Gone Girl - Snapshot

 

Watch the trailer of Gone Girl and it comes across as a fairly plain and straight forward suspense drama. One where a man’s wife goes missing, an event that gets plenty of media coverage, and slowly starts appearing like a possible case of foul play, perhaps on the part of the husband. Watch the movie, and you’ll realize that it’s so much more. As with David Fincher’s other works, Gone Girl is deep, and though it gives the audience the pseudo sense of being straight forward, it isn’t. The narrative is unhurried, but also manages to sustain viewer interest, during its long two and a half hour runtime. While Gone Girl isn’t a gruesome murder mystery like Se7en, there are moments where you see its influences. The characters are strong, and the bulk of the movies strength rests on the suspense filled character development. The narrative is successful in having you eat out of its palm, until later when the audience is let to realize this. Ben Affleck is impressive in his laid back portrayal of the Nick Dunne character, his blankness fitting incredibly well. The spectacle of Gone Girl though is Rosamund Pike who does splendidly as both the American sweetheart, and the ice queen. Her perfect performance is an embodiment of the complex  ‘piece of work’ that the Amy character is. Also worth mention is Carrie Coon, who plays the role of Nick’s sister, Margo Dunne, and Kim Dickens who plays Detective Rhonda Boney. These characters don’t feel special, but are integral to the plot, and their supporting performances are excellent. In keeping with the dark mystery mood of the movie, the video has a generally dull subdued tone to it, with no bright vibrant colors anywhere. Gone Girl is easily one of the most interesting movies I’ve seen in 2014, and proof that David Fincher never ceases to amaze. With its emphasis on people’s varying perspectives, and a gripping plot that has a fair share of plausible twists, I’d strongly recommend Gone Girl to those interested in the Mystery Drama genre.

My Recommendation: Watch It + (A sophisticated drama thriller, with impressive performances)

Prison Break: The Final Break - Snapshot

I've watched all the Seasons of the Prison Break TV serial, and remember quite loving the theme and sheer genius of the Michael Scofield character. Things slowed down with every additional season, but right down to the fourth and final season I remember enjoying it. A few months ago I heard about a TV movie that served as an add-on but also an additional close to the franchise; so I downloaded it and checked it out. If you liked the TV show, you’ll probably enjoy the movie as it feels familiar and has all the elements that were great in the original show. Most of the characters are back, and are expectedly enjoyable. It’s a little different to see Michael and Lincoln not on the run, but living normal everyday lives. Owing to the short runtime of a movie versus that of a full season of a TV serial, the plot-buildup is weaker, and not as detailed. The all women prison is an interesting change though, and there are some new characters that are pretty cool, including the ‘Daddy’ character played by Lori Petty of cult classic Tank Girl. I don’t want to give away too much, but I will say that it’s a fitting close to the franchise, though it may not be the most audience desired. True to Prison Break fashion though, it will keep audiences guessing, figuring out how things work, who can be trusted, and what the next twist will be, right down to the last minute. If you loved the show, it’s certainly worth the watch. The content I sampled was an 720p rip, with a 6 channel DTS soundtrack. In terms of look and feel, as well as the sound, it perfectly mirrored the TV serial.

My Recommendation: Watch It – (Yet another prison to break out of)

Kicking and Screaming - Snapshot

I got to hear of Kicking and Screaming thanks to my movie research, and pursuit of off-beat and not so popular movies. Every now and then you find something that’s a diamond in the rough, and more often than not, you come across some very lackluster and forgettable movies. Without making it seem like more than it is, let me be frank and tell you that Kicking and Screaming clearly is a case of the latter. There is a reason it isn’t popular, and that’s cause there is very little about it, that makes it worth watching.  The post-graduation, high-school premise doesn’t really stand out, and it just feels like yet another high-school movie, that sadly isn’t even funny. Add to that, the central character Grover played by Josh Hamilton is yawn inducing. While the performances are good, pretty much all round, the characters fail to create interest. The nail on the coffin is that though it’s a 1995 movie, its feels terribly dated. The humor though noticeable is weak, all the characters are boring, and it’s hard to really connect with anyone, except for being left with the feeling that they’re all annoying. Jane as a character, played by Olivia d'Abo of Wonder Years fame is about okay, but her screen time is minimal. Overall the plot doesn’t really go anywhere, and the more you watch the movie, you’re left with the feeling of futility. Considering the barrage of movies that are out there vying for your time, it’s fair to say that this one deserves a miss.

