Lee-107 Reviews

The Mysterious Benedict Society (2021–2022)

Immersive, adventurous and Wes Anderson-esque.

[10/10 · 5 April 2023]

If you love middle-grade/early-YA adventure and mystery books/TV shows, you'll love 'The Mysterious Benedict Society.' As another reviewer pointed out, this series has a distinctly Wes Anderson feel in that the colour palette is pastel, the shots are symmetrical, the production design is vintage, very detailed, and has the same quirkiness that the characters do too. I haven't read the books, but the show also reminded me of the old Famous Five/Secret Seven books written by British author, Enid Blyton, which I used to love reading as a kid.

This series was shot very close to where I live. All the exterior shots of Curtain's evil institute, which the kids infiltrate in Season 1, were shot in a park just about a 10-15 minutes walk from my place near Vancouver and I wish I knew! But this series is dear to me for more than just that. The stakes are never too high, but you are constantly engaged in the story because the characters - particularly the kids and Mr. Benedict - are so endearing and well-written. Tony Hale is excellent and so are all the actors playing the kids. I especially loved Marta Kessler as Constance and Mystic Inscho as Reynie Muldoon.

Production design is the highlight of this show. The world-building achieved through the production design is immersive and contributes greatly to making the show engaging. I'm really sad that there's not going to be a Season 3. I wish there was just one more season to wrap up the storyline. I'd highly recommend watching 'The Mysterious Benedict Society' if you're in the mood for some feel-good, adventure/mystery, nostalgia-soaked content.

Emma. (2020)

Near perfect!

[10/10 · 24 June 2022]

I consider myself to be bit of a Jane Austen snob, having studied English literature at university and read all her novels. The great thing about Autumn de Wilde's adaptation of Emma is that you don't need to be familiar with Austen's work to be completely drawn into the story. De Wilde's attention to detail, her choreography and crafting of each shot in this movie is second only to that of Wes Anderson. This movie is exquisite and a feast for the eyes. Thankfully, though, substance is not lost to style. I feel like every single department on this movie - production design, costume, cinematography, music - came together to create a harmonious whole. The soundtrack of this movie by David Schweitzer and Isobel Waller-Bridge, in particular, is absolutely spectacular. It so perfectly matches the scenes and the comedy of manners we're witnessing. Since watching the film, I've played the soundtrack many times at home just to be transported back into this movie.

All the actors are also well cast. I do wish we had more of Mrs. Weston in the movie as there is in the book, and I also wish some scenes were longer because they seemed a tad hurried. Anya Taylor Joy makes for a very convincing Emma, but it is Mia Goth as Harriet who is a revelation. There is such effortless artistry to every look she gives and the way she delivers her dialogue that I have no doubt it must have taken her a lot of effort and hard work. The 1996 adaptation of Emma with Gwyneth Paltrow and the 2009 adaptation with Romola Garai are both good, and I honestly didn't think there could be a new adaptation of Emma that could beat that. But I saw this one and I'm completely floored. I've watched it three times and every single time I cry when Mr. Knightley asks Harriet to dance with him and every single time I'm amazed that this movie exists.

A last note: I do understand that not everyone will like this movie. I personally think the 1995 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice is the definitive version of the book and not the 2005 one with Kiera Knightley. So, to each their own.

Ode to Joy (I) (2019)

Vapid and disappointing

[2/10 · 23 July 2021]

Isn't the whole point of a movie to side with the protagonist? More so in a movie in which the lead has a chronic disease? But somehow this movie accomplishes in making you feel the opposite. I watched this movie only and ONLY for Martin Freeman, who I absolutely adore and love. But, god, his character is so unlikeable. He uses both his brother and his girlfriend and yet never really apologizes for using them. And doesn't have to face any consequences for using them.

All the characters are one-note: Charlie's the one with the disease, brother's the stereotypical handsome dummy who can't sustain a simple conversation with a woman, girlfriend's portrayed as a total weirdo, grandma's quirky, and all Francesca is, is "a total fox." I kid you not, over 5 times in the movie, we're told how hot Francesca is. Everyone - the brother, the dinner friend, the grandma - everyone comments on her looks. Like we get it; we get it, writers of 'Ode to Joy,' that your definition of a good looking woman is someone who's slim and sexy, because you keep hammering it to us over and over again, even going so far as to add (for a few chuckles, no doubt) that it's weird that the brother finds Rachel Ray attractive when he should find Giada de Laurentis attractive (who's much slimmer and svelte than Rachel Ray). Tell me you're fatphobic without telling me you're fatphobic...

Oh my god, this movie is so vapid. Gah! I expected so much more from a movie titled 'Ode to Joy' because I love simple, slice-of-life stories. I was expecting something nuanced, tender, believable, and I got this. I don't know if this was a paycheck movie for Martin Freeman, but I sure hope it was just that, because this is just disappointing...

Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories (2016–2019)

A slice-of-life meditation on modern life

[10/10 · 22 February 2021]

'Midnight Diner' is a collection of stories of patrons who frequent a diner which stays open from midnight to 7am. The diner is run by a middle-aged chef referred to as "Master" who has a few ground rules: 1) He'll make any dish you want as long as he has the ingredients; 2) You can only drink 3 pints of sake and no more; 3) And absolutely no fighting; if you're roiled enough to want to land a few on someone's face, you have to take your business outside. Each season more or less spans a year, with the last episode always ending with Christmas and the New Year. And each episode centers around a patron and a dish they have requested the Master to make.

The predicaments the patrons find themselves in are various: an aspiring actress has deep feelings for a newspaper delivery boy which he is unable to reciprocate; one of the diner's regulars, a stripper named Marilyn, has to confront her mother about her profession; a young girl falls in love with a con whose favorite meal is cold noodles; the friendship of two friends is tested when they become rivals for voiceover jobs in the competitive anime industry... What each person has in common is the diner and the Master, who observes what is happening and only intervenes when he can offer some advice, which is usually simple, practical, and wise. Through these stories I felt like I really got a peek into Japanese culture and the way Japanese people think.

For many people their first introduction to 'Midnight Diner' is through 'Tokyo Stories,' which is great, but really where they ought to start is from the beginning by watching the first 3 seasons (called just 'Midnight Diner') and then watching 'Tokyo Stories,' which is essentially season 4 and 5.

