Review - Amelie

Amelie is like a cool breeze. It is refreshingly original, charming and funny at the same time.

Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet's 2001 film "Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain" is a wonderful piece of cinema. It is a perfect feel-good film, leaves you with a smile at the end credits. The film portrays a whimsical yet fairly realistic facet of Paris - the people, the landscape, the atmosphere - its all quintessentially français.

The film is about a young naive girl, Amelie Poulain, who helps all the people around her and finds love along the way.

The film is a writing marvel. Some of the instances in the film are strikingly original and innovative at the same time. Let it be the scene where Amelie guides Nino with various signs along the road, or the scene in which Amelie reproduces the letter of her neighbour with cutting/pasting and photocopying. Or be it be the small plot regarding garden gnome travelling across the world - the film has excellent screenplay. Director Jean and

Guillaume Laurant should be congratulated for such a high grade of witty writing.

Audrey Tautou is the main attraction here - her Amelie is cute and lovable - yet wicked, but in a sweet way. Audrey has a charming smile, her innocent face may remind you of some 8-year old school-girl. She has played Amelie with such dynamism that you know that she is Amelie and no one else would have played that role instead of her.

Shot extensively with yellow-golden hues by Bruno Delbonnel, the film showcases some beautifully composed shots ever put on screen. Music by Yann Tiersen is lovely - showcasing use of accordion at its best.

The film is not without flaws, specially in the middle, the film somewhat drags. But overall, if you miss Amelie, you will probably miss 2 hours of joy and happiness.

3.5/5

 

Review - Moonrise Kingdom

This young love is indeed sweet and delightful

Someone's missing, chief?

 Moonrise Kingdom is a typical Wes Anderson film (The Royal Tenenbaums, The Darjeeling Limited, Fantastic Mr. Fox) - quirky, charming and extremely funny.. It is about a 12-year old couple, Sam and Suzy, who run away to an isolated island somewhere off the coast of New England, causing an absolute chaos in the respective families.

Sam and Suzy met first time during a church performance by Benjamin Britten, causing love at first sight for both of them. They become pen pals, sharing their secrets and day to day incidents. Both of them had their problems - Sam was an orphan and least popular among his fellow boy scouts and his foster parents; while Suzy felt neglected by her parents and often thought that she was a 'troubled child'. Hence, both of them made a plan to run away. Khaki Scout leader Randy Ward (Edward Norton) creates a search party of boy scouts to find them, while Captain Sharp (Bruce Willis) also engages in search.

Both the leads, Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward gave a very natural and unforced performance which is rather rare to find in the age group of pre-teens. Edward Norton and Bill Murray (playing father of Suzy) are absolute delight to watch - specially Norton, whose comic timing is impeccable. We also have Tilda Swinton in a short role of Social Services official - she is just amazing.

Strength of Moonrise Kingdom, however, is its writing - the whole story evokes nostalgia - bed-time story feel,  much to the credit of Wes Anderson,  he treated this film as a part-fantasy. If there is anything such as 'visual comic timing', then Wes Anderson is a master of it. The dialogs are witty and clever and there is never a dull moment in the 96-minutes run time. Music by Alexandre Desplat is whimsical and as always, fits perfectly to the film.

Moonrise Kingdom is an amazing film - it feels that you have seen the landscapes, the characters in your childhood - which is the best thing about the film. However, a word to parents of small kids - there is a scene involving both the leads where they explore their sexuality - which might be too bold for some of the audiences' taste. Rest is highly entertaining, joyful and funny ride. Don't miss it.

3.5/5

Short Review - Snatch

Guy Ritchie's 2001 crime/comedy 'Snatch' is pretty similar to his 1998 film Lost, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, but it is hardly as funny or engaging as the later. Weird and exaggerated characters (which includes a wonderful turn by Brad Pitt as indecipherable gypsy) along with "fabricated from top to bottom" plot, Snatch offers some good laughs. The story is somehow needlessly complex, and the various subplots do not churn out very nicely together. 
Ritchie is always known for his style, and Snatch never falls short in that department - swift cuts, rocking music and some innovative narrative devices. But style cannot lead substance, can it?
Unfortunately at the very end, the film hardly delivers excitement and sheer fun which it promises. In short, Snatch is above average stuff. If you pass this one, you'll hardly miss anything special.

2.5/5

Review : The Village (2004)

Despite of logical plot holes, The Village works mainly because of its basic concept, eerie atmosphere and wonderful performances

The review may contain possible spoilers.

