Cinematic Score

Wat a V-day!!!!!

2009-02-13T11:27:00.000-08:00

I watched Dev-D yesterday...
You know what, sitting and watching it there in the theater made me realize how dreadful it must have been for the Jews to live in a concentration camp... cos seriously, I felt like I was sitting in one!!!!
It was suffocatin, irritaing and It felt terrible!
To the point: It was sheer torture for 2.5 hrs... and not for free, at that!!! O_O
The movie was full of dirt cheap humor and too much of disgusting jokes( were they even jokes)??????
The color palette was tooooo heavy with all the colours of the world possibly mixed together..The Paro's zombie looks, Dev's eXXTra Hair-show , and Chanda's OTT make-up was just toooo much to digest...

BuT YoU KnOw WhAt.... When I woke up today morning, I actually thought about the movie and I felt- Come on,it wasnt tat bad after all...
An hr later... I actually thot I liked the movie... It was finally sinking IN!!!!
And I said to myself -After all, its not the typical stereotype clinched movie-type and It does make sense.. at the end of everything...

Lookin bac on it now... the movie is pretty good, i'll say....
Its like a drink( say Vodka)... It burns HARD and tastes YUCK when you take it in...
But once it sinks in,... the head feels lighter and You experience an awesome high...
The Dev-D effect is smthin exactly like that!!! :P :P

If you liked Abhay Deol's 'Ek Chalis' and 'Oye Lucky'.. then I think you will love this one, undoubtedly!!!! Else, you wont.. Period.

A perfect movie for singles to watch on V-day though :P :P

Tauba tera Jalwa... tauba tera pyaaaaaaaar... tera emosional Attyachaar!!!!!!!!! veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

P.S: The best thing abt the movie- the three dancers seen in the pic above!!! Check them out!!!!!!!!!!

2008.. the movies till now!!

2008-09-07T23:56:00.000-07:00

After Mithya, there have been only 2 movies in 2008(till now i.e.), which I really wanted to blog and share my thoughts about- AAMIR and MUMBAI MERI JAAN......
I kno its really late to be talking on AAMIR, but according to me its bin' the best movie of the year, and I am finally glad to be writing my views about that movie too...
OK,Later abt AAMIR...But first let me start with the movie I had watched last week- MUMBAI MERI JAAN!!!! :)

MUMABI MERI JAAN

It wasnt a movie just about the the Mumbai 2006 bomb blasts.. It went deeper than that!!!It potrayed the lives of Mumbaikars at a more psychological level; exploring their fears,the pain,insecurity,helplessness and the simple day-to-day tragedies that they face and still live with!!

A 60 yr-old retiring hawaldar, a southindian roadside chai-wala, a techie/corporate guy against the braindrain of India, a journalist lost in her own web of media-harrassment!!! Gosh, where were these characters hiding till now... Could there be any more variety asked for??? Lets go a bit in detail....

When was the last time an ordinary hawaldar's life was explored.... When was it that anyone talked about a simple retiring hawaldar's dreams, his hopes, his aspirations, his defeats and failures...
THE BIGGEST Q- Why did he actually remain a hawaldar all his life???

Is it inbuilt in the Mumbai policemen to get bribed and allow a bar be remain open all night... or is it a tradition they are taught all along???? What abt when a policeman goes against it?? What does he feel when he fails even though he does the RIGHT thing????
Do policemen cry too??? Of course they do, they have hearts too, just like us.. They have their own aspirations and they get hurt when their dreams and hopes crash!!! They feel the need to be happy too............

And what about the corporate guy who prefers to stay in India while all his friends are being a part of the BRAIN-DRAIN movement!! Why is he considered any lesser?? He has his own fears of life to deal with, besides the fact that he could have lost his own life in the blast!! But then he learns his lesson too,... -Terrorism can hit any part of the World.. and not just MUMBAI/INDIA!!!!
And happiness can be found anywhere in the world... its all in your HEAD!.. or rather in your HEART!!!

Now lets take a peep into the mind of an angry and xenophobic unemployed young man.
He knows he should be looking for a job,...trying to make something good out of the hard-worked education he has had!! But his mind refuses to deny that every Muslim is a terrorist!!!
He struggles with the games his mind plays with him.. However, he is lucky to overcome his negativity so soon(its a movie after all)...But, What about the thousand other youngsters who still live life like a curse,...just becuase one incident in thier life made them believe that all the other religions in the world are against them forever!!!!!

The EVER-SO-EXCITED MEDIA knows very well how to make a masaledaar PRIME TIME News out of someone's family tragedy and a humanlife disaster..... A murder case is supercool and a bomb-blast is EXCITING!!! How can the news-makers be so cold....Have they forgotten what it feels like to cry, or do they have to be reminded how it feels by makin them go thru it?????
In this movie, they do.... when a broadcast journalist loses her fiance in the bomb-blast... (Shh....I wont talk abt this one.. its the best track in the movie.. Watch it to get blown away by Soha's acting-She Rocks!!!)

