Pardon moi French, but BRICK is like that - a hit from some good reel-dope.

A throwback to the days of mystery films Sam Spade/Mike Hammer style, but by way of David Mamet (as in dialogues). Unthinkable? Now try setting that modern-noir on a high school campus. Sounds bizarre? Director Rian Johnson does that quite admirably, thank you very much.

A Sundance Special Jury prize winner For Originality Of Vision, BRICK is already garnering a cult following owing to it’s unique style.

Film opens with Brendan (Joseph Gordon Levitt - 3rd Rock From the Sun) staring at the lifeless body of his ex-girlfriend Emily lying near an abandoned creek. Flashback 2 days ago when he had received an incomprehensible call for help that was smattered with some colloquial slangs. She’s in bad company, and Brendan makes his wish to locate Emily known amongst the elitist high schoolers. He locates her and she puts his fears to rest. Next day - she’s found dead.

Brendan decides to awaken all the sleeping dogs in the vicinty, no matter the risks. For this he has to get himself ingratiated in some bad company, and climb up the ranks to win the trust of a high-school urban legend called the Pin (Lukas Haas) whose presence is omnipotent but few have seen him. Obstacles in the form of general intimidation, pummeled fists, hired hits, cops and the Vice Principal descend upon the unshakeable sleuth.

A majority of the credit undoubtedly goes to the director who meshes the varied styles flawlessly. Music, cinematography, art deco, costumes and editing are uniformly supportive of the director’s vision. And lastly, the leads stand upto the task, and deliver admirably, especially Lukas Haas as the crippled Pin who steals the show just by his mere presence.

For viewers who like their mysteries not set to some hyper-kinetic soundtrack and Tony Scott-ish set up, BRICK can promise you that and more. For those of you suffering from ADHD, fuggeabout it!

MPAA Rating: R for sexuality, language and some drug use.

Duration: 117 mins.

Cast: Joseph Gordon Levitt, Lukas Haas, Nora Zehetner

Director: Rian Johnson

“I am not the monster you make me out to be!”

An intense psychological thriller, this one’s a difficult watch - difficult because of the subject matter, difficult because of the way it tackles the subject, and difficult because of some squirm-inducing moments that will leave quite a few of the menfolk clutching their family jewels in sheer terror.

Hayley (Ellen Page) is a 14-year old student, having a chat-room relationship with a 32-year old photographer named Jeff (Patrick Wilson). During one such chat, she suggests that they progress to the next level, and hook up at the local diner. When they meet face to face, Jeff comes across as a timid and bashful person, while Hayley who looks naïve, speaks with a maturity ahead of her years. She takes over the reigns during their chit-chat to suggest that they head over to Jeff’s place so that she can check out some bootlegged music.

Once at his place, events unfold to Jeff’s detriment as he finds himself drugged and falling unconscious while clicking photographs of the prancing teenager. When he comes to, he finds himself bound to a chair with a menacing Hayley drilling him about his pedophile collections and a missing local girl. A cat-and-mouse game ensues between the seemingly unhinged girl and her questionable captive, that is nerve-wracking to say the least. As the film progresses, the stakes are raised, and the tension ante is upped considerably.

In comparison to the rest of the film, the climax feels tepid and lacking in shock value. But it don’t matter - you’ve just been seriously rattled. The credit goes to director David Slade, who in his first directorial outing shows a natural flair for helming a gripping thriller.

Of course, the whole film would not have come together were it not for the knock-out performance from Ellen Page as Hayley, the filly-fatale from hell. She imbues her character with subtle tics and nuances to very unsettling effect. Patrick Wilson as Jeff, though quite capable, has been saddled with a weaker role, and gets totally over-shadowed by his junior co-star. Sandra Oh in a 5-minute cameo is totally wasted.

Hard Candy is bound to put off many a viewer, therefore an open mind is called for when you decide to view it.

And you can forget about that tub of popcorn too.

Runtime: 103 mins.

MPAA Rating: R for disturbing violent and aberrant content involving a teen, and for language.

Cast: Ellen Page, Patrick Wilson

Director: David Slade

Word on ‘The Closer’ was that it was an absolutely kick-ass show. So, obviously I was anxious to get my hands on Season 1.

