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Rock On!! (2008)
Leaves a lot to be desired!!
'Rock On!!' was one of the most anticipated movies of the year but it turned out to be a damp squib. It is another one of those movies about members of a rock band getting separated and then getting re-united. The same leading vocalist syndrome. We see so much of this stuff in Hollywood movies as well as in the real life scenario of rock musicians.
All four members of the rock band (Farhan Akhtar Arjun Rampal Purab Kohli and Luke Kenny) are amateur actors with wooden faces and so are their love interests. The camaraderie between the band members is sadly missing. None of the relationships for that matter looked like having any sort of chemistry. The music of the movie is pretty good though. One of the few other good things about the movie are its slick editing and its cinematography.
One can surely give it a miss without regretting...
The Godfather (1972)
Mother of all movies!!
I must've seen this movie more than a hundred times over the past seven years or so, but I still can't get enough of it. It was released in 1972 and there is hardly any doubt in my mind that it has truly stood the test of time. It is a brilliant adaptation of the bestseller novel 'The Godfather' by Mario Puzo.
The Godfather is a gangster movie set in the late 1940s & early 1950s around the lives of the Corleone family. Corleones are an Italian American Family in New York headed by 'Don' Vito Corleone. Vito has three sons, Sonny, Fredo & Michael and a daughter named Connie who is married to Carlo Rizzi. He also has an adopted son named Tom Hagen (German-Irish) who is the 'Consiglerie'(Advisor) of the family. The family is into the business of gambling, unions & liquor. They have all the judges and politicians 'in their pocket'. The Corleones also have influences over the media & the cops. They form a crime syndicate of 5 Italian- American families who have a stronghold over different parts of New York. Vito is assisted in his work by his 'Caporagemes' namely Clemenza & Tessio who carry out his orders.
The family is faced with problems when the refusal of Don Vito to join & support the drug business along with Virgil Sollozo leads to other families (Barzini, Tattaglia, Stracchi & Cuneo) going against them. The bad blood between the families results in Don Vito getting shot. Sonny, (The 'hothead')who is the eldest son gets killed and Michael has to step-up in this time of need. The emergence of Michael who was earlier reluctant to join the family business as the head of the family is the highlight of the movie. Michael imbibes all the unique qualities of his father and takes revenge for his family. I don't know where to begin with as far as appreciating this movie is concerned. It has the most amazing characterizations with all the characters being well etched and having their own individuality. If Vito was the 'reasonable man' who valued his family, Sonny is a hot head, Michael is rational, Fredo is weak & stupid, Tom is measured, Sollozo is ruthless. Even the supporting cast of Clemenza, Tessio, Don Barzini, Connie, Captain Mcklusky, Jhonny Fontaine,Jack Woltz,Mama etc are extremely well defined. The dialogues in the movie pack some serious punch. Some of them which I can recall on my fingertips are " It's not personal Sonny, its strictly business", " Only don't tell me that you are innocent , because it insults my intelligence & it makes me very angry" and finally " I'll make him an offer he cannot refuse". The screenplay seamlessly gels with the movie. Who can forget the scene at the Louis restaurant, the baptism scene at the end, or Tom Hagen informing his Don about Sonny's death. The movie has got this whole Italian milieu which takes you in a different world, makes you feel like a member of the Corleone family and identify with each and every character. Last but not the least, a tribute should be paid to the entire cast of the movie. No one could have acted better than Marlon Brando as Vito Corleone, Al Pacino as Michael, James Caan as Sonny or Robert Duvall as Tom. Even the performance of the supporting cast is phenomenal.
I would like to sincerely thank Francis Coppola for putting up such a gem of a movie which has really caught my imagination.
Donnie Brasco (1997)
Highly Engrossing
Donnie Brasco is a very unique kind of a gangster movie with complex characterization & great acting performances. Its characters are etched in great details. An undercover FBI agent Joseph Pistone (Johnny Depp) pretends to be a small time thug (Donnie Brasco) to expose the city mafia. He makes an impression on Lefty (Al Pacino) and manages to break into his gang. Lefty is a gangster who is past his prime & losing his hold. He is overstepped by Sonny Black as the leader of the gang. Donnie wins over the confidence of both Lefty & Sonny Black and moves up the ladder at the expense of Lefty's hold in the gang. Meanwhile his personal life is in ruins because of the demands of his profession.
