Movies by Last-Few-Weekends

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas:

Dark movie. Did not enjoy much watching this movie.

The Basketball Diaries:

This movie reminded me of 'Good Will Hunting' and 'Varumai Niram Sivappu', in both these movies the protagonist is depicted as a genius/prodigy. Inspite of their natural talent in poetry(Kamal) or mathematics(Matt Damon), they kick-off their strengths to do something their mind-pleases.

Few things that strike me once we see some talent in someone else or see some talent in me, is what do I do with it. Since I am already strong in some area, I will feel no challenge in store in my strong-area, so I chase challenges in unchartered territories. And in those areas, I might not really hit the jackpot, but the key is that I do what I want, nevermind the result.
This incident as per some stranger's perspective, what a waste of talent?!

Just like the poem by Robert Frost 'The Road not taken' in which protagonist finds two roads before him and does not know which one to choose. One of the roads is a comfortable one, which many people had taken earlier and the other one seems to be a difficult one. I think sometimes we prefer the difficult route and sometimes the easier one, based on our temperament. Whichever path we choose, I think it is important to get alongwith our lives rather than introspecting our actions or worst of all regret our actions.

In one sequence, Leonardo DiCaprio watches his erstwhile teammate(Neutron) participating in All-school-stars basketball competition and kind of realises the big let-down he has been. Few questions that struck me,
i. Does Neutron becoming an all-star signify that he is placed better than Leo?

'Good Will Hunting' had the famous ending of the protagonist doing what he wants rather than to follow his talents and so was 'Varumai Niram Sivappu'. But, 'The Basketball Diaries' was slightly different in the ending. But all three are mostly feel-good endings after the infinite struggles that protagonists' had to face.

One scene in this movie that surprised me was, when the teacher(catholic clergy) is shown to hit Leo with a cricket bat. Wondered how cricket bat came here(in New York school).

Frequency:

Entertaining stuff. The movie was fast-paced and thus was a good-watch all through.
Elizabeth Mitchell was gorgeous in this movie.

Groundhog Day:

Bill Murray movie, all the way. Enjoyable fare all the way.
Still his role in 'Lost in Translation' was much better than this.

Punch Drunk Love:

What a let-down movie, didnt expect an Adam Sandler movie to be so drab. Not an rip-tickler like most of other movies from Adam Sandler's stable. Adam Sandler picks up his favourite role of the protagonist, who appears to be a perennial under-achiever, somehow this tag fits Adam Sandler extra-ordinarily well than most other stars.

Raging Bull:

Martin Scorcese movie.
Raging Bull's protagonist Jake LaMotta, suspects that his wife/friends are conspiring against him round-the-clock to bring him down, kind of reminded the role Leonardo's role in 'The Aviator'. Martin Scorcese's way of providing considerable screen presence to such minor emotions really sets him apart, I think any other director would have been happy to glorify the better-parts of the protagonist. This movie is also set in New York like most of his other movies.

Solaris:

Did not enjoy watching this movie. The dreams/reality part sometimes did not make sense to me. And the worst of all blaming the happenings on some virus :-( ! Natasha MacElhone was looking stunning in this movie.

The Butterfly Effect:

Donnie Darkoish kind of movie. But this movie is faster-paced and thus, it was entertaining.

Scent of a Woman:

'Oooh-Aaaaaaah I am just now getting STARTED..'
Al Pacino could be blamed for over-acting in this role.
But the dialogues were entertaining and the background-score in this movie was also good.
The sitar score in the background, whenever the school-campus is shown was great-hear.

Goodfellas:

Joe Pesci movie, more than anyone else. Joe Pesci's claim to fame in this movie is his constant utterance of profanities. This movie was yet another Joe Pesci-Robert De Niro combine. Remember seeing another movie 'Casino' which had Robert De Niro-Joe Pesci falling in love with the same woman 'Sharon Stone'.

Kung Fu Hustle:

The second cd failed me and thus I had to be happy with just the first part of this movie alone. The movie was best in terms of fantasy, with good orchestration of fight-sequences, but guess this concept seems to be over-exploited.

Catch-22:

Thought this movie was terrific and enjoyed this movie till the point when the second cd failed me. Jon Voight(Angelina Jolie's father) also has acted in this movie.
Mike Nichols has directed this movie!

