Life Of Pi Review
Direction: Ang Lee
Production: Ang Lee, Gil Netter and David Womark
Writers: Yann Martel (novel), David Magee
Cast: Suraj Sharma, Irrfan Khan, Rafe Spall, Adil Hussain, Tabu
Music: Mychael Danna
Genre: Adventure
Rating: * ½
Plot: Based on the novel by Yann Martel, the film tells the story of Pi Patel (Gautam Belur, Ayush Tondon, Suraj Sharma and Irrfan Khan), son of the zookeeper Santosh Patel (Adil Hussain). Due to some problem, Pi’s family is forced to shift their house and zoo from India (Pondicherry) to Canada. Since it also includes the stressful task of shifting all types of animals thousands of miles away, Santosh arranges for a special cruise as a mode of travel.
During their journey, a disastrous storm takes place which separates Pi from his family. Worse, he lands on a lifeboat with a zebra, hyena, an orangutan and the Royal Bengal Tiger. Later on, only Pi and the tiger are left on the boat. Will Pi be able to survive with a wild beast on a journey that looks like never ending?
Review: Life Of Pi achieves the incredible by shooting some unthinkable scenes with some jaw-dropping visual effects. However, such mind-blowing thrills and visuals do little to amuse you when the overall experience is a deadly mixture of boredom, disturbance, irritation and depression!
Before Pi’s family commence their voyage, the film appears quite interesting, especially during Pi’s interaction with his parents and his take religion. Things are quite okay even during the voyage and the storm incident, which is captured brilliantly. However, some time after Pi lands on the lifeboat (second half), the proceedings go on to disturbing levels.
By this time, we start doubting that the film just has no story to tell. That indeed turns out to be the case as you are just subjected to Pi’s miserable experience on the lifeboat which not only becomes a difficult test of your patience but also makes you cringe with some disturbing and depressing incidents. No doubt, the camerawork and the way of filming deserve salute but why should one invest money and time to watch such a story? Such a tale suits only for a novel.
The background score is commendable while the editing should have been tighter. The 3D effects in some scenes are of top draw but there should have been some more out-of-the-screen moments.
Some performances leave you spellbound. Suraj Sharma’s debut act is one such performance that deserves tons of praise, especially since he is someone who is never been into acting or performing arts. Irrfan Khan once again shows why he is one of the finest actors to have emerged from India. Adil Hussain and Tabu provide mature acts. Rafe Spall fits the bill perfectly. All the animals too deserve applause for being able to do what they were asked to.
Overall, one and a half stars for Life Of Pi for the breathtaking visuals and performances.
The Dark Knight Rises Box-Office Prediction (India)
Director: Christopher Nolan
Producer: Christopher Nolan, Charles Roven and Emma Thomas
Writers: Christopher Nolan, David S. Goyer, Jonathan Nolan, Bob Kane
Cast: Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Anna Hathaway
Music: Hans Zimmer
Analysis:
Star Value: No star can make-up for Heath Ledger's absence. He is just irreplaceable! But due to the presence of Christian Bale, Charles Roven and Anna Hathaway, one can say the star value for The Dark Knight Rises is high. Plus, it’s the brand of Batman that adds more star value.
Hype: The hype has been tremendous ever since the makers announced the film. As the promos were out and the film neared its release, the hype kept increasing.
Music: Music doesn’t have scope in such Hollywood films although the songs of this film are becoming known. The music will become a hit if it succeeds in complementing the film well.
Prediction:
The Dark Knight Rises will surely get a great opening at the box-office in India. The recent release The Amazing Spider-Man received the highest collections for a Hollywood film in India. Don’t be surprised if The Dark Knight Rises surpasses that record if it manages to impress initially. There are chances that TDKR will affect the collections of next week’s Bollywood release Kya Super Cool Hai Hum.
The Amazing Spider-Man Box-Office Prediction (India)
Analysis:
Star Value: Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone aren’t considered stars in India. However, it’s the character of Spider-Man that is the real star capable of pulling audience to the theatres. And due to Irrfan Khan’s presence, there is an added interest in the movie in India.
Hype: The first promo of the film created tremendous hype for the film when it released. From then, the excitement for the movie has just increased. Irrfan’s presence has also helped in creating the hype.
Music: Being a Hollywood film and that too of a superhero genre, there is no scope for music. But anyways, such films don’t need music for becoming popular.
Prediction:
Considering the box-office scenario of Hollywood films in India, The Amazing Spiderman will surely get a very good opening. Dubbed in Hindi and some regional languages, this is the first Hollywood film to open with over 1000 screens across India. If the movie generates positive response initially, the decision will turn out to be a killer. However, its collections might drop after a week when Rohit Shetty’s comic caper Bol Bachchan releases.
Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol Box-Office Prediction
Star Value: Tom Cruise, one of the most famous actors in the universe, is back in the fourth installment of the successful Mission Impossible series. This reason is enough to get the cash registers ringing. Plus, the fact that it also has Anil Kapoor in a cameo has further boosted its chances in the Indian market. There is also Paula Patton playing the female lead.
Hype: The hype is tremendous for Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol with its promos having a terrific impact on the audience. The film has been more in the news in India due to the Anil factor.
Music: Being a Hollywood film, you can’t expect song and dance sequences. But Eminem’s ‘Won’t Back Down’ and the theme music is gaining a lot of attention. The songs and other soundtracks will appeal more when seen in the movie.
Prediction: Due to the above factors, Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol will have a very good run at the box-office, at least in the first week. The fact that not a single well known Bollywood film is releasing with it will give it further advantage. Even if the initial response doesn’t turn out to be very positive, people will go to see it once. However, the collections will come down once Shah Rukh Khan’s Don 2 releases on December 23.
The Taking Of Pelham 123 Movie Review
On Track…Almost
Ratings: - * * *
I am firmly of the view that a remake should not be compared with the original film. It’s my belief that a remake is a way of looking at a particular story in a different way and during a different time-span. It’s more like an experiment as well as a tribute. Having said that, I am forced to say that the original 1974 flick The Taking Of Pelham 123 should be better than this remake by Tony Scott, only because of a particular scene which I found illogical.
After grabbing the ransom money, why on earth will a terrorist walk on the streets of a city without a care in the world so that the cops can catch or shoot him? Even someone like me, who has no criminal record, would know that the first thing in this situation to do is to flee from the city or country as soon as possible. However, in spite of this, this remake is worth watching mostly because of the technical aspects, the sleek look and the performances.
It’s a typical hostage drama where Ryder (John Travolta) and his group hijack the New York City’s subway train The Pelham 123 and demand a huge ransom in return within 60 minutes. Ryder vows to gun down one person every minute after the deadline. Walter Garber (Denzel Washington), an MTA official, is forced to become the negotiator due to the recent circumstances in his life.
Thanks to a gripping screenplay and some stylish effects, the interest is generated throughout the 121 minutes. Plus, some innovative camerawork add to the plus points. The bird view shots are terrific. The above mention points help a great deal when the goings goes off-track slightly in between. The stunts and the action too deserve special mention. However, the couple of accidents included looked like a forced attempt to create thrill.
Travolta and Washington’s performance and the witty interaction between them act as the main pillar. Here, the dialogue writer deserves applause for creating a bond between the characters. Because of these plusses, The Taking Of Pelham 123 can be quite satisfying, especially for thriller lovers.