Movies.. movies...in this year...

First, I wanted to make a list of movies which I liked. But then, life is defined by moments of love and hate and 'what the heck were they thinking?. So, here are my movie moments from 2008:

The movie which redeemed my faith in Superhero genre after the traumatic experience of watching Spiderman cry:



The movie the then came along and kicked the ass of the above movie so much that I did not miss the show even after falling from an escalator ( its very very difficult to walk up an escalator going down). And it was my second viewing.



The movie which betrayed me:



Edward Norton, I love you. But I did not go to this movie to watch you play a brilliant scientist with a sad, sad story left to tell. I went to watch HULK smash things and people, not to see you play the tortured soul. For that, I would have watched Pride and Glory or Painted Veil. Stick to indie movies, please. And next time, please do some comedy - you are only going to be 40 man, its not the end of your life!

The song which can put me in a peppy mood even on a rainy and cold day:



The song which goes best with red wine:



The movie which I can watch again and again :



Movies yet to watch:

Aamir
A Wednesday
Cadillac Records
Doubt
Frost/Nixon
Gran Torino
Marley & Me
Milk
Mumbai Meri Jaan
Slumdog Millionaire
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Wrestler
Transporter Three
Yes Man

But the one movie which I really, really want to watch, is this :



:-)

And finally, the movie which made me re-like Brad Pitt & George Clooney:

The allure of Brad Pitt was somewhat lessened after me became Ms. Joilie's wife. Ooops, sorry, my bad, partner. Clooney was fast becoming a male Paris Hilton - always being photographed, being with different and younger women who look like clones of each other. However, this one movie made me remember that those two men are pretty good actors.



That's about today. Do sugggest any good movies that I might have missed. And oh, not considering the OST of Slumdog here because man, its a class apart.

Cheat Sheet

I wrote a blog post... and suddenly, it appeared here!!!

Many of you may not know this side of me... but enjoy :))

Movies; Moments

R for a Racer called Speed

Psychedelic fantasy; pure escape for the length of the movie. The races were awesome, I should get the videogame version for my cousins next time I go home. Didn't like Xtina Ricci though. She acted as if she knew it was a comic adaptation. Susan Sandron didn't. And absolutely loved Matthew Fox with hair on his head. He looked way hotter then in Lost.

C for City with the Sex:

A long winded avatar of a favorite serial; some breasts and a penis on screen; the largest collection of women I have ever seen in this city. Was it just me or did they all look and sound a bit paler? Why did Carrie have to marry Mr. Big? And what with all the war references? Took a bullet? Is she delusional? ( the character, not the actress.)

H for Hulk, that Incredible guy:

My heart breaks into pieces when I call this one boring trip. I was playing Sudoku on my E90 half the time. How come I didnt like a movie with Edward Norton and have comic book heroes - two parameters which make me love movies? Because here they wanted to be artsy, and comic booky. The focus was on Ed Norton, and not on Hulk. And the movie was dragging for a comic book adaptation and jerky for a story about a man's struggle for freedom. It reminded me of a moral science text book that I had to learn by rot when I was a kid. The only redeeming moment was Tony Stark, and Ed Norton's blue, blue eyes.

F for Forbidden Kingdom

I used to read the Monkey series of Chinese mythology as a kid. My favorite place was up the staircase, away from the bustle of home, looking up at the mezzanine, whose window ledge lined with money plants were my sanctuary. I still can take myself there by closing my eyes. And I can also see the illustrations on the book, the Monkey King resplendent in flowing robes, the Jade Warlord nothing more than a snarling entity.The movie tackified him - and I need to buy that Monkey King series now for my library, as an atonement for watching this C grade kung fu movie and actually laughing at it.

K for Kung Fu Panda

Funny the first time, bit boring the second. Flashes of brilliance in some scenes; why didnt they adopt the Samurai Jack style of animation? Kung Fu Hustle has nothing to fear from this one as my favorite kungmedy movie.

Why I love Om Santi Om

Yes, I am the same person who worships Tarentino and love obscure, indie movies. I lauded Beja Fry and Being Cyrus, not to mention Khosla ka Ghosla.

