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DELHI 6 - MOVIE REVIEW

DELHI 6 ( Hindi , 2009)

Director : Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra

Cast : Abhishek Bachchan , Sonam Kapoor , Waheeda Rahman , Rishi Kapoor

Delhi 6 is one of the early biggies to hit the screen this year . Directed by the man who gave us "Rang De Basanti " , Delhi 6 is a passionate tribute to the old world charm of Delhi's Chandni Chowk.

Roshan (Abhishek Bachchan) lives in New York , and comes to Delhi , to drop his ailing Grandmother (Waheeda Rahman) , who wishes to spend her last few days in Delhi. Roshan initially wants to just spend a few days and leave , but gradually finds himself falling in love with the warmth and vibrancy of Delhi .

There is no story as such , and the film is all about varying emotions. There is a small , beautiful love story with Bittu ( Sonam Kapoor ), a bubbly , energetic lass who aspires to be an Indian Idol. The Monkey-man who terrorized Delhi a few years ago has been used to take the movie forward.

What the Director wants to portray is never really explained , till the Intermission stage. The movie comes across a comic portrayal of the eccentricities of Delhi's Chandni Chowk. Humour is inherent all through the movie , ranging from innocent family camaraderie , to some wildly suggestive humor in that scene in which Cyrus Sahukar hots up things with an already married woman.

Every aspect of Chandni Chowk has been captured in great detail by the Director. Be it the local sweet shop , or the Ram Leela festivities , an enormous amount of work has gone into creating the rustic charm of the locality.

Characterization is the strong point of the movie . Roshan is an initially sceptic person , who finds it tough to understand why a cow giving birth in the middle of the road is such a big event in the locality . But later on , he falls in love with the varying aspects of old-world Delhi. Bittu , is from an orthodox family , which tries its best to stop her from pursuing her dreams of making it big on Indian Idol , and in the process , tries to make alliances with some stone faced men.

The movie is definitely flawed . Now , making the audience guess what's in store for them is one thing.. But convincing the audience that there will be SOMETHING in store is a completely different game altogether, and this is where I felt the movie faltered. What are the actual intentions behind the movie , never really translates on screen during the first half. It is only later on during post-interval stage that the audience realizes what the Director was trying to say all this while.

Screenplay is not exactly jet speed material , but it is definitely tolerable , especially in the absence of a concrete storyline backing the movie. But cinematography in this one , is a visual treat in every sense of the word. Some truly awesome shots, like that of the Namaz at Jama Masjid , the Ram Leela Festivities , keep you spellbound.

Music is by Oscar Nominee A.R.Rahman ( nominee as on February 20th 2009 @ 11:42 PM , hoping he wins it for "Slumdog Millionaire" in a few days time from now ) . Some truly amazing songs keep up the vibrant mood of the movie. The best one has to be the "Masakali" number , which has been making waves.

Acting by Bachchan Junior is an effort to be appreciated . The character is one sans dramatics , and he has underplayed his role , and easily fits into an NRI character , albeit with a dodgy accent. Sonam Kapoor is alluring beyond limits . The bubbly character of Bittu fits her to a T . Though the role offers not much scope for acting potential , she has done a neat job. The "Masakali" number picturized on this lovely lady , almost made me fall in love with her .

However the strongest pillars of this movie have to be the supporting cast members . Waheeda Rahman as the ailing Granny is a delight to watch , as she fills the screen with her lovely grace . Rishi Kapoor as the advice rendering neighbor is brilliant. Vijay Raaz as the corrupt , ruthless cop is as reliable as ever. Atul Kulkarni is the best among the support cast . Om Puri ,I felt , was wasted , but still his role was strong enough to keep audiences happy. There are a host of other small characters who you adore as the movie progresses , like the gossiping housewives , the local sweet shop wallah , and the garbage cleaner .

The Director vents his heart against some menaces still plaguing the society , like untouchability , communalism etc in the most delicate manner possible . I felt the sequence where Waheeda Rahman is mad at AB Junior , for touching the garbage girl , was one of the finest moments of the movie. It is moments like these , which appear all through the movie , which make this movie watchable , as it lacks a convincing plot.

The climax was a bit of a let down , with an unwarranted sequence in Heaven , with the Big B thrown in for good measure. However , the climax does not disappoint , as there are many scenes which are not even half as good as the so-so climax. I hate to say this , but this is a consolation of sorts.

