The Princess Bride

The Princess Bride (1987)

‘The Princess Bride’ is a good movie filled with entertainment for the whole family. It carries a look and feel of a fairy tale but it definitely has power to cast its love spell on viewers of all ages. All the good characters of the movie are amazingly lovable and you feel like hating bad guys while watching the movie. It’s not just Buttercup or Wesley who are the important characters but Inigo Montoya, Fezzik and Miracle Max etc. are also very important characters of the movie that make this movie such an amusing treat.

Best part of movie is that it does not take itself too seriously and flows well across the screen. "My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die!" is such a classic phrase , we all want to repeat over and over This light hearted fantasy/comedy is there to put a smile on your face. It’s a Storybook perfection.” The Princess Bride" is one of the most arresting of all fantasy films.

My Rating: 7.6/10.0
Entertainment Value: 95%

Anchorman:The legend of Ron Burgundy

Anchorman: The legend of Ron Burgundy

Will Ferrell doesn’t impress much. The last one of his, I saw was ‘Bewitched’ and he was awful there. ‘Anchorman’ is set in seventies where only men were the news anchors and then for this news man of San Diego life starts to become hard after he had to start working with a new bright newswoman. As happens with all happy ending movies, by the end of the movie, Ron learns to work with woman in his profession. The movie makes us laugh at certain points and hammers your brain with ‘yellacting’ (more of yelling than acting) from all the lead actors. The fighting sequences between competitive news channels were funny. Sometimes the sequences go out of mind, but this is what is expected from a “comedy” movie. Christina Applegate acts weirdly in some of the early sequences. This ‘at times’ irreverent comedy is engaging for most part but becomes dead slow at other times. This movie seems like any other Jim Carrey movie and Will Ferrell seemed to act like ‘Bruce Almighty’ at times.

‘Anchorman’ is equally appealing and appalling at the same time. There are not many ‘laugh out loud’ scenes. Much of the fun and humor, most of which is insensitively uncomfortable, focuses on the Ferrell and team’s expressive sexism, and Veronica's determination to overcome it. Romance developed between Veronica and Ron seemed awkwardly bizarre. SP recommended this movie to me as the best comedy of Y2K4 but as far as my views are concerned, if you have nothing to do in your free 90 minutes then only give it a try, I won’t recommend it much.

My Rating:6.4/10
Entertainment Value:74%

O Brother, Where Art Thou?

O Brother, Where art Thou?

Simply an excellent movie!!! Coen Brothers are really getting into me now. After ‘Fargo’, ‘O Brother…’ is also tremendously entertaining. The different characters being introduced every time after small intervals are interesting enough to make us smile and laugh. The one eyed bible salesman, sexy ladies on the river bank, the blind black prophet, the radio guy, the governor, his opponent, George Baby face Nelson etc.; all are there to make the adventurous jail escaping journey of George Clooney and his partners, unforgettable and hilariously offbeat. Music couldn’t have been better for the movie.

Clooney, John Turturro and Tim Nelson are all aptly suitable for the lead characters. Their open wide-eyed innocence makes them the least likely bunch of criminals. While this film may not have a lot of substance, it sure is a pleasure to watch. Movie never becomes sentimental and never goes over the top. It’s clearly sublime winner humor. Picture has got amazing photography. The spell of simplicity takes over us as soon as the movie starts. All 103 minutes of this feel good flick are surely enjoyable. ‘O brother…’ is an absolute adventure packed with the best music, great humor and fabulous storytelling. It’s a must watch for all comedy lovers. It’s a treat to watch small time crooks becoming soggy bottom boys.

My Rating: 7.45/10.0
Entertainment Value:84%

Band Camp (American Pie Presents: Band Camp)

Band Camp

I loved watching previous ‘American Pie’ movies and grabbed the DVD of ‘Band Camp’ as soon as it was out. ‘Band Camp’ doesn’t live up to what other ‘Ameripies’ did. It has got some funny moments but not as hilarious as they were in other ‘American Pie’ movies. The younger Stiffler, Matt is all about videotaping band beauties after being sentenced to join a band camp for misbehaving at college’s Graduation Ceremony and finally ends up being a sweet helping guy. It’s not just the comparison of this movie with other ‘Amripies’ which makes this movie look like a waste of around 90 minutes but if we try this movie on it’s own, then also it has nothing to prove. This is one bad movie, which has got nothing to be talk about. Characters are unlikable and boring. The movie won’t make you sleep but then won’t even make you laugh. This ‘Band Camp’ is ‘Ban d(the) Crap’.

