The Accountant (2016)

After a long hiatus from blogging for my "I'm a Movie Buff" blogspot, I thought I'd review The Accountant. There are a few reasons for this.

1. I watch too many TV shows and movies. So, my opinion must matter ;) 
2. I was home alone and had to make the most of it. 
3. I took the trouble of going solo to the movie and it was a complete let down. I can stop other's from rushing to the theatre with this blog.

I landed at the theatre, on time, after shopping for some beauty products and being coaxed into wearing cat-eye makeup at Health & Glow. I sat down with a comforting tub of Caramel Popcorn (I had vowed to never let malls fleece me by selling me popcorn at ridiculous prices but that went down the drain when I saw popcorn). My neighbours were two separate groups of men. I avoided peeking at them to avoid eye contact. Very few people go to the movies by themselves. I wonder why that is. It is so enjoyable. No need to share your food and drink or make intelligent comments about the movie. I can do that later when I blog,

The movie started off promising to be a thought-provoking story about an autistic boy who had special skills but slowly it made Ben Affleck's character (Wolff) too heavy ...autism, ex-military, crazy mathematician (who scribbles on walls), deviously brilliant accountant for innocent citizens & drug cartels who need to evade tax or bury money, vigilante with super-human combat skills, a convict, etc. There were flashbacks of his father, his brother, his time at an institute for special kids and a maximum-security prison. The goal was that it would somehow explain Wolff. Throughout the movie, I wondered where his brother is now and who the computerized voice-on-the-phone is. I silently prayed that Wolff wasn't a computer genius as well and that he had not created some Artificial Intelligence to have dynamic conversations with him. I'd have felt like a loser if he was that too. Meanwhile, there's the Treasury department looking for the mysterious Accountant because he is consistently seen with all the bad guys. There's also another present-day story where Wolff is asked to investigate some lousy numbers at Living Robotics and he meets Anna Kendrick. Her character is nothing unusual. It's just Anna Kendrick being what she is usually like in all her movies. High pitched. Look, I'm getting a little tired explaining all this. So, I'll cut short.  
**Spoiler alert** In the end, Wolff discovers that his brother is the one trying to assassinate him and the Voice is the autistic girl at the institute for special children, the one who has no social skills and is always in panic, but is a genious (she too?) with a super-computer. The narrator tried to say something very profound at the end (to compensate for the madness that he led us into)... something about "our understanding of what normal is". The audience and I did manage to laugh a little at some dry jokes because that was our only hope for paisa-vasool.

My final verdict. Wait for it to show up on Netflix or whatever your content source is.

Krrish 3

Well, I'm not sure if it was the overdose of Caramel in my popcorn or if it was this all-in-one, Super-hero concoction, but I felt a little drained after spending 2+ hours at the theatre. My time would have been better spent with an over-heated macbook on my lap and playing reruns of random TV shows (like Veronica Mars). However, I ended up chaperoning 5 kids and one adult to the first-day-first-show of Krrish 3. Now, I'm glad I fast-tracked to part-3 of the franchise and missed it's prequels, Krrish 1 & 2. In case you're wondering, you can too and you'll still get it... that there's nothing to get! There was some hint of a Krrish 4 but I'll keep my finger crossed to the contrary.

Mutant experiments gone bad! That was my first thought as Kaal (Vivek Oberoi) introduced his creations at the beginning of the movie. Kaya (Kangana Ranaut) looked hot in tight suits, yet all of them looked a bit unsure about the supposedly deadly, hot-looking mutants they were portraying. However, Vivek Oberoi convincingly looked and played the part of an evil, eccentric, billionaire with metal-bending powers. Hmmm... Have we seen that before? Why did this billionaire make himself a make-shift metal suit instead of a designer, custom-made outfit? Couldn't he have afforded a better outfit than Krrish who was wrapped in what looked like Black garbage bag? Neither did Kaal bother to cover his man-parts under the armor as my male friend observed and pointed out to me several times. It's really not the way to score with women, man!

All the junk food I stuff myself with could not help me forget that I wasn't supposed to be here and that I would have never given a single thought to buying myself tickets to a movie where Everything is crammed. Like, take it all! Full paisa wasool! Full paisa wasool, my ass!

