Stolen Kisses (French)

When I first watched this movie along with a friend, we both concluded that this movie was trash and overhyped. Now, after some thought I realize that it was a good movie..much better than many others..Its a different kind of film(or a normal Truffaut film) which is not pure entertainment..it has to be analyzed to understand the significance.

The biggest problem with this movie is that it is incoherent. you cant really understand the significance of every scene. The movie doesnt really go anywhere, it just meanders about the same region. But I guess that is what the movie wants to portray. The youth is the stage of life, when we are incoherent. Not very pragmatic. Life doesnt really have a direction. Quite like the protagonist, there is little experience in us that can lead us to a job. And people do not regard very highly of us. Even on the personal front, we are not 'settled' and often drawn to glamor.

In my view, the film portrays the essence of youth.

There are two scenes in this movie which I absolutely love. One where the protagonist's girlfriend tries to guess his new profession. Two when they are eating breakfast and the he puts a can opener like a ring on her finger.

Watch the movie at your discretion. You may enjoy it.

Overall 7/10
Direction 8/10

Ratatouille

Animation again. Do you hate rats? Arent they the nuisance makers? Well I loathed rats. Before watching this film that is. I kind of love rats now. Even want to have one as a pet :)

Again a sweet, enjoyable film. But it has a message. Dont undermine anybody. Even a rat may be able to cook!!!!! Its like a parable. Often in life we are blown away by prejudices. And most of these prejudices are based on flimsy premises. Ant-sized premises puffed up to elephantic proportions by the whistles of ego. Next time you speak anything out of bias, remember to give it considerable thought. Its easy to praise somebody but too difficult to condemn.

Enjoy this classic.

Overall-8.5/10

Wall-E

I would say the same thing that everybody says about this film-"I love Wall-E". He/It is one of the cutest animation characters I have ever seen. And I love the way he says "Evaa".

The storyline is simple. Just like an anime should be. But its thoroughly enjoyable. Whatever agegroup you might me in and whatever mood you might be in, there would be an unfading smile on your face when this movie ends.

You will love Wall-E for sure

Overall-8/10

Chocolat

If you are a diabetes patient you should not watch this movie... :P luscious chocolate being made by a pretty woman..This has all the elements of a good feel good movie.. Its out and out comedy with elements of romance and drama...Its one of the most enthralling movies I have probably ever seen...

The film was storytelling at its best..and ofcourse strong performances...the characters were all so believable!!!!!! but I think it delivers a strong message through the speech of the priest.... and it is one of the reasons I am in love with this film :"we can't go 'round measuring our goodness by what we don't do, by what we deny ourselves, what we resist and who we exclude... we've go to measure goodness by what we embrace, what we create, and who we include."

How true!!! most of us do that....and for my part I too did that...everybody is good in his/her own eyes....its only when we expand our horizons that we become great...often we are told :"forgive the sinner"..who are we to decide if we are sinner????? How do we decide who is the sinner? the one who is in the minority!!!! and cant the minority be right???? this film teaches just that....continuing on the "A Wednesday theme, any attempt to overthrow a rule is termed a rebellion, they are seen are traitors and insane fanatics.. But often they are right....mostly they are brutally suppressed (as in the Orwell's 1984) or sometimes they win (as in Star Wars)...But yes the bottomline is even a minority can be right.. we are nobody to judge others..

I have drifted a lot from the movie.. go and enjoy it.. :)

Overall 7.5/10

Charade

I checked the name of the director at the end to see if it wasnt some remnant of Hitchcock...I couldnt guess it till the end...The suspence is superb...but the strong point for the movie is its presentation....totally ingenuous....

This movie figures an aged Cary and aging Audrey( she still charms :)) yet it mesmerizes..the romantic Paris and the camera movements....the angles are mastercrafts...

and yes the script....there are scores of quotable lines in this movie..it begins with something like this

Cary met her
Audrey :I already know an awful lot of people and until one of them dies I couldn't possibly meet anyone else.
Cary: Well, if anyone goes on the critical list, let me know!!!!!!!

Dont waste time reading this silly blog..go and watch this movie..

Overall 8/10
Direction 8.5/10

PS: There is a music in this film which seems to have inspired the background score in the Hindi movie 'Gumnam'

Jaane Tu Ya Jane naa (Hindi)

Disclaimer: I am sorry I wrote this review here. This film is nowhere near the ones that have been listed before. I had been hearing a lot about this film. So sat down to spend 2 hours and wrote down what I felt. This will be deleted in a few days when this will be forgotten.

