The Deadly Affair (1966)

Genre: Crime/Mystery/Drama

Starring: James Mason, Simone Signoret, Harry Andrews, Harriet Andersson, Maxmillian Schell

Samuel Fennan works for the British Foreign Office and is recently promoted. Him and his wife Elsa's (Signoret) past connections with communism lead many of his superiors to believe that he might be stealing confidential information which he now has access to. Charles Dobbs (Mason) a Secret Service Agent is asked to interview him and to learn more about his past connections. Later that night when Fennan is found dead, police label the death as suicide, but Dobbs is not convinced. Along with Inspector Mendel (Andrews) they get cracking on the case to find what the real truth is. Mason meanwhile, is facing family problems with his wife Ann (Andersson) who has is a perpetual sex addict and has fallen in love with Charles' friend Dieter (Schell). The problem with crime and mystery movies is that one has to wait till the very end to learn the outcome of the entire mystery. Many a times when the twist falls flat on its face, it feels like a waste of precious energy and time. This movie turns out to be no different. The investigation does not create enough suspense and the final verdict makes you raise an eyebrow and you ask yourself, "That's it?" That pretty much sums up the movie's capability. A definite no-show.

Rating: 5.6/10

Into the Wild (2007)

Genre: Drama/Adventure

Starring: Emile Hirsch, Catherine Keener, Jena Malone, Vince Vaughn, Hal Halbrook, Marcia Gay Harden, William Hurt, Brian Dierker

Why do we have to work? To earn money. Why do we need money? To live a luxurious life. Why do we need a luxurious life? To keep ourselves happy. Does happiness necessarily come from money? To get out of this vicious circle of life, Chris McCandless aka Alexander Supertramp (Hirsch) leaves his family after graduation to live a life of his own. A life he had dreamed of, an adventure. Career, money, job, that's all in the mind and is something which we are forced to do and not do it by choice, is what Chris says. Travelling down the Grand Canyon, living with gypsies, harvesting crop on a farm, he lead his life the way he wished. His final choice was to go to Alaska and come back and write a book about all his adventures. The movie is slow but is not unexciting as it may sound. There is a lot of narration by Chris' sister Carine (Malone) who remembers her brother and Chris himself on life and how we should find happiness elsewhere. One needs to look deep if any meaning is to be understood from the movie. It is something that may not appeal to a wide audience, but yet a highly recommended watch. You need to give the movie time before you can appreciate it. A tragic and touching end. Based on a true story.

Rating: 7.5/10

Quick Gun Murugun (2009)

Genre: Action/Comedy/Spoof

Starring: Dr. Rajendraprasad, Nasser, Raju Sundaram, Rambha

Many a times one watches a movie with certain ambitions and expectations, and most of the time these expectations are not met. Not necessarily in a negative manner. Shri Quick Gun Murugun (Rajendraprasad) is the Indian cowboy, protector of cows and against non-vegetarianism. He has to battle Rice Plate Reddy (Nasser) the local villain, who is converting all vegetarian restaurants to non-veg. In the epic battle, Quick Gun is killed. That, is something that defies the law of movie-making in India and cannot happen. Hence 25 years later, he is 'returned to sender' to avenge his death. Rice Plate meanwhile, has been setting up non-veg dosa restaurants around the world named McDosa, and is looking for the perfect dosa making recipe. He wants mothers love in his dosa recepie, and kidnaps Murugun's brothers wife. Mango Dolly (Rambha) is Reddy's mistress and falls in love with our super-hero and helps rescue his sister-in-law, and helps him fight his battle. The movie leaves you in laughs, be it Rowdy MBA's (Sundaram) background score that goes 'Yem Bi Yay, Yem Bi Yay' or Quick Gun's gun wielding antics which are direct spoof of Rajnikant. Unlike a conventional Bollywood movie, you dont have unwanted songs every 10 minutes, not even stupidly funny ones. Mika Singh's soundtrack is catchy and fits the bill perfectly. The movie is short and simple and dosen't have any unnecessary trash that eats up your head, as if the movie script wasn't enough to do that. Had the movie been any longer it would have been a useless and unnecessary drag. If anyone can find the 'Coconut Tree Climbing Institute (Recognised) also teaching palm tree and betelnut tree climbing (Diploma)' should let me know. I would love to sign up. Watch it, I say.

Rating: 7.6/10

Atonement (2007)

Genre: Drama/War/Romance

Starring: Kiere Knightley, James McAvoy, Saoirse Ronan

Love is something which no one can ever understand until experienced. It is said that it never comes twice, and when it does, it is very hard to forget. Detachment from your lover is perhaps the worst thing that can ever happen to someone. Briony (Ronan) a young 13 year old, lives with her sister, brother and mother, in a rich countryside mansion in England. Her sister Cecilia (Knightley) shares a unique relationship with the gardener Robbie (McAvoy) with whom she has studied and been with since childhood. A string of events witnessed by Briony mixed with hasty conclusions and immaturity, leads her to believe that Robbie is a sex maniac and wrongly accuses him of rape. Just as Robbie and Cecilia's love is about to bloom, Robbie is taken away from the mansion and put behind bars. 5 years later, Briony realises her mistake and wants to atone her sins. Robbie and Cecilia cant seem to put their love behind them and with every passing day, life only gets worse. The movie's background score was something unique and catchy. Normal sounds like a typewriter, hammer hitting a car, water dripping etc. evolve and form a part of the movies background score which sounds quite amazing. Watching the movie would perhaps be the best way to describe its finesse and charm. I don't want words to ruin it. Based on Ian McEwan's novel with the same name.

Rating: 7.6/10

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009)

Genre: Science-fiction/Action/Adventure

Starring: Cristopher Eccelstone, Sienna Miller, Channing Tatum, Marlon Wayans, Dennis Quaid

There's something about science-fiction movies about the extent to which one can imagine or accept it. The Matrix was unimaginable but yet acceptable. At times, a movie comes by which is imaginable but yet highly unacceptable. Duke (Tatum) and Ripcord (Wayans) are NATO officials who have been authorised to protect and transport a newly developed bio-weapon. The weapon on its way is attacked upon and an attempt to steal it is made, only to be foiled by the G.I. Joe team, a special undercover unit consisting of the best army men the world has. A second attempt at stealing it is successful, and newly incorporated unit members Duke and Ripcord have to bring it back and prevent it from being used on the world, and give McCulllum (Ecceslstone) the creator of this weapon, world supremacy. When it comes to 'victory of good over bad' movies, one does not look for what the story is, or rather how it's done. The story is highly cliched and offers nothing new. Modern and high-tech gadgets, evil scientists with perfect-figured babes, destruction of the world and on and on. The movie did however provide good amount of metal clunking action, under, over and on land. Seems more fit for a video game story.

Rating: 6.6/10