THE HANGOVER 3 ("IT ENDS......IN SUCH A BAD WAY!")

May 31, 2013

Cast: Bradley Cooper, Zach Galfianakis, Ed Helms, Justin Bartha.

Director: Todd Philips.

When The Hangover came out in 2009 it was a really fresh concept that catapulted both the cast and the crew into stardom. Come the carbon copy sequel The Hangover 2 in 2011 and the signs of deterioration started getting apparent. Now with The Hangover 3 it goes beyond correction.

Alan’s father dies not being able to cope up with his son’s condition. So Doug, Phil and Stu along with Alan’s family decides to take him to an intervention centre. Meanwhile Chow escapes from the Bangkok Prison. On the way to the intervention centre the Wolf pack is kidnapped by Marshall(John Goodman) who wants them to find Chow for the gold bars he stole from Marshall.

If you think that’s the perfect recipe for a Wolf pack adventure then you are in for a misfortune! After setting up the scene beautifully till then Tod Phillips forgets the fact that it’s best not to tamper with the original (something which he also forgot while making the second part).

The jokes are lame the situations have nothing new to them and after a point (and a few genuine laughs) you reach a saturation point just because of the repetitiveness, a sort of déjà vu sets in.

While the hardcore fans of the franchise might cheer for the film it would not be too much to say that this is nothing less than an insult to the original.

Finally one really baffling thing about this third part is the involvement of one of the greatest actors in Hollywood, John Goodman, the role has neither the scope for nor the requirement of a big actor.

The second part earned around 600 million dollars worldwide notwithstanding the fact that it was nowhere near the first. But it seems highly unlikely that this final part will do the same for the producers!

I am giving a 2/5 for The Hangover 3. You would not want to watch this if you want to cherish the memories of the original.

IMDB Rating

Rating Scale (Out of 5)

Less than 2                   -           Unwatchable.

2    to 2.25                   -           Below average.

2.5 to 2.75                   -           Average.

                                 

3    to 3.25                   -           Good.

3.5 to 3.75                   -           Really Good.

4    to 4.25                   -           Great.

4.5 and above               -          Extraordinary.

                                                                    

FAST & FURIOUS 6 (“SLOW & INFURIATING!”)

May 24, 2013

Cast: Vin Diesel, The Rock, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez.

Director: Justin Lin.

The franchise got a much needed reboot with the action packed Fast & Furious (Part 4) and it came to the forefront of full blown action entertainers with the explosive Fast Five that took the box office by storm. That is not the case, however, with Fast & Furious 6!

Dom, Brian and gang are spending quiet time in different places after the 100 million dollar heist in Brazil. A new gang of robbers with fast cars has it’s eyes set on a billion dollar technology and Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) faces a challenge like never before. He asks for the help of Dom & Co to nab them.

The first half of the film really tests your patience with all the “supposed” drama that’s happening and the emotions that the characters are going through. But the sad part is, nothing ever really reaches the audience. The writers have tried adding humor in between the scenes but they fall flat on the face. Then comes Letty (from the grave) who acts as if she does not know anyone and everyone except the director seems to be knowing why she is acting weird.

After the interval finally when the audience gears up for some action, they are letdown big time by some lacklustre and badly choreographed sequences. Certain scenes like where Dom leaps from a speeding car over a bridge to catch hold of Letty and then walks away without a scratch are sure to make you wonder if you are watching FF6 or a Vijayakanth movie!

When a decent script with some solid action would have easily captured the fans’ and the general audience’s attention alike, a poor substandard and downright silly script with equally silly and shabbily directed action scenes leaves you very disappointed.       

With Jason Statham coming as the villain in FF7 let us hope it will pick up from where Fast Five left us.

I am giving a 1.25/5 for Fast & Furious 6. This has neither the power of fast five nor the credentials of an action film. Do not waste your time or money.

IMDB Rating

Rating Scale (Out of 5)

Less than 2                   -           Unwatchable.

2    to 2.25                   -           Below average.

2.5 to 2.75                   -           Average.

                                 

3    to 3.25                   -           Good.

3.5 to 3.75                   -           Really Good.

4    to 4.25                   -           Great.

4.5 and above               -          Extraordinary.

                                                                    

STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS ("SPACE ODYSSEY")

May 10, 2013

Cast: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Benedict Cumberbatch.

Director: JJ Abrams.

Star trek that released in 2009 took us by surprise by it’s quality content and classy execution. Four years later with Star trek Into darkness, JJ Abrams gives us yet another memorable experience.

Kirk (Pine) loses the command of USS Enterprise for violating a dozen rules of the Starfleet in an attempt to save Spock (Quinto) from inside of an erupting volcano in a Class M planet in Nibiru. Right afterwards Khan (Cumberbatch) strikes the Starfleet Archive in London and Kirk and team sets out to kill Khan.

