Underworld 1 and 2 will be remembered for awakening the British to a vampire-lycan(werewolf) world. Dark backgrounds and old-style clothing with sexy kitten Kate Beckinsale. Well, most of the audience who hated the movies still remembered the lusciousness of KB.
Underworld 3 also known as Rise of the Lycans was a better take on the saga. The 3rd one was a prequel of the first and explained the obvious reason of the war between the two generations. Michael Sheen replaced K.B. as the lead, and his acting was top-notch, along with the villain played by Bill Nighy. Nighy is my favourite English actor also known for being in Underworld, Underworld: Evolution and the thriller Notes on a Scandal. Furthermore, Nighy acted the best throughout the trilogy. Rhona Mitra shared some screen space reminiscent of Beckinsale's aura in the prequel.
Underworld was good. Evolution was too predictable. Rise of the Lycans had a better plot, and acting but with more average action the two. The 4th part improves only in that area. This venture in 3-D is blood-spattering, vampire-gritting and ass-tightening to the core. One is amazed how Beckinsale looks the same since Underworld 1 and 2. No wonder the British actress is being voted globally to become a model in real life. Though we get what we expect from her. Bill Nighy is still sorely missed. The film co-stars Michael Ealy,Stephen Lea and India Eisley, who acted more impressively than the lead. The story is plain boring. The writers must've had only one cup of coffee while producing the script. I'm also amazed how it took more than one writer to come up with this. And yeah, the plot is utterly predictable. Its as if you were playing hide and seek with your best friend and you told him where you were going to hide. David S. Goyer could've penned the story instead. Alas, the director of the first two and executive producer of the whole series decided to. He's also the husband of Beckinsale. Her ex Michael Sheen is more critically acclaimed for his acting that Wiseman's directing but alas, modern women seem to go for the commercially-fashioned
Underworld: Awakening earned an estimated $110m worldwide off a $70m budget and is the 2nd highest-grossing of the series just behind Evolution. This movie has the best action scenes of all the parts. It is one of those action movies that adapts its scenes well to the 3-D format. And it is worth a watch in 2-D as it doesn't differ much in the impact. Rise of the Lycans is the best-written. I urge Hollywood to come up with more unique concepts for vampire movies. Fortunately, The Vampire Diaries airs on TV...
Underworld 2.5/4
Underworld: Evolution 2/4.
Underworld: Rise of the Lycans 3/4.
Underworld: Awakening 3/4.
March 10, 2012
The Grey grossed approximately 55 million dollars at the end of its theatrical run off a budget of $25 million. It deserves much more. Hopef...
The Grey grossed approximately 55 million dollars at the end of its theatrical run off a budget of $25 million. It deserves much more. Hopefully it will, as the film may return in October for an Oscar push.
The film's genre is adventure. It is more like a role-playing horror game with wolves instead of the undead. The plot concerns John Ottway (Liam Neeson) being left out in Alaska with other plane cash survivors. Either the frost gets to them or the wolfpack but Neeson is determined to not let the animals eat them up. Luckily, there was no doctor on board to slow the pace down. The scenery is amazing and the movie captures the ice element with perfection. I urge the director Joe Carnahan to try a niche in the National Geographic channel. Directing is superb and makes most out of the film's good points. It surpasses the screenplay write by Joe Carnahan and Ian Mackenzie Jeffers based on a short story by the latter.
As most would expect Neeson acted exactly according to the role. Co-stars also shone along with him and you can't call this one a one-man show like his Taken and Unknown. The Grey is better than Unknown but does not exceed the cinematic greatness of Taken. Better luck with Taken 2 Neeson!
Overall, the film is one of the rare few that equals drama and thrill in a single venture, unlike the boring 127 hours. And it tells the story of a wolf-hunter not a Navy SEAL or ex-army guy doing mind-numbing heroics. This feature film never once exceeds the point of reality and although it is slow at most parts, you'll never predict the woo!
A 3 out 4 from me.
Moving on, the 1984 Footloose was a good movie. Yes it's a teen dance classic but even the first Step Up was better. I have no quarrel with 5.2 rating from IMDB.
