Pictured Moving

How does one get through an entire role without changing expressions? Ask Sweeney Toad..err Todd. Johnny Depp has made it an art form to get through a role without changing expressions. Even a toad has more expressions than that. He did that in Edward Scissorhands and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. But this is not about Johnny Depp, this about the a successful musical not being let to just be, but going ahead and celluloiding it.

Why on earth would anyone keep repeating the same mistakes over and over again? Nothing really to say about this, thankfully my flight ticket paid for this movie. Also helped me catch up on my much needed sleep.

Sorry JD, hopefully you will do better in Shantaram.

My Take: Eeeks! ■■■■■

I finally did catch up on Capote and the resuly was amazing. Based on a true life incident of American non fiction author Truman Capote in the run up to his book In Cold Blood, this is truly fascinating. With Phillip Seymour Hoffman in his Oscar winning role, he has been able to catch and execute the emotion of an author caught between his human side and his professional side, besides all the mannerisms of the real Truman Capote. For serious movie fans this is a must watch.

My Take: Yeah! ■■■■■

I watched Akeelah and the Bee yesterday on DVD. I was avoiding it for a long time at my DVD Rental store, but yesterday it somehow landed for my viewing. A moving about the hugely popular and intensive middle school spelling contest called Scripps National Spelling Bee in the US; it shows the journey of a talented black kid all the way to the nationals.

The performances by Keke Palmer (Akeelah) and Laurence Fishburne (Dr. Larabee) are phenomenal. The best part of the movie is a quote that Dr. Larabee asks Akeelah to read - “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate; Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure…” Truly profound! This is a must watch for people wanting to succeed.

My Take: Yeah! ■■■■■

How do the young and restless behave - watch Rang De Basanti to find out. What changes for them in that one tipping point of their lives from no hopers/wanderers to people with a mission however far fetched it may seem. This is a truly inspirational film especially if you are an Indian concerned about the future of this country. This is about fighting the establishment, this is above love, and about finding purpose. All perfomances are well executed, Siddharth and Aamir are the best of the lot, with the rest not so far behind. Alice Patten is cute.

Music gets you dancing in your seats especially tinga dinga dinga dinga ding No prizes for guessing which song that is. Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra hasn’t disappointed in his next film after Aks. He is one of the best “before intermission” film makers I have seen. Overall don’t miss it…and buy/hire DVD only after you have experienced it on the big screen.

My Take: Yeah! ■■■■■

This Jim Carey starrer A Series of Unfortunate Events is part of the series of unfortunate Carey gags that by now have become predictable, staid, ridiculous, and hamming at its best. Please! Please! I beg you run away from this movie even if someone gives you a million dollars. Alright for that kinda money watch it with you eyes open fantasizing about something else and set the DVD on a dubbed version you don’t understand.

What on earth were powerhouse talents like Meryl Streep and Dustin Hoffman doing in this production; ‘Is money everything in this world?’; Come on guys have some self respect and give some importance to the reputation you have before signing on the dotted line. It is an interesting plot and all that, but…it leaves a lot to be desired. Watch at your own risk.

My Take - Huh! ■■■■■

Kung Fu! Quentin Tarantino style. The second part of the movie, actually it’s just that he went about making Kill Bill and realized late that it had become too long for western audiences – so he clipped it into two. But true to the Tarantino style of story telling this one lives up to his reputation. This part however doesn’t have as much action if you have already seen the first part, but nevertheless there is more story telling and scene setting done here. That’s Quentin Tarantino for you jigsaw style filmmaking, the moviegoers have to put the pieces together.Uma Thurman, David Carridine & Michael Madsen show loads of style in their histrionics. Need to watch both the volumes back to back to enjoy the complete experience.

My Take - Hmmm! ■■■■■

What happen’s when an influential private equity megacorp Machurian Global using bad science tries to get their zombie candidate as the President of the United States? You get the The Manchurian Candidate. A more contemporary version of the 1962 film of the same name which had the Chinese as the bad guys and Frank Sinatra instead of Denzel Washington playing the protagonist, this is more a fictitious version of the controversial Fahrenheit 9/11.

Interesting plot though it gets a little intertwined in itself, it is a nice to watch movie, especially if you are the types who like a bit of political espionage that is inspired from reality.

My Take - Hmmm! ■■■■■

The sequel to the popular Meet the Parents is watchable albeit on DVD only. It looks a little overboard in terms of the storyline. Splendid performers like Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand being wasted in this comic family drama. I do not consider Ben Stiller to be a great performer so he of course has been used excellently in a doofus comedy that does full justice to his talent or lack of it. Robert De Niro should stick to the Analyze This types rather than this brand of comedy.

My Take - Huh! ■■■■■

Monster in Law is a classic Saas Bahu (Mother in Law - Daughter in Law) relationship played by the ever so young Jane Fonda and the Oh so hot Jennifer Lopez. Insecurities about the one man, Michael Vartan, in their lives - son and fiance respectively is narrated well. I wouldn’t go and suggest that this is a must watch, but it is a decent movie to pass your time. J Lo does well in movies of this type where she ends up playing a poor girl thrust in a rich mans world.

My Take - Hmmm! ■■■■■

No Entry!. If you have a chance to watch this movie, just keep your brains aside. This mindless comedy of infidelity is better watched by hiring a VCD or better still watch it when your cable guys gets a copy screened for you. Ofcourse as the name suggests this is a No Entry for you in a cinema hall. Performances or should I say hamming is the flavour of the day.

My Take - Huh! ■■■■■