Oscar Nominated English Movies of 2009-Review Mash Up

Here I on a shorthand basis review first 7 movies I have watched which are nominated for Oscars this year

Movie on target: AVATAR


Review: There are films small, big and a few of them are huge, this one is ahead of those, this is not a movie, this is a cinematic experience
Pluses: James Cameron's and his team's Brilliant vision, Beautiful environments, visually striking, solid sound, overwhelming Visual effects, full on entertainment with message.
Minuses: Almost No Storyline
Cast & Crew:
Directed by: James Cameron
Produced by: James Cameron,Jon Landau
Written by: James Cameron
Starring:Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Stephen Lang, Michelle Rodriguez, Giovanni Ribisi, Joel David Moore, C. C. H. Pounder, Wes Studi, Laz Alonso and Sigourney Weaver
Music by: James Horner
Cinematography: Mauro Fiore
Editing by : James Cameron, John Refoua, Stephen E. Rivkin
Studio : Lightstorm Entertainment, Dune Entertainment, Ingenious Film Partners
Distributed by : 20th Century Fox
My Rating:★★★★★(Enchanting)

Movie on target: THE HURT LOCKER

Review: This film is a pure take on war situation in Iraq and about a man obsessed with his excitement of going on the death line and diffuse the bomb and his obsession with war its excitement, a 100% war oriented thriller, a masterpiece with non-manipulated thrills, you can almost smell the sand floating due to explosion and the adrenaline flowing through your head by the time Will(Renner) Diffuses the Bomb...
Pluses:Outstanding Screenplay, Jeremy Renner's performance, outstanding sound, Solid Thrills, Deft Execution, keeps you hooked
Minuses: Not Always appealing, Near Perfect thriller but not absolute.
Cast & Crew
Directed by: Kathryn Bigelow
Produced by : Kathryn Bigelow, Mark Boal, Nicolas Chartier, Greg Shapiro
Written by : Mark Boal
Starring : Jeremy Renner Anthony Mackie Brian Geraghty Evangeline Lilly Christian Camargo with Ralph Fiennes, David Morse and Guy Pearce
Music by : Marco Beltrami & Buck Sanders
Cinematography : Barry Ackroyd
Editing by : Chris Innis, Bob Murawski
Distributed by: Summit Entertainment
My Rating:★★★★(Great/fun to watch)

Movie on target: UP IN THE AIR

Review: Refreshingly Different, A story of man in business to be hired by bosses to fire other people and counsel them for future and his mentality to stay isolated and his reasoning behind his life proven well and beautifully, a simple movie about importance of settlement and independence, about calmness and rush.
Pluses: Brilliant performances by all leading crew members, thoughtful narrative, unlike usual stories on life, story does not deviates from its intention.
minuses: Slow at times, You always have to keep your mind synced to the screenplay to understand its sensibility, not always followable.

My Rating:★★★½: Nicely Made/Remembered once after watching it

Movie on target: DISTRICT 9

Review: A movie about an alien space-ship stuck over capital city of South Africa, what would happen if they were a means to be exploited, if humans could find a way to earn profit through them and what if they were given a shelter where the sensation of science becomes a part of human earth for 10 years, which would eventually turn into a slum, the aliens would interfere with human life and that would start involving crimes and what humans involved to control the situation would face and what would happen to aliens struggling to survive........exceptionally innovative an altogether new sight on aliens coming to earth and human reaction to it
Pluses: Very-Very natural execution, nice acting, Technically Polished, well written
minuses:Loses pace in between, could be a bit more coherent
My Rating:★★★½: Nicely Made/Remembered once after watching it

Movie on target: INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS

Review: A fictionalized historical tale of Hitler's assassination and jewish revenge on Nazis(note:when I say fictionalized here, I mean, the storyline has got nothing to do with actual history despite of the names of a few characters and certain groups) with absolute trademark of Quentin Tarantino's style of storytelling, really interesting and strangely entertaining with its own share of violence and gore(as always in a film by Tarantino).
Pluses: Quentin Tarantino(his style of taking dialogues to carry the screenplay & use classic themes as soundtrack, his chapter-ed and Novel like narrative with twist at the end of every chapter), performances by all leading crew members, very well stylized, writing is flawless.
Minuses:Quentin Tarantino(long-long sequences of conversations that go on & on & on, TM:Quentin Tarantino), editing could be improved, little boring sometimes.
My Rating:★★★½: Nicely Made/Remembered once after watching it
(PS: I could easily give a 4 but reduced half a point because he irritates with his long dialogue scenes sometimes, that's why I rated Pulp fiction 3 and a ½ too):P

Movie on target:Up
Review: Journey of an old man on his dream adventure for the love of his wife and his own passion for the spirit of adventure and events that follow, beautifully coloured, wonderfully told you cannot resist falling in love with "Up" where this old "Balloon" man takes his house away for his adventure.

