T I T A N I C

Titanic is a 1997 American epic romantic disaster film directed, written, co-produced, co-edited and partly financed by James Cameron. A fictionalized account of the sinking of the RMS Titanic, it stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet as members of different social classes who fall in love aboard the ship during its ill-fated maiden voyage.

Cameron's inspiration for the film was predicated on his fascination with shipwrecks; he wanted to convey the emotional message of the tragedy and felt that a love story interspersed with the human loss would be essential to achieving this. Production on the film began in 1995, when Cameron shot footage of the actual Titanic wreck. The modern scenes were shot on board the Akademik Mstislav Keldysh, which Cameron had used as a base when filming the wreck. A reconstruction of the Titanic was built at Playas de Rosarito in Baja California, scale models, andcomputer-generated imagery were used to recreate the sinking. The film was partially funded by Paramount Pictures and 20th Century Fox, and, at the time, was the most expensive film ever made, with an estimated budget of $200 million.

Upon its release on December 19, 1997, the film achieved critical and commercial success. Nominated for fourteen Academy Awards, it won eleven, including the awards for Best Picture and Best Director, tying Ben Hur (1959) for most Oscars won by a single film. With an initial worldwide gross of over $1.84 billion, it was the first film to reach the billion-dollar mark. It remained the highest-grossing film of all time, until Cameron's 2009 film Avatar surpassed its gross in 2010. A 3D version of the film, released on April 4, 2012 (often billed as Titanic 3D) to commemorate the centenary of the sinking of the ship, earned it an additional $343.6 million worldwide, pushing Titanic's worldwide total to $2.18 billion. It became the second film to gross more than $2 billion worldwide (after Avatar).

 

In 1996, treasure hunter Brock Lovett and his team are searching the wreck of RMS Titanic for a necklace with a rare diamond, the Heart of the Ocean. They recover a safe and find inside a drawing of a nude woman wearing only the necklace. The drawing is dated April 14, 1912, the day the Titanic hit the iceberg. An elderly woman calling herself Rose Dawson Calvert and claiming to be the person in the drawing visits Lovett aboard the research vessel Keldysh and tells of her experiences as a passenger on the Titanic.

It is 1912 in Southampton, and 17-year-old first-class passenger Rose DeWitt Bukater, her fiancé Caledon "Cal" Hockley, and her mother Ruth DeWitt Bukater are boarding the Titanic. Ruth emphasizes the importance of Rose's engagement; the marriage will resolve the DeWitt Bukaters' secret financial problems. Made distraught by the engagement, Rose considers committing suicide by jumping off the ship's stern; Jack Dawson, a penniless artist, intervenes and convinces her not to jump. Discovered with Jack, Rose tells Cal she was looking over the edge and Jack saved her from falling. Cal is at first indifferent to Jack's actions, but when Rose indicates that some recognition is due, Cal offers Jack a small amount of money. After Rose mocks Cal by asking if saving her life meant so little, he invites Jack to dine with them in first class the following night. Jack and Rose develop a tentative friendship, even though Cal and Ruth are wary of the young third-class passenger. Following the dinner, Rose secretly joins Jack at a party in third-class.

Cal and Ruth both disapprove of Rose seeing Jack, so Rose attempts to rebuff Jack's continuing advances. However, she soon realizes that she prefers him to Cal, and goes to meet him during what turns out to be the Titanic's last moments of daylight ever. They go to Rose's stateroom, where she asks Jack to sketch her nude wearing only the Heart of the Ocean necklace, which was Cal's engagement present to her. Afterward, they evade Cal's bodyguard and make love in an automobile in the ship's cargo hold. Later, the pair go to the ship's forward deck, witness a collision with an iceberg, then overhear the ship's officers and designer discussing its seriousness. Rose and Jack decide to warn her mother and Cal.

Cal discovers Jack's sketch of Rose and a mocking note from Rose are in Cal's safe along with the necklace. Furious, he arranges for his bodyguard to slip the necklace into Jack's coat pocket. Accused of stealing it, Jack is arrested, taken to the Master-at-arms' office, and handcuffed to a pipe. Cal puts the necklace in his own coat pocket. Rose evades both Cal and her mother, who has managed to board a lifeboat, then frees Jack. The crew starts to launch flares to attempt to obtain help from nearby ships.

Once Jack and Rose reach the top deck, Cal and Jack encourage Rose to board a lifeboat; Cal claims that he has arranged for himself and Jack to get off safely. After she boards, Cal tells Jack the arrangement is only for himself. As Rose's boat lowers away, she realizes she cannot leave Jack and jumps back on board the Titanic to reunite with him. Infuriated, Cal takes a pistol and chases them into the flooding first-class dining saloon. After using up all his ammunition, Cal realizes, to his chagrin, that he gave his coat and the diamond to Rose. With the situation now extreme, he returns topside and boards a lifeboat by carrying a lost child in his arms.

Jack and Rose return to the top deck. All lifeboats have now departed and passengers are falling to their death as the stern rises out of the water. The ship breaks in half, and the stern rises 90 degrees into the air. As it sinks, Jack and Rose ride the stern into the ocean. Jack helps Rose onto a wooden panel only buoyant enough to support one person. Holding the edge of the panel, he assures her she will die an old woman, warm in her bed. Jack dies from hypothermia. Fifth Officer Harold Lowe has commandeered a lifeboat to search for survivors. Rose gets Lowe's attention and is saved.

Rose and the other survivors are taken by the RMS Carpathia to New York, where Rose gives her name as Rose Dawson in memory of Jack. She hides from Cal on Carpathia's deck as he searches for her. She learns later that he committed suicide after losing everything in the Wall Street Crash of 1929.

Back in the present, her story complete, Rose goes alone to the stern of Lovett's salvage vessel, takes out the Heart of the Ocean, which has been in her possession all along, and drops it into the sea over the wreck site. When she is seemingly asleep in her bed, the photos on her dresser visually chronicle that she lived a life of freedom and adventure thanks to Jack. A young Rose is then seen reuniting with Jack at the Grand Staircase of the RMS Titanic, congratulated by those who actually perished on the ship.

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Armageddon

Armageddon is a 1998 American science fiction disaster drama film, directed by Michael Bay, produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, and released byTouchstone Pictures. The film follows a group of blue-collar deep-core drillers sent by NASA to stop a gigantic asteroid on a collision course withEarth. It features an ensemble cast including Bruce Willis, Ben Affleck, Billy Bob Thornton, Liv Tyler, Owen Wilson, Will Patton, Peter Stormare,William Fichtner, Michael Clarke Duncan, Keith David and Steve Buscemi.

Armageddon opened in theaters only two-and-a-half months after a similar impact-based movie, Deep Impact, which starred Robert Duvall andMorgan Freeman. Armageddon fared better at the box office, while astronomers described Deep Impact as being more scientifically accurate.Both films were equally received by film critics. Armageddon was an international box-office success, despite generally negative reviews from critics. It became the highest-grossing film of 1998 worldwide surpassing the Steven Spielberg war epic, Saving Private Ryan.

