The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

It’s one of those rarest kind of movies which has love and emotions written all over it but there is no female character in the movie. Quite unimaginable but its true. This movie teaches you how to feel for others, how to keep on living in the most toughest situations, how to love life and still it has no female character in the script. Its about a prison and its inmates, their life and their small joys of life. The story revolves around Andy, a banker by profession, who has to spend around 20 years in the jail for a crime which he has not committed. And it’s the story of Red, who is his fellow senior prisoner, and can get you anything you want with his sources. Morgan Freeman as Red is at his best and he simply wins your heart with his innocent smile. The life in the cell, its limitations and its hardships are shown very impressively and the well executed climax explains the meaning of freedom in life. A true masterpiece which is among the most favourite movies of lovers of cinema all over the world. No time should be wasted and the movie should be seen at the earliest. Highly recommended.
Directed By Frank Darabont
Starring : Morgan Freeman & Tim Robbins

Amores Perros (2000) (Mexico – Spanish)

Here is another entry which goes into my list of “Most Disturbing Movies”. The movie is a kind of shock as its exceptionally bold in its content and storyline. It revolves around an accident and then moves into the life of all those people who get affected by that. The accident is re-lived from different angles and shows how it brings changes in the lives of all the characters. The most disturbing part is when the sweet puppy belonging to the model gets lost under the wooden flooring of the house and then comes out after many days crying. After watching this movie, you get a strange feeling which is a mixture of sadness and love. It is really an experience watching this highly appreciated movie. Simply not to be missed.
Directed By Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

Oldboy (2003) (Korea)

The perfect example of the Brilliant, Impressive & Landmark movies made by this part of the world, Korea, in the present case. The movie was praised all over the world and was even copied by bollywood as “ZINDA”. But the hindi version could not incorporate the bold and blunt elements which can just shatter the mind of the viewer. I will not disclose the suspense part and only will like to say that it’s a film which goes in my list of “The Most Disturbing Movies”. You will be just awestruck as you go through the climax which is simply remarkable and stunning. It’s a kind of screenplay never attempted before on the silver screen. Don’t miss this unforgettable movie and see it as soon as you can.
Directed By Chan Wook Park

Babel (2006) (France – English)

This is a different kind of movie with different plots woven into one story. The director has attempted a similar kind of plot in his first movie also which was “Amores Perros”. But this time he has given more emphasis on emotions and love. All the stories just move into each other very gradually and you just go on watching how every single scene in the storyline is related to each other. As the story unfolds it keeps on opening more layers beautifully. All the characters live their roles very realistically and it all becomes quite believable. A very impressive and bold movie which also connects many cultures of the world in its brilliant screenplay. A must see for all who love this medium of storytelling.
Directed By Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu
Starring Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Mohammed Akhzam & More

Children OF Heaven (1997) (Iran)

There are very few films made on and with children as the main characters. And this is one of those rare and classic movies which has won hearts all over the world. Its also one of the most famous movies which have earned the respect for Irani Cinema in all the countries. The story also deserves all the praises as it’s a beautiful thought portrayed on the celluloid. Its about a brother and sister who are from a poor family. The brother looses a pair of shoe of her sister when he is busy purchasing in the market for the house. Now they don’t want to tell this to their father as they know he doesn’t have the money to buy her a new pair. So they decide to share one pair of shoes to the school. It becomes possible as the girl is in a morning shift and the boy studies in the evening shift. How they manage with one pair for many days is a sheer delight to watch. And the story progresses when the boy decides to fight a race competition in which he can win a new pair of shoes as the second prize. So he says that he will not come first but will be second in the race to win the pair. The climax is just superb and there are no words to describe the emotions shown by all the child actors in the film. There are many more brilliant sequences in the movie worth watching many times. A film which will straight away win your heart and you will like to show it to all the members in your family. Don’t hesitate watching it as it is foreign language film. You will regret it if you choose to give this a miss. Strongly recommended for all in the family.
Directed By Majid Majidi

You Can’t Take It With You (1938)

If you haven’t yet seen a Frank Capra movie then you have missed a lot. So if possible start with this movie itself. In simple comparison terms Frank Capra is the Hrishikesh Mukherjee of the West and vice-versa. You will find beautiful simplicity with comic sequences in his films as it is in Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s films in India. Characters very close to the real life and mainly from the middle class families is another feature of Frank Capra’s classics. This movie particularly ranks among his top 5 flicks. The film deals with the fact that you should do what you wish to do in your life. Live life as you want to live it on your own terms. You may not be rich in monetary sense if you opt for this kind of living but you will surely be more contended than all the others in the race. And you will enjoy your life to the maximum. Each character in the story is doing what he loves to do and you will surely fall in love with all of them living under one roof. The climax is always a happy ending in Capra films and it also brings tears in your eyes. Simply not to be missed classic. Just go for it this moment.
Directed By Frank Capra
Starring : Lionle Barrymore, Jean Arthur, James Stewart & More

SATYAJIT RAY TRILOGY II

Mahanagar (1963), Pratidwandi (1972), Jana Aranya (1976)
After the “Apu Trilogy”, in my opinion there’s another trilogy by the master film maker Satyajit Ray with these 3 films. All these films are about the social problems of unemployment and loneliness at work. Its about how everyone is working at the wrong place not doing what he really wanted to do. “Pratidwandi” and “Jana Aranya” talks about the competition due to the overpopulation in cities which results in underemployment of the deserving candidates. “Mahanagar” is about women employment and it shows how a women has to face difficult conditions in her office with the colleagues. Strangely she also has the similar difficulties at her home, even when she is earning member of the family. Its about male ego and its dominance in the society. “Jana Aranya” is the boldest film among the three as the hero in the movie takes a very bold step in the climax to earn some money, which you can never even imagine. Since all the three films revolve around the same social problems I think they should be considered as the second important trilogy made by Satyajit Ray. Anyhow if you love cinema for a cause and with a message, just go for these as they are really landmark films for the Indian Cinema. Highly Recommended.
Directed By Satyajit Ray
Music : Satyajit Ray