Thank God I watched these movies !

There are quite a handful of movies that bored me the first time I watched them. Later on, I kept thinking about them, reminiscing their scenes  which made me realize how bad a movie buff I've been. Here is a pick of such movies (in no particular order) that have enthralled me every time I watch them(pity not the first time..)

Apur Sansar (1959)

                      -Satyajit Ray

       

Satyajit Ray’s genius unfolds in each scene like poetry. The final part of “the Apu Trilogy” shows us a struggling, aspiring writer Apu (Soumitra Chatterjee) tricked by fate into loving and losing a charm of a wife like Aparna (a rather young Sharmila Tagore) to childbirth after which he abandons both his manuscript and his son, Kajal . Apu’s subsequent acceptance of his son and therefore his life ends the movie on a poignant note.

                                          

 A Separation (2011)
     - Asghar Farhadi

    A harsh divorce and a set of convoluted half truths set the tone for this emotionally charged Iranian drama.  A masterpiece of a movie with strong religious overtones, its biggest asset lies in an insightful screenplay backed by some of the most powerful and moving performances I’ve ever watched

                                      

Virumaandi (2004)

                      -Kamal Haasan

           Controversies apart, this movie employs the ‘Rashomon effect’ effectively to give a convincing portrayal of vendetta and its consequences, replete with a social message on abolishing the death penalty. An impressive cast and Ilaiyaraja’s lilting music does more than justice to this ambitious magnum opus of Kamal Haasan.

                                               

The Perks Of Being a Wallflower (2012)

                     
                                                 -Stephen Chbosky

            One of the most loveable coming-of-age movies in recent times. Chbosky adapted his 1999 novel of the same name to screen, casting a lanky Logan Lerman as the traumatized teen Charlie and Brit wit Emma Watson as his crush (though in a less nerdy avatar). A group of seniors at high school act as apt replacement to drugs and therapy, helping Charlie forget his bullied past and embrace life. With perky dialogues and lively scenes to boast of, this movie captures the best moments of both Charlie’s life and the 90s .

                                             

Taken (2008)                                               

           
                - Pierre Morel

            Liam Neeson is the best thing about Taken.  In this international smash-hit, Neeson essays the role of an ex-CIA agent/estranged father who embarks on a mission to rescue his kidnapped daughter from human traffickers. Taken is a no-brainer of a movie when it comes to the plot but it has enough adrenaline pumping sequences to make it one of the most successful man-on-a-mission movies ever made. 

                                           

**Was published in The Hindu Metroplus "Myfive" column on 27 Dec!