Kung Fu Panda...

Title: Kung Fu Panda

Language: English
Year of Release: 2008
Director: John Stevenson and Mark Osborne
Actors: Jack Black Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Lucy Liu, Seth Rogen, David Cross, Ian McShane, Jackie Chan

"All you people out there...put your hands up and praise the brand new Dragon Warrior, an unlikely hero in the land of Kungfu who's out to save the world... the Panda"- I am sorry for the corny introduction to possibly this Summer's second best entertainer (No offence...but "Dark Knight" is still Numero Uno!!!). I know, I know...Po (The Panda) wouldn't wait a minute to use his "Wuxi Finger Hold" Technique had he known that this is how I introduce the greatest kungfu warrior of our times. (Good for me...he doesn't know that I exist!!...:-P)...

So, naturally a question arises, why is it I have chosen this boring way to write about such an "awesome" (you are gonna hear a lot of that!) flick of this year? Huh...you got it! I am as boring and lazy as a sloth can be! Although I don't make noodles nor do I dream about saving the world, there's an uncanny resemblance between me and Po. We seem to love Food...(Yum!), and gobble down whatever and whenever we feel like eating...and the most striking of all, there seems to be an awesome psychic understanding that being "BIG" isn't that bad at all...(More of this later...I wouldn't want the Dragon Warrior to doze off, if at all he chooses to stumble across the Blog!)

Directed by John Stevenson and Mark Osborne from the house of "DreamWorks Animation" comes an awesome flick, animated actually, which straight away blows you away with its style. Probably the last time you had seen something this beautiful, touching, inspiring...this Awesome, would be "Finding Nemo". The flick has already been declared a smash hit across the world, and India, I hope is no different. You will hardly find someone who hasn't come out of the cinema hall with a huge smile spread across the face after watching this movie. The reason being, not only it's incredibly funny but also it takes you along for a joy ride, and leaves you with a feeling of awesomeness by the end of it. Another thing I must add is the genuine respect for the Chinese Culture which is quite evident from the film, where there's hardly any cliche' when it comes to characters.

"Kungfu Panda" is the story of Po, the Panda (Voice Over by Jack Black) who assists his father, the goose (for some odd reason!!!) in running the restaurant preparing noodles. But he always dreams of becoming a Kungfu warrior, something which he's unable to express to his father. And one day, when Master Oogway (The Tortoise) reveals the prophecy that Tai Lung (the Snow Leopard) will escape from the prison, it drives his student, Master Shifu (Red Panda, VO by Dustin Hoffman) crazy. He orders the security to be doubled at the prison, but the over confident and reluctant commander of the armed forces doesn't heed to Shifu's request. After an unusually awesome escape sequence, Tai Lung manages to escape from the prison and claim his rightful position. In the meantime, it's announced that the next "Dragon Warrior" will be chosen, who will be capable of protecting and bringing peace to the valley. When the whole valley's waiting for Oogway's decision about the next Dragon Warrior, Po-the Panda, falls from sky all of a sudden. And to the dismay of Master Shifu and his very skilful students, Po is chosen the new "Dragon Warrior". After some unsuccessful attempts at disparaging and making Po quit, and upon the advice of Oogway, Shifu finally relents and decides to train Po to become a pro at Kungfu....the rest of the story has to be seen on screen to bask the actual awesomeness!

Be it the scene, where Po tries to get inside the palace, or that when Tai Lung escapes from prison and the stylishly shot chopsticks fight between Shifu and Po...there's a uncanny style which mesmerizes you, sucking you into its brilliance for the entire 90 min footage. I should confess that I was watching this flick in my room with some friends...I so wish I had seen the Imax version in the first place! Coming back to the characters...the flick belongs to Po and Shifu. Po for his overbearing personality (he's awesomely cute in his knickers...:-P!) and striking sense of humour who has the potential to turn around any serious or grim discussion into a funny and witty one. Thank God, the writers realised that he should be the way he is throughout the movie...otherwise a scene of the Panda stretching to build a six pack, would have taken quite a few pounds away from his awesomeness...:-). All hail Jack Black, who's given a stunning voice over for Po...I somehow have this feeling that they might have drawn Po's character after seeing Jack Black in Nacho Libre and otherwise!...hehehe...wouldn't you agree??!:-D....and Dustin Hoffman as Master Shifu completes Jack Black with his performance at the other end of the line. He scorns, hisses at almost everything Po does, but at the same time he's genuinely caring and guiding light to his students. The rest of the star cast, the Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Monkey (Jackie Chan), Viper, Mantis, Crane are cool...they have got the kicks and moves of a brilliant Kungfu Master. A special word for Tai Lung, the Snow Leopard whose character is so well developed that it's hard not to empathize with him.
But then as one expects...Good always has the last laugh in the fight with Evil. This is what's so predictable in the flick...you know that Po's gonna beat Tai Lung in the final battle...you know that he's gonna save the world...but you can't walk out. You can't choose to move your eyes away from the screen...I guess it's an obligation for most of the animated flicks to end on an inspiring and good note, this is what exactly makes them a worldwide rage. And "Kungfu Panda" is already among the finest flicks you would see this year...

