Blog | Amodini's Movie Reviews - Part 50Amodini's Movie Reviews | Movie Reviews by Year, Genre and Rating

Watching NFDC Films: Cinemas of India

Posted on November 8, 2013 by amodini

Blogger Subra Narayan pointed me to this excellent website featuring NFDC films. Cinemas of India has about 80 films, but they are the kinds of films you watch and remember for a long time to come. I remember watching Mirch Masala (featuring late Smita Patil among other stalwarts) and Massey Sahib (featuring Raghuvir Yadav and author Arundhati Roy) on Doordarshan many, many years ago but there are so many more excellent films here. If you have not seen Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron yet, I’d recommend starting with that one – Happy Viewing!

Posted in 2013, bollywood, movies online, outstanding, recommended | 2 Comments

Movie Review : Krrish 3 (2013)

Posted on November 4, 2013 by amodini

[amazon_link id=”B00FBGS9Y2″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ][/amazon_link]
Rating : Below Average (2.5/5)
Genre : Sci-fi/fantasy
Year : 2013
Running time : 2 hours 32 minutes
Director : Rakesh Roshan
Cast : Hrithik Roshan, Priyanka Chopra, Vivek Oberoi, Kangana Ranaut, Rajpal Yadav, Naseeruddin Shah
Kidwise : PG

It might be that I’ve lost my patience with idiotic films, or maybe it is that as I grow older and (hopefully) wiser, I expect the same from our desi film-making brethren. Alas, they hear not my silent entreaties! And as a result – what do you get? Krrish 3!

It seems just a few years ago that I almost lauded Rakesh Roshan for creating a totally desi SuperHero – India’s answer to Superman, Batman, Ironman, Spiderman et al. Now I wish I hadn’t been as effusive. Because there can only be two explanations for what I saw on screen :

a. Roshan doesn’t have a clue.
b. Roshan has a clue, but is taking small baby steps towards it in order to wean Indian audiences to sci-fi (hitherto unheard of in desi cinema).

I think it’s the former, but let’s give him the benefit of the doubt.
This film is a layered mish-mash of illogic. In Krrish we’d been introduced to Krishna, son of Rohit. Krrish, learning to use his powers, rescued damsel-in-distress Priya and things settled down into happily ever after. In Krrish3, Krrish and Priya are happily married and Rohit lives with them. He is still the nerdy scientist. Krrish meanwhile is perpetually between jobs, because of his need to go flying off on rescue missions incognito; his unexplained absences tend to get him fired him from the position he is currently holding. How long before he lands a job with journalistic leanings, a la Clark Kent? I wonder.

Anyway the villain of this film is wheelchair bound Kaal (Vivek Oberoi). An evil genius, Kaal has made a business of creating viruses, infecting chosen parts of the globe with them, and then supplying the antidote at large profits to self. Also he has created a mutant army of slaves he calls “Maanwar” (Maanav + Janwar). Kaya (Kangana Ranaut) is his most important Maanwar, with her chameleon like powers of shape-shifting. When Krrish and his dad throw Kaal’s plans into jeopardy, Kaya is dispatched to take care of things. Will Krrish be strong enough to repel Kaal’s evil forces?

Now, from the trailer Krrish3 had looked pretty decent. And I have to admit that the sci-fi effects weren’t bad. What is the problem however, is Roshan’s inability to direct this film and keep it on track as the sci-fi thriller that it is supposed to be. There is one sequence where Krrish is shown jumping from building to building and so into hero-worship are we that he kept jumping for a while; I was afraid that he wasn’t going to progress any further in the rescue mission. Under the effects of Roshan’s 80s hangover, this film morphed into a bad sentimental flick from 3 decades ago. The characters would get all mushily misty-eyed and turn to the statue of Lord Krishna for relief and help; I missed Nirupa Roy. (I wished I had a similar statue handy to deliver me from the boredom of this film).

