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Joker (I) (2019)
7/10
Few things amiss
9 October 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Loved the movie. Loved the portrayal and development of the character of Joker by Joaquin Phoenix.

On the storyline, its been super gripping, there were places where I felt they were being slow. Hallucinations was critical in building of the movie, initially, i was not able to understand, but then towards the second half the clarity of the distinction of what is real became apparent.

Background Score, Hans Zimmer was missed, Using mix of "Send in the Clowns" by Frank Sinatra, "White Room" by Cream and whole host of music which clearly instilled within the scenes, exemplified. We were actually sympathising with the Joker.

Few observations - * Missed the the simplicity, poetic, rhythm in dialogues that the Joker character uses. The dialogues need to be simple and hugely impactful at both individual level and at the level of Gotham. Nothing immediately memorable.

* I cannot imagine Joker smoking, the entire movie he seems to be smoking. he could be high on medication or any other drug but incessant smoking on screen, may be shows is dependancy, but when he is crowned the Joker, no more of scenes smoking.

* Another thing, i dont think Joker would even use cuss words for an impact. His expressions, his menacing silence, his way of telling is enough, could have completely avoided using any cuss word.

* Touching upon mental disease, where we are just getting used to the idea "its ok, not to be ok" - it brings in a sensitivity towards the this aspect of life, where we all need a balance.

** Spoiler Alert** * The shooting in the subway, OR in front live audience is unlike him. The Joker would plan, strategise but will get things executed by others. Maybe that is what was needed to build it up.

The other problem that i have with the character of Joker is that we all live in the world of paradox - where we/I got to choose - to be strong, face the truth OR to be weak and shoot the person because he was mean to us. So is it ok to shoot, hit, the person because he was mean to us? A lot of questions that gives rise to the the individual in you, after the watching the movie. So, if someone shouts at you, bangs your car, you go ahead and give a him a punch. This is still work of fiction but based on some level of truth as to how we are actually becoming - shallow!
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Aladdin (2019)
8/10
Prince is Blue with different star cast.
28 May 2019
Will Smith does not disappoint as the genie. I feel he really had some shoes to fill, do not think any other actor would have been able to play the genie with action, song, dance, rap and even special effects. The fresh prince Bel-Air is back and he is blue.

I don't know if it's just Me or the Indian in me, Jasmine had a strong resemblance to Frieda Pinto. Jaffar any day should have been played by Ben Kingsley. top it the princesses' father should have been Kabir Bedi.
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I Am (II) (2010)
8/10
I am impressed
5 May 2011
Warning: Spoilers
Having read a lot about the movie on social networking sites and the anticipation surrounding it. One of the unique factors if the film is that I Am is the first crowd sourced mainstream Hindi film, it is co produced by over 400 people from 35 cities across the world! The no drama or the regular song and dance routine and tackling perhaps 'bold' issues handled sensitively is what one can expect from a director or Onir's repute. Well, there are a few films that stay with you and make you think one you are out of the cinema hall. One actually wonders about the stereotype perceptions that have become so engrained in our minds which this film raises questions about. Onir chooses to make a film that's very real, many would identify with it, and a fusion of stories where the protagonists share a common dream – to regain their life and move on.

4 stories with the same sutradar being life. Afia's (Nandita Das) yearning for a baby and her search for the perfect sperm donor (Purab Kohli). Next is the story of Megha (Juhi Chawla) and Rubina (Manisha Koirala) two childhood friends who wants to forget about the painful memories of exodus from Kashmir which is their 'home'.

Next we move to the touching story (true story) of Abhimanyu (Sanjay Suri) who has been a victim of child abuse by his stepfather. The last story is about Omar (Arjun Mathur) and Jai (Rahul Bose) which is about the plight of homosexuals and highlights the nexus between male sex workers and the police.

The film is totally engaging, the story is crisp and full marks for the editing. The many emotions – tears, smiles, desires, frustration of the characters seem so justified and so real. Also the glimpses of the locales, Kolkata, Kashmir, Bangalore and Mumbai are subtle and never over the top. The film is an answer about the subjects that the society needs to address. The movie leaves you thinking, makes you feel what actors acting out.
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Enthiran (2010)
8/10
Rajni the unstoppable force in Endhiran (Robot)
2 October 2010
With though all with the dubbing entertaining hassles in Hindi for the movie, the special effects actually made up if there is anything wrong in the movie. Rajnikanth, will surely handle it and he does best. Rajnikanth, who is actually 60 plus years old has played three different characters - the scientist Mr. Vasi, who creates the Robot, Chitti and the evil robot, Chitti again and then 1000 Chitti's in the movie. One question that arises, for which character was Rajnikanth paid and if it was for all 1000s of character, then he should be beating Warren Buffet, this year.

