Hollywood – Page 5

Movie Review: Ricki And The Flash will emotionally enrich your weekend

August 28, 2015 by Shaheen Raaj

Producers: Mason Novick & Marc Platt
Director: Jonathan Demme
Star Cast: Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline, Mamie Gummer, Audra McDonald, Sebastian Stan & Rick Springfield
Genre: Comedy Drama
Verdict: VERY GOOD

Robert Jonathan Demme is an American filmmaker, producer & screenwriter. Demme rose to prominence with his films like ‘Melvin’, ‘Howard’, ‘Swing Shift’, ‘Something Wild’, ‘Married To The Mob’, ‘The Silence Of The Lambs’, ‘Philadelphia’, ‘Rachel Getting Married’ et al.

Plot: Meryl Streep goes electric and takes on a whole new gig as a hard rocking singer / guitarist. She stars as Ricki, a guitar heroine who gave up everything for her dream of rock & roll stardom, but is now returning home to make things right with her family. She stars opposite her real life daughter Mamie Gummer, who plays her fictional daughter; Rick Springfield, takes on the role of a Flash member in love with Ricki & Kevin Kline, portrays Ricki’s long suffering ex – husband.

Aces: It’s a Meryl Streep film all the way. And it’s a delight to watch her magical performance even at this age & stage.

Minuses: The comic elements are seriously missing. The audiences may feel more of an emotional connect rather than being amused.

Last Word: An emotional trip down your nearest theatre will emotionally enrich your weekend.

Movie Review: The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is a refreshing entertainment that is worth watching

August 28, 2015 by Shaheen Raaj

Producer: John Davis, Steve Clark – Hall, Lionel Wigram & Guy Ritchie
Director: Guy Ritchie
Star Cast: Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer, Alicia Vikander, Elizabeth Debicki, Jarred Harris, Luca Calvani & Hugh Grant.
Genre: Mystery & Suspense
Verdict: Good

Guy Stuart Ritchie is a filmmaker known for his crime films like Lock Stock And Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch, Swept Revolver, RocknRolla, Sherlock Holmes and its sequel Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows and now in his latest offering The Man From U.N.C.L.E. He seems to have traversed the same mysterious path.

Plot: Guy Ritchie’s The Man from U.N.C.L.E is a fresh take on the hugely popular 1960s television series. Set against the backdrop of the early 1960s, at the height of the Cold War, The Man from U.N.C.L.E centers on CIA agent Napolean Solo (Henry Cavill) & KGB agent Illya Kuryakin (Armie Hammer). Forced to put aside longstanding hostilities, the 2 team up on a joint mission to stop a mysterious international criminal organization, which is hell bent on destabilizing the fragile balance of power through the proliferation of nuclear weapons & technology.

Aces: Guy RItchie’s in your face directorial style, that apart the cool & funny chemistry exhibited by Henry Cavill as Napolean Solo & Armie Hammer as Illya Kuryakin.

Minuses: If only it could have been more stylish & more entertaining like its TV series of the same name from which it has been adapted.

Last Word: This refreshing fare is worth watching at least once.

Movie Review: ‘The Gift’ is a spellbinding & not to be missed mysterious movie

August 22, 2015 by Shaheen Raaj

Producers: Jason Blum, Joel Edgerton & Rebecca Yeldham
Director: Joel Edgerton
Star Cast: Jason Bateman, Rebecca Hall & Joel Edgerton
Genre: Thriller Suspense
Verdict: VERY GOOD

Debutante director in his debut offering The Gift, has presented a slick thriller in lieu with the constant twists & turns that will keep the movie goers on tenterhooks.

Plot: Simon & Robyn are a young married couple whose life is going just as planned until a chance encounter with an acquaintance from Simon’s high school sends their world into a harrowing tailspin. Simon doesn’t recognize Gordo at first, but after a series of uninvited encounters & mysterious gifts prove troubling, a horrifying secret from the past is uncovered after more than 2 decades.

Aces: Joel Edgerton’s skillful directional mastery in tandem with the outstanding performance by its trinity of actors namely Jason Bateman, Rebecca Hall & director Joel Edgerton
himself.

Minuses: if only the length of the movie could have been trimmed by chopping of unwanted scenes on the editing table.

Last World: Director Joel Edgerton has come up with an excellent gift, so don’t miss The Gift at any cost.

Movie Review: Fantastic Four, topped with a lot of scientific mumbo jumbo mars the cine goers interest

August 21, 2015 by Shaheen Raaj

Producers: Simon Kinberg, Matthew Vaughn, Hutch Parker, Robert Kulzar & Gregory Goodman
Director: Josh Trank
Star Cast: Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan Kate Mara, Jamie Bell, Toby Kebbell, Reg E. Cathey & Tim Blake Nelson
Genre: Sci – Fi Adventure
Verdict: Average

Director Josh Trank has helmed the latest offering Fantastic Four a superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name. It is the 3rd theatrical Fantastic Four film and a reboot of the Fantastic Four film franchise.

