[8] The Upcoming Adults Presents: 18 Favourite Squeak Moments in Movies

We're getting to the real dirty stuff now, so if any guys did somehow, eventually, press the "view" button, they probably shouldn't press the "read more" button following this short introduction. 

Admittedly, dirty is too much said - there are many, many... well, "worse" scenes to find in movies. But then again, I guess the scenes I'm referring to wouldn't be considered especially bad by... anybody. The scenes I am referring to in this list however, do include a huge portion of corniness, female mystery and... attractive actors.

Sure, there are two or three "normally enjoyable" scenes here, so if you can tolerate the rest, stay with us, read on. As for the ladies, I know I don't have to convince you to read about...

1001 Movies: Finishing Kubrick

185 - 187

Slowly, my Kubrick-film-feast is going to an end... Having watched all sixteen feature and short films of the late director, I feel full of knowledge and enlightenment. That doesn't mean I loved or even liked all of his films - but we'll dive further into that matter when I write my big, grand Kubrick Post with a capital P. All you're going to get for now is three short reviews of my last three Kubrick-adventures, one that disappointed me and two that are officially on the list of my favourite Kubrick-opuses.

Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)

„THE COMPUTERS THAT TAKE THE SITUATION BEYOND HUMAN INTERVENTION HAVE ONLY BECOME MORE CAPABLE. BE AFRAID. BE VERY AFRAID.“

1001 Movies: Heart-shaped sunglasses, greasy hair and suntanned gladiator's legs

#183, a re-watch and #184

Choosing Kubrick's version of Lolita to celebrate the new year cinematically proved to be a perfectly wonderful choice. Provoking as well, to watch the story of an adult falling in love with a 14-year old in the year I'm going to turn into an adult (expectedly). My journey in 1001+ movies continued with a reunion and revision of my thoughts on one of the most-loved musicals ever (Grease), and yesterday's historic trip to slave revolts in ancient Rome (Spartacus) had me forced to finally write about these three movies (as one of my new year's resolutions was to write about each of the book's movies I'd watch).

Lolita (1962)

„[KUBRICK] MANAGES TO DELIVER A PICTURE EXACTLY AS EROTIC, ABSURD, OBSESSIVE, ERUDITE, AND LOW-COMIC AS THE BOOK.“            

The Cate Blanchett Essentials, #2 / 5

Notes on a Scandal (2006) Richard Eyre

IMDB: 7.5 - RT: 87% / 81%

The reason

„I watched the making of a long time ago and thought it sounded extremely intriguing. Okay, maybe I have a weakness for films like this - they are just so interesting, psychologically - but I've actually heard that this one is supposed to be very good.“

Blood. Music. Robert.

Also read: Blood. Music. Ryan.

France/ Canada/ Portugal/ Italy, 2012

Cosmopolis

Directed and written by David Cronenberg

Based on a novel by Don DeLillo

★ Robert Pattinson, Juliette Binoche, Sarah Gadon

                    

Obviously, Cosmopolis is a film that causes opinions to differ. It is theatric and filled with complex dialogue and ambiguities, and there was a moment where I could have chosen to think, "This is it. I'm out". But I decided not to. Mainly because the introduction sequence was so classy.

Classy is the right word. It describes this film very well. I read that some people found it stylish but in its content too self-indulgent and pretentious, but I don't agree. While watching the movie I considered this opinion, but was immediately captured by the story itself again, deciding I wouldn't jump on either side of the fence before finishing the movie. It's like certain books that you find hard to get through; the dialogue is tiring and confusing, and you just don't "get" what it's supposed to tell you. Then the revelation when you're finished and can't get this work of art out of your mind, you keep dwelling on it, certain scenes and underlying thoughts keep popping up in your head. You realize the works value.

A Film the World Has Been Waiting For

Norway, 2011

Få meg på, for faen 

(Int. Title: „Turn Me On, Dammit")

Directed and written by Jannicke Systad Jacobsen

★ Helene Bergsholm, Malin Bjørhovde, Henriette Steenstrup, Matias Myren

      

Since its showing at several festivals last year, this little norwegian gem of a film has been making its rounds through the societies of film gourmets, of course including the filmic blogosphere. I was instantly hooked when I first heard of it, because it was almost too good to be true: a film that revolves around the confusing thing that is (female) teenage sexuality, and that in a realistic and non-vulgar way!

What makes Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara a perfect summer movie

For the record: I'm perfectly aware of the fact that 1) perfection is subjective, and 2) I don't have a clue what makes a good movie. A film with similar ingredients as Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara might not have worked anywhere near as good, and maybe there are people somewhere in this world, who didn't fall in love head over heels with this film.
But as we continue, I want you to forget all these thoughts and look at Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara from the viewpoint of a summer-craving, adventure-seeking, latinophilic (there's no such word, is there?) fan, and just sense the love...

