Even a sex comedy can be artistic..I never believed that before watching this movie...
The story is simple.....a bed hopping playboy is paid back in the same coin by one of his conquests. He believes he has AIDS and tries to commit suicide...only to find another depressed girl to be his journey mate...
This is a social satire in a ribald flavour. you will laugh your heart out yet will notice some original and artistic scenes.
Do give this a try..A sex comedy does not become part of criterion collection for nothin..
Overall 7.5/10
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind
"Blessed are forgetful for they get the better of even their blunders"-Nietzche...this line is probably the very antithesis of the theme of the movie.
Is it really good to have memories erased......a child is like a uniform lump of clay with no impressions....as he/she grows up, various impressions shape it up....however it is these impressions that cause him all the pain that a child is spared of....should such painful impressions be obliterated or be fossilized for eternity?
Pain is nothing but the friction caused due to strong attraction.....the malicious pain tends to shroud the dove of love....it is only when the bond breaks that one realizes what has gone missing.......
This is a excellent movie with an original style....it may be difficult to grasp the proceedings w/o a bit of concentration...but the two hours you spend on this will be worth it.
overall 8/10
acting 8/10
originality 9/10
Is it really good to have memories erased......a child is like a uniform lump of clay with no impressions....as he/she grows up, various impressions shape it up....however it is these impressions that cause him all the pain that a child is spared of....should such painful impressions be obliterated or be fossilized for eternity?
Pain is nothing but the friction caused due to strong attraction.....the malicious pain tends to shroud the dove of love....it is only when the bond breaks that one realizes what has gone missing.......
This is a excellent movie with an original style....it may be difficult to grasp the proceedings w/o a bit of concentration...but the two hours you spend on this will be worth it.
overall 8/10
acting 8/10
originality 9/10
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Baby Face
Once you see this film, you have lesser chances of being bitched by a bitch. Barbara Stanwyck delivers a stunning role that perhaps is the epitome of any bitch.
A hapless girl, who was forced into bed with the 'night shift' laborers by her own father since the age of 14 is taught the philosophy of Nietsze by a philosopher and well-wisher-"exploit yourself to achieve what you want"..."Face life as u find it-defiantly and unafraid. Crush out all sentiment". She
She travels to New York and now uses men to get what she wants. The cold blooded steel looks freeze any man. She sleeps her way to the top of a bank. She doesnt know what love is-yet shotputs men into a fathomless ocean of infatuation. She gets what she wants and rises from rags to riches. Nevertheless, however hard you might be, human emotions show up and probably even the coldest hearts are moved by the dove of love.....she realizes it at the end.
Recommended for the brilliant acting.
Rating 7/10
A hapless girl, who was forced into bed with the 'night shift' laborers by her own father since the age of 14 is taught the philosophy of Nietsze by a philosopher and well-wisher-"exploit yourself to achieve what you want"..."Face life as u find it-defiantly and unafraid. Crush out all sentiment". She
She travels to New York and now uses men to get what she wants. The cold blooded steel looks freeze any man. She sleeps her way to the top of a bank. She doesnt know what love is-yet shotputs men into a fathomless ocean of infatuation. She gets what she wants and rises from rags to riches. Nevertheless, however hard you might be, human emotions show up and probably even the coldest hearts are moved by the dove of love.....she realizes it at the end.
Recommended for the brilliant acting.
Rating 7/10
Waterloo Bridge(1931)
This movie was banned when it was released. Probably way ahead of time... but the theme is a cliche one....a prostitute who has a heart of gold.....
Nevertheless, the movie is very well executed and has some stellar acting. If you lay hands on the Forbidden Hollywood collection, watch this movie.
Set during the first world war, this movie is about an unfortunate 'soldier' woman who falls in love with a baby faced American private. Though she is in love with him, she considers herself too lowly for him and runs away. When at the end, the private comes to know about the real her, he is even more impressed by her golden virtues. However fate had different plans and the film has a tragic ending.
Considering the time when the film was released, this was really a futuristic film.
Overall 6.5/10
Nevertheless, the movie is very well executed and has some stellar acting. If you lay hands on the Forbidden Hollywood collection, watch this movie.
Set during the first world war, this movie is about an unfortunate 'soldier' woman who falls in love with a baby faced American private. Though she is in love with him, she considers herself too lowly for him and runs away. When at the end, the private comes to know about the real her, he is even more impressed by her golden virtues. However fate had different plans and the film has a tragic ending.
Considering the time when the film was released, this was really a futuristic film.
Overall 6.5/10
Thursday, March 13, 2008
The Sea is Watching (Japanese)
A tang of Nights of Cabiria...but with a happy ending..thats how "The Sea is watching" can be simply described....
A touching story with gripping dialogues and remarkable performances, this movie is a treat to watch. A simple story....A young geisha searches for love.....she sells her body out of misfortune but is pure at heart....Infact all the geishas portrayed here show more humane tendencies than other "high-caste" people......She falls in love with a ostracized samurai....but he ditches her as soon as he is taken back into the society....atlast it is another so called "low" man-who has had the life of dogs who proves to be a better human being than others....
