Q2 2014 Movie Review - 2 Actors rising above the script - Parineeti and Kangana

1. Hasee to Phasee - Vik Rating - 4 star. 

There are movies you can see that it is full of flaws but you still can't deny you like it. This is one of it. It is only because of Parineeti, she is the cutest girl in Bollywood and she plays this crazy but cute girl so well, that you just like her. How can an innocent girl scam people, universities, family, hop around countries and still act innocent and cute? Good question. But she does and yes it doesn't make sense. The songs are awesome and skip the regulars you have heard the regular punjabi wedding song stuff, and go to the last 3 they are nice and melodious (Zehanaseeb, manchala and Ishq Bulawa). The boy (Sidharth Malhotra) (another wannabe Varun Sanon, obviously he is just not that. If you have no idea what am talking about check him out in my friend list), is just ok, he had to just look at Parineeti in amazement and he does that. This is a good one; watch it with no expectations except for having a good time.

 Hasee to Phasee Songs

2. Total Siyapa - Vik Rating - 1 star. 

There are movies which narrate the entire story and all the good scenes in the trailer. Yes this is one of them. Just watch the trailer, which is pretty entertaining and that's the movie. To sit through it is a pain. It is one night movie where everything goes wrong for the couple pakistani boy and Indian girl trying to convince girl's family that they are a good couple.  I like anupam kher's stupid kind of comedy but in this one he is the biggest pain and an embarrassment. In fact it is sad to make fun of his 'memory loss'. Ali Zafar finally fits a role because he is playing himself so his heavy Pakistani accent is ok here. Bad movie, why am I writing so long for a 1 starter?

3. Shaadi ke Side Effect - popular rating – 2 Stars

I gave it a skip. Keeping with the tradition of not watching something that wife already watched in a theater. Turns out it was pretty bad with predictable married problem jokes and only showing one side of the story (how men have problems with marriage and kids). 

4. Dishkiyaon - Vik Rating - 0 star.

There is Herman Baweja and there is Sunny deol and there is nonsense. Trying to make it a thriller with flashback and flash forward all mixed with no grip. Sunny Papaji was roped in for a day and Herman is telling him his story on how he is in a mess, trying to make it a cool movie but have no idea what they are making. I am sorry if it was a Masterpiece I did not get it.

5. Queen - Vik Rating - 3 Stars.

Too much hype but did not live up to it. Kangana gives the character so much authenticity that it feels real. Like parineeti, kangana makes it happen. She is the movie. A middle class conservative girl finds more to life than getting married to the one and only. When you make a movie with a statement, in this it was Indian women lib. I couldn't help think that the entire movie there was nothing that she had right as a conservative small town girl. The movie showed everything cool and great with western ways however messed up her friends she made in west were, they were somehow better than her. Anyway a good watch. 

6. Gulaab Gang - Vik Rating - 1 Star.

Juhi Vs Madhuri, 2 yesteryear female leads face to face and that’s it. There is nothing more to say about this one. The plot is a women uprising somewhere in rural area which was apparently a true story and this movie lifted the same story with cinematic liberties. When the basic premise is to show off Madhuri's talent and how she is still good, it always becomes a belabored effort. It seems she is trying too hard to tell you she is the same Madhuri she was, she does not stay in the flow. She wants to look gorgeous and is conscious to not look her age and it all shows that something is amiss. Juhi as the villian is ok, but nothing what the cute juhi used to be... ahh..

7. Highway - Vik Rating - 2.5 star.

Much talked about Alia Bhatt is again doing the same thing what Madhuri is doing in Gulaab Gang. The movie is not made with intention of narrating a story, it is made to display Alia as a perfect product and whenever that happens it shows. One thing wrong with this movie was they were confused wether to make completely authentic movie or not. When you are a ‘karan johar’ then stay that. Don’t try to dabble in reality. This movie goes too real when you show Randeep Hooda as a truck driver with real truck and real homes, and on the other hand you want to show Alia just prancing around with these 'very real looking criminals' with no fear at all and reforming them because she had a few demons to kill of her own. The 2 don't gel. I think the driver should have been a Ranbir Kapoor style cute driver (who no way will look or act like a driver - a la besharam goon or a rangeela aamir). Then this may have made some sense. Anyway this movie for some reason just rubbed me the wrong way. Sapna liked it, so 2.5 stars.

