Joined: Mon Dec 03, 2001 8:14 pm
Posts: 1086
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kamran wrote: Well, I realize I'm somewhat late in posting my top ten (which doesn't really exist, more on that later), but I had to catch up on the movies I avoided this year. Well folks, this year sucked. It really did. I can't believe that after what last year had to offer (ZUBEIDAA, LAGAAN, MONSOON WEDDING), this is what we were subjected to. Sure, there was a small number of good films, but even they were abundant in flaws and problems). What happened? Anyways, my list this year will be a bit different. Because of the lack of good films this year, I only have a top five of 2002. However, there was a lot of competition for the worst top ten films of last year - I had no trouble in that, I assure you.
****** WARNING ****** - this commentary includes many, many spoilers. Beware and read on if you dare. I've warned you, don't blame me if any enjoyment is ruined if I expose any huge surprises.
Well, here it goes... the worst list first, from the bad, to the truly awful.
Runner ups - pretty much everything except my top five.
10. Karisma Kapoor Trilogy - HAAN? MAINE BHI PYAAR KIYA HAI / SHAKTI / RISHTEY
I think Karisma Kapoor is a pretty good actress; that is, when she has good directors to extract solid performances. 2001?s ZUBEIDAA was probably her best work, and I?d even hand her an acting trophy for the previous year?s FIZA. However, it seems she?s on a downward spiral recently. Apparently, Karisma thinks that red eyes and shrieking constitute good caliber acting. In the first bomb of 2002, Karisma stares down the camera with those red eyes (ouch, infection anyone?) along with ex real-life beau Abhishek Bachchan and Akshaye Kumar. September?s SHAKTI was a tiny bit better, but Karisma continued her hoarse screaming and shrieking. Last month?s RISHTEY saw her return to what she?s seemingly best at - the veiny red eye syndrome. Here?s hoping Karisma will make better choices in the future.
9. AB KE BARAS
Oh. My. God. Arya Babar with that long haired wig. Enough said.
8. RAAZ
I cannot believe that this film, out of other great films like COMPANY, was one of the few hits this year. Why? This film was a poor, poor ripoff of the fright film WHAT LIES BENEATH. The original was quite a decent thriller, but this inane movie can?t even copy it properly, or retain the same level of scares! How stupid can you be? The film doesn?t even start well with a jaw droppingly bad sequence lifted straight from THE EXORCIST. Then, we?re subjecting to the tumultuous marriage problems of a sobbing Bipasha Basu and emotionally inept Dino Morea. Don?t even get me started on the stupidly handled climax, or the shockingly stinky overacting by Ashutosh Rana. The only part of this film that actually deserves faint praise is the performance of Malini Sharma, but her involvement is quite limited. Bomb. Disaster. Crap. Doo. Anything similar name calling will suffice.
7. MERE YAAR KE SHAADI HAI
Enough with this Uday Chopra. Caste him back into the? wherever the hell he came from. He should not be acting. Just because he is Yash Chopra?s son doesn?t mean he should be in these movies (oh, of course, Yash-Raj financed pictures, that is). His utter imitation of Shahrukh Khan antics lost their funniness in the first minute, and watching him giggle, shriek and prance around is the worst form of torture I have ever endured. This film should be screened repeatedly in jails around the world. Another sore point of the film is that girl - Sanjana. Whoever made her an actress should be taken out in the streets and shot repeatedly. She is dog ugly and the most unconvincing actor I?ve had to watch in a long time. If huffing, tossing your hair and crossing your arms is all that?s needed to get you into the film industry these days, sign me up. Even I could have done I better job in this film than her. Leave it be on the shelves, my friends. Redeeming feature: Shamita Shetty?s ?Sharara Sharara? number; it is the only highpoint in the movie).
6. KYA DIL NE KAHA
Esha Deol + Tusshar Kapoor = *shudder*. Ugly. Basic storyline in a nutshull - Esha: "I want to get married." Tusshar - "I don't believe in marriage." Later... Esha: "I want to live with you as I no longer believe in marriage." Tusshar: "But I want to marry you." And it goes on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on. And on. Jeeeeeeeeez.
