Movie Review-Om Shanti Om

The team that gave us Main Hoon Na is back, this time with a reincarnation saga, titled Om Shanti Om.

The movie is set in two different eras, as most re-incarnation sagas are. The movie opens with the colour and vibrancy of the zany 70s where we find our protagonist, Om Prakash Makhija (Shahrukh Khan). Along with his mother and best friend, Om leads a simple life as a junior artist who has aspirations of being a superstar. Our simpleton is also in love with the gorgeous Shantipriya (Deepika Padukone), a reigning starlet of the time. The villain, a dubious movie producer and owner of the film studio where both Shantipriya and Om work, Mukesh Mehra (Arjun Rampal) is responsible for the tragic end to this romantic lore. In his re-incarnated avatar, our hero is in fact a superstar, Om Kapoor, heartthrob of millions and a spoiled rich brat. But soon he realises his past and what follows is his quest for justice to right the wrong done to his love. The climax is heavily inspired by earlier Hindi movies of the re-incarnation genre, viz. Karz and Madhumati.

Throughout the movie, the storyline provides numerous moments where the director has poked fun at many aspects and many people of the Indian Film Industry. Be it the trademark moves of actors from yesteryears (Manoj Kumar, Rajesh Khanna) or the amusing dance steps of the 70s songs or the red carpet phenomenon of the present day awards ceremonies, Farah has left no stone unturned to tickle the audiences funny bone at the expense of her peers.

The highlight of the movie (one of many) is of course the debutante, Deepika Padukone, who is, simply put, drop-dead gorgeous. Her svelte figure and expressive eyes make her the perfect eye-candy. Although this is her first movie, she delivers a reasonable performance.

Shahrukh as always gets the ladies swooning with his new look. His wash-board abs is of course the centre of attention during a certain item-number. Although his age is apparent when close-ups reveal his wrinkles! But then in a country that continues to call Amitabh Bachchan a superstar, Khan has still many good years ahead.

The surprise for me was the charismatic bad-guy, Arjun Rampal. His cigarette smoking, long-hairdo and smooth accent remind you of the sophisticated villains during the 70s. Rampal makes a superb baddie!

Another major highlight of the movie is the music score, which is brilliantly rendered by the talented duo, Vishal-Shekhar. The album is a mixture of different genres of music. Endearing romantic numbers like ‘Main Agar Kahoon...’, the foot-tapping title track, the classic 70s number ‘Dhoom taana’ to name a few. The item number ‘Dard-e-Disco’ is an absolute treat and deliciously remixed as a club thumper. The song ‘Dastaan-e-Om Shanti Om’ has overtones of the song ‘Ek Hasina Thi’ from the Subhash Ghai re-incarnation flick, Karz, albeit in the concept alone.

The movie is not about award winning performance, nor does it have a brilliantly original script. Then why go watch a movie that has neither of the two elements that are signs of a good movie? Well the answer is simply that this movie, like so many made during the decade it depicts, the 70s, is a complete masala movie, one that you ought to enjoy with friends and family when you are interested in being entertained. Farah Khan has, in a manner of speaking, paid tribute to an era that is synonymous with weird hairdos, cocky punch lines, rising sexuality and movies that were made for the public, not the critics.

My rating *** stars, worth a watch!

Movie Review-Jab We Met

A fresh new romantic comedy from the director of Socha Na Tha, Imtiaz Ali’s Jab We Met brings together the off-screen couple (as of today ex off-screen couple) of Shahid Kapur and Kareena Kapoor (after their disastrous Fida!).

The movie is about the lives of two people, Aditya (Shahid Kapur) and Geet (Kareena Kapoor). Aditya is a rich industrialist who feels his life is riddled with problems. A sub-conscious decision to board a Delhi-bound train helps him meet Geet, a gregarious girl with Joie de vivre, who is on her way to elope with her boyfriend in Manali. Their journey to meet Geet’s boyfriend is filled with humorous and endearing (Aditya interacts with Geet’s family in Bhatinda) moments, which help Aditya develop a fresh outlook towards life.

On returning back home to Mumbai, Aditya’s new attitude helps him win over all the obstacles in life. In the process he discovers that he has fallen in love with Geet. Happiness comes to a halt when Geet’s family, who believe that Aditya and Geet have eloped in secret, confront him questioning about Geet, who hasn’t contacted her family in months.

