Serendipity(2001)

A nice little romantic comedy starring two charismatic leads. It is in fact the chemistry between stars John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale that makes this film as watchable as it is. They are great in this and that allows you to ignore some silly plot developments.

John Cusack is irresistible as Jonathan in this divine romance farce. The following cast is phenomenal. One of the good movies in romantic genre, Serendipity will inspire the viewer to believe in destiny. Jonathan (John Cusack) and Sara (Kate Beckinsale) meet in Bloomingdales when they both want to purchase the same pair of gloves. The attraction is instant and they spend a romantic evening cavorting around New York City together. At the end of the evening John wants to see her again, but Sara decides that if it is fate that they should be together, they will find each other again. She drives away in a cab and he never sees her again. Well, almost never.

Years go by and both of them are about to be married, but each still has this nagging feeling that the other was his/her one true love. Of course fate conspires to bring them back together (after about a dozen near misses) as they each simultaneously undertake one last attempt to find one another just before they get married to someone else.

The fate angle is plowed mercilessly, almost to the point of nausea, but the skits are funny and the chemistry between Cusack and Beckinsale is enchanting. Cusack is an expert at playing the tortured and neurotic lover, but here he is more haunted and forlorn than dysfunctional.

Kate Beckinsale rocketed from obscurity to prominence with her performance in `Pearl Harbor' and proves to be a wonderful romantic lead in this film. The film also benefits from outstanding comedic support from Jeremy Piven as Jonathan's best friend and devoted Sara sleuth. Piven's zany comedy proves to be the perfect complement to Cusack's wry despondency. Eugene Levy is a scream as the eccentric Bloomingdales salesman, who blackmails Jonathan into buying half the store to give him information from Sara's charge account.

Serendipity is a lovely light-hearted comedy which will be enjoyed by everyone, especially if you're into romantic comedies. The good thing with the movie is, it's not that predictable like many other movies out there. Okay, fine we all know that at the end of the movie, Sara and Jonathan will get together, but the way they do is quite different then you may expect. The movie has loads of little twists and turns all the way, which makes the movie good and it keeps you interested almost all the way through.

My Rating  –  7/10

Notting Hill (1999)

It was a pleasant, simple and mostly implausible romantic comedy about a famous fictional actress and the man that loves her. A romantic comedy starring Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts is not normally my sort of thing but sometimes, a good girlie film such as "Notting Hill" can be just what the doctor ordered.

"Notting Hill" is one of those movies for people who appreciate the particular British sense of humor. British humor is a full plate, let's face it. This movie, when it comes to humor, romance and simplicity, is at the same  level  of  "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and "Bridget Jones Diary", which makes it a good alternative to these movies. Although it contains some vocabulary of discussable taste, it isn't profane at all and doesn't contain dirty humor which makes this a much more intelligent movie.

The characters here are interesting and humorous, without being great (in fact they deliver an ordinary performance especially Julia Roberts). The supporting characters, on the other hand, have more depth than I expected. Unfortunately, it's not their story. Nevertheless, the actor who portrays Spike is who makes this movie so hilarious. Spike is so goofy, so silly and so humorous - congratulations to the actor (Rhys Ifans) who played him, 'cause he did a perfect job for this kind of role.

I really didn't like the overuse of pop music in the film, especially the overblown music used to bookend the film. It felt a little tacked on or inorganic to the soul of the film and almost seems to try to "sell" the scene as emotionally related to the piece of selected music.

In terms of romantic comedy, this film basically gets the touchstones right. There are quirky, but fleshed out supporting characters. Silly scenarios are quite good. It's cute enough to be smile-making funny, albeit nothing laugh-out-loud.  It's likable.

My Rating - 7/10

21 grams (2003)

The title might mislead the casual non-viewer. One might be led to believe the title is in reference to drugs. In fact, it is a reference to what is purported to be the amount of weight that a person loses when they die. Fitting enough, because this movie seems to be all about death, both literal and spiritual.

Snapshots of tragedy: the lives of three people--a wife and mother of two, a dying man in need of a new heart, and an ex-con turned counselor at a religious center-intersect after a tragic car accident. The film consists of episodes in their lives (before and after the accident) which are shuffled about, with scene after dramatic scene served up-one may assume-in random order; yet there's a method to this editing madness, and the film's narrative actually feels much more linear in retrospect.

