INSIDE JOB - WHAT EVERY MAN, WOMAN AND CHILD SHOULD KNOW

Before we go any further, there are two details that you must and should know. Firstly, this is a documentary film and it does not disguise itself, although it has Matt Damon in the film. Secondly, most people would take it upon themselves to avoid this like the plague. Most people are never concerned about anything unless it falls onto them like some meteor out of the blue sky. That describes the usual self indulging people that we are and I suspect that will continue to be, much oblivious to many of the 'real' concerns that would shape our future and that of our children. The mindset that we nurture seem content with individual progress, intellectual suspension and accept mediocre results and development. Thus, the usual predicaments that we find quite prevalent in society, government, workplace and within.

Charles Ferguson, director of the film is inspiring and delivers a film that begs your attention

THE STORYBOARD

"A study indicated that any individual when suddenly presented with a large amount of earnings and money, the part of the brain that is stimulated is the same part of the brain, as the use of cocaine".

The award winning documentary film 'Inside Job" is written and directed by Charles Ferguson and is narrated by actor Matt Damon (Good Will Hunting, The Bourne Trilogy, True Grit).
Essentially, the film re-traces the conflicting personal agendas, selfish stupidity and the well crafted illusion of the globalised world economy as structured by the financial sector of the United States of America and exposes Wall Street trading and key politicians as part of those responsible in a corruptive financial system.

The inability of the American financial institutions to recognise and initiate appropriate action which led to the catastrophic 2008 cardiac arrest of the global financial system is interrogated at every level of the system. It weaves from one financial institution to another at breakneck speed, feeding you information about predatory loans, detailed facts about derivatives, eye opening disclosure about investment rating/credit rating and astonishing interviews into the 'underworld' of money politics, corruption and a full blown account of how the system of government is mechanised to prosper those in power and leaves the common man with nothing but despair.

Believe me, at the end of the film, you would walk away exhausted but far more knowledgable than you could ever imagine at the start of the film.

Informative and drowns the viewer into the underworld of financial crime by the financial 'mob'

THE DAMNATION
During the period 1997 to the end of 2008, a series of financial decisions and approved policies were undertaken by key financial institution figures and backed by politicians in the USA. These decisions effectively made millionaires of the politicians and key Wall Street personnel. Its trade employees all but enjoyed lucrative windfalls but would later find themselves dispensable with the burst of its financial bubble and its key banking institutions literally unable to neutralise bad debt which led to the collapse of the global financial system. The meltdown bankrupted the biggest banking groups such as Goldman Sachs, Lehmann Group, Citibank and Merril Lynch. It also affected the Insurance sector and inevitably plummeted AIG to close down worldwide. These would later lead to the domino effects around the global financial system and eventually resulted in millions of people losing their homes to foreclosures and their life savings. Almost 30 million people lost their jobs worldwide. The American government would later use public funds to pay the 'idiots' via bail out legislation which was approved by then, President Bush.

The Three Stooges? Larry, Curly and Moe of the Financial Sector?

Watching this, i could not help but notice the exact similarities although not entirely in proportion, with the situation in 'other' countries. The similarities of public funds channeled in disguise, the common method of distraction of the real issue by government, the corruptive nature always prevalent, zero integrity public figures, trade system that is inept and use of public funds with very little transparency - all key indicators of an unhealthy system - ticking like a time bomb.

The key message - the common public is acutely incapable of remotely being interested in all of these financial fallacies - until it is too late. Until it actually affected their livelihood and their future.

One of the most interesting aspect of the film was the straight up interview with these 'buffoons' and point blank questions by the production team that would catch them off-guard and often expose their 'stupidity' and idiocy. And these are the people that most of us would trust to lead and conduct themselves with power and authority on the peoples behalf. I could not help but likened the situation and to compare with 'other 'comedians' in power and authority in our very own country. How morbid and utterly ineffective we are, in spite of all that we have achieved.

Every country, at some point, has been responsible for similar risk taking and mishandling of public funds. 

WHY WATCH
It's informative, educational, empowering and rather entertaining with brilliant investigative and presentation by Charles Ferguson and his team. Matt Damon does well in narrating although I would have preferred Morgan Freeman or Jeremy Irons. It would have given the film a certain persuasion for the 'un-persuaded'. I still think that the narration by Morgan Freeman in the movie "Shawshank Redemption' was equally responsible for its runaway success.