A massive meteor shower destroys the Space Shuttle Atlantis and bombards New York City, America's East Coast, and Finland. NASA discovers that a rogue comet the size of Texas passed through the asteroid belt and pushed forward a large amount of space debris. The Texas-sized asteroid itself will collide with Earth in eighteen days, creating another extinction event. NASA scientists, led by Dan Truman (Thornton), plan to bury a nuclear device deep inside the asteroid that, when detonated, will split the asteroid in two, driving the pieces apart so both will fly safely past the Earth. NASA contacts Harry Stamper (Willis), considered the best deep-sea oil driller in the world, for assistance and advice. Harry returns to NASA, along with his daughter Grace (Tyler), to keep her away from her new boyfriend, one of Harry's young and rambunctious drillers, A. J. Frost (Affleck). Harry and Grace learn about the asteroid, and Harry explains he will need his team, including A. J., to carry out the mission. Once they have been rounded up and the situation is explained, they agree to help, but only after their list of unusual rewards and demands are met.

As NASA puts Harry and his crew through a short and rigorous astronaut training program, Harry and his team re-outfit the mobile drillers, named the "Armadillos", that will be used on the asteroid. When a large fragment from the asteroid wipes out Shanghai, NASA is forced to reveal its plans to the world and launches two military space shuttles, named Freedom and Independence. Once in orbit, the shuttles dock with the Russian space stationMir, manned by Lev Andropov (Stormare), to refuel. A fire breaks out during the transfer, and the station is evacuated just before it explodes, with Lev and A. J. making a narrow escape. The shuttles slingshot around the Moon in order to land on the back side of the asteroid. Traveling through the asteroid's debris field Independence's hull is punctured and crashes onto the rock. Grace, watching from NASA headquarters, is distraught about A. J.'s apparent death.

Freedom lands safely, but misses the target area by twenty-six miles, so the team must now drill through an area of compressed iron ferrite rather than the targeted softer stone. When they fall significantly behind schedule and communications are about to fail, the military initiates "Secondary Protocol" to remotely detonate the nuclear weapon on the asteroid's surface, which apparently will not have any effect. While Truman delays the military at Mission Control, Harry persuades the shuttle commander (Fichtner) to disarm the bomb so they can complete the drilling.

Distracted by "Rockhound" (Buscemi), who is having a mental breakdown, the Freedom crew loses their Armadillo and its operator (Campbell) when it strikes a gas pocket and is blown into space. World panic ensues as the mission is assumed lost, just as another meteorite destroys Paris. Suddenly, A. J., Lev, and "Bear" (Duncan), having survived the Independence crash, arrive in time in the second Armadillo to complete the drilling.

As the asteroid approaches the Earth, it heats up, causing a dangerous rock storm that damages the bomb's remote trigger. They realize someone must stay behind to detonate it manually. After all the non-flight crew volunteers, they draw straws, and A. J. is selected. As he and Harry exit the airlock, Harry rips off A. J.'s air hose and shoves him back inside, telling him he is the son Harry never had, and he would be proud to have A.J. marry Grace. Harry prepares to detonate the bomb and contacts Grace to say his last goodbyes. After the Freedom moves to a safe distance, Harry pushes the button at the last minute (after some difficulty) and his life passes before his eyes as the asteroid is destroyed. It breaks in two and both halves fly past the Earth. Freedom lands, and the surviving crew are treated as heroes. The film ends with A. J. and Grace's wedding, complete with photos of Harry and the other lost crew members present in memoriam.

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Walking on the Wild Side

Han Jie’s feature debut draws on his own experiences growing up in a desolate mining district in northern China’s Shanxi province. A Chinese road movie, Walking on the Wild Side charts a young gang’s continuous flights from one kind of trouble to the next. Mirroring the stark and barren landscape, the film relays the grim story of these delinquents’ dreams of liberty and easy money. Played by nonprofessional actors who are real life troublemakers, the film offers a realism that is at once oppressive, cruel, and sympathetic. Produced by Jia Zhangke – asiasociety.org

Han excels at capturing the deadening landscape of barren hills and exhaust-filled skies, physical manifestations of the numbed inhabitants. – Jay Weissberg, Variety

Chines title: LAI XIAO ZI
DIR: Han Jie
PROD: Jia Zhangke, Natacha Devillers
SCR: Han Jie
DP: Wei Xu, Li Hongjian
CAST: Bai Paijiang, Guo Qiang, Hou Jing, Lu Jie, Tian Zhaoting,Zhang Xingxing
PROD: DES Liu Giang

Plot : Han Jie sets the story in his native province of Shanxi in Northwest China, where coal mines sprang up all over the place during the nineties. The main character is also called Han Jie (the director's alter ego, he based the film largely on his own experiences) and grows up in this heavily polluted area, where most of the young men engage in petty crimes, like gambling and stealing. The young Han soon becomes a victim of the youth gang of Xiaosi, basically a bunch of feeble-minded idiots who spend most of their day harassing school boys for their money, when they're not drunk or raping girls. When Han's cousin Xiping teaches Xiaosi and his "Gang of the Four Stars" a lesson, the gang members vow revenge, forcing him and Han to flee town.

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The Moss

The Skinny:

Sophomore effort from the director of The Pye-Dog is watchable and intriguing, but possesses characters and relationships that prove interminable instead of compelling.The Moss is better as a crime thriller than a character drama, but barely more than an average combination of both.

The Moss shares a few things in common with Derek Kwok's debut film, the pretentious, but still engaging and stylish Pye-Dog. Both films focus on low-level members of the triad underworld, both use quirk and fantasy to offset harsh realities, and both use an unlikely friendship to earn most of their emotional impact. However,Pye-Dog had a few things going for it that Moss doesn't. For one thing, the relationships created in Pye-Dog were much better acted and felt. The central relationship in Moss is between a homeless hitman (Fan Siu-Wong) and an underage Mainland prostitute (Shi Xueyi), and their bond just doesn't strike the same chord as Eason Chan's and Wen Jun-Hui's friendship in Pye-Dog. Also, to state the obvious, Eason Chan is a much better actor than Fan Siu-Wong.

But more important to the Pye-Dog vs. Moss comparison is that Derek Kwok's ideas felt more novel on his first feature. A debut director always gets some latitude because they have yet to establish their "thing", i.e. the overriding themes, devices, and narrative shortcuts that become a part of their continuing work. Some directors can make that thing into their strength (e.g., Johnnie To and his Buddhist leanings), but to other directors, it can become a crutch (e.g., Wong Kar-Wai in My Blueberry Nights). Kwok's ideas were never truly original (Really, what in cinema is anymore?), but he managed to affect in Pye-Dog with his particular mixture, a combination of Hong Kong Cinema tropes and borderline risky sentimentality. The whole of Pye-Dogwas somewhat manufactured, but there was obvious heart and an actual attempt at meaning. Successful or not, The Pye-Dog signaled the arrival of a director to watch.

The Moss confirms that Kwok is still on the "to watch" list, though its repeated devices and lack of compelling characters nudge it close to a sophomore stumble. The star is the ubiquitous Shawn Yue, who strains valiantly in the role of Jan, an ex-undercover cop who has serious loyalty issues. He may be a regular cop now, but he still has some ties to former boss Bro Tong (Liu Kai-Chi), plus he's inextricably tied to Tong's rival, Chong Mom (Siu Yam-Yam, who just won a Hong Kong Film Award for her turn in Pye-Dog). We first meet Jan on a prostitute raid, when he betrays his duty by helping his prostitute girlfriend Lulu (Bonnie Xian of Naraka 19) escape questioning. Just before, Lulu's little cousin Fa (Shi Xueyi) arrives to join the trade, plying her underage wares to earn cash from the local johns. She understandably needs to be hidden from the raiding cops, but there's yet another thing going on at the same time. Chong Mom's fat son returns from the Mainland with a gift for his mom - an emerald that he's hidden in his rectum. He takes a break to visit a prostitute, and gets into a fight with her just upstairs from Jan's raiding cop team.

