Hauru no ugoku shiro aka Howl's Moving Castle (2004) (6/10)

Miyazaki's masterful animation keeps this fairy (or rather witch) tale going. A relatively simple tale where the evil is not black, nor is the good white. A few twists (or rather ups and downs) and a few tricks. But the landscape and the change of scene and the detail keep you engrossed.

Hauru no ugoku shiro aka Howl's Moving Castle (2004) (6/10)

Dune (1984) (5/10)

Its a very sketchy movie. The first time I saw it was soon after reading the book and I thought it fell way short of the quality of the book, perhaps because you have to fit it in to a movie's length. A few years later, now, many of the original mental images are not as sharp. Though the sight of the spaceships, and the Baron etc. are still jarring, it is somewhat easier to pardon. Will the 2010 movie be better? All we can do now is wait and watch. Do read the book though. That allows more vivid imagination, especially in the context of events currently unfolding on the world-stage.

Dune (1984) (5/10)

Children of Men (2006) (6/10)

One of the dark possible future. A very mysterious infertility syndrome has the entire Earth in its grip. War ravages the planet and people are being driven out of their minds. The story is then about a beacon in the darkness. Can humanity come out of the imminent wiping out? There is the alleged Human project which will help people out. That is the hope. Personally I feel that they are the ones who caused the mass infertility. Too many mysteries. Good acting though.

Children of Men (2006) (6/10)

Rock on! (2008) (6/10)

Four friends whose friendship rocks and what happens in their life. The first half seems more enthralling than it is due to the web of flashbacks and the somewhat unnecessary shrouding in mystery of an incident that changes their lives - an incident which is common place from one point of view, but catastrophic from another.

Interesting human qualities are brought into play to push the story, keeping you interested. Then there are some almost predictable coincidences, some more obvious elements, and some improbable situations to wrap it up.

What keeps it afloat is its being true to the music and not drifting to the tune of usual Bollywood elements. Magik can not be dominated by an individual, and they have stayed true to that mantra.

Rock on! (2008) (6/10)

tingyaa (2008) (7/10)

A moving film based on a real story and closely related to the suicides by farmers as they can not support themselves. The acting especially by Tingya is great. His love towards their ox has been brought out very well. As the child is the hero, justice has not been meted to showing the extent of frustrations farmers face. That comes out as somewhat of a linear phenomenon

tingyaa (2008) (7/10)

History of the World - Part I (1981) (6/10)

Mel Brook spook (I mean spoof). As funny as Mel Brooks can be. Actually may not meet his standard. It is in different sections (not parts).

History of the World - Part I (1981) (6/10)

The Pianist (2002) (7/10)

All you want to play is the piano - and you are good at it. And the war breaks out. and with it hell. You are captured and spend time in captivity. Helping here and there a bit but not being able to do much. Surviving. And you get a break. You find humanity in the enemy. Or a small part (with a large mind?) of the enemy. You survive and are united with your art.

The Pianist (2002) (7/10)

The Presitge (2006) (8/10)

A magical movie executed to great effect. Two rivals trying to better each other with plots and counterplots, feats and counterfeits. Using tricks and people to trick people. The machine, the men and the magic. Many hats off. Stooping to lower nadirs just to raise oneself in ones own esteem.

The Presitge (2006) (8/10)

Hot Fuzz (2007) (6/10)

A dark comedy. Well, more correctly a dark mystery. A lone officer trying to find out things with no willing help. In fact lots of obstacles. You won't generally laugh out loud, but will smile. Is violent though. Or rather that is the purpose of it. Its the story of a rather peaceful little place. The high points are more for bringing the story together rather than other things like acting.

Hot Fuzz (2007) (6/10)

The Dark Knight (2008) (8/10)

A slick, fast-paced, no-nonsense (if you pardon the fantastic moves - but then you won't go to this movie if you were not in a pardoning mood anyway) movie with a good number of twists. While the masks can to an extent mask your acting skills, the body language was indicative enough that the actors meant business. Though the title has the word dark in it, it was certainly not as dark (in an art movie sense) as the original batman which seemed as if shot in an Indian town with perpetual powercut. Very elaborate plans were executed in very short precise intervals. That in fact seemed a major shortcoming where it is difficult to grant a poetic or otherwise license.

The Dark Knight (2008) (8/10)

Valu AKA The Wild Bull (2008) (8/10)

Another delightful movie starring Atul Kulkarni. It hits the bulls eye in capturing the peripheral village atmosphere replete with its politics and pettiness as also purity and plain pleasures. There are no complications and everyone can be hopelessly selfish as that is the only way that exists. Dealing with the job at hand. Long term plans normally do not feature. Take the bull by the horns.

