The Ghost And The Darkness (1996)

Cast: Michael Douglas, Val Kilmer,Om Puri
Language: English
Running Time: 109 mins
Director(s): Stephen Hopkins
Censor Certificate: A
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, Thriller
Plot:In 1896 Lt. Col. John Paterson was sent to East Africa to build a railway bridge. He had a deadline to meet but was confident he and his large workforce of Africans and Indians can get the job done in time. John's was a man of his word and got things done - which he demonstrated on his first day by killing a lion that had been pestering the workforce. This earned John respect, but it didn't last very long because a few weeks later 2 new lions began visiting and they're man-eaters. The film is based on a true story and during the construction of the bridge, the lions would enter the workers camp to kill. Believing them not to be real lions, the locals name them 'The Ghost' and 'The Darkness'. After losing dozens of workers to the lions, the railroad company brought in Remington, an American 'great white hunter', to kill them, but even his reputation for being the best could not prevent yet more carnage. It is believed that over 130 people were killed by the two lions in just a few months.
My Review:This one one of those few nicely made movies based on true stories.The bridge mentioned in the movie still exists in Africa & the man eater lions killing around 130 people during the construction of the bridge is also the fact.Michael Douglas fits to perfection in the role of a professional hunter.Though his entry is much later in the movie.Om Puri has a substantial role in this big budget 1996 hollywood movie as a leader of the workers.The lion attack scenes are shot great.Nowhere in the movie they've used dummy lions.Two huge lions have been shot in all the scenes of attack.The climax is gripping.Bollywood movie "KAAL"has taken huge inspiration from this movie.
My Ratings:4/5.Definitely not for weak hearted.

From Here To Eternity (1953)

Winner of 8 Oscars(1953)
Cast: Montgomery Clift, Burt Lancaster
Language: English
Running Time: 138 mins
Director: Fred Zinnemann
Censor Certificate: U
Genre: Drama, War
Plot: It's 1941. Robert E. Lee Prewitt has requested Army transfer and has ended up at Schofield in Hawaii. His new captain, Dana Holmes, has heard of his boxing skills and is keen to get him to represent the company. However, 'Prew' is adamant that he doesn't box anymore, so Captain Holmes gets his subordinates to make his life a living hell. Meanwhile Sergeant Warden starts seeing the captain's wife, who has a history of seeking external relief from a troubled marriage. Prew's friend Maggio has a few altercations with the sadistic stockade Sergeant 'Fatso' Judson, and Prew begins falling in love with social club employee Lorene. The Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor looms in the distance
My Review:Its not a war movie.Its about troubled relationships of soldiers.One can call it an old classic.Personally I didn't find it worthy of 8 oscars.Its a good movie,no doubt.But may be I am biased to thrillers,so this kind of lovestories generates a little interest.Plus the length of 138minutes makes it a little drag.Acting is good but the stories are not that interesting.watch it if you like talkative old classic lovestories.
My Ratings:2/5,Okay

Natasamrat (1974)

Natasamrat (1974)
Language: Marathi
Actor:Shreeram Lagoo
Running Time: 125 mins
Director: Vijay Kenkre
Writer: V V Shirwadkar
Censor Certificate: NA
Genre: Drama
Plot:Shreeram Lagoo was the first protagonist of the famous Marathi play Natasamrat written by Kusumagraj (Vishnu Vaman Shirwadkar) and is best remembered for that role. This is a marathi play about an actor who has just retired from active acting life & been honoured by the prestigeous "NATASAMRAT" award by the highest authority for his contribution in theatre.The story begins with his speech at an awards function & goes through many stages of his life(retired) after that.
My Review:Too good.Heads off to Dr.Shreeram Lagoo for the mammooth performance.He & only he could've done this.Dialogues so well written that you get involved & feel for the lead character.If there's any forum to showcase Indian theatre on world forum,I would surely recommend this one.Its a journey of a genius.I am happy that I had Marathi as my 3rd language in school & could understand the heavyduty dialogues without subtitles.
My Ratings:5/5,A must watch,feel proud