The outcome of all these criss-crossing, "wow, isn't it a coincidence that all this is happening at the same time" elements? The emerald shoots (or perhaps squirts) out the window and ends up in Fa's hands, Chong Mom's son goes missing, Chong Mom blames his disappearance on Bro Tong, and Jan is called in to clean up the whole mess. Chong Mom wants him to negotiate with Bro Tong to find her son, but nobody seems to be amenable to a nice chat, and things get worse with the arrival of the homeless Beggar (Fan Siu-Wong), who takes out Bro Tong's men with brute force, leaving few alive and Jan in a pretty bad state, too. To further complicate the coincidences, the Beggar befriends Fa, leading to more problems when his violent tendencies erupt around Fa and Lulu. Fa is kidnapped by the Beggar, Lulu ends up in the hospital, and Jan now has Chong Mom AND his overbearing superior officer (Shaun Tam) on his case. All this, plus a group of violent Pakistanis that may or may not be tied into the brewing gang war. Jan? He just wants to get Fa back, make Lulu happy, and ride off into the sunset like the prostitute-visiting, burnt-out, beaten-down corrupt cop that he is. But is the Beggar really a bad guy, and is there some other sinister force at play?

The screenplay of this gritty character crimer is rife with interesting details, small ironies, and little quirks, many of which feel like they belong in a Johnnie To movie (co-screenwriter Szeto Kam-Yuen is a veteran of many Milkyway productions). The opening of the film signals some promise, and though some details are forced, The Moss initially looks like it'll be a nice addition to Hong Kong's quirky crime-films-with-character tradition. Kwok has an eye for capturing the dirty streets of local districts Tai Kok Tsui and Sham Sui Po, and his usage of shaky-cam action and sweaty characters gives the film a claustrophobic, tense feel. Kwok's doesn't enthrall with his exploration of street-level Hong Kong jiang hu, but he does enough to generate and sustain interest in his ensemble cops-and-crime soap opera. He dutifully establishes characters, conflicts, and goals, and sets them all in play towards an uncertain, anticipated outcome.

Unfortunately, that's when The Moss stalls, very noticeably. At a certain point, the players are known and their situations defined, but instead of heightened tension we get a pace-shattering slowdown that starts to feel interminable. The film focuses on each character's situation and motivations, and we learn that each has been marginalized, if not by circumstance then perhaps by choice. The title "The Moss" is literally invoked, relating to the idea that we can't all be trees in the forest, and sometimes it's better to be just the moss on the rocks. Wow, what better metaphor is there for a crappy corrupt cop, an unbalanced homeless hitman, and an unfortunate underage hooker than to compare them to incidental vegetation in the woods that nobody gives a lick about? If nothing, The Moss tries to mean something. Kwok and company have put a lot of thought into their motion picture, and their effort is noted.

Unfortunately, their effort doesn't really translate into success. The meaning in The Moss is well-taken, but Kwok doesn't really get his intentions to fully register. For one thing, the metaphor and meaning require labored explanation, and for another, these characters are very difficult to care about. There's supposed pathos in the Beggar's friendship with Fa, plus Jan's murky loyalties to his job and his girl, but Kwok fails to make the situations matter. The intended significance of them is easy to discern, as it's spelled out with navel-gazing dialogue and more than a few extended metaphors. However, the characters themselves are not truly likable, and the details made to humanize them - the Beggar's love for his mother, and Fa's affinity for a fantasy pop-up book - never become more than just narrative devices. Shawn Yue's Jan is even less compelling, because his character arc is one of maturation or growth, and simply watching Shawn Yue brood doesn't get the job done. The midsection of The Moss drags, and it takes its characters and situations down with it.

Thankfully, the film does recover for a surprisingly violent finale that entertains in a visceral, if not substantial manner. Characters get sweaty and bloody, and there is some feeling of redemption, minor though it may be. The problem is that The Mosswants it to be major. This is a pretentious film, more so than Pye-Dog as The Mosslacks the playfulness and likeable characters that came with Kwok's previous film. Other than a few guiltily fun gags (the hiding place of the emerald is an amusing, though dirty talking point), The Moss is a largely serious affair, with only the occasional black humor adding some edge. Many of the film's more interesting talking points may have nothing to do with its meaning, e.g. the casting of TVB fixture Gill Mohindepaul Singh in a key role, or the minor crime riffs that feel taken from the Johnnie To/Milkyway playbook. There's still value in The Moss, and Derek Kwok remains a director to watch. One hopes, however, that he can find new stories and ideas to work with rather than leaning on his established devices. If he can't find better ways to channel his pet themes and ideas, Kwok's "promising filmmaker" status may become short-lived.

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Martial Angels

Martial Angels (Chinese: 絕色神偷) is a 2001 Hong Kong film directed by Clarence Fok Yiu-leung.

cast:

• Julian Cheung - Zi-Yang
• Shu Qi - Cat
• Kelly Lin - Octopus
• Sandra Ng - Monkey
• Teresa Mak - Goldfish
• Rachel Ngan - Pigeon
• Terence Yin - Bone
• Rosemary Vandenbroucke - Peacock
• Amanda Strang - Spider
• Wong Jing - Fred
• Ron Smoorenburg - Paracov
• Max Ruddock - Barry, henchmen

Shu Qi stars as Cat, a gorgeous high-tech thief who's teamed with a bevy of equally gorgeous beauties. The film's opening details her attempt at lifting a diamond necklace, which also happened to be her first meeting with gorgeous male thief Lok (Julian Cheung). They escape together and passion begins. However, three years later the two have gone their separate ways, and Cat has abandoned the life. But, Cat discovers that "whenever she tries to get out, they pull her back in." Godfatherclichés aside, it seems that the Russian mafia have kidnapped Lok, and want Cat to complete a job for them.

To achieve this, Cat enlists her former associates, consisting of Kelly Lin, Sandra Ng, Teresa Mak, Rachel Ngan, and models Amanda Strang and Rosemary. Their initial plan is to steal Lok back from the Russians, but circumstances dictate that they must break into a high-tech vault and steal some valuable software. To do so, they need the help of explosives expert Bone (Terence Yin), who happens to be an over-the-top sex maniac. Then stuff blows up, people yell and scream and there's some fighting.

The pedigree for this action thriller is promising, as it was directed by Clarence Fok (Naked Killer, Cheap Killers) and produced by Wong Jing (every other Hong Kong film ever made). You'd think the Naked Killer team could be more inspired when handed beautiful babes and outlandish plotlines, but they just don't pull it off here.Martial Angels is massively uneven, mixing stylized action, overdone emotions and screwy comedy. Naked Killer did this too, but it had a decidedly sick sense of humor that was both hilarious and engaging. Martial Angels gives us more gorgeous women, but the humor is tired and bland. The action really isn't up to par either, as it's stylized action crap that have typified many a western film and too many recent Hong Kong ones.