Another Bollywood box office smash hit. You may not agree with me on this...but this film may have all the class(Bollywood standards) but is still stale.....The story is all the same yaar....The presentation is different though....I must say.

There are fresh new faces and the songs infuse life in the film....the actors put in their best....though the female protagonist, Genelia D'Souza wasnt up to the mark and hero was imitating Amir khan. Her acting did not seem natural...However, who needs acting in a time pass romantic movie if the heroine is cute? [:P]

All cons apart, this is a lovable romantic comedy...ideal for those watching in a group...and for those lonely people who are still trying to decide whether to blurt out the feelings of their heart... [:)]

Overall 6/10

It happened one night

Well, it didnt happen in a night...spread over 3 nights..but yes the declaration of love came one night.... [:)]

This is a sweet Romantic comedy....10 minutes into the movie, I bet you can predict the whole story line....but wait....you can do that you have seen numerous movies that have copied the theme from this...you wasted your time watching the dumb imitations..watch this one out...

The plot is like a rich girl..runs away from her father in anonymity...but a newspaperman caught up with her, treating her like a story material at first..but later falls in love with her....the ending is sweet ..watch it out yourself...I got a whizz of Roman Holiday and a bunch of other famous movies....yet this is one worth spending 2 hours on..5 Oscar...whoa!!!!!!

Overall 8/10

Sabrina

La Vie En Rose : See the world through a rose colored glass...You cant see the world though any other glass when Audrey Hepburn sizzles as a trained cook.. :P . But why the hell does she always end up with older men, I dont really understand(see My Fair Lady, Love in the Aftenoon etc )

This is a sweet romantic movie. Humphrey Bogart with his cliche Nester like appearance and Audrey as sweet n cute as in Roman Holiday...William Holden (Sunset Blvd fame) puts in a fine comic performance and is completely belivable as the easy-going 'playboy'. But Audrey as a commonplace chauffer's girl is not at all comprehendible. Its good that she quickly switches gears to be the elegant lady that she suits better. Nevertheless, the plot of the movie is a bit stale. Same rich guy falls for beautiful poor girl stuff. But with some comic reliefs the well etched out characters, its an enjoyable romantic comedy.

There are some wonderful dialogues in this movie which will stay me forever like "La vie En Rose " and "No Poor is ever called democratic for marrying the rich" ..

And that song really haunts.. "Isnt it romantic...."

Rating 7/10

Arsenic and Old Lace

A STRICT WARNING: DO NOT WATCH THIS MOVIE WITH A FILLED STOMACH.

I am eternally grateful to the person who suggested this movie to me and if you have not seen this movie already you would be grateful to me for putting it across to you. You will have abs in your stomach by the time you finish watching this movie. This is one of the funniest movies I have ever seen.

What makes this movie so great? Well, every aspect of it...Mostly this film is CARYed away by facial expressions and impeccable acting...If you havent seen this film, you havent seen Cary at his best...add to that a cute actress, two adorable but insanely innocent aunts...and an easy to follow mystery plot....what else do you need!!!!!

Did I mention only Cary in the acting department? Well such a movie couldn't have been made w/o a Peter....It was Peter Sellers in Dr Strangelove and here it is Peter Lorre....

Dudes and dudettes what are you waiting for....you can watch this movie in any mood...you will emerge out brimming with mirth....

Overall 8.5/10

My Fair Lady

Audrey..Audrey...Audrey....she sizzles..she enthralls..she carries herself with grace...who other than her could have been "My Fair Lady".. [:)]

It's a witty musical with dialogs you will remember forever..The movie has simple plot. 'enry 'iggins [:P] claims he could transform a 'lowly ' flower girl Eliza Doolittle into a high society phony(reminds me of Breakfast in Tiffany's). Higgins is a misanthrope who treats everybody with contempt...and is particularly severe on women...("Why cant a woman be more like a man?")...But he feels: "l'm an ordinary man Who desires nothing more Than just an ordinary chance to live exactly as he likes And do precisely what he wants......But let a woman in your life And your serenity is through She'll redecorate your home From the cellar to the dome.....then go on to the enthralling fun of overhauling you!"

Its a long film but you not even think of dozing off...The antics will keep you on your feet(or stomach [;)])..THe film has everything you want in a romantic comedy(though Shaw's original play Pygmalion on which this movie is based had a strict disclaimer on romance)...hearty laughs...touching sentiments-the misogynist Higgins finally realizes that however might he belittle Eliza, he misses her absence....