Right from the set-piece in Nibiru you are bombarded with breathtaking visuals and effects. Though such precision in visual effects is a common thing in Abrams’ movies the vision he has for Star trek is something quite unique.

Kirk has the same team with him consisting of Spock, Uhura(Saldana), Bones, Scotty, Chekov and Sulu. The chemistry of the whole crew of USS Enterprise is as sparkling as it was in the first edition and you will enjoy when they are on screen.

Though this is gonna be a treat for the Star trek fans the other section of the audience might complain about the screenplay being not as intellectually satisfying as the first part. But it ensures that the fans familiar with all the characters have one of the best movie outings of the year; this is not to mean that those who haven’t watched the first part will be left in the dark.

If the chemistry between Kirk and Spock was one of the highlights of the first film it is definitely the presence of Benedict Cumberbatch in the second film that is gonna woo the audience. He is spectacular as Khan and completely overshadows Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto whenever they are on screen.

Star trek Into darkness is a compact package offering everything in the right amounts.

Iam giving a 3.5/5 for Star Trek Into Darkness. There is a lot of action, camaraderie, fun, emotion and Benedict Cumberbatch. Go for it!

IMDB Rating

Rating Scale (Out of 5)

Less than 2                   -           Unwatchable.

2    to 2.25                   -           Below average.

2.5 to 2.75                   -           Average.

                                 

3    to 3.25                   -           Good.

3.5 to 3.75                   -           Really Good.

4    to 4.25                   -           Great.

4.5 and above               -          Extraordinary.

                                                                    

MUMBAI POLICE ("BOLD ONE!")

May 10, 2013

Cast: Prithviraj, Jayasurya, Rahman.

Director: Roshan Andrews.

Malayalam cinema rose to greatness mainly because of the bold themes that the filmmakers and actors were ready to experiment with. Mumbai Police comes right out of that stable!

ACP Antony Moses (Prithviraj) who is investigating the murder of his friend ACP Aryan John (Jayasurya) meets with an accident when he is on the brink of solving the case and he loses his memory. Now it’s upto Commissioner Farhan (Rahman) (the third one of the trio popularly called as Mumbai Police by the media) to help Moses recover his memory and solve the case.

Coming from Bobby and Sanjay we expect something different in the screenplay and Oh boy! You get just the same it’s a brilliantly crafted screenplay that teases you every now and then with the whodunit part and keeps you guessing till the very end. After a disappointing Casanova, Roshan Andrews bounces back to show his amazing directorial skills to make Mumbai Police very appealing; slick editing and wonderful cinematography add to it.

ASI Sudhakaran mouths Kerala Police oath by heart when the other officers in Moses’ team need a copy to read it from. Scenes like that and characters like that of Rakhi IPS could have been done away with as they serve no purpose to the plot in any manner. Apart from these minor glitches a few minutes in the middle where the “Mumbai Police” camaraderie is shown might look a bit too long but it may be argued that it is required to establish the core of the plot.

Barring these very few shortcomings it’s precise articulate storytelling and those who love investigation stories are gonna have one helluva time! The way Antony Moses B (as he is called by the doctor after the accident) breaks down the case diary of Antony Moses A is written and executed flawlessly; thanks to the brilliant writing, wonderful performances and top class direction.

When Rahman and Jayasurya do their part perfectly well, Prithviraj simply excels as the mean cold blooded Antony Moses A and the conscientious ethical Antony Moses B.

Kudos; to Roshan Andrews for staying faithful to the script(not even including one song in the film), to Bobby and Sanjay for a brilliant product and finally Prithviraj for taking on such a bold role.

Iam giving a 3.5/5 for Mumbai Police. This is one of the best films that have come out recently and it’s a pretty bold one too. Go for it!

Rating Scale (Out of 5)

Less than 2                   -           Unwatchable.

2    to 2.25                   -           Below average.

2.5 to 2.75                   -           Average.

                                 

3    to 3.25                   -           Good.

3.5 to 3.75                   -           Really Good.

4    to 4.25                   -           Great.

4.5 and above               -          Extraordinary.

SOODHU KAVVUM ("KIDNAPPERS IN TOWN")

May 1, 2013

Cast: Vijay Sethupathy, Sanchita Shetty, Radha Ravi, M.S Bhaskar.

Director: Nalan Kumaraswamy.

Nowadays when a film comes along with Vijay Sethupathy as the lead we have started expecting something different, and that is just what you get with Soodhu Kavvum.

