Action Movie Download: September 2015

Thursday 17 September 2015

Guardians of the Galaxy

A group of intergalactic criminals are forced to work together to stop a fanatical warrior from taking control of the universe.

Director: James Gunn

Writers: James Gunn, Nicole Perlman, 2 more credits »

Stars: Chris Pratt, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper

Storyline

After stealing a mysterious orb in the far reaches of outer space, Peter Quill from Earth, is now the main target of a manhunt led by the villain known as Ronan the Accuser. To help fight Ronan and his team and save the galaxy from his power, Quill creates a team of space heroes known as the "Guardians of the Galaxy" to save the world.

Reviews

Guardians of the Galaxy is nothing short of an amazing movie. If there's anything I can say, it's that it is the best superhero movie I have seen. Not only does it have the impressive set pieces and enough action to last you a lifetime, it has an emotional core and you actually get to care about each and every single character. Overall this movie is filled with all the required thrills and spills and is a first class action movie. It also has a great mixture of comedic value and a deal of seriousness.

The film's unlikely hero is Quill (Chris Pratt), an eccentric gunfighter in the Han Solo mould who we meet stealing a metal orb coveted by the evil warlord Ronan. When he dispatches his top assassin, the green- skinned Gamora (Zoe Saldana), to recover the artifact, the pair find themselves locked up, along with the galaxy's most unlikely bounty hunters – a gun-toting raccoon (Bradley Cooper) and his sidekick (Vin Diesel) who just happens to be a walking tree. All the actors do a great job at portraying there characters, they feel real beings. You get to know about them and their struggles and you become attached to them. Every character in the movie got their time to shine, especially Rocket Raccoon who is voiced perfectly by Bradley Cooper. Everyone is pitch perfect in their roles even Batista!

For those that want specifics: effects were top notch, acting was excellent, story lines were compelling, the comedy was perfect 99.5% of the time and surprise there were a lot of one line typical superhero zingers that worked really well. What really can't be stressed enough is just how insanely fun and entertaining Guardians of the Galaxy is for literally its entire two-hour-plus run-time. I still have a hard time wrestling with who was my favorite actor in this. all in all, the film is brilliantly well done, action scenes are engrossing and genuinely done, you genuinely worry about certain characters and I for one was thrilled with it. Go see this.

Tuesday 15 September 2015

Kingsman: The Secret Service

A spy organization recruits an unrefined, but promising street kid into the agency's ultra-competitive training program, just as a global threat emerges from a twisted tech genius.

Director: Matthew Vaughn

Writers: Jane Goldman (screenplay), Matthew Vaughn (screenplay), 2 more credits »

Stars: Colin Firth, Taron Egerton, Samuel L. Jackson

Storyline

Based upon the acclaimed comic book and directed by Matthew Vaughn, Kingsman: The Secret Service tells the story of a super-secret spy organization that recruits an unrefined but promising street kid into the agency's ultra-competitive training program just as a global threat emerges from a twisted tech genius.

Reviews

I'm going to be honest about this: I like unabashedly violent action films. I'm 42 years old, I'm from Texas and I can take it. Growing up with films like 'Rambo', 'Die Hard', 'The Terminator' and 'Robocop', I can't stand that watered-down "no-blood-no-swearing" gutless kiddie fare that is being served as "action" these days. I know the real thing when I see it - we used to see it all the time back in the day - and I hardly ever see it anymore.

Which brings me to this movie. 'Kingsman: The Secret Service' was being shown just around the corner from where I live, and because I loved two of director Matthew Vaughn's previous films, 'Layer Cake' and 'Kick-Ass', I naturally took the chance to see it. I had already read some comments from previous screenings that this film was totally bad-ass, and I can now say that's actually putting it mildly. This film is nothing short of bat-shît crazy.

Years ago Tarantino said in an interview that he had written a James Bond script and that he would love to direct a Bond film. Sadly, that never happened, but ever since I read that I wondered what an R-rated Bond might be like. I don't know, maybe Matthew Vaughn has read that interview too and saw the potential, because 'Kingsman' is pretty much that: An ultra violent, funny, crazy, foul-mouthed James Bond film (with a little bit of 'Men in Black' and 'Mission Impossible' thrown in). You could say that this is to Bond what 'Game of Thrones' is to 'Lord of the Rings': Where the former can't and dare not go (for marketing and box office reasons), the latter joyfully and gloriously ventures. Dirty and (very black) humor - check. Bad language - check. Gratuitous violence - check. Needless to say, I was thrilled.

But it's also a fantastic action film with an amazing cast (Oscar winners Colin Firth and Michael Caine, plus Sam Jackson AND Mark Hamill) and spectacular, over-the-top fight-scenes that in some instances even rival films like 'The Raid' for their sheer visceral intensity. In short, if you're as fed up with lame wannabe Die-Hards and Terminators as I am, go watch this film. Apart from the rare 'John Wick' or 'Equalizer', 'Kingsman' seems to be pretty much the only antidote to the toothless, generic tripe Hollywood tries to pass for action these days. 9 stars for the film and the story, 11 stars for the balls to pull this off the way they did. Average = a perfect 10.

