JAGTE RAHO (1956)

There is a wise saying in Hindi-
“Apne apne hamam me sab nange hi hota hai.”
Means-Everyone is naked inside the bathroom (privacy). The movie gets a witness to pip an eye into the lives in privacy of so called sophisticated people of the society who makes hue & cry about social morals & character in public but in the closet they are all culprits. Its story of one midnight where a thirsty villager is labeled as a thief by everyone. He hides himself one after another different houses & get witness to the reality of a private affair, false pride, a husband who steal money from his own wife, a drunkard who seeks a prostitute in his wife, jealous neighbors, a man who declared prize money to catch a thief was himself printed fake currency, a quack doctor who issues fake dead certificates just for sack of money & Tamasha seeker Junta… the list goes on & on. It’s indeed a powerful satire on society’s hidden dark face.
In one of the touching scene when RK hid inside a dispensary got glance upon fresh currency he tried to accumulate all the bundles of notes. Suddenly his eyes caught a sight of a skeleton & he gained his conscience back. What a message by the scene without a single line or word !!! A man who was considered as a thief still follows his conscience of soul in the time of crisis & at the same time what the hell so called social servants are doing.
Watch the climax scene where crowd gathered to catch RK shoting & pelting stones towards him suddenly forget & forgive him as soon as currency notes started falling from his pocket. Money makes people forget everything- the cause & effect also.
Its perfect title of the film which proclaimed – “Jagte Raho (Samaaj ke asli choro se jo apne apne gharo ke andar chupe baithe hai)…Jagte Raho (all you hidden rats of crime- God is watching you…)
Personally I adore Raj Kapoor as a filmmaker & considered ‘Awara’ the best effort to tell a story (full credit to writer K A Abbas) but I do not consider him as a serious actor but for this film I want to take my words back as he had done honestly a sincere effort to portray the character with his natural ease. RK remained almost silent throughout the film & portrayed his expressions until the last climactic speech with lathi in his hand & my god what a short but effective words which still touches to us after so many years. That’s the soul of true classic.
It’s a very simple but thought provoking film of early 60’s which even today seems probable. The film was not directed by RK but by Shombhu Mitra & Amit Mitra who also scripted the film. Even this is the only movie where one of my favorite composer Salilda & the lyricist with class A- Shailendra Colloborated & composed one of the fine Mukesh classic - “Zindagi Khwab Hai…” in this RK film.

Highly recommended to all Indian cinema classic lovers.

No ratings for classics right!!!

OYE LUCKY LUCKY OYE (2008)

Now this is what I called sensible feel good cinema. With the new generation of film makers like Dibakar Benerjee (remember his ‘Khosla Ka Ghosla’) comes sincere & serious effort to portray life as it is with all ingredients of subtle & stark humor & ironies of life. The film depicts Delhi with its authentic North Indian flavor & touch, detailing observation of real life characters, the nexus of police-burglars, irony & anger of being a lower middle class youth & funny punch lines (dialogues) & so many other things nicely blended to tell you a story of a super chor named Lucky.

I don’t understand why critics & viewers always compare the early hit of director & give the next film half hearted viewing & ratings. Because that’s what happens with this film; most of the so cales film critics compared it with early sleeper hit of the director & said boo to this film. This is different film but it’s also belonging to the same lineage of middle class smartness to rise above their lives either by hook or CROOK!!! The movie also raised a pertinent question that who’s the real crook? A lower middle class boy who dreams life of upper class or so called sophisticated outside shallow inside rising upper class in Indian metroes? It’s serious film without being serious in tone. One can pick out so many nuances picked out from shrewd observations of life around in the film.
Abhay Deol again proves that why he’s charmer boy for all new generation passionate film makers. When I saw him 1st time in ‘Socha Na Tha’, I noticed his natural flair of acting & I’m desperate to see his performance in upcoming Anurag Kashyap version of modern Devdas in ‘Dev D’. Paresh Raval is genius & this time he proved himself in 3 totally different roles & done nice job up to the expected level. Rest of all cast also performed without being over acted or reacted. The portrayal of burglary with such an ease by Lucky & his partner is something which I find only improbable factor in the film. The end is also slightly abrupt. But one should not count 20% negative things in 80% well made film.
The fade in projector shots is reminiscence of gr8 Hollywood con classic ‘Butch Cassidy & Sundance Kid’ & it may be the spark of con & fun that director wanted to convey to the audience with the character of Lucky.

A film one should not ignore.

Ratings- 7.5/10

MILK (2008)

Harvey Milk(Sean Penn) is 40 years old gay living in San Francisco, who has done nothing significant in his life. He is the 1st man who openly proclaims that he’s homosexual in 1972. This something unimaginable in a time when not only society, police & Government considered them as immoral puss against the cultural values & discriminate gays in their professions & locality. It all started when few gay members supported him in his movement, some were brutally killed by the cops. He raised a campaign to protect human rights for the gays , with activists support he go straight for Supervisor election in the city, campaigned & lost 2 times. Government & Police continued their tyranny on community all over the states. Milk became the only Hope for the gays & he proved his conviction with public support. But he got his nemesis in the form of Dan White (Josh Brolin), who shot him along with the mayor.
The movie is based on real life story of Milk & almost all the incidents covered in the film are true. It’s shocking & realistic powerful drama made by Gus Van Sant. What I like most about the film that it goes beyond a mere biography of Milk & explores the humanity behind the icon to discover his fight for gay rights is truly a fight for human rights.
Sean Penn as a Milk done commendable justice in his role-picking up little nuances in detailing & there’s no doubt that it’s one of his memorable one. No surprise if we see his name on Academy nomination for best actor. Watch his oratorical speeches to public!!! In supporting cast- James Franco, EmileHirsch & Brolin are just OK with their whatever tasks given to them.
In 1977, Harvey Milk was the 1st openly gay man elected to public office in US. If confused about ‘openly gay’ watch the film. The film is the must watch for all those who sneer their nose about homosexuality. It’s a story of a common man raised against the system & social taboos & transformed the way of perception in the society.

