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Commando - A One Man Army:

Critic's Rating: 

Cast: Vidyut Jammwal, Pooja Chopra, Jaideep Ahlawat

Direction: Dilip Ghosh

Genre: Action

Duration: 2 hours 4 minutes

Story: A girl on the run bumps into a commando from the Indian army. Does he manage to rescue her from the dangerous, psychotic hoodlums who are chasing her?

Movie Review: Dilip Ghosh's Commando has a linear narrative. Set in North India, the story can even be termed archaic. It's got a hero, a heroine and a villain. Small-town goon AK-74(Jaideep Ahlawat) is irresistibly drawn to the local, fire-brand beauty Simrit Kaur(Pooja Chopra). When she resists, the bad man threatens her. She elopes to escape his advances and naturally, she's chased by AK's band of baddies. Fate smiles on her when she accidentally bumps into Karanveer Dogra(Vidyut Jammwal); a commando; so well-trained in guerrilla warfare; he can be rightly called a one man army.

The action shifts to the forests. The commando and the girl break into a run with the villains, local forest officials and killer dogs hot in pursuit. From here on, the film picks up tempo. Enter South African action director Franz Sphilhaus. The director hands over his hero Vidyut to him and the combination is pure magic. Perhaps one of India's best martial arts exponents (at least in the films); Vidyut is terrific.

With the stealth and dexterity of a jungle cat, this commando goes for the kill. For the first time in eons, the action scenes are totally convincing...and you can digest the fact that one man can kill them all and come back alone. If you are an action junkie and if you have peaked on Sylvester Stallone's Rambo-series, then our desi Commando, is what you will term paisa-vasool entertainment. The adrenaline rush stays with you, long after the lights come on.

Vidyut Jammwal is in top form, doing full justice to the job at hand.

Action superstars Akshay Kumar and Ajay Devgn may have superstardom and years of experience on their side; but Vidyut has the agility and novelty to match their moves. He's orgasmic to watch.

Pooja Chopra (Femina Miss India-2009) is super-confident in her film debut and a welcome addition to Bollywood's heroines.

One should also put in a couple of lines of praise for Jaideep Ahlawat, who has made the transition from a small part in the art-house Gangs of Wasseypur to the big-time Bollywood baddie. He's mean, menacing and maniacal without trying too hard.

Note: You may not like the film, if pure action, is not your staple at the movies.

The Place Beyond the Pines:

Critic's Rating: 

Cast: Ryan Gosling, Eva Mendes, Bradley Cooper, Ray Liotta

Direction: Derek Cianfrance

Genre: Drama

Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes

Story: A daredevil motorcycle rider resorts to robbing banks to support his newborn son and lover. It is a decision that proves to have major consequences.

Movie Review: It's the opening, retro-cool extended tracking shot where Luke ( Ryan Gosling) gets ready for his daredevil biking act that first gets you. The camera follows him from his trailer to the Big Top, where two other riders await him. They go about their act, eliciting gasps of awe, before the frame ends. It's like a metaphor for the entire movie. Separate lives, yet intertwined in an intricately-constructed ride.

His former lover, Romina ( Eva Mendes) walks into his life again. Soon, Luke finds out Romina's got a baby son. Sincere to a fault, he quits his act and embarks on a tag team bank robbery spree with grimy backwoods mechanic Robin (Ben Mendelsohn). All of this, so he can buy stuff for his baby and hand Romina wads of dollar bills. Although never too far from his dirt bike, he loves his role as father and provider.

The second 'act' of the movie belongs to Avery Cross ( Bradley Cooper), a cop-with-a-conscience who stays away from histrionics. A collision with Luke becomes inevitable. Stone-faced Deluca ( Ray Liotta) is the dirty cop played to perfection.

While the only weak link is Avery's kid AJ Cross (Emory Cohen), Dane DeHaan (Luke and Romina's teenage son, Jason) is someone to watch out for. Essentially three films cohesively segued into one, the narrative's complexity never once becomes overwrought.

An ambitious film, Cianfrance aims for higher ground, and gets there with ease. Ryan Gosling's act gives method acting a new meaning - it is elegance in itself. And incidentally, the English translation of the Mohawk word Schenectady (the town where the movie unfolds), is 'the place beyond the pines'.

Note: You will not like this film if you don't like dramatic movies about inter-connected lives.