A lot has been written and said about the opening track and there isn't much I can add except to say, yes, the opening song by Tsunekichi Suzuki called "Omoide" is really all that and more! This has gotta be one of the best opening sequences in TV. At over a minute, it's long, but it is so beautiful and comforting. There is a hint of sadness about the song and indeed, the show itself, and it brought to my mind what William Wordsworth once said about "the still, sad music of humanity." 'Midnight Diner' is a slice-of-life meditation on modern life. It is contemplative but also engaging, immersive, and humorous. The show popped up in my Netflix recommendations some months ago and it is one of the instances where the algorithm absolutely nailed it. 'Midnight Diner' is one of the best feel-good shows out there and I recommend it highly!

Only Yesterday (1991)

An uderrated, under-appreciated classic!

[10/10 · 4 July 2020]

I was recently sent an old photo of mine when I was probably the age of young Taeko in the film. Seeing that photo brought all sorts of emotions. I stared at the photo wondering who was that girl - so tiny, innocent and pure.

'Only Yesterday' is truly one of Studio Ghibli's most underrated films and I wonder why. Yes, people looking for plot-driven material might find this testing their patience. It's just about a 27-year-old remembering a particular phase in her childhood. But it is exactly the pensive nature of the film, the quiet contemplation over the mischief and madness of childhood, even the refusal to sugarcoat certain unpleasant memories, that made me wish this was an episodic show rather than just a 2-hour film.

I absolutely loved the languorous pace of this film, the long dialogues between older Taeko and Toshio, the breathtaking countryside setting and the gorgeous animation. And I especially loved the ending. I'm not going to spoil anything here, but just want to say that the ending when little Taeko and her school buddies come to older Taeko's aid turned on the waterworks. It is one of the sweetest, most moving moments ever shown on film, let alone animation.

Klaus (2019)

A Christmas movie for the ages!

[10/10 · 17 November 2019]

This is a gorgeously animated and beautifully scripted film that will tug at your heartstrings in unexpected ways. In the middle of all the saccharine, cloying and formulaic Christmas movies, 'Klaus' really stands out. The voice acting is really good. And it is thoughtful and deep in a way children's films aren't always are. Have a box of Kleenex near you.

Little Women (2018)

Miscast, mediocre, overacted, cloying, and completely and thoroughly expendable

[1/10 · 4 May 2019]

The 10-second forward option Netflix offers is really quite useful sometimes, especially when you're watching drivel like this. I grew up reading Louisa May Alcott's novels and have seen almost every adaptation of "Little Women." And by far I've never seen anything as bad this one. The actors are miscast and there is entirely too much reliance on flashbacks and on the 1994 adaptation of "Little Women." Also, Jo's character is for some inexplicable reason changed. Yes, Jo is headstrong, but she's not a selfish person who makes everything - even her sister's illness - about herself and somehow thinks that her feelings are deeper or more intense than those of others. This is probably not the fault of Sarah Davenport, the actress who plays Jo, because she has the "look" of Jo, but man, she really does make for an annoying Jo. In all the adaptations of "Little Women" I've seen, I've never been this annoyed with Jo or this unmoved by her story.

There are actors in this movie that I actually like, but boy are they miscast. Lucas Grabeel - I'm sorry to say - does not have the acting chops or the gravitas to play an iconic character like Laurie. Remember, Christian Bale played Laurie and you need an actor of that caliber to pull off a convincing Laurie and Grabeel simply doesn't have it. Speaking of Bale, and more specifically the 1994 version of "Little Women," which starred Susan Sarandon, Winona Ryder, Kirsten Dunst, Claire Danes, etc., this 2018 version follows almost every beat of the 1994 movie, but the difference between the two couldn't be more glaring. I don't have anything against someone wanting to modernize "Little Women." It is a timeless story that doesn't need to be constrained by time - or even place. But I hate it when the thousandth adaptation of "Little Women" comes along and it is this miscast, mediocre, overacted, cloying, and completely and thoroughly expendable.

Dragons: Race to the Edge (2015–2018)

A must-see companion to the movies!

[10/10 · 31 March 2019]

'Dragons: Race to the Edge' really allows the supporting characters to shine. In the movies Fishlegs, Snoutlout, Ruffnut and Tuffnut don't get much screen time. The scenes they do get in the movies serve to emphasize just one characteristic of each character: Fishlegs, the nerd; Snoutlout, the windbag; and Ruffnut and Tuffnut, the gasbags, who can do nothing else except talk nonsense. Don't get me wrong, there is a lot of that in 'Dragons: Race to the Edge' too, but the supporting characters are more than just one-note. Fishlegs gets to explore a sweeter side of his personality (I won't spoil anything); Snoutlout is courageous; and the twins actually save the day on a couple of occasions. Fishlegs is one of my favourite characters, and I was really sad to see that he just got a line or two in 'How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World.' Christopher Mintz-Plasse is such a talented voice artist and he is superb as Fishlegs. He makes the character so endearing and goofy at the same time. So, I was really happy to see him get some much-needed screen time in this series.

I love America Ferrera, but her Astrid gets a little annoying here because at times, she comes across as an overbearing know-it-all. That said, I am really glad that both Ferrera and Jay Baruchel returned to voice their characters. If, like Jonah Hill, Kristen Wiig, Craig Ferguson and Gerard Butler, they had also not been in the series, it would have just not been the same. They also added David Tennant to the cast and who doesn't love more of David Tennant?

Another reason I like this series is because it allows the characters to just "be." Sure, there is some adventure in every episode and there is the overarching plot of the dragon hunters, but there are also scenes in which the characters are just sort of going about their daily life, exploring islands, finding new species of dragons and just being themselves and that's a real treat to see.

As for the dragons themselves, there are so many new ones in this series. Full marks to the team that conceptualized the different species of dragons, and gave them imaginative names and idiosyncrasies. It's really impressive. My favourite, though, remains Toothless. He is just the most adorable dragon of them all and he is so fiercely protective and loyal to Hiccup, it's really touching. The anthropomorphic qualities given to the dragons can really be appreciated in this series by the bond Toothless, Stormfly, Hookfang, and Barf and Belch share with their respective riders.

Now, for where this series ever-so slightly goes south... the plot of the dragon hunters gets annoying and drags after a while. First there's Dagur, then Ryker, then Viggo, then Krogan and then... the story just drags and it's the same thing over and over again: evil dragon hunters attack dragons, while Hiccup and the dragon riders attempt to foil their plans. I do understand that this was supposed to be a 4-season show, which got extended to six seasons, but I feel like some fresh material should have been written. I didn't mind Heather so much. I know she's a bone of contention with many reviewers, but I didn't mind her. I also really liked the character of Mala and that story.

