Ram Gopal Verma ki Aag'

Plot Outline:
In the dark underbelly of Mumbai city, a nihilistic new leader has risen to rule the fetid underworld. His name is Babban (Amitabh Bachchan). Cruel beyond imagination, psychotically violent and far more devious than any gangster the city has ever known. Nobody has ever seen him and if they did, they didn’t survive to tell the tale. But one man believed in his existence. And that is Inspector Narsimha (Mohanlal), who has a single-minded determination to finish Babban.

With his entire household massacred (with the exception of his daughter-in-law and servant, who were not at home at the time) and his 'fingers' cut off, now he is an ex-Inspector. Unable to take revenge himself, he recruits the help of two small time crooks, of whom he had some acquaintance during his days in the police force.

Once recruited, the cynical young Raj (Prashant Raj) and lively but realistic Heero (Ajay Devgan) find themselves growing fond of the villagers, taking pity on their sufferings under bandit tyranny.

Overall Impressions:
The film is the director's remake / tribute to Sholay (Flames). Remaking the biggest 70's blockbuster of India is no easy task, but on the other hand he is a good director, with his tribute to The Godfather (Sarkaar) being an exceptional piece of work. So, though apprehensive, my expectations for this flick were pretty low. All I was hoping for was a decent film, I wasn't expecting a film that would change the history of Indian films, just a mediocre action flick.

As the credits rolled and the original theme tune played in the background as we saw the trains of Mumbai pass I was impressed, even the nice little touch in the credits of 'Introducing Amitabh Bachchan as Babban' seemed quite clever. (In the original Amjad Khan was introduced similarly, usually this is done in actor's 1st film only).

All is going well until the opening titles end. Here-on things just got messy & though I didn't want to, all I can do is compare it with the original, not because they are exactly the same (that would have worked just fine), but because where they decided to skip parts and change things around is exactly where the biggest weakness of the film lies.

Credit given where it is due, the film looks good visually, the dialogue used thorughout also fit the current day and age and equated what I would expect of the RGV camp. The performances of Amitabh & Mohanlal are exceptional & the remaining cast varying from mediocre to pretty good. The praise unfortunately ends there. The writing is a monumental screwup, It's patchwork if anything. The film felt slike a stream of scenes some of which resembled & reminded of the original film.

Comparisons that you can't help but notice (Spoiler Alert):
There is no buildup to Raj and Heero's friendship, no cheat coin flipping which was a plot turning point at the death of Jaidev (Raj equivalent) in the original, the fact that Jaidev heroically decides to sacrifice himself to save his friend was a striking scene. Here on the other hand, when Raj does die, though a bit harsh getting shot dead at point blank range, he had no heroic moments leading up to this to make it feel a huge loss. You simply end up thinking you don't care.

The inspector getting fingers snipped as opposed to arms chopped off, a huge dramatic difference. Again, in the flashback scene leading up to this after his family's been killed was bland. He makes a few phone calls & kills random gangsters?? Honestly? No patch on furioulsy getting on a horse, heading straight for the gangster den & getting trapped.

The romance tracks of Raj and Heero fall flat, the classic introduction of the villain doesn't have any impact, even the inspector doesn't mention that he wants the villain alive so that he himself can avenge his family, until the penultimate reels. Some of the violence was cut out so you don't even get to se how Babban eventually dies, no comaprison to a armless man fighting it out with studded shoes he's had prepared for the fight.

The amount of abuse I could give it here is almost endless, but I won't bother carrying on. Read what other critics have had to say on the subject below (which I totally agree with), you'll see I need not say anymore):
IBN Live - "...Not only does Ramgopal Varma Ki Aag fail as a remake of Sholay, it's a pretty bad effort even as a stand-alone film"
Full Hyderabad - "...Speaking objectively without thinking of Sholay, Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag is a terrible film"
MTV India - "...a half-baked attempt at recreating the magic of Bollywood's most popular film"
Filmfare - "...is brilliantly shot but in the process of adapting and adjusting the original, the sequences turn out to be very bland and the modifications fall on your face"
RadioSargam - "...Varma’s tribute succumbs to disastrous screenplay and editing"
Business Of Cinema - "...A yawny first half and an OK-in-parts second half is what this film offers"
Now Running - "...There's no smoke, no fire in this Aag. Only ashes- from under which I really hope Ram Gopal Varma rises again, like the proverbial phoenix"
ApunKaChoice - "...a letdown. The movie only reminds you how great and matchless the real ‘Sholay’ was and is"
MeriNews - "...The movie of the millennium is reduced to a mockery"

Don't bother, no disrespect to the makers, for I know they know how to make good films but unless you want to learn how 'not' to make a film, watch the trailer instead, at least that holds some structure.

