Mini Movie Reviews - 2014 January to February

Pompeii - Despite 'less famous' actors and the same old storyline of just one kid escaping his tribe's slaughter (Conan the Barbarian), becoming a slave who rises against an empire with his new friend (Gladiator), when the world is about to end (2012), has to save the rich girl while being a poor slave (way too many names to name here), what's surprising is that the movie still survives the audience's doubts and finishes in an unexpectedly fine fashion. Despite taking thirty minutes to setup the movie, the good things are Kiefer Sutherland playing an erudite villain, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (the supporting actor) being more watchable than the hero (who also does an acceptable job), and despite being 'convenient storytelling', there is an element of enjoyability in the movie. Final Verdict - For once, an action movie that doesn't look like 300 (oh thank you god!). It's got some fine action sequences, an uncompromising story line which refuses to go for a happy ending and it refutes your expectations and hence, it is watchable and enjoyable. A competent director is all it takes even for a familiar storyline to give you a good time, so keep mid range expectations and if you are a weekend audience just looking for a good time or timepass, then yeah you are watching the right movie.

Her - Does modern technology, while giving you personalised service make your life more impersonal? and you more distant? You could write an essay on this movie (in a nice, cool, good way I mean). The lighting gives a sterile, cleaned-out, cold, distant look (check how far the water bottle rests to the main character, it's demarcated and distant), and the background colour makes everything irrelevant except the screen's center (only the 'real' characters). For a movie about an indecisive, sensitive guy who can write expressive love letters for others filled with feelings, but he himself is Inexpressive and doesn't feel much, then starts feeling for a computer and then proceeds sadly through all the stages of a natural relationship, you are gonna wonder how they made a movie mainly about conversations, and still managed to make it so good. Final Verdict - That red shirt is gonna become an icon soon (the yellow one ain't bad either!). Don't fall for the attempts to belittle this movie with the label of 'romantic comedy', it's not but so much more. Easily one of the best movies of the year, a social benchmark and a thought provoking, intelligent movie. Soon, you have to, you just got to, you must, spend time with Her.

The Lego Movie - it will take around 30 mins for the movie to really start but after that it becomes like somewhere some kid's imagination is now running wild. Simply because of its technical abilities & visual freshness, this is gonna get an oscar nomination for best animated film next year without any doubt. Using an average nobody 'not special' kinda guy who gets mistaken for being 'the special' to show that unleashing ur imagination & having self-confidence can make anyone a hero, it's got a smart script that throws ideas, jokes & countless things at u at a superfast speed that if u even blink u will miss something. It's got a Unique look with everything looking like u could break it & re-create it & the graphics make it more personal, more closer to u. Plus it has a Batman that takes himself so seriously that u have no choice than to laugh. Final Verdict - All the stars (chris pratt, will ferrell, morgan freeman, will arnett, liam neeson etc) are having fun with their voices in this Energetic, Visually Wonderful Movie & simply because of its technical side, it is Worth A Watch. (and ya everybody is special but Everything Is Awesome!!!)

I, Frankenstein - question, shouldn't the title actually be I, Frankenstein's Monster? well anyway... the producers of underworld copy the same colour palette from underworld, copy the same 'wannabe serious', 'pseudo- emotional' style from underworld, copy the same storyline of two large clans fighting each other from underworld (where humans get involved just like that simply) where instead of vampires vs. werewolves now it's demons vs. gargoyles. It doesn't help that the demons look like vampires who walked in from the underworld set & the gargoyles look like werewolves who walked in from the twilight set! Plus it's in useless 3D. Poor Aaron Eckhart tries so hard to keep looking serious while every single person around him acts like they already know that this is a preposterous movie & it's gonna be A Really Crap Flop. Final Verdict - the only ones who do well are the film composers who realize that this is a crap movie & add music that is kinda senti & action centric. Other than that, there is NO FUN & hence it is NOT worth your time. I, Frank-ly crap-enstein!

American Hustle - any movie this director makes these days, oscar nominations 4 everyone! but that also means due to multiple point of views, the main story never gets The Required Focus. Same problem here with Christian Bale mostly out of the picture despite his life story being the base & overall, it's the actresses who run away with the movie, so despite gaining weight etc., he's the least important here. It's slow but not boring, the movie's best thing is that u r never sure who is cheating whom? Everybody is manipulating everybody & hence u won't know whom to support. Final Verdict - when it finished, some clapped while some left before the end so no doubt, this is a divisive movie. Despite the acting flourishes & distributed laughs, overall due to the movie's improvisational feel, story feeling directionless & hence the ending feeling unremarkable etc., sadly it is Unsatisfactory aka A Complicated Mess. (P.S. It gets 'best picture' oscar nomination because it gets the 70's hair, style, costumes right, hence that 70's feel, Nothing More.)

The Legend of Hercules - sure it's got lots of drawbacks like no stars, bad cgi, over-dramatic writing, over-acting, less of the demi-god angle & more of the 'one man vs. tyrant king' thing which is like in a thousand movies, it copies from better made movies like 300 (colour, action scenes), gladiator (jealous brother, hero becomes a slave, then a popular hero, then redemption) & overall it's like a movie shot in a movie studio with minimum budget BUT the good things are that Scott Adkins who has been playing muscular sidekick for years finally gets upgraded to main villain, the hero by the end has somehow managed to beat up everything in sight & that it's short (99 minutes) so if ur not that concerned about originality, this should be Ok. Final Verdict - It's actually a greek action tv series masquerading as a movie but it doesn't bore u because it's short. If u like dumb action movies i.e. the laptop action fanatics crowd, then it is fine for Timepass. ONLY for B Movie Action Fanatics.

Tom Yum Goong 2 aka The Protector 2 - so once again Tony Jaa searches for Kohrn! (see? easiest plot description ever!). Bcoz other than Tony Jaa & the fights, nothing else is given much importance (even the elephant has like just 3 scenes!). The bad things are that RZA almost destroys the movie with his unintelligible words, bad acting & is a Really Crap final villain, most of the action sequences won't make sense logically BUT action fans don't care that much for logic & are normally the forgiving type, plus the fight scenes are fast and acceptable & there is one special sequence which shows u why u should always wear helmets which was hilariously applauded. Final Verdict - Why these guys keep wanting to steal Tony Jaa's elephant is what i don't understand?! (or why it is in eye-hurting 3D?). Though it still does sometimes become like a dvd movie, there are a few surprises here and there & as long as Tony Jaa kicks bad guys, u won't complain. There is 1 good fight between Tony Jaa & No.2, so this is a movie just for the front benchers (which is exactly where i saw it). A Timepass Action Movie.

TBA...

though it will most probably be Her. ;)

Thank you for reading Mini Movie Reviews - 2014 January to February. Hope you have enjoyed it and had a good time with my movie reviews. There are 2 opinion polls below regarding which movie you thought was the best movie and what you thought about my article of movie reviews, so please feel free to take them, comment and give your opinions. Hope to see you soon on another article about movie reviews. Have a good day and once again, thank you for reading Mini Movie Reviews - 2014 January to February.

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