Movie Junction

Back in 1997, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck were not big names in Hollywood. They appeared mostly in supporting roles in which they hardly made any impression. But then “Good Will Hunting” was released, and suddenly Damon and Affleck shot to stardom. The pair of Damon and Affleck wrote the film’s screenplay, for which they won an Academy Award for Best Writing. For some reason, at that time it was cool to discuss mathematics, formulas, and theorems. I still find it fascinating how the film captivated audiences around the world with its themes of friendship and identity that are nicely wrapped around an implied geek factor. The film was made with a modest budget of $10 million and ended up eventually grossing $230 million in worldwide box-office revenues. Indeed, the movie hasn’t lost its allure since its release in 1997. Matt Damon plays the character of Will Hunting, who works as a janitor at the M.I.T. campus. He also works as a construction worker along with his clos...

“Throw your cards the moment you can’t win.” – Jo, “Rounders” John Dahl’s “Rounders” (1998) reminded me of an epic Indian mythology, “The Mahabharata.” People familiar with “The Mahabharata” will recall that the bloody battle was fought when the Pandavas lost their kingdom to the Kauravas in a game of dice. All bets were placed, and the Pandavas lost everything, including all their wealth; they were banished from the kingdom for twenty years. As if losing the wealth was not enough--Yudhishtira, the eldest of the Pandavas brothers--gambled himself, his brothers, and his wife over this game. The hope of winning the next bet blinded Yudhishtira to the point of no return. In this aspect, the characters gamble in “Rounders” as if there is no tomorrow. Likewise, the identities of characters in “Rounders” are no different from the characters from “The Mahabharata.” The characters in “”Rounders” start with small bets and then gradually leap to bigger bets, after which the...

The opening credit sequence for “Hostage” is shot in a comic-book style. Compositionally, this sequence consists of solid blacks and a deep red sky, along with an oblique perspective. After seeing the opening credits, you get a sense that you will soon be taken to the world of a lone ranger. The cityscape bears a deadly silence that is indicative of crimes and dangers brewing in city’s dark places. The credits end, and we are immediately taken to the center of a nail-biting scene. We meet a SWAT negotiator, Jeff Talley (Bruce Willis), scratching his beard and lying in a relaxed mood. But he is in the middle of negotiating a deal with a man who has taken his wife and a son as hostages. Bruce Willis’s character, getting trapped in a hostage crisis, is something he reprised in “Sin City” (2005), movie released almost two weeks following the release of “Hostage.” In essence, in both the films the hero’s life changes with his first failed negotiation. As the opening act...

In the following joint Blu-ray review of the new Lionsgate/Miramax release, John Puccio wrote up his comments on the movie, with Ranjan Pruthee writing up the Video, Audio, Extras, and Parting Thoughts. <b>The film according to John Puccio</b> They're back.  But you knew they would be.  You didn't think the Disney studios, Dimension Films, and Buena Vista Home Entertainment would let a bonanza like the original "Spy Kids" go long without a sequel.  Nor Robert Rodriguez, who wrote the film, directed it, produced it, edited it, composed the music for it, and even supervised the digital photography for it.  In fact, the "Spy Kids" franchise may turn out to be a long-running series, given that 2002's "Spy Kids 2:  Island of Lost Dreams" did almost as well at the box office as its predecessor.  At least, there will be sequels until the movies' pair of young stars are too old to be considered "kids" anymore.  Anyway, t...