The pilot did get off to a very interesting start, with the arrival of newly appointed - by Asst Chief of Police Will Pope (J. K. Simmons) - Deputy Chief Brenda Johnson (Kyra Sedgwick) to LAPD’s priority homicide division. She is given a cold welcome by her team because an outsider has been favoured over the veteran Capt. Taylor (Robert Gossett). The whole team even turn in their resignations to drive home their point. The resignations are rejected, and gradually things do turn around as Brenda proves her efficiency in cracking cases with her remarkable interrogation techniques and strategies. The character of Brenda has been alloted some quirks to make her stand out, like her weakness for sweets, untidy habits, a polite disposition and a very messy personal life.

Nothing can go wrong, right? Given the ratings, ‘The Closer’ seems to have hit a homerun. But I simply couldn’t warm up to it.

• Reason one - Kyra Sedgwick. She tries too hard at her character, and it shows. What is supposed to be natural comes out obvious.
• The wastage of seasoned character actors by the buckets. For an entertaining show, you need to have at least a couple of side characters with interesting bents to them. There is G.W. Bailey (this guy alone is capable of chewing scenery by the mouthful if given the opportunity), J.K. Simmons, Michael Paul Chan & Raymond Cruz, all TV & film veterans, who are simply acting as props.
• The pilot brings an interesting case that keeps us glued to the going-ons, but the subsequent episodes are cases where the murderer’s identity & motivation can be sniffed out a mile away.
• Touted as a comedy/drama/thriller, the comic elements, though well done, are in short supply.
• Brenda’s romantic relationship with FBI agent Fritz (Jon Tenney) is devoid of any chemistry, and feels like a motion-sickness about to hit paydirt.

The Tagline for this series is: “They’ll bring you in. She’ll make you talk” - nobody said anything about the narcoleptic effects!

Season: One

Episodes: 13

Cast: Kyra Sedgwick, J.K. Simmons, Corey Reynolds, Robert Gossett, Jon Tenney et al.

Riding a wave of festival nods and awards, Michael Haneke (’The Piano Teacher’, ‘Funny Games’) brings you his most convulated offering yet. The affable German director does not believe in giving it easy.

How would you react if you found out that someone’s been watching you (and I don’t mean in the shower), and you have no idea who that person is or their motives? Now if you were a couple, would both of you still react the same way?

A typical French bourgeois family, comprising of TV personality Georges (the awesome Daniel Auteuil), his successful wife Anne (lovely Juliette Binoche) and their sulky teenaged son (is there any other?), receive a mysterious video tape left at their doorstep. Picked up by Anne, it’s a 2+ hours of their house being monitored. At first the couple puzzle over it’s intention, and then dismiss it as a prank. Soon other such tapes follow, accompanied by a childish drawing of a violent image. Something about the image stirs up a childhood memory in Georges about an immigrant Algerian boy. As clues pile up, the normally staid family is slowly consumed by fear, paranoia and guilt, the result of which is a single act of shocking violence.

Now let me try to give it to you straight - Haneke is not interested in throwing red-herrings, and offering you a “how come I didn’t think of that?” climax. No, that would be a “standard” film (his own words). He grounds the whole film in a very realistic approach - switching the roles of the predator and the prey and shrouding the whole film in shades of truth, because his reasoning is that real truth is never really transparent - it’s always hidden. So what you have, is a film engulfed in an aura of real-life ambiguity.

The climax? It’s abrupt, it’s unsatisfying - but in the context of the entire film, it’s fitting. For the eagle-eyed viewer, they may notice something in the last frame that will set off another round of deductions and second-guessing as to it’s significance. It is one of those films that will be argued heavily on discussion forums.

A must see film for Haneke fans, and for those that like a vigorous workout for their grey cells.

Running Time: 121 min.
Starring: Juliette Binoche, Daniel Auteuil, Annie Girardot.
Director: Michael Haneke
MPAA Rating: R for brief strong violence.

Director Jonathan Jakubowicz seems to be heavily influenced by three things: Mtv, QT (Quentin Tarantino), and XTC in no particular order. The latter and it’s buddies seems to have affected his grey cells while trying to bring the influence of the former two to fruition.

A flashy splash-screen at the beginning informs you of incalculable (Sic) kidnappings in Latin America, and how this film is a story of just one of those kidnappings. (I mistook it’s stylishness for the film’s title). More style follows when intros to the lead characters are made and the details that accompanies each seems like it was lifted straight off the screenplay (anyone learning to write film scripts pay attention).
Egs:
a) Budu - “painter, rapist, sentimental father”(?! - this one’s a doozy),
b) Dolor - “original gangster, cab driver, hunter for rich kids” (verbatim guys),
c) Trece - “middle class, romantic” (seriously! am not kidding!) etc.
So much for character depth.

