One of my long term goals was to enable movie oriented content in this blog. Now that I have started watching movies again thanks to Amazon Instant Video, Redbox and Netflix, I can share some notes on the movies I watch. Instead of writing long reviews which you can otherwise find in IMDB, Yahoo Movies, MetaCritic or RottenTomatoes, I will just write a couple of lines about the movie with a Recommendation. I'll try to do it once a month. So here is the first edition.
Adventures of Tintin
: I grew up reading Tintin. Haddock was my hero. The books opened up the world to me. So I was eager to watch Spielberg and Peter Jackson's take on the reporter's antics. The movie was fun with a caveat. Folks who have read the book(s) will enjoy it a lot. For those unfamiliar of the characters, it might be an OK movie. There is less of the Spielberg stamp here than you would expect.The Rajini Punch: "Tintin late a vandhalum, latest a varan."Rating: 7.5/10. Go for Spielberg, stay for the ride.
Mission Impossible 4:
The Ghost Protocol: I am a big action movie buff. Loved the first MI movie. Liked the second and third. I also happen to be a huge Brad Bird fan. So I was expecting something different and fun with MI4. I was not disappointed. There is nothing unique with the story itself but Bird's handling of the action is remarkable. And yes, the scenes in Dubai have to be seen to be believed. Cruise, Renner, Patton and Pegg make a fun group.The Rajini Punch: "Andha Kozhandaikitta Ethan Hunt'nnu sonna, innoru kayyala avan amma vaayayum moodum."Rating: 8.5/10. Loved it. Non-stop action. Will leave you breathless.
Midnight in Paris: I am not a big fan of chick flicks. But I had read enough about Woody Allen's love poem to Paris that I had to watch it. And I did not regret it. It is as much a love poem to Paris as it is to literature. And the movie shines how. Romance in this movie is between the writer, Paris and the written word. Suffice to say, the movie is one of the better romantic movies I have seen in a long time.The Rajini Punch: "Howizit?. Sooper."Rating: 8.5/10. Just beautiful.
Cowboys and Aliens: I like Jon Favreau's take on Iron Man. I enjoy watching Daniel Craig- he does a stoic do-gooder better than many others. Plus there was Harrison Ford and Olivia Wilde. The movie was a big disappointment. The story ambled. While there are some cool scenes with good special effects, overall the movie was boring. Expected more from everyone concerned.The Rajini Punch: "Alien solran. Yaarum seyyala."Rating: 6/10. Disappointing.
Kung Fu Panda 2: Po was a surprisingly fun character in the very fun Kung Fu Panda that came out a few years ago. I had heard good things about this one and finally got down to seeing it. I wasn't disappointed. The movie continues to be a gentle but respectful satire on all the kung fu movies of the past and also serve as a wonderful tale on friendship and family. I loved it. Unfortunately, I can't recommend it for younger kids given the violence in the movie.The Rajini Punch: "Po, Suthi Suthi Adikaran. Parandhu Paandhu Adikaran."Rating: 8.5/10. Lot of fun. Great animation.
Moneyball: For baseball lovers like me, sabermetrics, Bill James and Billy Beane mean something special. Michael Lewis wrote a wonderful book on Billy Beane's unique money ball approach to making the small market Oakland Athletics compete against the big spending Yankees and RedSox. The movie is fantastic. Beyond the perspective on baseball, it is a tome on a very human approach to changing the guard in a game steeped in its own ways for over a century. Brad Pitt hits one out of the park as do Philip Seymour Hoffman as Art and Jonah Hill as the fictitious Peter Brand. Loved, loved it.The Rajini Punch: "Billy Beane vazhi, thani vazhi."Rating: 8.75/10. Fantastic rendition of a fun book and an homage to a great sport.