Success factor #1: Setting

The Compelling Beauty of In the Mood for Love

Once in a while, a film comes by and makes you realize how much you've become used to mediocrity. 

Fa yeung nin wa (2000)

Directed by Kar Wai Wong | Hong Kong
Written by Kar Wai Wong
★ Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Maggie Cheung

    

 ~~~


MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS

More men who hate women

But still just one cyber-punk who hates men. Fincher is bringing Lisbeth back.

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

Directed by David Fincher | USA

Written by Steven Zaillian & Stieg Larsson (novel)

★ Rooney Mara, Daniel Craig

          

When I first heard that Hollywood had plans about producing its own version of the Swedish surprise hit, like many people my only thought was: "Why?". Is this about money, do they want to exploit the fame of the books and previous books? There is nothing you can improve, is there?
Moreover, I could not in the slightest imagine an other actress playing Lisbeth Salander than Noomi Rapace.

I then found out that it was Fincher, the creator of some of my favorite films of the past few years, who was going to direct the remake. Not fully convinced, I watched the leaked trailer some weeks later - and at that point I was finally hooked. Hooked by an unexpected amount of style, cool music and most surprisingly (seeming) originality. I was sure then, that I was going to love the film.

A night of celebrating international woman power

MIRCH - WO HU CANG LONG - VOLVER

Being all alone yesterday night, after one week of familial semi-claustrophobism ( we were testing out or new camper), was the perfect opportunity to go through my never ending stacks of yet unseen DVDs - many of them borrowed from various people - and eventually what started out as a not-at-all choosy night of light entertainment, turned into a legendary night of exotic power women. 

There are people saying one should start a film night with the "toughest", most demanding films, in order to not expect your sleepy brain to handle things it physically won't be able to handle at 2 AM. Other voices tell you not to commit the sinful act of a triple (or even more) film night. I didn't listen to anyone this time - and let me tell you, it was the best film experience I've had since being spellbound by THE TREE OF LIFE last month.

Who Wears Prada? – Shaitan (2011)

Directed by Bejoy Nambiar

Rajit Kapoor - Rajeev Khandelwal - Kalki Koechlin - Pawan Malhotra

Shaitan means devil, and the film itself is as fire-spitting, thunderous and capricious as only the devil hidden inside us humans can be. 

It tells the story of a group of more or less rich, chronically bored, rebellious young adults who slowly get absorbed in a slough of drugs and, eventually, violence and murder. 

Band Baaja Baaraat (2010) - Make Love Not War

I have the feeling I change the review layout every time I write a new one...

Band Baaja Baaraat (2010) बैंड बाजा बारात

Director: Maneesh Sharma – Authors: Maneesh Sharma, Habib Faisal

Starring: Anushka Sharma, Ranveer Singh

Plot: After college, Shruti and Bittoo build up a wedding agency - however, they break their personal ground rule: no love in business.

Hidden Plot: Classic Hindi cinema is reinvented in a fresh, modern way.

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NB: May contain spoilers (though I'm sure you know them already, even if you haven't seen the film, so read on if you want to).

+ I wrote this review in the middle of the night, so it might not be linguistically perfect.

My Bollywood lean time is finally, finally over - it ended with a big BANG yesterday night (this review was written 2. August).

The "Bang" is also known as Band Baaja Baaraat, one of the most celebrated hits of the previous filmi year, that I have been literally dying to watch (!). 

After a sad misunderstanding with my father (I was sure he was going to give it to me as a birthday present), and my unsure-ness about ordering DVDs from India to Germany, the German Bollywood specialist label Rapid Eye Movies released the film here in Germany, so I ran out to the store to buy it. As I have watched the film with two cultivated German ladies, who otherwise love opera and similar, I can truly recommend it for convincing people that Bollywood is great. At least women, I don't know about men - and their filmic taste shouldn't be too elitist, however.

BBB is at the same time just as good as I had expected and also maybe even better. It's hard to decide, honestly. It is at any rate a fantastic film that has been needed badly.

I have personally "grown up" (first "met" Bollywood when I was 9) with the classic 90s and early 2000 blockbusters like Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham, Main Hoon Na, Yes Boss etc., all of them very colourful, funny in a cute way and of course, romantic. Today, the times have changed, and a film like KKHH wouldn't work today as it did in 1998. But that doesn't mean we have to forget those old times, or leave them behind - BBB is the proof. 

Yash Raj is back on track - but this time, everything is a little more realistic.

