One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest : by Miloš Forman

Can an actor carry a film entirely on his shoulders to make us revere him????


Jack Nicholson is the man to do this no mean feat!!!!!

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is deemed as a masterpiece in many ways and I am in full agreement.

Randle McMurphy (Jack) plays a deranged criminal who is charged of crimes which are unpardonable.He is transferred to a mental institution for his apparent mad-behaviour. Mc-Murphy wishes to spend his rest of the sentence in comfort and he takes this sacrifice along.

The inmates there in the hospital are a bunch of frenetics and the set of actors so chosen have performed magnificently. The story moves along with the McMurphy forming deep camaraderie with the patients.

The tyrant Nurse Ratchet played by Louise Fletcher was the doppelganger of Jack Nicholson's character and the friction between them made the film tangy and zippy!!!!

Key Moments :

• McMurphy breaking the ward glass window to fetch the cigarette packs.
• Argument on watching the World Series on Television.
• The End Reels makes me sentient.

First Film to win all 5 Major Oscars .....

Best Fim , Director , Actor , Actress , Screenplay.

Do I need to say more??!?!?

Rating : 5.0/5.0

Snatch : by Guy Ritchie

Snatch is the follow up to the movie Lock Stock And Two Smoking Barrels ... and ...

Guy Ritchie disappoints me big time with repetitive drama and heist plot.

The Oasis in the Desert .. is

Mickey O'Neill played by Brad Pitt is the surprise package , the guy can act ... with a terrific Irish Accent.

Rating : 2.0/5.0

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels : by Guy Ritchie

Guy Ritchie is considered to be an innovative man behind the camera and he proves it with Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.

The premise of the film revolves around 4 separate gangs working at tandem for a Stock of Money and an antique pair of Gun Barrels worth a fortune.

4 guys decide to pull of a coup on a gangster in a card game and pool in a huge sum to allow Eddie , the gambler of the group beat Hatchet at his own game.

The quartet find themselves in a soup when Eddie loses and they are in debt.

Meanwhile there is a race to get hold of two antique barrels, and this maze of gang-war and heist stories puts the cinegoer in splits.

The theatrics in the movie are simply outrageous , a typical comedy-of-errors , hilarity at its best!!

Best Moment of the Film : The Penultimate Scene ( last 15 minutes of the film are awesome!!)

Rating : 4.0/5.0

Pulp Fiction : by Quentin Tarantino

Pulp Fiction , is deemed as a cult film in many ways re-defining cinema and setting an example for later movies . I was fortunate enough to see it last night , and for me it is hard to fathom to say the least!!!!!

Quentin has always amazed me with his non-linear structuring , punchy over-the- top dialogues as seen in his recent films like Kill Bill and Reservoir Dogs ... had I seen Pulp Fiction earlier , would have appreciated it a gr8 deal.

Still , the film stands out in some ways ....

1. Vincent ( played by Travolta ) and his chemistry with Wallaces' wife Mia (played by Thurman)

2. Jules ( played by Samual L ) baleful biblical pronouncement to kill a guy who had transgressed against their boss Wallace.

3. The rig at the restaurant where two amateur goons (Pumpkin and Honey Bunny) try to rob the place and are confronted with Vincent and Jules ( not again :) :)

4. Bonnie Situation , was the funniest of the lot where in 2 hitman do a clear up job of murder done accidentally by Vincent.

Performances are good particularly , Samuel Jackson who has a mean look ... Bruce Willis' story is not even worth mentioning let alone his acting... Travolta's jig reminds of his Grease dayz ... and Uma Thruman is just about ok.

A lot of things puzzled me in the film , and still do , and will continue to do so as it has for audiences galore .... .... INTRIGUING FILM

Rating : 4.0/5.0

Race : by Abbas Mustan

RACE .... Abbas - Mustan have got it right this time ...

The film is a typical edge-of-the-seat thriller... making the cinegoer gasp for more ...

Saif and Akshaye play step-brothers , owners of a Ranch and dealing in the big time moolah!!

The girls in the film Bipasha and Katrina have a performance packed roles ... Bipasha playing the love interest of Akshaye and Katrina , Saif's silent admirer...

Sudden turn of events , puts the life of the 2 brothers in jeopardy , and hence unfolds the web of DECEIT & SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST!!!!

The music of the film is racy and gels with the movie superbly , Pritam does it again after Jab We Met!! , songs worth mentioning is the title track and the Atif Aslam song which is melodic to the ears.

The Post-Interval Events with the intro of Anil Kapoor ( the cop) and his sidekick Sameera Reddy spice up the storyline to the next level....

Noteworthy Performances : Akshaye Khanna is superlative , Saif a close second!

Any Glitches!?!!? ----- Too Many Twists Spoils the Plot Somehow

SUPER SLICK , SMART , SEXY THRILLER ....... GET SET GO!

Rating : 4.0/5.0

Ek Chalis Ki Last Local : by Sanjay M. Khanduri

Ek Chalis ki Last Local ... is a a genre chartered many times and is termed as a "black comedy" a la' "Jaane bhi do Yaaron"

It is a story of a roller-coaster night of 2.5 hrs , where the life of a call-center exexcutive is turned upside down!

Abhay Deol has come a long way since his debut in Socha Na Tha .. and he has improved in leaps and bounds...

The movie starts at a train platform , Abhay misses his last local train and is stranded , biding time to reach his destination or wait for the morning train.

As the film unfolds, the call center executive encounters plethora of people ranging from a prostitute to road side goons to card-gamblers.

The Card-Game sequence is well-executed , capturing the excitement to the maximum.

Post-Interval the film , becomes a tad boring with a few stories webbed together...

Culmination of the film is reminicent of the hollywood flick Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels which I just saw a few dayz back.... nice attempt by the new director!

Performances : Kudos to Abhay! and the bar girl singing the Kukudu Song is gut-busting!!!

Rating : 3.5/5.0

Hotel Rwanda : by Terry George

Hotel Rwanda is yet another movie which highlights the dark hours of an African Nation.

The movie is based on true to life events of mass killings which occured in Rwanda in 1994 , where milllions died due to hatred amongst two sections of the African Tribals ....... Hutus and Tutsi!!

The film is about a Hotel Manager taking upon himself to shelter the helpless Tutsi people who are the primary targets in this bloodshed.

