jaskunwar993

Listen, we live in a country where people don't try anything new. It pisses me off. Think about the amount of potential going waste just because you are doing what you are told is the right thing instead of what you really want to do. In that department, I am in awe of the creators of OK COMPUTER. A series that can easily be called one of the most unique things to come out of India (the last film that comes to mind when I think like this is TUMBBAD).

However, its positivity ends right there. Because while it is a truly new concept to execute in India, it is not at all a 'new' concept. AI, Sci-Fi, robots, the "3 rules of robotics" - it's a direct callback to I, Robot. Of course, the makers must completely be aware of all this, but maybe they were thinking along the lines of - yeah, it's old, but it hasn't been done in India!

Which prompts the question - who is this series made for? Is it made for the soap-opera consumer, or for the millennial genuinely invested in the times that are looking ahead?

It seems to be designed for the aam janta, yet it tries to be clever and stylish enough to be a millennially-aimed product. But all that aside. The attempt to be different, outlandish, quirky, is SO obvious that that's all the show comes across as. Often I was losing track of what was going on in the scene because I was so distracted by the gigantic traffic woman's hologram, or by things happening in the background causing me to miss crucial dialogue in the foreground, and subsequently lose track of the conversation.

And speaking of holograms, just a little bit of light hitting the wall or the tree when a hologram is projected would have lent nicely to the realism of the effect. However there's just a hologram with no effect on the light in the environment, hence it looks extremely fake even after all the hard work.

I didn't like it. I didn't enjoy it. It was trying to be oversmart with really outdated ideas. I enjoyed one scene thoroughly however, the fight between Apte and Varma through the glass door. But it was interrupted and ended with one of the worst monologues ever by a third character. This is not a comment on her acting skills - Kusruti is a splendid performer. The sudden tonal shift, the attempt at humorous sorrow - this was all, again, an attempt to be too smart with the filmmaking, sacrificing story and emotion for style.

PS - I did not watch beyond episode 1.

I am stunned! Unlike the start of the previous season, this one moves at a startling speed. You've barely had time to gasp, and then you're quite literally choking by the end of it (you'll know what I mean when you watch it). Spectacular storyline, spectacular writing, spectacular scenes, spectacular filmmaking, spectacular performances (the guy who plays Holden is a genius)... just simply spectacular.

This seems to be a stunning season, and a stunning reason... to believe that great things are coming.

I'm not so sure anymore... I've been binge-ing the earlier seasons in anticipation of this episode, and whilst I was sure even while watching Season 7 that there was something drastically wrong with the pacing and writing of it, now more than ever the lack of quality is crystal clear.

Having just finished episode 1 of season 8 (weren't all these episodes supposed to be an hour-and-a-half long?), I feel a little disheartened. Not much happens in this episode, and that's fine, I am all for holding the action back and ramping up the drama leading up to it... however it's the same issues as Season 7 - the writing feels unintentionally comic, at times. The moments we all expect to see, unfold on screen in the most obvious manner possible. It conveniently cuts between different sequences to keep all storylines moving forward (of course, that has always been a pattern, but it never felt this constructed before). The characters seem to be wrapping up a major Hollywood Fantasy Blockbuster rather than the Game of Thrones we have grown to love and adore.

I felt no emotion, just a smile here or there, which can't be helped... these are people I've spent the last 10 years with, even if they are delivering corny lines with a straight, serious face, I can't help but admire where they have reached in this tremendous journey.

They do leave you with an interesting cliffhanger, where, for a second, I genuinely got excited about the moments that would follow... and were they the 1.5-hour episodes I was expecting, it may even have delivered some strong punches. But alas, in true Hollywood-Netflix-binge style, the only moment which carried within in some fire and some potential to get the heart racing... the screen cuts to black following a dramatic eye-exchange between two characters we love, and the credits roll.

I love it. It's such a new concept, such a thrilling new approach to crime/investigative type of content.

I am three episodes in so far, and I am hooked. I was hooked after the first episode. Ed Kemper is such a fascinating character. There are times when he is talking and I am just stunned... I crave to listen to him. I understand Ford so well... I understand his drive to listen to these guys. I feel his compassion for Kemper and I really think he genuinely seems to be becoming his friend. Tench is a great addition to Ford, almost as if his better half in this journey to communicate with 'sequence killers' (the show takes place in a time that had not yet identified the concept of 'serial killers'), to try and figure out other such killers and maybe stop them before they act.

I am yearning to find out what's ahead. Fincher, much like House of Cards, helmed the first two episodes, set the tone, and left it. Whatever he sets his hands on turns into gold. The perfect choice of a director for something such.

I can't wait for Holden and Bill to speak to other 'sequence' killers. I can't wait to meet Miller, Manson... and any other crazy lunatic psychopath rotting in jail... I can't wait to know and understand them.

