Steamboy

I was looking forward to this anime from the maker of Akira with much anticipation. But Katsuhiro Otomo disappoints. The flick highlights the ever ensuing fight against using science for destruction. It is very rich in detail and portrays some wonderful animation but does not have the deep philosophical and mystical storyline that Akira had.

Rating: * *

Eragon

Based on the book by Christopher Paolini, the movie like the book mashes LOTR, EarthSea and few other fantasy classics into a barely palatable dish. But hey I can't resist a movie or book with dragons in it...

Rating: * +

50 Lost Movie Classics

Interesting piece at the Guardian which highlights 50 movies that lost their way, rather unfortunately. Some good suggestions for Christmas viewing.

Kinamand

A movie very much inspired by "In the Mood for Love". Bjarne Henriksen is a Danish Bill Murray. After his wife of 25 years abruptly leaves him, he starts to frequent his neighborhood Chinese grill. He befriends the grill owner who offers him a sizable sum of money to marry his sister so that she can remain in the country. And so the story goes...

Rating: * * +

Schizo

Mustafa a.k.a Schizo is kicked out of school because he his strange and slow. The rest of film shows that schizophrenia has not affected him much. After leaving school he signs on to scout for fighters for an underground fighting ring. One of the fighters he brings dies in the ring. Schizo takes it on himself to help the dead fighters family and soon gets intricately involved in their daily life.In spite of the simple and linear storyline, the film made out for some fine viewing.

Rating: * * +

Khosla ka Ghosla

This should have been the movie going to the Oscars; instead of the other UTV over-rated-piece-of-dog-piss production, Rang De Basanti. Glad to see more such real & funny mainstream movies making its way into the theatres. There slowly appears to be a core group of actors regaling in the freedom of making non-larger-than-life-fucking-bullshit cinema: a throwback to the early 80s indie film movement. Boman Irani as an evil land grabber is certainly one of them.

Rating: * * * +

The King

Return of the prodigal son. And the resultant impending doom. A dark movie thats set in a religious Texan town and how the top church family is infiltrated by a virus - of sin. Good performances that make it fairly a distant, bleak movie.

Rating: * * +

Paradise Now

"How can one take the role of oppressor and victim?"

Two friends living in Nablas on the West Bank are chosen for a suicide bombing mission in Tel Aviv. Both are eager and willing but on the day of the mission things go wrong. The events that follow opens a window into life on the Palestinian side and the role of violence and terrorism in their struggle. The terrorist are shown in the light of normal people living without much hope. Their only hope is that their role of martyrs in the struggle will give rise to a better tomorrow. A stunning film indeed...

Rating: * * *

The Indian Runner

Sean Penn's directorial debut film - and its got every bit of the 'tragedy' element that Penn, the actor, thrives in.

The movie is apparently inspired by Bruce Springsteen's 'Highway Patrolman'; about 2 brothers, one who is upright and the other who is not. The lyrics of the song is pretty much drives the movie.

Excellent, expansive photography of rural Nebraska and some good strong peformances all around. But, if you take a 6 minute song and make into a 2 hr movie, one shouldnt really expect a gripping plot.

Rating: * * +

New Guy

Gregg starts work in a new company only to find his cubicle covered with Post-It notes left by his predecessor. And there ends all the novelty in the film. Another one of those "Why did I put this on my queue?" movies.

Rating: *

Water

The final installation in Deepa Mehta's trilogy, Water portrays the plight of windows in India during the 1930s. The film has a excellent story line and screenplay but having Lisa Ray and John Abraham in the lead roles made the movie fall flat.

Rating: * *

Flags of our Fathers

These days when I see the words - 'A CLINT EASTWOOD FILM' - I shut the laptop and head to the nearest queue for cinema tickets. And when its based on a WWII incident, I am found missing from office for the rest of the day.

Its about the Battle of Iwo Jima; one of the bloodiest battles in the Pacific; and specifically, the legendary flag raising photo and the heroes that it creates accidentally. However, the real truth behind the picture has emerged only slowly and thats what the movie centres on. It also shows how one of the largest and most highly promoted capital market bond roadshow was conducted - very interesting. It was instrumental on how WWII eventually turned out.

The timing of the film couldnt have been more appropriate - it shows nothing has really changed. Nothing that we see today about Bush/Iraq/Weapons of Mass Manipulation is new. Its been happening for a long long while and will continue to happen for a long long time to come.

The movie is a long one, and captures a lot through substantial 'to&fro' switching between the past & the future. Theres no real continuous motion of events and therefore quite different from other war movies. From purely a 'war' prespective, it would rank lower than 'The Thin Red Line' - arguably the best war movie out there.