Up

Cast & Crew:
Directed by Pete Docter
Co-Director: Bob Peterson
Produced by: Jonas Rivera
Executive Producer:John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton
Written by: Bob Peterson, Pete Docter, Thomas McCarthy, Jim Capobianco, Aley Phelan(uncredited)
Starring: Edward Asner, Christopher Plummer, Jordan Nagai, Bob Peterson
Music by: Michael Giacchino
Editing by : Kevin Nolting
Studio: Pixar Animation Studios
Distributed by: Walt Disney Pictures
My Rating:★★★★½

Movie on Target: The Blind Side

The Blind Side

Review: The Blind Side is a simple of movie of goodness and being good, Sandra Bullock plays a woman who adopts a strange but vulnerable Black Boy Michael and helps her to get a sports scholarship in top universities. A film with true story, sense and a heart. Wonderful!!!!
Directed by : John Lee Hancock
Produced by : Broderick Johnson, Andrew Kosove, Gil Netter
Written by: Story: Michael Lewis Screenplay:John Lee Hancock
Starring : Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw, Quinton Aaron, Kathy Bates
Music by : Carter Burwell
Cinematography : Alar Kivilo
Editing by : Mark Livolsi
Studio: Alcon Entertainment
Distributed by : Warner Bros.
My Rating:★★★★



As far as my choice is concerned, I would pick Avatar, but since full entertainment movies most of the times lose, so the next becomes "The Hurt Locker", anyways this time I am satisfied with the nominations, thus may the best movie win...:)

SALiL SHaNkaR

“Michael Clayton” is a Class-Movie Review

Stylish Narrative, solid writing, brilliant performances come out with only one thing and that’s a class of a motion picture, from my side this one would be an almost flawless movie. I feel I have not seen such a movie in years, director Gilroy and his team do not commit a lot of mistakes, Extremely recommended.

Synopsis: Michael Clayton (George Clooney) is an in-house "fixer" at one of the largest corporate law firms in New York. A former criminal prosecutor, Clayton takes care of Kenner, Bach & Ledeen's dirtiest work at the behest of the firm's co-founder Marty Bach (Sydney Pollack). Though burned out and hardly content with his job as a fixer, his divorce, a failed business venture and mounting debt have left Clayton inextricably tied to the firm. At U/North, meanwhile, the career of litigator Karen Crowder (Tilda Swinton) rests on the multi-million dollar settlement of a class action suit that Clayton's firm is leading to a seemingly successful conclusion. But when Kenner Bach's brilliant and guilt-ridden attorney Arthur Edens (Tom Wilkinson) sabotages the U/North case, Clayton faces the biggest challenge of his career and his life.

Director Tony Gilroy’s Execution is brilliant, he handles all the major plot twists with exceptional deftness and holds its drama tight, I don’t think so he has left any loose ends anywhere, if yes then I was so mesmerized that I missed them. He makes sure that each and every frame leaves a deep mark on the viewer, more-over the non-linear Narrative also does not confuse, it rather heightens the effect of the screenplay.

Screenplay(Written by: Tony Gilroy) is mind blowing, the writing is close to perfect, if at all there is anything someone could find faulty, then probably it is its beginning which is a little confusing and abstract(this would be for a few people, I had no problem with it)……..this is a thoroughly content oriented screenplay, a solid plot and high on Drama, this screenplay not only plays, it builds…….

Performances by all the characters having a role, small or titular, leaves a solid impression, George Clooney is intense, dramatic, serious or simply speaking he is a powerhouse no one else could be visualized instead of him(he lost the oscar to DD Lewis, I think it was neck to neck competition, but Clooney was strong), Tilda Swinton is enchanting(I am not surprised that she was the winner of the oscar for performance in supporting role), Wilkinson is terrific, he lost his oscar but believe me it was a performance worth it…….

Music(James Newton Howard) is one of the best I’ve heard in a motion picture, the score goes on so evenly with the screenplay that you are in awe with it, outstanding score.

Technically, editing(John Gilroy) is great, almost all the scenes in the movie are adequate and not once this happens where you feel the story is cut lost, cinematography(Robert Elswit) is appropriate.

I would conclude by saying that this is a great film, this is a true dramatic legal/political thriller film(by politics I hereby mean, corporate politics), one of its kind, unique, brilliant, watch it, this is my recommendation for this weekend.