My Rating: 4.95/10
Entertainment Value:68%

The Devil's Advocate

The Devil’s Advocate (Devil’s Advocate)

My favorite author is John Grisham and my favorite novel is ‘The Firm’. I don’t know for sure why I love that story so much but to quote a coincidence I work in a small high paying (what a joke!!!) firm in a small city (pun intended). Of course my house is not wired, phone is not taped and employees are not dying accidentally. Oh... I think the movie we are talking about is ‘Devil’s advocate’ not ‘The Firm’. For the most part the story of Devil’s Advocate is similar to ‘The Firm’. The climax of the movie is definitely different that the firm.

Movie without a doubt is interesting and entertaining. I can watch any movie which has got Al Pacino in it. He is the true Godfather. But to my disappointment Pacino hams a bit in this movie. ‘Matrix’ Reeves is alright and Charlize Therone has done the best of all. There is some unwanted nudity introduced without purpose but you won’t mind it for Charlize Therone and Connie Nielson J.The name of the movie is ‘The Devil’s Advocate’ but the DVD box reads ‘Devil’s Advocate’. It’s hard to find boring sequences in the movie. At times the story becomes complex and go over the top but for the most part it’s clearly entertaining.

The story has got two endings and believe me the penultimate ending is as good as the final one. At its very end, The Devil's Advocate becomes a bit gimmicky. But even this fault is handled well, and rather than bringing down the movie, it at least tries to give a different perspective on the events. Camerawork was excellent. The subject of devils and temptations has been nicely crafted to make this movie interesting. The final huge monologue of Al Pacino is impressive. Conclusion: An entertaining movie.

My Rating: 7/10
Entertainment Value: 88%

Aliens

Again a sequel and as I always say sequels are always to be compared with its prequel. ‘Aliens’ is also an excellent movie almost as good as ‘Alien’. For me, the prequel scores over ‘Aliens’. ‘Alien’ had a great suspense and horror factor but ‘Aliens’ is filled with punching action. All the special effects are a treat to watch. Sigourney Weaver once again shows that she was something. The mother Alien was truly an interesting concept. James Cameroon did fair justice to ‘Aliens’ after Ridley’s ‘Alien’.

‘Aliens’ is filled with amazing action sequences and is one of largest pack of the most tremendous action sequences ever picturised. The movie starts slowly but gains a lot of pace in the second hour. Climax is wonderful and the last quarter of the movie is filled with wonderful action. ‘Aliens’ is a classic action/adventure movie which still successfully make us feel its class. One of the sequences in the climax where Ripley wears the loader and takes on with the mother one-on-one is awesome. We love ‘Aliens’.

My Rating: 7.64/10
Entertainment Value: 78%

Bad Timing

Bad Timing

I don’t agree with the title of the movie. The most appropriate title for this movie would have been ‘Bed Timing’ as on an average every fifteen minutes the movie shows a steamy bed scene. Next suitable title could have been ‘Bad Movie’ as this really is a bad (I mean it, nasty bad) movie. I won’t categorize this movie as either drama or mystery; as a matter of fact the most suitable category for this movie is soft porn.

Performances wise also we don’t have a very bright report at hands. Theresa Russell is sexy, convincing, revealing and OKAY but Art Garfunkel had a baaaaaaad timing. Subplots and side stories are disastrous and out of line with the main movie. The destructive love affair between Doctor Linden and Melina finally ends up in a waste of over two hours. Melina insists on freedom and Alex is jealously possessive and becomes obsessive and irrational. Director has tried to present rape as a murder but has finally achieved rape of the movie. The jumbled mixture of mystery and sex is awful. Bad timing is not a sensual obsession, it’s a mental torture. Director switches back and forth in the chronology of the story and I found the links between present story and flashback sequences intelligent and well matched. Vienna also seemed like a beautiful place. Overall look and feel of the movie was also not that bad, but as a whole the movie didn’t do much good.