Despite the inappropriateness of the underlying theme at this present moment & no real quality performances to talk about, it should be a front runner for the the Academy Awards.

Rating: * * *

Apparently, Clint Eastwood is also directing a complementary film on the battle from the Japanese viewpoint. Its titled Letters from Iwo Jima, and will star Ken Watanabe.

Revisting some classics

Over the past few days, I came across couple of movies that drew me to cinema a long time back. And fortunately, even after many years, the inherent strength of the movies remain intact. Or, probably even further enhanced. Which is not true of many other movies that I had thought was brilliant at one point in time. 


Would be a pity if they dont get a mention here, and therefore.. I see a worrying trend here - there are going to be many a blast from the past. Anyways..

In The Name of the Father



Powerful is the word that comes to mind when one watches the movie - starting with the opening Belfast street riot scene and right until the end. And an excellent soundtrack to boot.
Rating: * * * *


Stand By Me

A road trip of sorts, which becomes a character building experience of a lifetime for all involved. 'Dead Poets Society'esque. Took me back to Madras.

Rating: * * *

The Buffalo Boy

Vietnam is beautiful even when covered with water. You get to literally soak up the countryside in this movie. Set in the 1940's before the split, it shows the tale of Kim. There is a bit of everything in this film... booze, weed, fights, young lust, death and life... A young boy's coming of age tale.

Rating: * * +

The Double Bill

Infernal Affairs
Tony Leung is a police mole in the mafia. Andy Lau is a mafia mole in the police. Let the cat and mouse games begin. One of the tightest gangster flicks I have ever seen. Completely stripped of unnecessary melodrama. Even the love interests of the two characters are subtly portrayed. Just a few conversations here and there to get the message across. And Tony Leung rules!!! Every time I see him on screen he just blows. The man's acting is effortless.

Rating: * * *

The Departed
Why would someone like Martin Scorsese have to dig into the Asian pocket and adapt a film, I know not. Andy Lau's role is played by Matt Damon and Tony Leung's is taken over by (snicker snicker) Leanordo Di Caprio. In an attempt to give more background and depth to the characters, Scorsese has made the film more noisier without adding anything to it except of course the unnecessary love triangle. But I have to say that Jack Nicholson does get under your skin as the Mafioso don.

Rating: * *

Kikujiro

Kitano reprises his role as Beat Takeshi in this film. One of the funniest films I have ever seen. Beat Takeshi is a loud mouthed ex-Yakuza who is handed the role of a companion to a young shy and awkward boy who is looking for his mother. This unlikely pair go on a road trip that will leave you rolling on the floor with laughter.

Rating: * * *

Casino Royale

The Joseph Stalin professor makes his appearance in a role thats more his scene. A return to the beginning of 007 - an indication that they believe the fellow is going to be here for a while. A good watch - especially, the hand combat scenes and less of gadgets.

Rating: * * +

Edmond

Will Macy is the man - vatta ore the performance only.

Starring as 'Edmond', a man who finally loses his marbles on the face of 47 years of carrying the burden of tolerance, being a dedicated working professional and a dutiful husband. I empathise with the fellow.

After a rather unpleasant meeting with a tarot card reader, he meets a fellow disgruntled middle-aged man at a bar who tells him: "There's too much pressure on us. A man's got to get out. A man has got to get away from himself". He further elaborates: "Pussy, Pussy. Power, money, adventure. I think that's it. Self-destruction. I think that's it."

The man (Joe Mantegna) at the bar also talks about how the 'niggers' have it easy - "I don't blame them because they behave like animals - I would do the same if I were one".

I think thats when the marbles finally start pouring out of Edmond's head. After telling his wife that he has not been "sexually and spiritually attracted" to her for "many many years", he heads off to discover the truth.

Series of events subsequently pushes Edmond into the vortex of anger & hate. He does break free from the shackles of society and feels increasingly closer to the truth - albeit in a demented, racist sort of a way. He keeps rambling & spouting his views on everything - "Every fear hides a wish" is the central one.

The film definitely draws comparisons with 'Falling Down'; but there Michael Douglas attempts to bring down the entire system, while here Will Macy's interactions are on a personal level. One day this movie would be rated as a classic - in much the same vein as one sees 'Taxi Driver', 'Midnight Cowboy' today.

Rating: * * *

Archangel

Something I thought that goes back to something that I really like: USSR, brute KGB agents, ice-cold landscapes of Russia and clever interplay of spy speak. The protagonist is a professor turned spy/detective, as he attempts to uncover the hidden secret of Joseph Stalin. But considering its Daniel Craig playing the main character, it seems more a case of a spy/detective turned professor - with this clipped sentences and stony looks.

