tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59350182011-04-22T07:08:37.479+08:00Eye on cinema, film reviews and industry quirks.chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.comBlogger861100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1163072228993480952006-11-09T19:37:00.000+08:002006-11-09T19:37:09.003+08:00

This list evoked some fond memories. I wasn't exposed to too many movies when young (something people I know now find very hard to believe). Whatever little I saw was mostly martial arts films, and one particular one I remember watching practically every weekend or every day during the holiday season was Lucky Seven - a delightful Japanese movie about 7 kids trained in martial arts on a quest to

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1162529843243301392006-11-03T12:57:00.000+08:002006-11-03T12:57:23.250+08:00

Wired takes a look at the fascinating journey of a trouble-fraught film - The Fountain, which releases (finally) this month. The grit of the filmmaker ought to be admired.powered by performancing firefox

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1153148149743284962006-07-17T22:55:00.000+08:002006-07-17T22:55:49.800+08:00

That’s the ridiculous conundrum in Saudi Arabia where cinema is taboo as religious scholars believe any form of visual representation of the human form is against Islam. But some culturally inclined folks still want to hold a film festival, and so resort to calling it a “Visual Show” Festival. Gawd!

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1147715042143443562006-05-16T01:09:00.000+08:002006-05-16T09:10:39.890+08:00

My first film at The (new) Picturehouse. I had never been to the older (bigger, standalone) Picturehouse. It was quite the haunt for arthouse film lovers in the 90s. It had to make way for the revamp of the Cathay movie complex, and is now housed in the main cineplex (a minus). But the air of exclusivity remains. From the tickets that's given to you in a black card envelope (see pic) to a

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1147374982741328272006-05-12T02:59:00.000+08:002006-05-12T03:16:22.760+08:00

Good, simple and brainless fun. An apt summer flick - empty at its core but elaborately bedecked with sumptuous visual effects and superb sound. That pretty much sums up my feel of Poseidon. Wolfgang Petersen and water share a pre-ordained relationship with water and boats (even his Troy had the scene of Roman ships approaching the island of Troy). Das Boot, The Perfect Storm, and now Poseidon,

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1144248859942647752006-04-05T22:54:00.000+08:002006-04-05T22:54:19.976+08:00

The ultimate list of independent films. I haven't perused it in detail but some of the selections are definitely worthy of 'greatest' - Run Lola Run, THX-1138, City of God, Memento, Sideways and The Usual Suspects are all veritable classics that will be fondly remembered for time to come.

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1135998581696062582005-12-31T11:09:00.000+08:002005-12-31T11:20:02.426+08:00

The last time I wrote an ode to a film was in December 2003, after watching The Return of the King. Perhaps it is no coincidence then that yet another 'King' has spurred me to pen another. And perhaps it is not happenstance also that the new venture is helmed by the same director. Ladies and gentlemen, let me present to you the film to beat them all, this year, last year and I dare say till the

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1129528173585737772005-10-17T13:49:00.000+08:002005-10-17T13:49:33.623+08:00

Watching Corpse Bride remains an unfulfilled wish. A brief update on films watched this month to-date. As usual, a disproportionate number of Malayalam films, courtesy of my DVD recorder and Asianet. Theatre visits remain low, but I’m back to my Video Ezy ways, so hopefully we’ll see more English movies henceforth. The award for the Best Film of the Mid-Month goes to the Malayalam film, Innale. A

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1128494881395466512005-10-05T14:48:00.000+08:002005-10-05T15:01:05.936+08:00

A bastion of intelligent acting in India, Nandita Das, talks about acting in non-Hindi films. Revealing post about the prevailing attitudes regarding ‘regional’ cinema (read the comments to understand why I’ve put regional in quotes). I am pleased Ms Das continues to act in films that have an interesting script, powerful message and passionate directors, regardless of language. It helps naturally

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1128399527459772992005-10-04T12:18:00.000+08:002005-10-04T12:18:47.490+08:00

Lethargy is the culprit for this unwarranted hiatus from writing about films. By no means though have I not been watching movies. With the acquisition of a DVD-recorder, my trips to the theatre have become far from frequent. I’ve become choosier about the films I watch on the big screen. On the plus side, I’m watching plenty of Malayalam (my mother tongue) movies. What follows is a listing (and

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1128395808676576632005-10-04T11:16:00.000+08:002005-10-04T11:35:02.906+08:00

No, it’s not a Disney film. Russell Crowe astonishes yet again and sets a new benchmark in acting. This is, hands down, his best performance yet, and we’ve got to wonder what more we should expect from this Australian powerhouse. In his second collaboration with Ron Howard and Akiva Goldsmith, following the stellar A Beautiful Mind, Cinderella Man captures in pristine sepia-toned celluloid, the

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1108637640630527122005-02-17T18:54:00.000+08:002005-02-17T18:54:00.630+08:00

Preparing to emerge from the hiatus...

