movies..the beauty therein

Luck By Chance (2009)

2009-12-09T06:25:00.001-08:00

Its a pity that I saw this movie only now, coz its such a good movie!! Farhan Akhtar delivers brilliantly, konkona sen is rock solid dependable as ever and the rest of the cast are upto a lot of good. Isha Sharwani in articular was probably supposed to be just eye candy which she gloriously was, but over and above she pleasing too. A pat on the back for director cum Farhan's sister, Zoya Akhtar.

Do watch this movie!

The Angrez (20060

2009-12-09T06:07:00.000-08:00

Aboslute trash. Don't watch it.

toy story (1995)

2009-02-08T07:54:00.000-08:00

The world's first fully computer generated feature length animation movie! Thats the USP of Toy Story 1.

tom hanks and tim allen lend voices to the main heros(toys) in the movie.

The movie is about a set of toys which come alive in the absence of human presence. There's an intelligent plot about their lives and how they overcome a particular challenge.

dir: john lasseter who's produced the who's who of great animation movies. take your pick from - WALL-E, finding nemo, the incredibles, monster's inc, ratatouille

Office Space (1999)

2009-02-08T07:19:00.000-08:00

a compact comedy!

a no frills screenplay gives you the feel of a reality show except for the deliberately dramatized scenes. Really impressed by the acting of David Herman; he looks very natural.

The story is set in a software company and the protagonists are disgruntled software engineers. People from the IT industry will relate a lot to this movie.

We also have some dilbert-ish sub plots that are quite hilarious.

Overall a fun watch and a quick one too

dir: mike judge (creator of beavis and butthead)

also starring: john McGinely, Dr. Perry Cox of scrubs fame, as a management consultant..thats where the dilbert scenes come in

Wicker park (2004)

2009-02-08T06:59:00.000-08:00

a love story well told! Josh Hartnet experiences love at first sight with diane kruger.
..and the movie's rolling to a typical finish but in a slightly atypical way.

I liked the climax; nicely emotional.

Also starring: Rose Byrne (Hector's sister in Troy; very cute), Mathew Lillard (Shaggy of scooby doo)

Dir: Paul McGuigan. has Lucky Number Slevin (2006)to his credit. a good watch that too, thriller sorts. Again, Josh Hartnett is the protagonist

Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

2009-02-04T20:50:00.000-08:00

Its a good movie, not a great movie. period!

But then you can't disagree with the hype. If one looks at it from a non-Indian perspective the scenes mark a definite depart from regular hollywood fare. Slumdog Millionaire (SM) is insightful from that point of view. But to an Indian, its just another love story. The much touted slums are a regular feature in many a bollywood flick. So are the visuals of syndicated begging rings and organized crime.

SM is a good film, no doubt about that. The plot is good and the screenplay is crisp. The viewer is never bored. The cast performs exceptionally well and credit for tying it all together ofcos goes to Danny Boyle. Interestingly, little is talked about Loveleen Tandon, the co-director.

I checked up on Danny Boyle and found that he's got movies such as Trainspotting to his credit.

To sum up, its a bit sad that it takes a global director to highlight Indian cinema.

Anwar (2007)

2008-12-16T00:38:00.000-08:00

Dir: Manish Jha (also by him Mathrubhoomi)
This movie had potential. Alas, the lack of good editing spoiled it. As adaption of a short story in Hindi, the movie, according to me erred in the fact that it was too slow. Yet while your so called 'art' movies are also slow, it is coz the director is exploring thought provoking scenes. In Anwar similar scenes tend to be just irritants that force you to check the slider's progress on the media player.

The plot is certainly good and i believe the short story would make a great read. Probably an attempt was made to reproduce the text word for word.

I also felt that the movie failed to focus on a central theme. It explored several ideas in bits and pieces and tried to create a climax of sorts. To speak in favour of Anwar, the last 15 minutes were absorbing.

Siddharth Koirala plays Anwar and does a good job. Looks every part the protagonist, Anwar. Nauheed Cyrusi plays 'Mehru', the girl whom Anwar falls in love with. She looks great in the movie.

Eventually, a thought provoking film, if you can manage to sit through it. And ofcos, you could watch it for the mellifluous 'maula mere maula mere' song which is beautifully picturized.

Concept: 8/10
Screenplay: 7/10
Performance: 7/10
Technical: 6/10 (Editing)

Overall: 7/10

dasvidaniya (2008)

2008-12-16T00:30:00.000-08:00

Vinay Pathak steals the show with yet another stellar performance.

A soft movie that deals with tremendous sadness, without making you feel sad.

A good watch
Dir: Shashant Shah

Concept 8.2/10
Performance 8.2/10
Screenplay 7.5/10
Technical 7.5/10

Overall 7.8/10

Golmaal Returns (2008)

2008-11-23T23:52:00.001-08:00

Oh this is just for the record since i've promised to post on every movie i watch. This one is mostly avoidable. It got not more than 2 chuckles out of me.

How can anyone imagine Ajay Devgan doing justice in a comic role!!

Even slapstick comedy should require a semblance of a plot.

rating: 5-6

Cashback (2006)

2008-11-23T23:27:00.000-08:00

movie for the depressed, though not a depressing movie, but quite close. Had the protagonist been a junkie too, i'd have not watched past 5 minutes. Watch it if you're lovelorn and philosophical at the same time!

The movie is an feature adaption of a short film by the same name,director and cast that released in 2004. It was then nominated for the oscars in the best short film category. hmm...come to think of it, yeah.

trivia: The protagonist, Sean Biggerstaff, has also essayed the role of Oliver Wood, captain of the Griffindor quidditch team.

i rate it 6.8 - eclectically good

Hellboy II - The Golden Army (2008)

2008-11-23T04:28:00.000-08:00

Dir: Guillermo Del Toro (also of Hellboy I)

Hellboy II is an action tuxedo with a comedy lining. The comic element adds a neat touch to the wham and bam and full credit to the character of Hellboy for that. Played by Ron Perllman, Hellboy is a creature with inhuman strength and an attitude to match, not to mention a sense of humour.

The plot is irrelevant and should be seen as a pretext for some ass kicking. The movie does a good job of that.

Concept - 7/10
Performance - 7.5/10
Screenplay - 7/10
Technical - 8/10

Overall 7.1/10

Saas, Bahu aur Sensex(2008)

2008-11-23T04:08:00.000-08:00

Dir: Shona Urvashi

Pretty nice movie! Doesn't give you a strong message what with the distracting love story ( bollywood will never get over that!) Notwithstanding that, its a fun movie serving you a slice from the life of middle class India. The myriad of interesting characters keep the movie alive.

Kiron Kher delights with her performance.

So if u're looking for some timepass, this is a great watch.

Concept - 7/10
Screenplay - 7.5/10
Performance - 8/10
Technical - 8/10
Overall - 7.6

Fashion (2008)

2008-11-16T21:00:00.000-08:00

Its a so so movie. Terrific acting from Kangna Reanut and Priy
anka Chopra, but a lot of the plot is unbelievable. For one, the dizzying levels of altruism in the supporting cast and for another the fairy tale ride the protagonist got.