The second half of the movie is spent in Aditya tracking down Geet from Manali to Simla and the bringing her back home to her family. The climax is pretty predictable, but acceptable.

The premise is not entirely original, with many references to movies like Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge and Imtiaz’s own Socha Na Tha. But the freshness comes from the on-screen chemistry between the protagonists. Kareena’s zeal for life and boisterous nature make for a fun watch in the first half of the movie. Shahid’s acting prowess is very prominent with his transition from a serious, no-nonsense type to a fun-loving chap as the movie progresses.

One major highlight of the movie is the music. All the tracks are melodious and hummable. The club thumper, Mauja Hi Mauja is already a national craze.

Another aspect of the movie that is commendable is the filming of the various locations across India. Since the movie is a journey from Mumbai t Bhatinda to Manali to Simla, there are many locales that make for picturesque backgrounds.

The movie is what most movie-goers would call, a one-time watch. My rating, *** stars.

Movie Review-Bhool Bhulaiyaa

As one watches the latest cinematic offering by Priyadarshan, one wonders, where does he stumble upon such diverse scripts? No two movies by him have anything common. Of late this has become more prominent with movies like Hera Pheri, Hulchul, Maalamal Weekly, Kyon Ki..and Dhol. With Bhool Bhulaiyaa, Priyadarshan introduces us to a new genre of comedy-thriller. However the attempt is not all that successful.

The premise is pretty interesting with all the elements of a usual thriller, haunted palaces, multiple suspects, a menacing apparition and a series of unfortunate events. The pace however does not give the impression of a usual thriller, perhaps which is where the comedy kicks in!!?

There are many moments in the movie where the scare factor is pretty high (watch out for the last 20 mins!!!!), but after a certain point you are confused whether the scare was intentional or just a by-product of the story!

As far as performances go, don’t expect Filmfare worthy acts from the entire cast, although Akshay and Vidya do a bang-up job portraying their respective characters.

Akshay once again scores with his brilliant comic timing. Akki has truly become a bankable actor.I especially felt that Vidya’s knack at getting into the soul of her character was more than apparent with this character. Shiney Ahuja needs to retake acing classes (What happened to the Shiney who wowed audiences with his stellar performance in Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi????)

The movie score is pretty good with Pritam providing the fresh music. The chart topping title track has become a rage among the people.

The visuals of the movie are not all that enamouring, but the sequences at night and in the dark corners of the palace come off pretty good, with the audiences feeling the fear of he characters within the movie. The play of shadows and darkness is used masterfully.

Overall the movie is worth a watch, if not for the ‘horror’, then for the beautiful performances by Akshay and Vidya.

My rating ***1/2 stars.

Movie Review-Laaga Chunari Mein Daag - Journey Of A Woman

Pradeep Sarkar's second movie after Parineeta, Laaga Chunari Mein Daag-Journey of a Woman, is the story of Vibhawari Sahay, a simple girl from a small town, who becomes a victim of circumstance and meanders into the world of high-end escorts. Although not an original story, Sarkar manages to introduce a very human element in this age-old story.

The movie opens with a melodious song (Hum to aise hai bhaiyya) that introduces you to the protagonist and her famly; a spunky younger sister, a mother who is the only earning member of the family, a father who has lost his wealth but not his pride, a nasty uncle and cousin. Vibhawari's family falls on hard times with no source of steady income (except for the money her mother earns by spinning out petticoats and blouses on her sewing machine), a daughter who is yet to complete her education and a legal battle with their uncle and his son over the family property. The song serves as beautiful prologue.

Vibhawari's desire to support her family, and the aspiration to fulfil her father's longing for a son, brings her to Mumbai. However her inexperience and lack of an education quickly make her lose hope. In a moment of selflessness, she decides to compromise her morals to get the job her qualifications fail to obtain. When she realises that she's been used, she breaks down, but soon realises, or rather is made to realise, that the city will show her no pity.
Her willingness to enter the world of high-end escorts springs from her wish to support her family and fill their lives with the happiness they rightly deserve. And so Vibhawari becomes Natasha. The introduction of a love interest and her sister's arrrival to Mumbai, to pursue her career in advertising begin her journey homeward and bring her back on the path to righteousness.

