Chungking Express

"Coolest movie", and very enjoyable. The movie consists of 2 stories of 2 cops, who just had a breakup. It's brilliant in the way the mundane-ness of everyday life is shown so interesting...

...giving voice to our irrational thoughts,
Cop223: We're all unlucky in love sometimes. When I am, I go jogging. The body loses water when you jog, so you have none left for tears.
Cop223:We split up on April Fool's Day. So I decided to let the joke run for a month. Every day I buy a can of pineapple with a sell-by date of May 1. May loves pineapple, and May 1 is my birthday. If May hasn't changed her mind by the time I've bought thirty cans, then our love will also expire.

...giving form to the spirits within, the way Faye Wong dances for the "California Dreaming" going on and on and loud, to block all the thoughts, and hand-held camera work, enigma.. the Blond-raincoat-and-shades-wearing-Asian-girl: Somehow I've become very cautious. When I put on a raincoat, I put on sunglasses too. Who knows when it will rain, or when it will turn out sunny?

...giving music that takes you right into the scene, Hindustani raagas, Reggae, California Dreaming all so well mixed and just right for the scene.




And here's Quentin Tarantino on Chungking Express

The Bitter Tea of General Yen (1933)

This is one of the best movies made by Frank Capra. Even though there are very famous movies of him like "Its a Wonderful Life", this movie represents one of his best work. Although this was not a box office success when it was released, this movie is intensely made and it deserves all the acclaim that it got today. Each and every emotion is intensely depicted. This movie is about ill-fated love between a certain Chinese Warlord called Yen and a American Missionary known as Megan Davis (played by Barbara Stanwyck). Initially the movie shows two young missionaries (Bob and Davis) in China who are to be married. Their marriage gets postponed as they had to save some orphans in the spreading Civil War. Bob asks General Yen to give him a safe passage pass, but Yen does not believe at all in this missionary stuff, so he handles him a worthless paper describing his foolishness. So when Bob and Davis tries to save the orphans amidst of this Civil war, the chaos strikes them and both get unconscious and get separated. Davis gains her consciousness in the Yen's private train. From then onwards Yen develops a dangerous fascination towards this extremely beautiful and high spirited Davis (american missionary). Slowly as the movie progresses Davis' own attraction towards Yen is brilliantly depicted by Capra in a dream in which she allows him to kiss her. The costumes used are totally exotic and beautiful. The movie content is highly controversial and it is even banned in England for depicting a missionary fall in love with a cruel Chinese warlord.

Psycho (1960)

By now most of us have seen this movie multiple times. I just want to put up some of the dialogs that I liked from this movie. And one more thing to mention, this movie is among the first psychological thrillers ever made. The murder scene in the bathroom is supposed to be one of the most famous and tough shots of Hollywood. And not to forget all the remakes of this famous movie just didn't work out at all. I will just list out some of the dialogs I liked from this movie Psycho directed by Alfred Hitchcock ..

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This is the conversation between Marion and the salesman when Marion trades her car with the one in the showroom. Remember Marion is in a real hurry .. :)

SALESMAN:
Well, it's the first time a customer ever high-pressured the salesman! Uh-figure roughly--your car plus seven hundred dollars.
MARION:
Seven hundred?
SALESMAN:
Ah, you always got time to argue money, huh?
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This is the conversation between Norman Bates and his mother when Bates tries to arrange a dinner for Marion.

WOMAN'S VOICE:
No! I tell you no! I won't have you bringing strange young girls in here for supper--by candlelight, I suppose, in the cheap erotic fashion of young men with cheap erotic minds!
NORMAN:
Mother, please!
WOMAN:
And then what, after supper? Music? Whispers?
NORMAN:
Mother, she's just a stranger! She's hungry and it's raining out.
WOMAN:
(mocking) 'Mother, she's just a stranger.' As if men don't desire strangers. Ah! I refuse to speak of disgusting things, because they disgust me! Do you understand, boy? Go on! Go tell her she'll not be appeasing her ugly appetite with my food, or my son! Or do I have to tell her 'cause you don't have the guts, boy? Huh, boy? You have the guts, boy?
NORMAN:
Shut up! Shut up!
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This is the dialog that Marion has with the Bates Motel owner while having her dinner. By now Marion has stolen the 40000$ from her working place and is fleeing away from the police and private detectives. This conversation makes you feel that Bates is the Psychooooooooooooo.. :)


