-
Re: Films & TV: Russian & Non - Q&As/Reviews/Links all in here!
Quote:
So, has anyone happen to watch it already?
Can you summarise the theme of the film?I don't quite understand. It seems ok.
Afghanistan is clearly "the new Vietnam" for film makers; in the 1980s some good Vietnam films were made, now the turn has come to Afghanistan.. I think it's terrible that foreign countries have been meddling there since the 19th century... They should be left alone to develop at their own pace... I read of British soldiers who have died there almost every day in the papers... Meaningless deaths.
-
Re: Films & TV: Russian & Non - Q&As/Reviews/Links all in here!
It's not about that. This film is based on a true story, unfortunately there are little info about this incident in English, but here's what I've found:
On 3 August 1995, a MiG-19S fighter operated by the Taliban government intercepted an Il-76TD operated by the Russian airline Airstan and forced it to land in Kandahar. Taliban officials were annoyed at Russian backing of anti-Taliban Afghan forces and wanted to use the crew as hostages for the return of Taliban members believed to be held by the Russians. The Russian government negotiated to no effect; a scheme to perform a commando raid to free the hostages was dismissed as impractical.
However, the crew was resourceful enough to rescue themselves. They managed to talk their captors into giving them access to the Il-76TD in order to keep it in flightworthy condition, and on 16 August 1996, after over a year in captivity, they made a run for it, taking off with three of their guards along with them, and flying at low level to Iran with a huge cloud of dust in the aircraft's wake. Fighters were scrambled to intercept, but the pilots assumed that the aircraft was heading north to Russia and failed to stop the escape.
Here's the Wikipedia article about that in Russian.
-
Re: Films & TV: Russian & Non - Q&As/Reviews/Links all in here!
My word, that's quite a story. I'd definitely like to see that....
-
Re: Films & TV: Russian & Non - Q&As/Reviews/Links all in here!
There is another story, it was filmatised as Peshawar Waltz, which you can download from http://depositfiles.com/files/tuecrvnnh (English subtitles).
-
Re: Films & TV: Russian & Non - Q&As/Reviews/Links all in here!
-
Re: Films & TV: Russian & Non - Q&As/Reviews/Links all in here!
"Kandagar" looks like a decent movie (and I like Mashkov and Alexandre Golubev, they were both in "Liquidation") but I don't want to see it on big screen -- people getting beaten and tortured and what-not. :(
I'm lost to all serious cinema at the moment anyway, as I've been watching lots of Bollywood. Hindi cinema used to be shown quite a lot in the Soviet Union as we had (and have) good relationships with India and it found its audience.
My fave so far is Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. An incredibly moving and heart-warming film, full of love, romance, humour, kindness, and great music. :) Any one else seen it? Shahrukh Khan and Kajol are the most famous romantic pair of Bollywood (in movies, not in real life).
http://s005.radikal.ru/i212/1002/61/c19d8bbd44b6.jpg
http://s003.radikal.ru/i204/1002/45/50d8fd5fa6ab.jpg
http://s001.radikal.ru/i193/1002/71/f62841f24bfc.jpg
http://s003.radikal.ru/i202/1002/b3/2f05cd6996b4.jpg
-
Re: Films & TV: Russian & Non - Q&As/Reviews/Links all in here!
I used to follow Bollywood up until about four years ago when I started getting an overdose of India at work. Suddenly I got completely "allergic" to anything Indian because it reminded me of my incredibly stressful work situation which I wanted to forget about as soon as I left there. Worked with lots of Indians (IT outsourcing)
But I agree with you that the films are entertaining, the plots engaging and the music is fun. Some of it is (at least used to be) incredibly silly, like insane co-incidences and people who are either too sugary nice or pure evil (not enough nuance in the characters).
Bollywood is quite big in England because of the huge numbers of people from an Indian/Pakistani/Bangladeshi background who live here. (Known as "Asians") Bollywood is often shown at cinema and many white people enjoy it every now and then.
I have a feeling Indian cinema is become a bit more artistic and less kitsch. What do you think?