Nautanki Saala!:

Critic's Rating: 

Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Kunaal Roy Kapur, Pooja Salvi, Gaelyn Mendonca, Evelyn Sharma

Direction: Rohan Sippy

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Duration: 2 hours 10 minutes

Story: All the world's a stage for theatre actor Ram Parmar. In an effort to resurrect his chronic-depressive friend's life, he upstages a real-life drama; to find himself enacting a part he'd never imagined.

Movie Review: Picture this: Ram dons Raavan's avatar. Sita zips off on a scooty with 'beary' 'good friend' Hanuman. Laksman is out of sight. And a brand new Ramleela plays out; where even the mighty Raavan (with all ten heads) can't crack his part. Gods must be crazy, alright, in this kalyug ki Ramayan. More comedy, less chastity. More drama, less dagabaaz.

The stage is set and it's showtime folks. All starting one night when theater actor/director Ram Parmar (Ayushmann) saves a lonely soul, Mandar Lele (Kunaal) from committing suicide. In a godly act, Ram takes on the sole responsibility (no divine intervention, please) of giving loser Lele a new lease of life. Ram trains him to enact (Lord) Ram in his play Raavan-Leela, while he also dramatizes a series of acts to reunite Lele with his estranged lovergal, Nandini (Pooja). Romeo-Juliet RIP! There's more drama coming up. All hell (or is it heaven) break loose in Ram's life when he crosses the lakshman rekha. The acts get mixed up, roles reversed; ironically his self-created Ram katha goes kaput, leading to a comedy of errors of 'epic' proportions. Call it Act of God if you wish! (Hey, Ram!)

It's time for curtain calls. Thou art Ayushmann, take a bow. This natural nautanki hits target once again. He role-plays with perfect comic timing and superb confidence. Ayushmann bhava! Kunaal is also effortlessly excellent, adding drama and hilarity. What's best is the boys pitch the dramedy without much melodrama. Applause! Pooja looks too unrehearsed to get her act right and Gaelyn (as Ram's girlfriend) manages to breeze through.

Rohan Sippy plays his part well too. The story is refreshing; the theater-like treatment (sets, props, costumes) is dramatically different. The background score blends smoothly and the quirky humour comes alive in the irony of situations and performances (unlike the monotony of hammy slapstick). The second half slows down with predictable acts, and Ram's godliness is too unreal, yet making you guffaw like Raavan on steroids.

This is no Shakespearean act, but there's enough drama, demons and devtaas to rival our desi phantoms of the operas.

Oblivion:

Critic's Rating: 

Cast: Tom Cruise, Andrea Riseborough, Olga Kurylenko, Morgan Freeman

Direction: Joseph Kosinski

Genre: Sci-Fi

Duration: 2 hours 5 minutes

Story: Earth is destroyed while repelling an alien invasion. 60 years later, Jack (Tom Cruise) a drone repairman, is assigned to a nuclear-ravaged earth to save humanity. He patrols the wrecked planet and kills alien scavengers. However, a few recurring dreams make him question his mission and identity.

Movie Review: Assisting Jack is Vika ( Andrea Riseborough) who monitors his activities and sends help. The two hope to emigrate the humans left on earth to Titan (Saturn's moon) for mankind to survive. However, random memory flashes of a woman ( Olga Kurylenko) in pre-war New York leave Jack pondering his past.

Oblivion is not your video game-esque, fast-paced sci-fi action film which offers cheap thrills. It's a profound, cerebral drama which focuses on Jack's inner journey and his relentless search for identity.

In spite of Joseph Kosinski's unhurried approach towards the film's buildup, he manages to keep you thoroughly engaged, thanks to brilliant production design and clever imagination. Spectacular images of planetary ruin, ravaged surfaces, barren landscapes, floating houses on the clouds, futuristic aircrafts, powerful drones and the strength of a complex restless mind, Oblivion manages to capture the beauty of it all with astounding reality.

In terms of story-telling, the film stays unpredictable, thus convincing us to patiently wait as the mystery unfolds, even when it feels a tad directionless at times. Like a novel, the film stays unputdownable till the end.

After Jack Reacher, 'I-want-to-be-versatile' Tom Cruise once again slips into a role which does not require his trademark charm or good looks and succeeds better this time as the role doesn't require him to be stoic either. Cruise displays the inner turmoil of his character brilliantly, in spite of not having any memorable dialogues at his disposal. Unfortunately, Morgan Freeman is wasted.