The ending, and the plot in general, turns out to be a damp squib. Dont know if its because its a mini-series turned into a movie.

Rating: * +

Last Life in the Universe

There are certain books out there that suck you in and you end up living its world for as long you are reading it. This movie did the same to me. You gently float along with the tale of Kenji, a quiet, sensitive and shy young Japanese man living in Bangkok. He wants to commit suicide though not for the usual reasons like heartbreak, despair and loneliness. There are hints of Wong Kar-Wai and Haruki Murakami and having Chris Doyle behind the lenses definitely helps.

I really don't want to say more about the film. The feeling that I have cannot be translated into words. But I would only recommend this to Wenerd and Aromal...

Rating: * * * *

Shattered Glass

A true story of a rogue journalist, Stephen Glass, who made up stories for The New Republic magazine and passed them off as factual investigative pieces. Though seemingly interesting, it bordered on the 'zzzzzzzz...' category of films. But my two favourite actors were there in it: Steve Zahn and Chloë Sevigny.

Rating: * +

Babel

The story of a gun, a bullet and the far reaching effects of a single shot. The shot not only wounds its victim but its splinters go far across continents with unnerving accuracy. From the director of Amores Perros, Alejandro González Iñárritu, this flick leaves you stunned yet in a strange kind of bliss in spite of its starkly realistic nature.
There are scenes from the movie where you find it hard to believe the people in it are actors. Superb acting all around.

Rating: * * *

Suzhou River

I have read many books that are written in the first person. But this is the first time I have seen a film that does the same. Suzhou River flows through Shanghai and its polluted hues forms the backdrop for this film. The story is told through some deft camera work and a narrator. The narrator tells us his story of love with an acting mermaid at a club while weaving through the cobwebs of his imagination. His imagination parallels the love in his life. A lovely phantasmagoria indeed...

Rating: * * +

7G Rainbow Colony (Tamil)

Very scary movie. Fact that it is based on a true story makes it even scarier. Be very afraid...

Rating: *

Shanghai Triad

This is another Zhang Yimou and Gong Li team up. The movie starts out with a young teenager coming to Shanghai to become Gong's servant. She plays the role of a singer at club who is kept by a don of the city. Being directed by Yimou I expected more from this film but it turned out to be a very simple gangster flick.

Gong Li as always is stunning on the screen. She plays a bitch for most of the film but there a couple of scene where she lets her guard down. The shift is indeed very startling. But other than for her acting there is nothing much else in the film.

Rating: * +

The Warrior

The movie is a showcase for Rajasthan. It has very little in the way of conversation. The mood is completely conveyed using the background score and and Irfan Kahn. I think he is one of the better up and coming actors in the Hindi film industry. He is an actor in the same vein as Nasirudeen Shah and is getting a few good roles to his credit.

The story is very simple. Irfan plays the role of a hired killer for a landlord. He receives a vision during a village massacre that makes him change his path. A film of this nature has to be handled very delicately. The story has depth but very little width. Coupled with the fact that the conversation is scant it is up to the director to keep the audience involved. Asif Kapadia has done that with subdued panache. I hope to see more films directed by this man.

Rating: * * +

Chinatown

I can see from this film why some people hold Jack Nicholson in high esteem. Faye Dunaway with her very sensuous screen presence is a babe all the way. A very gritty detective film. The opposite of the Big Sleep which in my opinion was indeed a big sleep. One of the most realistic detective movies I have ever seen.

Rating: * * +

Lost Embrace

Lots of pointless conversation... could not take more than 45 minutes of it.

Rating: +

Buena Vista Social Club

I've been waiting for this : a * * * * star film.

My second viewing; brought about by this nasty concoction of gaseous, liquid and solid matters of existence. It was different this time - seemed as though Ibrahim Ferrer walked straight out of the CD cover.

Outstanding footage of a land not seen too much by the outside world. A cast as varied as it could get and as full of character as any fictional script could possibly be.

Humility appears to be the cornerstone of these characters as fate brings them together after having given up hope. As well as in the music := full of hope.

The heart of the movie lies in the music ofcourse. But as I watched the movie for the second time, the music came across as new and fresh as ever. Which boils down to the connection with the camera that these artists achieve.