The sprinkling of innocuous humour is what makes the movie stand out. It fits in very naturally. Forest the brother of documentary? Perhaps only when a girl can dance like a bull.

Valu AKA The Wild Bull (2008) (8/10)

chakva (2004) (4/10)

A Marathi movie from 2004 which does not have an IMDB page in 2008. May be that sums much of it. The storyline could have been developed as there were two parallel mysteries to be solved which are strangely interconnected. The recourse to the supernatural is okay if (1) it is done well, or (2) it indroduces some new techniques. The sentence at the end (after the movie) that says that the actors do not believe in the supernatural seemed to suggest that (1) but it is true anyway, or (2) they have to work in such movies for their daily bread. I wish they could at least have show more of the Konkan beauty.

chakva (2004) (4/10)

Paths of Glory (1957) (7/10)

When ambition makes you blind, it can be bad for other people. If you happen to be in a position of command, that becomes an understatement. A complete disdain for anything in your path can result. Even paths considered to be those of glory can turn gory. Why wars are started and where they can take you. Irrespective of which side was right, here we see what happens just on one side. A different kind of war movie.

Paths of Glory (1957) (7/10)

Iron Man (2008) (6/10)

A fantastic fairytale with lots of loopholes and patently illogical stuff mainly owing to assumed jumps in technological prowess. But with a hint of social awareness, and a flair for being somewhat different. A few twists here and there but none too heart-stopping.

Iron Man (2008) (6/10)

Goodfellas (1990) (5/10)

Perhpas a good movie if you like gangster movies where some guys cuss and curse all the time and others coolly execute multi-million dollar heists without telling you how they did it. The making of a gangster has been shown well, but it drags a bit, even though it is jumpy in places.

Goodfellas (1990) (5/10)

Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006) (5/10)

Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006) (5/10)

While the movie pokes genuine fun at many social and cultural issues, it was neither subtle nor humorous in the political sense of the word. Or, in other words, it was generally needlessly gross. Its the kind of movie which is wasted upon the offenders in any case.

Finding Neverland (2004) (7/10)

It keeps you rivetted to the screen as the drama unfolds. It moves you up and down with its dreaming, and beliefs and beliefs in dreams. When you reflect on it, you realize that there is not all that much to reflect. Either you are a child, or you are not (though you may long to be one). They tried to do a glass bead game by not revealing what the play "actually" contains. The fragments are of course suggestive, but most of the rest then has to be filled in by you, your imagination, something central to the point being made. The quagmire of relationships is interesting to say the least. The movie operates at many levels and it is difficult to get them all. I wonder what the characters in tumbolina will say about the movie. That it is just a movie?

Finding Neverland (2004) (7/10)

Bronenosets Potyomkin aka Battleship Potemkin (1925) (6/10)

An epic movie about the Russian revolution. The revolution is almost shown as black and white. It is an important thing to understand. The need to revolt is an important one. And it can come through persistent oppression. When the pent up forces are let out, almost anything is possible. What are the lessons to be learnt? Are there lessons to be learnt? I don't know.

Bronenosets Potyomkin aka Battleship Potemkin (1925) (6/10)

Babel (2006) (5/10)

A bunch of stories connected in a seemingly impossible way. Not exactly cascading, but one setting another off by a longshot. No closure is offered. It would have been artificial anyway. Most stories are almost commonstance barring perhaps two that are connected with a rifle. But those too show signs of the times. You may like it if you like life as it is.

Babel (2006) (5/10)

Office Space (1999) (6/10)

A light hearted movie poking fun at office culture, management etc. and the frustration that can come from it, ways people seek around it and what it can lead to. Nothing profound.

Office Space (1999) (6/10)

Diarios de motocicleta AKA The Motorcycle Diaries (2004) (7/10)

The well made movie about Che Guevera's formative days does not reveal what is to follow except for a sentence to the effect that you can not do much without guns. What is depicted instead is a compassionate, socialist, frank young person. True the stirrings increase in frequency and intensity after he and his motorcycle buddy see discrimination everywhere and signs of things getting worse. There is a genuineness which is often lacking in many revolutionaries. Many, even with the genuineness can get affected by power just like Che's later partner Fidel Castro did. Che himself jumped elsewhere to free other countries. The one sentence that stood out was when they were in Peru and he says: How is it possible to feel nostalgia for a world I never knew?

His desire to unite the people stand out. While they are not depicted as atheists, their almost revolt against everyone having to go to mass in the leper colony testifies to their being people-centric. There seemed to be many parallels with Bhagatsingh although fairly vague. Sources of the unrest, displeasure are not shown starkly or blatently which makes the movie appeal more to the mind. It is left for the viewers to find out more about the central person, and may be others like him.