Wait till the end of the last action sequence that is completely original. The movie is a complete Indian Sci-fi which Indian directors are scared to make. It also raises pertinent issues in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence, do we need to droids with feelings and reasoning capabilities. This movie other being huge commercial success, it should be one of the entries into Oscars in the Foreign Language category - A complete entertainer.
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7/10
Not a typical romantic movie
10 May 2010
Let me start with the end, which is the end credits Stayin Alive with Punjabi Remixed and the bloopers in the movie that are running with it. Its like two best worlds coming together!! Only Bally Sagoo could have pulled this off!! I really like Gurinder Chaddha movies since Bend It like Beckham, the whole Punjabi touch to the movie that she gets, the wedding season and the all the food that comes with it which is like what Punjabis die for (or work for). In this movie, you had all the elements put in place, you have good music, wedding, punjabi style the whole NRI culture based out of London. The other added elements that make it a dark comedy, but surely not scary.

Overall with all the elements are placed the only thing is it NOT a typical romance film with some really funny moments.
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Avatar (2009)
5/10
Avatar - Recreating Abyss in Space
17 December 2009
Avatar with all technology, animation, 3D, or 3D Fusion Camera system that you see in the movie is awesomely and technically very sound movie and there are no two ways about it. He has done it before with Abyss, Aliens, Terminator, and Titanic. Awesome, beautiful visuals, with the 3D, you could actually feel that the fireflies, were just above your head or the ashes were falling on you. We fell in love with Pandora, we fell in love with a Na'vi tribe.

One of the first gentle visuals of the movie are a jellyfish structured floating in the crisp air of Pandora. This jellyfish took me to Abyss, like i have this one earlier. Couldn't have forgotten this movie at all, one of my first movie in Sterling and was feeling cold not only because of the air conditioner, but also the all the visuals were under water.

Having the infrastructure and the time in place, the first half of the movie keeps showing the different parts of the world of Pandora, huge and massive trees, flying mountains, again we go back to the visual elements, post which where is the story in the movie? Story has all the elements of climate change, love story, terrorism, forbidden love, out-of-the-world action, betrayal, but where is the Cameroon punch? I was shifting in my chair, looking around , just to realise that there were three people sitting beside me, who never came back, after the interval was over. There were just too many cuts / jumps in the movie, and one could easily realise this, hope this in only in the Indian version.

The creatures in the movie are again awesome, DireHorse, a horse with six legs and Banshee the flying dragon type of monster, which can only be tamed by confronting it. The cast was good, Sam Warrington did a decent job as the Avatar, than himself. Sigourney Weaver looked old, and there is gujarati scientist working for the AVATAR program Dr. Max Patel. Favourite character is the Colonel Miles Quaritch, the main antagonist.

Overall, visuals are brilliant, worth an Oscar, but the story was completely a miss!!
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10/10
Rocket Singh - must be startups to be inspired
13 December 2009
Rocket Singh - would surely be an inspiration for all start ups or looking for their own little thing to do must for start ups. Let me give a little bit of the story where Ranbir Kapoor starts his own little company and gets all the ingredients right from his existing company. The only driving factor is honesty and being a people's person. Just because he is the hero of the movie, doesn't mean that he gets all the things right and being served in a silver plate. I even liked the whole idea where you have the protagonist has shades of grey in him, he is now perfect a "just pass" in his organization.

Like Ranbir Kapoor in a role as Sardarji, liked his matching pagdis (turbans) and ties. But his dialogue was very far away from that of a surd. Shazahn Padamsee should have got a much better, meatier role than this one for her debut, it was not at all impactful. The other characters like Gauhar Khan was fairly good, the only person giving some authenticity to punjabi culture, with his voice, dialogues, love and affection.

I was looking forward to Pocket mein rocket song, but then all the songs were quiet well woven into the movie, and there was no dream sequence where the character break into a song. But there were no songs and still the movie is a little less than 3 hours.

I can clearly see a potential of a number of sequels, post this movie. The potential movie titles

Rocket Singh 2 - Entrepreneur of the year

or Management approach * Rocket Singh 2 - Production Manager of the year * Rocket Singh 2 - Marketing Manager of the year * Rocket Singh 2 - Financial Manager of the year

or Rocket Singh 2 - Detective of the year
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3/10
Twilight: New Moon - take your girlfriend along!
10 December 2009
When you have friends who have all the Stephenie Meyer's books at least once, and before the release of the movie the race is to finish the book once more. This is time you get dragged into watching Twilight Series - Second edition - New Moon. Even though you know, you are not going to be spooked, scared or traumatized by blood sucking vampires or bad smelly mutts werewolves. If it was true, i would not be watching scary movies in dark theatres.

