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Love, Death & Robots: All Through the House (2021)
A new Christmas Staple.
Its been long since someone created something suitable for repeat viewing on Christmas by whole family. It's a great short surprise with an interesting twist on Santa and great message for children.
Interstellar (2014)
A sci-fi love letter to fans by a writer/director who researches and takes his work seriously !!
Christopher Nolan is one of most polarized directors of our generation, most people love his work while others just don't but you have to agree, Mr.Nolan takes his scripts/work seriously, Interstellar is another medal to his list of deep, cerebral and multi-layer movies.
The movie is a family drama, sci-fi, mystery, adventure, thriller gelled into a script with a very interesting premise, its not run of the mill sci-fi or apocalyptic movie but again like Nolan's Inception, says many things and will interpret into different layers with multiple viewings. I will just go through the basic plot here and let the viewers get the experience when they watch it,
'The human race is fading after a dust cloud haunts the planet, all the crops are un-growable with the exception of corn, our protagonist is a ex-NASA pilot now turned farmer due to requirements and needs and has 2 children he dearly loves. Due to turn of events which all make sense later, the farmer Cooper is contacted by Nasa who now work secretly to find humans a new home, a new wormhole is the key to a new habitable galaxy and Cooper is to lead a mission to find the new planet where humanity can survive'.
More explanation will spoil the experience so that's what the journey is all about.The movie cycles through themes of existence, humanity, family, survival, sacrifice and love knitted masterfully along a sci-fi matrix. Now here I will point out that being a space junkie and following Stephen Hawking and Carl Sagan all my life, I really found that Nolan has seriously researched the dynamics of wormholes, black holes and time-space continuum. Its easy to find plot-holes in any script as movies are work of fiction but the script has been carefully crafted and while giving some fictional pay-off, the movie never leaves it sci-fi core, for which I consider it a space movie of our generation, while GRAVITY was good on thrills, INTERSTELLAR will have people google through worm holes, relativity, interstellar travel for long.
To the technical details, the movie has excellent visuals and cinematography, it literally puts you in feet of Cooper and his team and you feel the ups and downs they go through, Nolan used more than 1 hour footage of IMAX cameras and it really enhances the experience and is a new benchmark for space movies and their portrayal (along with Gravity). In the acting department, the movie mainly focuses on Matthew McConaughey in the lead role as Cooper and he really scores a home- run here, the emotions of surprise, frustration and the scenes with his family at home and when he receives messages in space are really heart pounding, McConaughey is an actor who has improved and proved his talents in multi-genre and here he adds another dimension to his already impressive CV. The other actors do their job well, Anne Hathaway doesn't have much to do as the film does not have a full fledge heroine, in the supporting role, she does fine and so does Nolans other regulars like Michael Caine. Matt Damon is there and its a new type of role he has done, and he really performs great out of his comfort zone.Jessica Chastain isn't used much and is OK in what screen time she has and so is Cassey Affleck.
Concluding the review, I will advise the viewers that don't take criticism for the sake of criticism seriously and do watch this movie, the IMAX theater I saw it was dead silent and full and people came out talking and explaining to their companions the multiple scientific elements the movie possesses, the movie will achieve cult status like Inception and people will gradually realize its complicated circular loop type interpretation with time, but while its in theaters, don't miss it, I hardly watch a movie twice, but the 3 hour masterpiece is compelling me to make another theater booking and go through the experience all over again, its a journey, a saga, you all should experience.
Man of Steel (2013)
Zack Snyders typical action-oriented vision is given a heart by Nolan and the result is Excellent !!!
It was really hard to like this movie for so many reasons, First, last 2 years have seen some great super-hero movies being made in this Genre, TDKR, Avengers , Iron Man-3 were pretty good and even surprisingly The Amazing Spider Man was watchable, So MOS needed something new to offer, Secondly, Zack Snyder has really hurt my expectations in last few attempts with movie that were visually good but had no soul or story to tell.. Thirdly, Superman itself is a difficult super-hero to relate to Modern audiences as Batman (no Powers, Human), Spider-Man (Mutation, Human), Iron Man (Technology, Human) have all been made with some logic to add to fantasy, so there is suspension of belief still, but these stories don't have a steel alien, flying superhero with cape, with tag-lines like IS THAT BIRD...Not extending this narrative hurdle and now reviewing the movie itself, I hope everyone got the point...
So the movie started, and I expected Fireworks, and a child who will be flown to earth and blah blah..though it is done as such, after 15 mins, the movie does change pace to Nolan's style, the story-line is edited between time-lines for character development and making us believe what is to be a Man of steel, the movie then flows smoothly till the action packed climax, which glued the audience till the very last scene, not detailing or spoiling the story, I will say that what makes this super- hero movie different from others, is that it is NOT ABOUT FINDING YOUR POWER, BUT KNOWING IT..(No time is spent on surprises so typical especially in Spidey movies when he cheesingly tries his powers after discovery)..
Regarding the performances, to be honest Henry Cavill didn't have a comparative hurdle faced by Christian Bale (Michael Keaton), Andrew Garfield (Tobey Mcguire), but Chrisopher Reeve though not a great actor, but still he is most loved SUPERMAN, so how did Mr.Cavill perform, I will say outstanding as he fitted the persona of Superman perfectly, casting decision was proved perfect and in those NOLANISH scenes when he had to show emotions, he kicked Routh's Superman out of the park...Hope to see Mr.Cavill in sequels as 2nd movies in such series are now almost the best ones...
