15 Movie Questions Meme - Desi Edition

AKA: Pandrah "Filmon ke baare men Savaal" Meme

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PS: I've been learning Hindi for about 4 years now, but I'm still not perfect at it - so be free to correct me.

1) Movie you love with a passion.

Fillum, jisse tum sachaa pyaar karti ho. 

My first choice for this answer was Kal Ho Naa Ho, one of my all-time favorites - Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham isn't even one of my favorite films - but I decided to choose this incredibly kitschy and not-good-in-my-traditional-taste-for-movies film, because: it brought me to Bollywood. 

Might be that I would have "met" Bollywood however, under different circumstances, but I will never know, so that's why I appreciate this film so much.

No, it's not really good. It has many flaws. But it's a childhood memory, that I share with my sister, and with my best friend. And this is my tribute to it.

2) Movie you vow to never watch.

Fillum, jo tum kabhi nahin dekhogi, kasam se.

There are a lot, but there also a lot that I watched without reason, leaving me feel like a complete  lunatic, because I watched them (Army, Yeh Lamhe Judaai Ke, Azaad...). 

But I'm sure I'll never watch Naughty @ 40. There's no reason for doing so whatsoever. 

... Yes, I'm not a fan of Govinda. He can be fun, but he can also be a total mess.

3) Movie that literally left you speechless.
Fillum, jisne tumhe sachmuch avaak chod diya hai.

Just like in my World Edition, while my choice for the first answer isn't a true favorite, the choice for this answer is.

Dil Se is a film I can watch over and over again, it will never fail to impress me. I think that it was one of Shahrukh's best, best performances until know, same for Manisha Koirala and even Preity Zinta ("even", because her part was so small). I never understood, why Manisha was waisted in so many other productions, but rumor has it, that this was also her choice.
The whole film is so close to perfect, and almost all of its contributors are genuine favorites of mine today (music director A. R. Rahman, director Mani Ratnam - just to name a few...).

4) Movie you always recommend.
Fillum, jiska tum hamesha sifarish karti ho.

Not many (read: maybe one) of my friends watch Bollywood from time to time, and if they do, then mostly the "old" films we watched, when we were younger (Chalte Chalte, Main Hoon Na, Kal Ho Naa Ho etc.). However, if I had to recommend one Bollywood film to all my friends, I would probably recommend Luck By Chance. 


I watched it with one of my friends, and she really liked it (except for the many songs). It's the kind of film that many people will like, because it's not too commercial nor boring, not too serious and political, and not too filmy and kitschy.








5) Actor/actress you always watch, no matter how crappy the movie.
Actor/actress, jisse tum hamesha dekh rahi ho, yadhyapi fillum bakvaas hai.

Seriously?

Let's have a guess, I think it's... Hm... Hard to tell...
Forgot his name...

King of Bollywood, King Khan, Baadshah of Bollywood (same as the first, but koi baat nahin), The Rukhster...

SHAH RUKH KHAN! 









6) Actor/actress you don't get the appeal for.
Actor/ actress, jiska tum appeal nahin samajh sakti ho.

I have to be honest: every - single - role I saw her in, she completely failed.

Surely, it wasn't hard to get through Om Shanti Om without anyone noticing she only had a face but no acting skills, but after Bachna Ae Haseeno, I definitely had enough of it. Sadly, I still watched Love Aaj Kal. Shouldn't have done so.

Deepika, I don't know what you did in acting school - and I don't even think I want to know. Just please don't make any more films.

I'll rather watch Katrina Kaif struggling to receive some decent reviews, than you.







7) Actor/actress, living or dead, you'd love to meet.
Actor/actress, manda ya zinda, jisse tum bahut milna chahti ho.

Sorry Raj Kapoor, you came really close, but I've only seen very few of your films, and He is... well, He's my idol. No, more, much more.
If Shahrukh is the King of Bollywood, then He's the God of Bollywood.

AMITABH BACHCHAN-JI. 


Iconic.
(And after Slumdog Millionaire, even the Western world slowly seems to "detect" him).


8) Sexiest actor/actress you've seen. (Picture required!)
Sabse sexy actor/actress, jisse tumne dekhaa hai.
A hard one, because with most actors I feel that they look very different from film to film. Take Hrithik Roshan: Hot in Kites, but Mujhse Dosti Karoge? Not quite.
Or Shahid Kapoor: Fida - fail. Kaminey - wouw!
Secondly, I feel there's a lack of sexy young actors. And thirdly, none of the actors are just really, really, incredibly sexy.

