Avatar : by James Cameron

Avatar marks the return of my all-time favourite filmmaker : 'James Cameron' . 

I have simply relished "Cameron Cinema" be it..

T1 , Abyss , True Lies , Titanic , Aliens , & T2 Judgement Day.

Avatar has raised the bar , and makes me wonder what more can this man offer!

The film is set in 2154 , where humans are in the hunt for precious mining material on Pandora , an expansive lush green moon!

With the expansion of the mining colonies it threatens the existence of the local tribe of Na'vi.

The humans develop genetic hybrids of the Na'vi to interact with the Pandora species and take them into confidence.

What makes this movie , 'Extraordinary' , is the research and technology gone into the filmmaking process.

Reasons for it to be a 'Once in a lifetime experience' :

1. The Screenplay 

2. The Creation of a fictional universe 'Pandora' 

3. The Native Na'Vi Language

4. The RealD 3D Technology & Stereoscopic film development to bring characters to life.

I always felt Cameron had that charisma to bring forth an emotional rollercoaster backed up by state of art technology a 'la bollywoodesque

The film boasts of a dedicated set of actors in particular SamWorthington as Jake Sully. 

Cameron had this sub-concious attraction to the Hindu mythology hence the name ' Avatar' , and predominance of color blue in the film confirms that.

 

Watching Avatar in 3-D cinemascope will always be a cherished event  

It will surely have a lasting impact on the face of filmaking in years to come .. 

Watch Avatar for Cameron's  wizardary  ... !!

Rating : 5.0/5.0

The Reader : by Stephen Daldry

The Reader is a poignant story set in Berlin , of Hanna Schmidt played by Kate Winslet.The story begins in 1950 , where a teenager 'Michael' played by David Kross is assisted  by middle aged Tram Conductor , Hanna , when he fells sick in the middle of the street.

Thereafter , starts a sensual bonding between the 15 year old & the older woman which transcends into an affair to remember. Hanna was fond of Michael reading to him which included finest classics like the Odyssey, Huckleberry Finn and others.

One fine day , she gets promoted and moves out without a trace. The story moves ahead , where Michael is at a law school studying. As a part of the curriculum , the students are asked to attend a trial of several women accused of letting 300 people burn in a church when they were SS guards.

Hanna is one of the defendants!

Hanna denies authorship of the church fire report , despite pressure , but succumbs to it when asked to give a handwriting sample..

Michael catches her secret of all these years , she was a functional literate!

The film addresses a deep message of love , trials & tribulations spanning background , age , caste & creed.

The journey is heart wrenching ... The sensitivity portrayed between the middle aged woman & the kid is superlative & creates magic on screen.

Kate Winslet is exceptional and she proves it with a Oscar winning act. 

Watch it for the sheer brilliant story-telling & Winslet , a great adaptation of the novel by the same name.

Rating : 4.0/5.0

Paa : by R.Balki

Paa marks the return of AB Corp into film production after a hiatus.

AB Senior & AB Junior combine together for a heart-warming story

a father & a son relationship tale .

Vidya Balan plays AB senior's mother and AB junior plays an ambitious wannabe politician.

"Auro" , protagonists name , suffers from a speedy ageing syndrome.

AB Junior relinquishes Auro , leaving Vidya Balan as a doting mother.

The highlight of the film is the mannerisms & make-up transformation of AB as "Auro"

Vidya Balan is mind boggling actress in the age of size-zero non-performers.

Music is sweet to the ears , AB junior is good within his hem.

Good "emotional-connect" flick viewing..

Rating : 3.5/5.0

Inglorious Basterds : by Quentin Tarantino

Inglorious Basterds marks the return of master storyteller Quentin after  his Kill Bill series finale.

This time around , he brings us a world war drama broken into 5 chapters , a typical Tarantino narrative.

Chapter One : Once upon a time .. In Nazi Occupied France

This chapter is the starting point of the film & by far the most captivating , Col Hans Land notoriously called as the 'Jews Hunter' interrogates at a dairy farm for a suspect Jews hideout.

This particular chapter in the screenplay , is the cornerstone of Christopher Waltz's performance as the Colonel ..

Subsequent chapters , talk about introduction of the band of American-Jews soldiers with an 'straight as an arrow' aim to dislodge each & every Nazi in France.The group is called as 'Inglorious Basterds' led by Lt. Aldo Raine , played by Brad Pitt to the T.

The plot becomes interesting with two parallel tracks going forward to converge at culmination.

1. Shossana plots a revenge on the Nazi's by planning to burn down a theater on the Premier of a Movie.
2. The 'Basterds' conspire to create havoc at the Premier , upon learning Hitler visiting the theater.

The climax , boom boom bang bang! , is unique to Tarantino, seen in all his films from Pulp Fiction to Reservoir Dogs to Kill Bill.

As far as performances are concerned , Hans Landa is simply super as clever penetrating Nazi security chief.

Brad Pitt does well to get the accent right & is just ok. The supporting cast plays dutifully.

On the whole , Inglorious Basterds is one of the finest talkie of last year , still 'Pulp Fiction' takes the prime.

Rating : 4.5/5.0

3 Idiots : by Rajkumar Hirani

 

3 Idiots marks a milestone in hindi film legacy, Hirani strikes a hat-trick

Based on Chetan's novel "Five Point Someone"

Madhavan plays Farhan , Sharman plays Raju & Aamir plays long lost friend "Rancho" , budding engineering students.