Hotel Rwanda is a very realistic film giving insight into the state of an African Nation ( a la' Last King of Scotland ) ... the ghastly act of killings has been depicted in a very never seen before mode!! ... may cause the cinegoer to switch the film off ... ( not for the faint- hearted)

The manner in which , beating the odds , Paul Rusesabagina , saves many tutsi lives in a crisis civil war scenario makes me stand up and applaud the man .

The performances are exemplary in particular Don Cheadle playing Paul Rusesabagina .

These true life events pictured in the movie gives us hope that there is SPACE FOR EVERYONE IN THIS WORLD...

Rating : 4.0/5.0

Sin City : by Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez

Sin City is not a run-of-the-mill flick , it is a film with the novelty of watching something eye-catching in a long time!

Sin City : the film is based on a series of comics by Frank Miller by the same name, the USP of the film is the narration in neo-noir pattern as seen in Usual Suspects and Memento .....

The movie is divided into three stories told in a true comic craper style with lot of flair , over-the-top dialogues , hardcore histrionics.

The film is set in Basin City (a fictional town) where in Crime , Sex , Gang-War and Killings are the high points of people inhabiting the same.

Let's talk about the stories:

1. That Yellow Bastard (Part 1) : Saviour n a Girl n a Mutant

2. The Hard Goodbye : A Typical Revenge pot boiler

3. The Big Fat Kill : Gang-War

4. That Yellow Bastard (Part 2) : Culmination of Part 1

My personal favorite is story # 2 , has a lot of masala and dramatization ....!!

The starcast is huge and its good to see an ensemble of talent in one reel ranging from Bruce Willis to Benicio del Toro to Jessica Alba to Elijah Jordan Wood.

The movie is worth a dekko , go for it , i'll grab the copy of the comic series ...

Rating : 3.5/5.0

Ratatouille : by Brad Bird and Jan Pinkava

Pixar has always impressed me with their state of art animation studio works and Ratatouille is no exception!

The storyline is very unreal yet believable where in a rat possesses a natural finesse for cooking... he is dying to become a CHEF!

Gusteau is the world famous french restaurant where in the late connoisseur of food ... has left a legacy in the hands of wannabe chef's ..

Rat being a rodent it is , has a talent unmatched to sniff the aroma at a distance with the acumen to experiment with platter of dishes!!

The animation is terrific , reminding me of Toy Story and Finding Nemo as other acclaimed movies coming from the Pixar studios!

The rodent is adorable and the audience embraces it with benevolent arms! ...

Must Watch ... family,friends,kids ... grab a copy! ... Oscar truly deserved!

Rating : 4.5/5.0

Jodha Akbar : by Ashutosh Gowarikar

Jodha Akbar ... had many expectations from this historical drama coming straight out of Lagaan and Swades directorial den...

I am honestly very very disappointed .. The film has proven to be Discovery Channel Documentary to say the least .. it has zero entertainment value with the length of the movie bugging the cine goer to the hilt!

The music was nothing to cheer about , the performances were ok types with only Aishwarya stamping her prowess , Hrithik seemed lost in the crowd !!

The saving grace were the war scenes and the penultimate fight reminiscent of TROY!

The Legacy of Lagaan ... may not be repeated for many years to come ... pull up your socks Mr Gowarikar !!

Rating : 3.5/5.0

Juno : by Jason Reitman

Jason Reitman has a novel way of presenting things (reminiscent a lot of "Thank You For Smoking")


Juno is a breath of fresh air ...... n' simply irresistible

Ellen Page plays Juno , a sixteen year old , who in a fit of sexual arousal , gets into unwanted pregnancy .. !!

The umpteen preg tests undergone by Juno , makes her take this development as casually as the daily sunrise :) :)

Her boyfriend who is in the thick of things , is heart broken when Juno decides to abort ... and then out of the blue , the conscience makes her think otherwise.

Her family is damn supportive , and her decision to raise the new born vicariously through a sweet couple in need of a child , is superbly handled.

The film is all about the relationships tango between Juno , her boyfriend , her parents , her class-fellows and last but not the least the adopting couple!

The dialogue writer has done a commendable job in putting up a witty show , Ellen Page blurring out words at a rate of knots. The hilarity is just extra-ordinary leaving the cine goer into splits.

Special Mention : The background score with super acoustic guitar riffs , is just terrific and very pleasing to the ears ...

Felt bad that Ellen missed out on the Oscar yesterday.......
Watch it for a simple , innocent , serious , outrageous , whacko ride!!


Rating : 4.5/5.0

Se7en : by David Fincher

Seven Deadly Sins :

PRIDE ,
GLUTTONY ,
LUST ,
GREED ,
ENVY ,
WRATH ,
SLOTH ..

David Fincher is at it again , It cannot get better than this ... !!

Zodiac was a disappointment , Fight Club was a revelation ..

Se7en is just terrific , this is an understatement ....

Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt play detectives on the trail of psychic murders , flabbergasted by the events. Detective Sommerset (Freeman) is about to retire and detective Mills (Pitt) is the new kid on the block.

This bridge of experience and youth , gives freshness to the film starting at Sin Number One GREED.

The murders are gruesome ... gory toooo!!! The detectives have no clue , no evidence , until things take a flip , confusing the audience for sure.

The end reels had me DUMBFOUNDED ... the director shooting a bolt from the blue!!

Full Marks for captivating the cinegoer and shocking at the same time !!!

Rating : 5.0/5.0

Mithya : by Rajat Kapoor

Mithya .... meaning "a lie" is not a typical bollywood potbolier , it breaks the cliche' to the hilt.

The team of Bheja Fry collaborate for the most unexpected ride of 2008 ,with Rajat Kapoor in the thick of things behind the camera.

Ranvir Shorey , plays a struggling actor frustrated with the knick - knacks of bollywood world. Unexpected events at a night out in mumbai street , creates a storm in the life of VK (Ranvir) .

The story is a maze of events involving the two underworld gangs and VK is in this muddle. Naseerudin Shah , Saurabh Shukla , Vinay Pathak , and many more are the pawns of a Chess Game and someone is surely checkmated!!!!

The script by Rajat and Saurabh Shukla is well-written and reminds us of Ramu' s Satya and yesteryear's Don. The performance by Shorey is once again superlative , he is definitely the king of off-beat cinema in India!

