ariitanywhere

Like many Rocky fans, I was a little apprehensive with what to expect going into the last Rocky saga. I always prayed that Mr. Stallone made one more Rocky after the very disappointing 5. Let me just say that...it was well worth the wait. Sly doesn't disappoint his fans and gives us a befitting and very satisfying conclusion to the greatest underdog story of our time; arguably all time. This movie focused more on character development and takes us into Rocko's lonely life as a widower, running his restaurant Adrian's. Estranged from his son,who is struggling with his legendary father's legacy and trying to carve out his own identity. Paulie is back with his acerbic one liners and makes you laugh like old. The story is simple; Rocky wants to prove that age doesn't take away the fire inside and agrees to go one last round with the current heavyweight champ, Mason Dixon.I had lumps in my throat for a good part of the movie. The only complaint I had was Rocky's overzealous worshipping of Adrian's memory. Her picture in his van, many pictures in his restaurant and visiting her grave everyday was a bit much. But that's minor. Anthony Tarver does a fine job in underplaying his part and lets Stallone take it away gloriously as Rocky. Sly does an excellent job as the aged warrior Rocky and proves that it's not age but attitude that shapes our legacy and how people will remember us.

I actually found myself enjoying the latter day life of Rocky more than the fight itself, until the last three rounds which were in one word-- unbelievable. Intersperced with flashbacks, the fight had zippy camera-work, b&w images, and fast jump cuts which made it all the more real looking.I bet Sly could beat Tarver in real life, he was that convincing as a 60 year old heavyweight. And oh yes, he would knock out a Foreman in the first round easily. I know you guys are dying to know how the montage and music is. It was understated and more believable. Rocky lifts 270 pound plates and does medicine ball pushups. And the best of all-- Conti's "Gonna Fly Now" comes soaringly alive in it's 21st century avatar.I won't give it away, but watch out for the new addition to it. I simply love this version even better than the original.Rock's old friends are all there--Cuff and Link grown ups now, and a new lovable mutt called "Punchy". Marie's role was essayed well, though I felt her son had little value to add. The only time I felt like cringing was when Tony Burton comes on. Age hasn't been good to him at all. He looked wizened and when he utters the "hurting bombs" dialogue, it felt corny and cheesy. I wish he had risen to the occasion and done a better job. This movie is full of inspiring quotes. I remember top of mind the "sunshine and rainbows" speech to his son and another one where he tells Marie that "you don't need to owe anything to give something". The last run up the stairs with Punchy was beautiful with snow falling and was a great cinematic moment.

I would like to say that rest aside all your fears and go see this movie and spread the word to family and friends. I would like to thank Mr.Stallone for not disappointing us and giving us a very satisfying conclusion to our favorite hero's fairytale story. Go enjoy this movie and I am sure many of you will see it again. I definitely will. The triumph of will and the human spirit lives alive and well in this world. The movie proves that in spades. And it's all the more believable because you see a real 60 year old man proving that "It ain't over till it's over". If I had to compare, I'd say this movie is on par with the original. It will make you laugh, it will make you cry. But most of all, it will inspire a whole new generation.

I recently saw 'Swades' for the first time in it's entirety and was just blown away by it's mature and intelligent treatment on the subject of brain drain. Director Ashutosh G has succeeded in making me feeling completely rejuvenated. There are so many magical moments in the movie,to pin them down would be fruitless. It goes to show what conviction, effort and the power of imagination can accomplish when they all come together in such wonderful fashion. The movie has all my favorite elements- simple clean humor, realism, a blend of old and new values,some truly good old fashioned romance and idealism. I was swept away by the lyrical quality to the film. There were many scenes that stood out. The scene where Mohan and Gita meet for the first time was refreshing and witty.The scene where Mohan entertains the village-folk with the powers of his imagination when the movie projector breaks down....the train scene where Mohan witnesses the hardships faced by rural folk up close... It would be a travesty to think that anyone but SRK was born to play Mohan Bhargava. I've never been a SRK fan,given his penchant for safe roles and scripts.But this movie has changed all that for me. I have a new found respect for his talent. Maybe he will go back to playing inane lover boy roles in the future but for me, he will forever be NASA project manager turned rural crusader Mohan Bhargava. His honest,restrained and utterly convincing portrayal of a successful NRI works,and how! This movie reminded me of a lot of things I had forgotten or pushed into the back of my mind. Indian values.Ethics.The unadulterated and intoxicating joy of pure love.Respect for one's elders and nation. I rarely am moved by any recent Hindi movie. To my chagrin, I even got emotional at certain junctures of the film. I'm sure many of you felt the same way,especially those of us living outside the country. I understand that it's quite possible that's its impact is much more since I'm living abroad, but there's no taking away from the fact that this piece of cinema will be remembered and hailed as a classic work....even a few decades down the line. I salute the makers, crew and other technicians who created this movie. We need more cinema like this. It is relevant, entertaining and has a poignant message. Never, ever forget your roots. This movie made me feel proud to be an Indian and what we, as a people,stand for.

This adaptation of the 2002 Denzel Washington starrer 'John Q' stands above the average fare doled out in 2006. Tackling the serious issue of health care red tape, this movie has its moments. Ravi Rajput(Dutt) is a doting middle-class father of a cute 7 year old(Master Pathak).When the son takes ill in a heart complication, Ravi has to raise 15 lac rupees for the heart transplant operation in order to save his son's life. But due to callous hospital administration who want the money upfront and an uncaring health insurance company, Ravi has reached his wit's end. Ia a fit of rage, he takes the hospital under siege adamant to save his son's life. Will he succeed? Or will the machinations of bureaucracy destroy an innocent child's life? Without giving anything away, I will say that this movie manages to move you. Sanjay Dutt delivers a knockout performance-- a gritty and realistic portrayal of a simple, blue collar worker who loves his son very much; and will do anything to keep him alive. The supporting cast barring a terrible Amisha Patel as Ravi's wife is competent. Jaya Pradha in a fine comeback shows that she's indeed a capable performer. Gulshan Grover also does a good job as the DCP who has to take Ravi down. The music of the film is simple but powerful; and conveys the mood of the film very well. Director Anubhav Sinha leaves out the flashy technique and does a fine job letting the film flow. I wouldn't be surprised if Dutt is in the reckoning for a Best Actor statuette this year. He is entirely believable as the hapless father who's trapped in a situation he doesn't want,but is left with no choice.He has you rooting for his Ravi Rajput,even though you know that he has taken the law into his own hands. If you are fed up of the trash that's coming out in the name of cinema these days, rent 'Tathastu'. At just under 2 hours, it is strong enough to hold your attention for the entire duration and will not leave you disappointed. Highly recommended. 9 on 10.