Tuesday, January 27, 2009

CHANDNI CHOWK TO CHINA ( DIR: NIKHIL ADVANI ) 2009

Sidhu,a good for nothing bawarchi from Chandni Chowk,Delhi, is believed to be the reincarnation of the great Chinese warrior Liu Shengh.He travels to China unaware of the fact that he is expected to fight the bad guy Hojo and free the people from his torture....


Waste of time.The film could have been better.

Monday, January 26, 2009

IN JULY ( DIR: FATIH AKIN ) 2000

July likes Danial.She sells him a ring with the sun and says that ring will help him find his soul mate.She tells Danial to look for the sun in his soul mate and invites him to a party.But her plan goes terribly wrong when she arrives in the party late with the picture of sun in her dress.Danial already finds someone else with sun in her dress.Heart broken,July decides to go on a vacation and let the first one to give her a lift decide where she should go.That person happens to be Danial.Danial explains that he is going to Istanbul,to find that girl he met in the party who left abruptly and he is in love with that girl.Danial and July embarks on the journey....


The eventful journey is entertaining.Although any one can guess the end,still he will be encouraged to see the movie till the end.

JCVD ( DIR : MABROUK EL MACHRI ) 2008

Van Damme has aged.Its harder for him now to find roles in films.His violent films served as a reason to loose him the custody of his daughter.He is also broke.Now in Belgium he enters a post office to collect some cash when it was being robbed .The gang adds him with the hostages.To make it worse, the authority is under the impression that he is behind this robbery.Van Damme understands real life and shooting in a film are not the same...


It could have been a documentary.It could have been a spoof.It could have been a film.But it is a combination of all three.A film like this is not generally expected from an action star like Van Damme.

OH BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU ? ( DIR: JOEL COEN, ETHAN COEN ) 2000

Everette who is chained to Dalmer and Pete tempts them of hidden treasure and the three convicts escape from jailhouse.In pursuit of the treasure among other people they meet Tommy,who claims to have sold his soul to the devil to learn how to play the guitar.Together they perform under the name "The Soggy Bottom Boys" for quick cash.Unknown of the band's tremendous success they carry on their search for treasure through eventful encounters...


Alongside the film,the music is also very good.

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE ( DIR: DANNY BOYLE, CO-DIR: LOVELEEN TANDAN ) 2008

Jamal,a chai-wala from one of the many slums gets a chance to play in a TV reality show "Who Wants to be a millionaire?".He goes on answering all the questions.This gives raise to suspicion on how an uneducated chai wala is able to answer all the questions?Before the final round he is handed over to the police for interrogation.There he explains how he is able to answer the questions.His explanations give an insight to the lives of many a people and describes his life till now...

The film do give raise to some controversies,but as a film it is very good and also the music in the film is very good.Its always hard to accept an outsider to come and make a film with facts which were their for ages.But when a nation is not ashamed of maintaining slums or poverty then why should it protest when someone shows it in a film?Probably the international castings and the urge to make an international status the main characters (including the slum dwellers) talk in fluent English.It could have used Hindi with English subtitles.Selim, Jamal's older brother,reminded me strongly of the film "City of God".

Saturday, January 24, 2009

MARADONA BY KUSTURICA ( DIR: EMIR KUSTURICA) 2008

Its a documentary on Maradona,where Maradona speaks freely on issues on and outside the football ground.Here are some excerpts from the documentary:

"...We were representing our dead who were sent to die by their own country.It wasn't like England pushed a button and killed everyone...It was like a war,
winning a football war.....a lot depended on our beating England. I was so thrilled with that goal(hand of god),it was as if I'd stolen an Englishman's wallet.....
....................
When I came down,I was like everyone,like all of you.And I could talk to you.What messed me up was cocaine.
................
Emir,do you know what a player I'd have been if I hadn't taken coke?What a player we lost!........I could have been much more than I am.I was born into football......"

