Murder 2

'Murder 2' is a desperately dark film.

Starring: Emraan Hashmi, Prashant Narayanan, Jacqueline Fernandez, Sulagna Panigrahi

Director: Mohit Suri

The sequel to Murder is nothing like the first part of the frenetic franchise. And Jacqueline Fernandez who has been built up in Murder 2 as the next Mallika Sherawat is nothing like the overrated Mallika.Thank God for that! Fernandez exudes an unbridled sunniness even when pouting in the bare minimum. Alas, she doesn't have much to do in Murder 2 except swathe the dark drama in a spot of sunshine.

God knows this film about the devil-unleashed, surprisingly written by a woman (Shagufta Rafique) needs that little of sunshine. It is a desperately dark film. The characters are wretchedly unhappy. No matter which side of the moral line they are positioned they are standing screaming into the abyss that is suburban life. These people need serious help.

This then, is the world Mahesh Bhatt has bequeathed to us. Take it and bleed it.

Director Mohit Suri who earlier took us on a jolting trip through the world of prostitution, pimps and desperate cops in Kalyug takes the same route again. On this occasion the journey is far more ruthless and rigorously implemented to create horror repugnance and hatred for a word that we've created for coming generations.

In the typical Mahesh Bhatt style Murder 2 doesn't waste time in back-projections and story build-up. He goes straight for the kill. With trenchant immediacy director Mohit Suri (back in Kalyug form after the misfire that was his last film Crook) tells us the story of a psychopathic killer who kills prostitutes with the pleasure that makes your stomach churn and look anxiously towards the future about your daughter who is just stepping into the big wide world.

Who knows if the man sitting next to her in the movie theatre is a closet-nutcase with a collection of hacksaws in his house, and not to carve up the Christmas turkey.

Prashant Narayanan as the psychopath plays the character at such an even pitch he makes your blood freeze in fear and revulsion. Here's a man who could be that ghoul who butchered all those kids in the Nethra killings and then ate them up without a burp.

The 'hero' in Murder 2 is a burn-out suspended cop who makes money out of criminals, stays sullen and haunted throughout the film except when he goes for the kiss, and offers his girlfriend a wad of notes after making love. To buy the fridge, he says. Naturally the lady freezes.

Force of habit, we say. Hashmi has done this kind of a role repeatedly. The kissing and vigorous bedroom activities are quickly taken care of in the first 15 minutes. Wouldn't want the lovers of the serial kisser to feel they're being cheated in favour of the serial killer.

The wacked-out killer in Murder 2 doesn't eat his victims. He just cuts them down to sighs and groans and shrieks of pain and records their dying voices to get his rockers off.

The plot seems original. The narration is clenched and the characters driven by a desperate urge to assert themselves before death rings their doorbell.

The savagery with which the college-going call girl (Sulagna Panigrahi) is brought to her gruesome death becomes a metaphor for the loss of innocence and the triumph of diabolism that is often garbed in designer labels these days.

Murder 2 is not a pleasant film to view. The psychopath's killings are done in graphic detail. The storytelling offers no respite from the brutality. Most of the time we are looking at happenings that we would rather not see. But see, we must.

Murder 2 is a mirror of our amoral venomous times when no relationship is sacred anymore. Mohit Suri remains in command of the murky material and traumatized characters. While most episodes hold together in a riveting rhythm of life's most unsavoury truths, the sequences featuring Prashant Naraynan work better than the rest of the film. He lends the proceedings a credibility that is unsettling.

Patiala House Movie Review

Movie Review: Patiala House;

Star cast: Akshay Kumar, Anushka Sharma, Rishi Kapoor, Dimple Kapadia, Prem Chopra; Director: Nikhil Advani;
Rating: ***1/2 – Give it a try.

Patiala House is a long awaited Akshay Kumar flick. It is directed by Nikhil Advani and promises to deliver an engaging family drama to the audience. Unlike the other recent releases of the Khiladi, this movie promises to delve deeper into the human emotions and the relationships.

The movie is interwoven with the popular game of cricket but it could have been any other game as well. It wouldn’t have disturbed the flow of the story. The film narrates the story of a second generation Indian in UK, namely Akshay as Gattu. Rishi Kapoor plays the role of a father to Akshay; and has strict traditional values, that are against the aspirations of Gattu.

Gattu forgets about his dreams and follows the life, directed by his father. But, life presents a second chance to Gattu after many years.

The film showcases different emotions and is sure to moisten the eyes of the audience. As the film unfolds and both Bapuji and Gattu adapts to the changing social conditions the movie reminds us about the evolving social changes going around us. Also, the story gives the audience an under lying message that life always gives a second chance and a person should never loose heart.

The film reaches it pinnacle when Bapuji let Gattu play cricket for England and an emotionally charged Gattu utilizes the second chance to be included in the team and wins the cricket match.

Anushka Sharma acts in the role of Simran, the love interest of Gattu in the movie. The trio of Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy has directed the music of the movie. The “Kyun Main Jaagoon” is a soul churning number and good to the ears. Lets hope, the melodrama provides Bollywood with good box-office results.

Dave Lindahl

IRON MAN 2 Blu-ray Review

"Iron Man 2" Sells More Than 1 Million DVDs in One Day.

Judging purely the film itself, “Iron Man 2” is a disappointment, a reasonably-entertaining slice of superhero escapism that still falls a bit short of its predecessor and fails to capitalize on what worked about that film. But this is not solely a film review and the Blu-ray is a stunner; a perfectly-transferred film with excellent special features. It’s a complete package even if the film may not be.

The HD video and audio on “Iron Man 2” are among the best released this year. Not only has the picture been perfectly mixed for HD but the sound will blow you away. It’s the kind of audio mix that they use to sell stereos and “Iron Man 2” is the kind of film that simply works better when it pops off the screen and allows its excellent sound design to marvel.

As for the movie, “Iron Man 2” could best be described as an encore to the killer first set. It’s too-minor a variation on what worked about the hit 2008 film that also incorporates the missteps of the original. Rather than try and expand the universe of “Iron Man,” director Jon Favreau and writer Justin Theroux seem to be doing everything not to anger fans of the original mega-hit. So, while “Iron Man 2” works, no one can claim that it takes enough risks to truly distinguish itself. It’s the same bucket of popcorn entertainment, only now its a little staler and more covered in CGI butter.

“Iron Man 2” picks up immediately after the brilliant ending of the first film. Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) has revealed his alter ego to the world as we are introduced to Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke), a Russian inventor who happens to be watching the press conference while he works on technology similar to the one that saved Tony’s life and made him a crimson superhero.