Highly recommended.

Ratings-8.5/10

GRAN TORINO (2008)

Find me an actor-producer-director who still rock the screen with his smashing performance at the age of 78 & I will left watching the movies forever.
Clint Eastwood never retires. He is Hollywood’s paragon of a tough man with all his groaning, growling, gunning, spitting expressions. He is still ‘Dirty Harry’ in his 80’s. It’s not loads of his attitude only; he is refining actor true to the salt. So the old man is back with bang again. This is his second offering of this year as a director & first as an actor. He is in a role perfectly made for him at this age. Walter Kowalski (Eastwood) is an old retired army man living in his lone home with his proud possession 1972 model Gran Torino car. His sons & grand children are living their own American lives. Old man is unhappy with all of them since they lost discipline & moral conduct of right & wrong as he is the man of honor & atonement with rough justice & man of family. A boy named Thabo(Bee Wang) belong to next door Chinese neighbor family once tried to steal his car under the pressure from his community hoodlums. Once Walter saved Chinese family from this goons & second he saves Thabo’s sister on road. He became an admirable neighbor to Chinese family. Thabo became friend & Walter became a role model for him. But the hoodlums are back & they created turmoil to Thabo’s sweet young sister. Thabo is in rage & he gets what is expected from Walter- the revenge. But the revenge is not easy & it attained with the deliberate self sacrifice of Walter.
Eastwood rocks the screen as star again & watch him in every frame of this film & you believe that all adjectives are just futile to express a legend like this. This one is again an Oscar worthy performance. Locked. With this film he proved once again that why he is an ‘American Icon’.
Look at his range representing a huge dichotomy of two facial expressions- Expression of firing rage when he saved a neighborhood Chinese girl on the road from junkies & the expression of helplessness when he called his son to inform about his diagnosis result. Both are way over the top.
Technically also the movie is first grade with Eastwood’s loyal cinematographer Tom Stern, one of the tailor-made script-screenplay for him by Dave Johannson & Nick Schenk & fine editing work.
Bravo Clint!!! You made me speechless again with your act & direction & I must say one thing only-“Standing strong you belong to your skin throughout your life.”

One of the best & mandatory watch of this year.

Ratings-10/10

GHAJINI (2008)

It’s certainly most awaited film of the year with sky rocketed expectations of Bollywood. Most of us know that its second Indian version of the original classic cult thriller ‘Memento’. So those who have seen the original, the comparison naturally strikes while viewing this film but hey there are certain changes made by director (naturally Aamir!!!) to suit Indian audience & to make it blockbuster hit of the year & it will be surely super hit. Aamir has done class act with his both looks & its out & out his film than any other actor of the film. He is the rare breed of quality actor who really experimenting in an unusual roles & films & audience will surely remember him in this new avatar with his toned muscles & powerful role play. He is really Bollwood’s Kamal Hasan.
The film has all the ingredients to entertain the audience- performances, thrill, action, music & romance. The first half is introduction of plot, flashbacks pre-murder with fun-romance & its touchy one with humor & romance intertwined. The chemistry of Aamir- Asin works here which justifies the revenge in the end. Well its more revenge flick than intriguing ‘Memento’ so action plays pivotal role in the second half. With Compelling plot (mostly rip off) here action is also play vital role & you will see lot of South Indian kind of maar-dhaad but with Aamir’s revival body & expression it will keep your senses off the hook. Asin looks refreshingly fresh in her funny act & her performance will also stay with you once you are out of the theatre. Jiah’s role is significant in the script but its not developed further than aid to the central character.
So even though you have seen ‘Memento’ or not the movie is must watch for every Aamir Khan Lover as it’s the Merry Christmas gift to all Aamir Khan lovers.

Ratings- 8.5/10

THE MAN FROM EARTH (2007)

Imagine a man bidding farewell to friends & neighbors confessing that he’s actually caveman still surviving for 14000 years & his life encompassing every experiences of past history including Buddha to stone age or even Jesus Christ!!!
Is he crazy? Is he serious? Is he really a caveman what he proclaims?
Well, this is a film where either you are inside as a viewer or totally outside with this strangest man. The movie is total verbal narration of this character & ongoing debate of characters shot in a minimalist room with several characters from beginning to end so it’s feeling like watching one act drama.
There’s no external movement of any single character in the film outside the room sparing occasional moments & even pace is tad boring. No camera movements at all. Its more like classic ‘12 Angry Men’ by Lumet but not so detailing in character analysis. The film has many flows to count.
For most of the viewers the movie has zero entertainment value on all sorts.
But at the same time it’s one of the surprising film as well. Its more a point of view than usual cinematic visual experience. It can work more as a sort of single act drama than full length film. But it is also one of the awesome intriguing screenplay ever written in the terms of originality & creativity.

An experimental & unusual movie for a sound audience.

