Roll Camera .. Action

Her : by Spike Jonze

2014-02-14T22:36:00.003+05:30

Theodore Twombly played by Phoenix is an introverted man.

Set in a futuristic world , 'Her' transposes the audience into a deep-rooted journey of love.

Twombly has a job of writing personal letters on behalf of people who have a difficulty in expressing their feelings. One fine day , in a jiffy he decides to buy an AI operating system. He is anyways in a mess due to his impending divorce & is a big time loner.

The OS names itself as Samantha and is an adaptive eco-system gauging the feelings and emotions of its user.

She picks out the name Samantha for herself & Theodore grins!
‘Was that funny?’, she asks. ‘Yeah,’ he says. She laughs. ‘Oh good, I’m funny.’ She is delighted.

So Twombly is in love! Sigh!

The voice over of Samantha is played by Scarlett Johansson and connects with Theodore in a surreal way.The sensual undertones & the comforting conversations between S & T are endearing to say the least. There is a 'joy' evident in the explorations of Samantha & content in Theodore's wish for a companion.

Their love,

Their brickbats ,

Their quarrels,

Their excitement ,

Their desires ,

Their passion ,

Their fervor ................

Yearning Performances by -

Phoenix as the lonesome, unsocial ,vulnerable Theodore.

Johansson playing Samantha - stimulating , delightful , sensual - at her finest.

Her is, by far, the best picture of the year, and miles ahead of the other lot!

This is a film about fondness , affection , tenderness. A film to love.

Rating : 5.0/5.0

Lootera : by Vikramaditya Motwane

2013-07-07T17:10:00.002+05:30

A year long hiatus has bought me back to my passion.. & there is surely no better film bollywood has seen in a long time than ..

Motwane's Lootera !

The year is 1953 , Bengal , zamindari is at its peak in India. Pakhi , the feisty daughter of an ageing aristocrat is a girl so vulnerable in her demeanour. She is longing for independence as shown by her secret driving chores.

In comes , Varun seeking help from the zamindar for excavation at the land owned by him representing the archaeological society.

He is articulate , charming yet focused on the job in hand. Pakhi & Varun collide in a brewing chemistry when he takes shelter as a house guest.

She gets her wings and a reason to wake up every morning. The protagonists irresistibly get drawn into each other with sheer innocence and old world charm. Pakhi dreams of writing at her Dalhousie house and converting her stories into words. Varun has the desire to paint a masterpiece someday.

The director has done a marvellous job of keeping the exchanges between Varun & Pakhi understated with binge of silence.

Second half of the film , takes a turn which compels the audience to take the girl and the boys' journey to its destination. Motwane opts for stark muted backdrop of Dalhousie which blends with the mood of the screenplay at this juncture.

The detailing in this film takes it to a level of poetry in motion. Cinematography by Shetty is spell binding capturing the colour of Bengal and the sombre landscapes of Dalhousie. The sets , the colour , the curtains , the dialogues , vintage vehicles are just so 1950's pitch perfect.

Performances .. The maturity is so hard to fathom , is beyond their age. Both these actors have been hard core commercial typecasts , and Motwane has moulded them with sheer brilliance

Sonakhi as Pakhi is craving , vulnerable , feisty , brittle & bitter
Ranveer as Varun is street smart , charming , practical , mature & intense.

Supporting cast is noteworthy too with Adil as the tough cop & Vikrant as Dev inspired cheeky friend.Music & Background score elevates this film to Cloud 9 - Amit Trivedi & Amitabh Bhattacharya are truly wizards. My favourites - Zinda & Ankahee.

Motwane's second outing - Respect! - O.Henry would be proud!
A Cinematic Masterpiece!

Rating : 4.5/5.0

The Dark Knight Rises : by Christopher Nolan

2012-07-22T23:30:00.002+05:30

As a fan boy , I waited and waited for this very day!

2008 , seemed a long time ago , when Joker said 'Why So Serious'.

Now this was really serious , and so was Nolan about his largest magnum opus since 2005.

Begins ...

Falls ...

The Dark Knight Rises!

The film picks up where the events in the second part ended. Harvey Dent got killed and Batman became the fall guy. Gotham city lost a hero and Batman aka Bruce Wayne became a recluse.

The key characters in this edition are so well etched that the audience is sucked into the narrative.

*Alfred played by Michael Caine as the indefatigable butler

showing his emotional turmoil towards Bruce.

*Lucius Fox played by Morgan Freeman is the gadget-all-done-it-all saviour

for Wayne Enterprises R&D.

*Commisioner Gordon played by Gary Oldman is going through

hell losing both Harvey & Bruce.

*Selina Kyle aka Catwoman played by Anna Hathaway springs a sexy sultry act.

Her repartee with Batman is one of the highlights of the movie.