Matt Damon narrates the documentary film

You would also be dumbfounded to learn of idiots and the flawed system that is constantly being manipulated by those in power and authority for their own personal agenda. Equally absurd was that the International Monetory Fund (IMF) chief analyst, Raghuran Rajan had in 2005, presented a paper which alerted the financial institutions of the risk and catastrophic results on the financial sector based on the undertaken policies and financial leverage afforded to investment banks and the non-regulation of CDO's. The warnings, were never taken seriously or heeded by those in power at the time.

The universal societal structure would evidently demonstrate that in any catastrophic event or situation, the common man and woman, which represent the middle class and poor, would always be the hardest hit. In comparison it is also quite unfortunate and troubling that when it arises to subjects as mundane and tiresome as finance or the depths of political sociology - most common men and women are usually disengaged and hardly interested. Until they realise that they have been the victims of an INSIDE JOB.

Do yourself a favour and please WATCH THIS.

Rating 7 out of 10.

HEAT - GUN FIRE, DE NIRO AND PACINO

'The Last of the Mohicans' which starred Daniel Day Lewis brought global recognition to director Micheal Mann. It widespread his directorial capabilities and propelled movies such as 'The Insider' (Russel Crowe), 'Collateral' (with Tom Cruise) and later 'Ali" (Will Smith playing the boxing legend) to consistent commercial success. But I'd like to think that THE movie that actually announced the arrival of Micheal Mann was 'HEAT' in 1995.

Allow me to be absolutely frank, 'HEAT' is a straight up 'cop and crook' crime story with the usual tale of personal conflicts, morality between wrong and right, good cop married to the job and crooks who elevate their profession to the equivalent of a Phd title. Throw in the obligatory love interest / action scenes and it would seem like just another roll out crime story from Hollywood - done to death!

So what does HEAT possess that sets it apart?

For a start, it pips together for the first time, two of the greatest actors to have graced the movie screens this century - Robert De Niro and Al Pacino. They had shared their name and scene in the same movie before, but had never acted together. It also brings to you a stellar cast which include Val Kilmer, Tom Sizemore, Ashley Judd, Jon Voigt, Amy Brenneman and Natalie Portman. It also has much action and one hell of a shoot out scene.

A scene from the armoured truck heist

THE STORYBOARD
Al Pacino plays Lt. Vincent Hanna, a Los Angeles homicide cop who is married to his job and nursing a strained relationship with his estranged wife and their teenage daughter. Robert De Niro plays Neil McCauley, a professional thief who takes his job seriously and although tries very hard not to court violence, well, unnecessary violence but when confronted or provoked, is never reluctant to engage and kill. He remains unattached to anything and famously advices to his partner in crime Chris Shiherlis (played by Val Kilmer) - "don't let yourself get attached to anything you are not willing to walk out on in 30 seconds flat, if you feel the heat around the corner".

Amy Brennan plays Robert De Niro's love interest

Jon Voigt and Robert DeNiro

WHAT UNFOLDS
The movie is set in Los Angeles against the back drop of an era that typically elevated the landscape of an American Dream slowly eroding. The authorities at the time, were usually playing a cat and mouse game as criminals were better equipped, organised and well executed. Lt.Vincent Hanna is typically the dedicated work horse homicide cop out to catch the crew that gunned down - assassination style, three of the armoured truck security guards during a botched hold-up to procure specifically a shipment of bonds, as instructed by their 'agent' (played by Jon Voigt). Little does the crew and McCauley know that the client, as it turns out, is about to double cross and not pay for the job. Worst, the thieving client  Roger Van Zant (played by William Fichtner) decides to hire some hands and lay an ambush to kill McCauley and Chris.  To make matters worse for McCauley, the trigger happy new member of his crew Waingro (played by Kevin Gage,) responsible for needlessly killing the security guards earlier, manages to escape just as McCauley tries to get rid of him.

The shoot-out scene which viewers will want to rewind

Lt. Hanna by now has the investigation in full swing and soon tracks the heist job to McCauley's crew. He steps up the surveillance but in doing so, McCauley is triggered to the 'surveillance' and thus, the cat and mouse game begins. The story interlaces between the main characters of Pacino and De Niro and their love interest and that of Val Kilmer as well, who is equally breeding marital issues with his wife, played by Ashley Judd. De Niro starts a romantic relationship with Amy Brennan, who plays a writer, whom he meets at a restaurant. Lt. Hanna has to confront his estranged wife who feels neglected and their teenage daughter who feels estranged and neglected, prompting her to slit her wrists in his bathroom.

