Captain America: Civil War - Snapshot

As part of what is now a long ongoing superhero saga, Captain America: Civil War continues a little after the events of AntMan; that said, since it involves a lot of the other characters, in a sense it feels like a more complete follow-up to the Avengers: Age of Ultron. With the exception of Thor and Hulk, who are MIA as expected, the rest of the gang is back, now with additional entrants. It's fair to say that Marvel sticks to its usual formula, and successfully gives the audiences what they've come to expect and want. Though not overly complex, the plot remains interesting, and gripping for its long 2-and-a-half-hour runtime. The action sequences are really nice, especially the opening battle, which is quick, yet with a solid sense of impact. Similarly, there are other memorable fights through the course of the movie; the sequence wherein Captain America is holding down the helicopter which is attempting to take off being one of them. If you're wondering what separates this from the Avengers movies, I guess the crazy super villains with global domination are saved for epic Avenger grade plots, while lesser villains, with twisted Hydra-esque sinister plots are more reminiscent of Captain America movies. Staying true to its title, there is a political aspect to the movie, which forms the crux of the struggle. It also succeeds Captain America: The Winter Soldier well, bridging several pieces of the long developing plot, while also connecting the characters. I saw this one in the theatre and enjoyed the crisp bright digital transfer. Sound was nice, fitting the action perfectly; the score was triumphant and grand in Marvel movie style.

My Recommendation: Watch It + (The final Captain America titled movie in the Marvel lineup)

The Danish Girl - Snapshot

Billed as a biography, The Danish Girl is based on the lives of Danish artists Lili Elbe and Gerda Wegener. Over its 2-hour runtime, the movie explores their romance, and Lili’s discovery and transformation, into what was the first ever transgender. Owing to its queer theme, getting into it I was perplexed with regard to what could be expected. Thankfully director Tom Hooper did an extraordinary job, transforming a dramatic theme into a movie with an artsy feel. From the get go, the movie is beautiful. The opening sequences are picturesque, and that same beauty remains as the movie plays out. Every shot, even the most basic ones are stunning. The framing and setting is outstanding, contributing towards a powerful and memorable visual experience. The sets and recreation of Copenhagen in the 1920's is breathtaking, adding to the visual splendor. Video detail is also incredible, with skin textures, pores, and fabric weaves, being quite noticeable. The plot is slow, and shows the struggle and gradual transition of Einar to Lili. The movie is serious, and coupled with the intensity of the plot, and deep performances, it's not well suited for casual entertainment. Performances are stellar both from Alicia Vikander who plays Gerda, and Eddie Redmayne who plays Lily/Einar. Gerda’s character has a natural confidence and energy, which later transitions to a serious struggle, finally culminating in a realization of love. It’s a performance that will leave you with little doubt as to why she won the Oscar for Actress in a Supporting Role, in 2016. With Einar’s character it’s his soft gentle feminine ways, which over the course of the narrative manifest in a self-discovery of inner feelings and desires. Again there is some sense of struggle, at times making an effort to suppress, though clearly being torn. As much as the movie is about the transformation of Einar to the lady Lily, it is also the transformation of a difficult theme to what could be seen as art and beauty; kudos to Tom Hooper on achieving that. The accompanying musical score is deep and perfectly fitting, adding to the overall mood of the movie. One of the keys to the narrative is that the story is told more from the perspective of Gerda, versus that of Lily, placing their romance at the core.

My Recommendation: Watch It + (A visually beautiful narrative, exploring the pioneer transgender)

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice - Snapshot

For those who follow movie news, you'd know that most charts listed Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice as the most anticipated movie of 2016. It released in theaters in March 2016, interestingly to some mixed reviews. Neither were people saying it was awesome, nor were people saying it was terrible. In terms of box office stats, people were watching it, and the movie was making money. I finally got around to seeing it late in April, and found it to be a worthwhile watch. For starters it's a follow-up to 2013's Man of Steel. While not imperative, having watched the former helps in a sense of continuity. The movie is dark, and therein does justice to both the comic adaptation, as well as it being a Batman movie. Though the pace is gradual, there is more emotive depth to the narrative, adding contextual buildup. It is unlike the fast paced action movies in the Marvel lineup. Perhaps a lot of the mass market disappointment was because audiences expected a wall to wall action flick very similar to the Avengers. To be fair, if that was the expectation, then the viewers should have watched a Marvel movie instead. You can't fault Dawn of Justice for being different, dark, and original. While the similarities are limited, there is one theme that is clearly similar to Captain America: Civil War, that being the possible need for human political oversight, of these super beings. Henry Cavill continues as Superman, and Ben Affleck takes on the role of the caped crusader, Batman. There was much concern as to whether Affleck could pull it off, and he did surprisingly well, surpassing several past performances. Overall Zack Snyder does an impressive job, continuing a plot that started with Man of Steel, covering a good deal of comic stories, creating a movie that does feel like its roots are in a comic book, and building the base for future DC heroes movies. Hans Zimmer and Junkie XL require special mention for the awesome musical score in Dawn of Justice, adding in large part to the dark and deep mood.

