Movie Review: Paheli (2005)

Paheli (2005) a.k.a The Dilemma
Red Chillies Entertainment, India, 2005.

Based on Vijayadan Detha's novel and 1973 movie "Duvidha."

Beautiful Lachchi (Rani Mukerji) is getting married in ancient India. In the first song there is both playful anticipation of the wedding night and sadness of leaving behind family and childhood's friends. The wedding procession has to stop at a place that is said to be haunted. There a shapeshifting ghost falls in love with Lachchi. Husband Kishanlal (Shah Rukh Khan) is a trader and only interested in business. He is leaving for a business trip for five years (!) and has no time for even a wedding night, so Lachchi feels lonely and sad. The women in the family seem to be have unhappy fates as also Kishanlal's brother Sunderlal (Sunil Shetty) left his family and wife Gajrobai (Juhi Chawla) after losing a bet in camel races. 

Lachchi

Kishanlal

Gajrobai

The Ghost disguises as Kishanlal and returns home. He tells Kishanlal's father Bhanwarlal (Anupam Kher) that he is now blessed and earns five magic coins per day.  Lachchi is happy but the Ghost reveals that he is not the real husband. Sneaky Uncle Kanwarlal (Dilip Prabhavalkar) wants to know where the gold comes from, however this subplot never comes to any conclusion. 

Supernatural romance!

Bhanwarlal

Kanwarlal

Confusing situation arises when servant Bhoja (Rajpal Yadav) comes to bring letter from Kishanlal - only to be greeted by Kishanlal. The Ghost is generally a nice guy and a benefactor of his society - however the real Kishanlal still has fondness for his wife. And to make it clear, he is not a bad guy, just a man pressed by the expectations of his father. Later when the real Kishanpal returns, wiseman The Shepherd (Amitabh Bachchan) arranges a group of tests to decide who is the real Kishanpal. How will the Dilemma be solved and will Lachchi be united with her ghost lover or her work-obsessed husband?

The Shepherd

The musical numbers alternate between playful teasing and longing passion. The gigantic turban worn by Kishanlal in the DVD cover gives a comical impression, but this is mainly an exotic romantic fantasy. However there are some amusing side characters and the story is narrated by two puppets. Supernatural identity theft contrasts the reality vs Lachichis dream man where Kishanlal is the sense and Ghost Kishanlal is the sensitivity. It is beautifully filmed and colourful with nicely choreographed music numbers. Although it was generally pleasant, the acting and chemistry of the charismatic main stars, who are two megastars in India, was great and the film praised by Western critics, I didn't find it the best Bollywood can offer.

Puppets

Dance now!

Then the bad. The simple story feels overlong (the film's duration is 134 minutes) making poor use of the subplots. For me the handling of real Kishanlal's story felt clumsy and the solution to the awkward situation felt forced, making shortcuts to arrive at the happy ending. And indeed, what I found out from teh Internets is that the original 1973 film had a sad ending with the romantic ghost being trapped forever and the true feelings of Lachchi ignored. This modernization seems to water down the original 1973 version's critique of the Indian social traditions and the point about woman's position in Indian society (i.e what the woman wants vs what is socially acceptable). Having a more audience pleasing happy end, the new version cuts away the stronger points that the 1973 had. Maybe I have to find the original 1973 film for comparison if I can buy it somewhere. Despite all the good things, for me "Paheli" didn't leave an Oomph-effect that the best Asian films make. But then again I'm an old crank so what do I know.  

Rating: Average

Starring: Shah Rukh Khan, Anupam Kher, Rani Mukerji, Amitabh Bachchan, Naseeruddin Shah, Sunil Shetty, Juhi Chawla, Dilip Prabhavalkar, Nina Kulkarni, Padma Rani, Sharvari Jamenis, Aditi Govitrikar, Advait Trivedi, Palak Jain, Ratna Pathak, Rajpal Yadav, Somesh Agarwal, Mohan Bhandari, Rishi Deshpande, A.K. Hangal, Vijay Mishra, Surendra Rajan, Nikhil Ratnaparkhi, Aashif Sheikh, Lekh Tandon, Anita Wahi 

Director: Amol Palekar

Movie Review: Just Add Water

Just Add Water
Bleeding Hart Films, Morningstar Films, USA, 2008. 

