Reviews

Lets start backward and cut to the chase first, this movie is brilliant and thoroughly enjoyable. There are myriad different pieces which have all worked well on this but the biggest by far is the screenplay and direction. And to put some smarts at it, what makes it great is you neither have to remember the first, nor have to watch this as a sequel. You will also not find the need to compare it to others. In fact, you could watch this first and then watch the part that came before, and you would be equally thrilled with both. Lets start separating the gems and get into why this movie is a great watch.

First the screenplay and direction, where Guy Ritchie has done what he does best. The characters are well carved out, there is a plot, there is a case, and there is a solid END. The writers Michele Mulroney, and Kieran Mulroney have packed this with originality and simplicity. It does not take a genius to follow the plot and is not like watching CSI or a murder mystery. This one is more like admiring a great book visually by enjoying the moments of humor, appreciating the twists, and applauding at the end. Bottom line, the story is wise and keeps you entertained. Guy Ritchie has done this enough number of times to establish a knack for it and he does not disappoint. Just a great story is not good enough, and if it was not for the cracking acting by the cast, nothing would live up the screen the way it does on this one.

The chemistry between Jude Law and RDJ is flawless and is brilliant enough to make the real pair look fake. RDJ packs the punch, looks the part, times the moves and lines, and is the best portrayal of Sherlock so far in any movie or TV show. The characters all appear a natural part of the story and appear and disappear just as they would in a real setting. The sets and the setting, including the look and feel of all characters is true to its core and, even Stephen Fry is not bad with his cameo. The elevation in this definitely comes from Jared Harris. JH plays the professor and carries the character beautifully throughout the movie. He almost competes directly with RDJ both in character and screen presence and keeps the balance of having to wait till the end. Jude Law is charming as always, and complements the role in every aspect. Pick any movie within this genre and you will see how good all the characters jive on this one, because just seeing Sherlock would not have cut it.

Then comes the cinematography, the visual effects, the action sequences, and the tiny details of critique that can be used to start ripping it apart. While each person liked, or hated the visual effects, each person is sure to agree on one thing, that this movie is intelligently made and acted, and the intent of telling a good story is clearly visible and felt. We all hate to see sequels just because the first one was a huge hit and the team just wanted to capitalize on it.

Kudos with this one to the team and I cant wait to see another addition to this!

While it might not be the best opinion to classify young writers and directors to a specific style or segment, there is something compelling and unique about the story telling of great directors that makes their fans count days for the release. Story writers in this category not only leave lasting impressions, but always carry a trademark of their method and style which brings that smile in the end, even when they explore diverse subjects or hop genres. Farhan Akhtar is the man who gave us that range with DCH and Lakshya,yet maintained the sincerity and joy of telling a story. Don 2 ladies and gentlemen, is just the opposite.

Is it fair to expect Farhan not to experiment or go blazing commercial Hindi masala with this subject? Absolutely not and complements to him for taking it further, but could he have done this with more love for the character Don, and packed it with the honesty of Lakshya or the freshness of DCH, a resounding yes! Who better than him to do it. Without drawing any comparisons to the original or comparing it to others, the movie miserably lacks a soul. The least a writer and director can do is be fascinated and inspired by the character and the story of Don. This one taints the cinematic image of Don. Clichéd dialog's and disconnected sequences prove more attention was given to make it look hip and sexy, and not make it real. We have all seen the MI series, the 007's, and others like them and they are all incomplete without the cars, gadgets, and the geeky thrills, but pick any good one from the lot and you will see they were all used to complement the story. Very unlike Don 2.

The movie is drenched in classic SRK drama,and you are better off watching a Karan Johar movie than this, at least you will not be surprised by anything. For instance, the movie kicks of by a bunch of big shots conspiring to kill don, and you are a genius if you were able to figure why by the end, or even why it started the way it did, but then I'm talking logic here. How about the poor dialog's and not so funny humor portrayed by SRK? Jabbar the villain is shown more as a personal assistant and, reflects a character that was either not developed or incompletely written.Priyanka Chopra puts in a decent performance to a minimal role and Om Puri could have easily taken a pass on this. Boman Irani does justice to his character but again, his character's evolution as well as introduction does not hit the mark. And are we not in 2011? Why do we have yet again, a new guy in a shy role, trying to impress the heroine who is not interested, no reason why this could not have been all edited. Then there is the elephant in the room for which people showed up to make this another mega hit, SRK.

