Tag Archives: Steve Carell

The Big Short (2015)

The Big Short review

written by Souranath Banerjee

“Truth is like poetry. And most people fucking hate poetry.”

My Ratings: 4/5.

Christian Bale,  Steve Carell,  Ryan Gosling and Brad Pitt are all in the same movie and if that is not reason enough for you to watch this big-short-poster3film, then I must add that The Big Short is pretty well made too.

With the backdrop of the sudden U.S mortgage crisis in around mid 2000 which eventually dented the entire world economy, the film though particularly focuses on a group of people who noticed and predicted the devastating financial crisis well ahead and even profited from it!

An eccentric loner and fund-manager Dr. Michael Burry (Christian Bale), the smooth and classy trader Jared Vennett (Ryan Gosling), the loud and edgy money-manager Mark Baum (Steve Carell), and the cynical ex-trader Ben Rickert (Brad Pitt) who helped the two big-short-poster2young investors Charlie Gellar and Jamie Shipley (John Magaro and Finn Wittrock) – however unbelievable it may seem, but these are the only few people in the entire world who knew enough to bet against the American economy!

“Tell me the difference between stupid and illegal and I’ll have my wife’s brother arrested.”

Well, this is one of the many funny onelinners by Ryan Gosling but if taken on a serious note, such a fatal housing market calamity and the resulting financial meltdown was only possible because all the major banks at the time in US really didn’t care much about the difference between stupidity and being illegal!

Based on the book with the same name by financial journalist Michael Lewis, co-writer and director Adam McKay has been successful in adding enough humor to dilute the financial jargon and make the film coherent for everybody.

big-short-poster1The cameos of sizzling Margot Robbie and sultry Selena Gomez explaining the difficult parts of finance certainly helps.

Unique editing style by Hank Corwin by juxtaposing popular images and youtube videos/music videos of the time along with the parallel storytelling of each individual character.

The Big Short does makes us remember Martin Scorsese‘s recent feature ‘The Wolf of Wall Street‘, not only due to the fact that it was also a movie related to wall-street/banking/finance but specially because of the often deliberate ‘breaking of the Fourth Wall’ by many characters throughout the film.

Overall an entertainer that demands your patience.

Poster courtesy: www.impawards.comwww.comingsoon.net

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2016 Oscar Predictions: Best Picture

2016 Oscar Predictions: Best Picture

written by Souranath Banerjee

On Sunday, February 28th, it’s that time of the year when they give away those awards!

Yes, on this day, the Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences will hand over the most prestigious awards of the entertainment world – the Academy Awards or the Oscars.

On the basis of the ‘preferential voting’ system (democratic and unbiased), all the nominees are chosen each year for the various award categories and then they simply wait, hope and pray to win!

This year Chris Rock will be hosting the award ceremony on ABC.

In total 305 feature films are competing for Best Picture nominations. Though the final and official seven/eight nominated ones will be announced on Thursday, January 14th, it’s always fun to guess, predict and anticipate a little before hand.

So let the predictions for the ‘Best Picture’ category begin!

10. Beasts of No Nation (Netflix)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xb9Ty-1frw

beasts-of-no-nation1An African country at war, where violence is routine and murder is the law.

Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga, this is the story of a kid who is forced to join a group of soldiers and take up the gun to fight and kill people.

A raw and deadly film that shows the emotional turmoil of a child soldier. And surely a favorite in the Oscar race.

9. Carol (The Weinstein Company)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4z7Px68ywk

carol-poster1The combination of New York in 1950s and Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, and a perfect love story.

Full of emotions and breathtaking visuals, superb music and brilliant acting – the film is a complete package of aw

Directed by Todd Haynes, this one is a favorite of mine as well as the Oscar nominees. 

8. Youth (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-T7CM4di_0c

Youth-poster2Michael CaineHarvey KeitelRachel Weisz and director Paolo Sorrentino cooks up one of the best mouthwatering cinema of this year.

(click for the review)

A film that reflects on the youth and relishes the old age with the same intensity. It deals with friendship, love, marriage, lust, professions, emotions and above all emotions. I bet my

7. The Hateful Eight (The Weinstein Company)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnRbXn4-Yis

hateful-eight-posterQuentin Tarantino is back with his 8th film and along with Samuel L. JacksonKurt RussellJennifer Jason Leigh and Tim Roth among others this one gets as gritty and violent as you can expect it to be.

Powerful performances with awesome visuals and a superbly entertaining story line.

An Oscar favorite because ‘No one comes up here without a damn good reason’. 

6. Brooklyn (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15syDwC000k

brooklyn-poster11950s Brooklyn as the backdrop, the film is about an Irish immigrant’s life, her love story and her past, and the choices she makes.

Directed by John Crowley, and outstanding performance by Saoirse Ronan, this is a film that breadths perfection.

My personal favorite and I wish it all the luck for the tough Oscar chart ahead.

5. Mad Max: Fury Road (Warner Brothers)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEJnMQG9ev8

mad-max-poster5In the year 1979 Mad Max was established – a drifter, a loner and of course mad as hell. And this is the latest addition to the popular franchise.

(Click for the review)

Powerful, dramatic and full of energy, directed by George Miller, this is undoubtedly the best action flick of 2015 and a leader in the Oscar race for the ‘Best Picture’. 

4. The Revenant (20th Century Fox)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoebZZ8K5N0

revenant-posterDirected by Alejandro González Iñárritu (whose film Birdman won the ‘best director’, ‘best picture’ and ‘best screenplay’ awards last year), has come up with this brilliant tale of an explorer Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio).