*Bane played by Tom Hardy is purely physical , intellectual and a devious foe

Joker who was all chaos in ruins , Bane is mean , methodical & superior in strength.

A cross between Hannibal Lector & Sean Connery!

*John Blake a young GCPD detective played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt is an idealist

who needs to unravel the mysteries surrounding Bruce Wayne and Gotham City.

*Miranda Tate played by Marion Cotillard is member of board at the Wayne enterprises giving Bruce the much needed support and in process discovering love!

*Christian Bale , as convincing a superhero can get , plays Batman , hardcore.

Pulse of the Trilogy!

Nolan as a director has been so well prepared that a Superhero film is embodied with an in depth screenplay of such guile & stature.

Dark , grim , anarchy driven.

The Musical score is slam bang to the core.

The Action set pieces are simply jaw dropping

The Characters are so human yet vulnerable.

An Exhilarating Spectacle & Culmination .

An accomplished end to much loved superhero trilogy of all time!

If you make yourself more than just a man, if you devote yourself to an ideal... you become something else entirely. A Legend!

Rating : 4.5/5.0

Cocktail : by Homi Adajania

2012-07-16T22:00:00.001+05:30

Cocktail is a story of 3 individuals living together in the City of London

Veronica played by Deepika Padukone

Meera played by Diana Penty

Gautan played by Saif Ali Khan

Statutory Warning !

Pritam's Music

Deepika's Hot Quotient

will spin your head in a FRENZY .. this is enough FIZZ in a Cocktail for me

thought it may taste the same as encountered in the past.

Runs out of steam : 2nd Half!

Absolutely Smoking : 1st Half!

Miss Padukone .. Ahem! Ahem!

Die hard dreamer w.e.f - NOW!

Rating : 3.5/5.0

The Amazing Spiderman : by Marc Webb

2012-07-02T00:50:00.001+05:30

Marvel Comics - yet another treat for the fan boys after The Avengers

Here comes the slingy saviour - The Amazing Spiderman!

The character of Peter Parker has always been a fascination for me , a true blue hero yet a human at heart ... very real.

This franchise is a re-boot of the 2002 Sam Raimi classic - Spiderman starring Tobey Maguire.

What a Web of Action has been woven here !

Andrew Garfield plays Spiderman aka Peter (He has come a long way from The Social Network).

The initial reels of the movie talks about how Peter unravels the secrets of his parents in particular his father's research at the Oscorp lab on cross species genetics!

His dilemma , his confusion , his inner turmoil , unanswered questions makes him unravel more. His transformation post Uncle Ben's murder has been enacted by Andrew to the 'T' , he actually makes Tobey Maguire look amatuerish and dumb in the previous franchise!

Gwen Stacy is introduced for the first time in this series as Peter's love interest at high school. Emma Stone plays Gwen with upmost confidence.

The crackling awkwardeness between Peter Parker and Gwen has been performed exceptionally well by both the actors There are a lot of sweet tender moments which makes this film a lot more human than just another Bad vs Good plot.

Rhys Ifans plays Dr Curt Connors , Oscorps leading scientists whose work on regeneration of human tissues is unparalleled. Things don't fall into place for Dr Curt and his experiment goes horribly wrong to turn him into The Lizard!

A word on our very own Irfan Khan , plays Dr. Ratha at the Oscorp and performs well in a not so important role yet he makes his presence felt.

The action in The Amazing Spiderman is pure adrenaline rush - in 3D. Manhattan at night , with the spidey suited Peter slinging from the skyscrapers is pure joy! .. though I would still prefer The Avengers this year!

Marc Webb of (500) Days of Summer fame , was given an oppurtunity to re-boot a successfull fan boy character and he has achieved outstanding results here !

The screenplay is terrific , hardcore super hero , wild , heart pounding , warm!
The background score takes the film to another zone!
The sling is taut , the slinging is pure magic in 3D!

Andrew Garfield is perfectly picked - with power comes responsibility & how!

Go for it .. an enthralling web slinging ride !

Rating : 3.5/5.0

Gangs of Wasseypur : by Anurag Kashyap

2012-07-01T13:44:00.004+05:30

'Teri Keh Ke Loonga' - says Sardar Khan with malevolence and pain in his eyes seeking vengeance from the lynchpin of Wasseypur- Ramadhir Singh.

Gangs of Wasseypur is an Indian mafia setup in the small town of Wasseypur - part of Dhanbad city. The coal mafia is deep rooted with a cut throat rivalry between the Qureshis & Khans.

The film spans across the early 1940's to the present day context in 2004. Sardar Khan's father is killed when the Ramadhir learns about his ambitions of ruling the coal mines syndicate.

Sardar Khan's shaves his head swearing not grow his hair back till the objective is complete.He rises to become the most feared ganglord with the only aim of finishing Ramamdhir and his empire.