Except for Shah Rukh maybe - when he was younger. Nowadays, I must say that he has grown away from me. Not only in age, but also, I just don't find him quite attractive anymore, personally. I mean, yes, I can see he is attractive, but it just doesn't appeal to me anymore, in his newer films.

Whatever, here are the sexiest characters I've seen:

Siddhart in Rang De Basanti (didn't find a better picture, this one is kinda not-sexy, and he doesn't look like himself).

Vivek Oberoi in Saathiya - again, no better picture

Saif Ali Khan in Parineeta

Shah Rukh in Dil Se - now this is a good picture. Except it's an animation.

Wow, now I got going, I can think of so many. Anyways, I'll stop at this point - as I already said in the World Edition, we don't want Blogger to get cracked again.

9) Dream cast.
Tere sapnon kaa cast.


Shahrukh, Preity, Saif.
Oh, and Amitabh should've been in it - you do know what I'm talking about, don't you?

Yeah, I had to quote Atonement. And by that tell you that Kal Ho Naa Ho is my dream-casted film. Except for Amitabh (who's not in it).


10) Favorite actor pairing.
Sabse favorite jodi.

Forever and always Preity + Saif.

Why aren't they making films together anymore?

You were perfect together...















11) Favorite movie setting.
Sabse favorite setting.

No comment.

By the way; Yes, many NRI-films are good. But there are too many of the bad ones/ too many in general.

12) Favorite decade for movies.
Sabse favorite fillum kaa dashak.
Right now.
Which is similar too: Every decade.
I like all of it. Perhaps I don't watch all of it (yet), but every decade needs attention and appreciation.
Just remember, that it has all been "right now" once. And also remember, that "right now" will be "back then" sometime.

13) Chick flick or action movie?
Chick-flick yaa action movie?

I've only seen one good Indian chick-flick (Aisha), so without doubt, I'll go with Chulbul...













14) Hero, villain or anti-hero?
Hiiro, villain yaa aintay hero?
As much as I love, love, love villains, Bollywood often has its problem with them: many of them are either embarrassing to a villain-fan, or hilarious.

The hero is not any better: either embarrassing, or hilarious. Well, or boring.

So regarding this multi-faceted problem, I'm going to choose the aintay-hero, which is what Bollywood is best at (at the moment).

We'll never know if he was intended to be an aintay-hero, but he most certainly is: Shah Rukh in Darr.

15) Black and white or color?
Kaala-safed yaa rangiin?


To this, I can only write, what I already wrote in my World Edition:
As much as I love black and white, it's more of a "snack" to me. Something you need once in a while, but you couldn't live on it.

And that's the end of it.

Hope you had fun!

Thank you for reading,

Mette M. K.

PS: Some small Hindi-flaws have been corrected.

Fifteen Movie Questions Meme - World Edition

Jack L. made me notice this blog, hosting this blogging meme.

Instantly, I decided I'd do this, also because I do have time left today (I wrote yesterday, that I didn't).
But you know me, I have to make two versions of this; a world and an Indian one. I couldn't imagine doing it differently.

So here are my answers to the 15 Movie Questions Meme, World Edition.

1) Movie you love with a passion.

It has to be Dirty Dancing. I couldn't live without it. Of course, it's not the best film ever made, and it's not my favorite film of all time (I have several of those, couldn't choose one), but I can honestly and truly say, that I love this movie. With a passion.










2) Movie you vow to never watch.

That would probably be Jackass 3D. Sorry, but I'm not really into this s***-humor.

Many people I don't particularly like (and let's not talk about their taste of films), loved this film, which is another reason for me, not to watch it.

Otherwise, I think I'd see anything.











3) Movie that literally left you speechless

Atonement.

(This is supposed to be the "speechless" part).















4) Movie you always recommend.

I really don't have an answer to that question. The people I talk to about movies are so different - and how wouldn't they, if I'm talking about movies every day, to every person I can? So, logically, they have a very different taste for films, and I don't recommend one "special" film everyone likes to all of them.

I decided, therefore, to answer this question with the film that was recommended to me the last time:
Winter's Bone. I liked it very much.

5) Actor/actress you always watch, no matter how crappy the movie.

No one else, but Jackie Chan, would make me watch a film that has received the worst reviews ever. No matter how crappy the movie, it can never be genuine crap with him in it.

That doesn't mean I watch all of his films. But there are actually no actors or actresses outside of Bollywood, that I would try to watch all movies of.

More likely directors...










6) Actor/actress you don't get the appeal for.

Incredibly unsympathetic.

Not seen many of Gwyneth Paltrow's films - but that's not the reason why I don't like her.
















7) Actor/actress, living or dead, you'd love to meet.

My hero, Marlon Brando.

