http://film-i.blogspot.com/Eye on cinema, film reviews and industry quirks.ennoreply@blogger.com (Asuthosh Nair)Sun, 20 May 2012 23:10:50 PDTBlogger http://www.blogger.com86125http://www.feedburner.comhttp://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/fb_pwrd.gifhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Film-i/~3/zN8GZgxTEG0/10-greatest-martial-arts-movies-of-all.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Asuthosh Nair)Thu, 09 Nov 2006 03:37:09 PSTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-116307222899348095This list evoked some fond memories. I wasn't exposed to too many movies when young (something people I know now find very hard to believe). Whatever little I saw was mostly martial arts films, and one particular one I remember watching practically every weekend or every day during the holiday season was Lucky Seven - a delightful Japanese movie about 7 kids trained in martial arts on a quest to 1http://film-i.blogspot.com/2006/11/10-greatest-martial-arts-movies-of-all.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Film-i/~3/moSBltGyl1w/blocks-in-fountain.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Asuthosh Nair)Thu, 02 Nov 2006 20:57:23 PSTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-116252984324330139Wired takes a look at the fascinating journey of a trouble-fraught film - The Fountain, which releases (finally) this month. The grit of the filmmaker ought to be admired.powered by performancing firefox0http://film-i.blogspot.com/2006/11/blocks-in-fountain.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Film-i/~3/Gg0q0-OeKm4/cinema-festival-without-cinema.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Asuthosh Nair)Mon, 17 Jul 2006 07:55:49 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-115314814974328496That’s the ridiculous conundrum in Saudi Arabia where cinema is taboo as religious scholars believe any form of visual representation of the human form is against Islam. But some culturally inclined folks still want to hold a film festival, and so resort to calling it a “Visual Show” Festival. Gawd! 0http://film-i.blogspot.com/2006/07/cinema-festival-without-cinema.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Film-i/~3/_6CKS7SBEdY/lenfant-at-picturehouse.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Asuthosh Nair)Mon, 15 May 2006 18:10:39 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-114771504214344356My first film at The (new) Picturehouse. I had never been to the older (bigger, standalone) Picturehouse. It was quite the haunt for arthouse film lovers in the 90s. It had to make way for the revamp of the Cathay movie complex, and is now housed in the main cineplex (a minus). But the air of exclusivity remains. From the tickets that's given to you in a black card envelope (see pic) to a 0http://film-i.blogspot.com/2006/05/lenfant-at-picturehouse.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Film-i/~3/b45lRqd0jb4/good-simple-and-brainless-fun.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Asuthosh Nair)Thu, 11 May 2006 12:16:22 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-114737498274132827Good, simple and brainless fun. An apt summer flick - empty at its core but elaborately bedecked with sumptuous visual effects and superb sound. That pretty much sums up my feel of Poseidon. Wolfgang Petersen and water share a pre-ordained relationship with water and boats (even his Troy had the scene of Roman ships approaching the island of Troy). Das Boot, The Perfect Storm, and now Poseidon, 0http://film-i.blogspot.com/2006/05/good-simple-and-brainless-fun.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Film-i/~3/6B4ZsajCXHc/empires-50-greatest-independent-films.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Asuthosh Nair)Wed, 05 Apr 2006 07:54:19 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-114424885994264775The ultimate list of independent films. I haven't perused it in detail but some of the selections are definitely worthy of 'greatest' - Run Lola Run, THX-1138, City of God, Memento, Sideways and The Usual Suspects are all veritable classics that will be fondly remembered for time to come.0http://film-i.blogspot.com/2006/04/empires-50-greatest-independent-films.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Film-i/~3/4Erp05IHhvw/king-kong.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Asuthosh Nair)Fri, 30 Dec 2005 19:20:02 PSTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-113599858169606258The last time I wrote an ode to a film was in December 2003, after watching The Return of the King. Perhaps it is no coincidence then that yet another 'King' has spurred me to pen another. And perhaps it is not happenstance also that the new venture is helmed by the same director. Ladies and gentlemen, let me present to you the film to beat them all, this year, last year and I dare say till the 0http://film-i.blogspot.com/2005/12/king-kong.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Film-i/~3/ijj8pmNPPRY/mid-month-movie-update.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Asuthosh Nair)Sun, 16 Oct 2005 22:49:33 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-112952817358573777Watching Corpse Bride remains an unfulfilled wish. A brief update on films watched this month to-date. As usual, a disproportionate number of Malayalam films, courtesy of my DVD recorder and Asianet. Theatre visits remain low, but I’m back to my Video Ezy ways, so hopefully we’ll see more English movies henceforth. The award for the Best Film of the Mid-Month goes to the Malayalam film, Innale. A2http://film-i.blogspot.com/2005/10/mid-month-movie-update.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Film-i/~3/K_V372kWys8/nandita-das-on-non-hindi-films_05.