Manoj Bajpai , a superlative actor enacts Sardar Khan with so much spitefullness yet being innocent charming husband. His allurement spells a cast on the women in his life - wife ( Nagma ) and bahar-wali (Durga) played with enduring gusto by Richa Chadda and Reemma Sen respectively.

The hilarity is the main ingredient of a serious plotline which would have become another Godfather - Sarkar mash up. The dialogues are remarkable with nuances bringing the house down!

The supporting actors revolving around the main protagonist Bajpai completes one of the most virtuoso ensemble cast seen in a decade of hindi cinema -

Ramadhir Singh - played by Tigmanshu Dhulia

(Director of Sahib, Bibi & Paan Singh Tomar!!)

Sardar Khan's father - played by Jaideep Alahwat
Sardar Khan's youngest son - played by Nawazuddin Siddiqui

(Inspector in Kahaani , Bandit in Tomar!)

Sardar Khan's wife - played by Richa Chadda

(Dolly from Oye Lucky Lucky Oye!)

Sardar Khan's guardian - played by Piyush Mishra

Anurag Kashyap's films always had the music inherent to the plotline & Sneha Khanwalker as a composer has done a mind blowing job of moving the narrative a level up - Track in particular - 'Keh Ke Loongaa'

Bajpai's is the performance of the year by far , Wasseypur scores on its crudeness & mirthfullness!

Badland was never so good!

Rating: 4.0/5.0

Paan Singh Tomar : by Tigmanshu Dhulia

2012-05-26T15:32:00.001+05:30

Paan Singh Tomar .. A biopic on the life of seven time national steeplechase champion.

Paan Singh represented India at a national level and at the Asian Games, Tokyo.

No one but Irffan Khan could play a character of such courage , principles and conduct.

The film starts with a news reporter seeking an interview from the most feared dacoit of Chambal.

As the story unfolds in a flashback , we are given peek into the life of an army man who had only one objective to have a full diet. He picks up athletics as a means for a healthy diet & in turn excels in 3000 m steeplechase.

He wins gold medal at the national event 7 times in a row but fails to perform at Tokyo as he is not able to adjust to the new footwear in time.

Irffan is absolutely deep into the skin of Paan Singh , right from his dialect to his demeanour. Circumstances force Paan Singh to settle a feud at his village and take law in his hands.

Technically , the screenplay is taut and the seriousness of the storyline is laced with witty humour.

The scenes between Paan Singh and his wife played by Mahie Gill are sweet and romantic bringing the humour side of the feared dacoit.

Paan Singh without Irrfan would not have been a film so admirable. Mr Dhulia , the director is slowly and steadily getting his due with his filmography boasting of Haasil , Sahib , Bibi aur Gangster too.

Irffan as an actor in my viewpoint is virtuoso! Period.

”Beehad mein to baaghi rehte hain, Parliament mein daaku.”

Rating : 4.0/5.0

Hugo : by Martin Scorsese

2012-05-26T15:05:00.000+05:30

Martin Scorsese , this name rings a series of hard hiting , gut wrenching dramas and thrillers. He has been in the Jake LaMotta (Raging Bull) of the Hollywood fraternity.

Hugo is a masterclass in film making!

As introduced in my opening lines , film of this stature from Scorsese is mind boggling.

A simple fairy tale of a young boy who lives alone at the Paris railway station maintaining the clocks , stealing food and working on his father's ambitious piece of art - a automaton - a mechnical man who writes with a pen upon wound up.

The film's pace is easy and unfolds layer by layer flowing like a river.

Hugo , one fine day is caught by a sho owner stealing his spare parts.

There in starts Hugo's journey , an adventure of a lifetime where he unearths the truths.

Hugo played by Asa Butterfiled is believable and affable.

Ben Kingsley plays the Georges Melies , a renowned illusionist and filmmaker who has not got his due.

The supporting cast is able in particular the station inspector who is a hard-boiled man cleaning up the station

of the orphan kids.

3-D is a technology which pushes all boundaries , and Scorses had to use it to pay rich tributes of the pioneers of illusion and special effects.

The panoramic beauty depicted of Paris is breathtaking . The joy of seeing the camera move like silk from the cityscape and right in to the busy platform ending at the clock tower , Hugo peeking out.

Awwww... Bliss!

Golden Globe for best director and 5 oscars including Best Cinematography speaks volumes of the splendor in front of the cinegoers.

Mesmerising Grandeur in 3D

Rating : 4.5/5.0

No Man's Land : by Danis Tanović

2012-05-15T23:01:00.000+05:30

This 2001 war epic is set in the midst of Bosnian war.

2 wounded soldiers - a Serb & a Bosnian

are caught between the lines in a NO MAN'S LAND

Survival is the only option!

A land mine under a third soldier in the bunker becomes the point of conflict!