Ray Tuckby (Dylan Walsh) has a boring job and a boring life. He lives in a small town of Trona with mentally troubled wife Charlene (Penny Balfour) and troublemaker but sensitive son Eddie (Jonah Hill). Only light in the day is a cute grocery store cashier Nora (Tracy Middendorf) who has secretly yearned after Ray since high school.

Ray Tuckby

Eddie and Charlene

Nora

Ray's brother Mark (Michael Hitchcock) is a crybaby with million plus one kids. When Ray finds out that Charlene has had a relationship with Mark since forever, Ray decides to start his life again. If only he could have courage to ask Nora for a date. Mystical stranger Merl Striker (Danny DeVito) opens a gas station in town and inspires Ray to follow his dreams. 

Merl Striker

Dirk

Trona

Druglord Dirk (Will Rothhaar) terrorizes the town. Dirk controls the water and electricity in the town. Every day Dirk's actions strain the townspeople more. The downtrodden town needs a hero so Ray starts slowly crawling out of his misery. Together with his friends he makes a plan against Dirk.

Merl and Elmo (John Balma) being stealthy

Off-beat Drama-comedy has nice little story with eccentric characters. The story has potential for vigilante story but it remains on the humoristic side. The humour is whimsical and surprising but often quite black though. Ray is a nice but passive guy and he grows up during the story affecting also the people around him. Danny DeVito has a small but important role and comedians Jonah Hill and Melissa McCarthy have some of their early roles. Melissa McCarthy appears as Ray's neighbors meth-addict wife who can throw a punch or two. The stroy opens up quite slowly, so the beginning takes a bit of patience. After that the characters become likeable and you want to know what happens to Ray and the town.

Rating: Good

Starring: Dylan Walsh, Jonah Hill, Justin Long, Danny DeVito, Tracy Middendorf, Melissa McCarthy, Anika Noni Rose, Lindsey Axelsson, Will Rothhaar, Joey Kern, Penny Balfour, Lee Garlington, Michael Hitchcock, Tracey Walter, June Squibb, John Balma, Chelsea Field, Lucy DeVito, Cerina Vincent, Ahna O'Reilly, Emily Arlook, Chris Owen, Nate Mooney, Jonathan Moore, Sewell Whitney, Scott Kinworthy, Brad Hunt
Director: Hart Bochner

Movie Review: With Fire and Sword

With Fire and Sword (Ogniem i Mieczem) 

Agencja Produkcji Filmowej, Kredyt Bank PBI S.A., Okocimskie Zaklady Piwowarskie S.A., Telewizja Polska (TVP), Zodiak Jerzy Hoffman Film Production Sp. z o.o., Poland, 1999. 

Let's continue with Jerzy Hoffman's movies depicting history of Poland. "With Fire and Sword" is based on the novel by Henryk Sienkiewicz, who also wrote "Quo Vadis." 

It is year 1647 in Polish Commonwealth when the Kingdom has passed its top position and everything is going downhill from now on. The nobles have become corrupt, hedonistic and lazy. Oppressed tribes are rebelling and demanding justice and independency. Mercenaries are roaming the land searching for opportunities for fortune and glory.

Cossack Noble Zenobius Chmielnicki (Bogdan Stupka) is attacked by assassins but he is saved by Polish Hussar Jan Skezetuski (Michal Zebrowski). Jan was just returning from war and did not know that local Lord Czaplinski is hunting Chmielnicki. Czaplinski is not happy about it but Jan throws the pesky Lord out of the tavern. After all it was the actions of Czaplinski that turned Chmielnicki into enemy of Poland. Jan and simple but strong warrior Longinus (Wiktor Zborowski) want to join Prince Jeremi's (Andrzej Seweryn) service. Longinus has sworn celibacy until he can behead three enemies with one swordstroke. Hey, a man has to have his goals!

Chmielnicki

Jan Skezetuski

Longinus

On the road they help Old Princess (Ewa Wisniewska) and her young niece Helena Kurcewiczówna (Izabella Scorupco). Unluckily for Jan Helena already has an unpleasant suitor Cossack Colonel Jurko Bohun (Aleksandr Domogarov). There is still hope as Helena does not like hot-tempered Bohun. Bohun notices the chemistry between the two so Jan gets a dangerous enemy. After proposing her, Jan joins the service of the Prince. He meets also his old friend swordmaster Michal (Zbigniew Zamachowski). 