My Rating: 3/10
Entertainment Value:40%

Imaginary Heroes

Imaginary heroes

What a boring snail-paced movie? The way the movie starts seems to show up a promising view but it never happens. If you claim that you are an ‘Alien’ fan it explicitly means you are a Sigourney Weaver fan. Sigourney Weaver is a superb actress and she does prove that in this movie also. Apart from her acting, acting of Emile Hirsch and some nice sequences between the mother (not the ‘Alien’ mother :-)) and the son, there’s nothing in the movie but head ache. Movie is a failed comedy trying to mix and match up with stumbling drama. The dark secrets have been kept dark till the end and even after the end of the movie. This story of the dysfunctional family tries to do a lot but fails to achieve even little. Mostly a sad movie, it’s a bad movie.


My Rating:5.2/10
Entertainment Value:50%

The Nightmare Before Christmas

My Rating: 6.8/10
Entertainment Value:75%

Rocky

‘Rocky’ is plain, simple and to some extent realistic movie with superb performance from Sylvester Stallone and Talia Shire. Movie is not a fast paced story but crawls at a pace fast enough to keep the viewers interested. Climax with Rocky’s fight with Apollo is the high point of the movie. Rocky looses the fight at last but wins heart of everyone. Movie is mostly about two lonely losers reaching out to each other.The owner of the movie is Sylvester Stallone and definitely the whole movie belongs to him.

Rocky is a sweet mix of romance, sport and melodrama. The final fight is surely grand, detailed, interesting and dramatic. The training sequences are also inspirational. The awkward first date at the ice ring after Adrian’s brother tosses the Thanksgiving turkey out of the window is very real and touching. Rocky was a very realistic character and so was the movie. There is nothing in the movie except the last fighting sequence which will genuinely raise your adrenaline, but the whole package is interesting and inspirational. I like ‘Yo’ accent of Rocky very much.

My Rating:6.95
Entertainment Value:88%

Alien

((-:>Alien<:-))
Amazing movie!!! Ace sci-fi stuff!!! Superb thrills, gripping horror and binding anxiety; everything was there in this movie. Alien is terrifying at instances and interesting all the time. Some scenes will bring out your heart to mouth. Movie starts a bit slow but then picks up pace in an unforgettable fashion. ‘Alien’ is de facto one of the best sci-fi movies ever made. People are most frightened by things they don't see, that imagination can be more terrifying than reality, that suspense can be more hair-raising than mere shock. ‘Alien’ used this concept beautifully. ‘Alien’ is an excellent entertainer, a unique blend of genuine science-fiction, suspense and horror. The method of building suspense is slow and deliberate; it uses silence and a complex soundtrack. Things will stay quiet for sometime and suddenly something will happen which will take your breath away.

‘Alien’ has the ability to genuinely shock. Some of the scenes need a mention. Famous embryo-through-the-chest scene was tremendous. Another good one was revelation of Ash being robot, the alien pod attaching itself to John Hurt's face and in fact all other shocking scenes were truly shocking. Sequences are kind of unsettling that makes you shudder, stays with you, and comes back with a vengeance at unpredictable moments. Sustained tension can be observed throughout the movie. Ellen Ripley, as played by Sigourney Weaver, is a very strong woman role model, one who is tough without becoming manly.

Director Scott Ridley didn’t show the entire creature at once, concentrated instead on bits and pieces. In this way, it seems bigger, more unreal and more menacing because it exists mostly in our imagination. ‘Alien’ is a rare horror / Sci-Fi film that can still shock us after years of release. Its on the top movies list of SP and for me it’s the best sci-fi movie, I’ve ever seen. ‘Matrix’ and ‘The Island’ are also not bad:-)

My Rating: 8.3/10
Entertainment Value: 85%

Se7en

Se7en

‘Seven’ is a masterpiece in its genre. It has got amazingly suspenseful storyline and as the secret starts to unfold near the end, a treat awaits for viewers. Seven is mature thriller with superb performances from Morgan Freeman as always and Brad Pitt. There are numerous movies made on serial killers, but ‘Seven’ is one of the best. This thriller is shocking and dark but truly enjoyable. The scenes never turn too gross and most of the violence is off-camera, in the minds and generate the level of curiosity which is desired from A-grade thrillers.