The film will get back to Vanko, but first our hero needs another crisis of conscience. He’s sold to the world that his very existence is the greatest instrument of peace. No one is going to f**k with anyone with Iron Man on patrol. Of course, that’s not going to last.

Both Vanko and rival weapons manufacturer Justin Hammer (an effective Sam Rockwell) are working on their own Iron Man technology. After a very impressive action sequence at the Grand Prix in Monaco in which Vanko unleashes his technical expertise on the world, Stark is forced to face the fact that just being Iron Man has not brought peace to a planet his father’s company helped to arm.

Final Destination 5

"Final Destination 5" adds four to cast.

A new crop of victims is assembling for "Final Destination 5" (a.k.a. "5nal Destination"), which starts shooting September 13 in Vancouver.

David Koechner, Nicholas D'Agosto, P.J. Byrne and Ellen Wroe are joining the already-cast Miles Fisher in the latest installment of the New Line movie series, which centers on the idea that you can't cheat death.

Each installment focuses on a group of people who survive a catastrophe but end up expiring in elaborate Rube Goldberg-like fashion. The new movie sees the new batch of victims, co-workers on a corporate retreat, escaping the collapse of a city's suspension bridge.

Koechner ("The Office") is playing a clueless executive, D'Agosto ("Heroes") is playing a guy who doesn't make fast decisions in his own life.

Byrne ("Dinner for Schmucks") plays an obnoxious kleptomaniac. Relative newcomer Wroe plays the daughter of a company executive, a woman with gymnast training who is a little snobby and for whom everything is a contest.

Also, Tony Todd, who's been involved in all but one of the "Destination" movies, is back playing Mr. Bludworth. Steven Quale directs.

Movie Review: Vampires Suck

Movie Review, Story Description and Exclusive Trailer of Vampires Suck.

Vampires Suck takes the parody-style of Scary Movie to the realm of vampires...or rather, the realm of the Twilight Saga. Kidzworld has the inside scoop.

The film basically summarizes Twilight and New Moon. And in one line, it gives away the entire plot of the upcoming Breaking Dawn film. If you haven’t read the book, this movie will spoil it for you.

It would have been nice if the writers had incorporated the vampire TV shows like The Vampire Diaries or True Blood just to mix up the plot a little. Vampires Suck was strictly making fun of Twilight, with a few references to reality show stars like the Kardashian sisters.

Character Names

All the characters names have been altered slightly—Bella to Becca, Alice to Iris, Jessica to Jennifer, etc. Edward and Jacob got to keep their first names in order to make fun of the “Team Edward” vs. “Team Jacob” conflict. However, their last names were switched from Cullen to Sullen, and from Black to White.

Becca Crane

The characters were well cast, particularly Jenn Proske who played Becca Crane (Bella Swan). She seemed to master the voice, stutter and quick speech that Kristen Stewart has become stereotypically famous for.

Familiar Faces

You’ll recognize a few familiar faces (behind all the make-up, that is). Matt Lanter, who plays Edward Sullen also plays Liam, the mopey on-again, off-again boyfriend of Naomi, on the new 90210. You’ll also know Diedrich Bader who plays Becca’s father as Oswald from The Drew Carey Show.

Inception : Movie Review

Movie Review, Story Description and Exclusive Trailer of Inception.

Inception:

:: Director: Christopher Nolan
:: Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen Page, Dileep Rao, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Michael Caine, Ken Watanabe
:: Running Time: 150 mins
:: Rating: M - Contains Medium Level Violence
:: Release Date: July 22, 2010

Watching Inception was like gulping down an ice cold beer knowing the rest of the six-pack is still to go, after being lost without hope in the Gobi Desert of Hollywood re-makes, sequels and movies-by-numbers for what feels like a living eternity.

The well-crafted and all-encompassing veil of secrecy this film has been hidden under since it’s, um, inception, has been catnip to Nolan fans everywhere. Inception is the most talked about non-vampire movie of the year so far and barrelled straight to number 3 on the IMDb.com Top 250 Films. Only The Godfather and perennial fan-boy favourite The Shawshank Redemption are more popular.

So what’s all the fuss about?

I'm not telling you anything you shouldn't already know about Inception when I say this is a movie about dreams.

It’s about a thief called Cobb, played by Leonardo DiCaprio (What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, The Aviator), who can access people's dreams, and steal their ideas.

He has some issues to sort, and a past to atone for. One last job and he might just get the chance to go home.

Effectively, you could call Inception a heist movie. You could call it a love story. You could call it science fiction, I guess, but of this world. We all dream, imagine if those dreams weren't just ours alone.

It's immersive and thought-provoking, set in a big screen world delivered so flawlessly through seamless CGI and live action, that it feels like a film CGI was invented for.

The cast is top-notch. DiCaprio delivers, as does Marion Cotillard (La Vie en Rose, Public Enemies). Brit Tom Hardy moves from his Handsome Bob outing in RocknRolla and slots in nicely here, Joseph Gordon-Levitt (500 Days of Summer, Brick) and Ellen Page (Juno, Hard Candy) are similarly well-cast. Nolan regular Cillian Murphy (Batman Begins, The Dark Knight) is a Nolan regular for a reason, I loved him again here.

See it on the biggest screen with the loudest sound you can find, and lose yourself in Chris Nolan’s dream-world. You may never want to wake up.

Salt : Movie Review

Movie Review, Story Description and Exclusive Trailer of Salt.

Starring: Angelina Jolie, Liev Schreiber, Chiwetel Ejiofor.
Directed by: Phillip Noyce.
Produced by: Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Sunil Perkash.
Music by: James Newton Howard.
Written by: Kurt Wimmer, Brian Helgeland.
Release date: July 23, 2010.

"Salt" is, quite literally, a shaggy dog story.

Despite the cryptic ads that pose the question, "Who Is Salt?" and regardless of the various twists and turns designed to throw us off, the intentions of Angelina Jolie's super-spy character, Evelyn Salt, are never really in question. This is obvious, based on one comparatively small gesture in an early scene.

Salt, a CIA officer accused of being a Russian spy, dashes home to grab the supplies she needs to go on the run and hunt for her husband, who's missing. She grabs a backpack hidden in a trunk full of clothes, but while she's there she also sees her scruffy, little terrier, padding about the apartment, nervous because everything is in upheaval. Once she escapes by climbing out the window and slinking from ledge to ledge, high above the sidewalk — barefoot in a pencil skirt, in the winter, no less — she persuades a young girl in a neighbouring apartment to let her in.

