The Movies I Liked

The Battle of Algiers (1966)

To be frank, I didn't get into it during the first half an hour. Based on the title, I expected something stylish which would attack the senses. Instead, most, if not all of the actors seem non-professional, so some of the 'acting' didn't stick with me. The film was shot in a more 'realistic' mode, a documentary style (feels like watching the thing on news) for some part, a movie style for some parts - most of the time, a disconnected third party who happened to have a camera in hand. Again, not what I expected. The music has Ennio Morricone's name as the co-composer, but this has no stand-out recurring theme like a Sergio Leone film.

But, what makes the film relevant even today is that it refuses to take sides (even though it was commissioned by Algerian Govt and is based on a FLA prisoner's memoirs). It instead shows the effect of an armed struggle on both sides. The French Col. Mathieu is not shown as a villain, but instead he is a strategist who understands what must be done in order to bring down the FLA. You would have just understood that the extremist act by Algerians is a retaliation, but very soon you wonder why innocent French lives need to be lost. You cannot decide whether to take pity on the French who had just lost lives in a race-track bombing or feel more sorry for the innocent candy selling Algerian boy who just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time getting beaten down by the angry mob. It's just a vicious cycle that feeds on itself with both sides being right in a way, but also wrong in other ways.

We can still observe a few tactics of the Algerian side among terrorists today. IMDB Trivia says that Pentagon screened the movie before the war on Iraq with the flier "How to win a battle against terrorism and lose the war of ideas". I wonder if it is this urge to win the 'war of ideas' that led them to invent WMD.

Among others,

  • Avaze gonjeshk-ha (2008) was a good film, but didn't affect me as much as Majid Majidi's other films, Children of Heaven and Color of Paradise.
  • I liked Black Narcissus (1947) much more than 'A matter of Life and Death' by the same Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger duo.
  • Didn't feel that good about Antichrist (2009) though I loved some of the artsy / stylish aspects of it (the opening sequence). Of course, it's infamous scenes were 'yuck'! Thinking about it, wonder how LVT's own depression had an impact on the movie. Need to see LVT's other films in due time.
 
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I watched it long time ago, but again watching in my new HT system.

Shoot 'Em Up

Shoot 'Em Up (2007) - IMDb

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Q:Why did you like the movie? :p

Ans:
'Shoot Em Up' includes a fantastic DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround track that features one of the most chaotic mixes I've ever experienced. Bullets, explosions, screams, shattering glass, splintering wood, ricochets, sparks -- there isn't one essential action-movie sound effect that makes less than a dozen appearances. To its credit, the DTS-HD MA track handles everything in stride. Dynamics are fierce, with bottomless bass rumbles and steady treble tones. The characters sound larger than life and their voices are never lost under the roar of the violence. Better still, the rear surrounds are used to their full potential -- I challenge anyone to call the soundfield flat or uninvolving. The movie itself may not hook everyone, but the surround track is as immersive as they come.

From > highdefdigest.com
 
You have not seen enough I guess thats why you say like this, the Oblivion concept is a clean ripoff of movies like Moon, Wall-e and to an extent Matrix, but the main concept and the twist, that the movie banked upon was already used by MOON and more effectively ......

For me oblivion was ok .... MOON on the other hand was much much much better ........

Same here. Saw it yesterday. I will not say that it is movie I will recommend as a must watch, but it is just another movie you can watch if you wish to and have time. Though it was a treat watching on the big TV screen. But somehow I never liked the plot and looks like it is been taken from various others as Sam has pointed out (I am yet to see MOON and have seen others). Overall my rating will be just GOOD.
 
For best visuals and sound batman begins, the dark knight on blue ray also inception.....in fact pick up any of Christopher Nolan's movies
 
Hi All,

As my children were clamouring to see the Chennai Express at the earliest, today went with them to view the film here in Chennai. I have to admit that not once I felt I was viewing a Hindi film. It was down right a Tamil film all the way. They do speak few Hindi words in between but that was quite far and insignificant. Not sure if I viewed a tamil version (if there is one in the first place). Director Rohit Shetty and his team has done a fab work and we all thoroughly enjoyed the film to the core. It was quite risky on part of Rohit Shetty that there were no subtitles shown (Hindi or English) when major part of dialogues in the movie was Tamil. I wonder how the audience in the Hindi belt felt about this? Was there any subtitles shown in these areas? Or is it that " NEVER UNDERSTIMATE THE POWER OF A COMMON MAN" (as per SRK), bhashaa ki nahin, dil ki zubaan samajna chaahiye...national integration at the best for the upcoming Independance Day. A Seamless merging of Bollywood and Kollywood - it's just wood now.

