This Means War [Views]

Directed by McG
Imdb link -> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1596350/

Mistakes make us who we are. ..

Tuck (Tom Hardy) and Frank (Andrew Garfield), are CIA agents and are ordered to remain out of sight of a guy who is after them, as they just killed his brother. Tuck is a divorced guy with a son, while Frank is a casanova. One random day Tuck makes a account on dating website, and ends up meeting Lauren (Reese Witherspoon). Lauren ends up striking with Frank, who also gets interested to know her more. When Tuck and Frank come to know they are dating same girl, they decide 'May the best man win'.

This film was very much the kind of Hindi Movies (no I am not degrading them) we see, as in some of the scenes treatment. For eg, Tuck being slapped at the karate place, the ways both Tuck and Frank come in each other's way during their private dating with Lauren, or the heroic activity of Tuck to impress Lauren. Also, the ending is over-stylish just like the starting of the film. And that swimming pool view over top of room.. is it possible in reality ? Else, I can assume it as a cinematic liberty.

The painting sequence of Frank is the hillarious scene of the movie, thanks to the interval it got played twice in the theatre. Also, the 1st meeting scene between Frank and Lauren. And, the one where Lauren tells 1 bad thing about both guys to her best friend. The scene where Lauren forcefully kisses Frank.

Andrew Garfield is very good in his performance, Tom Hardy kind of dissappointed me but then I feel it's the director who made him look silly in some scenes. Reese was fine, looked pretty but acting wise she was just okay.

Overall, its a watchable movie for entertainment at best, quality wise there is hardly anything to remember for me.

Movie Analysis : Chaar Din ki Chandni

Directed by Samir Karnik 

Imdb link -> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2191641/

Khaana toh kutte bhi khaate hai, insaan bano sharaab piyo... 

Just like it was the case with 'Yamla Pagla Deewana', this film too is good in pieces only, the overall humour is missing, and some very over the top sequences along with it. 

Veer (Tusshar Kapoor) returns with his girlfriend Chandni (Kulraj Randhawa) at his home for his sister's marriage. He is afraid of his father, Chandraveer Singh (Anupam Kher) and ends up saying that Chandni is his good friend. Chandni within few days impresses everyone including the three brothers of Veer who are after her. Chandraveer decides to marry Chandni, and Veer has to now decide how to stop the marriage. 

The plot isn't new, so it becomes important how the screenplay is, and the situations used to bring the humour. The gym sequence for me was the most humorous scene in the film. There were 3-4 good enough scenes like the opening scene, else the film was more of a drama and forced humour. The dialogues were very poor. The use of 'chandni' in background for scenes of Kulraj was simply irritating. The climax was expectedly predictable. 

The songs lacked any connect in terms of quality, only title track was loving but the voice of Sridevi can't be replaced as you could miss the naughtyness she brought in vocals in the original song. Also Kulraj didn't look at ease in the dance steps, though she looked gorgeous in the saree. 

Samir Karnik should shift from comedy films now, and also Kulraj Randhawa has to stop accepting same director's comedy films.. move on girl, do something new now. 

Tusshar Kapoor was fine, at times reminded me of Mujhe Kuch Kehna Hai. Though have to admit, in the sardar avatar, he looked more good in his performance. 

It was nice to see Chandrachur Singh after a long time, though he has hardly any significant role in the film. 

Anupam Kher I felt lacked the comic timing, though more blame I would give to the dialogues and direction too. 

Om Puri was in very good form. And Farida Jalal was nice. Sushant Singh and Hemant Pandey were good. 

Mukul Dev was okay. Anita Raaj looked beautiful. Johnny Lever was wasted. 

Overall, Chaar Din ki Chandni lacked good writing and humour. One time watchable film at best. 

Verdict : BELOW AVERAGE

Movie Analysis : Ekk Deewana Tha

Directed by Gautham Menon
Imdb link -> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2126282/

Jo hua woh kamaal tha, jo hai woh kamaal hai.. Aur jo hoga woh bhi kamaal hoga. Ab Dard se bhi mujhe pyar ho jayega! 

A story based on love at first sight with a south touch to it. You should watch 'Directors Cut' version to have any chance of connecting or liking the movie. The popular version will more or less leave you dissappointed.

