La Femme Nikita might be the movie Luc Besson is most widely remembered by, and also one of the key features of the Cinema du look movement, its in-your-face stylizations, bizarre plot developments and over the top action sequences made this glossy French flick a no-brainer for me. The movie is about Nikita, a gauche and violent junkie, who is transformed into a sexy, lethal assassin. The movie is pumped with a heavy dose of adrenaline with testosterone-fuelled scenes that were supposed to be visually exuberant, but turned out to be no more than cringe inducing. Had the director kept it simple, it might have been two hours of fun; unfortunately, he introduced a lot of psycho-babble and pseudo-character developments that weren't commensurate with the ludicrously hyper-violent tone of the movie. What Besson perhaps didn’t realize in the first place was that, given the kind of disgusting character he chalked out for Nikita in the first third of the movie, viewers would never view her pangs of conscience and complex moral dilemma in the remaining two-thirds with empathy or understanding. Perhaps the only saving grace of the movie, apart from its slick look, was Jean Reno’s memorable cameo as a laconic ‘cleaner’ – his mere presence added a layer of dark humour in this otherwise callous and inane post-noir.
Director: Luc Besson
Genre: Thriller/Action/Spy Movie
Language: French
Country: France
Thelma and Louise, in the great tradition of revisionist genre movies, did exactly what Ridley Scott perhaps intended – by having two working-class women as its protagonists instead of rugged, disillusioned men, it forever demythologized the very masculine concept of “hitting the road”. In that sense, it may be put on par with Unforgiven, Clint Eastwood’s classic revisionist Western that erased the elements of romanticism from the much loved all-American genre. Geena Davis, as an overtly naïve housewife who is treated like a piece of furniture by her supercilious husband, and Susan Sarandon, as a free-spirited lady with a loving if commitment-phobic fiancé (played with casual élan by Michael Madsen), form the eponymous all-girl couple who hit the road on a beaut of a beast – a Thunderbird convertible – to get away from ’em all. However, what was supposed to be a few days of fun and freedom turns ugly, and the two find themselves on the run from the law. Spectacular panoramic photography, snazzy soundtracks, smart screenplay that ensures smooth yet memorable development of the two principal characters, a scintillating car chase sequence, and an unforgettable climax (the final freeze frame is one for the ages), completely masked the somewhat B-grade look of the film and the not so inspired turns by the two ladies. Watch out for Harvey Keitel as a sympathetic cop and a young Brad Pitt as a glibly opportunistic small-time crook.
Director: Ridley Scott
Genre: Drama/Crime Drama/Road Movie/Buddy Film
Language: English
Country: US
Anjan Dutt’s latest directorial venture Chowrasta revolves around a place that is very close to his heart – a place that featured regularly in his songs when he was a troubadour. Darjeeling may have been the source of inspiration for Dutt, however this nostalgic take on the queen of Indian hill stations ends up concentrating more on her squalor than her beauty, perhaps because Dutt failed to find the Darjeeling that is forever captured in his memory. Consequently, the movie has ended up being a very hazy and ambiguous portrayal of the place and her people. The characters are thus either embittered and lost souls, or like the narrator (a reflection of the director himself, and played with a lot of passion by Victor Bannerjee), incarcerated in a time freeze. The post-production seemed unpolished, and some of the subplots have been weakly done. And though Dutt’s previous movies like Bow Barracks Forever, Bong Connection and Chalo, Lets Go, all boasted of excellent soundtracks, this one disappoints on that count too. Perhaps the only contribution of the movie lay in making me want to visit Darjeeling once again, and feel the poetry on lost love and lost times (told through voiceovers) while enraptured by the majestic Kanchenjungha through early morning mist.
Director: Anjan Dutt
Genre: Drama/Ensemble Film/Romance
Language: Bengali
Country: India
Gulaal is an angry film filled with angry characters; however, even though there’s no denying the movie’s latent (though not completely tapped) force, it somehow failed to make me share its anger. The movie starts off explosively, with Kay Kay Menon in the process of giving a seditious speech to radicalized men to enforce his vision of having a separate state for the Rajputs – a clan revered for its battlefield bravery. Yet, the same passion didn’t get carried over till the end, thus diluting the strong political and nihilistic themes of the movie. The acting in general was very good, with the strongest performance being that of Abhimanyu Singh whose powerful portrayal of a guy steeped in vitality and deep contempt for the world around him, and who lives in a psychedelic neon-lit bar, was utterly memorable. And like Dev D, the background score and cinematography, too, are extremely impressive. The downturns, however, are the somewhat scrappy editing that made me loose track of the plot more than once, lack of development of a couple of characters which had great potentials otherwise, and a weak turn by the chief protagonist of the story (which becomes all the more glaring thanks to the terrific support cast). Gulaal had greatness written all over it; unfortunately all it ends up being is no more than just a satisfying watch.
