The Movies I Liked

[venkatcr]

Saw Defiance directed by Edward Zwick. Edward has directed beauties such as the Last Samurai and Blood Diamond. But I think he made a mistake in choosing Daniel Craig to play the role of Tuvia Bielski. Except for keeping a stiff face and expecting 'M' to give him new orders and a renewed license to kill, Daniel does not even attempt to act in this movies. The movie has a very good theme. The director and writer have also crafted some classic scenes and some really excellent dialogues, all of which Daniel delivers with a deadpan face. In one scene when the Jewish group he is protecting against the Germans, runs out of food, Tuvia is forced to shoot his own horse for food. The camera moves away from the scene, most probably because Daniel could not even express the anguish on his face. The only scenes he does well is when he is afflicted with some fever and cold.

Or am I too used to seeing Daniel Craig only as Bond? Am I expecting him to start shooting and the British Navy and Army to come charging in to support him? Am I too brain washed?

Liev Schreiber and Jamie Bell who act as Tuvia's brothers Zus and Asael Bielski easily overshadow Daniel all the time.

In spite of Daniel's lack of acting, a good movie to watch with some really touching scenes. It is difficult to understand how we human beings can be so cruel to each other.

Cheers

 

[bhaskie]

Saw Defiance directed by Edward Zwick. Edward has directed beauties such as the Last Samurai and Blood Diamond. But I think he made a mistake in choosing Daniel Craig to play the role of Tuvia Bielski. Except for keeping a stiff face and expecting 'M' to give him new orders and a renewed license to kill, Daniel does not even attempt to act in this movies. The movie has a very good theme. The director and writer have also crafted some classic scenes and some really excellent dialogues, all of which Daniel delivers with a deadpan face. In one scene when the Jewish group he is protecting against the Germans, runs out of food, Tuvia is forced to shoot his own horse for food. The camera moves away from the scene, most probably because Daniel could not even express the anguish on his face. The only scenes he does well is when he is afflicted with some fever and cold.

Or am I too used to seeing Daniel Craig only as Bond? Am I expecting him to start shooting and the British Navy and Army to come charging in to support him? Am I too brain washed?

Liev Schreiber and Jamie Bell who act as Tuvia's brothers Zus and Asael Bielski easily overshadow Daniel all the time.

In spite of Daniel's lack of acting, a good movie to watch with some really touching scenes. It is difficult to understand how we human beings can be so cruel to each other.

Cheers

Daniel Craig was a misfit in Defiance. Liev Schreiber's performance was way better. The movie was overall not "involving" - some of the scenes were very good and some were very average.

Some of things I didn't like:
Talking in english instead of yiddish/belarussian throughout the movie.
The actresses talking in a very western english accent at times.
Daniel Craig - could have used Liev as Tuvia

 

[subhash]

Saw Defiance directed by Edward Zwick. Edward has directed beauties such as the Last Samurai and Blood Diamond. But I think he made a mistake in choosing Daniel Craig to play the role of Tuvia Bielski. Except for keeping a stiff face and expecting 'M' to give him new orders and a renewed license to kill, Daniel does not even attempt to act in this movies. The movie has a very good theme. The director and writer have also crafted some classic scenes and some really excellent dialogues, all of which Daniel delivers with a deadpan face. In one scene when the Jewish group he is protecting against the Germans, runs out of food, Tuvia is forced to shoot his own horse for food. The camera moves away from the scene, most probably because Daniel could not even express the anguish on his face. The only scenes he does well is when he is afflicted with some fever and cold.

Or am I too used to seeing Daniel Craig only as Bond? Am I expecting him to start shooting and the British Navy and Army to come charging in to support him? Am I too brain washed?

Liev Schreiber and Jamie Bell who act as Tuvia's brothers Zus and Asael Bielski easily overshadow Daniel all the time.

In spite of Daniel's lack of acting, a good movie to watch with some really touching scenes. It is difficult to understand how we human beings can be so cruel to each other.

Cheers

hi venkat ,where did you source this disc from ,as this is a very new movie . if it was one of the pirated stuff was the picture/sound quality good enough?

 

[vinay]

Reservoir Dogs

Four perfect killers. One perfect crime.

The story is about strangers assembled to pull of the perfect crime. Then their simple robbery explodes into a bloody an ambush, and the ruthless killers realizing one of them is a police informer. Sanjay Gupta's, Kaante, was copied from this movie, and now part 2 is being explored for Kaante.

Vinay.

Amazing Fact: The most destructive disease is malaria. More than 1.5 million people die from malaria every year.

