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dr_anant
Reviews
Requiem for a Dream (2000)
Real, Scary
It was very difficult to get a DVD of this movie in India n after a lot of searching, managed to buy one.
In medical college n also other colleges, u see people on cannabis with a few capricious beings trying cocaine n ketamine n the like..they go on with their life, u do your thing. Advice isn't well appreciated n anyway, cynicism is a quality fast imbibed in college. After seeing this movie, which is like a 1000 Floydian hammers smashing through your head, u wonder. Everyone of those idiots in college could have ended up this way. Much as the end of this movie was designed to represent the worst case scenario, its one hell of a fright. The smiles n quirkiness quickly turning to tragedy - scary and effective. Jared leto's mum in the movie - Deserved an Oscar if there ever was one.
Lage Raho Munna Bhai (2006)
Good
The fact that the Mahatma and his ideologies have been paid little more than lip - service in recent years is common knowledge to most Indians. As is shown in the movie, currency notes, roads n one - sided history lessons have become the only way to remember Bapu, that too momentarily. This is where this 'Lage raho..' scores heavily. Like 'Rang de basanti' earlier, it draws parallels to our freedom struggle by invoking Gandhiji. Mixing 'Gandhigiri' with a contemporary phenomenon like Munnabhai is a master stroke. The movie has its fair share of laughs(maybe a li'l less than the 1st one), but the overall feel is better and the innocence has been retained. All the leads are in great form, right from Sanjay Dutt to Jimmy Shergill. Vidya Balan looks very pretty n innocent, as suited to the role. The performance, tho, I really liked was Boman Irani - damn good. He's repulsive n likable in equal measure. And finally, the actor playing Gandhiji, is so astutely tongue-in-cheek, u cannot but love him. There are a few stretched sequences-a couple of the drunk scenes, the songs, but not too many. Patriotic comedy, I read somewhere. Gandhian humor is what I'd call it.
Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006)
Proved me right and more
Went for this movie because a ticket went a begging. After 3.5 hrs, I had a headache, which required a Brufen and a good game of cards to set right. Its sad that this movie is going to become a blockbuster or even a big hit. Never a subscriber to the 'Karan Johar' brand of movie-making, I felt even my modest expectations letdown.Why u should not watch it -
1. The director is simply not capable of handling something heavy duty like infidelity. A career-oriented fashion diva, a failed hubby, a confused soul n a caring party-goer - could have have been good, but only clichés abound. Ham handed n much more. 2. Shah Rukh Khan is miscast. Energy is not the solution to everything. Over the top n annoying 3. Rani Mukherjee looks sweet, but sad sad characterization. 4. Preity Zinta is awkwardly pretty, but somehow is just OK performance wise. She gets to slap Khan tho. 5. The film is a long stretch that goes on and on 6. Black -Beast?!!!!!!!!!
The good parts - 1.The Father - Son duo have brilliant chemistry.Bachchan Snr rocks n Jnr is damn good.
2. the songs are pleasant on audio, OK on screen. 3. Some nice cinematography
All in all, a big no show
Shwaas (2004)
Brilliant
Caught this movie on DD while flipping channels...And thank heavens, that too when it just started.. Having studied in Pune, this film touched off many happy memories of the city...that apart, one wonders why more movies like this aren't made...Every character is so well etched-the grandpa, the kid, the doc...except for the social worker who grates a tad, the rest of the movie hardly has a flaw...a deserving entry for the Oscars, even if it wasn't nominated...definitely leaves a lump in the throat...who sez u need mush to tickle ur lacrimals ? And to think that this movie needed Sachin Tendulkar to propagate it. Inspite of being in Marathi, there was hardly a moment where I wasn't able to follow the movie...the subtitles were good.. A must watch for any fan of good cinema.