August: Osage County (2013)

After "Little Miss Sunshine", this is my second movie on dysfunctional families. And boy do I love it! Don't get me wrong now but it is a kindred subject.The powerful star cast was an attraction as well - Merly Streep, Julia Roberts, Margo Martindale, Abigail Breslin ... to name only a few.  
So what draws the flock to the Weston Family home in Osage County in the sweltering heat of August?
Violet Weston (Meryl Streep) is caustic and mean-spirited blaming it all on a difficult childhood. She is battling mouth cancer and to make matters worse she is getting increasingly dependent on her pain medication with resultant mood-swings and mounting paranoia. Violet is a mother of three daughters two of whom chose to move to other states. When Beverly Weston (Sam Shepard), Violet's husband dies in an accident, the news of his death brings the family together to pay their respects. And so the drama unfolds.
Barbara Weston (Julia Roberts) arrives from Colorado with her estranged husband Bill (Ewan McGregor) and her teenaged daughter Jean (Abigail Breslin). Their lives are barely hanging by a thread and this reunion could be the nail in the coffin of their relationship.
Ivy (Julianne Nicholson) is the daughter who was always around and having always got the raw end of the deal she feels she has earned the right to finally build a life. She has fallen in love with their first cousin Charles Aiken (Benedict Cumberbatch) and has managed to keep it to herself thus far. But one little secret could send her relationships tottering to the edge.
Karen Weston (Juliette Lewis) believes she has finally found love in Steve Heidebrecht (Dermot Mulroney) who is a pot smoker and someone of objectionable character.

As the family gathers around the dinner table and the accusations start flying ...
Here is a pot brimming with unbridled talent waiting to spill over and envelope you in its deep essence. You gotta watch this film and the brilliant performances delivered by some of Hollywood's best.

My last post for 2016 ~ See you in the New Year 2017

As the curtains close on another year and the ball drops ... Cheers to the year gone by, and be safe in the thought that we are richer for all the experiences and remain eager for the ones waiting to happen.
A year older and hopefully wiser! 😉 Thank you and God bless you all!

The Lunchbox (2013)

Somewhere in Mumbai, Ila (Nimrat Kaur) - a young housewife and a mother is in her kitchen preparing and packing lunch for her husband. Sensing a marital disconnect Ila hopes the old adage - "the way to man's heart is through his stomach", can reignite the missing spark in their relationship. She has high hopes pinned on the meal that she has labored after, with precious cooking advise from her neighbor. The dabbawala is soon on his way with the tiffin. In a freak mix-up though, the lunchbox finds its way to Saajan Fernandes desk.
Mr. Saajan Fernandes (Irrfan Khan), a recluse and a widower, is soon to retire from his job at the insurance company where he has worked for almost 40 years. Through some quirk of fate, Saajan's dabbawala delivers a steaming, delicious tiffin for lunch. On his way home a delighted Saajan remembers to stop by the little food-joint that cooks his meals and compliments a surprised and a clueless cook on the scrumptious meal.

When Ila's husband returns after work, Ila realizes the lunchbox never made it to its intended destination. So the next day she slips in a note and thereon starts an uncanny friendship between an aging and lonely Fernandes and a young and equally lonely Ila. As the lunchbox travels from hearth to heart, over kukure bhindi, creamy koftas and other culinary surprises, this friendship soon blossoms into something more ... ! This is a story of two lonely hearts - distance and age of no consequence.

A great film with brilliant performances by the seasoned actor Irrfan Khan and the talented Nimrat Kaur!

             The secret to Mumbai's dabbawalas

Silver Linings Playbook (2012)

Pat (Bradley Cooper), a diagnosed bipolar, has been discharged from the psychiatric facility where he was admitted.  Things aren't looking up for him at the moment though - having lost his job and his home, he has had to move in with his retired parents - his father, Patrizio (Robert De Niro) siezes this opportunity to better his relationship with his son. To add to his woes Pat has a restraining order keeping him from his estranged wife, Nikki (Brea Bee), whom he still loves. But Pat is determined to win it all back!