Despite being a big Audrey fan, I would say that she did not fit the common flower girl at all...And infact her dialogs had to be dubbed too..[:(] but then who cares...I care only for her screen presence and acting with the expression of eyes....Dont you?

Overall 7.5/10

His Girl Friday

This is the most paced comedy movies I have ever seen. Cary grant is adorable. Russel enthrals with her comic timing. The dialogues as well as scenes are hilarious.

If you are in for a boxful of hearty laugh..go in for this movie you wont be diappointed.

Cary grant is a reporter who tries to prevent his wife from getting married..that is the story ..and it all happens in a day..that is the plot in brief

Overall 8/10

Solo con tu pareja(Spanish)

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

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

Breathless(French)

This film is regarded as a masterpiece of French New Wave. You definitely have to see it to understand why. Its a totally new experience tryin to watch this film, if u r a movie buff..

Most films move with a plot, every scene has its reason....its as if Godard was rebelling against this issue in this movie...The plot is a simple one...If u watch movies..you must have seen tons of films on this plot....But throughout the movie, the plot doesn't just progress...it shows a piece of life...If we think deeply, not everything in life happens for a reason...most events around us dnt help in any way with the progress of life...if films are a mirror of life, then y shouldnt it be the same thr?

The starting itself is a masterpiece. It will take you some time to understand wots goin on just as a third person would have to if he/she tries to peep into somebody else's life...The camera too moves in such a fashion...

If you respect originality...definitely watch this movie...

Overall 9/10
Direction 9/10

Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)

Well, Tiffany's is a jewelery store in new York and the actors do not keep on eating breakfast at Tiffany's throughout the movie. Infact, apart from the opening scene showing Holly(Audrey Hepburn) bunching a bun outside Tiffany's there is not eating anywhere....

So why is the movie so named? Holly is a famous socialite in New York. She describes herself as a wild thing..but the truth is she wants to run away from the cage of life....she has no idea where she belongs...much like the nameless cat that she keeps as pet. Her life is hollow, but she does not know how to fill it....Though she drapes herself in fashionable clothes and maintains a charming smile..she is sad at heart..despite being surrounded by men all the time, she knows she belongs to nobody....she knows all of them are 'rats'..perhaps the reason for her keeping a cat...

she likes Tiffany's and the glitter of diamonds..because thats what she is..she glitters like diamonds...but at the interior she is no more than a blunt trite glass...she is a 'real phony'...

The hollow life has been cast in an utterly lovable Romantic comedy..U will fall in love with Audrey..(I already have ...[:P])..and Peppard's innocent smile will enchant..I deem the movie to be a satire..see what you think..

Overall 8/10

The President's last bang (Korean)

This is not the best of contemporary Korean cinema...Yet this is a courageous and audacious black comedy...

A political satire, it is based on the political coup of 1979 in Korea, this film follows an imaginary chaos in a cynical way...The characters are well cut out, they are flawless....the film may have improved a bit in storytelling, yet its worth watching...


Overall 7/10
Camera 7.5/10

NB: The first scene has topless girls. Dont mistake this film to be of a different kind...it was intended probably as a shock treatment to the ways of autocratic rulers..(there are no more obscene scenes)

Main Meri Patni Aur Woh (2005)(Hindi)

Well, dont complain about this film finding a place among all other stalwarts....this is not a classic...However Bollywood has been evolving in the last decade or so....there have been quite a few with an alternative storyline...

The film talks about the universal feeling of insecurity a husband might face if his wife is beautiful...way over what he could have deserved...while the husband has delved deep into a pit filled with the stench of suspicion and sewer of jealousy, the wife, oblivious of everything is happy with her family life....

the story line is simple..but it is a watchable comedy if want to see something light..the music is pleasing and background score appropriate...there might not be much to ponder after the movie is over, but definite the brilliant performances will grip you.

Overall 6/10
acting 7.5/10

The Apartment(1960)

This is one of the best lighthearted but black comedy.
"We are all Robinson Crusoes stranded in the sea of 8 million people." Thats the central theme of the movie...The advancements of man has just made him more lonely..(I smell a similarity of theme to Contact..I know many of u wont agree with me)..We hv become more materialistic and wealthy, but at the core we are impoverished..gaunt and emaciated from the pangs of seclusion. This might lead us ahead in a rat race but at the end of the day, when u bid adieu to the world, will it hold any meaning to you???

I hv drifted a bit, but those were my musings. Watch this superb comedy with outstanding acting and simple plot...