I love Imtiaz Ali romances, because he does something really interesting with changing what we think of as “romance”. I sometimes hate Imtiaz Ali romances because it feels like he gets caught up in what he finds interesting and loses track of the basic definition of romance. You know, that it usually involves two people, not just one.
Well, I saw Mubarakan. And I thought, “should I stay up super late and write a review to go up at midnight? Naaaaaaaah!” So hopefully no one was staying up desperately refreshing my site waiting for it to post.
Happy Jab Harry Met Sejal Week! I always get a scattering of complaints when I do theme weeks like this. Which might be my fault, because I don’t make it clear why I am doing this and what it really is (not just fangirling over a new big release). And I know I have a lot of new readers now, so I am going to quickly explain why there is this thusness before moving on in the post.
Well, I watched this movie almost two weeks ago, and then I had to think about it for a long time before I was ready to write about it. Which is a good sign. On the other hand, I watched Dil Hai Tumhaare and then scribbled something off the very next day, because not a lot to think about there! (also, my schedule is totally messed up this week, so it’s Friday classics on Thursday night. There’s something else going up tomorrow morning)
What well made movie! With a lot of well made thoughts at the heart of it. The biggest of which is, what makes a moral man? Or, to put it in Indian philosophical terms, a dharmic man? (No Spoiler review here, if you are planning to see it and don’t want to be spoiled)
Well, that was a movie that happened! So glad I saw it with someone else, by the time we were 5 minutes in, my friend Dina and I were already getting the giggles just by exchanging glances. But it was kind of neat how it made me think back and really appreciate other better versions. (no spoiler review here) (oh, and I just remembered, I did a post already on the history of dance on film in general, you should read that here)
Well, that was a super fun movie to watch! But not because it was a good movie. Oh my goodness was it bad! To the point where we got the giggles about it.
I did watch a real classic for this week! Really really! I watched Andaz and everything! But I just didn’t feel like writing about it, maybe yesterday’s epic “how to make a film” post exhausted me, maybe something else. Anyway, that review of a “good” movie will be going up at a some point, probably next Friday. But in the meantime you will have to make do with this review of a not-so-good movie that my friends badgered me into watching with them on Tuesday night.
Well, I watched it! I hated it! And not just because I was planning to hate it. I really did hate it, even after giving it a fair chance and sitting straight through. Also, I was really really really really bored. I checked my phone 5 times, the first time after the first 20 minutes because I thought surely the first hour at least must have passed. Honestly, the best part of the whole experience were the trailers (A Gentleman, looking better and better!). And now I am sitting in the mall food court, eating lunch and writing this very fast so I can leave the whole horrible experience behind me.
I know I know, normally this is where I talk about a classic film. But it’s been a busy week, and I didn’t manage to watch anything fancy, and I don’t have the energy to talk about anything fancy, and Gupt was a the library. And it is SO AMUSING!!!! In an “amusingly bad” kind of delightful way.
Back before I started this blog, instead of writing for you nice people, I wrote long long long epic length emails to friends about movies I had seen. And since I am completely exhausted this week, we are taking a trip back in time and this is a post based on one of those emails, plus my memories of the film.
I debated putting up this spoiler review so soon, because the filmmakers clearly want the plot to remain a surprise. But, see, I don’t think they have to worry about it that much. The performances and the camerawork and the music and everything else are so good, that you just have to see how it plays out, even if you know what’s going to happen. But if you want to see this movie as it was intended, DON’T READ ON. Read my non-spoiler review instead. However, if you suspect that it may be a bit tough for you to watch but still want to know what happens, you are correct, it will be tough to watch, and I am here for you to tell you what happens.
I did it! I saw Mom! Even though it meant screeching out of work the second it hit 5pm and fighting rush hour traffic to make the 5:30 show. Because I had to rush home tonight so I would have time to work on my mother’s birthday present. Which is thematic, I guess! Anyway, it’s a good movie, but don’t be fooled by the artsy film stock and stuff, this is a straight up potboiler action film as over the top and satisfying as anything from Sunny Deol.
Thanks to it suddenly popping up on Netflix (my Netflix list post is now woefully out of date, look for an update soon), I decided to rewatch Mughal-E-Azam. And it’s SO SO SO SO much better than I realized when I watched it before.
Well, I have now seen all the less controversial/hardcore versions of Swept Away. This one, the original We’re Not Dressing with Bing Crosby, Overboard of course, and The Admirable Crichton. Which was a JM Barrie play, so I haven’t “seen” it, but I have read it. Next step, the Korean TV series! (not really, I think I am done with this story for another 5 years) Anyway, isn’t it fascinating how consistent it is across cultures?
I was looking for movie-to-have-on-in-the-background-while-unpacking, and Netflix reminded me that it has Dus now (for full list of all Indian movies on Netflix, check out accessbollywood.net here; for my opinion and recommendations of Indian movies on Netflix look at my post here). And I am so glad I was reminded! It really is the perfect movie. In a very particular category of movie.
This took an interesting turn! I wanted to talk about Sujata and caste in India, and I ended up spending a lot of time talking about race in America. Because, in the end, they are both about social illusions we have been trained to accept, which can be broken by something as simple as hearing a baby’s cry.
Happy Tuesday! A fun movie to talk about this week, one that was recommended to me ages ago and I am just now getting around to thanks to Moviemavengal reminding me about it. (I know the two films aren’t really related, but if you want to see my review of Aarya 1, it is here)
The title really says it all. If you are wondering whether you might want to see this movie, you don’t. It is not a good film. If you want me to talk more about how it is not good with spoilers, you can read the other review. If you want me to talk more about how it is not good without spoilers, you can read on.
On the Monday Questions post, a couple of people asked me why I don’t write more about classic films. Well, it’s because no one reads those posts! Not a big mystery. People want to read spoilers for new movies in theaters, and news items that mention Shahrukh Khan. If this blog was called “what Shahrukh is doing every minute of every day and also this is the ending of that new movie you saw advertised”, I would be infinitely popular. But I would also be both bored (not that interesting to just list off plot points in a movie) and exhausted (Shahrukh does a lot of stuff!). So let’s see if I can manage to put in one more post topic that is just for me, and no one will read, but I will enjoy writing.
This is a bit of a stretch of a connection, but I’ve been wanting an excuse to write about Veer without really writing about Veer (really writing about it means re-watching the film, making mental notes, going through every moment of the plot in detail, etc. etc. Not just picking a few themes to discuss), and this is as good as any. It’s not just Sohail and Salman playing brothers, it’s also Sohail and Salman in a historical setting, so I guess that’s good enough, right? It’s kind of Tubelight related.
I was at my library checking out yet another DVD set of Murder She Wrote (it’s the perfect “have the TV on in the background for company while you unpack/blog” show), and there on the “recently returned” shelf was Janatha Garage! So odd! I took it as a sign and checked it out and watched it.
Isn’t this amazing, that there is a whole Indian genre of “women escaping relationships that aren’t terrible, but aren’t what they deserve”? I watched this movie and could compare it with Queen, English/Vinglish, How Old Are You?, and plenty of others. But this film has a twist, this film ends with the “unthinkable” actually happening.
What a good movie! I hadn’t watched it in ages, and this time around I noticed all kinds of themes hidden under the surface that I hadn’t appreciated last time. “Pardes” versus “Des” is just the tip of the iceberg.
New podcast! As I said in the review, I saw Raabta with my sister, thinking it would be a fun so-bad-it’s-good kind of sister experience, like when we watched Aashiqui 2 together. But it turned out to be actually good! So good that we spent 40 minutes talking about it on the way home.
dontcallitbollywood 