The Dark Knight

First of all let me just say that, the IMAX Experience, for this movie is a must.
I was just browsing through WIRED magazine one day, unaware that I had actually subscribed to it. While reading through it, I came across a picture of Christopher Nolan. Now, he being my favorite director, I naturally started reading the article and I found out that he was making The Dark Knight and that he had previously made Batman Begins.
Now I am not a Batman fan, and in fact I don't like superhero movies. It's so like, bad guy does something bad, in comes the good superhero, who has all these powers and he subdues the villain and his henchmen and la, there ends the movie. I get enough of that in Indian movies. So, I was never too excited about Batman Begins. But after reading about it online, I realized it was more than just a superhero movie. First it's not a superhero movire per se. Batman has no super powers. And second, it's more of a drama, as the name suggests, how and why Bruce Wayne became Batman.
So, a film by my favorite director and the above points in mind, I watched it and loved it. And it was but natural that I was going to watch The Dark Knight. An added bonus, the film was partly shot in IMAX. So, it was like a documentary-ised thing. It was going to be different from watching butterflies and birds on the 8-storey screen. Rather an action packed film, with car chases and explosions and a painted face.

With extreme anticipation, I saw The Dark Knight last night at an IMAX theatre and the exprience was awesome. The film, if seen on a normal screen would have been great too, but IMAX made it special. The film is well made, good story, great action sequences (thanks also to the IMAX cameras) and super acting.
Action, yes, the main character may not be the villain, but he is the main character the people love. The film, and especially the Joker was extremely hyped up and he lives up to the hype. This is a scary clown... or rather, a scary, clown person. I want to use them as adjectives. Scary, because he is, he scares the hell out sometimes with his weird deep voice, and his antics. Clown, because he has those moments when he actually is a clown, not the fake red-nosed one, but a clown with a painted face and a female nurse's uniform, walking as if his legs were tied together. People laugh as some of his dialogues, but the humor is subtle and does not affect the dark tone of the movie.

Heath Ledger has done a magnificent job, and everyone else, even Christian Bale, are happy to let him take center stage. I don't think the fact that Ledger passed away earlier this year has brought his performance (sympathetic) praises. If he were alive, they would have just handed him the Oscar right away. Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne and Batman is really good. He carries over from where he left in Batman Begins. He hasn't fully evolved yet. He is still unsure about his work as Batman and is ready to hand over the baton to one Harvey Dent. In comes Aaron Eckhart, who I think is good as Harvey Dent, but then when he transforms into the villain Two-Face, brings down his performance. I thought that the Two-Face scenes were just not good enough. Maybe because you have seen the Joker, you feel Two-face should b as good. But he isn't No offense to Eckhart. I think he gave his best to the role, but Ledger just gave more. Another weakpoint is the character Rachel Dawes. It feels so unnecessary sometimes, but she does become and integral part of the plot. There could have been something else, but the romantic angle seems to work a bit. Maggie Gyllenhaal is as bland as Katie Holmes was in Batman Begins. Other characters played by Gary Oldman, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman do justice to their roles.

Overall the film is great. Barring the scenes with Two-Face, that seem dull (as compared to The Joker and Batman scenes), the film is an entertainer. Action sequences filmed in IMAX are worth the IMAX experience. The truck sequence is one of the best I have ever seen inmy life. I was awed by some of the sequences and even clapped for some of them. They were that good. You never know what the Joker is upto and it keeps he suspense building. You try to second guess sometimes, and you are even sure what's going to happen, but then ujust the opposite thing happens. That is Nolan style. And it makes for a great film. I would recommend it and recommend it on IMAX more than anything, it won't disappoint.

My rating, 4.7/5.0 (0.3 cut for Two-Face).

Hot Fuzz

Let me tell you this. I am a fan of British comedies. Hell, I love them from Four Weddings and a Funeral to the Carry On... series, and from Yes, Minister to the Benny Hill show. But this movie here, it's just not there. I mean where I need something to make me laugh. And many can assure you that isn't really tough. Why, I still laugh at Friends episodes I may have seen 10 times before.

But this movie fails to achieve that. Well, there are a few instances where it has its humorous side, but then which movie doesn't. I have to say most action movies made are funny. There is always that one character who is the 'funny guy'. They have him here, in the shape of Nick Frost. But then, he isn't that funny guy. Simon Pegg tries to act all-intense-super-serious-extreme cop. He does that well. And I think that us it for the movie.

OK. It's a suspense story. A whodunit. And it does well in that department. The mystery is quite well formed and then solved. I even almost gasped at the revelation. But that had to be the end. What followed after the revelation was just downright foolish, a farce. And I have been told that that's what it is supposed to be. A parody, a farce. But then begin and continue with it. They make the film a bit gripping with a light comical side. They make it mysterious and then the climax is absolutely ridiculous.