I think I've only seen three of his films, but that's enough to already be crazy about him.
















8) Sexiest actor/actress you've seen. (Picture required!)
This is a tie between James McAvoy, Robert Pattinson (yes, I do now, how typical and teeny-like that last one is, but I wanted to be totally honest) and James Franco.

He did have some weird roles, or roles that were looking weird, but that just makes me realize how hot he really is, when I watch one of his "better" roles. 

I heard Robbie is now officially a good actor? Whatever, I don't care if he is, I just care about his looks.

Sometimes I wonder, if he's gay... I mean, have you seen "Milk"? Well, I don't care anyhow.

And yes, I do realize they all resemble James Dean (except for James McAvoy). I was going to choose him as well, but there'd be an over-saturation of hotness here. And James'es.
We don't want Blogger to delete posts another time, do we?

Aaron Johnson was really hot too, once, but not anymore. And he married a 40 year old woman, so I don't like him anymore. I also didn't like his latest film.

9) Dream cast.

Mads Mikkelsen, Kate Winslet, Marlon Brando, Juliette Binoche.

10) Favorite actor pairing.

Going with the classic example for incredible on-screen-chemistry: Kate and Leo.

By the way, isn't that picture cute?

11) Favorite movie setting.

I like fantasy places (I think I did mention, that I'm a fantasy freak concerning books, didn't I? Not as much in movies, because a lot can go wrong here, but if they're good, I'm mad about fantasy movies.).

Avatar

The Lord of the Rings

Harry Potter

12) Favorite decade for movies.

No one in particular. I haven't watched tons of old films, but I don't really think they're all better than today, if I'm able to judge here. The best ones have been remembered and recommended a thousand times, but there must have been millions of bad ones as well, so I think it's been almost the same situation as today.

Of course, some people might still have their favorite decades, but I personally don't.

13) Chick flick or action movie?

Please don't ask me to choose between breakfast and dinner.

Action movies are mostly the better films, but I, as a girl, still need my chick-flicks in between.

14) Hero, villain or anti-hero?

I'm with the villains here. 

I do like my anti-heroes, and even heroes, but villains have always fascinated me, since I was little. 

Mostly, when we have to play theatre or make a short film in school, I'll play the villain. It just comes so naturally...

No, honestly, the dark, really really dark side of people is one of the most intriguing and interesting things to philosophize about, to me.

15) Black and white or color?

As much as I love black and white, it's more of a "snack" to me. Something you need once in a while, but you couldn't live on it. 

Wow, that was really fun. 

I'll be back with my Indian Edition, some time this weekend.

(And I have plenty of time because... we don't have school next week! Yeah!)

Thank you for reading,

Mette M. K.

The Weekual Thursday PP: Luv, Luv - and even more Luv!

THE 6TH WEEKUAL THURSDAY PP

This week's news feature has been pre-dated to today, because I don't have any time at all tomorrow and on Friday. And posting it on Saturday would be pretty lame, I thought.

By the way, I watched a very interesting, good film in class today: "The Graduate" from 1967. Simon and Garfunkel are great - how could I not realize that before? Aw, I love classics... I should watch more of them.

Oh, and someone voted for me at the LAMMYs for Best Design and Best New LAMB. But I didn't expect more votes - after all, this is more of a "niche blog". And in the end, it's all about the fun in blogging.

Now, a look on this weeks releases... Oh, only one? 

Well, that doesn't matter, unless... 

Its title is misspelled.
But then again, Rahul Bose is in it - an excuse?

KUCCH LUV JAISAA

Director: Barnali Ray Shukla (debuting but wrote story for... Thodi Life Thoda Magic ???)

THEATRICAL TRAILER

My impression, after watching the trailer, is that KLJ will be a rather mainstream entertaining film, but one that I'd be more likely to see than "I Hate Luv Storys" or "Luv Ka the End". Why? Because of Rahul Bose.

Apart from the misspelling, three things are annoying me: 

1) The black-white shots in between (= stylish? Naaa...)

2) The scheme-like characters (house wife, boring husband and secret, but tender in the core love interest)

and 3) Story seems weird, somehow.

I wouldn't necessarily watch it, but it might be fun.

A little. In the Sex and the City 2 kind of way.

And just like some other blogger (I think it was that girl from Cinema Paradox), I should be practicing for my math test... But I don't feel like. Just feel like sitting in front of the laptop and practicing some Swedish and Spanish... But I think I should do math now.

Thank you for reading,

Mette M. K.

