The Guest

Posted on December 17, 2015 by Tennyson

Vampire Owl :: Do you mean to say that we have guests at the castle? Is it for the Christmas vacations?

Vampire Bat :: Not at all. I am just referring to the next movie which were going to watch.

Vampire Owl :: But I have never heard about it.

Vampire Bat :: It has Dan Stevens and Maika Monroe in the lead.

Vampire Owl :: I can recollect the latter name; count me in.

Vampire Bat :: I was pretty sure that you will remember Maika from that horror movie.

Vampire Owl :: Yes, this even reminds me of that headless guest that we had last year. It was one guest that we should have never had.

Vampire Bat :: I believe that this one will be even more mysterious.

Vampire Owl :: Well, there is no limit to the strength of mystery.

Vampire Bat :: And that is some truth clearly spoken.

[Gets a cup of tea with chocolate chip cookies].

What is it about? :: David Collins (Dan Stevens) has arrived at the home of his friend in the military, Caleb Peterson (Chris Harding) who had lost his life at the war in Afghanistan. His grieving mother Laura Peterson (Sheila Kelley) is soon attached to the newcomer and his stories about her son, as she asks him to stay with them for a few days in her son’s room because it will make her feel better after the loss her son. Despite some initial doubts, her husband Spencer Peterson (Leland Orser) also approves of his presence as they get along over some drinks. Their son Luke (Brendan Meyer) becomes good friends with the man as he helps the boy in dealing with the bullies who keep haunting him. The daughter Anna (Maika Monroe) also manages to have a positive opinion about him in spite of the early disapproval which she had.

So, what is this person all about? :: With him being the new best friend to Luke, David has all the members of his family in his pockets. But he is there for another reason. He is still the good guy there, even with Anna’s friend Kristen (Tabatha Shaun) who is attracted to the new friend and everyone seems to like him. He knows how to get along with all kinds of people. But as Anna wishes to know more about him after overhearing certain talk on phone, she calls the military base for more information – but curiosity makes things different, and the situation take a twist. More about David will be revealed, but this new knowledge won’t do that good for anyone around. Some things are better left unknown, but unfortunately for them, this one comes to light.

The defence of The Guest :: There is one thing absolutely clear about this movie, and it is that The Guest is a lot entertaining, and right from the beginning, you get the feeling about it. There is the shot of a person running with a backpack, and then suddenly there is the music indicating possible horror and you will see the title. The next forty minutes go smoothly, with some drama and only small signs of the big change coming up; and as we go through it, the last thirty minutes become deadly. The music used in the movie is really good, and its idea to reveal things in a slow and steady manner makes sure that we get more and more interested in the whole thing. There is another smart movie to use some Halloween stuff here, and it helps a lot in the final stages. Those scenes just feel so good, and this is how the movie ends well.

Positives and negatives :: There is one thing that will bother some viewers, and it is that the movie doesn’t really come up with a relevant flashback and leaves questions unanswered – as on one side, it keeps one guessing even after the movie with further conspiracy theories, and at the other, it makes one wish for it to be there. Most of us surely love a flashback, but we won’t find it here, and there won’t be that much explanation from the protagonist either except for some acceptance; and a little change in the ending would have been better. There is also a certain amount of interesting humour in the movie, as The Guest qualifies with a mixture with thrills, action, psychological elements, suspense factor and all that is needed in the right entertainer. The Guest knows the many ways and the different sides of making the viewers interested. The fact that it manages to be an entertainer with brain is even more satisfying for the audience not to go through just the masala.

Performers of the soul :: Dan Stevens is deadly as the protagonist, the man with his own collection of mysteries – and we are left with this memorable performance to ponder about. One can notice how well he adapts to each situation as the character demands. He is too good almost everywhere, and this character is to be remembered by the fans of the genre or rather the genres – the mystery stays as he performs great. His next big movies include Criminal Activities, Oppenheimer Strategies and Colossal, three thriller movies along with the romantic musical fantasy, Beauty and the Beast – these should be too good. I haven’t watched much of his performances, and so hoping to see more. Maika Monroe has the next big performance here, and you will find her lovable from the beginning itself. We loved her in It Follows and she is excellent here too – would love to see her in Independence Day: Resurgence.

How it finishes :: There will be so many things that you will love about this movie, and you don’t need to be the fan of a particular genre to like the flick. There will be variation only in the degree of interest here. You will surely want to see more works of Dan Stevens and Maika Monroe after watching this one. The Guest also comes from Adam Wingard who directed You’re Next and so you know that you can expect something interesting, and it is the same which is delivered here. If you think about what other movie this one reminds you about, that should be The Stepfather, and the 2009 remake had Amber Heard as the leading lady, but the similarity is minimum; The Guest is also ahead here. You will certainly find your needs for an entertaining thriller satisfied here.

Release date: 17th September 2014
Running time: 100 minutes
Directed by: Adam Wingard
Starring: Dan Stevens, Maika Monroe, Leland Orser, Sheila Kelley, Brendan Meyer, Lance Reddick, Tabatha Shaun, Chase Williamson, Ethan Embry, Joel David Moore, Steven John Brown, Brenden Wedner, Alex Knight, Frank Bond, Jesse Luken, Kelsey Montoya, Justin Yu, A. J. Bowen, Chris Ellis, Candice K. Patton, Chris Harding

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

The Shaman

Posted on December 10, 2015 by Tennyson

Premise of The Shaman :: For thousands of years, men have undergone vigorous training to become the Shamans. These well-trained people have traveled into the other world, finding and healing the souls of people. In the beginning of the twenty third century, they are no longer the healers, but mankind’s deadliest weapon, as there is more that they can do during a war. The year is 2204, after seventy three years of continuous war and destruction. There is a long battle going on between The Atlantic Alliance and The White Federation and the world is in chaos. According to the Shaman’s school of thought, every creature or object has a soul. As the Shamans go into the other world known as the Netherworld and convert or destroy the souls of their enemies’ huge battle machines, both sides come up with defensive strategies against the Shaman attacks.

What is it about? :: These intelligent machines are widely used for battles during the times, and they are the toughest opponents which are better to be dealt with indirectly, as direct confrontation is leads to too many casualities. As a Shaman called Joshua (Danny Shayler) tries to convert the soul of one enemy battle colossus which has destroyed about two thousand men, this one is ready for him. The soul of the colossus (Susanne Wuest) knows that he is coming, and has read information about him. Joshua has a troubled past which can be used against him if known. In the other world, the machine will use his own strength, the manipulation against him. He will have four minutes to deal with this machine or he will die with the troops and his squire Lene (David Sayers). Can he come up with something special here?

The defence of The Shaman :: The short film gets you into the story right in the beginning with an introduction and some interesting information about the premise – it makes sure that we have the idea what is to come next. Then, we are introduced into the movie’s story-line related to the Shaman called Joshua and his battles. There are some stunning visuals to go with the story. The visual splendour is the kind of thing which can challenge those big Hollywood movies, as the futuristic world devastated by wars will immediately catch your attention – the explosions add to it. The idea is no different as it is worth making a full length movie which runs for at least two hours. There is strength in the core, and we can be sure that it can be developed into big movie, and we can only hope that if it does, it releases at this part of the world.

How is The Shaman special? :: The Shaman has a special place among the short films, and it is one of the best which I have watched. As Hollywood comes up with too many remakes, it is always nice to see a new idea instead of bringing the same thing again and again. The idea which is used in this short film is also something which got a lot of potential. There is absolutely no dull moment in this one, and you are completely into the idea of Shaman, soul, Netherworld and the connections being made. The Shaman has that kind of a universe which can be developed a lot. There can be a prequel as well as a sequel in the form of full length movies, because the theme will catch the audience attention with ease. The science fiction fans are sure to love the basic idea and its development.

Soul exploration :: This is my first attempt at reviewing a short film, and The Shaman is a good flick to start doing the same. Throughout this movie and as the film ended, I was hoping that this was longer, even as a short film, I wished for at least ten to fifteen more minutes. When the idea is great and it also looks fantastic, I would wonder why one won’t want the movie to go on for a very long time. You can watch the trailer of the movie below to understand what this short film is going to be about. I am sure that you will find it an interesting trailer, and it gives a nice idea about what the movie is about. It should have you interested to watch the complete short film which is shared in the end.

Performers of the soul :: There are two characters who get most of the attention, and there are three who are the main characters – the Shaman, the Squire and the Soul of the Colossus. The performances in The Shaman were actually very good, especially with Danny Shayler who plays the titular character and Susanne Wuest who plays the Soul of the Colossus. The sequence between them is well done, which is why one would want to have them again if there is a full length movie getting made. A more detailed sequence between them would do a longer movie a lot good, and it will be the first thing I expect along with the tales of the Shaman as a person. David Sayers as Lene also does a good job here. We can be sure that the talent does exist here, and there will be more to come if there is a full length movie.

Further details about The Shaman :: The Shaman premiered at the New York based Tribeca Film Festival earlier this year and was also screened at many other film festivals around the world. The trailer of the movie had over four million views on Youtube. The whole movie is now available on Youtube to watch, and has subtitles in English, Russian, Spanish, German, Japanese and Chinese. It is also online on Vimeo as of now and was also selected into the Vimeo Staff Picks. It was also featured in Short of the Week. The movie has a rating of 7.5 on the IMDb, and it is surely ahead of most of the short films that you watch these days. It is mentioned as one of the best short films of the year, and one can be sure that it is deserving of that description. You can watch the full short film at the Youtube link below and come up with an opinion.

