Movie Reviews And Discussions - A BlogoMania Initiative

Movies I watched at MAMI - Mumbai Film fest

2009-11-06T11:20:00.010+05:30

This movies has FESTIVAL written all over it. The director tests your pateince throughout the film. Its also about illegal immigration of mexicans into america and their lives, work etc. Its about 2 guys who finish their work of the day and then go for a special job to kill a lady. The movie starts with a 10 minute still frame with nothing happening. I certainly slept through half the movie. A brilliant shot in the end was alls that was exciting to me. rating - 5 / 10

YANG YANG - This taiwanese film is my most favourite film off all the movies in this fest. Its the story of a girl named Yang Yang, whoes mother marries her athletics coach. Evreything starts off well, but soon things turn sour between her and her step sister. The movie is made out of several big shots - continuous filming and hence the performances have to be spot on and they are. Brilliant direction , amazing performances make this movie awesome. And more importatly this movie scores of emotions and sensitivity. I loved it. rating - 9 /10

VIHIR - Umesh Kulkarni .Another winner from this most talented Marathi director who previously made VALU. Vihir is a brilliantly written story of 2 cousin brothers. the younger one looks up to the elder brother, and always tries to emulate him. But when the elder brother dies, the younger brother goes thru a lot of pain and several questions of life, relations, death spring to him mind and he leaves on a quest to find these answers. Awesome cinematography and acting. A must must watch rating - 8 / 10

Twenty Bist - Iranian film. Like most Iranian films, its a simple film about human emotions. But this is a film full of misery. Its about a HALL owner and his employees. When the HALL owners health begins to deteriorate, he deices to close down his HALL, which puts his employees in a tough spot as they depend on this job to live their life. This film is full of misery - one life full of misery to another. It also comes to a very morose end. Anyways, this movie is a thoroughbread festival film. Catch it if you must. rating - 6 / 10

The waiting City - An australian film by Claire McCarthy shot in Calcutta. An australian couple comes to adopt an indian girl. The red tape in the system holds up the adoption for many days and they have to play the waiting game within which they not only have to get to grips with the Indian culture , way of life etc but also try to smoothen their own crumpled relationship. A very nice film which lives off the performances of the lead actors. A film worth watching. rating - 7.5 / 10.

My fest started with this film and its a simple, beautiful film. Its shot in 2 places Italy and Romania. Its about a Romanian girl who comes to Italy to earn some money by taking care of an old Italian lady. Its the story of how the relation develops between the 2. Sweet film.
rating - 7 / 10

Konkani film "MAN BEYOND THE BRIDGE" The surprise Package of the festival. I didnt even know before this that konkani films exist , but am totally blown away by it. This film is about a relationship that develops between a lonely man and an outcast,mentally challenged girl. Loads of dynamics involved - what the villagers think, religion, faith. 2 thubs up for this film. A must watch. rating - 8 / 10

A filipino film, for which the director won the best director award at Cannes. This movie really tests your patience. Its a movie about a group of corrupt cops who go on a journey to kill one prostitute who has betrayed them. In this journey they are joined by a new recruit. This film meanders and keep trying to grab loads of tension and finally the police carry out the gruesome act. Kinatay is one hell of a festival film, but it really tested my patience. rating - 6 / 10

Happy Go Lucky is about a girl who is happy go lucky. In this cruel , bad world, what if you could keep smiling and be an eternal optimist. Will this world let you be that way or wwill it pull you down. Thats the premise of this film. Again a must watch.
rating - 8 / 10

A french film EDEN IS WEST made by costa-gavras, is a tragicomedy, something like a Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron, where the protagonist goes through the shit of the system or the world and then ends up all screwed up. Its a kind of a statement on the illegal immigration that happens from poor countries to countries like France. Engaging film.
rating - 6.5/ 10

A film from a small little country named Bulgaria. The movie ends pretty much as it starts. There is no plot, just a statement. There is no end, but a possibility of a new beginning. It shows the politics, the culture of Bulgaria through the life of 2 brothers and just leaves us there. Brilliant acting by the lead actor -Christo Christov (who passed away a few days after shooting ended- sad) rating - 6 / 10

Dogtooth - a greek film, is one of the most interesting films I saw this week. Its about a couple who keep their children locked within the confines of their home for 17 years. They are taught, bread there and made to believe that the world outside is evil and they would die if they try to go out. But one outside influence kindles their curiosity and everything goes haywire. A must watch for its weirdness. rating - 8 / 10

Imagine a movie where 80% of a movie 86 mins long is showing just the face of the protagonist. Thats APPLAUS for you. N even then this film from Denmark scores, because of Paprika Steen's phenomenal performance. - Plot -A stage actress is turning old and is trying to pick up the pieces of her life.
rating - 6.5 / 10 - simply for the performance.

A rather timepass film for a festival. 7 minutes is about a dating service in which you can meet different guys and gals and discuss for 7 minutes after which you have to decide whether you want to date them. Nothing special here except a few explicit scenes that could excite teenagers. rating - 4 / 10

BLUE- a perfect disaster

2009-10-18T02:33:00.003+05:30

Blue_ rating 2 out of 10

Like akshay kumar has decided to beat his own record of giving consecutive CRAPS here comes another DISASTER .

Story has nothing new to offer , a group of criminals , younger brother trapped between bad guys and for his life elder brother goes for what he had decided not to do. A sexy girlfriend who was on gunpoint of bad guys and finally a fox like friend….

If it was not enough an international pop star’s cold special appearance .

Performance ? yes nobody has performed because director’s role was missing .
Like akshay kumar has written his own pathetic dialogues . every time he opens his mouth to shoot pathetic dialogues if u see his performance zayed khan has done better than him in the movie. Sanjay dutt , why director had chosen him is a big question..
sanjay dutt was not looking in shape and not at all a deep sea diver . he was looking tired and FAT. Lara dutta had nothing to do accept to do a bikini song.

Stunts of B grade Hollywood movie would be better than this .and if one wants to see underwater marine world, he should see discovery channel but not this.

Biggest disappointment was from director’s side. he has made it without any planning.

Total waste of producer’s money and people like me who went to see this crap.

Inglorious Basterds - The ultimate war fantasy!

2009-10-06T10:32:00.006+05:30

Genre : Drama

There is something about Tarantino yaar. He has this amazing ability to make even 10 minute conversations interesting. His prowess as a director is peerless.

Inglorious Basterds is a fictional war drama. It's the ultimate war fantasy played out over 3 hours. The climax is so outrageous that I guess only Tarantino can pull it off. But then the movie is not about the climax, its about the journey. As Tarantino likes it, the movie plays in Chapters. The first being the most amazing one. You simply cannot miss that. Its about a German Colonel ( Col. Hans Landa ) visiting a farmer's hut and verbally forcing him to reveal a secret. The exchange has to be seen to be believed. The snake like character of Col.Hans Landa has to be one of the most devilish characters written for cinema. Without using a single threat or without using any force, he breaks a resolute man into submission. And that scene sets the pace for the film.