Neha Dhupia is just ok , and the supporting cast gives much needed impetus to the story!

Watch this film for Ranvir only and the unconventional story-telling .

Rating : 3.5/5.0

Atonement : by Joe Wright

Atonement .... as the bible says "satisfaction or reparation for a wrong or injury; amends, reconciliation" 

It is a story of two people madly in love with each other , James McAvoy and Keira Knightley.

The youngest of the three sisters Briony , misinterprets each moment shared by them as an act of erotiscism on the part of Robbie ( played by James ) .

The circumstances build in such a manner which implicates Robbie into a false charge solely on Briony's testimony.

The film then shifts 4 years ahead , England is at war during WWII , Robbie given a choice between prison sentence and joining the army , chooses for the latter. Keira Knightley ( Cecilia ) meets Robbie and the lost love is found!

The twists n turns in the second half , are out of this ordinary, with the narration leaving the cinegoer dumbfounded.

Hats off to the performances , James is into the character with ease , since I saw him in Last King of Scotland. Keira is passe ' , could have done a bit better .

The supporting cast is great ,particularly Cecillia's younger sister Briony. The background score is awesome , particularly at every instance of Briony's intro , the piano keys surely rings alarm bells!!

The finale makes me hail the writer of the book as well the screenplay adapted by the director Joe Wright!! ..... am teary eyed at the end of it all!!

Rating : 4.0/5.0

Michael Clayton : by Tony Gilroy

Michael Clayton played by George Clooney is about an attorney termed as a FIXER hired by a law firm to control unlawful situations.

Arthur Edens ( a leading attorney of the firm U-North ) is in a middle of a controversy when he incoherently talks at a hearing.

George Clooney is summoned to help him get out of this mess and he discovers that Arthur is into mental illness due to non-medication.

The turn of events puts Michael Clayton in a fix where he is in a tangle of deceit and trickery. The film meanders with the sole purpose of finding the truth which has been mis-represented , Michael Clayton is the man to find it!

The performance by George Clooney is worth noting after seeing him in Ocean's Thirteen long since. Tom Willkinson is just about ok as an eccentric attorney stuck in a lawsuit .

Noteworthy , not oustanding.

Rating : 2.5/5.0

The Prestige : by Christopher Nolan

This is the second Christopher Nolan installment after Memento which I have seen from start to end , and he dumbfounds me each time !!!

The Prestige is a period film set in London , where in MAGIC is the bread n butter of aspiring artists and a delight for the audiences.

Christian Bale plays Borden and Hugh Jackman plays Angier , two ambitious Magicians. Michael Caine plays the veteran , having all the tricks up his sleeves.

One fine day , Borden in his charm for experimentation , makes a blunder , which turns Angier as his only foe. The Prestige at this point comes out as a survival of the fittest (magician !) with both of them trying to out do each other.

The turning point in the film is the Transported Man trickery performed by Borden(Bale) , making people marvel him.

This cat and mouse duel in between all the ABRACADABRA ... culminates in such a manner never seen before.. !!

The director has always been an expert in non-linear narration (a la' Memento) , and comes out good this time too.

Awesome execution of the plot!!

Rating : 5.0/5.0

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind : by Michel Gondry

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind ... !?!?!?!?

This theatrics by Michel Gondry is intriguing and bizarre to say the least and you will definitely believe it when you see it!

This Valentine , relationships which have been going wrong can have a look at ESOSM , where in protaganists , Kate Winslet and Jim Carey carry the film through with maze of events hard to fathom but compelling for sure.

Jim Carey on a regular day realizes a series of events where-in someone else is controlling his memory to wipe out all the minute details of his ex-girlfriend.

The doctors have already wiped out the memory from Clementine's (Kate) mind pertaining to Joel ( her beloved) . Joel , in a fit of rage decides to undergo the same treatment.

The film at this point shows the sequence of events in the past related to their relationship and how Joel tries to hold on to memories which doctors are trying to wipe out ...

PHEW!!! ... What a Concept!!! ...

Kate and Jim are superlative ... watch it for the sheer eccentricity in love !!

Rating: 4.0/5.0

Sunday : by Rohit Shetty

Sunday is one hell of a hilarious ride with a pinch of suspense adding a cherry on top of the cake.

Rohit Shetty after Golmaal , enthralls the audience with this film similar to the genre of Welcome / Golmaal / Dhol / Dhamaal .

The "USP" of this movie is the murder mystery in between all the whacko hilarity.

The plot revolves around this girl played by Ayesha Takia who is a animation dubbing artist caught in a maze of events she does not re-collect.

Ajay Devgan plays a semi-corrupt cop , handling the re-occuring crimes in and around Delhi.

The best of the lot are Irrfan Khan ( wannabe bollywood superstar) and Arshad Warsi (the street taxi driver) .... they just make a lethal combination ... having me down on the floor , laughing out the loudest !!!

The post-interval portions of the film intrigues the cine-goer as the suspense is unraveled!

A BIG THUMBS UP TO THE DIRECTOR FOR A ROLLICKING RIDE
....... eagerly waiting for Golmaal Returns!

Rating : 3.5/5.0

No Country For Old Men : by Coen Brothers

Coen Brothers have come up with an exceptional story - telling experience through this film.

"No Country For Old Men" , is about a drug-deal gone wrong in the middle of Texas dessert.

The premise of the film revolves around three people , THE PSYCHO kingpin of the drug deal and a professional hitman , THE HUNTER finding himself in the whirlpool of deceit and homicide , and the SHERIFF on the trail of these crimes!!

The performances are exemplary in particular the hitman played by Javier Ángel Encinas Bardem , a Spanish actor. The potrayal is of a cold-blooded killer who is after the million bucks stolen from the drug deal by the Hunter played by Josh J. Brolin .

The screenplay is gripping and cinematography is worth mentioning . The deserts of wide open country - Texas have been captured superbly.

Glitches!?! .... The climax could have been more spicer :) .... hope it wins the Oscar this year!

Rating : 4.5/5.0

The Holiday : by Nancy Meyers

The Holiday is one of the few movies I have seen directed by a woman in hollywood, and I can tell you it has a lot of nuances which a sensitive lady can present on celluloid!!!

The Holiday is all about relationships , how people behave and react to a person he/she loves till the end of time , unrequited love , trust , honesty , guilt , passion , tears , smiles and what not!