Jacob who is running after shirtless and gets converted into super awesome werewolf, this is the only time i love the this movie, when i see werewolves, but after sometime, it reminds me of Remus Lupin from Harry Potter series. The story very complicated (pun intended) it is a choice between a werewolf and a vampire for the poor always dreamy looking and dreaming (Isa)Bella. The werewolf fight sequences have a nice CG effects being used, but then this is not an action movie, it a romantic movie of forbidden love.

On Edward, the vampire boyfriend, his appearance on the screen, i was always standing there, but you just notice my presence with the expressionless (read as stylish) look. On Bella, why is she so serious, she just doesn't smile in the movie, she can sit hours while a guy is fixing a motorcycle, months brooding or thinking over lost forbidden love. Whne the next comes along she has am awesome rebound relationship erupting only to realise that he is also not a normal human being. At the same time, you may be able to relate the feelings, but never the situations in your real life. At that very moment i was enjoying my caramel popcorn.

If you want to impress your girlfriend, then take her for this movie, there is something about this movie, story, novel that makes them start thinking and if you make them watch this movie, they will be yours in the forbidden love. But remember, this is not a children's movie no more, the audience have widened to even grandmothers. The violins in the soundtrack does spook you, but then they are there to bring in more dramatics in already abrupt jumping of scenes and countries, the soundtrack is pretty well done and and supports the cinematography.
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Wake Up Sid (2009)
8/10
Wake up Sid - an inspiration!!
7 December 2009
What i loved most in the movie - Wake up Sid, not every one is perfect, there cannot be pure good, pure bad people, it has its own shade of grey, that is what Sid the character is all about. Then, once you realise this, you go out and try and find what you love doing, and do that. Everything else will fall in place.

Sid, everyone from family to friends want Siddharth Mehra to do something constructive in life and earn some self - respect and of course money. He has no plans and take life as it comes. Aisha (played by Konkona Sen Sharma), who on the other hand has planned very meticulously, what she wants. I believe that because of Konkona's performance Ranbir's performance was complimentary, rather than other way around. Was it just that Aisha was a much stronger character in the movie.

The credit should go to the director to a very large extent, to make one realise, what he is worth does need to go Kargil like Lakshya or Goa like Dil Chahta Hai. You would surprised that once you realise what you want, it was just next door. Loved the way, the house where Konkona stays and they way everything in the studio apartment has been placed - the books (choice of books), the artefacts, the show pieces. The house had no bed, but a bedding that was on the floor. It reminded me of my house in Pune. That's another story.

And I just love the music, every well written and woven into the movie, specially "Iktara" that for sure Favourite song, too!! Towards, the end of the movie, you keep thinking did you like the movie, didn't you like the movie. But then the movie is inspiring in work, in love, in relationship.
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9/10
Sarcasm on fast food!
7 December 2009
Love the whole wild, weird imagination of having fast food falling out of the sky, that would solve the half the world's problems. But then it is still an imagination. Simply, the the story of Cloudy with a chance of meatballs is a scientist solves world's hunger problem, and the food starts falling from the sky, only to realise that things are not going as planned.

It is a very well written movie, well done animation, even thought it would have been Pixar's idea at first, but then it isn't. Love the characters, all big eyed, there are some with no eyes, but then only at the time of surprise their eyes would be popping out. Love the father-son relationship, it is not saying I told you so. Even enjoyed the sarcasm towards consuming fast food as to how it would lead to health problems. So, there is nothing called fast food.

Love the way, the wild scientist works towards developing new inventions and his style of approach to an experiment as well as to a relationship is similar. A step-by-step approach.
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Up (2009)
10/10
Up, Up and away
6 December 2009
What i most loved in the movie Up, is that, when ever the couple was free, they would hold hands and sit in front of each other in comfortable sofas and be reading. This something which is very doable, but then in today's generation with multiple channels of entertainment who would be holding hands watching cinema, television, surfing the net, playing farmville, tweeting, talking on cell phone, SMS, MMS, and many more ways, but not reading or writing letters.

Loved the eccentric Carl Fredricksen 80 year old uncle type of character, even at this age he has dreams that are unfulfilled and he wants to achieve them. Complete Kudos to Edward Asner for his voice for this character. Carl is actually an inspiration.

You cannot write a review without mentioning Disney and Pixar together for this one. It is complete full of colors, simple and nice storyline, amazing characters and a whole lot of dogs and hot air balloons, what am i talking about? Go, watch it!
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2012 (I) (2009)
7/10
2012 - amazing special effects. Mayan? Chindia saves the world
6 December 2009
I was totally kicked about watching 2012; any disaster movie, is my favourite. This movie did not disappoint, specially with the visual effects. But the story line was a little non-convincing for the actor John Cusack always as a close shave with death and survives, the other reason was there is only a mention of the Mayan Prophecy.

