Battleship (2012) Movie Review

Storyline

Based on the classic Hasbro naval combat game, Battleship is the story of an international fleet of ships who come across an alien armada while on Naval war games exercise. An intense battle is fought on sea, land and air. What do the aliens want?

Review

Definition of a guilty pleasure

Heaven help me! I liked this movie, now I am going to be one of the few who did. As you can see from the other reviews a lot of people didn't like this movie, so why did I? 

1. I came in with low expectations - I was expecting something horrible, boring, long and pointless, but despite myself I liked it, I laughed at the jokes, I connected with the actors (yes, Rihanna too), I was excited by the action and while clichés the plot held my interest 

2. The actors did a good job with what they were given - Taylor Kitsch did a good job, Rihanna wasn't that bad, I dare say good, in her role. She was there, she didn't try to chew the scenery, she did her job as an actor/secondary character and it didn't bother me. I give her kudos

3. lost in translation? - you try to make a game into a movie and you want to put parts of them game in it? Not easy, a little cheesy? Of course, but fun? Yes, fun, enjoyable, and in the end it was a part of the story that wasn't as forced as it could have been. 

So in conclusion, "Battleship" is a fun, corny, typical summer movie that I like but as you see a lot of people didn't. I think it is a guilty pleasure, something to be enjoyed by the few but annoyed by the rest. In the end I can only suggest this - go in with low expectations, expect a little over the top patriotism like in "Act of Valor" ( but not so heavy), and don't think about it. The movie is not without its flaws or questionable logic, but as it was said so well in another movie - "I suggest you don't think about it and just enjoy the ride"

Director: 

Peter Berg

Writers: 

Jon Hoeber, Erich Hoeber

Cast

	Taylor Kitsch	...	Lieutenant Alex Hopper
	Alexander Skarsgård	...	Commander Stone Hopper
	Rihanna	...	Petty Officer Cora 'Weps' Raikes
	Brooklyn Decker	...	Sam
	Tadanobu Asano	...	Captain Yugi Nagata
	Hamish Linklater	...	Cal Zapata
	Liam Neeson	...	Admiral Shane
	Peter MacNicol	...	Secretary of Defense
	John Tui	...	Chief Petty Officer Walter 'The Beast' Lynch
	Jesse Plemons	...	Boatswain Mate Seaman Jimmy 'Ordy' Ord
	Gregory D. Gadson	...	Lieutenant Colonel Mick Canales
	Jerry Ferrara	...	Sampson JOOD Strodell
	Adam Godley	...	Dr. Nogrady
	Rico McClinton	...	Captain Browley
	Joji Yoshida	...	Chief Engineer Hiroki

The Cold Light of Day (2012) Movie Review

Storyline

After his family is kidnapped during their sailing trip in Spain, a young Wall Street trader is confronted by the people responsible: intelligence agents looking to recover a mysterious briefcase.

Review

A bad TV movie

I went to see this film after I saw an initial rating on here of 8 out of 10, but let me tell you it is very, very poor.

The film is littered with blatant product placement to the point that I thought at some points I was watching a slick advert. The first of these adverts is when the film lead stops to buy a drink of coke for no reason and proceeds to slowly drink it with the can taking up most of the screen, really just like an advert.

This was a little annoying but I kept hope that this was a small issue in what could become a very good film. Unfortunitly it didn't and car and phone adverts continued through the film. The script was poor and events unbelievable. Most of the action scenes you will have seen copied from Bourne or other action movies but made laughably similar but much worse. The acting from weaver was poor, although I am not sure if the blame lies with sigourney or the director. To be honest Bruce Willis is by far the best actor and carries the film for the first 20min giving some hope it will become a good action film, unfortunately it did not.

I have never walked out on a film but after a number of laugh out loud moments ( at the film ), I was seriously contemplating it. I may be wrong but i think we have a nomination for a rotten tomato award.

3 stars is being kind,

Director: 

Mabrouk El Mechri

Writers: 

Scott Wiper, John Petro

Cast

	Henry Cavill	...	Will
	Verónica Echegui	...	Lucia
	Bruce Willis	...	Martin
	Sigourney Weaver	...	Carrack
	Joseph Mawle	...	Gorman
	Caroline Goodall	...	Laurie
	Rafi Gavron	...	Josh
	Emma Hamilton	...	Dara
	Michael Budd	...	Esmael
	Roschdy Zem	...	Zahir
	Óscar Jaenada	...	Maximo
	Joe Dixon	...	Dixon
	Jim Piddock	...	Meckler
	Fermí Reixach	...	Carlos
	Lolo Herrero	...	Reynaldo

On the 100th Year of Indian Cinema. The Changes and Looses..

निन्यानवे निन्यानवे .... बाबु साहब भारतीय सिनेमा को पुरे निन्यानवे साल पुरे हो गए और अमृत वर्ष शुरू हो गया ... कल ५९ वां राष्ट्रीय पुरस्कार वितरित हुवा , विद्या बालन का बोलबाला रहा , क्या सच में भारतीय सिनेमा की नारी सही मायने में उभर कर सामने आ रही है? पहले जहा फिल्मो में अभिनेत्री का स्थान मात्र एक सजावटी सामान के तौर पर होता रहा है (अपवाद हर जगह होते हैं) वही आज के दौर में कई ऐसी फिल्मे बन रही है जिस में अभिनेत्री को मुख्य भूमिका में दिखाया गया है और सब से बड़ी बात ये हैं की वो सारी भूमिकाये सशक्त भूमिकाएं थी ना की दबी हुयी नारी को प्रदर्शित करने वाली. और उस से भी बड़ी बात ये थी की वो सारी फिल्मे चली ही नहीं बल्कि रिकॉर्ड तोड़ कमाई भी की .. कई और फिल्मे आना अभी बाकि हैं ... क्या ये एक नया और अच्छा बदलाव आया है भारतीय सिनेमा में? ... होलीवुड की फिल्मो में अक्सर महिलाओं को सशक्त भूमिकाओं में प्रदर्शित किया जाता है जो दर्शको द्वारा काफी सराहा भी जाता हैं... मगर मुझे लगता है भारतीय सिनेमा को उस स्तर तक पोहोचने के लिए अभी काफी समय लगेगा... 