Release date: 17th November 2015 (Online); 18th April 2015 (Premiere)
Running time: 17 minutes
Directed by: Marco Kalantari
Starring: Danny Shayler, David Sayers, Susanne Wuest, Edmund Jäger, Adam Thomas Wright, Anton Noori, Stefan Bernhard, Samuel Jung

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

The Pyramid

Posted on December 6, 2015 by Tennyson

Vampire Owl :: I have received this letter from this small community living on the side of the undead lands.

Vampire Bat :: I have received a copy too. But I am yet to read it.

Vampire Owl :: It is about better representation on the movie adventures list along with the other communities who are getting all the attention as of now.

Vampire Bat :: Well, sometimes one community gets the attention, and at other times, some other one will. They will have to work hard to get more attention.

Vampire Owl :: But it says here that they are among the oldest existing communities and that they came back from the dead in the impossible circumstances at times when we vampires hadn’t really become the true undead.

Vampire Bat :: What? It is impossible! Look at the final sign. Who are they?

Vampire Owl :: It says “The Friendly Neighborhood Graveyard Mummies”.

Vampire Bat :: Zombies, werewolves and now the mummies. I thought that they were finished when they were sent to China in 2008 with Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.

Vampire Owl :: Well, they were not the same. There are no Pyramids there and so the Mummy existence has to be questioned. I believe that their depiction in that particular movie has also motivated them further to search for the right movie.

Vampire Bat :: That should mean that now we have to find a Mummy movie. I have the perfect movie in my mind.

[Gets a cup of tea and butter cookies].

What is it about? :: While the 2012–13 Egyptian protests are going on in Egypt, a team of archaeologists lead by Dr. Miles Holden (Denis O’Hare) and his daughter Dr. Nora Holden (Ashley Hinshaw) manages to discover a special pyramid from under the desert. As the top part of the structure is excavated, they find out that it is not like the other pyramids and has only three sides instead of the usual four. Using the satellite facility, they find out that the pyramid goes a long way down and that there is a tunnel which goes into its highest point. Due to the possibility of a civil war in the country, they are asked to return home, with no idea of when they can explore more of the pyramid. But as they consider this the biggest discovery of their careers, they hesitate to go back empty-handed.

So, how does the big twist occur? :: Despite a worker being dead due to the toxic gas in the pyramid, they decide to use a remote controlled rover machine from NASA to explore as much of the pyramids they can, and the gadget expert Michael Zahir (Amir K) makes sure that it can be done. But the machine is lots inside the structure, and it turns out that they can’t return home without the expensive thing. So, accompanied by the reporter Sunni Marsh (Christa-Marie Nicola) and the cameraman Terry Fitsimmons (James Buckley), they decide to go and find the machine themselves, with oxygen masks and with ropes tied to their waists making sure that they don’t lose the way. But they will know that what awaits them inside the structure is more than just the difficulty in finding the path.

The defence of The Pyramid :: There are lots of scary moments in The Pyramid, and the setting is very well established right in the beginning itself. It has been a long time since we had a good Mummy movie, and even though this one has none either, the pyramids and the undead brings us close to that feeling which we had while watching the movies with those mummified antagonists. The mythological twist which happens in the movie is a real nice one. The moments which make the most of the movie, until the final creature is shown makes some nice impact as darkness and the creepy atmosphere inside the pyramid is amazingly good – they could have got more attention going for the last few minutes of this movie. There are some nice traps too, even though that side is not used to the full potential. This one is also more serious than your friendlier adventure starring Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz.

Claws of flaw :: The Pyramid is in no way close to being the best horror movie of the year. It has an antagonist revealed in the end which doesn’t look scary enough, and thanks to the CGI which is not that effective, we won’t get the desired strength at the end. The creatures needed to look better and more menacing; here they are just the dangerous creatures as we know them to be so. The movie also needed a better development of the mythical story of Anubis and Osiris, working on the tales about the gods and kings of Egypt much earlier and in more detail so that everything could come together in a stronger way by the end of the flick. There is also no perfect ending as one would have expected as this has strong mythological roots. Those who have a lot of knowledge in the Egyptian Mythology might also feel different, with possible innacuracies as I have seen in some forums, but I am not an expert there.

Soul exploration :: There is not much here for the acting department because the movie’s focus is never there. Still, Ashley Hinshaw has a fine presence and does a good job in this movie which asks nothing too much from its cast. Christa-Marie Nicola should come next in grabbing our attention, and the rest also just follows the routine in a horror movie – be in trouble and hope not to die. The feeling of inescapable is right there throughout the movie as we keep having the feeling that the situation is a lot more than the usual supernatural stuff, and nobody can escape death this time. It is the certainty of death that the protagonists are facing, and the inability to find a solution to the early return to the other world means that there is more than all the discoveries science has ever made and religion has ever solved- it is a symbol of human helplessness.

More of the soul exploration and the finish :: The one thing which is special about this movie is that it takes another path while dealing with pyramids, not of the usual mummy story as one would expect. There is a nice reflection of the Egyptian Mythology along with its gods Anubis and Osiris. There is some history and mythology explained in the middle as well as by the finish, and if things were more creative by the end, The Pyramid could have been a lot better movie. There are times when some movies are underrated, and this one is such a movie. We did see such problems with The Lazarus Effect, I Frankenstein, Annabelle and The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death. This has been happening with horror movies for quite some time and you have to watch these movies to know if they are good – you really can’t go and agree with the rest of the world without thinking, especially the critics.

Release date: 5th December 2014
Running time: 89 minutes
Directed by: Grégory Levasseur
Starring: Ashley Hinshaw, Christa-Marie Nicola, Denis O’Hare, James Buckley, Daniel Amerman, Joseph Beddelem, Amir K, Garsha Arristos, Omar Benbrahim, Philip Shelley, Faycal Attougui

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Mockingjay II

Posted on December 2, 2015 by Tennyson

Vampire Owl: So, this is the name of the movie in reality. It was written here on this newspaper as Mocking Hay and I was wondering what it was about.

Vampire Bat: Here, on this other newspaper, it is written as Mockway. It is a more distant spelling. I do wonder what they might have called Goosebumps.

Vampire Owl: It is because of this wrong spelling that we felt that this was a movie which we knew nothing about, and made the choice not to watch it earlier! I don’t understand why they can’t have people who are able to spell this. I am beginning to doubt how they choose the people behind this.

Vampire Bat: They make such mistakes and still we read them. Then, we see that at some other editions of the same newspaper, and even at some other columns of the same, it is correct and then we are made sure that this particular title is another movie. I don’t understand why we are like this, looking at the mistakes, being mislead, understanding that it was too silly a thing and then continuing to read the same newspapers – actually, we even watch the same news channels which we don’t like.

[Gets the tickets with some cheese popcorn].

✠ This was recently posted by me at Kiagia.com: http://kiagia.co/index.php/current-film-releases/1200-the-hunger-games-mockingjay-part-2-movie-review

A science-fiction dystopian adventure book from the US author Suzanne Collins was made into a movie in 2012, with Jennifer Lawrence playing the protagonist, Katniss Everdeen. This movie adapted from the first book of The Hunger Games series was very successful. With The Hunger Games and its sequel Catching Fire becoming grand success at the box-office, the third book in the series, Mockingjay was divided into two movies. Here we have the second part of the two, and this movie finishes the franchise. There was one movie in the franchise releasing each year from 2012 onwards, and the last three movies of the franchise have all released in the latter half of November.

Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) continues to be the Mockingjay and the one grand symbol of revolution as the districts unite against President Coriolanus Snow (Donald Sutherland). The attack from a brainwashed Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) did affect her, but she is back there on the warzone with her speeches and charisma only to be shot by a loyalist from District Two. Even though Katniss wishes to kill President Snow herself, President Alma Coin (Julianne Moore) asks her not to risk her life again, and advices her to remain as the inspiration and the symbol of their defiance. As she is someone who can motivate the crowd with her presence, she agrees to Coin’s idea.

But Katniss is not the one to keep away from her ultimate aim, as she sneaks into an aircraft leaving to join Commander Paylor (Patina Miller) who is planning a huge assault. There, she is told to be part of a squad lead by Boggs (Mahershala Ali) as they have to evade the booby traps or the pods on the streets which are left by game-makers of the Hunger Games. Thus the journey will be more of less like the seventy sixth Hunger Games. They will be joined by Peeta as they are to go through the streets facing the unexpected threats which await them. The Capitol and Snow will think that she is dead, not once but many times, but Mockingjay is not someone who is going to stay dead as the squad keep going towards the big destination.

The problems caused by breaking down one book into two like Harry Potter and Twilight can be seen. The fans will surely prefer this because they can watch more of their favourite franchise. More of Katniss Everdeen will be there for them to see. But as the last book is divided into two, this movie surely has been cursed with a certain amount of drag. This certainly wouldn’t have been there if Mockingjay was just one movie instead of two stretched movies. But there is one advantage that this movie does possess, and it is the ability to finish the franchise in the right way. The finish is all about that climax which has one shot from the bow of the protagonist that determines everything, even though there are some predictable sequences after that.