I have just one complain about this movie..this movie is done in a way that resembles a drama on stage....the sets are very evident......even the sky that is shown can easily be discerned to be artificial...whether the director intended it that way I dont know...but I have a sneaky feeling, Kurosawa could have done much much better with this story of his....
Overall 7/10
Story 8/10
A touching story with gripping dialogues and remarkable performances, this movie is a treat to watch. A simple story....A young geisha searches for love.....she sells her body out of misfortune but is pure at heart....Infact all the geishas portrayed here show more humane tendencies than other "high-caste" people......She falls in love with a ostracized samurai....but he ditches her as soon as he is taken back into the society....atlast it is another so called "low" man-who has had the life of dogs who proves to be a better human being than others....
I have just one complain about this movie..this movie is done in a way that resembles a drama on stage....the sets are very evident......even the sky that is shown can easily be discerned to be artificial...whether the director intended it that way I dont know...but I have a sneaky feeling, Kurosawa could have done much much better with this story of his....
Overall 7/10
Story 8/10
Monday, March 10, 2008
Lost in Translation
Sofia Coppola's venture is one of the unique pieces of cinematography in recent times. Its about depression, yet its hilarious in parts. Crisp editing, symbolism, realistic situations and acting, life like camera movements etc transform the film almost into almost a flawless piece.
Two characters are extremely depressed....in the middle of an alien land(Japan) and lost in translation....nobody to talk to.....This string leads them to develop a bond.....They are akin in many sense..both of them are facing a crisis in their married life....both desperately want to return to their homeland...to stage a 'prison break'...this bond would lead probably nowhere but both of them would cherish it forever and store it in a niche corner of their heart.
You would recede into a gloomy cocoon at the sight of Bill Murray's face, Scarlet's blank stare at the skyline of Tokyo would blow a whiff of the pangs of solitude onto your mind....yet the situational comedy will blast your stomach. Scarlet's smile will change your mood. The conversations with tuned pauses and seemingly idiotic statements will make you forget that this is a film.....need I say more....To convey the sense of depression, the director has shown a scene where the protagonists sit and watch 'La Dolce Vita'-the mother of all films on depression and frustration. In my opinion in that category, Lost in Translation is not far beyond the Vita masterpiece.
Watch this movie sometime. It wont be a waste of your time...
Overall 8/10
Acting 8.5/10
Two characters are extremely depressed....in the middle of an alien land(Japan) and lost in translation....nobody to talk to.....This string leads them to develop a bond.....They are akin in many sense..both of them are facing a crisis in their married life....both desperately want to return to their homeland...to stage a 'prison break'...this bond would lead probably nowhere but both of them would cherish it forever and store it in a niche corner of their heart.
You would recede into a gloomy cocoon at the sight of Bill Murray's face, Scarlet's blank stare at the skyline of Tokyo would blow a whiff of the pangs of solitude onto your mind....yet the situational comedy will blast your stomach. Scarlet's smile will change your mood. The conversations with tuned pauses and seemingly idiotic statements will make you forget that this is a film.....need I say more....To convey the sense of depression, the director has shown a scene where the protagonists sit and watch 'La Dolce Vita'-the mother of all films on depression and frustration. In my opinion in that category, Lost in Translation is not far beyond the Vita masterpiece.
Watch this movie sometime. It wont be a waste of your time...
Overall 8/10
Acting 8.5/10
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Cries and Whispers (Swedish)
A masterpiece. A difficult film. An image of life. A tryst with the pangs of death. A painting of the complexities of life in RED. Thats Bergman.
Its useless reading about this movie. It presents an experience. A visual agony. The whole film is set in a background of red. Perhaps that is a reflection of the sins of the mind- SINS which go against our sense of morality. Elements of sadomasochism, lesbianism, adultery, incest, selfishness, jealousy etc have been sprayed subtly into the film. The self-centred, narcissist attitude of the two sisters, Karin and Maria has distanced them from each other and prevents them from caring for their dying sister. A down to earth maid, devoid of complexities is closer to their dying sister.
This movie is not entertainment. It is too serious. Nevertheless experience it atleast when Man's perennial obsession with death comes to haunt you. The brilliant acting will leave you dumbstruck; the camera with closeups and monotonous RED background will besiege you; the emotional subtleties will ensnare your mind....
Overall 9/10
Acting 9/10
Cinematography 9/10
Its useless reading about this movie. It presents an experience. A visual agony. The whole film is set in a background of red. Perhaps that is a reflection of the sins of the mind- SINS which go against our sense of morality. Elements of sadomasochism, lesbianism, adultery, incest, selfishness, jealousy etc have been sprayed subtly into the film. The self-centred, narcissist attitude of the two sisters, Karin and Maria has distanced them from each other and prevents them from caring for their dying sister. A down to earth maid, devoid of complexities is closer to their dying sister.
This movie is not entertainment. It is too serious. Nevertheless experience it atleast when Man's perennial obsession with death comes to haunt you. The brilliant acting will leave you dumbstruck; the camera with closeups and monotonous RED background will besiege you; the emotional subtleties will ensnare your mind....
Overall 9/10
Acting 9/10
Cinematography 9/10
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