Amy Adams as Lois Lane, well I have always respected her as an actress, but she didn't fit as as bolt as Magie Gyllenhaal, Kirsten Dunst or Gwyneth Paltrow did in their movies, being honest and comparing with same series, Margot Kidder in original Superman movies was very good and one of best thing about the series, and Kate Bosworth was awful in TSMR, so Miss Amy lies in between, she did exactly great in emotional scenes as she is great actress, but lacked the visual punch needed in Super-Hero girls...need to see more of her in sequels where story is more focused on the relation between her and Superman..
The supporting cast were highlight of the movie, Michael Shannon was much natural villain than Spacey, Diane Lane was perfect, veterans Kevin Costner, Russell Crowe and Lawrence Fishburne all played their parts with honesty, among others Ayelet Zurer should definitely be mentioned for her negative role played with perfection..
Directing this movie as I have mentioned before had hurdles I mentioned before, after 300, which actually was fun to watch in cinema, A story full of action and style filled with message of courage, and Dawn of the Dead, with its execution, were great starts but Watchmen disappointed in in its overlong bland narrative and Sucker Punch , though visually beautiful was more cartoonish as a final product, this always worried me since the project began, will Mr.Snyder give us a cheesy Man of Steel, well now I will say that NOLAN+SNYDER is really a dream duo for a super hero movie, with narrative decisions which work perfectly, suspense that is not so puzzling but keeps interest and the main character which is not just a FLYING-MAN-OF-STEEL-WITH-CAPE, we really feel about the protagonist..The action scenes were perfectly directed but Snyder never had problem there, I watched the movie in IMAX and it really had one of best effects I have seen, the highlight is the humanization of Superman, something done perfectly before by Nolan..
Some facts in the movie are really interesting, though no super-hero movie is and can be PLOT-HOLE proof as it demands fantasy , but we do get logics in questions modern audience ask, like "why does Super Mans suit not burn", "He is from another planet, why the S of Superman then, is there English in Krypton" and many others have been explained and David Goyer should be credited for this for his screenplay..
Ending my review that why I rated it 10, Well I always knew Nolan would humanize the character, but didn't expect the connection I felt with Man of steel, I enjoyed every second of the movie, so why strip stars, aren't superhero movies targeted to be such, don't take biased view while watching this movie and benchmarks like Shawshank Redemption, Godfather etc, see it as it is and you will love Zack-Nolan's Man of Steel !!!
Real Steel (2011)
A Futuristic Version of ROCKY, thats why I just loved it....
Rocky has always been my ultimate en-lifting movie, while I always relate Shawshank Redemption to hope, Rocky is a perfect underdog movie and the ending, simply another higher note that winning is not everything...Well, why I am discussing Rocky here, the reason:
I walked into the theater thinking what websites and previews made us think, that this will be a simple ROBOT Boxing movie with non-stop action, well but when the story started rolling, it was much more than that, the movie is reminiscent of Rocky as per themes of courage, and finding subtlety in love, I will list similarities to prove my point:
The Character of Hugh Jackman is shown to have a total knockout record as Rocky had..
The Charlie Kenton character is as failure in life as Rocky was, while Rocky found patience and conviction in Talia Shire, Charlie finds it in his son..
The whole theme of boxing giant facing a minnow as a publicity stunt..
The most relating point is the ending, if Stallone didn't do that ending in 1974, this wouldn't have done now, the result when the main hero loses but shows courage just flash-backed Rocky in my mind as credits rolled..
Still despite the facts, this movie is not a copycat, it has a soul of its own, the direction and action are mingled perfectly, CGI is top notch and not over done like GREEN LANTERN did..Hugh Jackman pulls of a powerful performance and his chemistry with Dakota Goyo is top notch..Evangeline Lilly had to look cute, and she really does..
The theater was dead silent in the final fight and there was great applause as the movie ended, Shawn Levy didn't over-stuff us with a senseless robotic plot, instead sometimes a director knows his work and what audience need, the picture struck the right bells...
Mere Brother Ki Dulhan (2011)
The Trailers are so misleading, I really needed 2 tabs TYLENOL after this...
MERE BROTHER KI DULHAN is doing well at the box office, I have no intentions to hurt its fans, but there was a lot of BAD here, I hardly rate movies less than 5 as I realize the effort behind even every movie, but here the audience was literally betrayed..So how we believe that:
MBKD in short is a story of a flirt ALI ZAFAR in ENGLAND who has family in India, his brother is party guy IMRAN, after a break up with his GF, ALI asks IMRAN to find an eastern girl for him as he wants to settle down, the rest that follows forms the backbone, but the movie goes in multiple directions , not following a single path...
*The trailer of the movie shows KATRINA slapping IMRAN and all other trailers too give the impression that Imran will fall in love with his brothers fiancé, though we all knew he would get KAT at the end, but here everything was very very predictable, in 10 minutes its shown that IMRAN and KAT know each other before, in 30 minutes, they are in love, so when ALI ZAFAR comes in scene, all sense of surprise is lost as you know there will not be any WINNING or ONE-ON-ONE confrontation, this really detaches the viewer from the movie..
*What really bothered a lot of audience was that how DUMB and OBLIVIOUS ALI ZAFAR is to the situation, at one hand he is ultra-smart BANKER and has history of multiple GF'S, still under his nose, IMRAN and KAT are openly involved and indulged in a full fledge affair, yet till the end he doesn't know at all about this, here also the movie becomes relatively boring, as either as I said I expected a WIN-MY-BROTHERS- Fiancé type of theme or at least BROTHERS-IN-COMPETITION, would be really different..
