Movie Junction

Recently, Swedish author Stieg Larsson has received a lot of accolades for his bestselling three-part book series popularly known as the “Millennium” series. But, even before Larsson’s unstoppable posthumous fame, Jo Nesbø, a Norwegian author and musician, generated worldwide recognition for his Scandinavian crime thrillers. Nesbø’s books have sold over a million copies, and his work has been translated into over forty languages so far. Nesbø’s “The Snowman” will soon be adapted for the screen and directed by Martin Scorsese. The film in question here, “Headhunters” (2011), is based on Nesbø’s book by the same name. The film attracted a large number of moviegoers in Norway, and it became one of that country’s biggest hits. The film revolves around Roger Brown (Aksel Hennie, “Max Manus”) who is a headhunter, working for a global recruiting firm, but also leads a double life as an art thief to support his lavish lifestyle and his beautiful wife, Diana Brown (Synnøve Macody Lund...

There are so many heartbreaking moments in “A Separation” (2012) that it would be difficult to write about all of them in this review. But one scene that specifically stayed with me came in the film’s climax. There, the three main characters--a couple, Simin (Leila Hatami) and Nader (Peyman Moaadi), and their eleven-year daughter, Termeh (Sarina Farhadi)--appear before a judge who is handling Simin and Nader’s divorce case. The judge asks Termeh with which parent she wants to stay. Termeh has a slight sad smile, and then her face turns quickly red after hearing the question. Tears start to roll down her face and the judge again ask her if she has made up her mind. Termeh requests that her parents leave the room, and the camera then focuses on Simin and Nader, who are seen waiting outside the judge’s room, separated by a glass door. Termeh’s final response is immaterial, and the final segment is a confirmation of a dichotomy that continues to exist between Simin and Nader. Clearly,...

Jean Renoir’s “La Grande Illusion,” a.k.a “Grand Illusion” (1937), is hailed by film critics as one of the greatest films ever made, also appearing in the all-time top-ten French films list. By the time, he made “La Grande Illusion,” Renoir had already directed twenty-one films, but “Grande Illusion” elevated his position as the top director, generating huge, instantaneous fame and success, even though he tasted success with his early sound films. Ranked at number 73 in a recent “Sight & Sound” poll, “Grand Illusion” also started the phase in Renoir’s career that made him a distinguished French director worldwide. His follow up to “Grande,” “The Rules of the Game” (1939), was very controversial at the time and it was banned by the French government.  What’s more, in France his influence on the French New French Wave can be undoubtedly seen in the works of Jean Luc Goddard, Francois Truffaut, and many other directors. Indeed, it is true that to understand French cinema, o...

I completely forgot that the original “Total Recall” (1990) is still so much fun, until I watched the latest “Total Recall” (2012). The new remake is a very serious, “blast-them-all” ride, lacking characteristics that made “Total Recall” (1990) a fan favorite in the genre. Seeing these two movies within two days, it’s fair to say “Total Recall” (1990) works for only two reasons: Arnold Schwarzenegger, and his dry, expressionless humor.  Even though Colin Farrell tries hard to carve out his own style and identity in the new movie, he still cannot match Schwarzenegger’s cult status. Now, I might be trying too hard to speak positively for Schwarzenegger’s acting skills, but, seriously, Schwarzenegger was born to play the role of Doug Quaid in “Total Recall.” Over the years, “Total Recall” has been elevated to a cult status, and some say Schwarzenegger’s performance in the film is one of the best performances in his long career. I wholeheartedly agree with this ...

“Ultimate simplicity leads to purity” --Yamato, “Jiro Dreams of Sushi” There is a famous saying in India: “Work is Worship,” which is well applicable to the main protagonist in the documentary “Jiro Dreams of Sushi” (2012). Before I started my first job in India, my dad used to tell me that work is everything and that by focusing on work, I will be successful in the future. Having seen my dad work long hours at the executive level, I assumed to be successful one had to work assiduously. In my early work years, I learnt that long work hours are expected as part of the Indian culture, and I have seen this in other Asian cultures, too. As much as I love my work, I can’t remember dreaming about my work and imagining new approaches for solving work problems.   In David Gelb’s documentary, we are introduced to an eighty-five-year old sushi chef, Jiro, who dreams of new sushi recipes. More so, he also works long hours, continually working on mastering sushi items. Jiro ope...