All Reviews

Rush2013

Rush. Based on real story of rivalry between two F1 drivers of 70s, dashing James Hunt played by 'Thor' fame Chris Hemsworth and clinical Niki Lauda played by incredible Daniel Brühl. Like a F1 race, Rush is also a racy drive with lots of bends in the story testing the lead characters' spirit and temperament. Both lead characters are so well developed and well played that they leave an indelible mark on your minds. Director Ron Howard masterly organizes a wonderful show of technical finesse, sharp dialogues, uncluttered screenplay and cinematic thrill of F1 racing. The love-hate-respect relationship between James and Niki is electric and every now and then you feel the adrenaline rush that they are feeling. There is hardly any dull moment and emotional conflicts revolving around the love lives of both the racers is handled with a light hand so that you are never distracted from the main plot. I am going with fantastic 8 out of 10 for Rush. This is one of the best sports movies in recent times and will surely get a cult status in future. Rush for this.

PK2014

PK. Returning after celebrating the colossal success of 3 Idiots, Rajkumar Hirani and Aamir Khan take you to the another journey of introspection amid all the cinematic fun. Raju picks the sensitive issue of faith and religion. As usual, his hero is an outsider, actually he is alien to earth this time. Using his quick wit and with the help of master act of Aamir Khan, he creates a series of funny and though provoking scenes asking you if your faith is in God who created humans or God who was created by humans. There is terrific first half, a post interval portion with the 'been there done that" feeling and a heart wrenching climax which sums up the things on a high note. Anushka Shrama, Sushant Singh Rajput, Boman Irani and Saurabh Shukla provide good support but movie belongs to Aamir Khan who never misses a beat while playing this difficult alien act. This is not the best of Raju's lot but it is much better than so many other offerings of Bollywood. I am going with mind blowing 9 out of 10 for PK. This one is brave, funny, thought provoking and pure Rajkumar Hirani brand fun so have faith and watch PK.

Exodus: Gods and Kings2014

Exodus: Gods and Kings. When you have a plot interesting as Exodus has, lead actor as good as Bale and visuals as stunning as Exodus has, then result should have been great but Exodus misses the bus because execution is dull and chemistry is missing between the key characters. Ridley Scott fails to infuse the high energy level in Exodus that we cherished in cult Gladiator. Rather portraying it as a faith movie, he could have opted for showing the human spirit that goes against all odds. Apart from Bale, there is hardly any other memorable character. The length of 150 minutes feels too long. However, great visuals and great CGI work especially in the climax help movie in not being a complete disaster. I am going with not bad 6 out of 10 for Exodus. What could have been a great cinematic experience turns out to be an underwhelming one.

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies2014

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. The master of his craft, Peter Jackson bring the finale of the Hobbit trilogy and as expected, he stuns with his command on visuals, cinematography and creation of memorable characters and action set-pieces. Movie starts right in the middle of action where last movie's star Smaug the dragon is furious and firing all over the city. As movie moves forward, the danger keeps on rising and you are well treated with slick one hour long CGI based detailed battle of the five armies. This is shortest and most action oriented movie among all middle earth movies so there is not a single dull moment. You might find it underwhelming when compared to LOTR trilogy but it is still a satisfying finale. I am going with fantastic 8 out of 10 for The Hobbit 3. If you are not a fan, you will be entertained and if you are a fan then you will feel sad because the saga of middle earth movies spanned over 13 years has come to an end.

Shahid2013

Shahid. Movies like Shahid are made because some stories are important and should be told with utmost honesty possible. Hansal Mehta does an excellent job with a touching and thought provoking story in his hands. Rajkumar Rao playing Shahid, first a victim and then a savior, is exceptional. Court room drama is kept simple but still succeeds in thrilling you. Family drama is there but is kept concise so that you are not distracted from the main issue. All supporting actors provide ample support to the narrative. Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub playing Shahid's over burdened brother is excellent. A water tight screenplay, authentic setup, the right length, the serious tone, all make Shahid a mini masterpiece. I am going with fantastic 8 out of 10 for Shahid. Watch it with patience, watch it for its relevance and watch it because some movies are worth watching for their honest story.

Ankhon Dekhi2014

Ankhon Dekhi. It is not just another off beat movie from Rajat Kapoor. Instead, it is his big leap as a film maker. He teams up with versatile Sanjay Mishra and result is incredible thought provoking film. Ankhon Dekhi centers around Raje Bauji, played by Sanjay Mishra who, after a dramatic incident, decides that he will only believe what he sees with his eyes. This one little idea changes Bauji for ever. The strength of the movie is its sharp performances and authentic down town setup. Then there are delicious dialogues, delicious sequences of people first questioning Bauji and then following him blindly. All supporting actors including Rajat Kapoor also do an excellent job. This movie is about feeling and experiencing what Bauji felt and then doing your own interpretations. I am going with fantastic 8 out of 10 for Ankhon Dekhi. It is about extra ordinary tale of an ordinary person.

Highway2014

Highway. It is most personal work of Imtiaz Ali. He deliberately cuts down the frills from the execution and focus only on the characters and their feeling about themselves. Highway's strength lies in the authentic characterization and right casting of its lead characters. Randeep Hooda as goon from Haryana and Alia Bhatt as daughter from a super-rich family from Delhi look, feel, talk and act like that they are wearing their characters on their souls. Their acting in each and every frame is up to the mark. Being a road movie, Highway succeeds in taking you to a beautiful journey that does not want to end. But unfortunately, screenplay is predictable and does not have too many surprises to keep you engaged. I am going with good 7 out of 10 for Highway. Watch it for Alia and Randeep's performance, watch it for Imtiaz Ali's understanding of his characters. Watch it for a beautiful journey but do not care about the destination.

The Wolf of Wall Street2014

The Wolf of Wall Street. Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio, whenever they are together, you know you shall be ready for a cinematic treat and The Wolf is no exception. Playing a morally wrong character, Leonardo DiCaprio displays best of his acting skills. His performance in each and every scene is so animated and delicious that you may like to rewind some of the scenes just to enjoy them again and again. Martin Scorsese like a master of his game never let the intensity go down. Supporting actors like Jonah Hill and special appearance from Matthew McConaughey are icing on the cake. Screenplay is full of surprises and dialogues are sharp. Like Goodfellas, The Wolf is seen from the eyes of the wrong side and keeping everything authentic and comic works big time for this movie. I am going with fantastic 8 out of 10 for The Wolf of Wall Street. It is one hell of an entertainment for three hours.

