Movie Reviews |

Bol Bachchan | Movie Review

I had no intentions of watching Bol Bachchan, but was forced to do so as there was nothing better running in theaters. After two and half hours, I walked out with a bad headache.

Director Rohit Shetty’s Bol Bachchan, like his earlier films, is a run of the mill, senseless comedy. Even for such a senseless dumb film, the first half is pretty decent. But the second half is such a drag, that even the dumb comedy turns out to be repetitive and boring. For the tagline don’t talk, just watch, add don’t think. Ajay Devgan is pretty decent in the lead role while Abhishek Bachchan proves it that he is suitable only for such kinda roles. I wonder why they even do such kinda films. The rest of the cast is either too loud or doesn’t even have a proper role.

Music by Himesh Reshmiya and Ajay-Atul is decent, while the cinematography by Dudley is pretty good. Editing by Steven Bernard could have been way better. Most of the scenes in the second half could have made the cut.

Overall, an utter waste of time. If you really want to watch a comedy film, grab a copy of the original Golmaal instead of wasting your time on this crap.

Acting: 5/10
Story-Screenplay-Direction: 3/10
Technical Aspects: 6/10
Is it worth your time and money??: No. Unless you happen to like such boring comedies, or have time and money to space, skip this one please.

Verdict: 4.5/10

The Amazing Spider-Man | Movie Review

The Amazing Spider-Man is an entertaining film, but I liked the original, Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man better. This one has better visuals and 3D effects, but the script was too weak for it to surpass my expectations.

You know the story by now. Peter Parker gets bitten by a spider, his uncle gets killed, he gets onto the streets to avenge his uncle’s death while someone from Oscorp tests a drug on them-self to become a monster, and our Spider-Man now fights for a bigger cause, and eventually defeats the monster. Yayy!! Scripted by James Vanderbilt, The Amazing Spider-Man uses the same story line with quite a few tweaks. These tweaks are fine to an extent, but seemed forced on most ocassions. The characterization of the new Spider-Man is very weak, for he has these mood swings so bloody often. His relation with Aunt May is also not very well established. Though direction by Marc Webb is alright, screenplay by Vanderbilt, Alvin Sargent and Steve Kloveswas is very shabby. A crisp screenplay could have made such a difference to the film.

On the acting front, Andrew Garfield is pretty good as the new Spider-Man, but I liked Tobey Maguire better. Maguire had innocence and curiosity associated with his character, while Garfield looked more like a boy with a new toy. Emma Stone was alright as the love interest of Peter. Again, I liked Kirsten Dunst better. The rest of the cast was pretty decent. For some reason, I thought Irffan Khan had a weird accent.

The film’s visuals are brilliant and the 3D effects are very good. Cinematography by John Schwartzman is good, and editing by Alan Edward and Bell Pietro Scalia is decent. Music by James Horner could have been better though.

Overall, the film gives you the thrills, thanks to the visual effects, but a better story line could have made it a worth watch. The shady screenplay doesn’t make things better either. Watch it without expectations, and without comparing it to the original Spider-Man.

“Spider-Man, Spider-Man, Does whatever a spider can: Spins a web, any size..” Oops, I can’t without my artificial web maker!! 😛

Acting: 8.5/10
Story-Screenplay-Direction: 7/10
Technical Aspects: 8/10
Is it worth your time and money??: For the visuals and the 3D effects, yes!! Nothing so special otherwise.

Verdict: 7.5/10

Gangs of Wasseypur | Movie Review

Gangs of Wasseypur starts off with a bunch of guys raiding a house tearing into pieces in the year 2004. It then flashbacks to 1941, and then, 3 hours later, ends in 1990, with a “To be continued”. By this time, my head was hurting like crazy, and half the theater had walked out. Now take an intelligent guess on how good the film was.

Anurag Kashyap’s Gangs of Wasseypur absolutely had no story. Except for people from 1940’s looking still the same even in 1980’s, a lot of swear words, vulgar dialogues, and infidelity, there is nothing the film has to offer. The screenplay is very haphazard, and so bloody slow. I just can’t describe how disappointed I was. The acting, music, cinematography, thankfully, were good, and helped me survive!

There’s no point writing more. If you happen to like the movie, be my guest and finish the review for me 😛

Acting: 7.5/10
Story-Screenplay-Direction: 3/10
Technical Aspects: 6/10
Is it worth your time and money??: NO!! No matter what other reviews say, people started walking out of the theatre post interval. Unless you like such dark, vulgar films with no story, stay away.

