Where are the Tickets???

TAARE ZAMEEN PAR was one movie I was counting on watching by the end of the year. It is generating excellent reviews. Despite a weak opening, the collections have picked up rapidly and unfortunately for me, ALL TICKETS SEEM TO BE SOLD OUT. :(

I was watching the news and Aamir Khan was on one of the shows. He said they took a gamble and released fewer prints because its such a different film. Mr Khan you gamble sure did pay off. But what about the poor souls like US??? Tickets are booked until the next week and from the looks of it, I just might have to catch the movie in 2008. :( :( :( :( :(

Meanwhile, I just wanted to post the song MAA from this movie. Amazing lyrics. The video isn't the best, I believe its a pirated version...nevertheless I took it from Youtube.. (Guys, stopping DL movies from the net...VCDs are getting cheaper and you DO get a better print).

Coming back to the song, Mr. Prasoon Joshi the lyricist, I bow down at your feet. This is one more magical song that you have penned. I thought Rang De Basanti was your best work to date, but this one is simply...... mind blowing. Shankar Mahadevan..now this is what we call BREATHELESS. Thank you for singing it so so so so beautifully and doing full justice. And the music team Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, you guys get better with each film. Clear winner.

Recommended watching for everyone: AND HEAR THE LYRICS REAL CAREFULLY.



Main Kabhi Batlata Nahin
Par Andhere Se Darta Hoon Main Maa
Yun To Main,Dikhlata Nahin
Teri Parwaah Karta Hoon Main Maa
Tujhe Sab Hain Pata, Hain Na Maa
Tujhe Sab Hain Pata,,Meri Maa

Bheed Mein Yun Na Chodo Mujhe
Ghar Laut Ke Bhi Aa Naa Paoon Maa
Bhej Na Itna Door Mujkko Tu
Yaad Bhi Tujhko Aa Naa Paoon Maa
Kya Itna Bura Hoon Main Maa
Kya Itna Bura Meri Maa

Jab Bhi Kabhi Papa Mujhe
Jo Zor Se Jhoola Jhulate Hain Maa
Meri Nazar Dhoondhe Tujhe
Sochu Yahi Tu Aa Ke Thaamegi Maa

Unse Main Yeh Kehta Nahin
Par Main Seham Jaata Hoon Maa
Chehre Pe Aana Deta Nahin
Dil Hi Dil Mein Ghabraata Hoon Maa.
Tujhe Sab Hai Pata Hai Naa Maa
Tujhe Sab Hai Pata Meri Maa

Main Kabhi Batlata Nahin
Par Andhere Se Darta Hoon Main Maa
Yun To Main,Dikhlata Nahin
Teri Parwaah Karta Hoon Main Maa
Tujhe Sab Hain Pata, Hain Na Maa
Tujhe Sab Hain Pata,,Meri Maa

JOHNNY GADDAR (2007)

Cast: Dharmendra, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Vinay Pathak, Zakir Hussain, Daya Shetty, Govind Namdeo, Rimi Sen, Ashwini Kalsekar

I just finished watching it again--for the 5th time. Let me begin by saying that this IS NOT among the best movies I've seen in my life. But it is certainly the best thriller I've seen in the last couple of years. The reason for this blog entry is to appeal the general public to get its VCD/DVD and watch it (VCD costs jus 99 bucks...don't be such a miser now). And how will this review be different??? I wont be giving the entire plot summary cos you really can't give out a thriller.

Sriram Raghavan ventures onto the dark path yet again with Johnny Gaddar. If someone said that EK HASINA THI was a fluke, then Johnny Gaddar is bound to prove all the skeptics wrong. Raghavan pays tribute to Vijay Anand and James Hadley Chase with this one. You can guess what the movie must be like.

Johnny Gaddar is the story of five people (they aren't really friends...they are convenience for one another) who form a gang doing illegal business. On one such venture, they pool in 50 lakh each. Before the transaction is complete, the money gets looted. Johnny Gaddar traces the story of one Gaddar or Traitor in their ranks and what follows is something unexpected.

Sriram Raghavan is fast proving his talent in the melee of film makers and one hopes that he continues to impress.

Coming to the actors--lead by Dharmendra (still swearing albiet in English) who plays the old horse quite well. Debutante Neil Nitin Mukesh holds on to his role with stability although you feel his acting could have been fine tuned just a little bit. Daya Shetty (of the CID fame) has the smallest role of them all . Zakir Hussain (not the tabla maestro) and Vinay Pathak were the real show stealers here as far as acting was concerned. Vinay Pathak continues to amaze me with the variety of roles he does and his fan following keeps increasing with every movie.

