There's Something in the Water" doesn't break any molds in terms of documentary form, and it's less impressive as cinema than activism. But it's easily digestible and well researched, with the aid of Waldron's book.
Reviews
19 Reviews
The Wolf of Wall Street
(2013)
Movie of the year, a full packed entertainer.
16 July 2014
Martin Scorsese's "The Wolf of Wall Street" is abashed and shameless, exciting and exhausting, disgusting and illuminating; it's one of the most entertaining films ever made about loathsome men. Its star Leonardo DiCaprio has compared it to the story of the Roman emperor Caligula, and he's not far off the mark.
Adapted by Terence Winter from the memoir by stockbroker Jordan Belfort, who oozed his way into a fortune in the 1980s and '90s, this is an excessive film about excess, and a movie about appetites whose own appetite for compulsive pleasures seems bottomless. It runs three hours, and was reportedly cut down from four by Scorsese's regular editor Thelma Schoonmaker. It's a testament to Scorsese and Winter and their collaborators that one could imagine watching these cackling swine for five hours, or ten, while still finding them fascinating, and our own fascination with them disturbing. This is a reptilian brain movie. Every frame has scales.
Its a must see.
Adapted by Terence Winter from the memoir by stockbroker Jordan Belfort, who oozed his way into a fortune in the 1980s and '90s, this is an excessive film about excess, and a movie about appetites whose own appetite for compulsive pleasures seems bottomless. It runs three hours, and was reportedly cut down from four by Scorsese's regular editor Thelma Schoonmaker. It's a testament to Scorsese and Winter and their collaborators that one could imagine watching these cackling swine for five hours, or ten, while still finding them fascinating, and our own fascination with them disturbing. This is a reptilian brain movie. Every frame has scales.
Its a must see.
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag
(2013 Video Game)
smokin' graphics..
3 December 2013
After a respite, I have returned to Animus to live the life of Edward Kenway in Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag. This title picks up after the events of Assassin's Creed III, but has a very different setting. Instead of being a modern day Assassin, hiding from the Templars and delving into the past via an Animus, your character works for the Templars, or rather their Abstergo Entertainment Company as an analyst for the Sample 17 project. The goal of the project is to produce a video game, set in the Caribbean during the golden age of piracy, based on the 'donated' memories that comprise Sample 17.
As the games before it, Black Flag is a third-person, open world, action-adventure title with a heavy emphasis on stealth. As pirate captain Edward Kenway, you stalk the Caribbean for the biggest prizes, and remove any obstacle from your path, typically with a sharp blade. Of course, a pirate would not be much without a ship, and yours is the Jackdaw. It is not the biggest ship sailing the seas, but given the proper resources, it can become the fiercest. Black Flag has an M rating from the ESRB for blood, strong language, violence, and sexual themes. If you should not be exposed to such content, then you likely should not be reading this review.
Should you set sail under the black flag or scuttle this game? Time to find out.
As the games before it, Black Flag is a third-person, open world, action-adventure title with a heavy emphasis on stealth. As pirate captain Edward Kenway, you stalk the Caribbean for the biggest prizes, and remove any obstacle from your path, typically with a sharp blade. Of course, a pirate would not be much without a ship, and yours is the Jackdaw. It is not the biggest ship sailing the seas, but given the proper resources, it can become the fiercest. Black Flag has an M rating from the ESRB for blood, strong language, violence, and sexual themes. If you should not be exposed to such content, then you likely should not be reading this review.
Should you set sail under the black flag or scuttle this game? Time to find out.
Madras Cafe
(2013)
Pure masterpiece
9 September 2013
It's never easy to make and release a historic fictional movie in India where the majority of the audience spends money to watch dim-witted and romantic movies. The director and the actors have to be very competent and proficient to portray some historical events that still stir up jingoism among the people. Many Indians today are oblivious to the events and the reasons that ended up in the assassination of our former Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi but Madras Cafe has successfully thrown some light on this tragedy that is seldom heard of.
Major Vikram Singh, played by John Abraham is appointed by the RAW to handle the covert operations of the Indian Military at Jaffna and resolve the ongoing crisis created by the LTF resulting in genocide of the innocent people. The story is built upon the political tension that kept the Indian Ministry involved intensely to establish peace in Jaffna during the civil war. What we see in Madras Cafe is totally gripping- when Vikram Singh and Jaya, a foreign journalist exchange some significant and confidential information about the LTF and the leak in the Indian intelligence agency that actually results in a total transformation in the set of international events.
John Abraham has acted exceptionally well in the character- who tries his best to embark upon the precarious struggle going on in Sri Lanka. Nargis Fakhri has shown some tremendous improvement in her acting and the 'No-Romantic loop' between them seems to work superbly for the movie. The movie moves very swiftly and the audience is engrossed for the entire duration of the movie. The cinematography is noteworthy and it is a well-scripted political suspense. For a story we already know, Madras Cafe is one of those that excels at creating a thriller, in a breath-taking manner.
Madras Cafe definitely elevates John both as an actor and a director to a higher level. Shoojit Sircar hits the right strides and blends facts and fiction terrifically. The writers had done their research well. Debutante Rashi Khanna makes an impact in a brief but significant appearance as the army man's wife.
Madras Cafe is a must watch for all those who want to know about the history behind the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, the LTTE etc. In two hours. It's effective and grim unlike the ludicrous drama and item numbers that incite cheers in the theater. It's definitely a brave move on the part of the director to come with such a movie and Madras Cafe is certainly a trend setter.
Major Vikram Singh, played by John Abraham is appointed by the RAW to handle the covert operations of the Indian Military at Jaffna and resolve the ongoing crisis created by the LTF resulting in genocide of the innocent people. The story is built upon the political tension that kept the Indian Ministry involved intensely to establish peace in Jaffna during the civil war. What we see in Madras Cafe is totally gripping- when Vikram Singh and Jaya, a foreign journalist exchange some significant and confidential information about the LTF and the leak in the Indian intelligence agency that actually results in a total transformation in the set of international events.
John Abraham has acted exceptionally well in the character- who tries his best to embark upon the precarious struggle going on in Sri Lanka. Nargis Fakhri has shown some tremendous improvement in her acting and the 'No-Romantic loop' between them seems to work superbly for the movie. The movie moves very swiftly and the audience is engrossed for the entire duration of the movie. The cinematography is noteworthy and it is a well-scripted political suspense. For a story we already know, Madras Cafe is one of those that excels at creating a thriller, in a breath-taking manner.
Madras Cafe definitely elevates John both as an actor and a director to a higher level. Shoojit Sircar hits the right strides and blends facts and fiction terrifically. The writers had done their research well. Debutante Rashi Khanna makes an impact in a brief but significant appearance as the army man's wife.
