66. KARMA
The cause being to HELP EACH OTHER.
PLOT : " The Story of a family's journey during the 2004 TSUNAMI & their battle for survival with tens of thousands of strangers, in the mayhem of one of the worst natural catastrophes of our time. "
THE IMPOSSIBLE, was a very well crafted story right from the opening shots of the film. I was drawn into the premise of the movie through each & every character that came across, some have considerable screen space whereas others appeared only for few minutes.
But each & every one of those characters had a role that clearly illustrated the fact that deeds however small are better then the great deeds which are planned.
J.A.Bayona, a SPANISH Director along with Writer Sergio Sanchez have given us a beautiful story that never lost focus during its entire duration, this is their second film together.
Their first film being " THE ORPHANAGE ", which is again a superb film. I really admire their talents as storytellers, such is their proficiency.
Naomi Watts & Ewan McGregor enact their roles of Wife & Husband so well. Their casting was of the top draw, they together brought the plight of a fragile couple who are faced with difficult decisions now & then but still endeavor all the challenges thrown at them.
Tom Holland plays the part of their eldest son, HE was pivotal in the film & HE pulled it off amazingly well. The scene where HE realizes how HIS small deeds play a big part in a total stranger's life is one to savor.
The Special Effects of the film were superb, the TSUNAMI scene was so fierce that one is easily able to comprehend the power & fury of nature. Sound effects too were very well handled, it re-created the destruction & aftermath in a subtle but very effective manner.
Fernando Velázquez music also elevated the film through its various moods & emotions. Cinematography by Óscar Faura was one of the finest I have seen in recent times, HE has captured the essence of the story in a very serene & chilling manner.
The Director has effectively used HIS resources of talented artists & technicians to give us a peek at one of the deadliest disasters of our times.
Karma is about all that a person has done, is doing and will do. It is not about punishment or reward.It makes a person responsible for their own life.
As the film moves on, some of the characters slowly start realizing that they are the center of responsibility for everything happening to THEM & everything that is done to THEM.
Even though in a foreign country surrounded by total strangers, they are all bound to each other in many ways.
- Director : Juan Antonio Bayona
- Writer : Sergio G. Sánchez
- Rating : "PG" for disturbing injury images and brief nudity.
65. Unsung HEROES
Unsung HERO - a person who makes a substantive yet unrecognized contribution.
a person whose bravery is unknown or unacknowledged.
Applause & Recognition can do wonders to a person's self-confidence & morale, it inspires US to work harder & we strive to get the BEST out of US.
But WHY do these Uunsung HEROES do what they do even though they never get the DUE Credit that they DESERVE ???
PLOT : " A dramatization of the 1980 joint CIA-Canadian secret operation led by Tony Mendez to extract six fugitive American diplomatic personnel out of revolutionary Iran. "
ARGO, is one of those edge of the seat thrillers which grips the viewer from the very beginning and never lets go. And it achieves all this with the best of drama that is superbly written & executed with a bang.
Ben Affleck is a well-known & talented actor but when HE directs a movie I am least skeptical, in fact my expectations are higher. This is HIS 3rd movie as a Director, HIS previous films being Gone Baby Gone & The Town. The former film is one of my favorites.
As I said before, ARGO is a neatly crafted thrill ride written by Chris Terrio. I believe that this is HIS debut as a writer and HE has delivered so much that HIS up coming works will carry loads of expectations.
The dialogs are so very funny, intelligent & sharp. So many things gets established during the exchange of dialogs, it establishes the characters, their ideals, fears & their motives.
Ben Affleck enacts the role of Tony Mendez, a CIA operative who specializes in getting people out of tight situations. HE pulled it off very well.
The ensemble cast in this film have all delivered exceptionally well, I might not be able to list out all of them here but John Goodman & Alan Arkin stood out in their roles of the Hollywood Make-up artist & Producer.
The plan of getting the hostages out is by pretending to be a fake movie crew & even though it sounds a crazy idea, they made it work.
Making a fake movie & the instances when they lead people into believe that its a real movie was so very funny.
Rodrigo Prieto of Amores Perros fame is the cinematographer, HE along with the ART & COSTUMES department have brought about the 80s lifestyle in a very detailed manner. I especially liked the tones HE used during the various moods of the film.
