OM SHANTI OM - 2007

After the hype surrounding the movie, its pregnant director, its superstar hero and the "girlfriend of every cricketer who is single" heroine, I thought the movie would be horrible. I was wrong. Shahrukh delivers as always except for the dard e disco song. Why on hell do men in their middle ages decide to become 18 all over again. I do not, I repeat, I do not want to see a forty year old mans artificially enhanced body in various stages of undress anointed with oil and other assorted liquids dancing with girls a quarter his age dressed in itsy bitsy nothings. Even a decent porn star wont agree to appear as an oily fireman in a psychedelic nightmare fire set. Farah khan, madam please never mix oil and fire especially not on a forty year old body. Although on second thoughts he was a caricature of a superstar bollywood hero and would be expected to do such songs, so maybe that is what the director wanted to show. Who knows and who cares.

Other than that the film was proper timepass. loads of insider jokes and funny moments. Whatever said and done, though it may never win any awards or get mentioned as a creative piece of film, it entertains. Reincarnation inspired by Karz and every hero and heroine in town appearing in a song except for Amir "snooty" khan and some other not so famous ones is more than enough to draw crowds. By the way Deepika is stunning, even though i have said a few uncharitable words about her previously (in the previous paragraph to be exact) I loved her. She was gorgeous as a seventies heroine and even more gorgeous as a modern wannabe heroine.

As for the non story, poor junior artiste dies trying to save famous heroine killed by villainous producer, is reincarnated as a superstar and wants to take revenge using, surprise surprise, a similar looking girl. PS: The dead non reincarnated true love appears in the end as a ghost. comedy , drama, emotion, action, romance! By the way there are two OM's and one Shanti hehehehe.

kya istory bhai!! 8/10

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (2003)

The word Afghanistan itself brings about strong emotions in most people around the world. Now couple this word with a story that grips you by the heart and doesnt let go even after you have finished reading the book. The main "hero" is Amir, a very very relatable character. A boy growing up in Kabul, privileged and with a friend who is also the servant boy and undiscovered half brother. The tale shifts from afghanistan to pakistan to the US and then back to afghanistan. It is a story of redemption without the glorified unrealistic drama that most redemption stories use. The prose is beautiful and the emotions beautifully potrayed. Wish I could etch out characters like him. 8/10

Edward Scissorhands (1990)

It was late but i wasnt exactly in the mood for zzz's. The remote bore the brunt of my boredom when suddenly something familiar and well loved flashed on screen. It was Johnny Depp with a gray face and a leather outfit that wouldnt look out of place on a Vivien Westwood show.
I had seen the movie long back but couldnt resist a second look. The tone for the movie is well set in the beginning itself when a canary yellow car passes through a dark, huge gate more suited to a gothic horror movie. The blend of garish "suburban" colors with the dark gothic imagery of a boy with scissors for hands is smoother than you would expect. After all its a Tim Burton movie, you cant expect any less.
The story is the usual outcast freak boy, in this case with scissors instead of hands (he makes beautiful topiary) who falls in love with the all american fresh faced teenager and how society does not let him be. Usual story, unusual outcome. It moves you, makes you hate the conventional and as always with Depp by the time the movie ends you are left with a bittersweet aftertaste. Not surprisingly left me with a craving for more of Depp's and Burtons movies. score: 9/10

Bourne Ultimatum 2007

At the outset let me make it clear that i have a very short term memory. Movies kinda bleed away from my brain leaving only vague impressions. Now you may ask why im even writing about movies if i cant remember them well. I enjoy the two or three hours that i spend on them, followed by maybe an hour of thinking about them. furthermore good movies do not leech out of your brain, the entire length of the movie may not be imprinted on your hypothalamus or whatever, but a feeling of the movie remains. I do remember life is beautiful, Manichitrathazhu, Godfather, Schindlers List, Shawshank Redemption etc etc....... and certain episodes of wonder years and the Simpsons and Friends and that 70's show. i remember almost every episode of No Reservations and Ian wrights shows,may be because I not so secretly long, ache, would die for a life like that.
So coming back to Mr Bourne i loved the first two movies, they fast, well shot and pretty intelligent for an action movie (thanks to Robert Ludlum). The third part delivers all of this ....just taken to new heights. Matt Damon does what he has to do, but the films main draw is the well synchronised almost dance like scenes, from a rendezvous with the journalist that ends in a sniper killing to the bombing and chase scenes. The best car chase scene in a long time and sexy looking killers. 8/10

the lighthouse - pd james

As usual pd james delivers, a simple well used plot of a group of people stranded on an island with a murderer among them, but with a few modern twists thrown in including a sars epidemic. The story has enough twists and turns to make you seasick, but somehow the characters pull through. the little insights into the characters are well thought out and adam dagleish as usual is the epitome of everything a human can be. not exactly unputdownable but will help you pass a rainy afternoon or two.

5/10

Zodiac 2007

It was a night show and i wasnt particularly in the mood for any dark stories, but zodiac managed to hold me thinking from start to finish in a manner thats pretty rare nowadays. The characters are very well etched, never over the top and never overshadowing the story. The movie could have easily become the story in the book, but it is the story of the book. The frustration at not catching the killer and the effects on lives subtly creeps onto us, making us not just sympathise but empathise. it doesnt feel like a usual movie based on real events but more like a collage of moments captured perfectly from real life. it was a little too long for many people in the theatre, but Robert Downey and Jake Gyllenhaal prove yet again their histrionc capabilities and Mark Ruffalo was a pleasant surprise ( i havent seen much of him before) The evil lurking in the shadows is potrayed with a subtle but chilling clarity. 8/10

Chak de - 2007

Finally a hindi movie I enjoyed from start to finish, except for some lengthy emotional dialogues by srk which was done in the usual drawn out, taery eyed srk style. The girls were stupendously, mindblowingly wonderful. Dont worry about the future of indian cinema......there are enough actors to carry us through, this movie amply shows it. The movie is about a disgraced hockey captain, played by srk who being a muslim is certified as a traitor for loosing blah blah. he comes back to coach the women team and thats when the magic begins. the problems faced by these women, pre conceived notions, the infights, the prejudices are shown beautifully. Special mention should be given to the punjabi, haryanvi and the naik girl. they carried the movie from start to finish. also srk's motivation for coaching a girls team should have been illustrated a little further.

i especially loved the little potshots at cricket, my cricket loving half was sitting next to me so that played an important role :)... an 8 / 10 from me