Move Review: Carnage (2011)

Title: Carnage
Starring: Jodie Foster, John C Riley, Kate Winslet and Christoph Waltz
Directed by: Roman Polanski
Story and Screen play: Yasmin Reza and Roman Polanski
Based of the French play "Le Dieu du carnage"


I watched this pleasant surprise of a movie 'Carnage' by Roman Polanski. 


I started the movie expecting a blood fest and a serious movie. But no! This movie is hilarious - well hilarious may not be the correct word - it is not a laugh-out-loud kind of comedy but I was laughing out loud inside my mind.

This movie is a stunning achievement for the script writer.It starts out as a fight between two children at school but that is over in the first few minutes. The parents then take over and start to resolve it in a civilized and cultured manner. But it turns out that the parents start fighting like children culminating in the adults revealing their true personalities.

These two families represent a typical American family with all the 'family values' Americans fantasize about. But then the movie starts peeling out their facade and we start seeing them for who they really are. The way the movie brings out the childishness and silliness of the adults is brilliant. Their personalities are peeled out layer by layer exposing their pomposity and fake civility.

The movie would not have worked but for the fantastic acting. All most all the movie happens as conversation between the two sets of parents. Kate Winslet, Christopher Waltz and John C Riley steal the show. Only Jodie Foster has a jarring, over-the-top performance. Even though her character is a sillier than the others, she should have been more imaginative in bringing out the character instead of over acting.

Story and Screen play by Yasmin Reza is top notch. Even though this was a very enjoyable movie, I could not help feel that it was more like a play. It turns out it was originally a French Play "Le Dieu du carnage" by Yasmin Reza.  Roman Polanski has given has an excellent film.

I will give it 7.5 out of 10.

Review: We need to talk about Kevin (2011)

Title: We need to talk about Kevin (2011)
Starring: Tilda Swinton, John C Reilly, Ezra Miller and others
Director: Lynne Ramsay

Verdict: A very psychological exploration of a family which experiences a macabre incident. It is a serious drama but the story is told in a way that holds the audience curiosity till the end.

Score: 8 out of 10

If a movie gets the viewers talking about the movie then it is considered a successful film. 'We need to talk about Kevin' is one such film.  It is a very intense story of a mother, played by Tilda Swinton  who appears to have experienced some horrible incident in her family of a husband and two children. It tells the story in a way that heightens the curiosity of the audience and holds them wanting to find out what exactly happened. If you like movies that give you some insight into strange human psyche then you will like this movie. It is not a suspense thriller but the director has used clever techniques and keeps you guessing.

Since the movie should be watched without knowing too much about the story, I will not go into the plot. Instead I will talk about the film making technique I liked in this film.


The story telling technique is very fascinating. In the beginning I found it a bit slow and I did not know what was going on. Also what was happening looked very bleak. But then I started to understand it and the movie started getting better.


A lot of things are shown to the viewer by way of the mother remembering them. But we are never able to understand the significance. For instance, in the opening scene we hear the sounds of sprinklers and the cheer leaders doing their routine. It may seem like just sounds but these are two key hints to what happened. The director makes us hang on curiously by not telling us what exactly occured till about the 80% mark. Through the suggestions of blood we know something bad happened. They show people treating the mother with hatred indicating she was responsible for the terrible events. Even though this movie is not about entertainment I liked this technique where the director uses it to increase the audience experience.

The movie is not linear. Present time and flash backs are interspersed - again not in chronological order. But then all the pieces are explained as the movie unfolds. The best part for me was this - this movie has one of the best endings I have seen - very satisfying.  Tilda Swinton is the heart of the movie and she carries it through superbly. John C Reilly gives good support. He is one of my favorite actors. Ezra Miller also gives a terrific performance. The director Lynne Ramsay has given a good cinematic experience to the viewers. 


I will give it 8 on 10.. 

Review: The Bicycle Thief (1948 Italian)

Title: The Bicycle Thief (1948 Italian)
Starring: Lamberto Maggiorani, Enzo Staiola, Lianella Carell and others
Directed by: Vittoria di Sica

Verdict: As the Netflix website describes this movie as Cerebral, Emotional, Dark, Heartfelt. Great story and beautiful narration.


Score: 8 out of 10


Okay. Today I completed what I consider a pilgrimage - watching the classic movie which is supposed to have had a great influence on the world movie scene - including Kannada movies. That is the Italian movie 'The Bicycle Thief' (1948).

I was expecting a very dreary movie somewhat like an off-beat film. But what a clean cut of a movie!!! It is beautiful. The story is beautiful, the 1940s Italy and its people are beautiful and the musical way they speak Italian is also beautiful.

The story is set during the times when there is widespread unemployment and life is hard. The protagonist finds a job but needs a bicycle. He takes a loan and buys it and takes up the job. What happens after that is a very engaging story with various interesting characters coming into the story  every now and then and showing us a good slice of the Italian society in the 40s.

I like watching movies of that time because they fill in a blind spot in my mind which is the lack of visibility to the beautiful nostalgic past. It makes me admire the past which was quite modern for it's times. Even though we know that automobiles, street cars, buses and electricity existed at that time, it gives me a thrill to see them in actual life. Watching movies  made in those times gives a better and more authentic experience than period pieces made now.

The photography in glorious black and wide is very good in this movie. The movie flows smoothly showing the fine editing job. The music conjures up an era when life was hard. The movie is directed by Vittoria di Sica and stars Lamberto Maggiorani, Enzo Staiola, Lianella Carell and others. The Netflix website describes this movie as Cerebral, Emotional, Dark, Heartfelt. Yes it is all that. I loved this movie for the various reasons I mentioned above. I will give it 8.5 out of 10.  

Progressive Disclosure

"Apppaaaaa. I want you to come here",
I hear my little daughter call me.
I am fishing for messages on FB,
while enjoying my morning coffee.
So I do not pay much attention.
The call now gets louder and
sounds like an ultimatum.

I walk over to her bed and
notice she is hiding under
the blanket.
I pretend to look for her at
all the wrong places, while
she is giggling from under
the covers.

Then I say "OK. I give up", when
she triumphantly shouts
"I am here" and
pulls down the blanket.
I act upset with myself for
not finding her, even though
she is right in front of me.

She now gets to the point.
"Appa, can I tell you a secret."
I say "Of course"
She continues
"Yesterday I saw someone smoking;
During the interval in the theater,
where we saw Mary Poppins.
She was a woman;
She was smoking right next to a child;
IT WAS HER OWN CHILD"
which I thought
was a good example of
Progressive Disclosure.