Two Line Reviews - #416

Movie: The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

Plot: Eight years after Harvey Dent's death, search is On for the Batman. Bruce Wayne comes out of his self-imposed exile to take on Bane, a forceful opponent who operates from underground who has an eye on the Nuclear energy project of the Wayne Enterprise and a hand on the 'truth' behind Batman.

What Works?

• After the superhero films that came this year, Christopher Nolan's efforts to idolise the Batman for a third time comes as a relief and offers what superhero films are expected to offer - sensible and intense entertainment!
• Tom Hardy, as Bane, has a brilliant role and his rugged portrayal with his one-liners and ruthless vengeance is terrific! He comes quite close to Joker and that is a big enough compliment!
• Christian Bale carries off the Wayne and Batman parts as expected, Gordon Levitt promises to keep the saga going, and both the lead ladies in the film have neatly fitting roles.
• Bringing in Ra's Al Ghul from part I and tying it up with a gripping portion in this part has worked superbly.
• Hans Zimmer's prolific background score is pulsating!

What Doesn't?

• A particular casting decision makes a thing or two predictable.
• The police going into the dungeon are made to look like fools!

Entertainment Guaranteed; Honestly, not any less & not much more!

Two Line Reviews - #230

Movie: Glory (1989)

Plot: During the American civil war of the 1860s, a young war captain assumes the role of leading a coloured regiment. The nigger regiment, initally treated shabbily and considered only for manual labour by the other regiment-heads, gets inspired by its honest captain Robert Gould Shaw & ends up leading the attack of an unconquerable enemy fort. The white regiments are made to eat their own words and follow the blacks.

Highlights:

• The film's cause is highly noble and if it's a true story, the man Robert Shaw was a supreme hero and this one, with its wonderful screenplay, is an apt tribute to the man.
• Mathew Broderick who plays Robert Shaw is brilliant in his role & Denzel Washington plays his role of the lamenting Nigger to perfection. Morgan Freeman is his usual self.
• The war action scenes are terrific and highly usurping.
• The costumes, music and camerawork are illustrative of the efforts that have gone in crafting this work.

'Glory' - So aptly named; A glorious film indeed!

Two Line Reviews - #228

Movie: Amistad (Multiple Languages, 1997)

Plot: Illegally transferred slaves in the boat 'La Amistad' surge to kill their masters but unfortunately land in American shores where they are convicted as legal slaves of Spanish interests. A willful attorney tries the case in favour of the captured slaves - wins it in 2 lower courts but the American-Spanish political games take the case to the highest of courts where the case gets decided.

Highlights:

• Steven Spielberg always keeps showing his name up to the question of 'Who is the biggest of them all?' & here again proves his mettle by deftly handling an absolutely intense sensitive subject.
• The roles that walk away with top honours are those of the African Cinque, the relentless attorney played by McConaughey & the ex president Hopkins' cameo!
• The core team members of Spielberg - cameraman,editor & music director are at their best again with John Williams providing some touching background tracks.
• There are appreciable scenes aplenty - The differing idealogies of the so-defined 'sophisticated' Americans & 'backward' Africans are expressed with tactful sarcasm in their varied definitions of terms like 'Almost';'Chief' etc.

Another jewel on Spielberg's Crown!

Two Line Reviews - #151

Movie: Unforgiven (1992)

Plot: A retired gunman living by retiring off his infamous past thanks to his now-dead wife reforming him, reluctantly makes a comeback to kill two scums who'd cut off the face of a woman in a county. He reinvents his own self,losing his good old friend & setting right a young guy's ambition in the process.

Highlights:

• Thalaivar is special.Clint Eastwood's slow and lethargic,yet, intense style of making is in full flow in this film.
• The sync that Clint and Morgan Freeman share. The duo command respect in this film too.
• Scenes involving Gene Hackman and the English Bob, the killing of the second cowboy were special.

My Rating: 9.3/10