United Nations , Media Glare , News Reports , Bosnian troops , Serb troops

The circus is palpable , irony of a war zone

Exceptional writing , poignant climax

Proud Bosnia - Small country , big heart

Well deserved , best foreign language film Oscar

Rating : 3.5/5.0

The Descendants : by Alexander Payne

2012-05-12T15:11:00.000+05:30

The Descendants is a drama film set in Kauai , a Hawaiian island.

This film traces the journey of a land baron , Matt King played by quintessential George Clooney. He owns a trust with a 25,000 acres land in his name.

The King family decides to sell it off to a Kauai inhabitant , Don Holitzer.

A sudden turn of events - Matt's wife suffers a major accident on a boating trip forcing her into a coma. Matt is left with the guardianship of his 2 daughters Alex and Scottie.

George Clooney plays the dad to perfection , considering himself as a 'back up parent' , being not very close to his daughters.

His anxiety and helplessness is executed brilliantly and forms the crux of the storyline. Matt accidentally comes to know about his wife's secret affair and all hell breaks loose.

Matt's inner strength and anger management is all there to see as he sets out in his pursuit of confronting the other man.

The Descendants is truly a rippling comedy with layers of relationship unifying at different moments of the film. George Clooney excels big time as a unaided parent in trying circumstances

The screenplay is superior and well adapted by Payne and his team. It is treat to watch a comedy yet have an emotional connect with the characters.

'A true vintage comedy with a pinch of salt'

Rating: 4.5/5.0

The Avengers : by Joss Whedon

2012-05-01T20:28:00.001+05:30

Every fanboy's fantasy is to revere their superheroes , be in awe of them , worship them.

Superman , Batman , Spiderman , The Hulk , Iron Man, Wolverine , He Man ..

The list is endless in every child book tucked away in time!

The Avengers affirms this fact.

Iron Man - Tony Stark

The Hulk - Dr. Bruce Banner

Captain America - Steve Rogers

Black Widow - Natasha Romanoff

Thor - Thor

Hawkeye - Clint Barton

Team Avengers is activated by Nick Fury to stop the Norse god Loki from destroying the Earth

by opening up a portal using Teserract

The storyline is predictable yet humour is the surprise element in this super action adventure.

The constant banter and onemanship amongst the heroes is the USP of the film

The finale act of the film , with Manhattan burning in rage of the alien attack

is an absolute stopper for 3D awesomeness!

My personal favourite adrenaline moment from the movie ..

Captain asks Dr. Bruce seeing the Leviathan break out of the building,
now is the time to get angry

Doctor : That's my secret, Captain. I'm always angry!

Oh my ! Smashing!

High-octane , exhilarating spectacle with a tinge of humour

Every comic fans dream come true

Rating : 4.5/5.0

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo : by David Fincher

2012-04-30T23:14:00.001+05:30

David Fincher returns after the critically acclaimed The Social Network.

Best selling novels are the most challenging to adapt for a motion picture.

First of the trilogy from Stieg Larsson , has sold 15 million copies till date.

This 2011 movie , has the 2 most unlikely pairing for the main parts

Rooney Mara as Lisbeth & Daniel Craig as Mikael.

Rooney plays a cold blooded hacker and researcher with a dark mental chronicle.

Craig is a co founder of a magazine company and a sleuth.

Henrik summons Craig to investigate the disappearance of his grand niece Harriet ,

40 years ago.

He agrees to the assignment in exchange for damning information on his just lost libel case victor.

The film is intriguing to the core, with each frame springing a surprise in this labyrinth of a case - The mystery behind missing Harriet.

There are - many suspects

There is - no substantial evidence

There are - no witnesses

There is - no obvious logic

Finchers' at top of his game.

The mystery unfolds at the errie , serene , cold Sweden.

A taut thriller with edge of the seat screenplay.

Rating : 4.0/5.0

Vicky Donor : by Shoojit Sircar

2012-04-29T16:40:00.001+05:30

Vicky Donor marks the debutants in queue - Ayushmann Khurrana , Yami Gautam as the lead pair and John Abraham as the producer.

Veteran actor , Annu Kapoor gets a meaty role this time around and the director Shoojit Sircar's second outing after critically acclaimed Yahaan....

The trailers looked appealing at the outset for me , had very little expectations , though the taboo theme was interesting.

Vicky , played by Ayushmann is a 'vella' young guy who is totally dependent on her mother's income from a beauty parlour. Dolly plays his mother , a widow supporting her mother in law and Vicky.

The repartee between Mrs Arora and Biji is one of the high points of the film. Kamlesh Gill performs Biji , full of life and modern to the core , Mrs Arora , a hardworking mother , carrying heart on her sleeve.

Enter , Dr. Chadda , played by ever skillful Annu Kapoor. He is a renowned infertility specialist doctor , who has wealth of experience in sperm donation.

