Joker

No, the trailers did not lure me into the theatre, it was the lack of any other one and the need to watch a movie.

So, I went in with zero expectations and was out with negative recommendations :)

*Spoiler alert - in case you really think these can spoil the movie experience any further*

The story starts in Paglapur at the time when Britishers ruled India. When a British officer was making his tour to chalk out all the towns in the map, all the mental patients in this town fled from their keeping and threw out everyone sane from there. Fearing his death, the officer didn't make it to the town and hence the town never made its mark on the map. Impressive.

Scene-2 a NASA scientist is developing an instrument to communicate with aliens. Those who have funded him are looking for results which Akshay is unable to produce. Meanwhile his live-in girlfriend Sonakshi receives a call from India and is informed that Akshay's father is terribly ill and breathing his last. Immediately they rush to India, Paglapur

This is where everything really falls apart, what with everyone falling off trees and the scenes looking so artificial. Then on proceeds all the 'maddening' events that proves that the town is rightly called what it is called. Asrani plays his role well as an English teacher with jokes like 'He has come gone' Wo aake gaya and such of the same kind.

Then events so proceed that Akshay has to free the people of his town and make them self dependent. This village does not have the basic infrastructure for electricity, water. He then goes and talks to ministers who are obviously corrupt and not interested in the town since it is not part of anyone's region.

So, to get the public support and to get everyone to know about the town he stages an artificial sighting of a crop circle. Obviously the press comes as soon as they can and then there is drama and some more drama and more artificial aliens and more drama but no acting at all.

Acting-nil
Story-boring
Execution-artificial
Humor-doesn't tickle at all

So, money wasted!

Ek Tha Tiger

A paisa wasool movie (if you think pure entertainment with less stress on the brain for lots of details and nuances is paisa wasool)

The plot revolves around RAW agent Tiger who is known to kill someone or the other on every mission that he is sent on. His sheer skills as an agent is what makes everyone scared as soon as they spot him.

One mission that he is sent on, forces him to take decisions with his heart and that is where the plot twists. The twists are okay, not too great but not too bad too. What I liked about the movie is the direction in general and more specifically of the action scenes. Pretty well done there.
Katrina also has a couple of action scenes which she has performed fairly well.
The comedy quotient is little, the performances good and the songs minimal. And surprisingly like every recent Salman movie, this one does not have a dialogue which he repeats throughout like a tagline.

Anyway, this a nice time pass movie which will not disappoint much if you don;t look for too much brilliance. I'd say its passe.

The Phantom of the Opera

If you are a fan of the opera, then maybe you will find this worthless. But for me it was a different experience. The dialogues are sung out by the actors, yes sung. There is music and the dialogues are lyrics. At first this felt and sounded weird but once you get into the flow you will start enjoying it.

The story is about a young boy who is beaten just because his face is deformed. A young girl rescues him and lets him hide in the opera house. The boy learns and practices the opera and is very well versed. He then teaches a young girl whom he also then starts adoring and plans to wed someday. But he never appears, only his voice can be heard. In the meanwhile this young girl has made it to the lead in the opera and has fallen in love with a Lord.

The story that ensues is a usual clash of emotions and priorities and choices.
The only thing that makes this move worth your time once is the novelty of the way the opera is incorporated throughout the movie. The music effects are worth of a mention, well suited for an opera. The performances are good too, but I hardly concentrated on those because the lyrics and singing were so beautiful.

I'd say, give it a try!

The Terminal

Yes we know that Tom Hanks is a brilliant actor and when put together with Speilberg's creativity, they sure make a lovely movie.
And as for terminal, the sheer ingenuity of the theme is what I loved.

Tom is from an Eastern European country. He arrives at the New York airport but unluckily for him a war broke out in his country after he left. Now since he belongs to a country (or no country) which the US does not recognize he is stranded at the airport.
Tom plays a character who does not understand or speak English very well, so easily that it becomes difficult to believe that he is an American.

The story proceeds showing how the security in-charge at the airport starts disliking Tom for his patience and at how he starts making the airport his home. Tom in the meantime makes many friends and well wishers at the airport. The movie is a bit stretched towards the end, but

I will not describe the entire plot and the climax, but it is a movie worth watching for
1. The uniqueness of the plot
2. Tom Hanks' flawless performance
3. The story telling

Go enjoy the show!

P.S. I must thank Nazneen, for recommending this movie. Thanks Nazneen :)

Housefull 2

Yes, its by the same director. The director who made Housefull and the same writer too!

No don't lower your expectations right now, else you might end up liking the coup that housefull 2 is.

It is a wee bit better than Housefull because it has a few "genuine" moments of laughter, but as expected, fails to be a comic ride.

The story, being not worth mentioning, I'd just state that it is a copy of a Marathi movie (I can't remember the name right away, but the story is about a rich son who wants marry the girl of his choice but is afraid of his father and hence brings her in as his friend's wife and so on and so on which finally results in a lot of confusion)

Anyhow, so there were very few "nice" laughter moments some being the crocodile and snake episode, only in the beginning. They were stretched too long.
And as for more moments, I seriously cannot remember any. But ask the other people in the theatre that time, who were laughing their guts out at every statement and they will tell you what a lovely time they had, because they probably left their logical thinking at home.

So I would say, don't bother.

Paan Singh Tomar

Of course till now you've heard that the movie is based on the life of an Indian athlete - Paan Singh Tomar

Tigmanshu Dhulia's direction is outstanding. It remains focussed on the central character and the central theme throughout the movie.
Irfan as always, never disappoints. Playing a character who is so intense, is cake walk for him. He does it very effortlessly. He first plays the innocent Paan Singh who
is from a small village famous for its dacoits. He however, does not want to end up as one of his own and joins the Indian army. Here the officers dicsover his athletic abilities and thus Paan goes on to become a national steeplechase champion. Here too, he plays a passionate sportsman with ease. Some problems back home force him to retire and he follows the ethical way to straighten things up. He goes to the local police who do not help. He tries his references back in the army but even they are not helpful. When things go out of control he is left with no option but to answer the goons by being a goon. This is when he sets out and forms a group of dacoits.
Truly Irfan's performance is commendable. Mahie Gill hardly has any role worth mentioning. And the director has done a good job of staying focussed on Paan throughout. The dialogues are well written and well delivered by Irfan. The cinematography, background score and editing have also greatly contributed to the effect the movie has on you.

The difficulties Paan goes through and how he is forced to live a life of crime will definitely touch your heart. This movie is rightly dedicated to sports heroes of India who died amidst a lot of difficulties just because their sport did not attract rich investors like did cricket.

A must must watch!

The Woman in Black

Looking for an eerie movie, which will haunt you at night? Then this movie is worth some of your time.

The plot goes as, there is a lady who appears in a black veil. Whenever there is a sighting of this lady, there have been deaths, deaths of children.

So, Radcliffe is a widower. He is a father of a son. Does he even look the age of such a character? Anyhow, he has been sent to a remote place to settle the estate of a deceased lady. He faces a lot of opposition from the villagers but finally reaches the house. The house is on an island, an island in high tide and connected to the town during low tide. The house is haunted by the spirit of the owner of the house, the woman in black. She is avenging the death of her son.

The plot is not really great though, and not even Radcliffe's trial at playing the role of a grown up. But what makes the movie worth watching is the direction, cinematography and sound effects. It does give you some shrieks, increased heart beat rate and visions that will haunt you for a few moments at least.

The movie starts of very slow and picks up towards the end. And by picks up what I mean is it gives you some shrieks and goose bump moments.

So watch it, only if you like these kind of thrills. Else, avoid!