Kevin Spacey is one of the most underrated actors of Hollywood. He does a lot of good to any movie he acts in. John Doe truly shocked the detective duo all the time. The incredible climax is as strong a suspense scene as any thriller lover deserves, and it's particularly amazing because it occurs in a shiny day with no darkness around and contrasts with the rest of the movie's dark and hazy settings. This high-tension thriller provides a good dose of shock and surprise to the audience. Don’t know why , I still rate ‘The Silence of The Lambs’ better than ‘Seven’ but ‘Seven’ is equally praise worthy.Thumbs up for ‘Seven Deadly Sins, Seven Ways To Die’.


My Rating: 7.8/10
Entertainment Value: 93%

The Lord Of The Rings : The Two Towers

My Rating:7.4/10
Entertainment Value: 85%

Schindler's List

Schindler’s List is one of the most impressive movies, I’ve ever watched. It is a true story of Oskar Schindler, a Czechoslovakian / German factory owner whose heroic efforts rescued over 1100 Jews from certain death during the period of Holocaust. This is an epic drama of World War II holocaust survivors and the man who unexpectedly came to be their savior. It’s a truly endearing film.

The main character Schindler was truly a hero but a very different one, not the stereotypical idealistic saint types. He was a shrewd businessman, a war profiteer and womanizer who used Polish Jews as cheap labor to produce cookware for his factory. But after witnessing the violent and dreaded acts of Nazis done to these Jews, Schindler slowly begins to realize the immense evil of Nazism. He ultimately saves the lives of these 1100 Jews after getting them released from the camp and brought to his ammunitions factory in Czechoslovakia.

Liam Neeson displayed a brilliant acting performance embodying Oskar Schindler through all his acts and made us feel how mysterious Schindler was. A greedy, corrupted man who never had enough drinking, gambling and womanizing, a flawed man suddenly risks everything he had to save some of the people whom everyone around him regarded inferior. The actor from ‘The English Patient’ (not remembering his name…) was terrifyingly convincing as a sinner evil and dumb Nazi officer, abusing his power and killing people for no reason. Another actor worth a mention here is Ben Kingsley. I don’t know how Mahatma Gandhi looked like but for me, whenever I hear the word Gandhi, the man that comes to my mind is Ben Kingsley. Kingsley did a splendid job in this movie too. If Oskar was the main hero hero then definitely accountant stern was the main side hero:-).


The film takes us through what the victims have gone through during holocaust. They were robbed, abused, made slaves and even separated from their relatives and friends, beaten and even horribly killed for no reason. Movie describes all this flawlessly. It doesn’t blur the horror of these events, but also doesn't go too far and become exploitative either. Black and White photography of the film provided the full effect of the Holocaust: utter depression and hopelessness. The film is very depressing to watch but still the film manages to compel your interest. The film lasts more than three hours, but it never seems long: it always mesmerizes.

"Schindler's List" is a must-see masterpiece. It is a true dramatic classic, capable of touching hearts of one and all. This movie definitely made me realize that Steven Spielberg is a true master director.

My Rating: 8.45/10
Entertainment Value: 85%

Corpse Bride

‘Corpse Bride’ is not a spooky tale of some evil spirit, instead it takes us to the land of dead which actually is a colorful and festive place and introduces us to some whimsically comical characters. Selflessness and noble sacrifice emerges as the main theme and no wonder, then, that the dead are the good here.

Movie having very short run of around 75 minutes is taught and engaging. The scene, where Victor screws up his wedding vows and finally puts up the wedding ring on dead hand of corpse bride thinking it to be a root of some old barren tree is amazing. The animation is mostly superb. From start to finish the movie is a visually stunning. The whole animation experience is pretty soothing to the eyes and the brain. The corpse bride surely makes her earn our sympathy as well as even touch our sentiments for her fate. It was extremely easy to see Johnny Depp as Victor with floppy hair, thin body frame and sunken cheeks. The Corpse Bride was also a lovely but rotting young lady who rises out of the ground to claim her groom and drag him down into the Land of the Dead. Before the film comes to a more-or-less happy ending, movie delivers a couple of musical numbers (which I found pretty bring), some amusing characters and few good natured but dark jokes about death and decay.

