Based on Jane Austen's novel, this mini-series focuses on Emma Woodhouse (Romola Garai), vain, spoiled, and the belle of her small town, as she tries her hand at matchmaking with disastrous results. As with the novel, this Emma is almost unlikable, and yet. . . there is still a goodness about her that Mr. Knightly(Jonny Lee Miller) and the reader/viewer are able to see.
This is one of my favorite Austen novels for it's wit and perspicacity. I was delighted with how closely the series followed the book, deviating only in minor matters. The producers also kept a good feel of Regency times; I had issues, again, with only minor matters. Costumes, hairstyles, locations, and sets were all fantastic. The actors were well cast, and they all did a fine job. Tamsin Greig was particularly good as Miss Bates, as was Michael Gambon's portrayal of Mr. Woodhouse. I truly enjoyed this mini-series and would recommend it for both fans of the book, and those unfamiliar with the novel.
Jasmeet (Katrina Kaif) was raised in London and has turned into a wild young woman, rejecting her Indian roots and going by the appropriate name of "Jazz". Her father (Rishi Kapoor) takes her on a trip through India, ending in his hometown in Punjab. While there, he marries her (not willingly) to his best friend's son, Arjun (Ashkay Kumar). When the couple returns to London, Jazz announces that she doesn't recognize the Indian marriage, and proceeds with her plans of becoming the fourth wife of her boss (Clive Standen). Arjun, must either give in gracefully and lose his wife, or find a way to fight for his marriage by showing Jazz that true love can win.
The plot is cute and fun, and I enjoyed it. Kumar is a good actor and played both comedy and serious well. I'm not fond of Kaif, and don't feel that she is a particularly good actress, but she was well suited for this role. The supporting cast (especially Nina Wadia) are excellent. The locations and cinematography were great. However, I actively disliked the club music/dancing, and for me that lowered the movie from four stars to three.
Victoria and Abdul is the "'mostly" true story of the unlikely friendship between Queen Victoria (Judi Dench) and a Muslim Indian, Abdul Karim (Ali Fazal). Karim is sent from India as an emissary, and the Queen is taken with him and his easy personality, treats him with favor, and bestows honors on him. Her family and attendants, especially her son Bertie (later to be Edward VII, played by Eddie Izzard), dislike him and his influence and try to discredit him with the Queen.
Dame Judi is fantastic in this role. She plays ailing, grouchy, and old to perfection, then lights up the screen with grace, majesty and strength. It would not surprise me to see her win awards for this performance.
Fazal was also wonderful in his role as sweet, endearing, devoted to the Queen. However, his part was not three-dimensional--he was too perfect, too servile. The viewer was left wondering what made Abdul tick, and what his motives were.
In addition, the story (which covered the 15 years of Karim's service to the Queen) was short on plot. It was, instead, a string of tableaux in which both featured, but without their relationship developing or maturing. Furthermore, the portrayal of Queen Victoria as a liberal-thinking woman was, I think, colored more by wishful thinking than historical accuracy.
I did like the film, though. It is cute, sweet, and at times, funny, with a positive message of tolerance and equality. It was enjoyable to watch, but the lack of depth to the plot kept it from being fully immersive. The cast (supporting cast included) were all excellent, as mentioned. Overall, it's an fun light movie, but not one to rely upon historically.
Yeh Dillagi (translates as "this romance")
1994
3/5 stars
Sapna (Kajol), the chauffeur's daughter, goes to Mumbai to become a model so that she can earn money and be on equal footing with her father's rich employers. She matures and gains confidence, and as a result turns the heads of both of the sons of the house: Vicky, unprincipaled playboy (Saif Ali Khan) and hardworking buisnessman Vijay (Akshay Kumar) Their mother (Reema Lagoo) is a stickler for social position, and refuses to allow either son to consider an alliance with the daughter of a servant. They woo Sapna in their own way, and when one wins her love, he faces the difficulty of brotherly conflict and parental disapproval.
On the face of it, this romantic comedy (loosely based on Hollywood's Sabrina), is a love triangle that pits brotherly love against romantic love. The story goes deeper than that, though, and becomes an evaluation of social snobbery.
Kumar, Kajol, Khan
It is a mostly fun film, but to my surprise contained two somewhat steamy scenes that didn't seem typical of a 1990's Bollywood movie, and detracted from the experience. I also had a difficult time enjoying Lagoo's performance. She's my favorite Bollywood mummy, and I'm not used to seeing her in an unsympathetic role. The acting of the three main characters was good, and they had fine chemistry together. The music was average, but there were some entertaining dance scenes. Were it not for the two detractors mentioned above, this would be a 4 star movie, but as a result, I could only find it average.
Laxman (Salman Khan) is a mentally challenged adult who is devoted to his younger brother, Bharat (played by Khan's real life brother Sohail). When tension breaks out on the China/India border, Bharat joins the army. Laxman is lost without him, so a friend (Om Puri) encourages him to follow Gandhi's teachings and increase his belief. Meanwhile, a mother (Zhu Zhu) and son (Martin Rey Tangu) of Chinese descent move to the village, creating dissension among the community. The young boy and Laxman become good friends. Armed with a new friend and increased faith, Laxman tries to end the war through his hope.
Khan, Tangu
This is a marvelous film about love, hope, and the bond between brothers. The chemistry between the Khan brothers was natural and perfect. Salman Khan played a mentally challenged man with excellence, and was simply amazing in the role. The sets and locations were gorgeous. The songs and choreography were also good. Overall, this is a fantastic film that has not gotten the recognition it deserves.
Also includes a cameo by Shah Rukh Khan. On a personal note: any movie that can make me cry just as hard the second time is a great movie!
Jaan-E-Mann (translates as "sweetheart") 2006 4/5 stars In this romantic comedy/drama, Suhan (Salman Khan) and Piya (Preity Zinta) are divorced, and she is asking for alimony which the out-of-work actor can't provide. When a former college classmate (Agastya played by Akshay Kumar) confesses to being in love with her still, Suhan decides the best thing to do is to help Agastya win Piya, to avoid alimony. The only trouble is that Suhan still loves her, too. Despite a few too-silly parts, this movie is truly funny with many laugh-out-loud moments. Khan and Kumar play well together, and Kumar makes an excellent straight man. Zinta is convincing as both college student and adult. All three portray their emotions well. Anupam Kher, was surprisingly convincing as a little person. The songs are good, with two particularly so, and there is some nice choreography. This is a thoroughly enjoyable film, with a good mix of comedy and drama, that shows all three stars to advantage.
Baabul (translates as "the love a father feels for his daughter") 2006 5/5 stars Avi (Salman Khan) falls instantly in love with Millie (Rani Mukerji), and after much wooing and a little trouble, wins her. She is welcomed by his parents, Balraj (Amitabh Bachchan) and Shobhna (Hema Malini) as if she were their natural daughter. She and Avi experience years of happiness, and then a life-changing tragedy occurs. Balraj shows his great love for Millie as he defies traditions to make her happy again. The first half of this is a delightful romance following the happy life of Avi and Millie. Mukerji and Khan have good chemistry and played lovers well. After the tragedy, the film looses it's light-heartedness and becomes a drama. Mukerji and Bachchan both gave excellent emotional performances. The supporting cast were quite good. There was some lovely music, and nice choreography as well. The plot was strong, well written, and well-executed. This is a wonderful film overall.