Madras Cafe is a must watch for all those who want to know about the history behind the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, the LTTE etc. In two hours. It's effective and grim unlike the ludicrous drama and item numbers that incite cheers in the theater. It's definitely a brave move on the part of the director to come with such a movie and Madras Cafe is certainly a trend setter.
Friends
(1994–2004)
Get involved
9 September 2013
While watching friends I use to always forget that it is a TV show and those are actors I'm looking at. They seem so real, every character in the serial was having its own personality different from others.
You get so involved in their reel life that you don't realize it is not real. I use to laugh with them, cry with them feel every emotion that came across to me. I liked Monica's perfectionism, Joey's innocence, Chandlers witty humor, Phoebe's unique imagination, Rose's efforts to prove his intelligence and Rachel's style. No one must have thought combination of all this can deliver a fabulous show with success like this.
Friends night was always a fun night, full of pure joy and laughter. Original sense of humor brought out so naturally that you will never think it was acted by these very good actors.
I must also appreciate the writer, director and crew that worked behind camera to make this show a huge success and bring FRIENDS on TV and in our living rooms.
Cheers to ALL !!
You get so involved in their reel life that you don't realize it is not real. I use to laugh with them, cry with them feel every emotion that came across to me. I liked Monica's perfectionism, Joey's innocence, Chandlers witty humor, Phoebe's unique imagination, Rose's efforts to prove his intelligence and Rachel's style. No one must have thought combination of all this can deliver a fabulous show with success like this.
Friends night was always a fun night, full of pure joy and laughter. Original sense of humor brought out so naturally that you will never think it was acted by these very good actors.
I must also appreciate the writer, director and crew that worked behind camera to make this show a huge success and bring FRIENDS on TV and in our living rooms.
Cheers to ALL !!
Student of the Year
(2012)
They think viewers are IDIOT.
25 October 2012
It would've been more apt to title this movie 'Dancer of the Year', instead of 'Student of the year', because that's what Karan Johar's pretty students do the most. They break into a jig at the drop of a hat.
From extravagant weddings to snow-clad mountains, to funky clubs, to almost anywhere, they invest every waking hour in matching their steps to a host of remixed, old Hindi film classics.
At KJo's new school, it's only the dance moves that count, and nothing else.
Textbooks, sports and any other extracurricular activities, barring the one that touches the heart, are sidelined and pitched towards the fag end of the two-and-a-half-hour race.
third class acting and zero percent logic. Only fools could like this.
From extravagant weddings to snow-clad mountains, to funky clubs, to almost anywhere, they invest every waking hour in matching their steps to a host of remixed, old Hindi film classics.
At KJo's new school, it's only the dance moves that count, and nothing else.
Textbooks, sports and any other extracurricular activities, barring the one that touches the heart, are sidelined and pitched towards the fag end of the two-and-a-half-hour race.
third class acting and zero percent logic. Only fools could like this.
Ek Tha Tiger
(2012)
Huge disappointment... senseless movie...!!
17 August 2012
As for Katrina Kaif, she has a large presence in the film and does well in the light hearted scenes as well. In fact her on-screen chemistry with Salman is good too. However one wouldn't term this either as a performance oriented role per se as action takes over the entire second half.
Disappointing. Now that's quite painful outing for a film which had created so much excitement and hype. Of course regardless of the average content, box office will tell a different story since the extended week is going to throw some extraordinary numbers.
As stated earlier, nothing wrong with that but then the edge of the seat impact is missing, especially when one would have expected a film to go one up over the likes of 'Agent Vinod' or 'Kurbaan'.
Disappointing. Now that's quite painful outing for a film which had created so much excitement and hype. Of course regardless of the average content, box office will tell a different story since the extended week is going to throw some extraordinary numbers.
As stated earlier, nothing wrong with that but then the edge of the seat impact is missing, especially when one would have expected a film to go one up over the likes of 'Agent Vinod' or 'Kurbaan'.
Before Sunrise
(1995)
Will blow off your mind....
22 June 2012
Frankly, this is not the sort of film one usually expects to find in multiplexes. In fact, if it weren't in English, it might be possible to mistake this for the work of someone like Eric Rohmer. The plentiful and varied dialogue has a richness that few screenplays manage to capture. Most of Before Sunrise is talking. The characters touch on subjects ranging from language and reincarnation to sexuality and cable access shows.
Jesse (Ethan Hawke) meets Celine (Julie Delpy) on a train traveling through Europe. His destination is Vienna, where a flight back to America awaits him the next morning. She's on her way to Paris, where she starts classes at the Sorbonne next week. From their first moment of eye contact, they're drawn to each other. They share a meal in the lounge car, savoring the conversation more than the food, and when they arrive in Vienna, Jesse persuades Celine to disembark with him and keep him company wandering the streets until the time comes for his plane to depart. Thus begins an unforgettable screen romance.
One of the first things to notice about Before Sunrise is how completely natural it all seems. Credit both director Linklater and his two leads. The rapport between Jesse and Celine is so lacking in artifice that at times the viewer feels like a voyeur. We are privy to everything, including the sort of "unimportant" dialogue that most films shy away from. Here, its inclusion is just one of many fresh elements.
Hawke (the American grunge actor who starred opposite Winona Ryder in Reality Bites) and Delpy (the French actress from Europa Europa, White, and Killing Zoe) are nothing short of perfect. For this film to work, they have a threefold task: embrace their characters, attract each other, and connect with the audience. Needless to say, all are accomplished flawlessly. From the first stolen glance, there's never any question about their chemistry, and it takes no more time for the audience to be enraptured by Jesse and Celine than it does for them to fall for each other.
Before Sunrise is about life, romance, and love. It magnifies the little things, paying scrupulous attention to the subtleties and mannerisms of body language. There's one scene where Jesse has to restrain himself from brushing away a stray lock of Celine's hair, and another wonderful moment in a music listening booth where the characters nervously avoid eye contact.
This film is an amalgamation of such memorable scenes, yet, as they saying goes, the whole is more than a sum of its parts. Questions about fate and the transitory nature of relationships are raised, then left open for the audience to ponder. There are moments of unforced humor, and times of bittersweet poignancy. Before Sunrise speaks as much to the mind as to the heart, and much of what it says is likely to strike a responsive chord -- a rare and special accomplishment for any motion picture.
Jesse (Ethan Hawke) meets Celine (Julie Delpy) on a train traveling through Europe. His destination is Vienna, where a flight back to America awaits him the next morning. She's on her way to Paris, where she starts classes at the Sorbonne next week. From their first moment of eye contact, they're drawn to each other. They share a meal in the lounge car, savoring the conversation more than the food, and when they arrive in Vienna, Jesse persuades Celine to disembark with him and keep him company wandering the streets until the time comes for his plane to depart. Thus begins an unforgettable screen romance.