Ratings-7/10

KAALPURUSH (Bengali) (2006)

Bengali cinema has produced many thinking film makers like Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak, Hrishida, Basuda, Rituparno Ghosh & at the same time gave actors of infinite scope & there are many names to count. Writer, Director Budhdhdeb Dasgupta is one of the most thinking film maker of Bengal. Film opens with haunting flute sound which revisits throughout the film & lingers still after you finish it. Life is in multitude but still man is alone, the true relatives are joys & woes. It’s more internal film (very slow in pace) but may be I better understand it when I will cross my 50. the film narrates the story of a father & a son in the backdrop of two different time & places.They were parted from each other years ago with an unwanted situation…yet life is strange & their thirst of life & hidden feelings made them unite in strange situation. Both father & son have their own experience, memories & interpretations of their lives bundled in the frailty of human relations: surreal & sublime at times, failures & successes. Its too personal & intimate film & very few viewers could get relate to director’s idea of the film as it’s very baffling & full of hidden darkness of life.
Mithun Chakraborty & Rahul Bose have done class justice to their roles. I was surprised with Mithunda’s performance in Maniratnam’s ‘Guru’ & this film is extension of it. The movie also cast Sameera Reddy as Bengali housewife of Bose who is obsessed with America-a land of opportunities.
The film is a National Award Winner as a Best Film of 2006. And it truly deserves it.

Ratings- 8/10

ZACK & MIRI MAKE A PORNO (2008)

Disclaimer- No, it’s not usual porn/sex comedy if that’s what you are looking for.

Zack & Miri are in live in relationship, struggling to survive with their pissed off jobs & unpaid bills in a lower rented apartment with all due course of sharing everything except sex. The life is really giving them enough pain in the ass but hey still they are not indulging in sex with each other simply because they don’t want to complicate their relations with sex. As one by one water & electricity got cut off, they are under severe money crisis. They have two choices to make quick money- prostitution or pornography. They go for the second one & from here onwards movie is on for hilarious situational moments of awesome adult fun. Almost every dialogue is full of F-word but they are just coolest & funniest ones for ears. Right from getting finance, casting auditions & shooting a film, every thing is just zany fun ride. It’s during the making shoot their own sex scene they both explored their mutual love which they unable to decipher. So, porn clicks. ‘Porno’ is in fact a pun used for ‘Love” in the title of the film.
Seth Rogen has done funniest lewd & loud act again. Elizabeth Banks as Miri has given a nuanced performance maintaining the dignity of love in the porn world & she is lovable too whom you don’t want to see naked in a role like this. Craig Robinson has done strong supportive role as Delaney here. The movie is written & directed by Kevin Smith known famous for comedies like this. This is my 1st Kevin Smith flick & am looking forward for his other good ones too.

Fun is guaranteed only if you don’t consider it loud enough to suit your taste. So sophisticated comedy lovers stay away.

Ratings- 7/10

THE KID (1921)

The eternal tramp combined with an unwanted kid of the street & makes the audience laugh & cry too. Chaplin’s blend of laughter & pathos changed the notion of what a screen comedy should be. If I am not mistaking than its one of the 1st full length feature film of Charlie Chaplin as an actor- director- producer. The movie is just less than an hour in time duration but impact is beyond time. Movie has certain memorable scenes include a lesson in table manners, fight with kid bully & his hulk looking elder brother, the angelic dream sequence in the climax. Truly Chaplin earns its wings. The movie is one of the personal favorites of actors like Kamal Hasan & Rahul Bose.
A picture with a smile- and perhaps a tear.
One of the rare classic of Chaplin.

Must watch for all Chaplin lovers.

THE CIRCUS (1928)

“Life is a tragedy when seen in close-up, but a comedy in long-shot.”
-Charlie Chaplin
What better way to make audience happy than make them laugh. Charlie Chaplin had done all this throughout his life with his touchstone tramp act. And it not only comedy but a mirror image or irony of human situation which he depicted in almost all of his movies.
Give me a name of any director-actor who tells you the story of emotional depth without being melodramatic for a single moment & still successfully touch the chords of your heart. Only Chaplin can do that. And that’s why he is my “the favorite”.
This is again a silent film of Chaplin. The tramp entered the circus accidently to save himself from an unwanted situation & fell in love with a beautiful daughter of the circus master. With his magic laughter he won the hearts of the audience & the girl. But here comes an antagonist in the form of new rope trick man named Rex. Girl is gullible & now she like Rex more. Charlie realized it & unites the love of girl to make her happy. The last scene leaves a long impression of internal loner whom the world known as the man who makes them laugh.
Charlie is not a man but a miracle, a man of extraordinary capabilities & creative genius.
He is the first real screen maverick of the world cinema & he remains immortal till the cinema survives.

Sound had already come, in 1927 with greater success of ‘The Jazz Singer’ but Charlie refused to speak. Bravo! What need of speech when one could say so much with a lift of eyebrow and a shrug of a shoulder?

Timeless classics don’t require ratings of any critic.


Post Script & Copy + paste from Wikipedia about the film-
“It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor and the short-lived Academy Award for Best Director of a Comedy Picture (both for Charlie Chaplin), but the Academy took Chaplin out of the running for competitive awards by giving him a Special Award "For versatility and genius in acting, writing, directing and producing The Circus," and no longer lists his nominations for Best Actor or Comedy Direction in their official list of nominees, although most unofficial lists of nominations do include him.”
One more proof of double standards of Academy from early age.

