Not in the mood for anything already at theatres? Here are five DVDs you can curl up with this weekend:
Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahin (Hindi)
Cast: Aamir Khan, Pooja Bhatt, Anupam Kher and Sameer Chitre.
Director: Mahesh Bhatt
Plot: An ambitious print scribe (Khan) bumps into the runaway spoilt daughter (Bhatt) of a millionaire (Kher). She's on her way to marry a greedy but good-looking actor. He's looking for a sensational story. Circumstances force them to make their journey together, which leads to inevitable romance.
Aces: Aamir and Pooja shared a rather perky onscreen chemistry. Their cute squabbles coupled with Nadeem Shravan's delightful score made this desi It Happened One Night -- previously adapted as Chori Chori -- quite a treat. Though filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt (for Best Director), Khan (Best Actor) and Kher (Best Actor in a Comic Role) were nominated, it was Anuradha Paudwal who walked away with the Filmfare trophy (Best Female Playback Singer) for her rendition of the title track.
Extras: Available with English subtitles.
Con Air (English)
Cast: Nicolas Cage, John Malkovich, John Cusack, Steve Buscemi, Ving Rhames and Monica Potter.
Director: Simon West
Plot: All hell breaks loose in a plane carrying hardcore criminals when they decide to turn the tables on jail authorities. They take control of the plane in a bid to escape to South America. On the good side is an ex-army man (Cage), convicted for eight years while trying to protect his wife (Potter). He happens to be on the same plane and co-ordinates with the US Marshal (Cusack) to save the day.
Aces: Con Air is a gripping action extravaganza with all the thrills and punches. Its larger than life action sequences and superbly executed stunts made it a huge box office grosser. Besides a smashing Cage, the flick featured an entire bunch of wonderful actors playing menacing bad guys to the hilt.
Extras: Available subtitles: Spanish. Available audio tracks: English (Dolby Digital 5.1), French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround).
Happenstance (Le Battement d'ailes du papillon, French)
Cast: Audrey Tautou, Faudel, Eric Savin, Nathalie Besançon and Lysiane Meis.
Director: Laurent Firode
Plot: True love is on the day's menu for a sweet-natured clerk (Tautou) born on March 11, 1977 or says the astrological predictions. Meanwhile, 20 lives will participate in a series of unrelated events to make this forecast come true.
Aces: A tightly directed film with enchanting performances and touching moments. Interestingly, Happenstance released a year before Amelie came out and established Audrey Tautao as an international face.
Extras: Available with English subtitles. Available audio tracks: French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround).
Ram Balram (Hindi)
Cast: Dharmendra, Amitabh Bachchan, Rekha, Zeenat Aman, Amjad Khan, Prem Chopra and Ajit.
Director: Vijay Anand
Plot: Two brothers. One's a cop (Bachchan); the other, a thief (Dharmendra). Their extreme choice of professions is all part of their deceiving uncle's (Ajit) plan. What's the deal? Watch the movie!
Aces: A typical 80s entertainer with no shortage of masala ingredients -- action, comedy, romance, drama, emotion and melody. Vijay Anand's terrific ability to keep his audience is evident in this runaway hit as well. Remember the popular song by Laxmikant-Pyarelal -- Ek Rastaa, do raahi. Ek chor, ek sipahi?
Extras: Available with English subtitles.
Crazy/Beautiful (English)
Cast: Kirsten Dunst, Jay Hernandez and Bruce Davison.
Director: John Stockwell
Plot: A reputable senator's problematic daughter (Dunst) falls for the charms of a scholarly Latino American boy (Hernandez). Love, in addition to trouble, brews.
Aces: An engaging, sexy, sweet, love story, Crazy/Beautiful tries very hard not to be a regular teenybopper movie. It tries to deal with issues like cultural and class differences and also a troubled teenager's needs and insecurities without going over the top. Also, Dunst and Hernandez come up with sincere, believable performances.
Extras: Available with English, Spanish and French subtitles. Audio commentary with director John Stockwell and Kirsten Dunst. Making-of the film. Deleted scenes.
