Bruno - Snapshot

Ever since my Borat experience I have been an ardent Sacha Baron Cohen fan, because what he delivers as a package, from the concept, to the lead role, is usually fantastic, and makes for phenomenal comedy. That’s how I stumbled upon Bruno, released in 2009, three years after Borat. Though the critical acclaim was lesser, I finally got myself an HD rip and checked it out. In keeping with his over the top concepts and portrayal is Bruno, a very queer, intensely ridiculous, story of an Austrian entertainer who wants to make it big in showbiz. Similar to Borat he moves to the US, this time in search of fame, only to do things that are wrong at so many levels. Be warned that if you’re homophobic, Bruno as a movie is literally on the edge of what maybe too much. That said, this intensity is why Sacha Baron Cohen is brilliant, and expect to be cracking up and just totally losing it. As expected, he owns, lives, and breathes the Bruno character. The documentary style shooting, the narration from the lead character, and the overall plot progression of ridiculous and obnoxious attempts at achieving a goal is very much in keeping with the format used in Borat. If you enjoyed that craziness, in all likeliness this is worth the watch. On the other hand if you’re looking for something completely original and different, or are easily put-off by queer themes, steer clear of Bruno. The content I was sampling was a 720p rip from Bluray, with a 6 channel DTS soundtrack. The video has a documentary film camera kinda look, with film grain. The presentation was clear and favored warm colors. The strategic use of music to amplify funny moments was done brilliantly.

My Recommendation: Watch It (Gratuitously Gay Madness)

Mad Max: Fury Road - Thoughts

Having recently watched the 1979 classic, I thought it would be near impossible for the 2015 Mad Max: Fury Road to come close. I would go as far as saying that my expectation was that they’d botch it up, cause heck, the original Mad Max was a masterpiece. Interestingly, I was in for a surprise yet again; and if you’ve read my Mad Max review, you’d see that exceeding expectations is a commonality between these movies.

  

The first departure from the current trend was that Fury Road isn’t a reboot; rather it just serves as a continuation of the various adventures of the Max character. Intact is much of the original glory, while keeping true to various aspects of the previous installments in the series. Kicking things off with a brief intro, Max is portrayed more as a troubled man living with the demons from his past, versus an outright hero. The antagonist is a maniacal warlord, in an almost godlike setting, which quite reminded me of the Stargate movie. Pacing is pretty much non-stop, and frantic, with the bulk of the movie being one long non-stop chase. In keeping with the creativity of the original, clans, battle tactics, and characters, are truly unique, with the attackers on the poles being striking. The special effects are impressive, with special mention to the sequence in the sandstorm. The war brigade is fascinating, with a traveling music troupe as part of the crew, which just screams opulence and craziness. It quickly reminded me of the war chants and craziness of the Persian warlords of the past. Where it departs from the original, is its large scale, massive action, and hero dynamics; by virtue of being a blockbuster, it has a fictional feel. The uncanny coincidence between Max's wife, and Furiosa, played by Charlize Theron is intriguing. Technically, picture detail was fabulous, with incredible clarity.  In closing, though not a classic like the original, it’s certainly worth the watch. So if you haven’t, consider checking it out, as its still playing in most theaters.

Having seen both movies under an hour apart, one on DVD and the next in the theater, perhaps the similarity and successes shouldn’t come as a surprise. After all, the creator and director of the original, George Miller, was at the helm of the 2015 Mad Max: Fury Road. No wonder the creativity and continuity is intact, with an output that is in line with the legend that is now Mad Max.

My Recommendation: Watch It + (Newer, Bigger, and just as Crazy as Mad Max ought to be)

Mad Max - Thoughts

Mad Max is one of those movies I’d heard of growing up, but never had a chance to see, as it was before my time. Being a cult classic, and perhaps the pioneer in post-apocalyptic themed movies, it joined my watch list. The ironic part is me finally watching it less than an hour before hitting the theatre for the 2015 Mad Max – Fury Road release. To the unfamiliar, Mad Max is the story of a highway law enforcer, set in a chaotic and desolate world of the future, taking on a ruthless biker gang.

Being a really old movie, I had set my expectations fairly low, because I figured that with time it would have lost its charm; but boy was I wrong. Kicking things off with no introduction, audiences are thrown right into the action from the get go. The visual and narrative style are raw, uncut, and downright crude like the theme and setting of the movie. The world is portrayed as desolate, where society has fallen, governments and order have failed, and what remains are people who have lost all moral values. As the plot unfolded, it was interesting to observe the brand of twisted humor that was woven into the narrative. Though not obvious, with the heavy setting of the world in a state of decay, with carnage and gore in many of the sequences,  the comic elements help balance things and make for a good viewing experience. Worth special mention is the theatrical sense to the acting, and the overall presentation. Thanks to the attention given to the various elements, be it the costumes and set design, the acting and performances, or the editing and narrative exposure, Mad Max is in every sense a classic, and a genre defining movie. All the jagged elements are masterfully aligned, to create an ensemble presentation, that’s well paced, and has a long lasting, forever sorta feel. And the best part yet, is that as much as this future is tragic and decadent, it actually feels real, and somewhat plausible. Kudos to George Miller, the creator and director, for the artsy legacy created in Mad Max.

