The Last Letter !

Letters to Juliet

I think in the conventional hum-drum of typical Hollywood rom-coms, this particular story comes like a whiff of fresh air. There is a beauty in its depiction, an almost lyrical flow of events and ofcoure, no matter how many times we have might have seen a pre-ordained ending; its treatment is quite flavoured in this movie. 

The story was nicely paced, the de-tour to Italy and its various scenic panoramas coupled with an engaging background music kept the interest alive till the last frame.

All most all the characters have given a superb performance. Amanda as the fact-checker turned letter-writer turned ‘search’ assistant, Sophie, is super-cute; I could not really take my eyes off her in the entire screenplay, while Vanessa Redgrave redefines grace and glamour at her age.  The male leads have nothing much to deliver except sticking to their dialogues as demanded by the script; however Christopher Egan as Charlie does get  to play the hard as nuts yet soft as a softie tight-lipped ‘realist’ Brit boy. And no, I didn’t like his chemistry with Amanda, even as they enacted ‘miss-the-kiss’ coy. 

The message of the story, that ‘true love’ survives, almost manages to convincingly make its way into our heart, despite the cliché’s. There are some beautiful moments where it resonates and tickles, leaving memories untwined. You almost become the part of the search and revel with joy at the re-union of Claire and Lorenzo. Interestingly, Vanessa Redgrave who plays Claire and Franco Nero who plays Lorenzo are both real life couple. It feels amazing how both actors live their character on-screen with such finesse and conviction. 

However, the only glitch I found was the turn of events that happen between Sophie and Charlie. During the search for the original Lorenzo, it was clearly made evident that Sophie had a void with her boyfriend, Victor, and that she would eventually get attracted to the un-despicable boyish charm of Charlie. But whether this attraction would replace her commitment for Victor, was surely the surprise I dint wait to watch. I did not find her reason convincing enough to leave Victor and go back to Charlie. And by the way, what was that “cousin with the same girlfriend name”, Patricia, doing in that scheme of thing? It might seem romantic, this part of the ‘true’ love story, but personally I was disappointed.

Question one :, when she choose Victor as her boyfriend, presuming she was madly in love with him , despite his imperfections, even planning a honeymoon without a wedding, how can she dump him like that , saying “I have changed” ?

Question two : Now that , destiny (read marriage invitation)  brings her back to meet Charlie, how does she convince me , that he is going to be his true and ultimate love and she is not going to dump him , let’s say, unless she finds another charmer lurching around ?

I would have rated it very high, almost on the lines of ‘The Notebook’, had it retained its purity and originality. It did, almost to a certain extent, by showing us the tradition of writing letters to Juliet and waiting for fifty long years to get an answer and then, like a vagabond, searching for your love with an undying faith.

Only, yeah, if only, it didn’t do the theatrical staging of Romeo and Juliet in Juliet’s balcony in the end, in the form of Sophie and Charlie and that entire masquerade thrown around.

Till that point, I had enjoyed a beautiful romantic movie. Suddenly I realized, it was a comedy too. 

Nevertheless, the movie is a reminiscence of the last love letter.  

Please wait for a reply !

Feel Good Factor

 

It left a big wide smile on the face and gave a strange feeling of belonging . Some moments from the movie made a deep impression and few of them actually gave wings to desire. The soft , light and mellowed treatment ( The Zoya Factor) is truly relished throughout the length of the movie , giving due space to the ensemble cast , good looking people doing great things in great locations. Emotions are natural, diagoues are perfect, the song and dance is a treat and the 3'adventure' sports are mind-blowing.
Favourite scene : Katrina following on the bike all the way to kiss and tell

"mujhe afsos nahi karna aataa" . 

Falling Slowly

A beautiful Movie with lovely Music and Lyrics.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't know you
But I want you
All the more for that
Words fall through me
And always fool me
And I can't react
And games that never amount
To more than they're meant
Will play themselves out

Take this sinking boat and point it home
We've still got time
Raise your hopeful voice you have a choice
You'll make it now

Falling slowly, eyes that know me
And I can't go back
Moods that take me and erase me
And I'm painted black
You have suffered enough
And warred with yourself
It's time that you won

Take this sinking boat and point it home
We've still got time
Raise your hopeful voice you have a choice

You've made it now
Falling slowly sing your melody
I'll sing it loud

Before Time Goes By....

I am compelled to write this. no, this is not the first time that i feel like writing about a movie but i can't just let it go like that. i saw these movie titles in some  "100 best movies that people have not seen" sort of a list on IMDB...and I just made no delay in downloading them ....so glad that i did !....because now they wont ever leave my memory...inside me and inside my computer.

It is so hard to believe that "before sunrise ' was made in 1995 and "before sunset" in 2004 , exactly 9 years later....and the characters actually breath into these two movies just like they would have breathed in real life ...living exactly the same 9 years of their life....such an amazing coincidence...because i have never seen sequels made like that...where each of the actors still remain the same characters they played in a film made 9 long years ago with everything about them remaining exactly the same...their mannerisms, their style, their chemistry...c'mon gimme one example and I will bow to you...but you wont find any...because right now,...whatever i am saying feels so unreal !

Imagine ..there was no sequel and i had seen this movie way back in '95 with no hint that i would have to wait 9 long years to see what happens to these characters from the point onwards where the movie ends...it is so touching...it is so thoughful...it is so full of potential !....the viewer is left with so many options!!!!

and what if i actually saw the sequel in 2004...wow...that would have been an amazing and special feeling...to have actually watched it then.

Nevertheless, this is 2011...so having got the privelege to watch both these movies in quick succession is like watching 2 different episodes of a daily soap!

Each movie , with around one hour and half length looks like a walk in the park...the camera never leaves the two lead actors...as they sit, stand, walk, run, jump, laugh, smile, cry or lie down....the viewer is just there...with both of them..at a very close distance..hearing all their conversation, their laughter, their antics, their eyes ....what an experience...as if you actually spend that hour and half meeting those meeting like a silent spectator and feeling every bit of their actions and reactions without the melodrama, without the sound and show, without the larger than life cinematic experience ....everything is just so so real and natural...it thrills you like a joyride where you are nowhere but still there...omnipresent..surreal.


