Year: 2014
Genre: Biography, war drama
Director: Clint Eastwood
Plot: A biography of Chris Kyle, a Navy SEAL sniper who has been credited with over 160 kills during his four tours in Iraq.
The gist: I've heard about the controversy surrounding this movie, about how it makes Muslims look bad. Honestly, I don't see that aspect here. I can understand how some people may look at it that way, but I chose to focus on the story and the man in question, which is what viewers should do.
This is the story of the late Chris Kyle, a Navy SEAL sniper who did four tours in Iraq, and was known as a legend among his peers. The film tells it from his childhood briefly before showing how he was a Texan cowboy who eventually decided to stop riding rodeo horses and serve his country as a soldier.
Director Clint Eastwood focuses most of the film on his four tours in Iraq and how he was determined to hunt members of Al-Qaeda, particularly a sniper named Mustafa. In between, Eastwood inserts scenes of Kyle at home with his wife Taya and how his career affects their relationship.
The good: Bradley Cooper is splendid as Chris Kyle, bulking up and training hard to look the part as well as portray a man who is dedicated to serving his country and protect his fellow men. Sienna Miller is also quite good as his wife, Taya. Also noteworthy are the battle scenes, and a few of the sniper scenes can be downright tense.
The bad: It almost feels like the film merely scratches the surface of the real Chris Kyle's story. Was he merely a loyal and dedicated soldier who just wants to help his men? Was his only regret being unable to save the men who died fighting next to him? The story feels almost too perfect. But some actual footage of Kyle's funeral which Eastwood inserts at the end is a nice touch, as it shows how much the American people loved him.
Verdict: It's a good biography movie, but not exactly Clint Eastwood's best work. Bradley Cooper is commendable though. (7/10)
Year: 2008
Genre: Sports drama
Director: David Mamet
Plot: A jiu-jitsu instructor is forced to take part in a prize bout, against his own principles, when circumstances leave him in a financial quandary.
The gist: This film is written and directed by veteran writer David Mamet, known for penning The Edge and The Untouchables, among others. Redbelt focuses on jiu-jitsu, a martial art that Mamet himself is a master of.
The story follows Mike Terry, a jiu-jitsu instructor who trains and educates his students on the art and some wisdom, mostly for free. Then suddenly Mike finds himself in dire straits after two encounters: one with a lawyer who accidentally smashes his dojo window, and another with a struggling movie star who seeks to hire his services. Eventually his finances take a dive and he's forced to do something he once refused to do: compete in a prize fight.
The film is actually more philosophical and dramatic than action oriented overall. Mamet focuses his story on the idea that there isn't a situation one can't get themselves out of, which is what Mike tries to impart on his students, and what he has to do when faced with his own troubles.
The good: It has a strong cast, with Chiwetel Ejiofor putting in solid work as Mike Terry. Home Improvement star Tim Allen actually plays it serious here as movie star Chet Frank, and does it well too. Other performances from the supporting cast such as Alice Braga, Emily Mortimer and Max Martini are also worth mentioning.
The bad: The film's execution is as simple as it gets. No lengthy fights, no complicated monologues. Even the final fight involving Ejiofor and the film's villain isn't flashy at all, and is over pretty quick.
Verdict: Redbelt isn't a film for entertainment, but more for drama and philosophy. At best, you can learn something from it. (7/10)
Year: 2014
Genre: Animation
Directors: Don Hall & Chris Williams
Plot: Hiro Hamada, a young genius who loses his brother to a fire, bonds with his late sibling's last invention, a health care robot named Baymax. He then teams up with the robot and his brother's friends to catch the man who caused the fire that killed his brother.
The gist: The film is based on a Marvel comic of the same name, but slightly changed. To its credit, the film is entertaining enough as a whole, but doesn't have as much heart as the kind of stuff Pixar is known for.
The story follows Hiro as he bonds with his late brother's robot Baymax. One of Hiro's inventions, microbots that can take any form imaginable, was stolen by someone who killed his brother. So Hiro upgrades Baymax to a super fighting robot and teams up with his brother's friends to nab the man.
The good: The animation is superb and the action sequences are well executed, particularly the final fight. Baymax also deserves credit as one of the most lovable Disney characters you'll ever see. In fact, he's the main reason this film succeeds.
The bad: Other than the bond between Hiro and Baymax, the film doesn't have an underlying theme that would make it memorable.
Verdict: Big Hero 6 is great fun, especially for kids. But adults might forget this movie pretty quick. (7/10)
Year: 2014
Genre: Action adventure
Director: Nick Powell
Plot: A former knight from the Crusades comes to the aid of a princess and her younger brother, the heir to the throne, who are on the run from their cruel older brother, who seeks to become king.
The gist: With an IMDb rating of 4.6, you'd expect this to be one of Nicolas Cage's worst films, and he has made many bad ones over the years. To be fair, Outcast is not a great film at all, but certainly not the worst I've seen from Cage (that honor for me, goes to Stolen).