Heyy Babyy'

Plot Outline:
Aroush (Akshay Kumar), Al (Fardeen Khan) and Tanmay (Riteish Deshmukh) are three bachelors having the time of their lives in Sydney, Australia. Young and hassle free, the three men enjoy life by sleeping with as many women as possible. They party, flirt, have their share of fun and move on. Their perfect life is suddenly shattered when a baby ends up abandoned on their doorstep.

Completely oblivious to the art of caring for a baby, they share the responsibility together. Eventually the baby grows on the three and they transform into loving, caring fathers. However, Esha (Vidya Balan) then steps into the picture and takes legal custody of the baby.

It turns out that Aroush and Esha met at a marriage some time back in India. There, to impress Esha, Aroush poses as a conservative and traditional Indian. They end up making love and promise to meet each other in Sydney, but Esha finds Aroush in bed with another woman, and is heartbroken. Later both Esha and Aroush return to Sydney but Aroush can not find Esha and is back to his womanising ways. Esha's father (played by Boman Irani) takes Esha's and Aroush's newborn child, tells Esha she died at birth, and places her at the doorstep of the three guys.

Overall Impressions:
What could possibly happen next? Well, Aroush finds in his heart that he does actually love her, so the quest to win over the girl & the baby follows. He sets up a contract with her saying if she can find a father better suited than himself within 7 days he'll leave her alone. Sounding a bit far-fetched? Well, yes, it is, but they do pull it off. WIth the aid of his two comrades, he attempts to stall her finding a suitor by sending in his own, but things turn a little pear shaped when the most perfect suitor turns up at a wedding. (and yes, this is where SRK fits in for his 3 minute cameo).

A terrible concept, a terrible plot and a blatant rip of Three Men and a Baby which nobody would have though is worthy of a remake, yet it stands it ground. With ample desi modification to fit the Indian audiences, high doses of cheese & humour & thappars (slaps), it does manage to keep you engaged, even if you feel it wouldn't (as I did).

No cinema must, but worth a watch if you're after a feel-good non-sensical flick.

Looks like baby's are the talk of the day:

Thanks to IndiaFM as they take us to the opulent sets of Heyy Babyy at Film City (mumbai) where the 'Mast Kalandar' song of Sajid Khan's 'Heyy Babyy' is being shot. Looks like they have so much fun. I've just come back from the film & the song was a treat, definite highlight of the film, but heyy I'm a tincy wincy bit biased. ;-) This is the first time we see Akhsay Kumar & SRK in the same frame since Dil To Pagal Hai 10 years ago. I'll post up my review probably tomorrow ..

Knocked Up'

Plot Outline:
Ben Stone (Seth Rogen) is a 23-year-old slacker who is in the process of establishing fleshofthestars.com, a website that lists the exact moment in time at which nude scenes with famous actresses occur in films. Alison Scott (Katherine Heigl) is a responsible young woman who works behind the scenes at E! Television Network. Although she is on the career fast track, she lives in the pool house behind her sister Debbie's home, and plays an active role in helping her and her husband Pete raise their daughters.

Alison and Ben find themselves at the same club where she is celebrating her promotion at E! with her sister. They begin drinking together, and she invites him back to her pool house. The next morning, they learn that they have very little in common. Eight weeks later, Alison begins feeling very sick and comes to the conclusion that she is pregnant, and she contacts Ben. She tells Ben that she is pregnant and that she has decided to keep the baby. Ben's initial response of shock and anger mixed with Alison's frustrations creates tension, resulting in Ben agreeing to take Alison to the OB/GYN to confirm the pregnancy. After the pregnancy is confirmed, Ben says that he will be there to support Alison and help her through it and so the fun begins.

Overall Impressions:
In a nutshell, this is a romantic comedy, with a pregnancy. Extremely funny and engaging, however there is a flipside & it's not part of the film either. The fact that this has come out (in the UK at least) only 2 weeks apart from Waitress which shares a similar theme of a pregnant woman, this one falls under its shadow a little. For me anyway. Which is a shame, because it is laugh out loud funny throughout and certainly a well made film. If I were to critise the film on its own merit, perhaps only the length could have been shortened a little. Perhaps a repeat viewing in the future will fix that? *shrugs*

By all means the best comedy currently showing. Worth a watch.

So you may be wondering if I'm going through yet another hybernation perios since I haven't posted for almost a week. Well that would not quite be an accurate description, in fact quite the contrary. I've been doing the film preview gubbins for Raindance. Though they haven't said so, I'm making the assumption its all low-profile classified stuff until the catalogue is printed, which by the sounds of it should be next week. So once it's out I'll put up my 2 cents with regards to that stuff.

In other news, the FTW protocol too has kept me in work this week beyond my usual 9to5 ventures. My expert knowledge has saved the world many a time, after all I'm the guy they call in when they pronounce the equivalent of a Code: Red ... "we're going to need Jack onthis one" type scenarios. but past the huffing and disappointed snarls at the initial performance of the protocol (for which I am never to blame ofcourse), as per usual, I get little credit for it.

