Reviews

The Dovers a religious family meet up for thanksgiving lunch over at the Birches, their friendly neighbor. Both families have two children, a teen and a kid. By evening the two kids go missing. A creepy looking young man who had his RV parked outside is the main suspect. Detective Loki(Gyllenhaal), an efficient investigator with cent percent solve rate is assigned to the case. However there is nothing that ties the suspect to the missing girls...or is there? Did Dover(Jackman) pick up something the police couldn't? Could this father with anger issues be right after all? Morality is put to test when strong suspicions become motive for vigilante investigation. Soon Winter approaches and the case is tuning cold with dead-end leads.

Thriller lovers rejoice, the dry spell for suspense masterpieces ends with prisoners. With stellar performances from the entire cast topped off with a compelling portrayal of Keller Dover by Hugh Jackman, Prisoners is 150 minutes well spent.Make no mistake this is NOT a fast paced thriller with action sequences and multiple twists. Prisoners is a slow burner that tightens the tension steadily and by climax the pressure hits the roof. The aha moment when Dover puts all the pieces in place and the consequences that follow is simply a stroke of genius from writer Aaron Guzikowski.

A good suspenseful plot can be occasionally seen in an episode of a procedural TV show. Terrific acting from an ensemble cast is usually a part of an award bait drama and then rarely comes the amalgamation of both resulting in an "Argo" or a "Silence of the lambs". Prisoners definitely belongs among these classics and hopefully will be duly awarded not only for the performances but for the direction and writing that transforms a decent story into a terrific movie.

Neill Blomkamp's Elysium starts off with a moderately interesting yet not completely original premise. Its 2154 and earth is in a nearly dilapidated state. The rich have moved on to a Utopian space station called Elysium where exists a nearly magical device that can cure any disease while the poor remain on earth still struggling to make ends meet and dying of various illnesses. One such orphan Max(Damon)a dreams of visiting Elysium before he dies. Events at the factory he works for, force him to take drastic measures to make his dream come true.

Jodie Foster plays the antagonist Delacourt and sadly its one of her worst roles ever. Her character is a caricature villain who exterminates poor sick people while trying to become more powerful and with the corny lines written for her,there is not much of a performance she can muster. Another antagonist in the film who is far more menacing is Kruger, a psychotic mercenary played impressively by Sharlto Copley, who was the protagonist of Blomkamp's fantastic debut district 9.

Although the pacing of the movie is good there is an inherent fatigue in the way the vaguely familiar plot unfolds. Throw in a female lead who is a childhood friend of Max who somehow gets entangled in his messed up life and a child who mouths off kiddish tales that you know will somehow reflect the movie's ending, the film drivels towards the predictable climax.

Although the freshness and trenchant tone of his earlier film is largely missing, the realistic CGI that blends with the somber looking backdrop is back and is quite impressive. However CGI is only a part of sci-fi genre which makes this film only partly worth the time and money. All I can say is if your in a mood for a film that involves trashed out earth and a man made space abode, hey there is the infinitely better WALL-E!

There is a line that protagonist, Captain Kirk says in this movie- "I don't know what I am supposed to do but I know what I need to do". Director J.J Abrams clearly felt the same while helming the sequel to the 2009 reboot hit Star Trek.There is everything in this movie that is 'needed' for it to be successful. The old crew is back, there is meaner villain and the special effects are simply astounding. The post processed 3D is surprisingly complementary to the CGI. In fact it is safe to say this is the best looking sci-fi movie ever and the fact that it is a stark trek film seems fitting. However the endearing element of 'adventure' which is intrinsic for a star trek feature seems grossly deficient.

The USS enterprise crew is tasked to hunt down a terrorist named John Harrison. It initially seems like a simple retribution mission to avenge the death of innocents. However startling events unfold that threatens to wreck the space ship and the crew. There is a constant sense of peril throughout. It works for some time but then resolutions are slapped out so rapidly that by climax, you will probably know how it will end. Chris Pine as James T Kirk takes the best parts from his original character(leaving behind the cringe worthy overacting from his 60's counterpart), Scotty played by Simon peg takes up most of the screen time among the supporting cast. To his credit, he does a fine job and deserves it. Zoe Saldana is brilliant as ever, sportively playing 'Uhura', a side kick and lover to Spock. Karl Urban as the favorite interstellar surgeon Dr. McCoy(Bones) seems to be mostly paying a homage to DeForest Kelly(60's) Bones, complete with 'Dammit! I am a doctor not a torpedo specialist' line and the trademark one eyebrow raise. Alice eve(Dr. Marcus) is quite forgettable while John Cho as Sulu & Yeltin as Chekov all play their roles remarkably well.

But the star of the show is Zachary Quinto as Mr.Spock. Qunito proves in his second outing that he is this generation's finest Vulcan. He balances the role perfectly by playing tribute to Nimoy's spock(60's) and bringing in his own originality in a perfect mix. Cumberbatch as the villain(by now everyone knows which role he actually plays!) initially seems miscast considering the race , accent etc. but all that can be forgotten when he says "I will walk on your cold corpses" in an eerie sociopathic tone.(Reminds one of Alan Rickman's villainous roles).

