Makkhi (2012) - Action

I was so keen on checking this one out when it first came in Telugu that it was tough for me to skip it just because of unavailability of Subtitles at that time. A close telugu friend even offered me a copy but I just waited for the original DVD to get released in the hope of getting subtitles. Today I am way too glad that I did waited that long as it just released in Hindi but I am sad that they did not release it in 3D – rather only 2D. Still this was a damn good joy ride for us and even for the kids. Totally rocking movie and I would say it’s a must watch for all action / thriller / animation lovers, this is too good. Initially it takes its own sweet time to develop the story but once the hero of the movie “Makkhi” comes, there is no looking back. Almost everybody in the auditorium was in splits with super acting by “Sudeep” in a negative but dashing role that you actually love to hate him and the use of fantastic VFX in creating that “Makkhi” character. I was totally shocked with the quality and standard as they were way too high than my expectations. I am definitely looking forward to a Blue Ray version now as it was damn neat and never boring, not even for one dull moment. Even after it ended, people kept waiting expecting to see some more as the end credits rolled. Almost 130 minutes of sheer fun and action. Do not miss this at any cost.

Samantha Ruth Prabhu

The Movie: It’s a heart touching story of a guy next door Nani (Nani) falling in love with Bindu (Samantha) being killed by a shrewd business man Sudeep (Sudeep) as he too likes the girl. Nani takes rebirth as a housefly and takes his revenge with the help of his girl friend Bindu on Sudeep and finally kills him in the end. What pursues between them is a cat and mouse chase game with fantastic CGI and Action – never seen before stuff in any Indian movie, we were totally hooked to it big time. The action part is too good to be missed – it is funny as well as very passionately done too. We were amazed with the creativity and attention to detail thinking of the Director and his team, excellent job. The initial hour gives you a good idea of the life of the protagonist Nani who is madly in love with his next door cute girl Bindu, who also knows his love for herself but never acknowledges it. She works for an NGO and the tragedy strikes when she gets noticed by a big womanizer and dashing businessman Sudeep. This is one of the best works of him so far, I have seen him in a couple of south as well as Hindi movies but none comes closer to this one. Here, he is funny, serious, angry, and happy; almost end up playing all emotions and gets a great footage too. The only thing which I felt sorry for him was that he had to play a negative character in this one.

Sudeep the bad guy

The quality of CGI and VFS is simply outstanding and mind-blowing at least from the Indian standards – I must say. I haven’t seen a better movie than this one up till now coming from India when it comes to Action and Fiction. The way whole thing is shot, the birth scene to getting to know how to fly and facing the enemies – its too good, at par with lots of Hollywood animations we have seen so far. I was almost on the edge of my seat seeing that kind of camerawork especially when it comes to showing the housefly’s view and perception, too good. I had a very emotional connect with the movie, almost was in my tears when the fly comes out of that cocoon and fights for survival. How he takes on Sudeep is totally fabulous job. The preparation, planning and execution is mind blowing stuff. Not for one moment it looks out of place or goes overboard where you feel that it was a little too much, you actually get so much involved in the same that end up loving it totally. Bindu on the other hand works as a micro artiste out of her hobby and how that comes handy in preparing the housefly for a fight with a human is a damn good idea, the helmet, weapons, planning and final execution. It’s a fantastic time pass movie and definitely deserves a multiple viewing specially for its special effects – I so much regret not seeing its 3D version, I am sure in 3D it would have been way too good than it is in 2D. 

To Rome with Love (2012) - Comedy

Woody Allen is one guy who never fails to amaze me, he makes one movie a year and that one movie becomes one of the most awaited movies of the year for me. To Rome with Love is no exception and what a fantastic movie it turns out to be. Right from the very first scene till the very end and even the last line will have you in splits and make you wait for another one which he promises with the last scene. What I love about all his movies is the simplistic style of narrating a regular story which will keep you hooked, make you smile, laugh, cheer, shock and entertain big time. The best part is – when he himself plays one of the characters – it becomes double the fun, I for one, have to see all his movies multiple times to enjoy them thoroughly as they are too good and too fast at least beyond my grasping power. And I love seeing them again and again – just done with first round of this one and I can tell you – its one movie you would definitely not like to miss. Run and check it out if it’s still running a theater near you but do make sure that they are showing it with subtitles as there is too much Italian in between. I had a copy with subtitles and totally loved it. Right with the opening scene he obliges his fans with a view of classic buildings of Rome, a fantastic Fiat 500 and trademark Italian Scooters. This one is not to be missed by anyone loving light hearted comedies with a damn good message – you’ve got to look out for that message almost towards the end. Do not miss it at any cost.

