Ta-Daaaa!

Presenting my new blog, on which I shall be writing exclusively about movies:
http://cinema-banter.blogspot.com/
(Yes, I have finally gone ahead and done it!)
*grin*
Please visit, comment, and blogroll. Thanks!
P.S. - I don't fancy myself a film critic or anything, I just like talking about movies. You might say I like 'talking about the Talkies'!

Requiem For A Dream.

Darren Aronofsky's "Requiem For A Dream" is easily one of the bleakest and most depressing films I have ever seen. It's not the first film to deal with the subject of drug addiction, neither will it be the last, but it is one of the best. It tells the story of four people, and how they fall deeper and deeper into the dark abyss of drug abuse.

Ellen Burstyn, excited about 'being on television', who becomes addicted to prescription diet pills, and starts suffering from paranoia and hallucinations. Jared Leto, her son, who is addicted to heroin, and is driven to inject it even when his arm is infected. Jennifer Connelly, his girlfriend, who starts selling herself to support her drug habits. And Marlon Wayans, who just wants to be a good son to his mother, and ends up a drug addict.

The movie is brilliantly made, the background score haunting, and the rapid montage scenes wonderfully executed. Each performance is stunning in its own way. Burstyn's performance is probably the most powerful, you can't help but feel pity at her transformation, from her normal self to an emaciated woman with smudged makeup, and eyes wide with fear at the refrigerator jumping out at her.

Yes, the movie has its faults and shortcomings, it even has a few mistakes, but what movie doesn't? There is a tendency to go over-the-top, but didn't Kubrick do the same with A Clockwork Orange?

The last half-hour of the film is very intense. It shows the crumbling of relationships, the dehumanization of the characters, and finally the utter wretchedness that they have brought upon themselves. The drug-use scenes are wonderfully done, the focus of the pupils, the snorting of cocaine, and the puff of weed.

And lastly, the ending of the movie. It doesn't end on a happy note- but therein lies the message of the film. Drugs Are Bad. If You Don't Control Your Addiction, It'll Control You. The ending of the movie left me shaken up. I've never smoked or done drugs in my life, I've never felt the slightest inclination to, and this movie has made me even more firm in my stance.

Requiem For A Dream is depressing. Disturbing. Powerful. Grim. And completely unforgettable.

I wonder if I shall have the courage to watch it again.

Fight Club.

I started watching Fight Club last night, with, to be honest, pre-conceived notions. I'd heard about it from friends, and I thought it was one of those movies that glorified violence, the type whose philosophies I wouldn't agree with, the kind whose portayal of blood and gore would make me feel queasy. But twenty minutes into the film, and I was riveted. And by the end of it, I was blown away.

If you're the type for romantic comedies, take a break from the You've Got Mail's and 13 Going On 30's. If action-packed thrillers are your type, pause Transformers for a while. And if you get high on horror, switch off Hostel for the time being. Because this is one movie you MUST watch.

It doesn't glorify violence. Its blood and gore didn't make me feel queasy. But the movie was mindblowing in a completely different way. It talks about one man, played by Edward Norton, who is absolutely frustrated at his life. He meets Brad Pitt, who changes his life. The movie talks about an entire generation of men, aggravated and discouraged at their own lives, with no sense of direction, depressed and practically emasculated, and how their lives find meaning with Fight Club.

You must watch this. It's one movie that is worth watching, I guarantee it. Earlier on, I thought Brad Pitt couldn't act, that he was merely eye-candy in most of his roles, but this movie has totally changed my opinion. He was fantastic. Edward Norton's acting was pure genius as well, and Helena Bonham Carter was impressive.
The ending is... well- stunning. I was left with no words. It comes and hits you in the face. For those of you who have seen the movie, you'll know what I'm talking about. For those who haven't, I won't give the ending away.

There is a dialogue in the movie, which is "Only after disaster can we be resurrected." It's frightening how true that really is.

Go. Watch the film. I'll give you a copy if you want. But watch it. It's definitely worth a watch. I promise you.

Why So Serious?