The heart of the movie is the relationship that Donnie forms with Lefty over the course of his stay with him. He develops a bond with him and yearns to get him of the hook. He also feels guilty about the fact that he was betraying Lefty's confidence. He begins to get disgusted with his job because of this & also his family reasons as his wife is considering a divorce.The turmoil that he goes through is very appropriately presented.
The performances of all the main characters are breathtaking. Both Al & Johnny are really good at their roles. Al for a change is in a demure role aptly contradicting the critics who feel that he plays only those meaty over the top roles. Equally impressive is Michael Madsen who just fits into this role with such fluidity. A one of a kind flick for the movie enthusiasts.
Fight Club (1999)
Fantabulous
I wasn't expecting a lot from a movie starring Brad Pitt & Edward Norton. I really thought that it'll be an action movie judging by its name. But I must say that it proved me wrong in a big way because its so much more than an action flick. It has an excellent plot & a brilliant story line. It revolves around the life of Edward Norton who is living a dog's life & doing a worthless job. He enrolls himself in a number of self-help courses to get some thrill in life.
In his quest for seeking thrill & adventure in his life he unknowingly creates a fictitious character straight from his imagination played by Brad Pitt. Brad Pitt is everything that Edward Norton is not. He is adventure-seeking & always pushes the limit as far as being eccentric is concerned.Both of them start a fight club where people fight with each other to forget about their mundane lives. The whole thing is an underground affair with its own secret set of rules. It goes on to become a secret society of sorts with its branches all over US. Meanwhile Brad Pitt pushes Edward to new limits of Masochism with new & innovative ways.
The last 15 minutes are absolutely mind-blowing where Edward comes to know about Brad Pitt's fictitious existence & tries to undo whatever he had done as him. The editing is extremely crisp & the performances by both leading actors are superb. Its definitely worth watching more than once.
The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981)
Passionate movie!!
'The Postman always rings twice' can qualify as a very under-rated movie. Despite its flaws, it's one of those movies which have touched my heart. The complex relationship between the two leading characters is one of the most intriguing relationships that I have observed. The movie is about a bond which is formed between Jack Nicholson & Jessica Lange. Jack is a vagrant who visits a highway hotel owned by Jessica Lange's husband, an old commoner. He ends-up seducing Jessica Lange who falls for his charm & his attractive demeanour. They carry their relationship, the same way till a point, where they decide to kill Jessica's husband.
After his murder they, they undergo an investigation & later realize that their relationship is not as rosy as it used to be due to their oversight of each other's shortcomings. But they still manage to hold on to each other due to a bond between them & because of their affection. It ends in a tragedy with the death of Jessica Lange, which is sort of an anticlimax, but it is presented in an original way. The movie gave me the same feeling which I got from reading the novel 'Love Story' by Eric Segal. The best aspect of the movie is the performance of Jack Nicholson & Jessica Lange which are astounding. Their love making scenes are the most passionate love making scenes I've ever seen in movies & their chemistry is simply awesome. Jessica looks like a million bucks in this movie. It is one of those rare movies which is definitely worth watching for someone who is a fan of character driven movies with complex relationships.
Goodfellas (1990)
Gangster Classic
Goodfellas will always figure as one of the best gangster movies of all time. It makes you transcend into a whole new world, i.e .a 'Gangster's world'. It's a world where the rules of the game are dictated by the person who's got the money & power.
It is essentially the story of an Irish boy, Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) who grows up in a gangster neighborhood & always aspires to be a gangster. It's the glamor, power, thrill & money associated with the life of a gangster that really attracts him towards it. The fact that gangsters are not governed by any law that is applicable for the ordinary citizen. He rises up the ranks from being a small time thug to an influential & trusted aide of a big shot named James Conway (Robert De Niro). It is this journey of his, which is the focal point of this movie. After joining the Gangster world, all his attributes reflect the influence of James Conway, who is someone he looks up to. Like most of the Gangster movies, even this one ends with the fall of its central character as he succumbs to the traps which are associated with Gangster world. It has the usual drugs & weapons angle also.