But still, like a dieting Homer Simpson succumbing to chocolate filled chocolately chocolate crusted chocolate donut, I return to OSO, my guilty pleasure.

Its a spoof.

I love humour, and especially the ability to laugh at oneself. I have a huge weekness for MAD magazine and South Park, and by extention, love the spoof movies.

OSO is a spoof on the hindi phillum industry, with all its glorious wackiness laid out there.

The seventies.

The time of bell bottoms and razor mushtaches, over the top acting, dream sequences which have enough people to fill a football stadium doing synchronized gyrating... all that, and more is there in the movie.

A bum called SRK.

The way he romances Deepika like a cute labrador pup in the first half... and his bratty avtar in the second half ( which then get spoiled for me once he starts being the nice guy)


The shooting of Mind IT!!

Yenna Raaascala.... we have all seen such comic movies - albeit when our relatives sat and weeped at the scenes - but I swear, I would really really want to watch Mind It, with that man in it.


Film fare award night

That enitre sequence - from the red carpet interviews ( "we are just friends" ) to the movie scenes to AB baby swearing under his breath... beautiful!!!


In Jokes

This movie is a treasure trove for those who has been following Bollywood - read: average Indian. My personal favorite is when Mein Ne Pyaar Kiya is referenced - subtle, and priceless!


Bhaago!!!!

Again, amazing!

And by dedication we mean...

The wedding scene which SRK retakes... with the flower in his mouth.

Kiron Kher

For me, she is SRKs heroine. Her comic timing is perfect, and deliciously over the top.


Ladies and gents; granted, this may be an over the top movie, there is no rythm and reason in the movie, but tell me, did you laugh at least once? Or twice? Thrice may be?

I rest my case.

Movie List

My Christmas gifts are already given; thanks to some creative people. I'm yet to open the wrapper, but I cant wait to catch each of them!

Now, my dear, let me talk to you. You, the nice bollywood fan who is not from India. Nope, having an Indian DNA does not automatically make you a true blue Bollywood fan.

Quick Quiz:

1. Who is Kareena's boyfriend?

2. The actor whos characters are mostly names Rahul, or Raj in most of his movies.

3. Name two movies of Kajol.

4. Name three Khans ( bonus point for naming four) in Bollywood

5. who is Sanju Baba?

If you got atleast three of the above right off your head without googling, then this list is not for you. If, however, you did not make the cut, then read on, for this list is for you.


1. Munna Bhai M.B.B.S

Comedy. But for complete entertainment, get someone who understands the Tapori Hindi so that they can translate the sprit of the dialogue.

2. Chak De India
I assume that you have already seen Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jaayenge, Kabhi Khushie Kabhie Ghum, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Dil To Paagal Hai, Kal Ho Na Ho et al. Some of you might have even seen Main Hoon Na and have already booked the tickets for Om Santi Om and have seen DON. But this is not a typical SRK movie : you dont have to suspend disbelief, and can watch a less hyper, but equally intense, performance of Shahrukh Khan.

And yes, this movie is heavily inspired from the different sports movies in Hollywood, so play spot the scene.

3. Dil Chahta Hai

I don't have a favorite scene in this movie... every scene is precocious, and this is our filmy version of Friends. Best to watch it with an yuppie Indian, who will get nostalgic over this movie :)

And yes, I know you would have seen Lagaan!

4. Honeymoon Travels :
You must have seen Monsoon Wedding... now see what happens after the marriage!

Amisha Patel and KK Menon are hilarious in this movie!

5. Being Cyrus:

This is one trippy movie. It's in English, so you hopefully do not need the subtitles...

I wanted to end this list with just five, but hey, here is one bonus movie:

6. Omkaara

It is an adaptation of Othello. The dialogues are caustic; hotter than Tabasco sauce, and pithy like tequila shots, and the actors are really good.

Have an Indian who knows Hindi well enough to translate the movie, which begins with 'Bewakoof aur Chootiye ke beech mein... ' the language is half the fun, do not lose it.