One thing amazing about Hollywood actors is that they are not greedy. They look at a role rather than Meat and their persona. Brad Pitt plays a rather insignificant role in this film ( the scene is stolen by Christoph Waltz - Cl.Landa and Melanie Laurent - Shosanna Deyfuss ). You cannot imagine a Bollywood superstar playing second fiddle to so many characters. Also, in Bollywood characters are written keeping in mind the stars , while in Hollywood actors have to mould themselves into a character. We should come of age in this area.

Anyways, even though the amount of violence and the bodycount in this film is much lesser than Kill Bill, the tense undercurrent, the witty exchanges make for an amazing watch. Also, as always Tarantino has some extraordinary background tracks. The acting is top notch. The whole ensemble cast is in top form, but the film belongs to Waltz and I am sure he is going to win a plethora of awards for the same.

Even though you might towards the end say "Kuch Bhi" the child inside you might say WHY NOT? In the realms of fiction , anything is possible :)

Rating : 8 / 10

Movie Review - WAKE UP SID - a somnolent awakening....

2009-10-02T01:22:00.007+05:30

Genre : Drama

I am a little confused. When you see something so personal, you tend to think before passing judgments; but then again when you pay 300 bucks for it , it becomes a public issue! Ok, first time director Ayaan Mukherjee, clearly was too attached to this subject, because he langorously delves into the story of a spoilt brat and his awakening. But unfortunately half the theater snores ( especially the guys !) as he awakens.

No this is no Lakshya. Here too the first half is about a boy who is content spending his fathers hard earned fortune. He goes about in merriment untill one day he fails his exams and realizes the gravity of the situation. His parents arent impressed either and this seems to be the last straw. So he leaves home and finds a refuge in a friend's place. And slowly (really slowly) he begins to understand his responsibilities and that he needs to do something worthwhile in his lifetime. His friend ( an independent Bengali girl ) plays a big part in this.

Yeah, many many people could relate to this. And hence, in some parts the movie touches chords but then thats about it. As one of my friends would aptly put - "Director bechara Bhawnaaoo main beh gaya" because the film is too self involved. The director seems more interested in making the shot look impressive and colorful; and less about what the audience must be going through. Because even though there is a point to this story, it takes a rather long time to make it. Clearly the scissors should have been out before the film was.

Also, the story suffers because of enormously lengthy and sometimes preachy scenes. The director does come up with some colorful characters , but never uses them. There are no interesting subplots going along as the main plot drags. The very first sequence between Randhir and Konkana drags for pages and pages of dialogues. Yes, the dialogues are realistic but then in a film you need to keep a scene crisp unless really necessary.

As far as the ART direction/ cinematography is concerned, its fantabulous. Effort has been put in to make the movie look impressive and it does. Also, the music is peppy and does give you a reason or two to stay awake!

Ayaan certainly has great potential as a director. Some of the emotional scenes are handled brilliantly and I am sure, now that he has gotten over this extremely personal film he would think more objectively and come up with a more entertaining film. He could have taken queues from Farhaan when he made this film, on how to make this story into a better script.

Konkona Sen is in familiar territory. Its so sad to see that she has been typecasted into this typical Bengali independent girl who reads big novels and dreams big. Come on! she is much more talented and should definitely choose a different character to play. It seems like she walks out of the script of Page 3, right into this film. Anyways, this film belongs to Ranbir completely. As the spoilt kiddish arrogant brat Ranbir is spot on. Its a totally believable performance. He has this effortless screen presence ( very much like his father) and gives a rough idea of the range he possesses.

Finally, Wake up Sid, was a very good opportunity. But somehow the director could not make it very interesting. He tried to make it thought provoking, but most of the things you see on screen seem to give you a sense of de javu. It's probably doing the same thing differently.

Good luck to all the college guys who would be forced to go to this film by their girlfriends. And probably you would be snoring while they drools over Ranbir! Probably a one time watch , but then guys "INGLORIOUS BASTERDS" might be playing on the adjacent screen!

Rating : 5.5 / 10

Movie Review - What's Your Rashee -- Onerous , over-indulgent and Overbearing.

2009-09-26T10:47:00.011+05:30

A trip to the theater can be many things. It could be a edge of the seat experience, or could be an easy going popcorn fiesta, or probably a rollicking time. What “What’s your rashee” is like sitting in a preheated oven! First the warmth is quiet pleasing, then the temperature begins to rise and you start to feel the heat and slowly as the temperature starts getting unbearable, you start to burn, but the heat is relentless and you come out completely overcooked; infact burnt !

Please bear with the length of the review. And no it is not the case of “If I had to bear it , so should you” It’s just that this movie requires such an analysis. But I believe that this would definitely be worth the length. Also, I made it a point to sleep on it and then write this, because right after the film, you feel like ripping it apart.

Its plot is something like this. An NRI is looking for a suitable bride, so that he can inherit his uncle’s fortune and save his brother who is a lot of debt. He has read this book which says that there are 10 varieties of girls according to their Sun signs. So he decides to meet 10 different girls of corresponding Sun Signs.

Now, let me take a less than conventional route to review this movie. See the plot line for an average film is something like this –

The movie starts with its usual introductions, then it turns a corner and gives us something new to think about and then some song arrives, some comedic interludes and then it unravels some more until it reaches the interval and leaves us with a twist or a sudden increase in pace; after which it unfolds some more and gives us a bit of a rest with some more songs and comedy and then finally runs at full steam towards the finish line.

On the other hand Whats ur Rashee has a very simple one dimensional plotline. Something like this

The movie starts with the usual introductions, sets up the problem and then the solution of the problem takes a decade to unravel. Its just one meeting after another; and another; and another. It provides only a few variations in terms of character definition but overall it remains absurdly one dimensional. Many films are like this, but none is almost 4 hours long!! The plotline resembles that of a dying patient ,who finally passes away and that’s what happens to you in the theater!

Now when you write a story/screenplay for a movie the most important requirement is how to manipulate the audience interest level / involvement in the story. The ideal involvement of the audience is something like this –

The audience comes in with certain expectations and then as the story unfolds the level of interest keeps growing uniformly. But in realistic terms the graph would look something like this for a good film.

The level of interest increases and then keeps wavering till you finally reach the climax where the involvement is at its peak.

For an epic Saga like “Whats ur Rashee” the graph looks something like this.

Now, you come in with some minimum expectation and then you get involved. Its quiet pleasing for the first hour. For a bit later, the involvement increases, beyond which because of the one dimensional plot line, the interest begins to waiver and then starts declining and declining, until it turns to a certain level of disinterest. When it reaches its 4th hour of running (D) your level of disinterest is as stagnant as the plotline and finally there is spike towards the final lap. You are enraged now and feel like ripping the seats of the theater.

