I AM by ONIR - MUST WATCH

“We don’t make such movies by choice, this is what the audience wants; we just cater to their choice” – for ages, each Bollywood movie-maker with a disgustingly shitty movie to his credit has claimed as an excuse for doling out a dud on screen. Well, if this is in fact the reality, I am glad that Indian audience is so powerful, because that is how we get a movie as brilliant as I AM, right?

Onir’s powerhouse movie has been released in India after it has already bagged numerous international awards across the globe, more importantly so, the awards that really matter, not (thanks to good sense), waiting for those pre-decided and dolled-up awards like FilmFare and Stardust awards that the thinking people are categorically giving a clear miss of late.

I AM is about four different stories from different backgrounds, the characters somehow related but not really connected to multiple stories. Each story becomes more of an identity in itself in the end.

The first story, I AM Afia, is the story of a young and modern woman Afia (Nandana Sen). Set in Kolkata, it takes us through the life of the protagonist, her success in her career and her desire to start a family. It talks about the choice of IVF, about a woman wanting to have a baby by injecting someone else’s (Purab Kohli) sperm in her own body, of putting a stranger scientifically in her being and bringing to life a baby who only she will mould as she can. Her choice to go ahead shocks all those close to her, the most apparent reason being that she is a woman and should not take such decisions herself. Afia’s story talks about a modern woman in a modern country, still justifying her actions to everyone and getting lost each day in trying to convince people around her that yes, just by taking a big decision herself, she does not automatically become ‘abnormal.’

The second story, I AM Megha, is about Megha (Juhi Chawla), a displaced Kashmiri Pundit, who now lives in Kolkata but faces constant pressure from her family to go back to Srinagar. Running away decades ago along with her family from riot-torn Srinagar after a family member is killed and the house looted, Megha finds it hard to understand her family’s constant yearning for that ‘lost’ paradise. She has decided never to go back again. But Srinagar she does visit once, to sell off the old house, a house she grew up in, in which now live her best friend (Rubina – Manisha Koirala) and her family. The best friend is a Muslim, and though they offer love and look upon Megha as their own, the latter cannot forget the horror that the Muslims had inflicted earlier. Memories of a wonderful childhood spent together keep coming back, but there are enough memories in the present to bring back the hurt and the anger. As Megha is set to depart, Rubina finally breaks her silence and tells her to imagine just for a second how life would have been if instead of Megha, Rubina had run off to a free land, while Megha would still be stuck in a terrorist-stricken army-controlled ‘paradise’.

The third story, I AM Abhimanyu, is the story of Abhimanyu (Sanjay Suri), a young man who still cannot decide about his sexual orientation, who is trying to come out of a horror-filled past, a scary childhood, and the confusion of understanding his own sexuality. Set in Bengaluru, the story talks about child molestation and how, most victims of child sex abuse, are in danger from someone from within the family itself.

The fourth and final story, I AM Omar, is about Omar (Abhimanyu Singh) and Jai (Rahul Bose). The story, set in Mumbai, shows the plight of young adult males in the country, of their choice to be with a same-sex partner, but the lack of space in the city where two mature men can be together in privacy, where a feeling of love can be respectfully shared without being harassed by society, and, most important of all, by the moral brigade, the police.

The beauty of I AM lies in the direction, the acting, the picturisation, and of course, the setting. Each and every shot has a meaning, each dialogue, each pause, each silence, talks words and emotions that build up a story. The characters are completely real and believable, so much so, that out of all the characters you see in this ‘real’ movie (which has been inspired by real events), you are sure to identify with atleast one, if not more. Shot like a hand-made movie, the settings are real, with ‘real’ background sound giving it that much more feeling of ‘believable’. The accents, the spattering of the local lingo of all four states, the ‘real’ locations, the everyday humdrum of life, all come together to give you a feeling of watching someone’s life up close and personal. You sometimes forget you are watching a movie, especially in some scenes where you react verbally, and realise the person sitting next to you in the hall is also reacting in the same way. A movie worth the wait, a movie finally that talks about the ‘different’ people in a way that does not make fun, that does show that the ‘different’ people too have a right to their choice, that life is not always what it seems, that in everything we do, sometimes, its okay to just let go and move ahead. A movie that will stay with you for some time, that will give you more than your ticket’s worth. A serious movie, no typical naach-gaana (Bollywood song-and-dance sequence), so if you are going with the thought of being entertained the ‘typical’ way, please stay away.

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And like I always believe in and say:
"Heal the world we live in
Save it for our children" - MJ

Debolina Raja Gupta

Sleuth (2007)

With only two actors in the entire movie, Sleuth is a 2007 film directed by Kenneth Branagh and is based on Harold Pinter's screenplay adaptation of the Tony award-winning play SLEUTH by Anthony Shaffer. The movie stars Jude Law and Michael Cainee, who had also starred in the previous movie adaptation of Sleuth way back in the year 1972.

Cast: Michael Caine as Andrew Wyke
Jude Law as Milo Tindle
Director - Kenneth Branagh
Music - Patrick Doyle

Running Time: 86 minutes

Plot: Two extremely witty and scheming men will fight it out through the movie, matching their wits with the other, fighting for a woman they both claim to love, a woman, who, interestingly, the audience will never finally meet. She will always be a voice on the phone maybe, an entity who is out there in the world somewhere, but never shown. The men fight out each other in a dangerous game of wit and words and scheming, a game that will result in some dangerous final moments.
Andrew Wyke is a wealthy old millionaire, an established writer with a highly intellectual mind. Wyke's wife Maggie is living with her young lover. This lover is Milo Tindle. Wyke is alone in a huge house, a house that is old and royal, a house with a lot of character and intensity in it, a house that will haunt the viewer for days after they have watched the movie. To this house comes Milo Tindle, to visit the old man (either on the invitation of Wyke himself or on the insistence of Maggie). What follows is a series of intellectual and twisted games and role-playing..with dangerous consequences.