One thing which really stands out in this movie is the direction & screenplay which makes you sit on the edge of the seat for the entire movie. The nuances of each & every character, including that of the wives of the gangsters is extremely well brought out & every scene is extremely powerful. Ray Liotta is average at best & I believe that Martin Scorsese could have done with a more intense actor. Robert De Niro is his usual self, but, the real show stealer is Joe Pesci. He has given a truly fantabulous performance. His character (Tommy DeVito) is similar to the one he played in Casino, that of a loose cannon who likes to use his gun, more than his head. Who can forget the whole 'Funny Guy' scene which triggers a series of laughter riots. The chemistry of the trio of Robert De Niro, Scorsese & Joe Pesci once again comes through after Raging bull & Casino.
This is one movie which should be inducted in the Gangster movie hall of fame along with Scarface & Pulp Fiction.
Blood Diamond (2006)
Sparkling movie
Blood diamond was a critically acclaimed movie & touted as the best movie of 2006. It really lived up to that reputation as far as I am concerned.
It is a plot driven story of a Sierra Leon worker, who is separated from his family during the internal conflict. Later, his life revolves around a large piece of conflict diamond that he discovered while working as a forced labor in the diamond mines. He comes across several people with vested interest in that diamond including Leonardo Di Caprio. Jenifer Connelly plays the role of a journalist who wants to expose the whole conflict diamond trade link. The escapades of the trio from the conflict zone remind you of a bond movie. The movie is fast paced and it also explores the emotional aspect of the relationships between different people.
The best aspect of the movie is the hard core reality that it has portrayed about the life in war-torn Africa. The way the conflict has affected the life of people & the way children have been forced to take up arms & join the rebels. It has also raised a question as to how diamonds that we long to possess actually cost people in Africa their life. Sometimes it makes you feel that you are watching a documentary on BBC.
The performance of Djimon Hounsou as Solomon Vandy, the African worker is exemplary & surely makes him a strong candidate for the Oscars. Even Jenifer Connelly has played the role of a conscientious journalist to perfection. Leo has also done justice to his part as a Rhodesian diamond smuggler.
All in all it's a movie which is definitely worth watching both for the artistic value as well as the awareness it creates.
Ocean's Thirteen (2007)
Why make it in the first place??
I've never been a fan of the Ocean's series. I saw Ocean's 11 & found it to be a drab affair without a good script .George Clooney was the only guy who held that movie together. This is why I chose to avoid Ocean's 12. But when Ocean's 13 was about to release, I was really excited because it had Al Pacino in it. Alas! Even he could not save this movie.
It was another movie which involved robbery of a Casino. I don't know as to where to begin with while criticizing the movie. Its script was shabby & all over the place with a number of loopholes. Why was it such a big deal that Rueben was kicked out by Willie Bank? Why Ellen Barkin was portrayed as a gullible secretary of Willie Bank? The ideas given by Matt Damon were ridiculous to say the least. The earthquake thing was simply not digestible. The way the Chinese guy entered the hotel, it made the entire hotel staff look stupid. The dialogues & one-liners were all drab & out of place. The whole concept of changing the dies & manipulating the gambling results was too far fetched. The pace of the movie was lightening fast & so it was difficult to catch up with it. The technological & gizmo jargon could be understood only by rocket scientists. Needless to say Al Pacino was completely wasted.
The direction by Steven Soderbergh was clumsy. Most of the actors were wooden faced and the whole thing just couldn't come alive at any point of time. It looked as if the actors were all directing themselves.
I just fail to understand the logic of remaking such a pathetic series. Why would top actors in Hollywood join hands to create one disaster of a flick? Not once, not twice, but three times in a row.
It's high time that this series is brought to an end for the benefit of all the movie-goers around the world.
Scarface (1983)
Say hello to a rocking flick!!
Scarface is one movie about which I've heard a lot from everyone who has seen it. I've got extreme reactions from the people who saw this movie. Either they fell in love with it or they loathed it. I belong to the former category.
