Reds: Nice cinema on First World War and Its Aftermath

By Harsha Man Maharjan

I am interested in the cold War period. That's why i watched this movie. More than this, it presents pictures of US and USSR, the main actors of the Cold War. People believe this as the story of a writer and journalist,John Reeds. I had same misconception before i watched it. What i think is this movie is actually a saga on the rise of left movement in the US and feminism, which broached the idea of free sex and independent thinking. Please watch this movie, if you are more interested in Emma Goldman's life. It is a nice movie to know about the first world war and its aftermath. I disagree with some reviews who blame for its length-it is 196 minutes.I believe that only due to this length, it could portray lives of its actors in detail.

source: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082979/reviews-114

Film Critic: Journalist and Audience

By Harsha Man Maharjan

Who is a film critic? Better to put this questions as: who can be a film critic ?

This issue evolved with a review of Nepali film, Break Fail by Manoj Pandit, film director and critic. On 25 September 2011, Nepali daily Nagarik reported that police summoned Manoj on a complaint from actress Richa Ghimire. According to the reporting, Richa blame Manoj of character assassination through a review of her film, Break Fail and affecting international market of the film. In that review he has opined that she was not worth being an actress in the film, which she took as a personal matter. I don’t think so. Going through the review I have come to a conclusion that Richa was wrong. Being a film critic, Manoj had rights to comment on Ghimire's acting.

If what Nagarik wrote was correct, Richa had some misconceptions. She said reviews have to promote Nepali cinema industry without criticizing it. More than she opined that only journalists with cards from FNJ should have rights to write film reviews.

What I think is any film viewer has rights to be a film reviewer. Journalists have no monopoly on this business. Nepali film industry must show courage to hear criticism.

Links:

Manoj’s review:

http://www.merocinema.com/fullnews.php?newsid=2498&newsof=3

about the news:

http://nepal24hours.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7883:richa-drags-manoj-to-police-station&catid=70:entertainment&Itemid=67