In masterpiece movies like Once Upon a Time in America, Reservoir Dogs, and even Memento, the scrambled story structure had a purpose, adding appropriate twists and turns for the audience. 21 Grams has that non-linear basis to it too, and sometimes it works for the audience to react. But I think there would be a lot more power to how these characters' fates and tragedies unfold if it was told linearly from start to finish. In many moments in the film I found myself knowing a little too much before a particular scene unfolded, or I found myself guessing about something that I didn't need to as one of the points of non-linear storytelling is answers first, questions later. It wasn't an aspect that made the film bad, yet the stock that writer and director put into this structure over interlocking the stories in order, or perhaps telling each story separately, is the film's only drawback.

The acting by Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro, and Naomi Watts was over the top. All three put in first-class performances to tell a story that was intense from start to finish. I do recommend the movie, but I should warn you: don't expect anything light and fluffy.

My Rating - 8/10

Spy Game (2001)

This tale has Robert Redford, as a soon to retire CIA agent who must defy his superiors and stage a daring rescue of his former protégé (Brad Pitt, who spends most of the film getting tortured in his prison cell). Really this is Redford's show and he proves that he still has the charisma to carry a film on his aging shoulders.

The storyline is somewhat predictable, but the ways that Redford outsmarts his CIA handlers is still entertaining.

Robert Redford and Brad Pitt are well cast, and work well together, even though they seem quite out of place in the 1975 sequence in flashback (Redford looks far too old, and Pitt would have been only 12 at the time!). I really appreciate the way that the story was told in flashback, as it slows the pace down while drawing you much deeper into the plot. "Spy Game" is sure to go down as a classic modern thriller.

Great study piece for the workings of the CIA and the compromises they do with the devil for the greater good. A good case in point at how people working there are at the mercy of the top CIA insiders. If you like these subject matters, this movie is for you. Not really into this stuff? Then if you are a big fan of these hunks Redford and Pitt, you will be satisfied too!

My Rating- 7/10

The Town (2010)

I must admit that I hate Ben Affleck and don’t watch his movies usually because I personally think he is not a good actor, but I watched this movie just because of his good show as a debutant director in Gone Baby Gone. And I must say he did a wonderful job here continuing from where he left in 2007 and if you ask me he could possibly be the next Clint Eastwood in the making if he keeps growing from here in the field of Direction. Adding to that, I think his effort out here will definitely earn him the Oscar nomination this year.

Doug MacRay (Ben Affleck) was born and raised in Charlestown, a blue-collar neighborhood in Boston, where crime is a part of life. Charlestown is the world's capital for carjacking, kidnappings, and armed robberies. The tricks of the criminal trade are passed down from father to son. Doug is the brains and ruthless leader of a gang of bank robbers who have been able to get out clean after each bank robbery. But Doug knows that his luck will not last forever, and he is looking for one last big heist that will give him the chance to leave the town in his rear-view mirror. But no one will let him, especially, his right-hand man Jeremy (James Coughlin); because he believes that it would be a personal betrayal to him, and he is not going to allow that. In a recent bank job, Doug forced the bank manager Claire (Rebecca Hall) to open the safe, and then took her hostage as leverage for the getaway, eventually setting her free unharmed. Doug knows that he should leave Claire alone, but she only lives four blocks from him, and he can handle it, but he begins to fall for her. Their romantic involvement is about to take them down a perilous path.

The film also has a terrific pace to it. It does have very little action scenes in it and they are not really needed to make this film more exciting. I say this because the lives of these characters become so involving to us that we really want to see what happens between them and what decisions they make and we do get in a sense to even care for them. It is so involving and fascinating that the over two hour running time is rarely felt because everything is so captivating. I would not single out a single performance as being the best because I think the whole cast does good work here. The direction is tight and focused and really brings the film together and makes for a really entertaining and thrilling watch.

I personally liked The Town better because I really felt we got to know these characters better and the on screen chemistry was great. This film also successfully blends different genres including drama, action and even romance and all were pulled off terrifically and it felt more human to me. The Town is one of the best films of 2010 and I am glad it is doing so well with audiences and at the box office.