Absence Of Malice

Absence Of Malice (1981)
Cast: Paul Newman, Sally Field
Language: English
Running Time: 116 mins
Director(s): Sydney Pollack
Censor Certificate: U/A
Genre: Drama
Plot: Paul Newman plays the son of a long dead Mafia boss who is a simple liquor warehouse owner. A prosecutor leaks a false story that Newman is a target of the investigation, hoping that he will tell them something for protection. As his life begins to unravel, others are hurt by the story. Sally Field, the reporter, is in the clear under the Absence of Malice rule in slander and libel cases. Knowing nothing to trade to the prosecutors, Newman must regain control of his life on different ground.
My Review:In America,can a man be guilty until proven innocent?Suppose you picked up this morning's newspaper & your life was a front page headline.....& everything they said was accurate but not true.This is the dilema that must be faced in this drama about incredible power of press.I am not a big fan of Paul Newman.He has no expressions almost throughout the movie.The subject & story is good.Absence of Malice fails in my review due to Absence of background score.This drama could've been powerful either with great background score or dramatic,high pitched dialogues.But all the characters in this movie are so calm & composed.Even the climax is so dull.Certainly not my kind,even though I love political thrillers.But I am certain that I would've loved it in 1981.
My Rating:3/5,Worth it,watch it once

oscar(1991)

Oscar (1991)
Starring: Sylvester Stallone
Director: John Landis
Runtime: 1 hr 49 mins
Censor Certificate:U
Genre: Comedy
Plot: In this remake of a french farce, Sylvester Stallone stars as notorious 1930s mobster Angelo "Snaps" Provolone. When Angelo promises his dying father that he will give up the gang life for a respectable career, his plans go haywire in this witty comedy of errors. The minute Angelo begins his attempt to go straight, family emergencies overtake his household. His accountant, admits to robbing the family at the same time that he asks for Snaps's daughter Lisa's hand in marriage. Lisa lies to Angelo and tells him she's pregnant by the now-defunct family chauffeur, Oscar . Anthony soon discovers that his true love is actually the maid, Theresa , who pretended to be Lisa Provolone to impress her money-grubbing boyfriend. And this series of misunderstandings is just the beginning as the house is overrun with madcap cops, hit men, rival gangsters, henchmen, long-lost loves, elocution teachers, and much more, all while Angelo is trying to make sense of his new life.
My Review:I had seen this movie when I was in school.Its been 20 years but I am yet to see a better comedy.This is unarguably one of the best family entertainer i've ever seen.Stallone in a completely opposite image is too good to be true as a gangster who has just promised his dying father that he would give up gang life.The best part of this movie is that all the events happen in the span of 24hours in one house only.The entire film is shot in one house.Grab the dvd & without fail watch it with your family & kids.
My Ratings:5/5.Best Comedy

Spy Game

Spy Game (2001)
Cast: Robert Redford, Brad Pitt
Language: English
Running Time: 121 mins
Director: Tony Scott
Censor Certificate: U/A
Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller
Plot: CIA operative Nathan Muir (Redford) is on the brink of retirement when he finds out that his protege Tom Bishop (Pitt) has been arrested in China for espionage. No stranger to the machinations of the CIA's top echelon, Muir hones all his skills and irreverent manner in order to find a way to free Bishop. As he embarks on his mission to free Bishop, Muir recalls how he recruited and trained the young rookie, at that time a sergeant in Vietnam, their turbulent times together as operatives and the woman who threatened their friendship.
My Review:I consider this one as one of the best Spy movies I must've ever seen The best Tony Scott has ever made.The witty dialogues & the cinematography are the highlight of the movie.I regret not been able to watch this one on big screen.The plot of one CIA operative resqueing his protege from chinese prison without the knowledge of the top government officials sitting in front of them without even going to China is just amazing & quite believable.I've lost the count how many times i've watched this movie.Even today if I invite friends at home & if they've not watched this movie then I play this on my projector.If you haven't watched it,just grab the dvd & watch it.Brad Pitt & Robert Redford at their best
My Ratings:5/5 An absolute class movie