There, Salt opens the backpack and produces — you guessed it — the aforementioned scruffy, little terrier. (Good thing they didn't have a Great Dane.) And you realize right then and there that anyone who would go to that much trouble to save a dog cannot be a bad person. It's impossible. So from that point on, while there's tension in "Salt," there really is no suspense. Any attempts to confuse us about our heroine's true nature — and there are many — feel like an elaborate sham.

Under the direction of Phillip Noyce, though, at least it's a well-made sham. "Salt" allows Noyce to return to the kind of action thrillers he's made previously, like the Tom Clancy adaptations "Patriot Games" and "Clear and Present Danger." It's muscular, gritty and propulsive. (Robert Elswit, an Oscar winner for "There Will Be Blood," is the cinematographer.) It's also totally ludicrous and lacking in even the slightest shred of humanity.

It's intriguing that, while a man originally was the main character in Kurt Wimmer's script (and reportedly was to be played by Tom Cruise), making Salt a woman in no way depletes the film of its brawniness. But Jolie expressed interest in playing James Bond a few years back, and voila — Edwin Salt became Evelyn Salt. No actress working today is as convincing an action star as Jolie, and she does tear it up here; the fight scenes are visceral, not balletic like the "Tomb Raider" movies or supernaturally trippy as in "Wanted."

But what Jolie is called upon to do grows increasingly difficult to accept, even for summer escapism. Stunts that would result in serious injury or even death to the average person are nothing for Salt. She jumps off an overpass and onto a moving 18-wheeler, then onto a tanker truck, then onto another semi before landing on the windshield of a cab, stealing a motorcycle and zipping away. She leaps from a moving subway train onto a platform, rolls and just gets up and runs. She gets shot and places a maxi-pad on the wound.

Yes, she's supposed to be a highly trained undercover operative — whether she's working for the United States or Russia — but this is ridiculous and even laughable when, in theory, we're supposed to be engrossed.

Salt's identity first comes into question while she's interrogating a Russian defector (Daniel Olbrychski) who tells of sleeper cells that have infiltrated the U.S., made up of spies who've been indoctrinated since childhood. One of them is on a mission to kill the Russian president during a visit to New York. The person's name: Evelyn Salt.

Naturally, when Salt flees, it makes her look a little guilty. Her associate and good friend Ted Winters (Liev Schreiber, solid in everything) wants to believe she's innocent, but the counterintelligence agent on the case (Chiwetel Ejiofor in a largely one-note role) immediately mistrusts her and sends out the big guns to bring her down.

It would be easier to care about her motives and her fate if she were fleshed out even a little bit more. As it is, Salt is all business. We don't know how she truly feels about her husband, who's crucial to a couple of scenes, and we never know how she feels about the many acts of violence she commits over a short time — some of them questionable, many of them deadly.

It's easy to figure out what Salt is. But who is she? That's a question the film never really seemed interested in answering.

"Salt," a Columbia Pictures release, is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action. Running time: 93 minutes. Two stars out of four.

___

Motion Picture Association of America rating definitions:

G — General audiences. All ages admitted.

PG — Parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

PG-13 — Special parental guidance strongly suggested for children under 13. Some material may be inappropriate for young children.

R — Restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

NC-17 — No one under 17 admitted.

Prince of Persia : Movie Review

Movie Review, Story Description and Exclusive Trailer of Prince of Persia.

Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Arterton, Ben Kingsley
Director: Mike Newell
Genre: Adventure/ Action
Rating: ****

India Release Date: 28th May 2010

Prince of Persia is a popcorn film which can be enjoyed if not taken too seriously. The film seems to have made especially for the teen audience in mind as it boasts of an ample amount of mindless action, magical escapades, running, jumping, hiding & chasing around. Two hours of timepass is guaranteed if you don’t give much thought to where the film is heading.

Based on a video game, the film pretty much looks like one as Dastan (Jake Gyllenhaal), the adopted son of King of Persia and thus a rogue prince battles it out with pretty much everyone in Persia to save the magic dagger and his lost honour. Giving the prince company is Princess Tamina (Gemma Arterton) who knows a lot more about the mystical power of the dagger and how it has to be guarded for the safety of the universe.
It all begins when Dastan is falsely accused of murdering his father by the king’s real sons. Dastan believes only the king’s brother (Ben Kingsley) trusts him. He thus absconds in order to prove himself innocent to the uncle, suspecting his own brothers to be culprits.

Meanwhile, the magic dagger is capable of turning back time. Will Dastan and Tamina be able to safeguard the dagger and can the dagger turn around Dastan’s fate is what forms the story.

The film has a strong Arabian flavour to it, thanks to its colourful exotic outfits, bronzed star cast and the beautiful picturisation of the sandstorm and deserts. The action scenes comprising of the sword fighting, snake fighting, horse riding and Ostrich riding is entertaining too. The special effects are not ground breaking but are decent enough to keep you hooked.

Sir Ben Kinglsey has nothing much to do, Gemma Arterton will remind you a lot of Bollywood actress Lara Dutta. Jake Gyllenhaal makes for a decent epic film action hero. He showcases his athleticism perfectly as he keeps jumping and bouncing around swiftly in the deserts of Persia, giving his enemies a tough time. Though, he still needs to work on his body language to get into the league of Russell Crowe (Gladiator) or Brad Pitt (Troy). He has worked on his body just fine.

What badly stands out is pretty much every actor in the film looks Persian but speaks in a British accent. No Middle Eastern actor has been given a pivotal role in the film which would have been an ideal thing to do.
The film doesn’t lead on to anything unlike the video game which leads on to the next level.

Although as said earlier, two hours of high octane action with magic and mythology thrown is not too bad either. Grab the popcorn and take the family along to Persia for a blithesome treasure hunt...

Robin Hood : Movie Review

Movie Review, Story Description and Exclusive Trailer of Robin Hood.

Russell Crowe has buffed up and leaned down for his foray into Nottingham.

He’s looking good, and he's back doing what Russ does so well, wielding a sword or two and bellowing inspirationally at his loyal soldiers at arms.

“Gladiator-in-Tights” anyone? This is certainly reminiscent of those heady days of Maximus Decimus Meridius, and no doubting Sir Ridley is keen to tap into that same passionate market.

Gladiator aside, perhaps the best way to view this new Robin Hood is as a prequel to the original story we know well. This is the rise, through the rose and fake blood-tinted lens of Hollywood, of Robin of Sherwood, before he was outlawed, and still serving his king.

