vsbabu.org : movies http://vsbabu.org/mt/archives/categories/movies/ Gluing passing thoughts to foregone conclusions en-us vsbabu@gmail.com Copyright 2008 2003-09-13T18:19:43+05:00 hourly 1 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00 Once Upon a Time in Mexico http://vsbabu.org/mt/archives/2003/09/13/once_upon_a_time_in_mexico.html Gun fire has my ears still ringing. 887@http://vsbabu.org/mt/ Saw "Once Upon a Time in Mexico" today. Like Desperado, this movie is nothing but action. I still need to see the first one in this series, El Mariachi, which was reportedly made with just $7000.

]]> movies 2003-09-13T18:19:43+05:00 Die Another Day http://vsbabu.org/mt/archives/2002/11/28/die_another_day.html A better name? See Another Movie. 630@http://vsbabu.org/mt/ Today I saw the latest Bond movie, Die Another Day. I absolutely adore Bond movies, and like Asterix comics, I love enjoying them again and again. I think I can consider myself to be a Bond fan. This movie has completely messed up my holidays :-(

]]> movies 2002-11-28T18:56:34+05:00 Men in Black - II http://vsbabu.org/mt/archives/2002/08/03/men_in_black_ii.html Men In Black II is simple fun. 428@http://vsbabu.org/mt/ This is not very timely. Saw Men In Black II, two weeks ago. I liked it. I think it is even better than the first one. Critics might not have liked it, but you go for these kind of movies just to forget the outside world and purely to have fun. On that count, it succeeds remarkably well.

+ Tommy Lee Johns
+ Will Smith
+ Dialog
+ Special effects
+ The new Mercedes E-class
- Lara Flynn Boyle

]]> movies 2002-08-03T18:20:12+05:00 Signs http://vsbabu.org/mt/archives/2002/08/03/signs.html Don't miss this movie, if you like quality story telling. 427@http://vsbabu.org/mt/ Signs - An M. Night Shyamalan Movie Just came back after seeing Signs. Excellent movie. Next to nothing special effects, no big movements, takes place in a sleepy little county, none of the things you usually see in a movie these days.

Yet, it is one of the best I've seen in years.

]]> movies 2002-08-03T18:12:23+05:00 Episode II - Attack of the clones http://vsbabu.org/mt/archives/2002/05/29/episode_ii_attack_of_the_clones.html Half page review of Star Wars movie. 352@http://vsbabu.org/mt/ Saw Episode II on Sunday. I'm not a Star Wars fan. Got a terrible head ache after that last scene. The light sabers literally made me blind when I got out of the hall.

Mini review below.

]]> movies 2002-05-29T06:20:39+05:00 Spider man http://vsbabu.org/mt/archives/2002/05/05/spider_man.html Just came back after seeing Spider Man. Pretty neat movie. + Good special effects. + Very good choice of Toby... 311@http://vsbabu.org/mt/ Just came back after seeing Spider Man. Pretty neat movie.

+ Good special effects.
+ Very good choice of Toby Maguire as Peter Parker. Willem DeFoe is great too.
+ Not overdose of "doing the right thing", "feel good about this life" sentiments.
+ Simple story. Flowing direction.

I've a small doubt on whether this movie was 20 minutes longer than it really needed - may be because of a stuffy theatre.

]]> movies 2002-05-05T17:49:33+05:00 Artificial Intelligence http://vsbabu.org/mt/archives/2002/03/10/artificial_intelligence.html Saw A.I today. What a horrible movie! Good thing was that it was in DVD, so fast forwarding was much... 177@http://vsbabu.org/mt/ Saw A.I today. What a horrible movie! Good thing was that it was in DVD, so fast forwarding was much much easier.

  • + Good special effects

  • - Bad and weak story

  • - Bad and directionless direction

  • - Utterly wasted Jude Law

I completely agree with filthy critic - Spielberg's latest attempt to be considered a genius is a miserable flop.

I would summarize it as good special effects doesn't make up for bad story and story telling. Suggested the whole team watch The Fifth Sense over and over till they realise what makes good story telling.

]]> movies 2002-03-10T19:01:09+05:00 Chocklet! http://vsbabu.org/mt/archives/2002/02/23/chocklet.html Saw Chocklet today. Good thing about video is that you can really fast forward - it really helped. I thought... 119@http://vsbabu.org/mt/ Saw Chocklet today. Good thing about video is that you can really fast forward - it really helped. I thought Malayalam movies were getting worse for around a year now, but Tamil movies seem to be not far behind. My surprise is that Hindi movies actually seem better these days - I wouldn't have thought that possible even 2 years ago.

I think they tried to get people in using the intentionally misspelled title. Review below. Spoilage warning - ending mentioned. The photo shown is from the Chocklet site.

]]> movies 2002-02-23T18:52:04+05:00 Lagaan wins Oscar nominations http://vsbabu.org/mt/archives/2002/02/19/lagaan_wins_oscar_nominations.html Rediff.com - There is no stopping Lagaan. This is one Hindi movie that I could watch completely, without wanting to... 96@http://vsbabu.org/mt/ Aamir Khan romances Gracy Singh in the Oscar-nominated LagaanRediff.com - There is no stopping Lagaan. This is one Hindi movie that I could watch completely, without wanting to run away. Simple, straight forward, has a message that is not love ("pyar"), sticks to the message, makes you feel good, authentic settings, normal people as cast. Doesn't feel like the fantasy mix that Hindi movies usually are. Ah, finally. I think it deserved the nomination. Full coverage from Rediff.com is also worth look.
Slightly old news, but I forgot to put it up here.

Also saw Kamal Haasan's Aalavanthaan. Yuck! I can't believe he made such a stupid movie - no story, no flow, no twist, no sense, no sensibility, no whatever. I'm not any big movie fan, but Kamal Haasan is probably the only actor worth watching in Tamil movies. He firmly gets himself back into the normal Tamil actor crowd with this movie - may be even below the normal crowd.

]]> movies 2002-02-19T19:22:23+05:00 Indiana Jones: Temple of Doom http://vsbabu.org/mt/archives/2002/02/18/indiana_jones_temple_of_doom.html ABC showed this movie today. Didn't watch it much - I had already seen it before. It might've been directed... 85@http://vsbabu.org/mt/ indiana jonesABC showed this movie today. Didn't watch it much - I had already seen it before. It might've been directed by Steven Spielberg all right, but that reputation is not enough to show wrong facts about a place and a culture. I'd like to know where Mr.Spielberg found out that monkey's eyeballs are served as food in India! Considering the effect visual media has on the general knowledge of common American population, this is irresponsible.
I have heard that Oprah Winfrey show, when it talks about India or South Asia is full of stupid mistakes - I don't know for sure, because it is on TV during office hours. Not sure if I'd watch it in any case.

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