 

[venkatcr]

hi venkat ,where did you source this disc from ,as this is a very new movie . if it was one of the pirated stuff was the picture/sound quality good enough?

I have a movie rental shop nearby who gives me new movies. He knows I am finicky about quality and gives me the DVDs only if they are good. Otherwise I just return the DVD and not pay him at all.

The Defiance had good quality of both sound and picture. Most of these movies I see scaled to just 720P.

Cheers

 

[vint]

Reservoir Dogs

Four perfect killers. One perfect crime.

The story is about strangers assembled to pull of the perfect crime. Then their simple robbery explodes into a bloody an ambush, and the ruthless killers realizing one of them is a police informer. Sanjay Gupta's, Kaante, was copied from this movie, and now part 2 is being explored for Kaante.

Vinay.

Amazing Fact: The most destructive disease is malaria. More than 1.5 million people die from malaria every year.

Four perfect killers ? Reservoir Dogs ? You sure ? Here are the characters:

Mr. Blonde (Michael Madsen), Mr. Blue (Eddie Bunker), Mr. Brown (Quentin Tarantino), Mr. Orange (Tim Roth), Mr. Pink (Steve Buscemi), Mr. White (Harvey Keitel), Joe Cabot (Lawrence Tierney), and his son, "Nice Guy" Eddie (Chris Penn).

Definitely not four Or maybe you were speaking about kaante !

 

[vinay]

RUNAWAY JURY - Thriller

Cusack Hackman, Hoffman Weisz

The story is about the widow of a gun massacre victim sues the gun's manufacturer. With millions of dollars in the balance, an unscrupulous jury consultant does not spare any expense to ensure that the jury remains sympathetic to his client. Tension mounts as it comes to light that the jury is being manipulated by one of its own. This is a case where those involved will do just about anything to win.

Vint, Indeed there were more characters in the movie but the director of the movie has expressed more about the perfect 4 killers, please see the original cover of the DVD, which is self explanatory. Thanks.

Vinay.

Amazing Fact: A mile on the ocean and a mile on land are not the same distance. On the ocean, a nautical mile measures 6,080 feet. A land or statue mile is 5,280 feet.

 

[moserw]

RUNAWAY JURY - Thriller

Cusack Hackman, Hoffman Weisz

The story is about the widow of a gun massacre victim sues the gun's manufacturer. With millions of dollars in the balance, an unscrupulous jury consultant does not spare any expense to ensure that the jury remains sympathetic to his client. Tension mounts as it comes to light that the jury is being manipulated by one of its own. This is a case where those involved will do just about anything to win.

Vint, Indeed there were more characters in the movie but the director of the movie has expressed more about the perfect 4 killers, please see the original cover of the DVD, which is self explanatory. Thanks.

Vinay.

Amazing Fact: A mile on the ocean and a mile on land are not the same distance. On the ocean, a nautical mile measures 6,080 feet. A land or statue mile is 5,280 feet.

Really did not like this one. Found the book to be much better...

 

[Eddy]

Found the book to be much better...

Which is the case 95% of the times.

 

[vint]

Really did not like this one. Found the book to be much better...

Is that a John Grisham novel ?

 

[moserw]

Is that a John Grisham novel ?

Yup and quite different and better from the movie. The bad guys were tobacco corporations in the book, but changed to gun manufacturers in the movie. Guess Hollywood too like Bollywood wants its heroes to smoke a cigarette/cigar in the movies.

Note, nothing personal against smokers. I used to be one before before I kicked butt.

 

[vinay]

Black Friday

The movie is based on '93 Mumbai Blasts. It was released around a year or two ago.

Moserw & Eddy, I wish i could also get into the habit of book reading. Thanks.

Vinay.

Amazing Fact: The fastest swimmer is probably the Gentoo Penguin at 27 kms per hour.

 

[moserw]

After nearly 3 weeks or so I finally got around to watching a couple of movies on the DVDP. They are -

Slumdog Millionaire - I did not really like it. Too much realism for me.

Fearless AKA Huo Yuan Jia - I had missed this one when it released so finally managed to catch up on it. Jet Li is perfect as the fighter who wants to be best in the world till personal tragedy teaches him otherwise. Amazing action, choreography and stunning visuals. Needless to say I enjoyed it immensely. Only hitch it was in Mandarin with English subtitles, but still enjoyable fare.

