Basic Instinct 2 - Risk Addiction (2006)

(3.5/5)

Everything interesting begins in the mind

It is all about manipulation and seduction. The basic instincts are powerful, aren’t they? But I think this time it is more of playing than plays! If you were looking for getting entertained by some sleazy shots, you are mistaken. If you like to get intellectually stimulated, you got hope.

Sharon still looks good. Actually I was put off by her looks in the trailer, but she isn’t bad in the movie. At 47, she embarrasses the so called 27 year old booties! She is no more Miss. Innocent though; she has grown more mature, artful and alluring. I always liked the first part of the movie which came in 92, which was nominated for 2 Oscars and bagged another 5 wins & 16 nominations. I liked it more for the tight dialogues, tricky screenplay and brilliant performances, more that the tickling shots. Of course, they blend well with the story and did what they were intended to do!

I didn’t start the movie with much expectation. Perhaps I was prejudiced with bad reviews and comments it got when it came to the theatres. But I must admit, it was interesting! Don’t be too judgmental and let the story play on you. The performances were above par and the screenplay succeeds in manipulating your mind, or as they say mind-fucking!

The film was delayed several times in pre-production in 2000 and 2001. Some of the largest problems were finding the right director and the right male lead. At one time even the production was dropped and the movie canceled.

Quotes:

Catherine Tramell: You know what I like about you? You enjoy being in control. Like me.

Dr. Michael Glass: I'm not the one on trial for murder.
Catherine Tramell: Not yet.

Investigator: Did you try to help him get free
Catherine Tramell: Briefly
Investigator: Briefly?
Catherine Tramell: When it came down to it, my life was more important to me than his. Selfish, Huh?

Dr. Michael Glass: Well I see that you're a writer. What do you write about?
Catherine Tramell: Murder, sex, violence.
Dr. Michael Glass: Do you ever write about yourself?
Catherine Tramell: Not into autobiography.
Dr. Michael Glass: Really, why not?
Catherine Tramell: Maybe I like to just sit back and get other people to reveal themselves. For instance, you look a little divorced.
Dr. Michael Glass: What makes you think I'm divorced?
Catherine Tramell: The ring line hasn't faded.
Dr. Michael Glass: You're very observant.
Catherine Tramell: Yeah, but am I wrong?
Dr. Michael Glass: Would it bother you if you were wrong?
Catherine Tramell: Would it bother you if I was right?
Dr. Michael Glass:Tell me something you are afraid of.
Catherine Tramell: Boredom.

The Notebook (2004)

(4.5/5)

Behind every great love is a great story.

The old man reads a story to an old lady. She has got amnesia, so she doesn’t remember anything for long and her past is lost. The story he is reading is about a city girl and a country boy who had a summer love, which went on for many summers. How he won her, lost her and finally won again. Touching, you can feel it… and most of the times quite unpredictable, still so simple and straight!

I think this is one of the loveliest love stories I know. The story has the power to pull you into the screen and live in it. Don’t be surprised if your eyes get a little wet once in a while. Well, that is a good sign that your heart is still sensitive…

They say mind is very powerful and can do miracles. So if you love with all your mind, may be love can also do miracles. Isn’t that a reasonable logic?


Awards: 11 wins & 7 nominations
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0332280/awards

Quotes:
Young Noah: The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for more, that plants a fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds, and that's what you've given me. That's what I hope to give to you forever. I love you.

Noah: I am nothing special; just a common man with common thoughts, and I've led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten. But in one respect I have succeeded as gloriously as anyone who's ever lived: I've loved another with all my heart and soul; and to me, this has always been enough.

Duke: That's my sweetheart in there. Wherever she is, that's where my home is.

Young Noah: What am I gonna do in New York?

Young Allie: ...Be with me.

Crash (2005)

(4/5)

'Moving at the speed of life, we are bound to collide with each other'

A very intense movie... must see, I must say!

It is a about a bunch of people, with a bunch of problems. The movie is around the city of LA, about the lives of some people, who keep coming in and out of each others. It has all the races, and their views on racism. Tells how diversified the free country is, and still how narrow-minded most people are! It touches upon all relationships, from colleague to friends to father to mother and not but the least spouse! Very realistic, very involving and no wonder it won the best picture at the Oscars. As they say, it is a roller coaster of emotions! Not too much of an entertainer, but trust me you will enjoy it! And watch yourself, you could get easily stereotyped with the characters in the first half, until they unwind themselves later...

Won 3 Oscars. Another 27 wins & 46 nominations.

Quotes:

Graham: It's the sense of touch. In any real city, you walk, you know? You brush past people, people bump into you. In L.A., nobody touches you. We're always behind this metal and glass. I think we miss that touch so much, that we crash into each other, just so we can feel something.

Cameron: [to Anthony] Look at me. You embarrass me. You embarrass yourself.

Lara: How far can bullets go?
Daniel: They go pretty far except sometimes they get stuck in something and they stop.

