127 Hours (2010)

8/10 (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!)

[warning: gory, graphic]

Fantastic cinematography combined with a triumphant story and fantastic performance by James Franco!

The cinematography in 127 Hours is phenomenal. Multiple angles are used for one sequence, creating a very dynamic appeal to the scene. For example, in the the first driving sequence we see the car in three angles: we see it in an establishing shot of the busy highway, a medium shot of the car amongst the cars and a close-up of Franco driving. These three shots are brought together in one screen split into three sections, thus allowing you to really get the sense of Franco alone in the car amongst a crowded highway.

Throughout the film we see many shots f one scene alternating from extreme-close-ups to establishing far shots. The cinematography is very empowering element in this film.

James Franco's performance is astounding. He captures the essence of Aaron Ralston, a lone mountain climber, who faces the biggest challenge in his life perfectly. You forget that you're watching a re-enactment as Franco is so believable and natural in his expressions and gestures.

More to come...

Due Date (2010)

7.5/10 (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!)

Sarcastic, blunt and just plain hilarious! LOVE IT!

The acting, from these two, made the film fantastic! There were moments in the film where I was hysterical from laughter from the duo.

Robert Downey Jr and Zach Galifianakis make a great duo, making it impossible not to laugh. Robert Downey Jr is brilliant as Peter Highman, a easily peeved- easily- stressed-enraged-father-to-be. Partnered up with Downey is Zach Gailfianakis as Ethan Trembley a tight-jean-wearing ignorant-but-doesn't-know-it hollywood-wannabe.

Due Date isn't just another dumb comedy with grotesque scenes and offensive dialogue to create laughs. RATHER the film is, to a great extent, quite smart and with real emotions. The film revolves around the theme family (about a man trying to get home to see the birth of his first child), sense of loss (one of the character's father just passed away) and about friendship (the main characters).

Overall a blunt, funny and very sarcastic movie that is definitely worth the watch. If you enjoyed Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and Pineapple Express...then definitely check out DUE DATE!

Trailer:

Dead Again (1991)

5/10

Great use of flashbacks, music and mystery...but wasn't greatly appealing.

Interesting idea, but could have been done so much better. By going back and forth between a previous life and the present life, Dead Again is about how Grace and Mike tries to solve a murder that happened in the past but as the mystery unravels, they become entangled in the mess.

The acting is mediocre, but believable. This is the first time I have ever seen a performance by Kenneth Branagh, it wasn't the best performance but it was suffice for the movie.

The use of music in Dead Again is quite well handled. In one scene the downstairs neighbour of Mike is practicing piano scales. Grace and Mike during this practicing of the scales got into a struggle. The scales started off as diegetic music but as the struggle scene began we realize that the music became non-diegetic as it was setting the mood for the scene. The piano scales reflected Mike's emotions from slow-and-understanding to fast-and-furious. Well use of music.
The sequence I am talking about starting at 5:30min:


The film goes through phrases of boringly slow to intriguingly action packed. If you like mystery/romance/flashbacks/use of music...and enjoy a slower film (with bits of action-packed sequences) but full of mystery then definitely check this film out.

Cypher (aka Brainstorm) (2002)

6/10

Twists and turns that is definitely worth deciphering

Cypher (also known as Brainstorm) is about Morgan Sullivan (Jeremy Northam) who took a job as a spy in the world of dangerous, high-stake world of corporate espionage., getting more than he bargained for.

The plot line to Cypher, at first, sounds cheesy but as the film starts rolling we can see it is not a typical action/spy film. Cypher is like an onion with multiple layers to plot twists and turns. And it doesn't take long for viewers to realize that it will take a bit of focus in order to fully grasp the storyline.

The acting is quite good, Jeremy Northam portrays a character who is continuously mislead and does so convincingly.

The cinematagraphy is quite well done. The saturation is dropped to a minimal, which puts emphasis on shapes and contours instead of colours creating very interesting shots.

Bits of Matrix, The Manchurian Candidate and Memento thrown together, Cypher definitely delivers a clever well put together spy movie. Cypher does take a bit of attention to understand...so be prepared! You never know who to trust.

Hereafter (2010)

6.5/10

Heartfelt, reflective and thoughtful.

Directed by Clint Eastwood, Hereafter is a beautiful film that reflects the lives of individuals who had been affected by death. Although a bit on the slow side, this film nevertheless, delivers a heartfelt story with sense of mystery.

The film presents fascinating characters, each with a riveting story that tugs at your heart strings. The relationships in Hereafter is very touching and genuine, reaching far beyond just surface emotions. You can really see the void of loss in the character's life after their experience.

Matt Damon, Cecile De France, and George and Frankie McLaren's performances are captivating and natural. The profound sense of loss and pain is well developed through the performances. I was left teary eyed at times during the film.

The camera angles vary subtly at times during similarly scenes, but captures each moment perfectly. Some scenes are almost done in one shot, really allowing viewers to focus on the person in the shots.

Hereafter does not offer an answer to the afterlife, but leaves viewers with a sense of hope for new beginnings. Life keeps going.

