Turtles can fly

Iraq 2005

Poster and details amazon

Seen 12 October 2007

Unforgettable as Newsweek magazine says. This film centres on the Kurds at the border of Turkey and Iraq during the last days Saddam Hussein's rule in Iraq. The story revolves on the children at a village and refugee camp who get paid looking for scrap metal especially land mines planted around the area. A refugee girl with an older armless brother and a baby brother caught the attention of the leader of the children's gang. As the story unfolds, we learn how the girl and her brothers came to the camp. The flashback itself seems like a tiny fraction of the atrocities endured by the Kurds.

This is not a story with a happy ending however much I would love to believe that fate might give a better hand to the children. I do feel guilty since I am blessed ten fold compared to the children in the story. Why do children have to bear the brunt of adults' monstrosity?

Shanghai Panic

China 2001

Poster and details amazon

Seen 10 October 2007

The panic starts when Bei thinks he has AIDS. His friends rally around to bolster his self confidence so that he has enough courage to take the test to confirm whether he is HIV positive or not. Bei and his friends can be considered a staple in the clubs of Shanghai who spend their time talking and dissecting the past, present and future besides the good times at night. We see relationships going through ebbs and flow,. while the strength of friendships also goes through myriad tests. This film is a very intimate view of a small group of friends who try to find some semblance of life in the dreary world they have to live in.

Claustrophobic at times.

Butterfly man

Thailand 2002

Seen 8 October 2007

Poster and details butterflyman

A bit disappointing. The film has all the ingredients to make a great movie – reasonable plot, direction and actors, but the x-factor is missing. This is a tale of love gone astray. One night's debauchery, and the whole world goes topsy-turvy. But I just can't root or feel two hundred percent for the the characters, either through their love stage or struggles against the enemy. What a pity, it could have been great.

Men and Woman

China 1999

Poster and details cduniverse

Seen 4 October 2007

The film begins showing a scene of a man broadcasting his own private radio show – The Toilet Times. That in itself, is a good start for me. Toilet humour, maybe.

But the next scene shows a young man arriving in the big city looking for a job. A kind hearted shopkeeper takes him and even lets him stay at her place she shares with her husband. This lady is the rare big hearted woman who tries to help the young man make something out of his life. She even tries to introduce him to a girl in the hope that friendship and romance will blossom.

Unfortunately that scheme did not work according to plan. Instead, there are even some doubts that the young man is even interested in girls. This leads to complications in the relationship between the young man and his benefactor. He moved out of the house and seeks shelter at another friend's place.

The later scenes show how the toilet humor is inter-related to the main story and there is a nice twist to the relationship combinations. The final scene itself seems to be a summary of human relationships as well as a sly commentary on the state of the nation.

Satisfying look at normal lives with an added twist. Do not expect explicit bedroom scenes.

A river made to drown in

USA 1997

Poster and details imdb

Seen 22 March 2007

A dying man's last days with two persons he had loved. He was the typical flamboyant rich gay man who had many sexual partners. His feelings for these particular two men brought him back to Los Angeles. We se how he tries to make them realise that life is more than what it seems. A particular dialogue might sum up what he was trying to convey - “If you're terrified of loving someone besides yourself then you're not going anywhere”.
The film did not resort to histrionics but maintained an even keel. I was attracted to the film because it had Richard Chamberlain in the main role with a capable supporting cast which includes Ute Lemper and Talia Shire.

Sin Destino

Mexico 2002

Poster and details amazon

Seen 13 March 2007

Disturbing. A street boy's life in the cut throat man eat man urban landscape. We see Francisco selling his body to men to eke out a living of sorts. He also uses drugs to lessen the impact and forget what he has done. The drugs are supplied by his best friend, David who also initiates Francisco to a sexual encounter with a woman. Unfortunately, Francisco's past keeps haunting him. A past that kick started his life as a hustler since he first met a photographer, Sebastian who specialises in young boys' photographs. A hesitant first encounter with a girl that he likes pushes him back to Sebastian. Unfortunately, the downward spiral for Francisco continues from this point onwards.

The actor who played Francisco managed to convey the tormented soul of a street boy who is forced to do unspeakable acts in order to survive. The supporting cast lends a hand in giving the film its overall atmosphere of gloom and doom. There is a flicker of hope somewhere but not for Francisco in this lifetime.