Interstellar2014

Interstellar. It is hard not to expect anything but the best when you are watching a Christopher Nolan movie. After all, he has earned this high level of expectation from his every movie. Interstellar, is his most ambitious work. When other film-makers try to make you believe that there might be other planets for us to live, Nolan goes two steps further and show you such three planets. This movie is a grand cocktail of science fiction, human emotions and their never ending survival instincts. He succeeds big time except for the middle portion involving character of Matt Damon. If you can forgive Nolan for this, then Interstellar is one of the rare cinematic experience that will be cherished forever. Nolan deliberately avoids CGI and that's why all the special effects feel so real. Performance wise Matthew McConaughey is more than brilliant and keeps you glued to the screen. Second best are the robots which are simple and more humane than humans in the movie. I am going with fantastic 8 out of 10 for Interstellar. To Nolan, you want to give a perfect 10 for his ambition and fearlessness. Like Spielberg, he is bound to go into history as most influential film maker for current and coming generations.

Happy New Year2014

Happy New Year. After debacle called Tees Maar Khan, Farah Khan teams up with Shahrukh Khan again and result is similar to their last venture Om Shanti Om. Happy New Year makes you feel happy but there is nothing new or fresh about it. Fortunately movie has a plot to talk about where a team of losers led by Shahrukh himself plan a heist while faking themselves as a dancing group. Movie has its moments because Abhishek Bachchan and Deepika Padukone has got a knack for comic timing and their characters make you chuckle. Farah Khan in her usual spoof style film making creates few moments of laugh as well as irritation. Shahrukh Khan is here in his comfort zone but an actor like him should aim much better at this stage of his career. Sonu Sood seems pretty uncomfortable in comic avatar. Boman Irani is competent as usual. Movie is around half an hour extra long. The first hour could have been easily trimmed for more impact. I am going with not bad 6 out of 10 for Happy New Year. If you don't mind brainless entertainers in the name of cinema, Happy New Year might satisfy you.

Haider2014

Haider. After Maqbool and Omkara, Vishal once again seeks inspiration from Shakespeare and this time he picks Hamlet and gives us one poignant and beautiful piece of revenge drama set in the backdrop of struggling Kashmir. The strength of Haider lies in powerful performances of its actors and above all Tabu. Tabu embraces her character so well and makes it so mysterious that you are confused whether to sympathize or not with her. Shahid as Haider, Kay Kay Menon as his evil uncle, Irrfan Khan as mysterious helper and Shraddha as Haider's love interest, all give their best. Surprisingly, the movie is laced with dark humour. You won't be able to forget the die hard Salman fans named Salman and Salman and a bunch of aged grave diggers singing "Aao Na, So Jao Na" But Haider is a beauty with flaws. Vishal looses its grip in last half an hour and lets movie wander for extra 15-20 minutes before taking it to the grand finale. There are few unexplained sequences like what was the military mission all about? I am going with strong 7 out of 10 for Haider. Watch it for Tabu, watch it for its emotional complexity and watch it for carefully done Oedipal undertones.

Bobby Jasoos2014

Bobby Jasoos. Vidya Balan sparkles as ever but everything else is so normal. As Bobby she is residing in the heart of Hyderabad and wants to a be a detective but such dreamy things never come easy. Movie scores in setting up the messy atmosphere of Hyderabad and many small struggles that Bobby faces. First half raises your curiosity as she deals with her big money client and when she consistently struggles to find her father's acceptance for her unusual job because she is a girl. Side characters initially help making things interesting but as time moves on they convert into unnecessary distractions from the main plot. Second half disappoints as things get more messy and too much time is spent on distractions. The detective movie starts wandering sometimes as a love story or family drama. Low production values becomes more visible especially in songs. The dream song is totally out of the place. And if it wasn't enough, the underwhelming climax leaves you unsatisfied at the end. I am going with not bad 6 out of 10 for Bobby Jasoos. It is recommended to watch under the comfort of home to enjoy Vidya Balan's strong performance.

Mary Kom2014

Mary Kom. The biopic on five times world champion lady boxer Mary Kom is like watching a boxing game that does have some nice punches but fails to knock you out completely at the end. The true story has great potential where Mary Kom fights her father in the name of love for boxing, finds a father like coach to take her to places in boxing, gets married, has twin sons, has a husband who is her biggest fan, husband pushes her to go into the boxing ring again and she re-writes the history. Priyanka Chopra does a terrific job as Mary Kom. She is in full form whether as a boxer or as a mother or as a lover. What movie lacks is one adrenaline rushing song and some nail biting boxing game barring the last one. Movies ticks of all aspects of a struggle of a player but fails to raise the dramatic tension. The relationship with her coach or her husband is handled well but does not come across as core strength of the movie. I am gong with good 7 out of 10 for Mary Kom. It is no Chak De India or Bhaag Milkha Bhaag but it deserves a watch for its intent and Priyanka Chopra.

Mardaani2014

Mardaani. It's a welcome change. A heroine oriented violent movie from YRF without a single song and without any distractions from the main plot during those crisp and tight 1 hour and 50 minutes. Rani Mukerjee after a long time gets a fresh and meaty role in form of a lady police officer from Mumbai crime branch who starts investigating a women trafficking crime for her own reasons but soon finds the bigger and ugly picture. Movie gains its strength from its reasonably short length. From the scene one, without wasting a minute you are introduced to tough and quirky Shivani Shiviji Rao and before you settle down, she is playing the cat and mouse chase game with her nemesis played by newcomer Tahir Raj Bhasin who is also at equal ease and full of fire power. Although movie does not dare to go into much detailing of the heinous crime and also somewhat fails to exploit the emotional connection between Rani and her doctor husband. But still using a linear screenplay and funny one liners here and there, movie holds itself together to keep you interested in the proceedings. I am going with strong 7 out of 10 for Mardaani. At the end, you feel satisfied and movie sends its message right that women are not to be taken for granted.

Bhoothnath Returns2014

Bhootnath Returns. The sequel to well received Bhootnath is very different from its original and mostly in good way. Bhootnath played by always amazing Amitabh Bachchan returns to earth, becomes friend with poor kid Akhrot played by superb Parth Bhalerao and fights face to face with corrupt politician played by ever dependable Boman Irani. The good doesn't stop here. Nitesh Tiwari of Chillar Party fame directs the well written story with conviction and emotion so that you can easily relate to the pain and agony of who are at the receiving end of cancer named corruption. The fresh ideas like Bhootnath using his power to get the haunted buildings freed from ghosts and 'you are not required to be alive to contest an election' stand out. However, as movie progresses the solutions become more simplistic and less charismatic. Parth's performance is outstanding specially being in the company of big talents like Big B and Boman. He makes you laugh and cry with equal ease. His cracking chats with Big B and emotional scene with his mother before the climax are just one of the many good evidence of his acting prowess. I am going with strong 7 out of 10 for Bhootnath Returns. It deserves a watch for some witty ideas and towering performances.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes2014

