unnirad2011 Reviews

Gravity (2013)

Gravity experience in the third dimension

[7/10 · 7 March 2014]

For the first time ever I felt that 3D technology and a big wide screen is an absolute requirement for thoroughly enjoying a particular movie , watch this on a big cinema hall screen , not on even the most sophisticated of the home theater !!! ( Been skeptical all the while about the role of 3D technology as a part of the good complete movie experience ) . A gripping thriller that gives a very different story experience , could not help marvel at the advances that visual imagery has achieved since the original days of CGI . Occasionally reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick masterpiece 'Space odyssey' , and some scenes of self sacrifice vaguely reminding of the cliff hanger classic 'Vertical Limit'. And the great musical score …. tender moments of being forlorn and lost in deep space enjoying an earth reminiscent audio transmission of the dogs barking and a total stranger trying to communicate in a strange language that one cannot understand ….. the final visuals of the astronaut lying on the muddy banks , trying to grip a handful of wet earth , rising upright then walking away … marking the quintessential triumph of the determined human will over the worst of the caste away situations …… this is one true Oscar experience . A 7/10 .

Nobody's Fool (1994)

As simple as an American story can get .

[7/10 · 30 January 2014]

NOBDY'S FOOL As simple as an American story can get to .Essentially about an American real estate boom hinging on a theme park project that never takes off , guess what … the have's pack up and leave whereas the have-nots happily keep whatever little they have .Stellar cast with Bruce Willis , Melaine Griffith , Philip Seymour Hoffman but the high point is the magnificent and towering presence of the actor in Paul Newman . As a working class do gooder he takes his life easy , at times "irresponsible" but preserves humane values within , values relationships , cares for friends and the elderly , finds true love and free from guilt and greed . Jessica Tandy of the classic Driving Miss Daisy makes her last appearance on screen in this movie !!! A well deserving Oscar nomination earned by him , Paul Newman at his best . Wondering why all the good left leaning stories are made using the capital raised from just the opposite. Sure shows how the wealthy 1% ( occupy Wall street jargon !!! ) knows how to keep the other 99% amused watching their own miserable low lives .

The Limits of Control (2009)

One of my top ten !!!

[9/10 · 27 November 2013]

For hardcore cinephiles who seek art movies here is a visual, cerebral and musical feast. After seeing a lot of negative reviews on this absolutely fascinating creation I feel that if one is patient enough to sit through the great, carefully planned wonderful visuals accompanied by a mystique sound track another spectrum unravels before you and the message is crystal clear. Watch for a second time and everything starts thrown unto you. Captivating cinematography, art direction, story (or lack of the same), splendid acting and a lot of mystery .Very cerebral theme with lots of fill in the blanks that has to take place within oneself, this one is in my top ten. A lone man focused on his mission guided by the unseen seeks his target. He is apathetic to guns , music , sex , art , Bohemianism , mobiles ( technology ) and science ( the seemingly corrupting influences offered by the market philosophy world , in its own tainted versions that do with us day in day out ) . The unnamed man is the anti-thesis of the mainstream James Bond. He seldom speaks , dresses up immaculately , practices tai-chi and never " sleeps" even with a voluptuous naked woman beside him .He does not speak Spanish in Spain where the narrative unfolds . Veiled criticism on mainstream cinema ( the glamorous lady with the clear umbrella who parts with the diamonds in a matchbox ) , fashion ( the see through rain coat and the splendid nudity of the nude girl that it reveals ) and the fountain head of all that one abhors which is the American capitalism ( the man in the self locked security chamber who liberally uses the f^$k word and unmistakable Yankee accent ) , the chamber into which the lone man diffuses in using his "imagination" . "Those who think they are big will end up in the cemetery and it is only dirt that awaits him" is the theme quote which is reserved for the big money manipulator .After having seen 'Dead man' in black and white featuring Johnny Depp which is another fine creation from Jim Jarmusch which also has the anti American capitalism as the core theme (or so i presume!!!) and now this , i would keenly await for his next project. A great movie experience with wonderful location and ambiance selection, this DVD is certainly one of my worthy treasures forever.

Divided We Fall (2000)

A Czech masterpiece ... do not ever miss this one !!!

[8/10 · 9 November 2013]

This 2000 masterpiece is a creed apart from the usual holocaust narratives . Amazing to see that World War II is still a fertile ground for brilliant creations like this one . A rare mix of drama , realism , comedy , suspense and what all ? A wonderful message on how as flesh and blood humans good , evil and the undecided all are interdependent on each other , how we need to realise that there isn't anything pure evil or pure good . 1940 Czech town where the patriot , collaborator ( with the occupying Nazis ) , the hunted , the humanist all coexist and live out the everyday drama of survival against all odds .Finely wrapped in heart wrenching comedy this sure belongs to the league of true classics .Wonderful and brilliant use of symbolism , the strung out pork and the entrapped potential meat Jew , the perambulator cross over at the ghost town street with the hand cart carrying the post conflict rubble ... brilliant strokes of mastery !! A must watch for cinephiles and non cinephiles ... do not ever miss this one !!!

Hitchcock (2012)

Would you like to see the dissected or turned inside out innards of a great horror masterpiece ?