Helena

Bohun

Party!

The Tatars and Cossacks are restless and joining their forces. Jan and servant Rzedzian (Wojciech Malajkat) go to find out what Chmielnicki and the Tatars are planning. Jan is captured but Chmielnicki buys him free as he owes him his live. Chmielnicki plans a rebellion against nobles to detach Ukraine from the Polish Empire and Bohun has joined their ranks. The rebels win the first battles against Polish Hussars and the Kingdom is threatened.

Cossack army

Prince Jeremi

Polish Winged Hussars

Bohun finds out that Helena is betrothed to Jan so he kills Helena's family. Helena escapes with jovial former bar-keeper Zagloba (Krzysztof Kowalewski). Jan goes into desperation as he doesn't know if Helena is killed or captured. The land is in turmoil and from the humble origins mighty warlords rise. The allegiances shift and the outcome of the battles is always uncertain. 

Zagloba, Michal and Bohun picking a fight

Rzedzian

Cossack siege engine

This is a fine historical adventure, with story comparable to "War and Peace." The story has something for everybody, romance, passionate drama, huge battles, political intrigue, Rabelaisian vulgarity and cruel and unusual punishments. The characters are multi-dimensional. Jan is the hero who goes through extreme emotions during the story. Bohun is a tragic devil, anti-hero with heavy dose of Slavic melancholy. Drunkard Zagloba is better fighter than he seems and survives most battles just with his sheer luck. Rzedzian navigates easily between different factions bringing valuable information to the heroes obtaining some treasures on the way, that rascal. Chmielnicki is a freedom fighter whose actions bring death for thousands of innocents. There designers have not been thrifty, the costumes, sets and places look realistic and amazing.

There is also a role playing/strategy game "Mount & Blade: With Fire & Sword" where you can select your favourite faction and try to lead them to victory. Despite the interesting setting the game is not my cup of tea, I always get captured by bandits and lose my hard-earned equipment.

Rating: Very good

Starring: Izabella Scorupco, Michal Zebrowski, Aleksandr Domogarov, Krzysztof Kowalewski, Bogdan Stupka, Andrzej Seweryn, Zbigniew Zamachowski, Wiktor Zborowski, Wojciech Malajkat, Ewa Wisniewska, Ruslana Pysanka, Daniel Olbrychski, Marek Kondrat, Gustaw Holoubek, Andrzej Kopiczynski, Maciej Kozlowski, Adam Ferency, Gustaw Lutkiewicz, Dmitri Mirgorodsky, Jerzy Bonczak, Wlodzimierz Brodecki, Joanna Brodzik, Marek Cichucki, Rafal Cieszynski, Jerzy Cnota, Maciej Czapski, Lech Dyblik, Marek Frackowiak, Tadeusz Gloskowski, Krzysztof Gosztyla, Andrzej Graziewicz, Jerzy Karaszkiewicz, Pawel Kleszcz, Szymon Kobylinski, Krzysztof Kolbasiuk, Bernard Ladysz, Anna Majcher, Andrzej Pieczynski, Eugeniusz Priwieziencew, Stefan Szmidt, Przemyslaw Tejkowski, Leszek Teleszynski, Aleksander Wysocki, Janusz Zerbst, Andrzej Zólkiewski, Marek Marcinkowski, Aleksander Pociej, Tomasz Konieczny, Janusz Sieniawski, Michal Chorosinski, Zbigniew Zapasiewicz, Tomasz Abramski, Piotr Bala, Wladyslaw Baranski, T. Bat, Wlodzimierz Bednarski, Wlodzimierz Borysiak, Jerzy Braszka, T. Ciecierski, Jerzy Dukay, Jerzy Frykowski, Krystyna Gierlowska, Dariusz Gnatowski, L. Gurpienko, Andrzej Grabowski, Tomasz Grochoczynski, Andrzej Halinski, Krzysztof Artur Janczar, Ryszard Jablonski, Ryszard Janiak, Mieczyslaw Janowski, Józef Jarosz, Jan Jurewicz, Przemyslaw Kapsa, Adam Karaszewski, Marek Karpowicz, Piotr Komorowski, Michal Konarski, A, Kazimierz Krzaczkowski, Czeslaw Lasota, Karolina Lukaszewicz, K. Luksza, Tadeusz Mieluch, T. Mir, Jerzy Moniak, A. Nowak, Bartosz Obuchowicz, Jacek Radzinski, Radoslaw Rosinski, Przemyslaw Szajewski, Tomasz Szajewski, W. Szczecinski, Andrzej Szczytko, Zdzislaw Szymborski, Budsuren Tumen-Ulzyj, Adam Warchol, Juliusz Krzysztof Warunek, Magdalena Warzecha, Robert Wieckiewicz, P. Zbierski, Jacek Rozenek, Tomasz Bednarek, Wojciech Jakubowski, Olga Milaszewska, Ben Talar 
Director: Jerzy Hoffman

