The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain (6/10) (1995)

A feel good movie about the war times when a Welsh village is about to lose their latest asset owing to two Englishmen just doing their job. The towns folk set about the task of convincing (or is it duping? or is it just transmitting their point of view?) the duo about "reconsidering" their execution of their job. They do it in a perfectly Gandhian way - non-cooperation. Romance is thrown in, and some rules to the air. Making a mountain out of a mole? You have come to the right spot.

The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain (6/10) (1995)

Eyes Wide Shut (1999) (6/10)

A nonlinear story about an individuals moral issues with extramarital sex. Good performances and suspenseful stuff of secret societies keep it intriguing. An individuals foray into an area where he does not belong. He seems to realize that, and yet keeps on getting drawn. And then there are the pangs of having endangered a few lives in the process. Stanley Kubrick.

Eyes Wide Shut (1999) (6/10)

Of Gods and Men AKA Des hommes et des dieux (6/10) (2010)

Of Gods and Men

A group of missionaries (monks of Tibhirine) living in Atlas mountains in Algeria peacefully near a muslim village in the 1990s when terrorists threaten the well being in general, and perhaps the Christian priests in particular. Its a slow moving movie as the situation warrants - with the priests deliberating whether they should leave and thinking what their mission is, what they are headed for and so on. There is always the possibility of their being kidnapped or killed. Some of them go through phases of wanting to leave, but a couple are steadfast that they won't including the medic priest.

The encounters are a bit documentary like because they are real but the acting is superb, and the icing is the bit during their "last supper" when they have all decided to stay - a piece from Tchaikovsky's ballet, Swan Lake (10th movement, the first from Act II: Scene: Moderato).

While the discussions of the priests are shown in fair detail, the other side is shown just in sketches, and their encounters have no discussion as such (perhaps as is likely to happen in a real-life situation when at least one side has its views fixed). I would have liked to see more on those lines though.

Of Gods and Men AKA
Des hommes et des dieux (6/10) (2010)

The Fifth Element (1997) (7/10)

A fun movie. Sci-fi with the usual space ships, evil, aliens, magic antidote and so on, but also humour. In fact on one level it seems like a parody of many other serious counterparts to itself. The fifth element needs to be combined with the other four. But the fifth element happens to be alive. I do not know if it is fair to say, but Bruce Willis seems a lot like Indiana Jones but for the background. Not too much acting is needed as there is enough action. Many things about the evil and the aliens go unexplained as usual.

The Fifth Element (1997) (7/10)

Æon Flux (2005) (6/10)

A futuristic sci-fi movie where a dying world was saved by a scientist and all the saved people are living in a huge city separated from nature. This continues for 400 years but something has been brewing. The action is too fantastic as is often the case when anything is dubbed futuristic, and so are some of the gimmicks. Its always the right people with the right implements. Including the magnetic balls, in-brain communication, the non-distributed master database.

What I did like about the movie was its premise, which is plausible, but also mainly the solution that comes about. Many times time is a very good solution to many problems provided no destructive interference is being brought about.

Æon Flux (2005) (6/10)

The NeverEnding Story (1984) (5/10)

The story has a weak premise of interactive stories, as usual in another dimension. A school and a home are shown for an excuse but it is really about rescuing a princess who is awake just a for a few minutes throughout the movie. Its more about a boy who has to go on a quest for the princess just because her uncle says so. His character does not get built. There are a bunch of other characters thrown in for effect which they summarily fail to. What is this a mix of? Alice in wonderland, Wizard of Oz and Spongebob or something like that

The NeverEnding Story (1984) (5/10)

Enemy Mine (1985) (4/10)

Netflix thought I would like this. So much for their AI algorithms. It is sci-fi (really? it was more about emotions - first anti, then for and the usual violence thrown in for good measure - just good old earth -on any part of it for that matter - in a different setting), it is based in outer space, it has aliens. Are the criteria so simple?

It is about species, ugliness (of the body, of perception and of the mind) and perhaps goodness (or is that just the residual when ugliness leaves?). In short, you can avoid this. Why did I spend time writing this? Perhaps just to indicate that some good is still left in me.

Enemy Mine (1985) (4/10)