My Recommendation: Watch It + (A comic adaptation from the DC Universe that dares to be different)

Man of Steel - Thoughts

Superman is possibly the first superhero I was introduced to, and I recall watching my first ever Superman movie, the 1983 release Superman III, when I was a little kid on VHS. In the recent years I watched the 2006 release Superman Returns, but didn’t really enjoy it owing largely to a poor viewing experience, resulting from a badly scratched DVD.  When I heard of the 2013 release, Man of Steel, I wasn’t in a rush to see it, and thus gave it a miss in the theatres. In this reboot the earth is threatened by an alien race, and Clark Kent is forced to come out of living in the shadows, and save the world as Superman.

I don’t recall any rave reviews from my friends who saw the movie, and I remember mixed comments from critics. Many people were posting comments on Facebook about a lot of smashing, and stuff being thrown around. After my rather long 143-minute experience with the movie, I would like to remind audiences that we are indeed watching Superman, not a human being in a metal suit with a big ego, or a rich billionaire who has taken up the fight against crime. The magnitude of the action is nothing short of gargantuan, and it also explains the crazy 225 million dollar production budget.  The story unfolds brilliantly, with a good deal of Clark’s origin and Krypton’s past being explained. His human family, the values they instill, and his struggle to stay beneath the radar, is very nicely done. Lois Lane’s introduction to Clark’s existence, and the relationship that develops between them is also presented seamlessly. The entire backstory, plot, and character development is exposed to the audience in a calm and natural manner. The overall narrative process is brilliant, and director Zack Snyder’s work is very commendable. The reboot truly feels wholesome, not missing the mark on any particular requirement. It would be hard not to feel sufficiently satisfied after watching Man of Steel.

Irrespective of his limited filmography, Henry Cavil who plays Clark Kent does exceptionally well. Being an origin story, the character is a lot more complex, and there is a dark side prior to his ascension to the iconic Superman character that the world learns to accept. Something that stood out both in terms of narrative brilliance and character execution was the Superman character, who stands for all that is good and right, is a gentleman, can hold his peace, and most importantly embodies hope, that we can all look up to. Amy Adams plays Lois Lane, who I initially found unimpressive, but with the development of the plot, I felt was a perfect fit. In her case as well, it was how she evolved into the character and its requisites. On a trivial note, at some point I confused her with Jenna Fischer of The Office fame.

I watched Man of Steel on Bluray, on an India release disc. Picture quality was excellent as expected with Bluray, and the initial scenes in Kryton were stylized having a goldish beige tint. The special effects were awesome, but as much as I loved the presentation on Bluray and a big screen home theatre TV, I do believe that seeing this movie in the theatre would have been better; the scale of the action would have been superb.  Sound was competently presented by means of a DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track, played on my 5.1 speaker setup. It complemented the action sequences beautifully, the positional sound being very evident from the opening sequences in Krypton, with the air-ships whizzing around.

My Recommendation: Kick Ass (Nothing short of Super!)

How To Get Away With Murder: Season 1 - Snapshot

I downloaded Season 1 of How To Get Away With Murder a while ago, and finally got around to watching it recently. Though the name of the show is quite explanatory, I got into it with unclear expectations as to how things would be presented. Running with the murder element, the show tries to maintain a dark look, especially with a lot of the scenes in the dimly lit Keating residence. There is a law element, a group of graduating classmates, and a murder twist at play, as the narrative progresses. The main murder plot runs the course of the season, with other individual cases forming the sub-plot for each of the episodes. While the shows tries to be a little different, it ends up trying its hand at many things, sadly succeeding at none. As a law show its poor, with the court room litigation being okay, but weak compared to other comparable serials. The classmates come off as silly and juvenile, with none of the characters being really likable. Viola Davis who plays Annalise Keating is pretty hardcore, and does a good job, but her character is annoying at times, thus making her hardly likable. Personally, the only characters I found moderately interesting were Frank and Laurel. At some points it reminded me of the MTV murder mystery show Eyecandy, but at least that presented itself as a teen pop-culture show, with a techie hacking crime element. How To Get Away With Murder on the other hand masquerades as a complex show, which in reality it isn't. Another very average show it shared similarities with was Scandal; with a lady at the helm driving a team to work on individual pieces to achieve a final desired outcome. That show too failed to impress, as does this one. In conclusion, though the show came highly recommended, it's just about an okay watch. I wouldn’t waste my time on Season 2. 

My Recommendation: Watch It – (Law students learning the loop holes of the legal system, to get away with murder).