I think this episode was very nice. One of the more important episodes of this drowning show. This season, we've seen two of those - (S09E11) and this. An overall development of characters takes place and it's shelled in an interesting plot of Howard, Sheldon and Leonard signing a contract.

I don't want to say a lot about this... just watch it. Even Raj's sub- plot was interesting.

All-in-all, Bernadette seems less annoying, Amy seems to be growing up, Penny was hot as always, and boy, Sheldon is surely surprising. This episode marks a perfect example of the dilemma - who is Sheldon, really, and what is he becoming?

It's exceedingly rare for a film to make me forget it's a film - but Interstellar managed to knock me out of my senses in a way I had never imagined.

Here's the thing about films like Interstellar: the experience of these films starts way before their release, and lingers on in your bodies as a wonderful sensation way after they are over. Christopher Nolan, god bless that genius, announced Interstellar a week after the release of TDKR, and since then, we his fans have driven ourselves mad trying to figure out what Nolan would do with Black Holes and Time Travel and such alike - and what he does is not only brilliant, but beautiful in unthinkable ways.

I really need a second viewing to fully be able to appreciate the technical elements of the film, because after a point, really, I was too immersed in the whole experience of it to bother paying attention. But the cinematography, editing, visual effects, set design, the score (Oh, Hans Zimmer!), Nolan's direction, the performances, all combined into a powerful 3 hours that transports you to another universe for the whole time. They did their jobs perfectly so honestly I wouldn't be able to find a flaw.

Some have criticized the sound design but I disagree: it was all just so beautiful. So perfect.

Nolan raises so many questions in our minds and answers them so beautifully as time goes. I loved this. I absolutely loved this and I implore you to go and watch it and experience and understand what cinema is really, really about.

For those who have not seen it, please do not read on. Just go watch it.

A solid 12/10 - because yes, it dares to go beyond.

***SPOILERS BEYOND THIS POINT***

Let me shrug off the criticism against it: the emotional quotient - 'Love'. "Love is the one thing that transcends time and space." It's been said by many that the emotional quotient of this film takes away from the 'other' parts of it, however, the 'many' may not have fully understood what Nolan was trying to say. Think of love as a physical being - an actual something that literally 'transcends' time and space - think of love itself as the fifth dimension beyond time! This whole wonderful journey is the process of understanding this truth, told through the stranded relationship of a daughter and father. Being a student of philosophy myself, this whole concept visualized with scientific rationality is a kind of dream-come-true for me. It is not a film for the pleasure of viewing the film - it raises and answers in its own logic the questions that humankind is yet to find answers to in real life. This film is a realization in the purest sense - this film goes beyond itself, beyond the concept of being just a film. Nolan does the unthinkable: in the never-ending debate between religion and science about the ultimate source of energy for the world, Nolan finds a middle ground.

This film is Revelation. Wow. Just wow.

Regarding Golmaal... as the next one comes out, its quality goes down. Rohit Shetty thought that the formula he used in Golmaal 2 (no strong storyline, cheap, PJ humour, loose funny sequences tied together) would work in 3 as well. 2 was a hit. And I think this one will be too. But, God... why did it have to come out on Diwali? All the lights just went out.

No, seriously, I swear it. I believe that what constitutes a good film, regardless of a weak storyline, bad script, everything, is if it's able to make you feel the emotions you're supposed to feel. If that happens, then the movie qualifies, because then you know it has a soul. That is exactly the reason why a non-sensical movie like Kick-Ass was a blockbuster. It made you FEEL it. Golmaal... bekaar.

And to add to the fact that this film has no soul, it has a very average script, very poor music, no storyline at all, poor sense of humour, OK-OK direction. Alright, I agree that the performances were good... but what's the point trying to give your best in something, when, well, there IS nothing to give your best in! Yes, exactly, that's my point. The purpose of this film was to give bollywood its first ever trilogy, and to try to spread laughter this Diwali. But then, you only ever laugh at a good joke, that makes you FEEL itself! That is why only rare comedy's have provided genuine laugher... like Bheja Fry, Hera Pheri, etc! Even Golmaal 1 had a soul. But no, the soul preferred to leave in 2. And it didn't bother to come back for the three. I give it two stars for the two times out of I-don't-know-how-many it made me laugh, genuinely.

This is the problem with Bollywood. As I've said in one of my articles on Bollywood (Quantity + Lack of Originality = Bollywood found on http://hubpages.com/hub/Quantity-Lack-of-Originality-Bollywood), there's a reason why Bollywood has produced the maximum number of films and 0 Oscars.

Seriously... people need to start thinking before making a film. It's all in the mind. You have a good idea, use your mind for that, use your hand and all the greatest trained people to give that idea shape. And tell me which person calls that product bad.