The second part of Mockingjay is surely ahead of its predecessor because of the quality of the material in the latter part of the book. If you have read the book already, you will feel that this movie is a good adaptation even with the stretched parts. There are some nice conversations to go with the interesting action sequences, even as there is nothing much here to compete with those which we have seen in the first two movies. There are some traces of what was seen in the games earlier, but there is no big combats shown here. The special effects are good, and the dystopian world will once again grab your attention. The weapons as well as the other gadgets will also catch your eyes.

The movie has its touching moments and thrills which are surely present. There is also some reflection of the real effects of war on the common man which is nothing more than destruction and chaos. The lives of the civilians and morality are two things which are used to one’s advantage as shown here. But the movie does end with hope, despite the deaths, and we know this factor as something which was too far away in the previous movies of the franchise. For those who are new to this franchise, they will find themselves in trouble as the movie goes directly into the story, but with some focus, a certain clue about the dystopian idea and some understanding on what this franchise is about, they can still go through this movie.

As it was in the case of the previous movies, Jennifer Lawrence still remains the biggest asset as the Mockingjay. It is a pleasure to watch her as Katniss Everdeen once again, as she does her job with no trouble at all. As expected, she has and handles those best moments of movie; there is one other point which comes with a sudden impact, related to mutant creatures in the sewers – that was a grand one too. Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth provide the needed support very well. Maybe, the movie could have finished better without using the epilogue from the book, even though that would be ignoring the faithful fans of the book. Here ends another movie based on another Young Adult Novel, and despite the flaws, it is a good finish to the franchise.

Release date: 27th November 2015 (India); 20th November 2015 (USA)
Running time: 137 minutes
Directed by: Francis Lawrence
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Julianne Moore, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Jena Malone, Natalie Dormer, Willow Shields, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jeffrey Wright, Sam Claflin, Gwendoline Christie, Stanley Tucci, Evan Ross, Donald Sutherland, Mahershala Ali, Patina Miller, Stef Dawson, Paula Malcomson, Meta Golding, Wes Chatham, Elden Henson, Michelle Forbes, Omid Abtahi, Misty Ormiston, Kim Ormiston

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Goosebumps

Posted on November 1, 2015 by Tennyson

Vampire Owl: Movie adaptation of children’s horror fiction? What is this? We are the ones who are supposed to scare the children, not some random novels.

Vampire Bat: Not everywhere. There are regional people of darkness who have acquired the opportunity; for example, the rights for the same in Kerala were bought by Sir Kokachi.

Vampire Owl: But I wish to scare kids! I really want to really frighten them! It is my special skill!

Vampire Bat: Well, with Hotel Transylvania’s second part around, may be we will have to retire after all. I hope that this movie can support our cause.

[Gets the tickets with some cheese popcorn].

✠ This was recently posted by me at Kiagia.com: http://www.kiagia.com/index.php/current-film-releases-movie/1146-goosebumps-movie-review

Goosebumps is the name for a series of children’s horror fiction works written by Robert Lawrence Stine in the 1990s in the US. Among many such works from the American author, this particular series happened to be the most popular. There were also various spin-off series which emerged out of these works. These stories had the characteristic of being funny along with being scary. A television series was also brought to the fans based on the stories. Even though an attempt was made to create a movie on Goosebumps in the year 1998, it didn’t happen. After many speculations by the fans, on 16th of October 2015, the idea was finally brought to the audience in the form of a movie.

Zachary Cooper (Dylan Minnette) has moved from New York to the small fictional town of Madison with his mother Gale Cooper (Amy Ryan). As he begins his schooling there, his mother joins as the vice-principal at the same educational institution. The new place seems to be calm and quiet, and almost everything seems normal except for their neighbours. Even though Zachary quickly becomes close to the friendly neighborhood girl Hannah (Odeya Rush), her father (Jack Black) doesn’t approve of it, and he doesn’t even like anyone else coming near his house. As he tries to keep everyone away, Zachary only wishes to somehow get closer to the neighbours.

Zachary feels that Hannah is being mistreated by her father, and he calls the police. But that doesn’t go on as planned, with the police officers ending up warning him instead. But another day, he breaks into the house with his newly found friend from school, Champion (Ryan Lee) hoping to find her. In there, they find the girl, but it turns out that she and her father are not just normal people like everyone in the town. There is a mystery hidden in the bookshelves and they will end up unlocking them; it surely won’t do the town any good. A new adventure begins with an abominable snowman and a dummy as they unleash something which they can’t seem to stop.

The movie is sure to provide a good dose of nostalgia to those who have grown up reading the books and watching the television series. The impact will still depend on how people consider the way in which this movie shows the creatures related to their childhood memories. The creatures are all good, the most notable ones being Slappy the Dummy, the abominable snowman, the werewolf and the giant praying mantis. The others including the walking dead, vampire bats, ghost-like creatures, vampire-like monsters, the invisible boy, a circus clown and a number of humanoid creatures – all make a nice combination as they come to life from the books. There is a huge group of them, and fans will surely recognize them better.

Goosebumps is never even close to being scary, and the audience needs to keep that in mind. But it is fun, and the monsters are nice to watch on the big screen in 3D. As a horror comedy, this will prove to a fine watch for family audience. The comedy is good, and there are some memorable funny moments in this one, even though viewers might still ask for more. There is nothing new in the story either, and the movie doesn’t even bring a special sub-plot here. As most of the viewers might have guessed a lot earlier, monsters are all from books written by the author of the original series of books, and these main characters need to team up to get them back into the book before the whole town is ruined and everyone around ends up dead.

Jack Black effortlessly carries this movie as the main character and the only person who is in any manner related to these monsters, and holds the key to getting them back into the books. The audience will find that he blends easily into his character as expected. Dylan Minnette has done good work here in the role which can be categorized into that of the male lead. Ryan Lee has his moments completely on the funny side. Odeya Rush does her job really well, and some might find her somewhat a younger version of Mila Kunis at times. Amy Ryan and Jillian Bell manage to contribute well with the next two significant roles. R.L. Stine, the author of the works, also makes a very small cameo appearance as the movie gets near the end.

Even though people should find Goosebumps very much enjoyable, it does remind us of so many movies from the past. Inkheart had the characters from a book coming to life, while The Cabin in the Woods was a movie which had all the popular horror characters coming together as part of a huge, secret plan. Jumanji had the dangers of the board game coming to life to haunt the players, and Zathura dealt with a similar premise. So, the audience won’t find anything new in these creatures coming to life. But they will surely find Goosebumps to be a nice and interesting because of the way in which it is presented, with nostalgia also having a role to play for a few fans.

Release date: 30th October 2015 (India); 16th October 2015 (USA)
Running time: 103 minutes
Directed by: Rob Letterman
Starring: Jack Black, Odeya Rush, Dylan Minnette, Amy Ryan, Ryan Lee, Jillian Bell, Halston Sage, Ken Marino, Steven Krueger, E. Roger Mitchell, Timothy Simons, Amanda Lund, Keith Arthur Bolden, Benjamin Papac, R.L. Stine

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Crimson Peak

Posted on October 18, 2015 by Tennyson

Vampire Owl: I believe that we should sell our castle and buy what they call the Crimson Peak. It looks more Gothic than all our bloody rooms combined.

Vampire Bat: We should write a letter to Uncle Dracula concerning this after watching this movie.

Vampire Owl: I believe that it is from the director who can do the Gothic more justice than anybody else.

Vampire Bat: Yes, it is like Guillermo del Toro weaves his magic wand and this genre reaches new heights.

[Gets the tickets with some cheese popcorn].

✠ This was recently posted by me at Kiagia.com: http://www.kiagia.com/index.php/current-film-releases-movie/1130-crimson-peak-movie-review

From the visionary director Guillermo del Toro, the man who brought us movies like Pan’s Labyrinth, Hellboy and Pacific Rim, the latest flick comes in the form of a Gothic Romance Horror called Crimson Peak. It has been one of the most anticipated movies of the year for those who loved the critically acclaimed dark fantasy known as Pan’s Labyrinth. Crimson Peak has also remained a much discussed title among the horror fans. What this movie seemed to try and achieve was to bring the Gothic mystery elements back to the big screen like never before. The trailer also supported the same idea, and so did the costumes and the surroundings featured in it.

The audience is introduced to a little girl who sees the apparition of her mother giving her one warning – beware of Crimson Peak. She grows up with the belief that ghosts are real because she has seen them, and she becomes a beautiful lady who is an aspiring author from Buffalo. This lady, Edith Cushing (Mia Wasikowska) has a desire to show her skill in writing ghost stories even though she is told to write love stories instead. A twist of fate happens when she unexpectedly falls in love with Sir Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston) who arrives in the US from England, related to business matters. She marries him against the advice of her people after her father dies, and travels with him beyond the Atlantic Ocean to his lands.

