Penguins of Madagascar: A madcap fun ride!

This was long overdue. The most enjoyable characters of the Madagascar franchise deserved a movie of their own. We love all the guys from Madagascar, especially King Julian and his sidekick. But, the penguins are by far the most witty geniuses of the whole gang, and no one can come up with one-liners like they do. So, ye, this was long overdue, but better late than never and here we are, the exclusive Penguins of Madagascar movie.

It starts off with the penguins blasting off because they can no longer stand the ‘I like to movie it’ song. And guess what their mission is, Fort Knox and the most ‘precious’ stash in there. There begins the adventure, but it is quite an unexpected beginning as we are introduced to someone who we have not yet met. This must be the Madagascar franchise’s first ever real ‘villain’, if you count out the granny from Escape to Africa. But this villain takes the villainy to a whole new level.

Honestly though, the story this time is a bit weak considering the movies we have got from the Madagascar franchise so far. But, the characterization of the penguin gang, Skipper, Kowalsky, Rico and Private, saves almost every single scene of the movie. The lines written for them are absolutely hilarious, especially Kowalsky’s ‘true but unhelpful comments’ as Skipper likes to put it. Add to it the pretty serious looking outfit that calls themselves North Wind, which seems to be a very deep dig at the SWAT teams that feature in countless Hollywood movies, one franchise in particular, the movie becomes one fun ride.

Each scene is very well visualized, be it the chase through the canals of Venice, the confrontation at the Shanghai zoo or the final confrontation in New York. There is direct and implied humor in every scene and the dialogues are pretty hilarious at many points. You will want to keep your ears wide open to catch all those instances. Don’t think that all the humor in an animation movie has to be loud and in the face. You will especially enjoy the word play that Skipper indulges in with the names of Hollywood stars, like ‘Nicholas, cage them’, and many other such instances. Besides the dialogues, there is plenty of slapstick fun. You will especially enjoy the penguins’ strategy to fly the North Wind aircraft, the heights of lunacy! And, you will enjoy Private’s penchant for pressing at all buttons that he comes across.

Penguins of Madagascar has got a pretty average story, no doubt. But the Penguins lead by Skipper, with their outrageously funny one liners and some very well written situations make this a very enjoyable fun ride. Personally, Escape to Africa still remains my favorite Madagascar movie, but you got to love one where all the spotlight is on the Penguins. Its 2 hours of madcap fun, go have your fun time over the weekend. And, the way they end the movie gives hope that we may get an exclusive movie for King Julian…. I’ll be waiting.

Madcap fun ride-very enjoyable 2.5/5

How The Equalizer came into existence!!

EQUALIZER: THE ORIGIN

Producer: I want to make a movie, I got the money. Let’s make a big action flick.

Director: You mean like Armageddon, Matrix…something like that. Maybe I can do it.

Producer: No No, I ain’t got that much money. I was thinking more like Rambo, Van Damme style one-man action.

Director: Right, I’ve got plenty of inspiration for something like that.

Producer: Right, so when do we start shooting?

Director: Well, I’ve to write a script first.

Producer: Why don’t you make one up as we go along. I want this movie to release this year.

Director: Right then, if you don’t care about the script, why should I? Who do you want in the movie, Arnold, Sylvester, I can get them if they are not too busy over Expendables 4.

Producer: Nah… old guys. Let’s try someone different. Maybe that guy who was running on top of the train in Unstoppable. He had a very serious look about him.

 Director: Denzel…right, he’s a serious guy. Usually asks for a script before he accepts an offer, he’s quite old school. But I’ll give him a call.

Director (on the phone): Denzel, what you up to?

Denzel: Nothing much, cooling my heels. You got something for me?

Director: Yeah, got a producer who liked the way you ran on the train. Wants to make a movie with you.

Denzel: Yeah yeah, I get that a lot. So what’s my role?

Director: You’ll know when I know. But there’s going to be a lot of shooting. And you better practice your Jujitsu and serious looks and scowl. We’ll need that a lot. And, we start shooting next week. Movie’s got to be ready before December.

Denzel: What’s the hurry? No one’s going anywhere.

Director: I don’t know too. Maybe the producer guy’s got a feeling that the world’s coming to an end in 2014. Anyways, he’s got the money and that’s what matters.

Denzel: Okay, if you say so. But don’t make me look like an idiot!

Director: Oh Denzzz…. Would I do that to you!!!

Cut to scene: After the movie is completed!

Denzel: Damn it dude, you did exactly what I told you not to. There, I’m looking like an idiot. I don’t even know who I am. Where did I get those skills from. I know everything about how the bad guy killed his parents and stuff, and I don’t know where the f*** I come from. What the hell man?

