London, Paris, New York

Movie Name: London, Paris, New York
Language: English
Genre: Romance, Drama

Ali Zafar has already displayed his potential as an actor with the movie "Tere Bin Laden". He was not able to achieve response from "Mere Brother Ki Dulhan" because he did not have substantial role. But this time he has attempted to carry a movie on his on shoulder. He has been successful only to some extent.

The plot of the movie is simple. Boy and girl meet thrice in the span of 7 years. Each time their situations and feelings are different. Ali Zafar has got some moments of his own where he displayed his affection or his broken heart; but sometimes he has become loud. Aditi Rao has looked great in various shades of her character but she has not been able to convince with her acting. The plot becomes shabby in the halfway and viewer starts loosing interest. The only things that keeps one bind, is the songs of the movie. Songs are melodious and full of freshness. Movie is shot in three locations, London, Paris and New York. But director did not try to cash the beauty of the location. He kept his focus on main characters only. Besides, movie is different in the way that there is no an army of unnecessary characters. The movie is okay as a package deal but it lacks at various levels. If you absolutely like romantic movies, then you can give it a go; otherwise there is nothing more than music to London, Paris, New York.

My ratings are 3.0/5.0

Ghost Rider - Spirit of Vengeance

Movie Name: Ghost Rider - Spirit of Vengeance

Language: English
Genre: Action, Drama, Fantasy

I was waiting eagerly for the next installment of Ghost Rider. But this one was not at par with the first movie. This time, Johnny Blaze (Nicholas Cage) gets an opportunity to get the curse lifted. For that he need to save a boy from the clutches of Devil and take it to monastery. This movie deals mainly with the conflict within Blaze which had arisen due to his alternate personality as Ghost Rider. The movie ends with a note where viewer can expect another installment.

The age has started to show its signs for Nicholas Cage. He has depicted the conflict within the Blaze very well. Idris Elba also was unable to impress as Moreau. Christopher Lambert was in a guest role which was neither significant nor impressive. The plot was okay but the direction did not help to cater the requirements of action flick lovers. The plot has huge potential which was left untapped. The 3D and actions scenes were good but not much genuine.

The music and Ghost Rider scenes are somewhat able to compensate for the lacking luster but they are not enough to keep you bound to the seat. I had much expectations with this one but it failed miserably. Still I will suggest it only to the people who have seen and liked the first one.

My ratings are 3.0/5.0

Perfect Sense

Movie Name: Perfect Sense
Language: English
Genre: Drama, Romance, Slice-of-life
Stars: Eva Green, Ewan McGregor

After a long time I got to watch a movie which moved me deeply. This movie forces you to think about the thing which is important in life.
The movie is about a disease which is spreading across is globe and rendering people devoid of senses one by one. First people loose sense of smell, then taste, than hearing and in the end - the sight. Movie deals with the panic caused by the disease and the aftermath. Amid the chaos, there are our protagonists, Michael (Ewan McGregor), who is a cook and Susan (Eva Green) who is researcher on epidemics. Both of them are brought together by the common factor - disease and are separated also due to the same factor. The movie leaves you delving about the importance of love and loved one.

This movie is entirely different from Matt Damon starred "Contagion" despite the fact that both the movies deal with the same subject of 'contagious disease'. This movie does not depict the efforts of any government of system; rather it displays the plight of common people. It spreads it message "life goes on" strongly. It depicts that love can conquer anything & everything. It makes us realize that in the end love is the only necessity in life which sprouts from our heart. Love exists even when all our sensory perceptions desert us.

Ewan McGregor has once again won my heart with his excellent acting. All kinds of emotions come to life in a natural way in his acting. Eva Green is also impressive. The narration style of the movie has been enhanced and more impressive with the help of small clips and photos of people around the world. The sound effects are excellent and helps you to feel the plight of people. The movie is successful in delivering the message. It is must of all the people who believe that movies are not just made for entertainment.

My ratings are 4.5/5.0

50/50

Movie Name: 50/50
Language: English
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Slice-of-life

After a long time, I got to watch a movie with right combination of elements that is essential for a great movie. This movie does not have extraordinary cast, plot, dialogues or special effects. But this movie does have all the right pieces at right place to make a perfect fit.

