These Final Hours (2013)

With a familiar looks to the often seeing apocalyptic genre sci-fi movies that has less heart but more adrenaline, These Final Hours is a completely different emotional ride to the end of the world. It runs with enough juice to keep the viewer gazing but ends with a staggering amount of emotional drama that the viewer may not be ready for. The last half hour is totally powerful that most high budget apocalyptic movies will fall down in front of this small time Australian production.

You will witness beautiful performances here. Especially the little girl (Angourie Rice) who will make you weep a little along with the other actors including the lead Nathan Phillips.

For being a movie that heads for an obvious ending it does a marvelous job in all aspects. These final Hours will make you stop breathing for a while when it ends. This is superb!

Rating: Genre 4/5, Overall 3.5/5

Genre: Drama | Thriller

Director:  Zak Hilditch

The Missing Picture (2013) – 4.5/5

Powerfully narrated and excellently portrayed, The Missing Picture is a documentary that has the capacity to haunt the viewers at night. It tells a story of tragedy and brutality beyond human limits in the name of ideology that took place in Cambodia in the 70’s with the awakening of Pol Pot and his ruthless followers of Communist Party of Kampuchea vastly known as Khmer Rouge. Director Rithy Panh takes the viewer in to this dark era by telling his story as a captive by the Khemer Rouge where he was a small boy. This documentary movie is a mix of documentary and news footage from the period and the rest is dramatic portrayal of events using clay figures.

This documentary has a good start, solid middle part and a strong ending. It is not flawed nor over emphasizes on facts or hangs in a certain place for too long. Therefore, it has a good flaw though the content is not that easy to bare. But I must say that what strike me the most is the way director has used clay figures and the narration. Nearly half of the movie has no moving parts. The clay figures are in one place with wonderful details and only the camera moves around them. The creative job done at the sets is simply mind blowing and for a moment I forgot the tragedy and started to appreciate the beauty of creativity. But soon things started to become so dark that at one point the viewers will sympathize for those lifeless clay figures as much as they do for a human being. This is powerful story telling and it is one of the best I have seeing.

The Missing Picture will open your eyes to the bitter truths of a foregone era. No matter how many times you have come across this tragic tale there is no escape from the emotional bitterness.  It reminds us over and over that humans are what they believe they are for the good or bad. And any human suffering because of another human cannot be justified for any reason.

Genre: Documentary

Director: Rithy Panh

-Priyantha Bandara

Sons of Anarchy (2008-2014) – 5/5

After 7 years of blazing glory Sons of Anarchy has now come to a steady stop. This crime loving outlaw biker club drama is rarely one of the unique shows the TV history have ever seeing and unquestionably cannot be compared with another show due to it’s own terms. While it is nearly impossible to go in to every detail of this brilliant show created by Kurt Sutter loosely based on the characters of Hamlet in a short review such as this, I’m trying my best to give credit to all the uniqueness it made us witness.

Being said that I have no doubt that this is the most violently dramatic TV show the world has seeing that actually made homage to outlaws, brotherhood, friends, big American motorbikes, people of all colors and races, guns, gangsters, prison mayhem, school shootings, eye popping like a pro with spoons, retribution without a regret, all kinds of love including transsexuals, burying up dead bodies and digging them up again, porno, baby snatchers from Ireland, body parts in boxes, crooked cops, random acts of violence, dragging handicapped people on streets tied to cars, mothers in laws killing daughter in laws, sons killing step fathers, kids injuring them selves to frame grandmothers and the list goes on. Though all this sounds so vicious and gory Sons of Anarchy is mind splittingly perfect in its script and performances that it was never felt neither irrelevant nor excessive.  This obviously makes this show to shrink to a certain set of devoted viewers and becomes completely inappropriate for the masses. Which is the reason we didn’t see internet braking hype for Sons of Anarchy in any year nor fans aggressively fought over it existence over a different show. But the Sons of Anarchy fans held up their end of the bargain and the creators gave their best to fans in return and it was wonderful.