His clinic faces the heat from the clients in providing the best quality sperm - Sportsmen , Actors, Businessmen & Models.

The first half of the film is riding on the tongue in the cheek humour and witticism between Vicky and Dr. Chaddha. The doctor eyes huge clientele for his clinic as soon as he discovers the 'Aryan' putra sperm count of Vicky

Yami Gautam plays a Bengali banker and Vicky's love interest. The romantic track brings freshness to the fore and the pair does a fabulous job. She is beauty personified and is a competent actress for a debutant.

Rolling on the Floor Moments :

1. Chaddha convincing Vicky for the deed
2. Biji & Mrs Arora whisky tet-e-tet
3. Marriage meeting between the Arora & Roy family
4. Chaddha interviewing his clients.

For me , the dialogues never crossed the line , it was always on the EDGE!

Best line from the film was the explanation by Dr Chaddha on the science of donation prevalent since the times of Mahabharat. ~ The sauciness is brimming here!

Vicky played by Ayushmaan puts him in one of most promising talent around , his transition from small to big screen is silken!

His lingo in the film is so 'CHANDIGARH' , fuddu pan at its best ;)

Music is very pleasing to the ear and comes at the right portions of the movie. Paani Da is my personal favourite ~ composed , written and sung by Ayushmann!!!

Exceptional script on a forbidden path .. Kudos to the director & the writing team.

This Sperm trully hits the Bullseye!

Rating : 4.0/5.0

Carnage : by Roman Polanski

2012-03-29T23:44:00.004+05:30

Roman Polanski has been one my favourite directors because his body of work is truly versatile.

Here he is with a black comedy - Carnage

The locale is utterly simplistic yet engaging.

When 2 grade-school boys get into a confrontation in the park that results in one boy hitting the other in the with a stick, their parents meet in a apartment to discuss the issue.

The parents of the boy wielding the stick, Alan and Nancy Cowan (Waltz and Winslet),

visit the home of Michael and Penelope Longstreet (Reilly and Foster), who are the parents of the boy who was struck badly.

How interesting!!? It is an absolute genius of a film.

The couples are in the zone of mind bending wordplay!

Civility to Verbal Volleys!

Funny , Intelligent , Witty , Repartee , Banter

Writing at its best!

Rating : 4.0/5.0

Kahaani : by Sujoy Ghosh

2012-03-29T23:03:00.003+05:30

Vidya is the flavor of the season .. back 2 back releases post The Dirty Picture , she is here in a Durga avatar!

Kahaani , directed by under achieved Sujoy Ghosh (a la' duds like Alladin) , was looking delicious as soon as the promos hit the marquee.

The thriller genre in Indian context have been far and few , but this one really packs a punch.

A pregnant Vidya Bagchi , lands in Kolkatta , ironically a City of Joy party to her sorrow. She is in pursuit of her missing husband , Arnab.

She lodges a complaint at a local police station. Rana Singh played brilliantly by a Bengali actor Parambrata , a coy policeman who is her support in the quest.

The mystery unfolds at NDC - workplace of Arnab which holds the key and is the heart of lies & deceit. Vidya and Rana move from one clue to another , with a edge of the seat tenacity.

The introduction of a contract killer , Bob Biswas , in the scheme of things played by Bengali Actor , Saswata , intrigues the audience to the hilt.

The IB official - Khan played like a virtuoso by Nawazuddin Siddiqui is an alter ego of Rana , a stern man of can-do-anything-to-wipe-of-criminals ideals.

The suspense unfolds reel by reel , and I was truly madly deeply immersed into the high octane drama.

Interval is at a god smacking moment in the film and makes me wonder the screenplay is simply superlative.

As it moves along in the second half , the audience is still in a dilema and has no answers to the questions posed by the naarative - Who is Arnab ? Where has he vanished? Who is Milind ? What is the conspiracy at NDC ?

The climax - One of the best yet debatable culminations in Hindi cinema , Mr. Ghosh made me smile once I went out of the dark room , gauging what had just hit me!

The screenplay is extraordinary , the music is apt by Vishal-Shekhar and the cinematography is top draw , Kolkatta never seen before!

Performances - Vidya Balan was always the most versatile we had in business , but she has the power to pull a solo cash jackpot with ease!

Kahaani - Hitchcockeneyed - in your face intoxicating thriller!

Rating : 4.5/5.0

The Dirty Picture : by Milan Luthria

2011-12-17T09:15:00.001+05:30

The Dirty Picture .. ever since the trailer hit the marquee .. eyeballs started rolling!

Vidya of all the actresses has pushed the envelope , removing the veil.