It doesn't give any particular insights into the fashion industry, unless you are a farmer in a remote village in india.

Bland stuff in the end. Madhur Bhandarkar did better in Page 3, his previous film

Performance - 8/10
Concept - 6/10
Screenplay - 5/10
Technical - 8/10

Overall - 6.8/10

A Wednesday (2008)

2008-10-07T00:03:00.000-07:00

Dir: Neeraj Pandey

A very practical thriller!

No distractions in the screenplay; precise and incisive yet dramatic.

Naseeruddin Shah and Anupam Kher essay towering performances tightly held by a strong supporting cast.

The screenplay is slick and the viewer never gets to loosen his grip on the handrest. Jimmy Shergill stands out in his role, though not so for aamir bashir

On the downside, the oversmart hacker sequence was made too filmy.

On the whole, this is the kind of cinema bollywood so badly needs.

Concept: 8.5/10
Performance: 8.5/10
Screenplay 7.6/10
Technical 7/10

Overall 7.9/10

Rock On (2008)

2008-09-30T23:57:00.000-07:00

"Rock On" rocks to the core. Oh how I'm speechless about this movie. Am i over-reacting? Yeah, think so, but it is a great movie. The attempt at all-round perfection is strongly gratifying. The music is just brillaint!! I'm sorry, shouldn't be giving first preference to music here, but it just slipped out. Well it is about music, so thats excusable. The songs gel nicely into the plot, you live the whole movie

The characters are nicely shown. Acting is on a high, everyone looks their role. Again, the music rocks! big fan

I think what clinches the deal for this movie is the focus on dialogue rather than histrionics. There are some very interesting exchanges like one between Farhan and Sakshi. Displays intelligent scriptwriting.

So! Announcing Abhishek Kapoor, director par excellence of Rock on! Hope to see more good stuff from you.

Special mention of the super talented Farhan Akhtar - director, actor, singer. He's rendered the songs very well.

Concept 8.2/10
Performance 8.5/10
Screenplay 8.2/10
Technical 8/10

Overall 8.2/10

Shaun of the Dead (2004)

2008-09-01T04:46:00.000-07:00

I love Brit comedy! Its naturally funny when you have characters rattling off in short bursts at almost incomprehensible speeds. To top that, they try to give you the nonchalant, everyday expression that has 'big deal' written all over it. With such a combination, even Macbeth will sound funny. Here it gets better. We have a funny horror movie going

British cinema also seems to have an affliction for characterizing losers in their films. Probably that adds to the sarcastic comedy that is their forte. Shaun, our protagonist is one such loser living with a bigger loser (in all senses of the word) who's a close pal, and is desperately trying to get his failing relationship working. Into all this explodes an epidemic of dead-man-walking and suddenly we expect the fun to end. Surprise! Shaun, Ed (the bigger loser) and company are not losing their sense of humor over some silly flesh eating zombies. Rest assured, you'll laugh.

Special mention of Simon Pegg(shaun) and Nick Frost( Ed), who never let the movie go dull!

Concept 7/10
Performance 8/10
Screenplay 7.5/10
Technical 7.5/10

Overall 7.5/10

Inside Man (2006)

2008-09-01T03:53:00.000-07:00

I'm always a sucker for heist movies and this one doesn't disappoint one bit. Solid plot that keeps you guessing till quite till the end. Powerful presence of the lead actors - Denzel Washington, Clive Owen and Jodie Foster do more than justice to the swift screenplay that is a must in such flicks.

Clive Owen was particularly brilliant brilliant as the no nonsense mastermind. I need to look out for his films.

Director Spike Lee is already filming the sequel to this movie and no prices for guessing who plays the lead. Denzel Washington is Lee's fav actor having given him a lot of hits such as 'Malcolm X' and 'He got game'.

An interesting piece of trivia - Spike Lee's production company is named '40 acres and a mule filmworks' - this alludes to an unfulfilled promise made by politicians during the civil war. Spike Lee tends to bring political overtones into his films and so this comes as not much of a surprise.

more trivia? - personal friend of ex arsenal striker Thierry Henry and thereby a fan of Arsenal. Huge fan of The New York Yankees and baseball in general, so much so that every film of his features some connection with the game.

Concept 8.3/10
Performance 8.4/10
Screenplay 8/10
Technical 7.8/10

Overall 8.1/10

Iron Man (2008)

2008-07-14T06:28:00.000-07:00

A superb action movie! Near Perfect adaption of a comic superhero. near, cos nothing's perfect, but near also coz, it's a strong contender. Brilliant computer graphics, spectacular stunt sequences and a terrific Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man complete the movie. Nothing more needs to be said. It is meant to be an action flick, it means nothing less, nothing more. spotless entertainer!

concept 7.5/10
Performance 7.6/10
Screenplay 7/10
Technical 8.5/10

Overall 7.6/10

Hitman (2007)

2008-06-24T01:24:00.000-07:00

On the face of it, its a good entertainer. there's solid action which is very well shot, there is a protagonist (Timothy Olyphant) who's got good screen presence and there's a climax. There's also the usual sprinkling of sensuality.

But, when you start to piece in the jigsaw, a lot of pieces are missing and i don't like that in a movie.

That minor issue, apart, a good action flick!

Performance 8/10
Screenplay 7.3/10
Concept 7.3/10
Technical 8/10

Overall 7.6/10

Kung Fu Panda (2008)

2008-06-24T01:05:00.001-07:00

Po, the Panda has Jack Black written all over it. It was as if Jack Black was dressed up like a panda. Such was the faithfulness in the toon's caricaturization. I've loved Jack Black in movies like Shallow Hal and School of Rock. He has a unique style of acting characterized by quips and jerks. All that is faithfully imbibed into Po's body language.

Kung Fu Panda is a good movie. It, however, falls short of greatness. The screenplay is the culprit. Most animation movies are meant to be comedies, but here we have a first half thats almost philosophical. There are goosebump moments and grand emotions and it is building up into a serious drama when it all becomes funny. Just like that! Couldn't help frowning at that, but once you accept it, it becomes enjoyable again.

I'm a big fan of the oriental martial arts, their way of life, the importance of honour, respect and courage. Its a lesson in principles. Kung Fu Panda enlivens all that while at the same time being your regular funny cartoon. Tough juxtaposition; unwarranted, somewhat pulled off..not much harm done.

Performance 7/10 (Jack Black rocks!, but the support is not very strong)
Screenplay 7/10
Technical 8/10
Concept 7/10

Overall 7.2/10

I Am Legend (2007)

2008-06-20T03:52:00.000-07:00

Its all hype! I thought this was going to be as good as it gets - science fiction, creepy crawlies and WILL SMITH!!...what more do you want? well, maybe rachel bilson running across the canvas every few minutes :P...point is, all my hopes were dashed to mediocrity, which is all this movie is about. Alas, even Will Smith couldn't salvage it from my disgrace

Concept: 5/10
Performance: 7/10 (-1 for the female lead)
Screenplay: 6/10
Technical: 7/10

Overall: 6.3/10

The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep (2007)

2008-04-20T07:10:00.000-07:00

Its a fantastic children's film which even adults would quite enjoy. So that makes it a good movie overall. doesn't it? Yes it does. Sensitive characters, brilliant graphics and a happy ending, Jay Russell, you've won my heart. I see that you've made ladder49. interesting!

