Curious-from south Reviews

Temptress Moon (1996)

Where is the temptation?

[4/10 · 6 May 2003]

I rented this movie because it sounded sexy and hot. It was ..mmmm... well made period drama WITH NO SKIN!!! Now the depiction of love and longing and the moral struggle was nicely (albeit slowly) depicted, lack of sex on screen made it very...lame.

The Scarlet Letter (1979)

Slow, steady and agonizingly boring.

[4/10 · 6 May 2003]

Okay, you know the story. In the puritan New England, a beautiful lady gets impregnated by a (who else)priest. Lady refuses to tell the name of the father and wears a scarlet letter A (for adulteress). The priest, however, goes on living a life where he is considered to be super pious. Beautiful novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne, ghastly adaptation. It drag so long that I stopped caring at the end.

The Big Feast (1973)

But why?

[3/10 · 1 December 2002]

Three character-less characters decides to commit suicide by eating themselves till death...and succeed. But why? What is the point? There must be some huge socio-political message but I missed it...completely. The culinary, however, shown in the movie was exceptional. I guess that was the point. And the effect of someone over-stuffing themselves even with best of cuisine shall be nauseating and it is in this movie. I didn't like it. 4/10.

The Taking of Christina (1976)

Trash!!!

[3/10 · 23 November 2002]

This rape-sex flick from the director Weston is a trashy movie with no erotic value, none what so ever. Even the fans of S & M will be very disappointed with the silly scenes of subjugation. 3/10. 3 because the lead playing Christina is cute.

Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar (1992)

THIS is not a X rated movie!@#%$%^

[6/10 · 15 November 2002]

This is a very cute movie about teenagers of a small town in India. There are rich guys and there are not so rich guys and both of these groups aspire for popularity and success. The subtle day to day confrontation lasts into a final showdown of bicycle race which results in a nice tight climax.

Good movie, colorful and happy and at most PG. The X rate by the IMDB is a mistake.

Agneepath (1990)

Must see for Bachchan fans.

[12 November 2002]

The story is that of injustice done to a noble man, avenged by his son, somewhere in between blurring the line dividing the good and the bad. Bachchan plays the avenger to the perfection. There is no actor all over the world (and I mean the whole world!!) who can portray the anguish and anger like Amitabh Bachchan and this is exploited in the movie till the end.

Texas (1994 TV Movie)

Disgrace to moviemaking!

[3/10 · 27 October 2002]

I rented this movie to get an easy, entertained view of the history of Texas. I got a headache instead. The depiction of history in this movie is so comical that even mad TV would not have done a better job.

Chori Chori Chupke Chupke (2001)

Why not adopt????

[5/10 · 30 August 2002]

The movie has every thing that a hindi movie has; a tearjerking story, a utopian joint family, a beyond-dreams-rich business family where no body seems to work, and a lady that could not bear children. There is angle of surrogate mother which is new for bollywood. Every one is exceedingly nice, and every one is trying to please everyone else. The story, however, fails to convince the need for a surrogate mother when adoption can be a better, nicer, and far less complicating option. This movie has a infamous side as well. the producer Bharat Shah is supposed to be neck deep in money-laundry for Mumbai Mafia and he is still incarcerated ( or at least I hope he still is!!)

Signs (2002)

So? Where was the connection...

[6/10 · 15 August 2002]

The first movie by the talented Shyamlam is sixth sense which builds up slowly and has an extraordinary, almost explosive ending. The kind of movie that keeps you thinking about it even after the show. That results in after-movie discussions and at many times recommendation for the movie.

This movie builds up alright but then fizzles out in the end, therefore instead of that "wow" feeling generated by the "sixth sense", "signs" appears like a letdown. On the positive note, acting and script are superb and there is enough going on screen anytime to keep you interested.

"Possible spoiler" The alien angle was unrealistic and at times felt like not required. The final piece of the jig jaw when placed in the place, you feel like, so? where is the connection....

Fruits of Passion (1981)

Stale!

[5/10 · 26 July 2002]

The movie maker wanted to make a kinki movie. Then he decided to make an artistic movie. He makes neither. The movie is suppose to take off where The story of O left. It never took off. Sir Stevens takes O to a Hong-Kong brothel so that she can prove her submission by whoring for him. She finds a love of her own. There is no erotism, there is no logic, there is no beauty. Be aware though, there are some very explicit sex scenes but still the movie remains very stale till the end. A disappointment.

Requiem for a Dream (2000)

An audio visual symphony!

[10/10 · 18 July 2002]

This is one of the most powerful movies I have seen, ever. I was attracted by the preview and rave reviews the movie got but I was hesitant in renting this movie, thinking it may be too "cerebral". Both my expectation and the fear were well founded. This movie is a story of drug addiction. Actually there are two stories, one of the mom and the other of the son with many co-stories interwoven. Initially appearing disjointed and appearing stereotype drug movie actually culminates in an unforgettable climax. One of those movies that stays with you long after you have seen it, because of the unforgiving but hypnotic portrayal of reality. A must see but be prepare to watch till the end and be prepared for some heavy stuff.

