The Dirty Picture : by Milan Luthria

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

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

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

 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

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 :

1. London Car Chase
2. CST Terminal Wreckage
3. Ra.One & G.One showdown at the car parking lot
4. 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

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

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

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

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

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

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara : by Zoya Akhtar

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara is the second film from the ever so talented Zoya Akhtar who proved her worth in Luck by Chance.

It is a story about a bachelor trip planned by Imran (Farhan Akhtar) in celebration of his close friend Kabir (Abhay Deol) getting married soon.

The trio is complete with Arjun (Hrithik) and they set off to Spain for an adventure of a lifetime!

The ensemble cast also includes Katrina Kaif who plays a diving instructor in the film. There is Kalki Koechlin who plays Kabir' fiance.


Spain , truly a beautiful spectacle , captured magnificently by the cinematographer , Carlos Catalan.

The anecdotes from Farhan Akhtar had me in splits , the restraint and composure from Hrithik gave me goosebumps , the loyalty and indecisiveness of Abhay had me tense.

This is what makes ZNMD special , because the characters are so real and the audience is able to identify with each of them.

The friends take on the adventure sports chosen by the other one after another. The interval had tinge of masala when Kalki lands up in Spain to check on her hubby!

Notable Sequences:

1. Sky Diving gave me goosebumps
2. Bull Race at the climax was thrilling
3. Deep Sea Diving had me in fantasy world
4. The road trip chit chat , fights , humour & BAGWATI!
5. Japanese client conference & the  pink phone gift to Hrithik!
6. Gamesmanship between Farhan & Hrithik
7.Cameo by Naseer saab reinforces my belief of him being the greatest character artists in India

One of the high points of the film are the wonderful words of wisdom in the form of poems which have been seamlessly connected with the screenplay.

Farhan's voice over gives an utmost justice Javed Saab's expression!
Dialogues written by Farhan are magical!
Direction by Zoya with heart warming nuances took my breath away!

Akhtar clan is truly madly deeply talented!

Bollywood's Bucket of Life!  .. Go for it , take the bull by its horns!

Rating : 4.0 / 5.0

Delhi Belly : by Abhinay Deo

So Aamir Khan Production is back with Delhi Belly for audiences to relish! and admire his knack of narrating stories ..

Ummm ..Errr .... Huhh Oh!  Are you sure this is 'A'  Bollywood Film . ?!

Delhi Belly is a story of three roomates played by Imran Khan , Vir Das and Kunnal Roy.

They are so under obligation and dilapidated state , with no rent to pay.

Tashi(Imran) is in a relationship with Sonia played by Shehnaaz but he in turn is besotted by journalist Menaka played by Poorna.

Arup (Vir) is stuck in a hopeless cartoonist job and is dumped by his girlfriend too.

Nitin is a lazy dimwit with knack of eating crap roadside stuff , causing the ever famous Delhi diarrhoea.

A Gangster played by Vijay Raaz is eager to receive the diamonds package which is to be delivered by Sonia. In the midst of all confusion , Nitin's stool samples reaches the gangster and the diamonds are at the doctor's clinic.


** Disclaimer : A Word of Caution **

• The language used in the film is boorish and filthy to say the least , yet comical.

• The content in the film is gross , which is not everybody's cup of tea.

A side splitting comedy of errors and disorientation follows which had me in an uncontrollable riot !

Notable Sequences :-

1. Vijay Raaz receives the stool samples and the exclamation!
2. Nitin empties the Orange juice cartons to the utter disgust of Arup
3. The Jewellery Shop heist!
4. Nitin's photo - operation
5. Vijay Raaz entering Vladmir's room using a service guy's help ..
6. The Hotel Room Shootout
7. Roommates interrogation by Vijay Raaz for the diamonds before the roof falls!

There is no dearth of mad cap stuff , the 'F' word  ,  left right center , smacking right in your face crudeness & toilet humour galore!

The crisp editing and the music uplifts the film. Ram Sampath has truly arrived with tracks like 'Bhaag DK' ,  'I Hate You' and 'Sweety'.

