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My Name Is Khan, a review by Tom

My Name Is Khan (2010/India) IMDb | Wikipedia Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (United Kingdom) Director: Karan Johar Writing: Shibani Bathija (Screenwriter), Niranjan Iyengar (Screenwriter), Shibani Bathija (Story By), Shibani Bathija (Screenwriter) Length: 155 min. Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35 Audio: Hindi: Dolby Digital 5.1, Audio Descriptive: Dolby Digital 5.1, Audio Descriptive: Dolby Digital 5.1 Subtitles: Dutch, English

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Stars:
Shah Rukh Khan as Rizvan Khan
Kajol as Mandira Khan
Katie Amanda Keane as Sarah Garrick
Kenton Duty as Reese Garrick
Benny Nieves as Detective Garcia

Plot:
My Name Is Khan is the triumphant story of an unconventional hero and the obstacles he must overcome to regain the love of this life. Rizvan Khan, a Muslim man who has Aspergers Syndrome, moves to San Francisco and falls in love with the beautiful Mandira. They marry and have a happy life; until September 11, 2001, when attitudes towards Muslims undergo an alarming change. After a series of tragic events leaves her devastated, Mandira splits from Rizvan, leaving him alone once again. To win her back, Rizvan embarks on a touching and inspiring journey across America to clear his name and prove his love to the woman who captured his heart.

Awards:
Won:

Filmfare Awards (2011)		Best Actor (Shah Rukh Khan)
Filmfare Awards (2011)		Best Actress (Kajol)
Filmfare Awards (2011)		Best Director (Karan Johar)

Nominated:

Filmfare Awards (2011)		Best Film
Filmfare Awards (2011)		Best Lyricist ("Noor-e-Khuda": Niranjan Iyangar)
Filmfare Awards (2011)		Best Lyricist ("Sajda": Niranjan Iyangar)
Filmfare Awards (2011)		Best Music Director (Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy)
Filmfare Awards (2011)		Best Playback Singer - Female ("Noor-e-Khuda": Shreya Ghoshal)
Filmfare Awards (2011)		Best Playback Singer - Male ("Noor-e-Khuda": Adnan Sami, Shankar Mahadevan)
Filmfare Awards (2011)		Best Playback Singer - Male ("Sajda": Rahat Fateh Ali Khan)

Extras:

• Featurettes
• Scene Access

This movie is about a guy, who has a mild case of Asperger's Syndrome, who is told by his wife in anger to go meet the president of the United States and tell him "My Name Is Khan, and I am not a terrorist". This movie is about the journey of him to accomplish it, during which we see in flashbacks his life growing up and later meeting is wife, and finally the tragedy which lead to his journey. This movie also deals with the prejudice that Muslims have to deal with since 9/11.
I have seen this movie a few weeks ago in the cinema. I really enjoyed it and luckily it has already been released on DVD in the UK. This is the first Shah Rukh Khan/Kajol collaboration since 2001, before Kajol went on a baby break. And this alone was a reason for me to seek it out. This screen pairing never let me down.
When I mentioned it in passing to friend that this movie is running in the theatre, the first reaction wasn't positive because of Bollywood. But the next day he told me, that he has read a review now and he wants to see it. I ended up seeing this movie with three friends. They did all enjoy it. They were surprised that a Bollywood movie takes on such controversial topic like racial discrimination in the wake of 9/11. That didn't fit with their image of a Bollywood movie.
The movie goes on some occations a little overboard, but overall I really enjoyed it. Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol were both great in it. They have real chemistry together, even if he plays a man with a mental disability. In this regard it is reminiscent of "Forrest Gump". We have gullible but lovable guy, who goes out across the US. Both inspire the nation when they are they catch the eye of the media. And both have a loving relationship with their dream girl.
When I was watching this movie in the theatre, it was running in the "international cut" done for a film festival. It was missing about thirty minutes of footage. A complete subplot was missing, which was only touched upon through television reports. Here on this DVD it is restored, and I have mixed feeling about this sublot. It somehow doesn't really fit, and it had a better effect on me when only seeing it in parts through television reports. But of course I am glad that I now got the chance to see the full movie.
BTW, the movie has no real dance numbers.



Rating:

(From Tom's Random Reviews on June 30th, 2010)

Don't Look Now, a review by Danae Cassandra

Don't Look Now
Year of Release: 1973
Directed By: Nicholas Roeg
Starring: Julie Christie, Donald Sutherland, Hilary Mason, Clelia Matania
Genre: Suspense/Thriller

Overview:My Thoughts:
This is a film of atmosphere. There is a palpable tension throughout, a certainty that something lurks just beyond the visible. It's a film that starts of slow, and builds up to the final climax. It's also a film that will keep you wondering what exactly is happening, especially when everything is seems foreboding, every character potentially sinister, every dark corner hiding something.

Christie and Sutherland are fine in their roles, but this is very much Nicholas Roeg's film. He is a director with a distinctive style, and it's very much in evidence here in the lightning, the cinematography, the editing choices and intercuts. This is the third film of Roeg's I've watched and he's easily moved into a list of my favorite directors.

Recommended if you like slow-building creeping thrillers. Highly recommended if you have liked any of Roeg's previous films.

Bechdel Test: Pass

Overall: 4/5

(From Off Day Alphabet Marathon on August 10th, 2014)

Doctor Who Marathon, a review by Tom

Doctor Who
Series 1.12 Bad Wolf
Writer: Russell T Davies (Writer), Terry Nation (Original Characters By)
Director: Joe Ahearne
Cast: Christopher Eccleston (Doctor Who), Billie Piper (Rose Tyler), John Barrowman (Captain Jack), Jo Joyner (Lynda), Jamie Bradley (Strood), Abi Eniola (Crosbie), Davina McCall (Voice of Davinadroid), Paterson Joseph (Rodrick), Jenna Russell (Floor Manager), Anne Robinson (Voice of Anne Droid), Trinny Woodall (Voice of Trine-E), Susannah Constantine (Voice of Zu-Zana), Jo Stone Fewings (Male Programmer), Nisha Nayar (Female Programmer), Dominic Burgess (Agorax), Karren Winchester (Fitch), Kate Loustau (Colleen), Sebastian Armesto (Broff), Martha Cope (Controller), Sam Callis (Security Guard), , Alan Ruscoe (Androids), Paul Kasey (Androids), , Barnaby Edwards (Dalek Operators), Nicholas Pegg (Dalek Operators), David Hankinson (Dalek Operators), , Nicholas Briggs (Dalek Voice)

A very fun first half of the episode, where the doctor is trapped in a Big Brother house and Rose is taking a part in a deadly version of The Weakest Link. And the finale is first big episodic cliffhanger, with Rose being captured by a huge Dalek army.




(From Doctor Who Marathon on February 10th, 2014)