The film is just as colourful, funny, cute and romantic as my childhood classics, and the story is similarly easy to see through. This description may turn a lot of people off, especially the ones with the very elitist taste, that I mentioned before. I do have traces of that elitist taste in myself, probably because I taught myself to be like that - read avantgarde or very classic books and watch a lot of arthouse films. However, there is a part of me, the part that loved the films when she was young, that longs for those films, makes me re-watch the "old" favorites every year and enjoy them so much. 

This part of me does not have a brain in the common sense. Yes, she can turn the brain off. Isn't that just wonderful? And practical? It was she, who made me watch Band Baaja Baaraat. And I am forever thankful to her. 

A scene that truly impressed my fellow audience was the kiss scene. "How natural, how tasteful, how magical!" - those were their words. And I can only agree. That kiss might be the best kiss ever made in Indian cinema. 

"Ainvayi Ainvayi" - already a classic amongst Fans.
Did I mention that BBB is colourful?

So far, I think that Anushka Sharma delivered her best performance yet in BBB. Her character does have many layers, which is unusual in romantic comedies - at the beginning, she just seems like a business-minded power woman without any feelings, but as the film goes on, we can see more and more of who she really is. The kiss is a wonderful example for that. Shruti leans to Bittoos shoulders, which shows her being herself the first time - tired, vulnerable and searching for someone to lean on, literally. We also see how afraid and inexperienced she is, when the kiss is approaching, and how long she has kept many of her feelings locked inside. I can only say it again: the kiss scene is incredible. Not only because it really makes you blush (the only other scene [in an Indian film] that made this happen to me, was the famous Kaminey one), but also because it is so essential for the whole film and the characters. We also get to know Bittoo a little better, somehow. Well, I'll stop now - maybe I am interpreting too much into films.

The soundtrack of BBB is also similar to my childhood favorites - a mixture of songs for different moods and occasions, one or two really haunting melodies, and some forgettable ones. Important is, how the songs are realized on screen - "Ainvayi Ainvayi", the Shaadi Mubarak song, "Aadha Ishq", the sometimes happy sometimes sad love song, "Tarkeebein", the background song" and "Dum Dum", the Item number/ mega Bollywood song. And not to forget the Theme Song, "Band Baaja Baaraat", which also only appears in the background. I was especially impressed by the choreography for "Dum Dum", even though it is incredibly unrealistic, especially in context.

Kudos to Maneesh Sharma and Yash Raj Films! I wish the former mentioned good luck with his further career in Mumbai, and to YR I'd like to say: welcome back!

BBB is already a favorite, and I want to recommend it to every living soul - though I do know that not everyone is going to love it as much as I do. If you do love the film, and maybe interpret as (too) much as I do into it, then Cheers!

(A lot of exclamation marks in this review - I'm sure F. Scott Fitzgerald would only shake his head at me).

Rating: 8.7

PS: Yes, BBB does have faults - but child-me didn't see them.

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Thank you for reading,

Mette M. K.

Raavan (2010) - A Wet Experience

I've made some changes to the reviews, just some slight ones, but I like them more now. I also checked, if there were some "faults" in the old posts, like pictures that aren't showing.

Raavan (2010) रावन

Director: Mani Ratnam

Authors: Mani Ratnam, Vijay Krishna Acharya

Starring: Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan, Govinda, Vikram

Plot: When a new police inspector comes to "their" village, the people living in the woods kidnap his wife, their leader being the animal-like Beera. However, Beera is not able to kill Ragini, the wife, and takes her to the home of the wood-people, where he finds himself falling in love with her.

Hidden Plot: Mani Ratnam tries to interpretate the Ramayana in a revolutionary way, discovering the good side of Raavan/ Beera.

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

I'd been wanting so watch Raavan for such a long time now, and it has (as always) been wonderful to be satisfied by a film that you've had high expectations to. After reading some reviews, I had feared a Saawariya-vu, but no, my Mani didn't let me down - he never does. 

The film starts out perfectly already, with the genial "Beera", which was the only track I listened to before watching the film. Nothing unusual - I often can't relate to a soundtrack without having seen the film, even if the music is Rahman. Funnily, I'd say the soundtrack is one of the best 2010-BW-soundtracks, after having seen the movie now... I've listened to it the whole day. Every song is magical in its own way, the only one I don't like that much is "Kata Kata".

Wet, more wet, Raavan... Almost felt like a two-hour-shower.

Moreover, almost everything about Raavan is magical - which obviously is quite beneficial for a film inspired by an old religious tale. Never does anything definitely magical happen, but the interaction of Santosh Sivan & Manikandan's camera work, Rahmans music and Ratnam's concise but playful direction creates a sensation of mystery that captives the viewer.

