So it's been 'repeatedly' brought to my attention that I don't make anywhere as many personal posts as I used to. I could make a bunch of lame-ass excuses or be plain honest, I'll do the latter. I've been somewhat hybernating (again) and on auto-pilot in my personal life. Creativity has been monotonous and yielded little to show. As an aside, general morales too have been on the darker side of the norm, partly due to the above, partly other reasons.

I find the "festive season" forces a bit of self-reflecton, sheding light on progression, and this always reprises my hope. My smaller goals have altered over the years, though the larger ones still remain intact. Taking a look at this whole blog thing for instance. It began when I moved to Chav Island (Woking) in search for a new life. I used this as a place to vent. A year later, I realised it was a terrible place to go looking for a new life and though I still work there, my residence shifted to a more lively and populated realm.

It was evident that a large chunk of my time was spent watching films, though admittedly it wasn't the largest of surprises, I took this aboard and focussed on making those posts about films better. I mean seriously, just compare the presentation and content of this in Dec '05 with this in Dec '07. Nice huh?? Yea I know. Thanks :)

So, this leads to the thoughts around "how far have I got now?" + the infamous tradition of New Years' Resolutions that people churn out and adhere to for a measly few weeks. I've always been one to avoid this but I'm going to give a crack at it here. So until that post, intended for tomorrow, I bid 2007 and yourselves farewell.

I have Richard from FS poking me for a top 10 so here's a quick skim of the 'Non-Hindi' films that left a positive impact with me in 2007 .. as with before, by no means are these the most successful or the best, it's entirely based on 'my' preference .. well here goes ..

28 Weeks Later - Not being a fan of horror, this still had be engaged, more so than its predecessor.

Bourne Ultimatum, The - Without a doubt, best of the trilogy, also holds up as a standalone film.

Die Hard 4.0 - Bruce Willis shows the rookies how it's done, yet again. Fun flick.

Mr. Brooks - Kevin Costner as a calculating killer. He does it so well, who knew he had it in him?

Number 23, The - Fed that number freak in me. The detective novel feel too was welcome.

Rocky Balboa - Finally the Rocky franchise culminates respectfully. It's the way it should end.

Shoot 'em Up - Mindless shootout after shootout after shootout, literally.

Smokin' Aces - Has grown on me after repeat viewings & readings of the script.

Superbad - A genuinely mature film with the immature humour, tough to accomplish, but done.

Waitress - The charming film that had me craving more. Awaiting the DVD!!

Okay then, as the end of year approaches, let's have a brief look at what was memorable shall we? As a disclaimer of sorts, these are in no particular order, (I lie, they are alphabetical). They are the 10 Bollywood films I most enjoyed this year & suggest you watch if you haven't already, this is not to suggest the others were crap (just crapp-er), neither to suggest these are the best, after all, personal preference is too a factor, right? We're all allowed our guilty pleasures (provided they are legal). Well here goes anyway:

Chak De! India

The first SRK flick of the year, though it lacked the initial box office takings expected from a Shah Rukh Khan starrer, word of mouth soon spread like fire that this was a film not to be missed. It's about a hockey coach training a team of misfit girls to play for the world cup. In winning only can he seek redemption from his own people. What came as a surprise was how even though he plays the central character, it is in the end the story of a team.

Cheeni Kum

A bitter 60 year old perfectionist chef finds himself arguing with a 30 year old lady customer. After much banter and passing meetings/dates, a bitter-sweet romance evolves, soon escalating to the point where he must ask her hand from her father. The peculiar father who is younger than him and has a whole new set of dilemmas surrounding him, is the one he must win over at all possible costs.

Guru

Based on the true story of one of the richest Business Tycoons in India, it's the story of rags to riches and the moral dilemmas he had to face along the way? It raises the question of "What would you be willing to do to become successful?" An engaging drama that shows that rules are for the masses but some that are wise enough have further options. It's the man's drive that will keep you engaged through it.

Johnny Gaddaar

Unfortunately, I didn't catch this at the cinema, it wasn't showing anywhere, but boy oh boy was this good. A cross between Film-Noir and modern day thriller. Though not directly lifted, it's inspired in style by the novels by James Hadley Chase and the 70's flicks by Vijay Anand. It has nods to both in the film too. It's a classic crime-thriller. The story is about a gang which does shady deals. Deals that promise a lot of money, until one member makes his own plans.

It follows Johnny (Neil Mukesh), who decides to betray his team during one such large deal to elope with ample riches (and his mistress). What really works for this is, somewhat like an episode of Columbo -- we know from the very outset that it's him, but we watch the tension grow amongst all the other characters, who suspect each other, allowing their emotions and prior grudges to make rash decisions. The background score too gives a nod to the 70's thrillers of this ilk and is integrated spectacularly. Very much a treat to watch. A shame that it's theatrical release was so limited. A total must!

Life in a ... Metro

The story spanning different generations, it's about a number of people, loosely connected by degrees of separation. It's a gritty, reality story. It encompasses a number of love stories, but without the glitz and glamour that people automatically associate with Bollywood. This is aboout the old, the poor, the people that are actually out there, and that is what's engaging to watch.

Naqaab

Without a shred of doubt one of the best thrillers I've seen this year. Like Hansel & Gretel we find ourselves finding our way forward, clue by clue, with small twists & turns, not looking back for the big picture, but when all is revealed, you're pleasantly surprised.

No Smoking

This is a film that you'll either hate because it's not normal or love for its complexity and in depth view at life. It uses symbolism & philosophy to dig much deeper into your heads than the average film. It's a film that is quirky and interesting, but a lot more beyond that, it's trying to give you a much more deep message, but it's not willing to hand it to you on a plate & for that it will not apologise. One that I can say deserves multiple viewings.

