film review : Paranormal Activity 3 (2011)

Yes, they did make heads turn with the first installment, they managed to make the audiences return for the second part, even the third was eagerly awaited but after watching this one I’m not sure whether fans would allow the makers of Paranormal Activity series take control the next time over. This one seriously lacks a story line and goes pointlessly back in time, where we are made aware of the real reason why sisters Katie and Kristi went through what they did in parts 1 and 2 respectively.

Before both the sisters face horror, Katie gives some videotapes to her sister Kristi in 2005. Through one of the tapes we are taken back to 1988 where Katie and Kristi‘s mother Julie and her boyfriend Dennis are trying to make things work so they can be a happy family. But something tells you that Julie‘s mother Lois (and hence Katie‘s and Kristi‘s grandmother) doesn’t see a worthy man in Dennis. Even the camera doesn’t like Lois‘s face, the old lady is freaky.

So the story begins with the tape being played. In order to investigate the abnormal happenings which have already begun in the house, cameras are placed in classic Paranormal Activity style by Dennis all over the house and there is even a swinging camera this time around. Julie and Dennis try getting in the mood to fuck but these invisible paranormal forces play hindrance. According to the plot the alarming situations have begun. Dennis brings in his friend Randy to watch the footage. This goes on and on with very few scenes that’ll send a chill down your spine.

Kid Kristi talks to this ghost buddy of hers (named Toby) at night, and we are lead to believe that the real reason behind all of this is Toby. The ghost does nothing new in troubling the characters. There is the usual blanket-slipping, body levitating, hair pulling and  dragging by the leg scenes. Towards the end it so happens that Dennis ultimately gets killed, in style. I’ll leave the readers to figure out how and why. Looks like it’s Kristi, Katie, Lois and Toby (the ghost) who live through all this.

Paranormal Activity 3 had it’s moments but then prolonging the plot just to have some link with the first two parts does less justice here, especially when the unique selling proposition is horror (without any kinda bloodshed) which seems less intense. There might be a fourth installment in the future with Toby‘s introduction but next time I’ll avoid being misled by any trailer.

Rating : 3/5

movie review : Rockstar (2011)

Jordan – the rockstar’s love saga cuddles up to your heart’s strings but the story has a few unanswered questions.

Imtiaz Ali‘s Rockstar begins in Prague, where the audiences are taken to a jam-packed venue ready to watch Jordan (Ranbir Kapoor) take the stage. He is emotionally troubled, dejected and has a lot of hate piled up within him.

Flashback – We are in Delhi, where a localite named Janardhan is not interested in anything else but music. The drive to fulfill his dreams is present in abundance but what’s lacking is that scar, a jolt that would make his passion even more believable. The storytellers thought it would be best to introduce a chick who would screw his mind, and this would allow rage to enter his music and at the same time would change the reason for his existence. Heer (Nargis Fakhri) – the hot and suave girl who studies in a neighbouring college and is supposed to be getting married in two months time rejects Janardhan’s proposal to be his girlfriend. Even though he tells her “tu aur main rock kar denge“. That’s our naive Jordan who wants to be the next Jim Morrison.

She wants to get her hands dirty and do all the crazy stuff that she can’t once she ties the knot. And that’s how Heer and Janardhan pair up to explore the unexplored. Jordan (that’s how she introduces him to her friends) forgets he was ever into music, gets thrown out of his house and spends two months in a dargah. This is where he rediscovers music. All this while Heer is married and has packed off to Prague. Ustad Jameel Khan (Shammi Kapoor) refers Jordan to a record company, and Janardhan a.k.a. Jordan receives a kick start to his career and also takes him to Prague. The lead-duo meet up again and this time things go as they had never planned it. They fall in love.

Heer is torn between marriage and love so she asks the to-be-rockstar to fuck off. Circumstances put Jordan in trouble, he ends up in jail and the small time singer returns home to India where the media has portrayed him as a notorious musician. Fame follows and despite having everything Jordan hates his life. He can’t get over Heer, even a kiss with journalist Sheena (Aditi Rao Hydari) does not give him an erection.

Two years pass by and in the meantime Heer has been diagnosed with some thing serious, has returned back to India as she tells her husband about her unfaithfulness. Her condition worsens with each passing day and she feels better only in Jordan’s presence. Isn’t that enough to conclude they are made for each other?

