After more than four years, The Random Films is moving to a new home. The rebranded, restructured and refashioned blog will have new features such as First Peeks (trailers of upcoming movies) and TV Series (reviews of favorite television shows). Hope you support the new blog just the same. Please visit:MOVIEcracy
REC or [·REC]2 is a 2009 sequel to the internationally-acclaimed 2007 Spanish horror film REC (see Random Film: REC). Jaume Balaguero and Paco Plaza still co-wrote and co-directed this second installment. It follows the events immediately after the events of REC, and hence, it still has that shaky camera and claustrophobic effect.
Plot. Dr. Owen, an official from the Ministry of Health, and a special group called GEO team are sent to the quarantined building to control the situation. Inside the building, they encounter the infected victims but Owen uses his rosary and religious mantra to drive them away. It turns out that Owen is actually a priest sent by the Vatican to acquire a blood sample from the Medeiros girl (the carrier of the virus which spread the demonic possession). They eventually reach the penthouse (owned by another priest in charge of her) and found the sample. However, it is set on fire while when they test it to confirm. The only option is to get a sample from the Medeiros girl herself.
Meanwhile, several other characters also surface. Jennifer’s father has come back after buying medicine for his child (the infected girl from REC who was thought to have tonsillitis only) and insists on entering the building. He convinces a firefighter and both go inside. Likewise, three teenagers – Tito, Mire, and Ori – manage to get inside the building via the sewage system. However, the police later seal the exit. Click here to read full review of "REC 2".
Tsotsi is a 2005 South African film written and directed by Gavin Hood. It is based on Athol Fugard’s novel of the same name. The lead role is played by South African artist Presley Chweneyagae. The movie is in Afrikaans, isiZulu, isiXhosa, and Tsotsitaal languages. In was released internationally by Miramax Films.
Plot. The film is set in an Alexandra slum, near Johannesburg, South Africa. It begins with scenes portraying the childhood life of a notorious thug named Tsotsi. After his mother dies from a terminal disease, the young child runs away from his abusive father and lives with the other kids in a group of large concrete construction pipes. Years after, Tsotsi, whose original name was David, is now the leader of a gang that includes his friends Butcher, Aap and Boston.
Later, Tsotsi shoots a young woman named Pumla and steals her car. Only when he ransacked the car that he discovers the baby in the back seat. Hastily, he runs away with the valuables and the baby. Pumla survives the attack. A cartographic sketch of Tsotsi is immediately published in the newspapers.
Tsotsi finds it hard to take care of the baby on his own in his shack. So he looks around for a woman who can do the job and soon spots Miriam collecting water from a public tap, with a young child strapped to her back. He follows her to her home. During their first encounter, Tsotsi forces Miriam at gunpoint to feed the child. However, in the second time, Miriam offers to have full care of the child to which Tsotsi agrees.
The whole experience has gradually changed Tsotsi. At one point, he gives a large sum of money to a crippled beggar he had previously bullied. He also offers to tend his injured friend Boston. More, he also urges Boston, who they call as Teacher Boy, to take the teacher’s examination. Yet, a large sum of money is needed in order for him to take the exam, and to do so, they will have to commit another robbery.
Tsotsi, Aap and Butcher set out once again to Pumla’s house. They tie up Pumla’s husband John. Aap is assigned to watch over John, while Butcher robs the bedroom and Tsotsi collects items from the baby’s room. Incidentally, John activates the alarm. In panic, Butcher attempts to kill John with a gun but is instead shot by Tsotsi. Immediately, Tsotsi and Aap escape.
Aap is shocked with what happened and decides to leave the gang and quit as Tsotsi’s friend. Tsotsi then goes to Miriam’s place and the woman reveals that she already knows his secret. She begs him to return the child to his parents to which he painfully agrees.
Tsotsi arrives at John’s house again and he tells him over the intercom that he will leave the child outside the gate. Meanwhile, a stationed officer rushes to the scene just as Tsotsi is about to walk away. Many policemen soon appear, training their guns on Tsotsi who now holds the child more tightly. However, John urges the police to lower the gun so he can retrieve the baby himself. John begs Tsotsi and is sooner convinced to give up the child. Tsotsi emotionally returns the baby, and then told to put up his hands and turn himself in.