My Recommendation: Skip It (A boring bunch of high-school kids that don’t make for good entertainment)

Felon - Snapshot

I got to know of Felon thanks to my usual movie research, which depicts an almost tragic tale of a family man who gets convicted of murder, while trying to protect his family from an intruder. From there on it’s just all downhill, with the lead character Wade Porter played by Stephen Dorff, being consistently in the wrong place at the wrong time; starting with the incident in his home, his bus ride to prison, the twisted prison security guards, and the financial troubles suffered by his family. Stephen Dorff does splendidly in his role, strikingly displaying the emotions of surprise, dealing with harsh change, attempting to run with things, suffering intense anguish, and utter desperation.  His wife Laura Porter is played by Marisol Nichols whom I remember seeing last in Vegas Vacation, playing a teenage girl. Considering the stark difference in characters played, it’s evident that she has good range, and does very well in the role of the young confused mother in Felon. Porter’s cellmate, John Smith, played by Val Kilmer came as a surprise, as I could barely recognize him in the older, bulky avatar. In the movie he serves as a friend and mentor to Porter, and perhaps a hope of sorts. Last but not least is Harold Perrineau of Lost fame, who plays Lt. Jackson. His character is interesting, in the sense that he is a normal man, with a family, and deep love and affection for his son. At the same time, there is also a twisted frustrated side to him, which is a classic case of a people not necessarily being bad, but letting morals slide and giving into the corrupt ways of the world. Credit goes to writer and director Ric Roman Waugh, for a movie that serves as a reality check. Though what it depicts is far from extraordinary, it touches upon some interesting values, through the narrative, and strong characterization. While I doubt its deep drama setting will work for everyone, Felon is worth the watch, unless you’re looking for something light and entertaining.

My Recommendation: Watch It (A drama that reminds us of the harsh realities of life)

Maximum Risk - Snapshot

Maximum Risk was released in 1996, and I recall hearing about it at the time. Having been on my watch list, I finally got around to watching it today, 18 years after its release. Though the plot on IMDB sounded weak, something to do with a cop taking over his brother’s life and having to deal with the troubles that come with it, the movie was surprisingly interesting. The plot is actually quite intriguing, and the discovery process along the way should hold audience attention sufficiently. The Russian mob, the FBI, and the hot cocktail waitress help build suspense, and keep you trying to figure out stuff. Also, the opening sequences in South France provide for a nice window into the locales. The movie does feel a little dated though, especially the part shot in the United States. Performances were about average, including lead actor Van Damme’s. The fight sequences were good though, and unlike some of his other movies, his character comes across as normal, versus being somewhat super-human and unbelievable; that meshed into the plot particularly well. Natasha Henstridge did a good job, probably being the best act of the lot. The version I sampled was an HD rip from a BlueRay source. Picture was clear and crisp; color was good, though not overly vibrant. Sound was presented by means of a 6 channel DTS track, and it was quite impressive. Ambient sounds were excellent, examples including the market place and the train station. There was some positional audio noticeable as well.

My Recommendation: Watch It (An intriguing Van Damme and Natasha Henstridge suspense flick from the 90’s)

Murder at 1600 - Snapshot

I remember Murder at 1600 being released when I was in high school, but I didn’t get to catch it then. Since its been on my mind to, I finally watched it last night, 16 years after its release. The plot revolves around a homicide at the white house, and stars Wesley Snipes and Diane Lane in the leading roles. Something that I felt was very obvious was the dated feel of the movie. Both the narrative process and the technical elements were clearly not from current day. From a suspense perspective the movie was pretty good, and it did remain intriguing throughout, though it did drag owing to its very slow pace. Performances were good, with both Snipes and Lane doing a solid job of their characters. The plot interestingly did not romantically link the two, which was a pleasant change. There wasn’t even the slightest sexual tension, and it was clearly a working relationship turned partnership, which was portrayed well. If you’re in the mood for a Suspense/Crime genre flick, with a twist of politics, you’ll find Murder at 1600, worth your while. Be warned though that it’s slow, and the picture especially looks dated, even with original DVD content. Stretch it on a modern large screen HD TV, and you’ll miss the crystal clear picture and vibrant colors even more. Sound was presented by means of a 6 channel Dolby Digital AC3 audio stream, which did a good job with dialog and ambiance. Positional sound was limited but noticeable, especially in the gunfight scene in the underground tunnels.

