Everlasting moment is a film that leaves an imprint in shores of soul of all who will watch it. It’s a film of deep love and rediscovering oneself through the lens of another person. The 131 minutes moving celluloid evokes greater sympathy and better understanding of humanity as the story is penned from heart and is based on a novel by Ulssater Troell.

Film: Everlasting Moments
Cast: Maria Heiskanen, Mikael Persbrandt, Jesper Christensen, Cohlin Ohrvall
Director: Jan Troell
Running Time: 2 hours and 11 minutes
Rating: 4/5

Directed by Jan Troell, Everlasting Moments is a film that pulsates around a woman Maria Larsson. Maria lived with her husband Sigfrid played by Mikael Persbrandt and their seven children in the port city Malmo, at Sweden. Sigfrid earned living by working as a labor in the docks. However, despite being a jovial, kind-hearted and loving man, his greatest weakness was alcohol. His family members awaited his homecoming with trepidation and nervousness as because during his sober time he is fun to be with but when he is drunk he can be dangerously violent.

On the other side it is a treat to see Maria’s performance. She portrayed the role of a resilient and complex woman with such ease that it seemed real. In the film Maria works hard as a house-cleaner to cope with meager family income. Once, she found out a camera which was gifted to her during marriage. She decides to get some food by pawning the camera in a nearby shop.

It is here that the film takes a turn. Maria grew up without much education and there was no stint of sophistication in her. But she did not know that she was a gifted photographer. It was discovered by Sebastian Pederson who saw an undeveloped plate inside the camera when Maria went to pawn it. On developing the plate he was taken aback by seeing the photograph. Instantly he told Maria that he wanted to buy the camera but she should continue clicking pictures for him.

In no time her hidden talent got unearthed by Sebastian who had been a perfect gentleman with etiquettes and courtesy to Maria. He was older, Maria respected him and probably he became an inspiration for her to continue as a photographer. Eventually they did fall in love silently.

But the story does not twist with Maria leaving her drunken husband and settling with Sebastian. Instead the movie is a portrayal of how Maria as a woman connected to her inner being as she transformed to a new individual.

It is a story of rediscovering one’s talent which one never knew existed. Maria cautiously grows to become financially independent through her own creations.

One side Maria was deeply committed to her marriage through an eternal bond indescribable in words that is best reflected in the scenes when she earns living for her family by clicking marriage photos when Siggy went to war. On the other hand, there is deep feeling of reverence and admiration shared by both Maria and Sebastian for each other.

This film again is a masterpiece from Jan Troel. His other greatest creations are The Emigrants, Hamsun and The New Land. The essence of all his films is living life for greater fulfillment. You will find that most film critics get bowled over by sheer strength of humanism in his films.

Watch out this film and you will feel that your eyes are washed with purity, resilience and divine love. The film is narrated by Maria Larsson’s daughter Maja Larsson played by Callin Ohrvall.

Tokyo is a film in three segments. There are three directors giving you three reasons to move in Tokyo. What you need to do is watch this movie and then create your own visionary image about the megalopolis Tokyo where some eccentrics live in futuristic present. The film is a mixture of an earthquake, a weird goblin living in sewers and two young people in search of a place. The parts are some where connected through camera, light and acting.

Series: Merde
Cast: Teruyuki Kagawa, Yu Aoi, Naota Takenaka
Director: Leos Carax
Writer: Leos Carax

Series: Shaking Tokyo
Cast: Teruki Kagawa, Yu Aoi , Naota Takenaka
Director: Bong Joon-ho
Writer: Bong Joon-ho

Series: Interior Design
Cast: Ayako Fujitani, Ayumi Ito, Ryo Kase
Director: Michel Gondry
Writer: Gabrielle Bell

Running time: 1 hour and 42 minutes
Rating: 3/5

The movie is made by two French filmmakers Leos Carax and Michel Gondry. There is also contribution from a Korean named Bong Joonho. It is through their lenses of thoughts that the film Tokyo is born which is at times disorientingly apocalyptic.

It is Merde directed by Carax that stands out to be the best amongst three segments. In this segment there is a subterranean half-human played by Denis Lavant who pops out of manhole as he lives in the sewers with an astounding comic zeal. In the film he would suddenly pop out of manhole snatch some sandwiches or a cigarette from the passer by and would create terror amongst the people. After terrorizing the place by creating mass panic he would again go back to another manhole.

Finally in the movie he is captured and brought into court. None understands his language so a translator has been brought into picture. It is unknown as to why the man lived in sewers. However the man had vented emotion against Japanese system more specifically against women. This particular part resembles some Japanese Reality show, The Screamer in which a man is photographed by hidden camera and he let loose himself behind people with a scream in his ear-piercing demeanor.

The Korean filmmaker features Teruyuki Kagawa as the hero in his segment Shaking Tokyo. He is a typical Hikkomori, a term in Japan used for hermits. He shut himself for almost 10 years with least human contact. However, his hermetic passion comes to an end when he accidentally comes across a young and beautiful pizza delivery girl. Courtesy is the earthquake. He frees himself from isolation and ventures out in the streets amidst people after a long time.