Director: Anurag Kashyap
Genre: Drama/Political Drama/Existential Drama/Gangster Movie
Language: Hindi
Country: India
This is my first foray into Pedro Almodóvar’s work, and I feel I couldn’t have chosen for a better introduction to the celebrated Spanish auteur’s world. In parts a film noir, in parts a poetic tale of broken friendships and fractured love, and in parts an irreverent, complex and cerebral observation of the darker forces of human nature, Bad Education is a work that befits the filmmaker’s stature. The film has the highly talented Mexican actor Gael García Bernal as a struggling actor who, one fine day, meets his childhood friend, a famous director, and presents a semi-autobiographical story that he’s written; he also expresses his keen interest in playing the part of the central protagonist – a cross-dressing guy. This simple beginning, however, starts growing graver and more disconcerting with every passing frame as the director delves into themes ranging from loss of innocence and faith to identity crisis and dangerous love. Though, to put it mildly, homosexuality isn’t my favourite subject, Almodovar’s powerful narrative skills, combined with his ability to up the ante with brushstrokes from a colourful palette and yet reinforce the moody atmosphere with apt soundtracks, made watching the movie a captivating experience for me. The acting and characterizations, too, are superb and do complete justice to the twisting plot.
p.s. This happens to be my 200th film review here. Let me raise a small toast to that... Cheers!
Director: Pedro AlmodóvarGenre: Drama/Psychological Drama/Neo-Noir/Mystery
Language: Spanish
Country: Spain
70’s were a decade marked by protests and political unrest throughout the world. But very few cities witnessed the kind of spontaneous and violent uprisings that happened on the streets of Calcutta and West Berlin. Like the Naxalite movement in Calcutta, the one in Berlin, too, had the intoxicating Leftist doctrines of Mao and Che Guevara as its basis, started principally as a student movement against ‘American Imperialism’, rapidly took the form of urban guerrilla warfare, and was met with an iron fist (with police action, at times, being hard to distinguish from those of the 'terrorists'). Der Baader Meinhof Komplex, based on the spectacular rise and fall of the notorious Red Army Faction (RAF), is a detailed and energetic chronicling of this dark time in German history. Though the runtime could have been reduced, especially in the last third of the movie, it hardly matters much thanks to the kinetic screenplay, thumping soundtrack, and for being a colourful and engrossing representation of the zeitgeist of the turbulent times. The volatile Moritz Bleibtreu and the beautiful Martina Gedeck, two of German cinema’s most recognized faces, have given terrific performances as two of the key players of the radical group. The director’s assured depiction of the array of events, without ever taking sides, has made for engaging viewing and a fine historical account, at the same time. And the moral ambiguity in its fatalistic ending has ensured a long after life for the movie.
Director: Uli Edel
Genre: Thriller/Political Thriller/Docu-fiction/Epic
Language: German
Country: Germany
If you were led to think that Bob Rafelson, who made the remarkable anti-establishmentarian movie Five Easy Pieces with Jack Nicholson, created magic with the legendary thespian twenty-five years later with Blood and Wine, you would be left disappointed… I was. A thriller as straightforward as it can get, the movie is about a jewel theft gone awry and, with each trying to get a slice of everyone else, how that ends up nearly destroying everyone around. With hardly any likeable characters, and a climax that doesn’t appear very smart despite, presumably, the director’s best efforts, the movie might keep you glued with its intense and taut buildup, but will cease to be on your mind once the end credits have rolled. Perhaps one of the few reasons that might be there to watch the movie lies in the volcanic presence of, you guessed it, Jack Nicholson – he is in his elements as an embittered, cynical, violent and near-broke wine merchant. The best scenes in the movie, in fact, are the ones involving his volatile and fragile friendship-of-convenience with a near-psychotic and dying hustler, played with élan by Michael Caine.