This is a non-Trekkie review. I have seen a couple of the original episodes and some movies and don't care if a Klingon pronunciation is wrong. But I am a sci-fi junkie and thoroughly enjoyed the movie. Spock would probably comment 'This film is going to be a blockbuster, logically'. But we humans would enjoy it a little more if the emotional scenes weren't so forced and there was a bit more of the 'going boldly where no man has gone before' parts.

Director Shane Black's Iron Man 3 begins in a flashback, in the year 1999, when Tony stark is just being himself and ends up sleeping with a scientist and disappointing another. This sets up a very interesting prologue to what could have a been an amazing adaption of the 'Extremis' comic series. It does manage to keep you entertained till the end (post credits in fact) and later if a realization sneaks in on you that maybe it wasn't all that memorable, you are not alone.

The movie has two super villains, the Mandrin (a well know character in the comics) played expertly by Sir Ben Kingsley and Aldrich Killian(Guy Pearce) the 'Extremis'( a regeneration technology) scientist. Strangely enough the latter turns out to be more menacing in the end, in this nerd-turns-super villain yarn that is not entirely original. Even the extremis goons and Killian himself will definitely remind you of those famous killer machines with regenerating powers. (read: Terminators)

The protagonist Tony stark is having a personal crisis post 'Avengers initiative' after facing "gods', aliens and a Hulk". The Aliens(Chitauri) have not only physically drained him but have crept into his nightmares causing anxiety disorder. His girlfriend Pepper Potts(Gwyneth Paltrow) has taken over the reins of the company again, but it is evident that Tony's insomnia and stress has taken a toll on their relationship.

The creators have tried to include the famous comic arc in a way that might have seemed creative on paper, satisfying both the comic geeks and the rest of the movie goers, but in execution, something goes amiss. It is hard to pin point what exactly is lacking, the action scenes, especially the one involving the sky dive from the air force one, is jaw droppingly good. The characterizations have more dept. Last year we saw a billionaire face his deepest fears, suffer thoroughly only to 'rise' a hero again (but he gives it all up in the end) , this year we see another billionaire go through pretty much the same thing . Pepper Potts is joined by Maya Hansen(Rebecca Hall) as the co female lead and both their characters are fairly well sketched. The plot has a good many twists too, yet there is something very evidently formulaic. One particular surprise is momentarily amusing but ultimately turns into a huge disappointment, it will seem like major character and a versatile actor were simply unused.

Usually a movie with the above mentioned faults will collapse like a poorly constructed tower and disappear into oblivion, but not Marvel's Iron Man 3. There won't be a free moment to dwell on the missteps, for the movie runs at break neck speed throwing an action sequence one moment, clever but emotional scenes like the one involving tony stark and a smart ten year old kid, in another. It is a pure entertainer from start to finish pulsing with mind blowing CGI and witty one liners one would expect from an iron man film. Although it should be mentioned that the post processing 3D here looks nowhere as good as the Avengers did.

So in the end, complaining that Iron man 3 is not thought provoking or dark enough is just inane. This is no Nolan flick. It is a vibrant and deeply engrossing summer blockbuster from Marvel who should be praised for trying to bring out the human side of iron man while making it completely worthwhile. Looking forward to the next marvel movie this fall, just hoping the God of thunder doesn't come back with anxiety issues. Damn you Aliens!

Ang lee's life of pi is an adaptation of a 'Man booker prize winner' novel by the same name, written by Yann Martel. It's a story set in the late seventies of an Indian teenager (Pi Patel) who is stranded on a life boat in the pacific. What distinguishes this tale of survival from the rest is that the author dishes out a delicious slice of creativity in giving the castaway, a tiger for a companion. Yes, like the posters and trailers have you believe, there is a boat on which a man and a tiger have to live! This makes 'life of pi' not only a story of human struggle against nature but also a profound tale that questions 'what separates man from beast?'. More interestingly, 'when does man become a beast'?

But worry not, Ang Lee's movie does not force you think on these lines , instead it's a film that lets you enjoy it on so many levels. If you are just looking for a beautiful 3D movie to feast your eyes , Life of pi can be it. If you are in a mood for a thrilling adventure epic on weekend, this is the right ticket. If indeed, you want to experience something thoughtful, Life of pi never forces you on a particular thought, instead it whispers ever so slightly to think about matters of human disposition and finding comfort in convention while caressing your senses with fabulous visuals and background score.

Suraj Sharma debuts as pi with utter sincerity while Irfan Khan(as adult pi) and Tabu(as mother) do justice to their parts. The rest of the supporting cast blend in perfectly too. Ang lee helms the film with difficult source material with absolute grace and expertise. However there are two true heroes that make Life of Pi work. Firstly the studio and creative director behind the magnificent CGI. The Bengal tiger is perhaps the best animated animal ever created! The angry green eyes, richly textured orange –white striped skin and every hair on its fur look rich and full of life in 3D.And then when your hear the thunderous roar for the first time, you will realize this is as real as it can get! The rest of the animals (a Zebra, an orangutan) look great too. The lovely blue ocean and its resident creatures are the jewel in the crown. The other hero is the writer David Magee(screenplay) who adapts the novel with near perfection. One gripe the fans of the novel might have is the lack of all the gore descriptions and a particular chapter that deals with the surviving 'French cook'. The addition of these might have pleased the audience who sought for the philosophical undertones from the story but the film would have lost out on the large PG-13 crowd (a fair deal considering the enormous budget).