Vivek and Kangana did decently in their villainous roles. Kudos to Kangana for carrying off the skin-tight cat-suit and making it work. Her role as a female mutant was kind of novel for the desi scene since it involved some fight sequences where she delivered a kick or two. Hrithik was better as Rohit than as Krrish himself. Two things I must mention in this regard are his hair-style and his finely chiseled abs. The latter was nice, the former not so much, unless a bad mullet is in fashion – and I hope that day never dawns. Priyanka Chopra is brainless Priya, or the ubiquitous abla desi nari in a (short) frock. All she does in this film is flutter helplessly and gawp in amazement (Oh my!) or cheer as the manly men around her (husband and FIL) do wonderful things. Priyanka has been doing so many of these roles lately that she must be able to do the “helpless nari” act in her sleep.

As an aside, I feel sorry for actors of Rajpal Yadav’s caliber reduced to taking eminently stupid roles in Hindi movies to survive in the brainless world of Bollywood. Here he plays a braggart, a rather dumb role played off for “comedy”. Pity!

And the other terrible thing about this film: the music. Atrocious is the word I’m looking for here. It could be that brothers Rakesh and Rajesh Roshan are equally untalented in everything they do, because if Rakesh can’t direct, Rajesh can’t compose music. He reminds me of Himmesh Reshammiya at the start of Reshammiya’s career when he was spectacularly tuneless.

To sum it up: Krrish 3 is a D grade film lifted to a C by the sci-fi action and Hrithik and Kangana’s screen presence. Go to the theater if you must; prepare to be bored.

Kidwise : Relatively clean. A couple of lip-locks and some talk of pregnancy/foetuses/babies, but nothing too graphic is shown onscreen.

P.S. : This is not a 3D film, but some of the desi junta in my theater had 3D glasses on; I think it had to do with the way the movie is listed at AMC : “Krrish 3” + “D”.

Posted in 2013, action, bollywood, cringe-worthy, rating-PG, sci-fi, sequel, stinker, thriller | 5 Comments

Movie Preview : RamLeela (2013)

Posted on October 31, 2013 by amodini

Ram-Leela – another vivid love-tale comes to the screen from Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Ranvir Singh, heavily afflicted with facial hair, plays the male lead. Deepika is the feisty lady love, and from the trailer it looks like she looks like she might be a rural extension of Naina from “Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani”. It must be grand opera though because we expect no less from Bhansali. I’m eagerly waiting for the 15th of November for this one!

Posted in 2013, bollywood, drama, Previews, romance | Comments Off

Movie Review : Listen Amaya (2013)

Posted on October 25, 2013 by amodini

[amazon_link id=”B00DTV6AYC” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ][/amazon_link]Rating : 4.2/5
Genre : Drama
Year : 2013
Running time : 1 hour 48 minutes
Director : Avinash Kumar Singh
Cast : Deepti Naval, Farooque Shaikh, Swara Bhaskar
Kid rating : PG-13

Before I start this review, let me tell you what a pleasure it is watching the wonderful Deepti Naval and Farookh Shaikh, impeccable actors both, together on screen again, after a gap of many, many years (Shaikh actually makes a “Miss Chamko” remark in the film). With Swara Bhaskar, another wonderful actress, they manage to light up the screen and bring nuance and depth to this moving film.

Leela Krishnamurthy (Naval) is a widow running “Book A Coffee”, an artsy coffee place. It sounds great really, because the place is a comforting looking, low-slung loung-y restaurant, full of books. College folk and other suitably artistic people drift in and out, eating, drinking and having lots of interesting conversations with Leela. After her husband’s death Leela has raised her only daughter Amaya (Bhaskara). Amaya is now all grown-up, a confident intelligent young woman who dotes on her mother. Leela has also found a good friend in Jayant Sinha (Shaikh), a retired photographer who still continues with photography as a hobby. When Leela and Jayant decide that they would like to become more than just friends, and crystallize their understanding into a relationship, Amaya suddenly feels like the odd one out. She makes her displeasure clear and resists all attempts to persuade her into amending her thinking. Leela is at a loss; must she choose between Jayant and Amaya?

This film is about relationships, and the story has been written from a sensible viewpoint. It introduces us to the main protagonists and then settles into the crux of the problem – by this time we know enough about Jayant, Leela and Amaya to make up our minds. “Listen Amaya” portrays positively the thought behind breaking age-old taboos against widows remarrying/marrying in later years – the worrying about what “others” will think. It also portrays positive role models in Jayant and Leela, and in Leela’s supportive in-laws. Moreover, it is refreshing to see the character of Leela, an independent woman, who wants to take a step for her own happiness, of her own volition, after seeing scores of docile, pativrata naris in desi films.