Pryda 10 Vol. III - Snapshot

I got my hands on Pryda 10 Vol. III shortly after its release in Nov 2015, knowing that Eric Prydz’s work wouldn’t disappoint. A couple of days later I fired it up, and I was instantly impressed. I wasn’t even 30 seconds into the first track, but I knew it was gonna be amazing. The melody built up, and when the deep bass kicked in at the 1 minute 15 seconds mark, what was great just became easily the best Progressive House I’ve heard in a while. If you have a nice sound system, with a sub-woofer, you will not be disappointed by the audio experience. As the opening track, One Day, drew to a close, expectations were high, and in keeping with those expectations, track 2 - SOL, continued to impress. It makes you wait a little longer, with the haunting beats kicking in at around the 2-minute mark. 

As the album played out, I was wondering if the quality would remain consistent, and to be fair it was good. Most tracks are nice, and there are several memorable tracks in the set, including INOX, Crossings, and Arpe. I was just listening to it on a relaxed Saturday at home, but I can totally see myself playing it in the car while going on a long drive. For that matter, it would probably work in a club setting too. If you enjoy good Electronic music, you just can’t go wrong with Pryda 10 Vol. III. It’s so good that I’m annoyed at myself for not listening to it the moment I got it.

My Recommendation: An Aural Extravaganza (Progressive House that’s amazing from the get-go!)

The Lost World - Snapshot

Sequels always make an effort to up the ante, but usually pale in comparison to the original, as the shock value is greatly diminished. If my memory serves me right, this was the case with the 1997 sequel to Jurassic Park, titled The Lost World. With a little background to get things going, events quickly unfold to bring a new set of explorers to the Dino island, with only Ian Malcolm and John Hammond, played by Jeff Goldblum and Richard Attenborough respectively, making a return. As expected with the sequel, there are more dinosaur visuals and special effects, while the plot too takes it up a notch, now toying with the idea of bringing dinosaurs to San Diego. In true Jurassic Park style, things initially are controlled, and then as expected the humans lose control, and it becomes a routine survival game after. Goldblum’s character has some witty dialogs which further indicate this, and also periodically contribute to the comic elements in the movie. Julianne Moore who plays Sarah Harding is a wonderful addition to the cast, and possibly one of the best acts; expressing her free spirited love for adventure and exploration impeccably, while later doing magnificently in her portrayal of fear. Arliss Howard plays Peter Ludlow, who nails the role of the stereotype business executive who is clearly out of his element, and is driven just by his lofty ideas and the possible big bucks to be made. Watching the Lost World over 18 years after its release, it still made for a good watch. It has its memorable moments, one being the raptor charge sequence in the field at night, which was visually impressive. My personal favorite, which has lasted in my mind since my original viewing experience back in 1997, is the customized Mercedes truck struggling for traction in the slush, while trying to tow up the bus. If you’re looking for something remarkable and new, The Lost World has little to offer, but if you enjoy dino-mayhem, and would like to see more of the Jurassic Park franchise unfold, this second installment is worth your time. 

My Recommendation: Watch It (Man vs. Dinosaur… the survival game continues, now on Site B)

Jurassic Park - Snapshot

As part of the run up to the release of Jurassic World, I decided to re-watch all the Jurassic Park movies. First up, was the original 1993 release, which kicked off the franchise; which at this point I would go as far as call a classic, cause heck, were talking dinosaurs, in a true to life form. I remember watching it in the theatre, and then years later on cable when I was in college; but revisiting it today, it was without doubt well worth my two hours, even 23 years after its release. While I was a little prepared for some sense of degradation, owing to the time lapse, the movie remained surprisingly solid. The plot rolled out well, the performances were impressive, the visuals were breathtaking, and overall it made for an excellent watch. Being older, I could better appreciate the characterization, with Richard Attenborough as John Hammond standing out for his portrayal as the sweet old man with a dream; his performance was truly brilliant. Sam Neill, Laura Dern, and Jeff Goldblum also turned in good performances, with their initial expressions seeing dinosaurs for the first time being amazing. To say awe and astonishment would be putting it lightly. It was interesting to see Samuel L. Jackson as Ray Arnold, in a fairly boring and unimportant role, far from his current power roles such as Nick Fury in Marvel’s Avengers. The sequences wherein suspense builds are superb, including the tremors in the water, and the shaking spoon of green jelly. In most cases you can’t complain about the special effects, but there was the occasional instance when I was wondering if the dinosaurs could be made to look better with today’s CGI capabilities. Overall Steven Spielberg has done a fine job with Jurassic Park, so much so that it holds its own very well, even after all these years. John Williams deserves special credit for the soundtrack and specifically the Jurassic Park theme song, which is just fabulous. There were at least 5 instances when I got goosebumps during the movie, the first and most intense being early on, when the theme song played for the first time, as Hammond and his crew approached the private island that houses the park. A phenomenal movie pretty much, and if I were watching it today for the first time, I’d say Kick Ass for sure.

My Recommendation: Watch It + (A modern day classic, bringing Dinosaurs to life)