My Recommendation: Watch It (An old school White House crime drama)

The Expendables - Thoughts

I don’t get how I missed The Expendables, but I did, and with the teaser trailer of the third installment becoming available recently, I decided that I would watch the first two movies, in time to check out the third movie when it releases. What makes The Expendables stand out from other action movies is that its Sylvester Stallone’s brainchild; and part of his grand plan was assembling a team of action heroes, to create a larger than life blockbuster experience. In The Expendables, a team of mercenaries are hired to take down a villainous dictator and bring down his regime, responsible for a large scale drug operation.

Though this movie failed to enamor me at the time of its release in 2010, by the time I got around to watching it in early 2014, I was particularly eager to see it. Add to that, this was also the inauguration of my new Bluray powered home theatre. With all those expectations, it’s fair to say that the movie had its work cut out for it. Thankfully, Stallone and his crew of combatants managed to bring home an entertaining action flick. True to old school Rambo style action, use of CGI was limited, and a good deal of the onscreen action was created and performed by the cast, stunt men, and actually blowing stuff up. The plot, though more or less straight forward, is decent, and remains interesting throughout. There are many impressive action sequences, with ‘Ride & Die’ at the 40 minute mark, aboard the plane being one of the most standout. Pace is okay, and the movie never gets boringly slow. As expected there is a damsel in distress in need of saving, a twist within the enemy camp, and some traitors, all of which make for a slightly predictable, yet enjoyable action movie. If you’re in the mood for a good action movie, and would like to see several big names in the industry side by side, The Expendables is totally worth checking out.

If you’ve ever wanted to see Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin, Terry Crews (former NFL player and actor – Arrested Development), and Mickey Rourke in a movie together, this is your chance. And add to that mix, short appearances from Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis! If there ever were a star cast of leading men, this is it. It makes little sense to speak of their performances, with most of the popular action stars playing their usual action personas, and doing-so well. Randy Couture and Steve Austin are perhaps the only two amateurs to movies, and they did a good job too; fitting in well into the group.

The Bluray I was sampling was a Region C disc, purchased in India. The video was good, as expected with a Bluray, definition staying consistently sharp, even in the dark scenes. Blacks were rich, and the entire presentation was impressive. Note that the visual quality really shows on a big screen TV, and also that the difference isn’t as stark as moving from VCD to DVD. The sound was presented by means of a DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track, which complemented the actions sequences well. Positional sound was noticeable in some of the scenes. The extras on the disc included a Comicon conference with Stallone and several of the other lead actors. It was quite interesting, with the teams respect for Stallone being quite evident, with several of them speaking of film studies being a distant second to working with Stallone, who practically created and defined the action genre.

My Recommendation: Watch It (The ultimate all-star action cast)

Captain America: The Winter Soldier - Thoughts

The first Captain America movie I watched was the 1990 release, and it was on VHS. I don’t recall it being very memorable. It’s also possible that I was too young to appreciate it. Following that, in my run up to The Avengers, I watched the 2011 release, Captain America: The First Avenger, and liked it, but felt it was weaker when compared to the other individual character movies that led up to The Avengers. So I wasn't overly thrilled or expecting much when Captain America: The Winter Soldier was announced; that said, the trailer looked pretty impressive. In this installment, Steve Rogers, a.k.a. Captain America, is a little lost, and rethinks his purpose and direction in life. Amidst that, he also questions the new plans of SHIELD, and is introduced to a new mystery villain.