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. There is a ape in every human and there is a human in every ape. This line describes the whole idea behind consistently engaging and imaginative sequel to the well respected Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Taking a jump of 10 years from the last movie, dawn is about the survival of the fittest among apes and humans. Caesar, the amazing creation of combination of acting skills of Andy Serkis and new age motion capture technology is the heart of the story. He leads, and bleeds for the apes. Apes have become almost human. They have families, the conflicts, the trust issues with humans and the rules to govern their wild colony. These tiny details make Dawn a unique piece of cinema. All jungle scenes are done so well that they make real footage of National Geographic seem ordinary. All apes and humans characters make you root for them even the evil ones. Caesar's elder son's emotional journey is soothing and his younger's son's first encounter with humans is heart warming. At the same time, ape Koba's encounter with two humans guarding the weapons and his ever rising conflict with Caesar is chilling. For nitpicking, apes riding horses seems somewhat hard to believe and 3D does not add any value in the story telling apart from the massive destruction scene in the climax. Running for more than 2 hours, dawn is a high voltage action and fiction drama that leaves you amazed. I am going with fantastic 8 out of 10 for Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. It is the most sure footed blockbuster of Hollywood this year so far. Don't miss it!

Ek Villain2014

Ek Villain. Mohit Suri takes a break from Mahesh Bhatt productions and directs a movie for another intelligent producer Ekta Kapoor. As usual, he gets inspired largely from a foreign movie, this time it is Korean thriller "I Saw the Devil". He puts an Indian love story and supports the narrative with highly hummable songs. The love story and emotional connect works big time but thrilling parts are a bit lazy and hazy. Guru played by very good looking and versatile Sidharth Malhotra is a ruthless assassin. He meets the all good girl Aisha played by gorgeous the girl next door Shraddha Kapoor. Predictable but enjoyably and sensibly both fall in love. In fact emotional scenes are very well handled and provide enough to root for the characters. In a parallel world, Rakesh played by super Ritesh Deshmukh is living two lives, living a below average life with his nagging wife and cute son and killing innocent ladies who dare to belittle him. Two lives coincide and you have a cat mouse chase between Guru and Rakesh. Story lacks logic sometimes but impressive performances, soulful music and fast pacing let you forgive the flaws. Remo as Guru's Godfather and KRK (yes, Kamal R Khan) as Rakesh's friend are heavily miscast. Intervention by useless police inspector in Guru's revenge story is annoying and does not serve any purpose. Connect between Sidharth and Rakesh's kid works as a fresh twist to old revenge drama concept. I am going with good 7 out of 10 for Ek Villain. Far from perfect, movie fails somewhat in exploiting its huge potential but actors trio and music makes it a very descent one time watch.

Holiday - A Soldier Is Never Off Duty2014

Holiday: A Soldier is Never off Duty. Akshay Kumar after a long time gets a meaty role where he is doing bone crunching action more than jaw breaking comedy. Captain Virat played effortlessly by Akshay is home on his holidays but finds himself at the center of a serial blasts scheme by a terrorist group. He takes the matter into his own hands and runs a one man army from start till end. Movie works pretty well whenever it sticks to its central plot. Action scenes are very well cut and thrills embedded with firing dialogues makes it an interesting watch. What works in favor of the movie is the linear screenplay with not confusion around who is who. Sonakshi Sinha does well in her mandatory heroine role. Govinda in a listless cameo falls flat and seems totally out of the place in otherwise well knit story. Songs also do not help and interrupt in the thrilling fun. Songs and Govinda episode convert a two hours worth thrilling story into a two hours and fifty minutes entertainer. Sumeet Raghvan as Akshay's dumb friend is good and evokes few light moments during thrills. Despite its evident flaws Holiday is consistently watchable because of Akshay Kumar. Confrontation scene in climax between Akshay and his counterpart played by Freddy Daruwala does satisfying end to growing tension. I am going with strong 7 out of 10 for Holiday. After a long time you can enjoy Akshay doing what he does best.

How to Train Your Dragon 22014

How to Train Your Dragon 2. Being a sequel of a much loved movie, Dragon 2 walks on the tight rope of maintaining the fun quotient of Dragon 1 and providing some new fresh ideas which can make Dragon 2 memorable. Movie improves in the stunning imagery and usage of 3D effects considerably. Dragons' flight scenes would be hard to forget especially by new kids in the audience. Characterization of humans and dragons both is done with much care. But it is hard to ignore the fact that fun quotient has been lowered and movie takes a darker way in second half in providing few key twists and turns. Burdened by high expectations, Dragon 2 falls short of being a milestone movie but dares to take new chances. The chemistry of our hero Hiccup and his dragon Toothless remains the strength of the story. I am going with generous 8 out of 10 for How to Train Your Dragon 2. It has its flaws but is very well saved by excelling in visuals and characters department. Watch it in 3D for full impact.

Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India2001

Lagaan. It's not everyday affair when something like Lagaan happens. When Bollywood entered the new millennium, it was still craving for a turning point which takes Bollywood to international stage. Ashutosh Gowariker came with an idea which defies Bollywood norms by leaps and bounds, Aamir Khan is hooked by the idea as an actor and takes the risky decision of producing the movie on its own so that idea gets the much deserved heart felt treatment and what happened later is a history now. Lagaan year after year is considered the Bollywood's bravest effort of the new millennium. In its unbelievable plot where our hero a villager played by Mr. perfectionist Aamir Khan accepts the challenge of egoist British Commander Officer to play a cricket match in which if village wins, they need not to pay taxes for next three years. Even with a run time of 3 hours and 40 minutes, movie never gets out of steam, in fact gets better with every passing moment. An array of colorful characters played by credible actors, the mesmerizing music and back ground score of maestro A.R.Rahman, soulful lyrics of Javed Akhtar, a water tight screenplay with not a single out of the place scene and the genuine feeling of honesty and simplicity, all these factors make Lagaan an outstanding movie of modern times. First half is a smooth journey of introducing characters, the challenge, the team making and the match preparation. Second half is a like watching a nail biting cricket match. The movie is a perfect example that with full commitment and hard work, Bollywood can create the international level cinema with ease. Lagaan turned out to be an inspiration for audience and its makes alike. After Lagaan, Aamir Khan appeared into Taare Zameen Par, Rang De Basanti and 3 Idiots. Ashutosh made Swades and Jodhaa Akbar. I am going with mind blowing 9 out of 10 for Lagaan. It's a sin for any movies fan to miss Lagaan.