Unabashed , Luscious , Dauntless , 'Silk'

Words , Sharp , Wit , Ungenerous , 'Emraan'

Lewd , Cocky , Narcissistic , Superstar , 'Naseer'

Loser , Writer , Timid , Weak-Kneed , 'Tushhar'

Titilating , Hooking screenplay

Parody of the 80's

Saucy dialogues par excellence

'Filmein sirf teen cheezon ke wajah se chalti hain, entertainment, entertainment, entertainment..aur main entertainment hoon'

Balan , buxom (hero)ine is back and how! With gusto!

Ooh la la .. Surrender to her talent!

Rating : 3.5/5.0

Rockstar : by Imtiaz Ali

2011-11-13T10:12:00.001+05:30

Rockstar is the latest offering from the very talented young turk by the name of Imtiaz Ali who is just 3 films old.

Ranbir plays Janardhan Jhakar, a wag who transforms into a forbidden and splenetic Rockstar, rechristened as Jordan.

Nargis plays Jhakhar's love interest who makes her debut with this film is half Pakistani , half Czech model.

Jakhar is in love with music and needs to feel the pain for becoming a superlative musician as advised by his confidante , Khatana played impressively by Kumud Mishra.

The initial film moments bring a smile to your face as JJ tries woo Heer(Nargis) and stalks her to get attention.

Imtiaz Ali , the director has showed great sense of maturity and depth in dealing with a complex relationship paradigm between JJ and Heer. There are no simple answers to the passion and love for each other inspite of Heer getting married and moving to Prague.

The second half meanders though with the affair in European heartland and makes way for an open ended yet poignant finale.

Nargis is ordinary and her diction and performance left a lot to be desired. A special tribute to the original rockstar in Shammi ji portraying a shehnai virtuoso.

The abutment of Ranbir's portrayal of Jordan in the post interval reels with his goofiness in the first half proves what mettle this actor is made of !!

He has left his contemporaries far behind in the race . It’s a gripping performance – from Janardan’s edginess and non confidence to Jordan’s volatile self! – Ranbir has absolutely nailed it!

Sadda Haq , an anthem as we speak , would not be the same without Ranbir making the track his own on stage. He literally wraps in Mohit Chauhan's crackerjack renditions all along, convincing me of Jordan's pain!

A.R. Rahman is now a nifty musician , an untouchable force who is the backbone of this cinematic experience. The way his notes showcase the unpredictability yet innocence of Jordan , the brash Rockstar deserves an ovation - Sadda Haq , Jo Bhi Main , Nadaan Parinde are my picks.

Morrison & Cobain make way for an Indian version to root for , a true blue hysteria inducing Rocker!

Rating : 4.0/5.0

Rabbit Hole : by John Cameron Mitchell

2011-11-06T11:48:00.001+05:30

Rabbit Hole is a heart trending story of a couple who are struggling to heal after the sudden accidental death of their son , Danny.

Story begins with Becca and Howie played by Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart respectively are in deep mourning after their 4 year old son dies in an accident crash when he ran out to chase their pet dog.

Becca wants to get rid all the memories of her son by giving away his clothes , toys & other belongings , move out of the house and other distressing objects.

Howie is angry on Becca for trying to eradicate Danny's fond memories and things which may remind of the kid.

Th couple also join a self-help group , where in people come together in grief and share their sorrows.

Becca is upset by the talk in the group and is not willing to attend it any further.

On fine day , Becca follows the Jason , the teenage driver to ran over Danny and starts conversing with him.

The conversations between the two makes Becca realize that Jason is truly feeling the guilt and she makes him know that it was not his fault.

The bickering between Howie and Becca over her meetings with the teenage boy takes the film to another level.

Nicole Kidman play role her character with dignity yet her downcastness & anguish is palpable.
Aaron Eckhart is just about ok.

Rabbit Hole is a cinematic experience with a positivity surrounding it.

An emotional & tragic journey of parents overcoming the loss of a child !

Rating: 3.0/5.0

Downfall (Der Untergang) : by Oliver Hirschbiegel

2011-11-05T20:24:00.002+05:30

The Downfall is a 2004 German Film based on the last 10 days of Adolf Hitler in his Berlin Bunker during WWII.

It is a cumulation of memoirs from one of the Hitler's secretary named 'Junge' and 'Speer' , German Minister of Armaments in Hitler's reign.

Bruno Ganz plays Adolf Hitler , the tyrant Nazi leader who has been humanized in this film despite protest from German public when the film came out in 2004.

The movie transports us to a bunker in the heart of the city of Berlin which is under siege of the Russians. It has been cornered and there is no way for the Germans to escape the inevitable.

Hitler loses his sense of reality that the war is all but lost! . His ego is burnt when his esteemed and loyal soldiers flee the country deserting him in the trenches.

The autocrat appoints new successor and makes him in charge to stop the Russian attack ,which is far from achievable.

He marries Eva Braun and orders all his officers not to surrender in front of the Red Army. When the realization dawns upon him , he is left with no choice and decides to commit suicide with his wife Eva.