If the trailer looked impressive, it’s safe to say that the movie is even more impressive. I entered the theater with modest expectations, and left the cinema hall quite satisfied. In The Winter Soldier the plot is well laid out, addressing various narrative components, each adequately satisfying the multitude of requirements that an audience base would look for. The action was visually appealing, with several gripping sequences, the plot was exciting, and maintained a sense of mystery and suspense to keep audiences enthralled. The character development was interesting, and the camaraderie between the Black Widow and Captain America ran a lot deeper this time around. If that wasn't good enough, the mammoth SHIELD facilities and the Helicarriers will blow you away, in terms of cool tech that’s drool worthy. In the final sequences of the movie, there are impressive air battles to the scale of Independence Day. The editing and camera work is also impressive, with some scenes including the initial assault on the ship being quite cool. Watch the scenes in 3D, and it’s even more fun. Captain America: The Winter Soldier clearly works at multiples levels, as even the not so inclined, non-action movie buffs found it to be entertaining. That credits goes to the well managed balance between action and tech, vs. characters and deep story. If you've asked yourself the question what exactly constitutes a solid action movie, the answer is, Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

Though I’m not a big fan of Chris Evans, and found his over energetic portrayal of The Torch in the Fantastic Four movies bordering obnoxious, he performs admirably as Captain America. He comes across as older, wiser, calmer, and what you’d expect of Superhero and a leader.  His performance is plausible, leaving the audiences with a character whom they can look up to. To balance his seemingly ‘all that is right’ demeanor, is Black Widow, played by Scarlett Johansson. She does splendidly in bringing the opposite of ‘by the book’ to the Black Widow character, and is convincing as a female action star who can seriously kick some ass. Samuel L Jackson as Nick Fury has a memorable action sequence in the SHIELD Chevy SUV, though I’d expect for people to be blown away by the coolness of the smart ride. An interesting addition to the cast is Cobie Smulders of How I Met Your Mother fame; after a while on screen I was like hey, is that Robin?

I caught this one in the theater and in 3D. The visual presentation was really nice, with a large part of it being in broad daylight, looking quite brilliant. Many of the shots are wide and pretty big in terms of scale; quite reminded me of Michael Bay’s work. Sound was also about perfect, with all the action sequences just seeming amazing. Needless to say the special effects, especially the Helicarriers were just magnificent. Clearly two thumbs up for the technical elements.

My Recommendation: Kick Ass (The best rendition of Captain America to date)

Idhu Kathirvelan Kadhal - Snapshot

Honestly I hadn't heard about this movie until a couple of hours before seeing it. My friends were in the mood for a movie, and they felt like Tamil, so Idhu Kathirvelan Kadhal was the pick of the day. The plot is fairly straight forward, being largely light, with a few serious sentiments such as old school traditional values, and love/relationship myths being touched upon. There is also a family feud, for which the main characters in the movie come up with a creative and humorous solution, possible only in romantic comedies.  Performances are decent, with Udhayanidhi Stalin and Nayantara doing a good job. The standout character is Mayil played by Santhanam; his non-stop comedy being the true entertainer in the flick. Supporting characters Vineethra (Chaya Singh) and her husband Shanmugham (Dr. Bharath Reddy) a Coimbatore-based mill owner, also perform admirably. Overall Idhu Kathirvelan Kadhal is a decent movie if you’re looking for something light and have some time to kill. It’s not very deep and doesn't require much thought. There are a few song and dance sequences, and those are a little boring as expected; thankfully they aren't distasteful or bordering vulgar. The long 2 hour 45 minute run-time of the movie was a bit much, but thankfully director S. R. Prabhakaran did a good job in ensuring there aren't any overly slow or dull moments.

My Recommendation: Watch it – (A light, fun, casual, no brainer, ro-co movie)

The Tourist - Thoughts

As someone who follows Angelina Jolie’s filmography, I got to know of The Tourist around the time of its release in 2010. Unlike Wanted, Salt and some of her other movies which immediately caught my attention, The Tourist seemed about okay, but not something I was in a hurry to check out. 3 years after, I finally got around to renting the DVD and checking it out. In The Tourist, Angelina Jolie plays Elise Ward, who befriends a tourist, dragging him unsuspectingly into a secret agenda, one that is also of interest to the authorities, and the mob.