Oblivion is primarily a great visual experience. The mystifying sombreness of a post-apocalyptic earth has been captured brilliantly.

Note: You may not like the film if you do not like slow-paced science-fiction movies, high on human emotions.

Jurassic Park 3D:

Critic's Rating: 

Cast: Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough

Direction: Steven Spielberg

Genre: Adventure

Duration: 2 hours 6 minutes

Story: Spielberg's 1993 epic blockbuster has been re-mastered into 3D, so that fans can revisit the classic in theatres, while the younger ones can get introduced to the cult dinosaur disaster movie with enhanced viewing experience.

Review: There is something about disaster films that make us want to watch them over and over again. While watching others battle hard to survive a catastrophe, you subconsciously become those characters, which ensures an adrenalin rush. Their fear and courage engulf you, enabling you to live the adventure you see on the big screen. Who better than Steven Spielberg to help you do so!

20 years back, ripples were not just created in the glasses of water kept on the dashboard of a car in the film's iconic scene, marking the thunderous footsteps of an approaching dinosaur, but also at the box office as the 'first-of-its-kind' eco-horror took the audiences by storm. The re-release of the triple Oscar-winning movie gives you an opportunity to watch the lunging velociraptors and T. Rexes in 3D.

But before the fun part (dinosaur attack) begins, the opening half of the film does seem a bit 'old-fashioned' in its slow and gradual build-up. Lectures on the science of 'cloning dinosaurs', DNA, etc., along with an introduction to the paleontologists and scientists who are invited to millionaire John Hammond's ( Richard Attenborough) island theme park 'Jurassic Park' for a preview make you a tad impatient. Post-that, you are kept on the edge of your seat till the end, with not just impactful CGI and 3D but also by striking an emotional chord with you.

Dr. Alan Grant's ( Sam Neill) rapport with the kids, Ian Malcolm's ( Jeff Goldblum) sharp one-liners and John Hammond's (Richard Attenborough) heartfelt love for his dangerous theme park is simply wonderful.

In times of Life of Pi and Avatar, the 3D doesn't seem outstanding but nowhere does it fall short of giving you goosebumps, especially in the brilliant scene towards the end, when velociraptors stalk the kids in the kitchen. While Spielberg's story-telling still stays the film's USP, the 3D does add to its brilliance. Here's looking forward to Jurassic Park 4 in 2014!

Note: You may not like the movie if you lack patience to sit through a re-mastered classic.

Chashme Baddoor:

Critic's Rating: 

Cast: Ali Zafar, Siddharth, Divyendu Sharma, Taapsee Pannu, Lillette Dubey, Anupam Kher, Rishi Kapoor

Direction: David Dhawan

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 2 hours 11 minutes

Story: Shy Siddharth loves feisty Seema - but his buddies falsely boast of flings with her, breaking the couple up. Can love be remade?

Movie Review: The answer's yes - love can be remade and so can a lovely film like 1981's Chashme Buddoor (CB). This version's as different as paapri chaat from a dhokla. But it retains the original's madness, masti and movie-mania. The remixed CB unrolls in Goa where phatichar shayar Omi (Sharma) is addressing, ahem, the St. Stephens College of Arts and Science, while wanna-be hero Jai (Siddharth) is over-acting into a rape scene. Watching the dolts in full bloom, CB has you chuckling from the start. Things only get better when sober Sid (Zafar) pops up, yodels with his cheap chums and explains their drought of dough to doughty cafe owner Joseph Futado (Kapoor) and landlady Josephine (Dubey). Meanwhile, Seema (Pannu) is escaping an arranged marriage, scooting towards the three idiots. Love happens - but after lust, lies and lots of laughs.

CB's boy-band impresses with consistent acting. With his silky sleaziness, Sharma often steals the show while Siddharth's comic rhythm is a revelation. Zafar is endearing with his clenched-jaw charm, graceful as he dances, cute as he romances and rather hot when he throws a punch or two. Pannu's bubbly without being overwhelming while Kapoor and Dubey light up the screen with their little love story - hardcore CB fans, you'll find their romance does chamko!

But the star remains the story, spicily modernized, yet its salt still that passion for filmi fun, rainy moments, shared chattris, judwaa bhais, overpowering Ma's, red coats-yellow pants (Dhawan clearly enjoying a Govinda flashback), cheap shers, cheaper lusts and triumphant love. CB's music is catchy, its lines too - "Bomb woh thi, blast main ho gaya!" - while the hilarity underlines the wise adage: friends stab you in the front but good friendship deserves chashme buddoor.

