Wednesday, 29 February 2012

Delhi in History:Sketches

My Blog crosses 3000 Viewers in single month of February

Thank you Netizens for your visits and precious comments and sharing your experiences.And thank you for making my blog a stupendous success.

Tere Naal Love Ho Gaya (2012) Review

Its a very funny nice movie shot in villages and some beautiful hill-stations,songs too are all good.Its a well written comedy and Genelia D'Souza's personal charm elevates it a lot.A good movie you can go and spend your money on.

Jodi Breakers (2012) Review

Its a nice classy movie and a visual treat.After a long time a movie that has been shot beautifully,be it the magnificent locales of Greece or the gorgeous,well designed costumes seen throughout the movie worn by equally beautiful leading lady.And besides all this every song is good too.Its a well written well-crafted movie a must-see.About Helen though she is always endearing her voice has turned squeaky with age and is quite odd.Madhavan too is not as fit as he was in 3Idiots.Milind Soman still looks charming with a hair style similar to Tintin.Director Ashwini Chaudhary does a good job here.

Monday, 27 February 2012

Meryl Streep Record 17 nomination and 3 rd Oscar win for The Iron Lady

Considered by many movie reviewers to be the greatest living film actress, Meryl Streep has been nominated for the Academy Award an astonishing 17 times, and has won it twice. Born Mary Louise Streep in 1949 in Summit, New Jersey, Meryl's early performing ambitions leaned toward the opera. She became interested in acting while a student at Vassar and upon graduation she enrolled in the Yale School of Drama. She gave an outstanding performance in her first film role, Julia (1977), and the next year she was nominated for her first Oscar for her role in The Deer Hunter (1978). She went on to win the Academy Award for her performances in Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) and Sophie's Choice (1982), in which she gave a heart-wrenching portrayal of an inmate mother in a Nazi death camp.

A perfectionist in her craft and meticulous and painstaking in her preparation for her roles, Meryl turned out a string of highly acclaimed performances over the next 10 years in great films like Silkwood (1983); Out of Africa (1985); Ironweed (1987); and A Cry in the Dark (1988). Her career declined slightly in the early 1990s as a result of her inability to find suitable parts, but she shot back to the top in 1995 with her performance as Clint Eastwood's married lover in The Bridges of Madison County (1995) and as the prodigal daughter in Marvin's Room (1996). In 1998 she made her first venture into the area of producing, and was the executive producer for the moving ...First Do No Harm (1997) (TV). A realist when she talks about her future years in film, she remarked that "...no matter what happens, my work will stand..."

Meryl Streep wins best actress Oscar for ‘Iron Lady’

ASSOCIATED PRESS February 26, 2012 3:14PM

Meryl Streep arrives before the 84th Academy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles)

Updated: February 26, 2012 10:30PM

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Meryl Streep won the Academy Award for best actress for her role in “The Iron Lady.”

Jean Dujardin has earned the best-actor Academy Award for “The Artist,” becoming the only performer to win an Oscar for a silent-film role since the first year of the awards 83 years ago.

Dujardin became the first Frenchman to win an acting Oscar. French actresses have won before, including Marion Cotillard and Juliette Binoche.

The film’s creator, Michel Hazanavicius, won the directing Oscar. Claiming Hollywood’s top-filmmaking honor Sunday completes Hazanavicius’ sudden rise from popular movie-maker back home in France to internationally celebrated director.

The supporting-actor prize Sunday went to “Beginners” co-star Christopher Plummer, who became the oldest acting winner ever at 82. Veteran bit player Octavia Spencer earned the supporting-actress prize for her breakout role in “The Help.”

Hazanavicius had come in as the favorite after winning at the Directors Guild of America Awards, whose recipient almost always goes on to claim the Oscar.

But his win remained uncertain given the lineup of established filmmakers he was up against: past winners and nominees Martin Scorsese, Woody Allen, Terrence Malick and Alexander Payne.

When Plummer accepted his best supporting actor award, he stared at the statuette before remarking on how great it looked.

“You’re only two years older than me darling, where have you been all of my life?” Plummer asked.

At birth, he joked, “I was already rehearsing my academy acceptance speech, but it was so long ago mercifully for you I’ve forgotten it.”

The humor and heartfelt one he delivered Sunday night wasn’t that original version, he said, but, “I haven’t forgotten who to thank.”

Plummer has enjoyed a vibrant career that has included his first two Oscar nominations in the past three years. Wearing a navy velvet tuxedo, Plummer thanked fellow nominees, co-stars and his wife, who he said “deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for coming to my rescue every day of my life.”

Plummer won for his role in “Beginners” as Hal Fields, a museum director who becomes openly gay after his wife of 44 years dies. His loving, final relationship becomes an inspiration for his son, who struggles with his father’s death and how to find intimacy in a new relationship.

Over more than 50 years in the industry, Plummer has enjoyed varied roles ranging from Captain Von Trapp in the “The Sound of Music” to the voice of the villain in 2009’s “Up.” He was nominated for his portrayal of Leo Tolstoy in “The Last Station” three years ago.

Plummer beat out fellow nominees Kenneth Branagh, Jonah Hill, Nick Nolte and fellow octogenarian Max von Sydow.