Its a nice little feel good movie. you'll smile in the end, like this :)

Concept 6/10
Performance 7/10
Screenplay 7.5/10
Technical 8/10

Overall 7.1/10

Trivia : Its based on a book by Dick King-Smith also credited with 'Babe'.

Its based on the legend of the loch ness monster

Mr. and Mrs. Iyer (2002)

2008-04-20T06:58:00.000-07:00

Sad Movie. What a drag!! its amazing how a 1 1/2 hour movie can seem never ending. There's nothing to the movie from a concept point of you. If its designed to be subtle, its probably a bit too subtle to have an effect.

Special mention of Konkona Sen Sharma for handling a typical Tamil Brahmin character with aplomb.

Aparna Sen's movie has won a lot of awards, but i fail to see the point.

Concept 5/10
Performace 8.2/10
Screenplay 7/10
Technical 7/10

Overall 6.8/10

The Bridges of Madison County (1995)

2008-04-20T06:35:00.000-07:00

A tender love story that is quite a drag, but made tolerable and eventually, even likeable by the mere presence of hereby established, my favourite actress of all times, Meryl Streep. yeah, Clint Eastwood too, but i'm a guy.

Oh! Meryl Streep, how sensuous can you be? How naturally emotions unfurl on her face! how subtly her body language extends the feeling. she's poetry in motion and this movie is nothing without her.

If you're a fan of Meryl Streep, you know which movie not to miss.

Otherwise, its just another romantic film with a bad supporting cast!!

Concept 7/10
Performance 8.5/10 (+ 0.5 purely for Ms Streep)
Screenplay 7/10
Technical 7/10

Overall 7.4/10

Atonement (2007)

2008-03-24T02:10:00.000-07:00

Never before have I seen such brilliant cinematography! The picturization and natural visual effects are worthy of the best awards. Seamus McGarvey deserves special mention for his work. Rather unfortunate that he couldn't convert his oscar nomination to a victory.

Based on the bestseller from Ian McEwan (won the Man Booker prize in 1998 for Amsterdam, by the same name, Atonement is a tale of 2 sisters. Wouldn't like to delve into the plot, but suffice to say that there's a lot of emotion to deal with.

The film tends to drag in some sequences where there is a lot of stress on picturization.

Concept 7/10
Performance 7/10
Screenplay 7/10
Technical 9/10

Overall 7.5/10

The Bucket List (2007)

2008-03-24T01:59:00.001-07:00

its an OK movie. Its fun, touching towards the end and generally entertaining. The movie holds your attention inspite of the fait accompli obvious from the beginning. Major credit for that goes to the dynamic duo of Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. They bring the movie alive. Also brilliant was Sean Hayes in his supporting role. His being a young man in the movie may actually have been uplifting for the mood.

Also by Director Rob Reiner is This is Spinal Tap (1984). want to see that.

Concept 7/10
Performance 8/10
Screenplay 7/10
Technical 7/10

Overall 7.2/10

No Country for Old Men (2007)

2008-03-23T22:36:00.000-07:00

Its a weird movie. I don't see how it could have won the best film oscar for 2007. The acting is good, the direction is gripping, there is a plot, but you shouldn't be rewarded for leaving the audience in the lurch, but thats exactly what happens. All throughout the film, the suspense is building up, characters are merging in, lot of action is happening, everything is moving towards a possible culmination when bam! credits!

what kind of a sadist plot is that?

Javier Bardem is menancing as the psychopathic killer and Josh Brolin looks the quintessential cowboy. Tommy Lee Jones is thoroughly wasted just mouthing some cool deductions and putting in place his stupid assistant

Director brothers Ethan Coen and Joel Coen live up to their expectations. Just like Fargo(1996) and The big Lebowski(1998), this is yet another weird movie from them.

Concept : 5/10
Performance: 7/10
Screenplay: 7/10
Technical: 8/10

Overall 6.7/10

Good Will Hunting (1997)

2008-03-19T06:48:00.000-07:00

This is what terrific acting does to a movie. it skyrockets its reputation. Matt Damon, Robin Williams, Stellan Skarsgård make sure u don't take your eyes off the screen. That can seriously influence your opinion.

Its a good movie for its actors. The plot is just another set-someone's-life-straight saga otherwise, even bordering the absurd at times. Oh well! its outright text-book cinema when you consider minnie driver's role

Concept 6/10
Performance 9/10
Screenplay 7.5/10
Technical 7.5/10

Overall 7.5/10

Mithya (2008)

2008-03-19T06:31:00.000-07:00

I expected much more from Ranvir and Vinay. Maybe that hyped the movie in my mind. no, I don't think so. Mithya is a bad film. The script probably had potential, but the treatment was pedestrian.

The characters were very colourful and interesting to watch. They kept my mind off the seriousness, if any, implied in the screenplay. That should be a drawback; lack of a tight screenplay. Also too many characters spoil the film!!

Come to think of it, its the exuberance of its motley of characters that cost this film its reputation.

Neha Dhupia looks good throughout. Thats one plus!

Concept 6.5/10
Screenplay 6/10
Performance 8/10
Technical 7/10

Overall 6.9/10

Pyaar Ke Side Effects (2006)

2008-03-15T06:18:00.000-07:00

With Rahul Bose in it, i expected a good show. I was not disappointed. Its a pleasure to watch funny yet sensible movies. It is also a pleasure to watch creative liberties being explored. The count scene was very innovative.

We all know how terrific an actor Rahul Bose is, but Mallika Sherawat turned in a great performance as well.

Nice movie

Performance 8.2/10
Screenplay 8.5/10
Concept 7.8/10
Technical 8/10

Overall 8.1/10

Meet the Spartans (2008)

2008-02-26T06:59:00.000-08:00

Well made spoof! I think sticking to one movie did the trick here. Epic movie was such a disaster! Maybe that brought down the expectation from directorsJason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer famous for the scary movie series.

Some of the jokes were very classy and imaginative. good fun!

Concept 8/10
Performance 8/10
Screenplay 7.7/10
Technical 7.8/10

Overall 7.9/10

Michael Clayton (2008)

2008-02-25T00:17:00.000-08:00

Its a good movie, not a great one. What will happen in the end is quite evident 15 minutes into the movie. It was always a question of how exactly, and the drama unto then was a bit of a drag.

Tight performance from the cast, no doubt about it, but you didn't expect less in the first place.

I didn't find the screenplay quite appealing, especially the idea of a flashback. It just didn't serve any purpose. I'm still battling with a few loopholes in the plot. I'll be glad to be proven wrong.