The scenes in the Land of the Dead are moderately funny, but become repetitious as most deal with skeletons and dead people dropping body parts — it’s only funny the first two or three times. Movie seemed to make some profound statement about love and loss, but it gets buried in the clutter of all so-called funny business. Movie doesn’t carry much of gravity or substantial content but still ‘Corpse Bride’ is worth that extra time and effort. Corpse Bride gives life to its animated characters, even the dead ones.

My Rating:6.5/10
Entertainment Value:70%

Life is Beautiful (Vita e Bella, La)

I have mixed reactions after watching the movie. First half of movie is dedicated to humor and second half is dedicated to sentiments. It’s one of that feel good type of movies which at the end of it somehow leaves viewers satisfied. The film handles a profoundly serious subject with a light touch. In the battle against barbarism, Director is saying, there are also the weapons of joy and imagination.

Most of the holocaust scenes shown in the picture somehow make me feel that I have seen similar sequences in ‘Schindler’s List’ also. I am not trying to say that movie has copied those sequences from ‘Schindler’s List’ but may be , as they say truth has only one representation , both films were depicting Nazi era and that’s why this similarity. With all the violence in the air, this movie has still avoided showing explicit brutalities like that in 'Schindler’s List' but it definitely evokes and then allows people to use their imaginations.

The comic part of the movie doesn’t impress much and all pranks of Benigni seem stale. The movie in Italian with English subtitles starts with light romance that abruptly transforms into a deeply moving tale of survival. Despite the film's radical shift in tone, Benigni's message never wavers: life is beautiful if you make it so. It's just a matter of willpower. At the camp, Guido concocts a story to shield his son from the horrific reality around them and doesn’t ever let him know that they are surrounded by all the worst troubles of their life and tries everything to make his son believe that they are in fact playing a game. In my opinion the other point which Benigni tried to make with sensitivity, is that a child's innocence is worth protecting.

The movie doesn’t carry that extreme touching sentiment power unlike ‘I am Sam’ or ‘The Color Purple’, still it can make your eyes wet at one or two places. The kid has performed his role brilliantly in the movie and so did the Doctor. The pace of the movie is not always fast. The movie tries to do too much at one time and hence miss on some points. Overall a nice movie worth a watch but something is missing from the movie which could have turned it from good to great.

My Rating: 6.75/10
Entertainment Value: 70%

Fargo

As my friend Prasoon comments about this movie “Amazing, Amazing, Amazing.”; I definitely second him. This is one brilliant and I am not exaggerating, a great movie. Fargo opens, appropriately enough, in Fargo, North Dakota, with a meeting between the car salesman and two local thugs and the story revolves around a bizarre kidnapping arranged by this car salesman of his own wife by these two small time crooks so that his rich father-in-law will pay a ransom that he will then split with the bad guys.

Fargo has all the characteristics of a fiction, but actually we are told that the story is done exactly as it occurred in the cold and snowy Minnesota. One minute viewers will be laughing out loud and the next they are gasping for breath. None of the characters are particularly interesting or sympathetic. One of the kidnappers, who rarely speaks, the psychopath, is frightening. The lady detective Marge who is assigned the charge of the case of murders is tremendously endearing, a determined, keen-nosed cop who never gives up even though she is seven month pregnant, a characteristic that surely makes her character unique. She sounds gullible most of the times, but she is quite clever and brave, no matter how sweet she is. Many funny scenes are side plots that are not intended to go anywhere. Some Characters show up and are never seen again. A good one is of a Japanese friend Marge runs into and decides to have a drink with and who tries to put the moves on her. Another interesting thing in the movie was that everyone in this movie says, "Yah, Yah" in a very different manner and has thick accents. It's refreshing to find the dialogue peppered with "ya betcha" and "oh, geez" rather than predictable profanities.

The whole movie is a seamless blend of dense comedy and tragedy. The film is visually magnificent, flawless, brilliant, and certainly unique. All the snow backgrounds filmed in the movie are intensely amazing and white. There are two things in plenty in the movie Blood and snow. It brilliantly moves from comedy to poignancy to tragedy and back constantly. In a complex film the scene at the end give some hints as to what it might have all meant. This quirky thriller which turns out to be an extremely engaging black comedy has a very dark and absurd sense of humor that might not be to everyone’s taste.