Performances:  All three guys are exceptional and girls are just Ok , but Vijay Raaz takes the cherry on top!

Delhi Belly is a shocking , footloose comic caper smudged with good shit!

Rating : 4.0/5.0

Moon : by Duncan Jones

Duncan Jones , a first time Hollywood director came into limelight in 2009 with this feature "Moon".

Starring , Sam Rockwell , who plays an employee of a firm which sends people to the moon on a mission to extract  helium 3 for augmenting Earth's power base.

This sci-fi celluloid drama has two characters , Sam Bell , the employee on the 3 year stint and GERTY , his robot ally (voice over Kevin Spacey).

Lunar Industries has contracted Sam for a job to monitor the Helium 3 extractors on the Moon.

He is two weeks away from the end of the contract and the d-day of his return to Earth, to his wife and daughter.

As the film explores Sam's Lunar day to day proceedings , it takes a turn when he meets with an accident whilst travelling to retrieve H3 from the harvester.

GERTY rescues Sam but to his surprise he is not aware of any accident that happened.

Sam starts getting suspicious of the odd occurrences at the base and the next instance the audience gets a jolt from nowhere ! Boom !

This film marks the unearthing of the talent of Sam Rockwell as a leading man in Hollywood films who has always been a sidekick.

Moon is a gutsy effort by the British talent , underlying his prowess of screenplay and direction of a sci-fiction subject.

A hard hitting space fiction drama! Like!

Rating : 3.5/5.0

Groundhog Day : by Harold Ramis

Groundhog Day came in 1993 starring Bill Murray and Andie Macdowell.

It is a very significant story and is revered for being a socially and aesthetically important in today's times.

Phil Connors ( Bill ) is vainglorious Pittsburg TV weatherman who hates covering the annually held Groundhog Day festival in Punxsutawney.

He reaches there with his colleagues Rita and Larry to cover the event for the third year running.

February 2nd , the Groundhog Day , passes by and the next morning , Phil finds himself reliving the same day!

The time loop causes Phil to be confused at first and when it happens the following day , he tries to make the most of it in the negative sense.

He robs a bank with perfect timing , woo girls , drives heedlessly..

Eventually he becomes dispirited and desperate to finish the time loop at all cost even if it means attempting suicide in all possible ways.

Rita becomes his confidante and breaths new lease of life. Phil decides to use the curse in a efficacious way.

He uses his knowledge of the previous day events to help the neighbourhood , learn and rejuvenate himself.

This film is one heck of comic ride , thanks to Bill Murray's effortless humour timing!

It is also considered to be an important tale of virtue , self improvement & the power of giving..

Groundhog Day is easily one of the top 30 funny films of all time .. Have a good laugh!

Rating : 4.0/5.0

L.A. Confidential : by Curtis Hanson

L.A Confidential came in 1997 , the same year when Titanic swept everyone's feet with romance and tragedy.

L.A is an out and  out hardcore LAPD drama set in 1950's where crime ,deceit and corruption was at its peak in the city.

It resolves around an homicide at a coffee shop in downtown L.A and looks at the point of view of 3 LAPD officers in charge of the case.

Edmund Exley (played by Guy Pearce , a'la Memento fame)
  *** Honest , Intelligent , Idealist.

Bud White ( played by vulnerable Russel Crowe)
  *** Hotheaded, Obsessive , Violently Brutal


Jack Vincennes ( played by laid back Kevin Spacey)   *** Nonchalant , Witty , Polished

The case & the plot is extremely interesting , with lot of suspense for the audience to cling to.

Everyone is a suspect here!!

In comes, Lynn ( played by irresistible Kim Basinger) , a Hollywood look alike artist who holds the key to the entire proceedings.

At varied intervals, the 3 men investigate the killings and circumstantial events which in turn begin to unravel indications of corruption all around them.

The performances are exemplary by the entire cast leading to an electrifying showdown in the end.

No surprises for it to bag nine Oscar nominations winning two out of those.

A superlative crime drama! Not to be missed!