There's this scene where Krrish rescues a small boy from falling from the top of a building. Instead of bringing the boy down immediately, he perches him up on a window shade (high up and not far down from where he was first dangling) and talks about how "Krrish" exists in all of them. If I were the kid's mom, I'd have knocked Krrish on the head for not bringing my boy straight to me after such a terrible ordeal.

I also wondered this. Why do deadly, female characters in tight spandex stand like this? Unrelaxed and on the edge? Well, it wouldn't be cool to stand like this! 

The whole movie is forgettable. Hrithik Roshan, Priyanka Chopra (who is just phasing between hot-in-tiny-clingy-dress to pregnant-mom-in-fully-covered-chicken-work-kurta or maybe that's what's called "versatile"), Kangana Ranaut (who's evil character "unexpectedly" falls in love with Krishna and who discovers that being good is better appreciated than being bad), all of them, forgettable! Alright, I'm done. I'm not giving any more thought to this movie after this blog.

So, are you gonna see it? Did I make myself clear?

Man of Steel

After a long while, here's a movie review for a movie that inspired me to blog.

I did not know that a man named 'Henry Cavill' existed. And he's the new Super-man. OMG! He's hot! Shame on me. I call myself a 'movie buff' with a capital F and I did not know him on screen.

Man of Steel! When you walk into a super-hero movie, you wonder what's going to be different, this time. You walk out learning that not much is. A super-hero movie is about a man who is handsome, strong(est), different (or weird), noble and all-things-good personified. But, like every ordinary man, he needs love. So, there's a wide-eyed woman whom he must rescue while saving the rest of the world. Ok, that's not ordinary. Doesn't happen in my world. Also, all super-heroes are americans and almost always end up destructing in New York where there are, understandably, several skyscrapers to crash. Good always persists over evil. Civilians are always stupid. Because, they gape while a 100 story-building is coming down on them or when a gigantic space-ship is (obviously) about to open its claws and release very powerful laser into the ground where they stand. What else? Aliens are the weirdest. The suits just get more ridiculous. The technology in their world is way too advanced to be real. The spaceships look like crustaceans.

Scenes I liked...

• There's a scene where, after Super-man hits the sky, a lieutenant is smiling as her commander returns after talking to Super-man. Her commander asks her, 'What are you smiling at?'. She says, 'I was just thinking that Super-man's hot'. I wanted to shout, 'Yeah! Damn right he is'. I didn't have the guts, though. :(
• All the fight sequences which are intense because the super-characters are flying at supersonic speeds, smashing and blasting buildings.
• Diane Lane's character tells her son, Super-man, 'Nice suit, son'. It must hurt a mom's eyes to see a son in (tight) spandex.
• All the scenes where Henry Cavill is in closeup, tall and muscular. Did I tell you, he's hot?

Scenes I don't like...

• All the scenes where Super-man and Lois Lane are looking deep into each other eyes.
• The scene with pods where babies are artificially bred. It reminded me of 'The Matrix'. Not original.
• The scene where Russell Crow flies his personal, pre-historic dragon-thingy. It reminded me of the 'Avatar' movie. Again, not original.
• The scenes where Krypton's bureaucrats, sitting on their ass and wearing ridiculous head-gear, discuss the fate of their planet. This reminded me of 'Star Wars'.
• The scene where Russel Crow's character explains to Super-man, who he is and where he comes from. As if Super-man can't understand English, there's a weird, metallic, simulation of Super-man's legacy playing around them both. As if, we (audience) can't understand English too. 

Despite my abundant sarcasm, I do like super-hero movies. I love Hollywood movies. I love knowing what I'm in for. None other than Hollywood makes me feel as good when I walk out, smiling about all the things I liked and disliked in the movie.

I always come out (from a theater) asking myself these profound questions.

• Why is it necessary to have a love-angle in an action movie? Can a super-hero not survive without a woman by his arms? So, who's the super-hero? He or she?
• Mockery aside, what is it that makes me feel stronger as I walk out? Why do I feel like blowing my chest out and thrusting my fist into something (bad)? What is the movie feeding my brain to release my endorphins.
• Why do they show Chinese and Indians in a scene where aliens send a message to the world? Yeah, I know the answer to that one. 
• Why did I eat so much junk and drink so much Pepsi?

