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Reviews
Space MOMs (2019)
Amateur, insulting, sloppy, and comical
Full marks for trying to show Hindu values in good light. But the movie is painfully amateur, even to a normal viewer who is unfamiliar with the complexity of space missions. It's insulting not only to one's intellect but also to Hindu tradition, space scientists, and India. Dialogue and action were poor. The lead actors (space moms) were the silver lining.
Dor (2006)
Kukunoor, what gives?
I associate Kukunoor's movies mainly with contemporary characters and colloquial dialog. Maybe he's watching too many Ekta Kapoor soap operas nowadays, but I couldn't help but notice run-of-the-mill Bollywood style in this movie. Though the subject of the movie is inventive and not threadbare Bollywood bovine excrement, somehow he has failed to show the same inventiveness in direction. Though Talpade, Karnad, and Kukunoor himself tried their best to put life into their characters, the characters failed them. The background score was decent but appears non-synchronous with the movie many times.
Bottom line: This movie stands head and shoulders above usual Bollywood movies, not because the movie is exceptional but because Bollywood movies are usually unexceptional!
Godavari (2006)
Homemade Rice and Curry
The other day when I was telling my mother how refreshing this movie was, she asked me why I thought it was so special. I said, "Imagine being out of hometown for a couple of weeks and living on junk food. When you return home and have simple homemade rice and curry, how do you feel?"
In addition to capturing life around the lifeline of Andhra, Godavari, in a laudable manner, the movie makers put together a good cast. Radhakrishna embellished the movie by wrapping Veturi's lyrics in melodious tunes. Godavari might not be remembered by Thelugus four or five decades down the line like how Lavakusa is, but it can make any given evening pleasant and memorable. Anyone who loved movies that were made by Baapu or Viswanath (or one of their ilk) will add Sekhar Kammula to their list after watching this movie.
Movies such as this salvage Thelugu cinema and rekindle hopes, in people like me, that there still are people who can make neat, simple, and straightforward Thelugu movies. Kudos to Kammula and his team!
Water (2005)
It's water. It's neutral!
Water was steeped in controversy right from the days when Deepa Mehta started shooting the movie in India.
After watching the movie, I see no reason why I, as a practicing Hindu, should be offended by the movie. The ruckus created by the protesters is totally uncalled-for.
To me the movie only reflected the sorry situation of Hindu widows in India. But, I wish Ms. Mehta had written an optimistic epilogue reflecting the way Hindu society has changed for good in the recent times!
Kudos to Ms. Mehta! I wish Indian government had offered protection to protect her right to freedom of speech!
Aithe (2003)
Very refreshing and creative!
In these days when one wonders what exactly is attracting the masses to Thelugu movies, Aithe shows all the traits such as sane direction, nice plot, sane action, fresh faces, good music, and excellent direction as reasons why movies should attract crowds. Gangaraaju and Yeleti have done a wonderful job behind the camera while the protagonists, though new to the big screen, have done laudable action.
By staying away from cloyingly archaic trick of 5/6 songs, Gangaraaju & co. have done a great service to sane movie lovers. The only song in the movie is not only melodious but is very apt for the movie, a rarity in Indian movies.
This movie will go down in the history as a milestone but only time will tell if movie makers will try to treat it as a benchmark!
Anukokunda Oka Roju (2005)
Nice one.... Good Job!
The Ayithey team has done it again. Nice plot, sane direction and good music, all rare in Thelugu movies, make this movie a must-see for a Tollywood fan. Jagapathi Babu, Charmie and the Ayithey guy have done a good job in front of the camera while the director and his team did an equally laudable job behind. KeeravaNi came up some fresh music that works in tandem with the story.
A starking feature of this team's movies seems to be the earthly manner of portraying characters. Also the dialogues are so colloquial that a normal person can very well feel the intensity and tone. Some scenes like the Jagapathi Babu's jostling scene near the end were captured with a very real touch, like in a documentary.
Dealing with issues of drugs and bigotry, the movie stands apart from typical run of the mill Thelugu movies that don't qualify even to appear on websites like IMDb. Go watch it IN A THEATRE... please encourage at least the good film makers!
Parineeta (2005)
Awesome...touching...Indian!
Lately, many Indian film makers aimed at making grand periodicals but only few could get through with laurels (e.g. Lagaan and The Legend of Bhagath Singh). Set in Calcutta (now Kolkata) of the 1960s the movie is based on Sarath's famous masterpiece novel. The most impressive trait of this novel, carefully retained in the movie, is the earthly portrayal of the characters, an endangered (or extinct?) and sane way of capturing our lives on the film reel. Though there are good and bad characters in the movie, as in any normal movie, this one will be remembered as an outstanding one as it leaves an impression on the viewer that situation often is more consequential than one's own disposition.
The movie makers have also succeeded in rich (not gaudy as in Devdas) portrayal of affluent Indians' lives in those days- Elvis, Moulin Rouge, cars, parties, etc. The music is very pleasing, if not melodious, and works in tandem with the story, which is a very rare case in Indian movies!
In all, it's a must see for anyone- Indian or American. For an Indian, the movie would give hope that there still is some sanity and talent left in Bollywood. For an American it'll be an exotic movie with loads of Indian stuff. Go watch it!
Salaam Bombay! (1988)
Salaam "Salaam Bombay"!
A poignant story of "riffraff" in Bombay. Mira Nair and Sooni Taraporewala allow the viewers peek into the hustle and bustle of the unwieldy Indian city of Mumbai (Bombay). Most of the lead actors of the movie- Raghubir Yadav, Nana Patekar, Anjan Srivastava, Irfan Khan, Aneeta Kanwar- are now renowned and recognized as professional artists.
For a person who is from Mumbai or from such Indian city, these stories are no strangers. But for a US-educated lady like Mira Nair, Mumbai is beyond comprehension, and as this film's maker she shows her attention to details making clear what we Indians typically ignore even when at the "ground zero"- dirt, sweat, rains, poverty, prostitution, corruption, apathy and other such travails of the great Indian bourgeois.
The movie is a must-see for all those who would like to know how hundreds of millions of Indians are grappling with life in the post-colonial era.
Mr. Saturday Night (1992)
Fantastic Movie!
Supported by equally laudable performances by David Paymer, Julie Warner, and Helen Hunt, Billy Crystal throws light on the life of an untiring and genius comedian who cares for nothing but entertaining his audience.
This movie is a gripping and entertaining drama that is a must-see for anyone who would like to peek into the mind of a comedian/entertainer. Billy Crystal's excellent direction and action showcase his bottomless talent via his unforgettable portrayal of Buddy Young Jr. Go ahead and add another movie to your list of memorable movies after watching this movie.