The movie does have loose ends with unanswered questions but the Kapoor lad has given a terrific performance and Nargis Fakhri is a gift to Bollywood. Hot, fresh and guess what – she can act! Several character actors play it real and Rahman‘s score makes the movie even more grand. All of Imtiaz‘s stories have a common theme – Complications in love. He tells love tales differently. With Rockstar, Imtiaz explains the loneliness that one has to deal with when s/he is up there on top. It’s not just sex, drugs and rock ‘n roll. There is more to life than what meets the eye. Rockstar‘s not a winner all the way but I’m still going to watch it again for one of my favorite Bollywood directors Imtiaz, and of course for Ms. Fakhri!

Rating : 4/5

Read the music review for Rahman’s album Rockstar

film review : Not a Love Story (2011)

Whether a man, in love, who thinks only with his dick qualifies to be called a lover or not is something that can be debated, but that’s the way Robin‘s (Deepak Dobriyal) character has been written in RGV‘s new flick Not a Love Story. Coming from Ram Gopal Varma it isn’t unusual that the story is lifted directly from the Neeraj Grover case which had grabbed headlines for being one of the most gruesome cases in the history of Indian crimes. Google it up to know what exactly happened.

Wanting to fulfil her dreams of being an actress in Bombay (this theme has been overdone in films anyways), Anusha convinces her jhantu boyfriend Robin that she wants to go to the city of dreams. The over-possessive chooth that he is, Robin does not want her to escape his cage lest he loses her. Even slutwalk 2 cannot help the big breasted Anusha who behaves as if exposing her assets is the only way to bag a role. Refusing to fall prey to casting couch, she declines a role and in no time is offered another movie. Enter Ashish (Ajay Gehi) who helps her through all this and claims to be in love with her.

They spend time together and one night both land up drunk at her place. And then, they have sex. Very next morning the jobless Robin lands up at her place, finds Ashish naked and in a fit of rage kills him. All because the slutty Anusha lies to Robin that the ‘other’ man had raped her. Robin proves his chutiyagiri again by cutting the dead body into how many ever pieces and packs them into bags. Both lovers take off to some place and burn the bags. Hence begins the second half which is more thrilling than the first.

Chasing the clues and taking help from the bitch who continues lying to save her fat ass, the police uncovers the truth. That’s all there is to the movie. Wanting to lock lips with the woman he (supposedly) loves at the drop of a hat, the forever fretting Robin behaves as if he has paid to ‘own’ his woman. That, for me, remains the only reason why his hot chick sleeps with Ashish.

And, did I mention the Rangeela track that has been unnecessarily used so many times as the brainless lead actress’s ringtone. It was seriously annoying.

Varma, yet again, spins together the magic of his camera with some over-the-top background score to convince the audience that they are going along with the story. Chowta‘s music seems like it has been lifted from somewhere, but I cannot exactly recall from where. The actors do not have enough scope on this one. Dobriyal had to behave like a moron in-love (with his lady’s cunt), Gill had to put her voluptuous body to some good use and cry all the fvcking time, and Gehi had to come, die and get chopped. It was a closed script with not much to do and then you have RGV claiming that it is not entirely inspired by the infamous case.

Only after the film ends does one give it a thought that this wasn’t a work of fiction. There was one Mr. M.L. Jerome Mathew who actually did all this along with his girlfriend Maria Susairaj to a certain Neeraj Grover. Bone-chilling. But I can’t hold back from saying that Dobriyal‘s role in the film was that of a chutiya. Not a Love Story is strictly a one-time watch.

Rating : 3/5

film review : Dhobi Ghat (2011)

Kiran Rao‘s directorial debut portrays certain sections of Mumbai (or, Bombay) in the same light as it is known to us. To do this she takes the help of four characters. Each of them make a connect and a Mumbaikar (or, Bombayite) will definitely find himself/herself in them. Munna (Prateik), Shai (Monica), Arun (Aamir) and Yasmin (Kriti) are the ones being referred to. Their wants and needs are varied, they longings are different, they have some things but that isn’t what gives them wholesome satisfaction. Don’t we all be there at some point or the other?

