Twelve Monkeys

Year: 1996
Director: Terry Gilliam
Cast: Bruce Willis, Madeleine Stowe, Brad Pitt, Christopher Plummer

Now here's a movie that's unique in style and substance. There have been many sci-fi thrillers featuring time travel, but this one stands out thanks to the talented cast and great storyline.

Twelve Monkeys begins in the near future, when 99% of humanity has been wiped out by a virus. The remaining humans live underground in a prison-like facility, run by people who occasionally send 'volunteers' to the surface to collect information. One such 'volunteer' is James Cole. On one of his trips topside, he collects enough information to please the keepers, who then decide to send him on a special mission: go back in time to gather information about the virus that wiped out humanity, and who's responsible.

So they send Cole back in time, but instead of landing in 1996, his intended time, he winds up in 1990. Cole ends up getting arrested and placed in an asylum, where he meets Dr Kathyrn Railly, a psychologist who sympathises with him, but doesn't believe his story about being from the future. He also meets Jeffrey Goines, a fellow patient who helps him escape the asylum. Cole later realises that Jeffrey may be connected somehow to the virus' release.

His bosses from the future eventually manage to send him to the right year, where Cole runs into Dr Railly again. He kidnaps her and forces her to help him find the answers he needs. Just like before, she doesn't believe him, until she comes across certain facts that validate his story. She tries to help him uncover the secret, which is connected to a group called The Army Of The Twelve Monkeys, which is also connected to Jeffrey. But can Cole find the answers and stop the catastrophe in time?

I have to give plenty of credit to Bruce Willis for an outstanding performance, especially since he was more well-known for his action roles at the time he made this film. His character James Cole comes off as a desperate man trying to accomplish the task given to him, as he struggles to keep his sanity in check each time he travels back in time. His anguish and pain is very believable, especially in the scene where he starts crying upon hearing music in 1996, since there's no music in his time. Brad Pitt also shines as the insane Jeffrey Goines, who provides most of the humour in the film. Pitt was nominated for an Oscar for this role, and rightfully so. He's just so crazy, you can't help but laugh out loud. Madeleine Stowe provides the necessary balance between sanity and insanity as Kathryn Railly, and puts in a strong performance.

Kudos must also go to Terry Gilliam for giving the film a dark and moody look throughout. All the sets and visuals in the film, from the future time to the present day, look very bleak and apocalyptic indeed. It fits the film's concept like a glove. Twelve Monkeys also received an Oscar nomination for Best Costume Design, and Pitt won the Golden Globe for his role here.

With great direction, a strong cast and an impressive storyline, Twelve Monkeys is a masterpiece for anyone who loves a good story. (4.5/5)

Pan's Labyrinth

Year: 2006
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Cast: Ivana Baquero, Maribel Verdu, Sergi Lopez, Ariadna Gil, Doug Jones

This review is officially the first one I'm writing for a film that's not in English on this blog. Pan's Labyrinth is a Spanish film by Mexican director Guillermo del Toro, a fantasy film set in 1944 Spain.

In a time when Spain is plagued by civil war between its fascist government and the rebels, a ruthless and merciless army captain, Captain Vidal sends for his pregnant wife and his stepdaughter, Ofelia to come live with him in the mountains, where he and his troops plan their next move against the rebels. Ofelia, who hates the captain, but loves her mother dearly, only wishes for the safe birth of her stepbrother and getting away from the horrible place she's in.

When she arrives at the base however, she encounters several strange events, which eventually lead her to an abandoned labyrinth nearby. The captain's head servant, Mercedes tells Ofelia to think nothing of it, but the little girl explores further and meets a talking faun, who informs her that she is the long lost daughter of a king that once lived in the labyrinth. According to the faun, she has to perform three tasks. If she succeeds, she will be welcomed back to the kingdom.

Ofelia obliges, and proceeds to do the faun's bidding, risking her life and her mother's as well, as she evades the attention of the captain. Thankfully she is watched over by the kind-hearted Mercedes, who is secretly working with the rebels. Mercedes' efforts to help them gets harder as the captain intensifies his plans to crush the rebellion using vile methods.

What makes this film ultimately interesting is the storytelling and concept. Here we have two worlds: the dark and brutal reality of the civil war, and the fantasy that eminates from Ofelia's adventure with the labyrinth. They are like two sides of the same coin, both similar and contrasting. There are scary moments from the girl's journey as she tries to complete the tasks, and similarly terrifying violence from the captain's war against the rebels. Guillermo del Toro brilliantly contrasts the two worlds, and tells his story through two pairs of eyes: Ofelia's and Mercedes'. Ofelia is simply a girl who tries to escape the world that is scary and hellish, and finds another that is dark and mysterious. Mercedes is a woman who does what she does because she cares about the people around her, and is willing to risk her life for them, despite calling herself a coward at one point of the film.

