Tuesday, January 26, 2010

movie review : Baabarr.

Cast : Soham Shah, Mithun Chakraborty, Om Puri, Sushant Singh,Tinu Anand, Urvashi Sharma, Shakti Kapoor.






Direction: Ashu Tirkha


A lot f unnecessary violence -- is what y'all will end up thinkin once the movie ends.




It's all about the world of crime in Amanganj, Uttar Pradesh and how the younger generation there is influenced by this. The film shows us the urge for violence and its reasons lyk lack of education and the environment in which a child grows.






The story goes lyk this -- A 12-year-old boy picks up a country-made gun and shoots a man in cold blood! After this he walks the street f Amanganj with the gun in hand, no fear whatsoever & eyes devoid f any emotions. This boy grows up to be known as the other face f crime -- BaabarrQureshi (Soham Shah). Baabarr is the last f the six brothers all involved in crime. But as the movie unfolds S.P.Dwivedi (Mithun Chakraborty), an encounter specialist who is sent to the area with a simple mission to arrest or kill Baabarr, realizes that there is more to it than what meets the eye. It is not only an individual called Baabarr, but there exists a force which seems impossible to stop.





The movie is shot in perfect locations. Om Puri once again showed as to why he is called a fine actor in the industry. New comer Soham needs to add some more emotions, a poker-face look won't work all the tym, mate. Urvashi, who plays Soham's girlfriend/ mistress does what is required f her. Sushant Singh, playing Tabrez is impressive. Tinu Anand as Mamu makes his cameo count.




Overall it is a thrilling film that looks not only into the life of a criminal but attempts to peep into the concept of ‘crime’ and areas where crime is bred and nurtured. Crime -- A parallel world that co-exists with ours, a world our society dreads, where corruption thrives, which the politicians exploit and where the honest succumb.





P.S. Way too much violence, slightly weak script.

movie review : Rocket Singh salesman of the year.

Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Gauhar Khan, Naveen Kaushik






Direction: Shimit Amin






It's a film made by all-heart and with good intentions.




Ranbir Kapoor plays Harpreet Singh Bedi, plays a somewhat aimless guy, jus lyk in "Wake up Sid!", who’s just out of college wondering what to do next. He decides to take up sales after completing his graduation with utterly modest marks. To convince his friends who are against his decision to become a salesman he says -- "number kamm hai, boss, dimaag nahi". Ranbir brings to his part a lot of earnestness and heart. What we see on screen is a Sardar not quite like any of our movies have shown so far.






The supporting cast of Mukesh Bhatt as the office peon, P. Santoshi as the lazy porn-addicted colleague, Gauhar Khan as the office receptionist and Naveen Kaushik as the crucial link in Harpreet’s work place, boost Ranbir’s presence. To convince sexy-office-receptionist, Gauhar to join him Harpreet says and indirectly warns “I’ll remain the joker Sardarji and you the item girl.”






There are a couple f good lines in the film. All credit goes to Jaideep Sahni who also wrote "Khosla ka ghosla" & "Chak De! India". Sahani's words make their point without being too loud.






The scene where Harpreet goes to the shop owner to buy things on credit with no guarentee and the shop owner tells him "thik hai,le jaa.. waise bhi kabhi kisi Sardar kochori karte nahi dheka" would certainly make the audience clap and the Sardar's happy. There's this another scene which y'all can't miss -- Ranbir riding his cherry-red scooter gifted by his grandfather (Prem
Chopra) at the red light when a swanky motorbike rides up alongside.




The lack of drama and the absence f energy are the only missing elements in the film. The movie stands tall despite it's flaws.





While Shimit Amin’s earlier film “Chak De! India” was aggressive in its aspirations, “Rocket Singh” is a more gentle.





The movie is a one-tym watch. Take lots f popcorn with you.

movie review : The taking of Pelham 123

Cast: John Travolta, Denzel Washington





Director: Tony Scott







Okay, i haven't watched the original 1974 film but I have watched this and can conclude this to be an engaging, edge-f-the-seat thriller.




John Travolta, plays Ryder with a Y, a wolfish grin and a tattooed neck stars as a criminal mastermind, who hijacks a New York subway train full of passengers, and demands a 10 million$ ransom. He threatens to kill passengers one by one if the money doesn't get to him in an hour. Denzel Washington plays Garber, a subway employee. Mr. Washington, perhaps is the most effortlessly charismatic American film actor.





While negotiating his deal, Travolta finds himself engaged in a bond with Washington, with a bribe-accepting past over the subway radio. Travolta and Washington offer solid enough performances. This would be the first film where I think Denzel is a little side lined by Travolta. Women are marginally used in the film. Washington's wife in Queens and the girlfriend of an hostage on an onlyn video chat are the only ones.





