A Mighty Heart - Starring: Angelina Joli; Director: Michael Winterbottom. A beautifully made film, almost like a documentary. Will appeal only to those who like serious cinema.
Subway - Starring: Christophe Lambert, Isabelle Adjani; Director: Luc Besson. Quite dissappointing. And sigh! Jean Reno has only a tiny role.
Jab we met - Starring: Kareena Kapoor, Shahi Kapoor; Director: I forget who. A nice, likeable film. A typical Bollywood fare but still refreshing.
Crimson Rivers (Rivières Pourpres) - Starring: Jean Reno, Vincent Cassel. Director: Matthieu Kassovitz. Star Movies showed the dubbed version which I absolutely hate. A wierd film, not easy to follow. Did not care much for it.
The Pink Panther - Starring: Steve Martin, Jean Reno, Beyonce, Emily Mortimer. Director: God knows who. Full of slapstick and cheap jokes (farting, etc.) Steve Martin speaks in a bizarre French accent. As do all the other characters except dear old Jean, as he is actually French... The dance sequence is, to say the least, disgusting. (Jean, you didn't have to do that!)
The Devil wears Prada - Starring: Anne Hathway, Meryl Streep. Director: Dunno. Not bad at all, though Hathway is insipid and gives an uninspired performance. Meryl Streep, on the other hand, is simply outstanding. Wish she had more time onscreen. Haven't read the book so can't say if the movie is loyal to it.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
The Kite Runner
Author: Khaled Hosseini
About the author: Born in Afghanistan, received political asylum in the U.S.A. in 1980, doctor by profession. This is his first book.
It’s not very often that you come across a book like this. A book that can keep you riveted throughout. A book that touches your heart deeply; that stays, long after you have finished it. Khaled Hosseini’s “The Kite Runner” is at times like a song: gentle and nostalgic, bringing back memories of childhood, sometimes insouciant and sometimes cruel. At times it is like a vividly coloured photograph: the streets of Kabul come alive before your eyes, kites fight each other for dominance and kebab shops line the bustling streets. At times it is heartbreakingly close to reality: the war-ravaged, Taliban-infested Afghanistan; a man selling his artificial leg; an execution held on a football field during the half-time.
This story of damnation and redemption is told through the eyes of Amir. Amir longs for the love and affection of his somewhat indifferent father, who he admires and fears the most. He believes that the indifference stems from the fact that Amir’s mother died giving birth to him. Furthermore, he thinks himself to be a failure in his father’s eyes, a wimp and a coward.
However, his father seems to have a special affection for Hussain, their servant’s son. Hussain is strong and courageous, protecting Amir and loving him with unflinching loyalty.
But one day, to gain his father’s love and admiration, Amir selfishly and cowardly betrays Hussain, thus condemning himself to a life full of lies and regrets. It is only after several years that Amir gets the opportunity to redeem himself. And so he sets off on a dangerous journey to Afghanistan, a journey that will liberate him from his demons and make a man out of him.
Though the novel is engaging throughout, I was particularly moved by the part about their childhood. Hosseini describes the unusual relationship between Amir and Hussain with brutal honesty. Amir loves Hussain as a friend (even as a brother) but cannot ignore the fact that Hussain is a servant, a Hazara, a Shia while he, is the master, a Pashtun and a Sunni. Children can be cruel and so Amir continually tests Hussain’s loyalty (“Would you eat dirt if I asked you to?”), makes fun of his illiteracy and makes him party to his pranks. Hussain, pure of heart and blessed with an ability to understand people, never protests. His self-sacrificing and unconditional love is heartrending. For you, a thousand times, he says to Amir. A phrase that torments Amir for life and echoes throughout the book. A phrase that brings the story of Amir and Hussain a full circle.
This is Khaled Hosseini’s first book. A brilliant raconteur, he is someone to reckon with. His second book, A Thousand Splendid Suns is already a best-seller. His style of writing is very visual (as I said earlier, like a photograph) and so I think it could make a great film.
This book is special for another reason too. It talks of a country which is in news all the time but of which we know little. It talks of Afghanistan, its long-suffering but proud people and its once beautiful cities razed to the ground.
Khaled Hosseini’s “The Kite Runner” is a must read. Finally, here is one book that really deserves its ‘best-seller’ status.
About the author: Born in Afghanistan, received political asylum in the U.S.A. in 1980, doctor by profession. This is his first book.
It’s not very often that you come across a book like this. A book that can keep you riveted throughout. A book that touches your heart deeply; that stays, long after you have finished it. Khaled Hosseini’s “The Kite Runner” is at times like a song: gentle and nostalgic, bringing back memories of childhood, sometimes insouciant and sometimes cruel. At times it is like a vividly coloured photograph: the streets of Kabul come alive before your eyes, kites fight each other for dominance and kebab shops line the bustling streets. At times it is heartbreakingly close to reality: the war-ravaged, Taliban-infested Afghanistan; a man selling his artificial leg; an execution held on a football field during the half-time.