And the final battle cry
Prepare for Awesomeness!!!...Because he's coming to steal your heart...his name is Panda, Kungfu Panda...the Dragon Warrior.

P.S: My second recommend of this summer after....Dark Knight! Hope you have liked what you have read...and as you bask in awesomeness, I most probably would be watching the flick right now!

Requiem For A Dream

Year of Release:2000
Director:Darren Aronofsky
Starring: Ellen Burstyn, Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly, Marlon Wayans,etc.

There aren’t too many movies that move. Sounds ironical, but true. Darren Aronofsky’s Requiem For a Dream, based on the novel by Hubert Selby Jr., is one of those. It may have been touted as one of those movies that’s too graphically shocking and raw to qualify as the perfect home video to watch on a Sunday evening. It may have been banned from screening in a million gazillion theatres for similar reasons. For now, it shall be what I call a must-see for the very same reasons.

Requiem for a dream is the story of four people, their lives and how their lives grow to be controlled by addictions. Simple as it may sound, it strikes one as possibly the most realistic depiction of desperation, love and woes.

The lives of four people.

Harry and Marion(played by Jared Leto and Jennifer Connelly respectively) are a beautiful couple. They have dreams; dreams of a better life. Tyrone(Marlon Wayans) is another young man who loves his life and people. Sarah Goldfarb(Ellen Burstyn) is an old mother; left to herself, to sink into her own wrinkles, to stare at the television all day, so much that it pervades her dreams. Aptly named, the movie portrays the efforts of the above characters to realise their dreams and their miserable failures, spiraled by their respective addictions.

The dialogues, though few, are supplemented by stupendous acting and haunting background scores, making the movie an unforgettably disturbing one.

One never realises how movies never tend to be tragic. There are too many movies with happy endings to notice the few that are truly sad. Move over movies with triumphant heroes, elated mothers, dollish women and doltish right-hands. This one has none. The hero loses. His mother drowns in broken dreams. His lover loses. His friend is behind bars.

A must watch for those who do not call a tragedy a farce and those who do.

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer

Title: Perfume-The Story of a Murderer
Director: Tom Tykwer
Actors: Ben Whishaw, Dustin Hoffman, Alan Rickman, Rachel Hurd-Wood
Year of Release: 2006

Not too often can we find a movie which really stands by its title. Sometimes the titles are so bizzare that it really makes us wonder how is it connected to the story. For example this flick, "Perfume: The story of a murderer" is one such thing. Based on the German Novel "Das Parfum" by Patrick Suskind, the movie directed by Tom Tykwer was released in 2006. This happen after directors like Stanley Kubrick, Martin Scorsese had once exclaimed that the novel was unadaptable on the big screen! Eventually it was adapted and after having seen this flick, I wonder would it have been different had the likes of Kubrick or Scorsese had directed it!....Whatever it maybe, the title couldn't have been better for the gripping storyline of a murderer. And it's a beautiful story of a anti-hero which is spectacularly shot too.

