Vivek's Talk

Iron Man

WAHOOOO!!! A very entertaining superhero movie with the incredible Downey Junior in the title role. Hey, I even enjoyed watching Paltrow in this. I usually find she has as much character as a piece of Brighton Rock (although as far as Rock goes, the Brighton kind probably has the most characteristics).
Tony Stark is a weapons-of-mass-destruction inventor, but not the usual kind. He's a cool guy; Bit of a playboy, suave, and HOT of course, but I won't steer away from the subject. When he's held hostage in Afghanistan and forced to build a high-tech missile, he opts to make a high-tech iron suit instead to escape. The Stark that returns to the USA is a new one, with a change of heart for the field he's in.
The action scenes are incredible, and the jokes didn't piss me off like the usual superhero jokes do. It also has a lot of relevance to todays war on terror!
I loved this movie. I am not a comic book reader, but some mates I went with are and they loved it too.
Word of advice: Stay until the end of the closing credits. I didn't really understand, but my mates told me Marvel fans will be wetting their pants. Infact, I think one of my mates did!!

Fast Food Nation

"... the truth is we all have to eat a little shit from time to time."
Based around a fictional McDonalds type fast food chain called 'Mickeys', this movie delves into more than just the restaurant customers eat in. As well as the restaurant and its employees, it goes behind the scenes at Mickeys head office and the slaughterhouse where the meat used in their burgers comes from.
The characters range from the big bosses at the top of the chain, the employees in one of the restaurants, a group of Mexican immigrants who are employed in the slaughterhouse, and some teenage eco warriors desperate to fight back at the fast food corporation.
It certainly feels like a realistic insight into well known fast food chains. If you have a weak stomach it may put you off eating at these kinds of chains again, and if you're a vegetarian this movie will certainly make you feel angry and sick at times.
To a certain degree it also focuses on some of the characters personal lives, but the main message is clear: These corporations are in no way good, from the quality of the food, to the conditions the animals are kept in.
*warning* There are real images of animals being slaughtered towards the end of the movie.

Aileen - Life and Death of a Serial Killer

I saw this before the movie 'Monster' which is a dramatisation about Aileen Wuornos. Monster in no way shows the 'real' Aileen.
This is 100% real. Nick Broomfield interviews Aileen on camera many times, and develops a relationship with her. It's fascinating, disturbing, yet also incredibly tragic. This woman is a murderer, but she is also clearly mentally ill. Her story changes frequently from denial to admittance, and stories of government conspiracies to create and cash in on the worlds first female serial killer.
I'm not going to deny the fact that I sympathised with Aileen, not for her actions.. It's hard to explain, but this documentary made me feel very sad. Her last scene and meeting with Nick before her death was especially hard to watch.
I think this is a must see for all.

El Orfanato (The Orphanage)

As The Orphanage is a Spanish movie, I will write my review in Spanish.
"Uno, dos, tres, golpe en la puerta"
Salté en esta película, absolutamente algunas veces realmente. Actualmente, nunca salto! Me siento allí después de mirar una película asustadiza y pienso "donde estaban los sustos"? Esta película no era aterrorizante, pero la combinación de grandes sonidos y la cinematografía hermosa agregan a las frialdades. La escena con Geraldine Chaplin como el clarividente era asombrosa. Tirado en la visión nocturna, ella habla a un cuarto de niños muertos. Era espeluznante, y un poco desgarrador. "Uno, dos, tres" el juego jugado por Laura como adulto era también muy eficaz, pero la lleva en última instancia a un descubrimiento devastador. El Orfanato no es perfecto, todavía había algunos de los viejos clichés intacto y usted notará los elementos de otras películas del género, pero todavía está mucho mejor que la mayoría de las películas de terror de Hollywood.

Son of Rambow

An incredibly sweet, clever, funny movie. The story of two young boys from very different backgrounds who build an incredible friendship through a mutual passion; They are remaking 'First Blood' for a short film competition, albeit in a very imaginative way that includes evil scarecrows and flying dogs!
The boys come across conflicts in their friendship, but also in their personal lives. It's a beautiful coming of age movie that's bursting with originality. I was in stitches of laughter one minute, but holding back the tears another. Maybe i'm getting soft in my years?

Funny Games

I have to admit, I was on edge through most of this because i'd heard it was one of the most disturbing movies ever. Although it certainly isn't without disturbing moments, I don't actually agree with that.
A better word for describing Funny Games is infuriating! I wasn't so much disturbed by what I saw happening on screen as I was angered by it. At times I became so angry with the calmly psychotic intruders that my fists were constantly clenched. My knuckles were white and my fingernails felt like they would break the skin of my palms at any second.
It set my heart racing from anger, suspense.. It was daring, refreshing.. I give this a high-ish rating because it made me feel something. It'll stay with me for a while, but I won't watch it again. I probably won't watch the remake either.
I'm sorry for the vague review, I don't really know what to say about it...

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Yet another great collbration of Tim Burton and Johnny Depp that is set to be a classic!!! Great acting and directing as you have come to expect from the pair. Helena Bonham Carter really brings Mrs Lovett to life and a perfectly casted supporting cast makes sure that his is a hit!!!

The Color of Paradise

There are moments of such beauty in this movie that it makes you forget how fucked up the world is right now. The simple lives of the community seem very idylic compared to our often selfish and materialistic ones.
At the centre of the movie is Mohammad, a blind boy with a gift: He sees beauty through touch and sound, and it is captured wonderfully through the amazing film-making. The scenes where Mohammad feels his way through flowering fields and even up a tree to save a baby bird are so beautiful that they take your breath away and may even make you shed a tear. His love for his family is incredible, and the relationship he has with his Granny is so touching.
His father is a frustrated man who feels having a blind son is far from perfect. There are moments when you hate Mohammad's father for his actions...
This movie is far from hollow, mainstream pictures that only serve the purpose of entertainment. The ending is one of such aching beauty, it will stay with you forever.
This is deep, inspirational and yet again I will say beautiful... I can not stress that enough.

Jet Li's Fearless (Huo Yuan Jia) (Legend of a Fighter)

I have 2 say i loved this film. This is the story of Huo Yuanjia the founder of the Jin Wu Sports Federation and Jet Li is fantastic as the lead role. Great action and fight scenes as well as beautifully shot. A must see for any martial arts and Jet Li fans

The Host (Gwoemul)

Day Watch (Dnevnoi Dozor)

Ok not as good as Night Watch but still an fantastic film that is well worth a look

Day Watch (Dnevnoi Dozor)

Ok not as good as Night Watch but still an fantastic film that is well worth a look