M. Night Shyamalan is known for his twist endings - Some of them worked wonderfully (The Sixth Sense) and some others were universally panned (Lady in the Water). The Village, however, is a borderline case - its twist works and it doesn't. Set in a brooding isolated town, The Village tells a story about people believing that their "pact" with mysterious creatures larking in the nearby woods has ended.

To some viewers, the whole idea of some group of people creating their own isolated community, cut off from the whole world in a wildlife preserve may seem illogical, but you can give credit to the basic idea - how better the world will be without all the crimes. Mr. Shyamalan had good intentions, although the script was a bit faulty.

The film features stellar cast like Joaquin Phoenix, Adrien Brody, Sigourney Weaver and William Hurt, but among them all, Bryce Dallas Howard, playing the lead Ivy Walker, steals the show. Her character is blind and yet Bryce played it with such a strength and power that Ivy never looks weak or helpless. She has mesmerizing eyes which gives you a tinge of innocent. The scene in the end where Ivy reaches the "town" for the medicines and not knowing that she has stepped into 21st century is brilliantly acted.

James Newton Howard's music is eerie and yet very soothing. The movie is gorgeously shot by Roger Deakins. The Village has downright chilling atmosphere - the village is very quite, silent, like calm before storm.In the very end, Shyamalan is a good director and no so good writer. The Village is worth a watch, only if you watch it with open mind and stop applying your logic for a bit.

3.5/5

Titanic 3D - Review

3D makes you relive those moments - those moments of passion, terror and tragedy. Titanic in every dimension, is spectacular...

 

"How extraordinary! And it looks the same as it did the last time I saw it.  The reflection has changed a bit."

These lines were told by Rose (played by wonderful Gloria Stuart) when she first sees an old mirror from Titanic, restored from the wreck. Same goes for this 1997 film, which created a history, a phenomenon - which is the fifth highest grossing film of all time (yes, ahead of Avatar, if you adjust for inflation) and is now presented in post-converted 3D by the director James Cameron. When it was released all those years ago, experts predicted it a box-office bomb. Cameron had to fight with studio executives for its budget and length. But against all odds, Titanic was perhaps most successful film of modern cinema. 

The film starts as a treasure hunting film, and then it goes to flashback - how Rose was unhappy - how she was trapped in the fake high class society - how Jack brought up Rose's carefree, full of life spirit - how the Ship met its tragic day and how ultimately the whole event altered Rose's life.

Leonardo Di Caprio played Jack with high spirit and vigor. "I am the king of the world", he screams at top of his lungs standing on the edge of the Titanic. But Kate Winslet steals the show - specially her last scene - the scene where she gathers all of the air from his lungs and blows the whistle - marvelous. Billy Zane's Cal is cartoonish, stereotypical and yet fun. Kathy Bates leaves quite an impression in her short but well performed role of Molly Brown.

But hero of the film is James Cameron - his direction, his vision and his presentation. Ranging from subtle transition shots of young Rose to 100 years Rose, to sweeping shots of the ship in early scenes and finally the splitting of the ship - Cameron uses his camera in a most effective manner and presents director of photography's (Russell Carpenter) work as the best he can. Visual effects are a milestone for modern cinema, even after 15 years they never feel outdated or imposed. Music by James Horner is remarkable - vocals by Sissel Kyrkjebø, amazing use of flute and bagpipe with Irish touch is outstanding. Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On" is annoying - however it does complies with film's schmaltzy romance.

Script is flawed - specially the dialogues, they are too flawed. Cheesy, cringe worthy and unintentionally funny. Since James Cameron is no Aaron Sorkin, his script is mercilessly stuffed with typical Hollywood romance and conventional storyline. A poor boy meets rich girl, the girl falls for the boy, they fall in love; girl's family disapprove of the boy - I don't know how many Bollywood films will resemble this story. 

3D conversion for Titanic is pretty good - some standout scenes in 3D include a very early scene where Rose gets out of her car wearing an enormous hat, the departure of Titanic, "King of the World" scene, "I am flying" scene, Rose and Jack running through the steam in the engine compartment, and almost every scene of the last hour. 3D however, does decreases the brightness. If you take off the glasses and you can see how dark the footage becomes. But that's just nitpicking, the film is pretty bright with glasses as well.

It is hard to find someone who hasn't seen Titanic yet. Almost everyone has seen it. And yet, each time you see it, it brings something new, something resounding. Titanic is a homage to all those souls who died on that tragic night. It is a wonderful piece of cinema, and a certain classic.