The film has many flaws but it makes you ignore them due to some rock-solid performances and a thrilling script and a fast-pace.





The film’s final shot of a common man walking home from the subway after a hard day’s work, having saved the city is the truest moment f the film.






P.S. too many slangs.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

movie review : Love Happens.

Cast: Jennifer Aniston, Aaron Eckhart




Direction: Brandon Camp






Oh, Love Happens, does it? Yeah.. may be it did when I had already dozed off.



When you announce yourself as a romantic film, show romance in the film, God damn it! Even when
Jen & Aaron lock-lips, love doesn't happen. May be love would happen if you cried.




Mr.
Eckhart’s character, Burke Ryan, is the best-selling author of “A-OK! A Path Through Grief,” arrives in Seattle to conduct a 3 day seminar. Ms. Aniston’s character, Eloise Chandler, is that of a floral designer Burke bumps into in a hotel corridor.




The next
tym he meets her she responds to a-cup-f-coffee invitation from him with a sign language pretending she's deaf & walks. A day later he finds her chatting in the same hotel lobby, goes there & shows her the middle finger which is followed by Aniston walking into the men's room to give him a lecture f her own. Burke, however, finds all f these fascinating. They go out for a dinner date later.

I gave up here.






The movie lacks emotional sense. The only real feelings happens during the workshop conducted by
Bruke where John Carrol Lynch, playing Walter, a contractor who had just lost his young son rebels & refuses to walk over hot coals.




Ms.
Aniston's role is under-written. I seriously wish that she shows some gumption whilst choosing roles. She plays a character in the film who is unlucky in love but I think she is quite unlucky while choosing the right kinda films.




The movie still counts on those scenes wherein after a long
emo speech on the stage, one person in the audience starts clapping & the rest follow him & all stand up one by one. C'mon man these kinda scenes are history. Even Bollywood refuses to do such scenes.




Love Happens is, as the kids say, not happening. If you don't watch this film you won't loose
anything.





P.S
. The cockatoo and parrot belong to the same biological order, so it is not technically incorrect
to call the bird in question a "parrot." But no one does that. If you have a pet cockatoo, you call it a cockatoo.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

movie review : Kurbaan.

Cast: Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Viviek Oberoi, Om Puri, Kirron Kher



Director: Renzil D'Silva








T
he story is simple. Saif be-friends Kareena, takes her out for a coffee couple f tyms, marries her because she has an American passport, takes her to New York & joins his fellow-mates in their plan to blow up America. There are a few hiccups along the way, though.





The love story shown was cute but unrealistic. C'mon now, which girl says a 'yes' so early that too after a couple f coffee meetings. We all noe that it takes more than that to get a 'yes', don't
we?

If it were so easy then more than half f the problems in the world would end. Im not so sure about all worldly problems but Bollywood would surely close down.







Kurbaan goes on with an easy pace with satisfying performances by all the lead actors. Om Puri
plays Bhaijaan very well. Kirron Kher's Afghani accent makes you notice her. Vivek Oberoi does a fantastic role in the film accept for his accent, although sometyms could be ignored. This was an important film for him & it looked like he realised that. Saif & Karrena both do a good job. They looked in love. For the first tym I saw Kareena act. Otherwise she's just gorgeous. Dia Mirza & Nauheed Cyrusi, both had a death-ending-limited role in the film






There are a couple f good scenes in the movie -- Vivek being tested for his guts at a food-joint, Vivek's identity when revealed to Saif & the penultimate scene where Saif reveals his identity to Kareena. These scenes are gripping.







There are a couple of holes in the script -- Vivek being included in the gang with out any background checks on him, Saif walking down the streets f New-york without being noticed, stabbing a man to death even when he is wanted & his pictures are with the FBI, the 1st suicide bombing scene where the bomber pulls the trigger and the whole f subway-platform explodes, walls come crashing down but the FBI officer standing in front f him survives, open-firing inside a subway & the subway doesn't stop or no one calls 911, the Americans talking in fluent Hindi in the class at the university that too without a Katrina Kaif kinda accent was too lame. These couple f scenes make you raise an eye-brow.







Coming to the scene which was the talk of the town even before the film released -- the love-making scene between Saif & Kareena -- it was aesthetically shot. Although necessary it looked quite filmy.





This thriller with a curtain f terrorism is a one-tym watch.







P.S
. Dying for love -- does it get any cuter than this?

Monday, November 30, 2009

movie review: Wake up Sid!





Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Konkona Sen Sharma, Supriya Phatak, Anupam Kher.




Direction: Ayan Mukherji







I
t's a refreshing film. I, personally, watched it for Konkana Sen Sharma for I consider her to b
one f the finest actresses in Bollywood.




