It's All In the Movies!

A Funny Movie

2015-12-19T13:27:00.000-08:00

I was very excited about ‪Dilwale‬ given that it was bringing the great on-screen couple of Shahrukh Khan and ‪Kajol‬ back together. I was also excited to see Varun Dhawan‬, given that he is one of the most talented actors in the younger generation in my opinion. I also love the soundtrack! I have been listening to the album non-stop ever since it released. However, I was nervous given that I hated Happy New Year and didn't like SRK and director, Rohit Shetty's last collaboration, Chennai Express. And when I read the mixed reviews of the movie, I got even more nervous.

So what did I think of this latest Bollywood release? Well, I didn't hate it. I didn't love it either but I liked it.

The story revolves around Kaali/Raj (SRK) and Meera (Kajol), who both belong to rival Don families. They fall in love but due to a misunderstanding, they are separated. A few years later, their respective siblings, Veer (Dhawan) and Ishita (Kriti Sanon), fall in love and attempt to reunite them.

At least, SRK didn't overact in this one as he did in Chennai Express. He looks good in the scruffy, bearded look. Kajol looks gorgeous! However, I wish we had gotten to see more of her "I am a badass!" moments. Unfortunately, their on-screen pairing in this film was not as magical as it was in DDLJ and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai.

Dhawan and SRK were great together in emotional scenes. Dhawan also had excellent comedic timing. I wish the romance between Sanon and Dhawan was more developed, even if it was just one more song. There was one song in the album: Premika, which was cut out of the movie and that was disappointing.

Shetty tried to tackle three genres in this flick: romance, comedy and action. He is known for the last two. As such, it is no surprise that the action sequences were good and the movie definitely had a lot of funny moments! However, the romance between both couples seemed rushed. As such, I think Shetty still needs to work on mastering that genre. The film was also visually very beautiful with most of it being shot in Bulgaria.

Overall, Dilwale was definitely cliché but I was still able to enjoy quite a few good laughs! It may not be the best movie ever but it wasn't the worst either.

A Relatable Story + A Commendable Performance

2015-12-02T11:36:00.000-08:00

When ‪Tamasha first started, I didn't think I was going to like it. However, as the story started to unfold, I realized how good the film actually was.

Written and directed by I‬mtiaz Ali, this movie portrays a story of a man named Ved, played by ‪Ranbir Kapoor‬, who has always loved hearing and telling stories since childhood. However, due to familial pressures, he ends up becoming an engineer. He meets a girl named Tara, played by ‪Deepika Padukone,‬ in Corsica. They fall in love; however, they decide not to reveal each other's true identities. She ultimately finds him in India, where she helps him realize that he is not his true self in real life. This realization shakes up his whole identity as it brings back the repressed frustrations of following familial expectations, which has led to his daily mundane routine in life. How he finally breaks free and is able to follow his dream of becoming a storyteller is what forms the crux of the second half of this flick.

Just like film critic Anupama Chopra, some may compare this film to 3 Idiots as the concept is similar. However, I think it was still enjoyable and was made quite differently. There were two aspects to the story that made this movie relatable in my opinion. Firstly, quite a few people out there forgo their dreams due to familial expectations. They end up leading miserable lives because they hate their jobs. The moral of the story is not to follow social conventions, create your own story and follow your dreams. Secondly, sometimes, you meet that one person that changes your life completely. That was Tara for Ved. If these reasons are not enough to convince you, I highly recommend this film just to watch Kapoor's commendable performance. How he demonstrates a dual personality when his repressed frustrations are brought to light is indeed remarkable to watch! With this flick, he proves that he is indeed a fine actor.

Big Names Do Not Equal A Good Film

2015-10-25T20:27:00.001-07:00

Steve Jobs proves that just because popular Hollywood names such as Aaron Sorkin, Danny Boyle, Michael Fassbender, Kate Winslet, Seth Rogen and Jeff Daniels are attached to a film doesn't necessarily mean the audience will get to enjoy an extraordinary film.

I preferred the 2013 version titled Jobs starring Ashton Kutcher in the main lead because it showed us a series of chronological events in his life and how he became a successful entrepreneur. On the other hand, the 2015 version mainly shows us a series of dialogue exchanges between seven main characters: Jobs, his friend Joanna Hoffman, his ex-girlfriend Chrisann Brennan and daughter, Lisa, his coworker Andy Hertzfeld, Apple CEO John Sculley and Apple co-founder, Steve Wozniak before three major launches of the Macintosh, Next and iMac. Maybe that was intentional but it was not as enjoyable a movie experience as I had hoped.

So I would say, if you are interested in finding out why the arrogant Apple founder makes for a fascinating subject matter for film makers, just watch the 2013 biopic on Netflix.

Thought-Provoking Cinema

2015-10-15T12:13:00.000-07:00

Don't be fooled by the trailer! If you haven't read the novel with the same name, the trailer for the upcoming release, Room, may not appeal to you. I didn't think it was my cup of tea when I saw the trailer because I have not read the book. However, I had the opportunity to watch a free screening of the film and the trailer does not do it justice at all.

