Archive for the ‘reviews’ Category

Film Reviews : Tum Mile & Aao Wish Karein

Posted: November 14, 2009 by moifightclub in bollywood, cinema, film review, News, reviews
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Lil late on reviews this week. Only because we were not interested in any of the two hindi releases of the week. Tum Mile is from Bhaat Factory, directed by Kunal Deshmukh and stars Emraan Hashmi and Soha Ali Khan. And here is the report card.

Taran Adarsh (Indiafm) – On the whole, TUM MILE caters to the youth mainly. At the box-office, the Vishesh Films – Emraan Hashmi combo has cultivated a strong fan-base over the years and coupled with good music, which is also very popular, the film should find itself in the comfortable zone – 3/5

Rajeev Masand (CNN IBN) – You may survive the floods, but Emraan and Soha’s bak-bak will most certainly kill you! – 1.5/5

Gaurav Malani (ET) – Tum Mile might be dilute on the deluge but concentrates on having its heart in the right place. Watch it as a disaster flick and you will find it disastrous. Watch it as a love story and you will love it – 3/5

Khalid Mohamed (PFC) – To the immense credit of director Kunal Deshmukh, he shoots it with such sensitivity and grace, that you’re convinced that he’s an underrated director. Both Deshmukh and Mohit Suri (Woh Lamhe) from the Mahesh-Mukesh Bhatt factory are excellent technicians, and deserve to be in the A-list of mainstream directors – 3/5

Rediff (Sukanya Varma ) – Ultimately, though, Tum Mile’s true strength lies in the combined appeal and compelling performances of Emraan and Soha. Awe-inspiring it is not but engaging? By all means – 3/5

Mayank Shekhar (HT) – Alongside posters and promos of 2012, this reel or two was meant to be cinema about a shaking catastrophe. You realise, while the romance and its conflicts are short-lived, this is not a disaster film at all. I mean this as much for its genre as hopefully its fate among the public – 2/5

Anupama Chopra(NDTV) – The film strains for poignancy as the lovers realise that life is too short but their epiphany is more tedious than moving – 2/5

Nikhat Kazmi (TOI) – What really stands out in the film is the acting. Emraan and Soha create a chemistry that is brimming over with warmth and remains quite unpredictable till the very end. Their conversations — and concerns — are straight out of real life – 3.5 / 5

Minty Tejpal(Mumbai Mirror) – Emraan is fairly intense in his performance, while Soha is quite spunky, but together they are a bit flat. The music is fairly melodious, though there are no tracks that really jump out. However, the film is worth watching on a rainy day. Just don’t expect to be swept away – 2/5

Shubhra Gupta (Indian Express) – Hashmi and Khan have a good fit, though, and their lovers’ tiffs feel real: Deshmukh has an ear for dialogue and gets his leads to spar in believable ways, especially when Hashmi behaves like a spoilt brat artist, and she an unrelenting career girl. Pity about the lax climax – 2/5

Kaveree Bamzai (India Today) – All the drama is in the breaking up and making up between Emraan and Soha and though both have put in likeable performances-Soha even foregoing make-up for it-it is too much water, too late and too limp – 2.5/5

Anand Vaishanv ( Buzz18) – While the disaster angle is clearly a gimmick. And the lovers could very well have sorted out their differences on a station or an airport lounge, the film is engagingly shot. Tum Mile is eventually just another love story punctuated with some 26/7 sequences. Watch it only if you are a die hard Emraan Hashmi fan – 2/5

The other release of the week is Aao Wish Karein stars Aftab Shivdasani and Aamna Shariff. Its directed by Glenn Baretto and is Aftab’s home production. And did we tell its written also by Aftab! Aur bolo!

Anupama Chopra (NDTV) – Week after week, critics lament the lack of original work in Bollywood. But after watching Aao Wish Karein, an agonizingly boring rework of Tom Hanks’ Big, I wished that the makers had been less original and copied more diligently – 0.5/5

Taran Adarsh (Indiafm) – On the whole, AAO WISH KAREIN is engaging in parts, but how one wishes the film would grab your attention in entirety. The wish of striking a chord and hence, succeeding at the box-office won’t come true for this reason – 1.5/5

Rajeev Masand (CNN IBN) – Far from achieving the fairytale feel it was going for, Aao Wish Karein is a colossally boring film that packs clunky dialogue, a predictable narrative and a muddled message in the end. Barring a few superb songs, this film is a miscalculation on all counts – 1/5

Minty Tejpal (Mumbai Mirror) – Yup, the same Big story, only Aftab is no Tom Hanks, and the less said about the direction the better. However, in good old Bollywood style, it’s the ending that’s the real double whammy. Go watch it if you wish – 1.5/5

Shubhra Gupta (Indian Express) – Good proposition for kids, and adults, to buy in. But `Aao Wish Karein’ falls in between two stools, and becomes a film which appeals strongly to neither – 1/5

Nikhat Kazmi (TOI) – Obviously inspired by Tom Hanks 1988 classic (Big) that was nominated for two Oscars, the film lacks all the masala that made Penny Marshal’s film such a winsome experience. Also, the romance between Aftab and Aamna is quite thanda. Thoda aur wish karein? – 2/5

 

If the title is not enough for LOL, there is more of Prince – Its Showtime!