Editing is William Goldenberg, not only was the film gripping from the start but the last part of the film was so very intense & anxious.
As the film draws to a close, we also get to know that Tony Mendez was never acknowledged for HIS skills & bravery since this operation was carried out as a secret mission. But the US government finally recognized this brave act only many years later.
If this had not happened, Tony Mendez would have gone done as one of the many Unsung HEROES who never get the DUE credit they deserve.
A dialog in this movie sums up why Unsung HEROES never complain for this lack of appreciation, " If we wanted applause, we would have joined the circus. "
- Director : Ben Affleck
- Writer : Chris Terrio
- Cast : Ben Affleck, John Goodman, Alan Arkin, Bryan Cranston
- Rating : "PG" for some intense content & language.
64. Choosing Sides
We live in a world where its easier to convince people with FALSE propaganda then explaining the complicated TRUTH.
In such state of affairs, TRUTH & JUSTICE are the first casualties, the second casualties are the PEOPLE who get persecuted for CHOOSING the WRONG SIDE i.e: the LOOSING SIDE.
PLOT : " The story of Mary Surratt, the only female conspirator charged in the Abraham Lincoln Assassination."
The Conspirator, the main crux of the movie may be the the trial of Mary Surratt but the Characters & Subplots showcases much more, it portrays a Nation & its People as the American Civil War was drawing to a close, the assassination of a President who brought an entire Nation together & the aftermath of the WAR.
I have seen Robert Redford's prowess as a superb actor but this was the first film I had watched with HIM helming the Director's hat and I am so impressed. The way the film presented itself was so simple, neat & engaging. Am looking forward to watch HIS other movies as a Director.
Robin Wright as Mary Surratt was amazing, HER body language, expressions & the subtle way in which SHE carried HERSELF as a MOM caring for HER SON & at the same time protesting HER innocence.
Defending HER in the courtroom is James McAvoy, an highly Talented & Versatile actor. He plays the role of Frederick Aiken, a war hero who reluctantly agrees to defend Surratt before a military tribunal.
The consequences HE faces in defending HER is very well brought out by Writers, the scenes where HE is tormented by HIS actions & HIS dilemmas are so very well brought out.
Justion Long, Evan Rachel Wood, Tom Wilkinson, Kevin Kline played out their parts well.
Art & Costumes Department have done a very credible job, the sets of 19th century America is so well done & well detailed.
Newton Thomas Sigel is the cinematographer, the sights & moods of the movie are so vividly captured, the lighting especially was very pleasing.
Editing was handled by Craig McKay, the various inter-cuts are well placed and handled, the flow of the film was very smooth & the dramas so moving.
The film handles the part of Right Vs Wrong so effectively, we get to see both sides of the argument. Everyone's Right in their own point of view but at the end it does not matter because only the Winners win & they re-write HISTORY.
And for the LOSERS ???
Well, they face the consequences for ending up on the LOOSING SIDE.
They will be branded with names, isolated from society & become targets for hatred.
- Director : Robert Redford
- Writers : James D.Solomon, Gregory Bernstein
- Rating : "PG" for some Violent Content.
P.S : " Frederick Aiken law practice dissolved likely as a result of the backlash of the trial. "
63. Show Me The MONEY !!
- Director : Cameron Crowe
- Writer : Cameron Crowe
- Rating : "PG" for strong language & sexual content.
62. Cliched Romance
How many times have you seen a film and thought, "Well !!! Please kiss the girl & the get the film over with !"
Romance is so cliched such that we sense whats going to happen next like the long lost lovers re-uniting at the end, friends rallying around to help their friends achieve the impossible or even the most done to death sequence of parents getting convinced at the climax and showing the green signal for their children's love.
So why do we always see these Cliched scenes ??
PLOT : " A man moves into an apartment only to find the previous tenant still there. "
I saw this film without any prejudice because I didn't read any reviews or ratings, I just wanted to see a breezy romantic comedy and ended up with a very pleasant feeling, even though I knew how the film was going to end.
"Just Like Heaven" directed by Mark Waters is one of those films which will make you feel with the characters and root for them, this kind of emotional bonding with the film's characters is not easily achieved.