I think its a major cinematic achievement to make a film in this manner where the camera keeps rolling and rolling without shifting the frame from the central characters and actually walking with them on the street , in the park, on a bridge, inside a pub, inside a restaurant...never giving the viewer a chance to get distracted by the environment, the cinematography or the scenic beauty of the place where the characters are...wow...and the best part is that it never strikes you..it never makes you feel for something else...quite contrary you get so fixed and drawn into the conversations of the characters...that you would feel like joining them and speak your mind !

And what an amazing conversations...wow...such frantic dialogues..such natural ease..such topical discussions..such a free flowing interaction...wow...as if a it was a candid talk show and those two actors were having their own sweet time !

And that is what steals the heart...the "sweet time"...because it really is so short and sweet that you wished it just continued ..that you had just a bit more of it...wish that it would remain still...would never pass..would never go...because when it does passes by...your heart skips a thousand beats.

In "Sunrise" , the actor has to catch a plane...and we are shown the time spent before he flies....exactly nine years later in "sunset"....the situation is same but "time" is different....and the way it passes by...o lord...you are down ...deep into it...the slow sweet passage...there is an uncanny excitement and poignance...matchless...priceless...timeless.

A Single Shot Can End The War

This picture shows the six US Marines raising a flag atop Mount Suribachi during the battle of Iwo Jima in World War II.


I remember having seen this picture in History books or some where else and it remained etched in my memory but I never came close to knowing the real "facts" or people behind this historic photograph. Until I saw this movie "Flag of Our Fathers" , last night.
And what a surprise !
It turned out to be a sort of revelation ...for, it depicted the life of those men who raised that flag in a manner that one could hardly believe!
Yes, these men were "Heroes" ...for what they did in the War....but for this very photograph, their life was never the same again.
A very compelling account of the after -effects on the minds and souls of the War 'Heroes' who actually fought and braved the bombs and the bullets but could not survive the act of glorification of this photograph... a story narrated effectively by producer/director Clint Eastwood.
As always, I am fascinated by stories based on the two World Wars....I just love the theme and the History and the mammoth size of it all....and especially if its by the legends of film-making...the likes of Steven Speilberg and Clint Eastwood. And this movie had all what I wanted to see...an 'inside' account of how the battle was fought...every detailing...the machinery, the tanks, the guns, the war-ships, the majestic battle scenes...and the luxury of watching History unfold before your eyes in the comfort of your couch or bed....
...and then it was so interesting to know the real facts of how this picture considered to be the only photograph to win the Pulitzer Prize for Photography in the same year as its publication, and came to be regarded in the United States as one of the most significant and recognizable images of the war, and possibly the most reproduced photograph of all time!

Ten years after the flag-raising, Rosenthal ( the man who took the photograph) wrote:

" Out of the corner of my eye, I had seen the men start the flag up. I swung my camera and shot the scene. That is how the picture was taken, and when you take a picture like that, you don't come away saying you got a great shot. You don't know."


Read all about it here :
Raising_the_Flag_on_Iwo_Jima



Along with " Saving Private Ryan", " Letters from Iwo Jima", this spectacle " The Flag of our Fathers" will remain in my collection as one of the greatest war movies ever made...and the greatest tales ever told...by the greatest filmmakers !

'Boys' to Remember

Well, its been long since I wrote a review of a movie here, although I have been watching them a lot!
Whatever kept me away, I just feel like putting some notes on this film I saw yesterday ..lazily trying to pass the hot summer Delhi noon. To my surprise, it wrapped me in its 2 hour run time and even made me cry in the end....almost a bliss!
I had no clue about this movie and had just copied onto my laptop from a friend's hard drive...but I wonder why it failed to create ripples ...it was such a treat to watch this beautiful story of 4 orphaned kids called the 'December Boys'.
The narrative was so simple yet so intriguing that it kept its hold until the very end....accentuated by some splendid screenplay and cinematography replete with breathtaking imagery of the Australian countryside. I didnt know that it was Australia until the credits rolled up in the end..all through the movie I was guessing if it was England by the sea or East America!

Apart from the beauty of the frames, it was the superlative performances by each individual cast including Daniel Radcliffe (aka Harry Potter) which made this movie such a special viewing experience. Those who have seen the 'wizard boy' Daniel Radcliffe in the Harry Potter series would gallop in surprise with the kind of role he plays here ....of an orphaned teenager trying his foot into adolescence and yet stuck into his gang of minors called the 'December Boys'.

The film is essentially the story of the friendship between these boys but it twitches your heart with some splendid elements of parenthood, life in orphanage, confessions and indulgences of the mind of young boys , the fight for survival, the need for adulation and much more...elements that would make your eyes wet ..in the end.

I would rate this movie 4.5 out of 5 for its sheer simplicity , innocence and beauty....I thought I would remove it from my already crowded disk space but no....now I have put it in my 'all time favorites' folder....for another experience ...some time later.....the 'Boys' to remember!

Two Lovers!

One Man .Two women. sounds cliche'?
Ah, until you see this sublime tale with a vernacular title.

Seldom one has seen such intricate characterization of an ordinary life , that everything seems so volatile and mystic and full of plausibility.

Joaquin Pheonix is an excellent actor and he proves it again this time, giving such depth and rawness to his character of a depressed young man coming to terms with his haunted past and sundry present.
Living life on the edge (literally) and swinging between the need to love and the desire to be loved...here is this man who is as earthy as you and me and as charismatic and suave as an uber hero. But you only realise these characteristics once you find him sandwiched between two opposite women...one promising stability(Venessa Shaw) , the other vivacity (Gywneth Paltrow).
So which way does he go?

If being a maverick is being unpredictable, then this tale has some splendid surprises in the form of Pheonix's eccentricity juxtaposed with Venessa's tenderness and Paltrow's vulnerability.


Kudos to the Director for bringing out some beautiful candid moments that leave you mesmerised. There are enough surprises and twists to keep one engrossed....I could feel and relate to each single emotion in the film...yes, this was me, yes this happened, this is happening or this could happen to me....yes , thats the way it goes....wow....thats what I would do, thats what I would say .....yes I would cry, yes I would run, yes, yes, yes.

Another highlight : the atmosphere and the character of New York city's suburban area , the underbelly, the middle class family and its contrast to the outside world is a treat to watch....complete with its aura, air and noises. Marvellous!

My favorite shots : Phoenix caught by her Mom on the stairs while escaping, and their conversation.
Phoenix and Paltrow on the terrace in the cold December morning.
Phoenix on the ride to the Club and his act in da Club.