Then the Interior Design by Michel Gondry reflects more conventional tale with castings Ryo Kase and Ayako Fujitani as young lovers in search of an apartment in Tokyo. In the search there begins greater transformation within them. What is the change and how did the change affect them is for the audience to find out.

Now, after watching the movie, you are left with the thought that do these segments actually reflect life, people and essentially the city of Tokyo. The Hikkiomori part is quite significant and seems quite real enough but the other two is more akin to entertainment.

John Malkovich is incomparable when it comes to taming one’s temper; he can hardly control it. John plays the character of Buck Howard and he topped the guest list of Johnny Carson and was eventually deleted from the list. But that does not stop him from executing his magic skills. He performs at small towns on a smaller stage with the same spirit and grandeur.

Film: The Great Buck Howard
Cast: John Malkovich, Colin Hanks, Emily Blunt, Griffin Dunne, Steve Zahn, Ricky Jay
Writer: Sean McGinly
Director: Sean McGinly
Running time: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Rating: 3.5/5

He enthrals the audience at Akron with his splendid magical performance. And he never forgets to announce that he loves the place and the people, which moved him to popularity. Not only that, his performance fee is give to one among the audience and he employs his magical skills to find out the person and he seldom fails. No one is able to discover the mystery behind his powers.

Carson bestowed upon Buck Howard with “The Great” and Buck uses the title with great pomp and dignity. He sports the title even in front of his newly appointed road manager Troy (Colin Hanks). Buck is totally self-involved and indicates that he truly loves the people of that town and it is not necessarily an attempt to put up a show.

The movie “The Great Buck Howard” is actually Troy’s perspective of Buck Howard. Troy’s father (Tom Hanks) wants him to study law but Troy has a different aspiration. He wants to enter the show biz and acquire fame. He got the scent of this field with his new job as Buck’s manager. Though he never tries to discover Buck’s deceptive looks nor does the audience get a glimpse of it. And Troy is a new learner and gets to know little details of the field from Valerie (Emily Blunt) PR appointed by Buck in Cincinnati.

Troy conceives Buck as an enigmatic personality. Buck is never erased from people’s memory. He performs at small rooms with great comfort and same zeal. Buck attends shows organised by Regis Philbin, Kelly Repa, John Stewart and Martha Stewart. Buck’s manager Gil played by Ricky Jay organises a show at Las Vegas.

The story takes off from here as to what happens on the show and it also gives an insight into the show biz. People in the show wonder how he succeeds in finding out the right person with the money; they look into several probabilities. When Buck learns about this curiosity of the audience he invites two doctors to inspect and you will have to watch the movie to find out what happens next!

Troy is never able to know the inside or the true nature of Buck nor does the audience figure out what he is. The movie is cleverly written and well directed by Sean McGinly. Colin Hanks has portrayed the role of an ever-fascinated guy by Buck and Malkovich is superb. It is well-crafted movie that is fun to watch and it also gives a perspective of the show biz through the characters of Troy and Howard Buck.

“The Great Howard Buck” is a worth a watch. The film is rated as one to watch under parental guidance for the language that include some suggestive and a reference to drug.

The movie Serbis is all about people who are aimlessly roaming around life’s maze. The movie revolves around characters that regularly visit the dirty porn movie theatre; it has spent lot of time literally chasing them through the corridors and staircase. Though we not get clear sneak-peek into the hall the auditorium looks congested. The concept of movie thus falls at place.

Film: Serbis
Cast: Gina Pareno, Jacklyn Jose, Mercedes Cabral
Director: Brillante Mendoza
Writer: Armando Lao
Running time: 1 hour and 31 minutes
Rating: 2.5/5

A joint family runs the theatre and the members reside in there quite comfortably. The hall is dingy with bright corridors filled with gays who are constantly looking for their prey.

A pornographic movie is tirelessly playing and nobody gives a damn to what is happening on the screen. Many of the visitors are idle and are in search of something interesting to break the monotony.

During this entire episode nobody seems to care of what is happening around, they seem to be lost in their respective worlds. The goat catches your attention that has strayed inside the hall and you would wonder how it climbed so high when actually nobody spotted it on the staircase. And then, all see the customers moving all along corridors or climbing the stairs up and down without any reason.

Amidst all the mindless chaos you see Nayda played by Jaclyn Jose who bears the responsibility of her little son and we are introduced to the Pineda family of Angeles city. Gina Pareno who is powerful matriarch and is in the process of divorcing her husband plays Nayda’s mother Nanay Flor. She simply wants to weed out the man of her life. There is another complication in their lives, Nayda’s cousin Alan’s (Coco Martin) girlfriend Merly (Mercedes Cabral) is expecting a baby and no one is very keen about a wedding extravagance.

The film is filled sexual content but ironically it hardly displays any sexual act. Serbis actually means service and the movie rightly projects sex as a product and its trade in different forms.

Brilliante Mendoza the director of the film never touches upon actual the sexual act rather he concentrates on the character’s facial expression, their monotonous job and how they while away the time. The only thing that receives great importance seems to be the projectionist backside and while the screening of the film at Cannes festival, it as well got displeasing sighs.