The story, a mix of Kingdom Of Heaven and Tears Of The Sun, and a few other medieval adventure films you may have seen before somewhere, centres on Jacob (Hayden Christensen), a knight of the Crusades who has grown weary of the war and become a drug addict, until he runs into Prince Zhao and Princess Lian, who are on the run from their older brother Shing. Their late father has named Zhao as the heir to the throne, so Shing wants him dead in order to rule. Jacob, despite being in no real shape to be a protector, reluctantly takes on the task, hoping to redeem himself for his sins. Later, he seeks help from his former mentor Gallain (Cage) to join his quest, but he has renounced fighting for others.
The good: At the very least, this movie does not offend much. I know that's really not a good reason to see this, but some films are just so awful you won't make it past the first fifteen minutes before giving up. Outcast managed to sustain my interest till the end, which is more than I can say for some other movies I've seen. Cage and Christensen try their best to make the film work despite being given laughable dialogue to read, and their shaky British accents are quite hilarious to listen to, especially the former's. Is this good? Yes, in a funny way, it is.
The bad: The shaky camerawork during the fight sequences stand out. When will they ever learn? As mentioned, the dialogue is badly written, and we have to ignore the fact that the Chinese cast speak English even among themselves. The ending was very poor too, with an anti-climactic fight scene.
Verdict: You can try this if you've got time to kill and nothing else to do. Or if you're the kind of person curious enough to see how good or bad a Nicolas Cage film is. (6/10)
Year: 2012
Genre: Fantasy drama
Director: Julian Polsler
Plot: A woman visiting the countryside suddenly finds herself trapped behind an invisible wall that covers the area surrounding her lodge. She attempts to carry on with her life disconnected from the outside world with only a dog, a cat and a cow for company.
The gist: Based on the novel by Marlen Haushofer, The Wall is similar to Robinson Crusoe in telling a story on solitude, in this case a woman trapped behind an invisible wall that inexplicably appears, and appears to be impenetrable.
The woman narrates her time spent surviving within the confines of the wall while tending to her animals who keep her company. It is only by keeping herself active that she saves herself from going insane.
The good: Cinematography of the countryside is well done. Lead star Martina Gedeck does a splendid job as the woman, who reacts to her surroundings the same way we would. Her drive to carry on and live despite her impossible situation is inspirational, if not always engaging.
The bad: This isn't exactly a story about unraveling a mystery, so the explanation behind the wall's existence is not given. The film also lacks a proper ending, with a sudden incident towards the end being both a little late and somewhat inconsistent.
Verdict: It's a picture with a slow pace that doesn't quite give a proper payoff. The potential is there but not utilised. Just a decent film overall. (6/10)
Year: 2012
Genre: Drama thriller
Director: Tobias Lindholm
Plot: A Danish ship is hijacked by Somali pirates, who proceed to negotiate for ransom money with the ship's owner back in Copenhagen.
The gist: On the surface this looks similar to Tom Hanks' Captain Phillips but it clearly isn't. Unlike that film, this is a slow burn drama with tense moments.
A Hijacking focuses on two men: Mikkel, the cook on board the Danish vessel Rosen, who is desperate to get home to his family, and Peter, the CEO of the company that owns the Rosen, who takes it upon himself to negotiate for his crew's release despite objections from a professional in pirate negotiations.
While Captain Phillips is a swiftly paced thriller, A Hijacking is the opposite. We watch the situation play out for a duration of four months as Mikkel tries his best to survive in between tense and friendly moments with the pirates, and Peter attempts to negotiate with the pirates amidst pressure from the crew's families and the company board.
The good: Pilou Asbaek gives a great performance as Mikkel, the everyman cook who simply wants his ordeal to be over and go home. Soren Malling is solid as well in the role of Peter, who seems like a cold professional at the beginning but starts to crack as negotiations start to break down.
The bad: The pace can be languid at times. The moment the pirates boarded the ship was not shown, which I found to be rather odd.
Verdict: A Hijacking is a fine thriller with several tense moments, showing that negotiations are most difficult when it involves human lives. (7/10)
Year: 2013
Genre: Horror thriller
Director: Ti West
Plot: A documentary crew travel to a remote community called Eden Parish for a story, only to discover that the so-called paradise isn't as it seems.
The gist: Eli Roth produces this found footage picture shot in documentary style by Ti West, following a crew from VICE who travel to a remote community with a man looking for his sister who happens to be living there. It's only accessible by helicopter and guarded by armed men.
Once there, the crew meet the man's sister who warmly welcomes them, and subsequently introduces them to Father, the leader of the community. Interviews with Father and several members of the community seem convincingly positive, though the feel that something sinister is lurking exists. Then a sudden call for help throws things out of order and the crew find themselves in danger.
This story is heavily influenced by the Jonestown massacre in 1978, and while I am not well informed on the subject, I can say that this film for the most part, works well as a thriller, even though it takes a while for it to get going. Once the shit hits the fan, the tension and suspense is quite palpable.
The good: Performances from the cast are generally good, but special credit goes to Gene Jones who makes Father seem kind and disarming at the same time. The camerawork is also surprisingly good considering that this is found footage stuff.
The bad: The editing exposes a few lapses of logic here and there, and the camera angles seem too perfect in moments when the guy holding it clearly isn't shooting.
Verdict: The Sacrament is a good alternative in found footage horror, as in it doesn't rely on the usual tricks made famous by The Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity. Worth a look at. (7/10)