Alessandro Tiberi and Penelope Cruz

The Movie: It’s a fantastic combination of four different stories going at the same time with no connection in between them. The best part of the movie is its superb casting, including Woody Allen himself in one of the most important characters, the rest of the cast is too good and almost throughout the running time – you actually don’t feel that they were acting. Everyone is so comfortably fit in their characters that it looks like a cake walk for them. I was totally impressed the way he has pulled this one with those superb actors in fantastic characters – not one person for a moment looks out of place or over the top and none of the stories looked half baked. Wrapping up so much that too in just 100 odd minuets is a superb achievement and that’s called typical Woody Allen movie.

Monica Nappo and Roberto Bengini

Story 1: Woody Allen’s daughter comes to Rome as a tourist and falls for the guy who shows her direction on the very first day. He and his wife come to Rome to meet this guy’s family, who happens to be a lawyer and his father is one of the Funeral Directors. The hilarious thing was his father was a damn good singer especially when he is singing in shower. You’ve got to see what Woody does to this guy since he himself was an Opera Director but now retired. The highlight of this story is Woody Allen and his wife discussions, how and what he does to his son-in-law’s father. The way his wife, daughter, son-in-law and his father oppose him initially, give in due course of time and he succeeds in the end is simply Superb. Watch out for the classic ending.

Judy Davis and Woody Allen

Story 2: A clerk Leopold (Roberto Benigni in a fantastic role) who lives a regular life with his wife and two daughters, wakes up one fine morning and to his shock he has become a celebrity out of nowhere and media is chasing him like crazy, just to know how he slept in the night, what he had in the breakfast, what kind of underwear does he wear that day etc. He starts enjoying it, dating super models, starts attending movie premiers, he even gets his boss’s hot secretary who is supposed to entertain him throughout the day and top of that he even becomes a manager at his own office. What happens in the end to this story is heart touching and a damn good lesson in learning. I totally loved it and agree with what his Ex Driver tells him on the pavement before he goes back to his regular life. Watch out for that scene – I am sure you will love it and agree with me.

Alison Pil and Flavio Parenti

Story 3: John (Alec Baldwin) is a well known Architect who is visiting Rome with his wife and is on a vacation. He lived in Rome about 30 years back, he goes around to look for his old place where he lived and comes across Jack (Jesse Eisenberg the facebook guy), he not only lives at the same place where John lived but also studying to become and Architect as well. They hit it off pretty well and the way their story moves is totally hilarious. Jack lives with his girl friend Sally (Cute Greta Gerwig) who had invited her friend Monica (Ellen Page) to briefly stay with them. Right after their first meeting John warns Jack that Monica is going to screw his life and is over smart, still Jack doesn’t agree with him and goes around with her. What happens is totally rocking stuff – you’ve got to watch out those fantastic scenes with all of them in it and the way Alec Baldwin pulls it off. He is too good – this movie made me realize yet again that Alec Baldwin is one hell of a guy, he is so smooth in here and so comfortable, this looks like a cake walk for him yet you totally end up loving him. Even Jesse is too good in his character – the way he takes it all up and goes talking is fantastic, I like this guy. How it all ends is funny too, although predictable yet it makes you laugh.