Om Shanti Om

There is no disputing this is the most successful film this year. SRK hits the jackpot with his 2nd film not only beating his own box office records, but doing so by miles. What was the formula for this magic? It's a fun film. While the plot involves a man & woman dying and the man being reborn to gain justice through revenge, this was merely a backdrop. The focus of the film is that it's a film by Bollywood about Bollywood. It spoofs what the 70's had on offer in a matter of 30 seconds as the film rolls, and it simply does not stop. When the film moves onto 2007, the current day, he has no issues poking fun at the way things run now either & beyond this it embraces that it may be funny, it may even be silly to you, but this is who we are & we love that!

Salaam-e-Ishq

Integrating 12 people in 6 love stories, this probably sounds a bit like Life in a Metro mentioned above. That comparison holds but ends just there. This is the opposite end of the scale as fas as Indian Cinema goes. This which preceeded the other is an all-glitz all-glamour approach to the idea, total Bollywood ishtyle. A guaranteed fun ride along the entire way. Each story has it's own merits and holds something to bring to the overall cinematic experience. The small crosses & integration of them all is handled brilliantly with a memorable climax in which it all comes together for all of them.

Taare Zameen Par

A late entry just in time to make the list, but it certainly has struck a chord. A film that takes you back to being a kid. It's about a dyslexic child who is misunderstood as disobedient and lazy and his fight to prove them all wrong (with a little help). A definite for parents, or parents-to be, or kids, or kids-to-be ;) Okay, fine, Kids-been.

What I'd say works a charm for this flick is firstly the child actor who's done a very convincing job, secondly the way things remain in focus on the child perspective and thirdly the music. It's a refreshing soundtrack for the film, the emotions match precisely what you see on-screen, to the point where I start daydreaming of the film when I hear it on the radio.

Well that wraps it up, before I do finish I would like to say there are a few films that I didn't get to see & really hope to pick up at some point, I think I should at least mention the ones that I feel had the potential to make this list: Manorama - Six feet Under, Black Friday, Bheja Fry and The Blue Umbrella. An unfortunate case of small releases not reaching the audience that is 'me'.

Not Michael .. but Mike ... like they're college buddies or something .. Don't believe me??? See for yourself ..

I Am Legend'

Plot Outline:
Based on a 1971 screenplay for Omega Man which in turn was based on a novel by Richard Matheson, the story is of

Robert Neville (Will Smith) is a brilliant scientist, but even he could not contain the terrible virus that was unstoppable, incurable, and man-made. Somehow immune, Neville is now the last human survivor in what is left of New York City and maybe the world. For three years, Neville has faithfully sent out daily radio messages, desperate to find any other survivors who might be out there. But he is not alone. He has a dog. :)

Also, mutant victims of the plague -- "The Infected" lurk in the shadows watching Neville's every move waiting for him to make a fatal mistake. Perhaps mankind's last, best hope, Neville is driven by only one remaining mission: to find a way to reverse the effects of the virus using his own immune blood. But he knows he is outnumbered... and quickly running out of time.

Overall Impressions:
Like chinese whispers this began as something groundbreaking in the 50's, (inspiring many a vampire/zombie flick) and is now far from it. That's not to say it's a bad product. I'll leave my thoughts of what it could have been, but before I do, I want it to be stated for the record that I do think the project had a lot more potential. If intrigued, I suggest you read this Hollywood writers' viewpoint, (you'll have to scroll down a bit, or search for "Dinner"), it's drenched with spoilers, but makes a very valid point in dissecting the story & comparing it to its origins.

Okay, moving on. speaking now of the film, as is: A one man film of this ilk, has its fate lie quite firmly on that one man & personally I wasn't sure Will Smith had it in him. I mean he has that universal appeal as an artiste, but could he pull off what Tom Hanks did with Cast Away? Well, to my pleasant surprise.. "Yes". He did a bang-up job of convincing you that he's been alone for a number of years now. Though he is meticulously organised, the fact that the solitude has had it's toll on his mental health, is also apparent.

They have integrated scenes from the past with current happenings throughout the film and this has it's own progression and runs a parallel of sorts with the current ongoings, perhaps so that the audience don't get bored of continuously seeing only the one man on screen, but if that's the only reason, it wasn't needed. I feel however this may not be the only reason to do this. As we see the doctor's mental health deteriorate, the flashbacks leave room for paranoia. A couple of other scenes do the same, leaving you wondering, has our hero gone nuts? Is everything we see through his eyes quite what it seems? Are we missing something?

Following this come a couple of twists in the tale that takes away a large chunk of satisfaction from what buildup we have had upto this point. Actually, I think it's fair to say, the last twenty odd minutes sink this film from being spectacular to 'slighty above average'. Quite unfortunate. Why? Tough to say without going all spoiler guns blazing, but you can probably guess. I'll just leave it by saying, in the end the one man became Legend in a forceful & rushed climax.

Balls of Fury'

Plot Outline:
In the unsanctioned, underground, and unhinged world of extreme Ping-Pong, the competition is brutal and the stakes are deadly. Down-and-out former professional Ping-Pong phenom Randy Daytona (Dan Fogler) is sucked into this storm when the FBI recruit him for a secret mission to capture one of the FBI's Most Wanted (and his father's killer), Feng (Christopher Walken). But after two decades out of the game, Randy can't turn his life around and avenge his father's murder without any support. So he calls upon the spiritual guidance of blind Ping-Pong sage and restaurateur Wong (James Hong), and the training expertise of Master Wong's wildly sexy niece Maggie (Maggie Q), both of whom also have a dark history with Feng. All roads lead to Feng's mysterious jungle compound and the most unique Ping-Pong tournaments ever staged. There, Randy faces such formidable players as his long-ago Olympics opponent, the still-vicious Karl Wolfschtagg (Thomas Lennon). Can Randy keep his eye on the ball? Will he achieve the redemption he craves?