Graham: I swear to you, Mom. I'll find whoever killed him.
Graham's Mother: Oh, I already know who killed him. You did. I told you to find your brother, but you were too busy for us. I'll take care of everything here. You go on now. You have better things to do.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)

(3/5)

My Big Fat Greek Wedding is a romantic comedy film written by Nia Vardalos and directed by Joel Zwick. It was the fifth highest grossing movie of 2002 in the USA. It tells the love story between an American woman of Greek descent and a non-Greek American, which finally ends in the 'Big Fat Greek Wedding'.

The movies also examines her troubled love/hate relationship with her greek heritage and culture. Her parents are in a greek world in the midst of America and she very much wants to get out of it. A nice story of how a frump finally became a cutie.

The movies gives out the message 'don't let your past dictate who you are, but let it be part of who you will become'. As it says, be proud of who you are, be Greek.

A decent family comedy with a good message. But I think the greeks are more good looking than what they are show as in the movie ;-)

Here are some quotes from the movie:
Aunt Voula: What do you mean he don't eat no meat?
[the entire room stops, in shock]
Aunt Voula: Oh, that's okay. I make lamb.

Maria Portokalos: Toula, on my wedding night, my mother, she said to me, "Greek women, we may be lambs in the kitchen, but we are tigers in the bedroom."

Gus Portokalos: The root of the word Miller come from a Greek word, millah, meaning apple, so there you go. And our name, Portokalos, is come from the word meaning orange. So today here, we have, apples and oranges. We all different now, but in the end, we're all fruit.

Gus Portokalos: There are two kinds of people - Greeks, and everyone else who wish they was Greek.

Toula Portokalos: [narration] My family is big and loud but they're my family. We fight and we laugh and yes, we roast lamb on a spit in the front yard. And where ever I go, what ever I do they will always be there.

And here comes the best!
Toula Portokalos: Ma, Dad is so stubborn. What he says goes. "Ah, the man is the head of the house!"
Maria Portokalos: Let me tell you something, Toula. The man is the head, but the woman is the neck. And she can turn the head any way she wants.

The Village (2004)

(3/5)

Another brilliant movie from M. Night Shyamalan. But very badly bashed up by the critics all over the world. Everyone seems to be expecting M. Night Shyamalan to deliver only suspense thriller with hair-raising twists!

Well, it is a descent movie, but a little slow paced. Casting and dialogues are superb. Even the theme is not bad. Itz all about a village, with a small population. Everyone lives in fear of some mystical creatures called "Those We Don't Speak Of' in the surrounding Covington Woods. But one day the pact is broken, the creatures attack and finally a blind girl is forced to cross the woods, for her love. See the movie for more...

Couple of quotes from the movie:
Who'll pinch me to wake me up? Who'll laugh at me when i fall? Whose breath will I listen for... so that i may sleep? Whose hand will i hold... so that i may walk?

Sometimes we don't do things we want to do, so that others won't know we want to do them

What makes you think he has feelings for me?
He never touches you

(Lucious) Are you not angry you have no sight?
I see the world, Lucius Hunt. Just not as you see it.

How is it you are brave when all the rest of us shake in our boots?
I do not worry about what will happen, only what needs to be done.

It is amazing to witness which two people love chooses to unite. It follows no rules.

Ivy Walker: When we are married, will you dance with me? I find dancing very agreeable. Why can you not say what is in your head?
Lucius Hunt: Why can you not stop saying what is in yours? Why must you lead, when I want to lead? If I want to dance I will ask you to dance. If I want to speak I will open my mouth and speak. Everyone is forever plaguing me to speak further. Why?

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0368447/

Maalamal Weekly (2006/Hindi)

(2/5)

Priyadarshan, India’s one of the best comedy directors, basically from the south, is back again. All his previous hits were remakes of successful Malayalam movies in the 90s. Finally he is back with a brand new movie, this time solely written by him. The movie stars Ritesh Deshmukh, Reema Sen, Paresh Rawal, Om Puri, Arbaaz Khan, Shakti Kapoor, Asrani, Rajpal Yadav, Innocent etc...

The whole story is built around a poor village and a lottery ticket. The story as well as the performance is not so captivating. The first half of the movie feels a little stretched out. There is only one song, an item number by Rakhi Sawant (the famous baby doll). Priyadarshan did dare to tell a totally different story, when most of the film producers out there are selling patriotism, romance and the passion of youth. But in the second half, especially towards the end, director was successful in throwing the viewers into waves of laughter, rocking the whole theater. May be we have to correct that; the last impression is the lasting impression. I found a cheerful crowd walking out of the auditorium, teasing each other how uncontrollably they were laughing. Bottom line is, take a risk and give it a try.

Here is a list of Priyadarshan remakes, with the originals in bracket:
Gardish (Kireedam), Virasat (Thevarmakan), Doli Sajake Rakhna (Aniyathipravu), Hera Pheri (Ramji Rao Speaking), Hulchul (Godfather), Garam Masala (Boing Boing), Yeh Tera Ghar, Yeh Mera Ghar (Sanmanasullavarku Samadhanam), Muskurahat (Kilukkam), Hangama (Poochakkoru Mookuthi), Kyon ki (Thalavattom) etc..