*As I mentioned before, the predictability of the plot detached me so much that I could not get back in the movie, I am a basically Hollywood GUY but India has really made some great movies recently which bring me back to theater to my Maternal Language..Namely MUNNA-BHAI-DUO, 3 IDIOTS had the audience rolling in laughter, also the comparable low budget BAND BAAJA BAARAAT had more applause from audience because of its VERY BELIEVABLE premise, TERE BIN LADEN was another UNDER-RATED effort from this great movie loving country but MKBD is none, the director is highly unaware of what he wants to make, its sometimes a SPOOF, sometimes a ROMANTIC COMEDY and at others SLAPSTICK, though all of these cakes are HALF BAKED..
Now to the movie performances, ALI ZAFAR was the most inexperienced of the trio as an actor, he was given least dialogs but he really ruled the scenes he was in, his CUTE UNAWARENESS and GESTURES really worked, I really wished, he had some more scenes..Equally captivating and excellent was KATRINA KAIF, she really had excelled as actress after BOOM, even her criticized accent is now much better and eastern, the only scene she felt short were when she is drunk but I don't complain, no one does a AMITABH in this theme, its very tough to portray a drunk and be funny and not over-act, in short MKBD is a great addition to KATRINA'S CV as an ACE actress, as far as her performance is concerned..IMRAN KHAN is just average, he hasn't come out of JAANE TU YA JAANE NA, and he really needs to revolutionize like Ranbir Kapoor is or he will lose the FUTURE-UNO post..
The Rest of cast is totally bad decisions and miscasting, why cast PRAKSHIT SAHANI in a comedy when you have much better actors playing fathers, for instance ANUPAM KHER, OM PURI...There is not a single memorable performance by the side cast when in BAND BAAJA BAARAAT, a really smaller movie, unknown actors did a better job (I compare this to BBB because of the same production house and comic feel of the movie)
The laughs for which the movie is banked on basically are the physical comedy and at some scenes I really chuckled, especially KATRINA'S and IMRAN'S RUNAWAY scene :), the scenes between ALI ZAFAR and KAT are really fun too, there is little spoof thrown, when IMRAN churns out SALMAN'S Dialogs to KAT (sort of hidden humor as Salman-Kat are in news for their relations), there is also a big take on SHAHRUKH KHAN'S role in MY NAME IS KHAN, though a good idea, but the actor playing it couldn't;t master the mimickery, I really thought why not cast RAJPAL YADAV here who mimicks SHAHRUKH perfectly, anyways as I said, the laughs are bumpy and inconsistent, not following a smooth path...
I just wish at the end that the movie really followed the great idea, though its doing great in India and in MID-EAST, but there are far better movies of this GENRE to invest here, but, to each his own..
In a nutshell, the movie never really gripped me, I watched this in a packed theater, the multiplex had SALMAN KHAN starrer BODYGUARD running simultaneously, some people were saying while exiting, could have seen that, at least would have been better than this, I haven't seen BODYGUARD but I can't agree more...
Band Baaja Baaraat (2010)
No unnecessary Villains, No useless Side-plots and the Indians learn to make an entertaining Rom-Com !!!
I went to see Band Baaja Baaraat with very low expectations, especially when 90% of Indian Rom-coms have disappointed me with subplots, un- needed comedy clichés, villains and skeletal plots, and also the fact that Hollywood gives us a lot of Rom-coms each year from High School to Dysfunctional Family, we have seen it all, so I expected nothing new here, but when the movie started rolling, the realistic script, life-like characters and flawless direction lead me till the end like a ride I enjoyed a lot.
The movie has a story we have seen in many movies, but the treatment is fresh and natural.In short, its story of two middle class people who start a business as wedding planners on principle that no emotions will be involved, now as predictable as plot may seem, there are few surprises but even the predictable parts have been done with utter taste of freshness that you feel entertained. For a romantic comedy, the balance between Romance and Comedy should blend and this movie does it perfectly.
In acting department, the movie belongs to Anushka Sharma, she portrays her comic timing, dancing, emotions with perfection and dissolves in the role of Shruti, but no review is complete without mentioning the performance of débutante Ranvir Singh, whose confidence, energy and expressions held the movie together, the movie required very powerful performance from him and he delivered, in an year when star studded Anajana Anjani proved like piece of crap, Ranvir had tough task to bring people to theaters as a new-comer, but he showed the obsession towards his role. The rest of supporting cast has nothing much to do as I mentioned before sub-plots are none here, the movie totally focuses on Ranvir and Anushka.
The highest point in BBB is the treatment of the subject by director Manish Sharma, directing a first-time hero and a Genre which is very risky in India, he gave the movie a realistic touch from the word go, no un- necessary snori-cams, close-ups, beeps, its just focuses on characters and the story, Manish Sharma is a promising talent and I wish he chooses future subjects carefully and performs with the fan-base he made from this movie.
The Cinematograpghy and set designs are a-class as the movie is based on wedding planners and weddings in South Asia are all fun, the movie portrays the colors, beauty and freshness with perfection, the songs are according to subject though Ainwayi Ainwai song is regular on my car stereo from days.
The bottom-line is that 2010 was a great year for Hollywood as Inception, Black Swan, Social Network and Easy-A were Eye candies, but the Indian cinema suffered, 90% movies were just run-of-the-mill stinkers, apart from MY NAME IS KHAN, TERE BIN LADEN, this is the 3rd Indian movie I enjoyed, watch it with your buddies or Girl-friend, its a fun filled ride till the end..
