CAPTAIN CORELLI’S MANDOLIN

April 17, 2013 Leave a comment

220px-Mandolinfilm1Genre: Romance/Drama | Year: 2001 | Duration: 131 mins | Director: John Madden| Medium: VCD (BIG Home Video) | Trailer: HERE | My rating: 3.5*/5

Fav Dialogue: “Dr. Iannis: When you fall in love, it is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake, and then it subsides. And when it subsides, you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots are to become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the desire to mate every second of the day. It is not lying awake at night imagining that he is kissing every part of your body. No… don’t blush. I am telling you some truths. For that is just being in love; which any of us can convince ourselves we are. Love itself is what is left over, when being in love has burned away. Doesn’t sound very exciting, does it? But it is!”

Even though am a fan of Nicholas Cage and Penelope Cruz, I enjoyed this movie mostly because of its beautiful cinematography. The film’s story, based on Louis de Bernieres novel, is of a beautiful greek girl falling in love with an infantry officer from the occupying Italian forces during the second world war. Captain Antonio Corelli (Nicholas cage) has a love for music and keeps his mandolin in his knapsack insead of an officers’ baton, and strumming on his mandolin charms the gorgeous Pelagia (Penelope Cruz) off her feet (and her pants too!). However John madden fails to capture the essence of music transcending the brutality of war and nationalistic boundaries. Cage didn’t sound Italian enough and nor did Cruz did justice with the Greek accent. The movie does show brilliance in parts in bringing out the pathos and grit of war time romance.

This flawed, yet sweet war-time romance is my ‘Movie of the Day’.

Filed under Movies Tagged with , , , , , , , , , ,

Almost Famous

April 15, 2013 Leave a comment

famousGenre: Drama| Year: 2000 | Duration: 122 mins | Director: Cameron Crowe| Medium: DVD (BIG Home Video) | Trailer: HERE | My rating: 4*/5*

Fav Dialogue: “William Miller: I love you. And I’m about to boldly go where… many men have gone before”

This movie views the rock scene in in 70s through a nostalgic lens, yet not a hitting expose` or a tell-all story of the music era. The story is inspred by Cameron’s own experiences as a teeage music journalist, is about a 15 years old boy, willim Miller (Michael Angarano, and later Patrick Fugit) in 1973 going on a road trip with an upcoming rock & roll band, Stillwater.  For William, the trip with the band is about exploring his sexuality and learning how to live outside of his mother’s protective umbrella. In the process, he loses his virginity, rejects the drug scene, forms a few lasting friendships, and saves a life. He falls for a band groupie, Penny Lane (Kate Husdon) who already has a ‘thing’ going with one of the lead singers of Stillwater, Russell. The film’s ecstatic atmosphere is only briefly interrupted by the sense of longing that is associated with first love and the pain that accompanies the inevitable separation between a child and a parent.

Almost famous with its sheer exuberance is my ‘Movie of the Day’.

Filed under Movies Tagged with , , , , , , , ,

%d bloggers like this: