Movie Review: Mr.Smith Goes to Washington[1939]

Brief Review:

Ok, one more of Frank Capra’s movies. And yet another Black & White movie. Yes, I am obsessed. I somehow like old movies. They always seem to have some value or ideals in them rather than just action and hot actors. While I am not against action and hot actors, Black and White movies come as a welcome change when you watch too many of these new movies.

This movie stars James Stewart and Jane Arthur who are by now for me, regulars in Capra movies. Equally regular are Edward Arnold and Beulah Bondi. James Stewart does an impressive job and is every bit good as he is in later Hitchcock movies.

The movie portrays how Senators or politicians in general are involved in some way or another (even if not sinister) with Businessmen and work things out to their profit. Corruption at its fore. This movie is highly relevant in modern times and especially so in developing countries like India where such things have become so commonplace that we have come to accept it as NORMAL. How very sad ?

It has a very clear message. Let youth run politics and run it without corruption. Something we should all learn from.

A more detailed review will follow later.
a-16

Movie Review: You Can’t Take It With You[1938]

Brief Review:

Another Capra movie. The list seems to go on and on. Yet another Black & White movie. This movie was beautiful and I totally loved it. The concept the movie tries to portray comes once again as wonderful. Full marks to Capra for that.

The movie stars the by now regulars in Capra movies - Jean Arthur, James Stewart, Lionel Barrymore (Drew Barrymore’s grandfather), Edward Arnold and others. There is actually a reason to this and I shall be covering that in a post later on.

The best thing about the movie and all Capra movies in general is that they all portray things that make sense. Things we should not be dismissing a silly and taking more seriously. Instead we seem to think such things exist only in movies. How wondrful it would be if we could all pursue our passions without actually having to worry about the money we make or starvation. How wonderful it would be to pursue your interests instead of working for someone and working at something you are not interested in. These are the questions the movie begs the viewers to ask themselves.

Also equally importantly portrayed is the need to love your neighbours and be nice to them. While this may seem cliched by now, it actually is not. It is still the one fundamental thing that would make our lives more pleasurable. Something we think once again exists only in fairy tales and Capra movies. Believe me, you and I can do it too and we should.
a-17

Movie Review: The Third Man[1949]

Brief Review:

Another Black and White marvel. Popularly known as an Orson Welles movie but not directed by him. He plays the lead however. Carol Reed directs the movie and does a good job at it. I am not a big fan of Orson Welles. I can’t say I have seen too many of his movies, but in spite of the acclaim that Citizen Kane received, continues to receive, I did not like the movie all that much.

Things I loved about The Third Man:

• Alida Valli as Anna Schmidt. Absolutely gorgeous looking. Wonderful acting too. It isn’t overdone and comes across as very natural. Yet you can see the pain in her eyes.
• The opening Zither Music. Absolutely captivating. As an Indian who has listened to many a stringed instruments like Veena, Sitar and Violin. (I also listen to guitar by some rock bands), the Zither music comes across as unique and splendid. If anyone has this music and don’t mind sharing it, I’d like to have it. (Maybe I’ll buy it when I get some money.)
• Joseph Cotten’s acting as Holly Martins. Orson Welles is also good as Harry Lime.

However, I did not like the ending all that much. I am not saying it as bad. Just that I didn’t like it.

The best thing about the movie is the fact that it portrays a normal man trying againt all odds to find out the truth. It’s not one of those secret service agent fights the villains stories. It’s above that. Catch the movie. I am sure you will atleast like it in parts. (A welcome relief from Capra’s movies. )

a-17

Movie Review: American History X[1998]

Brief Review:

Splendid movie this. For everyone who wants to be educated about racism and racial discrimination and our prejudices when it comes to that, this movie is a must watch. A few of my friends were discussing discrimination in India the other day. Their bone of contention was how North Indians were being called outsiders by Raj Thackeray and how there seems to be water problems between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka regarding the Hogenakkal issue.

Most of their opinions were limited and I felt sad that they had not gotten an opportunity to watch a movie like this which opens your mind and makes you see beyind the petite things in life. The movie was enlightening.

Edward Norton’s acting makes you feel like you are a part of the movie for every second of the movie. Edward Furlong does an equally good job of playing his younger brother who is influenced by his actions. Elliot Gould plays a Jew who is also a teacher of both brothers.

The movie is very strong and moves you. You feel very very sad towards the end when the younger brother dies and the elder brother is helpless. You got the feeling that something had to give towards the end. Totally awesome movie and worth a watch.

List of Movies Part 02

These are some of the movies I have watched in recent days and shall be soon writing a review on them.

• American History X
• Chinatown
• They Were Expendable
• Meet John Doe
• Mr Deeds Goes To Town
• You Can’t Take It With You
• Mr.Smith Goes To Washington
• The Third Man

I could easily be forgetting some of the movie names, with the number of movies I have been watching. Shall include them when I remember.

Black and White Movies

I have been watching quite a few Black and White movies of late. There’s something about Black and White movies that adds charm to the movie. As Peter Bogdanovich (Actor and Director) puts it, “it’s the lack of distraction”. You focus on the movie and not on the color of the actors’ clothes or eye colour.

The best thing about black and white movies is the female lead actors. They look splendid. Infact, they all look so splendid on screen. I don’t know if they would have looked the same in this day and age in colour cinema.

Discrepancies in Billboard Charts

I found some problems with Billboard charts. Nothing serious though and no, I am not accusing Billboard of anything. It’s just that when I saw “What I’ve Done” by “Linkin Park” at the 38th position in the Hot 2007 Charts, I was a little troubled. It’s a kick ass song and Linkin Park are pretty famous too. Then why was this song rated 38th ?