Director: Bob Rafelson
Genre: Thriller/Crime Thriller/Psychological Thriller/Heist Movie
Language: English
Country: US
Terrence Malick made his debut feature Badlands on a shoestring budget; yet, as many before him (e.g. Satyajit Ray) and since (e.g. Jim Jarmusch) have proved, a great work of art depends only so much on the thickness of the producer’s wallet. One of the finest depictions of how crime lurks in every nook and corner of human society, the movie has two absolutely mundane characters become partners in crime as they leave a trail of bodies from the idyllic South Dakota to the “badlands of Montana.” The movie’s sparse treatment, backed by a haunting score, suffused a deep poetic realism in the tale of ennui and casual violence, and made the movie a lyrical ode to the aimless journey of the two lost souls and their killing spree which turned them into icons. Both Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek (who also happens to be the story’s narrator) managed to put in natural performances. The most definitive aspect of this movie, in fact, lay in its lush photography. The stunning yet bleak panoramic visuals of the vast barren spaces in the Midwest didn’t just make for a near hypnotic viewing experience, but also made the theme that much more fatalistic, disturbing, complex.
Director: Terrence Malick
Genre: Drama/Crime Drama/Existential Drama/Road Movie/Americana
Language: English
Country: US
I went to watch Smritimedur with a friend, despite not knowing anything about the movie, for the simple reason that it was being played at one of the screens of Nandan, a movie theatre enormously respected among Calcuttans for being a bastion of good, non-mainstream movies. However, the powers that be perhaps decided to play a prank on us – or was it belated ‘April Fool’ ? – by screening a classic bad movie like Smritimedur. The basic skeleton of the movie might elicit interest – a cynical guy, who has recently fallen out of love, gets drawn into a relationship with a mysterious older lady while on a trip to North Bengal. Unfortunately, every single aspect of the plot’s execution was hopelessly pathetic – the pseudo-philosophical tone, the trashy dialogues, the inane characterizations, the ludicrous comic interludes, the B-grade song-and-dance sequences, the tele-film look, and the third-grade acting (if you can call that acting, that is). The only hope for us lay in leering at the bootylicious Sreelekha Mitra – for those who aren’t aware of this luscious lady, suffice it to say, if I start speaking about her, I might end up seriously offending the cyber police. The final nail on the coffin, regrettably, was that even her buxom presence couldn’t shield us from the atrocities aimed at us by the movie’s horrendous cast and crew.
Director: Sunit Bhattacharya
Genre: Drama/Romance
Language: Bengali
Country: India
On first glance Bound might appear to be a typically cheap, sleazy, low-budget film with lots of sex and violence, and with a plot that could have easily been a straight lift off a James Hadley Chase pulp paperback novella – a classic B-movie if you will. But surprisingly, this also happens to be the debut feature of the Wachowski brothers, whose later (and far more recognized) movies like Matrix and V for Vendetta bear little, if any, resemblance to this tense, moody and low-key crime thriller. A characteristically volatile turn by Joe Pontoliano, smoking hot onscreen chemistry between the two female leads (yeah, you read that right), and a gripping albeit familiar plot concerning lust, betrayal and murder, coupled with smart direction, have made this a neo-noir to look out for. The movie drips with style and is deliciously naughty. In fact, it might make you want to watch Blood Simple once again, the terrific debut feature of another great sibling team – the Coen brothers. By the way, if anyone asks me to recommend a few ‘guilty pleasure’ movies, this one might well make the cut.
Directors: Andy and Larry Wachowski, aka the Wachowski Brothers
Genre: Thriller/Crime Thriller/Neo-Noir/Gangster
Language: English
Country: US
Rarely does one get to watch a movie with such a fascinating blend of irreverence and nostalgia like Emir Kusturica’s imperious masterpiece Underground. Through the absurd exploits of its three unpredictable protagonists – the flamboyant Blacky, the intellectual Marco, and the beautiful Natalija, and a host of other colourful characters, Kusturica has painted a whimsical, outrageously farcical and deliriously exuberant recreation of the erstwhile Yugoslavia’s devastating history from being a Nazi-occupied territory during World War II, through Communist regime during Cold War, to the ugly Balkan Wars that resulted in the disintegration of the country along ethnic lines. On the surface the movie might seem like a vaudeville with its surrealistic images and carnival atmosphere, but scratch a little and you have a movie of epic proportions with a deeply tragic statement on the ludicrous and destructive nature of war where “brother kills a brother.” The acting is gleefully over the top, the trumpet-dominated score is brilliant, and the screenplay an original and freewheeling expression of artistic freedom. At once a black comedy and a grim tragedy, Underground begins with a thumping procession, twists and twirls through madcap adventures, and ends spectacularly in the land of Utopia. As an afterthought, the "underground" aspect of the movie might have been the inspiration for Goodbye, Lenin.