Ofcourse, none of this would have happened if not for an opportunist : who realised before any one else, that herein lies an opportunity to take this music out of a smoky bar, in a colonial building, in a rundown corner of Havana, to the outside unsuspecting world. This wasnt the first effort in making public an unknown artist to the western world, but this was the most popular one todate; Ry Cooder.
Was a pleasant surprise to discover that Ry Cooder had collabrated with one Wim Wenders to make the movie. Also realised that it was the same combination of musician - director who put together Paris, Texas - a depressingly stellar film.

A true classic this one is though.

Rating: * * * *

Lucky Number Slevin

Seeing this movie is akin to watching a jigsaw puzzle being solved. A very cool and edgy flick with the director trying very hard to be Quentin Tarantino. Reminded me again of the reason I like Mr. Freeman. His voice. Though thats just me. Bruce Willis plays the cool headed world famous assassin with aplomb.

When the movie ended I thought that it indeed was a tight flick but after thinking about it for a while I realized that it reminded me of Being Cyrus and I give higher points to that film for shock value.

Rating: * *

Classmates

The low quality of the mallu movies in the last 5 years makes this film stand out. A reunion of classmates that turns into a murder mystery. Prithviraaj plays the lead and Balachandra Menon does a fine job of being the professor / detective. If only the screenplay had been better...

Rating: * +

Los dos lados de la cama

In English it translates to 'Two Sides of the Bed'. As one can imagine, its about 2 couples and how fate gets the combinations to be rearranged dramatically. Whilst its funny, there was a tired sense of deja-vu.

Rating: * *

Open Water

This one can put you off diving. Low-budget flick, reasonably made. Not worth recommending a watch though.

Rating: * +

The Prestige

Lot of hype surrounding the movie - understandable, considering it was Chris Nolan & about magicians. The beginining and the build-up of the story was good - Michael Caine explaining the basic tenets of magic tricks, the manic obsession of the main characters for their craft, and their sheer ruthlessness came across very well.

But the last bit wasn't half as tight as it should have been. I understand that the book, from which the movie was adapted, was different - esp the latter part of the story. Probably explains the sudden dilution of events in the movie. Usual tricks are present: the movie transports the viewer to&fro across time - which sadly is not a novelty anymore. Good performances though from everyone.

A good movie, but certainly not in the same class as Memento.

Rating: * * +

Tickets

Its one of those joined up movies. Three separate stories directed separately by 3 different directors - like Eros. Boasts of a set of 3 master directors - Ermanno Olmi (no clue), Abbas Kiarostami ('The Taste of Cherry') and Ken Loach (of whom I had heard of) - directing 3 separate stories connected by a train.

Well-made. Given that the train compartment (and a few characters ) was the only common thread; its interesting to observe of how the same situation can be presented by different people.

The Ermanno Olmi segment had this deliberate touch to it - an intense look back at lost opportunities. The best section, or rather the one I liked, was Abbas Kiarostamis undoubtedly. Fluid, easy, clear and no mystery. The final segment: Ken Loach's story of 3 Celtic Football Club fans and their experience - a lot more passionate and emotional than the other 2.

Put together, its not mind-boggling. But then thats not the point.

Rating : * * *

The Sentinel

Years (just 3) of monogamy has got Michael Douglas itching again. So smartly he first attempts to boost his bank balance first before he tries anything - as the claws of the nuptial agreement can strangle him any time. And then he gets a role where he can bonkax (even for 2 secs) the First Lady - that too Kim Basinger. Smartly done.

Rating: *

Days of Being Wild

This is the second time I am watching the movie and it yet again left me with the feeling of floating in space. Wong Kar Wai is sublime. This was his first movie with Chris Doyle and you can see the beginnings of ITMFL. The movie follows various characters trying to find meaning, purpose and direction to life who are left feeling disconsolate and lost in a world of missed opportunities. The pace is gentle but has a certain panache to it.

Maggie Cheung is ethereal and vulnerable. I think this is the film she looks the most beautiful in. It is interesting to note that she plays a character with the same name in ITMFL and Tony Leung shows up at the end looking very much like our friend Mr Chow.

Rating: * * *

TAKESHIS'

This one is 500% Kitano. And nothing to add!

So says the tag line, and on reflection thats exactly what it is. TK does a double act - one of himself, and the other of a wannabe extra. Filled with repetitions (of scenes, dialogues, actors), lots of casual violence, bizzare sequence of sex, music, colour and more killings. Complete fantasy flight for a person from the outer world into the world of a movie star.

I think this was an outcome of his unwinding - from all the subtleties and complexities and sensitivities of his earlier movies.

Rating: Much as it was cool, think it just about gets to a * *

The Great New Wonderful

One of the first few movies made around 9/11. It has 5 sets of characters and their respective stories run parallel to each other. Except for one, there is no real connection or explicit reference to the event of Sep01 - so one wonders why?