Main Tera Hero2014

Main Tera Hero. Father David Dhawan casts his son Varun Dhawan as a typical Bollywood hero in his typical romantic cum slap stick comedy. The end result is average because although Varun tries hard to replicate the Govinda (David Dhawan's favourite in old times) effect but because the story seems just a forced attempt to keep Varun in spotlight. Varun's charm works using his naughty face and well shaped body. Heroines are there to just smile on the smartness of our hero. Both Ileana and Nargis fall short of putting any sincere effort in their comic timings. However surprisingly Arunoday Singh does well in comic scenes while essaying the role of the typical manly villain who wants the heroine at any cost. Side characters played by likes of Anupam Kher and Saurabh Shukla are descent. I am going with not bad 6 out of 10 for Main Tera Hero. Watch it on a lazy day when you don't want your mind to do any work.

X-Men: Days of Future Past2014

X-Men: Days of Future Past. Arguably the best of X-Men series, not because it has every good thing we know X-Men for but because it manages to make a delicious cocktail of those good things and even makes you to think about watching the whole X-Men series from start to finish so that you can enjoy their journey to this future. Ranging from hugely popular Logan/Wolverine played by rough and tough Hugh Jackman, Mystique/Raven played by gorgeous and talented Jenifer Lawrence, Charles played by charming James McAvoy, Eric played by cunning and edgy Michael Fassbender and a long list of mutants played by credible actors is the whole and soul of this X-Men extravaganza. And if these were not enough, you have Quicksilver making his debut in a wonderful cameo during a critical prison break scene. I am sure Quicksilver will be next big things in Marvel's universe. Action set pieces are innovative, uncluttered and mesmerizing. Based on time travel theory, although movie does not quite exploit it fully but that's just nitpicking in otherwise two exciting hours of action and fun. Days of Future Past is a well wrapped gift to X-Men fans from Bryan Singer. I am going with strong 8 out of 10 for X-Men: Days of Future Past. It reminds you the wonderful fun of X-Men 2 and X-Men: First Class and lets you forgive the shortcomings of other X-Men movies.

Godzilla2014

Godzilla. If you loved Godzilla version of 1998, then this Godzilla will tell you loved a fake Godzilla. In this 2014 version, Godzilla returns in its pure ancient form where he is quite distant in size and behavior from lost race of dinosaurs. This movie works because it's a sincere cocktail of monstrous beasts, their fights, illusion of humans that they can control the nature, heroism of Godzilla, right amount of suspense, drama and emotional connect through well etched characters. First half is a bit slow, takes its time to create the felling of danger but second half makes sure that you do not blink your eyes otherwise you can miss the finest CGI effects done for a monster movie. The noisy roar mixed with emotionless eyes of Godzilla helps establishing Godzilla as the ruthless hunter. I am going with fantastic 8 out of 10 for Godzilla. If you are already fan of this monster then you can't afford to miss it. If you are first timer then you would end up being a fan.

The Amazing Spider-Man 22014

The Amazing Spider-Man 2. I always find Andrew Garfield (smart, witty and funny) and Emma Stone (beautiful, smart and charming) better replacement to Tobey Maguire (a bit dull) and Kirsten Dunst (nagging and crying). These two make whole and soul of Mark Webb's version of Spider-man engaging and more enjoyable. Whenever you see these two leads sharing scorching chemistry, the screen just lights up. This movie uses the advance technological geniuses in Spider-man's flight scenes and action scenes and awesome 3D adds icing to the cake. Dane DeHaan as Green Goblin or Harry Osborn gives a chilling performance and he will be the one to watch out for in next movie in the series. But this amazing experience does not end on a high note. Last 20 minutes into the movie and you are given as many as three climaxes to absorb. Jamie Foxx playing Electro is not given right finish. Rhino makes a very late entry. I am going with fantastic 8 out of 10 for The Amazing Spider-man 2. Despite its over stretched climax, this one makes a terrific superhero movie experience because of its casting and enjoyable characters.

Elysium2013

Elysium. Director of cult District 9, an interesting idea, big actors like Matt Damon and Jodie Foster, great looking visuals and sci-fi gadgets, all these raise your expectations to sky high. Elysium fails to meet these high expectations because Jodie Foster is wasted completely and Matt Damon's character despite all his powers does not come across as big hero who saved your world. Technically, Elysium is class apart with very good use of new ideas on future weapons and machinery but when it comes to drama and thrills, movie somewhat lacks the sharpness needed for a serious science fiction. Sharlto Copley as menacing sleeper agent Kruger does well but his character is given a bad turn in last few reels. I am going with good 7 out of 10 for Elysium. Despite its many flaws, it makes a good watch any day because of its spectacle of high standards.

Revolver Rani2014

Revolver Rani. 2014 shall be remembered as Kangana Ranaut's year. One month back she was seen effortlessly playing a nice, lovely and innocent Rani in Queen and now turning everything upside down she plays a psychotic dacoit cum politician Alka Singh and again very effortlessly. She strikes a fine balance between madness and vulnerability but unfortunately unlike Queen, Revolver Rani fails as a movie. Apart from Vir Das playing the selfish toy boy of Alka and Piyush Mishra playing no barred king maker uncle of Alka, other actors and their characters fail to impress you. First one hour of movie fails to strike any chord. Second half succeeds somewhat making you laugh by the hilarious sequence of Vir Das going into a loop of marriages and Kangana taking the charge when she chooses love over hate. Director Sai Kabir seems to be overly inspired by the work of Quentin Tarantino so he tries to put so much style in his bad world but does it without any subtleness. Music is so badly done that makes you cringe and absence of a strong villain in front of Kangana hurts the drama. I am going with generous 6 out of 10 for Revolver Rani. It's something fresh for world of Bollywood but apart from Kangana's fearless performance nothing there is quite right.

2 States2014

2 States. Based on the book of Chetan Bhagat where he touches the details of cross cultural marriage in a humorous way, 2 States remains faithful to the idea and as a movie experience also it does not disappoint. Arjun and Alia showcase easy chemistry. Alia looks charming and does better than Arjun in emotional scenes. As their parents, Amrita Singh, Ronit Roy, Revathy and Shivkumar do quite well. I felt southern India flavor of movie was captured more effectively than northern flavor. The rough father-son relationship between Arjun and Ronit is done upright. First half breezes through while second half drags a bit although nice music and quirky dialogues helps you keep going through melodramatic scenes. Abhishek Varman as writer of adapted screenplay and director impresses in his first outing. Movie does not quite dazzle you but makes your two and half hours worth spending in the theater. I am going with good 7 out of 10 for 2 States. Last year it was Kai Po Che, this year it is 2 States, Chetan Bhagat is having quite a good time at celluloid along with books.

Rio 22014

Rio 2. Far from perfect in terms of originality but genuinely charming, irresistibly colourful, beautifully choreographed and very nicely done 3D effects, all this makes Rio 2 a winner. Fun shifts from concrete jungle of Rio to the rain forest of Amazon where our couple Blu (played by wonderful nerdy voice of Jesse Eisenberg) and Jewel with their three cute kids find that there are many more like them and they are not the only Blue Macaws in this world. Movie takes a been there done that route when Blu struggles to prove himself in front of Jewel's father played by Andy Garcia (Godfather 3 fame). Despite a cliché script, there is hardly a dull moment and a colourful array of side characters and jokes among them keep the fun going. Climax is also done quite nicely with the right message. I am going with good 7 out of 10 for Rio 2. It's not great but it's quite nice way to kill 2 hours on a weekend.

