- La Grande séduction
- AKA Called Seducing Doctor Lewis. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0366532. Man v/s Town. Small dying fishing village needs a resident doctor to sign up for five years before the factory guy will set up a plastic factory.
- They manage to get a doctor to visit for a month, and weave a web of deceit to get him to sign-up. Starting with pretending to play Cricket (because they heard he is crazy about it) and then tap his phone to find out his likes and dislikes and pretend they all have the same.
- IMDB reviews say it is hilarious. It is not that. But fairly enjoyable. 6/10.
Blue Umbrella (2005)
Vishal Bharadwaj adapts Ruskin Bond's short story (novella?) -- story of a girl, an umbrella, a store-owner who wants the umbrella, how he steals it, how she gets it back, how he is humiliated and how, finally, she "gifts" it to him. Nice. 7/10. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0457802
October 29, 2007
Rang-e khoda (1999)
Back to movie watching after a long break. And what a movie! Majid Majidi tells story of a blind boy's relationship with widowed father and grandmother. Like Abbas Kiarostami's Bad ma ra khahad bord, most of the movie has day-to-day events, no sky falling, no ocean overflowing. But you can't for a moment take your eyes off the screen. Except when you need to wipe off your tears. Great move. 8.5/10. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0209463
October 29, 2007Bridal Shower (2004)
Don't know why I got this movie and started it but I couldn't finish it. And not just because I had a copy without subtitles. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0393110/. The current imdb rating is 6.9/10 from 20 users. Give me a break.
September 19, 2007Breaking the Waves (1996)
Story of a half-witted woman (Do you know what marriage means Bess McNeill?) who marries a foreigner working on the rig and after he is injured in an accident has sex with other people, on his request and because she thinks that will save his life. His life is saved, and he walks again but she is dies after a brutal rape. Great acting by Emily Watson and gread direction by Lars von Trier. Yes, it made me cry. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115751
September 19, 2007The Queen (2006)
Queen Eliazabeth's reactions to the events after Diana's death. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0436697/
September 9, 2007
Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
Sergio Leone. Can a movie be both gripping and confusing? We had to read bunch of discussion on imdb to figure out what happened. And then I was awake late into the night reading its analysis at aboutfilm.com. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087843/
September 6, 2007HANA-BI (1997)
Literally, it translates to FLOWER-FIRE. Movie is aka Fireworks, which is what the word translates from Japanese to English. Made by Takseshi Kitana, who is Writer, Director, Editor, Lead actor (under the name of Beat Takeshi) and Painter (of the paintings by another character in the film). Truly, an auteur.
The movie is about an ex-cop, young daughter dead, wife suffering from leukemia, owes bunch of money to the loan mafia, partner invalidated by gun-shots trying to paint and committing suicide and another colleague dies in line of duty. No wonder he is a complex character.
A good movie overall, even though I did not find the protagonist to be a likable character.
PS Pity I have to move from Yahoo 360, I can't do a search of my own blog here :-(
August 29, 2007The movie is about an ex-cop, young daughter dead, wife suffering from leukemia, owes bunch of money to the loan mafia, partner invalidated by gun-shots trying to paint and committing suicide and another colleague dies in line of duty. No wonder he is a complex character.
A good movie overall, even though I did not find the protagonist to be a likable character.
PS Pity I have to move from Yahoo 360, I can't do a search of my own blog here :-(
Va savoir (2001)
aka Who Knows. French movie by director Jacques Rivette. A French actress in Italy comes for a show to Paris, with her director boyfriend. The movie is about the relationship and events involving these two, her ex, ex's wife, the guy who says he loves the wife but actually wants to steal the lady's priceless ring, and that guy's pretty sister and mother, whose home houses an old library that our director keeps visiting searching for a lost manuscript.
Jeanne Balibar and Sergio Castellitto, the lead actors are brilliant. Very natural acting. Effortless. The movie also feels effortless. Though a lot is happening, it all feels believable, not contrived.
The play within the film. Most of these typically seem like a toy. But here you almost feel you know the play by the time the movie ends. And like it.
August 28, 2007
Sex and Zen (1992)
aka Rou pu tuan zhi tou qing bao jian http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105287/.
Softcore with a story. Nice T&A. Apparently they are called Category III in Hong Kong.
August 27, 2007Softcore with a story. Nice T&A. Apparently they are called Category III in Hong Kong.
Y tu mamá también (2001)
Having seen it a couple of times, I am now convinced it is not a great movie. Good style and the 'mahaul' has been captured well but that is about it.
August 22, 2007
Nora Inu (1949)
Akira Kurosawa. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041699/. Master storyteller doing his thing. It's almost sixty years old and you can't take your eyes off the screen. Per imdb it has been made twice again.
Story of a homicide detective who gun gets picked in a crowded bus and his chase for it. Early Kurosawa. Early Toshiro Mifune.
August 21, 2007Story of a homicide detective who gun gets picked in a crowded bus and his chase for it. Early Kurosawa. Early Toshiro Mifune.
Volver (2006/I)
Don't ask me why I have a /I in the title, that's what imdb has.
Penelope Cruz. What more can you ask for? But there is. Pedro Almadovar. My first. Got to see more.
It is interesting in a strange sort of way. Daughter kills father trying paw her. But he wasn't her father really. And then her mom's mom comes back from the dead. To apologize to the the mother in the middle. Carmen Maura, the grand-mom, is a good actress too. So is the daughter, Yohana Cobo. And hot too. Her latest movie, not out yet, is called Lolita's Club. Hmmm.
Oh yes, I was almost ready to hear her say he wasn't your father either.
