sam_perera Reviews

Bombay Talkie (1970)

A little old - could have been worse.

[7/10 · 14 December 2005]

An early film by my favorite trio Ivory, Merchant and Jhabvala, failed to light my senses in this nonsensical musical farce. The additional content on the DVD is much better with a feature on the very talented Helen and the customary chat with the trio on making of this movie. This film seems to insult everyone: a very uncaring and self indulgent white authoress, a very lustful Indian actor with no scruples, a charlatan guru, and a mediocre poet with an obsession to murder. Mix this lot in a movie and you get the customary tale of confusion and bad acting. Some moments of the film are memorable including the beginning scene on the giant typewriter, the incredible shots of the staircase at the hotel, and the general view into Bombay film making of the 70s. The ending is, well, rather abrupt, and I was glad it was. Rent it just for the extras on the DVD.

The Flame Trees of Thika (1981– )

Brilliant!

[8/10 · 19 November 2005]

Fabulous min-series making you wanting more. Magnificently shot capturing the wilds of Africa and the superstitions of its people. A story seen through the young eyes of Elspeth displays why these types of British mini-series are so wonderful even after almost 25 years to watch again and again. Great supporting performances by Haley Mills and Sharon Maughan lights up the storyline and it is a shame they did not continue the series onto the next Huxley autobiographical book. It was a pleasant surprise to see that Roy Ward Baker was also the director for one my favorite Titanic movies, 'A Night to Remember'. A bit of trivia that had escaped me all these years. If you enjoyed 'Out of Africa' by Dinesen, you will surely enjoy this series. The quality of the DVD and extras were less than stellar but it does nothing to diminish the beauty of the story, the acting, or the beautiful wilderness of Africa.

In Custody (1994)

Fair.

[7/10 · 5 August 2005]

Another recent DVD through the Merchant & Ivory Collection. A fair movie at best with some notable talent from a fine actor, Om Puri. The comedy picks up towards the end of the movie which is a god send since the rest of the movie is pure farce. Sadly, age has not been kind to Shashi Kapoor or Shabana Azmi and their roles are two dimensional and uninspiring. India yet again steals the show with the beauty of its architecture, glorious sunsets, and colorful people. The direction works well, and the camera seems to capture the mood eloquently. The poetry in Urdu is glorious to listen to even of delivered by Shashi Kapoor. Maybe good for a rainy day when you wish to be alone with a beer.

The Ballad of the Sad Cafe (1991)

Not that great !

[6/10 · 4 August 2005]

I just purchased this through the Merchant & Ivory DVD collection. I must admit I was unaware of who Carson McCullers was until I realized that she also wrote "A Heart is a Lonely Hunter". True to her style, this is a dark tale with the edge of by-sexuality in the main character (as McCullers was also). The movie it self is less than imaginative with some scenic wonders and yet with placid and flat acting. Simon Callow is not a good director and I definitely love the man as an actor more. Some scenes are memorable and the color red is used beautifully as a dress and a shirt - when you see it you will know how and why. Definitely put in the rent category for a somber afternoon.

The Courtesans of Bombay (1983 TV Movie)

Intriguing

[7/10 · 24 July 2005]

An interesting tale of poverty and the age old desire of man to engage in the greatest sport of exploitation of the poor told in a narration style with actors and a real life cast of Bombay courtesans. It captures the utter desperation of these poor souls as they live in a compound better suited to demolition than a living space. The camera captures the myriad of lives and their existence in a world cynical of their existence.

The camera wonders the dark and depraved halls searching for the characters that tells the weary story. It is weaved into a collage of memories and visualizations, beautifully interrupted by the narrators discussing the everyday lives and the reason for visiting these establishments. Mystical eastern dancing and gyrations entice the men into squalid rooms where they spend their hard working money on an evening of pleasure, music, and a night of prostitution.

This film really brings the darker side of Bombay into the mainstream in a documentary style. Its heartbreaking to see a poor beautiful girl who dances magnificently under the tutelage of a dance guru, only to know the fate that one day awaits her in a seedy apartment. A must see!

The Perfect Murder (1988)

Average spoof - a few laughs

[7/10 · 4 July 2005]

I purchased this DVD as it was a Merchant and Ivory Collection piece and hoping for a good Sunday evening bed time view. I wasn't disappointed and the movie generates some beautiful sceneries and life a far with strange paradoxes in a complex Bombay society. The story is quite similar in fashion and form to Red Heat (1988), and the Rush Hour series of movies. The plot is ridiculous and the screenplay rather dull and nothing ever fits together to solve the riddle as you would like to in this movie. But the laughs are a plenty akin to more to the bumbling Inspector Clouseau genre. Acting is better than the screenplay and the chemistry between the two detectives could be better. The DVD is very sparse and why Criterion ever got involved I am not sure. The transfer is disappointing and somewhat grainy.

