87. THE WAVE (2015)

THE WAVE (2015)

Language               -       Norwegian (Norway)

Genre                     -       Disaster

Director                 -       Roar Uthaug

*ing                        -       Kristoffer Joner (Kristian), Ane Dahl Torp (Idun)

IMDB Score           -       6.7/10

PLOT

                           Kristian is a geologist who has been studying the Geiranger mountains for a long time. He got a new job into the oil industry, as a result after having the farewell party he prepares to leave his office. But an anomaly in the groundwater sensors in the mountain keeps him in the Geiranger. His colleagues said that it will be a cable problem. But later he finds that it is not just the cable, it’s the mountain plates that started shifting. If the mountain collapses, it can create an 85-meter-high tsunami. The entire village is at a greater risk.

MY VIEW

                           “The Wave” is the first disaster movie made in Norway and Scandinavia. Even though the movie is from a small industry it portrays disaster in a perfect way. It didn’t show any heroic deeds from the main characters instead they all acted naturally just like persons react during the situations of panic. There are no saving factors for protagonists’ families like in the movie “2012”. If you’re a person who loves to travel, then this small tourist village of Norway must be in your bucket list. The movie portrays its beauty in a more elegant way, with emerald blue water and greenery filled mountains. But the fact is that the basic plot of the movie is not fictional, because the director himself states that the crack in the mountains of Geiranger is expanding in each year it will be only a matter of time where the people will face a huge calamity. I felt that the movie ended soon, maybe the director tries to be as real as possible without adding much cinematic elements, but still, it shows many feelings of humans like the love of father and mother towards their children, the love towards towards their friends, even the tendency to survive themselves by killing others.

VERDICT

                           It was the No 1 in Norway Box-office in the year 2015 and gained much popularity through the country. The Quake (2018) is a sequel to this movie. Apart from the financial success, the movie had won many accolades in Norway like the The Kanon Awards, Amanda Awards. It was also the official entry of Norway to the  88th Academy Awards but failed to be nominated. The movie is a must watch one for people of Kerala, because it shows how civilians should behave during the case of emergency, leave all your belongings because nothing can replace your life, reach as fast as possible to the top of any mountain and all this have to be done within 10 minutes from the Red Alert. The citizens of Geiranger is a perfect example for people to follow during a disaster.

Movie Trailer- https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3616916/videoplayer/vi2929702169?ref_=tt_ov_vi

86. RESCUE DAWN (2006)

RESCUE DAWN

Language          -     English (United States)

Genre                -     War, Survival

Director            -     Werner Herzog

*ing                    -     Christian Bale (Dieter Dengler), Jeremy Davis (Gene)

IMDB Score      -     7.3/10

PLOT

                                                                      Dieter Dengler is an American fighter pilot, who is on a secret mission to do bombing in Laos during the Vietnam war. But his flight being shot down by the rebels. He is captured by the peasants, tortured and sent to a prison camp in a remote village, where he met other prisoners, who were there for more than a couple of years. Dengler comes with a new escape plan but they didn’t know the chance of survival because they must overcome armed guards, scarcity of food and the herculean the task of Vietnam wilderness.

MY VIEW

                                                                     Rescue Dawn is a war/survival movie from German director Werner Herzog. The movie is based on the true story of Dieter Dengler, a US Naval Aviator shot down over Laos during the Vietnam War.  This movie is not at all a military movie showing the supremacy of American Soldiers, nor it is filled with patriotic pumping scenes or music, instead it is one of the best movies showing the survival of the fittest. It shows the trauma a human mind must undergo when there is no sign of rescue from death. As always Bale was outstanding in acting. He shed 55 pounds for his role. The plane crash scene is the only scene where Christian Bale was doubled by a stuntman. Even the co-actors shed more than 20 pounds to show life in a prison camp. “It's not the camp, it’s the jungle that makes the real prison”, this dialogue from the movie shows the real villain in this movie.

 VERDICT

                                                                     RESCUE DAWN is a feel-good movie without really trying to become one, which is where so many survival and hardship movies fail; but any imperfections this film does have, is certainly overshadowed by its obvious technical genius, excellent acting, and courageous story.

Trailer- https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0462504/videoplayer/vi3215197465?ref_=tt_pv_vi_aiv_1

85. JULIA'S EYES

JULIA’S EYES

Language       -       Spanish

Genre             -       Mystery, Thriller

Director         -       Guillem Morales

*ing                -       Belén Rueda (Julia/Sara), Lluís Homar (Issac)

IMDB Score   -       6.7/10

PLOT

Julia is a scientist who searches for new planets and stars, but she received the suicide news of her blind twin sister, Sara who hanged herself under the basement of her home. Julia suspects it to be a murder and tries to solve it, she is continuously chased by a mysterious man. But the real problem starts when she too suffers the same degenerative disease of her sister and gradually losing sight. In this surrounding of death, weirdness and blindness she must solve the secrecy behind the mysterious man and her sister’s death.