Everything seems to be perfect with love and affection right at the core. But she soon discovers that the man is more than what meets the eye as he has many secrets. With his sister Lady Lucille Sharpe (Jessica Chastain) who seems to share these secrets, there is a very scary side to their world of two. A large crumbling mansion set in the mountainous region in Cumbria will make sure that her trip to the British Isles won’t be as good as she thought it would be. The house seems to warn her and so do the apparitions which make another appearance there, visible only to her. These creatures are new, but her nightmares have only begun, and she will soon know the truth about the siblings, the house and its bloody violent past.

The first thing that you notice related to Crimson Peak is the beauty that you see on screen. It is a wonderful reminder to the Gothic that the viewers have always read about during our childhood. The environment brings the best effects of horror on screen. It is the kind of world which suits horror like never before. As usual, Guillermo del Toro knows how to do the best with the creature design, as each apparition in this movie is unique, and all of them are scary. With the sound effects added and terrifying sequences well shot to magnify the horror, the whole thing becomes an even better experience. Still, the movie is does not fully fall into the horror genre. The costumes are also amazing, nicely contributing to the style of the movie. All of these are a lot worthy enough to be watched on the big screen.

There are a few scenes which need mention, one of them being a murder scene, surprisingly showing the aesthetics in death like never before. With water pouring out of the sink and getting mixed with blood, this simple scene shows what creativity can bring. Yes, there is violence, but with beauty. The elegance of death has been brought to the next level. The appearance of the apparition of the mother also brings something special. The red apparition is also imaginative, and the mansion remains a live thing all the time. The mixture of red clay from under the ground to snow also provides a creepy feeling to a house and the surroundings which are already scary with its architecture and location. All of them are worthy of bringing a big horror sequel to Crimson Peak.

There is a certain magic spell which is created by the movie on the audience with the visual detail; then there is the magic of performances which guides this movie. Tom Hiddleston steals the show with his dialogues and expressions as a character that seems to reflect love and compassion with eyes, but struggles hard to hide the secrets. Jessica Chastain is more like the personification of terror which is waiting to unleash itself, and she does a good job. Mia Wasikowska once again becomes the Alice here, not lost in Wonderland, but in the wasteland of her dreams, nightmares and newly found mansion. She manages her role remarkably well, and the audience can easily connect with her emotions. Charlie Hunnam is underutilized though, with more action set in England with the three characters.

The movie still takes a little bit more time than needed to get into the Gothic mode. Another fact is that more could have been achieved with what has already been done with the marvelous imagination that the director possesses. This is still brilliant, but is just a little short of becoming that perfect Gothic Horror Romance movie. The viewers who enjoy beauty on screen will find it difficult to take their eyes off throughout this movie, and there is a certain emotional impact which will also stay in minds after the movie ends. It is the kind of tale which makes you think, and it also brings the memories of that enchanting beauty into your mind – Guillermo del Toro once again proves that he knows how it should be done.

Release date: 16th October 2015
Running time: 119 minutes
Directed by: Guillermo del Toro
Starring: Mia Wasikowska, Tom Hiddleston, Jessica Chastain, Charlie Hunnam, Jim Beaver, Emily Coutts, Leslie Hope, Burn Gorman, Laura Waddell

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Jazbaa

Posted on October 11, 2015 by Tennyson

Vampire Owl :: Holy Vampire Crocodile! This is Aishwarya Rai, isn’t she?

Vampire Bat :: Yes, it is her only. I don’t understand why you are asking. Did you also lose your eye sight with that werewolf scratch on your arm?

Vampire Owl :: No, it just has been such a long time since I saw her on a movie poster. I am surprised.

Vampire Bat :: You have the right to be surprised and also to watch this movie.

Vampire Owl :: So, you are planning to make me watch this movie.

Vampire Bat :: Yes, and it will be cheapest movie ticket which we would have bought in the last few years. I am sure that it will be worth it, no matter how we see it.

Vampire Owl :: It is good to see Aishwarya Rai returning in a heroine-centric movie. I had a crush on her when I was immortally a little bit younger.

Vampire Bat :: It is quite natural, you know.

Vampire Owl :: Yes, but not for us vampires.

Vampire Bat :: Aishwarya Rai has always been beyond one world.

[Gets the tickets].

What is it about? :: Anuradha Verma (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) is a very successful lawyer who can gets any person free from prison, no matter what kind of case he is involved in. She has that kind of a reputation which can make anyone jealous. She is a single mother and her only relation in this world is her little daughter Sanaya (Sara Arjun). One day, her daughter is kidnapped and the kidnapper asks her to save a rape accused even though the proof is clearly against him. Meanwhile, her good friend Yohan (Irrfan Khan) is an officer on suspension who needs her help. As Anuradha tries to find something that could save the accused, Yohan helps her, but it turns out that things are not what they seem to be, and other people are involved in the chain of incidents.

The defence of Jazbaa :: A stylish thriller take its form in Jazbaa with its twists and the way in which the whole thing is shot. I have loved how the camera moves around the city and captures the same in a beautiful way. The return of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan should be what defends this movie for the audience more than the rest though. The movie’s final twist is working, and it also leaves the audience with a good message, even though it could have been used frequently within the movie itself. Whenever the movie threatens to go down, the cast successfully keeps it working at a good level, and it leaves us free to make our guesses with its suspense. No, I haven’t watched the original, and so further comment on how well it was adapted, is not possible. From what I have read, it seems to be a lot the same.

Claws of flaw :: With story already there as this is an adaptation of the South Korean movie Seven Days, there was a fine platform for Jazbaa, which it hasn’t used to full potential. A number of twists are predictable concerning a politician and his interest in the case. There is also an extension of the ending after we feel that the movie has ended, and that was rather unnecessary. The movie’s focus is also not always there in the same way. With the return of Aishwarya, the movie could have accomplished more with smartness in action rather having sequences like the heroine running, screaming and even crying in slow motion. In a movie which otherwise leaves exaggeration, doesn’t make the best use of the court room scenes either. A better second half could have brought things to another level. The melodrama should have also been reduced. It should have gone full thriller, and there is loss of strength.

Performers of the soul :: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is back after the 2010 movie Guzaarish with Hritik Roshan. After five long years, she returns and makes an impact in this movie. Most of the time, she remains strong, but one has to wonder about those melodramatic moments and the slow motion sequence. There is no doubt about that fact that she has made her return a memorable one. But that is not all, as Irrfan Khan and Shabana Azmi often makes a bigger impact. The former’s dialogues are those which make the day instantly better. He plays the kind of cop who is not a hero, villain or a side-kick; he is much more, and he pulls that off in style. The latter is completely at ease here too. Priya Banerjee has a few moments in her short stay. The veterans Jackie Shroff and Atul Kulkarni are unfortunately used less.

Soul exploration :: The movie talks about the complications that the law has, and how justice is rarely fair for the person who suffers. It also talks about justice for a rape victim, and how too many factors affect the proceedings of a case. There is actually the need for change in attitude among the people, and it is to be the first thing. Otherwise, nothing that much positive comes to the scene. Movies will have its stars doing the job, but otherwise, it is in the hands of the common man to make a difference. But as evil is a lot easier, and so is not reacting to evil committed, such a situation is too far away. The movie’s soul could have been the social message which follows a full thriller, and with that kind of a progress, this movie could have got there as the social thriller. Such movies can make the difference.

How it finishes :: Talvar had very less number of shows here which meant that I ended up missing it. Thankfully for Jazbaa, it does get enough screens here, and the credit to the same should go to Aishwarya Rai Bachchan making the grand return in a heroine-centric movie, making the audience clearly interested. The movie has its positives and negatives, but what it surely manages to be, is a movie is worth watching this weekend. There is enough in this flick to inspire a one-time watch, and I am saying this with an attempt at the original still pending a try. I would like to hear from someone who has watched Seven Days, and I am sure that some of the people who are reading this should have had the opportunity for watching the Korean version.

Release date: 9th October 2015
Running time: 122 minutes
Directed by: Sanjay Gupta
Starring: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Irrfan Khan, Shabana Azmi, Priya Banerjee, Chandan Roy Sanyal, Jackie Shroff, Atul Kulkarni, Siddhanth Kapoor, Sara Arjun

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

The Transporter IV

Posted on September 7, 2015 by Tennyson

Vampire Owl: There is no Jason Statham in this movie. You have called me to watch the wrong Transporter here. There is even too much hair on the head of the protagonist. It is not fair.

Vampire Bat: May be! But they have still used him on some of the posters as a psychological move to attract more viewers.

Vampire Owl: I will still look for him throughout the movie. Then I will be sure that he is not there at all.

Vampire Bat: Lets consider this as an action movie with someone who is not Jason Statham, rather than as a Transporter movie. It should help you a lot.

[Gets the tickets].

✠ This was recently posted by me at Kiagia.com: http://kiagia.com/index.php/current-film-releases-movie/1079-the-transporter-refueled-movie-review.html

The Transporter franchise is not among the lesser known ones, because all three movies of the series were successful and with Jason Statham in the lead, have managed to be the action thriller franchise which could set the bar high. The audience has identified this franchise as well as its protagonist as something related to Jason Statham, and he is the one name that comes to everyone’s mind when there is any mention of this series. But this one comes up with Ed Skrein in the lead as the new Transporter, and so there is the question of being successful in catching the interest of the fans. It has been quite a big doubt, and we will clearly know more as the movie is at the theatres already.

