Frames And Angles

This is the second installment of Take 5 and I make a huge jump from Kollywood to World Cinema. This time, the list is – five world cinema directors whom I would like recommend. I haven’t watched all of world cinema, but I am not able to stop myself from doing it now!

#1 Majid Majidi (Iran) – He is a safe bet. His movies are simple, straight from the heart and heart warming. No complicated layered narratives, no symbolisms & no metaphysical elements. ‘Children of Heaven’ is a delicious little refreshing film and you will love children more, after watching it. ‘Colour of Paradise’, is a breathtaking fairy tale kinda experience and it opens up a never seen before paradise – Iran is such an exciting landscape! ‘Baran’ is next on my list but I have been already assured my many people that it is sheer poetry. One of the most noted Iranian directors.

#2 Krzysztof Kieślowski (Poland) – He is the man. Undoubtedly, he is the most influential movie maker of this century. People write loads and loads on him, they discuss his movies rather ‘decipher’ them! They way ended is career with a fitting trilogy (Three Colours) stands as a testimony to his brilliance. I just love the cinematography and the music of his films. His ‘Three Colors – Red’ is one of my all time favourites. The more I read about the movie, I more I admired him! “Double life of Veronique’ was equally compelling and captivating. His themes mostly deal with chances, probabilities and misses. And some of his scenes are really erotic! I am waiting to watch his Decalogue. (You can catch some his movies at in UTV world movies at really odd hours)

#3 Pedro Almodavor (Spain) – The craziest of the lot. The one and only accomplished director of Spain. His characters are usually transdressers, queers, pimps, transgenders, HIV positive nuns and what not? The way he weaves his script around them is really astonishing. Moral and cultural contradictions are his themes. He is the God father of Antonio Banderas and Penelope Curz and he gifted their big tickets to Hollywood through his movies. He is openly Gay and he proclaims ‘Bad Education’ , the Gay thriller, is semi-auto biographical. I liked ‘Talk to Her’, a very complex piece of art. ‘All about my mother’ was quite moving too. ‘Women on the Verge of nervous breakdown’ was not rib tickling but I enjoyed watching it (it won an Oscar!). I thoroughly enjoyed ‘Volver’, the most accessible of his works. The music of his movies simply sizzles.

There is no concrete fourth and fifth, because am not confident of them but their movies are indeed intriguing.

Jean-Pierre Jeunet (France) – His Amelie is my all time favourites, I can watch it anytime. It is refreshing, simple and captivating. But my second pick of his, ‘A very long engagement’ was tiresome.

Ingmar Bergman(Sweden) – You would call me mad if I deny that he is a great director. He is the most celebrated director, but something is not working for me! I feel very stupid and small before the understanding he expects. I liked his ‘Wild Strawberries’, it was easy to understand but I still feel there is something big which I simple don’t get. His ‘Cries and Whispers’ had terrific acting and cinematography but again was incomplete for me.

Abbas Kiarostmi(Iran) – Considered to be the best among Iranian film makers, but err, I lack the patience to sit through his films. ‘Taste of Cherry’ was tiring and boring. I slept half way through ‘The Wind will carry us’. But I liked ‘Ten’ a docu-feature, and was really surprised on knowing the way it was shot.

Fatih Akin(Turkey) – It is too early to include him, but I really liked his ‘Edge of Heaven’. One montage in that movie is enough for me to expect more from him! ‘Head on’ is also discussed in many forums. I have hopes on him.

C U!