Director: Emir Kusturica
Genre: Comedy/Drama/Black Comedy/Political Satire/Avant-Garde/Experimental/Historical Epic/War
Language: Serbo-Croatian/German
Country: Serbia/Bosnia
The basic skeleton of the movie is a very simple one, and something tried and tested innumerable times – a veteran cop getting involved in a nasty investigation when he’s on the verge of retiring. But Sean Penn’s third feature behind the camera, The Pledge, is far more profound than that. A cop’s pledge to the victim’s mother turns into a deeply psychological exploration of themes like honour, justice and dogged obsession, rather than being just another tense police drama. The movie boasts of splendid visual beauty, a soundtrack that is moving and apt in equal measures, a languid yet introspective narrative, and a number of attention-grabbing cameos by the likes of Aaron Eckhart, Benicio Del Toro and Mickey Rourke. But at the heart of this quietly disturbing movie lies yet another bravura, you’ve-got-to-see-it-to-believe kind of performance by Jack Nicholson. Instead of the inimitable devilish grin and the explosive, anti-establishmentarian turns that have made him a legend, here we see him as a world-weary man fighting against a nemesis nobody believes in, and slowly walking down the path to insanity. His intense, implosive and incredibly nuanced portrayal has managed to add that extra layer of melancholy and underrated philosophical worth to this compelling character study from Penn.
Director: Sean Penn
Genre: Drama/Police Drama/Psychological Thriller/Mystery/Americana
Language: English
Country: US
Fat Girl is an ultra-feministic movie by, you guessed it, a female director. Catherine Breillat is one of the most controversial filmmakers working today; watch this daringly provocative movie and you’ll know why. This is a grim and disturbing coming-of-age story of two adolescent teenage girls – an obese 12-year old girl who is desperate to lose her virginity, and her infinitely prettier and narcissistic older sister who loves all the attention she gets from the boys. Unsurprisingly, none of the male characters in the movie are likeable. Further, the ‘surprise’ psychobabble of a climax was a shocker in its lack of subtlety. On the flip side, the love-hate chemistry between the siblings has been very well portrayed. The two girls’ performances, too, are extremely noteworthy thanks to their audaciously frank, uninhibited and matured turns. As is perhaps evident, my views about this movie are very ambiguous. However, like Sex and Lucia, anyone watching the movie solely for its near pornographic content, will be in for a complex, deeply discomfiting, and at times a tad pretentious exploration of the psychosis of relationships and sex.
Director: Catherine BreillatGenre: Drama/Psychological Drama/Coming-of-Age
Language: French
Country: France
Coming from the same guy who made the ultra-hyperkinetic action flick District B13, it’s no surprise that Taken is a slick, fast and a downright enjoyable movie; but surprisingly, unlike the former, it isn’t a no-brainer show. It does belong to those movies that may require what is known as ‘suspension of disbelief’, but the execution is so damn engaging that I ended up quite liking the movie despite its oh-so-predictable skeleton of a father fighting against all odds to save his daughter from the bad guys – the murky world of flesh trade in this case. The packaging is very stylishly done and the action sequences are fabulous. And in Liam Neeson, as a former agent who hasn’t forgotten his exceptional trade skills, the so-called genre of mindless action movies gets a rare dose of intelligence and warmth. Taken might not be the best forum for portraying acting skills, but Neeson has infused a dose of believability and roundness in his character, thus taking the movie a notch higher than other such genre films. And boy o boy, did he kick some butt! Never ever piss off a movie dad, especially one who once worked for the 'Government'.
Director: Pierre Morel
Genre: Action/Thriller
Language: English
Country: France
Legendary Italian director Sergio Leone achieved world renown thanks to his irresistible “Spaghetti Western” trilogy, in particular The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. But the general consensus is that his final film, Once Upon A Time in America, was his greatest masterpiece. An epic tale of loyalty, camaraderie, lost love, and life on the streets, this is a gangster movie of tremendous power and vision. The nearly 4 hours running time might act as a deterrent, but given a choice I would have wanted the movie to go on forever – such is its breathtaking scope and beauty. The story revolves around four Jewish kids growing up in New York’s Lower East Side during the era of Prohibition and their rise through the ranks in the world of mobsters; but in essence it is, in equal measures, a tour de force statement and an elegiac poetry on American Dream. Robert De Nero, as the chief protagonist Noodles, was terrific in bringing forth the character’s emotional complexity despite never showcasing the manic outbursts he is famous for; James Woods, too, was great as his volatile comrade. The movie also boasts of a haunting score by Leone’s iconic collaborator Ennio Moricone.