My Rating: ★★★★½(Awesome)

My Name is Salil & I Recommend “My Name Is Khan”-Movie Review

There are only two types of films (for me)….one: films, I watch and I say I liked it, or I did not like it(in short I watch them and I forget) and Others are those, when I watch them and I say I am Glad I watched it……..My Name is Khan falls in the second category, you know I just love the way Hindi films are made with their intentions and goodness, I mean I am a huge fan of English movies, but there are a few things I think they probably will never be able to put into their films, that is, a true innocent heart and that is what Karan Johar has done this time and that is why exactly I recommend My Name is Khan to everyone this weekend.

My Name Is Khan

Synopsis: Born with Asperger’s syndrome Rizvan Khan, grown up under encouragement and teachings of his mother and private education moves to America to live with his brother Zakir and Zakir’s wife Haseena after her mother’s death, adjusting with new and different places he meets Mandira a hair dresser and the two get along well together and decide to marry and settle down and then comes the 9/11 and its after effects faced by Muslims in US which leads to a tragedy so severe that Rizvan is compelled to journey across the US to talk to the president so that he could tell everyone else that, before following any religion he is a human being, who loves others and deserves to be loved by others, not the hatred and inhumanity, he is innocent, he can define the right and wrong the way his mother taught him when he was a child, to tell everyone that his religious practice does not advertise terrorism, or in very simple words to say “My Name is Khan and I am not a terrorist”.

Director Karan Johar is certainly not one of my favourite directors, those I always look forward to, but today I am overwhelmed by the sweetness and smoothness of his narrative, this film is really beautiful, and once the film is over I was very happy and pleased to watch this film. The way he executes the sensitive scenes between Kajol and SRK, he brings “Hum Honge Kamyaab ek din melody” and gets it sung in english translated version in a church, when Rizvan’s mother teaches him how Hindus and Muslims are equal or when he pats Jimmy Shergill, emotions are handled in the most natural way, I think I was happy to see Rizvan win ultimately. Mr. Johar you have shaken something deep inside, cheers for you.

The Screenplay (Shibani Bhatija) flows without hiccups or halts, it holds solid content and finely immersed subplots to leave an impact and get the message clearly.

Dialogues(Nirenjan Iyengar, Shibani Bhatija) are another high point of the film, they are meant to speak a human’s heart, and they do it without manipulation.

Music(Music for songs and Background Score by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and Lyrics By:Niranjan Iyengar) is kept as decent as possible it is neither loud nor suppressed, songs played in background add to the flow of the film, Background Score which elevates the intensity(note the theme which plays), are all just so well placed.

Technically this film boasts of probably the best technicians in our film industry Cinematography(DOP: Ravi K Chandran) is a visual pleasure, it is stylish yet it colourizes the pictures wonderfully, Editing could be improved, the whole media thing could be a little more exciting.

As far as Flaws are concerned mini-plots(although wonderful) could have been more hard hitting , the terrorist reporting could be a bit improved plot. These are all Minor flaws, not too strong enough to mark the ultimate effect of the screenplay.

Performances are outstanding in this film, SRK has done it, he has changed his image in my mind, of an ordinary actor(although I was impressed with him in Swades and Chak De India), this time he blows me over, with his Asperger’s syndrome he just does not over act like people do usually for their roles in mentally challenged characters, he goes so naturally that you forget Shah Rukh Khan is in front of you, you feel that as if it is Rizvan in front of you. Kajol does not need any explanation, she has been doing it, she was, she is and probably will always continue to be my favourite, she is enchanting as bubbly and mournful Mandira. Others would be the child artists Tanay Chheda who plays Rizvan as a child and Yuvaan Makaar as Sameer leave an impression, Zareena Wahab(Rizvan’s mother), Jimmy Shergill(Zakir), Sonya Jehan(Haseena) are appropriate.

Finally, I would say I loved this film, it is beautiful, it is clean and it is mesmerizing,whatever you are doing this week, do it, do not leave it, but add “Watch: My Name is Khan” to your do’s this week…….please watch it and encourage this film.

My Rating: ★★★★½(Awesome/Got Connected to it)

Chocolat - A soundtrack worth a lifetime!

I was looking forward to cover a number of muscial peices, that I wanted to talk about, long time back... but due to some reason or the other, they were not discussed... anyhow.. lets do it right now! I shall start it with this one...

Last week On a DVD , I catched up with a Movie called Chocolat (2000) starring Johnny Depp. Apart from the excellence narration, strong lead performances and Compact screenplay, this one had a tremendous Musical score, that has left me spellbound! If ur someone, who has an apt desire to explore coutry background music of France and European layouts, then do watch this movie, for an expirience, that shall last with you for a long time!