The plot, as it is, concerns 4 individuals (Budu, Trece, Dolor and Niga) who seem to specialize in express kidnappings i.e. they kidnap “rich kids” coming out of late night parties, steal their vehicles and buzz their folks for quick drop-off ransoms. “This story” concerns the kidnapping of a rich spoilt Martin (”high maintenance, rich kid”) and his girlfriend for 5 years Carla(”works as a volunteer at the local clinic”). Things go wrong from the word get go, and chaos ensues.

There was gold to be mined from the twists in the plot, and a rich pay-off in black-humour, but the twists raise naught an eyelash, and the humour… well, cringe-inducing is the word that comes to mind. All the characters are unlikable, and you seriously pray for a blood-bath to snap you out of the boredom-induced-coma you have fallen in. Acting is amateurish, with loads of pretentious dialogue (think Seagal films).

Adding insult to injury is the film’s social critique regarding the haves and the have-nots that seems to justify the presence of the kidnapping culture. The message I got was - if you are poor in Venezuela, it’s ok to kidnap, rape, torture and kill the rich folks coz’ they got it coming. And oh yeah, do lots of drugs. The whole film has a thick cloud of dope wafting through it - no wonder I was in a stupor.

The only saving grace in this boring farce is Mia Maestro as Carla - she dives into her paper-thin role, and comes up a winner. Her actions and reactions to the roller-coaster events of the day, are commendable. But it also could be that the others are so bad, that they make her shine out.
The other actor worth mentioning is Hollywood character actor par excellence - Ruben Blades, who infuses his 10-minute role as Carla’s worry-stricken father with enough life for several such features. Pity.

Runtime: 90 mins.

Director: Jonathan Jakubowicz

MPAA Rating: R for strong violence, drug use, sexuality and language.

Katy: You do know how to use this? [pointing to a cellphone]

Cyrus: It’s a phone Katy - you dial, you speak, u hang up!

Already a fave among the discerning Indian moviegoer, BEING CYRUS is like a breath of fresh air from the recent bunch of Hollywood-remakes that Indian filmmakers are indulging in(waiting for the day when they burn their hands at this lethargic practice). Not only does BC chart a different path - a psychological thriller no less - the verbal exchange is entirely in English. The film has been cleverly written with lethal doses of black humour. Comparisons to the works of Coen brothers is inevitable - it’s almost an homage.

Narrated by the titular Cyrus, it is the story of a drifter, who cleverly plants himself in a parsi household as a pottery apprentice to the master artist and spaced-out potter Dinshaw Sethna. Dinshaw’s tartly wife Katy, longing for some male company and attention, is more than willing to take in a strapping young man of questionable background.

Slowly we learn that the non-materialistic Dinshaw Sethna who has inherited a family house far away from the city, has separated himself from his father Fardunji and his younger brother Farogue. Fardunji Sethna, who used to be  a very wealthy real-estate owner has been stripped of all his money and power, and now lives at the mercy of his brutish younger son and his caring but neglected young wife. In Cyrus’ words - it’s a totally screwed up family. Our protagonist acts as a catalyst in bringing about some radical changes to the stagnant Sethnas.

If you view the film from outside, you might just see an average psychological thriller whose progress you maybe able to deduce if you are a seasoned cineaste. But it’s the richly layered inside that is truly rewarding. Parsis are known to be a very tightly-wound business community. BC not only let’s us take a peek at their lives, but through the narrator’s social commentary peels away the layers to boldly show the ruins it lies in.  

Saif Ali Khan, one of bollywood’s rising star, slips into the character of Cyrus effortlessly. Ably assisting him are Naseeruddin Shah as the pot-headed Dinshaw, Boman Irani as the irascible Farougue, Simone Singh as his suffering wife and Manoj Pahwa as Inspector Lovely, the unpredictable corrupt cop with a small fuse. The only sore aspect in this otherwise perfect cast, is Dimple Kapadia as the tartly Katy. Her uneven perfomance ranges from good to over-the-top.

Director Homi Adajania, of Parsi lineage himself, packs in quite a punch in his slick & stylish debut. Brisk editing, quick pacing (a mere 90 mins.) and a non-linear structure demand total attention  of the viewer.

The Coens would be pleased!