The remake is almost a scene-to-scene copy of the original. And although we have veteran actor Dennis Quaid delivering his sentimentality, the others were unimpressive. The lead played by Kenny Wormald did well to equal the dance moves of Kevin Bacon, but lacked the charisma. Face it - both movies were predictable. But at least the first did a grand job of covering it up. Even the 1984 version had better dance performances. The drama in this one is cliched to the point of exhaustion. And although the female lead Julianne Hough has gorgeous leopard features, she couldn't convince audiences as an actress even if she won a fake Academy Award.
The plot follows a young man who moves from Boston to a small southern town and protests the town's ban against dancing. Well, with such dancing no wonder it would be banned. Where's the power of the script? The directing is OK but the screenplay is bad. The dialogues sound like an ill excuse for lack of experience. The set-up of the town is well done though. Quaid played his part of a Father well both to the church and the girl. Only the moves by the lead actor were worth remembering. Believe me this dance flick could've been better choreographed by an action stuntman. The film has earned $62m off $24m. The original grossed a little over $80m off $8.5m - rightfully so.
Footloose (1984) 2.5/4.
Footloose (2011) 2/4.
And people might watch the film full because of Hough - like I did...
March 05, 2012
TW LW Title (click to view) Studio Weekend Gross % Change Theater Count / Change Average Total Gross Budget* Week # 1 N Dr. Seuss' T...
Info. from Box Office Mojo. The Lorax covered its $70m budget in just 2 days! Warner Bros. comedy Project X at number 2. Journey 2 proving quite profitable for The Rock following my predictions on his future financial successes - such as the upcoming G.I. Joe sequel. The Artist on 10 from last week's 13 due to the Oscar buzz. And Act of Valor no. 3 from no.1 again due to the Academy Awards about two weeks ago. We may not hear about a Ghost Rider part three for quite a while then.
March 05, 2012
Don (1978) was released in the era of Amitabh Bachan. Before his breakthrough most Bollywood movies were based on romance, dance and seldom ...
Don (1978) was released in the era of Amitabh Bachan. Before his breakthrough most Bollywood movies were based on romance, dance and seldom action, not counting the silly fighting scenes done usually by Rishi Kapoor in rom-coms. Big B was a maverick. He was quite tall, 6'2 to be exact, when the average Hindi superstar's height were 5 feet and 7 inches.
So most producers didn't take him aboard the movie cruise early on. The majority of his start-up roles were side ones. Although, due to his towering structure, he must've made an impression. After the release of Zanjeer in 1973, Big B launched the span of B-wood action films. He is considered the one actor to revolutionise thrillers and adrenaline in the 70s and 80s. Big B had charisma - he was unique - and that's what made him a legend.
Don was one of the biggest hits of B-town both in commercial and critical terms. The film had thrill, suspense, humour with an unsentimental touch of romance, quite unusual for a Hindi film. This would've left even Hollywood bedazzled. The film was directed by Chandra Barot and written by the cult duo Salim-Javed. The film follows a police officer trying to catch the criminal Don. To do this he hires a lookalike named Vijay to impersonate him. It grossed Rs. 70m off a Rs. 8.5m budget domestically. And was the 3rd highest-grosser of 1978. Don's remake was a proven theory of superhit when Shah Rukh Khan was cast in the lead. Sorry Abhishek, guess you couldn't fill your own father's shoes in the end. Kareena Kapoor glittered elegantly in her sexy attire in Helen's footsteps with dancing to the song 'Ye Mera Dil'. Though the storyline was good there were noticeable flaws. Farhan Akthar, the director and co-writer seemed confused in some areas. Where the audience wanted action there was unwanted suspense and vice versa. The movie couldn't been done better, as also said by the late Indian Times critic Nikhat Kazmi. Most of the film is matched with the original, and the premise is the same, but I have to mention that SRK suited the role better than Big Bachan.
Don: The Chase Begins Again grossed $23.1m worldwide on a $7.7m budget and was the 6th highest-grossing Indian movie of 2006.
Now moving on to Don 2. This sequel is the continuation of the remake. Much of the sentimentality of a dual role is missing. The plot is a lot stronger than the first, and the majority scenes were shot in Berlin and Malaysia. Boman Irani, veteran Om Puri and the exotic Priyanka Chopra reprise their roles. With Irani's acting coming 2nd to King Khan's playing a badass irrespective of being a noted comedian.
