After watching a really good hindi movie Sehar, in 2004 there was Swades – you see what I mean ? It’s a one superlative film a year type of deal. Actually 2005 was an exception because we had quite a few good film like Paheli, Page 3 etc. I’m not sure we’ll be that lucky in 2006.
So, the three I’ll be mini-reviewing are : The Constant Gardener, The Island, Cinderella Man. “The Constant Gardener” is based in John Le Carre’s book of the same name and stars Ralph Fiennes as British Diplomat Justin Quayle, and Rachel Weisz as Tessa his beautiful, activist wife. The film deals with an unholy alliance between big pharmaceutical companies trying to test new drugs in Africa, i.e.; using under-developed countries and their people as their trial ground, and governments. Problems occur when Tessa gets wind of this, and tries to bring attention to it. When she refuses to back down from her findings, she is killed by the powers that be, and this leads to Justin investigating her death and finding out the truth.
Fiennes as mild-mannered, self-effacing, Justin who’s constantly gardening in the face of his mis-understandings with his wife, and their tension-fraught marriage, is superb. His love and remorse, when finding about his wife after her death, are movingly potrayed. Weisz herself is very good – she won the Golden Globe for this role.The film is shot in a very fragmented fashion, since events do not follow in chronological order, and the cinematography at times has a surreal feel. An interesting film, although it moves at a slow pace – it’s like an unfolding puzzle.
A desi, or Brit. face to look out for in this movie is the actress who plays Gita Pearson, an associate of Quayle’s. I forget the actress’s name now, but she played Parminder Nagra’s sister in “Bend it like Beckham”.
Very different from this film is the “Cinderella man“, a slightly weird title, but an excellent movie nevertheless. This stars Russell Crowe, who I think is great in every film, and is based on the real-life story of boxer James Braddock. Basically it’s about the ups-and-downs in Braddock’s like, and the hard times he and his family go through during the Great Depression when he loses almost everything he had. James however through grit and the will to survive for his family’s sake makes a great comeback into the boxing world, downing reigning world champios and winning. Rene Zellweger plays his wife Mae.
Crowe does a great job of showing us Braddock’s courage in the face of pain and humiliation. Simple earnestness and goodness comes pouring out of Crowe’s character on-screen. Zellweger is supportive as Mae, and Paul Giamatti as Braddock’s manager Gould is very good. A must-see film.
OK, now for our sci-fi movie of the week – “The Island“. This stars Scarlett Johansen and Ewan McGregor as the victims of misuse of technological advances in the future. Set in color-coordinated 2090, the story is about an earth contaminated by radiation where life is now “enclosed” under contamination free structures. Life is regulated and passsive, with the big thing being the lottery to the “Island” the last uncontaminated natural habitat left on earth. Lincoln Six Echo (McGregor) senses there’s something wrong when he realises that there might be fertile life “outside” of their protected structures, and they are being kept there for a reason. He attempts to run away to the “outside” world with Jordan Two Delta (Johanssen) and discovers astounding facts that change their lives and identities.
OK, now you can say what you like about this movie, but I liked it. Sure, I have see the same hoopla about “feeding tubes” and “pods” growing human beings, many times before (the “Alien” movies) but this film adds some pizazz and fun to the entire concept. There are quite a few traitors, and chase sequences. And Sean Bean does a nice job of playing the evil guy. McGregor and Johanssen are both OK in their roles. Overall a fun film.
Categories : _films , _film_reviews
