1. SOCIAL
NETWORK:
2003, the
year that changed the very fabric of socializing; transcending from physical to
virtual. The Movie, sometimes known as “the Facebook Movie” is based on the 2
lawsuits filed against Mark Zuckerberg (Jessie Isenberg) one by his best friend
and partner Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield) & the
other by the Winklevoss twins (Armie Hammer and Josh Pence). What resulted in the
success of FB- Winklevoss’ idea; Eduardo’s initial investment & trust;
Mark’s programming skills or Napster founder Sean Parker’s (Justin Timberlake)
mastermind marketing talents?
Excellent script, impeccable acting, engaging story line
& accurate characterization makes it a MUST WATCH movie.
2. INSIDE
JOB
2008, the
year of the economic crisis, when thousands of US factory workers were laid
off, people were rendered homeless, Lehman Brothers went bankrupt, AIG
collapsed, no jobs, no money, no houses and most of all no hope! The world
slipped into the quicksand of global recession. This is a documentary film
narrated by Matt Damon, which exposes complex financial material with great
simplicity. The masterminds involved in the creation of the bubble include not
only banks & insurance companies but also the policy makers, economists,
professors of prestigious universities, credit rating companies & many more
entities you trusted! Not meant to be an entertainer, this film is an account
of how changes in the banking atmosphere, financial practices & corrupt
policy environment resulted into the global meltdown. The movie is divided in
five parts & the situation is elaborated with the help of diagrams,
presentations & interviews. TRUST ME- WATCH IT! If you can’t stand the
documentary- at least watch the part V: where are we now?
3. THE DEVIL’S
DOUBLE
Inspired by DePalma's Scarface, it is the story of Latif
Yahia (Dominic Cooper), a body double to a gruesomely violent psychotic
murderer & rapist- the notorious “black prince”- Saddam’s son, Uday
Hussain. Uady is surrounded by bodyguards, psychopaths & drug addicts like
himself but is terrified of assassination; therefore he uses the age-old
formula of ‘fiday’ or body-double. With his family’s life at stake, Latif is
left with no choice but to comply. The long-standing tradition of the use of
doubles in Iraq is interesting & yet complicated at the same time.
4. DOLPHIN TALE
Playful & swimming free a baby dolphin is caught up
in a crab trap, severely damaging her tail. Sawyer (Nathan Gamble) stands by
this dolphin day & night throughout her recovery at the Clearwater marine
hospital. It is Sawyer’s love & belief in this little dolphin that despite
amputation & little hope of survival, this dolphin miraculously not only subsists
but also helps raise funds in order to save the hospital- all with the help of
a wonderful prosthetics Doctor. It is not a tale of rehabilitation of a dolphin
but it is the story of redemption of human beings from self-imposed insecurity,
criticism & fear of failure. It is a bravura piece of film-making that
captures the resilience of the human spirit.
5. THE KING’S
SPEECH
Post his father’s demise& brother’s abdication, the
stammering bbbbbBertie (Collin Firth) hesitantly accepts the throne of England.
There’s one glitch- as a king he has to deliver speech! So, after several
failed attempts & unsuccessful encounters with speech therapists, on the
insistence of his wife Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter), Bertie consults an unorthodox
& unconventional speech counselor Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush) in order to overcome
his stammer so that he could address his people on a radio to unite them during
the testing times of war. It is a true story based on the life of King George
V. With exceptional screenplay & power-packed performances, the film is a
MUST WATCH!
6. THE
WHISTLEBLOWER
Kathy Bolkovac (Rachel Weisz) is a divorced Nebraskan
police officer who takes a job working as a peacekeeper in post-war Bosnia.
Amidst corruption, cover-ups & diplomatic double-talks she unveils a
dangerous world of human trafficking. Everyone’s involved- from the local
police officers to the army, from the private contractors to the high level
diplomats; will she be able to save the lives of the young girls, in whom she
sees her own daughter? The naked truth & brutal reality is bound to make an
impression!
7. MACHINE GUN
PREACHER
After being
moved by a pastor’s account on Sudan’s constant turbulent state, Sam Childers(Gerard Butler), With the help of Deng (souleymanesy Savane) & Marco (Mduduzi Mabaso), earns the titles, the “white preacher” &
then the “Machinegun preacher” in his mission to save as many lives as he can
in relentlessly at war Sudan. Building a church & then an orphanage is commonly
not expected from a violent & ruthless drug addict! Cinematography, script,
casting, dialogues & performances at its very best!
8. THE RITE
Inspired by true events, this movie is about the age old
battle against the Devil. Despite his own doubts & scepticism, Michael Kovak (ColinO'Donoghue), a seminary student pursues exorcism at the Vatican. Michael’s faith is tested to the hilt when he comes across a
disquieting case that seems to surpass even the unorthodox Father Lucas’s
(Anthony Hopkins) knack! This is just a glimpse into the realm of evil &
unknown- without help & experience will Michael win over his inner devil?
Will he overcome the inner war waging between logic & beliefs?
9. SECRATARIAT
Penny Chenery Tweedy
(Diane Lane), a house wife & mother takes up the responsibility of her
ailing father’s meadow stables. It is a spectacular journey of a precious
stallion that sets the unbeaten record as the 1973 Triple Crown winner. With
the help of Lucien Laurin (John Malkovich) & Penny
Chenery’s sheer determination a little pony transforms into “the best
racehorse” of all times. Traditional yet fresh & inspiring, the film is
beautifully shot!
10. 127 HOURS
In his quest for
adventure, mountain climber Aron Ralston (James Franco) gets trapped in an isolated canyon in
Canyon lands National Park of Utah. With every passing moment, limited resources & no sign of
rescue, Aron realises that the only way to survive is to ampute his own hand! The movie captures the essence of human spirit & survival! Pondering
his imminent death, he discovers the true meaning of life!
The movie is a great
ensemble of impeccable performance, excellent cinematography, heart wrenching
detailing & beautiful music!
11.
FAIR GAME
After her Husband Joe’s (Sean Penn)op-ed article about erroneous decisions taken by White House resulting in
unreasonable bombings in Iraq, Valarie Plame’s (Naomi Watts) cover was blown up
by George W Bush. Rendered jobless and publicly disgraced the CIA covert agent,
wages a vicious fight to expose the culprits & clear her name. Extraordinary
performances & excellent script make this movie a great entertainer.
12. THE FIGHTER
This is a story of "Irish" Micky Ward (Mark Wahalberg), an underdog battling long odds and obstinate adversity
in pursuit of WBU Intercontinental Lightweight title and the WBU Light Welterweight title. In order to win in the ring he needs to conquer the rivalry
between brothers and heal the wounded pride. Family melodrama, love story &
complicated relationships- all punched together. Flawless acting &
beautifully scripted plot surely are as power packed as a Knock-out!
I truly enjoyed watching these movies, hope the list serves its purpose.
L(ov+uc)
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