The graphics towards the beginning tsunami scene could use more work as it felt very stiff. But the characters, storyline and overall message of the film is able to cast aside this flaw.

Hereafter might not be to everyone's taste, but I recommend everyone to take some effort and try to appreciate a film for its message instead of for the fast-paced/graphics blockbuster qualities that seems to be standard for what is considered 'good' film nowadays.

Just Buried (2007)

6/10

Morbidly intriguing.

Just Buried is very dark comedy about a Oliver (Jay Baruchel) who inherits his father's almost bankrupt funeral home. Not long after, he falls in love with the young mortician (Rose Byrne) who works at the home, who suggest they start offing people to keep the funeral home running.

The film is very twisted but at the same time very intriguing. The storyline grabs your attention right away and keeps you at the edge of your seat till the very end.

Jay Baruchel is very believable in the lead as the nerdy guy who inherits a funeral home with no experience in the field. Rose Byrne gives a great performance as the mortician who isn't slightly bothered by her profession.

The film is very quirky and has funny moments sprinkled throughout. But be forewarn, this film is gory...not for the squeamish.

I'm surprised Just Buried isn't more well known. The twist and turns in the film is quite shocking and caught me off guard a few times. I was unsure how it would end and was blown away by the course the story took.


If you enjoy comedy, twists, mystery, morbid all thrown together...and isn't bothered by blood and gore...THEN definitely check out Just Buried!

Sorcerer's Apprentice (2010)

7/10

Enticing, action packed, great music and hilarious.

I wasn't expecting much when I went to watch this movie, but found myself laughing and intrigued by the film.

A re-make of the Disney cartoon with same time, Sorcerer's Apprentice is quite humorous and action packed.

I absolutely love the fact that the movie referenced "Secrets" by Onerepublic...one of my favourite songs!

Jay Baruchel and Nicolas Cage makes a great team both giving a good performance.

If you enjoy fantasy, action, comedy or just want to kick back to a entertaining movie...then I highly recommend Sorcerer's Apprentice.

After.Life (2009)

6.5/10

Creepy, mysterious and thoughtful...but not fantastic

This film questions the meaning of life and death.

I love the cast, Christina Ricci, Liam Neilson and Justin Long make this film feel captivating.

After.Life lacks in depth, it failed to spend more time on the wonderment of what happens after life, moving close to the idea but sways away just as fast.

The scenes are made dark with heavy tones of gray and emphasizes on shadows to create the creepy atmosphere the entire film revolves around but not at all gory. The only red you see is the red dress Ricci's character wears. I like the gray overtone of the cinematography as it emphasized the dreary/dark mood of the film.

After.Life is very ambiguous, keeping you guessing throughout. The premise is appealing, but the storyline seem to have lost breath as the film went on. The film does have twists, but the pace at which it came lost its thrill.

If you like films that are mysterious with elements of horror, drama and don't mind a slow paced film...then I recommend this film. It is rate R, as it does have nudity and close up of dead bodies being mended

Dear John (2010)

6/10

Bittersweet

Having read many Nicolas Sparks books and watched most of the adaptations, I went into this film with the expectation of seeing another Notebook or Walk to Remember, I wasn't disappointed or overly impressed.

The storyline is heartbreaking (Sparks has a way with such things) but the movie didn't seem to reflect this aspect too well. The film felt really slow in parts but during some important moments it seemed rushed. The unbalanced emphasis made it hard to relate to the storyline and characters in the way it should.

Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried both gave fantastic performances, saving some of the imperfections of the film. They showed real chemistry in their portrayal of the characters and, like Shane West/Mandy Moore and Ryan Gosling/Rachel Mcadams before them, they make a cute couple.

My favourite couple from Nicolas Sparks books is Gosling/Mcadams, West/Moore then Tatum/Seyfried. But my favourite book still remains The Guardian (no film adaptions yet).

If you enjoyed The Notebook, A Walk to Remember or Message in a Bottle and the slow plot doesn't bother you then this will be film for you.

The Happening (2008)

6/10

Started off great...but dwindled.

The Happening captured my attention in the first scene of the film with a fascinating introduction. M. Night Shyamalan kept me glued to the screen with the storyline and I was on edge to see what Shyamalan had in the ending. Sadly, The Happening fell flat...lacking in the surprise ending.

The acting is not great in this movie. Mark Wahlberg is believable but isn't able to deliver a heartfelt performance, same goes with the support. The characters are not captivating and I felt no attachments to them. There are no emotion in their voices when they spoke. Only bonus of the film is that if you look at some of the background actors, you can spot the actor for "Mr.Collins" from Six Sense.

There's slight humor lingering amongst the suspense, which I felt was refreshing. The suspense is present in The Happening, but there is very little fear element. The entire film revolves around the idea of not knowing and not having a place to hide. This unknowing feeling, I felt, is unnerving.

Don't get me wrong, this film is very entertaining and captivating. A great storyline full of mystery and suspense. Only down side is that the film falls flat after the first half and dwindles. Nevertheless, if you enjoyed Six Sense, The Village and/or Devil.....then definitely check this out.