Boman reprises his role as a professor "Viru Sahastrabuddhe" aka Virus with eccentricity written all over his demeanor.

 Kareena plays a geeky medical student , Pia , daughter of the professor.

 The support cast is quite extraordinary , special mention "Chatur", played by Omi , an American Actor ,

The memory machine to the hilt !

Music is the icing on the cake by Shantanu Moitra , Sonu Nigam is THE best in the country.

Hirani is the reigning czar of 'feel-good cinema'

Sequences to die for:

• Chatur's speech
• The culmination of the song 'Aal Izz Well'
• Aamir's snivelling upon his pals conquest
• Dilapidated Raju's 70's Home
• Hospital Sequences

The characterization & adapted screenplay just accentuates the story to cloud nine.

Aamir is multifaceted par excellence.

  Indeed ... Aal Izz Well !

Rating : 5.0/5.0

Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year : by Shimit Amin

Rocket Singh ,  Salesman of the Year looked like a run of the mill story based on the promotional campaign done. I went with an open mind , Ranbir has had a rocking year so far , can he rocket himself to infinity & beyond was the question!?!

Verdict : It is by far the film of 2009 ! That puts the record straight !

Ranbir plays HP Bedi , who has just barely passed out of college and is ambitious enough to take the

trodden path of a Sales Executive.

The master combo of Jaideep Sahni & Shimit Amin (Chak De fame) have lent such realism into the script , 'make you believe' storytelling.

HP's relationship with his grand-father played by Prem Chopra

(who is a revelation ! ) gives heart-filled moments to cherish.

Cut to the millieu of the film, AYS computer service company , where HP lands as a sales trainee.

The nuances of a sales corp setup are splendid, just goes to show the authenticity of the film maker.

The under hand dealings , the politics , work hard , party harder, doing a jig in office wear ,whiskey in plastic cups , bitching and what not!

Seldom in a film , a romantic track is taken up so casually and thank god it keeps the film on track .

Shazahn Padamsee makes an ok debut.

Rocket Singh's second half really takes a sky high countdown with witty humour & boss bashing dialogues.

The characters to die for :

1. Koena as ambitious receptionist

2. Lascivious Maintenance Guy , Giri

3. Chote Lal Mishra , the office peon

4. Nitin , the sales manager (Oh Raghu , a triplet sibling!)

5. Puri , the schemer boss of AYS

6. HP , sales trainee ( Ranbir plays it to the 'T')

My favourites : Giri & Nitin

"Pursuit of Happiness meets Khosla Ka Ghosla"

R.S rocks big time , watch it now!

Rating :  4.5/5.0

2012 : by Roland Emmerich

Apocalypse films have been abundant from the West

2012 is no different

CGI mastery is at helm in Hollywood

2012 reminds us of the Mayan prophecy : End of the World!

Perfect re-hash of films :

The Perfect Storm

The Day After Tomorrow

Deep Impact

Godzilla

Twister

Rating : 2.5 /5.0

Kurbaan : by Rensil D'Silva

Kurbaan ..... Karan Johar getting adventurous

Kurbaan ..... Saifeena , flavour of the season

Kurbaan ..... Hard- hitting flick

Kurbaan ..... Vivek Oberio's comeback trail

Kurbaan ..... Hardcore Sufi music

Kurbaan == New York

Zero Novelty!

Rating : 2.0/5.0

Ajab Prem Ki Gajab Kahani : by Rajkumar Santoshi

Ajab Prem Ki Gajab Kahani marks the return of Raj Kumar Santoshi into mainstream rom-com genre.

Andaz Apna Apna has achieved cult status in the bollywood with its characters immortalized as the best in comic genre and Santoshi must be proud of it.

My expectation sky-rocketted..

Things going for APKGK :

* Katrina & Ranbir's fresh pairing

* Rocking Music by Pritam

Things failing for APKGK :

* Everything Else!

One of the dumbest movies to come in a long time , I wish I could find an iota of portion to cheer about....

High point of the Film : ' Tera Hone Laga Hoon' ,

Awesome rendition ...

Darn the rest!

Rating : 2.5 / 5.0

Children of Men : by Alfonso Cuarón

Children of Men is set as a dystopian fiction film with a troupe of brilliant artists , 'Claine' , 'Moore' & 'Owen'.

The world is set in 2027 , United Kingdom ,where the world is seeing infertility as a major concern , no human child born in last 18 years.

The world is collapsing with the exception UK as the only sane state , seeing millions of refugees take shelter. As an aftermath it has developed into a military police confinement.

Theo played by Clive Owen embarks on a journey to fetch travel permits for a young refugee girl named Kee for a substantial money.

Theo is flummoxed when he comes to know , Kee is pregnant , the glimmer of hope for mankind.

This forms the backdrop of the film , with Theo's objective to transport Kee to safety , and reach the 'Human Project' team working towards curing human infertility.

Some of the sequences in the movie had me boggled , specifically the 'Single Shot' sequences in extremely complex action scenes : -

• Theo searches for Kee in abandoned building where cross-firing is crescendo ( 454 sec)
• Kee gives birth to a child (200 sec )
• Theo , Kee & the baby walk past astonished soldiers of war.

The performances are exemplary , screenplay keeps the audience hooked , & the climax bowls you over.

No wonder , IMDB rates it amongst the best 250 flicks.