Govind Namdeo and Rimi Sen also do their bit for the movie. But all in all, the real hero of the movie is its Director--Sriram Raghavan. The man has a brilliant vision. The Story was quite brilliant, camerawork very creative, slick editing , and finally, a movie you can actually use your brains while watching. Although it has its flaws, I recommend it as a must watch this season. Total Paisa vasool.

I AM, and I stand out!!!

Well, for starters I am not reviewing any movie today. I haven't had any inspiration to write about my old favourites nor have I seen any worthwhile ones recently worth blogging on. So today will be the day, the critic in me i.e Smriti Srivastava, will defend her choice of movies.

Most of the movies that I saw in my teens were in the company of friends or on the recommendations of friends. My opinions were that of my friends. It took me a while to realise that I can have my own opinions, very different from that of others. It should never bother me to express myself freely, even if I am ridiculed. That point came after I saw FIZA.

I thought it was a well made movie and I loved every character in it. I had relatives from Agra who laughed at me for saying that movie was good. Prior to this, I would sheepishly admit and be a coward at the cost of my free expression. But out of the blue, I found a new found courage to admit that I had my own mind and I didn't need yours to decide which movies I should like. I must also say that this blog is only about my favourite movies and not necessarily the ones you like either.

The last time I was ridiculed for my choice was for Saawariya. I quite liked the movie. At least it wasn't such a dud as it was billed out to be. It had a different feel to it and I quite enjoyed the experience. It music was also refreshing and I would count it among the best I've heard this year.

So that's that. I don't try to be different. I dont try to be a rebel (most would say that as I normally like things that others don't always like). I am what I am... I have a voice and I don't like it subdued. You can filter it out if it's not too pleasing to your ears but I won't shut it out cos I have the right to use it. Peace!!

Singin' in the Rain (1952)

STARRING: Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, Donald O'Connor

My Rating : ****1/2

I always pick out movies I've heard about, seen or liked. But this one was different. It's a movie that came out before any of my parents were born, a movie that came out five years after India was Independent (not that it has anything to do with the film). Something about the cover and the title was very endearing and appealing. I said, 200 bucks, whats the big deal. I already picked out some pretty crap movies lately and if nothing else, it might just add to my "Crap-Scrap".

I am glad that I picked it up and I must have watched it at least 5 times in the first three days of bringing this one home. Then did I begin my research about this movie. This one is for everyone who enjoys light hearted, wholesome movies.

Starring Gene Kelly, Debbi Reynolds and Donald O Connor, it offers a comical depiction of Hollywood's transition from silent movies to "talkies". The movie is frequently described as one of the best musicals ever made, topping the AFI's 100 Years of Musicals list, and ranking fifth in its list of the greatest American films.

Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly) is a popular silent film star with humble roots as a singer, dancer and stunt man. Don barely tolerates his leading lady, Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen in her Academy Award nominated performance), who has convinced herself that the fake romance their studio concocted and publicized is real (talk about publicity gimmicks--they were born way before we were).

Don has a chance meeting with Kathy Selden (Debbie Reynolds), when he jumps into the car she's driving, as he was being chased by over-enthusiastic fans. She drops him off, but not before claiming to be a stage actress and sneering at his undignified accomplishments. Don runs into Kathy again at a party organised by the head of his studio. To his amusement and her embarrassment, he discovers that Kathy is only a chorus girl, part of the entertainment.

Furious, she throws a pie at him, only to hit Lina right in the face. Later, Don makes up with Kathy and they begin falling in love eventually.

After the success of the first talking picture, The Jazz Singer, the studio decides they have no choice but to convert the new Lockwood and Lamont film, The Dueling Cavalier, into a talkie. The production is beset with difficulties (most, if not all, taken from real life), by far the worst being Lina's comically shrill voice.

After a disastrous test screening, Don's best friend, Cosmo Brown (Donald O'Connor), comes up with the idea to overdub Lina's voice and they convince the studio head to turn The Dueling Cavalier into a musical called The Dancing Cavalier. Kathy is to provide the voice for Lina in the new talkie, without Lina's knowledge. When Lina finds out, she is furious and does everything possible to sabotage the romance. She maliciously demands that Kathy continue to provide her voice in all future films, but remain uncredited.

The end of the movie is nothing we haven't seen before but still, the singing and the dancing, surely makes you wanna go Sing in the rain.

All in all, I'd say it is a gem of a movie and good for everyone who appreciates good cinema. Such movies are no longer made. I suggest you watch this one at the earliest.

