AVATAR (2009)

Country: USA | UK
Language: English
Director: James Cameron

It cannot be denied that James Cameron is master of Science Fiction. And that he is way ahead of his time. He proved it in 1984 with The Terminator and he has proved it again with Avatar.

The film is one of the most brilliant in years and has elements from classics like Dances with Wolves, Instinct and The Matrix. The cinematography and the animation are such that beautiful is a very poor word to define it.

The concept is very entertaining and at the same time it gives a lot of messages to the human race.

It emphasizes the destructive nature of the human beings and their lack of farsightedness. The evil inherent in their very being which, indeed, is a grim reality. It also shows through symbolism that a few good that are there are partially paralyzed.

Avatar also makes an effort to make us see how disconnected we have become with nature and how the only thing that we are after is our comfort, more comfort and some more comfort. We prefer to drive a car instead of taking a walk and later desperately try to burn out the calories we have saved in the gym. The film points out the very ridiculous thought structure of humans.

The film also shows how most of us just prefer to do what others are doing, without being able to meditate on our own actions and their consequences. The people who cannot even think right have the right to decide what is right and what is not right.

The actors are fitting but they are not special in any way. Their performances are okay. It is ironic that Sam Worthington defended the human race against machines in Terminator: Salvation and here he defends others from human race.

The satellite Pandora is a kind of “amplified” earth with every thing akin but with an ethereal touch. The design is impeccable.

Great work Cameron! You live up to yourself.

THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO (2002)

Country: UK | USA | Ireland

Language: English

Director: Kevin Reynolds

Directed by Kevin Reynolds, this film has been accused of deviating from the book extensively. However, it was the film I saw before seeing any other based on the book or even before reading the book; and, surprisingly, all other films(though I can’t say the same for the book) have failed to impress me after having watched this version.

The film begins with Edmond Dantes, played by James Caviezel, meeting the exiled Napoleon and captivates your attention right from the beginning, right to the end. An intense drama follows with one of the most impressive stories of revenge, prison-break and love.

The direction is very tight and doesn’t let the script waver for even a second.

James Caviezel appears in a role that no one could have played better than him. I think Mel Gibson saw The Count of Monte Cristo and hence, chose him to become Jesus Christ in The Passion of the Christ.

Another great actor Richard Harris plays the Priest who teaches Dantes and gives him the keys to Monte Cristo. Harris’ performance is nothing less than perfect.

The bad guy Guy Pearce also makes you hate him thoroughly which ensures his success as a villain.

The dialogs are very good and so is the plaque of “God will give me justice” shown throughout the film.

This is an excellent film if not an excellent adaptation.

THE NAME OF THE ROSE (1986)

COuntry: France | Italy | West Germany

Language: English | Latin

Director: Jean-Jacques Annaud

Original Title: Der Name Der Rose

The Name of the Rose is based on a book of the same name by Umberto Eco. I cannot compare the film with the book as I have not read it and I don’t find it necessary to read it. This is a very tightly directed film with almost no errors in the flow of the script. Jean-Jacques Annaud as his other works, has created a flawless film.

The film takes you to the dark world of medieval Christianity that seems more sinister than hell itself. The crimes inside a monastery, the covert battle between the “not-so-good” and the “not-so-evil” give you the same sensations that a horror film like The Exorcist gives you. The monks seem to suffer the diseases triggered by isolation and look monstrous which is not so different from the history. And then, there is a Franciscan monk William of Baskerville played by Sean Connery, one of the few people who really seem to understand religion, accompanied by his assistant Adso of Melk(Christian Slater) who is also the narrator of the story. The film also has an air of Sherlock Holmes’ books and doesn’t fail to deliver a surprise ending. Then there is this little touch of love for a woman that gives the movie a sweet fragrance.

Sean Connery is one of those actors who keep getting better and better with age and their charisma goes on increasing. His performance as William is remarkable and unforgettable.

Christian Slater is a good actor who lacks charisma and cannot play a leading man. But here he fits in perfectly.

