Jodhaa Akbar (2008)

Two hearts amidst an epic setup.

Written and Directed by: Ashutosh Gowariker.

Starring: Hrithik Roshan, Aishwarya Rai.

Music: AR Rahman.

A young boy named Jalaluddin stands on a war front In 1555AD India to be crowned as the new Moghul Emperor after the death of his Father Humayun. The ministry wages the war and defeats the rival King. They bring him in front of the new emperor and ask him to behead the defeated King. Only to find that the young emperor recognizes that disgrace is worse than a death and denies following the orderes. This young boy grows up to become Jalaluddin Muhammad (Hrithik Roshan) Akbar (as honored by his country eventually). He marries a Hindu Rajput's daughter Jodhaa Bai (Aishwarya Rai). How? You will find it out.

Jodhaa-Akbar is a story of love between a husband and a wife after they get married. Given some exposure to Akbar's learning curve to understand the common man in his country with the help of his wife's thoughts and philosophy this movies tries to connect the dots between a husband and his wife and an Emperor and his people. The first winner of this movie is writer-director Ashutosh Gowariker. Making a comeback after a highly spiritual Swades (2004) Ashtosh may not have as appealing story as Swades but the love in Jodhaa Akbar cannot be denied. He brings in different shades of connections between the two like the first time Hindu vegetarian meal for Akbar, a sword fight or a confession of love in a room lit by setting sun. Gowariker handles these facets very carefully by taking his time to create an atmosphere. He is one of the young directors with his own vision that he follows.

The next one on my list is Hrithik Roshan. With a muscular physique and eyes full of emotions his portrayal as an Emperor with roots of humanity is something to look for. An emperor slowly learning about the people around him and eventually following his heart and philosophies is a very good character to be seen. His fight with his ownself to understand Jodhaa is convincing. Not to forget Aishwarya Rai as Jodhaa bai. Personally I haven't been able to appreciate her beauty in a long time since maybe Aur Pyar Ho Gaya (1997).

I have saved the best for last and that is Mr AR Rahman. His background score and musicals like 'Jashn-e-bahaar' and 'In lamho ke' are appreciable. But 'Khwaja' is something beyond great or extraordinary. The prayer and appeal by sufi singers to the priest are nothing short of 'magical'. You will be drawn into the prayer just like the emperor when he gets up and shows his excitement to God. Wow!!!

Independent movies are said to be daring and courageous. Jodhaa Akbar may not be an Independent creation but it is a period movie with a magnitude that perhaps was last seen in K. Asif's Mughal-E-Azam released in 1960. It took 48 years for Bollywood to make a movie like this so in that sense it is a daring and courageous effort.

My Rating: 9/10.

In the valley of Elah (2007).

Welcome back Mr. Haggis!

Written and Directed by: Paul Haggis.
Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Charlize Theron, Susan Sarandon.

'Everyday Goliath came down in the valley and challenged for anyone who wants to fight. One day a boy named David accepted it. Killed Goliath with a slingshot', as Sgt Hank Deerfield (Tommy Lee Jones) tells this story to Detective Sander's (Charlize Theron) son, she later confronts him about the inaccuracy. To this Hank says, 'Course it is true'. Hank recieved a phone call few days ago about his son's absence from a military base who got back from Iraq few days ago and disappeared from the base later. Events that follow will be strongly connected either by human nature, or the absence there of.

After writing an Oscar winning screenplays 'Million Dollar Baby' and 'Crash', Paul Haggis comes back with a story that does surprise you and shock you at the same time. Based on true events Paul Haggis has superbly wrote and directed Valley of Elah. I am surprised how could Academy awards commitee could not consider this one for the best picture? I guess days of getting preached are over after you graduate high school. Agree about the preachiness. But the way Mr Haggis makes the point is extraordinary. His story telling habits are sharp. May it be Milllion Dollar Baby, Casino Royale or Crash. This time he seems to have picked up the same pen that he put down after Million Dollar Baby, which has lines like "People die as a janitor. She could say to herself atleast I tried'. I guess that itself stirrs and changes the viewer's point of view. Valley of Elah is one good example of the cinema that keeps shaking you all the time. You say to yourself its over and it is not.

