The Adventures of Tintin (2011) Movie Review

Storyline

Having bought a model ship,the Unicorn,for a pound off a market stall Tintin is initially puzzled that the sinister Mr. Sakharine should be so eager to buy it from him,resorting to murder and kidnapping Tintin - accompanied by his marvellous dog Snowy - to join him and his gang as they sail to Morocco on an old cargo ship. Sakharine has bribed the crew to revolt against the ship's master,drunken Captain Haddock,but Tintin,Snowy and Haddock escape,arriving in Morocco at the court of a sheikh,who also has a model of the Unicorn. Haddock tells Tintin that over three hundred years earlier his ancestor Sir Francis Haddock was forced to scuttle the original Unicorn when attacked by a piratical forebear of Sakharine but he managed to save his treasure and provide clues to its location in three separate scrolls,all of which were secreted in models of the Unicorn. Tintin and Sakharine have one...

Review

Riding and Remembering the shivers of an adventurous childhood.

When about a year ago, at the supermarket, I saw on the Empire magazine's cover the 3D reproduction of one of my childhood's toon-idols my eyes popped out. 'WHO is directing WHAT???' - the question that echoed in my mind: It was a bit of shock finding out that one of my favorite directors was working on a movie from a character I considered buried under the dusts of time. The astonishment was soon replaced by excitement and I made the way back home from the supermarket hopping and smiling.

Today I decided to take an adventurous break from my dull academic life and went to the cinema to watch it. No wonder the room was almost full, despite the fact that the movie will be officially released tomorrow. As soon as the opening credits appeared on the screen I felt a shiver of excitement running through my spine as I was visually meeting an old friend from my childhood again; to my pleasure I felt the same sensations I would feel when I was a child. That's one of the VERY good points of this production: the spirit of Herge's Tintin, in Spielberg's movie, remains UNALTERED. There are some cases, though, in which the characters are even better and more deeply characterized than in the comic strips.

OK, let's release now all the excitement about this movie. If I had just five short seconds to say how I think this movie is I'd chose 7 words: Mesmerising from the beginning to the end. That's quite true if you consider that even the opening credits are little shining pearls of direction and creativity.

The general impression you get from this movie, talking about direction, is that nothing could have been better. Spielberg's direction is, in this case as well, a real warranty of general great quality. Three things I particularly appreciated: -The movie flows perfectly; it is kind of a pleasure for your eyes and for your brain to follow the adventure. -There's literally a STORM of brain-waves (and here comes the Spielberg's touch); especially, in the connection phases between one scene and the other the director totally expresses his genius, turning the open ocean into a pond, making two shaking hands become dunes in the desert and so on (you'll understand what I mean when you'll watch the movie) -The 'camera's movements' literally pull you into the movie and you can't help feeling excited or scared according to the situation.

You can tell it's a Spielberg's movie even just looking at these things.

Although all the things I have listed until now are enough to candidate the movie as the best movie of the year (in my opinion) there's still something I must remember: The quality of animation. I really could not find a proper term to define my astonishment when my eyes approached the beautiful places and landscapes shown in the movie. They look perfect, shining and bursting with emotions, sensations; they almost look like paintings: For instance, there's a sunset in the movie that I will hardly forget. It's the same with the CGI models: you can see the wrinkles on the character's faces, even their sweat.

Furthermore, some words about the actors: Bells and Serkis are maybe the sole two living beings who could have given birth to the cinematographic version of the two main characters. The first succeeds in the hard challenge to provide the audience with a convincing and faithful interpretation of the beloved protagonist (he did A GREAT job indeed), the second is a delightful surprise again, with a funny Scottish accent and a very good interpretation.

One last word goes to one of the best composer alive: Sir John Williams. There's nothing to do, every piece of music he creates is able to touch the deepest strings of our hearts. With a soundtrack (already bought at the HMV store) that ranges from the epic tones to the mysterious ones he gives us another example of his limitless genius, because he still remains one of those composers able to make us cry.

Finally, Tintin - The Secret of the Unicorn, is one of the greatest surprises of the year. Another great adventure in the archive of the most spectacular stories of humanity, told by a MASTER story-teller (Spielberg). A movie you will hardly forget.