The plot is pretty simple. The story revolves around a young guy, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt who is informed about the vicious tumor that is growing within his spinal cord. Rest of the plot follows the ordeal of the protagonist and effect of his disease on his family, lover, and friends. There is nothing unique about the plot, yet the movie portrays the issue in a different light. The movie neither is overflowing with overly sentimental dialogues nor is making a mockery of the fragility of human existence. The movie depicts various genuine characters whom we encounter in our daily life be it doctors who work mechanically without emotions or be it lovers who leave your side when you are down.

The acting is great by everyone be it Seth Rogan, who is playing the friend who is more concerned benefiting with friend’s disease or Anjelica Huston, who is playing the mother of a young guy suffering with cancer. Joseph has impressed once again with his acting prowess. He has potential of becoming a great actor. The movie makes perfect sense unlike various others in its category. It treats a social cause and all related aspects with complete respect without being smothering or sarcastic. In a way, the movie treats the issue of cancer in the same way as "Thank You for Smoking" treated the issue of smoking. This movie is a must for all the movie lovers who seek some meaning or message from the cinema.

My ratings are 4.5/5.0

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Movie Name: Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Language: English
Genre: Drama, Action, Sci-fi

I saw Planet of the Apes long time back. I did not enjoy that movie much and I was not much enthusiastic about its prequel either. Yet I decided to watch it for the lack of any other fiction.

The story revolves around a genetics scientist named Will Rodman played by James Franco who is experimenting with drugs to cure Alzheimer diseases. He takes one newborn chimpanzee at his home and names it "Caesar" as its mother dies in an accident. The chimp retains the effects of the drugs that were administered to its mother. It evolves physically and mentally. Due to certain situation, Will is forced to leave Caesar with the animal care facility. There Caesar encounters firsthand human - cruelty and loneliness. His trust in humanity is destroyed. It uses its enhanced capabilities to save other apes and takes the role of their leader. The movie ends with the portrayal of spread of an infectious disease which affects only humans. In such way it demonstrates the start of a new era when Apes are destined to rule the planet.

I liked the movie due to great direction and script. It was way better than the first installment. The main cast is Caesar. Animation and graphics has done really great to show the inner turmoil and emotions of the animal which has far greater abilities than human, yet is being treated like a pet. Tom Felton has performed the despicable character of cruel animal care attendant very well. Others do not have much to do. Graphics sequences are great. This movie is a must for all cinema goers.

My ratings are 4.5/5.0

Colombiana

Movie Name: Colombiana
Language: English
Genre: Action, Drama

Watched this movie last week. I was looking for some action flick so opted for Colombiana.

The movie’s story is about a girl named Cataleya whose parents are killed in front of her eyes in the childhood. She escapes from the hands of murderers and goes to his uncle’s place. She becomes an assassin for hire and finally takes revenge from the people who destroyed her life. Plot is pretty much clichéd, yet I was expecting some innovation or freshness. The movie was okay but there have been great movies with assassin as central theme such as Hitman, Taken, and Bourne series.

The main attraction was acting by Amandla Stenberg who played young Cataleya. Zoe Saldana played adult Cataleya but she was not as impressive as Amandla. No other actor has played significant role. The movie had a great starting but was not able to maintain the pace. An unnecessary romantic angle also does not help the pace of the movie. Music is bad and does not sync with the tempo of the movie. This movie was purely made for action lovers. This movie could have been great if the producers/ directors would not have brought some innovation to the script. If you are in mood for another cliched assassin movie, go for it :)

My ratings are 2.5/5.0

Captain America: The First Avenger

Movie Name: Captain America- The First Avenger
Language: English
Genre: Action, Drama, Sci-fi

I watched this movie with many expectations, as it is based on a popular comics character. The movie did well but it cannot be compared to other movies based on comics’ characters.

The movie is about Steve Rogers played by Chris Evans, who solely wants to serve his country. He tries several times to enlist into US Army during World War II yet he fails miserably due to his health problems and weak physical structure. An army scientist sees the potential of good in him and gives him the opportunity to serve the country by being a part of the experiment to create the super soldier. The experiment enhances his physique, strength, and speed thereby converting him into Captain America. Rest of the movie is about Captain America as he finds his place in society and serves his country with his life. The climax leaves the possibilities for future installments in the series.