Movie Review: The Swordsman (1992)

The Swordsman
SC Entertainment International, Canada, 1992.

Cop Andrew Barrett (Lorenzo Lamas) has supernatural clairvoyance skills. During a drug raid Andrew gets painful visions about underground swordfights. Work partner Nick (Nicholas Pasco) considers that Andrew's seizures are a risk. Captain (Eugene Clark) sends Andrew to see a doctor (Michael Copeman) who looks like a relaxed guy waiting for a vacation. 

Andrew Barrett

Relaxed Doc

Someone is murdering folks using swords. Robbers rob Alexander the Great's sword that was about to be delivered to archaelogist Julie (Claire Stansfield). As Julie was the only witness, Andrew is assigned to protect her. And so a romance develops. Julie believes that in his past life cop Andrew was Alexander the Great. 

Julie

How you doing?

Andrew practises fencing and weird businessman Stratos (Michael Champion) invites him to his private fencing club. Coincidentally Stratos is Julie's patron so if you aren't already figuring out who stole the sword you are Chief Wiggum. Andrew infiltrates the fencing club and goes deep into the world of illegal duels. And so it is that Stratos is the reincarnation of Alexander's betrayer. The bearer of the sword is invincible so everybody wants the sword including henchman Jojo (Raoul Max Trujillo). Jojo and Andrew fight a match that begins well but is ultimately unsatisfying. Now if there had been a real fight between Jojo and Andrew it could have been cool. Now they missed the opportunity that was hinted with a big sign "epic duel here!" And so the story limps to the unsurprising finale.

Stratos

Jojo

In theory it all sounds like "Highlander" wannabe that could be fun. Bad acting and pedestrian pace make this an disappointment for fans of sword-action. The sword fights are rare and quick, so nothing much to see here. From the story about modern day Greek warriors it would be expected some epicness but everything is toned down to trivial cop mystery. Michael Copeman's therapist-character brings some humour to the moody story. There is some unintentional silliness but from a "Highlander" clone you would expect even a little bit more of this:

instead of this:

And there isn't even Queen's music to cheer you up but cheap sounding synthesizer score.

Maybe it is Lorenzo's yet unfinished transition from the soap operas to action films that is making Andrew and Julie's romance soapy too. But even as a romantic thriller it isn't so great. Considering that Lorenzo spends a considerable amount of time without a shirt it is hard to see what the target audience was. Possibly the readers of Harlequin Romantic Suspense novels will get something out of this.

In the cover image Lorenzo Lamas is gripping his mighty sword.

Followed by sequel "Gladiator Cop."

Rating: Bad

Starring: Lorenzo Lamas, Claire Stansfield, Michael Champion, Nicholas Pasco, Raoul Max Trujillo, Eugene Clark, Michael Copeman, George Touliatos, Frank Crudele, Ian White, Scott Davis, Zack Kotlyar, Tamara Bernier, Viv Moore, Mourad Mardikian, Robert Seale, Sandy MacMaster, Simon Fon, Maurice Dean Wint, Walter Alza, Phil Morrison, Carlos Echevers, Jane Dingle, Laura Dickson, Colin Miller, Ken Quinn, Paul Przedlacki, Anthony Vargas

Director: Michael Kennedy 

Movie Review: Monster High: Boo York, Boo York

Monster High: Boo York, Boo York a.k.a Boo York, Boo York: A Monsterrific Musical
Mattel Playground Productions, DHX. Media, USA, 2015.