 

[subhash]

hi, was in hydbad for a couple of days -----got a chance to watch ARUNDATHI (telugu) was really impressed ,though a scene was copied from the chinese movie-HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS , i still felt it was a very well made movie ,very gripping from start to finish----FANTASTIC SPECIAL EFFECTS make it a MUST WATCH---------hats off to the team who made this movie

 

[moserw]

hi, was in hydbad for a couple of days -----got a chance to watch ARUNDATHI (telugu) was really impressed ,though a scene was copied from the chinese movie-HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS , i still felt it was a very well made movie ,very gripping from start to finish----FANTASTIC SPECIAL EFFECTS make it a MUST WATCH---------hats off to the team who made this movie

Yup, the movie is making waves here especially for its FX. I heard its scary too. Have not gotten around to watching it myself but planning to visit the newly opened Cinemax for this very movie. It seems they are offering seating similar to a recliner in this theater.

 

[subhash]

Yup, the movie is making waves here especially for its FX. I heard its scary too. Have not gotten around to watching it myself but planning to visit the newly opened Cinemax for this very movie. It seems they are offering seating similar to a recliner in this theater.

GREAT !! you are going to enjoy every bit of it-----100% entertainment garunteed

 

[venkatcr]

Some new movies that I am looking forward to in 2009.

1. Terminator Salvation with Christian Bale acting as John Connor.
2. Transformers - Revenge of the Fallen
3. The Watchman - another movie based on a comic strip.
4. X-Men Origins:Wolverine. This a prequel story of Wolverine. Should be very interesting.
5. Avatar. This is a new movie by James Cameron filmed in 3D.
6. Ice Age - Dawn of the Dinosaurs

Is there any other interesting movie coming our way?

Cheers

 

[moserw]

Some new movies that I am looking forward to in 2009.

1. Terminator Salvation with Christian Bale acting as John Connor.
2. Transformers - Revenge of the Fallen
3. The Watchman - another movie based on a comic strip.
4. X-Men Origins:Wolverine. This a prequel story of Wolverine. Should be very interesting.
5. Avatar. This is a new movie by James Cameron filmed in 3D.
6. Ice Age - Dawn of the Dinosaurs

Is there any other interesting movie coming our way?

Cheers

All good ones, but one more that I am sure is awaited eagerly is J. J. Abrams' Star Trek.

 

[venkatcr]

All good ones, but one more that I am sure is awaited eagerly is J. J. Abrams' Star Trek.

Thank you Moser. I am an unashamed Star Trek fanatic. I just used to love every episode however kiddish they were. William Shatner, Leonard McCoy, James Doohan, and DeForest Kelly were my everyday heroes. I was a little disappointed when a new star cast were selected, but I quickly started liking Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean-Luc Picard, Jonathan Frakes as Commander / Captain William T. Riker, Brent Spiner as Lt. Commander Data / B-4, LeVar Burton as Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge, and Michael Dorn as Lt. Commander Worf. The repartees that these people had amongst each other and the way they used to tease each other was phenomenal. Gates McFadden as Dr. Beverly Crusher was equally charming with her undying love for Capt Picard, and at the same time, her need to deliver her duties without any question. I also found Marina Sirtis as Counselor Deanna Troi to be extremely beautiful, and I must say I was surprised when she was paired with Capt. Riker instead of Picard. I always thought she had a crush on Picard. And who can forget Brent's acting. He played the role of Commander Data to the T constantly confused by human emotions and trying not to show it on his face. Simply splendid.

These actors had created a family that we all could participate in. You could literally anticipate the reactions of each of these actors to a scene or incident. I could see the anguish on the faces of Beverly Crusher or Deanne Troi whenever they heard some harm had come to Picard. Why that, every time, Picard and his team would beam to an unknown planet, I would eagerly wait with the crew on board for these people to return unharmed. Every time a shot was fired at Starship Entreprise, I would eagerly wait for it to be repaired and be back in action. That was the extent of involvement that these actors would generate amongst the audience.

Unfortunately when this team was replaced, I did see a couple of episodes with new actors and completely lost interest. That close knit families that William Shatner and Patrick Stewart had created were gone. The actors had become too professional in their roles. Or the roles had become too professional. I just could not relate to anyone.

It is interesting that they are creating new Captain James T. Kirk, Spock, Scotty (Beam me up Scotty), Dr. Bones McCoy, and even Lt. Hikaru. If these guys are half as good as the original actors, and the series is repeated with these new actors, Star Trek will be alive again !! And in full 1080P HD.

Wow !! What Joy if that happens !! 2009 promises to be good year.

Cheers

 

[vinay]

CLOSER - Romance

Aspect Ratio 4 X 3 - Full Screen

* Julia Roberts, Jude Law

A witty, romantic, and very dangerous love story, instant attractions, and casual betrayals.

Vinay.

Amazing Fact: Most lipsticks contain fish scales.