Director: Sergio Leone
Genre: Gangster Drama/Ensemble Movie/Buddy Film
Language: English
Country: US
Sean Penn, like a number of his contemporaries, is a sterling example of a revered actor who has effortlessly managed to make the transition to the director’s chair, and Into the Wild is arguably Penn the director’s magnum opus. Based on real events, the movie is an attempt, and an astounding one at that, to recreate the complex, eventful and life altering journey of a young wanderlust who leaves his dysfunctional family and hits the road in his search of truth and bliss – those magnetic yet eternally elusive things that are supposed to lie at the end of every great odyssey. Aided by a terrific soundtrack comprising of an array of beautiful country songs, and soothing camera work that lovingly explores beauty in America’s vast wilderness and her colourful locals, the movie manages to make an immediate impression. Add to that Emile Hirsch’s astonishingly “real” portrayal of a journey that isn’t just excruciatingly physical but also disturbingly psychological, and equally memorable turns by the supporting cast, and you have a movie that isn’t just exhilarating to watch, but also has the ability to make one ponder over issue ranging from life to death, and all that lies in between.
Director: Sean Penn
Genre: Drama/Road Movie/Psychological Drama/Adventure/Docu-fiction/Biopic
Language: English
Country: US
As a number of critics have so aptly pointed out, The Reader has the distinct feel of a European arthouse cinema to it – lazy narrative, low-cost look, natural lighting, unabashed nudity et al, despite being an American movie. Narrated by a German guy (Ralph Fiennes) reflecting on his past, the movie is about a naïve teenager who gets into a torrid affair with an older lady, who, as he comes to know later, is hiding an explosive secret that that is bound to have devastating implications on their lives. Covering topics ranging from sexual to psychoanalytical, this is a deeply thought provoking movie, and quite surprisingly for its slow pace, is an engaging watch. The movie boasts of a very sensitive treatment by the director, and a superb, implosive turn by Kate Winslet – one of the finest (and need I say, boldest) actresses of her generation. Even though the director didn’t delve too deep into her though-processes, thus leaving quite a few of her actions curiously unexplained, this is however a minor glitch in an otherwise highly commendable larger picture.
Director: Stephen Daldry
Genre: Drama/Psychological Drama/Romantic Drama
Language: English
Country: US
Bishh, like Dev D, is a fascinating indication of the fact that a few Indian directors are willing to take risks that were inconceivable even a few years back – earning the wrath of puritans being one reason, presenting tales that are far removed from ordinary sensibilities being another. Bishh isn’t anywhere close to being a great movie, I concede – it sags a bit in the middle and the characters aren’t very well developed; but what makes the movie darn interesting lies in the director’s dare in having a hard look at the taboo subject of sexual emancipation and everything that comes with it, his courage in taking the experimental route rather than the popular one – the initial few scenes of the movie are quintessential Godard, and his ability to maintain the movie’s credibility despite a few cheesy as well as soppy sequences. The dark story revolves around three girls who, over a cup of coffee, decide to be ‘bad girls’ for the ensuing night. Splashed with psychedelic images and striking visuals, comprising of a laudable new-age soundtrack, and boasting of a daringly promiscuous turn by anchor-turned-actress Rituparna Sen who I found an extremely alluring combination of wild beauty and raw sensuality, the movie deserves a watch, even if it’s only for its bold content.
Director: Kaushik Mukherjee (aka Q)
Genre: Drama/Urban Drama/Psychological Drama/Existential Drama/Psychedelic Drama/Experimental
Language: Bengali
Country: India
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is proof enough that David Fincher and Brad Pitt make an excellent hunting pair. But, like me, if you were expecting a gritty and disturbing piece like their previous collaborations, Seven and Fight Club, you’ll be left a tad disappointed. That, of course, is in no way an opinion about the movie per se – the visually sweeping love story of a man who ages in reverse, does attain epic and heart-warming proportions. At best, the movie is captivating with its unique subject matter and stunning special effects, but at worst, it does at times take the form of an effusively sentimental melodrama. What saves the movie from going overboard and ensures that it is watchable, is that despite never even being close to Fincher’s best work, its heart does appear to be at the right place. Moreover, the acting is first rate. Brad Pitt is especially note-worthy for his nuanced and moving portrayal of a man at odds with fellow members of his species. Hence, in short, Benjamin Button’s Forest Gump-like journey through contemporary American history is captivating in parts thanks to its technical virtuosity, but doesn’t really have the bite or brilliance to leave the kind of lasting impression that some of Fincher's earlier works have.
Director: David Fincher
Genre: Drama/Romantic Drama/Epic/Fantasy
Language: English
Country: US
