HBO movie fest ( Jan- May’07 )
6:18 PM
JITIN
,
The last semester in college for me has been different from earlier SEVEN in more ways the one. There are 4 rules, one has to follow:
First: You don’t study…
Second: You don’t let others study too (in the rare case if anyone wants to)
Third: You keep reminding everyone of the first two rules…
Fourth: You never ever break the first three rules.
But then what the hell do you do, especially when you are a hostel resident?
Well either you can sleep & sleep & sleep even more…
Or you can join the HBO MOVIE CLUB!
HBO refers to the Hostel Box office.
So I decided to go for the later option & since then it has been a roller coaster ride during this never-ending movie fest. One of my dearest friend is the organizer of this fest, in which movies are screened almost everyday, irrespective of any time frame, there is no difference between a.m & p.m whatsoever. The only thing that matters is: Quality.
A brief glimpse:
It all started with the Matt Damon & Leonardo Di Caprio starrer, oscar winner DEPARTED, to the movie which brought down the sales of diamond all over the world: BLOOD DIAMOND, then to the amazingly hilarious AMERICAN PIE series, a disappointing sequel FINAL DESTINATION-3 ( I was hoping for a much better one), a mesmerizing showcase called THE ILLUSIONIST, a new 007 in CASINO ROYALE, watching LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL for the umpteenth time, the Brad Pitt starrer SEVEN, horror movies like SILENT HILL & THE EXORCISM OF EMILY ROSE, to scintillating thrillers: THE RECRUIT & SPYGAME.
For a change, few top-notch hindi movies also made it to HBO. From the oscar nominated WATER to Nagesh Kukkunor’s (My favourite Bollywood director) awesome twosome: 3 DEEWAREIN & DOR. I also remember watching OMKARA during exam nights.
Now I come to the most exhilarating season of the movie fest, where every movie seemed to surpass the earlier one. Just have a look:
From one of the most sensational thrillers I have ever seen: MINDHUNTERS, to one of the greatest movie of all times SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION… From the Brad Pitt’s electrifying FIGHT CLUB to the longest & most incredible movie of this fest SCHINDLER’S LIST…
& last but not the least: From the most unique movie of HBO: THANK YOU FOR SMOKING to the latest movie which was screened, a movie which moves in a flashback all the way, a movie which we had to pause after every 10 min., so as to keep pace with it, a movie which you can watch any no. of times & still enjoy it, a once-in-a-lifetime extravaganza: MEMENTO!!!
& many many more…
And its still not over… with a month still to go (till may end), there is still ample time for more such blockbusters… But out of all these my pick of the best 5 (not in any specific order) is:
Departed , Blood Diamond , Shawshank Redemption , Mindhunters & Memento.
Whats your pick guys?
PS: Well I would be very much interested in knowing whats your pick of all these??? & if you can recommend any more blockbusters which could be screened in HBO??? Reply soon… only one month to go…
I totally agree with you about Memento, it was quite an extraordinarily brilliant movie, but haven't watched Shawshank Redemption, Schindler's List and Fight Club fearing that they'd turn out to be awfully boring. But you're not the first person to go ga-ga over these 3 flicks, so I guess I have to overcome my fear and watch them after all. I found The Departed ridiculously long-drawn though; it would've been considerably more tolerable if the director had shown any concern to sticking to a reasonable length. Mindhunters sounds interesting, i think I'll watch it, but Exorcism of Emily Rose was absolutely appalling, dunno how u could like it. On the other hand, Final Destination 3 wasn't really that bad, I thought it was quite decent. As for suggestions for more movies that you can watch on 'HBO', I'd seriously recommend 'The Prestige', directed by Chris Nolan, who was also the man behind Memento. In fact, I'd recommend you watch all the movies of Nolan, right from 'Following' to 'Batman Begins' - they're all simply marvellous. 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind' and 'A Beautiful Mind' would be pretty good choices too. And of course, the LOTR trilogy, the most superior product ever to be made in Hollywood - u can watch it over and over again and never tire of being awed by its magnificence. And one last recommendation - 'The Usual Suspects' - it's totally crazy.
@ musab
thanx a lot for ur recommendations... as for "Exorcism of Emily Rose", i didn't like it very much... very ordinary i wld say... ya u must watch those three flicks, they r all awesome... mindhunters is also too gud... i hv watched LOTR trilogy & its marvellous no doubt. But i did like Departed a lot... I hv become a fan of Memento director Chris Nolan & wld definitely see all his movies as u say... & also others that u hv told me.
I luv to watch them too, my list among the ones u mentioned is- 1) Blood Diamond
2) The Shawshank redemption
3) The departed
among the rest, Seven and schindlers list, n even Memento is good.
Gud one buddy it reminded me of my first 3 yrs of hostel life.(I opted out of hostel in final yr. so..)
newayz we seem to b watchin same movies this season god i ve watched al dat u ve mentioned
hey do go 4 the prestige infact all nolans movies.
apart frm dat if u lik dramas, i think Dead poets society, Horse man on roof, Lord of wars, Pursuit of Happiness can make to HBO.
there r others too if u had lik i wud scrap dem to u.
ur blog is making me jealous ,why i didn't got a chance to stay permanently in hostel......i will definately miss the hostel life through out me life....any way i had seen most of the HBO fest movies like Memento,Life is Beautiful,Omkara,Departed,Water....
but u really give me an oppurtunity to watch other movies as well...
I would even rate the movies tht you have mentioned. I am too vainglorious and love the very thought of being a renowned critic. So here i go
1.Memento
2.Shawshank Redemption
3.Fight Club
4.Schindler's List
5.Departed
Though i must confess there are quite a few real good movie which i personally find better than something like Departed. For eg plsss for God's sake watch One flew over the cuckoo's nest and you are sure to forget all other movies.
And Mindhunters is so much like a Contraption :P
@ neha
thanx for ur comments... well i also think that seven & schindler's list r really gud movies... i wld also like to know if u cud recommend any more movies to watch? i think it was ur first visit to my blog... so from now on
keep visiting :-)
@ ashish
thanx buddy... ofcourse hostel dayz r the best... i wld keep in mind the movies u hv suggested for HBO... & wld scrap u as well to know more...
@ harsimran
ur rite yaar... nothing can match hostel life fun & enjoyment... & ur alwayz welcome to watch movies at HBO...
keep visiting :-)
@ arunabh
Firstly i must thank u bcoz it was bcoz of u that i came to know abt the first 4 movies that u hv rated here, from ur orkut profile & u know wat that organiser friend of HBO is none other than DEVEIN!!!
he also told me that u hv recommended him to watch these movies... & now i wld definitely watch this movie too!
keep visiting :-)
the 'evalueserve' people were justified in not asking you to write an essay.. truely, u have that diversity in ur writings.. u can write on anything,anything under the sun..
even on our 'HBO'..!! great..! vaise, u know me, i dun watch movies, but i tend to know the story before u actually watch it.. so, can't give u my pick on the basis of just stories, i go by ur choice entirely..
@ sidharth
ya i very well know ur knack of knowing the stories of movies well in advance. So u will hv to agree with me in any case :-) & thanx again for ur praise. vaise i m not that good yaar but ya i always try to diversify on my topics & try to improve every time i write.