The film is based on the novel If Only It Were True (Et si c'était vrai...) by Marc Levy, it was adapted on screen by writers Peter Tolan & Leslie Dixon. The screenplay was well written & racy, making it perfect.
Reese Witherspoon & Mark Ruffalo portrayed the roles of a doctor and a lonely architect to perfection.
Mark Ruffalo was a real find, I have seen his other movies like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Zodiac, Shutter Island but this was one of his best roles till date. Having seen him in serious type of movies I was completely dumbstruck by the way he pulled of this role, I would love to see him in another romantic comedy.
Reese Witherspoon, my my, she is such a talented actress, I can't find a single fault with her during the film. She carried herself so beautifully.
The chemistry between the lead actors was so sweet that you couldn't resist the charm they brought, their body language, the simple smile to the display of emotions, they were simply adorable, one of the best on-screen pairs I have seen.
Cinematography was another added advantage to the film, Music by Rolfe Kent was another feather in the cap.The director has made use of his team efficiently.
The other cast includes Donal Logue, Jon Heder, Dina Spybey who played their parts really well making full use of their screen time.
The film unravels itself in its own silly, lovable & moving ways, but its the way in which it unraveled itself that made this film such a memorable & sweet one.
There were many cliched scenes in the film, it makes you think that but the fact is we have grown up listening to fairy tales of how the knight comes, rescues the beautifully damsel in distress, how they fall in love & live happily ever after.
But the real truth is that the words "Once upon a time" & "they lived happily ever after" brings about a smile in us even today.
So tell me, do you hate these Cliched Romances ???
- Director : Mark Waters
- Writers : Peter Tolan & Leslie Dixon (screenplay), Marc Levy (novel)
- Cast : Reese Witherspoon, Mark Ruffalo , Donal Logue , Dina Waters , Jon Heder
- Rating : "PG" for some sexual content.
61. Teenage LOVE
This film has entered my list as one of the sweetest love stories I have ever seen, I have seen the movie many times since the last 3 months, such was the sweetness in the film. The scenes, settings, characters have all brought about a magical combination called "FEEL-GOOD FILM".
"FLIPPED" is directed by Rob Reiner, his other movies includes When Harry Met Sally..., and A Few Good Men. Although this film was adapted from a successful novel, its not easy to reproduce the same in a movie and the director has pulled this off with his magical touch.
The screenplay was written by Rob Reiner along with Andrew Scheinman, never did the movie lose its pace, full credits to them both for this feat.
Casting was simply superb, all the characters in the film who had meaty roles to minor roles pulled it off charmingly, you can't resist to playback some of the reactions of certain characters.
Callan McAuliffe as Bryce Loski and Madeline Carroll as Julianna "Juli" Baker are so very talented, I would love to see them in a full fledged romantic comedy when they grow up.
These two characters were the crux of the film and they did justice to it or should I say lived their roles to perfection, the subtle reactions, teenage crushed were evident in their roles. Their roles were sensible and effective.
The story moved in a he says she says pattern, this kind of story telling needed synchronized cuts, Editing by Robert Leighton, who is regular in Rob Reiner's films has not let the director down. His experienced work is profound and never lacks the punch.
As I already described, the settings of 1960s American suburbs were achieved well. Cinematography Thomas Del Ruth has made sure that everything had the right tone to it
Rob Reiner's another regular technician in the movie was Marc Shaiman who has scored the music for the film, his contribution is evident in the film's trailer itself.
The way the movie had played itself was so very beautiful that I can't stop admiring the various talents involved in the film-making process to bring out this feel. The family fights, the jealousy, hardships in the family are portrayed in a very appealing manner.
I never got the feeling that this story could happen only in foreign countries, the problems & the issues that cropped up in the movie gives the nostalgic feeling that this had happened sometime back in our lives.
Looking back at those scenes there is simply no denying the fact that the memories of LOVE we see in teenage will last forever.
- Director : Rob Reiner
- Writers : Rob Reiner & Andrew Scheinman (screenplay), Wendelin Van Draanen (novel)
- Cast : Madeline Carroll, Callan McAuliffe, Rebecca De Mornay, Anthony Edwards, John Mahoney, Penelope Ann Miller, Aidan Quinn, Morgan Lily, Ryan Ketzner
- Rating : "U"
60. Timeless Classics
TIMELESS - without a beginning or end, eternal, everlasting.