Its a watch it forget it movie. Surprised how it made it to the oscars. Star power, i suppose cos its packed with the who's who of hollywood. Check out the cast . If you liked this movie, u'll also enjoy Syriana. Thats George Clooney again

Performance 8/10
Concept 7.5/10
Screenplay 6.5/10
Technical 8/10

Overall 7.5/10

the namesake (2006)

2008-02-10T10:30:00.000-08:00

the namesake is a light story well told. It absorbs you into the life of the ganguli family as it is lived, from the start to a the beginning of the end. there are the moments, good and bad that touch upon you...a sensitive film, well made.

Special mention of Irfan khan and Tabu for their convincing performance

Also by the director, Mira Nair : monsoon wedding (2001) and do watch out for Shantaram when it hits the screens next year

i wanna experiment with 11'09''01 - September 11 (2002)

Concept 7/10
Performance 8.3/10
Screenplay 7.8/10
Technical 8/10

Overall 7.8/10

love actually (2003)

2008-02-09T14:37:00.000-08:00

what is with the british and romance? they always have me hook, line and sinker. For one they create such sentimental plots and then they spruce it up with people like hugh grant. at the cost of sounding gay, he's the best thing to happen to romantic comedies. i loved the movie to bits and pieces.

its a feel good movie, no doubt about it! just sit back and feel joy

also watch : a walk to remember, music and lyrics and ofcos notting hill :)

Performance 8/10
Screenplay 7.8/10
Concept 8.5/10
Technical 7.8/10

Overall 8/10

the deer hunter (1978)

2008-02-09T03:38:00.000-08:00

its another vietnam movie, but the similarities end there. here the focus is on the characters and how their lives are affected by the war in vietnam, not just of the soldiers, but their friends and family. To that extent its a great movie, but its not an entertainer. the deer hunter is more like a beautiful documentary supplemented by a lot of life in the characters ably potrayed by stalwarts like Robert de niro and christopher walken. The film truly gives you a glimpse into the atrocities that was the vietnam war. Obviously its tilted heavily in favour of the US, but thats a legitimate part of the story too. Come to think of it, the movie is not about the warring nations at all; thats what makes this movie stick out. Director Michael Cimino weaves a thick thread
around the lives in the plot.

The focus on originality as gleaned from extra reading can be seen in the brilliant action sequences, especially those featuring the deadly russian roulettes.

The screenplay i felt is a bit loose, tending to drag at times. there are also a lot of fill in the blanks. I guess that came with the movie being cut down from 4 hrs to 3 hrs.

Overall, there was a lot of enlightenment and poignancy, but it did feel like an ordeal in between. Must watch for movie buffs

other famous vietnam movies : platoon (1986), full metal jacket (1987) and apocalypse now (1979)

i now wanna watch : in the year of the pig (1968)

Performance 9/10
Screenplay 6.5/10
Concept 8.7/10
Technical 8/10

Overall 8.0/10

P.S Meryl Streep looks heavenly throughout the movie. i saw her first in music of the heart (1999) as a middle aged woman and instantly fell in love. you can imagine then

The Big Lebowski (1998)

2008-02-01T00:30:00.000-08:00

I don't approve of weird comedy. This is the same guy, Joel Coen, who gave us Fargo. Steve Buscemi is a permanent fixture in his movies. I couldn't quite fathom the consequence of his presence in this movie though. Well, nor of a lot many other characters. Damn! the whole movie didn't make much sense to me. I mean, it did make sense, but a lot didn't.

There are some good laughs, u would enjoy them. But the core competence of this movie is its weirdness and i don't approve of that, as i said before.

Jeff Bridges brings a lot of charisma into the character. He's the only sane character in the movie and thts a huge relief. Rest is a crazy lot

Some thing!

Performace 8/10
Concept 5/10
Screenplay 6/10
Technical 7/10

Overall 6.5/10

Meet Joe Black (1998)

2008-01-31T03:32:00.000-08:00

You have to give it to hollywood to come out with bizarre themes yet do a good job of it. Meet Joe Black is pure fiction made believable. Well, the stress is so much on emotions and the enactment is so near perfection that you wouldn't worry about it. Brad Pitt
brings staggering sensuality to the character of Joe Black. Women could watch this movie just to stare at him. On the other hand, Anthony Hopkins, playing the successful businessman William Parrish, is the epitome of character and confidence, someone to look up to. In between these extremes lives the character of susan parrish, a delicate songbird of a person

Directed by Martin Brest who's given us Scent of a Woman (1992), another terrific yet eccentric movie.

A kaleidoscope of emotions embellished by terrific acting, thats Meet Joe Black

Perfromace 9/10
Concept 8/10
Screenplay 7/10
Technical 8/10

Overall 8/10

Juno (2007)

2008-01-29T22:28:00.001-08:00

juno is a 16 year old pregnant girl. yeah! the movie starts with her testing positive for pregnancy and the rest is an interesting cocktail of emotions delivered through extremely witty dialogues and myriad expressions.

The plot is a shocker from the indian perspective of things, but the triviality with which it is treated in the film makes for some eye popping. That quite adds to the film's appeal. However, it is the marvellous performance from the cast that takes you through the film effortlessly.

a fun film

Performance 8.5/10
Screenplay 8/10
Technical 7/10
Concept 8/10

Overall 7.9/10

Epic Movie (2007)

2008-01-24T03:49:00.000-08:00

Very so so movie. Lacked originality, especially the first humour point. Kinda puts you off when you encounter a sad piece of humour right at the beginning. Having said that, one of the characters is brilliant enough to deserve special mention. He is Darrell Hammond who delights in his spoof of Jack Sparrow (Pirates of the Caribbean). That apart the rest of the cast fails to impress. Kal Penn is a let down. I had high expectations of him

Few sequences now and then elicit a chuckle at most. Thats about it. Not a patch on the Scary movie series from the same director

The sets were pretty elaborate and attractive, but they alone can't sustain a movie.

To summarize, you wouldn't miss anything if you give this movie a miss

Concept 5/10
Performace 6/10
technical 8/10
Screenplay 6/10

Overall 6.2/10

Taare Zameen Par (2007)

2008-01-12T21:29:00.000-08:00

You can blindly trust aamir khan to deliver. Now, it doesn't matter whether he's in front of the camera or behind it. Genius begs no boundaries. Everything about the movie is perfect. From the casting through the performance, to the direction with the cinematography, the music, the setting and most importantly the Theme. Taare Zameen Par is a great service to society, to those scores of special children who are normally labelled 'retarded' and ignored by society, left to lead a life of no consequence, hidden in their own special world. The movie introduces us to Dyslexia (a learning disability) marked by poor symbolic interpretation and marked hyperactivity.

Ishan Awasthi, played by darsheel safary is one such special child. How he deals with life, how society rejects him and how a sensitive teacher resurrects him form the storyline.

Darsheel Safary is nothing short of wonderful in his performace. He is ably supported by his doting mother (tisca chopra) and loving brother.

With a lot of heart-touching scenes and joyful banter, Taare Zameen par gives you an emotional high, a cathartic feeling of having been through some good.

a must watch!