The quality of the animation is definitely not as good as the movies. The characters don't walk or move naturally and there is no attempt at animating everything. In every episode, the dragon riders visit some island, but they never leave any footprints on the sand. But to my mind, these were minor niggles, which I got over with because what was more important were the characters and the stories.

I recently saw 'How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World' and I absolutely loved it. After I had watched the movie twice in the movie theatre, I was still feeling a lot of withdrawal symptoms and really wanted more of Toothless and Hiccup in my life. That's why I watched 'Dragons: Race to the Edge.' If you love the 'How to Train Your Dragon' universe, if you love the movies and are fond of the characters and their adorable dragons, 'Dragons: Race to the Edge' is a must-see addendum. It's not perfect, but it will do!

Derry Girls (2018–2022)

Hilarious!

[10/10 · 22 January 2019]

I haven't laughed so much for any how of late as I have for this one. Saw this on Netflix and can't recommend it highly enough. I thought all the actors did a fantastic job. I especially liked Siobhan McSweeney who plays Sister Micheal. She's an absolute hoot and a real scene-stealer. Her deadpan dialogue delivery left me in splits. The script of this show is extremely witty. It really captures the angst and the indignation that the characters feel in the funniest way possible. I found myself remembering my "rebel without a cause" teenage days while watching this show. The principal cast - the four girls and James - share great chemistry and have done a fantastic job making sure the funny lines from the script really land. It's a pity this show only has 6 episodes. I liked it so much, I've seen it twice and really want more!

The Vertical Ray of the Sun (2000)

An immersive experience

[10/10 · 18 December 2015]

While watching this movie I was often reminded of the word lush. It is the lush emerald scenery, the lush colors, the lush texture of fabrics, the lush succulence of food...this film is a feast for the senses, a sight for sore eyes! With its mixture of the scents of summer and the moist coolness of rain, this is one of the most enchantingly atmospheric films I've ever seen! The cinematography is top-notch. Everything is filmed with the utmost care and patience. The lighting is brilliant! We don't have a conventional plot over here. It's sort of a 'phase' in the life of three sisters. A phase of feeling new things, experiencing new pleasures, realizing the strength of relationships and giving up oneself to the prevalent course of life, each sister rest assured that she can rely on her faith in her other two sisters and her own self-will to surmount all odds. All the characters have been rendered really well by the cast, especially by Tran Nu Yên-Khê who played Lien. The framing of each shot is aesthetically innovative, like when in the end after the three sisters cry on each other's shoulder, there is a shot of their bowed heads with the partings in their hair prominent. I thought that was a really good shot. The music is really nice too. The songs fuse in the life of the characters, becoming entities by themselves.

The amazing part of their culture is how well they balance modernity and tradition. If it were not for the tale-tell signs of modernity one would almost be fooled into thinking it to be a period piece. This film reminded me a lot of the beautiful Chinese film 'Postman in the Mountain' directed by Huo Jianqi which is equally good. This film with its emotional subtlety, its studied pace and aesthetic superiority is an unforgettable reminder of the finer things in life and the finest aspects of film, as a medium, in existence.

Cinderella (I) (2015)

Fairytale eye candy

[7/10 · 4 April 2015]

All the people crying hoarse about what a bad role model Cinderella is seem to have forgotten that this movie is actually, you know, based on a fairytale and is a fairly literal adaptation. It's not like Disney or Kenneth Branagh promised to make anything revisionist and then shortchanged the audience on that count. If people did not want to watch a story of an ill-treated girl whose fortunes change when a prince falls in love with her, then maybe they shouldn't have stepped inside the movie theater to watch 'Cinderella'. It's not like they did not know the story already.

And actually, I don't even think Cinderella is such a bad role model. Sure, she's mesmerized by a handsome dude she spoke with for five minutes and is most happy to leave her family home which she vowed to protect her whole life when the prince comes to take her away. But I think the real message of the movie is to be positive. In spite of all the misfortune and ill-treatment that's meted out to her, Cinderella stays optimistic and hopeful. It's easy to feel negative and defeated, especially when, in our times, bad things happening in the world far outnumber the good. It's easy to get affected and feel indifferent. But to shirk that negativity and continue on takes courage and shows real character. So instead of whining about how not a feminist role model Cinderella is, can't we not focus on the real takeaway of the movie - Be positive and affirmative and let karma take its course.

Why do we expect every movie to be moralistic, anyway? Just watch it for the beautifully lush faux Scottish-alpine landscape, the gorgeous sets and even more gorgeous people. I found Lily James as Cinderella to be less annoying than her as Lady Rose in 'Downtown Abbey'. She's not that bad... Richard Madden is a perfectly serviceable prince charming. He actually managed to not get killed for marrying for love and not for advantage ;) Oh, the Freys will be so disappointed! I love Cate Blanchett and can't help but think she was under-utilized. I know they couldn't have shifted focus from the main character but I still wouldn't have minded some more of Blanchett's delicious wickedness! I think for Stellan Skarsgård this was a 'one for the paycheck' role. Perhaps, like Derek Jacobi, Skarsgård took up his role because of his previous association with Branagh, but he deserves so much better...

Anyhoo, there are lots of movies to look forward to taking umbrage at, people. So cheer up!

How to Train Your Dragon (2010)

I'm pointing to all of this film and saying, "Awesome!"

[10/10 · 30 June 2012]

This film is an absolute treat! From the film's atmospheric opening, with that great piece of music and narration, the film is really engrossing and an immersive experience. It's visually stunning, the voice-over work is great, the script is really funny and the story is very touching. I've seen this movie three times – yes, not as many times as some of the other people on this board – and I've loved it every time I've seen it. I was really disappointed when HTTYD lost the Oscar to Toy Story 3. I've seen both the films and HTTYD deserved it hands down. It's sad when awards are given to sentimental favourites rather than films that actually deserve the award...

My favourite animated part was that of Gobber. Craig Ferguson's voice- over was just brilliant! I used to crack-up every time Gobber was on screen – the accent, the dialogue, everything was just great. In fact, I liked Gobber's part so much, I was sad it wasn't more in the film. I could see an entire film with him in the lead! The scene in which Gobber's listening to Stoick while drinking beer and then retrieving his fallen metal tooth from the mug, is particularly hilarious and very well executed. Gerald Butler as Stoick the Vast is also amazing. I'm not a very big fan of Jay Baruchel but he voices Hiccup really well. I do wonder, even now, why Hiccup doesn't talk in the same accent as his father and the rest of the Vikings. He just pretends once to talk in that accent but otherwise, pretty much, has an American accent. It would perhaps have been better if Hiccup also spoke in that accent. But that grouse apart, Baruchel does very well, especially while rendering sarcastic lines.

