Showing posts with label Mystery. Show all posts

Monday, October 14, 2013

Maleficent

Maleficent (2014)

Action, Adventure, Drama, Family, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance, Thriller - 30 May 2014

Director : Robert Stromberg
Writers : Paul Dini, Linda Woolverton
Stars : Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning, Sharlto Copley, Miranda Richardson. The "Sleeping Beauty" tale is told from the perspective of the villainous Maleficent and looks at the events that hardened her heart and drove her to curse young Princess Aurora." />

The "Sleeping Beauty" tale is told from the perspective of the villainous Maleficent and looks at the events that hardened her heart and drove her to curse young Princess Aurora.

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Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Incendies

Incendies (2010)

R - 139 min - Drama, Mystery, War - 12 January 2011
Big Blue Sky Rating : 8.1/10

Director : Denis Villeneuve
Writers : Valérie Beaugrand-Champagne, Wajdi Mouawad
Stars : Lubna Azabal, Mélissa Désormeaux-Poulin, Maxim Gaudette, Mustafa Kamel

A mother's last wishes send twins Jeanne and Simon on a journey to the Middle East in search of their tangled roots. Adapted from Wajdi Mouawad's acclaimed play, Incendies tells the powerful and moving tale of two young adults' voyage to the core of deep-rooted hatred, never-ending wars and enduring love.

Fantastic! Villeneuve's best film yet

This film is extraordinary on just about every level. The script is terrific, the actors are perfect, the direction and cinematography are all you could hope for. I recommend it without hesitation.

Anyone who has seen any of Villeneuve's previous work--or Andre Turpin's Zigrail--knows that these filmmakers have bodies of work that are almost without peer in contemporary cinema world-wide and are unparallelled in the history of Canadian cinema (until seeing Incendies, Maelstrom was my favourite Canadian film). Incendies does not betray that "legacy". You should absolutely see it.

In a film as stunning as this one it's odd to single out one aspect, but I must say that Lubna Azabal's performance is among the best I've ever seen. Though I've watched a few films that she's been in in the past, she never really stood out for me. She is devastatingly good in this picture.

I do hope that this film gets submitted to the AMPAS for Oscar selection as it is definitely the best film I've seen this year and a shoe-in for the foreign picture Oscar.

My only complaint about the film was the use of music by Radiohead, which took me out of the film each time it played. The rest of the music cues were spot-on and quite excellent, but Thom Yorke's voice belonged nowhere near this film.

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Zodiac

Zodiac (2007)

R - 157 min - Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller - 2 March 2007
Big Blue Sky Rating : 7.7/10

Director : David Fincher
Writers : James Vanderbilt, Robert Graysmith
Stars : Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo, Anthony Edwards

A serial killer in the San Francisco Bay Area taunts police with his letters and cryptic messages. We follow the investigators and reporters in this lightly fictionalized account of the true 1970's case as they search for the murderer, becoming obsessed with the case. Based on Robert Graysmith's book, the movie's focus is the lives and careers of the detectives and newspaper people.

Using the Facts to Create a Pleasing Crime Thriller

Zodiac, David Fincher's film about the impact the San Francisco Bay Area serial killer's case had on three primary characters is delivered with great attention to detail and proper pacing. Zodiac is not a film that uses or relies on suspended disbelief to succeed and does not attempt to compress five years of story into one in order to keep viewers interested. Instead it relies heavily on the facts and uses all of its 158 minutes to present them in almost linear form and staccato fashion.

Set primarily in San Francisco in the late 1960's and 70's (and eventually the 80's) Fincher's Zodiac takes no artistic license by adding the obligatory car chase scene down Russian Hill, drug enhanced evening in Haight-Ashbury or conspiracy oriented behind the scenes moves by City Hall. Instead the audience is presented with a credible story that portrays how stress, tension, frustration and fascination play upon the lives of S. F. Police Inspector David Toschi (Mark Ruffalo), S.F. Chronicle Editorial Cartoonist Robert Graysmith (Jake Gyllenhall), and S.F. Chronicle reporter Paul Avery (Robert Downey Jr.). Each of these people, as well as those surrounding them are operating well within the confines of every day life and the establishment. Fincher does not let Zodiac wander outside its central story, and therefore no editorial comment about the Vietnam War or similar events of the day are offered. Insights about the impact on the victims (who survive) or their families are only touched upon if they remain central to the story.