Shai happens to meet a painter / loner Arun at his show which gets extended to them spending the night together with love making too added to it. This leads to Shai developing strong feelings for Arun as she did sense a chemistry. However, Arun ain’t the relationship type, lives his life like a nomad and keeps changing the place that is called home. This time he ends up in a house on Mohammed Ali Road where he gets hold of some tapes left behind by the previous tenant Yasmin. Begins watching them and we are seen dissolving in the happenings of the tape along with Arun. Munna is a dhobi whose clients include Arun and Shai, is a  king of his own world and his encounters with Shai lead to the disclosure of his dreams, ambitions while he also gets attracted to her.

The woman behind the camera, Kiran Rao works on the details of the characters along with their mannerisms which make us believe that we ain’t the only ones owning the hollowness. Someone else also understands what we go through. The casting seems in place with no complaints for anyone. Many newcomers/actors have been unveiled in the movie and they stand out on their own merit, thanks to the space provided by the script. The obvious highlight of the movie was supposed to be Gustavo Santaolalla‘s score which hasn’t been thrown in enough to talk about.

kiran rao with the cast

How the four characters are dependent on each other even after being completely independent is what Dhobi Ghat is about. The story ends in an incomplete manner much as our lives which can never be complete in the sense of the word. Dhobi Ghat is sans any interruptions with the script taking it’s own time to breathe. While this is not for the regular bollywood buffs as it has a documentary type approach, you might either end up liking the movie or chances are that you might be put off to sleep. Only you can find that out. Dhobi Ghat is definitely worth a try.

Rating : 3.5/5

The last three films reviewed on the blog -

No One Killed Jessica

Break Ke Baad

Guzaarish

film review : Break Ke Baad (2010)

Holy crap! Kunal Kohli always made bad movies. But still I took a chance this time as he wasn’t handling the camera. Also the actors looked decent. And when I am saying all of the above things I spell expectations. Is expecting such a bad thing?

From the first frame to the last frame Break Ke Baad is boring, and most importantly there is no story. Goes something like this – two lovers Abhay (Imran) and Aaliya (Deepika) are dating each other before they knew what love is. Trust me even the growing up bit has been spoiled. When it is clear that they have crossed the stage of puberty and are now old enough to take up jobs and responsibilities the movie becomes even more shitty. Aaliya wants to go to Australia for some course and hence begins the insecurities. The couple begins arguing more as it was turning into a long distance thing. Both are from well-off rich families so the argument too looks artificial.

Aaliya leaves and the distance between her and Abhay becomes more than just the physical separation. New place, new friends and Abhay‘s increasing possessiveness frustrates Aaliya and she decides to take a break which with time becomes a breakup. In between all this the wealthy hero also shifts to Australia and that is when things got worse. Strange! The characters in the movie are becoming mature, and time is seen going by but for us audience it remains still. After prolonging the rape there is again a realization phase which takes Aaliya to India as Abhay had already left. You know what follows. They get married, have kids and the like.

a drab flick.

What needs to be noted here is that even the scenes between the lead pair which are supposed to be breezy and romantic make you blow some air at the ceiling. Shahana and Yudhishtr play their characters quite well but they just had to make sure they looked like fools. Other actors are not even worth mentioning. Debutante director Danish Aslam knows how to make a movie out of an idea, but that sucks. Vishal-Shekhar did manage some peppy songs but there was no background score when it was needed. Imran has opened up and isn’t that stiff anymore and Deepika as the commitment-phobic female wasn’t bad either, but still many around me did doze off.

Kunal Kohli already did bad as a director and now he is taking on production too. Someone please tell this dude we do not want to see him even after the break.

Rating : 2/5

film review : Guzaarish (2010)

The opening shot of the movie makes us aware that there is a paraplegic patient being helped by a woman who gets him out of bed, brushes his teeth, feeds him breakfast and puts him on his mobile chair. Paraplegia implies that the patient has a completely paralyzed lower half including his two legs and in the lead character Ethan Mascarenhas‘s (Hrithik) case both his hands are paralyzed too. The patient cannot sense anything which includes passing of the stool too, so s/he is helpless and has to be alive at the expense of someone else taking care of her/him. The only thing that can be done is talking, and that is it.

The woman who is more than a nurse to Ethan as she does practically everything that is expected as well as not expected out of her is played by the ravishing Aishwarya and her character is named Sofia D’Souza. Going through a bad marriage and an abusive one at that she silently has a lot of respect and liking for Ethan as she has been turning his words into actions for fourteen years. And when Ethan – who is now a radio jockey – decides to file a petition in the court for mercy killing naturally it hit her bad. But he is stern on his stand as he does not want himself and others around him to suffer. And given his condition we are forced to believe him.

