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Reviews
The Cheetah Girls: One World (2008)
Oh, where to start?
Okay, so obviously I wasn't going to expect that a Cheetah Girls film would be 10-star material, but this is Ridiculous. Firstly, it seemed that the film was too short and simplistic. There was only one main plot line, and even that was kind of boring. The romantic subplots seem to be added as an after-thought. And even thought the film was only and hour and 30 minutes long, it was padded with songs. Mediocre songs. Speaking of the music, I think one other reviewer noted the lack of "Bollywood Music". As far as I could see, the "Indian Flavor" in the film's music was limited to a few generic tunes from a few generic Indian instruments in the background. It wasn't just the music either; it almost seemed like the Cheetah Girls watched one or two random bollywood flicks and decided to go to India. There was very little Rajasthani Culture displayed in the movie. Sure they ate some North Indian food (the kind you find in Western restaurants) and wore low quality saris, but that was about it. That was the extent of their "in-depth" travel to India.
It kind of annoys me that everyone in the movie and this website assumed that India=Bollywood. Which, I assure you, is not true: that would be like saying all European movies are from France. And in response to Brian Camp, I could recommend some other bollywood movies, but not Aishwarya Rai. And I can only recommend Taal or Devdas for music, that's all.
For more substantial films, I recommend "LAGE RAHO MUNNA BHAI"(2006) or "RANG DE BASANTHI" (2006). Or for some Indian movies that aren't from Bollywood: "ROJA" (1992), "ALAI PAYUTHEY" (2000), "GODAVARI" (2006), and "ANUKOKUNDA OKA ROJU" (2005).
Anukokunda Oka Roju (2005)
I feel like hugging the director...and the writers...and the actors...and the music composer...and the camera men...
Summary: Anukokunda Oka Roju ("One Day, Without my Knowledge...") is a Telugu film directed by Chandra Shekar Yeleti. The plot centers around a young woman named Sahasra. She attends a party with some friends and wakes up later in her own house, not remembering what happened that night. A series of mysterious events prompts her to enlist the help of a police officer to figure out what went on between the time of the party and the time she woke up.
Review: One of the saving graces of Telugu cinema, the main attraction of this film is the plot. In these days of heroes, star power, and mass films, this movie brings something very rare: a realistic main character. You also have to give it props for not focusing totally on romance with a female lead, like many other heroine-oriented films tend to do. While being innovative (for a Telugu film), the movie also does its job: keep the audience entertained. I was treated to some two hours of suspense, comedy, quirky characters, a little action here and there, and (of course) song-and-dance numbers. The best of masala film. The acting is done surprisingly well. Where many directors would have gone for melodramatic über-acting, Yeleti uses much more subtle, realistic dialogue. Except for a couple of scenes where Charmy goes overboard. Otherwise, wonderful.
In conclusion: Watch It. Go to the theater right now, I DARE you to not like it.
Sivaji (2007)
Worst. film. ever.
Sivaji, a computer engineer from the U.S. returns to his native country with a considerable fortune. Being the typical kind-hearted hero, he wants nothing more than to put his money to use by building a college. And, in the typical fashion of Shankar, those absolutely heartless and corrupted government officials pull the plug on construction. The rest of the movie revolves around Sivaji fighting corruption in the government while at the same time romancing a girl called Tamizhselvi (or Uma, if you watched the Telugu version). The major problems I have had with this movie are as follows:
1. This movie is much too formulaic. The hero is the typical perfect, strong, smart, noble, beat-20-guys-up-at-a-time type. And of course, this hero who wants to do nothing but serve his people is up against the typical brainchild corrupt politician of Shankar. Hero defeats villain+hero wins heroine= really weak plot.
2. Tamizhselvi is a supporting character that would probably have standard-audience feminists raiding theaters. She serves no purpose than to stand by her hero looking worried when he gets hurt, and then frolicking around him half-naked during a song. You'll notice that many reviewers who loved the movie left no comment about her other than "Shriya looked beautiful." Also note that she was responsible for landing Sivaji in jail. Because, you know, in masala movies it is IMPOSSIBLE for a hero to do anything wrong. The only thing I can say in favor of the character was that at least she saved Sivaji from being hit by a train (and even then, it required her to take part of her sari off).
3. This is a disgrace to physics and physiology alike. Those that have seen the movie will remember the scene in which a young boy on the construction site of the college was electrocuted. Luckily there was a veteran doctor nearby. You'd think that someone who has been professionally involved in the medical sciences would know basic first aid, but then again, you'd be wrong. After this child was electrocuted, the good doc placed him on a convenient platform and gave him CPR, and miraculously, the child woke. There was no mention of an ambulance being called, and the boy didn't have any burns at all that had to be treated. However, the parents were given a lecture by Sivaji about how young boys should be in school. I would have let this one pass, if the movie hadn't done a second scene in which the hero was electrocuted. You see, Sivaji was in jail, and was being tortured at the hands of corrupt officials. To escape, he concocted a brilliant plan in which he would die and then come back to life. He electrocuted himself on a nearby power line. The bad guys find him, and to avoid getting in trouble they shipped him out in a van. After some clever usage of trucks, his friends got the body back, and the same doctor brought him back to life with a Defibrillator. Again, no burns were treated, and this movie forgets that according to common rules of CPR, a Defibrillator is only effective within the first moments of cardiac arrest.
Yes, these imperfections and inconsistencies and more await those who choose to see this over-hyped and over rated film.That, and mediocre acting and song-writing.