Guardians of the Galaxy

A group of intergalactic criminals are forced to work together to stop a fanatical warrior from taking control of the universe.

Director: James Gunn

Writers: James Gunn, Nicole Perlman, 2 more credits »

Stars: Chris Pratt, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper

Storyline

Reviews

The Maze Runner

Thomas is deposited in a community of boys after his memory is erased, soon learning they're all trapped in a maze that will require him to join forces with fellow "runners" for a shot at escape.

Director: Wes Ball

Writers: Noah Oppenheim (screenplay), Grant Pierce Myers (screenplay), 2 more credits »

Stars: Dylan O'Brien, Kaya Scodelario, Will Poulter

Storyline

Thomas wakes up in an elevator, remembering nothing but his own name. He emerges into a world of about 60 teen boys who have learned to survive in a completely enclosed environment, subsisting on their own agriculture and supplies. A new boy arrives every 30 days. The original group has been in "The Glade" for three years, trying to find a way to escape through the Maze that surrounds their living space. They have begun to give up hope. Then a comatose girl arrives with a strange note, and their world begins to change. There are some great, fast-paced action scenes, particularly those involving the nightmarish Grievers who plague the boys.

Reviews

I went into this film with low expectations. Having never read any of James Dashner's books, I cannot tell with any certainty if the screenwriters were true to the novel, or if the book makes a better effort than the film to distinguish itself from the multitude of superior films it meekly attempts to imitate. What I know is that I left the theater laughing. And not in a good way.

What should have been an exciting and visceral tale of survival and intrigue ended up stealing two hours of my life by conning me into thinking I would see something original. Instead of suspense and excitement, MAZE RUNNER laid out an entourage of familiar tropes, paper-thin characters, and contrived situations. The 'villainous' antagonist of the film was as one-dimensional and irrationally-plot serving as any character I've ever seen. The character was so silly and unbelievable I actually chuckled at him several times when the film begged me to be serious.

The screenplay was a crash-course in heavy-handed exposition. It was jammed with stock lines: bland, insinuating lines that were supposed to put me on the edge of my seat but instead left me thinking, 'Okay, when are we going to get to the POINT of this movie?' We got to see the intimidating-jerk-who-doesn't-listen-to-reason character, the hardened-guy-who-will-later-be-reduced-to-a-weak-state-to-show-us how-shaken-up-the-best-of-us-can-get character, the arbitrary female (although, thankfully, fewer movies today are marginalizing women), the amnesiac/s, and the innocent-character-we-can-get-away-with-killing. The pacing of the film, if not the events, were completely predictable and the ending (which I came to the theater curious for in the first place) came off as stale and forced, like the rest of the ponderous placeholder scenes that served as a plot. If you've seen movies such as HUNGER GAMES, CABIN IN THE WOODS, or PANDORUM, you have already witnessed better characters, better reveals, and more assured examples of plot development.

Hollywood has developed a very convenient formula to keep theaters full of impressionable teen audiences. We have an outsider who needs to find a part of the group to cling to. They meet a variety of similar sympathetic characters. They act impulsively, which is usually a good thing. They are almost always rebellious and independent by nature, but they need to avoid arousing the wrath of whatever all-powerful conglomerate is hell-bent on keeping them down. Until, of course, the time comes to overthrow them using the various talents that the group possesses. Along with a healthy dose of courage, resolve... and luck. Buckets of ludicrous, gratuitous, convenient, plot-serving luck.

There is no reason that this film should have made the money it has. After six days, it has recouped its budget threefold. Every ticket you buy gives them more ammunition for a brain-numbing cookie-cutter sequel.

I'm not saying the film is the worst I've ever seen. But for God's sake, we don't need any more movies like this. Here's to a better future.

The Dark Knight

When the menace known as the Joker wreaks havoc and chaos on the people of Gotham, the caped crusader must come to terms with one of the greatest psychological tests of his ability to fight injustice.

Director: Christopher Nolan

Writers: Jonathan Nolan (screenplay), Christopher Nolan (screenplay), 3 more credits »

Stars: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart

Storyline

Batman raises the stakes in his war on crime. With the help of Lieutenant Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman sets out to dismantle the remaining criminal organizations that plague the city streets. The partnership proves to be effective, but they soon find themselves prey to a reign of chaos unleashed by a rising criminal mastermind known to the terrified citizens of Gotham as The Joker.

Reviews

We've been subjected to enormous amounts of hype and marketing for the Dark Knight. We've seen Joker scavenger hunts and one of the largest viral campaigns in advertising history and it culminates with the actual release of the movie.

Everything that's been said is pretty much spot on. This is the first time I can remember where a summer blockbuster film far surpasses the hype.

For as much action as there is in this movie, it's the acting that makes it a great piece of work. Between all the punches, explosions and stunt-work is some great dialog work. All the actors have their moments.

Bale's Batman is the definitive Batman because we see everything in this character finally on film. Martial arts skills, cunning, great tactical thinking, forensic application, technological genius to advance or improve Luscious Fox's inventions/technological breakthroughs, intimidating personality, and even a little swashbuckling.

