Alice in Wonderland (2010)

Director: Tim Burton

Cast:  Johnny Depp, Mia Wasikowska, Helena Bonham Carter

Genre: Animation, Fantasy

Plot: A nineteen year old Alice is back in the Wonderland.

There is nothing over the top about this movie. Johnny Depp is his usual-strangely charming-self, Helena Bonham Carter was...well, ok. Could have easily replaced her with a completely animated character! 

Anne Hathway has nothing much to do as she anyways looks like a gracious fairy. Alice (Mia) was pretty and did a fair job. 

I did hope Alice’s return to the Wonderland would have been a more full of grandeur.  

Watch it if you have time to kill.

6.2/10

The Fighter (2010)

Director: David O. Russell

Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Melissa Leo

Genre: Biography, Sport

Plot: Real life story of two brothers. Elder--once boxer turned drug addict, younger--a promising boxer being trained by his elder brother.

THE FIGHTER is an inspiring story of a welterweight category boxer’s unlikely road to success and his elder brother’s (once a potential boxer himself) return from the clutches of drug-world.

It has to be watched for our Dark Knight. Christian Bale isn’t as naturally gifted or versatile as some other actors but the kind of effort he puts in his roles is beyond beliefs and more than makes up for his occasional lack of expressions.

For BATMAN, he modulated his voice so much that his original was lost for a short while. For THE MACHINIST, he completely changed his physique. Even for this movie his efforts are clearly visible in his body language and accent. The fact he manages to look seven years older than Wahlberg–when he is actually younger–speaks a volume about his commitment to a project. 

Yes you may credit the make-up artist for that but what about the thin, lean frame? It definitely wasn’t the make-up artist skipping his meals!  

8/10

The Proposition (2005)

Director: John Hillcoat

Cast: Ray Winstone, Danny Huston, Guy Pearce,

Genre: Western, Drama  

Plot: Captain Stanley captures two of three notorious Burns brothers - Charlie and Mikey. He offers Charlie a deal: he and Mikey will be absolved of their crimes if Charlie kills the ever elusive eldest brother Arthur.

Set in the Australian outback in the 1880s, the movie follows a series of events following the horrific rape and murder of the Hopkins family, allegedly committed by the infamous Burns brothers gang.

Laudable performance by entire cast and none deserve more praise then the director itself. He had a precarious subject to deal with-a disorientation man who is inevitably going to lose a brother.

In these real-life based scenarios director has to put in extra effort to bring out genuine emotions from the actors and he does that to a perfection.

8.2/10

Evil Dead III: Army Of Darkness (1992)

Director: Sam Raimi

Cast: Bruce Campbell

Genre: Comedy, Fantasy

Plot: Ash's battle with the undead is still on. Only this time it has spanned across the timeline.

A typical Evil Dead movie, boisterous as rest of them!

Evil Dead III starts with a brief flashback of Evil Dead II explaining the Necronomicon and how Ash ends up in Medieval England amid war between Lord Arthur and Duke Henry. 

Arthur’s men capture and imprison Ash along with the Duke Henry, his gun and chainsaw are also confiscated. Arthur commands Ash to be thrown in a Deadite-pit. He kills the Deadite after Arthur's Wise Man gives him back his weapon--the chainsaw. Ash becomes a hero, falls in love with a dead knight’s sister Sheila and realizes he is in fact the prophesied Savior.

Then begins the outrageous battle between mortal and the undead which is hilarious! Watch out for Ash’s idiotic antics, his duplicate deadite, and broken to pieces mirrored image.

In the end good prevails over evil and our in-a-way dumb hero returns to the future. But what his arrogance brings along the trail? Well, that’s another matter!

7.5/10

Chloe (2009)

Director: Atom Egoyan

Cast: Julianne Moore, Liam Neeson, Amanda Seyfried

Genre: Drama, Thriller

Plot: A woman suspects her husband of cheating and hires an escort to unravel his philandering ways.

At first glance it seems like male version of Unfaithful (2002), gladly it wasn’t!

Still you expect much better performance by veterans like Neeson and Moore.

Amanda Seyfried looked more like a model than actor! She still has some way to go before hogging the limelight as an actor!

The script is good enough but execution is poor and movie as a whole seems a bit dragging. You don’t feel like watching anything unique.

Watch it if you must.

6/10