The Pianist
Roman Polanski
One of the most touching films produced till date, The Pianist is the true life story of Jewish pianist Wladyslaw Spzilman who is caught up in the vortex of World War II. The protagonist fights for his survival, secretly relocates and lies and changes his identity in his quest to stay alive. This film won three Oscars for Best Director (Roman Polanski), Best Adapted Screenplay (Ronald Harwood) and Best Actor (Adrien Brody).
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
Mark Herman
What happens when a Jewish kid in a prison camp and the son of a German army officer bond? That is the story of this film set in the background of a Nazi concentration camp. The simple narrative style, and moving performances by the actors make this movie both touching as well as entertaining.
The Pursuit of Happyness
Gabriele Muccino
An ordinary man invests a fortune in what seems to be a revolutionary machine in the field of medicine but his prediction goes wrong and he becomes bankrupt. That is the story of the film with a mesmerising performance by Will Smith as real-life entrepreneur Chris Gardner who pursues his goal of getting a job after his entire life is shattered. A captivating film guaranteed to make one cry.
The Social Network
David Fincher
Harvard genius programmer Mark Zuckerberg creates a site by hacking into six others which gets him thinking about a Harvard interconnection site. He uses it to his advantage to create what will eventually become known as the largest social networking site in the world — Facebook. But success is always plagued by problems and Mark has to fight personal and legal ones to make his dream survive. A spectacular performance by Jesse Eisenberg and music by Reznor and Ross steal the show.
The Sixth Sense
M. Night Shyamalan
This film is about a boy who sees ghosts, but it is not the typical ghost film. Haley Joel Osment plays six-year-old Cole Sear, a troubled child who can see ghosts and Bruce Willis plays the psychologist who is having problems with his practise. They both bond together and help the ghosts. As the film progresses, it turns darker and the protagonist faces a shocking revelation. Haley Joel Osment was nominated for an Oscar for his role.
Those that almost made it:
Seven Pounds: Gabriele Muccino
I Am Legend: Francis Lawrence
The Dark Knight: Christopher Nolan
Inception: Christopher Nolan
N. Sundara Rajan is an assistant manager (administration) at Larsen & Toubro, Chennai. Playing table tennis and watching Hollywood movies are his twin passions.
