Zombieland by Ruben Fleischer

Category: English

A busy schedule lets me review movies with less frequency but anyway when I do get the chance I obviously review. On Sunday I caught Zombieland and I was looking forward to this movie, since there hasn't been a good zombie movie release in a while and Survival of the Dead won't be here for a few months or might never.

Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin are all survivors who band together despite some treachery on the part of the latter two. The premise being the world has been over run by Zombies and they are all traveling together to possibly find a safe zone. Eventually they find themselves in different scenarios fighting tons of zombies (only sometimes for a good 30 mins there are no Zombies).

The movie has some originality when it comes to the whole "rules of survival" most of them are explained, some repeated and of course some changed as the movie progresses. Woody Harrelson is apt in his role and so are the rest, the women in the movie were a little annoying and the little girl should have got her head bitten off but oh well.

Recommendation level: 3/5 - It's no Romero movie but definitely a good movie to watch if you're looking for some decent gore and are a Zombie movie fan, there are some impossible situations and of course watching Woody Harrelson perform the impossible (winning a stand off against a horde of zombies) is a bit unnatural but fine. Oh yes, the Bill Murray angle is pretty cute too!

Boogie Nights by Paul Thomas Anderson

Category: English

I've been waiting to check this film out for a while now and I have to say Paul Thomas Anderson (now referred to as PTA) has a unique way of getting an ensemble cast to act perfectly. He gets every bit of acting that he can from these talented bunch of people unlike some multi-starrer turkeys. Best part is, not one person can lay claim to the film.

The movie follows the pornographic industry while it was rising in the 1970's and 1980's in America. There's plenty of references to porn stars of those years, heck Mark Wahlbergs' character is based on a famous porn star. It's all loosely based but there's important landmarks to remember and watch the movie in - for example the advent of the video tape and the "creative differences" the director has with the financier concerning it.

The film follows the meteoric rise (no pun intended) of Dirk Diggler (Wahlberg) and the people he interacts with and the kind of work he produces. His addiction to cocaine and eventual fail in the industry, the movie however does end on a happy note. . . Sucks.

The cast includes PTA's favorites; Julianne Moore, Alfred Molina, William H. Macy, John C. Reilly, Philip Seymour-Hoffman as well as Burt Reynolds, Heather Graham and a host of others who shine in the movie in their own little way.

Recommendation level: 3/5. Got this one on VCD, but the Indian version is heavily censored. Same director to give us Magnolia, Hard Eight and other good movies from Hollywood.

I Love You, Man by John Hamburg

Category: English

Paul Rudd's character is to get married to Rashida Jones' character and while their busy looking at the wedding they realize that Rudd never had a strong male bond with any of his friends. Over the years he has only women friends and so the quest for finding his Best Man or his 'bromance' begins.

After hunting around with the help from his gay brother and the internet he eventually finds nothing. Enter Segel's character and things take a turn for good as he instantly connects with him.

While the movie takes a pedestrian look at how guys bond in the most stereotypical manner, Rudd manages to pick this movie up from the standard set of comedies that are around these days. Segel is the perpetual best friend, this guy can almost never be a lead - am convinced. Everyone (even in real life) wants a best friend like him right from his How I met your mother days.

Entertaining to watch with the friends after a hard days work I reckon. But not world class cinema.

Recommendation level: 2/5. Rudd and Segel take this to 2.