He displaces George Burns, who in 1976 was the oldest nominee to win a supporting actor Oscar at age 80. Jessica Tandy, who won for “Driving Miss Daisy” was the oldest winner before Sunday’s show.

Plummer’s age was a joke for host Billy Crystal, who told the audience, “He may be walking up on stage tonight because apparently he wanders off.”

In the end, Plummer did end up onstage and it wasn’t a mistake at all. The audience showered him with applause and Plummer’s lifelong dream was fulfilled.

Spencer’s Oscar triumph came for her role as a headstrong black maid whose willful ways continually land her in trouble with white employers in 1960s Mississippi.

Spencer wept throughout her breathless speech, in which she apologized, between laughing and crying, for running a bit long on her time limit.

“Thank you, academy, for putting me with the hottest guy in the room,” Spencer said, referring to last year’s supporting-actor winner Christian Bale, who presented her Oscar.

Her brash character holds a personal connection: “The Help” author Kathryn Stockett based some of the woman’s traits on Spencer, whom she met through childhood pal Tate Taylor, the director of the film.

Before taking the stage, Spencer got kisses from “The Help” co-stars Viola Davis, a best-actress nominee, and Jessica Chastain, a fellow supporting nominee.

“I share this with everybody,” Spencer said.

Martin Scorsese’s Paris adventure “Hugo” won the first two prizes of the night, claiming the Oscars for cinematography and art direction.

It was a great start for Scorsese’s film, which led contenders with 11 nominations.

“Marty, you’re a genius as usual,” said “Hugo” cinematographer Robert Richardson, who won his third Oscar after previous wins for “JFK” and Scorsese’s “The Aviator.”

The wins for “Hugo” were a blow to best-picture favorite “The Artist,” which lost in both categories. “The Artist,” which ran second to “Hugo” with 10 nominations, did win the night’s third Oscar, for costume design.

The Oscars normally start with a major prize such as one of the supporting-acting categories, but this one began with an unusual flurry of technical awards. Meryl Streep’s Margaret Thatcher drama “The Iron Lady” claimed the makeup Oscar.

“Thanks, Meryl, for keeping me employed for the last 37 years. Your brilliance makes my work look good, no matter what,” said J. Roy Helland, who shared the makeup Oscar with Mark Coulier.

Oscar organizers saved the first acting trophy until nearly a quarter of the way through the 24 awards. But TV viewers had a consolation prize at the outset with the return of beloved Oscar host Billy Crystal.

Crystal got the show off to a lively start with a star-laden montage in which he hangs out with Justin Bieber and gets a nice wet kiss from George Clooney.

Back as Oscar host for the first time in eight years, Crystal also did his signature introduction of the best-picture nominees with a goofy song.

Before his monologue, Crystal appeared in a collection of clips inserting him in scenes from key nominees. The montage included re-creations from some 2011 films featuring Tom Cruise of “Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol” and Clooney’s best-picture contender “The Descendants,” with the actor planting a kiss on Crystal.

Spoofing a scene from nominee “Midnight in Paris,” Bieber told Crystal he was there to bring in the 18-to-24-year-old demographic for the 63-year-old host.

Stars such as Clooney, Brad Pitt, Meryl Streep and Jean Dujardin arrived on the red carpet to the delight of fans in the bleachers outside the theater, but comedian Sacha Baron Cohen showed up and upset the chic Hollywood tone.

Cohen arrived dressed in an over-the-top white military uniform, sunglasses and a thick beard to promote his upcoming film “The Dictator.” Holding an urn he jokingly claimed were the ashes of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il, Cohen then dumped the container onto “American Idol” host Ryan Seacrest.

Among key nominees, Dujardin has a chance to become the first Frenchman to win best actor for “The Artist,” which is favored to become the only silent movie to take the best-picture prize since the first Oscar ceremony 83 years ago.

Streep might join the acting three-peat club with a third Academy Award.

Along with Streep, Hollywood’s big night had plenty of other returning stars, with past Oscar winners and nominees such as Clooney, Pitt, Glenn Close, Michelle Williams and Nick Nolte in the running again.

Because of a change in voting rules, the Oscars feature nine best-picture nominees for the first time, instead of the 10 they had the last two years.

Competing against “The Artist” for the top honor are Clooney’s family drama “The Descendants”; the Deep South tale “The Help,” featuring best-actress nominee Davis; and Scorsese’s “Hugo.”

Also in the lineup: the romantic fantasy “Midnight in Paris,” from writer-director Woody Allen; Pitt’s baseball tale “Moneyball” and his family saga “The Tree of Life”; the World War I epic “War Horse,” directed by Steven Spielberg; and Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock’s Sept. 11 story “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close.”

Spencer had been a virtual lock for supporting actress, having dominated earlier film honors for her breakout role in “The Help” as a brash maid in 1960s Mississippi. The same holds true for Plummer, the front-runner for supporting actor for his role as an elderly widower who comes out as gay in “Beginners.”