There is no doubt that Ashutosh Gowariker is a master director, but sometimes masters become narcissists or extremely self indulgent. Suraj Leela Bhansali / Kamal Hassan for instance. To make a movie on an easy going, one dimensional script is alright, but to then stretch it to an almost neverending saga is plain stupid. The same story in 2 hours would be extremely charming. He could well have fast forwarded through a few dames / sun signs and focused on a few. Approx 2 hours of this movie, off and on, shows the true class of the master director because this movie has some brilliant moments. Some instances are brilliantly scripted.

Also, the decision to insert a song for every sign is simply unforgivable. Every time a song arrives you think you are in a concentration camp being slowly poisoned to death. Though the songs are not that bad, but there is a limit to everything.

About the performances. Well Harman Baweja looks and acts like a true “Champu”. Though there is some level of potential in there somewhere but right now he does not have the personality or the screen presence or the talent to handle a movie singlehandedly. Fortunately, there is Priyanka Chopra, who sleep walks through the plethora of roles. Though everytime she comes in a new avatar you somehow feel it’s the same person, but she does it with such ease and panache that you surely believe that this is an actress in top form. There is one character I liked the most and that was of DiIip joshi. He has supreme comedic timing. Awesome.

Well, I could tell you some more about the useless subplots , the absurd explanation given by the grandpa for all girls looking similar to this guy or about the ridiculously brain dead ending, but I should also probably conclude this epic review by thinking “what if the director had edited this movie crisply, penned it considering the audience in mind?” then this would have been an extremely enjoyable film. Or else he could release it in parts on television as a series. But as off now, it is a test of endurance. Watch it if you must in a theater else wait for the DVD release. But surely a DVD viewing is highly recommended because it does have its bits of pure genius.

Leaving you with one quote from the several that the audience shouted out... Towards the end after seeing 10 girls and after some 3 and half hours, the hero is still indecisive. His mom asks him has he finally decided on a girl when he says " Mujhe samajh nahi aa raha", just then a person pipped "Maa main Gay hun" !!! Figures !!! :P Scope for part 2 ... hehehehehe

Rating : 4 / 10 –– 1) because 50% of the movie is awesome 2) Priyanka’s performance !!! 3) Ok, it definitely needs to match “Wanted” …

Movie Review : Wanted - Some Hajmola.....

2009-09-18T14:44:00.007+05:30

Genre - Action

Ek thi "Ghajini" aur ek hai yeh "Wanted" but woh bhi tha "Kuch Bhi" aur yeh bhi hai "Kuch Bhi". Beware guys the South Falvour is moving Northwards ! Frankly when I watched this film in Telugu - Pokhiri it seemed believable but in Hindi - Baat kuch hazam nahi hoti. The only change is probably the mindset.

Wanted is a perfect vehicle for the beefcake Salman. No, he did not have to work out and prepare for this film, coz he was made for it, or u might say the role was made for him. This film probably has all the requirements Salman would want in a film - 1) He barely has to act - Check , 2) He has to vomit style all over the screen - Check 3) He gets some fast songs to show his signature dance steps - Check. Waise if there was an Oscar for the Most Style Exuded in a Film by an Actor - Salman would win it hands down for this film. Har dialogue main attitude ki barsaat. In some places he is so full of himself, he forgets to act, but thats alright - Salman Bhai hai , Acting kisko chahiye.

So in this all Brawn no Brain film, you have a plethora of Villians. They are the ruthless underworld of Mumbai puppeteered by a Bhai sitting in some South East Asian city. Salman Khan - urf "Radhe" is a roadside ruffian who blasts anybody who comes in his way and can do anything for money. He can change sides, at the drop of a hat full of money, in this Mafia war and work for any side who pays more. Then there is this a damsel in distress - Ayesha Takia who's family is being blackmailed by a lecherous police inspector - Mahesh Manjeraker. Well, without delving too much into the story the movie is how this roadside ruffian keeps saving the damsel in distress from this lecherous police inspector and in between keeps pulverising and smashing other gangsters.

You dont require a story for such a movie. You sketch some action sequences, compose some groovable songs which might or might not make any sense and write some stupid comedy sequences to fill in the blanks - ranging from the extremely crude to the rib tickling. Then probably you can go for the old fashioned twist in the end which explains everything.

Prabhu Deva is the king of dance, and today I seriously believe that. He can not only move each and every muscle of his body but also make the Camera dance. The amount of work the camera does through out the film is phenomenal. Salman does not turn, the camera turns. Salman does not have to move much in the songs, the camera dances for him. Sample the first sequence where the Main Villain is watching a kickboxing fight and you will know what I mean. The camera zooms past the crowd, swirls, swishes, turns and comes to a grinding halt into the nostrils of our Villain. Its not that I am against such a style - but sirf style ke liye itna naach is too maach ,oops much!

Ek tha woh Angry Young Man in Deewar aur yeh hai aaj ka Angry "Pretending to be" Young man - Zameen , Aasmaan ka farak. This is for die hard Salman fans - coz as I said earlier the role was made for him and and this film can also work for man-eaters - with enough pulp to satiate even their desires. Ghajini broke all box office records, but I am not sure Wanted can do the same - some stories work only in the south but ofcourse the STAR POWER can push it.Afterall, Salman is doing in this film what he does best. But if you ask me, Itna masala bharaa hua hai ki seriously some "Hajmola" is Wanted !

Rating : 4 / 10 -- Buss Kya --- Salman deserves this much atleast.

Movie Review : District 9 - Sci-fi-licious....

2009-09-12T00:46:00.004+05:30

Genre : Sci Fi

Whats it about - The most amazing thing happens. An alien mothership gets stranded in Earths atmosphere. After days of waiting, humans enter the spacecraft to find millions of alien beings. These are then relocated onto earth in District 9. Initially humans accept them, but slowly they cannot tolerate these aliens so close to their city and want them out of their territory. The movie is about a private company trying to relocate the millions of aliens from District 9 to a new District remotely located.

This film is shot brilliantly. A very unique storytelling technique is used. The whole film is shot like a documentary. The events unfold as people narrate parts of the story. Its shot on a medium scale budget but can be a lesson for big budget movies like Terminator, Transformers on how to make an engaging and entertaining movie without splurging millions. Plus the main protagonist and the other supporting cast are completely unknown, yet their performances speak volumes. It shows that you do not need superstars to make an awesome film.

The director seems to be making a very pertinent point in this era of extreme prejudice. Everywhere people are beginning to look at non-state people as aliens. Indians are treated as aliens in Australia, Asians are looked on as aliens in America, North Indians are looked upon as aliens in Chennai, UPites are not welcome in Mumbai and so on as so forth. There is so much intolerance. This literally puts aliens on earth and shows our animosity towards them. It turns the alien genre on its head and makes us the predators.

