127 Hours : by Danny Boyle

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

127 Hours .... of

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

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

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

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

Rating : 4.0/5.0

Requiem for a Dream : by Darren Aronofsky

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

Rating : 4.5/5.0

Dhobi Ghat : by Kiran Rao

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

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

The film has primarily 5 characters :-

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

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

Moments which are noteworthy :-

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

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

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

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


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


Rating : 3.0/5.0

Amélie : by Jean-Pierre Jeunet

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

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

with the inner demons of her own loneliness.

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

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

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

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

box and return it.

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

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

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

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

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

Rating : 3.5/5.0

Udaan : by Vikramaditya Motwane

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

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

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

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

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

Udaan & its screenplay genius ...

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

and ... much much more ...

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

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

Udaan , the Best Hindi Flick of 2010. Period.


Rating : 4.5/5.0

The Green Mile : by Frank Darabont

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

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

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

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

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

Some of the Key Moments:-

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rating : 4.0/5.0

No One Killed Jessica : by Rajkumar Gupta

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Worth a Watch!

Rating : 3.5/5.0

Phas Gaye Re Obama : by Subhash Kapoor

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rating : 3.5/5.0

Band Baaja Baaraat : by Maneesh Sharma

 

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

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

God knows , what was in store!!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fultoo Paisa Vasool!

Rating : 4.0/5.0

Silence of the Lambs : by Jonathan Demme

                                                    
The Silence of  the Lambs , released in 1991 , is a thriller which blends with the horror genre.

My eerie memories go back to the time when I used to feel scared of its posters , for a kid going to school , it was kinda weird looking at the graffiti of a butterfly :)

Since time immemorial I wanted to lay my eyes on it , one of the elite few to bag the Top 5 Oscar Categories.

It is the story of  Clarice Starling , a juvenile FBI trainee who is pulled out of her training with the extremely sensitive task of interviewing "Hannibal Lecter".

Hannibal played by Anthony Hopkins is a psychiatrist & a threatening cannibalistic serial killer in custody. The mission is to extract as much information as possible from his mind to track the notorious "Buffalo Bill"  who skins women.

Clarice played by Jodie Foster is a tough cookie yet vulnerable. The screenplay is exorbitantly engaging , the cross questioning and tet-e-tet between Clarice and Lecter had me a picture of concentration.

Lecter is too clever with Clarice in a quid pro quo situation and buys out a transfer to a special cell. In lieu , he provided clues to the tracks of Bill and the subsequent events left me catechize more.

"Hannibal Lecter" , no doubts in my mind is one of the greatest villains of all time.When you talk about impact of a role , just over 16 minutes screen time of Hopkins ,  his mannerisms and the stare had me in tatters , artistry to the core.

This was truly , magically , literally getting into the 'skin' of the character :)

Jodie Foster was sharp and seemed as seasoned as Hopkins. She played Clarice to the 'T' with certain susceptible , unprotected flair.

Commendable screenplay adaption by Ted Telly and direction by  Jonathan Demme

It was worth the wait .. behold the Masterpiece of the 90's.

Rating : 5.0/5.0

Guzaarish : by Sanjay Leela Bhansali

 

Guzaarish , is a story set in Goa about a quadriplegia , Ethan Mascarenhas , one of the finest magicians of the time.

 The protagonist played by Hrithik Roshan , has dealt with his injury with great spirit and a will to live. He has his own radio show where the message of hope is shared with one and all.

Aishwarya plays Sophia , Ethan's caretaker for past 12 years , who with utmost dignity has been his shadow.

Ethan and Sophia share an inseparable unspoken love which is indeed beautiful and lively.

One fine day , Ethan urges to file a petition for euthanasia. His doctor Dr. Nayak, played ably by Suhel Seth and  lawyer friend Divyani played by Shernaz Patel are taken aback by his decision.

There in lies the crux of the plot where his sufferings and pain surrounding his paralyzed life is bought to light.

He shares a unique bond with each character which has been beautifully crafted around the magician's life.

Doctor : A human whose profession is to give life to people.

Lawyer  : A Friend and a well-wisher , who has seen the adversity of Ethan.

Nurse : A dignified worker , who has dedicated all her life towards the betterment of Ethan.

Mother : Heart wrenching emotions of a mother who wants to set her son free.

Lover : Sacrificial love of his muse and assistant

Disciple :  A Young , vibrant student of his idol's craft.

The film from the repertoire of Mr. Bhansali is extraordinary in the sense of trademark Anglo-Indian setup with artistic sets and high-emotional moments straight from the heart.

Screenplay moves along nicely with sweet moments intermingled with poignant scenes which connect with the plight of Ethan.

