Unglamorous Indie Rock 'n' Roll of 2012: Wild Girl Waltz and Gut

It's been a while since my last proper review and I thought I'd use the occasion to write about two films that I've been meaning to write about for a while. They've both been sent to me by two different indie film makers, who funnily asked me to review them almost the same time. That was one of the first times I felt that blogging actually has some material advantages, something you can touch. Like a free DVD. That's pretty cool for a poor student.

Wild Girl Waltz

Written and directed by MARK LEWIS

www.wildgirlwaltz.com

    

WILD GIRL WALTZ is a light-hearted comedy set in the middle of nowhere, centering around three friends who have an exceptionally messy time together. It also strikes some more profound notes in the middle of all the madness and despite some technical "flaws" I thoroughly enjoyed this movie.

You watched Karan Arjun? Whadda joke!

You watched----- REVIEW:
Karan Arjun (1995)

No matter how entertaining he can be in crash-boom-bang masala films like Dabangg, I cannot, and I probably won't ever be able to, take Salman seriously when he tries to "portray" a "serious" character.

In this one, like in many others, it's a mixture between "serious character" and flashing his naked upper body (which though wasn't just as over-pimped as it is today, in my opinion). He does well in dealing out blows, but as it has become a habit of his when playing "serious characters", he uses his "so-low-and-calm-because-this-is-a-serious-character"-voice, that I already mentioned in my review of Baghban. 

Neither has this been one of Shahrukh's better performances, even though he's cute and sympathetic as always. In one of the first episodes of Koffee With Karan, he said that he admired Kajol for only having chosen to act in films that she truly believed in and wanted to do. You can see that in Karan Arjun: while Shahrukh exaggerates a lot, and sometimes seems quite fake, Kajol is wonderful as always, even in this trash-pearl.

In the last (and first) episodes of these new reviews, I wrote about Koyla, coincidentally happening to be directed by Rakesh Roshan as well. Now, Karan Arjun is not as bad as the first-mentioned, but the image of Rakesh, that I used to have in my brain, is slowly bursting... Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai and Koi Mil Gaya are two films that I watched in the start time of my Bollywood-madness, and I love them so much. Even though there are some trashy aspects to especially the first one, I didn't see them as trash-bash-films, but more like... well, "normal" Bollywood films for their respective years. Krrish was also okay. But now, after watching Koyla and Karan Arjun, I don't really know what to think of Rakesh. Is he the king of so-bad-they're-good 90s flicks, instead of mainstream-but-fun 2000+ films? Help!

Okay, last but not least: something that Koyla had, and Karan Arjun didn't... really.... have - good music. Almost every song in Koyla is really good (90s-good), while there was only one song I liked in KA. But that one, on the contrary, was not only good, but really, really good - especially speaking picturization. 

So, here it is, the famous "Jaati Hoon Main" - enjoy!

Rating: 3.4

Thank you for reading, 

Mette M. K.

You watched Koyla? Bloody fool!

You watched----- REVIEW: 

Koyla (1997)

Okay, by calling this a mini-review, I would be seriously exaggerating.

Why didn't I write a real mini-review then?

Well, I'm really exhausted by all those summer tests we need to write at school, and also, this is pretty much all I can say about Koyla.

So that's what it feels like, when you admire a soundtrack for years, and then finally decide to watch the film. You're disappointed (even though you've been warned by the friendly Gaja Gamini).

... Or are you? I feel that, somehow, this film was not disappointing on all levels. At least regarding its incredible hilariousness. Every time (the late) Amrish Puri stepped in front of the camera, I had to go through some serious laughing-attacks. The very best was his Hinglish accent, and that a-w-e-s-o-m-e "Bloody Fool"! Now, that's hard to beat in its funniness. 

I did ask myself: "Was all this meant to be? Or did the makers think they were doing something great, or even just "good"?". Considering the fact that it was made by Rakesh Roshan: Yes, that's my guess. The title has his lucky "K" in it, so, yeah, I think he was very confident about this film.

But honestly: Whatever! That's how the best trash pearls are born, right? 

The true saviors of the film, though, are Madhuri and Shahrukh. Madhuri, because she's sweet, sympathetic and magical as always, and Shahrukh, because he was ... how do I say this... hill-hill... ah, there it is: hilarious. 

What a strike of genius, that they managed to create some song & dance scenes with a mute character. 

While many other 90s-Shahrukh-flicks are unbearable and of the "see-once-because-of-him-then-forget" kind, Koyla does have great potential to become a classic. I mean, a "so-bad-it's-good"-classic, off course. 

