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jigeeshu23
Reviews
Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi (2003)
A Bollywood movie worth a watch
I think there are two kinds of people in India that watch Bollywood movies. One (majority) for 2-3 hours of entertainment and the other to feel inspired. This movie is must watch for the later.
Character of Sidhharth (Kay Kay Menon) is that of a man with bold revolutionary ideas but lacking vision (common among the youths). Being born in a privileged family he rightly believes that he must stand for the under privileged. However, his ambitions (Khwaishein) are too radical to realize. Slowly but gradually he finds it overwhelming and eventually he succumbs.
Character of Vikram (Shiny Ahuja) is that of a man born in middle class family. Being aware of his circumstances he rightly chooses the path towards getting rich and becomes successful. However, his real ambition (khwaish) is to see his love for Geeta (Chitrangada Singh) reciprocated.
Character of Geeta is that of a woman who has lived in comfort of big cities. She is open-minded, loving and inexperience. She is cut between both ideologies. But her 'Love' for Sidhharth inclines her toward revolutionary ideologies which repeatedly gets her into trouble. As much as Vikram shows his unconditional love for Geeta by being a helping hand, so does Geeta her love for Sidhharth by going back to him. In the end Geeta and Vikram are seen together while Sidhharth has fled abroad.
It is very deep movie questioning ones conscience. Though it is not a true story, the politics, love drama, emotions and portrayal of people of India in 70s is very close to reality. It is very subtle and the more I watched the movie the more it revealed itself. Acting is top class from everyone, particularly Shiny Ahuja and Chitrangada Singh. Poems recited as film score are master pieces and shakes the entire being within.
Buffalo '66 (1998)
Billy Brown - Superb character
i had never heard of this guy Vincent Gallo before i happened to watch this movie. Later i also learned that he had been in company with likes of Jean Michael Basquiat.
Verisimilitude of performances and sequence of events can actually make you feel all of it happening with you. Human being in despair develops dangerous ideas in their mind as a means to show their hatred towards things that disappointed them. And sometimes he is so obsessed with the idea, he becomes oblivion of all the facts.
Billy brown was force to get himself convicted as a favor to pay his debt. When he is released from Jail he is filled with rage and his only motive is to kill Scott woods who he believes deliberately lost the game for 'Buffalo'. Billy batted for Buffalo and their loss got him into debt. But before that he once wishes to visit his parents who are least excited to see him after long. His mother is only happy to see his son alive and not eager to know anything except his good looking wife. Billy, to present himself reasonably for couple of hours in front of his parents abducts a young dancer who falls for him at first sight. Though the proposal of pretending herself as his wife and visiting Billy's parents seems an absurd idea she agrees to do so without any resistance. Billy's obsession to kill Scott Woods fails him to realize the true love of that girl until towards the very end of the movie.
Billy's disturbed and confused state of mind is well portrayed by Gallo and it will drive you to hysterical laughters. Ricci is so adorable, no one but only Billy can neglect her charm.
Salaam Bombay! (1988)
Salaam Bombay !
I belong to India and born in the city of Bombay(Mumbai) itself. This is for me by far the best Bollywood (Hindi) movie i have watched. I do not agree that Bombay is all about what is depicted in this movie. There is also brighter and prosperous side but, what is shown, is also not false.
It is a movie about a small village boy(Krishna) who ends up in Bombay after being left behind by his circus troupe at his village. In Bombay, he ends up in company of people who is feared by all parents. He stays in slum near a local railway station. His best friend(Chillum) is a drug addict, who ultimately dies leaving behind nothing but sorrow and despair. Krishna's love is a prostitute who is hoaxed and sold to a rich man. Krishna makes every effort to support his friend and love and earn himself some money to return home but in vain. For him, life is a serious of disappointments only broken by short spells of joy.
The movie honestly reveals that sadly sometimes in life, especially for the poor, happy ending never comes.
13 Tzameti (2005)
best thriller ever
A perspiring first film. A pale-faced Georges plays a builder who, whether from boredom or bravado, assumes the identity of a deceased client, plunging into an adventure whose outcome he cannot guess. It begins like a Simenon tale, in a quiet seaside location, yet becomes a twisted fairy tale in the depths of a wood. What unravels there should be beyond belief, but such is Babluani's grip on events, and so ominous is the black-and-white photography, that what might have seemed a nasty contrivance comes across as a calm investigation of fate.That calmness -- and the work of both Babluani brothers is weirdly stilled and mature, already devoid of the need to show off -- serves only to thicken the horror.
Caution, please do not watch movie '13' which is English dub of this movie. It misses everything that this movie offers. Why Babluani had to do that i don't and will never understand. By making that movie he depreciated the class of this subtle plot.
Taxi Driver (1976)
A Cathartic Experience
Taxi driver is one of the most inspiring movie i have ever watched.