Director: Hey Denzz…It isn’t as bad as you think it is. About your role and your past. Look, I swear, I would have told you if I had the slightest clue about it. Why would I lie to you about it?

Producer: mmmm…. Director, maybe you could have amped the action up a bit, is our guy killing enough bad guys? There could be more bodies lying around. I’ve still got some cash left.

Director: Well, if you got the bodies we could use them… what do you say Denzz, shoot one more scene. Maybe that’ll fix the film well.

Denzel: Man…you’re the director, whatever you say. But I got just one more day to give to this b***s*** freakshow, just one day.

Director: One day..hmm..gonna be tough. But, I know exactly what to do. You walk into a room and walk out…and lots of bodies are lying all over the place. How does that sound?

Denzel: Sounds like the end of my career!

Producer: Well, your end or not, it’s the end of my cash. Get the goddamn movie ino theaters. Its gonna be great!

Cut to scene: After release

Audience: What the f***?

JOHN WICK: Predictable bullet spray fest!

It’s a film that makes no pretences about what it wants to offer. It’s right there in your face, it’s loud, it’s clear and it’s fast. But does that necessarily mean it’s good? John Wick falls into that category of highly predictable revenge flicks where the protagonist keeps shooting, and shoting and shooting until there is no one left to kill. The only way to save such a movie is with good characterization and some imagination in the confrontations and styling. John Wick succeeds in this to an extent.

John Wick has a past! He wants to get rid of it, but it won’t let him go. As a character says in the latter part of the film, ‘we are all cursed’! His past catches up with him in the most unlikeliest of manners, and then we are introduced to the real John Wick. He is the guy who can send a shiver down the spine of the mob boss, his name can make big time gangsters skip a heartbeat, blah blah blah. It is the sort of thing that is called ‘build up’ in Tamil films. It is cheesy, it is a guilty pleasure (because they are building up Keeanu Reevs), and it is a bit of fun. Really, it is just an ‘intro song’ short of being a typical entry for a Tamil hero.

As mentioned before, there is nothing really unpredictable about the plot. You know the protagonist will eventually have his revenge, you know everyone will be shot down. The only surprises come somewhere in the middle when some characters  turn foes or friends out of the blue. The other thing that manages to keep you mildly interested in the proceedings is the way they don’t let you forget how deadly John Wick is. The keep injecting small doses of ‘build up’ here and there so that you don’t forget. And to confess, it is quite neatly done. The block letter sized ‘subtitles’ for some Russian dialogues which talk about The Boogeyman and stuff are interesting just because they are not something we get to see usually. And importantly, the dialogues are fun at many points, and even the peripheral characters are stylishly set up, like the ‘catch and release’ guy who is eventually ‘found by housekeeping’. The most interesting part comes after you think the film has actually ended. The protagonist has had his revenge, so what else is left? Well, there is a bit extra left in the script and that is the only part you don’t see coming. All other parts, you can see like a truck with its headlights on.

What makes John Wick likeable or bearable is that the momentum is never lost. The action is razor sharp, the fisticuffs look very real, and the gunfights are deft. The only time you can harp about the action is the confrontation in the ‘safe house’. That was to easy, even for John Wick! But its pardonable, because Keeanu Reeves is good at this sort of thing. The makerrs, I beleive, briefly toyed with the idea of making a 'noir', but realized that they neede to be slower, darker and more deliberate. They chose the easier, fun way.

Highly predictable, but mildly enjoyable!

2/5

Does Nolan challenge free will? Random thoughts on Interstellar

Interstellar takes on many heavy concepts and ideas that may appear daunting to most of us. Relativity and space-time continuums are fully understood by only the best of minds, and yet Nolan finds a way to make things clear for us. One thing in Interstellar that he may have implied, intentionally or otherwise, is that free will is non-existent; or maybe I am wrong.

Let’s look back at Interstellar (spoiler alert for those who haven’t seen the movie yet). When Cooper first leaves his daughter for NASA and the mission that follows he is already behind the bookshelf screaming ‘STAY’ and saying the same through Morse. In fact, he was there even before, when his 10 year old daughter noticed books and things falling off the shelf without explanation and thought it was a Poltergeist. That is, Cooper was present on both sides of the bookshelf at the same time, or perhaps at all times. Cooper behind the bookshelf is not able to convince the Cooper on the other side to change his mind about the NASA mission. That is, try as he may, the Cooper behind the bookshelf is not able to change the past. Then again, the terms past, present and future make no sense in a space time continuum where any point of time is freely accessible at any given point of time.

So, Cooper behind the shelf is not able to change ‘the past’, and therefore we have to consider that he might also not be able to change the ‘future’ (because they are only different points of time in a continuum that is already laid out). So, what is ‘Cooper behind the shelf’ there to change? Is he there to change anything at all, or is he there because that is what space time has dictated for him? In other words, is he (and by extension of the definition, everything in the universe) a pawn in space time, being and doing only what space time dictates under the presumption that it is ‘free will’?