The performances by all the cast members are phenomenal. Rani as the vulnerable Vibha is excellent. There are scenes in the movie where you feel her emotions and cannot help but shed a tear. Konkona Sen gets her act perfect as the spunky little sister, who shows maturity when called for. The scene where Konkona realises the truth behind her sister's financial success is testament to hat fact. The confrontation between the siblings is heart-wrenching!
Jaya Bachchan is absolutely natural as the simple mother from a small town, who is worried about the social stigma her elder daughter's profession might bring upon the family. Bachchan Jr. and Kunal Kapoor, albeit for a small duration on-screen deliver their best.

The music of the movie is just about average with only two or three tunes that are memorable. The title track has a very haunting feel and appears in the movie at a very pivotal point. The opening song sequence is more of a musical number, but is nonetheless hummable and melodious. Another song that had a great tune to it is the wedding song in the end.

Laaga...has several great cinmatic shots of landscapes, especially of the town of Benaras. The cinematography is indeed brilliant.

There are moments in the movie where you might get the feeling that things have been taken for granted, but then dramatic licence can buy you many such getaways. Nonetheless, the superb performances compensate for them.

Both Parineeta and LCMD-JOAW, deal with women who are entrusted with the responsibility of supporting their families, and in both stories, the protagonists are forced to make decisions that are against their better judgement, albeit the only viable option. However, where Parineeta dwelled more on the sacrifice of love, LCMD explores the sacrifice of morals, or is it more a sacrifice of one's sanctity? Nonetheless, the movie forces you to think twice before you point a finger at another lady of the evening. This is where one would credit the director in succeeding to make the audience think. Kudos to Sarkar for his achievement.

My rating, *** 1/2 stars.

Movie Review-Life in a METRO

Failed marriages, infidelity, sleazy bosses, and abusive relationships, that’s what Life in a Metro is all about! Well not entirely, Anurag Basu’s tale of urban relationships explores the many facets of man-woman relationships.

Life in a Metro is an ensemble movie that looks into the complexities of relationships in a metropolitan setting. The stories of the many characters are fatefully intertwined as each is connected to the other in some manner.

The cast includes Shilpa Shetty, Kay Kay Menon, Irfan Khan, Konkona Sen Sharma, Sharman Joshi, Kangana Ranaut, Shiney Ahuja, Nafisa Ali and Dharmendra (this seems to be his comeback flick before Anil Sharma’s ‘Apne’ with his sons).

Shilpa and Kay Kay are the married couple with a child who seem to have lost their love for each other over the years. Constant quarrels have made them grow apart with the husband finding solace in the arms of a younger employee (Kangana Ranaut) at work.

Sharman Joshi is an ambitious young lad, who is willing to go any lengths to fulfill his dream, and also has a secret crush on Kangana’s character. Meanwhile Kangana’s room-mate, Konkona Sen Sharma, who also happens to be Shilpa Shetty’s sister, is a 30 –year virgin who is still waiting for that illusionary Mr. Right! Irfan Khan is the practical, sometimes eccentric, average Joe, looking for a suitable bride, and thinks he’s found one in Konkona. Nafisa Ali is Shilpa’s old dance teacher who finds love for the second time with her college sweetheart, Dharmendra. Shiney Ahuja is the struggling theatre actor who makes Shilpa feel loved once again.

The movie showcases many brutal realities about modern relationships, which might make you take notice of your own relation with your significant other. Although there are many aspects that have been stereotyped. There are no good or bad guys in the movie, (although there are times when you feel like kicking the philandering Kay Kay in the crotch!); everyone is purley a victim of circumstance (hmmm where have I used that comment before....?).
However, the movie is essentially a feel-good movie at the end, with most of the loose ends being tied-up.

There are many scenes that stir up a frenzy of emotions among the audiences. The one where Irfan and Konkona are at the roof-top and are screaming to let go off their frustrations and Konkona begins to cry during her wailing yell is a good example.

The movie is shot in the mother of all Indian metropolises, Mumbai, during the monsoons (a welcome retreat from the hot summer!) and highlights some of the many beautiful locales of the city beautifully. The use of real railway stations, bus-stops and streets give the movie a more authentic feel. The use of lights to reflect the characters emotions and inner feelings are brilliant. (Check out the scene when Shilpa and Shiney are alone at Shiney’s room!).

