ShaShank_MovieFreak Reviews

The Conversion (II) (2022)

Very courageous

[10/10 · 23 May 2022]

This movie is needed to portray the social and demographic changes we as a country are undergoing at this tumultuous time.

We must see it. The movie is not riding on the wave of The Kashmir Files. It is its own story, its own issue that is too scary to be addressed.

The Kashmir Files (2022)

Rating it for the guts it shows

[10/10 · 12 March 2022]

The problem with most Bollywood movies that are based on "true events" is that they whitewash it to a point where the presentation makes the movie feel like a typical Bollywood masala flick. That's not necessarily a bad thing. There is after all, a fundamental difference between a movie & documentary i.e Drama.

But The Kashmir files didn't need that additional dramatization. It is about the Kashmir Pandit exodus which to date remains one of the darkest periods of modern Human history. The pain, the agony and the humiliation faced by Kashmir Pandits in 1990 has no parellels, period.

So, the only job a movie based on this tragedy has is to be truthful & honest. Shikara isn't. The Kashmir Files on the other hand, is. It's not just honest. It's sincere. It didn't exploit the tragedy. It emphathised with the Pandits. It showed what happened, how it happened and because of WHOM it happened.

The actors did their parts well. Especially, Anupam Kher's acting was impactful and will haunt you. Technically, the movie was well made. There were a few pacing issues & it was at times very difficult to watch.

But I give the movie 10/10. Director Vivek Agnihotri has shown guts in making sure the movie has no Bollywood makeup. It doesn't shy away from telling the truth about the Exodus.

If this movie offends you, know that you're getting the taste of the truth that Bollywood, the media and the intelligentsia has denied you for a very long time. Make sure you don't miss it this time. Because the foundation of peace in any society is truth, not a beautiful lie.

Baahubali 2: The Conclusion (2017)

A Solid effort and technically brilliant.

[7/10 · 28 April 2017]

Baahubali-2 takes off right where the Baahubali - The beginning ended, with the now famous question... Why Kattappa killed Baahubali? The story feels much more coherent now that the loose ends are tied really well.

There is so much more to the story of Baahubali than the WKKB question. The story takes us through the Love blooming between Amarendra Baahubali and Devasena, then delves into the Politics in the Mahishmathi Kingdom and some shocking revelations ensure the pace is kept high and then comes the sequence of Kattappa killing Baahubali. From then, the story becomes predictable and turns into a clichéd revenge drama. But the greatness of SS Rajamouli as a top- notch technician of the movie lies in how well he keeps the audience engaged and absorbed into the story. The entire narrative of Baahubali has been fleshed out and the emotions are handled very well indeed. The sequence of Kattappa and Baahubali has been used for maximum dramatic effect.

Wherever there are no strong emotions to keep us focused, Rajamouli resorts to Visuals.A separate mention has to go to the Visuals of the movie. The movie is visually stunning. So stunning indeed that it is one of, if not the most beautiful Indian film so far. Every frame of it oozes grandeur. Some of the sequences, especially the Visuals of the Romance song between Devasena and Baahubali match the standards of Hollywood. No doubt about it.

However, that is where the comparison with Hollywood must end, in all fairness. The movie is Indian at its core and the story, which heavily draws inspiration from the famous characters of Maha Bharatha is not new to the audience. It is an age old tale of Sibling Rivalry set in a different world and its saving grace are the great characters that populate the world of Baahubali. The actors have done a great job with stellar performances from Anushka, Satyaraj, RamyaKrishna, Nasser and Rana. They all acted very well. But ultimately it is Prabhas that steals the show. His performance is apt, controlled and is almost always on point. He never over-does his role.

All the technicians that have worked for the film have done a fabulous job as well. The music by MM Keeravani is wonderful and his BGM takes the experience to new heights. Senthil Kumar's cinematography is another big plus for the movie.

The pacing of the movie is amazing but it falters towards the end, as what happens becomes predictable and in the final battle, the viewers are treated at the same time to wonderful visuals and clichés. However, the events leading to the climax more than make up for it. Ultimately the ending is a safe one and the final sequence neatly ties it to the beginning of the first movie. Very sublime.

Finally, Baahubali is today's blockbuster, tomorrow's classic and is definitely one of the most important films for Indian movie industry. Watch it for the Visuals and Rajamouli's superb narration. It is an Indian film with an Indian story and is suffused with Indian sensibilities. That makes it a breathe of fresh air.

I (2015)

Vikram Steals the Show...

[7/10 · 14 January 2015]

It is hard to argue the fact that 'I' is one of the most anticipated movies of the year 2015, even though 2015 just started. While there are good reasons with Vikram's performance being the most important, another reason is that it's directed by Shankar, one of the most famous directors of South India. But, does the movie deliver?

