Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Jacknife (1989)


A conflict develops between a troubled Vietnam veteran and the sister he lives with when she becomes... See full summary »

Writers:

Stephen Metcalfe (play), Stephen Metcalfe(screenplay)

Storyline

A conflict develops between a troubled Vietnam veteran and the sister he lives with when she becomes involved romantically with the army buddy who reminds him of the tragic battle they both survived.

The Cure (1995)


Dexter, age 11, who has AIDS, and his next door neighbor Eric, a little older and much bigger, become best friends...See full summary »

Director:

Peter Horton

Writer:

Robert Kuhn

Storyline

Dexter, age 11, who has AIDS, and his next door neighbor Eric, a little older and much bigger, become best friends. Eric also becomes closer to Dexter's mother than to his own, who is neglectful and bigoted and violently forbids their friendship upon learning of it. When they read that a doctor in distant New Orleans claims to have found a cure for AIDS, the boys leave home on their own, planning to float down the Mississippi river and find him.

Monday, April 25, 2011

Requiem for a Dream (2000)

The drug-induced utopias of four Coney Island individuals are shattered when their addictions become stronger.

Writers:

Hubert Selby Jr. (based on the book by), Hubert Selby Jr. (screenplay), and 1 more credit »

Drugs. They consume mind, body and soul. Once you're hooked, you're hooked. Four lives. Four addicts. Four failures. Despite their aspirations of greatness, they succumb to their addictions. Watching the addicts spiral out of control, we bear witness to the dirtiest, ugliest portions of the underworld addicts reside in. It is shocking and eye-opening but demands to be seen by both addicts and non-addicts alike.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

The Barbarian Invasions (2003)

During his final days, a dying man is reunited with old friends, former lovers, his ex-wife, and his estranged son.

Director:

Denys Arcand

Writer:

Denys Arcand
Storyline

In this belated sequel to 'The Decline of the American Empire', 50-something Montreal college professor, Remy, learns that he is dying of liver cancer. He decides to make amends meet to his friends and family before he dies. He first tries to made peace with his ex-wife Louise, who asks their estranged son Sebastian, a successful businessman living in London, to come home. Sebastian makes the impossible happen, using his contacts and disrupting the entire Canadian system in every way possible to help his father fight his terminal illness to the bitter end, while he also tries to reunite his former friends, Pierre, Alain, Dominique, Diane, and Claude to see their old friend before he passes on.

Nowhere in Africa (2001)

A German Jewish refugee family moves to and adjusts to a farm life in 1930's Kenya.

Director:

Caroline Link

Writers:

Caroline Link, Stefanie Zweig (novel)

Storyline

A Jewish family in Germany emigrate short before the Second World War. They move to Kenya to start running a farm, but not all members of the family come to an arrangement with their new life. Shortly after their departure, things are changing in Germany very quickly, and a turning back seems impossible. So everyone has to arrange himself with the new life in a new continent.


Kolya [kolja] (1996)

Franta Louka is a concert cellist in Soviet-occupied Czechoslovakia, a confirmed bachelor and a lady's man...See full summary »

Director:

Jan Sverák

Writers:

Pavel Taussig (story), Zdenek Sverák(screenplay)

Storyline

Franta Louka is a concert cellist in Soviet-occupied Czechoslovakia, a confirmed bachelor and a lady's man. Having lost his place in the state orchestra, he must make ends meet by playing at funerals and painting tombstones. But he has run up a large debt, and when his friend, the grave-digger Mr. Broz, suggests a scheme for making a lot of money by marrying a Russian woman so that she can get her Czech papers, he reluctantly agrees. She takes advantage of the situation to emigrate to West Germany, to her lover; and leaves her five-year-old son with his grandmother; when the grandmother dies, Kolya must come and live with his stepfather - Louka.

Journey Of Hope [Reise der Hoffnung] (1990)

The story of a turkish poor family who tries to emigrate illegaly to Switzerland.

Director:

Xavier Koller

Storyline

In a village in eastern Turkey, tales of the economic success of Turks in Switzerland inspire Haydar to convince his wife Meryem that they must go. He sells their livestock and small plot of land in exchange for passage for two. He wants to leave their seven children in the care of the eldest and his parents; his father advises him to take one son to be educated in Europe, as economic insurance. The three set off for Istanbul, Milan, and Switzerland, stowing away on a ship. At Lake Como, they pay the rest of their money to unprincipled men who abandon them at an Alpine pass before a blizzard. Father and son are separated from Meryem. Will anyone reach the land of promise?

