Good Will Hunting : by Gus Van Sant

I so wanted to see Good Will Hunting which came out in 1997 ,the same year as Titanic.

Finally caught this flick last week , and I must admit it was worth the wait!

Good Will Hunting is a drama film written by the actors Matt Damon and Ben Affleck who also act in this venture.

Matt Damon plays the title role of Will Hunting who is a young laborer going through an emotional turmoil and needs therapy sessions.

Will is a mathematics genius and exceptional with numbers. Professor Gerald from MIT is amazed by this prodigy , and gives him an option to study advance math.

On the condition of saving Will from being convicted of the assault crime & sessions with a therapist , Math learning starts.

The professor tries many a therapists but Hunting treats them with disdain. The film takes off to a new level  , with the advent of psychology professor Sean played by Robin Williams.

Robin Williams plays Sean brilliantly here ; showing utmost patience with the disturbed yet highly talented boy. He is able to overcome Hunting's non responsiveness and after a few sessions , he starts bonding with Sean.

The romance between Will and Skylar is one his emotional struggles in life. He shares everything with Sean resulting in a  strong trust between the two.

Sean motivates him to tap his full potential and reach greater heights in life. Will rejects his plea and does not give an honest answer to his future goals.

Matt Damon plays Will's best friend , Chuckie who pushes Will to accept a neat job offer arranged by the Math professor.

The film culminates at high point where Sean and Hunting have their last therapy session which is absolutely heart warming and heart trending!

The performances here are extraordinaire with Robin Williams taking the honours in "a never seen before taskmaster role" , a well deserved Oscar!

Both Matt Damon and Ben Affleck did a brilliant job to write an original screenplay bagging them the Oscar too.

Alas! , Titanic called the shots in 1997 ....  but 'Good Will Hunting' will remain one of the more deserving films to be seen & revered.

"Relationships enhance your self-worth"  ; "Go find your true potential"

Rating : 3.5/5.0

127 Hours : by Danny Boyle

Danny Boyle gave us the Oscar winning 'Slumdog' and all Indians were mirror-struck  seeing our reflection through the film.

127  Hours is another feather in his cap , a gritty biographical story about the real life adventurer  'Aron Ralston'.

This film is an adaption of the autobiography of Ralston himself.

Starring 'James Franco' as Aron is a biking fanatic and his passion is to cover the Utah terrain on his bike.

One fine day , he embarks on one such adventure , with all geared up accessories except his swiss knife ..

In the process he meets two girl hikers who have lost their way .. Aron makes their path far more interesting and fun , with crazy jumps into the underground canyon pools!

On resuming his trip , Aron climbs down one of the cliffs with boulders between the rocks. One of them is loose , and he falls down with the boulder trapping his arm in between the canyon walls.

127 Hours .... of

"toil , grit , suffering , pain , sorrow , joy , helplessness , resentment , strife , struggle , determination , hope"

James Franco is the next big thing to Hollywood & an extremely talented actor .. he will take the legacy of the Hanks and the De Niro's forward for sure.

An Overwhelming Tale of Courage , Spellbinding Cinematography , Haunting Music by Rahman , Franco is Mesmerizing , Boyle's Unique Film-Making.

Simply enough reasons to catch it !!!!!  70 minutes of true indomitable spirit.

Rating : 4.0/5.0

Udaan : by Vikramaditya Motwane

Udaan , a film I was longing to see since its release. The world was going ga-ga over Inception from Nolan , and a movie in our den was getting critical acclaim but no box office luck.

Udaan , a film of chasing your dreams and living each day to attain it.

Udaan is about a 17 year old Rohan who is expelled from his boarding school , caught red-handed by the warden watching sleaze in a theater outside the campus.

Udaan is about a strict & abusive father played by Ronit Roy who lives with a six year old boy , the half brother of Rohan.

Udaan is about the bonding between the 2 siblings and the cocoon created by their father , trapping them under his vigilance , his rules and his unfair ideals.

Udaan & its screenplay genius ...