Posted: November 8, 2009 by moifightclub in bollywood, cast & crew, cinema, etc, first look, gossipmongers, News, pics, reviews, Thoughts
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PrinceWhat else do you expect if its a Vivek Oberoi film. Its got to be the ROFLOL title of the year! WTF is ITS  SHOWTIME! And Prince!! Kahan ka bhai ? Kidhar hai mere laal ? And if thats not enough, check out what the producer of the film Tips have been upto!

Here’s a video uploaded by the makers of the film that gives us audience reaction to the trailer/promo/first look of the film, and if they are going to watch the film or not, based on what they saw!

We are ROFLOL watching this video. Why ? Read on.

1. Who edited the video ? Why do we need to hear the invisible man’s voice some 50 times asking the same question – what do you think of the trailer ? Just once and it would have been perfectly fine. Then put all the answers together.Its simple.

2. Do check out the way the invisible man asks the second question, in authoritative voice – So, you are going to watch the film, for sure ?

He doesnt look for options. He doesnt ask the question – Are you going to watch the film ? He already knows the answer. He is just re-confirming it. And he adds “for sure” too.

3. And where is the promo ? What trailer have they seen that has impressed them so much! Except one, there is no more bad, or even not-so-good reaction.

4. Why is the voice so concerned about asking who the producer of the film is ? Brand recall ? We seriously doubt. Or is it because Tauranijis would sign the cheques and they would love to hear their names. And from what we know about them, they surely love their name and face on every possible place!

5. If its about making the right buzz by getting audience’s reaction, then check out how the Paranormal Activity guys used the test screening for their promo. The film made on 15,000$ has made close to 100 million$! As the rulebook says, show it, dont say it!

Yes, we are waking up to Hollywood’s mantra of test screenings and all that jazz. But its still what we want to hear. The last film which got fantabulous response at test screenings was Imran Khan’s Luck. And we all know the result. Well, we said and wrote much more just by reading the script. And even put out an open bet, its all here. So, Dear Mr Filmmaker, do mail us the script if you really want some honest feedback ? We are not in any entourage party!

Also, the problem is we dont get the right feedback from the viewers always as there is a sense of gratitude for making you the chosen one to have a sneak peek. There is always sugar coating as nobody wants to say it as it is. Much like what happens at a premiere of any film. Nobody hates the film, everyone congratulates the director and every member of the film is made to feel that its the best that they have done. Once out of the theatre, the smses starts.

Film Reviews : Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani & Jail

Posted: November 6, 2009 by moifightclub in bollywood, cast & crew, cinema, film review, reviews
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Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab KahaniIts that day of the week which we love the most! Filmy Friday! This week there are two new hindi releases – Ajab Prem Ki Ghajab Kahani (APKGK) and Jail. Or as they are saying, its Ranbir Kapoor VS Neil Nitin Mukesh, now that Imran Khan is miles and miles behind!

APKGK is directed by Raj Kumar Santoshi and stars Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif. And here are the early reviews…

Taran Adarsh(Indiafm) – On the whole, APKGK entertains majorly. At the box-office, the fantastic pre-release campaign coupled with the terrific chemistry between Ranbir and Katrina, excellent music by Pritam and tremendous appeal for youth should ensure a big start for the film at the ticket window – 4/5

Anupama Chopra (NDTV) – Ajab Prem Ki Gazab Kahani, a comedy set in a comic book universe, is a frustratingly uneven film. Some of it is genuinely funny and delightful and some of it is repetitive, and annoyingly tedious – 3/5

Raja Sen (Rediff) -Honestly, it’s just good to watch a film with memorable comedy again. Heaven knows its been a while. And one that takes us back to a different, more wholesome kind of cinema. Even as the climax drags into predictability, Santoshi ensures that even divine intervention — to pull it all back on track again — comes with laughs. Gotta love that – 3.5/5

Mayank Shekhar (HT) – You look through this hollowness, and sense there is not a comic bone at all. There is certainly no romance either. Good boy (Ranbir Kapoor) fumbles and chases good girl (Kaif) through multiply tiring sequences. Saawariya for a debut was a poor practical joke on young Kapoor. This humourlessness, if at all, is infinitely sappier.

Gaurav Malani(Indiatimes) – The one thing you can’t overlook noticing in Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani is how Rajkumar Santoshi takes liberal references from every popular prem kahani of Bollywood and ends up with an ajeeb (weird) jumbled screenplay – 2/5

Nikhat Kazmi(TOI) – Gazab comedy, this one. Really, Ranbir is a revelation, Katrina is full of beans and the newly formented Ranbir-Katrina chemistry sets the screen on fire in this mad hatter’s tea party that takes you on a roller-coaster ride as Raj Kumar Santoshi tries to retrack his way to his Andaz Apna Apna days – 4/5

Rajeev Masand (CNN IBN) – Despite its hiccups, Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani is not an entirely unwatchable film, and the credit for that goes squarely to its leads who invest sincerity and genuine enthusiasm while attacking their roles. Katrina Kaif breezes through her scenes, endearing you to the vulnerable Jenny; striking up a radiant chemistry with her co-star. As for Ranbir Kapoor, he is the brightest spot in this ordinary film, rising above the script’s many holes, occasionally even making the stupidity work – 2.5/5

Khalid Mohamed (PFC) – The kid’s brilliant. So watch it Hrithik Roshan, Shahid Kapoor and all the big and small Khans. At the rate he’s going – by sheer evidence of his screen charisma, technical felicity and youth power – Ranbir Kapoor is more than likely to be the Next Best Thing, if he isn’t one already. He’s RK Jr and he’s more than super A-Ok -2.5/5