NORMAN:
It's all for you. I'm not hungry. Go ahead. (delightedly watching her eat) You--you eat like a bird.
MARION:
(nodding to the stuffed birds) You'd know, of course.
NORMAN:
No, not really. Anyway, I hear the expression 'eats like a bird'--is really a fals- fals- falsity. Because birds really eat a tremendous lot. But I don't really know anything about birds. My hobby is stuffing things--you know--taxidermy. And I guess I'd just rather stuff birds because I hate the look of beasts when they're stuffed--you know, foxes and chimps. Some people even stuff dogs and cats--but, oh, I can't do that. I think only birds look well stuffed because--well, because they're kind of passive to begin with.
MARION:
It's a strange hobby. Curious.
NORMAN:
Uncommon, too.
MARION:
Oh, I imagine so.
NORMAN:
And it's not as expensive as you'd think. It's cheap really. You know--needles and thread, sawdust. The chemicals are the only thing that cost anything.
MARION:
A man should have a hobby.
NORMAN:
(sitting back) Well, it's--it's more than a hobby. A hobby's supposed to pass the time--not fill it.
MARION:
Is your time so empty?
NORMAN:
No, uh--well, I run the office, and uh, tend the cabins and grounds, and--and do little errands for my mother--the ones she allows I might be capable of doing.
MARION:
Do you go out with friends?
NORMAN:
(pause) Well, uh--a boy's best friend is his mother. (Marion tries not to react.) You've never had an empty moment in your entire life, have you?
MARION:
Only my share.
NORMAN:
Where are you going? (when Marion doesn't answer right away...) I didn't mean to pry.
MARION:
Um--I'm looking for a private island.
NORMAN:
(leaning forward) What are you running away from?
MARION:
(taken aback) W-why do you ask that?
NORMAN:
(shaking his head, relaxing back into his chair) No. People never run away from anything. The rain didn't last long, did it. You know what I think? I think that we're all in our private traps--clamped in them. And none of us can ever get out. We--we scratch and claw, but only at the air--only at each other. And for all of it, we never budge an inch.
MARION:
Sometimes we deliberately step into those traps.
NORMAN:
I was born in mine. I don't mind it anymore.
MARION:
Oh, but you should. You should mind it.
NORMAN:
Oh, I do (laughs) but I say I don't.
MARION:
You know, if anyone ever talked to me the way I heard--the way she spoke to you--
NORMAN:
Sometimes--when she talks to me like that--I feel I'd like to go up there--and curse her--and-and-and leave her forever! Or at least defy her. But I know I can't. She's ill.
MARION:
She sounded strong.
NORMAN:
No, I mean--ill. She had to raise me all by herself, after my father died. I was only five and it must've been quite a strain for her. I mean, she didn't have to go to work or anything like that. He left her a little money. Anyway, a few years ago Mother met this man, and he talked her into building this motel. He could've talked her into anything. And when he died too, it was just too great a shock for her. And--and the way he died--(laughs) I guess it's nothing to talk about while you're eating. (Marion breaks her enthrallment, looks at the food in her hand and smiles.)

Anyway, it was just too great a loss for her. She had nothing left.

MARION:
Except you.
NORMAN:
Well, a son is a poor substitute for a lover.
MARION:
Why don't you go away?
NORMAN:
To a private island, like you?
MARION:
No, not like me.
NORMAN:
I couldn't do that. Who'd look after her? She'd be alone up there. The fire would go out. It'd be cold and damp like a grave. If you love someone, you don't do that to them even if you hate them. You understand that I don't hate her--I hate what she's become. I hate the illness.
MARION:
Wouldn't it be better--if you put her--someplace--?
NORMAN:
(Norman's demeanor darkens. He leans forward.) You mean an institution? A madhouse! People always call a madhouse 'someplace,' don't they. 'Put her in--someplace.'
MARION:
I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean it to sound uncaring.
NORMAN:
What do you know about caring. Have you ever seen the inside of one of those places? The laughing and the tears--and the cruel eyes studying you. My mother there! But she's harmless! Wh-- she's as harmless as one of those stuffed birds!
MARION:
I am sorry. I only felt--it seems she's hurting you. I meant well. (Marion is more than a little spooked by his personality transformation.)
NORMAN:
People always mean well! They cluck their thick tongues and shake their heads and suggest, oh so very delicately--! (He sits back. The storm is over. Gently:) Of course, I've suggested it myself. But I hate to even think about it. She needs me. It-it's not as if she were a--a maniac--a raving thing. She just goes a little mad sometimes. We all go a little mad sometimes. Haven't you?
MARION:
(her concern relaxed) Yes. Sometimes just one time can be enough. Thank you.
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Adam's æbler aka Adam's Apples

