Red Sparrow

Jennifer Lawrence, Joel Edgerton,

Jeremy Irons, Matthias Schoenarts, 

Charlotte Rampling, Joely Richardson

"The Road to forgiveness begins with Betrayal"

Dominika Egorova (Jennifer Lawrence) is a prima ballerina with the famous Bolshoi Ballet. But her career ends when she suffers a major injury during a performance. Her uncle Vanya (Matthias Schoenarts), an intelligence officer forces her to be a recruit at the Sparrow School, a secret Russian intelligence service where the art of manipulation is ingrained. At first, she was reluctant but due to the special needs of her invalid mother, Dominika agrees. 

The school is run by a fierce matron (Charlotte Rampling) who pushes the recruits to their limits. Manipulated and coerced into unpleasant situations where they use their bodies as instruments of seduction, the training is quite brutal and pays a heavy toll on some of the recruits. But Dominika is a strong-willed person, her background in ballet is a plus, she strives and is soon assigned to her first 'assignment'. 

Things though get complicated when her next task involves luring a CIA agent, Nate Nash (Joel Edgerton) to trust her with his knowledge about the intelligence and state security of both countries. This part gets complicated as there is a thin line on who is recruiting whom, is Dominika a double agent, who exactly is orchestrating the entire operation etcera etcera etcera. You know, spying and counter espionage tactics which can be quite murky for us, commoners.

Now here is the thing. Jennifer Lawrence with her 'fake' Russian accent is quite convincing in her role as the feisty Dominika. She portrays her character with the fortitude of a woman who has been through a lot but continues to strive amidst the adversities she encounters. The rest of the cast all do good in their respective roles. Special mention goes to Charlotte Rampling as the tough, no-nonsense trainer at the Sparrow School, she could melt ice with her piercing gaze. The setting is appropriate with the meanderings of a spy thriller, cold bleak weather adding to the whole espionage vibe.

I get the first part, the whole vicious training at the Sparrow school. I mean, from watching the gripping TV series, “The Americans”, I know these Russian spies are very well trained and can easily adapt to any situation which may arise. 

But the latter part where the two main leads interact with each other in a game of deceit, lies and manipulation, the plot becomes very complicated and not in a good way! Perhaps the writers wanted it that way, to add an aura of mystery or may be I was slow in comprehending this thriller. Either way, I have read other reviews where most of them agree that the plot was sorely lacking in more ways than one.

Having Jennifer Lawrence as its lead and she did well as Dominika was not enough. I conclude by saying, Red Sparrow had all the potential of being a good spy thriller, yet it failed to manipulate us into this web.

Murder on the Orient Express

Johnny Depp, Kenneth Branagh, Michelle Pfeiffer,

Daisy Ridley, Derek Jacobi, Penelope Cruz,

Dame Judi Dench, Willem Dafoe, Josh Gad

"Everyone is a Suspect"

This latest remake of the Agatha Christie's novel is directed by Kenneth Branagh who I grew up watching in several films with his ex wife Emma Thompson. In this tale, he portrays the famous Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot. A role which I normally associate with the actors Peter Ustinov (in his late years) and David Suchet whom I remember as being really good characterization of Poirot. 

Murder on the Orient Express is one, if not the most famous Agatha Christie novel. The book, set in the late 1930s is a crime story with numerous characters who all become suspects in the murder that occurs on board this famous train ride. A journey that was interrupted by an avalanche which blocks the rail tracks. Poirot who happens to be a passenger on the train takes it upon himself to probe the murder, given that he is under immense pressure to solve 'the crime' lest the killer strikes again and before they reach their destination.

Kenneth Branagh takes on the gargantuan task of directing as well as essaying the main role which entails sporting the famous moustache, his witty analysis of every circumstance with his natural probing attitude. Although Branagh tends to overact with his soliloquies, his Poirot was spot on.  

The rest of the cast headed by the enigmatic Johnny Depp all blend in well together. Each of them performing their best in a sea of characters who all want to stand out. Yet they do well with the complicated dialogue which is reminiscent of the manner, English was spoken during that era.