Rating: 2.9

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This post is part of The Madhuri Week, hosted by Gaja Gamini from bollywood-ish Blog.

And before I forget: Please check out the trailer for the cannes-featured documentary "Bollywood - The Greatest Love Story Ever Told" and spread the word, if you haven't already. (We fans want to watch!)

Thank you for reading,

Mette M. K.

Review: Arundhati [Ties of blood or "Khoon Chala, Khoon Chalaaa"]

- This review is not critically intellectual or similar, as this is my first Tollywood film. But don't get used to it, I'll try to avoid writing like that. -


PS: I'll be on mini-hiatus for the next 4 days - I'm on a class trip/ politics simulation from Mon-Thu.

ARUNDHATI (2009) అరుంధతి


Director: Kodi Ramakrishna
Author: Ramana Chintapally
Producer: M. Shyam Prasad Reddy
Music: Koti
Starring: Anushka Shetty, Manorama, Sonu Sood


Plot: This film revolves around three generations. Arundhati is going to marry Rahul, so before marriage, she visits her native village. One night, she receives a phone call from Rahul, telling her that he's in fort Gadwal. But when Arundhati enters the fort, that is said to be haunted, the horrible past of her great-grandmother Arundhati, called Jejamma, fusions with reality and a fight of good against evil is once again held.


Written the 12th of March 2011

I chose "Arundhati" for "debuting" in the Telugu film industry (Tollywood)... It's been several months now, that I'm maundering about watching more regional Indian films, and I had actually thought I was going to slowly "train" myself with Siddhart's Telugu films. But I'm very happy now, that I chose this film. Despite the fact, that I'm certainly not very familiar with this film industry, I think that the film is a good representative, and a good beginning for inexperienced people... of a curious nature. That's because it's just totally exaggerating - but it's still good.
 I haven't seen The House of Flying Daggers, sadly, but that's why I bursted into laugh seeing that drum dance sequence. Oh yes, colourful scarves playing the drums... Additionally, there's tons of pink-looking blood, a good-looking, but evil because of evil voice Sonu Sood, and a lot of mythology. Plus a language, that I do not understand at all. I felt drawn back to the starting time of my passion for Bollywood, at least I thought, that I probably felt quite similar at that time. Thrilled, though not as thrilled as I was by Hindi, which I began learning very quickly, I listened to the dialogues and admired the squiggled letters. I learned one word already, actually: "Raa" meaning as much as "come". Leading actress Anushka Shetty, whom I obviously do not know ("Arundhati" was not only my Telugu debut, but also only my second south-Indian film, after "Bumbai"), fitted her role perfectly, but if she's really talented, I can't tell, as her role consisted of over-acting, mostly. 
Same for Sonu Sood, but as I already know him from other films ("Dabangg", "Jodhaa-Akbar"), this performance of his is only another plus point. It's namely quite different from his other roles. All supporting actors were all right, most of them over-acting grandly (by the way, does the fakir speak Hindi sometimes - it seemed as if?), only the fiancé is quickly forgotten.
Music... the aforesaid drum dance number did actually impress me, beginning very still and vulnerable, but then getting angry and fast, which is a great achievement of the singer. Otherwise, I don't recall any other fancy songs. 

Now, let's focus on the last point: Special-Effects. Honestly: I found them very brave. Many Indian films of this kind just focus on "scary" background score or similar, but here they really tried to build a mythologic world of horror. Seemingly, they didn't have the best technical facilities (or maybe it's a matter of the budget), but just that giving-it-a-try made an impact on me. It is trashy, but lately I often find myself as a fan of (good) filmic trash, so nothing of this was annoying to me. Rather amusing and entertaining. And about the blood; well, though I had already often read reviews and articles about south-Indian cinema, I was still "surprised" by the floods or seas of blood, but I had a sense of humour about it. Yes, that's absolutely possible. Especially, when the blood is pink.
Okay, the coconut-stoning was really a little crass, but you can look the other way for a while.


You see, I could write much more about this adventure of mine, but particularly I can recommend it to everyone, except for the weak minds. As I've read somewhere: "Do something you haven't done before, every day". A great advice, and I try to follow it, really. Of course, watching an unknown film also counts, that's something new as well, but why now get over yourself and jump into the cold water of a new film industry? (PS: A Hindi-remake of this one is also planned).

Rating: 7.1

Thank you for reading,

Mette M. K.

