Begin Again (2014) – Ratings: Genre 4.5/5, Overall 4/5

John Carney the director who bought us the beautiful musical “Once” back in 2006 has offered a true piece of romantic movie again that touches the senses. And it’s filled with breathtakingly mesmerizing music one after the other and the charmingly graceful performances by Keira Knightley and Mark Rufalo. And when all of those combined with a lovely storyline that sinks right in to fans heart how can a movie like this ever go wrong. And by far this is one of the best musical filled comedy dramas I can recall.

When Dan (Mark) a talented yet beaten up by life music agent desperately looking for new talent to get his life a jump start, accidently meets Gretta (Keira) a beautiful girl with a voice he was looking for. But convincing her to sign up to do an album was challenging enough for Dan as Gretta is about to leave town with a broken heart.

No doubt that pinnacle of Begin Again is its music. Five minutes down the movie it throws out a wonderful track that instantly grabs the viewer. And this moment becomes the central point of Dan meeting Gretta where it is visited couple of times via different storylines making its presence stronger. Starting from this song and the opening sequence the movie quickly yet steadily evolves in to something serenely beautiful and so does its music. The two key roles has their own independent storylines running alongside which fuels the main plot and the director has managed to beautifully blend everything together.

However Begin Again is bit far from reality though it covers its faults with a dramatic cloak and its charming performances and music. But to enjoy this movie the absolute reality factor is not something that’s really required. And honestly compared with often seeing cheesy romantic dramas that pops up like mushrooms these days Begin Again is a modern wonder.

Genre: Drama | Comedy | Romance

Director: John Carney

-Priyantha Bandara 

22 Jump Street (2014) Ratings: Genre 4/5, Overall 3/5

I honestly don’t think that this movie requires any introduction to any of you who are fans of Hollywood comedies. This is the second installment of one of the most successful and talked about comedy 21 Jump Street back in 2012. And this is clearly an improvement to the sequel and seldom have we got to witness a comedy that evolves for better. While the story is almost the same to the previous one just as the movie want it to be the clear new addition is the emotional bond that hilarious lead duo fantastically portray.

Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) is back with a new assignment to bust some emerging new drug by going undercover in college. But when Jenko accidently joins the college football team and meets up new guys to hang out with Schmidt finds himself left out. To make things worse his new found college girlfriend’s family becomes hostile.

22 Jump Street is filled with belly tickling humor. And they come in most strange place with most strange disguises and sometimes it takes a while to stop laughing. But for any who have seeing the previous movie this is no surprise and it’s exactly what they would require. This time the movie goes a bit further and brings in some action comedy to fit the bill along with extended college comedy. Clearly the undercover investigation is bigger and the bad guys too that bring in a grand showdown at the end. Jonah and Tatum are just perfect in their roles and it’s quite a surprise how such chemistry exist in between these completely opposite actors.

It is a must that I keep a note of the ending credits as this could be the most creative and clearly the toughest to make ending credits I can recall. It last for some time and will blow the fans away with makeup, CG and surprising guest starring.

Genre: Comedy

Director:  Phil Lord, Christopher Miller

- Priyantha Bandara

Let’s be Cops (2014): Ratings – Genre 3/5, Overall 2/5

This common above averagely funny comedy movie is definitely uncommon when it comes to the theme it has chosen. Two 30 year old men who has got nowhere with life accidently realizes that impersonating as cops can gain them the recognition they so desperately required in their life. Though how crazy and fat fetched this idea sound the movie pulls off some crazy stunts keeping aside some obvious plot holes side. But as it is a comedy and all we want is to laugh no idea is a bad idea.

Let’s be Cops is not boring. It starts a little slower than most comedy movies but gradually develop to be crazy funny sometimes. But most of the time it remains normal other than some occasional lines which can make you laugh a bit more than the rest. The reason why I kept going was because I was curious to know where the story will lead and how well the movie can pull off the predictable scenes. And I found them to be quite entertaining but not exceptional.