-
Re: Films & TV: Russian & Non - Q&As/Reviews/Links all in here!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Johanna
Worked with lots of Indians (IT outsourcing)
:lol: :lol: :lol:
Hindu code?
Code:
bool b;
...
if (b.ToString().length < 5){...}
-
Re: Films & TV: Russian & Non - Q&As/Reviews/Links all in here!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Johanna
Some of it is (at least used to be) incredibly silly, like insane co-incidences and people who are either too sugary nice or pure evil (not enough nuance in the characters).
You can’t do without twins, one of whom is lost in his/her babyhood, accidently slipping out of his/her mother’s hands and off the bridge into the foaming brine, when she habitually kicks her foot against a splinter, while running away from her evil uncle Raj, only later to be found by a Gipsy and raised into a feisty rapscallion who’s going to inevitably reunite with his/her meek and obedient sibling and revenge, this time both of them, their mothers tears (no need to remind you that since the moment the child perishes his/her mother’s day starts with crying her eyes out year in year out), childhood hardships and lost profit for the unlucky one.))
-
Re: Films & TV: Russian & Non - Q&As/Reviews/Links all in here!
Quote:
Originally Posted by alexB
You can’t do without twins, one of whom is lost in his/her babyhood, accidently slipping out of his/her mother’s hands and off the bridge into the foaming brine, when she habitually kicks her foot against a splinter
Yeah exactly! Shameless escapism! :roll:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ramil
Quote:
Originally Posted by Johanna
Worked with lots of Indians (IT outsourcing)
:lol: :lol: :lol:
Hindu code?
Code:
bool b;
...
if (b.ToString().length < 5){...}
Hmm... Yeah...
SOME of them are pretty good but too many are NOT.... And consultancies in general are shameless in that they have no reservation about taking a someone straight out of university, who can barely make himself understood in English and pass him off as a "senior technical analyst" or something like that.
Don't get me started on all this... :shout:
Plus there is a BIG cultural difference and this sometimes creates fairly frustrating situations particularly when everyone is working under extreme time pressure andf financial pressure.
Not to mention the fact that the whole principle of outsourcing to low-cost countries is not really in line with my principles -- although it's worth noting that their "low" salaries still give them an excellent lifestyle in India -- better in many ways than an equivalent person in Europe. But the truth is, if not for the price, in most cases they would not have been used.
-
Re: Films & TV: Russian & Non - Q&As/Reviews/Links all in here!
Quote:
Originally Posted by alexB
... (no need to remind you that since the moment the child perishes his/her mother’s day starts with crying her eyes out year in year out), childhood hardships and lost profit for the unlucky one.))
Needless to mention that medieval European literature too is very abundant with plots like that.
-
Re: Films & TV: Russian & Non - Q&As/Reviews/Links all in here!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Johanna
I have a feeling Indian cinema is become a bit more artistic and less kitsch. What do you think?
Quote:
Originally Posted by alexB
Quote:
Originally Posted by Johanna
Some of it is (at least used to be) incredibly silly, like insane co-incidences and people who are either too sugary nice or pure evil (not enough nuance in the characters).
You can’t do without twins, one of whom is lost in his/her babyhood, accidently slipping out of his/her mother’s hands and off the bridge into the foaming brine, when she habitually kicks her foot against a splinter, while running away from her evil uncle Raj, only later to be found by a Gipsy and raised into a feisty rapscallion who’s going to inevitably reunite with his/her meek and obedient sibling and revenge, this time both of them, their mothers tears (no need to remind you that since the moment the child perishes his/her mother’s day starts with crying her eyes out year in year out), childhood hardships and lost profit for the unlucky one.))
That's Seeta and Geeta. Is that the only one you've seen? It's an old movie, Bollywood changed quite a bit since then. :wink: But I suspect men shouldn't bother with Hindi movies at all, for the most part. There seems to be a lot of cynicism, narrow-mindedness, and prejudice towards Hindi movies which is a sad thing -- they are not all bad, you know. Among the heaps of crap there are gems. The things that I like about Indian cinema are its beautiful, vibrant colours, traditions and culture, music and dances. All those things absent from the Russian cinema.