All the other actors are also perfect for their respective roles, especially Feodor Chaliapin, Jr. as the Venerable Jorge.

The last line uttered by Adso, now an old man, “I couldn’t even know… her name.” leaves you with a distant fragrance that has faded but still has an exceptional force.

THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION (1994)

Country: USA

Language: English

Director: Frank Darabont

A film that rightly carries “redemption” in its name. One of the greatest works of mainstream Hollywood. You, kind of, feel redeemed yourself after having watched this masterpiece.

Tim Robbins is a great actor and he delivers one of his best performances as Andy Dufresne, a banker who is [wrongly] convicted for the murder of his own wife and her boyfriend. He is one of the two key characters of the story along with Red played by Morgan Freeman.

Morgan Freeman is truly a master class actor. Calling him a great actor is considering him much less than he really is. He communicates years of suffering through his eyes and at the same time an incredible self-confidence that those years have given him; and then you feel a friendliness and caring attitude oozing out of him. Freeman is the soul of the film.

Clancy Brown and Bob Gunton are not bad either.

The dialogs of the film are very impressive without being too dramatic. The lines uttered by Red in the end where he says “I want to talk to that boy…” are immortal as is “Get busy living or get busy dying” said by Dufresne.

The beauty of the film largely depends upon the beauty of the book it is based on written by Stephen King. It is one of most flawlessly written screenplays ever.

As you see the blue Pacific in the end you realize that the cinematography is very brilliant and it is so soothing to your eyes that you feel as if you are looking at a sea after yourself passing years of confinement in the dark.

And the end is totally a “redemption” where you want to run and hug Red when he arrives with open arms and then you want to hug Andy when you look at him and you really feel as if you have hugged them when they hug each other; and, that’s the moment when you realize that you have been through one of the best directed films ever. Frank Darabont is a great director indeed.

LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL (1997)

Country: Italy
Language: Italian | German | English
Director: Roberto Benigni

This is a film that begins as if it were a comedy (and a good one at that!). Roberto Benigni is a very good artist. A brilliant director and as marvelous an actor. Guido (Benigni) is one of those men who are the personified form of humor, wit and optimism. And this man is not mythical; I have come across a few like him in real life.

All along one has to fight to hold back tears as the film plays particularly upon the emotions that are very intense even in daily life and in the backdrop of the ugliest chapter of the mankind’s history they disturb you even more. The tenderness and innocence of Joshua is one of the things that trigger such emotional intensity. And then, the extreme contrast of the Nazis: their stoic attitude and mercilessness is something that makes the script even more effective.

Nicoletta Braschi is extremely good as Dora and the child artist Giorgio Cantarini is the perfect choice for the role.

This film makes you rethink that you destroy a lot of things in one go but if you take an individual look at everything you destroy, you’ll realize how beautiful were the things you destroyed and maybe you try not to destroy them the next time.

The film surely makes you hate Nazis once again and reminds you the atrocities that were committed. That is something important as you need to remember the crimes committed in the history so that they are not repeated.

NINJA ASSASSIN (2008)

Country: USA | Germany

Language: English

Director: James McTeigue

I admired James Mcteigue for his work V for Vendetta, a film that proves that he is capable of good direction. However, Ninja Assassin is not admirable in any way.

The film has a lot of gore which, some think, gives an air of reality to a film. But here it gives you vomiting tendency. The storyline is completely flawed and has many discrepancies.

The film, supposed to be a Martial Arts film, is mediocre in every sense of the word. The fight sequences are filmed in such a way that you do not quiet understand what is happening. I think that is on purpose as the lead actor Rain is not a Martial Arts expert, but rather a singer. The other funny thing is that people know that the guy is Korean but he is shown to be a Ninja. This would have worked well 25 years back but now the viewers are well informed comparatively.

The last fight sequence is well filmed though: the one where the protagonist fights his father. The effect of fire in the background is very well orchestrated.

All the performances are mediocre including that of Rain’s.