Delhi 6 is definitely not a great movie . But it deserves to be watched for the subtle treatment meted out to Delhi's old word charm.

I will go with 3 out of 5 for "Delhi 6" , which could have been much better and also much worse at the same time. You will understand why when you get to watch it.

VERDICT : 3 / 5 ( Definitely worth a watch )

FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL - REVIEW

FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL ( English,2008)

Director : Nicholas Stoller

Cast : Jason Segel , Kristen Bell , Mila Kunis , Russell Brand , Jonah Hill

Am not really a fan of the romantic comedy genre ,but decided to give this a try , as there was a fair amount of talk going on about the movie.

The story is nothing special. Peter Bretter (Segel) a not-so-famous musician is in a relationship with a famous TV actress Sarah Marshall ( Bell) . One day ,Sarah decides to end the bond and walks out on him,saying that she is involved with another man. This devastates Peter , who then decides to take a trip to Hawaii to relax and calm down. Ironically he ends up at the same resort where Sarah and her new boy-friend , a rock star Aldous Snow( Russell Brand) are put up.

Peter badly wants to get over his break-up with Sarah and feels lonely in the resort , and has to put up with the sight of Sarah and Snow having fun together. He then falls for a beautiful receptionist , Rachel ( Kunis ) and they end up having an affair.

The movie is essentially a comedy , centered around Peter who wants to forget his relationship with Sarah. Fortunately, we don't get to see exaggerated drama , as is expected in "breaking-up" movies. However there are some scenes which make you feel bad for the couple who have just split up.

The comedy is mainly dialogue based , but we do get to see a lot of raunchy humor in the movie. It does not portray anything vulgar , but treads the thin line between raunchy and obscene humor. The humor has to be taken light heartedly , as sometimes it looks a wee bit out of place in the movie. However , it is certainly quite funny at large.

The acting is fairly decent by the lead pair. The other actors too chip in with decent performances. It was nice to see Jonah Hill of "Superbad" in the movie. He is involved in some really funny scenes. However the surprise package in the movie has to be the character of Aldous Snow. He is such an eccentric character , with a rather bizarre sense of humor.

The imagery is very beautiful , as the movie is entirely set in Hawaii. The scene in which Rachel and Peter decide to go hiking is shot beautifully. The movie is not meant for people who want to watch crude humor on-screen. The humor is really good and even the seemingly raunchy jokes are well intended. The best scene in the movie has to be the one in which the two couples Rachel-Peter and Sarah-Aldous have dinner together . It had me rolling with laughter.

Screenplay is fairly decent and you don't get bored much as the humor keeps you occupied for the bulk of the movie. There are other small but interesting characters like a Surfer , a bar-tender , and a newly wed couple on their honeymoon , who definitely add value to the movie as a whole.

Overall , this is a pretty good movie , if you are able to stand the humor. You will surely appreciate the well intended humor , if you are a little open-minded. However , it does not really come across a romantic movie , except in a few parts. It is a blend of raunchy humor and breaking-up emotions , and also tries to give us a look at how tough it is to get over a relationship gone sour.

Not one of the best movies I have come across , especially in the Romantic Comedy genre. The story initially reminded me of "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind", in which Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet try to get over their break up . The similarity of this movie with that masterpiece ends there.

I will go with 3 out of 5 for this comedy , which manages to keep you interested in it , thanks to some funny sequences and almost over-the-top humor.

VERDICT : Pretty Good . ( 3 / 5)

SAROJA - REVIEW

SAROJA ( Tamil,2008)

Director : Venkat Prabhu

Cast : Prakash Raj , Jayaram , Shiva , SPB Charan, Premgi Amaran , Vaibhav Reddy

Alright , let me make a few things clear about my review of "Saroja" . We all know that this is a rip off from "Judgment Night". However , my review is going to be completely independent of "Judgment Night" , as I have not seen that movie.

Saroja is the daughter of a rich businessman , Vishwanath (Prakash Raj) , in Hyderabad. She gets kidnapped and her dad launches a hunt , with the help of his police friend ACP Ravichandran (Jayaram) . Meanwhile , we have a group of 4 friends , completely different characters , Ganesh ( Premgi) , Ajay ( Shiva) , Jagapathi Babu ( Charan) , and Ram Babu (Vaibhav) who are on their way to Hyderabad from Chennai , to watch a cricket match. They happen to stumble upon a factory where Saroja has been held captive. What happens when they decide to rescue Saroja from the gang leader Sampath and his men , forms the rest of the story.