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1098078957088385922004-10-18T13:55:00.000+08:002004-10-18T13:55:57.090+08:00

In The Bourne Supremacy, we see all the ingredients that made Ultimatum a success, and more, gelling once again into a heart-pounding action flick - among the best Hollywood has to offer this year. With Matt Damon in full zest (will he NEVER age?), there is little danger of the Bourne franchise fizzling out any time soon. We commend the makers for eschewing the FX fusillade current movie makers

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1095138898443491722004-09-14T13:14:00.000+08:002004-09-14T23:15:58.503+08:00

Here's a well-made short film. Hilarious, sharp, and cool!

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1095095177989693812004-09-14T01:06:00.000+08:002004-09-14T01:06:17.990+08:00

This is real spooky. French police discovered a full-fledged cinema theatre in the catacombs of Paris. There weren't any dodgy films, but the entire affair is certainly spooky. Read about it in Guardian Unlimited.

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1095047318976657342004-09-13T11:48:00.000+08:002004-09-13T11:48:38.976+08:00

Film-I continues with its take on films shown at the Indigo Film Fest in the second and final part.Choker Bali (in Bengali)Choker Bali is a fascinating insight into the life and times of the early 1900s in Kolkata, India. The renowned auteur, Rituparno Ghosh, paints a gorgeous masterpiece of period drama on a canvas of shifting societal morality, political turmoil and rising nationalism. Based on

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1094873458643213422004-09-11T11:30:00.000+08:002004-09-14T00:12:48.036+08:00

Held once every year, the Indigo Film Week has become one of the most anticipated fixtures in the Indian film calendar of Singapore. Remarkably, it is an initiative driven by the passion of just two individuals, Anand Rego and Sangeetha Madhavan. From its inauguration last year, keen cinematic sensibilities have gone into the selection of films. This year, filmbuffs were treated to varied themes

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1094469114709656842004-09-06T19:06:00.000+08:002004-09-06T19:18:08.953+08:00

Quarterly Movie Update Part 2 (of 2) | part 1 Super Size Me Little did we know that this film would kick off an unprecedented spate of watching documentaries at the theatres. Super Size Me blurs the line between reality and fiction. At first, we wonder if the movie was created for the experiment, or vice versa. Whatever it may be, we soon forget these niggling issues and watch in morbid

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1094468756552283572004-09-06T18:50:00.000+08:002004-09-06T19:20:09.056+08:00

Quarterly Movie Update Part 1 (of 2) After an unpardonable delay, eye on film reopens. Various factors contributed to the unexplained hiatus, none of them worth mentioning here. Suffice to say that while the eye remained shut, regular visits to the theatres continued. To dish out the usual Film-I treatment on each and every one of them would be tough and only delay the continuing normal

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1086240089096377582004-06-03T13:20:00.000+08:002004-06-04T13:37:11.530+08:00

In Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban, we finally see realisation of the spirit of the series on which it and its predecessors is based. It should come as no surprise; helmed by Alfonso Cuarón, who was responsibly for the feverishly racy Y tu mamá también and what many consider to be the best children’s movie yet, The Little Princess, he brings a completely un-Hollywood-ish sensitivity to

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1086067869516435662004-06-01T13:26:00.000+08:002004-06-01T13:31:37.640+08:00

Let us retract something we said two days ago; that The Day After Tomorrow appears to have put speed breakers in the summer movie season. Hogwash! Shrek 2 with an estimated $92 million and DAT with $86 million have propelled the US Memorial Day weekend box office to a record high as well as the best start for the summer season ever recorded. It also marks the first time that two pictures grossed

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1086058843551330112004-05-31T10:56:00.000+08:002004-06-01T13:38:55.903+08:00

What does one say about a film like the Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind? It defies genre, a slap in the face of conventional cinema. In this script by Charlie Kaufman and directed by music video specialist Michael Gondry, we are treated to a heady mix of swirling timelines, sparklingly inventive set design and several innovative film tools to convey “erasure of memory” that is the

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1085992334547777942004-05-30T16:28:00.000+08:002004-06-01T13:38:07.366+08:00