One of the first things to notice about Before Sunrise is how completely natural it all seems. Credit both director Linklater and his two leads. The rapport between Jesse and Celine is so lacking in artifice that at times the viewer feels like a voyeur. We are privy to everything, including the sort of "unimportant" dialogue that most films shy away from. Here, its inclusion is just one of many fresh elements.
Hawke (the American grunge actor who starred opposite Winona Ryder in Reality Bites) and Delpy (the French actress from Europa Europa, White, and Killing Zoe) are nothing short of perfect. For this film to work, they have a threefold task: embrace their characters, attract each other, and connect with the audience. Needless to say, all are accomplished flawlessly. From the first stolen glance, there's never any question about their chemistry, and it takes no more time for the audience to be enraptured by Jesse and Celine than it does for them to fall for each other.
Before Sunrise is about life, romance, and love. It magnifies the little things, paying scrupulous attention to the subtleties and mannerisms of body language. There's one scene where Jesse has to restrain himself from brushing away a stray lock of Celine's hair, and another wonderful moment in a music listening booth where the characters nervously avoid eye contact.
This film is an amalgamation of such memorable scenes, yet, as they saying goes, the whole is more than a sum of its parts. Questions about fate and the transitory nature of relationships are raised, then left open for the audience to ponder. There are moments of unforced humor, and times of bittersweet poignancy. Before Sunrise speaks as much to the mind as to the heart, and much of what it says is likely to strike a responsive chord -- a rare and special accomplishment for any motion picture.
Rowdy Rathore
(2012)
Why can't i give a " ZERO"..!
5 June 2012
God.. this movie is just a waste of money...
Just another tees maar khan , Don't Angry Me! Akshay Kumar bellows this often in Rowdy Rathore. At one point, the command even plays out as background music. I think viewers need to keep their brains in their wardrobe to co-opt the line.
To all the directors, producers, actors who are inflicting eighties-style, low-IQ, deafeningly loud, unapologetically crass, mind-numbing movies on us, I just want to say: Don't angry me! Don't exhaust me! Don't bludgeon me!.
God why are u guys doing a assault on viewers brains..!!
Just another tees maar khan , Don't Angry Me! Akshay Kumar bellows this often in Rowdy Rathore. At one point, the command even plays out as background music. I think viewers need to keep their brains in their wardrobe to co-opt the line.
To all the directors, producers, actors who are inflicting eighties-style, low-IQ, deafeningly loud, unapologetically crass, mind-numbing movies on us, I just want to say: Don't angry me! Don't exhaust me! Don't bludgeon me!.
God why are u guys doing a assault on viewers brains..!!
Keith
(I) (2008)
One in a million... why cant a movie be as fine as this..!!
5 June 2012
Not your typical romance chick-flick, Keith directed by Todd Kessler, poses a different spin on the outlook of teenage high school romances. Although still about love and trying to find one's self, it dives a little deeper into the fact that you simply cannot control what turns your feelings take. No matter how hard you may try.
Natalie (Elisabeth Harnois) is a high school senior who pretty much has her hand in just about everything. Star tennis player, straight-A student and year book editor, her schedule is kept pretty full in order to give her that edge in acquiring a scholarship to Duke University. Not really having much time for herself, she meets and takes an interest to a transfer student named Rafael (Ignacio Serrichio). They begin to spend time with each other and eventually become a couple just when she is paired up for a chemistry assignment with a care-free, rebellious unorthodox student named Keith (Jesse McCartney). At first, he is quite un-cooperative with her in completing their project which annoys her and she tries to get out of working with him but to no avail.
As times goes on, he presses her to go out with him, as a friend of course, as he is fully aware of her relationship with Rafael. Reluctant at first, she finally gives in and finds herself spending a lot of time with him and they eventually begin to click. They ride around in his vintage yellow Chevy truck that he is restoring and begin to have fun doing random things. She grows accustomed to and even starts to like his out of characteristic nature. As soon they begin to get close, Keith disappears without any warning. Worried, Natalie embarks on an investigation to try to discover what's going on with him.
I happened to stumble upon this film one day on cable which was originally released at the Palm Beach International Film Festival in April of 2008. I was thoroughly pleased by the story and impact that screenplay writer David Zabel brought to this film. In his first major film performance, McCartney does a pretty solid job. There are some moments where his character's sarcasm and ongoing difficultness tends to become irritating but then again, that's what he is supposed to do. You can kind of tell what Harnois' character is going through trying to be his lab partner and eventual friend. Her presentation of Natalie was a much more realistic version of a female high school senior trying to better herself academically and athletically. It was a nice change of pace from the typical snobby, bullying cheerleader character that we usually get out of a high school drama.
The combination of real life obstacles that teenagers go through along with dealings in love and feelings are well demonstrated in this film. It brings a lot of things to light and it's easy to relate to the characters and their troubles. The story stands by its tag line contained in the movie poster "Love is a force you can't control". For anyone who has ever been in love, you know what that's like. I give Keith "3.5 vintage yellow trucks out of 5".
"I had it all figured out. So I cut out a little early? Who cares? It's probably a good thing. Life sucks, anyway. Then I met you, and it got weird. And you were so amazing. And I I just wanted a little more time. So all in all, I'd say you're the worst thing that's ever happened to me."
Natalie (Elisabeth Harnois) is a high school senior who pretty much has her hand in just about everything. Star tennis player, straight-A student and year book editor, her schedule is kept pretty full in order to give her that edge in acquiring a scholarship to Duke University. Not really having much time for herself, she meets and takes an interest to a transfer student named Rafael (Ignacio Serrichio). They begin to spend time with each other and eventually become a couple just when she is paired up for a chemistry assignment with a care-free, rebellious unorthodox student named Keith (Jesse McCartney). At first, he is quite un-cooperative with her in completing their project which annoys her and she tries to get out of working with him but to no avail.
As times goes on, he presses her to go out with him, as a friend of course, as he is fully aware of her relationship with Rafael. Reluctant at first, she finally gives in and finds herself spending a lot of time with him and they eventually begin to click. They ride around in his vintage yellow Chevy truck that he is restoring and begin to have fun doing random things. She grows accustomed to and even starts to like his out of characteristic nature. As soon they begin to get close, Keith disappears without any warning. Worried, Natalie embarks on an investigation to try to discover what's going on with him.
I happened to stumble upon this film one day on cable which was originally released at the Palm Beach International Film Festival in April of 2008. I was thoroughly pleased by the story and impact that screenplay writer David Zabel brought to this film. In his first major film performance, McCartney does a pretty solid job. There are some moments where his character's sarcasm and ongoing difficultness tends to become irritating but then again, that's what he is supposed to do. You can kind of tell what Harnois' character is going through trying to be his lab partner and eventual friend. Her presentation of Natalie was a much more realistic version of a female high school senior trying to better herself academically and athletically. It was a nice change of pace from the typical snobby, bullying cheerleader character that we usually get out of a high school drama.