Good points first. For the whole length of the movie, along with many other details, there was one thought I kept entertaining. Well, the movie is long (189 minutes) but I was not able to find any actor who could have taken up the role of the protagonist of this movie but Vikram. He completely and utterly nailed it. The passion with which he portrayed the three shades is rare, to say the least. Not just the tiresome make up and prosthetic work he had to put up with, but also emoting distinguishably amidst all the different shades was a herculean task. He brings credibility to a role that did take up nearly three movies worth' work of acting (just a rough guess). Also, the promos, the trailers and the interviews by the team that explain and highlight the amount of time and dedication Vikram put into the role. Then there is the Cinematography, which was technically brilliant. P.C.Sreeram must be lauded for such an effort. All the songs were gorgeous and were shot either in beautiful locations or elaborate and breathtaking sets. The music by A.R. Rahman impresses. The production values by V. Ravichandran are grand. Art direction was fabulous. The movie does shine on a technical front. The fights were choreographed very well too.

Now that those are talked about, lets get to the next section. The problems. Shankar has always made his mark as a director who has social awareness and makes lavish movies, never compromising on bringing his vision to life. None of his movies were about petty and narrow-minded revenge dramas and 'youth' topics. His broad vision always had a lot of plot points and a simple yet effective screenplay that took things right to the viewer. In other words, there was always a good amount of substance justifying the style. However, some critics say that after Sivaji, his graph has seen a decline, which could mean that Shankar could be actively trying to make movies out of his comfort zone. In doing so, any director must be careful not to tread the same road trodden in many movies before, much less someone as famed as Shankar. But in 'I' there were many scenes in its 3 hour runtime that I had the feeling 'any director could have come up with this idea'. The only thread that distinctly had the director's trademark vibe of high melodrama along with an equally foreign idea of justifying the role was the hunchback(diseased) character. Everything else, not so much. The storyline of love/revenge along with the hinted look of 'beauty and the beast' the movie do not make any impact and is also predictable. Except for the lead actress and a couple of others, none of the characters were utilized well and were fleshed out. Making the story more intricate and broad instead of just making it a high voltage personal revenge drama could have steered the movie towards a much better position as an achievement and not just commercially.

All that said, 'I' makes a good movie not for the story but for the performance of Vikram. No one else could have been crazy enough to accept the role in the first place, whatever the reason. You may watch it.

PK (2014)

A Jack of many trades but that is not necessarily bad.

[7/10 · 23 December 2014]

PK is the next film from the team that gave us one of the most successful bollywood films of all time, 3 Idiots. Therefore, it goes without saying that the expectations were high. Were they met? Yes, of course they were.

3 idiots enjoyed a tremendous success owing to its satirical comedy and a clever and fresh take on the problems of Indian educational system. However, critically the movie was not as acclaimed as say, Aamir Khan's Lagaan but at the same time, the movie wasn't just mindless fun. It had the right amounts of fun, message and heart that made it the benchmark of a successful film that it is today in Indian cinema.

P.K is similar in technique and style but the subject is different. This time, its religion. Its about an alien who accidentally landed on earth and in the process of finding his way back, observes the religious beliefs of people in India. Without spoiling much, how/whether he finds his way back forms the crux of the story. The movie is not eventful and not a lot happens in terms of the story but the director more than makes up for it with the treatment and characterization. All the characters have done their part very well and Aamir Khan stands out for a stellar performance as PK, an alien who observes everything with child-like curiosity as he tries to fit in the secular society of the country. Though some inspirations could be traced back to a few Hollywood films, he adds an eccentric touch to the portrayal and it does work very well. The music was apt and pleasant, though not 'pop' enough. Editing was very good and the director Rajkumar Hirani should be lauded for giving a movie that does not really waste time and utilizes the medium of cinema very well, just like his previous films. Movies of this kind are rare, we all can concur.

Its easy to understand why the movie could work so well at the box office. Just like 3 Idiots, it has the right amounts of fun, message and heart, making it extremely suitable for the clever commercial movie format. But that was all. Pk raises a few good questions, none of them new. Instead of suggesting an equally clever way of 'solving' them, the movie becomes opinionated and could rub off as slightly childish, naive and pseudo-intellectual, all its intelligence lying in trying to ask the question right. As a consequence, though it provokes thought about contemporary fear-mongering, superstitious and idol-worshiping practices and rituals in the major religions in India, it does not give something solid out of all the satires, questions dressed as jokes and emotions partly induced by music. Unlike the first two films of Mr. Hirani (Munnabhai duology) that had some distinct 'hitting' moments that worked so well, there was no such scene in P.K. At the least, I couldn't find any. Clearly the director has a lot to say intellectually but there had to be some sacrifices made to make sure that movie wasn't preachy and is commercially palpable. That was exactly what P.K achieves. Would the movie have been as much successful commercially, if not more, if there was more intellectual 'content' about the subject it took up? Well, I wouldn't bet on that.

