Mission "AFAD" - March 2011

In a way, it's funny that the amount of films I watch each month has grown smaller in every post I've done until now. On the other hand, it's not that funny, because off course, I'd like to fulfill my mission, which would make about 31 films per month. 21 out of 31... It's okay, but not perfect.

21 fillums....

But you know, I was on a class trip this month, and I had to write an important book project for school as well. So that might be an excuse.

I also made a little improvement on this project, namely I'll cut writing the date, when I watched the film.

The films will still be in the order of when I watched them, but I don't think you're interested in the exact date - also, it's a bit irritating when reading, at least that's my opinion.

Striker (2010) India, Hindi

First view. It's striking (haha), that I didn't watch this film before, as it's available on youtube for free (legally, I mean), and the youtube-release even was parallel to the cinema release. The film, however, turned out to be one of those films you want to like, and you know many people are going to like, but you just don't. 

Siddhart performed as fantastic as in RDB, but I liked his look in the last one much better; he was a little less muscular there, and his hair was shorter. Almost falling asleep during the (frequent) carrom-scenes, wasn't helping me like it either. I mean, it's a great idea and "special offer", the camera was really good... But nothing for me. I don't even really remember the second half.

Terminator Salvation (2009) USA & more, English

First view. Spent a weekend with my Danish guest family to celebrate my birthday, and as always, we ended up watching an action flick - entertaining, (often) exciting and not too complicated. I don't know, how many terminator films they've actually made, I know I've seen one with Arnie... Whatever. Well, you know what you can expect, and if you know that, this film is actually action-flicky satisfying. 

Not that I'd have watched it otherwise... But did I mention I really like Sam Worthington? Like, in action flicks? An action flick with him never fails - he's some kind of new Arnie. Just a bit different.

Black Friday (2004, but was released several years later in India) India, Hindi

First view. Good camera, good plot... But boringly made. You knew what was going to happen, because you saw it in the beginning already, also too many side plots.

I did like the idea, and also the braveness of the director for making a film about this, though.

Babettes Gæstebud ("Babette's Feast") (1985) Denmark, Danish & Swedish

First view. Oh, how I love Danish films. And old films. And old Danish films. If you've ever seen a Danish classic, you know what I mean (at least I think so - I don't really know, what "outsiders" meaning not Danish people think about their film industry). The Danish director Susanne Bier just won an Oscar for "Hævnen" - which I absolutely must see - and when I walked around the Danish library of Sydslesvig (district where I live, which has shifted being Danish and German in history), this film popped up in front of me. I only read "Oscar", and had to rent it, then. It's a rather quiet film, but with this awesome sense of humour, that I love about Denmark and the Danes, and with a story so heartwarming, that you almost have to wipe a tear of your eye after finishing it.

Arundhati (2009) India, Telugu

First view. What I think has already been expressed deeply in my review, so if you have a few more minutes, I recommend reading it. In a nutshell: Good film.

Match Point (2005) UK, English

First view. What a film - what a film! (I know, F. Scott Fitzgerald told us to "cut those exclamation marks", but I couldn't help it). "Match Point" was only the second work of hyped director Woody Allen I watched, and in contrary to "Vicky Christina Barcelona", this indeed is a master piece of cinema. By the way, I forgot how hard it is to write about incredibly great films. Music and picture are combined in a way I haven't seen before, the story exposes human desires in a yet subtle way and don't let me start about the actors. 

Chokher Bali (2003) India, Bengali

First View. Good that the DVD had subtitles - I just realized it was filmed in Bengali. That would explain, why I didn't understand everything. Actually, I did think it had a Bengali-cinema-touch to it... off course I knew, that it was based on a Bengali novel, though. Hm, seems like Bengali is very similar to Hindi, as I did understand a lot... Interesting. The film itself is, well, very Bengali; slow-paced, quiet and very, very subtle. Personally, I liked it. Aishwarya Rai and Raima Sen are to fantastic actresses, and Rituparno Ghosh is also one of the directors I admire (though this was only my second film of his, first one was Raincoat). If you like the style I mentioned, you should give this film a try.

Milk (2009) USA, English

First view. If you'd ask me, why I watched this film, I could imagine so many intelligent answers, but I must admit that the only reason I rented it (from the Danish library), was James Franco. So, starting with him: his hair cut wasn't the cutest, but he assured me that he's a good actor, and not only a cutie I met by incident, just because he starred in a Danny Boyle-Rahman film. Only thing that frightens me a little is, that his performance of a gay person was really convincing. But also the film itself is good, very good. 

My Name Is Khan (2010) India, Hindi

Second view. Why do those DVDs I get as a present or buy myself, always lay in my shelf for at least one month? I got MNIK as a christmas present, and only now, I managed to watch it - together with my Mum and sister. It was also the first time I watched the director's cut, but I think I like the cinema version a little more. It was less filmy. 

Billu Barber (2009) India, Hindi

First view. After thinking this thought I mentioned, when watching MNIK, I pushed myself a little and watched the three DVDs I bought for a gift card from my uncle and aunt - Billu Barber, Dostana and Salaam-E-Ishq. This one was a good take on how to combine regional setting and conflict/ story with some filmyness and also making it a mainstream-film, actually. I liked it, not because of SRK (not his best performance), but because of Irrfan (for non-BW-ers: the cop from "Slumdog Millionaire").

