When the writer and director of (one of my favourite films) Oldboy is about to open Stoker; his first English Language film – attention must be paid.
When you think of Arnold Schwarzenegger coming back after being the Governor of California, it is not a far stretch to ask the question ‘Why?’. Well the first trailer for upcoming film The Last Stand dropped and we all really should have known better. This trailer looks pretty damn awesome and Ahnuld is pulling no punches in the fact that he is not as young as he once was. A lot to like about this. There is a pretty stacked cast including the go-to sidekick Johnny Knoxville (if it worked for the Rock) and some a ton of action I can get behind.
About the Film The Last Stand marks the English-language debut of director Kim Jee-woon (I Saw the Devil, The Good, the Bad, the Weird) working from a script by Andrew Knauer, Jeffrey Nachmanoff, and George Nolfi (The Adjustment Bureau). The film follows Arnold Schwarzenegger as a former LAPD cop turned sheriff of a small border town which serves as the last thing standing between the world’s most notorious drug kingpin and freedom in Mexico after he escapes from an FBI prisoner convoy. Forest Whitaker, Zach Gilford, Harry Dean Stanton and Luis Guzmán and more also star in Last Stand, hitting theaters on January 18th, 2013.
Check out the trailer below:
And here is the poster: (click it to make it all huge and high-res and stuff)
Up until now, all Sridevi fans the world over have waited with bated breath for the Bollywood diva to grace the screen once again. August 13th saw the release of the theatrical trailer of her upcoming film English Vinglish, which is also set to appear at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival.
From the makers of Paa and Cheeni Kum comes English Vinglish which tells the story of a woman who does not know English and is made to feel insecure by her family and society at large. The film is a light -hearted yet touching and transformational journey of Shashi. Circumstances make her determined to overcome this insecurity, master the language, teach the world a lesson on the way to becoming a self assured and confident woman. The film is shot mostly in New York and captures the inherent struggle of many people all over the world with the English Language. Hilarious, touching, sensitive, this film marks the come back of India’s biggest female star…Sridevi.
Theatrical Trailer for English Vinglish
I wrote about my excitement about English Vinglish and its presence at TIFF 2012 a few weeks ago (this previous post includes a look back at Sridevi’s body of work for the uninitiated). That excitement just grew when the theatrical trailer released. Sridevi may have been away from the screen for 15 years – but when you watch the trailer, it seems as if she never left. I can only imagine how I, as well as all the other Sridevi fans may feel when we see the entire film. Sridevi has this brilliant way of striking the right balance between comedy and hard hitting emotion. You can laugh with her and sympathize with her at the same time in each frame of her performance. The trailer is clearly just a sneak peek into the film – but anyone familiar with Sridevi’s body of work will know that she is a powerhouse performer – known for her comedy.
Director Gauri Shinde and Sridevi speak about the film at the Trailer launch for English Vinglish
The only other time I felt this confident about an actress returning after a long break was when Madhuri Dixit came back with Aaja Nachle in 2007. Yet, despite the success or failure of a film, one this is for sure, just like Madhuri Dixit, Sridevi is here to stay.
It will be exciting to see what film she signs after English Vinglish. I wait with eagerness.
So, the little boy inside me is freaking out. Why? Simply because Sridevi could possibly, and most likely will be making a glamorous appearance at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival. She will be coming to Toronto for the Gala Presentation of her upcoming film English Vinglish. Now, you must be asking yourself…what’s so good about Sridevi? and for those of you asking that question, I ask..How dare you? Sridevi defined the 1980′s in Bollywood cinema. She brought her South Indian charm to the Hindi movie scenario and wooed everyone with her dancing and brilliant comic timing.
She’s a powerhouse.
My early childhood was spent admiring two women. Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit. The former ruled the 1980′s and the latter ruled the 1990′s – two eras in which I was 1) alive, 2) learned that Bollywood films were a PASSION and 3) I learned how to dance. All in all, Sridevi and Madhuri were both integral in my schooling as a Bollywood passionista.
What made Sridevi special was that she could portray the most complex of characters and still deliver light-hearted moments with her comic capabilities. Anyone remember that hilarious scene from the 1985 Bollywood classic Masterji where Sridevi tries to sexually arouse the late Rajesh Khanna without being too forward – only to achieve what she intended through a song and dance? I do. Hilarious.
Scene and “Swami ji” song from Masterji
And of course, she knew how to dance. Sridevi came from a time when natural talent was admired and when Bollywood actors were what the industry liked to call “complete packages”: actors that looked good, acted well and knew how to dance. After her Filmfare Award nominated role as Jhanki in 1997′s Judaai, Sridevi left the business and hasn’t graced the big screen since.
15 years later, Sridevi is back with Gauri Shinde‘s English Vinglish. The film tells the story of an Indian woman who struggles to learn the English language in order to help provide for her family – hence the “Vinglish” in the title. From the first look of the trailer, we can witness Sridevi’s brillance in comedy and how she brings an innocence on screen that is captivating. What’s more, the film is being simultaneously release in Tamil as well, since Sridevi was first a Tollywood (Tamil cinema) megastar before become extremely successful in Bollywood cinema as well. A Tamil version of the films Trailer has also been released.
The 2012 Toronto International Film Festival has chosen a Bollywood film that truly is international in nature. With scenes shot in New York City and the representation of both Indian and North American society, the film promises to be a comedic cultural fusion – in pure Sridevi style.
Theatrical Trailer of English Vinglish (Hindi)
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For your viewing pleasure as well as the unitiated, below are some of Sridevi‘s most memorable dance sequences.
Mere Haathon Mein Nau Nau – Chandni
Mein Teri Dushman – Nagina
Naino Mein Sapna – Himmatwala
