Tag: Crime

Reservoir Dogs (1992)

this is an old movie nearly 30 years old, so like in dog years that so old. i know i am late to the party but i always am…

I can defiantly understand how many have a liking to this film, It was one of those films that even without me knowing anything about but knowing the talent Tarantino and cast is capable of i could easily put my faith in to be entertained.

have tried so many times to replicate this pic

if i had to say i would rank Pulp Fiction higher, but the race is close and maybe with margin for change. now where this film worked for me was the suffocative manner the whole premise of a failed heist results in members trying to reach the safe house trying to identify the snitch among them. mostly all the story is in that safe-house with occasional scenes outside to give us glimpses and perspectives of other participants of the heist. the film starts with a dinner scene that acts as both the initial character introduction scene as well as the acclimatisation stage for viewers as soon as it need the Adrenaline level shots up and tension rises by the time in subsides the mystery of the informant inside the group grips you (i guessed and failed) only for it to rise back up towards the climax. all this happens within the same warehouse adding to the suffocation the film generates.

the film has this raw appeal that well known its not only an old film its also a film that has played a part in shaping the movies that succeeded it. this is a testament to the films quality and to think it was a

when mom leave me and my brother alone

it is in many ways it is a heist movie that plays homage to its predecessors but showcasing the underbelly that most don’t showcase while placing all the usual themes of camaraderie, betrayals, tragedy and more that such films are famous for.

116 movies down……..384 to go

see you soon

goodbye

Raatchasan (2018)

its always nice to go back to your roots, and when it comes to movie crime triller is a genre i find most comforting to watch, yes mostly simple liner and formulaic its still some of my easy binge content.

this tamil crime thriller was very highly praised, and recommended to me. thus going in with bit of a skewed expectations i had wanted a masterpiece, though never touching that mark for me its is nonetheless a very competent thriller worthy of being praised so highly.

on paper the film about a aspiring crime film writer becoming police officer getting involved in serial killer targeting school girls might seems tried and generic in many ways. but the film advantage i will say is its seemingly similarity to a lot of films in theme and aspects yet having its own identity to separate itself.

the greatest aspect of this film is its tension built up fueled by the gut churning soundtrack that keeps itself in the background like a good boy but always having the effect to your gut. especially in the more serious and close hitting scene the soundtrack has the unique effect filling the sense of dread easily.

the only minor point i had with this film was its length though the film tries real hard to keep me invested 3hr run time is a hard task for any thriller to fully hold me down, but being able to do so for the majority of the run time is pretty good i say.

96 movie down………..404 to go

see you soon

Piriyavitai (Tamil goodbye)

Sarkar (2005)

the film is about a Parallel government being run by the don or Sarkar (Amitabh Bachchan) of the place and turmoil that occurs when his views gets contested by his sons, leading to youngest of the sons (Abhishek Bachchan) to take up the role in his fathers place to safeguard them all.

if it sounds similar it is this film is based on the Godfather, yet its not a short for short its utilised the theme to mold it into a indigenised form, Imagine the Godfather being made in India, and incoporating the indian astetic and style to the story beats and the result would be Sarkar (Hindi for government).

the biggest pluses of this film is the cast and story line, for all intense and purposes i will never have any complains with Amitabh Bachchan and his acting, to me the surprise hit was his own son’s emergence Abhishek Bachchan his portrayal of an newbie into the business and getting hardened due to the experiences he suffers was effectively portrayed. this would be among the handful of film i actually like his acting. the plus of the story line is to incorporate a mafia story set in america into a Indian setting near seamlessly as well as introduce a political aspect to the setting which grounds the film as anything in India is Political.

the film does suffer a bit with pacing as there is a minute tangible drag in between the story beats, also being based on the famous Godfather film acts as a boon and a curse as the film progression can be guessed to a certain degree atleast it was for me.

though this film was a big hyped up watch for me, it might be this same hype that hindered my enjoyment of the film. by no means is it a bad film yet it feel eerily similar in its theme nearly reaching the same pedestal as its inspiration alas falling short. to me this film will always be that great film that misses the list.

86 movies down…………414 to go

see you soon

alllvida.