My Rating-  8/10

Gran Torino(2008)

Few films have been able to translate an aspect that war can have on surviving veterans - that aspect being the embedded hate for 'the enemy' that dominates the world view of those who have had to fight in the battlefields, a hate that too easily translates into generalized racism that persists throughout the life of the veteran. GRAN TORINO takes on this ugly issue and works it with such compelling force that just when the audience feels is cannot tolerate any more racial slurs a transformation takes place, opening a window to understanding and perhaps altering the poison of racism's effects on American Family
While at first it may look to be another episode of Dirty Harry or "What would a retired Dirty Harry do?", this is a much complex movie. Yes the character depicted here by Clint Eastwood, has some similarities with his "Dirty Harry" character, but in the end, he's very different from him (you will get what I mean, if you watch the movie).I wouldn't call this a masterpiece yet it is a great movie, a little slow paced but entertaining enough.
Eastwood here suffers from the abandon of his family and the death of his wife. For an old man, it could mean a depression and neurosis but he's capable of teaching a young boy what life is about. He also demonstrates he's a kind man and with an exquisite sense of humor.
The movie is about Eastwood learning tolerance and befriended with Hmong neighbors. He befriends the young girl there, Sue and her brother, Thao. Thao has a cousin in a gang that keeps trying to get him to join and Walt becomes involved.
The racist jokes and commentaries suit the movie's tone. Those dialogs are filled with black humor and tongue in cheek humor. Although Bee Vang delivers a great, emotional performance as Thao "Toad" Vang Lor, he is eclipsed by Eastwood's performance as Walt Kowalski. Some sad moments will even make the viewer feel mad and hate the gang members. But Walt Kowalski is an old matured guy and knows exactly what life and it's burdens mean.

So through his experience, fierce attitude, badass behavior, and unique sense of humor, he teaches Thao a lesson of  life. The way the plot unfolds is awesome to watch. From an unapproachable and unpleasant old guy to a friend you can rely on in times of need is a pretty amazing transformation, and the film excels in detailing this change. The film spends almost 25 odd-minutes to prepare the viewer for climax, which left me engaged, worrying about the calamity that might happen. This sort of suspense and engagement is almost unprecedented. And when the inevitable climax finally happens, I felt overwhelmingly sad within myself. Yes, "Gran Torino" is profoundly moving and must watch for any EASTWOOD fan……

My Rating - 8/10

Jackie Brown (1997)

Jackie Brown is a 44 year old air hostess who also acts as a money carrier for her boss, gun dealer Ordell Robbie. When one of Ordell's other employee's is caught he is forced to kill him, however, before he can get to him the employee tells the police about Jackie and they pick her up. With Jackie facing jail or being killed by Ordell she strikes a deal with both the police and him to bring in a large stash of money. However to help her retirement she plans to play the game to her own ends.

The film is still full of Tarantinoisms for the fans - the heavy soundtrack, the pop culture references, the witty, slick dialogue. It is in Jackie and Max where Tarantino has grown up a bit - although in fairness this was an adaptation rather than his own script, but he still manages them better than some of his own thin characters. Tarantino takes a breather between Pulp and the Kill Bill movies here with a nonviolent drama. It's slow, but it's refreshing.

The characters are all well conceived and all of them sustain and give an extra strength to the plot. I appreciate especially two acting jobs: The one by Samuel Jackson, which does one more time the role he does best; Pam Grier, who plays the main role (JACKIE BROWN), and does a magnificent work playing a strong and intelligent woman that can deceive everyone and ends fulfilling her goal. About DeNiro’s role, LOUIS GARA, which is not a very important to this movie, I think he does a character with a personality from what I'm used to watch in other movies. Here, he's silent and nervous and almost seems like a "poor little devil" thief.

I think Tarantino did a great job one more time. It's not a masterpiece like PULP FICTION or Kill Bill but it's a great film and must watch for any movie buff

Overall I enjoy this film and can understand why it will never be loved to the extent that Pulp was and is. However to me this is a satisfying film with an enjoyable plot and a more traditional delivery. The development of actual good characters beyond snappy dialogue is what impressed me the most.