Concept 9.5/10
Performace 9.5/10
technical 9.5/10
Screenplay 9.5/10

Overall 9.5/10

The Mistress of Spices(2005)

2008-01-12T21:04:00.001-08:00

An ethereal movie devoid of much logic. a film for dreamers, but ofcos a good dream. Ash looks delicious throughout the movie. Unfortunately i can't say the same for the male lead, Doug who looks very ordinary if not a bit revolting. Does this reflect a budget constraint, coz certainly ash deserves a better looking male lead. I was so much disappointed by Doug, that i hoped they wouldn't get together in the movie.

Technically, the movie is very impressive. The blurring effects and camera angles used almost give life to the inanimate spices. Great use of colours as seen bright red chillies with verdant stems and colourful heaps of other spices. In fact, i never knew we had so many types of spices. quite enlightening.

Concept 6/10
Performance 8/10
screenplay 7.5/10
technical 8.5/10

Overall 7.5/10

Jab We Met (2007)

2007-12-19T09:06:00.000-08:00

Awesome movie man! loved it totally. No one can replace Kareena Kapoor in this movie, her character will stay associated with her for a long long time in my mind. Shahid Kapoor is equally irreplaceable.

'Geet' really is capable of causing the kind of turnaround in life that 'aditya' experienced. So full of life!

A thoroughly feel good movie in the end :)

Concept 8/10
Performance 9/10
technical 8/10
Screenplay 8.5/10
Overall 8.4/10

Dil Dosti Etc (2007)

2007-12-10T07:18:00.000-08:00

The character of Apurv (Immaduddin Shah) is probably one of its kind in bollywood. His nonchalance in the face of the shit that he gets himself into is remarkably portrayed. Father's son after all!! On the other hand, Sanjay Mishra (Shreyas Talpade) is cliched to the core. Director Manish Tiwary, probably wanted to exemplify the contrast, but to me it spelt disaster. The film lost its freshness and took on familiar hues.

There is no lesson in the movie, not that there should be one; rather i now appreciate the fact that there is no subtle preaching. It is just another example of how life can be, how different life can be for different people.

I enjoyed the movie, hassle free entertainment

Performance 8/10
Screenplay 8/10
Concept 7.5/10
Technical 8/10

Overall 7.9/10

300 (2006)

2007-12-02T20:58:00.000-08:00

Brilliant action sequences define this movie. Nothing else warrants a special mention. Gerard Butler as Spartan King Leonidas exemplifies bravery. He essays the role to perfection, i'd say.

Director, zack Snyder does a great job of illustrating the Spartan way of life.

300 is the adaptation of Frank Miller's graphic novel by the same name. He's noted for works like 'Daredevil' and 'Sin City' which have both been adapted into movies.

Performance 7.5/10
Technical 9/10
Screenplay 7.5/10
Concept 7.5/10

Overall 7.9/10

Om Shanti Om (2007)

2007-11-13T07:39:00.000-08:00

I'm just back from the theatre and this is one helluva movie. Om Shanti Om redefines the words/phrases 'unique', 'class of its own', 'out of this world' and a lot more.
Farah Khan!! after Main Hoon Na, i really didn't want to see another film by you. I now owe you an apology.

Shahrukh Khan is his usual best. Being the lover boy is his core competency and he proves that to the hilt yet again.

Deepika Padukone is not merely eye candy. She is a terrific actress considering that this is her first bollywood film. The innocence on her face is remarkable and blends perfectly with her role.

The comedy is spot on, if you will attune yourself to it. Yes, its very important that you read the movie.

The art direction is superb. The intelligence that has gone into some of the scenes is commendable. A pat on your back Mr. Sabu Cyril

To think about it, there's nothing else special in this movie, but the way everything gels together, thats a masterstroke and thats where i shower praise on Farah Khan and the Editor, Shirish Kunder An out and out entertainer. Don't expect this movie to make it to a hall of fame, don't expect it to make its way to movie literature and don't expect this movie to get you thinking....coz Om Shanti Om is just a fun ride..enjoy it, forget it

This movie WILL NOT find acceptance with the rays, the Benegals, the Coppolas, the Scorceses, but frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn! (u'll know what i mean)

Go watch it!!

Concept 8.3/10
Performance 8.5/10
Technical 9/10
Screenplay 9/10

Overall 8.6/10

P.S Special mention of Farah Khan, who so deservingly always introduces the brilliant people behind the cameras at the end of the movie. These people are evenly responsible for making a film what it becomes.

Rocky (1976)

2007-11-05T21:25:00.000-08:00

The first serving in the 6 course delight, that is the Rocky series. Surprisingly, i saw this after having seen all the sequels. So knew the story and all. I've realized one thing though; watching movies is not a group activity. If you wanna enjoy a movie, watch it alone, preferably in the dark.

I love this pic on the right. It single handedly captures the essence of the whole rocky series. The indom- itable spirit that is rocky balboa, the all-heart champion. It is for the beauty in the character, that rocky is such a great movie

A Good Year (2006)

2007-10-28T05:53:00.001-07:00

very touching movie. The Screenplay is so sensitive that you live through the characters. Of course a lot of credit goes to the cast for that. Rivetting performance from one and all. Russell Crowe is at his best as always. I was smitten by his secretary, played by archie Punjabi. She looks so, pardon me, hot in her role, that i've made a note to watch all her movies. Extremely sharp character fittingly assigned to a woman with razor sharp features. Then as the ruthless investment broker, Max Skinner (Crowe) heads to France to receive his uncle's estate bequeathed to him, rather interestingly, we, through him, encouter such amazing characters as the irritable vineyard manager (Didier Bourdon), the magnanimous housekeeper (Isabelle Candelier) and the enchanting young restaurateur (Marion Cotillard). There is something about the French and sensuality, no one has it better. With such a vibrant mix of personalities, it is a brilliant foundation for the plot to unravel itself and it does, ever so gently. At the end of it all, you feel a deep sense of happiness. Lovely movie!

performance 9/10
screenplay 9/10
concept 9.5/10
technical 9/10

overall 9.1/10

Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006)

2007-10-28T05:33:00.000-07:00

I don't have words for this movie. its something, just something!! you'll laugh, rest assured.

Sacha Baron Cohen, otherwise famous as Ali G is the protagonist. Typical weirdo performance from him. you should check out the Ali G show, love his language there!

no ratings again!!

Deuce Bigalow European Gigolo (2005) & Deuce Bigalow Male Gigolo (1999)

2007-10-26T02:53:00.000-07:00

Just being faithful to my blog. saw these 2 as well. had a few good laughs, naughty and nice

no ratings for this one!

I Am Sam (2001)

2007-10-22T03:49:00.000-07:00

A poignant tale of unconditional love. Sean Penn as a mentally challenged father fighting for the custody of his daughter, played by Dakota Fanning
Its not the plot, its the emotions that take centre stage here. They have been dealt with so delicately, that you can't help feel for the father who realizes that his 6 year old daughter is mentally superior to him. Even more anguished is the motherless kid who has to face embarrassment at the hands of her classmates, realizing the sad way, that her father is not capable of taking care of her. The beautiful father daughter relationship is the heart of the story as it meanders through rough times for both.

