The Great Train Robbery (1978)

STORY – 1
DIRECTOR – 1
ACTOR – 1
MUSIC – 0
CULT – 0

 

VERDICT – 3/5

 
PROS –
1) The breathtaking stunt by Sean Connery on top of the moving train dodging bridges after bridges. The last 20 minutes of the movie are unmissable.

 
CONS –
1) The first hour of the heist is engaged in extracting the 4 keys. The third and final act saves this movie.
2) Ridiculous climactic escape.

 

 
QUOTE –
Judge: Now, on the matter of motive, we ask you: Why did you conceive, plan, and execute this dastardly and scandalous crime?
Edward Pierce: I wanted the money.

The Woman in Black (2012)

STORY – 1
DIRECTOR – 1
ACTOR – 1
MUSIC – 0
CULT – 0

 

VERDICT – 3/5

 
PROS –
1) A ghost taking revenge for her son’s death from the entire village.
2) Enough jump-scares with minimum dialogues to give audiences a mini-heart attack.
3) The climax reaffirms that the ghost woman in black continues her pursuits. It’s sad and fulfilling in a weird way.

 

CONS –
N/A

 
QUOTE –
Arthur Kipps: You don’t believe me, do you?
Daily: I believe even the most rational mind can play tricks in the dark.

Animal Farm (1954)

STORY – 1
DIRECTOR – 1
MUSIC – 0
CULT – 1

VERDICT – 3/4

 
PROS –
1) The story of a revolution. The story of civilization. The story of the Soviet Union.
2) An animated movie is primarily targetting younger audiences and Halas and Batchelor justified this timeless novel with a stupendous adaptation.

 
CONS –
1) The novel is Orwellian and the ending is supposed to be bleak. The upbeat climax is against the spirit of the novel.

 
QUOTE –
“All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others”.

Man Up (2015)

STORY – 1
DIRECTOR – 0
ACTOR – 1
MUSIC – 0
CULT – 0

Verdict – 2/5

Pros –
1) Rory Kinnear as Sean
2) Uplifting climax

 

Cons –
1) One time watch Brit rom-com with predictable twist and turns.
2) Lake Bell as Nancy – miscast

 

Quote –
Fuck the past!

Our Kind of Traitor (2016)

STORY – 1
DIRECTOR – 0
ACTOR – 1
MUSIC – 0
CULT – 0

Verdict – 2/5

 

Pros –
1) A John le Carré’s European thriller with Russian Mafia and MI6
2) Stellan Skarsgård as Dima

 

Cons –
1) A mediocre thriller with a predictable ending
2) Ewan McGregor in a shallow role
3) The roles of Mark Gatiss & Damian Lewis could’ve been swapped.

 

Quote –
” A man lauders a million pounds, he’s a crook but a few billion, now you’re talking.”

Attack the Block (2011)

STORY – 0
DIRECTOR – 1
ACTOR – 1
MUSIC – 1
CULT – 1

 

Verdict – 4/5

 

Pros –
1) Alien black-comedy with British humour. Joe Cornish successfully pulled an average plot with an unknown cast.
2) Probs & Mayhem
3) Music: “Sound of da Police”
4) It’s a surprise treat for fans of “Cornetto trilogy”
5) Full of sharp-witted pop-culture quotes.

 

Cons –
N/A

 

 

Quote –
Sam: What’s Ron’s weed room?
Brewis: It’s a big room! Full of weed. And it’s Ron’s.

The End of the F***ing World (Season 1)

STORY – 1
DIRECTOR – 1
ACTOR – 1
MUSIC – 1
CULT – 1

 

Verdict – 5/5

 

Pros –

 

1) Coming-of-age love story of 2 teenage psychopaths
2) Fast paced screen-play
3) The guitar-based soundtrack – mesmerizing! The strongest asset of this show.
4) The narration by lead characters gives a very authentic comic-book experience.
5) First sincere comic-book adaptation since Scott Pilgrim.

 

 

Cons –

 

 

N/A

 

 

 

Quote –

 

 

“I’m James.I’m 17. And I’m pretty sure I’m a psychopath.”

The Third Man (1949)

STORY – 1
DIRECTOR – 1
ACTOR – 1
MUSIC – 1
CULT – 1

 

Verdict – 5/5

 

Pros –

 

1) A perfect film-noir. The editing and cinematography is out of the world. However,a pinch of Casablanca can’t be denied.
2) The climactic sewer chase. Pure cult.
3) Final scene – the tragic theme – the open ended finish – the longest walk – the cold heartedness of Anna analogous to the falling leaves of autumn.
4) The first appearance of Orson Welles as Harry Lime – The character was well developed before he even appeared.

 

Cons –

 

N/A

 

Quote –

 

Harry Lime: In Italy for 30 years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love – they had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock.

In Bruges (2008)

STORY – 1
DIRECTOR – 1
ACTOR – 1
MUSIC – 1
CULT – 1

Verdict – 5/5

 

Pros –
1) It’s having all the elements of a Coen Bros. film. Gory with dark humor- very much like Fargo .
2) Principled Goodfellas.
3) Little conversation like Jules and Vincent in Pulp Fiction. Lollipop man, purgatory, Uzi, midget, black vs white war etc.
4) Uncertain climax

 

Cons –
N/A

 

Quote –
Marie: Why don’t you both put your guns down, and go home?
Harry: Don’t be stupid. This is the shootout.