The movie could have used some editing. Viewer has to wait for a long time to enjoy some action because much time is spent in building up the story until the creation of Captain America. Chris Evans has done well yet he does not have physique as portrayed in comics. Hugo Weaving has played the role of antagonist named Red Skull. He was not able to invent anything for the character and looked very much similar to Agent Smith in Matrix. The movie fails to make its place among various movies that are based on comics. Only hardcore fans of action or comics will appreciate the effort spent on making a movie that introduces a superhero, Captain America.

My ratings are 3.0/5.0

The Three Musketeers

Movie Name: The Three Musketeers
Language: English
Genre: Action, Comedy, Drama

Just finished watching the movie. I was not expecting much from the movie but it was good enough for weekend evening. I like period films in European settings. I watched it in 3D, so experience was even better.

The movie is about three legendary warriors from France named Athos, Porthos and Aramis. There is one young lad who aspires to join the Musketeers. The story is about the conspiracy by Church Carnal in France to create a situation for war between France in England. Musketeers fight to avoid the war and bring peace to the king. Milady de Winter, played by Milla Jovovich has an important role in the movie as a fellow conspirator to Cardinal.

The story is very much predictable. Movie has all the elements of all the genre, be it romance, action, drama or comedy. Milla has done wonderful as "Milady de Winter". The main characters aka The Three Musketeers were not able to leave the impression though they have done their parts satisfactorily. Orlando failed in the role of "Duke of Buckingham". The action sequences, 3D sequences and graphics were good. This movie is for the people who like to enjoy movies, not for the people who seek something greater than fun from the movies. I will recommend the movie for a fun evening, to appreciate the set ups, costumes and dialogues.

My ratings are 3.5/5.0

Real Steel

Movie Name: Real Steel
Language: English
Genre: Action, Drama

Yesterday I watched the movie. I was expecting a great action, drama flick and I was not disappointed :)

The story is set in year 2025 when robot boxing has replaced the regular boxing. Hugh Jackman has played “Charles” who was a boxer in his early days but now he is into robot boxing. He is broke due to his impulsive character, yet he is obsessed with robot boxing. One day he discovers that his girlfriend has died and left him with an 11 year old son, “Max” whom he abandoned in past. He is struck with his son for summer. His son finds an old robot named “Atom” in junkyard and wants it to fight but Charles does not expect anything from the old robot that was made for sparring during boxing practices. Rest of the story is about “Atom” fighting and winning fights, “Charles” realizing his mistakes and connecting with his son again.

This movie is not like other Hugh Jackman movies. This movie is about love, family and passion. The plot is good with adequate amount of humor, action and drama. Hugh has played a careless dad who has abandoned his family in the past. His character has its own faults yet one comes to like him and his passion. Dakota Goyo has played "Max", who is a smart kid and knows the world as it is. Max also displays the character traits of his father. Dakota has played the character very well. Chemistry between Max and Charles produces funny moments. Fighting sequences between robots are great with fine details. These are not complex like Transformers. Music and direction is good. Movie has all the elements necessary for success. I will recommend the movie to all viewers as it has all the elements of a good movie.

My ratings are 4.0/5.0

Zookeeper

Movie Name: Zookeeper
Language: English
Genre: Romance, Comedy, Drama

I opted to watch Zookeeper as it was produced by Adam Sandler and Kevin James was performing the lead role. I have been a fan of Sandler's comedy movies.

The story of the movie revolves around a simple guy named Griffin who works as a zookeeper. He is very affectionate towards zoo animals. Therefore zoo animals decide to disclose the secret to him that they can all talk like humans. They do this in order to help him to get his dream-girl who rejected his marriage proposal 5 years ago and is back in his life. Griffin changes himself to be liked by his love but in the process he realizes the true love of his life and importance of being oneself. There have been several movies made with the similar formula, only the talking animals have added to the novelty.

The acting by Kevin James was good but nothing exemplary. He has portrayed the character somewhat similar to the one in "Hitch". But here Will Smith is not there to support him :) All of the voice actors and scenes with animals were good. None else had much screen space. The comic timings of the movie was a bit off and therefore movie was not able to make me laugh that hard. There is not anything else worth mentioning. In sum, movie was not able to deliver up to the expectations.