Saw this movie with no prior information as CG suggested and thoroughly enjoyed it. Its about a neo-nazi being sent for reform to a church under the supervision of a priest, Ivan. Ivan has an extreme sense of faith and positive outlook to everything. Adam is constantly trying to achieve one simple goal he set for himself, to bake an apple pie. While on this task he is stubborn to not rub off any of the faith or goodness from Ivan. There is a constant tension of will Adam-raise-to-good or Ivan-loose-his-faith and the contrast is interesting. Overall its a great story, with intelligent twists and a thoroughly enjoyable dialog, that gives the characters a full personality. You actually get them, their style, their act, their talk and even what they think like. A MUST SEE

Casino

Yet another gem from the classic combination of Scorsese, De Niro and Joe Pesci. Joe Pesci is undoubtedly one of the best comedians of the 70s and 80s. He is hilarious in this movie. His dialogue delivery is so swift and funny that you will end up laughing like a drain. This movie features the rise and fall of a Casino bookie known as Ace (played by De Niro). Also features Sharon Stone as a drug addict with whom Ace falls in love. This movie is half narrated by De Niro and half narrated by Pesci. Throughout the movie Ace struggles with the friendship of Nicky (Pesci) and the love for Ginger (Sharon Stone). Features a great background score and highly stylist shots which makes me remember the movies of Guy Ritchie. A must see for people who like mafia stuff glorified.. :)

Leben der Anderen, Das a.k.a. Lives of Others

2007 Academy award winner for Best foreign film...
The story is about strict surveillance executed in East Germany before the collapse of Berlin wall.
About how one of the officer who was to listen, transcript every movement of a writer begins to admire the writer as he sees the "system" he believes in is being misused by the few powerful.
Wont say more about the story. As the movie roles on, for me it actually allows me to think through, feel and own the acts of the characters, like I am in their skin in their story.
Viewing the whole movie I cant think of even one frame or word or expression being better or different, it is so finely done.

One thumb rule I am beginning to follow is, "Most Academy award winners for Best foreign film are a must-see!"

Rebecca

The Hitchcock marathon continues .. :) Rebecca is a psychological thriller in which every character is haunted by their own minds. There is no one to catch or there is no mystery to be solved but the characters are deeply haunted by some thing or the other throughout the movie. Mr De Winters who is depressed with the death of his wife Rebecca marries a naive and modest young woman who enters the Manderley only to find that everyone there adores Rebecca. As time passes she feels more and more alien to the Manderley palace. It seems as if Rebecca is the one who decides the course of events in everyone's lives in the Manderley palace even though she is dead a long time back. The second Mrs De Winters tries desperately to be loved by De Winters only to find that he is haunted every moment by the death and memories of Rebecca. Hitchcock launched his career in Hollywood with this movie and this movie went onto become one of all time great movies. This movie is also considered by many to be the best work of the "Master of Suspense".

Marnie

This is a movie which is more closely related to psychoanalysis and has a kleptomaniac as its protagonist known as Marnie. This is one of the not so well known flicks of Hitchcock. Marnie is a compulsive thief who uses her beauty to trap the employers to get herself a job and then eventually robs them. This thing continues till she enters the Rutland's publishing company which is owned by Mark (played by Sean Connery). But at Rutland's she gets caught by Mark who forces her to marry him in spite of her sickness. Mark desperately tries to help her to get over her psychological sicknesses. But she never lets him come near her even after the marriage. Mark tries to get to the core of the problem and finds that Marnie has a repetitive dream in which she refers to her Mama. Though this movie is not up to the expectations of a Hitchcock movie I think it has psychoanalytical relevance and also offers insight about the origins of a repetitive and haunting dream.

