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Reviews
Population 436 (2006)
A pleasant surprise.....decent thriller with a good performance from Sisto
Do you ever watch a movie and are pleasantly surprised?? Doesn't happen often for me....but Pop/436 did the trick! A decent thriller with an unique plot, Pop/436 tells a story of a small town that through over 100 years has kept a constant population. The story is adequate, but a good background score and another excellent performance by Jeremy Sisto (who was excellent in Paranoia 1.0) is able to keep the audience interested for the 90 min runtime.
Don't expect anything extraordinary from this movie, but in a day and age where over budget movie miss the mark time and time again, Pop/436 is a rare treat which is worth a view.
The Da Vinci Code (2006)
Take it for what it is...and you'll want to see it again
First off, I must start by saying that before I saw this movie, I made the mistake of going to rottentomatoes and reading some reviews...I really didn't understand why this movie could be as bad as the critics said...
Let me tell you, the critics were way off!! The DaVinci code is hands down one of the best films of the year and despite its 150 mins runtime, there is not a dull moment in the entire movie and keeps you guessing until the very end.
I have not read the book, so had nothing to compare it to, but as a stand alone movie it does very well entertaining the audience and would definitely make a top 10 list of mine for the genre no questions asked.
As far as performances go, Tom Hanks is excellent and fits the role well as Robert Langdon. I can not think of anyone else that could capture this role as he has. Audrey Tautou, Ian McKellen, Jean Reno, and Paul Bettany all are excellent in their respective roles.
Of note about the movie are the breathtaking locals and Hans Zimmer's background score which truly captures the essence of The DaVinci Code.
Walking out of the movie I was truly disappointed by the critics that bashed this movie as there was not much to bash about it. However, in the theme of the movie itself, I guess I must entitle them the freedom to say what they want.....a must see!!! 10/10
Dirty (2005)
If you liked Training Day, you are sure to enjoy this!
With a similar theme to Training Day, but with a totally different treatment, Dirty looks also at the corruption within Narcotic Drug Enforcement agencies within the LAPD.
I did not know what to expect going into this movie, as I had not heard much about it, but the cast itself were able to carry the story and present it in a excellent manner. Cuba Gooding and Clifton Collins give excellent performance as the lead characters. In particular, Cuba shows his versatility again and is definitely something to watch. As far as supporting performances, Cole Hauser stands out with another of his long list of notable supporting appearances.
What adds most to the feel of the movie is the soundtrack and background score. If you are a fan of rap and hip-hop, definitely check some of the tracks out featured in this movie.
On the whole, an entertaining movie with an interesting story similar to Training Day, but different enough to appreciate it as an original piece of cinema.
The Butterfly Effect (2004)
By far one of the best films of 2004!
Whenever a films tries to take a step away from the norm of popular cinema his work should be applauded...it takes guts. The Butterfly effect is one of those films.
Gruber and Bress have tackled an interesting premise in this psychological thriller. Kutcher, playing Evan Treborn, shines in one of his first attempts in a non-comic role having to try on many different characters within his existing persona in the film. It is something worth seeing on its own.
The story is interesting and complex, and it seems to get more complicated the more you think about it!! There are some obvious loopholes in the time line of the story that I feel go with the genre so do not take away any from the movie itself.
A definite must see for any fans of the genre and of movies that go against the norm of popular cinema.
10/10
Lost (2004)
Diamond in the rough....will keep you watching till the very end!!
Sometimes I really feel sorry for Dean Cain. A very talented actor that was horribly typecast due to his role on the TV show "Lois and Clark". This movie is a perfect example.
'Lost' is an excellent thriller and definitely worth a watch to any fan of the genre. It will keep you guessing till the very end! Dean Cain shines in this movie and does a great job. Not wanting to give away any plot points, the film centers around Dean's character Jeremy Stanton for the entire film as he is lost trying to find his way home.
This straight to DVD release is worth a rent in my opinion.
9/10
Bhai (1997)
Went up against big names and succeeded!!!
Bhai was released Diwali of 1997 in the same week as Dil To Pagal Hai and Ghulam-E-Mustapha. Even though it released with some big names, it ended up doing very well at the box office despite stiff competition and was declared a hit.
The film has a good plot and good performances from Sunil Shetty and supporting cast of Sonali Bendre and Pooja Bhatra.
The songs are decent and action is what would be expected from a Sunil Shetty movie. A definite must see for any Sunil Shetty fan and was a good follow up to his 1996 movie Rakshak.
Although Shetty is unable to handle a movie as a lead man anymore, this movie was at a time when he was and should be watched by all those that enjoy his work.