My ratings are 2.5/5.0

Cube

Movie Name: Cube
Language: English
Genre: Drama, Thriller

I liked the movie "Hypercube" which I watched long back. I recently got a chance to watch the first movie in the series, named "Cube". I did not miss the chance for the thrill ride.

The story revolves around six people who wake up in a maze of cube shaped rooms. Some of the rooms have highly sophisticated death traps. The people include a cop, a psychiatrist, a maths student, a mental patient with high affinity to maths, an expert in escaping from prison and a designer who helped in making the maze. The story is about survival from death traps and finding the escape route from the maze. The plot keeps evolving providing insights to the individuals, as people lose their humanity among chaos.

The story keeps the viewer bound with its twists and turns, but the ending does not clarify the elements of the movie and keeps the viewer dangling, probably to wait for the next installment. There is not any well recognized actor in the movie yet everyone have performed their part well. The music is good, so as the cinematography. Director has wisely used the ever increasing tension among individuals to show their person demons to viewers. For people who like movies such as Saw and Final Destination, this movie is definitely a treat. My ratings are 4.0/5.0

Karigurashi no Arrietty

Movie Name: Karigurashi no Arrietty
Language: Japanese
Genre: Drama, Slice of Life

Somehow watching Ghibli Studio movies make me feel good, therefore I watched one on my birthday. As always, it did not let me down and I was once again filled with new enthusiasm and a will to fight for survival.

The story revolves around a "borrower" girl named Arrietty. Borrowers are small sized people who live beneath the wooden floors and survive by borrowing from humans. A young boy named Sho comes to visit his grandmother's house, where he sees Arrietty. The story follows the survival story of Arrietty and her family. The movie is all about the will to survive against all odds. Arrietty gives hope to Sho also who has to undergo a heart surgery. The story leaves a deep impression despite being simple and pretty much predictable.

I always liked the simplicity and the characters of Ghibli movies. Sho and Arrietty depicts the pessimist and the optimist respectively. The animation is great and beautifully shows the importance of trivial things in the life of borrowers which are not much valued by humans. The music is okay. This movie may not be as great as other Ghibli productions but still I feel that for animation lovers, it is a must to watch.

My ratings are 4.0/5.0

Kiki's Delivery Service

Movie Name: Kiki's Delivery Service
Language: Japanese
Genre: Drama, Romance, Slice-of-Life

I like Ghibli movies as they depict the everyday trials of human with such a ease in the movies. I recently watched another masterpiece by the Studio.

This movie revolves around a young witch named Kiki. She needs to live independently for one year as per her training as a witch. Therefore she lefts her home and reaches a coastal town where witches are not so common. She makes new friends and opens a delivery service for survival as all she can do as witch is flying. The movies depicts her trials and her efforts as she makes friendship with locals. The movie gives message that everyone needs inspiration to do one's task wholeheartedly. One can continue one's work only when one has strong feelings about the work and great inspirations to do the same.

The movie at its course also delivers the message about individuality. Kiki wants to buy a dress in the movie so that she can look pretty like the other girls of her age but she does not have enough money to spare. In the end it is shown how her way of dressing has become a fashion. Kiki inspires one to maintain one's own individuality rather than following others.

This movie was like all other Ghibli movies with a simple plot and lovable characters. The music was good and the dialogues were simple. The movie is ideal for the teenagers who are eager to go out in the world and experience the things first hand. My ratings are 4.0/5.0

Whisper of the Heart

Movie Name: Whisper of the Heart
Language: Japanese
Genre: Drama, Romance, Slice-of-Life

I like Japanese animation movies. I watched this Ghibli production animation movie recently. Again the movie did not fail my expectations.

The movie revolves around a young girl named Shizuku who is studying junior high school. The plot revolves around her life, her friends, her love and most importantly her aim in life. The movie is successful in giving message that everyone needs to search for one's true inner calling. Humans are like rocks which are needed to be dug deeper to find gems and later to be polished to reach at its actual worth. The story is about Shizuku's journey to find her place in the world. The movie is able to give deeper sense to any simple scene. For example, there is a scene where Shizuku's boyfriend tells her that he wanted to carry her on bicycle on a steep road. But the girl declines and tells that she does not want to be a burden to him, she rather wants to help her on the steep road. The scene renders the beliefs of a couple beautifully without much ado.

