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)

Batoru rowaiaru AKA Battle Royale (2000) (5/10)

A rather gruesome Japanese movie that pits 9th graders against each other in an oppresive environment where it is insisted that only one of them can survive beyond three days. The killings are gory, and the alliances few and far between. I suspect the book would make a better reading with the background provided in a more encompassing manner. The movie just seems like mayhem. Once you accept the situation that you have to go after the others, the depiction is very realistic as well as unnerving. The analogy is apparently to the economic competition in Japan and its outfall. The children in the teenagers, as well as the teens, and adults are clearly seen.

Batoru rowaiaru AKA Battle Royale (2000) (5/10)

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)