The scenes involving the mother and daughter religiously covering their faces with some make-up, calls for attention; it is as if they are getting ready to face the world that seldom understands the pain behind the painted face.

The movie may not suit the tastes of the general audience. The movie Serbis also represents cinematic style and will be liked by people who can understand the nuances put forth by the director- the corridors and the stairs that could well be associated with life.

Some section of the audience may find this frustrating and if you are looking forward to watch sexual encounters, simply forget it because there is none indeed. But if you are regular art film buff you may like the movie.

The film is rated R for nudity and explicit sexual content including language. Don’t ask me why I contradicted in my earlier statement. Serbis is not one that suits all audience.

The movie Sunshine Cleaning lacks the sheen and it is actually meant to portray dark comedy but fails to bring even a smile on your face. Rose played by Amy Adams is a single parent who is stuck in a major financial crisis and has an affair with a high school boy friend who is already married to someone else.

Film: Sunshine Cleaning
Cast: Amy Adams, Emily Blunt, Alan Arkin, Jason Spevack, Steve Zahn
Director: Christine Jeffs
Writer: Megan Holly
Running time: 1 hour and 42 minutes
Rating: 2.5/5

Her sister Norah is a goofball lover and her son is notorious at school. She chooses to do a job of cleaning the dirt at the crime scene. Now, this does not sound bright at any stretch of your imagination.

Rose plays an adorable mother who understands Oscar, her 7-year old son. Oscar is actually not disturbed with the situations at home but he is just a little hyperactive and sometimes he lands in trouble for some boyish tantrum. But whatever be the reason, mama Rose is always by his side. And you have Steve Zahn who plays Mac; you would wonder why she has an affair with a guy who took her for a ride and later dumped her to get married to someone else.

Actually she introspects herself with the same question! Here is the probable answer-he gets her a job. Mac is a cop by profession and he learns that people who clean up the mess at the crime scene fetch quite a lot of money and so he sees a business prospectus for the job.

Rose and her sister Norah choose to do the job and start the Sunshine Cleaning. Their job is to clear out the mess in a rather gruesome crime scene; they clean the rugs, walls and remove human debris. And that definitely will not tickle any of your funny bones. The job gives an insight into people’s lives after the death of somebody, during one such incident an ID card in a dead woman’s kitty compels Rose and Norah to make a friend.

When you are about to think there is some meaningful concept emerging the movie leaves you frustrated because it makes an attempt to invoke comedy when in real there is hardly anything to laugh about. It leaves a big question in your mind as to how can you feel pleasant about a movie that revolves around cleaning up the mess of a dead person. The movie suffers with the plot; at one stage the audience may feel they forgot what the film was all about.

The movie has one brownie point though; it is that of Winston played by Clifton Collins Jr.-he owns a hardware shop and takes care of Oscar when his mom is away. He offers some solace in the movie. Amy and Emily Blunt as Norah have done justice to the role but they would certainly be better if it was a different movie. Alan Arkin plays their father Joe and has executed a remarkable performance. Apart from this, the film does not offer anything exciting. It leaves you looking for more when there is nothing left and that could be quite upsetting.

Sunshine Cleaning is rated as R for some images use of language and some sexuality and use of drugs.

The movie Shuttle has hardly any reason to smile about. It gets tough to understand the point behind watching such a movie; probably one would ask the basic question as to why he/she has to watch the movie or you will wonder what prompted the filmmaker to make such a gruesome and a bloody film.

Film: Shuttle
Cast: Peyton List, Cameron Goodman, Cullen Douglas, Tony Curran, Dave Power, James Snyder
Writer: Edward Anderson
Director: Edward Anderson
Running time: 1 hour and 47 minutes

May be some will dispute that there is a particular class of audience who rave about such movies. It is even more surprising to read reviews that have rated the movie four out five stars! And the critic appreciates the director Edward Anderson’s acumen in portraying reality while showing some painful and gory killings.

The movie glorifies cruelty and nothing else. It is all and all bloodshed, fuelled with violence to say the least. The movie will in fact prove to be a painful experience for the audience. The movie though cannot be termed entirely as a horror flick but one may question if movie making is all about technical advancement.

It is better not get into the details attached to the plot of Shuttle. The movie begins with the entry of two young women at the airport, which is bizarrely empty! And the women desperately look out for a cab on a rainy dawn. They find a van that already has a passenger; the cab driver offers a drive and strangely two more guys also want to a get into the van and they finally get access with the consent of one of the girls.

The cab window sports a painting “Not more than three stops”, which is quite weird. Anyway, the driver takes them on lonely roads and suddenly pulls out the gun and takes all the passengers as hostage. The horror factor thus sustains in the movie.

The further part of the film will disturb you quite a bit; the two women played by Peyton List and Cameron Goodman are fully equipped to strike back at the bad guy and the male passengers offer help but they are subjugated, while the other female passenger is a weakling, probably the director wanted to portray the women empowerment. Well, the movie does not deserve a mention of the plot, as it only highlights hollow painful violence all through.

The movie is just a journey into a dark chasm; there is absolutely no element of entertainment. Though it touches upon reality that rarely occurs, it does not serve any purpose. The movie at least is not action packed to give some relief to the audience; it just leads you nowhere but into some evil deeds.

