What does one wait for from a film which comes with a title Halla Bol. Expectations are mostly centered on hearing a few theme tracks along with situational numbers which come as a part of the film’s background score. Of course, one can’t expect love songs or item information in this Rajkumar Santoshi social which boasts of an impressive lineage of actors like Ajay Devgan, Pankaj Kapoor and Vidya Balan. With Sukhwinder Singh at the helm of work along with Sameer and Late Shri Dushyant Kumar handling the writing department, one looks forward to a dramatic soundtrack.
Read the rest of this entry »
Story &Direction
Even if you recognize nothing of Juno going in, it’s easy to pick up on the fact that the movie’s voice is unlike any you’ve heard in a while—it’s totally fresh, in every sense of the word. That’s because a brand new writer, Diablo Cody, and a new-ish director, Jason Reitman (Thank You for Smoking), are the brains behind the operation. Cody, whose past as a Minnesota stripper has been well documented/exploited, is most responsible for the greatness that is Juno. It’s one of the best debut scripts in recent memory, fearless for refusing to conform where other first-timers err on the side of conservatism. Cody doesn’t just elect not to go the conventional route; she gives it the finger! At the same time, Cody is unconcerned with maintaining the movie’s sheer coolness, as evidenced by Juno’s soft-around-the-edges second half. And then there’s Reitman, who sits back and lets the writer work her untapped magic—to a certain extent. Where the sophomore director shines is not just visually and audibly (the best soundtrack of the year features Moldy Peaches and lead singer Kimya Dawson quite prominently, as well as Belle and Sebastian, Cat Power and others), but tonally. He weaves Cody’s superb script, which could’ve taken a completely different turn in the hands of another director, into a simultaneously upbeat and downbeat near masterpiece. Reitman also plays no small part in the incredible performances turned in by the cast.
Read the rest of this entry »
Story &Direction
With Pride & Prejudice and now Atonement, director Joe Wright may have just established himself as the new James Ivory (of Merchant/Ivory fame). Wright is a real visionary for the romantic period piece, expertly delivering truly spectacular vistas. From set design to costumes to cinematography, the look of Atonement is at once verdant, welcoming and then startlingly grim. The first half of Atonement, at the Tallis’ country home, is certainly the film’s most defining, peppered by an effective musical score, which uses the sound of a typewriter like a metronome. Through a soft lens, Wright displays the general idleness of summer day at a country home like a sunny, floral motif that belies an undercurrent of sweating bodies, wilting flowers, stagnant pools–and an imminent tragic event. Then, once Wright moves with Robbie into WWII, he actually paints an even more grim view of war then maybe seen before. The one continuous shot of the historical Dunkirk–a French beach on which thousands of British soldiers were forced by the Germans and then waited to be evacuated–is absolutely stunning and surreal. Atonement does drag ever-so-slightly in the middle, especially as Briony trains to be a nurse in London, but overall, this is a film Academy voters eat up with a silver spoon. Expect to be hearing about it in the months to come.
Read the rest of this entry »
Acting
But don’t let the little-girl act fool you. As played by the lovely Richards in her debut performance, Lyra is one tough cookie, seemingly unafraid of the confront she faces, including confronting a 12-foot-tall polar bear charging at her, among other things. Much like Daniel Radcliffe before her, the plucky actress is quite a find and should The Golden Compass trilogy continue, she’ll be an indelible part of it. As will Kidman and Craig, as the yin-and-yang parental figures in Lyra’s life–particularly Kidman, who doesn’t stretch much but is effective as Mrs. Coulter. The enchanting lady, whose daemon is a nasty golden monkey that doesn’t talk (fits the character perfectly), really does have ice water flowing through her veins. Also good are Sam Elliott as Texan aeronaut Lee Scoresby and Eva Green as the ethereal witch Serafina Pekkala. But the character who makes the biggest impression, both literally and figuratively, is the armored ice bear Iorek Byrnison, an exiled prince from his homeland of Svalbard who is looking for a little retribution. As voiced by Ian McKellen (who else?), Iorek is definitely a force to be reckoned with every time he is on screen. His bear-on-bear battle with the reigning Svalbardian king, who kicked him out, is one of the film’s best moments. Love the character names, too.
Read the rest of this entry »
To restructure the bygone era is not only strenuous, but a challenging task as well. It’s equally arduous to imprison the essence of Bollywood of 1950s and 1960s with precision on celluloid. In that respect, Sudhir Mishra’s KHOYA KHOYA CHAND succeeds in transporting the viewer to the golden era.
Read the rest of this entry »