The movie is amazing in the way it has been handled. A movie with only two people in it requires extreme merit from the actors and characters to not let the audience drift even for a moment, and that is exactly what this movie manages. Not for a second do you get the chance to look away from the screen. Each word, each sentence is full of meaning, each scene has a purpose, and every angle on the set and in the frame is essential.
The house where the entire movie is based is in itself a work of art. With the theme of the house as much modern and at the same time having that old-world charm, even while everything about the house is so modern, it looms large in the background and serves well to the plot.
Caine is brilliant in his character. He is distinguished, intellectual, full of that old charm that was once so popular among 'real' men of the years gone by.
Jude Law is of course too good to look at to begin with. For those who did not watch the older version, Michael Caine had portrayed the character of Milo Tindle in 1972 that Jude Law now does in 2007. Jude Law is exceptionally wonderful in his display of emotions. Charming, sexy, rugged and full of attitude on the one hand, vulnerable, scared, innocent the next moment, he portrays each emotion with elan and the utmost sincerity through the portrayal of Tindle.
The movie is a cat-and-mouse chase throughout, with both the characters keeping scores of who won which round. They use wit and words to hurt and humiliate the other, using double-crossing, planning, scheming and deception to the hilt. The movie is dark and claustrophobic, extremely smart and filled with that you-know-something-is-about-to-happen feeling.
The music by Patrick Doyle is haunting and perfect. It matches the mood and theme of the movie, providing character to the background and a feel to each frame.

Many people were of the view that the movie would be a remake of the 1972 hit. But it has come as a surprise to all that not only is this movie not a remake, it is in fact a brilliant new take on the original play. In Jude Law's own words - "A completely reinvented Sleuth. It didn't feel like a remake. I always loved the idea at its heart of two men battling it out for a woman you never meet."
Harold Pinter, the screenwriter of the 2007 version, had never seen the 1972 movie, nor had he read the original play or seen a theater adaptation of it, and none of the lines in the movie matched the ones in the previous version.

Sleuth (2007) is a Must-Watch...

- Debolina Raja Gupta

The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas

When I first heard the title of this movie, I could not for a moment make sense of what the story might be. It could be a movie involving a kid, it could be a kids' movie, or it could be a movie that has nothing to do with kids at all. I was quite confused. So when I finally began watching it, there was a lot of curiosity and interest. I mean, how many times do we come across a name like this?

The movie, based on the novel of the same name by Irish author John Boyne, received huge appreciation in the US as well as in Europe. There have been many movies based on and around the tragic events of the Holocaust, but none has been treated the way that ‘The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas’ has approached it.

Cast and crew:
Director: Mark Herman
Producer: David Heyman
Main Lead: Asa Butterfield, Jack Scanlon, David Thewlis, Vera Farmiga

Plot:
Based on the Holocaust, the movie tells a sordid and heart-wrenching tale through the eyes of two eight-year-olds, one who is on this side of the barbed wire, while the other is inside the enclosure.
Eight-year-old Bruno lives with his mother, twelve-year-old sister and father in an extravagant mansion in the posh locality of Berlin. The young Bruno is more interested in adventures and games, hence he is still innocently unaware of all that is going on in the world outside, viz-a-viz Hitler and the extermination of Jews. Bruno’s father is an SS Officer but Bruno thinks of him just like another soldier.

After a sudden promotion, the family must move to the countryside, where Bruno finds himself locked up inside the house almost all the time, as the children have been specially instructed not to go out or talk to anyone except their own parents.

The world in and around the new house is strange for Bruno. There are guards at the gate, keeping an eye on them at all times, as if they are prisoners, but obeying their commands as if they are at their personal disposal. Once in the countryside, Bruno’s father’s demeanour undergoes a drastic change. He becomes more ruthless and intolerant and insists that Bruno be coached properly in world matters and politics, instead of wasting his time on stories and adventures.

One day, Bruno sees some people from his bedroom window. On careful examination, he finds they are wearing pyjamas in the day, and that they seem to be quite poor and sick. This confuses him. But his confusion is put to rest by the explanation that what he saw where the people who worked in the farm outside. Also, sometimes Bruno can see smoke rising in the sky outside, accompanied by a strong stench. He is told there is a factory and that the stench may be from the chemicals.

The family occasionally has helpers who come and do odd jobs like cleaning the toilets and peeling the potatoes. One such help is an old man who usually sits in the dining hall floor peeling potatoes. He is an old man who just sits there, not a word or a glance, it is almost as if he does not exist. But Bruno has noticed him and wonders why it is that he never looks at him or talks, or answers to his queries. One day, while Bruno’s parents are not around, he gets hurt and the old man immediately rushes to him, tending to him, attending his wound and telling him there is nothing to worry. Bruno’s mother returns soon after and asks him about the mishap and how did he take care of it. He replies he was a doctor earlier……..earlier to what is what the audience thinks….

On one occasion, the old man is made to wait at the occupants of the home and accidentally spills wine on at the table. After a bout of merciless beating by the furious officer, the old man is never seen again.

Many instances happen that make the audience curious to know more. You begin to understand what may be going on, and you have an inkling of what is about to come, but you never really hope that will be the case.

One fine day Bruno manages to run out of home and makes a dash towards freedom, towards the ‘farm’ that he sees from his window, where he knows there are people….hence there are bound to be children too, and he hopes to make some new friends.

On reaching the ‘farm’ Bruno realizes there is something different here, that this ‘farm’ is not like the regular farms he has seen. This farm has an electrified barbed wire fence around it, there are no crops inside, instead, it is all stony and dusty, and he sees men with shaved heads and bent heads and stooped shoulders going about, pushing wheelbarrows, all quiet…..they must be awfully tired, Bruno thinks to himself.

Just as Bruno is beginning to get impatient and wonder what is going on in this peculiar ‘farm’, he sees a boy, just the same age as him, inside the farm. The little boy has his head shaved. And there are injury marks on his face. He has the bluest eyes I have ever seen on a child, and one of the most innocent and adorable face ever.
“Wow, you live in the farm. You must be having such fun, you’re so lucky you are inside the farm.” Bruno is sad he cannot be inside the farm to explore the hidden treasures.

The boy inside does not seem to understand at first what Bruno is saying. And he is similarly amazed to see another boy on the other side of the fence.

Bruno makes a habit of returning to the ‘farm’ every day, or as many times as he can. He occasionally takes food for his friend inside the ‘farm’, as the boy inside is always hungry. The boy’s name is Shmuel and he reveals to Bruno that he is Jew.

One day, Shmuel is sent to the officer’s house to clean the house glass. When Bruno sees his friend in his house, he is very excited and gives him a piece of cake. When an officer sees crumbs on Shmuel’s lips and accuses him of stealing, the poor boy tells the officer that Bruno is a friend and gave him the cake. But Bruno is scared to death and denies knowing the boy. Bruno does not see Shmuel for many days as the boy does not turn up near the fence, and when he finally does, Bruno sees that he has a bad swollen eye that he got from the officer.

