Rains and loveliness

Before the Rains

Much pro/con evaluation is occurring today on the rainy front, but there does seem to be a sunny consensus when it comes to the film's look and the efforts of its cast.

• On the former, India Currents says:

[...] Sivan’s cinematography, as always, is breathtaking. Kerala is lush and vibrant with color. Sivan shows his flair for shooting water, one of his favorite subjects. The film moves effortlessly, and there is not a moment during the 98-minute film that you feel the story dragging. [...]

And on the latter:

[...] Das is not used to her full potential in the film, both in terms of screen time and character. Ehle performs well, but her character also had the potential to be much stronger, if Sivan hadn’t glossed over her dramatic arc. Roache plays convincingly as a man who can be seen as spineless on one end, but with circumstantially justifiable actions on the other. At the crux of the film is Bose, and he delivers a good performance. [...]

• Boston.com is more mixed, but calls the film 'competent, even suspenseful', adding that it offers 'enough dramatic elements for a dozen movies'.
  


• The World Socialist Website has more criticisms, but reiterates that the film is both:

[...] beautiful to watch and skillfully employs the talents of its cast. [...]

• Northern News goes into greater detail but arrives at a similar conclusion:

[...] Breathtaking panoramas of southern India and cinematic strokes of artistry fill "Before the Rains." ... For all its loveliness and attempts to be profound, this film is...predictable...albeit in a colonial setting. It is saved by its beauty and well-etched performances. Rahul Bose is wonderfully believable as Neela. His performance is almost matched by Linus Roache as Henry. [...]

• Next, if you were thinking of attending the Lake Placid Film Forum (being held June 12-14), Before the Rains is being shown at 8.45 at the Palace Theatre on the Thursday. Producer Paul Hardart will be hosting the screening. (See The Cottage Chat).
  
  
• Lastly, The Hollywood Reporter have a small but nice Q&A with Ms Ehle's co-star Nandita Das.

Pride and Glory

On the Pride and Glory front, there now appears to be a more specific date than '2009'! IMDb are listing Norway's release as April 3, corroborated by Upcoming Movie Trailers.

Before the Devil Knows You're Dead

• Last but not least, it is a thumbs up for Ms Harris from one blogger for her most recent available work:

[...] it's fair to say that the tension is only allowed to slacken when Lumet and Masterson introduce us to the boys' unhappy parents, beautifully played by Albert Finney and Rosemary Harris. [...]

Mr Blogger goes on to add:

[...] as we are all used to almost every movie, of whatever genre, running out of ideas a long way before the end, it is great to see one which saves its most ingeniously nasty moment for the final curtain [...]

Finally, Tom O'Neil of The Envelope has indulged in some early-phase Emmy predictions. Fingers crossed his 'possible' guesses are correct.