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An Exception

2011-02-20T07:45:00.000-08:00

Though I am not a fan of Rap songs this one is an exception...

[Eric Turner]
Oh written in the stars
A million miles away
A message to the main
Ooooh
Seasons come and go
But I will never change
And I’m on my way

[Tinie Tempah - Verse 1]
Lets go…
Yeah
You’re listening now
They say they aint heard nothing like this in a while
Thats why they play my song on so many different dials
Cause I got more hits than a disciplined child
When they see me everybody brrrrrap’s, brrrrrraps
Man I’m like a young gun fully black Barrack
I cried tear drops over the massive attack
I only make hits like I work with a racket and bat
Look at my jacket and hat
So damn berserk
So down to earth
I’m bringing gravity back
Adopted by the major I want my family back
People work hard just to get all their salary taxed
Look Im just a writer from the ghetto like Malory blackman
Where the hells all the sanity at, damn
I used to be the kid that no one cared about
Thats why you have to keep screaming til they hear you out

[Chorus]
Oh Written In The Stars
A Million Miles Away

Crimson Rivers 2

2005-07-01T08:12:00.000-07:00

Legendary criminologist Commissaire Pierre Niemans is back, this time he is investigating a murder in a secluded monastery in Lorraine. His forensic squad uncovers a corpse entombed inside the wall of room number 13. The murder could be a ritualistic human sacrifice, as the crucified body suggests. As Niemans begins his investigation the trail leads to more murders. The victims are named after Jesus’ disciples and their prompt deaths paralleling the deaths of the apostles.

Meanwhile, police captain Reda, after a tiring confrontation with a local drug dealer run into a mysterious and bewildered man who has a remarkable likeness of Jesus Christ! When an assassin clad in monk’s habit tried to kill the “Jesus Doe” in the hospital Reda is hot on the trail of something he cannot fathom.

Sooner Reda meets his former teacher, Niemans, who is the one always get the call whenever a strange case needs attention. Niemans and Reda team up, just like the Niemans-Kerkerian team in Crimson Rivers, and start investigating the mysterious murders together.

An expert in religion and revelation related topics, detective Marie is also assigned to the case and the investigative trio plunge into the mystery. Soon they enter the world of arcane theology, religious symbols, signs of the apocalypse and obvious danger. Crimson Rivers 2 is not written by Jean-Christophe Grangé, the author of Les Rivières pourpres ( Crimson Rivers), but renowned French film maker Luc Besson. His passion for action is evident throughout the film. As the maker of Léon the Professional and Taxi series riddle the movie with gravity defying super monks, machine gun turrets, and continuous action scenes. Commissar Niemans is morethan a brainy criminologist now he is a gun trotting super cop too. Add spice to the format with an ancient relic, dark atmosphere of impending doom, bleak prophecies, blood splattering murders and mutilated corpses…. voilà! You have the new Crimson Rivers movie.

Rivières pourpres II - Les anges de l'apocalypse, Les (2004)
Also known as Crimson Rivers 2 : Angels of the Apocalypse,
Fiumi di porpora II - Gli angeli dell'apocalisse, I (Italy)
Director : Olivier Dahan
Cast : Jean Reno, Benoît Magimel, Camille Natta, Christopher Lee
Augustin Legrand, Serge Riaboukine, André Penvern, Johnny Hallyday
Year : 2004
Country: France / Italy / UK
Language: French / German / Italian
Color: Color
Runtime: 100 min

