Introduction:
Godard is a controversial French director from the sixties, one of the directors who started the "French New Wave" in the country (An important revolution that gave more space to "realistic" or the so-called Art films). Godard's 1960 classic Breathless had a unique style of film-making and helped set the standards for Modern Cinema. Vivre Sa Vie (My Life to Live) is another one of his classics.

Synopsis:
Vivre Sa Vie tells the account of a woman named Nana whose broke life forces her to take up prostitution in order to pay her Rent. The story takes us in the streets of the beautiful Paris, told in a series of 12 episodes like a documentary...

The Film:
Yes, this film is a classic. Godard's films have always been credited to have rich film-making, something other film-makers (Most likely the future ones) can steal from or inspire from. The Camera constantly changes angles and positions as though trying to decide which spot is the best. It's just crazy like the confused Nana who's simply trying to live her life. The film has it's classy moments and truly they reflect in other parts of world cinema. The film as the synopsis said takes place in continuous 12 episodes that are always followed by a black plaque telling us the names of the character, the location and the incident that occurs in brief. This style does give the film a documentary type experience. A woman's life "documented". How ingenious can it get? It's Godard's style of making it sound realistic. Anna Karina, as Nana, and the entire ensemble is great. They really go with the flow with Godard's style. A scene from the movie that I recall the most is the Nana's dance scene. She simply tries to step out of her horrible life from a moment, dancing wildly on some great catchy tune (Don't know the name). This part really surprises audience as Godard out of nowhere brings in temporary sweetness to this stark film. Quentin Tarantino himself confessed that the famous dance, Uma Thurman's character and the "uncomfortable silences" part in his Pulp Fiction was inspired by this movie. Uma Thurman clearly and almost completely resembles Anna Karina... Pure cinematic Art!

With slow pace, weird shots and subtly crazy film-editing Godard succeeds in bringing out more emotions and character-development. He sets his allegory in a stylish way that the viewer never forgets. And the ending, though a little cold from Godard's side, was pretty heart-breaking.

Truly a classic in world cinema and a rich inspiration for film-makers worldwide. Highly Recommended.

Just a quick review... Men in Black 3 is a fun filled action-packed film that also pays attention to emotional aspects. This is way better than it's horrible predecessor. Ethan Cohen's screenplay, the direction, the make-up, the eye-popping visual effects and the 3D shots... wow it was all in the right place with higher degree of entertainment. Josh Brolin as the young Agent K was the best, accompanied by equally great and funny Will Smith as Agent J. The ending was ridiculous though, they could have given BANG in the end to tell us it's over. This is the only thing they could have really worked out because a good conclusion sometimes makes a movie far more more better.

Nevertheless, it's a good movie. Nothing new or ground-breaking but still fulfills the meaning of "entertainment". Have a nice day... :D

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Set during World War II, a story seen through the innocent eyes of Bruno, the eight-year-old son of the commandant at a concentration camp, whose forbidden friendship with a Jewish boy on the other side of the camp fence has startling and unexpected consequences.

Asa Butterfield's brilliant performance in Hugo was full of innocence and curiosity. But before Hugo, he had done another great film that probably only a few people know about. As the the synopsis reads, Asa plays the role of Bruno a son of some German officer. He befriends a Jewish boy in a concentration camp and thus begins an unforgettable film experience that almost moved me to tears. We see the entire Nazi world through the innocent eyes of Bruno. Even in the film, we are never revealed the true names of his parents as he used to call them "Mother" and "Father". Now that's film-making! The brutal things like killing Jews or incinerating them is shown in a subtle way. Bruno sees these things from over a distance but not close enough to understand it. He was always engrossed in reading fictional books on adventures. But he never, because of his young age, tried to understand completely the world he lived in. I was so moved by the innocence of the boy that I found myself in tears by the end of the film. It's so beautiful.

