Movie Review: Ironman 3..the thrusters work well, but run out of steam

The highly anticipated blockbuster of the summer, Ironman 3 starts off exactly as you want it to. The machinery seems perfectly in order, the script seems to have been given due thought, the pacing is just right. At a perfect, unexpected moment the thrusters kick in and the bird is in motion with some jaw dropping action. Brilliant, this is exactly what you came to see – you settle in deeper in your chair for more of the same and a thrilling Avengers-esque experience yet again. Only..that doesn’t happen (and hence the title – the thrusters run out)

Ironman 3 has a lot to offer. Excellent visuals, typical Tony Stark humor an over-abundance of action, very good special effects and cinematography. The performances are also pretty good with Robert Downey Jr. donning the Ironman suit with consummate ease and Gwyneth Paltrow doing a good job with Pepper Potts, who has a meatier role this time round.

However, it pains me to say this but what could have been an explosive and emotionally packed superhero movie or just good old plain action masterfully presented..ends up being neither of the two resulting in almost average fare as the credits roll in. Its not a bad watch per se, don’t get me wrong, but by the end of it all it comes closer to becoming Ironman 2 rather than the origin movie, which I would still rate as the best movie of the franchise yet

What’s worse is that this didn’t necessarily need to be the case especially since the first half of Ironman 3 is wonderfully done. Picking up after the events of Avengers rather than the Ironman movies was a smart move and there is an instant connect. The build up is near perfect and the glimpses of the nemesis are exactly how they ought to be. In fact, Ironman 3 almost offers one of most menacing villains in recent times (and I don’t consider the Joker recent any more so don’t start comparing) . I say almost for a reason; it was a smart ploy but it kinda fell flat for reasons I can’t explain just yet, you’ll figure out when you watch it. As for the 3D of the movie – well, its strictly okay. Ironman 3 could comfortably be seen in 2D though some of wide angle sequences could be considered worthy of the IMAX experience

In a nutshell, this installment of Ironman had the potential to be the best. But by going the tried and tested action explosion route in the second half, it ends up being just another Ironman movie. Whether that does enough for you is your call

Movie Review: Ek Thi Daayan…daya karo!!

 

Before you start inundating me with the obvious questions, allow me to explain. Horror is perhaps the only genre that I haven’t seen altogether (including the classics like Evil Dead and Omen series). So far, I have tried to change that trend with The Cabin in the Woods (an intentionally comic horror flick) and Bhoot Returns (an unintentionally comic horror flick) so as you can see there hasn’t really been much success in that department so far. Thus, when Ek Thi Daayan released with supposedly spine chilling suspense and new age horror unseen in Bollywood, till date..I assumed (wrongly) that this would be my chance to put a tick in that box as well. Forget ticking the box, if I could take back the 134 minutes I wasted in the hall, I’d willingly pay for it

To put it mildly, the movie is pathetic save for some truly special special effects (which have nothing to do with the horror, by the way – the horror effects are horrifically bad) and an angelic little girl with such a cute voice, she’s the only one you want should survive the ordeal. Of course, Konkana Sen Sharma’s act is worth a mention too and Huma Qureshi looks pretty as ever, but all this pales in comparison to the shockingly bad plot and its equally miserable execution

There is not one scene in the movie wherein you feel that creepy sensation down your spine – not one moment wherein you feel breathless in anticipation, not knowing where the next thrill is coming from. Instead what you get is a predictable plot, with known villains and villainesses and no thrills to be had
I am not sure, in fact, I am completely bamboozled how this movie is not supposed to have the usual stereotypes. I haven’t even seen many horror movies, yet even I could identify the stereotypes miles away.
Please be informed, this movie is a lesson in ‘daayans’ and ‘pishaajs’ (first time I heard of the concept altogether) and every stereotype you can associate with these two characters – you’ll find in this movie.

There is nothing new or novel in the story telling either. There is nil connect created with the protagonist  You absolutely don’t care what happens to him and would happily accept his death at any point in time in the movie. The fact that this character is being played by Emraan Hashmi doesn’t help matters either. The writing ranges from average to below standard which itself is a shocker considering Vishal Bhardwaj has written this. The songs are mercifully, less in number, but by no means less irritating, save for one melodious ‘Yaaram’

The only thing this disastrous flick would succeed in doing somewhat is unfavorably impacting young impressionable minds to create a stigma against elevators and certain reptiles – am not sure what that accomplishes in the first place. Forget worrying about the movie staying with you – your first thought on emerging from the hall is to try and erase whatever little memory you have of it. Have mercy on yourself – stay away from this one