As we all know it, the world is coming to an end, and how will one survive. The best part to this is that the prediction was made by an Indian played by Jimmy Mistry. This was the opening scene in the movie, of course India, didn't look like India in the movie. The other thought that i had was, would it be possible for the movie to customise the story for each country.

Other than John Cusack, there could have been a better and known actors and more believable and achievable storyline. Not like the one, when all the buildings are falling down, airport runaways going down, water is rising, volcanoes are erupting, earthquake is highest on the righter scale; the hero always is the one who is unhurt, unscathed. The other side of the story has to how mankind survives is because of a country called China, this is enough of the movie given away. You have both Indian and China, being mentioned in the movie - India discovers, China invents, Chindia saves the world.

If you are special effect crazy, looking forward to Armageddon, this movie would not disappoint you.
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Paa (2009)
Paa - brilliant movie, but there is something missing
5 December 2009
Amithabh Bachchan is flawless acting in Paa. But why make him look like extra terrestrial. There was a point in the movie where there were explaining the disease that his character is suffering - Progeria. In the movie itself, when the doctor is explaining, none of the images depicted them as abnormal heads. The children just looked old, why does fiction take undue advantage of medical science.

Sr. Bachchan who plays the character called Auro, I would not be surprised, if we have dolls being sold in Shoppers Stop, Big Bazaar, very soon. But one thing for sure, whenever Auro is in front of the screen, he just lightens up the moment.

This movie it seems like Bachchan Sr. is passing the baton to Bachchan Jr. It is high time, he does that. There is no competition amongst each other, but then there are a only a very few movies of AB Baby that are actually good. Naach, Guru, Sarkar, Sarkar Raaj and now this. Abhishek Bachchan is good political MP; no, this is not an oxymoron, it is the character. To that extent that you can actually see his voter's mark on his middle finger in the movie.

Simple Story. The 12/13/14 year old child suffers from Progeria and the disease brings the parent together. Three different occasions, when the age of Auro has been mentioned differently by different characters. One sincere request, stop comparing the movie to Benjamin Button, it is not! It was actually Robin Williams who was suffering the same disease in the movie Jack. It is not actually the original concept. The execution there are just too many cuts, that too very fast ones. The cuts becomes irritating towards the end. (Reference to Jack on IMDb) Songs are well intertwined and the lyrics bring an amazing soothing effect to the whole scene, last time this feeling seeped into the heart, mind, body and soul, during Taare Zameen Par. Hichki, Hichki and Mere Paa is simple and nice and my favourites.

The movie has its moments, but it just doesn't make you cry. The performance reminds you of Amitabh Bachchan in Black, but then that it was different, that was acting. In Black, when he was smiling, you were laughing, when he was upset, everyone in the theatre had tears in their eyes. Here, he just falls a little short of the getting the audience moved.

The other characters that needs mention is bum, grandmother to Auro played by Arundhati Nag (theatre personality, wife of Anant Nag). She was simply level headed, strong character. She was when faced with moral questions, she would be you take a stand, and you will have my support - that was brilliant. At the same time, the relationship between Paresh Rawal (Dad to Amol Atre) and Abhishek Bachchan does not come out that impactful. But individually there were sound.

Google being subtly being endorsed by Auro. (Tweet) Public Relations angle to the story, creative people need to stop treating like media as you can buy them. It isn't like this always, please do not under-estimate the media as your pawn. The movie does bring out the current affairs element in the movie through redevelopment issues and media being used to create a hype on this.

In short, it is a complete worth it paisa wasool movie for Amithabh Bachchan. I would like to highlight, even though Auro is cute it is not for the kid viewing at the same time.
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Next (2007)
4/10
What's Next?
3 December 2009
I liked the whole concept of seeing in the future, but then, if you would see the future, would not you always want to change it in your favour. If you see death, you will avoid it; if you see accident, you will take precaution; if you see heartbreak, you will see to it either you take full advantage of the situation or it never occurs.

In this movie protagonist can only see the future 15 minutes from now and not the whole future, which is actually very annoying cause first you see what is happening the Next 15 minutes, then you see it happen again! Actually the whole story line just did not make sense, even if the story was nice, the execution was not that great at all. The only saving grace to the movie is Nicholas Cage, if you like him, you like his acting, go watch the movie or else there is nothing much to watch in the movie.
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5/10
It is just OK - Because i Said So
1 December 2009
"Because I Said So" is a story about possessive mother and her obedient daughter, where the mother wants her to get hitched, but then she has to let her daughter go, but then she still is the over powering mother. Diane Keaton as the mother was simply amazing, at some point of time you need to get out of the Kay Adams character to something lighter and funnier like this one.