28 Days Later

2003-12-17T05:29:00.000-08:00

28 Days Later
Just watched a post-apocalypse movie called '28 Days Later...’ and enjoyed it. It's a disturbing movie, the world is ravaged, don’t guess! it is not by nuclear fallout but by a lethal virus released from a British research facility by a group of animals' rights activists. The virus is so lethal that those who affected change into a permanent state of homicidal rage. Yes, the same old zombies lurking for victims. Within 28 days the virus is spreading across the seas. England, Paris and New York all fell into the rampage of the virus, turning its denizens to zombies. When a patient named Jim wakes up from a coma in a London hospital he find the hospital and London deserted! Seems like the whole world abandoned him into an empty world! When he finds some people, it was not a pleasant experience. The murderous zombies are on to him; thankfully he was saved by the unaffected. According to a radio broadcast, which promised the answer to the virus plague, their only chance of survival is to go to a military encampment in Manchester.
But there waits the real horror...
The movie is dark and vivid, with a pale glimpse on human psyche and a trial of spirit in the survival game. 28 Days Later is an amalgamation of Lord of the Flies, On The Beach (1959), The Omega Man (1971) but it is neither another Resident Evil nor Living Dead clone. It is supposed to be a study of human character in extreme situations.
Considering it as a British film competing to the special effects galore of Hollywood, the film is the tour de force of British film maker Danny Boyle (Trainspotting). Yes, I mean it; remember from the surreal aerial scene of the meadow with words HELL like a vision and how it turns out. Give credit to Danny Boyle, he deserve it.
Novelist writer Alex Garland’s (The Beach) story is guaranteed to haunt you for days. The zombies are more “authentic” in this film (think of the priest zombie in the Church and the chained zombie soldier in the camp). However, the film is not a mere zombie shocker, it’s more than that it’s the study in human character in extreme situations and I had this feeling that the film is also inspired from William Golding’s Lord of the Flies. Cillian Murphy and Naomi Harris are excellent as Jim and Selena, the characters Leonardo DiCaprio and Tilda Swinton both turned down and Robert Carlyle was offered the role of Major Henry West which was played by Christopher Eccleston. Brendan Gleeson and Megan Burns are giving exceptional performance as father and daughter survivors, Frank and Hannah.
Overall, the movie is excellent, one of the best post apocalyptic movies I have seen. Unlike Resident Evil series, the movie is devoid of any superhuman hero stuff or computer game style. The people are more realistic and the zombies scarier, 28 Days Later is an exhilarating ride into terror.
28 Days Later…
Director: Danny Boyle
Cast: Cillian Murphy, Naomi Harris, Brendan Gleeson, Megan Burns, Christopher Eccleston
Genere: Sci-fi/Horror/Drama
Year 2002
Language English
Country UK
Colour: Technicolor
Running Time: 113 minutes
Cyril's Rating: Good

Crimson Rivers

2003-05-13T06:05:00.000-07:00

Crimson Rivers
This is one of my favourite film of all times.
Commissaire Pierre Niémans, a legendary police detective and criminology teacher from Paris is sent to Guernon to investigate a sadistic murder. The badly mutilated body found in a mountain high in the French Alps could be the work of serial killer. The autopsy reveals that the victim was alive during the torture and each cut was placed with great care to augment the pain. As Niémans begins his investigation 150 kilometers away in Sarzac, Lieutenant Max Kerkerian investigates the desecration of a tomb belonging to a young girl killed in an accident and a theft in a local school. The seemingly unrelated cases eventually converge and the investigators forced to work together to unravel the maze of mystery.
As the legendary criminologist and the former car thief (in Jean-Christophe Grangé's novel, Les Rivières pourpres, the police man is former car thief Karim Abdouf, who was transferred from Paris to the provincial Sarzac, get it?) huddled together, there are some uneasiness in their relationship. Niémans is a loner and Kerkerian is hot blooded yet the clues made them forget their differences and they relies heavily on each other to find the missing pieces of this great big puzzle. Everyone is a suspect even the exclusive University of Guernon which hopes to create superior human beings through eugenics.
Directed by Mathieu Kassovitz, Crimson Rivers is a classic whodunit and a pleasant return to police thrillers. Shut up, it's not Bullitt and Jean Reno is not Steve McQueen.
I would say it reminds me a lot of Derrick, my favourite German detective series and Jean Reno's character is similar to that of Horst Tappert's Chief Inspector and you might think the character is a bit similar to Brother William of Baskerville, the investigator monk of Umberto Eco's brilliant novel Name of the Rose.
I have heard a lot of comments that Crimson Rivers is a Se7en clone but that is so unlike, as both are outstanding criminological thrillers in its own kind. As I was saying, Jean-Christophe Grangé's book was safe in Kassovitz's hands as he adapted it to the silver screen with great care and precision.
Jean Reno is born to play Commissaire Niémans, those who remember him in Léon, the Professional; his superb performance as the cynophobic criminologist Niémans is no surprise. Vincent Cassel and Nadia Fares are terrific in their respective roles too.
There are some grisly visceral scenes in the movie like mutilated corpses and autopsy dissection but don't worry you won't puke as these scenes are necessary parts of the story. What more, when you think of Crimson Rivers, you will be thinking of the beautiful Guernon and Sarzac countryside and the spectacular French Alps. The scenic beauty of the Southern France is mesmerizing.
Unlike most reviewers, I like the ending too, where Niémans telling Kerkerian about the reason of his dog phobia as the camera panning away. After watching the movie more than 50 times, I wish to see it again and I would definitely recommend this movie to anyone, irrespective of their tastes, this one movie has something to offer to everyone. Okay, now you know - I am biased about the movie Crimson Rivers, I won't find any fault in this particular movie.
Vincent Cassel broke his nose while filming the fight scene at the neo-nazi club and the ophthalmologist
Dr. Bernard Chernezé in the movie is none other than Vincent Cassel's father Jean-Pierre Cassel.
See Also Blood Red Rivers, Crimson Rivers 2