I don't mind though. I have huge orchestas in processions and bands of soldiers saluting me in my head anyway & that's what matters. :)

Marigold

Plot Outline:
Marigold is a musical romantic comedy about a young American woman who travels to India and finds her life is transformed in the most unexpected ways by her experiences and adventures there.

Beautiful, American B-actress Marigold Lexton (Ali Larter), star of innumerable terrible straight-to-video sequel movies, arrives in India with no luggage and a bad attitude. Stranded in resort town Goa after the financing for her film Kama Sutra 3 falls apart and with nobody willing to bail her out, Marigold finds herself cast by fluke in a Bollywood musical.

However, there is one problem she neglects to tell the producer. She cannot dance. She enlists the aid of the friendly choreographer of the film Prem (Salman Khan). As they get closer and love blossoms between the two, we come to learn that Prem actually has a secret of his own.

Overall Impressions:
Well, yet another Hollywood version of what Bollywood is supposed to be all about hits the cinemas. I should be over the moon for the exposures is precisely what it needs, right? Well, actually it's yet another stereo-typical view of what Bollywood can be perceived as. A cross-cultural film like this is clearly aimed at both the Bollywood crowd and the overseas enthusiasts who would like an experience of Bollywood without going the full nine yards. Though the film is well made & that I can't fault the directing, choreography or the performances, there is a large part of me that felt this film does huge injustice to the viewer.

Firstly, no english subtitles for the large portion that is in hindi. Now which muppet decided on that, seriously. When 99% of hindi films that are screened these days come with subtitles, why oh why doesn't the film that's intended more specifically for people that may not understand the language. Can't blame the film makers entirely, but someone along the way screwed that up. Big-time.

Secondly, as I briefly mentioned above, it is a very sterotypical perception. As the Bollywood industry takes huge strides into a territory unchartered, getting international acclaim for films that are going above and beyond the typical love storie, here lies a story that shows where we began. The whole film is almost a mirror of a typical commercial 90's film. Upto this poit I have no objection with it. The objection I have is that the writing incorporates statements of the industry that are just plain lies.

It mentions that 'all' Bollywood films are musicals, 'all' Bollywood films are love stories and 'all' Bollywood films go through the 6 of 7 stages of love (not including death). These innacuracies to me was a huge thorn in an otherwise okay film. I'm guessing others won't passionately take offense as I have, so I'll stop with that just here after saying for the record, 'some' would have been more appropriate, 'most' would have been acceptable, 'all' is just a plain lie.

Okay, so stepping aside from the negatives: It does do what it says on the tin. It certainly is the story of an American in an adventure that is India. Ali Larter as Marigold totally feels at ease playing this total full-of-herself bitch with an attitude, but shows with time that though she has this exterior, she is in fact a nice person at heart. Salman Khan after a few years now shows that he can play a human being and doesn't have to be the top-less superstar all the time. This year will certainly show the audiences how he's matured. The chemistry betwen the two is totally natural.

The story is quite a generic one. Girl finds the inner beatuty of India, falls in love with guy, both sides are happy but there are partners, families et al that stand in their path. Nothing groundbreaking, but well paced and though cliche'd in its theme it does throw in a few laughs and a few surprises in the mix to keep your wits about.

The music was below average for a Bollywood film, which again seems a bit lazy of them, if this was supposed to be a film selling the Bollywood industry, or perhaps I just read too much into these things. Some of the background pieces were quite good though, with numerous hit songs from the past few years weaved into the background including 2 songs from Bunty aur Babli (one with my name in it ;), the original Dhoom title song and No. 1 Punjabi from Salman Khan starrer Chori Chori Chupke Chupke, to name a few.

Though not bad, it's not a cinema must, one you'd happily watch on TV, unless you are after a flavour of Bollywood (for which I could recommend numerous actual Bollywood films) or want to desperately see how well Ali Larter fares opposite Bollywood's onscreen playboy Salman Khan.

Hoax, The

Plot Outline:
Based on the autobiograpical novel by Clifford Irving, it follows the process he went through in the early 1970's when he who wrote and sold a bogus biography of billionaire aviator Howard Hughes to a premiere publishing house McGraw-Hill.

Richard Gere plays Irving and Alfred Molina plays Richard Suskind, his best friend & accomplice in (almost) pulling off one of the great media hoaxes of the decade (though he probably would have exaggerated & said "the century").

Overall Impressions:
Well, I was full of amusement as the publishers in the film were being all hush about the book, giving it the codename 'Octavius', while it was being co-written by the guy who played Dr. Otto Octavius. You're probably thinking: Oh, how observant of me, well I know, I know, thanks.

Right, enough geek talk.

I must say, it's a very engaging film, looking back now, there isn't all that much I could say if you asked me to give you a scene by scene breakdown, but while watching you're engrossed with the ongoings. This film totally belongs to Richard Gere who becomes the part of not only Irving but also Howard Hughes to quite an extent. To write a biography about a person that you haven't met you would actually have to become them. I did enjoy watching the transition of the character as he became lost in the writing process.