:)

DON 2

Don! It's a very powerful word that depicts a very powerful man. And a very powerful man is a every man's and every woman's fantasy. No wonder that both Don and Don 2 have worked well at the box office. The trick is simply to bring what everyone fantasizes about, to reel. Not to mention that the director, Farhan Akhtar, does whatever he does very well.

I am not an action junkie. So, this movie did not generate excitement within me (except that I am contemplating getting a 'D' tattoo on my arm just like Don). But, it did for all my friends who loved the man, Shah Rukh and all his charming gimmicks (I do too). They even compared Don 2 to Mission Impossible 3 and claimed that the former was better. As for me, I did crush some nachos and pop-corn in my mouth while I watched SRK in Armani suits and Priyanka in fitted tanks and pants. We all watched the six packs on the screen while we had our family packs on our lap. :)

Like most action movie of the crime genre, there is a very elaborate plan to rob something and become even richer. And the plan heavily depends on hacked surveillance and systems information. Is everything really available by clicking on a computer? I tend to think not. The movie continues to show a secret, unfulfilled romance between Don and Roma. So sad! Roma's just wasting her life yearning for a man who is nothing but a myth. Don 2 doesn't fail to throw in some surprises for the audience, some of which we may have figured out though. And you'll get no points for figuring out how the movie ends. After-all, "Don Ko Pakadna Mushkil Nahi...".

Dookudu (2011)

Daring and Dashing. The words are so apt for this young Hero (Mahesh Babu) in a fitting police suit.

Let me tell you about the story first. Shankar Narayan (Prakash Raj) is an idealistic politician in Hyderabad who thinks and does good for his people and the people love him back. But, rival politician and a Mumbai gangster, Nayak (Sonu Sood) plot together and assassinate the good man. Years later, Shankar Narayan's son, Ajay (Mahesh Babu) picks up his father's traits, to become an IPS officer with incredible records. He is just a chip of the old block and much more i.e. daring and dashing. So, he devises his own plots and sub-plots to avenge everyone who was involved in his father's demise. How could an officer from the IPS, devise such fraudulent schemes such as reality shows with third-rate actors is beyond me. But, thats the best plan he could adopt for dramatic politicians and gangsters like the ones in Dookudu. The politicians, gangsters, reality show actors and even the IPS officers give comic relief to the audience amidst the blood and gore. The theatre around me resounded with happy laughter from the funny dialogues and antics of the actors.

The hero, whom my friend recommended was the reason I tagged along with my friends to see the movie. He looked dashing and very casual in checked shirts, which he wore throughout the movie. But, I liked him best when he donned his police suit (towards the very end of the movie), because he is a police man afterall (who is on a secret mission and hence, the fashionable clothing). Mahesh Babu has undergone some transformation from his earlier days! Today he looks better and his styling works because women like bad boys. Just see his before-after pictures on Google images.

The heroine (Samantha Ruth Prabhu), while pretty is only lip gloss to this movie. Her designers made very pretty clothes for her and we all hope to copy them soon. Ofcourse, we'll look only quarter as good as her, with corsets to control the flab and no padding to help us achieve that hour glass figure. :)

The songs, they are meant to be heard and enjoyed in a theatre. The only one that stuck and keeps drumming in my ears is the night-club soundtrack (Puvvai Puvvai) which featured an even more beautiful woman (Parvati Melton) dancing opposite Mahesh Babu. Her google images are not as flattering as her appearance and performance in the song, which I (and many men) enjoyed very much.

The violence is never ending in this very long movie. I waited, not very patiently, for the intermission because I had felt as much tired and beaten as the villains had been. During violent fight sequences, I resorted to covering my eyes and ears with my sticky fingers (they were sticky from eating Nachos, Cheese and Salsa).

Overall, I'd say I enjoyed this movie with my friends. And the rest of the audience loved it much more than I did because I had a disadvantage which others didn't.

This was my first Telugu movie and I don't know the language. :)

Green Lantern (2011)

I love "super hero" movies. They show men in very good light ;)

I had to watch "Green Lantern" because I like Ryan Reynalds. When I found that he had married Scarlette Johannson, I didn't appreciate it. And when I found out that he had indeed divorced her, I was pleased. Ofcourse, I wonder why his marital status should even matter to continue long distance fascination. :)

"Green Lantern" isn't in the same class as other super-hero movies like Superman or Spiderman. It is based on comic book series, "All American Comics". Ryan Reynalds looks awesome and well-toned in the green suit. The story goes like this.