Jayant and Leela are two very mature people, and Naval and Shaikh could not have portrayed them better. Shaikh gives Jayant’s character a warm, lively, playful personality and a forgiving, friendly nature. He says so much without saying a word. When hurt, his eyes betray him, and you know the depth of his emotion by his expression rather than the words he speaks. Naval, looks kinda downcast in comparison but brings to her role the forbearance of a strong, unselfish woman. Swara Bhaskar, whom we have seen before in Raanjhnaa, Tanu Weds Manu and Aurangzeb is a very, very good actress. It is hard to imagine a daughter who loves a mother more, and even harder to imagine that said daughter might have problems with her mother’s happiness, but Bhaskar makes the characterization work.

“Listen Amaya” is well directed and a pleasure to watch. Highly recommended.

Kidwise : This is a clean, classy film, but the story might be beyond the grasp of younger kids.

Posted in 2013, bollywood, drama, rating-PG13, recommended, social issues, women | 5 Comments

Movie Preview : Krrish 3 (2013)

Posted on October 20, 2013 by amodini

Krrish 3 is probably the biggest break for Vivek Oberoi in a while; after many misadventures he comes to the roles his father has been essaying for years – those of the bad guy. He plays the villain here, along with Kangana Ranaut. Hrithik Roshan is Krrish of course with Priyanka Chopra playing his lady love. The trailer looks impressive; I’lll be waiting for this Krrish sequel come Diwali!

Posted in 2013, action, bollywood, Previews, sci-fi, sequel | 3 Comments

Movie Review : Sandcastle (2012)

Posted on October 16, 2013 by amodini

Rating : 2.5/5
Genre : Feminist
Year : 2012
Running time : 1 hour 23 minutes
Director : Shomshuklla Das
Cast : Shahana Chatterjee, Malvika Jethwani, Rajat Sharma, Uditvanu Das

Sandcastle, is on the surface, Sheila’s story. Sheila (Shahana Chatterjee) is an upper middle class housewife and writer, who is working on her book. She has all physical comforts, is married to Vikram and has a little daughter Iti. However happiness isn’t hers, as she tries to recover her sense of self from the maze of societal expectations where it has gone missing. Sheila gives reign to this disquiet via the character in her book – Maya. We meet Maya too. Maya is what Sheila is not, she’s fancy-free and bindaas, and is always exhorting Sheila to chill, to let go and be happy; “be part of my game” she says. Is Sheila destined to live this duality forever?

I really like the concept this film is based on – Sheila’s inner voice manifests itself as a whole other person, fictional though she may be; it is as if Sheila is split into two – one part of her remains tethered to reality, while the other is footloose, fancy-free and game for anything. Conversations between Sheila and Maya flesh out the struggle that Sheila faces. Is she asking for too much? Is she not? Should she give in? Everyone says she has everything and should be happy – then why is she not? Is it her fault? It brings to the fore an important feminist topic, one that is almost always pushed to the sidelines amidst “serious” feminist issues. Indeed Sheila’s struggle is to assert her identity as an independent thinking person with her own needs and aspirations, apart from the societally-prescribed roles of wife, mother, daughter etc. The break from tradition is hard and paved with taunts from her husband, advice from the parents and lots of raised eyebrows when Sheila attempts to do her own thing.

sandcastle1 While the film is conceptually strong, it does not impress on technical fronts. The screenplay seems choppy, and the film doesn’t seem to flow. There is a lot of emptiness in the scenes, with lingering slow-moving shots and long pauses. Transitions are awkward. I am sure that filmmaker Das had ideas she wished to convey with her stylized framing. Unfortunately, I’m not sure I got them. I found the 83 minutes slow-going, and wished that the film had been tighter and had had a stronger narrative.

