Moving On........ http://win-rapidshare.info/

Well guys, no post for last 2 months from 100 percentor. People have been asking me questions like you haven't posted anything since January. I won't lie here. I didn't got any response at all from anywhere so i have moved on to another blog which is
http://win-rapidshare.info/

This blog is of my friend and i am one of its contributors, a major one though.I might post some content like movie reviews here also but to have access to my full writings you can go this site and read posts written by Abn9.10, thats my name there. Sorry for the inconvenience. But i don't think any inconvenience is there because nobody visits this site. If you wish you can come and visit 100 percentor site which might be updated like once in 2-3 months or go to win-rapidshare and read all the content that i have written. There are other sections in this site which you might find interesting. Hoping to see you all on my new site.

Movie Review: Sherlock Holmes

Robert Downey Jr. in a movie ensures one thing – that he would do full justice with his role. With this faith in Robert Downey Jr. I went to watch Sherlock Holmes. Thankfully he didn’t let me down. The move is a full entertainer. Its around 2 hours long and it ensures that you are entertained through witty jokes, funny situations or a mystery that tries too hard to be engaging. In the end the audience doesn’t care about the mystery (which is too predictable) and takes away the feeling of fun and entertainment. This movie is in no way a Sherlock Holmes, a reader of Arthur Canon Doyle’s work would expect. Instead he is tough, eccentric, a street fighter kind of character. If you accept this design of Sherlock Holmes the movie is perfectly acceptable. Jude Law gives a good performance as Dr. Watson. The chemistry between Holmes and Watson is so very visible on screen. Hats off to Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law for giving such a performance. Rachel McAdams as the leading lady looks good but her character is sketchily written. If her characterization could have been better it would have enhanced the entire movie a little more.

Credit also should be given to the good direction of Guy Ritchie. Whenever Guy Ritchie is around you should not expect something conventional and here he has given us a completely different type of Sherlock Holmes. The scenes are cleverly shown. Watch out for the slow motion fight scenes which Holmes plan in his mind and then executes them perfectly in normal speed. The only complaint I have is that the unraveling of mystery could have been done at a more detailed level by spending more time on it, but in the end everything fits just fine.

Mention also should be done of amazing cinematography, it seems you are back in the 1800s. Small details like the repeated showing of 221b, Baker Street is heartening for Sherlock Holmes fans like me. End credits are shown in a novel way, usually people in India starts to step out of the theater as soon as the end credits start, for the first time I saw people in India seeing end credits, all credit to the innovative displays used.

The background music is excellent. As soon as I heard the music I guessed it could have been only of Hans Zimmer. The theme of lead characters somewhere reminded me of another eerie character of our times Jack Sparrow, which was incidentally composed by Zimmer. Except this similarity with his previous works Hans Zimmer has done a really good job. The variety displayed is amazing, on the one hand the adrenalin pumped by his background score in some action sequences is amazing, on the other hand the eerie theme of Holmes sets up the tone for humor in some scenes. Hans Zimmer is not the best composer of current times for nothing, in this movie he displays his class.

Overall I will rate this movie somewhere between good and very good. If you are one of those who like action movies and can accept Holmes in his new Avatar then you will like it very much. Watch this movie and don’t look for flaws, just treat it as an enjoyable ride and you will be easily satisfied. A sequel is on the way, lets’ hope they don’t repeat the small mistakes done in this one and come up with an even better movie.

Movie Review: 3 Idiots

Aamir Khan is one of the superstars of the Hindi Film Industry, he can make a movie work entirely on his shoulders. He proved that as a mediocre film like "Ghajini" achieved blockbuster success mainly due to him. Few years ago Aamir started a trend of doing one movie at a time, so he has one release every year. First it was "Rang De Basanti" which was a big hit and then "Taare Zameen Par" which was another big hit. I didn't watched these two movies on the big screen so i decided that from the next time i will surely watch Aamir's movies only in theater. Then came "Ghajini", i went only because of Aamir, the movie was decent but i didn't liked it. One year later "3 Idiots" came and this time i thought to give Aamir another try. Another main reason for me going to this movie was the director Rajkumar Hirani who has given us two wonderful movies of "Munnabhai" series. From the trailers it seemed like Aamir has over acted to compensate for his age, so i was skeptical but i still decided to give it a go. Thank God i did.

This is one of the best Hindi movie i have ever seen. Like all other Rajkumar Hirani movies this one is a satire and places some messages subtly (and sometimes loudly). The story is broadly similar to the famous novel "Five Point Someone" but is no way identical to it. It has an entirely different storyline and a wonderful one. Three college friends dealing with the pressure and the problems faced in the college is really heart touching. Anybody who has gone to a college would instantly identify with the characters. The connect which Rajkumar Hirani makes with the audience is instantaneous and amazing. I am not an Engineer, i am a Commerce graduate but it doesn't hamper me in any way in enjoying this movie. Aamir Khan, Madhavan and Sharman Joshi plays their characters perfectly. Mention should be made of other nice characters like Millimeter and Silencer (Omi Vaidya), this guy Omi Vaidya is also a star attraction of the movie. The funny scenes featuring him are simply amazing. These scenes would make your stomach ache with laughter. All the credit to him for pulling off such a role with panache. Boman Irani as a stereotyped villain is as usual good, he is at his best in Hirani's movies and once again he delivers. Kareena Kapoor is endearing in her small role. Aamir Khan as expected takes the movie entirely on his shoulders and delivers a flawless performance. R Madhavan and Sharman Joshi provides adequate support by giving a good performance.

