For many the movie season this year has consisted of the teenage vampire series "Twilight", and while the year has thrown up some underrated gems such as "The Hurt Locker", "Away We Go" or even "Julie and Julia" there has not been that one movie that has had the potential to sway young and old alike, to make that passing from a weekend release, to an award nominee, that is until last weekend!
The Blind Side which released last weekend over the US Box office, is a small movie written and directed by John Lee Hancock, and based on the 2006 book The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game by Michael Lewis. The movie is the true story of a traumatised homeless kid named Michael Oher, who is adopted by Leigh Anne Tuohy ( played by Sandra Bullock) and with her helps gains confidence, and goes on to become one of the greatest high school football players of all time.
Coming close to toppling the supremacy of the Twilight series at the box-office, this movie is already drawing comparisons to that true life tearjerker of past years, "The Pursuit of Happyness"
and yes, the possibility of ms. Bullock channeling her feistiest "Erin Brockovich" impression, is also said to be a possible Oscar contender. So there you have it folks, will this then be the movie of the year??
see ya at the movies!
extra freeky: you always hear it first here, folks!!!
It's been several years since 9/11 now, resulting in a spate of movies from Farenheit 9/11 to Oliver Stone's World Trade Center to the brilliant United 93 It seems rather ironical that Bollywood's bandwagon is catching on to the trend, only now. Following in the footsteps of the daring ( for Yash Raj Studio's standards) NEW YORK is Dharma Productions KURBAAN
What it is: Directed by Rensil D'silva and starring India's Brangelina jodi: Saif and Kareena, Kurbaan tells the story of a teacher (Kareena) who falls for a dapper colleague played oh-so-suavely by Saif. Their fairy tale marriage seems threatened whenupon moving to the USA, Mrs. teacher realises that Mr. teacher has a few secrets up his kurta sleeve!
the YAays: Slickly shot, Kurbaan boasts of sizzling chemistry between its lead pair, however the much talked about intimate scenes come across as too corny! Kurbaan boasts of an excellent supporting cast including Kirron Kher who deviates from her usual boisterous Punjabi mother persona to an underplayed performance. Om Puri as an calculating terrorist leader, is in fine form.
the NaAys: One can't but help get the feeling of deja-vu while watching Kurbaan. While the initial reels, resemble the deceitful romance of Kajol and Aamir Khan in Fanaa, the latter reels invloving Vivek Oberoi's character too strongly reminds u of Neil Nitin Mukesh's character in NEW YORK. Kurbaan's biggest apparent flaw is that it tries to hard from being a thriller to a palette for the romance between its leads to a political commentary; and the strain shows!!
Kamal Haasan, the actor, the star and the one man movie industry completed 50 movies this year, while praise showered upon him, is as redundant as blaming Pakistan for terrorism, we tread down memory lane to look at some his best work over the years, get yourself ready fellow freEks for:
Kamal Ka Kamaal
episode 1: NAYAGAN
Widely regarded as Kamal's best film, this masterpiece was directed by the then unknown Mani Ratnam, and scored by music maestro Ilayaraaja. Nayagan, an indianised version of Mario Puzo's Godfather ( in itself made into a brilliant film by Coppola) was saved from being a gimmicky copy of the Hollywood version due to Kamal's brilliant acting. While the movie's plot set in the "smuggler" era of the 80s might seem a bit dated now, Kamal's acting as the orphaned Velu, who is adopted by small time criminal living in Dharavi, and who goes on to become a veritable "Godfather" is incredible. Scenes such as the one where Kamaal protests the local police inspector's bullying by bearing the entire force of the water cannon used against the slum people, or even that depicting his interaction with a prostitute, who requests that he let her study for the night, as she has an exam the next morning have all stood the test of time, take a look-see:
Time Magazine listed Nayagan as One of the Hundred greatest movies ever made ( the only other Indian movie making this list was Satyajit Ray's Apu trilogy). If you haven't seen Nayagan, well, you better do this now, cause this jewel of a film will never lose its sheen!
The Promos for R. Balki's "PAA" have created a stir! featuring Amitabh Bachchan in an unecognisable get-up, PAA's posters are already generating curiosity for the film.
With a cast that includes AB Jr. - Abhishek Bachchan and Vidya Balan, PAA is the story of an aspiring politician played by Abhisheik whose son Auro (played by Amitabh) suffers from a rare degenerating condition, which causes him to age far more rapidly than children his age. As a result, Auro, while in third grade already looks older than his father! The movie also features Vidya Balan as Abhi's wife and Auro's mother struggling to come to terms with Auro's condition, and Paresh Rawal as Abhi's father and political mentor who urges him to keep his "special" child under wraps. The papers these days are abuzz with news of Amitabh's astounding performance and the hours of makeup it took Amitabh to get in Auro's character. What they won't tell you is the amazing simlarity that PAA bears to an nondescript hollywood movie called "JACK"
directed by Francis Ford Coppola. and starring Robin Williams, it tells the story of a similar child (Robin Williams) who suffers from a similar degenerating disease, that makes him look like, well Robin Williams, while he is still in school!! Bill Cosby, plays Jack's teacher who encourages his parents to come to terms with their special child, the movie also focuses on Jack's efforts to get accepted with children his age in school. Jack, did dismally at the box office, and is perhaps remembered best for being one of Jennifer Lopez's first on screen appearances.
While there is really no doubt that Big B's stellar performance combined with solid support from actors like Paresh Rawal, will make PAA a definite must - watch, you now are in the know from where "PAA" was inspired from!!!
That Madhur Bhandarkar has made a niche in "expose" films is an understatement, from the path breaking Chandni Bar , Page 3and Corporate ; Madhur treaded unfamiliar waters with more masala movies such as "trishakti" ( am i the only one who has seen it?) and "Aan: Men at Work" which was a huge "off" for the audience ( aan -off..get it? never mind) Madhur has since stuck to familiar territory and returned to expose cinema which threatens to lay bare the seamier side of whatever universe he lays his eyes on, so join us fellow frEEks on Madhur's latest journey to..JAIL!
what it is?: Jail is the story of Parag Dixit (played with enough angst by Neil Nitin Mukesh) an upper middle class executive, who makes enough time from his hectic corporate life to romance lady - love ( played inconsequentially by Mugdha Godse). Life takes a turn for the worse when Parag is embroiled in a drug raid, and finds himself bhind the bars of where else, but JAIL!
the Yaays: As in all Madhur's movies the viewer is exposed to intricate details of the workings of a jail system, several scenes such as where Parag has to get used to sleeping with dozens of inmates in a cramped cell, the "torture" scene all score effectively. Neil Nitin Mukesh brings credibility to the character, and registers an impact in his role, Manoj Bajpai, playing a warden underplays his histrionics ( one just waits for him to spout a Bhiku Mhatre dialogue!).
the Naays: With due respect to Madhur's genius his movies now threaten to tread a similar path, where the moralistic "middle - class" protagonist is thrust into hellish circumstances, leaving him no choice but to rise to the occasion - as was the case with Konkona Sen Sharma's character in Page 3, Raveena Tandon's in Satta and Priyanka Chopra's in Fashion and in this case Neil's character in "Jail", while one appreciate the detailed canvas that Madhur paints, one wishes that the plot events unveiled somewhat differently. One also wishes that the initial reels of the movie were not wasted on the incosequential romance between Neil and Mughda's characters and instead focussed on the various characters that Neil interacts with while in JAIL.
rating:
a theek - theek 3 freEkies!
extra frEeky: What's next Madhur? "Hospital", "Hotel"....just remember to give me credit!!
