Movie Review: Rio..celebrates the spirit of the Carnival!!

A few years ago an animated movie came out by the name of ‘Happy Feet’ about a penguin who could dance. While it received a lot of critical acclaim and kudos…personally it wasn’t that impressive..and I didn’t really feel like dancing to the penguin’s tune. I felt it was a ‘little all over the place’ and the message it presented was kinda forced on the audience.

Rio has nothing to do with a bird who can dance/ not dance..yet you are bound to sway to its beats, enjoy its highs and lows and come out of the hall in high spirits!

A perfect setup for a 3D movie, Rio celebrates Rio (the place) its spirit and the all-important carnival. In fact, so much so that the main storyline itself becomes secondary in the process. That said, this is one animation whose plotline moves at a breakneck speed so put on your crash helmets from the first scenes itself. Don’t be fooled by the rather quiet start (which itself is unique for animation movie). Before halftime, you would have already been in & out of cages, travelled halfway around the world and be struggling to keep pace with the trials and tribulations of Blu (our protagonist Macaw)

Yet, like most animation flicks the plotline is fairly predictable yet keeps you clued in. Each character, not just the main ones, are well drawn out and have a distinct personality. The humor levels are just about right, though more could be expected from an animation movie. Jesse Eisenberg is near-perfect as Blu, and suits the nerdy yet lovable character of Blu to the T (especially after Social Network) while Anne Hathaway is simply adorable as the love interest. The villain of the tale (I shall not name who) is also particularly noteworthy and the audience is sure to find him a despicable and disgusting character.

The animation is good as ever and the 3D is quite noticeable, especially in scenes of flight and travel. What this movie somewhat misses is an extra character like the Penguins in Madagascar or a Scrat (especially since this one is from the makers of Ice Age).

One good thing though is that it doesn’t try to preach and spread a social message of any kind. The message is subtle, maybe even cliched but that’s what suits the tone of the movie

If one were to be particularly critical of such movies, one can say that there is nothing ‘new’ coming from their makers and each character can be somewhat related to some or the other character in some past animation film. But an animation flick is something meant for all ages. It needn’t be cross examined and critically analyzed. The best way is to sit back, relax and let the child in you enjoy the show

Movie Review: Just Go With It…is worth going for

At the outset, I would like to make it clear – this is a typical DVD watch. While its worth going for, purely from a good watch standpoint..its not your not-to-miss flick of the week and doesn’t necessarily need an outing to the theaters.

What makes this one worth a watch though is the gentle and easy flow of the movie especially in the first half and how the title to this movie is really apt…from the beginning we all ‘just go with it’ – the characters in the movie, the audience that watches them…its not your movie to sit and analyze and debate over. Its one of those flicks you are supposed to just sit back, relax and enjoy

That said, it isn’t really mindless either. A fair bit of humour with some absolutely laugh out loud instances, Just Go With It makes for decent movie fare. Especially the first half, is particularly encouraging..in fact, the movie reminds you a lot of ‘No Entry (the lone Bazmee comedy that was actually pretty decent) in how it shapes up and the way the plot moves forward

What is a bit of a let-down is the more typical rom-com second half. The movie just gets a little too much on the love angle, the gags become lesser and it kinda feels disconnected. Its all very sweetly done but it misses that X-factor. The end itself is particularly tame.

Adam Sandler puts in his customary decent performance playing a character he is all too familiar with by now. Jennifer Anniston plays her part well too though age is beginning to tell on her and I think she should graduate to more ‘motherly’ roles rather than play the love interest now. Nicole Kidman is thoroughly under-utilized in the character she plays. A special word for Nick Swardson who puts in a particularly note worthy performance as do the kids in the movie.

Oh! and absolutely stunningly gorgeous is Brooklyn Decker; in fact, she may be one reason you might actually wanna catch this one on the big screen ;)

So there you have it..that’s my take on the flick..whether its worth your ticket at the movie hall is something you’ll have to let your heart decide..and ‘just go with it’

Movie Review: The Lincoln Lawyer..is a case worth investigating

Now I know that this review comes in over a week late..call it a case of oversight..but I overlooked The Lincoln Lawyer last week so thought I’d remedy that.

Playing out practically like a John Grisham novel (it is a screen adaptation of a novel by Micheal Connelly actually), the Lincoln Lawyer catches your interest from the very start and manages to keep you intrigued, practically throughout.

While the narrative does get a little slow in between, still the movie covers adequate ground in the first half and breaks for interval by revealing quite an interesting quandary our protagonist faces

A coming of age performance from Matthew McConaughey (for the uninitiated he’s the guy from those rom coms – How to lose a guy in 10 days, Failure to Launch etc), McConaughey is in his element as the smart and slick lawyer and really manages to get under the skin of his character. Especially, the transformation of his character as the movie gathers pace and the story moves ahead is particularly impressive. Ryan Phillippe also does justice to his character as the ‘client’ of Matthew McConaughey.