Commentary. Tsotsi is a film about change and redemption. In this movie, we would meet a man hardened by trials and circumstances turn into a moral person. What made him change is a mistake by fate. It was his own stupidity that triggered a series of events that distracted him from doing bad. When Tsotsi was faced with the challenge of tending the baby, he did not hesitate to accept the responsibility. Instead of disposing the child or giving him to some “place”, he looked for a nursing mother who can commit to the job. I suppose what made him decide on that is his own hurts and frustration. He grew alone and led a troubled life, and I think he does not want the helpless and innocent child suffer his fate. Tsotsi gave so much effort in taking care of the baby, even changing his diapers with a newspaper. Tsotsi transformed more when Miriam steps into the scene. Despite her poverty, Miriam raises well her only child, and then graciously offers her service of looking after the kidnapped baby. Seeing a good mother touched Tsotsi which made him decide a life-changing act of kindness. As the movie’s tagline goes, “In this world... redemption just comes once.”
Though its theme is dramatic, the movie did not dwell on so much sentimentality. It is not overwhelmingly emotional. It spares the audience from being too sympathetic with Tsotsi. We would simply understand the man and hope for change in him. The impoverished background helps us to understand more the hunger and strife of the characters. There are violence from time to time as it is a gangster movie, but the atmosphere created is more of sadness that chaos. Set aside the dialogues; the visuals are enough to evoke in us an awe-inspiring desire to change ourselves and the world we live in. In general, the storyline of the movie is simple and yet very profound.
Reception. Tsotsi received generally positive reviews. It won the 2005 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and was nominated for the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language film in 2006.
Rating. Tsotsi is one-of-a-kind gangster movie. It has lee violence, but more drama. I will give the film four out of five stars. Follow "Tsotsi" at Factoidz.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes is a 2011 science fiction film directed by Rupert Wyatt. It stars James Franco, Frieda Pinto, and Andy Serkis. It is a great addition to the Planet of the Apes series which actually tells the origin of the intelligent apes. The movie is distributed by 20th Century Fox.
Plot. Will Rodman (played by James Franco) is a pharmaceutical scientist who develops a drug to cure Alzheimer’s disease by testing them on chimpanzees. His drug mutates the chimps, giving them human level of intelligence. One of the most successful subjects is the chimp named Bright Eyes. Unknown to the Will and to his them, Bright Eyes has secretly given birth to a male baby. So during a presentation, Bright Eyes goes in a rampage, believing that she and the baby are threatened. Consequently, all the experimental chimps are killed except for the baby whom Will saves and takes home. Will’s father names the baby Caesar and Will raises him in his house. Caesar inherits his mother’s high intelligence and learns things very quickly. After eight years, Caesar has outgrown his environment and has become a highly intelligent ape.
One day, after seeing Will’s father being hurt by a neighbor, Caesar gets suddenly mad and attacks the person. Due to this incidence, Will is forced to surrender Caesar to San Bruno Sanctuary. There, Caesar meets several monkeys, chimps, and orangutan. It has been hard at the beginning but Caesar gently befriends them one by one and gains their respect and trust. However, Caesar is saddened by the fact the staff in the sanctuary are actually treating them bad.
Meanwhile, authorities now believe the efficacy of Will’s drug and so Will is directed to create more powerful drug. Experiments on a bonobo named Koba reveal that it strengthens the intelligence of the apes even further.
Later, Caesar escapes the ape facility and goes home to steal the canisters of drug created by Will. He then returns and releases it through the cage area, enhancing the intelligence of his fellow apes. In a unified decision, the apes break the facility and escape. They also liberated all the other apes in the city. With Caesar leading them all, they aim to cross over the Golden Gate Bridge and go to the redwood forest at Muir Woods National Monument.
After a hard-won battle against humans who desperate attempt to block them, the apes successfully enter the redwood forest. In the final heart-breaking scene, Caesar bids farewell to Will.
Commentary. I instantly love this film on first watch. And when was that moment? Just a week ago while riding a bus home. LOL! Yes, it was almost a three-hour travel and the film’s only one and a half hours. Got no entertainment on the bus and so the driver played the movie on DVD. It was excruciating watching it from my seat but it really got me. When I came home, I looked for a copy of the film and watched it all over again.