Rating : 4.0/5.0

London Dreams : by Vipul Shah

London Dreams talks about an emotion called ' Envy'

++Pluses

Ajay & Salman's nerve cracking performances

-- Minuses

Shankar ,Ehsaan, Loy's Dud Music

Asin - A waste of talent

Plot is reminiscent of yesteryears

Disappointing Climax

Way off target Vipul , Namaste London was better :)

Rating : 2.5/5.0

Up : by Pete Docter

Pete Docter is back after his much acclaimed Pixar movie 'Wall-E'.

'Up' , the film talks about the journey of a kid who always wanted to be an explorer.

The flick goes into flashback on how Mr. Fredricksen was fascinated by world explorers and a cute teenager girl sharing common interests.

The story is about the unfulfilled wishes of this sweet couple to have a house at the beautiful 'Paradise Falls' in South America.

The screenplay depicts the plight of an old man where in modern age , his sweet home is surrounded by huge buildings and he becomes a recluse on demise of his senile wife.

Adventure begins when Mr Fredricksen decides to go up up n away in his house on helium balloons to Paradise Falls!!

On his journey , he is accompanied by Russel , a wilderness explorer.

'UP' is a feel-good adventure with fun filled moments to cherish. Pixar has always produced top-of-the-draw animation & this feature is no exception.

But for me still ' Wall-E' will be the ultimate animation flick , till something better comes along.

Rating : 3.5 / 5.0

Rashomon : by Akira Kurosawa

Akira Kurosawa is considered to be one of the most revered filmmakers of all-time , 1950 flick , Rashomon is one such treasure.

The film revolves around an apparent murder and rape of a woman as narrated by 4 different witnesses which includes

-'the woman' ,

-'the bandit' ,

- 'the dead samurai' ,

- 'the woodcutter'.

The stories are mutually contradicting and is left for the audience to determine which one is infallible.

The woodcutter on a rainy day begins recounting the accounts of the witnesses , its a flashback within flashback.

All 4 stories seem plausible and at the end , I was bemused & benumbed from every possible argument stated by the three act tragedy!

Akira , the director brings to light the morality in today's milieu in the end credits and makes me sit up to the expression

'It's a selfish selfish world we live in' ....

The performances by the actors is exemplary in each version & you don't feel disconnected from the characterization in the face of Japanese turf.

The technical aspects leaves you spellbound for instance :

• Symbolic Lighting Usage
• Multiple Camera Angles
• Contrasting Shots

This film is one of many ... Take a bow to a masterclass 'technician' !

Rating : 5.0 / 5.0

All The Best : Fun Begins : by Rohit Shetty

Rohit Shetty's 'Golmaal' series started with a bang and then fizzled out in between , here he is now with a fresh quintet....

All the Best is yet another wacky comic ride which promises super fun-filled moments.

The story revolves around two friends played by Ajay and Fardeen and their respective love interests. Fardeen plays a spendthrift younger sibling to Sanjay Dutt.

In need of some quick money , the two friends decide to participate in a car race and in return have huge bets placed on themselves by the Leader of the Goons: 'Topu' played by Johhny Lever.

Vir (Fardeen) and Prem (Ajay) fall flat in their plans , the point where Sanjay Dutt enters , the plot becomes a gamut of mistaken identities and comedy of errors.

The plots & the sub-plots had me in splits after a long long time , the chemistry between Sanjay Dutt & Ajay Devgun is exemplary.

Few Stomach Aching , Guffaw moments :

1. Topu's unique style of communication ,

Johnny Lever is back with a bang!!

2. Prem's hilarious altercations with Dharam ( Sanjay)

3. Pre-Interval entry of Mughda Godse

to take the confusion to heights!!

4. The bullet driven climax takes the cherry on top :)

The noteworthy performances are from the veterans Sanjay Dutt and Johhny Lever.

The leading ladies have supporting roles only. The supporting cast does a tremendous favor in keeping the audience in splits special mention : Yesteryear Pran's caricature and the South Indian maid.

Music is passe' , punches are outstanding ...

Rohit has caught the pulse this Diwali .... Mad Mad Comedy :)

Rating : 4.0 / 5.0

Wake Up Sid - by Ayan Mukerji

Wake up Sid is a coming of age cinema to the core & coming from Kjo's den is huge surprise...

Its a sweet simple story of a boy growing up as he experiences....

Ranbir plays Sid who is a pampered kid whose world revolves around all masti n fun which includes , bunking classes , video games , eating pizza and what not.

The film primarily has milieu revolving around Sid finding his feet in today's times , his relationships with his parents , friends , pals and supposedly girlfriend too.

Konkana plays an alter ego to Sid , an independent self -motivating girl seeking her dreams in the city of Mumbai.

Wake up Sid has no item songs , no gigantic ensemble of actors , no humongous sets , and it strikes a cord instantly.

The chemistry between the lead pair is fresh and Konkana is a tad ahead of Ranbir as it should be because of her experience.

The film's music is also path-breaking in ways of new sound by S-E-L trio.....

But one track that makes feel romantic again n again is :

'Iktara' by Amit Trivedi
( Dev D & Aamir fame)

On the whole the screenplay makes the film worth in gold and with young turks like Ayan ,

Bollywood is in safe hands...

Rating : 4.0 / 5.0

Do Knot Disturb : by David Dhawan

Do Knot Disturb ....

