Reviews in a nutshell - First pack

So where do I start? I watched hell lot of movies more than the number of times I had dropped my mobile. For people who don’t know me, I have butter fingers and drop my mobile at least once a day. And trust me, all these movies are watched either on the large silver screen or Original rental paid Blockbuster DVDs on my employer sponsored newly repaired DVD drive in my Toshiba laptop. I am thus holding on to my resolution as I mentioned here. And after every movie, I always wanted to write a review about it, but as it happens every other time, it slips my mind until now. It is Sunday and I thought I have wasted enough time for today. So here it goes. As the list is pretty huge, the reviews are shortened, but I will try to give everyone a generic idea about the flicks. And more will continue shortly.

[+/-]Speed Racer

I can bet on the Wachowski brothers any time and this is one movie that lived up to its huge hype in 2008. It’s got its own style like The Matrix. Flashy colors, awesome graphics, adrenaline packed races, still with a cartoon finish and of course the best fantasy sporty movie you can ever imagine. If you like to watch something different and unbelievable, you are in for a treat. Its Rajini's movie for the Hollywood.

Verdict: Please race to the theatres NOW!

[+/-]Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of Crystal Skull

The Archeologist with a whip is back to explore tombs and supernatural powers in this new installment of Spielberg and Lucas's money making Franchise. Though it’s been 19 years since we seen him before, Indie hasn't changed much and so is the story. But hell with that. It’s still fun and crazy. Harrison Ford hasn’t lost his best and does some pretty action that will make you jump. LaBeouf is a nice touch to the movie. But bringing in the family again? We have seen Sean Connery to do the same stuff in the last movie isn’t it? There you go. You have it all. Lots of action, Evil Russians. Devil Queen, deadly traps, and an alien civilization that has magnetic skull with psychic powers.

Verdict: Forget the logic. Go and have fun.

[+/-]Charlie Wilson's War

I had bit of ear-to-ear knowledge on America's involvement in getting rid of Russians from Afghanistan in the eighties. And this movie is enlightenment or should I say blunder on America's greatest covert operations. The best part of the movie is its crackling dialogue and the way the actors present them. Even brutal talks like "Let’s kill some Russians" were said so casually that makes you rethink if you heard the words right. Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts and of course Philip Seymour Hoffman have done well in what they always do. A good entertainer with some insights for sure.

"These things happened. They were glorious and they changed the world...
...and then we f****d up the end game." - Charlie Wilson
Verdict: Politics? America? Afghans? You got it!

[+/-]Following

Christopher Nolan's debut film for the big screen is no different from the rest of his films. Mystery, non-linear screenplay, spooky characters, multiple twists revealing itself towards the end and what not? a troubled hero as always. If you had watched Memento, you are going to love this movie too. Though the actual story is never understood till we go close to the movie, the hero character or should I say the victim's role is intriguing. It tickles the curious part of oneself and the character itself is an achievement of the writer/director who is promising on the dark knight in the next month.

Verdict: Good choice to rent on DVD.

[+/-]Shaun of the Dead

I was interested in this film mainly because of Simon Pegg from "Hot Fuzz". If you haven’t seen the film, I meant "Hot Fuzz", watch it without fail. It will bring your down with laughter all the way. I do not know how to categorize this comedy. But closest experience would be Vadivelu on a sci-fi thriller. It has a combination of good story, funny characters and witty dialogues with a mystery till the end.

As for "Shaun of the Dead", hmmmmm.... please avoid it if you can.
Verdict: Watch [+/-]"Hot Fuzz" not the dead one.

[+/-]Equilibrium

Two reasons I took this movie. One is Christian Bale and the other for its crazy story line. Christian Bale made it worth a mention. The second reason actually made it stupid. May be the actors were unable to make an unemotional performance. This was needed as the movie is about turning people into organisms without "feelings". A difficult task I would say. But wait. Something else came out of the movie. I found the source of inspiration for the emotional less face and black Tuxedo suits of the Matrix. And sometimes it makes me think... could Christian Bale have outperformed Keanu Reaves?

Verdict: One time. Just one time!

[+/-]Big Nothing

It is seriously "Big" but definitely not "nothing". David Schwimmer (Friends) and Simon Pegg ("Hot Fuzz" and not "Shaun of the Dead") bring a dark comedy that makes you laugh and smile with few nothing but accidental murders. The movie starts with the daily nothing big life in call centers and takes you to the something big of blackmailing and axe on a woman's head and finally ends up with smiling face on the dead Ross Geller. I liked it.

Verdict: Watch it for Ross. You will like him.

[+/-]Identity

This is the not the first movie I had seen on that topic. There was quite a few and each one equally good. One happens to be in my all-time favorites list and I added this into it.
So whats the story? Strangers stranded on a motel with no where to go and each one starts dying. Before you judge it as some Texas chainsaw movie, please watch it. You are in for a surprise. I bet you didn’t think it. At least not the second surprise.

Verdict: A must see. Identity is mandatory.