Tag Archives: rosamund pike

What We Did on Our Holiday (2014)

What We Did on Our Holiday review.

written by Souranath Banerjee.

My Ratings: 3.7/5.

What We Did on Our Holiday is a light-hearted comedy mostly based on witty dialogues and funny character tantrums.

What-We-Did-on-Our-Holiday-PosterA family trip to Scotland, ailing grandpa’s birthday celebration, parents in the verge of getting a divorce; and in the midst of all these – three adorable kids having the most eventful holiday ever!

Directed by Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin What We Did on Our Holiday is a sarcastic take on the so-called-adult-world, mirrored through the eyes of the three little children.

The casting is neat and appropriate. Recently Oscar nominated actress Rosamund Pike (a bit underutilized though) paired with the funny man David TennantBilly Connolly the perfect rebellious Grandpa and the hilarious couple Ben Miller and Amelia Bullmore.

But the real stars of the film are the three kids who have acted brilliantly – Emilia Jones, Bobby Smalldridge and Harriet Turnbull. They are so spontaneous and natural; undoubtedly the life of this film.

What-We-Did-on-Our-Holiday-poster2The freshness of the blissful beaches of Scotland, the curious looking Ostriches, the vulnerable and confused adults and the innocent loving children – they make What We Did on Our Holiday the perfect family drama (of course sparing the few occasional curse words).

A superb build-up, an unpredictable middle but the ending was kind of weak and cliched.

On the whole What We Did on Our Holiday is a good entertainer, both humorous and British!

P.S – It’s a very irritating experience as an audience if the dialogues are repeatedly muted to avoid the use of the few curse words (which actually adds humor to the film’s script). If someday the righteous Indian Censor board should consider screening Martin Scorsese‘s Goodfellas (1990) i am sure it will end up being a silent film!

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Best of Hollywood 2014

Best of Hollywood 2014 (no foreign language films included in this list).

written by Souranath Banerjee.

2014 was one awesome year for film-lovers and thanks to Hollywood for such a balanced dose of entertainment; Thrillers, SciFis, Comedies, Love stories War Dramas, Horror flicks and lots of Biographies.

It’s the time to remember the best performances of this year, the awesome directorial ventures, those brilliant visuals and mesmerizing background scores – the films that touched your heart, amazed you and made you fall in love with Cinema (all over again).

But first a few honorable mentions (films that almost made the list) – WildInherent ViceThe Hundred-Foot JourneyPrideAmerican SniperCalvaryStill AliceCamp X-RayPredestinationKill the MessengerCake and Mr. Turner

And now the countdown begins.

10. Selma

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It was 1965 and Martin Luther King leaded the epic march from Selma to Montgomery (Alabama), a nonviolent protest demanding for the right-to-vote for all black men and women in the country.

(Click for the film review)

Such a powerful film evidently backed by some outstanding performances. A must watch.

film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6t7vVTxaic

9. Gone Girl

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Gone Girl is fast paced film that demands your full attention, a superbly crafted thriller that plunges into the depths of a psychologically twisted marital relationship.

(Click for the film review)

Brilliant performance by Ben Affleck but the real stunner is Rosamund Pike; she proves to be the perfect cast possible for the ‘gone girl’ character.

film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esGn-xKFZdU

nightcrawler-posterA dangerously realistic, gritty tale based on the concept of our unconscious satisfaction in watching other people’s loss and tragedy. Thanks to the news channels.

(Click for the film review)

Louis Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal) – is he a scavenger or a survivor, a psychopath or a potential businessman, a cold-hearted predator or an insane professional?

film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1uP_8VJkDQ

7. The Grand Budapest Hotel

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The Grand Budapest Hotel is the most stylish comedy I have seen in years.

(Click for the film review)

Wes Anderson’s obsession for perfect production design, bold color schemes, faultless framing and as always the cheeky humor brings out an unique creation. Simply wonderful to watch, probably his best work till date.

film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Fg5iWmQjwk

6. Interstellar

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A Sci-Fi starring Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathway and Jessica Chastain, Interstellar is a film about space and black holes, about dimensions and relativity; and then again it’s also about love and betrayal.