The lead-acting categories are where the drama lies. Best actress shapes up as a two-woman race between Davis as a courageous maid leading an effort to reveal the hardships of black housekeepers’ lives in “The Help” and Streep as British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in “The Iron Lady.”

The record-holder with 17 acting nominations, Streep has won twice and would become only the fifth performer to receive three Oscars. Jack Nicholson, Ingrid Bergman and Walter Brennan all earned three, while Katharine Hepburn won four.

It’s been almost three decades since Streep last received an Oscar, for 1982’s “Sophie’s Choice.” Though she has the most acting nominations, she also has the most losses — 14. Another loss would be her 13th in a row.

Best actor also looks like a two-person contest between Clooney as the distressed patriarch of a Hawaiian clan in “The Descendants” and Dujardin as a silent-era superstar whose career tanks as talking pictures take over in “The Artist.”

It would be the second Oscar for Clooney, who won the supporting-actor prize for 2005’s “Syriana.” While French actresses have won before, among them Marion Cotillard and Juliette Binoche, Dujardin would be the first actor from France to receive an Oscar.

Dujardin was picked as best actor Saturday at the Spirit Awards honoring independent film, where “The Artist” ruled with four prizes, including best picture and director for Michel Hazanavicius, who is favored for the same trophy at the Oscars.

“The Artist” has dominated Hollywood honors this season, winning key prizes at the Golden Globes and awards shows held by the Directors, Producers and Screen Actors guilds.

“This means a lot, because it’s a small movie. It’s not expensive. We did it with small money,” Hazanavicius said backstage at the Spirit Awards. “And it’s black and white and silent.”

If “The Artist” comes away with the best-picture trophy, it would be the first win for a silent film since the war story “Wings” was named outstanding picture at the inaugural Oscars in 1929.

First Pakistani woman to win Oscar - Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy

Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy won an Oscar at 2012 Academ Awards for Saving Face (2012).She is the first Pakistani national to win an Oscar.Saving Face was nominated in Best Documentary, Short Subjects category.

Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy is an Emmy award winning documentary filmmaker. Her films include PAKISTAN’S TALIBAN GENERATION, which aired on PBS, Channel 4, CBC, SBS and Arte and was the recipient of the Alfred I Dupont Award as well as The Association for International Broadcasting award. Sharmeen has made over a dozen-multi award winning films in over 10 countries around the world and is the first non-American to be awarded the Livingston Award for best international reporting.
In 2007, Sharmeen was awarded the broadcast journalist of the year award in the UK by One World Media for her work in a series of documentary films for Channel 4, which included a film about xenophobia in South Africa THE NEW APARTHEID. Her other films have been awarded The Overseas Press Club Award, The American Women in Radio and Television Award, The Cine Golden Eagle award and the Banff Rockie Award.
Sharmeen was born and raised in Karachi, Pakistan and received a bachelors degree from Smith College and went on to complete two masters degree from Stanford University.

Obaid began her career with New York Times Television in 2002 where she produced Terror's Children, a film about Afghan refugee children, which won her the Overseas Press Club Award, the American Women and Radio and Television Award, and the South Asian Journalist Association Award.^[6] Since then, she has produced and reported on more than twelve films around the world.
Obaid produced and reported on four multi-award winning documentary films for New York Times Television. In 2003, Reinventing the Taliban was awarded the Special Jury Award at the BANFF TV festival in Canada, the CINE Golden Eagle Award, the American Women in Radio and Television award, and the Livingston Award.^[6] In 2005, her film Women of the Holy Kingdom, which provided an inside look at the women's movement in Saudi Arabia, won the South Asian Journalist Association Award.^[6]
In 2005, Obaid began working with Channel 4 in the United Kingdom reporting on four films for their Unreported World series. Pakistan's Double Game looked at sectarian violence in Pakistan, City of Guilt explored the Catholic Church's pro-life movement in the Philippines, The New Apartheid looked into growing xenophobia in South Africa, and Birth of a Nation delved into the politics of East Timor. In 2007, Obaid was named "journalist of the year" by the One World Media awards for her work in the series.
In 2007, Obaid travelled to Afghanistan and reported for Channel 4 and CNN. Her film, Afghanistan Unveiled/Lifting the Veil, focuses on stalled reconstruction and the repression of women in the country.
In 2010, she won an Emmy Award for her documentary, Pakistan: Children of the Taliban, which explores Taliban recruitment strategies, their effect on the youth and their methods to radicalize the country’s young and often dejected populace.^[2] Children of the Taliban premiered FiLums (2011) - the largest film festival in Pakistan held annually at the Lahore University of Management Sciences.

