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: * *

Face

Could not take more than half hour of the movie...

Rating: +

Shooting Dogs

Its based on a true story - a heart wrenching one set at the time of the '90s genocide in Rwanda - as the UN forces hopelessly watched.

But, please avoid the movie. Thanks.

Rating: *

Brick

A school based detective murder movie. Scream type. But nicely made with cool shots, cool acting, cool language and cool chick.

Nice movie to watch, if your eyes are only half-open.

Rating: * *

Millions

Two brothers find a pile of money in Pounds a few days before the conversion to Euro is going to take place. One of the boys who sees and talks to saints, wants to give the money away to the poor. The other wants to spend it all. A really lighthearted and hilarious flick. The take on the "bread and fish" tale by St Peter talking to the boy is brilliant. Though I have to take a star away for the cheesy ending.

PS: One of the scenes that I liked a lot was of the family moving to their new home. The boys are rushing to see their new place. The dad pauses before closing the door of his old home. You hear the sounds of the time he and his family had in there. He then shuts the door and leaves.

Rating: * * +

Inside Man

Theres a good guy and a bad guy. But they are both good. And as always in such cases, theres a bad bitch in between. Hiding. One keeps hoping that the good good guy and the good bad guy doesnt cross paths more than necessary. While the bad bitch gets sorted out appropriately. And one keeps wondering till the end.

A Spike Lee joint.

and this Clive Owen fellow is quality.

Rating: * * *

Layer Cake

Man sells some white powder. Man makes money. Man pays supplier not a day late. Everybody is happy and man decides to retires. Then man decides to do a favor and the shit hits the fan. What a movie!!! Crisp, neat and a one of the best gangster flicks I have seen in a long time.

Rating: * * * +

The Hidden Blade

This film has resounding echoes of the Twilight Samurai. But yet it holds it own. The film likes its predecessor is set in Japan just before the Meiji Restoration with the role of the Samurai changing drastically in Japanese society. The film centers around Katagiri Munezo, a lowly Samurai of the Unasaka clan. Rather than concentrating on the "sword is the soul" side of the Samurai, the film focuses on his inner turmoil and contemplations. The movie again highlights that Yôji Yamada too, like some of his Asian contemporaries has mastered the use of stillness to convey emotions.

Rating: * * *

Lage Raho Munnabhai

It is when you see movies like these that you realize that even an actress like Vidya Balan also needs to make some money. I can think of no other explanation for her to act in such a film. But she can soon stop doing this in December when I will propose sweet matrimony to this lovely Mallu goddess. It also has a peculiar side effect of making you hate MK Gandhi.

Rating: +

The Fashion Double-header weekend: The Devil Wears Prada and Tony Takitani

It was all very unconscious - the whole weekend that is - the fashion bit I mean.

So at the beginning, I thought I would watch a regular movie. Which elicited a regular response: hmm, zzzzzzz, hahaha, zzzzzz, what happened, zzzzzz, hehe, zzzzzz, what, zzz, why,,, zzz, ok ok.

But I remember Meryl Streep.

Rating: * (zzzz)

Then came this:

Its very strange how I stumbled upon it. On Friday I had learnt that this was the movie, or the first that I was aware of that was adapted from an original Murakami short story.

So I figured this is certainly a movie that one had to watch out for. I asked for it at the neighbourhood DVD store on Saturday. The fucker laughed at me. "Is that the name of the movie or the actor?" Chuth.

This morning I opened the newspaper and behold, it was showing at the Picturehouse. Couldnt believe my eyes and the surrealism of it. I broke the little Sunday afternoon nap to get to this place.

Was very conscious that it was a Murakami blessed movie and of how it would turn out on the big screen. I wasnt worried about the story itself, and I would leave it to you to figure out that.

Well, it was a very pleasant movie and I was happy with the way it was made. With a lot of narration / sound over, which I expected. The scenes slipped across the screen, from one to the other. Lot of close range shots of apparently nothing. Nice wide screen shots of the colossus that is the city. Shots of green foillage thrown in once in a while. The jazz music in the background was inevitable and so was the sparseness in everyday life of Tony Takitani. And there is fashion (once again) and the sickness it can breed.

"A story of love lost and found .... and lost again"

And loneliness.

Rating: * * *