Friday, January 23, 2009

ROCK N ROLLA ( DIR: GUY RITCHIE ) 2008

Its hard to describe sequentially any of Guy Ritchie's films.He makes the plot complicated.But the best thing is he takes good care to explain or resolve the complications.In the near end he unties the knots smoothly and puts all the pieces in place.This one is also no different from that pattern.And as other films this film is also thoroughly enjoyable.

IGOR ( DIR: ANTHONY LEODIS) 2008

A Igor dreams to be the greatest evil scientist.But due to the hunch he is forced to be just another Igor and work as an assistant.When his master dies accidentally,Igor suddenly gets his chance to prove himself.He creates life.Problem arises when his creation denies to do even the simplest evil deed....

LEGENDARY ASSASSIN ( DIR: CHUNG CHI LI, JACKY WU ) 2008

A female cop befriends Bo,who claims to be on a short vacation in the island where she stays.Due to bad weather Bo was forced to elongate his stay in the island.His prolonged stay sparks up a series of incidents....

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

VICKY CHRISTINA BARCELONA (DIR: WOODY ALLEN) 2008

Two best friends Vicky and Christina decide to visit Barcelona when a relative of Vicky's invites them to come.There they meet an artist who in turn shows them an amazing thing which we call life.....


Sometimes dreams are there only to wake up from.Or maybe the briefness of a dream is what makes it beautiful.

CITY OF EMBERS ( DIR: GILL KENAN) 2008

For 200 years the people of the city of Embers have flourished without any knowledge of the outside world.But now the powerful generator which illuminated the city for years is malfunctioning.The box which was supposed to be handed over from generation to generation and was supposed to save the people was lost and forgotten as well.At a time like this a young boy and girl try to save the city...

Not worth watching even if you have plenty of time.

Saturday, January 10, 2009

YIP MAN ( DIR: WILSON YIP) 2008

Yip Man was a legendary master in the Chinese martial art form Wing Chun.This film portrays his life,when he was living in Fushun.Here we see at the time of Japanese invasion how Yip Man turned down the offer to teach Japanese army his martial arts knowledge and stood beside his country men.


Bruce Lee was a student of Yip Man.

16 YEARS OF ALCOHOL ( DIR: RICHARD JOBSON) 2003

Frankie,to cope with his disordered family was taken to drinking at an early age.He grew up to become a violent man,moving in a group of four.But the problem arises when he attempts to purify himself,leave the past behind and dream a good life...

Sometimes alcohol make those things which we want to forget more prominent,helping us to remember the things clearly contrary to the belief that alcohol washes away the memory.

Monday, January 5, 2009

INVISIBLE TARGET ( DIR: BENNY CHAN ) 2007

After getting betrayed and paying with the price of their gang members,the remaining members of the gang of seven are back again for revenge and their share of money.Three cops team up to stop them,but they are no match for them.This does not stop them from chasing the gang...


A film were the good is to the mercy of the evil.Maybe the highest power of good is in making people realize.

DAYS OF BEING WILD (DIR: WONG KAR WAI) 1990

After the revelation that the woman who raised him is not his mother,Yuddy spoils himself,denies to keep any attachments with any things and sets his only goal as to find his mother.She refuses to give him that information as she was afraid that Yuddy would leave her.Yuddy drags himself away from friends,love,home....

Yuddy's lifestyle gave others,knowingly or unknowingly a bit of life to live in.And it also raises a question,will you fall in love with someone just because that person loves you very much?

Friday, January 2, 2009

DEATH RACE ( DIR: PAUL W.S. ANDERSON) 2008

In the future unemployment reaches a record high,prisons are overflowing.At a chaotic time like that Jensen is framed for his wife's murder and sent to prison.Their he is forced to drive in the celebrated brutal "Death Race" which is run in three stages.Before completing the race Jensen finds more than what he intended to find....

Just another mindless action film where the action is mainly on the race tracks.

EXILED ( DIR: JOHNY TO) 2006

Here we find five outlaws.Their friendship is tested against loyalty,honor.When Wo decides to go against the boss,their brotherhood gets divided due to conflicting point of views.

A film were the exiles are portrayed the way they should be.The play of emotions,frustrations in them are shown well.