So it goes without saying that P.K features Aamir khan's best work, is definitely one of the best films of the year and is surely recommended.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)

"This ape is like nothing you've ever seen."

[8/10 · 14 July 2014]

In 2011, Rise of the planet of Apes has revived the Planet of the Apes franchise successfully, and it garnered commercial and critical acclaim. Rightly so. Building up on a predecessor that nailed so many aspects just right is definitely a daunting task. And despite a few shortcomings, Dawn was able to actually pull that off in style.

Dawn is a perfect blockbuster, with enough amounts of emotion, intelligent writing and action making it one of the few films that do so very rarely. The last movie that gave me such impression - a sensible blockbuster - was The Dark Knight Returns.

The story picks up after its prequel, leaving a few details cleverly dropped and for the viewer's imagination. Our super-intelligent ape Caeser, who made it home at the climax of Rise will mature much over the time and is the leader of the 'Tribe' of monkeys in the wild. Of course, the human survivor territory and the Ape territory are effectively separated, the humans staying in the amazingly realized New York City devastated after the outbreak in Rise and the monkeys stay in the wild, among the high trees, inhabiting them. The survivors come up with a plan to revive and old dam for the sake of electricity since their stored up fuel is getting exhausted. The plan is good enough, except for the fact that the dam falls into the Ape territory. What happens after that forms the rest of the story. I shall not analyze the story here as it requires a lot of spoiling to the people who have not seen the movie. There are a few clichéd moments that form the main conflict and it gets predictable towards the end. Except for that, the story never bores you. It's really good and there will be enough plot twists to keep the interest high up. The screenplay leaves you with enough back story to characters on each side that you will find that its hard not to root for a particular side - humans or Apes. It also tidies up the premise for a wait-worthy sequel.

A story so good needs a top-notch cast to support it and carry it. On the human-side, there is Gary Oldman, Jason Clarke, Keri Russell among others and they all do a commendable job. A good soundtrack and great cinematography among many other departments make the Ruined New York extremely believable and immersive. The 3D was particularly effective in the latter part of the experience.

Now for the real deal. The Ape side. In Rise, Caeser's motion capture actor Andy Serkis has done a fabulous job and the motion capture was equally well done. But Dawn builds up on the already spectacular performance and as a result, the performances of all the Apes, specifically the main characters and more importantly Caeser, were jaw dropping. With this movie, Andy Serkis has proved that he is positively one of the best motion capture artists out there. Every detail, every frown, every sneer, every smile and every muscle movement was wonderfully captured with a ridiculous amount of authenticity. It is extremely hard, not to be impressed by Caeser's character as well. On one hand, he is the leader of the Apes and on the other, he has seen the loving side of the humans. His attempts for peace, his decisions and his ties to his own family (oops!) definitely remind us of a few great leaders of history.

There are only a few complaints I have about this movie and everything else is so good these complaints might look like knit-picks. Some of the characters in the story were unnecessary and the love angle between two characters though welcome, did feel a bit out of the place. The story eventually gets predictable but by then there will be virtually no main scene left to guess. The pacing slightly drops before the second act and picks up very soon. And that's all I've got.

If you were allowed only one movie this whole summer, this is the one I'd pick. Dawn is a sci-fi blockbuster so well made that only a few movies reach its level of storytelling and intrigue. If the visuals don't impress you, the soundtrack doesn't elevate the mood and if the cast doesn't pique your interest, then the character of Caesar should do the trick. He is like nothing you've ever seen. That ape is a show-stopper and I'm running out of adjectives here.

Dexter: Monkey in a Box (2013) Season 8, Episode 11

OK.. That wasn't bad..

[7/10 · 15 September 2013]

The episode before the series finale of Dexter, 'Monkey in a Box' was in comparison, not as bad an episode as the others of this season.

The episode starts and carries on the same thread of Dexter saying goodbye to his friends, Deb and his colleagues of Miami Metro. Not much happens Story-wise but however, the plot turns out to show that Dexter gets more and more tended towards becoming normal, which was kind of nice to me. Many will not like this twist but hey, what the hell, we can't always satisfy everyone. By the end, the tension mounts enough for us to wait for the finale and by the next week, we will be done with Dexter.

Specially in this episode, the ways Dexter follows and uses to solve problems like opening computers are so effing dumb. There was very little of the original sharp writing left by the time this Series reached season 8 and that too, its last episodes, making Dexter just another average American Sitcom, disappointingly.

