I am many times a part of this on-going debate of Hollywood vs Bollywood and I see myself strongly supporting good old Bollywood despite the fact that the movies churned out by Bollywood godfathers come nowhere close to the technical finesse and the mature genius that some of the top notch Hollywood flicks showcase.
If in a year there are 5 good films that Bollywood produces it produces 10 so-so films and 285 pathetic films. Out of the 100 odd films produced in Hollywood I guess 10 must have a stroke of brilliance the other 70 would be so-so and the rest bad!
Well I shouldn’t be complaining I know because we don?t have the kind of infrastructure that they do, not the audience that can match up to a certain sensibility , but we are definitely stepping up the ladder gradually as more and more watch able films are being made barring the odd MAIN HOON NAs and KYON HO GAYA NAs.( I wonder why the makers even bothered making them!!)
Anyway this is not a discussion or review on who?s better and who?s not since I personally feel to each his own , so no point in having a debate which wont end. I would like to share a few of my favorites with u all , the movies that I?ve loved watching because of their content. I?d do my best to categorise them into different genres.
I love dramas of any kind or movies that display real life situations so I am definitely going to have more of those in the list. And yes, romance and action/adventure do not fall into my preference list so please make-do without too many of those!
WAR , MAFIA , ACTION/ADVENTURE , OFBEAT
THE PIANIST: Director : Roman Polanski , Starcast : Adrien Brody
A detailed account of a Polish-jew pianist?s survival during the world war II and the aid he receives from the unlikeliest of sources making his journey back into his artistic world possible. Watch it for Adrien Bordy?s mind-boggling performance and the depiction of harsh reality during the tumultuous times of war.
The others in this category would be
SAVING PRIVATE RYAN , THE GODFATHER PART I , PULP FICTION , NATURAL BORN KILLERS , LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL , KILL BILL 1.
DRAMA
THE HOURS : Director : Nicole Kidman , Meryl Streep and Julianne Moore
Based on Michael Cunningham?s Pulitzer price winning novel, this film is based on the life of authoress Virginia Wolf. Three women , three eras interweaved together into one masterpiece which ought to be seen. The film might have been thought as boring by some viewers because of its slow pace but you gotta have patience if are interested in such kind of flicks!
THE COLOR PURPLE : Director : Steven Speilberg , Starcast : Whoopie Goldberg , Oprah Winfrey and others
Based on Alice Walker?s Pulitzer price winning novel . The film tells the story of Celie, an incest victim raped by her father , her marriage to an abusive sexist husband and the story of her life that changed the day his mistress bought the letters sent by Celie?s sister which her husband had been refusing to show her due to a row earlier. The story is wonderfully touching and the brutality displayed is disruptive. It has superb performances by both Goldberg and Winfrey.
FORREST GUMP : Director : Robert Zemeckis , Starcast : Tom Hanks , Sally Field
Tom Hanks is Forrest Gump the wonderful yet different guy whose life is full of amazing stuff. Why? Because he is ?different?!! Watch it coz Tom Hanks was extraordinary in every sense of the term.
A BEAUTIFUL MIND : Director : Ron Howard , Starcast : Russel Crowe , Ed Harris , Jeniffer Connelly
Based on yet another award winning novel , this is a story inspired by the life of Prof John Nash a Mathematical Genius and a schizophrenic. No one but Russel Crowe could have given such a flawless and authentic performance. The screenplay is absolutely magnaficient in any which way!
The others in this category would be
THE CIDAR HOUSE RULES, BIG FISH , GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING , CAST AWAY , THE GREEN MILE , I AM SAM .
MUSICAL/COMEDY
THE SOUND OF MUSIC : Director : Robert Wise , Starcast : Julie Andrew and Christopher Plummer.
What happens when a former nun comes to look after seven bratty kids of a disciplinarian father-widower to the picturesque town of Stratsbourgh? Watch The Sound of music to see the hullabulo , pendimonium that will drive anyone from age 3-93 crazy!
CHICAGO: Director : Rob Marshall : Starcast : Renee Zellweger , Catherine Zeta-Jones , Richard Gere , Queen Latifa.
Chicago is the story of 2 glamour Girls Velma and Kelly set in the era of the rocking 20s. It explores the stupendous power and manipulations of the paparazzi and the media and is told in a complete broadway song-dance manner where the two are an amalgamation and not separate. It is imagination at its acmes and to say the least , its too good to be true!!
The others in this category would be
MY FAIR LADY , MOULIN ROUGE.
ROMANCE , SENTIMENTAL
SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE : Director : John Madden , Starcast : Gwyneth Paltrow , Joseph Fienns
Set in the 16th century the film follows the tribulations of the young playwright in his period of struggle and his passionate love affair with the beauteous Voila. Funny and engrossing.
STEPMOM : Director : Chris Columbus , Starcast : Susan Sarandon , Julia Roberts and Ed Harris
A story of a divorcee dealing with cancer and his husband?s new wife , a sexy little puss! A time-pass movie which gets emotional and heavy in the latter stages!
The others in the category would be
Tearms of Endearment , Pretty Woman , Titanic , Kramer vs Kramer
SUPERNATURAL , HORROR/THRILLER
THE SIXTH SENSE : Director : M. Night Shymalan , Starcast : Bruce Willis , Haley Joel Osmet.
A psychological thriller about an eight year old being haunted by dark secrets?.if you still haven?t seen it then watch it for the most surprising closure.
The others in this category would be
The Village , The Others , I know what you did last summer.
Ok, since the review is getting too long and perhaps (forgive me) too boring I?d just list the children?s classics and the animation movies I adore-
The unanimated
MERRY POPPINS
THE PARENT TRAP
BETHOVEN 1
101 DALMATIONS
The animated
THE LION KING
SHREK 1 & 2
Cheers!!