8. Bewakoofiyan - Vik Rating - 2.5 stars.

I do have a soft corner for Ayushmaan Khurana's movies but this one is not up to the mark. It is a simple love story of a couple fighting and making up along the way. How losing job affect everything was a good premise but was a little dull in presentation. Rishi Kapoor who has quickly become the 'comic dad in every other movie', is boring and is a drag with his character completely devoid of any depth. This girl Sonam Kapoor takes her tag of 'stylish' a little too seriously, please stop putting weird makeup on you.

9. Goonday - Vik Rating - 2.5 Stars.

This is a 80s style multi-starrer bonanza of a movie. Dostana, Shaan, Suhaag, Kaala Pathhar – movie zenre. There is one problem - there is no Bachchan in this one. Though I wanted it to be good but it just couldn't recreate the magic, it had everything in it, the friends who turn enemies, a villian who is not completely a villain and a common lady love, but the 2 men who need to carry the movie fall flat. The problem with new age heroes is, they are just not that rugged and tough, though they are all buffed up like a cartoon, but no one can brood and be the man of yore.... uff...

10. Dedh Ishkiya – Vik Rating – 3.5 Stars

I will like to warn you, this maybe a better movie than I suggest because I am a huge fan of Ishqiya so obvious disappointment on the sequel. It has the old jokes and characters. This time it looked everything was a little stretched maybe to cash in on what worked last time including the ending with a twist. It was too heavy on mausaki and shayari and may have a language barrier to most people. There are some good funny scenes in the movie and the girl ‘Huma Qureshi’ is good. Songs disappoint after great ones in the first one. Overall a good movie to watch.

 

11. Mein Tera Heero - Vik Rating - 2.5 stars.

There is someone called David Dhawan and he has a plot or 2 and he made like 30 movies on the same plot with Govinda and Salman and now he decided why not start it again with his son. That is Mein tera hero. The stupidity continues, and it is everything same.... can we get a little fresh air somewhere.. How can you repeat everything? oh yea you can every 20 years audience change and the new audience don't care if you give the same stuff, just package it new.

 

Q1 Review 2014 - Shahid vs Nothing.

1. Sooper se Oopar - 1.5 Star

Old formula - new guy who stays in city goes to look for his grand parent for his own selfish needs and obviously falls in love with his roots. Nothing special.

2. Satya 2 - 2.5 Star.

It was very bad, but not because it was a bad movie, but because it is dated. Same underworld formula of all other under world movies. I have been bored of these, so I switched it off in between. New guy in the gang rises to great heights because of his new ways. But then he gets in trouble.

3. Gori Tere Pyaar Mein - 1.0 Star.

There are some movies that tell you the entire story in the trailer. This is one of them. Whatever sorry story it had was already known from the commercials. Kareena can sleep walk through any role, because she has to do the same thing and make the same faces. And Mr Imran Khan is King of non actors. Great cast and a great insipid script. But .. if you are looking for no surprises love story then probably it is not so bad.

4. Krishh 3 - 4.0 Stars.

Did not see this one. Sapna went to see this one in theater and surprisingly liked it. Even Savi liked it. It was the best big budget movie last year - when compared to Jai Ho, Dhoom 3 and Chennai Express.

5. Shahid - 5 Star.

Easily the best movie of the quarter. Everything is good about this one. Superb depiction on minority mentality and problems. Supposedly a true story of a person who helped lot of people to fight terrorism charges on them. this is a must watch for anyone who does not get it, what minorities go through. Also the family relations are pure joy to watch. i felt a lump and the movie kept me awake for long. Don't get me wrong this is not out and out depressing movie just life as it is.

6. R..Rajkumar - 5 Stars for songs and 0 stars as a movie

Easily the best songs in a decade, purely for personal reasons. I will never forget these songs, we bonded with Ashvik listening to them. The music is throwback Laxmikant Pyarelal kinds. Saree ke fall sa .... gandi baat... chor hu mein lucha hu mein, had se bada tucha hun mein... beautiful lyrics. Movie?? dont even go there. I don't know what was going on. just lot of fight which does not appeal. Bad Vs Good guy and let’s fight.