The initial scenes of the movie depict the killer in operation and they are not sugar coated. However, viewers wanting to see a film in the style of Fincher's Alien (3), Se7en or even Fight Club (i.e., blood and gore to almost surreal levels) should look elsewhere.

Zodiac is a well crafted production on all fronts. In addition to Fincher, the lead actors and extensive (and well known) supporting cast Zodiac producer's assembled a credible team. James Vanderbilt (Screenplay), David Shire (Score), Donald Burt (Production Design), Keith Cunningham (Art Direction), Victor Zolfo (Set Direction) and Casey Storm (Costume Design) all deliver quality work in their respective areas. There are no weak spots in this film. Zodiac may not (or attempt to) dazzle, but it does please.

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Monday, October 7, 2013

Frozen

Frozen (2013)

Animation, Action, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Musical, Mystery, Romance, Thriller - 27 November 2013

Director : Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee
Writers : Jennifer Lee, Shane Morris
Stars : Kristen Bell, Josh Gad, Idina Menzel, Alan Tudyk

In "Frozen," fearless optimist Anna (voice of 'Kristen Bell' ) teams up with rugged mountain man Kristoff (voice of 'Jonathan Groff' ) and his loyal reindeer Sven in an epic journey, encountering Everest-like conditions, mystical trolls and a hilarious snowman named Olaf in a race to find Anna's sister Elsa (voice of Idina Menzel), whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom of Arendelle in eternal winter. Encountering Everest-like conditions, mystical trolls and a hilarious snowman named Olaf, Anna and Kristoff battle the elements in a race to save the kingdom.

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Oldboy

Oldboy (2013)

R - Action, Drama, Mystery, Thriller - 27 November 2013

Director : Spike Lee
Writers : Garon Tsuchiya, Nobuaki Minegishi
Stars : Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Olsen, Samuel L. Jackson, Sharlto Copley

An advertising executive is kidnapped and held hostage for 20 years in solitary confinement. When he is inexplicably released, he embarks on an obsessive mission to discover who orchestrated his punishment, only to find he is still trapped in a web of conspiracy and torment.

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Sunday, October 6, 2013

Book of Blood

Book of Blood (2009)

R - 100 min - Drama, Horror, Mystery, Thriller - 8 May 2009
Big Blue Sky Rating : 5.2/10

Director : John Harrison
Writers : John Harrison, Darin Silverman
Stars : Jonas Armstrong, Sophie Ward, Clive Russell, Paul Blair. A paranormal expert discovers a house that is at the intersection of so-called "highways" transporting souls in the afterlife." />

A paranormal expert discovers a house that is at the intersection of so-called "highways" transporting souls in the afterlife.

A tale worth hearing

The imagination of Clive Barker has always fascinated me. His greatest work is, indeed, the 6 Books of Blood. An unnerving and fascinating anthology. So going into this, I was confused as how they would adapt it. I expected it to be an anthology comprising of some of the more memorable stories, but what I got was quite different - and ultimately I was quite pleasantly surprised.

The movie itself is not based on The Books of Blood, but rather the eponymous "Book" itself - a man named Simon. It must have been a tricky process as this portion of the actual Books was short and only served as the introduction; never truly mentioned again. However there is enough creativity here to make the story interesting.

One of the strengths of this picture is that while it embraces cliché at time, it knows how to use classic spooks and suspenseful tones rather than blood and gore. There is some gruesome imagery - especially with a murder taking place at the beginning, but this is not a film where guts are spilled regularly. This is a clever and inventive ghost story, and like the ghosts in this film; it is a story that is begging to be heard.

The film follows Simon McNeal, a humble but troubled man with an interest in the supernatural. He agrees to take up an offer granted by his tutor, Mary Florescu, to investigate a home in which two very unnerving deaths have occurred that is flocking with supernatural activity.

The film explores an interesting take on the afterlife. There are "Intersections" that cross their world with ours, and the dead are trapped in these intersections... begging for their tales to be told. However - no one will Listen, and the story mostly follows Simon, Mary and her partner Reg as the dead begin to take interest in Simon and the revelations of their intents. It is well thought out, clever, and the ending is quite smart.

There are flaws. The acting is a mixed bag, and while the film can use cliché to its advantage (Actually making classical ghost effects somewhat creepy again) the use of it in some of the scare scenes don't work. It's also strange and even uncomfortable when sex scenes come in to play, as they always seem to play out at an inappropriate time; usually directly after the more disturbing events.