Cameron Diaz in L.A is frustrated seeing her boyfriend cheating on her and Kate Winslet is in love with a guy not reciprocating the same in London.

The two women swap homes for the holiday season of 2 weeks and their lives are replenished with vigour and joy!! Jude Law comes as a refreshing person in Amanda's Life ( played by Diaz) . Winslet finds solace in a 90 year old neigbour , long forgotten film legend..

Jack Black is the sweet boy next door music arranger bringing happiness back into Kate's life.

The story enlightens us of most talked about emotion called LOVE ..........

..... and it is highlighed well enough creating an instant connection as an audience for me!!!!!

Significant Dialogue from the film ....

"I understand feeling as small and as insignificant as humanly possible, and how it can actually ache in places you didn't know you had inside you, and it doesn't matter how many new haircuts you get, or gyms you join, or how many glasses of chardonnay you drink with your girlfriends... you still go to bed every night going over every detail and wonder what you did wrong, or how you could have misunderstood, and how in the hell for that brief moment you could think that you were that happy. And sometimes you can even convince yourself that he'll see the light and show up at your door. And after all that, however long all that may be, you'll go somewhere new, and you'll meet people who make you feel worthwhile again, and little pieces of your soul will finally come back. And all that fuzzy stuff, those years of your life that you wasted, that will eventually begin to fade" ---- IRIS ( Kate Winslet )

Diabetics stay away .... Sugar Coated Motion Picture!!!!!!!!

Rating : 4.0/5.0

American Gangster : by Ridley Scott

American Gangster comes across as just another Martin Scorcesse / Francis Ford Copolla genre of big bad boys movie based on cult gangster themes.

Ridley Scott gives his best shot into this chartered territory with plethora of talent at his disposal a la' Oscar Winners Denzel Washington and Russel Crowe.

Based on a true story of a Drug Smuggling Empire set up by Frank Lucas played by Denzel during the bloodshed of Vietnam in the 60's , is compelling to say the least.

The smuggling nexus is led by him in tandem help of US Army deployed in Vietnam and it grows into massive proporations , killing thousands due to the addiction of drugs.

The performances are extraordinary in particular Denzel Washington proving his prowess time and again.

Ridley Scott , the director has come a long way since Gladiator , and the audience should appreciate his efforts in putting up a good show to this real life drama.

Rating : 3.5/5.0

The Queen : by Stephen Frears

" Princess Diana was the people's princess " says Tony Blair , the recently elected Prime Minister of England.

Does the Queen agree to the above statement???????????????

The Queen , film by Stephen Frears is a semi-documentary on the hush-hush at the Buckingham Palace post Diana's death .
Dame Helen Mirren plays the title role with unprecendented grace , humility and authority!!!

The resemblance of the characters in the film to the people in flesh is remarkable in particular Tony Blair played by Michael Sheen.

The political game going on at the critical time leaves the audience gasping for more. The Queen adamant on showing any signs of remorse on Diana's death does not go well with the British Masses .

Blair's gimmick and political hand-holding pacifies the situation in the end.

The reel captures the essence of the top monarch in the world , the subtlety in the performances is noteworthy.

Scene of the Movie : Tony Blair meeting the The Queen for the first time after being elected as the PM

Helen is par-excellence as the Queen deserving the coveted Oscar for the same .

Sitting here in UK ... learnt a lot about the governing of this country :) :)

--- Nice watch---

Rating : 4.0/5.0

Zodiac : by David Fincher

"Zodiac" , I was having enormous expectations from this movie , coming from the den of David Fincher a la' Se7en and Fight Club ,

Zodiac is about the notorious crimes in San Francisco during 60's and 70's commited by a serial killer named as Zodiac. These random killings bamboozles the San Francisco Chronicles staff and the Vallejo Detectives .

The Cryptic Letters with blood-soaked shreds puzzles one and all except the over-obssessed Cartoonist at the same newspaper.

The case meanders over the years , stumbling upon evidences and clues and suspects , of no avail , and then the turn of events courtesy Jake Gyllenhaal (the cartoonist) throws light on the facts.

The story picks up in some of the portions , otherwise the screenplay is dull.

It was disappointing . Period .

Rating : 2.5/5.0

The Bourne Ultimatum : by Paul Greengrass

Expectations were huge after seeing the prequel day before yesterday , and I am here writing this review with upmost gleee!!

Matt Damon as Jason Bourne has travelled far and away spanning the 3 films to know his identity and sure he does in the final installment .. it is an absolute privilage to witness such storytelling!

Bourne Ultimatum starts where Bourne Supremacy ended in Moscow... Jason is still at large and operation Blackbriar is at stake!

This time his accomplice is Nicky Parson and both of them travel thru Morocco and London to find answers which Bourne des·per·ate·ly seeks!!!!

Eye-Catching Sequences :

• Street Chase by Bourne in Morocco to save Nicky.
• Master Plan to out-think Noah Vosen , the CIA head of the operation.
• The Culmination of the movie with Jason struck by the truth at the treadstone facility
• The Action throughout the film and the background score by John Powell is superlative.

Matt Damon as "Jason Bourne" for me surpasses James Bond , Indiana Jones and many other cult action characters.

The brainchild of Ludlum has been given full justice ..... AMEN!

Rating : 5.0/5.0

The Bourne Supremacy : by Paul Greengrass

The Bourne Supremacy was the 2nd installment in the trilogy of the novels written by Robert Ludlum , an accomplished fiction author ;

I was lucky enough to watch it yesterday ... better late than never!!!

The film starts 2 years hence where Bourne Identity was left off.

Bourne in India is again haunted by the aftermaths of an assasination executed by him in Berlin ... Treadstone is after him again ...

The film is damn racy and fast-paced to say the least , meandring from Goa to New York to Moscow.

The attempt on his life , takes him into a journey of finding answers to his identity.Meanwhile CIA have trails on him for commiting crimes even after dissolution of Treadstone way back.

The action is slick , the background score is just out of this world , one of the best I have experienced and the skills in acting , what can I say , MATT DAMON is superlative as Jason Bourne .

The best sequence of the movie : Jason Bourne targetting the CIA chief from the rooftop with his sniper and the tête-à-tête that follows!!!!

Super Duper Edge of the Seat Action Thriller!!

