Perks Of Being A Wallflower
Stephen Chbosky
An unusual story like its catchy, yet unusual title, the film directed by Stephen Chbosky is based on his own book of the same name. It shows the world through the eyes of the protagonist, a friendless introvert. The film stars Logan Lerman in the title role, and Emmma Watson as his love interest, a role very different from the intelligent wizardess of the Harry Potter series. His confusions, his confessions, and the new life he discovers after his bonding with his pack of unusual friends all make up this poignant story. Watch it for its touching moments and for the chance to empathise with a hapless wallflower.
Batman Begins
Christopher Nolan
The movie which marked the beginning of the Batman trilogy, does bear that Christopher Nolan touch, known for its unique deconstructive way of storytelling. Marking a departure from the usual onscreen portrayal of Batman, the story explores the human side of the guardian of Gotham. Watch it for its stylish narration and insightful dialogues.
Scent Of A Woman
Martin Brest
A movie that is very different from what its fanciful title suggests. The story is woven around the beautiful friendship between a blind war veteran with a caustic view of life and a young schoolboy riddled with confusions and moral dilemmas. The tough practical mind of the officer is pitted against the warmth of the boy’s innocence during their brief friendship and the boy gets the officer’s help to tide over a crisis. Directed by Martin Brest and powered by Al Pacino’s powerful acting, the film is a well-crafted entertainer.
Dasaratham
Sibi Malayil
It’s easy to talk of current issues of controversy, but to think of things in advance and weave a touching story about it, is a risk very few in the Malayalam industry have dared to take. That’s what the director Sibi Malayil and Lohithadas accomplished in this 1989 picture about the emotional complexities involved in surrogacy. The film besides educating the general public about the surrogacy also features brilliant performances from some of the best actors of the Malayalam industry. Evoking powerful emotions from time to time it also has Mohanlal in one of his best roles, with his effortless acting as a cherry on the pudding.
Fashion
Madhur Bhandarkar
Despite having many heroines of international fame, women-centric films are still a less common phenomenon in Bollywood. Madhur Bhandarkar came up with one, in this movie about the lesser known faces of Indian fashion. The movie presents the vices and prospects of the industry, as experienced by the heroine in her meteoric rise from an aspiring model to supermodel and the subsequent equally hard fall. The compromises and the sacrifices she makes, the impact it has on her, the award-winning performances of Priyanka Chopra and Konkona Sen Sharma all reveal the less-talked about darker side of the glamour industry.
Those that almost made it
The Pelican Brief : Alan J. Pakula
The Notebook : Nick Cassavetes
Kireedam : Sibi Malayil
Inception : Christopher Nolan
Gandhi : Richard Attenborough
Amal John is an electronics engineer from NIT Calicut and an avid film watcher.