SRK sticks to his script and does what he has done well since his early days. Whats the problem then? Our movies, and the stories have fortunately moved way forward than his baazigar style of delivery. Frankly, it is disappointing to see him do this especially at a time when he had raised the bar with Chak De and Swades. And the bigger blame here should be on Farhan Akhtar who decided to take this route. It is frustrating to see movies like this do such business, but in the end that's what they are made for, not for story lovers.

Just when you think the movie has ended and you are out of your misery, it starts all over by SRK showing the cops or I should say walking through the exact exit route he took, you've got to be kidding at this point. The drag is merciless packed with melodrama with SRK using all his facial expressions to not impress. And if you thought finally it has ended and there is no room for more, it gives you a glimpse in the last scene that Don 3 might be on its way.

An utter disappointment from Farhan Akhtar, and a winner again for SRK audience. Beware this is not a Farhan Akhtar movie.

You cannot get more diverse than Hindi movies, an industry which releases about a 1000 movies a year on variety of subjects, tastes and genres. Even then path breaking cinema or cult classics have limited themselves to what is called as ART or Non commercial movies in bollywood. Delhi Belly not only breaks that mold, it shatters that perception to create a cult classic which can make Guy Ritchie and company jealous.

In the past few years, a train of exuberant writers and directors have produced work which reflects what is called as a STORY in the strongest sense. Rather than worrying about cast or injecting clichéd song and dance sequences, they have twisted the framework and redefined the requirements for being in a movie. And they have done it with a bang! Delhi Belly reaches the apex of the foundation created by many other brilliant writes and directors like Vishal, Farhan, Shimit, Dibakar, Anurag etc to prove that Hindi movies have changed stripes like never before. More importantly, the audience and people with the big bucks who care to produce such movies have offered support which has elevated writing and made story telling possible in a way that puts us right in the circuit with the best! It all starts with a story and Akshat Verma is the MAN here.

Akshat has given a script that will become the inspiration for many cult writers in India and people will finally start looking outside Lock Stock, Snatch or other Hollywood classics. To create this magic in the realm of a Desi setting, and be able to have moments that can split you for minutes is not just creative victory, but requires a solid understanding of the culture and some first hand experience to come up with twisted situations. The characters and the comedy of errors created by the situation around them is flawless and meticulously hashed out. The beauty of situational humor gives a high and keeps the buzz till the end. The actors all nailed their characters but its easy to pick favorites in the lot.

Kunal Roy Kapoor is the by far the winner of 3 and there could not have been a better choice than Vijay Raaz for the bad guy. The dialogues are brilliant and are sensational without being punch lines or melodramatic. Delhi Belly cruises without creating any deviations and almost every scene fits except for the chudail song which is not a bad touch either. Vir Das and Imran Khan do full justice to their character while the scenes and situations throughout the movie are as original and new as it can get. The direction is smart from Abhinay Deo.

Although not visible in the movie for good reasons, music from Ram Sampat is fantastic and just what a movie like this needed. Aamir Khan's item song provides the icing on the cake here and the man shows what he is capable of in just 2 minutes without saying a word.

Whether you love the movie or hate it, whether you find the language not suitable or natural, and whether you give it a thumbs up or down is pointless. Delhi Belly has already taken Hindi cinema to the next level.

It has shattered the mold and will bring more new waves to Hindi cinema. Its a SNATCH for Bollywood so don't miss it!

After you watch the movie and get a glimpse of the real characters shown in the end, it will evoke an immediate applause in your mind for Christian Bale aka Dicky in the movie. The Fighter is yet another incredible true story that will touch upon a lot of spheres of life and relay inspiring thoughts very subtly. It does not pack the intensity or punches like other boxing movies, but will definitely make an impressive impact.