A Very Long Engagement (2004)

Best movie this year

[8/10 · 21 December 2004]

I had the pleasure of seeing this movie on a special preview last night and I was enthralled at its story line and cinematic experience. I wasn't a great fan of Amelie and hence was not expecting any particular out-of-body experience in viewing this. But I was wrong. It is a wonderful piece of story telling – somewhat difficult to follow if you do have a short memory span for character names – and flashbacks. Yet at the end, it seamlessly closes the web in a beautifully written script that has been well acted and filmed. It is particularly gory in the WWI battle scenes but probably accurate in depiction whilst the locations where the film was shot seem out of this world (hoped they were not computer generated). Quaint towns, fields, beaches and houses lend a beautiful touch to the story of a love that will not die whilst Audrey Tautou delivers a spellbinding performance in a child-like heroine with a will of steel. A special mention must be given to Bruno Delbonnel's camera work which simply is amazing. Can't wait for the DVD.

Alexander (2004)

Too long and dull...

[7/10 · 24 November 2004]

Oliver Stone makes great movies. This isn't one of his best. It isn't as awful as some reviewers suggest but rather long in the story telling and acting. I had to endure the almost 3 hours of this epic and it did not make me feel the impulse to yawn or doze off and yet it did not hold you to the seat either. The lead choice was very poor as Colin Farrell was in no way look or act like a great General that subdued Persia and Western Asia. And who chose those kid actors? Ugh! The first 20 minutes were so excruciatingly detailed (about Alexander's history etc), you almost got lost if you did not listen intently to a very old and horrid Anthony Hopkins as Ptolemy. It seemed like a Greek history lesson and if you concentrated on the popcorn, you would surely have failed the test afterwards. And why doesn't Angelina Jolie ever age in this movie as her son does? The battle scenes were masterful and the cinematography of the magnificent locations stunning. With all the fuss about the homosexuality traits of Alexander depicted on the movie, the actual footage was strong but without graphical content. The only graphical love scene was the heterosexual element between Alexander and Roxane. Definitely worth seeing but in no way Oscar worthy.

Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999)

Not bad ...

[7/10 · 1 August 2004]

From a recent cheap Amazon DVD purchase, I watched the underrated Forest Whitaker in this movie. The movie is hip and yet fairly dull. It reeks of 'Pulp Fiction' and definitely worth the afternoon spent. The Samurai theme is well explained in poetical verse throughout the movie and the hip hop soundtrack adds the style in many of the action scenes. Don't expect any wired slow motion action here - just the silencers and the fake blood. The ending is rather silly but inevitable. Ever since the Crying Game I have been a fan of Forest Whitaker and his delivery in this movie as a melancholy hit man is first rate. The script is the weak component here and not the acting with some excellent dark humor in certain scenes.

The Last Samurai (2003)

Good but not great.

[8/10 · 17 December 2003]

I have to admit, I was very excited to see this movie. It had all the makings of a great epic if not an Oscar bound flik with love, intrigue, passion, and treachery all combined and woven into a turn of the century feudal Japan story. Could it go wrong? After viewing it, I can honestly say that it is not an OSCAR bound movie but an above average Sunday flik. The characters were very stale and the love between the main characters, Nathan and Taka seem contrived. Poor Nathan can never get killed (even though he wishes it) after being shot multiple times at the end of the movie and pummeled by a wooden stick in another scene. And some of the dialog seemed rather laughable and every time Katsumoto spoke, the English never matched his lips (was it dubbed?). Rather unbelievable at best. The savior of this movie is the cinematography, the well choreographed violence, and the magnificent shooting locations. Did someone mention New Zealand? Definitely worth seeing but I just could net get over the title (and Tom Cruise) being the Last Samurai

Love Actually (2003)

A great sunday afternoon chik-flik

[8/10 · 30 November 2003]

I have to admit I love these shamelessly promoted "love" fliks. It was very entertaining with some great acting (and over acting) with enough laughs to hold you bound for the very long 2 hours + to get everything completed. Seeing many familiar faces certainly helps (especially from Rowan Atkinson cameo). Moral is though that not all stories in life ends in happiness as with some character studies in the movie. I particularly enjoyed the scene with the news conference where Hugh Grant tells a very arrogant Billy Bob Thornton where to get off in bullying. After all we are a nation of Harry Potter!!! Alas my American colleagues did not quite get the joke I fear. Go see it and buy the DVD also. Great stuff all round.

8/10

Midnight Express (1978)

Totally Engrossing

[9/10 · 9 August 2003]

I saw this morning when it first opened in London in the late 70s. What an absolute gem in all respects. As a youngster, drugs was definitly a no-no after this movie. I finally got a chance to own the DVD recently and it still evokes incredible memories. The book is obviously not followed in the movie but we should accept it as a piece of pure Hollywood. Brad David should have won the Oscar indeed. Turkey was rather flamed by this movie which should never have happened. Nevertheless - a brilliant movie!