In the meanwhile, Bruno’s mother realizes what is actually going on and decides to leave with the children. The day before they are scheduled to leave, Shmuel reveals to Bruno that his father has suddenly gone missing. Seeing an opportunity to redeem himself for his giving up on his friend earlier, Bruno digs a hole under the fence and goes in.

The end of the movie is ironic and tragic in a way that I had not interpreted earlier. It is one of the most sensitive and yet one of the most hard-hitting Holocaust movies I have ever seen. For all it is worth, this is one movie I will never ever forget my entire life.

Personal Verdict: One of the most amazing movies ever made.

Omkara - Ten On Ten

Much awaited and less talked-about, Omkara happens to be one of those movies whose arrival arouses much interest and curiosity, but thankfully, the promotions of which are not made into an extravagantly glitzy affair with lip-glossed dolls faking plastic smiles. Its rather the strong characters that are made to work their charm. What is it about Omkara that makes it one of the most raw and intense movies of recent times? A low budget movie, de-glam characters, real life situations and emotions, Omkara talks about human relationships, not only between the protagonist and his lady love, but also relationships with friends, with parents, family and others in the community. Vishal Bhardwaj’s Omkara has been termed as the Bollywood adaptation of Shakespeare’s Othello, but for those who are acquainted with the emotional turmoil and tragedy in Othello’s life, the movie is a completely fresh and worthy tribute to the original masterpiece and its creator. For those who feel Omkara is just another carbon-copy of Shakespear’s Othello, this will be a nice surprise. Omkara only borrows the main concept in Othello, the intense love between the protagonists (Omkara, Indian version of Othello, played by Ajay Devgan, and Dolly, Indian version of Desdemona, played by Karina Kapoor) and the jealousy factor in the relationship which is fuelled by Langra Tyagi( Indian version of Iago played by Saif Ali Khan). The movie, set in the interiors of UP and shot extensively in the village locales, provides much relief from the regular Bollywood fare of colorful sets and designer characters. Omkara boasts of a cast that speaks about its own merit, Ajay Devgan, Kareena Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan, Konkona Sen Sharma, Bipasha Basu, Viveik Oberoi….. all of whom come out with some of the best performances Bollywood has been starving for in recent times. Not only does the director keep the flow of the story as normal as possible, even the day-to-day dialogues used are typical North-Indian UP mix, complete with the accent and the daily dose of abusive lingo. A raw and earthy feel is inherent throughout the canvass of the entire movie. Omkara( Ajay Devgan), the main-man of the head of the local gang is a ruthless and unforgiving man, one who believes that to err is to die. He is in love with the quiet and shy town girl Dolly(Kareena Kapoor) and takes the help of his friend Kesu (Viveik Oberoi) who happens to be Dolly’s college mate, to help him in love. As soon as Dolly professes her love for Omkara, arrangements are made to kidnap and scare the groom chosen for Dolly by her family. Love rules reasoning and Dolly, a girl from an upper caste, finds her love in Omkara, who is from the lower community and a goonda(don) to be feared. The two are perfectly in sync with their lives and complement each other like no one else. Langra Tyagi(Saif), is a member of the gang and a right-hand man of Omkara, and his wife, played by Konkana Sen, is now friend and elder sister to Dolly( Kareena Kapoor), who has been disowned by her family and now lives in the house of Omkara. As the story progresses, Langra teaches the tricks and nuances of the gang to Kesu and together, they are the biggest and most feared gang around. The story takes a turn when it is time for Omkara to choose his favourite man in the gang, who will be his subordinate. The obvious choice is Langra, but as it turns out, the chosen one is Kesu, a choice governed by the fact that he has the entire vote bank of the college students. This is the blow that shatters Langra. He teams up with the rejected and humiliated groom-to-be of Dolly, and together, they make a plan to take their revenge against Omkara, a man who has wronged them both. Langra gets the perfect opportunity when his wife shows him the kamarbandh (waist band) that was originally given to Dolly by Omkara, a token of the family that has been passed down from generation-to-generation and is given to the daughter-in-law of the family as a mark of respect and position. The idea from “Othello” which has the “handkerchief” as the instrument of revenge. In the meanwhile, Kesu (Omkara’s chosen man and Dolly’s college mate), is in love with the village dancer Billo Chaman Bahar (Bipasha Basu). A single mistake by Kesu makes Omkara regret his decision and puts Kesu in a spot, who is desperate to earn back the trust and guidance of Omkara. In comes Langra, equipped with the perfect plan. He advises Kesu to take the help of Dolly who can then ask her soon-to-be husband to forgive Kesu. Situations are planned and Langra watches with pleasure and a burning anger, the jealousy that creeps into Omkara, as the friendship grows between Dolly and Kesu. He starts being cold towards her, who in turn, asks for the help of Kesu to woo back her love. Situations only worsen and the intense love of Omkara turns into intense jealousy. It is the day of Omkara and Dolly’s marriage and Langra informs the former of the illegitimate affair between Dolly and Kesu. A deadline is given to Langra to come up with valid proof of the affair by the end of the night, failing which he will lose his life. The plan works and Langra is able to convince Omkara that the kamarbandh he gave to Dolly, has been passed on as a gift of love to Kesu. Jealousy blinds the male and in a fit of rage, he smoulders his beloved to death on the night of their marriage. It is then that Langra’s wife reveals that it is she who stole the kamarbandh and had shown it to Langra. She kills Langra and then jumps into the well, while Omkara is left alone with his loss and grief. The movie manages to have a strong impact on its audience and forces you to reflect on the intricacies and complexities of human relationships. A great background score and music to write home about. Though it is “Omkara” and “Beedi” that are the current chart-busters, don’t forget to check out the track “Gudiya Raani”, a beautiful rendition by Suresh Wadekar. Superb acting by the entire cast, the Jat accent is well-mastered. Though Konkona Sen’s accent seems a bit over-done and looks as if a lot of effort is being made, her perfect acting leaves no scope for complaining. Undoubtedly one of Saif’s best performances till date, an actor with a fine caliber, Saif should definitely contribute more time to such movies that give him the opportunity to exhibit his immense talent, rather than the ones that demand more of dancing in the rain and flexing of the muscles. A must watch for all those who have grown out of the bubble-gum brigade and want something to feed their minds as well as provide top-quality entertainment. The intellectual fodder, spiced up Bollywood ishtyle… A perfect ten on ten.

Kabul Express (movie) - an express you shouldnt miss boarding...