The direction and screenplay are a clean cut and although there is very little wiggle room with any real story, it still manages to let a viewer derive their own likeness to the characters and draw inspiration through many scenes. Mark Wahlberg is a effortless natural through out the movie and the cast playing the family all do justice to their little roles. Amy Adams will grab your attention with her delivery and will prove her potential yet again how far she has come from Sex and the City. The story overall is not about a big comeback or about nail biting boxing matches, its about a spirit of fighting and the fighter here is Dicky.

You may be a big Christian Bale fan or may have just heard about his crazy role preps for movies like Machinist, but make no assumptions or mistakes about this guy's performances. He proves yet again why he is Oscar material and goes way beyond just the look of a character. Bale is the heart beat of this drama and delivers all the punches outside the boxing ring. Just a couple scenes like his jumps in the trash and singing to his mother in the car display the ability of Bale to get sucked into a character. There is nothing extra ordinary about this story but the character of Dicky makes this more than worth watching.

Its not just head and body, its head, body, and heart from Christian Bale to deliver another Knock Out! Go watch even if you have never heard of him

The beauty of 'The Deal' is clearly the story, and for many a surprising and unknown real story. Peter Morgan does what he does best again by keeping the screenplay no nonsense and captures the delicacies of the time brilliantly. While many who may have in depth knowledge of the matter could have differing opinions on its deviations from reality, the movie is a very fine quality drama from a team which has given gems like Queen and Frost/Nixon.

Michael sheen is fantastic again and David Morrissey is more impressive than sheen. A story very admirably directed and acted, this story captures politics and drama behind a real story joyfully - a match made in heaven!

Across the history of cinema, some of the most impactful and cult movies have had a few things in common. Their stories have surrounded a real world phenomena and the direction captured the essence of the story better than reality. The Social Network by all means is the cult classic of this generation.

What happens when you put the combination of a story writer who has the expertise to convert real world stories into a even more powerful screenplay (Charlie Wilson's War, Few Good Men), and a director with the most astute skills of story telling (Fight Club, Seven, The Game) on a single project? The social network is nothing short of an explosive ride the pace of which will keep you on your toes and the dialogues will make you applaud consistently as it all unfolds. There is no suspense, no killer in the end or no treasure to be found yet it will keep you engrossed and remind you of the world around us. Its true that Aaron Sorkin had more than plenty for the story from the book, but it takes someone like him to make the movie look better than the book! And for David Fincher, he made fight club look casual with this. Every scene including the background music, locations, costumes and the look of the characters is nailed to perfection and it gets better than a courtroom drama without a court or the setting. The characters are the heart and execute the roles with solid punch and timing.

Mark Zuckerberg can take lessons from Jesse Eisenberg on how to be Mark Zuckerberg in case he gets too busy and forgets what he was like! Jesse Eisenberg was born with this voice and speed of talk for this movie as he single handedly runs with the show through out the movie. Andrew Garfield and Justin Timberlake put in solid performances and even the Winklevoss twins are better than the real ones. Every bit of detail has been meticulous worked including the setting of Harvard and code that you see vaguely on the computer screens. Above all the dialogues of this drama are the most memorable and will continue to hit on you even with repeated watches.

Nothing in this movie is extraordinary yet everything about it is a treat to watch! Cut to the chase....this is the new pulp fiction!

Following up on a outrageous success is a daunting task for any director and its a dilemma quite simply called "sequel". Most of the watchers in this case belong to the category of "C'mon, its the hangover...its funny, what more do you expect?" Many who would care to critique would say its not as good as the first, and a few would love it even more and watch it again. Its a fork on the road for most directors when it comes to sequels unless you are the maker of Godfather 2 and there is a reason for that. A sequel could be continuation of a web already weaved by the story or it could be using the same framework to tell a new story. The later is more difficult if you care about success and applause.

Hangover 2 belongs to the second category of sequels and Todd Philips has done a good job of staying true to the spirit and theme. He could easily have used his imagination to build new characters or offer new situations which you bet would have been like buying a lottery ticket. The movie is smart and sticks to a model of success created by the first hangover. For most people who complain its the same as first, they would have thrown more stones had it been a new story and a wash. At the end of the day what makes hangover worth watching is the characters we loved in one.

