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Bombay Velvet (2015)
A mix of Fight Club with Indian Colors and Tommy Guns - Watch it for Anurag's Imagination
Firstly, I am a neutral movie buff and I am not giving this movie 8/10 only as it is an Anurag Kashyap film. I am a big fan of Kashyap all the way from Gulal to Dev D and appreciate that he makes movies from his heart and not for box office earnings.
Now coming to Bombay Velvet.
The movie: A gangster film with some bit of inspiration from Fight Club, Slumdog Millionaire and likes of various gangster movies such as Scarface made in in Hollywood. However, let down by force fitting all of this in one 2.5 hour story - didn't go well, but didn't go bad either. The movie has colors of old school Bombay, it gets the characters right - Ranbir is great as Johnny and Anushka's role couldn't possibly have been performed better by any one else (only if Madhuri still acted). And now the punch - Kay Kay Menon and Karan Johar both fit in perfectly as the good cop and mastermind criminal lobbyist. The movie has blood, filth, emotions and music in perfect combination.
Overall, a must watch for off-beat cult movie fans for sure. You will take some scenes with you. And you will start appreciating this when you either see it again, or start thinking about it a bit more deeper than "just another film".
8/10 from me for the effort overall. 6/10 in story 9/10 in casting 10/10 in direction
Watch it with open mind and preferably without reading random reviews and talking to people who don't understand cinema critically.
The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
3 hours well spent for a true Scorsese fan - a visual and vocal treat!
Let me start by saying that this movie is great - but you need to be a fan of Mr. Scorsese's cinema to enjoy something like this for 3 hours. The difference between a Scorsese movie and just another good movie is that Scorsese won't stop short of depicting the real truth (no matter how visual or vocal it might be) on the big screen.
This is in-your-face cinema for people who love to be very close to "what really happened". I believe that Mr. Leonardo DiCaprio was a great choice to play Jordan Belfort, a common man who is hungry for success and money is the drug that functions best for his system. Mr. Scorsese's gets the best out of DiCaprio and he excels in his role, all the way from amazing scenes where he is giving a speech to make his firms employees feel motivated, to the scenes where too many drugs are in his system while he needs to get behind the wheel. It looks so real that I felt that he needs to actually have drugs in his system to act that way.
Apart from DiCaprio, Margot Robbie looks stunning as she plays the role of Belfort's wife.
Don't think twice before going to this one is you are a fan of Mr. Scorsese's cinema such as Goodfellas. Avoid it if you don;t want to hear the F word like a million times and watch sexually explicit content - but in short - that's what makes it real.
9/10 without a doubt!
Chakravyuh (2012)
Chakravyuh - moves away from the real topic a number of times, too commercial and not as expected from Prakash Jha
Chakravyuh - 6/10
Chakravyuh is a good attempt by Prakash Jha to give us something like a Gangaajal and Apharan but what he forgets is that this is far more touchy topic for a majority of Indians than topics discussed in Gangaajal and Apharan. A topic such as kidnapping rackets can be accompanied by masala songs and a great looking police woman, but when you discuss topics such as Naxal Movement, Communist Ideology and show your protagonist (Abhay Deol) reading Marxian literature, I'm sorry but you need to be a lot less commercial.
In summary, Chakravyuh is a masala movie (as Arjun Rampal agrees in an interview too). It has item songs, a hot policewoman and random jokes. It is an 'entertainer' - for that I might give it 7/10 - but as far as the real message is concerned - to show what Naxal movement is all about and what is the state of our tribes and also the nexus between government, police and the corporate's - I am sorry but it is a disappointment.
Please watch it for it's entertainment, I wasted my time watching it alone as I was expecting this to be showcasing something that is close to my heart, unfortunately it does not.
Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
I am an Indian, and this one came as a surprise to me too!
Yes it did! Slumdog Millionaire - a title that made me think about three things - slums, dogs and a millionaire. And this movie related all three of them and made it into a masterpiece. It is not a Godfather, Shawshank Redemption or Pulp Fiction. But it is REAL - as real as it can get. The 'in your face' reality of Indian slums (or any slum for that matter) and its hard to digest.