Can you imagine being abducted and locked in a garden shed for several years and being raped by your captor every day? That's what Joy, the main character of Room, had to suffer through. She ends up giving birth to a boy. Her son, Jack, has no perception of the outside world because he has been raised in the shed. When he turns five, she seeks his help to escape. How they both adjust to life after forms the crux of the second half of the story.

Directed by Lenny Abrahamson and written by Emma Donoghue, who is the also the author of the novel, Room is indeed a thought-provoking film. It will certainly make you appreciate life more as daily problems will seem minute in comparison. A lot of credit goes to Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay, who gave extremely touching, Oscar-worthy performances as Joy and Jack.Though distressing at times, this movie is a must-watch!

A Refreshing Rom-Com

2015-09-13T23:51:00.001-07:00

It has been such a long time since I have seen a good romantic comedy, my favorite genre. Even Trainwreck wasn't very satisfying for me. As such, it was very refreshing to finally watch a good rom-com, Sleeping with Other People, starring Jason Sudeikis and Alison Brie as leading characters.

Written and directed by Leslye Headland, this film released by IFC, portrays the story of two dysfunctional characters: Jake and Lainey. Instead of being honest with his girlfriends that he doesn't want to have a long term relationship with them, Jake cheats on them. Lainey is unfaithful to her boyfriends because she is obsessed with an extremely creepy-looking gynecologist, who doesn't respect her and is only using her to cheat on his fiance. Both Jake and Lainey develop a platonic relationship and become best friends while trying to help each other overcome their relationship issues; however, fall in love with each other in the process.

This movie is being compared heavily to When Harry Met Sally and yes, it does seem like a modern version of the 1989 classic. But so what? I still really enjoyed watching it because it seemed honest and believable as if such characters could exist. Furthermore, the casting of this chick flick was excellent. Sudeikis's films that stand out to me are mostly comedies such as Horrible Bosses, Horrible Bosses 2 and We're The Millers. He indeed has great comedic timing; however, to watch him as a leading man in a romantic film for the first time was refreshing. He was so charming as Jake and an absolute delight to watch! Both Brie and Sudeikis nailed their roles and shared excellent on-screen chemistry. Even the supporting cast especially Jake's friend's character played by Jason Mantzoukas and his wife played by Andrea Savage were very charming on-screen - don't miss their scene during the credits! An honorable mention goes to Adam Scott, who plays the creepy gynecologist. I think he is adorable; however, his look and demeanor in the film were convincingly creepy so hats off to him!

Overall, I absolutely loved the movie! I definitely want to watch it again and will most likely buy the DVD when it comes out.

Three Hits, One Miss

2015-09-06T17:14:00.000-07:00

When you love movies just as much as I do, it is no surprise that I recently watched four movies back to back.

We Are Your Friends

Any movie that is shot in Los Angeles excites me as I am now somewhat familiar with the city. Since We Are Your Friends is about a musician living in the San Fernando Valley in LA with four close friends, I was definitely intrigued. Much to my delight, I quite enjoyed it.

Directed by Max Joseph (from the MTV show, Catfish, fame), the film mainly revolves around an EDM (Electronic Dance Music) DJ, played by Zac Effron, who gets a big break after a seasoned DJ, played by Wes Bentley, takes him under his wing. In my opinion, the plot was interesting, captivating and well-executed. As expected from a film about music, the soundtrack was really good.

I think Effron is a good actor who just needs a breakthrough role to really showcase his talent just like Miles Teller was able to do in Whiplash.

Phantom

Directed by Kabir Khan, Phantom is a political thriller based on the book, Mumbai Avengers, written by Hussain Zaidi. The main premise involves a foreign intelligence agency in India that hires an ex-Army officer, played by Saif Ali Khan, to assassinate terrorists involved in the 11/26 terrorist attacks in Mumbai.

Though this film has been subject to controversy because it was banned in Pakistan, I thought it was very well-made. Usually, I prefer Bollywood films with lots of songs and a romantic element. However, despite this movie lacking such elements even with a female lead played by Katrina Kaif, I really liked it. With global terrorism being such a major issue, the story was relevant and moving.

The Man From U.N.C.L.E

Directed by Guy Ritchie and based on the 1964 TV series with the same name, The Man From U.N.C.L.E had a riveting plot. This spy film showcased how a CIA agent, played by Henry Cavill, and a KGB operative, played by Armie Hammer, work together to bring down a criminal organization in the process of making nuclear weapons. It was funny and sexy just like the leading actors.

She's Funny That Way

Directed by Peter Bogdanovich, She's Funny That Way revolves around six characters: an escort/ struggling actress, Broadway director, his wife who is also the leading actress in the play he is directing, the playwright, his girlfriend who is also a therapist and the leading actor of the play. Despite a good cast including Owen Wilson, Jennifer Aniston, Kathryn Hyne and Will Forte, this comedy film didn't quite hit the mark for me. It was quirky but wasn't that funny or interesting.

Series of Mediocre Films

2015-08-26T18:20:00.000-07:00

It seems like Hollywood doesn't have a lot of great films lined up for the latter half of 2015. As such, it comes as no surprise that the last three Hollywood movies I have watched in the theaters have been mediocre at best. Here's why.

