Saturday 17 May 2014

LINGAA Tamil Movie Review

Linga movie review















Release date:-  november 2014

Director :- Ravikumar 

Cast :- Rajinikanth, sonakshi sinha,Anushka

Lingaa is an tamil action movie direction by K S Ravikumar. The movie starring with Superstar Rajinikanth, Sonakshi Sinha and Anushka in lead roles. Cinematography is handled by Randy and A R Rahman is composing music. The movie is written by Pon Kumar. Movie Pooja happened at Chamundeshwari Temple in Mysore on May 2nd, 2014.

Kochadaiiyaan Tamil Movie Review

Kochadaiiyaan Movie Review

Release date: 23/May/2014

Director:- Soundarya Rajnikanth

Producer:- Eros International & Mediaone Global Entertainment

Music Director:- A.r. Rahman

Cast:- Rajnikanth ,Deepika Padukone , Sarathkumar R, Jackie Shroff, Aadhi , Sneha , Shobana , Nassar ,





Friday 9 May 2014

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Movie Review

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Review




Over the years, the iconic Spider-Man has enthralled millions and with each new edition, be it comics, television series or films, our expectations soar for a fantastic action-packed drama.

Unfortunately, the much-awaited, Marc Webb's "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" is a damp squib. Cluttered with numerous sub-plots that lead to textual inconsistency, it offers a bland, insipid and a tangled fare packed with adolescent angst and predictable action.

This film takes off from its prequel, "The Amazing Spider-Man". It begins with a flash back in a sepia-toned sequence beginning at the OsCorp Industries. The sequence explains the mysterious disappearance and death of the scientist Richard Parker (Cambell Scott) and his wife Mary (Embeth Davidtz).

After establishing this, the film then shifts gear full throttle to a present-day action-packed sequence, where their son, Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) continues to fight crime as Spider-Man.

Interspersed with; dynamically energetic shots of the web-slinger swinging between skyscrapers and chasing a rogue truck driver with silly tongue-in-cheek wisecracks and more than a few visual gags, the sequence is everything you could want from a Spider-Man movie. If Webb's entire sequel had operated on that level, it would have been remarkable and a different story to tell.

But instead, in this version, Spider-Man, Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) is in a soup over the affairs of his heart. He is distraught with pangs about; his relationships with his girlfriend Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone), his best childhood buddy Harry Osbon (Dane DeHaan), his fan Max Dillon (Jamie Foxx) who later transforms in to the villain Electro. He also pines to find the truth about his biological parents.

And in between all this emotional mesh, he gives us a dose of his "Spider-Man" antics.

The lean Andrew Garfield nails Parker's inherent awkward-yet-earnest goofiness. He is mischievously charming while romancing his real-life girlfriend Emma Stone on screen and at the same time he touches your heart in the powerful scene with Sally Field who plays his Aunt May.

The modestly radiant Emma Stone enthuses subtleness into her character, Gwen Stacy. She brightens the stage when she is with her beau. Similarly, Dane DeHaan stimulates the screen as the young damaged and arrogant billionaire who is defenseless and yet spiteful.

Jamie Foxx, in his one-dimensional avatar is impressionable. But unfortunately his imprint along with all the other the characters in the film have a fluid charm because in the larger scenario, the characters are pretty superficial and are treated just as comic book characters, without depth.

Here, the fault lies not with the actors but with the script delivered by Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci and Jeff Pinker. The orphaned sub-plots loosely tie up the story in totality. Unfortunately, no justice is done to extract the optimum out of each of these story lines as well as the characters involved.

The background score and music by Hans Zimmer is lively and invigorating and different from his previous works. The numbers, "I'd love you more than you are gone" along with "It's On Again" are worth a mention.

Visually, with fine production values, it is a treat to watch cinematographer Daniel Mindel's work shot on 35 mm film in the anamorphic format. These frames seamlessly merge with the computer generated images and are layered well by Paul Massey and David Giammarco.

The 3D is pretty ineffective in nearly ninety percent of the film. It's only in a couple of shots when the shrapnel flies in the air that one flinches. Otherwise Spider-Man's plunges et al work equally well in the 2D version.

Overall, there is nothing amazing in "The Amazing Spider-Man 2.

Yeh hai Bakrapur movie Review

Yeh hai Bakrapur Review




Satires have become an increasingly popular genre in Bollywood from being almost non-existent. A genre kick-started by the classic Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron, remained dormant before resurfacing stronger in the last few years. Subsequently films such Peepli Live, Well Done Abba, Phas Gaye Re Obama, Tere Bin Laden and Jolly LLB have managed to deliver the correct message along with the rib-tickling entertainment - the satire mainstay. Janki Vishwanathan's Yeh Hai Bakrapur attempts to take the genre ahead. 

YHB is the story of a goat called Shahrukh, who is set to be sold off at an animal market. It is the story of the family who is going through financial hardship and selling of Shahrukh is the only way they can pay back a loan, but suddenly realizes that keeping the goat could be more rewarding. It is the story of the village which jumps in the bandwagon - to find their share of luck from the blessed goat. It is also the story of a country which is ruled by blind faith. And above all it is a satire about ever-increasing human greed, which is the only one that scores over blind faith.