Well it is common understanding that whichever Bollywood movie isn’t hyped or has the glossy premieres and isn't given a star treatment is actually the movie to watch out for.
One of the main attractions for me to watch Kabul Express was of course John Abraham.Plus the fact that I love documentaries also added to the same.To project a sensitive subject like this, it is required that the film does not turn into a preach saga or a commentary of what is happening.
Surprisingly, the movie comes from the commercialized Yash Raj banner, wonder why they don’t think of doing such sensible cinema most of the time.It also marks the debut of writer director Kabir Khan. The background score by Raghav Sanchar complements the feel of the movie, the typical accent and the way in which the Afghani people speak hindi is very sweet n real.
The movie starts with 02 war journalists going to Kabul to cover the post-war destruction. Suhel Khan (John Abraham) and Jai Kapoor (Arshad Warsi), are there in the middle of all the gun and the bullets, to shoot a story that will bring them accolades back home in India. War has destroyed everything. Smiling children with amputated legs and arms, women begging everywhere for food and money, as they don’t have a husband, a father or a male relation to turn to for their survival, young men with rifles, who do not hesitate to pull the trigger over trivial issues. People who were once friendly and warm, who now have no choice but to be suspicious of each other and always be ready to kill. Even in the midst of all this shooting and fear, the 02 journos manage to have their sense of humor and witty liners intact, which is desi and very natural. Khyber (Hanif Hum Ghum) is their guide n driver, who takes them to meet the Taliban soldier, or the “militant”, as the world largely believes. But it is bad luck for the duo as they just miss the Taliban and fear their journalist career will now mean shooting pot bellied politicians in India. As they return to their car, Kabul Express, all fear is set loose by the sight of the Taliban soldier Imran Khan Afridi (Salman Shahid), who is now settled in the back seat of the car, with an AK-47 comfortably aimed at the terrified occupants. He instructs them to drive him safely to the border and assures them that as long as they don’t try to be smart with him, they have nothing to fear. John is practical and calm, while Arshad is jumpy and impulsive. The story continues as the car moves along toward the border and the 04 men have no one to talk to except one another. One of the most realistic aspect of this movie is the way it shows the bonding between 04 complete strangers, all coming from different backgrounds. The men share their habit of smoking cigarettes. Each time Arshad lights one, the Talibani also asks for a “Hindustani cigarette”, much to Arshad’s irritation and John’s amusement. They share a love for music. As the old radio plays an old Hindi filmy number “main zindagi ka saath nibhaata chala gaya”, everyone joins in the melody. They share a common sense of fear. The Talibani faces the fear of being killed by the Afghanis or the Americans, while the other 03 fear they will be killed by the Talibani.Squabbles over Kapil Dev and Imran Khan, arguing over Coke and Pepsi. Jessica Bekham (Linda Arsenio) is an American journalist working for Reuters, who is a war pro and runs into the most dangerous areas, just to get a great story. It is only near the end of the movie that we get a glimpse into her real purpose, that of trying to tell the people in power , through her war documentaries, that it is high time we stop pitying and debating over the fate of such countries and really get down to help them to re-settle. The Talibani is a Pakistani Army soldier, who has been posted in Afghanistan for more than 06 years. In obeying the orders of the High Commission, he has been labeled as a Talibani. Imran does not agree to the Talibani idea of forcing religion on people and committing atrocities on women and children, but orders from higher authorities in the army have forced him to be labeled as one of the Talibani militants. We feel his deep love for his daughter, who has refused to see her Talibani father in the last 06 years. His only wish now is to have a glimpse of his daughter, to know that she is well and then go back to his home in Pakistan. The journalists help him meet his daughter and tears of love and gratitude run down his cheeks as he bids her a silent and distant farewell and heads for his country. While on their way towards the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, soldiers arrive and try to shoot down Imran. But John and Arshad help him escape by engaging the soldiers in firing. It is tough for Imran as he has to trust the 02 Indians and hand over his gun to them. John and Arshad give him a pack of the Hindustani cigarettes as a parting gift from India and wish him luck. As Imran nears the border to Pakistan, the Army refuses to acknowledge its own man. The official orders the soldiers to shoot him, though the latter are sure he is a Pakistani and is only returning home. But the officer needs to be politically correct, humanity features nowhere on his list of priorities. As we sit and hope that now Imran will finally be able to go back to his loved ones in his own country, he is riddled with bullets. The last shot of the movie shows his body falling in the water, the cigarette case and the picture of his daughter slipping away from his hands. I could not help the tears from trickling down my eye. The sense of loss, the sense of destruction, the sense of barbarism and cruelty inflicted by the so-called “civilised” and “powerful” nations of the world is portrayed in a mature and sensible way in the movie.
The political wars and diplomatic farce of these countries is evident here in abundance. Physical boundaries do not separate us. We are all the same at heart, we feel the same emotions, fear the same fears, share the same smiles and tears. It is rather these so-called politicians who govern us, people we choose to give us our share of freedom and happiness, the same people who choose to give us boundaries in the name of guarding us, rules in the name of keeping us safe and bullets and guns in the name of protecting us. Just wondering, did we really manage to be civilized in the 21st century?

The Japanese Wife - A Visual Masterpiece on the Big Screen

Like I read an article by one of the reviewers, how you like the experience of an Aparna Sen movie is entirely up to you. You will either love it or hate it, but there is no ignoring it.
I personally hated the book 'Japanese Wife' by Kunal Basu but am now forever in love with its visual and big-screen cousin.
How many of you have read poetry, or looked at a painting, or read a visually-delightful book, and been delighted? If any of these forms of art have ever impressed you, the movie, based on the book of the same name by Kunal Basu and brought alive on screen by the legendary and unparalleled Aparna Sen is just for you.
If you have ever seen an Aparna Sen masterpiece before, well, set your expectations high. Because, as always, she will surpass even the highest expectations you may have set.
The movie is based on two landscapes, one, the mysterious and enchanting world of the Sunderbans in the West Bengal, and the other, in the land of ‘sayonaras’, Japan.
If by now you are done with bikini babes and six-eight-pack middle-aged heroes taking their shirts off, aunties trying to play young, babes going down to size zero and almost vanishing in thin air, non-existent writers in the typical ‘desi’ movies, if by any chance you are interested in sampling a visually satiating fare, a detailed eye for cinematography and a camera that captures each and every miniscule portion of the frame, then you should like this one.