Roger Van Zant, now feels the full extent of McCauley's reputation and grows paranoid and orders his men to terminate McCauley and his crew, at any cost. Waingro, rejuvenated with the ally that he has found in Van Zant, feels that he owes McCauley a death wish and proposes to Van Zant that he will terminate McCauley for a lucrative fee.

So, as the movie approaches the final thirty minutes, the viewer will find that the entire build-up of the characters in the movie are all furiously being propped up for the climax. By now, McCauley realises that the 'heat' is getting far too dangerous and has to make a series of decisions that would change his entire plan. In doing so and with his commitment now torn between that of his recently found love, McCauley reluctantly agrees to do one last job so that he and Amy Brennan could go away together and attempt to start a new clean life.

The showdown between Al Pacino and Robert De Niro over a cup of coffee

We finally arrive to a series of showdowns which culminate between McCauley and Van Zant, Lt. Hanna and his wife, McCauley and Amy Brennan, McCauley and Waingro and finally McCauley and Lt. Hanna. The showdowns all interlaced and ultimately building to the final showdown of the two main characters.

WHY WATCH

Midway in the movie, Micheal Mann gives us the most thrilling shoot out scene ever to be filmed. I mean, for me, it has to be THE all time shoot out scene and I dare say, it still is! The only other shoot out scene to even come close to overthrowing the posthumous accolades is from the movie 'Kingdom', at least in my opinion. The shootout begins at the doorstep of a bank and spills over onto the streets of downtown Los Angeles and thru the busy walkways of a nearby mart. The artillery cache and the intensity captured during filming of the scenes are phenomonal and the musical score accompannying simply blows the viewers away. I guarantee you that you would reach for the rewind button at least, twice.

With such a masterfully crafted shootout scene midway, this could only mean that the final showdown has now to outdo the entire build-up to its climax, and this where the movie sort of fizzles out. The climax turns out, in all expectations, to be really an anti-climax for me. But quite realistically, i suppose it would have to be something immensely spectacular to try and upheave the shootout scene earlier.

Still, this is one of the cop-crook movies that I could still put on and watch (even if just for that shoot-out scene)…..

Spectacular ammunition firing scene where even the echo of a gun firing is  projected 

Rating : 6.5 / 10

RUSH - YOU SHOULD BE 'RUSHING' TO WATCH THIS

The thing about sports themed movies with the caption - based on a 'true story or events' are these movies tend to fall into the mushy melodramatic 'feel good' genre. Movies such as 'Any Given Sunday' was about American Football while "MoneyBall"was the baseball equivalent. "Invictus"was about the World Rugby Series and Nelson Mandela's influence upon the South African team at the time to win the Series, for the unity of the country. These are universal themes and viewers don't really need to play the sport or be an armchair critic to appreciate these type of movies. 'RUSH" is exactly that sort of a movie and the sport - Formula One Grand Prix.

James Hunt and Niki Lauda in 1976

I picked this movie up with some apprehension. We all know, it would indefinitely be about the ridiculously huge amount of money involved in the sport, the often over-dramatised portrayal of the individuals, the sacrifices that are made and the obligatory insight into the aspects of the sport. These are often the main script. The fact that Ron Howard was directing it made me sort of hesitate further as we all know that Ron Howard had the reputation of doing exactly what I lamented about as evident in 'Apollo 13'. But I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised. 

The first 30 minutes of any movie, is for me, the most critical. It would make or break a movie in terms of directing, acting and persuading the viewer to resonate with the story unfolding. Although I was never a big fan of the Formula One but still, by the first half hour, I had already concluded that I would finish the movie. I found myself increasingly attracted to the sport and the story very much appealing.

Niki Lauda and James Hunt at the Monaco Grand Prix 1976

STORYBOARD
The movie 'RUSH' is entirely set around two of the greatest rivals that the world of Formula One Racing has ever witnessed and the premise of these events takes place between the years - 1974 to 1978 of what is commonly heralded as the 'Golden Age of Formula One Racing'. The individuals portrayed are the Austrian born, Niki Lauda and his rival on the circuit, the Englishman, James Hunt. Together, during that period, they exhilaratingly captivated the world of Formula One Racing and fans worldwide while at the same time catapulting the sport to heights of media frenzy, glamour and edge of the seat drama, never before experienced.

Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Bruhl are both excellent in their portrayal  of  Hunt and Lauda

WHAT UNFOLDS
The movie traces the rise of James Hunt who was already a frequent winner at the Formula 3 Racing league (a lower division of the Racing circuit) in the early 1970's. His consistent podium finishing later enables him to fast track into the Formula One Grand Prix with the financial backing of his team owner and inevitably, set the stage for a fantastic showdown and go head to head with the 'rookie' of the Grand Prix, Niki Lauda.

