A Hitchcock masterpiece

Vertigo (1958)

I am belittled to comment on a film as great as this, a film maker as genious as him. Vertigo remains one of the best movies I've ever seen. Some people might call it over rated, well, maybe they don't understand movies as we do!

Simplicity going towards psychological crisis and insane behaviour is the hallmark of all Hitchcock movies and books. An agrophobic detective falls in love with his friend's wife whom he was supposed to keep an eye on. As he sinks deeper into the mystery, the woman commits suicide. Only his instincts and persuation lead him to the truth - he was played to become the perfect witness to a murder, posed as a suicide.

Immaculate storyline, a poetry in motion and a reveting background score. This is by far the best background score I've ever heard in a movie. So endearing. Its like the vertigo circles drawing you in!

An informed friend of mine tells me Alfred Hitchcock and Walt Disney were best friends and they were the only ones who would criticize each others works. In reality, Hitchcock was the funny, cartoon kinda guy while Disney was the saddist. Sorry if my sources are balding!

Lastly, the charecter of Madeliene / Judy played by Kim Novac is a that of a classic beauty and mystery. The ones you dream about, wish you would have her one day. But you know they would be your nemesis. Destroy you and leave you dry. But you still want them? Who is the saddist now?

Rate - 4.5/5

Wilson has a Vertigo poster up in his office. Which movie poster does House have? Altered States.

A collage of a young life.

Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

Finally, I got my hands on the DVDrip of this movie. And it was worth all the effort. This is one of the best movie based on Indian poverty I've seen in a long time. And it is one of the better movies I've seen in recent times. It takes you back to classics like Salaam Bombay and masterpieces like City of Gods.

The concept of the film is mind blowing. Within the first two minutes, I was hooked to the storyline. How a young, illiterate, tea - serving employee at a call centre knows all the answers to "Who wants to be a Millionaire?" The answer is, he'd seen more of life in 18 years that you or I could possibly have. (And thats because you're staring at your computer screen right now, instead of being out there!) And the situations which were carved in his memory, making him recollect all the answers are marvellously thought of. Evoking an audience reaction as well as slapping poverty on their faces, so rampant in our fucking country!

The film has a brilliant burnt skin tone. The actors have all done a fair job but no one rises above the storyline. The soundtrack by A R Rahman is fabolous, esspecially Paper planes and O saya.

Eventually its an underdog story. So everyone of us is going to love it. Creativity pours from this attempt of film making. Hats off!

Rate - 4.5/5

A cage of skeletons

Pinjar (2003)

This is one haunting movie. Its depressing. Its heart - wrending. Life isn't a bed of roses. It reminded of movies like Khuda ke liye, Matrubhoomi, Gadar, Partition and Mrityudand. All brilliant and thought - provoking.

This movie is based on anovel by Amrita Pritam, picturing the partition and the Hindu - Muslim rivalry in a very neutral yet humanistic point of view. A Muslim boy kidnaps a Hindu girl owing to some age - old dispute between families. Now, the family wont accept her back, afraid of the society. But thus Muslim boy is ready to marry her and treat her with utmost dignity. The story reveolves around this man being filled with guilt for what he did to the Hindu girl, and the girl finally coming to terms with the tragedy of her life... and accepting it. She ends up helping her relatives, who once threw her out and her husband helps her, in hope for redemption.

Urmila Matondkar plays the Hindu girl with ease. She is a very good actress and received awards for this movie. But for me, the show stealer was Manoj Bajpai, the Muslim boy. What a performance! Every movement, every dialogue, every look is filled with guilt. I think, this is his masterpiece performance. He has done some very good work like Aks, Shool, Satya and Tamanna.

The movie scores on depection of brutal reality. And the history of violence.

Rate - 3/5

A heart is all you need for revenge!

Ghajini (2008)

Finally, I went to see this movie so that I can diss the movie to no ends. And in the first ten minutes, I was convinced this blog would include insane profanity. But then, something happened. The movie actually picked up.

The most important thing in a movie is its story. This film just proves my point. Although, the movie is pretty much bullshit for international standards, its pretty good for Indian audiences. Why? Because the story is gripping. (And that is obviously a gift from the west)

The story is tweaked for bollywood. For staters, the movie is in normal chronological order, with extensive flashbacks. (They wanted to fill seats and have "Ghajini" hair-cut men sell popcorn) There are other plots intertwined, not very well, might I add. The love story delivers a strong feel to the movie, which is probably its' saving grace. The medical student story is well thought of. And the female trafficking and having an actual character called Ghajini is where they really fucked it up. And to top that, Mr. Amir Khan refuses to admit that the story is a "Memento" rip off! Bullocks!!

But I can only talk good things about his acting skills. He plays the freak very well and a mature man in love even better. And the crazy body that he has developed for the movie pays off when the audience whistles away to glory when he takes his shirt off! (as if he was the new Bond girl!)

Asin's character is very lovable and she has carried it beautifully for a new comer. She has a sultry south Indian figure (fuller around the pelvis) in contrast to her debuting counterpart Anushka Sharma (hot punjaban!) If you talk about the acting, both the girls have done a very good job. But you all know who I would pick for my new fav, wouldn't you!

Jiah Khan is underused in the movie. She is hot as hell! (Much like Jessica Alba!)

The music is quite nice, but has a very short shelf life.