Only a few movies earn the tag "CLASSICS" & only a handful of those films become "TIMELESS CLASSICS".These films even after decades will still bring about the same nostalgic sensation with the latter generation, such is the impact of these well crafted masterpieces.
At the same time movies will always be movies irrespective of the language they are made, the feelings, pain, sufferings get etched out so well that language is never seen as a barrier.
As the saying goes "MUSIC & MOVIES TRANSCEND ALL BARRIERS".
PLOT : " The film tells the parallel love stories of a mother and daughter. "
Kwak Jae-yong & Alejandro Amenábar are my favorite directors, their films serve as an inspiration for me & many alike throughout the world.
And this korean film "The Classic" directed by Kwak Jae-yong is my all time favorite movie, having seen so many movies of various genres I had never felt so much for the lead characters in a movie.
Everything about the movie was captured so well, Kudos to the director for utilizing the potential of his team so beautifully.
The script was also written by Kwak Jae-yong, he has effectively brought out the love stories of both the mom & daughter in a very well crafted manner such that the parallel timelines never serve as an hindrance.
One of the most persistent characteristics in Kwak Jae-yong's movies is his sense of comedy, "My Sassy Girl" is a testament to that, here too that part is handled very well along with his trademark love scenes between the lead characters.
Music as always been a major plus in all of Yong's movies, it gels so well with the flow of the film that it elevates the movie to a whole new level, the background score & music by Jo Yeong-wook here is also very haunting & soothing.The music in the trailer will serve as an example for the excellent musical score.
The lead characters have just grabbed the opportunities presented to them, Son Ye-jin as the mom & mother was simply outstanding, she pulled off both the roles with panache & she was very very gorgeous.
Jo Seung-woo ,Lee Ki-woo & Jo In-seong too were a treat to watch especially the former for his role as the lover torn between friendship & love was so very well portrayed & enacted.
Cinematography by Lee Joon-kyoo has captured the two timelines in the movie with perfection adding authentic backdrop so convincingly.
Editing by Kim Sang-beom & Kim Jae-beom were crucial to maintain the flow & feel of the movie & the both have done it superbly.
Great are films that immerses the viewers in a fictional world where they feel & relate with fictional characters, this is one such film even with its cliches & slow pace immersed me into its world of love & drama.
This film is one of the finest products of cinema that will surely have an everlasting appeal, it has something for everyone, from youngsters to parents to grand-parents.
- Director : Jae-young Kwak
- Writer : Jae-young Kwak
- Cast : Ye-jin Son , Seung-woo Cho , In-seong Jo , Ki-woo Lee
- Rating : "PG" for some brief scenes of nudity.
59. Promoting Violence
I was very particular about the movies I post on my blog, I also never wanted to criticize any movie however bad it might be but this time am taking an exception & I really do hope so that the exception ends with this movie.
"All of life's riddles are answered in the movies", this is my view about cinema.People flock to theaters to spend time away from the lives & surrender themselves to the movie maker & enter a fictional world of the director.
Why do people do this ???
Well, everyone has their own set of problems & people tend to relate themselves to the hero on-screen with themselves, when the hero is down & out we feel an urge for the hero to defeat the villain & come out victorious.
Kids, youngsters & adults alike even consider heroes as demi-gods and try imitating what their idols do on-screen & alarmingly the negative aspects are imitated more like SMOKING, DRINKING & most importantly VIOLENCE.
PLOT : " The film is based on the life of Paritala Ravindra and that of his rival Suri. "
Ratha Sarithiram is directed by Ram Gopal Varma.The film features Vivek Oberoi as Ravindra in the lead role, whilst Suriya as Suri.
The promos of the film were quoting the lines from Mahabharata which goes like "REVENGE IS THE PUREST EMOTION", the lines are justifiable but the entire film was less of revenge and was more on violence.
To put it in simple words, this film glorified violent retribution.All the characters spoke only about retribution or justifying it, even the woman characters in the film were supporting this cause which was something very hard to digest.
The screenplay of the movie had little do with the actual revenge saga, even the new characters that appeared in the movie were vying for retribution.
