Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne

Satyajit Ray's 1969 film follows two men banished from their villages for making bad music. Goopy sings and Bagha drums, and the king of ghosts they meet in the forest grants them three wishes: to go anywhere they want, to have as much food as they want, and to make music good enough to hold anyone spellbound. The story comes from a children's tale written by Ray's grandfather, Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury. The film becomes the adventure of the pair trying to prevent a war between the kingdoms of Halla and Shundi, and closes on an anti-war message. The dance of the ghosts, the songs Ray composed himself and the magic shoes made it one of the best-loved productions in Bengali cinema. Ray made two more films with the same characters in later years. Who it's for: families and anyone curious about Ray outside his known dramas. Who it's not for: viewers expecting quality visual effects; the film was made with the means of 1969 and the tricks are plainly visible.