And del Toro could probably not pick better actresses to play the two females than Baquero and Verdu. Baquero is only 12 years old, but she gives a heartfelt and outstanding performance as Ofelia. She is adorable without being too sweet, yet brave and determined. Verdu gives Mercedes a strong personality that is required of her, and at the same time does well playing the maternal role to Ofelia. Sergi Lopez is perfect as the cold and merciless Captain Vidal. This guy will be well remembered as a cinematic villain.

At the recent Academy Awards, Pan's Labyrinth was nominated for 6 Oscars, and won 3 for Art Direction, Cinematography and Makeup. It is unfortunate that del Toro did not win for Original Screenplay or Foreign Film, for his film truly is a one of a kind masterpiece. You don't need to be a fan of Spanish films to enjoy this, the excellent storytelling will draw your attention without fail.

I recommend this for anyone who loves a good story. Just don't bring the kids when you see it, the dark and violent themes are definitely unsuitable for them. (4.5/5)

300

Year: 2007
Director: Zack Snyder
Cast: Gerard Butler, Lena Headey, David Wenham, Dominic West, Rodrigo Santoro, Vincent Regan, Michael Fassbender

THIS IS SPARTA!!!! I must have watched Gerard Butler say this line in the trailer a dozen times at least before I finally got a chance to see this film. If there was a word that I can use to describe it, it would be 'beautiful'. The story, style, special effects and acting are all beautifully done.

300, based on comicbook writer/artist Frank MIller's graphic novel, which in turn is based on a film called The 300 Spartans, tells the story of the Battle Of Thermopylae that took place in 480 B.C. Gerard Butler plays King Leonidas, the brave and capable ruler of Sparta. The film begins by charting Leonidas' journey from childhood, as Dilios, one of the 300, narrates how Spartans, at childbirth, are tested and trained till they become the fearsome warriors they are destined to be when they reach adulthood.

One day, the Persian army, under the rule of the arrogant self-proclaimed god King Xerxes, arrive at Sparta. They send a messenger to ask for Leonidas' submission to Xerxes. Leonidas refuses and sends the messenger to his death at the bottom of a well. Despite the objection of the Oracle, who advises him to not start a war with Persia at an inauspicious time, Leonidas prepares a plan, knowing the Persians will strike back. He gathers 300 of his best warriors and set out to greet the enemy as they march towards Sparta.

The Persian army may be massive and number in the millions, but they aren't as well prepared as the Spartans, who waste no time decimating them with ease. And as the battle rages on, Leonidas' queen, Gorgo tries to convince the Senate to rally for more troops to assist the 300, facing off against the corrupt Spartan politician Theron. Theron wants nothing more than control over the Senate in the king's absence, and will do anything to seize power.

I had been looking forward to this film ever since I saw the trailer, and thankfully it lived up to my expectations. The action comes fast, brutal and unrelenting. Picture the violence you see in Gladiator, and multiply that 5 times. Limbs and heads fly as the Spartans chop, slash and maim the Persians in bloody glory. The slow motion effect during the battle scenes used by director Zack Snyder, works well indeed. It's violent without being too gory, or cartoonish like the Kill Bill films. It's balletic and stylish and kinetic. Wonderful.

300 also uses the same CGI technology used by Sin City and Sky Captain & The World Of Tomorrow, by utilising green screens to create the backgrounds instead of building real sets and using real locations. Snyder colours the film with mostly gold, yellow and red, just like Miller did for his novel, and it comes off looking like it was lifted straight out of a comicbook fantasy. Needless to say, it does wonders for the look of the film.

But credit must also be given to the cast. Butler is intense, strong and heartfelt as Leonidas, who continuously rallies his men to victory. Lena Headey is equally commendable as the loyal Queen Gorgo, while Rodrigo Santoro hypes it up as Xerxes. Santoro gives a truly memorable, over the top, yet fun portrayal of a man who really believes he is a god. Not to be forgotten is David Wenham, who narrates the film as Dilios. His voice is the heart of the movie.

Admittedly, some lines seem quite corny. Some of Leonidas' dialogue, and Xerxes' too, sound hilarious. It's the kind of dialogue that should stay in a comicbook. But don't let that throw you. This film truly is a classic, and many will remember it after watching it. In fact, 300 is already causing controversy around the world, as some viewers have expressed disappointment in the way the Persians were portrayed, claiming that the film is Western propaganda against the Middle East. But I ask you, as a movie viewer, to think of 300 as a literary translation, and not a historical reenactment. Keep in mind that this is based on a graphic novel, so have fun with it. I certainly did. The guys will love the action, and the girls will love the Spartan warriors engaging the action.

Prepare for glory! (4.5/5)

Dreamgirls

Year: 2006
Director: Bill Condon
Cast: Jamie Foxx, Beyonce Knowles, Eddie Murphy, Jennifer Hudson, Anika Noni Rose, Keith Robinson, Danny Glover

I'm not really a fan of musicals. The best one I've ever watched was The Sound Of Music. That one really stood out among every other musical ever made for film, such as Moulin Rouge (which was quite good) and The Phantom Of The Opera (which was overdramatic). So how does Dreamgirls fare?