Life of Pi, is a rare masterpiece that stands as a prototype not only for a perfect book adaptation and a 3D movie( sorry avatar, you have just been replaced), but also for a movie based on intricacies of human nature . Now that is simply an impressive triumph of film-making!

In the first film of director Christopher Nolan's Batman series, Bruce Wayne's father asks him " Why do we fall Bruce? " and answers "So we can learn to pick ourselves up", these wise words form the theme for this grand finale . It is a completely satisfying and a respectable send off to the resurrected franchise.

When an incredible film like 'The dark knight' is a sequel, then the follow up movie would have expectations so high, that it's often never met. It would be extremely unfair to the director when media hypes up such a film and the paparazzi go on frenzy every time there is an outdoor shoot.The Dark knight rises clearly went through all of this. Yet, it manages to please the fans and unlike the 'forced third' of some franchises it feels like a vital continuation and a meaningful conclusion to the batman story.

Bruised and retired as the batman for seven years, Bruce Wayne limps through his manor and watches helplessly as the sassy thief Selina Kyle, steals his mother's pearls. There is a new embodiment of evil in Gotham called Bane who is equal amounts brain and brawn. This forces the Dark knight out of his retirement and plunges him into a dark, gritty and personal fight against anarchy. The past haunts him and the future is ominous while the present sees him separated from the handful of people who care for him. This is perhaps the most emotional and hard hitting Batman story that the Nolan Bother's clearly meant as a Frank Miller tribute.

The movie runs for a lengthy 2 hour 45 minutes but it never feels slow. Action scenes have the Nolan signature and is edge-of-the-seat guaranteed. New characters like Miranda Tate, Selina Kyle(never called the 'cat woman') and Detective John Blake are seamlessly integrated into Nolan's Gotham and although many would like to, it would be inane to compare Bane to the joker. Although both of them wanted mayhem, Joker stood as a benchmark for just how low and treacherous the mind of a modern man can fall while Bane stands for how far a deeply wounded man would go to seek warped justice through revulsion & vengeance. Although Hardy gives a fine presentation, he may not seem as good as Heath Ledger simply because his character was differently written.If nit picking for the sake of a balanced review must be done then the only flaw one can find is the pacing of movie was uneven at times.

All actors seem to be perfectly in tune with their characters; Christian Bale gives his best performance and a fitting swan song to the iconic character while Anne Hathaway shines the most amongst the new cast, leaving the audience wanting more of her screen time. Gary Oldman as Gordon, Michael Caine as Alfred and Freeman and Lucius Fox are some of the finest supporting roles both in terms of the deep characterization and their performance.

The Batman franchise is definitely up for a reboot in the near future but Chris Nolan's Batman would probably be the most realistic and gritty version ever. The Dark knight rises may not surpass its predecessor but it is still going to be a modern classic and that for a super-hero movie is a Plaudible feat.

Serenity is a fitting finale to the TV series "Firefly". Although it is not mandatory to have seen the series to 'understand' this movie, it is to completely 'experience' and enjoy it.

A former rebel against the 'Alliance'(Government) and now the captain of a spaceship called 'serenity', Malcolm Reynolds(Fillon)and his crew mates embark on a journey to uncover a secret concerning why the corrupt Government tortured one of the crew mate 'River Tam'. This is only the briefest possible synopsis that one can make of his complex saga.

Anyone who has seen any series understands how difficult and unfair it is to reveal any plot. The backbone of this film lies in the unfairly and prematurely aborted series -'Firefly'. The series builds up a neat relatable history and makes the characterizations more deep. The Protagonist is Captain 'Mal' Reynolds the strict but quirky Captain with a Golden heart, his faithful war companion Zoe, her husband the pilot 'Wash',a beautiful Escort 'Inara', a homely girl- next-door mechanic 'Kaylee', a friendly mercenary 'Jayne' and a mysterious god man 'Shepard Book'. It even has a typical soap-opera-like 'dreamy+Genius' doctor-'Simon' and his messed up sister, the tortured crew mate in question-'River'.

The characters are a perfect mix to entertain and provide a lot of potential for their growth as well as that of the plot. And the talent that he is, Director Joss whedon doesn't waste any of this potential and spins a fine yarn , right from the pilot episode of 'Firefly' to this nail biting , unforgettable finale. The only nit picking one can do to find fault is that the visual effects aren't top notch.But the silver lining is that the effect as are far better than that in the series and comes off in a positive light therefore.

In conclusion, Firefly is a sci-fi masterpiece that is a perfect blend of action, adventure, romance and space drama that sadly got cut off before it could reach its full potential but was resurrected as 'serenity' the film, the final masterstroke that would make sure no one would forget to mention it along the likes of star wars and star trek.

'Found Footage' genre of movies have existed since the 80's but not since the famous 'paranormal activity' in 2007 has it gained so much popularity. In 2008 , there was movie called 'Cloverfield' that combined this genre with the monster-disaster genre. It was surprisingly a delicious blend and went on to become a huge hit that year. It was the ideal version of 'godzilla' that Roland Emmerich's dud(1998) never even came close to. Chronicle is one such 'footage' movie that adds depth and realism that one doesn't normally come to expect from a 'super- power' science fiction film. The result is a satisfying thriller that manages to entertain thoroughly.