This film is a must watch. Do not miss it if u r a sci-fi fan , coz this is simply sci-fi-licious...

Rating : 8 / 10

Movie Review : Quick Gun Murugan - Watch it, I say...

2009-09-06T23:40:00.000+05:30

Genre : Comedy

You must have heard a lot about QGM. This movie is doing quiet well throughout the country and its not just hype. QGM is hysterically witty in parts and will keep you in splits. Now, lets look at what works and what doesnt in the movie.

What works:

1)The writers have sketched out the most outrageous characters seen in recent years. QGM, as we all know, is not a recent invention and has been a widely loved character. Rajendra Kumar plays this character flawlessly. The others like Gun Powder, Rice plate Reddy, Rowdy MBA have been sketched out beautifully. What I really liked about this film is that the characters though outrageous go about their duty seriously. Though the characters are a joke, the acting isnt. Specially Rice Plate Reddy the main villian. His character is a mean bugger to the core. You can feel the evil and the character never goes over the top.

2) The art direction, costumes, visual effects : The movie has been planned out beautifully. From the sets, to the costumes everything looks really authentic and no cost has been spared. The product looks like a rich one. Even the visual effects have been done beautifully.

3) The background score/music : The background score is as witty as the dialogues. Watch the flashback song between QGM and his locket lover and you will know what I mean.

4) Finally the dialgoues : The dialogues take the cake and will keep you in splits throughout.

All of these keep the first half of the film quiet enjoyable.

What doesnt :

1) The second half suffers from the weight of expectations it builds in the first half. The story loses pace and drags. The writer seems to have run out of imagination when he leaves his southern territory (beautifully captured in the first half) and comes to Mumbai.

The second half has only a few memorable dialogues and moments and hence you seem to be losing your patience as the shenanigans become repetitive. So the story, screenplay lacks the punch in the second half.

Overall this movie is a brave attempt, but might leave you with mixed feelings. A strong second half would have catapulted it to iconic status. Unfortunately it remains a brave attempt by the director Shashank Ghosh,who must get a decent applause. Good clean fun, filled with witty lines and quirky characters. I would suggest, if you havent seen it , go and see this film for its vivid imagination. Love it or Hate it, you simply cannot ignore it... Watch it I say...

Rating : 6 / 10

Movie Review - Aagey Se Right - In the Right direction but not exactly...

2009-09-04T14:17:00.008+05:30

Genre : Comedy

Some movies are made to be full timepass entertainers, where you keep your brains aside and enjoy because the director has done all the thinking for you. This is one such movie.

"Aagey se right" is a whacky caper focussed on 2 guys. 1 - Shreyas Talpade - a newly recuited sub inspector, who misplaces his gun and keeps getting into one ugly situation after another because of it. 2 - K.K. Menon - who is a terrorist come on a mission but forgets his mission when he loses his heart to a bar dancer!

2 hours long, this movie is hillarious in parts and trying too hard in parts. It does succeed in entertaining you with some wild imagination. Its kind of a spoof where the humour is loud. But the whackiest of all is KK Menon's character. Once he falls in love, he tries to learn the Mumbaiyaa lingo and his mix of Urdu and Bhindi (Bambaiya Hindi ) is hillarious. Shreyas Talpade as the tame new recruit is brilliant in parts and just runs overboard in some , just like the movie. The movie is made out of goofy characters and more goofy situations. No story as such, just a line! hence 2 hours is more than enough, because the director just wouldnt know what to do next after that. Infact could have been even better in 1 and half hours :) No need for songs actually.

The Music is just a conduit to take the story forward and nothing to write home about. But overall the movie is written to be completely whacky and if you watch it in that sense, you will certainly not go home dissapointed. Aagey se right is the kind of movie me and my friends used to think of making, coz its humour is very much the kind we like, you know "The Austin Powers" humour, though not in the same league :)

One thing is for sure, the movie is written to be exactly what it turned out, so thumbs up to the newbie director Indrajit Nattoji for the same. The shortcomings are in the script.

If you have nothing else to do this weekend, I suggest "Aagey se right" lekar visit the theater for this movie. Tashreef rakhneka,,, Timepass karneka....sochneka nahi...

Rating : 5 / 10

Kameeney - Frenetically Folid

2009-08-19T12:21:00.004+05:30

But for the Swine Flu menace, I would have given the review on Friday itself. Had booked the Premier show tickets for Thursday, but unfortunately the city got shut down for 4 days. Finally yesterday I got to see it and I must say it was worth the wait !

Kameeney runs, for the most part, only on 2 gears - 4th and 5th ! Just in a few of the sequences the film comes to 2nd gear. Maybe, Vishal wanted us to breathe a bit.

Kameeney is a multilayer gangsta flick with the usual intertwined mix up story which brings our 2 male protagonists in a sticky situation. What makes it unusual is the treatment.

Vishal has chosen HAND HELD frenzied pictuarisation to shoot this film. Along with the zany background score this shaky cinematography maintains the pace of the film. Though it is slightly overdone. In some sequences the shake isnt required and creates a jarring effect on the senses. Pace can be maintained in a more sophisticated way like the Bourne Series ( complicated mix of steady shots - written and edited to perfection) or like a Guy Ritchie gangsta film ( some unconventional transitions between mutliple shots ). Though I still think the decision on Vishal's part is a brave one and proves that you do not need Huge Crane shots or Trolleys to make a scene powerful. RGV depends on slow brooding tension, while Vishal works on a more frenzied version.

Kameeney has some solid dialogues and screenplay. It proves that strong writing can help create an awesome film. Though the characters are not memorable except for the "PHA ko PHA" bolnewala PHAhahid. Shahid has done a stupendous job in the film and finally I think he has come out of his SRK infatuation. Priyanka is also very good in her role. Amole Gupte's character is someone you have seen several times in films and he has done a decent job.

Songs and Background score are the strong point of this film, "Dhan Ta dan" being the strongest.

The first half of the film scores full marks, though the story loses some pace in the second half. Yes, a bit of reduction in its running time, would have given it some extra points, with a deletion of a few sequences which do not take the story anywhere. The lull before the final sequence is the lull before the storm because the screen explodes with action from all directions. The song running in the background in the last seqeunce is probably the most enchanting one. A surpise packet. Do watch out for it.

The style of storytelling is also refreshing. Not necesarily linear, it runs parallelly at times. Brings out a "Yeh kya ho raha hai" before you go "Oh ! ok" or sometimes "Abhi kya hogaa?" before you go "Achhchaa!".

Kameeney is definitely MANY notches above the average Bollywood flick. But to say that its a new dawn of brave bollywood film making is a bit of an exaggeration. We expect this from Vishal and he has not let us down. Its the kind of storytelling that captivates and entertains. What a phenomenal talent this guy ! Kudos....

Rating: 7.5 / 10 - cud have earned more if it cud have given some more memorable characters - like a Bhiku Mhatre for instance.