Despicable Me 22013

Despicable Me 2. After the high popularity of wonderful Despicable Me, it was expected that they will push the envelope again but disappointing that sequel was written and directed just to cash in the charm of original's characters and lovely minions. After Gru has turned good, writers just do not know what he shall do. New villain and side characters are so one dimensional and boring. Only real fun you have is from minions. It just lacked the sharpness of original. If you haven't seen the original, you might like it but for who have seen the original and adore it are just going to feel that huge potential was wasted. I am going with generous 7 out of 10 for Despicable Me 2. It's not great fun like the original but not a complete let down either.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier2014

Captain America 2: The Winter Soldier. Sometime it does not matter much if your leading superhero is not throwing one liners one after another like Iron Man or has enormous amount of power like Thor or has delicious anger issues like Hulk, because Captain America is our pure old school hero who will talk no non sense and won't accept lies and at the same time he is irresistibly good looking and carries his shield like a medal for himself. All this provide Captain America a distinct identity in Marvel Cinematic Universe. To balance the fun, beautiful Scarlett Johnson playing agent Natasha, her boss Nick Fury played enjoyably by Samuel L. Jackson and loyal sidekick to captain played by charming Anthony Mackie provide enough jokes. To complete the story, we have a ruthless mercenary The Winter Soldier who is amazing with the mask but surprisingly average without the mask. Movie takes its own sweet time before starting the action in full blow when Nick Fury is attacked by the evils. Action scenes are full of well edited man to man fights and climax is overblown much in the lines of The Avengers. I am going with fantastic 8 out of 10 for Captain America: The Winter Soldier. It is a blast for MCU fans and must try for superhero lovers.

300: Rise of an Empire2014

300: Rise of an Empire. It's not a sequel, it's not prequel. Remember 300, where a brave Spartan leads 300 men to fight a big army. This 300 shows a parallel battle between a brave Athenian played occasionally good Sullivan Stapleton against the evil commander Artemisia played by terrific Eva Green. The movie scores in all technical parts like scorching visuals dipped in red sepia tone, haunting and thumping back ground score, neatly choreographed battle scenes which cover 75 % of the run-time and some intelligent use of 3D effects. But movie lacks a layered storyline and solid acting except by Eva Green who holds the movie together by her portrayal of ruthless, wicked and no barred evil commander. So if you were able to enjoy the overly done blood bath scenes of 300 then you won't find a problem enjoying Rise of an Empire as well. I am going with good 7 out of 10 for 300: Rise of an Empire. It's fun while it lasts.

Queen2014

8th March is International Women's Day and Queen celebrates it with panache. When Rani played amazingly brilliant by Kangana Ranaut discovers herself on her solo honeymoon trip in Paris and Amsterdam, she comes back to India with a winning smile on her face. The same smile is pasted on your face throughout the movie. There is hardly any feminine emotion left that is not being touched upon in this witty, gritty, funny, emotional and very subtle cinematic portrayal of finding that a woman is more than being a mother, a sister or a wife. The movie talks in the language of love and affection which is not bound by the country in which you were born. All foreign characters here, be it Indian French single mother, the child-like Japanese guy, the European artist, the French restaurant owner or the black guy here play true to their cultures and don't seem fake at all. After Kangana, movie belongs to writer-director Vikas Bahl who shall be remembered now forever for penning this neat story and screenplay flooded with so many fresh and out of box ideas. So don't wait, go and experience the fun (read hungama) with your friends. It is one of the finest cinematic work of Bollywood. Period.

I Am Kalam2011

I Am Kalam. A smart kid from a village in Jaiselmar, Rajasthan finds his inspiration in President APJ Abdul Kalam to grow big in life. He works at a small restaurant run by his uncle played surprisingly perfect by Bollywood bad man Gulshan Grover, he befriends with a rich boy of his age and a French tourist lady who help him with many things. In fact, he has the ability to learn instantly and make friends for lifetime. The whole movie is crafted with so much of love, simplicity, affection and honesty that is hard to resist. What works more in favor is short run-time of one and half hours and convincing, solid acting by all actors. There are numerous scenes that will stay with you forever. This does not blow your mind off, doesn't try to create sympathy for children forced to work and deprived of education. What it tries to say that it does not matter how small you were when you started, you can always grow big if you follow your dreams. Don't miss it, it's a touching mini classic.

D-Day2013

D-Day. A political thriller based on a secret mission by India to capture one of the most wanted criminal hiding in Pakistan. This one is best work of Nikhil Advani after cult Kal Ho Naa Ho. There is some gripping screenplay, nicely sketched characters, a purpose and above all solid acting by three male actors; Always reliable Irrfan Khan, evolving Arjun Rampal and champion of his second innings Rishi Kapoor. Huma and Shruti also do good in their small but important parts. The sub-plots of Arjun- Shruti and Irrfan's family are handled with care and lot of emotion. Although movie fails to end on a high note but you still feel satisfied because there is lot to enjoy and care in this two and half hours long mission. It deserves a watch!!

Hasee Toh Phasee2014

Hasee Toh Phasee. An overused plot but driven by crazy, lovable characters and situations. In fact with just above average first half and much better second half, it does not offer you anything extraordinary fresh but there is some solid acting and solid chemistry at the display. Out of all, Parineeti Chopra is a big draw. It's her fourth movie and she keeps on surprising you with her range. You laugh with her, smile with her and cry with her throughout the movie. Sidharth also does not disappoint in his second outing. If you are not distracted by his good looks, he does good if not best in making his character more endearing. Adah Sharma (remember 1920) looks gorgeous. But surprise package here is Manoj Joshi whose chemistry with both lead actors is electric. Few soulful numbers enhance the warmth. Movie wins because you care for both hero and heroine and want them to be together at the end. Go for it!!

Jab Tak Hai Jaan2012

Jab Tak Hai Jaan. It's not good because it's last indulgent attempt of Yash Chopra. It is good because Yash Chopra had the ability to adapt his love stories to changing times. His hero has still the old soul of undying love but one of his heroine is straight from the generation from 21st century. Every love story has a villain who does not like lovers to be close to each other, here he is God himself. The story has three acts, first riding on confident performance of Shahrukh Khan, second act riding on soulful energy of Anushka Sharma but third act is where writer and directors find themselves in confused state and let the story fill with few silly twists. Movie works because it has soul, neat characterization, uncluttered screenplay and nice background score but it is let down by average work by A.R.Rahman and Gulzar in songs by their standards, the average performance by Katrina Kaif. Nevertheless, it is a nice love story to enjoy once for sure.