Costume wise, they are all garbed befitting the late 1930s. The plot with its numerous twists and flashbacks can be a bit murky, trudging and clocking in 114 minutes. Certain scenes were dragging on unnecessarily while a few vital sequences passed by too quickly.  Overall, the film is buoyed by its great cast who did their best to keep us invested in the whodunit till the very end, with its big reveal folding up nicely towards the somewhat, dare I say forced conclusion.  

I remember watching the 1974 version of this film with Albert Finney as Poirot, but my short attention span memory completely blocked out who the killer was and how it all ended. Therefore I was gripped with suspense and wanted to learn who committed the crime in this version, even though Kenneth Branagh with Poirot's moustache engaging in a soliloquy ever so often can be quite distracting, I'd say!

Last Flag Flying

Laurence Fishburne, Steve Carell, Bryan Cranston

"Their last Mission wasn't
on the Battlefield"

Yet another movie that deals with grief (yes I know, I like watching films with a lot of drama). Not too hysterical, subtle yet fraught with emotion-filled performances from its three lead stars, this Richard Linklater (Before Sunrise trilogy, Boyhood) movie explores grief and friendship.

2003, three ex-Marines reunite after 30 years to help one of them bury his son who was killed in the Iraq war. Despite never keeping in touch nor being updated on each others lives, the bond between them resumes during the long journey (road trip, train ride) to bring the remains to his hometown.

Veteran actors Bryan Cranston, Laurence Fishburne and Steve Carell portray their well developed characters, brilliantly. Each of them contributing their artistic skills to flesh out characters who are basically strangers to each other but their being Marines prevail and together they help each other out, reunited by a common denominator named grief. The three of them reminisce about their 'experiences' during the Vietnam war, painful and traumatic memories. Even as another war (the Iraq war) claims another fatality, Larry's (Steve Carell) son. 

This isn't a anti-war film nor does it justify the act of war, even though there is one specific scene which clearly show the lack of transparency vis a vis the cause of death of a soldier. This scene comes to mind as we see each of the three characters handling the said situation, differently. This is not to say which reaction was correct or who overreacted yet the way each of the characters essayed out this scene says a lot about the range of their acting talents. 

Therefore it is scenes like these, which is reminiscent of a Linklater narrative and makes for great viewing. Never mind if the film didn't do well in the box office or it isn't headed by a known actor, the story is poignant and sometimes in the grand scheme of things, it is enough.

Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri

Frances McDormand, Sam Rockwell,

Woody Harrelson, Zeljko Ivanek

Another film that tackles grief yet in a completely different manner. Taking matters into her own hands, Mildred Hayes (Frances McDormand) rents three billboards on the outskirts of a small town. She posts three provoking messages on them, all related to the unsolved murder case of her daughter and addressed to William Willoughby (Woody Harrelson) the chief of police. A full year has past and they are nowhere near to arresting let alone finding any suspect in the brutal rape/slay case.

The whole town is aghast and everyone has a valid opinion on the controversial messages on the billboards. Meanwhile Mildred goes on with her usual routine yet a different side of her surfaces. An attitude prone to violent streaks yet understandably as it comes from sentiments of deep frustration,  certain feelings of guilt and self blame for what happened to her daughter.

This soulful movie is peppered with a believable cast led by the indefatigable Frances McDormand, the reliable Woody Harrelson and the solid delivery by Sam Rockwell was quite revealing. They all essay their roles with nuanced performances that hit you to the core. Their subtle acting style lead to their sympathetic characterization. They may be characters in a small town but their larger than life characters create quite an impact in this dark comedy. 

A movie that handles tragedy with a cleverly written script, a sharp dialogue and well acted by a formidable cast that just keeps on giving even though their characters are all deeply flawed. 

But it is these very flaws which make them genuinely human and this is where this film draws its strength. Truly award winning performances and 2 thumbs up for a job well done.

Collateral Beauty

Will Smith, Edward Norton, Kate Winslet,

Helen Mirren, Keira Knightley, 

Michael Pena,  Naomie Harris

"Connect to the Beauty of Life"

The film opens with Howard (Will Smith), the charismatic co-founder of a successful ad agency giving a pep talk to his team. He asks them "What is your why"? He replies "Time, Love and Death.  They connect with every person in this universe. We long for love. We wish we had more time.  And we fear death". Good points to ponder on.  