Diarios de motocicleta AKA The Motorcycle Diaries (2004) (7/10)

50 First Dates (2004) (6/10)

A serious topic handled in an entertaining way. So much so that most people will likely leave without realizing the seriousness of it. The good thing is that there is no moralizing, or judging that is depicted. Some core human qualities come out as do some frivolous.

50 First Dates (2004) (6/10)

The Man from Earth (2007) (7/10)

John invites a few of his professor friends to say goodbye as he is moving on. No one knows where. A probe into that moves towards a possible science fiction story. The upheavel the storyline causes is hard to resolve or bring to a closure until John is threatened to do so or face consequences. His choice seems to satisfy everyone (because obviously that is the only conclusion anyone was going to believe). And then something else happens. The question is, what will the viewer believe? Unfortunately for such good storylines, viewers are already biased and have decided what they are going to believe, so much so that they will not even consider the opposite, not even in a what-if scenario.

The downside of the movie is that it is a bit low-budget and the acting is not uniform. But of course it is the loss of cinema that you need to make everything palatable.

The Man from Earth (2007) (7/10)

El Laberinto del fauno AKA Pan's Labyrinth (2006) (6/10)

A fairy tale intertwined with a revolution in 1941 Spain highlighting different facets of human nature. The way real life and the fairy tale is seamlessly mixed is amazing and so is the acting. That said, I am not a great fan of mixing genres where it is not natural i.e. just for a great effect. If there was a deeper analogy e.g escapism, it was lost on me. The good thing was that neither part seemed jarring (if you excuse the violence in the war which you really shouldn't).

El Laberinto del fauno AKA Pan's Labyrinth (2006) (6/10)

V for Vendetta (2005) (7/10)

A philosophical action movie trying to make it hard to draw a line between terrorism and revolutionism. Asking questions if destroying symbols of democracy wielded by a few is okay if that is going to make a peoples democracy available. If the revenge is not going to do any good for you personally, do you have the right to do good to others whether or not they want it?

Good dialogues, excellent acting, and good theme. It is all exaggerated a bit (a lot) but it is fair enough to drive across the point. Or may be not. If one person could do so many things, may be such a persion should do it. The issue is mainly due to fractured mandates, fractured identities etc. The human variety is what is sometimes the problem. But hopefully it is a solution too.

V for Vendetta (2005) (7/10)

Equilibrium (2002) (6/10)

A post WWIII movie where man has learnt to keep his emotions clouded away with daily doses. But of course there are people who do not do this. The movie is a mixture of Fahrenheit 451, matrix, 1984 and other such. The strength of the story is that they have kept it straight forward without complicating it with too many factors. Also, their are enough twists to keep you guessing about the future. The absence of big brother (or father) from certain walks of life (for instance no cameras in the interrogation rooms) was puzzling (shall we say miraculous?). Some good scientific (if you consider statistics to be a science) fighting action.

Equilibrium (2002) (6/10)

Labyrinth (1986) (5/10)

Fairy tale with predictable hurdles to be overcome. Will friends be friends, will the evil be vanquished (or conquered) and so on. Good premise, thin on novelty. Not enough twists. Not much acting needed.

Labyrinth (1986) (5/10)

Grindhouse: Death Proof (2007) (3/10)

Rather vacuous horror/action. The theme is thin, and the horror not horrifying.

Grindhouse: Death Proof (2007) (3/10)

Khosla Ka Ghosla! (2006) (7/10)

A wellpaced and well made money showing several aspects of a problem
but not lingering on it and thus sticking to the main theme, the one
about the family itself. Interpersonal relationships, generation gap
and the like and how a single but large issue and bring out different
aspects in them. Enough ups and downs to keep one's interest live.
Another one of those with no song and dance and quality acting.

Khosla Ka Ghosla! (2006) (7/10)

Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara (2005) (7/10)

A good premise fairly well handled. Though they need not have converted it into a documentary, it will have been good if some statistics of such cases were provided through dialogues in general to ensure that people do not laugh at real cases thinking its really rare and won't ever touch any of their near ones.

One doctor is shown too stereotypical, and the other too extraordinary. Same is true with the two younger children to an extent.
They missed the subtitles to the theme poem on the only occasion when its recited fully. Good that unnecessary song and dance is kept out.

Oh, the mysteries of the conciousness.

Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara (2005) (7/10)

Flightplan (2005) (5/10)

Described as a Hitchcockesque movie (or something like that) Flightplan hardly comes close. Sure, they try to build up the tension and you are left wondering as to who to believe. But that is mainly because you are not provided ANY background. No characters are built and even at the end many questions are left unanswered.

