Rock On (2008)

"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

Inside Man (2006)

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

Pyaar Ke Side Effects (2006)

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

love actually (2003)

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)

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

Meet Joe Black (1998)

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

Jab We Met (2007)

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

Om Shanti Om (2007)

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.

I Am Sam (2001)

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)

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

Music and Lyrics (2007)

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

Vivah (2006)

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

American History X (1998)

"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