5. WAAH! TERA KYA KEHNA?
What would a worst top ten list be without a Govinda movie? There were a couple of his films released this year, but this one gets the distinction because it subjects us to two Govindas. Raveena Tandon adds terrible support in this horribly unfunny ?comedy? (I didn?t laugh once) that beats to death the overused double look-alike that magically comes along to save the day when the ?original? is killed or hurt. I can?t take much more this crap. I really hope Govinda discovers Buddhism, travels to some icy mountain range and lives there for the rest of his life. Hopefully, one of us can attain some level of peace someday. Personally, the offensive wounds of his past filmography will never ever heal. Shudder?
4. Hritik Roshan Tilogy - NA TUM JAANO NA HUM / AAP MUJHE ACHCHE LAGNE LAGE / MUJHSE DOSTI KAROGE
Remember when Hritik held so much promise, so much potential? I had initially written him off after his father?s ridiculous film became a huge blockbuster (For the love of God, WHY?). But the double emotional impact of FIZA and MISSION KASHMIR made me a huge fan; he could act! Moreover, this guy was smarter than the average hero; he was humble and refreshingly down to earth. I think he still has some great untapped ability within him, but you wouldn?t know that from his offering this year. The expectations were very high for his new film re-teaming him with Amisha Patel, but it ended up a huge flop. Rightfully so; this film was annoyingly stupid and condescending. When my Bollywood Hangama DVD skips to ?Oh Re Gori?, I scream and dive for the remote as fast as I can. I had high hopes for his next film, even though it was with loser face Esha Deol, but it was equally preposterous (Saif as a playboy? Give it up, not working anymore). Even MUJHSE DOSTI KAROGE with it?s stupid ?I?ll only marry if YOU marry someone else!? plot. Hey yeah, wonderful idea, makes SO much sense. Jeez?. Hritik man, you?re really losing it.
3. AANKHEN
I?ll probably be bombarded with insults for this one, but I really can?t understand why people think this film has any redeeming qualities at all. Sure, it has a terrific concept, but the actual undertaking is a huge disaster. What irks me most is that this could have been a terrific film with a tightly drawn screenplay and some amazing performances. Unfortunately, this film insists on treating its audience like fools, throwing plot twist after twist, demanding attention and praise. Sorry, plot twists only work when they actually MAKE FUCKING SENSE. Along with painful performances from Amitabh Bachchan and Paresh Rawal, this film is so in love with itself and its supposed ?cleverness?, it?s just sickening. The worst thing about the film is that it leaves the door wide open for a sequel, which had me throw my empty cup at the T.V. (don?t worry, it was plastic - I would never endanger my home entertainment system, not even for a movie as appalling as this one).
2. OM JAI JAGADISH
Great! Yet another family drama that follows the exact same plot formula as the fifty thousand films that have preceded it. I cannot impart my utter disgust and disappointment in Anuphum Kher. I just cannot believe that him and the producers of this film thought that this final cut was good enough to release. It?s an utter mess of a film, with laughable performances (Waheeda Rehman, more on her in a sec) and tacky production values. Where do I start with my criticism? Hmmm? okay, why does Mahima Chaudary have like two minutes of screen time? Ditto Abhishek Bachchan?s beeyatch? Who thought that the loser auditioning for Anil Kapoor would actually be a funny sequence (looks right out of AMERICAN IDOL)? Why? Why why why why? (I?m using this word a lot in this commentary, aren?t I?). I was in utter shock throughout the entire film - I didn?t know if I should have laughed, cried, or walked out. The performances? Anil Kapoor doing his usual asshole bit, Fardeen Khan in his usual dull acting routine and Abhishek Bachchan trying to act like Hritik? As for Waheeda Rehman, she should seriously return to retirement. Watch FIZA, Mrs. Rehman, and pick up a few things from Jaya Bachchan?s beautifully nuanced performance in order to learn how to play a believably wounded mother.