Let us consider this for example. Cooper arrives behind the bookshelf after being cast through a blackhole. At this point of time he knows that the entire mission was a sham and that the chances of getting humans off the planet are miniscule at best, or even non-existent. Yet, he ends up conveying the coordinates of NASA to Cooper through the grains of sand by means of binary code. Why would he do that when he knows that the operation itself is a sham, unless it is because of the fact that ‘free will’ does not exist? Another point of course is how Cooper behind the shelf knows the coordinates of NASA? Cooper himself arrives at NASA only because Cooper behind the shelf gave him the coordinates, who in turn knows it only because he was Cooper many years back; it is a kind of ‘chicken and egg’ situation. This means that space and time are laid out for infinity and free will does not exist.

Another question that intrigues is whether ‘Cooper behind the shelf’ is always ‘behind the shelf’? As shown in the movie, the space time continuum behind the girl’s bedroom collapses once Cooper behind the shelf has conveyed the equation through Morse. Now, through the movie, we see that time is a dimension that is laid out and that every minute past, present and future, exists at all times. So, when the space time continuum behind the bookshelf is ultimately collapsed, does it mean that ‘Cooper behind the shelf’ has ceased to exist forever? That is, with the continuum not existing, does Cooper ever get to be behind the shelf, and by means of that save the world? One can argue that the continuum has collapsed only after Cooper has done what he had come to do. But, when a continuum is collapsed, doesn’t it mean that all points of time in that continuum have also been wiped out as a result? That is, if a continuum does not exist, how can any point of time in that continuum have actually existed? This means that once the continuum has collapsed, ‘Cooper behind the shelf’ is essentially wiped out, and so are his actions. So, who is the little girl’s ghost? Just random thoughts that occurred after watching Interstellar.

INTERSTELLAR : Nolan masterstroke!

When Christopher Nolan makes a movie, you wait for it with great interest. He has never disappointed, never failed to intrigue and never failed to give you goosebumps with the way he finishes a movie. He is one of the most, if not the best, talented storytellers of our times. And he has invented new levels of complexity in storytelling every time he has made a film. Maybe the Dark Knight trilogy is the only time he really conformed to the accepted norms of making films for wide audiences. But, otherwise, he has always been one to break new ground with the sort of themes that he explores. Interstellar takes his experimental exploits to a whole new level.

In Interstellar  he weaves together concepts and emotions that can never be associated even in the wildest imaginations. He takes astrophysics, quantum mechanics, relativity, space-time distortions, black holes, worm holes, parallel dimensions, continuums, gravity and weaves them all into a deliciously complex narrative, and the thread that holds all these heavy concepts together into one solid story love, the love of a father for his daughter and his will to give her a good life.

We have seen movies about outer space, aliens, planets, apes, asteroids, comets, space expeditions,

satellites, space stations, and most recently space accidents, which Alfonso Cuaron so brilliantly told through Gravity. But, never has the science of outer space been taken so seriously in a movie. We are not talking jet propulsion and mechanics here, but quantum mechanics and relativity; the kind of stuff that Einstein and his peers like to deal with. It would have been a nightmare to conceive a script that has its foundations on these concepts, and yet Christopher Nolan (co written by Jonathan Nolan) manages to get through to audience about what he wants to convey. A brilliantly simple explanation about what a worm hole is all about is one such instant (now we all know what the worm hole from The Avengers might have been).

The premise is pretty straight and simple. Earth is no longer getting better for humans to live. The blight wants to take over the earth and so if man wants to survive he better look for other places. NASA, long shut down, or so the world thought, had detected an anomaly in space time a long time ago and believed that answers for a new home lay on the other side of the hole. Now, they have the clues that came from probes that they sent long ago, and they need a team to go in and make sure.

It is difficult to sum up what Interstellar is all about because it encompasses so much. Be it the relativity on the planet that takes 7 earth years for every hour, be it the sheer desperation of a scientist to live that made him let down his entire team, maybe entire humanity itself, the sacrifice of a robot and an astronaut to get to the heart of a black hole so that they can find the answers necessary to save humanity. And most importantly, how ever second in a girl’s room is captured and laid out as a huge array to space time so that she can one day learn the answers that will save humanity. It is, above all, how a father’s love makes him find a way back to his daughter, and how she finds a way out for humanity.