Somewhere in France, a former soldier who is working as a Transporter with his own rules gets in trouble as he is caught between four women looking for revenge and a mafia boss who had ruined the women’s lives. Frank Martin (Ed Skrein) thought that this was going to be just another job as the Transporter, but it was never going to be. With his father Frank Martin Sr. (Ray Stevenson) kidnapped, and both girls with the guns and the criminals all around him, he has to make a big choice, and it certainly has to be about choosing a side. But whichever side he would choose, there will be blood and dead bodies lying all around.

The Transporter: Refueled never goes below a certain level, but the question still remains if this entry in the movie franchise was really needed. The audience had three movies already, and they have enjoyed it so much that they can’t really think about another person other than Jason Statham in this particular role. Ed Skrein does make a good Transporter, and we can be sure about that, but he is still no Jason Statham who has been exceptional in that particular role, and could successfully make people say that he is the one true Transporter. Ed Skrein with more hair than a Transporter has ever had, manages to be another good version, but just not as big as the original.

The action sequences remain the strength of this movie, but there was the need for more considering the fact that this was going to be needing the power to match up to a franchise which had the power of Jason Statham. This one also has the power of action, but could have used even more, mostly related to the Transporter job progress. Beyond being the Transporter, this movie has more action sequences, and Ed Skrein nails them very well. There is actually a lot less number of scenes with our protagonist doing the Transporter job, as he is at most times being the son to his father and otherwise helping the damsels in distress or causing distress to some very evil men.

The damsels turning femme fatale are good here, but other than Loan Chabanol, the rest just goes along without adding too much. Tatiana Pajkovic does have the second position in the same, even though it is mostly about Loan Chabanol playing Anna and also developing certain interest with the protagonist. The shots of Europe are very nice, and do inspire one to travel yet again. Noémie Lenoir who plays the lady villain has only a few things to do, and none of them really makes much of an impact. Actually, the fact remains that none of the villains leave that much of a mark in this movie centered on the protagonist and the ladies.

The focus never really goes anywhere else except for moving towards the protagonist’s father. Ray Stevenson as Frank Martin Sr. has some nice lines here adding to the fun, but most of the times, this one is a strange character. There are times when one has to wonder if he actually exists mainly to get kidnapped multiple times and make the protagonist keeping returning to save the father who might be his only real friend. It makes one feel that this was more like a test dose of Transporter which just comes before the possible sequels. Ed Skrein himself might have been a test, and the one who was there for one season in Game of Thrones can have a longer and better run as the Transporter depending on how this one turns out to be.

Once again the battle between the good and evil, the black and white goes on here, and the Transporter becomes the key. He is the difference maker in this world inside the cinematic universe which is otherwise more favourable to the wrong side. The story-line is there without trying too much, as this is another case of having a chance at revenge against the powerful evil. It is still well presented and used in such a way as to keep the audience interested. The Transporter: Refueled is a short movie which stands just above one and half hours, and that makes sure that the movie never gets boring. Something always keeps happening as the movie goes on with its action and thrills.

Release date: 4th September 2015
Running time: 96 minutes
Directed by: Camille Delamarre
Starring: Ed Skrein, Ray Stevenson, Loan Chabanol, Gabriella Wright, Tatjana Pajković, Wenxia Yu, Radivoje Bukvić, Lenn Kudrjawizki, Anatole Taubman, Noémie Lenoir

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Hitman: Agent 47

Posted on September 6, 2015 by Tennyson

Vampire Owl: It has been a long time since I last played this game. I am having heavy Hitman nostalgia.

Vampire Bat: It is not just about this game, but a lot more. Our gaming life has been dead for very long.

Vampire Owl: I will just consider this as a video game then. May be it is actually so, and it could be the reason why there are so many negative reviews on this movie.

Vampire Bat: It is not really surprising. Some people will give very high ratings to violent movies when it is directed a particular person, for absolutely no reason. The content is not important for them there. But we will see Hitman: Agent 47 as it is really supposed to be watched. We owe that much to our gaming past.

[Gets the tickets].

✠ This was recently posted by me at Kiagia.com: http://kiagia.com/index.php/current-film-releases-movie/1078-hitman-movie-review.html

Hitman is a name which is heard a lot among the gaming circles, and the love for this assassin goes back to the year 2000 when Hitman: Codename 47, the first game of the Hitman video game franchise, from IO Interactive released. Among the PC games, this had a special status, and one can proudly accept that this is something which changed the future of stealth-based action games. The sequels including Hitman 2: Silent Assassin, Hitman: Contracts and Hitman: Blood Money were all much talked about titles in the gaming world, and with more in the shops and a new title coming up for the gamers, another movie based on the video game was inevitable.

Dr. Peter Litvenko (Ciarán Hinds) is the man behind a secret laboratory experiment which involved the creation of perfect assassins who never felt any remorse, fear or love, and had highly exaggerated speed, stamina, strength and intelligence which made them the perfect killing machines. But realizing the fact that he was doing something wrong, he abandons the idea and idea and disappears, leaving very powerful people on his trail. His daughter Katia (Hannah Ware) is also on the run, hiding somewhere in Berlin according to the last information. Many organizations have tried to recreate the idea and couldn’t succeed; one of them called Syndicate International decides to find the girl and get to the father at any cost.

As ICA (International Contracts Agency) decides to stop the Syndicate from getting its hands on the program, Agent 47 is contacted by his contact Diana (Angela Baby) and is provided with two names to terminate. Katia who has some strange visions and special sensory skills is searching for her father while she is approached by a man called John Smith (Zachary Quinto) who offers her protection against people who are trying to kill her. Meanwhile, Agent 47 finds and approaches her, but gets into a gunfight with John while Katia runs away. But there will be more to it than what meets the eye as the people of the Syndicate won’t rest until they get what they want.

The success of this movie will depend on what each viewer expects from a flick like this – if it is a cent percent adaptation of the game which is expected, they are going to be disappointed. There is not much of a stealth mode for this protagonist as in the game. But when we look at this from another side, isn’t a lot of action also possible in the Hitman games? The second game of the franchise actually had a lot of situations where one could just go through the enemies and the character shoots people without trying that much of stealth. Our protagonist has those special skills for big action too, and he has used them very well here – it is just that things are done rather straight for a change.

This seems to have a series of incidents which follow the great assassinations of Agent 47, as one the villains do say that he is a big fan of the protagonist’s work. So, the man has already had his shares of silent assassinations, and so if we are looking for a stealth mode, we should rather ask for a prequel rather than keep saying that Agent 47 works in shadows and doesn’t come out as an action hero. Here, Hitman is immersed in full action, and what the viewers need to do is to enjoy the wonderful sequences rather than keep complaining about it. About the story, it is surely working well, and has a number of similarities to the first game of the franchise.

Even though there is not much from the rest, Rupert Friend and Hannah Ware do leave a nice impact in this movie. Hitman: Agent 47 uses the action sequences to some great advantage, and sets up well for both the prequel and the sequel, even though one still has to doubt the possibility for the same. There is a lot of style in the way in which the action sequences are taken, and the blood and gore also maintains that quality. What one has to wonder about here is if people only care about gore when some directors use it? Stylish violence is not something that is particularly booked for a few people. Hitman: Agent 47 uses it here, and you have to admit that it is worthy.

Hitman: Agent 47 might be in no way that much interesting for everyone. But what it provides the gamers is an opportunity to see one of the most loved game characters on the big screen, despite the liberties which the movie has taken while doing full justice to the action side. This is not the movie which you need to think about a lot and compare with other titles and the games themselves, but enjoy it as the action-adventure that it has brought to the viewers. You might not remember the story for a long time, but the way of recreating the video game is worth it; there is something about a different take on the same subject, right?

Release date: 4th September 2015 (India); 21st August 2015 (USA)
Running time: 96 minutes
Directed by: Aleksander Bach
Starring: Rupert Friend, Hannah Ware, Zachary Quinto, Ciarán Hinds, Thomas Kretschmann, Angela Baby, Dan Bakkedahl, Emilio Rivera, Rolf Kanies, Jerry Hoffmann

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Fantastic Four

Posted on August 26, 2015 by Tennyson

Vampire Owl :: I will miss Chris Evans and Jessica Alba while watching this new version.

Vampire Bat :: Chris Evans is Captain America. You won’t miss him. If he returns as the Human Torch, you will miss the Captain a lot more and might even make the decision to skip Marvel forever.

Vampire Owl :: I will just miss Jessica Alba then.

Vampire Bat :: Well, it is fair, because I miss her too.

[Gets the tickets and cheese popcorn].

✠ This review was recently posted by me at Kiagia.com: http://kiagia.com/index.php/current-film-releases-movie/986-fantastic-four-movie-review.html

Having the history of an unreleased film in 1994 and adding another reboot and a sequel in 2005 and 2007 which had not much critical appreciation, Fantastic Four doesn’t really have history going in its favour. At least, the two movies could come up strong at the box-office. But one has to feel very strange about this new movie which currently has neither the support of the critics or the audience. With the movie clearly underperforming at the United States box-office, it is yet to be seen how it performs in some other territories, as it released on August 21st, the Friday in India.