But then why rate it 4 instead of 5? Firstly, I was very disappointed by the use of heavy British accent in the film. Each and every character spoke English accent and that sort of took out the "warm" feeling out of the film. But Asa Butterfield's performance sort of balanced out all the wrongs. Secondly, I still believe this film could have been much more better. I don't know how to explain that but when you tend to make one mistake like the accent one I mentioned, you end up making a terrible mess.

This is the only complaint I have from this film. Overall, the film is great and I think you should watch only for Asa Butterfield's performance. David Thewlis plays the role of the father and Vera Farmiga plays the role of the mother. They were nice too. (If only you separate out the accent problem.) Thewlis' performance of a brutal German Officer was convincing and so was Farmiga's performance as the caring mother.

Recommended. Moving. But unfortunately not a classic. :(

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Michael Clayton (George Clooney) works as a "fixer" in a Manhattan law firm. Here, by the encouragement of the firm's senior Marty Bach (Sydney Pollack) he unwillingly does the job he dislikes, even after being stuck up deeply in a debt his brother left him with, even after failing in his marriage. To make matters worse, one of the lawyers at the firm Arthur Edens (Tom Wilkinson) while representing a Chemical company (U/North), involved in a multi-billion dollar class action suit, has a mental breakdown due to lack of medication. When the firm calls in Michael to handle the situation, he discovers the proof that Arthur has against U/North concerning the case that can get both of them killed and if revealed can completely put the company in jeopardy.

When U/North understands the situation, their lead attorney Karen Crowder (Tilda Swinton) takes the lead of "containing" the situation. What happens next is a great, weird, realistic and a worthy experience...

Michael Clayton, now it can be told, is not that kind of cliched thriller film one might expect. It's completely unique in it's style and is that kind of thriller that deserves full attention of the audience. Michael Clayton has no chase scenes, no gun-fights, no explosions (save one). The entire film is less action and more talk. Still, the film surprisingly delivered some serious thrills. Michael Clayton is more of the "experience" than the story itself. The plot is simple yet Tony Gilroy forces us to watch the film closely by making it a little indirect. The film's pace is slow, but the excitement never ends and that's the main point. The character detail itself is incredible. Like Michael is a fixer, ex-husband, father, brother, friend, businessman. He is all these different persons at times when he has to be and Clooney is perfect in every role. Wilkinson gives an equally ground-breaking performance of a nutty lawyer who after learning the company's fraudulent involvement in the case is enlightened by the fact that the defense is wrong and the work of "adjusting the truth" that the firm does is wrong. Eventually he sees himself as a part of this wrong and tries to get out of this job. Tilda Swinton in her negative role of Karen Crowder is a woman who is ready to do anything to save the company. She has even sold her soul to the devil and doesn't care what happens next. Her realistic performance won her an Academy Award in her supporting role.

What's more important is that how Gilroy is presenting the film. Yes, it's long and indirect. But saying that will only suggest the fact that this film tries in vain to be different. Yes it does, not in vain, but in a style better than James Bond and you don't need those silly gadgets to make you safe. It's a mind game, a film that goes in the head of all it's major characters and although the film's name suggests that Michael is the only one to take on the biggest part of the whole emotional burden then it's not entirely true. For example, the film specifically shows us Karen practicing hard, as if to impress, for her speech or for her interview. While she is giving the speech or answering the questions, Gilroy puts some excerpts of her practicing it. This shows what kind of person she is: A hard working woman trying to save her job and the company, trying hard to be "Perfect".

In conclusion, Michael Clayton is a masterpiece. But unfortunately, it won't impress everyone. If you love serious drama that involves smart, to-the-point dialog and words-speak-louder-than-action kind of stuff then you are in for a treat.

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In 1962, Anthony Burgess wrote a dystopian novel of the title "A Clockwork Orange" which to this day is regarded one of the best literary works. The novel tells the narration of Alex, the lead character, whose story takes place in a futuristic London. His interests include classical music (Beethoven specially), rape and gang-wars. But one night he commits murder and his gang, who were already aggressive over his position as a gang leader, deceive him. Alex goes to prison but then the dystopian government of England come up with a cure for "violence and crime" and they choose Alex as their subject. After Alex is "cured", he joins society again with one major defect: He has lost his capability of "Self-defense" by this cure. To make matters worse, his past begins to haunt him... While this happens, we watch spellbound as Kubrick's magical lenses capture one of the greatest disturbing thrillers of the cinematic world.

