Slumdog Millionaire (2008) (8/10)

A fairly honest movie juxtaposing many aspects of current India. Presented in the guise of a game show, which could very well actually happen (meaning its result), and many other things that do happen. Good twists, and realistic bursts, betrayals, brutality and all that. Illegal use of humans is brought out well, and so are the religious issues, public aspirations etc. There is also the drama and the suspense and all that. Extraordinary storytelling of an otherwise ordinary, nay, a mosaic of commonplace happenings. The Amitabh episode takes the cake.

Slumdog Millionaire (2008) (8/10)

Murder by Death (1976) (5/10)

A star-studded cast in this spoof makes a valiant effort at showing how detectives work, or rather how story tellers make us believe they do. Some of the jokes make you laugh. But it seemed that was not the point. I seemed to have missed the point. Last few minutes are okay summing up what the director wanted us to see. But if they have to describe it to us, then clearly they have not been successful in making their point.

Murder by Death (1976) (5/10)

Ghajini (2008) (5/10)

These folks started making a Hindi copy of Memento, down to the detail of the way the the man whose hippocampus has been injured tries to remember things that happened using external instruments. But then somewhere someone has an accident, and a brain gets damaged and they forget what it is they were doing. Then they started making it into a typical Bollywood lovestory (which they happen to be good at - at least for the people who like that kind of things). But things drag on. Suddenly something reminds them that they were supposed to be having a mission - make Memento and they quickly switch into that mode. Until they forget what they were doing - and pretty quickly. And we, the poor viewers are back into a typical Bollywood movie. Teh acting is good in general, but that is not the point, is it? They are so many glaring gaffes and one better not get into that. And the behavior of the police inspector took the cake. Oh, BTW, its intense.

Ghajini (2008) (5/10)

Being John Malkovich (1999) (8/10)

Not a completely novel concept, executed in a completely novel way to fascinating effect. What is it like to be a bat? Ask Thomas Nagel. What is it like to be John Malkovich? That anyone could tell you. Or could they? What does John know about it? (The restaurant scene is out of this world). Its an intricately weaved web of intricate connections. May be at the heart it means we are made of many people or just that all our souls are one as any God-smart Hindu will tell you. At the base of it may just lie physical attraction though. Better overall than Harry Potters platform 3.5 or somesuch. Do puppets have anything to do with it? Maybe.

There was a Gay from Khartoum
Who once took a Lesbian to his room
They argued all night,
Over who had the right,
To do what, how and with Whom.

Being John Malkovich (1999) (8/10)

The Thief of Bagdad (1924) (6/10)

A pantomime from the Arabian Nights. The low points (and 6 is not low) it gets is mainly because it is pantomime, and rather long (and pantomime). Obviously it can not compete with Indiana Jones as far as effects are concerned. But it has a great simple story and lots of ups and downs as also villains. The age tells, but so does the timelessness.

The Thief of Bagdad (1924) (6/10)

Paddle to the Sea (1966) (8/10)

A wonderful short (28 mins) film with live action about the journey of a wooden man from a mountain top to the sea. Its the live action and the totally chance encounters that make it delightful. In passing there is also some commentary made on the action of people, but quite appropriately its kept to a minimum.

Paddle to the Sea (1966) (8/10)

Who Killed the Electric Car? (2006) (8/10)

Gory details of the killing of a good initiative. Given the vagaries of the gas prices (they are down today, but wait until summer) and the demand for hybrids, the wonderful, if fledgling, electric cars that were around a few years back and then gotten rid of by car companies, oil industry, politicians, selfish California officials is nothing short of shameful. That in fact is a very mild word.

The documentary is fairly thorough in looking at different aspects of the introduction and vanishing of the electric car. When the time is ripe things happen. Or do they? Hopefully the Japaneses hybrids and electrics will keep coming. If the US wants to play dumb, so be it. I wonder why other countries had not picked up the development though.

Who Killed the Electric Car? (2006)(8/10)