Abhishek Bachchan said that he lost confidence after Raavan flopped, and criticized the editing on twitter, as soon as it was clear that the film was a flop. To me, the flaws are not to be found in the very fitting editing, but in Abhishek's performance, which admittedly was bumpy in parts. He did gain the sympathies of the audience, but on the other side, many of his reactions are hard to relate to, for example him being unable to kill Ragini, or the sudden love that he develops towards her. Of course, this is written in the screenplay - and I actually like these rather un-realistic reactions, as it is supposed to be some kind of a dark fairy tale, or at least a mythology-inspired film, but Abhishek fails in portraying this in the right way - at least sometimes. After hearing a lot of praise on Vikram (who plays the inspector in this one) 's portrayal of Beera in the Tamil version Raavanan, I'm eager to watch that one.

Yes, it was also raining in that scene... or something else... at least there was water...

Aishwarya Rai (yes, I know: Rai-Bachchan, but there's no melody in that), however, does not have these problems, being perfectly cast for the role of the bewitching, fearless-seaming Ragini. I think it was a good choice to cast her in the Tamil version as well. Even though there's not much room for real romance, the on-screen chemistry between Aishwarya and Abhishek is very nice, even though many people don't think so and find they shouldn't continue doing films together, "just because they're married". I also cannot imagine Mani Ratnam would cast two actors in the same film just because they're married. 

As in every other Mani Ratnam film, everything seems to be thought-out to the smallest details, and the best is just good enough. For example, Aishwarya's costumes were designed by sophisticated designer Sabyasachi, which indeed added to the magic of the film, and the film was shot at various outdoor locations all over the country. 

Only little frustration was the lack of depth in the characters - we never really get to know them or their backgrounds, so it's hard to relate and build a bond to the main characters.

Otherwise, Raavan included all I had expected: art, magic, great music, entertainment and new-wave-flair. Thumbs up.

7.5/ 10

Thank you for reading,

Mette M. K.

Review: Kites

KITES: THE REMIX (2010)

Director: Anurag Basu

Screenplay: Anurag Basu, Robin Bhatt, Akarsh Khurana

Starring: Hrithik Roshan, Barbara Mori, Kangana Ranaut, Kabir Bedi

Plot: J is an Indian dance teacher in Vegas on his search for wealth. When he meets Gina, a rich girl who's in love with him, all his problems seem to be resolved. He joins Gina to the engagement party of her brother, but when he meets his fiancé, the Mexican woman Natasha, everything changes...

Reviewed 24th of October 2010

Knowing that Kites was released at the same time in both India and North America and shot at several “exotic” locations, I was still somewhat surprised seeing it at a DVD-store on my holiday in México (actually, part of the story takes place there). Naturally, I had no other chance but to buy it – as is would seem to any other fanatic Bollywood-Fan, this “coincidence” seemed to me as a sign of destiny! “Kites” had to be perfect.

Well, I can assure you: It is not. “Kites” does have several flaws. For the better understanding of these flaws, firstly, I need to mention one of the best things about this movie: The idea. Though it is a often warmed-up plot (two poor people on their way to wealth fall in love and forget everything about money), I quite like the idea of the mixed-cultures setting (a Indian man and a Spanish woman in America), which isn’t yet totally common in Bollywood. Add a handsome Hrithik Roshan and the good-looking (+ sympathetic) Barbara Mori, a couple that definitely has some chemistry – and there you have a fun Summer-Movie/ Movie-for-DVD-nights-in-cold-winter! Or: you would. For there are some aspects in the movie, that calm out the fun a little. Firstly, and don’t get me wrong: I do like action, like burning cars etc., but there are sequences, where the violence just goes one bit to far for a Action-Romance movie. Then, some parts of the plot seem a little too unlogical to me: For example, the falling in love just happens too quickly. Investing some more in this part of the plot would certainly have been very healthy for the movie.  There are some more small errors, but all right, I think I can close one eye and just forgive the makers. And… well, maybe I’ll some day be able to forgive Hrithik for his song “Kites In The Sky” (but I need to think about it). No, just kidding, the song wasn’t that bad, and thank you for giving you best, Hrithik – but please stick with dancing in the future! As for dancing: The movie has some great dancing scenes, which also include Kangana Ranaut, who is a great dancer, but her character leaves no room at all for showing her great acting skills. Same for all other supporting actors: None of the side characters are very profound; they are all just decorating objects.

Despite all those flaws, “Kites” is a true Entertainer, a masala-movie with some new ingredients, and it’s not at any time boring.

Rating: 6.6

   

Thank you for reading my review,

Mette M. K.