Review: Cloud Atlas (2012)

 

If you thought Inception was mind boggling, Wachowski brothers have something better in store for you. No more comparing. Cloud Atlas is one of this decade's most ambitious film powered by brilliant imagination which would probably not strike even the intelligent day dreamer.

 

"The Matrix" was another dream of theirs but that was something which they created themselves. This time they bank on David Mitchell's novel of the same name. I haven't read the novel but I guess the movie has done justice to the novel.

 

There are multiple storylines which converge into an epic thereby making Cloud Atlas a mother of all film maker's dreams.

 

Each segment of the movie is a concoction of all the 6 stories weaved together. There have been many other movies which have tried to do this before but Cloud Atlas will beat them by a mile in just the way the screenplay has been written. When you read about the movie in the internet, you will definitely get confused and when you watch the movie, you will have a sigh of relief as the Wachowski brothers have made it look a little simpler and easy to understand. (Conditions Apply - You have to concentrate and keep your eyes glued to the screen)

 

Music is scored by 3 people and they have done a great job especiallly in creating the central theme which is also the symphony of the same name as the movie.

 

The location and the costumes have been designed specifically for the time in which the movie travels and it is interesting to see some animals still alive in the future. (I noticed just one bird in the whole movie).

 

Watching Cloud Atlas is an exercise to your brain and a treat to your eyes. Will make you want to watch it again and notice a few more new things. Truly a lesson for every film maker and a dream for every dreamer - Cloud Atlas joins Inception in the list of amazing motion pictures made in my lifetime.

 

This ~2.5hour movie is must go to. Don't miss it!

 

 

Rating: 4.5/5

 

Cloud Atlas: Whoa!

Review: Chakravyuh (2012)

Prakash Jha, a warrior film-maker so to call him, has always brought reality into his cinema. Reality as in always about the political world. He's made his point in the past with amazing movies like Gangaajal.

 

This time he tries to take a shot at Naxalities and their fight.

 

The first half of the movie is serious and thrilling with one song perfectly gelling with the movie. The pace is slow but still the audience is gripped to their seats. I thought the movie was growing more awesomer even though there was this abrupt "Intermission" title.

 

As the second half started and as the story unfolded, the pace was still the same and the story was taking a good direction but somewhere somehow something was lacking. The audience could clearly smell something going wrong and then they started laughing at the unintentional jokes made by the protagonists and then the movie lost its charm not just because of the audience, there was something visibly ordinary in the way the package was wrapped.

 

Brilliant performance by Abhay Deol as usual. He picks up roles very intelligently and none of his roles are impacted by any foreign material. He's becoming a gem of an actor.

 

Arjun Rampal plays a daring police office and his wife played by Esha Gupta comes in as a strong  support but her acting fails and her lip sync goes haphazard.

 

Somehow all Naxals have nice formal watches in their wrists and each of them shine.

 

The camera captures the actors so beautifully that you can easily see Arjun Rampal's moustache is unevenly shaved. Probably it was intentional we never know. His character was concentrating on killing the villain so much that he was in a hurry maybe.

 

Music is composed by an assortment of composers and they have delivered a perfect concoction of songs which mix with the people of the movie. The background score was pretty decent and kept with the pace of the movie.

 

Overall, Chakravyuh doesn't let you lose your way but it does convey a message. A good attempt at movie making. However, at the end you come to know that the main backbone of the story is about bonding and all that that was shown was just to convey a social message. That is what went in the negative for the viewer.

 

 

Rating: 2.5/5

 

Chakravyuh: Clumsy yet interesting 

Review: Student Of The Year (2012)

 

Karan Johar and 3 new faces. What can you expect? Blah! And yes "Blah!" is delivered.

 

SOTY (keeping it short) "introduces" Siddharth Malhotra, Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt. What's interesting is that I went to watch this movie with my friend (Siddharth) and before the movie we were just discussing about the prospects of it being a story of our lives but nah..It wasn't. Alia Bhatt interested me when the trailers were out. And after the movie, I have no interest in her.

 

The basic plot as it reads is pretty basic. 3+ friends are in the race for the "SOTY" at St. Teresa's school of the "elderly". Obviously, the movie didn't state that. People going to this school are probably drop-outs ageing 20+ and have come to start school yet again.

 

It's a typical Mohabbatein kinda film, only that the actors playing the okay-ish characters performed well in SOTY. Each one of them had their own persona. I think this was the only 'plus' in the movie.

 

Like any other KJo movie, this does have enough amounts of "Rona..Dhona..Jealousy..and a parent who doesn't love his son".