A engineering graduate student, Sachin (Pratiek Babbar) loves watching films and takes it a dream to make films, something his father doesn't like. He along with his family shifts to Juhu getting a apartment for rent. He falls in love the moment he sees Jessie (Amy Jackson), only to discover various reasons that won't make it work for him. But, his madness for the love keeps increasing and he ends up proposing Jessie, who refuses and asks him to be just friends. Sachin has to make Jessie fall in love with him or she would get married to someone else proposed by their family. 

Its one of those films which has quotient of great scenes, as well as average scenes. And the main reason for the average scenes is the lead pair Pratiek and Amy. Amy fails due to the dubbing voice which just looks too fake. She looks very beautiful though especially in suits, saree at times was not suiting her. Also, her make-up was too much at some sequences. While Pratiek is somehow indifferent throughout, which I least expected after becoming a sort of fan of him with Dhobi Ghat. There is a certain dislike that comes instantly with Pratiek's dialogue delivery at places. 

Also, there is a lack of chemistry between Pratiek and Amy, mainly because of the fact that I loved Pratiek-Manu sequences a lot.

The scene where Sachin falls in love with Jessie at first sight, I feel wasn't properly directed. Its not that I am against the 'love at 1st sight' theory, but it looked bit too unreal watching in the film. Thanks to Hossanna song (leaving the starting), that I started to connect to Sachin's love. And change of heart twice by Jessie completely made me question her love, especially the 2nd time around. Hard to digest such love.

The screenplay isn't impressive as it keeps reducing whatever effect some of the dialogue sequences between Sachin and Jessie bring with all the dreamy dance sequences put together as a montage, be it 'Dost hai hum toh' or the train song. Also, the dialogues are pretty average.

Rahman's music is very pleasant even though the magnitude of impact is very small as compared to Rockstar (quite expected). 'Sharminda hoon' brings the loving moments both Sachin and Amy share together with the challenges they know ahead of them, best picturised song in the film. Hossana is beautiful, a guy falling in love at 1st sight. Aromale, my personal favourite song used very well in the narrative. Dost hai picturisation doesn't work for me.

Background score wasn't top notch as I thought it would be.

Sachin watches Jessie for 1st time, the first conversation with Jessie along with her sister, Sachin trying to control his love feelings in train, Sachin watching Jessie get married in church, the boat sequence with Sachin feeling on the top of the world, and the Taj Mahal sequence are some of the best moments from the film.

Among supporting cast, Sachin Khedekar is good, the scene where he says 'main film-maker banunga, jessie mujhse pyar karegi' was one of my favs. Manu Rishi is excellent, specially the 'border' song scene.

Babu Anthony completely looks like father of a kerela girl, and acted fine. Though watching him as well as Jessie brother, gave the feel of south film.


Overall, Ekk Deewana Tha is a average film despite liking many portions of the film.


Verdict : AVERAGE

Movie Analysis : Kahaani

Directed by Sujoy Ghosh
Imdb link -> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1821480/

Arnab ke baad, zindagi hi majaak ban ke reh gayi hai .. 

I love watching thriller films, and to be able to keep you guessing till the final sequence of the film is a great achievement for a director in such films. Kahaani comes in that category.

Vidya Bagchi (Vidya Balan) comes to Kolkata in search of her missing husband. Rana (Parambrata Chatterjee), a sub inspector helps her lot in the search but all the clues leads to another person who is a look alike of her husband. Now, whether both the people are same or her husband is affected due to the look alike guy is the answer Vidya or the audience wants to know.

There are very few give-aways in the whole narrative where you could feel that somewhere Vidya is lying, but the reason you end up ignoring them is the fast editing, Namrata Rao is one major reason the film becomes so tight and edge of the seat thriller. The way she fast cuts places of Kolkata, and gives Vidya a major entry in 'Aami Shotti Bolchi' is mindblowing.

The scene where Rana tells Vidya 'aap bahut acchi maa banegi', and Vidya quickly turns other way with a painful sigh. Your 1st guess (if watching film first time) would be how badly she is missing Arnab, later on you find what the pain was for her in that conversation!