Kundun

Cast: Tenzin Thuthob Tsarong, Gyurme Tethong
Language: English
Running Time: 134 mins
Director(s): Martin Scorsese
Censor Certificate: V/U
Genre: Biography, Drama
Plot: The Tibetans refer to the Dalai Lama as 'Kundun', which means 'The Presence'. He was forced to escape from his native home, Tibet,China invaded and enforced an oppressive regime upon the peaceful nation of Tibet. The Dalai Lama escaped to India in 1959 and has been living in exile in Dharamsala ever since. In 1937, in a remote area of Tibet close to the Chinese border, a two year old child is identified as the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama, the compassionate Buddha. Two years later, the child is brought to Lhasa where he is schooled as a monk and as head of state amidst the color and pageantry of Tibetan culture. The film follows him into adulthood: when he is 14, the Chinese invade Tibet and he is forced into a shaky coalition government; he travels to China to meet with a cynical Mao and finally, in 1959, ill and under siege, he flees to India. Throughout, he has visions of his people's slaughter under Chinese rule.
My Review:I would rate this as one of the most controvercial &equally entertaining biography i've ever seen.Martin Scorsese has got guts to make this one.Although the slow pace & the length(more than 2hours) of this movie makes it a little repeatative & boring.
My Ratings:3/5,Watch it for your History lesson

Amores perros

Amores perros(2000)(love's A Bitch)
Director:Alejandro González Iñárritu
Language:Spanish with English subtitles
Nominated
Oscars for best foreign language film
Running time:153min
Censor certificate:A
Plot:Three interconnected stories about the different strata of life in Mexico City all resolve with a fatal car accident. Octavio is trying to raise enough money to run away with his sister-in-law, and decides to enter his dog Cofi into the world of dogfighting. After a dogfight goes bad, Octavio flees in his car, running a red light and causing the accident. Daniel and Valeria's new-found bliss is prematurely ended when she loses her leg in the accident. El Chivo is a homeless man who cares for stray dogs and is there to witness the collision.
My Review:Even though i don't prefer to watch movies with sub-titles,I thought of watching this one simply because I had heard a lot about this movie.The direction in this movie is unique in the vision of combining unrelated stories in one incident.I've seen many movies in the recent past with the same theme of combining few stories in the climax.Many of them were good too.But this movie released in 2000 makes all of them look like copy cats.That includes noted Indian director Mani Ratnam who made "Yuva"(hindi film)in 2004 with the same theme.Infact in "Yuva" also all the stories connect in an accident happening on the bridge just like "Ameros Perros".A word of caution for animal lovers.This movie has many gruesome dog fight scenes.In all a great movie.Its a pity that this movie didn't win the Oscar even though it was nominated in 2000.This brings me to next logical question.Who won the oscar in 2000 in the same category?Will have to watch that movie soon.
My Ratings:5/5 a must watch for lovers of serious cinema.

The Weight Of Water(2000)

Cast: Sarah Polley,Sean Penn,Elizabeth Hurley

Language: English
Running Time: 113 mins
Director: Kathryn Bigelow

Censor Certificate: V/A
Genre: Suspense, Thriller

Plot: Two stories unravel simultaneously in this dark and suspenseful film. The first story, set in the present day, concerns a photographer, Jean (Catherine McCormack). She is working on an article for a magazine about bloody murders that happened 200 years before on the Isle of Shoals, just off the coast of New Hampshire. To get the pictures she must visit the location of the murders.Her husband, Thomas (Sean Penn), arranges a yachting trip with his brother, Rich (Josh Lucas), and Rich's girlfriend, Adaline (Elizabeth Hurley). The foursome pal around, enjoying the sea and the sun, while Adaline shamelessly seduces Thomas. Meanwhile, Jean is reliving the Isle of Shoals murders in her head, which is where the second story comes in. Maren (Sarah Polley) is a Norwegian woman who has recently immigrated to America with her husband. When her sister (Katrin Cartlidge) and sister-in-law (Vinessa Shaw) are brutally murdered to death with an axe, she is the sole survivor, and thus the only one who knows the truth about what happened. THE WEIGHT OF WATER draws a parallel between these two tense episodes, as the surf swirls menacingly, foretelling imminent disaster.

My Review:Frankly I am a big fan of Sean Penn.So I am Bound to like this movie.The genre of this movie is a combination of courtroom drama,suspense & seduction.The director has drawn a nice parallel between two stories 200years apart.The very fact that the mystry of 200years old murders gets solved in the present is quite an interesting watch.

