Apur Sansar

The Japanese Wife is a slow, simple film directed by Aparna Sen. There aren't great things happening in this love story, but it is a film that would carry you just like the characters are taken on the ferry from one side to the other. The making of the Japanese Wife may not be very stylish. But there is a certain level of class in the way it has been made and that is what kept me watching the film even as the slow pace at times. There is a little plot based on a novel and it depends a lot on voice overs. There is something not usual about the way the film is made and I was rather not worried much about the voice overs, which is something I usually don't like in movies. Aparna Sen's cast does a terrific job of the material and keeps the viewing experience a great one.  There aren't any gimmicks invoved with the sets or the way the film has been shot and edited. Everything looks surprisingly real. The actors seem totally natural and very comfortable in their roles. It fee...

True Lies is directed by James Cameron. It is a remake of a French film. I have not seen the French film, but I'm almost definite that True Lies is way ahead of its inspiration and has a lot of update from the crazy mind of James Cameron. James Cameron has some awesome action scenes in the film. If you had thought Terminator 2: Judgement day was the ultimate action film of the 90's, think again. True Lies, is an action-comedy that has some moments that would be far more exciting to see than describe in words. The plot of the film may not be quite as exciting when narrated but Cameron's treatment of the content makes the film really worth it. The writing has fun filled moments and those that excite and thrill in a great proportion and works quite brilliantly. There is very little that I wish to write about this film. I consider myself not able enough to describe much of True lies. It is an entertaining film which some might definitely find silly that has to be seen and exper...

I do it because I like it and it's a wonderful way to spend your life. Sidney Lumet gave this reply on why he made movies. Indeed, Lumet lived a wonderful life and made movies that have inspired not just me but lots and lots of people around the world. Born on the 25th of June in the year 1924, little did anyone know that the child was about to make movies that would inspire generations of filmmakers. He had a long career in movies, making more than 40 movies beginning in black and white. He was said to an actor’s director and has been one of those rare filmmakers who happened to worked with a wide range of actors during a career that has spanned over five decades. Being a successful filmmaker does not make a man great. The reason why people always associate the word great with a filmmaker like Sidney is because of how human he has been to the people around him. He is said to the kindest and most civilized of humans around! Now that is a quality that deserves greatness. Sidney’s ur...

The Life of David Gale is a film that tells the story of a man who is an opposer of capital punishment but accused of the murder of a fellow activist and is in death row. Now that is a plot that Charles Randolph has come up with to Alan Parker, the British filmmaker.  The protagonist happens to be Kevin Spacey who plays the character of David Gale with such ease. It is not just Kevin but everyone in the cast does their part quite well in the film. Laura Linney and Kate Winslet who does not hold as much screen time as Kevin, still manages to have some powerful roles to play. The film has been shot in Texas, and it is set in Texas, with frames that are wonderful. The editing and the music also have got its share of style in the narration. The writing does have some trouble. There are certain elements that look a bit too old for the whole film. I'm referring to a cowboy who would be following the journalist and her intern. The narrative of the film also does not offer much surpri...

The Rock is a power-packed fast paced action thriller directed by Micheal Bay. This I believe should be one of the best films from the director because of his excellent making that makes two hours and a bit more duration a pure treat. The Rock may not necessarily be a completely original film because there are parts here and there inside the film that easily reminds one of a few other films in the past. But I don't wish to call The Rock as a cliche as the films writing manages to be interesting and its making equally good. The premise of the rock is bang on. It offers a lot of interesting sequence and two awesome characters. Micheal Bay makes the characters even better by casting Sean Connery and Nicholas Cage, both of whom carry an excellent screen chemistry throughout the film. To make a hero powerful it is important to have a killer of a villain and Ed Harris is perfect for that. To add more fun to the dynamic shots and fast cuts is the splendid score by Hans Zimmer and Nic...

Look is a very experimental kind of a film. Narrating the life of a few characters over a short period of time through the eyes of materials shot in surveillance cameras. The film begins with an interesting note and proceeds from the life of one character to another with immense ease. Adam Rifkin's film is highly innovative in its making and tries to employ an unusual style of writing. There are really interesting and funny moments in the film but halfway through the film actually begins to struggle a bit. At this point the film actually shifts its attention from one character to another without an effective focus on anything or anyone in particular. Evening the editing techniques can't help the film find a balance. The film in its final few minutes makes the point of the whole proceedings. But then, there a lot of things which the writer inside Adam does not conclude leaving a vacuum somewhere! It is also quite interesting to note that the performers never actually ...

Anushka Sharma is a show stealer. Rab Ne Badi Jodi or Badmaash Company may be two bad examples that could be associated with an actress like Anushka. In Band Baaja Baaraat, I got to see a very lively girl in Anushka who emotes so beautifully to the surroundings making the film more than what it should have been! It is not just Anushka who manages to be brilliant in the film. The newcomer Ranveer is on par with his brilliant performance and shares an extraordinary chemistry with Anushka. The writing with some genuinely interesting humour by Habib Faisal adds richness to the lively performers making the plot and the execution of director Maneesh Sharma just wonderful.  Band Baaja Baaraat is a celebration of weddings! And it is not easy to make a film out of the theme of a wedding. It is not that films on weddings have not been made, there have indeed been many including the classic comedy, Four Weddings and a Funeral. But I truly believe that wedding is an event that is never really ...