Films

Zindagi Milegi Na Dobara

2011-07-18T17:05:00.001+05:30

I have seen the film this morning and all the efforts put in are worth the movie. As expected, this is a good movie about grown up men and their emotional problems, which is naturally expected from the team that gave us Dil Chahta Hai and Rock On.

A group of three friends (Hrithik, Abhay Deol and Farhan Akhtar) embark on a road trip in Spain as a part of a bachelor party for Abhay Deol, who is getting married to Kalki, and confused. Hritik and Farhan have their own personal issues too.

The movie is a joy ride with subtle comedy. Farhan Akhtar's comic timing is impeccable. The comedy that was written just out of a ladies hand bag is too good.

The wafer thin story line is beautifully put on screen with a superb screenplay. The performances are nothing less than your expectations with Hritik in the ensemble. Deepti Naval and Naseeruddin Shah add up to the list of artists.

The movie portrays very heavy topics like marriage, love and Work. Yet, due to the sublime comedy you are never bored. I guess that is a mark of excellent script.

Here is one line I want to pick up from this movie. Kalki says this line to Abhay Deol, her fiancé. "You enjoy your bachelor trip. Aakhir shaadi ke baad you wouldn't feel like going around with your friends any more." And you should see the expressions on the faces of the three guys...

And yes, La Tomatina festival, Spainish beaches, Katrina Kaif and Hritik's body were a treat to watch.

Into the Wild

2011-05-29T14:09:00.003+05:30

One of my friend suggested this film almost a couple of years back and I was as usual, procrastinating this ever since. Yesterday, I started watching this with nothing else to do. I knew that the movie is all about human relations and the individual's part in this society. I knew that the subject was heavy. But believe me, I was swept off my feet by the end of the film. Emile Hirsch portrayed the role of Chris McCandless with such finesse that you actually feel every emotion that his character is going through.

Into the Wild is a young man's rebellion against the society. He believes that the relationships between parents, siblings and friends are filled with Hypocrisy and selfishness and people maintain them only because society expects that from them. And his solution to the problem is to leave this society and live in the wilderness of Alaska.

The film is basically a road trip movie, essaying the travels of Chris McCandless across America and his settlement in Alaska. He encounters many people who form relationships with him for which he shows no commitments. Actually, the director, Sean Penn did an excellent job without judging any single character of the film based on their beliefs and ideologies. It is left to the audience to decide who is right and who is wrong. This is definetely going to be the best movie experience you had in ages.

Mayabazar

2010-06-07T12:23:00.002+05:30

Mayabazar is an all time classic in Black & White and 35mm format. Colorization is fair enough but, conversion to cinema scope is bad. The whole picture is not visible and at times, the frame has to be moved up or down to keep the focus on the actors.

The pure creative brilliance of that good old movie is completely lost in this remix version. If you ever observed hard enough, the frame in which Ghatothkacha lands on a hill to start Ariel fight with Abhimanyu, there is a small stone that falls of depicting the weight of Ghatothkacha. This is achieved through whatever technology that is existing that time and shows the perfection given to the minute detail. Unfortunately, that whole effect is lost after cinema scope.

Overall, I need to buy a DVD of the old movie, before the market is flooded with the color thing.

Vedam

2010-06-07T12:20:00.001+05:30

Vedam is good for Telugu industry definitely. The casting was good and a big experiment that gave some positive results.

The first half of the movie doesn't have any story and tends to bore you. The script tried very hard to establish all the characters in the first half and doesn't concentrate on the story. But, the second half is power packed and gets the best of writing supported by performances. Nagayya as Ramulu is awesome. Arjun is his usual energetic. Anushka is sexy and innocent at the same time. Manoj is good for his role. Manoj Bajpai has done justice to his role.

Overall, this movie has a potential to change the industry norms and standards if taken in right sense and elevate the movie making art. Full credit has to be given to Krish, the director.

Caligula

2010-01-30T17:15:00.005+05:30

Man is a social animal.

Whoever said this must be a real genius in understanding the psychology of the human brain. We live in a society which is bound by a set of rules called Law. Try to imagine what the world would be like if there is no law to govern! Man will become animal. His thirst for blood grows. Absolute power to an individual will bring out the animalistic cruelty and sexual perversion.

Caligula is a film that deals with such absolute power and its by-products, that are bestowed on the infamous Roman Ceaser. Malcolm McDowell did a wonderful job in enacting the maniacal role. All the other actors are merely supporting his performance. Peter O'Toole was great in his role. He was very expressive as a dying tyrant who doesn't trust his heir to the throne. His character is also very pervasive and Toole splendidly performed a s one. Helen Mirren has nothing much to do than standing as an eye candy wife of Caligula.