The crackling chemistry between the trio is amazing. I was puzzled by the director's choice of these actors to play college boys when there is immense young talent out there, Hirani said that he wanted three guys who looks like genuine friends, do these 3 look like genuine friends? oh yes they do. They touch our hearts with their friendship with ease. Many heart touching moments in the movie are created by this trio so easily that they don't seem middle aged anymore. Once you see this movie, you cannot see any other actor playing these characters with such perfection.

The dialogues are funny, the one liners are well delivered by the entire cast. Some funny scenes are simply amazing. I won't divulge them here as i don't want to be a spoilsport. Rajkumar Hirani's narration style is brilliant, he has a unique style of showing things. For e.g. The family of Sharman Joshi is shown as a 50s house with a paralyzed father, coughing mother and an unmarried sister. As soon as the focus is on the family the camera turns black and white and an appropriate music starts playing in the background. The situation in reality is grave but the audience sympathize and laugh both at the same time. This is in reality Hirani's biggest achievement, to say something deep in a humorous tone. Many issues prevalent in educational system are touched like excessive pressure and stress on students, excessive importance on grades, difference between learning by rote and by understanding, how our current education system rewards learning by rote and is just treating students like a product out of a factory rather than teaching them to think, invent and innovate.

New concepts like "Aal Iz Well" works well (like "Jadoo ki Jhappi" in Munnabhai series). Some scenes are over-the-top but that adds to the entire drama. There is not a dull moment in this movie. I don't like many hindi movies, if you look at my blog i haven't given rave reviews for any Hindi movie, but "3 Idiots" deserve it. Its a superb movie that is lighthearted and sends out a message at the same time. When the audience walked out of the theater everybody was smiling and laughing. Thats the main strength of this movie, the feel-good factor which will touch every person who will watch it. Don't watch it on your laptop (by downloading or buying pirated DVDs). It would be an injustice not to watch it in a theater. Go and watch it on a big screen. Not many Hindi movies would make me say this but this one is a "Masterpiece". I loved it!!!

Movie Review: Avatar

I am a big fan of James Cameron, i have liked all his works like Abyss, Aliens, Terminator 1 & 2, True Lies except Titanic. I know people would hate me for saying this but i found Titanic to be too long and boring at times. Titanic was good but not great, and not James Cameron's best, it went to be the biggest box office success in the history is something for which i give due respect to Titanic but it will never be one of my favorite. So after a relative disappointment of Titanic as we don't expect "good" from James Cameron, comes Avatar. So how was Avatar?

Only one word: Breathtaking. This is the only word i will use for this movie. This movie is out of this world. A visual spectacle. Luckily i watched it in 3-D and the effect is amazing. The movie barring its clichéd storyline is amazing, you gotta see to believe it. The alternate world created by James Cameron is simply amazing, it looks strikingly real. The amount of thought that would have gone in designing the entire ecosystem like plants, animals etc. would have been astounding. I heard that James Cameron had scripted this movie many years ago but didn't made it because he thought that the technology to justify the script was not there, he was right as the movie special effects are groundbreaking even according to the current standards. The wait done by James Cameron is well justified. The characterization of the leading characters at times seems like a caricature. There are stereotyped characters which some people might find annoying and too old fashioned but then it was scripted many years ago so some old styles would be reflected in it.

If i say about the direction it follows the signature James Cameron style. A good beginning with introduction of various characters and their motives well set, then for some time the script just goes at a slow to normal pace with some twists and turns, sometimes some of the scenes would seem unnecessary, then the build up to the climax and in the end an elongated epic fight or battle scene which seems worth the wait. Also the unnecessary scenes comes together in the end and becomes relevant. Another signature James Cameron style is that the movie is long and to some people would seem like half an hour too long. I won't divulge much about the script but all the characters whether it be side characters are well defined and every character gets enough screen time. Even the love story is handled well. The performances from characters are decent, Sam Worthington as expected gets most of the screen time and he does well. Another thing which should be mentioned is the soundtrack, the background music enhances the impact of many scenes.

I would highly recommend this movie to be watched only in 3-D to enjoy it fully. The effort invested by the technical team becomes all the more evident as compared to 2-D. This is not James Cameron's best work but still it is good. And if you can keep your eyes off some small glitches this movie would definitely work for you.

So, go out there and book your ticket for the next 3-D show. Its going house full every show so it would be tough, but trust me it would be worth it. James Cameron is back and that too with a bang!

India No. 1 in Test Ranking

India managed to get on to the no. 1 spot in the test rankings by beating Sri Lanka 2-0 in the recently concluded test series. Its the first time India has reached the top ranking and only two other teams - Australia and South Africa - have managed to get to the no. 1 spot since the introduction of these rankings in 2001.

This ascendancy to no. 1 started in 2001 when Sourav Ganguly's team stopped the Australian Juggernaut of Steve Waugh who were rolling along with 16 consecutive victories in tests. Who can forget the performances of Harbhajan Singh, VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid in arguably the best series of modern times. Specially the 2nd test at Kolkata when India came back from a follow-on to defeat the mighty Aussies. VVS Laxman's 281, Rahul Dravid's supporting act, Harbhajan "The Turbanator" hat-trick and the flurry of wickets which he used to take whenever he came to bowl is unforgettable. This killer instinct and the belief to be no. 1 was instilled by Sourav Ganguly during this era. India started winning test matches overseas during his tenure in Australia, West Indies and England but they never were able to win a series there. The other notable achievement was winning a series against the arch rivals Pakistan in Pakistan for the first time in more than 55 years. Then came Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble who in my view were just short-term replacements so that a next generation captain could be appointed which eventually was MS Dhoni. MS Dhoni has taken forward the legacy of Sourav Ganguly and has managed to raise it by one more level. Now, India has the batting talent to stay at top with people like Sehwag, Gambhir, Tendulkar, Dravid and Laxman. The bowling is decent with bowlers like Zaheer Khan, Sreesanth, Ishant Sharma and Harbhajan Singh. On their day these bowlers can prove to be a handful.

