Take The Money And Run (1969) Movie Review

Starring: Woody Allen, Janet Margolin

Directed by: Woody Allen

---Spoilers included-------

This film is presented as a documentary on the life of an incompetent, petty criminal called Virgil Starkwell but serves as a perfect vehicle for a selection of verbal gags, one-liners.
After a troublesome childhood, Virgil turns to robbing stores, banks as a means of earning an income, but his sheer ineptitude sees him sent to prison on various occasions. The bars of his jail cell, however, are never enough to contain Virgil's enthusiasm for breaking the law, and he conceives numerous daring strategies for escape (some prove successful, while others don't). Very funny but it seems somewhat incomplete & however we detect young Woody Allen slowly perfecting his craft. Following are very good scenes brings lot of laughs.

- The sight of Virgil playing cello in a marching band and his cello flying out a second-story window of his house.

- One attempt when Virgil discovers that the stolen pistol he uses in a holdup is actually a cigarette lighter. {So funny that he runs toward a dead end.}

- The failed heist in a pet store where he is chased by a gorilla. {Scene was very brief & very funny. We will see in desperation, young Virgil do anything for money. Setup for the scene is great.}

- First Virgil's failed escape attempt, when his self-made soap gun melts in a sudden rain storm.

- Another failed bank robbery attempt in the most-often quoted scene, when he hands over his scrawled note to tellers, but mis-spells his holdup note: Please put $50,000 into this bag and abt natural, because I am pointing a gub at you. {This scene alone worth the money.}

- His expressions in the prison when find a bra in the laundry

- The scene where robs & was arrested by his classmate, cop. (Simply brilliant.)

First Blood (1982) Brief movie review

Starring: Sylvester Stallone
Directed by: Ted Kotcheff, Conrad Palmisano

Few days back, I watched forth coming Rambo installment trailer. Felt like I need to watch the first part. When I was teenager, this movie was huge huge hit & I liked it a lot for its action. Brought the DVD from the library& watched it again. In one line, it is about a troubled Vietnam Special Forces commando gets plenty even with small town Americans, idiots?, for not appreciating his service to his country? I was shocked, surprised, to find that it was not an all out action movie but rather a drama & good commentary on the effects of Vietnam War with good dose of action. Like Rocky movie, subsequent sequels turned Rambo in to action machine but still I feel, Rambo 1st part was a classic with soul in it.

New additions to my DVD collection (Sony Pictures Classics 10th Anniversary Pack #2)

Purchased Sony Pictures Classics 10th Anniversary Pack #2
Description: This 4-DVD box set celebrates the first ten years of Sony Pictures Classics with four of their most successful films. Included in the box are four foreign language favorites: CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON (Special Edition DVD), ALL ABOUT MY MOTHER, RUN LOLA RUN, and INDOCHINE. See individual titles for details.

Most of the retailers like Amazon, best buy were selling at 60+ where as deep discount selling this DVD set for less than $10. I already watched Run Lola Run & Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. There are good movies for $10.

My favorite classics

1. Whenever find time, I always prefers old movies. I love the following classic.
   {Disappointed with few classic too like Bringing Up Baby etc. I will update that list later.}
   
   1) To have and Have not by Howard Hawks
   2) Anatomy of a Murder by Otto Preminger
   3) North by Northwest by Alfred Hitchcock
   4) Singing in the Rain by Stanley Donen, Gene Kelly
   5) City Lights by Charles Chaplin
   6) Citizen Kane by Orson Welles
   7) The Grapes of Wrath by John Ford
   8) To Kill a Mockingbird by Robert Mulligan
   9) Open city by Roberto Rossellini
   10) Only Angels Have Wings by Howard Hawks

Eastern Promises Movie Review

Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Naomi Watts, Vincent Cassel
Directed by: David Cronenberg
---Spoilers included-------


With London as a backdrop, this is another dark violent mafia thriller. Movie opens with two violent actions that seem unconnected; a bloody murder of a Russian mobster and a young pregnant woman collapsing in blood in a drugstore. Later the young women die while delivering the baby and the midwife who helped to deliver the baby in time by Anna, played by Naomi Watts. A diary was found in her possession which contains information of what the young women experiences after moving to London in her short lived life. Since the diary is written in Russian, she tries to have it translated in order to find this young girls family. She finds a business card for a restaurant inside the diary, which leads her to a restaurant run by Semyon , played by Armin Mueller-Stahl. Semyon has a vile son named Kirill, played by Vincent Cassel, and a violent but loyal driver and bodyguard, Nikolai, played by Viggo Mortensen. As plot unfolds the diary connects to underground of Russians who have immigrated to London & links to other killings and surprisingly the movie ends very fast. The story is so engaging and interesting; you just can't wait to see what will happen next & David Cronenberg direction was great & script was flawless. The violence is very realistic. In particle the bathhouse fight scene & throat slashing scenes. Naomi Watts is also watchable as a brave, sad mid wife seeking the truth. Viggo Mortensen performance was stunning & commendable & Oscar worthy. With good production value, beautiful cinematography and fantastic back ground score I left the movie theater with complete satisfaction. May be one DVD releases, either I will buy or rent it for second viewing.

My Top 10 Movies of 2007

Still I have to watch so many movies.
Following are current list. I will update this list after three months.
{need to watch few Hollywood & foreign movies. }

Killer of sheep {A fantastic film & classic. Watched it during this years re-release.)
Lives of others {Stunning film from debut director. No doubt it was an Oscar winner.)
3:10 to Yuma (A complicated cowboy flick & I liked it.)
The Bourne Ultimatum (Little week compared to first two installments but a great spy/action/thriller.)
Eastern Promises (A realistic plot with well balanced characters & everything else great in this thriller.)
No Country for Old Men (Simply amazing.)
Grind house {my first Grind house experience & unique & loved it}
Zodiac {Solid David Fincher movie.}
Waitress {enjoyed it & well written. Only chick flick in my list.}
American Gangster (well written & nicely told & solid action from lead cast.}

The 36th Chamber of Shaolin Movie Review

Starring: Gordon Liu
Directed by: Lau Kar Leung

---Spoilers included-------

The 36th Chamber of Shaolin is a martial arts classic. Like many earlier Kung fu movies, this movie story, theme, also centered on the Revenge (justice or self defense or do the right thing) San Te , played by Gordon Liu, witnesses the death of his master & friends & his family members and vows to learn kung fu so that he can fight the oppressors in his town. Fleeing the bad guys, he heads for Shaolin temple. Most of the movie shows Liu training endlessly at the temple. Liu was shown in at least 10+ of the chambers and half of the movie is spent in the training only. I love all the chambers and the training. No matter how difficult the obstacle, Liu tries and tries again during the training. Years pass as he works his way through the “chambers,” improving his concentration, strength, and reflexes. After what seems like a movie unto itself, he is finally pronounced a master, and invited to teach at any of the 35 chambers. Instead of choosing one, he proposes to create the 36th chamber, which will take the knowledge of Shaolin out of the temple and teach it to the people, so that they can learn to fight for themselves, too. His proposal was rejected & he was out of Shaolin temple for his disagreement. He comes back to his native place, in final scenes and in the fights we will see Liu confronting the oppressors. There are many fight scenes, and each one demonstrates a skill that he learned while in school. The best thing about this film was Liu, this guy was amazing, great charisma and great screen presence. Whether it fights or learning skill, his eyes are so intense. The fight scenes are competently choreographed & Liu and his co-stars are good, and the camera holds on them long enough that you can tell they aren’t cheating with camera tricks. With great production value, beautiful cinematography, fantastic acting makes this movie one of the best in its genre. Even if you’re not a huge fan of kung fu movies, The 36th Chamber of Shaolin is an excellent & fine of the genre. Just give a try & it will not disappoint. DVD comes with rich set of extras which include interviews with Gordon Liu, few film scholars etc.

Last weekend movies

Eastern Promises (2007){8.5/10}
A realistic plot with well balanced characters with lots of violence. At end a dark satisfying thriller. Viggo Mortensen, Naomi Watts performances were commendable.
I will write my review later.

The 36th Chamber of Shaolin{1978}{9.5/10}

I love all the chambers and the training. The best thing about this film was Gordon Liu, this guy was amazing. No matter how difficult the obstacle, Liu tries and tries again.

New additions to my DVD collection

Purchased Rome - The Complete First Two Seasons (2005) for $60.
Just now I checked the Amazon site. Price was increased up to $190. It was on my watch list for a while.

To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) Brief Movie Review

Starring: Gregory Peck

Directed by: Robert Mulligan

To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) was a critically-acclaimed, classic film. I've never read the book & I watched this movie nearly 10 years back & finally got a chance to watch it again.
In brief it is story about a white lawyer, Atticus Finch played by Gregory Peck, agree to defend a poor black man against a rape charge e in 30’s Alabama. Big thanks to Finch kids who are major of plot but also did an excellent job of acting. The court room scenes are dramatic, moving and done right. It's definitely one of the best film of 1962 and one of the top ten films of the '60s. I am catching with most of 60's movies now days.