Salman Khan in a very special role - Review: "Baghban"

BAGHBAN (2003) बघ्बान

Title-Translation: "The Gardener"

Director: Ravi Chopra
Authors: B. R. Chopra, Shafiq Ansari, Satish Bhatnagar, Ram Govind, Achala Nagar
Starring: Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini, Paresh Rawal, Lillete Dubey, Salman Khan

Plot: Baghban is the story of a family, a story about three generations, living together: When Raj retires, he and his beloved wife decide, they'd like to stay with their children, whom they haven't seen very frequently in the past years. But the children don't respect their parents the way the should, acting selfish and dignity-less.






Written the 22nd of May 2011
The Chopras - will anyone ever be able to produce films as heartwarming, lovable and just-at-the-edge-of-kitschy films as theirs? While I wasn't literally overwhelmed by Ravi's 2006 acclaimed "Baabul", his 2003-superhit "Baghban" was very enjoyable. I had to get used to it, though - at the beginning, it was very "Is he trying to be the next Karan Johar, or what?". There are many similarities to be drawn between "Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham" and "Baghban", and I'm not just talking of Amitabh Bachchan as the head of the family. Both films are primarily about family, love and respect. But where K3G is epic and, let's face it exaggerating (!!!), "Baghban" is more simple and relatable, though also not quite as remarkable and well, epic. Whatever - it is a very different film.

Sweet, sweeter, Hema-Amitabh

Before I start with the good things about "Baghban", let me first mention those I did not like:

1) Salman Khan. Salman is someone I can only enjoy in special moods. He's perfectly in his very element as Chulbul Pandey, and that masala-chili-action police officer did make me laugh, dance and have a good time - but. Salman is not a good actor in the classic way. Or, at least, I haven't seen that side of him yet, if he does have that side. It's just not him; in "Baghban", he's doing that "so-low-and-calm-because-this-is-a-serious-character" voice, and come on that's not what I call good acting. Sorry. Actually, Shahrukh Khan was offered this role, but he turned it off - sadly. And all of this wouldn't have bothered me as much as it does, if Salman wouldn't have been introduced with the letters: "Salman Khan in a very special role". Might be the role was special - but Sallu's performance was just the opposite.

The 2) component that didn't please me was... the music. Talking of introduction: introducing a Holi song with techno sound?! I doubt it. You won't get anyone dancing by that taste-disorientation. Chali Chali did have a nice refrain, but the only reason it seemed to be nice is that the other songs were this bad.

Phew - now, let's focus on the nice sides of the film.
Hema and Amitabh. Two wonderful actors, still doing a wonderful job today. Their portrayal of the elderly, deep in-love couple was sweet as the first strawberry in summer (funny expression... you know, I'm so happy it's going to be summer soon!).
I'd even recommend watching the film just for those two - Amitabh's face when he sees Hema tying her blouse: fabulous.
Off course, there is some honey-dripping kitsch-pie included, like when Raj calls Pooja on the phone and starts singing, or just all those letters they keep writing to each other. By the way: I want a type writer.
The actors who played the children and in-laws are not mentionable - except for Divya Dutta maybe, but even she was rather forgettable, which is unusual.
Paresh Rawal and Lillete Dubey as the funny side-plot Gujarati couple were both lovely, and Rimi Sen, in her first role, also wasn't bad (where is she these days?).

Bad, worse, daughter-in-laws

What really interested me, was the story, and how it can be applied on the western society as well. So many people (also grown-ups) have never learned to respect their parents, and the amount of old people is increasing steadily, here in Europe. Most of them live in nursing homes, there are very few who live with their children. It's sad, in a way.

"Baghban" took everything a little over the top, but that's what it had do, otherwise it wouldn't have worked out. Separating your own parents - how gruesome is that? Especially for someone whose parents are divorced, I personally found all of this very inhuman, indeed.

However, there's a little minus point more: "Baghban" has a double-moral. The children who didn't want their parents to live with them, are really bad-ass, but on the other hand you can understand why they hesitate, because they don't have large mansions or bank accounts (in contraire to the "good" son Alok).
Or Rimi Sen's character, who runs around in mini-skirts, which is not liked by grandma - and yes, grandma is right: Rimi gets touched by some guy she flirted with, and she doesn't like.

But on the whole, "Baghban" did have a positive impact on me, and I would recommend it to those, who can bear some manipulating and conservatism, if the rest is lovable.

Rating: 6.6

Thank you for reading, Mette M. K.

The Weekual Thursday PP: Sorry for my lack of posts/ reviews

THE 5TH WEEKUAL THURSDAY PP

A guilty conscience is piercing needles into my brain, because I've been really bad at writing reviews or other interesting posts this month. This week, my weekly post is even the only post I'm writing.