Some disturbing facts :

1. 'Taken for Granted Cinema'

2. Govinda in a female voice ... Ughhh

3. Sohail Khan as a hyper boyfriend ... Ughhhhh

4. Urgent need of VLCC sessions for Miss Sushmita

5. Skin Show by Lara - Hamming all the way.

6. Ritesh - saving grace of a sinking ship.

7. Ranvir Shorey - Bheja Fry is what he needs.

8. David Dhawan's Midas touch is fading.

9. Stay away even if your life is on mortgage ....

Rating : 1.0/5.0

What's Your Raashee? : by Ashutosh Gowariker

To me , Whats your Raashee? was a novel concept and an acid test for Mr. Gowariker ...

The film is based on a novel which talks about the journey of a Gujarati MBA guy in search of a perfect match .. which forms the bottom-line of the movie.

The initial credits rolling has Priyanka gyrating in 12 different avatars depicting each zodiac.

The screen lights up and the expectations soar high.

Mystique characterization and play-acting by Priyanka in the below embodiment is exemplary.

1. Aries - (Anjali) - Girl's , snort had me in splits.

2. Virgo - (Pooja) - This doctor was as fastidious as ever.

3. Scorpio - (Nandini) - True Blue Sexy Scorpio (just like me ;)

4. Libra - (Rajni) - Stone-Hearted Practical Charmer.

5. Cancer - (Hansa) - Emotional Lady to the 'T'

The eligible bachelor played by Harman Baweja brings forth his sincerity and honesty to the role and we should give him his due this time around after duds like LS2050 & Victory.

Music of the film by debutant 'Sohail Sen' has a nice easy feel particularly tracks like 'Bikhri Bikhri' and 'Jao Na' , though the Rahman stamp was sorely missed.

All in all , the film's length would be a impediment but for a breezy performance by Priyanka , its definitely a one time watch.

With such a script , one could have done wonders ....

but it ain't no Swades or Lagaan .... !

Rating : 2.5 / 5.0

Dil Bole Hadippa! - by Anurag Singh

Cricket's predictability rehashed with Veer-Zaara & Bunty Aur Bubli

Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar - 5/ 5

Lagaan - 5/ 5

Chak De India - 4.5 /5

Hadipppa - 2 /5

District 9 : by Neill Blomkamp

District 9 talks about a story of extra-terrestial species living on the face of earth past 20 years.

Story starts in a faux-documentary fashion , giving snippets on the backdrop of the film. It introduces the protagonist Wikus played brilliantly by novice Sharlto Copley.

MNU , a private contractor is hired with the objective of re-locating the 'Prawns' (derogatory name for 'Aliens') from the infamous slum District 9 to a better facility in Johannesburg , South Africa.

The realism of the movie struck me big time making it a surreal experience.

The film's backbone is the performance by Sharlto , giving an impression that he is a virtuoso.

Key Moments:

• Wikus tet-e-tet with Prawns (in particular Christopher) in District 9 slums
• The MNU undercurrents and the volatile images on Television Networks
• Transformation of Wikus
• Heart Wrenching Climax

The flick draws parallel with the historical events that took place in Cape Town area named District 6 on the grounds of apartheid.

Recommended for Sci-Fi fans , strict no-no for people aversive to bloodshed.

Rating : 4.0 /5.0

Kaminey : by Vishal Bhardwaj

Non linear dark story lines makes me lap up all the nitty gritties of cinema since it explores the unexplored . How I wished , bollywood would have the fortitude to take the plunge ... Kaminey is an awesome experiment with this genre.

The film is a story of two brothers Charlie and Guddu , where in one stammers and the lif(s)p(f).

Shahid plays the astute race-course gambler while Guddu is a man with a purpose in life.

Screenplay moves back and forth with parallel tracks of the two brothers , Charlie and his sidekick provide wholesome parade with edge of the seat chase sequences.

It gives a typical Gangster flick feel ,with goons and cops all around.

Priyanka Chopra plays Sweety , an impressive portrayal of a Maharashtrian girl , her life revolves around one person , Guddu.

The tet-e-tet between Guddu and Sweety will definitely bring smiles on people's faces. The supporting cast is the real backbone of the flick apart from Shahid.

Amol Gupte (story-writer for Taare Zameen Par!?!?!) plays Sweety's brother , a caricature on Bal Thackrey. Half way mark pushes the envelope and the anticipation reaches sky-high.

'Faahid rockf big time , fuperlative growth of an actor fince Jab we met , will take him placef '

The biggest draw for me was the treatment similar on the lines of Tarintino , Scorsese & Ritchie , stalwarts in the said genre.

The climax constantly reminds me of The Departed / Reservoir Dogs / Pulp Fiction / Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels ....

Vishal Bhardwaj , is developing into a master class storytelling visionary , be it his Maqbool to Makdee to Blue Umbrella to Omkara with creative music pieces 'Dhan Tan Nan' & ' Pehli Baar'

Watch it for the 'Fharp' and 'Fmooth' ride ... to die for 'Kaminaapan'

Rating : 4.5/5.0

The Hangover : by Todd Phillips

Hangover came into my city and I was curious ever since the hoopla ..

Voila!!! ... It was delirium ...

I went mad laughing literally...

Todd Phillips had a few average endeavours in his movie making career with only Road Trip coming to my mind.. This time around he brings in a hilarity circus.

The story is about a group of friends who wish to celebrate Doug's soon leaving bachelor status in Las Vegas ... the league is a relatively new bunch of actors and super comic timing is on display.