After the euphoria of Shrek 2 last week, The Day After Tomorrow comes somewhat as a speed breaker in the lane of summer movie excitement. But that’s only because of the high standard set by the former. As a summer flick, DAT never fails to impress with its spectacular effects and a palpable sense of foreboding it induces in the audience. Granted, the events in the film have scant scientific

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1085160610745786452004-05-22T01:22:00.000+08:002004-05-22T15:22:02.776+08:00

Summer movie fun just doesn’t abate, does it? Ratcheting it up by notches the size of tree-trunks is Shrek 2, the long-awaited sequel to the wildly-popular Shrek that won the first Academy Award for Best Animated feature. Shrek 2 is unqualifiedly the first summer flick destined to get a flying start from the box-office turnstiles. It is also unqualifiedly the best and most entertaining film of

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1085022207506308332004-05-20T10:54:00.000+08:002004-05-20T11:03:27.506+08:00

Having a similar political backdrop as Dr Strangelove, Thirteen Days is albeit rooted in actual events of the age. The film chronicles one of the most fraught periods in recent history, when the USA and USSR literally stared each other down, their nuclear guns fully loaded. Even though we know the outcome, the tension is almost unbearable as the President and his followers wrestle not only with

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1084939388055999462004-05-19T12:00:00.000+08:002004-05-19T12:21:31.116+08:00

DVDVerdict, in its introduction to The Fog of War, the Academy Award-winning documentary on the life and times of Robert S McNamara, ex-Secretary of Defence (under Presidents Kennedy and Johnson): “This ain't no party, this ain't no disco, this ain't no fooling around."—"Life During Wartime," Talking Heads. The parameters seem simple enough: Freedom vs. Fascism. Democracy vs. Communism. Good vs.

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1084789457416121932004-05-17T18:23:00.000+08:002004-05-17T18:46:15.980+08:00

It’s been a good summer so far. Troy does not disappoint and raises the summer entertainment fare up a notch or two from last week’s Van Helsing. A rousing and deftly-directed film of epic proportions (in the budgetary sense at least –US$175 million!), Troy, while not quite entering the annals of epic films, does manage to entertain, surprise and thrill throughout its hefty 162 minutes of running

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1084351833025416512004-05-12T16:27:00.000+08:002004-05-22T15:22:43.236+08:00

Shattered Glass meticulously chronicles the true-life story of the rise and fall of Stephen Glass (Hayden Christensen, notorious for his role as Anakin Skywalker in Attack of the Clones), who, in 1998, was the wunderkid of the American print media. 25 years old, Glass had contributed articles to Harper's, George, and Rolling Stone. He was the youngest member of the writing and editing staff at

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1083989242521530222004-05-08T12:07:00.000+08:002004-05-08T12:17:10.233+08:00

Van Helsing heralds the onset of the summer movie-going season, and how! Laden from start to finish with eye-popping visual and special effects, its painfully obvious lack of story and substance seems inconsequential. This is what summer movies are all about, isnt it? Ensconced far from the heat and dust, sink yourself into the theater cushion, munch all the popcorn and guzzle all the coke you

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1083740986778595772004-05-05T15:09:00.000+08:002004-05-05T15:14:11.733+08:00

Hulk, the much-reviled critical and box-office damp squib, belied our expectations (that were mostly fuelled by friends and general sentiments at the time of release last year). It is a good film, no, it is a wonderful comic book film, perhaps the best adaptation so far. Ang Lee, the director, has boldly taken the broad outlines of a comic book story and transformed them to his own purposes; this

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1083738477897605912004-04-30T14:26:00.000+08:002004-05-05T14:32:22.560+08:00

The charm of old films is deliciously different. Maybe it’s the enervation brought about by modern cinema in general, but the phrase “sit back and relax” seems tailor-made for films of yore, particularly B&W ones. These days it’s hardly possible for the audience to enjoy a yarn for what it’s worth, without suffering a sensory assault of some kind. It was thus with anticipation that we watched The

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1082948732278521942004-04-26T11:05:00.000+08:002004-04-26T11:09:44.700+08:00

Dogville is a bold experiment in cinema. Much of its antecedents lie in Brechtian theatre. Shot completely in digital video, it all but does away with naturalist trappings - a minimalist set where an entire small town in America is recreated on a black platform that serves as the stage; the backdrop is a reflective screen which is either lit up to indicate day, and night, otherwise; house and

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1081181643781211272004-04-06T00:14:00.000+08:002004-04-06T00:28:06.840+08:00