Even more annoying is the all-over-the-map acting. Shu Qi phones this one in, and of the other females only Sandra Ng shows any sort of life. Terence Yin attempts to cement his position as the new Simon Yam thanks to his incredibly over-the-top performance as the horny Bone. It only works halfway, because he's paired with model Amanda Strang, who's pretty but looks like she's posing for a catalog. Without any consistency among the actors, the film comes off as messy and rushed. And quite frankly, the poor CG effects do nothing to help.

If Martial Angels has a positive, it would be that the cast is uniformly good looking (except for Wong Jing, who turns up in a cameo). Still, it's been established that having pretty stars cannot save a movie and it certainly doesn't save this one.Martial Angels needs a lot more, and given Clarence Fok's earlier work, you'd think he was up to the challenge. Sadly, he wasn't.

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Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham

Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... (English: Sometimes Happiness, Sometimes Sadness), also known as K3G, is a 2001 drama film written and directed by Karan Johar and produced by his father, Yash Johar, under the banner of Dharma Productions. Written specifically to evoke nostalgia among the expatriate Indian audiences, the film stars Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan, Kajol, Hrithik Roshan and Kareena Kapoor in leading roles, with Rani Mukerji appearing in an extended cameo appearance. The music was composed by Jatin Lalit, Sandesh Shandilyaand Aadesh Shrivastava, with lyrics penned by Sameer and Anil Pandey. The background score was composed by Babloo Chakravarty. The film tells the story of an Indian family, which faces troubles and misunderstandings over their adopted son's marriage to a girl belonging to a lower socio-economic group than them.

Development of the film began in 1998, soon after the release of Karan's debut film Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998). Principal photography began on 16 October 2000 in Mumbai and continued in London and Egypt. Initially scheduled to release during the Diwali festivities of 2001, the film eventually released in India, United Kingdom and North America on 14 December 2001. In 2003, it became the first Indian film to be given a theatrical release inGermany. Upon release, the film met with mixed reviews from film critics and received polarising reactions to Karan Johar's "larger-than-life" directorial style. Certain academicians criticised the portrayal of a "morally corrupt" British society against an "idealist" Indian society.

Made on a budget of 40 crore (US$6.8 million), Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... emerged as a major commercial success, both domestically and internationally, with a lifetime gross of 117.29 crore (US$20 million). Outside India, the film was the highest grossing Indian film ever, until its record was broken by Karan's next directorial, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006). Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... won several awards at popular award ceremonies the following year, including five Filmfare Awards.

Yashvardhan "Yash" Raichand (Amitabh Bachchan) is a rich businessman, living in India with his wife Nandini (Jaya Bachchan) and two sons Rahul and Rohan. Rahul is the elder son and was adopted by Yash and Nandini when he was first born. At the age of eight, he learns of this and as a result feels obliged to them. This truth is known to everyone in the Raichand household, with the exception of Rohan.

Years later, a grown Rahul (Shah Rukh Khan) comes across the beautiful Anjali Sharma (Kajol). The two become friends and eventually fall in love. However, they know deep down that their relationship has no future, because Anjali is from a working class background. Yash and Nandini soon send Rohan off to Boarding School, somewhere all the males in their family have attended. Yash announces his desire for Rahul to marry Naina (Rani Mukherji), the daughter of his closest friend. Naina learns however that Rahul is in love with Anjali, and encourages him to follow his heart. When Yash comes to know of Rahul's love for Anjali, he is enraged and hurt. Rahul promises his father that he will not marry Anjali. When he goes to tell her that he cannot marry her, he is shocked to discover that her father (Alok Nath) has passed away. Unable to see the woman he loves in pain, he decides to marry her despite his father's hostility. Yash learns of the marriage and is furious. He disowns Rahul, saying he no longer considers him his son. Nandini and Rahul share a tearful goodbye. Nandini sends Sayeeda (Farida Jalal), Rahul and Rohan's nanny, to watch over her son so that he will never feel apart from a mother's love. Rahul visits Rohan in Boarding School and tells him that he is leaving home forever. He begs Rohan to never ask where he went or why he left and also asks that he take care of Nandini.

Ten years later, Rohan (Hrithik Roshan) returns home from Boarding School. He learns from his grandmothers (Achala Sachdev and Sushma Seth) that Rahul was adopted, and the reason why Rahul left the house. Rohan vows to reunite the family. He travels to Chandini Chowk, where Anjali used to live and learns that Rahul, Anjali, and her younger sister Pooja moved to London. He tells his parents that he wishes to do some further studies in London; his parents agree to let him go. In London, Rahul is now a wealthy businessman. He and Anjali now have their own son, Krish. Pooja (Kareena Kapoor) is now a student at King's College London. Rohan enrolls there too. He and Pooja meet again and he tells her that he has come to London to bring his brother and sister-in-law back home. Pooja tells Rahul that Rohan is her friend's brother who currently has nowhere to stay. After some persuasion, Rahul agrees to let Rohan stay. Rohan constantly drops the family hints as to who he is. At Krish's school function he leads his class in singing the Indian National Anthem. Later, Krish recites advice which Rohan had given him. Rahul had given Rohan this advice 10 years back, so he now realises that he has been reunited with his brother all this time.

Rohan begs Rahul to come back home, but the latter refuses as he believes his father will never accept him. Pooja convinces Rohan to invite his parents to London and have them meet Rahul, hoping this will encourage them to patch things up. Rahul and Nandini are overjoyed to see one another, however Rahul still refuses to talk to his father. Yash learns about Rohan's true intentions and is livid. Soon, Yash receives a phone call and learns that his mother is on her death bed; her last wish being for Yash, Rahul and Rohan to light her funeral pyre together. Although Yash does not want this, all the family attend the funeral together. Nandini now plucks up the courage to tell Yash that she thought he was wrong for disowning Rahul, whom he had brought up with so much love. Rohan and Pooja now talk to Rahul and convince him to talk to Yash. Yash now acknowledges his mistake and allows Rahul and Anjali to come back to the house. With the family reunited, Rohan and Pooja get married and the family also have a belated celebration of Rahul and Anjali's wedding.

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Pencet Sana Pencet Sini

Pencet Sana Pencet Sini adalah film drama komedi Indonesia yang diproduksi pada tahun 1994 dengan disutradarai oleh Agusti Tanjung dan dibintangi antara lain oleh Warkop DKI, Sally Marcellina, dan Taffana Dewi. Film ini adalah film terakhir Warkop DKI.

Sinopsis:
Dono (Wahyu Sardono), Indro (Indrojoyo Kusumo) dan Kasino (Kasino Hadiwibowo) sangat ingin mempunyai mobil, tapi mereka tidak mempunyai uang. Maka kedatangan paman Dono, Dewo Sastro (Tisna S. Brata), dimanfaatkan untuk meminta mobil. Sayang Dewo Sastro sangat pelit, permintaan Dono tidak dikabulkan. Mereka ridak kehabisan akal. Dengan bantuan teman-temannya, diaturlah sandiwara penculikan Dono oleh penjahat sungguhan, Mata Satu (S. Parya) yang kebetulan kenalannya Indro. Penjahat meminta tebusan pada Dewo Sastro yang jumlahnya cukup untuk membeli mobil. Tapi oleh Mata Satu, tebusan yang diminta jauh lebih besar dari yang disepakati semula. Dono bahkan diculik sungguhan dan benar-benar akan dibunuh bila permintaannya tidak dikabulkan. Namun Dewo Sastro tetap tak mau menebus Dono. Terpaksa Kasino, Indro dan para teman wanitanya berusaha menyelamatkan Dono. Belakangan Dewo Sastro justru menghadiahkan mobil mewah pada Dono karena telah berhasil meringkus Mata Satu. Ketika Dono, Kasino & Indro bersama para wanita mereka untuk merayakan keberhasilan, tiba-tiba mereka dihalangi 2 orang polisi (Pak Tile & Diding Boneng) yang sebenarnya merupakan orang gila dan # orang pemuda justru mengambil seragam polisi & mereka dihalangi 1 orang polisi yang diketahui juga merupakan orang gila. & Dono, bersama Kasino & Indro ditahan di Rumah Sakit Jiwa dan meteka berusaha kabur dan akhirnya petugas RSJ menangkap 2 orang gila tersebut dan 3 orang itu tadi sudah dibebaskan.