Rating : 4.0/5.0

The Notebook : by Nick Cassavetes

Nicolas Sparks wrote his heart out in this fairytale romantic fable.
The movie adapted on the same tome takes the audience on a journey full of dreamy romantic oblivion.

The film is set in the 40's era , where a young country boy woos the girl of his dreams on whom he has fixated his eyes.

The chemistry between the couple ooozes heart felt affection with
deep need for companionship ,friendship and never-to-be-broken bond

...they are inseparable...

The typical bollywoodesque turn of events , keeps you on tenterhooks , culminating to apt finale.

The book as well as the film is predictable to a certain extent and is for people falling in love , are in love , want to be in love !!!

Romance , Love , Charm and Rhapsody sugar coats the movie to the core.

Sweet , Simple love story.

Rating : 3.5/5.0

The Last King of Scotland : by Kevin MacDonald

Forest Whitaker the actor , says " You are my closest advisor " and hell breaks loose in the life of a wannabe scottish Dr Nicolas Garrigon played by James McAvoy.

The Last King of Scotland creates a regime : no fear , all freedom for the common man in Uganda . Promises given under oath by the President (Army Chief ) furnishes a smooth road ahead.

"Food,Infrastructure,Roads and all the common amenities" .

Dr. Garrigon , one fine day saves the life of the President and is caught in a whirpool full of Deceit,Mass Killings,Apartheid and Hidden Propaganda

Forest Whitaker , is one of the finest performances I have witnessed on screen by an actor leave alone black one!!! (Oscar truly deserved)

He is a paradox ,switching between being a mean tyrant to a closest ally.

The last moments of the film keeps you spellbound , too good to be a true story!!!!!!!!

Must Watch for getting into the psyche of an African Nation conglomeration....

Rating : 4.5/5.0

Thank You for Smoking : by Jason Reitman

Argument is the best form of lobbying , not negotiation , right Mr Nick Naylor.

As the President of the Academy of Tobacco Studies , he enjoys his job to the extent of absorbing all the hatred of the masses whilst propagandizing SMOKING!

Team of M.O.D (Merchants of Death) , Nick alongwith a liquor & a firearms entrepreneur , meet over drinks to discuss the numbers added to their respective DEATH TOLL count!

Hilarious to say the least , the movie throws light on the flip side of the lobbyist , winning verbal duels with Talk Show Hosts , Senator of the State , NewsPaper Reporter and even his Boss !

Freedom of choice is what drives Nick Naylor , preaching the same to his son and all.

Film Satire , the genre chartered well by the captain of the ship ... nice comic caper!!

Rating : 4.5/5.0

I am Legend : by Francis Lawrence

Robert Neville is a virologist & the last man on earth : Year 2012

The crazy notion of curing cancer using the measels virus , led to a massive catastrophe wiping over 90 % of the human face on this earth.

Less than 1% were immune to the virus and Will Smith playing Dr. Neville was the last survivor. Each day in broad sunlight , with his pet dog , would go on a search for any survivors.

The film is set in downtown Manhattan , devoid of any life other than non-human species.Even if the human samples were there , they would be infected to the highest degree taking shelter in dark places reactive to UV rays.

Some noteworthy nuances :

• Playing golf on the wing of an airplane.
• Talking to mannequins just to converse.
• Creating AV of his experiment on recorder
• Reciting the dialogues of Shrek memorized to the limit

Will Smith has done it again with a powerhouse performance. He has turned into a sensitive actor post Pursuit of Happyness.

------- Nice Watch --------

Rating : 4.0/5.0

The Italian Job : by F. Gary Gray

Italian Job is yet another heist movie which I have seen lately and it does disappoint a wee bit.

The premise of the movie starts in Venice , where in a team of 5 pull-off a sensational vault robbery planned to perfection!!

The events take a turn when the gold in the vault is snapped up by an avaricious member, Mark WahlBerg taking the plunge of planning out a revenge.

Charlize Theron , plays a vault deciphering specialist with the common goal of taking out the villiany out of Edward Norton.

The planning gone into the robbery in the second half of the reels is incredibly thought of.

Some of the high points of the film were :

1. Use of Mini Coopers as their heist vehicles!!
2. Tracking the truck carrying the gold worth 37 million!!
3. The Climax blows the audience out

The downside of the film : Getting access to the US vehicular traffic control system was far-fetched!!!

No novelty for me after Ocean's Eleven,Twelve,Thirteen and The Inside Man!

Rating : 3.0/5.0

Dor : by Nagesh Kukunoor

Dor is one of the finest stories to be painted on a film canvas.

It is a story of two women coming from different

cultures poles apart in terms of dialect,customs,

traditions,outlook towards life , ideals yet with one common thread in their lives!!

Gul Panag follows the pradigm of listening to your heart rather than the head , going to any extent to save her beloved from exile.

Ayesha Takia (Meera) , a sweet and charming rajashthani wife , full of life and vigour.

Events churns the lives of both women , one having determination in her veins and the notion of living life on her own terms and the other a caged bird craving to spread her wings , uncertainity in her head.

Shreyas Talpade acts as an impostor in the film aka Behroopiya, extending his help to Zeenat ( Gul ) in her search. He is one of the high points of the film giving mimicry artists a run for their money!!!

The storyline is captivating yet slow in parts , music is very much folk to be precise. The final reels are what you expect from a sensitive director like Nagesh.

He is one of the finest story-teller , touching hearts of millions by this poignant fable.

Rating : 4.5/5.0

Woh Lamhe : by Mohit Suri

Woh Lamhe gives an insight into the life of a top-notch actress , her anguish and happiness , her aspirations and expectations, her madness and cravings, her achivements and the downfalls.

Loosely and supposedly based on the life of Parveen Babi , Kangna Raut does an exceptional job in moulding herself and digging into the high-nosed character of a superstar.

Shiny Ahuja is a wannabe director , with the intention of signing Kangana for his movie. His plan of action is a success in terms of attracting the actress by breaking her self-esteem and high-headed blues.

The story - telling is compelling and the schizophrenia diagnosis leaves the audience gasping for more. There in lies the emotional power of the script backed up by stupendous music.

Take a bow Pritam ... I am his fan since Gangster and this music album can be touted as the finest soundtrack in a long long time!!!