Cate Blanchett dons Maid Marion’s robes, and there's more class on screen in the form of William Hurt and also Mark Strong, the new go-to guy for the role of Very Bad Man.

The story begins with our Robin Longstride fighting alongside King Richard in the crusades, until his fortunes dictate he must return to his homeland of England with a newly-found posse of Merry Men. Home isn’t what it used to be, taxes are gathered in a rather more vigorous manner than we get with the IRD, and Robin finds himself at war with all sorts of folk. Of course, feisty Marion has her part to play in his affections.

This is a far more earnest and serious Robin Hood, which in essence isn’t a bad thing. But disappointingly, while I don’t consider myself a bloodthirsty cinemagoer, watching a bloody battle unfold with nary a drop spilled lacks a certain credibility. A box office price worth paying for the “M” rating perhaps, but awards favourites Braveheart and Gladiator managed just fine on that front.

All up, it might pay to bear in mind my weakness for the "Unleash hell" of the aforementioned Gladiator, and please don’t behead me, but I even loved the hugely entertaining kitsch of the Costner/Freeman/Rickman Prince of Thieves. So no surprise that I found plenty to like with our new Robin Hood. I loved Crowe and Blanchett together, and while I don't see this Robin being nearly as enduring as his predecessors, it was still a good three and a half star watch.

Robin Hood

:: Director:Ridley Scott
:: Starring: Russell Crowe, Cate Blanchett and Mark Strong
:: Running Time: 128 mins
:: Rating: M – Violence and sexual references
:: Release Date:
UK Release: 12th May
USA Release: 14th May
Australian Release: 13th May

Badmaash Company: Movie Review

Movie Review, Story Description and Exclusive Trailer of Badmaash Company.

"Badmaash Company"- sounds like something associated with terror, or black marketing, or illegality! Don’t get fooled by the title of the movie. This is something, which will make you feel romantic and entertained.

"Badmaash Company" is romantic comedy based on four friends; Shahid Kapoor and his gang of three friends -- Anushka, Vir Das, and Chang -- who are dreaming of getting rich quickly.

Film: Badmaash Company
Director: Parmeet Sethi
Actors: Shahid Kapur, Anushka Sharma
Rating: **

The father (Anupam Kher), an old, stable, middle-class family man, and a salaried employee of 25 years in the same company, can barely recognise the son he’s raised. This may have little to do with the upbringing, more to do with the times of opportunities and restless ambitions they’re in.

The son is clear: “Meri mehnat ka fayda sirf mujhe hona chahiye. Mere boss ya meri company ko nahin (The fruits of my effort should accrue to me alone; not to my boss, or my company).”

The boy’s still intrinsically bright, and the father warns, “You have sharp brains. The problem is, you know it. This can either take you really far, or eventually pin you down, depending on the direction you take.” As an audience, you’re aware both will happen. This is a film -- with its own notions of redemption and poetic justice -- after all.

You’re also somewhat ready for this ‘Catch Me If You Can’ ride. The kid chucks his MBA entrance preparations. His friends join in. An idea strikes him. He scores a bronze. Another idea hits his head – supplying useless leather gloves to an import firm, and scramming off with the loot. He scores silver. Yet another scheme – a silly mortgage-foreclosure swindle in the American real estate. He picks up gold again.

But he’s still at this point a small-time scam artiste. The film suddenly assumes it’s time to get self-seriously preachy, lest its intentions be misunderstood. The group breaks up. The father shows off his honest achievements. The hero, ascribed the “bada aadmi” (big man) is deserted, desolate, and done with. The thrill’s over, already.

We sit through reels contemplating the corrupting nature of dishonesty, over-ambition, greed, arrogance and sundry other hungry beasts -- not very different from the other Shahid Kapoor film (John Matthew Mathan’s Shikhar). And you forget why this ride had started out being so much fun in the first place.

Well, here’s why. The year’s the mid ‘90s, the opening curve of India’s liberalising economy. Shahid Kapoor and Anushka Sharma play the typical Bunty and Babli pair: girl wants to be "top model"; boy, the richest dude in town. This is the time, the film superbly captures, when FM meant a certain minister, and not the radio. Cellphones were a figment of science fiction. Two TV stations entertained an entire country. You even had a piddly $500 limit on how much of your own money you could spend abroad. You could barely shop in dollars if you made your money in rupees.

Indian Customs protected us from the pleasures of a good life. It was their duty. And that's what they applied -- a duty on everything from a watch to your shoes, sometime about 120 per cent.

The factory outlet those days (if you knew someone at the Customs) was the Custom House that auctioned seized stuff at dirt-cheap rates. Anyone would turn smuggler on such terms. So does the hero, his girlfriend, and two loyal friends -- one’s a slick womaniser (Vir Das); the other, a northeastern lad who, like everyone from the north-east, has to bear Chinese jokes, being Indian (Meiyang Chang, sweetly inspired character).

They import un-wearable shoes; reject their own consignment; pick it up from the Customs auction later. The picture’s premise is strong. The setting is solid. The scam’s quite awesome. The friends make for quite a foursome. All are equally endearing. As are their antics. And then the screen flashes, Interval. Everything dopily goes down a slope thereafter, and onward to America, arrogance and all that jazz.

You can tell when a script's half-written. But up till that point, written phenomenally well. Shriram Raghavan’s Ek Haseena Thi remains the finest example. From Yashraj (the producers of this film), Siddharth Anand’s Bachna Ae Haseeno is a decent instance. This one’s really quite a case study as well.

Sura review: Landmark movie for Vijay

Sura Movie Review : Sura Movie, Sura Tamil Movie Review , Sura Review.

Director SP Rajkumar’s summer release ‘Sura’ hit the theaters on April 30, 2010 worldwide.

Starring Ilayathalapathy Vijay and Tamanna for the first time in a lead role, ‘Sura’ is expected to be a blockbuster this summer. The much-talked movie ‘Sura’ will be a landmark for Vijay’s career.

Vijay will also smash the half-century of films with the film Sura. The Movie has been awarded ‘U’ certificate that means it will be watchable with family members.
Enjoy the weekend with Sura. The review of the Movie Sura will be available just after its release on Friday.

But promo and preview suggests, you can book your ticket in advance to enjoy this weekend. Another reason to watch the movie is its distribution. The movie Sura was distributed by Sun pictures, which guarantees success.

Cinegoers will get action, love romance and thriller in the movie.

You can also post your review here below as comment after watching the movie.