Ellen Page, Jesse and Greta Gerwig

Story 4: Is of a newly wedded couple Antonio and Milly (Alessandro Tiberi and Alessandra Mastronardi), who move to Rome from a small town as his rich uncles promised him a job in their family’s business. After a long flight Milly wants to a hairdresser to get her hair fixed and since she has no idea of Rome, she gets lost and even loses her cell phone too. In the meantime as Antonio waits for her coming back, a prostitute Anna (Hottie Penélope Cruz) visits him – she is already paid by his friends to entertain him – that’s what she tells him. Before even he could clear the confusion his uncles and aunts come barging in the room as door was left open by Anna – to save himself he introduces Anna as his wife Milly to them. What happens next is a joy ride for audience as everything goes haywire, wherever they go and whatever they do – half the town knows Anna other than everybody else in the family as gone around with her. Penelope Cruz although in a small role still she looks ravishing in that red dress she wears throughout the movie. Even his wife Milly goes through a very interesting episode as she meets an Actor she admires and what happens with them is totally hilarious. I mean every story in this movie is so damn hilarious that it makes you laugh big time. I was surprised to see Woody Allen had stuffed so much in so less time – I so much wished it just went on and on a little bit more at least but as all good things come to an end – this one does too. But not before he promises to serve you some more from Rome. I sincerely hope he picks up a couple of more stories next year and makes another wonderful movie.

Taken 2 (2012) - Action / Thriller

Disclaimer: I am huge Liam Neeson as well as Old School of Action Movies fan, so I am going to brag here about both of them big time. If you have an issue with any of them – go ahead and skip this post there are better things to do than read my take on this fantastic thriller. Oh yeah! I loved Expendables (both the parts), just so you know what type of movies I love. This is one of those movies which should be called a well deserving sequel – which actually confuses the audience to decide which one was better. Hats off to the Director and to the cast to pull this off in a fantastic style, right from the very first scene till the very climax – it’s a bloody edge of the seat thriller with so much going on screen that it actually makes you forget the coke and popcorn you picked up on your way to your seat. This one starts right where we left the first part, Liam is back after killing the kidnappers of his daughter, separated with his wife and as an over protective father. The tragedy (For villains) is that this time – he is being kidnapped and his daughter helps in the rescue – that’s a complete suicide on the part of villains but the way its done is amazing (Read that Aammaazzzziinngg). The highlight of movie is Liam Neeson doing hand to hand combat with half a dozen guys and letting them bite the dust, he yet again proves that he is and will always an action hero. If you like thrillers – you will Love this. Not to be missed by action lovers and it will be a crime for Liam fans to miss it.

Famke Jenssen

The Movie: As I said, this one starts right where the first one left, father of the guys Murad (Rade Šerbedžija) he killed in Paris to save his daughter decides to take a revenge on him by killing him with whatever people he had left with him. On the other side we see a little relaxed Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson), helping his daughter Kim (Maggie Grace) get a driver’s license by giving her lessons in his own car – it’s great to see him clean the car spick and span before he picks her up exactly at 2 PM, not 1.58 and definitely not 2.01 but exactly as the clock turns 2.00 PM he gets down from his car and rings the bell of his ex wife Lenore’s (Hottie Famke Janssen) house. Only to know that she is gone off with her boyfriend, what he does next is anybody’s guess as he is an Ex CIA agent – so it’s a matter of seconds for him to know her location and pick her up. It was too funny to see him actually do that and his daughter does obliges by driving him back and by parking the car perfectly before she takes the final drive test at DMV to get her own license. But fate had something else in store for them this time. Lenore is having some issues with her current husband and as their vacation plans go for a toss, Bryan offers them to come along with him to Istanbul as he had a private brief assignment after which they all can spend some time together. Bryan goes off to his work in Istanbul and is surprised later to see that his Ex wife and daughter actually drop by to Istanbul and surprise him. They plan to have a quite time together and his Kim makes sure that she leaves her parents alone to have some good time and rekindle their relationship, stays in the room and they go out. 