7. Bullet Raja - 3.0 Stars.

The movie has 'Jimmy Shergill' so it cant be bad. (Bansore rule) Till Jimmy is in the movie it is a sholay. he is awesome... oh yea.. main lead is someone called Saif. He looks like a joker with his over the top getup. Easily one of his worst jobs. the dialogues are fun in parts. jahan na jaaye rail gadi wahan jaye bail gadi.. jahan na jay bail gadi wahan pahunche marwadi. Typical north indian gundagardi movie.

8. Singh Saab the Great - 2.5 Stars.

Sunny papa ji disappoints with this one. He has lot of dialogues but all in all the movie just does not gel. I generally get a lot of laugh out of his movies in this one there were not many outrageous scenes I guess. But one thing is clear he knows how to pack a punch, I saw this movie after R...Rajkumar and shahid is half his size and just will never look like Sunny papaji no matter how many cars you blow up in an action scene.

9. Ram-Leela - 4.0 Stars.

I have not yet finished watching this one. but the start of this movie was so different and awesome, that I am pretty sure this is a good movie. If you want to watch a different movie go for it.

10. Yaariyan - 0 Stars

Forget it. Just forget it.

11. Jackpot - 0 Stars.

This was one big stupidity going on and on and on. It makes no sense. Some jackpot money has to be won and people are fighting about it. Just.. forget it. I don't want to spoil my mood.

12. Jai Ho - 2.5 stars

Another Salman movie another south indian remake... it was just whatever. Don't say thank you just help people was the message. But Salman only knows one way to help - break bones. He has started looking old and his action has gotten out of control like garam dharam at one point of time when he started coming in movies like - paap ko jala ke raakh kar dunga. everytime sallu comes on screen he does something physics defying like kicks a truck and truck starts running.. and stuff like this happens all through the movie.

13. One by Two - 0 stars

Normally a safe bet - abhay deol lays an egg. That is why I give this one a 0. At least an abhay movie should be good and decent. it is a typical abhay movie with him being a regular guy working in a normal job with his family trying to get him married. maybe it was a decent movie, but Ashvik makes us so tired that we sometimes just can’t concentrate.

Top 10 Movies of 2013

1. Ranjhana – Genre - Drama / Love Story.
2. Luv Shuv te chicken khurana – Genre - Comedy.
3. Talaash - Genre - Drama
4. Fukrey - Genre - Comedy
5. Nautanki Saala - Genre - Drama
6. Jolly LLB - Genre - Drama / Comedy 
7. Shorts – Genre - Short Stories 
8. Bombay Talkies - Genre - Short Stories
9. Aurangzeb – Genre - Thriller
10. D-Day - Genre - Thriller

Honorable Mention - Go Goa Gone, Ek Thi Daayan, BA Pass, Madras Cafe, Commando, Aashique2, Matru ki Bijli ka Mandola. 

2013 Fourth Quarter Review - Lots of good, bad and ugly.

1.      Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani - Vik Rating - 3.0 Star. (Popular - 4.5)

I cannot be talking bad about this movie because 'a couple' who has lot of influence on me loved it. It is a good entertaining typical hindi movie. If you compare this with any other big budget crap then it is great. Every 20 years you can rehash everything so I guess it is the modern DDLJ. Lot of clichés though, but that shows my age, because in 20 years everything can be copied as the average audience has not seen things so old... except for people who are really old - like me. Any movie which still shows that glasses is the only difference between being cool and not cool…. Got to lose some points.

2.      Bajatey Raho - Vik Rating - 3.0 Star.

I have high expectations from Ranvir shorey and Vinay Pathak movies and in that regard this disappoints. It is a good movie but never peaks keeps going at a good steady pace. It is about regular people con a bank to earn back lost respect of their father. It is funny in parts and Ranvir Shorey is funny as usual.

3.      B.A. Pass - Vik Rating - 4.0 Star. (Popular – 3.0 Star)

This was a surprisingly good movie. This is about older woman using a kid for her ‘uhumm’ pleasures, yes a hindi movie! And it is pretty good. Once you get into the movie this takes you on a ride with the kid growing up to everyone finding a solution to life…. Nicely done movie.