I know some people who like the movie and the 'farce', but it was too much for me to take. I just cannot handle a movie made this way. I like parodies, Scary Movies is great, but that's what it is from start to finish. Not this movie. I would never recommend it. So my rating, 2/5.

Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story

Let me first say that if you have no idea who Stewie Griffin is. then reading this review is a waste. And then, if you are the kind that does not like Family Guy, then it's a waste too. For this movie is for the Family Guy fan, and that's me. I haven't been watching this show for long, but I have come to love it now and this movie is just what was needed. It was like the time they made a movie of the The Da Vinci Code.

Stewie Griffin is by far the most entertaining 'baby' I have seen on TV and now a movie about him is something great. He is superintelligent, and has Machiavellian ambitions, including goals of world domination. This is from the Wikipedia info about Stewie. But that is the truth. He has a upper English accent and has the most outrageous lines. He hates his mother, calls his father 'the fat man'.

In this movie, he enters into a swimming contest and then tries to kill the contest winner, only to survive a near death experience. This changes him and he tries to be a 'good boy', but fails. Then he gets drunk (a few scenes which are just awesome). The after a terrible hangover he finds out that he has a father in San Fransisco and Peter is not his father. He and Brian go on to search for his father and the story goes on, from once nonsensical idea to another. He finally finds out something about himself and returns back to his home.

Not much to write about the movie, but that's the whole essence of Family Guy. It goes from scene to scene, not actually doing anything great. But a true fan will tell you that, that is what captures your mind. And then there is Stewie who will crack you up every time. The best dialogue is when Peter asks him if he wants to learn to swim. And Stewie, who is getting a tan, says, "Go away, Fat Man" in the most awesome fashion.

Anyways, have a look at this film if you like Family Guy, coz you have missed something great. My rating, 4/5.

Vertigo

Old Classic. Alfred Hitchcock's best. Spectacular Thriller.

Just a few of the reviews I read and heard from people about this Hitchcock Classic. Now let me be honest. Alfred Hitchcock must have been a great director and may have made all those scary and mystery movies. But I hate those old movies. The screenplay is so slow and so unexciting. Dial M for Murder was a good suspense movie, but that too was very slow. I guess I am used to the fast paced movies of today, but believe me, even the romantic films of today are pretty fast.
And so here I am, writing about Vertigo. And from what I have said till now, you must have guessed how I felt about this movie. Looking at the image, I would say, 2% suspense, 0% excitement and 2000% emotion. Call it a romantic saga, not a thriller. A thriller showld be defined for films like The Prestige or Memento. It is slower than even the slowest Soap Opera. It takes so much time for something to happen, that you are waiting for it to end. You might even be tempted to stop the movie halfway and watch Hum Aapke Hai kaun.
I didn't understand what the suspense was till more than halfway through the movie. And by that I mean nothing actually happens in the movie till then. It's just a romantic classic till that time. And then the turning point comes, but you are already frustrated with the pace, you don't even feel you need to know who did that. But if you are a avid movie fan, you will figure out the whole suspense in minutes. Even the director lets you in on the secret moments after the 'suspense-making scene' takes place. And then what is left is how the characters react to what happens. But that's the whole point. You could finish this whole movie in 30 minutes, but it stretches out for more than 2 hours just torturing you to your very end. And to top it all, you might think that the name of the movie might be something of a turning point, or the main catch, or something on those lines. It is, to an extent. But as I said, it takes too much time to get there and by that time, you want to rip your hair out.
All in all, it made me stay away from any old movie, so I don't think you can get a review from me about any of them. My rating, 1.5/5

Rules of Engagement

I know this is an old movie...well, 2000. But anyways, as I am watching movies from any year, I might as well go ahead with the one I most recently saw.