Warning: You don't watch this movie with your parents, there is a much elaborated scene Orgasm description scene which Mandy Moore (daughter) explains it how it works to Diane Keaton (her mother). Don't do the same mistake which i have made. Another scene when she logs on to adultfriendfinder in search for a perfect son-in-law for a daughter.

About the movie Diane being overly possessive mother. I felt I was watching phone booth.. the only different being, in Phone Booth, Colin Farrel was stuck physically in a phone booth and here Mandy Moore was so trapped emotionally. The common follow up to the story is people just stop thinking straight. Probably that is why, Beatles sang the song "Let it be".

The movie isn't that brilliant, it has its moments, but then you can easily forget about them, if you are not a very emotional person. I think you should watch the movie with spouse or spice.
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Saawariya (2007)
7/10
Saawariya - not such a bad movie!
1 December 2009
Saawariya is a movie loosely based on Fyodor Dostoevsky's short story "White Nights". First things First is debut actor Ranbir Kapoor. He completely reminds of you Raj Kapoor with his actions and dressing style in the movie; he also reminds you of Shammi Kapoor with the "Yahoo" style of mannerisms and dance, in dance again his style is a serious competition to Hritik Roshan.

Sonam Kapoor reminds of you Waheeda Reahman from Pyaasa, it is cause of her natural beauty or the lighting effect or whatever may be the cause. Her character was too docile in the movie and very indecisive. The movie has not being appreciated cause of the art that Sanjay Leele Bansali has put up and has a depressing ending, just like Fanna ending. You can do this to a movie with such happy characters.

What does the colours actually mean in the movie. I think it was to showcase some kind of dreamland or cause the whole era in the movie or a time is not fixed in the movie. One thing that the audience cannot relate to the movie is because there is definite time period. At the same time, i would appreciate the art and the set design that was undertaken in the movie and the imagination that was used, but why Blue color? Other characters in the movie. Veteran actor Zohra Sehgal is quiet good in the movie as English lady with complete panache and does to justice to her role. Rani Mukherjee actually overdid and make up with all the songs in the movie. for Salman Khan fans, this is not a Salman Khan movie
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De Dana Dan (2009)
6/10
De Dana Dan - laugh when the crowd laughs, or be left out
27 November 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Akshay Kumar if he starts making any more faces then, he can well be named the Indian Jim Carrey, specially the Masked version. Suniel Shetty and Sameera Reddy are a perfect match, well built, rounded, grounded, have the accent, both come from down South; why didn't someone think of them earlier. On Katrina, i believe movies are being re-scripted and the dialogues are re-written and probably even the locations are more foreign or foreigner dominated once this lady signs on (also observed in Ajab Prem Ki..).

The story like any typical Priyadarshan movie the comedy ones (Hungama, Hulchul, Hera Pheri) where you know due to a lot of confusion there will be a lot of commotion because of lack of communication between all the characters. OK, this is the same Priyadarshan who has also made the Kala Pani and other award winning movies. But then coming back to his comedy version, its starts with two characters Akshay Kumar and Suniel Shetty and then the girlfriends are introduced Katrina Kaif and Sameera Reddy respectively. Then parents and some bosses, killers, dancers, hookers, waiters, and the list will continue... are brought into the picture. Then there is lot of money at stake, there is a kidnapping, and then all are put together all under one roof the Pan Pacific Hotel in Singapore. 1000 times they should the name of the Hotel where they were staying, how can one forget? I am glad that there are so many actors in the movie, so Akshay doesn't dominate the screen so much. The other Johnny Lever who tries to play a hit-man; Rajpal Yadav who is a corrupt waiter; Manoj Joshi - father of the bride; Neha Dhupia hot headed hooker, who cares only about the money - these actors are quiet commendable. Paresh Rawal is wasted in the movie.

Once in the movie, sometimes you feel it becomes a drag; sometimes you feel too many songs. This one for sure you feel that you have not understood a joke even though the whole crowd in the theatre is laughing, don't despair their are intellectual capabilities do not match with yours.

This is not a spoiler but in the climax scene you have digitally (badly) done; water rushing across all the hallways in the hotel. Very similar to the Titanic one, don't even bother thinking how it happened. In the process, the audience is left confused yet again> Will the actors drown in them, will swim they in it, will they have funny slides made out of it, or what? cause the whole place is filled with water rushing and very bad extras reacting scared, but you can see through them that there is no water in front of them.

I can only say confused, go watch it, don't have any expectations, laugh when the crowd laughs, or you will left out on the joke.
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5/10
Loins of Punjab - total timepass!!
26 November 2009
First it all, do not read this movie as Lions, there are not jungle lions, it is Loins of Punjab presents! It is like any other ABCD (American Born Confused Desi) movie and perfectly blends in this category.