Sean Penn is beyond words in his portrayal and aptly earns himself a beat actor nomination. Ably supported by Dakota Fanning and Michele Pfieffer, in a crucial role, this movie will move the toughest of hearts.

Performance 9/10
Concept 9/10
Screenplay 8.5/10
Technical 8/10

Overall 8.6/10

Fargo (1996)

2007-10-22T00:18:00.001-07:00

A decent movie made more interesting by its quirky characters. The stuttering protagonist (William. H. Macy), the weird talking kidnapper (Steve Buscemi), the hardly talking accomplice (Peter Stormare), the chirpy yet smart cop (Frances McDormand) and a few more not so consequential others pepper up the scenes.

In the end, a simple movie

Concept 8/10
Performace 8.2/10
Screenplay 8/10
Technical 8/10

Overall 8/10

1408 (2007)

2007-10-21T23:05:00.000-07:00

There is an important thing that people should realize about horror movies. Its not the 'starts' and the gross scenes, that make a good horror movie, its what the movie can do to your mind. Evil Dead with all its 'jumps' and walking hands and blood sprays is nothing but a laugh riot, something i was shit scared of when i was in 2nd grade. Thats the best it'll ever get to. But, if you want classy horror, you need to check out movies like Omen. 1408 falls in that category.

No plot summaries here, but its about a ghost buster's (John Cusack) experience in a haunted hotel room. Considering that the entire plot unravels in a room, its done mighty fell to keep the ol spine chilled. That apart, its a regulation decent horror flick.

That they left the ending inconclusive has not found favour with me.

I saw it with my buddies, but yeah, watch it alone for a better scare. Guaranteed, you won't die of fright or shock. If you're at it, check out Jason's Ladder and The Blair Witch Project.

Performance 8/10 (Cusack basically)
Concept 6.5/10 (i told u i didn't like the ending
screenplay 8/10
technical 8.5/10

Overall 7.7/10

The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)

2007-09-17T02:52:00.000-07:00

They say its inspired by a true story. If that is the case, i would definitely like to meet Chris Gardner(played by Will Smith). He's perseverance personified and convinces us as to how trifling our problems in life actually are, when compared to what he went through.

The story of a struggling family, a struggling father desperately trying to make ends meet for his family, yet optimistic of a betterment. Sounds cliched? Watch the movie, you'll be surprised at how far things go. You'll be amazed at the performance of Will Smith. Some of the scenes in the movie are priceless. I stand vindicated in my claim that Will Smith is one helluva actor.

Inspirational movie!

Note: its spelt 'happyness'!!

concept 7.5/10
performance 8.5/10 (rivetting will smith)
screenplay 8/10
technical 7.5/10

Overall 7.9/10

Cheeni Kum (2007)

2007-07-07T07:41:00.001-07:00

My judgment on this should not be seen as fair because i believe i have seen a ripped version of the movie, with few scenes missing. I feel so because, i'm among very few people who hated this movie with fervent fervour, so to invent a nonsense phrase! Also when i 'googled' for some pics, i saw some that i didn't, in the movie. duh!

However, a few scenes maketh not a movie. so i can safely say that this movie sucks!! The missed scenes made the difference between unpalatable and horrendous. And mind you, i always tilt the benefit of doubt towards the positive. so u see!

"SPOILER WARNING"
picked up that phrase from IMDB..felt its cool..but hey! don't laugh it off..i'm really giving it away..there is this 6 yr old grand mom in the movie; no i didn't get the number wrong, but i certainly didn't get the logic in that. She goes on and on in the movie, waxing eloquent on the philosophy of life, intricacies of love, turbulence of the mind..my! my! seems becoming terminally ill comes with a bonus of exemplary enlightenment

Amitabh is a 64 year old restaurateur cum master chef and tabu is a 34 year old unknown entity with no work and lot of money. Hence she's holidaying in London and meets AB at his authentic indian restaurant and unwittingly falls in love. AB does look hot though!! loved the short pony tail. Age is not a problem, but the way their romance progresses is, i feel. Mind you, the missing scenes may have distorted my opinion here so i won't delve much

Comedy was DEFINITELY super sad!! so bad, i don't even recall any jokes.

Oh yes!! if you replaced AB with shahid Kapur, no scene would have felt out of place. Maybe that tells u a bit about the maturity in AB's role.

so thats that. avoidable movie unless ofcos the missed scenes are a revelation!

concept 3/10 (considering the girl, AB's mom et al, but ok otherwise)
performance 7/10 (can't give more, couldn't stand that girl)
screenplay 3/10 (blech!!..)
technical 7/10

overall 5/10

The 40 Year Old Virgin (2005)

2007-06-24T07:57:00.001-07:00

this movie guarantees some good laughs. Steve Carrel does a terrific job as...well..the title of the movie!..lol
Its your typical hollywood comedy...laugh laugh laugh..become serious for a minute towards the end...feel happy...laugh again
Its the serious part that defines the class of the movie. mind you, it defines the class, not the entertainment value. Here, the class is pretty crass, but entertainment value is high. Just give your brain some rest, sit back on the couch with your supply of favourite nibbles and laugh away

Concept 7/10
Performance 8/10
Screenplay 7.5/10
technical 7/10

overall 7.4/10

Sleepy Hollow (1999)

2007-06-22T21:02:00.000-07:00

I got interested in this movie purely for Johnny Depp and i can say that it is just watchable. You don't feel lke that through the beginning of the movie, but towards the end it becomes so purely a fantasy that you don't feel like being associated with it. Otherwise, its a perfectly fine movie. Terrific performance as always from Depp. Tim Burton does a great job in thrilling the audience so much so i thought this is going to be a horror movie. great settings throughout the movie. The rest of the cast are purely supportive, nothing much warranted of them.

performance 8/10
concept 7/10
screenplay 8/10
technical 8/10

overall 7.7

Music and Lyrics (2007)

2007-06-17T22:08:00.000-07:00

can't help it; I'm a sucker for romantic comedies. couple that with Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore in the lead and you can expecting something really nice. i did and i'm not disappointed. Music and Lyrics is the perfect movie to soothe your nerves after a hard day's work. It flows along effortlessly with typical performances from Grant and Barrymore. There's delightful on screen chemistry between them and that goes a long way to show how important casting is. I mean, here's a movie that has a done to death basic theme; it's the actors that give it life. Hugh Grant seems to specialize in self-abasing roles and Drew Barrymore in hare-brained ones. Its a cute combination and it works here.