Shubhra Gupta(Indian Express) – Once upon a time, Rajkumar Santoshi made a lovely little film which was all fun and games. ‘Andaz Apna Apna’ (1994), which came at a time when neither Aamir nor Salman were Superstars Inc., has traveled well—its unfettered joyousness delights at every fresh viewing. The same cannot be said for Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani – 1/5

Kaveree Bamzai (India Today) – The movie sails because of Kapoor’s effortless ease. He dances like a dream, looks good enough to take your eyes off Kaif, and raises a lot of laughs with his goofiness. And guess what, he looks pretty in pink too. Ad he has a memorable no sorry, no thank you dialogie as well: all he wants is to be Kaif’s friend, no complaints, no demands. This one, ladies and gentlemen, is a stayer. See you around, Ranbir – 3/5

Minty Tejpal (Mumbai Mirror) – For the most part of the film, you do drool, mostly over the totally delicious lead pair, and often enough over the ridiculous dialogue in this absurd, mad comedy being played out on screen. Ha ha and a hoot. In fact, the first half of the film just rocks all the way – 3.5/5

Anand Vaishanav (Buzz18) – With such a gorgeous pair, Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani, could have been a charming joyride. But instead it settles for a routine, time pass watch. Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif’s chemistry shines long after the curtains fall down – 2.5/5

Jail is directed by Madhur Bhandarkar and stars Neil Nitin Mukesh,  Mugdha Godse and Manoj Bajpai.

Rajeev Masand (CNN IBN) – Because it’s well-intentioned and settles for a hopeful message, you stay with the film despite the fact that it’s never quite compelling. It’s got its heart in the right place, but sometimes that’s not enough – 2.5 /5

Anupama Chopra (NDTV) – Bhandarkar’s cinema has often been called hard-hitting but the trouble with Jail is that it simply doesn’t hit hard enough. See it if you must – 2.5/5

Taran Adarsh(Indiafm) – On the whole, JAIL is a well-made film from an expert storyteller. At the box-office, the film will appeal to those with an appetite for hard-hitting, realistic fares, but its clash with APKGK will affect its business to an extent – 3/5 

Khalid Mohamed (PFC) – Okay, okay, for heaven’s sake this is a Bhandarkar, Madhur Bhandarkar movie. Get real, appreciate Jail for being as rough, real and dammit, outspoken. Sorry guys, want to..however it’s anything but. It’s just not in the league of the eye-opening Fashion, Traffic Signal, Page 3 and Chandni Bar, which have their loyal admirers including the National Film Award juries. Yeah – 2/5 (there’s nothing here that you don’t know or haven’t seen already)

Raja Sen(Rediff) – The detailing is shoddy, the characters cardboard and the dialogue plain laughable. Jail is a formulaic, below average Bollywood headache, slowed down to lugubrious dullness. Groan. Leave it be, this prison of cardboard and cliche. We all deserve better – 1/5

Mayank Shekhar (HT) – What we may have liked to know, like with any story, is something more about the hero himself — his past, his conflicts, his shattered dreams. It could’ve greatly helped with the sorely missed empathy. But that’s not to be. I guess, only in a film-culture as less evolved as ours, would a movie with merely a setting, pride itself so much on realism alone – 2/5

Kaveree Bamzai (India Today) – There’s a sense that we’re sitting in on a reality show, that it’s Bigg Boss Season 4 set inside a jail. You find yourself wishing Mukesh’s ordeal ends, not so much for him as for you. Hey Mr Bhandarkar, it’s time to think of a new formula, or choose a subject that thrills like Fashion- 2/5

Gaurav Malani(Indiatimes) – Compare Jail to Madhur Bhandarkar’s earlier works and you would be disappointed to a degree. Nevertheless, compare it to many other mediocre movies of today and Jail is still a step ahead. Jail is captivating but not consistently – 2.5/5

Minty Tejpal (Mumbai Mirror) – The movie itself is more like a well-researched documentary that teaches you a few new things about life in jail, so it’s pretty instructive for anyone planning on landing up there. The promos of Jail read, ‘sentenced on November 6’. Yes, ‘sentenced’ is right – 2/5

Shweta Parande(Buzz18) – If the film works, it will only be because of Madhur’s execution. Otherwise, Jail has nothing new to offer – 2/5

WTF : Why did Anupama Chopra change her Aladin review rating from 3 to 2 stars ?

Posted: November 4, 2009 by moifightclub in bollywood, conspiracy theory, film review, gossipmongers, News, reviews, Thoughts, WTF
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Anupama ChopraNow, Picture This! Is it technical goof-up or peer pressure ? Or some readers might dismiss it as our conspiracy theory! But whatever it is, its interesting for sure. Read on.

Every friday morning we religiously do one thing. Check out all the possible reviews of the recent releases. Generally Indiafm (Taran Adarsh), Rediff (Raja Sen/Sukanya Varma/Chandrima Pal) and NDTV (Anupama Chopra) come out with the early reviews. Anupama’s reviews are first published on the website www.ndtvmovies.com and are generally out by noon. She speaks out the same lines on her review show Picture This on NDTV 24 X 7 at 20:30.

This friday when we put out the early reviews of Sujoy Ghosh’s Aladin on this post , we read Anupama’s review and realised that she has rated Aladin – 3/5 stars. Here is the google cache of the same page. Have a look.

aladin_review1

After that, slowly one by one reviews started coming out. And most of the reviewers thrashed the film completely, rating it between 1 and 2 stars.

