Here are five movies to spice up your weekend.
Film: Teesri Manzil (Hindi)
Cast: Shammi Kapoor, Asha Parekh, Helen and Prem Chopra
Director: Vijay Anand
Plot: Sunita (Parekh) blames Rocky, the drummer (Kapoor), for her sister's death. But she also ends up falling in love with him. Who is the real killer?
Aces: This sixties brand of colourful entertainment continues to ride high on Shammi Kapoor's ebullient charm and Asha Parekh's chic vivacity. Vijay Anand's wizardry as a director and storyteller made this whodunit a formidable mix of style and substance. R D Burman's dazzling soundtrack featuring smash hits like O mere sona re, O haseena zulfonwali, Tumne mujhe dekha and Aaja aaja contributed greatly to the film's super success.
Extras: Available with English subtitles.
Film: Bruce Almighty (English)
Cast: Jim Carrey, Morgan Freeman and Jennifer Aniston
Director: Tom Shadyac
Plot: Buffalo-based TV reporter Bruce (Carrey) hates his job and life. He blames God (Freeman) for everything that goes wrong 24/7. To make understand that it's easier to blame God than be Him, God loans Bruce his superpowers.
Aces: Whenever director Tom Shadyac and Jim Carrey come together, the outcome is hilarious and box-office gold. Remember Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and Liar Liar? Bruce Almighty too evokes chuckles and guffaws galore, thanks to Carrey's trademark energy and superb sense of comic timing. The actor plays to the gallery here too, unabashedly. The outcome is as good as it gets. Oscar-winner Morgan Freeman's presence adds class and credibility while Jennifer Aniston inserts glamour to the proceedings. Currently Shadyac is filming the sequel, Evan Almighty, sans Carrey and Aniston. Freeman, meanwhile, continues to play God.
Extras: Available in Spanish and French subtitles. Available Audio Tracks: English, French, Spanish. Commentary by Director Tom Shadyac. The Process of Jim: A featurette. Outtakes. Deleted scenes.
Film: Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman (Hindi)
Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Nana Patekar, Juhi Chawla and Amrita Singh.
Director: Aziz Mirza
Plot: An ambitious young engineer (Khan) comes to Mumbai with starry dreams. He falls in love with a middle class girl (Chawla) and all is hunky dory. But soon, at the risk of losing his conscience, he is taken in by the glitzy and glamorous high-society of moneyed folks.
Aces: When this movie released in 1992, Shah Rukh Khan was a relative newcomer. He was yet to achieve the kind of superstardom he enjoys today. That doesn't make this Shree 420 remake any less engaging. Filmmaker Aziz Mirza's used SRK's goofy mannerisms, Juhi's good-natured lure and Amrita Singh's strong screen presence to his best advantage in this feel-good drama with a message. Jatin-Lalit's pleasant compositions were another plus.
Extras: Available with English subtitles.
Film: The Barbarian Invasions (Les Invasions Barbares, French)
Cast: Remy Girard, Stephane Rousseau, Dorothee Berryman, Louise Portal and Dominique Michel.
Director: Denys Arcand
Plot: Set in Quebec, Canada, this one's about a dying man (Girard) reluctantly coming to terms with the inevitable. Friends and family gather around him to spend their last moments together. His son (Rousseau), who lives in London, tries to make up for his prolonged absence by spending extravagantly on his father's needs and comfort.
Aces: The Barbarian Invasions (2003) is a much-delayed sequel to The Decline Of The American Empire (1986). Winner of the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film, Invasions grabs you with its ideas on social and emotional issues, which are delicately laid out in this somewhat disjointed plot. Strong performances from the cast, especially Girard and Rousseau, make this leisurely paced drama interesting viewing.
Extras: Available in English subtitles. French audio tracks. Inside The Barbarian Invasions.
Film: The Lion King (English)
Cast: Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Matthew Broderick, James Earl Jones, Jeremy Irons and Moira Kelly.
Director: Roger Allers, Rob Minkoff
Plot: Deep in the jungles of Africa, a prince is born to the mighty King Mufasa. He is named Simba. This piece of news spoils Uncle Scar's chances of becoming King. The vicious Scar murders Mufasa and puts Simba on a guilt trip causing the latter to leave the kingdom. He grows up and understands his father's death wasn't his fault and returns to reclaim his rightful place.
Aces: The Lion King is not just another cartoon flick. Like a typical Disney movie, it will make you cry and laugh with its tender emotions and glorious animation but it goes beyond cute and carefree. It is pretty intense while conveying Scar's treachery, Mufasa's killing and Simba's misery and regret. Elton John's wonderful soundtrack sets the perfect backdrop. For all its visual appeal and technical finesse, The Lion King is essentially backed by solid voice-overs. Be it the witty exchanges between the characters of Timon the Meerkat (Nathan Lane) and Pumba the Warthog (Ernie Sabella) or the chilling terror in Jeremy Irons' baritone as Scar.
Extras: Opt for the Platinium edition on DVD, which offers a whole lot of goodies. Available subtitles: English, French. Available audio Tracks: English, French. Disc 1 includes: Special Edition (featuring a new song) and original theatrical release both digitally restored and remastered. Deleted scenes. Audio commentaries. Singalong track. Two music videos including Circle of life performed by the Disney Channel stars. On Disc 2, you will find: Go beyond and explore the complete worldwide phenomenon in five areas: Animal Journey, story journey, stage journey, film journey and music journey. Exciting games with all-new animation: Virtual Safari, Grab A Grub, Personality Profile & Sound Sensations. Two navigational platforms.
