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MukilLi
Reviews
Lost in Translation (2003)
Lost in stereotypes-- Somethings are best left unsaid.
I couldn't believe this movie is supposed to be new thing and ran close to bagging Oscars. May be, this is a sign of how bad Hollywood is nowadays. Every character in the movie is a stereotype. Grumpy man going through a midlife crisis,a lost girl figuring out who she's supposed to be, dumb blonde actress filled with stupidity, overworking insensitive husband, Lounge singer looking for her next target. Well the treatment is not all that unique either. Most character is played for a laugh rather than examining or bring out the alienation of the main characters. Bill Murray character does nothing(not even try) to shed his alienation other just sulking. And he plays that everything is stupid, idiotic and un-American in Japan(I'm no kidding). He definitely got on my nerves. Scarlet does balance the movie with some good acting but it is too little to fill the humongous void of substance in the movie. Oh, the Japanese characters? I don't even want to talk about it. They are the ultimate stereotypes of Japanese people and even the Buddhist temple is just another exotic stereotype catered to American audience. Also some of the scenes and especially the ending seems heavily inspired by Wong Kar Wai's "In the mood of love" and LIT definitely does not do any justice to the Hong Kong Masterpiece. I liked Sofia Coppola's "The Virgin suicides" and I'm lost how she ventured into this LIT crap. She's good filmmaker I hope she bounce back from the low and gives us a good movie. But I wouldn't recommend this movie.
Moulin Rouge! (2001)
How would Bollywood done bad in Hollywood would look like? The answer is "Moulin Rouge".
If you're into loud, gaudy, sentimental films then this movie might have something to offer but I found unenjoyable for all the above reasons.
The production design, music, dance and Nichole Kidman's acting are the only good thing about the movie. This movie could've been so much better. I've to give credit for conceptualizing the movie and for putting all the $50 Million on the screen but in the end it fails grandly as a film.
I know where Baz Luhrman comes from, I really liked his earlier movie 'strictly ballroom' but I could not sit through "Moulin Rounge". I also understand this movie is more about "form" than about story but even there it fails to produce anything good. Infact, this is a very badly done bollywood movie (and Hollywood movie)
First, the story is total rip-off of Bollywood films and Bollywood cliches are all over the place. Two, the form is gaudy and no where as naive as Bollywood films. Three, this is nowhere near to the Hollywood musicals. Four, the direction the terrible. Five, Save time and don't see this movie.
Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (2004)
Harold and Kumar make you laugh!
I am not into this genre but two Asians(Korean and Indian) in the lead made me want to see what Hollywood has done with it. I know and I did leave my mind at home when I walked into this movies.... you know what, it's not that mindless movie, it is a pretty good movie for it's genre. It was very funny all the way and very refreshing look at ethnic stereotypes.
The story is about two dudes who get stoned and look for tasty white castle dinner. Although the story is simple, the movie itself take you for a wild ride which we can possibly cannot imagine and that's where the movie works. The situation and encounters are almost unreal and unimaginable but it was very funny and really works on you for some reason. The characters are well crafted for a "mindless" comedy. The two leads Kal pen and Cho do a great job in the movie, their chemistry on the screen is great.
There are some cameo from "American pie" cast and even though the subplot is subtle, it adds a great texture the overall story. I think the writers have really experienced this movie at some level to come up with a good screenplay.
Overrall, It's a very funny movie all the way. I loved the punchline ending of newscaster showing the pencil sketch of One Asian and one Indian who are wanted for escaping the prison. It makes you carry the laugh outside of theatre... very innovative.
oh, BTW, the mexican chick is HOT! I'm going Amsterdam baby... I think there's a sequel in cards and why not??
The Village (2004)
Good concept but poor execution.
Shymalan's movies are gradually going down in quality from Sixth Sense to The Village in that order. Sure the man got talent but I guess he is getting overconfident about his subjects and treatment and underestimating the audience. Well then you have a cost to pay and the cost is "The Village".
Although the plotting is almost similiar to "Sixth Sense", I like the concept of the movie (Which I won't describe). It metaphorically connects at multiple levels from Parents protecting their kids to terrorism threat to America to social segregation to ethnic segregation. The rich concept loses the battle to terror and twist ending, the signature of shymalan movies.