(Click for the film review)

By the acclaimed director Christopher Nolan and undoubtedly one of his best films ever.

film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSWdZVtXT7E

5. The Theory of Everything

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The Theory of Everything tells the emotional story of Stephen Hawking and his then wife Jane Wilde.

(Click for the film review)

Eddie Redmayne this year won the Oscar (in the Best Actor category) playing Stephen Hawking’s character with extraordinary authenticity and brilliance. A must watch.

film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Salz7uGp72c

4. Foxcatcher

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Foxcatcher is a film that tells the tale of two troubled souls, a multimillionaire and a wrestler, both disturbed and consumed by their own ambition and distorted personal lives.

(Click for the film review)

The film doesn’t fit the mainstream, melodramatic sport-movie pattern but after watching i am sure you will be thankful it didn’t.

film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8361stZ8n0w

3. Whiplash

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The intense story of Andrew Neiman (Miles Teller), a 19-year-old aspiring jazz drummer and Fletcher (J.K. Simmons), his brutal school music instructor.

(Click for the film review)

Whiplash is a gritty and uncompromising take on ambition and success – it stretches the boundaries of all previous student-mentor relationship based dramas.

film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7d_jQycdQGo

2. Birdman: Or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

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Directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu and this year’s Oscar winner.

(Click for the film review)

Michael KeatonEdward NortonNaomi WattsZach GalifianakisEmma Stone and all others are magical in front of the camera.

The whole film is edited to look like one continuous shot, a tremendous effort and brilliantly executed.

film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJfLoE6hanc

1. Boyhood

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A film so real and shot through such an unreal time-span that it gives you the feel of being a part of the journey with this boy Mason (Ellar Coltrane), who was 7 years old when Richard Linklater started filming and 18 when he finally felt it’s time to wrap up.

(Click for the film review)

Boyhood is something very special, a daring experiment and totally worth it.

film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ys-mbHXyWX4

and (The ‘+1′ film is not necessarily the best but certainly the most innovative one. A must watch).

+1. The Imitation Game

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Based on the life of an unsung war-hero, a genius mathematician and a troubled soul who never got the recognition he deserved – Alan Turing.

(Click for the film review)

Brilliant performances by Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightley The imitation game is one of the best biographies made last year – a perfect combination of history and good cinema.

film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5CjKEFb-sM

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Gone Girl (2014)

My Ratings: 4/5.

Filmmakers have always been sniffing around the subject of marriage; the advantages, disadvantages, compatibility, infidelity – all angles tried and tested.

And then there comes Gone Girl, a unique film that dares to skin the pretentious layers of a so-called ‘happily married’ life and disembowels the raw and ugly sentiments of a seemingly perfect couple.

Directed by none other than David Fincher, the master of thrillers and the director of films like Fight Club, Se7en, The social Network, The girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

So, the expectation was high but the film keeps its promise.

One fine morning Nick’s wife Amy goes missing; Nick calls the police and eventually the press to find her. But soon enough the poor husband, Nick himself becomes a suspect.

Is Nick as innocent as he claims to be? Is Amy alive? Or did Nick kill his wife?

Gone Girl is fast paced film that demands your full attention, a superbly crafted thriller that plunges into the depths of a psychologically twisted marital relationship of Nick (Ben Affleck) and Amy (Rosamund Pike).

Brilliant performance by Ben Affleck but the real stunner is Rosamund Pike; she proves to be the perfect cast possible for the gone girl character.

Carrie Coon as Ben Affleck’s sister, Neil Patrick Harris as the ex-lover, Kim Dickens as the detective and Tyler Perry as the lawyer – all have done justice to their characters.

David Fincher’s team consists of his favorite cinematographer Jeff Cronenweth and editor Kirk Baxter, and also his favorite composers Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. And yes, they all have done their bits perfectly.

A disturbingly awesome suspense thriller that you shouldn’t miss.

In fact Gone Girl is not just a thriller but it mocks our current society. I think David Fincher through his film takes a dig at us, at out endless efforts to always present ourselves dignified and loved; our constant struggle to showoff an image of fake everlasting happiness.

Whom are we kidding?

‘Happily married’, ‘Perfect couple’, ‘Loving wife’, ‘Devoted husband’ – once you have seen Gone Girl these words won’t mean the same to you.

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