Flightplan (2005) (5/10)

Happy Gilmore (1996) (6/10)

A silly funny movie with nothing profound in it, except perhaps some clean much needed ridicule of the flogging game. Go without expecting moralizing, life changing stuff and you will enjoy it. It does not drag, maintains a good pace of well spaced fun. You may not want to watch it on a big screen unless you also carry some friends and popcorn with you.

Happy Gilmore (1996) (6/10)

Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) (8/10)

A rather beautiful movie documenting strife as well as achievement, shades of kindness as well as depths of deceit while handling a very non-standard topic. True to the memoir in its name the story does not stray and does justice to the few characters portrayed. Powerful dialogues, often in the form of a few remarks, augment the visual beauty appreciably. The whole thing turns out to be a rather complex affair, but oh well.

Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) (8/10)

Om Shanti Om (2007) (7/10)

Despite being a Shahrush movie, its fun. He has overacted, especially in the first part, but that can be pardoned because he wants to be a movie star. And of course what better person to imitate than himself. In fact, one endearing thing about this movie is that it stars many big gums often in guest roles with most imitating themselves. Its healthy to see that people can laugh at themselves. It has many interesting self-refs, stories inside stories. Not quiet Mandelbrot set, but fairly close to one of ACT dialogue in GEB. In a way.

Om Shanti Om (2007) (7/10)

Mystic River (2003) (6/10)

Very well acted movie. One moment you feel you know who did it and the next you are convinced it can not be that person. It does not matter in the end. It starts with three children playing together and sort of follows their life with a big jump in between. Three different types. The reason it goes down a bit for me is because it is rather like life. The ending, the people and all that. But if you like that kind of thing, you will like this.

Mystic River (2003) (6/10)

Syriana (2005) (5/10)

In the first half the movie jumps to too many locations. The action is chunky and the things that need to be filled in are too logical (though selfish). Though curtly acted out, the movie does not make that much of an impression because much of the stuff can be inferred if one keeps ones eyes open and looks around (in the real world). Perhaps for those who are not aware of the oily politics may find it worth watching.

Syriana (2005) (5/10)

Limited Manuski (1995) (4/10)

Horrible dialogue delivery (perhaps trying to imitate common people who are not trying to deliver dialogues) and sorry theme that neither goes anywhere nor takes you anywhere. At some point it seems they may be tackling socially relevant issues. But that seems to be only a guise in the end. Not even laughable.

Limited Manuski (1995) (4/10)

Inside Man (2006) (6/10)

A sleekly executed intelligent movie touching upon wolves in the folds of sheep, high level corruption and how to execute bank robberies (among other things) but not people. Some rather buggy (and hence) dumb parts are part of the game. Unnecessarily muddied by mixing post-episode interviews during the main execution. It makes you think, tense, but for not good reason.

Inside Man (2006) (6/10)

Taare Zameen Par (2007) (9/10)

Taare Zameen Par (2007) (9/10)

A disclaimer: the movie does have its flaws. The 9 it gets are for the good things, the excellent attempt, an important subject, and for the unnecessary things typically seen in movies that it leaves out.

Its about each of us literally having ones own world, and some having to take it to the extreme. When you call something red, and I agree, we may not be seeing the same thing. Thats certainly truer when it comes to more complex things like the solution to a college-level calculus problem. But when you have to go to the other extreme and see that what you call b may in fact be d for me, and that too only sometimes, and then you realize that many people do not realize this, and hence do not realize that it can be a big problem when it comes to fitting in, you are just realizing what could be happening to a few unfortunate children. Unfortunate not because it is an uncurable thing, but because proper care can easily overcome it and bring out the best in them. Te theme has been well handled from both aspects: (1) how they can be ill-treated, and (2) how they can blossom. A must watch!

It does become a bit melodramatic in an attempt to make it a comedy. Just a revival would have sufficed. Showing all other teachers to be a stereotype is also a bit extreme. His brother not noticing the symptoms seemed a bit odd.

My greatest hope is that some people on the border line turn to teaching and some teachers, parents, students see it all in a different light.

Das Leben der Anderen AKA The Lives of others (2006) (8/10)

A beautiful movie about socialist East Germany, the strife between the people on either side of the party, table, wall and humanity. Also about free speech, the need to use it, and in the correct place and measure. And to think. And to choose sides carefully. Many times. Many potential twists, some guessable based on who and what you are. Good editing, especially of dialogues. Could make out the turning point as it happened. See if you can. The last sequence is powerful, telling us of the importance and strength of non-verbal communication. The last sentence is cute.

Das Leben der Anderen AKA The Lives of others (2006) (8/10)

The Courtesans of Bombay (1983) (5/10)

A documentary about singers in Bombay. People who live with them, visit them, teach them, manage them.