Tommy Lee Jones gives an oscar worthy performance. A retired seargent with deep eyes that are giving up after witnessing horrors and are looking for traces at the same time because his heart doesn't give up. This constant war of horror against fatherly love is constantly portrayed with a lot of anguish. He is marvellous. But in the winning race unfortunately he cannot surpass the bloody eyed Daniel Plainview's (Daniel Day Lewis) hunger to become an epic Oil-man in Paul Thomas Anderson's 'There will be blood' (2007). Charlize Theron puts on a very little makeup as a newly appointed detective being bullied by fellow seniors. Susan Sarandon gives a memorable performance as Sgt Deerfield's wife. The southern accent reminds of 'Louise'.

In the end the winner is Mr. Haggis for cleverly twisting and turning the story just about right to create an environment where an aging father faces the fear of Goliath to slingshot him. But the reason for initiation of fear is far placed than the termination.

My Rating: 8/10.

Oscar Nominees/Predictions.

My predictions are in Italics. Movies that I have not seen are asterisked.

1. Performance by an Actor in a leading role:

-George Clooney in “Michael Clayton” (Warner Bros.) *
-Daniel Day-Lewis in “There Will Be Blood” (Paramount Vantage and Miramax)
-Johnny Depp in “Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” (DreamWorks and Warner Bros., Distributed by DreamWorks/Paramount) *
-Tommy Lee Jones in “In the Valley of Elah” (Warner Independent) *
-Viggo Mortensen in “Eastern Promises” (Focus Features).

2. Performnace by an Actress in a leading role:

-Cate Blanchett in “Elizabeth: The Golden Age” (Universal)
-Julie Christie in “Away from Her” (Lionsgate) *
-Marion Cotillard in “La Vie en Rose” (Picturehouse) *
-Laura Linney in “The Savages” (Fox Searchlight) *
-Ellen Page in “Juno” (Fox Searchlight).

3. Performance by an actor in a supporting role:

-Casey Affleck in “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford” (Warner Bros) *

-Javier Bardem in “No Country for Old Men” (Miramax and Paramount Vantage)
-Philip Seymour Hoffman in “Charlie Wilson’s War” (Universal)*
-Hal Holbrook in “Into the Wild” (Paramount Vantage and River Road Entertainment) *
-Tom Wilkinson in “Michael Clayton” (Warner Bros.) *

4. Performance by an actress in a supporting role:

-Cate Blanchett in “I’m Not There” (The Weinstein Company) *
-Ruby Dee in “American Gangster” (Universal) *
-Saoirse Ronan in “Atonement” (Focus Features) *
-Amy Ryan in “Gone Baby Gone” (Miramax) *
-Tilda Swinton in “Michael Clayton” (Warner Bros.) *

5. Adapted Screenplay:

-“Atonement” (Focus Features)Screenplay by Christopher Hampton *
-“Away from Her” (Lionsgate)Written by Sarah Polley *
-“The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” (Miramax/Pathé Renn)Screenplay by Ronald Harwood *
-“No Country for Old Men” (Miramax and Paramount Vantage)Written for the screen by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
-“There Will Be Blood” (Paramount Vantage and Miramax)Written for the screen by Paul Thomas Anderson.

6. Original screenplay:

-“Juno” (Fox Searchlight)Written by Diablo Cody
-“Lars and the Real Girl” (MGM) Written by Nancy Oliver
-“Michael Clayton” (Warner Bros.)Written by Tony Gilroy *
-“Ratatouille” (Walt Disney)Screenplay by Brad BirdStory by Jan Pinkava, Jim Capobianco, Brad Bird
-“The Savages” (Fox Searchlight) Written by Tamara Jenkins. *

7. Motion Picture of the year:

-“Atonement” (Focus Features) A Working Title Production Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner and Paul Webster, Producers *

-“Juno” (Fox Searchlight)A Mandate Pictures/Mr. Mudd ProductionLianne Halfon, Mason Novick and Russell Smith, Producers

-“Michael Clayton” (Warner Bros.)A Clayton Productions, LLC ProductionSydney Pollack, Jennifer Fox and Kerry Orent, Producers *

-“No Country for Old Men” (Miramax and Paramount Vantage)A Scott Rudin/Mike Zoss ProductionScott Rudin, Ethan Coen and Joel Coen, Producers

-“There Will Be Blood” (Paramount Vantage and Miramax)A JoAnne Sellar/Ghoulardi Film Company ProductionJoAnne Sellar, Paul Thomas Anderson and Daniel Lupi, Producers.

8. Best animated film:

-“Persepolis” (Sony Pictures Classics) Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud *
-“Ratatouille” (Walt Disney) Brad Bird
-“Surf's Up” (Sony Pictures Releasing) Ash Brannon and Chris Buck