As for Heath, yes he gets credit for his performance as the Joker. But you have to also recognize Jonathan and Chris Nolan for the writing and treatment of the character. It's not just the fact that Ledger makes the Joker so menacing, but the Nolans have given the character this great manifesto that drives its actions. The Joker's stance on chaos, order, anarchy, the morality of the average modern human being make the character so interesting psychologically. The Nolans drafted a complex character and only a perfect performance could've pulled something like this off. That's how difficult of a role this was, and that's why Ledger's performance is so great.

This isn't an action movie. It's a film that explores literary themes of the hero and villain, as well as order and anarchy. Yes, listen to the dialog because it's all in there.

Inception

A thief who steals corporate secrets through use of dream-sharing technology is given the inverse task of planting an idea into the mind of a CEO.

Director: Christopher Nolan

Writer: Christopher Nolan

Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page

Storyline

Dom Cobb is a skilled thief, the absolute best in the dangerous art of extraction, stealing valuable secrets from deep within the subconscious during the dream state, when the mind is at its most vulnerable. Cobb's rare ability has made him a coveted player in this treacherous new world of corporate espionage, but it has also made him an international fugitive and cost him everything he has ever loved. Now Cobb is being offered a chance at redemption. One last job could give him his life back but only if he can accomplish the impossible-inception. Instead of the perfect heist, Cobb and his team of specialists have to pull off the reverse: their task is not to steal an idea but to plant one. If they succeed, it could be the perfect crime. But no amount of careful planning or expertise can prepare the team for the dangerous enemy that seems to predict their every move. An enemy that only Cobb could have seen coming.

Reviews

What is the most resilient parasite? An Idea! Yes, Nolan has created something with his unbelievably, incredibly and god- gifted mind which will blow the minds of the audience away. The world premiere of the movie, directed by Hollywood's most inventive dreamers, was shown in London and has already got top notch reviews worldwide and has scored maximum points! Now the question arises what the movie has that it deserve all this?

Dom Cobb(Di Caprio) is an extractor who is paid to invade the dreams of various business tycoons and steal their top secret ideas. Cobb robs forcefully the psyche with practiced skill, though he's increasingly haunted by the memory of his late wife, Mal (Marion Cotillard), who has a nasty habit of showing up in his subconscious and wreaking havoc on his missions. Cobb had been involved so much in his heist work that he had lost his love!

But then, as fate had decided, a wealthy business man Saito( Ken Watanabe) hands over the responsibility of dissolving the empire of his business rival Robert Fischer Jr.(Cillian Murphy). But this time his job was not to steal the idea but to plant a new one: 'Inception'

Then what happens is the classic heist movie tradition. To carry out the the task, Cobb's 'brainiac' specialists team up again with him, Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), his longtime organizer; Tom Hardy (Eames), a "forger" who can shapeshift at will; and Yusuf (Dileep Rao), a powerful sedative supplier.

There is only one word to describe the cinematography, the set designs and the special effects, and that is Exceptional! You don't just watch the scenes happening, you feel them. The movie is a real thrill ride. The action scenes are well picturised and the music by Hans Zimmer is electronically haunting. Never, in the runtime of the movie, you will get a chance to move your eyes from the screen to any other object.

Leonardo, who is still popularly known for Jack Dawson played by him in Titanic, should be relieved as his role as Dom Cobb will be remembered forever. His performance may or may not fetch him an Oscar but it will be his finest performance till date. The supporting cast too did an extraordinary work. Christopher Nolan, ah! what a man he is. His work is nothing less than a masterpiece and he deserves all the awards in the 'Best Director' category. If "Inception" is a metaphysical puzzle, it's also a metaphorical one: It's hard not to draw connections between Cobb's dream-weaving and Nolan's film making, intended to seduce us, mess with our heads and leave an ever-lasting impression.

To conclude, I would just say before your life ends, do yourself a favor by experiencing this exceptionally lucid classic created by Nolan!

John Wick

An ex-hitman comes out of retirement to track down the gangsters that took everything from him.

Directors: Chad Stahelski, David Leitch (uncredited)

Writer: Derek Kolstad

Stars: Keanu Reeves, Michael Nyqvist, Alfie Allen

Storyline

John Wick is a mob hit man who, upon falling in love, quits. 5 years later, his wife dies and to make sure he's not alone she arranges for a dog to be brought to him after her death. Later, some men wanting his car break in and beat him up and kill his dog. When he recovers, he sets to get the ones who killed his dog. He learns that the leader is the son of his former employer. And the man wanting to protect his son, tries to take care of Wick but he's still as good as he was.

Reviews

The best way I can describe John Wick is to picture Taken but instead of Liam Neeson it's Keanu Reeves and instead of his daughter it's his dog. That's essentially the plot of the movie. John Wick (Reeves) is out to seek revenge on the people who took something he loved from him. It's a beautifully simple premise for an action movie - when action movies get convoluted, they get bad i.e. A Good Day to Die Hard. John Wick gives the viewers what they want: Awesome action, stylish stunts, kinetic chaos, and a relatable hero to tie it all together. John Wick succeeds in its simplicity.

