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Inglourious Basterds (2009)
"This might just be my Personal Masterpiece"
He may not be dishing out one blockbuster after another, releasing one off-beat movie inside one decade (in which Cinema and tastes transition from one generation to the next)... But when he DOES display his art, it is pure, unbridled joy. That is what it needs to be cherished for. No more no less. Such is the tale of Inglourious Basterds. It was to me his best work after Pulp Fiction. And to the the connoisseur of his works, this movie too grows on you with each successive viewing. Like Pulp Fiction, Inglourious Basterds, deep down, really has no plot. And like the former, the plot just doesn't matter, as the thrill in the movie lies in the dialogues and chemistry between the actors during (seemingly) mundane bits of smalltalk. However, unlike Pulp Fiction, this movie delivers a first. That of making the subjects of the Holocaust, towards which Western Cinema and more or less all forms of media have had a biased point of view, into lovable characters! As is Chris Waltz in the movie. He is simply outstanding! And besides the downgraded profile of Adolf Hitler, the other German characters emerge not only strong but equally charming. And whereas some comfort in French and/or German may help appreciate the fine print, the brilliance in the movie lies in how little the choice of language matters to the all-English viewer! Whether it's the opening sequence at the farmer's house in French countryside, or the romantic attempts of Private Frederick Zoller towards Melanie Laurent, or that of Capt. Hellstorm at the underground tavern with the undercover 'Basterds'... the conversations are truly mesmerizing! In all, its a classy movie. It has attention to subtleties of culture, design, World War II, emotions... aspects that are hallmarks of Tarantino movies, and I would fathom, styles that mirror the Director's own personality more than any other. A MUST watch. A perfect 10. And only Tarantino can better that!
Rang De Basanti (2006)
Fantastic!
In continuation of Indian Cinema's new found interest in dishing out sensible stuff, Rang De Basanti is a runaway winner in terms of acting, direction, screenplay..you name it, and of course MESSAGE. The movie very aptly captures the lives of our youth, but more importantly goes further than portraying a carefree hedonistic lifestyle by providing them important issues to deliberate on. Like how to pro actively deal with corruption, and how to respect the sacrifices made by our predecessors to achieve our almost taken-for-granted independence. Also, the issue of equanimity between Hindus and Muslims is dealt with very well. The camera-work is fantastic. Great scenes captured from Delhi and other places. A lot of sharp humor interspersed with the typical Punjabi-style wit acted by Aamir Khan. Sidharth Narayan and Kunal Kapoor have done their roles proud. Soha Ali Khan is as cute as can be and does a very mature role. Sharman Joshi, however, is the pick of the lot as his role involves a lot of grey areas and changing character. In all, a MUST SEE for Indians everywhere! I'd give this movie a perfect 10!
Salaam Namaste (2005)
A treat!
This movie packs a lot of emotion - laughter, wit, sadness, anger, just about everything. What I like about the movie is that it captures the emotions of an aspiring woman of the 21st century in India - with all her dreams of maintaining a balanced lifestyle - a sought after medical qualification and a comfortable live-in relationship. The movie flies in the face of conventional portrayal of a woman harried by the insensitivity of the world around her in general, and literally sermonizes the lot on how to deal with very REAL issues that can arise in live-in arrangements. Now on to that acting - Saif Ali Khan is getting better and better with every movie I must say. His oft repeated comic roles interspersed with the evil, devilish behaviour ( a la Ek Haseena Thi) works well for him. Preity Zinta is at her chirpy best. But no description of this movie is complete without mentioning the awesome display of Javed Jaffrey! His mimicry of Feroz Khan is a treat to watch! Its almost perfect to the minutest detail. (how could he also manage to get Feroz's set of teeth i cannot fathom?!!). You just cant help rolling on the floor laughing! All in all, this is a MUST SEE for everyone - it just charges you up like nothing else. Would I give it a 10 on 10 rating? Eggjhactly!