Move on, Bollywood. The world has. Don't get left behind. Life is, after all, despite what 3 Idiots says, "a race".

I always type my reviews in Notepad, but no – Inception deserves better. After a run of the most amazing films ever – Memento, Insomnia, Batman Begins, The Prestige, and of course, The Dark Knight (my all time favourite!), Nolan is finally ready with his next experiment: Inception, a dream-come-true movie (which is kind of ironic!) that makes us question the existence of the very world around us. One assumed that The Dark Knight was the ultimate peak that any film maker could ever reach – Nolan included – but this young director refuses to accept that there is a Cloud 9 – and simply questions, "What next?" And BANG answers it himself: Inception. My new all-time favourite.

The English Dictionary defines "inception" as "origin" – basically, that is what the film is about. It's about planting an idea in someone's mind, hence, "originating" an idea in that person. It's the most amazing experiment anyone has ever performed: an impossible world where you enter dreams, and dreams within dreams, and dreams within those, until you realize that such a movie is only ever found in dreams, except that Nolan doesn't think so.

Nolan uses his incredible direction skills in this movie to make it the wonder it is. His direction is what makes this film tick. His timing is just amazing. Caprio does full justice to his character, Cobb. Zimmer's music keeps us with Nolan's pace, which is why it all turns out to be so incredible. The cinematography, superb, the special effects, superb, the editing, perfect, the script, brilliant. This movie has everything!

But then the only question that people are asking now is – which one is it – The Dark Knight, or Inception? I'll be blunt honest. The reason Memento didn't work as well as TDK, despite being an amazing film, is that it wasn't a film for everyone. Only those people who're willing to take the weight, the tension, and those who have a high presence of mind, and an understanding of the complexity of a highly complex film will be able to fully enjoy the film. Inception pushes TDK aside with ease, but not for the entire world. If one has noticed, then you can see that Nolan is following an alternative pattern in all his films that have made it to the Top IMDb 250: Memento, highly complex, Batman Begins, not so, Prestige, complex again, The Dark Knight, not so, and now Inception, his most incredible project.

I immediately called up people after the movie, telling them to go watch it, and I was shocked beyond anything when one of the friends said, "I'm going for Eclipse. Can't." Learn your lesson, people, do NOT miss this wonder. Like Toy Story, this too comes once in a decade. Though in Nolan's case, that's not true. Trust Nolan. Now, I can't wait for Batman 3.

10/10. Damn! Isn't there anything more than that?

I'll be totally honest here. This film's not at all worth it. It's a clichéd story where the hero doesn't believe in "love" and ends up falling in love. Obviously "aal izz well" in the end. Same scenes, attempts at showing that this movie's different but ends up being the same, repetitive thing, the direction is fine but predictable. Score is average. Acting is too average. Throughout the movie I was smsing the three people I'd come with to watch the movie, telling them what was going to happen the next minute and how everything would be resolved, and not surprisingly, I turned out to always be right! The typical bollywood-coincidences are irritating. The pretext of "fate" to justify all events is just... ENOUGH. Grow up, Bollywood. Love stories are not all that they're shown to be. In India, if you run away one day before marriage, your family kills you. They don't accept you. It's so outrageous. Ends up being the same thing it is.

The movie itself brilliantly sums up what my final verdict is... I Hate Love Stories.

I was glad to find out that my little hometown had decided to put up Toy Story 3 in PVR, and that too in 3D. Hearing this, I left the toilet midway (:P) and rushed to book the tickets for the next available show. 11 years and here it was... Toy Story 3 was officially out in India.

Having seen Toy Story 1 and Toy Story 2, the latter being my favourite Pixar production, obviously my expectations were, least to say, 'sky- high'. I must slap myself for doubting them, I must throttle myself for even thinking it, I should get "lasered" by a real Buzz Lightyear for being afraid of it, and I must get "coyboyed" by Woody for having second thoughts about the result... but guess what. After close to 2 hours of delight, depression, hope, inspiration and a pure heart-warming tale, I suddenly had a new favourite Pixar, and I daresay a new 2nd favourite (nothing beats TDK): Toy Story 3.

Funnily enough, the basic central theme of all Toy Story's is the same: Rescue. However, it's HOW the theme is shaped and shelled that makes a movie "awful", "ok", "good", "great"... or "Toy Story 3". I tried to be as cruel to the movie as possible, trying to find mistakes, trying to find a loophole, trying to locate ONE black spot in pure, white, serene beauty, but I couldn't.

The Direction: Perfect. Lee has done a wonder job with it. No bumps, no goofs, no feeling of "What? Why? How?". Everything is so well explained, so well done, every action and event has an explanation.

Music: Makes the movie what it is. Gives it the feel.

Script: Wow. Wow. Wow. And wow.

