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Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Suprbad is Super cool!!

I just stumbled upon this movie as I appreciate Seth Rogan's (Knocked up, Pineapple Express) work, I think he is cheekily good. He does not play main lead here, this is a teen movie of school kids trying to party hard before they move on to Senior High. All three are minors and can not officially buy alcohol and this movie is all about their misadventure and endeavors to get some and then 'get some'. I would even dare to call this 'pulp fiction' for teens, the dialogues are crisp and real (beware of how bunch of horny teenagers would talk!), awkward situations, unintentional violence, irreverence for almost everything and everyone around, this got it all!! Great acting and past paced unpredictable script.

Not for prudes, this movie may upset them, but it is very real and very very enjoyable. (8/10)

Slumdog Millionaire

To start with, "Slumdog Millionaire" is not an Indian movie, it is not about India either, it is about director's perception of the slums in Mumbai, India. Some part of it is bang on target and then most of it is just manufactured emotions manipulated with poverty and saga of love. Is it a brilliant movie? I believe NO, it is very nice effort, a lot of hard work, a lot of technical finesse, but that is about it. It is made in a half-baked 'Bollywood" style, which suits the 'west' as a full-bollywood style is not very palatable to them. So the director chose to narate the story in a style which is neither here nor there but digestible to the western audience. Combine it with some great technical contribution, good music, average acting and you got "Slumdog Millionaire".

A. R. Rahman got two oscars for his efforts, in my view this is not his best work though, he has done much better in past only this time he got to piggy-back on the strong lobbying studio and producers. For me "Slumdog Millionaire" was a vehicle that introduced A. R. Rahman to the west and Oscars Academy.. and I want to mention Gulzar and Poolkutti in the same breath as same is the case for them.

In short, this movie had a good first half and a very average second half, at times I felt the direction was childish and characters were just not Indian enough. (6/10)

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Two Disaster Movies

Hi Friends, I happen to check out two 'disaster movies' - "Right At Your Door" and "28 Weeks Later".


"Right At Your Door" reminded me of another disaster movie "Cloverfield" which is based in New York and was excellent. This one is low budget indie movie, based in Los Angeles, it is mostly indoors and more of the drama than a thriller. It is all about the relationship, chaos, death and sacrifice. The characters did a marvelous job to create the sense of panic and chaos in a finite setting, the credit also goes to the director. It is enoyable movie, nothing great, not a blockbuster or massic movie. (7/10)

"28 Weeks Later" is sequel to Danny Boyles "28 Days Later", as the name suggest it depicts the UK 28 weeks after the virus ourbreak. This one has more action and gets down to business right away, however the erie feeling that one gets in the first part is missing. This one has more gore and zombie fights. Not as good as the first one but still a good watch. (6/10)