Two Lovers. Too good!

Deviant D

Ok, Let me admit it....its NOT sane. Insanity finds a new avatar in this celluloid flux that moves like a vagabond.
Erratic from the word go, the most bodacious display of characterization, brazen , bold, and in your face...from the rustic fields of Punjab, to the mean streets of Delhi with a detour to London and some snow-capped destination, this voyage of voyeurism is deftly told by Mr. Debonair director , Anurag Kashyap.
The message comes in Vodka bottles, in smokes and fumes, and in graffiti drenched dark dingy rooms and sometime in pink papers...."Come On, Lets Talk about S..., Baby!"

And we all talk about it , don't we ....but we refrain from showing it...so damn it....we have all hell breaking loose here...with a no holds barred , dare to bare, lewd, pervert look at the contemporary Devdas...complete with Paro , Chandramukhi and Chunni Lal!

God Must Be Crazy ....or otherwise. Paro is not a damsel, Chandramukhi is not just a hooker...and Chunni Lal is aint no booker !

And what about Devdas...the qutissential lover boy who looses it all in the bottle? Well, well, well....he is out there...a Punjabi munda on the rocks! He doesnt care a damn about love...what matters is whats on the platter...

Groundbreaking Music (hikknaal, mahi menu, Pardesi ), earth shattering lyrics (Emotional Attaychar, Saali Khushi), Mindbending screenplay, Earthy cinematography and topnotch performances by Abhay Deol (Dev), Mahie Gill (Paro) and Chanda (Kalki Keochlin)....this is heady cocktail of modern sociology.

Mind it....the flavour is strong. Incredibly Intoxicating!

A Road to Nowhere?

A happily married couple with two young kids, living in an uptown locality....quite a peaceful setting ...with no one to disturb that peace.
So that's the point...when nobody disturbs you...you tend to disturb yourself...out of monotony, out of curiosity, out of temptation ...out of ordinariness.

Kate and Leo come onscreen together a decade after Titanic....and bet you, they still sizzle...almost !
They play this couple , April and Frank Wheeler, living on Revolutionary Road where each one of them wants to have an identity rather than an existence. So what begins as an attempt to think a way out... jointly, stifles its way to anonymity and insularity. And in between this riveting domestic drama, there are huge explosion and ceasefires that confront you , right into your face with a fierce voraciousness.

My pick from the breakfast table :

April Wheeler: So now I'm crazy because I don't love you, right? Is that the point?
Frank Wheeler: No! Wrong! You're not crazy, and you do love me. That's the point, April.
April Wheeler: But I don't. I hate you. You were just some boy who made me laugh at a party once, and now I loathe the sight of you. In fact, if you come any closer, if you touch me or anything, I think I'll scream.
Frank Wheeler: Frank: Oh, come on, stop this April.
[He touches her for an instant and she screams at the top of her lungs before walking away.]

John Givings: Hopeless emptiness. Now you've said it. Plenty of people are onto the emptiness, but it takes real guts to see the hopelessness.

John Givings: You want to play house you got to have a job. You want to play nice house, very sweet house, you got to have a job you don't like.

April Wheeler: Tell me the truth frank remember that? We used to live by it. And you know what's so good about the truth? Everyone knows what it is however long they've lived without it. No one forgets the truth frank they just get better at lying

Frank Wheeler: Well I support you, don't I? I work ten hours a day at a job I can't stand!
April Wheeler: You don't have to!
Frank Wheeler: But I have the backbone not to run away from my responsibilities!
April Wheeler: It takes backbone to lead the life you want, Frank.

Changeling.

A True Story. Angelina Jolie. Clint Eastwood.
Recipe enough for a classic!

Yes, and more than a classic , Changeling is a film that lasts longer, much longer than its normal run time. It lasts and resides in your conscience, your subconscious and metaphysical presence.For it never leaves you with the very basic emotion of human existence...'hope'.

1928 Los Angeles comes alive on screen, complete with its historic landmarks, the cars and motorcycles, the streets, the telephone machines, the clocks, the time piece ...intact and majestically re crafted by none other than the legend himself, Mr.Clint Eastwood....who has never compromised on the best in the best.


Beside this attention to details of that period, once is so engrossed into the drama that unfolds with a feverish pitch and pace, slowly, subtly and almost pensivly....that you would move frame by frame, with an emotion so strong ...that at times, you would feel you have just been caught in the frame, in that time machine...and there's no way but to move with the story...with the protaganist (Angelina Jolie as Christine Collins) and her struggle .



Angelina is A-one. Period.
So is the gripping , disturbing, moving, chilling storyline that is so unpredicable that till the very last scene, you end up sitting with your fingers crossed and your heart interwined.
Every actor, every little act is a superbly driven to excellence. That is the sheer magic of the direction. The disapperance of the boy, the desperation of the mother, the revelation of disrupeted LAPD of that period, the cop's demeanour, a few good men, the discovery, the acquittal, the trial, the prosecution and the execution .....everything is damn picture perfect!

Your heart stops beating in the end, it actually does....as Angelina Jolie walks into the busy street of the Los Angeles city ....and before she disappears into the closing music, she gaves us this:

[last lines]
Christine Collins: Three boys tried to escape that night, and if one boy got away then maybe one or both of the other two escaped too. Maybe he's out there somewhere, afraid to tell the truth, afraid of what will happen to him or to me. But one thing I know is that boy gave me something I didn't have before.
Detective Lester Ybarra: What's that?
Christine Collins: Hope.

Delhi 6

Welcome to Chandni Chowk, an area in the walled city of Delhi with the zip code 6. Originally meaning moonlit square or market, it is one of the oldest and busiest markets of Delhi.

So when an NRI boy (Abhishek Bacchan) comes to town to bring home his ailing Grandmother (Waheeda Rehman) who wishes to spend her last days at her ancestoral home , he is bound to get sucked into the chaos which is so as much a character of Chandni Chowk as is its irreverent dynamism.
So, before this American born confused desi realises the intoxicating charm of the congested narrow bylanes of Delhi 6, he is already on the crossroads of a new awakening.
So is it another coming of age sort of story or a tribute to historic and cultural heritage of a bonhomie called Chandni Chowk?
Well, its actually an attempt at both but with a complex layer of interwoven issues and some discreet metaphoric undercurrent.
At one hand, we try to see through the eyes of the young protoganist NRI (Abhishek) coming to terms with his Indian connection with its deep rooted values, traditions, rituals and emotions.
On the other hand, we have this part of the city out of which grows the very image of secular India , where the inhabitants live and die for each other , each day.
But the story just does not stick to this plot, it leaps and overleaps into such symbolic gesturing and plodding of social issues and vicious diatribes, that at one point it seems like going nowhere.
It actually goes to no man's land rather than tell us a tale of life in those lanes of delhi 6, and then tries to come back in the end...leaving the viewer confused, provoked and over-sensitized.