Hitler in his farewell to the bunker staff - 'Tomorrow, millions of people will curse me, but fate has taken its course.'

Hitler to his officers on German civilians , his own people - 'The German people chose their fate and now their little throats are being cut.' - No Pity , No Remorse!

The film is true to the events of 1945 and depicts the downfall of the Nazi rule with command.

Hitler played by Ganz is a remarkable performance , be it from his anger to his mannerism to his walk to his Austrian dialect , simply reverent!

I saw it with subtitles since the film is shot in German language and it made me sit up & transport myself to the era of genocide by the Nazi's and its ruination!

Deserving of the Oscar nomination , 'Der Untergang' is an epic war story diving into the psyche of the dictatorial Nazi ruler ..

Rating : 4.0/5.0

Ra.One : by Anubhav Sinha

2011-10-30T12:20:00.001+05:30

Random Access version One - Ra.One is an ambitious venture from the creative den of Superstar SRK.

Directed by Anubhav Sinha ( a la' Dus, Cash and Tum Bin fame) , it is the most expensive film made in Indian film history (Rs 175 Crore)

All said and done , Ra.One is a mixed bag with its share of moments , appealing the most to the hardcore gamers of the world & kids.

Shekhar (SRK) is a gaming employee for Barron industries. His son Prateek (played by Armaan) finds his father uncool and chicken hearted.

Prateek is embarrassed by Shekar's attempts to woo him and his antics fall flat. Kareena plays Shekhar's wife Sonia who is writing a thesis on swear words ( what crudeness!? ) and is a housewife.

Shekhar sets out to develop a unique game where the villain is near unconquerable! - christened Ra.One (played by Arjun Rampal)

The good guy is named G.One (SRK). The trials of the game go well , with subsequent uncomforming behaviour with the motion sensor body suits. Ra.One starts to control the game and in a bid to destroy Lucifer (Prateek's gaming handle) , comes out of the box !!

The film boasts of state of art VFX and there is no doubt on the technical achievement here. Some noteworthy sequences include :

London Car Chase
CST Terminal Wreckage
Ra.One & G.One showdown at the car parking lot
Re-construction of the G-One and Ra-One from the lego like blocks!

Kareena lends the ooomph factor and she has never looked as gorgeous as Sonia in this flick. The corny-cheesy chemistry between SRK and herself is in a bad taste and falsifies all claims for this to be a kiddo genre.

Rampal plays the title role with menace and also gets the best lines in the movie.

Chammak Challo lights up the celluloid , one heck of a catchy song! ALAS , the choreography by Hegde is insipid.

Screenplay of the film should have been more taut with the showdown between the good-evil halted by tacky dialogues , non humorous anecdotes , cheap thrills (Sanjay , PC & 3 Lee Girls).

SRK's insecurities as the King Khan comes to the fore with an attempt to pack in everything possible. A superhero flick should be true to the genre instead of being a masala potpourri.

We wish for a Romantic Avatar next time than an Blue Eyed Cyborg ..

Rehash of T2 , Iron Man & Jackie Chan flicks ..
Saving grace Kareena & VFX ..
High Reaching and Power Loving pursuit .. G.One with the Wind!

Rating : 3.0/5.0

Blue Valentine : by Derek Cianfrance

2011-10-11T13:09:00.001+05:30

Hollywood traditionally makes slapstick romantic flicks which are high on crudeness and college humour.

Blue Valentine is truly a remarkable performance driven film about two individuals. An unknown director Derek has come up with simple storytelling experience and has extracted the best out of his limited resources.

Dean (Ryan Gosling) & Cindy (Michelle Williams) play a married couple at rural Pennsylvania with a daughter named Frankie. Cindy is a nurse and Dean works as a painter.

The film inter cuts between their young romance courtship days and the troubled marriage of the present. The juxtaposition of the scenes depicting their happy days of love and bitter arguments of today is done with tact.

The relationship goes downhill day by day as Cindy is totally engrossed in family chores with Dean not contributing at all.

One fine day , to resurrect their lost fascination , Dean takes her to a motel where they end up in an argument.

Dean is drunk big time & it results in a violent fracas at Cindy's clinic. The conclusion of the film is really despondent & despairing.

The performances of the couple are extremely natural and uninhibited.Michelle Williams is one of the talents to watch out for and truly deserved the Oscar nod.

Ryan Gosling is indeed a good actor and can be seen as a bright star in the making.

“How can you trust your feelings if they disappear?” Cindy asks.

A Tragic Side of LOVE!

Rating : 3.5/5.0

Good Will Hunting : by Gus Van Sant

2011-10-09T20:02:00.000+05:30

I so wanted to see Good Will Hunting which came out in 1997 ,the same year as Titanic.

Finally caught this flick last week , and I must admit it was worth the wait!