Cheers.
 
Behind Enemy Lines II: Axis of Evil [2006]

Behind Enemy Lines II: Axis of Evil (Video 2006) - IMDb

Behind Enemy Lines: Colombia [2009]

Behind Enemy Lines: Colombia (Video 2009) - IMDb


A good movie only to test your HT setup, sound mixing is good, story is total crap. Nothing even close to the first movie.


The Conjuring [2013]

The Conjuring (2013) - IMDb


A good horror movie based on true events, story is okay, keeps the viewer gripped from start to end. Very good screen play. Good watch overall.


Disconnect [2012]

Disconnect (2012) - IMDb


A very good Drama/Thriller movie . Very good Editing, nice performance by the entire cast. The story gets interesting as the movie progresses. Worth a watch.




Cheers.
 
The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)

The Pursuit of Happyness (2006) - IMDb

A struggling salesman takes custody of his son as he's poised to begin a life-changing professional endeavor.

Based on a true story about a man named Christopher Gardner. Gardner has invested heavily in a device known as a "Bone Density scanner". He feels like he has made these devices. However, they do not sell as they are marginally better than the current technology at a much higher price. As Gardner tries to figure out how to sell them, his wife leaves him, he loses his house, his bank account, and credit cards. Forced to live out in the streets with his son, Gardner is now desperate to find a steady job; he takes on a job as a stockbroker, but before he can receive pay, he needs to go through 6 months of training, and to sell his devices.

Yesterday watched it at StarWorld HD. A great movie. Easily paced. Nice storyline (which most of us can relate to). Great acting by Will Smith (I think it is his best so far I have seen).:thumbsup:

If you like a real life story without any CGI, this is a movie highly recommended.
 
The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012) - IMDb

A superb movie with a nice storyline and great acting from all three lead characters.

The movie deals with an introverted freshman dealing with a lot of demons from his mental illness, death of a friend and others and how he manages to meet some more oddball seniors and their lives change mostly for the better.

Emma Watson is superb and good to see her doing well after the Harry Potter series.
 
Watched couple of movies yesterday .....

The Prestige ........ 6.8/10 ..... perfect example of over loaded expectations seriously kills the fun, how so ever good the product is ...... with Christopher Nohlan, Christian Bale, Huge Jackman team what less can you expect. Well for the record the story is about two magicians, trying to outwit each other with that perfect life time trick that would drown the other. This cat and mouse game between the two really has some good twist and turns through out the movie, but the end twist though good was not something which was straight to your face (as was been advertised), something like of The usual suspect or SAW. But still an enjoyable movie never the less.

Drive well again with 7.9 on IMDB I was expecting something explosive, I think the movie succeeded coz of the style and less coz of the substance, its about a driver, that works in a garage but also volunteers as a the driver for the convicts escape plan in their heists. Involves himself with the wrong people and tries to do the right in the end. Script is old and outdated, all that works is the style and character development, but the biggest disappointment was the ending. With the movie developing slowly and creating/building all that tension, till the end, the climax for me was so so so so subtle and boring. I was expecting a blast ..... anyway each to his own taste .... 6.5/10

Robot and Frank ...... ok movie .... an old retired thief, is been gifted a robot by his son to keep him company, the movie is all about their relation and realizing facts of life ......6.2/10
 
Watched The Great Gatsby adapted from a gem of novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

The Great Gatsby (2013) - IMDb

THE-GREAT-GATSBY-Poster.jpg

The movie fails to capture the masterpiece of Novel, I've read the book. The themes of wealth, celebrity, and superficiality are there, but good God, it's like it was written for middle-schoolers. No subtlety whatsoever. And the narration drove me nuts. We don't need to be told what characters are thinking in the middle of nearly every scene. More often than not, this supposedly grand, sweeping romance just felt like bad soap opera. I can certainly understand how this same material would work a lot better as a book; with characters given room to breathe and their dimensions allowed to slowly unveil.