A fur trading expedition in the 1820s; inspired by true events this is an epic adventure, a quest for survival and also a sure favorite in this year’s Oscar.

3. The Big Short (Paramount Pictures)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDlYm15ztK4

big-short-posterWhen Christian BaleSteve CarellRyan Gosling and Brad Pitt come together – you know it’s worth it. 

Directed by Adam McKay, this is a biographical account of the time (mid 2000) when there was a financial crisis in the US, and four individuals decided to fight the greedy banks for their lack of foresight.

Looks like a pretty sure thing for the award ceremony. Watch out!

2. Room (A24 Films)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_Ci-pAL4eE

room-posterAdopted from Emma Donoghue‘s famous novel, this is one unique story of a five-year old boy who is told by his loving mother that their 10-by-10 foot ‘room’ is the only world that exists! 

Directed by Lenny Abrahamson, a brilliant film that surely is becoming people’s favorite and a likely contestant for the Oscar.

Brilliant performance by Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay

  1. Spotlight (Open Road Films)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwdCIpbTN5g

spotlight-poster1Probably the most significant cinema on ‘journalism’ made after the epic All the President’s Men (1976).

Directed by Tom McCarthy, this is one film that is considered certainly as the top favorite in this year’s Oscar game.

With Mark RuffaloMichael KeatonRachel McAdams and Liev Schreiber among others this is one safe film to put your money.

and (The ‘+1′ film is not necessarily the best but certainly the most popular one).

+1. Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Disney)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGbxmsDFVnE

star-wars-posterThe recently released ever popular addition to the Star Wars franchise and a sudden favorite for the Oscars.

Directed by J.J. Abrams, this film with it’s immense fan following has the potential to be a game changer in the race for this years ‘Best Picture’ Academy Awards.

By the way, this film has recreated the U.S. box office record beating James Cameron‘s Avatar!

And now the films though not included in my list but are certainly fair competition for the award: Straight Outta ComptonCreedTrumboSon of SaulBlack MassThe Danish GirlLove & MercyTangerineSicarioSteve JobsThe MartianBridge of Spies and Joy.

And finally – A Thank You to the movies of 2015.

Poster courtesy: www.impawards.com.

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Spy (2015)

Spy review.

My ratings: 3.4/5.

Comic spy movies tend to guarantee a few dedicated laughs since the audience unknowingly compares them with the James Bond films and enjoy the satire.

Be it the clumsy Rowan Atkinson as Johnny English or the overconfident Mike Myers in the Austin Powers series or the pseudo-intellectual Steve Carell in Get Smart – their ignorance of espionage has always been a bliss for the audience.

spy-posterBut this week’s release Spy is different from all the other spy-spoofs since Susan Cooper (Melissa McCarthy who is THE spy in the film) does her job really well! 

She proves herself to be the most competent spy; witty, good in hand-to-hand action, aims perfectly while shooting and knows how to mingle in the crowd (undercover as they say).

Despite of not having any fancy spy gadgets or super-cars this CIA analyst is ready to take on some of the deadliest arm dealers and finally save the world.

So where is the comedy in this?

Well, the laughs in the film are mostly related to the unapologetic dialogues (or should i say very innovative profanities) and also the sheer fact that Melissa McCarthy is the most overweight spy ever!

spy-SPY_VerA_PosterR2_sRGB_rgb-691x1024Now a super-curvy lady-spy trotting around places following potential assassins in stupid disguises and hurling curse words at everybody around may not have pulled the film through but then Jude Law and Jason Statham comes to the rescue.

And then again they have a buffer comic line up as Rose ByrneMiranda Hart and Peter Serafinowicz (he really knows how to give a compliment to a lady!).

On the whole Paul Feig, the director of previous comedies like The Heat (2013) and Bridesmaids (2011) have fairly managed to entertain the audience for most of the 120 mins.

Very slapstick, insanely gross dialogues and one sexy Nargis Fakhri

Are you interested?

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Foxcatcher (2014)

My Ratings: 4.2/5.

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.

Bennett Miller who has previously made films like Capote and Moneyball this time wins the Best Director Award at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival with his latest release Foxcatcher.

Wrestling enthusiast John du Pont (Steve Carell) who also happens to be a multimillionaire invites the Olympic gold medal-winning wrestlers duo – Mark Schultz (Channing Tatum) and his brother Dave Schultz (Mark Ruffalo), to join his sports team called ‘Foxcatcher’ with an offer to sponsor their training for the 1988 games in Seoul.

A generous gesture as it may seem but soon the coach-athlete alliance takes an unexpectedly dangerous turn.

Foxcatcher deliberately takes a calm and composed route that lures us into the disturbing depths of human psyche and finally leads to a disastrous conclusion.

FOXCATCHER-POSTER2Winning a good many awards and critic’s admirations Foxcatcher already has three Golden Globe Award nominations, including Best Picture.

Tremendous exhibition of acting capabilities by both Channing Tatum, and Mark Ruffalo who spent extensive six months professional wrestling training for their parts.

In a particular scene Channing Tatum became so intensely involved into his character’s struggle that he actually bashed a mirror with his head which was originally not in the script!

But again the real surprise package in Foxcatcher is Steve Carell himself, the famous comic actor we know from past films like Crazy, Stupid, LoveDate NightDan in Real Life ; though this time i can assure you he is not in the mood to make you laugh.  

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

A slow paced psychological thriller that shouldn’t be missed.

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