My Rating- 8/10

Milk (2008)

Going through Harvey Milk's story was sad but extremely inspirational and looking at what people said about him, he seemed like the most lovable guy in the world. He was funny, charming, and just a wonderful person to be around, it was extremely sad to find out how his life ended and over something so stupid. Milk was made with great taste and Sean Penn delivers the performance of a lifetime playing Harvey Milk

Unsatisfied with his life and in need of a change, Harvey Milk decides to move to San Francisco with his boyfriend in hoping of a better acceptance. They open Castro Camera in the heart of Eureka Valley, a working class neighborhood in the process of evolving into a predominantly gay neighborhood known as The Castro. Frustrated by the opposition they encounter in the once Irish-Catholic neighborhood, Milk utilizes his background as a businessman to become a gay activist, eventually becoming a mentor for Cleve Jones. After two unsuccessful political campaigns in 1973 and 1975 to become a city supervisor and a third in 1976 for the California State Assembly, Milk finally wins a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977 for District 5. His victory makes him the first openly gay man to be voted into major public office in the United States. Milk subsequently meets fellow Supervisor Dan White, a Vietnam veteran and former police officer and firefighter. White, who is politically and socially conservative, has a difficult relationship with Milk.

He faces more problems as Proposition 6 is about to be passed. It's only a matter of time until someone gets angry with Milk and decides to deal with the matter themselves. It is not all that surprising when we discover who kills Milk and Mayor George Moscone, but it is all the more thought-provoking.
  I highly recommend anyone to watch Milk, as the film was extremely moving and really makes you think before you say something stupid because someone else is different from you, not just sexually, but in general. It really breaks your heart to see how hard it must be for people who are different to express themselves and to be rejected by society. Sean plays Harvey with the love and compassion that the real Harvey would respect.

Sean Penn's performance as Harvey could not be bettered by any actor living today, so we owe him a great debt for making this movie, and giving his heart and soul to the role. I believe it is Penn's most mature yet also most lovable role ever. I wanted the movie to go on and on, because I felt like I was actually there in San Francisco in 1978-79. Gus Van Sant recreated that world perfectly, and Sean Penn showed us the potential of this very real man with this unique ability to inspire and transform us. Van Sant and Sean Penn each earned a very special chamber in Heaven for giving us this beautiful tribute.

This was a phenomenal look into politics and equality among all men, and was very inspirational and moving from the opening scene to the closing credits.

My Rating -9/10

Raging Bull (1980): The rise and fall of Destructive Boxing Sensation

"Raging Bull" clearly ranks as one of the better films of all-time due to it's compelling story of the rise but yet human tragedy downfall at the end. At it's time when done in 1980 the cinematography was fabulous the film's black and white take was a neat and nice concept. Plus the Martin Scorsese does a fine job with the directing as his theme of character study and development into downfall is perfectly done.

One could say "Raging Bull" is about boxing, but it's really about how boxing for one particular boxer shaped and affected his life in positive and ultimately demising ways. Being cautious to call this a sports drama, boxing does play an integral role in the movie without question. It simply goes to show the deeper human stories behind some of the world's greatest athletes and how it's not simply all about hard work and overcoming the odds. There are more themes in the world of sports than just that. It doesn't have to come down to who is going to triumph in the end. In "Raging Bull," you couldn't care less if he wins or loses, you just want to see how it affects the rest of life of DeNiro.

Robert DeNiro gives a tough and fired up performance as former real life and ex boxer middleweight Jake LaMotta, the film showcases Jake's life and career from the early 1940's till his washed up downfall as a low rent club owning stand up comedian in the early 1960's. The scenes are memorable not just the boxing ones but, the scenes of rage and blow ups from the LaMotta character. Joe Pesci gives a strong performance as LaMotta's brother Joey, he always gives encouragement and advice in an aggressive and upbeat manner, really one of the better supporting roles ever done by him.

This movie is a great character study of rage, anger, and obsession just wanting to make your dream happen, but it proves many times that a downfall in the end happens can be sad and tragic. Overall good work from all involved especially Scorsese and DeNiro with a great supporting turn from Joe Pesci.

What I liked most about the movie was the depiction of a person who did not hit the deserving note in life even though he carried enormous talent just because of the work ethics he carried. Definitely among Scorsese’s best and still don’t understand why it did not won an Oscar and losing to Ordinary people is beyond my imagination.