Rating : 4.0/5.0

Kung Fu Panda 2 : by Jennifer Yuh

Kung Fu Panda is one most comical characters to come out in animation history. I was itching for the sequel to release .. and here it goes ...

Jack Black voicing the over confident , hilarious , master of goof ups! , dragon warrior , 'Po'.

Its been thirty years , Panda 'Po' is protecting the valley of peace , as the chosen one along with the furious five.

Master Shifu is still in shock on Po's Kung Fu craft and reveals that Panda is yet to achieve inner peace.

Lord Shen is the heir of the peacock clan who decided to annul the entire Panda clan upon a prophecy that a "warrior of black and white" would destroy him.

Po has flashbacks of the fateful night when his parents abandoned him to a duck - Mr Ping in a rush to save from the atrocities of Shen.

China , is in danger under the wrath of Shen who wants to wipe out Kung Fu tradition using a special cannon weapon.

The Dragon Warrior and the Furious Five start their journey to save Kung Fu......

Animation is bigger and better , in particular the 3D sequences! The action is pure kick ass !

The supporting characters are equally strong in particular the Tigress (Angelina Jolie) and the villainous streak of Shen (Gary Oldman).

Po is adorable , clumsy & oozing with Kung Fu confidence , a true Jack Black tribute to the character.

Awesomeness is an addiction , My fist hungers for more , Panda!!!

Rating : 4.0/5.0

Schindler's List : by Steven Spielberg

Holocaust - Genocide of Six Million European Jews during WWII by Nazi - Germany

Oskar Schindler - A German businessman who was self reliant , independent , shrewd & money making Nazi supporter.

The List - A roll call of 1,100 Jews , survivors of the Ghetto.

Schindler's List is a true story inspired from a biographical book about a man , Oskar , who with his business acumen had a profound impact upon seeing the atrocities by Hitler led Nazis on the Jews.

Oskar played by Liam Neeson is a charismatic & alluring man. He has all the attention in the book and support from the military & SS.

He acquires a factory and starts his production  with his close associate Stern played by immensely talented Ben Kingsley.

Schindler had one simple objective - 'Maximize his profits by getting cheap Jews Labor' even if it means bribing the SS (Nazi Military).

Ralph Fiennes plays a SS Lieutenant who looks over the construction of the Plaszow concentration camp & orders his troops to empty all Jews with shoot at sight orders.

Stern & Schindler are distraught at the sight of massacre around them . Schilnder wants to save as many as he can in the event of  the orders to move all Jews to Auschwitz ,

They create the list of 1,100  Jews to work at his artillery shells factory thereby saving lives from the Nazis.

The performances by the actors is exemplary. The filming in black n white gave this film a documentary feel and a timeless sense.

A master craftsman , Spielberg used nuances which are heartrending , poignant , disturbing , sorrowful. The red color of the coat worn by the little girl used at the end symbolized hope & the bloodbath at the same time.

Crying was inevitable as the credits rolled , the pain of Schindler at the end comes a full circle.

Film of the decade (1990-2000) with 7 Oscars for Oskar!

"Whoever saves one life saves the world entire."

- inscription by the Jew workers on the ring gifted to Oskar.

Rating :   5 ⁵  / 5.0

Annie Hall : by Woody Allen

Alvy Singer , is one of the most crazy zany hysteric comic characters of all time conceptualized by none other than Woody Allen.

Make no mistake , this is a serious film (pun intended) by Woody's standard , still the genre is tagged as an American comedy film (1977) !

The film is about this comedian who is absolutely besotted by Annie Hall a vivacious and ambitious lady.

Alvy goes through the troughs and the crests of this dynamic relationship , and this makes the essence of the movie.

As the screenplay goes,  we are taken on a flashback ride of Alvy's childhood , to crosscut memories of Annie and Alvy's past.

Soon , the couple realize they are incompatible and have marked different personalities.

Annie moves to California to chase her dreams and Alvy continues play writing and standup acts.
Sooner he realizes his love has not diminished and meets Annie to convince her back.