There are now a lot of different Hindi movies, more seriously-minded and so on, like "Swades", which explores the problem of "brain drain", which India faces and which is very topical for Russia as well -- a lot of intelligent, educated people leave the country in search of greener pastures. Bollywood no longer makes only traditional "masala" movies which included all genres mixed into one -- melodrama, comedy, action. In this respect it's moving more towards Hollywood and not everyone likes this. Though modern Indian films are definitely less boring compared to the older ones.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Johanna
Shameless escapism!
Yeah, who doesn't like a bit of escapism? :D I'd say Hindi movies are about celebrating life and having fun.
-
Re: Films & TV: Russian & Non - Q&As/Reviews/Links all in here!
Has anyone heard of or seen "The Music Lesson"??
http://www.greenboxfilms.com/documentaries.html There is a trailer on this site
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1329409/
Quote:
Synopsis: The Music Lesson tells the story of two groups of young people from extraordinarily different backgrounds as they use the power of music to discover each other's worlds.
Ten classically trained students from the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra traveled across the world for a life-changing cultural exchange with a group of students from Laikipia, Kenya, whose tribal elders have passed down the tradition of singing, dancing, and playing music for centuries.
The Kenyan teacher/percussionist featured in the film and I believe the director will be visiting some of the schools in our area this week and showing the film and then doing a Q&A afterwards. We are going to be able to see it tomorrow.
-
Re: Films & TV: Russian & Non - Q&As/Reviews/Links all in here!
I'm watching "Spartacus: Blood and Sand" right now. I have not expected it to be any good , but I must admit that I like it!
It's like a little brother to "ROME": more brash and garish, but cute in it's own way.
What leaves you speechless almost from the first minutes is literally gallons of blood spurting from even the tiniest cut when men are fighting. Some people are unhappy about this because it's too cartoonish. I personally think that it's a bow to the aesthetics of the original comic book (though I have not seen it). After all no one got indignant that people in "City of Sin" were "black & white, right? These moments are very graphic, in the sense that sometimes it looks like a picture from a book, which was an intentional effect, in my opinion.
There are also a lot of sex charged scenes (including homosexual intercourse and frontal nudity). So this show is definitely not for the young and/or squeamish.
That aside, the acting is surprisingly good, Spartacus is likable and intense, villains are two-dimesional and there's even a descent plot emerging after 3rd episode or so (more complicated and interesting, than just "Spartacus is fighting on arena"). :good: There are intrigues, fights, romantics and even some tragic events.
I highly recommend it if:
1) you liked "Gladiator" or "Rome"
2) you are ok with graphic sex and violence
3) you do not expect historical truth from a show based on a comic book
4) you have sense of humor
It might also be a good idea to watch at least two episodes before you give up on it. )))
Official site with trailers to every episode:
http://www.starz.com/originals/spartacus
-
Re: Films & TV: Russian & Non - Q&As/Reviews/Links all in here!
Кто-нибудь видел фильм "Ничего личного" (2007)?
-
Re: Films & TV: Russian & Non - Q&As/Reviews/Links all in here!
Ты имеешь в виду 'Duplicity'? (2009)
-
Re: Films & TV: Russian & Non - Q&As/Reviews/Links all in here!
Quote:
Originally Posted by gRomoZeka
Ты имеешь в виду 'Duplicity'? (2009)
Нет, наш, русский фильм режиссера Ларисы Садиловой. Он 2007 года.
-
Re: Films & TV: Russian & Non - Q&As/Reviews/Links all in he
Form the Music thread...
This 1989 Oscar and a Golden Globe winning song is from one of my favorite movies, Working Girl and the song is Let the River Run by Carly Simon. I could re-watch Working Girl almost any day and this version of the song is the one I like the most.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cv-0mmVnxPA
Quote:
Originally Posted by alexB
Great film! I couldn’t help but see it after your passionate introduction. As usual no one has ever heard about it in the video stores, nothing but junk with guns, monsters and stupid car chases there. So I found it on MEGAVIDEO in a not so great resolution, but liked it, regardless. The song too. Don’t remember seeing Melanie Griffith anywhere before, but here she was nice, I mean beautiful. :) I dare not look for what she is like now, for time can make fools of us all. :sad:
So... as I said on the music thread, I would post over here why it is that Working Girl http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096463/ is one of my favorite films.