MY VIEW

“Julia’s Eyes” is a Spanish thriller by Guillem Morales. Anyone will be interested in seeing the name Guillermo Del Toro’s (Pacific Rim, Hell Boy fame) name as producer. Even I expected it to be in the range of other Spanish thrillers like “The invisible guest” and “The body” but it is not as great as others but still a great thriller. There are many indications of predicting the villain character, just like many other movies we will predict someone, and became wrong but on reaching the mid portion of 2^nd half we will be able to know the real villain. The movie was able to maintain the thrill until the end, even though I am not satisfied with the climax because it ends with some questions.

VERDICT

Originally planned to be filmed in the English language. Once Guillermo del Toro became involved as a producer and Universal Pictures saw an opportunity to start its first Spanish production, the idea was changed. It can be a good pick for everyone for thriller genres with many rain scenes, dark and scary backgrounds.

Trailer- https://www.imdb.com/videoplayer/vi371957017?playlistId=tt1512685&ref_=tt_ov_vi

84. PI (1998)

PI (1998)

Language               -       English (United States)

Genre                     -       Psychological Thriller, Drama

Director                 -       Darren Aronofsky

*ing                 -       Max Cohen (Sean Gullette), Mark Margolis (Sol)

IMDB Score           -       7.4/10

PLOT    

                                                Max Cohen is a mathematician who thinks that each and everything in the universe is an arrangement of numbers, so he tries to decode the pattern behind the stock market. His only friend is his former professor (Sol), who also tried and failed in this attempt. He constantly tries to pull Max from his current work, but Max is so obsessed with his work. This new project of Max attracts others from Wall Street and Religious sects who have their own interests in Max’s work. But as he became close to making a breakthrough discovery, he finds that he is dealing with something deadly and which can put his life to death.

 MY VIEW     

                                                Pi is the first work of the genius director Darren Aronofsky who later came with masterpiece works like “Requiem for Dream”, “Black Swan”, “mother”. I would like to call Aronofsky as a ‘genius’ rather than a ‘legend’ because most of his work raises opposing and supporting comments from everywhere. This is my first experience of a black-white movie, I never thought that I would ever watch this kind of movies because in my opinion cinematic experience can be completed only by colourful stunning visuals. This movie proved that I’ am wrong because even though it’s a black & white it can be so engaging, it goes through the various concepts of Mathematics and the illusions of Max. It is explaining many fictitious types of stories throughout the movie like predicting the stock market, Judaism’s numerology but still it will keep the audience in seats. This is a mix of religion and science. Just like many brain twisting movies, it has an ambiguous ending and many plots are available regarding its explanation.

VERDICT             

                                           The film cost only $60,000 to make, most of which was raised in the form of individual $100 contributions from director Darren Aronofsky's friends and family. When it was later bought by Artisan Entertainment for 1 million, each contributor got back a $150 return on their investment. It was a financial hit earning 3 million in the collection along with a lot of critical praises. It was the first ever film to be legally made available for download on the internet. This can’t be a suggestion to everyone but if you like to enjoy some thinking concepts and the science behind it, then it’s a very good pick.

Movie Trailer- https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0138704/videoplayer/vi1904214297?ref_=tt_ov_vi

83. RED SPARROW (2018)

RED SPARROW

Language               -       English (United States)

Genre                     -       Drama, Spy, Thriller

Director                 -       Francis Lawrence

*ing                        -       Jennifer Lawrence (Dominika Egorova), Joel Edgerton (Nate Nash)
IMDB Score           -      6.6/10

PLOT

                                       Dominika is a professional Ballet dancer but an accident in her life changes the entire world of that pretty girl. This moment gives her uncle, who works with the Russian intelligence, a chance to involve in her life. The only option in her life to survive is by taking the role of a seductive spy to steal the most important information from an American spy.

MY VIEW

                                       Red Sparrow is a spy thriller movie which is based on a 2013 novel of the same name by retired CIA operative Jason Matthews. The movie is not filled with high octane action scenes instead it is filled with violent fights and nudity. But most of the violence and nude scenes are placed according to the pace of the movie. This is one of the best performances of Jenifer Lawrence, she had a different type of character in this movie, a complete survivor who will do anything to survive. I even doubted whether she belongs to good or bad side. Even though Joel Edgerton is there, it seems to be that he is shadowed by Jennifer’s performance. She did ballet and practiced a Russian accent for four months, but I didn’t felt authenticity in her Russian accents. The movie was going to end as a normal spy thriller drama, but the climax gave it a complete feel and will satisfy the viewers.