Plot: So the plotted scenario of Fantastic Four recounts, a contemporary re – imagining of Marvel’s original & longest running superhero team. It centers on 4 young outsiders Reed Richards (Miles Teller), Ben Grimm (Jamie Bell), Sue Storm (Kate Mara) & Johnny Storm (Michael B. Jordan) who teleport to an alternate & dangerous universe, which alters their physical form in shocking ways. Their lives irrevocably upended, the team ultimately learns to harness their daunting new abilities & work together to save the Earth from a former friend turned enemy.

Aces: The only redeeming factor of Fantastic Four is the daringly adventurous act of its 5 main performers namely Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan, Kate Mara, Jamie Bell & Toby Kebbell.

Minuses: An amatuerish effort topped with a lot of unfathomable & undeciferable scientific mumbo jumbo which mars the cine goers interest in the long run.

Last Word: A scientific theory gone awry, so guys skip it and don’t even think of undertaking the experimental journey to the cinema halls.

Movie Review: Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation is a brilliantly crafted thrilling entertainment

August 7, 2015 by Nasheman

Banner: Bad robot Productions, Sky Dance Productions & TC Productions
Producers: J. J. Abrams, Bryan Burk, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, Don Granger & Tom Cruise
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Star Cast: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Ving Rhames, Sean Harris & Alec Baldwin
Genre: Action Adventure
Verdict: Blockbuster

Christopher McQuarrie is an American screenwriter, director & producer, besides being a regular collaborator of director Bryan Singer. And of course he has done a brilliant job of the latest “Missin Impossible” franchise.

Plot: With the IMF disbanded & Ethan (Tom Cruise) out in the cold, the team now faces off against a network of highly skilled special agents, the Syndicate. These highly trained operatives are hell bent on creating a new world order through an escalating series of terrorist attacks. Ethan gathers his team & joins forces with disavowed British agent Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson), who may or may not be a member of this rogue nation, as the group faces their most impossible mission yet.

Aces: Christopher McQuarrie’s perfect directional skills & powerhouse performances by Tom Cruise, the main protagonist, followed by Jeremy Renner & veteran actor Alec Baldwin.
Minuses: Amongst all the “Mission Impossible” franchises, ‘Mission Impossible – Rogue Nation” could have been crafted even more better as the “Mission Impossible” viewers expectations bar is rising with every sequel.

Last Word: Certainly not to be missed weekend fare for the entire family, in fact for one & all.

Movie Review: ‘The Vatican Tapes’ is a yawn inducing and a most boring stuff one has ever seen

August 1, 2015 by Shaheen Raaj

Producer: Chris Cowles, Gary Lucchesi, Chris Morgan & Tom Rosenberg
Director: Mark Neveldine
Star Cast: Kathleen Robertson, Micheal Pena, Djimon Hounsou, Dougray Scott & John Patrick Amedori
Genre: Horror
Verdict: Average

More famous for their ghostly films, the Neveldine brothers are one of the Horror Masters of Hollywood, just as the Ramsay Brothers were the Horror Masters of Bollywood. The Vatican Tapes depicts the horrific happenings in a young woman’s life.

Plot: It follows the ultimate battle between good & evil & God versus Satan. Angela Holmes is an ordinary 27 – year – old until she begins to have a devastating effect on anyone close, causing serious injury & death. Holmes is examined and possession is suspected, but when the Vatican is called upon to exorcise the demon, the possession proves to be an ancient satanic force more powerful than ever imagined. It’s all up to Father Lozano to wage war for more than just Angela’s soul, but for the world as we know it.

Aces: The demonic & the exorcism scenario.

Minuses: Quite a repetitive and boring stuff which has nothing new or much to offer.

Last Word: Director Mark Neveldine in his debut solo effort could not hold the viewers interest in the prequel, yet he has given ample hint of a sequel. Anyways go ahead and give it a miss.

Movie Review: ‘Pixels’ is the dullest fare and not at all enjoyable

July 31, 2015 by Shaheen Raaj

Producer: Adam Sandler, Chris Coloumbus, Allen Covert, Mark Radcliffe & Micheal Barnathan
Director: Chris Columbus
Star Cast: Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Michelle Monaghan, Peter Dinklage, Josh Gad, Brian Cox, Ashley Benson & Jane Krakowski
Genre: Sci-Fi
Verdict: POOR

A Dull Fare

Chris Columbus’ body of work includes the Home Alone & Harry Potter series besides of course other comedy oriented films. In his latest film Pixels he has tackled the mindset of the extraterrestrial creatures with a tongue in cheek attitude.