As the movie deals with the life and trials we face everyday, important aspect of the movie are dialogues. Scenes and dialogues combined are capable to deliver the message. The music is great. This movie is must for any Chibi movie fans. This may not be as great as "Spirited Away" yet it is a treat for the people who believes in trying and trying hard with everything they got.

My ratings are 4.0/5.0

Everything Must Do

Movie Name: Everything Must Go
Language: English
Genre: Drama, Slice of Life

I generally find Will Ferrell movies funny. I started watching this movie due to Will only without looking for reviews of the movie. I lost interest in the first twenty minutes, yet somehow I completed the movie. I did not like it much because the subject matter was not treated properly.

The story revolves around a senior sales person, portrayed by Will, who is fired after 16 years of service due to his alcoholism. His wife deserts him on the same day. So he is alone without money, car, job or family at his lawn in front of his own house which is locked by his wife. The story deals with how he makes acquaintances with some neighbors and moves forward in his life. The impact of alcohol on his life is depicted in length but the journey back towards a fulfilling life is not shown. The movies leaves the viewer wondering about many points; in some sense it is an open ended climax :-)

Will has done great as the man suffering from acute drinking problem. He loses everything without realizing that it was his fault only which made the condition so bad. There are not many characters in the movie. The pace is bit slow and movie seems dragging without much development of the plot. Nothing less is worth mentioning. It is not a great way to pass time if you are not into drinking ;-)

My ratings are 2.5/5.0

Chillar Party

Movie Name: Chillar Party
Language: Hindi
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Slice of Life

This movie was produced by Salman Khan. I was surprised to see Salman advertising so passionately for his home production movie. I got a chance to watch the movie recently.

This movie is about a group of kids who live in a society. A new kid with his dog enters the society as the person responsible of washing cars. The group makes friendship with the kid and the dog after some initial tussle. Later when a minister makes a law to confiscate street dogs due to his personal vendetta against the dog staying within the same society, the group does all in its power to save the dog. The story is simple but it is stretched to 135 minutes. The story is about friendship and passion. It makes us realize that as adults people re forgetting what is important in life.

The script is well written. Dialogues are funny. I will not say that acting is superb but considering the low budget and acting experience of kids, the movie delivers acceptable performance to its level. I liked Naman Jain who has portrayed Balwan aka Jhangiya. The music score is good and helps in the flow of movie. Direction is good. There are some negative points also. First of all movie is a bit long for such a simple story. Then, main antagonist fails to deliver commendable performance. But overall, movie is worth watching. One more thing is worth mentioning here, item number by Ranbeer Kapoor.

Overall, movie is good watch for a soothing weekend. It forces us to think that we generally avoid the path of righteousness thinking that it is full of difficulties. But kids never leave the path they think is right. So never take kids lightly. Considering this I will rate the movie as 3.0/5.0 :-)

Largo Winch

Movie Name : Largo Winch
Language : English, French
Genre : Action, Drama

I watched this movie last weekend. I have seen French movies mostly with Drama as central theme. This was the first time watching an action French film. The action sequences were not as exciting as Hollywood movies, yet movie was impressive and left a good impression.

The story is about Largo Winch, played by Tomer Sisley, who is adopted and thus becomes an heir to a large group. His father has kept his identity secret to save him from undue risk. After the untimely death of his father, Largo faces various threats and conspiracies in order to gain his rightful inheritance. The movie has some nice twists and turns. The movie is all about the acceptance of Largo as the rightful owner of the wealth and responsibilities left behind by his father. The script is tightly written without any loopholes. The ending is open with a possibility of sequel, which was released later. The movie shows us the glimpses of flip side of being an heir to a wealthy person. Largo himself states in the movie that he is not after money, he is after his father's murderer.