The combination of real life obstacles that teenagers go through along with dealings in love and feelings are well demonstrated in this film. It brings a lot of things to light and it's easy to relate to the characters and their troubles. The story stands by its tag line contained in the movie poster "Love is a force you can't control". For anyone who has ever been in love, you know what that's like. I give Keith "3.5 vintage yellow trucks out of 5".
"I had it all figured out. So I cut out a little early? Who cares? It's probably a good thing. Life sucks, anyway. Then I met you, and it got weird. And you were so amazing. And I I just wanted a little more time. So all in all, I'd say you're the worst thing that's ever happened to me."
Jannat 2
(2012)
will keep you engaged...
14 May 2012
The story of a gun-seller who is coerced by a harsh cop to become a police informer, this is an oddly uninteresting film predictable right from the moment the main characters are introduced, each more asinine than the next. Hashmi's Sonu Dilli is an insipid fellow who keeps crowing about how the world calls him a dog, Esha Gupta plays a doctor who apparently runs a free 'hospital' without knowing how to pay the bills, and Randeep Hooda. god bless his soul -- keeps a straight face even while playing a whiskey- loving cop bitterly waging war on gunrunners because his wife was shot. Yes, that's right.
Randeep Hooda Overshadows Emraan Hasmi.. Esha Gupta Has no role. Movie- Its a really good movie but has gone wrong in many ways watch this movie. u wont be disappointed at the same time you wont be satisfied too.
Randeep Hooda Overshadows Emraan Hasmi.. Esha Gupta Has no role. Movie- Its a really good movie but has gone wrong in many ways watch this movie. u wont be disappointed at the same time you wont be satisfied too.
Titanic
(1997)
Couldn't be any better than this.....
14 May 2012
I saw this movie again and again & noticed more and more dedication and love for this movie..
Titanic's central aspect is the love story between Jack and Rose, and the crush it has on Cal. The romantic story isn't original, but this is not a bad thing. Cameron re-invents the story to fit the time period and its characters. Everything fits perfectly, with nothing ever seeming contrived or awkward. Jack's immediate interest in Rose, and Rose likewise, is completely understandable. She is suffering emotionally, and Jack is there to support her. Themes from Romeo and Juliet are included, such as Rose being an upper-classman, and Jack being lower class. But the emotional connection between Rose and Jack is almost palpable, and this fuels the film's first two hours. We watch the trials of Jack and Rose, and as they overcome them, the ship comes closer to destiny. With a ship as large as the Titanic was, it was destined to crash. And of course, the ship isn't stocked with enough lifeboats to accommodate the 2,200 passengers. In the end, over 700 people survive, while the rest drown, freeze, or commit suicide.
The resolution of the film, after the ship's gone under, is just as powerful as anything else in the movie. It ends rather surprisingly, with a touching symbolic conclusion. Most films end predictably, or inappropriately, but Titanic ends just on the right note. In fact, the symbolism of the final scene is so perfect, that many people will contemplate over the meaning for months. The film does end rather depressingly, and unexpectedly, but when you think about it, it couldn't have ended any other way. All the questions are answered, and we are left with a weak smile due to the intense situation we were just put through. The Titanic sinking is an emotional roller coaster, with many more realistic deaths than any Independence Day. The death scenes are so realistic, that you find yourself caring for every single passenger. Cameron never compromises the integrity of his film, and the deaths of the passengers is never overemphasized. He doesn't linger on each death, but takes it as it comes to show us the realism without trying to force emotions out of the audience. But emotions do show, and almost anyone will find themselves wiping away a few tears.
Hats off for this masterpiece..!
Titanic's central aspect is the love story between Jack and Rose, and the crush it has on Cal. The romantic story isn't original, but this is not a bad thing. Cameron re-invents the story to fit the time period and its characters. Everything fits perfectly, with nothing ever seeming contrived or awkward. Jack's immediate interest in Rose, and Rose likewise, is completely understandable. She is suffering emotionally, and Jack is there to support her. Themes from Romeo and Juliet are included, such as Rose being an upper-classman, and Jack being lower class. But the emotional connection between Rose and Jack is almost palpable, and this fuels the film's first two hours. We watch the trials of Jack and Rose, and as they overcome them, the ship comes closer to destiny. With a ship as large as the Titanic was, it was destined to crash. And of course, the ship isn't stocked with enough lifeboats to accommodate the 2,200 passengers. In the end, over 700 people survive, while the rest drown, freeze, or commit suicide.
The resolution of the film, after the ship's gone under, is just as powerful as anything else in the movie. It ends rather surprisingly, with a touching symbolic conclusion. Most films end predictably, or inappropriately, but Titanic ends just on the right note. In fact, the symbolism of the final scene is so perfect, that many people will contemplate over the meaning for months. The film does end rather depressingly, and unexpectedly, but when you think about it, it couldn't have ended any other way. All the questions are answered, and we are left with a weak smile due to the intense situation we were just put through. The Titanic sinking is an emotional roller coaster, with many more realistic deaths than any Independence Day. The death scenes are so realistic, that you find yourself caring for every single passenger. Cameron never compromises the integrity of his film, and the deaths of the passengers is never overemphasized. He doesn't linger on each death, but takes it as it comes to show us the realism without trying to force emotions out of the audience. But emotions do show, and almost anyone will find themselves wiping away a few tears.
Hats off for this masterpiece..!
Mafia II
(2010 Video Game)
Dream game..!!
11 May 2012
The chronic oversaturation of the mafia in our international media has taught us much. Mafia II is an attempt to chronicle these teachings in game form. Fact number one: mafia men do lots of killing. Fact number two: they like suits. Fact number three: mafiosa don't call each other mafiosa; they use the term 'wiseguys'.
I've cross-referenced facts one and two with Mafia II, and they're definitely right – a lot of killing and a lot of suits. Fact number three isn't. 'Wiseguys', with its implied streetsmarts and cunning, doesn't fit Mafia II's mobsters. It certainly doesn't fit the mid-level gangster the game asked me to tail early in its middle act, who didn't have the presence of mind to check his rearview mirror as he drove away from a literal hatchet job. Had that guy done so, he'd have seen Sicilian-born WWII veteran and new-boy mobster Vito Scaletta about 20 feet behind, dressed in a red and white cod- Hawaiian shirt, driving a hot pink corvette with 'BUMS12' proudly displayed on the numberplate. That guy was not very wise.