Watch it zaroor.

NOTE: You will not like this movie if you don't like corny, occasionally bawdy jokes.

G. I. Joe: Retaliation:

Critic's Rating: 

Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Bruce Willis, Adrianne Palicki, Channing Tatum, Byung-hun Lee, Jonathan Pryce, Arnold Vosloo, Ray Stevenson

Direction: Jon M. Chu

Genre: Action

Duration: 1 hour 55 minutes

Story: When elite US fighting force, G.I . Joes, get picked off and eliminated with extreme prejudice by their own government (specifically, the President), you have to ask: who's really calling the shots?

Review: The Joes get sent to Pakistan to retrieve nuclear warheads but it all goes horribly wrong with the 'enemy' possibly being their own President. But why would he do that, right?

Anyway, the survivors return, with Roadblock (Johnson) taking charge of the severely depopulated unit comprising Lady Jaye (Palicki) and Flint (D J Cotrona). Gen Joe Colton (Willis) reluctantly pitches in along with G.I Joe Snake Eyes and new recruit Jynx, bringing them closer to their enemy Cobra Commander and his minions Firefly (Stevenson) and Zartan (Vosloo).

Director Jon Chu takes over from Stephen Sommers in the second installment of this toy-line-inspired franchise and that's surprising. Chu is best known for his dance films (Step Up 2, Step Up 3D) while Sommers is an all-action man, having former experience in helming a franchise exceedingly well (The Mummy series).

To his credit, Chu doesn't disappoint, keeping your interest in the film unwavering at a sharp 115 minutes. For those unfamiliar with the characters, there's a visual introduction at the start. The action sequences impress and the banter is at par with the standard fare dished out these days.

Dwayne Johnson aka The Rock is always a safe bet. Almost-Wonder Woman Adrianne Palicki is easy on the eyes and her brief chemistry with Bruce Willis is crackling indeed. Worth noting is one of the climax scenes that seems thought-provoking yet has been executed quite frivolously.

That being said, this one's worth the price of the ticket and the 3D's actually not unnecessarily painful. Give it a shot. After all, revenge flicks are such guilty pleasures, no?

Aatma:

Critic's Rating: 

Cast: Bipasha Basu, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Doyel Dhawan

Direction: Suparn Verma

Genre: Drama

Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

Story: A woman finds her and her daughter's life in danger after her past comes haunting!

Movie Review: Abhay (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) is a doting dad but an erratic and suspicious husband. His love for daughter Nia (Doyel Dhawan) is as deep as his hatred for wife Maya (Bipasha Basu). After it becomes impossible to bear his violent nature and decipher his whimsical attitude, Maya decides to part ways. She hopes for a better future with Nia, but destiny has different plans. Her disturbing past comes haunting, pushing her to a breaking point and risking the lives of those involved.

Aatma is not a full-fledged horror film with ugly demons and gruesome deaths. It attempts to play with your mind and even succeeds, though partially. The film takes off swiftly, coming straight to the point. Burning candles, thunderous rain and sleepless nights, Suparn manages to subtly induce the 'shock' element, especially in the form of Maya's eerie nightmares. It sets the mood perfectly for a supernatural thriller. The 'Aatma' here is unconventional too, considering there is no over-the-top demonic 'look' to it. No typical background score is used to create atmosphere either. The film skillfully manages to be different from most in its genre.

However, it loses grip as it proceeds. The second half gets predictable, repetitive and formulaic, making the climax look a tad inconsequential in spite of the twist. The 'fear of the unknown' gets replaced by zombie-like killings, making you wonder what led to the random transition. The special effects are not up to the mark either. Those who have seen Andres Muschietti's spooky horror 'Mama' will be able to draw similarities between the two in terms of concept.

Bipasha Basu is impressive as the harrowed mother who shows immense patience in tackling this paranormal situation. She looks equally stunning sans makeup. The immensely talented Nawazuddin Siddiqui unfortunately looks out of place, a misfit in the role. The very cute Doyel Dhawan is perfect as Nia.

Aatma may not send shivers down your spine, but it dares to be unconventional.

