'The tree of life' - A masterpiece !!

A classic, exceptional movie after a long long time...

'The tree of life' is the story of a dis-illusioned man who has a troubled relationship with his father. The story beautifully intertwines his life and the evolution of earth. It is a wonderfully crafted film with superb visuals and a very thoughtful storyline. The visuals used to depict evolution of life on earth are as exquisite as the best documentaries on Discovery or Nat Geo.


Here is the trailer (Source: YouTube)

Superb performances from Brad pitt, Jessica Chastain and the kid who has enacted Sean Penn's childhood. The soundtrack, too, matches up to every other aspect of the movie and adds a fine touch to the central theme.

STOP HERE if you intend to watch the movie. The portion below contains spoilers...


Brad Pitt, a strict father to his sons, is a hard believer in struggle in this world and tries to ready his kids for this battle of survival. His dialogues, like the one below, portray the struggle exactly the way it is and makes us wonder if this struggle is worth it.

'Some day you will fall down and weep. You will understand it all. All Things.'


Jessica Chastain, a true love believer, riases her kids to be good human beings. Since Brad Pitt is mostly out on work, she is the one who actually inculcates values in kids.  Again, she too has some powerful dialogues which speak for what she stands for..

'There are two ways through life - The way of nature and the way of grace. You have to chose which one you follow'


'Unless you love, your life will flash by'

Sean Penn, the eldest son of Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain, is a dis-illusioned man who has had a troubled childhood. He questions his own existence and all the relationships he has had. This questioning has been beautifully interwoven with the evolution of life on earth and also raises some key questions on purpose and longevity of our existence as a race.


Terence Malick, the director, has done a splendid job in getting this executed perfectly. Cinematography is excellent. The visuals of universe are a beauty to watch on big screen and have a long standing impact.

Soundtrack by Alexandre Desplat blends in very well with the theme and adds on to the aura the movie creates.

All in all, an artistic, well crafted, superbly executed, thought provoking movie..


CAUTION: This film is certainly not made for action/ lovers - Some parts of the movie are indeed very slow to give more depth to the theme.

A refreshing fortnight !!

The past 15 days have been very refreshing in terms of watching quality movies, both english as well as french. I have not been able to upload their reviews as and when i saw them and hence this consolidated review.

First Grader

A lovely film setup in Kenya, a former British colony. Maruge, who fought for freedom from British rule, is now in his 80s and wants to join a primary school as the Kenyan government announces free education for ALL.

The story shuttles between his past and the present and portrays the need to learn from the past. Nothing can stop Maruge from learning and he persists despite all the opposition from fellow villagers and politicians.

Lovely visuals, great African music and an inspiring true story ! Must watch...

Here is the trailer: (Source IMDb)

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi4027358489/


Midnight in Paris

A writer (Owen Wilson) is on a vacation in Paris. He is about to complete his new book. There is something missing in his book and he is not able to figure it out. He doesn't socialize much and tries to get to completion of his incomplete story.

He is suddenly part of an unexpected drama that turns his life upside down.

The suspense in the movie would be lost if i reveal more.

A nice light movie - One time watch.

Trailer below: (Source IMDb)

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi853581081/

Certified Copy (French/Italian/English)

The husband is a writer who specializes in art and has just released a book titled 'Certified copy'. He is of the belief that as long as a piece of art is reproduced as its original, it is as good as its original.

His wife, however, is an art collector who believes in originality. The whole movie is a debate on the importance of originality in art. It is beautifully intertwined with their daily lives and has quite a few lovely moments.

There are some key revelations which are brought out very well and hence keep you interested all the while.

Slightly on the slower side, but still a good one.

Trailer below: (Source IMDb)

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi3646593561/

Ready (Hindi)

I am not yet 'ready' with the review !! There is nothing to talk about - just keep your brains outside the theater and you should do good ...


Le Nom Des Gens (French) - 'The names of love'

I have not laughed this much in a long time...

Beautiful movie about 2 people who are at cultural extremes in the society - A jew and an Arab..

Baya, the Algerian French arab, sleeps with almost every politician she disagrees with to convert them. Arthur, who is a jew, is a vet who advises people on epidemics. Arthur has never been comfortable in the company of women and Baya, on the other hand, always ends up in bed right up on the first date. The events which unfold as these two come together are lovely and superbly executed. The extent to which these two are influenced by each other is portrayed very well.

An awesome, comic, thoughtful movie.

WARNING: This movie contains a lot of nudity and is NOT advised for children.

Trailer below: (Source IMDb)

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi4256603161/

Last Night

A typical post marriage movie. A couple after 3 years of marriage are tempted to be disloyal. A story about trust, lust and temptation.

Not a great movie, but you may watch it if you dont have anything else to do.

Potiche (French) - 'Trophy housewife'

A french movie setup in the late 70s which portrays the time when women's liberation was at its peak. A light comedy with a central theme of equality.

A rich girl gets married to a middle class man. He gets her father's factory as dowry and manages it in draconian ways. Trouble pops up and he is not cope with the pressure and lands up in the hospital. His wife, the original owner's daughter, is at the helm of affairs now.
She turns around the company in the absence of her husband. Her husband returns and sets up a plot to get her back to household work.

It is a story about how she gets transformed as these events unfold.

Trailer below: (Source IMDb)

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi1380096537/

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Avenue Lincoln,Montreal,Canada