There are lot of reviewers who know that they are wrong guys at the wrong place and so before rating any film they make sure to call up few other fellow reviewers and check if they are judging the film right or wrong. Trust us, it does happen. Or they end up making fool of themselves who even give good ratings to Randeep Hooda’s Love Khichdi, search Buzz18 reviews! But no, Anupama Chopa doesnt belong to the club! She is infact one of the most sane and sorted out reviewers who knows her subject quite well. Though sometimes she looks misfit for TV.

And thats why its a big shock and surprise to see the rating of Aladin going down from three to two stars. Here is the link to the new review page with 2/5 stars. Putting here a snapshot of the same page. Its UNBELIEVABLE! Do they think we are blind and they can get away with anything ? Naah, those days are passe! 

So, will the holier-than-thou NDTV explain this to us ?

Aladin new review1

On her show Picture This  she rated the film 2/5. So, did she change her rating after reading other reviews ? Or was it someone else’s mistake who added one extra star to Aladin ? If anyone can enlighten us on this issue, we will be much relieved! Do let us know. We are eagerly waiting to know why and how!

Film Reviews – Aladin & London Dreams

Posted: October 30, 2009 by moifightclub in bollywood, cast & crew, cinema, film review, News, reviews, Thoughts
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aladin webpageIts filmy friday and two big releases this week. Aladin & London Dreams. Aladin is directed by Sujoy Ghosh, produced by Eros Entertainment, and stars Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Ritesh Deshmukh and Jacqueline Fernandez. Some early reviews are out and it looks like a mixed one.

Taran Adarsh(Indiafm) – On the whole, ALADIN is a terrible waste of a terrific opportunity. Hugely disappointing! – 1 / 5

Anupama Chopra (NDTV) – But all their enthusiasm and special effects wizardry is let down by the half-baked story. Aladin never soars. See it if you must – 3/5

Chandrima Pal (Rediff) – What Ghosh dishes out in its place is some half-hearted hocus-pocus, a clumsy mix of old world lore with contemporary indifference, sloppy trips to the flashback and awkward bursts of forced sentimentality. Make a wish, Genius insists. Too late for that, isn’t it? – 2/5

Gaurav Malani (Indiatimes) – Just in case a Genie ever emerges out from your lamp, wish for once that our filmmakers come up with better ‘bound scripts’ and more enthralling adaptations. Till then all flights of fantasy should go on strike – 2/5

Udita Jhunjhunwala (DNA) – You are left wondering who films like this will appeal to. They are not amazing enough for adults or fun enough for kids. If I had a magic lamp, I would use one wish to ask for some decent, sincere films, the kind Ghosh made once upon a time (Jhankaar Beats) – 2/5

Rajeev Masand (CNN IBN) – Few films encourage you to free your mind and unleash your imagination. Say what you will about the Amitabh Bachchan-Ritesh Deshmukh starrer Aladin, but you cannot complain that you’ve seen this kind of Hindi film before – 3/5

Anand Vaishnav(Buzz18) – Ghosh’s setting is neither magical enough for a fantasy nor identifiable enough to be real. It’s too confusing for kids and adults alike. Except for a few laugh early on and Bachchan’s stand out act, Aladin is another addition to Bollywood’s failed attempts at fantasy – 1.5/5

Nikhat Kazmi (TOI) – To sum up with the refrain (Aladin, Aladin, kahan hai tera jinn) of the film: Aladin, Aladin, kahan hai tera sheen? Truly, a big let down from director Sujoy Ghosh who lost both his jhankar and his beats after ‘Home Delivery’ and ‘Aladin’, his films following a scintillating debut with ‘Jhankar Beats’ – 2/5

Shubhra Gupta (Indian Express) – Aladdin’ proves just one thing: Indian filmmakers should stay strictly away from the fantasy genre. The magical mystery tour that this film is meant to be falls way short of its target – 1/ 5

Minty Tejpal (Mumbai Mirror) – Aladin is a good example of how to take a beautiful fairy tale, and proceed to fairly destroy it. Since we all know the timeless story, director Sujoy Ghosh decides to give us his own special updated version, starting from the revamped genie – 1/ 5

Mayank Shekhar (Hindustan Times) – At 65, his(Bachchan) on-screen presence is likely to get scarcer with age. Audiences are still interested in his work. If only he wouldn’t green-light unbelievable, hollow, expensive rubbish that’d be pelted on us merely because, he said yes – 1/5

Kaveree Bamzai (India Today) – Why has the Genie chosen Aladin to save the world from the hands of Sanjay Dutt, the Ringmaster? What will happen when the comet crashes into Khwaish? And will Genie get his wish and head off to retirement, to wear his blingy jackets and do the disco? Yes, all is revealed in the end, but by then we’ve had too much of Mr Muscular (Sahil Khan) and Ms Great Legs (Fernandez) – 2/5

So, why are critics giving bad reviews to Aladin ? Our theory – Because they took Sanjay Dutt too seriously who said…Buri aadat badal daalo, Aladin ko maar dalo!

London DreamsThe other big release is London Dreams directed by Vipul Shah, and stars Salman Khan, Ajay Devgan & Music. And from the early reviews it looks & feels like Gujju Rock On!

