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!

Review: Morning Glory ~ Watch Morning Glory Online Free Streaming

Article first published as Movie Review: Morning Glory on Blogcritics.

Harrison Ford, Diane Keaton and Rachel McAdams make up the formidable star cast of the comic drama Morning Glory. The film is based on the challenges associated with running a successful morning show and also looks into the common bias that "serious" journalists hold against the supposedly meaningless content of the morning shows.

Morning Glory follows the efforts of a passionate morning TV-show producer Becky Fuller (Rachel McAdams) as she tries her level best to prove to the world that she is good at her job. After getting fired from her job as a producer she ends up getting a job at half her previous salary as the producer of a morning show called "Daybreak" that had no following and seemingly no future. Before pulling the plug on the show the channel gives Becky a chance to raise the ratings and hence buy some more time for the show.

Becky is happy to be at the helms of a morning show again but she soon realizes that her job is a very tough one. The show is hosted by Colleen Peck (Diane Keaton) who is extremely disappointed by the show's performance and has given up all hopes of getting back in the lime light. Becky decides to make some changes and that leads her to firing the male host of the show. She accidentally comes across her role model, the legendary news reporter Mike Pomeroy (Harrison Ford) and tries to get him to host the show. Pomeroy turns out to be the most egotistical creature she has come across, perhaps second only to his co-host Colleen Peck.

The story ahead sees Becky working her backside off to make
Pomeroy and Peck co-exist on the show. Her personal life also becomes a little complicated when love knocks on her door in form of the handsome Adam Bennet (Patrick Wilson).

Harrison Ford has shown his class as an A grade actor and Diane Keaton has worked her charm without letting get the better of her. She really looks sexy even with wrinkles on her. The star however is Rachel McAdams and she has acted exceptionally well. She has taken the film to a whole new level with her sparkling charisma and panache. She makes you cry and she makes you laugh but never in the whole duration of the film does she let you take your eyes off her!

I rate Morning Glory a whooping 4/5 simply because a young lady has outshone stars like Harrison Ford and Diane Keaton making the film a treat to watch.

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: Love And Other Drugs(2010)

Article first published as Movie Review: Love And Other Drugs on Blogcritics.

Jamie (Jake Gyllenhaal) is leading a mediocre life. He is a real hard worker but is always on a look out for shortcuts in life. He is a charming gentleman and believes in living it up. He works in an electronics store, but after awhile is fired. 

His best friend Bruce helps him find a job at a pharmaceutical company. His interpersonal skills helps him excel as a pharamceutical company representative. On a routine visit to a nearby clinic he meets Maggie (Hathaway) for the first time. After a few more accidental encounters, Jamie sees a chance for himself with Maggie. She is an alluring free-spirited girl who does not believe in relationships. On the other hand Jamie also is a carefree person whose ultimate goal always is to satisfy his sexual desires. They embrace each other like lock and key.

With the passage of time Jamie and Maggie who were leading a happy unconcerned life with each other, find themselves in a relationship. Things eventually go their way but then suddenly life takes a huge turn, and they find their love life in lots of trouble.

Love and other Drugs lies somewhere between comedy, romance and drama, but it is mainly a romance. In my view it is a good movie but the story is very patchy and lacks cohesiveness. It seems that somewhere in the middle of the movie, the writer lost the plot.

Hathaway and Cyllenhaal are the real attraction to this movie. There are some very explicit sex scenes with Anne Hathaway; she looks good, and looks prepared for her upcoming Cat-Woman role in Batman. Jake Gyllenhaal is cute as ever and his dorky, nerdy looks are amusing and great to watch. He has also acted reasonably well. 

Although the movie has one foot in the comedy genre and the other in the "soft-porn-of-the-year" genre, I still recommend Love and Other Drugs. It is will not only keep you hooked for two hours but will provide you ultimate entertainment. I rate it 3/5 and you should give it a try!