Movie Review - Love Aaj Kal - Nayi Packet Cheez Puraani

2009-08-01T11:49:00.004+05:30

I went to see this movie to a good old Cinema Theater (and not a multiplex) and thank god I did!!! I am sure we all have great expectations from this film and its director, though I was a bit skeptical because of the total lack of chemistry between Saif & Deepika even in the Ads shown during the T20 world cup. So, I went to Chandan cinema with my usual pack of hooligans and when the film started - the first 15,20 minutes of the film were kind of confusing. Nobody in the whole theater never quiet understood what was going on. A bizarre sequence of uninteresting events clubbed together to show the growth of the relationship between Saif and Deepika. But then, finally the movie started to make more sense.

The movie is about these 2 modern individuals staying in London who are more practical than emotional. To them their relationship cannot come between their ambition. True. I could relate to that completely. Then, there is an age old romantic (Rishi Kapoor) who makes Saif realize, that love happens only Once and one should not let “the One” get away without a fight. “So long and so clichéd!” And then you see a parallel story of a younger Rishi Kapoor (played by Saif) and an Anonymous actress called Harleen in the film. (Even though she looks Picture Perfect – she has 2 left feet and doesnt even know the “A” of acting – to that extent good she has strangely been left out of the credits.)

The problem with the film is that it goes from the uber cool new, to the mildly predictable romance, to the super clichéd melodrama. Yes, the lingo and the dialogues do have a freshness to them but too much of anything can be harmful. Unfortunately, the film is too heavily dependent on dialogue. There is so much dialogue in the film that it gets irritating at times. It seems to be preachy at times and you wish the movie would just move on. I must say some of the exchanges are brilliantly witty, though too few and far between.

If you have a script so heavily dependent on dialogue then you need interesting people to deliver them and unfortunately Rishi Kapoor is the only one that could sleepwalk through it in this department. He has an effortless class that the other actors lack. Saif is good in some scenes and awesome in a few, though his charm alone can’t help you enjoy the barrage of dialogues (Somebody please check his underpants please. The way he dances, it seems they were completely starched!!). The one that fails miserably in the acting department is Deepika. She is trying so hard in the film to act that its apparent in every scene. Somebody please put her through a course, else such a pretty face would be lost. When there is so much weight on “one to one” dialogue, it is bound to fail if one of the participants is so poor and if the protagonists lack chemistry.

The music of this film is enjoyable to the extent of 2 songs – Twist and Aahun Aahun (which unfortunately comes with the end credits). Others are just excuses to stretch this tiresome experience.

Imtiaz seems inspired by the song from Phir bhi Dil hai Hindustani – “Nayi Packet main bechey – tumko cheez puraani”. The film keeps reminding you of films like “Hum Tum”, “Dil Chahta Hai” and “Dilwale Dulhaniya Ley Jayengay”. A song shot supposedly in San Francisco seems to be totally inspired by “Tanhayi”. Some of the shots of Saif are identical to the ones of Aamir in DCH. Being such a talented director, you expect much more from Imtiaz. But I guess the law of averages has caught up with him. After a cute “Socha Na Tha” and the charming “Jab We Met” comes the confused “Love Aaj Kal”.

This movie gave us Hooligans the perfect opportunity to howl, laugh at emotional scenes and sqeeze double meanings out of innocuous dialogue ( Generally reserved for SRK films :) ). To that extent it was fun. Plus the audience in a good old theater beats the boring ones in a multiplex hands down.

Rating – 4.5 / 10

old partner

2009-04-02T21:27:00.001+05:30

Old partner, no surprises here it is a movie/ i shall say a docu drama. Most of you not have heard about it, coz it is a Korean movie and in Korean title it sound as “ the sound of my cow’s bell”.
Why I am writing about this movie coz it is one of the most amazing real life story ever captured on celluloid. It is a story of an old farmer and his old cow, in a distant land. The devotion of farmer is unparallel, who refuses to trade his cow for a tractor. Story has one more character the farmers nagging wife.
The director of old partner wanted to capture a real life story of friendship between man and beast. There are instances in the movie, where you end up felling sympathy and somewhere you get your eyes numb. A farmer and his 40 year old cow, as partners. The scene in the movie where he went to sold his cow is the most touchy one. The farmer quotes to high for beloved that no one end up buying her. It seems he never wanted to sell her.
There is one of the scene in the movie when the cow fails to pull the cart full of logs, farmer took a part of logs and load on his back and start moving slowly along with his cow.There is no script no imagination bit, all that is captured here is truth.
The farmer wife keep on nagging him for his love for the cow, but the farmer never budge, but even a small sound from his cow, he give her all attention.
The movie is a cult classic at least for me, for its reality stuff and an honest attempt to portray an amazing relation.
People you can try some torrent search, if that's too hard for you, sear ch for this amazing story on net.

Gran Torino

2009-03-26T14:46:00.006+05:30

8/10

Gran Torino, a classic car from Ford. The movie is not about the car but about it's owner Client Eastwood. He is old, widowed, lonely, retired from army, sick and worse he has un-familiar korean neighbours.

Walt Kowalski (Clint Eastwood) doesn't like his neighbours at all and infact hates them. To make matters worse, a member of the neighbouring family tries to steal Walt's car 'Gran Torino'.
He also hates his son and son's family. Basically, a grumpy old man who just drinks beer, washes his car and stays with a dog at home.

Things change when Walt saves the neighbour's daughter from some hooligans. The girl instantly strikes a chord with Eastwood. The neighbour family floods Eastwood's doorstep with flowers, gifts, food, etc. The kid who tried to steal Eastwood's car 'Gran Torino' also becomes a friend of Eastwood as the movie progresses and Eastwood becomes soft hear ted towards his neighbours. The end is quite touching and infact brought a tear in my eye.

I loved all the characters in the movie. Clint at his best in casting and taking out great performances from his team.

A must watch for Clint Eastwood fans. For others too, this film is worth a watch. Clint Eastwood entertains with his 'don't mess with me' attitude and blunt style of talking. Infact it's very humorous at times.

Don't mess it! Oops. Don't miss it!

Movie Review : 13B - A Logical Thriller

2009-03-15T23:42:00.004+05:30

My Say : A decent watch

My friend said " It's a spine-chilling horror. A must see" Then another told me Maddy - urf Madhavan had himself pleaded him to watch this movie. Maddy said " its awesome" So we went. It turned out to be a decent suspense thriller. Horror, it wasnt !Atleast for me...