Now the big question - Is India no. 1 in tests?. I rather doubt it, for various reasons. Firstly India doesn't have a bowling attack that can dismiss quality batting line-ups twice in 5 days on batting friendly pitches. Secondly, India is yet to win a series in Australia and South Africa, though they have managed to win a test match in their previous trips. Another reason is that the batting which is looking so good nowadays is mainly because of presence of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid And VVS Laxman in the middle order. These all-time greats would retire in 2-3 years, and then they would be replaced by younger guys like Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma etc.etc. who are no match for these all-time greats, this would leave a big hole in the Indian batting line-up. According to me Murali Vijay is a nice exciting prospect in test cricket and he should be developed by keeping an eye on the future. I believe that the batting which is our main strength would come under a lot of strain within 2-3 years, people like Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina are not suitable for test cricket as they are technically not correct and also they have that one-day and 20/20 mentality of hit-every-ball philosophy. Another area of concern is that India doesn't play that many test matches as compared to Australia and South Africa so that also reduces their chances of staying at no.1.

To conclude i would say that these ranking doesn't matter in the long run. India is a seriously good team, but i don't think it is the best team in the world. Indian team is one of the best along with other teams like Australia and South Africa. When India starts beating Australia and South Africa in their own backyard on a regular basis, then India will be no. 1 for sure.

Movie Review: De Dana Dan

A comedy movie made by Priyadarshan featuring Akshay Kumar, Sunil Shetty and Paresh Rawal, that resonates of Herapheri in my memory - one of the best comedies ever made. The trio of these actors recreated their magic in Phir Herapheri but for me that movie was inferior to the first one (it was not directed by Priyadarshan also).

Herapheri came around 10 years ago in 2000. During that time Priyadarshan was known for making remakes of south movies and was never known for making good comedies. Akshay Kumar was just another actor in the fray. Johnny Lever was the only famous comedian at that time and Paresh Rawal was known for his serious character roles and as a villain sometimes. Then came Herapheri and it started many things that are still true today. It shot Akshay Kumar to fame and that was the beginning of making of The Star Akshay Kumar. Paresh Rawal achieved prominence as a comedian and after that he got known in film industry as one of the better comic actors. After that Priyadarshan churned out various comedies of a similar genre but was never able to repeat the success that Herapheri achieved.

Now the trio is back along with the same director in "De Dana Dan". The story is on a similar lines as Herapheri. Akshay Kumar and Sunil Shetty are friends and want to get rich as soon as possible otherwise their girlfriends would be forcibly married by their family to someone else. Their scheme of getting rich lands them in Pan Pacific Hotel where Paresh Rawal is trying to get his son Chunkey Pandey married with Sameera Reddy. Now starts the confusion of mistaken identity, lies and what not.
All the confusion reaches its summit and explodes in the end. The only regret i have is that the trio of Akshay Kumar, Sunil Shetty and Paresh Rawal doesn't feature even in one frame together. Crackling chemistry between these 3 actors in some scenes could have enhanced the impact of movie a lot more, the reason of it could be that Priyadarshan didn't wanted audiences to compare this movie to Herapheri.

First i would write about the bad parts which are not that many......there are some scenes where actors go overboard and the humor becomes slapstick to an extent that it leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Thankfully such scenes are not many. If a person is willing to put his brain to rest while watching it these scenes are also not bad. The pace of movie slackens a little bit at some places.

Now the good parts.....Akshay Kumar's comic timing is amazing. The chemistry between Sunil Shetty and Akshay Kumar is excellent. Paresh Rawal is nice in his role as a fraud business man. Other actors play their part well. Johnny Lever as a professional killer with his special solution that can make any person unconscious is funny. Rajpal Yadav who has become a permanent fixture of all Priyadarshan movies is impressive in his small role, he is funny as a foolish waiter. Katrina Kaif and Sameera Reddy are just there to soothe the eyes of audience. There are other supporting actors like Neha Dhupia, Archana Puran Singh, Asrani, Aditi Gowitrikar etc. who did justice with whatever they were given.

The amazing thing is that Priyadarshan has been able to manage all the commotion and confusion between all the characters. Its a big achievement to pull off this amazing feat while making people laugh hysterically. The one thing that went wrong was that Akshay Kumar was locked in a cupboard for around an hour. His presence was missed. Barring that drawback the movie was well handled.

Some people have criticized "De Dana Dan" for going overboard but for me this movie remains one of the better comedies i have seen in recent times. Its humor of a different kind and according to me it should appeal to masses. There were instances when i was laughing out loud hysterically and in some scenes i just couldn't stop laughing. If it was released before "Ajab Prem Ki Gajab Kahaani" and "All The Best" its box office collections would have been all the more. Nevertheless, i would recommend this movie to everyone. Don't miss this one, watch it and have a laugh!!!

Rocket Singh: A Very Very Exciting Prospect

Rocket Singh, an upcoming movie from Yash Raj Films. For the past 1-2 years Yash Raj has not been able to maintain the type of success ratio expected from them. But i believe to break the series of flops comes Rocket Singh. There are various reasons for this - Firstly it has Ranbir Kapoor in it, he is the next star in the making. Second the director is Shimit Amin, who made a wonderful movie named "Chak De India", if the director of a movie is good then i feel all the more assured. Thirdly Ranbir is donning a role of sardar in this one - A salesman Rocket Singh who has to go through various ups and downs (the plot is not officially out yet). Now for me the USP(Unique Selling Proposition) of this story is its connection with the roots. Try to see around you, there are hundreds of sales persons following you with one product or the other, some of my fellow friends are one of them. I myself have been a sales person for a few months and i know how difficult it is to sell things. So the connect with the ground reality is their, which has been missing from Yash Raj Films of late. The character of protagonist has been cleverly written so that people can easily identify themselves with it. Till now promos and the reports that i have seen, heard and read are good. One of the most anticipated movies for me. Will keep posting more content on the blog if i get more news regarding the exciting "Rocket Singh".