My Rating - 10/10

Munich (2005)

Munich ,a thriller that deals with Mossad's response to the siege and killing of 11 Israeli athletes by Black September  at the 1972  Munich Olympics,  is a near flawless piece.

There is a definite message in this film and it's obvious to anyone who sees this movie and understands politics. It's important to point out that this film is "based on real events" and is not true-to-life as far as the history of Munich's aftermath. If you're okay with that, then it's an excellent story.   

The Jews had always been a recipient of numerous conflicts and atrocities since the ages of antiquity. They had been involved in slavery, territorial conflicts, racial discrimination and struggle, religious controversies and several other misunderstandings and for that the Jews is considered to be the most sensationalized race in this world.

The most often miserable fate of the Jews has countlessly been re-portrayed in film and has captured considerable sympathizers. Since the Jews had been in conflict with different races and countries, their never-ending history of war is not anymore new to the world. And movies with their struggle against countries like Egypt, Greece, Rome and Germany had continually haunted every audience.

Spielberg didn't reside on what just actually happened on the Munich Olympics hostage tragedy and its aftermath but it tried to depict the characters' dilemma on their given assignments since the predefined missions were not really clear and pure. Although the veil of nationalism and justice was the major pretext of their elders, Avner(played by Eric Bana) was caught between conspiracies he had no clue of and would somehow fail to understand unless his elders feed him the truth. The already sensationalized history of the Arab-Israeli conflict has smoothly shifted to the dilemma of the character and his allies, giving us a point of view that we need to reconsider and reflect as well as it is often overlooked in most sensationalized and biased situations as that.

The memorable aspect of this film are the tragic flashbacks of the events at Munich with the Israeli team being taken hostage to their haunting deaths at the end but to me personally  best part was a postscript note that says 9 of the 11 men targeted by Mossad were eventually assassinated.

It's again nothing less than a masterpiece from a great director and one could just imagine how Spielberg was able to harmonize and give rhythm to a number of short scenes on the movie to create an overall theme of pure drama and portrayal of the effects of the Black September tragedy in Munich to the individuals related and to the world. 

 My Rating - 8/10

In the Line of Fire

Here's another entertaining Clint Eastwood action-suspense film. Being a huge fan of him because he knows how to make entertaining movies and make his audience sit on the edge of their seats throughout the movie. Now there is an intense actor! In this story, Malkovich plays an assassin, and he is awesome to watch, thanks to his different disguises and the terrific dialogues he was given. Directed by Wolfgang Peterson (Director of Troy) it is one of those movies of 90s that would remind you of Eastwood’s trademark role Dirty Harry

          Eastwood stars as a veteran Secret Service Agent who was on the job in Dallas as a young man when John F. Kennedy was assassinated. He's had his doubts ever since and been given to drink and his life at one time was a real shambles. He's gotten back on the White House detail now and when a potential assassin's landlady rats on her tenant to the Secret Service, it's Eastwood and partner Dylan McDermott who draw the case.

But the assassin is no ordinary crank case. He's a professional at his job, trained by and used by the Central Intelligence Agency. John Malkovich earned a well deserved Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor but sadly he lost that year to Tommy Lee Jones for The Fugitive.

 Malkovich might have been better off, but he saw Eastwood as the agent in charge breaking into his apartment while on the job and he insisted on making the whole thing personal. He calls and taunts Eastwood throughout the film. And after a while what Malkovich says does causes Eastwood to get real personal. John Malkovich is also magnificent in perhaps his most famous and celebrated psycho role.

Screen chemistry of these two incredible actors is enjoyable to watch- especially in the phone call scenes. "In the line of fire" has huge amount of splendid moments. Scene where Eastwood is hanging on the edge of the roof and points his gun at Malkovich's mouth who's only trying to help him is a classic and so is the elevator scene in the end of the film. If you ask me personally the best part was the climax involving Malkovich and Eastwood

My Rating - 8/10

Dead Man : Tricky trip to Demise

"Dead Man" is not like any western that you've seen before. It's not a glorification of pioneers traveling out west, and it's not a direct indictment of the people’s treatment of Indians. Granted, it portrays the Old West as a pretty ugly place, but the movie almost seems to treat it as a parallel universe. Johnny Depp plays William Blake, who gets hired to be an accountant for a metal company in a town called Machine in 1876. When he arrives in town - after using up all his money - he learns from the corporate CEO (Robert Mitchum) that they've hired someone else. With nowhere to go, Blake hooks up with a woman, only to have her hubby walk in on them and kill her and wound him. Blake kills the guy and has to flee, since it turns out that this guy is the corporate CEO's son (and the CEO is more concerned that Blake stole a horse than that his son got murdered). Out in the open, Blake meets up with an Indian named Nobody (Gary Farmer), who calls him "stupid white man". That's when the movie really starts to seem metaphysical.