With modest and meager expectations I fired up the movie, which started off slow, yet with a fascinating sense of mystery. What appealed to me instantaneously were the scenic visuals and wonderful cinematography. The bulk of the movie is shot in Venice, and in day light; The Tourist does justice to the locale, with its magnificent grand outdoor camera work. As the plot picks up pace, I found myself wondering if things were predictable or unexpected, and that constant intrigue was a key element of the movie. Though the film maintained a fairly calm pace throughout, with a few action sequences, it remained interesting consistently, holding on to audience attention. The character development is impressive, and in line with plot progression. Being neither a hardcore action flick, nor a very intense plot, The Tourist will work well for casual movie goers, looking for entertainment and fun, with a little thrill. At the end of the day, it’s hard not to love The Tourist, with its functional and intriguing plot, and the excellent performances from the leads.

The plot of The Tourist has an extremely high dependency on its lead characters. That being the case, it was a wise decision to bring on Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp, as their character portrayals are simply excellent.  The plot is largely built around the Elise Ward character, and Angelina Jolie is just phenomenal in her sophisticated rendition of Elise Ward. It’s not surprising that she was chosen, as I do recall having seen her in similar confident and commanding roles. Similarly, Johnny Depp is at home as Frank Tupelo, the humor though not obvious, comes across in a gentle manner. He compliments Jolie’s performance, creating for an ideal balance, doing splendidly as the simple, down to earth, math professor. In a nutshell, the two of them will keep you glued to The Tourist, up until the credits roll.

The DVD I was sampling was an Asia region spec, with audio commentary languages including Hindi, and some other European languages. Needless to say I watched it in English, Dolby Digital 5.1 surround, which was good. Dialog was clear, and there was some minimal use of positional sound; but the overall audio presentation was on point. Video was very nice, and complemented the lovely outdoor daylight photography of the movie. Though it wasn't the sharpest picture, it was clear and was visually appealing; color tones clearly favoring warm yellowish, brownish tints. The DVD did have the usual extras, but nothing was special or worth mention.

My Recommendation: Watch It (Romance in Venice with a twist)

Haywire - Thoughts

Promo material for Haywire in 2011 quickly caught my attention, as it was to feature the acting debut of Gina Carano of MMA fame. Not that I'm big on MMA, but such crossover talent usually creates scope for the addition and introduction of interesting sport/art forms to cinema. Looking up her MMA stats, looks like Gina Carano had a string of victories, until she lost to Cris Cyborg Santos in 2009, and retired from MMA. In Haywire she plays a special ops mercenary, who is setup by her boss, and then is out on her own to exact revenge and set the record straight.

As expected, Haywire didn't play for very long in our theaters; and though it managed a worldwide gross in excess of its production budget, it wasn't a huge hit. My guess was that the international trailers and promo activity was limited, cause quite honestly it had an impressive cast including, Channing Tatum, Ewan McGregor, Michael Douglas, Antonio Banderas, Bill Paxton, and Michael Fassbender. Add to that the trusted direction of Steven Soderbergh, and it had all the elements for a big hit. From a plot perspective the movie is very reminiscent of the Bourne series, and as much as the pace is mostly slow, it’s gripping. The action sequences are quick, and feel exquisite, with some moves and intensity that was startling. Considering that Carano was allowed to work some of her MMA moves into the fight choreography, it made for some entertaining action. Another nice touch was the seemingly real feel to everything. Not only was the action quick and rough-edged, but the narrative process too was filled with realities, that showcased the setup and the struggle-after as real life events, versus heroic. If you enjoyed the Bourne trilogy and would like to see some gritty action sequence from a very capable female lead, Haywire will quite impress you.

It's easy to see why Gina Carano has got into movies, and will probably do well. For one she has actual martial arts experience, and her moves do look good on screen. The extra features on the DVD had a good deal of content wherein the fight choreographers and trainers praised Carano for her ability to have quickly picked stuff up and gotten into the action. Add to that, her screen friendly visage, and there you have it, the practicality and appeal for an action star. While I can't say her acting was great, it was okay. Being her first movie, and being from a sports background, perhaps it's understandable. She does do a good job of the Mallory Kane character though, thanks to her tough as nails portrayal, with little to no emotion, which would be expected of a highly trained special ops mercenary. Channing Tatum of G.I.Joe fame plays Aaron, and it was interesting to see him in a slightly different action star role. He comes across as a not so smart, take-orders sorta guy, versus his usual characters; gotta give him credit for pulling it off so convincingly.