There are three kinds of movies. Those that you watch, and immediately forget about. Those that you watch, and remember for some time. And then there are those movies, those rare diamonds in the rough, that leave a lasting impression. The movies that make an imprint so deep that you will never be able to forget them. The Dark Knight, needless to say, falls in this category.

Very rarely does a movie live up to the hype and PR publicity spread before its release. This one, however, not only lives up to it, but surpasses it beyond all expectations. Those who have seen it, will know why. Those who haven't seen it as yet- go watch it! Please. This is one movie worth watching.

I must admit I've never been a big fan of superhero movies. I never quite liked either George Clooney or Val Kilmer in the role of Batman, Michael Keaton I thought was slightly better. But Christian Bale fits into the role completely. I thought so while watching Batman Begins a few weeks back, and now, having watched The Dark Knight, I'm absolutely sure. It's almost as if the role were tailormade for him. Bale portrays Batman perfectly, as the humanised superhero- the masked vigilante who protects Gotham City, the man whose struggles rage within.

And just like there are some movies that you do not forget, there are some roles that go down in history. Example of the moment- the late Heath Ledger's Joker. He played the part to perfection. Ledger's twisted maniacal performance is simply stunning. He gets into your head with his stories of how he got his scars, he makes you laugh at his sick jokes, he makes you shudder when he's at his evil best. He's a psychopath, pure evil through and through. People are saying his Joker is far better than Jack Nicholson's Joker, but really, I think it would be unfair to make a comparison. Both are very good in their own way. Nicholson's Joker had a strangely wicked sophistication, while Ledger's Joker is the very manifestation of evil. Even in a nurse's costume, he sends chills down your spine. And when he says, "Why so serious? Let's put a smile on that face!"... Well, you want to cover your eyes at the grotesqueness of it all, yet you can't tear yourself away, because he's just THAT good.

The movie is fantastically made. The special effects are wonderful, the direction and cinematography top-class, even the background scores suit the mood perfectly.

The acting is brilliant too- leaving aside Bale and Ledger, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman and Aaron Eckhart pulled off a great job. Particularly, Eckhart's transformation from the fallen White Knight to Two-Face is stunning- he plays both the roles of good and bad with equal ease. Even Maggie Gyllenhaal was quite decent. Christopher Nolan truly has taken the Batman series to a whole new level.

But the movie belongs to Ledger. From beginning to end. Of course, Bale holds his own. But you can't help but marvel at the sheer dedication with which Ledger threw himself into the role. He's the Joker through and through- psychologically disturbing and sadistic, right from laughing hysterically while getting beaten up by Batman, to clapping in the prison cell, from the paint-smeared face to all his little speeches dripping pure evil and contempt for society- this is THE villain- pure evil. As I said, one of the roles that will go down in history.

It's a shame to die without getting the recognition you deserve. A shame not to be able to ride high on the success and accolades your dedication brought you. And it's heartbreakingly sad that you were taken away so soon, at such a high point of your career. But you went out with a bang. Leaving behind a true legacy. And for that, I applaud you. Bravo, Heath. May your soul rest in peace.

An update.

Firstly, I am celebrating my new Unlimited Internet connection. My mom is sick and tired of me exceeding the Broadband Bandwidth limit, so she thought this would be a better option. Now I can download music and movies to my heart's content! Woohoo! Watch out Torrent, here I come!
College has reopened, and thank God for that. It's so much fun being back. Sitting on the Ledge, hanging around near Worldview, laughing about random things, JUDE is the life! This semester will be tough, though- with Old and Middle English and Renaissance Literature hanging over our heads. *pulls hair out in nervousness*
Have watched quite a few movies lately.
First came The Prestige. A film about two magicians in turn-of-the-century London, who keep trying to outdo each other, but at the cost of what...?
It's a brilliant movie. I am just in love with the line "Are you watching closely?" (I actually kept it as my Gtalk status display for a few days!) Also, I am usually a Jackman fan, but I have to say, as much as Jackman was good in this movie, it was Bale who stole the show. I've never particularly liked Bale, but The Prestige has completely changed my opinion! He was mind-blowing. This movie is a *must-watch*. Definitely one of the best films I've seen in quite a while.