Three years later, we again see Howard but this time he has been reduced to an empty shell, a melancholic person wallowing in misery. Yet he has a good reason, he lost his 6 year old daughter to cancer. He still goes to the office but he doesn't talk to anyone, he just spends his days building mazes of dominoes which he eventually 'demolishes' and starts building them again. He hardly sleeps, goes out on his bike being reckless biking on the wrong side of the road. 

His 3 co-partners are worried about him, about the fate of the ad agency which isn't doing well so they resort to hiring actors at a local theater to 'stalk' Howard. This is brought about by 3 letters which Howard wrote to Time, Love and Death. His missives are mostly guilty stricken, longing for answers and deeply emotional letters. 

So Claire (Kate Winslet), Simon (Michael Pena) and Whit (Edward Norton) think the best way to salvage the agency is to prove that Howard is mentally unstable so they can sell the company to another media outfit.

The film is focused on Howard talking with these 3 actors named Rafi, Amy and Brigitte who have been assigned to tackle the persona of Time, Love and Death. 

Time (Jacob Latimore) is paired with Claire, a workaholic who may have wasted time by focusing too much on her career instead of starting a family. Love (Keira Knightley) is paired with Whit, a single dad who is trying to win back his daughter's love. While Death  (Helen Mirren) is handled by Simon, who hides his terminal illness from his family and friends.  In their encounters with Howard and their respective handlers, we see how their interaction slowly make an impact on their dispositions, and their overall attitude towards life.  

Howard also seeks the help of a counselling group whose goal is to help their members cope with grief after losing a child. The group is headed by Madeleine (Naomie Harris) a divorced mother whose daughter succumbed  to a rare form of cancer. At first, Howard is hesitant to join them but slowly inches his way into the group during his frequent 'run-ins' with Time, Love and Death.

Surprisingly, this movie flopped at the box office and the critics lambasted it. The presence of the strong cast could not salvage it but I liked the movie. It deals with profound grief which isn't an easy subject to tackle. Certainly, the plot had some loopholes like that unexpected twist towards the end but I think the cast more than made up for it  with their heartfelt delivery and strong performances.

Now allow me to venture a guess as to why this melancholic film didn't rate high with the critics. I believe it is because it was given the "Hollywood" treatment. Well this isn't necessarily a bad thing, mind you. Yet in certain movies, it can completely ruin the story by veering too far off from the main message by throwing in too many distractions like unnecessary side plots. They tend to confuse complex with complicated and this doesn't bode well for any narrative, no matter how good the cast are. 

I reiterate though that I liked this emotional movie and was deeply touched by its essence.

Victoria and Abdul

Dame Judi Dench,  Ali Fazal,

Eddie Izzard

"An untold True Story of

a Queen and her best Friend"

The film begins with a disclaimer "based on true events ... mostly" so this should all put us at ease. The fact that the aging Queen Victoria, a cantankerous being in her old age suddenly regains her joie de vivre from her friendship with an Indian servant named Abdul Karim is really preposterous, come to think about it.

How in that day and age can a lowly servant develop a deep friendship with the ruler of many colonies? Even to this current time, the British monarchy is still bound with many protocols to merit a comfortable liaison with them. Even though the younger members of the monarchy seem to be more approachable, I believe they are still restricted and controlled by certain age old norms and traditions.

So anyway back to the film. We see an aged Queen Victoria (Judi Dench) who simply goes through her ceremonial tasks being terribly bored that she literally falls asleep.  Enter Abdul, a lowly prison clerk who is sent to the UK to present a ceremonial coin at the Golden Jubilee banquet for Queen Victoria, mostly because of his tall height. He was not to speak unless spoken to yet he manages to charm himself in the good graces of the Queen.  

Their interaction involves him teaching her to speak and write Urdu. He also becomes her confidante and  cheers her up with inspirational quotes when she is melancholic. It is a good, healthy platonic relationship yet naturally the staff and her family all disapprove and come up with sorts of scenarios to keep them apart.