http://sharmeenobaidfilms.com/

Pakistan celebrates its first Oscar nod

Posted on 02.24.12

NBC’s Pakistan chief correspondent Amna Nawaz reports on the significance of the first Academy Award nod for Pakistan, for Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s “Saving Face.”
>>> are just three days away and stars like brad pitt and george clooney aren’t the only ones preparing for the big night . so is pakistan ‘s first-ever oscar -nominated filmmaker. nbc has the story. it’s a great story.
>> it is, her name is sharmine chenoy, her film called ” saving face ” an hbo documentary could win pakistan its first-ever oscar . as she says, it’s the stuff that dreams are made of.
>> i fell in love the first time we put the cameras on. it was because i could see the colors, the textures, the language. the beauty and the heartache could just transcend all barriers.
>> for filmmaker sharmaine, it was a love discovered while studying and working in the u.s. one which led her home to pakistan . you were doing the same work in the states, why come back after being gone for more than a decade?
>> because people like myself, we need to come back to pakistan and we need to give back to the country. because if all the educated people leave this country, then what’s going to become of it?
>> the 33-year-old has since devoted the last decade to documenting the lives of pakistan ‘s most vulnerable. shaping and sharing their stories with the rest of the world on a mission for hope.
>> i can see that we can solve these problems. that’s the hardest part. knowing that we can overcome them and not being able to, because of the society we live in.
>> in the last few years, there’s been enormous growth in the pakistani news media. the same, however, cannot be said for documentary filmmaking here. which means there are very few people taking an in-depth look at some of the tough issues that face this country. she broke barriers with her 2008 film. investigating the recruitment of child suicide bombers . the film earned her a prestigious emmy award .
>> the win, however, was bittersweet. on the same day that she landed in new york to accept the reward, back home in karachi, her ailing father suddenly died.
>> the most incredible part of that was that the day before he passed away , i spoke to him and he said, i saw you, you won the emmy. and i said, no, it’s tomorrow. i haven’t gone yet. and he said, no, i know you won it.
>> now, four years later, she is poised to make history with her latest work. an oscar -nominated documentary chronicling the journey of acid attack victims in pakistan and the doctor working to help them. speaking foreign language ]
>> co-directed with a film maker, the film will debut on hbo on march 8 and a win at this year’s academy award would bring pakistan its first-ever oscar . a milestone that hasn’t gone unnoticed by the nation’s press and population.
>> the oscar is the award. not just another award. i think for me, it’s become even bigger now. that i see the hope in the eyes of so many different pakistanis.
>> and it’s that hope, she says, that keeps her going. focus on the trend she wants to see for the next generation, including her daughter, amelia.
>> i think about the issues that i need to bring forward. so that her life will be different. you know, ten, 15 years from now when she’s growing up and i hope that there’s so many more stories to tell.
>> she says that she hopes she can make pakistan proud by bringing home an oscar . but regardless of what the sunday brings, win or lose , it is her commitment to highlighting the tough issues in her country that’s already caught the attention of the world. carl?
>> great story, thank you.

By Katharine Relth

Meet the Oscar Nominated Filmmakers: Daniel Junge and Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy--'Saving Face'

Posted: February 20, 2012 View Profile Login to Comment

Over the next few weeks, we at IDA will be introducing our community to the films that have been honored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences with an Oscar® nomination. You can see Saving Face at DocuDay LA on Saturday, February 25 at the Writers Guild of America Theater, with filmmakers Daniel Junge, Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy and Davis Coombe and subject Dr. Jawad in person.
Synopsis: Every year in Pakistan, at least 100 people are victimized by brutal acid attacks. The majority of these are women, and many more cases go unreported. With little or no access to reconstructive surgery, survivors are physically and emotionally scarred, while many reported assailants - typically a husband or someone close to the victim - are let go with minimal punishment from the state.
Saving Face tells the stories of two acid-attack survivors: Zakia and Rukhsana, their arduous attempts to bring their assailants to justice, and the charitable work of London-based, Pakistani-born plastic surgeon Dr. Mohammad Jawad, who strives to help these women put this horrific act behind them and move on with their lives. Saving Face also highlights the efforts of the women across Pakistani society that are making efforts to help this vexing issue and the changes that occur from their efforts. Directed by Oscar® and Emmy®-nominated filmmaker Daniel Junge and Emmy®-winning Pakistani director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, Saving Face is an intimate look inside Pakistani society, illuminating each women's personal journey while showing how reformers are tackling this vexing problem.

International Documentary Association: How did you get started in documentary filmmaking?
Daniel Junge: I got the documentary bug learning from George Stoney at NYU, but worked in the narrative film industry for a number of years before gravitating to London where I started doing documentary work. From there I researched and organized my first feature documentary in my home state of Wyoming.
Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy: I began my career as an investigative print journalist in my hometown, Karachi. I continued to write for local publications in the US and Canada during my undergraduate career at Smith College. During my time at Smith, the tragic events of September 11th took place, and I recognized that journalists who were familiar with the region needed to report out of Afghanistan and Pakistan as they recognized the political and cultural contexts of the two nations. I then chose to transition to film as I felt it was a visceral medium that promoted audience engagement and dialogue.

Zakia (L) and Dr. Mohammad Jawad (R) Saving Face. Photo taken by Asad Faruqi / HBO

IDA: When were you first made aware of the increase in acid burnings in Pakistan?
SOC: Currently, there are over a hundred cases of acid violence reported in Pakistan annually. It is estimated that the real figures are much higher. Although I had always been aware of the fact that acid assaults existed in Pakistan, I had not had the opportunity to meet with survivors or engage with relevant organizations. When Daniel spoke with me about the initial concept behind Saving Face, I was immediately struck by the urgency of this situation, and felt compelled to do my part in not only projecting the issue but also giving due credit to those who were effectively working against it. Saving Face is meant to serve as an educational tool that prompts communities to recognize the prevalence of acid violence and foster communication on this issue.