Scarface is a character driven gangster movie about the life & journey of Antonio Montana. Antonio Montana is an anti-communist who is held as a political prisoner in Cuba by Fidel Castro's men. In the 1970's Castro decides to deport all such prisoners to US. Most of them including Antonio (Tony) end up in Miami which is booming with narcotic trade. Tony starts of in Miami as a small time drug dealer, working for the big sharks. He is confident, ambitious & rational thinking person who understands the power equation very well & is also a family man. He rises to the top to become a big shot drug dealer himself. In this process he ends up killing his erstwhile boss Frank Lopez & marries Frank's girl friend Elvira Hancock. He is ably assisted in his rise by his trusted friend Manny.
In his hunger for power, Tony becomes overconfident, insecure & a megalomaniac. This subtle change of approach with the rise in money & power is the main theme of the movie as Tony starts losing his rationality and starts distrusting his close allies including Manny & Elvira. He starts making the wrong decisions and ultimately falls prey to his megalomania.
Besides an amazing performance of a life time by Al Pacino, the biggest USP of the movie are its dialogues & one-liners. It has got the most amazing one-liners which really come alive when they are said by Al Pacino. It also contains a lot of violence & profanity like in most of the gangster movies. The whole characterization of Tony Montana & the vignettes of his character are superbly written by none other than Oliver Stone. Brian De Palma has also done a remarkable job of bringing out the Tony Montana character like no one else could have done. Steven Bauer & Michelle Pfeiffer who play Manny & Elvira are also pretty good. However, the last fight sequence plays a spoil-sport of some sorts as it is way too unrealistic to digest. And off course don't miss the "bad guy" scene at the fancy restaurant. Al has given his fans a real treat in this scene by his superlative performance as a drunkard trying to reflect on his life. I've watched this scene over & over again for uncountable number of times.
It is a must watch for all those who love watching gangster flicks & for all the Al Pacino fans.
Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
Attica!! Attica!!
Coming from a school of thought who believe that Al Pacino is the god of acting, I began watching Dog Day Afternoon with a lot of expectations. Having now seen it 25 times (And counting), I must say that this movie has surpassed my expectation every time I've seen it. It has been my all time favorite movie for some time now.
Dog Day Afternoon is a plot driven movie with superb characterization & is based on a real life story. It is essentially about two Vietnam War veterans, Sonny Wortzik (Al Pacino) & Sal (John Cazale) who have a lot of anti-establishment feeling within them. They disagree with the idea of working hard for a meager amount of money. Sonny is a bi-sexual who has a relationship outside his marriage & wants money for the sex change operation of his boyfriend. Both of them decide to rob New York bank in broad day light along with another colleague who backs out at the last moment.
The bank robbery goes haywire as their haphazard ways to deal with the situation does not hold them in good stead. To start with, the bank is short of cash. The bank employees are also difficult to deal with. When the city police come to know about the robbery, they station themselves outside the bank, leading to a hostage situation. The movie unfolds into a negotiation between Sonny and the cops, & then between Sonny & FBI which is followed by a rescue operation. Sonny meanwhile, takes time out to slam the media which was following this operation, the cops & the whole establishment in general. He distributes some of the stolen money to the public around him, creates a scene around the bank and becomes a superstar of sorts for one day.
Sonny is sharp & takes charge of the negotiations. He surprisingly gets along well with most of the hostages who also show some sympathy for him (A bit of Stockholm syndrome). Sal on the other hand is impassive, confused & does not take charge of the situation. The chemistry between Sonny & Sal is one of the highlights of the movie. However the biggest USP of the movie is Al Pacino's performance. It was clearly his best acting performance according to me. The 'Attica!!' scene, as well as the scene where Sonny has a conversation with his wife on the phone were phenomenal displays of his acting prowess. The whole Attica sequence makes me sit on the edge of my seat every time I watch this movie. John Cazale has also given a great performance. The movie is fast paced & eventful. Some of the scenes with the hostage (The bathroom scene for example) however are slightly over-dramatic. Finally, Sidney Lumet has done a wonderful job as a director in terms of characterization & to make the whole situation come alive. He evolved as a director from his last movie which was Serpico.
In a nutshell I would say that it is one of the great movies of all time. Anyone who calls himself a movie buff, this movie is a must watch for him.