SIR (1993)

It’s not a faultless film but off course it’s must watch for one of the memorable commercial role of a college teacher. The movie is worth to watch for an awesome & natural performance of Paresh Raval as desi gujju gangster Velji bhai. It’s Mahesh Bhatt directed film & this isn’t just another film of him. In some of his films, he has very naturally portrayed the human characters in their conditioning & conflict inflicted upon them either by fate, society or some antagonistic force. Watch his Arth, Saaransh, Zakham & you will understand what I mean. How a common teacher in want of proving his worth & meaning bring the transformation is the subject of the film & movie depicts certain improbabilities also but you have to neglect it considering film for mass.
Film has certain memorable scenes & dialogues. For example when Naseer refused to accept fee to teach a gangster’s daughter, Velji (Paresh Raval) brings his honest money narrating his tough days. One more effective scene is when Nasser tries to convince Velji bhai to drop the gun & surrender as a token of promise & a scene when he realized that he broke his promise.
# When he met his divorced wife in a party after along break- “Zindagi koi blackboard to nahi hai k ek duster ghumaya aur sab saaf ho gaya…”
# During his 1st encounter with Paresh Raval- “Beech sadak pe leja kar maro na Veljibhai taaki aap ki wah wah ho aur muje is sharir se chutkara mil jaaye…”
# When a student confessed his guilt to doubt Nasser’s character-“Are yaar yeh zulm mat karo muj par…main koi devta nahi hu…insaan hi hu…Shikshak insaan hi hota hai. Main to ek mamuli kamjor insaan hu, tum logo se muje jeene ki shakti milti hai…Muje tum logo ka pyar chahiye..izzat aur samman nahi…samman ka kya karunga mein?”

The background score is direct rip off of ‘Godfather’.
As I said earlier it’s not perfect film but not an average either as it has two finsest performances of legendary actors- Naseer & Paresh.

Ratings-7/10

PERFUME: THE STORY OF A MURDERER (2006)

“What a Utopia of an unexplored smells!!!”
It’s one of the finest sublime screen fables of this decade.
The story leads to an altogether different world unimaginable to us with all possible exceptions. It’s tale of a man named Jean Baptiste Granouille born in 18th century France, gifted with the best nose in Paris. Not a single smell escape from his gifted hyper sense. After initial struggle of survival he met a gifted perfumer of Paris & it changes his life with his special sense of smell. He wanted to create a perfume with whom he can get recognition & once he got intoxicated with sheer innocent beauty. How to preserve her beauty is a enigma for him. The only way to preserve the fragrance of his beloved’s fresh beauty immortally in the world is to murder her. What leads him next is thing to smell…sorry a thing to watch.
Apart of brilliant adaptation of path breaking novel by Patrick Suskind & classic direction by Tom Tykwer, the movie has certain other things which are also worth to mention. The cinematography is just mind blowing & it sweeps you with its glorious settings of France & fragrance & it successfully creates the mood & tone to the plot with some extreme close up shots. The atmosphere & the mood of the film are full of fragrance with its visual imagery & fine narration with strong supported background music. In some of the movies plot surpasses the performances & it happens in this case. You just get overwhelmed by the senses & that truly happens with me in this movie. Infect it’s dilemma for the audience whether to love or hate the main hero but it serves beautiful parable in the end with its poetic sublime end.

One of my personal interpretation of the best perfume is something very symbolic- the tears in his eyes when he is at scaffold in the end & remembering his first loving experience. Even the ambition of making the best perfume is to gain immortality & not recognition of the world.

What a poetry!!!

A Modern classic.

Ratings- 9.5/10

BULLITT (1968)

Bullitt (Steve McQueen) is the responsible cop & so a sensitive case to protect a witness given to him. Witness was killed & it’s big blow for him. He has one aim now- to destroy the shooters & their boss. The movie begins with promising notes but it lacks the pace of classic thriller. The movie got Oscar for editing but it looks unconvincing if you see the movie. McQueen has done the job as per his acting abilities but I think he was a wrong casting of the director. He does not have appealing & macho persona like Paul Newman or Clint Eastwood which is utmost essential in film like this. Few things really noteworthy about the film are its background score- apt to create a mood of the thrilling 70’s film. The movie is quite popular for its classic thrilling car chase scenes, taken with certain fine camera angles & some fine moving camera shots from driver’s car steering inside the car (something original). End is again unconvincing & sudden to audience’s imagination.

Average action thriller of 70’s.

Ratings- 6.5/10

THE DAY OF THE JACKAL (1973)

A classic text book example of making an exciting thriller.
All praise goes to great director Fred Zinnemann for his brilliantly executed example of film making.
This is again a very good example of telling a complex plot with clarity. The visualization of the thrilling best seller book (written by Frederick Forsythe) is so convincing that you can’t find single fault. It’s not suspense thriller & yet you can’t keep your eyes off for a single minute & that’s the real beauty of the film.
It’s story of a code name of professional killer “Jackal”, who was hired to assassinate the French president by a group of French people. The portrayal of “Jackal” is suave & smart & Edward Fox has played his part with impeccable performance picking the minute details of smart assassin characteristic traits.
The movie is shot with detailing exterior of 70’s France & not in Studio. The movie also suggests the commending work of French Police investigation very exhaustively but “Jackal” is smart & how can they stop him is a thing to watch rather than make you read the spoiler. I also appreciate the particularity of planning of assassin; whether it’s getting false passport or driving license, getting disguises, carrying a lightweight thin smart sniper gun etc. etc.
The movie is 2 hour 20 minutes unstoppable journey of thrill.

One of the finest thrilling movie of 70’s.
Do I have to say- “Must watch”?

Ratings-9/10

BACK TO THE FUTURE III (1990)

If you complete the 1st & 2nd part, you’ll surely agree with my point that both parts were just amazing experience of two hours gripping escape journey. However the third part does not continue the same experience. The reason is this time director maintained the central focus on 1885 cowboy culture & an unusual love story of Doc. Both of these wrong choices of script & direction mar the alluring magic & thrill ride of the first two parts. Movie only entertains in bits & pieces. But among all this you have a tense climax scene of train & time machine. The part is certainly average entertainment & lost the essence & experience of first two parts due to its unnecessary sub plots.