4.      Lootera – Vik Rating – 3.5 Star.

Did not check this out myself. But it seems to be a slow nicely flowing love story a throwback love story set in 1950s? It is well done and the actors who generally don’t do much have done well (Ranvir and Sonakshi).

5.      Zanjeer - Vik Rating - 1.0 Star.

This movie has lot of issues. It is exactly the same movie as Bachchan’s Zanjeer. Generally when you remake an old classic you interpret it differently in this one they didn’t care everything is almost the same. The actor is horrible, he has this plastic expression stuck on him and he has makeup on which makes him look like a mannequin. His hair are also stuck and made up, I don’t know who to blame … probably the director (apoorva Lakhia – who has an empaccable record of churning out garbage). Only bright spot is piggy chops who generally over does her bubbly girl thing (which I like.. because I think it should be overdone) but along with it she does comedy and she really knows how to do comedy which is a rarety among female leads. Only Sridevi and Juhi used to do it.

 

6.      Bhaag Milkha Bhaag – 3.5 Star.

I am just mentioning this as a movie you can watch for those fans who only rely on this blog to even know what are hindi movie names. I did not see it but Sapna did say it was ok and if you like that genre of so called real life athlete story you will love it.

7.      Nasha - 1.0 Star.

This is one of those movies which I wonder why I am watching but because I have a Bheeshma pitamah in my house who has taken a vow to watch all crap called ‘hindi movie’ I do my duty.

8.      Shorts – Vik Rating -4.5 Star. (Popular – 2.5)

These are some short stories and it turned out to be very good. A few stories are really well done. None of the stories are bad. A little too artsy maybe … hence the warning, if you only wanna watch khans and kapoors then skip this. Shor and Mehfuz and Audacity are just excellent short stories. You have a lump in the throat at the end of Shor…. It is kind of a ‘saathiya’. Audacity is just excellent the way it ends and Mehfuz is just awesome revenge drama.

9.      Sixteen – 1.5 Star.

Don’t remember though I think I saw this one. The teen movie which are so well done in Hollywood are as bad in hindi. I don’t know why teens have to be so clichéd in hindi movies.

10.  Shudh Desi Romance – 4.0 Star

This one starts with a lot of promise parineeti is cute, and the guy is good too. Kind of a modern love story. Good new age cinema trying to show something more than just the tried and trusted love stories, how kids don’t want to commit even if they are in love and how just the thought of committing makes them nervous. It is good stuff but somewhere after 2/3^rd of it is done, it continues to go in circles and never ends… you can watch the movie from whatever point of time and it will be the same. Still very different and good.

11.  Grand Masti - 2.5 Star.

The only movie in the ‘sex comedy’ genre in hindi. Like the first one – Masti, this one also does not care about a story line or anything else it stays true to making a ‘sex joke’ every frame. It is ok, if you like this genre but due to lack on anything you can compare to in hindi this is unique. Though if you are into this genre in Hollywood you would find this as juvenile or completely kiddish. But I guess hindi ‘sex jokes’ are pretty juvenile… we are not good at this.

12.  Chennai Express - 1.5 Star.

When you have one joke – Tamils don’t know hindi …. How many different ways can you make this into a joke? Yes – the answer is 3 hours. Again it has lot of clichés and again yes it shows my age. When I watch scenes and say ‘this exact scene was done in a 90s movie…’ that is like a pathetic old man. But why can’t they think up a new scene? SRK has reached a new low, the way he acts just makes you embarrassed. I think he is still doing the same thing that made him successful so can’t blame him, I guess times have changed. Why am I writing – you should have watched it, because you were forced to – because whatever movie makes money you have to contribute to it too.. right?

13.  Issaq - 1.0 Star.

Every year you get a couple of these, which are ‘love stories’ done by a producer probably for his son. The movie will have nothing new and will have bad actors and production value. Yes that one.