Maayavan (2017)

another one of my YouTube random movie selection that was surprisingly good, the only reason I selected it was the thumbnail was interesting (yes, got click baited). A Tamil Sci-fi Crime movie that stars Sundeep Kishan as out protagonist Kumaran a police officer, who stumbles across a peculiar case where random murders by different individuals yet having the same modus operandi.

the movie is a rare sight in the Indian movie industry where Sci-fi is something that gets low exposure and even when given executed poorly, yet exceptions do exist and I am glad this one was such a case. the prime theme of the movie is the concept of immortality that is achieved due to the advancement of technology and science and how in the hand of wrong individuals it is a power that is scary.

the film does a good job mixing the sci-fi element into a crime thriller, and gets into the thick of it, from the start, keeping the tension high. The direction of the film is also focused and try to keep the viewer on the scene at hand and progresses the story.

my only issue with the film as a whole was its ending more precisely the small epilogue-ish scene, the fact that it cuts to the 20 years ahead, though it acted as a manner in which Kumaran escaped the cruel fate. To me it is just a hollow easy way out that was chosen by the writers if it wasn’t so the ending would have been the scene with Kumaran shooting The army officer and his love interest. that ending would have left a stronger impact as well as played better the internal theme of the movie about the rapid advancement of technology that is gonna help human achieve immortality.

83 movies down…………417 to go

see you soon

Piriyavitai (Tamil goodbye)

Article 15 (2019)

generally movie going for me is a planned process, check the timing book the seats plan the day……..and lot more planning so it works out. it is very rare that i go for a movie impromptu, so rare that when i finally end up doing it last year i said why not a choose two movies at random in the theater and watch them …….first among them was

the 2019 Bollywood starring Ayushmann Khurrana, Manoj Pahwa, Nassar, Kumud Mishra, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub and directed by Anubhav Sinha.

the movies is based on true events and still continue to happen in India mainly due to the caste system that even though abolish and prohibited by the constitution of India still has a prevalent impact in the rural regions of India as a ignored reality of India, that exists by never truly acknowledged. the movie begins with the a scene of 2 Dalit girls being ganged up by some guys in a bus, from here we are introduced to Ayan (Ayushmann Khurrana) who is newly posted as the Additional Superintendent of Police of the region. since his arrival into the town the caste discrimination among the residents is seem in various instances. the next morning the bodies of the 2 girls is found hanging for a tree, upon learning the they were gang raped and not murdered investigation is called upon yet the main staff of police are hesitant to go along with it and Brahmadutt Singh (Manoj Pahwa) the next in charge of the station tries to change the case into that of murder by honor killing as the girls were of a lower caste. as the story progresses we are told about the existence of a 3rd girl who might have survived and is missing this story thread is used to give some light at the end of such a murky tunnel. we get to know that the reason from this incident happening to the girls was just because they asked for a increase in wage of 3 rupees. the dishearted effort of the police into this case enrages Aryan who prompts to pin the Article 15 of the Indian Constitution on the billboard as a reminder to all the police officers to first and foremost be Indians and that any kind of caste discrimination is a criminal offence and continues to probe into the case.

hoping to find the 3rd girl and catch the culprit.

the high points of the movie for me was the tone, it held its serious tone all throughout the movie utilizing amazing cinematography by Ewan Mulligan to visually entice us in the scenes at the same time not brake the mood by utilizing the colour pallets of the scene with care. the cast did a splendid job especially, Manoj Pahwa whom i have only experiences with comedy to see him pull of such a twisted serious character made me really invested in his character arc, as for Ayushmann Khurrana let just say this was a movie he chose wisely as this movie showcased his range in acting by tackling a much serious subject matter and doing a great job in it.

this movie was defiantly among the better movies of last year.

65 movies down………..435 to go.

see you soon

alvida.

Joseph (2018)

it’s a Malayalam thriller-drama about a hidden racket being discovered when one retired police officer tries to investigate his families accident.

we are introduced to the protagonist Joseph Parekkattil a retired police officer who from our first observation is a alcoholic, is called by a senior officer for his expertise on a homicide case that has occurred. here he shows us his innate skills observation and deduction while analysing the crime scene and figuring out the culprit in a quick swift manner. we are later showcases the backstory to the life of Joseph his lose of is daughter and his separation from his wife due to his trauma from one of his earliest cases. a incident then occurs that acts as the catalyst to the main story, his ex-wife dies in a vehicular accident. Joseph upon his investigation figures out that its more than a accident and that there is something fishy going on with accidents. his and his friends dive into the a deep corrupt racket of Organ donor and Hospital malpractice, and to bring these acts to life Joseph might have to bet his life.

the acting of Joju George as Joseph Parekkattil a worn out retired police officer who after the lose of his daughter has been distant from any life outside filling himself on cigarettes and alcohol was enacted so brilliantly that his expressions really showcase the transformation of a person who goes through such an ordeal. A performance that got him the Kerala State Film Award for Best Character Actor for the film.

the movie does have moments when the tension is lost which it had built up over past scene and that is my biggest fault with the movie, for a thriller the movie doesn’t utilise its structure properly and what we are left with is a tension less thriller movie. the overall story is good but the pace and structure of story just doesn’t gel.

not a bad movie has good performance by the lead, a movie that is watchable but not that high on the list for me.

55 movies down………445 to go.

see you soon

Pinne kaanam (malayali goodbye)