Editing: Perfect.

Cinematography: Though there isn't any, the sense of cinematography is totally perfect.

Voice(s): Oscar winning performances, for the voices at least...

Ideas & Concepts: From the most heartwarming scene, to the most threatening scene, to the most touching scene... to the most hilarious scene ever (Buzz! Senorita!). The ideas that are reflected in these scenes... and again the direction... makes you ACTUALLY experience the moment.

And finally...

The Animation: What can I say... Pixar is already perfect but somehow they're getting better and better. Perfect movements, which create perfect moments, amazing sense of animation, the reflections, the expressions... the... well, everything.

But what is it that makes this movie what it is? I don't know. I watched this movie once but I guess that wasn't enough. I'm gonna watch this movie again, again, again and again. But I know that I still won't be able to tell you WHAT it is that makes this movie the wonder it has turned out to be. All I can say is, don't give a DAMN about the price of the ticket, this movie is priceless. Grab the next opportunity, and make way for it if you don't get one, but go, 10-year-olds, 20-year-olds, 40- year-olds, 80-year-olds... there's something in there for everybody. Go. Don't waste more time. Go and live a wonder that I think will never, ever, EVER, come again.

A perfect 10/10.

The much hyped Raajneeti hit the theatres - and the public, I daresay - today. Speculated questions circled whether Prakash Jha would be able to continue his spree of good movies. I'd never seen a Prakash Jha film, so I honestly didn't know what "good" meant for a Prakash Jha critic, so I went in with an open mind.

I curse the audio of the theatre, for I couldn't get some of the dialogues, as they evoked uproaring reactions from the crowd. Now, I don't know what went wrong, for I, personally felt that those dialogues were rather corky, but yet they worked so well with the crowds... so either the script is bad and so was the crowd's sense of detecting a good script (the best possibility - it wasn't a multiplex), or the audio was terrible, or the dialogues needed some background information. End result - I felt script was the biggest factor that was lacking in what could've been a GREAT film.

Technically, this movie was terrible. Be it the camera-work (I very deliberately refer it to as "camera-work"... not "cinematography"), the editing, the sound editing, color correction at parts... etc etc. But then that's not all that a film is about. Prakash Jha uses his skills as a director to handle such a complex topic and such a complex storyline, and makes it look like an easy job. He very skillfully makes us believe this: No one is innocent in Politics. In the beginning, you feel Y is innocent. Then you suddenly see he's a dog and you conclude that X is innocent and clean. That perception quickly changes and you say that Z is the hero amongst the masses. And you end up saying... politics is a dirty game. The film very efficiently highlights one of the biggest problems of Indian Politics: that both, politicians and the public, are more concerned about who gets the seat, than what should be done once you're on it. Sad fact about our politics: corruption.

This film brings to the forefront the varying ways of corruption, how family is such a big hindrance, and a support, and since it is both all of it gets to confusing and complex: do I choose thousands of hungry and dying - the public? Or do I choose my love, who I can't live without? And the decision is all that matters.

I couldn't figure how the movie would end, but they way it did, I think it was the best possible one. Performance wise, this film is decent. Ranbir is above average, Katrina obviously still can't act, Arjun Rampal is the shining underdog, Patekar good, Manoj and Ajay at the same level: that isn't necessarily bad! What can I say? It's another Jab We Met, just not as good, technically flawed, otherwise, enlightening.

I'd give it 7/10 - and yes, it's DEFINITELY worth a watch. Maybe we'll pity our politicians. And trust me - they need it.

Kites - the "most anticipated" movie of 2010, after "My Name is Khan". Kites - the supposed revolution in Bollywood. Kites - the movie who's script made Hrithik Roshan jump up and down on his bed in his room. Kites - the most ambitious project in Bollywood EVER. Kites - whatever. First of all, the statement "closest ever bollywood's been to Hollywood" is confusing. What does it exactly mean? Does it mean that bollywood is moving closer in terms of "technicalities", or does it mean in terms of, you know, "the movie"? If it is the former, then I'm confused - because Bollywood has its own distinct style of shooting and editing - and it is in NO WAY inferior to Hollywood. But if it is the latter - then is Kites a step "closer", or a step "further" away from Hollywood? Does Hollywood simply mean not having a happy ending? And Bollywood means that it is ALWAYS supposed to have a happy ending? Here's the Indian problem again - lack of proper thinking. I'm sorry, but Kites is still just a desi Patang - flies, soars higher and higher, and eventually gets knocked off by another. In this case, the "another" is simply the lame, immature attempt of Kites at being Hollywood. In a way, it knocks itself out. Now don't get me wrong - Kites is not a bad film. But it still is trying to find a direction and a specific AIM by the time it's intermission. At intermission, you'll have a confused look and ask your partner - if you have one, otherwise you'll just ask yourself - "Huh!?". Second half is an improvement upon the first - you have some nice sequences, like the - OK, let me not give anything away, but yes, it is definitely better. Performance-wise, Hrithik steals the show, with Barbara closely behind. Some of his expressions are awesome! Direction - confusing at times, but smooth. Cinematography is, I agree, mind-blowing, as is the editing. Script is nice - but loose at times. So when everything is "good", why is the movie just about average? It is simply because when you make a film, you either make it totally "bollywood" - desi, and in such a case even a film like "Wanted" starring Salman Khan can become a superhit. Or you make it totally Hollywood. Sadly, Bollywood doesn't have that capability yet. For that, we need THINKERS. When you make a combination of both, behold Kites!, the effect is ruined. You start walking off 3 minutes before it actually ends - as it happened in the hall I was watching the film in. This only says one thing - "Nopes. You failed. You just gave us one more reason to say - 'Bollywood, wake up'." Nice try! 5/10.