14.  Once Upon a Time in Mumbai Dobara - 0 Star.

Once in couple of years a movie arrives which gets a zero. Yes this is the one. Easily the worst acting of Akshay ever (and that is saying something, he has a long list in his early years). He is trying to be a poetic villain?? I guess… dialogues like – aadmi auraton ke hote hein mujhe mard chahiye… he won’t stop. Every line has to be a ‘dialogue baazi and none of it works’. And then there is Imran Khan…. The dude never acted but then no movie needed him to act…. In this one he looks like a buffoon. None of the star kids or rich kids living in Mumbai should try doing a gangster… please. You look like a joker. What amazes me that he says everything in the same way in the same tone and no one tells him to break a sentence once in a while differently and change your voice modulation a little!! Common …. O well this is not an article but a movie review. Sonakshi’s role and the way she does it…. Ummm… I should just stop.

15.  Satyagraha - 3.5 Star.

If you survive the first half second half is pretty good. Surprisingly the fiction is worse than the non-fiction. First half is fictional with Jha setting up characters and has done an aweful job. It seems he is just not interested and anything goes. It seems like a movie from 80s with typical big industrialists and typical school masters. Once you are a certain age you and could not get out of your times that what you make as a director. Anyway second half follows completely the anna hazaare movement and though you know exactly what happened it still very interesting to watch. Second half Bachchan did a good job.

16.  Besharam - 2.0 Star.

As I don’t expect much out of a ‘star movies’ I didn’t find it as bad as it was made out to be. The annoying part is it seems the entire movie was made to make these scenes of real life parents and kid (rishi, neetu and ranvir) into reel life… and it is height of being spoilt.

 

17.  Phata Poster Nikla Hero - 3.5 Star.

My favorite director – Rajkumar Santoshi is on a decline. Like all of them, they start getting old and lose touch with new things. This movie is not bad, again has a huge hangover from AAA which was evident in ajab prem ki… and now in this one. It is a good movie you can watch if you are not doing much. I watched half of it with a bunch of family during thanksgiving. You know if you watch a movie with 8-10 critics not really wanting to watch but pass smart comments and the movie lasts an hour – it is pretty ok movie. It tries a few jokes some are good some fall flat. Not as bad as Besharam.

18.  Madras Cafe - 4.0 Star.

John Abraham has become a producer and thankfully choses movies which are far better than his acting talent. He chooses to act in them too…. Hopefully he will get that corrected soon. He did a good job according to his standards in this one. This is about Rajiv Gandhi murder case pretty much a fiction mixed with non-fiction not much of this is done in hindi films. Very well made taut thriller. Global conspiracy, betrayal, cops, secret agency nexus.. all is there. In your lifetime you get a jolt which gets you off your innocence and makes you believe the world is a pretty ‘kutti’ place to be in. Rajiv Gandhi murder was that moment for me, so I was pretty sad after watching the movie. He was the first politician I ever noticed – young and dynamic. Anyway all in all a good movie.

19.  Bombay Talkies - 4.5 Star. (Popular – 3.5)

Another movie with bunch of short stories. Some are good, I would say – the movie ‘shorts’ was better than this, but this one has more big names. I think all are pretty good stories – Dibakar Banerjee’s Star was awesome. It has the kahaan guy Siddiqui in it. It was pure poetry. Then Karan Johar one – Ajeeb dastaan hai yeh… was pretty well made. Zoya Akhtar’s – Sheila ki Jawaani is ok, cute one. Murabba by Anurag Kashyap is typical Anuraag kinda movie, I loved this one too. It was great.

 

20.  Jayanta Bhai Ki Luv Story – 1.5 Star.

Vivek Oberoi’s is in it. Nothing to write about. I think left it inbetween was not bad but didn’t do anything great till the point I watched. I will complete it someday and if something changes in my opinion I will update.

21.  John Day - 3.5 Star.

Naseer is in the movie and has a feel of the movie ‘Wednesday’ a common man caught in web of mean world and decides to take revenge. The directorial style is kind of Quentin Tarantino. Blood gushing headless people, biting tongue… it all fits Randeep Hooda’s style, the only problem is it does not fit with the entire film. Still pretty good movie.