Maggie Grace

Change of gears: Right from the moment Bryan and Lenore step out of the hotel in a car, they realize they were being followed by another car. What starts this point onwards is a extremely fast paced chase between the bad guys and Bryan, how he takes them all head on, gets kidnapped with his Ex wife and how his daughter this time supposed to save him is a fantastic cat and mouse chase game. It was simply superb to see Liam Neeson in a again a full fledge action movie – doing what he does best as he tells his daughter – kill em all to settle it once and for all. The movie is actually very intelligently made if you ask me as I had to keep a track of what was going on screen. Bryan’s calculation and the sense of direction, as his and his ex wife’s faces are totally covered, they had no idea where they are being taken, yet the way he manages to exactly locate where they were with the help of his daughter bombing around the city. The device he uses to call those three numbers and which works like a savior to him is simply superb. The movie has its own goof ups too but yet – I am sure we can live with them as long as it delivers a perfect thriller the way it does in this one. I actually ignored the little mistakes as it was too good to see them fight for their life and help each other. Even Maggie Grace got a lot of footage this time and was a part of two damn good chases, one on foot on the roof and another one in a car with his dad giving her instructions, the way she drives around the congested lanes of Istanbul and crashes in US embassy is a totally awesome scene confirming that she is going to get a license after the movie ends. But the best part was how she traces her parents location with the help of Bryan’s instructions is simply superb. Even in the climax – they don’t spare you and give you a nice shock, I kept thinking whether they were hinting on a third part or not – you’ve got to see it yourself to decide as it’s too good to be told. This one turns out to be a great thriller against my hopes as couple of my own friends trashed it after seeing but fortunately I loved it. Hence I will definitely recommend it big time with two thumbs up. Do not miss it.

About a Boy (2002) - Comedy

Hugh Grant is one of my favorite actors; he is such a sweet guy (On-screen) that as many times I come across any new or old movie of him – I again and again fall in love with him. I believe he is one of the most underrated actors of his own times. Barring a very few of his movies – I have almost seen all more then once. This was one of those exceptionally brilliant feel good movies. In this movie, Hugh Grant is a well off guy surviving on his dad's royalties, having a good time doing nothing but watching TV. He dates a single mother but unfortunately their relationship ends amicably, soon comes up with an idea to date single mothers only by joining a group called SPAT (Single Parents Alone Together). What life throws on him is a hilarious ride and how it all ends is simply superb, it actually made me laugh out loud like crazy, totally loved his straight face comedy. The guy even when in so much trouble makes a damn good face and tries to walk out of trouble in his own ways. Watch out for the last scene and his performance on stage – you will be in splits for sure. It’s a damn good one time watch especially for those who love clean comedies. Not to be missed. 

Rachel Weisz

The Movie: As I mentioned earlier, Hugh is such a nice guy even in this movie that all his antics sound and look so genuine. His frustrations, confusions, reactions, even when he blurts out something in anger, it makes me laugh big time. Like it happens in this movie couple of times. The story is very simple and straight forward of a guy “Will” (Hugh Grant), who practically does nothing for a living as his dad composed some Christmas songs and the royalty coming from the same is more than enough for him to live a comfortable life. One fine day he meets a single mother but just in a couple of days he realizes they aren’t meant to be together but since he is a nice guy and cares for her feelings – it’s very hard for him to break off with her. To his shock, even she had the same feeling and they call it off amicably. But with this relationship he realizes one thing that its easy to be in a relationship with a single mother, have a good time and move on to the next, without any commitment or responsibility. During one of his grocery shopping trips he comes across an ad talking about a group called SPAT (Single Parents Alone Together), he joins them and claims that he has a two year old son whose currently gone with his separated wife. There he meets another parent and goes around with her. During one of their picnic trips, he meets her friend’s 12 year old son Marcus (Nicholas Hoult). What happens in the picnic is hilarious stuff as Marcus kills a duck with a loaf of bread but Will saves him by creating a story, with which Marcus gets pretty impressed and develops a bond with him gradually.