All in all... you should give Book of Blood a chance. It is one of the better films based on a Clive Barker piece, and it has the imagination of all the other stories that were told. It makes a great companion to the books themselves - and it saddens me that this is relatively obscure.

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Escape Plan

Escape Plan (2013)

R - 116 min - Action, Mystery, Thriller - 18 October 2013
Big Blue Sky Rating : 7.5/10

Director : Mikael Håfström
Writers : Miles Chapman, Jason Keller
Stars : Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, 50 Cent, Vincent D'Onofrio

Ray Breslin is the world's foremost authority on structural security. After analyzing every high security prison and learning a vast array of survival skills so he can design escape-proof prisons, his skills are put to the test. He's framed and incarcerated in a master prison he designed himself. He needs to escape and find the person who put him behind bars.

Solid, Simple and Entertaining Action

This is a simple plot movie that symbolizes everything about Silvestre and Schwarzenegger glory days. There is no thick plot or real complexities, it's a simple bad guys Vs good guys action flick. However, the movie does not disappoint, its very entertaining and full of action and hard core scenes. The acting is as expected, nothing Oscar worthy but good enough from action legends like them. The idea is simple and is easily understood. The one difference in this movie is that the chemistry between Schwarzenegger and Stallone is excellent and they deliver some humor also. The only downside that I can think about is the fact that this movie is really meant for both the stars fans and not people who are looking for real ideas or excellent cinematography. Bottom line go enjoy the movie and don't forget your popcorn.

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The Americans

The Americans (2013– )

60 min - Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller - 31 January 2013
Big Blue Sky Rating : 7.8/10

Writers : Joseph Weisberg
Stars : Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys, Holly Taylor, Keidrich Sellati

A pair of deep-cover Soviet spies masquerades as a typical DC couple whose children, neighbors, coworkers & friends are completely unaware of their activities. At home, they're the stereotypical parents of stereotypical kids; at work, they pose as travel agents; but at night, they weave a web of confidants, lovers, dupes, and historical figures from the Reagan-era Cold War. The startlingly realistic plot twists force the viewer to consider the real cost of an undeclared war, what it takes to protect one's beliefs, if it's worth it, and if it actually worked for either side.

This show swings both ways

I don't know who to root for in this show. Awesome!

Phillip and Elizabeth have been sleeper Russian agents in DC from the early 1960s to the early 80s, the show's setting. Reagan is the new President and is heating up the Cold War. Our two spies have been playing the role of typical American husband and wife, keeping their secret life even from their pre-teen daughter and son. Then an opportunity arises where Phillip, who has been tiring of his double life, is given a chance to take his family, whom he's grown to love, out of the game and into riches and safety. Elizabeth, also of two minds but for different reasons, is suddenly shown just how much Phillip loves her through his unhesitating sacrifice of this ticket to freedom. In the end it looks like it will be the two of them against the rest of the world. What will happen?

I have a few problems with the production, particularly the flashback sequences of the characters twenty years younger in Russia. They really should have used different actors. It is just the pilot, though, so we'll see how that goes.

On the plus side, there's good acting, good writing, and good character development. I'll be watching!

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Parkland

Parkland (2013)

PG-13 - 93 min - Drama, Mystery, Thriller - 2 October 2013
Big Blue Sky Rating : 5.9/10

Director : Peter Landesman
Writers : Peter Landesman, Vincent Bugliosi
Stars : Zac Efron, Tom Welling, Billy Bob Thornton, Paul Giamatti

Recounting the chaotic events that occurred in Dallas, Texas on November 22, 1963, Parkland weaves together the perspectives of a handful of ordinary individuals suddenly thrust into extraordinary circumstances: the young doctors and nurses at Parkland Hospital; Dallas' chief of the Secret Service; an unwitting cameraman who captured what became the most watched and examined film in history; the FBI agents who nearly had the gunman within their grasp; the brother of Lee Harvey Oswald, left to deal with his shattered family; and JFK's security team, witnesses to both the president's death and Vice President Lyndon Johnson's rise to power over a nation whose innocence was forever altered.

Good docudrama, but no real plot

Parkland is well done with an excellent cast. It is also an odd movie because it has no "plot". It's a docudrama, re-enacting a series of scenes and incidents. There's no story arc, no real character development or transformation.