Pat dedicates gallant efforts towards his recovery and starts reading, he takes up jogging around the neighborhood (albeit in a trash bag) and keeps his appointments with his shrink - Dr. Patel (Anupam Kher). Pat even accepts invitations to dinner from his friends, in their bid to set him up. At dinner he meets recently widowed and equally troubled Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence) who claims to meet Nikki on occasion and Pat intends to use her as his means of communication. Nothing in life is free and Tiffany, who uses dance for therapy, is looking to partner up with someone for an upcoming dance competition. This could be Pat's ticket to prove to Nikki that he is on the mend. An added motivation is a parlay that has put a lot at stake - his parents home, that he hopes to win back to help them live a dream of opening their restaurant. Changing priorities might just be Pat's saving grace. Fingers crossed!

The movie is light and fun and Robert, Jennifer and Bradley rock this film!     

The Jungle Book (2016)

As the story goes, Mowgli's father is killed by Shere Khan, the ferocious tiger. But this was not before Shere Khan is burnt by the Red Flower, known to attract and entice with its warmth but is notorious for the destruction and havoc it can leave in it's path when unrestrained. A wounded and embittered Shere Khan hightails it, unaware of the little human left in hiding. Bagheera - the panther, a total disciplinarian, finds the orphaned toddler and takes him over to the wolf-pack. Mowgli, the man cub, is brought up by the wolf-pack as one of their own and he grows up firmly believing it - he plays and races with his cub brothers and even howls like one. However once Shere Khan, who has been harboring a deep hatred for the human species sniffs him out, Mowgli is forced to flee. So begins an arduous search of his true identity. With Bagheera by his side Mowgli makes his way to the man village but his path is wrought with danger. He meets the majestic elephants, the creators of the forest. Kaa, the bone-crushing seductress, offers to take him "under her coils". Mowgli befriends Baloo, the friendly and carefree sloth bear. He is kidnapped by the Bandar log and taken to the monkey temple to meet Louie, the gigantic and paw-paw loving monkey-king. But all this is inconsequential until he faces the dreaded Shere Khan.
There have been a few onscreen adaptations of Rudyard Kipling's book but my absolute favorite is the 1967 animated version. It's wonderful how all the animals in this movie have been given such human characters. The story line has not veered too far from the original and with the help of 3D technology this movie though a tad bit scary for the children is a good one for the adults. 👌

What is this movie without the song that spells the very essence of this film.

Happy Thanksgiving ~ 2016 ❤

My little tropical thanksgiving dinner! Cheers!
I am grateful for you all!

The Last Samurai (2003)

Based on past experiences and having faced the atrocities of war, Captain Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise) has been scarred and left with an indelible mark, seeking solace from a bottle. Nearly penniless, he embarks on a mission to sell U.S. arms to Japan in their bid to suppress a rising rebellion from the Samurai against the Japanese Emperor, Emperor Meiji.
Yoshino Province, Japan, Circa 1876. In a camp setup for the sole purpose of training local peasants in modern warfare, Captain Algren leads an inept army against the Samurai. The clash of the samurai swords and guns leaves casualties in its wake but the silent, swift-footed warriors, revered and highly feared, soon strike terror into the hearts of their opponents. The army flees leaving behind their wounded Captain who is soon taken prisoner.
Secluded high up in the mountains in the village of the Samurai, Nathan is held captive at the house of Katsumoto (Ken Watanabe), the Samurai leader. Delirious and ravaged by a fever and recurring nightmares Nathan is nursed backed to health by the beautiful Taka (Koyuki), Katsumoto's sister and the widow of Hirotara, a warrior slain by Algren himself. In an even trade-off, Katsumoto learns more about the enemy through his prisoner and Nathan is soon learning the art of wielding a sword. Nathan begins to truly appreciate the lives, ideologies and the culture of a dying Samurai class.
Will Japan ably embrace modernization without putting to risk losing a rich and deep culture? Who's to tell!

 

I don't know how it took me this long to write about a movie that I love dearly! A beautifully shot Japan, engaging war scenes, a subtle and yet erotic showcase of romance ... Do watch if you haven't already!