What I loved in the movie is as to how people are dying to participate and create a name for themselves and to what extent they would go to win, but in the end, the purest of all hearts wins the prestigious award.

You always want a reaction from the audience as to how they would react, after the movie. This was my first movie, when we had to react as the director asked the whole audience. The background to this is a whole lot of Indians are participating in the singing competition where the prize is $25000. Most of the contestants are Indians, except one, he participates to impress his Indian girlfriend. He had practices only one song, and didn't know that he would make to the next round, in the next round he sings in Indian National Anthem, Jana Gana Mana... and the director informs us to stand a little advance as the respect that we do give to the anthem. This was completely mind blowing cause you have never asked to do something in the theatre in most non-personal manner.

The characters in the movie are very very stereotypical that you would see, the objectives, the cunningness, the stupidity all just to win the trophy. To name some of them Shabana Azmi, we though she is a vamp, she done her role pretty well; Ayesha Dharker, she is nice and subtle; Darshan Jariwall as the head of Patel family and the accent that everyone uses - brilliant.
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4/10
Ninja Assassin - awesome, but mindless action
26 November 2009
Before I enter the theatre I pray and hope that Ninja Assassin is a path breaking movie. Once the movie starts you see a whole lot of Ninjas, whole lot of fighting, whole lot of weapons and ammunition flying in the air, and a sweet heart filled story of revenge between all the fight sequences.

Once you go and watch this movie, you will have flashes of all those Chinese movies, where father or teacher is murdered and then the son or the pupil is preparing himself to avenge the death. The sweet revenge where people would only learn kung-fu, takenwondu, jujutsu and any other martial arts form only to kill the killer. And yes, this story line is nothing different.

The only better part to the movie is the fighting environment that is created and simulated, the last battle where the house is under fire and the protagonist Raizu (played by Rock Star Rain) is fighting his master and you can see burnt ash as well as slightly lit paper all flying around while they are at fight. The weapons and use of special effects to that extent that you would feel the camera is slower to capture moment of the fights, this is also brilliantly done.

At the same time, the choreography of the fight sequence is also very predictable. You have the blood and gore all splattered around and sometimes the blood would be come up as a shower from someone's body. WoH! too much blood for one day, the movie not recommended for pathologists and vampires, it may be a huge turn-on for them.

At the end of all the violence, it is something that one as already seen before in Kill Bill, 300, and many others where you see people getting sliced, diced, beheaded, dismembered, and bodies being halved. The whole thing seems so perfect for an action mindless game on X-box than anything else.

For a story level, one thing that i disliked the most if that teacher would attack from behind and now that is something that is never taught in martial arts form, it is either you face your worse fears or runaway to put an army together and challenge them. No one fights here for honour or nobility but only for revenge.
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6/10
Visual 3D appeal
25 November 2009
Christmas Carol I just cant see any horror movies. The closest that i have enjoyed a ghost movie is Ghost-Busters. The Patrick Swazye Ghost movies was watched only on cable, never in theatre. This movie is not a horror movie, but there were ghosts and very ugly looking characters and very scary ghosts specially, when you see the Disney tag name.

Jim Carrey is awesome best, but then you cant just make the man do all the characters in a movie, give others a chance. He is good and he plays the 60 year + Uncle Scrooge the character from the Charles Dicken's novel who hunches, walks with a walking stick, but then falls from a whirlwind and topples onto a huge flight of stairs and is being chased by demented Ghost of Christmas yet to come and still manages to stand, which all is very commendable and entertaining. With a performance and the central character so strong, the other characters automatically are away from the limelight.

With Christmas Carol, now Jim Carrey does a second movie where the protagonist hates Christmas, the other movie being How the Grinch stole the Christmas?. One question that I have in mind does Jim Carrey hate or love the spirit of Christmas?

The graphics was over - powering and 2D was very effective, specially because the story is based in the winters in London and then you have snow flakes landing in front of your eyes and the visual seems like snow flakes might just be falling in front of you.

Overall, if you have scared of horror movies, then be prepared to be spooked a bit. Visually, a very entertaining movie.
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Kurbaan (2009)
6/10
Kurban - Scientific Miracles and Movie review
20 November 2009
Kurban pe koi mat hona Kurban. Its not that bad, you can go watch the movie and if you think its not going to be worth the money, then you can watch it in Single Screen theatres - Paisa Vasool!!