Vegas brings on a roller coaster ride for the 3 friends on the morning after the night bash , where they find themselves in a complete disarray......... opened up a 'Can of Worms' :

1. DOUG's missing!!

2. Tiger is in their washroom

3. A Baby is in the closet

4. One of them has lost his tooth

5. One of them has got married to a whore

6. Condom lying in their Merc

7. A Chinese gagged at the back of the Merc

... and many more surprises in store ...

The characters of the bunch is well-crafted from a Dentist to a Schoolteacher and a socially awkward Zach takes the cherry on top !

The chintzy dialogues and the x-Rated punches made me to crack-up and howl as if N2O had its extreme effects.

Shower all praise to the cheesiest comedy in a long long time !

Rating : 4.5/5.0

Special Mention : First Ever - A Chinese Gay :)

Love Aaj Kal : by Imtiaz Ali

Imtiaz Ali has been offering quite enterprising love stories since his debut with Socha Na Tha .

His latest flick 'Love Aaj Kal' fells way too short .. Saif turns producer , plays a safe bet , and generates an old wine in a new bottle.

The film revolves around two parallel tracks , one in the past (vintage Kolkatta) and one in the present (London)

The present day corny reels has Deepika and Saif in a non-committal relationship , hanging around , partying and boozing streets of London.

The gags just fall flat from Saif and I just felt bored in the first hour , with the film meandering to no definite denouement.

Deepika is simply expressionless , she might need to give some competition to Sania Nahiwal in the near future :).

The second hour of the film has quite a few moments worth noting , where the saving grace is Saif's potrayal of a quintessential sardar and his innocent love for a Kaur girl.

The songs of the movie have a Pritam stamp written all over , and Mohit Chauhan has definitely arrived post-silk-route , Ye Dooriyan being my pick.

In a nutshell ,

I felt a sense of inadequacy and yearned for Shahid-Kareena enchantment...

Rating : 3.0 /5.0

Harry Potter & the Half Blood Prince : by David Yates

Pottermania is back after a hiatus of 2 years when the Order of Phoenix released back in 2007.

JK Rowling's sixth installment offered a maze of dark secrets , and this film captures the essence of it.

Half Blood Prince starts where the Order of the Phoenix finishes , Dumbledore brings Harry back to Hogwarts. In the process , he convinces , Slughorn , the Potions Professor to re-join Hogwarts.

There starts the journey of unraveling the Dark Lords secrets at Hogwarts , where in Harry indulges in eavesdropping , secret meetings , uncanny rendezvous' and what not.

Quidditch returns to Hogwarts ,with Ron making a great goalie impressing one and all!

There are a few romantic endeavours involving Hermione & Ron which are sweet reiterating the growing up of the characters in the book as well as the film.

The milieu was eerie as it should be for a dark movie. Last half hour made me sit up for once :)

A sense of more is felt once I left the theater though , there was lot of undercurrent and clandestineness and less action.

Waiting for the Voldemort and Harry showdown in 2011 !!

Rating : 3.5 /5.0

Kambakkht Ishq : by Sabbir Khan

One of the cheapest films to come out in decade with the
1. Humour so crass
2. Over hamming from the pair
3. Insipid storyline.

Akki's going down low in an obsession to churn hits , is falling flat on his bum ....

Rating : Bring some sanity , Puhleeeeeez.

New York : by Kabir Khan

New York is a sensitive portrayal of the lives of Asian community post 9/11 in the big apple and director Kabir Khan gets the due credit for it.

Story begins with the interrogation scenes between Neil and Irffan Khan (reprising his role as a cop a la' Slumdog , please don't typecast you self .. it would be a waste of talent ! )

The tet-e-tet between the two leads the audience into a flash back when Neil joins the NYSU as a graduate student.

The first half has its moments like the Chess Match between John and Neil , the Junoon song and Neil breaking down upon heartbreak.

The last half an hour before the break , brings the real drama into the flick with Irffan's motives come to fore , and Neil's predicament.

The post-interval gives you the insight into the plight of the Muslims post 9/11 and John just takes the cake with big big cherry on top... he has come of age ...

Neil playing Omar has done a remarkable job and I have been a fan since Johhny Gaddar.

Climax , gives you a feel of a Hollywood production , with superlative edge-of-the-seat execution.

All in all , Kabir Khan brings out a great storyline , churning incredible performances and perfect message.

Rating : 3.0 /5.0

Special Mention : Awesome Cinematography blew me away , New York never seen before.

Training Day : by Antoine Fuqua

Training Day is a story of a novice cop who is given a day to learn the tricks of busting up Narcotics Racket in LA.

Ethan Hawke plays Jake , the amateur LAPD cop and Denzel Washington plays Alonzo Harris , the weirdo Narcotics Detective.

Alonzo is entrusted with the job to impart training to Jake for a day and this forms the boundaries of the film.

The director has shot pretty authentic stuff ranging from the street brawls of LA to niggers & pimps dirtying the streets with drugs and booze.

The movie itself tends to linger along with no particular direction. Ethan Hawke does his best to play the confused nascent cop who has just given parking tickets past 9 months of his duty.

Denzel has put in a sterling performance and the oscar was truly deserved.

Apart from the performances , the film didn't impress me much in terms of the screenplay and the objective behind the storyline.

Strictly for Denzel fans ....