I’d consider Shahana Chatterjee weak for the lead role – Sheila might have a lot going on inside, but Chatterjee seems to portray her as whiny and grumpy instead. Malvika Jethwani does an impressive job as jaunty, quirky, ever-smiling Maya. Yes Malvika is over-the-top as Maya, but I understand that that is the intention. Uditvanu Das and Rajat Sharma are passable in their roles of friend and husband, respectively. The lady playing Sheila’s mother was poor, although the actor who portrayed her brother did well even in his few minutes of screen-time.

While I’m glad that films like Sandcastle are being made, I’d wish for such films to be a good mix of strong concept AND technical strength. We need women to put their stories out on film, but we need to make them interesting and engrossing, if we are to reach more than a few. Kudos to film-maker Shomshuklla Das on her effort!

Here’s the trailer :

Posted in 2012, 2013, feminism, film festival, hinglish, women | 1 Comment

Movie Review : Gravity

Posted on October 11, 2013 by amodini

[amazon_link id=”B005LAIIGW” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ][/amazon_link]Rating : 4.5/5
Genre : Sci-fi
Director : Alfonso Cuaron
Cast : Sandra Bullock, George Clooney, Ed Harris, Paul Sharma

You probably know what Gravity is about : astronauts marooned in space because of a freak accident. I will say no more of the plot. I will say though that I loved the film.

Gravity reminded me of films like Moon and “Castaway on the Moon” , and even “Inception”, to a certain extent – films which had only a few characters in a closed setting. Not that space is a closed setting, but the film never moves out of space. The characters are either in space or in their vehicle. To make a film with like 2 characters (more if you count the voice (Ed Harris) from “Houston” coming in via the communications panel, and the peripheral character of Sharif played by Paul Sharma) and keep it interesting is hard. The screenplay, the writing, the dialogues, the pauses – all must be meaningful and placed ever so carefully by someone who knows what he is doing. Thankfully for us director Alfonso Cuaron is pretty good at that.

Since all the drama happens in space, we don’t get to see the characters as regular people. Initially they are disembodied voices in big bubble suits, knocking around rather haphazardly in space. What we know of the two astronauts, Mission Commander Matthew Kowalski and Dr. Ryan Stone, is gleaned off of their conversation. Dr. Stone is a rather taciturn introvert. Matt Kowalski is a glib, unflappable, charm-you-off-your-feet kind of a guy, nattering on and on trying to keep the mood upbeat. He remarks on Stone’s baby blues; she tells him that she has brown eyes. He is also a rock, the rock that steadies a panic-stricken Stone when she contemplates their predicament. Still, their problem is hard; home seems very far away and here they are stuck in deep space, with nary a solution in sight.

Clooney looks like a lifelike Buzz Lightyear in his spacesuit; we don’t get to see him out of it. Bullock is great as Dr. Ryan Stone, steadying herself in big gulps of air. I am blown away by the fact that slim and svelte and amazingly physically fit Bullock is 50.

Gravity is great when seen in 3D IMAX, the vastness of deep space and the predicament of being stuck up there all alone is comprehended so much better. What with every second film posturing as a “3D film”, the whole 3D experience was getting a bit jaded. Gravity though is the kind of film where 3D actually makes sense; my local theatre actually has more 3D/3D IMAX shows of Gravity rather than regular D ones.

With much improved technology it is possible now to amaze us with the grandeur of space travel. Gravity does that but in a very understated, humanist, we-are-all-regular-people sort of a way. Stuck up in the isolation of space, Kowalski and Stone are still 2 people who wax nostalgic, yearn for the love of familiar things and just want to come home. This is their story, and we are all in there with them.

Gravity is a fantastic watch; highly recommended.

P.S. : Paul Sharma plays Sharif, a desi character, who sings a quick line of “Mera Joota Hai Japani” – which was a little odd, considering that Shariff is a younger man, presumably in the year 2013, and “Mera Joota Hai Japani” is a hit from the 1955 “Shree 420”; it might be that Cuaron is still stuck in Raj Kapoor-Nargis-land, as far as Hindi movies are concerned.