Nothing much else to mention here. Not a movie to be dissected for technicalities. Watch it and observe a smile appear on your lips. simple :)

Concept 7/10
Performance 9/10
Screenplay 8/10
Technical 8/10 ( 8 is kinda my average rating, started too high, u see)

Overall 8/10

Pirates of the Caribbean - At World's End (2007)

2007-06-16T03:19:00.000-07:00

The 3rd installment of Johny Depp..err Pirates of the Caribbean is the Cinematic equivalent of a jigsaw puzzle...throughout the movie, i was trying to understand what was happening, failing mostly. Thats kinda bad when it could all have been much clearer coz this is not meant to be a thriller. The movie starts from somewhere, goes all over the place, rams back to a focal point and fizzles away, blatantly pointing towards a 4th installment..which sounds desperate. The freshness is already lost, so much so that Capt. Jack Sparrow's (Depp) eccentricities fail to tickle as much this time. will turner and Elizabeth are the same boring selves. basically its all the same, except with lot of new confusion. All that is the bad about the movie

what's good is the thrill associated with trying to piece together tit-bits of information that come your way. The graphics are as always exceptional and the action sequences are well done. The humour element is still strong albeit a bit stereotyped. Johny Depp as always is marvellous...its all about him now; thats not a nice thing to opine about a movie

Cuba's the next..watch out!!

Concept 6.5/10 (for all the chaos)
Performance 8/10
Screenplay 7.5/10
Technical 9/10

Overall 7.8/10

Delhi Heights (2007)

2007-06-14T23:57:00.000-07:00

Delhi Heights is the cinematic equivalent of bullshit. There is nothing good worth mentioning about the movie. This is a script which even Tom Cruise would not be able to pull off. Do i now need to say anything further with the ilk of jimmy shergill and Neha Dhupia in the lead? Jimmy Shergill can still act, but Neha Dhupia!! What is she doing in bollywood? Forget acting, she doesn't even look great. At times she cons you into believing that she's showing the right emotion, but soon u'll realise that the dead-pan expression is all she has to offer, whatever be the situation. to top that, we have ridiculous direction, outrageous dialogues and an abysmal supporting cast. The only positive for the movie is rabbi shergill's song. Om Puri does justice to his role and so does the bookie character, but they're purely auxiliary roles!

a few hours of torture, thats Delhi Heights in a nutshell

concept 4/10 (done to death theme)
performance 4/10
screenplay 5/10
technical 4/10

overall 4.3/10

Water (2005)

2007-06-08T03:02:00.001-07:00

The third installment of Deepa Mehta's 'elemental' series, Water is a subtle attempt to highlight an age-old social evil in india. The problem is, its quite boring, unless you have a compulsive obsession with the technical aspects of film-making, in which case, a lot of things would make more sense to you than they did to me. From my perspective, the cast did tremendous justice to their roles, teleporting me to the pre-independence days of ignorance and superstition (not that they're no longer in vogue!). The statistics at the end of the movie speak about the sad state of widows in this country, some of them widowed at ages of 8, 9 years.

If you look at water as a movie which just tells you, "Listen, it is true that plight of widows in india used to be bad. If you don't believe me, let me show you", it does a decent job. you feel for the poor child who's widowed before even coming of age, you feel for the inmates of the widow home who lead a wretched life of neglect. You are also shocked by some revelations about society that was.

Where it goes wrong is where John abraham comes onto the scene and a convenient love ensues between him and lisa ray, a widow as above. I feel, it needed more script space than in actually got. Where also it goes wrong is in the ocassional fleeting references to Gandhi and friendly debates on british rule. they were probably in place to give the viewer a feel of the times..hmm, fine then. but when you look at the statistics in the end, you can't help but feel that, the director is trying hard to justify her efforts.

Simply put, Water is yet another love story gone wrong.

concept 7/10 (not really relevant to the times)
performance 9/10
screenplay 7/10
technical 7/10

Overall 7.5/10

Vivah (2006)

2007-06-06T22:11:00.000-07:00

I saw it y'day...beautiful movie...beautiful for its innocence, beautiful for its simplicity, beautiful for the emotions. This movie is a throwback on those days, when love was not all about who's got the biggest attitude or who's got the best moves (on the dance floor, in a fight, in the bed..wherever). Its a refreshing throwback amplified by the great chemistry between shahid kapur and amrita rao. As one would expect, the movie is about the marriage between them, majorly the build up to it.

Why can't movies be all hunky-dory from start to end? while watching Vivah, i was often reminded of Hum Aapke Hain Kaun, by the same director. There too, the movie is all cheer until suddenly something untoward happens and a pall of gloom spreads all over.
Why not avoid that? A similar scene in Vivah towards the end, made a few things clear to me. Triumph over adversity. It is such, a strong emotion, that can fill one's heart with satisfaction and whats time spent, without satisfaction!

Alok Nath does a great job in adding a lot of sensitivity to the role of a loving step-father. He deserves special mention for the wonderful actor that he is.

At times, the movie tends to drag a bit, but makes it up with some beautiful emotions.

concept: 8/10 (for showing the courage to be simple)
performance: 8/10
technical: 8/10 (nothing much to talk about technical, here)
screenplay: 8/10

overall: 8/10

Lord of War (2005)

2007-06-05T00:25:00.001-07:00

Narrated movies have a charm of their own. They give the movie an air of importance, a no nonsense personality. The theme then has to essentially be something serious, something that is food for thought. Lord of War is. It is a well researched film on the illegal arms trade and its humanitarian consequences or savagery, whatever u may call it.

Nicholas Cage seems to have created a niche for himself when it comes to the 'cool customer' kind of roles. He fits to a hilt as the polished yet ruthless, gun runner who never loses his temper. He's quite ably supported by Jared Leto who inspite of less screen space, shows lot of presence.

The movie touches upon the relevant political issue of Blood Diamonds but doesn't explore it further. For most parts, the movie tends to engage in hero worshipping, zipping through deal after deal of Yuri Orlov (Nicholas Cage) without showing the details. It kind of makes it look easy, which is not the case. Come to think of it, the whole movie had this 'its so easy' attitude which otherwise, could have made the movie gripping.

Technically, i didn't notice anything jarring and throughout the movie was well absorbed in it. Guess that means, things were pretty fine in that department

Overall, an ok movie

concept: 7/10
performance: 8/10
technical: 7/10
screenplay: 6/10

overall: 7/10

American History X (1998)

2007-06-03T13:53:00.000-07:00

"hate is baggage, life's too short to be pissed off all the time. its just not worth it"

we live in turbulent times. there is lot of friction in society; friction because, we're not all the same shape to fit in easily. we need our space. some, however, think they need more space. thats where the problem lies. the solution is in the mind; it is in the above quote; the quote is from the movie...a beautiful movie

American History X ... an insight to racism...an insight to what it is like to hate...an insight to the mind games people play

Edward Norton goes all out in this one as the frustrated nazi skin-head. A dream performance from him, ably supported by Edward Furlong ( John Connor from Terminator). The rest of the cast is blurred away by their combined brilliance. Edward Norton is under-rated, i'm telling you

Technically, its a well put-together film. There is no nonsense in the screenplay which is paced nicely. The camera highlights the flashback scenes beautifully and the use of slow motion enhances the moments in the film.

On the whole, a good movie, but maybe it just falls short of greatness by being a bit vague in its conclusion. The narration could have probably used some more facts to strengthen the case.

