Pride and Prejudice (1995) - wonderful adaptation of the Jane Austin novel by the same name. this 2 DVD length mini-series (originally made for BBC/channel4?) needs some dedicated watching, but is better finished in one go. overall okay performances. Elizabeth is charmingly played by Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth puts in subtly a subdued (and proud) flavour to Mr. Darcy's character. In the 80s, a successful hindi tv serial named Trishna was made on the novel and caught good attention for its bringing together of some beautiful and handsome faces on the box.

DVD. 300 minutes. 7/10 (v). 8.5/10(r)

My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002) - funny, but at someone's expense. it seems another of those quintessential american traits to make fun of other cultures and to pose as balanced by trying to put a couple positive things amodst 100 subtle and not-so-subtle abuses. yet an okay movie. essentially monsoon wedding's greek counterpart. the movie was a surprise blockbuster and has given birth to a new tele-series "My Big Fat Greek Life."

DVD - 6/10

Yahoo! Movies: 75th Academy Awards

On February 11, 2003, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the nominees for the 75th Annual Academy Awards. And the nominees are...

Best Picture
CHICAGO (Miramax)
A Producer Circle Co., Zadan/Meron Production
Martin Richards, Producer
GANGS OF NEW YORK (Miramax)
An Alberto Grimaldi Production
Alberto Grimaldi and Harvey Weinstein, Producers
THE HOURS (Paramount and Miramax)
A Scott Rudin/Robert Fox Production
Scott Rudin and Robert Fox, Producers
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS (New Line)
A New Line Cinema and Wingnut Films Production
Barrie M. Osborne, Fran Walsh and Peter Jackson, Producers
THE PIANIST (Focus Features)
An R.P. Productions, Heritage Films, Studio Babelsberg, Runtime LTD. Production
Roman Polanski, Robert Benmussa and Alain Sarde, Producers

Saathiya (2002) - Vivek Oberoi, Rani Mukherji. Directed by Shaad Ali (Muzaffar Ali's son). Story and screenplay by Mani Rathnam. Dialogues and lyrics by Gulzar. Remake of the Madhavan's debut Tamil hit - Alaipayuthey. The movie is good in bits and overall very fresh because of the treatment of characters. The casual way of dialogue delivery by characters coupled with Gulzar's dialogues adds up to the freshness. Rani Mukherji performs with ease. Vivek is also good but tends to be a little conscious sometimes. The screenplay is ordinary but the details, especially of the married life of the two, are very thoughtfully conceived. The movie is also unconventional in a lot of ways including the perspective towards life in general, which is very casual and open. For instance, the ease with which the pair decide to marry and yet live separately for some while is a refreshingly new thought. But still the movie has its share of faults and unconvincing reactions which if avoided could have turned the movie into a brilliant one. It stops well before that though. And yet, what would normally be just an "okay" movie seems like "very good" because of the state of the movies in general these days. Shaad Ali is impressive in his debut directorial venture. A time-pass watch.

Supporting cast include Sandhya Mridul (Rani's sister), Tanuja and in a suprise appearance, Tabu and Shahrukh Khan (though he is able to do as much damage to the cause of the movie as his brief appearance could have done, with his terribly self-consciousness).

6.5/10.

Don't Say A Word (2002)

Beauty and the Beast

Sum of All Fears (2002)