The lady vanishes

This movie is set in a train where a young woman travels with an old lady known as Miss Froy. Now the young lady falls asleep and wakes up to find out that Froy has disappeared into thin air. Everyone in the train including the ones in the compartment claim that they have never seen any such lady with any such features described by this young woman. All the passengers in the train suddenly start behaving mysteriously and once again kudos to Hitchcock for weaving such a beautiful mystery with minimal possible resources. The pursuing investigation depicts the young lady just had some wild hallucinations and there never was such a lady known as Miss Froy on the train. But the young lady could not believe that such vivid memories were only hallucinations. She finally finds a companion who would believe in her and agrees to help her in the the investigation of the vanishing lady. This is a lightweight suspense movie with all the characters beautifully woven by Hitchcock. Again the suspense lasts till the final minute when all the pieces start falling into place.

The 39 steps

This is a movie about a gentleman who gets himself into the middle of a dangerous spy game trying to help a spy lady who eventually gets killed. Now this man is accused of the murder of this spy lady and then he is literally left with no one who would believe him. Throughout the movie this guy gets chased chased chased .. This movie has all the characteristics of a Hitchcockian classic and is supposed to have launched the career of Hitchcock. The whole plot unveils only in the final five minutes of the film. After seeing several of his movies I started feeling that maintaining the suspense till last minute is quite an art in itself.

A Peck on the Cheek

This is a story about the search for the birth mother of a cute-naughty girl Amuda, with her loving and foster parent. The movie shows a nice juxtaposition of motherly love, love for nation, fear and terrorism as they search for Amuda's birth-mother. With all the intense terrorism and blasts there is a nice tone of humor in the portrayal of Amuda's present family and their love story. Words are less and best when used, like in all Maniratnam's movies that stand apart from the mostly verbose Indian movies.

Paths of Glory

This is a film about the class differences in the French army during WW1 and is directed by Stanley Kubrick. This film depicts the suicidal ant hill mission where the French army tries to take on a hill well defended by the Germans. It depicts the lower classes in the army(like the soldiers) to be much more morally responsible and integrated than the higher classes. Throughout the movie there is a moral degradation of the higher class generals in search of promotion or fame. The degradation goes so far as to give an order to attack their own army. Kirk Douglas gives a brilliant performance in his role as an officer who tries to fight all the vile stuff that goes on during this movie. This is one of the best Kubrick movies I have seen.

One Hour Photo

This movie is about a weird photo guy Sy Parrish(played by Robin Williams). Sy tries to escape his solitary and monotonous job by observing and admiring the family photos of Yorkins. Slowly this admiration turns into a dangerous obsession. And this obsession jeopardizes his career and he loses his job. Throughout the movie Sy tries to get closer to the Yorkins in a desperate manner. We can observe this when he tries to get a gift for little Jake or when he tries to get closer to Mrs Yorkins by trying to read the same book as Mrs Yorkins does. But this never really happens due to standoffish nature of the society. For those who like psychologically stimulating thrillers this mus be a good watch.

Anita and Me

One more movie of the theme: diaspora, but very differently handled. Its interesting to see how did different cultures interact. This movie is about growing up and friendship of a 12 year old Indian(east) girl: Meena with a pretty blond: Anita in England in 1970's.

Bend It Like Beckham is an entertainer but this one is a classic. The movie touches various topics: racism, growing-up, diaspora and friendship all with a nice sense of humor. The thick Black-country accent is hard to follow but going through the story from the child perspective helps us hold our attention.

I always love movies on this theme. I feel a natural curiousity to understand how different cultures are read or perceived out of their context. Other movies on Indian(east) diaspora are: Bend it like Beckham, Namesake, Mitr: The Friend, American Desi. If interested in this genre do check out Russel Petter's Stand Up Comedy( yes, you can you can find it on YouTube :) .

Anita and Me stands out for sure from the list above,
- in its slightly French-movie(cute like in Amelie) like narration,
- set up in 70's and
- it surely dealt it at a greater depth than superficial stereotype humor.

Drunken Master (Jui kuen)

Saw this one few days ago, a kung-fu classic out of my recent uprising Martial Arts appreciation. Jacky Chan is always action + humor but its the later half of the movie you realise why the movie is a classic . Here is a glimpse of the drunken kung fu moves towards the end of the movie.