This story of damnation and redemption is told through the eyes of Amir. Amir longs for the love and affection of his somewhat indifferent father, who he admires and fears the most. He believes that the indifference stems from the fact that Amir’s mother died giving birth to him. Furthermore, he thinks himself to be a failure in his father’s eyes, a wimp and a coward.
However, his father seems to have a special affection for Hussain, their servant’s son. Hussain is strong and courageous, protecting Amir and loving him with unflinching loyalty.
But one day, to gain his father’s love and admiration, Amir selfishly and cowardly betrays Hussain, thus condemning himself to a life full of lies and regrets. It is only after several years that Amir gets the opportunity to redeem himself. And so he sets off on a dangerous journey to Afghanistan, a journey that will liberate him from his demons and make a man out of him.
Though the novel is engaging throughout, I was particularly moved by the part about their childhood. Hosseini describes the unusual relationship between Amir and Hussain with brutal honesty. Amir loves Hussain as a friend (even as a brother) but cannot ignore the fact that Hussain is a servant, a Hazara, a Shia while he, is the master, a Pashtun and a Sunni. Children can be cruel and so Amir continually tests Hussain’s loyalty (“Would you eat dirt if I asked you to?”), makes fun of his illiteracy and makes him party to his pranks. Hussain, pure of heart and blessed with an ability to understand people, never protests. His self-sacrificing and unconditional love is heartrending. For you, a thousand times, he says to Amir. A phrase that torments Amir for life and echoes throughout the book. A phrase that brings the story of Amir and Hussain a full circle.
This is Khaled Hosseini’s first book. A brilliant raconteur, he is someone to reckon with. His second book, A Thousand Splendid Suns is already a best-seller. His style of writing is very visual (as I said earlier, like a photograph) and so I think it could make a great film.
This book is special for another reason too. It talks of a country which is in news all the time but of which we know little. It talks of Afghanistan, its long-suffering but proud people and its once beautiful cities razed to the ground.
Khaled Hosseini’s “The Kite Runner” is a must read. Finally, here is one book that really deserves its ‘best-seller’ status.
Friday, November 2, 2007
The Big Blue
30.10.2007 The Big Blue “Director’s Cut” (English)
Director: Luc Besson
Starring: Jean-Marc Barr, Jean Reno, Rosanna Arquette
Jacques Mayol (a very handsome Jean-Marc Barr) and Enzo Molinari (The Jean Reno) are childhood friends. They are both free-divers, but their motivations are completely different. Jacques loves the sea. Dolphins are his friends, his family. Enzo, on the other hand, thrives on competition. His aim is to be unbeatable. The Big Blue is the story of their friendship and ultimately their tragic deaths. Enzo dies attempting to break Jacques’ record and Jacques’ love for the sea and the dolphins kills him in a fit of delusion.
The film was probably the first to attempt underwater filming and so we get some breathtaking shots of the ocean and the life beneath. It is through this film that I was introduced to free-diving, a sport that needs enormous endurance and courage. We actually get the feeling of descending into the ocean with the free-divers and as they go deeper and deeper one can sense the claustrophobia, the darkness (“where sky is only a memory”, says Jacques)
The story is not run-of-the-mill and the characters are well-etched out. Jacques Mayol is introverted and soft-spoken. He is the happiest when he is in the sea with the dolphins. Yet, he is sad from within, because he does not have a real family. (“What kind of a man has such a family?” he asks Johanna, his love interest, showing her a picture of dolphin in his wallet. And then he cries) On the contrary, Enzo is the quintessential Italian - loud and aggressive. (“Which planet are you from?” Johanna asks him. “Italia” he replies) He has a close-knit family complete with an overbearing mother and a brother who is always at his sides. He is arrogant and often patronising and will go to any limit to establish his superiority. The actors get into the skin of their characters. Barr has a child-like innocence which makes his Mayol believable. Rosanna Arquette as Johanna is alright, only she should have washed and brushed her hair more often. Jean Reno gets the best lines of the movie and he delivers them with such élan that one is floored. He is funny, he is loveable and he kicks ass.
The Big Blue - A must-see for all those who love the sea and the dolphins...
Director: Luc Besson
Starring: Jean-Marc Barr, Jean Reno, Rosanna Arquette
Jacques Mayol (a very handsome Jean-Marc Barr) and Enzo Molinari (The Jean Reno) are childhood friends. They are both free-divers, but their motivations are completely different. Jacques loves the sea. Dolphins are his friends, his family. Enzo, on the other hand, thrives on competition. His aim is to be unbeatable. The Big Blue is the story of their friendship and ultimately their tragic deaths. Enzo dies attempting to break Jacques’ record and Jacques’ love for the sea and the dolphins kills him in a fit of delusion.