TAARE ZAMEEN PAR (2007)-TRAILER

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nmBFzFinOA

Hey everyone.

Not yet up to posting on the movies. Have some darn exams going on. But do watch out for this trailer from the Movie "Taare Zameen Par". I hope it is meaningful cinema. Looks good from the promos though.

Have fun

Billy Elliot (2000)

MY RATING: ****

Jamie Bell plays Billy Elliot, an 11-year-old boy growing up in the North of England in turbulent times. His mother has died, his grandmother needs constant care, and his family (along with the community in which he lives) are suffering through the turmoils of the infamous miners' strike - especially his father (Gary Lewis) and brother (Jamie Draven) who are both miners on strike. Although he is encouraged by his father to participate in boxing classes, it is the ballet class that shares the hall which fascinates him most.

With the encouragement of ballet teacher Mrs Wilkinson (Julie Walters), he joins in with the classes and starts to express himself through dance. However, it is not all plain sailing for Billy. He knows that his father and brother think of ballet as ridiculous, and if they find out that he is dancing they will be furious. Things become even more complicated for him when Mrs Wilkinson suggests that he should audition for the Royal Ballet School, as that would mean leaving home and require money. It is the chance at a dream come true but, if Billy is to succeed, sooner or later he will need the support of his family - especially his father.

'Billy Elliot' is a touching film - a simple tale given power by strong performances from its cast. Jamie Bell is outstanding in the lead role, expressive and empathic, bringing Billy to life. Julie Walters is touching as the dance teacher who takes on the motherly role for Billy, and Gary Lewis and Jamie Draven are convincing as Billy's angry father and brother. There are no real surprises in the plot - this is unashamedly a happy-ending, coming-of-age, pursue-your-dreams drama, but the handling of it is remarkable and the characters sympathetic.

Watch it of the sheer delight it brings to your faces and simply for Jamie Bell, who gives the role of Billy, a lot of credibility.

LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE (2006)

Starring: Greg Kinnear, Toni Collette, Abigail Breslin, Alan Arkin, Steve Carrell and Paul Dano

MY RATING: ****

"Little Miss Sunshine," is the story of a dysfunctional family's road trip that goes wrong in all possible ways, yet finds some meaning for the family at loggerheads with each other. Its humanity and heart make it a natural to transcend the indie niche to a broader audience.

Richard (Greg Kinnear) is a motivational speaker. His career is on a downslide yet he is stubbornly committed to his "Refuse to lose" philosophy. His wife Sheryl (Toni Collette) barely disguises her impatience, hinting at deeper marital disharmony. Their teenage son Dwayne (Paul Dano) is a Nietzsche devotee maintaining a vow of silence until he's old enough to become a fighter pilot, while Grandpa (Alan Arkin) is doing drugs. Newest addition to the household is Sheryl's suicidal brother Frank (Steve Carell), a renowned Proust scholar who lost both the male grad student he loved and a MacArthur Foundation genius grant to a rival academic.

The family's sole oasis of serenity and self-possession is Olive (Abigail Breslin), a slightly chubby, bespectacled 7-year-old with a questioning nature and a fixation on beauty pageants. Having been taught to pursue her dreams, Olive has been privately rehearsing her talent routine with Grandpa; her shot at the Little Miss Sunshine crown is the engine that drives the comedy.

They take an old yellow Volkswagen Minibus on their trip, which is ridden with one problem after another. Along the way, the family must deal with crushed dreams, heartbreaks, and a broken down VW bus, leading up to a surreal Little Miss Sunshine Competition. On their travels, the Hoovers learn to support and trust each other along the path of life, no matter what the challenge.

Everyone overcomes great personal tragedy and finally, the unit bonds as a family. The chaotic, bonding experience works, in part because the family members are so caught up in their individual frustrations and insecurities.

The interstate trip is punctuated by hilarious setbacks and disasters, the eccentric comic tone is deftly channeled by a cast with no weak element. Alan Arkin's Academy award winning depiction of the heroin addict Grandpa, possibly has the best of lines. Greg Kinnear and Toni Collette give lovely performances, while an unlikely bond in subtelity can be seen in the Characters of Steve Carrell and Paul Dano.

It is one of those surprisingly warm movies, which without being all-mushy, keeps you feeling good. Watch it for its brilliant comedy, great characters and unique storyline.

SCHINDLER'S LIST (1993)

Starring: Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes,
Ben Kinsley

MY RATING: *****

Schindler's List is a film directed by Steven Spielberg, telling the story of Oskar Schindler, a German Catholic businessman who saved the lives of over one thousand Polish Jews. It starred Liam Neeson as Schindler, Ralph Fiennes as the officer Amon Goth, and Ben Kingsley as Schindler's secretary Itzhak Stern.