Overall Impressions:
Well of course he will. The only film I can think of where the hero doesn't win is Rocky & even they *sarcasm* "fixed" it in the sequel. Anyway, back to the current topic. The story is pretty much an out and out spoof of Enter the Dragon, with some James Bond, Scarface and some clichéd martial arts film thrown in. Unfortunately it leaves you with more smiles and chuckles than laughs. IMDB gives this 5/10, which seems a little harsh, but is probably about right.

Dan Fogler does an okay job here but he was better in Good Luck Chuck, the part here just feels very much as though it was written for Jack Black, it has that whole School of Rock thing going on, with the Def Leppard fan at the realm with a paddle. Maggie Q looks very pretty and kicks some ass while she's around. Christopher Walken does that whole talking thing, which is always a charm. The show stealer is probably James Hong as the blind master though, as he's the one providing most of the chuckles.

Enchanted'

Plot Outline:
In an animated fairy tale world, a young girl Giselle (Amy Adams) meets and falls in love with the handsome prince of her dreams (James Marsden). News of this romance upsets the prince's evil step-mother. For this reason she is banished from her magical, musical animated land and finds herself in the gritty reality of the streets of modern-day Manhattan.

Shocked by this strange new environment that doesn't operate on a "happily ever after" basis, Giselle is now adrift in a chaotic world badly in need of enchantment. But when Giselle begins to fall in love with a charmingly flawed divorce lawyer (Patrick Dempsey) who has come to her aid - even though she is already promised to a perfect fairy tale prince back home - she has to wonder:

Can a storybook view of romance survive in the real world?

Overall Impressions:
An animated fairy tale meets modern, live-action comedy. It's so simple it's almost genius. Beginning in the animated world meant that once the conflict is built and we are ready for Act II, the transition is huge -- an impact you won't miss. Admittedly the entire venture here-on as clichéd as can be, but it has a going pace which keeps you interested. The contrast between the fantasy world and the real world and how simply allowing the fantasy to live adds a whole new postive vibe to life is wha you'll take away. Though it's be quite morbid, I think the exact opposite too would be interesting to see on-screen. How allowing such fantasy to rule your life leaving you penniless, hungry and pretty much screwed. *uhm* .. yea, so back to the philum at hand .. you probably won't think this because you'll just totally fall in love with Giselle. Being so over-the-top and not becoming annoying is quite an accomplishment.

So as mentioned, though the film totally belongs to Amy Adams playing the good-hearted damsel in distress, lending a helping hand to anyone she encounters with her naive innocent and wise words . It has to be said James Marsden too was a perfect casting decision for Prince Edward.

Since their xmas party, it came as a surprise that the local manager at my local cafe' was off ill, correction, after a huge booze-up of student proportions (I assume), this was somewhat to be expected, especially from somebody in the most authoritative position there, I mean being realistic about it even 'my' boss had a day & a half off, but the surprise part being that this had carried on for over a week.

The interim duration called for extra support from other branches of the nearby neighbourhood, The odd experienced staff member lending a hand, but a week later, with individual members doing double shift days (15 odd hours) consecutive days, more desperate measures were called for.

Let me set the scene: It's Saturday -- December the 22nd, the shopping sprees and traffic jams were at their peak, the normal 5-7 minute bus journey had taken me over 15 minutes. I could have walked in the same time, though obviously I wouldn't because a) it's cold out and b) I'm terribly lazy.

So as people cross people off their list of presents still to buy (which obviously they 'had' left his late, just like every other year), they found that taking a break in a cafe' between shops was the way forward. Good for them - Bravo! However this mean a constant queue almost out of the door, even my optimal table had already been taken.

No worries - I'm a patient kinda guy, my next film at the cinema upstairs was in a good four hours, I had ample work to do, but this mean putting it off, so why should I be concerned, so here I stand in a queue doing what I do best -- observing. Three of the four staff members greet me & ask me how I am, one by one, as they spot me.

In the midst of this all is another member who I will realise in the next few minutes is the area manager, she's come to help out on this merry occasion. I don't believe I've encountered her before, but her actions have authority stamped all over it. Keeping in mind the nature of the surroundings, she's keeping busy, but what's worth note is that though she's not watching the entire arena as closely as myself, she too is a spectator. Certainly efficient at the job, she knows the ropes & doesn't mind getting her hands dirty.

What stood out in her actions was the commercial outlook even at this busy juncture. She was focussed on keeping things stocked up. In and out of the staff storage place she ensured things looked stocked up. It's a strange thing but its true that if shelves are half full you are less inclined to buy if you were not already decided. I know this from my old jobs in retail. The exception being rare things & things that are made fresh.

Anyway, me being me, started talking to her. It was quite an immediate reaction that she didn't want me thinking that she was an average-level staff member. I was amused as I was thus told. :)

The fourth and longest standing staff member spots me last. He's been keeping busy with the two new trainees, showing them the ropes and what have you, it actually takes him about a half hour to spot me. Watching people on their first day is always quite amusing. They're doing a pretty decent job, but have that petrified look about them. They obviously want/need the job & are worrying about the quality of their work isn't on par with the others.

Observing in amusement, I notice my table has freed up & so I take my place, power up and start writing this up instead of doing any real work, but there's only so much I can put it off. I think t he time is now.

Silent Salutes
_ram-jaane'

P.S - I am wondering what's happening with the manager, I'll enquire later.

Taare Zameen Par - तारे जमीन पर

Plot Outline:
Ishaan Awasthi (Darsheel Safary) is an eight-year-old whose world is filled with wonders that no one else seems to appreciate; colours, fish, dogs and kites are just not important in the world of adults, who are much more interested in things like homework, marks and neatness. And Ishaan just cannot seem to get anything right in class. When he gets into far more trouble than his parents can handle, he is packed off to a boarding school to 'be disciplined'. Things are no different at his new school, and Ishaan has to contend with the added trauma of separation from his family. One day a new art teacher bursts onto the scene, Ram Shankar Nikumbh (Aamir Khan), who infects the students with joy and optimism. He breaks all the rules of 'how things are done' by asking them to think, dream and imagine, and all the children respond with enthusiasm, all except Ishaan. Nikumbh soon realizes that Ishaan is very unhappy, and he sets out to discover why. With time, patience and care, he ultimately helps Ishaan find himself.