It’s hard to say in this case as to why the song is rated 38th. I am sure Billboard was accurate with it’s ratings and all that, no doubt. I initially thought that the song might have bene released in late 2006 and still found its way on the 2007 chart. Not the case either. It was released in mid 2007 and debuted number 07 on the charts. (A relief there.)

But there have been cases where a song is on more than one years’ Hot 100 list. And depending on whether the song was released in the later part of the year or early part of the year, its ranking in the ensuing year’s Hot 100 could be higher or lower than the previous year rating respectively.

I think the bottom line is: Inside the Hot 100, it’s hard to compare songs based just on the Chart rankings.

Hey There Delilah[Plain White T's]

Song number 007 on the Billboard Hot 100 of 2007, this is probably better than the other 6 in my opinion. I’d say this deserved the first spot on the Chart. The other songs might have been more popular, but this trumps all of them. Having said that, you have to give credit to Billboard for rating this atleast number 7. Else, people like me might not even hear these songs.

Hey There Delilah is a song is by Plain White T’s. The song got them a Grammy nomination in 2008. IT climbed one position from 6 through 1 every week, making it the first chart-topping hit to have this pattern on the Hot 100 in 21 years.

Lyrics:

Hey there Delilah

What’s it like in New York City?

I’m a thousand miles away

But girl tonight you look so pretty

Yes you do

Times Square can’t shine as bright as you

I swear it’s true

Hey there Delilah

Don’t you worry about the distance

I’m right there if you get lonely

Give this song another listen

Close your eyes

Listen to my voice it’s my disguise

I’m by your side
Oh it’s what you do to me

Oh it’s what you do to me

Oh it’s what you do to me

Oh it’s what you do to me

What you do to me

Hey there Delilah

I know times are getting hard

But just believe me girl

Someday I’ll pay the bills with this guitar

We’ll have it good

We’ll have the life we knew we would

My word is good

Hey there Delilah

I’ve got so much left to say

If every simple song I wrote to you

Would take your breath awayI’d write it all

Even more in love with me you’d fall

We’d have it all
Oh it’s what you do to me

Oh it’s what you do to me

Oh it’s what you do to me

Oh it’s what you do to me

A thousand miles seems pretty far

But they’ve got planes and trains and cars

I’d walk to you if I had no other way

Our friends would all make fun of us

and we’ll just laugh along because we know

That none of them have felt this way

Delilah I can promise you

That by the time we get through

The world will never ever be the same

And you’re to blame

Hey there Delilah

You be good and don’t you miss me

Two more years and you’ll be done with school

And I’ll be making history like I do

You know it’s all because of you

We can do whatever we want to

Hey there Delilah here’s to you

This ones for you
Oh it’s what you do to me

Oh it’s what you do to me

Oh it’s what you do to me

Oh it’s what you do to me

What you do to me.

Oh ohOOOoohhhh

Oh ohOoooooohhhhh

Oh OhOOOoohhhhOOOOooohhhhhOh Oh

You Tube Links:
Plain White Ts - Hey There Delilah - Official
Plain White Ts - Hey There Delilah

Hey There Delilah[Plain White T's]

Song number 007 on the Billboard Hot 100 of 2007, this is probably better than the other 6 in my opinion. I’d say this deserved the first spot on the Chart. The other songs might have been more popular, but this trumps all of them. Having said that, you have to give credit to Billboard for rating this atleast number 7. Else, people like me might not even hear these songs.

Hey There Delilah is a song is by Plain White T’s. The song got them a Grammy nomination in 2008. IT climbed one position from 6 through 1 every week, making it the first chart-topping hit to have this pattern on the Hot 100 in 21 years.

Lyrics:

Hey there Delilah

What’s it like in New York City?

I’m a thousand miles away

But girl tonight you look so pretty

Yes you do

Times Square can’t shine as bright as you

I swear it’s true

Hey there Delilah

Don’t you worry about the distance

I’m right there if you get lonely

Give this song another listen

Close your eyes

Listen to my voice it’s my disguise

I’m by your side
Oh it’s what you do to me

Oh it’s what you do to me

Oh it’s what you do to me

Oh it’s what you do to me

What you do to me

Hey there Delilah

I know times are getting hard

But just believe me girl

Someday I’ll pay the bills with this guitar

We’ll have it good

We’ll have the life we knew we would

My word is good

Hey there Delilah

I’ve got so much left to say

If every simple song I wrote to you

Would take your breath awayI’d write it all

Even more in love with me you’d fall

We’d have it all
Oh it’s what you do to me

Oh it’s what you do to me

Oh it’s what you do to me

Oh it’s what you do to me

A thousand miles seems pretty far

But they’ve got planes and trains and cars

I’d walk to you if I had no other way

Our friends would all make fun of us

and we’ll just laugh along because we know

That none of them have felt this way

Delilah I can promise you

That by the time we get through

The world will never ever be the same

And you’re to blame

Hey there Delilah

You be good and don’t you miss me

Two more years and you’ll be done with school

And I’ll be making history like I do

You know it’s all because of you

We can do whatever we want to

Hey there Delilah here’s to you

This ones for you
Oh it’s what you do to me

Oh it’s what you do to me

Oh it’s what you do to me

Oh it’s what you do to me

What you do to me.

Oh ohOOOoohhhh

Oh ohOoooooohhhhh

Oh OhOOOoohhhhOOOOooohhhhhOh Oh

You Tube Links:

Plain White Ts - Hey There Delilah - Official
Plain White Ts - Hey There Delilah