The movie is a great variation of the many “The Planet of the Apes” versions. Instead of having supernatural apes or apes from other planets, we see common apes made extraordinary by human technology. And for that, I could say that this is one of the most creative and intelligent movies I have ever seen.
What is special about the film is the sentimentality involved. We have seen countless movies about animal cruelty, but this one has added “voice” and “heart” to the animals in a unique way. The main ape, after having exposed with certain drugs, has adapted the ways of man which he later uses to save his kind. That was the most dramatic part, when the apes rise to defend themselves. Their revolt is not vengeance at all – they simply want to go “home.” Without doubt, the movie succeeds in conveying its message of anti-exploitation of our environment and natural resources.
Aside from its beautiful theme, the movie also succeeds in achieving visual and cinematic excellence also.
Reception. Rise of the Planet of the Apes is both financial and critical success. From its budget of roughly $93 million, it grossed to almost $400 million. It also received mostly positive reviews. Rotten Tomatoes gave it an 82% “Certified Fresh Rating” while Metacritic awards it a score of 68.
Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief is a 2010 fantasy-adventure film based loosely on The Lightning Thief, the first novel in the Percy Jackson & The Olympians series by Rick Riordan. Logan Lerman played the major role as Percy Jackson, Brandon T. Jackson as Grover Underwood (a satyr), and Alexandra Daddario as Annabeth Chase (daughter of Athena), with appearances of great Hollywood stars like Kevin McKidd as Poseidon, Sean Bean as Zeus, Pierce Brosnan as Chiron, and Uma Thurman as Medusa. It was directed by Chris Columbus and distributed by 20th Century Fox. It was released to theaters on February 12, 2010 with much success.
Plot. The movie begins with a scene on top of the Empire State Building where Olympian gods Zeus and Poseidon meet. Zeus reveals that his mater lightning bolt has been stolen and that Poseidon’s demigod son Percy Jackson is accused of the stealth. Poseidon reminds him that Percy is unaware of his true identity. However, Zeus insists that the lightning bolt be returned before the next summer solstice, and if not, war will be waged.
Percy Jackson is a seventeen-year-old teenager who has the ability to stay underwater for a long time. While on a school trip to a local museum, Percy is chased by a Fury and is only saved by his bestfriend Grover and Latin teacher Mr. Brunner. Despite Percy’s confusion, Mr. Brunner has Grover take him and his mother Sally out to Camp Half-Blood. However, they are attacked by a minotaur who appears to kill Sally since she is unable to enter the camp. Percy fights and kills the minotaur, and then faints from shock.
Three days later, Percy wakes up in the camp and soon learns that he is the son of Poseidon. He also discovers the true identity of his bestfriend and Mr. Brunner. In the camp, he learns combat skills and meets and befriends Annabeth Chase and Luke Castellan, son of Hermes. During a team exercise, Hades appears and reveals that Sally is with him in the Underworld and he will return her safely if Percy hands over the lightning bolt. Despite orders not to go, Percy plans to go to the Underworld, joined by Grover and Annabeth. They visit Luke who gives them an old shield, a pair of winged sneakers, and a map where three of Persephone’s pearl are found which they can use to escape the Underworld.
Over the next days, the trio heads to great adventures as they look for the pearls and fight other mythical figures like Medusa, Hydra, and the Lotus-Eaters. After having possession of the pearls, they meet Hades and his wife Persephone in the Underworld. After a fight, Hades finds the bold hidden inside the shield, revealing that Luke is actually the lightning thief. However, Persephone knocks out Hades with the bolt to avoid spending eternity with him, and hands the bolt to Percy. Since there are only three pearls, Grover chooses to stay behind with Persephone.
Percy, Annabeth and Sally are teleported to the Empire State Building. Luke attacks them and tells that he wants to destroy Mount Olympus so that the demigods can become the new rulers of the gods. Percy fights hard with Luke, and after defeating him, he returns the bolt to Zeus. Percy is forgiven and is allowed to speak briefly with Poseidon.
In the end, Percy and Annabeth returns to the camp and is reunited with Grover.
