The Hollywood Mom's Mystery Review

I had nothing to do but was just scrolling the TV Channels on my Television last night and suddenly came across this Film screening on Hallmark Channel (India). I stopped right there because i was watching few glimpses of my favorite actress Angie Everhart and in those glimpses i also happened to see few other beautiful women talking something spicy.

I went ahead with this film and witnessed that Julia (Angie Everhart) get's murdered in the Swimming Pool of Lucy (Justine Bateman) and Lucy's husband Kit (Andrew McCarthy) is framed for the murder. Kit once had an affair with Julia and Lucy knows about it. Julia was a neighbor to this family. Kit is a Film Producer and Julia's husband Woody Prentice (George Hammilton) is a Sitcom Star Icon. If Lucy wants to clear the name of her husband from this murder, She herself has to Trace Down the real killer behind Julia's murder.Now, This looks like a Heard-Story-Before but those who have not seen this film has to see it to believe it that how well this film is handled.

The camera work and screenplay is itself so tight that it keeps you engaged and guessing till the last minutes. The film travels through the narration of Lucy (Justine Bateman) and from her point of view, You see the whole film. I don't think that this film was a Theatrical Release because it was made for TV.Performancewise, It is Justine Bateman who steals the show and carries the film on her shoulders. Another performance to look forward to in this movie is of Homicide Detective Theresa Shoe (Elizabeth Pena) which was Humorous and Under-played as well.

Overall! A good film to watch at any time.

* * *

Johnny Gaddar Review

If you are a Hard Core Thriller lover, Johnny Gaddar is for you! If you are a James Hadley Chase or Alfred Hitchcock Fan, Johnny Gaddar is your cup of tea! If you like to enjoy Edge of your Seat ride, Go for Johnny Gaddar!

This is the group of Five Men, Whose fingers are in Legal and Not-So-Legal activities. The film starts with one of the Group Member Seshadri (Dharmendra) gets an offer to make fortune in four days. All the other members want this deal to materialize because this deal will take them to a Big Level. They make a plan to make this deal happen.

The youngest member of this group Vikram (Neil Nitin Mukesh) has his own secret and deadly plan to rob the money and disappear to another country with his lady love (Rimmi). Not everything comes easy in life they say. Vikram never knew that to execute his secret plans, He has to cross the pool of blood! He has to kill rest of the group members one by one!

The story of the film may sound a routine genre to all. But trust me! The film is executed in a brilliant way. Script wise the film is so tight that it keeps you to the edge. Direction wise the film is genuine and breath taking. The camera work is of first rate. Musically awesome and foot tapping at the same time. Watch out for the Back Ground score that deserve a special tap. The Film Maker has taken references from the classics like Johnny Mera Naam and Parwana. The film itself opens with a dedication card in the titles saying that this film is dedicated to Thriller Maestros like Alfred Hitchcock and Vijay Anand.

The Film Maker Sriram Raghavan tries to create an atmosphere of 70s classic Thriller Era through this film. But somewhere in the end, You crave for something more. Maybe some shock in the end, Maybe not a Negative Ending.

Performance wise Neil Nitin Mukesh is a good actor but still needs to polish his acting skills. Rimmi does not have much scope to perform. I think that the Film Maker should have given a turn to the script by showing Rimmi as the planner or something like it. Dharmendra acts like a Legend. Vinay Pathak is good with his decent part. Zakir Hussain again shows his caliber of acting and grows with the character. Govind Namdeo has a small but a decent role and he performs it very well. Ashwini Kalsekar again has a decent part and she is a pure Show Stealer.

Johnny Gaddar will not leave you Dis-Appointed for sure!!!

* * * 1/2

Vacancy Review

This film was released in Indian Cinema halls here in India. One of my friends suggested me this film and i went to watch this piece of Garbage.

