Top 10 Films SEEN in 2007 (3 of 5 parts)

The Cloud-Capped Star (1960)
Directed by Ritwik Ghatak

Indian director Ritwik Ghatak may not be as famous or as well-known as his contemporary, Satyajit Ray, but he is no less talented. At least that's what I can surmise based on the first film of his I've seen which is The Cloud-Capped Star. It's fairly obscure but, damn it, it deserves to be seen by more people. This is a superb ensemble cast led by the luminous Supriya Choudry who plays Nita, the self-sacrificing tragic heroine of the film whose selfless actions for the sake of her family goes unnoticed and are taken for granted until it's too late. Yes, it's pretty sad. But it's a genuinely emotional, thought-provoking piece of work and provides a fascinating look into a culture. (8/1)

The Man With The Movie Camera (1929)
Directed by Dziga Vertov

This silent non-fiction film comes to us from Russia. It's not about anything. It has no plot. It really tells no story. It is but a series of images of a day in a typical city in the Soviet Union. But the way it's put together is another story. The cinematography and editing techniques and the eye-popping visuals is simply a wonder to behold. Even today, with the advent of flashy MTV-style editing, the film still holds the power to captivate the viewer. Essentially, it's film in it's purest form, free from the constraints of formal narratives. (8/27)