Since the movie has a hilariously happy ending, the point potrayed in this film is - Although I cant remember shit after fifteen minutes, all I need to avenge my dead girlfriend (whom I lied to, by the way!) is a heart! And a hot medical student!

Revenge is a dish best served cold - Kill Bill Vol I

Rate - 2.5/5

If Aditya Chopra is obsessed with the colour yellow, A R Murgadoss is obsessed with people drinking water. Check out the movie!

The best and worst of 2008!

Since its year end, its mandatory that I do this!

Movies that you have to see:
A Wednessday
Rock On!
Jaane tu ya jaane na
Fashion
Dasvidaniya
Tashan
Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!
Dostana

Spare a thought for :
Jodha Akhbar
Sorry bhai!
Rab ne bana di jodi
Ghajini
Kismat Konnection
Aamir
Ru ba ru
1920
U, me aur Hum

And you'd definately like to miss :
Singh is King
Race
Krazzy 4
Karzzz
Dil Kabbadi
Love story 2050
Ugly aur pagli
Maan gaye Mughal -e -azam
Dronaa
Golmaal returns
Desdrohi

And now for the so-called "awards"
Best picture : A Wednessday
Best director : Dibaker Banerjee (Oye Lucky!Lucky oye!)
Best actor in leading role : Naseeruddin Shah (A Wednessday)
Best actress in leading role : Priyanka Chopra (Fashion)
Best actor in supporting role : Arjun Rampal (Rock On!)
Best actress in supporting role : Kangana Ranaut (Fashion)
Best actor in negative role : Anil Kapoor (Tashan)
Best actor in a comic role : Abhishek Bachchan (Dostana)
Best cinematography : Ayananka Bose (Tashan)
Best art direction : Dipankar Mondal (Aamir)
Best original story : Neeraj Pandey (A Wednessday)
Best adapted story : Arshad Sayyed (Dasvidaniya)
Best screenplay : Abbas Tyrewala (Jaane tu ya jaane na)
Best music : Shankar - Ehsaan - Loy (Rock On!)
Best song : Pappu cant dance saala (Jaane tu ya jaane na)
Best male singer : Atif Aslam (Bakhuda tumhe ho - Kismat Konnection)
Best female singer : Dominique Cerejo (Yeh tumhari meri baatein - Rock On!)
Best lyrics : Kailash Kher (Alvida - Dasvidaniya)
Best male debutant : Farhan Akhtar (Rock On!)
Best female debutant : Shabana Goswami (Ru ba ru)

And now for my favourite categories :
Worst movie of the year : Singh is King
Worst hero of the year : Himesh Reshammiya (Karzz)
Worst heroine of the year : Vidya Balan (Kismat Konnection)
Worst new comer of the year : Harman Baweja
Worst rip off of the year : Ghajini
Worst song of the year : Dil dance maare (Tashan)

A Ridley Scott masterpiece!

A Good Year (2006)

Russell Crowe and Ridley Scott. Flavour. The film has a distinct fun, sepia - ish flavour, that is less woody and much more woollen. Just like fine wine.

The story is cliche and predicatble. But the treatment given to it is beautiful. Its like one of those things that you can't describe in words. Like a cold Delhi morning. Or a rainy evening with a warm cup of tea. Neon lights and all that. You have to watch the movie and smile!!!

Rate - 3.5/5

So who are the real Heroes?

Heroes (2008)

Now this hindi movie was abashed as a cheap try at an army saga. So, I never put my money on the theatre tickets. But after I caught this movie on TV by mistake, I would like to swallow my guilt.

Sohail Khan and Vatsal Sheth are two student film makers who set out to deliver three letters of dead army officers to their families. Add to that a documentary, a cruiser bike and locations like Kargil, Punjab and other places in north India. I was interested from this very point. But the story gets even better.

Instead of showing boring ground battles and fake air raids, the director has cleverly shown the aftermath of a war. The heroes who die on the battlefield are undoubtedly great men. They talk to their relatives after months of biting cold so that I could sit here and blog everyday. But, there are heroes, too. A wife who takes care of her dead husbands' ailing parents and yet finds the time to nurse her kid to be an army officer is also a hero. The brother who has lost both his legs in the Air Force and a brother in the Army, runs a school to physically train kids is also a hero. A mother who lives to forget the death of her heroic son, at the same time dealing with a disheartened husband who is an angry father is also a hero. These silent, unsung, real life hereos is what the film potrays. They all live their entire life by two words - Pride and Honour. Is that really enough?

The movie is hilarious at times, like Sunny Deol being on a wheelchair and yet fighting with goons in a bar or the voice recording from the middle of a battlefeild. But I'd forgive Samir Karnik for that. After all, he is all Bollywood!

On a serious note, the film does move you. As cliche as it sounds, but our problems do seem trivial to other people in severe discomfort. They have a smile on their face. And we whine, whine and whine! Do you know why they have a smile on their face? Because they make others smile. They have suffered, they know what its like to suffer and wouldn't want anyone else to go through the same experience. The joy of helping others, or should I say the satisfaction of greater good, as much more, rather uncomparble to small, materialistic or selfish happinesses. (if there exsist a word so!)

The greater good are very strong words, with very simple meaning. As a person from any walk of life, if you can make a small difference, to make someone smile, just one random person everyday - you are a hero! A hero who is unsung, and yet is satisfied with his/her existence. If you don't belive me, try me!

Rate - 3.5/5