As an action movie buff, all I wanted to see in this movie is some inventive action sequences, and I was not disappointed. Every single action sequence in this movie is fast-paced, beautifully shot, fluid, intense, and you never have trouble understanding what's going on. The direction of this film is fantastic, as is the writing. There's no melodramatic soapy story lines - everything is straight and to the point, and the point is to get to the action. Not one moment in this movie is boring. The short dialogue is effective from getting to action sequence A to sequence B without any confusion as to any character's motive. It's all laid out in front of you - all you have to do is sit back and enjoy the insanity happening on screen.

Remember when Live Free or Die Hard came out and people were upset that John McClane only fired pistols throughout the entire movie? I like a little versatility when it comes to action heroes, and evidently so do the writers. John Wick wrecks face with pistols, assault rifles, shotguns, knives, even mano-a-mano; the man can do anything. The difference between John Wick and other modern action movies (Die Hard 5 and Taken 3 for instance) is that you actually believe John Wick is killable. He's not some invincible superhero like Bruce Willis was in Die Hard 5, having his car crash and flip like a hundred times and the second it stops he gets out without a scratch and starts running. No, John Wick takes a beating in this film. Numerous times in fact. But most of the time he's kicking ass and taking names, and instead of acting as some unstoppable killing machine, he just seems like a guy who's an expert in his field. He used to be a hit-man after all.

John Wick is a blast to watch. Really, it's just a mindlessly fun action movie. It has large-scale shootouts, CQC sequences, and a classic hero-villain hand-to-hand confrontation at the end. The only negative I can say about the movie is that the villains aren't anything to write home about. They're Russian mobsters which we've seen a million times, and their leader isn't given enough to work with as far as character goes. Willam DaFoe has a brief but important role though as Wick's former colleague.

Regardless, John Wick is all about the action and it goes above and beyond in every respect. It's a breath of fresh air after all the poor sequels we've been getting, and thankfully John Wick has the potential to be the next great action franchise. An absolute must-watch for action fans.

Survivor

A Foreign Service Officer in London tries to prevent a terrorist attack set to hit New York, but is forced to go on the run when she is framed for crimes she did not commit.

Director: James McTeigue

Writer: Philip Shelby (screenplay)

Stars: Paddy Wallace, Parker Sawyers, Bashar Rahal

Storyline

A State Department employee newly posted to the American embassy in London is charged with stopping terrorists from getting into the U.S. That puts her right in the line of fire and she is targeted for death and framed for crimes. Discredited, she is forced to go on the run while she tries to clear her name and stop a large-scale terrorist attack set for New Year's Eve in Times Square.

Reviews

No one ever said that a film has to be Nolan era cryptic to be appreciated. But that doesn't mean there should be a critical lapse in logic either. In the wake of increasing terror attacks around the world, Survivor might have timing on its side but precious little else when viewed as a straight-up action thriller.

A bulk of that problem lies with the severely disjointed story of a girl that cried wolf. That girl is Foreign Service Officer Kate Abbott (Mila Jovovich), newly stationed at the American Embassy in London. Abbott comes with an impressive resume but despite her commendable experience in profiling terror suspects, can't seem to convince her boss and Ambassador to the UK (Angela Bassett) that certain visa applicants to the United States have diabolical motives. One such applicant is a Romanian doctor who calls The Watchmaker (Pierce Brosnan), an accomplice and hit-man, to eliminate Abbott. Their plan – bomb a restaurant she's dinning at. Of course, Abbott survives, and just minutes later, appears to have killed an embassy official thanks to social media. It's the first of several laughable face-palm moments. Now going from the frying pan into the fire, Abbott is targeted by British authorities, American authorities and The Watchmaker himself, before trying to single-handedly foil a massive terror attack on US soil.

By now you must have noticed a string of inconsistencies that are not only illogical but absurd. Why would a skilled hit-man blow up a restaurant just to kill an unarmed office worker with no field experience? With CCTV coverage at every nook and cranny in London, why would the US Embassy implicate one of its own without a shred of evidence? As an Embassy officer with diplomatic immunity, why is Abbott hiding? Even if there are justifiable theories to those questions, nothing can prepare you for the ludicrous nature of how the entire story is penned. Pacing is an even bigger issue coming from James McTeigue, the same director responsible for the fantastic V For Vendetta. Except for Abbott's unbelievable escapes every time The Watchmaker strikes, the rest of the film comprises of time filling goose chases from one plot point to another. It doesn't register and neither does Brosnan's villain who goes from brutal to clumsy in direct reference to the title.

Documenting a movie experience is never easy when you have certain expectations, only to be let down by poor execution, lazy scripting and wooden performances. At best, Survivor is a film with a bunch of talented actors struggling to bring out an honorable tribute to law enforcement agencies thwarting terror attacks since 9/11. Although that message is intrepid, the film isn't and anyone watching this film won't remember what it stands for.

Jupiter Ascending

A young woman discovers her destiny as an heiress of intergalactic nobility and must fight to protect the inhabitants of Earth from an ancient and destructive industry.

