I dont remember seeing a movie in which has actor’s literally lived out a roles as I did when I saw PT Anderson’s Boogie Nights (only one other movie comes to my mind – Crash).

The ensamble cast: Mark Walberg, Burt Reynolds, Julianne Moore – live their roles!. Not to mention Philip Hoffman, Heather Graham and John Riely. The play as actors in the movie, and it was a great to see them switch ON and OFF their role. For instance, when the on screen camera rolls, they become ‘bad’ actors – and when the camera stops rolling they come back to their character. Its too bad I havent seen Burt Reynolds in any other movie – that guy just shines as Porn Magnate Jack Horner.

The director – PT Anderson – does a fabulous job here in his first big movie. You can see all his trademarks – from using iris cuts, constant mood music, long takes and orchestrated climax (where parallel stories come to a conclusion in unison). If you see his other movie Magnolia you can notice many similarities in his mastery over portaying human emotions.

I couldnt help but wonder when or if there will be a time in which our Indian cinema mature to a point where actors can play their character and not themselves.

Great Movie (be warned tho’ – this movie is about the Porn Industry – so you will see some wild screens)

4/5

After seeing the movie yesterday – it cleared up a few things, but it raised a lot of questions about Christ himself.

• Torture, Flaggelation, Crusifiction was nothing new during those times – so many many innocent people have suffered, tortured and even torched when alive – so what makes this special? and their sufferings less special.
• As ‘Son of God’, he says he cannot be killed & that he will be back in 3 days – so the whole killing apprears to be a mute point. I mean if I break a glass vessel, which will automagically glues together as fresh as new tomorrow morning – then, did I really break it? Even if I did – whats the big deal, its alive now.
• If he is God, he could have stopped his crusifiction thereby saving his crucifiers from performing this sin. But he didn’t, he knew he is going to come back alive, he just let/bait these people to comit these attrocities against him, just so that he could catch them after the fact. Sort of undercover cop playing along with drug dealers, before condemning them.

So does it really show the Passion of Christ?

Nice. A simple one line story “Four brothers look to avenge their mother’s death”

The direct wastes no time, and even before the titles roll, he dives into the story and whacks their silver haired mom! Didnt mull around wasting time for any characterization, flashbacks or any Kleenex moments to force out a tear or two for the old lady. Simple and effective.

So I was left with a big question mark – what the heck? How does he plan to fill the rest of the 2 hours, when everyone knows whats going to happen to the killers?!

But African American director John Singleton shows his mastery in some gripping action scenes using a rotting Detroit as an effective backdrop (not to mention his clever use of the weather). Using mostly single shots (meaning no fastcuts/ ramp editing / fancy cameras) he comes up with a fairly good movie. Watch out for a great car chase on icy dark roads, it will remind you of Fast and Furious (it should – after all he shot it

I liked the simplicity, wonderful acting and the skill* of the director to keep you in your seats after the brothers find the killers & kill them in the first 45minutes. A good popcorn entertainer.

4/5

* – Youngest director to receive an Oscar nomination – for Boys N Hoods (1992) when he was 23! – tho he never made it big till 2Fast & 2Furious