The character with the most "story" is Abraham Zapruder, who is affected by the experience, and we see it. Many of the other characters are just there, doing what they do. Zac Efron is kind of wasted in his role as surgical resident Dr. Jim Carrico, because he just does surgical-resident stuff; the script doesn't exploit any of his charms.

Parkland is tightly paced, for the most part, but sags a bit toward the end, because there actually is no end, just the last incident. They had to fall back on an audio wrap-up by Walter Cronkite and pull the lens out of focus to close it up.

Conspiracy theorists will find no solace here, because this movie is about the people who weren't part of the crime.

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All the Boys Love Mandy Lane

All the Boys Love Mandy Lane (2006)

R - 90 min - Horror, Mystery, Thriller - 6 September 2013
Big Blue Sky Rating : 5.6/10

Director : Jonathan Levine
Writers : Jacob Forman
Stars : Amber Heard, Anson Mount, Whitney Able, Michael Welch

The orphan Mandy Lane is a beautiful, virgin and pure teenager raised by her aunt, desired by her schoolmates and a close friend of the outcast Emmet. After the death of their high school mate in a pool party, Mandy befriends Chloe, Marlin, Red, Bird and Jake. Red invites the group for a weekend party in the isolated ranch of his family, with all the boys disputing who would succeed in having sex with Mandy Lane. They meet the henchman Garth that takes care of the ranch and he asks the group to go easy on the drugs and booze. In the middle of the night, a stranger wearing a hood attacks Marlin in the barn; when Jake seeks her out, he faces the killer, beginning a night of bloodshed and terror.

All the boys love Mandy Lane. But why?

Before renting "All the boys love Mandy Lane", I saw its trailer in the YouTube to check it out. Good cameras, interesting story and there were some good reviews in IMDb. Well, maybe I was in for a surprise. You never know. So I took the risk and rented the film. But in the first moments of the film, I noticed that this one was not different at all - it was just another brick in the wall.

To begin with, apart from the differences of sex and looks there's nothing to really differentiate the characters in this film. Other films are able to provide simple characters (even if one-dimensional ones) with whom we can identify with. This film gives us a very superficial glimpse of the characters, their relationships, conflicts.. What we see in "All the boys love Mandy Lane" is just a bunch of stereotyped American teenagers like we've seen so many times before.

And how is Mandy Lane? Mandy Lane, as portrayed by Amber Heard, is just your typical high school girl. There are many girls like her - in any high school there are dozens of Mandy Lanes. Amber Heard has nothing really distinctive about her. She's pretty, that's all. Then, why do all the boys love Mandy Lane? This is a film, that's why.

That said, let's go to the film. As you well know, all the guys are mad about Mandy Lane. The boys (with the help of the girls) prepare a party. Mandy Lane is invited to this party. The party is to take place in an isolated ranch. No one had succeeded till now in scoring Mandy. The objective of this party is to ease things out. A girl in the group wants to make it with a guy, there are rivalries, frustrations, and last but not least, there's someone that loves Mandy so much that he/she is ready to kill for her. But make no mistake, anyone will guess from the beginning who the killer is, but prepare yourself for a wild twist that will put everything upside down.

If the script had managed to give us flesh and body characters and describe in more detail the relationship among the characters (their emotions, their conflicts...), this film could have been a memorable slasher teen flick. Had the film been done in the right way, there would be in it a growing sense of fear, of encirclement. Conflicts, fights, suspicion, and death advancing on and on.. outside just the empty fields... but the film is unable to build up the suspense.

"All the boys love Mandy Lane" is just a passable entertainment and nothing more. If you want to see a film with more substance try "High Tension" (Haute Tension), a very good french slasher flick.

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Saturday, October 5, 2013

Black Swan

Black Swan (2010)

R - 108 min - Drama, Mystery, Thriller - 17 December 2010
Big Blue Sky Rating : 8.1/10

Director : Darren Aronofsky
Writers : Mark Heyman, Andres Heinz
Stars : Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel, Winona Ryder. A ballet dancer wins the lead in "Swan Lake" and is perfect for the role of the delicate White Swan - Princess Odette - but slowly loses her mind as she becomes more and more like Odile, the Black Swan." />

Nina (Portman) is a ballerina in a New York City ballet company whose life, like all those in her profession, is completely consumed with dance. She lives with her obsessive former ballerina mother Erica (Hershey) who exerts a suffocating control over her. When artistic director Thomas Leroy (Cassel) decides to replace prima ballerina Beth MacIntyre (Ryder) for the opening production of their new season, Swan Lake, Nina is his first choice. But Nina has competition: a new dancer, Lily (Kunis), who impresses Leroy as well. Swan Lake requires a dancer who can play both the White Swan with innocence and grace, and the Black Swan, who represents guile and sensuality. Nina fits the White Swan role perfectly but Lily is the personification of the Black Swan. As the two young dancers expand their rivalry into a twisted friendship, Nina begins to get more in touch with her dark side - a recklessness that threatens to destroy her.

