An adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s classic children’s story, where Max, a disobedient little boy sent to bed without his supper, creates his own world–a forest inhabited by ferocious wild creatures that crown Max as their ruler. The star cast in the movie are Max Records, Catherine Keener , Steve Mouzakis, Mark Ruffalo, Max Pfeifer , Madeleine Greaves.

A romantic drama about a Chicago librarian with a gene that causes him to involuntarily time travel, and the complications it creates for his marriage. The Star Cast in the movie are Eric Bana, Rachel McAdams, Michelle Nolden , Arliss Howard , Carly Street, Jane McLean, Ron Livingston , Brooklynn Proulx, Alex Ferris.

Stills from the comedy movie FUNNY PEOPLE. George is a very successful stand up comedian who learns that he has an untreatable blood disorder and is given less than a year to live. Ira is a struggling up-and-coming stand up comedian who works at a deli and has yet to figure out his onstage persona. One night, these two perform at the same club and George takes notice of Ira. George hires Ira to be his semi-personal assistant as well as his friend. The movie stars Seth Rogen, Leslie Mann, Adam Sandler, Eric Bana, Jonah Hill, Ken Jeong, Jason Schwartzman, Sarah Silverman, Maude Apatow, Jason Sandler etc.

The fifty-year-old American classic ‘Twelve Angry Men’ inspires the movie 12. The American film is truly a masterpiece that sets as an example of American filmmaking. That is not to say 12, which is a Russian version is not powerful; though you cannot term this as a remake. The director of 12 Nikita Mikhalkov successfully makes a superb movie in spite of getting inspired with another great movie of all times.

Film: 12
Cast: Sergey Makovetsky, Nikita Mikhalkov, Sergey Garmash, Alexey Petrenko, Yuri Stoyanov, Sergey Gazarov, Mikhail Efremov, Valentin Gaft, Alexey Gorbunov, Sergey Artsybashev, Victor Verzhbitsky, Roman Madianov, Alexander Adabashian, Apti Magamaev
Director: Nikita Mikhalkov
Writers: Nikita Mikhalkov, Vladimir Moiseenko and Alexander Novototsky-Vlasov based on Reginald Rose’s script.
Running Time: 2 hours 33 minutes
Rating: 3.5/5

The film 12 discloses a new dimension in the jury verdict where one of the members is not angry like the others but he is more worried.

The story is about a dozen jury members who are boiling with exhaustion and eager to get back home soon. It is preconceived that the young man accused of murder is guilty of the crime. And the voting results show that eleven members vote for conviction while one member is against. This leads to lengthy arguments and the fundamentals of justice are challenged.

Reginald Rose wrote the actual screenplay for the CBS drama showcase ‘Studio One’ in 1954 and was featured live. And Russia got its hand on this film at the right time. The original movie glorified the right to a fair trial where as the Russian film is released at a time when their jury system has emerged after a trail of Communist party show trials.

The accused is a young chap from Moscow is new in town and the film shows hostility for the Chechens and also touches upon anti-Semitism. And the jurors are thinking about instant millionaires of Russia when the land is actually poverty-stricken.

None of the jury member is identified with a name, though the director plays the role of a jury foreman. Eventually each of the jury members narrates a story or unfolds a secret. The fellow jurors are influenced to reconsider their decision to vote for conviction. None of the jury member is weak in character and their powerful role does not drift you to boredom in a 2 ½ long movie.

The jury members are forever in the a school gymnasium that is next to the court room but their stories are intricately performed that the audience will start imagining the settings and it actually feels like play aired on the radio.

There is a superbly shot scene by camera person Lumet when a sparrow flies on the window and is chirping constantly, which is symbolic of the jury’s plight. Along with the director he has done a splendid job and used the camera remarkably following the jurors as they walk around the courtroom.

People who have already seen the American film will know the story as to how it will unfold and also know what will be the ending. The director Mikhalkov has retained all that and Reginald Rose occupies a place in the credits. Mikhalkov has done a commendable job in his own style with real characters and stories and the movie does not make you think about the climax but you will appreciate the way it leads to the end.

The film 12 (one room a dozen men) is rated as PG-13 because of the violent images, sex and drug referencing, smoking and disturbing content.

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.

The Cake Eaters is a directorial debut film of Mary Stuart Masterson who herself has been a great actress. The casting of Cake Eaters include Aaron Stanford as Beagle and Kristen Stewart as Georgia. Its worth mentioning about Stewart as she is growing up to be a very powerful and fine actress. Her performance was remarkable in the film Twilight where she played the role of the Vampire’s girlfriend. Here in Cake Eaters she portrays herself as altogether a different kind of lover and she does immense justice to this film too.

Film: The Cake Eaters
Cast: Kristen Stewart, Aaron Stanford, Bruce Dern, Elizabeth Ashley, Miriam Shor
Director: Mary Stuart Masterson
Writer: Jayce Bartok
Running Time: 1 hour and 35 minutes
Rating: 3/5

In this film, Kristen Stewart is a high school student suffering from a degenerative muscle disorder that compels her to walk unsteadily. She cannot stand straight and when she speaks her words are not clear. It seems that she had overdose of beer.