Reed Richards (Miles Teller) and Ben Grimm (Jamie Bell) have been best friends from childhood, and have worked on building a teleporter for a very long time. Reed has been the brain of this idea which was consistently rejected by their science teachers, until Franklin Storm (Reg E. Cathey) finds the ability in him, as he was already working on this same idea. His adopted daughter Susan Storm (Kate Mara) and his own son Johnny Storm (Michael B. Jordan), along with Victor von Doom (Toby Kebbell) work with Reed on developing a giant teleporter called the Quantum Gate which would connect the human world to another dimension.

They are successful in creating the path to this dimension, but when the head of the facility Allen (Tim Blake Nelson) decides to send a group of astronauts from NASA to explore the new world, the scientists decide to become the first people to reach the new world, just like Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were on the Moon. But as they reach this new dimension, the place is full of strange materials and Victor is absorbed into its source of energy. The rest escape, but four of them undergo big changes. They wake up in government custody, and Reed runs away while others are trained to control their powers. But the connection with the other world won’t cease to exist.

This 2015 version is not as bad as most of the reviews suggest, but it is not that good either. People will surely find the earlier version a lot better than this one. It had many advantages over this one, and the most significant one being the actors. The cast which involved Jessica Alba and Chris Evans was a joy to watch, but the same is not the case here. Except for Jamie Bell as The Thing, nobody really makes a big impact in this version. Kate Mara looks very good in that suit, and has her moments. Michael B. Jordan is no Chris Evans, and Miles Teller is not really there either. Toby Kebbell makes an impact much later, only with the mask on him.

The movie also takes a lot of time to get to the interesting part. The first half is more like a stretch which moves slowly towards the possible destination. It struggles to get to the point right through the beginning to the middle. Even after that, the story is not completely there. The beginning of the second half is that point at which the movie should have reached within half an hour. It would have been okay if the beginning was rather interesting, but it couldn’t manage to be so. This goes different and still it is predictable. The action only happens when the movie is close to the finish, and by the time the origins are established, it has ended.

The movie chooses inter-dimensional travel, which is a bold move and a welcome change, even though it is not that well implemented. The special effects are nice, even though there are limitations. There are not much of the superpowers used to display these effects. Still, the power to entertain is there, and the villain does make a better impact in this avatar which is superior to the 2005 version. The villain looks like a true challenge to the four right from the moment his other side is awakened. This version is also darker, which is a positive change. With the consistent struggles and only having the interesting moments here and there, may be this origins story can bring a better sequel.

This Fantastic Four reboot will have a tough time making an impact considering the fine quality which has been maintained by the superhero movies in the past. Even the earlier two movies featuring Fantastic Four were much ahead of this one. So the expectations were a lot higher here with hope to bring something to remember. This is not really a movie that go terrible, but just something that doesn’t go big enough. It can be considered mostly average, but the situation demanded more. In the end, there is something about which the audience can be sure about; it is the fact that among the Marvel comics based superheroes, this one is clearly a level down.

Release date: 21st August 2015 (India); 7th August 2015 (USA)
Running time: 100 minutes
Directed by: Josh Trank
Starring: Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan, Kate Mara, Jamie Bell, Toby Kebbell, Reg E. Cathey, Tim Blake Nelson, Dan Castellaneta, Tim Heidecker

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Brothers

Posted on August 14, 2015 by Tennyson

Vampire Owl :: But wasn’t the original called Warrior?

Vampire Bat :: Yes, but this is called Brothers. Family sells more than the others in Bollywood. So, having it in the title itself is a positive to bring the audience.

Vampire Owl :: So, tell me about the original.

Vampire Bat :: But I haven’t watched the original.

Vampire Owl :: What? Why? I don’t believe it. There is no reason why you might have missed that movie.

Vampire Bat :: Yes, I understand that there was no reason, but some things happen for no reason, and this one didn’t happen for some reason which was not there.

Vampire Owl :: You should watch it some time.

Vampire Bat :: May be, but these days, I am not sure what I should watch and what I shouldn’t.

Vampire Owl :: That is a heavy crisis.

Vampire Bat :: Well, I have watched so many movies at the theatres, and I wonder what is the point other than to lose your existence in this world and live thinking about those flicks which can erase you sooner or later with no benefits.

[Gets the tickets].

What is it about? :: This official remake of the 2011 movie Warrior begins with talks about starting a new fighting league in India giving the fighters the right to fight, and meanwhile, Gary Fernandes (Jackie Shroff), an old man and a former fighter is released from prison. He is welcomed by his younger son Monty Fernandes (Sidharth Malhotra) who is hoping to prove himself in the world of street-fighting. His other son, David Fernandes (Akshay Kumar) is not in terms with his brother and father though, and lives separately with his wife Jenny Fernandes (Jacqueline Fernandez) and their little daughter who is suffering from kidney failure. He is working as a teacher, but can’t find enough money for the treatment of his daughter, and decides to go fighting as he used to do a long time ago.

Where it goes :: With the new league being formed, the two brothers try in their own ways to get into the competition, as the younger one has a viral YouTube video in his favour and the elder takes over the spot which was left open by an injury inflicted to a star fighter by the younger one. While Monty enters the tournament as the brute with strength, aggression and a never give up attitude, David enters the same with experience and a defensive strategy, using counter-attack, grapples and evasion as his strengths – he is powered by his family’s needs and the support of his students while Monty has the strength of his willpower and hate for his brother who abandoned him. With international fighters also being part of the tournament, can one of these brothers win it without going on to destroy the other? Where will the father stand in this battle of brothers?

The defence of Brothers :: There are many levels in which the movie works, and first and the most efficient one is the emotional side, which exists throughout the movie. It is powerful with the beginning, and gets stronger only to reach its zenith by the climax and the finish. The second one is the message about the family which also exists strong enough. The third is the action which is also powerful and gory, even though more could have been considering the stage. The transformation into the action stage is quite good, with the arena setting which is of high quality – the details related to this are very well done. The background is also well established, and the family man’s problems are well portrayed to create another level of emotional sequences. Brothers surely is successful in creating the desired effect on the audience, no matter where it stands in comparison with the original – the adrenaline rush is huge.

Claws of flaw :: The worst thing that has happened for this movie is the item song from Kareeena Kapoor which is not only bad, but also not suitable for this movie. One has to wonder why Bollywood thinks that it is important to bring an item song everywhere, even when the material is officially remade from Hollywood. There is also that flashback which is too long, and the relationship could have been established easily without this long a background. The movie could have been kept shorter that way, or some more fights could have been added; there is also scope for adding more to the elder’s teaching life and the younger’s daily lamentations. There are clichés, and you can predict when these two will come against each other, and may be even about how it will end; yes, without reading the story-line in Wikipedia. There was more scope for the action scenes, instead of rushing through Monty’s sequences too quickly.

Performers of the soul :: As expected, do look out for Akshay Kumar in this movie as is right there with full strength as one of the two protagonists. His sequences with his wife and daughter are very well created to make that big impact with the families, and he excels throughout, a lot more than the rest of the cast – Only Jackie Shroff comes up with a similar intense performance, as you can see the performance in his eyes itself. Akshay Kumar does very well with all sides, as the family man, as the teacher and the fighter. Jacqueline Fernandez has a smaller, but noticable role which does very well. Sidharth Malhotra has less to talk and has more chance to be part of the action as he is the tough angry young man here. He does that well, but there is nothing much to his character. Shefali Shah and Ashutosh Rana are good too. You already know about Kareena Kapoor in her worst item dance.

How it finishes :: I apologize for not agreeing with most of the reviews out there, even though there is absolutely no need for that. I am just doing it because this movie had a powerful emotional impact on me, which I am releasing in a positive way. I loved the movie’s emotional impact, and the way in which the stage is set for the action which makes the second half better than the first. Well, I haven’t watched Warrior, and so that should be taken into consideration when you look at how I have felt related to this movie. May be, if you have watched that original movie, you will consider this in a different way, but let me tell you that this has a lot for the family as well as the young audience as I see it; I am also sure that Bollywood had a big chance of messing up this remake, but I am glad that they didn’t.

Release date: 14th August 2015
Running time: 159 minutes
Directed by: Karan Malhotra
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Sidharth Malhotra, Jacqueline Fernandez, Jackie Shroff, Shefali Shah, Ashutosh Rana, Kiran Kumar, Kareena Kapoor (special appearance in an item song)

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

The Hobbit III

Posted on August 13, 2015 by Tennyson

What is it about? :: The journey of one Hobbit and a team of Dwarves continues where the earlier movie had finished with Smaug the Dragon (Benedict Cumberbatch) flying away to bring the chaos to the town. After the dragon being unleashed, and as it goes on destroying the town, Bard the Bowman (Luke Evans) manages to slay the creature after continuous attempts, and he himself emerges as the new leader. The Dwarves lock themselves inside the Lonely Mountain as Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) keeps searching for the Arkenstone with no result as it is already with Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) who hides it seeing Thorin’s change of attitude. Meanwhile, Thranduil (Lee Pace) arrives with an army of elves in hope to retrieve a stolen Elf treasure.