It is saddening to see that a director of Mcteigue’s caliber has produced such a mediocre and incoherent work.

SYRIANA (2005)

Country: USA

Language: English | Urdu | Arabic | Persian | French | Mandarin

Director: Stephen Gaghan

It is, indeed, a very realistic film. A very controversial storyline makes it all the more interesting. It is a film that shows the US as the super-villain of the world.

The direction is flawless and the realism has not killed the art.

George Clooney has tried his hand at method acting and has given his finest performance till date. Alexander Siddiq also delivers his finest performance as Prince Nasir since Hannibal- the Nightmare of Rome. Matt Damon is not bad either.

All the characters speak the languages of the countries they belong to which is a very good thing; however, the Urdu spoken by the Pakistani characters sounds quiet funny, a fact that leads me to suspect that all the languages sound funny to their native speakers. I suggest that producers should try to hire good native actors for such roles; not just an actor who has lived for generations in an English speaking country and is easily available.

The assassination of the prince by the CIA is chilling.

A very well made film. And a very good effort.

HERO (2003)

Country: China

Language: Mandarin

Director: Yimou Zhang

I have never seen a film with such a blend of spectacle and melody. One of the best cinematographies in the history of film-making. One of the best background music scores ever composed.

The story and style of the film are slightly difficult to understand. However, the direction is very good and the visual appeal doesn’t let you take your eyes off the screen. Jet Li is superb as an actor (I would call him the best “Martial Arts-actor" of all times) as he is as a skillful Martial Artist.

All other actors are quiet impressive. Especially Tony Leung Chiu Wai as Broken Sword. Chen Daoming is also enthralling as the King.

The orchestration of the Qin army is impressive. The palace, the action choreography are pure art. The film has an air of deep spirituality to it as does its argument of non-violence.

A total beauty.

DOWNFALL (2004)

Country: Germany | Italy | Austria

Language: German | Russian

Director: Oliver Hirschbiegel

Original Title: Der Untergang

This 2004 German film is very close to reality and at times very disturbing. It shows the story of the last few days of Hitler's life inside the Chancellery Bunker. Though treating such a delicate subject has its own risks of falling in one or more of the several moral or artistic traps, but Oliver Hirschbiegel, the director, in my opinion, has made a very good biographical film remaining as neutral as one could remain.

Bruno Ganz is remarkable as Hitler and his voice resemblance to Der Fuhrer is haunting; although, he looks a little more bulky than Hitler.

All the other actors are very good as well.

Nearly all the scenes of the film convey the feeling that they are taking place in the present reality. The language also plays a part in making it all the more real. And the actors, most of them German, communicate the reality as you realize that these people are descendants of the people who suffered all this.

A very good work of art. Not as good if you are looking for pure entertainment.

SCENT OF A WOMAN (1992)

Country: USA

Language: English

Director: Martin Brest

Seeing this film you realize once again that Al Pacino is irreplaceable. No surprise he won an Oscar.

Martin Brest has done a very good job as the director, but this film is Pacino.

Pacino impresses all through the movie. He is successful in inspiring awe, compassion, likeness, respect and love, all at the same time. Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade, the blind protagonist played by Pacino, is a rare personality whose life changes when he comes across a brilliant, honest and otherwise average young man Charles Simms played by Chris O’Donnell who is also sufficiently fitting for the character.

The dialogs uttered by Col. Slade that would have been average with any other actor become legendary with Al Pacino. His eyes convey the desire to see all along, a very subtle thing to express and at the same time they make you feel that you are safe only because they cannot see you.

The climax in the emotional sense is what an action film’s climax would be in the physical sense. You thank God for Col. Slade’s coming to the rescue of young Charlie and young Charlie’s coming to the rescue of blind and lonely Col. Slade.

The scene with the Ferrari is entertaining. And the dance sequence is very impressive. It is a brilliant decision to select Tango over other dance forms as it is doesn’t fail to express the passion, the energy and the sorrow at the same time.

An acting masterpiece.

