smith, Lorelei Linklater
Director: Richard Linklater 
Screenplay: Richard Linklater

"There are no grown-ups. We suspect this when we are younger...Everyone is winging it, some just do it more confidently." Pamela Druckerman

BOYHOOD was a deeply moving experience for me. When so many movies today are about nothing at all, this one is about real life itself. There's no melodrama as both adults and children are trying to figure out life. Is there more to life than getting through a series of milestones - going to school, getting a job, getting married, having kids, sending them off to further studies and finally die? Like one of the main adult cast remarked, "I just thought that there would be more."

In an era of immediate gratification, Boyhood is a game changer as it was filmed over a 12 year span with the same cast. So we literally see our main star growing up from a 6 year old boy to a young man right before our eyes. (This movie recalls Linklater's "Before" trilogy where we follow two lovers over an 18-year span, catching up with them at nine year intervals across three films). As a result, there's a documentary aspect of it as the filmmakers allow the natural aging process of its actors to organically enhance the portrayals of their characters. I initially thought this was a little gimmicky as it may distract the viewers from the story but thankfully, this coming-of-age screenplay is exceptionally well crafted. The characters in this film and the conversations they have are so easy to relate to. They could be people you know; family members, relatives, friends and even you. Linklater is a master in capturing the simplest story of everyday living; from the choice of clothes, dialogue, music used, backdrop, action and reaction. So much so when an adult loses their temper and smashes a few things in the house, I can imagine viewers who had similar experiences at home during their childhood will be shaken. It's that realistic.

The acting is overall solid. Our main "boy" star has a simple laid-back persona with a natural screen presence and throughout the movie, we can empathize and understand why he was shaped this way. The real standout here is Patricia Arquette's character, as with most moms today in urban cities, she's the one who has to take care of everything as she raised her kids as a single parent.

Because of the dedication and effort involved from the filmmakers, viewers would definitely feel something deeply after having gotten to know a family intimately (with warts and all) in a way most movies today are not capable of achieving.

Rating: 10/10

BIRDMAN (2015)

Genre: Drama/Comedy
Running Length: 2:00
Cast: Michael Keaton, Edward Norton, Naomi Watts, Andrea Riseborough, Emma Stone, Amy Ryan, Zach Galifianakis, Lindsay Duncan
Director: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu
Screenplay: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu and Nicolas Giacobone and Alexander Dinelaris and Armando Bo

BIRDMAN (subtitled Or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) is a ballsy movie. It will probably go down as one of the greatest satires of our times. The director brings a knife to a gunfight and successfully manages to stab everyone in the room. Nobody gets out alive as this razor sharp dark dramedy skewers everything in Hollywood and New York's Broadway; actors, producers, directors, critics, comic book franchises, 15 mins of fame on social media, pretentious rich and famous old farts etc. But it's not all mockery as the film also examines the crumbling and brokenness of its actors as they desperately search for significance and relevance in brutal Tinseltown. "Relevance" ahhh...Emma Stone's character delivers one of the best (and honest) monologues ever on this topic. That scene alone was worth the price of the ticket. Birdman has a lot to pack into its 2 hours but thankfully, it moves along swiftly. And speaking of that, one of the most talked-about aspect of the film is its single unbroken take (with the aid of meticulous digital editing to erase the seams). The camera never stops - tracking its actors in the premise of a Broadway theatre; through the narrow staircases, corridors, on the stage, on the roof etc. There is something happening every frame, thus making it too busy for my liking. It doesn't stop to breathe and allow moments of silence for the audience to soak in. Nevertheless, the heartbeat of the movie is its excellent performances from its ensemble of cast. Michael Keaton and Edward Norton are particularly good.

Rating: 7.5/10

Broadway theatre, more precisely between its stage, the backstage, the green rooms, the narrow and colourful corridors, the roof, and a small bar round the corner. I - See more at: http://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/birdman-movie-review-the-sound-of-my-voice/#sthash.loZPyHch.dpuf

Broadway theatre, more precisely between its stage, the backstage, the green rooms, the narrow and colourful corridors, the roof, and a small bar round the corner. I - See more at: http://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/birdman-movie-review-the-sound-of-my-voice/#sthash.loZPyHch.dpuf

Broadway theatre, more precisely between its stage, the backstage, the green rooms, the narrow and colourful corridors, the roof, and a small bar round the corner. I - See more at: http://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/birdman-movie-review-the-sound-of-my-voice/#sthash.loZPyHch.dpuf

Broadway theatre, more precisely between its stage, the backstage, the green rooms, the narrow and colourful corridors, the roof, and a small bar round the corner. I - See more at: http://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/birdman-movie-review-the-sound-of-my-voice/#sthash.loZPyHch.dpuf