The various sub-plots Sujoy uses increases the impact of the film, and the emotional content of the film. For instance, relationship between Vishnu and Vidya because later on you  know how good moments those were for Vidya. The bond between Rana and Vidya, it was secret love from the side of Rana. Those bus scenes where Rana intereacts with his mom through phone calls, we just listen him saying 'on the way' in his mother tongue, while once he ignores the call due to the problems he just had with Vidya.

The Kolkata is beautifully captured throughout the film, and also the use of old songs at various places, one of which was bengali song. Screenplay and Editing are fantastic. Very good choice of interval sequence. The climax is hell shocking, and the final scene also brings a devotional feeling (for those who believe in God) with the Amitabh's voiceover.

Also, I loved the background score of the film, those bells ringing when Vidya gets escaped into same dressed woman in the puja. Or the very emotional theme used when we are revealed the truth of Vidya. The flashbacks are also perfectly thought of, which you can later analyse to know how logical they all were.

Only two songs are used in the narrative, which was a very good thought. Aami Shotti Bolchi presents Kolkata and Vidya to us, while Ekla Cholo re is perfectly used for Vidya who has to herself find the path. Very well rendered by Amitabh Bachchan.

Vidya Balan excels once again in her performance, one of those actors who keeps outdoing themselves in every new film. I believe if you are fooling audience for 110 mins out of the 122 mins successfully, then you have to be a fool to not adore your acting! I would rate this performance among her top 3 best performances till date. She is challenging while talking to Khan, friendly with Rana, child with Vishnu and all the time fighting with the deep pain which she can't reveal to anyone until the climax. Her 'kya fark padta hai' in the climax sequence, was one of the 'Wow' moments for me.

Parambrata Chatterjee gave a very honest performance, not a typical strict policeman you would often see. Sasawata Chatterjee was hillarious, nomaskaar main bob biwas - ek minute! Dhiskiyaaun. Amazing harkats he did, like the instance when his 1st scene comes, sleeping, playing with fingers or the smile he has while walking or before killing a person.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui brought lots of attitude into his portrayal of Khan, IB Officer. Plus, his looks slightly reminds of Manoj Vajpayee. He certainly is a actor to look forward to as he has the confidence and power in his acting. Rest supporting cast did a fair job.


Overall, Kahaani is gonna be remembered among one of best suspense thriller hindi films.


Verdict : EXCELLENT 

Movie Analysis : Paan Singh Tomar

Directed by Tigmanshu Dhulia
Imdb link -> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1620933/

Bihar mein baaghi hote hai, dacaoit parliament mein milte hai... 

I was waiting for this movie since years, finally it got released. Though it took me 2 viewings to like this film a lot.

Based on a true story about a army athelete who won a gold medal and later turned into a dacaoit due to personal life problems with no one coming to his rescue.

Irrfan Khan is one of most under-rated talents, and I am one huge admirer of his acting. I would rate this performance very close to Maqbool. How he enacts different shades in the film, like in army he isn't given too much importance for the dacaoit background he has. When sent to army athelete place, he surprises the coach who has his son in law set to win the race but Paan Singh poses a threat, and hence he makes him change the race, eventually letting Paan win a gold medal in steeple chase. And then his portayal of a dacoit, seeking revenge at first from Bhanwar Singh (Jahangir Khan)

Watch his expressions, when his request to go for a fight is cancelled. Or when he is given ice-cream as a gift while leaving Army. Also, the humurous scenes involving his foodie side, or the romance with his wife played by Mahie Gill, sending kids away every time. That was one hillarious sequence. And, the border cross police uniform sequence too.

Also, the dialect Irrfan has in the movie, making it as real as it can get. Though, at times it was difficult to understand few dialogues due to that.

I like the screenplay, the way they narrate the life of Paan Singh Tomar leading to his fall. The climax is perfect, heroic death. I wonder if that hand signal Irrfan makes while running was taken from real athlete life (on whom film is based) or it was director's idea, or Irrfan improvised on it. I loved that, and its used in the dacaoit scenes too when he runs after people, or runs for his life. Only thing that I missed in the film was use of the song 'Kero Mama', should had used it atleast somewhere even if as a background.

Mahie Gill is again in a role that offers very less to her, still better than Dabangg. Vipin Sharma shines once again, finally he isn't in a gangster role. Thankfully, the casting team didn't make him also one of the dacaoits from Paan Singh Team.