IDA: How did you find the plastic surgeon that was doing this reconstructive work for women victims?

DJ: I heard Dr. Jawad on BBC Radio discussing his patient Katie Piper, the aspiring model attacked by acid in London. When I heard his name, I called him up out of the blue and asked if he knew about the incidence of acid attacks in South Asia and the Muslim world, to which he replied, "Know about it? I'm working with them in my home country of Pakistan." The adventure began.

IDA: How did your vision change over the course of the filmmaking process?

DJ: We always knew Dr. Jawad would be the center of the film and a vehicle to tell the stories of different survivors. But we were really struck by two of the women's stories and their courage in opening up to our cameras. They, in essence, are the heroes of the film and Dr. Jawad became the connective fiber for their stories.

Saving Face: Rukhsana. Photo Credit: Photo taken by Asad Faruqi/ HBO

IDA: What were some of the obstacles that you encountered when making this film?

SOC: A vast majority of acid violence cases are found in the Seraiki belt, a cotton-growing region that has some of the highest levels of poverty and lowest levels of education in all of Pakistan. Acid is widely available there as it is used in cotton fields. These factors, coupled with cultures that condone violence against women, have contributed to the underreported nature of acid violence.

As a film crew, we were initially met with skepticism in local communities, and we struggled to battle against the mindset that existed there. However, once we settled into the towns and made connections we did not face any further obstacles.

As a director, I had to train myself to not get overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of injustice and violence found in the narratives behind Saving Face. It is one thing to hear about acid violence or read an article about it, and another to spend long periods of time with survivors as they slowly rebuild their lives. Zakia and Rukhsana's determination was contagious; I was incredibly inspired by their stories and am honored to have the opportunity to share their stories with a wider audience.
IDA: As you've screened this film, how have audiences reacted? What has been most surprising or unexpected about their reaction?

DJ: We have yet to see it front of a live audience. We raced to qualify the film for the Oscars this year and were not able to attend the qualifying screenings. We now have a number of global screenings and our HBO broadcast, so we're really looking forward to seeing how audiences react.

IDA: What documentaries or documentary filmmakers have served as inspiration for you?

SOC: I deeply admire James Longley's film Iraq In Fragments. Shot, directed and edited beautifully, this film tells the story of Iraq during the conflict in a unique and awe inspiring manner. It humanizes a conflict by telling an alternative story than the one that we have grown used to; one in which things are more complex than the basic good guy bad guy binary. I was impressed by the honesty and integrity in the film, and was inspired by the treatment of the Iraq war in it.

Saving Face is screening at DocuDay LA at the Writers Guild of America Theater and at DocuDay NY at the Paley Center for Media as part of IDA's program of 2012 Oscar®-nominated films.

Tags: academy awards

Sunday, 26 February 2012

Remembering Raj Kanwar The Director and his Romantic Musical Films

Raj Kanwar (1961–2012)

Few of my most favourite movies are directed by him.Especially the ones I grew up watching in the 90's.His directorial Debut "Deewana" is a modern classic of sorts,which gave Shahrukh his first major hit.It also starred Divya Bharti at her prime she had just given a major hit in "Shola Aur Shabnam" in 1992,next year in 1993 after this movie was released she died tragically.Many people do mention that while they were watching song "Aisi Deewangi Dekhi nahin Kahin" which was number 1 at the music charts and was coming in Superhit Muqabla on Doordarshan they heard of her sad news.Rishi Kapoor her co-star from the movie had rushed to the hospital only to be told of her passing away.Incidentally that year Shahrukh's "Baazigar" had a most shocking ever scene in Indian film history where a Hero throws away his girlfriend from the roof after she says she love him so much that she can die for him.Deewana was a really romantic film which had gems of songs composed by Nadeem-Shravan with beautiful lyrics by Sameer.

"Jeet" (1996) is another of his modern day classic.It was landmark film for its all three actors especially for Karishma Kapoor who was in a role very different from all her previous films,it was just before the makeover she went through in "Raja Hindustani".For Lucknow its known for some infamous shooting incident in Shubham Theater where Manager had to fire to control unruly crowds,it was much before the Multiplex eraand people fought to get tickets.After this incident movie was shifted to Novelty Theater.Again this had music by Nadeem-Shravan & lyrics by Sameer and the movie had several memorable songs.If you hear the songs you know they were recorded in a different way,they sounded quite different from the usual movie songs.The movie was very melodramatic very emotional,hard hitting and heart tugging,it was shot beautifully at lovely locales plus it had great action scenes of Sunny Deol and it went on to become an instant hit.

"Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega" (2000) was inspired from "While You were Sleeping" (1995) though I have never seen the movie from end to end but I really love to hear and see its songs.My favourite song "Aate Jaate Jo Milta Hai Tumsa Lagta Hai" is from this movie.It had beautiful Preity Zinta in a Scottish gown at here charming best.Her dress is really lovely and in this whole movie dresses of both leading ladies were quite exquisite.Music by Anu Malik was quite youthful and romantic,and I love most of the songs from this movie.