A silent milieu takes a dramatic turn when Shahrukh, the goat, is found to be divine courtesy the name of god being imprinted on his body. YHB has a very well oiled storyline - with a new twist building up every time you believe there could be a possible lull. What works for the film is that despite having a goat as the unlikely protagonist, the story is completely believable. The director also manages to squeeze humour out of her quirky characters. The characters fit beautifully into the story, never for once seeming out of place.

The actors justify their jobs. An earnest Anshuman Jha and seasoned Asif Basra are the best of the lot. 

What does not work for the film is that it does not have genuine laughing points - something that satires can rarely do without. The film is filled with subtle humour which will make you smile but not crack up. The film could have also been edited better. The most upsetting aspect is however the ending. With no proper conclusion to the story it makes one wonder if the writer ran out of ideas on how to finish what he started. 

Yeh Hai Bakrapur has a very interesting premise. However it falls short of becoming a really good film. It will make you smile nonetheless at the inane situations that can actually become a reality in the country.

Koyelaanchal Hindi Movie Review

Koyelaanchal Review



As Koyelaanchal reaches interval point, the story is all set for Suniel Shetty to get into his 'Balwaan' mode and bash the goons out of their senses. But that's where the film scores some brownie points as it keeps the actor true to the character. 

Another film set against the backdrop of the coal mafia, after the recent Gangs of Wasseypur and Gunday, Koyelaanchal has a few things that work for it. Primary among these are the characters. Though not as edgy and entertaining as Sardar Khan, Ramadhir Singh and Faisal Khan from Anurag Kashyap's GOW, these are far more rooted in reality than Bikram and Bala from Gunday. 

The same goes with the dialogues as well. There is a fair amount of work done to keep it real even as attempt is made to keep the humour of the regional dialect. 

Koyelaanchal is set in a village called Rajapur in Jharkhand - an epicenter of coal mining. The attempt is to show the corruption and resultant parallel government that a certain mining contractor Suryabhan Singh [Vinod Khanna] runs. When Niseeth Kumar [Suniel Shetty] arrives in the district as the new Collector, he figures he has a lot to do. However he is up against brute forces that will not stop from getting personal to ensure business is on track.

You only wish they used as much work on the screenplay. The film, with a close to one-and half hour second half after a relatively shorter first could have been much shorter if worked on with precision. This is where the director loses way and then there is no looking back. 

Many directors develop their signature treatment to a film and Asshu Trikha seems to have his own. His is jarring loud music coupled with weird sound effects. So you have unbearable background music and some strange whiplash sound whenever the Suryabhan Singh is involved in a scene. Add to this some particularly amateurish VFX scenes of blasts and fire. And not to forget the gore that could have been done without.

All this is more than enough to overpower what could have been a decent film into a half-baked half-hearted affair. And some earnest performances by its lead actors don't help. Buy a ticket? No! Definitely not when there are infinitely better films releasing in the same week!

Manjunath Hindi Movie Review

Manjunath Review

The fear of being silenced more often than not forces most of us to keep mum about surroundings that are not quite ideal. Manjunath Shanmugam was different. An IIM alumnus, Manjunath had decided to fight what was wrong and in process lost his life. That was in 2005. Back then it created a stir. But the question to be asked is, did that stir go on to become an undying movement, or did he die for no cause?

Does his life warrant a film? Yes, it does! It does as much as a film on any of India's most celebrated sons. Manjunath Idiot Tha Saala is a recreated story of this icon. This is an endeavor to tell the story in a documentary like exactness. The film attempts to display the struggle that Manjunath went through as he tried dealing with the fact that it was up to him to fight against corruption. He just could not have just let it be.

Ad-man turned director Sandeep Varma's crafty work displays the transition of a cheerful Manjunath into someone who cannot get over the fact that he is surrounded by corruption. Him change into someone who is regarded as mentally ill by his friends. The director also shows diligence in portraying the relationship between Manjunath and his family. 

He is ably supported by refined performances of his cast. Sasho Satish Sarathy as Manjunath is brilliant. Yashpal Sharma as measured as ever in his role as Golu Goyel, the prime accused. The best of the lot however would be Seema Biswas. She underlines, once again, why she is considered one of the better actress Indian cinema has ever seen. Scenes where she is interacting with Sasho are bound to bring in a smile.

The director also uses music, composed by Parikrama, cleverly. 

The film however loses much of its impact due the slip in the screenplay in the second half. As the writer wanders into realms best left unexplored in order to get make a moral statement the film gets seemingly longer, and slower.

It's limitations albeit, Manjunath is one film that should be watched. Just to remind us of that one tale of courage if not for its cinematic value. Having said that, director Sandeep Varma should be applauded for making a film that is true to the subject and not sensationalized.