The ending better be very powerful and justify the amount of dumbness we put up with so far in season 8. But anyway, this episode has indeed shown some signs of a potentially satisfying and an unpredictable ending. So, I should say, there is still some hope left for Dexter.

Dexter: Surprise, Motherf**ker! (2012) Season 7, Episode 12

A very Intense ending for an amazing season..

[8/10 · 16 December 2012]

This must be hands down the most depressing ending ever for any season of Dexter so far. The way it ended was a little predictable but how it came to that point and how it actually happened was totally unexpected.

From the beginning, the episode has been gripping and by the end, it had literally had me breathless and making me think of what happens the next minute. The performances were amazing and this episode is one fine piece of writing.

But on the flip side, the happenings were so crowded that it did take a second for me to figure out and get the heart of what was happening. The ending, though intense was not exactly executed well. It must have been given a little more screen time and a little more attention to detail.

Either way, Season 7 ends with yet another cliff hanger and a few unanswered questions and Dexter and Debra finally celebrating the new year.

"Is this the new beginning? The beginning of the end?"

Dexter: Argentina (2012) Season 7, Episode 8

Argentina.. The Ticking Bomb Explodes..

[9/10 · 19 November 2012]

The episode starts off in a rather mediocre pace but slowly takes up speed after half the time.

There isn't much progress story wise except for a delight that you get to see Astor and Cody after a long time and there was a little drama surrounding Astor just like her last screen presence. That scene was handled rather well. The cat and mouse game between Dexter and Isaac continues with an indeed totally unexpected incident.

However, the minutes that stand out are the last fifteen minutes. Believe me, when they started, I literally got the air knocked out of my lungs.

A bomb which none of us probably saw coming explodes in an emotionally unsettling manner. It was a very daring idea and the thing that baffles the most about it is that it explodes without any building up the atmosphere. It just happens. And the ending was good too with a 'yet another' conversation between Isaac and Dexter.

This episode wasn't amazing but the last fifteen minutes more that just make up for it.

Cloud Atlas (2012)

Cloud atlas, simply a must see...

[10/10 · 31 October 2012]

The novel by David Mitchell was in itself, amazing. Handling all the time lines portrayed in that story would be a near-impossible task just because of the sheer complexity. But that is where we must praise the trio of Tom Tykwer and the Wachowskis for making one of the richest epic movies seen recently, spanning a lot of centuries. Cloud atlas is in my opinion, one of the best movies of the year, or probably the whole decade.

Though the story does revolve a bit around the concept of chaos theory and the butterfly effect, each segment/time line in itself was very well- made and even their combination was a perfect fusion. I mean, the screenplay was nothing short of amazing, though it felt a bit like a Kubrick movie sometimes for the incredible care for detail the directors took. The movie might take more than one viewing to understand it better. In the three hours of its runtime, there was not even a single second that was wasted or was passive.

The actors had done an amazing role in the movie. All of them, Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Ben Whishaw, and others too. However, a special mention goes to Hugo Weaving, who appears in multiple roles in the film and every time he appears, he manages to make a powerful character portrayal. He was in this movie, as yet another reviewer has pointed out, a genuine show-stopper. The soundtrack was another character altogether. It was just right for the movie and was very well made.

Part of the movie's perfection, apart from the fact that it was made based on the novel was the fact that the adaptation was carried out indeed very efficiently. By the end of the movie, when(or if, for the first time viewers) you see the connection between the happenings across the centuries, you will understand the effectiveness of the movie and how well it portrays our world for what it was, what it is and what it could be.

Cloud atlas is a must-watch for everyone who loves intelligent movies that really make you think and have a long running time (near three hours). I shall even go as far as saying that the movie presents a rare opportunity of making us see how our actions are not as trivial as they seem and everything in this world is, after all, connected.

An incredible movie. And, oh did someone just say 'Oscar'?

Dexter: Sunshine and Frosty Swirl (2012) Season 7, Episode 2

Dexter S07E02. A nice Follow-Up.

[9/10 · 8 October 2012]

SPOILER: This episode starts with Dexter confessing to Deb about his dark passenger and Deb imposing new code for him to follow. Also, there are some developments regarding the case of Kaja's murder.

There were some good moments of humor b/w Deb and Dexter, which I better not spoil here. However, what stands out is the climax, which was totally unexpected and packs a good enough emotional punch. The acting of Michael Hall was outstanding in some scenes and some scenes between him and his sister Deb were really heart-wrenching. This season sure is gonna have the highest amount of emotional content than all the other previous seasons.

A very nice episode. I'm wondering what the writers will come up with for the various story lines in the next episodes. Can't wait until the next Sunday.