Tsotsi (2005)

Six days in the violent life of a young Johannesburg gang leader (Chweneyagae).

Director:

Gavin Hood

Writers:

Gavin Hood, Athol Fugard (novel)

Storyline

In Johannesburg, the small time criminal Tsotsi is a teenager without feelings, hardened by his tough life. After killing a man with his gang in a robbery; hitting the gangster Boston of his gang; humiliating a crippled beggar along one night, Tsotsi hijacks a car and under the despair of a woman, he shoots her in the stomach. While driving the car, Tsotsi finds that there is a baby on the back seat and the woman was a desperate mother. He brings the baby to his house in the slum and becomes attached to him. For six days, the baby changes his behavior, arousing and developing the sense of empathy and humanity in the cold blood killer.

Note: Ameer's YOGI [Tamil] is a bad remake of Tsotsi

Departures [Okuribito](2008)

A newly unemployed cellist takes a job preparing the dead for funerals.

Director:

Yôjirô Takita
Storyline

Daigo Kobayashi is a devoted cellist in an orchestra that has just been dissolved and now finds himself without a job. Daigo decides to move back to his old hometown with his wife to look for work and start over. He answers a classified ad entitled "Departures" thinking it is an advertisement for a travel agency only to discover that the job is actually for a "Nokanshi" or "encoffineer," a funeral professional who prepares deceased bodies for burial and entry into the next life. While his wife and others despise the job, Daigo takes a certain pride in his work and begins to perfect the art of "Nokanshi," acting as a gentle gatekeeper between life and death, between the departed and the family of the departed. The film follows his profound and sometimes comical journey with death as he uncovers the wonder, joy and meaning of life and living.

No Man's Land (2001)

Bosnia and Herzegovina during 1993 at the time of the heaviest fighting between the two warring sides. Two soldiers from opposing sides in the conflict, Nino and Ciki, become trapped in no man's land, whilst a third soldier becomes a living booby trap.

Director:

Danis Tanovic
Storyline

After various skirmishes, two wounded soldiers, one Bosnian and one Serb, confront each other in a trench in the no man's land between their lines. They wait for dark, trading insults and even finding some common ground; sometimes one has the gun, sometimes the other, sometimes both. Things get complicated when another wounded Bosnian comes to, but can't move because a bouncing mine is beneath him. The two men cooperate to wave white flags, their lines call the UN (whose high command tries not to help), an English reporter shows up, a French sergeant shows courage, and the three men in no man's land may or may not find a way to all get along.

Note: our LAGAAN lost oscar to this movie

The Sea Inside [Mar adentro] (2004)


The real-life story of Spaniard Ramon Sampedro, who fought a 30 year campaign in favor of euthanasia and his own right to die.

Writers:

Alejandro Amenábar (screenplay), Mateo Gil(screenplay)
Storyline

Life story of Spaniard Ramón Sampedro, who fought a 30-year campaign to win the right to end his life with dignity. Film explores Ramón's relationships with two women: Julia, a lawyer who supports his cause, and Rosa, a local woman who wants to convince him that life is worth living. Through the gift of his love, these two women are inspired to accomplish things they never previously thought possible. Despite his wish to die, Ramón taught everyone he encountered the meaning, value and preciousness of life. Though he could not move himself, he had an uncanny ability to move others.

Note:Sanjay Leela Bhansali taken this movie concept and made GUZAARISH

Saturday, March 12, 2011

The White Balloon (1995)


Several people try to take advantage of a little girl's innocence to hustle money her mom gave to her to buy a goldfish with.

Director:

Jafar Panahi

Writers:

Jafar Panahi (original idea), Abbas Kiarostami, and 1 more credit »


Storyline

Razieh wants a fat goldfish for the Iranian New Years celebration instead of the skinny ones in her family's pond at home, because the fat fish looks like it's dancing when it swims. After many attempts she and her brother convince their mother to give them her last bit of money. Between their home and the fish store, Razieh loses the money.. She finds it, but it is temptingly just out of her reach.