The movie is a small budget film with a lead good actor and a strong / logical second half. The build up in the first half is comical and at times irritating. But if you stay put, you would be treated to some decent stuff in the second half. Infact, what makes its a good watch is that everything makes sense, nothing is illogical. The screenplay is good and the cinematography is excellent. The background score is adequately chilling , but the songs are pathetic!(Shankar, Ehsaan Loy seemed to have given them a bunch of rejects !! )

Off the actors, Madhavan hogs the limelight, but is the only actor to glue you onto the screen. He suits the role perfectly. He was excited when my friend gave him a positive feedback. It shows how desperate this acclaimed actor of the Tamil industry is to make it big in Bollywood !! Anyways,, if he works on his body a bit and sheds those extra kilos, I am sure he would do pretty well here.

One hillarious concept given in this film is THE DEAD are also upgrading themselves and finding various new channels to contact the Living !!! hahahaha... Like the TV in this case.. I assure you the final final scene will leave u in splits!!!absolutely absurd.

This one is surely worth a watch (on the CD preferably - where u can forward the unwanted bits), surely for putting all the pieces in the right place in the end. A logical thriller.

Rating : 5.5 / 10 ( 0.5 less for an irritating first half)

Movie Review : Gulaal - Gritty and Witty ....

2009-03-14T16:00:00.004+05:30

My Say : A gritty and witty film.

Maybe Mr.Mehra should pick up the fone and call up Mr.Kashyup and take some tips on abstract, on making statements that do not feel like listening to a lecture!

I cannot believe how could a movie like this be kept in the CAN for such a long time. Maybe, because it doesnt have sellable stars. Maybe, because uptil now the director was considered a Pariah... But with this film, Kashup proves that he can make and sell movies just on his name. The director has finally become the hero of his film in India !

Gulaal is a brutally raw and witty take on the infighting within a state of our country. The politics within the state, and the dirt within this politics. The game of power which doesnt discriminate between its victims.

Its about a mans pursuit to becoming the absolute power within his state and creating a separate domain of his own. Its about this mans blind belief in his ancestory. He is not willing to be a subject of the country, he wants to rule his own! He wants freedom for his people and himself. This ambition is not just his own, but of a few others too. And so begins the game of eimination. Interesting, very interesting.

Kashup's story is extremely gritty and engaging and the execution meets our high expectations. Though there is a drop in the pace in certain parts of the movie and you try to guess where is this all heading, it manages to suck you back in. The pace of the film waxes and wanes and almost reaches a towering crescendo somewhere near the end of the first half. You want to know whats next. The game of politics with the next roll of the dice, brings the fall of another pawn and another and another and the game becomes even more convoluted, yet simple. Amidst all this is stuck a guy who doesnt want to get involved , but is sucked in with dire consequences.

Again what takes the cake is the background score. The songs are extremely meaningful and create the perfect atmosphere for this ride. Concentrate on the lyrics, they send out a message. The performances by each and every character is brilliant. From the ever reliable Kay Kay to the Raj Singh Chaudhary, from Abhimanyu shekhar singh to Deepak Dobriyal. Watch out for Piyush Mishra ( KK's mental elder brother). His songs and dialogues create a lasting impact.

If Dev D was a drug to a few, this could give a high to a broader section of India. Go watch it and I am sure you will enjoy, for some reason or the other.

Rating : 7/10

Movie Review : Delhi 6 - Well intentioned but not well received!

2009-02-25T11:59:00.008+05:30

My Say : A chaotic khichdi not entirely digestable ....

Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra is a little crazy, a little erratic. He looks at cinema as a way to not only tell a story , but also give a message. His crazy self forces him to be a little experimental in his cinema. He is not averse to his movie being abstract and that makes him pleasant to have around. He could give u a bummer like AKS and then a revelation like RDB ! His third movie though promised a lot , does not live up to its expectations.

Delhi-6's plot is nothing new. A guy comes back to his roots and relaises what he was missing all his life! The treatment is surely different.

Delhi-6 starts off at a very poor note. The opening sequences are poorly directed but Mehra gains his ground there after. What leaves him in deep waters is the story which is thread bare. The only different point in the film is the KALA BANDAR . Otherwise, he packs in as many characters as possible and as many forseable problems as possible! The main and support cast in the movie delivers , though I think Waheeda Rehman ji goes a bit over the top.

The songs are the greatest asset this movie has, but their placement is highly debatable. I thought a few songs started abruptly. Rehna Tu comes at a totally unexpected time. Mehra is an innovative soul and his juxtaposition of Ramayan with the real life is quiet decent. Also, one of the song is creatively shot, when Abhishek starts seeing New York in the middle of Chandni Chawk!

Though I so wanted to like this film, I could only see its flaws. If Mehra wanted to depict utter chaos in the locality, he surely succeeds , because there is too much chaos in the film. All possible problems added into one movie makes it a type of a khichdi. Also, I felt that Abhishek's character was poorly sketched. A guy who has never been to India before in his life speaks flawless hindi , is not troubled by the dirt or the excessive population/pollution , or the fact that he has to carry a water bucket to the loo etc etc. His only claim to being an NRI is that he speaks english in an American accent. He keeps getting beaten up and witnesses friends fighting like animals over religion. Even then he keeps saying "Iss jagah ke log bade achche hain". Absurd !!! This guy could have easily been a guy from Bombay who visits his delhi house for the first time in his life. That would have been digestable too !

Delhi-6 is overall a chaotic Khichdi with a message, but unfortunately not entirely digestable !

Rating : 4 / 10

Delhi-6 Review

2009-02-22T11:04:00.003+05:30

Delhi -6 is so criticized for one and only one reason…as it’s a movie made by the RDB director…Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra
An over-hyped, over-publicized and over-criticized movie…

If we think of it as any other movie…it’s a movie about an NRI (Abhishek Bachchan) accompanying his sick grandmother to her Delhi house. This movie is the narration of his perspective of India. During this narration many faces of India is shown… loving, sentimental, faith followers, myth believers, media frenzy dictated, authoritarian police, corruption, caste, emphasis on marriage, young dreams and communalism to count a few

The biggest strength of the movie is that there is no moral glorification of India… like a lot of other movies say that the west is culturally bankrupt and other fabricated statements to make India score over them... this movie show India as it is…with its strengths and weaknesses
The second as a movie is to create a rainbow of tangible characters… and some great performance by the actors like Om Puri, Pawan Mehlotra, Vijay Raaz, Divya Dutta, Rishi Kapoor, Cyrus, Prem Chopra, Sonam Kpoor and many more

The key weaknesses included some over dramatic scenes, the sections when the movie seems direction less and the tradition of Indian hero waking from the dead …

The music is awesome…Prason Joshi and A.R. Rehman delivers as per their competence… even though appropriate, it’s a little disappointing to see only pieces of these songs used in the movies for those who already loved them

After thought… this movie is actually like RDB… a movie that provides a tangential message on a burning issue faced by India head-on…except for one difference…though patriotism is a topic that gives you pleasure and pride …while communism is something that make us grimace …

My rating:3.5/5

Movie Review - Dev D - Stylish but Indulgent

2009-02-09T11:25:00.005+05:30

Rating : 6 / 10

My Say : Stylish but indulgent.