Movie: Sura
Cast: Ilayathalapathy Vijay, Tamanna, Vadivelu, Sriman
Director: SP Rajakumar
Music Director: Mani Sharma
Certification: U

Sura Tamil Movie Exclusive Trailer

Ilaya Thalapathi Vijay's 50th film Sura Music Review

Vijay's 50th movie Sura is directed by S.P. Rajkumar and produced by Sangili Murgan with music is by Mani Sharma. In comparison to Vijay's previous movie Vettaikaran that had some real heavy rhythms and techno music, Sura's music is relatively milder. Easy tunes, simple beats and even simpler lyrics constitute each number.

'Siragadikum Nilavu' sung by Karthik and Reeta is essentially a melody layered with some quick beats. The saxophone in the interlude is a nice relief between the stanzas. Pieces of the composition seem inspired from older numbers. Nevertheless, the track is a pleasant one that grows on you.

'Thanjavoor Jillakari' starts off on a very promising and interesting note with some rather quaint humming and catchy beats that have you nodding right away. And when the song begins in the voices of Hemachandra and Saindhavi, it's as impressive as the fun opening. The English lyrics however dampen the charm. But we'll let it pass, because the rest of the number has a nice sensual and mischievous touch to it, in terms of lyrics, vocals and instrumentation that command repeat hearing!

'Vettri Kodi Yaethu' has some rather inspirational lyrics and since the attention is more to the lyrics, the tune is simple. Mani Sharma has inserted some quick beats in the interludes. An interesting relief from the basic rhythm is the clapping, which adds a fun element to the number. Ranjith and Mukesh are the voices behind the song.

'Thamizhan Veera Thamizhan' is in many ways similar to 'Vettri Kodi Yaethu'. It follows the same music and lyric structure. The song might possibly be Vijay's opening song – the lyrics sing the praise of a single man who is all powerful and ever right. Rahul Nambiyar's powerful rendition reinforces the unparalleled strength of the protagonist.

'Vanga Kadal Ellai' continues the trend of the short lines of rhyming lyrics that can be seen in all the songs of the album. But the fast kuthu beats immediately conjure up the image of Vijay putting in some super-tough steps and amazing us all once more! A typical kuthu song to impress the fans of the mass man. The voices of Naveen and Malathi Lakshman add zing to this pacey number.

Prince: Movie Review

Movie Review, Story Description and Exclusive Trailer of Prince.

Director: Kookie Gulati
Casting: Vivek Oberoi, Aruna Shields, Isaiah

Music video director Kookie Gulati’s feature film debut is designed in the video game mode where, at level one, the lead player robs diamonds by kilos but the story lacks weight. At level two, Gulati chooses to be in his comfort zone and establishes the player’s heist handiness through a music video montage in opening credits.

At level three, Prince (Vivek Oberoi) wakes up wondering who he is, unable to remember anything. At level four he has to decode the real Maya amongst three babes (Neeru Singh, Nandana Sen, Aruna Shields) all of who claim to be his girlfriend and partner in crime. You are assured this game isn’t a version of The Bourne Identity series by level five by when the story loses level-headedness.

A neurologist explains that medical science still hasn’t been able to decipher the intricacies of the human mind. Ironically in the very next scene, some brain-mapping device is able to scan the memory of Prince and project crystal clear images of all past happenings in his life. If that isn’t ludicrous enough, you are also enlightened that the human memory of Prince is transferred on some chip and he has to trace it within a week to survive. Sadly in age of pen-drives, writers take audiences for granted, scripting sci-fi stories beyond belief. More importantly this supposed thriller isn’t even intended to be a sci-fi.

One would have attempted to overlook the cyborg credibility in the storyline had the film been steady in other departments. But Prince is marred with perfunctory performances, standard stunt sequences (Allan Amin), repetitive cinematography shots (Vishnu Rao) and corny dialogues (Mayur Puri). Nicolas Trembasiewicz attempts to package these inconsistencies with his glossy editing.

Vivek Oberoi plays his part mechanically with his attitude throwing antics. Nandana Sen seems miscast and fails to impress. Neeru Singh lacks screen-presence and isn’t given much screen-time either. Aruna Shields displays good anatomy but is raw on performing arts. Sanjay Kapoor is a cheap imitation of Anil Kapoor’s cop character from Race . Isaiah is functional as the negative lead.

Vivek Oberoi suffers intermittent convulsions through the film as his brain hangs like a computer. Wish the viewer had a Ctrl+Alt+Del option. Alas all they can do is curse the makers literally asking them ‘ dimag kharab ho gaya kya? ’

Phoonk 2 : Movie Review

Movie Review, Story Description and Exclusive Trailer of Phoonk 2.

Director: Milind Gadagkar

Casting: Sudeep, Amruta Khanvilkar, Ashwini Kalsekar

Ram Gopal Varma seems to be hell-bent to break his own records. When we were convinced that horror films can’t get horrible than Agyaat, RGV clears our misconception with Phoonk 2. In this horrendous attempt, Ramu pays a homage to all his earlier made horror flicks, extends the tribute to Ramsay mould of face horror and ends it on the note of (believe it or faint) his arch rival Karan Johar’s template of tearjerkers.

There is absolutely no regards to the story and the focus is merely on resorting to as much technical gimmickry as possible from standard sound effects, shocking shot-takings and gyrating camera movements. To get the dead of the prequel, back to life is the most lifeless way to start a sequel and Phoonk 2 does exactly that.

The story starts on the same old grounds of a family shifting to a new bungalow which is haunted. Rajiv (Sudeep) and Aarti (Amruta Khanvilkar) venture into new verandah with the premise(s) not being much different from RGV’s Vaastu Shastra. Their kids get home a doll they find in the woods but scaring through such plastic faces in present times is no child’s play. Further a couple runs helter-skelter through jungle as if they have seen Ramu’s Agyaat. Finally the filmmaker seeks the spirit from Bhoot as Aarti is possessed by the ghost of Madhu (Ashwini Kalsekar) who was killed in the prequel.

An owl-eyed exorcist (Jeeva) is added for no good reason. Amidst most predictable proceedings a wife wakes up from nightmares screaming ‘koi hai... koi hai’ and the husband keeps repeating ‘just relax... just relax’. The concluding reels are a tiresome hide-and-seek game between the ghost and the gharwale where a white-faced, white-eyed banshee follows every family member walking in robotic steps like Ramsay’s zombies.

Suddenly the family starts mourning on the death of their female head and after ten minutes of this emotional trauma, the end credits roll. And you keep wondering... What happened to the evil? What happened to good ole Ram Gopal Varma? What happened to the basic cinematic belief of victory of good over evil? If the makers want to extent the answers in another sequel, that thought is scarier than this entire film.