Mr Bhansali has composed his own music this time around, and what a splendid debut it is indeed.

Udi , Sau Gram Zindagi , Dhundli Dhundli , Chand ki Katori are mesmerizing!

Performances,  exemplary by Aishwarya , epitome of grace , poise and dignity!

Hrithik's best , his magical innocence and his pain juxtaposes!

Absolutely crackling bond between the two , tacit romance at its best.

Supporting cast gets a thumbs up and special mention goes to Aditya Roy Kapoor as the one of the upcoming actors to watch out for in the future!

I have a lump in my throat writing this and was teary eyed at the end of it all :(

A powerful film with a message which is heart felt to the extremity!

Rating : 4.5/5.0

The Social Network : by David Fincher

The Social Network , as the title suggests is about the advent of social networking revolution 

in today's digital times. The Facebook was the prime website giving the impetus to this journey.

Its the story of the evolution of Facebook and the resulting Lawsuits.

Mark Zuckerberg , a Harvard University student in the fall of 2003 , comes up with the idea of an internal web application to rate the attractiveness of University Girls after he is ditched by his girlfriend.

Facemash.com is an instant hit at the campus , but on the flip side it lands Zuckerberg into 6 months probation for violating privacy and crashing Harvard network big time!

2 Members of the Harvard rowing team , Winkelvoss bros. are impressed with Mark and propose him to build an internal social networking website to connect people.

Mark along with his buddy Saverin , comes up with idea of TheFacebook , where students will share their profiles and social info securely.

Saverin invests a 1000$ , there in starts the journey of developing 'TheFacebook' , Zuckerberg codes day in day out and it goes live one fine day!

The site expands and grows exponentially from Harvard to other schools across U.S.

The film's first half moves at break neck speed , with tongue in cheek retorts , wacky lines & smart characterization.

The second half sees through the rift between Mark and his CFO pal Saverin, when Napster co-founder Sean enters the fray.

The screenplay is just out of this world , with non-linear narration , back and forth between the federal court lawsuits and the facts from the past.

Performances :

1. Jesse Adam Eisenberg as Mark Zuckerberg - Unrivalled act

2. Justin Timberlake as Sean - Mean as ever

3. Andrew Garfield - A sensitive portrayal of a friend in need

David Fincher ,the director and Aaron Sorkin , the screenplay writer must be applauded for making one of the smartest films of the year..

Go watch it and post it on your wall!!!!!!

Rating : 5.0/5.0

Raging Bull : by Martin Scorsese

 
Raging Bull , is a 1980 biographical film based on the life of a middleweight boxer Jake La Motta.

Martin Scorsese was still finding his way into Hollywood as an A-list director till he decided to adapt this biopic.

Jake La Motta was sadomasochistic and his temper was way beyond his terror inside the bull ring - Robert De Niro plays him to the 'T'.

De Niro is ably supported by Joe Pesci , a small time actor then.

He is Jake's brother and his well wisher manager,who tries his level best to smoothen his rage.

The boxer , Jake climbs up the middle weight ladder but in the process loses his composure leading to jealousy pangs and domestic violence- his wife Vickie , the prime sufferer.

Technically , Martin Scorcese has shown upmost skill in the boxing bouts scenes. The violent bursts of Jake are extremely real and one feels for his family.

The film is taken to another plane by the performances , Robert De Niro is a class act , and he proved it then and has done it time and again.


His expressions , his emotions , his distress , his anger , his lasciviousness , his killer-instinct , his calmness in the ring , his love , his determination - Jake LaMotta is one heck of character to play - Indeed he deserved the Best Actor Oscar.


The blood dripping on the ring side rope epitomizes the movie , blood and sweat inside and outside the bull ring!


Must Watch for connoisseurs of film making!

Rating : 5.0/5.0

The Shining : by Stanley Kubrick

 

The Shining , a psychological thriller from Stanley Kubrick is widely recognized as the scariest films of all time.

I was really intrigued & at the same time petrified!

 The film stars Jack Nicholson as a writer who with his wife and young son accept an off season job of a caretaker at an isolated hotel.

The son possesses super natural psychic abilities to see past and future and has an alter ego "Tony".

The Overlook hotel is cut off from the mainland during a snowstorm and only Jack and his family is left behind to take care.

The Chef of the hotel takes them around the layout of the the premises.

Jack's wife , Wendy and her son Danny have fun around the hotel , meanwhile Jack's novel writing is going nowhere.

As time passes , Jack starts acting strangely and gets frustrated. Spooky incidents take over the hotel.

