Review: The Avengers (2012)

It definitely can't get any bigger. The mother of all superhero movies is here. Directed by Joss Whedon of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Toy Story (screenplay) is "The Avengers", one hell of a ride through Hollywood's craziest visual effects studios. Trust me the VFX is bigger and better than Transformers.

Iron Man, Hulk, Captain America, Black Widow, Thor and Hawkeye team up with S.H.I.E.L.D director Dr. Nick Fury to avenge an attack from an outside world led by Thor's very own step-brother. They save earth from a disaster. They are obviously successfull but "The Avengers" is all about how logically and stylishly they team up and do so.

The success of the movie is a collective effort. An interesting plot, fast moving screen play, deadly special effects and even deadlier cinematography with a little sub-standard background score. The background was the only drawback, so to say.

Scarlett Johansson, Gwneyth Paltrow and Cobie Smulders are a treat to watch. But in such a movie you aren't looking for eye candies. What you want is paisa vasool entertainment and with this comic book flick you are in for a treat.

Music by Alan Silvestri could have been a little better. That is my only complaint. Putting that aside, all other departments score and score well.

Interesting and never before seen angles by Seamus McGravey take you to the edge of your seat and make you watch the movie with full intrigue.

There is nothing to talk against of "The Avengers" so I'm keeping it short so that you don't expect much and go watch the movie. Trust me, you will come out the theatre awestruck.

Rating: 3.5/5

The Avengers: Amazing!

Review: Vicky Donor (2012)

When Dr. Chaddha (Annu Kapoor) says "Poora world hi sperm hai!", you start laughing and at the same time something rings a bell. Not that the whole world is male dominant but the fact that there are different ways to think about life.

Directed by Shoojit Sircar, Vicky Donor is a kickass entertainer. Everything was right about the movie. The pre-release marketing, the reviews, the music, the comedy, the acting and most of all the message. Well if  you ask me what message it conveys, it definitely is not about throwing light into sperm donation. Although it shows you that sperm donation brings you hell lot of money and also it lures into thinking during the interval that "Lets jump into this business", it does end saying that it brings happiness to many. But that is not it. The main motive of the story is to show how people react to a profession like that. You see parents reacting differently and strangers totally differently.

It has loads of comedy, witty dialogues and interesting characterizations. Annu Kapoor proved that he was a legend and with his comeback in Vicky Donor, he shows why he still should be given more roles. He pays a tribute to what the Cine and TV industry had given him all these years. His body language, his dialogue delivery, his punjabi accent make him the true hero of the movie.

Ayushman Khurana who was seen many times in many shows and functions takes the lead and he does show that he's had lots of experience. He has a great future. His acting speaks for itself.

Yami Gautam is hot! She plays a bong chick and just the word bong is enough. She makes you long for a girlfriend like her. One of my friends came out of the movie and said "Yaar, mujhe aisi girlfriend chaiye yaar.." and I was like "Mil jaegi!". I do not seem to make you laugh with the previous sentence. It is just to show how much of an impact the female lead has on the viewer.

Dolly Ahluwalia and Kamlesh Gill as the male lead's mom and super young grandmom respectively, play their parts so well that you forget you are seeing them for the first time. Also, the guy who plays the female lead's dad plays a perfect bengali male and his character is so inspiring that you start thinking deep. Can anyone be so pragmatic?

Vicky Donor is all set to let the box office cash registers ringing, atleast for a while. It is a great investment indeed by John Abraham. He is sure to make loads and loads of money through his donation (money).

Interesting to see that technology from apple has let people take photos from the front view camera. (Now, when did you last ever see that)

Music and background score weave their magic on all frames with "Pani da.." composed and sung by Ayushman being the pick of the lot. You will definitely start humming the tune once the movie ends.

Such a movie stands apart and stands tall and it shuts those people who bad mouthed about Bollywood when silly and illogical high budget movies failed to entertain. Talent is still prevalent in Bollywood. It is only that low budget movies are the ones to watch out for.

It makes you laugh like crazy, it makes you cry and it makes you realise what the meaning of life is. For me, that is enough. Vicky Donor is a phenomenon which sprouts up hopes on the future of bollywood.

Rating: 3.5/5

Vicky Donor: 100% fertile!