The Courtesans of Bombay (1983) (5/10)

Les Quatre cents coups AKA 400 Blows (1959) (6/10)

A B&W story of a boy told in B&W. A subtle yet thorny issue is dealt in too short a time for a movie. How one thing leads to another driving the boy into things that he should not necessarily be doing. The movie is not slow, yet does not cover enough ground possibly as it goes in to some details in some sections. The end is not too enlightening.

Les Quatre cents coups AKA 400 Blows (1959) (6/10)

Match Point (2005) (7/10)

Good start, boring in between (the pretext of proper atmosphere, build-up resulting in far few dialogues) and then a somewhat predictable yet interesting chain of events - except for the end itself. Woody does not star himself which almost immediately may explain the reduced number of dialogues. Does the movie need the dialogues? Not necessarily. Is it like a Hitchcock movie? Perhaps, but the plot is not equally open. Some of the effect is similar though.

Psychology, need for stability, ability to not see beyond oneself, blindedness of different sorts etc. are all combined for good effect.

Match Point (2005)(7/10)

MirrorMask (2005) (6/10)

Imaginative imagery of a mirror world, one dark with possibilities is the backbone of the movie with some fabric of juggling the waking and sleeping world, of dreams and reality, of wanting to confirm and escaping, of one's people being on one's side and then may be seemingly not. Or vice versa. Not much of the modern world. Or of the old. But secret riddles that are not too deep.

MirrorMask (2005) (6/10)

Avaghachi Sansar (1960) (8/10)

Though a rather old movie, does not seem dated at all. If at all, some of its thoughts are worth enfranchising by the folks today. Keeps you smiling if not laughing through sterling performance and excellent lyrics and even a wonderful classical dance sequence. But it is the plight of a husband-to-be of finding more in a not-too-complicated series of alomst unfortunate events that the movie delights you. Knowing Pune is an asset, but by no means necessary.

Avaghachi Sansar (1960) (8/10)

Lakhachi Gosht (1952) (5/10)

One of the oldies showing the struggle between surviving for the sake of ones art and for ones love, the later needing one to earn a lot of money. Or times spending even more. The bons between the two artists friends is a bit strange. I guess that kind of separate-us-not was sort-of assumed between any pair being depicted in movies around that time. The songs are good, but the movie shows a bit of age overall.

Lakhachi Gosht (1952) (5/10)

Kay Dyache Bola (2005) (6/10)

A fairly good comedy, marred by two facts that its a remake of an English movie (my cousin Vinny) and that some of the cross-questioning which reveals flaws in the original accounts could in no way have been thought of by the viewers. Otherwise the marathi touch and the humor is worth a watch (though slow at times). The fire alarm episode seemed rather out of place, and the bookies also seemed to be an add-on that did not gel too well. The anandibai bit was excellent, and the last argument was impressive.

Kay Dyache Bola (2005) (6/10)

Joshua (2007) (5/10)

These days inexplicable without a basis does not pique my interest. Unless there are some fantasitic elements or elements of mystery that can be attacked, its just one of those mindless or paranormal phenomenon that does not need any attention from your gray cells. Joshua is like that. No creek provided to guess why what is happening is happening. It just happens. All you can do is watch. Solved (in this case unsolved) mysteries are useless if you as a viewer do not get a chance to solve it as the story progresses.

Joshua (2007) (5/10)

The Terminal (2004) (6/10)

An interesting version of living out of a box. The difference being that you are made to live so. Or at least apparently. Despite being allowed to escape if you don't understand the opportunities, are those opportunities at all? Human persistence (either way) sustains its goals until they are overcome. A good combination of persistence, taking the law to the extreme, humanity (or some strains of it) and in general hilarity springing from the unfamiliar. The airport is clearly a miniature version of the United States itself.

The Terminal (2004) (6/10)

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) (5/10)

Another disappointment in the series. The picturizations seem to be getting worse. Producers keep missing details forgetting that the devil is in the detail. Without the devil what can a good magician do but just feel like a cheap trickster? Action, action, and more action. Well, actually not too much of that either. Seemed even a bit like mahabharat with just charges (weapons) flowing from one side to the other.
Nothing profound or even seemingly profound.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) (5/10)

Koi... mil gaya (2003) (5/10)

A bit disappointing - except for a good performance by Hrithik and Priety. Borrows a lot from Encounters of the third kind, Star wars, ET, Flubber and even Space Balls. Yet it does have the Hindi touch. Ample, in fact, as evidenced by an unnecessary song every several minutes. Friendship between a powerful and powerless ET and a mentally challenged and brilliant grown-up child. Or something like that.