Belle Movie Review

Belle Movie Review


Director: Amma Assante
Starring: Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Tom Wilkinson, Emily Mortimer, Sarah Gadon, Sam Reid, Miranda Richardson, James Norton, Tom Felton



I have an old friend who believes without question that the trailers you see before a DVD are a perfect indication of the quality of the movie you are about to watch. I must admit that she has been spot on much of the time. Her theory was going through my head while I was viewing BELLE as I remember seeing the trailer for it in theaters and feeling utterly unmotivated to see the film. I wondered about the hypothesis in reverse: Perhaps, it is those films whose trailer looks SO awesome that in the end fall short, and vice versa. That is certainly the case with BELLE. It’s hard to grip viewers with thrilling, breathless, sleep-at-the-theater-the-night-before anticipation for a period piece given that they are usually low on pyrotechnics, super-suits and Jason Statham. With his shirt off. Sweaty. I digress. BELLE is not only a very good story based on factual events, it is a good film and it is an important film in my opinion.
If we are going to talk about slavery films, I debated heartily over 12 YEARS A SLAVE which I feel fell short of its potential and failed to hook me emotionally. I am very lonely in my position in regard to that film but I’m fine with that. While I do not want to reduce my opinion to mere gender differences it may very well be because I am a woman that my passion, rage and heartbreak were roused by BELLE, as it is a film as much about women and their roles, value and place in society as it is about slavery. It delivers several threads woven seamlessly together and it works. It fortunately doesn’t devolve into hyperbole and bodice ripping like so many historical films. I’ve got nothing against some good bodice ripping mind you but its a cheap thrill compared to intelligently presented ethical discussions. And of course, there’s a smidge of love story thrown in for good measure.
BELLE is based upon the life of the real Dido Elizabeth Belle (1761-1904) who was the illegitimate daughter of Admiral Sir John Lindsay and a slave known as Maria Belle. Lindsay took Belle, played by the bewitching Gugu Mbatha-Raw, to be raised by his uncle the First Earl of Mansfield, William Murray (portrayed by the unparalleled Tom Wilkinson) and his wife (played by Emily Mortimer), who had no children of their own. Already in their care was the young Lady Elizabeth Murray (Sarah Gadon) and it was thought it would be good for the Lady Murray to have a companion her own age. William Murray was also during that period serving as Lord Chief Justice of the King’s Bench (great title I say) who was, by virtue of his judgment in Somersett’s Case, instrumental in abolishing slavery in England. In the film the pivotal case involves a slave ship with a tragic end but it matters not – the life of Dido Belle, the trajectory of the legal case, marriage for position and power versus love and a ruthless portrait of women’s place in society all play well together in the film. The irony of the Lord Chief of Justice having to raise an illegitimate half black girl is not lost on the audience. It is in fact the very tension between what he believes, feels and lives in his own home versus what he is charged to rule upon which gives the film its core dramatic tension and force. The outcome of Murray’s decision will either uphold and condone the British slave trade, or strike it down and alter the entire nation, and that serves as a intelligent skeleton for Belle’s personal story.
Additionally, we are given a painful view from the standpoint of the women of the age and the sad reality that their standing in society and ‘net worth’ are the only values they have. Marriage is but a business deal and to act out of fondness or, god forbid, love, is unimaginable. While I hesitate to make an analogy between women’s caste and slavery it is hard to ignore that women were bartered for money, position, land and power. They had zero self-determination whatsoever. Where then does that leave our Belle? A black woman who is higher than a slave, but cannot eat with her family or at a formal dinner because of others’ “defendable objections.” There is a turning point in the film which allows Belle to believe that she has choices, perhaps more than many young women, but in the end it still leaves her – in her own words – nowhere. She is family to the Murrays, but not completely. She is independent and safe, but not really. She is marriageable and beautiful, but not enough. Because she is black. Black enough to be a diversion and “exotic,” but too much to be equal. The scenes in which this ugly truth is displayed made me squirm more than anything graphic I’ve ever seen in another film about slavery. It may be because of the seemingly intelligent civilized society that is the setting of BELLE, and that is why we shudder – we want to believe they know better. Maybe they do, but not to act on it early or frequently enough. No matter how beautiful, intelligent and talented Belle may be we are never far from being reminded that a crushing blow lies just moments away and once more the rug will be pulled out from under her shoving her firmly back in her place. Nowhere.
Mbatha-Raw is absolutely captivating. She effectively communicates both strength and vulnerability with just her gaze and delivers her lines with conviction and power. Wilkinson is as usual flawless and it is always a joy to watch an actor who has the skill to turn a mood with the mere inflection of a syllable. Emily Mortimer too shows restraint and delicacy staying far from what could have been a stereotypically passive and shrill wife. Sam Reid plays John Divinier, one of Belle’s potential suitors. His character is pivotal in the film and allows for a meeting of the mind and spirit with Belle. However I found myself wishing that Reid had more sheer physical presence. I felt that I was watching an 18th century surfer dude and it left me yearning for his physicality and manner to match his character’s passion, beliefs and drive. He is just a bit too soft and young to visually covey what his fine dialogue does.
The film is deftly edited and that is saying a lot these days. It moves along smoothly and swiftly, giving us only necessary details and visuals, and there is little that is superfluous. Director Amma Assante has one previous feature film under her belt and evidently has an aptitude for working with her female characters in particular. It is not that the men in BELLE are one-dimensional, especially not Wilkinson who moved me to tears more than once, it is more that they are mere pawns placed among Belle who allow her to see her path more clearly.
It is a lovely film visually but it does not dwell on the landscape as a crutch as so many sweeping historical sagas tend to do. Giant green carpets of lawn and columnar manor homes can make up for a multitude of sins in screenwriting. BELLE is purely character driven and asks of its audience important questions:. What, exactly, is freedom? Are we free only in comparison to some construct or constraint? What are we willing to risk to do the “right” thing? How do you effect change when you are an instrumental part of the machine which created and upholds inequality and suffering? I am not saying BELLE answers all of these deep quandaries, but it does a lovely job asking the right questions and showing us about love, family, principles and honor.


