ramis666

George E. Romero when he made 'The Crazies' back in 1973, the people of America went through a rough phase in the early sixties due to the Cold war which predicted an imminent nuclear war and the use of biological weapons as the means of mass destruction. Directors, especially horror movie directors, cashed on the element of fear in the public and gave a visual shape to it with a tinge of their own creativity. The zombie movies churned out by George E. Romero (which ensue because of nuclear fall out or a crashing satellite) were successful because they could speak out the public's fear, one of imminent apocalypse, where there were weapons everywhere, even worse, when man himself was the greatest weapon to his society. The horror then had a meaning and a deep sociological impact too. But the same impact, the same feel is almost absent in today's zombie horror. The claustrophobic "there's no escape" setting isn't enough at all to create the chills, the audience have grown out of the 70′s and so have their fears. But there are a few people who still haven't understood the dynamics of the horror audience, like for example, Breck Eisner, who has remade "The Crazies" and set it in a contemporary scenario but doesn't add anything which betters the atmosphere. There's blood, yes, there are zombies, yes, will you be afraid? No! At times a simple, long close up shot of a character (like in the last shot of Hitchcock's "Psycho"- the mother of horrors) is good enough to make the audience wet their anterior ends that're are plastered to the seats. But the filmmakers simply choose to go in the old, tried and tested way without bringing in their contribution of the film (Another notable mention here is "Carriers" which is even lucky to even see the light of the day). In this respect, the 70′s to the modern day transition has been done by only one director I know, Alexandre Aja, who has managed to heightened the fears of the late 70′s Wes Cravern's "The Hills have Eyes" so much in his 2006 remake that it remains as one of the most authentic horror experiences I have had in recent times. Is anybody listening?

At last a movie has been made which kicks "The Godfather" straight in the balls. As some reviewer rightly said, it's the same as the Godfather but it's more confined. Tahar Rahim gives a scintillating performance as Mali, one of the finest I've seen in recent years. But the actual stealer of the show is Niels Arestrup whose portrayal of Cesar, the uber powerful Sicilian crime lord, is simply on par with Marlin Brando's Vito Corleone. The brisk cinematography, and brilliant narration sums up to the performances. And all of this takes place in a prison. It's a pity that "El Secreto de Sus Ojus" got made in the same year as this. Both of them deserve an Oscar.

The best scene? There are many but the very last scene in the movie where Mali gets out of the prison and walks with his deceased friend's wife and child while three luxury SUV's follow him. A story of transformation, from nothing to everything. All of it confined within a cell. One word for it, brilliant.

At last a Telugu movie which made me gasp and shout out loud, "whatamovie!" In the industry where 6 songs, three fights, some violence and an item number seem to be the yardstick, Deva Katta's "Prasthanam" beats all the rules. Director Deva Katta deleted four songs from the movie as it hampered its narration (ever heard it anywhere folks?) and it shows his dedication to bring out a movie like never before and he succeeds in it. In fact Deva Katta's hard work is written all over the screen, right from the title cards. The narration is top notch, the dialog's brilliant and the screenplay good. Sai Kumar is one of the most underrated actor of the Teulgu industry and he's going to get some fans from this movie. Sarwanand is brilliant and his dialog delivery is excellent but he needs to work on the emotional scenes though! This is mostly a dialog driven movie and a very serious one too. The movie ends at the right time and the last scene is simply brilliant. The humor department handled by Jayaprakash Reddy is awesome, on the whole it's one movie after a long time made out of sheer dedication and with love towards the language (the English usage is minimal and the Telugu used is top class). A perfect ten and a Telugu movie classic.

Ondskan reminded me of myself. It just took me back to my school days where I was naughty and got frequently directed by the teachers.

I could relate with Erik in many parts of the movie. The film started at a slow pace but gradually picked up the heat.

It is a brew of high end human emotions and and even more excellent direction. I cried When Pierre left the school and also I was amused when Erik tells Silverhielm that he isn't like and him and he will never kill him,. I think that scene itself speaks volumes about the movie.

The music and camera work need special mention, there are some scenes in which an ordinary director would fail to deliver the goods by being normal, but in 'Ondskan' even some trivial scenes can frighten you and set your heart best two times faster. The actress who played Marje is sexy and she has the charm to keep you asking for more!

The romance levels are quite low but they are good enough to increase the audience's love for the movie. I especially liked the scene in the end where the lawyer comes to talk with the headmaster towards the end. The letter which Marje writes to Erik is also touching and the way Eric reacts to it just wonderful.

Ondskan has a few glitches here and there (like the ending scenes with the Sports teacher and stuff) but they are not strong enough to hamper the rating which I gave!.

On the whole it is a good film with a good cast and great direction!. I don't understand why some Swede's didn't like this movie but for me it was simply SUPERB!

Cheers!