Dancer in the Dark (2000)

The movie that makes you feel you should watch and shouldn't have watched..

[10/10 · 15 September 2012]

'Dancer in the dark' is a kind of movie you wish you had not watched and also wished you had not missed at any cost. It stands up to its fame as truly one of the most depressing movies ever made, let alone a musical..!

The movie revolves around a woman by the name Selma who works in a tool factory and does everything she could to stop her only son from going blind gradually, an inherent disease. How hard she tries to cope up with life and how she soothes her heart by imagining music in the most common of sounds is just amazing. Actress Bjork has given a performance that was made just for her. No one else in this world could do the role as fabulously as she had. Her innocent smile, an almost child-like voice and a highly believable performance make her character go down as one of the most beautiful characters ever portrayed in film history. All the other characters in the film portrayed their role very well too.

The music numbers are just awesome. Specially the song 'I've seen it all' was simply wonderful. The usage of hand-held camera by Lars Trier was indeed very efficient and deserves a praise. His direction remains the hero of the film and was very powerful. he has taken a very simple story and had developed the characters as if he had all the time in the world. Once you get to relate to the character of Selma, you start seeing things in her perspective and the incidents happening get more and more painful to watch.

Its very tough to see something so beautiful, so innocent and so fragile as the nature around us slowly getting destroyed. That is the main reason why this movie is so depressing. By depressing, I mean very Depressing. A lot of my friends watched this movie and everyone of them cried. That appeared very silly to me until I watched the movie myself. I tried incredibly hard to refrain from crying but it got harder and harder by the minute. Eventually, I cried so hard and the movie was so emotionally draining that I am trying not to cry even right now, as I am typing this review. And I don't feel the least bit silly about it.

If this movie does not hit you in the heart, believe me when I say this, something is very very wrong with you. Once the movie is over and your head is still reeling with the emotion you had to deal with all the movie, suddenly you see the credits roll up with the innocent face of Selma smiling and sadness comes down on you like an avalanche, you start crying all over again. Putting this movie in words is an almost impossible task. Its best only if you see for yourself.

An obvious 10 for 10. A spectacular achievement in every way.

Brave (2012)

A Great Movie.. But not 'Pixar' Great...

[9/10 · 22 June 2012]

I am a great fan of Pixar studios, so I'm trying to be as unbiased as I can while writing this review. Brave sure does mark a comeback to Pixar. After Cars 2, many thought that the beloved animation studio lost its vibe and magic, but this movie proves everyone wrong. I mean it. Pixar is back. But... The movie is not extra-ordinary or marvelous like Up or Wall-e. Its great, but not in a 'Pixar' kind of way. But then again, the movie is much different from the usual Pixar style of movie-making, which might be the reason why I made the previous point.

Firstly, the visuals. I mean, come on, no one beats Pixar when it comes to Animation and visual effects. And this time, the studio has really outdone itself. Brave should probably be the greatest animation work of Pixar up to date. The Characters, the ancient Scotland, the Artwork, the Scenery, you name it. It was splendid. Even the voices were perfectly cast. Kelly McDonald was very convincing as Merida and so was the case with everyone else. Also, I loved the way she spoke in her Scottish accent.

Talking about the story, it sounded more like a Disney story than a Pixar one. It was, of course, the darkest Pixar tale so far and even the jokes got a little matured this time around. And I have to say this, though. The message the movie gives about freedom and family was very good. You may not actually appreciate it and get impressed as soon as you see it but once you see the movie and after a while you think of it, you'll start liking it. It did happen to me.

I only have a few things against the movie, the first one being that the studio didn't reach its previous standards of story-telling. The second one was the pace, which was alright for most of the movie except for at the beginning of the second half. Also, I must have raised my expectations dramatically after watching the trailers, so probably I did get a little disappointed. But nevertheless, the movie is without doubt, a very good movie. Only, it's neither the best nor the worst of Pixar films. It dangles somewhere in the middle of the list.

Also, there was a very beautiful short movie called La Luna at the beginning of the movie. By the way, 'If you had the chance to change you fate, would you?' This line is kind of cool. Who knew? You might find it useful someday.

Ilsa: She Wolf of the SS (1975)

Ilsa, the cult goddess..!!

[7/10 · 16 April 2012]

I've always wondered why they never make flicks like this... Oh, how I miss them.

Anyways, Ilsa, the She wolf of the SS is, as many know, a cult classic. It shows the story of ILSA, an evil SS officer and how she tortures women in her SS camp. Its a very simple story.

The cast was fine. You can't expect much from a flick like this. But the Ilsa character portrayed by Dyanne Thorne was fabulous. She was voluptuous, evil, vile and seductive at the same time. She really steals the show. There are a handful of soft core scenes of sex, featuring Ilsa.