Annie was the special one for Alvy , and the finale justifies the need for relationships and its complexities!

Woody 's best work till date , & the Academy revered it!

Rating : 4.0/5.0

Life is Beautiful : by Roberto Benigni

This is the second foreign language film  reviewed by me after Amelie & it gives me immense gratification in doing so for 'Life is Beautiful'.

This 1997 , Italian film is about Guido , played by Roberto Benigni who is a happy go lucky chap working as a waiter in a restaurant.

The film traverses through the hilarious set pieces in the first half where Guido woos a local school teacher. He is charismatic , comical and coy!

Years pass by , Guido marries his beloved and they have a son. The setting moves to WWII , where Guido and his son Joshua are forced to move into a train to concentration camps.

His wife demands to be on the same and all three are taken to the Nazi camps to be separated later in the male/female wings.

Guido makes all the effort in humour to guard his son from the Nazi's. Joshua  is told a made up story by his father that all the prisoners are a part of war game where the person who to attains 1000 points wins a tank.

The movie is poignant and funny , erupting mixed emotions for the audience. Roberto Benigni is brilliant as Guido and his performances brings a lump in my throat and grin with each passing reel.

In a bid to save his family , Guido's positivity & conviction that everything will be alright , carries the screenplay to great heights.

The finale makes you wonder of the film's title ' Life is indeed beautiful' and one should make the most of it till it lasts ... Guido did & passed the same moral to all!

Roberto truly deserved the Best Actor & Best Foreign Language Film academy honour.

A film for all seasons .. a message to Celebrate Life! come what may!

Rating : 4.0/5.0

7 Khoon Maaf : by Vishal Bhardwaj

7 Khoon Maaf is black comedy from VB's production house.

VB is known for non-run-of-the-mill cinema

Priyanka Chopra is known for her multi role acting histrionics

7 Murders of her cold, masochism , additive , polygamist , greedy , jealous hubby.

Unique , ain't it ... but truly speaking predictable & drag!

Chopra will be all over the awards next year

Though she cannot save a sinking ship

Maafi from VB .. Darling!

Rating : 2.0/5.0

Yeh Saali Zindagi : by Sudhir Mishra

Sudhir Mishra is known to break the mould of Indian movies right from 'Is Raat Ki Subah Nahi' to 'Hazaaron Khwahishein' ...

The film title in fact caught my attention and seeing the ensemble was an icing on the cake.

With not much expectation , Yeh Saali Zindagi sprung a big surprise.

It is story of literally 'falling' in love and the redemption!

Chitrangda Singh plays Preeti who is caught in a mess over the kidnapping of the future son-in-law of a powerful minister whom she is in love.

Irfan is a small time money launderer who is in love Preeti and his unconditional feelings catches him a whirlpool of crime and deceit.

The film has a parallel track involving Arunoday Singh who plays a young gangster  and wife played by Aditi Rao. The chemistry between the young talents generates sparks & is noteworthy.

Irffan Khan is a veteran now with wide array of character roles , his humour in diversity is an absolute revelation.

Chitrangda is all pretty and talented and the new bunch show a lot of promise. Special mention to Saurabh Shukla and his jugalbandi with Irffan.

Music is pleasing to the ears , songs like Kaise Kahen and the title track. The climax of the movie is truly expect the unexpected..

Yeh Saali Zindagi , hard hitting cinema at its best .. salute to a thriller genre!

Rating : 3.5/5.0

127 Hours : by Danny Boyle

Danny Boyle gave us the Oscar winning 'Slumdog' and all Indians were mirror-struck  seeing our reflection through the film.

127  Hours is another feather in his cap , a gritty biographical story about the real life adventurer  'Aron Ralston'.

This film is an adaption of the autobiography of Ralston himself.

Starring 'James Franco' as Aron is a biking fanatic and his passion is to cover the Utah terrain on his bike.

One fine day , he embarks on one such adventure , with all geared up accessories except his swiss knife ..

In the process he meets two girl hikers who have lost their way .. Aron makes their path far more interesting and fun , with crazy jumps into the underground canyon pools!