Ratings-7/10

BACK TO THE FUTURE II (1989)

Well there are so many movies which you can’t enjoy if you haven’t seen the first parts but this is the paragon. As I complete the movie it make me puzzled to know that movie was made after 3 years; infect there are number of scenes & situations which made you remind the back & forth of the first part & left you with a feeling that the second part was also shot along with the first one. This is simply the mastery of Story telling. Just like the gripping climax thrill scene of clock tower lightening incident of 1st part, here also the last 20 minutes are sheer thrill ride in chase of getting back the future almanac from wrong hands. And what a twist surprise end which makes one complete the third part. The story keeps puzzling your brain if you’re not paying it minute observation.
Highly recommended if you enjoyed the first part.

Ratings- 9/10

BACK TO THE FUTURE (1985)

I avoided this flick from long time considering it as 80’s pulp sci fi entertainment for kids. Today I watched it & completed the whole trilogy a single day & honestly believe that this is one of the perfectly made trilogy continuing the story with keeping your fingers crossed. The movie is based on a time machine (a car) & two central characters- a teenager boy & an old scientist & most of us have watched many clones based on the same plot with slight change in narrative & style. The movie was made in early 80’s but it still works as a refreshing entertainment in all accounts of fun & thrill. That’s why the movie was a blockbuster hit of ’85 & admired by audience even today.
Produced by Spielberg & directed by Robert Zemeckis ( all 3 parts), the movie made you compel to complete the trilogy with its surprising ending in each part. Let me tell you that this movie is a beautiful example of director who tells a complex story very clearly. Its story well told with perfect narrative clarity. When audience visit movie theatres to be assured or challenged, whether they seek the familiar or desire the unfamiliar entertainment & that’s where comes a competent director who entertain the audience with genre, surprise, subversion, subtext & style which enhance the film experience & this movie scores on all that accounts. The movie doesn’t have any special effects & still it makes you wonder with its amazing twists & surprises of past & future time travel.
2 thumbs up for Spielberg & Zemeckis.

One of the almost forgotten but unavoidable classic which compels you to complete trilogy.

Ratings- 9/10

JARHEAD (2005)

As the movie begins, you feel like watching the remake of Kubrick’s ‘Full Metal Jacket’ but after first half an hour it progressed into the different direction. It’s not war action flick but rather an opposite of it; a comic drama of stuck in a situation young US marines in Iraq- Kuwait war. The movie is full of army humor, portraying conditioning of the soldiers doing nothing except passing their time in blazing desert field country where they don’t understand the enemy nor fully fathom the situation or cause of their fight. Director Sam Mendes has an eye of irony about the flux of life & absurdity of war. Movie has certain watch worthy performances of Jake Gyllenhaal as Scoff, Jamie Foxx as Sergeant, Peter Sarsgaard as Troy & as well as Chris Cooper in small role.
Well if you are looking for some out & out action war entertainment, this is not a movie for you. It’s more about detailing documentation of soldier’s pathetic psychology, insight & helplessness in the time of war in an unknown territory.

Recommended.
Ratings- 7.5/10

DAREDEVIL (2003)

This is the worst superhero movie ever made in the Hollywood history. What a cardboard superhero & what a caricature movie!!! It’s mockery in the name of superhero movie. Ben Affleck really sucks in his both acts of superhero & a blind lawyer. Same can be true about Colin Farrell as villain Bulls eye. Its totally waste product on every department- plot, acting, special effects, action & anything that you expect from entertainment. The only saving grace of the film is beauty of Jennifer Garner as Electra in small role.
It’s better to watch our desi superhero ‘Krissh’ or ‘Shaktimaan’ than watching crap like this.
Worst watch.

Ratings-4/10

KUNG FU PANDA (2008)

Without a doubt this is the absolute entertainment movie of the year. DreamWork has already created history with the release of this film & with its progressive & creative brilliant output its certainly becoming a big challenge for Disney- Pixar. The movie is full of entertainment package bundled with fun plus action animation. 100% entertainment, superb animation graphics (DreamWork is improving here by leaps & bounds) & incredible & touchy characters is all guaranteed in this film. It’s definitely tough fight for Wall E in next Oscar.
Well its story of an ordinary fat giant Panda named Po (one of the most lovely character launch of this year) who is daydreaming about being dragon warrior. To fulfill his dream he has to convert all his minus into plus & how he does that impossible possible with the help of mentor Shifu & 5 fighters is a thing to watch. The voice over is also nicely done with wonderful actors like Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Seth Rogen & the master of Kung Fu – Jackie Chan.
What to say about cute & touchy Po!!! Animation has grasps every emotional expression of his ups & down. I mean this is the only animation character which I would like to compete with my all time favorite- Cub Simba (The Lion King). Similarly the character of old Oogway & Shifu is also something amazing about the film. I’m desperately looking forward for its next part.
Panda Po rocks & Kung Fu too.

Must Watch.

Ratings- 9/10

FRACTURE (2007)

A self confessed murderer is on trial got acquittal from the case of his own wife’s murder because even the promising lawyer or LA Cops didn’t get success to get a single evidence of the crime. The premise of the movie is pretty interesting & it’s quite gritty movie with A grade performance of Anthony Hopkins as a main culprit on trial. He’s also playing intelligent outsmarting character here as Mr.Crawfard. Ryan Gosling has acted his part up to the level what has been expected from him. Dear Director has maintained the slow pace to level up the characteristic ego clash between Ryan & Hopkins & highlighted the evidence of crime but it ends with something very common & frivolous. Even the final dénouement scene is something which seems unusual & ends without much confrontation. So, the credit to shoulder the film goes to Hopkins & Ryan which makes you complete the movie once started even though having certain fault lines in it.

Average.