Hero is promising but a loser.
Hero is entrusted with a power that gives him responsibility.
Bad man enters.
Save the world and get the girl.

There you have it, folks. Please judge for yourself whether you want to see it.

Five Fingers (2006)

"Five Fingers" is not a well-known movie. I never heard of it until I read a review of it on the Economic Times. It had a favorable review and good actors such as Lawrence Fishburne and Ryan Phillppe. I can't tell too much about the story because this a suspense thriller and I'll just spoil your movie experience. 

Ryan's character comes to Morocco to assist in a charity food program. He has 1 million dollars from an unknown donor. In Morocco, he is kidnapped and the kidnappers torture him to find out his true identity. To know more about this story, you'll just have to watch it. I'll just say, you'll be surprised. 

I liked it but won't tell you that it was mind-blowing or use any other flattering adjectives. Watch it and tell me about other movies similar to this.

The Adjustment Bureau

Hmmm, this movie is a romantic thriller. Apparently. I just don't buy that a man will yearn and wait (for years) for a woman he happened to meet in a men's room. Granted, men are very often taken in by opinionated, spunky women, not realizing that the very same attributes will get on their nerves after the honeymoon ends.

Anyway, this has a very odd story that was adapted from a book. There are a group of men (likened to Angels) who wear hats and govern people, their emotions, decisions and the paths that their lives take. There is even someone who is called The Chairman (likened to God) who has the ultimate authority over human lives. I'm not sure if it includes other life forms. Or perhaps, only those with the 6th sense need some governing.

Matt Damon plays a politician who has a promising career that could lead him to the White House. He meets a woman (Emily Blunt) and falls in love with her. But, the men in hats don't approve and try to persuade him to give her up. Don't worry. True love will prevail.
Ok, I didn't enjoy this movie. I think Angels have better things to do than handcuff a man who is adamant to meet some woman. After all, life on earth flourishes due to procreation and higher beings cannot object to that.

The Whistleblower

I'd wanted to watch "The Whistleblower" which released this year, but I couldn't find a copy that included subtitles. There are some scenes where Bosnian and Serbian languages are spoken and I doubted that perhaps there were too many of those for me to follow. But, there are only a few such scenes and you can get by without understanding them fully.

Human trafficking. It is a reality, that I sometimes can't grasp because I live in a very safe world. But, there are places that are too dark and evil, and some people, even some very young, get caught in this unnatural world. Inspired by true events (read the news article), the movie goes on to show you what happened in Bosnia when a female police officer discovered sex trafficking and that the peace keeping forces were either playing blind or were directly involved.
When you read about human trafficking, one thing emerges commonly. The people you trust are almost always the people who get you involved in it. The people who are supposed to protect you, help you, are almost always the people who rip your life apart.
"The Whistleblower" is well done and explains to a small extent, the evil happening at large.

FROZEN

Frozen is a story of three young people, whose lives take a deadly swing when they decide to ski one last time before the snowy slopes close for the week. Just three actors and they are all that the movie requires to keep you frozen to your seat. The background score compliments their dire situation and everything that you see in the movie could happen to anyone in a cold place. The movie didn't make much at the box office but that does not indicate its ratings by any means.

Friends with Benefits (2011)

I should be doing things of consequence now (you know, utilize my time better) but this is what movie buffs do when they get some time. They watch movies! And so, I watched "Friends with Benefits" starring Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake. This is another romantic comedy which does not deviate from the template that most romantic comedies follow. The concept of friends allowing each other to be unattached lovers is not new this year. It has already been explored in "No Strings Attached" which wasn't vastly entertaining either. There, I have slyly told you what my opinion on this movie is. Still, I am not unhappy at having watched it once.

I think a friend could make a great partner in a romantic relationship even if it turns out to be a fleeting romance. I think it's healthy for people to explore possibilities (i.e. relationships) with real friends. Because, if you don't experience, couldn't you end up on a long march towards "till death do us part"?

One Fine Day (1996)

One fine day, a man and a woman meet. At first, they dislike each other only to "like" each other very much, a few hours later. However, these aren't two single people as you usually see them in romantic comedies. Luckily for these characters, they are both recently divorced and have a child each. I think, this is a great package. Sure, they come with some emotional baggage. But, at least, they've learnt a thing or two from a previous marriage and are less likely to commit the same mistakes. Right?

