Reviews

Special 26 is a wittily written story. Akshay Kumar plays a rogue con who was not selected in CBI. To avenge this, Ajju and anupam kher and two other guys con wealthy but greedy businessman and sometimes a politician and take away their money and run away with it. They carry out this con by portraying as CBI officials and a fake one at that. What brilliant stuff! The last time i saw a movie like this was Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! which was a pretty good one. Kajal is just there for singing songs and being an eye candy.Akshay and Manoj and Jimmy with Shantiji kept us on the edge of our seat, for most parts, tweaking the events to finally unveil a thrilling end. After a remarkable debut with the political thriller 'A Wednesday', Neeraj follows it up with a notable 'Special 26'.

This summer, comic book fans and movie audiences have already been treated to two hit film adaptations featuring some of their favorite characters. In May, Marvel Studios' Iron Man 3 overcame a lukewarm fan reception to gross over $1 billion worldwide, proving that the Marvel Cinematic Universe remains one of the elite blockbuster franchises.

Then, Warner Bros. and DC released the Superman reboot Man of Steel and brought the Last Son of Krypton back triumphantly as that film has grossed $282 million domestically and $620 million worldwide.

Both of these movies also had an "event" feeling to them and with all the coverage the two blockbusters have received, it's easy to forget that there's still a third superhero movie this summer - and it's right around the corner: 20th Century Fox's The Wolverine. Although, i like to call it "Wolvie".

It's no secret that one of the most maligned superhero adaptations in recent memory is 2009's X-Men Origins: Wolverine, which was ravaged by critics and moviegoers who were displeased with the butchering of fan-favorite characters, sloppy production values, and a poor script. The general consensus was it was just a mess of a movie and an overall disappointment.

Looking for a reprieve, Fox has made the smart decision to distance the second Wolverine film from the first and position it as a standalone film - not a direct sequel. Since it takes place after the original X-Men trilogy, The Wolverine will still have to acknowledge the events of the prior movies (Jean Grey makes a brief appearance), but director James Mangold has made a point to explain that his movie "stands alone" and is about Wolverine's next journey. Serving as a quasi-reboot of sorts, The Wolverine's standalone approach will hopefully win the studio some audience goodwill.

James Mangold took over for Darren Aronofsky to direct The Wolverine and his involvement should be a positive sign. In the past, the filmmaker has helmed Oscar-nominated dramas such as the 2010 remake 3:10 to Yuma and the 2005 Johnny Cash biopic Walk the Line. These two career highlights were praised for their acting and directing.

The director is hoping to craft a more personal, character-driven story that breaks from the mold of a typical summer action flick. Mangold is looking to respect the rich storytelling of comic books and graphic novels in and break away from what he calls the "standard formula" of a big-budget superhero adaptation. Obviously, there will still be action, but it should be refreshing to see a movie like this go in a different direction.

The best superhero films – The Dark Knight, Iron Man, Spider-Man 2, even The Incredibles – rely more on character than set pieces, making the person behind the mask (or in this case sideburns) just as interesting to watch as the action elements. If this is what Mangold is going for, it's a promising approach.

The Wolverine looks to deal with heavier issues than we're typically used to seeing in a film like this, particularly the consequences of immortality. This film finds Logan in a dark place as he struggles to cope with the knowledge that everyone he loves will eventually die while he stays alive. As a result, the movie will hopefully push our favorite mutant in new directions (as all great sequels should) and present audiences with something we've never seen before: a more physically vulnerable Wolverine.

At the turn of the 21st century, not many people knew who Hugh Jackman was, but a star-making turn in Bryan Singer's original X-Men in 2000 launched the Australian thespian's career. Jackman has since become one of the most recognizable actors of his time, scoring roles in acclaimed films such as The Prestige and Les Misérables. Still, his most iconic role is that of Wolverine in the X-Men franchise. Counting his brief cameo in 2011's X-Men: First Class, The Wolverine will mark the sixth time Jackman has portrayed the mutant, making him synonymous with the character. It's hard to see anyone else playing the part.

What makes Jackman such a great Wolverine (aside from his natural acting talent) is his enthusiasm for the material. It's obvious from his interview clips and quotes that he loves the character and the franchise. He understands how much the movies mean to the fans and he wants to give all of them a product they can enjoy.

Jackman is set to play the character once more in next year's X-Men: Days of Future Past. Eager to right past wrongs, fans have reason to think this movie will be a return to form if the star is so excited about it.