Michael Jackson: This Is It

I watched it in a theater in a gold class seat in full comfort so that i can enjoy it fully. My expectations were high even before i stepped into it, and after the first few scenes in which some dancers expressed their views on Michael Jackson and how he has been an inspiration to people world over my expectations went sky high.

Its a movie made on the exclusive behind-the-scenes footage of Michael Jackson rehearsing for his "This Is It" concert, which unfortunately never happened. This documentary cum stage show gives a peek into the genius Michael Jackson. The meticulous preparations whether it be in dancing, singing, music, videos you will see it everything here. The dancing and all are amazing but special mention needs to be their of the creativity incorporated in video making scenes of Smooth Criminal and Thriller. An amazing piece of art, the value of this movie would be enhanced by the fact that Michael Jackson is no longer in this world with us. Its amazing right from the word go and if you are a fan of MJ's music then rehearsals of every performance are sure to entertain you, except the first rehearsal of Wanna be Startin Something in which Michael keeps forgetting words and doesn't looks too good all other songs are mind blowing. Another experience i would like to share is that in the theater after Michael displayed his skills as a vocalist in a song few persons started clapping, i liked that but i didn't clapped because i was entranced by the genius of Michael Jackson. The only thing which i felt during the movie was that if this concert would have happened it would have been a blockbuster success, this feeling of what-could-have-been still lingers. After all was over i left my seat with an empty feeling inside on the loss of the greatest entertainer ever, i think with this empty feeling now the entire world has to live with. Watching this movie makes that feeling more profound.

Movie Review: Wake Up Sid

How many movies have been made in which the protagonist is a confused boy at the beginning and when movie ends he has completely transformed in a responsible man, the answer is many. So whats new in this movie, the narration. The movie is told in such a way that today's generation can relate to it. It caters more to people living in metros, people in small cities would understand it but won't be able to connect with the characters.

The direction is ordinary. I don't see anything outstanding in this movie. It is for me a rehashed version of movies like Dil Chahta Hai, Lakshya etc. The director does a good job in narrating it, but its not anything of special mention as the predictability factor is very high. By good job in narration I mean the sweet and charming college scenes showing friendship, love, heartbreak etc. and conflict with family. Other than that Ranbir's journey from a young confused boy to being responsible is something which we have seen so many times before.

The performances from the cast are normal. Ranbir looks every bit a confused youth. Konkana Sen is as always convincing in her role. But the problem is that the script is so very ordinary that it doesn't gives any scope for any actor to perform out of his skin. According to media this movie has been a big hit, for me this movie is average. It is charming but has got nothing new in it, its just a time pass movie.

Movie Review: All The Best

By the promos this movie positioned itself as a laugh riot with no logic. These are the movies in which you are expected to leave your mind at home. Such movies are found in abundance as in the name of comedy actors are asked to make faces and do silly things. Govinda and David Dhawan were masters of this genre but now experts and analysts say that even they have lost grip over audiences as people have got tired of this nonsense genre. But to prove them wrong once in a while comes a movie like "All The Best". Experts should understand that people will always love a good comedy as everybody likes to laugh but the main point is that people should laugh when they are watching it. "All The Best" succeeds in doing this.

The movie's plot is simple. Fardeen Khan to get more pocket money from his step brother Sanjay Dutt tell him a lie that he is married (he gave this idea on suggestion of Ajay Devgan). Ajay Devgan is Fardeen's best friend and he designs cars. One day when Sanjay Dutt shows up all the confusion starts of mistaken identity and lies to cover it up.

Except the leading characters all the characters are designed solely for the purpose of making audience laugh. Johnny Lever as a don is funny, the actor who plays Shukla in "Office Office" makes you laugh with its "Just Chill", Asrani also does a good job. The chemistry between Sanjay Dutt and Ajay Devgan is amazing, both actors have amazing comic timing and they contribute to the humor generated in many scenes. In the end a happy ending comes where everyone is happy.

Movie's length could have been trimmed to some extent. But this fault is hidden by the fact that maximum scenes have some joke or funny situation in it. Don't expect to laugh at each and every joke. Some people will find some scenes funny while some people may differ. Still overall its an enjoyable ride which will make your mind light. Enjoy it and do remember the minimum expectation which the director has of you "keep your mind away while watching it", if you do this you are sure to find this movie a one time watch.

Movie Review: Wanted

Salman Khan is back with a bang with this one. I have read reports that this movie has struck gold at the box office. A much needed hit for Salman as he has had debacles like God Tussi Great Ho, Heroes and Yuvvraj in the past 1-2 years. The problem with Salman is that he is still doing the same roles as he was doing 10-15 years ago. The maturity that usually comes with time in a actor is not visible in him. Shahrukh and Aamir have raised their acting to another level altogether. Anywayz back to the movie.