Directors: Andy Wachowski (as The Wachowskis) , Lana Wachowski (as The Wachowskis)

Writers: Andy Wachowski (as The Wachowskis) , Lana Wachowski (as The Wachowskis)

Stars: Channing Tatum, Mila Kunis, Eddie Redmayne

Storyline

Jupiter Jones was born under a night sky, with signs predicting that she was destined for great things. Now grown, Jupiter dreams of the stars but wakes up to the cold reality of a job cleaning other people's houses and an endless run of bad breaks. Only when Caine Wise, a genetically engineered ex-military hunter, arrives on Earth to track her down does Jupiter begin to glimpse the fate that has been waiting for her all along - her genetic signature marks her as next in line for an extraordinary inheritance that could alter the balance of the cosmos.

Reviews

The movie feels like it was written by a ten year old girl hooked on drugs. Cardboard characters are so undeveloped that they should have stayed in authors womb for few more months/years. Bad acting and "I don't care about what is going on" attitude from the actors brings final nail to this movie coffin. There is nothing substantial in this movie, nothing that can teach us something new about ourselves or the world around us, which is quite odd for the science fiction movie. True the cinematography of the movie is first class, but it only saddens me that it is used on such bad material. In the end don't get fooled by this movie. Its only purpose is to take your money with bright lights and a false promise, but it will leave you with a mouth full of ash, wondering why you wasted your time.

Fury

April, 1945. As the Allies make their final push in the European Theatre, a battle-hardened Army sergeant named Wardaddy commands a Sherman tank and his five-man crew on a deadly mission behind enemy lines. Outnumbered, out-gunned, and with a rookie soldier thrust into their platoon, Wardaddy and his men face overwhelming odds in their heroic attempts to strike at the heart of Nazi Germany.

Director: David Ayer

Writer: David Ayer

Stars: Brad Pitt, Shia LaBeouf, Logan Lerman

Storyline

April, 1945. As the Allies make their final push in the European Theatre, a battle-hardened Army sergeant named Wardaddy (Brad Pitt) commands a Sherman tank and his five-man crew on a deadly mission behind enemy lines. Outnumbered, and out-gunned, Wardaddy and his men face overwhelming odds in their heroic attempts to strike at the heart of Nazi Germany.

Reviews

Well, I had high hopes for this movie. I had awaited it's release and enjoyed the build up... hearing that Shia Lebouff didn't wash for weeks in order to get into role; much to the annoyance of the other cast members...

Though, in truth this movie didn't reveal a lot about what it was like living and fighting through the war. I understood nothing after watching the movie about how cramped or what it might be like to live, fight and die inside a tank. Instead it seemed like "it's the best job ever" - alcohol in the pantry and (seemingly) plenty of space...

The movie did provide loud noises. Colourful explosions. Some gruesome and somewhat shocking deaths. Some love. Some hate. And about as many war movie clichés as could be fit into the running time. Seriously, the end of the film will have you thinking - This is definitely an American made movie.

I would still rate it as a 'decent' war movie. Though, do not get your hopes up. There has been such a dry patch and nothing can come close to Saving Private Ryan or the characterisation of band of brothers series...

This movie played all the stereotype characters and yes they did play well. But I wanted so much more from the film. I wanted to feel like I had learnt a bit of history or at least a bit of insight after the screening. Instead all I learnt was that American blockbusters still play the stereotypes, the clichés and SO much cheese at the end the movie ends up stinking.

Enjoy for an easy war flick but don't expect too much.

Sunday 13 September 2015

Vacation

In a dystopian near future, single people, according to the laws of The City, are taken to The Hotel, where they are obliged to find a romantic partner in forty-five days or are transformed into beasts and sent off into The Woods.

Director: Yorgos Lanthimos

Writers: Yorgos Lanthimos, Efthymis Filippou

Stars: Léa Seydoux, Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz

Storyline

Hoping to bring his family closer together and to recreate his childhood vacation for his own kids, an adult Rusty Griswold takes his wife and two sons on a cross-country road trip to Walley World. Needless to say, things don't go quite as planned.

Reviews

Director/Writers Jonathan M. Goldstein and John Francis Daley ("Bones") get second generation Rusty Griswold (Ed Helms "The Office") to talk his wife (Christina Applegate "Married with Children") and quirky sons (Skyler Gisondo "The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and straight talking Steele Stebbins) into a car adventure back to Walley World. The fastest distance between two points is never a straight line for the Griswold's, and that propels the cross-country high-jinks forward. Helms' knows how to push a joke without over doing it, while Applegate continues to prove beauty and comedy are a good mix. The kids reversal of brother rivalry is in capable hands with Gisondo and Stebbins. Leslie Mann ("Knocked Up) steps in as grown-up sister Audrey, who is married to sex pervert country boy / Newscaster Chris Hemsworth ("THOR") - get ready for a look at all that Hemsworth has to offer. Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo make a nice cameo, but are unfortunately under utilized. "Vacation" isn't brain surgery, so just fasten your seat-belt and go with the silly, crude and rude.

Friday 11 September 2015

Welcome Back

A pair of reformed gangsters try to find a husband for their newly discovered sister, but complications arise due to mistaken identities.

