'Gone Girl' Is a Fun, Sinister Exploration of Marriage In 2014

20th Century Fox Film Via Everett Collection

The past 15 years have done a number on American suburbia. In 1999, a simpler and sweeter time, Sam Mendes used American Beauty to pull back the curtain on the subculture’s sinister core. In 2014, Gone Girlserves a similar purpose, but shoulders a heavier load: today is far more readily sinister, malevolent, desperate, and disgusting than the pre-9/11 era captured in Mendes’ Oscar winner.

                   So, naturally, we turn to David Fincher. 

Just as Gone Girl is 2014’s equivalent to Clinton Era American Beauty, the new film is 50s Fincher’s answer to the mid-30s-Fincher productFight Club. In exploring the disappearance of writer Amy Dunn (Rosamund Pike), the film’s story spotlights the diabolical wire rigs behind her relationship with husband Nick (Ben Affleck) — and, by extension, the ugly truths fueling or anchoring any modern marriage (hell, if people this pretty have problems…).

The novel adaptation claims stake in the genres of mystery, horror, psychological thriller, relationship drama, and — hell, for sure — black comedy, having a ton of twisted fun as both an elaborate whodunit and a socio-psychological term paper on contemporary gender politics.

20th Century Fox Film Via Everett Collection

Affleck is a hoot as the rigidly dislikable Nick, a charmless cad who can look shlubby even with a mile-long shoulder width. Pike, too, is a treat, batting around banter in perfect company with Fincher's dreamy eye to produce a heightened reality that hits visceral levels. But the supporting cast is Gone Girl's claim to fame. As a hard-nosed detective, Kim Dickens is electric enough to escape the limiting nature of her audience surrogate character; right beside her is an almost wordless Patrick Fugit, whose stoic body language manages a laugh every time. And yes, believe it: Tyler Perry is pretty good.

But what is probably most impressive about the movie — a factor that, to some, might actually prove most frustating — is its comfort with keeping certain things nebulous. At the risk of anticlimax, Gone Girl occassionally favors implications over answers, suggesting to the audience that its conversation extends the parameters of its plot.

Never lilting in its energy thanks to an unorthodox structure and feverish editing, Gone Girl is as broadly enjoyable as it is clever. Fincher manages with middle age what he mastered with fading youth, in 2014 what Mendes tried in '99. It's all very frightening, all too provocative, and all one mess of a good time. (Sources from http://www.hollywood.com/)

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Two Night Stand Review

Two Night Stand  Rating: 2/5

From All the  Indian reviews on the web

Two Night Stand Movie Review (Showing 4 Reviews)

Ratings:1.5/5 Review By: Anupama Chopra Site: Film Companion

 The premise has potential but director Max Nichols and his writer Mark Hammer are unable to build it into something sparkling. The initial twist – two strangers who have had sex must now get to know each other – is delicious but soon the film settles into monotony. It’s fun but Two Night Stand is hardly essential viewing. I’m going with one and a half stars.

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Ratings:3.5/5 Review By: Gavin Rasquinha Site: Times Of India (TOI)

 Two Night Stand has the vibe of a reality show and the feel of a play, where most of the action takes place in Alec's cozy apartment, in two or three rooms. Teller and Tipton both put in some charming performances. Their delightful repartee is quite clearly the movie's strongest aspect. It keeps you engaged and is often amusing. While the plot is simple enough, this is, in essence, a pretty candid and contemporary take on young love, with its many colourful details.colourful details.

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Ratings:1.5/5 Review By: Navin Noronha Site: Bookmyshow

 Yes, the film has its moments, but that’s it. They have all been sewed together like a patchwork quilt. What could’ve been a coming-of-age romantic film that is totally in tandem with the thought process of today’s youth, ends up being a confused affair. Sure, it makes an honest attempt at conveying a clear portrait of the modern-day hookup culture, and highlights the dishonesty of the profiles on the one too many online dating sites, the sentiments in the film still seem outdated. -

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Ratings:1.5/5 Review By: Shalini Langer Site:Indian Express

 If this was actually a film about a girl and a boy — make that a young woman and a young man — talking about how to pleasure one another and busting some myths in the process, please be our guest. If this was actually a film about casual sex and two-night stands, please go ahead. There have been worst pretexts to get to that kiss. Two Night Stand isn’t as bad but, worse, it’s boring and insipid, despite all the sex talk and sexual implications along the way. It’s a sad commentary,

                                                       (Sources from http://www.bollymoviereviewz.com/)

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Bang Bang Reviews

Bang Bang Reviews

Critic's Rating:  Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Katrina Kaif, Danny Denzongpa Direction: Siddharth Anand Genre: Romance Duration: 2 hours 36 minutes

Story: After 150 years, an Indian robs the Kohinoor diamond. And thus begins the cat-and-mouse game as the international mob and the Indian Secret Service (ISS) officials hunt him down.

Review: Siddharth Anand's Bang Bang makes more noise and little sense. This desi adaptation of the 2010 Tom Cruise-Cameron Diaz action thriller, Knight And Day, has charm in abundance, primarily because of its effervescent lead pair -- Rajveer/Jai ( Hrithik Roshan) and Harleen (Katrina Kaif). But it lacks coherence. Disbelief is writ large on the face, right at the start.