I have a feeling HTTYD's success prodded Pixar to make 'Brave'. The setting of the films is sort of similar and when I first saw the trailer of 'Brave' I was very sure the same studio that had made HTTYD had made 'Brave'. When I learnt the studios were different, I was actually kind of happy for Dreamworks for their success. Besides, Kung Fu Panda, HTTYD is a huge and well-deserved achievement for them. I am looking forward to watching the sequel but also a little wary that they'll spoil the magic and perfection of HTTYD by trying too hard to replicate its success. That's pretty much what happened with Kung Fu Panda. Whatever happens though, HTTYD is a fantastic film for all ages and preferences. Here's to more happier times with Hiccup and the Vikings!

North & South (2004)

Exquisite!

[10/10 · 11 July 2010]

I am a self-confessed anglophile and having done my Masters in English Literature, I try and see as many adaptations of British novels as possible. For me it's like re-living my college and university days when we used to eat, breathe, sleep and dream about the authors, poets and playwrights we were studying! And though we studied about Elizabeth Gaskell, her works sadly didn't make the cut as far as our syllabus was concerned. So to sort of remedy that egregious mistake, I have been lapping up all the adaptations of her work and will soon read all the books as well! I know I should have gone the other way around and read the books first... but well... the temptations of watching BBC adaptations were too much to resist! So I started with 'Cranford' and then 'Wives and Daughters' and I just finished watching 'North and South'. And all three are absolutely brilliant! 'Cranford' is an embarrassment of riches! With its stellar British cast, it is a treat to watch and is altogether funny, witty and disarmingly heartwarming. 'Wives and Daughters' has a very identifiable story and is brilliant in its attempt at exploring how women think and do the things they do. Michael Gambon, Francesca Annis and Justine Waddell make watching W&S a memorable experience.

'North and South' is unlike either of the previous works mentioned. It is much more profound I thought – going by the BBC adaptation at least – in its exploration of the human condition. It has shades of the works of George Eliot in its richness of characterization; of Dickens in its social realism and of Jane Austen in its unraveling of dormant passions. To be honest, I didn't think 'North & South was not without its faults. I get that Margaret Hale was the central character but at times I felt that the story was too one-sided. Everyone who ever spoke to John Thornton invariably ended up talking about Margaret which I thought was a bit unreal. And then there were the stock elements – now so overused – to make the hero seethe in jealousy: the mention of another eligible bachelor (Henry Lennox) in Margaret's life; the sight of her embracing another man! Gasp! The train station scene was the most predictable I felt. When the scene started with Margaret and Frederick bidding their goodbyes, I just thought to myself, "And who should witness this lovey-dovey farewell but Thornton!" and then the next instant he was there indeed glowering at them in righteous jealousy! And yes, Thornton's proposal and Margaret's prompt rejection of it has 'Pride and Prejudice' written all over it but literature is rife with heroines turning down marriage proposals because of their prejudices and/or natures – Alcott's Jo March and L M. Montgomery's Anne Shirley being two more similar famous heartbreakers!

But I digress… Because in spite of everything, this BBC adaptation with Richard Armitage and Daniela Denby-Ashe is simply put – heart-achingly beautiful! The acting, the cinematography, the writing were all top notch. In some shots Daniela Denby-Ashe was so beautifully lit, it was as if the camera was kissing her. Her character Margaret Hale is an incurable do-gooder, sometimes to the extent of being annoying but Daniela brings grace and class to it. But I have to admit that I think Richard Armitage shoulders this adaptation almost single-handedly from the beginning to the end and I cannot imagine anyone else playing the role. I even wonder if this adaptation would have succeeded had some other actor played Richard's character. As the intelligent brooding and conflicted mill-owner John Thornton, Richard Armitage's performance is nothing short of hypnotic. You root for him throughout and in the end, when Margaret professes her love for him by kissing his hand, you can't help but get misty-eyed! This is the first performance of Richard's that I watched and given his devilishly handsome good looks, brooding persona and incredible acting chops, the fact that he isn't more popular and hasn't made it big in Hollywood is a surprise indeed. Sinead Cusack, Tim Piggot-Smith and Brendan Coyle are excellent in supporting roles. I'd like to make special mention of the music given by Martin Phipps. The violin tune composed by him at the start of each part and surfacing in between is absolutely beautiful and complements the story perfectly.

I don't want to get into the details of the story of 'North & South' since many over here already have. 'North & South' is another example of BBC doing what they do best – adapt literary classics faithfully and make you wish you lived in an era peopled with the likes of John Thornton, Will Ladislaw and Fitzwilliam Darcy!

New York, I Love You (2008)

"When was the last time you did something for the first time?"

[9/10 · 31 January 2010]

I saw 'New York: I Love You' today and loved it! I was really looking forward to seeing this after watching 'Paris je t'aime' and overall I think I liked this one much better... Perhaps I need to watch 'Paris je t'aime' again I don't know... I read few of the reviews here about NY:ILY and yes, the movie is not without its faults. When you're paying tribute to a city like New York - it can get rather overwhelming and nothing seems fair enough to do the city due justice... so without elaborating on any of the film's shortcomings, I'll just write about what I liked.

Unlike 'Paris je t'aime' in which each director's short film was properly segmented and titled, NY:ILY isn't and many reviewers over here have found the seamlessness of stories and overlapping of characters here annoying and even confusing. I thought otherwise. I loved how the stories just flowed one after the other and I especially liked the overlapping of characters - it might be gimmicky because it's done so often in films now. But I still liked it because I didn't find it forced. And the idea that we're all connected in the end has a wistful, even whimsical quality to it - which some might find corny but I find beautiful.

I liked all the films but the one that touched me the most was the one by Yvan Attal with Robin Wright Penn and Chris Cooper. It was so well-acted and scripted that the reveal in the end - again not unused in the past - brought me to tears and I was crying throughout the segment that followed. I always liked Wright Penn and now I'm also a fan of Chris Cooper. Those precious initial few seconds when he's standing alone outside the restaurant, just before he gets the call - speak volumes about Cooper's ability to convey a character by just being there without saying anything.