The Crimson Rivers (US title)
Les Rivières pourpres (French title)
Director: Mathieu Kassovitz
Cast: Jean Reno, Vincent Cassel, Nadia Farès, Jean-Pierre Cassel
Year: 2000
Genere: Mystery/Thriller
Runtime: 106 min
Country: France
Language: French (Dubbed to English)
Cyril's Rating: Excellent

Shaolin Soccer

2003-02-03T04:58:00.000-08:00

Yuppy yup, Shaolin soccer surprised me not because of its slapstick advantages but of its creativity.Stephen Chow is amazing, it's a comedy making the Kung fu movies as its target. A surprisingly funny movie with comdey, action and romance.

A Piece of the Action

2002-10-13T23:52:00.001-07:00

Manny Durrell (Sidney Poitier) and Dave Anderson (Bill Cosby) are two old hand thieves with many feats of burglaries on their sleeves. They are so confident that they haven’t been caught by the police until a retiring cop Joshua Burke (James Earl Jones) show them enough evidence to send them to the pen for a long time if they don’t obey him. The cop’s bargain for his silence is simple, the crooks should change their lives and work at a youth center for delinquents and irritated kids from poor neighborhoods. They prefer an appointment with the dentist than accepting this assignment. Yup! They don’t have any choice and reluctantly take the job. The indisposed teachers and negligent students…both parties are contemptuous to each other but as time goes by the cocoon turns to a butterfly.
A Piece of the Action is one of the movies that makes you feel energized and optimistic about the world and makes you forget its share of failings and injustices. The movie delves in to the virtues in human character and compassion. Like Porfiry Petrovich, the policeman of Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment, Detective Joshua Burk emphasis the goodness in all human beings rather than punishing it ruthlessly. The crooked duo also realizes the underlying goodness in the bratty children and vice versa. A nice film to recommend.

A Piece of the Action
Director: Sidney Poitier
Cast: Sidney Poitier, Bill Cosby, James Earl Jones
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Year: 1977
Language: English
Country: USA
Colour: Metrocolor
Running Time: 135 min
Cyril's Rating: Good

Se7en

2002-09-30T00:08:00.000-07:00

Se7en is an interesting and ingenious movie. It’s the story of missionary type serial killer, who forces each of his victims to die by acting out one of the seven deadly sins. The Catholic Church’s seven deadly sins are Gluttony, greed, sloth, envy, wrath, pride, and lust.