Heart

Indonesia 2006

Poster and details sinema-indonesia

Seen 11 March 2007

Cliché ridden love story but it works. Two girls and one guy. Rachel and Farel have been good friends since they were kids and one day Farel falls for this girl named Luna. Then and only then did Rachel realise that her feelings for Farel goes deeper than being close good friends. That is the start of her sacrifices in order to see Farel happy with his love. At the end, Rachel confesses to Farel that she has lost her love, her ideal guy to another girl. Farel does not realise that Rachel is referring to he himself. There is another twist at the end which ties up the loose ends. Some of the dialogue can be over the top but taken overall, this method does pull the right heart strings. The film concentrates on the three main characters so the audience is focused on the story line. Good editing helped a lot in putting this tale of romance and sacrifice above the run of the mill output.

Silom Soi 2

Thailand 2006

Poster and details silom-soi2

Seen 10 March 2007

Gentle love story focused on two men, Kaeng and Tum. The film goes through their ups and downs thematically according to the letters of the alphabet. Interesting method. Feels like a documentary. The director does not delve too deeply into the whys and wherefores of love but more of mere touches on the surface. Some scenes deserve a special mention. For example, the scenes where Tum takes care of the sickly Kaeng and how Kaeng tries so hard to avoid physical love making with Tum.

The Queen

United Kingdom 2006

Poster and details imdb

Seen 2 March 2007

The film revolves on how the Queen of England, Elizabeth II copes with the death of her former daughter-in-law. Most probably a lot of the scenes and dialogue are conjectures but seems believable if reports that have been published on the English royal family are true. The main thrust of the story is how human the Queen is. Of course, she has her flaws but anyone else in her situation might have buckled under the pressure of being in the public gaze throughout their lives. She has always been under this spotlight, brought up to deal with the situation in the best way possible and the pressure became more acute since she became the queen in her twenties. Helen Mirren who pot rayed the queen did a remarkable job balancing the public and private persona of a woman who has been thrust into public life at such an early age. Revealing inside information on the machinations in the palace as well as the government of the day adds to a memorable tour de force.

Babel

USA 2006

Poster and details imdb

Seen 23 February 2007

Four separate stories with a common link. Each highlights the consequences of miscommunication. Feelings of lost, unrequited love, yearnings for the human touch. Each character is laden with their own emotional baggage. Pent-up emotions explode with dire consequences to the person himself and those linked to him. Layers of the human psyche is highlighted. Ordinary people trying to make sense of the world around them but unfortunately certain actions beget an unintended reaction.
Wonderful ensemble cast and the unknowns manage to carry their role well. The director manages to coax the actors to display the emotional undercurrents seething within each person.
One of the most memorable lines "If You Want to be Understood...Listen"

Borat

Country USA 2006

Picture and details imdb

Seen 30 November 2006

A back handed treatment on the vagaries of the American society. The story follows a Kazakhtan who is on a study tour of the good old USA. We get to see how Borat is not politically correct in almost every situation – from gender, sexual, race and religious issues to the political might of America as the so-called world’s policeman. This film is made in the mold of British comedies, a homage to the traditions of Monty Python as well as the Carry On series. See it with caution as the whole film can be enjoyed at different levels. A repeated view would be helpful in discovering layers of innuendos thrown throughout the duration of the film.

The Mirror

Iran 1997

Picture and details imdb

Seen 8 November 2006

Revealing film on the social mores of the Iranian society s seen through a girl’s perspective. A girl tries to find her way home on her own after school. Her mother who usually picks her up from her primary school did not turn up on that particular day. We see how the girl tries to go home with the help of elders she encounters along the way. We are able to get a glimpse of the social make-up of the Iranian society through the girl’s eyes and ears – women’s role in society, how the elders are treated, relationships between the sexes, how people cope with living in a city like Teheran. Midway through the film, the actor who plays the girls decides to stop acting. But the camera rolls on to capture her real life situation which is almost a mirror image to the story line of the film. The child actor is a gem. A natural as the whole film depends on her.

Munich

USA 2005

Picture and details imdb

Seen 22 October 2006

Vengeance. Does it solve anything? As the protagonist in the film slowly realises the killings in the name of justice for the oppressed, in this case the Jews, is not a solution. Each killing is repaid in kind by the enemy. More are killed and most of them are innocents. The counter attacks continue and each side justifies their means in the name of religion and race. Troubling story but we can still see the same solution being used by everyone.