But nevermind, this exercise doesnt take too much of a toll, because as I said, its a metaphoric undercurrent and not 'in your face' berating of our society at large. The episode of 'monkey man' taking away the biggest slice of the pie and also our Atta boy in its sway. And in turn, this 'monkey man' becomes a sort of mirror, a reflection , of ourselves, as individuals, as Hindus,Muslims, as social animals ....and as secular Indians.

Some terrific detailing, wonderful cinematography, commendable special effects, and some truly memorable performances from some vintage stars like Rishi Kapoor, Prem Chopra, Waheeda Rehman and Om Puri. Abhishek fits into the shoes of the character so well that he actually wins your heart as somebody who doesnt understand whats happening around him but still believes 'India works." Where people are good hearted and have real emotions.
That actually appeals to you...because we as Indians are ready to ape the western society for its rich lifestyle rather than understand own richness of culture.
So full marks to him as well as the director for bringing this up from within ourselves.

Sonam Kapoor is a delight to watch with her 'massakali' act , another symbolic representation of a life of a bird caged and yearning to fly. A gesture at our middle class girl who wears a 'salwar kameez' at home and rehearses to western beats in a sarong in a studio.

There was a lot of potential in sparking off the chemistry between Sonam and Abhishek, but the director had some other plans...he has this 'Ramayana' tale running parallel in a 'Ramlila' ...he has this two feuding brothers and their families sharing the same wall with a 'replacable' brick...he has a politician, a 'sadhvi' , a flirty photographer , an untouchable sweeper (Divya Dutta) , a shrewd Policeman...and yes, the 'Monkey Man' to the huge ensemble....it almost felt like a 'Nukkad' revisited.

Actually Mr.Director, Rakesh Omprakash Mehra, took a huge cinematic leap with his cult fiction, 'Rang De Basanti', that now anything coming after it is bound to have huge expectations and hype. The kind of excellent standard of film making and story telling that he set with RDB, is unparrallel to date...so Delhi 6 falls short of it on many levels. It ends like an unconvincing assortment with a lot of potential wasted or overused. Another disappointment for me the treatment of AR Rehman's superlative musical score...it was not given its due on screen space...the songs just melted away into the hustle and bustle.

But worth mentioning is the beautiful picturisation of the song 'Dil Giraftan' where we see a Sdream sequence in which the streets of Chandni Chowk mix into Times Square of New York. Splendid and Magical , a lavish piece of Art....a gem of sorts!

Well, this is a movie not only about one place, or a city or about any one person . Its a Mirror on the old wall....where you look and say 'Standing with the man in the mirror, asking him to change his ways".

Sing along with Mamma Mia !!!!

Welcome to One Big Glam Greek Wedding !!
Wow! What a Musical...don't go for the story , "One Bride. Three possible fathers. A trip down the aisle you'll never forget"...but for the sheer presence of these magnificent actors and the exotic and lavish locales with an out and out exhilarating ABBA music....you just cant get enough!!!
Meryl Steep steals the show amongst the performances ,watch her sing "Slipping through my fingers" to her daughter (bride to be) and you are bound to be touched deep ....
but its Peirce Brosnan (aka ex-Mr.James Bond) who actually cracks you with his vocals....c'mon you would never have imagined him 'singing'...the best of him in the song "When all is Said and Done"keep it on man!

Well, its a musical extravaganza with an all high emotional quotient kept intact and a breezy comical undertone kept alive....just keep it at ur bay and sing it along the eternal ABBA lyrical rich hits like 'Dancing Queen', "SOS", "Money Money", "Winner takes it all' , "I have a dream "(my fav) and oh yes the evergreen classic original 'Mamma Mia'!!!

Mamma mia, here I go again
My my, how can I resist you?
Mamma mia, does it show again?
My my, just how much Ive missed you
Yes, Ive been brokenhearted
Blue since the day we parted
Why, why did I ever let you go?
Mamma mia, even if I say
Bye bye, leave me now or never
Mamma mia, its a game we play
Bye bye doesnt mean forever

Ive been cheated by you since I dont know when
So I made up my mind, it must come to an end
Look at me now, will I ever learn?
I dont know how but I suddenly lose control
Theres a fire within my soul
Just one look and I can hear a bell ring
One more look and I forget everything, o-o-o-oh

Mamma mia, now I really know
My my, I could never let you go

Luck. By Chance

You have to wait.
For everything.
This is true.
But, how much you have to wait?
It depends.
Actually.
You have to decide how long you gonna wait for something you desire.
An ambition, a dream, a fantasy...and you, the wannabe.
So, once you pack your bags and stand in the long que to wait for your turn, there are two things that can happen , certainly.
One by Luck. The other, by Chance.


The movie by debutant director Ms.Zoya Akhtar leaves this very message in a slow, sweet, subtle manner.
Weaving a thick plot of characters who meander through a plethora of emotions as they jumble and mumble inside the mystic world of our film industry.
The central characters are two wannabes who want to make it big in the industry and wait for their turn to strike gold.
Vikram (Farhan Akhtar) as Mr.Opportunist , and Sona (Konkona Sen) as Ms. Congeniality who move to Mumbai, the city of dreams to fulfill their ambition of becoming 'Stars'. But before that, they become neighbours, and then friends and then lovers. All By Chance.
And then Luck takes over Vikram's part and he doesnt think twice as he lets his charm mix his luck with equal ease. Contributing to his self indulgence are the Who's who of Bollywood. The scrip-writers, the casting directors, the producers, the financers, the heroine, the heroine's mother, the director and the actors. The Star is in the Making.

Meanwhile, our Little Miss Sunshine (Sona) struggles to keep her feet grounded in the same world. She steps into reality at her own stride but fails to keep pace with the demands of the feisty world of stardom.

The movie showcases and exposes very brutal and vicious look of what goes around and behind the screens...but all with an elusive, insidious and pernicious nuances of storytelling.

The huge ensemble of stars in the film might be a highlight or a means of promotion , but they hardly make their presence felt. They actually drift in and out of the story without an introduction and leave their mark with effortless repartee.

Hrithik Roshan makes a special appearance and does make his each moment look very special .
His dance number, "Baawre" is a masterpiece choreography with a riot of folk colors and dance.
Isha Sherwani simply sizzles in her gymnastic dance movements, Hrithik is equally elastic as ever, the music is an encore and the cinematography a feast for the eyes!


Hrithik gives justice to his character of a Bollywood Super Star by throwing all the requisite star tantrums and witticism. He steals much of the show with his screen presence and looks.
There is one scene where he is inside his car and the street urchins look at him through his glass window and try to touch the icon. What a moment! A masterpiece.
Also, Watch out as he gives a sinister look at Farhan, the upcoming star, in a premiere party. And you'll know what being a SuperStar is all about.



Isha Sherwani, as Nikki , alongwith her StarMom , Dimple Kapadia, is a treat to watch. She is nubile, naive, cute and extremely vulnerable whereas Dimple is an old wine in a new bottle. Intoxicating, sauve and exceedingly manipulative. And she does have all the reasons to be.

Rishi Kapoor , the only performer who goes over the top and loud , does cast his spell as the superstitious producer and gives the film the much needed respite and funny element. So does, the 'Hollywood inspired' Director, Sanjay Kapoor who is mostly lost in dreams of lavish song and dance sequences ala Bollywood.

Kudos to Farhan. He has shown what it takes to be a great perfomer. Just get into the character and play it cool. Thats his mantra , and he makes it look easy. His voice may be hoarse, but he knows how to ride the horse. Atleast, without much ado, he looks charming and affectionate, lean and mean, flirty and demanding, resilient and explosive. Starry yet so earth-like.
The best of his expressions come alive as he steps into the audition room, the song "Sapno se bhare naina" playing in the background. Just follow his eyes. Rivetting!

Watch out the quandary and dilemmas of friendship, love, ambition, principles,ethics and morals as this quiescent, almost drowsy tale of luck and chance floats on its uneasy and quesy waters.

You have to wait. Actually.Patiently.
Till the very last moment of the film,which perhaps is the most defining turn of events and quite quite intriguing and touching.

Hear that dialogue between Konkona and Farhan in the penultimate scene, as Sona and Vikram, they try to defy rationale and justify their acts.
You would remember those words for a long long time, especially Konkona's parting lines.
Well earned. Worth your time and money.
Not for the masses, or the regular audience;Exclusive, elegant and completly uncliched , this is niche' cinema. At its best.
Kudos to Zoya, for making it a 'Cut' above (and behind) the Rest.

Who wants to be a Slumdog Millionaire?

Any guesses?
Well, to know the correct answer we need to go through a riot. Yes, a riot of every color and hue , every possible filth and dirt, every sense and sensibility. For, a movie called 'Slumdog Millionaire' is a riot in itself.
How can Jamaal, a boy from the slums of Mumbai, possibly know all the answers of the quiz game show 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire"?
A quiz in itself, the best suitable option is
A. He cheated.
But How?
Thats for the cops to find out . So we have our Inspector Irfan Khan interrogating the 20 year old Jamaal (Dev Patel) in desi style , after sub-inspector Saurabh Shukla has pounded some desi abuses and electrodes to find the truth.
Well, the truth is not so easy as it seems. It actually is a journey , a mindboggling travel back in time encompassing the tale of two brothers living in a slum and how one of them , eventually is on the verge of making history.
The story of Jamaal and Salim , 'slum' brothers who trick everything that comes their way...cops, mobs, theives, conmen, trains, cars, Taj Mahal , foreigners, just about everything but their fate.
Because you cant beat fate actually, can you?


Well, the movie shows all this and more with a zanny style or rather, Danny (Boyle) style. Excellent narrative, superb camera-work, long and short angles, close-ups, colors and a cutting edge screenplay that zips through the sets of KBC to the slums of Dharavi to cell of a police station and leaves you wide-eyed till the end.
Nobody ever dared to go this deep into the life of slum children and into those filthy,dingy, crowded, nauseating narrow bylanes of Dharavi (Asia's largest slum) and nobody filled such dirt into your eye that you almost feel like being punished watching thier shit holes (literally!)
But Danny does. He takes his camera right into the pot hole and comes out unscathed. Telling the world a cruel and poor reality that we hide. The sprawling megapolis , the city of dreams, Mumbai, in a begrime state. A fact nobody could be prode of. But a fact a million slum dwellers thrive on , each day and every day.

Ragpickers, scavangers, gutter-cleaners, blind beggers ...they all are there , making their omnipresence felt and making us laugh at ourselves. Because, instead of seeking your pathos, this movie celebrates their joy.
And then it celebrates more, keeping the dark rhetoric alive and kicking and shows how those two brothers escape anti-muslim riots, loose their mother, befriend an orphaned slum girl (Latika) , get picked up by a begger mafia, run away ,become fraudsters and then return to the city to end up twisting their destinies.
Salim naturally steals the show with his exuberant gangster act , while Latika maintains her silence and Jamaal has his jaws always open in exclaimation mark to the turn of events and for the love of his life...Latika.
And then comes the moment of reckoning, the Kaun Banega Crorepati , the desi version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire game show where you find the dubious Anil Kapoor bewitchingly kicking Jamaal's ass for his extraordinary feat of coming and winning on the show.
How come a simple 'chai-wala' know all the answers?


Yes, how does he...well, logically correct but thats where you find the real power of Cinema...it explains the inexplicable. And in style. and with color... and with song and dance...and with an unparallel intensity ....not to forget the ephemeral yet eternal romance.
The magic behind this form of story-telling is that you keep the viewer engrossed until the penultimate climax. That of course, in some ways, turns out to be predictable yet so dramatic.
The second half of the movie does slackens a bit after the high hullabaloo of slum children. Some of the best moments of the film are in the opening half, with special mention to the Train Sequence where these brothers actually are shown growing up from their childhood to teenage .




