Movies I Liked upon Reflecting

Reviews and Recommendations

This post acts as a perpetual dumping ground for all the movies that get dequeued by the newer ones as I watch, like and review them on The Recent Movie I Liked upon Reflecting widget on my blog

Here you can also leave your comments upon my reviews and recommendations.

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We Are Marshall

Watched on : Nov 6, 2009

Review: This is a movie about the aftermath of the 1970 plane crash that killed nearly all of the Marshall University Thundering Herd football team; the rebuilding of the team and the impact these events had on the lives of the individuals and the community.

The name, We are Marshals is based on the cheer performed by the team and its fans.

Watch this movie for the brilliant performance from Matthew McConaughey (of Sahara fame) who takes up the job of Head Coach after the crash. Matthew is full of witty remarks and anecdotes with the help of which he can convince anyone to do anything and these are the best moments of this movie.

It has a fine balance of varied emotions that make it a fun to watch.

In short, it is not just another American college sports movie as dozens of others which deserve a pass. This one will inspire you, tickle you and make you say – Wow!

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Resurrecting the Champ

Watched on : Sep 16, 2009

Review: It is the story of two men loosely based on a true event. The first one is an old homeless man, played by Samuel L. Jackson, who calls himself the Champ, once third ranked heavyweight boxer who missed a close shot at the top slot and with time was lost in oblivion, even disowned by his son for abandoning him and his mother at a young age.

The other is an ‘honest’ sports reporter, played by Josh Harnett (of Lucky Number Slevin fame), struggling in his personal as well as professional life, trying to move out of the shadow of a famous father(a radio announcer) who actually left him when he was a kid.
A report on the Champ can bring him fortunes professionally and make him a hero in front of his 6 years old kid too, to whom he keeps lying about his acquaintance with different sports personalities.

So we get to see, how the Champ became a looser and how the looser becomes a champ. However, the story doesn’t end there. Indeed it starts from there.

It is a beautiful story touching concrete aspects like irresponsible journalism and the abstract ones like father-son relationships and relative measures of faith and honesty. And it definitely showcases one of the best performances by Samuel L. Jackson to add to it. Do watch it to know, does the Champ really gets resurrected in the end?

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Freedom Writers

Watched on : Sep 4, 2009

Review: Now this is a movie that I am reviewing and daring to recommend you after having seen just its second half after returning from a class. It is a true story based on the efforts of a female White American teacher (played by Hilary Swank) to change the lives of her troubled teenaged students.

She is handed over the class of 'all-at-risk' students with different backgrounds and races. Having missed the first half, I could somehow comprehend the situation thanks to Obama's autobiography which talks of troubled lives of Black teenagers of around that period (1980's-90's).

Swank, while dealing with the prejudices of her colleagues and individual problems of her students, totally dedicates herself in transforming these students by introducing them to the real power of reading and writing, in the process even being divorced.

It was a great watch on the eve of Teachers' Day; a movie which reminds us how noble this profession is, something communicated recently through Taare Zameen Par back home though in different context.

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Frost/Nixon

Watched on : Aug 4, 2009

Review: Do you know why the recent shoe throwing incidents became Shoe-gate and Harbhajan calling Symonds ma ki became Monkey-gate. It all started with one of the biggest Presidential scandal in U.S.A. which goes by the name of the Watergate after the name of the building where the unfolding of this scandal got initiated.

Frost/Nixon is the story of two characters, Richard Nixon who was the first U.S. President to resign from the office following Watergate and David Frost, the talk show host who compelled him to admit his misdemeanour after three years. The story is that simple.

However, the way this unusual part factual - part fiction drama has been executed, keeps you on the edge of your seats (had to use this cliché expression though I watched it lying comfortably on my bed) throughout the movie.

Being the one with deep interest in American politics, it was a treat for me. For others too, it will be a nice experience, I believe. Do watch it out just to see, how an interesting successful full length movie can be built out of a series of interviews.

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Khuda Kay Liye

Watched on : Jul 30, 2009

Review: Now this is yet another movie, I should have ideally seen much earlier when there was all this buzz around it. Anyway, its better late than never. KKL is a good movie, no doubt about that and it gives a very potent message, again no doubt about that. However, being a non-Muslim and a non-Pakistani, I could not appreciate it to the full.

The scene which really amused me was the one where the male protagonist, a Pakistani national, brags about ruling India for 1000 years, when an American classmate fails to recognise Pakistan but lights up on hearing that it neighbours India, the land of Taj Mahal. But soon the American girl, hands him a Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan C.D. making it evident that she is well aware of Pakistan. The clear message that comes out is that Pakistanis should stop competing with India and realise their own positives, to make their presence felt.

Just like this review, the movie is too long and could have easily done without some stuff. However, it allows us to see the different shades of Pakistani society through the eyes of Pakistanis themselves and not some fantasising Indian director. In short, it is a must watch for any Indian cinema lover to realise that Pakistani cinema is no less.

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The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Watched on : Jul 24, 2009

Review: While watching the movie the only thing I could think of was, 'How the hell, I didn't see this movie earlier'. Its a beautiful movie based on a very unusual concept of a man living his life backwards in time. However, you somehow accept this unpalatable theme as the movie progresses, though with some exceptions. The best part of the movie is the make-up of all the characters and the way they justify that make-up with equally brilliant performance spanning different ages in life.

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The Hangover

Watched on : Jul 22, 2009

Review: Have you seen Ajay Devgan-Ayesha Takia starrer Sunday? The Hangover has basically the same premises but the execution is much more hilarious. There is not a single scene where you can keep yourself from laughing. Four friends out to Las Vegas to celebrate the bachelor party of one of them. They wake up in the morning clueless about the happenings of the night, to find a tiger in the bathroom, a baby in the cupboard and to top it all, the bridegroom to be is missing. Their search for the answer to "Where is Doug?" brings with it fits of laughters for the audiences. A must watch!

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Billu

Watched on : Jul 19, 2009

Review: A 'Malgudi Days' meets 'Bollywood' plot - a typical Priyadarshan movie set in a beautiful village. Irfan Khan churns another great act as all the other characters play their part to perfection. The movie could have done with lesser item numbers but I am not complaining. Watching Deepika, Priyanka and Kareena sizzle on the screen was a treat indeed.

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P.S. These are not my All-time favourite movies. These are just spontaneous reactions about the movies I liked since Jul 19, 2009. Some I might like watching again and again and some never again.

My all-time favourite Hindi movie is Swades while other favourites from recent past are Taare Zameen Par and Jab We Met.

The movie that I've watched the maximum number of times is Maine Pyar Kiya.

From Hollywood, I am reminded of Blood Diamond and The Holiday, instantly. And yeah, I love watching Jackie Chan movies from his oldest Chinese ones to the Hi-Fi Hollywood ones (but The Myth was unbearable).

Otherwise, I have no perpetual favourites. That is the reason, I created this post to keep a track.

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Sorry for not keeping a track