Bipasha and a lot of Nonsense ("Aa Dekhen Zara" Review)

I'm beginning to like the concept of writing a funpost and then a review and then always shifting between the two kinds - one of them takes advance of the more chaotic side of me, and afterwards I can focus on one single film, and what's most important: Write a lot about it.
I've written this review quite a long time ago, but I don't want to keep it back from you for that reason.  Most of all, many critics or review authors had a quite different opinion than mine on this film, and that's also why I'd like to share my own thoughts about it. And if there's something seeming awkward to you, let me tell you that this review was written at approximately 1AM...


AA DEKHEN ZARA (2009)

Title-Translation: "We will see" or "Come Let's See"

Director: Jehangir Surti

Autors: Sheershak Anand, Shantanu Ray Chhibber

Producer: Viki Rajani

Starring: Bipasha Basu, Neil Nitin Mukesh

Plot: Ray inherits a camera that shows the future of the thing that you take a picture of. At the beginning, Ray uses the camera to gain money and becomes a real bastard, but he's also in love with a girl, Simi, who wants him to be like he was before.

And there are, off course, other people wanting the camera for their own.

Written the 8th of August 2010
There are many things about "Aa Dekhen Zara" that really annoyed me. For example, let's take the rapid and numerous camera shifts, sometimes even shimmed by camera flashes - what's meant to be entertaining, rather alienates the audience. In addition, it's a little hard getting into the film at the beginning, because the leading man, Ray, is never really introduced. Truth be hold, we don't get to know much at all about him in the film.
I'm also not yet convinced by the actor, Neil Nitin Mukesh. He doesn't act horribly, but he truly could have done much more, and sometimes seems pretty cold and artificial. Bipasha Basu is, opposite to him, very good - I learn to appreciate this woman more and more! Also her role is sketched comparatively cursorily, but still, she manages to give it a minimum amount of deepness. By doing that, she also saves her male counterpart. There's no huge silver screen chemistry between the two of them, but they harmonize well, and some scenes are even somewhat sweet. By the way, the name of a sandwich in the film is also very sweet (don't remember it, though).

As I said: gratuitous

In other respects, I don't have much positive to say about the first half. Once more, Bipasha is forced to jump into a tiny disco outfit and sing & dance - the necessity of this is supported by her being a singer. Sounds like "Bachna Ae Haseeno" to me, no? However, the whole "scene" is gratuitous, the whole thing (Ray and Simi getting to know each other) could have been done differently. Ray's metamorphosis is also something that seemed very illogical to me - do you become an idiot just by becoming rich? This metamorphosis is also highlighted musically by a very high-class song, whose lyrics mostly consists of "Paisa" (= money), and which is indeed heard by Ray on full volume-up in his very expensive car. Yes, it is possible to exaggerate. Talking about the music: I don't like at all. Not in the film - and don't dare to think that I will listen to this in my leisure time. I do give some plus points for the background music, though. Well, not the score, but the music on the radio and in the shops - simple Hindi pop music, which adds a little authenticity to the whole scenario. Ray and Simi watching "Omkara" on DVD is also a tiny little bit amusing.
After a fair first half, the second one is actually a little exciting. We follow the leading actors on the escape through Thailand, and somehow are on the edges of our seats (well, I was, at least a little bit). We also meet a very botoxed female police officer - but I'm clueless about Indian civil servants, maybe they all look like that... And Bipasha may perform another absurd, unnecessary dance sequence. But that's half as bad as the first one, as it's much shorter. The end is also quite good (though, obviously, they were "inspired" by "Dhoom:2").

So in a nutshell, I don't seem find this movie as bad, as I ought to find it. For everyone just descrying their love for Bipasha, it is worth-a-watch. Certainly though, "Aa Dekhen Zara" doesn't reach the level of the real 2009 goodies.

Rating: 3.9

Thank you for reading,

Mette M. K.

Mini-Reviews: "Eastern", Curry-Masala & Trash

One of my "new year's resolutions" (don't like using the designation, because it makes you think of "I want to quit smoking" and "I want to loose weight") is seeing some of the really famous and/ or critically acclaimed (Indian) movies that I haven't seen yet (which there are plenty of). Another one is what I call "A film a day", which is very obvious in understanding: I want to watch one film a day. At least. So, I've been good at it this first week of the year... And among others, I watched "Dabangg", "Sholay" and "Don" ('78). Why these? Well, because they are... really famous. Just what I wanted.