Koi... mil gaya (2003) (5/10)

1408 (2007) (6/10)

One of the better horror movies for some time in the sense that it does not have to adhere to ugliness, obscenities or gore to try to frieghten the viewers. That it did not manage much, but there was a fairly consistent bit of intrigue much of the time. It does not explain the supernatural, but I guess that is not the point anyway. In the end it is a bit like the bottle of Klein. You don't know what is inside and what is outside. There is a bit of cube used and hints of shining.

1408 (2007) (6/10)

Yanda Kartavya Aahe (2006) (6/10)

A non-farcical non-serious, non-moralizing, but with-a-moral comedy. Slow at times, but mostly acted out very naturally. Perhaps not worth spending a lot of money to go watch it in a movie hall where you can not chat in order to let others enjoy it. A newly wed pair finds itself honeymooning in rather strange environs. Getting to know each other as well as trying to mix in the culture surrounding them makes for some interesting if at times a little far-fetched scenarios. Use is nicely made of ignorance and a private urge to keep private things private. Marathi.

Yanda Kartavya Aahe (2006) (6/10)

Manchurian candidate (2004) (7/10)

Sci-fi on steroids. Good theme and storyline, and acting if you ignore the rather fantastic matching of "memories" depicted across a whole group. in some sense the fantasy goes even beyond James Bond's devices, only that it is not fast.

Manchurian candidate (2004) (7/10)

Bheja Fry aka Dinner Party (2007) (6/10)

This is a well made copy of the French movie Le Dîner de cons (1998). I guess no matter how well made, a copy is a copy. May be they should at least pick old forgotten ones?

The acting is good except for Asif (Ranvir) who just seems to make faces instead of acting. There are only 5 actors in this 90 minute movie anyway. There is a bit of tastelessness where they discover what is actually happening at the Juhu flat. But the plot does not stray (though it meanders) and a light vein is kept almost throughout. The 'phone and the ritual of the scrapbook are the epitome and not to be missed. Most of the work needed would have been to do the songs.

Bheja Fry aka Dinner Party (2007) (6/10)

Millions (2004) (7/10)

An interesting movie about the adults in children. Two children find a lot of cash and they want to help the needy. Until they discover the source of the money. Can they go back. The invocation of various saints is cute. And our mum is dead. Could religion be like that? Giving you strength at the expense of something else? The premise of Britain going Euro can be an evergreen one until the British economy gets bogged down. Will it herald an even more commoner currency? But we are digressing ...

Millions (2004) (7/10)

Sullivan's Travels (1941) (7/10)

A Hollywood director wants to make a movie with a message, perhaps teach people about morals and all that so they can appreciate what the world is going through with wars and all. He is reminded that he knows nothing about poverty. So he sets out to learn about it first hand, to find trouble. But its not easy, at least not the way he had hoped. But then he manages to find it, learn everything he wants to learn, is happy, and then suddently things turn really sour. It is only then he learns what reality is like. Will he survive? Its not so much a suspense as the juxtaposition of wanting to make a movie with a message, and learning that may be not all movies should be that. A little bit slow in the middle, but wonderfully done overall.

Sullivan's Travels (1941) (7/10)

The Hills Have Eyes (2006) (5/10)

The bad effects of nuclear testing in a remote place are shown in a horrorific way. Mutated people left with nothing stoop to very low levels to keep alive. Good atmosphere generation early on, but then it goes down the hill a bit as you are not given a chance to ask questions like how did they survive until now etc. Some good starts, many rather gory scenes.

The Hills Have Eyes (2006) (5/10)

Amistad (1997) (7/10)

Amistad starts off being unintelligible while neither English nor subtitles are seen - though the action does speak a lot. Slaves on a ship escape and the battle to claim them starts. It is in the courts that they find a determined anti-slavery advocate and his battle against the establishment to get them freedom. The hypocracy in the civilised world as well as the elements of good are brought out well.

Amistad (1997) (7/10)

Psycho (1960) (8/10)

Revisited psycho after a couple of decades. Its equally pleasing. Hitchcock's handling of even murders shows how intricate and at the same time devoid of what people think would be the common motives.

Psycho (1960) (8/10)

Millions (2004) (6/10)

How will different people react when they come in contact with lots of money, and how does the nature or source of that money affect them? This question is dealt with in a lighter, yet somewhat thought provoking, vein in this futuristic but may be not too much in the future (because England is shown to join EU) setting. The use of saints is interesting and the child in me loved the cardboard house.

Millions (2004) (6/10)

Casino Royale (1967) (5/10)

Despite the fact that the likes of Peter Sellers and Woody Allen are in the cast, this spoof of spy movies doesn't fly. Its dogged by being too slow much of the time. Some of the parallels are too literal, and the genuinely different ones are not too original in terms of appeal.

Casino Royale (1967) (5/10)

Finestra di fronte, La aka Facing Windows (2003) (4/10)

The character development is rather jumpy. As a result you do not start connecting much, and many events seem rather mundane. Even if the premise seems good - about how we can learn of our own life from others and our interactions with them - it is rather trivialised by finding all the right components close by.