कृपया अपनी अनमोल राय देना न भूले ..

Agneepath (2012) Movie Review

Storyline

Agneepath is a story of revenge of Vijay Chauhan against an evil and sadistic Kaancha, who hangs Vijay's father to death. Vijay grows up with a single aim of avenging his father's death. The story revolves around Vijay Chauhan, his relationships with his family and above all, his Revenge.

Reviews

Agneepath Rises.

You shouldn't wonder why everyone wants to remake a Big B movie. While the obvious to say is that they are a cult but the truth is we don't have stories, performances and dialogues like that today. A safe trick to pull the audience is to give them a star-studded remake of a movie the continuums of generations swear by.

If you are an ardent moviegoer, you might have felt bad with the fate of Don and Sholay remakes but Agneepath rises. Yash Johar & Mukul Anand will be proud of Karan. They can choose either or both.

First of all, it's not a complete remake. It has its own diversions but it's a wasteful effort not to compare it with the original. Some parts of the remake are a total downer. Not just the parents, I heard the kids say – I think the original was far better.

Sanjay Dutt is the first and the biggest disappointment. Tattoos of Shiva, preachings from Geeta, anecdotes from Mahabharat & Ramayan but not a single original Khalnayak moment till the last 15 minutes. I remember seeing the promo six months back and everyone spoke of Sanjay Dutt taking the entire pie from Hrithik Roshan – only if he would have been a more evil psychopath, psychopath, psychopath.

The next is Chikni Chameli. The choreographer & composer totally spoilt the cake. What a sheer waste of Katrina Kaif. The last but not the least is absence of Krishnan Iyer MA. I want to add the iconic "Sister Abduction" scene to the list but I understand that it's too much of a comparison.

There's not much you could say about the script/story since it's a remake but to talk about the dialogues written by the talented Piyush Mishra – they are mediocre. No special marks to the technicals as well.

Hrithik Roshan is brilliant, probably the best anybody could justify the real VDC. When he cries, feels happy, kills a man, runs, wants revenge, gets bruised – it's all in his eyes, he makes it real enough. He might not have been able to replace Big B's attitude but it was time they used this side of him than just counting on his looks & moves.

The surprise of the movie is Rishi Kapoor. What an actor! With the added touch of the surma, he made a better villain than Baba. He should have had a bigger role.

The score of the movie is suitably Maharashtrian, complimenting the movie. I don't know if you have noticed this but Bollywood seems fascinated with the idea of Ganesh songs or others running parallel with murder and melodrama scenes.

Apart from Kancha, everyone's performance has taken the movie a notch higher and fortunately there are no stupid-yet-intentional-because-audience-loves-it additions. Coming from Karan Johar, romance and slickness gives way to raw.

It's a nice remake and while you watch it try hard not to compare it with the original Agneepath, Agneepath, Agneepath.

Director: 

Karan Malhotra

Writers: 

Piyush Mishra (dialogue), Karan Malhotra (screenplay)

Cast

	Hrithik Roshan	...	Vijay Dinanath Chauhan
	Sanjay Dutt	...	Kancha
	Rishi Kapoor	...	Rauf Lala
	Madhurjeet Sarghi	...	Lachhi
	Inaamulhaq	...	Shiva
	Rajesh Tandon	...	Mazhar lala
	Kanika Tiwari	...	Shiksha Chauhan
	Om Puri
	Arush Bhiwandiwala
	Deven Bhojani
	Sunil Chauhan
	Priyanka Chopra	...	Kaali
	Ravi Jhankal
	Ayesha Kaduskar
	Katrina Kaif	...	Chikni Chameli

Thodasa Roomani Ho Jaayen (1990) Movie Review

Storyline

The film is a comment on a society that brands people into images they should be, and talks of individual dreams and aspirations. Set in the background of a small town in India, against the harsh weather conditions and lack of rain, the story revolves around a girl who is unconventional in her ways and appearance, in-feminine in the conventional sense of the word, and therefore subjugated to much negative public opinions and advices on what she should be. She is supported by a supportive just father, a younger brother who is about to turn 18 and a realistic, discouraging but loving older brother. And in their lives then enters a man who believes in magic and tells them that he can bring rain! The story unfolds with much poetry and a dreamlike quality that is magical.

Review

Really nice movie,

Strongly recommended for a nice weekend evening. Excellent direction, acting and totally new story line. Especially the first part where the whole movie follows a poetic route of dialogue delivery rather than traditional rout. Though the film drags in second part, it is still watchable for its central character, Nana Patekar

Director: 

Amol Palekar

Cast

	Anita Kanwar	...	Binni Rai (as Aneeta Kanwar)
	Nana Patekar	...	Natwarlal aka Dhrushtadyumna padmanabh Prajapati Neelkant Dhumketu Barish Kar
	Riju Bajaj	...	Bim
	Hemant Desai
	Vikram Gokhale	...	Collector Jaideep Das Gupta
	Gorakshakar
	Madan Gupte
	Arun Joglekar	...	Behraam
	Gautam Joglekar
	Aparajita Krisha	...	Urmila
	Krishnakant
	Dilip Kulkarni	...	Bade Bhaiyya
	Deepa Lagoo	...	Budhiya (as Deepa Shriram)
	Suresh Rege
	Vasant Sabnis