And what follows? :: While providing aid to the people of the town, he forms an alliance with the humans who wish to have that share of the gold which was promised by the Dwarves. Even though Bard tries to reason with Thorin, he doesn’t agree with the terms as he claims the whole treasure for himself and stays adamant. He would go for war instead of peace, and the arrival of Thorin’s cousin Dáin (Billy Connolly) with an army of Dwarves only make the situation worse. With Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen) already imprisoned by the forces of darkness, and the huge army of Orcs lead by Azog the Defiler (Manu Bennett) and their secondary army along with Goblins coming closer, can anything positive come out of this for Elves, Humans or Dwarves?

The defence of The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies :: We all know what The Hobbit is all about, and it is extremely difficult to mess things up here. One big advantage that this movie has compared to its predecessors is that it is the shortest among them all. The visuals are once again of the highest quality, and the battle sequences are really good. There is the grand battle which involves Elves, Dwarves, Orcs and Humans, and there is a lot of detail right there and what follows. An epic battle was needed, and this one surely delivers that. There is also focus in the minds of the characters and their attitudes here. The attention on the creature detail is also impressive, as we see many creatures around which are worth having further look at.

Claws of flaw :: Among the three movies, this one has the least happenings outside action. There should have been more focus on the plot which seems to go in a predictable way. There is a little bit of emptiness here and there which is masked only by the visual beauty. The dragon gets slain quite early, and things just continue in a predictable way, with armies coming on to clash, as the story goes right where it was expected to go. The romantic angle remains its biggest flaw, as it is forced and it seems so – as we know that the elf lady herself is an extra character added here. Unlike what is shown, it is more like an irritating case of love rather than what has been intended. It is a case of terror for the entire realm, and one has to wonder if it is a priority when these two are around.

Performers of the soul :: As expected, Martin Freeman plays the main character, but the focus is more on Richard Armitage nicely making Thorin Oakenshield impressive. Together, they make the whole thing better. Orlando Bloom has some of the most stylish action sequences in the movie, and his one-on-one battle with the orc is a joy to watch. Ian McKellen’s Gandalf the Grey continues to do what he has been doing all the time. Luke Evans has some interesting moments of glory in this one too. Evangeline Lilly’s Tauriel is good, but the character’s romantic side completely devastates the situation. Meanwhile, the rest of the dwarf team remains good and effective. The rest of the humans make much lesser impact. The best performer in the movie might still be the CGI.

Soul Exploration :: The major idea remains the same as the stage is set for the battle between good and evil. This is once again about the good overcoming the evil, and the stress is once again on the need for courage and sacrifice, as well as the value of comradeship and mutual help. The hope to go beyond the differences is also there, and it gives that message to get rid of the hatred between races and work together for a better future – it actually works here, and what seems to be only a chance earlier, does come to the light in this case. Unity in diversity is the point here too. Even though the force is mostly on Thorin Oakenshield to do the right thing, the rest also got to make their own decisions here that would affect the outcome.

How it finishes :: The franchise had started with The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and continued through The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug and has now finished at The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies in an interesting way – may be people expected better, but this is still a very good finish. The one thing which you have to keep in mind is that this is more action movie than the rest of the franchise, and you should have watched the previous movies before this one, because the action starts directly and very quickly in this one. It has finished second after Transformers: Age of Extinction with the box-office collections of the year, but The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies is surely the better flick by some distance.

Release date: 17th December 2014
Running time: 144 minutes
Directed by: Peter Jackson
Starring: Martin Freeman, Evangeline Lilly, Benedict Cumberbatch, Cate Blanchett, Orlando Bloom, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Lee Pace, Luke Evans, Ken Stott, James Nesbitt, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, Graham McTavish, Aidan Turner, Dean O’Gorman, Mark Hadlow, Jed Brophy, Adam Brown, John Callen, Peter Hambleton, William Kircher, James Nesbitt, Stephen Hunter, Sylvester McCoy, Manu Bennett, John Tui, Billy Connolly, Mikael Persbrandt, Stephen Fry, Ryan Gage, Mark Mitchinson, John Bell, Peggy Nesbit, Mary Nesbitt, Simon London

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

A Walk Among the Tombstones

Posted on August 12, 2015 by Tennyson

What is it about? :: Matthew Scudder (Liam Neeson) is someone who used to be an aggressive police officer in the early 1990s. But now, eight years later, he is a recovering alcoholic and is approached by Peter (Boyd Holbrook) for his brother, a drug trafficker called Kenny Kristo (Dan Stevens) whose wife Carrie (Razane Jammal) was kidnapped and murdered despite the ransom fee being paid at the right time. The fact that he got his wife as pieces inside the trunk of a car makes his hope for vengeance that stronger, and Matthew who works as an unlicensed private detective is the one he looks out for help. Despite the initial reluctance, he takes the case and starts collecting clues. It turns out that Carrie is not the first one to suffer the fate, and neither will she be the last.

The defence of A Walk Among the Tombstones :: The return of Liam Neeson in another thriller might be reason enough for this movie to defend itself in front of the fans. It is the protagonist played by him that once against manages to be outstanding. As a crime-drama thriller, this one is more artistic and having strong emotional moments which add to the thrills very well. The movie nicely progresses with its strengthening factors until the nice finish has been reached. The links between the brutal murders are well connected in a realistic way rather than bringing some big clue out of nowhere. The lack of goodness in this grey or darkness-aligned world is well portrayed in this movie which successfully shows some signs of hope by the end, but not before going through the test. There is no unrealistic action sequences in this one, and don’t look for it.

Claws of flaw :: The movie is surely slow, and despite having a certain beauty about its pace, it is still slow and so it is surely not for the fans of Liam Neeson’s other movies like Non-Stop, A-Team and that popular Taken franchise – it is not Unknown or The Grey either. So, people who don’t like to have an artistic and realistic touch instead of those exaggerated sequences, are surely going to be disappointed. This doesn’t go the The Silence of the Lambs and Se7en way either, even though the serial killers and violence to victims are there along with the inquiries into the same – there is not much of the gore on the screen despite the idea being used. There is also a certain lack of the background to the killers, and the ending could have been more intense – it is surely satisfying and peaceful, but there could have been more strength to it.

Performers of the soul :: Liam Neeson is the man in control once again. It is completely about how his character go through these situations in his own way. It should be his name which might have brought the attention here, and he is perfectly fit for his character. This will remind you of some of the other characters he has played, but only here and there – he goes a lot more realistic in this one. He keeps avoiding all chances of getting into a fight, so much that once he keeps getting beaten up while not even trying to resist until he speaks when given a chance. He talks against violence and revenge so often in this movie, and hopes to keep himself always straight forward and also support even the not so good people in a positive way – even with similarities in the role, it is not your powerful action star here! Brian Bradley’s character was kind of strange and often irritating, but the rest worked well in this movie.

Soul Exploration: The problems of being a good person :: The main character himself is firmly rooted in disappointment as well as guilt, as he goes through what he should have done earlier during his times as a police officer, to reach the salvation that he intends to. He never hopes for that though, as he is without a direction, doing just random things for no reason, instead of having a purpose. You can see that feeling on his face throughout the movie, as Liam Neeson does that to perfection with ease. It is about people with high potential never being realized, and they end up being lesser achievers than they deserve to be, while there is no limits to what the liars, cheaters and back-stabbers can achieve in this world of chaos – and they are appreciated for the same. But good people always have to suffer and struggle even for the smallest mistakes.

Soul Exploration: The difficulty in finding goodness :: There is a certain amount of darkness and sadness which prevails throughout this movie, and almost nobody in this movie is a happy person, and not many good things happen around here – it is a clear reflection of what the life is, a pure situation of hopelessness were only the richest, powerful and those who can lie really well thrive in this world and the good ones as well as the grey ones who mostly infest this movie will suffer because they are rarely considered important. We are all going to suffer one day, may be in the hands of those who are just evil, or otherwise the rich who wants to feed on those who are not that rich or the system itself. Goodness is not valuable in this world, and at the end of our times, we are going to suffer for the presence of goodness and die.

How it finishes :: “People are afraid of all the wrong things” – this dialogue sets the mood for the movie a few minutes into the action, as it has that kind of evil that should be feared more than many others because it is random and naturally existing in most of the humans. The movie reflects this statement, as it goes steady and solid throughout, and keeps its power in its smooth movement towards the end, and the feeling that the audience has remains the same till the end. This one is also a fine opportunity to see Liam Neeson in his most human form as far as his action thrillers are concerned. A Walk Among the Tombstones is fine addition to the list of thrillers in which the man has acted in, and you can watch this one and find out where it features in that interesting list.

Release date: 19th September 2014
Running time: 114 minutes
Directed by: Scott Frank
Starring: Liam Neeson, Dan Stevens, David Harbour, Boyd Holbrook, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, Brian Bradley, Eric Nelsen, Mark Consuelos, Adam David Thompson, Sebastian Roché, Laura Birn, Danielle Rose Russell, Razane Jammal, Kim Rosen, Natia Dune, Genevieve Adams, Lana Delaurent, Al Nazemian, Jolly Abraham, Frank De Julio, Whitney Able

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

MI: Rogue Nation

Posted on August 8, 2015 by Tennyson

Vampire Owl :: We have been missing the impossible.

Vampire Bat :: Well, we haven’t tried anything impossible for some time.

Vampire Owl :: Actually, we take no risks except when watching those terrible movies.