For a change, Ranbir acts & for a nother change he doesn't give a
"Im-a-fuckin'-moron-i-do-not-understand-shit" kinda look newhere in the film. Oh-uh my bad, he does once & that's where Konkana tells him "apna expression change karo, pagal lag rahe ho". C'mon
now, Konkana dint mean 'pagal' she meant the look i mentioned above but i guess she ain't that blunt lyk me.





The movie starts off in Farhan's "Lakshya" style. Lazy youth(Ranbir) -- son f a rich businessman -- not
bothered about his life -- no ambition for his future -- spends his father's money on expensive cars, clubbing -- fails in his college exams -- then cut 2, steps in a girl(Konkana) -- changes the way he thinks & gets him back on track.
So, there's nothin new in the film. Everbody in the theatre knew
that when the movie would end Ranbir would b successful after he found his "lakshya".. oops, "goal" is the word used in the film & it's not my dimpled darlin' who says it. The movie would have been dull but Ranbir puts up a fine display of acting on screen. He carries the jus-outta-bed-look efficiently thru'out the film. Konkana plays a sincere & hardworking girl who comes down to Mumbai from Kolkata to earn a loving and befriends Ranbir.




There is an amazing scene between Ranbir & his on-screen mother played by Supriya Phatak where
Ranbir snaps at her for arranging his wardrobe & the next moment realises his fault and quickly goes and apologises by giving her one f his t-shirt to fold. Amazing, aye? Watch it to feel it.




The movie has a bit of hiccups though like Konkana buys a apartment and floods it with expensive
furniture.. no, if u had that kinda cashish then why did she have come all the way to Mumbai to search for a job. Kashmira Shah is unwanted in the film. And the scene in which a lil boy purposely rings Kashmira's doorbell just to see in her in liltle clothing is gross.




The movie is, definitely, a one tym watch with yor buddies.




Like i said above about the movie it's.. uh, uh.. whats the word? Refreshing.. yes, refreshing.


Sunday, October 25, 2009

movie review: Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Cast: Rebecca Hall, Scarlett Johansson, Penelope Cruz, Javier Bardem



Director: Woody Allen







Vicky Cristina Barcelona -- The Portrait of Two Ladies.




This film is typical of a lot of Woody's mid-range work. It involves affluent characters at various levels of sophistication, involved in the arts and the intrigues of love.






The movie shows two women Vicky & Cristina, both best f friends, but think differently when talked about love. Vicky is shown to be a very earnest & sensible woman with the pitch-perfect American accent that the new generation of Brit professionals has mastered while Cristina is portrayed as a saucy blonde, sexually-adventurous kind.


Wilderness of a heart that knows what it wants even when the rest of the body does not! Sensible Vicky (Rebecca Hall) insists that she knows what she wants - her dull fiancee in New York, for one while dreamy Cristina (Scarlett Johansson) does not.





The two girls go to Barcelona, the lovely Spanish city to spend their weekend. But their adventures don't start until they meet Juan Antonio (Javier Bardem) who plays the picasso-ish artist who floors 'em when he expresses his desire to take the girls out for a weekend where they would also engage in love-making. On this Vicky feels offended but it raises a girlish excitement in Cristina. Before you think this to be a love triangle, hold your horses. C'mon, Woody ain't that stupid. Maria Elena (Penelope), Juan's ex-wife, steps in with a tousled hair and thus the screen lights up. She makes you want to lick the screen. Boy, she looks combustible. Phew! Everything she does and says seems to mean more, count for more. Penelope plays a sexy siren with a pulse of a real woman. She alters between speakin Spanish & English with a lovely voice. Maria's & Juan's scenes are the best in the movie. They quarrel in Spanish which is a pleasure to watch.

Penelope won an Oscar for this film. Watch it and you'll know why.






In the meantym, Vicky, leaving her guilt aside, has already made love to Juan and as a result falls in love with him. Juan on the other hand likes Cristina more and advices Vicky to forget him & marry Doug, her NY based fiancee which she finds hard to do. But she does. They get engaged but Vicky cant resist thinking bout Juan. Juan meanwhile juggles between Cristina and Maria. Maria and Cristina kiss. This would make you lick the screen. Yeah.. yet again.



Mr. Allen also uses narrative story telling to fill in the gaps.





Witty script, excellent photography, unexpected arrivals and developments and brilliant acting makes the film watchable. This is one film you wouldn't want to miss. The actors are attractive, the city is magnificent, the love scenes don't get all sweaty, and everybody finishes the summer a little wiser and with a lifetime of memories. I mean.. what's not to quite like?


If u ask me to describe the film in a word, the word would be 'Passionate'






P.S
. Mild violence, discreet sex.