I thought that this movie was quite good, although it's definitely not for everyone. All I can say is good filmmakers make mistakes, because otherwise they wouldn't be taking risks. Jarmusch tries to grow here but misses. Still, despite some patches which don't work, especially Lance Henrikson's character being a cannibal, this does achieve a poetic quality (as it should, since the main character is named William Blake) not unfamiliar to the genre. Of course, it helps to have actors like Depp and Gary Farmer, who takes the "noble savage" stereotype and makes it real. The very idea of an American film star Johnny Depp travelling in a steam locomotive to far west is amazing as it allows us to believe that leading players in Hollywood are always willing to contribute to innovative ideas. If you see it and don't love it, I say see it again.

I would have gone with 7/10 rating , but I think movie surely has independent cinema feel and must watch for any Johnny Depp fan, So I am going with  humble  8/10

Catch me if you can

This was an entertaining and fun piece of film making from the ever-reliable Steven Spielberg. It is a bit of a depart from his usual full-blown and hugely epic movies like Jurassic Park, Schindler’s List and E.T., yet this does not detract at all from the fascinating story of Frank Abagnale Jr. Although it is important to remember (as with any such film) that this is only 'inspired' by a true story and not told word for word from one, the plot is fascinating and keeps you laughing, crying and wondering until the end.

Dicaprio is believable as a guy that can convince people that he's someone else. Dicaprio is a charmer and is very smooth as we watch his character do some fancy talk to the young ladies. Tom Hanks as the FBI agent reminds me of his cynical character that he played in "A League of Their Own" and his mere presence adds more to this film, perhaps more as we see him in 2^nd  lead

Just like the opening credits, this film is very much a chase movie with a nice sense of period. The plot starts at the end and jumps back to see the whys and the hows of the tale. It is told with a slick energy that keeps the story moving and never really lingers on any scene longer than it has to. It is for this reason that the two hours goes by relatively quickly.

When his parents file for divorce and he has to choose between them for custody, Frank Abagnale Jr.  runs away from home. He begins to con his way around - getting better and better at it with each step he takes. Posing as a pilot, a lawyer and a doctor he earns his money from cashing forged cheques. He is able to do all these sort of crimes inspired by comic books and experiences he got from things around him. As the numbers go up, FBI agent Carl Hanratty starts tracking him in a game of cat and mouse.

Overall this film is a slick, stylish chase movie which should be enjoyed as such and is more enjoyable for being a true story. If anything it is a little too slick for it's own good, but that is a petty complaint to make against a film that kept me pleasingly entertained for the entire film length!!

To be fair – the film didn't sets out to be some massive thought provoking film; it was a chase movie and it was a very stylish and enjoyable one at that.

My Rating – 9/10

Before Sunset

I think most people will find this movie more intersting than Before Sunset (the prequel) because 

the characters are "more mature" in this movie. It plays out in real time as the characters spend one afternoon together in Paris.

It has been nine years since events of  Before Sunrise happened. Now Jesse has written a novel named “This Time” accounting the happenings of his time with Celine as per the prequel of the movie. To promote his sales in Europe, Jesse on his last stop at Paris happens to met Celine,  though this time it was not accidental and Jesse has to leave Before Sunset  to catch his flight back home.  Jesse is now married and has become a writer. Celine is there with boyfriend  of hers ,who is a photojournalist. CONVERSATION continuing from the last movie has gone a level or two ahead and maturity is pretty much visible

First it appears that both leads are leading a pretty happy life. In fact it is not. It becomes clear in the course of their talk that both are dissatisfied to varying degrees with their lives. Jesse reveals that he only stays with his wife out of love for his son. Celine says that she does not see her boyfriend very much because of his comittment towards his work.