Finestra di fronte, La aka Facing Windows (2003) (4/10)

The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942) (5/10)

This was a movie with great potential, good plot, twists and acting wasted by being a bit too verbose. Many of the dialogues and tongue in cheek remarks are excellent, but at times it seems as if it is just strung together from such remarks. Too many characters are inserted and their character built rather rapidly for specific short roles, and some people are too receptive.

The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942) (5/10)

Shakespeare in Love (1998) (6/10)

Was only half-watching this movie and it seemed good. Full of good acting. Reasonably good plot. A little over-doing of the Victorian era which was inherent to that time and which I have never been able to really understand.

Shakespeare in Love (1998) (6/10)

Christmas in July (1940) (7/10)

This is a delightful 67 minute package. Very positive throughout in all its aspects. A drama that unravels following a big prize announced for a slogan contest and a false telegram notification about the actual prize. What is most wonderful is that even people who have lost or are losing something or the other are shown to take it very gracefully. So gracefully that even today you do feel that it is possible to do so.

Christmas in July (1940) (7/10)

Auberge espagnole, L' aka The Spanish Apartment (2002) (5/10)

A movie about a French student moving to Madrid and spending an year there living with other students from other countries and also with two people he has met at the time of his arrival. His journey through the year and ups and downs are depicted.

Auberge espagnole, L' aka The Spanish Apartment (2002) (5/10)

Monsieur Ibrahim et les fleurs du Coran aka Monsieur Ibrahim (2003) (6/10)

A fairly straightforward plot (if you can call it that) and a triumph of nurture over nature with a bit of sex thrown in for taste. A French boy is groomed by a moslem and told that he gets all his answers from the Koran. What the answers are is never revealed, of course. It is really about love and people power than any religion. Or, in fact, it is the common denominator of all that is good in religions. Without the biased, selfish, oneupmanshipish part.

Monsieur Ibrahim et les fleurs du Coran aka Monsieur Ibrahim (2003) (6/10)

The Namesake (2006) (6/10)

Well made, well acted, fast paced. Shows cultural diversities and borderlines of intermixing and problems thereof quiet well. Where it fails is that too much is crammed in to it, The character of the namesake is not developed at all. It can be anyone's story. The reason for that particular name does not really come out. Most Kolkata images are a backdrop and not clear why those particular ones were there. In general not enough time is spent on different parts of the movie and is abrupt much of the time. May be this is typical of books adapted to movies.

The Namesake (2006) (6/10)

The killing (1956) (5/10)

Must have been a very good movie when it was made. It is good. The planning and all. But ends up seeming slow compared to any movie these days. Perhaps because of the details. Some art movies get tolerated even if they are slow because they are not supposed to convey anything. But this movie is a bit slow because it is precise. But it is not a Hitchcock. A perfect plan to rob a race-course. But then the cookie crumbles.

The killing (1956) (5/10)

The future of food (2004) (7/10)

This is a documentary and worth a watch. I was not sure of the exact dangers posed by genetically modified foods. It is now amply clear that much of the threat if from greedy people rather than the inherent biological aspect of it. It is big corporations which lobby, patent and drive farmers out of a livelihood. The second generation sterility is artificially imposed. Strongly recommended.

The future of food (2004) (7/10)

Chess fever (1930) (7/10)

Directed by Aleksandr Dovzhenko, this 30 minute gem is about the passion of Russia for chess, and especially of the hero whose marriage is in jeopardy because of it. It is interesting to see who all plays chess, where and how. And what happens to our young otherwise romantic couple.

Chess fever (1930) (7/10)

O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) (7/10)

This weird and interesting Mississippi movie about a jailbird who convinces two others to flee with him in search of a 1.2M treasure is replete with some very hearable songs. The flow is rather jerky along the prophesy of a railline prophet they meet. Much like the Earth gets destroyed in a different way in each episode of HHGTTG, the trio keeps getting in to trouble until ...
One gets to see a lot of the devil and god and the in-between. Ever applied Nova to your hair? It used to be so nice ...

O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) (7/10)

K-PAX (2001) (7/10)

A very crafty movie. Gentle too. And effective. No ultimate suspense, yet keeps you guessing. An alien from K-PAX? Well, that is not what the doctors think, medical or otherwise. But ask the patients! They know. They who you think are just furballs. In the end however, the mystery is not unfolded completely for everyone. You have to put pieces together to make it make sense. And it does.

Some scientific liberties taken, but then some science is explained well e.g. soap- and celestial-spheres. And the humane touch never fails to raise the masses. The cynical me asks though if that is really how it is.