Chocolat tells the story of a young mother, played by Juliette Binoche, who arrives at the fictional, repressed French village of Lansquenet-sous-Tannes with her six-year-old daughter and opens La Chocolaterie Maya, a small chocolaterie. Her Chocolate quickly begins to change the lives of the townspeople. How? To know this... I advise you to catch this awesome movie treated very differently in terms of its Direction.
On surfing net the other day ... I got aware of the fact, that The album was nominated for the Academy Award, the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score and the Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack Album For A Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media. The original score was composed by Rachel Portman.

Amongst all the tracks in the movie... My personal favorite are these two -

1) Minor swing - an ultimate groovy acoustic guitar tune!




2) Caravan - A melody like this, comes...once in a life time. I am being told by a few people that this is based on the original score by Duke Ellington, but cover or not, this one was a masterpeice! Amazing!




This is what you call... Music, that leaves u in a state of bliss!

- AfterScript -
The early light is breaking
The morning sun is waiting in the sky
And I think I'm gonna break away
And follow where the birds of freedom fly
I need you give
I need to live
For the world is slowly turning
And the light of love are burning
In my eyes

In Ishq with "Ishqiya"-Movie Review

This is what you call modern cinema. Ishqiya is one film high on entertainment as well as content. Truly speaking once you go inside cinema hall after you have a mind full of expectations where your mind wishes to experience something different(after watching those interesting promotional videos), director Abhishek Chaubey and his team does not disappoint, you just can't avoid your self from Loving "Ishqiya", this is a solid film, thorough entertainment.


Synopsis: Two thieves "Babban"(Arshad Warsi) and "Khalujaan/Ifteqhaar"(Naseeruddin Shah) are on the run from a bigger crook Mushtaq(Salman Shahid), to hide from him they end up at Vidya Balan's house expecting Mr. Varma who died in a gas explosion(shown in the beginning) and thus to survive all 3 stick together and troubles that follow with the 2 thieves falling in love with the widow forms an interesting, rather enchanting story, worthy enough to be listened.

Director Abhishek Chaubey's Execution in one word to describe would be "perfect" he handles a film with so many complicated scenes in a manner that it is hard to find even a single scene you cannot enjoy and most importantly he is a brilliant narrator(just note the accent and body language of each and every character who comes across the screen, even in the very beginning just look at the way the two crooks dance wearing a boxers and cowboy styled boots) Bravo director......

The Screenplay(Vishal Bhardwaj, Sabrina Dhawan, Abhishek Chaubey) full of ups and downs and believe me, you won't be able to judge what comes next, at the interval point whatever you might be expecting, or predicting about the plot, will not come out for sure.

Dialogues(Vishal Bhardwaj) are colloquial, funny, striking and outstanding, they are an important part of the proceedings and I personally feel, dialogues hold equal importance as the people who perform on screen

Performances even child artist in the film makes his presence felt, the main players are mind blowing, Arshad is a pleasure, Naseer has now reached a level that we fans are just too small enough to comment on his performance, Vidya Balan is astonishing(note her sadness and her eyes, with the tone, throughout the film).

Music(Music for songs:Vishal Bhardwaj & Lyrics Gulzar) most of the times is played in background and increase the beauty of the narrative, so does the licensed tracks from the other films which altogether even further smoothen the narrative & Background Score(Hitesh Sonik) add to the intensity of the proceedings.

As far as Technical aspects are concerned Cinematography(Mohana Krishna) is outstanding, He chooses appropriate colours with appropriate light and scenario to suit the proceedings. Sound in the film was little unclear due to synchronized recording a few dialogues are missed yet it was very important in such a film where body language had to be in synchronization with oral.

As for the Flaws this film uses strong language but this is a bit necessary for such a kind of a film, but the problem this holds is you cannot watch it with your girlfriend it has to be your Gang of boys to absolutely enjoy it(the way I did, I am glad I am single and I watched it with 2 other junk-headed friends of mine), also the climax of the film is a little unclear and we had to discuss why did Mushtaq did not do it to reach to a conclusion(and it came out to be a husband wife mess-up)(watch this film to know what I am talking about)(you know Indian head needs a simplified outcome).

Ultimately I would like to sign off and I would like to say that, just watch this film, watch this in cinemas please do not mess it up with low cost or free prints, this one is a made for cinema hall kind of a film, and certainly my pick this weekend, I wish a congratulations and thanks to the director Abhishek Chaubey and Producers Raman Maroo and Vishal Bardwaj for making this film.

Go watch this film, It is Highly recommended...

My Rating:★★★★(Great/Thoroughly entertaining/fun to watch)

By Salil Shankar

Friday Five - 1

5 films that U must watch this weekend...If u have'nt watched any of these... Then go for... Highly recommended from my end! :)

Dear Friends...

I shall start posting on this blog from 2nd feb, I am off to a break from virtual world... and I shall be back and start posting firstly here... :)
Tc and God Bless!!