Sons of Anarchy was brilliant in its story telling. While some may call some seasons silly and relatively uninteresting compared to a different season the flame never went out. Sons of Anarchy is not a show that evolves over the seasons in its drama. True it does up to a certain limit with it’s characters as they evolve but each season was full of equal drama and tension that every time one season ended it was almost like some great movie came to a holt giving the promise of a sequel. For me I was hooked to Sons from day one to the finale episode and boy it was a joy. Seeing all those gritty mind blowing performances by the cast and how the whole plot elevated from episode to episode was truly a wonderful experience. And the thing with Sons of Anarchy was that it was full of energy and full of surprises and at one point I decided that I will not guess what’s coming up but rather let the story take over me.

Sons of Anarchy has won many awards including the Golden Globe for best performance by an Actress in a Television Series (Katey Segal) which proves the quality of acting it was equipped with. The cast was brilliant and though most of them saw the other end of the barrel of a gun or the sharp side of a blade and went out in a split second (most in completely unexpected ways in unexpected moments) the body count didn’t mean that they were forgotten. We saw amazing performances up to the last episode and some of them were the best the recent TV has to offer. If the fans were haunted by the faces of the actors and dropped a tear at their despair it was nothing to be amused of.

And Sons of Anarchy will be largely memorable for it’s choice of music. Episode after episode and at right times the sound tracks were mixed in a way that they were completely aligned with the mood and story of the show. When I look back at the set of beautiful music throughout these 7 years I have no doubt that Sons of Anarchy delivered it so powerfully in par with the shows emotional chemistry. For me I cannot think of Sons of Anarchy without its sound tracks and I’m sure for many it will be equally memorable.

All in all with fantastic writing and direction of Kurt Sutter as the creator of the show Sons of Anarchy was one hell of a ride. These characters and the ideology they represent will always be remembered though how cruel and violent they were just because of the fact that this show made them all looked so great. But the final message Kurt Sutter sends out so loud is that there is no crime that goes unpunished and no lie that will not be revealed for it’s truth. And if you believe in it Sons of Anarchy is a modern day tale of Karma disguised in leather jackets. I will miss this show dearly and salute the creators for making such amazing TV time.

Genre: Crime | Drama | Thriller

Creator : Kurt Sutter

The Maze Runner (2014) – Ratings Genre: 4/5, Overall 3/5

It is ok for me to admit that The Maze Runner delivered more than what I expected. After a brief glance over the plot I set my self to witness another Hunger Games movie but what I got was something more thrilling, gripping and a suspenseful experience. Being said that The Maze Runner is not a fresh approach to a plot or Sci Fi nature. And it is based on James Dashner's 2009 novel of the same name.

There has being many mind boggling cinema on certain mazes (or traps true or imagery) and escaping from it including Cube (1997), Inception (2010) and Pans Labyrinth (2006) to name a few and each delivered a very powerful cinema experience. Standing against great movies like what I have mentioned earlier The Maze Runner is still has a long way to go being this is the first of a sequel of movies we are about to see in the coming years. But talking of this one alone it had done a pretty decent job.

­­­

Thomas our 16-year-old hero wakes up in a strange place without having any memory of his earlier life. He and another group of people who experienced the same are trapped in a glade surrounded by a giant concrete maze. Though finding the way out of the maze and getting back home sounds a good idea the maze comes with many lethal surprises. But it seems like Thomas has some answers and soon the gang realizes that he is different.

For a dystopian sci fi thriller The Maze Runner has some gripping ground to start off with. And the movie steadily evolves within the first hour from nowhere to somewhere and the viewers get to feel the strange and mysterious presence of the maze. There is no scene that I can call as dragging or irrelevant thought they seems slow or not filled with enough action and suspense. But the movie quickly hit a phase of action and adventure and from there the game plan completely changes.  What I really like about The Maze Runner is it’s overall mood. As the viewer just like the people who are trapped in the maze are kept in dark so the same mysteries boggle in every ones minds. It’s as if the viewers also has to find answers to the mysteries and we are left with no options but to try. And at times we are left to make tough choices.