Brilliant trailers and amazing music had created some amount of hype for this movie... and Vishal Bhardwaj's name was just the icing on the cake.

This film is divided into two parts: the part before interval, the one I call slow and OK, and the part AFTER the interval, the part I call... brilliant.

Where to start... where to start... it's a slow start with a little shaky introduction, one that leaves us baffled, I mean... what just happened!? Then, the great duo comes in, and my my, what a performance by both! Special credit goes to Arshad Warsi for getting back his Munnabhai dialect. For a change, even Balan shone bright! As for the direction of the first half, it's good, but a person tends to get bored at times. I know I did. The whole plot isn't clear till about 40 minutes into the movie. Not a really convincing interval, but well... first part's over! And then comes the second. The movie suddenly picks up the pace and you find yourself engaged! A love triangle builds up amongst Shah, Warsi and Balan (Quote, Warsi: "Vah! Tera Ishq Ishq Hai, Mera Ishq sex."). The excitement grows and the one-liners ("Chutiyam Sulphate", "Chuttad Dhone Se Pehle Tancha Chalana Seekhte Hai")... and the way they're said, it's just BRILLIANT! Kudos to Abhihskek for a brilliant debut, and kudos to Vishal Bhardwaj for being the genius he is, the one-liners and music are amazing! For a change, good cinematography and good editing do their job as well. And that's why it rocks - because all basics are perfect.

And, my my, what an end. What a beautiful end.

Rating: First half: 7/10 Second half: 9/10 Overall: 8/10 (That's a **** guys!) Somehow, I just know only a small audience will like this wonder... somehow, I just do.

I was giving the guys a birthday treat, the treat being a first show of either Ishqiya or Rann. After much contemplation, the invitees banked upon Rann, against my better judgement of choosing Ishqiya. Not because I thought Rann was going to be bad, but because Ishqiya sounded more interesting.

Ah well, we went for Rann. The hall was empty, surprisingly, considering the fact that Rann took up the entire TOI front page a few months ago. RGV...RGV...RGV... the man doesn't change nothing, does he? Same style of film-making, with a loose script, interesting concept, and such cliché cinematography (but it's good, the cinematography style, suits the theme). The editing, thank god, was good. The direction, well... looks boring in the beginning, but becomes engrossing soon. Even though it's an interesting concept, it's a cliché, predictable storyline, and a "Duh! I knew it" climax. GOD, when will RGV learn that loud, "Govinda" type music isn't everything!

As for the performances... well. No one but Amitabh Bachchan (hands down) and Paresh Rawal deliver. Terrible performances by others, the one's that had the big roles, that is. Terrific performance by Big B is all that adds the cherry to the cake. Light, subtle humour by our very own Rajpal Yadav keeps the mood light, something that is a must for these issue-based movies.

Final thought? Go for it, obviously! But I still wanted to try Ishqiya... would probably catch it tomorrow...

But boy, if what these guys have shown IS really the truth, then I gotta tell dad to watch the newz less. Much, much less.

6/10. ***

Where to start? I was going to watch a Salman Khan starrer, so naturally all my expectations were low. VERY low.

I've learned not to expect anything great from him. And, not to forget, I was going to watch a photocopy of my favourite actress, Katrina Kaif (favourite, mind you, for all reasons other than her acting!), which is really frustrating. This is the second time Salman is doing something like getting a carbon copy.

So, anyways, in one word, this movie is average. Very average. For more than one reason. It's a good entertainer, but all the super-bollywoody factors make me hate it, like flying (means a LOOOOOOONG jump), like breaking a sword with a bloody fist, etc, etc. Thank god for what happens in the end, though.

The direction is OK, doesn't feel stretched, but isn't that smooth either. The editing is flawed, but I'd give the cinematography a solid 8/10. Scenes are beautifully captured, no doubt. The 300-type CGI makes one want to puke, at times. The soundtrack... except the one song that I know people will like, it sucks.

