The Roommate (2011) : Obsessed and Dangerous

Article first published as Movie Review: The Roommate (2011) on Blogcritics.

Hollywood has seen a mushroom growth of horror/thrillers based on the psychotic behavior of the human mind. From the days of Hitchcock, through the times of Psycho and finally to the era of Jason we have been exposed to such extremities of mental illness that it becomes utterly difficult for any modern day movie based on lunacy to make an impression. Having said that, I have to admit that The Roommate does make an impact on the viewer and has much to offer in terms of thrill and suspense.

The Roommate tells the story of Sara (Minka Kelly), a fashion student with a new roommate. Sara had shared a room all her life with her sister Emily, who died around a year earlier leaving Sara alone. Sara's new roommate is her first since the death of her sister, so Sara felt a little emotional (in a good way) about sharing the room. Sara doesn't know however that her roommate Rebecca (Leighton Meester) is a little too protective to say the least!

As the movie progresses, Rebecca gets irritated by everyone who tries to come close to Sara. She scares her close friends away and tries to prevent Sara from getting into a relationship. Sara just feels that Rebecca is overprotective towards her and doesn't take it seriously until she finds a secret! A secret that makes Rebecca's own parents fear her!

Why is Rebecca so obsessed with Sara? Why are her parents afraid of her and why is she so uneasy with Sara having a boyfriend? Is she in love with Sara or is their something more dangerous than love lurking in the depths of Rebecca's mind? Watch The Roommate to find out.

I Rate it 3.5/5 for the gripping storyline and good acting. The Roommate keeps the audience interested and hence is a good use of time. I thoroughly enjoyed the film and would recommend it to everyone. You surely won't be disappointed!

Movie Review: The Rite

All ardent fans of cinema, especially those who appreciate acting ahead of the use of technology, eagerly wait for Anthony Hopkins' films. He has definitely not disappointed his fans this time. Hopkins leads the cast in the latest Horror/Thriller The Rite based on the rituals of exorcism, and he has given an outstanding performance to say the least.

The Rite is a story of a young man, Michael (Colin O'Donoghue) whose father runs a funeral home. Michael is himself a seminary student but is not particularly fond of dressing up the dead and hence decides to give the priesthood a chance. He takes up a course, spending four years studying, but in the end he decides not to pursue priesthood; Michael does not actually believe in God.

The father at his school asks him to give God a chance and take an exorcism course in Rome. Reluctantly, Michael leaves for Rome thinking that he would find nothing that could budge his reasoning.

In Rome Michael finds it hard to come to terms with the idea of spirits, possessions and exorcism; his teacher refers him to an exorcist named Father Lucas (Anthony Hopkins).

Lucas is an unorthodox practitioner and a very straight forward man. He shows Michael how he interacts and fights demons and spirits. Michael is persistent with his disbelief and thinks that Lucas's patients are psychological patients rather than possessed people.

What follows, eventually forces Michael to believe in the Devil and in God! Also what follows makes the audiences marvel at the acting supremacy of one of the finest actors ever to have graced the screen, Anthony Hopkins! One can only salute the awesomeness of this amazing actor.

I won't tell any more about the story because I don't want to spoil it for you but The Rite is definitely right up there with the best films of the year and Anthony Hopkins as Father Lucas is phenomenal. I rate is 4/5 and recommend it highly!

Movie Review: The Godfather Trilogy

Article first published as The Godfather Trilogy Taken as a Whole: Still Brilliant After All These Years on Blogcritics.

I recently saw All Good Things and a scene therein reminded me of the all time blockbuster and the queen of all feature films, The Godfather Trilogy. I realized how after so many years since the first part's release, the film still remains a must see and one still marvels at the acting that was on display in every scene of the trilogy.

Since I saw The Godfather in one go i.e all three parts at once, I have always considered the trilogy as one big film and not as three different films. This way I have never ventured into the comparison of the three parts and that has made me admire the trilogy on the whole and as a masterpiece without worrying about any one of the parts being superior.

The Godfather Trilogy to me is Al Pacino's finest work and perhaps his role as Michael Carleone is the best character ever to have graced the screen. Al Pacino according to me has outdone Marlon Brando and Robert De Niro and has made the trilogy his own without anyone else even coming close to his greatness. To me the second-best performance in the film is Andy Garcia as Vincent Mancini.

The cartel, the power and the rise of Carleone's is a treat to watch but what underlines it all is the transformation of Al Pacino from a timid young man to a shrewed gangster and then to an aspirant white-collared businessman.

The Godfather Trilogy is the greatest film of all times and one must see it to believe the myth! I rate it 5/5 and that is because the I have no more to give.