22.  Boss - 1.0 Star.

The nadir of hindi movies has reached. The dabbang effect is complete. Take a south indian hit and copy it with the same physics defying cartoonish stunts, female lead is a prop who can’t do anything without the male lead who in turn is pretty much a thug with no depth to his role. Just dance on idiotic numbers in idiotic way and then bash a few people story is not needed – yes there should be a twist in the end no matter how pathetic. Don’t get me wrong – I watched the entire movie so it was not that bad. I just thought I should write how popular indian movies are made. In fact once in a while you like to watch it, but every other movie is like that.. then it becomes too much.

23.  Dhoom 3 – 2.5 Star.

I watched half of it (that was the plan -with an infant), I went first time to a theater after maybe a few years. As in all big movies there is no soul to the movie. It is bunch of scenes made to make you go – Wow. But you really don’t. I enjoyed the one where Abhishek goes up in air to meet the baddy and kicks him and comes back sits in the motorcycle backseat. Anyway…. When you start getting annoyed with – how is this possible.. question. That means there is something wrong in knitting a story and direction. All films are unbelievable but if you get time to think that… there is something wrong. I think Aamir for once was a misfit, he doesn’t look like a biker kind of guy and his serious expression goes against the grain of the movie.

 

2013 Third Quarter Reviews - Good Summer Crop.

1.      Ek Thi Daayan - Vik Rating - 4.0 (Popular Rating - 2.0.)

This is an Emraan Hashmi movie and we have a weakness for those. He never disappoints and this one also doesn’t. Yes it is about witches and spirits. Even in this zenre which generally has 1 or 2 variations this movie manages to carve a different way for itself. Only watch it if you like to give a try to a different kind of movie. Not your regular desi movie.

2.      Aashiqui-2 – Vik Rating – 4.0. (Popular Rating – 3.5.)

This is way better than the first Aashiqui but that’s not saying much. The actors are good, the guy has a screen presence, it seems he loves to act drunk and you can see it he enjoys it. It is a throwback love story with awesome music. Just because Udayan is in love with the music I gave it extra 0.5 star.

3.      Commando – Vik Rating – 4.0. (Popular Rating – 2.5 star.)

I love this movie because it is a sincere action movie. It is the same as Rambo. Not much of a plot just a teeth gating annoying villain an great looking hunk of a Hero and awesome fights (when did you see that ever in hindi movies) I mean really good fights not your Sallu and SRK kinda fights.. Where they don’t wanna move but people are flying all over.

4.      Shootout at Wadala – Vik Rating – 1.0. (Popular Rating – 2.0 star.)

Horrible stupid movie. Let me tell you this – anytime you see this name – Sanjay Gupta. Kiss goodbye to anything original or gripping. He thinks acting macho is the only reason people like to make and watch movie. Why am I having a feeling that now-a-days whenever Anil Kapoor signs a movie it falls a notch or 2. Well it is not that bad, but I just got carried away… sorry .. J

5.      Aurangzeb – Vik Rating – 4.0. (Popular Rating – 4.0.)

This dude Arjun Kapoor has a double role and one thing is clear, he needs to have facial hair to look good J Very good movie, gripping and will not let you move. Goes on at a brisk pace. Good twists, overall just very well made movie.

6.      Zilla Ghaziabad – Vik Rating – 3.5. (Popular Rating – 1.0.)

Well I am from Ghaziabad J but I had so low expectations from this one that I found I could complete this movie. So I have to give it good rating. Vivek Oberoi has somehow gone downhill real fast, I don’t know what he is doing in this movie, He overacts out of control and you just can’t tolerate him. He acts as if he is acting on stage in a college play. Get well soon buddy, though I got no hope. Sanjay Dutt acts like Sanju baba… does not put any effort but still everything is ok. It is a gangster movie with no twist. Pure gangster movie.

7.      Gippi – Vik Rating – 3.0.

High school movie. Hollywood high school movies are awesome but hindi movies don’t make em as good. Heck there are very few made. This one was pretty good one. Savi completed it (well she completes everything now a days) and liked it. High school loser girl finds confidence through her trials in school. Typical teen movie. Good one.