My Surrender (1996 Video)

Sweet and sexy

[7/10 · 14 July 2002]

Candida Royale is my favorite adult movie director. She is one of those rare species in the adult movies industry who still believes that sex happens between two (or more...) individuals, not between two sex organs. Therefore the extreme close ups and the unnatural posturing of the stars is not present in her movies. My surrender movie is about a women porno director who specializes in making discreet movies about couples making love while acting out their fantasies. Not much of story line here, none required, it is a porno movie after all. The sex scenes are good and are tastefully done.

Paris, France (1993)

different

[7/10 · 6 July 2002]

The acting out of the private fantasies, always a titillating idea, mainly because of the inherent risk involved, is the central theme here. Some openly sexual scenes and some even more open sex talks are the highlight of the movie. Acting is great. It gets too artful and cerebral (read loses reality) by the end.

Men in Black II (2002)

could have been better

[5/10 · 4 July 2002]

The movie suffers from the malady of the sequel that is not meeting the expectation raised by the original. The movie fails at the most unexpected place, Will Smith fails to deliver. In the original, he portrays the enthusiasm, pace and energy of the novice; in the sequel he is supposed to be the veteran but he looks tired and again novice! he special effects are marvelous, Tommy lee Jones is hilarious by being serious. The tragedy of the movie is that the makers stumbled upon the gold mine but passed over; that gold mine is the talking dog who is funny, witty, audience bounds with it, could had been Eddie Murphy of Shrek, but, alas, but the movie makers just didn't gave him enough footage. Despite every thing the movie is enjoyable.

The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (1989)

Did not like it!

[2/10 · 1 July 2002]

I have a problem with the movies which in the name of art becomes very vague. This movie has very interesting sets, color backgrounds, use of light but the significance of all this is not clear. Unless you have researched the background of this movie in great detail, you will find the movie to be pretentious.

I Spit on Your Grave (1978)

Bad movie

[3/10 · 27 June 2002]

The movie has a central theme, how to degrade women. There is this detailed leisurely act of her brutal rape which is 2/3rd of the movie and there is 1/3rd of the movie when she takes her revenge which is equally brutal. The plot is very unrealistic and the acting is just horrible.

Emmanuelle (1974)

Out of date

[5/10 · 17 June 2002]

A Swedish movie that too with the original rating as X, that ought to be better. The erotism depicted in the movie is surprisingly stale or is it because I have seen the imitators first and now the original is pale in comparison! Emmanuelle is in Bangkok and experiments with her sexuality with her husband's permission or rather encouragement. A few erotic moments at the end of movie but falls very short of eroticism standard set forth by the movie Sahara heat or Romance.

In the Realm of the Senses (1976)

Wow

[6 June 2002]

I mean...wow! This movie makes its own genre of a serious movie, which considers sex as natural as eating or walking. I am not talking about Boise Moi, which is a pornographic movie with some story thrown in; this is a very artistic movie about the love, passion and ultimately obsession developing in a sexual relationship. The sex scenes are complete with nothing left to imagination and the picturization offers no apology for the raw sexuality ¡Kand this movie was made in 1976!! It must have run into problems, as this experiment has not been repeated. See it, with patience and without company.

Shakti (1982)

A bollywood legend

[8/10 · 12 April 2002]

Dilip kumar is an honest cop who declines to pay the ransom to free his child who gets away free any way. The child grows up to be Amithabh Bachchan who has this love-hate relationship with his father. Actually advertised as an action movie at the time of release, this is a very intense and well executed emotional drama. One of the finest performance by the bollywood superstar of all time, Amitabh where he is able to display all colors of emotion, yet appears to be very restrained. Dilip Kumar gives a matching performance too. A visual delight! Simply one of the best bollywood movie of all time.

Bollywood Calling (2001)

Exposing the sweet idiocity of hindi movie world

[8/10 · 7 February 2002]

You need to grow in India to grasp the subtlety of the satire this movie portrays. A semi retired B grade actor of Hollywood is driven by deprivation agrees to act in a Hindi movie. Through his experience is the tale of total lack of professionalism that has almost all aspects of Indian industries. But the movie is very sensibly made and does not offend any one. There is great performance by Om Puri, which alone makes this movie worth watching.

Koshish (1972)

The valiant effort of a deaf and dumb pair

[9/10 · 7 February 2002]

There are very few movies that would leave a lasting impression on your mind long after you have left the movie theater like "koshish" will do. Two of the most talented actors- Sanjeev kumar and Jaya Bhaduri, brings the courage and agony of the two handicapped but strong willed persons. The movie brought national awards to both of these actors. Gulzar directs and writes the dialogues of the movie which are a treat in themselves.

Fire (1996)

Much ado about nothing

[1/10 · 28 January 2002]

Although advertised as path breaking and trend setting movie, this movie is nothing but a pathetic attempt to generate controversy for the purpose for advisement. The story of lesbian love between two in-laws is the central theme of the movie, but direct and indirect references to the legends of Hindu mythology were made very irresponsibly. It was also suggested especially at the end of movie that lesbians would be welcomed in the Muslim community, which I would say is very far from the truth. Instead of analyzing the different but normal sexual orientations, the movie has this theme that nothing in the heterosexual world is right.

Office Space (1999)

In depth look in the superficiality of the serious office functioning

[8/10 · 16 January 2002]

Had the movie not lost its touch in the last 20 minutes and stayed right at its course of blasting away the "office morales", it would have been one of the best satire in the movie history. Still it is one hell of a good movie.