Equipped with strong acting and brilliant CG The Maze Runner is a movie that will keep the viewer engaged every second. And when it finished it opens up a whole lot of new questions while answering only few of the burning ones that was laid out at the start. I guess we have to wait another year to find out what happens next.

Genre: Sci Fi | Thriller | Action | Mystery

Director: Wes Ball

-Priyantha Bandara

Predestination (2014) – Ratings: Genre 4.5/5, Overall 3.5/5

Reviewing this movie is really tricky. Because this movie is not the type that start from the start and end in the end (What am I even saying?). In fact Predestination has no start or an end but though at a glance it does not make any sense it makes a lot of sense once it’s done. Predestination could be one of the best science fiction movies based on time travel and predestination paradox theory and it is truly mind boggling shocking piece. To be honest white it feels like Inception (2010) for a while it is standing inch shorter with Primer (2004). And nothing comes close to the feeling this leave you with once your struck by some completely unexpected ending.

There is no easy way to explain the plot of Predestination. But let me try. An agent who works for a top secret time travelling agency has the challenge to stop a serial bomber who made devastating damage back in 1970s. In one of his crucial visits to the 70s he meets a man who has a very shocking yet interesting story to tell. While this story makes no sense to one person it makes perfect sense to the other.

Obviously the time travelling related theories are pretty complex. And movie makers have come up with lot simpler versions themselves in the name of entertainment. Whatever it is most time travel based movies are quite interesting to watch but hard to explain as such. Predestination is one of those hard to explain type and it is ok to say that it’s different to the usual bunch. Based on a short story “All You Zombies” back in 1958 the Spierig Brothers who directed Predestination has done a fascinating job at it. The sheer style of storytelling makes this movie somewhat unique for a sci fi and takes more of a dramatic approach for a good deal of time. Though more action could have being awesome I’m glad it doesn’t go gun happy like Looper (2012) which again is one of the successful mind bending time travel based sci fi action flick. But the sheer amount of suspense and twists in Predestination make you forget any action for that matter and takes you in a more serious journey through time.

My only worry is the lengthy scenes that take place in a bar that at times feel unfit to be in a sci fi viewing it as a fan of sci fi. But taking the movie as a whole if you managed to get through that phase you will realize that it has a crucial part in making the whole plot up so steady though some of it can be reduced to shorted sizes. It seems like directors were keeping the best for later so patience maybe a good idea.

Finally keeping a note about performances and cinematography both are very well made. Ethan Hawk who plays the time travelling agent does a fine job at it but the real talent is with Sarah Snook who plays the other character. You will not be impressed of both performances instantly but once the show goes knee deep things will looks different. All in all Predestination is a must watch for Sci Fi fans and certain psychological thriller hungry fans.

Genre: Sci Fi | Thriller

Directors: The Spierig Brothers

-Priyantha Bandara

Lucy (2014): Ratings – Genre 3.5/5, Overall 3/5

Based on one of the most commonly believed yet scientifically bogus myth, Lucy builds a truly mind shattering experience which at one point science and mythology becomes one and entertainment emerges. The steady build up of the plot along with the interesting narrative explanation of facts (most of the time is not true but feels like real) and the mix of well executed action sequences makes Lucy a sci fi action hybrid flick that can either go north or south for the fans.

Lucy a carefree students life instantly change when she forcefully turned to a drug mule to a ruthless drug organization. But when the new drug mixes with her system by accident her brain utilization reaches a record high. With her newly discovered mind-body capacity Lucy sets to make things right while she can.

Lucy is not the first movie that worked on the theory of the small percentage of common brain usage. Limitless (2011) did a wonderful job with it and the plot somewhat similar to Lucy when it comes to drug boosting brain activity. However Lucy takes a unique approach at it’s story telling and combined with the appearance of Scarlett Johansson it become more interesting. I don’t think there is a movie fan who don’t like to see Johansson in tight skirts holding two guns and with a heavy does of drugs in her system!