Jacky Chan is brilliant and so is the action choreography, storyline is bit loose. If you are just into the action and sweat , just jump to the middle of the movie and start watching.

Crash

Saw this movie last weekend and pretty impressed with the message it conveyed. Narrated in similar fashion of Amerros Perros. I like this movie for the fact that it illustrates racism, such a sensitive subject in a very mature and balanced way. Movie being such a gripping medium forces people into believing certain philosophies through a strong story. But this masterpiece doesn't draw any conclusions or statements but allows viewers to see the criss-crossed confusions in our heads with a bunch of connected stories.

Watching this film I felt, that Racism doesn't exists only in how the "other" treats you but also in how "we" perceive ourselves. Like fear doesn't exists without our acknowledgment of it.

Awakenings

This is the story of a neurologist Sayer(played by Robin Williams) who tries to solve a intricate pathological situation related to a set of patients who survived the Encephalitis Lethargica (also known as Sleeping Sickness) outbreak in 1920s. But almost all these patients who survived this disease were in a catatonic state ever since. Sayer was hired to diagnose and treat this condition. This movie depicts the struggle of patients to fight and the struggle of doctors to treat some of the impossible diseases. Robert De Niro plays the protagonist (Leonardo) as one of the patients on whom Slayer experiments using a new drug called L Dopa which is actually devised to treat Parkinsonian patients. Sayer somehow believes that this drug will eventually awaken the catatonic state of the patients. So he goes onto try this drug on Leonardo. After he tries this drug several interesting miracles take place during the course of the movie. Both Robin Williams nd De Niro were at their best ..a mus see..

King Kong (1933)

This older version of the movie is released in 1933 which is 72 years before the newer version.

Oh no, it wasn't the airplanes. It was beauty killed the beast.

is the last dialogue of this classic version of King Kong. And this dialogue alone describes the whole wisdom of this movie and the reason why this movie is one of the greatest movies ever made. Here BEAST becomes the metaphor for senses and BEAUTY refers to the sense objects. So this classic version is built on the very basic moral fundamental that even if a king craves for sensual objects outside the realm of rationalism, he is subject to destruction in no time. Just a few days before, I saw the newer version of King Kong and it gave me a mild impression "Wow nice graphics" and nothing else. In the newer version the protagonists become friends of the King Kong which is so unrealistic, considering the highly insecure nature of the present day people. After watching this newer version I was so reluctant to see the classic version thinking that it would be same bullshit. But the classic version escaped all these silly hypocrisies and went onto destroy the beast mercilessly and hence entered the list of beautiful classics...

Letters From Iwo Jima

For all those who like wartime flicks this is a must. Brilliantly directed by Clint Eastwood, this movie depicts the Battle of Iwo Jima from point of view of Japanese soldiers (features english subtitles). This same battle was also shown from the American point of view in "Flags of our fathers" also directed by Clint Eastwood. The battle is a part of world war II and features some of the fiercest fighting of the war. The name of the movie refers to the letters written by Lieutenant General Tadamichi Kuribayashi starring Ken Watanabe (of The Last Samurai fame). This movie depicts the helplessness of the Japanese soldiers due to lack of the reinforcements from the headquarters. All the Japanese soldiers on the island are bound to die and they show great courage till the last moment of the battle. Some of the soldiers are ordered to commit suicide by their Commanders hence depicting the wartime irrationality. The movie also has a protagonist called Saigo who is a baker conscripted to Japanese army. He is like a witness to all that goes on during this battle. He is repeatedly saved by the general Kuribayashi who orders him to do some errands potentially saving his life. The background score of the movie is wonderful. This movie also won a Oscar for sound editing and also won several other awards. Be sure to concentrate while watching the movie as the names of the locations and faces of the soldiers are pretty alike..

21

Saw 21 this weekend. Me likes mathematicians and maths... been watching Star wars.. got the Yoda's lingo. Will write about Star Wars after we finish watching 1,2 and 3...

Coming back to 21, it is decent... can be shorter. Felt like a mix of Good will Hunting and Ocean's 11
The twist in the tale wasn't mind boggling enough for me. After watching A Beautiful mind, me caught on to Go(a board game), hoping to try Blackjack http://www.hitorstand.net/game_m.html