Movie Review: Penguins of Madagascar..cute n fun but best left in Madagascar

Ever since the release of the first Madagascar movie, they’ve been in the spotlight despite being the side characters. With genuine humor to boot and their own mini - cast of quirky characters, the penguins quickly became the biggest draw to any Madagascar movie. Now that they have their own movie it should so many times more fun, right? Well, not exactly..

You see, much like seasoning in a great dish, they are excellent accompaniments to a good act but give them an act of their own and you force them down a path of plot, direction and story telling which is not particularly their forte. The penguins are best enjoyed in mayhem - plotting, up to their necks in adventure, bringing their little spy games and rescue missions to life and succeeding despite having planned it all wrong. Their excellent play on words and quick yet witty dialogue is what brings in all the laughs. While this movie, certainly starts down this path, it is ultimately forced to bring emotion and a sense of normality to the proceedings which just isn’t the penguins’ style

Of the 92 minutes you see them on screen, a good 40 minutes is still penguin fun, though not as laugh out loud as you would have preferred. A scene involving a zebra crossing is a mini-gem and more of such stuff would’ve been great. However, the chase sequences and escape plans are all still very much in penguin territory. Unfortunately, post that, the fun dies down

One thing that could’ve added a new layer of fun to the script was a fresh, zany cast of new characters and while Cumberbatch and co. try their level best, their characters just don’t bring that extra zing. While I don’t fault the penguins per se, but I do think this movie could’ve done with a little more effort in the writing department. Keeping the fun going, despite telling a good story, would’ve taken a lot more creativity and effort that doesn’t seem to have been spent in this offering.

The Penguins of Madagascar thus, don’t get their dream debut . They are themselves still in form, but the lack of other great characters, not so great writing and an ordinary stereotypical storyline is what lets them down in the end. If I had to choose between watching this movie and a re-run of the airplane scene in Madagascar 2, I’d still choose their side act.

Movie Review: Mockingjay Part 1..sadly douses the flames

Catching Fire had set the stage perfectly. I remember when I reviewed the previous installment I had said it set the series ablaze and I couldn’t have put it better. The future was brimming with possibilities – so much intensity and focus, a clear direction, thrilling action, a climactic finale….Well, while we are still one movie away from the finale to comment on that, Mockingjay Part 1 in itself is sadly quite the dampener and douses most, if not all the flames that catching fire had set.

The primary reason that this movie fails is not because it isn’t particularly well made or its badly acted – it fails because, quite simply, it doesn’t deserve to be an entire movie by itself. By these counts, only the Harry Potter franchise really deserved a two part finale – there was so much Rowling had done with the last book that a single movie, albeit action packed, couldn’t have done justice. But that’s where it ends. No other franchise deserved it. All this hobbit 3 part movie nonsense is also possibly going to meet the same fate.

In all honesty, I haven’t read the book Mockingjay, but if this movie is any indication, its plain it doesn’t have all that much to showcase. It would be obvious to even the most casual viewer – each scene lingers on more than its due; if Katniss is moping about something, well she mopes longer, if the ground is being surveyed after damage, you see more of the rubble, if Katniss is to sing a song, the song will be longer – each time you know its just to fill time – it really doesn’t have any impact to make.

Despite the seemingly comfortable 123 minutes it runs, Mockingjay Part 1 is painfully slow. There’s hardly anything that happens. I could write a two line summary of the movie and I may well have told you all that happens by it. With not much happening, neither does Jennifer Lawrence need to do too much with her character and unfortunately, in the few scenes that do demand something, she doesn’t pull it off as convincingly. Julianne Moore is a veteran actress and its sad to see her given such a wooden and one dimensional character. All the other side characters are also given even lesser airtime so I really don’t get what the point of this movie was.