Memorable scenes:
All court room scenes, in particular
Tom: Yes, sir. I felt right sorry for her. She seemed...
Gilmer: You felt sorry for her? A white woman? You felt sorry for her?

When Finch tells his daughter
“You never know someone until you step inside their skin and walk around for a while.."

Scoop (2006) Movie Review

Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Hugh Jackman and Woody Allen
Directed by: Woody Allen

----Spoilers included-------

Another disappointment from great director Woody Allen after solid Match Point movie.
Coming to the story, a recently deceased well-known reporter, Ian McShane, was given an amazing scoop about a serial killer from another dead person. Then he chooses to appear in the middle of a red magic box to a former dental hygienist turned college journalist Sandra, played by Scarlett Johansson, and the magic act by Splendini’s, played by Woody Allen. One of the ridiculous premise for crime/murder mystery story. Result was a disappointment because of poor script. Unlike his earlier movie, Woody Allen was all over the place, as a A magician & dad & crime investigator, in this movie providing all the laughs & his one-liners dialogs were good in few scenes. Hugh Jackman & Scarlett Johansson were Ok but nothing great to offer. If you are a hard core fan of Woody then you can watch once. To be on safe side, watch without expectations.

Jing wu men (1972) aka Fist of Fury Movie Review

Starring: Bruce Lee

Directed by: Raymond Chow

----Spoilers included-------

Recently purchased Bruce Lee ultimate DVD set collection. This review is based on the English version of JING WU MEN aka Fist of Fury. I am sure I watched Big Boss & Enter the Dragon while I was studying but I am not sure about this movie.

Before going in to the story, a bit history. In the early 19th and 20th century, China was a weak nation with a string of inept leaders. As a result, greedy nations of Europe began forcing their way into the country. Japan also got involved in this colonialism and the Japanese dominating and taking advantage of the Chinese is the setting for the film. It was set in the early 20th century and the film plays up the natural hatred of the Japanese among the Chinese. Even I finding the same today.

Coming to the story, in the opening scene we will come to know that Brice Lee master (a great fighter) was died. As plot unfolds, we will come to know that he was poisoned by a rival master & uncovers a world of crime and prejudice. Plot was very simple like other Bruce Lee movies. {Revenge is common theme across all the Bruce Lee movie scripts} What makes a big difference is Bruce himself. His action irritate's the few scenes,who care about his action, Lee's energetic fight scenes thrills the audience. The scene where Lee destroys the sign in front of Japanese consulate saying Dogs and Chinese people from entering in to the consulate was a classic. The final fight scene with Russian strongman was pretty intense and fun to watch. A must for any Bruce Lee fan and for every martial arts buff. {8/10}

A History of Violence (2005) Movie Review

Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Maria Bello
Directed by: David Cronenberg

----Spoilers included-------
The story is quite simple. Tom Stall, played by Viggo Mortensen, lives in a small town and is the ideal husband & dad. Tom kills two men who are trying rob his diner one night. The publicity that surrounds this event brings back gangsters who claim that he is a violent criminal running away from his past. Initially Ton denies his past & the allegations but it eventually becomes clear that Tom is actually a former mafioso named Joey Cusack, who has been tracked down by his brother, with whom he has unfinished business. Rest of the story revolves around his unfinished business with his brother and coming back to family. script got following minor problems. The slow reveal of story is quite unsettling & graphic violence & some poor sex scenes awkward and without a real point or symbolism. However Maria Bello gives the performance of her career as Tom's wife & Viggo performance also solid. In short it is powerful & solid David Cronenberg movie and well made from a technical point of view. Strictly not for kid or teens.

Last weekend movies

A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE (8/10) is a disturbing and intense drama that sheds light on several aspects of violence in American society & its impact on ordinary people lives. Another solid film by David Cronenberg. Not for kid or teens.

Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961){9/10} Audrey Hepburn's finest romantic/comedy film. Director fully known’s that this is Hepburn film and he was never away from her for a long.

Fist of Fury {8/10}: Bruce Lee’s intense & non-stop action movie right from the beginning.
Must for action movie lovers. It’s truly amazing to see Lee fight so fast & cinematography really captureed very good Acton scenes.

Borat (6/10): Overrated & extreme & silly & plane dumb. However there are few scenes bring good laughs.