V FOR VENDETTA (2005)

Country: USA | UK | Germany

Language: Germany

Director: James McTeigue

I don't know why a film that has revenge as its theme fascinates me always. But most of them turn out to be mediocre.

V for Vendetta is not one of those films.

The entry of the principal character “V” is one of the most phenomenal. He is there to protect a damsel in distress but unlike other conventional heroes, he is very eloquent; and the knife-fighting cinematography is marvelous. But then, as the fight is over, unlike other such sequences he doesn’t disappear into the darkness but gives the viewers a curious mix of amazement and thrill with his music. In my opinion it is one of the most thrilling scenes of the film.

Then the film moves on with a lot more sequences that are brilliantly filmed and well directed. The best thing about this film is that it unfolds in a way that keeps you sort of surprised.

It is a very well directed work, indeed. Hugo Weaving suffers what any actor in this role would have suffered. People fall in love with “V” but they don’t know who is he and they don’t care. Well, to satisfy curiosities he is the famous Agent Smith of the Matrix trilogy.

Natalie Portman is also good in her part and for the first time I acknowledged that Stephen Rea can also be a good man.

The references to The Count of Monte Cristo seem just fitting and one of my favorite lines from the movie is Natalie Portman’s answer to Rea’s question “Who was He?” where she says “He was Edmond Dantes”.

The climax fight is also very well directed and the dialog “Ideas are bullet-proof” serves as the punch line.

2012 (2009)

Country: USA | Canada

Language: English

Director: Roland Emmerich

So finally arrives the film that we all have been waiting for.

First of all I would like to point out a few things. It is very difficult to watch this movie just like any other i.e. without any speculation about whether "it" is going to happen or not. Other doomsday films fail to inspire such awe; be it Matrix trilogy or the Terminator series or even the previous films by the same director like The Day After Tomorrow or The Independence Day.

There have been many people whom I have heard asking "Do you think it will happen?" or stating "It is all fiction!" and many other things that reveal in a very subtle way that somewhere inside us we doubt that it is sole fiction.

Now, all the talk of 2012, the year, and naming the film 2012 also inspires the speculation and curiousity even more.

Now the film as a film is a very good work indeed. The special effects are great. The thrill is tremendous and of course the storyline is very tight and nearly keeps everyone off their seats.

Chiwetel Esiofor's performance is very spellbinding. He speaks for every human being as Dr. Helmsley. The other two actors who haunt with their performances are Woody Harrelson and Dr. Helmsley's father.

John Kusack is not very bad either, although he doesn't do anything that only Kusack could do.

I admire the director Roland Emmerich not only because he is a great director -which he surely is- but also because he tries to teach us a few things which we need to learn: 1) The world has to unite as Human Race or we won't survive. 2) Any time the bubble named civilization can burst. 3) Nature doesn't respect anything at all. 4) We are running short of time. 5) A few control lives of many.

The metaphors -intended or unintended- are very good. For example, when Kusack wakes up and says "I am a dead man", he doesn't know that it can be true. He is saying that for some petty cause but time has something else in store for him. That is so true with all of us. We are all worried all the time. But not for the reasons we should actually. We are worried for our daily activities, our "important business" which is nothing more than nonsense to the Universe.

The other thing for which I appreciate this film is that it does not consider the Human to be the center of the Universe which most of us do. We think that we are the best creation of the nature. We compare ourselves to animals or our own kind and take pride in being superior. But compare yourself with the smallest star -which is also something created by nature- and you will see what you are.

Now the film, as any good effort, has its flaws which, in my opinion, are not that important. One thing that film makers need to take into account is something my friend commented "the woman (Amanda Peet) never forgot to wear her lipstick! Not even when the world was ending." Another example is the Hindi spoken by Jimmy Mistry. It gives an air of comedy to the movie when it shouldn't.

Now I would like to point out that it is not a question whether it will happen in 2012 or not. Any person who has studied science even a little bit knows that it can happen anytime. The extinction of human race or the thorough destruction of our planet is not impossible; I would rather say that it seems a miracle to me that it is not happening because the present state of our civilization and our planet are a very delicate thing which needs a lot of factors to maintain it.