Verdict: 4.5/10

Brave | Movie Review

Brave is no Finding Nemo. Neither is it close to Ratatouille, Up, The Incredibles , or any of the other Pixar classics. It’s very different from what Pixar generally make. But still, it’s a beautiful movie; a movie with heart. One you will enjoy!!

Scripted by Brenda Chapman, Brave, the production house’s first fantasy fairy tale, tells the story of a princess, Merida, who defies age-old customs of the kingdom, and in the process gets her family cursed. The rest of the story is about how she fights to undo the curse. Though the concept has the potential to create a classic, the script lacks the punch to make it one. The story is touching, yes, but I believe it could have had little more substance. Titled Brave, I never really saw Merida’s bravery coming into picture. Yes, she did fight for her family, but that was barely for 2 minutes of the movie. I didn’t see much archery either. However, some brilliant direction by Chapman and Mark Andrews makes this film work. It has its moments in abundance, both fun and emotional. The episodes involving cursed Queen Elinor, and the triplets are all hilarious. Screenplay by Chapman, Andrews, Steve Purcell and Irene Mecchi is good, but could have been more effective.

Kelly Macdonald’s voice was perfect for Merida. I loved the Scottish accent, and she was able to do absolute justice to Merida’s character. Emma Thompson did a very good job voicing Queen Elinor. The rest of the voice cast was alright.

On technical front, the movie scores big time! Though the 3D effects were never so great, the animation and visual effects were brilliant. The colors, shades, visuals were all magnificent. Music by Patrick Doyle is good. Editing by Nicholas Smith is crisp. There was not a dull moment in the entire film.

Overall, Brave is just a good film. A better script/fairy tale could have made this another Pixar classic, but that is not to be. The direction is brilliant, and the emotions are perfect. Go watch it without any expectations, and I am sure you won’t be disappointed.

Acting: 8/10
Story-Screenplay-Direction: 8/10
Technical Aspects: 9/10
Is it worth your time and money??: Absolutely. It ain’t like any of the other Pixar films, but is a good movie nevertheless. Go watch it!! (PS: Take your mom along, she’d love it!!)

Verdict: 8/10

Ferrari Ki Sawaari | Movie Review

Ferrari Ki Sawaari is a joy ride, yes. But there is so much drama in this joy ride, that you stop enjoying it and wonder when it’ll get over.

Written by the director, Rajesh Mapuskar, and Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Ferrari Ki Sawaari narrates a story which is too good to be true in today’s world. It starts off establishing the characters of a lower middle class Parsi family of a too good dad, Rustum Deboo, his son who aspires to be like Sachin Tendulkar, and his grumpy father who doesn’t like his grandson playing cricket. Once established, there are heart-wrenching moments which make you connect to the families woes until the Ferrari comes in. From then on, the script takes a fantasy route. Sachin’s worker handing over Ferrari’s keys, and the guard letting the Ferrari leave without checking who’s in the car were just plain stupid. What follows are a bunch of brain-less, easy to guess drama sequences which last till the end of the movie. Thankfully, most of the cast do justice to their characters, and that’s what helps the movie survive. Dialogues by Raj Kumar Hiraani are not as good as you expect, but decent enough for the script. The direction good, while the screenplay could have been better.

On the acting front, Boman Irani and Ritvik Sahore are very good in their respective roles. But it’s the main lead, Sharman Joshi, who disappoints. He tried his best to be the perfect father, but it was too much for him to handle. Paresh Rawal is brilliant in his small yet vital role. Deepak Shirke (security guard) was fun to watch. Vidya Balan looked plump. The rest of the cast was pretty good. If only Sharman was replaced!!

On technical front, music by Pritam is mediocre. Background score on the other hand was pretty good. The re-recording was very good (I had goosebumps every time Ferrari engine roared). Cinematography by Sudhir Palsane was decent enough. Editing by Deepa Bhatia could have been more crisp. It’s a low-budget film and the production values by Vidhu Vinod Chopra films are pretty decent.

Overall, a decent film and one might actually enjoy it, but it’s very long and dramatic. It starts off with great intent, but becomes too much of a fantasy towards the end. It’s nowhere close to the recent films from the Vidhu Vinod Chopra films (3 Idiots or the Munna Bhai series), but is a modest effort nevertheless.