Alfred Molina is totally natural in the part of his skint and innocent friend, but it felt a little like the actor deserved more scope, the character is rather small for an artiste of his stature. I should also give a special mention to their hair stylist and costumes, without which they just wouldn't have been in the 70's.

Possible moral of the story:
Well I'm going with the tagline here, if you're a writer, I totally get it, never let the truth get in the way of a good story. I'm down with that, good for you, but don't be so stupid as to tell your mistress, who too is supposed to be a secret. Actually get your damned priorities straight, which lie is more important to maintain? The one that makes you a good bit of money perhaps or the one that might end up giving you a baby you don't want?? (I am looking forward to seeing Knocked Up).

So yea, though it is a hell of an achievement getting on a Time Magazine's Cover (Cover of the 21st Feb 1972), it's not worth getting caught to achieve it. Though I don't think that was his intent anyway, so I'll let that one fly.

Not a cinema must, but an enjoyable caper that I would recommend you catch on your rentals.

No not the biological sort. Though they deserve some respect I'm sure, this is about the silent salutes to the Mother Russia India. Celebrating 60 years of Indian independence today, I pay my respects to the peace war that we won back then. Though I'm not old enough to have been there, for that matter nor is my dad, I do celebrate this day, for I appreciate what happened there even if I don't understand the in-depth details of it.

I paid my tribute by attending the cinema at West India Quay. Hey, if I'm feeling celebratory, what else did you think I'd do. Unfortunately they aren't showing Chak De! India (which would have been ideal considering), so instead of watching that a third time, I saw The Hoax. The review shall magically appear in the next few days as The Bourne Ultimatum one has done. While I'm talking of unwritten reviews, here's the current list .. (Breach, Sugarhouse, Gandhi - My Father, Cash, Harry Potter, Hairspray, Rush Hour 3, The Hoax)

On that note, I'll get to sleep, early to rise again tomorrow, my fortress awaits me.

The Professional returns after his numerous years of exile? You're thinking wait a minute, didn't he drop dead leaving his precious plant to that star wars chick? Well, you're right. I'm actualing deflecting you from what I'm saying in actuality just a little.

Since watching Waitress, I've wanted a pie. Leon has provided one. A sweet pecan pie. So who the hell's Leon? No I hadn't the jiffiest of a clue either, but apparently, they're quite a large chain. When the Benjy's round the corner from the Fortress of Solitude shut down some months back, my lunchtimes became hell. I actually had to walk further than round the block to get any sustainance.

Now however, this Leon place has opened in its place and as I mentioned earlier, they do a sweet pecan pie. Expensive but Niiiiice! I would also recommend their milkshakes. It's probably the milkshake that kicked off the idea in my head that Leon may have returned from the dead and started up this business, because well, it actually tastes like flavoured milk, not like flavoured ice & I know how he did like his regular doses of milk.

Sometimes my own imagination worries me, or so I imagine it should.

Hairspray'

Plot Outline:
Tracy Turnblad (Nikki Blonsky), an overweight teenager with all the right moves, is obsessed with the Corny Collins Show. Every day after school, she and her best friend Penny (Amanda Bynes) run home to watch the show and drool over the hot Link Larkin (Zac Efron), much to Tracy's mother Edna's (John Travolta) dismay. After one of the stars of the show leaves, Corny Collins (James Marsden) holds auditions to see who will be the next person on the Corny Collins show. With all of the help of her friend Seaweed (Elijah Kelly), Tracy makes it on the show, angering the evil dance queen Amber Von Tussle (Brittany Snow) and her mother Velma (Michelle Pfieffer). Tracy then decides that it's not fair that the black kids can only dance on the Corny Collins Show once a month, and with the help of Seaweed, Link, Penny, Motormouth Maybelle (Queen Latifah), her father (Christopher Walken) and Edna, she's going to integrate the show.....without denting her 'do!

Overall Impressions:
The idiot that I am, even having seen the trailers, I hadn't quite put together in my head that this is in fact a musical. Seriously, even with all the broadway musical adapatation adverts all over tube stations, no it just hadn't quite clicked. I knew it was a remake of an 80's film that I hadn't seen, but knew little about that too. So entering a screen with hip youngsters all ready to dance, I thought to myself, something's not quite the same about this crowd. 5 minutes in, all of the above went through my head, it just kinda made sense. Was I disappointed? Hell No!!

Okay first, clearing up one of those stereotypical pre-conceptions people make. You love Bollywood films so you must love musicals, right? Wrong! A Bollywood film has a duration on average of 180 minutes, give or take with an intermission. The songs take up 30. Ratio of non music to music 5:1. An average musical 90% music. There's no real relationship between the two at all, except that they contain music. If you haven't seen Bollywood films it's hard to explain, but the music is (more often than not) needed for the narrative. I wouldn't say that necessarily holds for all the songs in a musical.

