"On a night like this everybody's looking for somebody...."

The Celluloid version of Frank Millers Graphic novel is stylish and violent with lots of gore and cannibalism. It is shot in a film noir style staying true to the original comic by Miller. In fact it is a faithful adaptation by Robert Rodriguez who used the comics as the storyboard and parts of the film mirror visuals from the book eg: The establishing scene with Lucille and Marv. One of the best comic book adaptations ever which actualy manages to incorporate the graphic novel artist's visual style on screen.

A charming, softly seductive and well shot film in which you travel with a young Vietnamese girl on a journey of innocence and discovery. It is a slow paced endevour by Tran Anh Hung which will leave you softly dazed. Young Mui played by Lu Man San has a haunting innocence and ethereal charm about her which engages you. Listening to Vietnamese in this film is a pleasant experience as it sounds sweet and pleasing to the ear. The film is well shot with brilliant cinematography and follows the journey of Mui through childhood into womanhood where she blossoms into a fine young woman whose innocence and childlike wonder grows through the years in a life filled with joy in all her undertakings. The film was shot in a French Studio but captures the esscence of Vietnemese life and is definetly worth a watch.
The secret to life .....is to live in the moment.

"Beauty is relative..."

A bitterweet tale of a pre operative Transsexual and the journey she takes across America with her newly discovered son. Transamerica is an honest,reflective effort by Duncan Tucker. Felicity Huffman is supreme in her role as Bree Osbourne. An award winning and engaging performance. She is ably supported by Kevin Zegers. This is a film with a very indie feel to it and is carried by powerful performances and a wonderful script.

Based on the 1993 Bombay Serial bomb blasts which left over 1200 people dead. This controversial film( it is yet to be released in India) takes an intimate look into the planning, organising and execution of the blasts. The acting all round is great and Kay Kay really shines through in a complicated role. Anurag Kashyap is undoubtely one the premiere Indian filmmakers around. He has an intelligent and provoking approach. This is an engrossing tale ridden with violence, conspiracy and revenge.

"Horror has a face... and you must make a friend of horror. Horror and moral terror are your friends. If they are not then they are enemies to be feared."

A true Masterpeice by Francis Ford Coppola based on Joseph Conrad's 'Heart of Darkness'. This is a disturbing, intricate and at times, bizzare tale of a soldiers pshycological journey into the heart of his own darkness. Martin Sheen is superb and had a heart attack while shooting, Marlon Brando's Colonel Walter Kurtz, is one of the most unforgettable short roles of all time. Robert Duvall is brilliant and ended up with an Oscar nomination for his role. The Chopper ride attack scene set to Richard Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries" is one of the most surreal moments in film history.

"...Corruption is our protection. Corruption is what keeps us safe and warm. Corruption is why you and I are prancing around here instead of fighting each other for scraps of meat out in the streets. Corruption is why we win."

Syriana is a transnational political thriller which uses the international oil industry as the chief catalyst. The film utilises the hyperlink form of filmmaking where seemingly unrelated incidents converge to form a common tale. Definetly the 'whole is more than the sum of its parts.
George Clooney is great as Bob Barnes,a CIA undercover agent. His character is based on Robert Baer, a real life longtime CIA man with varied experience in the Persian gulf.
Matt Damon, Jeffery Wright, Mazhar Munir and Alexander Siddig are great in their roles. It does have shades of Traffic but Syriana provides a human, economic and political insight into varied aspects of the oil industry.

"Every civilization finds it necessary to negotiate compromises with its own values...."

During the summer Olympics at Munich in 1972, 11 Israeli athletes were held hostage by an Arab Terrorist Group called Black September and were subsequently executed. At the aftermath, the Israeli secret service - Mossad embarked on Operation Wrath of God, which meant executing the terrorists responsible for the deaths of the Israeli athletes. This film deals with Operation Wrath of God. Spielberg weaves a detailed tale of the events which potrays the human side of assassins and terrorists.

Eric Bana is great in an underplayed role, the editing is brilliant and there is the trademark Spielberg style throughout the film.