Director Josh Trank's Chronicle is a story about a socially awkward teenager Andrew and his encounter with a mysterious underground artifact, along with two others, his cousin Matt and Steve. This twist of fate leaves the trio with Telekinetic powers-the ability to move around objects with the power of mind. From here on the first half of the movie is a joy to watch as they hone their skills , discover new traits and just have fun like a bunch of youngsters are supposed to when they realize sky is their limit, quite literally. The film takes a predictable darker tone when the obvious happens, one of them breaks the 'uncle Ben' code- "With great power comes great responsibility" and havoc breaks loose.

In terms of the plot there is absolutely nothing new. It is basically Stephen kings 'Carrie' with all guys and the entire city replacing the infamous prom-in-gymnasium scenario. But it's the footage angle and earnest performances from a rather unknown cast that adds all the freshness required. The stunning visual effects and clever use of familiar camera-recording-like video is a winning combo that will leave you surprised to see even the routine 'levitating object' effect. The action and explosion sequences are a treat to watch despite the shaky camera feel. Perhaps the realistic effect masks expectations but nevertheless it all works in the favor of the film's tone and there isn't a single dull moment.

Some feel the 'found footage' genre is being overdone and misused and they have a long list of films to prove that. In fact the paranormal activity series, no matter how much moolah they are raking, has lost its charm. But every once in a while a movie like 'the chronicle' comes along to remind filmmakers the 'uncle-Ben' code when it comes to using the shaky camera-work and hey it comes with cool visual effects too. Kudos!

The premise of Ra one is that Shekar Subramanium(Shah rukh Khan) a game developer in an attempt to impress his nagging son(Verma) , creates a game where the villain 'Ra one' is much stronger than the hero 'G.one'. Hell breaks loose when RA one comes out of the game world into the real one and kills the developer. The rest of the movie deals with the son bringing G.one into the real world in order to save himself and his mother sonia(kareena) from Ra.one.

The core idea hits the right note. A lot of interesting plot points could have been included and this one could have have been in par if not better, in terms of plot, with movies like Spiderman, Matrix or Batman. But unfortunately it fails to impress. Although the plot seems fairly original, the movie plays out like an unholy child of Terminator and Dragon Ball Z(energy blast attacks!?), with elements heavily borrowed from spider man and Batman movies.

Inspiration is never a bad thing but when the core plot is paper thin, inspired scenes stand out to become mere imitation.

The CGI is of superior quality and there is no doubt that this is one Indian movie that boasts of best special effects till date. Ra one and G one break into tiny beautiful cubicles that have electric highlights and magically reassemble. Their unique body armor looks fantastic with the same electric highlights surging all over. The concept of HEART is new with full of plot potential. It is however really disappointing to see all this fade away with a silly and predictable story line scarred with clichéd dialogues all along.

In a movie with a weak screenplay there is not much an actor can do to make it better, so is the case with Ra one.Shah Rukh Khan tries to put his best effort but his character never seems to gain depth.The audience simply cannot connect with either Shekar or G one. The former has little screen time and the later, well he is just another robot character that we have seen earlier. Kareena Kapoor as Sonia, spends her time mouthing of lame improvised curse words then being grabbed , spanked and finally possessed. Her character lacks originality and again there is not much a fine actress like her can do to salvage it. The son happens to be one of the most annoying character in the film and it is uncomfortable to see a child so fixated with 'crotch'. The jokes feel forced and are often puerile.

There is a car chase sequence in the movie where Sonia is trying to escape RA one. It is thrillingly shot, a tad inspired by the matrix movies and in the end one can observe that although the car has passed through a bus(!) and has been hurled over several times, Sonia remains unscathed. Her make up remains intact and not a hair displaced. This probably sums up what RA one is. It is a zealous attempt , inspired by all the right elements but in the end it simply fails to join a cord between fictional sci fi world and the audience in the real world.

Harry potter and the Deathly hallows Part 2 starts off the very next second the part 1 ended. Yet somehow, everything looks a tone murkier and creepy , maybe it was the haunting music or maybe it was the 3D. But to make one thing clear the 3D here is done just right. Its not distracting but its not even Avartarisque.

The trio continue their journey to find the Horcruxes while the once safe heaven-Hogwarts is eventually under attack by Voldemort. The entire 2 hours runs really fast, filled with splendid action sequences and plot twists all ending in a fitting climax.

Radcliff , Watson and Grint give earnest performances.Most supporting characters from the previous seven films return, at least for a cameo. Its is no doubt that amongst them it its Alan Rickman as Severus Snape who stands out with his best performance till date. A flash back sequence involving him is one of the finest moments in the film that the audience will remember for a long time.

The only thing the movie allows us to complain about is the 'pace'. Its moves at such fast pace that you cannot help feeling that the ending seemed a tad rushed. There is not enough time to feel sad about certain deaths nor will you find time to cheer as a death eater falls. But probably its the price to pay for 3D. Too long and it might have taxed your eyes too much, to take the attention away from the plot. So the fault could easily be forgotten.