Tere Bin Laden (2010)
Only third Bollywood movie I gave 10, and there is a reason for it....
After "LAGAAN" and "3 IDIOTS", this is only 3rd Indian movie I rated as 10/10, and the rest of review explains why I rated it so..
While India always has had wonderful actors like Amitabh , Naseer-ud-Din Shah and Aamir Khan, most of such talent is wasted because many Indian movies copy a lot, if you are a well-informed movie geek, you can identify a sequence copied from a classic Hollywood flick or some Giallo, as such movies make lots of gross in India but abroad they lose their charm as we know from ratings that biggest box office hits in Bollywood hardly pass 7 in IMDb ratings..
But here and there the biggest film industry in terms of movies made produces absolute genius like the movies I mentioned, there are many more..TERE BIN LADEN is a no-brainer comedy with hilarious moments and equally compelling script and direction, and a totally original effort.
The story starts with a Pakistani Journalist Ali (played by Pakistani pop-star Ali Zafar) who wants to go to USA and till the credits open, we know that his VISA has been rejected for 7 years (told in a funny way at how he tries to fool the immigration department), Ali works in a small news channel reporting small league press conferences and even cock- operas, he has a friend camera-man GUL (Nikhil RatnaParkhi) and a mean boss Majeed (Piyush Mishra), Ali gets an idea after watching a cock owner NOORA (Pradhuman Singh) and noticing his resemblance with BIN LADEN.He hires a Hair-Stylist ZOYA(Sughanda Garg) and Voice imitator, communist RJ QURESHI (Rahul Singh) , together they make a tape of Bin Laden and sell it to news, the rest movie tells the after effects of this and I won't spoil it , you have to enjoy it.The movie has a small message and asks a question about America's decisions, but it is lightly told so it doesn't effect the momentum of the movie.
As for the performances, ALI ZAFAR was lucky to be cast in this, Pakistani Actors have never been lucky in Bollywood and he got such an original movie to launch his career, but its not to take anything off him, his performance is good, in some scenes he is hilarious while at others , he is just OK , but considering he is originally a singer, he didn't do bad. The pick of the cast and the person who makes this movie is PRADHUMAN SINGH whose USAMA lookalike character is heart and soul of the movie, he is funny, natural and carries the movie to whole new level in all the scenes he is featured, one of best debut performances. I would also like to mention Rahul Singh who plays Communist RJ Qureshi, he was also really funny and his physical gestures were really comic, the rest of cast, be it Ali's friends or police and FBI , are all on par.
Now to the technical stuff, if this movie was 20 minutes longer, it would have been a plain turkey, but the 95 minute running time (about 5 minutes for credits) really keep your interest throughout without senseless sub-plots and gimmicks, the character of Ali is well developed and his love for America is into you in 10 minutes of the movie, the rest of cast are there to carry the plot, Abhishek Sharma who wrote the script and directed doesn't tell you unneeded stuff which slows down many Bollywood movies, like there is no extra prologue of NOORA and other characters, no annoying parents of Ali, all the characters and progression of movies is on the plot and the jokes are around the plot, which makes this movie great, such a good script needed excellent direction and here too Abhishek scores, with a low budget, he carries off the movie beautifully with short flashbacks and well-executed scenes, the Osama video is hilarious yet looks so original, I would love to see him doing bigger projects in future.
For some Bollywood audiences , this might not be the dish but international audiences have liked the movie a lot and it is a big hit now, in India too it has grossed 120 million Rs. , I hope this movie doesn't get effected by net piracy and DVD's are genuinely sold, as the team of this movie deserves at least this for making such a laugh Galla, its 90 minutes worth of laughs and fun. Definitely recommended.
Dogville (2003)
A review just for those who haven't seen it yet, Please Watch this movie !!!
'Dogville' is different, its artistic, its story telling at its best, I haven't seen any other movie people were so reluctant to watch but ended up loving it because many people think its an artsy-fartsy stuff, but its way more than that..
Lars Von Trier assembles a great cast to tell the story of a town which is so self confided and people need nothing to be done,or is it ? Suddenly arrives Grace who is running from some gangsters, the town gives her shelter in return for favors and appear pleasance and then? You have to see it, the tension builds and builds and leads to the best ending I ever saw in a movie, just because the character development made me clench my fists..
Lars Von Trier uses a lot of symbols and throws questions right at your face while keeping the story rolling at good pace.There are no ceilings, no walls, but the doors open, you have to see it to be fascinated by such a bold attempt, many people complain this movie to be anti-American but don't American make European satires, I request everyone to see the movie with an open mind..
Regarding the acting, though from a movie which assembles Nicole Kidman, Stellan Skarsgard, Paul Bettany, Lauran Bacall, Patricia Clarkson, James Caan and many others would be thought as a typical emotional Drama, but von Trier doesn't demand much from his characters except from Nicole Kidman who was outstanding for her portrayal of Grace..
If you have patience for movies with plot development but with rewarding outcome, no one should miss this Masterpiece..
My Name Is Khan (2010)
Powerful, Heartbreaking and Elevating....
I stepped into the theater to watch 'My name is Khan' 1 month after I had watched Avatar,so I was mentally prepared to be let down as the bar raised by AVATAR was sky high.Also I felt that this movie would be a typical KARAN JOHAR flick with love story intermingled between family ties,also in bollywood,most over-hyped movie really disappoint,but 15 minutes into the movie,I just got absorbed in it,such that the magic continued till the end.