Since I haven’t read the book, I don’t know whether the Hunger Games is really going to have the thrilling end we would’ve anticipated at the close of Catching Fire. But if Mockingjay Part 1 is to be any indication – I am not all that enthusiastic about its release, despite it being the finale of the series. That’s the kind of damage this ridiculous, money spinning focused strategy has done to what might well have been a good trilogy

Movie Review: Boyhood…feels the long years it films

Some of you might feel I have violated one of my own cardinal principles and given away the storyline..by the look of the review title. Well, be assured, I haven’t given away anything. In fact, here’s the real shocker – this movie has nothing to give away - no storyline or plot and therein, lies its greatest weakness

Boyhood is very well made – no doubt about it. A scathing commentary on the American culture and where we are all headed if we continue down this garden path is very thought provoking. However, when it takes 169 minutes for the director to say all he has to say, it can be exhausting and in the absence of a movie-like plot – you feel time slowing down even more. Furthermore, whatever message the director ends up giving isn’t really uplifting. The scenes are painfully realistic – cutting out the escapist, idealistic façade which make most movies a delight and exposing the grime and struggle of life. Instead you feel even more depressed and frustrated – not your ideal time at the movies.

I heard about the tremendous efforts that went into making this movie and the kind of painstaking diligence and discipline it took to make the transition feel as natural as possible in the movie. However, my concern is that while the effort is certainly laudable, as an audience, it doesn’t matter as much. I could’ve possibly felt the same effect with 3 similar looking child actors than I did with what was presented.

The movie shines at times when it treads the familiar road of the boy and girl having conversations that would be considered much ahead of their ages – the kind that made the Before (Sunrise, Sunset and Midnight) series the hit it was.

In terms of performances, the real recognizable actor is really Ethan Hawke. However, the rest of the ‘family’ also all do a solid job and there’s no complaint there – especially Patricia Arquette as the mother.

If you are okay with movies without a plot but rather a large slice of real life, you can jump right in to Boyhood, though its long runtime is bound to have even you looking impatiently at the watch every now and then. For the others, who need a definite storyline and some excitement – better to recollect your own childhood instead, Boyhood isn’t gonna interest you

Movie Review: Interstellar..a stellar, outwardly experience..best digested with a pinch of corn..

Possibly my longest review title till date but I had to do justice. Yes, it is nothing like I have ever seen and yes, Nolan does bring another mind bender..but this time perhaps it’s the visuals and the scale, the sheer ambition and guts to show what was shown rather than the intricacies of the plot or the mind games or even the writing, that deserve all the kudos

Confession time – I haven’t seen 2001 A Space Odyssey so alas! I cannot compare how this one turns out against what I hear was a visionary masterpiece ( I plan to correct that very soon though). However, for the visuals I did see, I can tell you that Nolan’s sheer ambition will win you over. Its not just another outworldly adventure. Its not about breaching the boundaries of gravity and the earth – it goes far beyond that. It doesn’t talk of separation, pain and angst over months – it goes far beyond that. It’ll even expect you to understand wormholes, blackholes and multiple dimensions and give you lessons on these concepts as you watch it. For Nolan, the entire universe becomes his sandbox and our good old earth is but a tiny piece in a gargantuan puzzle. For that vision and ambition, and that alone, I would recommend this movie be watched in an IMAX theater, no less

In terms of plot and storyline I am probably less ecstatic. While he attempts to weave an emotional tale, with all the weaving and interconnected threads he ultimately manages, the story from being one of hope, sacrifice, belief and courage adds an extra layer of corn (and I am not talking about the expansive corn fields destroyed in the movie) that just doesn’t sit right by the end of it all. Maybe I couldn't fathom the multiple ‘dimensions’ that Nolan is willing to explore, but for me that extra effort just seemed forced, a desperate attempt to take the story in the direction he wanted to.

What he does manage though, is a breath-taking visual journey that not only captures the imagination – it challenges it. Whatever you think you might see next, Nolan takes it to greater heights and offers a dazzling spectacle. So much so that actors and performances, credible though they are, pretty much get relegated to the background – the canvas and the storyteller themselves have so much to offer.

Matthew McConaughey gets it exactly right, his act while watching video messages being particularly convincing. Anne Hathaway gets a pretty simple character given her abilities and she pulls it off fairly well but all that is secondary. There are some new additions to the standard Nolan cast but its best you discover them as the movie progresses along

Interstellar also manages a wonderful communion of sound and visuals. Hans Zimmer has been oft accused (unfairly, in my opinion) of offering very similar soundtracks. Well, this one should easily silence his critics. Whether it’s the scenes in the cornfields or those of exploration - the background score is an integral part of this movie and would not be half the experience it is, without it.