Commentary. Before I had seen the movie, I was not attracted to it since fantasy films are not my type of movies. It strikes me as another Harry-Potter-like production which is not my liking. A student recommended it to me, and incidentally, I was able to watch it on Cable some time later.
Bravo! I find it really exciting and wonderful. It is not as original as Harry Potter but it is as refreshing and creative. The concept of integrating ancient mythology to contemporary world is brilliant, as learning a part of this classic literature becomes fun and thrilling. The familiar characters are twisted that they seem so real, especially Medusa and Hades who appears like a rock star. Being a viewer, it made me wish to be a demigod as well. LOL!
The movie takes on a fast pace, avoiding being dry, dull and uninteresting. It has a very clear plot that there are no loose ends in its story line. With regards to its special effects, I can only be amazed and gaped. For me, this is a good movie overall.
Reception. There are mixed reviews for the movie. In Metacritic, it received an average score of 47 out of 100, while 50% of reviews in Rotten Tomatoes were positive.
Actor Logan Lerman received nominations from 2010 MTV Movie Awards, Teen Choice Awards, and 37th Saturn Awards for his portrayal of Percy Jackson.
Rating: Four half stars for this movie.This is a movie with great storyline but it only succeeds in being entertaining. Hope it had more depth.
Alpha Dog is a 2007 crime drama film written and directed by Nick Cassavetes. It stars then up-and-comer Anton Yelchin, Justin Timberlake, Emile Hirsch, Shawn Hatosy, Ben Foster, Olivia Wilde, Amanda Seyfried, Sharon Stone, and Bruce Willis. The movie is based on the true story of the kidnapping and murder of 15-year old Nicholas Markowitz in 2000. However, characters are given fictional names in the movie.
Plot. The movie tells the story of Johnny Truelove (The Alpha Dog), a young drug dealer in Claremont, California and his circle of friends – Frankie Ballenbacher, Tiko “TKO” Martinez, and Elvis Schmidt.
It opens with an interview with Sonny, Johnny Truelove’s father, who supplies his son with marijuana. From the money he earns from dealing and selling drugs, Johnny owns his own house and frequently holds parties. One of Johnny’s associates, a man named Jake Mazursky, owes Johnny a $1,200 drug debt but is unable to pay. After being told that Jake will never pay the money, Johnny retaliates and gets Jake fired from his job. Jake learns about it and later that night, he and his gang break into Johnny’s house and rampage it. Vengeance does not stop here as next day, Johnny, Frankie, and Tiko head to Jake’s home but he is not there. Instead, they found his younger brother Zack and decide to kidnap him in broad daylight.
Zack tries to escape in the beginning, but after striking friendship with Frankie, he manages to get along with his abductors. Zack stays in Frankie’s house, and later meets some of Frankie’s friends, including Keith Stratten and Julie. They all learn of Zack’s kidnapping, and a girl named Susan is the only one actually concerned about it. But everyone else, including Zack, treats everything as a joke. Meanwhile, Jake learns of the kidnapping and is instantly convinced that Johnny did it.
When his lawyer tells him he could get 25 years of imprisonment for kidnapping Zack, Johnny becomes increasingly anxious. He then approaches Elvis and offers to cancel his deep debt with Johnny if he kills Zack. After a night’s party and to everybody’s wonder, Frankie, Elvis, and another friend Keith trick Zack into thinking he is going home. They go up a hill where a grave has already been dug. Zack then begins to have suspicions, especially when Frankie hugs him goodbye. Elvis violently knocks Zack into the grave with the shovel and then fires at Zack with pistol, killing him. Frankie and Elvis then silently leave.
Despite all the cover up, Zack’s body is found three days later. There have been many witnesses who account that Zack had been with Johnny’s gang during the dates when he was missing. Gang members are soon found and arrested. After being convicted, Tiko, Keith, Frankie, Elvis and Johnny are all serve their respective sentences. However, Johnny is nowhere to be found.
Commentary. Alpha Dog takes us into the world of drugs and gangs. The movie has dark atmosphere, and from beginning to end, we see young people sniffing marijuana, partying in orgiastic spirits, and playing with violence and danger. Retaliation becomes a game and situations are jokes. It is a sad thing to see such thing on movie, but as it is based on true events, it is as good as saying that real life is as pathetic and evil as that.