The movie is also smartly written with some genuinely intelligent quips and remarks from our lead character (McConaughey). However, where the movie disappoints (at least it did so for me) was the way the plot situation is handled in the second half. Maybe the director ran out of ideas, maybe he showed something I didn’t see…whatever be the case, the finale of the movie isn’t as thrilling as one would expect it to be. You keep waiting for McConaughey to pull a rabbit out of a hat only to find out he really didn’t need one..go figure that one out.

The issue about reviewing a movie that revolves around a lawyer’s case is that there is practically nothing you can talk of, without giving something about the movie away and that would indeed, be a shame

So suffice it to say that if great acting, a decent plot and a fairly engaging time is what you are looking for ‘The Lincoln Lawyer’ may be right up your alley.

------Case Closed-------

P.S. As for the releases this week, well I have no plans of watching ‘Thank You’ (No thank you to that one and with this I think I can effectively strike off Mr. Bazmee from my list), the Game is practically 'over' (on all counts) and I'd be damned if I 'Accepted' a rip off like Faltu :)

Movie Review: 7 Khoon Maaf is too long to be pardoned

Based on Ruskin Bond’s short story Suzanna’s Seven Husbands, Vishal Bhardwaj’s 7 Khoon Maaf is a demented, psychotic, dark tale for the search for true love – gruesome and relentless in its presentation. From the first frame itself there is a sense of foreboding in the air and one gears up for a thrilling and enthralling movie. But alas!

The movie is painstakingly slow!!…by the time we were rounding the first half, having done with 3 husbands and I read ‘4 more to go’ in the interval, I had almost made up my mind to walk out in sheer disappointment. If one were really looking for a parallel, one can probably call this a kind of ‘slowed down’ version of Kill Bill 2..but since that movie was regarded to be slow in itself..well, you can get the picture..The fact that there are many random ordinary songs in the first half as well didn’t help matters either. After the fast paced and absolutely thrilling Kaminey, this kind of a serving from a stalwart like Vishal Bhardawaj was quite unexpected and deeply disappointing.

However, the second half and really the last 40 minutes somewhat make up for the slack pace of the first one and a half hours, so much so that by the time you come out of the hall you are willing to say the movie was quite watchable. You get treated to the catchy tones of the delectable ‘Darrling’, the plot picks up pace and the narration becomes more engaging. Especially towards the end, some scenes are particularly powerful and somewhat justify the money spent on the movie ticket

In the acting department, Priyanka Chopra is at centerstage in this kind of a movie and she is certainly equal to the task. She is able to pull off a complex character like Suzanna and does justice to each of her ‘avatars’, though some are more convincing than the others. Vivaan Shah (Naseeruddin Shah’s son, for the uninitiated) is impressive for a rookie, as the narrator and one of the characters of this dark tale. The sidekicks to Suzanna also put in a noteworthy performance despite their small role.

The writing (surprisingly) is not as crisp, and some Bollywoodish dialogues just make you cringe and grind your teeth. There is nothing Bollywoodish about this movie otherwise, and they seem bizarrely out-of-place. One of the masterstrokes is really, the last dialogue of the movie though, where you get a glimpse of the class of Vishal Bhardwaj but that’s it

After a stunner like Kaminey it would not be far from the mark to say that 7 Khoon Maaf disappoints. As I said, on the whole the movie may be regarded as watchable but I have to say, given that this is Vishal Bhardwaj…I had hoped for more.

Movie Review: Yeh Saali Zindagi..is worth a shot…

Racy, pacy and action packed and extremely convoluted – the surprise hit of this week is worth giving a shot. Is it worthy of all the hooplah and kudos its received so far? Well, not exactly..but its still worth checking out

Yeh Saali Zindagi, a noir somewhat comic film (one can compare to Waisa Bhi Hota Hai Part 2, as a reference point) is a refreshing change from your run of the mill predictable plotlines. Unfolding with a whole host of characters introduced every now and then, through the course of the movie, it is a very fresh approach to cinema, specially considering this is Bollywood we talking about

With an over complex and constantly convoluting plot, told with ‘in a jiffy’ back stories and a lot of confusion thrown in, the movie surely grabs your attention right from the first frame itself. In fact, at the time of the interval, one is almost breathless with all the chasing around and catching up one has to do. However, its the 2nd half that doesn’t live up to the expectations. Especially, at the juncture that the movie breaks at the intermission, expectations are built up well and high but the 2nd half doesn’t deliver as much.

Some scenes slow down way too much and given the situation in the movie, it doesn’t seem apt. Add to that one too many songs and that’s where the movie lets itself down. (though, the title track is melodious and lovely).

Extremely unapologetic and downright audacious in its presentation, the movie is rife with abuses and very ‘desi’ language used all throughout (an increasingly popular trend in movies these days). With smartly written dialogues and a decent script, it surely produces a lot of chuckles and the occasional burst of laughter but doesn’t manage to create that magic to make for a second viewing.