Also, this movie does not get you bored. Nope, no way you are getting bored. The movie is filed with gratuitous sex and torture scenes, though they are not even half as graphic as the scenes in many other contemporary 'Video nasties' like the Italian Cannibal films.

If you are an exploitation era fan, you should have already watched it. If you are not and want to be one, please, do yourself a favor and watch this piece of beauty. This naziploitation classic is never to be missed by fans. Ilsa never disappoints.

In the Realm of the Senses (1976)

A Movie That Is Beyond Words.

[9/10 · 5 March 2012]

In the realm of senses is quite simply a movie like no other. There are simply no words to describe what the movie was like.

Without giving away the details, I can say that this movie is about a very obsessive sexual relationship between a man and his servant. So obsessive that they actually don't give a darn about anything that happens. Where their obsession takes them in the end is basically the story of the film. Although the premise seems rather off-beat, the story was handled very well by the director Nagisa Oshima and the actors did a very good job. The art was good and the music was effective enough.

The deeper you go into the movie, the deeper the characters go into their sexual unhealthy obsession and the more concerned you become about their fate. This movie is, in NO WAY, a PORNO. You can call it naked art if you want. And yes, the sex was not dry. But who would watch an entire 100 minutes of a movie like this by only focusing on the story? The sex scenes were pretty explicit and real(as in UN-simulated). Still, all of them had their part in the story-telling.

Also, one very important point to be considered while trying to interpret this film, if one would want to, is that the story is completely character-driven. Looking at the movie in this perspective helps in a better viewing. The movie goes beyond it's NC-17 rating, but more importantly, the movie goes beyond the day-to-day reality and shows something that is so shocking, so disturbing and so depressing that in the end, you will be left utterly speechless. It is indeed, beyond the realm of senses, showing how related yet far-away, love and sex are.

I watched this movie three days ago and it still hasn't left me, quite literally. If not for anything else, watch it for the guts it shows in handling such a daring taboo-breaking subject very well and being very artistic without becoming sleazy and filthy for even one moment.

A horribly under-rated masterpiece which only demands an open mind from the user to perform in its fullest. A truly UN-forgettable experience.

Suspiria (1977)

A Horror Masterpiece.

[8/10 · 26 January 2012]

Dario Argento, the master of Giallo gives us one of the most beautiful and intense horror movies in the history of film-making. Suspiria is easily his best Giallo yet.

I have nearly seen every Giallo of Dario Argento. So, to scare me, the movies really need to be very frightening. I have seen Suspiria very recently. The movie kept me at the edge of my seat and biting my nails. The horror element was very successfully executed in this film. With classy and gory haunting murders, good-enough cast, wonderful artwork and one of the creepiest soundtracks in the movies ever, Suspiria is a ride you will never forget once taken. I just don't know why the Art direction wasn't at least nominated for an Oscar.

The pace of the story, the gore, the story itself(not a complicated one, but still..) and the art, all together create a very effective and eerie atmosphere which definitely gives chills.

So, give this movie a serious shot. Simply, a horror masterpiece.

Requiem for a Dream (2000)

The most Intense Movie Experience Ever...!!!

[10/10 · 2 January 2012]

I normally watch a lot of movies(Believe me, at least two movies a day..) Among all of them. RFAD is positively the most intense movie I have seen till date. The climax stands out to be the most devastating climax I have ever seen.

The story is about four people who, in the starting of the movie, make different plans about the future. This is a good part. Then, they slowly start getting into drugs and addiction. This is a not-so-good part. It has some pretty uneasy moments. Now the really messy and the tough part. The part of complete downward spiral in their lives. Believe me, this part is really disturbing to watch. The atmosphere of the movie changes from happy to sad in a gradual manner. The overall depressing mood gets more and more defined and finally, towards the end of the climax, the movie gets practically unbearably painful.

This is one hell of a movie that is definitely gripping. The acting was well done. Specially, the role of Ellen Burstyn was very effective in the movie. Her acting was flawless. Director Darren Aronofsky handled the subject fabulously. It is very hard to go through the movie in one sitting, harder not to get uneasy and the hardest to remain the same after watching this movie.

Simply, a must watch, at least for the people who can stomach extremely graphic films.

House (1977)

Oh my...!!! Hands down to the weirdest flick ever made..

[30 October 2011]

****spoilers:(Have you ever seen a piano rape a person..?)****spoilers.

Don't think I'm crazy.. Well, I know I'm crazy but the question I just asked you was because you will see stuff like this in HAUSU..