Wise up
The other guy was me, and I was trying to be too wise. As Mafia II's protagonist, my first attempt to trail the escaping mobster ended in failure after my original car choice – an inconspicuous '50s saloon – was outpaced with ease on the motorways. I only chose that car, snatched unattended with a bit of pavement minigame lockpicking, to satisfy the mission briefing, which said my mark would notice anything too obvious. Dutifully I wrested against the vehicle's slightly clunky era-specific handling to try and keep pace. But after my AI target had pranged his own vehicle six times against anything and everything in his path, I realised that such forwardthinking wiseguyishness wasn't entirely necessary on my part.
That Mafia II so effectively harpoons its illusion of real life, showing its characters to be machines acting out prescribed paths, is to its detriment. But the fact that I bought into it in the first place is the game's greatest strength.
It's not that Vito is a sympathetic character. Returning from a war he held no moral stake in – after a botched robbery, it was that or prison – he joins the local mafia, even though his mum told him not to. Naughty. From there on, he relies upon menace through the typical mafioso triple-threat: punching, shooting, and scary staring. Best buddy Joe occasionally dips a toe into 'comic relief' territory, but then ducks back into 'just a bit nasty' land, gets his pistol and shoots everyone in comic relief territory. Those poor clowns.
City of dreams
It was the city that drew me in. An amalgamation of New York's streets and Hollywood's hills, Empire Bay is as interactively sterile as all other 'open-world' game-cities, but it's been coated in a veneer of dreamy credibility. Each street and hallway has a feature – a man shouting at an open window; a woman pressing her ear to a door; the sound of an argument. It's easy to see these details written down in a design document, but it gives Empire Bay a genuine rhythm, a pulse that Liberty City lacks. Plus, it helps that it is – on hefty machines – stunning. Turn up in the city in winter, and the streets are caked in snow, with layered bands of crystalline white on the untrodden paths contrasting with slush on the roads. And the lights! Even as the game transitions out of the 1940s and into the '50s, Mafia II's waxy lighting remains consistently arresting, casting pools of gold and yellow on windscreens.
But there's no point to any of it. The city breathes and grows, changing as the missions span the years, but it never moves or cries out. The game is presented in chapters, and each chapter has you wake up in your home. Vito, I can inform you, is a man who sleeps in the same vest and pants for nine years. Before the poor, smelly bugger can even get dressed, he's hit with news and a job. The game forces you to drive to a location: once there, Vito either shoots some men, punches some men or drives to another location.
Incidental chaos
Unless you make your own fun, that is. I enjoyed people-watching in a city where every pedestrian and car driver has the situational awareness of a frightened rabbit. Drive near one of the AI humans on foot and their preset reactions kick in, launching them in a seemingly random direction. Sometimes, this would be toward safety; more regularly, they'd hurl themselves into speeding traffic.
Having a woman – a few moments earlier happily strolling down a sunny street – chuck herself in front of a nearby van is certainly a surprise. Having that van then swerve to try to avoid her and plough through another three pedestrians is brilliant. Having that van then be spotted by a police car, having those police open fire before getting squished by the panicky, blood-leaking van driver, is better than another cover- shooting 'kill 50 goons' story mission.
Mafia II is a mafia movie run once through a game grinder, and that's simultaneously the worst thing about the game and the compliment it was developed for. In telling a story as convincing as most Hollywood depictions of the Cosa Nostra, 2K Czech have accomplished exactly what they intended to: only at the end does the artifice topple slightly, piling one too many game-cliché mass-battles onto the pile. But detach the story from its very familiar housings, and we're not left with much: a bit of walking, a lot of driving and too much shooting. Each is good, but rarely superb.
I've cross-referenced facts one and two with Mafia II, and they're definitely right – a lot of killing and a lot of suits. Fact number three isn't. 'Wiseguys', with its implied streetsmarts and cunning, doesn't fit Mafia II's mobsters. It certainly doesn't fit the mid-level gangster the game asked me to tail early in its middle act, who didn't have the presence of mind to check his rearview mirror as he drove away from a literal hatchet job. Had that guy done so, he'd have seen Sicilian-born WWII veteran and new-boy mobster Vito Scaletta about 20 feet behind, dressed in a red and white cod- Hawaiian shirt, driving a hot pink corvette with 'BUMS12' proudly displayed on the numberplate. That guy was not very wise.
Wise up
The other guy was me, and I was trying to be too wise. As Mafia II's protagonist, my first attempt to trail the escaping mobster ended in failure after my original car choice – an inconspicuous '50s saloon – was outpaced with ease on the motorways. I only chose that car, snatched unattended with a bit of pavement minigame lockpicking, to satisfy the mission briefing, which said my mark would notice anything too obvious. Dutifully I wrested against the vehicle's slightly clunky era-specific handling to try and keep pace. But after my AI target had pranged his own vehicle six times against anything and everything in his path, I realised that such forwardthinking wiseguyishness wasn't entirely necessary on my part.
That Mafia II so effectively harpoons its illusion of real life, showing its characters to be machines acting out prescribed paths, is to its detriment. But the fact that I bought into it in the first place is the game's greatest strength.
It's not that Vito is a sympathetic character. Returning from a war he held no moral stake in – after a botched robbery, it was that or prison – he joins the local mafia, even though his mum told him not to. Naughty. From there on, he relies upon menace through the typical mafioso triple-threat: punching, shooting, and scary staring. Best buddy Joe occasionally dips a toe into 'comic relief' territory, but then ducks back into 'just a bit nasty' land, gets his pistol and shoots everyone in comic relief territory. Those poor clowns.
City of dreams
It was the city that drew me in. An amalgamation of New York's streets and Hollywood's hills, Empire Bay is as interactively sterile as all other 'open-world' game-cities, but it's been coated in a veneer of dreamy credibility. Each street and hallway has a feature – a man shouting at an open window; a woman pressing her ear to a door; the sound of an argument. It's easy to see these details written down in a design document, but it gives Empire Bay a genuine rhythm, a pulse that Liberty City lacks. Plus, it helps that it is – on hefty machines – stunning. Turn up in the city in winter, and the streets are caked in snow, with layered bands of crystalline white on the untrodden paths contrasting with slush on the roads. And the lights! Even as the game transitions out of the 1940s and into the '50s, Mafia II's waxy lighting remains consistently arresting, casting pools of gold and yellow on windscreens.
But there's no point to any of it. The city breathes and grows, changing as the missions span the years, but it never moves or cries out. The game is presented in chapters, and each chapter has you wake up in your home. Vito, I can inform you, is a man who sleeps in the same vest and pants for nine years. Before the poor, smelly bugger can even get dressed, he's hit with news and a job. The game forces you to drive to a location: once there, Vito either shoots some men, punches some men or drives to another location.