8.      Go Goa Gone – Vik Rating – 4.0.

OK, have you ever seen a hindi Zombie movie? This is your first and last chance. We never ever thought we would watch a zombie movie, but we did and it was pretty cool. All the typical Hollywood moves were there. Like blowing off zombie heads with no care, as you are killing the dead. But somehow it was entertaining to watch. Saif is ok, Kunal Khemu is good as always. Go watch it, take a risk for a change.

9.      Ghanchakkar – Vik Rating – 4.5. (Popular – 3.5)

Another awesome movie from Sir Emraan Hashmi. Vidya balan is good, but was not convincing as a punjaban. The villians are really good. It is kind of a suspense thriller with whacky treatment to the entire movie. There is some eccentricity to the entire affair. Last 30 minutes are just edge of the seat. Emraan loots a bank and then forgets!

10.  Ankur Arora Murder case – Vik Rating – 3.5.

The movie based on a real case of doctor negligence. It was pretty gripping, we liked it. Very simple and straight forward movie. Probably it was based on real incidence that’s why the negligence was also real and understandable. Over all this can happen in an indian hospital everyday where doctor is everything. Systems are not in place, everything is just the doctor.

11.  Ranjhana – Vik / Popular Rating – 5.0.

Script and characterization is king? In this masterpiece the Hero is the writer, the person who wrote this script and the characters. Characters are real humans not the movie humans, they are so well written that they have multiple layers on them, each one of them is perfectly imperfect. Sheer poetry. I have seen people rave about acting and movie but I think it is all writer and director, anyone can be put in such a masterpiece. In fact a non actor like Sonam Kapoor is fine too. After watching movie you can't go to sleep you will need to think for a while. Very well done.

12.  D-Day - Vik Rating - 4.0. (Popular - 3.5.)

 

      I dismissed this movie from the beginning I had a bias against it. What's the point of making a thriller as if it on current events when it is a fiction? Dawood is at large but you make a film of how you got him? So stupid. But then the movie is so well made. It is at the same level as Hollywood thrillers. There are not too many characters to follow you can just focus on them as they take you through the journey. Once you get engaged in the movie it is an edge of the seat thriller. It never relaxes either from the first scene it starts off at high octane and stays there. Good watch.

13.  Fukrey -  Vik Rating - 5.0. (Popular - 3.0.)

 

      If you were brought up in North India this is a must see. I can see this one a few more times. It is awesome, Choocha (Varun Sharma) is my hero. Choocha is the character played perfectly, in fact all the characters are so well immersed in north indian ethos... it is hilarious. It is also shot in a perfect locality, the girls are cute and boys are just perfectly idiot. Choocha and his friend wants to go to a college but can't clear the XII th grade, but they have something going for them. Choocha's dream!! The Manjot Singh (Sikh) was so awesome in Oye lucky lucky oye and Priya Anand was great in English Vinglish. These kids are now getting to the level of Ranvir and Rajat Kapoor.

 

