The BIG question this week, if you care to answer it: Are you #TeamJason or #TeamGiantShark?
The Meg
Directed by: Jon Turteltaub
With: Jason Statham, Rainn Wilson, Li Bingbing, Ruby Wilson
What is it about: 200 miles off the Chinese coast, a 75-foot-long prehistoric shark called megalodon, thought to be long dead, rises from the depths of the ocean and attacks a research submersible, leaving its crew stranded. Diver Jonas Taylor is called into action to help rescue the crew and stop the creature before it attacks the mainland.
Heads Up: The reviews for this movie, as of this writing, are perfectly balanced… as all things should be. A 50% rating on Rotten Tomatoes suggests this movie will equally entertain those going in knowing exactly the kind of dumb fun to be had, as will frustrate those who expect better from a movie. Let your hair down for this one: go on, have some loud fun with an equally loud bunch of friends (especially if any of them is a screamer). In IMAX 3D even!
The Catcher Was A Spy
Directed by: Ben Lewin
With: Paul Rudd, Mark Strong, Connie Nielsen, Guy Pearce, Sienna Miller, Paul Giamatti, Jeff Daniels, Tom Wilkinson
What is it about: A Jewish, Princeton-educated, multilingual catcher for the Boston Red Sox with a closely-guarded private life, the enigmatic Berg was already a man of mystery when, in 1944, the US government’s wartime intelligence agency enlisted his services. His mission: go behind enemy lines in Europe to assassinate the Nazi’s chief nuclear scientist before the Germans develop an atomic bomb. Trading in his catcher’s mitt for a trench coat, Berg must rely on his formidable, steel-trap intellect in a high-stakes game of cat and mouse—with the fate of the world hanging in the balance.
Heads Up: What an elaborate premise! And look at that cast! It even has a respectable crew (shot by Andrij Parekh, composed by Howard Shore!)… alas, it lacks a good director. The trailers and the reviews reflect this. Neither critics nor audiences have shown this movie much love. Save your time, energy and money.
Blindspotting
Directed by: Carlos Lopez Estrada
With: Daveed Diggs, Ethan Embry, Janina Gavankar, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Rafael Casal
What is it about: While on probation, a black man begins to re-evaluate his relationship with his volatile best friend.
Heads Up: This first-movie by director Carlos Lopez Estrada is getting some noticeable love from those who have watched it (critics and general audience), especially praised as a timely film, considering the class-divide and hostility in the main land. It is no mean feat to pull off a sensitive issue in the guise of a buddy-comedy. Definitely put this on the view list, and continue your streak of watching the smaller good films released recently (A Prayer Before Dawn, American Animals).
Vishwaroopam II
Directed by: Kamal Haasan
With: Kamal Haasan, Rahul Bose, Shekhar Kapur, Waheeda Rehman
What is it about: RAW Agent Major Wisam Ahmad Kashmiri attempts to save the nation from Al-Qaeda terrorist Omar Qureshi.
Heads Up: This is the much delayed sequel to a highly controversial movie (not for its content, but for the politics surrounding is ban, censoring and release). The fact this is seeing the light-of-day is in itself newsworthy, especially among fans of the actor-director-writer-producer. Tamil movie-goers should try to make time for this, if only to support the Kamal Haasan’s stand for freedom of speech in a highly toxic state of affairs.