(Concluding post on the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Read the first three posts, here, the April 1 and April 4 posts.) Disappointing. Overblown. Anti-climactic. Bungled. These are just some of the adjectives I shall not be using to describe the third part of The Lord Of The Rings. How about amazing, stupendous, jawdropping and overwhelming? – Chirstopher Tookey of the Daily Mail (UK). 2003 saw

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1081050382712442462004-04-04T11:46:00.000+08:002004-04-04T11:50:04.560+08:00

(continued from April 1 post) The Two Towers, the second installment in the trilogy, had gargantuan expectations to live up to, perhaps more so than the third. Traditionally, Hollywood 'sequels' landed up as damp squibs, in many cases, leaving a very bad taste in the mouths of those who loved the first film. Although, strictly speaking Towers was not a sequel, it was a still a ‘second’ movie and

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1080828639404416632004-04-01T22:10:00.000+08:002004-04-01T22:14:18.060+08:00

It's intriguing to note how the first instalment was released with minimal fuss, compared to the enormous hoopla surrounding Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone that was released about a month ago in Nov 2001. The effects in HP were heralded as wonderful and groundbreaking. Such spurious claims were quietly swept under the carpet when The Fellowship unleashed the phenomenon that would last

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1080745871219417852004-03-31T23:11:00.000+08:002004-03-31T23:16:28.576+08:00

After a brief hiatus, we are back to chronicle our reflections on all and sundry. As always, let the innings resume with thoughts on a film, or a series of films. By chance or what not, the preceding post, on Satyajit Ray's acclaimed Apu Trilogy, promised an appraisal of another trilogy - Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings, and this post fulfils that promise. However, as Anol (a good friend and an

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1071831196644341022003-12-19T18:53:00.000+08:002003-12-19T19:05:31.950+08:00

The Lord of the Rings trilogy ends this year, and we’ll be giving our, perhaps superfluous, take on that unbelievably astonishing epic soon enough. But prior to that we want to write about the greatest trilogy ever to emerge from India. What prompts this potentially long post is the fantastic similarities we see in the two trilogies. But more about these similarities later. India is not known for

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1071825386925507252003-12-19T17:14:00.000+08:002003-12-19T17:16:41.533+08:00

Check this post out for some very heartfelt and poignant views on the joint family system in India.

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1071110086462727992003-12-04T10:33:00.000+08:002003-12-11T10:34:58.626+08:00

Very much along the lines of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and Zhang Yimou's Hero, comes this year's entry from China for Best Foreign Film at the Academy Awards. We are not convinced that it is better or even at par with the former two films, but it is more gritty and down-to-earth (pun intended) than both of them. In a nutshell, Warriors of Heaven and Earth, is a western set in the torrid

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1071054096378425002003-12-03T18:59:00.000+08:002003-12-10T19:01:48.826+08:00

It is a wonderful feeling to watch a film so devoid of cynicism as Antwone Fisher. And it's equally irritating when critics pile up oodles of cynicism in it. We found it a wonderful film capturing the self-affirming spirit of man and a triumph of humanism against all odds. Antwone Fisher is a true story which, for a change, is scripted by Antwone Fisher himself. The path to him writing the script

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1071045605803453642003-12-02T16:37:00.000+08:002003-12-10T16:40:17.703+08:00

We applaud the marathon organisers for screening Bend It Like Beckham as the last film of the marathon. Coming in at 4 am when overwhelming sleep grips most of us, BILB came at precisely the right time, regaling us with its ready wit and humour. Mind you, it's not a frivolous film. It chooses, rather cleverly in our opinion, to project its message employing humour and subtlety. The title is

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1071029321166956352003-12-01T12:07:00.000+08:002003-12-10T12:08:53.440+08:00

The third film in the marathon came at a time when our senses were overwhelmed with sleep. So the first ten minutes of the film were spent in desperate attempts to stay awake. Somehow, rather inexplicably, the battle was won, and we watched the rest of the film in a relative state of wakefulness. From contemporary New Zealand, we are off to Australia in 1931 where the Australian government is

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1070955595235372522003-11-30T15:37:00.000+08:002003-12-09T15:40:06.853+08:00

One down, three more to go, and no sign of sleep yet. Whale Rider ensured that we kept going on very wide awake into the wee hours of the morning. It's rare that we're simply floored by a movie these days; we see so many that it takes something special to truly find a place in our memory. That said, it was a pleasure to walk into Whale Rider knowing little about the film and walk out considering

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1070949149092435052003-11-29T13:50:00.000+08:002003-12-09T13:52:40.530+08:00