Songs worth mentioning :

• Bin tere
• Kya mujhe pyar hai
• Chal Chale
• Tu jo nahin

The chemistry between Kangana and Shiny sparkles and makes the film worth watching. Go for it , even if u have missed it like I did in 2006 :)

Rating : 4.0/5.0

Taare Zameen Par : by Aamir Khan

देखो इन्हें यह है ओस की बूँदें ,
पंत्तों कि गोद में आसमान से कूदें ,
अन्गादाई ले फिर करवट बदल के,
नाज़ुक से मोती हँस दे फिसल कर,

खो ना जाये यह,
तारे ज़मीन पर.............

Aamir Khan's directorial debut , makes me feel privilaged to be writing this post and applauding the man for his sincerity in handling the subject with such aplomb.

Darsheel Saraf plays Ishan Awasthi , an 8 year old kid carrying the aspirations n' expectations of his family , inspite of his disorder of deciphering the alphabets in his school notebook - aka 'Dyslexia' .

Taare Zameen Par delves into the psyche of a kid who is caught in the whirlpool of learning , competing and excel in today's competitive race.

Darsheel has potrayed this character with such conviction never seen before in a child artist let alone the stalwarts.

Moments worth mentioning :

• Ishan's imagination going wild to solve a simple mathematics test question .. it has been explained with intricate details of what's going on in the kid's head.


• Ishaan's forced admission into a boarding school , the emotional upheaval is shot brilliantly.


• Introduction of the temporary Art Teacher played splendidly by Aamir.


• Father's self-pity for not showering enough love to his kid.


• The penultimate reels reach emotional crescendo , having me moist - eyed !!

The music of the film gels with the script beautifully making it journey rather a reel drama ,credited to Shankar Ehsaan and Loy.

Darsheel is a powerhouse of a performer , his expressions do most of the talking in the film , deserves an ovation .

This is the film after a long long time , has made me cry to the hilt ...... ( Sadma was the last one)

Mr. Aamir ... its reverbrating ..... the APPLAUSE

Rating : 5.0/5.0

Welcome : by Anees Bazmee

Just Another Whacky No-Brainer Movie ......

Anil Kapoor takes the cake with cherry on top as Majnu Bhai vis-a-vis Abstract Painter :)

Akshay Kumar / Katrina Kaif as the romantic pair are just about ok

Nana Patekar as Shetty Bhai does what he is good at , hamming loud n clear

Paresh Rawal as the eccentric doctor does run-off-the-mill theatrics.

Malika is in a blink-n-you-miss-her role

Music is hummable particularly the song "Kiya Kiya"

Feroz Khan is intolerable

Story - Mad House Fable

Rating : 3.0/5.0

Dus Kahaniyaan : by S,M,H,A,R

10 Stories at a price of a single movie ticket .. is it paisa vasool??

Yes to a certain level , Sanjay Gupta with his production association with Sanjay Dutt brings through an amalgamation of real - life - drama tales with a sting in their tails!!

The 5 directors as with their initials mentioned in the title above have done a praiseworthy job.


NoteWorthy Tales :

1) Matrimony : Mandira Bedi and Arbaaz Khan potray a relationship pradigm common to the couples these dayz..

2) Zahir : Manoj Bajpai and Diya Mirza shock us with a simple yet complex mis-representation of betrayal.

3) Rice Plate : A story made by Rohit , passes on a message applicable to each n every today's individual . Shabana Azmi is superlative as south indian brahmin woman.

4)Strangers in the Night : Best of the lot leaving the audience dumbfounded at the end of the narration , a tete-a-tete between Neha Dhupia and Mahesh Manjrekar.

Rest of the lot made little sense , should have been more like a bolt from the blue!!!!! .. good effort nevertheless.

Rating : 3.5/5.0

Khoya Khoya Chand : by Sudhir Mishra

Khoya Khoya Chand is a tribute to the nuances of the film world in the era of 60's.

Nikhat is a small town girl with the aspirations of making it big in the film industry. Soha Ali Khan as aspiring heroine carries the film on her shoulders in her first solo film.

Shiny Ahuja as the struggling writer does justice to his talents , though he needs to fine-tune his expressions. Love erupts between two adolescent people part of this big bad world of films.

This movie touches on the subject of casting coups , publicity , nepotism , betrayal and plagiarism.

Music is so-so . Soha does a commendable job and displays her full prowess. Rajat Kapoor and Vinay Pathak excel in their parts.

Sudhir Mishra is a proven director and has done a good effort , though a lot is left to be desired.

Rating : 2.0/5.0

Aaja Nachle : by Anil Mehta

DANCE

Its a spiritual art , its an outlet to express , do it like no one's watching..

Madhuri epitomizes dance

Aaja Nachle is all about celebration of energy,passion,vigour,madness of

dancing.

The facts above are true ..... but on celluloid the result is disappointing

Madhuri after a long hiatus has done a decent job , but her americanization has done her no good.

The plot is all about saving a theater in a small village called Shamli , and Diya takes the task of putting a fine show with amateur people proving Art wins over luxuries such as shopping malls.

The supporting cast is passe' , wasting talents like Konkana Sen in no-brain-roles.The music is ordinary , only the title song ringing some bells.

The final hours of the movie , were unbearable reminding me of a dud musical drama Jhoom Baraabar Jhoom

This Gorgeous foot tapper gives the current crop run for their money even at the age of mid-40's.

Madhuri deserved a gala welcome ,though I'm longing for her next with waited breaths.

Rating: 2.0/5.0

Casablanca : by Michael Curtiz

Casablanca is touted as one of the all-time gr8 movies , which made me lap it up this weekend!

And it truly deserves cheers for the absolute love re·quit·al potrayed by Humphrey Bogart aka Rick Blaine in the film.

The movie is set at the time of World War 2 , a place called Casablanca part of unoccupied France. People here are craving to move to Lisbon and subsequently to US on a visa almost impossible to get.

Rick's bar has the scene set for the search for missing visa documents and the reunion of his lost love .The chemistry between the lovers is supereme , making this film bollywoodesque to the hilt.


"They had a date with fate in Casablanca!!" tagline is perfect culmination to the movie where Rick has to choose..........
Rating : 5.0/5.0

Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal : by Vivek Agnihotri

Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal ... breaches into a chartered territory of sports theme a la' Chak De India.

The setup just moves to desi Southall in UK ... where in a bunch of Asian no - go - getters are faced with the crisis of saving their football club.