Wanted is just what suited Salman Khan. A complete masala movie with not much thought behind it. A simple story of a guy taking on underworld on his own, as if he is a superhero or something. Salman is projected as a one man army (his name is kept Radhe to remind people of his "Tere Naam" fame). South Indian touch is pretty evident in many scenes which is because this has been directed by Prabhudeva. If you like seeing hero unfazed in all circumstances and even beating 10-20 people alone without any fear then this is the movie for you. Other South Indian touches are like a person traveling a long distance after being punched or kicked by Salman. The characters also exude similar touch as a underworld don, a female secretary to the don, an honest police commissioner etc. etc.

The main reason for me not liking this movie is that I hate South Indian movies and the Godly portrayal of their super confident heroes, i think it is too far fetched from reality and far too ridiculous (and in some cases stupidly funny also). But there would be a large audience out there who loves such things, that is why this movie has struck chord with the audience. Also Salman's star power adds to the charm. Salman's performance is decent and he doesn't do any stupid antics which we see him do in his so-called comic movies. The role of a cold blooded killer suits him, he gives good expressions and his superb physique goes well with it. Salman has a mass fan following and he would be able to carry this movie entirely on his shoulders alone. Ayesha Takia has a small role which is not that significant. Some scenes between Salman and Ayesha could have been avoided to give better pacing to the movie. Some songs also were forcibly included. Performances from Govind Namdev, Mahesh Manjrekar and the other cast is decent, they do justice with whatever they were given.

If you like South Indian movies in which Rajnikant, Chiranjeevi are portrayed larger than life then you would love this movie. For people who like to see some logic and reality, better stay away from it.

Movie Review: Public Enemies

I always wanted to see a Johnny Depp movie on the big screen. Finally i got the opportunity with "Public Enemies". It is based on the real-life story of John Dillinger, a bank robber during the great depression of 1930s. Johnny Depp is the star of this movie, he gives a steely performance. Everybody knows he can do different and weird roles but with this he reminds us once again that he can play a real life character also (he has done similar roles in movies like "Finding Neverland"). Johnny Depp has an excellent screen presence, audience just get captivated as soon as he comes on screen. Excellent performance from him. He is one of the major reason for this movie being good.

I would like to praise the director and the cinematographer for the 1930s atmosphere they created on screen. Whether it be in terms of surroundings, cars, buildings, clothes, music etc. The cinematography is absolutely stunning. The fault lies in the pacing of the movie. The movie after some time starts to drag on. Also John Dillinger's character is not much explored, he is shown as a person about whom everybody knew everything, but for someone like me who isn't aware of his history it becomes difficult. More should have been explored about his past, about the person himself so that the other side of the character could be showed. All the famous things he did would be known to many, but if in the movie they would have shown what kind of a person he was it would have helped in making this good movie a great one.

Christian Bale looks mechanical as if he is still doing the Batman role. Always looks serious, but probably that was the requirement of the character so here i would give Bale benefit of doubt. Otherwise, Christian Bale performance is nothing to boast of, decent but not great. Also there are not many scenes between Johnny Depp and Christian Bale, if they would have featured in more scenes together probably it would have spiced up the movie.

Overall a good movie, not entertaining but still a good one. Watch it for good performances, excellent cinematography, to gain some knowledge of the 1930s depression era and the bank robbers. But after you come out you will have a lingering feeling that something was missing, more could have been done. Michael Mann screwed up this wonderful opportunity he had. Still you can't criticize someone for making a good movie, but somewhere i felt that a great movie was reduced to being just good. I am saying all this because i had sky high expectations before i walked in to see it, and as it is said that expectations is the root of all disappointment, in the case of this movie it applies perfectly.

Movie Review: Harry Potter And The Half Blood Prince

First of all let me make it clear that i am a huge Harry Potter fan. I have read all the 7 books at least twice. I remember plots of each novel as if i have to recite them in front of an examiner. All the character details i remember as if they are somebody who are very close to me. So my interest in Harry Potter movies is obvious. I am not one of those fans who wants the book to be made into movies exactly as it is, a director cannot fit a 500 page book into 2 hour movie, to do that he has to remove some things which are not that relevant in the broader scheme of things, but if a director removes relevant and the best part of the book then i think the "creative liberty" concept is being exploited. This movie is a classic case of exploiting the creative liberty given to the director.

This remains one of the best books in the Harry Potter series primarily because it delves into Dark Lord Voldemort's past. It gives us a rare insight into the character Voldemort which was not explored till the 6th book. But in the movie the focus has shifted from Voldemort to love stories of teenagers. The best parts of the book like past memories of Voldemort are skipped to give other plot points screen time. I never understood what the director David Yates was thinking here. If they are in a constraint from the studio to make a movie within 2-2.5 hours then the director should prioritize which things to show and which not to. Basically the most essential points should be shown and irrelevant plot lines should be skipped. Here, the director did exactly the opposite, only 2 memories of Lord Voldemort are shown, one when Dumbledore goes to the orphanage and the second one is in which Voldemort and Horace Slughorn have a discussion regarding Horcruxes. Other memories were shockingly left out. Other memories constituted around 1/2 of the book so you can be rest assured that the director has taken extreme creative liberties, unfortunately in the wrong direction.

Few examples of the creative insertions done by the director: I didn't understood the logic of the scene in which "The Burrow" burns down. Burrow plays an integral part in the next book and it would be interesting to see how they fit this into the next part. No explanation is given of the love between Remus Lupin and Tonks. The focus is more on Lavender Brown, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger love triangle. Harry's love life is also one of the focus area. The worst part was the ending in which Harry is looking from the floor below as Dumbledore is being killed. Harry Potter would be expected to fight till his last breath for his loved ones and Albus Dumbledore was one of them. But in the movie he just watches as a spectator to his death. They could have used the Petrificus Totalus charm to justify that, as was done in the book, but they didn't did that. The fight in the climax which was another highlight of the book, is not shown, the conversation in the end between Snape and Harry is trimmed. The use of cupboard is not explained that well, only people who have read the book would be able to understand what exactly was the use of the cupboard. There was no discussion about the possible Horcruxes which would help Harry in finding them in case if Dumbledore is not there. I could go on and on about the bad points of this movie, it is nonsensical and on entirely different lines as compared to the book. Creative liberties if taken by director is fine if it enhances the overall impact of the movie, but in this case all the good points are left out and he has stuffed this movie with irrelevant things.