Cast: Rahul Bose (Snehomoy Chatterjee)
Chigusa Takaku (Miyegi)
Moushumi Chatterjee (Snehomoy's aunt)
Raima Sen (Sandhya)
Special (1second) appearance: Kunal Basu
Director: Aparna Sen
Cinematographer: Anay Goswami
Genre: Drama

Plot:
The story is based between the two central protagonists – Snehomoy (a maths teacher in a village school in Sunderban) and Miyegi (a poor Japanese girl who tends to her ailing mother and runs a shop from inside her home). The two become pen-friends and eventually end up marrying each other, through the exchange of letters. For the 17 years they remain married and loyal to each other, they never meet, for reasons that are unravelled as the movie progresses, and as destiny has in store, shall never meet.
Snehomoy lives with his old aunt, played by the adorable Moushumi Chatterjee. Her Baangla is thick with the local dialect accent and her portrayal of an old village woman is one of the best performances she has done till date. The detailing of a typical Aparna Sen movie can be seen in the way the camera familiarizes us with Snehomoy’s house and room. Starting from the mosquito-net to the books and the table covers, we are given a glimpse of it all, thus revealing little-by-little of the character and what his life is like.
Miyegi lives in a typical Japanese house, complete with a wooden floor and a slanting roof. The director remains rooted in the fact that though not a single shot of Japan is shown apart from Miyegi’s home and the courtyard and little plants outside, the viewer can easily feel transported into a different world. Especially at those scenes when Miyegi is in her brother’s house and stands in the kitchen near the sink, and we see a slice of the life in Japan from the window that looks out into world outside.
Snehomoy and Miyegi are both lonely, shy and introvert and that is what draws them to each other in the first place. Both of them are incapable of making friends in their regular world, and the ‘anonymity’ of a pen-friendship helps them open up to each other, which eventually leads to their decision of getting married.
As the minutes pass we see more of Japan in Snehomoy’s room. There is a Japanese fan, Japanese dolls, table covers, hand-fans, decorative items, kites and more. When his aunt’s friend and her daughter (Raima Sen) visit their house, Moushumi Chatterjee voices her desire to get the two married, but Snehomoy is already committed to Miyegi. The marriage takes place by Snehomoy sending her a pair of traditional Bengali shaakha-pola and a vial of shindoor, along with a Bengal taant saree. When Miyegi is ill he even goes to the local doctor with all her reports and sends her herbal and ayurvedic medicines, which she dutifully takes. Both the protagonists are not comfortable in English and have to labour over the long-distance calls as they try and convey their love and feelings to each other. The scene where Snehomoy is shown physically satisfying himself in a moored boat is shot aesthetically.
Raima Sen appears again, as a young widow with a young son, who is given shelter in the house by Snehomoy’s aunt. Through her limited looks from under her veil, she slowly and gradually develops a liking for this man, a liking that we can all recognize as love. Snehomoy’s bond with her young eight-year-old son portrays warmth and genuine affection.
The last scene sees the two women in Snehomoy’s life, Miyegi and Sandhya, turn to each other for love and solace in their moment of loss.

Performances:
Rahul Sen’s best. His typical baangla accent along with the adulterated English, baang-lish is superb.
Chigusa is extremely sweet and soft-spoken throughout the movie and the viewer can actually feel a kind of tenderness towards this girl-woman.
Moushumi Chatterjee is at her best.
Raima Sen acts mostly with her eyes and does a great job, wonder why she even bothers to do regular Bollywood movies.
The boy who plays Raima’s son deserves a special mention here. Though I am not aware of his name, he has a done a great job at this age and it is hard to even imagine that he is acting here, it looks so natural.

Caution: If you want the regular fast-paced movie, with a young feel and lots of colour and glamour and song-and-dance sequences, this is not the movie for you. It is to be watched with patience and at leisure.

Aparna, Konkona and Mithun ... and Titli

So while my praises for Aparna Sen and the Japanese Wife are still around, let me also take this opportunity to introduce you to one more AMAZING project of hers - well my sister Mithi introduced me to this and if you havent seen it yet....the name of the movie that I am talking about is TITLI....

Titli, meaning butterfly, and sub-headed in English as 'The First Monsoon Day) is the story of a daughter and a mother who are friends.

Cast: Aparna Sen (as Urmila)
Konkona Sen Sharma (as Titli)
Mithun Chakraborty (as film star Rohit Roy)
Dipankar De
Direction: Rituparno Ghosh

The movie begins with an amazing song by noted Bengali singer Srikanto Acharya. Shot in the dense jungles of Duar in north Bengal, the movie is a visual delight that transports us from our concrete jungles into clouds, mist and tea-plantations.

The first shot shows Titli, a 17-year-old school-going girl (we can only catch glimpses of her as her hands hold a scissor) taking cut-outs of Rohit Roy from the popular Bengali film magazine AnandaLok. The camera pans across her room and we see every available space in the room has duly been filled up with Rohit Roy cutouts. Thus we come to know of her crush on the actor. At one point in the movie she even tells her mother that one day she might even marry him. Her mother is amused to learn that her teenage daughter is so in a teenage love with a man who is much much elder to her...

Titli and her mother travel in a jeep to receive Titli's father at the airport. On the way from the breathtakingly beautiful Kurseong to Siliguri, mother and daughter share many nostalgic moments.This is also the time when the mother reveals a similar crush she had on the then popular hero Rajesh Khanna.The two women giggle like young girls at these memories.

As their jeep moves down the winding paths of the hill a man asks them for lift on the way.He happens to be a man from the film industry and begs them to arrange a place for one man in their jeep.As the occupants are soon to realise, this man for whom the unit boy is asking a lift,is none other than Titl's heartthrob Rohit Roy. As they set off again on their journey, their jeep has to stop once again, due to a technical problem and they are stranded on the way,while the driver goes to the nearby town to get supplies.

All is well till now, but at this juncture, whilst the three are stranded in the middle of the woods, something happens that changes the equations between mother and daughter. Where earlier Titli could not stay a moment without talking to her mother and telling her everything that happened to her through the day, now the two are barely talking....

Watch this movie essentially to understand the beauties of our country, whether in terms of scenic beauty or in the sensuous and lyrical way that some of the best movies in this country are made. Interspersed with poetry, music, recitations and songs, this is one movie which every Aparna Sen fan should watch..I dont even have to write a single sentence in her praise...words wont do... And not to forget, check out Mithun and Konkona...Mithun earned a nomination for this film in the category Best Supporting Actor in the National Awards...And Konkona...one of her best....

Kites - as good as the publicity promised.....

