Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire

one of the many resolutions for this new year to blog lets hope i keep this one up........

Yesterday to resume the journey i saw one of the latest film "Precious : Based on novel "Push" by sapphire. Cause it was easy to stream as i amnot allowed to use torrents on my office laptop.

To begin with i had hardly any expectations from this movie. I knew its promoted by Oprah and hence it should be about women oppression. The movie takes it beyond the oppression to the levels of excruciating pain.

Precious is a story of a girl who is 17, overweight and pregnant with her second child. She lives in Harlem with her mother and has no real future. Then the story develops into a tale of courage and caring. Some of the scenes are brilliance personified especially the last sequence between the counselor (unrecognisable Mariah Carey), Precious and her mother. Standing ovation stuff. Director Lee Daniels manage to tell this wonderful story with a passion which can be felt. Cinematic work in movie is fabulous technically and the feel of it.

Outstanding performance by Mo'nique who plays mother to Precious played by Gabourey Sidibe. She became only the 7th actress to win Critic's choice award, Golden globes, Actors guild awards, BAFTA and Oscars all in the same year also only the 5th african american women to win Oscars ever, that's how rare the performance was. The story like this provokes and provides great landscape for the actresses and each one has grabbed it with both hands. Gabourey Sidibe was so natural to the role which is actually very contrary to her personality in life. kudos.

The movie definitely makes you feel good about life. Quiet feel good movie despite the horrors of the events throughout. It is rather motivational stuff for the "Precious" girls of this world. The spirit of the whole affair is rather haunting. need less to say its a must watch for women out there and men no less.

This movie just confirmed my feelings about"The hurt locker", best motion picture at Oscars and its victory being more political than cinematic.

A Streetcar Named Desire

A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) ......... I was expecting to see some silly old bollywood style movie. Instead it surprise me with its play type settings and then it surprised me more......

Movie is a depiction of internal fight everyone faces everyday about their lives. Blanche (Vivien Leigh) arrives to her sister place for the refuge and its all about how she and everyone around her are trying to live up to the lives they have got into of their choice or not. Her brother-in-law Stan(Marlon Brando) is an uncultured and unsuitable suitor to her sister. These emotional battles are to be seen all throughout the movie and at different levels too. You are bound to be fascinated by one character or the other and seriously you will never forget them.

A Streetcar Named Desire is more of symbolic name which is what the movie is all about "Human Desires". Vivien Leigh (Gone with the wind famed) and Marlon Brando (Godfather famed) are simply stunning. I could completely picture our own Big B pulling off that role. Its so loud and intense that not many could have pulled it off. This movie has a distinction for winning 3 of top 4 major acting Oscars for the first time in the history. Vivien Leigh, Kim Hunter (Stella - The sister) and Karl Malden (Mitch - The guy who loves blanche) got the awards for best actress, supporting actress and supporting actor. Only Marlon Brando missed out on Best actor award. I will certainly like see the performance of the guy who beat him to it.

In fun trivia i read, that the director made sets with moving walls so that during scenes he can move the walls to show the mental state of the characters. Pretty cool i say.

A streetcar named desire......ends with a famous line by Blanche " I have always depended on the kindness of strangers". Which actually is always right. We are more tolerant towards strangers that our near and dear ones. Something which i think is a social norm.

The best part about the film is that despite being thought about half a century back; It is still relevant. Our lives do follow " A Streetcar Named Desire".

Seabiscuit: Letters from Iwo Jima

Seabiscuit: Letters from Iwo Jima: "Letter from Iwo Jima (2007)........ Frankly i never even heard of the movie let alone seen it. When I was compiling the list of movies th..."

Letters from Iwo Jima

Letter from Iwo Jima (2007)........ Frankly i never even heard of the movie let alone seen it. When I was compiling the list of movies that I have to watch in my quest; this movie caught my eye. Its directed by Clint Eastwood and it was nominated for best picture and i have not even heard of it. that got me curious. So thanks to torrents i was able to get hold of this movie. What struck me first about the movie is that its in Japanese and Clint Eastwood being on the other side of the war certainly get an applause for shear choice and handling of the topic.

The movie is a simple story of bravery. There is this island " Iwo Jima" which is strategical important for japan during world war II. This important island if lost would have given America direct base to attack Japan mainland. Nice setting for horrific war movie. It addresses all the issues of Japanese war stories right from civilians dragged to war, unequipped for war, strategically unaware and whole lot. The hidden bunkers created by these soldiers with all human effort is what made the island of Iwo Jima so special. It is more over a symbol of position of Imperial Japan in the world war II, great courage in the face of defeat.

Our protagonist General Kuribayashi ( Kane watanbe, Famous Chairman from "Memoirs of Geisha" ) is a visionary and well aware of what lies in store for him. Fighting a loosing battle does not balk him from doing brave and humane acts. Eccentric and unconventional is what best explains him. Still in the end you do feel for these soldiers. Human element of military operations are also captured very well.

Clint Eastwood has done a great job on this film. As usual his background scores are rather moving. I see a great pattern in all the films that i have seen of him. Fight against adversity; But it inevitably has a sad ending. Some day definitely i would like to ask him why he creates 99% positive movie just to end it in sadness. But i must say, I am yet to see more humane war film.

Clint Eastwood has definitely done better work according to me. This movie at times failed me holding my interest, may be it was due to language.

If you are a war film fan .......Please go ahead download and see the movie. It will make you think of Japanese in better light. It certainly made me visit those historic events on Wiki.

If you are not a war film fan but appreciate good foreign language cinema. Seriously have a look at it. recommended.

The Queen

I began my "quest of lifetime" by watching this movie. Surprisingly this movie went under my radar over the years. Just could not manage to see it. Frankly i never thought it will be any interesting either.

I have this habit of not reading anything about the movie before seeing it. Not even the genre. I believe knowing the movie what is about kills half of the unexpected experience of movie watching. It has worked for me over the years. It certainly worked for "The Queen"

"The Queen" is directed by Stephen Frears; the director of "High fidelity", "Dangerous Liasons", "Mary Raily". This is the movie for which Helen Mirren got her Oscar. She plays HM Queen Elizabeth in the tumultuous time of princess Diana's death. First 5 mins i thought it will be a very dry and boring. I Mean what interesting about Diana's death worth making into a motion picture?..... right? ........wrong.......

It's a well crafted tussle between public life and personal life of celebraties. More over like a classic case of "they have to take decisions which does not bother us". Movie also take us through the emotional state of various members involved point in time. Overall the movie does connect and appeal to us at various levels. Emotionally as well as cinematically.

Performances by Helen Mirren and Michael Sheen are scorchers. Brillient!!! Movie is beautifully shot and builds a certain whats next about itself.

On flip side the movie is rather slow. Uses lot of metaphors to depict state of mind of The Queen and you need to understand them. Patience is the key to enjoy something like this. Give it a shot. "The Queen" will educate you if not entertain you.

Watching this film did make me say "Now thats why we watch films" ...........