Arshad Warsi leading the team motivates the group with the help of Boman Irani as the banished coach to lift the league cup. The characterization is poor , a female physio (Bipasha needs acting classes) for a men's team in love with not-so-down-to-earth John playing for a foreign club.

The film is all about the triumph of spirit and passes a strong message against Racism towards Asian in UK and other parts of the world.

Performances are nothing to cheer about , music is just ok ,although the director did a good job at the climax.

The impact of Chak De has been unprecendented , making this a sour experience.

Rating : 2.0/5.0

12 Angry Men : by Sidney Lumet

12 Angry Men is a movie which defines that one does not need a storyline backed up by an ensemble,towering sets,songs,dance,rhapsody,flair,special fx ....


This is 1957 classic , is set in a single room ; 12 men having the task to unanimously give a verdict on an 18 year old commiting a gruesome murder on his father.

The film starts and ends with the discussion between these 12 men . Henry Fonda , one man standing between the judgement of guilty / not guilty.

Amazing part of the film is the screenplay where in each character is sketched with super - detailing , each having opinions as diverse as colors in an artists palette.

The culmination of the film makes the audience realize the weight of reasoning and argument can turn the tables on facts !!!!

A True Gem of a Classic ...

Rating: 5.0/5.0

Saawariya : by Sanjay Leela Bhansali

Saawariya ... "beloved" in true sense is a film which reminds you of a serene ballad.

First n foremost ,hail the debutants for a show they have put up under the guidance of SLB.

Ranbir is a natural and plays the boy-next-door happy-go-lucky fallen-in-love chappy. Performance of a kind you expect from a kin of the RK family. Sonam Kapoor as Sakina , is raw yet has the ability to surprise you in some portions of the movie.


The film is all about the most talked emotion "Love". Ranbir as Raj , a bundle of joy , falls in love with a girl who is awaiting her beloved.

This unconditional love is the base of the film and is carried through with deluge of songs ( absolute mirror image of the non-song wonder Black) .

Rani Mukherjee and Zohra Sehgal are the pillars of strength for Ranbir's character.Salman is completely wasted and any other actor could have done his part. The lack of pace in the storyline can allow the viewer a nap or two .. so watch it at your own risk !!

Music of the movie is surreal , Monty Sharma , a debutant showing his skills for the same ( Jab Se Tere Naina and the Title song Saawariya are really melodic)

In a nutshell , the blue canvas painted by SLB with 2 bright adolescent strokes makes me literally cry for more , fourth time running ( Khamoshi , Hum Dil , Black .. ) .. it can go either way for you.

Rating : 3.0/5.0

Om Shanti Om : by Farah Khan

Psychedelic 70's is back!!!! ...

Om Shanti Om packs a punch in true bollywood ishtyle with lotz of flair,melodrama,histrionics,tears,joy,romance,action,comedy,songs n dance..

Farah Khan re-creates the magic of the 70's in the first half of the film , which in my opinion will bring the house down.

Shahrukh as Om , a struggling junior artist , dreams of a spending his entire life for his beloved , superstar ShantiPriya played by Deepika Padukone. The initial reels with the chemistry between Shahrukh and his sidekick Shreyas Talpade aka Pappu are hilarious!!

Deepika looks a million bucks (like a breath of fresh air) and acts like a veteran inspite of being just 21.Arjun Rampal as a tyrant producer is his best work till date.

Music of the film is par excellence .. Vishal Shekhar deserves accolades for it .. particularly songs like Ajab si and Main Agar Kahoon

With opulent sets , retro costumes , melodramatic dialogues , 70's ERA is flashed before our eyes .

Moments of the Film :

1. Rajnikant's Tribute by Shahrukh ... simply awesome!

2. Filmfare Awards Night in the IInd half with funny takes on Abhishek Bachhan and Akshay Kumar..

3. Hamming by Kiron Kher and Shahrukh ;anecdotes on Sooraj Barjatya , Manoj Kumar are superb.

Second half of the film , is reminiscent of Karz .. was a meander... and could not live upto the silken dreamy portions of the 1st half.

Kudos to Shahrukh for putting an effort on his toned up body at 40 , but alas he is no HRITHIK!!

Watch it for the swinging n hip 70's and Shahrukh .. 
(he is really the king .. Mr. Bhansali realizes it :))

Rating : 3.5/5.0

Usual Suspects : by Bryan Singer

Usual Suspects is one of the finest neo-noir movies ever made and remains a cult film as I see it ...

Bryan Singer's direction is superlative at the onset with the characters perfectly etched for the set of 5 actors.

Hockney, McManus,Keaton,Fenster,and Verbal .... (in the same order as the picture)

The movie is all about a boat hijacking event happening for cocaine deal. These 5 convicts after moving out of jail are forced to execute the hijacking by a shadow boss a la' Keyser Söze .

The movie unravels the event in the form of an interrogation between a NYPD cop and Verbal , who escaped the boat catastrophe!!!

The script of the film packing everything into a 1:45 min reel deserves an ovation...Kevin Spacey as Verbal won the best supporting actor academy for his role and I am not surprised at all not taking anything away from the other actors playing their parts...

Verdict : What can I say for a movie ranked at 20 in the all time list of hollywood flicks!

Rating :5.0/5.0

Bhool Bhulaiyaa : by Priyadarshan

Bhool Bhulaiyaa ... sounds like a roller coaster ride if you go by the name ... Expectations from a Priyadarshan movie are always "money a minute worth entertainment"

This time he brings us a horror maze with a pinch of comedy ; the backdrop of the film is a Haveli ( residence of spirits as usual!!) ..

The first half builds up the mystery which keeps the audience in tenterhooks . The gamut of stars ( again a Priyan speciality) add to the confusion in the movie ..

The movie really moves to a different zone as soon as Akshay Kumar ( a la' hyper psychologist ) enters the screen frame.

Once again he is in top form , proving that he is second to none in comic timing .. out-performing himself at every instance!

The music of the movie is par-excellence ... time n again Pritam has proven his mettle .. Hare Krishna Hare Raam has taken anthem proportions :) :)

The culmination of the movie is a drag (a Mix of Bhoot and Raaz) ... I just could not bear it !?!!?

But with "All's Well That End's Well" mantra .. it was not that bad :) ... the Song hype and Akshay makes this movie watchable!

