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Johnny Gaddaar (2007)
Sriram Raghavan does a Pulp Fiction !!!
Relax. The movie does not rip off Pulp Fiction.
Rather, it captures the ESSENCE of Pulp Fiction. And that essence is HOMAGE... Just like Pulp Fiction, Johnny Gaddaar is a homage to some of the classic thrillers of world cinema. But that's where the similarity ends.
Both movies are different and have different appeals. While Pulp Fiction has it's appeal in amazingly witty dialogues and a few memorable performances, Johnny Gaddaar has it's appeal in a taut storyline with a good "twist-at-the-end".
The story follows the protagonist as he double-crosses his gang members, and then tries to ensure that his gang members do not suspect him of double-crossing. Whether he succeeds in evading the gang's suspicion and making off with the booty is what makes the entire plot.
The plot has all the elements of an edge-of-the-seat thriller. However, what differentiates Johnny Gaddaar from the rest is the Style of it's execution. The movie has Style with a capital S. The scene in the train stands out as an example of how the director chooses to use his influences. He uses the plot sequence of the classic Hindi thriller "Parwana" and executes it in the style of classic French thriller "Rififi". And the outcome is excellent....
Johnny Gaddaar also rides on some excellent performances from it's cast. The stand out performances come from Zakir Hussain (Shardul), Vinay Pathak (Prakash), Govind Namdeo (Kalyan) and Ashwini Kalsekar. Dharmendra is excellent but should have been given lesser English lines. English doesn't seem to come naturally to him. His eloquence in Hindi & Urdu could've been better utilized in this film.
The protagonist (..or antagonist..) Vikram is a complex character to portray. Debutante Neil Mukesh does a fair job of it. Sometimes you feel that he is putting some extra effort to say his Hindi lines. Whether he is capable of histrionics in his likely future projects as an actor is another question mark. However, one cannot deny that he has good screen presence. The soundtrack is noteworthy & is consistent with the mood of the movie.
Johnny Gaddaar has it's share of flaws too. The dream sequence feels like a forced attempt by the director to instill some needless thrill in an already thrilling film. The gore sequence with the nurse also feels forced & seems a bit incongruent with the movie. These scenes, to a certain extent, adversely affect the movie's length as well...
However, with it's intriguing storyline & innovative style of execution, Johnny Gaddaar sets a precedent for other thrillers to follow...
8/10
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)
Humorous, Intelligent Entertainer
It still amazes me!!! How could such an intricately interwoven plot be... 1) Written ... 2) Shown on screen with such brilliant aptitude. This movie is an ode to writer - director Guy Ritchie. HE IS CLEVER, REALLY CLEVER!!! The inter-threading of different scenes in a movie was something never seen before Lock Stock... The scene in the first half where a burning man comes out of the Samoan Bar and Tom, Soap & Bacon just look at him and go in as if nothing new has happened is damn hilarious!!! However, its only in the second half, when you come to realize how that man was burnt (..by Rory..), and that is the inter-threading I'm talking about....THAT IS BRILLIANT!!! This is also one of those rare movies where you tend to fall in love with almost every character, no matter how big or small his role is. But if I had to pick my favourite characters from the movie, they would be Barry the Baptist, Big Chris, Soap and Rory. And its also filled with these humorous dialogues spoken in that endearing cockney accent!!! All in all, it's a humorous, intelligent entertainer, this one!!!
The Usual Suspects (1995)
Take A Bow, Kevin Spacey !!!
"And then, just like that, he was gone!!!". The dialogue still echoes in my mind whenever I think of "The Usual Suspects". One of the greatest thrillers of all time, "The Usual Suspects" owes its success not just to the mind-numbing twist at the end, but also to the incredible performance of Kevin Spacey. That he is a brilliant actor is a fact well known, but it is his performance as the cripple "Verbal" Kint in this movie that puts him in the league of all time greats. Gabriel Byrne and Pete Pstlewaithe also pitch in with good performances. One of the greatest aspects of this movie (...which usually goes unnoticed...) is its thrilling background score. It sets the mood for this movie and adds to the already built up tension. I would rate the finale of this movie as the SECOND BEST of all time. (..Shawshank Redemption just pips it to the post..). Overall, it has all the makings of a spellbinding thriller and deserves a special place in the history of great cinema.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Hope, thy name is Shawshank Redemption
If there is one word which entails the entire message of this film, it is HOPE. Though I have never been a Stephen King fan, this is one story which makes him deserve accolades over and over again. When I was watching the movie, halfway through it, I admit I was bored. And when Tommy (Gil Bellows) was shot, I was like "Who the hell recommended me this movie??". But still I just wanted to get this movie over with, so I watched further. And when that scene comes where the warden throws a pebble at the poster and it tears right through!!! My God!!! My mouth was agape the whole time!!! What a fantastic ending!. The movie indeed has the best finale in cinematic history.(The Usual Suspects comes a close second..). Performances were superb.. (..I still think Tim Robbins deserved a nomination more than Morgan Freeman..). The wardens were damn good as the tormentors. But overall, I believe the story itself deserves a special place in the annals of great cinema!!!
As Good as It Gets (1997)
Simple story, great cast, memorable dialogues and of course.. Jack Nicholson
"As Good As It Gets" is true to its name. It's the only movie that I have seen twice in a row and did not get bored. Back in 97', if I had my way, Titanic wouldn't have won the Oscar for the best movie. (..It would've come a close second..). When I saw the movie for the first time, I remember carrying a smile back home that lasted till the next day. There are so many good things to write about this movie; A simple storyline. Excellent background score. Great supporting cast - Greg Kinnear and Cuba Gooding were just awesome. Even the puppy was great!!! Memorable Dialogues - "You make wanna be a better man"; "You're why cavemen chiseled on walls"; "Carol the waitress, Simon the fag" and so many more. The Lead Actors - Helen Hunt deserved that Oscar. I fell in love with her in that movie....Jack Nicholson; well nobody AND I MEAN NOBODY!! can pull off what he can. A thorough entertainer, "As good as it gets" is indeed my all time favourite movie..