Read more about the Priyadarshan here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Priyadarshan

Taxi No 9211(2006/Hindi)

(4/5)

The rough n tough versus the cute! That is Taxi 9211.

Chapter 1: Raghu Shastri (Nana Patekar)
Raghu is a taxi driver and doesn’t get along well with people. He is cynical, rude and much too straightforward. Nana Patekar steals the show as usual with his stunning performance.

Chapter 2: Jai Mittal (John Abraham)
Jai, spoilt son of a rich industrialist father, lives a life of indulgence. Wine, women and partying are what fill his days. Finally John proves there is more to him than a handsome face.

‘Taxi Number 9211’ tells the story of a day in the life of Raghu and Jai. The day when the above two chapters cross their lines. A day that changes their lives upside down, or rather downside up. A quite an eventful day! With slick editing, songs and overall a colorful and refreshing presentation, director has managed to glue the spectators to their seats. Sonali Kulkarni (Raghu’s wife) and Sameera Reddy (Jai’s gf) also did a pretty good job. A nice Indian adaptation of the Hollywood thriller 'Changing Lanes' (2002) and entirely shot in Mumbai City. I would say, a must see movie!

So what are you? What is your worth if one day you loose all the money you have? Your dear and near love you for the person you are or what you are made up of?

Fight Club (2006/Hindi)

(2.5/5)

The guys are out! Watch out... the gals are with them too!

I am not sure whether it was the magic of a whole bottle of Foster's and the sound system, but I think it is an entertainer, provided you go with a light heart for enjoyment and not as a serious thinker and a tough critic. There is not much of a story, neither there are any eye-wetting and pensive dialogues/scenes, nor even any touch of patriotism to pump up the blood! It is a mere entertainer, with some muscle, action, chicks and dance flicks.

The film has a huge array of casting... I guess almost every good looking guy with a good body in Bollywood is there in the film. It includes Zayed Khan, Ritesh Deshmukh, Dino Morea, Sohail Khan, Sunil Shetty, Ashmit Patel, Rahul Dev, Ashish Chaudhary – and beauties like Dia Mirza, Neha Dhupia and Amrita Arora. Amrita Arora is kewl, she is too much of a cat!

So, if in mood for some fun, give it a try! If you see movies only for an inspiring story, stay away. Dialogues and acting are only average. Music and action are at times catchy.

Mixed Doubles (2006/Hindi)

(4/5)

Love happens, love blossoms, love confirms (marriage), love is made (you know what), again, again…. once a week, once a while… at times… o oh! It all starts with a spark, becomes fire if there is enough spark and then it kinda dies out. Unless everything blends well, the charisma of married life phases out. That is what exactly the topic of the film. And this typical middle class comes up with a solution… let us swing babe….

Great dialogues, great acting and a pretty nice script… worth watching!

Indians always tend to follow other cultures, especially western (inherent inferiority complex or an everlasting lust for changes?). But we often forget that Indian marriage is like Indian curry. Indian curry is supposed to taste the best in the world, because of the right blend of salt (loyalty), spice (intimacy) and seasoning (commitment). I guess it is hard to find such a perfect mix elsewhere. But there is a saying… ‘grass always appear greener on the other side of the fence’ and to realize the value of what we have, we have to either loose it or see how much others desperately seek it..

Just like Heaven(2005)

(3/5)

You work, work and again work.. and life passes by.. but suddenly everything stands still.. and when you look back you are shocked to find that you missed lot of good things in life when you were busy working. May be you still have hope.. and try to get back what you missed. They say.. better late than never...

Without a doubt this is the best pure metaphysical romantic comedy/dramas ever made.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0425123/
http://www.justlikeheaven-themovie.com/main.html

Life or Something Like It (2002)

(3/5)

Destiny is what you make of it. What would you do if you were gonna die next week?

I liked the movie, it stresses upon living life to the fullest, thinking everyday could be our last day. Also don’t plan everyday of your life, leave some days unplanned, for yourself, to spend doing nothing. And again, work to live, not live to work!

Story: A reporter, Lanie Kerrigan (Jolie), interviews a psychic homeless man (Shalhoub) for a fluff piece about a football game's score. Instead, he tells her that her life has no meaning, and is going to end in just a few days, which sparks her to action, trying to change the pattern of her life...

Quotes: "Things happen, things u never see coming, and you think afterward, If I'd known this, would I have changed things? Would I have done more?"

"Have you ever heard the expression, a picture is worth a thousand words?
That's just for people like you who don't know a thousand words."

'If I was gonna die in a week, I'd try to live every moment. I would go to see the people that mean the most to me, and I would try and memorize their face. And I would say to them all the things that I wanted to say, but have always been too afraid to."

"Someone once said: Live everyday as if it were your last, because one of these days, it will be"

More info:
www.lifeorsomethinglikeit.com
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0282687/

Movies that moves...

Well, life in the celluloid is different from life in the streets. It is quick, controlled and at times predictive. But at times, it is inspired from the real ones, touching here and there as the roll rolls. Being a movie buff I felt I am missing a place to discuss about some of the good ones I watch by. So here comes... the movies that moves... well letz be moderate... movies worth watching ;-)