Reviews by Reno

After observing low ratings and bad reviews it turned out to be an unexpected surprise. I don't know why this movie was largely ignored. To me it looked more than a fine movie. The director exploited to tell the confusion between friendship and homosexual in the early age of puberty.

The cast was very good, it was one of the main reasons for movie to appeal. This lesbian movie had some of great emotional scenes over the struggle of daily life. Especially about the immigrants who find hard to fit in new and rich society. It is not your regular homosexual theme where a girl meets another. Like I said, it briefs some of social problems as well the theme of youngster's first ever relationship when they begin to gain sexual maturity.

It is a coming-of-age tale that centers on a relationship between two Latin teenagers Yolanda and Mari. Mari is a new neighbor to YolandaYolanda, who actually becomes her classmate. When they are assigned to be a study partner, their relationship grows stronger and become a thick friends. At a certain point the bond between them confuses over sexuality. After knowing each other's different family background and problems behind that they decide to be friends forever but affection won't stop haunting them.

There are many movies with a similar theme I have seen. Movies like 'Water Lilies' and 'Jack and Diane' are very close to it, but takes place at different circumstances. This movie is more outspread on its sub-plot than what lesbian theme usual would offer. What I mean is the movie is not all about sex, in fact, there were none sex scenes. It actually speaks about surrounding of the lesbian concept like family, friends, jobs, struggleness, studies etc. Probably everyone won't enjoy it, but still a decent one though. Hoping the director who debuted with this would make more great movies in the near future, wish her a good luck.

An OSCAR nominee in the category of best animation feature. The cutest animation which gave the experience of seeing a Japanese anime similar to from the Ghibli studio. The characters are very adorable, especially both the Ernest and Celestine. After praising the technicians I mean the illustrator I must compliment the voice renders. Whenever I hear Celestine saying 'Ernest, Ernest' I just fall in love because it was sexy. I know French language itself a seductive.

No age group limited to enjoy this animation. From 6 year-old kid to 60 year-old and beyond that can have a great time with it. A simple animation with a good message story. Probably you will come to know what kinda movie is this if you have seen 'Stormy Night' and 'Ratatouille'. A tale about the unlikely friendship between two different living creatures.

It all begins with a young little mouse who got a different opinion on the creatures that live above their world. The earth's surface was ruled by the big bad bears and that is what beneather believe. Between these two world a new friendship bloom from nowhere. But both the societies denies it so the two must protect each other and run for their life. Instead, they need to prove it can be possible and harmless. So they have to take the advantage of the such circumstances and how it can be done is the rest.



The character Ernest was lazy, but tough and Celestine is very active, but sensitive in matters. The friendship between them was very well told, in an enchanting way. I liked the replacement of bear in the place of humans. Otherwise, our people think they are genius to find similarity between this and 'Ratatouille'.

Earlier I was very, very disappointed for ditching 'Monsters University' over crap movie 'Despicable Me 2'. I will be so happy if 'The Wind Rises' or this movie wins the OSCAR. But Americas own 'Frozen' will be a strong contender for the honour.

Finally, I retire for now by saying it is a must see movie, especially if you are an animation movie fan. I truly wanted it not to end, in the world at certain point everything must end and so it is against my will.

After portraying Sean Penn in a weirder role in the movie 'This Must be the Place', the director is back with this. This time he chose to portray again an another old man who used to be a novelist. The story commences on his 65th birthday party. With an awesome music and dance at the beginning, it kicks starts to tell the protagonist's rest of the story.

Jep is a novelist who gave up writings a long ago. On his 65th birthday, he decides to enjoy the rest of his last stage of the life. Roaming around the city of ruined Rome, he discovers similar to his earlier phase of life in people who encounters on the streets. Especially the first girl he admired the most when he was in the 20s. The screen shares between past and present in the presentation. Like a man's in search of a great beauty at the age of dusk.

An 2014 OSCAR submission from Italy and nominated for short list as well. Will this justify to be nominated? Well, I think yes. Some of the scenes are not quite relevant to the story, just like dragging in from out of the topic. At a time it was artistic and eye catching. Throughout, the music is what well backed the irrelevant material story. Especially the opening and funeral ones were incredible.

Many scenes had not explained its purpose. Sometime you make scratch your head about not getting the meaning. One of those was the conference of world spiritual leaders takes place. Exactly, it is not about what it's trying to tell us, but the capacity for understanding on stuffs will be tested. This movie can't be enjoyed by everyone, but certain people will find hidden gem and messages or an art form of it in its depth.