 

Music by Vishal Shekar is pretty mediocre with some interesting remixes here and there.

Dialogues by Niranjan Iyengar are funny and perfect for the screenplay. I think his work stands next to the actors in SOTY.

 

Talking about acting, Rishi Kapoor plays a Gay dean and he plays it so awesomely. His role is worth mentioning and deserves applause.

 

I heard voices of "Shit".."Uff".."WTF" while the screen showed six packs and certain body angles of the male protagonists and I just thought to myself that every movie has some hot girl dancing to give us the "ooohs and aahs", so why not girls have their time. Its their right to have fun too..

 

SOTY is not that pathetic but to an extent it is..

 

Rating: 2/5

 

SOTY: Better than Expected

Review: English Vinglish (2012)

It's cute! It's Brilliant! It's Poetic! That pretty much sums up English Vinglish for you.

 

10 minutes into the movie and you know what the movie is about and how the ending would be but there is a 'but' there.

 

Sridevi is back to the screens and she does so in her evergreen avatar. She's still the beautiful, young and dynamic woman you saw the last time she acted in a movie. (I do not remember when!) Her hindi is a lot better now only that it is still a little low on the tempo.

 

She plays an Indian housewife who has a microscopic knowledge of English language (Hard to find them these days!) And she's on a mission. How she accomplishes it forms the rest of the story.

 

There is very little to say about acting. Its just top notch.

 

Amit Trivedi's music is poetic. It brings more life to the screen. His music makes you laugh, dance and cry (as and when the respective scenes come by). Such is his magic. He picks his movies very carefully and has delivered every single time. Three Cheers to the man!

 

Directed by Gauri Shinde with a short cameo by Amitabh Bachchan, Sridevi's English Vinglish is an art. There is no dull moment in the movie and you it brings a smile to your face when the credits roll out. What more should a movie give us. Value for money with some Values to learn.

 

Nothing more to comment on this one. Watch it and be moved by it!

 

 

Rating: 3.5/5

 

English Vinglish: Respect!

 

Review: Thaandavam (2012)

I do not know what to say. But would like to put it this way.. Imagine watching an intense cricket match and just when you think the next ball would be the decider you are interrupted by a tiring and cliched advertisement. That is what is Vijay's Thaandavam. The director deserves all the credit for whatever "Thaandavam" is.

 

We all are so confident of Vikram to don any new role with style and with this he doesn't pull a heroic not-forgettable performance. Not that the role is easy, it is not that challenging.

 

Out of his previous performances, I particularly love Madarasapattinam and Deiva Thirumagal even though the latter was inspired from some other movie. He gives a lot of attention to detail. Every pixel which comes into the frame is carefully monitored. So is with Thaandavam. The movie has an interesting plot which could have churned out to be a 1 hour suspense video but the editing-screenplay duo fails and lets you down. It puts the avid movie watcher down and difficult to lift the senses up.

 

Amy Jackson has an introductory song and that happens right at the start obviously so the whole mood changes. Anushka delivers a fairly decent yet forgettable performance but she does play a bold female. Someone whom I would be interested in. (Yes, you read it! - 100 points to the people who find the reason why!)

 

Nasser's usual tamil accent is digestable. In fact that is very much "tamil" and NOT what he speaks in Thaandavam.

 

Tollywood's Jagapathi Babu plays an important role in the movie. He comes up with quite an "okay" performance.

 

Santhanam's witty one-liners are actually witty at places but doesn't sustain throughout.

 

GV's 25th is a let down and so is his background score which was at a very different level in Gangs of Wasseypur. (Yes, for people who didn't know, he scored the background for GOW - I & II) Songs come in at the wrong places just for the sake of it.

 

Bomb blast graphics are poor! You could actually see vehicles entering into the blast area and exiting unscathed. Serious let down in the start. For flaws, you see cheerlands with USC on their tees dancing while Amy takes Vikram out to show London. (Do they have a branch there? Apologies if they did..)

 

Overall, Vijay has a good story on paper but fails while spinning the frame. He could have made a TV episode or a more detailed romantic flick. The village scenes were funny and worth remembering.

About the 'stolen script' accusation, I really want to congratulate the person who is accusing UTV and also Director Ameer for resigning his position following this. I mean how stupid can one be! (Ask Ameer)

 

Watch Thaandavam if you wanna screw your own mood or if you are in a commenting spree - Don't miss it!

 

Rating: 1.5/5

 

Thaandavam: Doesn't entice!

