I'm not there.. Anymore.

Now, I am not someone who has seen all of Heath Ledger's films and know every detail about his personal life. I am, and will be, an honest fan of his. Caught my eye in The Patriot, where he took on the role of Mel Gibson's son, hence giving him a run for his money. Young, charming, a lot of screen presence. He was what one would call.. "One out of the oh so many future actors of Hollywood". He did prove us wrong.


I've seen quite a few Heath Ledger movies. And I've liked each and every one of the ones I have. Monsters Ball, where he portrayed a psychotic convict to glory. Shooting himself in the end. A Knight's Tale, a good movie, one of my personal favourites because of the rush of blood it gave to me. Playing a young peasant squire named William Thatcher, raised to Sir in the end. A wider take on his acting skills, after The Patriot. Then came Lords of Dogtown, a rough skate boarding movie which didnt strike much of a chord. Just another underdog movie, based on a true-story was it? I'm not quite sure. The Brothers Grimm I enjoyed a lot. Brothers Will and Jacob on a scam rampage of killing monsters and evil apparitions until they met a real-life one. Matt Damon and Heath Ledger made it more fun than anyone could have. Casanova was fun too. Sienna Miller made it even more nice.


And then there was Brokeback Mountain, Ang Lee's western which shocked the world. I never got a chance to see it in a theatre. So I watched it on my pc instead. Almost had tears in my eyes. The movie was that good. Both Gyllenhaal and Ledger in there career defining roles. Won the then twenty-five year old Ledger an Oscar Nomination for Best Actor.

Well, that was a Filmography. I know Heath and his ex-fiance, Michelle Williams, looked real cute together. Even in Brokeback they looked nice. His daughter, Matilda, sweet, more like her mother. He plays the role of The Joker in The Dark Knight, the upcoming Batman movie. He looks scary in the trailer. Terrifying. Perhaps, a great amount of maturity too, as he churns out the famous lines.. "Let's put a smile on that face" and laughs away, hauntingly, to glory.


I never knew Heath Ledger. I only respected him. Whether he was on drugs, whether he did charity, I do not know, and frankly speaking, I do not care. I know him as talent. Young talent. One who was growing with age. And could have only got better.

Heath Ledger was found dead in a Manhattan apartment last night. He was all of twenty-eight years old.

Atonement.

Well, just like most of the good movies I watch, I had to download Atonement to watch it, since the city does not approve of bringing critically acclaimed films to the theatres. Let's all go and watch Air Buddies(that too in hindi). Yaaa whatever.

Well, browsing through IMDB, I found myself caught onto the home page of this movie. Read a review, liked it. Didn't know anything about the story except that it was set in wartime England or something. Searched it up, downloaded it. Watched it. Wow!!

Atonement comes from Director Joe Wright, director of the critically acclaimed Pride and Prejudice(2005), with Keira Knightley and James McAvoy, and is based on the novel of the same name written by Ian McEwan. It also happens to be the movie that kick-started The 2007 Venice International Film Festival.


Well, all of that aside, the first thing that struck me while watching the very opening scenes of Atonement, was the background music. It's hooked with a typewriter, and sounds like something I've never heard before. It's a very very integral part of the movie, mind you, and is something that might just make anyone go,"Damn! Now why didn't I think of that?" .. It's only that good.

Atonement does not have an ensemble cast. Keira Knightley shows us how much it is she's matured over the years. See this and compare it with her role as a Bounty Hunter in Domino. The results are shocking, and outstanding. The lead actor, James McAvoy, is someone you might recognise. But,"What's his name?" you'll go. He was the one who played the fawn, Mr.Tumnus, in The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe. And was also there in The Last King of Scotland. A known face, yet unrecognized by many.


To put things straight, the acting is spot on. From the little 13 year old Brionny Tallis(Saoirse Ronan) who expresses situations oh so easily it seems; to her older 18 year old version(;Romola Garai) jumping to her elder sister Cecilia(Keira Knightley) who(still thinner than you can imagine) gives us as much of a visual treat as one can ask for. It would come as something of a surprise to me if James McAvoy is not nominated for an Oscar for his role as Robbie Turner. He is what keeps you captivated to the screen. Young, dashing, almost flawless. Walking through a beach-camp. No words, nothing.. Just visuals. Created, not CGI.