Anyway.. basically I was saying I'm not a 'fan' of musicals. That said I will watch them. I didn't like Chicago but was very much impress with The Phantom of the Opera. You get he picture, it's just another 'film' for me. All the above somewhat irrelevant jibberish said, I enjoyed Hairspray thoroughly.

Though amusing I didn't see the need for the mother's role being done my John Travolta, but you actually almost forget it's a man, except in a few instances when (s)he speaks in his normal voice. All the performances were so full of energy, you could tell they enjoyed themselves making this, which as I always say counts heavily for it's entertainment value.

In particular, as you can tell by my choice of poster, I've got to give it to James Marsden, I though he was great. Not as miserable as we've seen him in the X-Men and Superman films as of recent, he was truly Corny Collins. Newcomer Nikki Blonsky is great too but I'm sure she's getting her share of praise elsewhere. A big round of applause for James Marsden. Thank you!

I almost fell in love with Amanda Bynes in this. Michelle Pfeiffer was plain evil (but still looks great). Zac Efron kinda reminded me of me. (A little pointless now, but I used to carry a comb in my pocket at all times between the age of 14 and 21).

Overall, Tackling racism could never have been more fun. Upbeat & enjoyable, throughout. I recommend this to anyone who just wants to rejuvinate themselves. It's A feel-good film for all ages. Though it doesn't whole wide appeal for non-musical lovers, it's certainly one that you won't regret seeing if you do take that step inside.

To-Do List Update: Must build alternate universe that is musically populated.

Rush Hour 3'

Plot Outline:
Three years after the end of Rush Hour 2, Carter (Chris Tucker) is no longer a detective, but a traffic guard on the streets of Los Angeles. Lee (Jackie Chan) is now the bodyguard for his friend Ambassador Han, the former Consul from the first film. However, there is a rift between them as Lee is still upset at Carter about an incident in New York City where Carter shot (not fatally) Lee's then-girlfriend, which led to their breakup.

During the World Criminal Court discussions, as the Ambassador addresses the importance to fight the Triad and gets shot. Lee pursues the assassin and eventually corners him, discovering that the assassin is his godbrother, Kenji. When Lee hesitates to shoot Kenji, Carter shows up driving towards the two, Kenji escapes. Further explosions, murder attempts & investigation leads them to Paris.

Cue, the stereotypical Frenchman jokes ..

Overall Impressions:
Well, what can I say? If you've seen the prior Rush Hour films, you've seen this one. Without a doubt it holds as the inferior of the three. It literally is Rush Hour in France, but surely you can't be going in expecting any more than this anyway. So, in that sense it's actually not bad. It has many laugh out loud jokes. It has many ass-kicking stunts and action scenes. It does seem to lack some flow between them, but for 90 minutes it doesn't really give you time to get bored. Plus Lee and Carter leave the scene dancing to War like they did in the first film.

More than anything the film reminds you that the films preceeding were really quite good. If you're merely killing 90 minutes, it's an enjoyable ride, but given the choice, there are better films showing at the moment.

Chak De! India

चक दे इन्डिया (Buck Up! India)

Synopsis:
Kabir Khan (Shahrukh Khan) plays the Coach of the Indian Women’s National Hockey team. A team that exists more on paper and less in reality. The team is a rag-tag bunch of girls with their own agenda. A bunch of girls who have forgotten what it is like to play for the love of the game. Of playing because you want glory for your country. The girls have never known the thrilling energy of seeing their country’s name on a trophy.

Kabir Khan on the other hand, once a national team captain, now forgotten, most certainly does. He knows what it takes to get there. And what it means to return empty handed. This time, he wants to make sure that it’s different. He knows there are no second chances. Despite his past, he believes that if only the girls played as one, anything would be possible.

Chak De India is the story of a coach’s fight of making his team by overcoming their diverse backgrounds, by learning to use everything what life hurls at them as a secret weapon. It’s a story about honesty, sincerity and integrity. A story to remind the nation of its National sport.

Initial thoughts:
It is sadly a fact that sport (with the exception of cricket ofcourse) is very much a neglected area when it comes to India. Hockey is one of India's national sports that's neglected. The film aims to bring back some of its enthusiasm back. In addition it dabbles in the issues of the role of women & the difficulties they face to take up a career of their own choice.

The film is rumoured to be inspired the life of an actual Indian hockey player Mir Ranjan Negi. Negi was the hockey goalkeeper of the Indian team during the Asian Games 1982. During the Asian games, India faced a defeat with the score of 1-7 against Pakistan. This was a humiliating experience for Negi. Later in his life, Negi coached the National Women’s hockey team and the team went on to win Gold at the Manchester Commonwealth games.