Movie Review: Jurassic Park 3D – a timeless epic adventure

1993..the first Jurassic Park came out in 1993. If I didn’t tell you that and showed you this movie today 20 years later, you’d have little trouble believing that this was a new movie. That’s testament to how ahead of its times, this masterpiece was when it was originally released

Released in 1993, Jurassic Park could have sufficed by just being the first of its kind dinosaur movie. However, Spielberg’s vision was much more grand and what he delivered to the silver screen was solid gold. A beautifully set up plot, near perfect build-up and action, suspense & effects that is the stuff of legends. Now you would already know this – question is, does the 3D add to the adventure?

While the answer to that isn’t a resounding yes, there are a few scenes that have certainly benefited with the extra dimension especially during the action sequences. The fact that the audio has been re-mastered as well, adds to the satisfaction and a new dimension of scariness when you hear the big creatures roar.

However, movie making today doesn’t even begin to match up to what Spielberg accomplished with Jurassic Park and for that alone, a visit to the Park is highly recommended. From the ripples of water in glasses and puddles to the tie-in with chaos theory and nature’s will – Jurassic Park seamlessly incorporates a philosophical, emotional and sentimental core into what is otherwise meant to be an epic action movie. In fact, Spielberg raised this movie to such levels, that making sequels was practically pointless – none could match up to what had already been accomplished.

The second half and climax of the movie bring special effects that would hardly have seemed possible in that day and age. Due credit for that and more goes to Stan Winston, a name that I regrettably recognized only very recently. For the uninitiated, Stan Winston was behind the animatronic dinosaurs in Jurassic Park and all high quality special effects in movies that you can relate to since then, right up to the iconic Avatar 3D – well, we have him to thank for it

Increasingly, when one watches such dated movies (especially true for the Bond films and such) one is forced to accept that these movies were made in a different time and may not seem as exciting while viewed in today’s context. For Jurassic Park, you need not make any such compromises. It is a timeless classic and 3D or not – you would not regret the time spent in watching this epic offering – for generations to come

Movie Review: Chashme Baddoor…bad bad bad..stay dooor!!!

 

Yeah..I’ll admit it..my blog title for this one is a sad pun on the name of the movie but its entirely an intentional move. Its to give you some idea of the low standard cinema you are bound to receive if you still decide to go for this movie despite my repeated warnings (this being only the first of many)

I honestly don’t know what the hooplah is all about. All that talk of David Dhawan ‘being back’ when he serves us such trash frankly boggles the mind. Remember Rascals?? (I sincerely hope you don’t)..well, consider this one only a tad better..and that lone fragment of respect comes only because there are a few chuckles to be had in the second half of the movie

David Dhawan has never really been known for high quality cinema. However, in his ‘Govinda golden period’ he at least had the ability to make us laugh, genuinely laugh to be more specific, as an audience. Either I have matured too much as a viewer or standards have fallen too sharply but to me there is nothing even marginally comedic about his offerings these days. I bring this up only because I saw this in PVR Cinemas (supposedly the ‘classy’ audience) and the majority seemed to be in splits over scenes and writing that was so sad it could actually be described as cringe-worthy…so you figure it out

I don’t know how you found the original movie in the first place. To me it was strictly okay and in fact, pretty sad compared to gems like Chupke Chupke  and Golmaal (let me be very clear - the original one starring Amol Palekar). Considering that as the inspiration, the new-age Chashme Buddoor can at best be described as a fairly faithful remake that’s marginally watchable but definitely not hall-worthy

The only reason this drivel works to a moderate extent is because of the collective efforts of the 3 main leads who try their utmost (sometimes in fact too much) to make ordinary or rather low quality writing work magic. Well, the tricks fall flat and to spoil the party further, our female lead stumbles on most of her dialogues as well. Rishi Kapoor is wasted in a role that he could perform well with his eyes closed and while Anupam Kher does a good job, he is let down by everything else – the writing, his character, the works.

The emphasis in the entire movie is on over-doing things and coupled with pathetic writing, it makes for a bad combination. The lone thing this movie does well, is re-create the original with Chamko and filmy rescue intact. That and the handful of decent sequences in the second half make this movie somewhat bearable

I didn’t expect to do it so soon, but I actually found myself comparing this movie to Kya Super Kool Hain Hum in terms of which insulted the audience’s mental capacities more. In a line, 'Dum nahi hai boss' (a line you will be able to amply relate to if you do see this one despite all my warnings)