Review:
So with the year coming to an end with all the major Bollywood films come and gone, one comes somewhat out of the blue. An Aamir Khan film tends to be a big deal in the Bollywood world, and with good reason -- looking at his track record for the past few years, he does only one or two films a year (if that), but they happen to stick out for being different. A film that is unconventional for the stereotypes people have of Bollywood yet entertains. He's one of the biggest stars out there, but one you can bank on for quality. After the Oscar Nominated film Lagaan -- One upon a Time in India back in 2001, this is his second production, this time he's decided to turn director too. So here we have it: Taare Zameen Par (Stars upon the Earth).

The story is as you'd expect off-beat (no romance, no glamour), yet pretty simple. It's the story of a troubled 8 year old boy Ishaan, who has trouble no end with his academics. Failing test after test, he finds himself constantly dealing with disappointment, even though he tries his best persistently. Misunderstood as naughty, lazy and disobedient, his parents are eventually pressured by his school into sending him away to a boarding school where he can learn by being disciplined accordingly.

Let it be said at the very outset, this film may be an Aamir Khan film, but the focus primarily is the journey of Ishaan. In fact, it would be no overstatement to say the child artiste (Darsheel Safary) is the real hero of the film. He does a spectacular job, totally natural. Kids in films have a knack for being irritating, thankfully he doesn't fill that criteria either. As you'd expect our little hero begins to close up internally, showing no improvement academically, as he's ripped apart from his family, the kid truly begins losing all purpose and hope. It's at this (intermission) point that Aamir Khan makes his entry as the temporary art teacher at the school.

The pacing of the film is almost perfect. Considering so little happens in the first half objectively, it comes as a surprise looking back, but at no point was I bored. The music too is appropriately fitting and doesn't hinder the pace of the narrative, which is something I feared with a story like this. The title song in the latter half is the one people will take away (also from the theatrical trailer) as the most memorable, but the remainder are a perfect fit too for the given situations, to the extent that listening to them again will take you straight back into the film in your own mind.

Back to the film, the entire first half was totally superb, right from the introduction of Ishaan, we get to identify with the kid. He's a dreamer. Gathering tadpoles in his water bottle, and showing us in time that he's holding up the school bus. As we follow his adventures and troubles, you can see the entire world in the eyes of this child, and this is definitely where the film excels. The latter half leaves a lot to be expected as the teacher that will change his life finally hits the screen.

Does it deliver? Well up to a point. One of the things I though let it down was that the teacher now became the main focus. He does a great job, but we kinda start missing the kid. The reveal that the child has dyslexia and the explanation of it's symptoms, followed by the long list of historic icons that too suffered from it but came through successful is impressive (and educational). The dialogue from the teacher throughout was sharp and witty, in particular the banter between him and Ishaans' parents are impressive and straight out of life. The way he tries to get the father to read chinese was funny, yet packed an impact, making his point very clear.

By the pre-climax point, the pace was coming to a halt & the climax left something more to be desired. Once the teacher start helping the child, the flick started falling into a very formulaic pattern. Each scene that would follow could be predicted and the very very end lacked the punch you would expect from a film trying to send the viewer a message. That said, the 'message' does get across.

The message you take away in the end is just as it says, every child is unique. I recall they used to advertise that a "dog isn't for xmas, it is for life" so that children who received pets over the festive period would understand the responsibility involved. Possibly a strange comparison to make, but I think the message here is quite similar, but it's to the parents and teachers out there. Every child has it's speciality, it's strengths and weaknesses. It takes time and effort to help the children home into them. Simply feeding them, sending them to school and disciplining them if they don't do well, simply isn't enough.

So, the big question surrounding this venture: When Aamir Khan competes with himself as an actor and a director, which one emerges a winner? Well, though he does a competent job as an actor here, the director has to be given more credit. As a first-time director, it is fantastic how he manages to really capture scenes through the eyes of a child, especially in the first half. The camera takes its time examining the wonderful simplicity of things that we as adults would let pass as normal. The day when Ishaan decides to bunk off school is one of the many instances of this.

Welcome'

Plot Outline:
Uday Shetty (Nana Patekar), Majnu (Anil Kapoor) and their boss, Sikander (Feroz Khan) are three serio-comic mobsters, who are keen to get their sister Sanjana (Katrina Kaif) married into a respectable family. Majnu meets the handsome bachelor Rajiv (Akshay Kumar) and is convinced that the latter would be an appropriate match for Sanjana. However, Rajiv’s uncle, Dr. Ghunghroo (Paresh Rawal) disapproves of Uday’s association with such a dubious family.

Meanwhile, totally independant to these plans, Sanjana meets Rajiv on a cruise and they fall in love. She has the acceptance of Dr. Ghunghroo, since through his logic, such a nice girl must come from a respectable family. When Dr. Ghunghroo realises his faux pas, he tries to escape the fury of the brothers. What follows after that, is a commotion of comically funny situations, as each of the diametrically different brothers gets engaged in smart and comic stunts to get their uncle agree to the alliance.

Overall Impressions:
Sound like a pretty naff plot? Well it is. This is one of those films where plot was the last thing on their mind. So anyone going in expecting a drama are likely to be disappointed. the flick has to be taken for what it is. The strength of the film is on the actors and the comedy. (Nana Patekar and Anil Kapoor in particular.) You should perceive it as a number of comedy sketches loosely held together by a vague attempt of a storyline. I admit I'm not really selling it very well and this doesn't really sound as good as it is, but in a nutshell let's just say the comedy angle works really well for it.

