Closer (2004)

This movie based on relationships is unlike any other romantic movie that has come out till now. The approach is brutally honest and the way humans are portrayed in this movie is totally realistic with warts all over.

It has been inspired by one of Mozart's operas and the soundtracks of the master are mesmerizing to say the least.

The 2 men in the movie fall for their hormonal cravings and don't hesitate to cheat on their partners. The 2 women in the movie are vulnerable in their own way and they too can't resist the charm of a good man at any point.

Natalie Portman has the best role in the movie as Alice/Jane, the young stripper who is madly in love with Dan, a failed novelist. Alice works as a waitress once she moves in with Dan.

Dan, meanwhile can't resist the charms of Anna, a divorced photographer and he cheats on Alice. Anna on the other hand is married (for the 2nd time) to Larry even as she is madly in love with Dan as well. All the characters are brutally honest when it comes to sex even when they admit it to their respective partners at that particular instant.

Clive Owen as Larry brings in that restless craving that his character has. Jude Law and Julia Roberts are vulnerable and fidgety as they deal with each other and also their respective partners. Natalie shocks during her scenes as the stripper. She has really upped the oomph quotient in this movie. That she looks a million bucks, in her various makeovers, is an understatement. The other actors look attractive as well.

There are some really bold scenes in this movie which are definitely meant for the adults. The chat scene between Larry and Dan posing as Anna, is hilarious as well as raunchy.

On the whole, this one is definitely a unique movie on romance and relationships. Human beings have been portrayed in their most impulsive, lunatic, senseless, vulnerable and instinctive avatars. Ultimately a review can't summarize what exactly this movie offers. It's crazy for sure.

VERDICT: Brutally honest and unpredictable portrayal of romance and relationships

Léon: The Professional (1994)

Leon is a professional hitman. He is a loner and doesn't have much of a life. Mathilda is a young 12 yr old girl who is his neighbor. She has a troubled family life and her younger brother is her only solace. Her entire family is killed by corrupt DEA agents in relation to a drug problem that her father had gotten into. Mathilda escapes with her life and seeks solace at Leon's.

She wants revenge for her younger brother's sake. She urges Leon to teach her the tricks of the trade and Leon reluctantly agrees. Slowly, she falls in love with Leon while Leon hesitates till the end to reciprocate her love. He helps her take revenge by cleaning out the entire DEA gang led by Stansfield. Whether he keeps his promise of living with Mathilda forever is the finale of the movie.

Hits

• Gary Oldman shows tremendous villainy and eccentricity as the corrupt DEA agent. Natalie Portman is very spontaneous and shows myriad emotions as the 12 yr old. Prodigal talent. Her clothes are too itsy-bitsy though. Jean Reno lacks the charisma required for the role of the Italian hitman. This role is made for someone like Stallone. 
• The relationship between Leon and Mathilda is new and unique. 
• The movie has terrific background score by Eric Serra

VERDICT

The movie is worth a watch though a better male lead would have lifted the movie even more. 

No Strings Attached (2011)

The Plot
Adam and Emma get into a unique deal where they will use each other just for sex. They call each other sex friends. Adam shows obvious love interest towards Emma from the beginning but Emma is inconsistent and doesn't commit to Adam.

Adam loses interest beyond a point and is ready to move on in life, halfheartedly. Just then, Emma starts missing Adam badly and just before it's too late, she manages to get Adam and the 2 unite in life to live happily ever after.

There are a bunch of friends and well-wishers who are with the pair throughout. There is also Adam's father who somehow falls for the same girl that Adam had once fallen for. Both the father and son share the same girlfriend but at different points of time:)

Hits

• Super pairing. The uber cute Natalie Portman and cool dude Ashton Kutcher will definitely give a hormonal rush to members of the respective opposite sex. 

VERDICT

Just another romantic movie where the lovers lately realize their love after the initial refusals.

Thor (2011)

The Plot
The film is a visual fantasy that shows 2 realms in outer space, Asgard and Jotunheim. Jotunheim has the 'Frost Giants' who have the power to freeze their opponents. The earth is also one of the nine realms.

Asgard is ruled by Odin who has 2 sons Thor and Luki. Luki is actually an adopted son found in Jotunheim post the conquest by Odin. Luki is jealous of his brother Thor and wants to become the king of Asgard.  He is a cunning manipulator with magical powers.

In the beginning, Thor looks to aggressively demolish Jotunheim with his small gang of aides. He almost pulls it off when his father intervenes, strips him off his powers, his hammer and banishes him from Asgard. Thor lands on Earth in New Mexico.

He is helped by a curious scientist Jane Foster in his mission to find his hammer and return back to his home land. Jane is intrigued by Thor's story. They start loving each other. Erik and Darcy are Jane's company. Thor is countered on Earth by the Frost Giants who are instigated by the scheming Luki. Thor gets his hammer at the right moment and banishes the enemy.

In the end, Thor realizes the value of life and starts believing in wisdom. He returns to Asgard with his hammer. He convinces his ailing father that he will indeed be the future king. Luki is banished now and he lands somewhere on Earth.

Jane waits for Thor while he is in Asgard listening to Heimdall the gatekeeper who has extra-ordinary powers to see people on Earth too. The bridge called Bifrost, that connects Asgard to Jotunheim and also to the Earth, is broken and hence Thor can't get back to his love on Earth.

The films ends with the premise for a sequel.

Hits

• Terrific VFX, graphics and imagination. As expected.
• Natalie Portman as Jane is goddess personified with her elegance and pure, innocent beauty.
• Chris Hemsworth as the macho super hero is imposing and very charming as the huge Thor
• Lots of mystic creations like Bifrost, Asgard, Jotunheim etc. etc. 
• Entertaining references to SHIELD and Tony Stark from Iron Man. 

Comments

• Very simple story of a superhero realizing the purpose of his life. The standard templates like a demure girl who loves the superhero are all present in Thor. 

VERDICT

Another "Marvel Comics" visual effects extravaganza

Black Swan movie review

The Plot
A dancer at a theater company, Nina Sayers is very obsessed about perfection in her dance and all her practice sessions are directed towards getting that coveted lead role in the play Swan Lake that is to kick-start their company's new season.

She gets the role and following this, she goes through hell in the form of violent hallucinations, disturbing dreams and all this takes a toll on her relationship with her mother and her health too. In the climax, she gives a spell binding performance in the play and what happens to her next is the picture perfect moment in the film.

Another Darren Aronofsky obsession movie. The movie has lot of disturbing and graphic images of violence and sex. Not for the faint hearted. The blood and the pain give a lot of impact to the viewer.

Hits

• Natalie Portman's perfect performance. Her dance moves, her expressions in the final performance and her pain during her preparation for the role are top class
• The music by Clint Mansell and the adapted music from the play Swan Lake are mesmerizing and induce goose bumps. 
• Good supporting roles for the actors who play the ultra sexy San Francisco dancer Lily, Nina's mother and the director Thomas Leroy. 

VERDICT

A glorious show by Natalie Portman carries the movie to the winning post singlehandedly, supported ably by the soundtrack.