Ricki and The Flash

Though I won't be surprised if Meryl Streep is still nominated for an award in some category, let's just say her performance in Ricki and The Flash was not her best. In my opinion, her real life daughter, Mamie Gummer overshadowed her performance with her commendable portrayal of a distraught woman.

Streep plays the character of a rock star who abandoned her family in pursuit of her music career, leaving her kids in the care of her husband played by Kevin Kline. When her daughter, played by Gummer, is going through a tough time because her husband left her for another woman, she returns to mend her strained relationship with her kids.

I feel the writer Diablo Cody spent too much time on having Streep sing than developing the characters and fleshing out the story. Directed by Jonathon Demme, this comedy drama was not as great as Streep's films usually are much to my disappointment.

American Ultra

Written by Max Landis and directed by Nima Nourizadeh, the main premise of the action comedy, American Ultra, revolves around Jesse Eisenberg. He plays the role of an awkward stoner, who suddenly discovers he has fighting capabilities he didn't know he possessed when people try to attack him. It turns out he is actually a trained CIA agent, who has been deemed a liability by Topher Grace's character. Grace's character has sent orders for him to be killed, whereas Connie Britton's character is trying to save him. It was a bit hard to believe the likeable Grace as an arrogant villain taking undue advantage of his position at the CIA but nonetheless, he made a good attempt in portraying one. The supporting cast included Kristen Stewart, Tony Hale, Bill Pullman and John Leguizamo.

At first, I kept thinking that the movie was a bit weird but as the story developed, I realized how interesting the concept was. So where did the film fail? Honestly, it is hard to pinpoint exactly what went wrong. Perhaps it was the acting or maybe the casting should have been different. Except for Grace, most actors including Eisenberg, Stewart, Leguizamo and Hale didn't bring anything new to the table and their performances seemed similar to their past ones. Except for Eisenberg's cool action sequences, his performance seemed very similar to his portrayal of Mark Zuckerberg in The Social Network. Hale's character reminded me a lot of the character he plays on the HBO show, Veep. Leguizamo's and Stewart's characters also seemed familiar. If their performances were what was expected of these characters, then perhaps the blame lies on the screenplay or the director for not providing them much potential to showcase a different performance.

Fantastic Four

Though almost everyone really hated the reboot of the Fantastic Four film franchise directed by Josh Trank, I didn't think it was too bad - perhaps because I had really low expectations. Though the story was interesting, I think the execution was poor. It was not as great as the Fantastic Four with Jessica Alba and Chris Evans.

Miles Teller plays the role of Mr. Fantastic, whereas Michael Jordan plays the role of The Human Torch. Kate Mara portrayed the role of Invisible Woman, whereas Jamie Bell and Toby Kebbell portrayed the roles of The Thing and Doctor Doom, respectively. Among all the actors, I believe Teller and Mara are extremely talented based on their performances in Whiplash and the Netflix show, House of Cards, respectively. However, they both looked bored in this film perhaps because the screenplay or the director didn't allow them much potential to showcase their incredible talent. Based on all the rumors surrounding the film, who really knows? Let's hope the next installment is way better!

What an Awesome Film!

2015-08-21T12:54:00.001-07:00

Based on the 2011 Hollywood film, Warrior, Brothers starring Sidharth Malhotra and Akshay Kumar in leading roles, recently hit the theaters. Since I have never been a fan of UFC, I was hesitant to watch this Bollywood movie given the main premise involved fighting and I wasn't sure if I would like it. However, I absolutely loved it!

For those of you who haven't seen the Hollywood version like me, the story revolves around two estranged brothers. Their alcoholic father, played by Jackie Shroff, was a fighter and returns from jail to find out his family has fallen apart due to severe mistakes he made in the past. Both brothers end up participating in a fighting championship for different reasons: one to release his pent up anger and one to support his family. To find out what mistakes the father made that led to the brothers becoming estranged and which brother comes out the winner, go watch the film!

The movie was indeed very well-paced. The way the story unfolded about the family's past through songs was really enjoyable to watch. Even Jacqueline Fernandez gave a good performance as a troubled mother and the concerned, supportive wife of Kumar's character, which was refreshing to watch. It is no surprise that Shefali Shah, who played the mother, gave a commendable performance. The costumes and makeup of the female characters were not flashy but simple and fit the premise really well.

Though I don't enjoy watching fights, my heart was racing with every fight in the second half of the film. I felt I was personally invested in the characters of the brothers and was on the edge of my seat, waiting to see which brother would come out the winner. I think a huge credit to the actors who played the roles of the commentators for creating such an edgy atmosphere during the fights.

No doubt Kumar is an ageless and a great actor. I am really happy to see Malhotra maturing as an actor since he starred in Ek Villain. He really transformed his physique for this role and it is commendable to see such dedication by an actor.

Kudos to director Karan Malhotra for a great job!

A Good First Attempt

2015-07-27T23:13:00.000-07:00

Trainwreck is the story of a girl, who is following her father's footsteps, by leading a promiscuous lifestyle filled with drugs and alcohol. When she meets a likable sports doctor, who is really into her, she tries to overcome her commitment issues but her insecurities get the best of her. Will she be able to leave behind her old ways and commit to one guy? You'll have to watch and find out.