The movie is very unique as far as Tamil Cinema is concerned. It does not follow the traditional formula techniques. Instead it dares to be different as it tries to come across as a mix of the thriller and comedy genres. The humor is excellent and blends perfectly well with the storyline. Thankfully, there are no separate comedy tracks , very unlike the Tamil movies being made these days.

The movie is basically about the kidnap and eventual rescue of Saroja , but I don't think it would have been right to make it a pure thriller.alone It would not have gone down so well with the audience , if the humor was done away with.

The acting is pretty good. Although brilliant and versatile actors like Prakash Raj and Jayaram have done an excellent job in "Saroja", the quartet of friends steal the show completely. The bonding between them is very natural and there is no exaggeration in the characterization. Like I mentioned earlier , these are 4 distinct characters , and we have a good time watching them react to rather sticky situations , especially in the rescue sequences.

The humor is very refreshing and does not rely on vulgar jokes to make us laugh. The dialogues are nothing great , but it is the comic timing which keeps us smiling throughout the movie.

Being a Tamil movie , we have a few songs thrown at us when least expected. But the music by Yuvan Shankar Raja is fairly decent. the background score too blends well with the story.

If there is one thing about the movie which I liked the most , it has to be Premgi Amaran . This man comes across as someone who has the least self-respect , but in a funny way. His mannerisms will keep us laughing through out the movie.

There are a few predictable scenes , and a few cliches too. For instance the climax looked too good to be true , so the Director decides to throw in a predictable twist towards the end.

This is not a great movie , nor does it aspire to be one. In essence it is only a cat-mouse chase in the form of a thriller , but manages to keep us interested thanks to the humor and fairly decent screenplay. Not quite pacy , but not slow either. Watch it with a group of friends and you will enjoy it a lot.

The references to other Tamil movies will go down well with anyone with a decent knowledge of Tamil cinema. The Volkswagen mini in the beginning , with the "Karakatakaran" music in the background , the " Evalavo panrom" dialogue from Vijay's "Azhagiya Tamizh Magan" , Premgi's attempts at spoofing "Sivaji" are all to be enjoyed.

My verdict for this movie will be 3 out of 5 . As I said , this is only a cat-mouse chase in the form of a film , but has to be seen , for the screenplay and humor. And I give my verdict , without considering the "Judgment Night" rip-off factor .

Verdict : Worth a watch . ( 3 / 5)

IN BRUGES - REVIEW

In Bruges ( English,2008)

Director: Martin McDonagh

Cast: Colin Farrell , Brendon Gleeson , Ralph Fieness

This is a crime story , which is different in the sense that you don't really get to to watch lots of normal crime related stuff like chase scenes , shootouts , etc.

The story is based on two hit men , Ray ( Colin Farrell) and Ken ( Brendon Gleeson) , who complete a mission in London. The mission does not go as per plan , and their boss decides to pack them off somewhere else , to hide for sometime.

They then end up in Bruges , Belgium . This is a city which has a lot of history associated with it. The duo , try to while away their time sight-seeing. Ken is the senior among the two , and appears to be rather intrigued by the immense cultural heritage which Bruges has on offer. Ray however , being the young-jumpy type does not really like the city as it's rather dull.

The two of them think that all they have to do is lay low in Bruges for sometime , and get back to London upon their boss , Harry's orders. But little do they know that Harry has completely different plans for them.I will not dwell any longer on the story , as it will make the movie lose its unpredictability quotient.

Ray 's mind is always troubled , as he cannot get over the horrid incident which happened in London , in which he ends up shooting the intended victim , and also an innocent victim. He also has the pleasure of a brief romantic interlude with Chloe , a drug dealer.

Ken , comes across as a man of culture , although he is a ruthless murderer. He is very impressed with Bruges , and likes it a lot , and enjoys his stay , unlike Ray.

The movie is not your conventional Crime type. The movie focuses more on the psyche of the hitmen , instead of the actual murder , and follows the ensuing series of events which unfold after the murder.

The acting is really good. Colin Farrell comes up with a rather fine act , and provides some comic relief with his witty dialogues. He easily fits into the role of Ray , and appears very convincing in his act. Another fact is that the character of Ray is Irish , and so is Farrell.