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Salah Masuk

Produser Ram Soraya

Sutradara Arizal
Penulis Agusti Tanjung, Tim Soraya Intercine Film
Pemeran Dono, Kasino, Indro, Tarida Gloria
Warna Warna
Bahasa utama Indonesia

Sinopsis:

Tiga sekawan Dono, Kasino, Indro menjadi pekerja film iklan. Kisah berjalan kesana-kemari khusus untuk mencari efek lucu. Mula-mula muncul soal Dono yang tertarik penari perut, yang lalu coba dirayu Indro memanfaatkan kesempatan Dono yang sedang pergi. Ternyata sang penari itu dimanfaatkan orang lain untuk memeras. Lalu bikin iklan bir dengan pemain gendut, yaitu Yuli (Tarida Gloria), yang saat shooting malah membuat kacau. Dan selanjutnya adalah rentetan banyolan yang tak ada hubungannya dengan peristiwa di atas.

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Mana Bisa Tahan

Mana Bisa Tahan adalah film drama komedi Indonesia yang diproduksi pada tahun 1990 dengan disutradarai oleh Agusti Tanjung dan dibintangi antara lain oleh Warkop DKI, Sally Marcelina, dan Nurul Arifin.

Sinopsis:

Dono punya pacar dua sekaligus, Windy (Nurul Arifin) dan Cindy (Sally Marcelina}, hingga sering sukar mengatur pertemuan dan sering salah paham. Kasino dan Indro iri, hingga ia membuat perpacaran Dono berantakan dengan menjelek-jelekkan Dono di hadapan orangtua kedua gadis tadi. Dono kemudian balas dendam dengan mengerjai Kasino dan Indro.

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Godain Kita Dong

Godain Kita Dong adalah film drama komedi Indonesia yang diproduksi pada tahun 1989 dengan disutradarai oleh Agusti Tanjung dan dibintangi antara lain oleh Warkop DKI dan Liza Patzy.

Sinopsis:

Kasino dan Indro bekerja di peternakan ayam milik pamannya (Tarzan). Mereka iri pada Dono, anak pamannya yang sekolah di | Amerika Serikat, dan kembalinya membawa pacar orang Amerika, Madonna (Lisa Patsy), padahal Dono sudah dijodohkan orangtuanya dengan Ayu Sukoco (Nandya Nathasia).

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Gantian Dong

Gantian Dong adalah film komedi Indonesia yang diproduksi pada tahun 1985 dan disutradarai oleh Arizal serta dibintangi antara lain oleh Dono, Kasino dan Indro dari Warkop Prambors.

Sinopsis:

Film ini menceritakan tentang Kasino yang berusaha merayu Vera, seorang gadis yang ingin main film. Ia mengatakan punya teman sutradara terkenal yang baru pulang dari luar negeri bernama Indro. Ketika liburan, Indro, Dono, Ira dan Lia mengadakan perkemahan. Kasino sengaja mengajak Vera untuk ikut perkemahan. Vera yang menduga benar bahwa Indro adalah sutradara, berusaha mendekati Indro. Maka terjadilah uring-uringan, sampai kebohongan Kasino akhirnya terbongkar. Lagi ulah Kasino yang mengejar cewek, kali ini di sebuah restoran. Kebetulan cewek yang diganggu adalah Julia yang sudah punya pacar. Lagi-lagi Indro jadi sasaran cemburu pacar Julia, bernama Tony, seorang jagoan. Indro dicari kemana pun pergi, hingga Indro merasa ketakutan dimana-mana. Dono dan Kasino menganjurkan, agar Indro bersembunyi di peti mati, dan mengumumkan bahwa Indro sudah mati. Pada mulanya Tony percaya, namun akhirnya jagoan itu tahu bila Indro hanya pura-pura mati. Untung Julia datang untuk memberi penyelesaian, sehingga Indro selamat dari kesalahpahaman itu.

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Pokoknya Beres

Pokoknya Beres adalah film drama komedi Indonesia yang diproduksi pada tahun 1983 dengan disutradarai oleh Arizal dan dibintangi antara lain oleh Warkop DKI, Eva Arnaz, serta Lydia Kandou.

Sinopsis:

Dono, Kasino, Indro, Marina (Eva Arnaz) dan Anita (Lydia Kandau) adalah teman satu kost. Pemilik kost itu adalah Us Us. Pertama-tama diceritakan Dono yang pandai masak dan melamar ke berbagai restoran tapi ditolak. Sementara Indro dan Kasino kerjanya hanya mengejar cewek dengan segala kibulannya, dan gagal terus. Suatu ketika, Anita menghilang tanpa sepengetahuan kawan-kawannya karena ayahnya datang. Kasino pergi mencari, tetapi justru ditangkap Polwan yang dirayunya. Indro juga tertangkap polisi karena telah merusak telpon umum, saat terjebak akibat pintunya macet.

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Setan Kredit

Setan Kredit adalah film drama komedi Indonesia yang diproduksi pada tahun 1981 dan disutradarai oleh Iksan Lahardi serta dibintangi antara lain oleh Warkop DKI, Minati Atmanegara, dan Alicia Djohar.

Sinopsis:

Dono, Kasino, dan Indro mendengar berita hilangnya seorang anak melalui radio yang menawarkan hadiah untuk yang menemukan. Mereka bertiga tertarik dengan hadiah yang diberikan untuk menemukan anak yang hilang. Kemudian mereka mendatangi tempat yang dikeramatkan untuk mendapat petunjuk. Sang penunggu meminta syarat kepada mereka untuk mendatangkan orang-orang yang mau menerima kredit. Setelah berusaha untuk mendapatkan orang-orang yang mau menerima kredit, mereka menagih janji untuk mendapat petunjuk, tetapi mereka tidak dapat apa-apa hingga diketahui bahwa berita yang hilang hanya kesalahan, karena sang anak hanya bersembunyi dan dinyatakan hilang.

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Batman & Robin

Batman & Robin is a 1997 American superhero drama film based on the DC Comics character Batman. The film was directed by Joel Schumacher, written by Akiva Goldsman, and stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, George Clooney, Chris O'Donnell, Uma Thurman, and Alicia Silverstone. It was distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. The fourth film in the Batman film series, the film tells the story of Batman and Robin as they attempt to prevent Mr. Freeze, Poison Ivy, and Bane from covering Gotham City with ice and vegetation while at the same time struggling to keep their partnership together.