Rating : 3.5/5.0

Jab We Met : Imtiaz Ali

Jab We Met is a run-of the mill flick with the umpteen times explored formula of Boy-Meets-Girl syndrome.

So what novelty does Imtiaz Ali display in this attempt... though I liked his maiden venture Socha Na Tha ... The same kind of sensibility is evident here , with the set of actors chosen doing their part well!!!

Kareena and Shahid look good together with the girl packing a punch and the guy tolerating her histrionics!!

Moment of the Movie : Kareena's outburst on her ex-boyfriend over a call ... is executed with aplomb ...

Surprise package is ....... the Music for me ... it simply rocks , Pritam is in top form second to none (Himesh being the exception) .. the tracks just simply resonate and sound gr8.

A super-duper watch for sure .. watch it for a candy floss storyline with pleasing music :)

Rating : 5.0/5.0

Johnny Gaddar : by Sriram Raghavan

Johnny Gaddar brings in a thriller with a difference a la' "EK HASINA THI" for which the praise goes to the common factor between these two flicks , Sriram the captain of the ship.

Johhny , the protagonist is blurred by the money which his gang of six(including himself) intend to put to use as investments.

The audience here finds this thriller with an uncommon streak to it , THERE IS NO SUSPENSE IN THE MOVIE!!!!

Performance by Neil Mukesh as Johnny is just about ok for a newcomer. Striking resemblance to Hrithik gives him a face to watch out for too! The supporting cast do their job well and its good to see Dharmendra getting substantial roles after Metro.

Songless film with Rimi Sen as the female counterpart of Neil builds the interest for the cinegoer but there is no surprise element here.

Do watch the movie to encourage a well-made flick ... with a twist in the tale too!

Rating : 3.0/5.0

Memento : by Christopher Nolan

Have you ever imagined seeing a movie from the culmination to the first reel ???

Memento gives you an exhilarating thriller keeping the audience dumbfounded( confused too !) from end to start in this Reverse Chronological Drama ...

Though the movie came out in the year 2000 , I was fortunate to see it recently on a DVD and was instantly caught in a LABYRINTH.

The protagonist (superlative Guy Pearce) suffers from short term memory loss and is in deep inner turmoil to search for his Wife's Murderer.

To deal with the disorder , he uses tools like Polaroid Camera ,Tattoos,Paper Slips,Notes enabling him to hold on to memories !!!

Christopher Nolan's unique, non-linear , noir-narrative structuring ( black n white film reels) IRRITATES,SHOCKS,SPELLBINDS to say the least.

The performances are ex·tra·or·di·naire and the scripting prowess is proven to the hilt...

No surprises its in top 30 of all time movie list ....

DO NOT MISS THIS ONE EVEN FOR YOUR LIFE :) :)

Rating : 5.0/5.0

Chak De India : by Shimit Amin

un·der·dog : One that is expected to lose a contest or struggle, as in sports or politics.

pa·tri·ot·ism : devoted love, support, and defense of one's country; national loyalty.

Theme of Sports where underdogs res·ur·rect from the ashes has been an unchartered territory since Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar (1992) .

Chak De re-instills the patriotism ,to break into sweat for one's country,in a manner which is refreshing to say the least.

The team of girls representing India at the World Hockey Cup are a bunch of players having pre-conceived notions of playing for one's own self and then the team.

Shahrukh playing a banished former hockey player takes up the challenge to coach with the dream of converting his silver medal to gold medal vicariously through this team.

Lets talk about the actors : Highlight performances ....

*Shahrukh as Kabir Khan quite surprisingly plays the character with conviction.

*The Hockey Stars aka state players ... oops .. Here we are talking of Team India ( as Kabir says ..)

Each one of them plays true to their potentials and have the audience in splits with their humour

(The best dialogue comes from our Haryanvi Dynamite "Ke Dabba Nahi Dikh Raha Hai Tanne , Roadways Ki Bus Na Baithi :) " whilst reserving a bunk in the players' dormitory ...

I found the 1st half engrossing and it truly built up the movie to the next level but the second half was predictable yet well-executed.

This is one of the few movies where I had a lump in my throat ...

Shimit truly deserve the accolades for bringing out the patriotism to the screens in an effective way.

Rating : 4.5/5.0

Rush Hour 3 : by Brett Ratner

Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan prove it once again that they are the best sidekick team of detectives on celluloid... !!

This edition of Rush Hour , has the humour in every inch of the reel .. courtesy Chris Tucker who is in great form ..

Jackie does what he intends to do best , eye-popping stunts which give an edge-of-the-seat experience.

The backdrop of the movie starts in LA , then the scene shifts to Paris , hunting the assasins of the Ambassador who was leading the investigation on legendary criminal organization.

Best Moment of the Movie hands down goes to

The Interrogation Scene done by the detectives in presence of a French Nun Translator....

I was on the floor watching it , uncontrollable comic timing keeps the audience in splits...

Any Glicthes ????? The action lacks the punch as compared to the prequels , but the hilarious sequences make your day ...

Tucker keeps getting better with his Comedy , Jackie keeps getting better with his stunts at this age !! ..

KUDOS!!! ... 1.5 Hours of absolute hysteria ... rupee per minute ... simply worth it :)

Rating : 4.0/5.0

Gandhi , my father : by Feroz Abbas Khan

Harilal Gandhi , son of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , tried his level best to shy away from the pain of being a Gandhi !!

Gandhi , the father of the nation quotes 'Two people I could not convince my entire life , one was Muhammad Ali Jinnah and the other was my own son Harilal....'

Feroz Abbas , a debutant director from the field of theater , has moulded his own theatrical drama Mahatma VS Gandhi to a nicely woven screenplay which gives a different perspective to the 1947 independence struggle!

The film start to end, stays focused on the struggle of the son to come to terms with the ideals of his father .The obsession and the conviction of Bapu to fight for independence at the cost of family does not go down well with Harilal.

Akshay Khanna , looked jaded in parts of the film , but some of the sequences were executed with absolute finesse .Darshan Jariwala as Gandhi looks convincing with able support from characters like Kasturba(Shefali Chhaya) and Gulabo (Bhoomika).

Special Mention : The interweaving of characters in the actual footage of black n white filmography proves that Indian cinema has grown in leaps and bounds...

Watch it for the sheer pleasure of getting insight into the lives of Gandhi Parivaar!!

Rating : 3.5/5.0