Running Time: 90 mins.
Starring: Saif Ali Khan, Naseeruddin Shah, Dimple Kapadia, Boman Irani, Simone Singh
Directed by: Homi Adajania

For someone who’s been brought up on Gunsmoke and it’s ilk, Deadwood is a major kick in the nuts. A gritty and realistic portrayal of the Wild West, the series shatters every conceivable myth and notion held by an average TV viewer. Some might need therapy if they were really glued on to their Western ideals.

Characters that inhabit DEADWOOD are dirty and grimy for whom baths are a rare indulgence. The men are unshaven, the women unglamorous, there’s obscenities and nudity (sometimes full frontal) in plenty, the good guys are people with issues and the bad guys are, actually quite entertaining. Ian McShane as Al Swearangen, who plays the self-appointed boss of the camp and owner of the Gem Saloon, is an irresistible concoction of a manipulative bastard and a ruthless killer with a sunny disposition.

The series is inspired by and based in part on factual events and people that inhabited the illegal settlement of Deadwood during the 1870’s. Some fictionalization is understandable to maintain the edge and interest in the series.

Cast regulars that we become familiar with - aside from the afore mentioned Swearangen, in no particular order are: Seth Bullock (Olyphant) - half-owner of a hardware store, a man who’s straight as an arrow and a total foil to the slimy Swearangen. Then we have the famous gunslinger Wild Bill Hickock (Carradine) - a friend of Seth’s, but a damaged man who’s at odds with himself and his legendary status. There’s Calamity Jane (Wiegert) - Wild Bill’s foul-mouthed sidekick, Charlie Utter (Callie) - Wild Bill’s friend and manager, Doc Cochrane (an excellent Dourif) - the bitterly sweet doctor of the camp, Rev. Smith (McKinnon) - the unofficial padre with a serious case of seizures, Trixie (Malcomson) - the cliched whore with a heart of gold, albeit one with a mouthful of expletives, E.B. Farnum (Sanderson) - owner of the camp’s only hotel and an accomplice in everything that Swearangen does, and many other such characters that keep the the plot mechanism running at full steam.

Attention has been paid to period detail and costumes, with very realistic sets & designs.

Pilot episode has been helmed by Walter Hill - a director who knows a thing or two about Westerns (and who may/may not have a thing for Wild Bill).

As far as Westerns go, you will never see it in the same light ever again.

Season: 1
Episodes:12
Cast: Timothy Olyphant, Ian McShane, Keith Carradine, Brad Dourif

Considering my initial skepticism to a teen-comedy that sounded like a bad rip-off on “Splash!”, I was pleasantly surprised by Aquamarine. The film has little to do with Splash! and more to do with teenage crushes, hunky-and-dorky lifeguards, mermaids with issues, teenie-meanies (the IT girls), about love and friendship all wrapped in a nice tickle-me-silly-I-have-a-stupid-grin-on-my-face bundle of humour.

The story concerns two teenagers - Claire & Hailey - living in Tampa, Fl., who are about to have their sweet world crumble because Claire’s marine-biologist mom will have to move to Australia to take on a new job. The teenagers share a mutual crush on Ray, the afore-mentioned lifeguard, and giggle themselves silly in his presence. One stormy night, a mermaid washes up to the girls’ pool. She is Aquamarine, and has run away from home, because her Dad doesn’t believe in the notion of love and wants her to get married to a dufus she despises.
The girls have three days to set Aquamarine up with Ray so that Aqua can prove her dad wrong, and the girls will be granted a wish. But there is a slight hitch, Ray is also sought after by Cecilia, the rich spoiled brat (is there any other?) who doesn’t take nicely to the competition.

The three female leads - Claire (Roberts), Hailey (Levesque) and Aqua (Paxton) - share an excellent rapport resulting in a film that brims with moments of geniune warmth and humour. First time director Elizabeth Allen has handled the subject matter skillfully avoiding the many pritfalls that plague regular teen-comedies (read melodramatic content & predictable endings). The film has been captured from teenagers POVs - their unbridled enthusiasm and energy, their pets (a goldfish called MOBY) and peeves (Cecilia & her posse), their petty fights, their rebellion (”I don’t want to go to Australia”) and the gradual realization of the mechanism of nature at work.

Considering some of the expensive turkeys that are doing the rounds of the plexes in the name of comedies (about break-ups, and unwanted house-guests), Aquamarine ends up delivering more value for your money. I liked it, and wasn’t bored for a minute.

Running Time: 109 minutes.
MPAA Rating: PG for mild language and sensuality.
Cast: Emma Roberts, Joanna Levesque, Sara Paxton
Director: Elizabeth Allen