Perfume, is the story of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille who's born in 18th Century Paris in one of the filthiest parts of the city, the city's Fish Market. His mother who's a fish-seller has had many miscarriages before and when the baby is born, she just discards him amidst a puddle of blood and rotten meat thinking that this one shall meet the same fate too. The baby responds to the external smells finally and eventually cries. His mother who accused of trying to kill her child, is hanged to death. Thus, Grenouille is sent to an orphanage and as he grows up, he realizes that he has an extraordinary sense of Olfactory and he uses this sense of scent and smell to recognize the things around him. After he grows up, he's sold to a Tannery. He survives the hazardous working conditions and one day he's taken to the city for a delivery. In the city, Jean sees a girl and enchanted by her scent, he follows her through the streets of Paris. Finally when he meets her, instead of talking to her, he stands behind her back and starts to inhaling her. The girl gets terrified and she tries to scream. Out of fear that someone would find out, Jean muffles her scream which eventually kills her. This disappoints Jean that he wasn't able to preserve the scent of such beauty, so he decides that he should try to learn to preserve the scent. One day, he meets Baldini who's the owner of a once famous Perfume shop in Paris. Jean impresses Baldini with his peculiar style of creating new perfumes and eventually Baldini agrees to teach him how to make great perfumes. He tells him that to create a truly entrancing perfume, it takes 12 "notes" and a final 13th to add that extra feature of uniqueness. Then Jean who thinks that, using the usual methods of producing a perfume out of roses, he can preserve the scent of almost everything. He begins experimenting with different things like metals, cat and so on...and finally realizes that the current procedure isn't sufficient. Then Baldini tells him that there's another method called enfleurage, but also that he doesn't know the exact procedure. Jean leaves the formulae to make 100 different perfumes for his freedom to go to Grasse, where he can learn more about enfleurage. But when Jean leaves the place, the building collapses and Baldini is killed. On his way to Grasse, Jean sleeps in a cave and one fine day, he wakes up and finds out that he cannot smell himself! As he enters Grasse, he sees a young beautiful girl and imprints her scent and image in his brain. His motive, to create the one of a kind perfume using all this olfactory senses. And for this, he decides that by capturing the scent of beautiful women he would be able to create such a thing. And what follows is a carefully planned murder or 13 different women to capture their scent without leaving any trace....

It would be unwise on my part to reveal what happens when he finally succeeds to make that perfume....it deserves to be watched and then come to a conclusion whether it makes sense. Of course I don't claim that everyone would agree with each other, as seen from the reviews of various critics who have given this flick a 57% rotten rating on Rotten Tomatoes.com. But it has all the points to make it a flick worth watching....what I loved in the flick was....

Acting: Ben Whishaw, who plays the role of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, is brilliant. Such few dialouges, yet to be able to convey the message which this film intends to, is remarkable. His emotions in the end of the movie when he realises what he has done speak everything about his acting!
Dialouges: Kinda few, especially for the lead character. I wonder, what prompted Ben Whishaw to accept this role!....But others, who have it are crisp and well conveyed. The narration of the scenes is good enough.
Cinematography: It's one of the most splendidly shot movies that I have seen in recent times....colours are very rich and bright and gives a great feel to the whole movie. The way the new born baby is pictured in the beginning is quite gory but also at the same time tells a great deal about the conditions around....also the climax, phew!...got not words for it...[:)]
Music: Ah!!!....what can i say about it....it just accentuates the mood of the scene...or should I say the scent of the Perfume!!...[:)]...it's almost the music substitutes the dialogues especially of Jean-Bastite Grenouille in most of his scenes. It's like an invisible character in the story...

It's a good story which is sure to receive some mixed opinions...but nevertheless something which is wonderfully shot with great background score. This one is definitely going into my collection! Watch it...it might turn out to be unexpected movie which will leave a good impression.

Check out the trailer of the movie....

Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix

Title: Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix
Director: David Yates
Actors: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon
Year of Release: 2007
Genre: Action, Fantasy

Harry Potter...for some it's just a character that has become famous worldwide, but for most others it's a symbol of Love, Friendship, Courage and so on. Whatever maybe the case, the series and image of Harry Potter is surely a huge cash register for the publishing/production companies. And the release of the fifth part of the series almost at the same time when the whole world is talking about how's it gonna end...well there couldn't have been a better time to release this flick! Although I am not too sure how far the director of the movie, David Yates has been able to get an accurate version of the book on the screen (I haven't read the book)...but as a genuine movie buff, I would give a thumbs up for the flick in general. He incidentally has been confirmed to direct the next version of the Harry Potter series....

