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Swades, a review by Tom

Title: Swades
Year: 2004
Director: Ashutosh Gowariker
Rating: FSK-12
Length: 187 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35
Audio: German: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo, Hindi: Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: German

Stars:
Shah Rukh Khan
Gayatri Joshi
Kishori Ballal
Master Smith Seth
Lekh Tandon

Plot:
Set in modern day India, Swades is a film that tackles the issues that development throws up on a grass root level. It is to this India, which is colorful, heterogeneous and complex that Mohan Bhargava (Shah Rukh Khan), a bright young scientist working as a project manager in NASA, returns to on a quest to find his childhood nanny. The film uses the contrast between the highly developed world of NASA, which has been at the forefront of advances in space research, and this world back home in India, which is at the crossroads of development. Mohan's simple quest becomes the journey that every one of us goes through in search of that metaphysical and elusive place called 'home'.

Awards:

Filmfare Awards	2005	Won	Best Actor Award	Shah Rukh Khan
Filmfare Awards	2005	Won	Best Background Score Award	A. R. Rahman
Filmfare Awards	2005	Nominated	Best Director Award	Ashutosh Gowariker
Filmfare Awards	2005	Nominated	Best Movie Award
Filmfare Awards	2005	Nominated	Best Music Director Award	A. R. Rahman

Extras:
Scene Access

Mohan, a NRI (Non-Resident Indian) returns to India after living twelve years in America working for NASA. Here he is confronted with poverty, illiteracy, caste discrimination and even child marriage. But on the other hand he also experiences again the connection to his mother country. After trying to bring some change into a small villiage, where his childhood nanny now lives, he struggles with the decision if he should return to America or stay in India.
I enjoyed this movie. Shah Rukh Khan did a great job. This movie is a great insight into today's India outside the cities. I can also recommend this movie to those who do not like musicals. Even though there are some songs, there is hardly dancing and the songs are few and far between. They do not distract from the movie at all in my opinion.



Rating:

(From Tom's Random Reviews on June 12th, 2010)

The Phantom, a review by Tom

Title: The Phantom
Year: 1996
Director: Simon Wincer
Writing: Lee Falk (Original Characters By), Jeffrey Boam (Writer)
Rating: PG
Length: 100 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35
Audio: English: Dolby Digital 5.1, English: Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround, French: Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround
Subtitles: English

Stars:
Billy Zane as Phantom/Kit Walker
Kristy Swanson as Diana Palmer
Treat Williams as Xander Drax
Catherine Zeta Jones as Sala
James Remar as Quill

Plot:
Billy Zane stars as The Phantom in this thrill-a-minute actioner based on one of the most successful comic series of all time!

The story begins as an expedition lands on the island of Bengalla, seeking the legendary skulls of Touganda. Believed to harness an energy force of incalculable power, the skulls could spell disaster for mankind. And that's exactly what ruthless tycoon Xander Drax has in mind... unless one man can save it.

Now evil has met its match and great movie adventure has a new name - The Phantom!

Awards:
Extras:
Closed Captioned
Scene Access
Trailers

Before this movie I knew the Phantom only from the "Defenders of the Earth" animated series. I quite like this movie. It isn't really all that special, but I enjoyed the ride. It is essentially a non-stop action movie. It reminds a little of Indiana Jones because of a similar setting. I thought Billy Zane did a good job. I also have a soft spot for Kristy Swanson.

Rating:

(From Tom's Random Reviews on August 8th, 2010)

My PILOT Marathon, a review by Rich

Title: Father Ted: Series One

Certificate:15
Year:1995


Plot:The irreverent BritCom that has been called 'undoubtedly the finest comedy about three Catholic priests stuck on a tiny island off the Irish coast ever made' is now available on DVD. Features all six episodes of the highly-acclaimed premiere season, in which the trio's shaky grasp on reality is challenged by such things as the arrival of the world's worst funfair and the All Priests Stars-in-Their-Eyes Competition.

Good Luck, Father Ted
Ted gets his chance to be on TV when he is to be interviewed by a magazine programme. But 'FunLand', the most pathetic travelling fair ever invented has come to Craggy Island, and while Ted is distracted with Father Jack, Dougal seizes his moment of glory.


My Review:
Witty and intelligent comedy, that literally created a cult following in UK.
It felt a bit disjointed as the actors feel their way into their roles, and begin working together for the first time. Ardal O'Hanlon has the best lines in this opener, with Frank 'Feck Off' Kelly in top form. Personally I never found Dermot Morgan funny, but obviously a great loss nonetheless that he died young.
It's a nice blend of British comedy, at times quite subtle and character based, at others in your face brash and crass.
I've probaly seen 20 or so episodes at different times over the years, but will one day plan to watch the whole series in order, I will, I will, I will.
 

(From My PILOT Marathon on September 29th, 2009)