This one is the biggest disappointment in the series so far. I have heard that Warner Bros. have contracted David Yates to direct the 7th part also. Lets hope he does justice to the book in that.

There would be people who haven't read the book and would love this movie, for them "Ignorance is Bliss" applies. If there is some one who liked this movie, give the novels a try, you will surely fall in love with the books, all 7 of them, they are simply amazing.

Movie Review: Dil Bole Hadippa

Nowadays i am busy so i don't get much time to watch movies. The only reason i watched this one was that I am a cricket fan so i thought to give this movie a try on my laptop.

Cricket is probably the biggest thing in India (after things like religion, caste etc.). Many movie makers have tried to harness the popularity cricket enjoys among the masses. The list includes famous people like Dev Anand who tried to do this by making "Awwal Number". I remember a movie named "All rounder" as well, i haven't watched it though. After these unsuccessful attempts came "Lagaan" by Ashutosh Gowariker. The only movie that featured cricket and could enthrall audience with it. Then came movies like "Victory" and finally came "Dil Bole Hadippa".

A sort of female version of "Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi". Mixed with some "Chak De India", a few rip off scenes from DDLJ and "Hum Aapke Hain Kaun". But the movie fails to create any sort of impact. First of all the plot is unrealistic, nobody was able to identify Rani Mukherji till the climax when her contact lens falls off. The premise itself is bad but the movie could have worked if the things would have been handled differently. The movie drags on sometimes and some supposedly funny scenes like Shahid Kapoor's blackmailing of Veer to meet Veera were not funny at all. This is just one example, many funny scenes were forced in, which reduced their impact by far. The climax was again too dramatic to be true, with 40 for 9 they managed to make over 200 which is nearly impossible.

The plot is pretty simple, there is a Aman Cup played every year between two villages of India and Pakistan that are at the border. India have been losing for past 9 years so the coach Anupam Kher decides to call his son Shahid Kapur from England to lead his team to victory. Then Rani Mukherji to get selected becomes Veer Kaur and here starts the boring part.

The performances from Shahid and Rani are honest. Both have played their parts well, Rani Mukherji does goes overboard in some scenes as Veer, but probably that was the requirement of the character. Shahid Kapur justifies his role pretty well. The biggest problem lies in the treatment of these characters. Unnecessary scenes are aplenty and that drags the movie down. And when in the final match the audience are expected to get involved but alas the involvement level further goes down. In "Lagaan" audience cared about the outcome of the match, they wanted Bhuvan to win and England to lose, their was a feeling that so much is at stake and India deserved to win as they have been treated unfairly. In "Dil Bole Hadippa" its like moving mechanically. The connection with the characters is just not there. The movie is a decent attempt but lacks in connecting with the audience, in the end this is what is that matters most.

Movie Review: Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen

Everywhere critics were panning this movie down saying that it has got no script, no logic etc. etc. I have seen Michael Bay previous works and i am not a big fan of his, but this one will count as one of his better works, not in terms of the best storyline, but it is his best work in being true to the concept. By concept i mean the concept of Transformers - which is supposed to be a action movie, no deep plots, no deep thinking required, just sit back and enjoy the fights between the Autobots and Decepticons.

The criticism of the previous movie and this one is on similar lines, the focus is not on robots, last one was more of a teenage love story and here this one although features more fight between robots but we don't get to know them as characters, they are more like fighting machines. The one good thing i liked about this movie was that when one of the main character dies everybody in the theater were shocked and felt sad, that i would say is a big compliment to the director, the sadness and the shock in the entire theater was palpable, everybody would have felt the same. About the performances, Shia LaBeouf is average in his character and Megan Fox is there just as an eye candy for the audience, both don't get much time to showcase their acting skills, nothing to take away from them as this movie is not based on them, its a transformers movie, not any college comedy.

I felt that the action scenes in this one are too confusing at times, especially when there are too many robots crammed in one scene. Except for autobots like Optimus Prime and Bumblebee who are distinguishable because of their color, most of the robots look similar, especially the decepticons. The facial features are not visible in fast paced action scenes. Here the technique of showing action scenes in slow motion could have been applied which would have helped to some extent. Except the clarity part the action scenes are out of this world, other directors could not even dream of such scenes and Michael Bay has managed to put them on screen, that is in itself a monumental achievement. The ending scene got too long for comfort, it could have been curtailed by at least 5-10 minutes. Other minor flaws are there which i won't disclose here as it would act as spoilers.

Even with some weak points the movie just blows you away with the sheer scale of it. And do watch it in a theater, the sound effects and the special effects are too good and can only be enjoyed with a superior audio and video system. Go and experience this one on big screen, some movies are just meant for fun and enjoyment, this one is one of them!!!

Movie Review: Iron Man

Honestly speaking i didn't liked Robert Downey Jr., this was the reason why i haven't watched this movie till now. Then i downloaded it and finally managed to spare 2 hours out of my usually packed schedule. In the end it was worth it.

I had heard that this movie was one of the best to release in 2008 alongwith "The Dark Knight", so my expectations were high. I didn't knew anything about Iron Man in general except that he was a member of Avengers. So in the beginning for viewers like us this movie provides a detailed background of Tony Stark, owner of a weapons making company. Some interesting twists and turns and Tony Stark gets involved with the terrorists, here starts his journey of becoming Iron Man.