Actors. The actors are very appropriate for their roles. Justin Timberlake, who played Frankie, is fit as the loyal but cowardly friend. Amanda Seyfried is also hot in the film as Zack’s love interest. But the greatest credit would be for Anton Yelchin who played Zack Mazursky, whose raw emotion and innocence effectively portrayed the naïve victim.
Reception. Alpha Dog opened #7 during its first weekend. Globally, it was released for six weeks. On Rotten Tomatoes, 54% of reviews were positive.
Rating. Three stars out of five for this movie. Alpha Dog is a violent but touching movie. Yet, it is hard to distinguish it from other such movies, and I could not really find it remarkable or memorable. The subject matter is not something everyone can relate to, and the movie generally has no great emotional attachment to the audience.
Paradise Now (Arabic: الجنّةالآن) is a 2005 Palestinian film directed by Hany Abu-Assad. It revolves around the story of two friends, both Palestinian men, who plans to launch a suicide attack in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Plot. Said and Khaled are childhood friends living in Nablus and working as mechanics. One day, they are instructed by their “resistance group” (unidentified in the film) that the two of them would instigate a suicide attack the next day. That night, the pair records videos bidding their loved ones goodbye and venerating their cause.
The next day, they bathed, shaved their heads and dressed suits to look like Israelis, with a cover story that they are going to attend a wedding. Both men are strapped with an explosive belt which can only be removed without detonating by the handlers. Accordingly, the bombs are to be detonated at a military check point in Israel.
Said and Khaled are about to cross the Israeli border when the guards see them. They flee with Khaled returning to their handlers and Said running away. The explosive belt is removed from Khaled, and consequently, he is tasked to find Said before the day ends.
Meanwhile, Said roams around the Israeli territory. At one point, he considers detonating the bomb in a passenger bus but decides against it when he sees a child aboard. It has become like “soul searching” moment for Said as the movie reveals his reasons for taking part in the suicide bombing.
Soon, Khaled finds Said lying on his father’s grave. The pair returns to their handlers and Said convinces them that the attack must continue. Hence, they both travel back to Tel Aviv and successfully enter inside Israel. However, Khaled changes his mind and decides to cancel the attack. Said tricks him into agreeing with him but he actually sends Khaled back outside Israel.
In the final scene, Said embarks a bus carrying Israeli soldiers and civilians. The film zooms in on his eyes and the scene suddenly turns white. It is left to the audience to interpret whether Said explodes the bomb or not.
Commentary. Great movies can make us understand the characters, no matter how complicated they might be. They can make us feel for them, though it does not necessarily mean grieving or cheering for them. In the end, we can make good judgment of the characters and of their decisions and actions. One such great film is Paradise Now.
Paradise Now is a thrilling eye-opening attempt to understand the heart and mind of suicide bombers. The movie takes us to the lives of two friends who are driven by love, desperation, hatred, shame, and vengeance to commit the most heinous act. They are not portrayed as heartless and evil murderers; instead, the movie humanizes them, that they also have doubts, anxieties and fears just like any person. They have morale and principles; yet, their emotions have overruled their wise judgment that they resort to glorify a murderous plan. Yes, audiences would understand the characters after watching the film and the open end solicits various interpretations. Along with these, audience will sympathize, forgive, or hate the characters.
Aside from its psychological aspect, Paradise Now is also political and religious as it depicts a chaotic and dark setting. It takes us outside and inside Israel, two worlds opposing in lifestyle and economy, yet similar in being filled with tension and sadness. The movie gives us a picture of the struggles that Palestine and Israel must face each day. It does not suggest a solution to this strife. But having effectively given audience the feel and view of what is life like there, it has successfully educated, influenced and opened up their hearts.
Paradise Now is full of suspenseful moments, and the slight humor and short love story in the film puts balance and believability in it. As in life, no matter how difficult and lonely it may be, we always find means to draw inspirations and happiness from the people and things around us.
Reception. Rotten Tomatoes gave the movie a rating of 89%. It won several awards including the 63rd Golden Globe Award’s Best Foreign Language Film. It was also nominated in the Best Foreign Language Film category in the Academy Award.
Rating. Five stars out of five for this movie. Paradise Now is truly an instant classic.