I think it would do a great deal of good if it was held as a stream of comedy sketches, with no half-baked attempt at a plot but that's just me. The audience that I watched it with seemed to be pretty happy & I guess it's the masses that count.

We Own the Night'

Plot Outline:
New York, November 1988: A new breed of narcotics has swept the great city, bringing with it a ferocious crime wave more terrifying than any in recent memory. Outmanned and outgunned by the new criminal order, the police find themselves burying their own at a rapid rate. An all-out war rages, threatening to engulf the guilty and innocent alike. In the midst of this we have Bobby Green (Joaquin Phoenix) who is caught in the crossfire.

Managing a Russian nightclub in Brighton Beach owned by his mentor and frequented by numerous criminals, Bobby keeps his distance, attempting his best to not get involved. Despite his hedonistic, amoral lifestyle, he is committed to his girlfriend Amada (Eva Mendes) and has ambitions to open another club in Manhattan.

However, Bobby has a secret, which he guards closely. His brother is Police Captain Joseph Grusinsky (Mark Wahlberg), who has followed in the footsteps of their father, legendary Deputy Chief Bert Grusinsky (Robert Duvall). Bobby's already strained relationship with his father and brother is tested when Burt warns his son that this is a war, and he's going to have to choose a side.

Overall Impressions:
This flick came as a little surprise to me, I'd seen posters around London and it looked quite artsy, the fear being perhaps artsy to the extreme, whereby it's 'not' actually entertaining. When I mentioned wanting to see it to Demon his response was, sounds like a vampire flick. A fair assessment from the title I suppose, but as you now know, it isn't. It's a flick about 2 brothers on the opposite side of the law. As the film opened up I did find myself thinking, this is going to pan out like that super-hit 70's Hindi flick Deewar where the two brothers are both good at heart, but on the opposite sides of the law, as the plot progresses the cop eventually gets assigned to capture/kill his brother. I would have been happy with this, and though it still shares similarities, this film doesn't quite pan out this way.

Instead we have one brother getting the chance to make things right by turning witness to a crime syndicate. Having his street contacts, he'd be in a good position to do so. Things are kept interesting and tense throughout. Even his decision to turn to the cop-side isn't as simple a choice as it may seem & it's this journey of his that make the film worthwhile. This Joaquin Phoenix feller does a fantastic job here. He's one of those stars that upon initial contact, doesn't interest me, in fact I'd very easily 'not' like him. No idea why, just he has that look about him. Especially bearing this in mind, he impresses. Mark Wahlberg underplays his role pretty well too.

Dan in Real Life'

Plot Outline:
Dan Burns (Steve Carell) is a devoted single father and a renowned newspaper advice columnist. When his entire extended family gets together for a reunion he unexpectedly meets Marie (Juliette Binoche), the woman of his dreams. She is smart, funny, beautiful and she just happens to be his brother's girlfriend! In this heartfelt new comedy, the man with all the answers finds that the hardest advice to take may be your own.

Overall Impressions:
Its concept is pretty generic, we've seen this sort of film upteen times, boy meets girl, girl has a boyfriend, boy goes ouch. Boy connivingly removes obstacle remains painfully in love until girl realises boy is the catch & not the current boyfriend. Spicing this up a bit, add a connection between the boy and current boyfriend. Aha .. brothers! Mockery aside, have you ever wondered why we've seen this concept upteen times? I'll skip the in-depth structural analysis of plot and say it plain out: "because it works!"

So we have a story that works, we have a bunch of talents, but there's still 100 odd things they could get wrong. I'm glad to report, this time is not one of those cases. When we have a story that has been tried and tested numerous times before, what is crucial for such a film to hold an impact, is a whiff of freshness and this is a stronger point of Dan. Focussing initially on the dysfunctional father angle and merely skimming over his career as someone who advises others thorugh his column, it hits off with a strong beginning. With only one of his 3 daughters who remains close to him, he becomes someone who you can empathise with straight away.

As they set off to an annual larger family gathering, we get to find out more about him, his extended family do love him and are happy to see him, but even they think he sucks. To quite an extent he trusts that his family knows him well, he too believes this. He's not wallowing in self-pity to the point where he irritates, but he's come to terms with the idea that he must try a lot harder than the average man to achieve the norm. Not that we had any doubts, but funny-man Steve Carell gives us an honest, normal person to relate to & it's at this point that the conflict hits home.

As he meets this girl who mistakes him for an employee at a book store, it doesn't feel like an awkward turn, which I feel it easily would have if it wasn't for the leadup to it and the way it's handled on-screen. Since the story is pretty straightforward and simple, I think I should leave going further about the plot by saying the film is worth seeing for the product as a whole. A well-grounded, well-written, all round well balanced flick.

Alvin and the Chipmunks'

Plot Outline:
Three lively singing chipmunk brothers, Alvin - the unchained leader (Justin Long), Simon - the genius (Matthew Gray Gubler), and the tender rotund Theodore (Jesse McCartney) are living their lives in the forest storing nuts away for the winter when one day their tree is cut down and carried off into the city to become a Christmas tree. They must find a new home and soon find themselves at Dave's house.

Dave Seville (Jason Lee) is a struggling song writer who has no inspiration is inluck for these new-found chipmunks in his house can talk, sing and dance. He has the great idea of making the chipmunks a new show act, singing his songs. All seems to be going relatively well, or does it? As the chipmunks become a big hit and superstars with cute voices and fancy dance moves. The record company executive Ian (David Cross) sees big money in this future and connivingly takes over the act pushing Dave into the background. What will Dave do to save his little family?