The movie does scare in couple of places but overrall it does not fit into the narrative. The only character I was able to connect to was Bryce howard Dallas. She did a fantastic job. Gentlemen a star is born, no doubt. Adrien brody is good in patches and Joaquin Phoenix has nothing to play.
In general the movie does not fit into horror or drama or thriller, it just makes a hash of all these and mess it up badly.
Le testament d'Orphée ou ne me demandez pas pourquoi (1960)
This movie shows what a movie can be and should be.
Although the elements involved in the last part of the trilogy (of course it's a trilogy!) are same, the movie is brilliant in the way it deal and approaches with a poet's final years. I loved the self-reference to the earlier versions and to Jean cocteau himself. The film touches A film inside a film, a stage inside a stage, a life inside a life, a body inside a body and ofcourse a world inside a world. This is a "timeless" classic. No pun intended. This just my first viewing, I intend to see it again and again. One interesting thing (a speculation) is the BULLET from the future world. I wonder whether James cameroon got inspired from this idea to come up with "The Terminator".
Personally, I was always interested by the idea of NO TIME. This movie touches the possible cyclic nature of the time and sometime it even goes even further suggesting that -- ALL TIMES reside within ONE or NONE -- Well we're not supposed to understand it :) I loved the dig at intellectuals.
I would recommend this movie to all surrealist and anybody who has the eternal question -- WHY?! This movie is not an answer nor it asks question. Just OBEY the natural laws and see the movie :)
9/10
The Terminal (2004)
Nice story, nice characters not equals nice movie
Spielberg, Tom Hanks, Catherine Zeta jones, John williams are my favorites but their combination alone here does not make it worth watching. I can barely pass through the movie. Let me tell you, I didn't have high expectation for this movie but I was still disappointed.
First to the things I liked in the movie.
I liked most of the characters in the movie--Viktor Navorski (Hanks), Enrique(Diego Luna, gutpa(Kumar pallana), Amelia (Catherine Zeta-Jones) Most of them have done justice to the role. Tom hanks portrayal of Viktor Navorski is great and very believable. These characters kept the movie interesting.
The subplot between Enrique, Office terres(Zoe Saldana) and Tom hanks was the best of the movie. I throughly enjoyed it.
The dinner scene between Tom hanks and Catherine zeta Jones has everything you ask for in a movie. Gupta was really funny and stole the show in lot of scenes.
Things I don't like(WARNING: SPOILERS!!!!!)
It was hard to believe that Frank Dixon, head one of the busiest airport had nothing but follow Viktor around and meddle with him. More over, if he wants to know what is in the Peanut box that Viktor is carrying, all Frank has to do was- ASK!!! yes, we all know airport authority can strip you naked. All frank has to do is ask Viktor-- OPEN THAT DAMN PEANUT BOX.
Viktor navorski character although very good and acted well is a simple plain look from American point of view. We were never taken into his world. He just moves around and does things to amuse us. No real sense of insight into a man who is stuck(delayed forever!) in airport. Although he comes a stubborn character, it was hard to believe that he was just contend to live there and not try more to get out.
As the movie progressed, it became stale, predictable and boring. If all Viktor wanted was a signature from a Jazz legend. Viktor could have asked some of his admirers in the airport to get the signature for him since he knows where the jazz legend plays. It's hard to believe that it did not occur to intelligent Viktor. Sentimentality at its height. So the climax and ending was kind-off lame.
OK. I know this is a very "small" Hollywood type movie but it could've been more plausible and entertaining. Very nice story but not executed well.
If you don't worry about logic, plausibility etc...you might be able to sit through this movie once.
Persona (1966)
A benchmark for Cinematic artistry
What a Great film?
One summer home, two women, one does not even talk and what do we get-A Masterpiece. Only Bergman can take us to the depth of this kind with the above-mentioned arsenal. The more I see, more I unearth; I guess this film has no end to that. What you see about the character is not what they are and this holds good for other aspects of the film too. I liked the background score so much; I think it copied is some Hollywood movie recently.
This film shows where film can go and beyond.
12 Angry Men (1957)
One of best drama ever..
What Hollywood lacks now is films like this. A good story and good characters wonderfully captured by Sidney Lumet. The film really moved me so much that I felt like I was one of the 13th Juror. I wouldn't tag this one as a courtroom drama, it is like 12 faces of the American societies.
Is this the best ever drama?
POSSIBLE