Brendon Gleeson , as Ken , is a very likeable character. The movie tries to make a point that even hard criminals , have a humane side to them , and Gleeson comes up with a brilliant performance , justifying the fact.

However,the most interesting character in the movie is that of Harry , played by Ralph Fiennes. Harry is a ruthless boss , but someone who is cut and right in his modus operandi. The characterization of Harry is easily one of the best things about the movie and Fiennes is simply brilliant.

The midget's character seems rather unwanted in the earlier stages of the movie. But he is rather likable , and is of particular significance in the climax scene.

The movie has few let-downs. The romance between Chloe and Ray seems unwanted , as far as the screenplay goes , but nevertheless adds to the atmosphere. Clemence Poesy , as Chloe is a class act , albeit in very brief role. The screenplay could have been a bit faster , but is compensated for by the excellent acting and witty humor , especially on the part of Ray.

The dialogues are very simple , yet funny in rather sarcastic way. Watch out for the Clock tower sequence in the first half. The climax scene is one of the best endings I have come across in a long time . "You've got to stick to your principles" is what the climax is all about.

Technically the movie is rather minimalistic. However the town of Bruges is highlighted beautifully. There is nothing great about the movie. However , it holds your interest , and there are only a few dull moments. Watch it for the amazing characterization, especially of Ken and Harry.

I will give it 3.5 out of 5 , as I firmly believe that characterization is the foundation of any movie and this does not let me down . And am someone who sticks to my principles ( Pay attention to the climax scene , and you 'll understand my last statement)

Verdict: Definitely worth a watch . 3.5/5

CLERKS - REVIEW

Clerks ( English,1994)

Director: Kevin Smith

Cast: Brian O'Halloran, Jeff Anderson

"Clerks" is honestly speaking , one of the funniest movies which I have seen in a long time. Again its one of those movies , shot on a very limited budget, but manages to make an impact. In this case , the movie had me rolling with laughter.

The story goes like this. Dante (Brian O'Halloran) is a clerk at a local convenience store. One fine day , which incidentally happens to be his day off, he ends up working and is least impressed with it. He then has to put up with the guy who works as a clerk at the Video- rental store next door , Randall ( Jeff Anderson).

Dante is really pissed off with work , and it gets reflected in his rather serious behavior. Randall , however , is the ultimate wisecrack , with a " I give a damn" attitude. The movie is very funny , albeit the humor which mostly revolves around raunchy jokes.

There is no big plot in the movie. It just shows what happens on a particular day , focusing on Dante's character. He has a girlfriend , Veronica , who reveals her rather shady past. Dante is not really impressed with it and it ends up spoiling his already dark mood. He then realizes that his ex-flame , Caitlin is getting married to someone else , and this bit of news upsets him even more.

In the middle of all this , he has to put up with annoying customers, with a hockey game at the back of his head. Not to mention the drug dealers outside his shop. The movie shows all the things that just went wrong that day. One of his ex-girlfriends dies. He gets served with a 500$ fine for no fault of his and many other such tight spots.

The characters are rather interestingly portrayed. The contrasting attitudes of Dante and Randall , provide quite a few laughs. The humor is definitely raunchy , and I will not recommend this movie if you are the not the kind who like such flicks. One thing which I liked about the movie is its natural flavor. I mean , come on , what else would two young guys who are bored to death , discuss. But this is so unlike the so called comedies , which portray vulgarity visually. There is nothing of that sort in this movie. Just the dialogues , which are seriously raunchy.

There are lots of hilarious scenes in the movie. I loved the one with the guy who walks into the store and starts preaching to the people who come to buy cigarettes. And the one in which a lady walks into Randall's store and asks him to recommend which movie to watch.

Dante is the worrying kind and sulks all through the movie. The portions with Randall are the funniest,though. There are other interesting characters. Jay , Silent Bob , and his cousin Olaf provide quite a few laughs.

This is by no means a great movie. But it's definitely one of the funniest I have seen. Please don't watch it if you don't appreciate humor which focuses on sex. But if you are a little open minded , you might like this.And another thing to note is that the movie does not entirely consist of crude humor and has its share of lighter moments otherwise.It is what people would call a "perfect Blend" (well,almost).

This is the Director's debut movie , and is a rather bold attempt . The humor, is almost over the top . I will go with 3 out of 5 for this one.


Verdict : Good. But not too good. 3 / 5