Cast

	Daniel Craig	...	Ivanovich Sakharine
	Jamie Bell	...	Tintin
	Simon Pegg	...	Inspector Thompson
	Andy Serkis	...	Captain Haddock
	Cary Elwes	...	Pilot
	Toby Jones	...	Silk
	Nick Frost	...	Thomson
	Sebastian Roché	...	Pedro
	Tony Curran	...	Lt. Delcourt
	Mackenzie Crook	...	Tom
	Kim Stengel	...	Bianca Castafiore
	Daniel Mays	...	Allan
	Gad Elmaleh	...	Ben Salaad
	Mark Ivanir	...	Afgar Outpost Soldier
	Phillip Rhys	...	Co-pilot

Directed by
Steven Spielberg

Writing credits
Steven Moffat		(screenplay) and
Edgar Wright		(screenplay) &
Joe Cornish		(screenplay)
Hergé		(comic book series "The Adventures of Tintin")

आज तक शक्तिशाली खलनायक की भूमिका का शून्य जस का तस

अमरीश पुरी तिहत्तर वर्ष की उम्र में १२ जनवरी २००५ को दिवंगत हुए। आज तक शक्तिशाली खलनायक की भूमिका का शून्य जैसा का तैसा है। आज जब लोकप्रिय सितारा सलमान खान ‘बॉडीगार्ड’ जैसी फिल्म में आदित्य पंचोली की तरह के खलनायकों से भिड़ता है, तो लड़ाई एक तरफा लगती है। ‘गजिनी’ में आमिर खान दक्षिण फिल्म उद्योग के खलनायक को पीटता है, तब भी वह प्रभाव नहीं आता, जो अमरीश पुरी की मौजूदगी संभव करती थी। आज खलनायक की भूमिका में प्रस्तुत लोग बच्चे लगते हैं।

अमरीश पुरी ने कई वर्ष तक रंगमंच पर काम किया। गिरीश कर्नाड के ‘हयवदन’ में वे पहलवान प्रेमी की भूमिका में थे और अमोल पालेकर कवि प्रेमी की भूमिका में थे। पहलवान की देह और प्रेमी की भावना तीव्रता को उन्होंने बखूबी प्रस्तुत किया था। सुखदेव की ‘रेशमा और शेरा’ तथा देव आनंद की ‘प्रेम पुजारी’ में प्रभावहीन भूमिकाओं के बाद श्याम बेनेगल की ‘निशांत’ में उन्होंने दर्शकों और फिल्मकारों को प्रभावित किया। उस समय तक प्रमुख खलनायक प्राण चरित्र और हास्य भूमिकाओं की ओर आकृष्ट हो गए थे। अमरीश पुरी ने अपनी शख्सियत से प्रभावित किया। वर्षों के रंगमंच के अनुभव ने उनकी सहायता की। ‘शोले’ के गब्बर यानी अमजद खान उस समय तक गुब्बारे की तरह फूल चुके थे।

स्टीवन स्पीलबर्ग की ‘इंडियाना जोंस एंड द टेंपल ऑफ डूम’ में छोटी परंतु प्रभावशाली भूमिका और बोनी कपूर की सलीम-जावेद लिखित फिल्म ‘मिस्टर इंडिया’ के डायलॉग ‘मोगंबो खुश हुआ...’ ने उन्हें रातोरात बच्चों से बूढ़े दर्शकों तक में अपार लोकप्रियता दिलाई।

अमरीश पुरी को सामाजिक जीवन में हैट पहनने का बहुत शौक था। यहां तक कि शवयात्रा में भी वे हैट लगाए रहते थे। दरअसल जवानी की दहलीज पर कदम रखते ही उन्होंने हॉलीवुड सितारा होने का सपना देखा था, लेकिन उनके सारे प्रयास विफल हो गए थे। अत: यह संभव है कि भारतीय मनोरंजन जगत में छाते ही उन्होंने सामाजिक जीवन में हैट पहनना प्रारंभ कर दिया। भारतीय सिनेमा में सारे खलनायक व्यक्तिगत जीवन में अत्यंत नेक और भद्र पुरुष रहे हैं। और अमरीश पुरी को भी उनकी नेकी के लिए याद किया जाता है।

‘द डर्टी पिक्चर’एक सनसनीखेज संभावना

एकता कपूर की मिलन लूथरिया द्वारा निर्देशित विद्या बालन अभिनीत ‘द डर्टी पिक्चर’ के टीजर और प्रचार सामग्री ने इंटरनेट पर हंगामा बरपा दिया है। दक्षिण भारत की साहसी सिल्क स्मिता ने आठवें दशक में अपने आइटम से धूम मचा दी थी। फिल्मों में प्रस्तुत सेक्सी छवि के कारण उनका जीवन भी असामान्य हो गया था और अफवाहों तथा अपनी तन्हाई से तंग आकर उन्होंने आत्महत्या कर ली थी। 