I watched this movie on DVD, and as most often it was a Region 1 US release. Picture was good, and the color tone was dull, grayish, and yellowish, in line with the spy/thriller theme; there were no bright or vibrant colors. Sound complemented the movie well, and was presented by means of a Dolby Digital 5.1 surround soundtrack. The extras on the DVD were worth checking out, to get some background on Gina Carano's entrance into Hollywood, and Steven Soderberg's vision for Haywire.

My Recommendation: Watch It (Gina Cerano, dishing it out… MMA Style)

RoboCop - Thoughts

The RoboCop reboot is easily my most anticipated movie in recent times; after all if I had to pick a favorite action star, it’s RoboCop. The world may love the likes of Superman and Batman, but to me, if there ever were a collectible model action figure I’d like to have, its RoboCop; would proudly have it displayed on the mantle atop the fireplace. The original RoboCop from 1987 is nothing short of a cult classic, with its legions of fans. Set in the not so distant future, in the crime capital of the world Detroit, fatally wounded office Alex Murphy is rebuilt as a cybernetic super-cop; a one of a kind experimental project. That said, the 2014 reboot changes a good deal of that, making Alex Murphy’s RoboCop avatar as the first half-human half-robot, in the companies struggle to change congresses’ opinion, of its robotic peace keeping force.

After much waiting, and many a trailer, RoboCop was finally released in theaters in Chennai, India in Feb 2014. True to its legacy, it opened directly with the movie, that too a television segment, before the title credits came up. Classic RoboCop! Some of the obvious changes that I was aware of from the trailer, was the agility of the new Robocop, as the original Robocop could not run. While this didn't sit well with me during the trailers, it seemed to go okay during the course of the movie. Not only has movie making magic changed considerably and improved in the last 2 decades, but so has expectations of cybernetics, and in keeping with those expectation, the all new Robocop is quick, nimble, and downright athletic. The changes though, don’t stop there. While the original RoboCop movie was violent, bloody, and set in a ruthless Detroit city, where crime was just outta control, now we see a lot more plausible future, more like today, with fancier gadgets, and more smart devices. Crime if far from chaotic, and though there are anti-social elements, the vision of the future isn't stretched as much. Thanks to this, and the addition of the deep family and emotional element, the 2014 reboot is a lot more polished, and softer as a package. I can totally see the family element, and the wife and son bond working with audiences looking for emotional depth. It seems like this new iteration is intended for a much wider target audience, versus its previous brethren. Last but not least is the change of the core plot, from a straight forward revenge story, to a complex game of corporate politics, and revenue play. Action and sci-fi fans will quite enjoy RoboCop, as will existing RoboCop fans who have an open and accepting mind to change. If you’re hell bent on every aspect of the original though, the reboot will be a bit of a letdown, as the movie is more real and suited for wider appeal, in turn losing out on the grit of the original.

The centerpiece and star of the  RoboCop franchise is the narrative delivery and the special effect, the performances are too, but not as much as traditional films. On that count, RoboCop certainly excels. Joel Kinnaman plays the role of Alex Murphy and RoboCop. Frankly I have not seen any of his work and this to me was pretty much like a first. He did a decent job, especially with a good deal of the acting being limited to facial expressions, which he seemed to nail all the time. Abbie Cornish played his wife Clara Murphy, who did an outstanding job as his loving wife. A good deal of the emotional intensity of the movie is carried by her and her deep portrayal of their love. Her filmography is a little more familiar as compared to Kinnaman, but nothing that I can specifically remember. But even going by just this one performance, she did admirably. The rest of the cast included heavyweights such as Gary Oldman, Samuel L Jackson, and the original Batman, Michael Keaton. Needless to say, they did justice to their characters, flawlessly. Michael K. Williams played his partner Lewis, only that in the original RoboCop, Murphy’s partner was Anne Lewis, and now it’s Jack Lewis. Beats me why they switched his female partner with a male Lewis. And if you were wondering, yes, RoboCop’s arch rival, the ED-209 (Enforcement Droid Series 209) is back too; only leaner and meaner!