Based on the Broadway musical and loosely inspired by The Supremes' true life story, Dreamgirls tells the story of the highs and lows of a trio of black women aspiring to be singers in the 1960s. Effie White, Deena Jones and Lorell Robinson form a group called The Dreamettes and enter themselves in a talent contest. Their performance catches the eye of music mogul Curtis Taylor Jr, who gets them a gig doing backup singing for well-known black popstar James "Thunder" Early. Curtis also hires Effie's brother C.C. to help write songs for them.

As they progress, they soon realise that selling black music to the masses, mainly made up of white folks is tough. So Curtis resorts to all kinds of tactics, from paying off the right people to getting gigs at places frequented by white people. Then he does something drastic when he tries to market the girls as artistes in their own right: replace Effie with Deena to sing lead. This doesn't go down well with the former, who tries to slip into her new role as backup singer, but eventually gets fed up and leaves the group.

Curtis gets a replacement and continues pushing the girls forward, as Effie tries to make it on her own. More turbulence awaits as Curtis resorts to more underhanded maneuvers, while the members fall in and out of love with the men in their lives, namely Deena and Curtis & Lorell and James. Things come to a head when Effie comes back to the music world solo.

OK, now for the reason why I don't really dig musicals. They have singing sessions every 5 minutes, and even though this movie is set in the entertainment business, not all performances take place on stage with an audience watching. It is a musical after all, so expect the characters to burst into song when you least expect it. Granted, some songs like It's All Over and Steppin' To The Bad Side were quite charming. But some of the other numbers just stretch over 5 or 6 minutes, and it gets very tiresome after a while. The fact that the movie is over 2 hours long doesn't help either.

Kudos to Hudson for making Effie stand out, though I felt that her Oscar win for best supporting actress was more due to her singing and not her acting. She has a voice that truly grabs your attention throughout the film. Murphy nearly steals the show portraying James Early. It's nice to see him in a serious role instead of those obnoxious multiple personality comedies he's so famous for. Beyonce is just well, Beyonce. Sure she can sing, but if she wants to be taken seriously as an actress, she should stop playing herself on screen. Jamie Foxx of course, does not disappoint as the cold and sneaky Curtis.

I'd recommend this film for people who like musicals, though it's probably not the best one out there. If you don't like musicals, try watching something else. (3/5)

The Pursuit Of Happyness

Year: 2006
Director: Gabriele Muccino
Cast: Will Smith, Jaden Christopher Syre Smith, Thandie Newton

How many of you remember the sitcom The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air? Will Smith stars as a kid from the streets of Philly sent to live with his rich uncle and aunt in Bel Air, and every week he drives them nuts with his antics. I enjoyed that show back in the day, he was truly a hilarious actor. But that was a long time ago, now we can see Smith in more serious stories such as this one.

The Pursuit Of Happyness is based on a true story set in San Francisco in 1981. Smith plays Chris Gardner, a salesman struggling to make ends meet and look after his wife Linda and 5 year old son Christopher. What does he sell? Bone density scanners. It's this big square metal appliance that is as big as a computer monitor, and I don't mean flat screen ones. Anyway, despite Chris being a good people person, he finds it hard to sell something that most hospitals would consider "an unnecessary luxury item". With Linda putting in extra shifts at work and the bills and taxes piling up day after day, it's only a matter of time before she snaps and makes a decision to leave him.

Chris however, refuses to give up his son to her, and vows to look after him. How you might ask? Well, thanks to a tip from a stockbroker with a very nice convertible, Chris decides to apply for an internship at a stockbroker firm. He succeeds after impressing the human resources head by solving a Rubik's cube in a matter of minutes. Although he gets the internship, he will not be paid during his course, and only one out of twenty interns gets the job. So that leaves Chris having to sell what's left of his scanners in order for him and his son to survive. But it gets harder as more financial woes hit him. He can't pay the rent, so he moves into a motel. When he can't pay the motel, he and his son are forced to sleep in a subway toilet, and then later having to line up with hundreds of other homeless people seeking a place to stay for the night at the shelter for the homeless. And despite all this, Chris stays focused, looking after his son while working super hard at the internship, determined to pass the course and get the job he needs.

Smith, who is nominated for a Best Actor Oscar for this role, puts in an intense and heartwarming portrayal of a father who loves his son so much, he'd do anything for him. Smith's real son Jaden also puts in a good performance as Christopher. Watch out for Dan Castellaneta (he voices Homer in The Simpsons) as the trainer for the interns in the firm.

The film also does a good job in presenting what America looked like in the early 80s, when there were so many people struggling to make ends meet as the economy suffers and they have to live in shelters. I'll give it points for its realistic depiction of the subject matter, but the film gets dragged on a little too long for my liking. Smith's performance is worth checking out though. You will be moved by it, and perhaps that's the point being presented in this film.

Here's a little trivia: the real Chris Gardner served as associate producer and makes a cameo appearance at the end of the film. If you like good drama about love for your family, check this out. (3.5/5)