This is the 'Salinui chueok' of modern day Korea. If the former was set in a village back drop this one is set in the modern day Seoul. Both of them show them show the same internal message at times, the corrupt police system and the ultra corrupt political system.

'Salinui chueok' had a mystic element in the scenes with rain in them and ditto here too!.

Definitely the director was inspired from 'Salinui chueok'.

But all this ends here.

This movie is far different from 'Salinui chueok' in many ways. While half way through the movie, I intended to give it a 7/10. When three fourths of the movie finished, I intended to give it an eight. When there was still 15 minutes left for the film to complete, I thought to give it a nine. But when the movie ended, I gave it a straight TEN!

Everything is perfect in the movie, right from the cast to the music. The screen play is one of the best in times.

I think the serial killer in the movie is the most blood-curdling serial killer ever on celluloid. And the actor who played the serial killer (Jung-woo Ha) is charismatic in the role of the serial killer and so is Yun-seok Kim in the role of the pimp who goes in search of his missing prostitutes. The way the scenes develop is interesting and at times you have to anticipate at the edge of the chair to guess what happens next and for all the time the director delivers the thrills.

The chasing scenes are well done but a few parts seem extremely filmy like the one in the interrogation room, where the interrogating officer brags the suspect as an impotent man, and also the scene in which the killer goes to the same market where his victim is hiding. But I forgave these filmy parts for the deft handling of the climax. I was wondering as in many cases before many directors have smudged the climax of many good movies and I was expecting the director to smudge this movies climax too but it didn't happen. The climax is so well made that you would feel like standing up and salute the screen in respect to the director who made this movie.

The kid who played the prostitutes child was simply mind blowing, considering her age she did an extraordinary job.The killing scenes are very brutal and at times even exceed the level of brutality shown in David Fincher's movie 'Se7en'. There are innumerable examples of great film making in this movie and 1000 words aren't enough to describe them!. Watch this for yourself and see the greatest crime/serial killer movie EVER made in the history of world cinema.

Note: I heard that this movie is being remade in English.If so please do avoid the English version and go for the Korean version as it is more raw in detail and expression. And usually with the exception of 'The Departed' all other remakes have been considerable duds at the box office.

I would conclude saying that, this movie is only for people who respect Koreans and their life style and culture. If you find their appearance annoying or their speech cacophonous then please stay away from this majestic piece of cinema as you would do more insult to it and also for people who watch movies with a sensible thought!.

'Chugyeogja' is the BEST crime/serial killer/police drama movie ever made, watch it for yourself and experience the adrenaline ride on your own!

Satya, Starring J.D.Chakravarthy and Urmila is master piece gangster movie from the director Ram Gopal Varma.

With compelling music and a superb cinematography this can be said as the best crime film ever from India and also it can be cited as Ram Gopal Verma's best movie ever.

The music needs a special mention, it is only after this movie Sandeep Chowtha became a phenomenon in the film industry.

It has scenes so gripping, that for two hours you forget the surroundings you are in. Everyone does a good job and it can be easily said it is the Departed and Godfather for Indian cinema!

Lilja 4 Ever. I had problems getting its DVD as in India it is difficult to find DVD's of of movies of other languages. Any how I got it through a friend and I started to watch this movie without any expectations. And gosh!, hardly 5 minutes into the movie, tears were already rolling down my cheeks.

The film is gentle yet it has many harsh realities encoded with it. Top notch performances of actress Oksana Akinshina (who portrayed Lilja) and actor Artyom Bogucharsky (Volodya) steer the movie to the verge of perfection. Tender romantic sequences between both of them are a must watch. Reall after seeing this movie I fell in love with the actress Oksana. The film has extremely dark moments handled in a very subtle manner.

Here go some of the touching scenes in the movie,

1)When Lilya tells her friends that she is going to America. 2) When she tells a final good bye to her mother and in the next scene she falls down and cries. 3) When Volodya asks her whether he can kiss Lilya and when she rejects fells sorry that he wasn't born two years earlier. 4) Later, when Volodya acts as if he fainted due to drugs and when Lilya kisses him. 5) The scene in which Lilya's friend tells her father that Lilya is a prostitute. 6) When Lilya keeps on writing on the bench when the local hoodlums call her obscenities. 7) When she meets the new boy friend who promises her that he will take her to Sweden. 8) When Lilya actually starts to leave to Sweden and Volodya runs away without even telling bye to her and later commits suicide. (the best one in the movie) 9) The scene in the duty free shop when she for the first time sees the inside of a true super market. 10)When she is raped by her employer the very next day she reaches Sweden. 11) The scenes in which the bodies of men who have sex with Lilya are shown,indicating the ugliness she was experiencing. 12) The scenes in which she has dreams that Volodya is talking to her. 13) The scene in which Volodya tells Lilya, "You will be dead for a whole eternity, but be on the earth for a brief moment. 14) When Lilya breaks the picture which she worships one day out of despair. 15) The last scene in which she is shown as an angel along with Volodya where both of them play basketball.