Interstellar is outlandishly imaginative, some times even difficult to believe, but Nolan does not leave anything unexplained (except who‘THEY’ are?) The foundations of his story and screenplay are laid

on the complex theories of physics that we have heard about but never really understood. Some of it might appear plain impossible (like how a man can survive a fall through a black hole), but most of it is possible, even though not probable. And, it is brilliantly visualized showing the stoic beauty of space and alien landscapes of planets that might be our homes in centuries to come. Even though it is touted as a space adventure, the pace and turning points of the script are never forced. In fact, Nolan spends almost the entire first hour setting up the premise, using nothing but drama and the father-daughter relation, before starting out on the interstellar adventure. That restraint shown in writing and making is the hallmark of a great film maker. That is not to say that Interstellar does not have its share of pop corn moments or melodrama; like the mobile docking of the ship to the station and the final meeting of father and daughter, but they are acceptable in an extremely well written piece that spans nearly 3 hours.

Interstellar is not one for passive viewing. It was written with much thought and it demands a similar effort from you while watching it. Looking at it as just another visual space adventure is a waste of time, as it gives you much to think about too, like how a scientist’s conscience might work in different situations, how time might just be another dimension in our universe which is there but cannot be seen, and about how love can sometimes be a compass that can guide us when all else seems lost. Interstellar demands you to travel with it, not be a mere spectator. And be sure, it is a journey worth taking. Its brilliantly complex writing and film making, which beautifully simplifies what many great scientists have meant over the decades.

And, yes Mathew Mc Conaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain are the lead cast, but the script overpowers their presence, and Matt Damon and Michael Caine turn out quite uncharacteristic to what they have done till now.

Interstellar: Don’t just watch – experience it

4/5

FURY: War in all its gore!

The World Wars are the toughest tests that modern humanity has faced. The world torn into two factions, fighting and killing each other, some without knowing why or whom they were doing it for. Everyone was forced to take sides, no one could remain immune. No wonder, these two periods of great strife keep producing stories that resonate in our minds even 60 years after all the brutalities happened. We have lost count of the number of movies that have been made on WWII, butt we know for sure that there are yet many more stories of courage, desperation, suffering and struggles that remain untold. Fury tells us one such story.

Its set during the fag end of WWII when the Allied forces are making their last march through Germany. The Nazis are putting up a resistance that would take a great force to quell, and their tanks are far far superior to that of the Americans. Deep behind enemy lines, a company of tanks is sent on a mission to clear the road for troops behind. The tanks are outsmarted, outgunned and overpowered, until only one remains. What can one tank do against the fury of a whole company of Nazis?

Fury reminds us a lot of some previous World War movies, Saving Private Ryan, in particular. It is set at approximately the same time, after D Day at Normandy. It involves a group of men, lead by a veteran, who are sent on a mission that traverses through many towns that are German control. The only difference here is that there is no ‘Ryan’ to save. The other similarities are unmistakable, like the young typist, who has never even held a gun, being assigned to the company because of a lack of options. The veteran, played by Brad Pitt, too is quite similar to Tom Hanks in Saving Private Ryan. He has his own insecurities and fears about the war, but he never lets his men know it, and he is always ready for a new mission.

It is an effective portrayal of the muddled and tortured minds of the men who had the misfortune of fighting in such a huge war. They do not want to kill, they do not want to die, and they know that if they do not kill they might have to die. It shows us that the men who have been in the war a long time have adapted themselves to this reality, while a young man who is thrust into action takes time understanding what war is all about. The way war transforms his mind and him as a person is very well plotted through Fury. The movie also takes time to show us how even between the ravages of war, they crave for some quiet time, some gentleness, like the scene in the apartment.

No holds are barred in showing the brutalities of war. There are no sentiments, no teary farewells, just men falling left, right and center and their comrades moving on after just a glance, that is what war is all about. The bullet showers, the bombs and the tanks look very real, and every time a tank is in a confrontation with another, we are literally on the seat edge, not knowing what the next move will be or where the next shell will come from.

And then comes the final confrontation. If nearly 80% of the movie had only isolated battles with long periods of drama (very much engaging and revealing about the characters), the last standoff more than makes up for it. You could call it a Trojan Horse, though it is not exactly one (that would make it two for Brad Pitt after Troy), and the strategy is really exciting, even though you know it is ultimately suicidal (but then all war movies end that way, don’t they)

The performances are all intense as demanded by war. But one thing about Brad Pitt. You can throw all the smoke, grime and blood of war at him, but his good looks still manage to shine through. The way his character meets its end though is very much reminiscent of the way Tom Hanks dies in Saving Private Ryan.

Fury may not have a whole lot of originality, because we have seen WWII movies with a similar arc before. But it is very effectively shot, portrayed and performed, and will drill the brutalities of war into your conscience. The makers could have been a bit more careful to avoid similarities with Saving Private Ryan, but Fury remains a strong statement and documentation of a WWII tale nonetheless. Definitely recommended.

The brutality and futility of war – a heroic one too!

3.5/5