1. DIL HAI TUMHARA
Shocked? I?m not. I wasn?t a fan of this production team?s earlier KYA KEHNA, but this film is pretty much the dumps. Seriously, this movie represents all that is wrong with Bollywood commercial cinema. It?s just? wrong. From the tired storyline with those ?evil? business men to Preity Zinta?s oh so ?bubbly? performance (ENOUGH already Preity - act for once) to that fucking puppet muppet monstrosity that Jimmy Shergill is constantly molesting, DIL HAI TUMHARA was simply unbearable. Sure, there were other films this year that insulted my intelligence, but this one? sigh. Does anyone want to remember the climax, where a retarded Preity Zinta stands in front of Alok Nath saying absolutely nothing? She just stands there forever, mumbling and stammering like a complete and utter loser! This storyline is nothing new; we?ve already seen this in MASOOM, why are we being subjected to it again in a stupid manner? When Preity is whining about her mother (boringly played by Rekha), the violins start up in the background  , reminding us that we?re supposed to be incredibly moved. Why must melodrama and manipulative techniques be used in order for us to feel something? Mr. Kundan Shah, there are subtler ways to relay emotional scenes and such?. I?m just disappointed that these movies are still being made. I really hope that one day our films can rise above these ridiculous conventions and actually DELIVER for once.
And the good stuff -
5. HUMRAAZ
This film doesn?t really belong here, but as far as guilty pleasures in 2002 went, HUMRAAZ took the cake. The writers and production team of AANKHEN should watch this film to learn how to make a good thriller with sensible plot twists and great surprises. The first half of the film preceding intermission is pretty much throwaway - it?s boring, silly and unintelligently made. They even stupidly villainize Akshaye Khanna?s character in the beginning, whereas it would have been even better to keep it as a surprise. However, the second half made me sit up and actively attempt to outguess the film. It isn?t very original (lifted from a mishmash of other films) or ground-breaking, but it?s a hell of a lot of fun. Even Amisha Patel, who I normally can?t stand at all, was pretty great in the film. Akshaye Khanna though, completely stole the film in a delectably enjoyable performance that makes us root for him. Abbas-Mustan may not be the most subtle directors around, but they sure know how to make a solid popcorn suspense flick.
4. SAATHIYA and ALAI PAYUTHEY (2000)
Even this one (SAATHIYA, that is) doesn?t really belong here. I was actually quite disappointed with this remake of ALAI PAYUTHEY. Even when directors remake films, they add some of their own flavour and expertise in creating something new and fresh. Being a great fan of the original, this one is basically a unimaginably shot for shot copycat that will do little for those who have already seen Mani Ratnam?s superior work. It even doesn?t surpass the other one in terms of production values - ?Pachchai Nirame? will always look better than this new Sonu Nigam ditty. However, this production excelled in one area, and that was including Vivek Oberei. This boy may go even further than Hritik, choosing unconventional roles, and being a very good performer as well. Rani Mukherjee was decent, but I prefer the first actress (was Shalini her name?) who gave a much more compelling and sympathetic performance. Anyways, SAATHIYA by itself is a serviceable film that gets the job done (upon second viewing, I was better able to acknowledge its strengths), but I recommend seeing ALAI PAYUTHEY as well as a companion piece. Both films stand well by themselves, but never forget the original.
3. THE LEGEND OF BHAGAT SINGH
By the time the credits rolled on this terrific film, I was tearing up considerably (strange, since it?s been a long time since I?ve cried over a film). This Bhagat Singh movie (only one of the fifty thousand other ones this year on the patriotic hero) excels in its terrific direction by Rajkumar Santoshi and a brilliant performance by Ajay Devgan (who has had a terrific year and deserves another National Award). Want to see a great film with great production values and that will move you with its rousing music and astounding script? You can?t do better than this one. Historically sound, this film is a great way to visit the India of the past and to better understand the lasting effects of British colonial rule. It?s not perfect though - sometime the film is too in love with its hero, and some more sequences detailing his flaws and inner struggle would have been interesting. Also, I would have liked to seen more development in contrasting his method of uprising with Gandhi?s (very interesting aspect of the film). Finally, A.R. Rahman?s score at times goes a little over board, although his composition of the songs were brilliant, as always. Terrific film, will add it to my DVD collection soon.