Andaaz (2003) was not much publicized I never knew when it was released that it had such great songs and that I would love it so much.It was screened at Anand Theater in Kaiserbagh which has now closed down.It was a decent hit and movie ran for several weeks.Akshaya Kumar has never given a better heart felt performance in a romantic role.Songs pictured on him are filled with breezy spring romance which make this one of my best loved romantic movie of all times.Aman Verma is in a nice role as Lara Dutta's love interest and later Husband.Vivek Shaq who died tragically last year is in a nice comedy role.It was the Bollywood debut of Priyanka Chopra.

Humko Deewana Kar Gaye (2006) is not a flawless movie but still its a matured love story where both lead character understand each other well and no melodrama or silly tantrums here.When I saw it in PVR Saharaganj I couldn't help noticing exquisite jewellery worn by the cast,how each minute detail had been taken care of.Katrina Kaif and Akshaya Kumar both give memorable performances.Though I had little liking for Himesh Reshamiya's singing from this movie I began to somewhat like few of his songs.Though the title track by Sonu Nigam I love better,its a well crafted song visually and is my favourite song from this movie.

His last movie Sadiyaan (2010) marked the debut of Shatrughan Sinha's son Luv Sinha.

Below are some other of My Favourite Songs from Movies directed by Raj Kanwar.

Deewana (1992)

Laadla (1994)

Itihaas (1997)

Judaai (1997) which my brother Ravi saw at Leela Cinema is a very entertaining adaptation of a South hit.It was a highly successful and people still see it when ever its on any channel.It has this strange story where a wife sells of her husband to a rich woman for she is tired of her middle class life and wants all kinds of luxury for herself.Its very funny,very dramatic and higly emotional.Paresh Rawal and Kader Khan are in really funny roles and Johnny Lever foolishly marries a girl who just says "Appa Chappa Chappa" all the time.

Arnold Schwarzenegger's India Visit 2012

Moneyball (2011) Review

Its a really talkie movie literally.Better viewed on DVD with subtitles.Though the film is not very exciting but personal charm of Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill pull it through.In fact Jonah Hill and Brad Pitt's interactions are the most interesting and many times funny part of this movie.Its a well written movie demanding wholesome attention of the viewer to understand the story also essential is a basic knowledge of Baseball the game on which its based.Moneyball 's ending is, predictably, more ambiguous. The film closes with Beane in the car, listening to a song his daughter wrote for him. It's a sweet, upbeat tune—but as the scene fades to black, we hear the song's final lines: "You're a loser, dad, you're such a loser, dad." On one level, this last verse is just a precocious little girl teasing her father. It's cute. On another level, though, the words cut uncomfortably close to the truth. Beane is a loser, at least by his own definition. Remember: "If you lose the last game of the season, no one gives a shit."

The concept of this movie did reminded me of "Lagaan".

Its nominated in 6 categories in Academy Awards 2012.

The film centers around the Oakland A's in the early 2000's and it's controversial General Manager, Billy Beane, skillfully played by Brad Pitt. The premise is the real story of how, with an extremely small budget for a professional sports team, he managed to win a surprising number of games, including setting an all-time major league record of 20 consecutive wins. The method used by Beane was not of his invention, having already been around in theory and known as "sabermetrics". The crafting of the team into that form is credited to have been begun by Beane's predecessor, Sandy Alderson. Beane himself was thrust to the forefront as the focus of a successful 2003 best-selling book "Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game"; which ultimately led to this film. It can be watched purely as an entertaining account of modern baseball history - how player statistics became one of the most important factors determining financial success in modern baseball.

Moneyball tells the story of the 2002 season of the Oakland Athletics, a team that rose to notoriety because of its low payroll and unorthodox player selection. Billy Beane (Brad Pitt), a former player turned general manage, grows tired with the ancient, inefficient ways of the game he has committed his entire life to. When a transaction goes awry he stumbles across Peter Brand (Jonah Hill), a Yale, economics graduate who believes he has a system to rating players based on numbers.

Billy and Peter begin trading, signing, and grooming the team based on data, not scouting, something that other members of the team are not fond of, including Art Howe (Philip Seymour Hoffman), the team's manager. Billy and Peter's system defies current baseball logic, but when the club starts to win games with players like Scott Hatteberg (Chris Pratt), David Justice (Stephen Bishop), and Chad Bradford (Casey Bond), the eyes of the country turn to Oakland, where only seeing is believing.

What happened in Oakland back in '02 was incredible. It shouldn't have happened if you ask the right people, and other people will tell you it means nothing. Well, it did mean something it has changed the way people think about the game for good. You couldn't just go out and look at a kid to see if he would be a star or not. There were more stats to consider than home runs, strikeouts, and batting average. The game was expanding and becoming more and more a battle of logic.

The film's structure is centered mostly on Billy Beane, but the most exciting parts for me were about the system. Writer Aaron Sorkin, who a few months back accepted a slew of awards for his screenplay The Social Network, tosses out jargon that baseball fanatics go crazy for. For the general audience, that's where Billy helps out. Peter explains the system and has to break it down more for Beane (i.e. the audience) so everybody on screen and in the seats is on the same page.