Directed by Judd Apatow and written by Amy Schumer, who also plays the leading female character, the plot of the film was interesting. It was nice to see gender roles being reversed especially in the end. Also, seeing her soft side, whereby she loves and cares for her ill father, even though he was not a good father figure, was touching. However, the movie was not as great as I had expected given the rave reviews I read. In my opinion, the film didn't flow very well or perhaps the editing was flawed because a lot of times it seemed random scenes popped up without a natural progression from the previous scene. The movie definitely started as a non-stereotypical rom-com but it became a bit cliche towards the end.

Overall, the film, which was heavily influenced by Schumer's personal life experiences, was fun to watch. Bill Hader (from SNL fame) was surprisingly charming as the leading man in a romantic comedy. The wrestler John Cena and basketball legend, Lebron James, were entertaining and extremely funny. I hope they continue to act in films.

Schumer has been gaining a lot of popularity recently due to her comedy sketches on her comedy central show, Inside Amy Schumer. For her first film, as an actress and a writer, it was definitely a good attempt. I would like to see her continue to break gender stereotypes in more movies.

A Must-Watch!

2015-07-20T00:25:00.000-07:00

I know Salman Khan has a loyal fan base; however, sometimes, his movies can be larger than life with too many over-the-top fight sequences. As such, it was really nice to see him in a non-traditional, subtle role in Bajrangi Bhaijaan, which he portrayed very well. Directed by Kabir Khan and written by V. Vijayendra Prasad, the film portrays the story of a young, mute Pakistani girl, who gets separated from her mother and ends up in India. She runs into Bajrangi, a very honest and somewhat naive man, played by Salman Khan, who takes her home in order to help her get reunited with her family. After many failed attempts, he decides to embark on a journey to Pakistan to take her home himself.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui as the reporter, who accompanies and helps Bajrangi in his mission and Kareena Kapoor, who plays his love interest, gave really good supporting performances. However, Harshaali Malhotra, who plays the Pakistani girl, definitely stole the show! She was so adorably cute!

The movie was touching and heart-warming with the backdrop of the well-known rivalry between the two nations of India and Pakistan. I hope Salman Khan continues to play such subtle roles and such films continue to be made with the hope that they will help cause unity between the two nations.

How Important Is The Plot?

2015-07-18T09:52:00.000-07:00

I didn’t think it was possible for a movie to be worse than Magic Mike. Apparently it is. How and why Magic Mike XXL scored a 65% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes is beyond me!

Did the makers think that making the film more racially diverse and adding a few big name actors and celebrity personalities including Jada Smith, Elizabeth Banks, Michael Strahan and Donald Grover aka Childish Gambino would be sufficient? I don’t think so! The movie still needs to have a strong plot, whereas, this one hardly had a story. It was even more horrible than the original!

Even the few sexy dances, mostly involving Channing Tatum (yes, he is indeed an amazing dancer!) and the few funny moments involving Joe Manganiello, could not save it from the disaster that this flick was. And let’s face it, Kevin Nash, cannot dance! All the additional so-called plot lines that were added for the sequel just seemed unnecessary and did not add any value to the bare-bones version of a story. What was even more frustrating that the film kind of ended abruptly!

If Director Gregory Jacobs wanted to make a dance movie without caring much about the plot, maybe he should have learned something from the Step Up and Step Up 2: The Streets movies. Now those were good dance movies!! Those were the movies that made me fall in love with Tatum himself and Robert Hoffman.

Though I am embarrassed to admit that I have seen both the installments in the Magic Mike franchise, I couldn’t help but share my thoughts given I left the theater feeling annoyed. Save your $$ as this movie is pure garbage in my opinion!

However, guest film blogger, Aliah Wright, doesn’t quite agree with me. Here’s what she had to say. Read at your own risk as her review contains some spoilers!

What can I say about Magic Mike XXL? I loved it!

Three years have passed since Magic Mike (Channing Tatum) retired from the oh-so glorious world of taking off his clothes so others could see him flex his pecs (and count the ripples in his six pack -- all while showing off his stellar dance moves. In Magic Mike XXL, we pick up where Mike has left off, now living on his own (dumped by his girlfriend – sorry spoiler alert!) and longing just a tad for the life he left behind.

How do we know?

Just after the film opens see him welding stuff (sparks flying suggestively from a strategically placed welding gun held between his you know what) while dancing all over his woodworking/furniture shop (who knows, really what kind of shop he now owns, who cares) to Ginuwine’s “Pony” as he did here in the original.

Tatum, who reportedly once worked as a stripper in real life before hitting it big, can really dance.

Well.

I mean like, really, really well.

And when he finds out his old crew is headed to a stripper convention (!!!) in Myrtle Beach, the lonely and nostalgic Mike throws caution to the wind and says, “Why not?” And crashes the road trip.

I cannot tell a lie. You don’t go to see a movie about hot male strippers for the dialogue.

Or the acting.

Or the plot. (Plot? What plot?) I saw it in a theater in the middle of conservative nowhere Virginia packed with women who whooped and hollered at the screen.

You go for the same reason we all went - to see them strip – and dance - and strip. (All without having to make it rain real dollar bills).

