झूंड - zhund [Hindi] (7/10) 2022

zhund has been shot in and around Nagpur, mainly its poorer areas and slums. That will help maintaining Nagpur’s hidden secret of livability. The movie is more a message rather than concentrating on a single person’s story. But it has been done without preachiness, or a holier than thou attitude anywhere. In fact most characters stand out for not overacting even when they are playing stereotypical roles of a minister or of a police inspector. The story of privilege (and its absence) is there for everyone to see.

Photo courtesy: The Indian Express 

Because it is not a story of a single hero out there to solve a single problem, some people may not much like the arc - after all, it is something that you see around you all the time - if your eyes are open. It has many subtle references to behavior that is considered normal (when not), and hence not acted upon. In short, of normalized behavior. Especially the baggage one carries, and often needs to leave behind for a fresh start (either for yourself or for someone else).

There are other subtle aspects like the scene where an idol needs to be uprooted and moved to another location. I loved it.

It touches upon practical problems of the downtrodden who have not had a way to get out, if only because they haven’t realized there is a way. I hope more of them see the movie as a positive and try to get out of it, or at least help their children do so. After all, a majority from the privileged class may choose to try to increase the divide rather than reduce it.

The story is based on real incidents that happened a few decades back. I do not know if that included the rivalry shown. That definitely seemed a bit far-fetched, just as the love angle seemed a bit premature.

Amitabh is stellar as usual. He is 80, and yet has done the role of a just about retiring teacher very well. I am glad he did this role.

Nagraj Manjule has shown once again that he is a director to continue looking out for not just for his Marathi movies, but also for his Hindi movies.

In some sequence (and in the credits) the camera focus/sharpness leaves a bit to be desired …

Among real life connections, I would like to call out Ganesh Birajdar who is currently working along with his team to educate children from Nagpur and surrounding areas through the Learning Companions initiative.

झूंड - zhund [Hindi] (7/10) 2022

Little Miss Sunshine (2006) (6/10)

Good performances, good flow, no (very) unnecessary elements - at least in order to show a rather (too?) mixed family all pulling in different directions. There were kinks rather than turns or twists through which the family pulled through together, often at breakneck speed. But there did not seem to be anything worth going back to. Perhaps barring the innocence of sunshine.

Little Miss Sunshine (2006) (6/10)

Blazing Saddles (1974) (6/10)

Mel Brooks has created this spoofy Western in his rather unimitable colorful style. Being a spoof the exaggerations have to be excused, but some of those are pretty good. Nothing stands out in the end though, which itself is bizarre as is to be expected.

Blazing Saddles (1974) (6/10)

Mononoke-hime aka Princess Mononoke (1997) (6/10)

This animation has some good action. But without the technology, or the magic, it does not live up to a Stars-wars reputation. On the otherhand, it is no animal farm either. Well, there is some magic, and the usual thing that cartoons do - not exactly forgetting about gravity, but forgetting basic principles about impact velocities etc. Since what you do not know can not hurt you, they don't get hurt in this epic battle of animals to rid the earth of humans and vice versa. Why bother the Elk if the prince travels faster? The blind nightwalker was interesting, but not convincing.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119698/ (1997) (6/10)

The Russians Are Coming the Russians Are Coming (1966) (7/10)

A light hearted movie with some serious stuff. Fairly innocuous and yet deep. About human apprehension, fears, faith and basic humanity. Order in chaos and vice versa. Courage in the face of adversity and foolhardy almost daredo in the face of almost certain death. Can not fail to make you laugh, and that is the main point. You do not have to be serious to convey serious stuff.

The Russians Are Coming the Russians Are Coming (1966) (7/10)

Letyat zhuravli aka The Cranes Are Flying (1957) (5/10)

This movie is about war, yet not too much of the gory war is explicitely shown. About waiting, and endurance during the wait. Human condition during the war, any war. Some philosophising about how a war is bad even when it is won. A sort-of advice to also learn in rejoicing with the others. The Crane metaphor, if taken literally is however breaking down as not just war but even peacetime impacts on the environment are ensuring that those and many other species are suffering leaving less things for us to rejoice in, war or no war.

Letyat zhuravli aka The Cranes Are Flying (1957) (5/10)

Le Déclin de l'empire américain aka The Decline of the American Empire (1986) (7/10)

This Canadian French movie is interesting. It is a very dialogue driven movie about sex or liberation through sex, or at least that feeling from before the time when people did not consider themselves liberated (do they now?). It almost gets boring in the first half. The second picks itself well, and though there is no explicit philosophising, it is clear that larger aspects of life are clearly linked. An obsessedness and yet a kind of detachedness, definition of an odd kind of continuity as stability or even love. It is intelligent rather than meaningless banter. My favourite part was the Woddy Alleny dance.

Le Déclin de l'empire américain aka The Decline of the American Empire (1986) (7/10)

Cuentos de hadas para dormir cocodrilos aka Bedtime fairy tale for crocodiles (2002) (4/10)

Looking in to the eyes of a Coyote makes a brother loose his sleep and the curse continues for a few generations. The Spanish movie can't exactly be called supernatural, nor is it natural. I guess I may have missed some of the contextual references, but overall I do not think I missed much. Nothing seems to stand out much.

