Margin Call (2011)

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

 

VERDICT – 3/5

 

PROS –
1) Silence before the storm of the 2008 Financial Crisis. A companion movie to The Big Short (2015).
2) Exceptional cast.
3) The late-night emergency meeting. Jeremy Irons nailed that scene in the room full of acting talents.
4) Wolves by Phosphorescent

 

CONS –
1) Not for the audiences who don’t understand financial jargons.

 

QUOTE –
John Tuld: Let me tell you something, Mr. Sullivan. Do you care to know why I’m in this chair with you all? I mean, why I earn the big bucks.
Peter Sullivan: Yes.
John Tuld: I’m here for one reason and one reason alone. I’m here to guess what the music might do a week, a month, a year from now. That’s it. Nothing more. And standing here tonight, I’m afraid that I don’t hear – a – thing. Just… silence.

Horrible Bosses 2 (2014)

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

VERDICT – 3/5

 
PROS –
1) As funny as the prequel. A new plot for the sequel instead of recycling the same story.
2) Jennifer Aniston as Dr. Julia is as impressive as before. Kevin Spacey prison visits were hilarious.
3) The wobbling trio of Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis, and Charlie Day ensures the audiences will get their money’s worth.
4) A good supporting cast including Christoph Waltz & Jonathan Banks. Chris Pine as Rex surprises in his comedic role. Jamie Foxx as MF Jones returns for one hell of a police car chase

 

CONS –
N/A

 

QUOTE –
Bert Hanson: I hate to break it to you, but the American dream is made in China.

Horrible Bosses (2011)

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

VERDICT – 5/5

 
PROS –
1) Seth Gordon’s laugh-riot about three employees trying to murder their respective bosses with the help of a video bootlegger called “MF” Jones. That’s how you make a good black-comedy movie.
2) Jennifer Aniston as Dr. Julia. She still keeps on surprising the audiences with her various shades.
3) Great supporting cast completed with Kevin Spacey & Colin Farrell.
4) Even in the presence of Jason Sudeikis & Jason Bateman, Charlie Day as Dale clearly stole the show.
5) End credits: How You Like Me Now? (The Heavy song)

 
CONS –
N/A

 

QUOTE –
Kurt:  I’d like to bend her over a barrel and show her the fifty states.

L.A. Confidential (1997)

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

VERDICT – 3/5

 
PROS –
1) A cop-drama about corruption-riddled LAPD in the 1950s. Three cops unearthing multiple layers of corruption whose foundation was laid by other three cops years ago.
2) Climactic shoot-out.
3) The two stars of this movie are Kevin Spacey as the morally corrupt detective Jack and Russell Crowe as hot-headed cop Bud.

 

CONS –
1) The entire Kim Basinger plot as Veronica Lake look-alike was pretentious and sluggish.

 
QUOTE –
Captain Dudley Smith: I wouldn’t trade places with Edmund Exley right now for all the whiskey in Ireland.

Baby Driver (2017)

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

Verdict – 3/5

 

Pros –

 

1) The character of a music-obsessed driven criminal.One scene in particular where he can’t get the stolen car started mid-way a police chase without getting the right song from radio-station.
2) Jamie Foxx as Bats – one step away from Anton Chigurh.
3) There are few Tarantino-esque moments of intense uncertainty and anticipation
4) Gunsmiths massacre scene where gunshots sync with music.

 

Cons –

 

1) 4 Years wait for an Edgar Wright movie and not worth it. Frustrating to see a director with huge potential wasting his talent on such story. While James Cameron is already wasting rest of his life in Avatar sequels it’s sad to see Edgar Wright do something similar.
2) Ansel Elgort as Baby … Why ?
3) The climax … Dream or reality ?

 

 

Quote –

 

Baby: You and I are a team.
Doc: Don’t feed me any more lines from ‘Monsters, Inc.’ It pisses me off!

Moon (2009)

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

Verdict – 5/5

 

Pros –

1) Brilliant sci-fi concept with survival theme
2) Another superb performance from Sam Rockwell
3) Modest budgeted 1 actor’s show : directorial achievement
4) Climax respecting the intelligence of audience.

 
Cons –

 

n/a

 
Quote –
“Sam Bell: That’s enough. I want to go home.”

Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)

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

Verdict – 4/5

 

PROS –
1) “Reservoir Dogs” without the violence
2) The twists & the monologues
3) Great ensemble cast
4) Cinematography – Rain factor
5) Jack Lemmon – outstanding performance

 

CONS –
1) The Title – could be much better.

 
QUOTE –
“Blake: As you all know, first prize is a Cadillac Eldorado. Anybody want to see second prize? Second prize is a set of steak knives. Third prize is you’re fired.”

House of Cards (season 3)

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

 

VERDICT – 2/5

 

PROS –
1) First 5 episodes.
2) Iowa debate.
3) Kevin Spacey’s monologues.
4) “AmWorks” converting Underwood into an Anti-Hero.
5) Petrov

 

 

CONS –
1) The storyline is stretched for 13 episodes. It can be wrapped up in 8 episodes.
2) Rachel sub-plot
3) Remy-Jackie romantic plot
4) Thomas Yates sub-plot

 

 

QUOTE  –
Francis Underwood: Do you really want to discuss “courage”, Claire? Because anyone can commit suicide, or spout they’re mouth in front of a camera. But you want to know what really takes courage? Keeping your mouth shut, no matter what you might be feeling. Holding it all together when the stakes are this high.

The Usual Suspects (1995)

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

Verdict – 5/5

 

Pros –
1) The Title and the Poster
2) The line-up scene
3) Kevin Spacey’s Walk
4) Benicio del Toro’s accent
5) The myth of Keyser Söze
6) The final plot-twist – the father of plot-twist.

 

Cons –
1) Chazz Palminteri as U.S. Customs Special Agent Dave Kujan

 

Quote –
“The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist.”

House of Cards (Season 2)

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

 

VERDICT –2/5

 

 

PROS –
1) Zoe’s Death
2) Claire’s CNN Interview

 

 

CONS –
1) Meechum 3-Some
2) Stamper-Rachel Chemistry
3) ATT Hacker-FBI Nexus

 

 

QUOTE –
“A great man once said everything is about sex. Except sex. Sex is about power”