Director Gregory Jacobs acquits himself well with direction and it’s a pretty, slickly shot film. It should be. Steven Soderbergh (who directed the first one as well as the Ocean Eleven franchise and the Oscar-winning Traffic) returns as its cinematographer. The elaborate and well-coordinated dance sequences are fantastic.

And boy can these guys dance well! I mean, like, amazingly well (yeah, I said it again). The music is incredible. The dialogue – well, to be honest, I didn’t really pay attention to that.

Channing Tatum, however, looks pretty frickin’ amazing without a shirt.

Or pants.

And my jaw dropped at least four times during this movie – when the music was playing and I was paying attention to what went on screen – rather than Googling crap on my new iPhone.

Which I did. A lot.

But the stripping parts had me riveted!

If you’re expecting a plot – go see Terminator. If you’re expecting action, go catch that new Jurassic film.

If you’re expecting to see Joe Manganiello (of HBO’s True Blood fame) act goofy and dance around half naked – while making a thinly veiled reference to vampire films (which was funny) GO SEE THIS FILM!

I am. Again. And I’m buying it on DVD, too!

Aliah D. Wright is the former entertainment editor for Gannett News Service at USA Today. She is presently a business writer and best-selling author of “A Necessary Evil: Managing Employee Activity on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn … and the Hundreds of Other Social Media Sites”. This is her debut review for It’s All In The Movies!

Better Than The Original!

2015-07-08T14:58:00.000-07:00

I had really enjoyed watching Ted and therefore, I was excited to see Ted 2 but also a bit nervous because most sequels tend to disappoint. However, sometimes we, as viewers, get lucky and the sequel is better than the original. That was the case with Ted 2!

Directed by Seth MacFarlane, the storyline revolves around a guy, John Bennett, played by Mark Wahlberg and his talking teddy bear, Ted, voiced by MacFarlane himself. It may seem like a silly idea but the script is so well-written that it almost makes MacFarlane, who co-wrote the screenplay, seem like a genius! The sequel takes us into the next chapter of these two thunder buddies (for those who have not seen the first movie, during a thunderstorm, Bennett as a boy wished for his bear to come to life so he could have a friend). The main plot revolves around Ted, who has to fight for his civil rights to be legally declared a person vs. property with the help of a young lawyer played by Amanda Seyfried and civil-rights attorney played by Morgan Freeman, so he can adopt a baby with his wife. With the recent federal law passed whereby same-sex marriage is now legal, I thought the plot was relevant and even more interesting than that of the original movie.

Wahlberg and MacFarlane indeed have great comedic timing and chemistry, which made the movie hilarious and fun to watch. As such, along with other audience members, I laughed throughout the film and we all even clapped at the end! Seyfried and Freeman (I could seriously hear him talk all day long!) as the supporting cast gave really good performances as well. The music composed by Walter Murphy is like icing on the cake! Furthermore, what's so great about this sequel is that you don't have to see the first one to enjoy it. Have I convinced you yet that Ted 2 is a must watch? Then what are you waiting for? Go watch it now!

The Trailer Says It All

2015-06-27T12:40:00.001-07:00

My curiosity about Inside Out increased when my friends kept raving about it. The story revolves around an eleven year old girl and how her behavior changes based on her feelings, mainly fear, anger, disgust, sadness and joy. The voice overs by Bill Hader, Lewis Black, Mindy Kaling, Phyllis Smith and Amy Poehler were indeed flawless! The film depicted that you cannot avoid emotions. If you feel sad, you should allow yourself to go through those emotions because sadness will make way for happiness.

It was definitely interesting to see a movie about the inner workings of the human mind. However, it was frustrating that pretty much the entire plot had been revealed in the trailers. There was not much new to see in the actual film. My expectations were too high and I left the theater disappointed.

Disappointed Yet Again!

2015-06-22T19:59:00.001-07:00

As expected from the trailer, Anybody Can Dance 2 (ABCD2), starring Varun Dhawan, Shraddha Kapoor and Prabhu Deva, has no real storyline, just a dance competition. The best way to describe it would be the Bollywood version of the Hollywood Step Up franchise. It was not an exact replica but quite similar. Had the characters been fully developed, the movie could have been more entertaining. But that seems to be the trend in most dance films - perhaps it is intentional? With the jokes seemingly forced, the only saving grace of ABCD2 are a few good dances towards the end.

As much as I love Varun Dhawan, except for Student of the Year (SOTY), I have not been impressed with any of his films much to my disappointment. However, I do appreciate that he is not letting himself be typecast in any one genre. He has had an interesting film career trajectory - he has thus far starred in two romantic comedies: SOTY and Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhaniya and an action comedy: Main Tera Hero. He then played a dark role in Badlapur and now he gets to show off his tremendous dancing skills in ABCD2. I hope his next film will not be disappointing as I do think he has a lot of potential as an actor.

Entertaining Despite Flaws!

2015-06-16T14:18:00.000-07:00

When I saw the Jurassic World trailer, I was definitely intrigued. Who wouldn't want to see the likeable Chris Pratt on the big screen again after his excellent performance in the Guardians of the Galaxy? Though I was unsure how I would feel about it because I heard mixed reviews, I was still curious given how well it did on the box office during its opening weekend. So I decided to go watch it yesterday night. Much to my surprise, the theater was fully packed even though it was a late show on a Monday night!