The movie is about Travis Bickle, a lonely man in NYC who takes up a job as a taxi driver which would keep him occupied with some work for most of the day. he has no regrets working 12 hours a day and working at night. He seems a ordinary man but deep inside him there is something special that very few people have it in them. And this something only comes from deep understanding of life. There is a famous quote by Franz Kafka which is absolutely relevant to character of Travis Bickle. It says "First sign of beginning of understanding is the wish to die."
Travis drives around in NYC at night. He is moved by various anti-social activities (especaily prostitution) that he witnesses. he could not stand the misery of people who are victims of this filthy crime. when a presidential candidate(Palantine) asks Travis "What you dislike the most about this country." Travis says "i want to get ride of all these dirt on the streets. You know what i mean by dirt." Travis is suffering from insomnia as these thoughts are constantly haunting him. One night Iris, a little girl gets into his cab trying to escape a pimp but before Travis could run her away she is caught and taken back to their filthy craven. He is very upset with all this around him.
That is when he says. "Listen all ya people. here is a man who can no more take all this scum." He decides to get ride of these impurities and buys himself several guns. He request Iris to go home, study and live a good life. He decides to save her by sacrificing his own life. He doesn't care about his life. He seems to believe that, it is better to die than to live among all this filth. He is delirious most of the time. He gets a Mohawk hair cut and one night goes to the brothel where Iris works. he shoots everyone there and insists Iris to run away.
here is an unforgettable scene of the movie. He is seated on a sofa, blood all over his body and clothes. Corpses lying all over the place. Iris weeping in a corner. He attempts to kill himself but runs out of bullets. Police has arrived and he at snails pace lifts his bloodied finger to his head and mimics to blow his head off.
He becomes a hero and receives admiration from all including Iris's parents who are happy to have her home.
Everything about this movie is good. The acting by De Niro adds verisimilitude to Travis's character. Everything is put in place very subtly and not flamboyantly as in movies of 21st century. However, I am not happy about the music. It could have been little more prominent with some psychedelic touch. So i rate it as 9 out of 10.
Masz na imie Justine (2005)
A Cathartic Experience
it is very difficult to write about this movie. this movie have so many messages to convey. this movie defines tragedy in its true sense. we have a habit of complaining for small misfortunes or inconveniences. this movie tells what it is like when you are deprived of these conveniences and happiness.
it is a heart touching movie. Mariola is a pretty girl who stays with her grandma in a small town in Poland. Like any juvenile she has dreams of visiting beautiful places and living a flamboyant life. she gets this opportunity when her boyfriend propose to take her to Germany to meet his parents and see the country. Mariola has become a Pollyanna, dreaming of her days in Germany with her boy friend.
but all her dreams are shattered when she finds that it was a bait and that she is thrown into prostitution by her boy friend. she is optimistic at first but as days goes by she has slowly given up. she has a becomes a wounded tiger who has lost everything and has nothing to lose here after.
she pleads for her escapade. but she is turned down again and again. She no more believes that god has that power to do miracles and so she takes law in her hand and stabs her boyfriend to death. she is jailed but for her she has achieved freedom.
last scene is the most touching when she is walking along the beach with her old girl friends who are married happily. in her tired strides there is a maturity which is unlike girls of her age. the music and ambiance throughout the movie is apt. All in all it is a Cathartic experience.
Trainspotting (1996)
Too Good
Amazing movie. the thing that is most amazing about this movie is, the subject though being hackneyed, it is still irresistible. Most of this movies, more than making people realize the adverse effect and miserable fate of those indulge in narcotics and fraudulence, provoke and tempted to live a life like theirs. Their purpose of spreading awareness is overshadowed by audacious characters enacted with utmost subtleness and the verisimilitude of their performance.
however, in this case though the characters are audacious, this movie has to some extend, somehow managed to portray the dark side of drug addiction.
the characters, dialogs are original, intellectual and memorable. what i also liked about the movie was the choice of location, Edinburg. the place is gloomy and not flamboyant which suits the storyline.
performance of all, is like 'once in a life time' and that above all is what makes the movie so very watchable
To Die For (1995)
Good Movie
To die for is a very good movie but not the one to die for. the message is conveyed using subtle characters. i liked the idea of each family member and few acquaintances expressing their opinion about the controversial weather woman, Suzanne Stone Maretto; which includes people of different ages and with varied taste.
i believe, in contemporary societies, prize is only given for achievements and not for personality which, indoctrinate Suzanne to believe that she must do something occult to become a celebrated personality or qualify her as a famous person. and thus she says ' what's the point of doing anything worthwhile if there's nobody watching? So when people are watching, it makes you a better person.'
this movie is even more relevant in 21st century because with advent of the concept of reality shows on world television, it has become an easier and lucrative way to catapult into limelight. but this is always followed by several sacrifices. more than often people fail to strike a balance and the result is always catastrophic. Again this is well said with a quote : 'if everybody was on TV all the time, there wouldn't be anybody left to watch, and that's where I get confused.'
Nicole is at her best and so are others. however, i believe the end is not very impressive except the music and skating girl on the ice.