Monday, February 7, 2011

SAD MOVIE - [Saedeu mubi (2005)]

Sad Movie (새드무비) is a 2005 South Korean romantic comedy film starring Jung Woo-Sung (as Jin-Woo), Im Su-Jung (as Su-Jung), Cha Tae-Hyun (as Ha-Seok), Yeom Jung-Ah (as Ju-Yung), Shin Min-Ah (as Su-Eun), Son Tae-Yung (as Suk-Hyun), and Lee Ki-Woo (as Sang-Gyu). It was the second film directed by Kwon Jong-kwan, following S Diary from 2004.

The film focuses on the stories about four relationships and their trials, pains, heartaches, and subsequent separations. The plot lines eventually connect in some way, but they remain unrelated for the most part.

The first story tells of a firefighter and his girlfriend named Su-Jung who works in a TV station as a news translator for the mute. She's waiting for him to propose, focused on the rationale that given his dangerous job, she likes the idea of him having to think of her, to hesitate for a while before jumping into danger. He, on the other hand, is waiting for that perfect opportunity, setting and all, before popping the question. The second story is about a deaf girl who works as a costume character in a theme park. There she meets a young artist who she begins to develop feelings for quickly; yet refuses to take off her mask in front of him for quite some time. The third story is of a mother and child. The mother was too busy to spend time with her young son, until an illness confines her to a hospital bed. There the mother and son begin to communicate more and more. Lastly, the story of a boy and girl who have just broken up. The girl's reason being that she needs a more stable guy with a good job. The unemployed ex-boyfriend goes off and finds himself a job helping other couples break up. Hoping that if he earns enough money, he could woo his loved one back.

The film was a relative success, with just over a million admissions in South Korea.It also received a strong showing in Japan, mostly thanks to the popularity of lead actor Jung Woo-sung.



Monday, January 31, 2011

Kerala Cafe (2009)

Ten stories meet at Kerala Cafe.

Directors: Anwar Rasheed,Lal Jose,Shajikailas & 7 more directors

Stars:

Mammooty,Dileep,Suresh Gopi,Prithviraj,Nithya Menon & others
Storyline

An ode to Kerala and her people Through 10 filmmakers,10 journeys, one cinema. KERALA CAFE the quintessential railway cafeteria in every town and city. Over cups of coffee and timetables travelers cross paths, exchange glances, share stories and much more. From here, emerge stories full of humour, surprise, sensitivity, wonder, curiosity and revelations. Tales that illuminate the different faces of Kerala,

Mustwatch for the awsum "BRIDGE" episode by Anwar Rasheed

Monday, January 24, 2011

Sliding Doors (1998)

A London woman's love life and career both hinge, unknown to her, on whether or not she catches a train. We see it both ways, in parallel.

Director:

Peter Howitt

Writer:

Peter Howitt

Storyline

Young Helen is fired from her job at a PR company, and when the sliding doors of the tube car close on her, we start to see what would have happened if she'd made the train, and if she hadn't.

[P.S: JEEVA'S INSPIRATION TO MADE 12B]

When Harry Met Sally... (1989)

Harry and Sally have known each other for years, and are very good friends, but they fear sex would ruin the friendship.

Director:

Rob Reiner

Writer:

Nora Ephron

Storyline

Harry and Sally meet when she gives him a ride to New York after they both graduate from the University of Chicago. The film jumps through their lives as they both search for love, but fail, bumping into each other time and time again. Finally a close friendship blooms between them, and they both like having a friend of the opposite sex. But then they are confronted with the problem: "Can a man and a woman be friends, without sex getting in the way?"

Ghost (1990)

After being killed during a botched mugging, a man's love for his partner enables him to remain on earth as a ghost.

Director:

Jerry Zucker

Storyline

Sam and Molly are a very happy couple and deeply in love. Walking back to their new apartment after a night out at the theatre, they encounter a thief in a dark alley, and Sam is murdered. He finds himself trapped as a ghost and realises that his death was no accident. He must warn Molly about the danger that she is in. But as a ghost he can not be seen or heard by the living, and so he tries to communicate with Molly through Oda Mae Brown, a psychic who didn't even realise that her powers were real.