Characters are similarly crude with rough edges, with several stereotypes. You can’t but laugh with an antagonist named Toecutter, but then again, when the violence is unleashed, it gets very real, very fast. In addition to the treacherous biker gang, all the nomad villains are pretty cut throat and scary. Mel Gibson stars as Max, the title character. He is incredibly young, and does a decent job; his sense of inexperience and immaturity, fitting in well, as his character slowly evolves into a more heroic one.

The DVD I was watching was an India spec DVD, but it looked like the content hadn’t been changed in any way from other international releases. The presentation was decent, and though the picture looked dated, it was clear, especially in the case of skin texture. Sound was a very primitive Dolby 1.0; the center channel was sorely missed in the case of dialog, with the overall sound levels being really low.

My Recommendation: Watch It + (A classic that lives up to the words mad, and max)

Super Bowl XLIX Halftime Show with Katy Perry - Thoughts

For those living outside the US, ‘Super Bowl’ may not hold much significance, but for those Stateside, unless you've been living under a rock, the NFL Super Bowl is the biggest annual sports event; incidentally also North America's biggest money-making sports TV event. Over the years the half time show has had various leading music artists’ perform to record viewership; past talent including Madonna, Beyonce, and Bruno Mars. For Super Bowl XLIX, where the Seattle Seahawks were facing off against the New England Patriots, it was Katy Perry’s turn to entertain.

For those who missed the show, you can watch it on YouTube in HD, and enjoy Katy’s popular hits, and the performance that went on to be seen by 118.5 million viewers, making it the most-watched halftime show ever.

Personally I enjoyed the show, as Katy Perry’s music was catchy and fun as always. Lenny Kravitz’s piece was a nice touch, and the way they worked and sounded together put a rock spin on an otherwise Pop presentation. Teenage Dreams and California Girls were cute, with the colorful beach setting. In terms of dance moves, that’s probably the style that worked for Katy the best. While I didn't really care for Get Ya Freak On by Missy Elliot, it’s probably because her music isn’t really to my taste. Media critics did rave about it though, and Missy Elliot found her way up the Billboard Charts thanks to her Super Bowl performance. Fireworks was a good closer, cause the way the whole stage came alive, the effects, raising Katy into the air; it was really the peak of the presentation, with some goosebump inducing moments.

To me the spectacle was the marvelous animated stage everyone performed on, and the way the dancers interacted with it; especially for Roar, which the show opened with. The pieces of the floor collapsed, with dancers standing on the final remaining pillars, and then towards the songs end all the columns started dropping and they had to jump into and congregate at the center. Superbly visualized and planned.

If you couldn't be in Glendale, Arizona on Sunday, Feb. 1, 2015 for the show, fire up YouTube and give it a watch; it’ll be 20 minutes well spent. The show was a big deal for Katy Perry as well, who went on to celebrate the halftime performance in a very permanent way, by tattooing the roman numerals ‘XLIX’ on her finger!

My Recommendation: Watch It + (Katy Perry rockin Super Bowl)

2001: A Space Odyssey - Thoughts

2001: A Space Odyssey is easily one of the most acclaimed Sci-Fi movies of all time. Owing to its release in 1968, I didn't have the opportunity to watch it at the time, but it has been on my watch-list forever. I finally got around to it sometime during the first half of 2014. With the recent release of Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar, there is talk of the elements it draws for the 2001: A Space Odyssey, and the similarities they share. I've even heard people talking about going back and watching the Stanley Kubrick masterpiece, to better understand the genre.

To me, 2001: A Space Odyssey was perhaps a different animal of sorts. While the intelligent artificial intelligence in the form of the H.A.L. 9000, and the memorable score of 2001: A Space Odyssey is nothing short of legendary, be aware that though iconic, it is a relic from a different era. It took quite a bit of patience to sit through its seemingly never-ending 160 minute runtime. There were extremely long scenes that showed sequences that we are perhaps used to seeing in lesser detail, such as the ship docking for eons. While I believe that intent here is art, if you have a fairly limited attention span, expect to be getting frustrated. What perhaps bothered me the most was the metaphorical plot aspect of the movie. While it’s interesting to have twisted plots to analyze, crack, and figure out, here it felt like there was no real plot at all. I would recommend 2001: A Space Odyssey to hardcore sci-fi movie buffs, who perhaps want to understand the roots of the genre, and also analyze movies as a whole. But outside of that, if you’re in it more for the entertainment, and the modern/futuristic element, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll enjoy it. 