Good Will Hunting is a drama film written by the actors Matt Damon and Ben Affleck who also act in this venture.

Matt Damon plays the title role of Will Hunting who is a young laborer going through an emotional turmoil and needs therapy sessions.

Will is a mathematics genius and exceptional with numbers. Professor Gerald from MIT is amazed by this prodigy , and gives him an option to study advance math.

On the condition of saving Will from being convicted of the assault crime & sessions with a therapist , Math learning starts.

The professor tries many a therapists but Hunting treats them with disdain. The film takes off to a new level , with the advent of psychology professor Sean played by Robin Williams.

Robin Williams plays Sean brilliantly here ; showing utmost patience with the disturbed yet highly talented boy. He is able to overcome Hunting's non responsiveness and after a few sessions , he starts bonding with Sean.

The romance between Will and Skylar is one his emotional struggles in life. He shares everything with Sean resulting in a strong trust between the two.

Sean motivates him to tap his full potential and reach greater heights in life. Will rejects his plea and does not give an honest answer to his future goals.

Matt Damon plays Will's best friend , Chuckie who pushes Will to accept a neat job offer arranged by the Math professor.

The film culminates at high point where Sean and Hunting have their last therapy session which is absolutely heart warming and heart trending!

The performances here are extraordinaire with Robin Williams taking the honours in "a never seen before taskmaster role" , a well deserved Oscar!

Both Matt Damon and Ben Affleck did a brilliant job to write an original screenplay bagging them the Oscar too.

Alas! , Titanic called the shots in 1997 .... but 'Good Will Hunting' will remain one of the more deserving films to be seen & revered.

"Relationships enhance your self-worth" ; "Go find your true potential"

Rating : 3.5/5.0

Lost in Translation : by Sofia Coppola

2011-09-24T15:50:00.000+05:30

Sofia Coppola , daughter of Francis Ford Coppola , the highly acclaimed director of the Godfather series has indeed left a legacy!

Lost in Translation is Sofia's second film and it just blew me away with its simplicity.

I had seen this feature in 2004 and saw it again day before yesterday!

A culture shock milieu yet sweet romance to look forward to , is its USP

Bob Harris played by Bill Murray is a renowned aging actor from NYC. He arrives in Tokyo for an advertisement deal for Suntory Whiskey.

Charlotte played by Scarlett Johansson is a young graduate who has come to Japan with her husband who is on a photography assignment.

Mid life crisis for Bob is evident , with his tired demeanour and lack of belongingness in his 25 years of marriage.

One fine day in the hotel bar , their paths cross , and so starts a unique bond. The meetings become frequent and Charlotte invites Bob to meet her friends.

Differences between the Japanese and the American culture binds them together.The non-inhibited sharing of their experiences inspite of the age aberration starts brewing.

As Bob's visit nears an end , both express their feelings of how they will miss each others company.

The film's culmination has a sense of unique sadness yet subtlety of the characters who wish to stay together and forever!

The private whisper which indeed is meant to be intimate and we are not allowed to hear it ...

Masterstroke! Oscar for best original screenplay richly deserved!

Bill Murray , is funny , sardonic ,subdued , comic and yet sympathy drawn.

Scarlett is a sweet , curious , simple girl craving for love and affection.

I love this movie .. For relaxing times, make it ...Suntory time.

Rating : 4.0/5.0

Bodyguard : by Siddique

2011-09-12T20:37:00.002+05:30

Salman Khan , an enigma is here with another insipid dish.

B - Body Abs Show

O - Ostentatious

D - Dimwit & Dumb

Y - Yawn!

G - Good Ol' Himesh , imitator

U -USP , Kareena , Nah!

A - Action par excellence

R - Ringtone Sing Song

D - Drab

Lousy cinema at its peak!

Rating : 1.0/5.0

Seven Pounds : by Gabriele Muccino

2011-09-12T20:02:00.001+05:30

Will Smith is one of the most sincere Hollywood actors and it reflects in the choice of movies he has acted in.

After 'Pursuit of Happyness' , he is back with Seven Pounds.

Will Smith plays Tim Thomas , who is set on a mission to change lives of 7 strangers .

The film kicks off with the search for the worthy and the privileged , 7 lives whose transformation is in hands of Tim.

Tim confides in his brother of his intentions and sets out to donate his organs one by one to each of 7 strangers starting with lung lobe to Ben , his brother.

The second half of the movie sees , Tim falling in love with one of the strangers who has a weak heart . He goes through an emotional turmoil as this was not part of the deal.

Seven Pounds is an extremely poignant and intense screenplay. The culmination of the film has a massive shock value and hit me hard.

Will Smith is admirable as Tim , and his character connects with the audience at different strata of emotions.
The film scores on its original screenplay and the performance by the protagonist

One of the best Tear-Jerkers!

Rating : 3.5/5.0