How does it relate the three? - A guy from a slum - with a life comparable to a dog, aspires to become a millionaire, and the story is told artistically, with such perfection, honesty and beauty, that you don't feel like talking, moving etc. while its on the screen. The life of Indian slums answers all questions of LIFE, because life is lived (with all experiences) by people who struggle, for money, food, love, clothes etc. You will definitely enjoy this joy ride.
8/10
Hotaru no haka (1988)
'She never woke up'
I am crying right now while writing this comment. It's my birthday, and I wanted to seen a movie that was a definite masterpiece, and I found this one. Never wanted to cry on my birthday, but couldn't help it.
A tale of a brother and his kid sister in WW2 Japan, which actually tells you the suffering of a common man had a family, a life, a smile and a future, but lost everything for no fault of his own. It's so touching that you cannot help breaking down to tears. I won't reveal the plot here, but I'll suggest you watch the Japanese version with English subs. This is surely the one which will move you to the core, it felt like I lost something too, when the movie ended, and 'she never woke up'.
Great stuff - 10/10 (or even 11/10 - as an anime moved me more than a human film)
Ghajini (2008)
Don't expect a memento out of this, but you can expect a surprise!
So, you saw all the amazing trailers of Ghajini on TV and you are all set to watch this Bollywood remake of Memento (one of my all time favorites). If you know what Memento was all abut, you have seen and appreciated it, then please stay away from this violent, musical, south- Indian flavored version of the masterpiece.
But, if you are someone who loves Aamir khan, and you really want to know that how can a teacher from Taare Zameen Par, can transform into a 6-pack, muscular, all flying piece of Jason Statham kind action hero, go and watch Ghajini. Ghajini takes you for a ride of a lifetime, but it is nowhere near what Memento was. It feels more commercial script and too full of violence. It could have been a bit more intense, not just bodies flying here and there. It has all the characteristics of a good bollywood masala movie, but it is NOT a masterpiece, NOT a Taare Zameen Par or Lagaan or Swades. It is more of a Mohra (old days masala violence) kind-of movie, which takes you and your friends for a joyride, and you can enjoy it with pop-corns and a cola. Sit-back, relax, appreciate, and forget. That's what 'commercial bollywood' is all about.
7/10 - mostly for Aamir's acting (somewhat over'acting too)
Sorry Bhai! (2008)
Something very different, beautiful, worth watching, bhai!
Sorry Bhai! Sounded like a very stupid title for a movie. But once I saw the film, it made all sense and nothing else, Bhai!. It is a tale of two brothers, their upper middle class Indian parents, ambitions, and a girl.
The movie starts off with some very slow dialogues and without much direction towards what is coming in the next 1.5 hours. It slowly and steadily gains more meaning. In short, it tells you what everyone feels, but is untold in Indian cinema. It gets those hidden feelings that a guy can have towards his brother's fiancé, out of the closet, and on your face. Difficult to digest? But it does it in a way that you don't even feel awkward about it. It adds meaning to it. A perfect script, could have been a bit more crisp, and some better acting by all the cast, would have gained this one 9/10. But I'll still give this bold attempt to show the society what happens to 'normal people' and how they deal with it, a 7/10.
Trainspotting (1996)
I don't know what to write....
...but this one deserves to be written about!
Let me be frank, I am not a movie critic, nor i write articles in newspapers. i am just another guy who loves watching movies. When I saw Trainspotting after reading its reviews and the heroin connection, I thought it will be a movie that has few Scottish junkies and there stories. But it was much more than that. So much more that when it was over, I felt like playing the DVD again, because I missed out on a 'few' lines due to the Scottish accent.