Fast & Furious 62013

Furious 6. Made on a story that can be detailed in single line "Hobbs has Dom and Brian reassemble their crew in order to take down a mastermind who commands an organization of mercenary drivers across 12 countries." Furious 6 is a mad enjoyable watch or some sort of guilty pleasure. Lack of a thrilling storyline is covered by grand canvas, ruthless action, races and chases, peppy background score, man on man fights, woman on woman fights, cars against tanks and even planes. Some action scenes go over the top and you need to avoid applying logic every now and then to enjoy the sequences. All actors play their part OK and their conversations are mostly laced with delicious one liners. So, Furious 6 delivers what it promises, fasten your seat belts and enjoy the ride.

Frozen2013

Snow was never so visually appealing until I saw Frozen; The Disney's modern masterpiece from the world of musical animation fairy tales. Fearless optimist Anna teams up with Kristoff in an epic journey, encountering Everest-like conditions, and a hilarious snowman named Olaf in a race to find her sister Elsa, whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom in eternal winter. Like the stunning visuals, characters are also sketched with love, dialogs are funny, music is mesmerizing and lyrics are worth recalling. The scene where Elsa designs a palace for herself is spellbinding. This is one of such movies for which you would like to step into the theater so that you can capture those gorgeous visuals in your eyes for eternity. Storyline is magical so is the narration. As the snowman Olaf says "some persons are worth melting for" I can say "some movies are worth enjoying ever". Frozen is one such movie. Don't miss it!

Dedh Ishqiya2014

Much like Munna (Sanjay Dutt) and Circuit (Arshad Warsi) are integral part of Munnabhai series, Khalu (Naseeruddin Shah) and Babban (Arshad Warsi) are the integral part of our own Desi crime comedy series Ishqiya. Ishqiya wasn't a crowd pleaser so its sequel Dedh Isqiya also does not aim the masses. Instead with its Urdu dialogs every now and then to support its atmosphere and honest story telling, it requires your patience and attention so that you can enjoy the quirky and intelligent dialogs written by Vishal Bhardwaj. The movie is most enjoyable whenever you witness the electric chemistry between our leads. New actors include another veteran Madhuri Dixit, fierce beauty Huma Qureshi and ultimate performer Vijay Raaj. Vijay Raaz's character must be kept in the story if they are taking the series forward which they should. Movie looses you sometimes during its long Urdu conversations and the tiring and labored performance by Madhuri Dixit. Intelligent crime comedies and black humor are still to find a place in Bollywood hall of fame but Vishal Bhardwaj and his team promises you that they will not compromise and keep serving you with intelligent stories.

Raanjhanaa2013

Raanjhanaa. Love has the power to enlighten you so it has the power to destroy you and kill you. Raanjhanaa is a pure Indian love story of a small-town boy played by terrific Dhanush who needs to break through the class divide to gain acceptance from his childhood sweetheart played by Sonam Kapoor who is in love with big city ideal played by Abhay Deol. Abhay Deol in his cameo is lovable as always. Sonam Kapoor does better than her previous attempts in acting. But movie belongs to trio of Dhanush the actor, Anand Rai the director and A.R.Rahman the music director. Dhanush in his first Bollywood outing makes you smile, laugh, dance, cry and even puke. At the most surprising and devastating twist in the story, movie turns into one of the most poignant love story told in recent times. His performance is so full of impact because it is supported by deep thoughtful direction of Anand Rai and mesmerizing music of the great A.R.Rahman. Most of the songs play in background and make you feel the warmth and pain of being in love and irony of life for the people in love. But it is not fairy tale from start to finish, movie derails in his last half an hour by drifting from its main plot and turning into a political drama. But this can be easily forgiven as you would have given two thumbs up to this movie long before its climax. Watch it for love, watch it for Rahman, watch it for break out debut of Dhanush in Bollywood.

Sholay 3D2014

As said by a critic; 3D, 2D or no D, Sholay is still D for Delicious. It's an ageless entertainer made from all bollywoodish ingredients; Songs, dance, melodrama, dialogs etc. But make no mistake, there is undeniably excellent storytelling, well developed characters, an engaging emotional script with ample scope of ruthless action, sincere performances by all lead actors, first rate background score and technically apt direction. For nitpicking, you can say that more than 3 hours is too long and few scenes could have been edited but the charm of this movie is too magnetic that even after 38 years, it is able to fill half of the seats of the theater on its re-release. I may not agree that this is the greatest story ever told but yes it is the finest commercial effort till date by Bollywood. For those who have doubts, Sholay in new 3D format with digitally enhanced sound and picture quality is worth every single penny of your expensive ticket. What a way to start 2014 in theaters!!

Dhoom 32013

Dhoom 2 was better than Dhoom. Dhoom 3 is much better than Dhoom 2 and there are two reasons. First it has terrific script required for a taught action thriller, second it is driven by supreme sincerity and perfection of Khan of Khans i.e. Aamir Khan. Be patient through initial half an hour where key characters are introduced in few silly scenes although Katrina Kaif's entry is spellbinding. And then Aamir Khan takes the charge and the real cinematic treat starts where dialogs, emotions, acting, story gets center stage. Abhishek Bachchan is good if not awesome, Uday Chopra keeps his feet grounded while making you laugh and Katrina Kaif looks gorgeous and provide softness to the otherwise heavy setup. But movie belongs to Aamir Khan who surprises you at least ten times with his tricks. Watch Dhoom 3 and end 2013 with lots of Dhoom. Dhoom 3 was written blockbuster on it before its release and good thing is it surpasses your expectations when it comes to bollywood action thrillers.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug2013

Peter Jackson never fails to impress. He amazed us with immortal LOTR trilogy and my personal favorite the grand remake of Kingkong. With Hobbit 1, he set the stage for a thrilling adventure and with Hobbit 2 he has raised the bar again by his lucid imagination and magical touches. Like Hobbit 1, Hobbit 2 is also a long tiring journey often testing your patience but your patience is awarded big time when the terrifying fire breathing gigantic dragon Smaug appears on screen and you are glued to the 3D screen like a kid. His interactions with charming Bilbo are delicious. Out of the dwarfs Bombur makes you laugh without a single dialog. Other actors also fit to their relevant roles. But the movie belongs to the Peter Jackson and his technical team for setting up the terrific set pieces like grand water chase, flawless 3D experience and taking you to the world of magic and courage. Purposefully, at least four sequences are being kept open at the end so that you start counting the days for Hobbit finale to appear on big screen. Can't wait to be there and back again!!