A lot of it has to do with the fact that I was living in New York when this film came out in 1988 and the film takes place in New York. If you ever wanted to know about what it was like to live in this area of the world during that period... this is the film to watch. The writers, actors and director nailed this one. All the mannerisms and stereotypes are dead-on perfect! The hair too! OMG yes, women in NY and New Jersey wore their hair like that, the higher the better! Today, the sneakers have been traded in for flip-flops. Why on earth they wear flip-flops on the dirty NY streets to work is beyond me!
The next reason I like this film so much is it is the so correct as to the office politics and reminds me that I am not alone in my experiences with those things. It always give me hope when things at work happen. You see what happens to Tess and you feel for her and you can relate to her because you have been in her shoes! And it is always nice to think (even though you know it is only a movie) that someone has it worse than you.
Next, it give me hope. I used to watch this movie to give me confidence right before starting a new job or a promotion. Silly, I know, but it is that kind of a film for me... the David and Goliath of the work place.
Finally, I love the cinematography. The ending shot is amazing and worth waiting for every time!
So there you have it... my sappy reasons for liking this film. And yes, I own a DVD of it!
-
Re: Films & TV: Russian & Non - Q&As/Reviews/Links all in he
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ramil in [url=http://masterrussian.net/mforum/viewtopic.php?p=227574#p227574
this[/url] thread]Ты по телевизору их смотришь? (Там это всё вырезается)
Вчера или позавчера я действительно видела по телеку современный (2008) российский фильм, в котором была куча мата (он запикивался и заглушался, но всё было понятно), причем совершенно непонятно, зачем он там был. Все эти фразы можно было бы сказать и обычным языком, и у персонажей не было никакого особенного эмоционального накала, когда они их произносили. Фильм назывался "Тот, кто гасит свет". Закос под типичный американский детектив-ужастик, с очень хорошими известными российскими актерами. Куча несуразностей и неправды, в духе "12" Михалкова, плюс издевательский монтаж (куча склеек, "рваные" кадры и т.д.). Меня, кстати, посетила мысль, что посмотри этот фильм американский зритель, фильм бы ему очень понравился.
Кто-нибудь смотрел?..
-
Re: Films & TV: Russian & Non - Q&As/Reviews/Links all in he
Something about war films that I remembered when I wrote in another thread. It belongs here, I think.
====================================
My opinion (newly founded) is also that the old Russian (Soviet) war films that I have seen recently are better (in my view) than the American ones because they focus on the regular people affected by the war, and they do not over-dramatise events.
Hollywood films always focus on some specific action and liberally change the historical facts for maximum effect. Plus make all the good people American and great looking... For me, all this is cliche-ish and not interesting.
I had never seen a Russian war film until recently, but now I am glad that I have -- they really give a new perspective. Too bad they were not spread more outside Russia before! A lot of Europeans (like Brits) only knew the American view of the war.
Some good films about the War that I've seen multiple times because they've run on TV:
"Heimat" which is an epic German chronicle that takes place partly during those years. There is a cool sub-plot about a man who walks from Siberia (he was taken prisoner) back to Germany.
Also, the eternal "Heroes of the Telemark" which I've seen on TV about a million times in Sweden. (But they changed most of the Norwegians to Americans and Brits if I remember correctly.)
Films I've seen on cinema:
Pearl Harbour was a pretty good American war film, I thought.
"Hitlerjunge Salomon" (German) was very good too and allegedly based on the true (completely bizarre) life of somebody who is still alive. There is plenty of bad Russian in the film.
And lately:
I *REALLY* liked "А зори здесь тихие" and "Stirlitz" and have watched a few other ones but missed a lot due to bad or no subs. More on this some other time. Kukushka was the first (very good!) film I have seen about the events in Finland (the winter war and ww2). There is a Finnish film called Talvisota (Vinterkriget) about this, from 1990.
