LIFE OF PI   4.0***

 

 

         You will see no more imaginative and thought provoking than Life of Pi. It is primarily the thrilling story of a young Indian teenager boy name Pi who is stranded alone on a 26 foot lifeboat with a 450 lb. man eating Bengal tiger (actually it’ll eat anything ) in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. How he gets there and what happens is for you to see and enjoy for yourself.  While Pi and the Bengal  tiger are sharing the boat that does not mean they get along, not at all. The film makes it vividly clear  that while they are stranded together, Pi is a human boy and the a Bengal tiger is a carnivore with a huge appetite The beauty of this scenario is that it never mistakes that the only common traits between these two  is that they are stranded together and both are mammals. The acts of sheer courage and  ingenuity Pi is called upon to use to keep him and the tiger alive are amazing … more like astounding.   

 

Ang Lee ( “Brokeback Mountain” and “Crouching Tiger” ) directs the film  with absolute grace and expertise and along the way employs 3D as perfectly as I have seen . Among the many spectacular elements of this film is  the magnificent CGI (computer generated images). The Bengal tiger is perhaps the best animated animal ever created ! The angry green eyes, richly textured orange & white striped skin and every hair on its fur look rich and full of life and is accentuated  by the 3D.And then when your hear the thunderous roar for the first time, you  realize this is as real as it can get! The rest of the animals ( the film’s opening is at a zoo in India) look great too. The lovely blue ocean and its resident creatures are the jewel in the crown.  

 

There are many scenes of such wonderful amazement that words fall short of describing it… you really have to experience them for yourself. Right from the beginning credits to the poignant scene where Pi is in the  lifeboat  and watches the mammoth ship sink underwater,then the heart-pounding introduction of the Bengal tiger on the lifeboat, the surreal dream sequence of Pi, the many sunsets and nights at sea, the mesmerizing scene with the jellyfish and blue whale and just so many other scenes that each one can be paused and made into a collection of brilliantly picturesque wallpapers. Such brilliant cinematic quality is very rare and it needs to be experienced on the hugest screen possible and in 3D. It's why we go to the movies.   

Thanks to, Ang Lee, this is a movie  that lets you enjoy it on so many levels. If you are just looking for a beautiful 3D movie to feast your eyes on, this is it . If you are in a mood for a thrilling, spine tingling adventure epic this is it.  If indeed, you want to experience something very thought provoking, Life of Pi never forces on you  a particular thought, instead it whispers ever so slightly to think about matters of human and animal natures  while caressing your senses at times and then rocking them at other times  with fabulous visuals and remarkable action sequences.

Life of Pi, is a rare masterpiece that stands as a prototype not only for a perfect book adaptation and a 3D movie( sorry Avatar, you have just been replaced), but also for a movie based on the intricacies of human nature This is an impressive triumph of a film.

Clark

Rating: 4.0*** out of 4

 

 

 

 

Here is another movie worth seeing this year. In fact, it’s  a MUST see if you enjoy well done “feel good” Rom-Coms.. The story follows a family in a very serious situation, but we can all identity with the truth and emotions that comes with struggling through hard  times. It's a story that's easy to connect with, and it's a film that will make you smile from beginning to end.  

 

Silver Linings Playbook is about a man named Pat, played by Bradley Cooper  who has just been released from an eight month sentence in a psychiatric hospital as a result of a plea bargain for a serious assault. He wants to get his life back  on track so he can get his wife back but is being held back by his parents and his unstable condition Also the fact that his wife has a restraining order prohibiting him from seeing or being anywhere near her is a big problem. . After a little while, he strikes up an interesting friendship with Jennifer, played by Jennifer Lawrence .  She is a friend of Pat’s wife and he sees her as a possible go between. Both of these characters are going through  difficult  problems which makes their friendship even more quirky and thought-provoking.

Because a large amount of romantic comedies are stale and overdone, Silver Linings Playbook is a breath of fresh air.. What's original about Silver Linings Playbook is that it doesn't follow that same old predictable story line in the slightest. It is unpredictable but at the same time, more relatable The most surprising aspect of Silver Linings Playbook, however, is  the “Oscar” worthy performance of Bradley Cooper. Even though this is a comedy, Cooper plays what is maybe one of the most serious roles he's ever performed. This is without a doubt Cooper's best work thus far in his career. Jennifer Lawrence has a performance of equal caliber  She's quirky, complicated, hilarious, and you really just can't get enough of her. Robert DeNiro also delivers a strong performance as Cooper's over the top, almost fanatical Philadelphia Eagle's fan and loving, somewhat OCD father. Chris Tucker of “Rush Hour” fame plays a surprisingly mellow role . But even though he’s mellow, he is still very comedic in a toned down way.

Silver Linings Playbook is full of creativity and has a minimal on romance clichés. It is hands down one of the best romantic comedies to be made within the last couple of years. This film contains many laugh out loud moments and a number of scenes that will warm your heart to the point where you can't help but leave the theater smiling. Silver Linings Playbook is the perfect date movie that both men and women can easily enjoy. Be forewarned, the dialogue contains several uses of the “F” word but there is no violence or nudity.

 

Clark