Shuttle certainly deserves a mention of Peyton List who has shown some acting abilities. And Cullen Douglas who plays the driver is not very impressive. Director Edward Anderson proves to be fair moviemaker. But one does not understand the logic behind the aimless bus drive and the revelation of the plot leaves you cold.

The movie is a low budget horror flick and does not appeal visually and it proves to be a product of a first time moviemaker for sure. The film is rated as R for some ghoried terror and violence including language and some nudity.

One more wonderful movie that featured at Cannes 2008 is the film The Black Balloon. Directed by Elissa Down, The Black Balloon reflects true sentiments of a specially abled autistic child, family bonding in times of crises as well as sensitivity of relationships to cope with growing up and everyday living.

Rating: 3.7/5
Film: The Black Balloon
Director: Elissa Down
Cast: Rhys Wakefield, Gemma Ward, Luke Ford, Eric Thomson, Toni Collette
Run time: 97 minutes

The Black Balloon movie is co-written by Elissa Down; so it has been possible for her to portray the pressure that a family bears when there is a special child. She could also do good justice for another reason; she grew up with two autistic brothers and in her lay a volcano of experiences and in the film The Black Balloon, I believe, all of it erupted.

In the film The Black Balloon, Toni Collette plays an amazing role as Maggie, the mother of the autistic child Charlie Mollison (played by Luke Ford). Charlie is a sweet and lovable 17-year-old teen who has a sibling named Thomas Mollison.

Thomas is a growing up brat who is used to new schools and new towns but grows to be a shy boy. He loves his brother Charlie, takes care of him but at the same time is at times embarrassed to have a sibling like him. Again, Thomas was a subject of mockery amongst his friends and used to get teased as well.

On one occasion, it was discovered by his friends, that Thomas does not know to swim, being 16 years of age and he becomes a laughing stock to peers.

However, amidst this group, there was a girl named Jackie played by Gemma Ward who has some crush for Thomas. Thomas becomes suffocated to handle this relationship; his first instinct being hiding the identity of his brother Charlie from Jackie as he always thought him to be a social embarrassment.

At the home front, Maggie becomes pregnant for the third time and she would be advised bed rest. When Simon the father of the two children Charlie and Thomas is not in town, it is Thomas who always runs the show at home. He takes care of his brother Charlie who at times can be sweet and quiet while at other times simply becomes unmanageable. He suffers from terrible mood swings and as he cannot speak he expresses his irritability by throwing tantrums like running in the neighborhood in his underpants, creating a ruckus in the supermarket or simply by rubbing his face against dirty carpet. Thomas is expected to protect Charlie from this kind of outbursts so that Charlie does not hurt himself.

The film needs to be felt as it reflects a very delicate mix of pain and tenderness amidst a feeling of void and numbness. Maggie loves Charlie as a mother, and she has accepted the fact that he cannot be changed. The other element of the story speaks of the unconditional love between Maggie and Simon apart from being intensely bonded in marriage. They cannot put Charlie away, a fact understood by Thomas with some reservations.

In The Black Balloon, it is Jackie who makes a very strong impact with her warmth and affection. She not only accepts Charlie for what he is but also helps him to identify himself. It is Gemma Ward’s first substantial role from the days of professional modeling, and she has done immense justice to it.

Luke Ford’s performance as Charlie has been very powerful and convincing as well. His past performance in The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor has been praiseworthy. Rhys Wakefield who played Thomas did well too without overacting. He did present his inner turmoil in a very reticent yet acceptable manner.

And, finally, worth watching is Toni Collete’s performance and the way she made the audience believe the reasons for her family to be united and bonded without much effort.

The movie ‘I’m All Good’ highlights the deep humor, which is so unique and characteristic of Czech comedies. The characters are peculiar whose main occupation to survive seems to be gulping beer, playing cards and trying their luck in romantic feats. To simply say, they are a happy-go-lucky group of jobless beer guzzlers.

Rating: 3/5
Director: Jan Hrebejk
Writer: Petr Jarchovský
Cast: Jirí Schmitzer, Boleslav Polívka, Lenka Vlasáková, Miroslav Vladyka, Josef Somr, Vladimír Javorský
Film Duration: 1hr 42minutes

Although the characters are weird they cannot be termed shrewd. Mr. Mrklas (Boleslav Polívka) who plays a retired magician stands out from rest of the characters for his portrayal of canny behavior.

Mr. Mrklas resides in a plush house in Prague and the other characters gather on a boat that sails on the Vltava River and takes them around the city. The bunch of friends thus while away the entire day on the deck.

Kaja (Miroslav Vladyka) who sports a constant perplexed look claims to have amassed some amount of wealth by playing cards, by pretending to be chimney sweeper in marriage halls and also posing as a lucky charm in the snaps of newly wed couples! Kaja promises his wife Andula (Lenka Vlasáková) a beach holiday, meanwhile loses all his savings in a shell game. This loss puts him in trouble at home. Out of sheer desperation, he approaches Mr. Mrklas who could get back the little fortune with his magic skills.

