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Ghulam , a review by Tom

Ghulam (1998/India) IMDb | Wikipedia Eros International (United Kingdom) Director: Writing: Anjum Rajabali (Writer) Length: 162 min. Video: Widescreen 1.85 Audio: Hindi: Dolby Digital 5.1 Subtitles: English

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Stars:
Aamir Khan as Sidharth
Rani Mukherjee as Alisha
Rajit Kapoor as Jai
Meeta Vashishta
Deepak Tijori as Charlie

Plot:
Sidharth (Aamir Khan), is a boxing champion. His older brother, Jai (Rajit Kapoor) works with Raunak Singh (Sharat Saxena), who rules their estate through terrorising its people and collecting ransoms from local merchants. Sidharth idolized his father, a freedom fighter, whom he saw falling to his death as a child. This effects Sidharth through his adult life. Sidharth meets a young girl, Alisha (Ranee Mukherjee), who rides with a motorcycle gang and Charlie (Deepak Tijori), the gang's leader. Sidharth also meets Hari, whose idealism reminds him of his father. Hari's social work in the community possess a threat to Raunak Singh's evil empire. What happens to Hari changes Sidharth's life forever. How Sidharth breaks Raunak Singh's chains of "Ghulami" around the community forms the crux of the story. Featuring the superhit song "Aati Kya Khandala" sung by Aamir Khan.

Awards:
Won:

Filmfare Awards (1999)

Best Scene of the Year

Nominated:

Filmfare Awards (1999)		Best Actor Award (Aamir Khan)
Filmfare Awards (1999)		Best Director Award (Vikram Bhatt)
Filmfare Awards (1999)		Best Male Playback Award ("Aati Kya Khandala": Aamir Khan)
Filmfare Awards (1999)		Best Movie Award
Filmfare Awards (1999)		Best Villain Award (Sharat Saxena)

Extras:

• Bonus Trailers
• Music Videos
• Scene Access

This movie came to my attention because one song was referenced in Kabhi Khuchi Khabie Gham. Seems that this song was a very popular song in India in the 90s. After checking out (and liking) this song on YouTube, I ordered the movie (it was cheap).
This movie was surprisingly good. Seems like it is a remake of Marlon Brandon's "One the Waterfront" (never seen it myself).
Two interesting tidbits: Aamir Khan did the stunt where he runs toward a fast-moving train himself. He was almost hit by it. He later critizied himself for being so reckless.
Also this is an early movie with Rani Mukherji. The director decided to dub her voice in this one (shame on him). Luckily the next director didn't follow suit and let Rani's distinctive voice in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. Now her voice is her trademark.

Rating:

(From Tom's Random Reviews on March 18th, 2011)

Rescue Dawn, a review by KinkyCyborg

Title:Rescue Dawn
Year: 2007
Director: Werner Herzog
Rating: PG-13
Length: 125 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Spanish: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround, French: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo
Subtitles: English, Spanish

Stars:
Zach Grenier
Marshall Bell (1945)
Christian Bale
Toby Huss
Pat Healy

Plot:
In 1965, an American pilot on a top-secret bombing mission was shot down over Laos and taken to a hellish prison camp deep in the impenetrable jungle of Vietnam. What followed was one of the most remarkable and harrowing experiences of the entire Vietnam War. Inspired by the true story of Dieter Dengler (Christian Bale) and written and directed by internationally acclaimed filmmaker Werner Herzog, Rescue Dawn is an uncanny tale of camaraderie and betrayal, courage in the face of despair, and triumph over tragedy. It stands as a true testament to the impossible boundaries of the human condition and the invincibility of the American spirit.

Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Feature Trailers
Deleted Scenes
Featurettes
Gallery
Closed Captioned


This one was my pick and it has been one I've been waiting to see for some time as I am always drawn to the military movies.

Well done true story of Dieter Dengler, bomber pilot who was shot down during a Black Op run before the Vietnam conflict officially became a war.

I was a bit surprised at the lack of torture and degradation so common in P.O.W. movies... in fact I thought the prisoners were treated not too badly as compared to other similar stories, although there was no question they were starving and suffering from severe mental trauma. Dengler, if he was depicted correctly, seemed to have a few screws loose even before he was captured which in a way I believe made his escape possible.

An interesting turn for Steven Zahn who usually plays the likable clown in comedies... he was quite good in this, playing well a man grasping at the last strands of his sanity.

Christian Bale is a bit of an enigma for me. I gain more respect for him as an actor with every movie of his I watch and yet for some in explicable reason I find him creepy.  Can't quite put my finger on why... but I've felt that way about him since the first movie of his I watched right up to Rescue Dawn.

KC

Rating:

(From KinkyCyborg's Random Reviews 2010 on July 30th, 2010)

[Rerun Marathon] Spaced, a review by Tom

10/10

Great start into a new series. Loved the Pulp Fiction parody. And the dissing of George Lucas because of "Episode 1" ("It's been 18 months"  )

(From [Rerun Marathon] Spaced on December 9th, 2007)