The movie is basically comprised of adventures and misadventures of an Autistic named Rizwan Khan but beware,it is not one of those movies which cash on the sympathy of suffering from a anomaly,it does have a hero who has a heart of gold,but the movie carries a marathon message,it raises questions,like WHY ARE MUSLIMS SUFFERING POST 9/11? ARE ALL MUSLIMS TERRORISTS? WHAT EXACTLY DOES Islam TEACH AND MEAN? Being a Muslim myself and having suffered same extra security checks at airports just because of my religion,I really got connected to the movie instantly,the realistic depiction of life after 9/11 is much more effective than KHUDA KE LIYE or NEW YORK..But its not a movie for Muslims only,it asks non-muslims to judge the person and not the religion.Something any other bollywood movie hasn't ever done.
Now to the performances,MNIK was tailor made for Shahrukh Khan as Rizwan Khan and it demanded an equally towering performance.Shahrukh has always been criticized for similarity in his acting performances but this role is entirely different.To play an autistic and deliver is not easy,and Shahrukh does it so naturally and perfectly.You get in love with SK in the very first scene in airport,you cry with him,you laugh with him,you fall in love with him and as the movie ends,you feel good for him,its not an easy task at all to accomplish,this is Shahrukh's best performance to date and this really silents people who question his number one slot in bollywood.
Kajol has always been a class to see and this time its the same with her.Being a mother of 2,she doesn't look aged at all,though this time Karan Johar doesn't give her much screen time as compared to previous movies,but still when she is on screen,you just feel so fresh.Her role as Mandira who falls in love and marries Rizwan is a delight especially her scenes as mother.SK-Kajol Chemistry has always been a blockbuster (BAAZIGAR,DILWALE DULHANIYA LE JAAEN GE,KARAN ARJUN,KUCH KUCH HOTA HAI,KABHI KHUSHI KABHI GHAM) this is now 6/6 for their roles together and what an achievement that is.
The rest of cast does fine especially Navneet Nishan does make you smile whenever she is on screen.The music of the movie is according to the flavor of the movie,cute,melodious and unlike other bollywood movies,doesn't slow down the progression of the movie.
Another plus of this movie is the script written perfectly by Shibani Bhatija.The teachings of Islam intercombined with Sk's character,love story,sub plots all blend well,not a single piece of dialogue is weak,not a single scene blunt,but perfectly executed.
Since he rose to stardom as director of KUCH KUCH HOTA HAI,there is always a lot of expectation from Karan Johar which rises with each of his movies,this time he changes gear to pure DRAMA,the movie has a Hollywood look to it,the scenes captured are really pleasant,be it Washington DC or Georgia,as you travel with SK,the camera angles the sky views,the scene where SK takes Kajol to top of a hill,the roads of Sans Francisco,its all a journey from A to Z and Karan's direction makes it utterly enjoyable.Well done.
A lot of people have complained about the sub plots in 2nd half in the movie but people,this movie is just not a love story,but about the problems of Muslims in USA and also about the life of RIZWAN KHAN,so sub plots were needed to carry the movie forward.Don't listen to people who are criticizing this master piece,its an Indian epic and a very very different movie.Go watch it,feel it,and come out realizing NOT ALL MUSLIMS ARE TERRORISTS.
Before Sunset (2004)
Very fews cross the expectations,This definitely tops the list..Love it,Live it,Feel it..
When "Before Sunrise" was released,it was a very bold attempt that time,a movie based on just 2 characters all through running time was a risky attempt but Richard Linklater handled the script flawlessly off course aided by most natural acting in a romantic movie by Ethan Hawke/Julie Delpy..
In 9 years the first movie had made so much fans that when it was announced a sequel was on the run,many fans like me felt a chill after we saw blown up sequels of Batman/Matrix.Amongst all these fears,I watched the movie but when it ended,I watched it again,this is only movie I have watched back to back so far.What made me do it: The movie runs for 80 minutes and from start to end you can't move your focus,one blink and you may miss a valuable dialog which might definitely change the way you think.The background is same that Ethan and Julie mainly walk and converse throughout the movie but its the conversation which has matured 1000 times than first movie.
There is nothing to complain,Before Sunrise excellently depicted 2 very young people meeting,Before sunset deals with more mature talk as their aging with time is so natural.This is which really makes this dualogy more interesting in repeat viewings.Without before sunset,the first movie was a great effort,addition of this masterpiece creates a synergistic original flavor to both movies.
While the first movie was a great direction effort,here dialogs rule the show,many quotes of this movie can be complimented in real life (Believe me,have done that).Julie Delpy/Ethan Hawke/Linklater worked a lot on the script and it shows.This movie hits you like a 10 ton iron,somewhere you will find yourself in it.
Before Sunrise was 100 % duo perfect performance of Delpy and Hawke.This time Hawke is not bad but Julie really passes him by miles in her performance.May be its because she has more dialogs,may be I felt more sympathy for her character,but whatever,she is lovable,innocent and so natural in this movie.
The direction is flawless,the scenery mesmerizing and music score so penetrating,you fall in love with this movie and think about it for days.
In short,If you like romantic movies,this movie is holy book of all romantic movies.10 out of 10,too bad I can't give more...
Phenomena (1985)
Dario Argento in form..An Argento movie for everyone...
Whenever I have recommended Dario Argento movies to anyone (being a big fan of him), I always got a Mixed bag response.The Extravagant use of blues/reds/greens,the loud atmospheric music which no one can bypass and the sinister plot propagation is not for everyone,so either people simply become a fan of him or simply dislike his style,but phenomena is a different case.This is the movie which everyone gave me feedback was simpler and followable than other efforts of Mr. Argento.