Posted in 2013, drama, english, hollywood, outstanding, rating-PG13, recommended, sci-fi | 1 Comment

ArcLight Documentary Festival Oct 9-13 at ArcLight Cinemas Hollywood

Posted on October 7, 2013 by amodini

Here’s information on the ArcLight Doc Fest, as received from the festival organizers :

This years festival was curated by renowned documentary filmmaker and International Documentary Association president Marjan Safinia. Most of the festivals 25 films are selections from major film festivals across the US and Canada including Sundance, Tribeca, Toronto Film Fest, SXSW, True-False, AFI Docs and Outfest. Many have been recognized with awards while screening at Sundance,Tribeca and Toronto film festivals, among others.

Opening the ArcLight Third Annual Documentary Festival is Let The Fire Burn, by director Jason Osder, who won this years Tribeca Film Festival Best New Documentary Director. The film is a stunning account of the events surrounding the 1985 clash between Philadelphia authorities and the radical black organization MOVE. Other documentaries in the festival include SXSW and Outfest selection The Other Shore, director Timothy Wheelers film of Diana Nyad’s historic attempts at swimming from Cuba to Florida; Sundance Audience Award winner The Square which puts the viewer directly in the middle of Tahrir Square during the recent events in Egypt, and A River Changes Course winner of both the Sundance and Atlanta Film Festival Grand Jury prizes.

The jury for the festival are:

Gretchen McCourt: Co-Chair of the ArcLight Doc Fest and EVP of ArcLight Cinemas Jonathan Josell: Co-Chair of the ArcLight Doc Fest
Matt Holzman: KCRW radio personality
Greg Finton: Editor, Waiting For Superman, The World According to Dick Cheney.

The closing ceremonies will take place on Oct 13 at ArcLight Hollywood, where the winner of the festival will be announced.

Festival passes of ten or five tickets, as well as individual tickets can be purchased here.

Posted in 2013, documentary, film festival | Comments Off

What To Watch On Netflix Instant : Edition #13

Posted on October 4, 2013 by amodini

[amazon_link id=”B0030BKNIK” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ][/amazon_link]- Shall We Kiss? (“Un baiser s’il vous plaît”, France, 2007) : A quirky film, this one is about Emilie and Gabriel meeting unexpectedly. When he offers her a ride to the place she is going, she accepts. They get along very well, but parting that night, she refuses him a kiss, and narrates to him why she does so. This film has a strong element of whimsy – the story is like no other. A fun film.

– Take Me Home (US, 2011) : Thom’s (Sam Jaeger) passion is photography. While he works at turning his passion into a job, he makes ends meet by driving a taxi (illegally) in New York city. Claire hires his cab to drive her to California when her father has a heart attack. Along the way they manage to run into a bunch of problems.

[amazon_link id=”B006QY4NKM” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ][/amazon_link]- Dil Chahta Hai (India, 2001) : This slightly old tale of three best friends is one of the best Hindi movies I’ve seen – it’s got drama and humor and a modern sensibility (for Hindi films that is). Akash, Sameer and Sidharth are affluent young men and the film tracks them and their waning/waxing friendship as they work their way through life. DCH is strongly scripted and has believable, beautiful performances. This is a must-watch, and I’ve reviewed it here.

– Kumare (US, 2011): What is spirituality? And what is faith? And where does staunch faith come from? From God and his Godmen? Kumare is a documentary that attempts to answer these questions with an experiment of sorts. Curious yet?

[amazon_link id=”B008OHV49W” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ][/amazon_link]- Safety Not Guaranteed (US, 2009) : It’s a slow news day at Seattle Magazine, and staff writer Jeff picks on a classified ad in the local newspaper as a potential lead. The advertisement seeks a partner who is willing to time travel. After some sleuthing by Jeff, and interns Darius (Aubrey Plaza) and Arnau (Karan Soni), they track the mysterious Kenneth (Mark Duplass) who claims to have built a time-travel machine.

Darius is coerced into posing as an interested time-traveller and meets Kenneth, all the while reporting back to Jeff and Arnau. She cannot decide if Kenneth is delusional or of reduced mental capacity, but he seems very firm on his course of action . . .

