Charlie's Angels

This movie adaptation of the famous TV show by the same name is about three women who fight crime for a mysterious man.

Woven around an utterly stupid storyline, much inspired by the likes of the two Mission:Impossible movies and James Bond movies, this movie is fairly enjoyable for excellent, though overdone, special effects; some involved performance by the ladies who obviously had a great time making the movie. Wish we had the same watching it.

Pay it forward

Kevin Spacey is a social studies teacher who gives his students an assignment to improve the world. Joel Haley Osmont (6th Sense) is a kid who takes him seriously and comes up with an idea akin to multi-level marketing to promote goodness. Helen Hunt is his beleguard mother who is trying to make ends meet.

There are several reasons why this anticipated, well-cast, movie fails misreably. Too many storeylines going in too many different directions. No depth in any storyline. Half-baked characters dealing with half-baked issues. Complete waste of a good caste and a decent idea. Terribly contrived and unnecessary ending. Avoid this movie.

Memento

This mind blowing, thaught provoking picture is about Leonard Shelby -- a man suffering from short term memory loss -- in search of the killer of his wife.

This is one hell of a roller-coaster -- going backwards. Mr. Nolan has created this rocky 'whydoneit' that confuses you, bewilders you, involves you and completely takes over your imagination. This is definitely one of the most important movies to be made in a long long time. An Indy successor to 6th Sense.

Guy Pearce ( LA Confidential ) is Leonard Shelby -- a man trying desperately to deal with his condition as well make sense of life and people around him. Who could he trust, what does he know when he has no recollection of what happened more than a few minutes ago. However, he knows everything about himself upto the incident that kills his wife.

What makes, this most talked about movie, so great is the fact that you have an intense desire to see it again. Because you want to figure out for yourself what really happened. Nobody can really claim to understand what this movie really is at least in first viewing. Mainly because of an important remark made by the protagonist --

'Memory is not truth -- just interpretations.'

Get Carter

This brutal movie is about a ruthless mobster Jack Carter searching for the killers of his brother.

This cold cold movie was one of the first of a series of mobster movie imports from England. Followed by the likes of 'Long good firday' and more recently 'Lock Stock and two smoking barrels'. This kind of movie has also led the Americans to make a series of brutal Dirty Harry movies.

The highlight of the movie is of course the tragic heroic character of Carter portrayed brilliantly by Michael Caine. He is ruthless to the point of no return yet very clear as to what he wants.

Don't forget that this is a 30 year old movie. Drastically different from most American movies in terms of style and characterization. A very dour and unglamorized look with compromised characters with dual morality. Closer to life but not what most people want from their movies.

Mighty Aphrodite

This film is about a man who wants to know the true identity of his brilliant adopted son. What he finds out surprises him and helps him get rid of his prejudices.

This is a delightfully funny and warm movie. A very staple Woody Allen. He also stars as the man who is desperate to find out the mother of his adopted son. Mira Sorvino is excellent and won an Oscar for her performance as a big hearted prostitute.

Rosemary's Baby

This picture is about a young couple that move into a New York Apartment and the sequence of events that happens specially after the woman gets pregnant.

This is one of the best in the horror genre -- more of a terrifying movie than horror really. Very cleverly and meticulously directed by Roman Polanski ( Frantic, Chinatown ). The beauty of the movie lies in the details. Everything has a meaning and very little is by accident. The moral ambiguity of the characters keeps the movie very interesting and gripping. The key to the terror however is the subtle treatment. The hints, the suggestions of the ultimate terror.

Considered by many as the ultimate horror movie, this film is a must see -- for the direction and for the art of storytelling.

Pyar tune kya kiya

This Ram Gopal Verma vehicle for Urmila portrays her as a crazy woman madly in love with an unavailable man. The man who goes to great lengths to never tell her about his unavailability.

Very average predictable movie that would have been an utter disaster had it not been for Fardeen and the newcomer who plays his wife.

Urmila tries but does not really succeed in portraying her character. She over acts and under acts at the wrong times. She has managed to look good though.

Andromeda Strain

Based on Michael Crichton's book, this picture is about the attempt of a US scientist team to fight a deadly alien virus that has killed everybody in a village except a child and an old drunk.

Featuring elaborate sets for highly advanced science lab, this movie made in 1971 is truely ahead of its times.

This movie could be a major sleeping pill to begin with but soon catches pace and takes you along with it -- hoping that these scientist -- as so many do -- will save the world for us.

The cast is largely unknown -- I guess an attempt to deglamorize the ambience. The entire picture is actually gloomy and at times devoid of feeling. However, the tense situations are handled well and do communicate the task at hand.

Bamboozled

A frustrated black TV producer creates a blackface minstrel show as a satire in protest of racial stereotyping of blacks in American media. It of course makes things difficult for him when the show becomes a big hit and he is cast and becomes so -- as a man who stereotypes blacks.

Spike Lee who is known for rather outlandish plots actually outdoes himself with this one. This movie -- though very rough and caustic is very funny and intelligent. The basic drama of moral corruption is played very well. No body is immune from the treacherous games of fame.

Very reminiscent of the brilliant film: Network.

Moulin Rouge

Mr. Luhrman, ( Romea + Juliet ), takes us through this poly-chromatic roller coaster for two hours and gives us more hue than we can chew.

Nicole Kidman is adorable as well as inadequate as the courtesan of the famous Paris nightclub 'Moulin Rouge'.

Biggest disappointment in this musical is the music. Famous pop sings and even a Hindi song are partially redone to a rather tame though sometimes funny effect.

Many times I wanted to believe that this was really a satire about pop culture but was never quite convinced.

Do watch this movie though as it is an important milestone and I am sure many more movies from now will refer to it for color kinetics.

Blazing Saddles

It takes a special courage to make a film this audacious. Only Mel Brooks could've done it.

I couldn't even believe what I was seeing. This was unreal, unbelievable, great!

A must.