Cuentos de hadas para dormir cocodrilos aka Bedtime fairy tale for crocodiles (2002) (4/10)

À nous la liberté aka Liberty for us (1931) (6/10)

Two prisoners plan to escape. Can they survive in the treacherous world outside? Yes, at least until no one knows they have run away. Some parts are a bit stretched, and not in the same way cartoons are when they discover gravity. That kind of farfetchedness is natural. Not enterpreunership. The good parts involve an early exposure and farsightedness in terms of assembly line technology as well as the possible pitfalls. The end is rather vague and does not seem to take you anywhere.

À nous la liberté aka Liberty for us (1931) (6/10)

Jigureul jikyeora! aka Save the Green Planet! (2003) (6/10)

A good Korean movie with many uncanny twists and crazy turns. Would have been much better if they had kept the explicit voilent parts out. The acting is good, and though I can't say that the twists keep you glued, you sure want to do that if you want to follow what is happening. The detective connections seem to fit in well. The acting is good and genuine. It has to be when you, or someone around you believes that strange creatures from Andromeda are going to destroy Earth, that they have already arrived, and you are in charge of Earth, practically. You may even want to wish that you had listened to what your mother said when you were small (about watching such movies). Not for the faint-hearted. Beware, the Andromeda prince is here!

Jigureul jikyeora! aka Save the Green Planet! (2003) (6/10)

Rupan sansei: Kariosutoro no shiro aka Lupin III: Castle of Cagliostro (1979) (8/10)

This is an excellent animation film for anyone who likes good frames, good music and may be good action. Characters are built far better than real life movies even though only a basic set of actions are used for the caharacters. The damsel in distress is how it begins, but does not proceed like a typical story, not does it end like one. There are a few exaggerations, but they add to the wonderfulness rather than subtract from it. The inspector Zenigata-Lupin rivalry would rival that of Anandrao and Zunjaar. The way Zenigata leads to the bills is classic. The mystery and its unravelling as well as what it unravels is beautifully done. An adventure you should not miss.

Rupan sansei: Kariosutoro no shiro aka Lupin III: Castle of Cagliostro (1979) (8/10)

Cool runnings (1993) (8/10)

A refresing movie by any standards. Kinda improbable, but well handled by setting the improbability right by combining it with the moral high ground of completing a mission, no matter what. The will to suceed, the difficulties, the politics, the deceit and the good will are all there. Very economic dialogue and action. Coach-player and father-son relationships are also depcited beautifully. All in all, a nice balence of almost everything. Worth watching and rewatching. Senior brother of Jo Jita Wohi Sikander and Iqbal, if you HAVE to compare.

Cool runnings (1993) (8/10)

Journal d'un curé de campagne aka Diary of a country priest (1951) (5/10)

The movie starts off very promising and has some excellent performances, but unfortunately gets lost in its own melancholy tune. The sad priest does look sad and the townsmen do look menacing without appearing so. Indifferent. Nothing much seems to happen. If anything, its a version of a series of unfortunate events. The finale is the moment when the priest finally realises the ultimate truth. But then it is a bit late for him, and the others won't get enlightenment until they themselves experience it. A sad story of the entire history of humanity.

Journal d'un curé de campagne aka Diary of a country priest (1951) (5/10)

Das Kabinett des Doktor Caligari aka The cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1919) (7/10)

Extra credit needs to be given to the movie since it is almost 100 years old. The suspense is well maintained about a series of murders unleashed through a fair. The atmosphere is well maintained. One of course has to read the words rather than hear them. Especially the graphic is very good, the lines inside the asymlum being an excellent example. however, in the end, it seems to live for the punchline. I wish less movies put so much of their worth in the last minute or two.

Das Kabinett des Doktor Caligari aka The cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1919) (7/10)

La Invención de Cronos aka Cronos (1993) (5/10)

This movie from Mexico has a simple idea of a device that can prolong your life. As always, there is a catch. The storyline is fairly straightforward and does not have many twists and turns. A social cum psychological angle is explored rather a scientific one. Thus the inner workings of the device are not explained making it less interesting. Why some other people act the way they do is not clear at all.

La Invención de Cronos aka Cronos (1993) (5/10)

Casino Royale (2006) (7/10)

Another Bond movie. The first in sequence. A new Bond, and Daniel Craig is good. So is the title sequence. The first chase sequence is great, though a bit too actiony. Too much emphasis on a card game and without much logic. Far too much emphasis on the use of cell phones to sniff out people. In this movie it becomes a substitute to all the typical gadgets which are conspicuous by their absence. The cell phone use is logical, but not novel at all. If you leave out these ingredients, not much is left in the movie. Venice seems to dissect the movie in to two parts. That lull is long enough to make you believe in the first part that may be the movie is over, and then it goes on for so long that you know that it can not be over. It could have been done differently. You come out feeling you have seen a good movie, but not a great one. M is good.

Casino Royale (2006) (7/10)

Eragon (2006) (4/10)

Using something "extra"-ordinary to try getting special appeal is what this movie does with dragons. But its already an old tool. Harry Potter inc. has used it in the recent past. The war scenes between the "good" and the "bad" sides are LotRingy, but not as good as its fraction. The characters do not stand out. The story has nothing exciting about it. Given that, it is well made and will keep small children's attention for the most part as it is fairly fast paced with some magic, recklessness and resulting twists thrown in. You hardly get to see the king in action, but clearly he is being reserved for sequeals, as is another character introduced in the movie.

Eragon (2006) (4/10)