This movie has certainly grabbed a position in my all time Top ten movies’ list. Don’t miss this movie. A must watch!!! Special thanks to Prasoon and Mark , for recommending this movie.

My Rating: 8.5/10
Entertainment Value: 94%

The Sting

The Sting
‘The Sting’ is an interesting plot but it can’t be said that it still feels fresh. Definitely a wholesome entertainment is on its way when we are watching ‘The Sting’ , with couple of sharp twists near end but they don’t leave you in complete surprise as ‘The Usual Suspects’ or ‘Psycho’ does. The plot is an interesting heist double cross story of two con men. In present day, the movie doesn’t live up to all the expectations of a timeless classic. The movie is definitely filled with gags, chases, gun shots and turn arounds and is a great movie considering the fact that this movie was made 32 years back. Recreation of streets of Chicago of 1930 in the movie seemed pretty interesting. There are flawless performances all round to the clever script. Lonnegan (Robert Shaw, ‘Jaws’) is not the only one who gets conned; writer and the director sting the viewer, too.

My Rating:6.5/10
Entertainment Value:80%

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

This Indiana Jones’ adventure is as good as ‘The Raiders of the Lost Ark’. Only ‘The Temple of Doom’ disappointed a bit, but in ‘Last Crusade’ Indiana Jones comes back with same original energy and adventure tends to reach maximum. Best part of this part is that, it has Sean Connery as Indy’s father Dr. Henry Jones. Dr. Henry Jones, an eccentric professor definitely adds up to the adventure ride of Indy, keeping the whole track lighter and amusing all the time. Sallah is also back in this part, helping Indy at all needy times.

‘Last crusade’ reveals two important aspects of the name of Indiana Jones. First, real name of Indiana Jones is Henry Jones Junior and second Indiana was the name of the dog. This movie also shows us the very first adventure of Indy as a teenager. It had quite a lot light sequences which gave us more than a reason to smile. Watching teen Indiana dodging the bad guys in the circus train was a treat for senses. All clue and Diary stories behind finding Holy Grail and the library scenes were amazing. The climax of the movie is brilliantly designed. Finally, the search for Holy Grail ends and ends in style.

The picture very well matches its originator in spirit, exhilaration and acting, what with the perfecto father-son antagonism between Ford and Sean Connery (a masterstroke of casting). This movie returns the series to its roots of thundering thrills, spiritual inspiration and perfectly timed humor. After watching ‘The Last Crusade’, I am definitely looking forward for Indiana Jones IV (rumors are official title has been confirmed as ‘Indiana Jones and the Sword of Fire), scheduled for 2007 release. It will definitely be one of the most awaited movies of all times similar to Spiderman – III.

For me ‘Last Crusade’ is the most powerful chapter of the greatest adventure trilogy ever made. On a lighter note, the way Holy Grail was found by Monty Pythoners is still better than that of Indy and his father.

My Rating: 7.7/10
Entertainment Value: 88%

Vertigo

I had heard a lot about Vertigo before watching this movie. It is considered to be the most powerful and deep movie of Alfred Hitchcock. I have also read that when it was released the first time, it was a big flop on box office. Story and the plot of the movie are amazingly suspenseful, and it binds you like anything. The suspense of the plot almost finishes with the entry of Judy in the story and still a quarter of movie still remains. Judy’s love towards Scott in the movie seemed to be bit perplexing. The very start of the story shows only that which it is supposed to reveal to viewers at that point of time and by mid it convinces them; that is it. But this twisted tale was never so simple. Ending sequence of the movie is also a triumph. The film ends with the tragic, dissatisfying image of Scottie, having overcome his debilitating fear, viewing downward from the tower. It is a triumph that results in loss.The acrophobia problem of Scott was one of the most important factor around which movie revolved for sometime. This truly is an outstanding piece of work by Alfred Hitchcock. In my personal opinion, Psycho is a better thriller than Vertigo, but the plot in later is like never before. Two thumbs way up for Vertigo!!!! The title talks about dizziness but when you watch the movie, believe me you will be more than awake and attentive.

My Rating: 7.4/10
Entertainment Value:80%