Movie Review: Men In Black 3

Don't we all love to travel to the past, correct our mistakes and also see what our close are doing at that point of time? Well, that forms the basis of the latest instalment of Men In Black. In this movie, Agent J (Will Smith) travels to the past to prevent the annihilation of the world by a set of aliens and also rescue his friend/partner Agent K(Tommy Lee Jones) from death. When he reaches the past, he has a lot of things to accomplish in a short time by teaming by with an younger Agent K(Josh Brolin).

Barry Sonnenfeld is also at helm of the movie as the director just like the previous two. I never liked the series for the grotesque aliens and the abundance of slime on-screen. Add lack of an interesting plot to the recipe. This time around, the movie is watchable primarily because the script though predictable takes the viewers from one event to the next without boring them too much. Also, the odd couple, the fast talking Will Smith and nearly expressionless Josh Brolin, keeps the proceedings interesting.

Barring these plus points, there isn't much to write about. So if you are at the movies to kill time and is undecided, you can opt for this one. Otherwise, wait for it on DVD.

Language: English

Genre: Action

Rating: **

Movie Review: The Cold Light of Day

A young man arrives in Spain in order to spend a week of vacation with his family and soon thrown into an unfamiliar world of spies & espionage when his family is held hostage. Henry Cavill acts as the reluctant young man Will Shaw while Bruce Willis acts the Will's father, the primary reason for the predicament faced by Will. The movie is directed by Mabrouk El Mechri.

Mabrouk's movie is laudable for his efforts in portraying a normal man caught in a unfamiliar settings without going over the board. Clearly, Will is not suitable for the world of intrigue. He uses his instinct, common sense and stamina to dodge his persecutors. This is the good point of the movie. On the flip side, there are very few thrills and uninspired photography. The photography neither captures the beautiful setting not enhances the thrills.

Always on the run, Henry Cavill do not have to emote a lot. The veterans, Bruce Willis and Sigourney Weaver, are wasted. Bruce Willis has a miniscule role as Will's father and Sigourney Weaver has a poorly written role as the colleague of Will's father. Sigourney is choosing predictable roles of late where you know the shade of the character as soon as she appears on the screen.

This is a watchable movie but on the big screen. Wait for the DVD and save it as a distraction between your normal kind of movies.

The movie is released as "Sans Issue" in France.

Language: English

Genre: Thriller

Rating: **

Movie Review: Contraband

A former criminal, who now leads a quiet family life, is forced to go back to his previous life in order to ensure the safety of his family. This is the story summarized in one sentence. This is a theme we have seen umpteen times before. What can be a differentiating factor in such a scenarios? The answer is simple; thrills and twists. If the movie cannot provide enough thrills and twists, it falls flat. That is the reason why "Contraband" falls flat too.

Contraband directed by Baltasar Kormákur is a Hollywood adaptation of his Icelandic movie. I have not seen the original. But as a avid movie buff, it is easy to figure out the problem. The problem appears in the adaptation with too many characters with too many ulterior motives which results in uneven pace, ultimately making it a very boring enterprise. Add an uninspired casting to the list of issues. You have a total disaster in hand. The movie shows a bit of promise in the middle when the main protagonist is trying to close the deal in Panama City where nothing goes as per plan. As a result, everyone has to think on the feet. But with a lackluster editing, the entire sequence does not translate into a rush of adrenaline.

Mark Wahlberg as Chris Farraday is neither makes the viewer sympathize with his predicament nor get them hooked on to the events. Even the righteous attitude of "will not transport drugs but will transport fake currency" is absurd. There is no right or wrong. He is wrong all the way. Kate Beckinsale plays the wife of Chris. In her role, she has to lend support to her spouse while being unhappy with the situation. There isn't anything to do in this role. The biggest disappointments are in the form of Ben Foster, Giovanni Ribisi and Diego Luno. Ben and Giovanni are being typecast while Diego has a very silly role. The only member in the cast who entertains is J. K. Simmons as the captain of the ship on which Chris is transporting contraband items.

Stay away from this one.

Language: English

Genre: Thriller

Rating: *

Movie Review: Margin Call

You might have heard people shouting "greed" following the financial meltdown that precipitated in 2007. In this movie, the director J C Chandor explores this topic by showing us what might have happened during the initial days when everything plunged into the abyss. He weaves drama by drawing heavy inspiration from headlines and real-life scenarios and does a commendable job at the end.

The movie details what transpires in less than two days in a fictional investment bank just before everything went south. The movie starts with a round of layoff happening in the firm. When a junior analyst is inspired by an warning by a laid-off employee, he burns the midnight oil and cracks a puzzle that has been worrying the latter. The puzzle, when solved, reveals an ugly picture. This is where all superiors get involved to manage the situation. How they do it is again another revelation of what greed can accomplish.

The success of the movie is due to many factors. As with any drama, there is conflict. The conflict snowballs through different levels in the organization across age groups. What comes out of every performer are the raw emotions of the people trapped in comfort and success which makes this movie worthwhile to watch. The financial world is difficult to understand. The director makes it very easy to understand for everyone by cleverly placing characters in the movie which demands simpler explanation. As a result, the viewer is not lost in the proceedings. In the visuals, NY skyline plays an important role. The skyline is in the background and seen through the glass windows. But it is beautifully shot to heighten the tension unfolding in the foreground.

It is a director's movie. The director has able support from seasoned players like Kevin Spacey, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, Demi Moore and Stanley Tucci. The relatively new Zachary Quinto also puts in a good performance.

Go for it.

Language: English

Genre: Drama

Rating: ****

Movie Review: Dark Shadows

Tim Burton and Johnny Depp collaborate once again to tell us the story of man who is freed 200 years later, after being cursed to become a vampire. On reaching his manor in Maine after being freed, the vampire Barnabas Collins(Johnny Depp) finds his manor in ruins and family business in shambles. Now, Barnabas has not only to restore the past glory and wealth but also to unite the dysfunctional family now headed by the matriach Elizabeth(Michelle Pfeiffer). If this is not enough, he has his reincarnated version of his former lover and also the witch Angelique Bouchard(Eva Green), who in the first place is the real reason for the current plight of the Collins family, to deal with.

Based on a popular TV series, the movie has an interesting premise. Tim Burton, who has a flair for weird visuals, also is the right person to adapt to this big screen. But as a whole, the movie does not succeed to hold your attention. The best part of the movie is what Tim Burton has always been good at - makeup and visuals which blends CGI effectively. The underlying theme is revenge, regaining love and also the importance of family. Barnabas has a lot to do when he is freed from captivity. Instead of accomplishing these, Barnabas seems to be wasting time meandering from one interest to another which become tedious to watch. The movie is set in 1972 to give a retro look and also invoke laughter at the expense of the various characters - Barnabas is 200 years old than the rest and the rest of the characters is 40 years older than viewer. But this attempt is too feeble to tickle our funny bone. Another drawback of the movie is the viewer reminded to the previous collaboration of Burton and Depp. The makeup and the settings are very similar to some of the previous movies that you end up wondering if you are seeing something new or a rehash of the previous ones.

The performances have nothing to write about. Johnny Depp tries to be different. Eva Green has the ability to make James Bond search for the truth with determination (in the latest trilogy). But as a witch, she fails. Michelle Pfeiffer is the one who is perfectly cast. Since we don't see her often these days on the screen, the cards are in her favour. Christopher Lee has nothing to offer in an insignificant short role.

Skip it!

Language: English

Genre: Drama

Rating: *