[7/10 · 6 October 2013]

Would you like to see the dissected or turned inside out innards of a great horror masterpiece , Hitchcock's "Psycho" ? A movie about the passions that led to the effective creation of that famed bathroom scene ( which kept many who saw the movie away from the bathroom shower for sometime ) . Art has its best expression when the emotions behind are torn out of real life experience , according to this a strained relationship between the Hitchcocks translated to the frenzy of stabbing that made the shower scene in psycho a universally talked about cinematic crowning jewel . Could even say the movie is about a couple reinventing themselves as a family through the pains and sufferings they had to undertake to bring forth psycho on screen alive . Anthony Hopkins sets a distinctly different appearance and mannerism to bring back the Hitchcock that we have seen in pictures and he is tremendously successful , never felt it was the "Hannibal Lecter" walking again . The leading lady also did a fine job , the actor who re-enacted the psycho Norman Bates was in every sense a true replica of Anthony Perkins , fine job again indeed . Overall a very interesting different theme and story , a 7/10 from me . If you are the kind that would dwell deeper into the finesse of making of a classic , if you are the kind who button flips to the special features on a DVD that details the making , behind the scene stories , audio commentary by cast and crew and the lot after watching a good flick , then go for it !!! Profanity: Mild | Nudity: Mild | Sex: Implied | Vulgarity: Mild | Smoking/Alcohol: Strong | Violence/Gore: Moderate | Drugs: No

Killing Them Softly (2012)

Thinking man's violent political rough ride .... classic by its own !!!

[7/10 · 27 September 2013]

Are you ready for a 2012 version of the Quentin classic Reservior dogs minus a bit of gore and more of economic and political philosophy brooding on 2008 American economic meltdown , then here is it . A very well made tale of retribution where local parallel gambling economy is brought down by three " smarties "and the big chiefs employing a contract killer ( Brad Pitt ) to bring them down . "Thomas Jefferson was a white snob who screwed his slave and left his off springs under slavery , who said some nice things like 'we are all one ' because he didn't want to pay taxes to the Brits ... so that others would die for him . This is America and America is business , so pay me up " .... this almost sums up the theme . On the background track we hear a series of speeches by George W Bush and Barack Obama , former as the lame duck outgoing president desperately trying to control the sub prime crisis and the other first as the campaigner with magnificent thunderous speeches and thereafter as the president incumbent . A highly political drama with the actual stuff mostly hidden in the conversations rather than visuals or acting , peppered by violent contract killings !!! Thinking man's rough ride .... classic by its own !!!

Body of Lies (2008)

Riley Scott ... a safe bet !!!

[7/10 · 15 September 2013]

Another gripping riveting celluloid saga from Ridley Scott and swashbuckling screen enacting by DiCaprio .... the wide gap of perception on how to run the war on terror between a Washington based handler ( Russel Crowe ) and an on the ground CIA operative portrayed emphatically , the need for local solutions and on the ground intelligence gathering cannot be stressed any better !! The final adieu " Hope you'll win this war of yours " by DiCaprio encompasses everything . Also highlights the importance of camaraderie , truthfulness and trust as a part of the culture in the middle east. We have had enough anti- war movies ... now is the time for ethical espionage stories !! Shutter island , Blood diamond and now this , another mind boggling performance by the Titanic hero !!! . A must watch . ( Violence moderate , no obscenity / nudity .... but not exactly a family flick either )

Auschwitz: Inside the Nazi State (2005)

A must view for every living human being in this planet !!!

[9/10 · 12 May 2013]

Sat through this entire 3-4 hours BBC documentary with 3D graphics to fully understand " the holocaust " horror . This masterpiece of fact compilation that is absolutely neutral , goes into every angle of subject visualization and authenticity has changed me forever . A must see for everyone to understand how thin are the lines that we draw , how delicate is the balance of peace and most importantly how the most intelligent , cultured humans can metamorphose to utter cruel worthless beasts , so that never ever something like this can happen here again !!!Amazing narratives , real photographs and visualization .Children should see this , do not prevent them from seeing the truth by raising some rating standards !!!

Dead Man (1995)

A black and white American classic for hardcore cinephiles .

[8/10 · 14 April 2013]

Dead man ( 1994 ) Johny Depp A black and white American classic for hardcore cinephiles .The central character molded on the 17th century English poet painter William Blake , on a spiritual journey . Beginning as an aspiring accountant forgetting his poetic past he begins his journey from the cut throat corrupt immoral metal mining bad town at faraway place close to the "Injun" land , learns what is cheating and treachery , quintessential to the real world capitalism .Being falsely accused of murder , hunted by the cannibal representative of uncle Sam eminently played by Lance Henrikssen ( who kills and eats the colored and Scottish origin co bounty hunters ) , helped by the Indian tribesman with ancient spiritual wisdom , who already had vision about the certain fate of death of Blake . The gun vending priest ( Alfred Molina as the trade post missionary ) all representing every modern day ills and evil of the Western society desperately trying to bring down the honest man Blake ( the 17th century poet was well known for his anti establishment stance after his demise ) . This fantastic classic of a movie needs repeat viewings to get a full grasp of the enormous and deep theme embedded within , reminded me of O'Brother .. where art thou ( 2000 , George Clooney ) another social satire masterpiece !!!