On resuming his trip , Aron climbs down one of the cliffs with boulders between the rocks. One of them is loose , and he falls down with the boulder trapping his arm in between the canyon walls.

127 Hours .... of

"toil , grit , suffering , pain , sorrow , joy , helplessness , resentment , strife , struggle , determination , hope"

James Franco is the next big thing to Hollywood & an extremely talented actor .. he will take the legacy of the Hanks and the De Niro's forward for sure.

An Overwhelming Tale of Courage , Spellbinding Cinematography , Haunting Music by Rahman , Franco is Mesmerizing , Boyle's Unique Film-Making.

Simply enough reasons to catch it !!!!!  70 minutes of true indomitable spirit.

Rating : 4.0/5.0

Requiem for a Dream : by Darren Aronofsky

Touted as one of the most disturbing and dangerous films of all time , I was intrigued to watch 'Requime for a Dream'

Darren has been an acclaimed director in Hollywood with movies like the Wrestler(2009) and the Black Swan (2010) to his credit.

Requiem' was his early work and it simply blows your mind with the maze of drug addiction ,sex and pinnacle of delusion.

Requiem for a Dream spans through seasons depicting 4 characters who are completely destroyed by into self-figmentation and fool's paradise.

The premise of the film is disturbing with scenes depicting pangs of desperation.

** Sara Goldfarb wants to be on television for a show and is so obsessed to be in shape , gives rein to slimming drugs.

** Harry , son of Sara , is a heroin addict , who with his friends Tyrone and Marion deals in drug trade illegaly.

** Marion is obsessed in love and drugs and go to any length to quench her anxiety.

** Tyrone is involved in drug gang and wants to make her mother proud.

Reel by reel , the anguish to attain depressant & drugs , results in hooking for more....


Darren is an exceptional talent and he uses a unique film making technique of rapid cuts , showcasing protagonists transition from reality to intoxication.

The final moments leave you with a sinking feeling caught in a whirlpool of addiction  .. No escapade!

Rating : 4.5/5.0

Dhobi Ghat : by Kiran Rao

Kiran Rao , makes her debut with an arty script with her husband Aamir at the helm of his acting prime and business acumen.

Dhobi Ghat is purely experimental cinema and a change for typical Hindi Film Milieu.

The film has primarily 5 characters :-

• Arun , the painter played by Aamir
• Shai , the banker played by Monica
• Munna , the dhobi played by Prateik
• Yasmin , the homemaker played by Kriti
• City Mumbai , played by the cinemascope

Its an interesting mix of people which creates magic on and off screen time of 90 minutes.

Moments which are noteworthy :-

1. Munna visits Shai's home for a cup of tea.
2. Shocking home video revelation of Yasmin which leaves Arun dazed.
3. Shai and Arun's vulnerable vibes
4. Munna's silence love for Shai and his modelling ambitions
5. Heart warming Climax

Dhobi Ghat will not appeal to all , as its slow and sluggish yet captures the essence of Mumbai beautifully.
Kudos to the cinematography of movie , picking the nuances of the city of dreams.

Special mention to the background score given by the renowned 2 Time Oscar Winner Gustavo.

Prateik is the next big thing and he had shown the spark in Jaane Tu... earlier. Monica has a photogenic quality about her and Kriti seems to be a natural. Aamir was the most disappoinitng of the lot.


Kiran's attempt is applause worthy but not everybody's cup of tea.


Rating : 3.0/5.0

Amélie : by Jean-Pierre Jeunet

Amelie , Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain , is the 2001 French romantic comedy.

The protagonist , 'Amelie' is a demure waitress who has one mission to change lives of people around her

with the inner demons of her own loneliness.

It is a mischievous tale of Parisian life with Amelie at the center of it all played by Audrey Tautou.

The film kicks of when the 23 year old finds memorabilia behind a bathroom tile in her apartment.

Her discovery is a a metal box of childhood memories of a boy who must have lived some decades ago in the very same place.

Amelie embarks on a trail to find the rightful owner of the 

box and return it.