Niki Lauda arrives without much fanfare into the lowly Formula 3 circuit but quickly establishes himself as a semi-accomplished driver with steadfast discipline and determination but often end up playing second fiddle to Hunt - not only on the track but even in scoring with dames. Still, Lauda quickly improves on his race pole position (for a 'rookie') and with his strict routine of physical and mental preparation, it is not long before Lauda is noticed by everyone. By this time, Lauda, frustrated with the lack of opportunity for a real 'drivable' car, does the unthinkable at the time and literally buys his way into the Formula One Grand Prix, financing his inclusion into an existing Formula One team using his own money to secure a race car and his own technical team. In less than 6 months, he forces his team owner to acknowledge his uncanny ability in setting up cars by improving the performance for the race track. Not only does this land himself a place in the driving seat of a Formula One car but later, with the Italian owned Ferrari Team.

Thus sparking an intense rivalry with Hunt for the elusive battle to be crowned Formula One World Champion but we all know that any title does not come easy especially one that you have to be willing to lay your life upon, every time the drivers step into the space between the steering and the high octane fuel tanks of the speed machines, not to mention the personal challenges, off and on the track, and the difficult decisions that each driver has to make during every race.

Interestingly, the movie also attempts to account for the psychological mindset and approach of two very different individuals - Hunt who is eccentric, carefree, reckless and drives himself and others to the edge of limits. Hunt is also infamously known for his charm, wit and sexual escapades. His popularity, no doubt, boosted by his bad boy reputation and sold by the media people. Niki Lauda, on the other hand is a methodical calculated person and quite brilliant at what he does. He is crude, tactless and often disliked by most people and for a race car driver, surprisingly analyses risk in everyday life as well as bringing the same approach to the racing track and to the profession. The very different personalities or lack of it, i suppose in Lauda's case, is much of the very intensity that drives the movie and its characters.

The movie also delves into the very personal lives of both drivers including their marriage, their personal ghosts and the genuine deep respect and affection that both drivers fostered for one another despite the full blown rivalry, competitive circle and attempting to outdo each other at every opportunity they are presented with. Lauda would narrate at the start of the movie "i don't know how it got to be as it was" referring to their relentless competitive edge.

The inclusion of the horrific crash involving Lauda at the Nurburgring track in Germany played a critical part in the movie, as well as i suppose, in the real life of Lauda and to an extent, Hunt. The 'Nurburgring' which is infamously known as the Graveyard in Germany is described by Lauda to be 'one of the most barbaric, dangerous and poorly maintained tracks'  in Formula 1 at the time'.  The events at Nurburgring will evidently have a big impact on viewers and it is at this juncture that the viewers will realise that this is not just a story of two individuals but equally of that special 'something' that all individuals excelling in their life, inevitably possess. The following tense build-up to the final race of the 1976 Grand Prix season in Tokyo, Japan will totally keep you at the edge of your seat. Lauda attempting to defend his World Championship title and Hunt racing to dethrone him.

Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Bruhl

WHY WATCH
It is exhilarating and thrilling! The cast and direction fulfilling the accounts and the true story of the intense rivalry while at the same time, never over indulging in the attempt to over dramatise the events for the cinemas. RUSH has the right amount of everything and balances the intricate details and successfully diverts away from the larger than life representation which tend to influence most biographical adaptation. Although i did think that the scene of James Hunt, avenging on behalf of Lauda, at a reporter's sarcasm intended at Lauda during a press conference was acutely over dramatic and I was left asking, if it really happened. But then again, i think we could allow Ron Howard the luxury of this lapse in focus.

But apart from that, the movie, directed by Ron Howard triumphs. Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Bruhl are excellent and undoubtedly both shine in their portrayal as James Hunt and Niki Lauda. Personally, if i had to pick, I think I would have to pick Daniel Bruhl for his performance as Niki Lauda.

The inclusion of actual footage and pictorial of James Hunt and Niki Lauda at the end of the movie is a  deservingly great tribute to both drivers who has contributed to a great chapter in the Formula One world. I was saddened to learn of James Hunt passing away at the end of the movie but true to his philosophy in life - he lived his life with the awareness that every time he stepped onto the race track, there would be a chance that it might be his last. That awareness, would also be the 'difference' to both men.

RATING

7 OF 10

Hunt and Lauda - the greatest rivalry in Formula One Racing