My most anticipated 2008 movies

Funny Games U.S. by Michael Haneke
The Happening by M. Night Shyamalan
Revolutionary Road by Sam Mendes
Synecdoche, New York by Charlie Kaufman
Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull by Steven Spielberg
The Dark Knight by Christopher Nolan
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by David Fincher
The Lovely Bones by Peter Jackson
The Fighter by Darren Aronofsky
Burn After Reading by Coen brothers
Valkyrie by Bryan Singer
+
Few guilty pleasures like latest Rambo, newer bond movie + mummy 3 etc.

Snakes on a Plane Movie Review

Starring: Samuel L. Jackson
Directed by: David Richard Ellis

----Spoilers included-------

This is one of the rediculous movies i have seen in a while. Movie starts with Sean Jones, Played by Nathan Phillips, is a typical surfer whose life is in danger when he witnesses a brutal murder by legendary mob boss Eddie Kim, played by Byron Lawson. FBI Agent Neville Flynn, played by Samuel L. Jackson, was sent to escort Sean to LA so that he can testify in the court case and put Eddie behind bars. But, Eddie has his own plans. His team put a crate of the world's most poisonous snakes on board the plane and sets a timer that will release the snakes at a certain altitude. Soon, all hell breaks loose as the poisonous reptiles begin to run rampant and the innocent flyers are the entire target. The plot for this movie is shockingly simple & completely illogical except at the opening credits, areal shot was very good. There is zero attempt to make anything make sense, including script, things happen without explanation & as usual you will see Samuel L. Jackson brand mark dialogs(includes his famous line "I am tired of these motherf***ing snakes on this motherf***king plane!" )etc. There is no scope to act, everyone have to go with the flow of events. Not for art movie lovers or intellectuals. Looking for fun ride, this movie fits the bill. Pure 70’s B grade action thriller movie with latest technology.

The Bourne Ultimatum Movie Review

Starring: Matt Damon
Director: Paul Greengrass

----Spoilers included-------

If you’re thinking of going to see this film then first watch parts 1 & 2 before. Then only you can understand this movie better. I loved the first two Bourne movies and thought they got better as the stories carried on. In this, the third film of the Bourne Trilogy, you will find Jason brought out of hiding by Guardian reporter, Simon Ross, played by Paddy Considine, who is trying to unveil the CIA based 'Operation Blackbriar'; the program which effectively trained Bourne to become the proficient killing machine. Seeing the reporter as his last chance of finding out his true identity, Jason sets out in pursuit, only to find himself embroiled in a constant battle with 'Blackbriar” gang. From London, to Morocco, to New York; the Cat and mouse game of assassinations, lies and deceit provides a thrilling and tense battle. This movie got ton’s of action (right from the begin to end but it lacks realism like part 1 & 2) A case of Hollywood saying Americans rule the world and can do what we like anywhere on this planet? While CIA looking for him, Bourne happily moves around the world, enter’s into CIA building etc. Also title was not apt compared to first two movies. They carried over book name to film. Though Bourne Ultimatum script got some issues, it has its positive points too. The music was major plus point to keep suspense and interest. (Annoying at few scenes) The long scene in London Waterloo station where Bourne tries to make a contact with a reporter is a masterful work. Matt Damon was very energetic in his role & he was perfect fit for the role& did great job. Paul Greengrass's direction was solid like part two and his use of fast cuts and an unsteady camera is major plus for this kind of fast action packed thriller. All three movies make a very exiting trilogy & its ending is wide open. We can expect more movies.

Wife vs Secretary (1936) movie review

Starring: Clark Gable, Jean Harlow, Myrna Loy


Directed by: Clarence Brown

----Spoilers included-------

Brief story, Van, played by Clark Gable, a president of a rich publishing empire, who is in love with his wife Linda, played by Myrna Lloyd. Gable has a beautiful secretary, played by Jean Harlow, who becomes an indispensable part of his company. Initially everything looks fine for Linda even though Van and Harlow working late at night.
However when her mother in law makes a careless comment & later by her friend comments, non-jealous Linda suspicious of her husband’s actions & later subsequent events put that trust into doubt. Rest of the story revolves what happened to their lives.
Overall this is nice little entertaining movie with some great acting by top-notch cast and wonderful writing & nice insights into human nature.

Last weekend movies

The Maltese Falcon{1941}(9) Wonderful detective move with good plot twists & great characters and very good dialogs engages the viewer interest till the end.

Latest movie watched

SCOOP (6/10): A lightweight, predictable, forgettable Woody's movie.