The plot of the movie revolves around these interesting and humorous comic moments. The movie exudes a pleasing caper plot, where Mr. Mrklas employs amazing tricks and manipulates the entire gambling game to avenge and regain the lost money from the con artists. This plot of the movie is not revealed in haste, but is in fact disclosed with a dash of humor that is so common in Czech comedies. The movie focuses on a group of friends with no age limit and who are nothing but idle boozers.

‘I’m All Good’ does not follow the conventional way running along the plot, and the movie goes awry while dealing with some comic moments of the movie. The fishing accident, the strange peep show at the sale, as well as the confusion caused due to the wrong police uniforms are all good instances of lack of comic timing. It is better to watch the movie with a continuous smile on your face rather than sitting through its entirety with intermittent few laughter roars.

The director of the movie Jan Hrebejk and the writer Petr Jarchovský have done two movies together “Up and Down” and “Beauty in Trouble”, these two movies are also very similar to the treatment of characters that feature the working class of society and usually involving petty offences that does not land them into any kind of legal trouble, and additionally, they also face the hardships of love.

To really get a feel of the characters from an Hrebejk movie, you need to visit Czech Republic once, walk around unnoticed on the houseboats and give the people around a pleasing smile. In case you are feeling rich, check out some ‘club’ and gamble. The movie does not give you an out-and-out laughter ride but will surely tickle your laughter bone every now and then.

Gomorrah, a film that reflects gruesome death in the most plaintive form begins with shots of killing and ends with being killed. Still, the movie pulsates around the characters that are foot soldiers of Camorra, which is one of the largest crime syndicates based in Naples, little known to many, with revenue income of $250 billion a year. On the celluloid, you will be taken on a ruthless trip to the stark and gruesome reality of Italian criminals killing one another with only one purpose and that is business. Camorra members hardly know the people who die for them each passing day, and for them there is nothing like friendship.

Director: Matteo Garrone
Cast: Salvatore Abruzzese, Simone Sacchettino, Salvatore Ruocco, Vincenzo Fabricino, Vincenzo Altamura, Italo Renda, Gianfelice Imparato, Maria Nazionale, Salvatore Striano, Carlo Del Sorbo
Rating: 3.5/5

Here, in Gomorrah, Camorra members would be discussing about their investment plans and contracts with the New York Federal officials on rebuilding the World Trade Center that meant business for both parties. But, as you see the film, you will be gripped with a feeling of utter remorse and fear as one getting killed after the other and your mind implores you to question as to who will survive through the end to keep the business going and why these people resign themselves to kill and eventually be killed.

The film resonates with victims and it has no heroes; it’s a film where the daily laborers are criminals with committing crime being their only work. This sullen film is set around the somber and hapless landscape of Naples, where infants are born to die seeing Naples alone. Gomorrah revolves around five threads; an illegal business operation on poisonous waste disposal, a fashion industry that grows from sweatshops, drugs, teenagers aspiring to take over Camorra, and finally there are shots of kids who dream to be gangsters as they grow up.

However, Matteo Garrone does not refer the characters of the film to The Godfather; one of the most popular and loved films worldwide. De Palma’s Scarface is at the finger tips of the teenagers. They are ready to sacrifice their lives at the cost of luxurious living amidst drugs and women. But, Gomorrah, in no time, did reflect any single shot of luxury. The families of these criminals try hard to feed their hungry mouths, and in one occasion it is seen that one of the Camorra members ride a bicycle to give stipend to the deceased or jailed Camorra members’ families. There is no hope and no way of life to lead.

Matteo Garrone has directed the film in a documentary style with no sizzles and no excitement. The killers had no glamor in contrast to the other gangster movies. Instead, it portrays harsh and bleak reality of the plans and problems of the murderers, their reason to kill or be killed. Horripilate scenes with need and fear simultaneously reigning supreme, and you will watch this film dreading. One can see the Camorra members climbing to the top positions not through the usual corporate ladder, otherwise laterally.

The film’s realism is based on Robert Saviano’s book and is all about facts and no fiction. It is believed that Saviano wrote this book with actual names and exactly how the Camorra members operated in the Naples. It is also said that the book is inspired and written with facts and the author even risked his life and used informants to make his story a true reflection of the Camorra members

The film is honored with a grand prize at the Cannes 2008 and is indeed a blockbuster in the entire Europe. Made in Italian, French and Mandarin languages with English subtitles, Gomorrah is unnerving with barren reality.

Movie Stills

Colorful, hectic, frantic, “Slumdog Millonaire” multiplies the qualifiers to the world of Danny Boyle who signs easily his best film since “Trainspotting.” In two short hours, anyone want to take the first plane and visit India! Returns in the past, possibly the best friends of the directors. Somewhere in the realm of Gandhi is Jamal (Dev Patel) who is now being tortured by police. With a tape, he talks about his participation in the show “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” and it is nice loot in the process of collecting. But how a young man from the street without a parent or education, is able to answer questions too difficult?