Well, to be frank telling that these are the only worth watching in the movie would be very unfair, in fact the whole movie is a master piece and every scene is so well worked that it will become your favourite. I could have written a hundred points and still be incomplete.

Finally, Lilja 4 Ever is a movie for sensible people who like tragic movies and also to people who love to watch movies of other countries.

Lilya 4 Ever is a piece of tragic poetry.

Cheers!

Two weeks ago I happened to watch David Fincher's "Zodiac", then (thanks to IMDb) I found out about "Salinui chueok". I got the DVD of the movie instantly and saw it the very next day I saw "Zodiac" and the outcome? I have then decided that no other crime/detective movie can be as goo as this South Korean masterpiece. It is power packed Two and half hour movie with equal amounts of action and emotion.

Set in the times of mid 80's, the period in which the military rule imposed strict rules on the civilians, a serial killer raped women and killed them. The movie follows the investigation sequences of the village policeman with the help of the police officer from Seoul. The story deepens as it goes ahead, revealing a whole lot of sub plots, each one telling the complexity of team work and human nature. The last scenes of the movie can set your tear glands to work.

The last scene of the movie needs a special mention in which Inspector Park comes to the scene of crime after a long time and a girl approaches him and asks him what he is looking for. And she then tell that a man had been there at that place earlier before (suggestively the Murderer). Inspector Park asks the kid how he looked like and the girl replies, "He looked Normal" saying that she goes away and Inspector Park looks at the camera indicating that the killer might be one of the audience watching the movie. This scene by far is the best one I have ever seen on celluloid so far. Kudos to the director Bong Joon Ho for making a crime master piece.

Note: Please do not watch this movie if you do not have respect towards cinema made in other languages and also towards other countries culture and also this movie is not for people who always want a villain in the end!. Saying that I conclude saying, one of the best two and a half hours you can ever spend your life is watching this movie!

Cheers!

The film has everything a perfect movie should have. The movie has a sort of magnetic feel in it which can pull you right from the first minute till the end. A few scenes are a bit over acted (like the one in which Homer goes to the classroom to prove that his rocket didn't cause the forest fire) but for the rest of movie the acting was PERFECT. Jake's caliber as an actor is proved here, and Chris Cooper was simply superb as his father and a dedicated miner. The rocket sequences are fun to watch and the ending is simply touching. I didn't want the movie to end but once the ending credits came, a tear rolled down my cheek for reasons unknown.

A perfect movie for all those lovers of sensible cinema and all the 'Gyllenhaalics' out there!

Enjoy! 10/10

I watched this movie out of sheer coincidence thanks to IMDb. Two days back I watched "Requiem for a Dream" and today after watching this movie, I felt "Requiem-." was a joke.

This is an open letter to Natja Brunckhorst, who has performed a role I have never ever seen on celluloid before and maybe I might not even see it in the many years to come. Surprising she didn't get an Oscar for her role.

The movie transported me to an era 30 years back and I in fact felt like one of the characters in the movie. The real fickle mindedness of teens has been shown in an extremely realistic way.

All the characters are well developed and there are many scenes in the movie which can send you tear gland's to work. The film has a mystic element in it which I have never experienced before. The soundtrack is perfect especially the music which comes to the end of the movie sends a chill through one's spine.

Watch this movie, if you like watching movies which have strong emotional content in them otherwise let it go as this master piece cannot be spoken low of.

The movies after effects are still on me and I myself feel drugged watching this movie. A perfect 10 and no other movie can be compared to this one!

Cheers!

The Usual Suspects. The name didn't interest me and so did the cast. But I wanted to give it a try as it was a crime movie. Generally, I never watch a movie more than five times even though if its perfectly made and this movie is an exception. I have watched it completely for 23 times and I still long for more.

Firstly, all the actors put up a brilliant performance. I have never heard of Kevin Spacey before in my life and after watching this movie I have become a revered worshiper of his. Ah!, how he acts through the movie. It's pleasing to see him act and when the Final twist is revealed one will definitely applaud for his wonderful, stunning performance.

In fact this little movie houses the best Climax EVER in history. Strictly speaking this movie can only be enjoyed after repeated viewing.

Pete Postlethwaite is brilliant as Kobayashi, Keyser Soze's aide. Gabriel Byrne, Chazz Paliminteri and Stephen Baldwin put up a memorable show.

The revelation of the story is simply super. The way the story unfolds from a normal crime thriller to a great master-piece should simply be seen. In fact, this is one movie where the power of the villain is felt without actually filming or portraying the villain in action. A great movie to be watched and in my opinion its the best movie ever made!!

Hail!, The Usual Suspects!! A perfect ten on ten!!