Director: Anees Bazmee

Writers: Anees Bazmee (story), Rajeev Kaul (story), 5 more credits »

Stars: Anil Kapoor, Nana Patekar, Dimple Kapadia

Storyline

Uday Shetty and Majnu Bhai have left the underworld, and are now big businessmen. Two women, Chandni and Maharani, enter their life. Chandni is the new love in Uday Shetty and Majnu's life and both friends dream of tying the knot with her. However, Appa - Uday's father, plays spoilsport by bringing in his other daughter, Ranjana. He tells Uday Shetty to get her married to someone from a good family. Maharani puts a condition that only after her sister is married, will Chandni will marry one of them. Now, a search to find a suitable husband for Ranjana starts.

Storyline

Reviews

Nowadays, film producers are hiring marketing and advertising agencies not only to promote their movies, but also to improve IMDb ratings. They post fake reviews and rate films greatly to fetch more people to the theaters. About the movie: This movie is completely baseless and crap. Dialogues are good as the dialogue writer is a stickler in writing comedy. Direction is fine, but the most important aspect "the script" is baseless. The movie will nettle you after the interval and you might feel annoyed by it. Go and watch this movie if you want to waste your hard earned money.

300

King Leonidas and a force of 300 men fight the Persians at Thermopylae in 480 B.C.

Director: Zack Snyder

Writers: Zack Snyder (screenplay), Kurt Johnstad (screenplay), 3 more credits »

Stars: Gerard Butler, Lena Headey, David Wenham

Storyline

In the Battle of Thermopylae of 480 BC an alliance of Greek city-states fought the invading Persian army in the mountain pass of Thermopylae. Vastly outnumbered, the Greeks held back the enemy in one of the most famous last stands of history. Persian King Xerxes lead a Army of well over 100,000 (Persian king Xerxes before war has about 170,000 army) men to Greece and was confronted by 300 Spartans, and several hundred Arcadians. Xerxes waited for 10 days for King Leonidas to surrender or withdraw left with no options he moved. The battle lasted for about 3 days and after which all 300 Spartans were killed. The Spartan defeat was not the one expected, as a local shepherd, named Ephialtes, defected to the Persians and informed Xerxes of a separate path through Thermopylae, which the Persians could use to outflank the Greeks.

Reviews

After I saw the teaser for 300 I knew I HAD to see this movie! From then on I avoided all other previews, reviews, etc. as not to influence my expectations of the movie. I then went into the theater on opening night with no knowledge of the plot... only that it had something to do with Greeks and Frank Miller! Ignorance is bliss! I was absolutely blown away. I'm a 26 yr old female who generally doesn't watch violent films... but I found the battle scenes so well done and breath taking. I had chills and goosebumps virtually the entire film. I'm with many other reviewers, who felt like they had to contain themselves from shouting "yeah!" at times. Maybe I'm crazy, but I thought the whole movie was very sexy and passionate, whether it was the sex scene, a battle scene, or Leonidis addressing his men.

I think it is a shame that so many people are condemning this movie for it's historical inaccuracies, or it's "racism", etc. People are reading far too into this movie. Whatever happened to enjoying a movie simply because it is entertaining and pleasing to to the eye? Don't people watch movies anymore to escape from the daily grind of life? I know I'm not as well spoken as many who have posted here. I just think this was a fantastic movie. I didn't go see it to learn anything! I just wanted to be entertained! And boy was I!

American Sniper

Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle's pinpoint accuracy saves countless lives on the battlefield and turns him into a legend. Back home to his wife and kids after four tours of duty, however, Chris finds that it is the war he can't leave behind.

Director: Clint Eastwood

Writers: Jason Hall, Chris Kyle (book), 2 more credits »

Stars: Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller, Kyle Gallner

Storyline

Chris Kyle was nothing more than a Texan man who dreamed of becoming a cowboy, but in his thirties he found out that maybe his life needed something different, something where he could express his real talent, something that could help America in its fight against terrorism. So he joined the SEALs in order to become a sniper. After marrying, Kyle and the other members of the team are called for their first tour of Iraq. Kyle's struggle isn't with his missions, but about his relationship with the reality of the war and, once returned at home, how he manages to handle it with his urban life, his wife and kids.

Reviews

I rated this movie a 1 star not because it wasn't entertaining or wasn't cinematically compelling. I rated this movie one star because the message this movie delivers is ignorantly backwards. Throughout this film, we watch (in vivid detail) as Chris Kyle assassinates hundreds of Iraqi men, women, and even children in order to protect American troops. And yet, this movie ends a memorial. I understand that Chris Kyle did his job well. But that does not mean he should be honored as a hero.

I love the United States. This is an amazing country. And so it bothers me when Hollywood portrays an American hero as someone who is willing to kill people without critically evaluating why they should be killed, who sees war as purely good versus evil, and who is hopelessly blind to the bigger picture.

If there is ever to be peace in this world - heck, if we want to protect the US - we need to glorify people who are compassionate, who can put themselves in other people's shoes, and who act in ways that promote trust and love - instead of fueling the cycle of anger and hate.

Go see this movie. But please don't swallow it up without thinking first.

The Equalizer

A man believes he has put his mysterious past behind him and has dedicated himself to beginning a new, quiet life. But when he meets a young girl under the control of ultra-violent Russian gangsters, he can't stand idly by - he has to help her.