I watched it on DVD, which was a Region 1 US release. My understanding is that the DVD featured digitally restored content that perhaps improved the video transfer quality. That said, the overall look and feel was truly dated, but thankfully not poor as a result of the restoration. The score was iconic; so hearing it blaring on 5.1 surround has a very commanding presence to it. The presentation was good overall, and if you do choose to check it out, you’ll do well with the DVD; though a Bluray version is also available now.

My Recommendation: Dicey (An Sci-Fi epic from a different era)

Let’s Be Cops - Snapshot

Ever seen a comedy where the premise is so wrong and impractical that it’s actually ridiculously funny and makes for a total entertainer? The 2014 release Let’s Be Cops is exactly that. Two best buds, struggling on the career front, end up dressing as cops for a reunion party, and have what is perhaps one of their best evenings ever. Unwilling to give up the glory, they decide to do it a few more times, and end up getting entangled in a underground mob scheme, and need to figure a way out of the mounting chaos. The lead characters are played by Jake Johnson, and Damon Wayans Jr., who are crazy funny as the comedy duo. The characterization is cool, with some memorable, sometimes over the top, yet hugely laughable characters. Other notable performances come from Nina Dobrev, Rob Riggle, and Andy Garcia, who all put in decent acts. Overall the emotions felt real, the humor wasn't cheesy, and the plot played out at a decent pace, making for a truly fun watch. Having watched this on-board an aircraft, the limitations of the presentation equipment made it hard to fully enjoy and experience the technical aspects. Picture/video seemed pretty normal though, with color tones reminding me of the TV show CSI at times. If you’re looking for a light, fun, entertainer that provides its share of laughs, has a good plot, and doesn't get boring from time to time, you can’t go wrong with Let’s Be Cops.

My Recommendation: Watch It (So wrong that it’s so right)

The Last Ship: Season 1 - Thoughts

I came across The Last Ship as part of my routine media research, and the show caught my attention for various reasons, including its plot premise, Michael Bay’s association, and Rhona Mitra’s casting. Once Season 1 was complete, I decided to get myself a copy and check it out. The plot would kinda giveaway the pilot, but let’s just say that it’s a post-apocalyptic theme, set in present day, that stays true to the shows name.

 

After watching a few episodes it became apparent to me that the show draws inspiration from the 2012 movie Battleship; the sea warfare theme, the overall pace and setting, and even the title text. The pilot introduces viewers to the plot, with every episode after having individual plots, while still working towards the larger long-term plot. Most of the individual episodes are set on land, and take away from the full-on sea warfare, which perhaps makes sense from a budget standpoint, though I’d have liked more war-games at sea with the destroyer. Some episodes end with intense cliffhangers, while some others don’t; but the overall pace of the show is calm for most part, though the plot conflicts are purportedly grave. Some episodes are reminiscent of the cold war, which was an interesting setting in today’s day and age, wherein cold war themes are considered quite passé. With just 10 episodes in the first season, it’s a short season. The show is interesting to watch, though not the most gripping. It’s hard to say if it’ll get another successful season. If you’re into post-apocalyptic themes, like battleships, and enjoy action TV shows, certainly give this one a watch. But if those themes don’t sound fun to you, or if you’re looking for all out sea battle, The Last Ship may not be the best suited.

With an exception of Rhona Mitra, most other cast members are fairly unknown. The lead male role of Commanding Officer Tom Chandler is played by Eric Dane; though unfamiliar with his past work, he did a decent job, meshing the family element, while also taking on a strong commanding role, with vision and wisdom. Rhona Mitra plays Dr. Rachel Scott, who leads the scientific piece of the plot, and gives a performance in line with the rest of her work. It’s a strong character, with a lot resting on her shoulders, and some internal struggles at play; overall dealt by Rhona effectively. Marissa Neitling plays Lt. Kara Foster, who does a good job of seeming fairly junior, and overwhelmed by the turn of events. She is very expressive with her eyes, and it would be interesting to see her in other roles.

The content I was sampling was an 1080p HD rip of what I’m guessing is HDTV content. It could also be from a Bluray source though. Sound was presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 surround. I didn’t notice any post-production tones or hues, video looked natural, and sound in the action sequences was ample. Picture was mostly clear, and some of the outdoor scenes and visuals were quite nice. On a big screen I’d imagine it’d be quite picturesque.

My Recommendation: Watch It (A post-apocalyptic action serial set at sea)