In conclusion, Many potter fans felt the third film was the best of the lot, but Deathly hallows part 2 easily dethrones it. Director Yates must be commended for not getting tired of the series and giving it a respectable, memorable and most of the all the most enjoyable swan song.

Black Swan directed by Darren Aronofsky is on surface a horror , at another level deeper it is a psychological thriller and at the core level it is an insightful tale about the ultimate question, are we embodiments of both evil and good?

Nina Saywers(Natalie Portman) is a ballet dancer who wins the role of the "Swan Queen" in the 'Swan lake' staging. Her role requires her to don the role of both the pure virgin-white swan and her evil counterpart the Black swan. Her tutor Thomas Leyroy(cassel) points out that she is perfect for the White swan but fails to connect with the evil role. Nina makes a conscious attempt to accept and 'feel' the Black swan, but soon she realizes that it's not just a role anymore and the dark side of her begins to appear in real life. Mila kunis plays the role of colleague- Lily in whom Nina sees the 'Black Swan' and begins to get insecure. Kunis excellently portrays her role and keeps you guessing about her actual intentions. Cassel portrays a character with shades of gray and shines through. Barbara Hershey as Nina's overbearing mother is convincing.

But the show stealer is of course the protagonist Portaman, who's powerful and enigmatic performance will grip the viewer from the beginning of the film and only leaves your mind long after the ending. The plot as mentioned before has many layers to it,but what makes this movie work is that no matter at what level you perceive the film, it is still hugely entertaining and satisfying. At times the film feels chaotic and crazy but the jewel in the crown is the ending that is both convincing yet open for an interpretation.

Black swan definitely is a classic and if not for anything else , it will be remembered for Portman's preeminent performance.

The kids are all right from director Lisa Cholodenko is a story about a lesbian couple Nic(Benning) and Jules(Moore) and their children Joni(Wasikowaska) and Laser(Hutcherson) conceived artificially. Several issues seem to be brushed under the carpet in this 'prefect' looking family until one day when out of curiosity the children seek their father i.e the man who donated the sperms. Paul(Mark ruffalo) , their biological father owns a food business and is single. The children soon find him friendly and even fatherly. Their moms initially reluctant ,eventually accept him as a part of their lives. But things turn complicated when Jules begins an affair with Paul and this revelation threatens to break the family apart.

It's Annette Benning and Juliane Moore who steal the show with their earnest performance as a couple. Moore plays the partner who is overshadowed by her lover in terms of achievement and carries the delicate role convincingly, but it is Benning who shines brighter with the a complex role of doctor, a mother and a lover with a an alcholic problem. The 'kids' are indeed alright and do justice to their roles. Mark Rufalo as Paul earnestly plays out his complex character and shows off his impressive acting skills.

How many lesbian movies come out that seem realistic and not just titillating? This film deals with sensitive issues and does so well enough to keep the viewers interest till the end. By keeping issues open and not tying them neatly towards the end, the realistic tone of the film is maintained and the realism is what is appealing about this movie.

Rabbit Hole direct by John Cameroon Mitchell, has a very straight forward plot , simplistic dialogues and a very typical suburban setting. Films with these elements rely hard on acting and screenplay and if they are good these are the kinds of movies you find on the Oscar nominee list. Rabbit hole definitely belongs here.

Becca(Kidman) and Howe( Echkert) play a couple who have lost their young son in a car accident. It has been eight months and their lives has changed. There is pent up emotions about the tragedy that neither of them want to talk about. So eventually will this tension break the couple or will it solidify their relation? Well..No that's not all the movie is about. It goes deeper, Their feelings towards the teenager-Jason, who was responsible for the accident(although we realize early on he is mostly innocent), their anger direct towards friends and family who despite trying hard to sympathize , come out as apathetic and irritating. The Best parts of the movie , you realize are those where such emotions seem to come out from you, as a viewer, i.e you connect perfectly with Becca's irritation towards her mother who compares her kid to her dead junkie brother or Howie's frustration over Becca's coldness.

There are a few scenes in the movie that are a class apart. The one where Becca tells Jason she had forgiven him , while at the same time Jason admits that he feels guilty that somehow he could have prevented the accident. Or the scene where Howe bursts out at Becca or even the ending scene where the couple seem to find a balance amidst their broken lives. All these scenes have at their core, raw emotion that everyone can relate too and those situations that everyone fears.

The name of the movie is derived from a comic whose plot is an innocent and subconscious reflection of Becca and Howe's life as seen by the teenager.. So, in conclusion Rabbit Hole is surely on the must watch list this year, watch it for excellent screenplay and direction.

Dhobi ghat directed by Kiran Rao is a film that depicts the lives of four people, Munna(Prateik Babbar), the dhobi, Shai(Monica Dogra) an NRI who is on a sabbatical to pursue her photographic interest, Arun(Amir Khan) an artist and Yasmin(Kriti Malothra) a housewife who's best friend happens to be her camcorder.

The lives of these people are entwined in the busy city of Mumbai. Munna develops a bond with Shia but feels she has feelings for Arun. Arun , recently divorced connects with the video tapes made by Yasmin and his emotions become entangled with her life. The film takes it own time to unwrap and this really is advantageous for the character development. The viewer 'understands' each character enough to feel happy or sad for them.

