My Favorite Movies

astonishing & truly gripping - the best psychological thriller I have ever seen

An astounding film. The sense of being alone while everything around you collapses is powerful.

amazing & heart-breaking, a film that should open your mind and your heart

timeless

Set against the backdrop of Bangladesh's freedom struggle from Pakistan, the story is about a boat of Muslim & Hindu Bengalis who take a perilous journey in occupied territory to escape the terror of the Pakistani army in 1971. It portrays brilliantly the tensions between the Bengali refugees and the ironies of genocide. A truly sensitive and moving film by a master of social drama & black comedy.

so sweet & moving

passionate & powerful

amazing film with a heart-breaking performance by Kamal Hasan at the end. Sridevi excels as usual.

gritty, dark and an excellent Indian adaptation of Shakespeare's "Othello"

superb

astonishing

heart-breaking

harrowing & devastatingly powerful

Didn't know George Clooney could be so funny!

One of Disney's best

Fantastic, one of the best Disney films ever. The animation is very simple and basic, yet it is so entertaining and endearing. An underrated gem.

even better than the first one

Wow! Even if you're not interested in the politics, you should still check out this compelling thriller.

Don't let the film posters fool you, though it features Audrey Tatou, this ain't no Amelie, rather, think Eastern Promises. A real eye-opener and chilling -it makes you wonder what's going on around us. A gritty and very very dark reflection of society, nevertheless hope and humanity is not lost completely. The real star of this film is Chiwetel Ejiofor, what a brilliant actor.

A film that makes you ache with compassion. The bleak realism makes you question whether there really is any justice in the world? Yet the innocence and sheer courage of the children, restores faith in humanity and is a lesson to us all.

Tough viewing, but the film doesn't even capture half of what Phoolan Devi experienced. Nevertheless a good film, but I couldn't quite give it 5 stars because it doesn't even compare with her astonishing autobiography. Also, the director didn't consult with her when making the film and took a number of liberties, hence significant inaccuracies. I would say to anyone interested about India's "Bandit Queen", read her own book first: "I, Phoolan Devi".

It took me a while to get over the use of modern songs in a period drama (anachronisms are my pet hate!) -it was weird and at times verging on downright corny (Nirvana, anyone?!) But I was won over by the unexpected comedy and touching drama. Visually it was stunning, in fact overwelming as there's so much to absorb in so little time. My favourite parts were when they were trying to persuade the Duke to finance their musical -that and the "Like A Virgin" scene were absolutely hilarious. I was pleasantly surprised by the versatile talents of John Leguizamo and Jim Broadbent. The best thing of all about the film was Ewan McGregor -who knew he could sing so well?! His acting was so moving and he has a killer smile too!

A portrayal of a dystopia that makes for harrowing viewing. The film shows the barbarism and deviant perversions a society degenerates to as a result of female infanticide. The drama is all the more unsettling as it not only reminds us of past times when such practices were common-place (pre-Islamic) Arabia, but also for its pertinence today. While we live in relative comfort and safety, it's easy to forget how in other parts of the world, it truly is a curse to be born a female. On a general level, one can't help thinking of the widespread abuse of women and children that has occured in conflict zones from time immemorial. Take the wanton exploitation and use of violence against women in war-torn areas such as Eastern Congo (see: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/04/2007_39_tue.shtml). In such circumstances, Thomas Hobbes' famous words ring loudly that "The life of [wo]man [is] solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short."

Some don't get a chance at life at all because of their biological attributes, so there is concern over parts of India where female infanticide is almost customary, be it post-birth or at the embryonic stage (see: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7466916.stm). Nor is this problem simply down to poverty and a lack of development and "modernity". Economic advance does not necessarily lead to social progress, rather affluence and the impetus of technology can reinforce and be galvanized to serve age-old norms (see: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/6934540.stm). Ancient traditions are hard to counter and the mindsets they create lack foresight over the dangers for future generations. The film poses a near-futuristic scenario where if exsiting practices of severe discrimination against the female race are to continue, the result would be a extreme disparity between men and women in terms of demographics and their social condition. The finale of the film is an epilogue, stating that according to the Minsitry of Health & Family Welfare and the UNFPA, in the last hundred years, thirty-five million girls are missing from the population of India due to practices related to gender discrimination. Matrubhoomi: A Nation Without Women is an apocalyptic warning for our lifetime.

The absurdities of war and the comical turns it takes. A humourous yet moving film set against the backdrop of the Balkan conflict. It's universal tale and a must-see for all.

A timeless classic I can watch over & over. Jack Lemmon is absolutely hilarious.

Initially I was sceptical about casting Will Smith, though he is a good actor, but I soon forgot it was him. The film is a powerful mix of sporting glory, human drama & politics. Those were highly charged times. Jamie Foxx plays another interesting character, in keeping with his rich acting repertoire. Jon Voigt was unrecognisable as Howard Cosell and I loved his ongoing banter with Smith/Ali, so funny.

masterpiece

Beautiful yet unsettling