The acting by all the main casts is great. Tomer has done well in his acting showing various emotions, needed as per script. Miki Manojlovic has done impressionable job as a ruthless businessman and a father. The father-son relationship was depicted with various small flashbacks. As stated earlier, the movie is not at par with Hollywood action movies but I liked the action sequences for Largo as those are used to depict a prodigal son of wealthy businessman, not a professional or hit-man. The story keeps you on your toes. The film has used varied locations to follow the script. The background music is worth mentioning. Cinematography, dialogues and direction are seasoned as expected from a French movie.

Taking all the pros and cons, the movie was great in his unique genre of action packed drama. The movie had right combination of drama mixed with action restricted within suitable time frame. I will rate this movie as 3.5/5.0

Singham

Movie Name: Singham
Genre: Action, Romance, Drama
Language: Hindi

I have been a fan of Ajay Devgn from his early days in film industry. I was waiting for the movie as I already watched “Singam” in Tamil in which Suriya was the protagonist. I was hopeful that Ajay could do justice with the role as he started his career as an action hero.

The movie is about an honest police inspector who is posted in his own village. He works according to his own definition of justice and law. He is the local hero. On the other side there is a city goon who has influence with Police and politicians. The story is about the confrontation and subsequent fighting between them. The plot is not innovative but the way story turns and twists, is interesting.

Ajay is looking great with his perfect physique and impressive voice. The movie is all about action sequences and dialogues. Ajay has done well in both the fields. The dialogues as well as the action scenes are funny. Prakash Raj has become stereotype in his villainous role. Actress Kajal Aggarwal has nothing to do in the movie. This movie is not for critics; rather it is for the movie buffs who believe in pure entertainment. The ending is a bit nonsensical. I will not compare Ajay with Suriya as both have their own styles. I liked both the movies. There is nothing to do for others. Music is good but the songs do not help the plot in any way. In short the movie is about action scenes, dialogues and Ajay Devgn.

My ratings are 3.5/5.0

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara

Movie Name: Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
Genre: Romance, Drama, Slice of life
Language: Hindi

I always appreciated movies made by Farhan Akthar, as they go beyond singing and dancing and seek some answers, which challenge the life of common men. This movie also succeeded in keeping up to my expectations.

The movie is about three friends who embark on a road trip, as a bachelor party for one of the friends. The friends come from different segments of society. They have their own fears and reservations. Together they face these fears and come out as winners. They learn to their callings in life and decide to act upon them. The movie gives message that life is all about choices, which are to be acted upon without fear to live to the fullest. The movie is a bit long (2.5 hours) but still has ability to keep the audience tied to their chairs.

The acting by Hritik is great as he portrays the transition from money minded Financial Trader to a free person who believes in living life in present. Farhan and Abhay have also done well in their roles. Katrina was not that impressive, but it is okay as her role was only to increase glam points. The locations in Spain are beautiful. Music and songs are not great but keeps with the flow of the movie. The end seemed a bit arbitrary as ending song was not aligned to the choices made by the trio.

My ratings are 3.5/5.0

Naruto Shippuden: Bonds

Movie Name: Naruto Shippuden - Bonds
Genre: Action, Drama, Slice of life
Language: Japanese

I like animation movies and Naruto is among my most favorite characters. I was planning to watch the movies for long and finally last night I was able to spare time to watch this movie. I always believed that Naruto is not just about action; it is about the life in general. Naruto always inspires me to fight with all my might for the things I believe in.

The story of the movie is about Sky Country ninjas, considered extinct during the Great War, who attack Konoha, hometown of Naruto. Naruto is sent on a mission to save one fire village from the Sky ninjas. He there meets with his long lost friend Sasuke and eliminates the threat of Sky ninjas. The story is not about the fights; it is about the bonds between people – bonds between friends and bonds between teachers and their students. I felt that there could have been more to the story as most of the movie is devoted to development of plot and lesser attention is given to relationship between Naruto and Sasuke. This might have happened to keep the movie aligned to the main series.

The action sequences and dialogues are the main selling points of the movie. There are not much to do for other characters as this movie solely belongs to Naruto and his bond with Sasuke. The animation is great as always. The music score is not that impressive as with other Naruto franchise. I will recommend this movie all anime fans even if they have not seen other Naruto movies/ series.

My ratings are 3.5/5.0