Room 237 "Shines"

Stanley Kubrick was a masterclass and is widely regarded as a superlative technician. His attention to detail in this film creates a creepy milieu which is truly spine chilling

Finesse Examples 

• Fast Camera movements behind Danny's bicycle ride across the lobby
• Trademark , ghostly eye staring by Jack
• Eerie typewriting keys noise
• Zoom in wall picture at the climax
• Jack's face sticking out of the axe broken door

The Shining , released in 1980 , still packs a chill and scares your guts out!

Horror at its best !

Rating : 4.5/5.0

Enthiran (Robot) : by Shankar

 

Robot is one of the most ambitious film project executed in Indian cinema and all credit should be given to the visionary in Shankar , the director of Robot.

It is a sci-fi flick where superstar Rajnikant plays a dual role of a scientist and his creation , a super-sharp android.

Vaseegaran is into his ambitious task of creating a Human Android.

10 years hence , dedicated to his mission & ignoring his family & friends in particular his love interest played by Aishwarya , he creates Chitti.

Vaseegaran's ex-boss Bohra played by Danny is jealous of his creation .

Bohra rejects Chitti on the grounds of it being devoid of human emotions.

Dilligence pays off , Vasee re-creates Chitti with all emotions which backfires as the robot falls in love with Aishwarya.

Rajnikant has dealt with the double whammy with aplomb.

Chitti is never-seen-before-in-Indian-cinema piece of metal.

Aishwarya looks stunning and does her bit well.

Music by Rahman is run-of-the-mill

Lyrics are super funny

Stand Out Feature  

Special Effects and CGI used in this film is par excellence particularly at the culmination.

Great vision by Shankar!

Hail Superstar Rajni whose mass appeal rockets big time!

Rating : 3.5/5.0

Full Metal Jacket : by Stanley Kubrick

First film which I got the privilege to watch from the sanctum of a director named Kubrick ..

Full Metal Jacket is a war film with never seen before journey of cadets to the unfeigned world at war!

It follows the metamorphosis of US Marine squad during their training phase and then of Vietnam Tet Offensive War of the two plebe nicknamed "Joker"  & "Rafter Man".

This 1987 flick , has the most realistic & gruelling army sequences that I have ever witnessed specifically when you see CGX prevalent these days.

The initial reels introduces the hard task master , the drill instructor "Hartman" . His motto is to train the cadets to the pinnacle of emotional and physical strength through sheer brunt of swearing and abuses.

One of the cadets "Private Pyle" takes the brute of Hartman and is totally unresponsive to the hardship.
The culmination of the first half was an absolute bolt from the blue , blew my mind and hit me hard !!

The dialogues are just raw barrage of mouth uttering which in a funny way makes me ask for more.

My Fav Dialogue , Speech from Hartman :

"Today, you people are no longer maggots! Today, you are MARINES! You're part of a brotherhood! From now on, until the day you die, EVERY MARINE is your BROTHER!

Most of you will go to Vietnam! Some of you will NOT COME BACK! But, always remember this - the Marine Corps lives FOREVER! And, that means you will live FOREVER! "
 
The Vietnam war sequences are earthy & traverses the journey of  the "Joker" as the Combat Correspondent at Vietnam along with "Rafterman" as the photographer.

The enemy combat near the ascendancy is extremely detailed and expertly shot.

Stanley Kubrick has proven  , that attention to detail with deftness behind the camera makes a film...

 - A Technician's delightful story-telling medium!

Rating : 4.0 / 5.0

To Kill a Mockingbird : by Robert Mulligan

To Kill A Mockingbird has been regarded as a classic of modern American literature and a Pulitzer prize winner.

Having an adapted screenplay written on it for celluloid must have been a challenging process , since the cine goer must be enthralled to the same degree as the book.

1962 , Drama film adaption is indeed a classic and touted as one of he finest in American cinema.

To begin with , the storyline is set in an era of 1930's where prejudice and racism exists in a small town of Alabama & Great Depression is prevalent.

The unique part of the screenplay is its narrative which is crafted through the eyes of 3 characters and told from a little girls point of view.

The 3 main role plays :  

• Atticus Finch  ,the lawyer and a father to two kids , played brilliantly by Gregory Peck
• 'Scout' Finch , the 6 year old school going kid.
• 'Jem' Finch , the older brother of Scout.

The movie in its initial reels talks about the innocence of the children and their experiences in the neighbourhood. They are in awe of the reclusive neighbour 'Boo Radley'  played by debutant Robert Duvall.

Atticus meanwhile is appointed to defend a black man , accused in a rape case. Tagged as 'nigger lovers' , the kids are humiliated at school.

The storyline tempo picks up in the latter half , & the culmination gives you a sense of self-realization , a thought provoking kick!