Rating : 2.5 / 5.0

Monsters , Inc. : by Peter Docter

Pixar has always amazed me with their animation histrinoics , and I was surprised to miss Monsters, Inc earlier in 2001.

Luckily got hold of the rip and was instantly spellbound....

Monsters, Inc. is about this big enterprise , having monsters as its employees , with the vision of sapping as much energy as they can for the town of Monstrapolis.

The mechanism to do so is the USP of the movie. The Monsters scare children and collect their screams to the generate the power.

The concept simply blew me away , Pixar has proven it time and again.

The characterization is as always is unique and spot on. The milieu and the animation lends the backbone of the flick.

Mike Wazowski & James P. Sullivan (the top scarer of Monsters, Inc.) make an adorable pair and bring the house down on many instances in the movie.

"We scare because We care" .... Go for it .....

P.S : But for me the best pixar animation movie still is "Wall-E" till I get to see the

Peter Docter's next " UP " and I am eager to catch it soon.

Rating : 4.5 / 5.0

Delhi 6 : by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra

Delhi 6 , I eagerly wanted to see what Rakesh Mehra has up his sleeves this time around post Rang De.

The film starts with the audience getting the flavour of desi apna pan when Waheeda Rahman along with her grandson Roshan embark to the walled city of Delhi -110006.

The first hour looks at the rat-a-tat of Purani Delhi with jalebi's paratha's , kabootar's , Jama Masjid and rickshaw pullers taking the limelight.

The supporting cast here is splendid with at one side we have stalwarts like Om Puri , Supriya Pathak to the nascent actors like Sonam Kapoor and Cyrus.

The film's premises is the parallelism shown with the Ramayana and "today's environ we live in" depicted well by the frequent Ram Lila sequences.

The love track between Abhishek and Sonam never takes off and the Kala Bandar episode creams through the second half of the film , culminating marvelously , bringing forth the soul of the movie.

High Points :

1. Divya Dutta's performance (Jalebi , the kudewali)
2. Vijay Raaz's performance (Daroga)
3. The Mandir Sequence in last hour
4. AR Rahman's Music

Rakesh Mehra gave a fitting morality opera in today's times and the subtlety just blew me away.

Rating : 4.0 /5.0

Dev D : by Anurag Kashyap

Devdas aka Dev D in this flick is a contemporary guy who is lascivious all the way!

Anurag Kashyap has always gone into the uncharted territory in terms of film making be it Black Friday or unreleased Paanch.

.. and who better than Abhay Deol to execute the same....

London  bred Dev returns to Punjab to meet here childhood sweetheart Paro played by Mahi , in awe of her lust fullness.

Thereafter starts the sweet , sexy , horny guftagoo between the two characters in midst of traditional Punjabi family milieu.

The turning point of the movie , when Dev D leaves Paro seeing her getting married to another , is absolutely mind blowing , with "Emotional Atyachar" track alliviating the same.

The film in the latter half loses track , with alcoholism taking over Abhy's character.

He meets a call girl , Chanda , whose character is etched on the famous Delhi school girl MMS scandal.

The soundtrack of the film is splendid and keeps the story moving. Abhay has lived Dev D , Mahi is a potential Smita Patil!

Anurag , looking forward to some more atypical , bizarre , flaky stuff.

Rating: 4.5/5.0

Billu : by Priyadarshan

Billu , brings together Irffan Khan , a contemporary theater actor in frame 2 frame footage with a superstar SRK ..... and we expect fireworks ....

Priyardarshan , the captain , has been always been associated with feel-good comedy flicks with an ensemble of stalwarts , permanent fixtures like Om Puri , Paresh Rawal and Rajpal Yadav to name a few ..

Billu is a little different from the Hungama and Maalamal Weekly installments as it boasts of big wigs ( Deepika , Priyanka and Kareena in cameos)

Its feel good cinema all the way , Billu with his wife (played convincingly by Lara) and kids try to cope the penury in a small village named Budbuda.

Billu has scarcity of customers , kids keep mocking their father and has a doting wife.

One fine day , Sahir Khan , superstar from the tinsel town zooms into the village for shooting of his film , and an off-cuff remark by Billu , triggers a cascade in the village....

The supporting cast is just ok , with Irffan Khan giving a heart warming performance.

I personally found 3 moments worth mentioning :

1. Post Interval Shooting Drama , is one of the hilarious scenes I have ever witnessed.
   
2. Last 30 minutes of the film , brings a flood of emotions...
3. Songs are supremely catchy.

Go and watch it with the entire family...

Rating : 3.0/5.0

Slumdog Millionaire : by Danny Boyle

Slumdog Millionaire has created a furore worldwide and I was keen to analyze it frame by frame.

The film starts with a young kid being interrogated by a local indian cop played by Irffan Khan with the charges of cheating in the desi version of the show 'Who wants to be a Millionaire' .

Dev Patel is the notorious contestant aka Jamal , and there starts a peek into his childhood meandring through to  where he stands today on the brink of winning millions!!

Danny Boyle the director has made a fitting tribute to Bollywoodesque style of filmmaking ranging from Gangsters to Rags to Riches screenplay often seen in films like Satya , Salaam Bombay and yesteryears Deewar.

It truly binds the audience in a tizzy to see the journey of the two slum kids , Jamal and Salim , joined by Latika , the third musketeer.