Applause to SRK for his best performance since Josh (2000), my 2nd fav. movie of his. SRK leaves an impression with his lead villainous aura washing away his gig along with Bachan's. His dialogue delivery is top notch and no other actor in the whole of B-wood could've done it better. The best part of the film are the dialogues. They give a sense of humour in scenes full of mystery and suspense. It is as if reading a horror teen novel without being able to guess the end. The story follows Don, the underworld kingpin, surrendering himself to Interpol. He attempts to make a deal with the authority but is thrown into a Malaysian penitentiary awaiting two weeks for the death penalty. Now here the suspense starts as his ex-associate is in the same prison. The movie co-stars Kunal Kapoor and Lara Dutta (who had an unimpressive item song) as new faces. Though people are comparing the venture with the likes of Hollywood and I don't compare B-town films with the US film industry - this one managed to be in rank with MI: Ghost Protocol and A Game of Shadows in the December releases. It has managed to make $46.2m off $15.4m worldwide, releasing on 23 Dec. 011 in both 2-D and 3-D, and is the highest grosser for a non-Friday holiday and the highest Indian box office attraction of 2011 overseas. It has ended its theatrical run and may go on to earn the total off $50m in DVD and blu-ray sales. It was also the most popular feature at the 62nd Berlin Film Festival. Many overseas critics have given it positive reviews, and I'm unofficially one of them. I give the original Don 3/4, the remake 3/4 and this biggie a 4/4. Don 2 is not only the most profitable films of Indian cinema, it is the King!
February 26, 2012
The Nicolas Cage starrer opened at no.3 for the four-day President Day weekend in America. With a lower number of theatres than the prequel...
The Nicolas Cage starrer opened at no.3 for the four-day President Day weekend in America. With a lower number of theatres than the prequel running it, this is still a disappointment.
The first film was released in 2007 with Cage and the curvy Eva Mendes in the lead. The film a hit but not a super hit in terms of being one based on a popular Marvel Comics character. It made an estimated $29,000.000 on a $110,000,000 budget. The sequel bravely titled Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance released Feb 17,2012 worldwide. No wonder it released on Feb 16 in the UAE as local film co. Imagenation Abu Dhabi co-produced it. They are also known for producing Colin Farrell starrer The Way Back 2010 and the above average spy thriller The Double 2012.
In GR 2, we see Cage umm... many years after his super stud days. The past is depicted in a series of stylish comic strips, oddly similar to those used to explain the events in the Infamous game series. So it could be seen from this point forward that this film was meant to target regular comic book readers.
A French black priest who rides a nasty motorcycle played by Idris Elba visit Cage asking him for help. Cage is asked to save a kid from the Devil himself. Elba was also seen in the Marvel comic based Thor 2011, and his role although not being as charismatic in this film, it is still more entertaining than the lead's. The Devil was played by veteran Irish actor Ciaran Hinds. His performance was decent but not as badass as Sam Elliott's in the first part. The kid (Fergus Riordan) played his part well.
For the pros and cons. The film has a more creative plot than the previous. Of course one would remember the awe-inspiring antics of Jason Statham in Crank and Crakn 2: High Voltage while seeing Cage. It is to remembered this venture is directed by the same duo Neveldine/Taylor. I'm a big fan of theirs. Although critics' reactions to their 2009 film Gamer were highly negative I loved it. I still regard it as the best virtual reality action film after The Matrix series. I was shocked when it flopped. But that's cinema life.
GR: S of V is a roller coaster ride, literally! The action will leave you fixed to your seats wanting more. Much better than GR 1's amateurish fighting scenes where every conclusion was merely predictable. The film itself is a mix of Crank and Gamer. Those who hated or loved Ghost Rider don't fear. This one is completely different than the last. The main character's design is more ruthless, his bike more grotesque and the scenery is of total Eastern European descent. As opposed to the last part being completely All-American.
But it also safe to mention that the prequel had its plus points. The stunts carried out were to fun, even over and over again. The Devil and his son played by Wes Bentley were cast perfectly. And the scene where the Rider rides up a skyscraper is unforgettable. Other than that, a weak predictable plot. Average acting by Cage and tried acting by Mendes, although I don't think most people were concentrating on her respective skills. The ending plain sucked as well. It had the potential to be written better.