An epic and nightmarish delight

Natalie Portman lives a dream and a nightmare when she gets a chance to dance Swan Lake in Darren Aronofsky's new film

Black Swan is a very bi polarized film. Portman dances as the white swan flawlessly, but her 'brilliant' choreographer has doubts about her as the black swan. She needs to 'live a little' and be less mannered, but the closer she gets to that point, the more the walls start to close in all around her.

Darren Aronofsky, though he comes close to being heavy handed, has delivered a project which is fiery, spectacular and clever. He sells us ballet as something dark and off putting, starting from his decision to reveal what dancing does to peoples bodies. One mistake and you can crack a toe nail under your body weight, but I don't wanna oversell it. To look at Black Swan in another way, it is an operatic horror film, It has incredible style, but uses it not so much to dazzle but to confuse and intimidate. The paradox of Black swan is that it creepiness is kind of seductive, because it draws you in (much like the way vampires are supposedly romantic)

But style is only half the picture (not even). The rest is in the cast, and mostly in Natalie Portman. She is slow to get started, but she grows quickly and the result is arguably her best performance yet. I've never loved her that much. She's always struck me as more of a girl than a woman, but I guess all she needs is to get a little blood on her hands, and you have an award worthy performance. Vincent Cassel, though he gets some questionable lines, is also at his best. I would have almost liked to see more of him, because you get the sense that his role has a bit more room to grow.

Black Swan does quite a bit, but it's not for everyone. Do not go into this expecting to be emotionally enriched. From the beginning, it is staged to be a mind-twirl, delighting in playing tricks on the audience. Some might call it cheating, but that would be the wrong way to look at Black Swan. It's quite epic, and with year coming to an end, I think it's fair to say that it is among the best of 2010.

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The Midnight Meat Train

The Midnight Meat Train (2008)

R - 100 min - Horror, Mystery, Thriller - 7 August 2008
Big Blue Sky Rating : 6.1/10

Director : Ryûhei Kitamura
Writers : Jeff Buhler, Clive Barker
Stars : Vinnie Jones, Bradley Cooper, Leslie Bibb, Brooke Shields

The photographer Leon lives with his girlfriend and waitress Maya waiting for a chance to get in the photo business. When Maya contacts their friend Jurgis, he schedules a meeting for Leon with the successful owner of arts gallery Susan Hoff; she analyzes Leon's work and asks him to improve the quality of his photos. During the night, the upset Leon decides to wander on the streets taking pictures with his camera, and he follows three punks down to the subway station; when the gang attacks a young woman, Leon defends her and the guys move on. On the next morning, Leon discovers that the woman is missing. He goes to the police station, but Detective Lynn Hadley does not give much attention to him and discredits his statement. Leon becomes obsessed to find what happened with the stranger and he watches the subway station. When he sees the elegant butcher Mahogany in the train, Leon believes he might be a murderer and stalks him everywhere, in the beginning of his journey to the darkness.

Disturbing.

What can I really say about this movie. The whole plot is crazy at best. It is original but insane. It starts off a little slow but it comes to a random scene which is the basis of the whole movie. A girl that is up late at night decides to take the subway, but there is this guy who has a meat tenderizing hammer with him in a suit. Unknown is the hammer to this girl however as she quickly begins to fear this man and begin to move to a different part of the tram. Out of nowhere the man takes this hammer and bashes her skull in going into slow motion. With this begins the tedious flow of The Midnight Meat Train. It shifts between the developing of the main characters back to the subway station. It doesn't really even explain why he's there or what his purpose is in killing these innocent random people but it sure looks cool! There's really not a whole lot I can really say about this movie,its interesting but it keeps you in suspense.But as the flick progresses you see the characters for who they are. The main character is a photographer and he lives with his girlfriend in that classic cliché of the man being afraid to commit. The girlfriend is pretty much just there, and she becomes important later in this film. As the photographer starts going on the subway later at night he notices strange things like the man in the suit with the brief case. He then witnesses him killing someone with the hammer and the weird, gory, crazy scenes begin. I wont spoil the ending for you, but for the record it really bothered me. But that's all i'm saying. If you can find it, pick it up give it a watch its worth it for the shock value and the weird and freaky parts are definitely worth it. I'm giving this one a 70% So yeah give it a look see.

Watch The Midnight Meat Train Trailer :

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Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Zodiac

Zodiac (2007)

R - 157 min - Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller - 2 March 2007
Big Blue Sky Rating : 7.7/10

Director : David Fincher
Writers : James Vanderbilt, Robert Graysmith
Stars : Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo, Anthony Edwards

The Stranger Urban Americans Fear

The era in which Zodiac takes place bridges two eras in urban America. The Zodiac appeared on the tail end of a crime-spree that rampaged across the US in the late 1960's. His settling in the SF Bay Area may be one of a number of social phenomenons that pushed America's view of itself out of an innocent 1950's sensibility and into a harder and darker view that became more prevalent starting in the 1970's and into the 1980's. People, even in urban areas, used to be far more trusting of one another, friendly, and civil. Many of the events of the 1960's gave urban Americans a much more cynical and cautious attitude toward people they didn't know. Don't trust or talk to strangers. Better to sacrifice helpfulness than to wind up dead. People are out to take advantage. At least in urban areas nowadays, it seems, people are much less willing to take the risk to meeting someone they don't know, largely out of fear.

The film Zodiac chronicles the strange unknowable and faceless figure that emerged as a serial killer in Northern California in the late 1960's and early 1970's. The point of view is largely from the side of the press with a character from SF Homicide that is also tracking the case. One character, Robert Graysmith (Jake Gyllenhaal) is an SF Chronicle cartoonist who at first takes an amateur's interest in the case, often bothering fellow beat journalist Paul Avery, played brilliantly by Robert Downey Jr. Only later does the cartoonist engage on his own investigation of the identity of the Zodiac.

One of the most brilliant aspects of the film is its pacing. It never lets up and the suspense is always there, which becomes unsettling when you realize that these events actually took place instead of purely in the imagination of a modern suspense novelist. There is an eeriness which pervades the entire film. A car stopping unexpectedly in a nearly-deserted area is more frightening than most scenes in your average low-budget slasher flicks.

I do have a couple of shortcomings to this film. There are a couple of scenes where the cruelty and brutality of the violence is such that not all viewers will be able to handle this movie. I found I did have to turn away at a couple of scenes. Also, there are a couple of moments when the state of the investigation is not made clear. However, even given these shortcoming, Zodiac is a brilliant movie that tackles a subject-matter that probably could not have been brought to the screen during the period it depicts.

The Zodiac came to personify one of the constant fears of living in urban America: a faceless, emotionless killer that comes out of the shadows of a dark alley to commit heinous violence. In the end, we fear strangers because of this, but we end up sacrificing love. It is an ironic aspect of human nature that people can do to strangers what would be almost unthinkable to do to people that we know. In addition to the poor innocent people that were brutally murdered, the Zodiac committed another crime against humanity. He compromised our sense of trust, civility, and in many ways, love for our fellow human beings even when we might not know them.

Watch Zodiac Trailer :

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Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Incendies

Incendies (2010)

R - 139 min - Drama, Mystery, War - 12 January 2011
Big Blue Sky Rating : 8.1/10

Director : Denis Villeneuve
Writers : Valérie Beaugrand-Champagne, Wajdi Mouawad
Stars : Lubna Azabal, Mélissa Désormeaux-Poulin, Maxim Gaudette, Mustafa Kamel

Recommended viewing

During the reading of the will of their mother's, a twin brother and sister learn of some unusual last wishes. Amongst other requests, two envelopes need to be delivered to respectively the father of the two and a brother whom are both unknown. The quest leads the twins through the Middle East where they slowly learn of the horrific tales which is the life history of their late mother.

The movie tells a very graphic but endearing story, perfectly shot and acted allowing the viewer to get fully immersed into the journey and findings of the twins. Through flashbacks we learn about the hardship of the mother and, eventually, the fate of the father and brother. As a treat, there is a great twist at the end which is really the icing on the cake.

Highly recommended.

92/100