To go Ga-Ga over AR Rahman  , which we have been doing for years since his debut Roja , is a cliche' , he was destined to be at the big stage , and I am not surprised at all!!

Scene Stealers : 

• Jamal and Salim's constant effort for the moolah
• Q and A  - 1 to 10
• Rivetting opening song ' O Saya ' 

Food for thought : Cut to 2001 ..

Lagaan , directed by Danny Boyle bags 10 oscars at the Academy Awards Nite in Kodak theater.

The fictitious newspaper headline makes me feel sad , but we can swallow the pill ...

... In celebration of a fairy tale quality ,and a magical gritty experience.

Rating : 4.0/5.0

Chandni Chowk to China : by Nikhil Advani

Chandni Chowk to China ...

Crappiest Movie of the Decade ...

Akshay Kumar ... For God's Sake ..

Show some versatility

Stay Away even if you get free tickets

Rating : I'm at loss of numbers 

Ghajini : by A. R. Murugadoss

Aamir Khan is one heck of an exceptional actor ..

This is an understatement  ... and Ghajini proves it!

This film is a re-hash of my favourite Hollywood flick Memento , the director AR Murugadoss remaking it in Hindi after his Tamil version.

It is a story of an entrepreneur who is besotted by an innocent , kind-hearted and a bubbly girl played by Asin. 

The turn of events lead to Kalpana ( Asin ) being brutally murdered , and Aamir Khan losing his memory , ailed by the predicament of short-term memory loss.

The protagonist memorizes stuff using a Polaroid camera and sticky notes and tattoos all over his body. 

Enter , Jiah Khan , a medical student who leads Aamir to vengeance.

Aamir Khan's dedication to his art is mind-boggling , creating a body structure which accentuates the climatic action sequences to the hilt.

Asin plays Kaplana with self-confidence , Jiah Khan is ordinary . Ghajini played by Pradeep Rawat ( Famous for his role in Lagaan as the Sikh Bowler)  is simply oustanding.

In a nutshell , Ghajini is a power-packed film , Aamir makes it happen.

Rating : 4.5/5.0

Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi : by Aditya Chopra

Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi .. brings back Aditya Chopra after a long hiatus .. SRK and Adi combo has done wonders yet again...

It is sweet simple story of a middle class Punjab Electricity Board employee , Surinder . He leads as a simpleton , till love blossoms with a bubbly girl played by Anoushka.

Circumstances forces Anoushka to marry Surinder who is way off from prince charming.

Chemistry which crackles incidentally between opposites , makes the screenplay buoyant.

The songs make you really dance , SRK and Anoushka play their roles to the Tee.

Special Mention :     I just loved the climax !!!

Splendid Watch  :)   ... Go for it ...

Rating : 4.0/5.0

Dostana : by Tarun Mansukhani

Trend started by Kal Ho Na Ho , 

has come a full circle with Dostana ,

         in a big "out of the closet"  ... way

     The movie is a story of two hot-shot guys in Miami ,

  one working as a photographer and the other as a  nurse ;) 

     both blurt their  reasons  in unison

   Gals !!!!!

John and Abhishek meet Priyanka , in search of an apartment

     on the condition

  they need to be girls 

  but boys will be boys , they have an idea alternative  to sex change

change your sexual preferences ... VOILA AA!!!

The crux of the film is the hilarity with which the hunks swing gay.

First half has some bright entertaining moments ... 

  second half disappoints...

Tracks are foot-tapping  .. Desi Girl  is my pick .. Maa da Laadla is hip!

Support by Boman Irani and Kirron Kher is worth mentioning

Priyanka tickles , Abhishek giggles , John sizzles ..

 Rating : 3.5/5.0

Fashion : by Madhur Bhandarkar

Madhur Bhandarkar completes his trilogy with this film post Page-3 and Corporate...

Fashion excels big time  ... 

.. and   its the trademark Bhandarkar reality check!

A simple middle class girl heads to Mumbai to make it big into the world of Fashion , "Meghna Mathur" played by Priyanka Chopra

The whims and fancies of  glamour milieu has been depicted with panache by Madhur. 

The supporting role by Kangna Ranaut is par excellence , as she plays the disturbed queen of the fashion world with aplomb.

Certain portions of the film unmask the hidden truths behind the razzle-dazzle veil. 

The music of the film packs a punch , I was really impressed by the songs composed by Salim Sulaiman , for instance ,  "Khuch Khaas Hai".

On the whole , the movie a little bit lengthy , keeps you hooked , giving insight into the show stopper business!!

Way to Go , Mr. Bhandarkar

Rating : 4.0/5.0

Taxi Driver : by Martin Scorsese

Martin Scorsese , became a cult director in the 80's just becoz of sheer mastery be it in , Raging Bull , GoodFellas , or the recent The Departed

Taxi Driver is no exception , he brings forth the sublime actor in Robert -De- Niro in the title role , just as a potter moulds a pot!

Scorsese has used De-Niro in challenging masks,playing a Vietnam War Victim , who seeks a job as a Taxi Driver in New York City.

The film captures the essence of United States , Post Vietnam , where the scum of the streets is evident in terms of debauchery , booze , mafia , drugs ......

De-Niro as Travis Bickle , enacts the character to the T , showing his growing frustrations , rejected and depressed..

.. to redemption ..

and misanthrope turning a saviour of a prostitute , played by Jodie Foster.

Travis Bickle has put an indelible mark on the field of cinema as one of the finest performances by an actor ... and will continue to do so in years to come..

