Weekend Movie Staples

I've just had an amazing weekend filled with many different genres of cinema - English and Hindi.

Friday started off with the gritty Zero Dark Thirty, a fact based, detailed account of the capture of Osama Bin Laden. Leading the pack here was the super versatile, ever dependable, solid performer Jessica Chastain (watch her juggle hats efficiently in The Help, The Debt and I've heard on broadway too) And she is from the bay area - REPRESENT!!! I believe with this movie Kathryn Bigelow has tried to move beyond the fact that she is a 'female' director. 

Vishal Bharadwaj (acclaimed Indian director of Maqbool, Omkara, Kaminey, Makdee, The Blue Umbrella) beckoned and I was off to the cinemas to catch Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola. Alas the potential winner of a concept was lost in translation. Plus - definitely the great Pankaj Kapoor as Harry Mandola is as expected fantabulous. The actor par excellence just goes to prove (he definitely does not need any proving at this point) what a true genius he is, I was awestruck that Abbaji can prove to be such a riot. A goofy grin disappearing to a solemn hard nosed manipulative businessman, a doting drunk dad breaking out into an impromptu bottom shaking dance with the zulu tribe dancers ... bravo. This is the same Abbaji from Maqbool who with a simple gesture, and a slight change in his deep, distinct voice stands heads and shoulders above the rest with his diminutive physical persona. A special shout out to Badal (the rib tickling Arya Babbar) in a fun fun madcap role reveling in its buffoonery. At 2 hrs and 27 minutes long, the movie truely tests your patience as I waited for the groovy title song that only made an appearance at the end of the movie :-S

Also did a bit of a movie night, catching Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana - a simple, small movie with my favorite line "bakwas na kar titu" and a winsome Amit Trivedi soundtrack (a definite rising star this guy) and Rangeela - still so fresh and enjoyable with all its lovable potshots at bollywood, topping off with a helluva tapori performance by Munna aka Aamir Khan and a great Hindi debut soundtrack by the musical genius AR Rahman and a truely inpired, rabble rousing choreography of super hit songs, aah what a throwback to the awesome 90s :-)

Against all my reservations about the movie, I enjoyed the truely amazing story of Life of Pi. Mounted against FANTASTIC visuals by one of my favorite directors - Ang Lee, it was laden with enough amounts of sensitivity and imagination (something that I've taken for granted in an Ang Lee movie). A pleasure to see the amazing Tabu in a small role lending it her evergreen elegance. Am glad though I missed out on reading the book, I got a chance to catch the movie in the theater and be transported to Piscen Molitor's truly magical world.

Must add - the HFPA (when left untreated HPV haha) ought to have given more screen time to the yummy duo ~ Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. Take a bow ladies, an absolute pleasure watching them host the golden globes. They sparkled on stage with utter irreverence, sharp wit and impeccable timing....... more girl power :-)

Been a while since I posted here anything about movies, but my love story with cinema continues and flourishes and thrives, thanks to the wealth of movies easily available. Love Always............

Fashion

Ok this is probably coming in way too late, what with both leads having won national awards, but hey whatever :-)

I must confess I have a strong prejudice against Madhur Bhandarkar movies, barring Chandni Bar. I think his movies reek of stereotypical characters and situations. They seem forced, or more suited for "shock value".

Coming to Fashion, the reasons I mentioned above contribute to some extent against it. Since the name is quite a give away - the turmoils an ambitious girl goes through in the big bad world of fashion, lets delve straight away into some character analysis of the 3 leads - Priyanka aka Meghna, Kangna aka Shonali and Mugdha aka Janet.

PChops does a decent job, is it national award worthy, now thats up for debate and stuff for another post :-). Her character's redemption lies in overcoming personal shortcomings rather than pulling off some larger than life vendetta scheme against the people who have purportedly wronged her. Makes perfect sense, her fight is with her choices not with any one in particular. This was a good takeaway for me from the movie. Hate to mention that her realization sets in with a really contrived, ridiculous incident. Thats Madhur Bhandarkar for you, you feel his touch in all the wrong places.

Raw, edgy characters have become synonymous with Kangna Ranaut, but her bastard screeching, snorting, wailing character, apparently modelled after Gitanjali Nagpal, never goes beyond these adjectives. Its an in your face character which leaves you feeling.... well nothing. Blame the character etching rather than the actress. Watch Gangster if you want the real deal from Kangna. Contrast it with Mugdha's Janet, a character that is never explored to its true potential and leaves you with a lot of unexplained questions. What about her needs, why does she do what she does....For a new comer she plays it with poignant earnestness.

On a closing note, absolutely loved the haunting strains of Mar Jawaan. Overall an ok movie, if only Madhur's movies did not set out to be a treatise on exposing the underbelly of a certain strata in society, they could achieve a lot more.