Rating: 4/5
Cast: Dev Patel, Anil Kapoor, Saurabh Shukla, Raj Zutshi, Jeneva Talwar, Freida Pinto, Irrfan Khan, Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail, Ayush Mahesh Khedekar, Sunil Aggarwal
Directed By: Danny Boyle, Loveleen Tandan

A break first time will become one of the leitmotifs of the story. Jamal was taken to the famous with people who shout, an animator who loves to highlight and stress to respond properly to pressure. Regardless of the statements, there is always the right answer, which escapes from the mouth of the young adult of 18 years old. Each question is linked to a traumatic event from his childhood, when he walked the streets of Bombay with his older brother Salim, and the beautiful Latika he was deeply in love. Everything is connected, and often it is only luck that separates the winners from the losers.

Danny Boyle has come a long way. After two failures (”A Life Less Ordinary, The Beach”), an attractive production for children (”Millions”) and two types of tests rather successful (”28 Weeks Later,” “Sunshine”), the British filmmaker returns with inspiration in riveting his camera on one of the most populous and influential of the planet. His staging impressively combines perfectly with its famous style that has made his trademark.

Installation is fast, always in tune with the hero running from left to right. The exploration of India is much the same way as the “City of God” by the street corner and not always common. Poverty that is almost beautiful by the use of colors and the omnipresence of grains. Situations blown up by a soundtrack that makes the heart beat, creating tension from a melody or rhythm of a power tube.

Fate and destiny hold place in his universe, like enough black humor, the daily which is intensely complicated and perpetual struggle between good and kind. The fireworks sometimes more expressive than deep may tend to stray into less essential details and scenes of white thread sewn, but the entertainment is never lacking. On the contrary, nirvana is achieved by boiling the meaning and construction of a romance extremely naïve, dance and good feelings during the end credits as a bonus.

“Slumdog Millonaire” examines several disorders of youth in keeping the Indian hope in the mirror. A tornado of noise and fury that has no other objective than to make full eye and ears, to discover a place away from clichés and individuals often more passionate about love than money. Not as memorable and important than “Trainspotting” and “Shallow Grave”, but an electrical discharge of the saving.

It may seem naive, but only one man is enough to change the world. Martin Luther King, Gandhi, John Kennedy … The history has less retained its name, but Harvey Milk is part of this prestigious line of men who have helped the world grow. With simple words, like hope or change that reverberate still pretty good way today, with the courage of those who disappear behind their cause, he has over 70 years old, gave meaning to the expression “right to difference”. But like his predecessors, he also paid for his fight of his life.

Rating: 4/5
Cast: Sean Penn, Emile Hirsch, Josh Brolin, Diego Luna, James Franco, Alison Pill, Victor Garber, Denis O’Hare, Joseph Cross, Stephen Spinella
Directed By:Gus Van Sant

It was on his last 8 years of existence that looks “Milk”, a new and magnificent achievement by Gus Van Sant. Party live in San Francisco with his lover Scott in 1972, where they opened a photo shop in the Castro district, Milk, 40 years old, gradually found its way: politics. In 1977, after 3 attempts, and with much help from his friends, he was finally elected to the board of supervisors of the city, thus becoming the first gay politician elected in the United States.

In its sights: the former singer Anita Bryant and Senator John Briggs both decided to remove homosexuality from the American card “to protect our children” via the infamous proposal 6 to refer to all homosexuals teachers and their supporters.

So far. So close. Seeing “Milk”, is observing the violent and daily homophobia he describes, the fact is quickly bittersweet: the widespread intolerance, almost institutionalized, these gestures and reactionary about dating there is barely 30 years from now.

Entirely shot in San Francisco in a soft and almost melancholic photograph signed Harris Savides (the DOP favorite Van Sant, which also saw the levers of “American Gangster” or “Zodiac”) as appropriate to the enthusiasm political scene as the sensuality of intimate scenes, the film then moves in precisely reconstituted decors which Gus Van Sant continues to integrate images and archival photographs.

The process, as powerful as dynamic, is clever: the ever-increasing power of truth in his images, the film manages to make us almost touch the pulse of this critical battle for human rights and finally, the birth of a chaotic community.

Integrating its cast of real actors in this tragic saga but also some high end comedians (except for Diego Luna as the unbearable lover, Josh Brolin, Emile Hirsch, or, more surprisingly, James Franco are impeccable), “Milk” had especially to find a player up to the legend that began to revive. With Sean Penn, it’s done.

Inhabiting the character with an energy and undeniable conviction, despite some annoying tics ways, it makes a man so crazy that he knows how to be galvanizing, as light he knows to be noble. No wonder then, that the Harvey we see at the end is very endearing. No wonder either that, directed with so much passion and sense of epic, it reaches us literally upset.

Without any doubt, this movie deserves its place as an Academy Award Winner.

Steven Soderbergh revisits the myth of Che in 2 episodes of 2 hours each. If the first can be gained by the exaltation of the Cuban victory, the second is lost in the stalemate in the Bolivian conflict.

Rating: 3/5
Cast: Demián Bichir, Rodrigo Santoro, Benicio Del Toro, Catalina Sandino Moreno, María D. Sosa, Raúl Beltrán, Raúl ‘Pitín’ Gómez, Paty M. Bellott, Othello Rensoli
Directed By: Steven Soderbergh

For some, he is a hero. For others, the incarnation of evil. For all, it is, and has remained the strongest symbol of the Cuban revolution. After Walter Salles and his “Motorcycle Diaries”, the turn of Steven Soderbergh (”Traffic,” “Erin Brockovich”) to present his “Che”, with many years of research.