Harry and his friends are in the fifth year in Hogwarts, and the incidents back at home lead to Harry's usage of a dangerous spell especially infront of a muggle. This prompts the Ministry of Magic to expel Harry from Hogwarts, but he will go through a formal hearing to prove all the charges. Before attending the hearing, Harry meets his Godfather, Sirius, who warns him about Lord Voldemort and that Voldemort is trying to build an army. During the hearing, Professor Dumbledore supports Harry for what he has done and convinces the Ministry to clear Harry of all charges and send him to Hogwarts. Back in school now, the students are told that Hagrid is on a temporary leave and that Dolores Umbridge would be the new teacher for Defence against Dark Arts. She represents the Ministry and gives an impression to everyone that the Ministry is trying to take control of Hogwarts. In her first class, Harry becomes angry at her, and she inturn asks him to come to her chamber after the class and makes him write "I will not tell lies" ; and asks him to write as many times as he can until the message sinks through.Slowly day by day, she begins to impose new rules starting from her own class, where the students are just given theoretical knowledge without any practice for defense incase of danger. Now, with full Ministry's support, she furthers imposes new rules on the conduct of the students and also the way they are taught, under the pretense that the standards are falling down in Hogwarts. Meanwhile, Harry begins to get illusions about Lord Voldemort trying to find a secret weapon with which he can become all the more powerful from the vault of Department of Mysteries. Harry along with his friends Ron and Hermoine, encourage others to learn magic spells and they form a secret society called "Dumbledore's Army" and they find a place in the main building where they can practice without anyone knowing it. In the meantime, Hagrid returns and tells Harry and his friends that Dumbledore had sent him on a secret mission to convince the giants to join their side if at all a war with Voldemort takes place and he introduces a Giant, his half-brother to the three students. Back in Hogwarts, Dolores suspects some foulplay by Harry and extracts the truth from Harry's love interest Cho. They are immediately taken to Dumbledore where the Ministry tries to send him to the Prison of Azkaban; but Dumbledore escapes with the help of the Phoenix. Then Dolores tries to extract the secret out of Harry of what they were doing all this while; Hermoine and Harry trick her to come along with them to the Forbidden Forest by telling her that they know the secret weapon of Dumbledore.

There in the forest, Dolores insults a herd of Centaurs and she's inturn taken away by them. Harry who had already saved Ron's dad and Sirius from Voldemort through his visions, is convinced that the secret weapon in the Department of Mysteries. He and his friends reach there and after a thorough search they find the thing they were looking; it's the prophecy that "either must die by the hand of the other, for neither can live while the other survives". Right when Harry is trying to leave with his friends, Lucius Malfoy confronts him accompanied by his other friends. The two groups engage in a severe battle of spells and magic; finally they fall into the Chamber of Death where Lucius threatens Harry that if he doesn't give him the Crystal Ball which has the secret, he will kill all Harry's friends. Right at this moment, Sirius and the order come to rescue Harry and his friends and in the fierce battle, Sirius is killed. Potter out of rage follows the killer to another chamber where Voldemort himself comes and tried to kill Harry. Out of the blue Dumbledore comes to Harry's rescue and there is a faceoff between the two and eventually Dumbledore is successful in trying to stop Voldemort. But Voldemort tries to get inside Harry's mind and soul; but Harry fights back with all the qualities of Love, Friendship in him. Voldemort leaves him saying he will lose everything that's precious to him. Right at this moment, the Ministry sees his presence and acknowledges the fact that Voldemort is back. The minister is forced to resign, Dolores is thrown out of Hogwarts, Dumbledore and Harry are cleared of all charges against them. And the students leave the school to come back for their penultimate year of their study.

I saw this film in a cinema hall named Rex in Bangalore; in the beginning was quite apprehensive as to how students would receive the movie...but I think, most of them were hardcore Harry fans...everyone was so immersed in the story...they clapped when something spectacular was happening on screen, they laughed and cheered when the students manage to break rules...an exciting crowd actually. And I more or less followed them...the movie is good in the sense that, this is where Harry and the rest of his friends are more mature and now, they realise that things are gonna get much darker; a good base to what promises to be a great combat with the dark lord! Although, I haven't read any of the books, some of my friends tell me that the movie is kinda incomplete; anyway, it was an enjoyable flick.

On the other side, I thought Harry's grown a lot! His boyish looks of yester films is gone....I would still prefer Harry from part-1...!!...Anyway, except for Harry, all others have got a relatively lesser screen presence especially Ron and Hermoine; I had kind of expected to see them in almost every frame as that of Harry...anyway, no worries, both of them are good in their roles. Dolores, played by Imelda Staunton steals the show with her performance...be it her cunning laughter, or the simplicity with which she imposes all kinds of rules under the pretext that opposing her would mean opposing the ministry and her wickedness in giving punishment to those who disobey....Sirius and Dumbledore inspire....and so do all others.