Development for Batman & Robin began following the box office success of the previous film, Batman Forever. Warner Bros. commissioned the film for a June 1997 release. Schumacher and Goldsman conceived the film's plotline during pre-production on A Time to Kill. Principal photographybegan in September 1996 and finished in January 1997, two weeks ahead of the shooting schedule.

Batman & Robin was released on June 20, 1997, and was panned by critics. Observers criticized the film for its toyetic and camp approach, as well as homosexual innuendo added by Schumacher. Batman & Robin received 11 nominations at the 1997 ceremony of the Razzie Awards, including one for Worst Picture. After this, Warner Bros. canceled the unproduced Batman Triumphant, and the film series was eventually rebooted withBatman Begins (2005) by director Christopher Nolan. The song made for the film, "The End Is the Beginning Is the End" by The Smashing Pumpkins, won a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance at the 40th Grammy Awards. However, it was also nominated for the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Original Song.

In Gotham City, Batman and Robin attempt to stop a new villain called Mr. Freeze from stealing a cache of diamonds. The supervillain freezes Robin and flees, warning Batman he has 11 minutes to thaw Robin. They learn that Freeze was scientist Dr. Victor Fries who became dependent on a diamond-powered subzero suit following an accident in a cryogenics lab he was using to find a cure for his wife, Nora, who was suffering from aterminal illness called MacGregor's Syndrome.

Meanwhile, in South America, botanist Dr. Pamela Isley is working under Dr. Jason Woodrue, a mad scientist who recently had his funding cut byWayne Enterprises and is experimenting with the strength serum "Venom". Pamela discovers Woodrue subjecting a diminutive convict to the experiment, transforming him into the muscular "Bane". Woodrue and Pamela argue over the use of the drug and, when she refuses to join him, Woodrue overturns a shelf of various toxins onto her. She transforms into the seductive Poison Ivy before killing Woodrue with a kiss from her poisonous lips. She leaves with Bane for Gotham, intending to use the chemicals produced by Wayne Enterprises for her schemes.

Back in Gotham, Barbara Wilson, the niece of Bruce Wayne's butler Alfred Pennyworth, makes a surprise visit and is invited to stay at Wayne Manor until she returns to college. Alfred is revealed to be suffering from MacGregor's Syndrome. Poison Ivy interrupts a Wayne Enterprises press conference unveiling a new observatory, to propose a project that would turn Gotham City into a lush rainforest, but Bruce turns down the offer. Later, a charity event is held by Wayne Enterprises with special guests Batman and Robin in attendance. Ivy seduces them as well as several other men with her pheromone powder she blows at victims, until Freeze crashes the party and steals a diamond from the event. Freeze is captured by Batman and detained at Arkham Asylum, but flees with the help of Ivy and Bane after dealing with the guards who are guarding Freeze.

Ivy shuts off Nora's life support, and tells Freeze that Batman did it to convince Freeze into destroying Gotham. Meanwhile, Robin becomes smitten with Ivy and begins to rebel against Batman at Freeze's hideout. Ivy imprisons Robin when he does not give in to her charms and subdues Batman when he confronts her. Barbara — now a costumed crime-fighter calling herself Batgirl — arrives and defeats her. Batman, Robin and Batgirl go after Freeze together. When they arrive at the observatory where Freeze and Bane are, Gotham is completely frozen from Freeze's ice ray. Robin and Batgirl confront Bane and defeat him, while Batman and Freeze fight. After Batman defeats Freeze by placing a bat-shaped thaw machine on Freeze's suit, Freeze destroys the observatory with a set of bombs Bane planted, but Batman escapes. Batgirl and Robin unfreeze Gotham by repositioning the observatory's satellites, which use their mirrors to reflect sunlight, in order to thaw Gotham from outer space.

Batman shows an injured Freeze a recording of Ivy during her fight with Batgirl, in which she brags about killing Nora. Batman tells Freeze that his wife is not dead and was restored by himself upon learning about the unplugged chamber and would be moved to Arkham, where he could complete his research. Batman asks Victor for the cure he created for the first stage of MacGregor's Syndrome for Alfred. Victor then atones for his misdeeds by giving him two vials of the medicine he had developed.

Ivy is detained at Arkham with a vengeful Freeze as her cellmate lecturing her for trying to sabotage his research. Alfred is eventually healed, and everyone agrees to let Barbara stay at the mansion.

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Romeo + Juliet

Romeo + Juliet is a 1996 romantic-drama film adaptation of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. It was directed by Baz Luhrmann and starsLeonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes in the leading roles.

The film is an abridged modernization of Shakespeare's play. While it retains the original Shakespearean dialogue, the Montagues and the Capuletsare represented as warring business empires and swords are replaced by guns (with brand names such as "Dagger" and "Sword").

Some of the names were also changed. Lord and Lady Montague and Lord and Lady Capulet were given first names (as opposed to the Shakespeare original where their first names are never mentioned), Friar Lawrence became Father Lawrence, and Prince Escalus was renamed Captain Prince. There was also no Friar John, who was in the original play. Also, some characters were switched from one family to the other - in the original, Gregory and Sampson are Capulets, but in the film, they are Montagues. (Abra and Petruchio, conversely, are shifted from the Montague to the Capulet family.)

 
In the fictional modern-day location "Verona Beach", the Capulets and the Montagues are arch-rivals.[1] The animosity of the older generation — Fulgencio and Gloria Capulet and Ted and Caroline Montague — is felt by their younger relatives. A gunfight between the Montague boys led by Benvolio, Romeo's cousin, and the Capulet boys led by Tybalt, Juliet's cousin, creates chaos in the city. The Chief of Police, Captain Prince, reprimands the families, warning them that if such behavior continues, their lives "shall pay the forfeit of the peace".

Benvolio meets with Romeo on a beach. Whilst playing a game of pool they learn of a party being held by the Capulet's that evening which they decide to gate-crash (Romeo agreeing to come after discovering that his 'crush' Rosaline is attending).

The Montague boys meet their friend, Mercutio, who has tickets to the Capulet party. Romeo takes the Ecstasy pill Mercutio gave him and they proceed to the Capulet mansion. The effects of the drug and the party overwhelm Romeo, who goes to the rest-room. While admiring an aquarium, he sees Juliet. Tybalt spots Romeo and vows to kill him for invading his family's home, but Fulgencio stops him.

Romeo and Juliet sneak into an elevator and kiss. The nurse spots them when the doors open and drags Juliet away, while revealing to her that Romeo is a Montague. At the same time, Romeo realizes that Juliet is a Capulet. Mercutio takes Romeo from the party, but he sneaks back to the mansion, hiding under Juliet’s balcony. Juliet emerges into the yard and proclaims her love for him before Romeo sneaks up behind her. Juliet is horrified that he has risked death, but Romeo tells her he does not care whether he is caught. Knowing her nurse is looking for her, Juliet tells him that if he sends word by the following day, she will be his. Romeo visits Father Lawrence, telling him he wants to marry Juliet. He agrees to marry the pair in hopes that their marriage will help ease the tensions between the families. Romeo passes the word onto Juliet’s nurse and the lovers are married.

Tybalt encounters Mercutio just as Romeo arrives. Romeo attempts to make peace, but Tybalt assaults him. Mercutio intervenes and batters Tybalt, and is about to shoot him when Romeo stops him. Tybalt slashes Mercutio with a shard of glass. Mercutio, in denial, laughs it off as a mere "scratch" but he soon realizes that the cut is deeper than he thought. Angered over his pending death, Mercutio curses the warring houses. He storms off in anger only to die in Romeo's arms a few moments later. Angry that Mercutio, neither a Capulet nor Montague, has been murdered, Romeo chases after a fleeing Tybalt and guns him down.