Two and a half hours later, as the audience clapped, I left the theater thinking, "Wow - that was pretty awesome!" I will admit the film had flaws. Some of the acting performances were not very impressive including those by Bollywood actor, Irfan Khan, child actor Ty Simpkins and Nick Robinson. Though none of the characters were fully developed, the leading actors namely Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard were charming to watch. In addition to the beautiful theme park, which reflected elements of modern technology, I also enjoyed watching the dinosaur fights way more than I expected as the special effects were great!

Given that the story held my interest throughout the duration of the film, it was a fun and entertaining movie in my opinion.

Excellent Screenplay!

2015-06-05T18:19:00.001-07:00

Of the three movies I have seen this week, Dil Dhadakne Do may be the best one! I have awaited this Bollywood film, directed by Zoya Akhtar, for quite a while, preparing myself by listening to the awesome soundtrack on a daily basis. I was nervous that it would not meet my expectations because of the mixed reviews I have been reading. However, much to my joy, it exceeded my expectations - I absolutely loved it!

The movie includes an ensemble cast consisting of Anil Kapoor, Shefali Shah, Priyanka Chopra, Ranveer Singh, Anushka Sharma and Farhan Akhthar among others. All performances especially those of Anil Kapoor and Shefali Shah were really good. We definitely need to see more of Shah on the big screen! The credit also goes to the well-written script, which touched on many on-going issues in the South Asian culture including women's equal rights, divorce, familial and societal pressures that children from South Asian families face. I highly recommend this movie!

A Delightful Comedy!

2015-06-05T08:30:00.001-07:00

The latest collaboration between actress Melissa McCarthy and director Paul Feig, #Spy is an action comedy film about a CIA agent's mission to bring down an arms dealer. Just like their previous work together in Bridesmaids and Heat, this movie is hilarious! In addition to McCarthy's excellent comedic timing, it was a delight and very refreshing to see John Statham in a comedy role for the first time. I hope he does more comedies going forward. Other supporting actors including Jude Law, Rose Byrne and Miranda Hart were equally good in their respective roles. With excellent performances, a great soundtrack and beautiful locations, this film is indeed a fun ride!

Not as Epic as the TV show!

2015-06-02T23:42:00.001-07:00

Being a big fan of the HBO TV show that portrayed well how most guys truly think, I had high expectations from the movie #Entourage. I will admit it was not as satisfying an experience as I had hoped. However, the film did make me laugh quite a bit with Ari Gold's (Jeremy Piven) epic short-tempered moments and the comical moments that Johnny Drama (Kevin Dillon) always tends to find himself in. Though it was hard to understand why the makers chose to include so many cameos when some of them seemed completely unnecessary. In my opinion, you do have to be a fan of the TV show to appreciate the movie.

Unsatisfying Movie Experience

2015-02-23T07:09:00.001-08:00

Words cannot describe the joy I feel after watching a really good film. However, after #Badlapur, I felt uneasy. It was interesting to see Varun Dhawan in a different, dark and intense role in #Badlapur, which portrays the story of a man that seeks vengeance for the murder of his wife and kids. However, the screenplay writer spent too much developing the character of the protagonist and not as much time on the antagonist, which was disappointing. I was expecting to see a much more intense and gory film but I left the theater feeling unsatisfied. The story had a lot of potential; however, the movie was missing elements that could have made it a much more interesting and enjoyable experience.

Entertaining Despite Its Flaws!

2014-10-05T16:52:00.000-07:00

Was #BangBang predictable, larger than life, cheesy, cliche? Of course it was! Most Bollywood movies are but so are some Hollywood films! I could literally predict dialogues and scenes before they were said or happened. This was not because it is a remake of ‪#‎KnightandDay‬. I honestly don't even remember the Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz version, I just remember walking out the theater thinking how awful it was.

The key to watching a Bollywood film is to have low expectations - anticipate the movie to be predictable, larger than life, cheesy and cliche. Once you move past that, you can actually enjoy the film.

Was #BangBang entertaining despite these flaws? Absolutely! I walked out the theater extremely happy because it was way better than the Hollywood version. How, you ask? The main reason was Hrithik Roshan, who truly carried the film. He is a remarkable actor - it was obvious how committed he was to the role. The soundtrack will leave you wanting to dance in your seats - it was that good! Furthermore, the cinematography is indeed praiseworthy - it was a beautifully shot film with quite a few exotic locations such as Prague, London and Shimla. Katrina Kaif did a fairly decent job and looked gorgeous. Last but not the least, Javed Jaffrey deserves an honorable mention - it's been a while since I have seen him on the big screen and he nailed his character!

The Inspiration to Restart my Blog!

2014-10-03T21:13:00.000-07:00

Can you imagine living with someone with constant fear of getting hurt by them? Is marriage really all about compromise and sometimes, utter resentment?

These are some of the questions you may ask yourself as you walk out the theater after having watched one of the best films ever made by the directorial genius, David Fincher, who brought remarkable movies like The Social Network and The Girl with a Dragon Tattoo to life. His recent venture, #GoneGirl is an excellent and a very honest adaptation to the novel by Gillian Flynn, who also penned the screenplay.