We need to wake up. We need to wake up now. We need to take measures while we can. We need to stop raping the planet. Now. This film makes an effort of waking us up. I think it does that successfully.

INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (2009)

Country: USA | Germany

Language: English | German | French | Italian

Director: Quentin Tarantino

It is the first film I saw twice in a movie theater on two consecutive days. Tarantino surprises me (I am not a fan of all his films!).

The film has everything that a good film has: good direction, flawless performances, great cinematography, perfect dialogs and a surprise ending.

Tarantino has done what every great director does, he keeps his viewers off their seats all along the movie. He shows an altered history and that if you are not willing to read a history book instead of watching a movie does not offend a lot. And he gives his fans an unexpected ending. I would forgive Tarantino for rewriting history although if only he wouldn't have killed the key figures (you know whom I am talking about) the film would have gone well with the history too. There exist many figures in history who are never known but who make it possible to write history in a certain way.

Brad Pitt gave a very good performance with his talented imitation of the Southern US accent and Melanie Laurent, Diane Krüger and Til Schweiger are all great in their performances.

Christoph Waltz is one of the most talented persons I have seen on screen. His capability of speaking so many languages so well is amazing. He is so sophisticated and at the same time so evil as Col. Hans Landa that he reminds me of Dr. Hannibal Lecter at times.

Tartantino, "this may as well be your masterpiece!"

WALTZ WITH BASHIR (2008)

Country: Israel | Germany | France | USA | Finland | Switzerland | Belgium | Australia

Language: Hebrew | German | English | Arabic

Director: Ari Folman

Original title: Vals im Bashir

This film breaks in many ways all the trends of movie-making around the world.

First thing is that it is animation but all the animated characters look exactly like their real counterparts. Second, it cannot be classified neither as a documentary, nor as a feature film. Third, it is finally an Israeli who tells the story from the side of Lebanese Muslims.

Waltz With Bashir is a film conceived by Ari Folman and features the 1982 Sabra and Shatila Massacre as its theme. Folman plays himself as he is troubled by not remembering much about the massacre in which he participated. With the help of his psychiatrist, by and by, he comes to remember the incident.

Everything is very different from the conventional cinema. This film can trouble you, make you cry, disgust you and it can surprise you many times as it does when finally Folman and his psychiatrist come to the conclusion that Folman is troubled in his subconscious as he associates the atrocities committed by Nazis against his family who were survivors of Auschwitz by his own participation in the massacre. He subconsciously believes he himself has converted into a "Nazi", the word meaning evil and tormentor for him as that is what he experienced in his childhood.

Hats off to Folman.

VALKYRIE (2008)

Country: USA | Germany

Language: English | German

Director: Bryan Singer

The resemblance of Cruise with the real Stauffenberg. The direction such that you know what will happen in the end and even then you are so thrilled all along. The superb performances by every actor. Valkyrie surely deserves to be in the list.

After a long time a mainstream Hollywood movie revisits the Nazi Germany. And this time it is not a portrayal of Germans as evil monsters but the film attempts to separate the German with the Nazi and successfully does so.

The background music takes you to the scene as if it were a reality.

And the sarcasm at times such as when Stauffenberg says "Hail Hitler" saluting with his amputated hand is great. The dialogs are good though i think they could have been better; but , anyway in that case the film would have turned out to be more drama than reality.

Valkyrie is approximately two hours of pure entertainment if you like history.

THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST (2004)

Country: USA

Language: Aramaic | Latin | Hebrew

Director: Mel Gibson

This is a film liked by many and criticized by as many. It is directed by Mel Gibson whose other works seem as brilliant but obviously The Passion... was a turning point in his career and in my opinion in the history of cinema-making given the fact that it was the first US film shot completely in another language (though I am not sure about it, but it was at least the first well known).