The movie is filled with nudity and gore. Yet, you will not remember the movie as a softcore or you wouldn't be aroused by the content. Director Tinto Brass made sure that the tone was maintained throughout. Watch Caligula for the pure passion of a bunch of men to tell a shocking story.

In my opinion, this is one of the finest movies I have ever seen. Try this movie, if you are OK with the nudity and gore.

Wake up Sid

2009-12-30T09:49:00.002+05:30

There are many movies in the past which told us the "Coming of Age" story. Malena is the best in this genre and Lakshya is on par from the Indian block. Every story is essentially the same, only the way it is told is different.

Wake up Sid is an old wine in a new bottle. A spoilt rich brat and his discovering himself and love in the due course is the story. But, the acting has given its an edge. The viewer will feel for Sid and hate him at the same time. We wish for his success as much as he wishes for that. Ranbir is aptly cast for the role.

Konkana Sen Sharma was miscast for the role. But her acting was world class.

And lastly, Bombay needs a special mention here. This movie is like big advertisement for the life of an average Mumbaikar. If you live or ever lived in Bombay, you will be astonished by the authenticity of the detail.

Rating: 4/5

Angels & Demons

2009-05-30T01:36:00.003+05:30

Angels & Demons has partially lived up to the expectations and hype that it has created among the movie going community in last one year’s time. It started on a high note and maintained the pace well enough to keep the viewer on the edge of the seat, till the last 20 minutes. Director Ron Howard missed it in the last 20 minutes and you have that odd after-taste once the movie is finished.

The movie started with the death of the Pope and is followed by the theft of a canister containing Anti-matter. From there, a Harvard symbologist, Robert Langdon takes over. The story is well written by Dan Brown, which never lost the attention of the reader in its novel form. Akiva Goldsman did a fine job in adapting the story as a screenplay. There was enough of wit thrown in extremely fast paced story making sure that you will not get bored.

The good point that is to be noted is Ron Howard has learnt from his past mistakes of adapting the Dan Brown novels. Davinci Code was a slow paced movie and it really never kept the viewer riveted to the plot. Also, in trying to stick to the novel, it made fun of itself at points. But, Angels & Demons has lot of deviations from the original novel which resulted in a better movie. Actually, Davinci Code was a failure as a movie. You will enjoy the movie only if you have already read the book. But, A&D can be enjoyed by people who haven’t read the book also.

Go watch the movie, if you like fast paced thrillers with a plot twist at the end.

The Dark Knight

2008-07-19T03:25:00.001+05:30

Why so serious??

Enter "The Joker" in Gotham City to entertain us all, in the form of Heath Ledger and the chaos sets in. He is ruthless,messy,merciless and acts on instinct. Joker unleashes fury in Gotham city by robbing banks and killing his own aides to attract the attention of Batman. Heath Ledger was praised before the release of this movie very much for his psychotic performance as the Joker. Truly, his performance is so inspiring. He made sure he will live forever in our hearts in the form of JOKER after his unexpected death in January'08.

Batman, with the help of the new district attorney, Harvey Dent, cleans up the city streets off crime. Harvey Dent becomes the hero of the city with a human face and Batman has his mask still on. People of the city starts trusting Dent more day by day. Aaron Eckhart also fitted the bill perfectly as Havey Dent/Two Face. Batman arrests Joker with the help of Dent and James Gordon. As the story should go, Joker manages to escape from the prison and corrupts Harvey Dent and changes him to Two Face.

The dialogues of Joker are fun and intriguing at the same time. The way Ledger utters "You complete me" and "I don't want to kill you. What would I do without you?" to Batman is astounding.

Compared to Heath Ledger, Christian Bale has a little thing to offer in the store in this movie. Ledger out does every other actor in this dark masterpiece.

Christopher Nolan has written a beautiful movie here. His characters Batman and Joker are so believable that you completely forget that you are watching a semi-superhero thriller. Batman is all human and vulnerable to the chaos created by The Joker in this epic. Some sequences like the introduction of the Batmobile and the picking up of Lau from his HongKong office are surely adrenalin pumpers for those who seek thrills in action flicks.

Watch The Dark Knight without missing at least for late Heath Ledger as you will not look him again on the silver screen and this movie is worth every penny you are going to spend.

The Pursuit of Happyness

2008-07-04T01:50:00.002+05:30

Some one said that Will Smith was robbed off an Oscar for his performance in The Pursuit of Happyness. I completely accept with him. I saw the movie last night and it is definitely a master piece. The way Will put his soul into this movie is amazing.

The cinematography is another asset for the movie. The way human emotions are captured is highly appreciable.The close-up shots brought life to the characters.

I don't know about any Chris Gardner and his firm till I saw this movie..I also saw on IMDb that the original story was edited for the cinema. Whatever, this is an excellent cinema. This movie is highly recommended to one and all.