Phoonk 2 could win an award for the most long-drawn-out sequences ever with practically nothing happening in most of the scenes. The lethargic pace doesn’t add to the effect but only tests your patience levels. Milind Gadagkar’s screenplay is as much disappointing as much as his direction. He tries to tune himself in Ram Gopal Varma’s technique of horror-thrillers but sadly RGV has become so repetitive that he no more seems to be a trendsetter. Gadagkar employs every cliché from spooky dream sequences, unreflecting mirrors, blood-gore to face horror but fails to impress with his lack of innovation. The only residual redeeming scenes include minced-murder of a domestic help, a kitchen-sequence and termination of the tantric.

Sudeep just repeats his act from the first part. Amruta Khanvilkar was better off without the plastic makeup. Ashwini Kalsekar could have been used to more spooky effect. Child actor Ahsaas Channa doesn’t get much scope this time. Neeru Bajwa and Amit Sadh are wasted.

Phoonk 2 literally blows things out of proportion. Watching this film is like indulging in two hours of foreplay with no sex.

Kick-Ass : Movie Review

Movie Review, Story Description and Exclusive Trailer of Kick-Ass 2010.

Direction : Matthew Vaughan
Starring : Aaron Johnston, Nicolas Cage, Chloe Moritz, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Mark Strong

Dave Lizewski wonders why, in the “real” world of his movie, no-one has donned a superhero mask to defend the innocent from Manhattan’s strangely brazen and abundant muggers, mafiosos, and other criminal types.

Of course, there’s that “Armenian guy with a history of mental health problems” whom we see plunge, masked and caped, to his doom from a rooftop in the first scene, but he doesn’t quite fit the bill.

So Dave sets out to fill the gap himself, inspired by his own fury at an indifferent witness who, when Dave is mugged in front of him, neglects to call the police even from the safety of his upstairs vantage point.

As titular everyday hero Kick-Ass, Dave dons a green scuba-diving suit accessorized with truncheons like police batons that he straps to his back, ninja-style. He even becomes an immediate YouTube sensation when he is video-taped defending a man from a group beating, earning instant infamy even as his high-school alter-ego tries to cope with a very different sort of super-power: “being invisible to girls.”

But Dave’s burgeoning heroics as Kick-Ass soon bring him into conflict with the sorts of organized criminals he is completely unprepared to take on (though his own quip of a motto, “with no power comes no responsibility,” makes you wonder why he would even make an attempt), particularly gang lord Frank D’Amico (Mark Strong).

However, D’Amico has his own enemies in the form of Big Daddy, a Batman-esque caped crusader played by Nicolas Cage (who steals every scene he’s in with an unsubtle Adam West impersonation), and his daughter Hit Girl (Chloe Moretz, best known as the precocious younger sister from 500 Days of Summer), an eleven-year-old with the close combat skills and weapons training of the entire Matrix cast.

Their vendetta against D’Amico quickly puts them in league with Kick-Ass, but as he observes, they are the “real deal,” perfectly at ease discussing high-calibre weaponry and then using it to deadly effect, while he is just a kid in a scuba suit.

But this issue of who is capable of what throws a wrench into Kick-Ass’s cinematic gears. We’ve already had “normal, real-world” superheroes in Mystery Men and then Watchmen. These days, even Batman is trying to couch its implausible heroics in New York City as much as Gotham.

So what does Kick-Ass bring to the table? An irreverent tone, often reminiscent of Spider-Man, and a singular paradox: how do you spoof serious superhero movies with what is essentially a serious superhero movie?

The answer is that you can’t have it both ways. Kick-Ass seems to want to investigate what would happen if a wealthy psychopath (as we would think of them in the real “real world”) such as Bruce Wayne or Tony Stark actually attempted to rear a child in his own violent image.

But in endowing Hit Girl with the ability to lay waste to roomfuls of armed thugs all by her onesies (and what of the men and woman she murders in cold blood when we first meet her, is that satire?), director Matthew Vaughn sidesteps this question entirely.

Kick-Ass loses its way between a sincere story about an unusually altruistic but otherwise ordinary high-school student becoming something of a man and getting the girl and a hyperbolic parody that deconstructs the genre by taking all of the requisite martial arts expertise and aerial stunts and having them enacted by a pint-sized tween.

The distinction was likewise lost in the advertising, which painted Kick-Ass as a fun-filled, post-modern action-adventure cartoon: Superbad for comic book geeks.

The reality is somewhat different – and rated a “hard R” – largely thanks to an aggregation of enthusiastically graphic violence (as brutal as anything in 300 but more realistic to look at) and a depressing amount of foul language that will leave you convinced Vaughn thinks there’s still novelty in assigning expletive-laced dialogue to youngsters.

Is it transgressive? Maybe if you’ve never heard of A Clockwork Orange. Is it incisive? Maybe if you haven’t read – okay, or seen – Watchmen. Is it funny? Here and there. Kick-Ass is undeniably slick and intermittently an awful lot of fun, but its pretension holds it back.

As a deconstruction, a parody, Kick-Ass is both aimless and listless, offering little in the way of commentary and overdoing it with some of the cutesy moments; but as a good old-fashioned superhero movie, rather ironically, it’s a definite success.

How to Train Your Dragon Movie Review

Story description, Exclusive trailer of film How to Train Your Dragon.

Movie review: How to Train Your Dragon review. Dream Works' "How to Train Your Dragon" is one another beautiful animation film. The film tells an animated kid's story, adapted from a prominent kids' book series.The film features dragons as dangerous animated characters, though not as behemoth and terrific as dinosaurs.

The story takes us into Island of Berk, where Vikings lived long fighting dragons. The animated fire-breathers always fight Vikings, and cause anger to Viking chief Stoick the Vast (Gerard Butler).But, Stoick's son, named Hiccup (Jay Barucehl) is unable to fight dragons due to some physical reasons. Unlike, all other Viking teenager, he totally ignorant on how to fight the intriguing dragons. Hiccup’ class includes Fishlegs (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), Snotlout (Jonah Hill) and the stout-hearted Astrid (America Ferrera), a young, fightin’lass who loves Hiccup as much as he loves herself.

The story gets a turn when Hiccup comes in friendship with dragons, which he and all Vikings considered as meanest creatures until then. He was led to a warm relationship with dragons once he happened to rescue a wounded dragon, that was later named by Hiccup as Toothless. From his experience with the Toothless, he learns that everything he was told about dragons were incorrect and false. Until then, Hiccup starts to talk, negotiate with dragons. He even learns a few tips on how to calm down a dangerous dragons, and teaches his friends the methods for it.