Ok....I am just back from the first-day show of Kites....And what a movie !!! Worth every penny spent,in fact only within the first 15 minutes of the movie I proclaimed that all the money spent on the movie was worth it...u see,Hrithik danced an awesome bone-less dance on the Fire track...if the clapping and the catcalls and the whistles from the 'decent' crowd was any indication,the movie was already a superhit in its first 15 mins...And trust me,every woman in the hall who watched the movie today,whether a school girl,a college teen,a young woman,newly-wed,young mom or middle-aged aunty,everyone was lusting after Hrithik in the hall,we all had our eyes on him,literally,and clapped with his every move.....not a stir in the crowd whenever he was on the screen..I have never seen such strong devotion in any other movie yet...I wonder how much he will be hiccuping in the coming few days.. ;)

Cast: Hrithik Roshan(J), Barbara Mori(Natasha/Linda), Kangana Ranaut(Gina), Kabir Bedi(Bob Grover), Nicholas Brown(Tony), Anand Tiwari(Robin), Yuri(Jalaan).
Director: Anurag Basu
Producer:Rakesh Roshan
Music Director:Rajesh Roshan

Plot: J is a LA-based hustler who is looking to make some quick bucks,waiting to hit the jackpot. He teaches dance in the day and sells pirated DVDs and does other odd jobs, and for a fee, marries illegal immigrants who are desperate for a green card to the US. His best buddy is Robin.Gina is one of his students who is besotted with him and one day lands up in his apartment professing his love,which only freaks out J and he throws her out. But when she goes away in her limo,he realises what a chance he has lost,and without wasting any more time,he gets back to winning her affection. Gina is the daughter of Bob,who is a casino-owner in LA and soon J is a part of the big rich family. Though he has no love for Gina,he is happy that life is finally smiling up at him... And just as everything seems perfect and things cannot get any better, in comes the twist and everything turns upside down.

The first word that comes to mind when you watch this movie is 'WOW'..and there are many reasons and occasions for that.

1. The movie is beautiful in the way it has been shot. It flits between time, the past,present and the in-between have been shown in such a way that they all merge perfectly with each other and do not create a confusion in the viewer's mind.An event in 'then' is perfectly synced with the event that is happening 'now'. The largest share of credit for the movie's superhit status has to go to Hrithik and Hrithik alone. Be it his superb dancing skills,his super-toned-and-tanned body,his expression,his smile,his stunts,the way he emoted with his eyes,the cute little things that he does and which actually elicited 'wow' and 'so cute' from even the middle-aged aunties... it all goes to him..He is THE ULTIMATE in this movie....

2. The movie is exotic. Maybe it is the exotic Spanish dialect that makes it so,but it clearly gives KITES a really international feel. Not only the dialect and accent,and you simply cannot miss skipping a heartbeat when Hrithik speaks in Spanish!!! but also the fact that a lot of the movie has been shot in Mexican landscapes and we get to see a realistic 'sprinkling' of cowboys in the movie... It lends a whole new exotic and westernised feel to the movie.

3. The music is beautiful and soothing and meaningful and has a mix of romantic and peppy dance numbers. Once again,you could feel how much the audience loved the movie when they were singing along with the songs and nodding and moving their bodies to the dance numbers.

4. The cinematography is mind-blowing. If you have the eye of a photographer,watch this movie for its sheer capturing of landscapes and shades. Be it the rugged plains or the dessert or the hills or the dusty roads,there was beauty everywhere. In one of the fight scenes that was shot in pouring rain,you could actually see each and every drop of rain as clearly as if it was not pouring heavily but had been captured in time just for you. The water jerking off the head,the rain drop falling,the rain on the eyelashes.. everything came out in such detail that I couldn't but help giving it a special mention here.

5. Every scene was well thought and shot.. when the characters were stuck in the dry dessert,their lips actually were shown cracked and caked with dust,the hair was matte and their skin,even the lady's,was patchy and dry. This would never have been the case if it was an out-n-out Bollywood movie... our heroine would have had her mascara and her blush and her lipstick in place no matter what...

6. Barbara Mori is,yes,for the guys very very hot,I found her to be extremely cute. Of course she has a figure to die for and her accent was so exotic. Lovely. And even when she was covered in dust and blood she managed to look most beautiful in that earthy way,if you know what I mean.

7. Kabir Bedi had a charismatic personality as always,the typical one that comes with a casanova-image....a ladies' man (no pun intended).

8. Nicholas Brown(I hope I got the name right)who plays the villain has done a great job.

9. Yuri was to-the-point as always and it was a joy to see him again.

10.The one sore point of the movie was.....yes...our own Miss Kangana Ranaut. Seriously,whats with her and the psycho roles... though she does a fantastic and most natural job of it and maybe thats why she is every director's first choice when they think of someone to play a psycho.. One more thing.. she CANNOT dance.. and that too paired with HRITHIK??? What were the creators thinking? Remember I mentioned the FIRE song in the first 15 mins when Hrithik danced so amazingly as if he has no bones in his body? Poor Kangana was his partner in the same.. All she had to do and could eventually do was come dressed in an almost-non-existent skirt that amply showed off her under-things and the chunky thighs and she just moved her hands and head left-right-left-right... and was picked up in the air by Hrithik a couple of times (WOW!!!!).. that's all the credit she can take for the movie.. that and a few more scenes where she has to show her legs all the way to ...... In one of the last scenes she turns to being her true psycho self... she sits at the dinner table with a spoon in hand and looks at her image in the inverted spoon. It seems as if her spirit or ghost will just jump out of the spoon any moment... Kangana Ranaut is the only sore point in the movie and very wisely has hardly any role to play... can be totally ignored...

11. And one of the sweetest thing about the movie is the way Hrithik and Barbara have connected. Despite language barriers,one cant speak Spanish and the other cant speak English,Hrithik manages to come up with sweet little gestures and acts that help them communicate... Truly sweet and a refreshing change.

Kites is a refreshing movie in a time when movies like Paathshaala and Housefull have made us stay away from the movie hall..... Thanks to Hrithik again... ya I HAD to mention him again... maybe it will fade off from my mind a little in the next few months....

Though I see many people are condemning the movie just because they have seen this kind of a plot before, it is really unfair to draw comparisons here with other movies. Kites has been made on a totally different level and in a totally new and experimental way.As with any new thing,there are ’takers’ and then there are those who have to criticise it simply because it does not follow the set patterns that they are so used to...But that is their loss..

Go with an open mind, not one that has already been cluttered with pre-judged ideas about the movie.... Watch it with no strings attached and you will come back happy. Watch it with a set pattern and a yearn for a 'stereotype' in mind and you will be sorely disappointed... If you are the kind who likes the nonsensical KJo movies and the SRK ones, please stay home.... Kites has many fans already and not having someone in the audience who has the mind to understand this 'offering' will actually be a big help to the movie......

