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Reviews of movies from India & around the world
I love movies, but am highly selective of what I watch. In this section, you will find reviews of fascinating movies from around the world with considerable Indian bias, of course. There are also a few general articles on movies and several lists (e.g. great Iranian movies, etc.) that may be of your interest.
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Shwaas: Dazzling Marathi movie of a grandfather’s dilemma
Posted on March 4, 2007 | 1 CommentShwaas IMDB Year: 2004 Director: Sandeep Sawant Category: Drama Rating: 5out of 5 This is a simple movie by a debutant director. An old man is confronted by the necessity to tell his 6 year old grand child that he will loose his vision after an operation. The director, who is a seasoned theatre person, made this every day drama in real life into a touching story. It is one of those rare movies without a villian. Every person in the story is positively represented – all brought together by a boy suffering from cancer. Sandeep Sawant, the director, has... -
Princess Bride by Rob Reiner: A popular movie I did not like
Posted on February 10, 2007 | No CommentsThe Princess Bride Year: 1987 Writer: William Goldman Length: 98 Category: Children’s Rating: 1out of 5 I was in a mood for a romantic comedy and chose this highly rated movie from rotten tomatoes. I am not sure if the movie was aimed at children, at any rate it completely failed to convince me. I almost lost some friends when I told them that I did not like it. Two of them almost started rattling off all the dialogues in the movie! Obviously, it seems to be a hit with some people. I should confess though that I liked parts... -
All about my mom
Posted on February 2, 2007 | No CommentsTodo sobre mi madre Year: 1999 Director: Almodovar Length: 101 minutes Category: Drama Rating: 5 out of 5 Almodovar continues to dazzle. After her son dies in a road accident Manuela starts looking at his diary and discovers his thoughts about his father whom he has never met. With this she begins her search for the father whom she had left behind when the child was born 17 years ago. The story then develops into a maze of relationships starting with Manuela’s friend who’s a transexual prostitute, later joined by a young Nun who is pregnant. I will not go... -
Two Movies made of Bronte’s Jane Eyre: A Comparision
Posted on October 10, 2006 | No CommentsThere are at least two movies made of Charlotte Bronte’s famous novel Jane Eyre. I decided to watch the more modern version first directed by Dilbert Mann. Being based on a powerful story as Jane Eyre, it had to be good. The movie was a constant reminder of what a difficult task it is to convert a rich book or a rich life into a movie for it was in brief episodes that were linked, but not seamlessly. While I enjoyed the movie immensely, I wished that the music were more subtle. A story as beautiful as that could have... -
BBC does a good job of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Posted on October 4, 2006 | No CommentsPride and Prejudice Writer: Jane Austen Producer: BBC Length: 300 minutes Rating: 5 out of 5 Have been watching BBCs version of pride and prejudice – a stunning drama. The series inherits a good story by Jane Austen, and so is made of very good material. The good news is that the director and the actors have done a very good job of it as well. The main character – Elizabeth is beautiful in a quite way and expresses a large range of emotions without ‘expressing’ them – atleast as it would be socially desired. Little winks and twitches of... -
Touching documentary on Farm Workers Movement USA
Posted on September 26, 2006 | No CommentsChicano! History of the Mexican American Civil Rights Movement Artist: Cesar Chavez Created: Sun, 10 Sep 2006 Category: Documentary Documentary on grape workers movement – one of the biggest social movements in the history of USA I recently met someone who was involved in the Farm Workers Movement. I was told that it was one of the largest movements in the United States and Cesar Chavez, its charismatic leader was as popular as Martin Luther King at its time. I had to hear that with a certain sense of shame since I had not even heard about the movement till... -
Documentary series on Jim Crow America by PBS
Posted on September 26, 2006 | 2 CommentsThe Rise and Fall of Jim Crow Link Created: Fri, 15 Sep 2006 Category: Documentary Producer: PBS One of the best documentaries on the rise and fall of Jim Crow (segregation) laws in USA I have been hearing of Jim Crow laws ever since I came to the US and I decided to check out a documentary on this issue. This four-part series by PBS turns out to be one of the best documentaries on this issue. I have covered just the first part so far that starts from the emancipation and goes till the (in)famous formation of separate-but-equal doctrine... -
Documentary on Pete Seeger & social movements
Posted on September 26, 2006 | No CommentsIf i had a hammar Artist: Pete Seeger Duration: 58 Created: Tue, 26 Sep 2006 Category: Documentary Just saw this documentary that reviews some of the major social movements in the US through songs of Pete Seeger. I had not realised that Pete Seeger was the composer of many hugely popular songs including we shall overcome and if I had a hammer. The documentary is weaved by a presentation by Pete himself who takes us through various important social movements including Trade Union movements in various cities, civil rights movement, far workers movement, feminist movement, peace movement and finally the...