V for Vendetta

2008-06-28T03:08:00.005+05:30

Saw this movie last night. i just could not believe my eyes all through the movie. What a masterly work by the Wachowski brothers!! Who will believe that these are the same guys who directed The Matrix.

"People should not be afraid of the Government..Government should be afraid of its people."

We are living in a world of Democracy.. Government for the people,by the people and to the people. But is it practically happening. Remember the USA funding Afghan civil war by supplying arms and today fighting the same nation.

A change must come to the society and if has to come through force, so it will be one day. But a change comes only if every individual incorporates the change in his ideas and ideologies. This is perfectly shown on the screen.

You can kill a person but not an idea.

I strongly recommend this movie for people with brain.

Nuovo cinema Paradiso

2008-06-14T20:47:00.002+05:30

Nuovo cinema Paradiso is definitely one of my all time favorite movies. Director Giuseppe Tornatore placed himself in the list of the best directors. The usage of an excellent background score is a trademark of his movies and this movie is not at all a different case.

He is also a master in getting good performances out of children and adolescents. Marco Leonardi was the pick of the whole cast. Also watch Melena for those trademarks of Tornatore.

The character of Alfredo is one of the most unforgettable characters ever pictured on screen. The way emotions captured in a camera is way beyond naturality.

Overall, this is a great movie with ultimate teamwork with everyone contributing. I just loved the movie very much.

Malena

2008-06-12T15:52:00.004+05:30

I was invited by a friend of mine to watch Malena at his place. I went to happily expecting some cheap third grade soft porn, thanks to the Internet and thousands of the images from the movie featuring Monica Bellucci. I returned home with a happiness of watching a great movie. Monica has a body of a goddess, but acting skills also like one.

Movie features a great background score, which truly deserved the Oscar nomination. And the story of the movie is so down to earth, that every man tries to identify himself with the character of Renato. Giuseppe Sulfaro did an excellent job. Director Giuseppe Tornatore once again did what he is best at. Watching children and adolescents from his movies is a pleasure in its own sense.

Few scenes from this movie are so touching. I recommend this movie to every one who is over 18. Watch it to feel that happiness which can't be expressed in words.

The Human Body

2008-05-25T14:16:00.003+05:30

The Human Body is by far the best documentaries I ever saw..I covered some of the BBC's documentaries like Walking with series and Micheal Palin's.

The human body documentary covers the life from a child's birth to the death with excellent visual material and factual documentation. This can be used as a text book for most of the medicos.

I can not explain much about this documentary and leave that suspense to you while you watch this..Only bad thing I had faced is that I borrowed this DVD from a British Library and due to the number of scratches on the disc, it is stucking a lot..I need to buy this one for my own and my kids..

Highly recommended..10/10

Khuda Ke Liye

2008-04-22T00:03:00.005+05:30

Khuda Ke Liye is like an eye opener of sorts for many people(across various religions and continents).

I saw this movie a fortnight ago and since then the movie is revolving at the back of my mind. It has left such an impression that no movie has done till date. Cinema is an art which mirrors the society as it is. Being an Indian, after watching this movie, I understood a lot about Pakistan and the culture there. The movie depicts the story of two brothers from Lahore, whose lives are catapulted through circumstances.

Mansoor is the elder brother, who is studying music in Chicago and is a victim of the haters of Muslim community, thinking that every Muslim is a terrorist. Sarmad, the younger one is influenced by an orthodox Mulla to follow Islam like the QURAN says, by growing beard, dressing in huliya and stuff..

The movie features a performance by Naseerudin Shah in the role Maulana Wali, who explains Islam as a religion and what a true Muslim should do instead of killing each other in the name if Jihad.

This movie is a must watch for every Muslim, as it can show the correct path to all the confused Muslim youth..Also this movie is a must watch for every Indian, as this would change our perspective towards the Pakistani society. Also every westerner should watch this film before concluding that every Muslim is a terrorist. In short, this film is so huge on humanitarian grounds, that no film ever can reach the heights that this has reached.

Khuda ke liye(For God's sake)..do not miss Khuda ke liye.

May the almighty bless this world with peace and solace.

Anatomy of Hell (Anatomie de l'enfer)

2008-04-05T03:20:00.005+05:30

I was having a discussion with one my friends about movies that will shatter us like hell and he immediately started speaking about Anatomy of Hell (Anatomie de l'enfer). His statement was that he was hard enough to sit through this movie. Naturally, I was intrigued by his statement and got hands on the movie.

To be frank, the movie was a disaster. It was very hard for me watch the stuff, even while forwarding. The movie is so gross that watching p0rn would be the easiest thing to do in this world..

There is Amira Casar and Rocco Siffredi(Yeah..you guys are correct to read it) as the leading cast, the Lady and the Man.