Overall Impressions:
Firstly, let me get my 'one' disappointment out of the way. The theme from the cartoon that I grew up with is missing from the film and I was really really hoping to hear it. As disappointed as I was, fortunately the content of the film allows me to forgive them for this (unlike that TMNT flick earlier in the year). Historically, there is a christmas song from the late 50's that made Alvin and the chipmunks the popular rockstars that we know them as, and part of that is incorporated. (Jeez, the 50's?? I didn't even know they were that old, thank the lord for Wikipedia).

So, the film kicks off with the chipmunks storing away food for the winter and their tree getting angry. As the tree transports them to Dave and Theodore finds the joy of muffics, one thing has become certain, even with the scray posters where the trio look like the boys in the hood, these are definitely the same lovable characters we know.

The story here-on is pretty predictable and simple, but this actually works in its favour. The given simplicity allows the focus to remain on the characters and the humour, which was surprisingly witty. It had a number of laugh-out-loud moments and in the end you'll take that away as it's largest strength. It entertains.

The Fidessa / LatentZero (a recent in the world of mergers & acquisitions) Christmas Party was held on Saturday 15th.

The Venue:
Planit Victoria Embankment Gardens, London, WC2

The Event:
6.30pm Drinks Reception
7.45pm Sit Down Dinner
For the rest of the evening, the entertainment included: dodgem cars, dancing, casino tables and simulators.

We were vaguely on time this year (only 15 minutes late), we being Demon & I, since I still don't have a hot girlfriend (or any girlfriend for that matter). Technically it was Charlie's opportunity this year, but he's now got a girlfriend, and a whole large part of his life has become a void to us, I'm sure he's happy but it allows him little time for other leisures. Maybe, next time?!)

I was quite indifferent this year about the going to the actual event. It was a large crowd. The venue was catering for it better than last year. From what memory serves, the food too was a notch up from last year. The main problem about this year was the time. It wrapped up pretty quickly and with a large number of people to meet and greet, I didn't really get round to all the worthy people that I would have wished to. On the brighter side I looked dapper as always (see pretty picture on right) and got complimented for it by a substantial number of people. It was only around the end of the night that I realised that I probably only complimented a couple of people, if that. Never "Mind it".

When we decided to finally head home at around quarter past one (on the last last train 01:42 from Waterloo), we found out at 01:40 while comfortably sitting on the train, that they'd decided to cancel it. After hanging about a half hour and developing a cold which I'm still suffering from, a replacement bus arrived that took us home.

Fred Claus'

Plot Outline:
Fred Claus has lived his entire life in his brother's very large shadow. Fred did try, but he could hardly live up to the example set by the younger Nicholas, who was just a perfect saint. True to form, Saint Nicholas "Santa" Claus (Paul Giamatti) grew up to be the model of giving, while Fred (Vince Vaughn) became the polar opposite: a fast-talking repo man who's run out of luck and money.

Eventually Fred's bad behavior catches up with him and he is sent to jail. His only recourse is to turn to his brother. Nicholas agrees to help his brother on the condition that he come to the North Pole and earn the money he needs by working in Santa's Workshop. The trouble is that Fred isn't exactly elf material and cut out for creating toys and spreading good cheer. With Christmas fast approaching, Fred could jeopardize the jolliest holiday of the year and ruin Christmas.

Overall Impressions:
It's a typical xmas flick that you wouldn't mind catching on TV. Rachel Weisz looked good but sounded weird, sounded as though she was struggling to put on a British accent. Strange for someone born in London. Vince Vaughn plays himself, but now has a leather jacket. Fast talking, hustling and a leather jacket, he's pretty money. Paul Giamatti pulls of stressed ole Santa, but the true talents in the film were subtle, Kevn Spacey in his small bitpart & the little orphan kid Slam (Bobb'e J. Thompson) that visits Fred in the opening of the film. These guys were awesome!

The whole skit at the "Siblings Meeting" was pretty funny too with cameo's from siblings of people we know of, Baldwin was the best of them -- I couldn't tell which one he was, not Alec though :-P The story shows no real surprises, but you wouldn't really expect it to -- would you?

Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, The'

Plot Outline:
This story is the account of the last days of the fabled former Confederate outlaw Jesse James (Brad Pitt). Highly regarded as a charismatic, spiritual, larger-than-life bad man, Jesse James bloody exploits captured the fascination and admiration of a nation transfixed with its hunger for antiheroes. Robert Ford (Casey Affleck) was a young impressionable torn between dedicated worship and murderous jealousy of his criminally rampaging idol. He was "the coward" who coveted Jesse's legend and sought to subsume his notoriety (and blatantly failed).

Overall Impressions:
Sometimes I struggle to say much about a film, this is one of those. It has a good leadup to the incident, it shows what happened to Rob Ford after the incident, but it took a damned long time doing so. The Killing of John Lennon which I caught at the Cambridge Film Festival earlier in the year has also had a recent release - it was certainly the better product. I know it's not the same story but it was far more engaging and a slightly similar theme. This one just spends a lot of time silently admiring the view.

Darjeeling Limited, The'

Plot Outline:
Refreshingly, this film comes in two parts: Firstly, a short film, Hotel Chevalier which is about Jack (Jason Schwartzman) living in a hotel in Paris as a long-term guest to get away from his ex-girlfriend (Natalie Portman) and life. She manages to find him and pays him a visit. Shennaigans ensue. The 13-minute film acts as a prologue to what follows:

The second part -- The Darjeeling Limited. Three estranged brothers, Francis (Owen Wilson), Peter (Adrien Brody) and Jack (who we know already from Part 1), who haven't spoken to each other in a whole year, take a train ride through India, with the objective of finding themselves and bonding with each other, to become brothers again like they used to be. Naturally, plans veer rapidly off-course, they eventually find themselves stranded alone in the middle of the desert with eleven suitcases, a printer, a laminating machine and an iPod. A new, unplanned journey follows and this is that story.