Das (Vijay Sethupathy) is a middle aged man with a mental disorder (somewhat a funny version of John Nash in “A beautiful mind” you could say) who is a “professional” kidnapper with a rule list on how to kidnap. He keeps talking to Shalu(the imaginary character that only he can see). He takes 3 jobless youngsters along with him and after a series of petty kidnappings they hit jackpot when they are offered 2 crore rupees for kidnapping the minister’s son.

Scripted and directed by Nalan Kumarasamy, Soodhu Kavvum is a laugh riot with the situations in the screenplay being the main comedian, which is sort of a once in a blue moon event in Tamil cinema.

With no leading actors from the Tamil industry, except for M.S Bhaskar and Radha Ravi doing minor roles, Nalan Kumarasamy shows his mettle extracting solid performances from the entire cast.

Vijay Sethupathy once again does a fine job, but what is to be appreciated more is the fact that he has allowed the director and the screenplay dictate the course of the film. Though it is apparent from the screenplay that Vijay Sethupathy is the main character he never really hogs the limelight. He looks comfortable and happy letting the other actors have some of the best dialogues and scenes in the film.

The praiseworthy editing (considered Kumarasamy’s forte), catchy BGM and wonderful cinematography involving certain moving shots and slow motions spice up the film really well. Every element like thrill, suspense, humor and tension, to name a few, is given in right doses.

But the USP of the film is undoubtedly the tactful and brilliant screenplay that provides laughter throughout the film (even in tense situations) which keeps you engaged all the while. It would not be surprising if Soodhu Kavvum gets repeat audience especially as it’s summer vacation.

Iam giving a 3.5/5 for Soodhu Kavvum. Change is always good and this film is testimony to that statement! Soodhu Kavvum has finesse written all over it.Make sure you watch it!

Rating Scale (Out of 5)

Less than 2                   -           Unwatchable.

2 to 2.25                      -           Below average.

2.5 to 2.75                    -           Average.

3 to 3.25                      -           Good.

3.5 to 3.75                   -           Really Good.

4 to 4.25                      -           Great.

4.5 and above               -           Extraordinary.

                                                                    

ETHIR NEECHAL ("LONG SWIM")

May 1,2013

Cast: Sivakarthikeyan, Priya Anand.

Director: R S Durai Senthilkumar.

Sivakarthikeyan as the hero, Anirudh’s music topping the charts, Dhanush as the producer; he comes in an item dance with Nayanthara as well. Ethirneechal having all these mouth watering elements finally hits the screens so what more can you ask for, right? Well...a lot more!

A couple with no children for quite a long time gets blessed with a baby boy (Sivakarthikeyan) whom they believe has been given to them by the deity named Kunchithapadam, and for the same reason they name him after the deity. People start calling him Kunchi and Kunchithapadam who is a decent athelete feels cursed even when he wins races just because his name gets announced during the presentation ceremony. He is friends with Peter who runs a tailoring shop.

A lot of misfortunes come his way which he believes is because of his name. So he changes his name to Harish. He falls in love with Geetha (Priya Anand) who is a teacher cum LIC agent cum student cum charity worker. After a series of events he decides to take part in a marathon to “earn” his new name! He starts training under Valli who has the National record for 100 metres race.

The first half of the film is rather passable with a few funny scenes, some reminding you of Boss engira Baskaran. The romance between Sivakarthikeyan and Priya Anand is nice but lacks the chemistry actually required. At times it’s hard not to feel if the director was hoping to make the film appealing to the audience by stuffing in as many songs as possible.

The second half mostly concentrates on the training for the marathon and the actual event. The item song involving Dhanush and Nayanthara is nice but it is just as unwanted as Valli’s flashback!

The screenplay though earnestly written lacks the solidarity required  either for a romantic film or a sports film, and when it’s a combination of romance and sports the final product ends up with several loose ends unfortunately. This is not to belittle the training sequences that have been shot really well.

A filmmaker feels victorious when the audience empathise with the characters he is presenting to them, but the characters in Ethirneechal seems half baked and you as the audience end up watching a story that is happening somewhere out there and not something that you can relate to.

In spite of it feeling too long Ethirneechal cannot be termed as a bad film. It does offer entertainment in parts and does not make you feel bored. But that’s that!

Iam giving a 2.5/5 for Ethirneechal. Go in without expectations and you will not feel disappointed.

Rating Scale (Out of 5)

Less than 2                   -           Unwatchable.

2 to 2.25                      -           Below average.

2.5 to 2.75                   -           Average.

                                 

3 to 3.25                      -           Good.

3.5 to 3.75                   -           Really Good.

4 to 4.25                      -           Great.

4.5 and above               -           Extraordinary.

IRON MAN 3 ("HEAVY METAL")

April 26, 2013

Cast: Robert Downey Jr, Gwyneth Paltrow, sir Ben Kingsley, Guy Pearce.