Director: Antoine Fuqua

Writers: Richard Wenk, Michael Sloan (television series), 1 more credit »

Stars: Denzel Washington, Marton Csokas, Chloë Grace

Storyline

In The Equalizer, Denzel Washington plays McCall, a man who believes he has put his mysterious past behind him and dedicated himself to beginning a new, quiet life. But when McCall meets Teri (Chloë Grace Moretz), a young girl under the control of ultra-violent Russian gangsters, he can't stand idly by - he has to help her. Armed with hidden skills that allow him to serve vengeance against anyone who would brutalize the helpless, McCall comes out of his self-imposed retirement and finds his desire for justice reawakened. If someone has a problem, if the odds are stacked against them, if they have nowhere else to turn, McCall will help. He is The Equalizer.

Reviews

The Equalizer is NOT Man on Fire. The Equalizer is NOT your typical action flick. Washington's Robert McCall is not self-destructive or addicted. Though there are great choreographed fights, special effects and fantastic explosions, The Equalizer is more Bourne than Bond. Denzel Washington portrays this ex-CIA operative, who is content to live a meticulously simple life. Quietly contained, but with ever-building intensity, Washington turns in another stellar performance.

Chloe Grace Moretz, as the teenage prostitute, is a force...

Antoine Fuqua, the directer who brought us Training Day, which earned Denzel his Best Actor Oscar, helms this movie with a steady hand. His direction of the drama and the action blend seamlessly, drawing us into the complexity of this character-driven piece.

Robert McCall keeps to himself, content to live his ordinary life; he is every man's man. But, his steady moral compass, and strong sense of justice lead him back into the fray. This character is not infallible, and he is not looking for trouble. He just wants what's right.

This film is a superbly acted, exciting and violent ride! In the pursuit of justice, there will be blood. But this time, you'll be rooting for the good guy, and I, a fifty years young woman, loved every minute of it!

Tomorrowland

Bound by a shared destiny, a teen bursting with scientific curiosity and a former boy-genius inventor embark on a mission to unearth the secrets of a place somewhere in time and space that exists in their collective memory.

Director: Brad Bird

Writers: Damon Lindelof (screenplay), Brad Bird (screenplay), 3 more credits »

Stars: George Clooney, Britt Robertson, Hugh Laurie

Storyline

Bound by a shared destiny, a bright, optimistic teen bursting with scientific curiosity and a former boy-genius inventor jaded by disillusionment embark on a danger-filled mission to unearth the secrets of an enigmatic place somewhere in time and space that exists in their collective memory as "Tomorrowland."

Reviews

I am a fan of Brad Bird. In fact, I was. I met him by Iron Giant and it made me cry despite I was not a kid! It was spectacular. Then I saw The Incredibles and it was incredible though. I will skip The Ghost Protocol, because it was a huge disappointment for me. Now, Tomorrowland... I went to see the movie because of three reasons: Brad Bird, George Clooney and as being a science fiction fan, because it was a sci-fi story. However, what I saw was a boring kids movie for TV channels with a daydreamer message in a bad way. Unfortunately, the kid characters were not likable in the movie and even Clooney was dull in this. He is one of my all time favorite actors. The story is rather "ancient" than boring, old themes, old twists etc. but the most important point here is that the story has a message which is "use your imagination, you can be one of the chosen ones who are able to do time travel, change the world's destiny and save the world from evil aliens? Sorry, but it is not just uninspiring and boring, but also too naive which turns into ridiculousness in the end. All those action in the final chapter or that weird store owners who reveal their secret later in the film were just ridiculous. In the movie, there were lots of references to other movies such as that little girl reminded me Terminator 3 (you know what I mean) It is definitely not for the people who want a smart, brilliant or exciting sci-fi adventure. I had supposed that this movie would be Interstellar for kids, but I was definitely wrong! This is the worst Brad Bird movie so far. It has no art, no real entertainment and no cinema magic. Just a bunch of impressive visual effects and no more than that. If you want a time killer movie which you can watch with your kids in a Sunday morning, this movie is OK for you. It is not like some kids classics such as E.T. Goonies, Stand by Me, Back to the Future, Close Encounters etc.

Ghostbusters

The plot is unknown at this time.

Director: Paul Feig

Writers: Dan Aykroyd (characters), Katie Dippold, 2 more credits »

Stars: Chris Hemsworth, Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy

Storyline

The plot is unknown at this time.

Run All Night

Mobster and hit man Jimmy Conlon has one night to figure out where his loyalties lie: with his estranged son, Mike, whose life is in danger, or his longtime best friend, mob boss Shawn Maguire, who wants Mike to pay for the death of his own son.

Director: Jaume Collet-Serra

Writer: Brad Ingelsby

Stars: Liam Neeson, Ed Harris, Joel Kinnaman

Storyline

Professional Brooklyn hitman Jimmy Conlon is more commonly known as THE GRAVEDIGGER. Jimmy was a mob hit-man, who was best friends with his boss Sean Maguire. But when Jimmy's son, Michael, is marked for death by the mob, Jimmy must go up against Sean to protect Michael at all costs. Together, he and Michael must avoid corrupt cops, contract killers and the mob to survive the night.