Anurag Kashyap -the Yuvraj Singh of Cinema - the genius kid , who has seen loads of cinema , has learnt a lot of techniques, has loads of innovative ideas - who just cannot help but go overboard. He has to quickly learn that even if you have all the ingredients required to cook food, you require only specific ingredients in specific amounts for a particular dish. Much like No Smoking, Anurag tries a lot of tricks when only a few would suffice. Dev D is a much more sensible and effective film - with Anurag's insanity intact!

Anurag and Abhay's take on the modern day Devdas, blending it with real life controversies makes it a very engaging story. It delves into the carnal avarices of human beings and does not shy away from most things thought off as taboo. The heroins both Chanda and Paro, are sexually liberated females, who arent hypocrites ( much like the members of the Moral brigade in India!! ) and the hero is a narcissist incapable of love, but who cannot bear the feeling of a female rejecting him. He hits females without discrimination and labels himself and most girls he meets and sleeps with as sluts. Welcome to Anurag's world of eternal depravity.

Even though the interpretation of the age old classic is interesting, the lenght of the movie is a big issue. Anurag in his infinite pursuit of showing off, keeps showing a series of day-break after night-fall and day-break all over again. The story of the movie moves at snails pace, as you see Dev downing one Vodka after another, then going to sleep completely sloshed and then waking up again to start that routine all over again. Ok, so he is an addict, but he dint have to show every trick he learnt from Danny Boyle ( gives special thanks to Mr.Boyle in the opening credits). Plus, I didnt get the feeling that he truly loved any of the 2 women, neither did I get the feeling that he could not , absolutely could not live without booze. Also, Anurag seems to be a bit confused. He does not quiet know if he wants Dev to be a narcissist only in love with himself, who feels no remorse for any of his actions or who is an addict and is driven to madness. Dev is somewhere in between and I had a problem with that. Talking of problems, I had a major problem with the ending, because the movie builds up to the hero snowballing towards eternal doom but finally shows Hope! Come on man.... let the perfect recipe for a tragedy remain one!!!

What I liked though was the style with which he has shot the film. The camera jars, swirls with the character and perfectly depicts the state of trance. Also, the locations, the interiors built are exceptional and give the movie that surreal look it deserves. The dialogues are bold and engaging. The background music is good, and gives the otherwise loopy script some pace. Though some tracks just blast your eardrums and give you a headache, a few are ingenius. The movie is like a continuous string of one song after another, and I truly hope Amit Trivedi hasnt used all his life's work in this film. My pick of the track was - Paayaliya. Emotional atyaachaar is very effectively placed. The use of Music was ok, but Anurag goes overboard here too... Overuse should be the word for it.

Abhay Deol does a decent job and I feel he could have done better in the emotional sequences or the scenes where he expresses his love. Mahie Gill as Paro does a fab job and stands out, while Kalki Koechlin as Chanda is decent ( shedefinitely looks the part!!!).

In the interval they showed the preview of GULAAL , Anurag's resurrected movie which has been in the making for a long time. Bold again, it promises a lot. I sure hope Mr.Kashyap matures quickly, coz I am sure he will revolutionize indian cinema. He has got that Rebellious streak in him, which would probably break the formula within Indian cinema. But I am sure, he would remain a Niche Audience director. A request to Mr.Kashyup - grow up man.... for our sake....

DEV D - Emotional Achaar

2009-02-08T22:20:00.008+05:30

Anurag Kashyap is back. Back with a vengeance. He listened to what audience told him for 'No Smoking'.

'Dev D' might not become a super duper hit but it will be one of the good films of this year. A modern day Devdas with a twist in the end. A typical multiplex film with all the masala of a hindi film and more. A bit more closer to life than the earlier versions of Sarat Chandra's novel.

The movie credits show that the concept of the film is by Abhay Deol! He is showing early signs of becoming a film maker!

Anurag is a master for extracting superlative performances from each & every person in the frame. Also, the film unit thanks Danny Boyle in the beginning. Dunno know why! (The shot takings, cuttings and the dark backgrounds remind of Slumdog!)

With this film, Abhay Deol proves that he is a top notch actor. Makes the Deol family proud.

New kids on the block - Mahi & Kalki give stellar performances as Paro & Chandramukhi respectively.

A bit long...but worth a watch. The film has an in your face attitude in the dialogues which really makes it a class apart. Not to be watched with your parents! (Advise)

Anurag has added all ingredients to make an emtional Achaar...its truly lip-smacking stuff!

I will give a 7/10
(A bit generous rating for Anurag since he has shown tremendous improvement over 'No Smoking')

Quarantine

2009-02-02T08:43:00.004+05:30

My biggest issue with Quarantine is one that has nothing to do with the filmmakers, but it affects the entertainment value of the movie in a big way. The primary TV spot/teaser that was used to promote the movie over the last few weeks is nothing more than the very last shot of the film. What makes this a huge issue is that it becomes apparent as soon as the movie’s premise is defined and Angela is established as the film’s “survivor girl.” It’s the epitome of anticlimactic to know exactly how the movie ends less than a half hour in.

Light is used brilliantly during scenes in which the protagonists interact with the military and the CDC through large glass windows. The extraordinarily bright white light outside the building is not only blinding, but also threatening and otherworldly. It creates a palpable uneasiness.

The pale flesh of the infected residents glows just enough to be seen as they dart through the dark frame behind our unsuspecting survivors. It’s truly chilling.

All in all Quarantine is a disappointment. Its premise alone should have made it relatively easy to create a successful new edition to the horror genre this Halloween, a treat if you will. To be sure, there are a handful of sequences that will make you very familiar with the edge of your seat. However, they are very few and far between while the rest of the movie is comprised of tricks that we’ve seen many times before and executed much better than this....

Acting: A- (Realistic portrayals, from the casual opening moments to the harried finish.)
Direction: C+ (The style could've been handled more cleanly, without as much disorientation.)
Script: C+ (Even for a genre film, it lacks depth or any intriguing twists.)
Effects: B (Good special effects and makeup, although you don't get to see much of it, with the camera moving constantly.)
Overall: B- (A strong, scary -- yet far from perfect -- first-person experience.)

Luck by Chance

2009-01-30T21:54:00.005+05:30

Well..i really like the opening of the film as it opens by featuring all the behind-the-stage people who work day and night so that bollywood remains bollywood. You have the gatekeeper at filmistan studios to the omnipresent chai-wallahs, the set makers, the sound guys et al. The story is about Vikram a "nobody" who becomes a "somebody" in bollywood and along the way breaks a heart, cuts quite a few throats etc etc. Its quite a decent attempt but the storyline is too predictable and the characters a tad too familiar. It does explore themes like do u really need talent in the industry or is luck/looks enough / But I wish it was more incisive with a sharper bite. It is just one more addition to the list of bollywood films on bollywood and ends there. Farhan's acting is not too bad and konkona reminds me of her page 3 role quite a few times. I would rate it as an average flick which is worth a dekho if you have nothing else to do this weekend.