Thursday 8 May 2014

Devil’s Knot Movie Review

Devil’s Knot Review


Director: Atom Egoyan
Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Alessandro Nivola, Colin Firth, Bruce Greenwood, Dane DeHaan, Mireille Enos, Kevin Durand, Stephen Moyer and Elias Koteas

I find it impossible that any filmmaker could make one of the most notorious crimes of the 20th Century feel uninspiring and distasteful at the same time. For all of the notoriety amidst the fact-based disturbing subject matter, and one that continues to shock and surprise to this day, Atom Egoyan’s DEVIL’S KNOT (based on the same-titled book by Mara Leveritt) comes as both pointless and perplexing after what has come before.
Admittedly, Egoyan was always going to be up against it. Bruce Sinofsky and Joe Berlinger’s acclaimed and exhaustive trio of PARADISE LOST documentaries, not forgetting Amy Berg’s more recent and equally unforgettable WEST OF MEMPHIS, surely meant there is little more we needed to know or could learn about the troubling true horror story. Some could argue that allowing dramatic licence would shed new light on the controversial case and bring it to the attention of even more. Although possibly forgetting that could well have had an adverse effect on all of the good work built, even if some claim that the film was written to us remind us that six families lives were torn apart that summer in Arkansas, and not only three lost to a life behind bars. Certainly screenwriter Scott Derrickson wanted that to be conveyed when I spoke to him about his script late last year. Instead, DEVIL’S KNOT feels like an intentional attempt for Reese Witherspoon to land herself another Oscar, and by roping in British fave Colin Firth to add a little more weight, we’re ultimately left with something bordering on shameful.
For those of you unfamiliar with the harrowing events leading up to the incarceration of the West Memphis Three (Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley Jr.), young 8 year-old’s Steve Branch, Christopher Byers and James Michael Moore we’re found savagely butchered in a muddy ditch on the Robin Hood Hills on the 5th May, 1993. Increasingly under-pressure detectives finally setting their sights on the three teens. A love of heavy metal music, wearing black and an interest in the occult seeing them perfect candidates to close a desperate case for a community baying for blood.
Witherspoon dominates the film as Pam Hobbs, whether throwing eye-rolling suspicious looks across the courtroom or perfecting her stereotypical “poor white trash” Southern drawl, assuring us it’s all about her in a tragic tale that had so many more victims. For a passionate investigator, who instinctively knew something didn’t smell right with the police’s inept inquiry, Firth is surprisingly lackadaisical in his approach to playing the legendary Ron Lax. As for the rest of the impressively starry and talented cast? Wasted. Every single one of them. That word “stereotypical” cropping up again. You have to question some of their motives for getting involved at all with so little for them to chew on. A possible trip down the red carpet come awards season? If there is anyone deserving of praise it’s Nivola. He at least offers something suitably complex to the role of Terry Hobbs, and with his character’s part in those events now coming under scrutiny, you can’t help but pick him as the stand-out.
Given that Witherspoon is one of those who fought for this part, the most offensive aspect about film comes with part of the final crawl: “Pam Hobbs continues to fight for the truth about her son”. For a project desperate to preserve the memory of those three murdered boys and remind us it wasn’t all about a miscarriage of justice, they neglect to mention that another two sets of parents must certainly feel the same.

Bad Neighbours Movie Review

Bad Neighbours Review


Director: Nicholas Stoller

Starring: Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne and Zac Efron







If you’re familiar with the previous films of director Nicholas Stoller, like FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL and GET HIM TO THE GREEK, the chances are you’ll have a good idea of what to expect from his latest effort, BAD NEIGHBOURS (aka NEIGHBORS to give it its Stateside moniker). Like his earlier work, it’s crude, silly and laden with an unhealthy number of dick jokes. But while the likes of GET HIM TO THE GREEK was sustained (just) by the occasional laugh out loud high point, BAD NEIGHBOURS is disappointingly devoid of any real stand out moments.
Mac and Kelly Radner (played by Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne respectively) are a young couple with a baby girl, attempting to settle down and start a home. But when a fraternity house moves in next door, the constant partying and wild antics soon ruin their idyllic vision of suburban life, forcing Mac and Kelly to rid themselves of the late night revellers by whatever means necessary. Of course, the frat boys, and particularly their president (played by Zac Efron), are not so easily discouraged, and what ensues is series of zany schemes and crazy pranks that just aren’t as zany, crazy or indeed funny as they ought to be.
Imbued with a general sense that the whole thing’s been hastily cobbled together, BAD NEIGHBOURS is just too formulaic to be as outrageous and wild as it might like. Though the film does its best to perpetuate the mythology of the fraternity house partying like it’s 1999, it’s all far too forced and in the end feels limp and hackneyed. Though Efron puts in a good effort with a character that is generally unlikeable, he and his frat boy brothers, with their barrels of weed and homemade dildos, feel like the ill-conceived rejects of a straight-to-video AMERICAN PIE sequel. But all that could be forgiven if there were just a few more laughs.
Aside from an incident in which Mac falls fowl of a hidden airbag, too many jokes fall flat and it actually feels pretty lazy. When you’re watching Seth Rogen milk his wife’s engorged breasts or you’re confronted with a character who can induce an erection at will—without doubt, the comedy low point here—you know you’re scraping the barrel.
Curiously for a comedy, BAD NEIGHBOURS is actually at its best when it’s not trying to make you laugh. As the frat boys approach graduation and stare their future in the face, Efron and co. are forced to consider what it means to move on and enter the real world. And, while Rogan is on autopilot as the same lovable stoner he’s played in pretty much every film, he and Byrne manage to generate a decent, likeable chemistry with some enjoyable back and forth banter. Thanks to this pairing, BAD NEIGHBOURS actually comes to a rather sweet conclusion, reasoning that maybe it’s okay to settle down. Maybe it’s okay to grow up. If only Stoller had taken his own advice.
For all the sex, drugs and genital humour, BAD NEIGHBOURS is an experience that is actually pretty bland. So if you want a generally enjoyable, occasionally amusing romp, you’re better off sticking with GET HIM TO THE GREEK. And honestly, I never thought I’d say that.