Dividing its ambitious undertaking to recount the two major guerrilla campaigns carried out by Ernesto Guevara – in Cuba and Bolivia – 2 films of two hours each (presented in a separate block with a short intermission), Soderbergh chooses resolutely towards myth than man. Treated as a figure rather than as a being of flesh and blood, Che appears in its most iconic, the most memorable. To learn more about his commitment and his feelings, we must read elsewhere. We are not in a biopic. Like the commitment of his heroes in “Che” are the revolution and inspiring ideas that come first.

In the first part, the process works well. Despite the mounting chaos. Despite the absence of large pieces (the reasons for the involvement of Che, for example). One shudders at the first meeting among friends in Mexico in 1955, between Fidel Castro (Demián Bichir, excellent) and Guevara, the feeling of seeing history written in front of our eyes jumped at the throat. It can be caught by the revolutionary blast leading the 80 men arrived by boat on the island of Cuba.

We admire the ethics and integrity of thought in the process of shaping a new country. It was the breath before the oratory skills of Guevara at the United Nations, extracts of black and white streaky her story. The enthusiasm of the vast history walk takes all in its path. Soderbergh trust our sense of the myth of justice and freedom. Benicio del Toro, who won at Cannes for this role, also producer of the film, is perfect, giving just enough weight and substance to the hero for not letting him go down under the weight of its own idealism.

It’s in the second part, the mechanism starts to creak. After the excitement, the stalemate. The Bolivian campaign, begun in 1967, is a debacle. The local Communist Party drops the guerrilla fighters struggling to convince farmers and Che suffers from increasingly violent asthma.

Soderbergh attempts to transform his film with a kind of clued mysticism, plunging at the pit of harassment and discouragement of a man uprooted, wrongly convinced that the Revolution may extend its tentacles to change throughout the Latin America. Existential poetry was not far away, Terrence Malick would have perhaps found. Unfortunately, it is lost by turning scenes of long and repetitive fighting, filmed without much soul. And it’s not the appearance of Matt Damon that will entertain. The party is well and truly lost. Benicio del Toro remains at the top of his art, fragile and emaciated on the intensity of his incarnation to a climax during a particularly moving final sequence.

It is always difficult to innovate in story of fight or boxing. Either the hero is a young first to grow in contact with a veteran coach, or he is an old story on the decline, which seeks to restore its reputation. The Ram (Rourke) is part of the second category. Icon of kids and adults in the 1980s, the wrestler gold suit gave meaning to their existence. To get there, he resumed training and fighting despite a failing heart, at the same time wishing to be closer to his daughter (Evan Rachel Wood). In its daily battle, it can nevertheless count on Cassidy (Marisa Tomei), a stripper who is eager to change the skin.

Rating: 4/5
Cast: Mickey Rourke, Marisa Tomei, Evan Rachel Wood, Mark Margolis, Todd Barry, Wass Stevens, Judah Friedlander, Ernest Miller, Dylan Summers, Tommy Farra
Directed By: Darren Aronofsky

For many moviegoers, the filmmaker Darren Aronosky will be the next Stanley Kubrick. The director is known for the perfection of its plans and its rigorous management of actors. Since his first opus “Pi” in black and white, the comparisons between the two men burst and it is no coincidence. The shock came in 2000 with the release of the masterpiece in power “Requiem for a Dream,” probably one of the best films of the decade. The summit unmatched in the American director has created huge expectations that the next book could only disappoint. After waiting six years of hell, “The Fountain” has been wrongly vilified when he was a magnificent pensum on love and the passage of time.

To recover from this faux pas that do not really, anyone would have been in the opposite direction. Unlike previous tests, “The Wrestler” away from the exercises in style, mounting apocalyptic licked and plans which have been the trademark of Aronosky. Treatment rather recalls the naturalistic Dogma and the Dardenne brothers’ film, with the omnipresence of the grain and this camera scrapie which sticks to the sweat of the protagonist. Realism is all the time, overwhelming the stomach during difficult sequence where blood and pain are mixed.

Initially, the story does not break anything. Is the return to the life of the phoenix, a love romance between two left-to-accounts and a trip in time where a man learns to be a father later on. This dotted pattern of ups and downs in the final upsetting but expected benefits, however, a scenario where intelligent, funny and surprising sequences pathos linger in this former wrestler. This impressive figure – and the dancer – represents dependence and deprivation so dear to the director. This is the sacrifice of present to past to revive swapped, a suicide small fire to approach a serenity that is almost impossible to achieve.

The myth of normalcy born wrestlers, often sad and bitter, which creates a thirst for recognition, efforts invaluable for a better life. These sacrifices are the promises to have a brighter future or dreams earlier condemning or saving this. A fascinating insight into the human condition of a merciless world with two wonderful actors and a veteran director who is not afraid to touch on all genres.