This film is not new for movie fans. For them Stanley Kubrick is a cinematic giant. It's a must-have-film in your collection. For those who haven't seen this film, let me explain it briefly.

First of all, what this film depicts is vital. The film tries to show society it's own ugly face like in one scene a drunkard cries,"Huh! Man on the Moon! Men spinning around the Earth! And there's no attention to earthly law and order!" Through similar smart dialog, brilliant satire, disturbing imagery and politics Kubrick is making fun of some of the aspects of our society. There are youngsters who reside in the criminal world, take drugs, bunk school, rape, etc. Kubrick uses Alex and his gang to represent these youngsters. Their crimes make this film look average yet mysteriously it has a visionary insight to it. In spite the disturbing content of this film, we actually find the whole experience marvelous like we are physically present there. Even after so many years, Clockwork Orange's satire still describes our slowly deteriorating world society most perfectly. Thus, Clockwork Orange's message is clear even to the dumbest of audiences.

Secondly, Kubrick's presentation. Imagine you are writing an essay for some competition. Even if your content is brilliant, your bad hand-writing can make it hard to understand. Similar theory can be applied to films. The whole production made this film look lovely and easy to sit through. This also includes the brilliant ensemble who delivered powerful performances, especially McDowell who succeeded in scaring me! The way they delivered their dialog was deliberately made sound a little "artificial". It's like Kubrick's way of telling us that in future we are going to lose happiness in the smallest of life's joys, like we are just surviving not living. The music and the set pieces beautifully reflected the futuristic world, Alex's thoughts and the so-called "dystopian" politics.

Thirdly and lastly, Clockwork Orange has made extensive use of graphic violence and sexual content including nudity. The film was banned in England for like thirty years and was Rated XXX. Well, today we have numerous films that use this medium to entertain. Kubrick uses this medium not to torture us with the reality of life but to warn us. Although the images will not seem so disturbing now as we live in a violent world, but the innovative use of this medium is engaging and grasps our attention. For Example, Alex loves to sing "I am Singin' in the Rain" when he's energetic like before raping a woman.

In conclusion, this film is extremely smart, innovative, filled with fresh perspective, elements that still surprise me every time I watch it. Kubrick's another unmissable ingenious masterpiece that seriously entertains and at the same time makes your brain cells think...

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When you go to Google and write 2001, the first suggestion to pop up will be this film's name. Well, even 200 will do! What I am trying to do is introduce you to a marvelous science fiction film, a milestone and virtuoso cinematic achievement that has not yet been outdone by any film in the same genre. There are some people who find Kubrick's vision far out of the world but I bet no one can get away with out being a little curious. But what is it about? 2001 is the journey or more appropriately it's the story of evolution. Yes, of course Humans are primarily involved in this. Arthur Clarke wrote this wonderful story but Kubrick made the story more indirect. That's the thing about 2001. It's this artistic approach, rather than the story itself, that has made this film ingenious. The look of the film itself is so incredible that you forget it's a film, and try to go with the flow. 2001 has pretty impressive visual effects and impossible-to-explain shots that still drop my jaw, and it's better than Computer generated visual effects. The attention to detail is undeniable even for the most casual person.

Kubrick and Clarke's 2001 is so ahead of it's time that people never understood it in 1968 and not even now! It's because just like I said the artistic approach is quite complex equipped with extreme slow pace and a confusing conclusion. But that's my point, the film isn't for those audiences that forget a film right after watching it, Kubrick wanted to make his audiences think and for that he gives us time even after the reel had ended. If you are willing to think over what message Kubrick has secretly concealed in 2001, you won't be disappointed. The film shows us where we have been, where we are and where we might be in the future, from Clarke's and Kubrick's perspective of course. The problem is that our 2001 hasn't turned out what Kubrick imagined it would be. If you notice, man had still not landed on the Moon when 2001 came out, but the film still showed giant space stations and stations on Moon's surface. Kubrick's epic starting scene made the piece of music called "Thus Spoke Zarathustra" extremely famous and is frequently used to capture the same feeling, whether the scale is small or large. I got serious goosebumps myself.