Prateik babbar's performance is commendable as the dhobi with big dreams, Aamir khan does justice to his role, and new comers Monica and Kriti are surprisingly good. Kiran Rao's debut clearly shows that Indian Cinema has another addition to its meager list of intelligent film makers.Music by Gustavo Santaolalla is another highlight of the movie, it perfectly compliments the emotions in evry frame and the occasional hindustani music as the background score is a surprise treat.

In certain films that feel dragged on or poorly edited, one cant point out a handful of unwanted scenes. Now Dhobi ghat is not a poorly edited film, however it somehow feels dragged on during certain scenes but it is not distracting enough or even easy to pick out any unwanted scenes. So overall Dhobi ghat feels like a pleasant ride through a beautiful scenery of honest emotions, only sometimes you wish you could push the accelerator a bit more.

The social Network directed by David Fincher is the story behind the pillar of our social lives- Facebook. It claims to dramatize the 'events' that took place in developing 'facebook'. Mark Zukerberg(Eisenberg) , just after being dumped by his girlfriend and drunk ,defames her on his blog, he later creates facemash.com a portal to rate and compare university girls based on their looks. All this leads to a lot of flak from others and then an idea. The idea that will become the most used social networking platform, ever. But this 'idea' is built on with the help of the winklevoss twins(Hammer) and funded by his best friend Eduardo(Garfield). But a few years later we see Zukerberg at a court being sued by the Winklevoss brothers and Eduardo. The film is about the events that led to the case.

We all know this, the real Zukerberg claimed the film is almost entirely fiction while the makers claimed its entirely true and only 'dramatized'. This very difference of opinion made millions to want to watch this movie. But all that apart, 'the social network' is another Fincher classic. Fabulous performance from Eisenberg and Garfield , also Timberlake was surprisingly convincing as the cunning and suave entrepreneur-Sean parker. The perfect casting is the highlight of this movie and a great screenplay(by Aron Sorkin) complements it. The dialogues are smart yet they don't seem dramatic, the pace of the film never makes any moment of this two hour flick seem boring.

And so it really doesn't matter if its fiction or completely real, the events in 'the social network' is something you will remember often , when you 'add a friend' or 'like' a comment on facebook simply because a 25 billion dollar company that puts wheels' our social lives couldn't have been made for the silver screen in a better and classy way.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Guzaarish is a very beautiful movie in terms of cinematography only. The film dips right into the heart of the matter, Protagonist Ethan Mascarenhas(Roshan) a former magician who has turned into a paraplegic due to a mishap 12 years ago, now wants to die. His friend and lawyer Devyani Dutta(Patel) fights for the cause and he is supported by his nurse and lover Sofia(Rai) and student Omar(Kapoor).

Now the acting from the entire cast is good, although Roshan feels uneasy in some parts but the most disappointing fact from the most anticipated movie, comes from its screenplay.

The story struggles to move forward and involve the viewers and the dialogues simply fall flat. For example, an hour into the movie Devayani beings her case and addresses the court by saying the she is about the present the case of 'Ethan'ization that is creating such "news". But as a viewer you will invariably wonder "Is is really creating any news?". The movie simply fails to connect at so many levels. You wont find yourself sympathizing with Ethan as much as you would like to, you wont feel anything about Sofia's feelings towards Ethan and nor can you connect with the over enthusiastic student(Omar). Most importantly, there is a concept in the film where Ethan takes a poll on the radio if he must die or not. If this question posed to the viewer, you will simply wonder if you even care! The reason for this is the setting. Though it stunningly picturised with every frame looking like a painting, it seems distant. No, Goa is definitely not all about picture perfect bungalows, meadows and Beaches. It looks like there has been a constant effort to de-indianise the Goa we all know. This comes out as fake and affects the acting and story telling too. It must be pointed out that in the director's previous work, 'Black' everything seemed westernized too but it worked because it seemed balanced, here one cannot help but feel that Bhansali could have gone ahead with a complete western cast , then it probably would have fit better.

Then there are the court scenes, that will make you laugh out loud at the sheer foolishness of the proceedings. Less said about it the better, but here is a sample, Ethan locks up the prosecutor in a box to show him how he feels as a paraplegic! And so,Guzaarish could have been a good movie if all effort hadn't been directed at cinematography and settings. The core message about Euthanasia in India , which should stimulate one to think about life and death will instead leave to yawing and tired.

No one killed Jessica directed by Raj kumar Gupta is a "hybrid" of real and fiction, that describes the murder of a model named Jessica Lal, her sister's fight for justice and eventual punishment of accused. Anyone born in the late 80's and earlier would be aware of Jessica Lal, a model,killed by a politician's son(in 1999), for refusing drinks at a party and who went Scot free thanks to political influence and corruption.

The movie's first half shows how Jessica got involved in the unfortunate incident, her sister Sabrina's(Vidya Balan) fight for justice and how a gritty reporter-Meera(Rani mukerjee), who initially refuses to take up the case, regretfully picks it up after the accused gets let off. The second half we see Meera fight for justice and with the support of media and people she is successful in reopening the case.

