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The Conversation, a review by Antares

The Conversation (1974) 68/100 - Nothing drives me more crazy than when a director plays the audience for a bunch of suckers, and that's exactly what Francis Ford Coppola does with The Conversation. The film starts out rather dry, but still intriguing as we are given insight into the covert world of surveillance and eavesdropping. It is here where the film really shines. But halfway through, it kind of loses steam and only comes back to life at the very end. Now I can forgive a film that lags a bit if the payoff makes up for it. But the payoff here is a bit of manipulation by Coppola that defies the laws of science. This is just a cheap way to trick the audience, and a lazy way to show that you really didn't have much of a story in the first place, so you had to resort to this kind of cheap carny trick. The minute it happened I felt as if I had just been duped by a crooked Three Card Monty dealer. I thought about giving this a much lower rating, but the first hour is rather good and of course, the sound in this film is excellent. But when all is said and done, this film for me, is not worthy of the lofty position it is given by many in the film world.

What the color coding means...

Teal = Masterpiece
Dark Green = Classic or someday will be
Lime Green = A good, entertaining film
Orange = Average
Red = Cinemuck
Brown = The color of crap, which this film is

(From Antares' Short Summations on August 16th, 2012)

Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, a review by dfmorgan

Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge

Year: 1995
Director: Aditya Chopra
Cast: Shahrukh Khan, Kajol, Amrish Puri
Overview: Having been brought up in London, Raj (Shahrukh Khan) and Simran (Kajol) are second generation British Asians, who still cherish their Indian roots, culture and values. The two meet in a chance encounter while traveling through Europe on an inter-rail holiday. When they get seperated from their friends, they discover each other.... they discover LOVE! When they return to London, Simran is taken back to India, for an arranged marriage as per her fathers wishes. Now Raj must go to India to win his Dulhania and asks Simran's father for her hand in marriage and seek acceptance of their love - all this, while the preparations for Simran's wedding are in full swing.

DILWALE DULHANIA LE JAYENGE released in 1995, is the longest running film in Indian Cinema. Aditya Chopra's debut film became one of Hindi cinemas biggest blockbusters sweeping 10 Filmfare awards and the National award for popular and wholesome entertainment. Sensitively and often poignantly scripted, the film has a sweet, innocent freshness that makes not just Simran and Raj (perhaps Kajol and Shahrukh's best performances) but all the other characters so real that you love, laugh and ache along with them as if they lived next door.

Watched: 15th. Jan 2011
My Thoughts: An enjoyable film in two parts. In part one two separate people, Raj (Shahrukh Khan) and Simran (Kajol), set off on a trip around Europe, each with their own circle of friends. However the plans go awry and Raj and Simran keep getting caught up with each other throughout the trip. When they get back to London they both come to the realisation that they have deep feelings for each other but Simran is already promised to another in India. For part two the film then transports us to India where Raj now tries to win Simran's hand and approval of her father.

My Rating: An enjoyable 3


(From Dave's DVD/Blu-ray Reviews on January 16th, 2011)

My PILOT Marathon, a review by Rich

MIRACLES - COMPLETE SERIES - THE FERGUSON SYNDROME



Premiered: January 27, 2003   
Paul Callan works as an investigator of miracles for the Archdiocese of Boston. Growing weary of his job and the tests it places on his faith, he takes a leave of absence and travels to Arizona to work on an Indian Reservation. While there, Father Calero calls him and asks him to investigate a young boy, Tommy Ferguson, who supposedly has the power to heal others. Skeptical at first, Paul meets with Tommy and witnesses his abilities. He discovers that the young boy is dying, and that every time he heals another, his own health deteriorates. He also learns that his path and Tommy's are somehow inexorably linked. When Paul is in a potentially fatal car crash, Tommy uses his power for the last time, and gives his own life to save Paul. As Tommy heals him, Paul sees the words, "God Is Now Here" written in his own blood. His faith renewed, Paul returns to the church but the Monsignor dismisses his findings, causing him to resign. Paul is then approached by a stranger named Alva Keel who tells him that he is not alone in his experience. There have been 6 others who witnessed hemography, but they instead saw the words, "God is Nowhere." Keel urges Paul come to work with him at Sodalitas Quaerito, an organization devoted to searching for the truth.

Hmmmm, not sure what to make of this yet, it was rather flimsy and extremely far-fetched, but had a certain appeal that made you want to see some more. It was an average beginning to a series I believe was canned within a year. Very little is revealed about Alva's secret organisation, and both his and the Paul Callan character appear to have good potential.
Not a classic, but nor is it a duffer. Average!







(From My PILOT Marathon on May 27th, 2008)