The story unfolds with Georgia meeting Beagle at the flea market and thereby inviting him to come over to her house at the evening. Beagle does not have problem with her physical condition, but his only worry is about meeting girls.

Beagle himself was undergoing a series of mental trauma as it was in recent times that he lost his mother who suffered from cancer. During the long phase of his mother’s illness, his brother Guy played by Jayce Bartok was busy trying his luck as a Rock Star in New York. When he returned, it was all too late as their mother was no longer alive.

Beagle had a big fight with his brother on this. Bruce Dern played the role of their father, Easy who was a cool man and was always remained within himself.

On this side, Georgia’s hairdresser asks her to take it easy on the relationship that she shares with Beagle. But, Georgia confronts that saying that she is not looking for sympathy from Beagle, instead it is sex that she wants to have with him and he chose Beagle not out of any feeling but just that he does not look bad and he being gentle, she can get him to do whatever she wants to.

Beagle was elder to Georgia by some three to four years but mentally Georgia was far more matured than Beagle.

The other side of the story is Beagle was petrified to see his father kissing Georgia’s Grandmother Marge played by Elizabeth Ashley soon after his mother’s funeral.

The film pulsated with romances of Georgia and Beagle going parallel with Marge and Easy along with Stephanie and Guy. Stephanie was the girl whom Guy proposed but left for New York without even bidding her goodbye.

So, there were three romances and one need to watch the film to see how it all ended.

All that can be said is that the film ‘The Cake Eaters’ ends with a feel good factor and you feel the soft touches given by the director and meticulously performed by all the artistes.

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.

Silent Light is a story about love, the entanglements and complexities of love. The movie not only portrays love as a vital emotion in everyone’s lives but also shows how it could test you under severe pain and suffering. The agony one has to face because of your deeds sums up the film.

Film: Silent Light
Cast: Cornelio Wall, Miriam Toews, Maria Pankratz, Peter Wall, Elisabeth Fehr, Jacobo Klassen
Writer: Carlos Reygadas
Director: Carlos Reygadas
Running time: 2 hours and 16 minutes
Rating: 4/5

It is a tale about a man who is torn apart between his wife and the other woman whom he loves equally. His dilemma of being unfaithful to his good wife and his affair with the bewitching woman sets the storyline of the film.

The movie does not narrate the story behind the love affair. But both Johan and Marianne are deeply in love. Both are equally good-natured and that is the root cause of all their pain. And, although they do make love but it is not bound to be only physical. They are driven by the emotion itself and the film successfully and powerfully highlights this theme and the audience will not for once feel that their love is just lust driven.

Esther and Johan are married with six children and she is well aware of her husband’s affair. Johan has confessed about his ladylove not only to his wife but also to his father and a best friend. He strongly feels for both the women of his life and cannot forego either of them. He promises never to betray his wife and at the same time will never give up his love for Marianne. Both Esther and Johan profess love for each other and this love holds a lot of pain and torment for them.

Carlos Reygadas has set the film entirely on the Mennonite Community. All the actors of the film are amateurs and hardly have any acting experience but they make you feel that they have been in the field for years. The performances are natural and mirrors reality, which is bliss to watch.

Cornelio Wall who plays Johan, Miriam Toews as Esther and Maria Pankrantz as Marianne have done a splendid job; they have stirred all the emotions to mould the character. And this realistic element makes the movie more genuine. And one cannot forget the plausible performances of Wall’s father and his best friend; all the actors have given their cent percent and the hard work has paid off.

The film highlights and portrays nature’s beauty like never before. Alexis Zabe has executed superb cinematographic skills making the movie a visual retreat for all nature lovers. Reygadas has revolved the story pertaining to real people, their strong values and how they go by what the heart says and not by any spiritual teachings. It is not a short and fast paced film and does not have a background score though the natural sounds are well incorporated.

The film is reasonably slow but it keeps your interest alive till the end when compared to a fast paced film that can exhaust you quickly. The film is all about real people who safeguard their values and their lives are entirely based on this value system. The realism and conviction of the performances draws you close to the film.

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.

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.

‘Just Another Love Story’ is a movie from Denmark and very similar to the noir genre of films of the 1940’s. A fast-track thriller, the movie narrates story of a faulty cop who is tangled between his devoted wife and the negative woman. But there is a small catch here; the woman does not realize her dark side as she is a victim of amnesia and that is the same time when you sit up and look for more.

Cast: Anders W. Berthelsen, Rebecka Hemse, Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Charlotte Fich, Dejan Cukic, Karsten Jansfort, Flemming Enevold, Bent Mejding, Ewa Fröling, Josephine Raahauge, Timm Vladimir
Rating: 3.5/5
Writer and Director: Ole Bornedal
Language: Danish (English subtitles)
Film Duration: 1hr 44minutes

The male lead of the film Jonas (Anders W. Berthelsen) is a family man who will be leading a happy life with the woman of his life and two blessed kids working as a homicide scene photographer in the capital city of Denmark. Life turns for him when he meets with a freak accident; while his car was stationary another vehicle rams his’ and speeds to crash with another car. Julia (played by Rebecka Hemse) who is the driver of this particular car gets badly injured. Julia’s family mistakes Jonas to be Julia’s fiancé Sebastian when he pays a visit to the hospital.