In the process in her daily routine she pledges to act as a matchmaker and spread happiness all around.

The audience is drafted into the dreams & aspirations of Amelie for belongingness and love.

The movie is charming and a funny series of events which make laugh and cry at the same instance.

Audrey Tautou played Amelie to the 'T' with her expressive eyes and charming smile.

No wonder , it is ranked at no. 45 in IMDB elite list.

Rating : 3.5/5.0

Udaan : by Vikramaditya Motwane

Udaan , a film I was longing to see since its release. The world was going ga-ga over Inception from Nolan , and a movie in our den was getting critical acclaim but no box office luck.

Udaan , a film of chasing your dreams and living each day to attain it.

Udaan is about a 17 year old Rohan who is expelled from his boarding school , caught red-handed by the warden watching sleaze in a theater outside the campus.

Udaan is about a strict & abusive father played by Ronit Roy who lives with a six year old boy , the half brother of Rohan.

Udaan is about the bonding between the 2 siblings and the cocoon created by their father , trapping them under his vigilance , his rules and his unfair ideals.

Udaan & its screenplay genius ...

• Rohan's plight on leaving the boarding school and missing his friends on the way back to his home.
• Father's indifference and anger on his son's notorious actions , quashing his 'to be a writer' ambitions.
• Rohan's outburst towards his father at his uncle's place.
• The undercurrent between Arjun and Rohan and their initial non-comfort.
• Face off between the father and son on his low engineering grades.
• Hospital sequences , where in Rohan impresses all with his writings
• An apology from the father and his unapologetic instructions to Rohan & Arjun.
• The early morning juggernaut , & its climatic photo finish.

and ... much much more ...

Udaan is simplistic cinema at its best with so much soul into the script , provin it yet again , writing is key to a film.

Udaan has seen the rising of Motwani , the talented director and Rajat Barmecha , the expressive young actor

Udaan , the Best Hindi Flick of 2010. Period.


Rating : 4.5/5.0

The Green Mile : by Frank Darabont

The Green Mile is an adapted screenplay of the novel by the same name from Stephen King.

The film traverses the story of Paul ,  a prison warder who guards a cell block called as 'the Green Mile'  , the last mile which the prisoners walk at the time of their execution.

One fine day , John Coffey , played magnificently by Michael Duncan arrives into the death row. He is a giant negro convicted of rape and murder of two little girls.

John's extraordinary healing powers were brought forth , when he cured Paul's infection and bringing a mouse back to life.

The prison premises has its share of dark moments , with demented serial killers and murders & sadistic guards like Percy adding to the drama.

Some of the Key Moments:-

1. Percy sabotages an execution , is spine-chilling
2. Coffey healing the mouse 'Mr Jingles'
3. Coffey's revelation to Paul about the scene of the crime as-is
4. Entry of notorious serial murderer , 'Wild Bill'
5. The climax is a tear-jerker.

Performances in the film are noteworthy , specifically Michael playing Coffey with gamut of emotions.

The vicarious suffering of Coffey leaves the audience sympathize with his plight & is mark of a good actor.

Tom Hanks playing Paul , is again at his best , showing determination and grit and at the same time in awe seeing the super natural proceedings at the prison.

A Hollywood flick stretching beyond the 3 hour mark was a first for me , but it was seriously uplifting and emotionally draining experience.

Full justification to the book , in words of Stephen King ... 

Watch the "The Green Mile" for a otherworldly journey.

Rating : 4.0/5.0

No One Killed Jessica : by Rajkumar Gupta

No One Killed Jessica is the real life account of the famous Jessica Lal case which saw closure April 2010 , after 11 years of unrelenting trial for Jessica's family.

The script is written by Rajkumar Gupta , critically acclaimed director of the film 'Aamir' , which he claims is partly facts partly fiction.

The year is 1999 , Jessica is bar tending at an elite Delhi party , where Manu Sharma , son of a Congress politician shots her dead on refusal to serve drinks.

Sabrina Lal played by a restraint Vidya Balan is all & shattered. She supports her family and sees herself in the web of dirty politics and power game.

