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Showing posts with label Toni Collette. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Toni Collette. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 12, 2017

Jasper Jones (2017) Australia

A mystery surrounding a girl's death.






Genre:
Drama, Mystery, Thriller.


Length:
Approximately 5-minute read.


Review:
     An Australia's murder mystery set in a small town. The film was based on the novel of the same name. Starred by the next generation Aussie actors like Levi Miller and Angourie Rice. But the film was not what I had expected. Just okayish. Not at first glance I liked it, because I thought it was a little out of common sense, even from the kid's perspective. I don't blame the entire film, but the opening. Too intentional and right away jumped into the suspense.

     This is a children's film, the story of teenagers, and a mystery surrounding the death of a girl. After the unconvinced start, not even the end brought any consolation. Though it could have been for just me. That's what I felt. So according to me, only the mid parts held the film for me to look for something in the later. All it had was the wonder characters and the storyline. The rest of the film failed to stretch with the best developments. Definitely a good tale for literature, but for a film, to witness everything on the visuals, it needed more detail. Only if it had depth, I would have found it a better film.

     The story that happened in the holiday week that comes between the Christmas and the New Year. In a fictional Aussie town called Corrigan, a young Charlie was approached by Jasper in the middle of the night. Later he comes to know Jasper's girlfriend has been murdered. Now they are set to find who did it and why bofore the athorities do! The following days are crucial for both of them as the whole town is terrified by the incident. When the time comes to the truth, the secrets were revealed just before the film's end.

 You're just like her, your mother. You're peas in a pod, you two. 

     There was a little distraction like the Vietnam war, racism. All the above, the character Jasper Jones seemed an imagination of Charlie. Because of his secret appearance, but that did not last long. Yet the murder mystery always stayed top of the film topic. When the end revealed everything, that reminded me the films of 60-70 years ago. The timeline for this film too was in the same period, precisely 1969. The locations were awesome, the cinematography should be appreciated.

     I thought the Jeffrey was an under-used or unrequired character, until the cricket match scene that's dedicated to him. Following it, what happened to his family was a nice flow of the story. Charlie's family too, the issue of the parents, crisis is their marriage. As I said, the film had ingredient, but did not cook properly. The reviewers, the film critics comparing it to some of the classics like 'To Kill a Mockingbird' to 'Stand By Me'. But I would say, it is too late to come to get equal status of those films. It was just an above average, but if it came in the 80s or 90s, surely would have been a gem and changed the Australian filmdom.

     Despite the film title, the story was narrated by Charlie, the one who developed an unexpected relation in the most extreme situation with Jasper Jones. Apart from one worst week of his life, he also finds his first love. A coming-of-age film, worth a watch, but no doubt that it should have better. Not sure if the majority would like it or dislike it, but it is once watchable film. Finally, it got nominated for the Australian Academy Awards for this year (2017) in six categories, sadly it had won nothing. I hope that should not be a reason for you to skip it!



Suitable for:
Tween, Teen, Adult, All


Final verdict:
Ignore, Bad, Average, Good, Excellent


Similar movies:
Tidal Wave, Gravity, The Hobbit, Frozen, The Little Prince.


External link(s):



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Monday, November 3, 2014

A Long Way Down (2014) United Kingdom

A strange way to meet strange people.





Genre:
Comedy, Drama.


Tagline:
"Life is looking up."


Review:
     A dark comedy movie from the Britain which was partially based on a novel of the same name. The second movie together for the rising stars Imogen Poots and Aaron Paul after 'Need for Speed'. The trailer was one of the reasons I watch this movie. It created an interest in me for some uniqueness in its theme. But in the end when I watched the movie now it did not last much longer.


     Usually movies will have best shots for last parts, but here it came very early. The opening scene was the movie's highlight, get off with the fun and then while advancement it slowly died. The concept was really a good one, the story created around it was not. I expected twists and turns in last parts that never came. So, in the end it became a simple and the usual entertaining movie.

     All the actors were good, but their characters were not convinced enough. The developments were to blame because all the four main characters were not exposed well on the screen about some of the mysteries of their earlier stages. I mean the story talks about each of them's difficulties they recently went through and 50% of them remained unexplained phenomena. Like, what was the Aaron Paul's real problems and about Imogen Poots little sister etc.

‘‘We were visited...
by an angel and it looked like Matt Damon.’’

     Beside all these flaws, there's little enjoyments. Toni Collette and Pierce Brosnan's roles were made sense and blended well with the concept. But when it comes to performances all the four were equally good. Overall, a fine subject was wasted for not that good story. Yes, a little let down movie, should have been a better. I don't know the book, maybe they should have adapted it straight without changing much. A decent movie to watch and no guarantee of satisfactory because taste differ from person to person.



Similar movies:
Death at a Funeral, City Island, World's Greatest Dad, A Fish Called Wanda.


Suitable for:
Tween, Teen, Adult, All


Final verdict:
Ignore, Bad, Average, Good, Excellent


External link(s):
HTML tutorial  HTML tutorial  HTML tutorial  HTML tutorial

Friday, July 18, 2014

Enough Said (2013) Hollywood

In a mid life's reconciliation.





Genre:
Comedy, Drama, Romance.


Tagline:
"When the heart speaks, does not need words."


Review:
     From the director who always portray women's perspective of stories. Sadly, it was one of the final movie of  James Gandolfini. He just came and go in his movie that I did not notice him till 'Welcome to the Riley'. I praised his performance in that flick and again he was so great in this movie, I totally impressed. This movie is about the divorced parents and their second chance to commit in a relationship. Very nicely and realistically told story which had plenty of humor.

     Eva, a middle aged single mother who works as a masseuse meets a divorced man, Albert at a party. It all starts as a casual meeting, then they begin to find similarities. Especially whose first marriage was broke and now they regret for that. So cautiously move their relationship to the next level who are desperately looking to work it out. In the end, every relationship got faults and how they are going to keep it going patching all the flaws is what the story explains.

‘‘I know this sounds corny... But you broke my heart.’’ 

     I found it so good. When there are no popular actors, then it must be a B movie or television movie, but in this case it is hard to differentiate. It was top class in all the category. A specially made flick for middle aged people. It was a romantic-comedy, but make us contemplate back to our life. The lead pair was excellent together, perhaps chemistry between them worked out. This kind of low budget with not so popular actors won't do great commercial business, but get appreciated in a small circle gives a fine support for future similar projects.

     Beside Gandolfini, Julia Louis-Dreyfus as well enchanted with her spellbind performance. She can make a good actress with a story like this than being only a television star. She's not too far from taking a fine position like what Julia Roberts, and others doing now. I would love to see her again in a major flicks. This movie is not for everyone and I don't think teens (not every teen) would enjoy it than adults. It speaks about the life, the modern life crisis who faced divorce unintentionally. In one word, it is a beautiful portrait.



Similar movies:
Blue Jasmine, This is 40, Kramer Vs Kramer, Cyrus, Sideways, Young Adult, The Weather Man.


Suitable for:
Tween, Teen, Adult, All


Final verdict:
Ignore, Bad, Average, Good, Excellent


External link(s):
HTML tutorial  HTML tutorial  HTML tutorial  HTML tutorial