Director: Shane Black.

One of the most anticipated movies of the year has arrived, that too one week ahead of it’s US release just like “The Avengers”. Because of the amazing response from India “The Avengers” had had a super huge opening in the US and it is going to be no different in the case of Iron Man 3!

Tony Stark is more of a responsible person, the reckless womanising character has faded away. He is now in a committed relationship with Pepper. Come Mandarin along with Aldrian Killich and Tony Stark’s world as he knew it changes.

Into middle age, all that generally comes to people in that phase(or may be more) happens with Tony as well; he is anxious, less of a risk taker, fearful of the safety of his family and super anxious to the point of having anxious attacks very often. You can get to see more of the emotional side of the Iron Man here.

After a watered down start (which is intentional) the action starts, once Tony declares an open challenge to The Mandarin, with a super spectacular sequence(action wise, cinematography wise and effects wise), in which Tony loses his house. And after that it’s heavy bombardment time!!!

The plot is an average one but the screenplay infused with a lot of action sequences and humor keeps you engaged even if you are not an Iron Man fan, barring a few scenes. Tony Stark’s equation with the kid in Tennessee will be loved by the younger audience. With Robert Downey Jr as the arrogant, witty, mocking Tony Stark, Gwyneth Paltrow as the ever dependable Pepper, Guy Pearce as the intriguing Aldrian Killich and Sir Ben Kingsley as the interesting Mandarin the performances are nothing short of first class.  

What is most amazing about the film is the unbelievable grip and control that Shane Black has over the action sequences and the effects. His coordination with the technical crew especially the action choreographers, visual effect team and the cinematographer is well evident in the final product on screen.

With a number of over the top action set-pieces it’s carnival time for the Iron Man fans and others alike.

Iam giving a 3.5/5 for Iron Man 3. Gorge on. This is the Iron Man doing what he does best!

IMDB Rating

Rating Scale (Out of 5)

Less than 2                   -           Unwatchable.

2 to 2.25                      -           Below average.

2.5 to 2.75                   -           Average.

3 to 3.25                     -           Good.

3.5 to 3.75                  -           Really Good.

4 to 4.25                     -           Great.

4.5 and above              -           Extraordinary.

                                                                    

THE CROODS ("SUMMER TREAT")

April 19, 2013

Cast: Nicolas Cage, Ryan Reynolds, Emma Stone.

Director: Kirk De Micco, Chris Sanders.

For some reason or the other animation films that release during vacation time are sure to become hits irrespective of the content. The only difference with respect to The Croods is that it’s rich in content as well!

Set in a period 4 million years ago, the croods (as their family is called) lose their cave during the geographical shifts taking place on earth. The over protective Grug (voiced by Nicolas Cage) along with his family is forced to trek through alien lands with the help of Guy(voiced by Ryan Reynolds). Grug’s daughter Eep (voiced by Emma Stone) falls for Guy.

With a weird family consisting of a wife, a cowardly son, a dog like daughter, and a crazy mother in law (apart from Eep ofcourse) the trek with Guy offers plenty of entertainment for the viewers. The antics of the family itself will leave you in splits.

Though it is a simple story the breathtaking visuals and stunning 3D are sure to transport you into a dreamland. If you take kids along you can see them trying to catch the objects on screen every now and then. It’s equally appealing to adults as well. The visual effects and animation team surely deserve a pat on their backs for creating such a visual masterpiece. Some scenes might remind you of ”Avatar” mainly because of the similarity in the landscape and the animals.

Then comes the different animals some of whom most of the time are trying to kill the croods (for food of course). Now do not get me wrong these are not the dangerous sort that you might have seen in “Avatar” for example; these are the funny type and you have to give it to the character development team for making them so endearing. The fluffy colourful adorable scary looking but cowardly tiger, Guy’s belt (that’s an animal for your information), Grug’s son’s pet are just some of the animals you are most certainly going to fall in love with!

The cinematography and some action set pieces are simply stunning and some of the finest that you have seen in the recently released animated movies.

But the strength of the croods lies in it’s brilliant script, knowing it’s limits(not attempting to stuff in unnecessary details), that keeps you entertained throughout and the wonderful direction that remains faithful to the script.

Iam giving a 3.25/5 for The Croods. Be prepared to take your kids for repeat viewing!

IMDB Rating

Rating Scale (Out of 5)

Less than 2                   -           Unwatchable.

2 to 2.25                      -           Below average.

2.5 to 2.75                   -           Average.

3 to 3.25                      -           Good.

3.5 to 3.75                   -           Really Good.

4 to 4.25                      -           Great.

4.5 and above               -           Extraordinary.