Rating: Summary: Fabulous movie! Review: As an Indian, this movie hits close to home. I have been to several weddings in India, and this is an exact depiction. The chaos, the drama, the color, arranged marriages, the large cohesive families - this is exactly how "Punjabi" marriages are. I just couldn't resist watching this movie over and over, without ever getting bored! Kudos to Mira Nair for wonderful work!
Rating: Summary: This is what movie-making is all about. Review: As the movie slowly navigated its way through the introductory scenes, I began to think I was in for one of those boring international films with all the excitement of sludge drying. But as the plot developed and the characters became more comprehensible, it became a truly exciting and heart-touching production. It is one of those special gems that can be watched over and over, with new facets and insights coming out in every viewing. Let's be clear about this. Monsoon Wedding is about relationships rather car chases and exotic weaponry. But I can honestly say, watching this movie was one of the most exhilirating and heartwarming experiences I have had in a very long time.
Rating: Summary: Hilarious, Touching and Real! Review: I loved this film! It centers around a young girl who is having an affair with a married man, but is tired of waiting for him, and decides to enter into an arranged marriage with a total stranger. Actually, there are many charming substories occuring within the main plot. The budding love between the wedding planner and the servant is especially touching. The film's soundtrack is excellent too, and the director was able to incorporate dancing and music into the film WITHOUT turning it into a musical! Yes!! It's also a wonderful look into the lives of Indian families today. English seems to be spoken much of the time, and even though the old traditions are still a huge part of their lives, the youth is progressive, modern, and worldy. "Monsoon Wedding" managed to make me think, laugh my head off, and cry my eyeballs out all within two hours! Really I recommend it highly. One of my favorite new films in a LONG time!
Rating: Summary: Delightful! Review: I fell in love with the characters in Monsoon Wedding and enjoyed learning about modern day Indian weddings. At times the characters are a little hard to follow, as the family is huge and characters often talk at once. I loved the music, dancing, and scenery and would recommend thid movie to anyone.
Rating: Summary: One chick-flick with curry coming up! Review: Women will love this Indian film (half in English/half in sub-titles) about women and their friends, loves, fiances, families, children, emotions and relationships, relationships, and more relationships. Nothing happens but a wedding. Anyone who has ever gone to a large ethnic family wedding and get-together will experience Deja-vu. Guys will find this about as interesting as an Oprah re-run starring Dr. Phil and filmed in Bombay. Predictable and boring. Left me thinking, "So what?" The music is a mix of Indian and Western dance music and is lively, though. You can skip this one unless you loved "Beaches".
Rating: Summary: A cinematic pageant for all the senses Review: MONSOON WEDDING is one of the most sumptuous visual banquets available for viewing. This is Indian film making at its best. The story is as multilayerd as the intricate Indian paintings which combine all the mysteries of Hindu philosophy, mythical beasts and beautiful damsels, and arrogantly handsome warriors. Mira Nair has woven this opulent traditional Punjabi wedding celebration with quality threads of statements about current affairs of the heart in Delhi, changes in the caste system, the humor that abounds in family gatherings, and the profoundly honest commitment to honor among these animated characters. The musical score is a delight, the colors are glorious, the use of monsoon rains adds to the joy rather than the ususal spoiling of manmade events by natural weather anomalies. All of the actors are fine and the ensemble sense achieved is akin to the celebration of life that is part of the Punjabi mentality (as sensitively and joyously stated in the Director's comments that accompany this DVD). Sharpen your ears as the dialogue is in English, Hindi, and Punjabi and it is difficult at times to understand the 'untranslated English' lacking subtitles!
Rating: Summary: Very well made movie Review: Its a very well made movie with great music, acting and direction. A must see
Rating: Summary: Amzing in these days Review: i found utter peace in this movie, it bought me nothing but happiness, fun and great music. It is worth to watch over and over again.