Usually people recommend Suspiria/Deep Red to start viewing if you want to know Argento,I say 'Phenomena' is the best starting part because it is less incoherent,simple plot beautifully scripted by Argento himself and finally a pure 'English' look to it.Then you can progress to movies which have a 100% Argento stamp.
Now about the movie,it is totally based on a boarding school in Switzerland where a rich and loving girl Jennifer(played by the ever-cute Jennifer Connelly) comes to study from America.A Serial Killer is on the lose who only kills young girls.Jennifer doesn't create a good first impression when on first night she is found sleep walking along the city.Then one day her room-mate disappears and she finds another different trait in her,that she can communicate with insects.No one believes her except a bizarre in himself entomologist Professor John McGregor (played with total perfection by Donald Pleasance).With the help of insects,Jennifer and Professor start finding the killer.The rest of movie is full of twists,turns,revelations which must be seen to enjoy..
Jennifer Connelly looks so lovely and innocent in this movie that you instantly fall in love with her character and want her to survive.She followed her powerful performance in this movie with 'Labyrinth' in 1986 and then she was a teenage star of the era.Donald Pleasance needed to create a bizarre and sinister character and he totally does with his great timing of expressions and adds real taste when he teams up with Jennifer.
But apart from all this,this movie would never have been so good without Dario Argento's touch in it which turns it into a different league of its own.The gore is there but it is not overloaded with it,the script is just what it needed to be and the execution is really perfect.The close-ups of corpses,worms,flies are so beautifully done you actually feel the slimy,soft,pricking touch of these things on your skin,thats really what only Dario Argento can do..
The bottom-line is,this movie adds another delight to Argento fans and even if you are not a fan of him and want to start viewing his movies,this movie really gets you going into his style without being saturated by it.Try it out and enjoy it as 'Creepers' UnCut...
Orphan (2009)
Please Stop Criticising this Great Movie..Its Must Watch If You Are Looking For Horror..
There is a strange way with critics.They go on slashing every second horror movie because its 'nothing different'.At least to that extent,I agree but what else they want.I went into theater expecting an evil adopted child type slasher movie. with no character development and some cheap shocks,well i was shocked but in a quite positive way..
People who say this is offensive to orphans should stop watching movies,If thats the case then every movie made in a hospital is offensive for doctors and so on.Come on Guys and Gals,The team of this movie has given us very different after a long time.Its no Jig-saw-influenced-supervillian -effort at all,rather this movie till a Very surprising ending (won't reveal because thats the best part of the movie) keeps you shivering because all its scares you see are not different,but the focus is different,an Orphan 9 year old from Russia..
The story or basic plot can be read anywhere so I wont go there.But I definitely want to recommend it to everyone who wants a genuinely different scary stuff.The acting performances top of all by the orphan girl (Isabelle Fuhrman) is something never seen by a child in a horror movie.The only such performances by children in horrors can be compared to 1961 "Innocents" and 2001 "The Others".Vera Farmiga as Alcoholic-neurotic-loving mom has given a very mature performance.Peter Saarsgard is OK too..Camera Angles,Lighting and the general atmosphere of the movie is on par for what it was meant to be..
No one can conclude the review of this movie without mentioning one of greatest Twist Endings of all.I am a doctor and I didn't see it coming.(You will know when you watch it),it really left my mouth open for a while..
So the final verdict is if you missed this movie in theaters,buy the DVD when its out.Your money won't be wasted,its a very very mature,original,horror movie which takes itself very seriously and there is nothing offensive about it at all..Don't miss it.
Drag Me to Hell (2009)
This is how a Horror Movie should be..Completely Satisfactory
I didn't't watch this movie with much expectations, regarding 'over-gore', 'over Asian mimicry', 'Saw Inspired' stuff we have been forced to see last few months, I thought this would join the league too..But, The moment the movie started, I was Glued to the seat till the very climax.The Direction and story telling is exactly on par, also Sam Raimi spends few scenes on character building.Amid all tension,the office atmosphere really brings occasional smiles..Now those reviewing badly for the movie, Guys and Gals!!! What else you want in a horror movie?? I won't put any spoilers in my review as the story is more interesting when you see it without any feedback,but I can't complete this review without appreciating ALISON LOHMAN.Never ever she looked so cute and mesmerizing,she really brought me care to her character by her innocent charm.Now when we see every other horror girl based movie starring a different actress,I think this was the pick performance out of 'em all and Sam Raimi deserves applaud too for extracting such a powerhouse talent out of her...
Justin Long is better off as a Comedy guy.He isn't asked much to do and he doesn't either.Rather 1/1 performance I would say..The rest of cast did well but apart from Lohman,the real show stealer was well balanced CGI effects,not over or under-done..
Well if you are a fan of horror movies with some original Direction,Good acting and a Genuine 'Twist' Ending..Go watch this one,if you watch it after many years,you will definitely regret not having watched it before...
The Haunting in Connecticut (2009)
It haunts you for days,Isn't it What it mean to be!!!
I am a horror junkie for years now,I have seen em' all.From ultra gore flicks like Cannibal holocaust,Giallos,Splatters,Slashers,Takashi Miikes,everything but I personally think that most scary and long lasting in horror Genre is always the Haunted stories,something unseen always gives more lasting shivers than Decapitations/dismemberments. Last few years have been rough for haunted movies with nothing really up to mark being released, I walked into the theater playing this movie with same expectations that it would be another rip off from Japanese ghost camera angles/ideas and stuff but my my,the movie really scares.