You've Got Mail (1998)

Two business rivals hate each other at the office but fall in love over the internet.

Director:

Nora Ephron

Writers:

Miklós László (play), Nora Ephron (screenplay),and 1 more credit »

Storyline

This sweet romantic comedy reunites "Sleepless In Seattle" stars Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks. He's the owner of a bookstore chain; she's the woman he falls for online. Both are unaware that she runs the little shop his company is trying to shut down.

Million Dollar Baby (2004)

A hardened trainer/manager works with a determined woman in her attempt to establish herself as a boxer.

Director:

Clint Eastwood

Writers:

Paul Haggis (screenplay), F.X. Toole (stories)

Storyline

Frankie Dunn has trained and managed some incredible fighters during a lifetime spent in the ring. The most important lesson he teaches his boxers is the one that rules life: above all, always protect yourself. In the wake of a painful estrangement from his daughter, Frankie has been unwilling to let himself get close to anyone for a very long time. His only friend, Scrap, an ex-boxer who looks after Frankie's gym, knows that beneath his gruff exterior is a man who has been seeking, for the past 25 years, the forgiveness that somehow continues to elude him. Then Maggie Fitzgerald walks into his gym...

Hotel Rwanda (2004)

The true-life story of Paul Rusesabagina, a hotel manager who housed over a thousand Tutsi refugees during their struggle against the Hutu militia in Rwanda.

Director:

Terry George

Storyline

Ten years ago some of the worst atrocities in the history of mankind took place in the country of Rwanda--and in an era of high-speed communication and round the clock news, the events went almost unnoticed by the rest of the world. In only three months, one million people were brutally murdered. In the face of these unspeakable actions, inspired by his love for his family, an ordinary man summons extraordinary courage to save the lives of over a thousand helpless refugees, by granting them shelter in the hotel he manages.

A Beautiful Mind (2001)

After a brilliant but asocial mathematician accepts secret work in cryptography, his life takes a turn to the nightmarish.

Director:

Ron Howard

Writers:

Akiva Goldsman, Sylvia Nasar (book)

Storyline

Biopic of the famed mathematician John Nash and his lifelong struggles with his mental health. Nash enrolled as a graduate student at Princeton in 1948 and almost immediately stood out as an odd duck. He devoted himself to finding something unique, a mathematical theorem that would be completely original. He kept to himself for the most part and while he went out for drinks with other students, he spends a lot of time with his roommate, Charles, who eventually becomes his best friend. John is soon a professor at MIT where he meets and eventually married a graduate student, Alicia. Over time however John begins to lose his grip on reality, eventually being institutionalized diagnosed with schizophrenia. As the depths of his imaginary world are revealed, Nash withdraws from society and it's not until the 1970s that he makes his first foray back into the world of academics, gradually returning to research and teaching. In 1994, John Nash was awarded the Nobel prize in Economics.

I Am Sam (2001)

A mentally retarded man fights for custody of his 7-year-old daughter, and in the process teaches his cold-hearted lawyer the value of love and family.

Director:

Jessie Nelson

Storyline

Sam Dawson has the mental capacity of a 7-year-old. He works at a Starbucks and is obsessed with the Beatles. He has a daughter with a homeless woman; she abandons them as soon as they leave the hospital. He names his daughter Lucy Diamond (after the Beatles song), and raises her. But as she reaches age 7 herself, Sam's limitations start to become a problem at school; she's intentionally holding back to avoid looking smarter than him. The authorities take her away, and Sam shames high-priced lawyer Rita Harrison into taking his case pro bono. In the process, he teaches her a great deal about love, and whether it's really all you need.

La vita è bella (1997) Life is Beautiful

A Jewish man has a wonderful romance with the help of his humour, but must use that same quality to protect his son in a Nazi death camp.

Director:

Roberto Benigni

Writers:

Vincenzo Cerami (story), Roberto Benigni (story)

Storyline

In 1930s Italy, a carefree Jewish book keeper named Guido starts a fairy tale life by courting and marrying a lovely woman from a nearby city. Guido and his wife have a son and live happily together until the occupation of Italy by German forces. In an attempt to hold his family together and help his son survive the horrors of a Jewish Concentration Camp, Guido imagines that the Holocaust is a game and that the grand prize for winning is a tank.