Scientific Miracles in the movie: * Scientific Miracle in the movie, even thought you cant see the bump that Kareena Kapoor is pregnant, we are able to see the ultrasonography of the child. *There is plane blast which is of course done digitally, but then we do not get to see the flying debris, anywhere in the movie. * An individual person can always remember a 10 digit mobile number, even if the person has randomly met or spoken only once on the phone. * Everyone dies in one bullet, but only the actor-hero of the movie, after 3 bullets is still alive for 15 minutes

In a few lines, Kareena Kapoor (Avantika) and Saif Ali Khan (Ishaan) are teachers. She is a professor in United States. She was here in India, cause her dad had a stroke. But later in and then flies out to the USA. Saif tags along with her. Just too realise that Saif is actually part of a terrorist group that is conspiring to blow up the city. The movie that comes to the mind is Fanaa and New York.

The movie takes its own sweet time and has its own pace. Sometimes, there is strong feeling of moving out of the theatre cause it is slow. But then, you also have the Kareena Kapoor who other than looking pretty, has not substance in her role. Her face is looking bigger or was it camera trick.

Saif Ali Khan has done a better role in the Sriram Raghavan's movie Ek Hasina Thi and of course Omkara, there he was convinced us on the playing negative characters with complete ease. He slips here. For some particular reason, Vivek Oberoi had a good acting and lived in his character, with this movie, he surely be getting some push in his career.

Lesser mortals in the movie Kirron Kher is an Afgani in the movie, her dialect an as Afgani trails away while she having the conversation. She was good in the climax scene of the movie. Om Puri was wasted in the movie, he should have had a much more impactful role. Others are not worth mentioning.

If hockey got a boost from Chak De India, don't see teaching getting a boost in this case. But for one, you don't always have hot teachers in the staff room, cuddling or couching cooing. That is something I have to still see as a student or as a teacher.

This is a good song and even the opening credits, though very long was well done!! Enjoy!!
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Ajab Prem Ki... Where is the Kahani
10 November 2009
It would be exactly two years for Ranbir Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor on November 9, 2009, when they were launched in Saawariya - hated by many, loved by few.

But now for Ranbir Kapoor, his fourth movie Ajab Prem ki Gahzab Kahani, is a fun movie, but very silly, remind you of Salman-Aamir starer Andaz Apna Apna. You might just want to go for the movie, for the heck of it and Ranbir Kapoor. He is no different in his acting, he is the same like a Happy Singh in all his other movies and somewhere in the movie he realises there is a life, too. Ranbir needs to get out of his Happy Singh kind of roles and start doing method or character acting, that will be the platform where he will be tested. Surely, he should pass it, as he has charishma. When you watch movie of him, you see his father, his grandfather also in him - that is his style, dialogue, mannerism - he needs to get his individuality the character roles will give him that.

On Katrina Kaif, still liked her in Boom (if anybody has seen that) and better still Sarkar, she didn't have much dialogues, all were in English, then. Anyway, this movie she has considerably improved or has the dubbing industry matured. Still feel Wake Up, Sid was better and it has something to do with the co-stars in this case - Konkona Sen Sharma. For this movie, the setting in Goa, Katrina being Cristian was like story was written for her.

On the movie, it is a movie revolving around Happy-go-lucky Prem (Ranbir Kapoor) who tries helping people around him, but falls in love with Jenny (Katrina Kaif) and then there is new sub-plots and new characters thrown in to make the movie 3 hours with an interval in between. When you hear the character name like Jenny there are flashes of Forrest Gump running or Amitabh Bachchan talking to himself in front of the mirror in Amar, Akbar, Anthony but not Katrina. Ajab Prem.... Very simply - funny love story, you can watch it with your family.

On the choice of locations was brilliant, Ooty, Connor, Goa; even better part to this is, they had taken all the popular junta places, which one could identify with. I for one, could recognize the places, even Istanbul of course through images of what i have seen of that place.

On Rajkumar Santoshi, when you see the action sequence he has his typical fight sequence very similar unchanged to Andaz Apna Apna. But suddenly he makes Ranbir Kapoor fly sometimes in the movie, "bhai hero hai, jaisse director bolega, waise karega". So, now he was more influenced by Matrix, even though the Andaz Apna Apna was released way earlier than Matrix.
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8/10
Juan Antonio - an inspiration
29 September 2009
This is one of those movies Vicky Cristina Barcelona, that i go and watch without any review reading or asking around how is the movie? To my surprise i see Woody Allen as the director, i was like this would be an interesting and complicated storyline.

Th only thing that i love in the movie are the characters. First character Juan Antonio (played by Javier Bardem). Ina nutshell, very commendable about his character is that he manages to bed three women, spent time with them, get attacked by one of them, without any guilt or malice. He uses the language as an amazing form of lost in translation excuse to be with all of them. for all the Guys out there, Juan's character is ultimate balance between women-sex-life-creativity.