Boy, these children deserve an award each and a befitting reward for playing it so loud and clear.
Bravo act!
Kudos to the Director and the co-director, Loveleen Tandon, for picking the finest amongst the ragpickers and bringing out such a rivetting performance from them.
These kids even outshine Dev Patel and Frida Pinto when it comes to some great acting. Dev looks almost unconvincing as the 'chai-wala' at a call center, he appears more like an NRI Gujju with a tea-tray in hand. But towards the end, he manages to pull up a commendable act.
As for Frida, she just manages to dazzle with her magnetic eyes...doesnot has much to act.


Irfan Khan is wasted as the Inspector but by now he has become our favourite mascot for Hollywood filmmakers that they would cast him in any nondescript role. Mahesh Manjrekar as 'Javed' the don also fails to impress.
But yes, Anil Kapoor does spell his witchy magnestism on the sets creating a larger than life persona required for such an act.

However, as we promote India Inc shining , this movie would make the world to see a more darker and dirtier image that we so menancingly covered up. We aren't beggers, are we?
Well, as an Indian, it is pride enough to sell anything 'Made in India' but as a Westerner, this movie would reaffirm the adage that India is poor. But rising.
Thanks to A R Rehman's music, it is the soul again, stirring up a perfect rhapsody of hip-hop, indian classical, western and Bollywood jamboree. It just stands apart and deserves the accolades.

And as for the story of a slumdog millionaire, there could not have been a more exciting climax. It is actually the best moment of the story as he answers the last question using his last lifeline.
And as he answers, we get our answer too :
A.He did not cheat. B. He is not lucky and C. He is not a genius. The correct answer is :

JAI HO !

A Memento for Ghazini

Well, I simply cant compare them . Memento just vanishes out of my mind after watching Amir Khan starrer Ghazin.

I watched Memento before Ghazini. I love original ideas and after all that ultra hyped Ghazini touted as being 'loosely' based on 2000 released Memento, I just wanted to put a cap somewhere.

And after watching both, I have one word that fits my experience .
Memento ..."Mindboggling"
Ghazini..."Mindblowing"

Ya, you can make out the difference. For, the original movie retains the flavour of the original idea about a man suffering from short term memory loss. It stars Guy Pearce as Leonard Shelby, a former insurance fraud investigator searching for the man he believes raped and killed his wife during a burglary. Leonard suffers from anterograde amnesia, which he contracted from severe head trauma during the attack on his wife.
This renders his brain unable to store new memories. To cope with his condition, he maintains a system of notes, photographs, and tattoos to record information about himself and others, including his wife's killer. He is aided in his investigation by Teddy (Joe Pantoliano) and Natalie (Carrie-Anne Moss), neither of whom he can trust.


The movie is shot in a bizarre manner, enough to keep you frowning and riddled with puzzles throughout the length of the story...and even in the end you feel like cheated, tricked, thirsty.
Now ....that is some sort of pathbreaking formula of movie making. So you can applaud the effort Though even after a repeated watch, your frowns retain their original position.

Anyways, there's the point. The idea was so strong that it 'inspired' a South Indian filmmaker to make a full length Tamil film with its tollywoodism. And then after its huge success down south, he decided to make it into a Hindi movie. Not a great idea. But until you had Amir Khan. Because, if you have him, you can be sure the idea could be turned into something incredible.
You have seen that in Lagaan, Taare Zameen Pe.

Still, I wanted to see how Amir would do justice to Guy Pearce' s character.
But 15 minutes into the movie, I was too engrossed into the drama unfolding before me ....the refreshingly beautiful romantic plot between Amir and Asin that just didnt allow any space for comparisons.
It was the lively, bubbly act of Asin that completely left me (and ofcourse ,Amir) smitten by her exuberance.
Her expressions initially seemed overacted but soon she became the most adorable onscreen performer I have seen in any recent movie.
The plot developed into a blooming and flowering romance between the effervescent Asin(an ad film wannabe) and the coy Amir(as a businees tycoon).

She just stole the show (and time) and in some of the scenes, outclassed Amir. The particluar one where she gives him a bundle of notes in the midnight believing that Amir needed it more than her long cherished dream of buying three Ambassadors.
Sheer magical moment with the song that follows through ..it could not have been better.
The highlight of this performance is that you actually fall in love with the character she plays ...you actually feel Amir's pain when he sees her being murdered. That scene , that horror was bulit incredibly.
So as the plot progressed towards some intense performance by body bulging , revenge seeking Amir unleashing his fist of fury...you are actually 'into' it.


I could hear his moans and groans , feel his punches and pain...the dramatization of the events leading to his memory loss were so strong and gruesome that if it had been me, I would have punched harder ..much harder than I can imagine. Kudos to the Director and extra-ordinary performances by Asin and Amir, everything looked justified. The over-hyped violent action, blood and gore, some weird logical flaws, some technical hitches and glitches...these all get ignored in the long run, because, personally , I simply loved the love story ...so much so ...i would call this a romantic film rather than a revenge drama.
I am impressed. Not because it borrowed an original and tested idea, but because it maintained it, improved it and most importantly , simplified it in an interesting manner , with just the rght dose of Bollywoodism.
Another great ingredient is the splendid music by meastro AR Rehman which vowen with some superb cinematography and song picturization make it a treat for eyes and ears.
I would rate the song 'Kaise Mujhe tum mil gayee' as the most romantic song of the last year
( I just cant stop listening to it ) and I am gonna cover it in some other post on the blog.

The only disappointment was Jiah Khan who failed to convince with her acting skills and looks.
She has a lot to work upon.
As for the Man who played Ghazini, he looked deadlier , savage and ugly.
So, if I try to forget why he kills Asin, I would never forget how he killed her.
Not even if I suffer from short term memory loss!

Wanna take a Day Off !!

Wow. We all have done it in our childhood and in our teens.
Faking illness before our parents to take a day off from school.
Atleast I have a count of my 'off days' I took when I had no mood to get out of my bed and dress up in the school uniform ;-)

And after school, college, office (and still in office)...how about going back to some school time teenage caper....well, here's one movie which celebrates just that...How to take a day off !


So we have a teenager named Ferris (Mathew Broderick) who has everything planned out on how he would make the best of his day and decides to unleash his 'leisure rules'.

He has his best friend Cameron and his girlfriend on his wish list.
Cameron has no idea what he wants to do when he leaves high school, is unloved by his parents and has never had a girlfriend. And he is mostly on the bed , sick and addicted to medicines. But Ferris has some other plans for him, atleast for a day. AND this day turns out to be the best day of Cameron's life.

