#LifeOfCrime, Hollywood English Film Movie Review, #JohnsonThomas Rating: * * 1/2

#LifeOfCrime, Hollywood English Film Movie Review, #JohnsonThomas Rating: * * 1/2

                                      

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 #LifeOfCrime(English)Rating: * * ½ Ripping Tarantino but without the accompanying excitement. This movie version of Elmore Leonard's "The Switch"- story of a semi-botched kidnapping of a rich land developer's wife by ragtag shysters lacks style. It’s also a little too light-weight to be taken seriously.  Period sharp but flimsy on bite. #PVRPictures #JenniferAniston #Isla Fisher #TimRobbins #DanielSchechter #John Hawkes #YasiinBey #AshokAmritrajProductions #GothamGroup

English film review

Johnson Thomas

Period heavy Rip-off

Film: Life of crime       

Cast: John Hawkes, Yasiin Bey, Jennifer Aniston, Isla Fisher,Will Forte, Tim Robbins

Director: Daniel Schechter

Rating: * * 1/2

Running Time: 94 min.

Synopsis:Two criminals (John Hawkes and Yasiin Bey) help a woman (Jennifer Aniston) take revenge on her husband after he refuses to pay a ransom fee when they kidnap her in this adaptation of the Elmore Leonard book, Switch. Dan Schechter directs from his own adapted script. The story features two of the same characters from the book that  Tarantino’s ‘Jackie Brown’ was based on

Review

Paying homage to popular films and writers is never easy- especially when you have nothing new to show for it. Daniel Schechter nevertheless, attempts to fashion a befitting memorial to Elmore Leonard’s 1978 novel ‘The Switch’ with script adaptation by Schechter himself.  Though eye-pleasing , this one doesn’t have the wherewithal to stir your senses. Frankly, you won’t be much disappointed if you don’t expect the smart humor of Leonard driven successes like  ‘Get Shorty’ or ‘Jackie Brown.’

It’s depression in Motor City of the 70’s  and Ordell Robbie (Bey) has just discovered a new vein of hope in successful suburban businessman Frank Dawson (Tim Robbins)’s less-than-legal additional assets secreted away in the Bahamas, along with much younger mistress Melanie (Isla Fisher). His trophy wife Mickey (Aniston), who Ordell and team mates,Louis (John Hawkes), Richard(Mark Boone Jr) kidnap for the booty, has absolutely no knowledge of her boorish husband’s illicit activities. Ponce she discovers the truth, comes the Switch.

The narrative plays on economically but without much energy or action. Schechter blends in a gritty, realistic feel that appears a little absurdist and a trifle jokey keeping the atmosphere slow to boil and never really achieving it’s potential punch. The period design is bang on while the original background score by the Newton Brothers’ manages to rekindle memories from yore. The understated treatment makes the involvement difficult to attain while the performances, though exacting, lack the power to hold your attention. Though the trademark Tarantino fetishes are visible, it does nothing to up the enjoyment or the thrills. Even the action is severely botched-up by the killjoy editing.  The lesson to be learnt here- too much restraint is not always a good thing!

Johnsont307@gmail.com

        

Shreyas Talpade’s Hit and running ‘Poshter Boyz’ to be remade in Hindi

Shreyas Talpade’s ‘Poshter Boyz’ to be remade in Hindi

Following the success of Shreyas Talpade’s latest venture, Poshter Boyz, the actor turned producer is planning to make his Marathi venture 'Poshter Boyz' in Hindi to reach out pan India. The film has struck gold at the box office; receiving rave reviews both from critics and audiences alike.  The movie which opened with a 167 screen release across the state has collected over INR 1.60 crore in its first six days itself, making it one of the largest openers of 2014 for Marathi cinema.

The movie benefited immensely from a very aggressive marketing campaign and strong word-of-mouth driven by a novel concept, original content and rib-tickling humour.  Talking about it being remade in Hindi Shreyas said, “"I am getting a lot of requests from my friends in media and Bollywood that I should make the film in Hindi so that people across India can enjoy it. I am thinking of making it in Hindi and let's see what happens,"

Commenting on the response his movie is getting, an elated Shreyas Talpade said, “We are overwhelmed with the response we are getting for the film. Our focus was to make an original, honest and clean family entertainer that would connect with the masses and are glad that our efforts have been vindicated.

Being produced under Shreyas Talpade’s own banner Affluence Movies Private Limited, Poshter Boyz is directed by Sameer Patil and has been shot across real locations across Western Maharashtra. Other credits include Producer and Costumes by Deepti Talpade, Associate Producer Hadi Ali Abrar, story and dialogues by Sameer Patil, screenplay by Sameer Patil and Charudatt Bhagwat, and cinematography by Pushpank Gawde.

Success Party:

The party that was to be held to celebrate the success of the film was postponed a few times( once as a mark of respect on the sad demise of Marathi film actress/doyenne Smita Talwalkar) till it got held on 19th Aug at Sheesha Sky lounge, Juhu. fresh from his turn as a bumbling Gujju in Singham returns and success of Poshter Boyz, Uday nene was the cynosure of all eyes at the venue. Shreyas and team were deservedly gung-ho about the manner in which the film was received at the turnstiles. the party was well attended by the cast and crew and the celebrations carried on till the wee hours of the morning!