Taran Adarsh(Indiafm) – On the whole, LONDON DREAMS has superb performances from its principal cast and several emotionally-charged sequences as its two trump cards. But its biggest drawback is its climax and also the music, which is the weakest link of the movie – 3 / 5

Anupama Chopra (NDTV) – Most of us don’t watch Hindi films for their verisimilitude but honestly, how much disbelief can a viewer suspend. There are a few nice songs here and occasional moments of charm provided by Salman Khan, who once again, plays a variation of Salman Khan. Otherwise London Dreams is as much fun as a stuck record. See if it you must – 2/5

Anand Vaishnav (Buzz18) – Eventually London Dreams is all about the joy of watching Salman and Ajay’s chemistry. Their star power makes up for all the flaws. Both have put their heart and soul into the film, delivering powerhouse, career defining performances – 3.5 / 5

Chandrima Pal (Rediff) – You may like London Dreams for its beautiful frames, some paisa-vasool moments between Salman and Devgn, a good background score and catchy songs. For the rest, you need willing suspension of disbelief. And large doses of it – 2.5/5

Rajeev Masand (CNN IBN) – London Dreams, directed by Vipul Shah, is a frustratingly foolish film about foolish people. It’s the kind of film whose central conflict could be instantly resolved if the characters concerned simply sat down and had a chat – 2 / 5

Khalid Mohamed(Khalidsspot) – With all its mad flaws and inadequacies, Shah’s enterprise still sees him going beyond the klutzy rishtas and pishtas. If you think that’s sufficient reason to buy a ticket , check out this London Whippy Whippy Shake – 2 / 5

Shubhra Gupta (Indian Express) – With his latest film, Vipul Amrutlal Shah goes back to familiar territory : Punjabi ‘munda’ in London town, all set to conquer the world. Akshay Kumar did it wonderfully in ‘Namaste London’. This time around, it is Ajay Devgn’s turn, accompanied by partner-in-crime Salman Khan, but the two-for-the-price-of-one isn’t as much of a success – 2/5

Minty Tejpal (Mumbai Miror) – At the end, London Dreams is worth a watch, though it could have been far better – 2 /5

Mayank Shekhar (Hindustan Times) – This is how hinterland ticket-holders would like to see both.Don’t worry about the story-line. There is no writing, merely good locations and great lighting; wouldn’t shock me if it sort of lit up the producer’s balance sheet as well. Well – 1.5 / 5

Kaveree Bamzai (India Today) – Imagine Rock On!! in Punjabi with stereophonic emotional drama? Can’t? Well that’s London Dreams, where two best friends fall apart over a girl and their music. Now where have we seen this before? Yes, yes, everywhere. But Vipul Shah’s forte has never been originality. It has been energy and joie de vivre, which the film has in plenty. Almost enough to save it. Almost – 2.5/5

Our take – We think if they had gone to the stage with dandiya sticks instead of drum sticks it would have been good fun!

Forget the biggies, we are going to MAMI Film Festival this weekend!

Mira Nair’s Amelia opened with disastrous reviews!

Posted: October 25, 2009 by moifightclub in cast & crew, cinema, film review, Hollywood, News, reviews, songs & videos, Thoughts
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And if you go by Rotten Tomatoes score card, its a new low in Mira Nair’s career!

Amelia1

For Top Critics, the score is at 12%, lowest rating for any film by Mira Nair so far! Her last film The Namesake scored 87% on the same scale.

And if you have not been following the film and wondering whats Amelia, then read on. 

Amelia posterAmelia is a biopic on the life of legendary American pilot Amelia Earhart, who disappeared while flying over the Pacific Ocean in 1937 in an attempt to finish a record breaking flight around the world. It stars Hilary Swank, Richard Gere and Ewan McGregor. When it comes to biopics, Hollywood has delivered some great ones on screen and with the big ones, they rarely go wrong,  and manage to pick up few Oscars too.

So what went wrong with Amelia ?

To quote from the review of Rolling Stone’s Peter Travers…

“Who wants a life imprisoned in safety?” Amelia asks in a voice-over. And you want to shout, “This movie does, honey.” There’s not a real or spontaneous minute in it.

Click on the Rotten Tomatoes link at the top of the page to read other reviews. Though Roger Ebert seems to be in minority this time as he has rated it 3/5. To quote from his review….

I’m not suggesting that Mira Nair and her writers, Ronald Bass and Anna Hamilton Phelan, should have invented anything for “Amelia.” It is right that they resisted any temptation. It’s just that there’s a certain lack of drama in a generally happy life. 

Amelia” is a perfectly sound biopic, well directed and acted, about an admirable woman. It confirmed for me Earhart’s courage — not only in flying, but in insisting on living her life outside the conventions of her time for well-behaved females.

BTW, if you havent seen the trailer of the film yet, click on the play button.

 

Film Reviews : Fruit and Nut

Posted: October 23, 2009 by moifightclub in bollywood, cast & crew, film review, News, reviews
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Fruit&Nut-1Funny man Kunal Vijayakar turns director with this week’s release Fruit and Nut. The film has Cyrus Broacha, Boman Irani, Mahesh Manjrekar and Dia Mirza in the lead and is produced by Studio 18. Some early reviews…

Taran Adarsh (Indiafm)– Director Kunal Vijaykar tries hard to keep you entertained, but the writing is just not captivating. Sure, you do laugh at a few jokes/situations, but there are times when the jokes aren’t too funny and also tend to get repetitive. On the whole, FRUIT & NUT has some funny moments, that’s it! A film like this holds very limited appeal – 1.5 / 5

Anupama Chopra (NDTV) – Vijaykar and his actors are straining too hard to make you laugh at jokes that are simply too flimsy for film. It’s exhausting more than entertaining. See it if you must – 1.5 / 5