Certain scenes.. One being the long walk down the beach. The only love-making scene of the movie, in palled darkness, passionate, in a library. Amazingly done. The five minutes where Brionny sits and converses with a soldier in the hospital. The very opening scene, focusing on a herd of plastic animals as the young Brionny applies finishing touches to her play, The Trials of Arabella. Twice the opening music is played, the exact same. At both introductions to the young Tallis. One, when she's 13; the other when she's 18. A genius concept.

The panning of the camera, the cinematography, the editing(allowing you to look at something you want to for an elongated period of time, and vice versa), everything has a high amount of graphic detail, making it even more attractive. The musical jumps, with the typewriter clicking in the background. Actually, I could sit and write a whole review on just the background music of the film.


The story is simple. About a misunderstanding, mistaken innocence, and perhaps a little more. The desires of the young, seemingly mature, yet not so. A juvenile crush. Revenge. Anger. Most of all, jealousy. Ian McAvoy is a master storyteller. One must read the book to get the whole impact of this brilliant story. It is simply riveting.

The storyline being the main driving source of the movie, you will be hooked, from beginning to end. It's just the quality of the picture. It leaves a benchmark for all the others. Atonement is, quite simply, one of the best films of 2007. It's a pity that us Calcuttans aren't allowed to go and see films like these in the theatres. They deserve some amount of attention from the Central Board of Film Certification. Are you listening, Sharmila Tagore?

A fair 8/10. Loved the ending a lot. And, do I need to start blabbing about the background score again?

Sunshine.

Sunshine comes from the Director of 28 Days Later, which unarguably is the best Zombie movie to come out of anywhere in a few decades. With Sunshine director Danny Boyle, known for his take on the awe-inspiring has come out with a "Wham-bam-thank-you-mam" of a movie. Sunshine isn't just any other Sci-Fi "Save the World" movie where a bunch of Astronauts are put into a Space Shuttle and sent into space to do there 'thingy' and rescue the Earth. It is all of that.. And much more!


The story, states that 50years into the future our Sun is dying. A crew is sent on a journey to the Sun with a payload containing half of all the world's nuclear power to cause an explosion in the Sun in order to
restart its glow. It fails. Seven years later, another mission is sent. Earth's last hope. Her last chance. The Icarus II space shuttle is armed with a payload containing the remainder of Earth's nuclear power, and a group of scientists-cum-astronauts in whose hands lies the Fate of our planet.


Right from the opening sequence one will realise that the movie is visually stunning. It has got some scenes which would make any person go "Wow!" The cast - A surprise. Most will notice that the faces are familiar. But who are they? Whoever they are, they have done an amazing job. Cilian Murphy, who was the lead actor in 28 Days Later, gives us another display of what he can do. This movie is non conventionality redifined. Every character has a story to tell. Every moment has an emotion to capture. Every shot has a lasting effect. Right from the Commander of the ship to the Botanist cum Austronaut, everyone plays an equal part in making up the movie.

Sunshine has a distinct background score. It is a mix of electronica, with alternative rock and jazz. Particular splashes of beautiful music occur in two sequences. One with two of the lead characters in the payload, and the other in the observation room with the whole crew awed at the sight of something so amazing that I could not help my jaw falling open and the occassional smile. The alternative rock score at the end of the movie is, simple put, magnificent. I would love to own the soundtrack of this film. The song at the closing credits by I Am Kloot - Avenue of Hope, is mesmerising.


At an hour and fifty minutes, Sunshine is never a bore or a waste of time. The director, with his minute details; and the cast, even with its silence is as gripping as is Will Smith kicking some bad-ass aliens (ala Independence Day), or Bruce Willis blowing up a whole darn asteroid (Armageddon). What the heart wants, what it desires to know and see, can lead one till death. This is one of the many things about human nature that is shown clearly in Sunshine.

Sunshine comes as a breath of fresh air to the Sci-fi movie go'ers as well as lovers of a good action movie, with a storyline. It comes across as a sci-fi/thriller/action film for. It is not merely cinematic pleasure, it is also a feeling that makes you say,"Ya, that was a good movie. Worth the ticket money!"

8/10 for the acting. Same for the story. And straight A's for the visuals/music/direction. I loved this, I absolutely loved this!

"And we wait to see just what we will become.." - Avenue of Hope(I Am Kloot - End Credits)