मर्लिन मुनरो के बारे में भी अफवाहें थीं और वे रहस्यमय परिस्थितियों मेंमृत पाई गई थीं, जिस घटना परआज तक किताबें लिखी जा रहींहैं और लोकप्रिय धारणा यह है किउन्हें कत्ल किया गया था। मुनरोके अंतरंग संबंध जॉन एफ. कैनेडीऔर उनके छोटे भाई रॉबर्ट से बताएजाते हैं और तथाकथित तौर पर यही उसकी हत्या का कारण भी है। इस तरह के प्रकरणों में अफवाहों के अंधड़ में सत्य को खोजना हमेशा कठिन होता है। मनोरंजन उद्योग में छवियां गढ़ी जाती हैं और यह छवियों और छायाओं का मायावी संसार है। दर्शक में जुनून पैदा करने के लिए प्रचार के हथकंडे रचे जाते हैं और बॉक्स ऑफिस पर दर्शक का जुनून ही धन बरसाता है। सितारे काम और प्रचार से लोकप्रियता अर्जित करके शक्तिशाली हो जाते हैं, परंतु वे अपने ही बनाए पिंजड़े में कैद भी होजाते हैं।सेक्सी छवियों के कारण अनेक हादसे हुए हैं और ब्रिजिता बारडोट तक ने आत्महत्या का विफल प्रयास किया, जिस पर साहित्यकार सिमॉनद बोउवा ने एक लंबा लेख लिखा, जिसका सार यह था कि जब एक मध्यमवर्गीय कन्या सजने-संवरने के तमाम बुजरुआ साधनों को नकारकर अपनी युवा देह को अनावृत्त करती है तो लंपट पुरुष समाज घबरा जाता है और यक-ब-यक उसे अपनी कमतरी का एहसास भयावह लगता है।यह स्वीकार करने में उसे कष्ट होता है कि प्रकृति की बुनावट कुछ ऐसी है कि अंतरंग संबंधों में नारी शक्तिशाली होती है और अपनी कमतरी को छुपाने के लिए वह भांति-भांति के मुखौटे खोजता है, षड्यंत्र रचता है।अफवाहों के अंधड़ इसी षड्यंत्र का हिस्सा हैं।1996-97 के आसपास फेयरफैक्स नामक संस्था की गुप्त रिपोर्ट के आधार पर एक अखबार ने 41 दिनों तक लगातार लिखकर राजीव गांधीकी छवि ध्वस्त की थी, परंतु बाद के शोध ने इस संस्था को ही आधारहीनसिद्ध किया था। क्या आज का विकीलीक्स उसी का नया अवतार है?बहरहाल मिलन लूथरिया की ‘द डर्टी पिक्चर’ सिल्क स्मिता के जीवन पर कितनी आधारित है और उसमें कितनी कल्पना है, यह बतानाकठिन है और सच तो यह है कि उसका सत्यअसत्य से ज्यादा जरूरी है मनोरंजक होना। यह भी संभव है कि सिल्क का नाम लेते हुए दरअसल यह फिल्म हेनरी डेंकर के ‘द डायरेक्टर’ नामक उपन्यास से प्रेरित हो सकती है, जिसमें एक साहसी नायिका का प्रेम एक बुढ़ाते सुपर सितारे के साथ होता है, जबकि फिल्म के भीतर फिल्म का लेखक निर्देशक भी उस पर न्योछावर है और फिल्म के भीतर फिल्म का युवा नायक भी उसेचाहता है। मिलन लूथरिया की फिल्म में बुढ़ाते सुपर सितारे की भूमिका नसीरुद्दीन शाह कर रहे हैं। युवा नायक इमरान हाशमी हैं और निर्देशकतुषार कपूर हैं, जिन्हें उनके आठवें दशक में लोकप्रिय पिता जीतेंद्र का लुकदिया गया है। विद्या बालन नए सेक्सी अवतार में हैं।

Singham (2011) Movie Review

Storyline

Following charges of corruption, Colva's (Goa) Police Inspector Rakesh Kadam kills himself, leaving a devastated wife, Megha, and son, Nitin. She takes it upon herself to canvas support that her husband was framed by a gangster, Jaykant Shikre, and vainly insists on a CBI Inquiry. When the High Court requires Jaykant, on unrelated charges, to present himself at Shivgad Police Station, which is located at the borders of Maharashtra and Karnataka, he refuses to do so, and the local Inspector Bajirao Singham, who has recently fallen in love with stunning Kavya Bhosle, summons him. An enraged Jaikant does appear along with an army of goons, but is no match for Bajirao, who has support from the entire community. Humbled and humiliated, Jaykant returns to Goa, and ensures Bajirao gets transferred there. It is here he not only plans to use an army of goons, his control and influence over politicians...