Rating 5.5/10
 
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Hi All,

As my children were clamouring to see the Chennai Express at the earliest, today went with them to view the film here in Chennai. I have to admit that not once I felt I was viewing a Hindi film. It was down right a Tamil film all the way. They do speak few Hindi words in between but that was quite far and insignificant. Not sure if I viewed a tamil version (if there is one in the first place). Director Rohit Shetty and his team has done a fab work and we all thoroughly enjoyed the film to the core. It was quite risky on part of Rohit Shetty that there were no subtitles shown (Hindi or English) when major part of dialogues in the movie was Tamil. I wonder how the audience in the Hindi belt felt about this? Was there any subtitles shown in these areas? Or is it that " NEVER UNDERSTIMATE THE POWER OF A COMMON MAN" (as per SRK), bhashaa ki nahin, dil ki zubaan samajna chaahiye...national integration at the best for the upcoming Independance Day. A Seamless merging of Bollywood and Kollywood - it's just wood now.

Cheers.
i seen this movie on first day @ globus 4k cinema
over all 4k feeling was gr8 but source was poor but movie is above avrage
 
today shoot out at wadala blu ray recived from amazon india
movie is good audio was outstanding due to 7.1 and above all action movie
video was below gr8 but over all enjoyed lot
local marathi boy story
 
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Lockout ...... well if Olumpus has fallen was Die Hard in the White House, Lockout is Die hard in space .... :D .. but there is just one difference, Lockout for me was far better than OHF. I have never Seen Guy Pearce, in such a cool stud macho role. The pacing of the movie is fast, and for a change I actually liked the dry, sarcastic dialogues and attitude of Guy Pearce ...... CGI was to the level it was needed. Action is good, and to top it all we have a teene, meene twist at the end as well making it a decent weekend entertainer ...... 6.8/10
 
Watch Alive.Unbelievable True story of survival !

Alive (1993) - IMDb

Uruguayan rugby team stranded in the snow swept Andes are forced to use desperate measures to survive after a plane crash.
 

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Anatomy of a Murder [1959]

Anatomy of a Murder (1959) - IMDb


A very good Crime/Drama movie about a courtroom drama. Story is good, but very long. Good cinematography and some good dialogs. Good performance by the lead characters. Worth a watch.


Collateral [2004]

Collateral (2004) - IMDb


Another very good Crime/Drama movie. Good story, nice cinematography. Tom Cruise was good. Good watch overall.





Cheers.
 
Re: The Movie I Liked

Watched 'Now You See Me'
Really enjoyed it. Good story, well acted, fast paced. And yeah the twist in the end I saw it coming within first 20 mins of the movie?
Rating- 9/10
 
Watched Madras Cafe today in theater.

For me, this is the best movie of the year and a milestone for the Bollywood industry which is suffering malnutrition due to lack of good ideas, stories and scripts.

The film is based on a very sensitive subject on Lankan Tamils. But movie doesn't take any sides, but it just shows an Indian perspective to avoid any anti-national threat.
After long time, a Bollywood movie comes without any songs. That's a big step itself for the director.
Shoojit Sircar who made 'Vicky Donor' comes up with a no nonsense political thriller this time. First half covers RAW's operation to control a civil war in Jaffna and second half is completely based on the assassination of an Indian leader.

Movie is a fiction, but story is well versed with the facts and authenticity of the time period and every instance that occur in the movie.
All the actors have done well in the movie, including those who hardly have any dialogues in the movie. Intense plot with great acting and no unnecessary shouting which generally happens with actors in Bollywood movies.

This movie really deserves an applause.
If you really wanna expect good movies from Bollywood; Go visit 'Madras Cafe' and make it earn 300 Cr. so that we don't get to see shitty movies like Rowdy Rathore, Chennai Express, Himmatwala etc.! (I haven't watched any of them, it's just my friends who are still regretting)
 
For excellent sound that won't break the bank, the 5 Star Award Winning Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 Bookshelf Speakers is the one to consider!
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