The Gold Bracelet

This is such a good movie. I can't believe people don't know about it yet and that it's not in theaters. Why? Anyway, I saw this over the weekend and Gurinder Chadha, director of movies like 'Bend It Like Beckham' and 'Bride & Prejudice' presented some award to the director of 'Bracelet'. I met the director briefly and one of the film's actors - Sonny Mandal (so gorgeous). What I loved so much about the movie was that it was so simple. I mean it was easy to watch and relate to characters who I normally never paid attention to in real life. I just never realized that there are so many people and places that I have just not paid any attention to. I think movies like this will change that for most people. The best - really. It will be one of the best films you ever see. The acting is amazing. I've never seen Kavi Raz or Sonny Mandal before, except on a TV maybe, but they are so good to watch. The one who plays the neighbor and the mom are are real good, too. I mean the whole cast is great.

There's a lot of great comments about this film, but I have to say I'm wondering how the movie biz works. I'm mean, I've seen great films but sometimes it seems like they come out like 1-3 yrs after I see them at the festivals. I'm a business major and I've got a second major in film production/marketing. So this is still new to me. I saw the film in Jacksonville, Fla with my parents and girlfriend while on break from school. I have to say, I was pretty blown away. I didn't know any of the actors and I didn't hear too much about the story until I started at NYU, but I talked to some friends when I got back. I told them to go see the film once it came to NYC for a special screening at a fest over here in September. Now these guys are all film majors and English lit guys. They all seemed to dig it too. I noticed the hottie from Playboy, Angela Little. Nice, babeeeeee. My girlfriend lost her mind when she saw one of the actors in the film and got a pic with him. They had a contest to win a date with him (Sonny Mandal). Even though I didn't know who he was and I don't think anyone else did either, but there was a ton of women who wanted to win the date, one of them being my girlfriend. Hey, what the heck! OK, this sounds like a blog now. Sorry. So here's my take on the film - acting: not too bad at all considering I never heard of any of these guys, but they were good to watch (as they say), story/plot/drama stuff: I guess it could get pretty emotional, but the story was allegedly based on true events and the intense moments were nicely broken up by some funny moments too, characters: pretty believable, especially the guy playing Arjun and the one playing Bobby. There's a scene with the neighbor and he's real good too. Anyway, I'm not sure why it is not a film that is out there already. It's a 9/11 film with a wedding, tragedy, comic stuff (not corny - thank God), and intense life drama. It's not Shakespeare, but it's got all the elements (almost). Best to these guys. Good work. See it if you can.

I heard about this a few months ago when a friend went to see it at Opening the Jacksonville Film Festival in May this year. I saw it in Canada of all places while on vacation. My friend told me that one of the lead actors (Sonny Mandal) was auctioned off in a win-a-date contest. Lucky guy. My girlfriend says it's the other way around. But I thought his acting and the man who plays Arjun (he's the director) and the one who plays the Mom were awesome. The neighbor played by Joseph Whipp was was very real. Some of the best moments in the film come from the acting of Sonny and Kavi with moments of silence and their reactions. Very good work and nice overall t-for the rest of the cast. The story is original. I know there's some films that are going to be similar, but this has it all in a way because you get the flavor of music, fashion, and food combined with the exotic and then they add the family, love, and some disturbing images ( Isay this because the film depicts what happened after 9/11 to so many innocent Americans). Wonderful film if you want to experience a whole new world that's right her in America and most places, really. Three Thumbs Way Up! (I hope I can say that).

I saw this at the 2006 Method Fest Film Festival in LA. Superb acting and original story - about an Indian family in America and how they must make choices after September 11th. Musical scenes and a heart-warming (tear jerking) love stories combined with the realities of prejudice are hauntingly real. The audience loved the film - both comic and dramatic. A lot of people said this should be required viewing - I agree. The directing and cinematography was easy to watch. The music was so cool - the audience was so into it - I imagine all audiences will react the same. There are so many good things to say about the film and the message is so necessary - it just needs to be heard. Maybe it can help change things. Peace.

If a movie can make you think about becoming a better person, how could not love it (or hate it, depending on what kind of person you are). Without any doubt, this is going to make me a better person. There were two slow moments in the film at the first part, but they are so short. I didn't recognize any of the actors, but they were so good, so it didn'tmatter. Everything was so nice in the movie. The colors, music, etc. I think stories about immigrants in America are so underrated. When movies like this come out they seem to go over really well. But I'm guilty of the ignorance as well. If you think about it, we all came from somewhere else somewhere down the line. So immigrants come here with a dream too. The movie made me think about all the other films that deal with the subject, but the difference is that this is about what happens to Americans (good or bad) when a national crisis arises. So many tragic things happen. This movie is about hope. I saw Will Smith talk about it on the Oprah Winfrey Show yesterday and that is something he talked about. To be able to give hope through his work. He said that when you lose everything or don't have anything, all you have and all you really need is HOPE. I loved it (the movie). And I want to see Pursuit of Happiness. But go so the Gold Bracelet - you won't be disappointed.