Dame Judi Dench is a great thespian and her portrayal of Queen Victoria is spot on. Her acting is perfection.  Ali Fazal is a revelation and his role as the doe-eyed, optimistic "Munshi" (teacher) is heartwarming. Their platonic chemistry is palpable and they earn my praises for their believable and poignant performances. 

The cinematography is authentic with vast scenes of castles and the verdant English countryside. The costumes are befitting the era buoyed by a stunning set design. The plot veers towards racism and discrimination against a different culture, it was true to point as it was quite prevalent in that era. When imperialistic monarchs mastered the art of colonization.

Overall, it is an entertaining movie about an unusual friendship yet unfortunately it lacks a certain something. So much so that I suddenly miss all those wonderful  yet forlorn Ivory-Merchant movies of days gone by.

Wonder Woman (2017)

Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, 

Robin Wright, Connie Nielsen, 

Danny Huston, David Thewlis

"Power. Grace. Wisdom. Wonder."

I grew up watching Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman in the 1980s. A tough woman fighting crime and just doing good for mankind. I never knew about her back story, the who, the how and the why she was a superhero. Well considering that this was back in the days when google didn't exist so information wasn't readily available in one click. So I was really invested in this film because it explores her background and how she became a superhero. 

At a young age, Diana (Gal Gadot) was already quite fierce. The daughter of Hippolyta (Connie Nielsen) an Amazon warrior and Zeus himself, she was of privilege stock. But this didn't keep her from watching other Amazon warriors practicing their warrior skills, led by her aunt Antiope (Robin Wright). Their little paradise like world called Themyscira filled with only women is suddenly 'invaded' by German troops who were chasing an American pilot named Steve Trevor (Chris Pine). He just happens to be a spy and somehow thinks he can stop the German army from winning the war.

Having grown in an all female environment, Diana is both curious and intrigued with the pilot. But once he mentions about a war, she becomes more interested as she was raised to believe that Ares, an evil demigod is out to destroy the world so she decides to accompany Steve to find so called villain to stop his evil intentions.

She soon joins Steve in his fight to stop the Germans in developing an vital tool that will annihilate the entire opposing forces. For a woman and an Amazon warrior, she is quite fearless yet at the same time she displays a certain vulnerability that makes her quite an endearing character to root for. 

Gal Gadot is a mesmerizing figure to watch as Wonder Woman. She is quite beautiful and has this twinkle in her eyes that adds to her charismatic superhero image. The innocence as well as the bravery of Diana is well manifested by Gadot in her first leading role. Her chemistry with Chris Pine is believable enough for a romantic interest without resorting to silly love scenes which can sometimes just ruin the entire love story angle. She carries the entire film on her worthy shoulders and although there are certain flaws in her acting, we are all willing to let it slide as she is the Wonder Woman, after all.

The setting is the first World War so there are enough fight scenes befitting a conflict. Action sequences are also a plenty and they are all executed well. The plot develops at a good pace with the usual theme of good vs evil  prevalent in superhero movies with an unexpected twist that leads towards an exciting, action filled conclusion. 

An entertaining movie with just enough relevance and gravitas to elevate it above the other superheroes movies, that simply rely on bombastic computer generated effects to draw a  crowd.

Kingsman: The Golden Circle

Taron Egerton, Mark Strong, Colin Firth,
Julianne Moore, Halle Berry, Channing Tatum,

Edward Holcroft, Hanna Alstrom

"Reports of my Death have been
greatly Exaggerated"

Through some elaborate hacking scheme, the Kingsman headquarters is blown up along with the residences of some of its agents. Only Eggsy (Taron Egerton)) and Merlin (Mark Strong) are left to pick up the pieces.  This leads them to Kentucky where they discover Statesman, their American counterpart hidden inside a whiskey distillery. 

Much to their surprise, they also discover that Harry Hart (Colin Firth), who was Eggsy's mentor is still alive but suffers from severe amnesia due to the procedure that saved his life and was performed by agents of Statesman.