K-PAX (2001) (7/10)

Pi (1998) (6/10)

An interesting premise rather wasted by trying to combine too many abstract concepts making it into an abstraction. Is incompleteness applicable to humans is a question many have pondered (without there being a well understood connection). The absurd fascination for a 216 digit number and the bad health of the hero makes it worse. But by bringing in the Go connection and the Tora, some interest is retained. At times it is just like the 9 billion names of God, and at times its very Lem (in concept anyway), not to mention Indiana Jones. Pi is clearly a misnomer, and phi won't be correct either. Omega perhaps?

Pi (1998) (6/10)

The Lathe of Heaven (1980) (7/10)

Based on Ursula Le Guin's novel, this movie is about reality-changing dreams. And what can happen when dreams are forced. Since not all dreams are shown, the storyline seems a bit jumpy, but manages to sustain attention. George Orr's question about the possibility of there being others who could have such dreams is interesting. Unfortunately he couldn't control his dreams. In a way he was like Wowbagger - since he was not born with the ability, he could not cope with it.


The Lathe of Heaven (1980) (7/10)

One, Two, Three (1961) (7/10)

Billy Wilder's non-stop chattering and lashing out at socialism in a satirical manner. East Berlin, umlaut and coca-cola. Leave out some excessive talkativeness in the middle its a movie with some good twists.

One, Two, Three (1961) (7/10)

Life and Debt (2001) (7/10)

This Jamaican documentary explores the effect of globalisation on Jamaica. IMF restrictions, US bullying form the axis of evil for them. US companies use cheap labour through free zones, do not pay taxes, proper wages, and try to stop Europe from buying their bananas by complaining to WTO. Related issues are explored very well in the documentary and teach a lot about complex world affairs in a very straightforward manner. It does not provide any possible solutions though. May be it is left to the viewers to see how they can help. What long-term effects will globalisation have on a country like India?

Life and Debt (2001) (7/10)

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)

Born Into Brothels: Calcutta's Red Light Kids (2004) (8/10)

A documentary which rightly got a "truer than fiction" award, it is about how children who would otherwise be potentially stuck in a vicious cycle are enabled by learning to use a camera to make way for their talents, creativity and explore aspects of life that would not otherwise have been possible. Siding the nurture aspect of upbringing, it also is a triumph of a well planned project taken to a logical conclusion. At least up to the limits external help can take one. Then of course it is up to the horse. What other parallel things can individuals do?

Born Into Brothels: Calcutta's Red Light Kids (2004) (8/10)

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)

Rashômon (1950) (6/10)

Set in the woods, this Japanese movie is supposed to bring out the raw emotions in human beings - how temptations and situations affect them and cause them to do things they may not have considered themselves capable of. Different perspectives of possibly the same story bring that out. Very good performances, good handling of a not-too-easy subject matter. My personal concern is that often you understand these things and then you do not have to be preached about it, and often you do not understand them and hence can not be convinced about them. It is a bit too life like.

Rashômon (1950) (6/10)

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)

Eating Raoul (1982) (6/10)

A black comedy. Almost dark. Partway through it I thought it was like Marc Caro's Delikatssen (1991). But this has many twists, or rather kinks in the story. Played with rather straight faces. But believable. Almost like the aunts in Arsenic and old lace. Rather direct at times. Well, almost always. Multiple scams. I wonder which of these go on in the real world. If you would rather not know, don't watch it.

Eating Raoul (1982) (6/10)

Dawn of the Dead (1978) (3/10)

An outcropping of zombies after live people (why don't they attack other zombies?) I can understand if there is no art in such a movie, if there is no great photography, or perhaps even no scientific basis IF (and that is a very important if) it manages to scare you. Nothing of that sort either. The saving grace was perhaps that it was not downright ugly (though it did have some elements of it).

Dawn of the Dead (1978) (3/10)

Gosford Park (2001) (4/10)

Excellent performances by good actors is the saving grace of the movie the theme of which many will like and the costumes many will adore. Mainly about the interrelationships between different people in the high-society (lords and ladies) and between their servents and between the two classes. Served foolishly by some packagers as a murder mystery. Was reminded at times of Party (Hindi). Elegant, but vacous. So true that it is mundane in terms of not offering anything new.

Gosford Park (2001) (4/10)

La Cage Aux Follies AKA Birds of a Feather (1978) (4/10)

This French movie has a potentially good, though a bit weird premise. The son of two gays, one of them a drag queen, decides to marry. Large possibilities for interesting situations, but it mostly drags on. Or rather, it does not much take off. Except for about 15 minutes late in to the movie there are a few complicatedly funny situations, but that is about it.

La Cage Aux Follies AKA Birds of a Feather (1978) (4/10)