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Asuthosh Nair)Wed, 05 Oct 2005 00:01:05 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-112849488139546651A bastion of intelligent acting in India, Nandita Das, talks about acting in non-Hindi films. Revealing post about the prevailing attitudes regarding ‘regional’ cinema (read the comments to understand why I’ve put regional in quotes). I am pleased Ms Das continues to act in films that have an interesting script, powerful message and passionate directors, regardless of language. It helps naturallyhttp://film-i.blogspot.com/2005/10/nandita-das-on-non-hindi-films_05.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Film-i/~3/lUltMXihEy4/movie-log-jan-oct-2005.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Asuthosh Nair)Mon, 03 Oct 2005 21:18:47 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-112839952745977299Lethargy is the culprit for this unwarranted hiatus from writing about films. By no means though have I not been watching movies. With the acquisition of a DVD-recorder, my trips to the theatre have become far from frequent. I’ve become choosier about the films I watch on the big screen. On the plus side, I’m watching plenty of Malayalam (my mother tongue) movies. What follows is a listing (and 3http://film-i.blogspot.com/2005/10/movie-log-jan-oct-2005.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Film-i/~3/E3tAIby-HuA/cinderella-man.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Asuthosh Nair)Mon, 03 Oct 2005 20:35:02 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-112839580867657663No, it’s not a Disney film. Russell Crowe astonishes yet again and sets a new benchmark in acting. This is, hands down, his best performance yet, and we’ve got to wonder what more we should expect from this Australian powerhouse. In his second collaboration with Ron Howard and Akiva Goldsmith, following the stellar A Beautiful Mind, Cinderella Man captures in pristine sepia-toned celluloid, the 0http://film-i.blogspot.com/2005/10/cinderella-man.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Film-i/~3/wUE0rzc1ALw/film-i-hiatus.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Asuthosh Nair)Thu, 17 Feb 2005 02:54:00 PSTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-110863764063052712Preparing to emerge from the hiatus...0http://film-i.blogspot.com/2005/02/film-i-hiatus.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Film-i/~3/ibk3m03t_Rc/bourne-supremacy.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Asuthosh Nair)Sun, 17 Oct 2004 22:55:57 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-109807895708838592In The Bourne Supremacy, we see all the ingredients that made Ultimatum a success, and more, gelling once again into a heart-pounding action flick - among the best Hollywood has to offer this year. With Matt Damon in full zest (will he NEVER age?), there is little danger of the Bourne franchise fizzling out any time soon. We commend the makers for eschewing the FX fusillade current movie makers 1http://film-i.blogspot.com/2004/10/bourne-supremacy.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Film-i/~3/MunoXhgLa9Q/short-to-top.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Asuthosh Nair)Tue, 14 Sep 2004 08:15:58 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-109513889844349172Here's a well-made short film. Hilarious, sharp, and cool!0http://film-i.blogspot.com/2004/09/short-to-top.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Film-i/~3/e6EBAGRXT0g/real-underground-cinema.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Asuthosh Nair)Mon, 13 Sep 2004 10:06:17 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-109509517798969381This is real spooky. French police discovered a full-fledged cinema theatre in the catacombs of Paris. There weren't any dodgy films, but the entire affair is certainly spooky. Read about it in Guardian Unlimited.0http://film-i.blogspot.com/2004/09/real-underground-cinema.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Film-i/~3/S-Blbx41pF4/film-fest-to-remember-part-2.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Asuthosh Nair)Sun, 12 Sep 2004 20:48:38 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-109504731897665734Film-I continues with its take on films shown at the Indigo Film Fest in the second and final part.Choker Bali (in Bengali)Choker Bali is a fascinating insight into the life and times of the early 1900s in Kolkata, India. The renowned auteur, Rituparno Ghosh, paints a gorgeous masterpiece of period drama on a canvas of shifting societal morality, political turmoil and rising nationalism. Based on0http://film-i.blogspot.com/2004/09/film-fest-to-remember-part-2.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Film-i/~3/96CMGAnIeug/film-fest-to-remember-part-1.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Asuthosh Nair)Mon, 13 Sep 2004 09:12:48 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-109487345864321342Held once every year, the Indigo Film Week has become one of the most anticipated fixtures in the Indian film calendar of Singapore. Remarkably, it is an initiative driven by the passion of just two individuals, Anand Rego and Sangeetha Madhavan. From its inauguration last year, keen cinematic sensibilities have gone into the selection of films. This year, filmbuffs were treated to varied themes 0http://film-i.blogspot.com/2004/09/film-fest-to-remember-part-1.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Film-i/~3/Z9AbSMGKtYY/quarterly-movie-update-part-2-of-2.