August 16, 2007
The Eroticist (1972)
Sexploitation flick from the master of gore and horror Lucio Fulci. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068193/. The original Italian title is All'onorevole piacciono le donne (Nonostante le apparenze... e purché la nazione non lo sappia), The Senator Likes Women... Despite Appearances and Provided the Nation Doesn't Know.
The story of a senator, soon to become PM, and his attraction towards female bums.
August 15, 2007The story of a senator, soon to become PM, and his attraction towards female bums.
Cet obscur objet du désir (1977)
Buñuel's masterpiece about the love affair between a rich old man and an eighteen year old. Two actors play the role of the girl. Very deep study of characters.
Fear Eats the Soul (1974)
AKA Angst essen Seele auf http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071141
Director/Writer: Rainer Werner Fassbinder.
Story of an old German widow (Brigitte Mira) who marries a Moroccan (El Hedi ben Salem) 20 years her junior.
August 8, 2007Director/Writer: Rainer Werner Fassbinder.
Story of an old German widow (Brigitte Mira) who marries a Moroccan (El Hedi ben Salem) 20 years her junior.
Ai no corrida (1976)
AKA In the Realm of Senses. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074102/. Director Nagisa Oshima.
Based on the true story of Sada Abe (played by Eiko Matsuda who's got a great body) in early twentieth century Japan. The story of whore turned housekeeper's affair with here master Kichizo Ishida(Tatsuya Fuji) who she eventually kills and walks around town with his private parts.
Looks like some people love it and some hate it. I belong to the latter group. There is only so long I can look at a naked female body (really!), and when she starts strangling her lover it becomes really boring.
August 5, 2007Based on the true story of Sada Abe (played by Eiko Matsuda who's got a great body) in early twentieth century Japan. The story of whore turned housekeeper's affair with here master Kichizo Ishida(Tatsuya Fuji) who she eventually kills and walks around town with his private parts.
Looks like some people love it and some hate it. I belong to the latter group. There is only so long I can look at a naked female body (really!), and when she starts strangling her lover it becomes really boring.
Underground (1995)
Saw this Winner of 1995 Palm d'Or at Cannes last night. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114787/.
A black comedy about a group of people that go underground in WWII and manufacture arms. Their leader is Blacky and his best friend Marco is instrumental in sending them down. But then he keeps them down there. For fifty years! Gets rich selling the arms and first sleeps with and later marries Blacky's actress girlfriend Natalija.
Good movie, but loses tempo at the end. Starts very grand but closure is unconvincing.
August 4, 2007A black comedy about a group of people that go underground in WWII and manufacture arms. Their leader is Blacky and his best friend Marco is instrumental in sending them down. But then he keeps them down there. For fifty years! Gets rich selling the arms and first sleeps with and later marries Blacky's actress girlfriend Natalija.
Good movie, but loses tempo at the end. Starts very grand but closure is unconvincing.
July Movies
Meine Gandhi Ko Nahi Mara (2005)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0454504/
Director: Jahnu Barua
Anupam Kher.
It's not about Gandhi. Well, not directly. It's about this retired professor who goes senile. He keeps saying he didn't kill Gandhi intentionally, it was an accident. Turns out he shot Gandhi's poster with a toy bow and arrow when he was seven, and Mahatma was assassinated later the same day, and his dad beat him up real bad.
Wild Things (1998)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120890/
Director: John McNaughton
Matt Dillon, Kevin Bacon, Neve Campbell, Theresa Russell, Denise Richards
Sex crime mystery. What is a double cross over double cross? Triple cross? Quad cross? And what is a couple over that? But the movie keeps you interested. And the girls are hot.
Bad ma ra khahad bord (1999)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0209463/
AKA The Wind Will Carry Us
Director: Abbas Kiarostami
Guy goes to small village to "record" the ceremonies that would occur after an old sick woman dies. But she doesn't die. And by the time she does, he is trying to save her life. Really slow move. Very well made.
Così fan tutte (1992)
www.imdb.com/title/tt0104014/
Director: Tinto Brass
All Ladies Do It. You wish. Or not.
Black Friday
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0400234/
Director Anurag Kashyap
Hussain Zaidi (book)
A balanced look at the story behind the Bombay Blasts. The movie claims to be true to the book. A book seems to try to be true to the real life. Very realastic, very engrossing. Compare for example to Shootout at Lokhandwala -- also based on real life events occurring a particularly unfortunate day, in Mumbai, in early nineties -- which is not really a bad movie but only occasionally engrossing and only vaguely realistic.
Amores perros (2000)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0245712/
Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu
Three stories in one movie. Dog Fight, Dog Loving Killer and Businessman leaving family to live with super model lover. Very engrossing. Very violent.
A Woman Under the Influence (1974)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072417/
Director: John Cassavetes
Peter Falk, Gena Rowland
Story of "Disfunctional Family", before the phrase became popular.
Sobachye serdtse (1988)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096126/
Director: Vladimir Bortko
Mikhail A. Bulgakov (story)
Another Dog movie. The doctor plants human genitals and pituitery gland into a dog and it turns it a man, a mean man.
Swimming Pool (2003)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0324133/"
Director: François Ozon
Charlotte Rampling, Ludivine Sagnier
English mystery writer goes to her publisher's villa in France. Meets her daugther, and helps her hide body of the guy she killed. Or does she?
Lisbela e o Prisioneiro (2003)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0367975/
Director: Guel Arraes
Conman on the run from hitman falls in love with innocent movie loving girl Lisbela engaged to city boy. Nice comedy.
No comments:
Post a Comment