Rating: 5.5/10

Movie Review : Slumdog Millionaire - Beyond me !!!

2009-01-30T14:45:00.007+05:30

Frankly, I do not know where to start. I fear a backlash even before I think of the next line. The Oscar, Golden Globe panel has thrown me such a big googly, that I am reeling under its trance.... I am like Ambrose facing Murlitharan!!! And I am like that Ambrose who is totally bewildered of why the others are actually figuring these googlies out... Or are they just pretending to ? Or are they just riding the wave? I simply do not get it.... I never will, much like Ambrose....

I know you must have got the drift of where I am going with this piece on Slumdog M. I purposely will dissect the movie and tell u things I could not digest, because quiet frankly, you guys must have read hundred 5 star reviews....

This movie is the cynosure of everyone's eye right now, and I am not so sure why. Ok, so it has some decent acting, but nothing to go ga-ga about. It has some decent music, but would it even win a Star Screen's Award in India? I can imagine why the audience around the world stands up and applauds the song JAI HO,,, but I simply cannot imagine an Indian staying back to watch the last song, let alone applaud it...

You must all be knowing the story by now. It's this rags to riches story about a Slum Boy who wins Koun Banega Crorepati. It's a total masala caper. It could put "Om Shanti Om" to shame and give tough fight to Rajnikant flicks, because the whole story is simply over the top. Like Danny said " Its an unrealistic story in a very real world."

The music suits the movie, but its mediocre by Indian Standards and even A.R.Rahman would never have imagined it being at the verge of winning 2 Oscars.

What I really think is laudable is how an Outsider has got into the Bollywood mode with such ease. It shows the greatness of Danny Boyle. Executing this film would have been really tough in the areas he shot it, but he has done it with aplomb. Also, I think he has an infatuation with Shit and Shit-holes. Watch "Trainspotting" his most famous film before SM, and you will see the protagonist(Ewan McGregor) in that film shitting in a filthy toilet and then actually putting his head into it to recover his drug pills. If this movie wins an Oscar, I am sure he will make his Protagonist go through Shit (literally) in every film he makes !!!

Yes, maybe in these times of gloom, this movie gave the Western audience some hope, some joy, but what has happened to the Indian media is beyond me. Its just an average Bollywood film with a Hollywood production. If this were a Bollywood production, you would go absolutely beserk when a policeman would ask any Indian how does he know who starred in Deewar!!! For god sake who does not know that? Especially a slum dweller from Dharavi who speaks immaculate English!!! Why didnt they question his very English Accent then? For me its taking Cinematic Liberty to the extreme. Also, tell me frankly. Doesn't Jamal's brother look and act more like an Afro -American / Brazilian gangsta kid than an Indian kid?

What the movie excels in doing, is keeping you engaged. The screen play is good and the editing is crisp. The international touch shows. The story telling / narrative of the film is great, but if you think of it , if you make this film, how else would you have it? First he winning the quiz and then his story or an intermingled plot? Would we have celebrated the film in such a way if it would have been made by a Bollywood director in Hindi? No ways....

That, Mr.Aamir Khan, went to this films premier is great. Now I hope, he will not be eager to win the Oscar anymore, neither would he hold it on such a high pedestal, coz clearly its going the Filmfare way!! To say that its an above average film would be digestable, but to see it win Oscars would be the biggest googly of my life ! Though I will be rooting for A.R.Rahman , please excuse me for disowning this film as a representation of top-class Bollywood cinema.

There is no doubt this is a decent film and I have only tried to be a devils advocate here..Maybe if Taare Zameen Par would have also been nominated, I would not have been so bitter. Maybe I have overanalysed the film..Maybe I analysed it for the non-existant 10/10 rating, rather than enjoy the average 6 / 10 rating. Maybe I should have enjoyed the film for what it is, rather than try to find why is it on the top of world cinema right now... forgive me....

Rating: 6 /10

My Say : Average Over the top stuff....

Dilli 6 - Music review

2009-01-26T11:01:00.003+05:30

Dilli 6: MUSIC REVIEW - Well, to start with, it's a bit unfair to review A.R.Rahman's music. Because, if its Rahman, then the music ought to be good. And i am no grandmaster in music to review Rahman's work.

But never the less, i can still blog my point from a music lover's eye.

Dilli 6 is a collector's edition. Like any other music composition of Rahman, Dilli 6 will also take time to grow on you. The songs are embedded in the story line which would make u luv them once u watch the film.

All da best to Rahman for the Oscars for Slumdog Millionaire. Pray that he wins and make India proud.

CC2C: Another Akki mindless crapper but this time fails to impress

2009-01-18T18:21:00.007+05:30

I m writing this review on behalf of my parents who just saw CC2C today. They aren't so net-savvy, so i thought i will play their nice beta and write their view of the film. I m trying to be as exact (in meaning) as possible.

CC2C fails to impress. First half is better than the second one since its more of comedy. Second half is all dishoom-dishoom. The village & the great Wall of China are the two
Chinese places shown in the movie. Akshay as usual satisfies with his comics. Deepika fights well.

The story is a bit difficult to digest. Long film. Music isn't good. Finally, CC2C cannot match up Welcome & Sinngh iss Kinng.

My comments: Akki bhai, i think u are over doing the comedy bit. I ain't talking abt your acting. But the type of movies. U need to re-invent. I am hoping dat your upcoming film called 'Blue' would do the trick for you. But again in this year, u are coming with another punjabi comedy.
Anyways, if SRK can do his stuff again & again & again & again & again & again...then u too hav the right to do ur stuff again & again & again & again & again..

Worst 10 hindi movies of 2008

2009-01-15T00:13:00.004+05:30

There were many bad movies in 2008. It was really difficult for me to choose the worst 10. Infact u can suggest more. We shud have a worst 100 instead!!

10. Hijack: Can some1 please teach Shiney Ahuja to lower his voice while acting. Its not horse naring competition going on.

09. Drona: Rona pada.

08. Mere Baap pehle Aap: Too loud & very cheap

07: Rama Rama kya hai yeh drama: No comments

06: Tashan: The music was outstanding but the audience couldnt stand the film!!

05: Tushar Kapoor Movies - Onetwothree; C-Kompany, etc.: except Golmaal Returns (He was acceptable in Golmaal Returns mainly because he had no dialogues) How can companies spend money on Tushaar Kapoor.

04: Karzzz: The audience just went zzzzzzzzz......

03: Meerabhai not out: What crap was this!!

02: Kash Mere Hotey: Only the title was good!!

01: Yuvraaj: Subash Ghai hit the audiences out of the theatre just like Yuvraj hits the ball out of the ground in a cricket match! I think Yuvraaj will figure in the worst 10 of all time!!