"How to Train Your Dragon" turns to be great film with wonderful vocal support by Baruchel, Hill and Mitnz-Plasse. Technically most sophisticated "How to Train Your Dragon" is released in 3-D, even producers say that it can be viewed in 2-D too.

Clash of the Titans (2010) : Movie Review

Clash of the Titans 2010 Trailer, Movie Review and Story description.

Direction : Louis Leterrier
Starring : Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Gemma Arterton
Rating : PG-13
Released : April 2, 2010

There are some films from my childhood that were okay and there are some that will always be tops with me. Harryhausen's (it's his as far as I'm concerned) epic adventure Clash of the Titans will always be one of my go-to flicks. Yes, the effects are choppy and dated. Duh. But who cares? Those characters are as familiar to me as any of my friends and even though I felt the visuals were flawed even then, it's fun, fun, fun. So of course I was guardedly optimistic about this recent remake. I wanted to really like it. And I did. But there is a caveat here that requires explanation.

Remember how Perseus did everything out of love for the beautiful Andromeda? How he saw her only while sleeping but was condemned to fall for her even if it meant his own demise? Remember how Thetis (Maggie Smith) was the patron Goddess of Joppa and she got her toga all in a wad because Cassiopeia had the nerve to compare her own daughter's beauty to the Goddess herself? Remember how Burgess Meredith found the confused Perseus and aided him in his quest? Okay, now forget ALL of that because this year's Clash is about none of it.

In an interesting and unexpected twist, this remake keeps most of the characters (with some additions) and many of the elements (Medusa, the witches, the Kraken) and none of the story. Yes, it is completely different. So it's really difficult to compare the two. I'm not sure which is more historically (mythically, whatever) accurate anyway so I can't comment on that. I am going to research it for myself but you can do that on your time if it matters to you.

So on to the film at hand. Like I said, the story is completely different. Instead of love, Perseus is motivated by straight up revenge. His adoptive parents are inadvertently knocked off by Hades and he's had it with the Gods. His entire quest is merely an attempt to take out the Kraken so he can get to Hades himself.

I saw the 2D version because I don't feel like wasting my money on sub-par 3D and according to every review I've read, it's not worth it. Take that for what you will. That being said, the effects are very good. As an action film, this is a fun one. It's a good time even if you do love the original because there are some fun send-ups to the classic. It's wild and woolly and the pace never slows for once. It was over before I realized it. I compare it to The Holy Grail in that it just goes from scene to scene with boring fillers. If I had one gripe about the look it would simply be that Medusa seems more to me like a video game boss. And on the heels of that statement I will add that I can't wait to play the game for this movie.

The major differences in plot even have an explanation, I believe. This film is much darker than its forefather. Back in the eighties happy endings and love were all over the place. That's not so much the case now if you haven't noticed. It's simply a matter of completely different times. They probably thought the old story wouldn't fly with today's jaded audiences. They're likely correct. But I do prefer the original over all. No that's not me being a curmudgeon. I really think that story was more complex and made more sense. This one was a little much to wrap my mind around. And I just don't know if it works since Andromeda really doesn't matter at all in this movie. I'm sure Alexa Davalos was all excited to land the lead female role then she read the script and thought, "waaait that's not what...damn."

The lead, instead, is Io, played beautifully by Gemma Arterton, even if it does leave you scratching your head a bit. As far as cast goes, I have no complaints about the performances. I do think it would have been cool to see more of Postlethwaite. I would have loved to see him reprise the Meredith role and stick around longer. But what are you gonna do?

In the end, this film is a good time if you like action. It's a big old spectacle if you get off on effects

Iron Man 2 - Exclusive Theatrical Trailer and story

Kate Mara a new girl at Iron Man 2 - Behind the scene.

The world is aware that billionaire inventor Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) is the armored superhero Iron Man. Under pressure from the government, the press, and the public to share his technology with the military, Tony is unwilling to divulge the secrets behind the Iron Man armor because he fears the information will slip into the wrong hands. With Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), and James “Rhodey” Rhodes (Don Cheadle) at his side, Tony forges new alliances and confronts powerful new forces.

Iron Man 2 Featurette – A Closer Look at the Suits

As Iron Man 2 draws closer, we get to see a few more insights into the making of John Favreau movie which is due for release 30th April. In the sequel, we see Robert Downey Jr. back to take on the reigns as Tony Stark with a supporting cast which includes Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Jon Favreau, Mickey Rourke, Sam Rockwell, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Garry Shandling and John Slattery.

In this new featurette embedded below, we get to see an interview with John Rosengrant (who worked on Iron Man) talking about how the suits were constructed.

Green Zone - Movie Review and Story Description

Green Zone - Movie Review, Exclusive Tailor and Story Description

Green Zone movie review: best scenario of Baghdad after the US invasion

Universal Studios’ Green Zone, which is based on 2006 book Imperial Life in the Emerald City by Journalist Rajiv Chandrasekaran is a war thriller directed by Paul Greengrass stars Matt Damon, Greg Kinnear, Amy Ryan and Brednan Gleeson.

The story is a political thriller and captures the scenario of Baghdad after the US invasion into Iraq. The movie depicts the state of Iraq after the coalition forces invaded the area and pinpoints to the corruption, bureaucracy and war politics. There are certain scenes that focus on the moral repercussions of the invasion by the US.


The film earned divergent reviews with some giving it a four star recommendation while others calling it anti- American. Film critics believe that in the present scenario, Iraq War is a delicate subject to bring up and it will elicit very powerful reactions.

Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun Times gives the movie a four star and comments ‘this is one hell of a thriller. New York Post film reviewer, Kyle Smith calls the movie ‘$100-million slime job’ and says ‘its slander’ and ‘one of the most egregiously anti-American movies ever released by a major studio.’ Some even call it a ‘political paranoia thriller’.

The director somewhere hopes to deal with the sensitive issue and would be able to make an unbiased film about Iraq. He stated that Green Zone is an action thriller set in Iraq and people will enjoy the film without politics getting in the way. But sadly, it didn’t happen. Time and again there are melodramatic speeches and political messages coming up all through killing the very goal with which Greengrass made the film.


Green Zone Exclusive Trailer

Performance vise, Damon delivered a natural performance and the role of a squad leader comes very natural to him. Amy Ryan who plays the journalist has a reputation of being a dependable actress but gets very less screen time to do anything substantial.