In aid of AWARE, we attended a movie marathon today beginning from 9 pm to 6 am the following day. While not being feminist in tone, the four aptly selected films depicted women in widely different societies overcoming the odds stacked against them and riding out the prejudices they faced. The films stand tall on their own right as just film, while the messages just add a dimension, though

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1070892767768114232003-11-28T22:09:00.000+08:002003-12-09T13:08:24.173+08:00

Master and Commander, The Far Side of the World is a veritable tour de force from its director, Peter Weir, and Russell Crowe, who needs no introduction. They combine to give us one of the most exuberant films this year and after The Two Towers. Based on two novels by Patrick O'Brian (which explains the rather unwieldy title - the first half corresponds to the first novel in the 20-book series,

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1069924125501085262003-11-27T17:08:00.000+08:002003-11-27T17:10:56.870+08:00

Just testing this audblog! It works cool, and what's cooler, from where we are, calling US is toll-free! Hooray, might consider subscribing to this! audio post powered by audblog

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1070612514163475372003-11-26T16:04:00.000+08:002003-12-05T16:22:05.026+08:00

Digital Cinema by means of Digital Light Processing (DLP) is the latest development in cinema technology. It has been around since 1999 but it was in 2002, when George Lucas released the second prequel to the Star Wars sextology, Attack of the Clones, in an end-to-end digital format with no film prints anywhere in the process from production to screen that the technology truly came to the fore.

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1070504175482214552003-11-25T10:12:00.000+08:002003-12-09T13:09:05.673+08:00

After a long time we got to see two Malayalam films. Mankamma sees Revathy giving an award-worthy performance as a lady who refuses to be cowed by the tragedies in her life, and yet maintain her female dignity. Her resilience in the face of adversity is depicted in a very matter-of-fact way sealing yet again director T V Chandran's reputation as an arthouse filmmaker of note. It helps too that

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1070353449578332802003-11-24T16:17:00.000+08:002003-12-09T13:09:41.940+08:00

Naayagan (in Tamil) is a masterpiece and a milestone in Tamil cinema. As one of its director Maniratnam's best, it also ranks as its lead actor, Kamal Haasan's finest performances. The story is undoubtedly inspired by Mario Puzo's The Godfather, but the the milieu has been succesfully transplated into the grimy and grit of Mumbai. In fact, the only resonance with The Godfather, is the story of

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1070010116657881662003-11-23T16:50:00.000+08:002003-11-28T17:02:05.986+08:00

An Alfred Hitchcock double-bill. The 39 Steps is an engrossing thriller, at least it would be for those who haven't read the novel by John Buchan it's based on. Right till the last minute, that "Secret" and how it's intended to be taken out of the country is kept under wraps. While the latter is easily understood, though very inventive, the former take a while to sink. To the readers, we spoil

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1069923437857720352003-11-22T16:55:00.000+08:002003-11-27T16:57:53.970+08:00

Every once in a while along comes a Hindi film that offers a glimmer of hope to those expecting deliverance from run-of-the-mill fare. 3 Deewarein (or 3 Walls) is a cleverly-crafted, stylishly-shot and deftly executed film from Nagesh Kukkunoor renowned for his Indian equivalent of indie flicks. He has a knack for delivering watchable capers with a minimal budget and a string of unknown though

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1069848337512600302003-11-21T20:07:00.000+08:002003-11-26T20:05:46.310+08:00

The Pianist is a wonderfully-etched human drama set against the backdrop Nazi-occupied Poland in the 1940s. Adrien Brody, as the eponymous pianist, turns in the performance of a lifetime with a forceful portrayal that won the woefully-few thoroughly-deserved Best Actor Academy Awards this year. That we missed this film in theatres is a shame, as such evocative works of film-making deserve the

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1069830962498184772003-11-20T15:13:00.000+08:002003-11-26T20:01:38.716+08:00

Science and technology has given man the impression of having all but conquered nature. Funny that it should take nothing more powerful than a storm to tear that sail of an impression into shreds. Yes, while the confluence of nature's bad boys (ironically, with names of ladies) off the coast of Gloucester, Massachusetts in 1991 was a meteorological aberration, one cannot deny that we have yet to

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1069681773460662182003-11-19T21:49:00.000+08:002003-11-26T15:20:17.153+08:00

On Monday evening, we met a singing sensation from India. Karthik is a Tamil playback singer whose stars are on the rise and sees no sign of stopping in its ascendancy. And the fame is in no small measure due to his association with A R Rahman, perhaps the most original popular music composer in India, but more on him and his works in a later post. Karthik looks nothing like what he sounds. Like,

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1069606944416020302003-11-18T00:59:00.000+08:002003-11-24T01:09:47.736+08:00

