Apur Sansar

The descendants is a feel good film. It is a comedy for a major part. It is this humour that works best for this picture that has been directed by Alexander Payne. The film has been neatly shot in the locations of Hawaii and moves at a leisure pace. The films story is rather simple but there are lots of details in it as well. The screenplay focuses on the character of Matt King and others through his eyes. The writing brings out humour from the conversations of his children to an extent. The children performed by Shailene Woodley and Amara Miller are a delight. The little girl, Scottie, played by Amara, reminds me of a less violent Mindy from Kick-Ass. I wonder how these writers manage to write such brilliant lines for the younger members in the cast.  But the film rests more or less on the shoulders of George Clooney. He is very natural and totally convincing as the Matt King. Judy Greer who appears in a short role was also wonderful. The film did not give a strong emotiona...

The Artist is an interesting piece of film. It's a film from France that tells the story of an artist (or actor) during the times of Hollywoodland in black and white and mostly in silence, except for the music. I saw the film twice, once during the International Film Festival of India that happened at Goa, when the film hadn't won the Academy Awards or nominations, and once again a couple of days back after the film was screened with all the Academy Award glory hanging on it. The film is a delightful watch and its terrifically made. It's like watching a film like Sunset Boulevard that's far more lighter and without the burden of words. I loved the plot of the artist and the way Michel Hazanavicius has treated it. I don't think the film could have been such an effective watch if it was made in the more contemporary of manners. It is a film that deserves to be seen for the disciplined making the director has followed which replicates the old era in a manner that se...

The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn was a delightful watch. I loved it more during my second watch largely because my first watch was in a poor theater and couldn't really follow all the dialogues clearly. Steven Spielberg's first animation film is indeed different from all the other animation pictures that I had seen. The experience is different because even as the film is animation, Spielberg seems to have treated it just like a live action picture at times especially with his shot divisions that captures the actions so seamlessly. I haven't completely read the comics of Tin Tin by Herge but whatever I had read and the animation adaptions I had caught up with on television, I was certain that it had scope for a great movie. Spielberg has utilized that advantage to the fullest in making an engaging adventure film. Having Peter Jackson also on board to be the second unit director should definitely have helped the film a good deal. Besides the sho...

Layer Cake is Matthew Vaughn's debut film as director. His close associations with Guy Ritchie might have resulted in his debut being a film of this sort. Layer Cake is a film that has the flavor of a Guy Ritchie film yet different as well. Layer Cake is based on the novel by J. J. Connolly. He has also written the screenplay. It is a crime film but one that is far less funnier than the Guy Ritchie sort of films. I wish it was a little more funnier but then, the making is a little more stylized here. The editing by Jon Harris to the shots of Ben Davis totally backs the film into being a crisp watch. The transitions and the movement of the film from one scene to another is of so much fun here. Also, Daniel Craig is a delightful middleman to watch out for.

The Pursuit of Happyness is based on a true story. It is a brilliantly made film that has been splendidly performed and equally well written. I had tears on my eyes even as I watched it a second time and that's the emotional impact this film had on me. The film is very neatly made. Gabriele Muccino's execution merely captures the life of Chris Gardener just as it is happening. That is the impression that is got from the way the film has been executed. This kind of a making gives a great believable feel and that definitely helps a narration like this. But the film has been narrated by the protagonist and that is a cinematic device very well used by writer Steven Conrad to evoke the mood of the film.  The performance in the film is actually one that is above everything. The casting is just too good. Thandie Newton in her small role is wonderful. But the stars of the film are Will Smith and his son, Jaden Smith. Jaden has been presented in a very tricky way by the director. I...

Swordfish isn't a very intelligent crime thriller. But it is one that has its share of fun and one that might leave you wanting more. Dominic Sena's Swordfish is a wonderful film in the visual sense. Skip Woods' writing has ups and downs. More than ups and downs there is a sort of a lack in clarity with the proceedings. Maybe the makers dint want the film to be very serious and left the details. There are twists and turns that sometimes evoke interest and sometimes not. The film opens brilliantly. It opens to the close up of John Travolta speaking of the mistake done by Sunny, the protagonist in the film, Dog Day Afternoon, while robbing the bank. The film has references to some of the cliches of Hollywood and tries to drift away from them. But in its final form, Swordfish works only in parts. Halle Berry does her first topless scene in this picture and I was surprised to see it as I was unaware about it when I started watching the picture. Like many of the other nud...

Hachi or Hachiko is a film that has a dog in the lead. It's the story about this dog named Hachiko and his master, played by Richard Gere. It's based on a true story that could be summed up in a line. It's an emotional film that has been terrifically made. The film by Lasse Hallstorm has been neatly written by Stephen P. Lindsey. To my surprise the film hasn't won a single award or mention as per imdb. I wonder why this film dint even get nominated for anything. It has a terrific one line and an apt extension to everything from that line. The film is a remake of a 1987 Japanese film. I wonder how emotional that is. It is one of those films that one would expect Disney to bring out but one that Disney dint. It was distributed by Stage 6 films.