Natalia Tena

Marcus’s mother too is a single parent and she tries committing suicide but somehow she is saved by Will and her neighboring friend who Will was dating previously. Marcus tries Will to date his mom to save her from loneliness but after their first date he follows Will and realizes that he neither has a kid nor is a divorcee. Marcus being a smart kid blackmails his way to his home and gets an access to Will’s house as and when he wishes. They develop quite a good bond as they go out together and Will does helps him on couple of things, they do spend some good time together at Will’s house. It was damn good to see Marcus’s popularity starts growing in his school and he too ends up going around with a hot tom boyish girl Ellie (Natalia Tena), in the meantime Will too comes across Rachel (Rachel Weisz) and he uses Marcus as his own son to appear interesting to her. How they all meet and what goes around with Rachel’s son and Marcus is hilarious, finally they end up breaking off as well and finally Will and Marcus too fight it off between themselves. What happens next and how it falls all over in right place is a classic ending. The last half an hour off the movie is too good with thinks going out of hands but again falling in right places. Marcus’s social suicide even after his girl friends warning is too good and how Will saves him on stage is one hell of a scene. The way they have used one of my favorite songs “Killing me softly” here – it had me in splits. I am sure comedy lovers will enjoy this one big time.

Fire in Babylon (2012) - Documentary

I wonder what took them bloody two years to release this fantastic 2010 British Documentary on West Indian cricketers one year in our part of the world. But I am glad it did finally and we get to see the ups and down in Windies cricket with some real good insight thrown in by the some of the greatest crickets of world cricket like Viv Richards, Michael Holding, Gordon Greenidge, Sir Clive Lloyd, Joel Garner etc. With never seen before footage – this is too good to be missed by anyone who loves and lives cricket. How cricket changes not only the lives of the people who play it – it makes a big difference to their culture too – you’ve got to see this to believe that. I can never forget those days in early 80’s, my mom was and is still a big fan of Windies – whenever their matches will be on TV and Viv Richards or Clive Lloyd is playing – we will not be served lunch, as she refused to go to kitchen as her favorites played on. As long as they played against the world she will be cheering, praising and even praying for them but when they played against India – she will be the one to curse them. I can never forget the way Marshal and Holding bowled those dreadful bouncers. I guess that was the best time for the game of cricket, now a day it’s so technical and commercial that it isn’t that much fun. They were unbeatable for guess what? Fifteen years on the trot from 1980 to 1995 – never lost a test series.

Rowe, Roberts, Garner, Croft and Richards

The Documentary: West Indies is one team which has been my favorite right from my school time days – when cricket wasn’t that much available on TV. Whenever they would visit India or India will go to play with them to foreign destinations – it will be a sight to behold. Fantastic was the way they batted, bowled and fielded. I was shocked to see Sunil Gavaskar playing against the best of the bouncers that too without wearing a helmet – I guess he was the only cricketer who did that during those days. Now a days, you should see the way they come prepared wearing so many pads and stuff to not to get hurt. This is one of its kinds of documentaries that I ever saw on West Indian cricketers. It was heartening to see them up close and personal in this one, I guess this was the first time I saw Vivian Richards talking his heart out and telling us so many never known facts of their life. How and why they became a powerful side, what took them to beat the world and prove that they weren’t a spent force. It was stunning to see what they did against England on their own turf and against Aussies in Australia. How that changed the life of millions of black migrants world over. This proves very clearly that cricket is just not a sport, its way too more than just a game. How the new crop of cricket players emerged in early 70’s in West Indies and later when Clive Lloyd was appointed as captain in mid 70’s – it changed the game in totality for Windies. I still remember my mom rated him too high and realized he was respected world over as one of the greatest cricketers of his own times; he is still respected big time.

Sir Clive Lloyd

The documentary talks about the struggle West Indian players had faced in the initial years; their pay packets were so thin that it was tough for them to keep up with the changing times. It talks about the ban they faced by playing against the apartheid South Africa and its effect on Windies cricket. The arrival of Gordon Greenidge, Desmond Haynes, Joel Garner and Malcolm Marshal (My all time favorite bowler) in West Indian cricket team. They were unstoppable and unbeatable for so many years in Test Cricket especially. I remember those days very clearly when they were one of the most feared cricket teams ever. It shows us everything about them, the good days, the struggle, the emergence of modern cricketers. Even today when I see their new age Chris Gayle, Simmons, Bravo, Sammy or Kieron Pollard batting, it reminds me of those great criketers. One of the best part of the documentary was its background score and music – I totally loved Bob Marley’s presence in it, although brief but it was too good. It was heartening to see him meeting the team and telling them to win for the country. He even sang songs to motivate them.