Acting: 7/10
Story-Screenplay-Direction: 7/10
Technical Aspects: 7/10
Is it worth your time and money??: Ferrari Ki Sawaari is a movie with its heart at the right place, but it just doesn’t deliver enough. It’s a family movie, for kids and parents will enjoy it, but I don’t think youngsters will like it so much. Unless you want to take along your parents (like I did) or kids, wait for the DVD.

Verdict: 6.5/10

PS: Watching a movie at Cinemax in Inorbit mall is an utter waste of money. The screens are smaller than ones in preview theaters, and the viewing angle isn’t great either. Stay away if possible.

Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted | Movie Review

Is it worth your time and money??: Well, if the innocent child in you is still alive, then you’ll love Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted. All the kids around me did. For me, it was good, but nothing extraordinary. The animation and 3D effects are great, but in simple terms, the film is absolutely dumb. If you no kid, then wait for the DVD 🙂

Acting: 7/10
Story-Screenplay-Direction: 6/10
Technical Aspects: 9/10

Verdict: 7/10

Prometheus | Movie Review

Is it worth your time and money??: Prometheus is an entertaining film. Its got its moments in abundance, has some great cinematography and some decent acting performances. But its the clumsy screenplay which pulls down the film. The effects are great, and so are the 3D effects. If you like alien movies with not much story-line, this ones’ for you. It’s two hours of spooky entertainment. Give it a shot, you might not regret it!

Acting: 8/10
Story-Screenplay-Direction: 7/10
Technical Aspects: 9/10

Verdict: 7.5/10

Shanghai | Movie Review

Shanghai

After creating quite a buzz with its trailer, Shanghai finally hit screens today. Coming from the talented director Dibakar Banerjee, Shanghai delivers, but not to everyone’s satisfaction.

Adapted from the 1967 political novel Z by Vassilis Vassilikos, Shanghai is a political thriller which aims to put forward the dark side of Indian, or in general, politics. Dibakar Banerjee sticks to the original thread, adapting the political scenarios to the suit the current Indian situation. His presentation is perfect, but it’s the very predictable script which hinders the film from making you sit on the edge of your seat. Added to this, the film is tediously slow, and at times borders on being an art film. Nevertheless, Banerjee is able to create an intense thriller, which depicts the depressing reality of today politics, while creating some wry humor. The characters are very well sketched and he was able to extract the best out of every actor. The slow pace of the film has to do with the screenplay (Urmi Juvekar and Dibakar Banerjee), but to be honest, I can’t think of it being any better. It is its strength as much as its weakness.

On acting front, Abhay Deol excels as the smart IAS officer caught between the dirty politics and his conscience. His performance in the climax was just perfect. If only he could have worked a little more on his Tamilian accent. Kalki Koechlin comes up with a very aggressive performance. She is a perfect fit for the role. Prosenjit Chatterjee is very good in his brief role as the social activist. After Shor In The City, Pitobash Tripathy shines again. This chap is full of raw energy. But the clear winner on the acting front is definitely Emraan Hashmi. Shedding the image of the serial kisser, he digs into his role with all his might and comes up with a brilliant performance.

On the technical front, music by Vishal-Shekhar is pretty decent. “Bharat Mata Ki” makes an impact. I thought the way “Imported Kamariya” song was inserted between shots was very effective. Background score is never too loud and just perfect. Editing by Namrata Rao is neat. Cinematography by Nikos Andritsakis is very very good. PVR Cinemas should be appreciated for investing in such kind of different film.

Overall, Shanghai is one of the finest films made this year. Dibakar Banerjee’s drama less way of story telling and some brilliant performances by its cast act as the positives. On the other hand, the slow pace of the film, and its serious monotone might not help it sink in with all kinds of audience. Though I thought it was slow, I liked it. You might too 🙂

Acting: 9/10
Story-Screenplay-Direction: 7.5/10
Technical Aspects: 8/10
Is it worth your time and money??: Shanghai is a very well made film, bordering on artistic genre. Its problem is the pace and a very predictable script, but some fine performances by all the artists makes it watchable. It’s a one time watch, provided you like such kind of dark movies.

Verdict: 8/10

Men In Black 3 | Movie Review

It’s been a long time since I watched the Men In Black movies, but from what I remember, the first one was really entertaining while the second one was a bore. I believe the third installment of the series, 15 years after the first movie, falls somewhere in between the first and the second. Its entertaining on most occasions, but is also a bore at times.