Pyaar Ka Punchnama2011

Pyaar Ka Punchnama. Means the funeral of love. Actually it's a biased movie which only shows that the how few girls without heart make friends and turn them into boy friends (read puppets!!) but all this is showcased with such a sweet comic timing, the lingo that real people use in real world, amazing performances and a fantastic back ground score. All actors are fresh faces but they play their characters with panache. Choudhary, Rajat, Neha all these names remain with you long after the movie ends. But here show stealer is the character Liquid or Nishant played by new bee Divyendu. He gets all meaty and funny dialogs and delivers them with a funny face. He even gets the most emotional scenes, watch him when he breaks down in second half, you won't be able to stop your tears. Movie has all ingredients to strike a chord with today's youth and will go down in history as cult movie and some sort of Geeta for boys getting lost in the name of love.

3 Idiots2009

3 Idiots. The greatest director of recent times shows that cinema is magical. He shows, you can club the mainstream masala in a purposeful film flawlessly. All you need is directorial excellence and magical touch of Rajkumar Hirani, supreme performances by as many as six actors in a single movie; Aamir Khan, R Madhwan, Sharman Joshi, Omi Vaidya, Boman Irani and Kareena Kapoor, a story that touches all generations especially youth, a water tight screenplay which feels like a roller coaster ride of fun, emotions, pain, drama, thoughts and new ideas. There are numerous outstanding scenes especially the comic ones. Music might sound a bit below average but in movie it is used intelligently and never holds the fun for you. All in all, it is simply no nonsense Bollywood main stream cinema which serves the masses and classes with equal ease and love.

Guide1965

Director Vijay Anand casts his star brother Dev Anand in a story which demands more than charming presence of Dev Anand. The movie has two very different plots, one about the love hate relationship of Dev Anand and Waheeda Rehman, and second Dev Anand being mistaken as a saint who is on fast to bring rains in the drought affected village. Vijay Anand excels in blending the two plots seamlessly. The post interval portion of the movie where Dev Anand's character start realizing the truth of life and death are the scenes where the movie touches the quality of being classic. The movie is packed with wonderful music by S.D.Burman, great songs picturization and the most accomplished performances by its lead actors. This movie released in 1965 showcases the bollywood capability of producing international level of cinema.

Chennai Express2013

Chennai Express. Given the fact that I watched it finally on TV with low expectations so I cannot say that I was disappointed. Of course, it is a brainless comic flick but it is charming in its own ways. It is said that comedy does not lie in actions, it lies in reactions. So it is not hard to observe that Shahrukh Khan plays the victim act quite up to the mark in most of the comic scenes. But movie belongs to Deepika Padukone who plays the bridge between Hindi and Tamil language dialogs and charms you with her subtle expressions and thick south Indian accent done quite right. Movie works in comic scenes but derails in last half an hour by putting extra song like Kashmir to Kanyakumari, out of context speech by hero and long DDLJ type fighting scene. All in all, SRK fans can easily survive the movie and it makes a good family entertainer when watching at home.

Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram Leela2013

There are two kind of directors in one Sanjay Leela Bhansali. First makes silent noise in Khamoshi, Black and Guzaarish. Second one overindulges in Devdas, Saawariya and latest Ram-Leela. It was only Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam where he mixed lavishness with subtle emotions beautifully. Ram-Leela comes after he failed to impress us with Saawariya and Guzaarish. So he went back to Devdas style and gave his own interpretation of Romoeo-Juliet love and fights. He does four things right with six things wrong leaving you dissatisfied at the end. There are colorful sets, excellent choreography, tight direction and supreme performances by confident Ranveer Singh, gorgeous Deepika Padukone and my favorite extraordinary Supriya Pathak. At the same time, there are few extra songs, too many twists in second half, few plot holes, too much of gun sound, movie being at least twenty minutes extra long and overdoing many scenes in order to make an impression of epic proportions. No doubt Sanjay understands cinematic art to the core but he tries to impress too hard. You are left amazed by his work in some scenes but then you are completely baffled in few scenes. At the end, you are drained out so much that you don't feel like appreciating even the good parts.

Thor: The Dark World2013

Thor is charismatic, ideal, no nonsense superhero as evident in his first outing played by Chris Hemsworth. In his awaited return after The Avengers, he takes the legacy further. His loved one is cool Jane Foster played beautifully by talented Natalie Portman. But the most lovable character remains his cunning, clever, cool, likable evil brother Loki played by Tom Hiddleston. In fact he is my second favorite villain after Joker of The Dark Knight in todays superhero universe. Visual effects vary from fantastic to excellent to mind-blowing. Stakes are much higher this time, but movie never tries to take them too seriously. In fact there are lot of funny situations and one liners but this fun was overdone in the messy climax. Nevertheless, it is a fun ride during which you would like to enjoy lots of popcorn. Please note that once movie is over, wait, there will a mid post credit scene to give you a clue for Avengers 2 and one at the very end showing the actual last scene of the movie.

Krrish 32013

Krrish 3 is average product by Hollywood standards but innovative by Bollywood standards. Krrish 3 works because it has Hollywood body around Bollywood soul. It works because Rakesh Roshan runs the show with good control during most of the running time. It works because Hrithik Roshan is such a delight to watch when he is playing three different characters; Rohit Mehra of Koi Mil Gaya, Krishna Mehra born in Krrish and Krrish of course. As Krishna he is good, as Rohit he is excellent and as Krrish he is charismatic and irresistible. Krrish 3 goes two steps ahead of Krrish and gives Bollywood audience the drama of superheroes, super villains, mutants, scientists that they have not tasted this way before. Special effects vary from tacky to absolutely stunning. Vivek Oberoi as Kaal and Kangana Ranaut as Kaya give pretty balanced performances. Priyanaka Chopra is average and does not have much to do here. Plot is predictable but quite enjoyable. Movie falters by being over melodramatic sometimes, having two extra songs and dragging the climax by around 10 minutes. It is a bumpy ride but a thrilling one. Make no mistake, Krrish 3 deserves a watch.

Gravity2013

Gravity is Life Of Pi of 2013. It's a story of survival, courage and human fighting spirit in the endless darkness of space. Like Life of Pi, 3D and CGI here are not just to make more money. The state of the art technology is being used as the storytelling tool and to make your experience immersive. Every frame is picture perfect and the excellent use of background score, camera work, acting and dialogs make most of the scenes memorable. Sandra Bullock as the central character does the astounding job and George Clooney provides the much needed lightness to the otherwise tense plot. There are numerous scenes which will stay with you especially the ones where our helpless characters struggling to stabilize in the gravity free world of space. It's not a perfection of story telling rather it is the perfection of cinematic techniques that make Gravity extraordinary.