#PoshterBoyz  #ShreyasTalpade #DeeptiTalpade #SameerPatil  #SmitaTalwalkar #UdayNene  #latikaChindarkar #DilipPrabhavalkar, #AniketVishwasrao, #HrishikeshJoshi, #PoojaSawant, #NehaJoshi

Dev D cinematographer Rajeev Ravi’s directorial next, the Malayalam film Njan Steve Lopez releasing all over India on August 15 with English subtitles

Dev D cinematographer Rajeev Ravi’s directorial next, the Malayalam film Njan Steve Lopez releasing all over India on August 15 with English subtitles 

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After opening to a thundering response in Kerala last week, the National award-winning cinematographer (of Dev D, Gangs Of Wasseypur 1 & 2, Bombay Velvet and Liar’s Dice fame) Rajeev Ravi directed  Malayalam film Njan Steve Lopez is releasing all over India  with English subtitles on August 15. 

The film which is titled I Am Steve Lopez in English will be screened in over 40 cities of India including Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Mysore, Pune, Ahmedabad, Kolkata.

This is Rajeev’s second film as a director, after Annayum Rasoolum which was a blockbuster. Rajeev has won many awards including the National award, Filmfare and Bafta for his cinematography. 

The film is a Collective Phase One presentation with a Jar Pictures production in association with M.R. Filmworks and Media Mill. E4 Entertainment, the national distributor of the film has Fox on board as the sub- distributor for certain regions outside Kerala.

Synopsis of the film:

The film is set in capital city of the south Indian state of Kerala. Steve Lopez, a typical teenager is the son of an influential police officer. He leads an unruffled life, dominated by a relationship with Anjali, daughter of another police officer.

Steve happens to witness a fight between two rival gangs. He is involved in taking a fatally injured man to the hospital. This events leads him gradually into the lives of the gangsters who have nothing extraordinary in their lives except their acts of crime. Hari, the gang leader is captured by his father with his help, but he disappears from the police custody with no news. Steve is obsessed with the fate of Hari. In his quest to find what happened to Hari, he gradually comes to realise that the gangsters and the police including his father, are two faces of the same coin. There is an intricate web of interrelationships, bargains, trust and breach of trust between them. Steve's quick glimpse of this network is enough to unsettle him. His fate too is sealed once he touches this web.

About the director: 

National Award winning cinematographer and director Rajeev Ravi’s second directorial venture Njan Steve Lopez. Rajeev won the National award for the cinematography of Liar’s dice which is directed by his wife Geetu Mohandas. He is an acclaimed Bollywood cinematographer who has bagged the Bafta and Filmfare award and other popular mainstream awards for his work in Dev D and Gangs of Wasseypur part 1 and 2. His current venture is Bombay Velvet directed by Anurag Kashyap, which is in the postproduction stage.

 Film Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWrV25a86q8

#Manglish Starring #Mammootty is the first #MalayalamMovie to Release in #DolbyAtmos

#Manglish Starring #Mammootty is the first #Malayalam movie to Release in #DolbyAtmos

Redrose Creations Movie Manglish Starring Mammootty to Release in Dolby Atmos

The first Malayalam movie powered by Dolby Atmos

Kochi, India, July 7, 2014—Dolby Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE: DLB) today announced that Manglish will be mixed and released in the Dolby Atmos^® cinema sound platform. Filmmakers use Dolby Atmos to place and move sounds anywhere in the movie theatre, including overhead, to make film audiences feel as if they are inside the movie and not merely watching it.

“Dolby Atmos is the most powerful technology we have ever used when it comes to cinema sound,” said Salaam Bappu, Director, Manglish. “We are proud to be the first ones to use this technology in a Malayalam movie, ensuring that the audiences get the most exciting entertainment experience while watching Manglish.”

The Dolby Atmos version of Manglish was mixed by rerecording sound mixer M. R. Rajakrishnan at Four Frames, Chennai.Arun Seenu is the movie’s sound designer. Produced by Redrose Creations, Manglish stars the Malayalam megastar Mammootty and actress Caroline Bech of the Netherlands in leading roles. The movie depicts the love story between a Keralite boy and a foreign girl and shows how he becomes a hero in a Kochi harbor. The film is scheduled for an Eid release in India.

Commenting on the announcement, Pankaj Kedia, Country Manager, Dolby Laboratories India, said, “We are delighted that Redrose Creations has chosen Dolby Atmos to bring a multidimensional cinema sound experience to audiences withManglish. As this will be the first Dolby Atmos title offered in the Malayalam language, we are very excited about the opportunity, as we aim to deliver this experience to a broader set of movie fans in India. We would continue to offer the best cinematic experience to the Indian audiences across the country.”

Dolby Atmos has quickly become the preferred choice for next-generation cinema sound among major studios, award-winning filmmakers, and exhibitors around the world. To find a Dolby Atmos equipped theatre and showtimes, please visitiwantdolbyatmos.dolby.com or check with your local cinema for select showtimes when tickets become available.