I'd like to start rating from hereon. so here goes

concept: 8/10
performance: 9/10 (norton all the way)
technical: 8/10
screenplay: 8/10

overall: 8.2/10

Cidade de Deus (2002) a.k.a City of God

2007-06-02T11:07:00.003-07:00

in one word, eye-opener! but for this movie, i wouldn't have known what life is like in the ghettos of Rio De Janeiro. i wouldn't have know that being born in, ironically, the city of God, is akin to being handed a death sentence at birth. I'm referring to the City of God housing project, a mass housing initiative in the 1960's for thousands of homeless, on the outskirts of Rio De Janeiro. Civility ceases to mean anything in this part of the world. Life is war and everyone is a potential enemy. Lawlessness rules and the lawbreakers flourish.

If you've liked movies like 'the constant gardener' and 'blood diamond', this is another one that you will love. you'll love it for the realism that its able to portray. What i like about such movies is the way they go about telling you their story. the crux of the movie is subtly woven into a plot involving 2 protagonists, one doubling as the narrator. there is the underlying message or effort to educate, rather, of certain ground realities that escape the glossy pages of tourism brochures. But the director does a great job of not making it look like a documentary.

City of god also delights you in its cinema tography. The mode of communication for some of the scenes, one in particular, is very stylish. I also enjoyed having to keep lot of things in mind to keep track of the flow. felt kinda challenging, what with the movie shifting between sub plots ceaselessly. There is some amazing trivia associated with this movie. You'll really enjoy it once u've seen the movie. read it from here.

to sum it up, an entertainer of the other kind.

Khosla Ka Ghosla (2006)

2007-06-02T07:47:00.001-07:00

original post as on 31st march 2007

First and foremost, let me tell you that i'm only halfway through this movie at the moment. But its been such a pleasure so far, that i'm sure its going to be one of the best movies i've seen in a long long time.

Khosla Ka Ghosla, deceives by name, but more than makes up for it in virtually every department of film-making. If i had my say, this film would have gone to the Oscars as India's official entry. Yes! it has a very strong and relevant story to tell and its telling it beautifully to me. Anupam Kher and Boman Irani need no eulogies, but every other member of the cast has been a revelation. Ranvir Shorey and Vinay Pathak have newfound respect in my eyes. they are truly magnificent in this movie.

I'm yet to see Navin Nischol take centre stage, but its understood that he'll do a damn good job. Everyone fits their role to perfection; Tara Sharma as a slightly hare-brained theatre artist, Parvin dabas as the no nonsense software professional, Kiran Juneja as the mediating and caring house maker and surely every other character that i'm yet to come across.

Three cheers to director Dibakar Banerjee for his brilliant effort behind the camera. The pace of the story is just right and interspersed with the right amount of comedy and executed to perfection by the aptly selected cast. The plot is so real, i got scared when i put myself in the protagonist's place. This is something that could so easily happen to you and me. And this is something that, if it happens, you'll have very little that you can do about it.

Whether the Khosla family has what it takes is to be seen and i can't wait to get back to the movie for that

If you think Hindi films have lost their meaning , this is the movie that will prove you wrong and wrong, in a big way. So go ahead and redeem your faith in Bollywood. I got to rush now

ciao :)

The Departed (2006)

2007-06-02T07:44:00.000-07:00

original post as on 21st november 2006

Just saw it a couple of hours back and am still in the process of digesting the movie. So i may have more insights on this, but i just have to post about this awesome movie as soon as i can. First of all, lovely cast and superlative performances. At times, the tensions within a crime fighting police aquad were palpable. With some hard-hitting language and unabashed violence, this is not a movie for the faint hearted. But for all you motherfucking sonofabitches ( yeah, without the slang), u've just unleashed a goldmine.

Excuse me for the language there, but thats exactly what u'll get in the movie - unadulterated street talk. makes you sit up and think whats with this 4 letter word and all its connotations. Anywise, the plot is tight and builds up to a nice stage where the viewer can predict every conceivable ending and still miss the real one. stroke of genius i aver, the ending. There are still a few loose ends to be tied up as far as i'm concerned, but i'll probably figure out with time.

About the action, i loved the spontaneity!! The sequences showed a lot of imagiation and ingenuity. Another thing that struck me as good is the detail shown in the depiction of the police force.

To criticize, i'd say that i thought for a while, but didn't find anything strong enough to be written. There are a few others but that would steal some fun out of the movie.

Final verdict - if u like thrillers, this is a movie you shouldn't miss. your brain will work overtime with this one, rest assured

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its been about 18 hours now and i have some more insights. The way i feel about it, the movie has blended into reality. Its as if i was led through a reality show. Just as real life incidents stay in your short term memory and slowly get accepted, the movie too snuggles into a comfy spot. Henceforth, whenever the brain registers a movie from this genre, memories will be recalled. Only a fast and gripping screenplay can achieve that. Thats one more facet of 'the departed' for you

Rocky Balboa ( Rocky VI)

2007-06-02T07:32:00.000-07:00

original post as on 7th november 2006.

Rocky VI is slated to release in the third week of December '06. The sixth edition of this blockbuster series comes as a very pleasant surprise. That Sylvester Stallone plays the lead in the movie might raise eyebrows, but the movie trailor will convincingly dispel all doubts. He looks as fit as ever and age seems to have added an aura to his personality.

As far as the story goes, Rocky Balboa, is leading a peaceful retired life running a deli in his native, Philadelhpia. The love for boxing ceases to leave and he is drawn out of retirement by a one match challenge with the current world champion. Its the typical Rocky theme, but what is interesting here is that Rocky Balboa is an old man. At 50 odd years, what's in favour of him is his experience and his trademark "undying spirit" that made him what he is - the champion. How he works that to his advantage or if he does at all, will be soul of the movie.

Stallone writes the script and does the Direction too for this sequel. Reviews from a premiere held 2 months back, suggest two moving speeches by Rocky during the course of the movie. I don't know much about the new soundtrack, but the old one is still there and that in itself is more than enough. "Eye of the Tiger" is one helluva song

This is one movie I'm gonna lookout for!!!

Update

I guess i saw the movie soon after i originally posted this. My overall reaction was that of respect; respect for respecting the sensibilities of the audience. The movie did not engage in hero worship. Sylvestor stallone is an old man, rocky the character is an old man, and old is how he was portrayed in the movie. but
age can't wilt heart. you'll love the movie for the heart in it. you'd wish you had a heart like that. rocky balboa is a perfect character. you just can't stop loving rocky

The Boondock Saints (1999)

2007-06-02T07:17:00.000-07:00

original post as on 23rd september 2006

very interesting movie...has 'different' written all over it. a feel good movie in a primal sense of the term; triumph over evil couldn't have been more literally potrayed than in The Boondock Saints. A movie that would have definitely done wonders at the box office with a more powerful cast. William dafoe starts out shakily, but one comes to terms with his character soon and then on its smooth sailing...the fraternal siblings, heroes of the film, come across as a fresh interpretation of heroism...no overt display of emotions, yet clinically effective.

a crisp movie with a crisp plot...good watch!