SO , you have Ferris take his girlfriend right under the School Dean's nose for a ride in Cameron's father's red Ferrari !!

Ferris takes his friends to the Sears Tower, a museum, Wrigley Field and an upmarket restaurant where he precedes to sell himself as Abe Frohman, the sausage king of Chicago.

The day is finally capped off with Ferris taking over a float in the German-American Appreciation Day parade and belting out Danke Schoen and The Beatles Twist and Shout.

The film is a complete entertainer , with lots of elements to keep one engrossed...the best being Ferris's high nosed Sister who envies him and later joins him in his plan.
The climax is a teaser ...the most enjoyable teen movie from the 1980's ...glad to have seen it.

A Director 's Cut !

Two Movies. One Director.
Director Marc Foster's Cut (above the rest)!

The Kite Runner (2007)

There is always a strange dilemma. Either to read the book first or watch the movie. It is easy when one of them is not available. I read the book first. Khalid Husseini's 'Kite Runner', a little over two months ago.
And after watching the movie last night, it seems both experiences have been truly enriching.
The book has been done a great justice by some superb screenplay and direction by director, Marc Foster. In one word, it left me 'spellbinded' for most part of the two hour movie.


Right from the opening credits which captivated the senses with such scintillating background music to the aerial shots of the Kite Flying scenes in the rugged mountains of Afghanistan, every frame is a soul stirring experience ...I was already in love with the movie in the first few minutes.

The two young kids played their bit of roles as Amir and Hassan to utmost perfection. Their relationship as described in the book was brought out superbly onscreen .

The most notable was the sets. The Afghanistan town of the late '70s was brought alive with such great detail...it was a visual treat...going back in time . Classic art direction. 'Bravo!'

Hassan 's characterization was extremely well done. The child actor showed some great acting skills. He was brilliant in the role of the submissive servant , resilient, and loyal to the core friend of Amir. The scene where he is in the Kite Shop on his birthday was splendid.




The most impressive actor who actually dominated almost the first half of the screen space was Amir's father , Baba.
He had charm, charisma, a mystical aura about him that reminded me of Marlon Brando in the Godfather.
He had such screen presence, such great persona that it overshadows any other character till the time he finally goes to the grave.
His relation with his son, Amir(as a child and as a youngster ) is delt deftly and incredibly.

Full marks to the director for choosing such a fine actor to portray such an important character.


The story is very fast paced, the cinematography is brilliant , the music moves with movie like poetry in motion. Some of the shots leave you heavy eyed. I admit I had tears atleast at more than a few shots, one being the scene where Amir returns to Pakistan after 20 years and reads the last letter written by Hassan.

The city of Peshawar, that desk near the tea-stall, that moment where Hassan's words blend into the background score , that expression on Amir's face. Unforgettable!

Personally, I feel it ended too soon. Had there been some more minutes in the final stage of the film, it would have lasted the impact much much better. I dont know why the director shied away from giving some more screen space to Amir and Sohrab( Hassan's son). It was a very sensitive subplot of the story which I thoroughly enjoyed while reading the book.

Nevertheless, watch out for the scene where Amir goes in search for Sohrab in a Masjid with his wounded body and offers his prayers. The song 'Supplication' plays in the background. A song that touches a chord deep within and almost makes it a divine intervention. There are no words to decribe the feeling. I can revisit and replay that scene a thousand times over!
Just like Amir repeats Hassan' s loyal words to Sohrab, when he goes to run the Kite in the end....

" For you, A Thousand times over!"

My Rating : "EXCELLENT". "MUST WATCH". "A COLLECTOR'S ITEM".

Quantum of Solace (2008)

I am a great fan of James Bond flicks. Ever since, I first saw 'For your eyes only' as an 11 year old. Then, I simply loved the action.
And since then, I have admired the marque , the brand, the name is Bond. James Bond.
I have grown up in the modern era of Mr.007 , played by Peirce Brosnan in movies like 'The Golden Eye', 'Tomorrow Never Dies' and 'Die Another Day'.
For me, Mr.Brosnan was a perfect Bond, who carried Ian Fleming's character to new heights.

And then came the hard boiled Daniel Craig in Casino Royale, almost 2 years ago. Frankly, I was disappointed. James Bond had changed. In character, in portrayal and in his demeanor.

This has continued in 'Quantum of Solace'. But this time, he's done a better job. Much better. And I find it a better film, not in league with my era, but in continuation of a new era ,defined by the Jason Bourne series of spy agents. Hardhitting, all brawn and brawl.


By definition, “Quantum of Solace” means a small degree of comfort that can exist between two people emotionally in a relationship.
Marc Foster does a good job again , by doing justice to the title by concentrating on Mr.Bond's personality 'dis'orders as he goes on to seek revenge of his beloved 's death.

However, this time , the Bond Babe fails to impress.
Bond girls are known to be a class apart in their acts, bold, beautiful, seductress, intelligent,suave and savvy.
But Olga Kurylenko, is good only in a few action scenes.
There is hardly any chemistry between her and Daniel Craig. Her characterization also leaves much to be desired.
And perosnally , I didnt find her attractive enough to carry off the prestigious tag of a Bond girl.
Anyways , a word for the action sequences, they were superbly crafted, especially the aerial combat and the para-dropping. Great!


Marc Foster 's direction is again a cut above...though completely different from artistic 'Kite Runner'.
This shows that this man can handle any subject with such dexterity and finesse. And he leaves his mark in every frame that he captures in this high voltage drama. He blends poetry with action here!

As for Mr.James Bond, he is as smart as ever , just watch him walk right up to you and ask' Shall We?"

And the most satisfying experience was the last scene between Madam M and Mr.007.

[last lines]
M: Bond, I need you back.
James Bond: I never left.

Kudos, Mr.Director.

Return of Showman?