Answers :

1. Saif Ali Khan
2. Shahrukh Khan
3. DDLJ, KKHH
4.Saif, Shahrukh, Salman & Amir ( also Fardeen, Sayed, Sanjay etc etc... )
5. Sanjay Dutt who will never be fifty again... and fyi, Baba means 'baby' in Hindi.

Happy watching!

Joan Brandwyn got it right

Ever heard of the Movie Mona Lisa Smile?

In the movie, there is an amazing scene, where Julia Roberts, the feminist teacher is distraught that one of her best students decided to get married. The student goes to her teacher, and tells her: "You're the one who said I could do anything I wanted. This is what I want."

Now that more and more of my friends are getting married and some are even proud mothers/ fathers of cute little ones, this is what I want to tell you.

Congratulations, for finding someone whom you love enough to take the plunge.

Congratulations, for trusting your parents enough to believe in arranged marriages.

Congratulations, for choosing to either work or to be a home-maker or to study - or even planning to do all of them together.

Congrats for allowing your partner the freedom to work and/or study, and for supporting them.

Congratulations, for bringing some very special people into the world, and helping them to grow up, and grow up well.

I am so happy for you all! We may not always have common topics to talk about, but we will still be friends.

And for the person who triggered the post: Baby Rat, Here's to you for a wonderful married life!

Why I love these movies

Mr Bean's holiday : for that hilarious take on art movies

Dhoom 2: Hritik Roshan's movements

Holiday : Kate Winslet's character

Departed :Decaprio's vulnerable eyes

Pyar Ke Side Effects : Ranvir Shorey and Mallika Sherawat

Mozhi : My love story

Kannathil Muthamittal : My ideal family

Light and Sound

Three movies over the weekend is a good count as far as I am concerned.

Lucky Number S7evin

Don't ask me why I wanted to watch it. It was not an informed choice, but more of a before I delete it, just five minutes kind of preview. And Bruce Wills always manages to get my attention. So does Ben Kingsly. So does Morgan Freeman.

So what are these three guys doing in one movie anyway? I kept watching the movie, till the very end, to find an answer to that question. At the end of it, I was left strangely unmoved. Often, one of them is enough for me to be riveted to the screen. I was left detached till the end. May be it is the sight of all these men trying to act in half baked roles. The movie had it all - good actors - Josh Hartnett & Lucy Liu are the hero/heroine; incidentally - the expected surprise ending, reasonably good editing, above average dialogue, emotion, drama, romance, family...

But at the end of it, the movie is like a beautiful plastic plant with no life. It will gather dust at a corner of your mind. And your heart will never be open to this movie.

Terms of Endearment:

Alright, I cried. There is Shirley Maclain - who so reminded me of my mother and the love/hate relationship I have with her and reminded me as to why people go ga-ga over her - her family friend, Danny DiVito and even that wicked old sexy man called Jack Nicholson who can portray those rascals whom every woman want to slap across his face and kiss up at the same time because of his personality despite the alcoholic slippery steps, leering face and overweight body. He daughter Debra Winger who can so beautifully express the hopes and fears of youth in an instant, the guy who acted as her husband, the guy in Third Rock from the Sun with whom she has an affair, the lady who acts as her best friend, and her kids - especially her second son. Yeah, it was when he cried that I cried.

This movie has soul. It has love. Not the perfectly packed and perfumed kind of love; but the ordinary kind -the one which hurts, disappoints, hurts some more, strays, stays and the one which is made all the more precious by the tears that mix with it. I loved this movie.


The Namesake:


Once upon a time, there were movies made in India like Namesake. In Malayalam, in Tamil, in Hindi. I grew up watching them. Ordinary, believable stories, where people do fall, but hey, they always get up, dust their knees and go forth again. This is a sunshine movie which will filter into the deep corners of your mind. Watch it guys - for Tabu and Irfaan's amazing love story. For Karl Penn. For all those times that make you think of your parents and family. You wont regret it.

This movie shines through - without melodrama but with emotions, without cliches but with slices from life, without stars but with good actors. Thanks Meera, for redeeming my faith in literary adaptations.

This movie gives you hope. And hope is a precious commodity for us to ignore.