Review:
Firstly, this is not your expected stereo-typical Bollywood film. It's the story of a team, playing for their one and only dream, to win the world cup, so you better back up .. (okay, I'll stop with the rapping). There are no musical numbers with people jumping into any song and dance. There is no romantic angle, it is an out-and-out film about the team and the coach. That isn't to say it's not a total Indian film at heart.

On the scene of world cinema, this film is not out to make any ground breaking changes. In fact it's a tried and tested path, chartered by many (from Bend it like Beckham to Coach Carter). That said, for the Indian Cinegoers, this is very much so a different film. Some sports films have been tried in the past but with little success (except Lagaan, but even that had a love traiangle & the attached song & dance).

So, does it work? In a nutshell, very much so. From the very opening, it gets straight to it, we are introduced to Kabir during the last few minutes of his match against Pakistan, his failiure and the shame that came with it, swiftly moving on 7 years as the credits rolled, the narrative brings us to the current day where Kabir has decided to come out of exile and redeem himself.

In come the 16 girls, from states scattered all over the country, each with their set of attitudes, and state dialects, as the viewer you begin to take an instant liking to most of them. As the girls all tumble in for their first training session, Kabir gives his first speech. He explains that he wants the players to play first and foremost for their country, then for their team-mates and if they find they still have some energy left, than a little for themselves.

As the training ensues, he makes enemies with most the players, when he yells to the most experienced player in the team and tells her that every team has 'one' hooligan who bullies the rest and for this team it is him, you totally believe him. From here the plot is rather formulaic, even so, it does what it sets out to do, it captures you and has you rooting for the team.

Though I mentioned there wasn't any singing or dancing, the film is not void of music. In fact I'd say its one of it's stronger points. As the title song kicks off at intermission point (you should have heard the cheers on the Friday night), you totally do look forward to see what is to follow.

The performances all-round are exceptional, you'd never peg any of the 16 girls to be amateurs at acting or hockey. It's truly amazing that they've all done so well in their first film. Whether it be the hot-headed punjabi girl Balbir Kaur, or Chandigarh girl with an attitude Preeti Sabarwal, they all show ample talent. The character of Bindiya Naik is easy to hate. The short street-hustling Komal Chotala is perfect with her comic timing. This only being the cream of the crop.

.. and then ofcourse there is Shah Rukh Khan, the one name in the entire industry that simply can't be ignored. With a huge fan-following in the millions, many say that today he simply is the King of Bollywood. With such a label attached, there are obviously a number of opposers that critique his every move. Fortunately eventhey are struggling to find a voice with theprformance given here. Underplayed with finesse, he only shows us once again why he is has the crown. As the coach you really do forget that he's Shah Rukh Khan, critics sometimes mention that he always brings his own confident persona into his characters, here there is none of that. He totally becomes the character.

The training montages, the matches, the full works is done with a standard no less than international. The pace doesn't slacken as I initially feared and the latter half is all you would want it to be. Even the climax brings a tear-jerking moment to us, as they return back home.

Though a spectacularly executed film, I think the box-office fate of this film is going to be in the hands of the people that see it to a degree, because a fair bunch of the general crowd won't find appeal to the hockey theme, but those that see it, will love it for its execution and spread the word. Without a doubt Shah Rukh Khan's loyal following will hugely aid this. With August the 15th (Independence Day) just around the corner, this is just the film needed to raise those patriotic spirits.

For those out there that fancy somethig different, a definite treat. For those that think simply based on the plot that this can't be any good (I know there are a fair few of these out there), you'll be very surprised. One of the few must-see films this year.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix'

Plot Outline:
Harry is about to start his fifth year at Hogwarts. He's desperate to get back to school and find out why his friends Ron and Hermoine have been so secretive all summer.

After returning to Hogwarts to begin his fifth year at Hogwarts, Harry Potter discovers that much of the wizarding world, including the Ministry of Magic, is in denial about Lord Voldemort's return. The Order of the Phoenix, a group sworn against Voldemort, is using its vast array of wizards and witches magical abilities to combat Voldemort.

Cornelius Fudge, Minister for Magic, suspects that Dumbledore is using these claims of The Dark Lord's return as a means to over-throw him as Minister. In retaliation, a new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher is appointed by the Ministry in order to keep an eye on Hogwarts. This new teacher, Professor Umbridge (Imelda Staunton) refuses to teach them defensive spells while refuting Harry's claims of the Dark Lord's return. So Harry sets out, with Ron and Hermione, to start up Dumbledore's Army to battle evil forces and prepare the fellow young witches and wizards for the extraordinary journey that lies ahead..

Overall Impressions:
I'm not huge Harry Potter fan, just the fact I'm seeing it so late after its release should probably tell you that. So, why am I not a fan? Perhaps because I haven't read the books, perhaps.

Well I did see it & it wasn't terrible, in fact I'd say it's probably the best one yet (yes, I have seen them all), but I find it hard to get lost into the world of Hogwartz as I happily do with most other films & I'm trying to work out why.