Though the dissatisfying ending was practically the same as the book, which we were misled to believe would be different (publicity stunt perhaps? To entice readers who disliked the ending to go watch it?), I still did not mind it because it was executed so well. Had Flynn not skipped certain parts of the book or elaborated more on certain characters such as Andie Hardy, the film would have been better than the book!

In my humble opinion, both David Fincher and Rosamund Pike, who brought the dark and twisted Amy Elliot Dunne to life in such a flawless and believable way, deserve an Oscar for this movie.

I would also like to mention Carrie Coon, who portrayed the twin sister, Margo Dunne aka Go's character very well. She reminded me a lot of Janeane Garofalo (from the 1996 film: The Truth About Cats and Dogs - the only memorable movie of hers for me). And a special mention of the orange tabby, who played Bleecker - he was so cute!!

In conclusion, I highly recommend this film even if you have not read the book.

Not Your Typical Chick Flick

2011-05-29T21:27:00.000-07:00

Written by Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo, directed by Paul Feig, and produced by Judd Apatow, Barry Mendel, and Clayton Townsend, Bridesmaids is the story of Annie (Wiig) who's best friend, Lillian (Maya Rudolph) is getting married and has asked her to be the maid of honor. Everything in Annie's life seems to be going wrong - whether it's her professional career or her personal life. On top of that, one of Lillian's bridesmaids, Helen (Rose Byrn) is trying to steal her best friend and trying to take over the role of maid of honor. Will Annie be able to get out of the rut that her life seems to be stuck in? Watch and find out.

The main character of Annie is quite relatable as I am sure there are women out there who have at some point felt that their life was stuck in a rut, whereas their friends' lives were moving forward. In the past, I have been disappointed with Wiig's acting performances but in this film, I was quite impressed with her performance as she portrayed Annie's character quite flawlessly.

I don't think this movie can be called the female version of The Hangover - it is a chick flick but it is different than most chick flicks as it is more mature, funny, and well-written. It was definitely better than Hangover 2! I highly recommend it for the female audience only as I don't think the male audience will enjoy it or be able to relate to it.

What Does the Summer Have in Store for You?

2011-04-28T19:30:00.000-07:00

There are so many exciting movies coming out this summer! Here is a preview of the ones that are definitely on my Must-Watch List! Which of these will you be watching!?

Something Borrowed - May 6: Based on the book by Emily Griffin by the same name, this film tells the story of a girl about to lose the guy she loves to her best friend. Will she able to confess her true love to him? Or will she let her best friend ruin her chance at happiness?

I am very excited to see Ginnifer Goodwin in a lead role - loved her performance in He's Just Not That Into You! So all you girls out there, either plan a girls night out or drag your boyfriends along for a date night as this is a must see!

Bridesmaids - May 13: The plot of this movie revolves around the experiences of a single woman as her best friend's Maid of Honor. Realizing that her life is stuck in a rut, whereas her best friend is moving on her with her life, will she be able to survive till the wedding?

The word on the street is - this is the 'female' version of The Hangover. With two female leads from SNL, Maya Rudolf and Kristen Wiig, the expectations for this movie to be funny are quite high. I am a little skeptical though because I usually don't enjoy Kristen Wiig's movie performances...but maybe she will prove me wrong this time!

The Hangover Part II - May 26: The Hangover crew is back but this time, they are not in Vegas but in Thailand! Get ready for a roller coaster ride through their adventures after another drunken night.

I really hope this sequel will live up to its expectations and will not disappoint as most sequels do. Even if it does, watching the hot Bradley Cooper will still make it worthwhile unless its a complete disaster like All About Steve!

The Green Lantern - June 17: This film is based on a comic book about an ordinary guy, who finds a green ring, that grants him super powers.

I am not sure how this movie will be - Ryan Reynolds in a green suit.....not sure how I feel about that? But HE is reason enough for me to watch this summer flick! Do you need any other reason!?

Bad Teacher - June 24: I am curious to watch this movie just to see how the on-screen chemistry between Justin Timberlake and Cameron Diaz is. It will be interesting to see how well these exes worked together. As for the story, I think the trailer says it all!

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II - July 15: I loved Part I of this movie and am very excited about Part II but at the same time, it is kind of sad that this epic movie series is ending. But since I have not read the books, I am curious to see how the story ends. I don't think any of the HP fans need convincing - I am sure shows will get sold out for this one and long lines will start forming at the first midnight showing with kids dressed in HP gear!

Captain America: The First Avenger - July 22: I am curious to watch this comic book film because it is set in an interesting time period of the Nazi's and Hitler and because of Chris Evans! Watch the trailer to find out the story if you are not familiar with the comic book.

Friends with Benefits - July 22: This film is on the same lines as No Strings Attached - let's hope it is much better than that disappointing flick! Will Justin Timberlake have good onscreen chemistry with Mila Kunis? Will the movie have a sappy ending like No Strings Attached? I guess we will just have to watch and find out!

Crazy Stupid Love - July 29: This film boasts quite the cast: Steve Carrell, Emma Stone, Ryan Gosling, Julianne Moore, Kevin Bacon, and Marissa Tomei. The plot of this film revolves around two guys - a guy who's marriage is ending because his wife wants a divorce and a player, who befriends the soon-to-be divorced guy to help him regain his confidence, change his perspective on life, and develop the skills to attract the ladies. The player falls in love with a woman unexpectedly, whereas the soon-to-be divorced guy finds himself wanting to go back to his wife even though other women are expressing interest in him after his makeover. Will each of these men have happy endings?