My Ratings:3.5/5,Good Watch

It Happened One Night

It Happened One Night(1934)
Winner Of 5 Oscars
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Picture
Best Director
Best Screenplay
Cast: Clark Gable, Claudette Corbet
Language: English
Running Time: 105 mins
Director(s): Frank Capra

Plot: Ellie Andrews has just tied the knot with society aviator King Westley when she is taken away to her father's yacht and out of King's clutches. Ellie jumps ship and eventually ends up on a bus to reach New-York to see her husband King Westley. Reluctantly she must accept the help of out-of- work reporter Peter Warne. Actually, Warne doesn't give her any choice. Either she sticks with him until he gets her back to her husband, or he'll blow the whistle on Ellie to her father. Either way, Peter gets what (he thinks!) he wants a really juicy newspaper story.
My Review:A great entertainer with great dialogues & acting that make you laugh.Aperfect weekend watch.The moment I saw the first scene I figured out that 1991 blockbuster Hindi Movie " Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahin" directed by Mahesh Bhatt,starring Aamir Khan & Puja Bhatt is the exact copy of this 1934 classic,from first scene to last scene(except that the hindi version had songs).This makes us believe that the real talented people were there only in those days with original ideas.Clark Gable in totally opposite kind of character as compared to his "Gone with the Wind' character.
My Ratings:5/5 Go...Treat yourself & family

Little Terrorist

Director: Ashvin Kumar

Language:Hindi(India)

NOMINATED

ACADEMY AWARDS OSCAR 2005
EUROPEAN ACADEMY AWARDS 2005
WINNER - GRAND PRIZE Tehran Intl Short Film Festival
WINNER - Best Film Flanders Intl Film Festival
WINNER - 1st prize Montreal World Film Festival
WINNER - Best FilmManhattan Intl Short Film Festival
AUDIENCE FAVOURITE Sao Paulo Intl Short Film Festival
Plot: Jamal, a 10-year-old Pakistani Muslim, mistakenly crosses the border between India and Pakistan and finds an unusual ally in a Hindu Brahmin, Bhola. Indian soldiers descend on Bhola's village searching for the so-called terrorist who crossed over. Bhola's neice, Rani, insists they can't let a Muslim into their Hindu home. With Bhola and Rani grappling with the consequences of harboring a Pakistani and their deep-set prejudice against Muslims, Jamal's only hope is the humanity shared by a people separated by artificial boundaries a long time ago.

My Review:The message in the movie is good.The setting although is artificial.The real borders don't have such easy access as shown in the film.The last scene when the boy returns back home to pakistan & the indian family watches from indian side is a bit unnatural.

My Ratings:2/5

Road to Ladakh

Cast: Koel Purie, Irrfan Khan
Language: English
Director(s): Ashvin Kumar
Writer(s): Ashvin Kumar
Censor Certificate: A
Genre: Drama, Thriller/short film

PLOT : Irrfan Khan (The Warrior) and Koel Purie (Everybody Says I'm Fine) lead this surreal rites of passage encounter between a dysfunctional, coke-snorting fashion model and an ultra-focussed, strong-silent stranger who are thrown together by chance. Set in the magnificent wilderness moon-scape of Ladakh, India, the road journey and the strange encounters that follow provide a dramatic backdrop for the relationship that develops.Both are outsiders, both are lonely, both crave the human contact that their roles in society deny them. Tentatively they search each other out in a film that is poised between elusiveness and engagement, suspicion and tenderness - at once hilarious and sinister, bizarre and moving, psychedelic and intensely real.

MY REVIEW:Frankly not my kind of movie.Somehow the idea of a drug addict fasion model roaming in her SUV alone in the remote,difficult terrain of Ladakh is not very convincing.Irfan Khan doesn't have to do anything to look mentally deranged terrorist.The only reason i saw this movie was the fact that the this is Ashvin Kumar's first short film(up to best of my knowledge).Who Ashvin Kumar???He's the same guy who's short film

"LITTLE TERRORIST" was nominated for best live action short film category at 2005 OSCARS.My next review is of the same.But before that I thought of watching Ashvin Kumar's previous work.Plus the fact that he made "ROAD TO LADAKH" using internet in2003 to gather the crew from all over the world to work for free .This fact makes the movie interesting & one feels compelled to congratulate Ashvin Kumar for the effort.