There are, as I found out, many similarities between those three. I love lists, so let's look at it in list form:

• They're slightly (as for "Dabangg": very) unrealistic. Ahem, walking a tightrope with two kids in your arms and a bad leg? (Don).
• They have great soundtracks ("Yeh Dosti", "Munni Badnaam", "Khaike Paan Banaraswaala" etc.)
• They have great actors and actresses (not a big fan of Salman, but I like him more and more)
• They exaggerate
• They are Blockbusters
• I love them (especially "Sholay and Don" - wouldn't watch "Dabangg" too often, but it's also good)

Here's a little more about each of them:

Dabangg (2010) दबंग

In this world, there are two kinds of people: Firstly, the bad guys and secondly, the good guys. And then, there is Salman. When Salman enters the room, a terrifying orchestra of e-guitars and hands being smashed sounds. Salman knows how to handle a lasso (ahem, water hose), how to deliberate new stunts (that are not cloned from Hulk or Matrix) and how to melt a woman's heart. And wen he wants to marry one, he doesn't ask: He just does it. Salman has got them, swiveling hips. He can agitate his belt, squash the sun with his bare hand and he has more hair today, than he had 8 years ago. Salman is fearless, oh yes, he is… Dabangg! (Two G's, very important!).

And if you haven't seen the fence post, on which is written "do NOT take this film seriously", I'm very sorry for you. Though I don't really understand the huge success of "Dabangg", I do have to admit that I couldn't have wished for more entertainment. Even the women don't miss out - admittedly, they're not very important in the plot, but they are presented by good actresses. You can't be very wrong with Dimple Kapadia, as everyone knows, and also the new face, Sonakshi Sinha, is not only a beauty. I do sense this woman's potential and hope that it will be utilized in her next projects.  Since "Ghost", we all knew that men are often attracted by female potters, but this is not the only wisdom we can extract from "Dabangg": Finally I know, that the same sound resounds, when you pack a puch, and when you fall onto the floor with a lot of kinetic energy (without breaking anything). Sonu Sood is, buy the way, no concurrence to Salman Khan, though he's allowed to show his six-pack more often than Sallu. Honestly, can anyone give this man a bra? And a hair-dresser?

However, my advice to you: Flip off your brains and let "Dabangg" take over your DVD-player!
6.4

Don (1978)

"Yes, who is it?". "Don". 

I say it, as it is: Whenever I think of those very famous lines, I automatically hear Shah Rukh's voice. Most people of my generation watch the remakes before having seen the original movies - if that's a good thing, or a bad thing, that's up to you. At all events, it entails that 1) I don't watch the originals very soon (as I'm a little "lazy" concerning old films) and 2) I always look after the differences between the two movies, taking the remake as my initial point. After having seen the original "Don", however, I came to the result that "Don" 2006 is certainly a good movie, but not comparable to its forerunner. It is indeed a little unfair comparing Shah Rukh to Amitabh, because Amitabh will always be a little bit better. I love Shah Rukh, and he is one of the best actors I know, but Amitabhji is… Well, he's Amitabhji. 

"Don" '78 is trash - the best trash I've seen until now. And a piece of film history.

8.5

                                                                                                      

Sholay (1975) शोले                                

My first Masala-Curry-"Eastern"… I had undertaken to see it this year, as I was quite ashamed actually… I mean, you must have seen Sholay! And if it's only because of the quotes and references in newer films… It is film history, in the truest sense of the word (can you say that?). 

Despite overlength: Sholay is cult with 4 BIIIIIG letters!!!!

(This part is very short and uncreative, but I find it hard to describe my feelings about Sholay. It's just a fantastic movie, and I'm so happy that I've finally seen it).

10
















Word explanation
"Eastern"???
Sholay has, among other films, been called an Indian western, because of all the guns and the countryside location. But I don't like that indication, because this is India, we're not in the wild west, we're in the wild east. Not in the countryside, "gaanv men". That's why I call movies like Sholay "Eastern". Simple.


Another resolution
As you may have noticed, there are not yet any entries concerning Kollywood or Tollywood. There's a simple reason for this, too. The reason is, that all I've seen of those until now, is one single movie. Yes, it's true. The movie was "Bumbai" (1995), and the only reason I watched it, was because of Manisha Koirala (buy the way, I miss you Manisha!). But I decided that I need to watch some regional movies, so that's another resolution for 2011. Happily, I have somewhere to start: Since I've watched Rang De Basanti, I'm so crazy about Siddhart, so I'll start by watching some of his movies.

Thank you for reading,

Mette M. K.