The movie moves at a smooth pace. Although Meera's role is very tiny in the first half of the film, Gupta makes use of the time to build her character. A brash, honest reporter who stops at nothing to get the job done. Rani Mukerjee (Black) is a terrific actor who for some reason has made all wrong choices in picking up mushy stereotypical roles since her award winning performance in Black. But here she shines again as Meera, although her role is not as impressionable as the one in black, she deserves accolades for it.

Vidya Balan as Sabrina does a good job too but sadly her's is a role that is not as satisfyingly written as that of Meera. We see Sabrina Lall as a woman who has no boyfriend, no life because she spends all her time trying to get her sister's killer arrested .This cannot be real! The Real Sabrina Lall, I am sure had a life in which she studied or worked or did something other than moving from police station to court for eight years!. On the other hand Jessica's character has been sketched out neatly and just enough to connect with the viewers.

The supporting characters are okay but the scenes of the common people watching television, their reaction and reactions of eminent public figures(depicted through look-alike)inadvertently evoke laughter mainly due to the poor acting.

The music by Trivedi impressively highlights certain scenes like the opening credits and songs like 'aithbaar' plays perfectly in tandem with intense scenes involving court and Sabrina's plight. In fact the rock tunes in the background score help some scenes from seeming too dramatic.

In Conclusion, Although No one killed Jessica gets over dramatic sometimes,it does a decent job of entertaining and educating the viewers. Watch No one killed Jessica, to remember 'that' event which roused the whole nation to fight against corruption with unity, for truly and sadly we don't see it happening often.

In 1991, there was silence of the lambs, then in 1995, there was copycat and Seven, 2003 was the year of this phenomenal masterpiece. Its quite unfortunate that this movie is often never compared or mentioned with the others.

The movie starts as two side plot , one dealing with a psychiatrist, Dr.Malick(Alfred Molina) saving his patient from death sentence and the other one involves a group of people stuck in a rain storm at a motel , fighting off and fending themselves from...a killer! The two plots are connected , how exactly? Unfortunately that cannot be revealed here without spoiling the plot.

The story is completely engrossing and this is one such perfect edge of the seat thriller that will tighten the screws so hard and to such an extent to drive the viewer crazy and hungry for a solution. Unlike many thrillers the ending here is the best part of the story and will leave you completely satisfied and at the same time in a state of shock.

Quite honestly, Identity should be place not just among the above mentioned classics , but a level higher with Hitchcock's psycho and vertigo. All thriller lovers, don't ever miss this..grab your copy of Home video today!

Tesis , starts off with a journalism student who is doing a thesis on audiovisual violence, gets pulled into a gore scandal that has her running away from it but at the same time getting draw to the mystery. Two suspects, a surprise killer and a tight screenplay all packed in a two hour thriller has been attempted many times but has rarely succeeded like this.

Not a moment in this thriller feels unwanted or stretched, even the humor falls neatly in place. The acting is nothing to rave about but in all honestly it suited just fine for this movie. Ana Torrent as 'Angela' is a character that had been written so well that her intentions are are mysterious as the suspects'.

Not many thrillers that come out these days can match the quality of movies like these. While we have our finger's crossed for Hollywood to bring out another 'Silence of lambs' in this post-Hitchcock era, movies like this can comfort a person with good taste for them.

Despicable me is a story about a Villain name 'Gru' who wants to be at he top of his profession, by stealing the moon! His only competitor is a nerdy villain called 'vector' who steals a shrinking machine from Gru. The machine is required for stealing the moon. So Gru adopts three orphan girls who sell cookies to get inside 'Vector's super-protected mansion and uses them in his plan to get back the machine. But then what will he do with them later? Can a super villain be a father? What follows is an adventure that is mostly predictable , although it is enjoyable in every way. The three girls are indeed very cute and Steve carell does a fine job in giving life to Gru. The 3D is impressive if not breathtaking. It's only the story that lags slightly in the beginning although funny dialogues and loads of slapstick humor make up for it.

In Conclusion, it is understandable if 'Despicable me' is not appealing to all adults. However it is definitely a movie that should be in the top part of a list of 'Good family flicks' to watch on a Sunday.

An extractor is person who can steal your "subconscious idea". Its a world where you can enter, exit and connect the dreams of you and others. An architect is required to "build" the settings around in a dream, a "forger" can shape shift into a known person in your dream, a "kick" or a violent stimulus is required to pull you out of a dream and finally a quaint object like a top is called a "totem", a device that helps to distinguish dream and reality, a device that keeps you sane. WOW! Welcome to the world of "Inception" created by a genius called Christopher Nolan.

The movies starts off with an intriguing scene that forms a part of the climax and then flashes back to the past. All the concepts stated above is explained wasting no time as the plot proceeds, resulting in a smooth and a superb narrative that has you hooked.

This time an extractor called Cobb has to plant an idea into a company heir-Fischer(Murphy), to dissolve his company. cobbs is aided by Arthur(Levitt), Ariadne(Page) the architect and Eames(Hardy)a forger, Yusuf(Rao) in charge of sedation and their recruiter Saito(Watanabe). What follows is their pulse racing adventure into 4 levels of dreams i.e dreams within dreams in order to achieve what was though to be impossible-An 'Inception'. Trying to stop this mission are the 'military projections' of Fischer, that are like "white Blood cells" trying to kill the 'foreign bodies' that are saito's crew. Also Mal Cobb, Cobb's dead wife haunts his memory threatening to make the entire mission an epic fail. Cobb needs to complete the mission but to do so he also needs to end his inner demons of guilt associated with his personal life.