Even though The Wolverine is a standalone film, it was recently confirmed that there is a post-credits scene that teases where the studio intends to take the X-Men franchise - as they look to build a larger universe of X-Men films. This movie in particular may not be a launching pad for such a plan, but the prospect of a tease for the future is more than enough to generate interest among moviegoers, as Fox will quickly shift gears to next summer's ambitious X-Men Days of Future Past.

The Wolverine's button will provide us with that first look and it will be interesting, if nothing else, to see what directions they take.

Here's hoping Wolvie would do great on Box Office.

the combination of fashioned Sonam Kapoor and multi-talented actor-writer from the south, Dhanush, in lead roles, Abhay Deol roped in for a special appearance, and A.R.Rahman for the score, and all you have to do is watch the spectacle and give it a big standing ovation.

"Kundan" (Role played by Dhanush) is trying to set Zoya ( role played by Soman Kapoor) in his unusual design. Dhanush was very confident about persuading his love Zoya & is not scared about losing her and said that "Agar Launda Saala Yaha Bhi Haar Gaya Toh Jeetega Kaha" .Actor fall in love when he sees a Zoya first time and praises her beauty said that Bahut Khoobsurat Hai Yaar Matlab Katrina Kaif Fail Hai.

1. Agar Launda Saala Yaha Bhi Haar Gaya Toh Jeetega Kaha 2. Bahut Khoobsurat Hai Yaar Matlab Katrina Kaif Fail Hai 3. Utna Toh Hum Soch Ke Aaye Hai Maar Do 4. Bachpan Mein Kya Ek Galti Ho Gayi And specially the last dialog Which Dhanush narrates to the audience is awe inspiring.

The holy city of Benaras forms the backdrop for this endearing love drama.

Since childhood Tamil lad Kundan (Dhanush) has developed a crush on Muslim lass Zoya (Sonam Kapoor).

During their teenage years this infatuation slowly turned to love. Kundan's love drives him to stalk Zoya until one day he courageously reveals his true feelings to her. Unable to take him seriously Zoya brushes him off.

Kundan manages to convince his ladylove that he is madly in love with her. But their budding romance is short lived when Zoya's parents decide to send her off to Delhi.

Meanwhile Kundan's love never diminishes as he patiently waits to be reunited with Zoya. Eight years on a grown-up Zoya finally returns home.

She eventually meets Kundan confessing her feelings to him – that she is in love with Akram a young Delhi-based budding politician. She wants Kundan to help her get married!

A heartbroken Kundan sets out to reunite the lovers in this saga of heartache, betrayal and redemption.

Director Rai comes up with a true-to-life romance sprinkled with the right amount of emotions, humor and attitude giving rise to a riveting story.

Based purely on day-to-day life's realities this film has no Bollywood clichés and mushy romance to bore you to death. Despite being a predictable love triangle, Rai manipulates the age-old formula giving it a fresh feel.

A meticulous script, brilliant camera work coupled with A R Rahman's musical score seamlessly weaves itself through the narrative giving rise to a polished product.

South Indian hero Dhanush gives a confident performance fitting the role of Kundan to perfection.

He effortlessly exudes the boyish charm of a teenager with a carefree attitude refusing to give up on his pursuit for love. On the whole what works for Raanjhanaa is the way the director captures the intricacies of love in a very unconventional way!

As much as Silent House wants to be original, it's something we've all seen before. In fact, if you've seen the original film The Silent House, which was only released in 2010, you've really seen it before.

First of all, don't be fooled by the theory that the film is one 88 minute shot. It's not. What the filmmakers are really trying to do is have a film without any cuts. Meaning that there's no shot of one person in one room before we cut to a shot of someone else in another room. This is a series of long sequences, each done in one shot, put together by cleverly concealed edits.

While the idea that the film takes place over 88 minutes is interesting, it is the biggest problem of the film.

There are many shots that are out of focus, and that probably has a lot to do with the extended sequences they're trying to film. You're not going to stop a good run 15 minutes in because that last 10 seconds was fuzzy. I get that. That should have been the exact reason to have cuts in the film though. Everything goes out of focus far too many times to be enjoyable and it really distracts from the entire experience.

Bollywood is actually very much popular for its Thriller Movies. Bollywood isn't exactly popular for good thrillers. Very few of those who claim to be of this genre actually manage to shock and surprise you with their storyline. Without doubt, Kahaani belongs to this elite group. From the moment of its amazing opening sequence you realize that this one is going to be an enjoyable roller coaster ride.