I earlier mentioned it is a irrelevant story, it might be a little harsh to say that because protagonist in the movie itself confused about his remaining life. So he begins to see in people his life reflection and sometime he won't understand others character behaviour. On many occasions he asks them about it, but the answers won't convince him till he himself witness the truth. We had seen in other movies where the protagonist goes to India for self discovery, and that is what here this man does in own city.

The 86th academy award is ruled by the European nominees in the foreign movie category. The movie took the advantage of nonlinear storytelling. From present to past to future. Frequently everything keeps delivering the surprises. If you arrange all the story together properly, you would find a typical thematic. I must say the editing was what made the movie a better product. I think the best one I have seen from the recent on the editing perspective. Sadly, it was snubbed, in that category for 2014 OSCAR. This cancer theme movie is well deserved a place in the shortlist for foreign the foreign movie category.

What I found short in the movie was the emotions. They had sufficient, but did not convince me all along. I usually wet my eye for the cancer theme when a character dies of it. But in this movie I grieved along the other character, but could not find a drop. All I was interested in fascinating characters. It was over a 100 minute movie, but I felt the pace was in a hurry. The transformation of a scene to another had broad skip in the timeline. When you watch the kid being treated for her ill in the first phase, in the next scene you would find her in a critical stage. Like that, it was racing towards the next stage of story development.

It was kind nice to see two different characters falling in love and have a baby without knowing the consequences. They face it only when it begins to happen. So the story being told in that context in many pieces of flashbacks. The country musics and songs were good. The performances were also very natural from both the leads. It was well made from the directional viewpoint because of the well known contents to make it believable. In one word, it is well adapted stage play into a full length feature.

I think Yip man role spared no one among Chinese and Hong Kong actors. For the past few years movie based on Yip man get released every year. Especially the directors and producers are very enthusiastic to make a movie about this man. They are trying to pick the story from what the earlier movies had failed or missed to tell. In such perception this is done. I am very much surprised to see this movie to get nominated for the upcoming OSCAR (2014) ceremony. Is this movie really worth for that honour, well that is why I am here to brief in this review.

Truly, I am not understanding the motivation of director and writer what they wanted to tell about Yip man. It was not actually a complete Yip man story. A tale fairly balanced between a charcter called Gong Er and him with the backdrop of Sino-Japan war. Technically it was very stylish and rich, but storywise it is a vastly letdown. When movies are based on someone's real life, filmmakers can change a few things to suit cinematically. That means they should not bore the audience with unimpressive and uninspiring scenes. Yeah, I did not find one single portion of the movie that attracted me.

They showed stories that happened between 1930 to 1972. Over 40 years of span in the movie what I saw was the pieces of stories without exciting ones. Honestly, I think Donnie Yen's 'Ip Man' movie series were the best so far. The American Academy Award people had failed to grab those golden opportunities and now they are holding this movie's tail. Without any doubt Danish drama 'The Hunt' going to win the OSCAR and soon everyone will forget this movie.

6.5/10

This movie came with a surprise, keeping everything so simple. The director's first full length feature which is actually based on his short movie of the same name. This movie tells the story of a group of young foster-care home supervisors and teenagers who live under their observation.

A realistic movie with well balanced between characters and its narration. It was very much original subject and also in a believable manner. The movie with not-so-popular actors had achieved something every beginner filmmaker wanted to prove their direction skills. From screenplay to performances, it was outstanding.

It all begins with a character Grace, a staff at a foster house facility and her co-worker as well her boyfriend, Mason. When a new staff joins them, soon, an another new kid called Jayden brought into the house under the supervision. After some incident Grace and Jayden begin to merge in emotionally for having a similar kinda previous events. Grace gets disturbed and her life begins to trouble the present. With all this, how she gonna face the current situation is the movie to be told in the remains.

It had a very good opening sequence. Later on it went little slow but I liked as it was described in such pace to bring quality in drama. The second half is what everyone is going to love the movie for carrying striking storyline. The sustainable pace and story with expansion in broad was the highlight of the last quarter of the movie narration.

As I expected it was not a commercial product, but definitely it will be recognizable in film festival arenas. It is not your usual movie that you had seen in Hollywood. Honestly, one of the 2013's best movie drama. 'Short Term 12' is the movie will be a turning point for many in their career, especially for the actress and the director.

The movie is inspired by the American cargo ship called Maersk Alabama's hijacking that took place in 2009 on the eastern coast of Africa. For many who think it is similar to Danish movie 'A Hijacking' it is not. Both the movies are about Somalian pirates, but a totally different stories which were based on individual true events. One was very much realistic about ransom negotiation and the other one was a clean entertainer on the opposite.

Maersk Alabama is the first American ship to be hijacked in over 200 years. Tom Hanks as captain Richard Phillip was brilliant. He continues to give his performances on the variety of roles in his movies compared to any other actors. That is why he's one of the rare actors in all fine movies of his.

