Raavan Movie Review – Completely Devoid of Soul

Even if there were ten heads, it would still not make this film watchable

It hurts me a great deal to say this but Mani sir has got it all wrong this time. After gems like Roja, Bombay, Yuva and Guru, Raavan is a half baked, badly scripted film which feels forced because there is no feel or flow in it. The story is based on Ramayana and is an attempt to make people see Raavan’s side of the epic saga. Raavan aka Beera (Abhishek) kidnaps Ragini (Aishwarya) to take revenge from Dev (Vikram) for being responsible of Beera’s sister’s death. I don’t think there is any need to give details into the story because, well, there are none. It’s too simple a story which runs on a single track, at the same pace towards an ending which we are all too familiar with. ...  More

Dev D Movie Review – Cult To The Core

dev d

Its not often that one comes across a cult film, one that becomes a benchmark for filmmakers for years to come. But the funny thing about such movies is that they very rarely appeal to the masses. Dev D is one such film in which a lot of people just could not stand and others fell in love with it,  including me. It is just a question of whether the sensibilities of such a film hits the right spot in your mind or not. ...  More

Slumdog Millionaire Movie Review – A Millionaire for sure but an Oscar?

 

The Wonder Kid
The Wonder Kid

I don’t wanna get into the habit of pulling down the expectation of everyone but i don’t even wanna praise something just because its got an Oscar nomination. Having said that Slumdog by no means is a bad film. In fact its a superb film, one that takes you on a ride which is fast, crisp and exhilarating. The cast is fantastic specially the small kid who plays Jamal(junior most) along with Dev Patel and Anil Kapoor who plays the two faced host with perfection. Even the others like Irfaan Khan and Saurabh Shukla fit in very well. Also there are some scenes that will stay with you forever like the young Jamal running covered in shit to take the Big B’s autograph or the eye popping beggar scene followed by a heart wrenching chase.

 

However the most fantastic thing about the move is its screenplay which moves between present and past with such ease and purpose. Simon Beaufoy surely deserves the Oscar nomination and so does Chris Dickens the editor of the film for such sharp work.

Also if there is something else that is Oscar worthy it is the score by A.R. Rahman which complements the happenings of the movie phenomenally well, be it O…. Saya, Paper Planes or even Jai Ho. Its funky, peppy and  very apt. A special mention for the brilliant cinematography (Oscar nominated) by Anthony Dod Mantle who captures the slum streets and brothels with utmost honesty.

So now the big question, Oscar? No. Not now, not ever. The only reason that it has reached such heights is because apart from being a good film it is directed by Danny Boyle and not Ashutosh Gowarikar or Rakesh Om Praksah Mehra. I see no reason why Slumdog can be nominated and Taare Zameen Par, Rang De Basanti and Lage Raho… can’t be.

One very important point. There is a scene where a driver beats up Jamal Junior for stealing something and Jamal tells the American couple that this is what real India is, and the American Couple say ” We will show you what real America is like” and hand over some cash. What does Danny want to prove here? That we Indians only know how to beat up and don’t have feelings? Or that Americans are so better of than Indians when it comes to forgiving someone? I really don’t know but i sure would like to ask him that. ...  More

Chandni Chowk to China Movie Review – Blah!

Meow Meow?
Meow Meow?

Damn these paid previews. What they have done is changed the first day first show from Friday morning to Thursday and i suffered yesterday on account of that. I was never a fan of paid previews as i had a certain attachment to Friday. But now that people watch a movie on Thursday itself the novelty factor is gone by Friday.

This is what happened to me for the much anticipated Chandni Chowk To China. A couple of friends saw the movie day before yesterday and trashed it. So even though i knew it was gonna be bad i had no choice but to go for it as i had bought the tickets on Tuesday itself. And just when i thought it couldn’t get any worse my brother who also saw the movie with his friends on yesterday morning trashed it too and big time.

The feeling of walking towards your death is something i really don’t know how to describe. I knew i was gonna hate it, but i was also thinking that going with such a low expectation would be a good idea as i wouldn’t be as disappointed as the others. Oh how wrong i was!

I reached the theatre on time but was surprised to see a very moderate crowd, no where near a house full. So i think to myself  “maybe other people  also heard that the movie was bad and they were lucky enough (sensible enough, according to my mother who also suffered on my account) not to have bought the tickets already.

So now lets get to the painful part. Believe me i tried really hard to like the movie but the constant sarcastic claps from the audience didn’t really support the cause. Whether it was the stupid knife proof, bulletproof, parachute umbrella or the new i-pods used as  some stupid language  translators, the audience never left an opportunity go by to clap and applause the sheer stupidity of the film.

It was so unbelievable to see the sheer lack of seriousness  that was clearly visible even in the intense scenes. Nikhil advani thought that if he uses all the formulae from Kung Fu to Parathe wali Gali and from a sacred warrior to Sita aur Gita he will have a hit, he couldn’t have been more wrong. And what the hell is Akshay doing? whats wrong with our self made man. I mean i am fed up of him taking his audience for granted all the time. He has seriously lost it. I was one of the people who laughed his head off on his stupid jokes but enough is enough. AK if you are listening, its time to re-invent yourself.

The only person who made the right decision by opting to do this film was Deepika. She got to do something that she wouldn’t have in any other film, kick some serious ass and be called Meow Meow(seriously) . There wasn’t much of acting but the action that she did is the best i have ever scene done by a lead actress in Bollywood.

That is about the only positive thing i can say. Music? well lets just say that i was lucky as all songs were not present in full length otherwise i wouldn’t have made it out alive. None of the songs made sense and were forced into the film (actually the entire film itself was kinda forced).

Oh yes i got another positive point. Phew!! thank god coz i was thinking that i will be getting howlers for not even having two positive points for the film( I mean one positive point per half is the least i can do). Yeah so the action, It was over the top, exaggerated,  unrealistic(I mean its not Shaolin Soccer, so what was that Cosmic Kick all about?) and really boring to say the least, even in the climax. Oh shit, I am sure in my head it sounded positive. I guess i was thinking about the Gordon Liu movie which he wont be embarrassed about. ...  More