Most of the stories in this film involve characters who are either meeting each for the first time or have met each other just recently with the exception of 4-5 stories in which the characters have known each other for a long time. It seemed to me (and I might be wrong) that the stories were different but they were all trying to drive home the point, the need even, to just step back and view in a new light the people and the things we've known in our lives for a long time; to see the people and the things around you with the eyes of a stranger and appreciate them just as you did when you met them and saw them for the first time.

The other films that I liked were the ones by Shunji Iwai with Orlando Bloom and Christina Ricci, by Natalie Portman with Carlos Acosta and Taylor Geare, by Brett Ratner with Anton Yelchin and Olivia Thirlby, by Shekhar Kapur with Julie Christie, Shia LaBeouf and John Hurt and once again the one by Yvan Attal with Ethan Hawke and Emilie Ohana when they're in the café. I really need to see more work by Yvan Attal as I seem to like him a lot!

Overall, watch this movie with an open mind. Don't read the reviews before watching it! It might not live up to your expectations of what a movie on and about love in New York should be and I doubt any movie will really live up to that conception. Just watch this movie for some good music, beautiful landscape cinematography, some slice-of-life comfort and a story or two that might just tug at your heartstrings.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)

Why oh why...?

[6/10 · 19 July 2009]

I saw The Half-Blood Prince today after days of nervous finger-biting anticipation bordering on hysteria all of which involved reading the book all over again, snapping at any remotely anti-Harry Potter remark, watching all previews on TV, buying ridiculously expensive tickets to watch the 3D version of the movie etc... I was just extremely anxious to know and once and for all be relieved knowing that the film version of THBP was going to do justice to the novel. I had my reasons to worry... if the film version of 'The Order of the Phoenix' was anything to go by then boy, I had a lot to worry! After all it was the same director and the same team who had successfully managed in trashing probably the most intricate HP book... So, I saw this movie and I'm... well, OK… I'm not seething in righteous indignation as some Potter purists might be... but I'm just very disappointed...

I just wish they had stuck to the book completely... Why did they change all those things? Why did they add things that weren't there in the book? Why was the film swathed from beginning to end in a gray palette? I understand that times have changed and the Dark Lord has grown stronger... but was it really necessary to visually make the film so dark? In the previous films, I really felt like I was inside Hogwarts and with the characters and a lot of that had to do with the design of the film - the great hall, the Gryffindor common room, the area around Hagrid's house and the interior of Hagrid's and Ron's house... these were places I had begin to love and I really looked forward to "visiting" them again... So seeing this shrunken dark, dingy version of most of the above mentioned beloved places was a nasty shock... Never had Hogwarts looked more a CG-creation than in this film... And that was one of the main reasons I felt disconnected from things happening there... And since when did the Weasley's perennially bright cozy country cottage The Burrow turn into Number Twelve Grimmauld Place? I know they didn't mean it to be... but look-wise it was as grimy and dingy as the way Grimmauld Place was designed in OOTP... In the book THBP, The Burrow is still the same old beautiful country haven... Even everything at Hogwarts was shrunken, dingy and depressing... If David Yates meant this as some sort of a motif, then it was a very bad, literal and lame one...

And those were just the design issues... the changes they made to the story is a different matter altogether... since when did the Death Eaters look exactly like the Dementors? Why did they add that bit about The Burrow being burnt down and not show the first memory that Harry and Dumbledore enter into - the one about Voldermort's mother and Tom Riddle Sr.? I remember when I first read the book, that was probably (no pun intended) the most memorable memory out of all the ones that Harry and Dumbledore visit... It was so beautifully written... so vivid, scary and sad at the same time... In the film, even the memory in which Voldermort first sees the Hufflepuff Cup and the Slytherin necklace which would later on be his Horcruxes was omitted and so was the one in which he visits Dumbledore in Hogwarts asking for a job. Besides these crucial scenes, they also did not include even one in-depth discussion that used to ensue in the book between Dumbledore and Harry after their visits inside the memories... I think those bits are crucial in really understanding the basic premise of the entire Harry Potter series. They're the meaty informative bits... Instead of wasting money on one expensive bridge collapsing CG sequence which is referred to only in retrospect in the book, the film should have focused more on the memories, on Dumbledore's discussions with Harry etc... After watching the film I was at a complete loss - the film catered neither to the hardcore Potter fans nor the new ones it might have wanted to entice... Neither was there enough quality for the former nor enough quantity for the latter... Harry was like in a limbo - not completely with Dumbledore, not with Ron or Hermoine, not with Ginny... he just existed somewhere in between... I didn't for a moment feel like I was there with Harry, Ron and Hermoine... And it wasn't because the book didn't give me that feeling... it was because the film didn't give that to me...

I really don't know why David Yates was chosen to direct this film... After the horror that was 'OOTP', I thought the producers would have wizened up... but evidently not... looks like Mr. Yates is their golden boy... what with him directing The Deathly Hallows too... In an article, Yates commented that if the audience thought THBP was spectacular, they should just wait for The Deathly Hallows. To which, I have this to say to him... High-end CGI, loud ear-shattering sound effects do not a good film make. Yes, they contribute to a film's viewing pleasure, but they cannot replace good solid story telling... So far, out of all the HP film-adaptations, 'The Prisoner of Azkaban' has been the best - the most loyal to the book, the film that most engaged me into the happenings and the most stunningly directed and filmed HP-film till date... For the longest time, how I hoped they would approach Alfonso Cuaron again and he would agree to direct one more Potter movie... but alas, that was not to be... I have no grand hopes for The Deathly Hallows. I am assuming that the reason they are making two movies of the book is so that they can do more justice to it. Yes, I still hold on to that hope, naive though it may be...

A Room with a View (1985)

Helena Bonham-Carter in one of the most underrated performances of all time!

[10/10 · 1 November 2008]

'A Room with a View' has won several nominations and awards I read from the IMDb page on the film but not one of those nominations or awards is for Helena Bonham-Carter - the leading lady of this Merchant-Ivory classic. To my mind this is her film. Helena has become very popular now - especially since appearing in many Tim Burton films, her take on Harry Potter's Bellatrix Lestrange and what not... but I still love her earlier films... her turn as Ophelia in Mel Gibson's 'Hamlet', 'Howard's End' another Merchant-Ivory film and this of course. In 'A Room with a View' she invests Lucy's character with such sublimity, such spontaneity, unbridled innocence and blitheness that's just spell binding... May be it was because this was Helena's second movie, may be it was because she was almost exactly the same age as her character, I don't know... but her rendition is almost effortless. Is that why her contribution to this movie was so overlooked? Perhaps. To me it appears one of the most glaring omissions of all time right up there in whichever.com's list of "50 Actors Who Got Cheated Of Their Award"!