Ratings- 7/10

MAHARATHI (2008)

“How do you murder a man who has already committed suicide?” This is the tagline of the film & it’s really honest attempt by all the players & script writer to engage the audience with its thrilling effects of theme.
The movie is adaptation of a Gujarati thriller drama by the same name, written brilliantly by Uttam Gada & it has created history with more than 1000 shows. The acting talent of Paresh Rawal got noticed as a lead player of this drama by many film directors then & one of them is Mahesh Bhatt who gave him break in ‘Naam.’ The movie is perfectly cast with multiple acting giants of screen & almost all of them have played their parts with their best abilities. The script & screenplay maintained elements of successful thriller.
The film is at par till the interval with Nasser’s short but powerful act, Paresh Rawal’s interesting character portrayal & brooding crime of murder & betrayal win game with entry of certain other players. But post interval it becomes more dramatic & less natural and that’s make it low in the end. This is the biggest shortcoming of the film that in the second half even Paresh Raval & Boman Irani become too dramatic with their stage instincts & altogether movie becomes so predictable for the common audience & here director as well as actors falters to make it compact screen adaptation.
Naseer & Paresh has done commendable job & it’s sure shot for you if you admire their acting. Om Puri has the shortest role in the film & nothing much to do & we all know it’s act for sake of his rapport with Paresh & Naseer.
Drama would be better but film adaptation is nice attempt & it’s more appreciation worthy than criticize much.
One watch is recommended.

Ratings-7.5/10

BEE MOVIE (2007)

Wonderful lines just appear on screen before the movie starts-
“According to all known laws of aviation, there is no way that a bee should be able to fly. Its wings are too small to get its fat little body off the ground. The bee, off course flies, anyway. Because bees don’t care what humans think is impossible.”
As movie starts & progress further you will come to know many such queer but true facts about hard working bee world & that’s makes you salute the Dreamworks Team for this wonderful creative imagination graphic effort.
Meet a dynamic young bee named Barry who assigned a job at Honex (honey making) Corporation, the very first day he got his graduation. The big question for Barry is- ‘How can one bee do one job forever his life?’ In short, Barry wants to runaway from the job so he flies outside with few high professional bee leaders in search for nectar. They have their technological savvy instruments for the tasks like nectar collectors as their sucking instruments, magnifier glass to see flowers from long distance. Once Barry visits outside human world he got into the trouble with humans, rain & other scavengers on his way & saved by a florist girl names Vanessa & this changes his life ‘coz he fell in love with her. Well, next Barry witnesses a honey bottle which made him sue a case against human race for illegally stealing their proud possession. He’s fighting a lawsuit with five Honey Company’s giants & tough human lawyer Mr. Montgomery on his own. Yes, he proceeds the case himself. A Herculean task for a tiny little bee!!! Isn’t it?? But, nothing is impossible in the world of animation & bees. So, Barry won the case & hence all honey products are banned from human world & safely brought back to bee world but its big problem for bee world. Production is beyond demand & no supply to pool- that’s make them stop the production. Now they all are without a work or job. Gradually Barry realized his mistake & does what is sound for both human & bee world. The wonderful message of the film is – ‘There’s always natural law of balance maintained in the world whether it’s bee or human. Don’t cross it no matter how intelligent your specie is.”
This is really interesting fun to fondle. I can promise you this, once you watch this movie, you will think twice before killing any bee. What I love most about the film is that the makers have conveyed a wonderful message to kids as well as elders throughout the film, along with maintaining all the fun expected from an animation flick.
“They make the honey & we make the money”, said a human being in the film & it surely touches all of us.
This is called Masterpiece animation.
Must watch no matter what your age is…

Ratings- 9/10

P.S.- I am surprised by watching IMDB Ratings-only 6.4!!!! A joke!!! It deserved better place than Nemo or The Incredibles as both of them are on Top 250 List…IMDB is doubtful in some cases….

THE INCREDIBLES (2004)

As per the title it’s truly incredible. If you are really tired of CGI generated human superheroes, just watch this animation superheroes film & you will never get bored for a single moment. It’s story of a leading superhero Mr.Incredible & his superheroes family. Everyone blessed with certain superhuman qualities & this gives all of them interesting attention whether it’s wife Elastigirl(stretchable lady), friend Frozone (who freezes any object), along with invisible daughter & super speed boy. The problem with all of them is they have to remain undercover & behave as normal human beings. Now how can one control his/her superpowers when it’s on hand!!! The film has every element of entertainment- cool eye catchy crafted animation visuals, fun, thrill, drama, action & adventure. What else can one expect from a film!!!

Ratings- 8/10

FINDING NEMO (2003)

A Beautiful underwater animation movie by Disney-Pixar combo. It’s cute tale of Marlin- the father prawn fish’s struggle to get his lost son named Nemo back. Nemo caught by a mariner & becomes a part of a dentist’s small aquarium in dispensary. Nemo made few friends also in aquarium with his honesty & smartness. The journey of Nemo to get out of the aquarium & Marlin to sail in the stream way out to Sydney is portrayed wonderfully with friends in need is friend indeed kind of stuff & that’s the real beauty of the film. It’s also classic underwater animation & has amazing characters. Apart of Marlin & Nemo there are certain other cute characters like Marlin’s helping hand Dory who often forgets the thing in the time of crisis (one of the truly lovable fish), vegetarian & fish friendly shark & sweet friendly dude turtle Crush. You will love all of them.
One of my friend recently experienced scuba diving & said that underwater world is more beautiful & colorful than natural landscape. I haven’t experienced the real underwater world but I can say that it’s out & out true in the case of this reel.
Be a child for a moment & enjoy the feel.

Recommended.

