Movie Review: The Guest

I have always had a personal liking towards action thrillers as compared to other movies. The reason for this maybe that such movies are usually gripping and intense. Due to the intensity, it is possible that not enough stress is placed on the story and the performances of individuals. However when we talk about The Guest, it would not be wrong to say that the movie is driven by some brilliant performances.

The Guest is directed by Adam Wingard and stars Dan Stevens as the main lead character. For those who are fans of the TV series Downton Abbey, would know Dan Stevens as Matthew Crawley. Dan plays the role of a soldier named David in the movie. He ends up at the doorstep of the Peterson family claiming to be a friend of a deceased son of the family. 

Source: First Row Filmed Entertainment

The other main characters from the movie are members of the Peterson family itself. Maika Monroe plays Anna Peterson (the sister of the deceased soldier), Brendan Meyer plays Luke Peterson (the brother), Sheila Kelley plays Laura Peterson (the Mother) and Leland Orser plays Spencer Peterson (the Father). Each character is different from the other and they blend in well with the storyline.

Dan Stevens in a shot from the movie (Source: First Row Filmed Entertainment)

David slowly settles into the family but some accidental deaths in the neighborhood somehow link to his presence and raise concerns about his identity. The story of the movie is decent and might not be over the top but the performances of a few individuals is worth mentioning. Dan Stevens is as cool as a cucumber in his role and is by far the standout performance. Leland Orser and Maika Monroe contribute to the movie through their good performances while Lance Reddick plays a small cameo in the movie.

Maika Monroe and Lance Reddick in a shot from the movie (Source: First Row Filmed Entertainment)

There are a few light moments in the movie, that have been executed brilliantly while the intense moments go with the flow and are pretty smooth. The action scenes are not over the top and it is good to see some regular action with guns and knives. The only concern is that there isn't too much focus on a background story and everything seems to unfold as the story progresses. Adding more depth to the story would have surely helped in character development.

The movie is a quick watch with the runtime of under 100 minutes. The movie is surely worth a watch, especially for the performance of Dan Stevens. The movie is set to release in U.A.E. and the Middle East on October 9.

Rating:    7.5/10
Runtime: 99 minutes
Trailer:    http://youtu.be/y0E2Qh6wLS4

Movie Review: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

With limited releases during the month of Ramadan, it was a long wait before Dawn of the Planet of the Apes released in the cinemas. The movie is a sequel to the Rise of the Planet of the Apes that released in 2011.

The movie opens with a quick recap of the the previous instalment and the focus is on the spread of a virus. The virus infected the human race all around the world, killing millions.

(Source: bloscars.files.wordpress.com)

The previous installment showed scientists performing tests on Apes. Given that the Apes have been through a lot at the hands of human (especially Koba - Toby Kebbell), it is not difficult to guess that the Apes want the humans to stay as far as they can. Caesar (Andy Serkis) has now become the leader of the Apes. He is the most intelligent and reasonable Ape at the same time. He wants to keep his community safe and does not prefer violence against humans unless it is necessary.

Caesar, strong and powerful (Source: Wallpapersak.com)

The Apes have found a home in the forest and have been living in it for sometime but it is obvious that their paths will cross the paths of human beings somewhere along the road. It is not long before that this happens when accidentally humans pass by the forest. The humans come across the Apes and so begins the story.

The Apes warn the humans to stay away and let them go, however the humans led by Malcom (played by Jason Clarke) come back to the forest for something they want. What follows is an emotional story with a few twists to the plot. The movie becomes more and more interesting as it progresses.

Malcom and Caesar share a moment (Source: discovermagazine.com)

The characters of Malcom, Koba and Caesar are the main characters. All the characters have strong charateristics and have been developed very well. Supporting characters namely Alexander (Kodi Smit-McPhee), Ellie (Keri Russell) and other Apes play their parts well. The story is emotional but interesting at the same time. There is no hurrying into scenes or instances; everything happens at a decent pace. The climax is exciting and has a good amount of action.

The end is set in a way that would surely lead to another sequel. The movie is worth a watch.

Rating:    7.5/10
Runtime: 130 minutes
Trailer:    http://youtu.be/3sHMCRaS3ao

Movie Review: The Grand Budapest Hotel

After the brilliance Wes Anderson portrayed in Moonrise Kingdom, he is back with yet another gem "The Grand Budapest Hotel". The movie involves smartly written dialogues along with a simple yet intriguing script. 

Source: sameliasmum.com

The movie revolves around two main characters namely Zero, the Lobby Boy (played by Tony Revolori) and M. Gustave (played by Ralph Fiennes). M.Gustave manages The Grand Budapest Hotel and is a unique character for whom the reputation of the hotel is everything. On the other hand Zero is a Lobby Boy who would go to any extent to help his boss M.Gustave.

All the Characters in the Movie (Source: sameliasmum.com)

The movie is about the character Mr. Moustafa (F. Murray Abraham) narrating the story of M. Gustave. Gustave being a famous and attractive man (atleast to the older women) uses his charismatic persona on the women he meets and ends up making a lot of friends.

The story develops when Madame D. (Tilda Swinton), who loves Gustave dies and it is believed that her death is not out of natural circumstances but someone has murdered her. As the blame falls on Gustave, it is upto him and the Lobby boy Zero to prove his innocence and to find out who the murderer is. What follows is a ride filled with laughter.

The best scene of the movie (Source: oneroomwithaview)

The beauty of the movie lies in the fact that nothing is overdone. The director and the actors have made sure that they have kept it simple. The scenarios and situations that develop throughout the movie bring out humor. The acting is brilliant with outstanding performances by Ralph Fiennes and Tony Revolori. They are well supported by the likes of 20 year old Saoirse Ronan, who plays Agatha, Zero's love interest.

Other actors such as Adrein Brody (playing the character of Dmitri) and Willem Dafoe (playing the character of Jopling) handle their parts well too. The scenes where Ralph and Tony share the screen are hilarious and the chemistry between them will make you fall in love with their characters.

Ralph and Tony in a scene from the movie (Source: emertainmentmonthly)

Plenty of times we come across movies that are not promoted too well but when you watch these movies you are so impressed with them that you wonder why the promotion fell short. The Grand Budapest Hotel is one such movie that might not have received too much TV time but it will surely receive its share of critical acclaim. A movie that is totally worth watching. The movie is set to release in UAE on May 8, 2014.

Rating:     9/10
Runtime: 100 minutes
Trailer:     http://youtu.be/1Fg5iWmQjwk