• Rohan's plight on leaving the boarding school and missing his friends on the way back to his home.
• Father's indifference and anger on his son's notorious actions , quashing his 'to be a writer' ambitions.
• Rohan's outburst towards his father at his uncle's place.
• The undercurrent between Arjun and Rohan and their initial non-comfort.
• Face off between the father and son on his low engineering grades.
• Hospital sequences , where in Rohan impresses all with his writings
• An apology from the father and his unapologetic instructions to Rohan & Arjun.
• The early morning juggernaut , & its climatic photo finish.

and ... much much more ...

Udaan is simplistic cinema at its best with so much soul into the script , provin it yet again , writing is key to a film.

Udaan has seen the rising of Motwani , the talented director and Rajat Barmecha , the expressive young actor

Udaan , the Best Hindi Flick of 2010. Period.


Rating : 4.5/5.0

Guzaarish : by Sanjay Leela Bhansali

 

Guzaarish , is a story set in Goa about a quadriplegia , Ethan Mascarenhas , one of the finest magicians of the time.

 The protagonist played by Hrithik Roshan , has dealt with his injury with great spirit and a will to live. He has his own radio show where the message of hope is shared with one and all.

Aishwarya plays Sophia , Ethan's caretaker for past 12 years , who with utmost dignity has been his shadow.

Ethan and Sophia share an inseparable unspoken love which is indeed beautiful and lively.

One fine day , Ethan urges to file a petition for euthanasia. His doctor Dr. Nayak, played ably by Suhel Seth and  lawyer friend Divyani played by Shernaz Patel are taken aback by his decision.

There in lies the crux of the plot where his sufferings and pain surrounding his paralyzed life is bought to light.

He shares a unique bond with each character which has been beautifully crafted around the magician's life.

Doctor : A human whose profession is to give life to people.

Lawyer  : A Friend and a well-wisher , who has seen the adversity of Ethan.

Nurse : A dignified worker , who has dedicated all her life towards the betterment of Ethan.

Mother : Heart wrenching emotions of a mother who wants to set her son free.

Lover : Sacrificial love of his muse and assistant

Disciple :  A Young , vibrant student of his idol's craft.

The film from the repertoire of Mr. Bhansali is extraordinary in the sense of trademark Anglo-Indian setup with artistic sets and high-emotional moments straight from the heart.

Screenplay moves along nicely with sweet moments intermingled with poignant scenes which connect with the plight of Ethan.

Mr Bhansali has composed his own music this time around, and what a splendid debut it is indeed.

Udi , Sau Gram Zindagi , Dhundli Dhundli , Chand ki Katori are mesmerizing!

Performances,  exemplary by Aishwarya , epitome of grace , poise and dignity!

Hrithik's best , his magical innocence and his pain juxtaposes!

Absolutely crackling bond between the two , tacit romance at its best.

Supporting cast gets a thumbs up and special mention goes to Aditya Roy Kapoor as the one of the upcoming actors to watch out for in the future!

I have a lump in my throat writing this and was teary eyed at the end of it all :(

A powerful film with a message which is heart felt to the extremity!

Rating : 4.5/5.0

Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year : by Shimit Amin

Rocket Singh ,  Salesman of the Year looked like a run of the mill story based on the promotional campaign done. I went with an open mind , Ranbir has had a rocking year so far , can he rocket himself to infinity & beyond was the question!?!

Verdict : It is by far the film of 2009 ! That puts the record straight !

Ranbir plays HP Bedi , who has just barely passed out of college and is ambitious enough to take the

trodden path of a Sales Executive.

The master combo of Jaideep Sahni & Shimit Amin (Chak De fame) have lent such realism into the script , 'make you believe' storytelling.

HP's relationship with his grand-father played by Prem Chopra

(who is a revelation ! ) gives heart-filled moments to cherish.

Cut to the millieu of the film, AYS computer service company , where HP lands as a sales trainee.

The nuances of a sales corp setup are splendid, just goes to show the authenticity of the film maker.

The under hand dealings , the politics , work hard , party harder, doing a jig in office wear ,whiskey in plastic cups , bitching and what not!

Seldom in a film , a romantic track is taken up so casually and thank god it keeps the film on track .

Shazahn Padamsee makes an ok debut.

Rocket Singh's second half really takes a sky high countdown with witty humour & boss bashing dialogues.