The stories are individually thought provoking and performances quite tight. However, at the end of it all, the sum of parts is infinitely lower than the individual bits.

Our own Naseeruddin Shah and Sharat Sexena are involved as a couple of security guards, contemplating their naval. A decent performance nevertheless.

Rating: * *

Dolls

They say that intense lovers start to resemble each other in spirit after a while. But what do you do to make up for what your love has lost? Takeshi Kitano in his first stab at a love story inspired by a Bunraku play, has portrayed not one but three pairs of lovers. The difference in this movie is the extreme nature of the love.

Kitano is very much like our very own Kamal Hassan. He can do comedy (Kikujiro), action (Zatoichi) and sombre thought provoking (Hanabi) with the same aplomb.
Here again he proves his mettle as a director.


Rating: * *

Don't Move

"The one who loves you is always there. Even before meeting you..."

Dr Timoteo (Sergio Castellito) is in a hospital waiting for his daughter to come out of surgery. During this time of uncertainty and suffering, he recounts his affair in his younger day with the poor and destitute Italia (Penelope Cruz). The movie is well crafted by Castellito who directed and wrote the screenplay. This is his third film that I am seeing and my respect for him has grown with each one. And I don't know why Cruz did not win an Oscar for her role...

Rating: * * *

Omkara

From the point of acting in Dil Chahta Hai, Saif Ali Kahn has discovered the sacred art of acting. He again along with Ajay Devgan has done some good work in this film. The only weak link in the movie is Vivek Oberoi who seems to be able to portray only two mudras. He either looks happy like an idiot or looks very confused.

The movie is really well made. But since it is yet another take on Othello, it went stale on me after a while.

Rating: * * +

Taste of Cherry

A serious piece of film-making this one is. If one is the kind that cant take 5 minutes of meaningless silence and dry monologues, kindly walk away.

The faces are haunting, the scenery as well and most importantly, the story. Contemplating death is a personal issue. But here, the protagonist seeks compassion in his steadfast confusion and thats how the movie unwinds.

The director probably was contemplating death himself, considering what he was trying to make and where he was trying to make it.

There are some good reviews on the net: 1, 2 and an interview with Abbas Kiarostami

Rating: * * *

Vettaiyadu Vellaiyadu

Decided to watch a tamizh movie in a theatre after a long time - primarily because of the hype. The movie was quite sober compared to other Indian mainstream cinema, which ensured I stayed till the end. However, the doyen of Tamil movie is looking as heavy and bloated as his ageing contemporaries in Malayalam/ Hindi cinema.

Its a murder mystery; and well made. Over an hour of the movie is shot in New York - and for once, the white men in the movie, speak english as they normally would.

The best was certainly reserved for the climax. For better part of the movie the Hero DCP Raghavan has been trying in vain to nab the serial killers, despite the whole nation being on alert. And just when he is about to give up, he discovers the "breaking point" of the villans. He thunders on the phone, "I KNOW, YOU are HOMOSEXUALSSSS......". The villan collapes and breaks down.

Another 3.25 hours long movie.

Rating: * *

Barry Lyndon

My respect for Stanley Kubrick only grows. A period flick about an Irish chap called Redmond Barry and his travels across Europe to become a gentleman. His lying, cheating escapades reminds me of Flashman. What catches one's eye the most is the spectacular photography and the humour. Dark tragic humour, which I think Kubrick is a master at. Its a 3 hour movie though.

Rating: * * +

Suraj Ka Satvan Ghoda

Watching this movie is akin to reading a book of short stories. It centers around the tales narrated by Manek Babu played by Rajit Kapoor (remember Byomekesh Bakshi). His stories have some fine characters played by even finer actors. Amrish Puri is excellent as a womanising sleaze ball. Nina Gupta shines as feisty gypsy. Manek tells his stories in an inter weaving Rashomonish fashion and the flow of the stories through space and time is reigned in well by Shyam Benegal.

Rating: * * +

Napoleon Dynamite

Had no clue what the movie was about when it was picked up. Thought it would be hilarious, it turned out to be orey funny. Really. Made in the mould of "Whats eating Gilbert Grape?' - story of a nobody going nowhere. Enjoyed it.

Rating: * * +

Boondock Saints

You have to see this film for Willem Dafoe's portrayal of an openly gay FBI officer on the trail of the twin angels. Sean Patrick Flanery and Norman Reedus are the avenging angels of Boston. They take on mafia, professional killers and other scumbags of similar nature but with God on their side. Violently entertaining...

Rating: * *