Sukanya Verma (Rediff) -My advice, skip the movie, buy the chocolate. It’s good. It’s fun – 1/ 5

Anand Vaishnav (Buzz 18) – Fruit & Nut would have been a brilliant two minute spoof on TV. But when stretched into a two hour film, it runs out of steam. This chocolate doesn’t have a sweet enough aftertaste – 2/ 5

Gaurav Malani (Indiatimes) – Kunal Vijaykar’s 5-minute Fully Faltoo series on MTV was funnier than this entire excuse for a film. Teaming up with Cyrus, he makes a bakra (scapegoat) of the audience. Fruit and Nut is cheesy filmmaking. In a nutshell, this is fruitless entertainment – 1.5 / 5

Nikhat Azmi (TOI) – Neither fruity nor nutty, this film ends up as a total squish. After an unfruitful watch, you feel completely let down since the film boasts of a Still from Fruit and star cast that includes most of the contemporary funsters of the entertainment industry – 1.5 / 5

Kaveree Bamzai (India Today) – Unfortunately, the writers seem to have exhausted themselves thinking of the funny names and the interesting premise. There is nothing beyond it, except for two senseless item songs, one each for Irani and Mirza to stretch their legs – 1 / 5

Rajeev Masand (CNN IBN) – Despite juvenile jokes like peeing on open electric wires, Fruit & Nut is mercifully not the sort of vulgar comedy we’ve got used to seeing at the cinemas these days. It’s best suited for those who don’t have a problem with silly, childish humour – 1.5 / 5

Well, this friday Cyrus & Kunal dont have to look out for bakras. They need to look in  the mirror!  

Film Reviews : Blue, All The Best and Main Aur Mrs Khanna

Posted: October 16, 2009 by moifightclub in bollywood, cinema, film review, News, reviews
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Its diwali time! And though there is no SRK release this diwali but there are three big releases. And all multi starrer films. We are yet not tempted to watch any of the three but lets see who scores how much. The early reviews…

BlueBlue, the 100 crore film directed by debutant Anthony D’Souza stars Akshay Kumar, Sanjay Dutt, Lara Dutt and Zayed Khan.

Anupama Chopra (NDTV) – Clearly Anthony D’Souza has ambition. He set out to give Indian audiences a new type of exotic thriller. But he got so busy orchestrating the king-sized stars, the equally big sharks and the blinding bling of the film that he forgot the basic connective tissue: the script. Blue is all washed up. See it if you must – 2/5

Rajeev Masand (CNN-IBN) – Blue, directed by Anthony D’souza is a brainless, forgettable action-thriller that quickly sinks without a trace. Let me say this right away: anyone expecting anything other than the sight of Lara Dutta in a skimpy bikini, or indeed Akshay Kumar with his shirt off, is going to be very disappointed – 1.5/5

Minty Tejpal (Mumbai Mirror) – This one could turn out to be as big a disaster as the Titanic. By Titanic, I mean the actual ship that sank, not the film that soared to the sky. Industry reports say that Blue cost over Rs 120 crores to produce and it seems that none of that fancy moolah went into script development. A large amount must have gone towards singer Kylie Minogue, whose appearance is a mere marketing gimmick  – 1 / 5

Chandrima Pal (Rediff) – Blue was supposed to be a thriller. But if you made Captain Haddock of Tintin fame watch it, I am sure he would exclaim : Blue blistering barnacles! – 2/5

Jaya Biswas (Buzz18) – Blue could have been much more shorter. Come on, audience would rather watch all about the marine life on NatGeo or Animal Planet. Feeling blue? – 1.5/5

Taran Adarsh (Indiafm) – On the whole, BLUE has style as well as substance. The film has everything going in its favour, right from its incredible star cast to the superb action scenes to the hitherto unseen marine life to the tremendous hype and hoopla. At the box-office, BLUE will strike like a hurricane in the festive week – 4/5

Khalid Mohamed (PFC) – Blue is one bloomer of a movie. Don’t even think of all the crores spent on this kiddish enterprise. That’ll just leave you with one helluva sinking feeling – 1/5 and that’s being generous.

Gaurav Malani (ET) – Blue doesn’t glue you to the seat. Rather its corniness can make you see red – 2/5

Nikhat Kazmi (TOI) – Amongst the lead players, Sanjay looks a bit out of shape, Zayed is fresh and adequate, while Akshay keeps you guessing about his ethical moorings. The girls, Lara and Katrina, sashay down the screen with aplomb, adding the requisite oomph in this high-on-visuals drama. Go, feast your eyes on brawn and cheesecake – 3.5 / 5

It seems Blue is going to make you feel blue this diwali!

All the BestThe other big release of the week is All The Best directed by Rohit Shetty (Golmaal, Golmaal Returns) and stars Ajay Devgan, Sanjay Dutt, Bipasha Basu, Fardeen Khan and Mugdha Godse.