" They build jails because of me..."

This is an engrossing and dramatic film with a tour-de-force performance by Denzel Washington as Detective Alonzo Harris which resulted in an Oscar.The plot is about a rookie cop's first day on the job with his more experienced partner Alonzo and the rollercoaster ride he goes on in 24 hours. Ethan Hawke gives great support to Washington in this violent cop drama which is well shot with some engaging camera angles.

" But I force a smile, knowing that my ambition far exceeded my talent. There are no more white horses or pretty ladies at my door."

You can get in touch with him at:
http://www.georgejung.com/

'It's allright to be afraid, David, because this part won't be like a comic book. Real life doesn't fit into little boxes that were drawn for it.'

My favourite superhero movie which doesnt really have a superhero with otherwordly powers. M Night Shyamalan's self indulgent foray into the life of a Philadelphia security guard who is the sole survivor of a train crash and subsequently realises his true calling in life after a series of interactions with a brittle wheelchair ridden comic book addict.Bruce Willis and Samuel Jackson do a great job and have able support from Robin Wright Penn and Spencer Treat Clark. The tale is a deconstruction of comic books which brings the fantastical into the realm of reality. Comic cynics may just toss the film aside as one with the X men, Spiderman and other comic adaptations. But Shyamalan's true intent is to make the viewer comprehend the importance of the comic and graphic novel medium by rooting it into reality with a pinch of the supernatural.

'I realized my true calling in life.'
'What's that?'
'Shit, man, I'm a natural born killer!!'

This controversial film by Oliver Stone created waves when it was released in 1994. It deals with the desensitivity of television and the media as a whole where two victims with traumatised childhoods are catapulted to superstar status for being mass murderers. The narrative and visuals are experimental and imbibe a psychedelic flair. This film works on many levels with some fast cut editing, a fluid visual style and some fantastic performances. Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis are supreme in their endeavour of playing Mickey and Mallory Knox. The acting all around is great and it has one of the best Soundtracks ever. Stone uses an experimental style of film making which switches from Black and White to color, jumps in film stock and filters.

"The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist."

One of my favourite films of all time directed by Bryan Singer. A script par excellence by Christopher McQuarrie with an all star cast that delivers on all counts. This is a highly stylish thriller with a twist at the end which will leave you gasping. Stellar performances by Kevin Spacey, Gabriel Byrne, Chazz Palminteri and Pete Postlethwaite.

'Some places are like people......
.......some shine and some don't.'

A horror Masterpiece from Stanley Kubrick based on the novel by Stephen King. The story deals with Jack Torrance and his family who are the temporary caretakers of a grand hotel in an isolated part of Colorado. The seclusion and size of his situation leads to Jack becoming paranoid and maniacal. Brilliantly crafted and flawlessly executed by Kubrick, with unforgettable performances by Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall.

A fascinating film which is complex, melancholic and brilliant. Deals with two lovers Joel and Clementine who hire an agency to erase each other from their respective memories after a break up. The main characters are played superbly by Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet. We get to view a poignant and inventive Carrey in a challenging role. The editing amd visual effects are brilliant and complement the narrative and style of the film.

'This is a simple story...
......but not an easy one to tell.'

A unique film of great vision which is told with beauty and humour.
Contrary to being critized for making light of the holocaust, the film gives a unique prespective and is handled delicately. Benigni is a comic genius whose style is all his own and with La Vita è bella he gives a film that will stay with you long after the curtains come down.

'It hurts. I think it's infected.'
'No, it's not infected. It's just excited. It wants action.....'

This David Cronenberg feature deals with New Age gaming and the ultimate goal of Virtual Reality, that of engaging all the senses to create a alternative realm. Containing less gore than the standard Cronenberg fare, eXistenZ is a journey into the dangers of new technology. Most of this Canadian maverick Filmmaker's features deal with runaway Technology i.e. Videodrome, Shivers and Rabid. Although not as path breaking as 'The Fly', eXistenz reeks of Cronenberg.