2. COMPANY
Whoa. This is the film that was delaying my top ten, as I only saw it last night (I can?t understand why I?ve been putting it off for so long). Brilliant film. Suspenseful. Expertly made. Perfectly acted. I can go on and on about this excellent movie that entertains, shocks and definitely surprises. Ajay Devgan astounds again in another great performance as an underworld don who takes on Chandu (a raw and unrecognizable Vivek Oberoi). As is well until an accident splits apart the company, and the fate of Mumbai must be decided only by the outcomes of this gang war. Ram Gopal Varma has always churned out movies that I?ve more respected than actually loved, but this film is a near masterpiece. I can honestly say that I was completely floored by every frame, and never knew what twist was around the corner. A special mention should go out to whoever wrote the film (was it Varma?), fashioning a story that is intelligent and incredibly engaging. Of course, I had some problems with the film that prevented it from attaining the number one spot on this list. Firstly, the Urmilla song in the beginning was just silly, and actively hurt the film - I don?t know why the hell it was included. Secondly, the Manisha Koirala track seems forced; she has nothing to do in the film. She does well with the limited material she has to work with, but she seems more like a plot device than a character. Finally, ?Khallas? doesn?t fit, no matter how much Varma defends it?s very much a part of the plot. This film would have worked better with the songs in the background. By the way, I don?t dislike ?Khallas? - I think the music is terrific, and play the CD all the time. Anyways, these are minor quibbles. Bravo! I can?t wait to see what Varma comes out with next.
1. DEVDAS
Wow, will I have to defend this choice or what? Heheh. Controversial!!! I suppose it was inevitable that this film would receive a major backlash of nasty comments and criticism, but I ignored all the buzz and rumours before I saw this film. I?ll refrain from attempting to defend the film point by point, because that will start a huge debate that seems unwarranted, and has already come and gone. What I will say is that DEVDAS was a technical masterpiece - say what you will about the film, but Sanjay Leela Bhansali is a master of this visual medium. But aside from the technical values that everyone jumps on, I think that DEVDAS has unfairly received a lot of criticism because it was predictable and drawn out. What everyone fails to realize that this story is where all love stories came from; this is our ?Romeo and Juliet?. Ask anyone, and they?ll tell you that if they have to sit through one more version of the aforementioned Shakespeare play, there will be hell to pay. Similarly, DEVDAS is our archetypal love story or unrequited and denied love; many find it boring or repetitive, but this is OUR story. I say we shouldn?t try to attempt to copy others (KAANTE and RAAZ anyone?). I think that DEVDAS delivers what it sets out to convey. It?s a passionate, flawed, beautiful and emotional film that represents what Hindi films are all about. I think it beautifully captures of the spirit of Bimal Roy?s original masterpiece, adding the dazzle and melodrama of the Bollywood genre. Sure, it?s over the top and silly at times, but that?s part of the charm. DEVDAS doesn?t make any apologies about what it does, and I respect it for that.
The ACTING OF 2002
Best Actor - Ajay Devgan, THE LEGEND OF BHAGAT SINGH
In my mind, there was only one person this award could have gone to, and it was him. His brave, passionate and powerful performance is incredible to watch. He deserves all the awards this year.
Best Actress - Aishwarya Rai, DEVDAS
Finally, Aish has understood that shrieking does not equal good acting. She gives a dazzling portrayal and range of transitions from a young girl to a thakurayan's wife.
Best Supporting Actor - Vivek Oberoi, COMPANY
I think this guy deserves some recognition for his terrific work this year, and his best work was no doubt relayed in Ram Gopal Varma's COMPANY. Comparing him in this film and in SAATHIYA, I doubt a non-Bollywood moviegoer would realize it was the same person.
Best Supporting Actress - Madhuri Dixit, DEVDAS
Turn on the camera, and Madhuri Dixit becomes a screen goddess. In DEVDAS, she is shot lovingly by Bhansali, and her incredible range and beauty are effectively expressed. This is great acting, folks.
Best Ensemble - COMPANY
Yeah. So... I guess I'm done.
 h:
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To each his own, but I found "Na Tum Jaano Na Hum" to be
quite exquisite at times (and rather bad at other times).
Overall for me one of the better Bollywood films of 2002,
though.
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Although I have agree with you on AB and Amisha"Tomato"Patel...About time the mafia got them!!