Now comes the Tamilian Chaiwala's turn!!!! In terms of film-making, this track was the best.... The way an uneducated-poor man is humiliated for a mistake and the way he turns from Good to Bad and to Good once again, is a beauty of the human-nature in itself...
Here I must not forget to mention- 'The Power of a Rupee'... It can do great things... From raising bomb hoaxes, to buying a rose for an old-man... A rupee can do a lot... Ask the chai-wala... He would know afterall!!! :)

The movie wasnt exactly pacy or nerve-wrecking grippy at any point,but it had an amazing momentum of its own.. At the end of it, you realise that it went slow bcos it needed you to absorb every aspect of the stories interweaved together... making you feel evry characters pain as your own... And that it does perfectly!!!

Life in Mumbai is a struggle(may be a bit more than at other places. may be less.. but struggle nonetheless!!!)...
Each person in this city would have a great tale to tell you.. about his/her life in the city and how difficult it is to survive... But what makes the city special???- The 'Mumbaiyya spirit' as they call it... Mumbaikars know one thing for sure--- Life has to go on... and So... They live on!!!

'Aye Dil hai mushkil jeena yahan.. zara hatke , zara bachke.. yeh hai Bombay meri Jaan' :)

AAMIR

Once again, the same old city of Mumbai... The story- the same old Hindu-Musalmaan jhagda topic yaar!!!! But wat makes this movie different....
Its the approach towards life, towards the situation....
Movies come and go.. But this one makes an IMPACT, and a big one at that!!!

The greatest thing abt the movie is the message it gives us- Aadmi apni kismat khud nahi likhta... A man cannot decide entirely how his life goes about... His life is not in his hands... But then, He always has a choice. A choice to be right or wrong.. To be great or to be small... A choice to be a HERO or to be not!!!

A choice to live a life... or a choice to live for others... or to end it for others... Which is greater???? Or do they weigh the same???
But the greatest comes when he was able to do both---- and thats what our Hero does here... He is a DOCTOR and He gives up his life to save others from a bomb blast which he is forced to make happen!!!!!!!
Now, thats a great life lived!!!! :) :)

Time and again, the same questions are raised- Why are we fighting?? Why are we making each others suffer in the name of religion?? Where did this much hatred come from??? Why are we living a life like this??? ....The brutality we commit on the people of our own religion... Wat do we get out of it???

Well, these are some questions that can never be answered... But the BIGGEST Q has to be answered by you...
Just in case,... If you were in the situation of Aamir.. think what would you do???

We all do have a choice in life.. A choice towards Peace or Towards Destruction!!!!The answer to that lies only WITHIN YOU... Ask yourself and you'd know!!!!!!!

Mithya.... the illusion of reality!!

2008-02-21T10:19:00.000-08:00

'Mithya' is meaningful cinema.... Ironic, sarcastic at times,..... not provoking exactly, but it will poke u just at the right points in ur heart, to make you feel the
unfulfillment in life you always felt,but rather put off or brushed away, just taking it 'LITE', as most of us refer to these days!
'Mithya' is about wat 'Life' does to you while you are planning for 'it'... or rather when you stop writing plans cos you kno they wont work anyways!!!!Cos sometimes,
'life' has a plan for itself!!!!
Most of us keep searching all our lives for our 'true self',..our 'Identity', our 'calling'.. We keep dreaming...dreaming of love,success...we spend days n nights trying to
search for something to make our life fulfilling....We try hard not to give up... We all go thru the lull period where we are competely drained of hope, some terrible moments when the hyper-tensions evoked due to our fears take toll on us, and there are times causing loss of hope with outrageous anger we feel towards ourselves and our lives!!!

But we still live on, for that one moment, that might make everything worthwhile... that feeling which might be worth all that pain... for that one moment, which would last for an eternity..LIFE is all about that one single moment :)
The fact that we never give up on our dreams even when there's little hope left... is so perfectly depicted time n again in the movie when Ranvir has totally lost his
identity, but his madness and his passion for his dreams doesnt just GO!! I guess our inner self and its dreamworld sticks with us, no matter wat we become at different points of time in life...

Life plays wierd games... some get wat they want... some dont... some feel life within the emptiness that surrounds them, for some... life gives a second chance...But of course, you should want for it to come!!!Life will give you chances if you are willing to take them...

Well, i kno this is not a review of the movie... But its just wat i felt from it...

Watch the movie...i m sure u will have u ur own perception too for it.... cos for each one of us, this movie has the abiltity to gave a different meaning..Its an 'ILLUSION' anyways.. as the name suggests ;)

Oh yeah, i forgot to mention... Sometimes, Death can be more fulfilling than life itself!!!!
Reality bites... Sometimes...Illusion does too ;) ..............................................

P.S: Ranbir Shorey, I am totally in love with you :) ....

Where are the Tickets???

2007-12-28T20:50:00.000-08:00

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)

2007-12-25T01:13:00.000-08:00

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!!!

2007-12-23T10:02:00.000-08:00

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)

2007-11-08T10:10:00.000-08:00

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

2007-11-04T00:04:00.000-07:00

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)

2007-09-17T21:56:00.000-07:00

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)

2007-09-17T21:07:00.000-07:00

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)

2007-09-17T20:59:00.001-07:00

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

2007-09-15T11:47:00.000-07:00

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!!