As far as the story goes, the man is a gay and the lady is a virgin middle aged freak. She wants to enjoy SEX and companionship. She hires the man for four days to come to her place and watch her when she is unwatchable. The visuals of the movie are so extreme in their own sense.

I am actually not writing down everything here as I don't want an ADULT BLOG title for this page.

Please don't mind watching the movie for your own mental stability.

Seven Samurai

2008-01-27T22:56:00.001+05:30

Seven Samurai has been a pioneer in action genre of cinema. Many shots that are conceptualized by Akira Kurasawa in the film are copied later by the greats like Steven Spielberg and others in their movies. The film itself inspired many classics in almost all the languages later. Sholay is one such example.

The screenplay of this movie is undoubtedly, one of the best ever. The movie starts and within five seconds, the viewer is immersed in the movie without any second thought... That is the magic of Kurasawa's screen paly. There are many instances in the film where the viewer identify himself with the protagonist, the samurai. The film portrays the drought periods of Japan with intense. The comic reliefs are imbibed with utmost sensuality into the story with a great mastery. Undoubtedly, this movie is a text book of sorts for all those who are wannabe script writers out there.

Watch this movie to believe the magic. If, already seen, watch it again, to relive the magic of Toshiro Miffune on the screen.

Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain, Le

2008-01-17T20:49:00.001+05:30

Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain, Le is definitely one of those which changed my perception of things in this world. The simple and petty things which seem to have nothing to do in our life are very useful to make one's life interesting. This is shown to the best effect by the director in this movie.

I can't describe why this movie moved me so much. This, being a comedy, having that effect is very strange. May be it is the subtleness of the movie. I recommend this very strongly for everyone. The "hidden treasure" sequence instantly struck the right chords and reminded me of my childhood. The wandering gnome was a great idea.

The cinematography for this movie is one of the best i have seen in years.

And a special mention is deserved for that beautiful naive smile of Audrey Tautou.

Taare zameen Par

2007-12-25T09:37:00.001+05:30

Taare zameen Par is the much awaited directorial debut of "Perfectionist" Aamir Khan. And he dug gold there too. TZP stood like a tower when compared to all other Bollywood flicks. It has all the potential to become a money grosser at the box office and award bagger as well.

TZP is the story of Ishaan, a troubled 9 year old kid. Ishaan has dyslexia, a mental problem resulting in non remembrance of alphabets and numbers. Parents without understanding him and his problems, force studies on him to make him ready to face the merciless competitive world outside. He is sent to a boarding school as they are unable to help the poor soul anymore. Tisca Chopra is worth a special mention in the role of the mother. The rest of the story is how Ishaan comes out as a winner..

The music and lyrics for the songs will take you to another world... Always the lyrics from Prasoon Joshi were special in their own sense. The song "Maa" is a true master piece.

One thing is for sure...The child oriented movies in mainstream bollywood is a rare sight. Only gutsy people can venture in those arenas..

May be it is time for the Academy to consider Indian Cinema for the oscars. We definitely have potential. Darsheel Safary needs some accolades and awards for his fine performance as Ishaan.

The DaVinci Code

2007-12-23T20:18:00.002+05:30

The Da Vinci Code.....A secret maintained by Leonardo Davinci from the world. But the Government of the place where I live also wanted to maintain the movie a secret by banning it. My country is the world's biggest SECULAR country, and the state where I live is an epitome of it. But, the state government has banned this movie...after almost whole of its educated population read the book, religiously. So, I had to travel almost 600Km shelling some Rs.2000 to catch this movie, just to feel the spark of independence. I hate anything that is controlled by someone.

I expected a lot from the movie. And mostly I got what I expected. Ron Howard excelled in what he does. Some scenes were exceptionally handled on the celluloid. And there is nothing I can say about the Oscar nominated(and also won..twice) actors. Sir Ian McKealan, Audry and Tom Hanks did what they are expected of....But, the surprise is Paul Bettany. He was one villain that is going to haunt me for quite some time. Very convincing performance in the role of Silas.

If I had to say some bad things about the movie, then it would be the time. I enjoyed this story in the form of a book more than a movie. The book builds the tension of the plot over a period of your reading it...say 4 to 5 days for me. All that tension and whatever other feelings are shown in three hours. But a movie can't be longer, you know...Mixed feelings about the movie.

I think this movie will be more enjoyed by those who didn't read the book. But, there is a chance of not understanding it completely.

On the whole, "The code" is a fiction and that is all. When everybody knows that it is a fiction, why to make a big scene out of it, by banning it. When the movie is working fine at cinemas in Rome City, why/how the hell it would hurt people elsewhere on religious grounds? Since when are better Christians living here in India? Any ways, I don't want to give a political tag for this issue now..

My rating for the movie is 8.