Rating: Summary: Rain-Soaked Romance in the Real World Review: The rain-soaked scenes in this movie are nothing short of visual intoxication. With the rain comes a feeling of renewal and child-like exuberance Mira Nair is a director who brings a sense of soul and passion to her movies. As in her movie, Kama Sutra, you become so absolutely entranced, you forget you are watching a movie and imagine you are living within one of the character's minds. While the Kama Sutra movie is intoxicatingly erotic, this movie focuses on contemporary culture and is a window into a world you would otherwise never see unless you traveled to India. Together with the writer, Sabrina Dhawan, she has woven the ancient traditions of a Punjabi wedding with the life and pulse of contemporary India. It is a more realistic expression of the culture and cares of modern society. The R-rating seems mostly for swearing which is at times comical although mostly unnecessary. Delhi is a city where tradition collides daily with global culture. Mira Nair focuses on the family relationships taking place at an affluent farm-house on the outskirts of Dehli where women sing and dance in intricate silky saris. While this is mostly a family comedy/drama, the director occasionally draws your attention back to the street life in India. She celebrates the sensual pleasures of cinema, while also succeeding in taking hold of your heart in the most interesting way. There is a sense of intimacy as she delves into the minds of her characters, revealing their hidden hopes, dreams, anxieties and well-guarded secrets. What is most fascinating about this movie is the familial relationships. Family arrives from all over the world to attend the wedding. The dialogue shifts effortlessly and between English, Punjabi and Hindi reflecting the real India where speakers often use both English and Hindi in the same sentence. The story begins four days before the wedding. A lavish garden ceremony has been planned at Aditis's home. Almost immediately, you are drawn into Aditi Verma's (Vasundhara Das) sorrow, her sense of loss during a moment in time where you would imagine she would be opening a new door in her life. Instead we see her ex-boyfriend (Vikram, her boss) closing a door as he walks back into his life. Aditi's unmarried cousin, Ria (Shefali Chaya), watches her plunge herself recklessly into marriage and warns her that she might not want to devulge all her sexual secrets. Aditi hardly seems concerned that she is leaving India for a life as a housewife in Houston, Texas and that she has never met the man she is about to marry. Rita is soon to devulge her own secrets and this highlights some intensely emotional situations where the devastating family betrayal brings out the absolute best in Aditi's father as he has to decided between family loyalty and a strong moral position. Some of the scenes in this movie show such intense love and care, they will take your breath away. Aditi finally meets Hemant (Parvin Dabas), who seems to long for a pure innocent Indian bride who is a flower waiting only for him to pluck her from this sea of custom and take her back home to America. I would love to see Mira Nair take "Of Marriageable Age" by Sharon Maas and turn it into a movie. Hemant reminded me so much of "Nat" in her novel who was also looking for a sweet innocent Indian bride. What he finds is a slightly wilting flower, still longing passionately for her ex-boyfriend. Drawn by destiny the couple has submitted to their parents wishes and while they both have known deep love, their commitment to this marriage is highly romantic. There is a beautiful moment where Aditi's fiancé forgives her for not saving herself for him and admits that he too has loved deeply and been hurt before. This moment brings out such respect in Aditi's heart and is a real turning point in the movie. Aditi's father, Lalit Verma (Naseeruddin Shah) can't afford the ceremony and already the wedding planner has requested an additional fee to waterproof the tent in case of rain. As with any wedding, the wedding planner has to deal with last minute anxieties and the Bride's father is not at all pleased with the marigold archway which is disintegrating before his eyes as petals fall onto the ground, perhaps symbolic of his daughter's situation. He seeks solice in the arms of his wife Pimmi (Lillete Dubey) and they share some extremely touching moments that show their true love for one another. P.K Dubey (Vijay Raaz) is responsible for the wedding and seems rather jaded and seems to have a penchant for eating marigolds which actually are a bit spicy. He has planned so many weddings and has yet to find his own true love. Alice (Tilotama Shome), the Verma's maid shows him a small kindness and gets his attention. I found the Marigolds to be of interest. Marigolds have at different times stood for sacred affection, life, fertility, protection from evil, jealousy, faithfulness, and submission. These flowers make their appearance throughout the movie and seem to be symbolic in many ways. They are considered to be sacred and said to cure the trembling of the heart. This might be why Dubey keeps eating them as he is falling in love with Alice. Monsoon Wedding will leave you feeling refreshed and longing for a sense of family and tradition in your own life. This is a beautiful expression of culture, creativity and connection with an emphasis on rain, romance and relationships.
Rating: Summary: I saw this movie in the theater Review: I enjoyed this movie. It highlighted many aspects of modern Indian society. Family, social class, traditions, sacrifice, education, and culture.
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