2013 Second Quarter Reviews (April to June)

1. Special 26 - 3.5 Star. Did not see it, but Sapna did see it. Probably a let down from the 'A Wednesday' comparisons but in general a good movie, no one watching it will be disappointed. It's a chor-police movie.
2. Bhoot Returns - NA - none of us dared to see it. Manisha Koirala is in it. If someone watched it let us know.
3. Race 2 - 1.0 Star. Race 1 had twist and turns at drop of a hat ... this movie follows the same path but is just worse. Somehow everyone over acts and Anil Kapoor is unbearable with his cheap jokes. The twists are just there which are predictable because of the unpredictability of them. When there is nothing called characterization of characters then characters can do anything in any frame just for the sake of a twist.
4. Murder 3 - 3.5 Star. Concept is mind blowing probably lifted from a Hollywood movie. A tail of 2 girl friends and how they trap each other in the same house but no one can see them but they can see everything. A little too far fetched but at least something different.
5. David - 2.0 Star. There are 6 davids in different eras and their stories. I left it in between could never get into any of the stories, they all were going parallel ... and were getting a little confusing.
6. The Attacks of 26/11 - 3.5 Stars. A kind of a documentary on 26/11 Mumbai attacks a blow by blow account with some masala included of perspective. Kasab and others and their end. If you like these kinds then you may like it. RGV accompanied CM deshmukh to the Taj site and that was the reason Deshmukh lost his Chief Minister chair and that probably is the reason that the movie does not show anything about the Hotel Taj incident and how it happened!
7. Sahib Biwi aur Gangster Returns - 3.0 Star. The original was a classic and there was no way this could have lived up to the same standards .... and it did not.
8. Mere Dad Ki Maruti - 1.0 Star. Many small budget movies of similar kind have been made and were pretty good. This easily is the worst of the lot. The movie has no soul just made a clone of others. Songs are good but nothing more. Sometimes I think all it needs to make a film is throw in a few Punjabi songs from UK and a lavish shaadi. (it seems all indian weddings are lavish if you are to believe hindi movies).
9. I Me Aur Mein - 3.0 Star. Did not see it, I think I slept. But Sapna said it was pretty good. It is about self obsessed guy played by John Abraham. He is easily the worst actor in the industry and that is when he has really really improved a lot. Hindi film industry is the only place where you get 15 years to learn your skills and if you can't it is still ok. Chitragansha singh is another actor who is now becoming a standard for all small budget relationship films and sometimes she annoys.
10. ABCD - 3.5 Stars. Surprisingly this was a good movie. 'Any Body Can Dance', it stays true to the name and is basically a dance movie. It earns a 0.5 star more because of the dance of prabhu deva just before the interval. The guy know how to do it. There is a story weaved around a dance competition and you know Haves Vs Have Nots. Bad Vs Good etc etc.. all the regular emotions are there.
11. Nautanki Saala - 5 Stars. Warning - This is one of my kind of movie which for some reason I absolutely Love it. But you may hate me later for making you watch this. But this is my blog so what the heck. This is an absolute jem. In my opinion there is no creativity in hindi films and so when a movie comes with so much of it. You got to respect it. This dude - Ayushman Khurana always is up to something. He first had 'Vicky Donor' then he showed up in viral fever Qtiyapa video and now this masterpiece. He sings his own songs and the songs are awesome of this movie. I always thought remix is just the nadir of creativity.. in 80s they used to be called jhankaar beats, just put a beat to any old song and there you get a remix. But the dhak dhak remix (the girls singer - saba azad is awesome) and so gaya yeh jahaan... are just great. Then there is 'dil ki to lag gayi...' there is harmonium in this song.. lyrics are just .... whacky. this is DIFFERENT. The concept of the movie is awesome... the protagonist's name is Ram but he lays Ravan in a Ravan leela... everything goes in parallel in real life too he cant figure out if he is Ram in garb of Ravan or vice versa... in real life everything is mixed up... beautiful. Then each scene is well thought out and has 2 levels going on... Ravanleela goes on as the movie goes ... drama (nautanki) on stage and his life resemble .... just beautiful to see. Rhan Sippy is good.
12. Kai Po Che - 3.5 Stars. For some reason I have never liked Chetan Bhagat and so I did not see the movie... well the main reason was - Sapna saw it in theater so I missed it. She said it was a good buddy movie but nothing awesome.
13. Chashme Baddoor - 2.5 Star. Somebody still paid David Dhawan to direct a movie and he directed the same thing again what he did for years with Govinda, the storylines and comedy is pedestrian. The actor are ok. Nothing to write about, watch it if you are bored and want to kill time and have nothing to watch. it may give you a few laughs.
14. 3G - 2.0 Stars. They found a novel concept of Neil Nitin Mukesh buying a cell phone which is haunted and gives you calls and videos ... which scares and scars him.. and then he tries to get to the bottom of it.
15. Jolly LLB - 4.5 Stars. This was one heck of a movie. Is it a new concept - No. Is there anything new about it - No. BUT it is still awesome. It is throwback 80s style movie. Good Vs Bad... very well done. Arshad Warsi the goofy lawyer gets embroiled in a high profile case and starts to find a cause he wants to fight for. Well done - watch it. The interaction between Judge and lawyers is just awesome. If you like dialogue-baazi... pretty good ones in this one. Some of them I remember - Kanoon andha hota hai... Judge nahi. the last scene climax dialogues. ,"Yeh Court Hai, Yahaan Jaldi Kuchh Nahin Hota.