This Sebastian is Julia’s new fiancé from Vietnam and he was supposed to arrive a little later. And that moment transits Jonas into a dual life without much of a choice and also beyond his control to take charge of the situation because of the twist in the story. Julia is unable to remember and develops poor eyesight, and her parent’s confirmation compels her to believe that Jonas is but Sebastian. Jonas, thereafter, is greeted as family much to the joy of Julia’s parents who give him a blank check.

The story definitely does not end there because one of the main features of a noir story is its moralistic quotient. If you happen to betray your wife you need to pay!

You have no scope to escape from the ‘punishment’ even if the wife is unaware of the other woman who could hardly be criticized for the entire happening. Sadly, Jonas had no option but to accept the dual role.

The director Ole Bornedal is also the writer of the film, and unlike the conventional noir films, the movie’s pace is set faster and the story is cleverly crafted that brings out the contradictions and the complexity, which does not require mentioning. The climax throws a series of surprises but finally they seem to be logical.

Jonas’ partner is adorable, accompanying Jonas on his work; photographing the crime scenes and deals gory violent scenes with light-heartedness. The plot of the movie revolves around peculiar observation that makes it different.

The movie is one among the best thrillers since months; the other being “Tell No One”, which is also from Europe. What makes the movie appealing is just that the actors are not familiar to us. The movie has an edge in terms of characterization that is processed with detailed analysis.

The film is also free from unnecessary special effects and action scenes, and in spite of all that it does not derail the plot. There is one though the film could have avoided; the skin show. Apart from this the movie will certainly push you to the edge of the seats.

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

The Secrets is a gripping and an emotional tale of three women with intense melodrama, romanticism and religion fervor. Feminism vibrates throughout the film in opposition to religious patriarchy. A battle of generations ‘The Secrets’ evokes women limitations in a genre and reflects the inner strength of a woman to fight against the sexual intolerance and religious dogmas within a society.

Director: Avi Nesher
Cast: Fanny Ardant, Ania Bukstein, Michal Shtamler, Adir Miller, Guri Alfi, Alma Zack, Tiki Dayan, Dana Ivgy, Talli Oren
Rating: 3.75/5

The Secret unfolds with Naomi (played by Ania Bukstein) answering to her inner wish of being a Rabbi herself. A devout student, Naomi rebels against the submission of her life to the will of her father, an old Rabbi and husband to-be. There was a paradoxical feeling about her father, in the mind of young Naomi. This is because she has felt the teardrops of her mother’s secret weeping. Naomi could never surrender to her father as a man but she did submit to her father as a Rabbi.

The old Rabbi decides that his student Michael will eventually marry Naomi, an idea that Naomi hated as she considers herself better informed than Michael. Additionally, Michael treats Naomi as being a silly creature with a woman’s limitations to know and explore further.

Naomi could postpone her marriage by convincing her father because of her mother’s death and she persuades him to allow her to go to a virgin town in Israel, in a seminary. It is here that Naomi blossoms into a religious spiritual leader and breathes the difference between romantic and the conventional love. Naomi begins exploring the threads that compel women to be subservient to men.

She feels the feminist instinct from within and tries not to surrender to oppression. It is at the seminary that she becomes close to Michelle who hails from Paris. Naomi and Michelle will be assigned to deliver meals to a very sick French woman named Anouk. Upon further search on the internet, Naomi discovers that Anouk is actually a sentenced jail term in a murder case. However, Anouk wishes desperately to get cleansed of the wrong she has committed.

The two girls, Naomi and Michelle, help Anouk to get cleansed through Jewish healings. It is here that the crux of the film lies and some emotional scenes are cut across, making the movie not only worth watching but indeed a memorable one. On one occasion, the film reflects the tenacity and audacity of Naomi and Michelle to take Anouk to a secret cleansing pool, that otherwise was off limit for women.

Tension heightens with Naomi’s father’s fury as she refuses to live with Michael. The Secrets during some instances reflects Judaism style that has evoked arguments. The film has a subplot too involving the old woman, the in charge of the seminary, and she informs about the limitations of women in earlier days to Naomi.

The film is a fascinating depiction of a woman’s insight into a man’s world of orthodoxy where women are always oppressed and suppressed in the name of religion and how naturally women succumb to that.

A social comedy with a message, ‘The Secrets’ will certainly leave you pondering on.

A teacher (Cage) opens a time capsule that has been dug up at his son’s elementary school; in it are some chilling predictions — some that have already occurred and others that are about to — that lead him to believe his family plays a role in the events that are about to unfold. The Star Cast in the movie are Anna Anderson, Sally Anne Arnott, Giovanni Bartuccio, Jake Bradley, Rose Byrne, Nicolas Cage, Terry Camilleri, Chandler Canterbury, Danielle Carter.

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.