-
Re: Films & TV: Russian & Non - Q&As/Reviews/Links all in he
One of the greatest war movies ever is probably "Ballad of a Soldier/Баллада о солдате" (1959). It's a beautiful, heart-breaking film. And it's not difficult to understand at all, as there don't seem to be any specifically "Russian" references -- it's cross-cultural and mostly about the acting and visuals rather than dialogue, politics, etc. There are no battles in the film (except a little piece of action at the beginning). Highly recommended. :good:
On imdb.com -- http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052600/
http://drugoekino.org/images/stories...a.o.sodate.jpg
http://www.cirota.ru/forum/images/90/90355.jpeg
I've recently seen Dil Se (From the Heart) (1998), which is a very unusual Hindi film. Very realistic, grim and gloomy, both in terms of photography and its subject matter. It's about separatism or, more precisely, about the love of a journalist for a terrorist girl. I didn't even know India had problems with separatists. Can't say I really like this film (I generally prefer something more kind, feel-good, eye-candy, humorous) but it was quite interesting and very well acted. Very artistically done and the music is gorgeous. The "Chaiyya, Chaiyya" song was apparently very popular in the UK. Every time I hear it, I go slightly crazy as it's extremely... er, dunno what the English would be for "зажигательный". :) It was shot on a moving train. Here it is -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jfit3lK_xHs
The film was a box office failure in India (as such films generally tend to be there) but a success overseas. And it was the first Indian film to enter the top 10 in the United Kingdom box office charts.
Dil Se at imdb.com -- http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0164538/
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi..._DVD_cover.jpg
-
Re: Films & TV: Russian & Non - Q&As/Reviews/Links all in he
Quote:
Originally Posted by starrysky
Every time I hear it, I go slightly crazy as it's extremely... er, dunno what the English would be for "зажигательный". :)
Would "inspiring" do fine in this sense?
-
Re: Films & TV: Russian & Non - Q&As/Reviews/Links all in he
Quote:
Originally Posted by Crocodile
Would "inspiring" do fine in this sense?
Hmmm... perhaps. :upset:
-
Re: Films & TV: Russian & Non - Q&As/Reviews/Links all in he
Quote:
Originally Posted by starrysky
Quote:
Originally Posted by Crocodile
Would "inspiring" do fine in this sense?
Hmmm... perhaps. :upset:
The issue here is that you can say "зажигательный" only about a very specific type of dance. But "inspiring" can be used in a more generic sense. Like, you can't say that the Swan Lake ballet was "зажигательный", right?
-
Re: Films & TV: Russian & Non - Q&As/Reviews/Links all in he
Quote:
Originally Posted by Crocodile
Like, you can't say that the Swan Lake ballet was "зажигательный", right?
It was completely "разрывной".
-
Re: Films & TV: Russian & Non - Q&As/Reviews/Links all in he
Quote:
Originally Posted by it-ogo
Quote:
Originally Posted by Crocodile
Like, you can't say that the Swan Lake ballet was "зажигательный", right?
It was completely "разрывной".
:lol:
Как насчет зажигательный = stirring ?
-
Re: Films & TV: Russian & Non - Q&As/Reviews/Links all in he
Quote:
Originally Posted by gRomoZeka
Как насчет зажигательный = stirring ?
I was also thinking of "rousing" but I don't like it somehow... It seems that this word is ultimately untranslatable. That is to say, you can translate it but something will be lost. Or else I don't know English well enough to pick an ideal equivalent. Maybe someone who is a native speaker will chip in. "Зажигательный" means "which sets smth on fire". In other contexts it can be translated as "incendiary, inflammatory."