It is a very violent film and the whole violence goes against one person only, Jesus. If Jesus ever existed then this film is one of the closest to reality. The violence, although indigestible at times, is something that must have happened taking into account Jesus's life.

The other fact that was criticized by others and liked by me was the audio in Aramaic. It makes the film all the more real.

It is a story of only one day and a viewer cannot get his eyes off the screen for a second. That is Mel Gibson at his best.

James Caviezel seems to have come out of some medieval painting of Jesus and makes one feel that if there was a Jesus, he was Caviezel. Monica Bellucci is also good as Magdalene. Maia Morgenstern is superb as Mary although she looks quiet young. I also liked Hristo Shopov as Pilate.

This is a film from a director who claims to be a devout Catholic but till now, in my opinion, is a film that treats Jesus more as a human being than the Son of God which is the best detail about it.

In my opinion it is one of the most sacred films ever made that accepts Jesus as a human being and at the same time emphasizes his difference from the rest of the herd by showing his impenetrable compassion and tolerance.

THE ENGLISH PATIENT (1996)

Country: USA | UK

Language: English | German | Italian | Arabic

Director: Anthony Minghella

The other picture I have chosen is The English Patient based on a novel by Michael Ondaatje. The film was directed by Anthony Minghella who didn't have much experience at the time. Apart from that, most of the actors were largely unknown to the international viewers.

The film features the story of a polyglot & explorer who is a Hungarian count and is stationed in African desert.

The reasons because of which I admired the film were the performances of Kristin Scott Thomas, Ralph Fiennes, William Dafoe, Naveen Andrews and Juliette Binoche. An extremely artistic but very tight direction by Minghella, the excellent cinematography and the forbidden romance which seems to be one of the most liked themes of all times.

The single "Zerelem Zerelem" that plays along with the film's opening credits has a very sad tune that goes perfectly with the picture's sad storyline.

The other thing that I admired in the story was the Fiennes's slightly grey character's going beyond any limits for his love.

The backdrop of Second World War was enlightening about the personal lives of people that generally do not get as much attention as the direct damage caused by a war. I liked the philosophy that ethics are a very individual perception and what at the moment seems ethical to the whole world might turn out be unethical in the long run and vice versa.

I also admired the way the film tells that to a person what is important primarily is what is directly related to him; not some nation, creed or race. That shows perfectly clearly in one of my favorite lines from the movie "I went in Maddox's English plane with German gasoline" uttered by Fiennes.

It is a great film that entertains and saddens at the same time. Do watch it only if you are ready to cry a bit.

INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE: THE VAMPIRE CHRONICLES (1994)

Country: USA

Language: English

Director: Neil Jordan

The moment I decided to write my reviews of motion pictures, I thought of starting with my favorites.

This film based on Anne Rice's novel is one of my all time favorites. There are many reasons to it. One is that it is the only film that features Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Antonio Banderas and Kirsten Dunst, all great actors in their own way.

The other reason is the beautiful cinematography which gives every single scene an air of a painting masterpiece.

And then, we have Neil Jordan's superb and flawless direction which never loses its grip on the script.

This film shares many genres as it can not be classified as a typical vampire flick. It is not a vampires' world perceived by humans but the other way round. And then, their is the philosophical air woven into perfect dialogs that makes it a literary masterpiece. The music is haunting and the opening cast with "Liberame" in the background has a terrible touch of sadness.

Watching this movie, one doesn't fear the vampires but on the contrary one feels the anguish of living endlessly while seeing everyone and everything that is dear passing away before him.

The characters that are so human (though they claim not being human). Every single being in the film has a capacity of being both kind and cruel at the same time. There are no absolute goods or evils. Every one swings between both the extremes.

It was a great job to make such a metaphorical piece of art and then convince all those actors to participate in the project even though the actors were not as successful at the time (though their success attests to their talents).

And finally, being all philosophical and metaphorical, the film is not boring for even one second.

Thumbs up for Neil Jordan, Anne Rice and everyone else who participated in this great journey of art and entertainment.