Whats wrong Mr.Showman (Subhash Ghai) ? Still stuck in old times , with your hat intact?
feuding families, sophisticated crooks, 'shakuni' mamas, and 'evil' minded 'ladies in sarees' a la Ekta Kapoor.
Not anymore.
Okay, your attention to the enormous sets, beautiful landscapes and 'mastam rustam' music is highly appreciated...but is that it? No Story?
Yuvraaj seems to be a family drama with its archtypical 'larger than life' characters , rather caricatures who fail to impress. Except, Anil Kapoor,the only saving grace of this (and infact all of ) Subhash Ghai's movies... right from Karma (1985) days.
Salman Khan is typical , Zayed Khan is better, Katrina Kaif is same, Boman Irani looks a complete joker (surprisingly) and all the other 'good for nothing' actors are left with a mumble. Of course, they were paid, so they had to stand and act.
The biggest disapointment is the way the music has been trimmed to fit the scenes in the movie.
MUSIC ...by the magician AR Rehman...Oh I loved the songs when I first heard them , and waited to see them on screen. If you 'v got to listen the songs with lyrics penned by the master lyricist , Gulzar with such fine notes by AR Rehman, then you v got to give bring them to life on screen. Sadly, they just get lost in some nondescript screenplay and unnecessary drama.


Good points : Nice locales, good looking actors, brilliant sets, a tight second half and some good music for the ears and a subtle message which says 'music binds love'. Wished it was in bold letters.
Waiting for a 'Taal' , a 'Saudagar' , a 'Pardes' , a 'Khalnayak' , Mr. Showman.

Sorry Brother !!!

Wanna go on a trip to 'beautiful' Mauritius ? lovely beaches, cool blue surf , white sand, breezy sunshine...ah we got it plenty in here ...I mean in this movie: 'sorry bhai!'
For the better part of this fresh and crispy(admittedly naughty) film is a viva de la Mauritius...a visual treat and a refreshing tale set in the island nation.
And the rest of the story is about two brothers, one mom , one dad and a girl in between..ehm.
The look, feel, and the premise of the plot is essentially 'western' , rather somewhat like a breezy Hollywood flick...the only 'Indian' factor being the veteran lady dynamite ,Shabana Azmi who just manages to suffuse some 'culture' into this zanny tale.
Otherwise, you can dial in the moral police to ban this movie for violation of our so so many 'so called' imbibed family values and traditions.
I mean how could you possibly digest (and justify) a girl who's going to marry a guy (Sanjay Suri) who she has loved for the past 5 years suddenly fall for the innocence n charm of the guy's younger brother (Sharman Joshi)...in just 5 days!!!!
Believe me...the guy's family arrives just to attend that very marriage.
Ahh...ok, so Sharman looks cute with a saxophone and a 'kinetic' memory working on the theory of 'everything is alive' (even a toy dog)!
Ha! enuf to make a girl go week in her knees and seduce him in the men's changing room!
And which girl? A girl who is going to be her 'sis-in-law'!!
Dangerous.
Digest it...for there's enough 'restraint' and ethical intrusion to tone down the controversial and immoral conduct of the Miss Daisy Doo (Chitrandga Singh)
and a lot of humour to mellow down the 'hot' debate...I especially enjoyed the narrative, the superb performances, the freshness of the screenplay which kept me interested (and smiling).

So whats the message (actually a warning ..lol) : Beware of inviting your unmarried brother to your wedding ....there is a high probability that you might be left with nothing but an SMS : "sorry bro!"

The Best 'GoodBye' Ever !

What would you do if you came to know one fine day that you have got your last 90 days on earth?
And especially if your life till now had nothing to make you feel worthy about ?
And every morning you woke up and made a mundane , silly 'Things To Do Today' list and finished your day crossing each of those things...
And if you had no love, no wife , no close friends, no one to talk to except your old mom who's hard on hearing....
Hmm, thats the story of Amar (Vinay Pathak) the plump, bespectacled accounts manager with a penchant for making things-to-do lists. His life takes a U-turn when a routine visit to the doctor reveals that he has stomach cancer. Faced with the prospect of dying without having truly enjoyed life and egged on by his flamboyant alter ego, Amar makes his umpteenth list — 'things-to-do-before-I-die.'
He quits his job, plucking up courage to settle a score with his obnoxious boss and embarks in pursuit of his dreams — a shiny red car, a foreign trip, confessing his love to a childhood crush, guitar lessons and reuniting with an estranged brother...all within the span of his last days.

Touchy, poignant yet interspersed with comical elements and some erratic screenplay, 'Dasvidaniyan' is a film about fulfilling your wishes and dreams ...and how to say your last 'Good Bye'.
Infact , the title is derived from a Russian word 'Dosvidaniyan'which means 'Alvida' or Goodbye. Interestingly, it was modified to 'Das'vidaniyan ..'Das'(ten) representing Amar's last 10 wishes or Things to do !

I could touch an instant chord with the protagonist Amar, a kind-hearted soul who longs for love, friendship and some meaning in his life....I could feel the shy, quiet, submissive Mr.Missunderstood.

Kailash Kher's soul stirring 'Alvida' , mesmerising 'Muskura' and the eminently lively track 'Mumma' make it an exemplary musical sojourn. The background music makes up for some slack pace of the movie.
The lyrics are just too good ..."zindagi na mil ajnabi ban ke..." (hey life..don't meet me like a stranger)

A few scenes in the movie stand out , almost making you weepy, shedding your tears or smiling at yourself ...which I think is the hallmark of this film.
The interaction between Amar and a Russian hot chick who seduces him and eventually falls for his simplicity is dealt with sublime and subtle romanticism.
Almost lyrical.."pal bhar ke liye koi humein pyar kar le ...jhootha hi sahi " (can somebody love me ...for a moment , just for a moment...no matter if itsnt true or false, just love me..for a while)

And he pays her due by leaving behind an audio cd of her favorite Bollywood songs.

He pays everyone their due...even as he complained that he never received any gifts in his lifetime...
he leaves behind his new car for his guitar teacher,
his apartment for the salesgirl who helped him buy his car,
his guitar for his boss...
a photo-album for his childhood love.








Best shot : Amar meets his childhood crush after 12 years. She is married now and has a beautiful home , a nice hubby and a sweet daughter. She is happy to meet Amar and invites him to dinner.She tells her hubby over dinner that Amar is great at dumb charades and they both used to beat everyone in this game in their childhood.

He leaves and then returns after a while, walks into the rain, stands at her door, and plays this game of Dumb Charades for the last time.
In the silence of the night. With no sound except of those raindrops.
He signals. She decodes.
Three words.
English.
Last word ....
You.
First word....
I.
Second Word...

He places his hands on his heart...she decodes, moves towards him...he moves back...in slow motion...the camera shows him walking away...drenched in the rain...smiling....
'Goodbye.'