The CGI is breathtaking and completely appropriate, the actors all do a fine job and DiCaprio gives one of the best performances of his carrier. Some Parts of the plot aren't easily understood. They are like a puzzle you know you will solve if u have just give another try. Basically it's a movie that does something that others rarely do...it makes you think!

In conclusion, Inception is a classic no doubt, its so wickedly clever and unique that you will be proud you liked it.

If you are a kind of person who likes their vampire's to be sexy or romantic(yeah, like twilight), and if you are someone who thinks being bit by a vampire is 'cool' then stay away from this flick.

Here, its in the future where being a vampire, is a disease(a viral). Agreed, the vampires do appear suave but hell no, no where close to being romantic. They are simply blood hungry hounds who 'farm' humans for blood. Amongst them, you find a humane hematologist Dr.Edward Dalton( played by Hawk) who is hell bent on finding an alternated synthetic blood so that his blood thirsty clan would leave the humans, now an endangered species, alone.

He meets a Human, Audrey Bennett(Claudia Karvan) and a 'cured' vampire called Elvis(Dafoe) and all his plans change...

A fun thriller, horror or adventure( rather difficult to classify), it's tailor made for sci-fi fans, portraying the vampire folklore( sunlight destruction, stakes, no reflection) in a stylish yet scientific way.

This is one such movie that returns the vampires to their true genre, i.e horror. With a lot of recent movies and TV shows romanticizing the blood-sucking walking-dead, this comes as a fresh take on them. Definitely worth Renting it on a weekend, an hour and half well spent.

Toy Story was a movie that reintroduced Animated Movies to the mass audience, way back in 1995. Now 15 years later comes a movie when animated movies are plenty, most of them fail to charm us like they once used to and a time when sequels are rarely good as the originals.

A few months back, I concluded(rather hastily) that this year no animated movie can beat 'How to train your Dragon' and was almost sure of it after seeing the latest Shrek. But then who would have though the good old woody-Buzz-and-the-toy-gang in their third installment would change all that with a gripping plot, brilliant graphics, right amount of humor and a superb ending that would make sure you will remember the toys for a long , long time.

Andy, the kid had grown up to become a teenager. He's going to college and decides to bundle up his favorite toys in the attic. But 'fate' has a different idea for the toy gang and they end up (along with Barbie)at a daycare. Initially it looks like a homely daycare but it turns out to be far from that. A couple of charming new characters, neat script and an immensely fun adventure will ensure you forget all your worries and enjoy the next one and a half hour.

Finally,The ending is the best seen in any animated movie that will leave you totally satisfied and hoping that a couple of years later the toy gang would return to surprise the box office and make one other day just awesome for you .

How ? How? and How? that's the question that will bother you through out this movie(that mercifully lasts for just 90 minutes). And I am not talking about any mind boggling mysterious plot nor I am expressing my appreciation (How could anyone direct this super hilarious flick. ugh! No!) .

How did top quality actors like Nicole Kidman and Glenn Close agree to act in this so called comedy that fails to even stretch your face into a weak smile. Everything from the acting, screenplay and make up is so lame that you will be really tempted to press the eject button the remote, half an hour into the movie while watching it on DVD.

The movie is about a neighborhood where all the hot blond housewives are perfect and serve their nerdy husbands like slaves. So How did this men dominant society come into existence. Join Joana Eberhart and her two other neighbors as they unravel the dumbest mystery ever.

If your searching for urban comedies there are many other good ones, even desperate housewives will do.

Don't Rent , Don't buy it , Don't watch and hell don't even think about this total-waste-of-time movie after your done reading this.

Rizwan khan ,an undiagnosed autistic(aspergers actually) moves to San Francisco after his mother dies not before teaching him all about secularism. While Working in a cosmetic shop for his brother and selling them ,Rizwan falls in love with a hair dresser Mandira.The rest of the movie deals with the couple trying hard to save their love amidst cultural discrimination against Muslims that seem to tear them apart.

MY NAME IS KHAN is a kind of movie that will have you seriously thinking about secularism and at the same time will make you smile or at times will bring a lump in the throat with moist eyes.You will find yourself seamlessly connecting with KHAN and you cant help but accept the fact that Sharukh khan, who has mostly been 'the lover boy' of India cinema SO many times that it actually made you sick, is actually one of India s FINEST actor. KAJOL playing a distressed mother delivers a flawless performance that will remain in your mind long after you have left the theater and probably you will recall every time you hear her name or see a distressed mother in real life.It is that strong.

JOHAR as a director has matured with his audience and has moved far away from his silly rom coms or melodramatic family dramas to this very meaningful love yarn.

This movie tat grips you for the most part suddenly slips in the end with a climax that was predictable, nothing wrong with that ,but a bit too much of over-dramatic background score and over acting will leave a small halo where you would expect the filmmaker to wrap up the enjoyable show with a final master stroke.

Nevertheless definitely worth your time because rarely a movie comes along that will make you think if YOU have been unfair sometimes and if YOU need to change your biased perspective. This movie might just raise such uneasy doubts in you yet in the best way possible.8/10