Film Review: The Help, Midnight In Paris, 3 Idiots
THE HELP (Tate Taylor, 2011)
The film tells the story of a
young writer who has decided to write a book about black domestic helpers. The film
is well-made and attempts to be one that is feel-good, almost a chick flick,
and, at the same time discussing a delicate topic on segregation. I like the
film although I feel that it is too glossy for theme it discusses. Not to be
ignored are great performances by Viola Davis and Jessica Chastain.
Even if I don’t know that the
film is Woody Allen’s I am sure that, watching it, I’ll realize the film is
written and directed by Woody Allen. There’s a Woody Allen thumb mark stamped all
over it - neurotic dialogs and characters, surrealism, and subtle wackiness.
This means I enjoyed the film and I think this is one of his best comedies.
I didn’t know this film. I only
knew about it when people – students, friends, and colleagues – talked about it. They were crazy about the film. Some even say it’s the best film
ever. This aroused my curiosity. I watched it.
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| A scene from The Help |
Rating: 3.0/4.0
MIDNIGHT IN PARIS (Woody Allen, 2011)
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| A scene from Midnight in Paris |
Rating: 4.0/4.0
3 IDIOTS (Rajkumar Hirani, 2009)
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| A scene from 3 Idiots |
I'm not writing what
it’s all about since almost everyone I know has seen it.
I never finished the film in one sitting. I got bored halfway and felt not interested to finish it. Two or three months after, another friend made mention of it. He
seemed to adore the movie much. So, I decided to finish the second half of the
movie. I was glad, I did. It made me
laugh and cry. I enjoyed it. Funny and entertaining, however, the film is far from being a
well-crafted one. I’m sorry fans. It’s full of clichés and it’s overly long (3
hours) with unnecessary scenes that, when removed, would make a 1- to 1.5-h film,
which could be better. Another thing: the lead actor (Aamir Khan) is 46 years
old now. He was 44 when he made the film in 2009. It was too awkward seeing him
play a college student at that age. The makeup failed to conceal his real age. I know this actor; I saw him in a much
better Indian film Lagaan, nominated in Best Foreign Film category of Academy
Awards in 2001. He was 37 then.
Rating: 2.5/4.0
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