Ratings-8.5/10

CHANGELING (2008)

There are two surprises I found in this movie.
# 1- It’s not always that Hollywood’s glamour dolls are for steaming the screen. This is the movie in which we can cherish Angelina Jolie in the most accomplished role of her career & I’ll be surprised if I won’t see her name in Academy nominations for the Best Actress category for this year.
# 2- The movie was directed by none other than forever cowboy Clint Eastwood and this is again Oscar worthy film of the year in direction. Again a superbly crafted period thrilling drama from this genius actor turned director.
The movie is based on true incident occurred in 1928 Los Angeles. A single living mother’s son disappeared. She lodged a police complain & they returned her boy after few months. But he’s not his child. The child was just fabricated face of corrupt LAPD & now the mother is threat. Next police declared her as insane & delusional & sent her to mental asylum. What happened to boy & the mother in this case??? Better you watch this slowly gripping drama of the year.
Perfect sets & production of 1930’s L.A. & soothing camera work by Eastwood’s stalwart camera man Tom Stern made the film more intense & original with minimalist touch of Eastwood film. Jolie’s period look & convincing mature acting simply gain the empathy of the audience. All the supporting actors have done realistic act including small but significant role of John Malkowich. It’s period film belong to the time of 1928 when women in US were not entitled to vote & they were treated as third class citizens & women liberalization & rights were far on horizon. It’s also the time of corrupt police & politics in US. So the film is a true case document of how a desperate mother struggled hard & turned the tables of corrupt LAPD & get the fair justice not only for her nut for whole society. Kudos to Eastwood for his brilliant theme & direction.
Must Watch of the year. (This film will sweep the Oscars next year in many categories.)

Ratings-9/10

FUNNY QUOTES ON WOMEN

# My wife is a sex object - every time I ask for sex, she objects. -- Les Dawson
# A woman's guess is much more accurate than a man's certainty. -- Rudyard Kipling
# Behind every successful man is a woman, behind her is his wife. -- Groucho Marx
# It's the good girls who keep diaries; the bad girls never have the time. -- Tallulah Bankhead
# A psychiatrist is a fellow who asks you a lot of expensive questions your wife asks for nothing. -- Joey Adams
# Man has will, but woman has her way. -- Oliver Wendell Holmes
# If women didn't exist, all the money in the world would have no meaning. -- Aristotle Onassis # What a strange thing man is; and what a stranger thing woman. -- Lord Byron
# Women will never be as successful as men because they have no wives to advise them. -- Dick Van Dyke
# From birth to 18 a girl needs good parents; from 18 to 35, she needs good looks. From 35 to 55, good personality. From 55 on, she needs good cash. I'm saving my money. -- Sophie Tucker # When women go wrong, men go right after them. -- Mae West
# A woman's mind is cleaner than a man's. She changes it more often. -- Oliver Herford
# At 38 years, I finally got me the woman that said those six words I wanted all my life to hear: 'My dad owns a liquor store.' -- Mark Klein
# Women are like cars: we all want a Ferrari, sometimes want a pickup truck, and end up with a station wagon. -- Tim Allen
# Why would I make one woman so miserable when I can make so many women very happy? -- Benny Hill
# Instead of getting married again, I'm going to find a woman I don't like and just give her a house. -- Lewis Grizzard

TRANSPORTER 3 (2008)

The professional is back. Jason Statham is on assignment again in this third franchise of pulsating action thrill ride. But this time few changes & experiments in order to give audience something new. Jason is in fix with bomb on his hand & he can’t move out of his car beyond certain limits. The thrill car is Audi & not usual BMW. Jason showed that he can do something impossible with stunts on cycle too, as well as driving Audi on two wheels & landing &driving a car on a moving train. If director has avoided few junk, it would be better popcorn action flick. Ukrainian heroine just sucks with his spotty & wooden expressions. Efforts to add romantic angle in the film as usual will really scratch your head this time. Nothing to criticize much since its pure popcorn action entertainer. Bur even after its flaws one should watch this flick simply for the decent macho action star Jason Statham & few pulsating stunt sequences.
Ratings- 7/10

MYSTIC RIVER (2003)

3 childhood friends Jimmy, Dan & Sean drifted apart after a terrible tragedy & grew up in the same city. Destiny pitted them again & it’s brutal tragedy again. Jimmy’s 19 year old daughter murdered & Dave is the strong suspect. Sean is a cop trying to solve the crime before something unusual done by uncontrollable with situational fix. Its superb script & screen play & I must praise Dennis Lehane for it. But the real laudable act is done by old macho cowboy named Clint Eastwood.
This is Clint Eastwood’s finest achievement as a director along with his other Oscar winning nuggets like Unforgiven & Million Dollar Baby. With awesome cast & finest performances of Sean Penn, Tim Robbins &Kevin Bacon he shapes a master crime thriller.
Pendulum of Brooding thrilling suspense & heightened tension as film is progressing towards climax is just rock solid with awesome performances of Sean Penn & Tim Robbins & both of them got academy trophies for that. Marcia Gay Harden has done amazing justice to her role as psychologically confused wife of Tim Robbins.
Must watch if you haven’t seen it because this is Modern Greek tragedy.

Ratings- 8.5/10

FIFTY DEAD MEN WALKING (2008)

Its British film depicting political crisis between IRA & British Army in early 90’s. Based on a shocking real life story, Martin is a young man from Belfast in late 1980’s who hired by British Police to spy on rebel IRA. He works his way as a volunteer & provides information to his British handler & saved 50 lives until one day he exposed, tortured terribly. He escaped dramatically with the help of his British loyal handler but ultimately killed by a fanatic man one day. It’s still mystery that he was saved or still on run. It’s indeed interesting historical zigzag but thrilling too but the adapted version is not so touching. What you savor in this film is fine performances of Sir Ben Kingsley as mature & loyal British handler & Jim Sturgess as Martin. Movie fails in making audience a part of the intrigue so often & that’s where it becomes loose. Recommended to political history lovers or viewers interested in this kind of stuff. Please watch the film with subtitles because I got hard time to deal with the Irish English accents.
Average.