When retiring homicide detective Somerset investigates a unique murder of an obese man brutally murdered in his home, ( Script writer Andrew Kevin Walker plays as the corpse) the seasoned investigator in him tells that it is only the beginning. It proved true when mysterious John Doe start killing his victims in a strange religious fashion with extreme cruelty.

Detective Somerset is almost burned out by seeing the senseless violence around him and retiring voluntarily from his profession. He instantly knew that the new murder investigation is going to be a problem to his retirement plans. Still he reluctantly involved in the investigation primarily because of his superior’s insistence, who thinks the replacing detective Mills is too young to handle a case like this. Another reason could be Somerset may also fascinate with the enigmatic killer’s unconventional methods.

Mills, the young detective is energetic and enthusiastic contrary to the calm and wise approach of Somerset. They don’t appreciate each other in the beginning but after the initial animosity they became rather close friends thanks to Mills wife Tracy.

As the methodical murders continue, Mills learns a lot from the seasoned detective Somerset. Together they try to confront the murderer and understand his motivation. Yet something is still elusive, until one day the mysterious murderer surrender himself to the investigating duo with a peculiar demand. Mills and Somerset are about to get involved in something they are not prepared or imagined even in their wildest dreams!

In many qualities this film surpasses the acclaimed hits like Silence of the Lambs and many of the so called serial killer movies. Andrew Kevin Walker’s screenplay is the backbone of this bleak thriller. His script alone made this film a modern classic and a study in deviant psychology.

David Fincher made Se7en with remarkable panache while vividly provoking undulating emotions from poignant scenes. Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt are giving their best performance as Somerset and Mills. You will see a different Brad Pitt in Se7en, not the usual chocolate hero. Kevin Spacey is brilliantly cast as the diabolically mysterious John Doe. His portrayal of the elusive and exceptional serial killer win a lot of accolade to him and many consider the role is his tour de force. Gwyneth Paltrow provides serenity to the scenes as the supportive wife to Brad Pitt’s character Mills. A nihilistic film-noir for the filmophiles and a must for mystery buffs.
SE7EN
Also known as : Seven, The Seven Deadly Sins
Year 1995
Director : David Fincher
Script : Andrew Kevin Walker
Cast: Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kevin Spacey
Genre : Crime, Mystery, Drama, Film-Noir, Horror, Thriller
Country: USA
Language: English
Colour: Colour - DeLuxe
Runtime: 127 min
Cyril's Rating: Excellent

The Omega Man

2002-09-19T05:19:00.000-07:00

The Omega Man
Charleton Heston is the last man on earth!
Yes, after Moses, El Cid, and Ben Hur! The spectacular yet violent movie based on a free adaptation of Richard Matheson's 1953 novel I Am Legend. Heston plays Robert Neville, a military research physician who was the sole survivor of a deadly plague that has ravaged humanity. Now he is post apocalyptic scavenger hunting photophobic mutant albinos, if you are thinking H.G. Wells' Time Machine and the eerie Morlocks, I won't blame you. These post apocalyptic mutants, called the family, are also the new race of neo-humans who hates all the remnants of past and human civilization. They are hunting Neville and he is hunting them. It's a monotonous hunt that is characterized by day and night; light and dark just like the eternal struggle inside the human psyche and that of good and evil - and who else is there to play the Messianic (remember the ending, eh?) saviour of mankind other than Charlton Heston.
Neville is one of the scientists responsible for the creation of the virus, the sinner yet he is also the salvation as his blood may contain virus antibodies which he developed and used on himself.

