film reviews

it's been a while since i did a movie review.. watched a bunch of movies in that time, here are some highlights:

'Inside Man' - one of the better movies of the year definitely. pretty smart movie,about a bank heist that starts off like a heist, but doesn't bear any of the hallmarks of your garden variety bank robbery. the problem with this movie is that storywise it's all foreplay and then no sex. but the acting is pretty topnotch, Denzel Washington is still one of the best actors out there. Clive Owen continues to play great wooden characters while Jodie Foster does the icewoman bit very confidently.

'16 Blocks' - a flawed Bruce Willis cop, hurt and limping, toting a gun while being chased by a bunch of folks.. flashback anyone? thank God this movie is slightly different from the norm (read Die Hard). Bruce Willis has to transport this witness (Mos Def) sixteen blocks to the courthouse, but gets waylaid. again, the ending is dodgy, but you would rather be on Bruce Willis' side than against him, cos he is one dogged mo-fo!!

'Kiss Kiss Bang Bang' - too many serious cops, robbers and murder movies, but this one was refreshing! then again, don't be deceived, it's not really the best picture ever either. Robert Downey Jr. plays narrator, and a two-bit crook who becomes and actor overnight, and takes sleuthing lessons from a suave, gay detective (Val Kilmer does an excellent job here). did i need to mention that he was gay? watch the movie and you will know. like 'Sin City', this movie also uses a film noir technique of adapting from pulp fiction novels all about girls and guns. at the end of the day though it's like a cocktail buffet: you fill your plate with little tidbits and are full after that, but did you really eat anything?

'Two For The Money' - this movie had two things that i really love, football and money.. and yet it sucked for me. i guess it was more about emotions and less about the football and money. Al Pacino was excellent in this movie, he plays passionate men to the hilt. he owns a spread prediction operation, in the grey area of the betting business. Matthew McConnaughey plays a whizkid who calls games perfectly, and Rene Russo plays Pacino's rehabbed wife. you wouldn't miss much if you passed on this one.

'Lords Of Dogtown' - based on the true story of the skateboard revolution that swept California in the seventies, this is a really good movie. excellently remade, it recaptures that hippy generation, and has one of the best classic rock soundtracks ever. you feel the energy of the skater teens jumpout at you, and it addresses the same themes we all faced as teens.. sex, drugs, alcohol, rivalry, peer and parental pressure, going against the odds. definitely worth the watch.

'V for Vendetta' - another one from the DC Comics stable, this is a good story about anarchist governments and how life may become in the future. shades of George Orwell's '1984' and Pink Floyd's 'The Wall' are present throughout this tale, echoing the Brit influence. set in Britain, it fast-forwards us to 2020 where the government plays Big Brother, and freedom of expression has been crushed, almost. one dissenting voice remains, that of V, and his protege played by Natalie Porter. let's just say that if you liked 'Zorro' then you will like this one too.