Four Daughters (1938) Review

Its DVD is on Warner Archive which has no special features or even subtitles.This film is in Glorious Sparkling Black & White.Print on the DVD is fabulous and the innocence,purity and the Angelic quality of the movie just gets through.Music by Max Steiner is wonderful,sentimental and elevating.

Its about four sisters and their romances and coming of age.First scene in itself creates the magical aura of bygone era of simpler times and peasant memories.As the camera sweeps into the Courtyard of their house focusing on the shady tree,clean swept lane and lush lawn fenced with a swinging wooden gate on which the youngest sister loves to swing.And on the swing she falls in love too.Then we are taken inside the house into their lively household where the musician father teaches his daughters music.

Michael Curtiz deftly directs this simple heart touching movie.John Garfield whom the youngest daughter played by Priscilla Lane marry has this sequence where he is miserable about his finances and he drives himself to suicide.This was John Garfield's first film and he won an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of sardonic, quick talking Mickey Borden,this role made him an instant star. May Robson is really nice and funny as their spinster Aunt Etta.The picnic scene in the movie is delightful.This movie was nominated for 5 Oscars including Best Picture.

The movie also stars Claude Rains as widowed Adam Lemp and the Lane sisters, Lola, Rosemary, and Priscilla, and Gale Page as his spirited daughters.Its definitive scene takes place in the Lemps' living room. Cigarette hanging from his lips, Borden is playing one of his own compositions. Priscilla Lane's Ann Lemp tells him the piece is beautiful. But he says, "It stinks." He continues: "It hasn't got a beginning or an end, only a middle." Ann urges him to create a beginning and an end. Borden replies, "What for? The fates are against me. They tossed a coin--heads I'm poor, tails I'm rich. But they tossed a two-headed coin." Audiences loved the way Garfield, in his tough city voice, said It stinks. That scene created Garfield's screen persona as the eternal outsider. Four Daughters is a slice of Americana with Garfield, in a compelling performance, supplying more than a hint of darkness.

Friday, 24 February 2012

The Artist (2011) Review

Last few films that I watched recently have generally disappointed me.So this was a refreshing change,its exquisitely beautiful in smooth Black and White.Every minute detail has been taken care of and cinematography is really cool.Film is well thought out and story telling is deft,treatment of subject and presentation of the film is quite intelligently done.Set decoration is the finest so are the lovely costumes of that period that is 1920-1930.

Its a story most of the regular movie lovers are familiar with transition of movies from silent era to sound era and its effect on actors.Its dealt with in many movies most memorably in "Singing in the Rain" also it has similarities with George Cukor's Dinner at Eight (1933).

George Valentin is silent films actor who when talkies come is discarded by his studio.His find Peppy Miller who loves him too meanwhile survives the transition and soon becomes a big star.George is on the verge of bankruptcy and committing suicide when Peppy asks him to allow her to help him.He could dance really well and the studio accepts them as a dancing team.The film ends on this happy note.
So its a little like "Kaagaz Ke Phool" too,the noted Guru Dutt Classic.

Jean Dujardin is really fine as George,to me he looks quite like Gene Kelly in his prime,he also has similar immaculate set of teeth.Bérénice Bejo is good enough as Peppi though she reminded me of Mallika Sherawat.James Cromwell is the butler here and he supports ably.Uggie plays the pet dog

of George and he wins everybody's heart.He is a clever performer and he is the third most important character of the movie.In George's silent movie he is always beside him,and also in real life,its he who calls the policeman when George in emotional distress sets his house on fire.

Peppi secretly buys all of George's stuff when he puts them on auction when he goes bankrupt.This reminded me of "Aap to Aise Na the" where Deepak Parashar buys of things from Raj Babbar his bosom pal and just stores them in his Godown.

French Director Michel Hazanavicius has done a wonderful job here.He wear three hats here editing,writing and directing this lovely movie.Music of the movie by Ludovic Bource is fabulous and completely in sync with the movie.Make-up department too has done a wonderful job by their combined efforts they take us back to another era.

This wonderful movie is nominated for Academy Awards in 10 Categories.

Their's a funny scene when Peppi is in George's dressing room and puts one hand inside his coat and another around it.In a way as if a man is embracing her and caressing her when suddenly George enters and she blushes.Few weeks back "Dirty Picture" starring Vidya Balan surprised us all and it also dealt with a similar subject.

Another nice scene is when Peppi comes in rain to George's house.His own produced silent movie

has debuted to poor response from audience.So when she tells him she had just watched his movie he asks "had she came to get a refund".And soon her male friend joins in telling him how his father is a big fan of his movies.

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Los Angeles: Academy Awards voters have spoken up for 'The Artist,' the first silent film to triumph at Hollywood's highest honors since the original Oscar ceremony 83 years ago.