Though many people on IMDb have argued to lack of originality of this movie but i don't agree.The movie is well interpreted,doesn't slow down and in between scares keeps interest as well as tingling those sensitive nerves.In terms of acting,I have been a fan of Virginia Madsen since SIDEWAYS and this time she delivers again.Kyle Gallner doesn't have much to do..
I wont go into the story as it isn't the high point of the movie and every 3rd haunted story has same stuff but the way its presented,really matters.I definitely recommend to horror fans to go see this movie,it won't waste your ticket,and if you follow it up with DISCOVERY DOCUMENTARY on the story,this movie won't let you sit alone in your study and go to the attic at night..Great Experience..
Taken (2008)
Great Movie...Even greater because of the timing of Release..
Taken is a great movie, which will always be remembered as a blockbuster and a powerhouse performance by Liam Neeson.But there is one point that I recognize, after few years if someone saw this movie,its greatness will not be realized as it is today as the timing of release of this movie makes it a much much better treat to watch.From last few months, we have been deprived of true action packed thriller like Bourne Series or Mission Impossible Series.All we got were Superhero movies or Romantic movies, the release of TAKEN among those Genre makes it much more different movie.I have seen tons of action movies but due to the gap, I was much more entertained as ever.It looked something different although it wasn't.Hats off for the studio at brilliant decision of release date months later after it was released in Europe.
On its own as well,Taken introduces us with another angle and dimension of the great Liam Neeson.The action is A+, but it becomes better with emotions of Father-Daughter love conveyed by Neeson.If you are fan of Action/Thrillers, don't miss this movie, it fills the tank of our appetite for an action movie.Its worth watching in theater and even better to watch at home with family and snacks.
Amadeus (1984)
If I could rate a movie more than 10, I would give this 100/10..Perfection means 'Amadeus'.
Why do we watch movies; Some of us watch them to have a little fun off our daily hectic lives, others watch them to learn something in history,music and art..Amadeus does both.
Either you are a fan of Music Genre or not, It is an equally mesmerizing experience.There are only few instances when a great work of literature is transformed into a great movie, this is one of them.Peter Shaffer did a great job in converting a great play into the greatest ever screenplay.These ingredients were wonderfully cooked into a delight by Milos Forman.This movie could have become a wreck if direction,costumes and cinematography would be a little flawed but Forman takes you into Mozart's time and 16th century Vienna within a minute.The costumes,sets,Make up and attire all is perfectly portrayed.When you feel the essence, the magical narration takes you on a ride you will never forget for days after watching this classic masterpiece.
Mozart's music lifts the movie to staggering heights but the story telling is so light and tense simultaneously that it takes many viewings before you individually praise expertise in every aspect of this movie.
It has been a great debate which of TOM HULCE or MURRAY ABRAHAM (who won best actor Oscar for his role) were better as both were equally perfect as MOZART & SALIERI respectively but strictly speaking no one can decide.It is rarest of those acting treats when you see not one but 2 actors reaching perfection in art of acting.The rivalry, the childish nature and energetic humor of MOZART and contrasting cold/calm jealousy of SALIERI look so natural and spontaneous that you never can decidedly say who over powered whom.
Many people have criticized the play and the movie for historical inaccuracies but if you read further research into Mozart and Salieri, now we know its not so inaccurate.But even if it is a little,who cares.The movie makes you aware of music of MOZART and gives a great lesson of mediocrity.Not all of us are talented to be world renown,even if we have resources,talent is born within,it cannot be stopped by power nor can it be created in an Emperors palace.This message is conveyed through Salieri and Mozart's story to us to learn and think about it.
There is an interesting twist at the very end which I won't explain but it does best to put an icing on an already very sweet cake.This movie won 8 Oscars and I think no movie ever deserved better.And the lately released Director's Cut makes it a MUST keep for movie library of everyone who is fan of entertainment,music and drama.
The Pianist (2002)
The best war movie ever,Best movie on Holocaust..Heartbreaking and Shocking..
Roman Polanski is one of best directors ever to exist,the atmosphere he creates in his movies is so deep and influential. 'Rosemary's Baby', 'Repulsion', 'The Tenant' and 'Chinatown' are all movies which have a great sense of mystery and dark addiction about them but when you mention 'The Pianist', it is his masterpiece.
Roman Polanski rejected offer to direct 'Schindler's List'.Though it was a great movie as well,but after 'Pianist' we came to know what he was really thinking.The tale of Wladyslaw Szpilman is told in a flowing and natural way that creates an atmosphere no other War movie can.The story moves like a storm and there isn't a frame you can skip.You cry, you feel pain and you start to feel as a part of miseries of people trapped in Warsaw Ghetto.No other movie has been able to portray the Holocaust better than 'The Pianist'.Even people who want to know what Holocaust was, should watch this mesmerizing experience.
Any review of this movie is incomplete without mentioning Adrian Brody.The worries, the hideouts, the hunger and the misery of Szpilman is naturally depicted to you by his powerful performance which earned him a deserved Oscar.The scenes when he is dragging A Can of food around the place he is hiding really brought me shivers to the feelings of a prisoner of war though I have my own experience of GULF WAR in 1990 to relate it with when I was just 10 years old.
The realistic atmosphere of the movie is not to be missed by anyone.'The Pianist' is one of the best movies ever made and the best war movie ever and to consider that it is based on a true story of survival, makes it much more Powerful movie.
Sunset Blvd. (1950)
A Billy Wilder Masterpiece and All Time Best Film Noir..