I have seen many many movies. You can name any weird movie. Chances are that I have watched it.. Having said this if I assert that Hausu is the weirdest movie I have seen till date, it is in no way an over-statement. There are many movies; tetsuo,Ichi the killer, Audition, Ebola syndrome, Sweet movie... But none of them come even close. Hausu is the weirdest movie out there and will probably be.

You really have to give this movie a try. Well, if you don't like extreme cinema, fine. But if you do, and if you can take it, I say this flick is a lot of fun. No message and no moral high-ground. Its just plain sick fun. Not even one boring and passive second. You can compare this movie to an exciting roller-coaster ride when on drugs.

Pretty psychedelic and surreal. It hard to explain how you feel after watching the movie. But remember this: This movie gives you an altogether different kind of entertainment. Go watch it. You will go crazy, go bananas and go tell your friends about this baby... Just like I have done.. :P

Dogtooth (2009)

A very unique movie.. After a very long time..

[12 October 2011]

Dogtooth is a kind of movie which comes out as a combined package of clever social satire and disturbing shock value.. It is possibly one of the most different, unique and unsettling movies I had ever seen. The last movie for which I had similar feelings was 'A Clockwork Orange'.

The story is about the children who are trapped in their house by an over-careful and over-anxious father who never gave them a chance to get exposed to the outside world. The movie shows the days which gradually changed their life.

The story goes at a medium pace and is handled in a gripping way by the director. Visually, the movie is pleasing. Also, the actors were very good and they successfully brought out the claustrophobic feeling and innocence. And, in the end, there is the Father and the Mother. They push the limits to such levels that they would not even give their children the actual meaning of words like 'sea', 'wind', 'zombie' and so on and so forth.

But, because of an incident, which I better not spoil here, the innocence gets lost and that is how the film ends with a shocking and disturbing conclusion.

Dogtooth provides many points to ponder upon. For example, it raises a question as how far and how long it is advisable to have parents watching and guiding their children. Also, one very interesting suggestion the director made in this movie was that the good never comes to you. You go to it. But evil, it always comes to you. The contrast as to how far-fetched the Good can be and how accessible(:D) bad can be is very beautifully and abstractly expressed. Again, everyone can interpret this movie in their own way.

Watch this movie, a kind of movie which comes once in a decade. A truly unique cinematic experience. Highly recommended, even though the movie is pretty explicit. :D

Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

WW2 as seen from the eyes of two innocent children...

[10/10 · 7 October 2011]

'Grave of the fireflies' is a kind of movie which makes you shed tears every time you watch it, or even think about it. The brutal and in-your-face style of portraying events really makes this movie a truly heart-breaking experience.

I have never rated a movie with the whole 10 points. This was the only one. Because, no other movie has stayed with me and has twisted my heart in as many ways as GOTF did. I hadn't known about any other works of studio ghibli. But after I had seen this one, I made up my mind to check them out.

What makes this movie so disturbing is the events and the close exposure they give to very innocent and very devastating aspects of life almost simultaneously. The contrast between them is as painful as the contrast between a blinding bright light and a blood curdling darkness. The story is about the atrocities faced by a young boy, Seita and his little sister Setsuko in a village in Japan. The time is World war 2. The animation is typical-Japanese and is very effective. The story is told very well; so well that its almost impossible not to get uneasy and cry. In the 90 minute length of this movie, not even a minute goes by without making you fear and hate war, the most dehumanizing act we humans commit.

Watch this movie and understand how bad and how fragile life can get and how hard, how stupidly and sincerely our love and hope keep fighting for survival. Interpret this movie in any way you want. I'm sure it will not be so pleasant.

Simply, a must-watch. It deserves to stand in the history of movie-making along with other classic war movies like Schindler's list, though they are both different and effctive in their own way.

Insidious (I) (2010)

One of those fewest horror movies that actually scare without being gory..

[26 September 2011]

It has been a long time since I got so scared by watching a movie. This movie does exactly that. Scare the sh*t out of you. And when you least expect it to.

The plot of the movie is about a family which suffers from the ghastly happenings that follow after their eldest son falls into some kind of a coma. How they struggle and how far they go to get him back is what the story is about. The cast was good, the effects were excellent and the direction of James Wan was fabulous. There are a handful of freaky jump scenes, like I said before, when you expect them the least. Well, this you see in many movies.

But what makes this movie different is its atmosphere. The art design was so haunting and bizarre. This movie doesn't make you just scream a few times and leave you. It stays with you. It haunts you. It comes to you before you get fast asleep.

All this it does with a little amount of gore(actually, there's really no gore, when you compare it to other contemporary horror films). This is what makes Insidious a darn good thriller. And there is this climax which is utterly unexpected.

This movie is a must watch for any one who loves a good horror movie. Also, you will know that this movie is successful when you look around and check your surroundings before going to sleep.