VERDICT: GO GO GO GO GO GO GO GO GO GO GO GO GO GO GO WATCH IT RIGHT NOW.....

Thanks Maa - Worth a watch.

The Hindi movie industry, Bollywood, though situated in the celluloid capital of India - Mumbai, has time and again showed its insensitivity to the city and its occupants by failing to show a real picture of what lies beneath the glossy veneer. And the director of Thanks Maa has drawn inspiration for his film from these real-life incidents that have regularly managed to grab headline space in the nation's leading dailies - issues involving infants being abandoned in dustbins and in hospital wards and in temples, small children left to themselves to beg and steal in order to feed their hungry selves, small girls on the streets who are always eyed by the pimps as a potential money-pot, girls from affluent families who are sexually exploited by their fathers, cheating husbands, prostitutes who have known only how to sell their bodies but will do anything to save their children from a similar plight....There is no dearth of 'real' topics that are there beneath all the lights, glamour, action and romance that is the norm in our film industry, but there is a dearth of filmmakers who would have the guts to attempt something 'real' without being preachy or judgemental and this is where Thanks Maa scores.

Though in the past there have been a meager amount of movies like Salaam Bombay and more recently SlumDog Millionaire, based on the street kids who are left to fend for themselves from almost the time they are born, the Mumbai urchins have hardly every been shown on reel in a 'real' light. A few filmmakers have tried to incorporate a very little segment of these slum kids into real cinema, but hardly does anyone be willing enough to make a movie that will focus on the plight of these young and helpless children, who are always out there in the world that exists behind our car windows, who are not really a part of 'our' lives, but who, we believe each time we see their apathy, will somehow survive, as they are born with the instinct to fight and survive.

The Cast and Crew:
Director - Irfan Kamal
Actors - Shams (Municipality), Salman (Soda), Jaafer (Dhed Shaana), Faayaz (Cutting), Almas (Sursuri), Barry John (the church Father), Raghubir Yadav (the municipal hospital peon), Ranvir Shorey (the cheating husband), Alok Nath (the pedophile), Sanjay Mishra (the drugged cab driver), Mukta Barve (prostitute Laxmi)

PLOT:
The plot is based on the incidents of infant abandonment in Mumbai. Thanks Maa is the story of 5 street kids in Mumbai - Municipality, Soda, Dhed-Shaana, Cutting and Sursuri, who live in the garbage dump and over gutters and near railway platforms and try and make some change by pickpocketing unsuspecting passengers on the platform. The protagonist, Municipality, was abandoned in the municipal hospital at birth and hence named Municipality by the hospital peon (Yadav).It has been almost 10 years now but the boy,who now lives on the streets, still comes every day to meet Yadav and ask him if his ma has come back looking for him. Yadav will not give information,which is always a NO,without being given a bottle of the local liquor and Municipality has to do everything to ensure he earns money so that he can buy that bottle that may bring news of his ma.

After one such pickpocketing incident, Municipality is caught by the police and sent to the remand home. Here he is met by the superintendent (Alok Nath) who is a pedophile and makes his intentions very clear. Somehow,Municipality manages to break free of his clutches and is almost about to run away from the building when he sees a taxi stopping at the entrance,a woman steps out,leaves something on the steps and then disappears in the taxi. As the scared boy is about to run away,he realises a dog is biting at the bundle and curious,he turns to take a look,only to discover to his horror, that the bundle is nothing else but a new-born baby.He picks up the baby and decides to find its mother and return the infant.

Thus begins a heart-wrenching journey where Municipality realises that there is no one else beside him who will actually help the baby get back to its mother. He names the infant Krish, so that no one can call it an orphan or something like 'Municipality'. On the way he comes across many characters like a cheating husband, a cabbie who thrives on drugs, a prostitute, a eunuch, a pimp, a father who sexually exploits his own daughter and other believable characters who regularly feature in the newspapers.

One scene that really touched my heart was when Municipality goes to a hospital in search of a certain ward-boy who can help him about the identity of the infant's mother. After speaking to the receptionist, all the kids thank her, because she spoke to them 'nicely'..'Thanks, aapney humse itney achchhey se baat kiya'...for everyone else they have met has either shooed them away or beaten and abused them.

The street life of Mumbai comes alive with the performances of these kids,who are slum kids in real life as well. The National Award for the protagonist Municipality is definitely most deserving. All the children have given an incredible performance, in fact their portrayals are so strong that it is impossible to believe they are merely acting, that is the beauty of these little actors.

The director has taken care to keep most of the things genuine. The language for one, none of the child actor is uncomfortable mouthing abuses that many of us will never utter in our lives. We see how these little kids, who barely earn enough to have a meal, feel that forty rupees is a big amount and can buy them a new pair of shirt and trousers, as they have only one dress, the one they are wearing. One of the kids (barely 7) has got a job of cleaning utensils in a hotel and dreams of becoming a builder when he grows up. As the others mock him, he lays out his plans: 'pehley bartan ghisega, phir table pochhega, phir aarder lega, phir meneger banega, phir bada aadmi banega, bilding banaayega.' But he desperately needs to buy a shirt out of the 40 rupees he has, as otherwise the guard will not allow him to enter the hotel since his dress is so dirty. When Soda and Municipality have a fight, the latter's shirt is torn and he cries, as this was the only shirt he had. Throughout the film he is shown wearing the torn shirt.

Through the 2 days that Municipality has the baby, he becomes its mother, trying every possible thing to find some milk for the baby, cleaning it when it dirties itself, putting it to sleep, talking to the baby and assuring that he will take it to its mother. He gets so attached to the baby that hardly does he let anyone else take it from his arms. The fear of having been separated from his own mother is so strong in the boy that he cannot bear to think another innocent should end up growing like him.

His emotions are brilliantly portrayed in one especially touching scene towards the end of the movie when he is almost on the verge of finding the infant's mother, he holds it in his arms and says: "Mujhpe to saara din moota, main bura nahin maana, par ma ke paas jaakey thhoda kam karna, nahi to woh bolegi kitna ganda hai, mujhey nahi chaahiye. Main har Sunday aayega tujhe milney.Mujhey bhoolega to nahi na? Par bachpan ka kahaan yaad rehta hai? Galat hai na, bachpan ka time to yaad rehney ka.Mujhey yaad rehta to main bhi apni maa ko jhat se dhoondh leta."

The film is filled with hindi abuses and not one dialogue is left without expletives,something that would be common in a 'real' street setting as well. The director has not tried to show a clean or beautiful frame in the movie, instead, the movie has been shot in real locations like real slums, dumping grounds, platforms, temples and the like and the characters are all real as well.