Review: Barfi! (2012)

Barfi! is a joy to watch!

 

The start of the movie brings back memoirs of Legends Charlie Chaplin, Rowan Atkinson and Jackie Chan. But then, it takes a plunge and the genius of Anurag Basu who miserable failed last time with "Kites" comes into play. There is no doubt that Kites was the "only" failure in his filmography. Others were classics.

 

Cinema is an art and Barfi! proves it. Every character, every scene in this movie is charming. They make you fall in love at first sight.

 

The story starts with a narration (flashback) and then there is flashback within a flashback. Nowhere confusing. Very simple to understand. Kudos to Anurag (Basu).

 

Starting with acting, No points for guessing! Ranbir is the best of the lot although others are not far behind. He is one person who stands out. Brilliant Stuff.

 

Priyanka pulls a miracle from nowhere. Absolutely stunning stuff. Never wondered she was such an amazing actress.

 

Ileana kick starts her bollywood career with a bang. She is as gorgeous as ever (in recent times). She looks amazingly hot in the "bong" attire. Perfect Fit!

 

Every junior artist, character artist and anyone in the frame does a good job.

 

When you thought that the first half of the movie was amazing, post-interval is even better. There is no dull moment. The story is so well written and told that you get tears in your eyes. I got them.

 

Cinematographer Ravi Varman (popular in south) captures various shades of Kolkata and Darjeeling so accurately and the output is crisp.

 

Music by Pritam is surprisingly awesome and the background score is a protagonist in itself.

 

The genre of the movie is difficult to be certain of. It has romance, it has comedy, it has serious drama, it also has a lot of suspense. And of course its sort of a musical.

 

Watch Barfi. Celebrate life. Enjoy the experience. Leave the cinema hall refreshed. Don't miss it!

 

"Don't Worry, be Barfi!"

 

Rating: 4/5

 

Barfi!: Crunchy and Sweet!

Review: The Expendables 2 (2012)

Just imagine how heavy the star cast of this movie is! What happens if all of them come together?

 

This second installment of Stallone's dreamchild is just about Boom! Boom! Kaboom! No logic, no great oscar winning story. Its simple..Extreme hardcore action. There is no respect for life, no mercy for anyone. Shoot! Kill! Stab! Explosion! And the movie ends.

 

The star cast is just heavy weight. When was the last time Chuck Norris was seen on screen? He comes in his typical style and cracks one of his own widespread jokes.

 

Everyone has enough space on screen and they shed off their star power and do it all just for Stallone..

 

There is nothing much to talk about the music. It was simple for the music composer to just let guns do all the sounds. Bang..Bang!

 

The cinematography was good. The explosions were properly captured.

 

Stallone rocks even at this age. What muscle power and what charisma. I think it was just for this one soul that this huge star cast came together. The man earns respect.

 

I don't have a rating to give this movie. Just watch it if you wanna brighten up your sultry/sad day. You're in for some kickass entertainment.

 

The Expendables 2: Go for it!

Review: Jism 2 (2012)

I'm going to keep it very short.

Please do not watch this movie. Wait for the Original DVD to come or some channel to telecast it.

The Producers call it a "Romantic Thriller". There wasn't a moment in the whole of the movie when i felt a thrill except for post-interval where they showed "Raaz 3" trailer. It shook my nerve. Interesting movie when compared to Jism 2.

There is no erotica, there is no XX or even a single X. All you get to see is 2 hours of sheer stupidity.

I could forgive the absence of a story, I could also forgive the pathetic screenplay and even the inane dialogues. But the only reason that I can never forgive is the absence of 'Erotica'. That is the only reason I paid 250 bucks for and I'm not convinced. (Yes, I am shameless!)

The only credible aspects of the movie are the songs and cinematography departments. I call it the song department because the background music was a loser. Good visuals in songs coupled with pleasant songs is a treat to watch.

Acting is pathetic and I am not getting into the details. Making a porno out of this cast would have been a better business idea. It would definitely have brought repeat audiences. Sunny Leone probably performs better in porn. (Again, I am shameless!)

I'm sorry but this is it. DON'T WATCH IT!

"To Love Her is to Die" - To watch this movie is to die.

Rating:  i²/5

(Yes, you are reading "-1")

Jism 2: Absolutely Worthless!

Review: The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

It isn't definitely the best movie of 2012 till date but it is not far from it either. I know it sounds confusing but that is how you are left with when you want to decide how the movie is.