That said, this is an ensemble piece and no better set of actors could have done more justice in supporting the leads than those here. We have a medley of stereotypes here but you know what, that's OK when you have the stereotypes played to the tee and with such perfection! So we have a middle-aged unmarried novelist of popular romance who thrives on the escapades and the scandals of those who unwittingly oblige her all the time. Judi Dench, one in many of her supporting roles which don't get enough screen time but do get awards! We have a shrewish spinster who in spite of being unnervingly exacting in her views has a healthy appetite for the gossip doled out by her novelist friend. Hear! Hear! Maggie Smith nose upturned to perfection! And we have the brilliant as always Daniel Day-Lewis who sinks his teeth into Cecil, the uptight, erudite, stiff to the point of being caricature-ish fiancé of Lucy. We all know his method acting, his research into his characters and all. Over here he is a blast to behold! To see him willingly make such an ass of himself is absolutely magical! I couldn't stop laughing seeing him struggle with a tea cup in one hand, swatting flies with another. I was laughing so hard, I had to pause my DVD 'cos I really wanted to take in everything that Julian Sands's character was talking at the moment!

The rest of the supporting cast - Simon Callow as Mr. Beebe, Denholm Elliott as Mr. Emerson, Rupert Graves as Lucy's brother Freddy, Rosemary Leach as Lucy's mother - everyone is just so true to their character - acting as such perfect catalysts in what happens in the end, it's almost perfect... If one really goes to see, every one of the supporting actors has some role to play in bringing Lucy and George Emerson together - Judi Dench's character stirs Lucy's repressed feelings for George thanks to her "Under the Loggia", Maggie Smith's conservative Charlotte has perhaps the most important role to play in first setting the lovers apart and then trying to bring them together, Daniel Day-Lewis's Cecil is very obviously meant as a foil to George's character - it is not until Lucy gets ready to marry him - "Inglese-Italianato" and all - that she realizes or is made to realize that she wants exactly the opposite! Even Mr. Beebe with his very open pro-Emerson-ness, George's father with his unrefined uncomplicated simplicity, Freddy and Lucy's mother whose fondness for the Emersons cementing their acceptance in Lucy's mind... it's like, as they say, everyone including Cecil, conspire to bring Lucy and George together! Lastly, Julian Sands. This is the only film of his which I have seen and he's really amazing as George. I mean, if any actor can manage to distract your attention from Daniel Day-Lewis means he's done one heck of a job! His relationship with his father is very endearing but that I think is more because of Denholm Elliott's really touching performance than Julian's. Even so, when you're watching the film, you really want Julian's character to be with Lucy - and while she's being all cold and stand-off-ish, it's he who makes us root for him all the way!

I haven't read E M Forster's novel which for someone who's studied English Lit for five years is rather shameless I admit. The title I am sure is metaphorical... reading the novel would perhaps give me better insight into that... it's more than just the view of the Arno in Florence that Lucy gets to see. It's her view of everything and everyone up until that point in her life that sort of undergoes this transformation because of one fateful change of a room that offers a spectacular view! 'A Room with a View' is another gem in the Merchant Ivory canon - it is a quintessential Merchant Ivory film and god bless them for all they have offered through their wonderful films that so convincingly transport you to another place and time almost making you reluctant to come back to normal life!

Brothers & Sisters (2006–2011)

Love it!

[10/10 · 28 January 2008]

This show was long LONG due! For years I wondered why we didn't have a family-centric drama on TV that harked back to shows like 'Picket Fences' and 'A Year in the Life of Gardner'. Yes, there were shows like 'Six feet Under' and 'Sopranos' that were also family dramas but they were more, for lack of a better phrase, "family-profession specific". Events in the lives of the characters more or less revolved around the family profession... One more viewer over here has likened 'Brothers and Sisters' to 'Six feet Under' because of certain similarities like the patriarch dying in first episode leaving the family to pick up the pieces and continue the family business... But the similarities end there... 'Brothers and Sisters' is an altogether different ballgame. There's no overriding family business that looms over the lives of the characters. In 'B&S', the lives of the characters are driven by they themselves - as they say "Character is Destiny" here.

I don't know how many families today are as inter-dependent on each other as the Walker family in 'B&S'. And shows centered around such 'inter-dependence' run the risk of being too soppy and overly sentimental. I guess the makers of this show were well aware of this. So each character in the show has a distinct character and personality - their individualism is what binds and separates them at the same time...

I love the casting of this show. Getting Sally Field to play the "matriarch" so to say, was I think, a casting coup of sorts! She's really the backbone of this show... the best thing about her character is that she isn't afraid of looking like a fool... some of her dating escapades, especially with Peter Coyote's character, are quite hilarious! I was never a big fan of Calista Flockhart. She's bearable here as long as she doesn't lapse into those irritating Ally McBeal-ish mannerisms... Rachel Griffiths is another great casting! One would not think of her as the elder-sister-material, especially after her Brenda stint in 'Six feet Under'... but she's really good! My favorite character and actor though is Matthew Rhys. He's a revelation! I had never seen him in any show/film before this... As an actor there's something so endearing and warm about him that he makes Kevin's character very engrossing and likable.

All on all, 'B&S' is really special! I just hope they don't cancel this show... I'll be really disappointed... I really look forward to watching it...!

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

Superbus Totalus! THE Best adaptation of a Harry Potter book!

[10/10 · 30 November 2007]

I consider myself quite a Potter-maniac. I have seen each of the films based on the novels over and over again and I consider this adaptation of 'Prisoner of Azkaban' to be THE Best! Everything about this film just brings the world of Harry Potter to life more vividly, more convincingly and more movingly - from the Knight Bus, the Dementors, the Marauder's Map, Shrieking Shack, Buckbeak, the Hippogriff and of course, the eponymous Prisoner of Azkaban Sirius Black, is brought to life so well that it's an unforgettable experience! Of course, I do personally think that 'Azkaban' as a novel itself is leaps and bounds better than the previous two novels Rowling wrote. Compared to 'Sorcerer's Stone' and 'Chamber of Secrets', 'Azkaban' inherently is so fast-paced, action-packed and thrilling that a movie based on it HAD to be good! How could it not?! And yet, this film exceeds expectations... Even the soundtrack for 'Azkaban' is way better and plentiful than in the previous 2 films. The Harry Potter theme given by John Williams, the theme with which this film opens, is one of my most favorite movie themes. I cannot praise John Williams enough for composing that theme... The moment you hear it, you're just transported to that magical world of Hogwarts and Harry, Ron, Hermoine, Hagrid and co! I don't think anyone could've composed a better theme to encapsulate the sheer magic of Harry Potter!

