Hollywood

The Statement (2003)

It was time to renew the passion of watching movies. The sinister look of Michael Caine on the cover of this DVD intrigued me to pick it up. So for this week, I selected The Statement (2003). The story of the movie is about frenchman Pierre Brossad (Michael Caine) who belongs to the Vichy police, without whom the Nazis could never have murdered some 77,000 Jews in France. Brossad himself is responsible for murdering 7 Jews in a daybreak assault in a village called Dombay. He manages to evade justice by absconding and remains undetected under the protection of the clergy. However, a team of Jewish hit-men supported by some individuals in the seats of power are on his trail to avenge the killing of their brethren, 44 years later. A ‘statement’ proclaiming the justice and the avenging of the death of the Jews would be left on his dead body. Judge Annemarie Livi (Tilda Swinton) and Colonel Roux (Jeremy Northam) are assigned the task of reviving the case against Brossad for crimes against humanity and bring him to justice. Clearly it’s now the case of who-gets-him-first – the bullet or the long arm of justice.

Caine in his interview had said that he’s never played a character he’s disliked so much and it proves in the portrayal. He’s displayed the cunningness of Brossad who always seems to cover his tracks, with the same aplomb as the sick individual who clenches his chest in pain while moving around and shooting his predators. The movie, is based on a novel by Brian Moore and inspired from a real life incident.

» The Official Movie Website

Michael Caine in a scene from The Statement (2003)

Suspect Zero (2004)

Crime thrillers are my favorites and it takes little effort in selecting movies which deal in the subject, albeit of course staying away from those gory ones. Benjamin O’Ryan (Ben Kingsley) is gifted with telepathic qualities and is part of a secret government funded program called Project Icarus which looks into exploiting those qualities for military purposes. FBI Agents Thomas Mackelway (Aaron Eckhart) and Agent Fran Kulok (Carrie-Ann Moss) are assigned to look into the spate of murders in the country which O’Ryan is suspected of committing. The victims are all serial killers who are accused of committing various crimes. Mackelway and Kulok must find the real ‘Suspect Zero’ who wanders the country in a heavy truck and kidnaps children to his ranch.

A good plot but somehow, at the very onset of the film, it was difficult to piece together the puzzle and create a picture. Kingsley’s depiction of a man, trying to escape his extraordinary qualities which give him endless nightmares till the very end, is noteworthy. It’s unfortunately something which he was born with but couldn’t ‘shut it off’.

» The Official Movie Website

Carrie-Ann Moss and Aaron Eckhart in a scene from the movie 'Suspect Zero'

‘Flights’ of Fancy

FlightplanYesterday I had an opportunity to see capitalism at its best. Being in the commercial capital Mumbai, one would say that money & prosperity can be seen everywhere but not to me. I still miss HK pretty much and I am lucky to have gone there at the right time of my life. It pretty much changed the way I think about my lifestyle.

And my appointment with this mall changed the way I would think about Mumbai now. I am talking about InOrbit which is located on the Link Road between Malad & Goregaon. It’s got the very best in entertainment, books, cuisine, cosmetics, clothes & other accessories and a lot more. Talking about entertainment I couldn’t believe it when I found the FAME multiplex (probably 5 screen) theatre bang in the middle of the mall! The convenience of a shopping experience coupled with some entertainment and food.

Well now coming back to our main discussion which is the movie FlightPlan which I saw yesterday at FAME. It’s a wonderfully gripping drama of Kyle Pratt (played by Jodie Foster) who loses her 6 year old in an airplane and the drama unfolds to some wonderful surprises. Sean Bean (Agent 006 from Goldeneye) was another actor I could recognise, whose playing the aircraft captain. The interiors of the aircraft, to my knowledge must be a set and not the actual plane but it looks fantastic. You might want to see this movie this weekend.

DOOM – The Movie

DOOM TeaserThis passion goes back to the time I first saw QUAKE III ARENA. I remember my Project Manager playing this game on his 17″ Monitor (used to feel quite big in those days) in the office. Subsequently I played the game to the fullest and it became my favourite weapon to vent any office frustration that I had carried home. It was my wish that they could make a movie on QUAKE III ARENA which had some lively characters and weapons.

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