Incidental chaos
Unless you make your own fun, that is. I enjoyed people-watching in a city where every pedestrian and car driver has the situational awareness of a frightened rabbit. Drive near one of the AI humans on foot and their preset reactions kick in, launching them in a seemingly random direction. Sometimes, this would be toward safety; more regularly, they'd hurl themselves into speeding traffic.
Having a woman – a few moments earlier happily strolling down a sunny street – chuck herself in front of a nearby van is certainly a surprise. Having that van then swerve to try to avoid her and plough through another three pedestrians is brilliant. Having that van then be spotted by a police car, having those police open fire before getting squished by the panicky, blood-leaking van driver, is better than another cover- shooting 'kill 50 goons' story mission.
Mafia II is a mafia movie run once through a game grinder, and that's simultaneously the worst thing about the game and the compliment it was developed for. In telling a story as convincing as most Hollywood depictions of the Cosa Nostra, 2K Czech have accomplished exactly what they intended to: only at the end does the artifice topple slightly, piling one too many game-cliché mass-battles onto the pile. But detach the story from its very familiar housings, and we're not left with much: a bit of walking, a lot of driving and too much shooting. Each is good, but rarely superb.
Vicky Donor
(2012)
A good low budget movie..
23 April 2012
Vicky Arora (Ayushmann Khurana) is an aimless and jobless Delhi boy. He is persuaded by Dr Baldev Chaddha (Annu Kapoor), an infertility clinic owner to become a sperm donor that could help childless couples. After much resistance, he finally agrees to the act to earn some easy money. Soon he makes a fortune out of his potent attribute. He also marries the love of his life Ashima (Yaami Gautam) but things take a drastic turn when she comes to know about his covert contributions to the sperm bank.
Vicky Donor comes with a fresh story. Call it a love story on the backdrop of sperm donation or a film about sperm donation with a love story within - the writing by Juhi Chaturvedi seamlessly integrates the two elements to come up with a wholesome entertainer. Further director Shoojit Sircar flawlessly catches the pulse of Delhi and the drama in the narrative.
While the film lightly touches on the theme of the shortage of sperm donors and the social stigma attached to the act (unlike blood or organ donations), it intentionally refrains from being an issue-based cinema. Vicky's initial opposition to the idea aptly brings out the average apprehensions and his consequent consent reveals the monetary motives behind the act.
The love story between the lead pair that starts off on a flirtatious note but soon translates into an amiable affair, brings a sublime smile on your face throughout. The romance is refreshing and the chemistry between the couple is hot-n-happening. Soon the love affair of the cross-cultural couple gets into the 'Two States' zone. The film takes an unapologetic look at the culture characteristics (or call it clichés) of the Punjabi boy and Bengali girl and the divergent divide expressed in the sequence of scenes that lead to their matrimony is absolutely uproarious.
But beyond having a splendid sense of humour, the film also has a very poignant side to it. The fact that Vicky's fervent fertility isn't of any productive use to himself is where the film defines a strong contrasting conflict in the narrative. Since the couple's camaraderie was so sizzling, you feel the pinch as they part ways. Further Sircar successfully defines and distinguishes emotions, elucidating how the point of marital discord between the couple is not merely mistrust but insecurity. The climax comes across as convenient though isn't unconvincing.
The pacing is fast and the multiple-montage crisp editing never lets you lose the narrative. The dialogues vary from the quirky to the well- worded conversations and contribute immensely to the humour quotient. The music is peppy and goes smoothly with the flow of the film.
Vicky Donor is what it is primarily for the livewire energy of Vicky played by Ayushmann Khurana. The actor is so natural that it never seems he's acting but rather gliding through the role. He is a pro at both the comedy and emotional scenes. Given the right roles, Ayushmann has the potential to be the next big thing in Bollywood. Yaami Gautam is absolutely ravishing and captivates with her unending charm. The beauty also reflects in her performance. The supporting cast is blessed with quirky yet relatable characterizations. Annu Kapoor as the desperate doctor is brilliant and incites most laughs. Dolly Ahluwalia as the hyperactive Punjabi mother is superlative and such a pleasant change from the regular prototypes. Kamlesh Gill as the modern grandma who shares a drink with her daughter-in-law and aspires for iphones and LED TVs is another fabulous characterization and a fantabulous actor. Jayanta Das as the girl's Bengali father is as much amusing.
Vicky Donor comes with a fresh story. Call it a love story on the backdrop of sperm donation or a film about sperm donation with a love story within - the writing by Juhi Chaturvedi seamlessly integrates the two elements to come up with a wholesome entertainer. Further director Shoojit Sircar flawlessly catches the pulse of Delhi and the drama in the narrative.
While the film lightly touches on the theme of the shortage of sperm donors and the social stigma attached to the act (unlike blood or organ donations), it intentionally refrains from being an issue-based cinema. Vicky's initial opposition to the idea aptly brings out the average apprehensions and his consequent consent reveals the monetary motives behind the act.
The love story between the lead pair that starts off on a flirtatious note but soon translates into an amiable affair, brings a sublime smile on your face throughout. The romance is refreshing and the chemistry between the couple is hot-n-happening. Soon the love affair of the cross-cultural couple gets into the 'Two States' zone. The film takes an unapologetic look at the culture characteristics (or call it clichés) of the Punjabi boy and Bengali girl and the divergent divide expressed in the sequence of scenes that lead to their matrimony is absolutely uproarious.
But beyond having a splendid sense of humour, the film also has a very poignant side to it. The fact that Vicky's fervent fertility isn't of any productive use to himself is where the film defines a strong contrasting conflict in the narrative. Since the couple's camaraderie was so sizzling, you feel the pinch as they part ways. Further Sircar successfully defines and distinguishes emotions, elucidating how the point of marital discord between the couple is not merely mistrust but insecurity. The climax comes across as convenient though isn't unconvincing.
The pacing is fast and the multiple-montage crisp editing never lets you lose the narrative. The dialogues vary from the quirky to the well- worded conversations and contribute immensely to the humour quotient. The music is peppy and goes smoothly with the flow of the film.
Vicky Donor is what it is primarily for the livewire energy of Vicky played by Ayushmann Khurana. The actor is so natural that it never seems he's acting but rather gliding through the role. He is a pro at both the comedy and emotional scenes. Given the right roles, Ayushmann has the potential to be the next big thing in Bollywood. Yaami Gautam is absolutely ravishing and captivates with her unending charm. The beauty also reflects in her performance. The supporting cast is blessed with quirky yet relatable characterizations. Annu Kapoor as the desperate doctor is brilliant and incites most laughs. Dolly Ahluwalia as the hyperactive Punjabi mother is superlative and such a pleasant change from the regular prototypes. Kamlesh Gill as the modern grandma who shares a drink with her daughter-in-law and aspires for iphones and LED TVs is another fabulous characterization and a fantabulous actor. Jayanta Das as the girl's Bengali father is as much amusing.