Performances by all the cast members are great. The usual suspects are of course, Kay Kay, Sharman, Konkona and Irfan; however Shilpa steals the show on more than one occasion. Irfan’s comic timing is phenomenal; his subtle dialogue delivery, coupled with his unique style redefines comedy.

The Music is fabulous, with each song composed and sung by Pritam and his band. The songs have strong influences of Indian Rock, which gives it a fresh new beat. My personal favorite is the romantic number ‘In Dino...’.

As an ensemble movie, Life in a Metro is far more mature than most movies in this genre and does a good job of justifying the many different characters in the script.

My verdict, *** stars; worth a watch.

Movie Review-Spiderman-3

Here comes your friendly neighborhood Spiderman!

The third installment in the Spiderman Trilogy has been perhaps the most anticipated of the lot. Does it live up to the hype? Well not entirely.

This Spiderman movie primarily deals with the relationships that Spiderman’s alter ego, Peter Parker has with the people in his life, foremost being his girlfriend, Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst). However the movie primarily deals with Parker’s own demons.

Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco reprise their roles as Peter Parker, Mary Jane Watson and Harry Osborn respectively. Topher Grace as Eddie Brock aka Venom seems a little out of place, but is bearable. Thomas Hayden Church as the Sandman is great, his look and build are exactly the way I remember him from the anime. Bryce Dallas Howard as Gwen Stacey is wasted (In the comics, Gwen is supposed to be Parker’s first love. Here she is present for less than fifteen minutes!).

The third movie begins sometime after the last one ended, with Spiderman now accepted as a well-loved superhero of New York City. His personal life is great with a loving girlfriend in the form of Mary Jane Watson, who is aware and accepting of his dual identity and he’s doing great at school as well with good grades and a knockout of a lab-partner! But there are still a few thorns in Parker’s rosy life. Harry Osborn (who discovers the secret identities of both Peter Parker and his own father, the Green Goblin) still blames Parker for his father’s death. At work, Parker faces competition in the form of Eddie Brock, a slimy new freelance photographer who is willing to do anything to make that extra buck.
Things begin to spiral out of control with the introduction of a new villain, Flint Marko aka the Sandman, which forces Parker to confront his past once again.
The premise of the third movie is of course, the battle Spiderman wages against himself, rather his dark side. The concept isn’t very original as the theme is present in the Spiderman comics. An alien symbiotic life form merges with Parker’s Spidey suit rendering him more powerful and agile than before. However, the life form also amplifies Parker’s darker emotions, namely arrogance, spite and vengeance.
The movie introduces a new dimension in the Parker-Osborn relation, which makes for good viewing.

Spiderman has always been synonymous with vulnerability and very realistic human angst and social problems. In that sense, Sam Raimi has been true to the essence of the Spiderman comics. However the movie script is incoherent, which renders the story-telling weak. But, what the movie lacks in story telling, it makes up with a very provocative plot.

There are many sequences in the movie that make a mark, not all of them for the right reasons! The sequence where Parker displays his egotistical self is rather silly. With John Travoltaisque dance moves form Saturday Night Fever, and Tobey Maguire comes off as a complete weirdo!

J. Jonah Jameson, the editor of the newspaper The Daily Bugle, provides some much-required comic relief for the movie and is fabulous in the scene inside his office.

The action sequences are awesome. I especially loved the crane sequence where Spiderman rescues Gwen Stacey (Bryce Dallas Howard). But some sequences seem a bit too rushed, with so much happening so fast, that my head started spinning!

As a follower of the comic book and the animation, I was very disappointed with Raimi’s rendition of the villains in this movie. Eddie Brock is given very limited screen time as Spiderman’s nemesis, Venom (moreover the movie does not even give a name to be used for Eddie Brock’s alter ego!) Ditto for Sandman aka Flint Marko. Although, Marko’s story is well highlighted.
Venom is considered as a major character in the Spiderman series, both comic and anime. But in the movie he is treated as just another character. Raimi could have done so much more with his character, but I guess it didn’t fit the script.

What was surprising was to see both Tobey and Kirsten put on some weight, which made them seem a little odd. Compared to Tobey’s Peter Parker, Topher’s Eddie Brock seemed more athletic! A little less flab could have been a good idea for both of them!