P.S. I've also recently re-watched "The Dawns Here Are Quiet", for the fourth time, I think, and I don't remember if I mentioned it anywhere earlier but it's the one Russian film where Russian is spoken mostly with an accent -- the Northern one, "оканье" -- "гОвОри", "мОлОкО", etc. To tell the truth, I rather dislike it, though you do get used to it after a while. Since the action takes place somewhere in Carelia, it's quite natural. I don't know if people in those regions still have this accent. Also, the language for somebody learning Russian is quite difficult -- "слега" (which can be translated as a "stick"; I only ever saw this word used in the book this film is based on), "не гоношись", "Лизавета Батьковна", "на миру и смерть красна", "мал золотник да дорог" and others. I htink I like the books a bit better, though. Here is the book online -- http://militera.lib.ru/prose/russian/vasilyev1/01.html.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...hie_poster.jpg
-
Re: Films & TV: Russian & Non - Q&As/Reviews/Links all in he
On the Learn English thread http://masterrussian.net/mforum/view...p?f=29&t=20727 I spoke about the movie Stand and Deliver, as yesterday an amazing educator and person, Jaime Escalante died.
If you have not seen this movie, it really is an uplifting and inspirational film and I highly recommend it (I do own this DVD).
I found a link to the film on StageVu http://stagevu.com/video/vebaqxoeixdg.
-
Re: Films & TV: Russian & Non - Q&As/Reviews/Links all in he
Quote:
"Ballad of a Soldier/Баллада о солдате" (1959)
Yes, I want to see it --- but what's a love film when you have no love (romantic) in your life...!!? Makes me feel lonely! Even though my lack of romance is completely voluntary, it is nevertheless still a bit lonely.
(Don't want to get involved because I don't plan to stay in London and I had a terrible heartbreak a while back. Not fully recovered.)
I have a strong feeling that if I watch Баллада о солдате I'll feel as if I can't manage without a man (which is exactly what I am doing...)
"Dawns here are quiet" is more about friendship camaraderie etc... No romance other than fragments of the memories of the heroines.
-
Re: Films & TV: Russian & Non - Q&As/Reviews/Links all in he
Quote:
Originally Posted by Johanna
Quote:
"Ballad of a Soldier/Баллада о солдате" (1959)
Yes, I want to see it --- but what's a love film when you have no love (romantic) in your life...!!? Makes me feel lonely! Even though my lack of romance is completely voluntary, it is nevertheless still a bit lonely.
(Don't want to get involved because I don't plan to stay in London and I had a terrible heartbreak a while back. Not fully recovered.)
I have a strong feeling that if I watch Баллада о солдате I'll feel as if I can't manage without a man (which is exactly what I am doing...)
"Dawns here are quiet" is more about friendship camaraderie etc... No romance other than fragments of the memories of the heroines.
Johanna! Woman! There are times everyone feels that they can't manage without other people... it is what makes us human... but your life should not be defined by a man or lack of a man. No man (or woman) should determine for you where you live or how you live. If you want to live in London or in a hut on a remote island... that should be YOUR choice... and if by chance you are lucky enough in life to meet a man who wants to share that life with you, then great.
This is the trouble I have with the "Hollywood" idea of romance and marriage. Marriage is WORK people!!! Romance, if you want it, make it happen. Your partner will not always put rose petals all over your bed and light candles and remember your birthday or anniversary! If you want that, you might need do that yourself or TELL them that you want that.
Now I admit, I do LOVE a good chick flick even though I think they set the expectation for people WAY too high... so Johanna, watch the movie with a pint of ice cream and know... YOUR LIFE HAS VALUE. YOUR LIFE HAS MEANING. With or without a man. (BTW, I would give the same speech to a guy, just change the pronouns
around!)
And I fully expect DDT to come along and post something dreadful about my post! So, go on...Bring it on!
-
Re: Films & TV: Russian & Non - Q&As/Reviews/Links all in he
I wholeheartedly concur Rockzmom. Of course we do not need a man (or woman) to be happy. But still, it's nice to have someone to be happy with.
And I looooooove chick flicks. Especially with a pint of ice-cream :oops: .
BTW, has anyone noticed Birubir's channel on youtube is down?
-
Re: Films & TV: Russian & Non - Q&As/Reviews/Links all in he
Quote:
Originally Posted by devochka
BTW, has anyone noticed Birubir's channel on youtube is down?
What a shame. :sad: Probably another result of RAS' dirty work.