A meaningful personal talk at wonderful locations of Paris and great shots of steadicam followed by awesome Screenplay says enough in itself.
Life is unpredictable. If Jesse and Celine exchanged some contact information with each other, the story would be different. But there were not so many "ifs" in life. You must grasp the opportunity or regretting is unavoidable. The themes in their conversation have a universality to them, and the connection between the characters makes the viewer forget that there is a clash of cultures, for she is French while he is American. The film manages to isolate bits and pieces of what it is that truly connects two strangers - soul mates in a once or twice opportunity in a lifetime. Personally to me,Before Sunset is better than its prequel because the characters Hawke and Delpy wrote the dialogue themselves inspired from their respective personal lives & conveys message of many unsaid things regarding LIFE in a pretty convincing way.

My Rating -10/10

Before Sunrise

                       The reason why I like this movie and recommend is that it highlights the basic and the most important part of the relationship that according to me is everlasting and forever,  is to be in a comfortable position and being able to carry out CONVERSATION  to a person next to you and express yourself in an effortless manner………………..
       While traveling by train through Europe, the American Jesse Wallace (Ethan Hawke) and the French Celine (Julie Delpy) meet each other and decide to spend the evening together in Austria and go to their respective destinations as they don't have enough time after all. Jesse and Celine shared some great conversation, and deep eye contact with a great magnetic explosion with each other .On the next morning, Jesse returns to United States of America, and Celine to Paris. Its so wonderful to see in the movie that a guy and gal of early twenties being Conversing and sharing their views with each other and ultimately confessing their attraction towards each other .
        Ethan and Julie  will warm your very heart and soul and make you think deeply into your past relationships and how you really wish you had followed your hearts strings with a guy or gal you deep down loved and lost track of over the years. The dialogues are realistic enough & I still loved the line that HAWKE used to convince  JULIE  to spend the day with him in Vienna .If you haven't  seen the film it is worthwhile just to hear this line and to discover what is the basic art of making any sensible romantic movie .

            My Rating – 9/10

BLOW : Cocaine Dealer'sTrue Story

Crime doesn't pay in "The Ref",director Ted Demme's "Blow," a Martin Scorsese-style, biographical crime expose about the real-life rise and demise of Boston-born drug trafficker George Jung. "Donnie Brasco" star Johnny Depp portrays the amoral entrepreneur credited with stringing America out on cocaine as everyday, ordinary, and even honorable. In other words, "Blow" is a far cry from Hollywood's stereotypical depiction of drug dealers as despicable dastards. Moreover, "Blow" treats its convicted protagonist as a saintly casualty of the American Dream, shrewish women, and a self-destructive materialistic society.

Veteran moviegoers will spot the allusions to Scorsese’s "Goodfellas" , John Glen's "License to Kill" , Brian De Palma's "Scarface".

Johnny Depp gives a fantastic performance as George Jung, a real-life drug dealer whose story is embodied in the 2001 film "Blow." Depp also narrates as the viewer is brought through how drugs brought George a life most people only dream of living while it took away the only things that matter.

The story spans 30 years and focuses on George's relationship with his parents (Ray Liotta and Rachel Griffiths), his early marijuana supplier (Paul Reubens), and first crowd of friends and spans his various imprisonments, a shift from marijuana to cocaine, involvements with cartels in South America, his marriage and the birth of his daughter.

Ultimately, nobody can gripe that Demme's compelling but depressing film celebrates illegal drug use and the criminal lifestyle. "Blow" opens and closes with references to George Jung's status as a Federal prisoner. Director with Depp weaves a very engrossing story here, that I still believe is yet to get recognition. The last thing I would have expected was for a film like this to bring me to tears, but Depp's final scene does. A sad morality tale, excellently told. Highly recommended.

My Rating 8/10

L.A. Confidential

                                 

People seem to feel the need to compare this remarkable film with the film noir genre as well as with the time honored classic Chinatown. Although they are not wrong in their comparisons, LA Confidential should be taken as a great film in its own right.

A movie like this has a plot so well woven, with acting to support, and a cast that will blow you away, that it can't help but stand out. Everything from the great acting to the fantastic direction to the remarkable screenplay (which contains some truly great lines... "Go back to Jersey..."), is so perfectly executed that I find it amazing how studios consistently release such mediocre junk these days when they could elect to finance films like this.

