Talaash - The search is worth exploring

The stage is set. The most awaited murder mystery is for you to see. Talaash has created this anticipation and the movie has something you never expect. Set in the grim underbelly of Mumbai, the movie keeps you glued on frame after frame, in sheer hope, so much that you dont want to leave your seats.

As a suspense thriller, this is by no means a fast paced movie, nor is it action packed, but it provides a perfect blend of drama, intrigue, and creates a perfect stage for Aamir to create a lasting impression - Well once again! His character, ACP Shekhawat, the workaholic cop, who cant sleep is portrayed by him effortlessly. His insecurities, pain, prejudicies angst and struggle is depicted flawlessly through mere nuances of expression.Rani and Kareena both do a good job depicting their characters. Nawazuddin Siddiqui is also articulate in this portrayal of "Taimur" as a limping odd-job man working in a brothel who rapidly becomes part of a lethal crime game and sprints into action and creates one more credible compelling razor-sharp character.

Kagti is immaculate with her attention to detail and her use of Mumbai's lonileness at night is bang on. Mohanans camera work doesnt leave us looking at a dull movie. Ram Sampath with his music and background score has created that intrigue, although a few songs could have been avoided. The casting in fact is impeachable even in the smallest of parts. The actresses playing prostitutes are so real in their shammed seductiveness we feel we are part of a guilty secret that time can never unravel. 

For all its seductive strengths, Talaash  is not without its flaws. The moral and dramatic ambivalence which is the film’s mainstay is also at times its biggest weakness. When the characters don’t seem to have urgently-needed answers they fall back on karmic ambiguities. The dialogues wallow in wicked uncertainties. The water images which are essential to the plot, float to the surface of the narration like accessories of a drowning victim swimming uneasily on the surface.

  

Talaash, though being a search for a murdered superstars killers,  is also  a search for ones unsolved ghosts, a search for peace, a search for tranquility. What the film finally asks is what makes it a powerful study of human bonding in times of strife and friction.

Go watch it for Aamir, for its newness, but if you believe you want to watch it for its rivetting suspense, you might end up leaving empty at the end.

Life of Pie - Visually sumptuous

Based on the novel by Yann Martel having the same name.

To call "Life of Pi" a visually stunning film, would be stating the obvious, but the film weaves a series of breathtaking visuals and takes it up a notch after every frame. I haven't seen this kind of effort into making a film, so technologically advanced, for a really long time. It sets the context of keeping us in awe for its entire length, and from the beginning, you realize it is a different film. It reinforces the belief of prayer in ones life, teaches lessons on endurance, and moreover depicts the highest survival instincts of the main character in the film.

The story starts with setting the context of who "Pi" or Piscine Molitor, really is and the history behind his weird name. The prelude before the actual action is stretched a little too much. The story really is about the journey Pi and Richard Parker (his tiger) embark upon, being the only survivors of a Japanese freighters shipwreck, en route Canada, and get stranded in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. This film is also about Pi's endurance, his relationship with the tiger, his religious dilemmas and above all his faith.

Lee certainly knows how to grab our attention, and there are a lot of visually seductive moments like the floating island, the entry of the tiger, the look on the tigers face when he wants Pi to save his life, or simply the beginning credits of the film. What doesnt work for Lee and the one that is an all-too-common complaint with big budget cinema in the last decade: the 3D. Lee is passionate about using the 3D process and cites groundbreaking cinema like Avatar 3D as an inspiration. But there are too many cheap 3D effects in Life of Pi. Sticks that wave at the camera, the tiger leaping at the viewer, not just trite cliches that beg the viewer to admire the effect but effects that also break the narrative spell, bringing viewers out of the story and back to the technical mastery of the filmmakers. What's worse is that none of them are critical to the narrative, they're just a distraction and seem contrived.

The narration by Irrfan Khan is very jarring, and his diction and dialogue delivery  leave a lot to be desired. Tabu has precious little to offer. The real stars of the film are Suraj Sharma as Pi, and The tiger as Richard Parker, who is as magnificent as a hollywood hunk.

The ending is different from what it is in the book, and if you have read the book, the movie might be a little more disappointing. Thankfully I didn't, and to be true, I watched it for its technical genius.

I would suggest "Life of Pi" deserves your attention, simply because, it is a wonder to behold and has a strong message at the end albeit with a weak screenplay, and a slow narrative. 

Watch it and get mesmerized!!!

Son of Sadar - HEHEHE - Does it really need a review

1/5 , just for the controversy created around the movie

There are better ways of spending a Diwali weekend. I instead chose to watch SOS. Some movies begin badly but you always have a hope the movie will pick up. SOS however gives no such hope. Its incredibly loud and the cacophony gets to you in the first 15 minutes, wondering how the next 2 hours will pass. To kill time some log on to Facebook , some chat on whats app, some others gorge on the oily samosas and caramel laden popcorn. 

Ajay Devgan does the full monty to try and make u laugh. He dances (OMG), fights, stands atop 2 horses, becomes a sardar, even forces you to laugh by repeatedly saying "Paaji, kabhi has bhi liya karo"
But all you can laugh at is the utter buffoonery done by all serious actors at some point in their careers.

The plot is weak and its incredible how the director Ashwni Dhir can stretch it for nearly 3 hours.

To make it worse, every time the movie hits a bearable patch, an extremely loud song pops out of nowhere.

Sonakshi Sinha has nothing to offer, and so does Sanjay Dutt. Juhi chawla seems as if she's come out straight from the kurkure ad set. 

Im sure hoping this review will be funnier than the movie itself. Please dont watch it. Its diwali, spend time with your family! Im also hoping JTHJ will be slightly better than this. 

Just heard it did 8 crores of business on day 1. Best part of the movie - Hmm - the Dabanng 2 trailer at the beginning.

ARGO - A movie worth the time!!

I  went last week to a movie purely out of boredom and for want of watching "Something Different". Argo was the movie playing that time and the plot sounded interesting. I had seen the Ben Affleck directed "The Town" earlier and was impressed with his style of direction then. 

I entered the movie hall with so-so expectations, considering I'm not the biggest fan of war movies. But from the moment the movie began up until the end, there was not one dull moment in the movie. And its not a war movie!!

The opening of the movie played a huge part in setting the tone of the rest of the film. As I had no history or prior knowledge to the events that transpired in Iran in the 1980s, the brief amount of a history lesson was just enough to maintain my interest. Throughout the film, there are times when I might have started to wander through long bouts of dialog, but witty comments by the characters kept me entertained. By the time the climax was about to hit, I was sitting on the edge of my seat, biting at my fingers, awaiting their next move.

Argo is different, what makes it so special and good, is that the script is amazing, especially when you look how many actors are involved as main cast. 

Ben Affleck playing the role of Tony Mendez, a former CIA operative in real life, has really managed to play the role to the T.The other characters fit the role and their resemblance to the original character (showcased in the end credits) is beyond belief.

Argo provides great suspense, drama, and humor which made itself so remarkably charming. This film proves that Affleck can make bigger films than just Boston crime dramas. His style of bringing tension is the classy formula of the film. The rest of the filmmaking is solid. Argo is simply a classic. No matter how ridiculous the premise sounds, it's still undeniably smart and spectacular.

In case you have missed it, there are still some theatres which will screen it till the YRF storm hits them.

ARGO - HD Trailer