Picture this - India's most wanted, Omar Zafar (Danny Denzongpa), who is to be extradited to India, escapes from a maximum-security prison in Britain because his aide Hamid Gul (Jaaved Jafferi) blows up the place like it is a cardboard edifice. They also kill the honest ISS agent, Viren Nanda (Jimmy Sheirgill) in the process. Next, Zafar suggests that he can actually hold up the UK-India extradition treaty by getting an Indian to rob the Kohinoor. Really? 

Aimed at providing more style than substance, the film makes you comfortably numb in the first 20 minutes itself. So you may perhaps just raise an eyebrow as you watch Katrina, a bank receptionist from Shimla (with a liberal grandmother who tells her to go chase love), on a global escapade -- London, Prague, Greece... in the company of a "psychopathic schizophrenic" jewel thief, Hrithik, after meeting him on one blind date. 

If you're still looking to make sense, Hrithik has a back-story on why he attempted to steal the Kohinoor. Or why he chose guns over roses. Kaif, convinced of his good intentions, is happy to cling to him with gay abandon. 

Anand's film has no grammar. But it compensates with breathtaking locales and stylishly choreographed stunts. It also works as a show reel for the bronzed Roshan with his six-pack abs and the enviable midriff of Kaif wearing a red polka-dotted bikini top. Their horseplay caters to an audience that is low on IQ and high on adrenalin! 

Full marks to the lead pair for not being overwhelmed by the commotion around them. Especially Hrithik, who knows the job at hand is silly, but never slips up.

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Haider movie review: Bollywood celebrities rave about Shahid Kapoor’s spectacular performance

Shahid Kapoor

Critic's Rating: 

Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, 

Kay Kay Menon, Irrfan Khan, Tabu

Direction: Vishal Bhardwaj

Genre: Drama

Duration: 2 hours 41 minutes

Avg Readers Rating: 

Haider is Vishal Bhardwaj’s adaptation of William Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’. The key cast of the film includes Shahid Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor alongwith Tabu and Kay Kay Menon. Ek Villain actress Shraddha Kapoor plays the role of a journalist in the film. The movie is all set to hit the silver screens on October 2, 2014. Not only the  promos but also the songs have impressed the audience mightily. Shahid Kapoor’s role in the film seems to be a dark, intense and an interesting one.

Haider features Shahid in a completely different and ‘never-seen-before’ avatar. The actor has always impressed us with his versatility especially considering the roles he played in Kaminey andJab We Met. Yet another time, the talented actor shall be seen playing a different character that he has never played before. The promos have made it very evident that Shahid is all set to thrill the audience with his hatke role in the film. Vishal Bhrardwaj’s poetic touch to Haider, which is a remake of William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, is yet another important reason to add the film in the must-watch list of every movie buff!

After the special screening of Haider last night, the film industry is in awe of Shahid Kapoor’s marvelous performance in the film. Some of them took to micro blogging site Twitter to express their views. Is the wait for Haider getting to you? Keep calm until tomorrow, but till then you can check out the latest tweets by Bollywood celebs as they are all praises for Haider!

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3 A.M

Movie Review 3 A.M|3 A.M

Critic's Rating:  Cast: Rannvijay Singh, Anindita Nayar, Salil Acharya, Kavin Dave Direction: Vishal S Mahadkar Genre: Horror Duration: 1 hour 50 minutes

Story: After the mysterious death of his girlfriend at the haunted Rudra Mills, a reality TV host and his friends venture into the forbidden land to determine whether ghosts exist. To gather proof, they plan to capture the supposed paranormal activities on camera. Do they survive?
Review: Going by the title, the film also enlightens those who've unheard of 3 A.M being the 'devil's hour', where ghosts are thought to be at their most powerful. Can Sunny (Rannvijay Singh) and his friends (Salil Acharya, Kavin Dave) manage to decode the mystery surrounding the mills during this ungodly hour?
3 A.M borrows from Paranormal Activity and Mirrors to a certain extent. That's not an issue since most horror films lack originality. However, this film fails to match up to the scares and chills provided by its Hollywood predecessors, that make you go numb with fear. And lack of deadly silence is a major reason behind the failure of the premise, which otherwise had potential.

A good horror film is atmospheric and this one falls flat here. You want the actors to 'stop talking' for a while but that doesn't happen till the end. They constantly engage in silly banter, chatting or debating trivial issues, giving you headaches instead of fear.

No time or effort is invested to create the desired mood. Also, dialogues to the effect of, 'Hum rudra ki aatma ko provoke karte hai' do not work. Besides, a bizarre flashback at the most inappropriate moment ruins it.

About the cast, Rannvijay Singh looks good and his presence is the best part about the film. However, we wish he does something non-Roadies the next time on the big screen. Salil Acharya and Kavin Dave are decent in supporting roles.

3 A.M is a conversation-heavy horror film. If that doesn't put you off, you can give it a shot. Else, watch Insidious or The Conjuring once again on DVD.

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