Ratings-6/10

REQUIEM FOR A DREAM (2000)

This is one of the most shocking dark & tragic film I have seen in a long back. The movie which made me shock & awe before this is ‘American Beauty’ came a year ago this film, which is one of my all time favorite one. It’s not great acting, classic cinematography or touch wood direction but shattering & shocking portrayal of chasing American Dream & its tragic reality which still lingers in memory when I first watched that Oscar winning gem of Sam Mendes. Now here Darren Aronofsky has done something which has done same impact on your mind in a different trajectory. In a very poignant way he jumbled up sharp cutting images of various dreams about love, fame, money, beauty, and hope into the lives of four central characters of the film. How Drugs entered into each character’s life & fulfill their escape route to their dream till they all reached doom is also something very original in theme as well as projection. Every actor has done nice justice to their complex roles but it’s Ellen Burstyn as a lonely old age mother who breathes in the character of Mrs. Sara Goldfarb 7 it’s really an Oscar worthy act. Film is technically appealing with cool visuals & sound adding substance to the film. Infect it is the execution of that visual style which has captured the essence of this brilliant script by Hubert Selby Jr. This is dark modern classic which may become another dark drug film if the viewer is not involved in it…Its emotional & subjective involvement into this tragedy which makes it altogether different experience.

Brilliant work of Art.
Ratings- 9/10

THE FALL (2006)

I must admit that Fantasy is never as visually extravagant & epic in scale as in this film.
“Magnificent”, is the word used for this film by greatest film critic Roger Ebert in his rare four star review.
Film serves no serious story or contriving plot & so there’s nothing to write much on that account except let you know that it’s oral-visual or encoding-decoding relationship between an injured stunt man on hospital bed & a sweet little girl. Both are fixed in their real & imaginary worlds. To direct such a film is difficult with capital D. So thumbs go up for Tarsem Singh who directed & made this imaginary magnum opus independently on his own since no Hollywood studio get to believe what he believes in his vision. And it requires lot of courage & confidence to tell this sort of visual epic story on big screen for any independent creative film maker without any serious plot. Seeing this you must admire this man with his visual entertaining sense. It’s quite complicated to say whether the images in the film are Computer generated imagery or real one? Whatever it is, it looks so goddamn real & glamorous on screen that you love & want to stay with the 5 epic heroes & enjoy the beauty of it. Special mention to little charming angel Alexandria, as she made movie more emotionally appealing. You can’t stop praising the cinematographer Colin Watkinson for creating a beautiful canvas on screen. Finally, the film is a beautiful journey of both main characters of breaking & entering into reality Vs imagination world.
What a beautiful fall indeed!!!
Must Watch this Masterpiece.

Ratings-8.5/10

TRAINING DAY (2001)

“To protect the sheep, you got to catch the wolf. And it takes a wolf to catch a wolf, understand,” said Denzel Washington to newly joined cop Ethan Hawke. And that’s the problem once you be wolf, you can’t be sheep again.
Denzel Washington is fine actor & he has proved it number of times. He has done superb act here. Lots of guys who had seen this film were not agree with this Oscar winning acting of Denzel & there’s reason for it. Since he has always delivered the roles which always gather audience sympathy whether it’s ‘Philadelphia’ or ‘John Q’ & this is a role which challenges their empathy. But I strongly recommend watching this film, ‘coz it’s one of his gr8 power performance. The role is strong one as he represents a tough undercover cop who controls Los Angeles Streets & clean the drugs shit out of the town with his own breaking & making of laws. He is pitted here with one of the Hollywood’s finest under dog actor Ethan Hawke (watch his innocent under act in last year’s brilliant film of Sidney Lumet-‘Before the Devil knows you’re dead’). Ethan is ethical cop & he’s in pressure working with wolf cop Denzel. So, it’s a training day for Ethan which starts from early dawn to understand the good, the bad & the ugly reality of cop world & turned out midnight for Denzel to understand the other side. There is nothing new in the story except fire brand Denzel Washington strongly supported by Ethan.
Recommended.

Ratings-7/10

WOH 7 DIN (1983)

Bhanshali’s much appreciated & popular blockbuster super hit ‘Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam’ was totally inspired from this under rated film of 83. So I hope I need not say plot or theme of it. Film was neither gr8 nor poor but a well balanced film with refined performances of all three lead players. From the beginning of his career Anil Kapoor has shown his acting talent & here he is in one of the most memorable & lovable credulous character as Prempartap Patialawale(a struggling streetsinger Music Director). The film’s first half represents his funny romantic affair with Padmini & I have never seen such a funny kissing scene in any bollywood film as funnily fixed between them on terrace. The character has verisimilitude with Sunil Dutt’s golden comedy ‘Padosan’. He is nicely co-operated with really praiseworthy child act of Master Raju as his assistant. Padmini Kolhapure has done most of the B genre bollywood potboilers in 80’s but here she has seriously kept herself in a bubbly girl next door role & win sympathy for her act. Naseer is simply genius & he is the only mature lead character of the film & has done full justice to his role. The film projected a mature & situational love story without being too melodramatic; very rare in 80’s revenge oriented films time. Director Bapu has aptly kept the first half of the film full of funny romantic situations & second half with sensitive & serious situational climax.
Really, a well made love story, worth watching once.

Ratings-8/10