A British gentleman once said, that Potter teaches the values of Love, friendship, courage especially to children who think he's an icon...I think he's right! All credit to Rowling for developing that image of Harry and others which makes it so immensely popular....no wonder millions of fans don't want to believe that Harry might die in the final battle...although it seems unlikely, one must wonder, if such thing happens, will people learn of Sacrifice??...or would they think there's No Hope left!...that debate is for future...and the secret shall be revealed on July 21st when the final book hits the stands. Maybe the best thing to do, would be not compare how good the book is compared to the movie...of course if there's a factual error one cannot help pointing out such things. Overall, it's a thoroughly enjoyable movie coming just at the right time!.....

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Photo and info courtesy: Wikipedia
One of the trailers of the movie....

Two For The Road

Title: Two For the Road
Director: Stanely Donen
Actors: Audrey Hepburn, Albert Finney
Year of Release: 1967

I have always wondered if Hollywood or the English films in general are capable of coming up with a story depicting a married couple whose relationship is on rocks without bringing in that stereotyped "adultery" factor! Well, have to say, after seeing this movie, "Two for the Road" earlier this year, I am a relieved man...and I actually do believe that there is no such thing as impossibility.

The story is about an architect Mark Wallace(Albert Finney) and Joanna Wallace(Audrey Hepburn) who are almost on the verge of ending a twelve year old relationship. The story begins with the couple along with their child is travelling to a place where Mark has to meet his business client. Without beating around the bush, the narration clearly emphasizes upon the fact that the marriage isn't going well which is evident from the bitter conversations which the couple has while travelling. They begin to explore where did things exactly go wrong and start debating was it when they first met or whether it was when they were driving in their car across Europe! Then the story goes back 12 years showing how they first met and the incidents which ultimately resulted in them falling in love with each other. Almost immediately the story is transformed into the present with the couple showing a cold shoulder to each other. Later they remember the summer at a beach in the countryside where they promise each other that they would never get separated. Finally the couple reaches the villa of their business client and Mark carefully tries to avoid his wife. This is when Joanna is wooed by another business associate who's at the same place . Right at this time, Mark gets himself involved in building a hotel right on the same beach where he promised Joanna about not getting separated. After some days of leading separate lives under one roof, Mark is told by his Joanna's new boyfriend that they were about to get married. This breaks Mark's heart and he tries to get along with his life along with the child. But right on the day of marriage, Joanna realizes that she's deeply in love with Mark and they can never be separated and they continue their journey.

The best part about the movie is the sensitive portrayal of the relationship of the couple which has a strong essence of love. Irrespective of the long silence that fills the room in which both of them stay every time, there's also a hope that it is going to end at any moment...perhaps a big plus about the story that love can burst out at any moment. Following a non-linear type of narrative with scenes juxtaposed with one another, it perhaps is the best way to portray how things have changed in the 12 years of their relationship! It sometimes maybe confusing to see the couple standing on the road, right after a scene where they are showed driving a car...nevertheless the scenes that follow should make all things clear. Although one can classify this in the genre of a romantic comedy, the comedy isn't something where you can burst into laughter...it's sweet even when Mark is angry with almost everything. It definitely accentuates the romance between the couple. The dialouges are witty...one of my favourite scenes is where Mark and Joanna are hiking in a place , the day after they meet...they both want to take a lift...after Mark's attempts becomes futile, Joanna tries and she goes away in a vehicle leaving Mark behind. Almost instantly she comes back and...

Mark: What happened? Why did you come back?
Joanna: I just told that guy how deeply I am in love with you...and I came back.

The countryside of Europe coupled with the music composed by Henry Mancini haunts you for a long time! Easily one of the sweetest piece of music I have heard for a romantic movie... Hepburn is beautiful as ever and the acting is amazing. But the star is definitely Albert Finney, his comic timing is impeccable and he beautifully complements Hepburn throughout.

Though it's a 1960's flick, it's a beautiful romantic comedy which has a feel good impact even now. Watch the flick...it's funny, romantic, wonderfully narrated movie from the yester era. It's easily one of my favourite movies of all time about relationships

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Check out the starting 8 min of the movie...the film's theme music comes along with the titles...