The actors (humungous in number though they are) all do justice to their roles. Chitrangda Singh looks gorgeous throughout the movie while Irrfan manages to leave a lasting impression (Despite not having too much air time). The much publicized 22 kisses (not from Chitrangda though..pity) are very much all there but I guess they get a bit too much for the context they are shown in

All in all, its one surprise hit for sure. I for one had never thought of this flick as first on my list but I guess it all aptly fits the lyrics of the title song:

‘Zindagi pe tera mera kisi ka na zor hai
Hum sochte hai kuch wo saali sochti kuch aur hai
Ye zindagi ye saali zindagi…’

Movie Review: Dhobi Ghat: Mumbai Diaries - Painstakingly slow...

Eagerly awaited but pretty much disappointed, is probably the best way to sum up Dhobi Ghat: Mumbai Diaries. Given all the mystique and curiosity generated through the promos that gave away precious little, expectations had risen to quite an extent even before walking into the movie hall. Little did one know that the reason the promos were like that is that there is actually precious little that the movie has to offer

Half an hour into the movie and you still wait for it to pick up pace but alas! that wait is to continue forever...or at least till the last 15 mins which are really the most engaging part of the movie. Just when you begin to feel that things are finally getting a move along, you see the ending credits roll in and shock and disbelief abound.

Don't get me wrong. There is some depth to the scenes and characters in the movie and some very subtle messages..perhaps even too subtle. However, the painful pace of the movie drives away any interest you may have towards analyzing the movie or the message it wants to convey. Frankly, Dhobi Ghat comes across more as a well narrated book than a movie altogether. The actors all do justice to their characters despite a few newbies in the picture. Aamir Khan's character doesn't demand much from him given the repertoire of skills he has to offer and delivers his role with finesse. Especially, the last 15 minutes when he has a horrific realization, you get to see vintage Aamir, but other than, there's not much that causes him to put in an effort.

Interestingly, despite its slow pace and your constant frustration while watching the frames move at a painstaking rate, you still would have a tendency to think about the movie and what it tries to portray as you come out of the movie hall. At least while watching, one wouldn't expect that to happen

For those who like slow, art movies this may be acceptable movie fare but if you are looking for something that truly has a knockout punch? - Well, I guess you'll have to wait a little longer

Movie Review: TRON: Legacy…there’s no legacy

Welcome to the world of TRON – or rather, ‘the Grid’..where there are only two neon lights to guide your path – blue and orange. Surprised? Confused? Well dats TRON for you.

Now I haven’t seen the original (for the uninitiated, this movie is a sequel, the original released in 1982) but the creators of TRON Legacy thankfully realized that there would be many more like me and provide every explanation during the course of the movie. The only issue is that the explanation comes at a painfully slow rate and there is nothing exciting or mysterious about the TRON Universe itself.

Interestingly, the movie starts in 2D (so don’t shouting at the hall attendents if you can’t use your glasses right away) because that’s the real world. Its only once you enter the TRON Universe do the glasses come in handy and then there’s an instant transformation; one is almost reminiscent of the stalwart, Avatar.

Reminiscent I say, because any real comparison to that movie, is a farce. It doesn’t even come close. In Avatar, Pandora itself was a wonder. The millions of colours, beauty of nature and imaginative creatures brought it to life. TRON in comparison looks desolate, dark and dreary

I can’t even blame the creators of TRON because all they had at their disposal was a criss cross of lines and circles, (circuit diagrams if I may) and like I said, only two colours – blue and orange, to paint an entire picture. Given those constraints, they seem to have done a pretty decent job.

The action sequences are racy and neatly done but again perhaps a little too quick for the eye to catch. The movie has too much of a video-game feel to it and in a game you want to be the one in control. Not helplessly watching proceedings with no inkling what can happen next.

The background score is quite good but one gets the feeling once too often that it creates much ado about nothing. There would be a resounding rhythm, increasing with every beat to a loud crescendo but all the screen will show is a train crossing by, or some doors closing. Hardly the right effect.

Unfortunately, I can’t criticize the movie too much because I doubt if there’s any other way to show what they wanted to. And you have to marvel at the idea. Creating a digital universe, a perfect world of sorts, and basing a storyline on the same takes a good amount of imagination.

However, TRON Legacy gets too convoluted for its own good. Its only when the movie is drawing towards its closing scenes that all the pieces begin to fall in place and one understands what this movie is about. Kinda like the Matrix (though that took a few repeat viewings to get the hang of) but the difference was that while in Matrix you were intrigued and excited to understand the world of the Matrix better, with TRON you are just waiting for it all to end and your world to be restored to Technicolour again

All in all, the movie looks more like a brilliantly displayed laser show with thumping sounds and beats to go with, rather than a fully fleshed out movie with characters and a plotline. Legacy or no, if they are making a third edition to this there’s a lot of that needs to be added to the current offering to qualify it as a worthy watch