The other characters are also good in this movie, specially the one played by Pen%C3%A9lope_Cruz Maria Elena, she is hyperventilating and just about either kill someone or herself for an obscure reason that will build in her mind. There is this scene where she actually goes through Cristina's baggage just to know, if she had any intentions of killing her. This is of course my favorite sequence from the movie. Cristina (played by Scarlett Johansson) is an eccentric and ready to for an adventure even in an relationship. Then there is Vicky played by Rebecca Hall, who thinks she knows what she wants. But then at Barcelona where she come to spend her summer vacation with Vicky, things go in a way, that not what they seem like.

This movie, still has its own scenic beauty of Barcelona, it has its own ups and downs in the movie, and gets you thinking as to why would someone want to get oneself so involved that is unable to focus on other things. I love the end to the movie, of course you need to watch the movie to understand the complexities that one goes through being in multiple relationships and still manages to survive.
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4/10
Quickgun Murugun, I say!!
19 September 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Pay Attention, I say! After a long drought in the film industry, finally the movie lovers have some entertainment lined up for them. Quickgun Murugun played by the veteran actor Dr. Rajendra Prasad (don't be mistaken with the name, he is not the President of India!) is a cowboy who sets out to save the planet. The movie displays an age old fight between the good, the bad and the ugly, but with a lot of humour, action, romance and in a nutshell total entertainment.

The movie opens with a scene of the protagonist, Quickgun Murugun being killed by baddie Rice Plate Reddy, played by yet another south superstar Nasser. The movie begins. Quickgun is escorted by the Yamaraj to Yamalok. Well these days Yamalok has also become 'dead' busy. With tones of people waiting in queues, some to register for Moksha while others awaited punishment for their sins. Quickgun requests C.Gupta (that is an abbreviation for Chitragupta, I say!) to send him back to Earth as he had some unfinished business. Chitragupta played decently well by apna Vinay Pathak finds his reasoning strong enough to be sent back. A new Quickgun with supernatural powers reappears like Terminator at Gateway of India.

Now his search begins for Rice plate Reddy. Guess how he finds him. Well Google has answers to all life's questions. Yes, you guessed it right by now that he googles it and learns about the evil plans of Rice Plate Reddy. And of course Quickgun's guiding light is his dead girlfriend played by Lola Kutty. I wish her role was more elaborate. Nonetheless she was at her best in the brief appearances that she made. Watch out for the song sequence between Quick Gun Murugun and Lola Kutty. It is hilarious! Reddy's character is par excellence. You must have not seen a villain with that degree of professionalism. He displays a unique style of firing his employees (which you must watch in the movie). He dreams of opening a chain of hotels which is a dosa served with beef and convert all vegetarians into non-vegetarians. All his attempts fail for finding a perfect recipe for dosa. Finally a MBA graduate does it. Rowdy MBA with his wit and 'rowdy' MBA lessons finds a solution to Reddy's grave problem.

The action begins once Quickgun meets the most important aid of Reddy, Mango Dolly played by Rambha. Of course, a little predictable, that she falls in love with the naïve, chivalrous Quickgun Murugun. She decides to help Quickgun in his fight against Reddy.

The action scenes between Quickgun Murugun and Rowdy MBA are worth watching. The backdrop of the sequence is our Mumbai traffic. The one liners by Rowdy MBA and Quickgun are rib tickling. Also the climax is quite witty with Quick Gun taking an avatar of a God with eight hands to kill wicked Reddy. You need to see it, to believe it.

Quite an entertaining movie with amusing dialogues, loads of creativity and masala. It is certainly not one of those clichéd spoofs. So watch out for this riot of laughter!
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5/10
Transformers leaves you empty feeling
10 September 2009
When we went the second time to watch the movie, at this time, it was not so exciting as it was watching the first Transformers. Here they were just too many robots without any introductions. They was too much time given for the vehicles to get converted to autobots. As for the villain robots, they didn't take so much time to convert themselves. Too much time was given Megan Fox to look pretty, too!! Anyway, i watched movie and then tried forgetting about it, that's it. It was not that great a movie as i thought it would be. What to watch out in the movie is Optimus Prime!! The other thing that i like is the action sequence in the Deserts, there is something about the director and the desert sequence, since even the last time, when eh was working on this movie, his opening sequence was in the desert. It just reminds me of one of my favourite movie Mummy.

Coming back to Optimus Prime, he is the heart and soul of the movie, at least that i what i want to believe, but then you have the human characters Shia LeBouf. How does he get all these roles - Transformers, Indiana Jones, all big budget movies.

I love Magatron, too. Like this review, you like something about the movie, it must be the characters, robots, blast sequence, or you might just hate something in the movie - very predictable story - that is what Transformers #2 is all about- leaves you confusing?
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