I am a big fan of Film Noir Genre and also love Billy Wilder movies especially 'Double Indemnity', 'Witness for the Prosecution' and 'Apartment'.No one can keep you more glued to the seat than him but when I watched 'Sunset Blvd', in 20 minutes I was already aware I was watching his masterpiece, The best film noir ever.
The tension created by Wilder to the mystery of Norma Desmond character acts as duel progress to show a lonely woman and also the changing trends of Hollywood and the impact on stars that fade.It also tells the story and struggle of nascent writers in Hollywood.Well throughout the movie I didn't stop saying WOW!! The lighting, the camera angles, the sets, the screenplay all add to the noir atmosphere but it is all topped by wonderful Direction which is really flawless.Also, realistic acting performances by both William Holden and Gloria Swanson are 10/10.You can't really chose which one has done his/her part better.
I never put spoilers in my reviews so I would highly recommend to watch this movie.Even if you are a Noir fan,you will love it.If you want to start watching this genre,start with the best,the crown jewel of film noir and that's undoubtedly 'Sunset Blvd' .
The Elephant Man (1980)
The Only Movie that could make me cry..most touching ever
I have been a movie geek since childhood and though a lot of movies touched my heart,never did I feel to cry during the movie but it all changed after I watched this.I saw Elephant Man after I became a huge fan of David Lynch after 'Eraser head' and 'Mulholland drive'.I always had the creepy Lynch in my mind who could scare/thrill but Elephant man was a different case.It is Drama made with so much originality and force that it can melt a stone.
It is based on true story of John Merrick which I have read and many people know but Lynch gave it a touch of artist.To shoot it in black and white,multiple edited shots and the camera angles are all perfectly implied.Lynch creates an atmosphere at the start by showing the hatred of people and suspense is created when in the early movie,there is no detailed shot of Merrick.As we start to feel his misery,we are made accustomed to his looks,now that's story telling.
It would also be wrong to appreciate movie of such magnitude without a pat at the back of the cast.It was John Hurt's movie all in all and he won BAFTA for this.The dialog delivery,the expressions in that heavily made up face,and the wheezes of bronchitis all were so original that you reach 1880's,the time of Merrick.When he says, "I am not an animal, I am a human being, I am a man", not many can resist emotions.Anthony Hopkins is so natural but he always is,John Gielgud is also worth applause.
Background music score is mild and just blends so well.There was something in the movie which couldn't stop the tears flowing but there is also a message, as Merrick says, "People often fear the things they don't understand".I recommend everyone not to just see this movie,but to own it to acknowledge the dark truth that our eyes judge people even before the heart or brain starts to feel them...
Ôdishon (1999)
This movie made me a Fan of Takashi Miike.
I have always been a fan of Horror/Gore and I started watching Takashi Miike movies when a friend gifted me DVD sets of 'Ichi the Killer' and '3 extremes'.Both these movies were excellent as Gore features especially Ichi which has some of most disturbing and violent scenes ever to be screened.Somehow I felt these movies didn't have much soul though in terms of violence, they were 10/10.
Fans threads and blogs made me buy 'Audition' DVD.The movie has a soul,each character is well defined to such extent that at the climax you can feel the needles piercing you.Such perfect blend of romance/suspense/horror/mystery is something I never saw before.Though it was not as Gory as other Miike projects,the movie is his most accomplished work and something to shut even people who dislike him.Repeat viewing value of the movie is also great.
I won't spoil by revealing the story but it is a movie to be understood.Especially people from Asia can understand the real layers behind this great movie.It shows how our Asian women are misconceived, how in a male dominant society a woman craves for love and at the end it leaves us thinking.Not many horror movies can do it.Don't miss it.it will never disappoint you whatever Genre you are fan of.
Casablanca (1942)
If you haven't watched Casablanca, you are not born yet....
Casablanca is a movie which shows love in all together a different dimension.I have watched it more than 10 times and yet I can't even find a single scene which looks boring or repetitive for me.The movie is the best example of Love which really sacrifices.Thought this theme has been followed by many movies in last 70 years but its the story telling of Casablanca which makes it a movie which after age of 66 years still is best romantic movie of all time.
In terms of acting, from A to Z it is a BOGART-BERGMAN movie, a tour De force of screen chemistry which hasn't been matched again.Yet during the filming I have read that the actors hardly spoke off screen.How professional,these days every screen couple becomes a scandal or most of time its a publicity stunt.Certainly Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman didn't need it because their acting speaks for itself.
If I could mark more than 10, I would give it.Casablanca is not just a movie, its an experience.No one should miss it.
Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
Movie you fall in love with...stands the test of time...
I watched Bride of Frankenstein courtesy of IMDb top charts and it opened a portal to classic movies and now i own 200+ classics..
Bride of Frankenstein expresses and presents its dark message and humor so easily (that today's ventures after which there are debates and counter debates just to understand the complexity of movie make you think can't it be done the way it was done in B.O.F with words of Shelley and Byron) The direction is ace as is camera work but the real worth praise aspect is KARLOFF.After this movie,he appeared just once as Monster in less praised 1939 'Son of Frankenstein' but in this movie, he is at his best.To portray emotional aspects of a monster is not an easy task and he is one of few monsters who make you cry.This movie easily mops off the questions left by 1931's FRANKENSTEIN such as " Was he really a monster or Fritz torture made him one? " , " Did he have feelings? ", " Could he be taught into a nicer person than he was? " All this done in 70 so minutes is remarkable.Today an average movie is 100-110 Min's or even more and still the message is not conveyed.I simply love this movie and recommend everyone to own it as it is something that even after 74 years seems a fresh type of movie.