Fukrey2013

Fukrey works because it's a fresh idea, performed by fresh talent and executed with a very light hand. Like its characters, movie never takes itself too seriously. There is a very fine array of innocent, funny and emotional characters for whom you want to root. The central idea of playing lottery with a number generated from dreams seems like a ridiculous one but it is very well used to generate lots of laughs and chaos. Characters are as funny as they are named like Bholi Panjaban, Choocha, Lali and many more. The commendable thing is despite having enough scope for adult jokes and situations, movie willingly avoids them and lures you with its innocence and emotional core. This is not a perfect comedy by any chance and it won't leave you in splits but it has lot to make you smile throughput the movie.

Prisoners2013

Prisoners. It's a slick dark crime investigation thriller raising few questions on moral ambiguity. The theme is based on kidnapping of two small children in a small town where police fails to make much progress and a parent takes matters into his own hands. Like Ben Affleck's smashing debut Gone Baby Gone, the movie's journey is about putting the pieces of clues together and in parallel questioning how much evil you can become to counter the evil? Lead actors Hugh Jackman and Jack Gyllenhall give their best and supporting actors provide nice support. Movie takes the conventional route of a crime drama but it's the unsettling intensity in atmosphere through grey background and chilling performances that keep you puzzled in a good way from start to finish. Like other classic crime thrillers, it asks you to provide your full attention and makes you discuss it more and more long after the movie has ended.

The Lunchbox2013

So what's so delicious inside The Lunchbox that everyone recommends to have a bite of it? Well, I could think of only one comparison i.e. it's like delicious home-made food on which this movie is based. Like home made food, it's all about the taste of the food which comes out when your mother or your wife or your sister cooks it with their unconditional love. It's not about flashy ambiance where food is served or expensive utensils in which food is served. So, The Lunchbox has lot of taste in small moments of love and sadness. The characters, locations, dialogs, atmosphere are all straight from the real life. The three lead actors Irrfan Khan, Nimrat Kaur and Nawazuddin Siddiqui in their superlative performances wear their characters like they wear their clothes. First half lights up with good blend of humor and emotions but like not all the time home-made food ends with sweet desert, so the movie also goes the unanticipated hard way and leave you to embrace its bitter sweet ending. All in all, Ritesh Batra's first cinematic dish is delicious but leaves you hungry at the end wanting for more.

Commando2013

Vidyut Zamwal makes a good action hero. He is comfortable and convincing in action scenes but he can't deliver his one liners with expressions however that does not matter much in an action flick but it could have definitely taken the intensity a notch higher. The plot here is an excuse to deliver the action scenes. Pooja Chopra looks good until she speaks. Her light moments with Vidyut fall flat. Jaideep Ahlawat makes a menacing villain but he does not stand a chance against our action hero. All man on man fights are worth clapping, beautifully choreographed and effectively edited. Climax does not disappoint. Music and back-ground score is good enough. At the end, it makes a descent watch for a lazy holiday.

Shuddh Desi Romance2013

How much you will like or not like Shuddh Desi Romance largely depends on which side you are? Marriage or no marriage. I am not going to take any side because it's a movie not documentary. There are crazy characters and crazier situations. Beautifully filmed completely in Pinkcity Jaipur, written with fire-cracking dialogs, narrated smoothly however not consistently and acted strongly by Sushant Singh Rajput, Parineeti Chopra and Rishi Kapoor. Vani Kapoor comes just good enough in her short role.Sushant is charming and gains your sympathy despite being insane. Parineeti gains the points on being spontaneous and emotionally cracking. Rishi Kapoor is excellent and hilarious. Movie travels smoothly until its last half an hour struggles to wrap up the things and conclusion does not come shining enough. Love it or hate it but you won't be able to ignore it.

Satyagraha2013

May be Parakash Jha thought picking a sensitive subject like anti-corruption movement, signing few great actors, making them speechifying their dialogs, put some usual masala will be good enough to steer the audience in theaters. He did not realize, it would require a tense and dark atmosphere and well synchronized story telling to make the kind of impact that audience were expecting when they enter into the theaters on first day itself. Movie delves into too many issues and ends up finding no solution for anything. Obviously many scenes touch but disappointing thing is those scenes were having potential to tear you apart and it was never tried. The movie remains a dramatic presentation of Anna Hazaare Jan Lokpal Movement. Manoj Bajpayee is outstanding. Amitabh does not miss a beat. Ajay Devgn seems committed but not in top form. Amrita Rao is average. Kareena Kapoor is being wasted. Why she has to look best of herself in every scene? Romance between her and Ajay Devgn is forced and out of the context. I did expect some volcanic emotional eruptions and ended up lighting few more candles.

Madras Cafe2013

Madras Cafe is a kind of political and espionage thriller that Bollywood never tried before. First half requires your patience. It is a mix of striking visuals, haunting sound design, introduction of key characters, their motives and the felling that something is not right. Second half is a piece of cinematic perfection where characters gets meaty dialogs, feel of danger keeps growing and finally in the climax you feel helpless like our hero. Based on actual events mixed with fictitious characters, Madras Cafe becomes a very important movie that should be watched by every Indian. Acting is top-notch. You won't be able to forget the imagery of first half and tension of second half long after the end credit starts. Director Shoojit Sarkar provides the ample conviction and uniqueness to whole idea and surprises you with his versatility (he directed Vicky Donor before). The movie has little flaws like packing too much information in first half and few key details not described clearly. But I can say with full comfort that it would be a mistake if you give this movie a miss.

Ship of Theseus2013

There are few movies around, for which you wish someone just read your mind and heart and understand what you felt like while watching them. Ship of Theseus is one such movie. I am writing this review after six months of watching it. I could not find right words to describe my experience at that time and even now I am struggling because this movie is just so original, magical, enlightening and in one word one hell good gem of cinema. Ship of Theseus leaves you with spellbinding effect with its visuals, characterization, dialogs, narrative, subtext and everything we know cinema for. Characters speak when they are supposed to be silent and go in silence when you expect them to argue but both times you are left with lots of food for thought. There are three distinct stories revolving around one common subject only joined in one absolutely surprising climax scene. All I can say that this one leaves a lasting impression on you, compel you to change your view about this world and help you to appreciate the gift called life.

The Wolverine2013

The Wolverine. Our hunk Hugh Jackman starring as Logan in its 6th outing still carries his charm as he carries his claws. This time he is in Japan saving his new Japanese lady love from ninja warriors. Set in dark set pieces, first half has little to offer to excite the audience except for the fight cum survival sequence on a bullet train. But second half quickly joins the missing pieces giving the movie its purpose and Hugh Jackman some scenes where he can be punch the bad guys with charming arrogance. The twist in the end is good but doesn't hit you hard. Overall, it won't disappoint Wolverine fans but it lacks the fun that we have whenever Logan fights the bad guys with his fellow mutants. To keep the excitement alive, there is one post end credits sequence hinting about the new threat for X-MEN.