Things keep standing out to me as not fitting together. A few examples, the new teacher is evil, we absolutely hate her, but she has an authoritative hold & is extremely powerful. So why the huge firework display & breaking of the school rules so suddenly, yes, it felt warranted, but it was hard to believe she didn't just turn around and fry the students onthe spot, what happened to her power then??

Then there is Voldermort who's name shouldn't be spoken but now frequently is, perhaps because it signifies slowly that he is not as scary as they first made out & they just got a bit carried away within themselves with the intimadation game?

There's Sr. Malfoy, who's pretty badass in this one, showing powers that we never thought he had. Why doesn't he just use them & kill Harry then? In fact Harry has so many evils that spend time intimidating him time & again. I just don't see the point faffing about. If you're going to try to kill him, do it already.

How many times is Dumbledore going to try protecting Harry from the truth & then apologising for it?

Okay so I probably sound quite bitter all-round about this, but I'm not. When I watched it I wasn't at all bored, they do the intimidation thing very well, but each time a new HP film releases I always find myself lacking the enthusiasm to go see them, the above breakdown is probably why.

Potter fans are in for a treat. Things are all happening now, sort of. If you're not a fan, it probably won't turn you over to their side, but an okay time-killer none-the-less.

Collect remaining month's of entries & re-insert them into MT. -- Done
Re-style / Re-customise MT configuration. Having some 'issues' with its initial config too so thing may come & go in the interim. -- Done 90% (Comments section still needs work)

Write-ups to do:
Raindance Preview snippets for:
Exhibit A, Congorama, Red Like The Sky
- I've seen all 3 need to write them up 2 done 1 to go. -- I have to re-do these with new criteria! More on this later...

Filmstalker Reviews for:
Death at a Funeral, -- Done
Sugarhouse, -- 35%
Breach,
The Bourne Ultimatum
Waitress -- Done

In addition, need to review The Simpsons Movie -- Done
Now that it's Friday, I also need to go watch Cash, Gandhi My Father -- Done (reviews pend).

I've yet to see Harry Potter, Hoax & Hairspray. + almost time for Chak De!
I can't make this to-do thing regular here, I'll need to find a system such that its on the sidebar ..

For the second time in the past week, I've been locked out of my primary gmail account with the below attached message. Earlier in the week Simone pointed out I'd disappeared from Facebook too, what the hell have I done to deserve this? I have always loved and cared for the interweb. I fed it regularly, gave it every minute that I had spare. Why oh why, is it mad at me?? Answer me!!!!

Cash

Plot Outline:
CASH is a high octane heist thriller set in Cape Town, South Africa. The film revolves around an ace con artist (Ajay Devgan) who hires a set of top notch robbers (Esha Deol, Zayed Khan, Dia Mirza and Ritesh Deshmukh) to steal a set of priceless diamonds in South Africa. The group also faces a threat from underworld don (Sunil Shetty), who is after the same diamonds and also the Head of Security (Shamita Shetty). How these three groups manage to thwart each other forms the story.

Overall Impressions:
I'm a sucker for a good heist film and am liking the way action seems to be developing in the Indian film industry. It's come a long way from the dhishum-dhishum days. The trailer for this, though said absolutely nothing about the plot looked cool, so I gladly caught it on the weekend of release.

Well, I'll leave this one straight & simple, full marks go to the editing of this film. This one is totally stylish. It looks slick thorughout, unfortunately the praise ends just there.

Bar a few scenes that are comical, like the scene with Ajay Devgan upon the bridge telling his girlfriend how to fix her car over the phone, the plot is simply not there. Who is stealing what from who becomes a total haze, henchmen turn up out of nowhere so that our heroes can put up a fight, it's all pretty random. By the time we reach intermission where we get to learn that the stolen money is marked we are totally lost.

Money, what? I though they were stealing a painting, no a diamond, what the hell is going on? The second half is no better, but thankfully you're gone past caring. Though visually appealing, a huge let down. I blame the writers. Performances are decent considering they had dialogue but no plot, but this can't save a film.

Don't bother, the promos are far better than the film.

Gandhi - My Father

Plot Outline:
Based on the novel by Chandulal Dalal based entirely on historical facts and biography, this film follows the troubled life story of of Harilal Gandhi (Akshaye Khanna), the son of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (Darshan Jariwala). It brings into the limelight the failure of Gandhi as a father and how Harilal was overpowered by the burden of being the son of such a celebrated parent.

Overall Impressions:
This film is totally about the dysfunctional family. It focuses mainly on the estranged relationship between Mahatma Gandhi and his eldest son Harilal Gandhi. It shows how he had to sacrifice his family life in order to give his best to achieve our freedom. Every time we see the father and his son attempting to make mends, the fathers primary dedication to his rules and country, would would come between them.