Anupama Chopra (NDTV) – All the Best is gleefully and unpretentiously moronic. I know film critics should set the bar higher but honestly, this is probably the most fun you’ll have in a theater this weekend. Go for It – 3/5

Taran Adarsh (Indiafm) – On the whole, ALL THE BEST is fun and laughter unlimited. At the box-office, the festive period coupled with the solid track record of Ajay Devgn and Rohit Shetty and also the strong merits will ensure ample footfalls at cineplexes, making its investors laugh all the way to the bank. Recommended! – 3.5/5 

Rajeev Masand (CNN-IBN) – Tucked away beneath those pointless songs and some ridiculous, overblown action scenes is a silly yet surprisingly enjoyable tale of misunderstandings and mistaken identities. Like most Bollywood comedies these days, All The Best is far too long, but it has a winning combination of cleverly crude humour and genuine sweetness – 3/5

Khalid Mohamed (Khalid’s Spot) – To be sure there are sight-`n’-sound gags which do pay off in Rohit Shetty’s All the Best, adapted from Paritosh Painter’s stageplay Uncle Samjha Karo, which itself was cadged from the 1960s farce Right Bed, Wrong Husband. Add to that a touch of Come September (1961) and you’re likely to gobble down one helluva fusion cuisine mishmash. Hang on though. In fact, the yay-yay news is that the result is digestible, perfect for a couple of laughs, a few titters and a haw-haw bellylaugh. Hyuk nyuk – 2.5 / 5

Minty Tejpal (Mumbai Mirror) – Once you are in the stupid comedy zone, story or logic becomes irrelevant, while the main idea is to be as foolish as possible, in which endeavour this film succeeds. What fun it must be cooking up these stories – 3/5

Nikhat Kazmi (TOI) – By far, this one’s not a rip-roaring comedy, but does make-do for some Diwali masti – 3/5

Parmita Uniyal (Hindustan Times) – Overall, if your doctor has advised you laughter therapy, then go watch All the Best. Ingredients of the medicine? Hilarious moments, rib-tickling dialogues, crisp editing, mind boggling situations, minus double meaning dialogues this time – 3/5 

Anand Vaishnav (Buzz18) – Despite a shaky start, All The Best works well as a comedy. It’s a clean sitcom packed with clever punches and witty one liners. This one’s for the entire family during the festive season – 3/5

Gaurav Malani (Indiatimes) – Supposedly based on an American play Right Bed Wrong Husband , Rohit Shetty’s All The Best is modeled as a comedy of mistaken identities finding its desi -siblings in Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Chukpe Chupke and Anees Bazmee’s No Entry . Though not as simple as the former or smart as latter, the comedy still clicks with its unstable blend of story, style, sense, slapstick and stunts – 3/5

Main Aur Mrs KhannaAnd the third one is Main Aur Mrs Khanna by debutant Prem Soni, starring Salman Khan, Kareena Kapoor and Sohail Khan.

NDTV (Anupama Chopra) – Not surprisingly, the film sinks like a stone. Much of the action in Main Aur Mrs Khanna takes place at the airport. But thats not the only reason you will feel like you are stuck in transit. Steer clear – 1.5/5

Rajeev Masand (CNN-IBN) – Main Aurr Mrs Khanna is what they call a “home production” in Bollywood slang. It’s the kind of film a star agrees to do in exchange for a fat salary that pays for his or her dream home. When the deal is so good, you don’t raise questions about the script – 1/5

Taran Adarsh (Indiafm) – On the whole, MAIN AURR MRS. KHANNA is weak in merits. At the box-office, the BLUE wave, followed by another strong opposition in ALL THE BEST will sideline MAIN AURR MRS. KHANNA completely. It’s a non-starter – 1.5 / 5 

Rediff – We wonder what made Salman say yes to Prem Soni’s directorial debut when he had already done a film on a similar topic in Shaadi Karke Phas Gaya Yaar. Surely it’s not to revive his brother Sohail’s (he is the producer of MAMK) flagging career ? Well, whatever the reason, don’t hold your breath : Main Aur Mrs Khanna is a failed attempt – 1.5/5

Minty Tejpal (Mumbai Mirror) – What a slow, strange, boring film which starts with nothing and then gratingly proceeds to go nowhere. Directed by a debutante, Main Aurr Mrs Khanna is like a little moral fable that could well have been summed up in a simple greeting card. They sure as hell didn’t need the entire movie, and certainly not stars like Salman Khan and Kareena Kapoor.Did either of them even read the script before signing on, or was it all for brother Sohail Khan? – 1 / 5

Suranjana Nandy (Buzz18) – Main Aurr Mrs Khanna is not entertaining in the accepted sense of the word. But it’s a neat little film which teaches a lot about life. It’s not fun, it’s meaningful. It definitely isn’t Oscar material, but it (and I’ll use this much abused phrase here) has its heart in the right place – 3/5

Nikhat Kazmi ( TOI) – For, Main aurr Mrs Khanna seems to have no passion at all. Neither love, nor anger, nor pain, nor envy. In an attempt to create a low key drama, debutant director, Prem Soni divests his film of all energy. Truly, this must be Kareena’s most thanda performance which fails to strike a single chord. So unlike the feisty actor! – 2 / 5

Huh! Looks like this diwali there is no fireworks ath the box office! We are dialling our video rental library. What are you doing ?

Film Reviews : Acid Factory

Posted: October 9, 2009 by moifightclub in bollywood, cast news, film review, News, reviews, Thoughts
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acid-factory-cut2Just a few days back, we wrote this post on Suparn Verma’s Acid Factory and how its original is not Unknown any more. Acid Factory is the only hindi release this friday. The film is produced by Sanjay Gupta and stars Irrfan Khan, Manoj Bajpai, Fardeen Khan, Aftab Shivdasani, Dino Morea, Diya Mirza, and Danny Denzongpa.

Lets see if we jumped the gun or the critics feel the same.