Reviews

One of the better action movies I've seen in a while. Great characters

great acting and interesting story line. I really liked this film and

I don't understand why this movie does not get better reviews. unlike a lot of the popular glitzy action films, this one leaves a memory of what it was really about. The camera work was great and incorporated some of the best and most believable action scenes I have experienced. The language was fitting and not overpopulated with Fbombs. The story line is easy to follow. The soundtrack is appropriate without a lot of unnecessary crashing and banging, or a way over the top, or overpowering soundtrack. Definitely a good film.

Hitman

A gun-for-hire known only as Agent 47 hired by a group known only as 'The Organization' is ensnared in a political conspiracy, which finds him pursued by both Interpol and the Russian military as he treks across Russia and Eastern Europe.

Director: Xavier Gens

Writer: Skip Woods

Stars: Timothy Olyphant, Dougray Scott, Olga Kurylenko

Storyline

A gun-for-hire "Hitman" is a genetically-engineered, elite assassin known only as Agent 47 hired by a group known only as 'The Organization' is ensnared in a political conspiracy, which finds him pursued by both Interpol and the Russian military as he treks across Eastern Europe. But even 47 couldn't anticipate a "random equation" in his life exactitude: the unexpected stirrings of his conscience and the unfamiliar emotions aroused in him by a mysterious Russian woman.

Reviews

Let's keep this short and sweet. If you enjoy the video games, you will more than likely enjoy the movie. It's very easy to follow, the acting can be downright terrible at times (but very solid from Olyphant who was a GREAT choice to play Agent 47), the special FX are loud and neat to look at, there's lots of explosive action-packed gun fights, and the hot chick gets naked. The only thing I have against the film was that it was a little dull and awkward in the beginning, but it picked up about 15 minutes in and kept it rollin' until the ending. Oh, and the hot chick gets naked.

You want to go to the movies and have a discussion afterwards? Go watch "Lions for Lambs." You want to go have a fun time at the movies with your friends? Check out "Hitman." Word on the street is there's lots of blood and explosions (and a hot naked chick).

The Avengers

Earth's mightiest heroes must come together and learn to fight as a team if they are to stop the mischievous Loki and his alien army from enslaving humanity.

Director: Joss Whedon

Writers: Joss Whedon (screenplay), Zak Penn (story), 1 more credit »

Stars: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson

Storyline

Nick Fury is director of S.H.I.E.L.D, an international peace keeping agency. The agency is a who's who of Marvel Super Heroes, with Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When global security is threatened by Loki and his cohorts, Nick Fury and his team will need all their powers to save the world from disaster.

Reviews

I have got to tell anyone who will listen that this is one of THE best adventure movies I've ever seen. It's almost impossible to convey how pumped I am now that I've seen it. I purposefully avoid hyping myself for movies because when expectations are too high, nothing seems to be able to reach them. I usually avoid the hype train whenever possible. That said, I was jacked to see this movie and was fully aboard the hype train. It couldn't be helped. So, I was certainly open to intense disappointment had this movie not been good. I'm so happy to report just the opposite has happened.

The only word I can think of to describe this movie is AWESOME. It's amazing work and everything I had hoped for and more. It's exceptional entertainment for the uninitiated but it has everything a fanboy could want to be sure. It has every little nuance of what a fanboy wants to see. One of the MANY things I loved was the tension and flat out conflict that arises between team members. It's not a two dimensional "team wonderful that bands together to fight crime ho ho ho." Most don't like each other at fist and there is so much texture to be played. That is great because so many of these characters are larger than life. They have egos and the big guns aren't used to working with other people or even playing by the rules. Stark, Thor and Banner all work "the other side of the fence" so to speak. Then there's the Widow, Hawkeye and Captain America who are used to following orders and playing within a command structure. They are all thrown together in a wonderful and, best of all, believable fashion. Again, more than I ever dreamed possible.

The entire cast really delivered. You needed more than just action actors or stunt doubles to play all these parts. The pathos is there but so are the timing and true deep performances. Look, I was missing Ed Norton as much as anyone on that hype train I talked about but I'm so happy to say that Mark Ruffalo won me over. I hope he's locked up for the long haul because we don't need any more changes. Three was the lucky number for movie Banners. Every other actor in Avnegers that we've seen before is BETTER than their previous incarnation (EVERY single one) with the possible exception of RDJ as Stark. He's great but it's hard to top his take on the character from the original Iron Man in an ensemble movie. I also have to fully disclose that I'm insanely attracted to Scarlett Johansson. I thought her Widow character was amazing but I'm definitely judging that through rose colored glasses. The character arcs that run there course during this film will surprise a lot of general audiences expecting nothing more than a Transformers type popcorn scarfdown.

I honestly don't want to give away ANY of the movie with this review because this is one film that needs every scene to be savored. Do yourself a favor and remain unspoiled. It's how I saw the movie (apart from what the trailers showed) and even though you're obviously reading this review, read no others with any kind of spoilers whatsoever. Experience the awesomeness for yourself. Avengers as a movie and as a team on screen is an unstoppable force. I'm just going to say, Hulk & Thor combination equals AWESOME and leave it at that. This movie defines MUST SEE.