Review

A Loud,Desi,Masala Entertainer,Typical Of The 80's - Full Of Mass Appeal

Singham is an entertaining masala flick,a tribute to the 80's era of bollywood masala movies,an addition to the list of Hindi remakes of south blockbusters.I haven't seen the Tamil version,so a comparison is impossible.The film is full of energy,charisma and is sure to get mass applause from the people who love the true Indian flavored cinema,full of colors and raw fight between a honest,loved-by-all hero and the baddie.Seeing these kind of films,i wonder whether the age of pure entertainers is back,after films like Wanted,dabangg and ready have become blockbusters.No doubt,Singham is a sure shot blockbuster,at least in single screens.Director Rohit Shetty,after making some hilarious comedies have gone back to his base and have created an Action packed entertainer(Rohit shetty stared off with Action thriller,Zameen also starring Ajay) which is full of mass appeal.

Performances::Ajay Devgn is full of energy and does 100 % justice to his cop uniform.A bunch of Marathi actors,especially Ashok Saraf deserves a big thumbs up for their excellent performances.kajal Agarwal doesn't get needed opportunities to showcase her talent,but makes her presence felt among the audience.Prakash raj is as always at his best .

Some +ves::The bench of Marathi actors who does a brilliant job and the Ajay Charisma,Entertaining direction by Rohit shetty,Thrilling Background music,Editing work by Steven.H.Bernard,The raw,desi flavor of the movie.

Some -ves::A familiar plot is again used,Very weak love base,The Marathi accent of Ajay,which seems artificial at times.

Music by Ajay and Atul Gogavale,noted Marathi music director duo is hummable and melodious.It can be given a 7/10.

Verdict::Singham is an action-packed masala movie,a reminder of the 80's era.It is full of unadulterated raw desi flavor and is sure to entertain the masses.Go for it,if you love masala entertainers.Ma Rating::8/10

Director: 

Rohit Shetty

Writers: 

Yunus Sajawal, Hari

Cast

Credited cast:
	Ajay Devgan	...	Inspector Bajirao M. Singham
	Kajal Agarwal	...	Kavya G. Bhosle (as Kajal Aggarwal)
	Prakash Raj	...	Jaykant Shikre
	Sonali Kulkarni	...	Megha R. Kadam
	Sachin Khedekar	...	Gautam Bhosle / Gotya
	Sudhanshu Pandey	...	Inspector Rakesh Kadam
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
	Suchitra Bandekar
	Ravindra Berde	...	Chandrakant
	Suhasini Deshpande	...	Mrs. Bhosle
	Agasthya Dhanorkar	...	Nitin R. Kadam
	Anant Jog	...	Minister Anant Narvekar
	Govind Namdeo	...	Manikrao Singham
	Kishore Nandlaskar	...	Anant's Peon
	Vijay Patkar	...	Havaldar Kelkar
	Ashok Samarth	...	Shiva Nayak

Final Destination 5 (2011) Movie Review

Storyline

Survivors of a suspension-bridge collapse learn there's no way you can cheat Death.

Reviews

Final Destination 5 Revives The Franchise

I'll admit I was very worried going into this film, considering how the last film left things. But after I saw Final Destination 5 at the midnight premiere, I was SHOCKED as hell at how astonishing it turned out be. This is definitely one of the BEST sequels since the first 2 Installments in the franchise, It has everything a Final Destination film should have but on a much grander scale, It's Dark, Clever, Witty and just Gruesomely entertaining. This film has definitely Re-invented the franchise that has never been seen before and character development is absolutely the heart of the film's storyline. I recommend you to checkout this film, you won't be disappointed...

Director: 

Steven Quale

Writers: 

Eric Heisserer, Jeffrey Reddick (characters)

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
	Nicholas D'Agosto	...	Sam Lawton
	Emma Bell	...	Molly Harper
	Miles Fisher	...	Peter Friedkin
	Ellen Wroe	...	Candice Hooper
	Jacqueline MacInnes Wood	...	Olivia Castle
	P.J. Byrne	...	Isaac
	Arlen Escarpeta	...	Nathan
	David Koechner	...	Dennis
	Courtney B. Vance	...	Agent Jim Block
	Tony Todd	...	William Bludworth
	Brent Stait	...	Roy
	Roman Podhora	...	John
	Jasmin Dring	...	Cho
	Barclay Hope	...	Dr. Leonetti
	Chasty Ballesteros	...	Spa Receptionist