Why is it that female protagonists are almost always written to be control freaks and men are depicted as carefree and childlike? Because, it is true? But, is this how couples always are in relationships? Opposites of each other, at least in certain matters? Anyway, I think this polar difference is quite annoying if you have to live with it. Why did God bring men from Mars and women from Venus? Why!
Coming back to the movie, it's a fine romantic comedy. Michelle Pfeiffer is beautiful and Clooney is extremely charming. I'd seen this movie a long time ago. But, I saw it through experienced eyes recently and hence, the review of this 1996 movie. If you haven't seen it before or if you are hunting for a virtual romance, try this one.

Norma Rae (1979)

I read the article "30 Must See Movies for B-School Student" on The Economic Times (6 August 2011) and I was intrigued. I thought "Wow, I can learn something from watching movies? Super!".

So, I'm starting with "Norma Rae", for which, Sally Field won the Academy award among others. You can learn that sometimes it takes one person such as Norma Rae, a young mother with two children and a string of bad boyfriends, to help form a union for the stressed workers of a textile company in a small town. It takes perseverance and grit to lead the way. Anyone can shake things up and be a leader if they had the stomach for it. It also helped that Norma had a supportive family behind her while she did what she felt was right (in the case of the union) and what she felt like she wanted (in the case of her relationships). This was a time when women were not considered quite equal and a (bad) reputation sticks for life. I like the scene when her tired dad tells her that he'd come over and take her for a nice dinner since they hadn't seen each other for a while. I like the scene when Norma tells her young children about her past and their respective dads knowing that tongues would wag after her night at jail. I like the scene when Norma's husband tells her that he is going to watch her grow old if she'd gotten herself in jail and had made her only call to somebody else.
The movie initially reminded me of "North County", which is about the happenings of a woman in a male dominated industry, but the subject was quite different. Norma Rae made a good movie on a quiet, rainy afternoon. Enjoy it, if you can.

DELHI BELLY (2011)

Because I'm not a fan of crude comedy, Delhi Belly didn't make me want to hit the theaters after its theatrical release. But, some good reviews from friends and my partner (who watches movies very selectively) prompted me to give it a watch. I pulled my cousin along, who being on a two-month long vacation, needs regular dozes of entertainment. Otherwise, he resorts to napping often during the day. He was skeptical about this Bollywood comedy and was unsure that it would suffice as entertainment on an already dull afternoon. So, we both sat down without high expectations for this 95-minute movie that has no intermission for a bathroom or a snack break.

Having watched the movie, I applaud this production from Aamir Khan. Delhi Belly reinforces one's belief that AK is a perfectionist who makes few but good movies. The movie grabs your attention right from its opening credits which start by showing you the squalid apartment of 3 bachelors who get entangled (by accident) in shady business as the movie progresses. What's interesting about this movie is that its makers have made it as vulgar as things sometimes are and yet, you can unabashedly laugh over this comedy of errors. For example, constipation can usually draw some laughs from the audience. Fart sounds are just extremely funny to us humans. But the movie makers pushed this a little further and didn't hesitate to show you a stool sample, as well. Heh! O.K. Before you decide that this is really dirty, stop! The story requires it and its all part of the comedy. I watched the movie in English and I wasn't disappointed with the dialogues. I wouldn't have understood its Hindi version, anyway. All the actors seem to have been carefully chosen for the movie. All of them, except Imran Khan are either fresh faces or character artists who've only done smaller, insignificant roles earlier. The soundtracks and the background scores are all very, very good, stimulating pieces of music, especially Saigal Blues. Love it!

My thumbs are all up for this movie! Hit it!