Overall, I've given Ghost Rider a 2.5/4 while Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance gets a 3/4. If you want to watch a boring All-American version of this classic flaming skull chain-slinger then watch the former. Or if you want a full throttle action ride with little info. on the plot details, then catch this one in the theatre halls while it's still on.
This sequel opened with $22m at the US box office behind Safe House $24m and The Vow $23.5m. Less than half of the original's opening. But with a $57m production budget just above the half of the former's, it's less embarrassing. It is 4th on the Presiden't Day Comic Book Weekend behind GR 1, Daredevil and Constantine. I predict it would make $70-$85 worldwide at the end of its theatrical run.
February 19, 2012
COLOMBIANA MOVIE DOWNLOAD Another rising star, best known for her role in James Cameron's Avatar, Zoe Saldana stars in the action fi...
Another rising star, best known for her role in James Cameron's Avatar, Zoe Saldana stars in the action film Colombiana. The movie stars off well. The plot is painfully simple. Girl's parents get murdered. She escapes, heads off to a developed country (in this case the US). And gets taught by her boss uncle played perfectly by Cliff Curtis to become an assassin, to avenge the killing of her family. I watch the TV series Nikita occasionally and it's the epitome of bad-girl-wanting-to-get-revenge syndrome. Colombiana uses this motive well in its overall running time. Saldana's acting was also worthy, not of an Oscar, but on convincing the audience including me that she can pack more than a punch. The best role-playing was done by Curtis, his darkness lights up the whole film. What encouraged me to watch the film full? The choreography. Action scenes were decent enough and well-executed, and not overdone. There was no sentimentality involved in the dramatic acts. If you wish to watch a film with a predictable plot but good fighting, then Colombiana delivers the goods. 2.5/4 from me.
The Double is a 2011 spy film, and worth watching. To start with, I did not have high hopes in watching this one. I thought the plot and directing would be mediocre. But I was surprisingly impressed.
The film stars H-wood veteran Richard Gere, and Topher Grace best known for his role as the fiend Venom in Spider-man 3. Directed and co-written by Michael Brandt with Derek Haas. The film follows retired CIA operative Paul Shepherdson (Richard Gere) called in once again to duty when the murder of a Kansas senator takes place. The assassination is said to be done by a person on top of the CIA's most wanted list Cassius, who had not shown his mark from about 20 years. Young FBI agent Ben Geary (Topher Grace) assists Paul, and is also his greatest fan, in tracking down the serial killer once and for all. The plot unfolds interestingly though slowly. It was not as cliched as with most CIA-based flicks. The directing was well done with decent action scenes. Michael Brandt is best known for writing Wanted and 3:10 to Yuma, and shines a bit with his directing debut. The film is co-produced by Imagenation Abu Dhabi and I was amazed not to have seen the film made in any part of the middle east. Seems the Arabs are getting less egoistic after the success of Ghost Protocol. I award the film 2.5/4. It's the opposite of Colombiana, better story but average action.
February 19, 2012
I had not the pleasure of seeing Tower Heist today. Expected it to be one of the best movies I've ever seen with H-wood veterans Ben Sti...
I had not the pleasure of seeing Tower Heist today. Expected it to be one of the best movies I've ever seen with H-wood veterans Ben Stiller and Eddie Murphy. Turned out to be the biggest overstatement of cinema history.
For sure Brett Ratner, known for the Rush Hour films, directed the movie brilliantly. But the screenplay but Ted Griffin and Jeff Nathanson managed to deliver a plot, a proper story but failed in the comic factor. The characterisation was boring. I'd get more laughs watching a Japanese ad for McDonald's.
The jokes were confusing - I couldn't tell when one was being funny or not. Eddie Murphy's role didn't suit him. Unlike Jamie Foxx as MF Jones in my favourite comedy of all time Horrible Bosses. I've wondered whether the writers were inspired by his role in designing Murphy's character.
The movie is rated PG-13 and rightfully so. It's about 3 employees of an exclusive apartment building who lose their pensions in the Ponzi scheme of Wall street business Arthur Shaw played by Alan Alda. The group enlist the aid of criminal slide (Eddie Murphy) and some others to steal their money back. Alda's performance was the best although you could say no one else sparked prominently in their own roles.
The film gets a 2 out of 4 from me.
