Source Code-A review

As my friend Samir said, "After watching this movie I have started wondering whether I am really real"
It started with 'Quantum leap' in the 90's then Matrix, Inception and now 'Source Code'...Hollywood directors are proving a point stated by the Hindu Mythology with increasing conviction.

Every movie once clearly fell into one genre. Today, as writers and directors push harder, we have mixed-genres movies. "Source Code" is an example that is a romance, sci-fi, action and thriller in equal measure. And it is one that works delightfully.

When deciding whether to watch ‘Source Code’, it’s a good idea to ask yourself if you’re a fan of Inception or Groundhog Day; this is a similar kind of tense, intelligent film in the sci-fi space. If the answer to the question is yes, chances are you’ll enjoy this complex but fast-paced science-fiction thriller that combines the best bits of both those brilliant films.

At the face of it, the film takes its source code from a host of other movies and series, most obviously "Groundhog Day" to "Deja Vu" to the TV series "Quantum Leap" and every time-travel movie you have seen.

And that is obvious since the film also picks up generous servings from other films like "Tron", "Matrix", "Minority Report", among others. Yet, where it succeeds is in not looking like any one of these films. Despite many sources, "Source Code" has a code of its own.

The film handles its different genres well. Yet, at its source, it's a love story which till the end makes no sense . The sci-fi and thriller bit is more like a sugar coating on an already very sweet pill.

For a film about time, a director's grasp of this dimension is key to its success. And it is to director Duncan Jones' credit, who has earlier given the brilliant but underrated "Moon", that he handles key moments extremely well. He has a mastery of both mystery and cinematic time - speeding it up and slowing it down as the audiences watch the film at his mercy.

The script by debutant Ben Ripley is brilliant in its handling of various mysteries. Thus while our protagonist is busy figuring out the bomber, the audience is busy figuring who he is. Not sagging even for a moment in its 93-minute duration, "Source Code" is an achievement of a writer and his director working in perfect harmony.

There are, however, a few discrepancies in the logic of its sci-fi bits. If the explosion blew up all the passengers, you wonder where the brains to tap into them to recreate the last eight minutes were found. Also the logic given by the bomber is extremely simplistic.
Also to some extent the repetitiveness of the scenes which although forms the crux of the plot gets a bit irritating.

The ending and the creation of a universe might also jar for a few audiences. However, enough foreshadowing of it is done earlier in the film when Colters is shown connecting to the world outside the train compartment in his stipulated eight minutes, especially to connect with his father's image inside the source code. Yet, even if you consider them aberrations, they are minor ones in an otherwise stellar effort.

Dhobi Ghat - A review

While the West boasts proudly of itself classless, Dhobi Ghat tends to honestly acknowledge the reality of social strata, however harmful, and so, a serious film about class disparity by the Indian filmmaker,Kiran Rao has rich potential for insight. It is quite a risk when novice filmmakers come up with absolutely ‘nonconforming’ themes, for the chances are just either ways - the film would either bomb completely or would be appreciated absolutely. To her and our relief, ‘Dhobi Ghat’ falls under the second category.The film can be said to be an enriching tale that of five (Mind you i have definitely said five here!) entirely different and unrelated characters; Arun, Munna, Shai, Yasmin and most importantly 'Mumbai' ;of how their life crisscrosses and remains like never before.
Though the film rides heavily on the heavy and very capable shoulders of superstar Aamir Khan, it should in a way credit all its success to the stars personna.Coz had it not been for Aamir Khan, i'd dare to say this the film wouldn't have even made it to the box office.
The film begins with Aamir Khan- a celebrated artist who is just as snobby as the high class patrons at his shows, one among them being the vacuous investment banker Shai back from New York for her leisurely sabbatical played convincingly by newcomer Monica Dogra ...i tell u this FB is really helping in nursing great talent :) who ends up spending the night with him and is just fine in the morning.(I bet u all men would definitely want their one night stands to end like this.)
Munna is a dhobi, a washerman to both Arun and Shai—along the ghats near the water, but he dreams of becoming a movie star and works hard at sculpting his magnificent muscles. A bit to polished to be a dhobi in his mannerisms, Prateik tries to pull off his bit but convincingly fails not because of his acting but just the script (I mean just look at his role as someone from the lower strata of society falling for an upmarket woman ...sounds a bit more convincing isn't it).
Yasmin, played by Kriti Malhotra plays the lonely bored wife who uses her new handycam to take her brother for a ride of Mumbai and later ends up blurting out all her feelings in front of the camera. Well in my perspective Yasmin was the only true character somebody totally identifiable and real no cinematic liberties taken here unlike the other stories of the film.
‘Dhobi Ghat’ scores well in terms of screenplay and cinematography. Well i would definitely be a bit biased towards the director in this department since it it tries to depict the city i love the most. While the crisp, water-tight script infuses life and emotions to this otherwise unrelated foursome tale, the cinematography pitches in the much-needed flavor, encapsulating Mumbai in all its moods - black, grey, vibrant, chaotic and desolate. The director does not shy away from showing the opulent and classy apartments to the slums of Mumbai, with each frame getting more and more intrinsic, picturesque and scenic. Such is the camera work that the drops of rain seem to travel from screen to skin, drenching and immersing the audience sitting in the plush couches of the multiplex.
On the whole the movie is not for a regular bollywood-fare lover but for the intellectual masses. A must watch for those interested in making a career in film making especially the style which closely resembles its European counterpart hardly ever touched in bollywood. Watch the movie for its portrayal of Mumbai and Mumbaikars like never before.
The music score of the film, given by renowned musician, Gustavo Santaolalla, also deserves a special mention as he delivers an enchanting and soothing melody.