Insidious
(I) (2010)
A pretty decent horror movie.
18 March 2012
I'd say this was a pretty decent movie! It had it's moments where you were jumping around and waiting for things to happen and they never did, which is really great!
The end was really good!!
I'd see it if you want to get scared a little and need to think about it a bit!
This movie was the best i have ever seen in my life. I have seen a lot of horror films and this one was the best one so far i would recommend this movie to scare the crap out of your children . If you just want to hang out with your buds you and your friends can go and rent this movie and you can scare your friends.
The end was really good!!
I'd see it if you want to get scared a little and need to think about it a bit!
This movie was the best i have ever seen in my life. I have seen a lot of horror films and this one was the best one so far i would recommend this movie to scare the crap out of your children . If you just want to hang out with your buds you and your friends can go and rent this movie and you can scare your friends.
A Walk to Remember
(2002)
Definite tear jerker..!!
18 March 2012
I recently watched this movie over again on TV and I realized I didn't have it on DVD. So I rushed to the store and bought it. Here's what Hollywood may not know.
1. Relationships can be that pure and WITHOUT sex 2. Christians can actually be moral and non-hypocritical and follow their beliefs 3. Actors/actresses who weren't known as that before can actually give great performances...even if they were pop stars...
4. A Walk to Remember is a sweet, lovable, romantic story that can tear at your heart strings. I don't ever cry at movies. This one made me reach for tissues!
1. Relationships can be that pure and WITHOUT sex 2. Christians can actually be moral and non-hypocritical and follow their beliefs 3. Actors/actresses who weren't known as that before can actually give great performances...even if they were pop stars...
4. A Walk to Remember is a sweet, lovable, romantic story that can tear at your heart strings. I don't ever cry at movies. This one made me reach for tissues!
Hachi: A Dog's Tale
(2009)
A moving story of faith, love and devotion
11 March 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Lasse Hallström's latest is based on a true story – transplanted from 1930s Japan to contemporary New England – about a faithful Akita dog called Hachi. Hallström's unfussy, effective film uses several visual techniques – dog's eye-view black-and-white footage, sped-up time frames – to tell the often moving tale of Parker Wilson (Richard Gere), a music professor and family man who surrenders to the charms of dog ownership. When Parker dies and his family sells up and moves away, Hachi legs it back to the railway station where his owner used to arrive home from work and keeps vigil there for almost a decade. Sensitively directed and rarely over-sentimental, this touching parable will likely ravish the emotions of dog lovers. Yet the film is as much about the emotional fallout of death as about a mutt's loyalty and devotion. As a dog owner, I must confess to having had a large lump in the throat throughout. So call me soppy.
Rockstar
(2011)
No offence, except music, movie is a garbage!!
12 November 2011
The movie kicks off with a scene from the life of Jordan the rockstar who manages to escape a brawl and gets on a bus to finally reach the stage show. As he begins to sing the movie plummets through moments of his past and we come to face the simpleton Janardhan Jakhar (Ranbir Kapoor) who wishes to emulate Jim Morrison. But he isn't the ideal material as he has no heartbreaks and thus Janardan begins the search for pain. His unusual journey brings him to Heer (Nargis Fakhri).
All hell befalls on the boy and overnight he is thrown out of his house only to emerge years later as the novel singing sensation. What follows next is the story of love and loss for the protagonists as a Jordan tries to find solace in the hectic and somewhat unforgiving life of a celebrity and a torn man.
The story – 4/10 For most parts Imtiaz tries to tell a story of a love-struck boy who morphs into a singing sensation almost subtly by virtue of his pain. Yet he overlooks a very crucial element while creating the angry rockstar. It is true that pain strengthens the mettle of ordinary men and has the capacity of metamorphosing him into a tough nut but an artist's vessel isn't only composed of pain, it must also have space for the love for his work. Through most parts of the movie we see Jordan in pain and we see him complaining that how much he doesn't want to remain in the hollow tinsel town of fame and yet not once does he praise the power of music that provides him with the opportunity of self-expression. Jordan is thus an incomplete rockstar just like the story itself.
I went to the theatre with the hope of seeing the role of music in the life of an ordinary man. I went with the thought of witnessing a legend in making but all I was offered was a remade dish of Devdas. The movie perhaps would have been more aptly title as a Rockstar's Love Story because it talks more of JJ's love life rather than the experience of rising to a position that bestows a man the power to enthral millions with his voice.
The story is also a tad overdrawn and though there are moments that move you in the end it's not really enough to carry forward the legacy of cinematic expression of rock musicians that Rock On gave us.
The direction and technique – 3/10 Once again the cinematography works wonders for the eye. There are scenes that incite you with nothing but visual brilliance and while some actually mesmerise you to the spot. One scene of a fully clothed Ranvir in the bath tub with a flaming guitar and a water line obstructing that in his line of view will stay with you for many days to come.
Imtiaz's treatment with sequencing is a tad experimental for Bollywood and it often jumps beautifully between spots on the timeline while synchronising the events lucidly. Sometimes however this can become a little confusing to follow and it has created a problem in the overall flow.
On the whole however barring the need for a vehement editing to shorten the excessive length the director has put up a strong front when it comes to visual story telling.
The acting – 6/10 There is one big reason to go watch Rockstar and that reason is living. He is none other than Ranvir Kapoor. It seems that this Kapoor has a bottomless pool of talent from which he keeps on pulling out more and more. For Rockstar, Ranvir is said to have worked very hard but you can't see that on screen. On screen he is not an actor but a man who lives in the celluloid reality. If he shines astutely as the naïve Janardan then he fights, frets and chafes with a genuine misanthropic fury as Jordan. He holds the guitar not as an accessory but with the reverence it deserves and displays the various moods of the character with an effortless grace. Kudos to the actor he has evolved into and I hope he delivers such mindblowing charisma in years to come as well.
Nargis as Heer is pretty and lovely but at times unconvincing on her own. Yet whenever she is coupled with Ranvir she gels with him perfectly (wait till you see them kiss! It's kind of too real to fake).
No complains about the rest of the cast but you will probably not be able to recollect anything about them after the movie as the entire space is taken up by the 'Negative Rockstar' and his muse.
The music – 9/10 You can't put A.R. Rehman with a musical movie and not expect something special. Yes if Ranvir is the crown then Rehman is the gem of Rockstar. He entwines hard melody with sufi undertones to create such convoluted feelings of reverent pathos and powerful joy that you cannot help but be deaf to all else in the world around you.
Ya if Rockstar is worth watching then it is because we have ears to go with the eyes. The tracks have already aroused a lot of buzz and the music that comes with it is an apt garnishing for the entire mellifluous offering.