Rules of Engagement stars Tommy Lee Jones and Samuel L. Jackson in the lead with Guy Pearce, Ben Kingsley, Anne Archer among others. The movie is about U.S. Marines. During the Vietnam War, Jackson saved Jones' life. They built up a strong friendship over the years. Jones was hurt during that mission and so until he recovered, he studied law at Georgetown. 28 years later, Jones has retired and Jackson has been sent on a mission to Yemen commandeering a platoon to evacuate the American Embassy as it is facing a deadly protest and it may turn ugly. During the rescue, the crowd attacks the Marines and kills some of them. Jackson orders his platoon to fire into the crowd and kill all, even if the crowd had women and children.
Now there are 83 people dead in Yemen, and to avoid a major diplomatic issue, the NSA decides the make Jackson the scapegoat. He is charged with murder and not following the Rules Of Engagement.
Jackson asks Jones to defend him. After a lot of thought and then a trip to Yemen, Jones puts up a fight and finally gets a positive result. In this process, the Ambassador to Yemen had to lie and the State Department had to destroy evidence which would have exonerated Jackson.
All in all, a good film. But my recommendation, watch A Few Good Men instead. And if you have already watched it, then watch it again and again and again. Coz that's a really great military-courtroom drama. The director tried to make a film like that, but just failed. And in my honest opinion, Samuel L. Jackson, as good as an actor he may be, is not the right choice. I sense a kind of discontinuity when he acts, he fails to remain in the flow of the movie thereby making it worse than it should be. I saw a similar case in The Negotiator. I agree that is a good film, but Jackson cannot really keep with the flow as Kevin Spacey can. Tommy Lee Jones is a really good actor and he shows, but I can tell you, this film is a waste for him. He tries to make it good but just cannot help it. The direction is really not up to the mark. And actors like Ben Kingsley are wasted too. I cannot believe he would do a film like this.
My final word, if you really have nothing better to do, you can watch this film. But I believe you have better things to do. My rating is a 3/5

Ek Saal Baad...

After one year exactly...someone is back with something on this blog. I tend to continue with this blog...hopefully with the help of others...!!!!!

Phir Hera Pheri : A Review

Six years ago, there was a new trend that started out in Bollywood. Comedy. So many comedies were made in the last six years and the credit for this ‘revolution’ goes to Hera Pheri. The Priyadarshan film created waves, and a star was born. Not that he was anyone before, but he became a favourite in every household. That man is Paresh Rawal.
After six years, and the trio of Raju (Akhsay Kumar), Shyam (Sunil Shetty) and Baburao Ganpatrao Apte (Paresh Rawal) return. A sequel to the original Hera Pheri, it starts off where it left us. These 3 are now rich, living in a huge bungalow with all the ‘aish-o-aaram’. But Raju seems to have a craving for more money.
The story has many complications best not to be discussed here. It’s absolutely tough. There is a lot of ‘hera pheri’ that leads to a final chase-that-guy-who-tricked-you routine. The movie is not difficult to understand and the way all the complications have been handled is great. Every character has played his/her part well. Raju is the same greedy fellow who falls in love with Anjali (Rimmi Sen) who is the sister of Pappu (Rajpal Yadav) who in turn had invested the money with Raju and was duped. The money belonged to Tiwari (Sharath Saxena) who is mad to have lost the money and tells the trio to return it. This was part of the money they had invested with Anuradha (Bipasha Basu) who runs away with it.
Raju overhears Munna (Johnny Lever) and his accomplices planning to rob Nanjibhai (Milind Gunaji) off crores and drugs. Raju makes his own plan with Baburao and Shyam to steal the money from Munna and return the owed money to Tiwari. But Munna only gets hold of the drugs and takes it back to his place. The trio steal this from him and are devastated to find that it’s drugs. Raju knows a ‘bhangarwala’ Kachra Seth (Manoj Joshi) who buys drugs for a large sum. Raju approaches him who in turn tries to sell it to Nanjibhai. Nanjibhai is irate and Kachra Seth tells him that Raju stole it from him. Nanjibhai wants the drugs back. Meanwhile, Munna finds the drugs with the trio and steals them again, and Anjali and Anuradha are abducted by Tiwari and kept until the three pay up the money. And so the trio are forced to give Nanjibhai bogus drugs. Nanjibhai in turn gives fake money to them. These three now give this fake money to Tiwari. Another event is taking place where Pappu steals the vehicle from Munna that has the drugs because it also has antique guns which he had planned to steal earlier but was beaten to it by Raju. He brings this vehicle to Tiwari where Shyam recognizes the real drugs and tells everyone present. After a lot of chasing, police finally arrive and arrest the guilty party.
Seems confusing eh? Well it is not that confusing when you see the movie. And there is a lot of comedy that goes on till the end. Characters are given special traits.
Akshay Kumar does well as Raju. Sunil Shetty is good, but I hate the way he delivers his dialogues. Paresh Rawal steals the show again, and his performance is very good. Rimmi Sen and Bipasha Basu do affect the plot but have very few scenes, but both look quite hot. Acting is another story. Other actors like Sharath Saxena, Johnny Lever and Co. do their job quite well. Unlike the last one, there are very few irritating songs in between and the film is rapped up in less than 2:30 hrs. Overall an entertainer and a good sequel.

Rating: 3.5/5.0