Paraiso Travel

Reina (Angelica Blandon) allures Marlon (Aldemar Correa) like a temptress moon and he has no choice but to follow. He leaves his humdrum life in Madellin, Colombia for love and the harsh streets of New York City. In a brief flash he finds himself separated from Reina and on his own. But luckily for him a better life follows including the bewitching Milagroz (Ana de la Reguera) who inexplicably falls for him. However, Marlon dreams of Reina in spite of the angel who opens her legs arms to him. A film that couches the perils of illegally crossing in to the US within a forlorn love story, leaves you feeling empty of sympathy for the characters. In spite of their dire situation one feels that they got what they deserved!

Rating: * *

In the Loop

A benign quote "War is unforeseeable" from a British minister, sets off a slew of events that sees the US and the UK careen towards a war against a middle eastern country. A political satire that jet sets between London and Washington DC leaves you wondering in spite of its absurdity if this is the way governments function.

Rating: * *

Road, Movie

Vishnu is a young nothing from Jaisalmer, staring at a life of selling hair oil, his dad's business, and is not pleased. Fortunately for him, he stumbles upon an old neighbourhood uncle who is planning to drive his old Chevrolet truck (cinema theater on wheels) to a town by the sea and donate the damn thing to a museum. Vishnu volunteers to drive and envisages a long drive full of "foul smelling farts" - its not to be as he encounters 3 strangers on the way, who pull him away from life as he knows it.

Written & directed by Dev Benegal, 'Road, Movie' belongs to the burgeoning class of alternate / independent / not-fucked-up-Bollywood cinema. Whilst the plot seems familiar, the truck, the landscape and the sparseness of it all, makes it wurf-it. Abhay Deol does a good job as a young nothing - he is definitely an actor to monitor - got an eye for cool roles. I don't think the plot does justice w.r.t developing some of the other characters - the little boy and the fat man (Satish Kaushik). Last word: Mr. Benegal is, arguably, as pompous as his Bollywood director friends.

Rating: * * +

Villon's Wife

After reading Osamu Dazai's masterpiece last year, it was a pleasant surprise to watch an adaption of his earlier novel on the big screen. It does appear that all his works were an attempt to understand the darkness that engulfed him. Unlike 'No longer human', this story is narrated from the point of view of Otani's long-suffering wife - besides capturing all the sacrifices she makes to keep him, one, through Sachi's eyes, comes face to face with the devil that Otani is.

Tadanobu Asano as Otani shows yet again why he is one of the finest actors in the world today. Takaka Matsu plays Sachi with the kind of honesty and loyalty that would have made the Villon's wife proud. With brilliant performances, a plot that completely draws one in and fine directing by Kichitaro Negishi, Villon's wife slots into the top draw quite comfortably.

Rating: * * * +

PS: I really hope nobody attempts to adapt 'No longer human', as it would take away all the attention that the novel deserves. Update: wikipedia says the movie is on its way. Fuck it.

The Pool

Venkatesh (Venkatesh Chavan) sits on a tree branch and gazes forlornly at a pool bordering a deserted bungalow in Panjim, Goa. The tree is his intermediate resting spot during the laundry run for the hotel he works in. When the mansion sees new residents, Venky's life shines a tad brighter as he grows close to the father (Nana Patekar) and daughter (Ayesha Mohan) living there. A simple film with a simple screen play and story. But it is this very simplicity that allows it to show the complex layers of Indian society so succinctly.  For example the fact that Venkatesh is seen in only two outfits through the film while Ayesha changes her tops for every scene. That small nuance speaks volumes about the different strata of society the two occupy. The acting in the film is very understated and raw making the whole scenario more documentary like. Mr. Patekar shows that he can still be the man if he chooses to. Ms. Mohan is dusky and sexy while having more acting skill in her little pinky when compared to a certain Ms. Pinto. The movie should have been required viewing for Danny Boyle before he embarked on the disaster known as Slumdog Millionaire!

Rating: * * * +

Ip Man

The semi-autobiographical take on the legendary master of Bruce Lee, sees Donnie Yen don the role of Ip Man. The film attempts to show the Wing Chung master's life in China prior to his move to Hong Kong during / after WWII and his "resistance" against the invading Japanese culture. That portrayal seems a tad too melodramatic for it to have been real. However it calls for some very enjoyable ass kicking and if the popularity of Wing Chung was on the wane, this film should have brought it back on to the martial art radar.

Rating: * * +

The Hurt Locker

The camera follows an US army bomb squad through the treacherous streets of Iraq. You are given the eerie feeling that every object could be a bomb and anyone could be the detonator. But the feelings gets old very quickly and you want a few more layers to the film which is sadly lacking. With the hype surrounding the film, it seemed destined to be placed alongside Platoon and Apocalypse Now. That will not be the case in my book. 

Rating: * *

The American

Take a John Le Carre book add some violence to it, strip away the extensive background and storyline, make it in to a film and you will have The American floating across the screen. Jack (George Clooney) is taciturn assassin on the run from the Swedes. Who and why they are after him is deemed inconsequential by the director. However the lush cinematography and the voluptuous Violante Placido make for it. In spite of the all nagging questions that arise in your mind, you find yourself sucked in to Jack's solitary and fraught existence. A live in the moment film... 

Rating: * * +

O' Horton

Odd Horton (Baard Owe) is retiring from his life long job of an engine driver, I mean train engineer and he is an odd one at that. The film on the whole is odd in a boring kind of a way. A poor follow on to Factotum by Bent Hamer.

Rating: +

99

A gambler, the don, his gundas and supposed damsels in distress on the backdrop of match fixing makes up the key points of this film. With a cunning script and right treatment, this make up could conceptually turn in to a brilliant film. Alas just a concept it remains as we are dragged through 2 hours of drudgery which seemed like a life time. Boman Irani  the gambler, like Sachin Tendulkar in the 90s toils away in isolation trying to keep you hooked to the happenings. Kunal Khemu and Cyrus Broacha play the gundas and after a while Khemu trying to be a certain Amir Khan tires you out. Soha Ali Khan and Simone Singh roles are dubious and makes you wonder why they are in the movie till you remember the need for eye candy. Now to make things worse space has been wasted on the cloud for this piece of toilet paper used by the devil. Hopefully it will at least stand as a warning to others...

Rating: *