The petition is filed through his lawyer friend Devyani (Shernaz) who also is taken aback but goes ahead for the sake of his friendship. Two other important characters in Ethan’s life are his doctor Nayak (Suhel) and his student Omar (Aditya). Ethan is a magician and the story juggles between his present and his past where we are taken through his glory days. Omar comes and stays with Ethan with an earnest intention to learn magic and to be like his idol. In between there is love blooming between Ethan and Sofia which although is strongly felt is not made obvious. The film has well-timed unpredictable jokes as well as strong emotional content and scenes that will make you to think.

For a newcomer, Aditya is promising to say the least and he seems very comfortable already. All the other characters have been played to the tee and are seen equally affected by Ethan‘s condition as we are. Monikangana plays Estella, Ethan‘s lover in his heydays and is present only for a few minutes here and there. Cinematographer Sudeep Chatterjee has made Goa look even more full of life. Sanjay Leela Bhansali who is also the music director here has a knack for that grand presentation. His movies never follow the routine and we are made to live through the joys, troubles, tribulations, feelings and emotions of Ethan.

The concept of euthanasia is vital in the story and there are many things about this subject that we come to know through Guzaarish. I cannot imagine this movie without the hunk Hrithik and now a complete performer Aishwarya. Another masterpiece about a magician brought to life by Mr. Bhansali – who is a magician himself.

Rating : 4/5

film review : Aashayein (2010)

A certain breed of film-makers in Bollywood believe in making films solely because it has a good story to tell, a couple of lessons to teach and some social messages to pass. Nagesh Kukunoor would be a proud member of that club and he sure would be satisfied when he has to look around at the kind of movies being made. If Iqbal talked about a deaf and mute boy chasing his dreams to be a apart of Indian cricket squad, Dor brought together two women from different backgrounds and how they emotionally come to each other’s rescue. Sure he has had his share of mistakes but then who does not make mistakes.

Aashayein, although had weak promos, was something I had decided to watch when I first saw the teaser on television. The reason being Kukunoor‘s storytelling and secondly the name of the film. Aashayein translates to hopes and the movie provides loads of it. The film opens with Rahul (John) shown betting on a India vs. New Zealand match putting all of his chick Nafisa‘s (Sonal) savings on the line. This is where we are introduced to his addiction to smoking. A big win and a couple of celebrations later we come to know that Rahul is suffering from cancer that arises due to smoking and has just three months to live. Not being able to bear the fact that his girlfriend has to suffer due to his condition, Rahul packs off to this particular hospice where people basically spend the last moments of their life.

Here Rahul meets other important characters of the film, who have their own problems and issues and the only common thing in all their lives is the fact that they are all dying. Padma (Anaitha) is a seventeen year old girl who is full of hatred and wants to experience love. Parthasarthi (Girish Karnad) is another resident who has lost his voice due to throat cancer and a veteran natural actor that Girish is, he pulls off his role without effort.

Farida Jalal plays the part of an HIV positive woman named Madhu and it is through her character that Kukunoor wishes to clear certain wrong notions to do with AIDS. Govinda (Ashwin Chitale) is a kid who becomes a spiritual savior for Rahul and adds more dimension to his motionless life. The screen is rekindled everytime Rahul interacts with any of these characters who share the hospice with him.

A simple movie like Aashayein that does not boast of a big budget, has lesser known actors, and isn’t noisy is always walloped and rated less by the brainless critics. By the way these are the same critics who chose to praise a trash like My Name is Khan. Anyway, Aashayein is an uncomplicated film and does not bore you. Watch it for its lively moments and make sure you catch the movie before it is forced to leave the theatres. And that is going to happen soon as it has already been declared a flop.

Rating : 3.5/5

documentary review : Until The Light Takes Us (2009)

Rejoice black metalheads! Not many are interested in taking up the black metal scene as a subject on which a documentary/movie can be made, but Until The Light Takes Us is another valuable addition to the short list of black metal documentaries. Released in late-2009, the movie is based in Norway. It has musicians who lived through the early-nineties Norwegian period telling us exactly what happened then. I always repent the fact that I was not present at the right place at the right time. The movie has answered most of the prickly questions that I had accumulated in my mind concerning the scene. And the sources of my answers could not get more authentic.