And for the performances... Salman Khan's acting was... let's say... what it was supposed to be. Satisfying, nothing great. For others, it was fine. The newcomer Katrina Kaif-ish girl, though didn't have too many dialogues, was pretty OK.

And for the movie... I just LIKED one thing, which is the small twist in the end. As for the rest, it was OK. It is, after all, a love story, and nothing more. And when it comes to love, India has invented so many stories and I've seen so many that honestly, I'm bored. I mean, come on, what are they gonna do next, make films on capturing a terrorist, or a common cold? 6/10. Don't really go on my rating, I'm too critical. But go for it - it's a one-time-watch, and a sure-to-be-hit.

Perfect. Almost. Oh yeah... those are the words! I'm writing this at the 8th hour of the morning of 25th December. Merry Christmas, viewers, this is the perfect treat. I was lucky enough to have caught a special preview of the year's best movie, 3 Idiots, last night. Aamir Khan fans, after a disastrous Ghajini, prepare to be truly delighted! He once again shows his 'perfectionist' attitude with this highly-anticipated soon-to-be blockbuster! It has EVERYTHING - from good humour, to emotions that actually move you. When a sense of fear is supposed to be created, it is created, and when you're supposed to feel good, you do! Remarkable performances by each and every one of the characters just adds to the entire effect. A nice-to-listen-to soundtrack assures you that even the song sequences aren't boring. And over that, such beautiful choreography! Witty dialogues and hilarious one-liners keep you wanting for more, and some head-bobbing suspense makes you wonder as well...

But, above all, above EVERYTHING else, what truly, TRULY makes this movie work is Rajkumar Hirani's brilliant sense of direction. How he cuts between the past and the present, at the perfect moments, is just amazing. With this, he could finally emerge as one of the leading directors of the country today.

3 Idiots is based on the book Five Point Someone by Chetan Bhagat, even though it's hugely different. And, for the first time in my life, I can proudly say that yes, finally, a movie has not just done justice to the book, but easily surpassed it. All thanks to Rajkumar Hirani. And proudly too because an Indian did it! I have to be strict... it's an Aamir Khan movie. So I have no option but to cut off 1 for the editing and dubbing errors.

9/10. What more do you want? Don't miss it for anything!

Ladies and gentlemen, put your hands together for the most well-done CGI hand in hand with the most disappointed movie of the year - yes, put your hands together for Avatar.

No, no - don't get me wrong. The movie's not bad. But the script is horribly weak! I don't know if this has anything to do with the fact that I was watching a dubbed version, but the dialogues were disappointing enough. Cameron has come up with the most convincing CGI production, but, I wonder why, he only relies on the CGI? Why didn't he work more on the story and, specially the script? The direction is very slow at times, and tends to get irritating. The predictability of the movie is the worst part. We're tired of the some-stroke-of-luck last- minute-life-saving moments of the lead roles. Let them DIE man!

Go watch Avatar for the deliciously sweet eye-candy, but if you're hoping for something big, then you might as well skip it.

Wow. What an unexpected surprise! Fresh out of the box... Rocket Singh looks you in the eye with an innocent yet promising look - as if it were saying, "I'm sweet, amn't I?" And you have no choice but to agree.

It's full of everything - subtle, clean, sensible, humane, but, above all, GENUINE humour; witty dialogues that make you smile; a good flow; touching moments; moments that make you smile... and what else do you want? Oh, yes, ladies and gentlemen, Rocket Singh - Salesman of the Year is worth every penny you spend on it. It starts with a humorous yet touching scene, where our very own Harpreet (Ranbir Kapoor) finds out that he's passed his MBA - with 39%. You expect him to cry, be frightened, sweat... but no. He smiles, and thanks Wahe Guru. And then he says, "Number kam hai, dimaag nahin." Rocket Singh is that boat-ride that makes you want more and more of it. This year has been full of disappointments for the industry, starting with the strike, moving on to some drastic releases... but here we are! One of those gems that bollywood has produced this year... after Dev.D, Kaminey, Paa... Rocket Singh.

It has a soothing soundtrack and some amazing moments, and it once again reminds us why Sardars are some of the most amazing people on this earth. The biggest disappointment to me was that the first day first show hall here, in Punjab, was only 1/5th full. What could be more disastrous? We have people rushing to see an SRK or an Aamir Khan production, but why are the seats empty in better movies like Paa, Kaminey, and now Rocket Singh? Why don't we have to FIGHT for the ticket? I give it a well-deserved 8/10, and I'm cutting off 2 merely because it ended.

And yes, people. Go watch it.

I promise you'll smile.