For, in a nutshell, that’s exactly what Interstellar offers you - an experience. It’s a journey not only to the stars but beyond. Sure the storyline gets a more than a little warped and (unconvincingly) convoluted but for its sheer vision, ambition and stellar presentation, Nolan’s Interstellar should not be missed

Movie Review: Big Hero 6..Big bang opening but can’t sustain it

Ever since I saw the hilarious teasers and trailers this movie has, I’ve been waiting to see the original humor and fresh presentation that Big Hero 6 had to offer – and from the opening to the ‘forced’ interval – I couldn’t have asked for much more. Unfortunately I can’t say the same for the entire movie though to be fair, the climax and ending again make up for some lost ground

Much before you get started with Big Hero 6 though, you get treated to another animation short by Disney. This seems to be a regular feature now – last time it was the excellent renaissance of Mickey Mouse in a 3D avatar; this time it’s a cute little dog but every bit as welcome as ever. In sharp contrast to the quiet homely visuals of the short, Big Hero 6 starts with the ultra high tech stuff and if you are a tech fan like me, it’ll feel like candy-land.

Not only is the tech ultra cool, the humor quotient is right up there too  Smart writing and a great concept for a unique ‘robot’ will have you guffawing and laughing hard many a time. Some of it can even be termed as slap-stick but this brand of slapstick is more than welcome. The animation itself is probably a couple of notches higher with the background elements looking particularly realistic. Its only when you see the bright red or white vinyl of Baymax or any of the other characters that you realize that this is actually animation. Nice job. Approaching the half way stage, the plotline is predictable but not pedestrian and you look forward to scaling even greater heights in the second half.

While that wish comes true quite literally in the second half, the fun is not half as much as sequences become unnecessarily extended, the story progression becomes more and more stereotypical and you grimace that maybe by now they’ve run out of their bag of tricks. What starts off particularly fun and fresh, becomes ordinary and even dragged along. This is saved somewhat by a nice climax but you end up leaving the theater a tad disappointed

Animation movies are not just about fun anymore and plotlines and development are becoming more and more mature and unique – eg. movies like Frozen, Rise of the guardians etc. While Big Hero 6 takes a big step forward and seems more than equal to the challenge it soon relapses  into the tried and tested and despite its brave climax, ends up being an average watch. Still, for the big, fun filled first hour of the movie and the big leap forward in animation, I’d still recommend a watch

Movie Review: Gone Girl..may leave you uneasy but certainly not unhappy

 
The less that is revealed about this movie, the better so am afraid I’ll have to be even more cryptic than usual. First, a word on the trailer though – I think it is brilliantly crafted given the content of the movie. More such trailers please.

You may feel in the beginning that this movie seems a little slow and the actors aren’t really doing justice to the characters especially in the context they are in. All I will say is, just don’t jump to conclusions. The storyline isn’t your usual predictable stuff so wait for it to play out.

I will tell you this though. The story of Gone Girl is deliciously dark, complex and diabolical so don’t worry about it not being worth your time. If you are looking for a nice happy love story, this is certainly not it. The movie brings more twists than you could’ve expected and gets you more and more hooked on. Its not ‘nice’ stuff though so you might well feel a little uneasy, even queasy as the movie progresses. As you unravel the tale, follow the ‘clues’ and maybe even solve the mystery, you realize it hardly ends there.

Dependable David Fincher has done an excellent job in setting up the movie, making you as the viewer feel exactly as confused, uneasy, bewildered and even borderline terrified as the storyline wants you to be. The background score also plays perfectly in sync and while there is no waltz or symphony the sounds play exactly as per the visuals which range from the calm to the bizarre.

While both leads seem a little ‘off sorts’ in the beginning and Rosamund Pike’s narration particularly sounding muffled and hard to understand, both come into their own as the movie progresses and their true characters emerge. Rosamund Pike looks the ice queen she is supposed to in the beginning but is a real revelation towards the latter half. Similarly, while it may not seem so at first, Ben Affleck also gives us his dependable high quality performance by the end of it all. In fact, it might be because of her particular character, but I think Rosamund Pike actually steals the show in this one.

By the way, there is nothing family oriented in this movie and the adult rating is for real this time round so beware if you are thinking of taking the kids along.

The release of Gone Girl was delayed in India and I made it a point to not know anything about the movie before watching it, despite of the delay. I hope that’s the case for you also, because if you know what to expect in this film, more than half the fun is lost. In any case, if you don’t mind feeling queasy or the dark nature of the plot, go watch Gone Girl before it disappears from the theaters.