The film starts with a good premise and ends up going nowhere.David Fox (Luke Wilson) and Amy Fox (Kate Beckinsale) are couples who gets trapped in this motel where the owner has fixed a camera in every room. He kills people and makes Sadistic Films out of it and sells. The start of the film is very promising. But later when the film proceeds, You start to imagine what will happen in the next minutes. I am sorry but i will not call this a Thriller. A thriller is supposed to give you Joilts. And this one doesn't.

This is a typical straight B Grade slasher that neither entertains nor gives any Shock Value. It still doesn't matter if it's a B Grade Slasher (Which this film tries to be) but there should be some kind of Excitement in it?? I have seen some very good Independent B Grade Slashers... I wish i had not seen this film.I wonder how actors such as Luke Wilson and Kate Beckinsale agreed to work in such kinds of films. There are so many other Thrillers that can be watched but not this one. The Film Maker Nimrod Antal could've easily made this film more gripping. But given a Bad Script, What can a Film Maker do?

If you think that you are about to watch a Hard Core thriller by watching this film. I will suggest it's better to stay away!

*

Sivaji The Boss Review

The South Indian Super Star Rajinikanth…
The Master Film Maker Shankar…
The Musical Maestro A R Rahman…
The Biggest South Indian Banner AVM…
The Glossy Camera Of K V Anand…
The Most Eagerly Awaited Film Of Tamil Cinema…
The Most Expensive Film (Approximately 150 Crores) Of Asia…

Keeping all these facts in my mind, Here I am trying to review this feature film…

There are Film Makers who you either love to see their films or you hate to see their films. But you really cannot ignore their films. Director Shankar is one such Film Maker.

Shankar earlier made films such as Humse Hai Muqabla, Jeans, Hindustani, Nayak, Aparichit and this time Sivaji-The Boss. All his earlier films spoke about the corruptions and bad politics in India. This time too, He brings in a subject that talks about the corrupt system in India.

Sivaji (Rajinikanth) returns to Chennai from USA with a dream to build a Medical University called Sivaji Foundation where the open heart surgery treatment will be given to poor people at a very low cost. Hearing this Adiseshan (Suman) gets irritated because his own Medical Institute will be nowhere.

Sivaji has to go through all the corrupt politicians to pass his plans of making the Sivaji Foundation. Adiseshan then uses his dirty politics to ruin him and becomes successful in doing so.

Sivaji then makes a plan to bounce back by robbing all the politicians black money and turning that money in his foreign account as a Donation for Sivaji Foundation and fights the evil adiseshan.

Performance wise Rajinikanth is at first rate. The new look of rajinikanth has become a craze among his fans. The Bald Look is also widely appreciated and accepted. The film belongs to Rajinikanth all the way. Suman as Adiseshan is also brilliant. Vivek is very good as the young uncle of Rajinikanth. He gets equal scope to perform. Shriya looks gorgeous and performs her part well. (Late) Raghuvaran has only four scenes to his part.

The film belongs to typical Shankar genre. Shankar again tries to tell a story of a man harassed by dirty politics and wants to change everything to make a better India. The story telling and direction is just brilliant, But there are Loop Holes in the movie that cannot be ignored. But it said that while watching a Rajinikanth movie, You must ignore everything. Musically all songs are foot tapping, Very well executed and picturised and already became chart busters in Tamilnadu. The camera work and expensive sets (Totta Tharani) are a treat to watch.

Every scene speaks the detail and amount of hard work that has gone into it.

Do yourself a favor! Watch Sivaji-The Boss!!


* * * * 1/2

OSO Review

If you sit to watch a typical Bollywood Commercial masala movie, Leave your brains behind. Om Shanti Om is one such film that entertains you in every aspect.