Overall Impressions:
I'm not one of these big fans of Anderson's work. In fact I've only ever seen The Royal Tenenbaums which I recall not being all that impressed with when I saw it. Perhaps I have grown to adapt to such films since then, or perhaps there's just something charming about this film, but I must admit I enjoyed it all the way through. The crazy thing is that I can't really justify why. Perhaps the mood I was in, or perhaps the fact that I expected a journey and not a destination.

Cutting it down to it's barebones, I can see this as the kind of film that could annoy the hell out of you if you're looking for a story with a point, there is no deep catharsis, you gain no deeper knowledge of these guys, no new knowledge can be extracted and reflected upon, to an extent you might feel there has been no reason for them to tell you any of this, but within this is the joyride. The film to me was unlike the train journey that it takes you upon, but more like a roller coaster, whereby the final destination isn't the fun or the point, it's all about being there, travelling upon it (before lunch).

So once you get past this, it's a humour filled adventure. These brothers go through quite an ordeal, they do get closer, but they're still to a large extent the same muppets you got introduced to 90 minutes back. The performances held the film together neatly as expected, Owen Wilson has certainly mastered that Owen Wilson character that he plays so often. Adrien Brody is superb, one I'm keeping an eye on, I think he has the potential to be much higher rated than he currently stands. Even among such recognised faces, the dark horse of the pack was Jason Schwartzman, who I'd never heard of or noticed upto this point, but he was probably the most noticable of the 3 brothers, the short preceeding the film (& the fact that he is one of the screenplay writers behind the film) may have helped this.

Dus Kahaniyaan'

"Dus Kahaniyaan" can be described best as like a thali (a plate of varied food) or a book of short stories covering different slices of life. It has just as the title suggests, 10 stories averaging at about 10 minutes each. Each one of them is entirely independent with nothing particular binding them together.

Title: Matrimony
Directed by: Sanjay Gupta
Cast: Arbaaz Khan, Mandira Bedi and Sudhanshu Pandey

Title: High on the Highway
Directed by: Hansal Mehta
Cast: Jimmy Shergill and Masumeh Makhija

Title: Pooranmasi (Night of Full Moon)
Directed by: Meghna Gulzar
Cast: Amrita Singh, Parmeet Sethi and Minnisha Lamba

Title: Strangers in the Night
Directed by: Sanjay Gupta
Cast: Mahesh Manjrekar and Neha Dhupia

Title: Zahir (Visible)
Directed by: Sanjay Gupta
Cast: Manoj Bajpai and Diya Mirza

INTERMISSION -- At this stage if I didn't know that the bigger stars, the better actors were yet to come, I probably would have been a little disappointed. Of the 5, for me, only 2 had struck a chord, the other 3 felt lethargic.

Title: Lovedale
Directed by: Jasmeet Dhodi
Cast: Anupam Kher, Aftab Shivdasani and Neha Oberoi

Title: Sex on the Beach
Directed by: Apoorva Lakhla
Cast: Dino Morea and and Tarina Patel

Title: Rice Plate
Directed by: Rohit Roy
Cast: Shabana Azmi and Naseeruddin Shah

Title: Gubbare (Balloons)
Directed by: Sanjay Gupta
Cast: Nana Patekar, Rohit Roy and Anita Hansdani

Title: Rise and Fall
Directed by: Sanjay Gupta
Cast: Sanjay Dutt and Suniel Shetty

Overall Impressions:
It's certainly a pleasure to see the Indian industry willing to experiment a little. It may seem lazy to have the shorts totally independent, but to be honest I'd rather this than that lame attempt they made with Darna Mana Hai. The shorts there were good but the story supposedly binding them was just plain crap. Back to this venture: If the former half had 1 good, 1 mediocre and 3 passable ones, the latter half had 3 good, 1 mediocre and 1 pants one. The fact that more of the 10 are averagae or better is where it succeeds. You might note I'm not saying which is which. I have reasoning for that too ..

What I did note as an interesting observation, (which would usually irritate me no end) was the 2 rows sitting behind me, the large crowd were attempting to predict twists in each tale. What worked out nicely was that it was as if they were saying out what I was thinking (or lagged). The ones that we had worked out were still a shocker to someone gasping in the front rows. My overall point being, it becomes quite a personal choice which stories you prefer, on the grand scale though it caters for a larger audience by being varied within its content.

One complaint I did have was that each and every one of the stories tried to give the viewer a jolt with it's ending. Something you wouldn't predict or something shocking. This became laborious for me. Admittedly they got me 3 times at least but with the ones I saw as merely average too it just felt that they seemed to be trying too hard. Have some faith in yourselves.

.. & tying up where I began, though this is better than attempting to join the stories in a terrible way that just doesn't work. It would have been nice to see it done well (like Salaam-e-Ishq, though that wasn't exactly short).

You Kill Me'

Plot Outline:
Frank Falenczyk (Ben Kingsley) loves his job. He is a hit-man for his Polish mob family in Buffalo, New York. But Frank's got a drinking problem and when he messes up a critical assignment that puts the family business in peril, his uncle sends him to San Francisco to clean up his act. Frank is not a touchy-feely kind of guy, but he starts going to AA meetings, gets a sponsor (Luke Wilson) and a job at a mortuary where he falls for the tart-tongued Laurel (Téa Leoni), a woman who is dangerously devoid of boundaries.

Overall Impressions:
I think a comedy about a hitman sounds better on paper than it looks on screen. There are exceptions ofcourse, Grosse Pointe Blank comes to mind when this is said. What we have on our hands here however isn't much of a comparison. It's not as fluffy or light-hearted, it's a darker style of comedy. The comedy does work, but I can't help but think the idea of him being a hitman was an after-thought.