On the flip side , Meera , feisty news reporter played chirpily by Rani Mukherjee , is least interested in the open & shut case and takes the end result for granted.

Manu is acquitted in 2006 , Sabrina is devastated , Meera has her foot in the mouth at justice being denied!

NDTV reporter takes the pledge to bring in support from the nation on the shocking verdict , leading to the reopening of the case. Intense public & media pressure lead to the subsequent life imprisonment of Manu.

It is a story of perseverance and faith in justice , proving the saying Good prevails over Evil.

Acting skills are on a display , leading the way are the two female actors , Rani and Vidya , both are laudable.

Rani is on a comeback trail and how , with a hard hitting performance. Vidya has scored a hatrick post Paa & Ishqiya. She plays Sabrina with lot of grit and vulnerability at the same time.

Music from Amit Trivedi is pleasing with the right mix of soothing number like Dua to head banging Dilli! .. He surprises us with every film from Dev D to Aisha.

No One Killed Jessica is an emotional roller coaster ride which gives a sense of triumph! ..

Worth a Watch!

Rating : 3.5/5.0

Phas Gaye Re Obama : by Subhash Kapoor

Phas Gaye Re Obama .. an intriguing title for a film will always generate a certain kind of buzz.

I have tremendous respect for actors from theater , and the ensemble in this film boasts of stalwarts.

The backdrop of the movie is against the meltdown originating in US.

Om Shashtri played by Rajat is badly hit by global recession and is on the brink of bankruptcy.

He is on the verge losing his home in a failed attempt to pay the mortgage.

With the goal of accumulating money to save himself and his family , Om travels to his ancestral home in India in a bid to sell it off.

The comedy of error follows with small time village goons capturing a supposedly pot of gold ( NRI , Om Shashtri ).

The performances from the ensemble is unexcelled. Manu Rishi brings the house down with his so un-english punches. Rajat is as usual effective & Amol Gupte is one notch up from Kaminey.

The film belongs to Sanjay Mishra who plays "Bhai Saab" , the leader of the goons gang. He is confused yet tyrant and sinks his teeth into the role.

The screenplay takes off in the second hour , laughter galore, crackling dialogues & consistently engaging!

Kudos to another debutant director 'Subhash Kapoor' ... a serious talent in filmmaking!

Rating : 3.5/5.0

Band Baaja Baaraat : by Maneesh Sharma

 

"Band Baaja Baarat" ... I had very little expectations from this flick coming from the stable of YRF.

With a new filmmaker at the helm , a not so good looking debutant and a novice actress.

God knows , what was in store!!

The film kickstarts with Shruti Kakkar played by Anushka Sharma has a dream of having her wedding planning setup in upmarket Delhi locality with a high turnover business.

She convinces her parents to pursue her dream and in the process meets Bitto Sharma , a haryanvi college dropout, good-for-nothing , notorious chap.

In an attempt to avoid going back to his village to pursue agriculture farming , he decides to join Shruti in her 

 b(us) iness , as typically pronounced by Bittoo.

The premise of the film is fresh and the pair look charming to the core.

The screenplay in the first hour is simply outstanding with the protagnanists moving slowly and steadily towards their dream of managing weddings in Delhi's Sainik Farms for the elite.

I must say , fell in love with apni Dilli all over again ... the nuances shown by the director are copybook Dilliwalla's.

The music just uplifts the mood of the film with chartbusters like "Ainvayi Ainvayi" sung by Salim himself.

The performances are exemplary particulary from Anushka who plays the ambitious mitthi churi Shruti Kakkar , a typical  Dilli  Punjab Wali from Janakpuri. She effortlessly plays the character to the 'T'.

The surprise package was Ranveer Singh , a dream start to his career. He brings a smile with his charm and wit. With no acting background , Ranveer Singh is knee-deep into Bitto Sharma and brings out the best in him!

Maneesh Sharma should be given due credit for coming up with a real to reel concept & it deserves an applause.

Fultoo Paisa Vasool!

Rating : 4.0/5.0