The Omega Man
Directed By Boris Sagal
Cast: Charlton Heston, Anthony Zerbe, Rosalind Cash, Paul Koslo
Year: 1971
Genere: Sci-fi/Drama
Runtime: 98 min
Country: USA
Language: English
Colour: Technicolor
Cyril's Rating: Average to Good

Derrick

2002-08-01T08:19:00.000-07:00

You will never know what you are missing if you haven’t seen Derrick, the popular German detective series of the Zweite Deutsche Fernsehen(ZDF). Derrick ran a spectacular record of 24 years with 281 episodes, in more than a hundred countries all over the world.
Chief Inspector (Oberinspektor for the Germans) Derrick of the Munich Kriminal Polizei is a criminologist and a caring gentleman who solves crime with certain impassiveness but great élan. He abhors violence and his methods are twined with humanistic and calm approach to criminal situations. During his years of intense police work, Stephan Derrick never lost his composure or acts as a nemesis of crime or let the criminals feel his contempt, instead; he acts like a compassionate father figure who treats the offenders with dignity. The gracious appearance of Derrick is maintained throughout the series. You won’t hear him swearing or see him acts cynical. Derrick’s cordial appearance and his aversion against violence are evident in the series as the absence of action packed shootouts or high speed chases. In fact, the Chief Inspector has almost never fired a gun or resort to violence.
Since October 20, 1974 Chief Inspector StepDerrick, played by the versatile Horst Tappert, and his loyal side kick Inspector Harry Klein (Fritz Wepper) has been solving crimes in Munich and the nearby regions. Derrick’s investigative strategies include psychological and intuitive skills which are unique and definitely enchanting. He solves the crimes with great elegance and dexterity, and of all the criminals he’s on trail, only three times did the criminals managed to elope him.
Brother William of Baskerville, remember the investigation monk of Umberto Eco’s acclaimed bestseller Name of the Rose? Yes, I suspect there is Derrick persona in him and voilà Umberto Eco himself is a fan of Derrick series. He once said, “Derrick makes us all feel good, even those of us who feel superior to others, because he evokes upon the feeling of mediocrity that we all carry within us but thought we had suppressed.”
Well actually there is one more thing, of course there is Lieutenant Columbo. He is the Derrick of the United States, who is better? You decide…
During the 1970s and 1980s the program achieved enormous success and audiences of up to 20 million. Even at present, there are 30 television channels available in Germany, up to ten million viewers tune in on Friday evening to watch Derrick. It almost became the habit of the German people to turn into the ZDF channel at 8.15 pm every Friday night between 1974 and 1998 to watch their beloved Chief Inspector on trail of criminals.
SDerrick bids farewell with his last performance on October 16, 1998, saddening millions of views more than a hundred countries including Afghanistan, China, Japan, Iran, Africa, Mexico, South America, Australia and of course, India.
I have seen less than fifty episodes in my teens, as its English dubbed version telecasted in Kerala, India by the National television, Doordarshan. I was a school kid at that time and I used to wait for its late night show time feigning to do homework while waiting eagerly for Derrick for he was one of my favourite childhood heroes.
Thanks to Chief Inspector Stephan Derrick, the image of the Germans was considerably changed. Those who watched Derrick series would turn a reluctant face to the ugly Nazi portrayal. . In 2002 Horst Tappert, was awarded the Willy Brandt Prize of the Norwegian-German Willy Brandt Foundation because, as the official statement read, his portrayal of the likeable Inspector succeeded in improving the Germans' image in Norway. Horst Tappert became such a popular figure; in fact, he has become an unofficial ambassador for the Federal Republic of Germany. The Derrick mania was so fervent throughout the world and Horst Tappert is probably the only German actor who has ever had international fan-clubs.
In 1998 the series bid farewell has nothing to do with declining audience rates or popularity. The reason was at 75 Horst Tappert has just reached the age limit he had set for himself and retired. Horst Tappert was born on May 26, 1923 in Wupperthal. A veteran of Second World War, In August 1945 Tappert looked for a job in a theatre as a commercial employee. Fortunately, I would say, the commercial director wasn't present that day and he talked with the artistic director who asked him whether he would mind to become an actor. Tappert, desperate to get a job, agreed. In 1956 he acted at the Münchner Kammerspiele in a play and his first performance was fantastic! We have been lucky!
In 1973 producer Ringelmann began to make the series Derrick casting Horst Tappert as Chief Inspector Stephan Derrick. It went to become the most successful German TV-series. Herbert Reinecker, was the creator of the Chief Inspector Derrick who worked almost 30 years as script writer for the series.Now, there is a new cartoon movie in Germany featuring the adventures of Inspector Derrick titled Derrick - Duty Calls.