One of the things that they brought really well to life was the Marauder's Map - it was just so well done! I mean, even when you read the novel you have a fair enough mental picture of the map, but when you see it in the film, you're like, "Wow! Excellent!" The Dementors were appropriately creepy and scary - the train sequence again was superb! The Harry, Ron, Hermoine trio was very good - Daniel, Rupert and Emma have all done very well. Both Daniel and Emma are especially brilliant in the entire time-turning sequence. Emma Thompson as Sybil Trelawney was just adorable! Great choice! Gary Oldman is superb as Sirius Black! Lupin is one of those characters every Potter fan has a soft corner for and fortunately David Thewlis as Lupin is very good and very Lupin-ish :)

In all this is certainly my favorite adaptation of a HP novel. I had equal hopes from 'Goblet of Fire' and 'Order of the Phoenix' but was left quite disappointed. I just hope 'Half-blood Prince' is good... I wished Alfonso Cuaron directed one more Potter film. I wished they had given 'Half-blood Prince' to him instead of David Yates... For 'Deathly Hallows', they should have an online poll from fans about the choice of director and I really would not be surprised if most choose Alfanso Cuaron! Bless Cuaron and John Williams and Rowling and Harry Potter! The world is a better place 'cos of them!! Nox!

Garden State (2004)

Adam meets Eve in Garden State and they fall in love...

[9/10 · 6 January 2007]

I had been meaning to watch Garden State for the longest time... finally rented the DVD last week. Natalie Portman and Zach Braff look great together! Few on screen couples look "real" but these guys do ;) Some of their intimate scenes together especially in the end are really well done... their emotional closeness is very heartrending... this film is essentially another boy-meets-girl kind of story, but it's done in such an unassuming unaffected manner... not with the overbearing consciousness or awareness that oh, the boy meets THE girl and now they're going to fall in love... which you kind of feel while watching most movies... I think a huge credit for that goes to Braff for writing a character like Sam - quirky, uninhibited and just radiating so much positivity. Natalie Portman is amazing as Sam...but then she's amazing whatever role she plays...!

After I saw the film, I sat through the entire audio commentary by Zach Braff and Natalie Portman... I do this for almost all the films I rent on DVD... I enjoy listening to the director's commentary as it brings new insights into the film and how the whole thing came about... To this end, I found the director's commentary of GS a bit wanting... one main thing which I found lacking is Zach Braff's lack of comments on his choice of actors... When Peter Sarsgaard appears on screen, I want to know why he chose Peter for the role, especially since he plays such an important part in the film. The same goes for Iam Holm and even Natalie Portman... especially Natalie Portman... So what if Portman is giving the commentary with him? I still want to why he cast her and not someone else... I read somewhere that Braff chose Natalie because he'd been a great fan of hers as she's an actress with great depth etc... but I want to know why... Braff talks about Jean Smart's casting and that of other minor characters who appear in the film as friends, but not of the main supporting cast... I wish he'd done that... Braff is very generous with his comments on Judy Becker's production design for the film and indeed it is one of the features of this film that really enhances it's overall impact on the viewer and makes it memorable...

Garden State is a really commendable attempt for a first-time director like Zach Braff. He is, I read, directing a film called 'Open Hearts'. Hope it's as good or probably better...!

Baran (2001)

Hats off to Iranian Cinema!

[10/10 · 8 August 2006]

Something must be there in the air of Iran! How can they repeatedly make such good films? What is it about this country's landscape/culture/socio-economic circumstances that is so unique, that seems like it cannot be replicated anywhere else... I've watched many Iranian films over the years and each one of them has been a cinematic treat. Iranian filmmakers have truly raised the bar of cinema. If films are about capturing a slice of human life, presenting it as justly as possible and thereby helping us understand ourselves better, than I think Iranian filmmakers have done just that...over and over again!

'Baran' is again a gem of a film - basically a love story which beautifully talks about the prevailing socio-cultural dynamics in Iran at the time. Hossein Abedini as Lateef is excellent - your typical lovable rogue who has an insatiable propensity for mischief but is basically good at heart! Mohammad Amir Naji as Memar is absolutely endearing! You cannot help but be touched by this man's kindness and his subtle paternal attitude towards Lateef. Mohammad Amir Naji was also there in 'Children of Heaven' and even in that he was so amazing! He must be major actor in Iran or at least I hope he is! And Zahra Bahrami as Baran - a very controlled beautiful performance.

The "still sad music of humanity" reverberates in Iranian cinema all the time except that it is also complimented with refreshing doses of humour and joy revolving everyday situations and actions. Watch 'Baran' for another example of good cinema from Iran! Thankfully there's plenty of it there and plenty for us to see, enjoy and may be even learn...

Christy: The Movie (2000 TV Movie)

Dolled-up version of the original.

[2/10 · 28 September 2005]

I was a big fan of the series 'Christy' starring Kellie Martin, Randall Batinkoff, Tyne Daly, Tess Harper and Stewart Finlay-McLennan in the lead roles. You can read my comment on the series just to know how much I liked it. That said, this movie, with all the new actors was just not palatable for me...

As I was watching the film, I tried to keep thoughts of the series away from my mind, but I could see and hear Kellie Martin. Lauren Lee Smith, though tall and beautiful, is such a dry and petered-down version of Christy that Kellie Martin played with such earnestness that her soul shined forth. Martin embodied the complexity that is Christy - with her faith, her optimism, her apprehensions, her unbridled earnestness to do something for "her children" and the people of Cuttergap... And Tyne Daly... Man, let's not even go there! I admire Diane Ladd. I do. She and Laura Dern are probably one of the most explosive mother-daughter acting duo in history. But it's Alice Henderson we're talking over here! Alice Henderson whose no-nonsense approach belies the conflicts she faces within herself and as the head of the backwood's mission... Tyne Daly brought so much power, conviction and grace to that role - I used to always look forward to the animated discussions that ensued between her character and Christy's. With Diane Ladd it seemed as if the filmmakers had no qualms in just breezing over the strength and power that Tyne Daly invested Alice's character with and instead just focusing on her vulnerable side... that's downright character-assassination, happening at a more unbearable extent than the one meted out to Christy's character with Lauren Lee Smith playing it...