Greg Kinnear who plays a political advisor fails at the hands of faulty script writing and looks more like a villain. The movie suffers from many other shortcomings too and it fails to actualize the true potential though being produced by a production house of such caliber.

Moreover, Greengrass’s favorite shaky camera work, pseudo documentary style and grainy shots taken during dark could do nothing better, rather hurt the film. Even the soundtrack was far away from the onscreen drama and did nothing to compliment the scene.

Movie Review of Remember Me

Exclusive Trailer, Story description and Movie Review for 'Remember Me'

Director Allen Coulter and writer Will Fetters didn't want us to forget "Remember Me," so they sandpapered their standard script with an indie grit. They somehow snared "Twilight" hottie Robert Pattinson. And they set their mediocre romance on the eve of 9/11.

Robert Pattinson's fans are not going to be pleased with what the critics are writing about their hero and about his latest movie -- not that their reviews will matter one iota when they head for the theaters this weekend. Most of the reviews for Remember Me can be summed up in two words Forget it! Manohla Dargis in the New York Times calls it "absurdly contrived" and describes Pattinson as "a conceivably promising, certainly watchable actor in need of an immediate acting intervention." Kyle Smith in the New York Post compares Pattinson to the much maligned actor Hayden Christensen.

If you don't want to know what happens at the end of Remember Me, then stop reading now.

Remember Me is the most dispiriting load of old wallop I've sat through this century. It's not just that the film is bad – there's plenty of bad films that I've loved from beginning to end – it's that Remember Me is completely fraudulent. The film starts in 1991, with the murder of a young mother in front of her 10-year-old daughter.

A detective who attends the crime is the husband of the victim, and the father of the little girl. A "10 years later" title comes on screen, and Robert Pattinson appears, wearing the first of his endless collection of torn jeans and faded T-shirt ensembles, and mumbles his way into a relationship with Emilie de Ravin (Lost), who is the 10-year-old girl all grown up.

Pattinson is the sole reason this movie has ever made it into the multiplex. Without Pattinson, a film this pointless and infuriating could only have been (a) French and (b) on at the film festival. But, the world is full of teenagers who've been getting all tingly for the great shambling moppet ever since he first slouched into a Harry Potter.

And to be fair, the problem with Remember Me isn't the performances. Pattinson does an okayish James Dean impersonation, that almost looks like acting if you squint hard enough. Chris Cooper is fine as de Ravin's over-protective cop dad, and Pierce Brosnan dials in a watchable turn as Pattinson's wealthy lawyer poppa. (Though Brosnan's idea of a New York accent is pretty hilarious).

No, what sinks Remember Me is the script: Pattinson feels hard done by because his dad doesn't pay him enough attention. Then de Ravin throws a paddy as she realises that Pattinson only asked her out to get back at her dad, who had arrested him a few months earlier, possibly for sulking. The big act two turning point arrives when Pattinson's kid sister gets a bad haircut. (No, really.) At around the hour-and-a-half mark, whatever dramatic potential Remember Me had is long exhausted.



But how do you end a story that has never really begun? By flying a whacking great aeroplane straight into your lead actor, that's how. Remember how this film is set 10 years after 1991? Well, guess which building Pattinson's daddy has his law firm in ... There are great films yet to be made set against the horror's of September 11, 2001. But to casually co-opt the murder of 3000 people into your screenplay because you want to give your meandering drivel a bit of spurious tragedy and meaning is just plain wrong.

For 100 minutes or so of Remember Me, I figured I was watching a tedious but harmless teen romance. For the last 10 I reali
sed I was watching the most misguided, pretentious, and offensive film I've seen in years.

REMEMBER ME

Rating : 9/11
Starring : Robert Pattinson, Emilie de Ravin, Pierce Brosnan, Chris Cooper.
Duration : (112 mins)
Direction : Allen Coulter.

Movie Review: 'Shutter Island'

Exclusive Trailer, Story description and Movie Review for 'Shutter Island'

Martin Scorsese returns with an intense supernatural drama. This review will remain spoiler free so you can enjoy the mind-boggling journey you’re about to take with Martin Scorsese’s inspired foray into supernaturally tinged noir storytelling.

As a condensed summary, know this: it is beautiful, immediate, and relentlessly gripping. Scorsese pulls both the strings and the wool over your eyes with the renewed vigour of a director stepping outside his comfort zone.

Adapted from Dennis “Mystic River” Lehane’s novel, this is a drama (or is it a horror? or a mystery?) set in 1954 about US Marshall Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his investigation into the disappearance of a convicted murderer from her seemingly impenetrable cell on the notorious asylum of Shutter Island. For your own benefit that’s all we’re telling you.

When stepping foot on Scorsese’s island, the first thing you notice is how stunning it looks. You can keep your three dimensional rabbits and blue aliens if directors can still make traditional movie-making that looks this good.

Utilising a naturally graceful camera technique that is balletic in its movement, there are enough outstanding instances to fill this entire page, but if you find a sequence as stunning and detailed as DiCaprio’s apartment farewell with Michelle Williams then you can send me to the nuthouse and throw away the key. It’s breathtaking.

Orchestrated to a booming (when necessary) score, Scorsese abandons us on an intimidating island that’s made up of looming walls and isolated locations that make the penitentiary as much of a monster as the assorted loons.

There is even a nod to Mean Streets as the ferry emerges from the mist over the opening credits, and the labyrinthine claustrophobia of the Ward C steel cage sequences is highly effective. There is a comparable and successful Wicker Man vibe that permeates Shutter Island and helps magnify Teddy’s increasingly bleak plight.

It’s a situation made all the more harrowing by a career best performance from DiCaprio, and that’s going some. Initially hard headed in the tradition of all the golden era Hollywood detectives, you get the feeling he could have walked straight from the set of The Maltese Falcon. It’s watching this veneer peel away as Teddy goes deeper into the catacombs of the asylum that’s the true horror, and it’s to DiCaprio’s credit that you are emotionally attached to him every step of the way.

Marty never opts for the cheap scares either; they are all earnt by ratcheting up the tension and the unhurried (some may say slow) narrative. If he is this at ease within the horror/mystery genre, then he should make this his playground more often.

Only slightly hindered by the temptation for one twist too many, there comes a point at which DiCaprio notes “I’m not following you, I’m sorry”, and as with the rest of his excellent performance I was right there with him. However, when the somewhat predictable pay-off comes, it is superbly handled and heartbreakingly played out.

Shutter Island is an intimate beast of a movie from a director let off the leash that challenges and rewards the viewer in every single department. Dismiss it as a B-movie genre offering at your peril.