The Conjuring ( 2013)

 

Directed by James Wan, The Conjuring is a supernatural horror movie. This is not my most preferred genre but the theatrical trailer and the review messages posted on Facebook was compelling enough to conjure my interest in the movie.

The publicity of this being a real life story definitely adds to the allure..

This is a simple horror story with the age old formula of a haunted house infested with spirit, creaking doors,  eerie sounds and jumping ghosts. If you are a fan of this genre, you will not have to make too much efforts to guess what happens next. But there was some beauty in the predictability as well...

Conjuring tells the story of Ed and Lorraine (Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga) who are world famous paranormal investigators who are called to help a family who are terrorized by some dark presence in their secluded farm house. Forced to confront a powerful dark entity, they find themselves caught in the most challenging case of their life.

The first half of the movie sets the tone. A lively American family of 5 children and a dog moving to a large secluded country house with rundown garden, creepy cellars and possessed dolls. Perfect recipe to build up a horror movie.

Though the storyline is not dramatically different, the beauty of the movie is in its simple execution. Its study build up of suspense with sudden scares and eerie silence adds to the bone chilling experience.There were moments where you could feel the entire theatre holding their breath for something to happen.

 

Unlike the typical movies of this genre there was no cheap camera tricks or indulgence is grossness which was a blessing.

Contrary to the Facebook reviews where people spoke about not having slept a couple of night.....I must confess that this movie did not impact my sleep patterns. Yes!!! I will probably think twice before playing hide and seek.

Verdict :- 7/10. Must watch if you are a horror movie fan. Not for the weak hearted.

Antaheen ( The endless wait) - 2009

Antaheen is the second directorial venture of Aniruddha Roy Choudhury and goes to reassure that quality bengali cinema is very much alive and thriving.  

Antaheen is a lovely romantic movie with super sensitive moments that can thaw a frozen heart. There is no melodrama, no over exaggeration and yet it leave you with yearning for something....

Avik Chowdhury ( Rahul Bose) is an IPS officer based in Calcutta.  He is a macho, upright and a honest cop. But at the same time he is sensitive and romantic. He lives with his aunt Moni pishi ( Sharmila Tagore).

Avik gets the "break" of his career when he lands up raiding a den of anti socials and confiscates huge cache of arms and ammunition.  

Brinda Roy Menon ( Radhika Apte) is a young hot shot TV journalist ( Barkha Dutt Types) trying desperately to reach out to Avik to get the scoop of the hour. And Avik plays difficult to get.

 

 

In a very surreal coincidence, Avik and Brinda have a parallel and anonymous virtual relationship.They eagerly wait to chat with each other.

Given their real life circumstance, it was inevitable for them to bump in to each other.  Professionally Brinda chases Avik for an interview and socially they bump into each other at Ranjan ( Kalyan Ray's ) surprise birthday party organized by his wife Paro ( Aparna Sen). In spite of their professional antagonism they are drawn to each other. 

 

Antaheen does not follow a single story line but is an well blended collage of life's happenings depicting various forms of love. There is love in the earnestness with which Avik and Brinda wait to chat with each other, there is love in a the drops of Calcutta rains, there is love in ardently waiting for a stranger's call, there is love between Paro and Ranjan who cannot live without each other nor can live with each other.

 

Rahul Bose was very convincing in his role of the simply romantic Avik and Radhika Apte was like a bubbly breath of fresh air. 

 

Excellent cinematography by Avik Mukhopadyay. The panoramic views of the Calcutta nights, the rain splashing in the window, the mellow lights, earthy artistic interiors added to the romantic aura of the movie.

 

The review will be incomplete without mentioning about  Shantanu Moitra's medodious bestowal to Antaheen. I simply loved the songs - Jao Pakhi Jao and Pherari Mon.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDq0Jq-UNiE 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDq0Jq-UNiE

 

 Verdict :- 8 out of 10. The movie definitely deserved the national award that it got.