As mentioned, I watched this one in the theater. Picture was clear, and the digital experience made for a sharp high definition viewing experience. A good part of the movie was during the day, so lighting was good, and even the scenes at night had good visibility. Positional sound was noticeable, but it was just complementary to the scenes, and didn't really blow me away. From a technical elements perspective, RoboCop delivered, but it wasn't ground breaking. The original theme score was present, with a slight new twist, and that was very welcome. Special effects and the near future of mankind were impressive, and desirable. 

My Recommendation: Watch It + (The new and improved, 2014 RoboCop)

Madagascar 2: Escape 2 Africa - Thoughts

I don’t think I paid much attention to the Madagascar movies when they released, just assuming that they were aimed at kids. In the years that followed, I had the opportunity to work on the content of parts 1 and 2, for a multimedia project, and that’s when I realized how truly awesome and funny they were, being fully suited for witty adult audiences. At the time, part 3 hadn’t released as yet, and I made a mental note to watch the first two parts. After watching the first part about 6 months before, I got around to part 2 last night, Escape 2 Africa, in which the 4 English speaking animal friends are off to yet another adventure, this time to Africa, where Alex the lion is reunited with his parents.

For starters, if anyone is of the belief that Madagascar is for kids, you need to change that opinion, as it’s incredibly funny and aimed at audience of all ages. With smart dialog, it’s guaranteed to be a hit with the older audiences, while comical animated characters will ensure the children are amused too. Hats off to directors Eric Darnell and Tom McGrath, who have managed to blend the two so seamlessly, that it’s hard to notice them apart. Unlike some of the cartoons which have long musical pieces, like the Lion King and Aladdin, Madagascar manages to keep it crisp, with short musical bits, with influences from modern catchy pop music, and some classics, appropriately used to keep the momentum going and not stray off into musical genre territory. Simply put, the 1 and a half hour cartoon was non-stop entertainment, and the pace was fabulous, never dropping off or getting boring. To the contrary, there were so many gripping and standout moments that had me glued. Though the plot was simple, there were many touching, deep moments, which stirred emotion. Add to all that greatness, the incredible animation; the sights and sounds just looked awesome. Especially on a big screen in HD, Madagascar 2 proved to be a visual spectacle, with the animation quality and CGI rendering being breathtaking. It’s fair to say that as an experience overall I was just floored. If you need a movie that great for family or friends, that’s super funny an entertaining, and just great in all ways, Madagascar 2 is the way to go.  For me it was Goosebumps galore!

All the characters of Madagascar 2 are memorable and lovable. As much as Alex the lion is the center of the story, so many other supporting characters are meticulously planned, and then gloriously delivered to create a character sets that’s just super entertaining. For example, the penguins are cool as ever, and operate slick and smooth. In addition to being my favorite Madagascar characters, I think the elements they bring to the character matrix of the movie is superb, and speaks volumes of the detail and planning that went into the creation process. Similarly, King Julien is a total nut job, but also a key element and a solid addition to the cast. It’s worth noting that the voiceovers for the characters are done by an all-star cast including, Ben stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer (of Friends fame), Jada Pinkett Smith, Sacha Baron Cohen (of Borat fame), Alec Baldwin, Will I Am, and Andy Richter (of Late Night with Conan O’Brien fame).

The content I was watching was a 720p, HD rip from BlueRay. Video was incredible, and it was one of the few times I could not perceive any noticeable degradation, though it was a rip. That said, the BlueRay may take quality even higher. Colors were warm, and visuals were sharp and clear. I quite honestly loved the way it looked on a big screen, full HD, Plasma TV. Sound was presented by means of a 6 channel, Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack. Dialog was clear, and in Madagascar, that’s very important, as the impact of the awesome humor is largely dialog dependent. Audio sequences were great, and many scenes were complemented with memorable music, including More Than a Feeling by Boston. The combination of a big screen and a well-endowed home theatre sound system, coupled with solid tech elements from the movie, ensured for an immersive adventure in an African reserve.

My Recommendation: Kick Ass (An animated comedy extravaganza)