Spiderman-3 is a movie that will probably be enjoyed by avid fans of the franchise but may fail to deliver in certain aspects. Over all I would recommend the movie to all of you who have enjoyed the first two installments, since this one provides a suitable conclusion (or maybe heralds a new beginning!!??) to the Spiderman Trilogy.

My verdict ** ½ stars.

Movie Review-Ta Ra Rum Pum

Ta Ra Rum Pum is the second movie by director Siddharth Anand after his take on pre marital relationships in his directorial debut Salam Namaste.
Set in the city of New York, TRRP is the story of Rajveer Singh, fondly called RV and his family.

RV is a NASCAR pit crew member (a tyre changer to be precise), who is a 'live in the moment' guy and doesn't bother planning ahead. A chance meeting with Javed Jafferry's character (a lovable Gujju cabbie) gets RV a spot as a race driver for a losing team managed by Jafferry. In the meantime he falls in love with Rani Mukherjee's character, the daughetr of a a rich business tycoon, who is constantly planning and thnking about the future. RVs personal life and professional life take off and he soon becomes the country's top race and also raises two kids (a daughter, Princess and a son Champ, hmm interesting names).
Life is all sunshine and happiness till one day an accident during one of RV's races renders him incompetent as a racer. Despite recovering physically from the accident, RV loses his edge and thus starts his losing streak. As a result RV and his family lose all their money and forced to face hard times. The story is essentially how the family overcomes the many obstacles and find hope in each other.

The story is not that unique, but Siddharth has managed to bring a fresh look at the subject of family bonding during a crisis. What si great is the fact that unlike many other racing movies in Bollywood, TRRP manages to make the racing aspect of the movie an integral part of the overall plot. However many liberties have been taken i the name of dramatic licecne. In a way, the movie is Days of Thunder meets Chalte Chalte meets Hum Hain Rahein Pyar Ke all rolled into one.

The performances by the lead couple are great. The chemistry between the two is fabulous, and the children are absolutely adorable. Javed Jafferry as always manages to tickle our funny bone with his unique style of comedy.

The filming of the race sequences are brilliant and almost at par with Hollywood flicks. Another thing that made me take notice was the animation sequence for the title track. Bollywood animation ahs come a long way since Raju Chacha.

The music of the movie is nothing out of the ordinary. Vishal and Shekhar could have done better. However the background score during the racing sequences is awesome and has a great beat.

My verdict: Worth a watch

Retro Review-A Few Good Men

One of my all-time favorite movies, this courtroom drama starring Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson and Demi Moore, is, without a doubt, one of the finest movies ever made in Hollywood. Although released in the early 90’s, I got to catch this masterpiece sometime in the millennium year, on HBO, (I was I Pune at the time and HBO had just begun their movie channel in the country, so I was glued to the television set!)

A Few Good Men is the story of two US Marines, stationed at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, who have been accused of committing homicide, their victim… a fellow marine, PFC. (Private First Class), William Santiago. Tom Cruise is the rookie hotshot JAG lawyer assigned to the case with Demi Moore as the idealistic and Kevin Pollock as the realist co-counselors respectively. The case becomes very important when the defense realizes that the two marines are in fact the victims of a “Code-Red” (an unofficial and now illegal disciplinary action used within the US armed forces) gone wrong, which in fact was the true reason for their fellow-marine’s unforeseen death. Jack Nicholson is the Colonel at the base where the incident takes place and is the true issuer of the said Code-Red, which is willfully executed under the guidance of his sub-ordinate officer, Keifer Sutherland.

The movie opens at Guantanamo Bay Cuba, with the two marines shown entering the barracks room of William Santiago, stuffing his throat with a rag and taping his mouth with duct-tape, proceeding to shave his head. The focus then shifts to introductions of the protagonists of the movie, starting with Demi Moore’s character, a JAG lawyer from IA (Internal Affairs), who is already aware that the case does involve the issuance of a Code Red.

Tom Cruise’s opening scene shows him practicing with his softball team and his street-wise lawyer persona as he successfully negotiates his client’s sentence with the opposing counsel while he’s still batting! The chemistry when these two opposites meet for the first time is instantaneous, with Demi Moore making her dislike for Tom Cruise very obvious. Kevin Pollock plays Cruise’s good friend and colleague who keeps him abreast about the details of the case, and at times dishes out some much-needed advice as well. Jack Nicholson plays the egocentric Colonel Nathan Jessup, who does not believe in showing mercy to or protecting the weak.

