Monday, January 14, 2008

The Best Five

The Best of what I have seen:

1. Lamhe
Every time I watch this movie I am consumed by the sheer intensity portrayed on screen. Not by words, not by action, but simply by the breathtaking beauty of the simplicity of the situation. And "Yeh Lamhe Yeh Pal Hum" makes my life difficult every time I hear it. The movie asks uncomfortable questions which have comfortable answers which are difficult to accept and more so - implement.

2. Silsila
That language is just not a means of communication has its greatest proof in Silsila. Four powerhouse performances, dignity and grace all around, tempered melodrama, surreally believable, passion and heart in every word spoken - could you ask for more? Yes. The ending does not do justice. But then leave alone the last 5 minutes. What you get before that is something which has the potential to shake you - out of your belief, out of your skin and make you alive.

3. Hum Aapke Hain Kaun!
I had avoided this movie for the first 11 weeks after its release. In the next 3, I watched it seven times. 13 songs, almost all unnecessary, yet never for once breaking the narrative, a story told a hundred times before but still so very enjoyable.

4. Dhoop
Ah ! I so love Revathy. That a 60 year old couple can exude power, can get you and keep you hooked to the screen for roughly 2 hours is beyond comprehension to our generation. Based on a true story, a take on the corrupt bureaucracy and their fight against it, Om Puri is brilliant, particularly in the scene where he proves that he is the father of his own expired son to a corrupt police constable. An experience of a lifetime.

5. Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi
Ki har khwaish pe dum nikle...bahut nikle armaan mere...magar phir bhi kam nikle...I cannot remember a love story which has touched me in such a measure as this one post Lamhe and pre Khoya Khoya Chand. A perfect example which shows that love has only one destination - destruction. Sudhir Mishra has a way of telling a story. And they do leave a mark.

There are quite a few notable exceptions - DDLJ, Swades, Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar, Yes Boss, Namak Haram, Main Azad Hoon, Damini, Bemisaal, Deewar etc. but the top five can only have 5 movies !

Hollywood next post !

disclaimer: The "Best" here is not in terms of the best I have watched but the ones which I have enjoyed the most...if that makes any sense

2 comments:

Stambhit said...

Hmm...
A real controversial and too personal to agree or differ. Hence, all objective or subjective prisms are worthless as a penny.

However, the choice is quite interesting. I must say they are as weird and distant as they could get yet threaded by a single entity - "hopefully Love". Romance and its depiction has always been close to my heart, but HAHK? I mean, I can fantacise madhuri in my dreams, but to tolerate her in HAHK is a bit far fetched! Combine with that the free goodie called Salman!! Irresistable combo dear.

But, Lamhe - unflinchingly YES, Hazaron khwaishe aisi - a thumpimg YES... Silsila- I will take that with a pinch of salt.

Carry on..Seems your Hollywood one would be real interesting..Ever tried in compiling the Best 10 from all movies? think of it.

spiderman! said...

Stam:

There is no single entity. At least I was not consciously aware of that. HAHK is one of the most enjoyable movies I have watched and every time it comes on TV, am still hooked to it. And Silsila, except the ending does not require salt to be digested...not even a pinch !

Impossible to compile 10 of the best from ALL movies. Could not even do so for Hollywood.