I know that opinions differ and not every one likes the same thing in this case that thing is a movie. But at least give this film one chance. In conclusion, sometimes it's important to respect a director's perspective, his vision and his achievement. Kubrick possesses all these three factors very richly. So, Escape into the world of Kubrick's interpretation of the human evolution, whether it's fact or fiction, the result of which is so dazzling that missing this film will be idiotic.

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Korean Cinema is one of those areas which I have yet to completely explore. Thanks to the Brutal thrilling Korean classic Oldboy, came out in 2003, I got highly excited about exploring the Korean world continuing my journey with this incredible film: Memories of Murder.

Memories of Murder, based on a true story, is a crime thriller set in the late 1980's. Two rural cops and a special detective from Seoul try hard to search for the killer who ruthlessly rapes women, especially on rainy nights a factor that probably excites him. The film shows us the usual cat-and-mouse chase. Though it's not an experience that cliched thrillers gives, just running around here and there...

What mostly bothers me are the subtitles in any foreign movie. The way you have to look down every time while missing all the action even on a small scale might distract you. Memories of Murder is one of those foreign films where the above factor just doesn't completely apply. Some of the best scenes of this film happen in silence. There are truly great examples of camera work in this film that includes the dry but powerful cinematography, few but effective Steadicam shots and of course the direction. Like in one scene when the lead Detective comes to inspect the first crime scene (also filmed in one continuous shot), they find a shoe print nearby on a small road as an evidence. Suddenly, a tractor comes out of nowhere and ignoring the Detective's cries ("No Stop!") it goes over the evidence smudging the entire print. This is one particular scenario which was shot with such realism that you connect yourself with the movie and become a part of it. I don't care how simple or complex the scenes are, the most vital property of any good cinema is that it should allow you to become a part of that experience. Even sounds are important in this film. Can't explain that in detail but you will notice it once you have seen it. The acting too is superb, as always in any great film. The way they interrogated brutally or researched or sometimes were very impatient was captured again in a realistic ways involving attention seeking performances.

Memories of Murder though doesn't concentrate much on the murders, it kind of gives more attention to the emotional aspects of the characters involved in the case. Hence, the name. When you say Memories of Murder it refers not only to the ones solving the case but also the ones who were the victim of this brutality. The film truly goes more beyond the thriller part and at the conclusion of the film, no one will deny that they had watched something different. The downside is that it takes little patience to watch the film and the film's ending is not that easy to take in. Still, I am highly impressed by the different style of film-making of Koreans.

In conclusion, Memories of Murder is a realistic document of the incident, not like some Hollywood flicks that put in some spice like an exit line just after a kill or the hero walking away from an explosion. If you are a good lover of cinema, this will hardly disappoint you. There is one thing I have learned so far in Korean thrillers: Always expect the unexpected. Just in case of this film, it comes out in a very subtle manner...

Have a nice day and take care.

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"How happy is the blameless vestal's lot!
The world forgetting, by the world forgot.
Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind!
Each pray'r accepted, and each wish resign'd."
- Alexander Pope

Joel and Clementine, once a happy couple, break-up. Joel can't take Clementine out of his head so he decides to patch up. He then learns an unbelievable truth that she had a clinic named Lacuna "erase" all of her memories related to Joel. Joel too out of anger decides to take on the procedure of erasing Clementine-memories from his head.

Okay, I know what some may think. This is totally weird, right? But with Michel Gondry and Charlie Kaufman, the screenwriters, weird stories always become entertaining that has undeniably smart elements. Eternal Sunshine remains their best work to date. It's an unforgettable psychological journey in a person's brain, his dreams, his desires captured with such contrast and vivid beauty that you will be left asking for more. At first, we feel quite envious of the technology that literally removes "pain" from our minds. The direction and screenplay capture this magnificently by taking us in Joel's head and actually showing us in their way how it happens. But soon this desire dies out with a deep emotion of dissatisfaction. Because Joel watches these memories fade away, he gets a second chance to relive them. He then understands that memories, however painful, are vital. I really wanted this erasing thing to exist in real life at first but then the film's extremely strong presentation made me change my mind. This impressive part makes the whole non-linear experience unexpected, thought-provoking and excites us to a higher level of curiosity.

Once Eternal Sunshine grips us through it's smart allegory, it keeps getting better and better. What I loved most was the unexpected conclusion that forces us to wonder about the fate of the characters. What I loved more is that the film also never forgets the supporting cast, especially the "erasers" who work at Lacuna. During the erasing scene, which is the highlight of the entire film, the film kind of switches back and forth from Joel's memories to the real world. They show us the interaction of the Lacuna gang (Elijah Wood, Kirstin Dunst, Mark Ruffalo, Tom Wilkinson). As we surge through Joel's emotions, theirs too is not overlooked. The screenplay smartly shows us how we human beings feel emotions, how we look at the person who's memory we are erasing and the person who's having it erased. In Short, Eternal Sunshine has a weird but differently smart screenplay that works which also won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay in 2005. The Direction has a wonderful "flow" in it. The Cinematography has a beautiful colorful saturation and the score, wow, it just syncs with the flow. The film has impressive visual effects too that adds to the stunning imagery of Joel's memories.

Now, the acting. First of all, I have never seen Jim Carrey act a serious character before. Joel is boring, dull, seeks solitude. I still wonder how he did that. This proves that Jim Carrey is more of a versatile actor rather than a comedian. Kate Winslet portrays the energetic, over-talkative Clementine, a complete opposite of Joel. She was nominated for the Oscar for this role and it's quite worth it. The most difficult part is bringing two completely opposites together to love each other which is pulled off perfectly by the two artists. Then comes the Lacuna gang. Wow, another surprise here. Their acting was realistic, if simply put.

In conclusion, Eternal Sunshine is a spotless masterpiece. It's that piece of cinema that tries to approach film-making from a whole new perspective and the result is memorable. The film convinced me of the moral fact that even if you put someone out of your memory, you can't put them out of your heart. Be sure to check out Gondry's Being John Malkovich, another weird but thought-provoking film.

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Finally, Prometheus lands in India.

God, I was waiting so much for this film and that feeling was finally satiated. After Scott's classic sci-fi Alien, here comes a prequel that provides answers to some questions that were raised in the 1979 classic. This film gets a mixed review. Some say it's poor story but great visuals. Some say it's Scott's best and it has great visuals. Some say it was thrilling yet boring still visuals were great. My opinion is somewhat mixed... Don't worry, there are no spoilers here.

What is Prometheus? Wikipedia says: "Prometheus is a Titan, culture hero, and trickster figure who in Greek mythology is credited with the creation of man from clay and the theft of fire for human use, an act that enabled progress and civilization. He is known for his intelligence, and as a champion of mankind." In the film, scientists Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) and Charlie Holloway (Logan Marshall-Green) discover clues on Earth that leads them to a half a billion away solar system where the "Engineers" of mankind themselves probably reside. The ship that takes them there is named Prometheus. It's a two year journey so the 16 crew members are kept in hibernation, guarded by an Android named David (Michael Fassbender). After they land, they discover extremely weird stuff which I won't reveal. What happens next is the search for answers, the truth, the truth about our creators which believe me really isn't so much satisfying.

Yep, everyone agrees that the film looks powerfully stunning thanks to the jaw-dropping visual effects equipped with a stunning cinematography and of course 3D. The film begins with a beautiful view of our Earth's geology but minus life. Here we see how we were engineered, how it all began. Another stunning element that adds up to the film is the ingenious electronic score. It's completely perfect for the experience. The sound design, being another important element in any sci-fi film, gets a perfect score from me. All in all, Ridley Scott's Prometheus deserves a standing ovation for the beautiful world that he has very realistically and smartly created just the way Alien and Blade Runner was.