Blue Ruin English Movie Review

Blue Ruin Review


Director: Jeremy Saulnier
Starring: Macon Blair, Devin Ratray, Amy Hargreaves

Make no mistake, this is the revenge movie of the year. A cold-blooded yet emotionally gripping independent marvel which feels like it arrived from thin air and swept through the scene like an unstoppable but refreshing wind. A story worthy of a Hollywood classic, direction reminiscent of a modern-day Hitchcock and a cast that wouldn’t go amiss in a Coen Brother’s masterpiece. It’s a sharp, unforgiving indie rollercoaster that grabs you by the throat from the off and never let’s go until those credits roll. A character study on a character we shouldn’t morally like, the fastest slow burner (if that’s cinematically possible) to grace our screens in recent years and a sure-fire hit destined for a cult status. It’s bold, original, uncompromising and absolutely captivating…and it just so happens to be little unknown filmmaker Jeremy Saulnier’s first foray into independent cinema.
Actualy, allow me to correct myself because right now Saulnier should be anything but unknown. Many debut features are merely just a dip in the water, a taste of promising things to come and if ‘Blue Ruin’ is Saulnier’s practice run then Hollywood undoubtedly has a new master craftsman on their hands. Hitting the ground running at 200mph, Saulnier’s efforts are clearly realised when the whole piece feels as if we’re going at 5mph. It’s this sublime technique which builds its’ resilient suspense from the opening credits all the way through to the very end. It’s Hitchcock in the modern redneck era, Nolan with a gritty edge or Greengrass getting personal.
We start off in Delaware, USA. A middle-aged scruffy looking man takes a bath in a middle class peaceful house. We already gather that this isn’t his home and before we know it he jumps out of the window with nothing but a towel and his well accomplished beard. From then on we follow Dwight, a very clearly disturbed vagrant living in a derelict car and eating from bin bags. One morning he is informed that his parent’s murderer is released from jail and so ensues a trail of vengeance and utter destruction.
Where this differs from previous revenge flicks is that it focuses on the conscience, the psychological trauma that follows after any blaze of bloody violence. This is all down to Macon Blair’s unforgettable turn as the film’s lead. Blair manages to move away from the stereotypical homeless man of Hollywood and allows us to witness a humanity, a twisted sense of emotional abandonment and a sudden realisation that this could happen to any of us.  Already famously compared to the Coen’s debut ‘Blood Simple’, Blair’s presence, intentional or not, steers more towards Shane Meadows’ DEAD MAN’S SHOES whilst also making room to honour previous vengeance stories such as GET CARTER and KILL BILL. However, this is something entirely different, it feels intimate and personal and as a large majority of Saulnier’s family were involved in the production and the film dedicated to a Saulnier, it feels that this has been something he has been waiting to shout from the rooftops for a long, long time.
As debut indie features go, BLUE RUIN is unprecedented filmmaking. Funded by Saulnier himself and from the help of public funding, it’s a prime example that an industry level film doesn’t always need the industry to make it happen and it’s a credit to the creator and its’ lead that they managed to tell a story that numerous Hollywood folk have been trying years to accomplish.
The year’s first best indie gem and the most ambitious debut in recent years. An unavoidable calling card for Saulnier and Blair and an overdue reinvention of a worn out genre. This is a slick, suspenseful and unbelievably gripping film which will hopefully get the attention it deserves.

Delivery The Beast Within Movie Review

Delivery The Beast Within Review

Director: Brian Netto
Starring: Laurel Vail, Danny Barclay, Rob Cobuzio, Rebecca Brooks, David Allan Graf, Lance Buckner, Peter McLynn