Mere Dad Ki Maruti:

Critic's Rating: 

Cast: Saqib Saleem, Ram Kapoor, Prabal Panjabi, Rhea Chakraborty

Direction: Ashima Chibber

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 1 hour 41 minutes

Story: A comedy of errors, the film revolves around a brand new Maruti car which goes missing, days before it is to be presented as a wedding gift!

Movie Review: Everyone's dancing and making merry in the Khullar household, especially Tej (Ram Kapoor) who is all set to gift would-be son-in-law Raj and daughter Tanvi a brand new Maruti Ertiga gaddi on their wedding day. While the wedding preparations are in full swing, Tej's son Sameer (Saqib Saleem) is the daft guy who aspires to woo the hot 'Shakira of Chandigarh' Jazzleen (Rhea Chakraborty). She calls him 'psychic' (thinking it's the same as 'psycho') and he tells her, 'I am love you'.

In order to patau the pataka, Sameer uses the new car and ends up losing it! The car goes missing, thus forcing Sameer and his best friend Gattu (Prabal Panjabi) to form a complex web of lies to save Sameer from the wrath of his father.

The film sticks to a YRF's (Yash Raj Films) staple brand of entertainment; it revolves around a Punjabi family, the backdrop a lavish Punjabi wedding. Since the 'Punjabi' card has been used in films for years, it makes the film look a tad conventional.

However, in spite of certain cliches, the film manages to entertain you with its effortless performances, simple story and situational humour. Scenes where Sameer and his friends are being chased by cops, Gattu referring to Sameer's poor English as 'tatti English', are hilarious. The bride's outrageous dance number on her wedding day and the Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa-esque climax are few of the high points of the movie.

Rhea Chakraborty as Jazzleen is easy on the eyes, Prabal Panjabi as Gattu is adorable. He evokes maximum laughter. Saqib Saleem is pleasant but lacks the charisma of a lead actor. Ram Kapoor acts over-the-top as required, Ravi Kissen is wasted.

Don't expect an out-and-out comedy, the film is a light-hearted family entertainer with a message for the youth. Do take your dad along for it, in his gaddi!

Jolly L.L.B.:

Critic's Rating: 

Cast: Arshad Warsi, Boman Irani, Saurabh Shukla, Amrita Rao

Direction: Subhash Kapoor

Genre: Drama

Duration: 2 hours 10 minutes

Story: Lawyer Jagdish Tyagi 'Jolly' dreams of making it big like his advocate idol Tejinder Rajpal - will Jolly sell out too?

Movie Review: So, Jolly LLB isn't a comedy - despite jokes about 'appeal' spelled as 'apple' and Jolly telling Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists he's Maskhar-e-Taiba, Jolly LLB is a serious movie, showcasing the arrogance of the rich, the helplessness of the poor and the corruption of the law.

Jolly (Warsi) is a struggling mofussil lawyer, itching for big-city deals. He convinces girlfriend Sandhya (Rao, attractive and effective in her hot schoolmarm-avataar) and hits Delhi's District and Sessions Court where his 'office' is a desk under the sky. Jolly flounders about until he meets the super-polished, super-successful Tejinder Rajpal (Irani), arguing the 'victimization' of his rich client Rahul Dewan, whose Land Cruiser's run over six labourers on a footpath. An eye-witness appears - Jolly files a PIL. What happens when Rajpal replies using cash?

Rather like its protagonist, Jolly LLB's first half meanders a bit, featuring a clumsy 'daaru' song and a Meerut that mysteriously hides - but boy, does its second half hammer things home. With crackling scenes between Jolly versus Rajpal (Irani deadly smooth, like velvet soaked in blood) and Rajpal versus judge Tripathi (Shukla in a brilliant show, hysterically yelling, "Gavel kidhar rakha hai?!", thundering at Rajpal, "Sit down! Ye mera court hai, aapka club nahin!"), the action becomes electric. Drama builds as Jolly (Warsi, highly endearing and impressive) finds his voice. Jolly's astonishment at Rajpal's callousness - "Footpath sone ke liye nahin hai" - Jolly responding, "Footpath gaadi chalane ke liye bhi nahin hai!", mirrors the aam aadmi's bewilderment and determination to fight.

Jolly LLB works because of its bigger point - decency is for all and worth fighting for. Using bittersweet satire and plot twirls, the film shows corruption even used against the corrupt. Despite that weaker first half, this truly becomes a Jolly good show.

NOTE: You will not like this movie if you don't enjoy courtroom dramas with moral twists.