Famous pop star Catty Noir suffers from artist's block. She put her career on hold and began studying at Monster High. Cleo de Nile's father mummy Ramses is taking his family to fancy gala Night of the Comet in Boo York City. The comet appears once in 1300 years. Although Cleo's boyfriend Deuce Gorgon is every one's pal and a cool dude, his laid back style does not impress Ramses (he didn't like Deuce in "Ghouls Rule" either). 

Deuce and Cleo

But Ramses has more in mind than just a party and star gazing. Ramses and Cleo's sister Nefera want a piece of the comet so they could rule the world. They plan to build a dynasty and fix a marriage between Cleo and masked Seth Ptolemy who comes from another wealthy mummy-family. Seth loves poetry but her mother doesn't (oh those youngsters and their hippity-hop music). And neither Cleo has patience for sappy poems.

De Nile family

Ghoul friends Draculaura, Cleo, Clawdeen, Frankie and Operetta go shopping and meet Boo Yorkians robot DJ Elle Eedee, socialite Mousecedes King and superstar wannabe Luna Mothews. Goth moth Luna looks a bit like Nina Hagen or Liza Minnelli. Naughty Toralei teams up with with Nefera. They are up to no good.

Luna Mothews

Mousecedes King

Toralei and Nefera

The scheming of Ramses and Nefera causes Deuce and Cleo to break up. Oh noes, is this the end of the romance of the Millennium? Gloom. Despite being heart-broken, Cleo has to show a happy face at the gala as a real ruler would do.

Boo York

Elle Eedee

Meanwhile Catty meets a parkourer rapper Pharaoh who shares her musical passion (who might it be, WHO MIGHT IT BE! MH-movies have never been skilled in keeping the secret identities secret). Ghoulia and Abbey find out that a comet is about to hit the city. But is it a comet or a space ship? Anyways they must find a way to stop the scaremageddon. It was nice that funny yeti Abbey who had been sidelined for three previous films got some more screen time here.

Catty & Pharaoh

Abbey and Ghoulia

Speaking of Abbey and Ghoulia, for some time ago (when I didn't yet know much about Monster High) I picked up some used mascot toys (five toys for one Euro), and much to my surprise two of them were rag dolls based on two of my favourite characters from this series: Ghoulia Yelps and Abbey Bominable. Cool!

There were some familiar looking backgrounders. Eyeball guy Eyera's relatives seem to live in Boo Your City. One of them is married to a cyclops girl (they have a weird tentacle baby too) Yup, the Eyeball folks seem to be influential in Boo York City as several of them are invited to de Nile's party. The character design of Lilith Van Hellscream was reincarnated here as a dark haired character appearing at Ptolemy's party.

Eyeball family

Lilith doppelgänger. Also the wolf guy has twins in the city

In every long running series there comes a space themed adventure and usually a musically themed episode. This movie combines them both. Although the story keeps the ghouls on Earth, it introduces a new alien character named Astranova. And if the series wouldn't have rebooted we would probably have seen crossover of Monster High and Ever After High. At least the ending hints that way.

Deuce is back

Astranova

As in "Monster High: Scaris: City of Frights" the monsters leave their familiar territory and explore a new colourful city finding new friends. Together with "Scaris", "Frights, Camera, Action" and "Freaky Fusion" this probably was one of the bigger budget  original generation MH-movies. The four films have the highest production values, and in my opinion they are the best of the series (not forgetting "13 Wishes." The soundtrack is urban style rap & r&b with couple of songs actually quite good with some dramatical duets. Nothing to complain here, the fans will get what they expect although the story goes a familiar path.

Three episodes of Mattel's newer toy series "Ever After High" are included:

Raven's Tales
Everyone is counting on that the fairy tale characters follow their destiny. But Raven Queen does not want to be evil.

Apple's Tales
Apple White is over enthustically arranging things so that her fairy tale would become true. This includes making sure that Raven will become evil.

The Tale of Legacy Day
Raven goes to ask Giles Grimm if her story will diseappear if she doesn't follow her destiny.

Rating: Good

Voice actors: Karen Strassman, Salli Saffioti, Wendee Lee, TJ Smith, America Young, Rachel Staman, Laura Bailey, Lauren Weisman, Erin Fitzgerald, Kate Higgins, Cindy Robinson, Debi Derryberry, Audu Paden, Cam Clarke, Evan Smith, Jonquil Goode, Todd Haberkorn, Missi Hale

Director: William Lau