Derrick
Director: (In alphabetical order) Alfred Vohrer, Alfred Weidenmann, Dietrich Haugk, Erik Ode, Franz Peter Wirth, Gero Erhardt, Günter Gräwert, Helmut Ashley, Helmut Käutne, Horst Tappert, Jürgen Goslar, Leopold Lindtberg, Michael Braun, Theodor Grädler, Wigbert Wicker, Wolfgang Becker, Zbynek Brynych
Cast: Horst Tappert, Fritz Wepper
Year 1974 - 1998
Episodes: 281
Genere: Crime, Mystery
Runtime: 60 min
Language: German
Country: West Germany
Color: Color

The Scarlet and The Black

2002-07-08T05:40:00.000-07:00

The Scarlet and the Black is one of my favourite movies and I love every seconds of it. This made for TV movie is far better than many extravagant Nazi Holocaust movies. What makes "The Scarlet and the Black" different? I would say it’s the true spirit of human virtue that triumph in this true story which leaves you exuberant rather than haunt your dreams with grim images of suffering and brutality depicted in many Holocaust movies.

Based on J. P. Gallagher's book "The Scarlet Pimpernel of the Vatican", this movie tells the story of Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty, a real life Catholic priest who saved thousands of Jews and Allied POWs from the Nazi occupied Rome.

In 1943, German occupied Rome witnessed many atrocities of Gestapo under the ruthless commander Colonel Herbert Kappler. . Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty, an Irish priest assigned to Vatican under the pontificate of Pope Pius XII, organizes an enormous network of courageous civilians to save Jewish refugees and allied POWs from Nazis, right under the nose of the Colonel Kappler. Yes, the Scarlet Pimpernel style rescues – O’Flaherty was a master of disguise, he’ll transform himself into anything he can impersonate, including a Gestapo officer and a nun!

Colonel Kappler is not dim-witted; eventually he learns about Monsignor O'Flaherty's personal missions and decided to respond the Gestapo way. His keen pursuit on capturing the priest red handed soon became an obsession. The cat and mouse game ensues, only the mouse is too brilliant for the cat. Later as the Allies are about to enter Rome, the tables are turned. The hunter became the hunted. Now the ruthless Nazi commander wanted to save his wife and son and the only ray of hope he can envision of is none other than his nemesis Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty!
The Scarlet and The black is a magnificent and compelling with an inspirational tale of moral courage, human spirit, sacrifice, compassion, forgiveness and altruism. This movie is what I consider as Gregory Peck’s magnum opus. As Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty, Peck is absolutely convincing and proves to the world that he is a towering genius of an actor. Christopher Plummer is also dazzling in his portrayal of the ruthless Nazi commander. John Gielgud makes a believable Pope Pius XII.

What was Catholic Church’s stand during the reign of Nazis? The question seems sidestepped in the movie by focusing the courage of the courageous priest. However, there are mentions of the Church's neutrality and the potential risks of working against the German occupation. The movie is not explicitly religious but more like a study in human character and moral courage. The climax is inspiring and makes all those great fictional climaxes far behind especially when you consider it's a true story. You will never be able to forget the experience of watching this spectacular drama and the triumph of human spirit. As a true story, The Scarlet and the Black is an exhilarating icon of moral courage. Don’t ever miss this giant of a film.

The Scarlet and the Black
Also known as The Vatican Pimpernel
Director: Jerry London
Cast: Gregory Peck, Christopher Plummer, Sir John Gielgud, Raf Vallone, Kenneth Colley
Country: USA / UK / Italy
Language: English / German / Italian
Colour: Colour
Runtime: 143 min
Cyril’s Rating: Excellent

Welcome to Planet Review

2002-06-12T04:56:00.000-07:00

Greetings,
there are so many reviews and I am pretty surethat I need your help to sort it out. Be a part or our review family and consider it as your own blog.
Cheers,
Cyril