Regarding the performances they are ok but none of them can really spark the humor as such. Maybe I was expecting 21 Jump Street out of this but the chemistry between those two does not exist here. Maybe it’s a weakness of the script too. But as a comedy for light minded viewing let’s be Cops is not bad at all.

Genre: Comedy

Director: Luke Greenfield

-Priyantha Bandara

A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014) – Ratings : Genre 3.5/5 Overall 2/5

Hay the American West was bad and we know it. But I never knew it was this hilariously bad. This movie picks up some obvious facts from the 18’s USA and sums it up to be a predictable yet a very funny comedy. With cocky dirty humor without limits and sarcasm written all over it the people who can digest this will certainly like it.

Albert (Seth MacFarlane) who is a cowardly sheep farmer and a man with a big broken heart after his girlfriend dumped him decides that it’s finally time to leave the pathetic small town he was living in the West. But soon he is touched by the mysterious Anna (Charlize Theron) who happens to arrive in the town. But he is yet to realize that Anna is full of surprises and most of them will get him killed.

A Millions Ways to Die in the West is a very straight forward comedy and I take it to be positive. Comedies should be light weighted and should have little surprises. All the fans want is to have a good time watching it and get back to their not so hilarious lives in a jiffy. This movie does its job well though it may not be crowned as the best comedy ever produced. Scene after scene it throws in some really hilarious lines and some of them are so funny that you might lose the next few lines while laughing.

Acting wise there is plenty to laugh about and definitely Theron proves that she is a stunner even in vintage clothing and natural looking makeup. There are quite a few surprising appearances of guest casts who are well known who are capable of raising a brow. All in all this movie packs some real funny goodies and some of them might taste like horse shit. But it’s okay!!

Genre: Comedy

Director: Seth MacFarlane

The Lego Movie (2014) Ratings Genre 4.5/5 | Overall 3.5/5

What do men crave for? Cars!! And what do small boys crave for? Legos! But the good thing is while there is an age for cars, Lego’s has none!!

When the first few scenes opened up I thought to myself “oh this looks very strange with all these cubes as characters with sharp corners and it’s definitely going to be boring”. But guess what? I was shamefully very wrong. The Lego movie was amazing. I repeat it’s AMAZING.

In the world of Lego land the evil president Lord Business is planning to destroy everyone. And a normal construction worker Emmet is selected to avoid it as per an ancient prophesy. But soon the Lego land realizes that this construction worker is not the chosen one. And he is challenged with proving that he is the right one for the job.

The Lego Movie is a fast phased and mesmerizingly colorful movie. In Lego land you will miss a lot if you blink. So for some it could be a bit tiresome to keeping up with the speed but once you get on board the speed train it’s a super fun ride. And surprises wait at every turn. And beware every line is funny! This has some super characters including good cop mixed bad cop voiced by Liam Neeson, Vitruvious voiced by Morgan Freeman and Batman voiced by Will Arnet. And that’s just a few of them. There is a bunch of superheroes, NBA players, Star Wars characters, Cowboys and so on which makes The Lego Movie an awesome mix of voice plays.

Coming to the eye candy animation the work done there is simply crazy. Though at the start it looks a bit weird the animators proves that animation potential is endless and anything is possible. The brilliant animation quality teamed with upbeat music tracks brings the true joy of the Lego land.

Big studio animations are becoming larger and larger by the year. Yet we seldom come across something ground breaking and mind blowing. The Lego Movie is one of such fantastic animation that definitely blows away the minds of the viewer. It’s insanely creative with super different animation quality and comes with a fantastic story and belly tickling humor. In my book this is the best animation of a different kind after Wreck it Ralph (2012).

Genre: Animation, Comedy, Fantasy

Directors : Phil Lord, Christopher Muller

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) Ratings: Genre 5/5 | Overall 4/5

Would you like to take a vacation in Europe and stay in a luxurious hotel situated in the mystical mountains? While at it enjoy the sights, smells and sounds of the country in mind tingling details? Then think no further, the doors of The Grand Budapest Hotel is open for you. The Grand Budapest Hotel (GBH) is not just a movie but an experience in a whole different level. If you were not blown out by its grace then you must see a doctor immediately. This is by far in my opinion the best Wes Anderson movie that takes the viewer in an epic journey through the fictional land of Zubrowa and a hotel named The Grand Budapest.

The tale of GBH is told from perspective of Zero (Tony Revolori) a lobby boy who works for the hotel. And he works under the talented and charismatic concierge M. Gustave (Ralph Fiennes.) These two brings us a story so unfamiliar and whimsically magnificent, a story of romance, fantasy and above all adventurous. And from the very start to the ending scene you will not blink because it looks that delicious.

If you recall Wes Anderson’s earlier works like Moonrise Kingdom (2012), The Darjeeling Limited (2007) and Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) you already know that he has a style of his own and Wes’s movies looks insanely detailed. But GBH surpasses all of them and gives realism a new definition. It’s a mix of miniature models, live sets and computer animation that makes this movie by far one of the most memorable of that sort. When you get used to the brilliant looks of the film then you start to engulf in the characters. And the finest and the impressive cast will not let you rest a minute. GBH unveils a parade of talented and well-known actors character by character just like it unveils its beautiful story. Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum, Jude Law, Bill Murray and Edward Norton are few of them. And the mix of cinematography and performance is complete by seemingly synchronizing and fabulously ear pleasing score by Alexandre Desplat who has dozens of compelling movie scores under his belt.  

This movie is not just a movie that you will only enjoy while watching. It is like some delicious desert you had while enjoying your most anticipated holiday on the cold mountains. You will recall its taste over and over again and will be mesmerized by it. And those brilliant sequences of the funniest jail break, cable car ride on to the steep mountains, high speed chase down a snowy slope will be steadily embedded in your brain. And that’s just the tip of the ice berg.

Genre: Comedy

Director: Wes Anderson

We're the Millers (2013) Rating 2.5/5

While being completely flimsy in the practicality of the plot but utterly funny, We're the Millers will sure to make you laugh quite a lot.

David Clark is a small time pot dealer in the neighborhood. But his title is about to change to drug smuggler after he is unintentionally pulled to a wicked plot to smuggle weed over the Mexican border. While trying to figure out the best way to accomplish his assignment he realizes that a happy family on vacation is the way to go. So he gathers up few individuals and set up the fake family the Millers. But the drug smuggling business turns out to be tougher than he expected.

The plot is one good reason for making this movie watchable. It throws out some instant yet funny twists now and then. And as mentioned before the humor (mostly adult) is good. Thought it puts this movie on the long list of movies that actually make jokes about sexuality to make an impression it does work here. But this is not another American Pie or 21 Jump Street. It’s not that funny. We're the Millers is good for casual watching. Come to think of it there are no comedies that you can actually take serious. This one especially is no way near any kind of seriousness. However it does a decent job and entertainment.

This one is directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber. I’m not sure if that name rings a bell or I have seeing any of his previous works that was good enough to remember. But We are the Millers is showing good potential for better things to come by Rawson. And the part 2 is already rumored and I hope he will do a fine job with that one too.

I liked the character of David performed by Jason Sudeikis. He has previously done some fine funny roles in Horrible Bosses (2011) and Hall Pass (2011). In this also his main role keeps up the spirits. And then comes Jennifer Aniston, one of the most underrated yet skilled actresses of the commercial cinema these days. It’s mind blowing how good she looks in this. You have to see her doing ‘the dance’! 

Welcome to the Jungle (2013) Rating 2.5/5

If you have read many critics on the net and skipped this one, I suggest you give it a try. You can’t expect any works of genius when the cast is marked by Van Damme but what you can expect is some good action. However surprisingly Welcome to the Jungle is more humor than action and that turns out to be truly entertaining. 