Captain Prince banishes Romeo from the city. Romeo, hiding with Father Lawrence, claims he would rather die than be banished. Father Lawrence, in turn, sternly lectures Romeo about the fact that the end result of his actions could have been his death as opposed to banishment. Father Lawrence treats Romeo's injuries and says that after some time passes; he will help Romeo and Juliet return to the city and reconcile with their family and friends. The nurse tells Romeo that Juliet is waiting for him. At the Capulet mansion Juliet prays, horrified by what has happened. When Romeo climbs over her balcony, she kisses him and they consummate their marriage. Fulgencio decides Juliet will marry Paris, the Governor's son.

The next morning, Romeo narrowly escapes as Juliet's mother tells her she has been promised to Paris. She refuses to marry, so her father threatens to throw her out. Her mother and nurse insist it would be in her best interest to marry Paris. Juliet sees Father Lawrence, imploring him to help her and threatening to commit suicide. The priest proposes she fake death and be put in the Capulet vault to awaken 24 hours later. Romeo will be told of the plot, sneak into the vault, and once reunited the two can travel to Mantua. He gives her the potion necessary to make her seem dead. After saying goodnight to her mother, Juliet drinks the potion. She is found in the morning, declared dead and placed in the vault. Balthasar, one of Romeo's men, learns that Juliet is dead and tells Romeo, who is not home when the messenger arrives to tell him of the plan.

Romeo returns to Verona, where he buys poison. Father Lawrence learns that Romeo has no idea Juliet is alive. Romeo enters the church where Juliet lies. Juliet awakens as Romeo takes the poison. The two thus see each other before he dies. Juliet picks up Romeo's gun and shoots herself in the head, dying instantly. The two lovers are discovered in each other's arms. Prince condemns both families, whose feuding led to such a tragedy, and coroners are shown taking the two bodies away.

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Summer Holiday

Sammi Cheng is great and Richie Ren isn't bad either. Too bad about the director. Charming stars and a great location overcome a formulaic script and pedestrian direction. This isn't a great movie but those who dig the actors and undemanding romantic silliness will go home happy. 












       



Newly-crowned Queen of Box Office Sammi Cheng stumbles a bit in her second strike of summer 2000. This uneven romantic comedy is an amusing piece of fluff, but it doesn’t go anywhere near the heights of Cheng’s previous film, Needing You. Jingle Ma directs this story about Summer (Cheng), a driven HK career woman who’s dumped by her boyfriend and fired from her job. With little left, she discovers that the Malaysian beach she co-owns with her cousin is desired by a developer for upwards of 4 million US dollars. She travels to Malaysia to sell, but discovers that the new co-owner is a beach bum named Mor Mor Cha (Richie Ren of Fly Me to Polaris). Mor Mor Cha refuses to sell, so Summer decides to stay and persuade him into selling the beach.

As you could expect, opposites attract and love blossoms, but not before deception and misunderstandings undermine their new romance. As in all romantic comedies, the question isn’t if they get together, it’s how. And the answer to that question is: not in a very compelling manner. Though Jingle Ma is a wonderful cinematographer, it’s still questionable if he can actually direct. Hot War was well-made but bland, Fly Me to Polaris made it thanks to Cecilia Cheung, and Tokyo Raiders was a success because it wasn’t supposed to be anything more than silly fun. The same could be said for Summer Holiday, but Ma can’t rescue a leaky boat. The script is canned, the plot predictable, and the side characters poorly cast and written.

All Ma really has to go on are the gorgeous location (Time to go to Malaysia!) and his two leads, who acquit themselves well considering the circumstances. Richie Ren is charming, but his dubbed Cantonese only hurts the film. Romances need to draw audiences in, but the obvious dubbing does the exact opposite. Cheng lives up to her new title of Queen of Romantic Comedy. Despite the fact that Summer is unsympathetic, Cheng makes her likable by showing a believable vulnerability. The scene where Mor Mor Cha serenades Summer is a maudlin piece of writing, but Cheng’s reaction is believable and heartbreaking, showing more about Summer than is even said in the film. It’s a pity that the filmmakers couldn’t have found a way to capitalize on their lovely leading lady, but Summer Holiday wastes potential like you wouldn’t believe. Popstar chasers will swoon, but those expecting top-notch cinema should probably look elsewhere.

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Beyond The Case

Steven Spielberg's Film Srepublic of China earned is an inspiring, action-packed of a small boy in agreat war. Thatboy is Jim Graham, a young briton whose unconque rable spiritsoars high and free above the harsh confins of japanese internment camp during world war II. Through his eyes we seethe fascination and horror of war. And we see a child's hold onto chilhood weaken ashis struggle to survive grows fiercer. Based on J.G. Ballard's memorable bestseller, this firsyt major Hollywood studio production

   CHAN TONG CHIN
     CHING SI SANG

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Gladiator

Gladiator is a 2000 British epic historical drama film directed by Ridley Scott, starring Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Ralf Möller,Oliver Reed (in his final film role), Djimon Hounsou, Derek Jacobi, John Shrapnel, and Richard Harris. Crowe portrays the fictional character, loyalRoman general Maximus Decimus Meridius, who is betrayed when the emperor's ambitious son, Commodus, murders his father and seizes the throne. Reduced to slavery, Maximus rises through the ranks of the gladiatorial arena to avenge the murder of his family and his emperor.

Released in the United States on May 5, 2000, Gladiator was a box office success, receiving positive reviews, and was credited with rekindling interest in the historical epic. The film was nominated for and won multiple awards, notably five Academy Awards in the 73rd Academy Awardsincluding Best Picture and Best Actor for Crowe.

In AD 180, General Maximus Decimus Meridius leads the Roman army to a decisive victory against Germanic tribes at Vindobona, ending a long war on the Roman frontier and earning the esteem of the elderly Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Though he had a male heir, Commodus, the dying emperor wishes to grant temporary leadership to Maximus, hoping eventually to return power to the Roman Senate. When his father tells him of the decision, Commodus, already bitter that Aurelius favors Maximus over him, murders his father in a fit of rage and claims the throne.

Maximus realizes the truth about Aurelius' death, but is betrayed by his friend, General Quintus, who reluctantly instructs the Praetorian guards to carry out Commodus' order to execute Maximus, his wife, and son. Maximus manages to escape but is unable to return in time to save his family. After burying them, Maximus is found unconscious by slave traders and taken to Zucchabar, a Roman city in North Africa. There, he is bought by Proximo and forced to fight for his life as a gladiator in arena tournaments. During this time, he befriends fellow gladiators Juba and Hagen. Juba tells Maximus to have faith that he will see his wife and child again.

Maximus proves a fierce gladiator; with nothing left to live for, he is fearless in the arena. He ultimately reaches the prestigious Roman Colosseum, where his group is contracted to fight in a tribute to the Battle of Zama. Concealing his identity with a helmet, he skillfully leads a band of gladiators to defeat an opposing scythed chariot and archer force, earning the crowd's praise. Forced to reveal himself to a stunned Commodus in the arena afterward, the crowd votes to spare his life, and Commodus, obsessed with the people's approval, appeases them by doing so. Maximus later wins against the undefeated gladiator Tigris, as well as tigers released into the arena, yet refuses to obey Commodus' command to perform the coup de grâce. As a result, he is declared "Maximus the Merciful" by the crowd, increasing his popularity and further frustrating Commodus, who cannot kill Maximus without losing favor with the Roman people.