Boys' Choir

Japan 2000

Picture and details amazon

Seen 16 October 2006

Mishio, an orphan starts a new life in a Christian run orphanage. Mishio is befriended by Yasuo, the star falsetto in the school's choir. We also get a dedicated music teacher but he is hounded by his past as a revolutionary student. The mix of comradeship, love, ideals and their downturns populate the story. The end is not rosy but a new beginning for all.

The Road to Love

France 2003

Picture and details amazon

Seen 10th October 2006

This is a journey of discovery. A sexual awakening for Karim who has not acknowledged his other side until he meets Farid. Karim started with a project on the lives of Arab gays and his encounter with the self-assured Farid opens the door to new beginnings. The film does delve into the historical background of homosexuality in Arabian society and how the men cope with society and religion's treatment of their sexual orientation. The video camera approach works in this aspect because we get a documentary style of telling the story. The viewer feels much more intimate with the subject of the film. Karim manages to find himself in the end and in the process comes to terms with his sexual identity.

U-Carmen eKhayelitsha

South Africa 2005

Picture moviegoods
Details imdb

Seen 9th October 2006

Wow. Make that triple wow. A South African version of the opera Carmen and it is sung in Xhosa. The actor who played Carmen made her presence felt in every scene and the ensemble does not disappoint. Entertaining from all aspects - art direction, acting, the singers. My fortunate find for 2006.
The refrain from one of the scenes keeps haunting the psyche.

Love's a bird that no one tames No sooner caged than it flies away No one can control it I ignore all the rules Love's a stranger to me If you don't want me, then I'm yours But if I want you, then best beware Beware that love.

O Fantasma

Portugal 2000

Picture and details imdb/

Seen 5 October 2006

Obsession. Sexual gratification. Fetishes. Fantasy. Games people play to satisfy themselves. In this film, Sergio is obsessed by a man he meets on his rounds as a garbage collector. Sergio loves sex, with either a woman or man. He takes pleasure in physical domination, either he is the dominant partner or otherwise. He also finds gratification playing with himself while fantasising about the person he likes. The ultimate act for him came when he abducts his object of desire but he did not finish what he intended to do in the first place - satisfy his sexual needs. Instead he runs off to the city garbage dumps, just meandering as if the animal instinct in him prefers the hunt rather than the final catch.

Eiffel I'm In Love

Indonesia 2003

Picture organum.net
Details imdb

Seen 4 October 2006

A simple teenager's love story. Boy has promised to take care of girl when they were still young friends. They meet up again when the boy comes back from abroad. He does not forget his promise and tries to woo back the girl. The girl was not impressed by the first encounter after the long separation. He tries his utmost to win the girl's heart during his two week stay but his gruff manners makes it difficult for the girl to accept him. Eventually, circumstances change and they meet up again in Paris for Valentine's day. The ultimate day for lovers, eh? In this instance, they still have to come to terms with their different temperaments. Success? Maybe.

A Bigger Splash

UK 1974

Picture and details imdb

Seen 3 October 2006

Astounding. The creative journey of artist David Hockney who plays himself in this remarkable documentary. We get to see the artistic thought processes, the germination of an idea until it comes alive to be admired by all and sundry. It is eerie that those who are close to the artist, are depicted so succintly on canvas. The painstaking time spent to take countless photographs of his subject for a project reflects his thorough method besides the normal sketches. He is fastidious. I guess minute details does not escape his artist's eyes. An eye-opener.

Goodbye Boys

Malaysia 2006

Picture and details redfilms

Seen 2 October 2006

The title says it all. The end of boyhood and the beginning of a new phase in any teenager's life. A realisation that adulthood is beckoning and beguilling with its myriad of possibilities. The coming of age journey of eight boys while they hike through the countryside. Their aim to get the Scout's King's Badge. But they also discover their inner selves and have a keener sense of the world around them at the end of the journey. Most of the actors are amateurs and it shows in some scenes when if feels like they were delivering long soliloquys. The photography and art direction is commendable as we get to see the old towns and remnants of the glory days of the tin mining areas. Good effort but the voice over of each character sometimes feel too much like commandments along the lines of "we must do good unto thy neighbour".