When the staff of an advertising firm sent on an out bound training on an island situated in the middle of nowhere they get stranded unexpectedly after the death of their aged pilot. And things turn even uglier when the corporate politics kicks in and their tough trainer Storm (Van Damme) turns out to be a fraud.

Talking on realistic perspective the stuff that actually happens in this is will never happen in real life. But as a comedy what can you really expect than to laugh at those moments. And some of the stuff is actually hilarious than you might expect. And when Van Damme kicks in (No pun intended) it becomes whole lot interesting. This is a cool movie to take away some stress from the day to day busy schedule.

The Way Way Back (2013) 3/5

Thanks for the excellent cast and beautiful story you will actually enjoy this movie right from the start. It’s a story about children in the adult’s world and the part where they get to be independent even for a short while and experience life as they always want it to be. Though the theme is nothing new it is very well made so the viewer can taste is like something new. And there is ample amount of solid humor so laughs are expected.

Duncan is a 14 year old boy who is somewhat silent in character finds their family vacation to be a boring one. Mainly because of his mother’s boyfriend who he find no chemistry with. But things change once Duncan meets a girl and gets in to working part time job at a water park where he gets to involve with some people who actually change his perception of vacation. 

For a movie this has a good flow, elements of surprises and the ability to keep the viewers hanging in. It is a mix of family drama, comedy and a teen flick in one. So seems like there is something for many to enjoy.

Blue Jasmine (2013) Rating 3.5/5

With the good combination of strong acting by Cate Blanchett and the smooth yet effective direction and writing of Woody Allen, comes this beautiful movie Blue Jasmine that gave me mixed feelings. It is a somewhat powerful drama yet has a sense of humor. For me that seems to be a bit of a mismatch. 

Cate plays the character of Jasmine who arrives at her sister’s house after going through a series of tragic experiences in her life broken and beaten looking for a fresh start. While trying to escape her past of luxury and wealth which does not exist anymore Jasmine seems to be engulfing in it than rather letting it go. And she finds some new goals to look forward to. 

The plot and the way it unfold is the key success of this movie apart from the most noticeable talented performance by Cate. She completely drives the character Jasmine in a way that the viewer would feel her every breath and electric signals in the brain. And Jasmine requires such strong performance to be memorable which Cate delivers lavishly. For the viewer there is always the fact of surprise and something to look forward to with every key turn of the plot. This got beautiful stuff in it with colorful sites and people. 

What made me confused a bit was the secondary story lines which runs unrelated to Jasmine’s one. I was hoping that they would make strong sense but till the end it didn’t. Due to that the core plot seems to be diluted and the real strong drama has lessened. Without them the viewer could have had a strong connection with Jasmine than wondering about.

Nebraska (2013) Rating 4/5

This contemporary black and white drama is a mix of humor and a good deal of sentimental value is sure a heartwarming piece of movie from 2013. It has brilliant cinematography and flow which works hand in hand creating a memorable movie experience. And the plot makes you stick to it really good.

Old man Woody Grant comes to believe that he won a million dollars after he receives a sweepstakes notice in the mail which clearly is bogus. After several failed attempts of walking to Nebraska to claim the prize money his younger son David decides that taking his father where he wants to go and to make him see for himself would be the ideal way to solve the problem. And during this journey together David finds a different perspective of his father which he has never saw before. 

Being a movie which has many very old casts in it and made in dull black and white the director has taken a leap of faith towards making this. And maybe even fans would think twice before seeing it as it doesn’t look appealing as most of the movies you come across nowwa days. But Nebraska is one fine movie that will make you forget your day to day busy schedule and all the worries for a bit. Because it is a story of warmth set in a cold place. And this well deserves to be in the Oscar nominations this year unlike some titles that doesn’t fit the bill.