Dum Lagaa k Haisha

‘Dum Lagaa k Haisha’…. This movie should have been released on Valentines Day, and would have aptly upheld the spirit of that day, rather than the ‘waste-of-money-time-energy-and-everything else’ Roy…. A heart warming tale, simple storyline and beautiful performances from all, Dum Lagaa k Haisha’ tells you that love can happen and is for everyone…. With India done playing for the weekend, go give it a shot

The Theory of Everything

‘The Theory of Everything’ puts everything in ‘one single equation’…. Good direction, superb acting and a story on the life of one of the brilliant minds of this century, this movie is sure to take the Oscars by storm….

#beyourowncritic

PK

‘PK’ is a good watch, but don’t expect another 3 Idiots. A bit lagging at parts, it has good dose of humour punched into its script. After two dubious ventures (read Talaash and Dhoom 3) Aamir seems to be back in zone, but from Raju Hirani, though delivering one of the best entertaining tales of this year, we expect more. In all its a good watch to sign off 2014….

Happy Ending

‘Happy Ending’ is a smartly written crisp rom com(a rarity in Bollywood) that is smartly executed. Using all rom com cliches and making fun of them, was I-know-it-all-yet-pleasant experience. Saif appears totally in control in a genre that is by now his patent, with Ileana D’Cruz who seems to be finding her firm ground in Bollywood….
Go for it for the feel good factor and a smile on your face….

#beyourowncritic

Happy New Year

‘Happy New Year’…. A tad bit more intelligence and the superstardom of Shah Rukh Khan is what differences Farah Khan from her brother Sajid, while making their ‘so-called-entertainers’.
Happy New Year has all the elements of a perfect potboiler, with some sense of logic, thereby making it quite an interesting watch, if not compelling. Of its ensemble cast, it is ABjr who steals the show with his superb comic timing. Deepika Padukone looks from ravishingly hot to extremely cute (depending upon the scene)….
In all it is the mere presence of Shah Rukh Khan that will give Farah Khan her 3rd blockbuster.
See if you will add to the cause….

#beyourowncritic

Mardaani

After watching mindless and crappy police stories (read Singham, its sequel and Policegiri), comes a refreshing change in the form of ‘Mardaani’.
Gritty, Raw, Hard hitting and accurate almost everywhere (I found the 1st few scenes a bit shaky with abrupt edits), I request everyone to go and give it one shot coz movies like this deserves one….

#beyourowncritic

Kick

KICK…. umm lets see from where to start
For starters do follow Salman’s advice and you dont use your brains while watching the movie [he only says “mujhe samajhne ki koshish maat karo”]
The movie is a mix match between Dhoom, Dhoom 2, Krissh (the mask was way cooler in Krrish), and Salman style logic
It had some emotional moments, the action was ok, songs were again ok, and in all the movie it self was way better than ‘Bodyguard’ and somehow surprisingly better than ‘Dhoom 3′ [other opinions may differ]

In all go and find out where your ‘Kick’ lies and ‪#‎beyourowncritic‬

The Amazing Spiderman -2

The Amazing Spiderman 2 is worth every penny. From revealing why Peter Parker could be the only person who could ever become Spiderman to really dark endings, the movie is everything what the earlier installments in the franchise could not achieve.
In all, it makes a really interesting and compelling watch with all its actions and story line….

P.S: Electro will surely be the best portrayed (vfx and animation included) Spiderman villain.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty [Movie Review]

Tags

2014, Ben Stiller, Hollywood, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Review: With not much work to do at the moment, I thought it would be best to catch up on the past week releases. We already had put up ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’, but along with it released a very different kind of comedy, more of a light hearted take on one man’s journey, to find himself. A quest to find your own inner self.

Yes, we are talking about ‘The Secret Life of Walter Mitty’. Ben Stiller returned to direction after almost 5 years, his last outing on the big screen (as Director) being Tropic Thunder back in 2008, which he also starred in, just like the case being here. Ben Stiller stars in the titular role of  Walter Mitty, who day dreams. He is stuck up at the same work for the past 16 years in a magazine company where he works as the Negative Processes Manager. He has no wish to go up the ladder, nor does he sulk with his current position. He is a man who is happy being stuck up, who goes into an over drive day dreaming mode whenever something comes along; a man who contemplates his every move, his every wish and all this he successfully gives results to in his day dreams where (no points for guessing) he emerges as the hero. When his job and the job of his co-workers get threatened by a new acquisition, then Mitty takes on a life changing journey, which otherwise he would only have ‘dreamed’ of pursuing. An extra-ordinary adventure that lets him explore his inner self and teaches him something new, something he till now had only ‘dreamed’ of, but never actually took the initiative of doing.

Ben Stiller gives life to Walter Mitty’s character. It seems as if no other than Stiller himself would have been able to portray Walter Mitty. His insecurities, his wishes, his contemplation, all nuances of the character has been brought to life by the Director-Actor. Ably supporting him is Kristen Wiig, who is the girl Mitty pursues and who first becomes a friend, then a support and finally we see the blossoming of a new kind of friendship in the end.

As a Director, Ben Stiller does well. He didnt have to put all his energy and focus into brilliant cinematography, or capturing small nuances of every character. What he does is, he captures emotions well. Also when he himself plays the titular character, it becomes a tad easier to portray what he wishes to as a Director.

Verdict: In all its a nice take on the book adaptation of the book of the same name by James Thurber, and Ben Stiller does justice to the character of Walter Mitty, and he is able to take out good performances from the rest of cast as a Director. A good family entertainer, that will suit audiences of all ages. So, go ahead ‘Be Your Own Critic’ and decide whether to give Ben Stiller’s dual role a chance or a miss.

 

The Wolf of Wall Street [Movie Review]

Tags

2014, Leonardo Di Caprio, Martin Scorcese

Review: Yes Yes, I know…. its a bit late but sorry, was caught up. So getting staright to business, the new Martin Scorcese film. Sorry…. the new Martin Scorcese – Leonardo Di Caprio film [ coz when they both come together, they create magic on screen, plus Leo has produced the film].

The Wolf of Wall Street is the screen adaptation of the book by Jordan Belford of the same name. Here is a guy who with his stock manipulations, takes wall street by storm. A guy who earns billions by the day, only to spend everything on sex, drugs and cheap thrills by the night. But like all, he too falls, as over confidence and his want of ecstasy sees that the world he created falling around him.

Leonardo Di Caprio sets the screen ablaze with a steller performance, playing the titular character as well as the narrator of this crazy movie. Appearing totally in control of his character, Leo very ably portrays how a young man trying to learn the ways of wall street becomes one day the man who would control it. The boy who never knew a thing of how to handle stocks, becomes the man who manipulates them. Mathew McConaughey short screen presence was well handled by him, as the man who first gives young Belford an account of the life at wall street. The rest of the cast does their job well and put up a good performance building around Leo. Finally the director Martin Scorcese himself has no doubt lets himself venture into waters unknown to him, but very ably swims ashore. Here is a man who is in a total control of his surroundings, knowing what to expect from each performer as he extracts that very thing out of them.

In all, The Wolf of Wall Street is a very different watch from Shutter Island [the last outing of Martin Scorcese and Leonardo Di Caprio together], but it is a very enjoyable watch. With no hard lines and words dwelving into the number crunching market’s terminology, it becomes easier for people of all backgrounds to understand the onscreen proceedings.

Verdict: I would say, the movie might be a bit long, running into almost three hours, but there is not a moment of dullness, go and give it a shot and ‘Be Your Own Critic’.