This is a movie that shows reality, in a way that you will enjoy it, but you wont forget it, and you will be moved somewhere inside, and think about it. For everyone who likes watching good cinema, this one is highly recommended. The way the director portrays the life of heroin addicts, and what all happens to them, and their wish to be normal, but also being abnormal, it amazingly astonishing. Every expression is perfect, and you will definitely enjoy this joyride.
8/10
Stop thinking, go for it!
Rock On!! (2008)
Why Rock On!! Is Different?
I went for this movie and frankly, I was forced by a friend to get in there. I didn't even know the Farhan Akhtar connection with this film. But I came out satisfied with everything in the movie. Here's why it is different from mainstream cinema and still a commercial movie: Things like Roc Bands are not considered to be non-mainstream anyways so audience might take a movie named Rock On!! as just another youth movie with some dance, songs, nice looking girls and jokes. But that's where the movie is so different. It has the theme of friends, rock, music, and craziness, but it a very pure and emotional joy ride (may sound like oxymoron's but true).
As far as the cast is concerned, they all fit perfectly in their respective roles. Prachi Desai is the surprise package and manages to prove her acting skill on the 70MM screen. The four band members (Farhan Akhtar, Arjun Rampal, Purab Kohli and Luke Kenny) do extremely well. Te film hardly misses out on anything, and you just relate to it so closely. The youth will find it very well done, and the parents will watch it and respect the Indian youth's feelings towards Rock Music, and for that matter, any interests that the youth has.
I'll give it 8/10. Dil Chahta Hai has some competition now.
Oldeuboi (2003)
The beauty lies in the expressions....
... and the expressions take your breath away
That's what Oldboy is all about. The movie just keeps you hooked for the entire two hours (approx) and you are amazed at the originality of the script, action sequences, and acting.
Why to watch Oldboy: The movie is different from mainstream commercial Hollywood Its Korean and it scores over many Hollywood action flicks The originality of the script A very few loop-holes in the script Good action scenes
Why not to watch Oldboy: (Very difficult to cite reasons here) If you are a normal movie fan If you hate Korean people In case you hate watching movies while reading sub-titles
I'll say go, watch it, and appreciate the skill displayed by the Korean director and actors in this action packed joy ride.
Joshilaay (1989)
A good fun movie for hardcore cowboy'ish people
The movie has a good story line and Sunny Deol performs well with Anil Kapoor. It is a bit stretched but the dust, horses, guns, and villages are worth watching. The plot is quite good and the movie has a Jaanbaaz sort of a feel. The dacoits are back with a bang and the old blues of horses and guns make me feel good. Overall, you wont say that you wasted time or it wasn't worth it. It can be a good weekend watch if you are interested in 1980's Indian cinema. You cannot compare it with any Hollywood movie but Shekhar Kapur does a good job in bringing the reality of Indian villages to life, and what does it feel like to stay there with dacoits all over the place.
Considering it is a 1989 movie, I'll give it a 7/10.
Johnny Gaddaar (2007)
Fast, Intelligent, and Worth It!
When I saw Ek Hasina Thi, I knew that Sriram Raghvan has the talent. Then I saw Johnny Gaddar's promo's on TV and the movie looked different. But to my surprise, it was a lot different. A thriller of it's own kind, it was truly involving and the twists and turns were both meaningful, and surprising. Till the last minute of the movie, you cant guess who's gonna be killed next, and there weren't many loopholes too. It was a well-thought-of adventurous ride which keeps you glued to your seat and makes you feel that Indian cinema is changing, with every scene. As a movie lover, I would say that if you need a break from the big sets, expensive dresses, and layers of make-up, go and watch Johnny Gaddar, it is worth you money. The performances by Niel Mukesh, and surprisingly Rimi Sen are above average, Nandita Das lookalike (Ashwini Kalsekar) does her part as she is required to. The movie keeps you hooked as there is a murder every 20 minutes, and a survivor along that. Who's gonna last? You keep asking this till the last minute, and BAMM, surprise surprise!! Sriram Raghvan has the ability to change the face of thrillers in Indian Cinema, and he's on the right track. Hats Off!!