‘In 2009 Kyle and Rachel Massey agreed to document their first pregnancy for a reality television series,’ reads DELIVERY’s first intertitle. ‘The show would never make it to air.’
This is Paranormal Uterus Activity. Styled as a behind the scenes documentary concerning the shelved television series in question (also called ‘Delivery’), the horror of THE BEAST WITHIN is derived from its faux documentary formula.
This strict adherence to the tried and tested guidelines of the genre results in a convincing mock documentary. The first twenty minutes of the film depicting the non-broadcast pilot of ‘Delivery’ almost in its entirety, is a triumph, uncannily resembling the material on which it is based.
Viewed on its own, the pilot sequence would excite any US constructed reality fan. The onscreen graphics are suitably kooky, the goofy chitter-chatter knowingly inane and the embedded music omnipresent. Kyle (Danny Barclay) and Rachel (Laurel Vail) are judged just right. They are cute without being unbearably saccharine or schmaltzy.
This section, though, isn’t without its problems. Whilst it is a fine method of introducing and developing characters, it is notably deficient in scares. That in itself isn’t necessarily a bad thing for a first act, the trouble is that the show-within-a-film lacks the anticipation of a scare because we, the audience, know that this is meant to be a fit for transmission, 8pm documentary about expectant parents. It’s like standing in the base in a game of tig. You can’t be got at and you know it.
Comprising of unused footage from the abandoned project and littered with talking heads, the remaining hour and ten is the pay-off for persevering with this initial barren land of horror.
Unlike the ever fashionable torture porn that elicits a visceral pleasure from the dismembering of beautiful people, DELIVERY is very much part of the old school. An old school that teaches that a fear of seeing protagonists fail can be a just as potent method of delivering horror than the butchering of barely sentient department store mannequins.
Other than the central premise of a haunted pregnancy, the drive of THE BEAST WITHIN is about real people with real problems, engaged in real domestic pacts that force their hands. The couple stay in their seemingly possessed home because they can’t afford anywhere different, and an abortion is never considered because these are two people motivated by love and optimism.
We know this because we see the characters interact, this is again thanks to the reality television element of the piece. Not a flippant, throwaway gimmick as I had anticipated, but rather the film’s crutch. To have made DELIVERY about any other couple would have sacrificed the authenticity of the sequence of events. Without Kyle and Rachel being followed about with cameras, the narrative would have felt more accidental, coincidental and scattergun.
It’s not all serious however. The film also succeeds in gently prodding and playing with overused horror tropes, affecting a kitschy TEETH-like tone. The revulsion of animals, nightmares, spooky paintings, religion, technical interference, the list of targets is almost endless, yet it does not detract from the film’s main job of causing us to jump from our chairs.
Come at DELIVERY: THE BEAST WITHIN from whichever angle you like and find yourself presently surprised. It is an exciting directorial debut from an undoubted new talent.
DELIVERY: THE BEAST WITHIN is release on VOD on 27th May and in limited US cinemas from 30th May. UK fans can catch it on DVD from the 12th May. 

Walk Of Shame Movie Review

Walk Of Shame Review


Director: Steve Brill
Starring: Elizabeth Banks, James Marsden, Gillian Jacobs, Sarah Wright

All title and director surname puns aside and all anguish let go of with the rolling of the credits; it is no surprise that ‘weak sauce’ comedy-caper WALK OF SHAME is living up to it’s name at the US box office. With scantily even a good thing to say about Elizabeth Banks, who lets face it – we ALL love to love, it’s obvious that writer/director Steve Brill hasn’t put pen to paper in 14 years. I’m assuming he hasn’t been on a date in as much time either, at least not to the pictures.
It should be doing all right as a date movie shouldn’t it? After all that’s exactly what it is. Don’t get me wrong; I know there is absolutely, positively a place for trashy, easy-watching comedies. I love a good cabbagy movie. Forget DRILLBIT TAYLOR but Mr. Deeds, which is another old Brill one, is believe it or not one of my favourite Sandler flicks! But just like in the vegetable world, there is ‘savoy’ (good) cabbage and then there’s crap cabbage. WALK OF SHAME is not a savoy cabbage! The oh-so thin plot, which boils away to literally nothing, goes like this…
Meghan (Elizabeth Banks) is dragged out drinking at a club in downtown LA by her two annoying besties Rose (Gillian Jacobs) and Denis (Sarah Wright). After being dumped by her fiancée and losing out on a huge promotion at her job as a news anchor, it’s pretty much exactly what she needs. In a heartbeat, she meets Gordon (James Marsden), the guy of her dreams who drives them back to his place in Meghan’s car to get it on. Short story short – she prepares to tip toe out early to go home but luckily hears a voicemail informing her that the job could once more be hers, IF she makes it into work on time and delivers a final convincing news reading. My oh my. She must be so excited because she somehow ends up out on the street moneyless, carless and cellphoneless. Hmm. [Insert hole here] With nothing but a strangely undermining look at her skills as an independent woman to employ, she is a babe in the woods. ‘Lost in the hood’, she is naïve and innocent in an attention grabbing canary yellow dress.
It could just be me, but I think a sense of what is an acceptable standard in comedy is fading. In all seriousness, that yellow dress is about the only bright thing about this film. With a lot of forced narrative and few very forced laughs for a comedy; the shapely dress and the poster image of the girl in it are about the only honest elements on offer that actually feature in the film. They will no doubt contribute to a large portion of what tickets do sell; each participant a moth to the proverbial flame that is fatal patterned conformity. I suppose the template can result in success, but this relies wholly on plot developments that include interesting character and scenario coming together to form the opportunity for good humour. In this instance, like so many disposable films before it; I felt completely exhausted before the pointless journey had even begun. I recently turned off WE’RE THE MILLERS only thirty minutes in and THIS was even worse. Go back to 1994 and BABY’S DAY OUT offered more childish high points.
I can’t help hoping that Banks jumped unknowingly on the offering of a lead role following her delightful casting in the ongoing THE HUNGER GAMES franchise. A momentary gem in THE 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN and a total diamond in ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO (Smith Knows how to work her); she also works overtime in many a successful TV show too, like 30 Rock and Modern Family. I’m not sure what Marsden’s excuse is but in my opinion this project is completely beneath the both of them. I really dismay to think of so many worthy independents struggling so hard to gain recognition and cinema release, when such pathetic and lazy productions are polished up into glossy products and spoon fed to the masses. WALK OF SHAME might look attractive tonight and you may wanna be spoon fed our little bird, but trust me you will regret it. Take my advice and do what the filmmakers seemingly did at every turn. Don’t give yourself any grief. Take the easy way out.