The black-and-white comic melodrama took four prizes on Monday, including best picture, actor for Jean Dujardin and director for Michel Hazanavicius. Not since the World War I saga "Wings" was named outstanding picture at the first Oscars in 1929 had a silent film earned the top prize.
The other top Oscars went to Meryl Streep as best actress for 'The Iron Lady,' Octavia Spencer as supporting actress for 'The Help' and Christopher Plummer as supporting actor for 'Beginners.'
'The Help' actress Octavia Spencer and 'Beginners' veteran Christopher Plummer won the first two major acting Oscars with Plummer making history as the oldest Academy Award winner ever at 82.
Director Martin Scorsese's 'Hugo,' which tells the story of a boy lost in a train station and also serves as an ode to the early days of filmmaking, came into the night with 11 nominations and picked up five early wins for cinematography, art direction, sound editing, sound mixing and visual effects.
Silent movie romance 'The Artist' was close behind with 10 nominations and nabbed two early Oscars for costume design and musical score, while 'The Iron Lady,' which starred Meryl Streep as former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher won for makeup.
But it was Plummer and Spencer who had the audience of A-list stars including George Clooney, Michelle Williams, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt standing on their feet and cheering.
Plummer, who starred in 'The Sound of Music,' won his first ever Oscar for his portrayal of an elderly gay man who comes out to his family in 'Beginners.
"You're only two years older than me, darling. Where have you been all of my life," he said, looking at the golden Oscar, which is given out by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and is in its 84th year.
Spencer, a relative newcomer in contrast to Plummer, had to hold back tears as she accepted her trophy for her portrayal of a black, southern made in civil rights drama 'The Help.'
"Thank you Academy for putting me with the hottest guy in the room," she said holding her Oscar in her hand. She then went on to talk about her family in Alabama and could not hold back her tears as she joyously accepted her trophy.
In other major wins, the foreign language film award went to Iranian divorce drama 'A Separation.'
"I proudly offer this award to the people of my country, the people who respect all cultures and civilizations and despise hostility and resentment," said its director Ashgar Farhadi.
'Rango' claimed best animated film, and best documentary saw the night's first surprise victory for 'Undefeated,' a film about the players on a football team in a poor neighborhood who struggle to make their lives better. 'Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory' had been widely picked to win by pundits.
Billy Returns
Comedian Billy Crystal, who returned to emcee the show for the ninth time, had the crowd laughing loudly with an opening video in which he was edited into the year's top movies.
He was kissed by George Clooney on the lips in a scene out of 'The Descendants' and even ate a tainted pie from 'The Help.' He opened with a monologue in which he joked: "there's nothing like watching a bunch of millionaires present each other with golden statues" and sang a song about the movies that drew a loud round of applause.
Hollywood's biggest fashion parade on the Oscar red carpet heated up with Michelle Williams in a stunning red dress from Louis Vuitton, 'The Help' star Jessica Chastain in a dazzling Alexander McQueen black and gold embroidered gown, while Gwyneth Paltrow chose Tom Ford and white, a popular color.
Later in the night that the action truly begins with awards for best film, performances, directing and writing.
This year, 'The Artist,' a tale of old Hollywood that sees a fading star find redemption through the love of a woman just as silent movies are being taken over by talkies, is widely picked to take home best film by most industry pundits.
While it faces keen competition from civil rights drama 'The Help,' "The Artist" has come out on top in most award shows this year. Still, pundits point out that "The Help" did win best ensemble cast from the Screen Actors Guild, and actors make up the biggest group of Oscar voters.
The third movie that has had Hollywood buzzing this season is family drama "The Descendants," starring George Clooney as a man trying to keep his family together after his cheating wife is hospitalized in a coma. But 'Descendants' has failed to spark Oscar voters, and its key win is seen as adapted screenplay.
The category of best actress features a too-close-to-call race between Viola Davis playing a maid in 'The Help' and Meryl Streep in 'The Iron Lady.' Tom O'Neil of awards website Goldderby.com calls that race "neck and neck."
The best actor category sees American Clooney 'Descendants' face Frenchman Jean Dujardin, star of 'The Artist.' For a long time, Clooney seemed to have the upper hand, but Dujardin has won most every time the two have been pitted against each other.
The race for director is widely tipped to go to 'The Artist' maker Michel Hazanavicius, but could see a surprise by 'Hugo' and Scorsese, Woody Allen with 'Midnight in Paris' or Alexander Payne and 'The Descendants.'

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#Oscar #84th Academy Awards #Hugo #The Artist #Christopher Plummer #Octavia Spencer #Meryl Streep #Beginners #Billy Crystal #Oscars

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2011) 3D Review

First half is quite a rag-bag of weird acting and characters behaving rather strangely as if demented or nuts.Story treatment is really stupid and camera works in strange ways.Second half is comparatively better,little Satan son acting really well.Story seems out of Terminator.Nicolas Cage looks really aged and more like John Lithgow from "3rd Rock from the sun".

Its also a bit like The Omen (1976) .Here the Satan son is basically good and the Satan wants to get into his body as his earth body is getting weak and old.Its a time waster better sit at home can't even say it to be Time-pass.Since its so stupid and cliched in the first half.Though personally after seeing the movie I can say it was at least not the waste of money.though I thought several times wouldn't it be better to sit and relax at home then to watch a movie I don't like.At least at home we can change channels or see a different DVD.