Next up, is The Illusionist. Also a movie about magic, starring Edward Norton. IIf you compare it with The Prestige, well- it's nowhere close. But on its own, it's a pretty decent movie. Edward Norton's acting is top-notch, he gives a silent efficiency to his role as Eisenheim. Jessica Biel is rather good as well.
And after these, I watched P.S. I Love You. (Special thanks to Shreya). Beautiful movie. What is love? Is it compromise? Is it a connection? Is it making grief easier? Is it all of these things?
The movie explains how love can cross all kinds of boundaries. It's not your typically cheesy romantic stuff. Gerard Butler is fantastic, great acting combined with fantastic eye-candy looks. (His Irish accent does get a bit garbled at times, though.) Hilary Swank is great as well.
This made for a good watch. Left me feeling all warm and fuzzy.
And lastly, I watched Love Actually. Of course, this one I've seen before. It's one of my all-time favourites. This is a movie you can watch over and again, and never get tired of. You can watch it with friends, you can watch it alone, or you can cuddle up with that special someone and enjoy it. Anything goes. From Hugh Grant's dance down the stairs to Keira Knightley's wedding video, from Colin Firth's disastrous debacles with his Portuguese help to Liam Neeson's love advice to his stepson, from Emma Thompson's wonderful acting to Rowan Atkinson's fabulous guest appearance- this movie tops just about everything else.
Onto the next thing, I have chanced across the recipe for Baked Alaska. I shall be trying it out soon, when Guppy and Divya come to visit next week.
Also, Ma is leaving for a week's trip to London on Monday. I shall have the house to myself. Whayhey! *rolls about in glee* I have told her to get me back bulls-eyes.
I am currently downloading songs from P.S. I Love You, and the movie Bridget Jones' Diary.
My throat feels sore, and my voice is taking on a hoarse-yet-shrill tone. Waah!
Tomorrow is lazy Sunday. My favourite day of the week.
That's more or less the update for now. See you all soon!

Across The Universe

Across The Universe is a brilliant movie. There are plenty of people out there who don't like it, I have looked at reviews by Beatles fans who say it's an insult to the band, and I have heard that the movie isn't worth watching. However, ami konodin porer mukhe jhal khayi ni, (other Bengalis will know what I mean.) and I decided to give it a shot anyway.

The movie is fantastic. I've not been disappointed at all. The acting is subtle, the use of colours is so psychedellic, so 60s, somehow. The cinematography is great. There isn't much of a script, there isn't much of a story either. But that's inconsequential. Even though the story is very basic, I found myself warming upto the characters and their lives. And the music- aah! The music! It's fabulous. A very very interesting take on The Beatles' music. That's what I thought, atleast. There are loads of die-hard Beatles fans out there who know much more on the subject than me, and would probably say that the versions of their songs are terrible. I've just recently been hooked onto The Beatles, but I am proud to say I loved the music! I am passionate about their songs as well, true- I am relatively new to their music, but I loved the songs in Across The Universe very much, in fact, I liked a couple of songs better than the originals, if truth be told.The movie gets so trippy in parts too- it's almost surreal. Certain parts like the bus-ride (I am the Eggman), the strawberry scene, and of course, the underwater kisses- they're so vivid, so unreal, somehow.

I recommend this movie very highly to everyone. It doesn't matter whether you're a Beatles fan or not. Just watch it. You might feel it's good, you might think it's great, you might think the movie is a stain on the history of the Beatles. But just watch it. It's worth the watch.

As I said, the storyline is basic, the acting subtle- you may think, "What the heck is the big deal? This movie doesn't make sense!" But, "Music's the only thing that makes sense anymore..." What a memorable quote. Didn't get it? Watch Across The Universe. You'll know what I'm talking about.

The actor with Depp-th!

I watched 'Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street' today, and I marvelled at the creative genius of the Burton-Depp collaboration. 'Sweeney Todd' is a brilliant movie- it's dark, literally and figuratively. Even though Todd is slitting throats of unsuspecting customers with a vengeance, Depp's acting pulls at your heartstrings- makes you actually feel sorrow for the poor barber. The music, of course, is memorable- each and every song good in its own way. In fact, the movie has very little dialogue- the lines are mostly sung. Helena Bonham Carter is fabulous. Alan Rickman is good as always, though a little too reminscent of Professor Snape. And Depp... Depp.. Aah- where do I begin??