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara

ZNMD will catch your attention when you look at its poster. What a great, good-looking cast, Zoya Akhtar roped in! I've been waiting for it to release since the soundtracks started airing on 9XM. My enthusiasm for this movie was so high, I grabbed a bunch of tickets a day before it released, for the 2nd day show and headed out with friends, all eager to spend an evening with like-minded souls or ogling at Katrina. Even a 3-year old kiddo was eager to see Katrina Kaif. She is amazingly beautiful and its a double treat watching her on the big screen. Ofcourse, the male actors aren't far behind either. Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar and Abhay Deol, they are all handsome, chiseled, cool (not simply because one of them shows off a black Apple Macbook) and attractive. Abhay is the only guy who didn't bear his chest while Hrithik and Farhan show plenty of well-toned skin. ;)

So, the story of ZNMD is not unusual. It's a story about three friends going on a journey (extended bachelor party before one of them weds Kalki Koechlin's character) and discovering more about themselves and life. Because they are mostly wealthy, they go to Spain for a few weeks. Almost everything about their journey, experiences, conversations and the relationships they share are very real and identifiable. With friends, you share everything and yet, you still keep some secrets. With friends, you tell what you think, even if they hate you for it. You're friendship runs deep but sometimes you hold a grudge for some bad deed. You have different opinions and you argue. You share many experiences and you laugh over it. You form a tight circle that formed, probably, from your childhood. You are not brothers or sisters, but you know each other very well. You are not thick as blood but water flows easily.

There is not much drama in the movie. So you won't see sloppy sentiments or a battle between good and bad. ZNMD will take you on a journey with these wonderful and beautiful actors and remind you of what you've done with friends. Or maybe, it will prod you to embark on a such a journey with your buddies. Either ways, you just might enjoy it. I did. It's running in theaters now but it's bad timing due to Mumbai blasts. God bless the people of Mumbai.

TROY

"Troy" is one of those movies you can watch over and over again because there are so many interesting characters, each so different from one another and together they make up a great story adapted from Homer's legend.

There is Agamemnon, a greedy king who created wars just to carve a larger, ever expanding Greece on his map. He would say the word "peace" as if he were spitting. He would bellow "burn Troy" and laugh at the destruction only to celebrate his victory.

Hector, the wise and brave prince of Troy (played by Eric Bana) wanted to protect his country and his family. He would rather have lived a simple life, watching his son grow than kill other sons on the battle field. 

Paris is the young prince of Troy, because of whom the story begins. He thought love was enough to ruin his country and bring soldiers to Troy's beaches.





Helen of Sparta, who later came to be called Helen of Troy, has beauty that is legendary. She runs away from her vulgar husband, Menelaus, only to bring grief to Troy.

Priam, the king of Troy who, unlike his son is superstitious and unwise and thought that listening to the priest and his omens would bring victory to his country and protect his people. Hector warned him not to attack while the Greeks sorted their issues on Troy's beaches. Paris warned him to burn Poseidon's offering from the Greeks. But, Priam wouldn't listen to wise counsel.

Breseis is a royal princess and cousin to Hector and Paris. She chose to be a priestess but fate led her to worship Achilles instead. She teaches him that glory is not glorious if killing is the means to it.

And then, there's Achilles, the seeker of glory, the bravest of men, most talented of warriors. This character is aptly played by Brad Pitt and no other man could have. If Achilles did look like Brad, why did the people worship Greek gods when there was Achilles on land? Hector and Achilles, could have been brothers because both were valiant and courageous. Achilles was wild and fierce while Hector was wise and noble. But, Achilles's anger and Hector's error got in the way of a better life.

There are so many brilliant, sometimes sad moments in the movie. You must watch the opening scene which also introduces Achilles and the fight sequence between Hector and Achilles which displayed more of latter's signature strike and stance. There's a scene where Priam pleads with Achilles, to let him take his son's body home. When Achilles whispers "I'll see you soon, brother" to Hector's dead body, you'll drop a tear along with Achilles. There are many other interesting scenes. I almost know all the scenes well and each time I watch, I look for something that I missed earlier. You can also learn a little bit about battle strategy of yore. Somehow, history's battle techniques seem a lot more heroic than today's guns and bombs.

If you haven't watched the movie or rerun it recently, get a chance to do it.

Insidious

I didn't know what the word "insidious" meant until I looked it up after watching the movie. And now, I understand why they named the movie so. Insidious means "awaiting a chance to entrap".

I can't tell you much about the movie without taking all the thrill out of watching it. It got an A- on Yahoo user ratings and my friend thought it was scary. So, I took a chance. See, I love horror movies or so I thought until I watched the "Exorcist" movies. After watching them, I kept the light on for many days and would hear the spine-chilling voice of the movie's demon. But there are other horror movies that have come and gone and have not left a lasting effect on me. Most horror movies are repetitive with a similar storyline. You know, it is about a haunted house or of demonic possession or about the undead, etc. Insidious was all that but still managed to be a little different. Sometimes, even the repetition works if it manages to scare the audience. Was it thrilling? Yes. But, not by showing green vomit and hoarse voices.

