Haunted

This is Bollywood's entry into the 3D movie world. Nice effort, could have been better. Some scenes in the movie appear blurred. But, the horror part makes good use of the fact that it is a 3D movie. When you are totally at ease, a scary face pops out right in your face! So, the movie has the chills and the thrills a horror movie should offer.
The acting..is sad. The actor even sadder. The actress..she looks cute but that impression is valid until she starts talking. The dialogues..well they did make me laugh (This was supposed to be a serious kinda movie :P)
The direction..I'd give it a nice try. The music..hardly matters. The background score..good.

Besides that, its a typical bollywood masala movie. You name the concept and it is there in the movie. pyaar, mohabbat, izhaar, ikraar, judaai, takraar etc etc. And then, you wouldn't believe it, the movie also has a twist of time travel to it :D

So, the story starts with our hero coming all the way from US to complete a deal..selling this age old villa. He reaches the villa only to find out that there is something wrong there. He hears someone playing the piano and then someone yelling out her guts. He has to find out the truth about this, before the new owner turns up in 10 days. So, he goes to talk to this uncle who stays in the same city and has obviously heard about the villa. And when his uncle refuses to believe that there is a ghost, our hero says "Mein pagal nahi hoon. Maine MBA Stanford University se kiya hai". Okay, so point proven :P
So anyhow, he tries seeking help from a "spiritual walker" But she gives up saying that this soul is 80 years old and has grown very strong and evil. But the hero won't give up. (Would have been better if he gave up on acting actually :P) Some tantrik baba then sends him back 80 years in time. (Ohh how wonderful, bollywood comes up with time travel..but not with the use of some big machine...but some tantrik) Now he tries to prevent the evil teacher from becoming a soul but he doesn't succeed (obviously) and so has to protect the girl, because he has fallen head over heels in love with her (I wonder how anyone could like her voice?) Then follows the drama of the two innocent love birds trying and escaping the evil spirit to reach some other tantrik baba who tells them how they can free the evil spirit to send it back to its right place. There is running and screaming and yelling and destruction and howling and a scary background score which finally ends with the hero returning to his present and the actress being free. (Whoa that was a lot to write)
For the whole story with details..you can read this

If your bored..and are craving for some horror :P this is the movie you want to go to. But, go with a group who will not shy away from passing witty and funny comments. Thats the best part of the movie. The crowd in the theatre was so jovial that I ended up enjoying this movie more than any other comedy movie I have seen. Awesome fun :)

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Zaru

Scream 4

Let me finish this one in a few words. Don't go watch it. Seriously, there's nothing new in this movie. The same old someone stabs someone, and in the end it turns out to be someone they knew, who started all this to fulfill his own selfish needs.
Yes, SCREAM never had a story ever right? True, but then there is no element of surprise too that gets you to scream even once throughout the entire roll. I couldn't even act scared even for a moment.
Performances? Do I need to mention? I mean are they even needed?
There also isn't any skin show which most of the horror/thriller movies sell. So in short nothing should make you want to watch this movie.
And the reason for the killings! Its even more hilarious. "Because I don't want to work and earn money and fame. I need a shortcut" Seriously? I mean seriously?

Please don't bother!

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Zaru

Rio

This is a movie that people of all ages are bound to enjoy. Its the story of Blue and his journey through life to find his purpose.

Blue is a macaw who has been domesticated since before he even learnt to fight for his own sustenance. And so he does not live in the wild, nor has he ever used his God given(okay..not given to him, but rather something that has evolved) gift of flight. Blue is a nerd who lives in Minnesotta. His life takes a complete u-turn when he meets Jewel who lives in the wild. Enjoys her gift of flight and freedom to the hilt. The turn of events after they meet is rather like a typical bollywood movie, but nevertheless very well done. The animation needs a special mention. Very real like display of emotions..very well done!


Each time you watch the movie, you are bound to find something worth a mention. Be it the colors, the animation, the screenplay, the songs, the background score...everything is wonderful! The end is very emotional when the point driven home is that love gives you wings. It gives you confidence to do what you never dreamt you could even attempt! Nice!


One sequence that I particularly enjoyed is when Blue calculates all that he needs to fly..like a typical nerd. Hilarious!


All i'd say is..go watch this movie. Its worth a watch on the big screen!


