Dhoom 2 (2006) Machale!

Dhoom 2 (2006)  Yash Raj Films

Before Dhoom 2 I had never seen a “Bollywood” film. Bollywood is India’s version of Hollywood and they make some interesting films. One thing I love about Indian films is that they are known for being quirky, ridiculous, and having amazing dance choreography. The music videos are real. Every time I go to a hip Indian restaurant I can usually listen for some Bollywood hits I remember from all sorts of films. They are very catchy tunes that are easily remembered. I even sing them to myself unknowingly sometimes.

Dhoom 2 was the first film Bollywood film I saw and it is still by far the best. I don’t really feel like this film is supposed to be serious. Every time I see it, I am reminded of how ridiculous it is and then I wonder if it is meant to be a satire of American films. I say that because American films are ridiculous. Our action films show a lack of thought, possibilities, and most importantly physics. They make no sense and Dhoom 2 is no different. The stunts are stupidly funny on top of ridiculous that they were made to be that way. There are countless shots of people jumping off cliffs and other stuff. It’s so good that something must be said about the slow motion cinematography. First of all the slow motion stuff is next level. From the basketball scene to the jumping off cliffs, it’s absolutely gorgeous to watch. Secondly anything with Aishwarya Rai and Bipasha Basu is a great lesson in dancing and beauty. They may be two of the most beautiful women on the planet.

The 2 male leads are also dangerous and mysterious characters the way only celluloid can provide. Both of them are believable in their characters and are determined to outmaneuver the other. Bachchan is the dectective that has his own way of doing things even if it is outside the law. Hrithik is the mysterious criminal mastermind that never misses his target. They collide in this film and eventually… become friends? Yes that’s right, in Indian cinema the two settle their differences and allow one another to live free of their past. That would never happen in Hollywood. They must hate each other and value the others demise more than their own life. I was not expecting to see an officer of the law be so accommodating to the villains. After Rai’s character kills Hrithik, Bachchan just lets her go and lets her life be her punishment. I have also never witnessed a film where someone was absolved of murder so that they could live their life of shame. That’s kind of awesome. I wish people had more of a moral compass to the point that if you committed crime, but the only punishment was having the fortitude to press forward knowing what you have done. Heavy stuff from a mostly comical and action packed film.

The whole point of the movie is to prove that love is sacrifice and the film proves it on many occasions including a scene featuring Russian roulette. The scene isn’t great because it is over-dramatized, but the message is great. This film also features the first kiss on screen in Bollywood history. Although the women are dressed in somewhat more revealing clothing, they are very wholesome throughout the film. No raunchy sex scenes, just weird dance scenes that allows each character to prove their love… through song. I happen to appreciate that fact and it is highly refreshing. I am already excited for Dhoom 3, but I am unable to get a copy in America. 

The Fifth Estate (2013) Not As Advertised

I know this post will be short because I have nothing to say about this film. One of the most interesting things about this film was what happened off stage. 

I guess I had high expectations for this film because of the actors in it and the story it was going to tell albeit a one sided story. It never gave enough information for the viewer to judge. I really did not feel like I was watching the story promised in the trailer. I know that a book should not be judged by its cover, but I will probably never see this film again. 

The film itself was about the controversial rise and (to and extent) fall of WikiLeaks.com which is a website that has been known in the past to leak information about the corruption of governments and companies. It was an interesting film that had great buildup but little climax. It felt like amazing things were about to happen and then they had less of a splash then they should have. Although Daniel Brühl is now on my list of actors to watch (after watching Rush) I think that both actors portrayed their roles incredibly well. You hate them both at different times and are happy for their small successes.

One of the interesting things about this film happened in 'real-life'. Benedict Cumberbatch was emailed by the creator of Wikileaks Julian Assange to not participate in the film. When Cumberbatch asked to meet with Julian in order to get to know him better, his request was denied. 

The fallout from the film has been minimal, but what is more interesting is the commentary in the film about Julian Assange and where he is now. As of this moment he is in the Ethiopian embassy in London. I don't believe he is able to leave. It seems odd that he wouldn't just serve a term in prison rather than serving a different one be it in a really nice one. I know he doesn't think he has done anything wrong, but the man has leaked privileged information about certain countries which cant be good for him. I am not saying what he did was wrong because its hard to argue against the war crimes he has leaked to the public in numerous countries. 

I wouldn’t consider this film to be ‘must-watch’ material, but it did have some good moments. The cinematography wasn’t subtle and the payoff wasn’t great. I was also finding myself losing interest in both main characters toward the end because it was foreshadowed throughout and was inevitable.

The story was complicated to watch, but it wasn’t a great story or film.