Om Shanti Om is the story of the Film World. It is the story of a Junior Artist Om Prakash Makhija (Shah Rukh Khan) who dreams to become a superstar one day. He is madly in love with Shanti Priya (Deepika Podukone) who is a super star and she is in love with a film producer Mukesh Ahuja (Arjun Rampal). Mukesh after learning this fact that Shanti is pregnant with his child and his most ambitious project will come to hold if he marries her, He kills her. This whole event is witnessed by Shanti’s good friend and her secret lover Om. Even Om dies in that tragic accident while trying to save Shanti. Mukesh runs to Hollywood and get’s married there a multi-millionaire’s daughter.

But destiny has a total different story to tell…

Om is reborn again after 30 years as a Super Star Om Kapoor (Shah Rukh Khan) and the destiny makes om meets Sandy (Deepika Podukone) who is a look alike of Shanti Priya. Om and Sandy make a plan to trap Mukesh who comes back to India after 30 years to make a film with Om. The evil get’s punished and the truth wins forms the rest of the film.

Technically the film is just brilliant. It shows on the screen the amount of money that has been spent into the making. The sets are glossy and breath taking. The camera work is just superb. The editing is fantastic and crispy. Musically a very decent and a good effort. Especially the song where all the 31 stars perform is a treat to watch for. The story and direction by Farah Khan is very good.

Performance wise the film belongs to King Khan Shah Rukh Khan all the way. New girl Deepika Podukone is the next superstar. It did not seem at all that she is a new actress and this is her First Film. Arjun Rampal was awesome in the negative role. Kirron Kher was really good once again. Shreyas Talpade was again very good. He gets an equal footage with Shah Rukh to perform.


For those who go for Artistic Cinema, This film is strictly not for them. But those who need Full Time Pass, Om Shanti Om is the real good choice. Here the Film Maker is trying to fool you, But in return they are offering you a Glossy Dream of 2 hours. So if you are looking for a Roller Coaster ride of Entertainment, Go for Om Shanti Om!

* * * 1/2

Khuda Kay Liye Review

Okay guys! Let's point out some real Flaws in the film for a while that cannot be ignored. I have read so many Reviews and Comments (Especially on IMDB) that goes on and says that this is a Master Piece... A Classic.


I finally saw the film in a Cinema Hall in India. And here's what i have to say on this. The first half was too dragging at points. Especially Iman Ali's(Mary/Maryam) track. I really have no idea why was this track necessary in the film? Haven't we already seen this story earlier in Namaste London and Escape From Taliban? The other track Fawad Khan (Sarmad) and the Evil Priest Rasheed Naz (Moulana Tahiri) is about a Priest brain washing a Musician was worth a watch and especially for the performance by Rasheed Naz who did his part brilliantly. The third and the final track of Shan (Mansoor) is about a Muslim Pakistani caught in the web of FBI during the WTC attacks was again a Brilliant Track to see. Shan was the only actor in this whole film who did his job very well and acted like a Legend. Naseeruddin Shah has hardly a 7 minutes role in the film that has some long speech and that's about it. But in those 7 minutes, He speaks some sparkling and controversial lines (Ofcourse Film Maker's hidden Frustrations) that is Applauded in Cinema Hall... Did you waste your Hard Earned money for these 7 Minutes?

Now let's face the Technical Side of the film. Shoaib Mansoor the director of this film may be a good story teller but i am so sorry he is equally a Bad Technician. The camera work was good but only in the scenes of Afghanistan's Border (I am sorry, I don't remember the Village's name). Rest it was functional. The editing could have been a little tight rather then going slow in most of the places. Please don't go on the International Reviews because they don't understand the Language Barrier, They do NOT understand the Urdu/Hindi language and they only go with the Sub-Titles (Created by a Film Maker) that runs with the scene. This is truly NOT a Master Piece (As it's mentioned many times by other Reviewer's and Commenter's) in any case.The only saving graces in this film are Shan (Who acted like a Legend), Music and Rasheed Naz (A good Paki Actor to look forward to). I seriously think Kabul Express was far more Better Film.

Please! Shoaib Mansoor, Next time you make a film... Please choose Good Actors.

* * 1/2