The plot is nice, unlike other superhero movies which are far too unrealistic this movie has its plot grounded in reality. Action scenes are really well done. The best thing about this movie was that it showed the transition of Tony Stark from being a billionaire playboy to a superhero who fights against terrorism.

Direction of this movie is well paced and the movie doesn't slow down even when the story is heading nowhere. Some nice plot points like in the end a hint of making Avengers in future was nice. The only stupid thing according to me was that in the end Tony Stark admits in front of the whole media that he is Iron Man, that was unnecessary, exaggerated and over dramatic. Except the ending a superbly made movie, even if you are not aware of or interested in Iron Man do give this movie a try, its not a usual superhero movie, this one is a treat for movie fans. I have heard a sequel is in pipeline and it is likely to come within a year or two, that would be exciting.

Movie Review: Yes Man

A Jim Carrey movie. Now thats an exciting prospect for me. The reason for it is because for me Jim Carrey have always been an excellent comedian. His movies like The Mask, Dumb and Dumber, Liar Liar, Ace Ventura etc. etc. have left a positive impact on me. Jim Carrey recently has been unable to find his place at box office because his recent movies have failed, the last notable one being "Fun With Dick And Jane". I didn't watched that movie but i have heard that it was awful.

Back to "Yes Man". The story revolves around a man who always says "No" and has isolated himself from the rest of the world including his best friend. He just stays at his home, watch movies, goes to office and comes back. A purely routine lifestyle. His life changes for good when he attends a self-help session in which it is advised to say "Yes" at every possible opportunity. Jim Carrey follows the "Yes" philosophy and here starts the real fun. The story is very similar to "Liar Liar" but is different in its own way. The best thing about this movie for me was that i could relate to the protagonist in a unique way as i also live a very routine lifestyle and to pass my time on weekends i like watching movies. The "Yes" philosophy is very powerful if we look at it carefully. If we start saying "Yes" to everything, only if we want to, our life would change for good. The concept is really nice and the implementation in the movie is also not bad at all. The power of saying "Yes" is shown effectively by some strange situations that Jim Carrey lands up in.

About the screenplay and direction, it is poor in some sections. The movie loses its pace for few minutes in the middle but overall its a nicely paced movie. Performances from the entire cast is good. Jim Carrey is excellent without going overboard. The actress Zooey Deschanel looks cute and gives a credible performance. The only problem was that the age difference between her and Carrey was too apparent to ignore.

Some logical problems remain in the script but the excellent performance from Jim Carrey covers the flaws to a very large extent. In this movie Carrey demonstrates that he can still pull the audience to the theater solely on his "Star Power", the movie entirely belongs to him. Watch this movie for Jim Carrey and the idea of "Yes" philosophy.

After watching it do try to implement the "Yes" philosophy in your life. Its a very powerful concept, and who knows it may bring about a positive change in your life.

Movie Review: New York

I was apprehensive about the movie before i watched it. The reason was that movies on similar themes have been made in Hollywood regarding the 9/11 incident. Thankfully my apprehension proved to be wrong and the movie turned out to be really good. Right from the first scene the movie has a grip on the audience which it doesn't relinquish till the end.

The stars of the movie for me were Neil Nitin Mukesh and Irfan Khan. Neil Nitin Mukesh looks extremely cute. One of my friend commented that he is like a "Tubelight" because of his fair complexion and a person would have to wear sunglasses to look at him, rightly said. Neil looks natural in the role, the confusion, the conviction... all the mixed emotions are expressed well by him. Irrfan Khan's acting prowess needs no introduction and he does it again by doing justice to a role of cop. Irrfan contributes to the funny moments with his well delivered witty one liners. His scenes with Neil are good which adds intensity to the movie. The first half belongs to Neil and in the second half John takes over. John has also given a really good performance. Katrina gives her best in whatever she was given.

The direction is good overall. From a new director an extremely mature treatment of such a sensitive subject is a pleasant surprise. Still there were few scenes that could have been avoided, the screenplay lets you down at some occasions, sometimes the sequencing of scenes could have been better, but such occasions are not many. Its a well-paced movie right from the first scene. After the so many flop movies by Yash Raj camp comes a movie that is sure to satisfy the audience. Well done Kabir Khan, the director for doing justice to a complex script and well done to all the star cast for pulling up such good performances. This movie will surely be a success.

Movie Review: Kambakkht Ishq

Before watching this movie i had heard many negative reviews about it. Many critics giving it one or two stars out of 5 in leading newspapers or magazines. Critics were criticizing Akshay Kumar on the same grounds that they were doing during "Chandni Chowk To China", that his movies don't have any story or script, they just rely on Akshay's funny hysterics. Even one of my close friends said that her friends had gone to watch it and they left the theater half way during the movie.

Still i had the determination and the courage to watch it, and in the end it was very satisfactory to say the least. The movie entertains you during its 2 hour 16 minute run. The first half passes swiftly and during the second half somewhere the movie pace slackens but it makes up for it when judged in its totality. The biggest criticism of this movie that's doing the rounds is that it is cheap and vulgar. Except the liberal use of words like "dog" and "bitch" i didn't felt anything was vulgar. Other topics or jokes have been presented in an exaggerated manner in other movies like "Kya Kool Hai Hum", a movie notoriously famous for its vulgar comedy. There have been many comedies with a vulgar touch like Masti, No Entry and i would put this movie in the same league. Its bordering on the edge of vulgarity but nowhere crosses it. And also nowadays Indian censor board and movies are getting more and more open.