Hopefully, you don't get bored and tired of visiting my blog, though - I promise you, there will be something different coming up on Sunday.

And now to the releasing films of Friday - that I haven't heard about before, for a change:

It says "thriller" on indiafm... = ?

Hindi/ Bengali period drama based on Tagore-novel directed by Rituparno Ghosh... YES!!!

Fun or embarrassment, that is the question.

404

Director: Prawaal Raman (Darna Mana/ Zaroori Hai)

THEATRICAL TRAILER

So, my first impression of the poster didn't prove wrong: The trailer is everything but scary. It looks like something my friends and I would do for a school project.

I wonder why there are so many horror releases in Mumbai right now... Is this the typical horror season, or what? Help me out, because I haven't been as into following the latest releases as I am now.

There's not even a real story... It seems to be the old "forbidden, haunted chamber"-thing, which has already been used in the Disney Channel kids series "Hotel Zack & Cody". 

I don't think this film will be able to convince me at all.

Kashmakash

Director: Rituparno Ghosh (Chokher Bali/ Raincoat/ The Last Year)

THEATRICAL TRAILER

He's not everyone's synonym for entertaining cinema, many find his works boring and long-drawn - but to me, Rituparno Ghosh is a favorite, whose films I truly enjoy. Especially the adaptions of Rabindranath Tagore's novels.

I like the simplicity and calmness of his directing, his selection of actors, and the way he tells those stories.

You must now, that I'm very in to history, especially Middle Age, Rococo, the Romantic Era and the 1910s - 1970s. So, naturally, this also applies to my filmic taste.

However, it doesn't mean I like period films, only because they're "period". 

But I don't think I'll ever be disappointed by Rituparno Ghosh.

He also never uses good-looking actors, so the focus is really on the film itself (which is not a frequent phenomena)...

Pyaar Ka Punchnama

Director: Luv Ranjan (debuting)

THEATRICAL TRAILER

Can you believe this? The guy is called "Luv"! (Taking a deep breath)... I'd say this is a hint to "embarrassing", but all right, it might not be his fault (if that's his real name).

Surprisingly, the trailer doesn't look that bad... The boy with the glasses is a bit overdone, and annoying, but especially the girls are fun.

A hint towards "fun"? I can only guess, but: I hope so.

----------------------------------------------------------

And as a little candy on the side, I've made this list of films discussed previously in this feature, showing how well my predictions were (until now - most films are still running):

Dum Maaro Dum (2011)

"I'm scared it might be stylish only."

Boxofficeindia.com says: Flop

IMDB says: 6.9

I've heard that: It's entertaining, but very overstyled.

Zokkomon (2011)

"Please, dear God, let this not be as horrible as it looks like in my first impression."

Boxofficeindia.com says: Nothing = probably a disaster

IMDB says: 1.7

I've heard that: I've heard nothing. Which means no one saw the film.
PS: The film is already out on DVD - I just found out!

Shor In The City (2011) 

"...my curiosity was awakened - and still is, off course."

Boxofficeindia.com says: Flop

IMDB says: 7.4

I've heard that: it's really good.

Chalo Dilli  (2011)

"...smells like fun and entertainment all the way to little Denmark."

Boxofficeindia.com says: Below Average

IMDB says: 6.7/10

I've heard: nothing yet.

I Am (2010/11)

"I'm even more excited for "I Am", than for "Dhobi Ghat" "

Boxofficeindia.com says: Nothing

IMDB says: 6.4/ 10

I've heard that: it's impressive and really good.

Men Will Be Men (2011)

"I can't find more words for this soon-releasing-box-office-desaster."

Boxofficeindia.com says: Nothing

IMDB says: Nothing

This means that: NO ONE saw the film.

Naughty @ 40 (2011)

"This is one of the rare films, where I'd say "no, thanks" to someone offering me a free ticket for it."

Boxofficeindia.com says: Nothing

IMDB says: 5.1/ 10

I've heard that: some people were actually excited for this one.

Haunted 3D (2011) 

"Haunted, honestly, looks like some very bad collage of the "best" scenes from Hollywood Horror hits..."

Boxofficeindia.com says: Semi Hit (what the... ?)

IMDB says: 7.0 /10

My new verdict: want-to-watch to make own opinion

Luv Ka the End (2011)

 "It doesn't look genuine, but more like some very through-thought commercial teeny production, that is supposed to make YR films look younger and more successful."

Boxofficeindia.com says: Too new to have verdict yet

IMDB says: 4.5/ 10

I've heard that: people have very different opinions on this one

I won't write about last week's releases yet

Thank you for reading

Mette M. K.