Mumbai Matinee sees the talented Rahul Bose acutely uncomfortable with his status as a virgin at the age of 32. He feels entirely inadequate about himself and in his own words is “obsessed about sex”. We don’t quite know why he has remained a virgin if he is that obsessed, or why he is reticent about matters below the belt. Surely Mumbai offers young men a plethora of opportunities to willing men

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1069321494584812232003-11-17T17:37:00.000+08:002003-11-20T17:45:01.350+08:00

Our first Thai film turned out to be an exciting action ride through the street of Bangkok atop the stupendously dextrous physique of a Thai kickboxer. Ong Bak leaves your breathless and surfeit with torpedo-like flying crunching tackles enought to last a lifetime. The chase sequences are among the most ambitiously filmed ever in moviedom, and knowing it to be unaided by CGI or wire-fi, it's

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1069070692101486992003-11-16T19:57:00.000+08:002003-11-17T20:04:58.513+08:00

The most slothful Sunday ever! Up at 11.30 (we did go to bed at 2, so that bit is excusable), called home and read the Sunday Times - all of 5 hours - back in bed at 4.30 - lots of overlapping dreams, couldnt remember any when we woke up - up at 7.30 - first shower of the day (that's why we felt drowsy in the afternoon see - catch 2 films at home (reviews later in the week) - back to bed at 2. If

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1069070865889907162003-11-15T20:07:00.000+08:002003-11-18T15:36:16.393+08:00

Matrix Revolutions on IMAX is so much better than on normal screens! Thundering sound, faces looking so much more vivid (and huge!), and stunning picture quality - it's a wonderful experience. There is something called the sweet spot in an IMAX theatre. This is usually one quarter the breadth of the theatre from the top and in the centre. This is where we would be able to get the maximum out of

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1069307120541105232003-11-14T13:28:00.000+08:002003-11-20T13:52:46.793+08:00

The promotional poster for Cold Creek Manor eerily beckons with "Did you wonder about those who lived in your house before you?" or something to that effect. It is rather trite, and makes no pretensions about what the film is about - a horror thriller, or a horrible thriller, or a thrilling horror perhaps? A murder mystery with some menacing and sexual undertones is what it turns out to be

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1068689148949980152003-11-12T10:05:00.000+08:002003-11-13T21:52:48.730+08:00

Imagine a movie about the creation of its own script. Imagine real characters played by fictional actors and fictional characters played by real actors. Imagine a movie script that eats itself up at the end. If all this is giving you a headache, it gave us one too until the brilliance of it all hit us at the end of Adaptation, the most widely acclaimed critical hit of 2002. There is apparently a

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1068536177674303522003-11-11T15:36:00.000+08:002003-11-11T15:40:27.476+08:00

The Lord of the Rings trilogy is perhaps the most critically acclaimed movie franchise of the decade. Of course it's managed to reap US$1.8 billion since the momentous day of Dec 19, 2001 when it all began. The frachise posts its final instalment on December 17, 2003. And unlike all other franchises, this will truly be the end (The Matrix does leave scope for spinoffs). A remake is next to

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1068461063394768332003-11-10T18:44:00.000+08:002003-11-10T18:44:48.143+08:00

Wondering why DVDs cost so much? We wondered too. Well here's why: a machine that does DVD transfers cost upwards of USD 2 million! Read the excellent article (its from the New York Times, so what else can we expect!) below to know what makes a great film's DVD look so bad. When Bad DVD’s Happen to Great Films

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1068396512404381872003-11-09T00:38:00.000+08:002003-11-10T17:45:47.266+08:00

Watched Revolutions again, and it got better! The effects seemed even more spectacular, the dialogues made more sense and did not appear to be as befuddling or embarassing as in the first viewing. This last chapter was definitely better edited and had more punch than Reloaded. A reviewer in Today complained there were not enough effects sequences. But we are of the opinion that one grand

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1068440561666428262003-11-08T13:02:00.000+08:002003-11-10T13:10:31.120+08:00

Pinjar (in Hindi) is a striking oddity in the world of Bollywood cinema. For once, the story and script are the best performers of the film. Those accustomed to Bollywood fare would find this a major surprise as films that rely on the storyline are so far and few between (in recent memory, we can recall Lagaan (2002 Academy Award Nominee for Best Foreign Film), Ram Gopal Varma's Company (2002)

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1068099688228325152003-11-05T23:50:00.000+08:002003-11-07T14:55:27.480+08:00