-
Re: Films & TV: Russian & Non - Q&As/Reviews/Links all in he
Rockzmom, devochka; thanks for the moral support! What you say is true!
:friends: :angel:
-
Re: Films & TV: Russian & Non - Q&As/Reviews/Links all in he
Quote:
Originally Posted by gRomoZeka
Как насчет зажигательный = stirring ?
How 'bout "exhilarating"?
translation of зажигательный as inflammatory, might not be idiomatic.
-
Re: Films & TV: Russian & Non - Q&As/Reviews/Links all in he
No movies to add, but have been reading Gogol.
And Kuznetsov's Babi Yar (his updated version). Almost had a heart attack, several times.
Books are (almost) always better than movies.
Is there a thread for books here? I haven't looked, but now I will...
-
Re: Films & TV: Russian & Non - Q&As/Reviews/Links all in he
Quote:
Originally Posted by Seraph
How 'bout "exhilarating"?
Yeah, great idea! Thanks!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Seraph
Is there a thread for books here? I haven't looked, but now I will...
There is, there is. Do come over there and tell us more about "Baby Yar". Haven't heard about this book. Only I'm afraid I'm quite done with reading horrible stuff on WWII...
-
Re: Films & TV: Russian & Non - Q&As/Reviews/Links all in he
Quote:
Originally Posted by starrysky
Quote:
Originally Posted by Seraph
Is there a thread for books here? I haven't looked, but now I will...
There is, there is.
Я ищу книги нить ...
-
Re: Films & TV: Russian & Non - Q&As/Reviews/Links all in he
-
Re: Films & TV: Russian & Non - Q&As/Reviews/Links all in he
Quote:
Originally Posted by Seraph
Quote:
Originally Posted by starrysky
Quote:
Originally Posted by Seraph
Is there a thread for books here? I haven't looked, but now I will...
There is, there is.
Я ищу книги нить ...
I suppose that starrysky referred to the thread Literature Talk: Russian & Non -Discuss/Review/Q&As.
-
Re: Films & TV: Russian & Non - Q&As/Reviews/Links all in he
Okaaaay, I just continue escaping from reality, :D that is, watching Bollywood, and have now seen quite a lot of movies. I have only a few favourites because, frankly, it's very rarely that I like a Bolly film entirely. Most often, it's just some moments or the music that I like. But those films that I do love, I love passionately. :-) Have become quite a Bolly-maniac though I don't think I'll ever take it as far as some people go and make it to the South Indian cinema. Can't really post normal reviews for all my favourites so I'll just copy-paste my post from another forum listing them and my impressions on some of the films (the first three are mainstream and were very popular while the others are more unusual, art films (Dil Se and Asoka especially):
Main Hoon Na (it's a masala movie -- lots of genres mixed into one but it's also quite unique. I have a very soft spot for it because it was my first modern Hindi movie; and anyway I still think it's one great, fun, feelgood solid entertainment. It's a sort of self-parody -- spoofing a lot of Bollywood stereotypes but it also stands on its own as a story. Humour is definitely one of the things I like so much about it.)
Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (KKHH) (a love story/melodrama. Liked it the first time round, LOVED it on repeat viewing. My first film with Shahrukh Khan and Kajol -- aah, the chemistry)
Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ) (love it. It's just a classic. The first half is incredibly romantic and invariably lifts my mood. Can't help chuckling at many scenes even though I've seen the film three times already. I've noticed that I watch it with a silly smile on my face.)
Asoka. SUCH a beautiful, artistic film. SO disappointed it wasn't more successful. Beats me. Didn't think I would like it at all -- since it's got Kareena Kapoor in the leading role (more on that later), and I don't watch that type of period films anyway -- from really ancient times when people went about barely dressed -- because it usually includes lots of violence, battle scenes, and heads and limbs flying in all directions. I was strong enough to see Gladiator on big screen when I was about 16 and though it made a huge impression, I've had enough violence to last me a lifetime. No "Troy" or "Alexander" after that. Especially since those were clearly made because of "Gladiator"'s success. Anyway, Russell Crow is one thing, and Brad Pitt is quite another. If that makes sense, lol.