So, go ahead and take a chance on this horror.

The Proposal

Ofcourse, you have watched this movie already, right? If not, come on! What are you waiting for? This is my current  #1 favorite movie in the romantic comedy genre with my #1 all-time favorite actress starring in it, Sandra Bullock. I am writing this review on "The Proposal" long after I watched it for the first time and after many more reruns of it. My movie blog is incomplete without it.
Sandra Bullock is a great actress and she looks good in this movie despite being in her 40s. Wow! She is 46 now and that makes me worry because I'd like to see her starring in a lot more romantic comedies. I hope that she retains her youthfulness and charm for years to come. In this movie, she stars alongside Ryan Reynolds who is 34 years old. That's a huge age difference but you feel no trace of that as you watch this fun movie about a ruthless publisher and her assistant who is blackmailed to marry her, so that she can retain her visa status in the States.

I love so many scenes in this movie and never tire of watching it all over again. I love the guy who plays Sitka's exotic dancer cum storekeeper cum bartender cum wedding officiant. I love the granny who fakes a heart attack to hush her warring son and grandson. I love Sandra's dance around the fire and her wacky 'chant'. I love the names chosen for the protagonists, Andrew and Margaret. Classic. I love it when Andrew races up the stairs, loosening his tie, to look for Margaret who left him "wifeless" at the altar. I love the scene where Sandra drops a dime to dial into Sitka's Internet connection and the archaic modem tones that she wonders about. Ok, I can go on and on.
Just go and watch it, alright!

Trust (2011)

As I promised, this isn't a review about another romantic comedy. This is a drama about a serious subject that not many people accept as a reality.
"Trust" goes through how pedophiles lure young children into believing that they are "friends" who understand them. How parents react when they find out they had no inkling of what was going on, right in front of them all the while. How the child is groomed by the molester and comes to believe that nothing wrong happened and that he (the pedophile) isn't to be blamed, until that nagging feeling of guilt and violation comes to light.

What might surprise you is that pedophiles aren't what you picture them to be. They don't necessarily have crooked, stained teeth with lecherous eyes. They are among us, as teachers, counselors and in other such respectable positions. They have access to children. The last scene in the movie shows you that.

Karmayog.org lists some statistics from India about child molestation. The numbers are quite alarming and the statistics are not in favor of our children. Don't assume that statistics are just a manipulation of numbers and only represent a sample group. If anything, it could only be the tip of an iceberg.

Marry Me

Yea, I know. I've been watching too many romantic comedies and maybe, you're bored reading about them. I promise, my next review will cover another genre. "Marry Me" is not a movie you can catch in the theaters because it's made for home viewing i.e. LifeTime. So, I didn't think it would entertain much when I started to play it. But, Lucy Lui plays the lead and I wanted to while away some more of my time. Besides, romantic comedies simulate artificial glow for sometime. :) It comes in two parts and stretches to about 3 hours or so. But, fear not, it does entertain. The comedy is good, the timing is good and you can laugh a bit while Ray, Lucy Lui's character, searches for her fairy tale to happen and people try to tell her that she'll only end up an old maid.
Are there any girls/women who don't dream about the fairy tale? I don't mean castles and prince's (although it did happen for Kate Middleton). Ofcourse, a pauper wouldn't do either. Doesn't everyone (i.e. from the female species) dream about finding a loving, affectionate, chivalrous, handsome male, who'll sweep her off her feet, whisk her to beautiful locations and shower her with beautiful gifts. I think it must be the influence of movies and books that make women wish for this fairy tale cos' it sure doesn't happen in real life. By the way, I do wonder, what do men want? Do they have an equivalent of this fairy tale? Or are they just unconsciously looking for a woman who'll do all their work. :)
Back to the movie... so, that's what the movie is about. Ray gets dumped by her boy friend and worries if her fairy tale will ever happen. And then all of a sudden, she gets a lot of male attention. But which one is the one that she wants? Like I said earlier, it is entertaining. So, give it a shot.