Following the fight, Maximus is told by his former servant Cicero that his army is still loyal to him. Maximus then conspires with Commodus' sister Lucilla and the senator Gracchus to rejoin with his army and topple Commodus by force. Commodus, however, suspects his sister of betrayal and forces her to reveal the plot by using veiled threats against her young son Lucius. During Maximus' attempted escape, Commodus' guards attack Proximo's gladiator school, killing Hagen and Proximo. Juba and the survivors are imprisoned, but Maximus makes it to the city walls, where he is captured after a failed attempt to save Cicero.

Desperate to get Maximus out of the way and prove his own greatness, Commodus arranges a duel with him in the arena. Unknown to the crowd, Commodus stabs a restrained Maximus with a stiletto to gain advantage over him before they enter the arena. Injured and acting on little more than instinct, Maximus manages to disarm Commodus during the fight, while Quintus disobeys the emperor's demand for his sword and commands his soldiers to do the same. Commodus then produces the hidden stiletto, but Maximus turns the blade back into Commodus' throat, killing him.

With his dying words, Maximus carries out Marcus Aurelius' wishes, calling for Gracchus to be reinstated, the slaves to be freed, and power to be restored to the Senate. As he dies, Maximus reunites with his family in the afterlife. Lucilla then reiterates his wishes and honors his memory. Maximus' body is carried out from the arena by the young Lucius, the slaves, Gracchus, Quintus and his soldiers, and all the crowd in the Colosseum stands up as his body is carried away, as a sign of respect. Some time later, Juba buries Maximus' two small figurines of his wife and son in the ground where his friend Maximus died, promising to see him in the afterlife, "but not yet".

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Evita

Evita is a 1996 musical drama film based on Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical of the same name about Eva Perón. It was directed byAlan Parker and written by Parker and Oliver Stone. It starred Madonna, Antonio Banderas, and Jonathan Pryce. The film was released on December 25, 1996 by Hollywood Pictures and Cinergi Pictures.

Evita portrays the life of Eva Duarte (later Eva Duarte de Perón) (Madonna) from a child of the lower classes to becoming the wife of Juan Perón andFirst Lady and spiritual leader of Argentina.

Eva's death is announced in a movie theater and a public funeral is held in Buenos Aires. Che (Antonio Banderas), an Everyman, narrates the story of Eva's rise to power and later illness and death. He appears in many different guises and serves as Eva's conscience and critic. As a young illegitimate child, Eva tries to attend her father's funeral in the town of Junín with her mother and siblings. Her father's wife and other family deny her family permission to enter, but Eva pays her last respects to her father.

Years later, Eva decides to leave Junín to seek a better life in Buenos Aires with a tango singer, Agustín Magaldi (Jimmy Nail), with whom she is having an affair. After Magaldi leaves her, she goes through several relationships with increasingly influential men, becoming a model, actress and radio personality. She meets with the older and handsome Colonel Juan Perón (Jonathan Pryce) at a fundraiser following the recent 1944 San Juan earthquake. Perón's connection with Eva adds to his populist image, since she is from the working class (as he is). Eva has a radio show during Perón's rise and uses all her skills to promote Perón, even when the controlling administration has him jailed in an attempt to stunt his political momentum. The groundswell of support Eva generates forces the government to release Perón, and he finds the people enamored of him and Eva. Perón wins election to the presidency and Eva promises the new government will serve the descamisados (literally, "those without shirts"—i.e., the poor).

At the start of the Perón government, Eva dresses glamorously, enjoying the privileges of being the first lady. Soon after, Eva embarks on what was called her "Rainbow Tour" to Europe. While there she had mixed receptions; the people of Spain adore her; the people of Italy call her whore and throw things (such as eggs) at her, while the Pope gives her a small, meager gift; and the French, while kind to her, were upset that she was forced to leave early. There are hints of the illness that eventually caused her death. Upon returning to Argentina, Eva establishes a foundation and distributes aid; the film suggests the Perónists otherwise plunder the public treasury. The military officer corps and social elites despise Eva's common roots and affinity for the poor.

Eva is hospitalized and learns she is terminally ill. She declines the position of Vice President because she is too weak, and makes one final broadcast to the people of Argentina. She understands that her life was short because she shone like the "brightest fire," and helps Perón prepare to go on without her. A large crowd surrounds the Casa Rosada in a candlelight vigil praying for her recovery when the light of her room goes out, signifying her death. Eva's funeral is shown again. Ché is seen at her coffin, marveling at the influence of her brief life. He walks up to her glass coffin, kisses it, and walks into the crowd of passing mourners.

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The King's Speech

The King's Speech is a 2010 British historical drama film directed by Tom Hooper and written by David Seidler. Colin Firth plays King George VIwho, to cope with a stammer, sees Lionel Logue, an Australian speech therapist played by Geoffrey Rush. The men become friends as they work together, and after his brother abdicates the throne, the new King relies on Logue to help him make his first wartime radio broadcast on Britain's declaration of war on Germany in 1939.

Seidler read about George VI's life after overcoming a stuttering condition he endured during his youth. He started writing about the relationship between the monarch and his therapist as early as the 1980s, but at the request of the King's widow, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, postponed work until her death in 2002. He later rewrote his screenplay for the stage to focus on the essential relationship between the two protagonists. Nine weeks before filming began, Logue's notebooks were discovered and quotations from them were incorporated into the script.

Principal photography took place in London and around Britain from November 2009 to January 2010. The opening scenes were filmed at Elland Road, Leeds and Odsal Stadium, Bradford, both locations standing in for the old Wembley Stadium. For indoor scenes, Lancaster House substituted for Buckingham Palace, and Ely Cathedral stood in for Westminster Abbey. The weaving mill scene was filmed at the Queens street weaving mill in Harle Syke, Burnley, Lancs, believed to be the only working weaving mill left in the country. The cinematography differs from that of other historical dramas: hard light was used to give the story a greater resonance and wider than normal lenses were employed to recreate the King's feelings of constriction. A third technique Hooper employed was the off-centre framing of characters: in his first consultation with Logue, George VI is captured hunched on the side of a couch at the edge of the frame.

Released in the United Kingdom on 7 January 2011, The King's Speech was a major box office and critical success. Censors initially gave it adult ratings due to profanity, though these were later revised downwards after criticism by the makers and distributors in the UK and some instances of swearing were muted in the US. On a budget of £8 million, it earned over $400 million internationally (£250 million).[5] It was widely praised by film critics for its visual style, art direction, and acting. Other commentators discussed the film's representation of historical detail, especially the reversal of Winston Churchill's opposition to abdication. The film received many awards and nominations, particularly for Colin Firth's performance; his Golden Globe Award for Best Actor was the sole win at that ceremony from seven nominations. The King's Speech won seven British Academy Film Awards, including Best Picture, and Best Actor (Firth), Best Supporting Actor (Rush), and Best Supporting Actress (Helena Bonham Carter). The film also won four Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director (Hooper), Best Actor (Firth), and Best Original Screenplay (Seidler).

 

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