MY RATINGS:2/5

The life of David Gale

Cast: Kevin Specey, Kate Winslet
Language: English
Running Time: 130 mins
Director(s): Alan Parkar
Censor Certificate: V/A
Genre:Crime/thriller





Plot: Dr. David Gale, an advocate of eliminating the death penalty, is falsely accused of rape and murder. Once convicted, he ends up on death row in Texas himself, telling his story to a reporter through a series of flashbacks.
This is one of my all time favourite movies.The climax is just unpredictable & shocking.Great theme.
My ratings:5/5 & two thumbs up

Road to Sangam

Cast: paresh rawal,om puri,pawan malhotra

language: hindi

Running Time: 135 mins

Director(s): Amit Rai

Censor Certificate: U

Genre:Drama
Plot: A simple story of a God fearing Muslim mechanic named Hashmat Ullah (Paresh Rawal) who has been entrusted the job of repairing an old V8 ford engine, not knowing the historic significance that it once carried the ashes of Mahatma Gandhi which were immersed in the holy river 'Sangam'.

He is caught in a complex situation after a powerful bomb explosion rocks his town leading to the arrest of innocent Muslim youths of his locality. A strike to work is called by the prominent Leaders played by Om Puri and Pavan Mallhotra, of his community to protest against the unjust treatment meted out to those arrested youths by the police.

Will he support the protest and abandon the repair of the engine or go against the wishes of his community?
A very good fiction relevant to today's era.At times i felt the director tried to pass some message to one particular community through his characters which i felt unnecessary & preachy.but overall a good thought.
My Ratings:3.5/5

MY SISTER'S KEEPER

Starring: Cameron Diaz, Abigail Breslin, Alec Baldwin, Sofia Vassilieva
Director: Nick Cassavetes

story:Ever heard of a "DONOR CHILD"?This movie is about a couple having a girl child with leukemia,desperate to extend her life at any cost.they get an advice(off the record)by a doctor to have another child which will be a good match in future for the leukemic sister in case she requires any blood,bone marrow,organ etc.....

So they decide to have another child which is a girl child.This is the 'DONOR CHILD".This movie is about that donr child whose body is used every now & then for her elder sister with leukemia.The story becomes interesting when this donor child starts understanding the sole purpose of her existance & one fine day she decides to stop co-operating & files law suite against her parents for the right to her own body.This is one of the unique court room drama i've ever seen on screen.The mother argues that the her daughter is a minor,so the law permits her to take decisions on her daughter's behalf.quite an interesting story.Very emotional.

MY RATINGS:4/5

the best years of our lives

MOVIE OF THE DAY:THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES(B/W) TYPE:FAMILY/DRAMA/ROMANCE ABOUT:3ARMY/NAVY MEN RETURNING HOME AFTER A LONG BATTLE.THE FIRST ONE IS ABOUT TO MEET HIS FIANCEE BUT HAS NOT TOLD HER THAT HE LOST HIS HANDS IN BATTLE.THE 2ND MIDDLE AGED SARGENT IS GOING TO SEE HIS WIFE OF 20YEARS & KIDS AFTER A LONG BATTLE(MANY YEARS),THE KIDS HAVE GROWN,AMERICAN FAMILY SYSTEM HAS CHANGED.HE FINDS HIMSELF STUCK TO THE TIMES WHEN HE LEFT FOR THE WAR.THE 3RD GUY IS GOIONG TO SEE HIS WIFE WHOM HE HAD TO LEAVE SOON AFTER MARRIAGE FOR THE WAR.3DIFFERENT LIVES,3DIFFERENT PROBLEMS,3DIFFERENT STORIES.UNDOUBTEDLY ONE OF THE BEST B/W CLASSICS.THE SCENES OF THOSE 3REUNIONS ARE SHOT AMAZINGLY & SUCH GREAT EXPRESSIONS OF THE ACTORS.THE BEST PART IS THAT THE FAMILY MEMBERS ARE NOT AWARE THAT THEY ARE COMING BACK FROM THE WAR.THE SCENE WHERE THE OLD SARGENT RINGS THE BELL & HIS SON OPENS THE DOOR FOLLOWED BY HIS SURPRISE TO HIS WIFE IS VERY TOUCHING.
RATINGS:3/5