It may not have been but it feels this way, I think the main reason is a hitman needs to be established as a hitman & we don't see Ben kill anyone for quite a while. The film is about a man with a drinking problem. A problem that causes interference in his work and hence a problem that he tries to tackle. This in itself is interesting enough and admittedly, on the plus side it's subtle humour works well for it in this category.

All the performances are well-carried and likable, the dialogue is razor sharp and packs a strong punch but in the end it lacks the raising of after-thoughts to be remembered after the show, partly because it doesn't do what it says on the tin.

If you wondered why this post disappeared for a while, it was the host provider rebooting the server intra-day due to some ip conflicts within their data centre, since they only backup once daily at midnight -- I lost the post & had to re-write it ..

Golden Compass, The'

Plot Outline:
Lyra Belacqua (Dakota Blue Richards) is a young girl living at Jordan College in the Oxford of an alternate world much like our own where everyone is accompanied by a daemon (a physical representation of their soul in animal form). Lyra overhears a strange meeting between her Uncle, Lord Asriel (Daniel Craig) and the scholars at Jordan college about other worlds and some magical substance called "Dust" which is link between worlds.

As time passes children around Oxford begin to disappear by the hands of a group known as the Gobblers. When one of Lyra's friends too is taken, she and her daemon Pantalaimon set off on an epic journey to find him. Before she can leave, the headmaster of Jordan College (Jack Shepherd) introduces Lyra to the beautiful Mrs. Coulter (Nicole Kidman). Lyra is immediately taken by Mrs. Coulter and when requested goes to live with her. It also gives her the chance to go north where it is rumoured the kidnapped children are taken. The morning of Lyra's departure, The headmaster calls her urgently into his office and gives her a strange instrument called an Alethiometer (The Golden Compass). He tells her that it is capable of telling the truth but that it is up to her to read it. He also pleads with her to keep the Alethiometer to herself... what follows is the epic journey, of the prophecy girl, her new-found protectors, witches, foes & a big armoured fricking polar bear (voiced by Sir Ian McKellen)!!

Overall Impressions:
To a degree, you can probably judge how enthusiastic I am about seeing a film based on how close to its release I go to see it. (On occasion this isn't accurate, it's just the awkward cinema timings, but moving on..). You've probably also gathered by now how this philum is far from my favourite genre(s) of film. Yet, even so I tumbled along to catch it on it's day of release. The reason being, the trailer actually appealed. Maybe it's because I was deprived of teddy bears as a child, maybe, but the big fricking bear made me watch this and in the end I don't regret it.

A whole number of co-incidences trail together introducing numerous friends & foe. It's fair to say the film is rather predictable, it's only one twist revealed early on (& even in the trailer), but the journey we take with ickle Lyra manages to keep you engaged. The introduction of Iorek (the bear) only adds to the drama and gets the snowball rolling. I'd say I'm quite surprised at how much I found myself enjoying this.

If I am to complain about anything it would be that the ending takes perhaps one minute too long. It's the first of a trilogy and it sets up the idea that adventures shall continue, but for some reason they do it twice. I didn't see the point to this. Maybe the writers saw a black cat twice or something *shrugs*.

Aaja Nachle'

Plot Outline:
After nearly a decade, an unexpected phone call shakes Dia (Madhuri Dixit) out of her dance rehearsal in New York. Makarand (Darshan Zariwala), her teacher is dying and she must return to Shamli town. The town where she grew up, the town where she learnt to live and to dance. Also the town she left on an impulse, severing ties with her parents and her people.

It is a poignant and troubled return; not only has her guru passed away but the institution that he so lovingly nurtured is in decay and under threat of demolition. Ajanta theatre - the once vibrant hub of the community, the place where Dia’s fondest memories are embedded is now to be brought down because the local political authorities feel it a waste of prime real estate.

With the help of the caretaker of Ajanta, Dia sets out on a mission to prevent the destruction and resurrect the spirit of Ajanta. In an atmosphere of mistrust, ridicule and hostility, Dia picks up the gauntlet and strikes a deal with a local MP, agreeing to achieve the near impossible task of putting together a theatrical production in 2 months, else the bulldozers await.

Overall Impressions:
After a 6 year sabbatical from the film industry, where she went away, got married and had a couple of kids, ths marks the return of a legend. One of the only contemporary actresses that could pull off a film like this convincingly. Why? Because as well as beaing a beauty, an actress that acts and does it well, she's also one of the l33t ladies that knows how to dance, watch how long her shots last compared to other Bollywood songs & you'll see what I mean. Now with that established, just as the tagline says "Madhuri Dixit is back".

Moving onto the film, the story is pretty simple, admittedly, the film doesn't show much strength in its logic aspect. The journey of Dia should have been pretty daunting and seemed that way initially, but the whole adventure seems to fall into place with much ease. Frankly though, when watching this, you won't care about this -- it's a mere afterthought. The film is all about it's presentation and this is precisely where it scores.

Unlike most of the reviews I've come across, I found it an entertaining venture. The attention to detail was spot on too. When they said 11 years ago, if you looked in the background, you saw posters for Mohra and films of that era, when in modern day, there was Fanaa (the comeback film of Kajol last year). All these little things count.

There were a couple of moments that I found a little strange, like at pre-intermission where she comments the road upto here was a difficult one, but here-on she could do the job blind-folded. Literally in the next scene she's asked how they are going to approach the rehersals and she says she hasn't a clue. There was also the thought of how this old battered up theatre could suddenly look so immaculate and well-decorated conisdering her finances, but the one and only reason you let it all go is the true Bollywood fashion, extreme glamour of it all.

Without a doubt, we get ample scope to see Madhuri (who's certainly still got it, I might add) bust a groove and also make each and everyone in the cast join in with her. Even some of the audience in the cinema got into the groove on the stairs and in the aisles. It was just like being in India. One would have hoped for a better soundtrack considering the nature of the film, but with what is available, the best is surely made of it.