VERDICT

                                             The author of the novel himself suggested that there were schools in the Soviet Union Era which train young women the art of entrapment, the art of seduction for blackmailing intelligence targets. So, this is based on his experience as a result you will not feel this as a dystopian story. This is a thriller, it's not action, it's not gadgetry. It's a hard-R. It’s a different kind of spy film there is violence, suspense and a lot of intrigue.

Movie Trailer- https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2873282/videoplayer/vi4237277209?ref_=tt_ov_vi

82. INSIDE (2007)

INSIDE (2007)

Language              -       French (France)

Genre                     -       Brutal, Horror

Director                 -       Julien Maury, Alexandre Bustillo

*ing                        -       Béatrice Dalle (La Femme), Alysson Paradis (Sarah)

IMDB Score           -       6.8/10

PLOT

                                                                          After four months from the tragic accident Sarah is preparing for her delivery. She lost her boyfriend Mathew in the car crash, of which Sarah and her unborn baby were the only survivors. As she is preparing to give birth to her baby, a lady knocks on her door. She states that she wants to make a phone call because her phone battery dies out. But when Sarah refuses, the woman reveals that she knows Sarah and tries to force her way in. She calls the police and the strange women vanishes. The cops couldn’t find any trace of the woman, but she returns, and a bloody night starts for Sarah, a razor-sharp nightmare where the pregnant lady must fight the women single handedly.

MY VIEW

                                                                              Inside is a 2007 French movie which can be categorized as brutal, horror or home invasion according to the taste of the viewer. It’s a movie from two unknown guys from France. But It’s really filled with extreme violence and blood splatters, and not meant for the faint hearted. The movie keeps its horror and thriller mood till the end with some scenes are so scary to accept. Though there are some scenes which questions our brain as well as the logic in its nature, we may not consider it as a flow due to its edge of the seat thriller nature. A Hollywood remake had been recently released in 2018 on Video on Demand.

VERDICT

                                                                                I had watched many brutal movies like Serbian Film, Salo, Human Centipede and many more. But still I can say that this one also deserves a position among such kind of movies. It faced restriction in Spain for 9 years even in the US only a R rated version was released. So, if you like to see cuts, kills, blood and every possible way of ruthlessness then this is the perfect choice.

Trailer- https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0856288/videoplayer/vi157221401?ref_=tt_ov_vi

81. PLATOON (1986)

PLATOON

Language               -       English (United States)

Genre                     -       War

Director                 -       Oliver Stone

*ing                        -       Charlie Sheen (Chris Taylor), Tom Berenger (Bob Barnes), Willem Dafoe (Elias)

IMDB Score           -       8.1/10

PLOT

                                                     Chris Taylor dropped his university studies to serve his country in the ongoing Vietnam war. As the days progress, he finds that his presence is not essential for others but over the time witnessing combat, getting wounded and becoming closer to Sargent Elias and his Gangs, he starts to rediscover himself.

MY VIEW

                                                  “Platoon” is a very few movies which do not praise the heroic deeds of American soldiers, instead portrayed their helplessness, fear and desire to get back their home. May be due to this reason that US Defense forces did not cooperate with the movie and so the crew loaned military equipment’s from the Armed Forces of Philippines. The director Oliver Stone himself is a Vietnam War Veteran and it is his own personal experience as an Army combat infantryman. He wrote it quickly from his return from action.The actors were given military haircuts, were required to stay in character throughout the camp, ate only military rations, were not allowed to shower, slept in the jungle, and even had rotations for night watch.

Even though the movie goes through the narration of Charlie Sheen, the main pillars of the movie are Wiliam Dafoe and Tom Berenger. Dafoe’s character foreseen the war outcome, understands the reality and more sympathetic in nature while Berenger’s character is more radical, cruel and fights to get a last chance for changing the war result. Johnny Depp also plays a minor role in the movie. Oliver Stone considered casting Depp for the lead role of Private Chris Taylor, but Depp was too young for the part, and unknown at the time. Stone said that Depp would someday become a huge star and is thus one of the first filmmakers who introduced Johnny Depp to Hollywood.

It shows the difficulties faced by the American soldiers while fighting in a new terrain. Snakes, scorpions, continuous rains and the guerilla traps all sowed the seeds of fear into the rookie soldiers who were joined the Army due to patriotism. It can be due to the real experience of him while serving in Vietnam. It excels in almost every aspect such as cinematography, philosophy, location and moreover acting.

VERDICT

It was also a huge success in box-office as well as critically. The movie became the third most grossing film of 1986 behind Top Gun and Crocodile Dundee. It was nominated for 8 Academy Awards and winning 4 including the Best Picture and Best Director. In 2007 American Film institute included “Platoon” in the list of Greatest movies of all time. So there is no need to mention that this is one such film which could not be missed.

Trailer -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KztP7SKe0uk