Whatever you call it, The Matrix is a phenomenon. And like all phenomena, they are intense while they last, and only vaguely remembered by most after they end. When it first came out, it had the potential to go beyond becoming just a phenomenon. If the creators and producers had kept at it, they would have created science fiction history and unleashed a whole new film cult. But that would not

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1068009179759201792003-11-03T13:17:00.000+08:002003-11-06T14:19:06.380+08:00

When we step out after watching The Human Stain, it is more than a sense of puzzlement that pervades us, it is the thought, "What was the point of it all?" The point of course is that there is no need for a point. Still, something to take away would have been nice. Reviews were rife about miscasting Kidman and Hopkins. The latter especially since he was supposed to a light-skinned African

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1067797673146743992003-11-02T02:27:00.000+08:002003-11-03T02:28:14.963+08:00

It was a tale of contrasting culinary experiences this weekend. First up was Mirchi - A Taste of India at the Esplanade. If the decor and settings were anything to go by, we were in for pleasurable dining. Sadly what matters most failed to live up to the inviting ambience. We should not ignore the decor though, it is quite remarkable. We were seated in what is made out to be a small living room

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1067920970461954052003-11-01T12:16:00.000+08:002003-11-04T12:42:53.026+08:00

We were at Chithra in Concert on Friday at the Esplanade, a thoroughly memorable evening of a mellifluous, stentorian and heart-thumpingly rhythmic package of music. Chithra is one of the most prolific playback singers in India, with over 14,000 (yup, the right number of zeroes) songs in 9 languages. The good majority of them are in her native tongue, Malayalam (ours too!), followed by Tamil and

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1067939935734954492003-10-31T17:56:00.000+08:002003-11-05T13:12:10.290+08:00

Amelie (or Le Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain, giving its complete French title) is a quirky little movie. Its script is actually rather disorienting and seems to lack coherence. The crux of the plot is quite fun, and some of the protagonist's strategies are hilarious and rather inventive. The casting is wonderful, and the quirkiness pervades throughout the film, lending it an almost dreamlike

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1067936835000782762003-10-30T17:07:00.000+08:002003-11-04T17:16:06.066+08:00

We love WayCentral for the opportunity it gives us to watch many contemporary classics on DVD, at our own convenience and at such affordable rates. The other day we watched Howards End, a multiple-Oscar winning film from the early nineties, starring Emma Thompson, Anthony Hopkins, Helena Bonham Carter and Vanessa Redgrave. It is a quintessential Edwardian drama, where relationships and social

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1067581908490769932003-10-29T14:22:00.000+08:002003-10-31T14:39:40.486+08:00

Alfred Hitchcock's Rope celebrates technique in the days of yore when hoodwinking the audience was tricky business. Its 'unedited' style of filming leads us to believe the movie was photographed without any scene cuts or takes. Of course, we wouldn't normally notice this as we tend to be more concerned, and rightfully so, with what is shown and not how it's shown. To our eyes, there are two

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1067479642254186482003-10-28T09:36:00.000+08:002003-11-04T18:02:33.263+08:00

Gritty black-and-white, gory anime, and giddying comic-book story panels combine to make Kill Bill Vol. 1 a fantastic movie experience for the cinegoer. Our pre-view reservations of uninhibited violence were easily set aside when Quentin Tarantino turned on the panache and style, in this very widely-publicised "The 4th Film by Quentin Tarantino". The biggest criticism levelled on this film is its

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1067360366822521142003-10-27T00:27:00.000+08:002003-11-04T18:08:58.010+08:00

Continuing with quick reviews of the rest of the Deepavali movie marathon: Pitamagan (in Tamil) is not the typical Tamil masala film. It lacks a duet, a comedy track, an item number, hamming actors, and the customary fight scenes. We see excellent performances from the leads (Vikram, Surya and Laila) and the secondary leads too. Excellent with a capital E, because it is usually so rare to see

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1067247050853083152003-10-26T17:30:00.000+08:002003-11-04T18:31:58.306+08:00

Chalte Chalte (in Hindi) is an average film elevated by some engaging performances by the leads and good cinematography. Not many Indian films, especially those from Bollywood (Hindi) and Mollywood (Tamil), can be reviewed with the same mindset as international films. It's the very nature of these films that distinguishes it from the rest of the world. Not that we are not mightily proud of

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1067243208703106472003-10-25T21:12:00.000+08:002003-10-27T17:53:47.916+08:00

Intolerable Cruelty kicked off the grand Deepavali movie marathon. Three blissful days away from work, not had such a long break since January, and we intend to make mincemeat of it. Deepavali brunch at Raj Restaurant was well above average. Good mix of South (snacks and tiffin) and North (lunch and dinner). Decent ambience, slightly below par service, but food is served hot and it's pretty

