The King's Speech

The story of King George VI of Britain, his impromptu ascension to the throne and the speech therapist who helped the unsure monarch become worthy of it.

Director: 

Tom Hooper

Writer: 

David Seidler (screenplay)

Stars:

 Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter

One of the most moving films I have seen in a very long time. Colin Firth is brilliant (deserved the Oscar) but more than that, it is the story that stands out. There is this image of arrogant British in our head, a stereotype due to our history with them which this film shakes to the very core. We see the King of the British Empire struggling! The very essence of the film.

I have read history and there has never been a mention of a King George VI of England who used to struggle giving speeches. I remember my teacher talking about Hitler and his speeches that moved the people to the very core, but never this guy.

The standout point of the film is the British monarch conquering his own ego and fear to rise during a scary time in the World (WW2). Geoffrey Rush as the speech therapist is charming while Helena Bonham Carter is just amazing with the supporting wife. The film has its own funny elements- those British quirks and wise-cracks. They actually keep the mood light as the British monarch continues to struggle with his speeches.

All in all, I loved the film. It is moving, funny and for once the British do not seem arrogant. Don't miss out on this delight.

Black Swan

A ballet dancer wins the lead in "Swan Lake" and is perfect for the role of the delicate White Swan - Princess Odette - but slowly loses her mind as she becomes more and more like Odile, the Black Swan.

Director: 

Darren Aronofsky

Writers: 

Mark Heyman (screenplay), Andres Heinz(screenplay).

Stars:

 Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis and Vincent Cassel

OK, so much has already been said about this movie, especially about Natalie's performance. I loved the setting, I mean it is about an actor who gets so engrossed in her performance...and that too ballet! I wish India could have films based on such backdrops, but anyway- I enjoyed the film. I have never noticed Natalie Portman in her previous films but this one must have been a challenging role for her.
To some extent, I found the film a little confusing. Actually, not little but more than that. I still don't know if the mother was real or not. I felt the story incomplete and has certain loop-holes.
I mean, you have an Inception or a Shutter Island on one side (which has the audiences thinking) but this seems an incomplete story. Maybe I need to watch it again but still, you cannot expect people to read films.
But then I guess that is what the Oscar jury loves, a film which makes people think for themselves (I do not understand why). The film is full of symbolism and very artistically made though and one just has to watch it 2-3 times and read a bit about it to understand it. This is the actual focus of the film.
Still, this is not a film to miss out. It has a good plot, Mila Kunis (whom I just love) and some very nice performances.
It still makes me wonder....which Bollywood actress would have carried out the role, none come to my mind.
Enjoy it (if you can), but don't expect to understand it entirely.

The Motorcycle Diaries (Diarios de motocicleta )

Director: 

Walter Salles

Writers: 

Ernesto 'Che' Guevara (book), Alberto Granado(book)»

Stars:

 Gael García Bernal, Rodrigo De la Serna andMercedes Morán

This is a film based on the diary written by Che Guevera about the motorcycle trip he took with his friend Alberto Granado. It shaped Guevera's ideology and made him the person he was to become later as the iconic Marxist revolutionary Che Guevera.

I found the film a little boring at times. It is like the tempo just dropped at moments just to rise again. The fact that it is about the journey which shaped one of the most iconic personalities on Latin America who stood up to the American ideologies just makes the movie interesting. South America has been shown in a beautiful light which is the backdrop for the struggling Latin Americans who are going through a tough time in their lives is beautifully shown by the Director. I liked the fact that the production team decided to follow in Guevera's exact footsteps (including the San Pablo leper colony which he visited) which gives the film that historic angle rather than making it a work of fiction and made-up in the studios. 

Another amazing thing is that the film does not start with the "Based on a true story" kind of stuff and all you have to do is just enjoy the journey as we see two friends journey thousands of kilometers just for fun and how their outlook changes somewhere along the way. 

The lead actors have done justice to the roles and the music is amazing. The movie was screened at various film festivals- Sundance, Cannes, Toronto and many others. It went on to win many awards and was well received in every country.

This movie will show you how the world can change you to change the world. You don't have to agree with Guevera's ideals to enjoy this film, you will realize which moment in your life urged you to do something for the people around you.

P.S. You can also visit the website http://www.motorcyclediariesmovie.com/home.html to know more about the film.

Amelie

Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain (2001)

Director: 

Jean-Pierre Jeunet

Writers: 

Guillaume Laurant (scenario), Jean-Pierre Jeunet(scenario)

Stars:

 Audrey Tautou, Mathieu Kassovitz and Rufus

OK. I do not know what is it about this movie, but it is a very beautiful film. The story is not much, except that a childish girl decides to help others around her. What holds the attention about this movie is its amazing acting and the way it is made. It is the last film I saw in my Understanding Cinema class and I was just mesmerized by it.

It laments the French society which existed before corporatisation started dictating terms. The movie talks about a society which existed in France and is now overshadowed by the way people have changed. The movie is a modern fairy tale and even though some critics say that it is a farce because it talks about a society which does not exist, I could watch this movie so many times.

During Oscars, this movie was placed second after "No Man's Land", for the Indian people "Lagaan" was third. I think I respect French cinema for giving such a movie.

I think this movie is so magical that if you are sad and lonely, this movie will lift your spirits. This must be there on your shelf, after all we do have sad moments in life and we need anything we can get to cheer us up.