Another actor that is sorely missed in this movie is Tess Harper. I think James Waterston is a good enough substitute for Randall Batinkoff but Tess Harper with her piercing blue eyes brought forth the duality that is Fairlight Spencer - both fiery and docile... Her camaraderie with Christy was so well portrayed - they were indeed like friends...

As I saw the movie, I also couldn't help but wonder, what's with the make-up? I mean, what's with Lauren Lee Smith and Diane Ladd SO dolled up? It was so distracting and not suited to the characters. If having new actors play Christy and Alice wasn't bad enough, it took me a while as I wondered helplessly, "Why are they so dolled up?" Just see the old eps of 'Christy' and you'll know what I mean...

The saving grace of all this, besides a few of the original supporting actors, was the location - that was the only thing that truly harked back to the original 'Christy', so much so that you could, for a few seconds, forget you were watching a rehashed, dolled-up version of one the best period drama series of American television.

My Louisiana Sky (2001 TV Movie)

Beautiful!

[9/10 · 2 May 2005]

I loved Adam Arkin in 'Chicago Hope'! So I looked forward to watching 'My Louisiana Sky' just to see how he had directed it. And I must say I'm quite impressed! I find something intrinsically noble in people who make films like these - small budget, relationship-driven... films that successfully capture an age and an experience and leave an impression on the viewer... 'My Louisiana Sky' is a beautiful languorous film that explores a phase in a young girl's life as she deals with the various predicaments in her life - her mentally challenged parents, her friend Jesse Wade whose crush on her causes her much anxiety, her accomplished aunt whose life in the city she wishes to lead etc... Kelsey Keel is brilliant in the part! And the rest of supporting cast - Shirley Knight, Juliette Lewis, Amelia Campbell, Chris Owens etc are also really good!

I cannot believe that this film was actually shot in Toronto! The locations were so beautiful and seemed so rural and idyllic! I must say that that city has an amazing chameleon-like quality to appear like other cities and towns! Someone here has commented that this film seems like 'Anne of Green Gables'. I've been a big fan of the 'Anne' books and the films made by Kevin Sullivan. 'My Louisiana Sky' didn't really seem to me to be Anne-like, but perhaps likenesses could be traced... I'm reminded of 'Paradise' that starred a very young and adorable Elijah Wood and Thora Birch! 'Paradise' is not a period film and neither is it a coming-of-age film like 'My Louisiana Sky', but it's got the same rural idyllic atmosphere and is also set in the South, and the camaraderie between Wood's and Birch's characters in 'Paradise' is quite like Tiger Anne's and Jesse Wade's here!

Just hope more films like 'Paradise' and 'My Louisiana Sky' get made! Kudos to Adam Arkin! :)

A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004)

Art Direction - Bravo!

[8/10 · 18 April 2005]

Really loved the sets for this film! They were outlandish,other-worldly, bizarre, beautiful and just striking! They were something else! I wish I lived in one of those houses! Loved how every house - from Count Olaf's to Uncle Monty's and Aunt Josephine's - was so intricately presented... It's a pity that though nominated for the Oscar for Best Art Direction, it didn't win! The cinematography was also amazing!

Thomas "the great" Newman and one of Hollywood's MOST prolific and gifted music directors was also nominated for an Oscar for his score on this film. I've been a been a great fan of Newman's music for several years now and I felt wretched when he didn't win the Oscar for 'Road to Perdition'. The score of that film takes film-music composing to a truly new level! It's responsible for half of the film's beauty. It's high time Newman gets acknowledged for his scores... If he does win an Oscar in the future, it won't be just for the film he's nominated, it will be for many years of composing spell-binding, ethereal music...!

The Magic of Ordinary Days (2005 TV Movie)

Quite Magical!

[13 March 2005]

'The Magic of Ordinary Days' - the phrase itself is so evocative and beautiful! I didn't know anything about this film or the actors, but when I read the title I knew I had to see it! I loved the languorous feel of this film - everything was tranquil and measured as if the people who had invited you into their home wanted you to take your time and internalize it! I also liked the music. It added a lot to the film! The story had depth and the characters were well etched and rendered by both Keri Russell and Skeet Ulrich. Ulrich especially was amazing! He rendered his character with great subtlety, control and grace. Keri Russell was also really good in her role. Both the actors succeeded in evoking empathy and as an audience you really wanted them to be together and not be parted!

Brent Shields has almost become synonymous with Hallmark, he's either produced or directed most of the Hallmark films I've liked! I really appreciate Hallmark for making such films! Amongst all the pretentious films around, they have consistently made small, meaningful and memorable films! I'm glad that they truly believe in their tag line "Where great stories come to life"!

Moulin Rouge! (2001)

The Wailing Maharaja and Sitar player...

[16 November 2004]

Gosh, I can't believe some of the comments I've read about 'Moulin Rouge'. Guys, if you like this, you'll love all Hindi movies! This is like a Hindi movie dubbed in English! The saving grace of this whirling musical is the cinematography and 2 of the songs, 'Spectacular, Spectacular' and 'Roxanne'. Otherwise, the movie is just tedious...with the characters breaking into a song at the drop of a hat, prolonging the ordeal even more, so much so that the audience was impatient for Satine to actually die in Christian's arms...The plot was one of the stalest and its unfolding too was ridden with clichés...It's so ironical when such movies become hits, become the 'piece de resistance' at a Film Festival like Cannes and are nominated for the Academy Awards. Because except for the aforementioned cinematography, there's nothing in this movie that's not done before all over the world, especially in India, in Hindi movies; it's just done with more razzmatazz over here. Why am I insisting on seeing parallels between this movie and Hindi movies? Well, because, Hindi movies still have songs as an integral part of their makeup. And albeit, the quality of all Hindi movies may not be that great, or they may not be blessed with Luhrmann's technical wizardry, they are all that 'Moulin Rouge' claims and more. 'MR' even has a Hindi song and that unfortunate Sitar player story...I wished the movie had more to offer than just good camera effects. It suffers from defects that plague even Hindi movies, namely a stale plot and tedious unraveling of it. Given that, Hollywood's condescension for Bollywood(read Hindi movies) seems hypocritical...

Kidman is as she always is and I hope to see Ewan McGregor in some better movie. As against 'MR', his role in 'A Life Less Ordinary' seems too good! This movie can be a "novelty" for people only familiar with Hollywood movies. I'd not recommend it for any other thing than the cinematography.