For once, I was entering a Hall with the assurance that the movie I was about to watch was something ORIGINAL, something not copied from the West. And so, OBVIOUSLY, my expectations were low. You never know what you can expect from an original Bachchan movie! The credits began, and Jaya Bachchan could be heard individually pronouncing each name (the cast, the team behind the movie), and slowly, by the time she reached "Writer and Director", you wished her to stop. And then, in a magical tone, she says "Paa!", laughing along, and a soothing tone fills your ear and heart... and you know, yes, this is going to be a good show.

Paa has its moments that touch you, that move you, that make you laugh, that make you feel warm, that make you happy... etc etc. There are moments that are supposed to make you cry... but they don't. I guess that's where Paa fails. Amitabh Bachchan in the lead role delivers a sweet performance, and Abhishek is seen trying very hard to fit in. Vidya sort of stumbles out of her "Vidya" character. The music of the movie is simple. The end credits song sung by Amitabh Bachchan was one amazing track. Even "Hitchki" was nice. The direction and flow was simple, though the cuts between Auro's waiting and Amol's political moves were rather jerky. The cinematography was simple and fulfilling, though the editing required spicing up.

In the end, definitely go watch Paa. I was disappointed to find only 15 had come for the first day first show... me being one. It's films like these that should be more prevalent. In contrast, if Kambakkht Ishq was a HIT, then in that case this should be a BLOCKBUSTER. Sadly, I know that will not be the case.

7/10.

The review I had read before the release gave it a 3.5 stars stating that it was a solid entertainer, brilliant, hilarious comedy, and if not always laughing, but it'll always have you smiling, at all times. I've been through worse, so I sat through it. And, for once, HYPE didn't kill this movie. This movie was dead before it hit the screens.

Akshay Kumar with his stupid stunts, worse-than-ever performance at some points, irritating cliché expressions is the most destructive factor of the movie. He did it in Chandni Chowk, then in Tasveer, and now Kambakkht Ishq. The direction is so stupid and abrupt, you just wonder why did they show this scene? What was the point of that line he said? The cinematography and editing was good, and so were three of the songs. The script was bad, and seriously, it was bad. And the only thing about the movie which I liked was, well, Bebo.

How the hell did a superstar like Sylvester Stallone wind up in the middle of a gang-way alley to save Bebo from gangsters? Yes, Sylvester Stallone is himself in the movie. How can a superstar of his fame arrive there, JUST at the time required?? Age-old-traditional bollywood rigidity, one that shall never change, I guess.

Time's up Akki. Time up. 4/10, ONLY for Bebo and the songs.

New York had the effect that a movie like Taare Zameen Par had: not expected much, yet looking forward to it, because it's the first worthy movie that has come out after the much-agonizing 2 month movie ban. The cast was top class: Niel Nitin Mukesh of Johnny Gaddar fame, Katrina Kaif of the Singh is Kinng fame, and John Abraham of the Dhoom fame. Not to forget the return of Slumdog Millionaire's Irrfan Khan, again as a police officer, no, wait, the FBI.

Three friends, ready to face the world... and then the world changed. This is the tagline. It was New York that had changed in the movie. The world was nowhere in sight. The script was good, light and humorous. Katrina's performance was amazing, considering that she doesn't know how to act. John was Good, and for a change so was Niel. Irrfan had that humorous touch in his voice that many love.

The direction is smooth, but too much slow motion at times. The cinematography is mind-blowing. Everything is beautifully captured. Editing is also smooth. The soundtrack is good, specially the Hai Junoon track. Thank god there are no dance sequences. They would have totally spoiled it up.

New York is one of those movies that tried very hard to strike a message, but fails. Don't get me wrong: the movie is not bad. It's another good film under the Yash Raj Banner, and it almost fully satisfies the movie-hungry person who has been hungry for 2 months, but, like Rang De Basanti, it's not able to strike a chord as a movie of it's genre should. What they've shown is fact, no doubt, but doesn't feel true. Maybe that's why. There was something lacking in the script, I'm sure, though it's really not spot-able!! I gave it a 7/10, because it didn't work that good for me. But I'm sure many will give it an 8, 9 or even 10. I'm hoping it's average to linger in the 7 point somethings. Not below that. Happy viewing.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine or X-Men 4, is in fact a prequel to the X-Men Trilogy. It tells the story of the life of Logan, or Wolverine, and how he came to be what he is in X-Men one and through out.

Though not the best of X-Men movies, this one certainly left a mark. The beginning is a bit drama-ish, but it just gets better as it goes on. The action is fast, and the graphics and animation is quite-close-to-real types. The cinematography is brilliant, hand-in-hand with the editing. The flow of the movie is smooth, courtesy the direction. Sound effects - good, performances were OK, nothing great. X-Men is one of those movies that really aren't the "can't miss it ones" but definitely the "must see" types.

