I finally got down to watching Dersu Uzala the other day. While Rashomon remains my favourite Akira Kurosawa film, Dersu Uzala comes a second close, even as it brings the epic form alive against the spectacular Siberian countryside. I would recommend this film to those who are admirers of the work of Kurosawa, and also [...]
Entries Tagged as ‘Cinema’
January 26, 2009
Slumdog Millionaire
I have a cinema moment that has never completely left me. It was the time that I first heard chinna chinna asai (In Hindi Dil hai choti si asha). The thing about the song was hope… And so too with Slumdog Millionaire.
The film is set in the slums of Mumbai, and in this sense the [...]
October 18, 2008
September Dawn
The film released a year ago in 2007, and is meant to be a Hollywood style representation of the Mountain Meadows Massacre of September 11, 1857 in Utah. (BTW, on the offside, what is it with September 11 and the history of the American nation?)
The historical accuracy Hollywood’s account of the massacre, allegedly undertaken [...]
October 12, 2008
Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na
After all those recos, I finally got down to watching Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na, and I must say that there no regrets. It’s lovely little film, and an example of how great cinema is made.
I don’t really want to rewrite all the great reviews on the film that have already gone before. But, I’d [...]
October 12, 2008
The last legion
This film was in the news sometime ago because it was one amongst many of Ms Aishwariya Rai Bachchan’s famed international projects. But, the film was finally released quietly and bombed at the box office, without creating much of a flutter.
I was still curious about the film though. After all, I am a great fan [...]
August 31, 2008
10 things to avoid while making a horror film
Ram Gopal Verma has been losing his touch recently. Following the flops that were Aag and Nishabd, wWe now have the mother of all flops in Phoonk. Even RGV’s trademark slick editing was missing here.
It’s been awhile since I saw a film this bad, and I thought I’d use the film to write about 10 [...]
August 10, 2008
The Dark Knight
Reams and reams have been written about The Dark Knight… I watched the film to find that a lot of what has been written is true.
The Dark Knight is truly one of the most watchable superhero films in recent times. So, if you haven’t already watched the film, get yourself a copy of the DVD.
It’s [...]
August 9, 2008
Aaja Nachle
I picked up this film sometime in the last week when I was feeling down. I just wanted a film that I could sit back and watch without thinking too much. In this respect at least, Aaja Nachle did not disappoint me.
Prior to the release, I had been extremely curious about this film. It’s been [...]
July 9, 2008
The Blair Witch Project
It’s a film that has been on my watch list for a very long time, and I finally watched it over the last week.
My biggest take away from the film is the creation of mythology around the film, with the lines between fact and fiction getting extremely blurred. So, even though the film makers tell [...]
June 21, 2008
The happening
Last week, I watched the latest offering from Manoj Night Shyamalan.
Not as bad as Signs, Lady in the Water or The Village.
Not as good as Sixth Sense or Unbreakable.
Overladen with every Hollywood cliche.
Still, the end has you thinking.
Could be watched one Saturday evening at the movies – if you don’t have a better film lined [...]