While Lucy is entertaining and provides lot of theories, insights and visually delighting scenes back to back there are many places it doesn’t stand out that well. The most obvious one is the lack of science though Lucy profoundly places it self as a science fiction. What the director Luc Besson has done is picking up a myth and converting it to scientific terms but not scientifically proving a fact. All of the rest is assumptions and eye candy. But the viewers are effortlessly made to overlook the facts and believe in the movie (Just like “Gravity” did so well in 2013) and get involved in the twisted reality. In terms of doing that Lucy is a success. But if it was based more on science based theories than mythology it would have being great. And Lucy is a reminder that not all movies can be like Matrix.

Genre: Sci Fi | Action

Director : Luc Besson

-Priyantha Bandara

Thanha Rathi Ranga (2014) – Rating 4/5

For Sri Lankan movie fans it takes a while for a true artistic movie to dawn. In a country where art has many limitations creativity comes with a cost, where as in other regions of the world its limits are far wider and fruitful. And most of the instances the creators were neglected or banished than being commended for their work.  Making a movie that people speaks about in an atmosphere like this is indeed a tricky task and I believe Nilendra Deshapriya has managed to jump through the hoops and squeeze in between the slippery slopes to bring this beautiful movie to light. And movies like Thanha Rathi Ranga is seldom seeing here therefore can be called as a rare gem.

The movie speaks of a rather commonly experienced theme in recent years, the post war Sri Lanka yet manages to pull off a unique plot based on a solid start. 3 friends from the Colombo low income urban community area sets off on a trip of sight seeing to North and East of the country after the end of war. The plot thickens from a fun filled road trip to a suspense ride when they discover something unexpectedly that creates turmoil and showing signs in scattering walls of friendship. And the turn of events after their return to home sets them on a dark and uncertain path of misery.

What catches the viewer at the beginning is the brilliance in cinematography. The movie swiftly shifts from narrative news footage and live street action more than once bringing in perfect harmony between the turn of events on the victory day. And the director skillfully create base for certain events quickly yet effectively within the first 15 minutes of the movie and then gradually moves down a road which is more entertaining than dramatic for a while. But the viewers having the situation in Colombo and the events in back of their minds eagerly waits till the show returns home and it takes a while to do that. But the fluctuation between these layers is smoothly made and the movie flawlessly moves from phase to phase. And each of these phases has a mood of their own and by the time the movie reaches it’s peak the moment of enlightenment is reached with a strike of pain. The concerned viewer will lament in the things that unfolds yet realizes that the damages were caused by things which could have being easily avoided.

Thanha Rathi Ranga has a strong script. It speaks few words yet convey deeper messages along the way. And certain scenes are made excessively powerful with small details and careful attention was given creating them. Scenes such as the handicapped solder crossing the road while the people rejoice in the name of victory is merely a true justification to the bitter truth of war and it horrific claims. Use of signs is prominent throughout the movie and these signs can be seeing in the forms of lifeless statues or living animals but they equally makes enough sense and ads depth to the story. And the last five minutes of the movie is kind of a psychological tease that solely dependent on the viewers comprehension towards the whole story and it can be interpreted in many different ways based on the individual perception. These small yet beautiful mix of little elements pumps life to Thana Rathi Ranga so well that there is lot for the viewer to ponder upon after the ending titles roll. 

Finally it is a must to commend the brilliance in performances or else this write up will be somewhat flawed. Thanha Rathi Ranga has some of the most powerful yet natural of performances that recent local cinema has seeing. These characters instantly manage to grab the viewer and transform them selves in to prominent places of viewers’ minds and even the minor rolls were given equal attention to details. The beauty of these performances mixed with the script unravels a fresh experience on the screen and Sinhala cinema is nourished with one more wholesome movie to its credit.

Genre : Drama

Director :Nilendra Deshapriya

Country : Sri Lanka

Language : Sinhala

- Priyantha Bandara