Director Barry Sonnenfeld’s Get Shorty (1995) is one of my favorite films. He is one director with talent. In MIB3, thanks to Will Smith’s amazing coming timing, Sonnenfeld creates few amazing moments between Agent J and Agent K (both young and old). But the script, written by Etan Cohen, lacks the required punch to make this a classic. There are moments in the film which made my self question if I was watching a Hollywood film or a Bollywood one. Not all aspects of the script are not explained clearly as well (either that, or I didn’t get them :P). The screenplay tends to lose pace in the second half, and that’s when you tend to yawn. Nevertheless, some neat direction, apart from the acting, saves the film.

Will Smith shines as Agent J. As already mentioned, his comic timing is just perfect, and its a treat to watch him. Tommy Lee Jones has minimal screen presence, and is good in his role. Josh Brolin is perfect as the younger Agent K. Instead of trying to imitate Tommy Lee too much, he comes up with his own version of Agent K, which I thought was pretty impressive. The rest of the cast was alright.

On the technical front, music by Danny Elfman could have been better. The re-recording though was very good. Cinematography by Bill Pope is pretty decent. Most scenes were shot for the 3D effects, which honestly, weren’t anything great. Editing by Don Zimmerman and Wayne Wahrman is alright, except for some patchy work towards the end. The art and set decoration is pretty impressive. The flashback episodes looked very real. The graphic work is also pretty impressive. Production values by Columbia pictures seemed a little on the low side.

Overall, an average film. It could have been way better, but is not. However, thanks to some good acting, its watchable. Give it a shot at your leisure.

Acting: 8/10
Story-Screenplay-Direction: 6/10
Technical Aspects: 8/10
Is it worth your time and money??: If you’ve liked the MIB series thus far or if gross alien stuff doesn’t freak you out, then yes. You may watch it for Will Smith.

Verdict: 7.5/10

Department | Movie Review

I was so not interested in watching Department, but here I was for I wanted to see how bad it could be. Plus, I had this review to write. Two and half hours of comedy and torture, together! RGV has gone nuts!!

Honestly, Department shouldn’t have been such a bad film. The script, written by Nilesh Girkar, is pretty decent, and if handled properly, it could have made a pretty good movie. But Ram Gopal Varma just does the opposite and brings to screen a lazy dull boring film. He doesn’t manage to extract the best out of any of his cast. The screenplay is tediously slow, and at times starts to test your patience. RGV has this knack of picturizing a scene in slow motion while making it effective, but in this movie, all such scenes seemed totally out-of-place. The slow motion climax fight and the overused stunt camera work are just a couple of examples of where the film went wrong. On the whole, RGV disappoints!!

On the acting front, no one shines. Rana can’t act for nuts. One wonders how he made it into Bollywood when he can’t even survive in Tollywood. To be fair to him, he tries to act, but he needs to realize that its something physically impossible for him to do. His voice is the only saving grace. Sanjay Dutt looks like a stone and has a straight face throughout the film. It was as if he was reading lines of the script with no expressions. Amitabh Bachchan over does his part and was totally wasted. I don’t think an actor of his caliber should even do such kinda roles. Anjana Sukhani is pretty good, while Lakshmi Manchu is alright. Vijay Raaz was too loud, Abimanyu Singh looked dumb. The best act probably was by Madhu Shalini, for she atleast tried her best to create the oomph factor.

On technical front, it’s a disaster. Music by Bappi Lahiri, Dharam-Sandeep and Vikram Magi is mediocre. It was the most pathetic and horrendous background score I’ve heard for any movie in my life so far. I don’t have words to describe how bad it was. Cinematography by FXS team (Ravichandran Thevar, Siddhartha More, Zaryan Patel, Sapan Narula and Harshraj Shroff), shot using small cameras was good initially, but every shot of the movie being shot at odd angles made it lose the effect. Editing by Vinay Abhijit was again mediocre.

Overall, a disappointing film. Ram Gopal Varma has definitely got the talent, no doubt about that. But he seems to ditch it and tries to make some dumb-ass films at times. Department just happens to be one of those films. Can the real RGV please stand up??

Acting: 5/10
Story-Screenplay-Direction: 4/10
Technical Aspects: 5/10
Is it worth your time and money??: I so wanna say yes for I want you to go through what I went through. But I’ll be nice and request you to stay away from Department. RGV has gone bonkers, and so will you if you do go watch it. Stay away!!

Verdict: 4.5/10