The opening sequence has Gylve Fenriz (Darkthrone) preparing himself for a shot. And the best part of it is I can already feel the right vibes. The movie traces the entire journey from the roots of Norwegian black metal through the controversies that brought Norway to everyone’s attention back in the early nineties, the reason behind arson, and the truth behind the murder of Euronymous (Mayhem).

from the docu : fenriz

Why this documentary is different from the other documentaries out there? – the movement that we know today as the True Norwegian Black Metal includes a couple of events that we have always been reading about. If I have to summarize the events it would include the church burnings and hatred towards the protectors of cross, Euronymous (Mayhem) opening a records store called Helvete, Dead (Mayhem) committing suicide, the killing of a homosexual man by Faust (Emperor), and Varg murdering Euronymous. Until The Light Takes Us makes the protagonists recall the events. The featured artists are Varg Vikernes (Burzum), Fenriz (Darkthrone), Hellhammer (Mayhem), Abbath (Immortal), Demonaz (Immortal), Garm (Ulver), Frost (Satyricon), Bjarne Melgaard (visual artist).

from the docu : varg

For me this movie is special for a simple reason that Burzum has got maximum footage. We are taken inside the maximum security prison where Varg had been kept until he was released this year. I would want to thank the makers for bringing out the real Varg and most of all his sense of humor. A very pleasant personality his wit makes you want more of him. Moments when you get a chilling doze for your senses include the part where Burzum tells you how it is to stay confined for so long and ofcourse the uncanny silence when he confronts stabbing Euronymous in the skull.

the makers : aaron aites and audrey ewell

The documentary has been well directed by Aaron Aites and Audrey Ewell and has a personal touch to it. The production has also been handled by the duo. Norway has been depicted as we know it to be, absolutely enchanting. Background score has to be fine as we are talking black metal here. The song that appears to be the theme track of the movie is The Ballad of the Broken Birdie Records by Múm. I remember looking for the track after the movie. Enough said, too much of praise tends to spoil the watch. Buy the movie, download it or just steal but it needs to be watched. Well if black metal is your thing then I bet you already have watched this one.

Rating : 4/5

Check out this article on the Flaming Skull E-Zine here : The Flaming Skull E-Zine : August 2010 issue

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film review : Aisha (2010)

The first thing that strikes you when this movie starts is Sonam Kapoor and the last thing is also Sonam Kapoor. No, I am not complaining because I think she is pretty but just conveying the fact that the script was written keeping her in mind. The movie is an adaptation of a Jane Austen novel named Emma which I haven’t read and am not going to read.

The story is about Aisha played by Sonam Kapoor who is from an upper class Delhi-based family and does not need to work. But what she does is matchmaking which is her idea of doing some social service where-in she tries to hook up people she knows and only she feels are compatible with each other. And that is what is the basic plot of Aisha leading her to make some mistakes with a self realization thrown in and finally ofcourse she herself falls in love. So I should have said it is essentially a love story.

Opposite her is Abhay Deol who has come a long way since his bollywood entry. I am a fan since Dev D. Deol also has a small role like everyone else in the film and he does his bit well. Others worth mentioning are Cyrus Sahukar who has a comparatively meaty role, Ira Dubey and Amrita Puri who play Aisha‘s best friend and just another friend respectively, Lisa Haydon, Arunoday Singh and Anand Tiwari.

Although the movie is another usual story of a guy and girl realizing that they are meant to be together there still are certain scenes and dialogues that do their intended job. For me these are the moments that differentiates one love story from the other.

Music becomes the movie’s strength with Amit Trivedi retaining his touch. Dev D did good to a lot of people. I have not heard anything about the director Rajshree Ojha before this.

I would not say that I liked the film but then I would also not say I did not like it, as I (do not) Hate Luv Stories. Aisha is more of a chick-flick which is not really done in Bollywood. But that alone cannot be the reason for watching a movie, nor is the four-star rating given by Nikhat Kazmi in TOI last Friday. Aisha is all style and no story but there is something about the way this movie has been presented and has a fresh look and feel. With no intentions to encourage Anil Kapoor‘s younger daugther Rhea for her debut into film production, I think the movie can be watched once. But in a week or so the movie will be forgotten. Watch it before that happens.

Rating : 3/5

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