Gritty homage to film noir about three detectives, Spacey, a big hotshot T.V. police advisor, Crowe, a defender of women against abusers and Pearce, an ambitious yet naive detective are involved in a complex case of sex, scandal, and murder. Strange, fascinating mystery in the best Hammett/Chandler tradition is vivid and atmospheric, all thanks to the superb cast including Bassinger, who richly won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar as the Veronica Lake-ish fem me fatale who's surrounded by her Oscar-worthy costars including Cromwell as the police captain who's more important than you think. Directed by Hanson, who with Brian Helgeland won a well deserving Best Adapted Screeplay Oscar. A modern masterpiece of film-making based on James Ellroy’s novel. The movie plays out like a series of events that seem to be separate but is eerily connected, and a plot like that holds the most commendment I can award a film with. 

This movie totally kicks Titanic's butt! This should have won best picture (just my personal view). It had an excellent story, acting, and set design. All in all it has something for everybody, action, romance, comedy, suspense, mystery, crime, drama and anything you name it.
My Rating 9/10

Donnie Brasco: Brass, Brassiest, Brasco

The first time I watched Donnie Brasco, I did so with a bit of trepidation. The director, Mike Newell's previous work was Four Weddings and a Funeral, which didn't exactly line up well with gritty crime drama.

The story itself is based on the real life story of Federal Agent Joe Pistone, who went undercover as the titular Donnie Brasco to infiltrate one of the crime families of New York. Donnie meets Lefty, an aging hit-man who takes a liking to Donnie and they form a rather strong friendship. Soon after, the mob starts going into internal turmoil, threatening Lefty, Donnie and their associates. Meanwhile, his longterm undercover stint, and growing role in the mob, causes problems in Donnie's real life family.

Overall, it's a very convincing drama and the pull-apart between the mob world and his home life credibly strains the character. Also amazing is to watch Al Pacino's Lefty, a truly interesting character, a hard man who's feeling left out of the spotlight after years of service. The relationship between Donnie and Lefty is believably built, along with Donnie's entry into the mafia underworld.

The film is well produced as a late 90's film but also manages to get the 70's details done well enough that, if not for its production polish, you'd think it could've been shot in the era. Performers are top notch, with Jonny Depp showing a strong transition from quirky young character actor to dramatic leading man material and Al Pacino showing that he can be subtle with a remarkably subdued character.

Watching Donnie Brasco again was a treat and I'm pleased to say it holds up very well. I sometimes feel that it just suffers from being undermentioned when it comes to strong crime/mob dramas. With such a potent story of friendship, loyalty and self-destruction at its core, great performances, a solid production, it's a film that deserves a more mention. So, if you haven't seen it and you're up for a crime drama, I can recommend Donnie Brasco without reservations. 

My rating is 8/10.

Matrubhoomi: A Nation Without Women

For the first time when I saw this movie it was really hard to believe that this kind of movie has been made in bollywood ,it must go down the lane as one of the most audacious attempts by Indian movie makers. It sounds really loud when I say this but the movie with few dialog set up in village named 'matruboomi' depicts the story of a village where women does not exists anymore due to the preference that has long been given to male child ,and female foeticide.A must watch for any lover of french cinema. Do not miss the scenes that shows how the people live in these conditions and behave in such ugly atmosphere, especially activities after watching porn movies. How desperate people could be for a female for sex and everything else......

Now the dowry is given by groom's family to a bride's family(as female is preferred instead of male); the story takes a turn when a family of 5 brothers and their father get to know that a girl in the neighboring town is there ,who is then married to the 5 brothers and made to sleep with each one of them. the girl (Tulip joshi)becomes a polyandry and her life becomes more & more miserable. Here also arouses the fantasies of father-in-law of girl who also gets physical with the female lead . Rest I just don't want to reveal as it will destroy any true cinema lover's interest. Do watch the ugly side of male when they brutally kill female infant in the opening sequence, and how the saint turns gay and not to mention when a person being drunk and having watched porn movie does sex with the cattle, moreover how people try to fool the other people by turning their kid into girl and try to marry them to a male for money.these are just the opening scenes . A must watch for a person who really wants to see the most bold and unrecognized attempt in bollywood.
My Rating 9/10