As a formality the movie begins with the story where the captain Phillips' journey commence from his residence in America. After he flee to Oman to take his ship back to his country, he encounters the threat from a small group of pirates. Once the ship was held by the Somalians pirates the series of incidents occurs before the captain is taken as a hostage in a lifeboat. Then after there's no drama, everything was remarkably shown in those crucial parts with a slightly drag in ending. But the tensions were very well captured and wonderfully exhibited to us.

With an excellent direction from the director of the Bourne movie series, this movie came in his another top-notch. The movie had plenty of thrilling scenes takes you to the edge of your seat. One of those segments where I got stunned was when the ship was being held by pirates and when navy approaches to the lifeboat. In those parts I just said, wow!. Now my eyes on OSCAR, how many it will gain and lose is I must wait and watch.

8.5/10

It was 'Rachel Getting Married' kinda movie with a story. About a troubled middle aged woman who come back to her family seeking a better life. Woody Allen did used his usual magical contents to render this movie in a style. Without his movie, the American academy awards won't complete. So this movie nominated in 3 major categories for 2014 OSCAR.

Jasmine is one of those characters hard to predict her motivation as well the concept of the life they are living in. As her life is affected with complicated matters around, she comes to live for a while with her sister. In that stay she goes through to forget the previous to make the future better. Haunting past, confusing present and complicated future is all she must handle. Is she is capable and how she does is the rest of the movie.

Good storyline keeping very simple with sometime a strong message is what I like in Woody Allen's movie. As a fan of his works I was not disappointed in this movie. As I said it was not afresh story. The way he convinced the audience through briefing the story is what makes him a great as always.

Definitely worth giving a nomination to Woody Allen for this screen writing in OSCAR. He made this usual drama into a special product. It was stated as a comedy, but as I saw it was quite a serious one in the matter it dealt with. The actors, Cate Blanchett and Sally Hawkins were given their best for the movie. I am not surprised for their nominees in Best actress and supporting role for OSCAR. I conclude this review by saying you should not miss the movie if you are a Woody Allen fan.

Not good as I expected, but okay. Even the performances were not much recognizable, but the characters were very catchy for the uniqueness. In this movie, everything was about the strange and weird way of story telling. The mix between fantasy and realistic was well done. Something was lacking in the movie, it got a stylish presentation, but not the proper scenes in many portions. But still enjoyable like having two minds about it.

It tells the story of a young man Charlie Country. After his mother who was in coma dies, he leaves the country to spend few days in Romania. Then he meets a girls Gabi and falls in love without knowing her background. Like the movie 'Scott Pilgrim vs. the World' he has to face his strong opponent to win her. As he knows the risk how smart he would act to gain his desired girl is the movie of the rest.

I did not find any similarity in the interaction between the characters Charlie and Gabi, what we call it a chemistry, right!. One of the major problems the movie had along in my opinion. Other than that I liked Gabi as individually, she was very attractive in the role and costume. Mikkelsen was as usual very good. His role was a major one, but did not have sufficient screen space. And Shia were okay, sometime, in some parts I thought he overdone the role Charlie. Overall, I find it a good movie, but not the best.

Frankly, I was bored after first 10 minutes of the movie. I thought it would be another 'A Separation' which might deal about the usual domestic violence of belonging country. A story like this is very common to where I am from, so I was not tempted for it. When it comes to 'The Past', it began very slowly and slowly like a crawling baby with a topic where characters from the movie discuss about it. And then only moving forward with an amazing pace and gripping plot building further bigger which made me stun. Especially the end scene when one of the movie characters had a tear in her eyes, I went speechless. This is the movie from 2013 that no one must miss for any sake. I was fond of Mr. Asghar Farhadi's working style and never considered his fan till I this movie.

The director was very clever to portray characters into different shades in different stage of the story telling. Like, I thought the role Samir is a pervert, but when story proceeded further everything looked different with changed atmosphere. That is because of the held back story in the initial portion. I was not aware of none other than a man visiting to meet his ex wife and give some advice to his daughter. When one after another begin to reveal, the development of characters widens so that made movie to have the power to entice the audience. For all this one man we must admire and it is none other than the writer and director, Asghar Farhadi. The actors as well posed a great performance to give a strong support to the director and his view.

As, I think, this movie deserves much more praise and applaud from critic and audience than the director's previous flick. As you know I am a sentimental movie fan, so this movie acquired my complete attention and won my heart. The movie ended before resolving my doubts about the plot. Looks like it is understandable after seeing that particular end scene. According to my observation of ratings and reviews across movie sites and forums this movie yet to reach widely to the audience. Overall, it is a must-must see movie drama and highly recommended.

9.5/10