Akshaye Khanna has proved himself yet again to be a supremely versatile actor. He expresses his emotions very naturally. Darshan Jariwala portrayed Gandhi wonderfully. He felt more a real human being if compared to Ben Kingsley in Gandhi.

A very well made historical biopic that depicts a different light to the Mahatma Gandhi people know. A film every Indian should see. There is always an opportunity cost, always.

Silent Salutes
_ram-jaane'

Waitress'

Plot Outline:
Jenna is unhappily married, squirreling away money, and hoping to win a pie-baking contest so, with the prize money, she'll have enough cash to leave her husband Earl. She finds herself pregnant, which throws her plans awry. She bakes phenomenal pies at Joe's diner, listens to old Joe's wisdom, tolerates her sour boss Cal, is friends with Dawn and Becky (her fellow waitresses), and finds a mutual attraction with the new doctor in town. As the pregnancy advances, life with Earl seems less tolerable, a way out less clear, and the affair with the doctor complicated by his marriage. What options does a waitress have?

Review:
Jenna (Keri Russell) bakes up a newly invented pie every single day. Her brilliance is truly appreciated by anyone that tastes them. Anyone except her good-for-nothing self-absorbed husband Earl (Jeremy Sisto). Their marriage is a total disaster. She is merely an object of possession to him, one that he holds with a tight grip. When she requests to enter a pie contest that could win them $25,000 and where she could get some real exposure for her talent, he denies this opportunity to her.

The only solace that Jenna has in this miserable day-to-day routine is her newly invented daily pie and her quirky but supportive colleagues Becky (Cheryl Hines) & Dawn (Adrienne Shelly -- the writer/director). When Jenna finds herself to be pregnant, (due to her husband getting her drunk and well, you know), things are to take a turn in her life, conveniently at this juncture, in comes waltzing the new doctor in town (Nathan Fillion). If you're already putting two and two together you'll probably come up with a total of five.

Wrongly pegged as a romantic comedy, this film is primarily about the journey of a pregnant woman. From the day one: "I don't want no baby. I don't want no trouble. I just want to make pies." to the very end, it's about Jenna and the pregnancy. It has a message to put across with regards to the pressures that being pregnant can have on a woman, thankfully though, this is not done at the expense of taking away entertainment value from the viewer.

The thing that's initially noticeable about Waitress is the folksy language. No bad thing, but it does take a little getting used to. Helping along the way is the quirky dialogue and humour. As the plot progresses, the marriage situation is revealed to be worse than we first thought, you do actually find hate for the character of Earl with no effort at all. Again it's the strange humour that helps you feel at ease, through the otherwise uncomfortable situations we see her go through.

We also get more familiar with the allies she has outside of home. The friendly doctor is everything for her that Earl is not. The colleagues have their own little issues and tantrums from which Jenna can learn a thing or two, it's all very smartly written. It should be said it's the brilliant writing by Adrienne Shelly that makes the balance work so well. In addition the humour seems straight out of life. Each character seems to have their own set of strange behaviours that works together with that of the others, to form the unique humour. I think this is true to reality, with the strange factor amplified a little.

Ofcourse great writing has to be enhanced by the performances and as intended they are all-round are appropriately quirky. I was initially drawn to this film because Nathan Fillion is in it. He's pretty cool and I was interested to see what he's up to these days. Post-Serenity he seems to be a little dormant. He does a top-notch job as the doc and I'm not disappointed. That said, without a shred of doubt maximum praise has to go to Keri Russell for taking the role of Jenna and really making it her own, the remainder of the cast are not far behind. The only person I would pinpoint as slightly uneasy at certain points is Jeremy Sisto. It felt at times he was struggling playing this total jerk & wanted to burst into laughter at how ridiculous the character was. I don't blame him.

Overall, Waitress holds that unique independent film fragrance and can quite easily be compared to the numerous bitter and sweet pies that it bakes up over its 104 minute duration. You'll probably walk away uplifted somewhat and most certainly craving pie. I'll leave you with just that.

Some of the pies featured in the film:
"I don't want Earl's baby pie"
Quiche of egg and brie cheese with a smoked ham centre.

"Kick in the pants pie"
Cinnamon spice custard.

"I hate my husband pie"
You take bittersweet chocolate and don't sweeten it. You make it into a pudding and drown in caramel.

"Baby screaming it's head off in the middle of the night and ruining my life pie"
Pecans and nutmeg over a New York style cheesecake. No crust ..

"Earl murders me because I'm having an affair pie"
You smash blackberries and raspberries into a chocolate crust.

"I can't have no affair because it's wrong and I don't want Earl to kill me pie"
Vanilla custard with banana, hold the banana ..

"Pregnant miserable self-pitying loser pie"
Lumpy oatmeal with fruitcake mashed in. Flambe' ofcourse ...

Every place I read about Waitress I find they use the word slice at least once so here goes:
Thanks to Filmstalker for sending me out there to experience this delicious slice of life. :-) You'll find this review mirrored over there too.