The film was probably the first to attempt underwater filming and so we get some breathtaking shots of the ocean and the life beneath. It is through this film that I was introduced to free-diving, a sport that needs enormous endurance and courage. We actually get the feeling of descending into the ocean with the free-divers and as they go deeper and deeper one can sense the claustrophobia, the darkness (“where sky is only a memory”, says Jacques)
The story is not run-of-the-mill and the characters are well-etched out. Jacques Mayol is introverted and soft-spoken. He is the happiest when he is in the sea with the dolphins. Yet, he is sad from within, because he does not have a real family. (“What kind of a man has such a family?” he asks Johanna, his love interest, showing her a picture of dolphin in his wallet. And then he cries) On the contrary, Enzo is the quintessential Italian - loud and aggressive. (“Which planet are you from?” Johanna asks him. “Italia” he replies) He has a close-knit family complete with an overbearing mother and a brother who is always at his sides. He is arrogant and often patronising and will go to any limit to establish his superiority. The actors get into the skin of their characters. Barr has a child-like innocence which makes his Mayol believable. Rosanna Arquette as Johanna is alright, only she should have washed and brushed her hair more often. Jean Reno gets the best lines of the movie and he delivers them with such élan that one is floored. He is funny, he is loveable and he kicks ass.
The Big Blue - A must-see for all those who love the sea and the dolphins...
Wasabi
28.10.2007 Wasabi (French)
Director: Gerard Krawczyk
Starring: Jean Reno, Ryoko Hirosue, Michel Muller
Hubert Fiorentini (Jean Reno) is a badass cop. After having unknowingly injured a politician’s son, he is forced to go on a vacation. He learns that the only love of his life, who left him nineteen years ago, has died in Japan leaving him as the sole legatee. So off he goes to Tokyo, only to discover that among other things, his love has left him a nineteen year daughter Yumi (Ryoko Hirosue). Hubert is supposed to look after the hot-headed, spendthrift girl for two days, until she attains majority. Things get more complicated as he realises that Miko, Yumi’s mother, has not died a natural death and that now the mafia are after Yumi for the large fortune her mother has left her with.
It’s one of those films that you need to watch keeping logic and reason aside. I mean, how come all the Japanese, right from the policemen to bankers, peak fluent French? Why do mafia guys follow Hubert and Yumi dressed conspicuously in black suits and sunglasses? How can one middle-aged guy fight off a dozen armed men with nothing but a golf rod and two balls? Well, after a moment I just stopped asking questions…
But this film is nonetheless very enjoyable. Though Jean Reno is type-cast again as the badass cop with a heart of gold, we get to see his paternal side, which is very endearing. From the dry and solitary policeman to the father who’ll risk his life for his daughter, his portrayal is exceedingly good. (I know am going OTT, but what to do, I like that guy) And then there are those funny action sequences, especially the one in the mall, where Reno beats up all the mafia guys without Yumi finding out.
Ryoko Hirosue is irritating at first but you end up liking her eventually. She speaks French with a charming Japanese accent. Michel Muller is the humorous sidekick. He’s done a great job.
Wasabi isn’t one of the best comedies I’ve seen. But nevertheless, it’s good for a one-time watch.
Director: Gerard Krawczyk
Starring: Jean Reno, Ryoko Hirosue, Michel Muller
Hubert Fiorentini (Jean Reno) is a badass cop. After having unknowingly injured a politician’s son, he is forced to go on a vacation. He learns that the only love of his life, who left him nineteen years ago, has died in Japan leaving him as the sole legatee. So off he goes to Tokyo, only to discover that among other things, his love has left him a nineteen year daughter Yumi (Ryoko Hirosue). Hubert is supposed to look after the hot-headed, spendthrift girl for two days, until she attains majority. Things get more complicated as he realises that Miko, Yumi’s mother, has not died a natural death and that now the mafia are after Yumi for the large fortune her mother has left her with.
It’s one of those films that you need to watch keeping logic and reason aside. I mean, how come all the Japanese, right from the policemen to bankers, peak fluent French? Why do mafia guys follow Hubert and Yumi dressed conspicuously in black suits and sunglasses? How can one middle-aged guy fight off a dozen armed men with nothing but a golf rod and two balls? Well, after a moment I just stopped asking questions…
But this film is nonetheless very enjoyable. Though Jean Reno is type-cast again as the badass cop with a heart of gold, we get to see his paternal side, which is very endearing. From the dry and solitary policeman to the father who’ll risk his life for his daughter, his portrayal is exceedingly good. (I know am going OTT, but what to do, I like that guy) And then there are those funny action sequences, especially the one in the mall, where Reno beats up all the mafia guys without Yumi finding out.
Ryoko Hirosue is irritating at first but you end up liking her eventually. She speaks French with a charming Japanese accent. Michel Muller is the humorous sidekick. He’s done a great job.
Wasabi isn’t one of the best comedies I’ve seen. But nevertheless, it’s good for a one-time watch.
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