Revolver by Guy Ritchie

Category: English

The "Trilogy of Crime" as I am going to dub it comes to a close with Jason Statham finally getting a lot of screen time all to his pretty face. This time around Mr. Ritchie takes his setting to a presumed American ground, probably in Las Vegas. Mr. Green has just been released after 7 years of imprisonment, solitary imprisonment. In there he has conversations (but never meets) two inmates who befriend him and he slowly learns the "formula" to win any game. After his release from prison he spends the next 2 years cleaning up casinos and going after the man who sent him to the chiller in the first place, Dorothy Macha.

There's also a Mr. Gold who gets attributed to the ego.

I won't ruin the main parts of the film because there's constant commentary in this one and there's also exquisite violence from over the pond by Guy Ritchie this time. The story is a little wayward even though the film holds you tightly. Unlike the other 2 films, Ritchie gets a smaller cast and gets more juice into his characters. The commentary is a bit too much in parts and seems a little over the top particularly in the elevator sequence, even Guy Ritchie can't control cinema that well.

Ultimately it's the smaller characters who leave an undeniable mark on you, prominent being the sure shot - Sorter (who incidentally is the same actor who portrays Pinbacker from SunShine). There's also the gentle, Avi and not to forget Macha who is very strong in his own right. Finally don't forget to see the reactions at the end of the film before the end credits roll out. One word of advice Mr. Ritchie - No one takes Deepak Chopra seriously, unless you're Parmeshwar Godrej or you have no self-respect.

Recommendation level: 3/5 - Yeah, he's out of bounds in some places but overall I enjoyed it. Even though it's a little insulting to think he managed to decipher the formula of "chance" or "luck".

Snatch by Guy Ritchie

Category: English

Day 2 of the Guy Ritchie "fest" of sorts, this one is also features a ton of characters but this time he's got known faces to back them up. Well "known" now anyway. So the basic premise has Jason Statham looking to fix up a boxing match for a pig feeding mafioso called the Governor. His boxer ends up getting destroyed by a pikey called Mickey and he ends up taking him for the next fight, which Mickey is supposed to throw, but he doesn't.

In between all of this is Frankie "Four Fingers" who ends up stealing a massive diamond but ends up giving into his biggest greed - Gambling. He's tracked down by Boris the Blade who employs 2 pawn shop brokers. There's also Vinnie Jones thrown in as the proverbial gun for hire/bounty hunter, with the cool dialogues. If Quentin Tarantino was British then he'd be Guy Ritchie.

There's plenty of sub plots and minor characters thrown all around. There's one close up on Brad Pitt's face after he sees the burning trailer and that is one of the most under-rated and powerful moments in the film. It's one of the few places where literally the anger is visible at first and then slowly fades away into nothingness of the face. Just for that alone Mr. Ritchie gets a better rating this time around. The film is also firmly entrenched in London, 2 remarks - Benicio del Toro sports a weird accent and the camera angles used for him look straight out of Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas and secondly - Brad Pitt looks like he strolled a bit off from the sets of Fight Club onto this one!

Most of the support cast is strong as can be expected, there's a bountiful of cool dialogues and various shenanigans thrown in to keep people hooked and I can completely understand the cult status that Guy Ritchie commands now. I am just not sure how important this film is in terms of cinematic quality.

Recommendation level: 3/5 - Told you he gets a better rating this time around! Tomorrow will be Revolver, once again thanks to a friend for lending me these films. If you're a Guy Ritchie fan, it's a straight up 5/5!

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels by Guy Ritchie

Category: English

Guy Ritchie week, I forgot to write this last night. Anyway - the movie is simple in its out look that 4 blokes (each skilled in their own small way) are conned at a card game and must now pay half a million of pounds if they want to retain their lives and appendages.

In between all of this is a a drug baron whose private stash of cannabis has been robbed by a set of greedy crooks who have been buyers at some point. There's also the 'cleaner' who moves around with his son, there's also the Porn King to whom the 4 mates have to pay up within a week. There are also some small time crooks who had to steal some expensive muskets but didn't.