Azaad (2000) India, Hindi

First view.  I'm warning you: Do not watch this film. If you see it on a flee market, walk by. Don't buy it. If you still do so, you're probably just as Bollywood (and film) addicted, as I am. The DVD even looked really bad, I think the only reason I bought it was Shilpa Shetty. She's not even in the film for a long time. Well, no more details, just don't watch this boring, 3 1/2 hours old chewing gum.

The Truman Show (1998) USA, English

I only watched the end, but my mother told me what it's about and I really need to see the whole of it.

Dostana (2008) India, Hindi

First view. Putting this in the DVD-player, I was awaiting some nice flowing-by entertainment for about 2 hours, so I'd never thought it was that hilarious. John Abraham and Abhishek Bachchan really are the Jodi No. 1 in Bollywood - and by the way, this is the first time I noticed this side of Abhishek. He was the most convincing of the two.

Mehndi (1998) India, Hindi

First view. A new mission of mine is, to watch a film of my favorite directors/ actors etc. whenever it's their birthday, and I started with Rani. As I've already seen her latest motion picture, I wanted to check out her debut "Biyer Phool", but apparently, it has somehow "vanished". Next one was also unfindable, I already knew "Ghulam" and KKHH, so that left "Mehndi" for me. If you want some of that rocking-Rani, just younger, less experienced and in a not-so-good production, watch it. The story is actually rather interesting, and at least full of Girl-Power. I wouldn't watch it another time, though.

Inside Man (2006) USA, English

First view. My submission for the LAMBS in the Director's Chair-event featuring Spike Lee. Read my review here. 

Salaam-E-Ishq (2007) India, Hindi

First view. I liked it better than I thought I would, many people not liking it, though off course, it never came near the f-a-b-u-l-o-u-s "Kal Ho Naa Ho". Biggest fault was the length. And Sohail Khan.

Raja Hindustani (1996) India, Hindi

First view. E-Bay is such a nice invention. You can buy DVDs for 1,40 EUR. Okay: Aamir Khan was the star of this film, and I wouldn't have liked it without him. But he's in it, and Karishma Kapoor was also all right, so I could really indulge in a heavenly demonstration of 90's Bollywood, including horrible fashion, loud and shrill songs / Karishma-voices, dishoom dishoom and Switzerland. Oh no, I mean Palankhet.

7 Khoon Maaf (2011) India, Hindi

First view. Did I write somewhere, that NOKJ was the best of 2011's Bollywood until now? I changed my mind now, "7 Khoon Maaf" takes the lead for incredible usage of daaaaark humour.

Priyanka gets better and better every time I see her (this month I even watched three films starring her), and when I watched "Krrish" about 4 years ago, I never pictured her in a film like this (though I was only 12 then, I did think about stuff like this). And who does not catch him/herself singing "Daaaaarrrling" during the first Russian-Indian song-mix I've heard until now? 

"Daaaarling, dadadam, dadadam dadadam...".

The Last Song (2010) USA, English

First view. I have a sister. Who... is very interested in Disney films and those stars and you know... She has a big collection of all those movies, and I can tell you: High School Musical outshines its sequels by far, though the second one was ok as well. Zac became to muscular in the third film, so that's why...

Okay, you're probably not interested in that. However, I think that Miley Cyrus is a good actress objectively (and that has nothing to do with me watching "Hannah Montana" when I was smaller - by the way, don't you think the series is not as good as it was once?...). (Clearing throat). Where was I? Yeah, the film is very sad, and maybe a little predictable, but so many movies are predictable. Is that always wrong? Everyone knew the Titanic was going to sink, so basically, it's the way that matters. And "The Last Song" is not as bad as it sounds, starring Miley Cyrus and being based on a Nicolas Sparks novel (haven't read any of his books).

Saudagar (1991) India, Hindi

First view. I'm planning on writing a big article/ kind of love-hate letter about 90's Bollywood, which is partly why I watched "Saudagar". The other two reasons: 1) It's Manisha Koirala's Bollywood debut film (and I miss her...), 2) It's available on bigflix.com - free and legally. And 2 1/2) It's by Subhash Ghai. Not my favorite director, but he did make "Taal".

Anyways, even if you love Dilip Kumar or Raaj Kumar, this is not the biggest must-see. It's actually rather boring and long-drawn. But it's also very 90's, so... love-hate.

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PS: I'm going to Hamburg on Sunday for a 2-week internship at a hat maker, and I'm really excited. We have to do an internship from school, and I think it's a great idea. Not only is the hat maker situated in a beautiful old mall (see picture above), and also an interesting craft, but also: Hamburg is the 7th largest city in the EU, the 2nd largest in Germany, really beautiful (and big, I love big cities), and also full of shopping possibilities, cinemas (where they show more than just the mainstream flicks at our cinema) and Indian shops (YEAH). Meaning I can walk around in a beautiful city (maybe with a Starbucks in my hand, just really cool [we don't have a Starbucks where I live]), maybe buy some beautiful clothes and off course buy some (or many) Indian DVDs. 

I'm also a little scared, but never mind. And maybe hysterical. I... won't bother you any more with these thoughts and my personal life.

Thank you for reading,

Mette M. K.