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Zaru

No one killed Jessica

The title was interesting. The trailers surely promised a narrative that would give you goosebumps, which is why I wanted to watch this movie. But it disappointed.
Script : Was stretched out of proportion. Drama is a part of bollywood, but there is a way of portraying it.
Direction by Raj kumar Gupta, not exceptional. The movie just failed to have an effect on the audience. Where with a true story like this one, I should have been shattered/scared/nervous as well as relived finally when justice was delivered, all at the same time. Instead I just sat there, waiting for the movie to come to an end.
Storytelling, I didn't like it much either. One scene just did not flow into the other. None of the characters were built up.
Acting. Well now this was something I was looking forward to.
Rani : Was good. Nothing different from her previous roles. Could have done much much better. She hardly had any role, to build her character.
Vidya : She had almost all of the movie to herself. I was looking forward to watching her, as the distressed sister. But her acting fell flat. I agree that the role was demanding, and Viday has the potential, but this one she just did not do well. Some variation in expression? If not a change in expression to depict that you have gone numb, some change in the dialogue delivery? No? Everything was just too monotonous. You as an audience just could not feel her pain, her anguish, her distress, her frustration. Where were all these emotions?
The only scene I liked is, when Vidya's father reacts to the news of his wife's death. The only scene, in the entire movie which gives you goosebumps.
Myra : She didn't have much to offer. And so towards the end, they let her shoot her model profile for free. Why was that part at the end needed? Didn't the director give her enough of screen space?

A very disappointing movie. The only saving grace being the music of the movie. Very nice job done by Amit Trivedi. Nice background score too, but not well backed up by the direction and acting. I'd say don't bother!
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Zaru

Tron Legacy

What is this movie all about? Well I have more questions than answers.
* Why were they playing games?
* How did Sam know the passwords of his dad's secret systems?
* How come some were in white, some in blue and some in red?
* What was supposed to be the motto of Sam before entering the maze?
* Why was the character of Zeus needed?
* How did the program move into human life with so much ease?
* How did Cora get her hand back?

* Did the editor understand the movie after it was done?

* Could they have made it a bit more verbose?

* Is it only me who didn't follow what was going on?

* Why did I go watch this movie?

Band baaja baarat

A YashRaj movie...so you know its a romantic movie. But what's missing is the mushy romantic full of emotional songs melodrama.
The story is rather trivial, storytelling is good. There is nothing in the movie that makes you say "wow".

The story is set in a city Janakpuri in Delhi. Shruti (Anushka Sharma) is completing her graduation, but she already has her career plans set. She aspires to be a successful wedding planner. She runs into Bittoo (Ranveer Singh) who convinces her that she needs a business partner. Together they set out to create a career. Starting with small weddings i.e. budgets in lakhs, tens of lakhs they finally graduate to big weddings which have budgets in crores. This is when personal fallouts creep in and they decide to quit. Then the same old saga, wherein they realise what a great team they were and etc etc..proceeds to a happy ending.
The music is catchy, but nothing that would make you want to go on humming it. There is nothing fresh about the soundtracks.
The only part of the movie that is worth watching, is the acting. Both the leads have done a good job. That is the reason I could sit through the entire movie. So, if you do happen to go watch it...its just the acting and the spontaneity that you should look out for.

Khelein hum jee jaan se

An Ashutosh Gowariker movie. And what a gem. The only debacle in his movies till now was What's your raashee. (But this movie is one of importance for me..and will always remain..for personal reasons ofcourse :)
So, back to the movie.
Its based on the Chittagong conspiracy and built from excerpts narrated by those who participated in the uprising.I must the say, the movie is well researched. The cast was chosen due to their facial resemblance to the real heroes.

The story telling is poerful, the direction superb. Every character is etched out before we are taken to the finale. The background score adds to the emotion being portrayed very well.
All the actors, the ones who lead the uprising, the teenagers, have acted exceptionally well. You can feel the pain when they are hurt and you can feel the immense patriotism when they decide to do or die for the freedom of the country. Deepika, I felt was a bit too stiff. Yes, she was a teeny weeny bit better than herself in her previous movies, but all her efforts fell flat considering the other power packed performances by the kids.
The movie bring tears in your eyes, brings fear, brings an immense pride for your motherland, makes you feel like doing something great of your life, because so many have fallen to make the country independent. After the movie was over, I was frozen in my seat for almost 2-3 minutes. I didn't feel like rushing out, but just sat there reading the names of all the heroes who started the new wave that ultimately won us freedom.
This movie should be shown to all our current politicians. Let them know what went in getting us freedom and if the current state is anywhere near what we call an independent country!
Hats off to Gowariker. A very nice movie indeed. I would like to applaud him for his efforts.
It is a serious movie, but very well made. All the youngsters out there, go give it a watch. It is sure to trigger a feeling of "so or die" in you. Vande Mataram!