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1067239947192413042003-10-24T16:32:00.000+08:002003-11-04T18:40:23.503+08:00

Intolerably hilarious, intolerably wicked, intolerably silly. When Clooney meets Zeta-Jones we can expect nothing short of Intolerable Cruelty. The script sparkles with incandorous wit; it loosens its vice-like grip on us for a bit at the end but that's excusable. Someone explain how a mother-of-two can look so intolerably beautiful and gorgeous, and intolerably married to the average-at-best

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1067241102231226582003-10-23T15:51:00.000+08:002003-10-27T18:02:35.050+08:00

Tweaking movie rating schemes. Realised there's too little emphasis on the technical aspects, and that's not truly reflective of how we perceive movies. Ratings previously issued remain unchanged. Technical aspects: 4 max Removed the split between music, cinematography etc. A good movie would utilise the best of each department, and may not even use a department at all. Bad ones will use all and

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1066903247403648632003-10-22T18:00:00.000+08:002003-11-04T19:04:21.623+08:00

A wonderful story with a wonderful script and wonderful performances. Dead Poets Society is a remarkable film. Robin Williams, yes we were on a double bill, shines as the inspirational teacher. Every role seems tailor-made for him, with the exception of Peter Pan in Hook. That was rather irritating to watch. Otherwise he mesmerises every second he's on screen. And DPS sees a bravura performance,

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1066899817717783822003-10-21T17:03:00.000+08:002003-11-04T19:05:32.750+08:00

Now Good Will Hunting is darned well-executed. We are watching it for the first time, after hearing great things about it for the umpteenth time. The story itself is not groundbreaking but execution is almost flawless. Some bits were plain brilliant, others were very good. Some weak spots too, like those with Matt Damon and his gang friends, Ben Affleck was embarassing to watch, but overall a

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1066708789007589922003-10-20T07:59:00.000+08:002003-10-23T17:06:31.693+08:00

Masala has turned out wonderfully. Love the credits bit, looks every bit filmi. And the music rocks! The beginning has a certain aura and it builds up very well. A little bit of lag in the middle, some irritating frame loss, but that's ok. MPEG files after all. Something we are truly proud of.

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1066708400637262482003-10-19T11:53:00.000+08:002003-10-21T11:53:45.010+08:00

Frustration again at working with a pathetic excuse of a software system. Cheating clients we are here. Relying on APIs to connect to servers is most unreliable. We give up!

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1066448017145142982003-10-18T11:33:00.000+08:002003-10-21T11:51:35.916+08:00

Woodlands Ganga serves decent food at very decent prices. Their curd varieties are pretty good, as so is the Indian Chinese cuisine. But stuffs us up too much. Felt very drowsy on the way back. Why does ARR albums take so long to arrive here? Hunted unsuccessfully for Tehzeeb. Oh well, wait another week we reckon.

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1066385414190971782003-10-17T06:10:00.000+08:002003-10-18T11:34:10.736+08:00

Ariel Blanc - fine white wine with a difference; it's de-alcoholised! So we enjoy premium wine without the nasty side-effects. Have your cake and eat it, to borrow a tired cliche. That and tiramisu cake, now how's that for a slice of heaven? All said and done life's a bugger. Why does the minimum delivery charge have to be $30 when the food is much cheaper. Heck! We need to buy 3 days' food

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1066277151408984242003-10-16T12:05:00.000+08:002003-11-04T19:08:05.230+08:00

Okay, so we are onto day 3. Not a bad start, though our diary writing phase has seen a longer unbroken stretch. Let's see how things go now innit? So as we were saying, movies and more movies these days. Amadeus we are watching for the first time. The title and the story appears, on the face of it, contrite and meandering. But dear lord, what a film! Rivetted to the seat for the whole of 160

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1066125187946550272003-10-14T17:53:00.000+08:002003-10-31T14:33:35.723+08:00

Great, we remembered to post. Managing clients on a buggy system takes the life out of you. A R Rahman's Tehzeeb appears good! Good reviews all around. That guy creates magic in whatever he does. Watched Seabiscuit last night. Glorious film, we were cheering the horse on our feet in the penultimate race (with War Admiral). Darned good filming, how the hell did they manage to get the camera

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-1066036390932303902003-10-13T17:13:00.000+08:002003-10-13T17:13:27.443+08:00

We're on a blog now. Are we excited or what?

chitragupthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02238378651227654190noreply@blogger.com0