Million Dollar Arm English Movie Review

Million Dollar Arm Review



Director: Craig GillespieStarring: Jon Hamm, Suraj Sharma, Madhur Mittal, Pitobash Tripathy, Lake Bell, Aasif Mandvi, Alan Arkin, Bill Paxton, Allyn Rachel Rating: PG Running Time: 120minutes The only other movie I’ve seen of Craig Gillespie’s was MR. WOODCOCK, and if you had seen that, then you might understand why I was a little concerned with how MILLION DOLLAR ARM would turn out. Thankfully, Mr. Gillespie did not disappoint! MILLION DOLLAR ARM is based on the true story of how sports agent, J.B. Bernstein, started the Million Dollar Arm competition, after his business was going broke. Bernstein needed baseball pitchers so he started a contest (and eventually a reality show) called Million Dollar Arm that took place in India. It was a contest where the first place prize was one hundred thousand US dollars and the second place prize was ten thousand US dollars. Both however, were brought to America to start training to try out for a Major League Baseball team. Most of the boys who tried out have never watched or played baseball which adds to the thrill and fascination of this story. To sum up the movie without completely spoiling it, the audience witnesses the yearlong journey in store for the all three of these characters. The story is amazing. Very uplifting, encouraging, and quite funny, too! I assumed this movie was going to be a complete drama with maybe two funny parts, but I was proven wrong. I felt every emotion throughout the entire film: happiness, anger, sadness, confusion, joy, nervousness- it was all there! When you can make an audience feel all of that in one sitting, you are well on your way to having a successful movie. What also helps is having a phenomenal cast.  Jon Hamm is listed as the top-billing star, but I want to give a round of applause to Suraj Sharma, Madhur Mittal, and Pitobash Tripathy.  They were definitely the stars of this movie. I believe they are all from India, so they were able to channel what it is like to come to America for the first time because I am sure they all went through what the real Patel and Singh went through; culture shock. I could feel their emotions and at one point cried with them because they were so believable. That, my friends, is astonishing acting. Everyone else in the movie was great, too! With actors like Jon Hamm, Alan Arkin, and Bill Paxton, you can expect an authentic story to be portrayed. I never heard of Lake Bell until tonight, but she played her character Brenda so well, you could not tell me she isn’t like Brenda in real life. If you love sarcasm, you will love Brenda. The soundtrack was outstanding. There were a few songs that featured some popular names, such as Kendrick Lamar and Wale, but A. R. Rahman composed the majority of the songs. If you’ve seen SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, then you’ve heard some of his material before.  Not only were they really fun songs, but the timing and usage was dead on. It helped with the pacing of the movie and helped enhance certain scenes like Bernstein traveling through India, and the scenes were the boys are training for the competition. Credit must also be given to the editors and producers for their music choices and editing. Great cuts, great transitions, absolutely fantastic work! I only have two criticisms with this movie. I was bit confused at first because it’s called MILLION DOLLAR ARM, but the contestants didn’t make a million dollars. After thinking it over, I suppose the millions went to the business people from all the publicity they recieved, or it is fancier and cooler to say ‘million dollars’ instead of ‘one hundred thousand dollars.’ In any case, this title is extremely misleading. The writers can’t be blamed for that though, because this is based on a true story, so if that’s what it was called in reality, at least the film is staying true to the facts. My second criticism would be that towards the end of the movie, it dragged for like 3-5mins. However, it wasn’t enough, to put a damper on the entire thing. Overall, MILLION DOLLAR ARM is a must see. If you have children, definitely take them to see this movie. It teaches us about different cultures. It’s a great reminder of how fortunate a lot of us are to live where we live. The different settings throughout the movie make that lesson very clear.  The ultimate lesson is best said with the quote: “The man who has won millions at the cost of his conscience is a failure.”  When you see this movie and everything that the stars went through, you will learn how to appreciate and cherish the most important things in your life: family, friends, and yourself.

Aanamika telugu Movie Review

Anaamika Review


Story : Anaamika Sastry (Nayanthara) comes to Hyderabad in search of her husband Ajay Sastry (Harshvardhan Rane), who vanishes without a trace. Parthasarathy (Vaibhav Reddy), an honest cop, empathises with her desperation to find her husband and vows to help her. As the duo try to unravel the mystery behind the sudden disappearance of Ajay Sastry, they find themselves inching closer to a big conspiracy which puts their own lives in danger.

Movie Review : Anaamika is an unlikely film from the stable of Sekhar Kammula and him making a thriller is surprising, to say the least. For a change, the director resists the temptation of imbibing some of his favourite themes like social inequality, coming-of-age theme and innocence. This in turn gives a distinct tone to Anaamika compared to his previous films; however, the film leaves a lot to be desired, in terms of eliciting an emotional response from the audience.

