I heard, I watched, I now recommend

I have been watching a lot of movies lately, on the big screen as well as on the small. Here's a few I would like to talk about:

• Amercian Gangster - Amazing performances what with the screen space divided between the two of the best actors, along with a captive story. Watch it.
  
• Charlie Wilson's War - A must watch. Initially, I was reluctant to watch this one for the fear it might incite anger in me. I wondered if the war in the Afghan land will be glorified and the birth of the Taliban forgotten. I did not want to watch a movie that reiterated that wars are fought from boardrooms. However, I liked the movie and couldn't agree more with Wilson's view of having 'f****d the end game'. Watch out for the dialogues in Tom Hanks' scene with the Pakistani regime. I was pleasantly surprised to see the one who plays Ziah. The last exchange of words in the boardroom were the words that kept my anger in check. It seemed real.
  
• There Will Be Blood - Thankfully, it wasn't about blood and gore as I had feared. Nonetheless, it was very powerful and dark. Daniel Day-Lewis deserves the Oscar. Watch it.
  
• Juno - OK, I give up here. It was fine, alright, but I did not find anything remarkable in it. I guess I had watched too many powerful movies alongside to appreciate this one. You won't miss the world if you miss it.
  
• American Pie Presents Beta House - Ooff, it gave me a headache. Trust me, the earlier versions were faaaaaaar better. Give it a miss.
  
• The Bong Connection - Hmm... I had really very high expectations of this movie but ended up being disappointed. Technically lacking, it was a movie that completely dependent on the story and the screenplay; and it failed to create a great impression. I liked the movie, irrespective of its drawbacks. It may be because of either my appreciation of Anjan Dutta's work or a sense of identification with parts of the story, like the scene where Andy bursts out at his uncle and his aunt mediates. I love Mamta Shankar. She can bring life even in a two-minute scene. I am sure this movie will pave its way to brilliant cinema. Watch out for Anjan Dutta's next.
  
• Ek Ruka Hua Faisla - A very old one. It's the Indian remake of the very famous 'Twelve Angry Men'. Grab the VCD/DVD for this one. Like Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro, this one is for keeps.