Vampire Bat :: Well, everyone can’t be Tom Cruise!

Vampire Owl :: Somehow, he never really gets old.

Vampire Bat :: May be he is immortal too, in another way.

Vampire Owl :: There is that special feeling when we hear that Mission Impossible music; I don’t know what it is.

[Gets the tickets].

✠ This was recently posted by me at Kiagia.com: http://www.kiagia.com/index.php/current-film-releases-movie/947-mission-impossible-5-review.html

We return to the super-hit franchise again. Tom Cruise, the Mission: Impossible franchise and the action movie fans have had a very good relationship in the last few years. Even as the third movie of the series was the least impressive of them all, they successfully made things a lot better with the fourth, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol. Inspired by a much older television series, Mission Impossible franchise has been making a very heavy impact on the fans since the first movie in 1996. It is no different in the case of this fifth movie which has everyone’s attention ever since the trailer began to show up in the theatres.

As his adventures continue, Impossible Mission Force agent Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) comes face to face against a dangerous criminal organization called the Syndicate. But despite his best efforts, CIA and other organizations completely deny its existence. Meanwhile, the director of the CIA Alan Hunley (Alec Baldwin) gets IMF disbanded and taken into the CIA itself, with a mission to catch Ethan as early as possible. At the same time, Ethan is captured by the Syndicate, and is saved by a former MI6 agent working for the criminal organization, Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson). As IMF is disbanded and CIA is refusing to believe them, Ethan decides to take things into his own hands.

As Ethan remains on the run with CIA on his tail, he almost gets hold of a Syndicate member while attending an opera, but the Chancellor of Austria is killed at the same venue despite his best efforts. At the same time, Ilsa leaves him with clues which will help him to get to her at Casablanca. With the help of his friends Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg), Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames) and William Brandt (Jeremy Renner), Ethan has to figure this out and confront the leader of the Syndicate, Solomon Lane (Sean Harris). It turns out that the Syndicate is not a regular criminal organization as they thought it was, but something more with origin in secret government organizations.

Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation is exactly the movie of the series that the fans might have wanted for a long time. It is surely intelligent and has a very interesting story despite having no spectacular sequences to finish it – the ending could have had bigger action and the villain also could have been a more menacing one face to face. The highlight of the movie, the sequence with Tom Cruise hanging outside the airplane comes very early. It is just one of those stylish action highlights of the movie which has others like an interesting sequence at an opera, a high voltage motor-bike chase and an underwater heist. These are also done at some of the best locations possible.

We know how well Mad Max: Fury Road managed to be a wonderful full action movie, and this one follows that path using its strength. The rest of the things are just means to this strength, and you can also admire the fact that the smartness of the plot supports it. You should notice how well things come together as the locations shift between different nations – you will love Morocco shown in this movie more than the rest. The sequences are also more believable. I was still a little disappointed that Jeremy Renner doesn’t take part in much of the big action here. But there is enough here to make up for that, and our cast surely does the job very well.

In a movie which has some nice twists and change of sides, Tom Cruise manages to emerge as the awesome action star once again. There is no difficulty there is making us believe in the impossible with this man around. It was great to see Rebecca Ferguson get a role which is very much on par with him, with just lesser in screen presence only to Tom Cruise. She is the best heroine ever in a Mission: Impossible movie and she has a part in almost every action sequence with our protagonist, and at the same time having no romantic side with the hero. She is perfectly suited for this role. She does those stunts in style and also brings the suspense as the person who is the most difficult to figure out in the whole movie. She is the one complicated person on whom the whole mission depends on. She becomes the big advantage that none of the other movies of the franchise had. Along with Jeremy Renner, Ving Rhames also has a little too less to do in this flick.

The franchise achieves new heights with Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, as the latest flick becomes a superior entertainer in the list of movies which have served us for almost twenty years. There is a certain improvement with this movie, which was thought to be a hard task, but it has been done. It won’t be easy to forget this one soon, as the thrilling experience will stay on the mind of viewers for quite a long time. Even though there have been so many movies with big action sequences, you can still take the level of action to an even higher level – it is not impossible, and this movie proves the same with ease. Look out for this movie this weekend, and it can make you forget Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol.

[After the movie]

Vampire Owl :: Well, Rebecca Ferguson does save the day more times than Tom Cruise, and that should be a first.

Vampire Bat :: She is too good! Most of the time, her character surely is the smartest one around!

Release date: 6th August 2015 (India); 31st July 2015 (US)
Running time: 131 minutes
Directed by: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Sean Harris, Alec Baldwin, Simon McBurney, Jens Hultén, Tom Hollander

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Ant-Man

Posted on July 26, 2015 by Tennyson

Vampire Owl :: Are you sure that there is no Vampire Ant?

Vampire Bat :: Yes, it says in all vampire books, that due to the complete absence of alienation, an ant cannot be a vampire. Neither can the bees, wasps and termites. Alienation is the first step to becoming a vampire. The idea of eusociality doesn’t work with vampires at all.

Vampire Owl :: It is good. In the presence of a Vampire Ant, we would have had to sponsor his ticket according to the new Vampire Brotherhood rules and regulations.

Vampire Bat :: Yes, a Vampire Ant seems like an impossible thing, as of now.

[Gets the tickets].

✠ This was recently posted by me at Kiagia.com: http://www.kiagia.com/index.php/current-film-releases-movie/917-ant-man-movie-review.html

When we consider the superhero movies, Marvel is a name which has proved to be the most trustworthy one in the last few years. All the movies from Marvel Studios have kept a certain standard. Even though Ant-Man is a name which is rather unheard among the common audience outside the English-speaking world, the superhero character has been there for very long. With the reception that this movie has received, we can be certain that it can have a good position among the other movies of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, even though the same can’t be said about how it has managed in this part of the world.

Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) has just been released from prison and is hoping to lead a life away from crime for the sake of his daughter. As he is a post-graduate in electrical engineering, he hopes that he can find a job easily, but things are not easy as his criminal record keeps him away from settling down. A police officer named Paxton (Bobby Cannavale) is engaged to his former wife, which just makes things worse. So, he decides to go on a heist with his former cellmate Luis (Michael Peña) and his friends. They choose the house of a rich old man who is known to have a vault and as Scott has done this before with perfection, they depend on him.

Meanwhile, Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) was part of the S.H.I.E.L.D. and had been responsible for the technology of shrinking sub-atomic particles and making Ant-Man possible. But he had quit because he understood that people were trying to copy and recreate the technology. He knew that such an invention will be incredibly dangerous if gone into the wrong hands. As his daughter Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly), and his former assistant and student, Darren Cross (Corey Stoll) did come so close to duplicating the same technology, he is alarmed again, and hopes to make sure that it never happens. For the same, Hope helps him, and he needs a volunteer to wear the Ant-Man suit.

At a point, the lives of these two people come together, and the story of another superhero officially begins. Actually, the movie takes too much time to get to that new tale. The real Ant-Man is not even there until the second half of the movie – there are just people and two suits. There is too much of a delay here, and it can happen with origin movies, but this one has too much of time without interesting things happening. But things get a lot better in the second half, which is full of action, and there are some very nice sequences in the smaller world involving the ants and the hero himself. Things do get to have a better direction after that.

The final action sequences are very interesting, and the ending is nice. If the theatre won’t stop with the credits, you will surely want to see the scenes which come with the final credits. Even though Marvel has indeed brought us a smaller superhero and destruction is also lesser, the scope of this one is reduced for the same reason. The superhero power itself is weird, and the action makes too much way for drama, as the dialogues are rather a lot. The movie is rather too goofy, and celebrates its inability to provide more to ponder about or even to leave a message. The seriousness never really coming to the front and the absence of a menacing villain may be some of the major reasons for the same.

You can choose to enjoy the humour though, even as it is only partially working. This movie surely needed to be more serious. The ants should not have been portrayed as random cute creatures even when made bigger. This universe of Marvel works better with its chaos and destruction, as it is where the strength should have been derived from. Yes, there are talks about the chaos happening in the world, but that goes on with the light tone of the movie, and we are not really bothered if it happens or not, as there is nothing to make us feel it the same way. Paul Rudd is perfectly suited for the role though, and Evangeline Lilly plays the second biggest character on the good side well.

Ant-Man still continues to keep the Marvel Cinematic Universe going. It just can’t go on without the regular problems of an origin story, and is not without repetitions. The basic formula remains the same, and the differences are made only according to the character of the new superhero. But still, it should interest the regular viewer of superhero movies. It does seem a little overrated right now, as it is nowhere close to being the best from Marvel. Captain America: The Winter Soldier remains the most seriously awesome movie of the universe, and Ant-Man is just some good entertainment without many thrills and no twists. I watched this movie as one of the seven people in the theatre, out of which four came only later. The multiplexes do have been attendance though – still not that much as a usual Marvel movie.

Release date: 24th July 2015 (India); 17th July 2015 (USA)
Running time: 117 minutes
Directed by: Peyton Reed
Starring: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Corey Stoll, Bobby Cannavale, Michael Peña, Tip Harris, Anthony Mackie, Wood Harris, Judy Greer, David Dastmalchian, Michael Douglas, John Slattery, Hayley Atwell, Abby Ryder Fortson, Gregg Turkington, Martin Donovan