praneethmendu Reviews

Sex, Lies, and Videotape (1989)

it is not about the plot

[8/10 · 10 July 2014]

I believe my review should help u figure out if this is your kind of movie or not. This movie is known for being the first independent movie make it that big. All that aside

Characters are gooood, acting too, and the feel of the movie (photography, production....)is fresh. Really, even in '14 still good (stark). its minimal soundrack, sharp editing (often creative),sense of mystery is maintained, oh! and the dialogues!! they create the mood so well, thats their priority . For most part its a lot of charged but paced conversations that are subtle and lifelike. its not just that its a good movieoverall . But its not about the plot its more theme based.

hope it helps.

Lady Vengeance (2005)

The first two films were better, but what an ending to the trilogy

[9/10 · 1 January 2014]

I saw this movie in order of the trilogy and quiet frankly after 3/4 of the movie i was convinced that it is now a worthy entry to the sequence.All three movies are quiet different but it lacks the grip and suspense of the other two. this one is quiet slow and maybe too "art house" for my taste.

Still standing alone this movie fares quiet well it is very different from the other two. Its portrayal of this lady looking for revenge and atonement is so accurately human. It is not a thriller in any way but as a drama it is interesting and original. The style of storytelling is discontinuous and experimental but this just adds to whats excellent about this movie.

BUT the ending !!! It is such a movie the makes u wait till the ending for it to make sense and all the stalling feel quiet justified. all of this in spite of being so subtle.

I have waited a long to watch this movie after the last one, just so that i don't feel weary and lessen the enjoyment. Maybe it just very good as a movie but as an ending to the trilogy it is just perfect but still very unpredictable.

My suggestion ?? see the vengeance trilogy in order, Then i will agree u had a worth life.

Parinda (1989)

Perfection of the genre: Bollywood . A true Classic.

[8/10 · 7 November 2013]

Why would you want to watch a 1989 movie ?

The scenario is pure Bollywood : brothers torn apart by values, sacrifice and family, a damsel in distress critical of the hero's actions, a pure evil villain and flashbacks to when all the movies major characters are hungry pitiable children. The tone is melodramatic(standard by old Bollywood standards) and the songs and their videos are typical of the time.

Since childhood elder brother Kishen(Jackie Shroff) leads a life of crime under Anna(Nana Patekar) to support younger brother Karan(Anil Kapoor) but Karan does not know this. The occurrence of a series of events, anymore would be a spoiler, creates an idealist Karan versus merciless don Anna plot with Kishen torn between these two sides.

The problem with most crime films is they tend to be too cold while dramas tend to drag on and lack a gripping plot. In this film, however, the crime and drama elements are well integrated and well paced, this overcoming the liabilities of either genre.

Despite being a quarter century old technically it is still impressive. The cinematography is done thoughtfully and painstakingly. The background score is fitting. It even won a national award for editing.

All of this is topped by great performances from Nana Patekar(National Award) and Jackie Shroff and by the old school eye candy i.e. Madhuri Dixit.

Unlike the recent Vidhu Vinod Chopra movies i have seen(3 Idiots, Munna Bhai) it does not carry a direct message or say that this or that is right. Instead it presents the protagonist with a conflict, even the audience cant solve, like all fiction is supposed to do.(a theme is explored better by dialogue then by a lecture isn't it?)

For a modern day viewer the acting and dialogue may be over the top and for the impatient a few scenes too slow.

So, why would you want to watch a 1989 movie ? because it is a masterpiece. It is not special because of anything new or different it did but because it the perfection of the genre: Bollywood . A true Classic.

Ab Tak Chhappan (2004)

Brilliant bollywood crime thriller. Come become a fan of Nana.

[9/10 · 6 November 2013]

wow ! This movie really hits the spot. It is so well made and balanced resulting in some quality entertainment. It is a true thriller. The movie is hilarious with its dialogues without being comical. It maintains its pace and there are no songs.

The characters in the movie are another highlight, all were introduced well and will make you like them.Nana Patekar's performance is brilliant, his bad-ass police style and slang will make u fall in love. The way he takes people's cases is fun to see. Revathy is also adorable as his wife and i am glad she plays a woman of her age.

Sadhu(Nana) is an encounter specialist who pursuing members of two rival gangs. He has a happy family life ,he is respected at work and he is not conflicted by what he does. He has jealous subordinates and dons trying to buy him out but all under control. Good amount of screen time is spent in showing this setting in style and introducing characters. life is good ,until......

When u are done watching u will find yourself chuckling in the memory of the dialogues , recollecting the plot with amusement and humming the theme music.

Ghost in the Shell (1995)

"it is entertaining not the fun kind but the sort that holds u in awe"

[10/10 · 5 November 2013]

It is the year 2029, cyborgs and AI are commonplace. Yet, the political and social scenario is similar to today's. There are cyborgs who have an artificial/technological body ,human in appearance and brains made like human's.They are physically and mentally more capable and can be plugged in to receive and analyze data. The story follows Major Motoko Kusanagi ,a cyborg working for a national security agency , as she and her team pursue the puppet master a hacker of formidable ability who seems to be planning a crime concerning foreign affairs ,thus involving other departments of the government.

It is highly inaccurate to call this an action movie. Though it involves a national security agency it has very little "action". The story unfolds like a well paced thriller but that is a very incomplete description. It is a movie for the patient. The scenes in the movie take their time but with good effect. The story and themes are very mature and intellectual but they are well explained .At the same time it is entertaining not the fun kind but the sort that holds u in awe.

After seeing this movie i see anime as an art form and this as a masterpiece. The future is well imagined and appears realistic and the cinematography is so creative exploiting the freedom provided by this medium.

Layer after layer is added to the story and slowly a cyber-meta- physical aspect enters it staying in the background at first and becoming significant with time.

This movie hooks you to story of the future where scenarios similar to present day conditions are handled by advanced technologies but as the story progresses it digs deeper and deeper into the future.

This is one of the best movies i have seen but i wont recommend it to everyone, only those who seeking novel mature content.

Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002)

This is the kind of drama i would like to see more

[9/10 · 1 November 2013]

If you his saw this movie because of Oldboy like me u might feel this is a mild prequel but the truth is both the movies quiet different .Revenge and unimaginable situations that make the world look so delicate are common.

The camera is kept still and panned out most of the time .The background music is used in very selected places .Sets and locations are detailed and picturesque. The plot is as dark as it gets but it feels very possible.It is very slow but in a sharp way lets the story sink in .Unlike most slow drama movies it is not ambiguous, Suspense is also well maintained .There is an unpredictability not because the characters are so but because the situations are such that u wont be able to judge what anyone would do there.

I felt so satisfied by this movie .It increased my respect for korean movies .2 Hours of suspense and bewilderment ,very clear and intense.