Thumbs up Mr. Rehman, you rock! So can this Rockstar rock your world? The duo of Ranvir and Rehman sure can and they do so with a lot of attitude (and a certain middle finger showing by Ranvir!).
Directions - 3/10 Acting - 6/10 music - 9/10 story - 4/10 movie = 4.5/10
All hell befalls on the boy and overnight he is thrown out of his house only to emerge years later as the novel singing sensation. What follows next is the story of love and loss for the protagonists as a Jordan tries to find solace in the hectic and somewhat unforgiving life of a celebrity and a torn man.
The story – 4/10 For most parts Imtiaz tries to tell a story of a love-struck boy who morphs into a singing sensation almost subtly by virtue of his pain. Yet he overlooks a very crucial element while creating the angry rockstar. It is true that pain strengthens the mettle of ordinary men and has the capacity of metamorphosing him into a tough nut but an artist's vessel isn't only composed of pain, it must also have space for the love for his work. Through most parts of the movie we see Jordan in pain and we see him complaining that how much he doesn't want to remain in the hollow tinsel town of fame and yet not once does he praise the power of music that provides him with the opportunity of self-expression. Jordan is thus an incomplete rockstar just like the story itself.
I went to the theatre with the hope of seeing the role of music in the life of an ordinary man. I went with the thought of witnessing a legend in making but all I was offered was a remade dish of Devdas. The movie perhaps would have been more aptly title as a Rockstar's Love Story because it talks more of JJ's love life rather than the experience of rising to a position that bestows a man the power to enthral millions with his voice.
The story is also a tad overdrawn and though there are moments that move you in the end it's not really enough to carry forward the legacy of cinematic expression of rock musicians that Rock On gave us.
The direction and technique – 3/10 Once again the cinematography works wonders for the eye. There are scenes that incite you with nothing but visual brilliance and while some actually mesmerise you to the spot. One scene of a fully clothed Ranvir in the bath tub with a flaming guitar and a water line obstructing that in his line of view will stay with you for many days to come.
Imtiaz's treatment with sequencing is a tad experimental for Bollywood and it often jumps beautifully between spots on the timeline while synchronising the events lucidly. Sometimes however this can become a little confusing to follow and it has created a problem in the overall flow.
On the whole however barring the need for a vehement editing to shorten the excessive length the director has put up a strong front when it comes to visual story telling.
The acting – 6/10 There is one big reason to go watch Rockstar and that reason is living. He is none other than Ranvir Kapoor. It seems that this Kapoor has a bottomless pool of talent from which he keeps on pulling out more and more. For Rockstar, Ranvir is said to have worked very hard but you can't see that on screen. On screen he is not an actor but a man who lives in the celluloid reality. If he shines astutely as the naïve Janardan then he fights, frets and chafes with a genuine misanthropic fury as Jordan. He holds the guitar not as an accessory but with the reverence it deserves and displays the various moods of the character with an effortless grace. Kudos to the actor he has evolved into and I hope he delivers such mindblowing charisma in years to come as well.
Nargis as Heer is pretty and lovely but at times unconvincing on her own. Yet whenever she is coupled with Ranvir she gels with him perfectly (wait till you see them kiss! It's kind of too real to fake).
No complains about the rest of the cast but you will probably not be able to recollect anything about them after the movie as the entire space is taken up by the 'Negative Rockstar' and his muse.
The music – 9/10 You can't put A.R. Rehman with a musical movie and not expect something special. Yes if Ranvir is the crown then Rehman is the gem of Rockstar. He entwines hard melody with sufi undertones to create such convoluted feelings of reverent pathos and powerful joy that you cannot help but be deaf to all else in the world around you.
Ya if Rockstar is worth watching then it is because we have ears to go with the eyes. The tracks have already aroused a lot of buzz and the music that comes with it is an apt garnishing for the entire mellifluous offering.
Thumbs up Mr. Rehman, you rock! So can this Rockstar rock your world? The duo of Ranvir and Rehman sure can and they do so with a lot of attitude (and a certain middle finger showing by Ranvir!).
Directions - 3/10 Acting - 6/10 music - 9/10 story - 4/10 movie = 4.5/10
Never Back Down
(2008)
Bitches + Dogs + Pretty lame = A good movie
12 June 2011
This is one of the most masculine-positive films I have ever seen in my entire life! Sure there's a lot of sweat and hot muscle everywhere you look! But that takes a big back seat to genuine character development - with the primary focus being on the muscle on the left side of your chest (Your Heart)! What an incredibly intelligent story! If only Hollywood could have the courage to do this more often - A "Fight Club" type movie with zero, I repeat, zero exploitation or gore! This rare, one-of-kind movie is even suitable for older children to watch! It is so sophisticated, in fact, I would even recommend it as an excellent resource for Anger Management classes!
The fight choreography is mind boggling! It certainly looks like full contact! If you watch closely you could even learn some very good moves!
It also made me reflect on my own High School experience! Where there were certainly a lot of aggressive and vicious bad guys, but very few good guys to stand-up to them. It amazes me to this very day how some teenage boys develop powerful, man-like bodies at an early age, but have the emotional maturity of a turnip! Is this a universal in American society? All this aggressiveness and malevolence to those physically weaker than one's self? Where does it come from? Is it some sort of malfunctioning biological drive? Or learned at home from an abusive parent? If only we could find the right physical trainer as our hero did! Wow! It could move mountains for so many people who are constantly bullied by their fellow, physically stronger classmates!
Never Back Down is neither maudlin or trite! It discusses real issues we all will face at some point in our life - like making a big mistake, relocating to a different community, falling in love, defending one's self from physical or emotional harm, dealing with the loss of a loved one, submitting to someone wiser than yourself, and learning to manage anger, regret and grief! This, and a lot more, is covered in this delightful, sheer joy of a film!
The fight choreography is mind boggling! It certainly looks like full contact! If you watch closely you could even learn some very good moves!
It also made me reflect on my own High School experience! Where there were certainly a lot of aggressive and vicious bad guys, but very few good guys to stand-up to them. It amazes me to this very day how some teenage boys develop powerful, man-like bodies at an early age, but have the emotional maturity of a turnip! Is this a universal in American society? All this aggressiveness and malevolence to those physically weaker than one's self? Where does it come from? Is it some sort of malfunctioning biological drive? Or learned at home from an abusive parent? If only we could find the right physical trainer as our hero did! Wow! It could move mountains for so many people who are constantly bullied by their fellow, physically stronger classmates!
Never Back Down is neither maudlin or trite! It discusses real issues we all will face at some point in our life - like making a big mistake, relocating to a different community, falling in love, defending one's self from physical or emotional harm, dealing with the loss of a loved one, submitting to someone wiser than yourself, and learning to manage anger, regret and grief! This, and a lot more, is covered in this delightful, sheer joy of a film!
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