All of these explosive elements come together which seems like almost a familiar finale. I haven't seen this film earlier so it was a treat watching it, even though it gets a little patchy in parts. There's some debate about how good it is but I think it's stylish in the most commercial manner and absorbing only if you love the emphasis on characterization. There are some good shots in the film particularly of the close ups used, but their too far and wide and end up getting lost somewhere between the power of the plot and style.

However, props to most of the actors used - they do what their called for and exceed at it by very far.

Recommendation level: 2/5 - It's good in parts and overall engaging but nothing really path breaking, excessive reliance on violence and "bad ass" dialogues to carry this movie forward. Props to a friend of mine for the movie, remember no downloading illegally!

Break #3

Taking a break this week, I've got fucked over by some international films I had... Gutted. I need to organize the films a little better. Until then probably start posting by next week. Have a nice week all of you : )

Boudu Saved from Drowning by Jean Renoir

Category: Non-English

Renoir's comedy from 1932, evokes the true power of a canvas and what an artist can do with it. Boudu is a tramp who is all set to drown himself but is found rescued by a Bourgeois book seller, Mr. Lestingois. The otherwise quiet household finds itself under immense scrutiny by the unique charm that Mr. Boudu holds within himself.

The movie has plenty of jabs at the established class, there's plenty of references to prominent French intellectuals and their books. But I think more than that it's the charm of the director himself that shines through this rather unique film for its time. Renoir's comedy is done with a straight face, better the fact that it's done in a very nonchalant manner. In turn by his actions and characters he's taking a shot at the then existing methods of making films. I must have probably said this a 1000 times already but viewing French directors take on a completely different genre than they always do is remarkable. Might not be his first comedy film, a rather bad way of putting this film since even in it's limitations and stationary camera work it hits out hard.

The acting is top notch with just 4 main characters the plot is tight and the narrative is paced well, every situation that occurs is completely planned out and while it seems like a bunch of scenes put together for the people who don't know, every scene brings out another facet of the characters on screen. Michael Simon is the stand out character here but Charles Granval is equally powerful in his role as the care taker of the tramp.

Recommendation level: 4/5. Got it from the Enlighten Film Society collection or however you say that. Print was good, worth a watch.

Dead Man by Jim Jarmusch

Category: English

This film was a little hyped for me by a friend and so I was naturally compelled to take a look at this film. It's quite a minimalistic film in which Johnny Depp plays William Blake, a man who comes into Injun country to make a living to find himself out of a job in the first place by a very well placed Robert Mitchum (in his final role ever). Eventually he manages to get into a world of trouble as he finds himself hunted by 3 bounty hunters, prime among them is Lance Henriksen's cannibalistic character.

Proceeding with the story, Blake encounters a native Indian who has been on the receiving end of a harsh life - exploited by the white man he hails his new found partner as a re-incarnation of the famous poet.

The movie has a very entrancing Neil Young on his electric guitar and the background score keeps you well entertained throughout. To see the accountant Blake go on to becoming a gun slinger is almost hilarious and comical at times, not to say that it's badly executed, if anything the film is quite an anti-western in that sense. There's a lot of play on words and there's also the poetic language of Blake used to full effect. Then there's Jarmusch's style.

Needless to say, this film was very engaging and from what I've read on this film - very detailed about the lifestyle of the Injuns. Watch out for Alfred Molina's role as the Pastor!

Recommendation level: 3.5/5 - It's a little too long in places, and it could have been a little made a bit tighter. Depp's good as usual but nothing extra ordinary, he's surrounded by a really strong cast and director.

The Time Traveler's Wife by Robert Schwentke

Category: English

The movie features Eric Bana as a man who suffers from a strange genetic disorder that makes him travel through time. Rachel MacAdams plays the love of his life who has waited her entire life.

The movie falls apart at several places, even despite the presence of some capable acting talent there's almost nothing can do with such a weak script. Fans of the book even claim that the dialogues and scripting in general is very weak and thus is not even close to the book.

For me personally the movie is very flat at places, since I have never read the book it's almost impossible for me to contextualize it so I suppose aside from Rachel McAdams no one really stands out. Eric Bana's acting talent disappears every time his on screen persona takes a journey through time.

Recommendation level: 1.5/5 - There's some novelty value and of course 1 star for Rachel McAdams. Even fans of sappy love movies will find themselves walking out sooner than the movie ends.