And you will.. Trust me.. :D

Inside (2007)

Not really as bad as many say it is.. Its good..

[7/10 · 22 September 2011]

What is with many people saying this movie is bad..? Did they expect the work of Stanley Kubrick in this film and watch it..? This movie is not brain-candy.

Well, this movie is not really so bad. It is just simple. The story is about two women, one pregnant and one aborted. Why they fight over the new-born is revealed in the climax. The story is simple, I admit. But the scenes that build the emotion and even the actresses who did a pretty good job add up a lot to the movie watching experience.

Fine. Now the effects, the gore, the horror, the tension, etc.. They are very good. They are pretty realistic. Even the pace builds up in a frightening manner. If you find this effects cheesy, I recommend you to watch some old-school grindhouse trash. You may appreciate visual effects better in that movie than in this one... ;)

Now, to the most important part. The emotion. This movie has its moments. They are not totally tear-jerking, but they make enough sense. They say how a lost affection and the desperation for a new one, can turn a person into a maniac. They actually add to the heart of this film, something that is lacked in nearly every other stupid gory Hollywood crap like SAW (not the first part) or hostel... U name it..

Finally, watch this movie, if you can stomach it. But I say to all the horror film fans, DO WATCH THIS baby without heavy expectations. There is simply no chance that you will be disappointed.

Eraserhead (1977)

Not a movie to be interpreted...

[8/10 · 15 September 2011]

I'll keep this review short..

The first film of David Lynch is his most bizarre. Eraserhead is simply an enactment of your worst nightmare on the screen. So, before watching this movie, keep this in your mind. Sit through the flick and enjoy the atmosphere, the weirdness of characters, the incidents and the raw bizarreness of Lynch's imagination. But DO NOT try to interpret it. Because you can interpret it in a hundred different ways.

Lynch tells us that the art of cinema, like a fine painting, can be as surreal and abstract as Eraserhead.

Finally, a piece of warning-this movie induces nightmares in you. Take this for granted.. :P

A Serbian Film (2010)

I just couldn't believe what I saw..

[5/10 · 13 September 2011]

I'm sure everyone knows all the fuss about calling this one a devastating movie about porno flicks...And, before watching this one, I was proud that I watched many devastating insane movies like Irreversible, Salo, Man bites dog, Cannibal holocaust..... And I thought I watched them all.

But when I downloaded this nasty thing and decided to watch it before going to sleep, little did I prepare myself for what was about to pop into the screen..

It told me, "So, you've seen all those flicks, right? Now try me." And believe me, I then saw the movie which didn't leave me for a whole week. It was singularly the most disturbing, insane, graphic and brutal movie I have ever seen in life. Mix Irreversible and Salo, sprinkle some Saw over it and garnish it with Martyrs. You are halfway to making A Serbian Film.

Holy sh*t...!!! At a point of watching the movie, I had a cliché' as to whether I should continue or just stop watching it. I shall not tell anything about the story. Nobody can, actually. Movies like Irreversible can be watched if you have an acquired taste. Well, A Serbian film is definitely an exception. Its way over the top.

Anyone who can stomach extremely graphic content and deeply moving emotion might try this one.

It is not a kind of movie you will love. It is a kind of movie you will fear and remember for what it tells you.

And this is the point this movie makes, in an extremely depressing mood. That life will not always be what you expect it to be. And of course, not every ending in life is exactly happy.

Heck, I don't even know if I should recommend this film to anyone!!!

Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom (1975)

A powerful point was made By Pasolini,but...

[6/10 · 23 May 2011]

Salo or 120 days of Sodom was a movie like nothing you could have ever seen.. Its the most disturbing movie with the least amount of blood.. Coming to the story.Its about the torture of some innocent youth by four fascist libertines,which is a direct and an extremely graphic adaptation of the novel of the same name by Marquis De Sade. Pier Pasolini made a very powerful and a daring point in this movie about the true nature of violence in all of us. It was a social and historical satire and in a vague sense, a study of humans.

Pasolini,in this way,points his finger at all the human beings.. But was it what Pasolini exactly portrayed..? That basic point of violence was covered and hidden beneath a lot of sleazy sexual assaults with unspeakable and despicable acts of torture.. At a point of watching the movie,I wondered if mankind could really sink to such depths.. It was terribly depressing and disgusting in its own way.. But still,Salo must be respected for such a powerful and a daring point it made.

But the movie doesn't take more than a 6 out of 10 from me because of all the violence that fogged up this point.. Perhaps,there should have been more drama or emotion.Instead of that,what I saw was more disgusting violence and more torture..

This Italian movie should be watched with extreme caution and only by the strong hearted.