The Ruminative Reviewer

I had been thinking of watching The Best Offer for a while now because the synopsis was intriguing. When I finally sat down to it, I was not disappointed.  It is a romantic mystery about an eccentric Managing Director of an auction house who takes on a young reclusive woman as a client and, against his better judgment, falls in love with her. The movie has an air of cold elegance and dark intrigue. Virgil, an esteemed auctioneer, is a passionate art collector who prides himself on his art expertise. He is even called upon to check the authenticity of paintings and expose forged works of art. While doing so, he explains, with poetic grace, the subtle art of detecting forgery. The painter, who recreates a work of art, does so with great skill and passion and cannot resist leaving his mark, either by the stroke of a brush or by the concealment of a personal signature. “…there is always something authentic concealed in every forgery.” Virgil knows all there is to know of a...

When I first heard about the movie, Interstellar, I thought it would be another science fiction adventure where the hero saves the day and all is well; and while such movies are enjoyable, they are also unoriginal. When I watched Interstellar the first time, I was stunned. Considering the fact that a theoretical physicist served as a consultant during the making of the film and ensured that the science fiction part of the movie was scientifically accurate, the story is all the more potent. The concept of a supremely advanced species or aliens helping mankind survive is not new; but the idea that the species could be none other than humans, is astounding. To suggest the possibility that mankind might evolve to the extent of making hitherto inconceivable, technological advancements, like actively creating a wormhole in Space and a penteract (tesseract- 4 dimensions plus one) in space-time; to allude that man might have the power to bend Time to his will, is mind-boggling. In t...

An action comedy that promises lots of action and many an uproarious laughs, Spy is truly side-splittingly good. Gunfire, street-fighting and thrilling chases intersperse this wildly hilarious movie about a behind-the-desk CIA analyst who volunteers to do a field job. The suave Bradly Fine, played by Jude Law, is the classic spy; while, the macho Rick Ford, played by Jason Statham, is the cocky attack-first-ask-questions-later rogue agent. The deceptively docile Susan Cooper, played by Melissa McCarthy, is the super smart spy extraordinaire. The beautiful and deadly Rayna Boyanov, played by Rose Byrne, is the quintessential spoilt rich brat who will do anything to get what she wants. McCarthy is a natural; the lovable character of Susan Cooper unerringly tickles the funny bone. Statham’s character is a kind of parody of his earlier butch action figure roles. He delivers hysterical slapstick humour with surprising skill. McCarthy and Statham share some of the funniest dialogues...

Duff is a coming-of-age comedy that deals with the peer-pressure syndrome and insecurities that afflict adolescents.  It’s about a girl who fights against and conquers the label assigned to her – DUFF or ‘designated ugly fat friend’- by her more genetically-endowed and emotionally-stunted peers. However, unlike many of its predecessors that focused on the clique culture (Mean Girls), Duff highlights the universal phenomenon that plagues teenagers- social labelling or preconceived categorization a.k.a name-calling. The movie is entertaining and while it is not exceptional in any way, since the issue it deals with has been done to death, it does make you feel cheerful about life. Isn’t it is always satisfying to see the underdog (/underbitch?) get his/her happy ending! Mae Whitman lives the role; Bianca is smart, funny and very likeable. She is an inspiration to all ‘duffs.’ Wesley, played by Robbie Amell, is head jock and a sweet guy, which is a refreshing change from the ...

Penny Dreadful is repressed passions, dark desires and pure hedonism. The setting of Victorian London is perfect for this morbidly alluring tale; a haunting and seductive rendition of the eternal struggle of good versus evil. It is a supernatural smorgasbord of mythical creatures and legends. Vanessa Ives, iron-willed and compassionate, is a woman to be reckoned with. The Devil’s obsession with one female human is a bit much but it makes her all the more mysterious and powerful. Ethan Chandler is his usual charming American self, but his character evolves into a darker and more enigmatic figure. Sir Malcolm, a seemingly cold and unfeeling person becomes more likeable when he embraces Vanessa as a daughter. He seems more humane in the second season. Even Victor Frankenstein appears more human when he starts exhibiting desire. Brauna Croft returns as Frankenstein’s creature’s intended mate. Dorian Gray strikes a lonely figure that develops affections for an interesting comp...

Jurassic World is a Sci Fi- Adventure movie that completely lives upto its genre. The dinosaurs look chillingly real. Claire, played by Bryce Dallas Howard, is the park’s operations manager. She is a highly efficient, organized and courageous woman, in keeping with the strong female leads that Michael Crichton portrays in his books.  Owen, played by Chris Pratt, is the swashbuckling Velociraptor trainer. Romance quietly brews between Claire and Owen as they attempt to save her nephews and vanquish the terrible and awe-inspiring Indominus Rex; a mutant dinosaur created in the lab using the DNA of various dinosaurs and other creatures. The nephews, Zach and Gray, do pretty well surviving on their own initially, a testament to Michael Crichton’s portrayal of children in his novels as smart, resourceful and brave. The relation between the two brothers flourishes in the movie; however the chemistry between the actors (Nick Robinson and Ty Simpkins) is practically non-existent. ...

Piku is a heart-warming movie about the parent-child relationship. Deepika, who plays Piku, does not waltz in with her hair streaming behind her and music playing mysteriously in the background. The movie starts with just another day in the life of a working woman who looks after her aging father. The actors portray the characters beautifully and you easily slip into the story. Throughout the movie we notice small things like the family sitting down and eating together, talking about inconsequential things; the problems with the maid (a situation that we are only too familiar with, eh?); the minor tiffs in the family. Bhaskhor and Piku even discuss his daily bowel movements and the products therefrom matter-of-factly at meal times. Bhashkhor, played by Amitabh Bacchan, is a neurotic and overprotective father who, in his attempts to protect his daughter (Piku) at all times, ends up causing her embarrassment at her workplace and at family get-togethers. However, his charact...