First I watched 'Nick of Time', and he looked so sophisticated in a suit. Then came 'Edward Scissorhands'- and he managed to look great despite wearing black lipstick, a leather costume, and a frizzy haircut. After that, he was the sexiest pirate ever, in the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' series. I mean- Depp has beads in his hair, dirt on his chin, and wears a grubby pirate costume- and all you can think about is- "How yummy is he??!" (By the way, I actually stood up and clapped when said, "Hello, beastie!", drew his sword and prepared to go into the mouth of the kracken in 'Dead Man's Chest'!) Then I saw him as the schizophrenic writer in 'Secret Window'. And just when you thought he had mastered every role there is- he surprised us all with his quirky energetic performance as Willy Wonka, in Burton's 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'. And recently I watched 'Benny and Joon' - one of his early movies, a pretty obscure one at that- and... WOW! He was the sweetest man ever! (I still have 'Corpse Bride' and 'Donnie Brasco' lying with me, yet to be watched.) Then- aah... 'Sweeney Todd'- where he plays the barber with a vengeance, and still looks sexy!

Depp is by far, my favourite actor. (Not just because he's sexy.) As Elendil says, "This man takes every character he plays, and just owns them!" I swear, he does! After he's done with a role, you watch the movie, and you're left thinking, no one else could have done this even half as well as Depp!

The man's a genius at what he does. He totally is. How else can you explain him excelling at every single role he's played? And he's so extremely versatile and unpredictable- from the 'piratey' Jack Sparrow to the mournful Edward Scissorhands, from the quiet and timid (but lovable) Sam to the energetic Willy Wonka- he's been there, done that.

Of course, the fact that he is just so darned sexy is another plus point. Look at his facial structure, look at his lips. His face is a work of art!

For those who have seen 'Benny and Joon', you'll know what I mean when I say: I wish I could win Johnny Depp in a bet, and have him swing outside my window! *sigh*

Taare Zameen Par

I've always been a little suspicious of movies that get great reviews, and columns of praise in the newspapers. Most of the time, I find them a little, if not highly overrated. When 'Taare Zameen Par' released, I looked at the great reviews, and the columns of praise, and said skeptically to myself, "Is it really THIS good?" Well, there was only one way to find out, wasn't there? And so I went to watch the movie, prepared to find it overrated.
And I didn't find it overrated at all- I think the amount of praise heaped on the movie is completely deserved. I wasn't prepared for little Darsheel to pull at my heartstrings. I wasn't prepared to find tears running down my cheeks at Prasoon Joshi's lyrics of 'Maa'. And I wasn't prepared to find myself laughing and crying, feeling sad and sorry for Ishaan all at the same time. The movie is a complete rollercoaster of emotions. It deals with a sensitive subject, and has dealt with it in a truly sensitive way.
The movie has lovely cinematography. The focussing on faces- because it is faces that children mainly look at. Little things like a reflection in a puddle, a paint drop, a cotton-candy machine- all make up the world of a child. Aamir has outdone himself, while most other actors would have been trying to hog the limelight themselves, he has let the movie focus on Darsheel primarily, while playing a small but substantial role .
And what acting Darsheel has put in! It's marvelling at the amount of talent he shows- at the tender age of 9! The movie also seems to mock the Education System- its love for cramming information into children and ignoring individual capabilities or needs, and the complete lack of sympathy of most teachers.
'Taare Zameen Par' explores the world and perspectives of a child- fear of desertion by parents, being afraid of getting into trouble, bullying by older children, the stress of trying to live up to high standards of excellence, and last but definitely not the least- the fear of our own mother being too far away for comfort.
It's a brilliant movie. One that everyone should watch. Dealing subtly with the issue of special children and their unique needs, it makes you realise that the sub-title of the movie IS true- every child is special, you just need to tune in to their needs and potential to realize it.