Posted in 2013, All Netflix, bollywood, documentary, drama, foreign, french, Hindi movies on Netflix, movies online, Netflix Recommendations, romance, sci-fi, WhaTWON | 1 Comment

Movie Review : D-Day (2013)

Posted on September 29, 2013 by amodini

Rating : 4.5/5
Genre : Thriller
Year : 2013
Running Time : 2 hours 33 minutes
Director : Nikhil Advani
Cast : Irrfan Khan, Arjun Rampal, Rishi Kapoor, Huma Qureshi, Nasser, Shruti Haasan, Aakash Dahiya
Kid Rating : PG-15

Well-done Hindi spy-films are rare. If they appear, like Saif Ali Khan’s “Agent Vinod” and Salman Khan’s “Ek tha Tiger” they are cliché-ridden and suffer from Bond hang-overs. D-Day is a breath of fresh air for this genre, because it is a well-scripted, tight thriller which creates brave, intelligent spy-agents who are also uniquely desi. Nikhil Advani, the director of frothy fare like Patiala House and Kal Ho Na Ho, surprisingly delivers the goods with this very accomplished thriller.

Wali Khan (Irfan Khan) is a sleeper RAW agent situated in Pakistan, waiting his chance to nab wanted criminal Iqbal “Goldman” Seth (modeled on Dawood Ibrahim). When he gets news that Goldman will be attending the wedding of his own son, despite ISI pressures to keep him away, he communicates this to Indian intelligence, and soon three more RAW agents Rudra Pratap Singh(Arjun Rampal), Zoya (Huma Qureishi) and Aslam (Aakash Dahiya) are sent into the country.

The four hash out details to take Goldman alive on D-Day, but Goldman is a wily enemy and when things start to go wrong, they struggle to make the best of a bad situation . . .

D-Day is brilliantly plotted. It develops as an espionage thriller with a strong emotive component. The drama ensues from the emphasis on the toll this will take on the agents’ personal lives. We know that Wali Khan in Pakistan for 9 years as a mild-mannered barber, has sprouted roots, marrying and even having a son. Zoya has a lover in England, and has come on this mission against his will. Rudra has a murky past and has holed up in Karachi in a brothel with beautiful prostitute Pooja (Shruti Haasan). Aslam, a small-time criminal in India, is the weakest link in this chain.

The fast pace of the film is complemented by sound characterization and impressive performances all around. The four agents are matter-of-fact and capable. Their interactions are spare and to-the-point. They behave like adults with none of the tom-foolery/gaana-bajana which hero-heroines in ordinary Hindi films are so adept at. We expect nothing less than impeccable acting from Irrfan Khan and Huma Qureishi, but even (artistically challenged) Arjun Rampal does well as taciturn, secretive Rudra. Shruti Haasan has a small role as Pooja, but manages to light up the screen with her hopeful wistfulness. Rishi Kapoor, handed several cheesy dialogs, makes the best of it as Goldman, his seeming geniality, corpulent frame and rose- colored glasses subtly menacing. Nasser is soon-to-retire RAW chief Ashwini Rao, treading the fine line between overt political correctness and covert intelligence operations. K. K. Raina is the Prime Minister, who we see rushing to report to “Madam”.

Nikhil Advani does a bang-up job of juxtaposing pulse-pounding thrilling moments with delicate poignant ones, the most stupendous of those being the gut-wrenching picturization of the song Alvida (see below). Wali Khan’s attachment to his family conflicts with his duty as a RAW agent and Irfan movingly portrays a father’s warring emotions. Hard-faced, stoic Rudra finds himself moved by Pooja’s scarred face. Zoya faces inner turmoil when her job demands more of her personal integrity than she is willing to sacrifice. Her character remains one-of-a-kind for Hindi films, because she is the rarest of the rare, a female espionage agent with real guts and gumption. When push comes to shove, she doesn’t hide behind the excuse of delicate get-me-my-smelling-salts female sensibilities, but holds her own among her male comrades.

I couldn’t see much wrong with this film; D-day seems to have it all. A must-watch, this is so far the best movie of 2013.

P.S. : If ever there’s an Indian film series on a desi Bond-like agent, Arjun Rampal would be the clear choice for the role 🙂 .

Kid-wise : This film has been given a U/A certificate, but D-Day is probably only suited to kids 15 and older. It has several adult situations of a violent/sexual nature, besides a very adult-oriented theme, so caution is advised for younger children.