Sujoy Ghosh, who last awed us with his Jhankaar Beats, indeed brings to us 'the mother of a story' in Kahaani. Vidya Bagchi (Vidya Balan), heavily pregnant but determined, arrives in Kolkata in search of her missing husband. But was seems to be a simple missing person's case turns out to be more twisted and complicated than expected. It's Kolkata so yes, anything can happen. With things not what they seem to be and people not what they appear like, Vidya has to fight a lone battle and against time to find her husband.

Any thriller, no let me correct, any movie is made or marred by its opening and its climax and Kahaani has both brilliantly written and shot. What makes this such a winner is the fact that it' is good both in story as well as execution. Sujoy and Advaita Kala's storyline and Suresh Nair and Nikhil Vyas's screenplay make Kahaani an engaging affair. Sujoy brings to life not only the characters but also the streets and the alleys of Kolkata with utmost sincerity. It's not difficult to see the level of detailing to which he has paid attention. Whether it's the Durga Puja, the characters and their accents, the clothes, the hair, the make-up…nothing looks out of place. With enough twists and suspense to keep you engrossed, Sujoy makes sure that you remain glued to the screen.

If one is to talk of the performances, Kahaani is one of the few films in which each and every character – even if it's a two minute role – has been true to the role and delivered it well.

Parambrata Chattopadhyay as Rana, a helpful police officer shines in his nice guy, silently enamored character and is a good find. Nawazuddin Siddiqui as the rough-talking-tough guy proves once again after Paan Singh Tomar that he can carry off just about any character with ease. Dhritiman Chatterjee, Saswata Chatterjee, Indraneil Sengupta and Darshan Jariwala do justice to their roles as do the small characters like the guest house owner, the two kids, the HR head…never do the actors ham and haw. But of course, the star of the movie and the one who single handedly carries the film on her shoulder is the super talented Vidya Balan. Mind you, it's Mrs. Bagchi you see on the screen, never Balan. Looking convincing as a pregnant woman, Balan emotes a range of performances from anger to happiness, fear to determination – Vidya shows that she can do it all. Never once do you see her uncomfortable or out of character whether it's the scene where she silently breaks down, or her frustration on not being able to drape a saree properly or the climax. I could go on and on but for someone who gave us great performances last year in No One Killed Jessica and The Dirty Picture we know that she has truly arrived.

And let's not forget one of the biggest and important characters in this movie – Kolkata. This city plays an integral part in the unfolding and the continuation of the story. Setu's breathtaking cinematography brings to life this mysterious city with its old world charm where, as Usha Uthap rightly sings while introducing this city,'Dil ka bazaar hai, thoda bizarre hai, Kolkata khwaishon armanon ka aachar hai' .We have seen Mumbai and Delhi been a part of many films but never before has the City of Joy been portrayed the way it has in Kahaani; the small quaint streets, the people (for whom Bidya and Vidya are the same), the Howrah bridge and of course the Durga Puja – Kolkata is served to you as a delicious dish.

Vishal-Shekhar's music complements the mood of the movie and it is good to see that the songs don't mar the flow of the story. The only point against this movie is perhaps the editing. Kahaani, in actuality, isn't a very long film (about two hours). But somewhere in the middle you tend to get a feeling that the movie has turned a bit slow. A little bit of snip-snip and a little bit of more pacing would have worked wonders.

Nevertheless, Kahaani is an amazing product AND a great entertainer. Watch it for Sujoy who delivers his best till date. Watch it for aamhar Kolkata which looks dangerous and sexy. Watch it for Vidya, who like music director Shekhar said, is the new hero.

Paan Singh Tomaris the angst of an athlete who did the right thing and tried his best to work within the system to get justice for himself and his family. But then he was pushed. Pushed beyond his limits. And then he turned into a revolutionary, what we call a dacoit. The irony, that he got more recognition as a dacoit than a sports person representing his country in international events, never stopped to boggle him. Does it bother us though? Then, why hasn't the situation changed in the last 40- 50 years?

Even now, the plight wouldn't have reached us if it were not for Irrfan Khan who plays Paan Singh Tomar. He completely bowls us over with his simplicity and then, frustrated aggression. Moreover, after Paan Singh turns into a dacoit rebel, the pride of a military personnel and a national-level sports person never leaves his eyes. He is very rooted in his cause and yet reminds you where his heart lies, time and again.