The film's opening scene, which is set in the bylanes near Charminar, sets the tone for a gripping drama, but before we get sucked in to the drama, Sekhar Kammula takes his own sweet time to establish the characters. Soon after Anaamika Sastry comes to Hyderabad, the film slowly into a laborious exercise, where we are told what exactly she does on a daily basis. The only solace during this process is M M Keeravani's scintillating background score, which keeps us hooked on to the screen despite the sheer lack of drama for nearly half the film's running time. Moreover, most part of the film's first half unfolds within the precincts of a police station and a hotel, which in turn restricts the characters and storytelling.

Then there's Parthasarathy (Vaibhav Reddy), the only police officer whom Anaamika can trust, who goes out of his way to solve the case, much to the displeasure of his senior official. The film's most interesting character, however, is another police official named Khan, an encounter specialist played with aplomb by Pasupathy. His frustration can be measured from the puffs of smoke he exhales every minute and surprisingly, he's the most intense character in the film. The second half is a redeeming factor and almost immediately the story moves ahead with enough speed, to make up for all the lost time in setting up the story.

Comparisons are inevitable when one remakes a critically acclaimed film like Vidya Balan starrer Kahani and in the case of Anaamika, Sekhar Kammula almost gets away because he deviates from the original plot to a large extent. Nayanthara is no match to Vidya Balan, but she does a decent job in portraying the role of a woman who is helpless. It's tough to understand what's going through her mind and when the big twist in the film is revealed, we are left wondering how she figured it all out.

Anaamika is by no means a solid thriller, but it's a good effort from Sekhar Kammula who is enamoured with the idea of a helpless woman struggling to find her husband in a city which has learnt to embrace all its contradictions. The only thing missing in the story is edge-of-the-seat drama and that makes all the difference. Watch it if you haven't seen Kahani.

Hawaa Hawaai Hindi Movie Review

Hawaa Hawaai


StoryYoung, slumboy Arjun's only dream is to own a pair of shiny roller skates and be a champion of this sport-on-wheels. But is this little dream too big for his battered boots?

Review: Even slumdogs have dreams bundled away in their crumbling chawls, beneath piles of garbage and atop roofless homes. So what if it's not about millions and mansions, chateaus or chartered planes. Their sapna is made of strong stuff too. As kadak as the chai Arjun Harishchandra Waghmare (Partho), serves daily at the tea-stall for meager wages. Son of a cotton-farmer, he's uprooted from the village after his baba's shocking death, to the slums of Mumbai. Here, he toils long hours to support his family. One evening he witnesses a skating coach, Lucky (Saqib), eagerly training a group of privileged kids. He's besotted by a pair of shiny roller-skates and thereon, this Dharavi boy is on a dream-roll. His adorable buddies (poor kids with 'XL'-sized hearts) Gochi, Bhura, Abdul and Murugan share his dream of "wheel balance ka khel", making his passion their own. On seeing his talent and tenacity, Lucky finds a new goal - to make Arjun a champ. But will his sapna (riding high on his hand-made, red and gold wheels - called 'Hawaa Hawaai') smoothly make it to the finish line?

Amol Gupte's story is soulful, heart-breaking and hopeful - moving you from tears to deep-thought. He skillfully creates a portrait of the lives of deprived children - with profundity and playfulness. The child-like chemistry the kids share is delightful (whether it's bonding over left-over butter chicken or skate-shopping with thirty bucks). It's often stretched and over-dramatized, yet, the story is so heart-warming that the flaws seem like unnecessary details before a climax (however predictable), that's fulfilling. Gupte's children are pure gems - Partho's brilliance wins you over, backed by the rest of the bachchas who're incredibly talented. Saqib is terrific as a coach with an indefatigable spirit and Neha marvels with a motherly act.

'HH''s inspiring story is for children, for the child in all of us and for adults who need to wake up to dream again.

Laddu Babu Telugu Movie Review


Laddu Babu Review



Laddu Babu is the story of Laddu Babu (Allari Naresh) who gains 238 Kgs of weight over three weeks due to a rare mosquito bite. His father Narasaiah (Kota Srinivasa Rao) has a dispute property which can be sold only when Laddu is married off but all his attempts get failed. On the other side Laddu is in deep love with a girl Maya (Poorna). But the later rejects him due to his obesity. Laddu then determine to lose weight at any cost. It was then a kid Murthy (Atulit) enters his life. Who is Murthy? What changes arrive in Laddu Babu's life due to him? is the movie all about.

Allari Naresh tried to shoulder the entire film as always. His hardwork put in to the character is clearly visible on screen. You can only see Laddu Babu and totally forget about the lean Allari Naresh. Avunu fame Poorna is just okay. Bhumika is good as a single mother. Kota is perfect fit as Laddu Babu's father. Rest all are okay.

We can not remember Ravi Babu coming up with such stupid script. The plot is totally flawed with no logic or sense. He failed totally as a director. Audience come to Allari Naresh films for entertainment which is totally absent here.

Camera work of Sudhakar Reddy is average. Chakri's songs are of no importance to the film. Back ground music is just okay. Editing by Marthand K. Venkatesh is a blunder. There is a good half an hour which can be chopped easily. Production values are dismal.

Laddu Babu is a forgettable film for Allari Naresh and Ravi Babu. It is a clear example of a total debacle. I will not advice you to watch it even if you are dying of bore this weekend.