The characters to die for :

1. Koena as ambitious receptionist

2. Lascivious Maintenance Guy , Giri

3. Chote Lal Mishra , the office peon

4. Nitin , the sales manager (Oh Raghu , a triplet sibling!)

5. Puri , the schemer boss of AYS

6. HP , sales trainee ( Ranbir plays it to the 'T')

My favourites : Giri & Nitin

"Pursuit of Happiness meets Khosla Ka Ghosla"

R.S rocks big time , watch it now!

Rating :  4.5/5.0

Hotel Rwanda : by Terry George

Hotel Rwanda is yet another movie which highlights the dark hours of an African Nation.

The movie is based on true to life events of mass killings which occured in Rwanda in 1994 , where milllions died due to hatred amongst two sections of the African Tribals ....... Hutus and Tutsi!!

The film is about a Hotel Manager taking upon himself to shelter the helpless Tutsi people who are the primary targets in this bloodshed.

Hotel Rwanda is a very realistic film giving insight into the state of an African Nation ( a la' Last King of Scotland ) ... the ghastly act of killings has been depicted in a very never seen before mode!! ... may cause the cinegoer to switch the film off ... ( not for the faint- hearted)

The manner in which , beating the odds , Paul Rusesabagina , saves many tutsi lives in a crisis civil war scenario makes me stand up and applaud the man .

The performances are exemplary in particular Don Cheadle playing Paul Rusesabagina .

These true life events pictured in the movie gives us hope that there is SPACE FOR EVERYONE IN THIS WORLD...

Rating : 4.0/5.0

Dor : by Nagesh Kukunoor

Dor is one of the finest stories to be painted on a film canvas.

It is a story of two women coming from different

cultures poles apart in terms of dialect,customs,

traditions,outlook towards life , ideals yet with one common thread in their lives!!

Gul Panag follows the pradigm of listening to your heart rather than the head , going to any extent to save her beloved from exile.

Ayesha Takia (Meera) , a sweet and charming rajashthani wife , full of life and vigour.

Events churns the lives of both women , one having determination in her veins and the notion of living life on her own terms and the other a caged bird craving to spread her wings , uncertainity in her head.

Shreyas Talpade acts as an impostor in the film aka Behroopiya, extending his help to Zeenat ( Gul ) in her search. He is one of the high points of the film giving mimicry artists a run for their money!!!

The storyline is captivating yet slow in parts , music is very much folk to be precise. The final reels are what you expect from a sensitive director like Nagesh.

He is one of the finest story-teller , touching hearts of millions by this poignant fable.

Rating : 4.5/5.0

Taare Zameen Par : by Aamir Khan

देखो इन्हें यह है ओस की बूँदें ,
पंत्तों कि गोद में आसमान से कूदें ,
अन्गादाई ले फिर करवट बदल के,
नाज़ुक से मोती हँस दे फिसल कर,

खो ना जाये यह,
तारे ज़मीन पर.............

Aamir Khan's directorial debut , makes me feel privilaged to be writing this post and applauding the man for his sincerity in handling the subject with such aplomb.

Darsheel Saraf plays Ishan Awasthi , an 8 year old kid carrying the aspirations n' expectations of his family , inspite of his disorder of deciphering the alphabets in his school notebook - aka 'Dyslexia' .

Taare Zameen Par delves into the psyche of a kid who is caught in the whirlpool of learning , competing and excel in today's competitive race.

Darsheel has potrayed this character with such conviction never seen before in a child artist let alone the stalwarts.

Moments worth mentioning :

• Ishan's imagination going wild to solve a simple mathematics test question .. it has been explained with intricate details of what's going on in the kid's head.


• Ishaan's forced admission into a boarding school , the emotional upheaval is shot brilliantly.


• Introduction of the temporary Art Teacher played splendidly by Aamir.


• Father's self-pity for not showering enough love to his kid.


• The penultimate reels reach emotional crescendo , having me moist - eyed !!

The music of the film gels with the script beautifully making it journey rather a reel drama ,credited to Shankar Ehsaan and Loy.

Darsheel is a powerhouse of a performer , his expressions do most of the talking in the film , deserves an ovation .

This is the film after a long long time , has made me cry to the hilt ...... ( Sadma was the last one)

Mr. Aamir ... its reverbrating ..... the APPLAUSE

Rating : 5.0/5.0