Jahangir Khan is decent. Imran Hasnee is fine. Nawazuddin Siddiqui is good. Brijandra Kala is efficient as always. It was nice to see Rajendra Gupta in a good role. Zakir Hussain was his usual.


Overall, Paan Singh Tomar is a film you would like as long as you don't belong to section of audience who believes in only 'Entertainment, Entertainment, Entertainment'. Though having said that, there is decent enough dose of entertainment in this film too. So, a film for all I guess then...

Verdict : VERY GOOD

The Iron Lady [Views]

Directed by Phyllida Lloyd
Imdb link -> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1007029/

It used to be about trying to do something. Now it's about trying to be someone. 

A film on the 1st British Prime Minister, more of a biopic which goes wrong. Mainly because the screenplay plays around too much with past life sequences and current state of Margaret (Meryl Streep) who plays the Prime Minister role. And, the political sequences aren't able to bring a impact the film should had. Instead, its the relationship Margaret shares with her husband that holds the limelight of the viewers.

Meryl Streep surely deserved her Oscar award for this performance, even in a weakly made film her performance made me never feel bored at any moment in the film. I haven't read or seen anything about the real Prime Minister whom she portrayed, but the transformation from just a person who works at a place to someone who becomes a Prime Minister was really too good. That scene where the people who inspire her to lead the country, making her learn the voice diction so that she speaks like a Prime Minister should. Also, a mention to the change in looks too.

The story between Margaret and her husband, Denis (Jim Broadbent) resembled 'A Beautiful Mind' to certain extent. Though, it was well directed plot, still the fact that it was affecting the main story decreased its value.

Jim Broadbent was fine in his performance, I liked Alexandra Roach who played young Margaret.. that was another part of narration that I did like.

Some of the dialogues, especially from Margaret are really good.


Overall, The Iron Lady fails to create any kind of emotional impact due to bad screenplay and average direction. It is a film that I and many other people would remember only for Meryl Streep's performance, nothing else.

Movie Analysis : Tere Naal Love Ho Gaya

Directed by Mandeep Kumar
Imdb link -> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2130242/

Dance karke dikhayo ... 

Viren (Ritiesh Deshmukh), a rikshaw driver tries to ruin marriage of Mini (Genelia Deshmukh) because her Dad sold his rickshaw that had all the money he had been saving since months. Mini takes advantage of situation and gets herself kidnapped by Viren. Now, Viren has to do whatever Mini asks her to do. But there's a twist, another kidnapping happens, a real one as both Viren and Mini are kidnapped together now.

The performances of Genelia and Om Puri makes this a very good watch. Genelia is a complete live-wire, a non stop talker, which goes to her image very well. She single handedly steals the show from Riteish. While Om Puri impresses as a whole this time after quite a while, a harayanvi lingo role that fitted him a lot. 

The screenplay is good as it keeps away from too much of dramatic situation such films end up with, the narration keeps it light hearted throughout with romantic moments here and there.

Some of the dialogues are good specially the punchline 'dance karke dikhayo', and all the harayanvi dialogues 'ke hua chori, je dekho phudakti rehti hai'. Mandeep Kumar as a debut director has done quite well, though one must say he chose a easy genre.

Mini's 'touch me touch me' number, her getting herself kidnapped, the drunk sequence(how cute Genelia looks during that sequence), Mini teaching Chowdhary 'organizer' option in mobile, the climax car scene and all the 'dance karke dikhayo' are the best moments in the film.

The music by Sachin-Jigar may not be extraordinary, yet its very pleasant to listen to every song during the movie. Pee pa pee paa is the best song visual wise, while Piya o re piya is romantically filmed. Jeene de is rightly used as opening credit song. While Genelia steals away in the item song 'Main toh fan ban gayi' which was otherwise for Veena Malik.

Ritiesh Deshmukh was a touch under expressive, but his chemistry was very good with Genelia which is quite expected.

Tinu Anand and Smita Jaykar were decent. Chitrashi keeps getting casted in nothing siginficant roles ever since Chak de, poor her.


Overall, Tere Naal Love Ho Gaya is a nice light hearted movie with a great performance by Genelia Deshmukh.

Verdict : Nice