Lets get back to the movie again. Akshay Kumar as usual delivers in his role which he has now enacted multiple times. Kareena Kapoor looks uncomfortable in some scenes but still does justice to the character. Aftab Shivdasani and Amrita Arora are there for few minutes only, still they do justice with whatever they were given. I found Javed Jaffery's overacting funny in few scenes. Boman Irani is good in the only scene in which he featured. Kiron Kher is as usual playing the same role which i have seen her play in her past 10 movies or so, a caring mother or aunt. Cameos from Hollywood stars are insignificant and they are there for a few scenes only so they don't make much of an impact.

The movie works in parts, somewhere very good, somewhere bad. Some scenes are funny, where as some scenes tries painfully to be funny with no success. Also the movie lacks where all the critics point out. There is not much of a story, we have witnessed similar stories for years. Screenplay is not that good, some scenes are unnecessarily loud. If this movie succeeds, which i have heard it has as it has grossed Rs 100 crores in such a short time, it would be only because of Akshay Kumar and Kareena Kapoor's screen presence. They both carry their characters with absolute panache. The movie has many funny moments in first half and some dull moments in the second half, but overall its a joyful ride and can easily be considered a one-time watch. Finally Akshay Kumar delivers a hit after his recent debacles like 8x10 Tasveer, Chandni Chowk To China and Jumbo. And he does that in the similar fashion in which he is criticised time and again by critics, here is one actor who doesn't gives a damn about critics' views and audiences loves him this way only. Way to go Akshay!! Well Done...

Roger Federer: 15th Grand Slam And Counting

Oh yeah! I witnessed tennis history in the making. This is what i can say years down the line after today. Many years ago i saw Pete Sampras broke Emerson's record of most grand slams victory and today i saw Roger Federer breaking Sampras's record. And to cap it all what a great match it was. Wimbledon has got a history of coming up with great finals every now and then and this one too would go down as one of the best finals ever. In the stands were watching great players like Sampras, Laver, Borg and in the commentary box McEnroe. The finals i think wouldn't have disappointed any of them.

Roger Federer lost the first set and was on the verge of loosing the second too in the tiebreak when he was 6-2 down. But amazingly Federer came out of nowhere to win six points in a row to win the set 8-6. Third set again a tiebreak but this time it was easier for Roger Federer. In the fourth set Roddick managed to break Federer's serve and eventually win the set. But the highlight of this match would remain the fifth set. Longest ever in a men's final. Finally Federer prevailed 16-14.

These guys should stop playing so thrilling finals as it would be bad for their fans health. First was 2007 final, which Federer won in 5 sets, 2008 final, which Federer lost to Nadal in 5 sets and now this. My heart was beating much faster than its normal speed in the 5th set at many moments. My heartbeat was highest when at 8-8 Roddick was 15-40 up on Federer's serve and i thought this is over for Federer. But he is not the greatest player ever for nothing, he kept his temperament and went on to hold his serve and eventually win at 16-14.

This was No. 15 grand slam for Federer. How appropriate it is that Federer started his rise to greatness here as his first grand slam came at Wimbledon. Today, six years later he stamped his greatness at the same tournament by winning the 15th grand slam, the highest in tennis history.

In the end, i felt really bad for Andy Roddick. He threw himself around and played his heart out. He should not feel bad as he did whatever he could. Roddick is one of my favorites and i believe him to be a good player. The problem is he is a good player in a generation of the two best players ever...Federer and Nadal. This is the reason why he has not won more grand slams, nor does he gets much media attention. Going by this tournament's performance Roddick is playing a lot better tennis than what he was playing one year ago. He always served well, but now it has become more consistent. He also moves on the court well, creates awkward angles for opponents, attacks nets whenever an opportunity comes and lastly is fitter than before. Overall he is a nice guy, has a nice sense of humor, always gracious in defeat, and if Roddick can maintain the standards he showed in this tournament, he would go on to win at least 1-2 slams more, lets hope he does. I think he deserves it after the hard work he has put in and the improvement he has shown in the past year.

Now, back to Federer. In this match Federer didn't outclassed his opponent, as he usually does, today he outlasted his opponent. While everybody is showering accolades on Roger Federer for becoming the greatest tennis player in the history, even though he is my favorite, i don't think he played his best tennis. Federer was not able to score many points on Roddick's serve. Roddick was serving well, but the way Federer looked helpless on many occasion was a matter of concern. Federer managed to break Roddick's serve only once in entire match and that was in the 5th set. The last game of the match was not won by Federer, Roddick lost it. Roddick's shots went into the net, wide, over the line to gift Federer the only break of the match and with it the grand slam trophy. Federer was not attacking even the second serves of Roddick. Today Federer sliced the ball a lot, the attacking Federer who went for winners by creating opportunities, today waited for opportunities to come and then grabbed it. That's not Federer style and if he continues to slice the ball so much and wait for the opportunities he won't come out victorious against younger and more athletic opponents like Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray. I hope that today was just an aberration and we all would again see an attacking Federer. But today he was a shadow of his own self, his shots were going long, into the net, he didn't hit passing shots that well, sliced the ball more than it was needed, played defensively. All in all Federer today was holding his serves and was hoping that Roddick loses his nerves, or breaks under pressure. Finally Roddick was fatigued in the end couldn't get anything right (his first serve) and got everything wrong (his shots going in the nets or going wide or long) in the last game. Nobody can deny that Federer is the greatest player ever to play the game but for how long can he continue winning grand slams against younger opponents is a thing to watch out for. For now lets enjoy the moment as we all saw Roger Federer making tennis history. Congratulations Roger Federer....the greatest tennis player ever.