Christopher Nolan, probably an upcoming legend, has masterfully created the end of the series in The Dark Knight Rises (TDKR) so that the fans do not get upset. However, if it wasn't for the way certain scenes were shot or if it wasn't for Tom Hardy or even Hans Zimmer, TDKR would have been a serious letdown.

Most of the premiere/first day watchers went gaga about TDKR in the social networks which naturally and intentionally yet unintentionally created a hype. A hype which took the expectations to another level because after The Dark Knight, Nolan gave a different and dark dimension to a comic book series. I knew if I went in with the same high, I wouldn't get satisfied. So I chose to see an average flick.

Hans Zimmer's music was THE thing that made a difference. Even though, at most places it was just the looped score running, it pumped up the adrenaline and took you to the edge of the seat. The "Deshi Deshi..Basarah Basarah" (meaning of which is explained in the movie) was made heard in all frames. It sure brought Goosebumps.

Tom Hardy, one of the many Inception artistes who make a comeback in TDKR, also adds weight to the difference. His voice, which was supposedly made unhearable only to bring audiences back to the theatres, was very clear whenever he addressed the public. A wanted initiative maybe. He plays Bane, the toughest opponent of Batman till date. He's muscular and scary, scary enough for Batman to fear.

The one thing which I never understand why is that characters who know to converse well in English start by speaking in some random language and then towards the end of the movie switch to english all of a sudden just to energize the  hero. Please make me understand why.

The movie's got most of the navarasas of cinema. There is plenty of drama and emotions.

Few minutes into the movie and you ask yourself, "Did I pay so much to watch this?" and that is precisely when Nolan starts answering your question. At the end of the movie, you get bowled over by his narration of the end of the Batman saga. There could not be a better and fitting end to this version of Bruce Wayne.

There are many impossible situations and sequences but since it is a superhero (like) movie, you can overlook them but no one makes a perfect movie, come on!

Marion Cotillard is deadly and hot. Coming from her eccentric role in Inception, a welcome change in TDKR is enough to entice you. Anne Hathaway is stylish as catwoman. Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine support Bale throughout just like in the previous installements. Gary Oldman does a decent job too.

Christopher Nolan's Inception could be called one of the best movies he's made but definitely not TDKR, even TDK but not TDKR. No.

Somewhere, and also as my friend quoted, the ending seemed like Angels and Demons. I know it is difficult to agree. But even in a different perpective, the ending was quite predictable. No innovation here. It does lead to an anti-climax. But it does makes you say "Wow" when the credits start rolling out.

A long movie this, but for Nolan fans it is nothing new. It grips you to your seat, yes but not always. Nothing that could be made different. It is after all Nolan's cinema and I'm sure there is a reason for everything. Watch TDKR and get baffled. Watch the legend come to an end.

Rating: 3.5/5

The Dark Knight Rises: And falls!

Review: Cocktail (2012)

With a tantalizing title "Cocktail" is an amazing mix of fun, party, emotions and love and connecting each of them is a web spun by Director Homi Adajania.

Cocktail is a spicy concoction of three lead actors. Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone are funny and so natural (not expected generally). New face Diany Penty amazed me. She is cute and her subtle expressions are cuter. I'm not quite sure about her future but the "Meera" in Cocktail impressed and emotionally touched me.

From the trailers and promos, we see 3 friends who have fun in a foreign location and Saif (Gautam) making out with both the lead ladies.

The plot of Cocktail is not that simple. It somehow connects every viewer with some instance in their life.

The Cinematography was just brilliant. Superb colour and lighting. The background score from Salm-Sulaiman was decent and gelled with the visuals so nicely. Pritam's music was surprisingly foot tapping and hummable.

Melodramatic scenes were touching and Sreekar Prasad's editing carried the movie at a fair pace. Not too many unwanted scenes. Cocktail right from the start to finish is a drink which is naughty and then turns spicy and finally ends sour. By the time you finish the drink, you are in love with it and would want to revisit it sometime later.

Boman Irani and Dimple Kapadia are seriously legends. Performance wise Deepika is awesome and hotness wise..umm..I admit..She is Hotttt..but only in this movie. Diana delivers a mellow performance as her character asks for. Randeep Hooda chips in a small portion and does it well. Saif is unexpectedly fun and he plays his character with ease. Looked like this was written specially for him.

While the first half was super cool, the second half was serious but it was spellbinding. It gripped me as I continued to watch the movie..sometimes controlling my tears.

Watch Cocktail for its spicy story and watch it for the lead actors. I'm sure you'll love it.

Rating: 3/5

Cocktail: Gets you 'high'!

(P.S. I'm emotionally sensitive, so i love such movies)