The thing that got me about Asoka is that it's such a tragic, poignant story, based on real life too. Shahrukh is just amazing. He managed to portray Asoka's journey really well. And Kareena did very well in all the tragic scenes towards the end. And the music. "Roshni Se" is so incredibly romantic and tragic.
Dil Se -- little by little it really grew on me. I now think this film's got some of the most romantic scenes ever... It was shot by the same cinematographer as Asoka -- Santosh Sivan. What a great man, I've become somewhat of a fan.
Devdas -- never thought I'd ever call it a fave but I've rewatched it recently looking closely at the acting and it finally got me. This one also has some of the most romantic/beautiful moments in any film I've ever seen. And the ending is heart-rending. Beautifully shot but horrible. Aishwarya is very beautiful in "Devdas" to the point of almost outshining poor Shahrukh though it's one of his best roles -- the rebellious alcoholic Devdas.
That's it. Those are the films that I think are almost without fault. I expected a lot of Kal Ho Naa Ho, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna but those were a bit disappointing. I enjoyed them all right, cried my eyes out at K3G (don't think I've ever cried so much at any film), but there were a lot of things I didn't like. Like Kareena's character Poo in K3G -- she almost ruined the second half of the film for me! Kajol's character was also very over-the-top in the beginning. Didn't like the songs either (except for Suraj Hua Maddham and Yeh Ladka Hai Allah).
Kal Ho Naa Ho -- too much silliness, too many silly characters for me... But also cried my heart out in the end.
Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna -- loved the songs (Mitwa, KANK, Tumhi Dekho Naa -- beautiful, beautiful, beautiful), thought some of the jokes were funny (Black Beast), didn't like Amitabh's character (why the need for so many stupid call girls? And that stupid party, with Rock 'N Roll Soniye song). Think it would be better if the scenes with him were cut and those that didn't make it into the film (like Dev spraying Maya with ketchup) were left. Looooved the love-making scene.
All right, that's it for now. The crappiest movie I've seen so far was Karan Arjun (fight-song-fight-song...). "Koyla" made by the same team is a bit more watchable (poor Shahrukh's character, Shankar, though -- quite unbearable to see him beaten so much).
Also saw some films that don't star SRK:
Rang De Basanti (very good, powerful movie and no songs/dances, too. But it didn't become a fave as it's a bit too depressing)
Vivah (boring, imho)
Rang De Basanti
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...RDB_poster.jpg
Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge
http://i017.radikal.ru/0806/4e/dc623543852e.jpg
http://pyar.narod.ru/2502.jpg
http://i027.radikal.ru/0806/b2/b5e5cb7c2dc1.jpg
http://radikal.ru/F/s50.radikal.ru/i...c957e19e71.jpg
Kajol is such a beauty
http://indiamovies.ucoz.ru/_ph/7/2/739933449.jpg
But personality-wise I like Rani Mukerji more
http://i057.radikal.ru/0806/67/165f27a72c0b.jpg
Devdas
http://s57.radikal.ru/i156/1004/4c/ae67e90ea857.jpg
http://s005.radikal.ru/i210/1002/c5/5f89a91ca77d.jpg
http://s44.radikal.ru/i103/1002/7e/fbd5d4038313.jpg
http://s45.radikal.ru/i107/1002/09/ae5c19f3e983.jpg
http://s48.radikal.ru/i122/1002/2d/59347a8e3bce.jpg
Main Hoon Na
http://khushi2005.narod.ru/mhn-image_2237.jpg
http://nickgray.net/images/MNH6.jpg
Asoka
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d9/Asoka.jpg
http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/c.../medium_10.jpg
http://s54.radikal.ru/i144/0903/56/90df91e07c60.jpg
http://s56.radikal.ru/i152/0807/b8/edfc6f5e245b.jpg
Kuch Kuch Hota Hai
http://i016.radikal.ru/0901/0b/e8d15aee3fbc.jpg
http://www.intelektyal-blog.ru/dvd/kkhh12.jpg