Review: Oru Kal Oru Kannadi (2012)

There is absolutely nothing wrong in comparing "OK OK" to SMS and B-e-B because all of them fall in the same genre. All of them have romance and comedy. All of them have a loser (hero character) going after a rich and to an extent beautiful girl. And the rest of the story is that how the hero takes the help of Santhanam (in all 3 movies) to get to his prize. Although, SMS and B-e-B had kickass comedy, OK OK's comedy is just a little more than ordinary.

OK OK has two "trying to act" protagonists trying to make a difference in Kollywood but in vain. Santhanam is the one to watch for and yet the time is no near when the viewer's reach the saturation for Santhanam. He tries and delivers a little different and the result is just enough to keep you happy and not cry for the amount you spent on the ticket.

Music by Harris Jayaraj is just normal. The songs including the hit number "Venaam machan.." has so tiring lyrics loops that bores you and you do a facepalm.

Hansika MOTwanI looks ravishing in places. Her costumes have been chosen well and you get "value for money".

Inclusion of Udhayanidhi has just allowed the director to shoot easily at important and happening locations in Chennai. His role is just passable and nothing can be expected more from him.

Santhanam is the saviour of "OK OK" in fact he is the one who makes the movie just ok ok to watch.

There are interesting cameos towards the end and viewers are in for a visual treat for a person who comes and gives what the heroine hadn't given so far in the movie - A kiss!

I was impressed to see that the director wanted to hide the reflections of the camera falling on Santhanam's coolers in just one scene. They used special effects just on the glasses to show normal reflection - but to our eyes it is quite obvious that it was something that the director tried. Also was happy not to note any major flaws. (Come on, you do expect such things)

Comments for the director - Rajesh, you have treated us enough with your previous outings. With OK OK, you just become a pain. I know you have a thing for "love" and you are just trying to show how all your life could have been but please try a different genre next time or if you don't get that, wait for 1-2 years and make a similar movie. Please don't ever make the hero pass derogatory comments towards women. They are what they are. It is not in their hands that they don't please you with their looks. (And the hero shouldn't have accepted spitting at a woman just for that she doesn't look all that gorgeous)

As the poster at the start of the review shows - Santhanam is ahead and the one to watch for rather than the pillion.

I'm giving it a 2/5 just for Santhanam and the cameos!

OK OK - Give it a try!

Review: Housefull 2 (2012)

Sajid Khan's Housefull which released a few years back was something hard to digest and wierd to sit through. Now, he's back with Housefull 2 with a star cast the size of a cricket team and it is funny in parts.

To start with, no one seems to understand as to why the title "Housefull 2" as it had no connection to the previous movie. It has a plot which is age old and so illogical and silly that you would want to run away from the theatre soon after the first few scenes.

The movie is both funny and boring. Now that's the most interesting part. Major chunk of the movie is like "ewww..lame" and still there are some parts where you do jump from your seat and clap and laugh. The dialogues are so funny and pun intended that it does evoke laughter but not so much that you start loving the movie.

Throughout the movie, you feel that all scenes were taken at one shot. Asin puts her hands into her top 's pocket but struggles to get it out and you see the legendary Mithun da looking back at the director and giving a look "Was that fine?" and that too in the middle of a song. The whole movie is set in UK but both Rishi and Randhir (Chittoo and Dabboo) seem to be interested in US dollars in the land of pounds. Small errors but it does make a great impact.

Among all the bad performing protagonists, Akshay Kumar stands apart for he's by far the most experienced in silly comedy (atleast in the given sample set although he is very bad at it). His comic sense provides us some real time comic relief. Johnny Lever too plays an amusing and laughter arousing part.

Asin Thottumkal and Jacquelin Fernandes are somehow present only for skin show because they do not know how to act (especially in a wannabe comedy film) but they do know how to shake their booty well (to arouse people). The other 2 women do not like wearing anything at all.

I wouldn't say that "Keep your brains at home and go watch the movie!". That would convey the wrong message and you will love the movie if you did. I think you should take all parts of your brain and put it to work while watching the movie because that is when you'll enjoy it more. You will laugh when it is funny and you will also laugh when it is stupid and illogical. 

The best part of the movie is the second half which also includes a scene with the yesteryear villain Ranjeet. His part was a genuine source of laughter.

Housefull 2 is fun yet lame. It is a movie which hasn't been QC-ed one bit but it's definitely worth watching.  Could have been a bit shorter. Housefull 2 also has veteran actors going berserk. You see the never before shades and sides of them and then you say "WTH!"

Rating: #DIV/0! (Can't rate it!)

Housefull 2: Not a slapstick comedy but will make you slap yourself with a stick and will still make you laugh at yourself!