1984:

'Big Brother' concept was nicely conceptualised in this movie. Some observations in this movie, 'government or dictators need a war to keep the nation united and to impress their hegemony on their citizens most importantly rather than the opponents' appears to be so true. This concept again seems to have been the bottomline for 'JFK' movie also.

The Hustler:

Paul Newman's charm is what this movie has to offer. Being a Hustler is all about most how to bow-down your opponent with shrewdness most importantly rather than skill. Thought this movie was brilliant in lots of sequences.

The Polar Express:

This Tom Hanks-Zemeckis movie did not live up to their usual standards. I think animation movies will always fail to stand upto viewer's expectations. It is very difficult to compare the acting abilities of an animated-character with that of an actor like Robert De Niro or Tom Hanks or Julia Roberts.
And another irritating part about Christmas holidays movies is that, there is an overkill of 'feel-good' factor movies.

The English Patient:

Naveen Andrews role in this movie was outstanding and so were the roles of all the other actors in this movie. Fast-paced and the clever 'Present - Past flip sequences' made interesting viewing. This movie deserved an Oscars in many fronts. Michael Ondaatje's book must have been a great read going by what I could see in this movie!
One sequence in which Naveen Andrews helps his lover-girl to view the paintings in a nearby church kind of reminded some sequences in Anbe Sivam involving Kamal-Kiran. Kirsten Scott-Thomas was great to watch in this movie.

One flew over the Cuckoo's Nest:

Outstanding movie.
The head-nurse reminded me of 'Mrs. Robinson' role in 'The Graduate'.
Half-way through the movie the head-nurse talks about ideals and values, when she overturns the decision of other experts in claiming that 'Jack Nicholson is not crazy' and promises to help him solve his problems. But she doesnt do much to help solve the protagonist's problems.
This movie tries to venture into a sticky wicket i.e what can an individual do against a system. I think the common behavourial pattern among us is 'whenver we find someone who has an independent thinking, we ridicule him/her try to debunk his theories'. I think we will start working overtime to "HELP" that independent-thinking individual to adopt the thinking-style of the rest of us. Thus, once the thinking-style is changed, that person could be domesticated to do only what we want to do. But Jack Nicholson's role doesnt get cowed down, by the stereotypical folks around him, but tries to think out of the box or out of the ordinary. It s a pity to see how the protagonist is domesticated in the end!

I think most of us lack consistency and our responses to questions that someone poses us, is pathetic. We are keen to provide answer(not the answer we want to say) but the answer that the questioner wants to listen. Sure, trendsetters who fought for paradigm-shift are sure genius to revolt against the existing system.

Also, the 'euthanasia' kind of end for the protagonist seems to be apt! Cause there is nothing much the protagonist can do, when almost everyone is against him!

Michael Douglous has produced this movie.

Guess the Prabhu(tamil actor and Sivaji's son) movie 'Manasukkul mathapu', must have got inspired from this movie.

JFK:

Spectacular Oliver Stone movie. I think the Woodrew Wilson footage in the beginning of this movie, was a giveaway as to who were behind the killing of JFK. The interesting theory as to how government gets its hold on citizens and how government scares citizens was nicely explored in this movie. Guess, Kevin Costner is a Democrat. Michael Moore's documentary 'Bowling for Columbine' and 'Fahrenhiet 9/11' also tamefully explored this theory. It amazes me, as to how conscious Americans are on their recent history. And it shows in their movies, where they go to great extents to make a statement based on that historical event/mishap.

The Bridge over River Kwai:

David Lean movie.
The last sequence was extremely well-shot and the predicament of the Brit Colonel who had built the bridge and had fallen in love with the bridge, and is worried as to why the bridge is to be brought down, is well-shot.

Tora Tora Tora:

Brilliant movie. Never seen a better war movie than this. The sequence of events is well illustrated and the lack of jingoism is extremely helpful in enjoying this movie. The separate-set of Japanese and American production team for this movie helped to bring alive this movie as more of a neutral movie.
Could not help reminding myself, how bad Jerry Bruckheimer's 'Pearl Harbour' movie was while watching this movie.

Madagascar:

Animated movie, okay-kind.
This movie could not live to other top-of-the-charts animated movies list, but nevertheless enjoyable fare.