Khalid Mohamed (Khalidsspot) – At some point, someone asks, “What are we doing here?” If you make the mistake of visiting the factory, so will you. For sure – 1.5/5

Anupama Chopra (NDTV) – You could forgive the sheer silliness of the enterprise if the film delivered enough bang for the buck but Acid Factory can’t even manage that. See it if you must – 2/5

Rajeev Masand (CNN IBN) – Acid Factory, directed by Suparn Verma, looks like it’s been assembled from the footage that was edited out of Sanjay Gupta’s Kaante. Shot in the same grainy moss-green colour tone; its characters speak in a similar hyper-active overlapping style; and two big action set-pieces notwithstanding, it’s a suffocating psychological thriller at its core. You’ll come out wishing you had inhaled some of that amnesia-inducing gas too – 2/5

Taran Adarsh (Indiafm) – On the whole, ACID FACTORY is a slick thriller that has an interesting premise and also super stunts and chase sequences as its trump cards. The film is targeted at the urban youth, especially those who relish thrillers – 3/5

Chandrima Pal (Rediff) – If you’ve never heard of a Columbian film called Unknown, you haven’t really missed much. If you give this 95-minute copy of the poorly-received film a miss, you’ll do yourself a favour – 2/5

Gaurav Malani (ET) – Sanjay Gupta enters familiar territory with remaking Unknown (another Hollywood action-thriller) and caustically credits half a dozen writers for assembling this Acid Factory.  Its a masala movie in the fast-food mode but could leave you with acidity pangs – 2/5 

Anand Vaishnav (Buzz18) – For its action and some of Irrfan’s well-improvised scenes, Acid Factory makes it to the watchable category. It’s a wannabe action packed Hollywood B-movie. It gets the stupidity right, but falls short in attitude – 2/5

Kaveree Bamzai (India Today) – Suparn Verma is one of those directors who confuses style with substance. Just because you have a budget, I believe it was Rs 21 crore, it doesn’t mean it has to be spent blowing up every available car in South Africa – 1/5

Shubhra Gupta (Indian Express) – Equally expectedly, everyone whips out their weapons, and lots of gunfire is exchanged, but overall, you don’t get too much bang for your buck – 2/5

What else can you expect from Sanjay Gupta’s factory ? 

K Jo is willing to wake up! Am willing to cheer and wait for more!

Posted: October 8, 2009 by moifightclub in bollywood, cast & crew, cinema, film review, News, reviews, Thoughts
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First, few confessions!

1. I dont discuss cinema with U-25! Because i believe you dont understand cinema well if you havent lived and experienced enough. Except few, not many of us make sense of our life and the world around us by 25. Forget cinema! BTW, by U-25 i mean Under 25!

2. After reading all the reviews of Wake Up Sid (WUS), I thought it must be of, for and byU-25! And coming from Karan Johar production, where the director’s access to producer had nepotism at the core, I was more reluctant! 

3. With K Jo’s films, I had love-hate relationsip! I loved Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. Blame it on college days. I HATED Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham. I loved Kal Ho Na Ho. I hated Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna. Dostana – Had not much to react. And now its Wake Up Sid!

Wake Up SidThere are some million reviews already out. And I thought Baradwaj Rangan nailed it beautifully! Here is his full review if you havent read yet. But if this film is any indication of things to come from Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions, it seems K Jo is willing to wake up. Is it the koffee ? And so am willing to cheer and wait for him to wake up completely, get out of the bed and run like Lola one day!

Like YRF and their brand of cinema which still believes in doing Hadippa, K Jo also has his brand of cinema. The airbrushed designer cinema. But look at Wake Up Sid and what it offers!

SPOILER ALERT (minor)

– OMFG, the heroine and the hero sleeps on floor. And have one room kitchen to live.

– For the first time, the character actors look like characters. And they talk and behave like characters. Neither airbrushed nor designer! Is Lakshmi (Sid’s friend) Tiku Talsania’s daughter ? What a natural performance!

– There is no artificial rain. It rains because the season changes according to the flow of the story or the hero pours a bottle of water on heroine’s face!   

– There is no melodrama. Its all subtle. Amit Trivedi’s background music and iktara track fills the gap beautifully! No heavily loaded music like the one which still plays when the Dharma Productions logo come on screen.

– In the club scene, is that Agnee’s shaam tanha ? Yeah yeah, one of the best bands in recent times that I have heard!

– The hero doesnt sing a song. The heroine also doesnt sing a sog! They dont even have a dream sequence in song! Its all in montages.

– And finally we have the hindi film hero not only falling for an older woman and that too, not so good looking one! And its Karan Johar production! Wooohoo!

There is more. Felt that its a beautiful postcard for the Mumbai Bombay city too. It starts with the city and ends with it. And so, there is Mumbai Beat magazine! And am I the only one who felt this is more of Alish’s (Konkona Sen) story. Sid’s (Ranbir Kapoor) slate was clean, its easy to scribble there. But Konkona’s slate had lot of stuff, it goes through change, she learns, she re-writes, she gets confused and finally she is the one who wraps it up.

Also, Alisha was much more difficult character to potray. Think of the situations she faces, like that scene when she comes back home after the not-so-good jazz experience and she finds the house all clean! And there are so many scenes like that. Its a predictable story and has a simplistic view of the world. But the director Ayaan Mukherjee knows his world really well! Damn confident debut!

After WUS, I hope K Jo doesnt go back to good ol’ naach gaana like his good friend Aditya Chopra. He is willing to wake up. And am willing to cheer for him. And I know, I am not the only one!

Finally have just one question for K Jo – Will he now join Hansal Mehta on his Gandhigiri protest against Raj Thackeray ?

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