Watch this movie only for Municipality and the rest of the kids. Do not expect big roles from the seasoned actors as they have brief appearances and the entire movie pulls a winner on the performances of the children alone. Watch it only if you can digest a movie without an exposing female lead, without a six-pack-ab hero, without the 'naach-gaana' and the choreographed moves, without breathtaking locales, without designer clothes and accessories, and most important of all, without a feel-good plot. Cause this movie will not end with a fairytale 'happily-ever-after', making you think that life is all good and rosy... It will force you to think of someone else other than you and your perfect world, it will make you realise that, sometimes, with just a smile or a little helping hand,you can make a world of difference to those little young faces that look at you from the other side of your car window.

Shutter Island - Watch It If You Haven't Yet

The mind is a scary place. A place that is dark and enlightened at the same time. A place that plays games, that plots and schemes, that keeps everything safe inside its chambers and yet sometimes has no memory to fall back on. A place that can be innocent as well as keep up a façade, a place that is safe from the outside world, yet can be easily manipulated by another mind of equal or more power.

The movie Shutter Island is an American psychological movie that delves into the darkest chambers of the human mind. Based on the 2003 novel of the same name by author Dennis Lehanne, the movie, directed by Martin Scorsese, premiered at the 60th Berlin International Film Festival as part of the competition screening on February 13th 2010. The movie was co-produced by Columbia Pictures and Paramount Pictures. It was released on 19th February 2010.

Crew and Cast:
Martin Scorsese – Director
Martin Scorsese, Bradley J. Fischer, Mike Medavoy, Arnold W. Messer
Robbie Robertson - Music
Leonardo Di Caprio – U.S. Marshal Edward ‘Teddy’ Daniels
Mark Ruffalo – U.S. Marshal Chuk Aule
Ben Kingsley – Dr. John Cawley
Michelle Williams – Dolores Chanal
Emily Mortimer – Rachel Solando
Max von Sydow – Dr. Jeremiah Naehring
Jackie Earle Haley – George Noyce
Ted Levine – Warden
John Carroll Lynch – Deputy Warden McPherson
Elias Koteas – Andrew Laeddis
Patricia Clarkson – Dr. Rachel Solando

Plot:
The movie, based in the year 1954, begins with a sea-sick U.S. Marshal Edward (Leonardo) and his newly-assigned partner Chuck (Ruffalo) heading towards the Shutter Island in Boston Harbour, which houses the Ashecliff Hospital for Criminally Insane. The two have been assigned to investigate into the disappearance of a patient Rachel Solando, who, it seems, has vanished from a locked room.
As they reach the island, a dark mood takes over the movie. The landscape is all dark and grey, filled with uniformed and armed guards who are searching the place for the vanished patient / prisoner. The ferry on which the two Marshals have arrived is the only source of link between Shutter Island and the world, they are informed, and as a storm is fast approaching, the captain of the ferry wants to leave them on the island and go back as soon as possible.
As the two Marshals step on the island, they realize things are quite serious. The sky is already dark with the looming storm and the sea is rough and black. As they near the hospital, they pass electrified fences of barbed wire and a cemetery with the words – ‘Remember me, for I have lived, loved, laughed.’ The cemetery is filled with black and grey slabs jutting out of the earth, an ominous sky above, a dark life inside the confines of the island. The hospital looms large all of a sudden. It is a massive stone structure, like a castle made only of grey stone, and everything about the place is already dark and gives you the creeps. The movie, though based in the US, is every bit English in its look – the dark grey castle, the grey sky filled with large dark clouds, the grey sea, it seems all the colour has been taken away from the life that exists here.
As the two enter the gates they are asked to hand over their arms to the guard. For all their time on the island, they are informed that they will have to follow all protocol and that they will have to obey orders from the in-charge.
The head psychiatrist, Dr. John Cawley, explains that the escaped patient, Rachel Solando, had been admitted after she drowned her three children. The two join the others during the search for Rachel. During the search Edward sees a lighthouse and upon asking if she could be hiding there, he is told the lighthouse has already been searched. Edward asks to see the files of the hospital staff but is refused. His frustration is further increased when he is informed that the psychiatrist who was handling Rachel’s case has already left for a long-planned vacation. When they want to speak with the doctor, they are told that all lines of communication are down due to the storm.
While talking to his partner Chuck, Edward reveals that he is here on a personal mission too. His wife, Dolores, was killed in a fire that was started by an arsonist named Andrew Laeddis.
In the morning while they are interviewing the patients, one of them scribbles the words RUN on the notepad. Later, Edward reveals to Chuck that Andrew Laeddis was sent to Ashecliff for his crime but had suddenly disappeared. Also, he had once met a former patient named George Noyce, who had told him how Ashcliff was experimenting on patients in barbaric and secret methods. George was a wonderful man, who had been sent for some work to the institute. But when he came back from there he became violent and had to be sent back as a patient. He was cured and was sent back to the outside world. But then again he began showing signs of violence and attacked people and was sent back to Shutter Island again. Edward says that the entire episode was fishy, as George was a perfectly normal person and there was nothing to trigger off something like this in him. He was sure the institute was responsible for George’s strange behaviour. Now Edward is going to reveal to the world about the institute and get it closed.
Some time later Edward is informed that Rachel has been found. They have a meeting, soon after which Edward begins to develop terrible migraines and hypersensitivity to light. The staff and the doctors assist him with medicines and make him rest.
The storm becomes dangerous and parts of the institute begin to flood. As power is off, the patients begin to run out. The whole place is in a mess and Edward takes the opportunity to take a look at Ward C, which he had been earlier informed, houses the most dangerous of the patients. There he finds George Noyce, who is now battered and bruised, and he tells Edward to leave the place and run, that everything is a conspiracy and that his life too may be in danger.
Rest……it is too good to be revealed.

The haunting background score is something that blends so well with the movie’s theme and mood that you wont even realize it was not made for the movie per se. Instead, the director had asked his long-time collaborator to create an ensemble of previously recorded material to be used in the film. The beauty in the music is that though it was made without any particular theme in mind, once used in the film, it gels so perfectly that you feel it part of your own thought process. As you are tense, the music is tense, as you are hopeful, so is it full of hope, as you are sad, the notes are teary, as you are on the edge and have begun to chew your nails, the music will grip you.

Shutter Island has provided the director as well as the lead actor their best box-office opening yet. According to studio estimates, the film opened #1 at the box office with $41 million.

Personal verdict on the movie – AWESOME