The characters use the ramp up from one and they are likable as well as funny. Zack as Alan proves its not a one hit wonder while Bradley Cooper and Ed Helms are spot on! Mr Chow could have used some sharper editing but overall the movie sticks to a tight story without aberration. Mike Tyson could have taken a pass along with some other scenes which make you wonder the sky has been reached if that is the limit. The song by Ed Helms in the boat....yes an original again is a nice touch which reminds of hangover one and how funny these characters are.

Thailand is not as good as Vegas and as with any sequel, it is a paradox of choice which is worthy of a watch!

If you are a unique person like me, you have always heard great things about Toy Story movies but never actually sat down or decided to watch one. To make it even better, you probably have never watched the 1 and 2 but wanted to watch 3...if its a yes, I sure bet it was a heart warming experience and now you are adding 1 and 2 to your queue.

Having watched minimal animated movies and a limited liking towards them, I asked myself not to lose interest through the ride but Toy Story proved to change all of that. It does not matter whether you already know the characters or not, this movie will immerse you into a sea of happiness and joy that will not just bring back all the memories as a kid, but it will elevate you to dream and always keep good things closer. The monumental characters like Woody and Buzz will remain and never grow older in your heart, and your imagination/interpretation of the emotions will bring tears of joy and attachment.

The strength of the movie is more than just Woody and Buzz here. What makes it great is a culmination of some very creative thinking, pristine story telling, solid animation and perfect voice overs. And if you pay close attention, then this movie is not about Toys.....this story is about sticking and always being there..... told is a masterful way.

Go watch it and respect the Toy + STORY!!

Nothing about this movie should attract you if you are a selector when it comes to watching a Bollywood movie, but Subhash Kapoor has made a mighty big impression with this incredible story if you have or happen to be watching the ending credits. If there is something called as sensible humor, then this movie draws upon a real world theme and blends it with a tactfully written plot which only gets increasingly entertaining and curious before the perfect finish.

The movie draws the audience with true to happen, yet hard to believe state of affairs in village gangs and Anni is a character that sticks like glue right away. While the pristine performances of all not so popular actors are brilliant, the true hero here is the script. Backed by authentic, crackling, and situational dialog's, the movie paces comfortably and makes every scene enjoyable. And if that is not impressive, a few scenes like the YES WE CAN chant and the English class turn this into truly memorable movie watching. Rajat Kapoor is very himself in the role while Neha Dhupia and Amol Gupte are very good. The page turner and the star of the show is Manu Rishi (Anni) and his brilliant performance. His portrayal of aspiration, honesty and comic timing will make you watch this movie again. Sanjay Mishra is over the top again with the character of Bhaisaab.

Not plaguing this story with item numbers, unneeded songs or illogical twists makes this a "Diamond" in the golden Bollywood ring!

Very few names in the Indian film industry command a stature where the name says it all, and Vishal Bhardwaj tops the list! 7 Khoon Maaf is another trademark VB movie which comes with solidly written characters, brilliant performances and a well executed no nonsense direction. If there is one thing you can expect from a VB movie then it would be a STORY and a story told well.

While VB draws upon already existing, and sometimes famous written works (If you haven't, then stop reading this and watch Omkara), he has the ability to make it original with his definition of the characters and ability to draw breathtaking performances from his actors. Sussana is another elevation for Priyanka Chopra post Fashion and Kaminey but if you pay attention to easily negotiable characters, the performances of Goonga and Ghalib will leave you speechless and speak volumes about the commitment of VB. Of all the cameos, Neil Nitin Mukesh steals the show and Annu Kapoor probably gave his best performance post Guldasta in Tezaab. Needless to mention the guy (VB) writes, produces, directs and does music for the film yet again which gives him the control and room for creating an impact.

If you are a VB fan then you suffer from the same expectation trigger that sets in even before watching the movie. And for this reason the story doesn't keep you on the edge all the time and there are stretched moments, including the song in the end. All said and done 7 is the most appropriate rating for a movie worth a watch.