Snatch

Director: 

Guy Ritchie

Writer: 

Guy Ritchie

Stars:

 Jason Statham, Brad Pitt and Benicio Del Toro

There are some movies which you just want to watch again and again and again...yet it is just not enough! Snatch is one such movie. It is one of my favorite films and you will enjoy it too (I hope so... :-) ). The movie's brilliance lies in its plot and the way things intertwine in the end. I have always loved Guy Ritchie films- they somehow run a full circle and the background narration is brilliant. This was his first movie that I watched and I am a die-hard fan already.
The movie has a star-cast with Jason Statham, Brad Pitt, Benicio Del Toro and many others. 
The movie is not only strong on the star-cast and the dialogues but the direction and music give the movie the extra touch. I have watched this movie about 10 times but I can watch it again and still enjoy it like I did the first time. 
Recently I came to know that the Bollywood copy of this movie was "Fool n Final". I have not watched the movie, but I do know that it was a big flop. It is disappointing to know that many Bollywood films are copied from Hollywood and they are not even credited. There are so many other examples but let us not get into that.
As far as the plot is concerned, it is about a variety of people- Unscrupulous boxing promoters, violent bookmakers, a Russian gangster, incompetent amateur robbers, and supposedly Jewish jewelers are after a big diamond stolen from Antwerp (imdb). 
The acting is superb and this is probably one of the few movies about which I have nothing bad to say. Brad Pitt's accent captured a lot of attention in the movie and it is inspired by many critics' complaints about the characters in Lock, Stock and two smoking barrels (Guy Ritchie's first film). Guy Ritchie wanted to counter the critics by creating a character who could not be understood by the audience and also the characters in the movie. The accent is actually what the Irish and the Romanian gypsy travellers speak.
I must mention the music of the movie, which is amazing. The choice of music just lends the movie a style, more than it already has. I tend to like movies which have a background narration where you know what the person is thinking, it makes the film more exciting. Guy Ritchie's films have that and this movie is no exception.
I can continue to talk about the movie but I think you should just watch it. If you are looking for a perfect movie to pass your time- I could not suggest any better one. Hope you enjoy it.

P.S. That is the reason this is the first movie in my blog.

:-)

Movies, me and You!

I am a big movie buff but I don't like watching them in theatres. I would rather watch them on my laptop so that if the movie sucks, I can just switch to the other one. Last semester I had a subject- Understanding Cinema during which I started watching films in a totally different light. Even though the lectures were boring, I actually gained an interest as to how small things matter a lot in movies. I was forced to ask questions like- Why is the actor wearing such clothes? or Why is this painting used and not some other one?
I came to realize that one has to observe a movie to actually understand it. The significance of the plot with the director's life (or anyone else in the movie for that matter) or the story behind just adds to the excitement. Sometimes we cannot find such things even after looking for them, and that is where we google.
With this blog we shall gain insights into some of the most amazing movies of all time (in my opinion and yours too)- European, American and Indian. This blog is for everyone- who are looking to decide as to which movie to watch today or this weekend and also for those who want to know more about movies than what you can see. We will also look at the different approach of directors to film-making and even I hope to learn more about movies from you

Hope you enjoy it.
:-)

Am I guilty?

I would like to start my blogs with a poem.

My first English teacher:
It was my first day in boarding school,
My English teacher was so not cool.
I can’t recall her name
But me and my friends named her the flat-chest bitch,
For her breast size was practically nil.

I was sitting on the last bench
Talking to a friend
When she asked me what “disturbance” meant?
I answered her question in an innocent tone
Which if structured went,
“Mam, Can you explain the word ‘meant’?”

She got really mad at me and thought that I was being over smart,
Even though I tried to convince her that English was one of my weakest spots.
She pulled my ear and dragged me to the front of the class,
And told me to kneel the way a chicken does.

So I sit the way we do when we
Shit in the bathroom,
Which people prefer to call “The Indian style”.
And I take my hands between my legs,
Lift them up till they reach my ears
And pull’em hard.

She told me to stay like that in each of her class,
Till an egg was there right below my arse.
At that moment all I could think of was
‘Shit man, I am fucked.’

So the next morning I walk up to the cook of our kitchen
And ask him for an egg, tell him its for an experiment.
Now before she enters to take our next class,
I take my chicken position and
Put the egg right below my arse.
I ask her if she wants me to sit on top of it until it hatches
The joke did not seem to go down well because she sent the principal a message,
And the next thing I know is I am right outside his office.

The principal took a note of this incident
And asked the teacher,
‘Why did you give a 4th grader such a harsh punishment’?
She had no reply to this,
For she expected the principal to side by her on this.

But she did not let me go off the hook,
Because now in each of her class I took
The position of a chicken or a dog
Hell, sometimes even a frog!

Like this went our summer and the monsoons
And soon I became her favourite student.
Then came the winter,
Which brought an end to my first year.
I went and said good-bye to her,
Told her I would love to be taught by her next year.


When I came back for my 2nd year
I asked if we had the same English teacher.
My friend said that the she was no longer here,
Died in the New Year
Of breast cancer.

She was one of the few people I shed a few tears,
Get a guilt feeling
Every time I think of her
I can’t recall her name
But she was my first English teacher.