Plot: As kids in the 1980s, Sam Brenner (Adam Sandler), Will Cooper (Kevin James), Ludlow Lamonsoff (Josh Gad) & Eddie “The Fire Blaster” Plant (Peter Dinklage) saved the world thousands of times, at 25 cents a game in the video arcades. Now, they’re going to have to do it for real. In Pixels, when intergalactic aliens discover video feeds of classic arcade games and misinterpret them as a declaration of war, they attack the Earth, using the video games as the models for their assaults, and now US President Cooper must call on his old school arcade friends to save the world from being destroyed by PAC – MAN, Donkey Kong, Galaga, Centipede & Space Invaders. Joining them is Lt. Col. Violet Van Patten (Michelle Monaghan), a specialist supplying the arcaders with unique weapons to fight the aliens.

Aces: The only thing good about Pixels is the display of its flawless special effects.

Minuses: Bad direction topped with bad performances.

Last Word: It’s an awfully crafted movie. Can’t even recommend for kids viewing.

Movie Review: ‘South Paw’ is an absolutely forgetful fare

July 31, 2015 by Shaheen Raaj

Producer: Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal, Steve Tisch, Peter Riche, Alan Riche, Antoie Fuqua & Jerry Ye
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Star Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Forest Whitaker, Rachel Adams, Naomie Harris, Victor Ortiz, Curtis Jackson, Miguel Gomez, Oona Lawrence, Beau Knapp, Rita Ora & Clare Foley
Genre: Thriller
Verdict: AVERAGE

Antoine Fuqua is known more as an action director as he has mostly directed action films. His most famous action film is The Replacement Killers. And in his last offering South Paw too, he has delved into the same genre of filmmaking.

Plot: It tells the riveting story of Billy “The Great” Hope, reigning Junior Middleweight Boxing Champion of the World (Jake Gyllenhaal). Billy Hope seemingly has it all with an impressive career, a beautiful & loving wife (Rachel McAdams), an adorable daughter (Oona Laurence) and a lavish lifestyle. Tragedy strikes when his lifelong manager & friend (Curtis Jackson) leaves him behind, Hope hits rock bottom and turns to an unlikely saviour at a rundown local gym: Tick Willis (Forest Whitaker), a retired fighter & trainer to the city’s toughest amateur boxers. With his future riding on Tick’s guidance & tenacity, Billy enters the hardest battle of his life as he struggles with redemption to win back the trust of those he loves.

Aces: Some of the boxing scenes and riveting performances mainly by Jake Gyllenhaal & Forest Whitaker.

Minuses: The dull proceedings from “The Start” to “The End”.

Last Word: Watch it only if you have no other choice for the weekend.

Movie Review: ‘Ant-Man’ disappoints, as it is not so impressive

July 25, 2015 by Shaheen Raaj

Producer: Kevin Feige
Director: Peyton Tucker Reed
Star Cast: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Corey Stoll, Bobby Cannavale, Micheal Pena, Tip Harris, Anthony Mackie, Wood Harris, Judy Greer, David Dastmalchian & Micheal Douglas.
Genre: Fantasy
Verdict: Average

Peyton Tucker Reed is an American television & film director. He is best known for directing comedy films like Yes Man, Bring It On & The Break Up and now his latest offering is the super hero film Ant-Man. But somehow one feels that Ant-Man has failed to leave up to the expectations of the fans & cine goers of super hero films.

Plot: Armed with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, master thief Scott Lang must embrace his inner hero and help his mentor, Dr. Hank Pym, protect the secret behind his spectacular Ant-Man suit from a new generation of towering threats. Against seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Pym & Lang must plan & pull off a heist that will save the world.

Aces: The grandeur & the gloss and the huge scale on which the movie has been presented.

Minuses: Right from the word go the whole exercise seems unbelievable.

Last Word: They have served a new super hero recipe in Ant-Man now be prepared for its sequel franchised Ant-Woman.

Movie Review: ‘The Gallows’ is a spine chilling fare

July 11, 2015 by Shaheen Raaj

Producer: Jason Blum, Travis Cluff, Benjamin Forkner, Chris Lofing & Dean Schnider
Director: Travis Cluff & Chris Lofing
Star Cast: Reese Mishler, Cassidy Gifford, Ryan Shoos, Pfeifer Brown, Price T. Morgan & Alexis Schneider
Genre: Horror
Verdict: Good

Trevis Cluff & Chris Lofing are the latest director duo who have also taken refuge in the found footage sub genre, in their latest offering The Gallows, to send a chill down viewers spine and they have been fairly successful at it.

Plot: In 1993, a student of Beatrice High School named Charlie Grimille is killed in a horrific accident during the school play, called The Gallows. 20 years later, students at the school resurrect the failed show in a misguided attempt to honour the 20th anniversary of the tragedy, but a few of the students break in at night to stop the production and soon discover that some things are better left alone for good.

Aces: The fairly good directorial treatment of the director duo Trevis Cluff & Chris Lofing complemented by a good performances by the films principal actors Reese Mishler, Cassidy Gifford, Ryan Shoos, Pfeifer Brown,
Price T. Morgan & Alexis Schneider.

Minuses: its routine plot which has nothing new to offer.

Last Word: A must see movie for the scare fare fans.