Rating : 4.5/5.0

WALL-E : by Andrew Stanton

Wall-E is yet another attempt by Pixar Studios to break the boundaries in the field of animation , they have just flabbergasted me with the uninhibited artistry at display.

Wall-E is not just a run-of-the-mill CGX film , it takes you on a sci-fi ride which was last seen in E.T. 

Wall-E , an acronym, Waste Allocation Load Lifter-Earth , is the last robot on the face of earth with the daily chore of compacting the trash. 

The mankind was airlifted 700 years ago into space , in view of unbearable contamination on Earth . 

Wall-E , all these years , collected human artifacts , and connected emotionally to humans just by experiencing vicariously.

One fine day , an EVE robot lands on the planet , with the directive to find plant-life on earth.

Henceforth , begins an emotional journey of discovery and companionship , with a tinge of Sci-Fi hoopla.

Seeing the film , I can reiterate without hesitation ...... 

Wall-E is amongst the best characters on celluloid animation or otherwise!!!

Sigh!! ....  I fell in love with Wall-E  ....  Sigh!!  ... 

...  ironically any human would!

Rating :  5.0/5.0

Kung Fu Panda : Osborne & Stevenson

Dreamworks has always been at the helm of animation , churning out full-on extravaganza like the Shrek Series.

Kung-Fu Panda , takes me back as an audience to the vintage Jackie Chan flicks with a vengeance streak attached to it.

The difference here is that the characters are full-of-life making them all body n flesh.

An Ensemble ... An Ovation

1. Panda aka 'Po' (Jack Black is exhilarating)
2. Tigress ( Angelina Jolie is first-rate )
3. Monkey (Jackie Chan is lost in the crowd)
4. Mantis
5. Crane
6. Viper (Lucy Liu is just ok)
7. Master Shifu ( Dustin Hoffman is brilliant )

The Panda is a kung-fu fanatic ,works as a noodle waiter & is a helping hand to his father.

One fine day , the Tortoise Master decides to choose a dragon warrior to fight an evil protégé of Master Shifu , the snow leopard Tai Lung , on the premonition of it escaping from prison.

Panda , comically , is the chosen one , and the story captures the essence of 'Po's journey through the Kung-Fu triumph.

Kung Fu Panda is one of the finest entertaining animation movie in a long time , Pixar has serious competition!!

I just loved it , an evergreen repeat for sure ....

Rating : 4.5/5.0

Rear Window : by Alfred Joseph Hitchcock

Today's generation marvel at mysteries be it from M.Night.Shyamlan supernatural repertoire to Christopher Nolan's mysterious non-linear films.

but Sir Alfred Joesph Hitchcock .. is where it all started , Father of murder/suspense.

Rear Window is one such flick from his portfolio, which in a subtle way , creates a milieu of suspense with a tinge of humour splattered too.

It is a story of a wheelchair bound photographer , who is recuperating from a fractured leg , passing time looking into the neighbourhood from his apartment window.

The director has created a setup where the audience sees the lives of people in the adjacent building through the protagonists' eyes.

One fine day , the photographer with all his gadgets , catches a glimpse of mysterious circumstances at the rear window, convincing him of a crime!!

With support from his girlfriend , nurse and his cop friend , he embarks on the path of finding the truth!!!

Notable Sequences

1. The Glowing Cigarette light in the opposite dark window.
2. The Flash bulb scene.
3. The Gory Anecdotes of the Nurse.

Year 1954 , makes this movie a 54 year old drama , present day ,

... but for me it is a Classic!!!

Rating : 4.5/5.0

A Wednesday : by Neeraj Pandey

A Wednesday is a film which creates a furor jolting the audiences .

The film starts off with an anonymous caller played by Naseer tipping the Mumbai Police Commissioner played by Anupam Kher.

The Mumbai police is in panic-mode in search of the potential bombs waiting to be triggered all over the city. The hunt is on to nab the caller at all costs .

It is a race against time , where in the time-window is small and the impact is huge . Naseer demands for the release of 4 terrorists in lieu of information of the RDX whereabouts.

A Wednesday is a tip of the iceberg film with a thought provoking epistle in the end credits .

The milieu of the movie is intact from start to culmination , Neeraj , the director deserves to be applauded.

In context of  the  " present-day"  , A Wednesday will go a long way in making our own place a better place to  live in ---   'WITHOUT FEAR'   ---

Rating :  4.5/5.0

 P.S.  -   Naseer's soliloquy  ,  blew me  , than the impact of the shells!!

Following : by Christopher Nolan

Breaking a Story into Pieces and Restructuring ..

Nolan is God ...

a true grandmaster .. outwitting the audiences.

This is the 5th installment I have witnessed , and I am simply blown away time and again starting right from Memento , Batman Begins , The Prestige to The Dark Knight.



Following( is Nolan's Debut - 1998) ....... is about this lonely , struggling writer , who takes up a weird hobby of following people on the streets with the motive of inspiring his next novel using the commonalities .

In the process , he finds himself into a sequential ( so to say non- linear for us ) parody of events , teaming with a professional thief by accident.

The length of the film at 70 minutes makes it sharp , crisp , and into a what-happens-next mould , with mouth-gaping end reeels.

WYS - I - N (Not) - WYG .... Christopher Nolan's Mantra ...

Take a bow !

Rating : 4.5/5.0