Gregory Peck is exceptional as Finch , the supporting cast is at par , and the acting of the kids is superlative!

To Kill a Mockingbird is truly a master piece and perfect adaption to the tome

Rating : 4.5/5.0

Dabangg : by Abhinav Kashyap

Dabangg , an unusual title , a typical usual bollywood potboiler in store is what I expected.

'Wanted' being at the back of my mind , with crap screenplay and Salman doing his childish antics , I was apprehensive.

As I came out of the cinema hall, watching Junior Kashyap's directorial debut , I just could not stop grinning and laughing!

Dabangg is the story of a corrupt police officer 'Chulbul (Robin Hood ) Pandey , set in Lal Ganj , Uttar Pradesh .. perfect setting for a masala script.

The film in its initial reels , does nothing to generate a plot.
Chulbul is introduced with lot of fanfare , with top notch action with a comic element , a la' Jackie Chan.

The supporting cast in Vinod Khanna (his step-father) , Dimple Kapadia (his mother) and his step brother played by Arbaaz  and their relationship with Chubul forms the backdrop for the latter half , with UP politics thrown in.

Sonakshi Sinha , the female debutant has not much to do in the 'Salman' extravaganza , but she plays it with subtlety.

The romantic track between Salman and Sonakshi is something to look forward to. Music plays a big part in making the canvas colorful.

The title track , Tere Mast Mast & Munni are absolute riveting chartbusters! ... Malaika Arora Khan has lit up the screen with her oomphatic dance moves in Munni. All credit to Saajid Waajid music duo & Lalit Pandit (of Jatin-Lalit fame)  for a melodious playlist.

Dialogues , Music , Salman Khan , Comedy , makes Dabanng , an absolute masala bollywood caper!

Go and Njoy Carefree Cinema!

Rating : 3.5/5.0

Peepli [Live] : by Anusha Rizvi

Peepli Live is a comical satire on the village life prevailing in India with the omnipresent farmer suicides.

It also delves into the 'Limelight & TRP'  hogging media fraternity and its workings through the eye-piece of the journalist turned director herself : Anusha Rizvi.

Aamir Khan Productions has been into subjects which are untapped and unexplored in Bollywood , & Peepli is one such pointer.

It is a simple story of a farmer named Natha who is out of money to support his family comprising of his brother played by Raghuvir Yadav , his wife and his ailing mother.

The elections are near in his district and he comes up with an idea of committing suicide to get compensation for his family from the Govt. and as a result save his land.

The film takes pot-shots and hilarious anecdotes upon the Media and the Politicians as the news of Natha's suicide leaks out.

The performances are exemplary with Natha played by Omkar Das Manikpuri, expressing with minimum interlocution.

Special mention to the supporting cast :

• Budhia Das  (Raghuvir Yadav )  -  Brother in need , a brother indeed , quintessential , Mr Yadav.
• Amma (Farookh Zafar)  -  Natha's ailing mother , brings the house down :) 
  
• Dhaniya (Shalini Vatsa) - Her constant bickering sets the tone of the frustration of the family.
• Nandita Malik (Malika Shenoy)  - Modelled on , Barkha Dutt , very convincing portrayal.

The length of the film is just over 1.5 Hour mark making it enjoyable ride till it lasts. Music scope is less but is gelled well into the screenplay.

A Nice , well documented and researched satire after a long time!

Rating : 4.0/5.0

Shutter Island : by Martin Scorsese

Shutter Island is an adaption of a psychological  thriller novel by Denis Lehane published in 2003.

Martin Scorsese has his best bet in Leonardo Di Caprio to play the protagonist 'Teddy Daniels'.

He has been his favorite since Gangs of New York to The Aviator to The Departed.

Shutter Island has an eerie millieu right from the outset....

Daniels , a U.S Marshall with his new partner Chuck is entrusted with the job of finding clues to en ravel the disappearance of a criminally insane patient from Ashe cliff hospital on the remote island.

The Island has many deranged patients and the hospital is headed by Dr. Crawley played by Ben Kingsley ( Gandhi Fame ).

The film had me focussed right in , each moment a revelation into the mystery surrounding the screenplay.

Somewhere the sequences between Daniel & his wife got me cringe , but soon it became evident the crux of it all. 

The editing is superlative with attention to detail on the creepy Shutter Island. The background score compliments the ghostly tone.

Performances , exemplary by Caprio , he is growing in stature with such skills in acting , he will surely get his hands on the Oscar statue soon.

If you have not read the book ...

Watch Shutter Island for Scorsese & Caprio combo which lights up the celluloid each time every time.

Rating : 4.0/5.0