V for Vendetta

Country USA 2005

Picture and details vforvendetta

Seen 18 March 2006

Disturbing and provocative. Those are the two words that go through my mind while watching the film. The subject matter is very current. Terrorism. In this case, V, the villain/hero emulates Guy Fawkes who tried to blow up the parliament building a few hundred years ago. A recurrent theme that goes through the main character's mind is his belief that ideas will never die. The man with the ideals is just an instrument, a means towards an end. How the end is achieved is justified because the man believes it is a worthy cause, notwithstanding the many grey areas that abound whenever good versus evil in the ongoing power struggle to gain control of all humanity. An added sweetener to V's character is his love for books and the many varied interests. A true renaissance man. Whatever his faults, the ideals seem pure and true compared to the evil ones who are the rulers of the day. There will be many questions after watching this film but I'm not sure whether there will be as much action to rectify the wrongs that we see everyday. That will take someone like V to start the ball rolling.

Millions

Country Britain 2004

Picture and details imdb

Seen 15 March 2006

This is a low key feel good film. The main character, a boy named Damian has a lively imagination. The story starts with the family which includes the father and an elder brother moving to another part of town after the death of the mother. Damian is still trying to come to terms with the death and tends to spend a lot of time on his own. He sees and talks to apparitions of saints. They are his friends and guiding light in his actions. The decisions he has to take and the adventures that ensues started with his new found bag of money. The photography and acting helped a lot to lift the film a notch higher from the usual saccharine sweet family story. A British 'Home Alone' with a wicked twist.