Okay, now have a seat. Stunning visuals aren't going to save the film because instead of solving the questions (which it does) more questions arise like who created our Engineers? And the biggest one is: What happens next, dude? As many people said, the film has flaws. Yes, there are but I guess what they most probably meant by that was "This is another cliched sci-fi that was not expected from a Director like Scott". I guess they are right. Like for example the whole crew. Now there are 17 of them. When the film enters it's intense last hour, it looks like they were simply lining up for slaughter, getting killed one by one. It sort of felt like they were expendable or something. Scott really treats them that way and the film kind of makes special arrangements for the key characters. In another scene, a character has a quick abdominal surgery to remove the Alien fetus. Surprisingly, with the stapled cut, she walks and joins the intensity of the film again in no time. I believe that most people were disappointed just because they were comparing it to Alien. Prometheus doesn't have a subtle style, a rich story, it seriously forgets common sense in some scenarios, etc. There are far too many flaws to overlook. You feel like "Hey what was the point of all those intense emotional and thrilling moments if you yourself don't see the point?"

I guess you will enjoy Prometheus a little more if you stop comparing it to the almost-perfect-thriller Alien. It's a Prequel, so treat it as one. The flaws did disappoint me, really unexpected from a director like Ridley Scott. More blame goes to the poor screenplay. But I think movies are sometimes made just for monetary purposes, not for serious art or to satisfy a die-hard fan's nostalgia. Prometheus is one of them. Come on, film-making is a business too right? I will still forgive and forget the flaws and say that it was overall a marvelous experience. I still believe Scott is a brilliant movie-maker. Prometheus is a good start to the series and the film, judging by the conclusion, promises another adventure which I doubt won't be possible.

As for the performances, Sweden's "Girl with the Dragon tattoo" Noomi Rapace has the same strong femininity that Weaver showed in Alien. I have always been strangely attracted to these kind of women in movies who show great survival instincts without forgetting their emotions. Fassbender is the best thing about Prometheus, very powerful in his performance of the Android David. These two were the best in the entire ensemble.

In conclusion, there are flaws and some moments will leave you scratching your head. Yes, it isn't one of Scott's best but I don't think it's worst either. For now, just enjoy and try to take in all the "entertaining" stuff that this film very ingeniously provides as it's not only mysterious but also freaking scary at times!

So now one excitement ends, another begins. Pixar's Brave is releasing on 22nd so stay tuned. This year we are really anticipating a lot of good movies, I just hope none of them lets us down. Have a nice Day and take care. Hope you enjoy this film nevertheless. Thanks for reading.

Mithil Bhoras

P.S: World renowned American Critic Roger Ebert gave this film a perfect 4/4. Read what he says, it's quite interesting: [Link removed - login to see]

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The Artist may have impressed the entire world. But there is one thing. What the movie tries to depict is that people are always attracted to new things (Fashion for example). They don't care about the old art and just want to watch movies or any play as a casual viewer. Valintin, the main character, is a silent picture king but when it came to talking movies, no one cared about him and his silent films anymore. Today, after watching this movie, I SAW and FELT the exact same thing this movie is trying to depict. That's because there was only me and my mom in the entire theater! In this little town where I live, no one cares about what you can call "True Art". Yes, I come from India where movies are quite different. They won't care even if "A Separation" or any Satyajit Ray classic was screened. Still, I expected this movie to receive half of the seats. But that did surprise me. It struck me then that I was witnessing a live example of what the movie was about. Therefore, the experience of "The Artist" was extremely strong for me and my mom. We both love movies very much. After returning from the movie, we did feel quite different about it. That's my personal experience about the movie.

Now about the movie itself. "The Artist" is different. The Director created a completely authentic 20's film that makes the film more lovely to watch. The story of course sounds predictable, the movie is not... Go and watch it, dudes. And if you are all alone with your friends or family, you might enjoy more!(Which I doubt...)