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Asuthosh Nair)Mon, 06 Sep 2004 04:18:08 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-109446911470965684Quarterly Movie Update Part 2 (of 2) | part 1 Super Size Me Little did we know that this film would kick off an unprecedented spate of watching documentaries at the theatres. Super Size Me blurs the line between reality and fiction. At first, we wonder if the movie was created for the experiment, or vice versa. Whatever it may be, we soon forget these niggling issues and watch in morbid 0http://film-i.blogspot.com/2004/09/quarterly-movie-update-part-2-of-2.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Film-i/~3/hSwI4Oea2I4/quarterly-movie-update-part-1-of-2.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Asuthosh Nair)Mon, 06 Sep 2004 04:20:09 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-109446875655228357Quarterly Movie Update Part 1 (of 2) After an unpardonable delay, eye on film reopens. Various factors contributed to the unexplained hiatus, none of them worth mentioning here. Suffice to say that while the eye remained shut, regular visits to the theatres continued. To dish out the usual Film-I treatment on each and every one of them would be tough and only delay the continuing normal 0http://film-i.blogspot.com/2004/09/quarterly-movie-update-part-1-of-2.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Film-i/~3/NpLaZYPoNco/in-harry-potter-and-prisoner-of.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Asuthosh Nair)Thu, 03 Jun 2004 22:37:11 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-108624008909637758In Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban, we finally see realisation of the spirit of the series on which it and its predecessors is based. It should come as no surprise; helmed by Alfonso Cuarón, who was responsibly for the feverishly racy Y tu mamá también and what many consider to be the best children’s movie yet, The Little Princess, he brings a completely un-Hollywood-ish sensitivity to 0http://film-i.blogspot.com/2004/06/in-harry-potter-and-prisoner-of.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Film-i/~3/btNZMdlBUXM/let-us-retract-something-we-said-two.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Asuthosh Nair)Mon, 31 May 2004 22:31:37 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-108606786951643566Let us retract something we said two days ago; that The Day After Tomorrow appears to have put speed breakers in the summer movie season. Hogwash! Shrek 2 with an estimated $92 million and DAT with $86 million have propelled the US Memorial Day weekend box office to a record high as well as the best start for the summer season ever recorded. It also marks the first time that two pictures grossed 0http://film-i.blogspot.com/2004/06/let-us-retract-something-we-said-two.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Film-i/~3/dsm5Uc8exOU/what-does-one-say-about-film-like.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Asuthosh Nair)Mon, 31 May 2004 22:38:55 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-108605884355133011What does one say about a film like the Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind? It defies genre, a slap in the face of conventional cinema. In this script by Charlie Kaufman and directed by music video specialist Michael Gondry, we are treated to a heady mix of swirling timelines, sparklingly inventive set design and several innovative film tools to convey “erasure of memory” that is the 0http://film-i.blogspot.com/2004/05/what-does-one-say-about-film-like.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Film-i/~3/ZQ-0Exk4zlA/after-euphoria-of-shrek-2-last-week.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Asuthosh Nair)Mon, 31 May 2004 22:38:07 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-108599233454777794After the euphoria of Shrek 2 last week, The Day After Tomorrow comes somewhat as a speed breaker in the lane of summer movie excitement. But that’s only because of the high standard set by the former. As a summer flick, DAT never fails to impress with its spectacular effects and a palpable sense of foreboding it induces in the audience. Granted, the events in the film have scant scientific 0http://film-i.blogspot.com/2004/05/after-euphoria-of-shrek-2-last-week.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Film-i/~3/zGZpdGy31bI/summer-movie-fun-just-doesnt-abate.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Asuthosh Nair)Sat, 22 May 2004 00:22:02 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-108516061074578645Summer movie fun just doesn’t abate, does it? Ratcheting it up by notches the size of tree-trunks is Shrek 2, the long-awaited sequel to the wildly-popular Shrek that won the first Academy Award for Best Animated feature. Shrek 2 is unqualifiedly the first summer flick destined to get a flying start from the box-office turnstiles. It is also unqualifiedly the best and most entertaining film of 0http://film-i.blogspot.com/2004/05/summer-movie-fun-just-doesnt-abate.htmlhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Film-i/~3/Qf02tBOuBhI/having-similar-political-backdrop-as.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Asuthosh Nair)Wed, 19 May 2004 20:03:27 PDTtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5935018.post-108502220750630833Having a similar political backdrop as Dr Strangelove, Thirteen Days is albeit rooted in actual events of the age. The film chronicles one of the most fraught periods in recent history, when the USA and USSR literally stared each other down, their nuclear guns fully loaded. Even though we know the outcome, the tension is almost unbearable as the President and his followers wrestle not only with 0http://film-i.blogspot.com/2004/05/having-similar-political-backdrop-as.html