The VOW(2012) - Movie Review

The Vow (2012) is a warm and a sweet movie by Michael Suscy, that you would enjoy watching with your special someone. There are many reasons for it, Firstly because Channing Tatum (Leo) looks fantastic and is handsome like anything and his sacrificial love for his wife Paige ( Rachel McAdam) whose memories have been washed away after a car crash on a snowy night. Unfortunatly, she remembers nothing about her marriage, their love and her love for her art. Sighs.

Forgetfulness/ amnesia whatever you would like to call it is hurtful than any breakup. Indifference to the love that was once shared between a couple is more devastating than any rejection in the world. While watching this movie you will question yourself that would you love the same person all over again if you have to start from scratch? And when falling in love do you love the person for who they are of what you perceive them to be?

This movie will have flashbacks with an annoying Leo’s voice talking about how there are moments of impact how they change lives. This movie has a feel of 50 first dates, Notebook and spotless mind. Memories are our treasure they make us who we are. What if those memories never come back?

The movie is really short like 100 min so I was pretty sad when I watched it for the first time because I wanted more of leo and some more scenes to confirm that everything will be perfect as before.  After the accident, you see Paige changed like a completely new person, having different eating habits, career interests, wardrobe change and she ends up questioning her choices she once made before this tragic accident. Choices such as leaving her law degree, leaving her parents and breaking up with a her ex fiance.

This movie shows leo so loving and sympathetic that as a woman I was feeling for him throughout , whenever he put special efforts to win his love back all over again, I was going through a lot of Awws, and oh God Paige, Give that boy a chance!

Obviously this movie is not made like other movies considering it has been inspired by a true story, where one couple actually had to go through all this. It will appeal to woman audiences because it shows Leo a perfect guy who will do anything to fulfill the marriage vows he had once taken with Paige (Rachel McAdams).  It is important to note that the place this couple often visits is known as mnemonic another word for memory.

The underlying theme of this movie is that love conqueres all and it is very touching when leo decides that after the accident it is not the same woman he had once loved and he should give her the freedom to choose her own life path even it means no Leo and no marriage.  Ending  shows both of them meeting again when Paige decides to find leo at the same place and amazingly it reminds you of the first scene where the accident happened. Same chilly snowy night.

The ending shows Paige returning back to Leo having her memory still unrecovered but trying to know the man who tried to win over her. Instead of making those memories part of their new relationship again, Leo decides to make new ones. New Impactful moments.

So yeah, It’s a good movie. You can watch it when you have limited time and want to feel all love struck and appreciative towards the moments you share with your special someone but If you are planning to watch a movie with heavy twists or conflicts, this movie is nothing of that sort. This movie did not get a heavy response because it doesn't quench the thirst of great cinema, But over all it’s a good watch with your friends.

Watch out for the scene when Paige rolls up the car window when Leo farts. It was supposed to look romantic but I was like.. Oh my god. Really?

3/5

Knots and Crosses - Telefilm

Black magic may be one of the many ideas that have intrigued the youth but it is surely a difficult idea to portray on the screen at the same time maintaining the suspense and thrill for the viewers on every Scene.  

Knots and Crosses had managed to build the hype before the screening thanks to the trailer which made everyone curious about what is going to be in the whole video. 

The poster design by Sameen Agha is highly impressive, you can see a picture within a picture.. for me its a depiction of a mind game, a bad omen as the birds can be seen falling from the sky. Amazing depiction of what to expect from the video.

Knots and Crosses is a 12 min or less telefilm made by Xklucive studios that revolves around two daughter in laws, Asra and sara. Sara being the favorite of her mother in law ( Maria Hassan) results in jealousy and hatred from Asra ( Mahnam Zahid) and ultimately pushes Asra  to go to a baba jee ( Muhammad Farooq) for a magic spell on the obedient and sweet  Sara ( Tania Jafry).  I was slightly surprised when I rearranged the name Asra and it turned into Sara. Gives you extra touch of thrill right there.

At this level, it is a great achievement if the idea is understood by the audience and they manage to feel the emotions each actor is portraying on screen.  Tania Jafry says, “It was a team work hijab”.  I believe her, because the product I saw was so clean and smooth that from the cast to the crew, dialogues and the editing team who was involved in making the final video were fantastic.

Coming to little technicalities here, Hats of the camera man and how he/she was able to capture Mahnam’s smirk, eye rolling and Tania’s horror moments.  Music was there to build suspense and Am glad they didn’t over use it. They didn’t have to. You could actually feel the thrill and suspense pouring out of the screen.  Good dialogues and Convincing acting by Tania and Mahnam.  Moreover, Mian hamza and Saad butt who played the husbands to these characters were substantial and knew how to support the leading characters. Lightening was great as well, they used red light to depict evil and when they wanted to stand the certain scene out. I loved how they had used voice over and * shashkas*.

I am impressed by how the director managed to show different scenes to depict that the character Sara was under black magic influence such as, Door opening by itself, blood in the tap water, falling utensils and a black cloaked figure in the Bedroom. Great transition between the scenes. The ending is showed where Sara decides that in order to get over from the magic spell she needs to look upto the God only and does not go to some baba jee for the removal of the black spell, whereas Asra who had started the spell ends up in some form of insanity.

However, I wish they had shown more scenes in which Sara was favored more on Asra. The first scene showed Mother in law praising Sara and I loved how Asra got jealous but I wanted more of the jealousy to convince me fully that she will now choose the wrong path.  Secondly, I wanted to see what happens to Asra. Even if she ended up being crazy, I wish they had shown some mad and physco scenes of her, instead of showing her back to the camera. The doctor scene could have been better and so the ending. At the end, Tania’s voice is played to convince the viewers that the God’s power has won over the evil black magic. But It would have been nice if both Tania and Mahnam had come face to face in one of the scenes showing the conflict, before the God’s power won over the black magic.

Nevertheless, the efforts are clearly visible and am impressed by the Directors ( Tania Tahir) work. Although it was just a creative writing project. It did help a lot of people to figure out their talents.

I am posting their Trailer and will be sharing the Video of the Telefilm as soon as its posted. 

Link to the trailer!

3.5/5 Stars!