The film begins with Oskar Schindler, an unsuccessful businessman, arriving from Czechoslovakia hoping to use the abundant slave labour force of Jews to manufacture goods for the German military. Schindler, an opportunistic member of the Nazi Party lavishly bribes the army officials in charge. Sponsored by the military, Schindler acquires a factory for the production of army mess kits. Not having much kno-how of running such an enterprise, he gains a contact in Itzhak Stern, a functionary in the local Jewish Council who has contacts with the now underground Jewish business community in the Ghetto. Opening the factory, Schindler pleases the Nazis and enjoys his new-found wealth and status, while Stern handles all administration. Workers in Schindler's factory are allowed outside the ghetto though, and Stern falsifies documents to ensure that as many people as possible are deemed "essential" by the Nazi bureaucracy. Schindler becomes aware of what is happening to the Jews in general, but takes no action to stop it.

Amon Goth arrives in Krakow to initiate construction of a labor camp nearby. The SS soon clears the Krakow ghetto, sending in hundreds of troops to empty the cramped rooms and shoot anyone who protests, is uncooperative, or for no reason at all. Schindler watches the massacre from the hills overlooking the area, and is profoundly affected. He nevertheless is careful to befriend Göth and, through Stern's attention to bribery, he continues to enjoy the SS's support and protection. Eventually, an order arrives from Berlin commanding Göth to exhume and destroy all bodies of those killed in the Krakow Ghetto, dismantle Płaszów, and to ship the remaining Jews to Auschwitz. Schindler persuades Göth to let him keep "his" workers, so that he can move them to a factory in his old home away from the "final solution", now fully underway in Poland. Göth agrees, charging a certain amount for each worker. Schindler and Stern assemble a list of workers that should keep them off the trains to Auschwitz.

"Schindler's List" comprises these "skilled" inmates, and for many of those in Płaszów camp, being included means the difference between life and death. Almost all of the people on Schindler's list arrive safely at the new site, with exception to the train carrying the women, which is accidentally redirected to Auschwitz. Schindler rushes immediately to Auschwitz and stops their gassing. He bribes the camp commander, with a cache of diamonds to spare the women. As the women board the train to the site of the factory, several SS officers attempt to hold some children back and prevent them from leaving. However, Schindler, who is there to personally oversee the boarding, steps in and demands the officers release the children. Once the Schindler women arrive in Zwittau-Brinnlitz, Schindler institutes firm controls on the Nazi guards assigned to the factory, permits the Jews to observe theSabbath, and spends the rest of his fortune bribing Nazi officials. In his home town, he surprises his wife while she's in church during mass, and tells her that she is the only woman in his life. She goes with him to the factory to help out with the inmates. He runs out of money just as the German army surrenders, ending the war in Europe.

As a German Nazi and self-described "profiteer of slave labour", Schindler must flee the oncoming Soviet Red Army. After dismissing the Nazi guards to return to their families, he packs a car in the night, and bids farewell to his workers. They give him a letter explaining he is not a criminal, together with a ring engraved with the quotation, "He who saves the life of one man, saves the world entire." Distraught, Schindler leaves with his wife. The Schindler Jews, having slept outside the factory gates through the night, are awakened by sunlight the next morning. A Soviet soldier arrives and announces to the Jews that they have been liberated. The Jews walk to a nearby town in search of food. As they walk abreast, the frame changes to another of the Schindler Jews in the present day at the grave of Oskar Schindler in Israel. The film ends by showing a procession of now-aged Jews who worked in Schindler's factory, each of whom reverently sets a stone on his grave. The actors portraying the major characters walk hand-in-hand with the people they portrayed, also placing stones on Schindler's grave as they pass. We learn that the survivors and descendants of the approximately 1,100 Jews sheltered by Schindler now number over 6,000. The Jewish population of Poland, once numbering in the millions, was at the time of the film's release approximately 4,000. In a final scene, a man places a rose on the grave, and stands contemplatively over it.

In all, a brilliantly well made movie, with the cast giving the performance of their life time.

Also Visit : www.schindlerslist.com and www.auschwitz.dk/Schindlerslist.htm

My ratings on Some Movies

Initially, I had planned on making a combined blog for my favourite books and movies. Looks like I'll need different set for each of my interests. Hope you like my suggestions in movies, coz many consider my choice in movies to be too wierd.

Here are some of my most favourite movies coming up. Do make a reading and decide on whether you'll want to watch it or not. Peace!!