The Change Up - August 5: This is the male version of Freaky Friday - remember the Lindsay Lohan movie about switching bodies with her Mom? It came out during the days she used to behave normally and was not a complete mess.

I just hope this new movie does not disappoint - as much as I like Jason Bateman, his last movie with a lead role, The Switch was quite unimpressive.

The Help - August 12: Based on the book by Kathryn Stockett with the same name, this film is based during the time period of the civil rights movement. The plot revolves around the movement started by a young writer to help black women, hired as 'the help' and racially discriminated by white women, get equal rights. I have not read the book but I am excited to see Emma Stone in action. I became a huge fan after her fantastic performance in Easy A!

High Expectations Lead to Disappointment

2011-03-13T06:35:00.000-07:00

Lately, I've been having an extreme bad luck with movies. Read on and find out why.

Written and directed by George Nolfi, The Adjustment Bureau stars Matt Damon and Emily Blunt as the leading cast. Damon plays the role of David Norris, a young, rising politician running for the US Senate, who falls in love with a ballet dancer Elise, played by Emily Blunt. However, the "Adjustment Bureau," a team of people making sure that everyone acts according to the "plan" set for each of them, is insistent on keeping them apart because she is not part of the "plan" for him. Will David be able to overcome the obstacles presented by the Bureau or will he loose the love of his life forever? Watch and find out.

I think the concept of the movie was interesting because it deals with the idea that you can change your destiny or your fate through free will. However, the comparison of this movie to Inception is absolutely absurd because this is more of a romantic movie and doesn't even compare to Inception in any way. No doubt, I am a huge fan of romantic films but the ending was too good to be true, which made the whole movie experience extremely disappointing. I had really high expectations from this film because of Damon and the trailers looked promising but I was definitely let down. The performances by the leading and supporting cast were indeed note-worthy. Damon and Blunt had strong on-screen chemistry. However, I would still recommend that you not waste $11 on this flick; just wait and watch it on DVD.

Cedar Rapids starring Ed Helms, Anne Heche, Sigourney Weaver, and John C. Reilly is the story of a nerdy, naive, pushover insurance agent, who gets in touch with his wild side and learns to stand up for himself with the help of fellow insurance agents that he befriends at a conference he attends.

This movie may be relatable to some but my question is - what was the point of this film? And why would anybody enjoy watching ugly naked men on the screen - how is that funny!? The nudity in this film was absolutely unnecessary and didn't add value to the story at all. It had some funny moments but overall, it is not even worth watching on DVD. So skip this one completely - trust me, you won't be missing anything. The only good thing about this film was Anne Heche - she looks extremely beautiful and quite good for a 41-year-old! This flick once again proves my point - just because a movie is different doesn't mean it's good.

Among the streak of bad movies, how can we leave our Bollywood friends behind? Directed by Nikhil Advani, Patiala House starring Akshay Kumar, Anushka Sharma, Rishi Kapoor, and Dimple Kapadia is the story of Gattu (Kumar), whose dream of playing for the England cricket team, is suppressed due to his dad's strong wishes. His dad is against him being part of the cricket team because of the racism he and the Sikh community faced by Britishers. At the age of 34, Gattu is presented with another chance to fulfill his dream but he is too scared to disappoint his father. Will Gattu be able to stand up to his dad or will his dream remain repressed? Watch and find out.

I appreciated the relatable spirit of the film because it highlights the fact that most Desi kids suppress their own dreams and lead their lives according to their parents wishes. Those enthused with the ongoing 2011 Cricket World Cup will like this movie because it is mostly focused on cricket. However, it did not meet my expectations because I feel it was centered too much around the sport. If you are a huge cricket fan, you can watch this on DVD; if not, you can skip this one too.

Pleasantly Surprised

2011-02-12T08:44:00.000-08:00

Based on the 1969 film, Cactus Flower, the new romantic comedy starring Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler, Just Go With It is directed by Dennis Dugan, who also directed Big Daddy, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, You Don't Mess With the Zohan, and Grown Ups among others. The story revolves around Danny (Sandler), a plastic surgeon, who uses a fake wedding ring and pretends to be married to an abusive wife, to pick up girls. When he meets Palmer (Brooklyn Decker), who he believes he has a very strong connection with, he requests his assistant, Katherine (Aniston) and her two kids, to pretend to be his wife and kids so that Palmer can know for sure that he is getting divorced. Will the lies work on Palmer? Will Danny and Palmer end up together? Watch and find out.

Having been extremely disappointed with Sandler's 2010 flick, Grown Ups, and Aniston's 2010 flick, The Switch, I had really low expectations from Just Go With It but I was pleasantly surprised. The plot was interesting and the script was well-written and funny. Aniston and Sandler had great on-screen chemistry. For me the highlight of the movie were the young actors, Bailee Madison and Griffin Gluck, who played Aniston's kids, as they delivered excellent performances. I highly recommend this movie for all chick flick lovers.