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Presented in Official Selection in competition at Cannes, “Two Lovers” intrigue us through its director and its registry. James Gray, known for developing plots in the middle of the crime, decides to sign a work based on love and its effects on human beings. Leonard (Joaquin Phoenix) suffers from bipolar disorder.

Rating: 4/5
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Gwyneth Paltrow, Vinessa Shaw, Moni Moshonov, Isabella Rossellini, John Ortiz, Bob Ari, Julie Budd, Elias Koteas
Directed By: James Gray

After broken engagement and a failed suicide, we learn that he returned to live with his parents, concerned about his happiness, to meet Sandra (Vinessa Shaw). The young man is not immune to her charm and is poised to follow the traditional path of happiness when he meets Michelle (Gwyneth Paltrow), a neighbor who just moved. The problem is that she is in love with a married man and lives in the hope he left his wife.

Reading the synopsis, one wonders what will look like this story already seen, heard and reviewed. The triangular love stories do not sweat the original film. And yet, James Gray is not there to bring a predictable plot to the screen. It tells a story about love and the conflicts it arouses. A dramatic romance from the first scene (the attempted suicide of Leonard), convinces us that it will be anything but bland.

Following in the footsteps of “The Night Belongs to Us”, the film recreates a heavy atmosphere in which the dilemma is omnipresent. It also revisits the theme of family in which the protagonist is constantly torn between his family that he loves but he does not want to follow, and his thirst for freedom. So around this notion of “choice” and “no choice” but the film will revolve. Sometimes to make decisions and self-destructive, the protagonists live love, true.

And to illustrate the best love this cruel chronic, James Gray pushes his actors to give the best of themselves. Joaquin Phoenix, who had already impressed with the role of Bobby in “The Night Belongs to Us”, is once again breathtaking. In a sensitivity and disarming humanity, his playing is of unspeakable accuracy. His eyes wet, his innocence and sadness, in contrast to his imposing build.

Leonard is there to be loved and, in this emotionally moving query, the viewer has the throat knotted. A unique benefit to the movies is Joaquin Phoenix that composes a never seen character in the romantic register. Vinessa Shaw, though a bit lost in the narrative, is touching in its character of a woman in love but determined to win over Leonard.

True to himself, Gray provides a working framework and the thoughtful and efficient. The characters are almost always filmed as to penetrate the heart of their existential questioning. Even in the crowd, the film works the deep fields, and contrasts so as to detach the protagonists of their temporal element. Because what surrounds should not disturb their inner journey.

James Gray is in this way the thickness of its characters. By enclosing them constantly in confined spaces, narrow, or external uncertainty, the director highlights the better exhale impulses and passions that run them.

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Is there any film more cute than those featuring dogs that lead their masters in a hard and complicated life? Probably not. It is this proven formula that decides to take “Marley & Me.” Why break your head this time of year?

Rating: 2.5/5
Cast: Owen Wilson, Jennifer Aniston, Eric Dane, Kathleen Turner, Alan Arkin, Nathan Gamble, Haley Bennett, Clarke Peters
Directed By: David Frankel

John Grogan (Owen Wilson) and Jenny (Jennifer Aniston) just get married. To avoid the row, stable employment, the house in the suburbs and children cavort everywhere, Mr. journalist offers his new wife a small Labrador responding on the behalf of Marley. He quickly becomes intolerable, destroying everything in its path and screaming to death at the slightest rumble of thunder. This new family member does not prevent Grogan to join a daily increasingly repetitive and stupefying that does not seem to please everyone.

This adaptation of the bestselling novel by a certain John Grogan (what a big coincidence) does not shine by its originality. Directed anonymously with evident expertise by David Frankel (”The Devil Wears Prada”), the story is split into two parts. The most interesting however is the least developed. There’s this couple to drift, this family that implodes from the inside and the male character who seeks to escape the treadmill of everyday life. It does not escape the powder as in “great departure” and other films of this kind. He multiplies the efforts in trying to change his fate, some more dramatic is almost completely evacuated, entertainment Christmas oblige.

The lion’s share is rather the dog too sympathetic and touching, a real tornado to make jealous “Beethoven” and “Beverly Hills Chihuahua.” Everything revolves around the handsome blond Labrador and it is not surprising that his game eclipse those of its human partners. In addition to the canine friend, Owen Wilson actually tons and Jennifer Aniston is also turned on a rock. Fortunately, there is Eric Dane in single friend who brings humor, and the always tasty Alan Arkin playing the unpredictable boss.

Marley covers the subject so that the strings are guessing miles in advance. It’s a dog’s life with a beautiful youth, a successful transition to adulthood and, inevitably, a sad end. The perfect opportunity to get out the violins, unleash emotions, to preach to children and sink even more deeply dependent on the importance of a stable family with a big house, children and a four being legs. The American dream, isn’t it?

The exercise is not yet too savored of reluctant. With the Labrador that would melt any sensitive heart. With such a look, no need for a scenario. And it is precisely the case of “Marley & Me” which, instead of using the animal with charm like the irresistible “The Truth about Cats & Dog,” applies in the first degree. Hoping that the episode of “101 Dalmatians” is not repeated. After the success this opus in 1996, sales of dogs have increased during the holiday season… while the best friends of man were returning to the facility earlier this year!

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