WEEKLY MOVIE GUIDE (what to watch and what to miss in Cinema)

DIL TOH BACHHA HAI JI

Genre        Comedy                 

Release Date       28/01/2011               

Director     Madhur Bhandarkar

Cast          Ajay Devgan, Emraan Hashmi,Omi Vaidya, Shruti Hassan, Shazhan, Shradhha Das,Tisca Chopra

Pluses       Track involving ajay and shazhan is natural and effective,few one liners evoke laughter

Minuses     Too much of gay jokes,boring sexual overtones,Emraan,Shradhaa,Tisca and Shruti are sleepwalking in their roles,unimaginative script,jarring music as its worst of Pritam in recent times

Verdict      2/5 (Don't go with expectations and you may like it if you love 'cheap humor')

127 HOURS

Genre        Adventure-Drama   

Release Date 26/01/11(India)               

Director     Danny Boyle

Cast          James Franco          

Running Time 94 minutes                      

Budget      $18 million only!

Pluses       Almost everything-stellar performance by James as Aaron Ralston,edgy direction by academy winner Boyle,impeccable writing by Simon and Boyle,beautiful camera work,music by A R Rahman

Minuses     Too realistic at places especially the amputation shot in climax

Verdict       4/5 (don't miss it-a rare combination of inspiring,shocking,dramatic and realistic cinema)

OSCAR NOMINATED MOVIE

RABBIT HOLE

Genre                        Drama                     

Release Date             19/11/2010 (USA)       

Director                     John Cameron Mitchell

Cast                          Nicole Kidman, Aaron Eckhart, Dianne Weist                       

Running Time             91 minutes  

Pluses                        Nicole portrays pain of a mother in a perfect manner,good              cinematography,Aaron is also good

Minuses                     Repetitive storyline,slow pace of narrative&predictable climax

Nomination                Nicole Kidman for Best Actress 

Verdict                      3.5/5 (watch it only if you are a Nicole fan)

'Dhobi Ghat' is art house cinema full of cliches

Aamir Khan gave us gems like 'Lagaan', Taare Zameen Par', 'Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na' and 'Peepli Live' as a producer and so expectations are high when his wife Kiran Rao debuts as director with his next venture 'Dhobi Ghat'. And to say the least, everyone was disappointed after the screening as it falls short of the mark.


As we know by now that it was supposed to be a different art house cinema and teasers revealed that it talks about four characters in backdrop of Mumbai. But problem with the movie is not in style of narration but with the depth of writing or we should say lack of it. Film tries too hard to be different. It has all art house to european cinema cliches- hndheld camera, rain in background and smoking protagonists, conversation focusing on class disparity, forced gangster angle, multiple narratives and lead characters in 'creative' professions.


It seems a work of a student of film institute who is trying too hard to accomadate everything. Kiran Ro shows promise but her direction is not original and lacks intensity and moving moments. Writing is again uninspiring and flat. Aamir Khan (plays a painter name Arun)does considerably well in most of the sequences but surprisingly looks very uncomfortable while smoking and his dialogue delivery in English is awkward. Prateik (plays 'dhobi' name Munna) is the real star of the flick where he gives it all to every frame. He is a talent to watch in future for sure and his performance will win fetch him few awards next year. Look out for his performance in very last shot. Monica Dogra (plays investment banker name Shai)) has the best written role and she is delightful but her accent is at times seems a bit overdone. Kirti Merotra (plays Yasmin) is good in muslim housewife's character. Special note for Oscar winning music director Gustavo Santaolalla; his theme background score is charismatic.


In short, a missed opportunity in which 'body seems to be good but soul is completely missing'.

NO ONE KILLED JESSICA - great subject,average execution

When one goes to watch a flick which is based on true life incidence there bound to be some expectations especially if that incidence occurred few years back and caught everybody's attention. After watching NOKJ, it was a mixed feeling as one feels strongly for subject but execution lacked depth and intensity.


Jessica Lal murder case and its investigation was a case where media pressure and pubic anger resulted in justice and this part comes across quite impact fully in NOKJ. But Rajkumar Gupta really fails to showcase phenomenon of underdog gaining supremacy over powerful opponent as ending is abrupt without revealing any proceedings of how all victims sentenced.


Second, characters of Rani and Vidya are one dimensional where Rani is dominating from bed to boardroom and Vidya is so mellowed from courtroom to streets.These characters fail to create long lasting impact like Kabeer Khan of 'Chak De India' or Mohan Bhargava of 'Swadesh'.


And above all, the over dramatization of content is real culprit as you really crave for more sensitive and simplistic handling of subject. Like culprit's mother keep asking for his son in comic way and Rani continues with her abusive avatar. These tactics may evoke few claps but trivialize the whole thing.


After directing a complete stunner in 'AAMIR', Rajkumar Gupta falls short this time although he should be praised for his choice of subject and music (by Amit Trivedi), the high points of the film.