I only gave it a 7/10 because it's not as good as X-Men 1, or 2. A good movie sets a bar for its sequel, and if the sequel falls below the bar, then the person may not be disappointed, but definitely would notice the difference.

Go watch it. It's worth it.

Agreed: poor performance by Vittoria Vetra, and rather quick-solving of all puzzles, or clues. But still, I don't agree that Angels and Demons was one of the "let-downs" of this year. It was good! Perfect symbols or Earth, Air, Fire and Water. Good pace, good performance by Camerlengo and Robert Langdon, good sound effects and music, good sound editing, brilliant cinematography and direction, good editing, a little-hard-to-understand-for-the-layman script but still, how much simpler could it be made? Angels and Demons story follows as such: a pope dies, and somewhere in CERN, a father and daughter create the OPPOSITE or matter, that is ANTIMATTER, which is highly dangerous if it comes in contact with anything that is MATTER, even AIR. So when a Pope in the Vatican has died, and the father who made antimatter is murdered, one thing is obvious: the age-old group of Scientists, Illuminati, have risen again, to take revenge against those who refuted them years ago: the catholic church. And what better time than when a new pope is to be chosen? With the antimatter stolen, Vittoria knows one thing: it can take out the whole of Vatican City if set off. And soon enough, four favorite cardinals are kidnapped, and to be executed one by one every hour. Can the symbologist, Robert Langdon, hand in hand with Vittoria, stop the murders, and stop the ANTIMATTER before it sets off? And who is behind this all? Surely no one can be trusted.

This film is one of the highlights of 2009. Go watch it. If you've read the book, you won't love it as much as you'll love it if you HAVEN'T read the book. And yes, for younger, SUBTITLES could be really helpful.

I only gave it a solid 7/10 because I've read the book, and of course, the book was MUCH MUCH better.

Film starts - few instances of humor.

Film continues - old-age-Indian-cinema-brought-alive when NIHAL (lead character) knocks the hell out of 4 biggies all alone.

Film continues - Song after song, terrible songs.

Film continues - We realize Nihal has the power, to see the future. And wow! He happily tells everyone through the media after he foresaw a blast and prevented it. And guess what? The entire world does not doubt that he may be the culprit, but believes him straight ahead! Film continues - well, let me not spoil it for the few who may want to see it.

What really frustrates you is the performance, of all, the lead roles, the supporting roles, the criminals, and etc, etc.

You can never figure out what this is - a love story? A terrorist story? What is it? No idea...

And then the climax - again, 10 bad guys who beat him bad. And then? Well... some my-girl-inspires-me-thing gets into him and he beats 5 people as if they were kids - and 10 others run away. AMAZING BOLLYWOOD! GROW UP! Once again I disagree with Times of India. They gave this movie 2 stars. NO WAY! It deserves 1/2. 1/2 star. And only because there is nothing below that. Sad. This isn't what we've been waiting for since 2 months. No way.

Well... I thought it was another SRK film but surprisingly Shahrukh or 'Sahir' merely has a 15 minute role in this surpriser movie.

The story goes simple: out of the blue a film-shooting-unit arrives in a typical village (Budbuda). The lead actor happens to be Sahir Khan, an old-school friend of Billu, one of the two barbers of the village owing a deteriorated barber shop with too few customers to support Billu's family. His children are chucked out of school for non-payment of fees, people are on his head for repayment of borrowed money, and he has none. So when Sahir arrives and word spreads that he is Billu's close friend, everyone chases Billu, gifting him new things (an entire new BARBER shop!!), forgiving his loans, using funds to pay his fees on a simple bet: that Billu help them make acquaintance with the superstar. On the other hand, Billu greatly fears that Sahir may have forgotten him and thus doesn't, at least for some time, make a single attempt to reach out to Sahir.

But as his career flourishes and money begins to flow in, Billu realizes that he has no choice but to fulfill the "needs" of the people. Every attempt he makes to reach out to Sahir fails.

The film is not about whether or not Billu makes it: find out for yourself. The film focuses greatly on how much of a positive and much-more negative impact the arrival of Sahir has on Billu.

The film has other aspects, such as Shahrukh becoming Sahir and using this film as a medium to convey a certain messages about the filming industry and controversies caused to the people.

Excellent performances by Irrfan Khan and Lara Dutta. Shahrukh has done simply and satisfying. Nothing great as he is prone to doing in films in which he is the lead actor.

My heart was beating badly in the climax - such instances may be felt if you watch the film with your heart and feel for Billu and his wife.

The songs are good, soothing. Love Mera Hit Hit is a superb rocker. Khuda Aiyer (forgive my spelling) is a soothing tone and beautiful lyrics.

All-in-all, not really a must-watch, but but something not to be missed. 8/10.

Go SRK!