Both agencies combine to fight a common enemy, an organization known as The Golden Circle headed by  Poppy Adams (Julianne Moore). A megalomaniac out to control the illegal drugs trade. Her base is deep in the jungles of Cambodia and guarded by armed men and two vicious mechanical dog robots. The design of the place pays tribute to the 1950s with a big diner that reminds us of one of the venues at the Universal Studios amusement parks.

The first installment concentrated on the training of the new recruits of secret spy agency. It was an action filled, slick parody of the Bond movies. It was fast paced, peppered with multi-dimensional characters and the plot was interesting enough to grab your attention.

The sequel features an actual operation which involves many side plots, set in various locations like the stunning sequence in the Italian Alps. Big name stars like Halle Berry, Jeff Bridges and Channing Tatum are not used for their full potential. 

While villains like Poppy Adams and Agent Whiskey (Pedro Pascal) are reduced to caricatures which is a pity. Don't get me started on Elton John starring as himself in quite a ridiculous role, that was just plain silly and quite stupid. Eggsy is still charmingly portrayed by Taron Egerton but giving him a love interest in the persona of a Swedish princess with whom he has no chemistry at all is a major  flaw. 

It is still a good popcorn movie despite its glaring flaws. I do like the soundtrack as it features John Denver's songs so I can totally relate with Merlin! Hehe

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, 

Dave Bautista, Michael Rooker, 

Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel,  Kurt Russell

"Anyone can Save the Galaxy once"

Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) and his 'gang' are back. Now they are officially the guardians of the galaxy battling all sorts of monsters and alien creatures to ensure the safety of the universe.

They are assigned to fight some creatures/beings on behalf of The Sovereign and after their job was accomplished, Rocket (voice of Bradley Cooper) steals some really important batteries so they again find themselves in trouble. 

In their escape though, they run into Ego (Kurt Russell) who turns out to be Peter's long lost father. Whoa!  Ego is a celestial being or a god but with a small 'g', has his own planet which looks like heaven. Yet something is a bit amiss with this dreamlike scenario and soon enough we find out what it is. 

There was a lot of hype about this sequel in terms of Peter finding his father. So most of the film is about Peter reconnecting with his father. It is like a long flashback until the true intentions of Ego is revealed. That turning point is when the film really regains its former glory. An intergalactic battle with much needed action sequences that thankfully wakes us up from our stupor.

But it has to be said that the case of the stolen batteries as the main plot is quite flimsy. A thin segue to the father - son reunion which didn't turn out to be a good one. I, for one didn't see it coming but perhaps it is because I was heavily medicated.

Nevertheless, the second installment is still fun to watch. Merry bunch of characters all acting true to form especially the cute lil twig, Groot. Irreverent dialogue and sarcastic jokes abound plus a good soundtrack of 70's songs works to add on the charm!

A Monster Calls

Lewis MacDougall, Sigourney Weaver,

Felicity Jones,

"Stories are wild Creatures"

The other day, we returned from our Yuletide holidays and are all sick with the flu. So I'm staying in bed, fully medicated and to chill I decided to watch movies from the comfort of my sick laden bed.

For easy viewing, I picked this film thinking it was a simple coming of age flick but boy was I wrong! Not only is this visually stunning movie filled with significantly powerful messages, it deals with sensitive topics like illness, bullying, grief and death. Not what you'd expect from a children's book. But then aren't most stories from this genre really dark tales?

Young Connor has too much on his plate. An artistic loner, he is constantly bullied in school and when he comes home he has to watch his mother battle terminal cancer. He finds solace in the form of a giant yew tree which comes alive at a specific time and regales him with stories filed with wisdom that tackle some issues currently plaguing Connor's life.

I believe it is these stories which encourage Connor to face his so called demons even though he is too young to be stressed with these burdens. It is also necessary for him as he turns into a young adult and must be armed with enough (painful) experiences to face life.

I like the vivid animated scenes that are incorporated within the film. It adds a childlike wonder and it helps cushion against the dark elements of the stories. The cast performs very well, the dialogue is brilliant especially the haunting voiceover of Liam Nesson as the giant yew tree. It is a good combination of fantasy and realism that is both provocative and poignant. Highly recommended!