The violent showdown between the rivals were even glorified by showing them in slow motion & the film for the most part was in slow motion.
There are numerous films which have been based on the concepts of Mahabharata but each had their own ways of expressing their emotions but in this film the only way in which emotions were shown are of violence, violence & more violence.
Even some of the gory fight scenes of Suriya was encouraged by some of his loyal fans, this is what I was mentioning about people considering their heroes as demi-gods.I feel so sorry for these kinda encouragements, the heroes should be more responsible on what they portray.
The only consolation from this film was of the acting of Suriya & of his counter part Vivek Oberoi who gave a power packed performance.
Cinema is a medium in which certain aspects of our lives cannot be portrayed, Cinema has enlightened the minds of millions around the world with its depictions of real life events but at the same time certain elements cannot be glorified.
Even terrorists have their own causes to fight but we can't glorify the violent methods they adopt, "VIOLENCE IS ALREADY PROFOUND IN OUR SOCIETY & FILMS SHOULDN'T JUSTIFY IT".
- Director : Ram Gopal Varma
- Writer : Prashant Pandey
- Cast : Vivek Oberoi , Suriya , Shatrughan Sinha , Kota Srinivasa Rao , Sudeep , Priyamani
- Rating : "A+" definitely not for kids & women.
58. Coming of Age : "GIRLS"
Coming of age is that part of our life ,that part of our life where there is just only a thin line that separates the right from the wrong & the wrong from the right.
There is also this argument of GIRLS being discriminated & being sidelined while BOYS enjoy all the liberties ,well that is a point well said & that is very agreeable.
Alas ,its human nature to commit mistakes especially during the twilight period in our lives called "Coming of Age" but what happens then ???
BOYS : "Well, BOYS will always be BOYS, they will charm, mesmerize, seduce & there are many who UTILIZE(Hope you GIRLS understand the meaning of utilize)"
GIRLS : "Well, GIRLS never LEARN, they get charmed, mesmerized, seduced & in many cases are USED"
PLOT : " A coming of age story of a school going girl."
As i was watching this film a lot of questions went through my mind whilst watching this film, "An Education".Lone Scherfig has directed this beautifully film ,she has raised enough issues such that even after watching it you will be left pondering.
The movie is based on British journalist Lynn Barber's memoir of the same name ,Nick Hornby has adapted this into a well focused screenplay that moves along effectively with a well directed message being shared.
The cast was simply amazing, Carey Mulligan was nominated for an oscar for best actress for her role, well after watching her performance i full endorse the nomination she received.Her role of a school going girl was very very very believable ,she looked so young & vulnerable ,i was shocked when i looked up her real age.
The rest of the cast includes Peter Sarsgaard, Dominic Cooper, Rosamund Pike, Emma Thompson ,Olivia Williams, Alfred Molina & Cara Seymour.All of them had their roles well defined, some characters had just minutes of screen space which was very well characterized ,this is a testament to the role of a writer.
Cinematography by John de Borman provides the look of 1960s London in a very authentic manner ,editing by Barney Pilling also adds strength to the movie.
The progression of the film is simple & at the same time very compelling, the way how a school girl reacts to the situations like in the film is so relatable to the issues of today ,the role & importance of parents also comes into scrutiny.
Overall this film works on many levels like the importance of education, coming of age, value of parental guidance & the like.Even though films like these have been part and parcel of cinema, the journey of the school going girl in this film stands stall & will surely serve an enlightening message across.
"EVE WAS CHARMED BY THE SNAKE TO EAT THE APPLE, WHOSE FAULT WAS IT,
WAS IT THE FAULT OF THE SNAKE THAT BEWITCHED EVE ???
OR
WAS IT THE FAULT OF EVE IN ALLOWING HERSELF TO BE BEWITCHED BY THE SNAKE ???"
- Director : Lone Scherfig
- Writer : Lynn Barber (memoir), Nick Hornby (screenplay)
- Cast : Carey Mulligan , Peter Sarsgaard , Alfred Molina , Cara Seymour , Dominic Cooper , Rosamund Pike , Olivia Williams , Emma Thompson
- Rating : "PG" for underage smoking & some sexual content.