Mahie Gill provides wonderful support by showing us why she is Paan Singh's vulnerability. And this must be that rare film when a character who plays a prominent part in the first half of the film disappears later and the disappearance seems justified. Paan Singh had to forgo his family life including his wife, after all.

Paan Singh Tomar invokes your curiosity by exposing the rebel Paan Singh before telling us about how he was as a sports person. That created just the right amount intrigue because as the flashback progressed you wanted to know how this simple, straightforward person took to becoming a dacoit.

Paan Singh's achievements as an athlete is shown in good detail and so is his transformation into a person who had to take the law in his hands. The part where he becomes feared and successful as a dacoit is sorely missing. And that according to me is the film's biggest letdown. The meek and largely submissive Paan Singh suddenly becomes a dreaded outlaw and we are asked to take that as a given.

And despite this major gap in the writing, Paan Singh Tomar is commendable and recommended watch because of the issue it tries to address. If there is one thing about sports in our nation that needs dire attention, it is the condition of and apathy towards our non- cricketing sports people.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5):

Direction: 3.5 Story: 4 Lead Actors: 4 Character Artists: 3 Dialogues: 4 Screenplay: 3

The subject of possession is one of the most heated and debated topics of our time. Can demons seize control over humans, thereby causing great suffering to both themselves and everyone around them, or is it just mental illness? The Catholic Church would have you believe that latter, but let's face it; some things just cannot be explained, and if there is no such thing as demonic possession, why even train exorcists? Paramount Insurge's new film The Devil Inside tackles these questions while delivering some genuine scares to kick off the new year.

It all starts with a chilling phone call to police placed by a woman named Maria Rossi (Crowley). She alerts the authorities that she has slain three people. Upon arriving at her home, the police discover a massacre, and once Rossi is in custody, it becomes really apparent that she's not your ordinary killer. Something is just ... off. So off in fact that instead of being imprisoned, she's shipped off to Italy and locked down in an asylum.

Two decades later her daughter, Isabella (Andrade), has some questions about not only her mother and the crimes she has committed but also whether or not her mental illness runs in the family. After digging a bit, it turns out that her mom had killed the three victims while they were performing an exorcism on her. This raises a whole new set of questions, and Isabella is determined to find out exactly what happened that grisly evening and what is currently happening with her mother.

To get answers, she and her filmmaker friend, Michael (Grama), travel to the Centrino Hospital for the Criminally Insane in Italy, where her mother has been locked away. Their objective? Figure out if her mother is mentally ill or demonically possessed. While in Rome, our pair meet up with two young exorcists (Quarterman, Helmuth) who convince the duo that in order to understand what is happening with Maria, they first have to understand what possession is. From there our group of truth- seekers end up taking one hell of a ride into the mouth of darkness where science and religion collide into a crescendo of terror.

Possession flicks are really hard to pull off effectively because of the shadow of the giant 400-pound gorilla in the room known as The Exorcist. If you go too far, you're ripping it off. If you don't go far enough, your flick is labeled boring. It truly is a damned if you do, damned if you don't kind of problem for a filmmaker to have to face. Thankfully, director William Brent Bell walks the fine line between inspiration and imitation with nary a misstep. The Devil Inside is an effective thriller that's guaranteed to send some solid chills down the spines of audiences. It's only real shortcomings come from the cinéma vérité shooting style it utilizes. Though not in abundance, the usual pitfalls of the technique are present and accounted for along with a couple of horror movie clichés that serve to temporarily snap you briefly out of the otherwise immersive experience. Yes, sometimes our characters will make questionable choices that will lead to all sorts of bad things, but once you see how well said things are executed, you can for the most part forgive them.

For all those out there whose main complaints about cinéma vérité style films is that the camera is too shaky and you really never see anything, do not worry. The camera work never gets too out of hand, and when the shocks and scares do come, they hit like a punch to the jaw.

The film is loaded with nightmarish moments that will have people both shrieking and averting their eyes. A special mention has to go out to Bonnie Morgan, who plays the character of Rosa, and of course Suzan Crowley, who, much like Lorna Raver did in Drag Me to Hell, completely steals the show. These ladies go above and beyond the call of spooky with their performances, and there's no way this flick would have been as effective without them.

While not perfect, this tale of possession hits way more than it misses and follows perfectly in the footsteps of the Paranormal Activity franchise, proving that more can be done with passion and imagination than with an inflated budget. The Devil Inside is home to moments that will shock, scare, disturb, and leave you gasping. It's a trip to the dark side that's well worth taking. No matter what you believe in ... say your prayers.