A Few Good Men is a movie which is driven by the performances rather than the plot. The main story is the skeleton, but the characters are the flesh and blood. The onus of making a movie like this a success rests to a large extent on the actors and of course the director, for getting the best out of his artists. In that respect Rob Reiner has been more than successful.

The movie is based on a play written by Aaron Sorkin (Creator of hit shows like The West Wing) and in my view has been beautifully executed on celluloid by Rob Reiner with powerhouse performances by the main characters. Hence even though the movie is primarily a war of words, there isn’t a dull moment on screen. What works in favor of the movie is the fact that the director was able to get his actors to tap into the characters they were playing and successfully portray their emotions on screen.

The key performances are of course by Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson. It’s commendable the way Cruise holds his ground with a veteran like Nicholson especially in the climactic court-room sequence.

Tom Cruise is often written off as the Hunk rather than the actor in many of his movies. A Few Good Men is possibly Cruise’s best work till date. His transformation from the street smart ambulance chaser to dedicated idealistic lawyer is a theme that runs parallel to the main story-line and is very subtle. The scene that captures this transformation is when Cruise is sitting at a bar and overhears a civilian lawyer narrating his ‘out of court’ settlement using technicalities. It becomes very evident that Cruise realizes that the law is not always about winning but about defending the innocent. This realization is reflected in the statement he makes the following morning at the plea hearing of the case, “Why is it that a lawyer with a track record of plea-bargaining gets a murder case? Is it so that it never sees the inside of a courtroom? ”

Nicholson nails his character as the egotistical Colonel controlling the troops at the Guantanamo Bay marine station. Although, the screen time Nicholson commands is less than Cruise. But Nicholson makes the most of his time in front of the camera with a fireball performance. The scene that gives the audience a feel of his persona is when he tells Cruise’s character, at the base in Cuba, to ask him for PFC William Santiago’s transfer orders “nicely”. Right from the start you feel like punching him in the face for his arrogance, which of course speaks volumes about his acting prowess.

The main highlight of the movie is of-course the array of courtroom scenes, wherein the defense and the prosecution are engaged in a war of words to prove their case. However, in this movie, most of the courtroom drama is the result of the cross-examinations and testaments between the defense (Cruise) and the witnesses.

One of the best ones is when Cruise points out that the definition of a Code-Red cannot be found in any Marine handbook, just like the location of the camp-mess hall, you just follow the others!

But without a doubt, the best scene is of-course the climactic show-down between Cruise and Nicholson as the former tries to get the egotistical Colonel to admit that he did in fact order the Code-Red, which resulted in the death of PFC William Santiago. This scene has probably attained cult status with countless movies and stand-up acts, parodying this classic moment in celluloid history. Here’s a brief snippet of the dialogue from that scene:

Colonel Nathan R. Jessup (Jack Nicholson): You want answers?
Daniel Kaffee (Tom Cruise): I think I'm entitled.
Col. Nathan R. Jessup: You want answers?
Daniel Kaffee: I want the truth!
Col. Nathan R. Jessup: You can't handle the truth!

Another memorable and moving moment in the movie is between Tom Cruise and Kevin Pollock. When a hammered Cruise, after hearing the news that Colonel Markinson, their key witness has committed suicide, asks Pollock whether his father is proud of him, we get a glimpse of the love that Cruise has for his late father and his sorrow for losing him before he could see him proud of his achievement on graduating law school and joining the JAG corps.

Why do I like this movie? Well I guess I’m a sucker for court-room dramas. And when you couple that with phenomenal performances by some of the best names in the industry, who can resist!

300 - Movie Review

"Give them nothing, but take from them ...Everything!"

300 is the story of the anciet battle of Thermophylae, where the Spartan King Leonidis with his army of 300 warriors fought to death against the tyrannical Xerxes and his massive Persian army.
An earlier movie, "The 300 Spartans" has already captured this historical battle. However Zack Snyder's epic is based on the comic-book adaptation by Frank Miller (of Sin City fame), and takes the audience through a more gory and jazzed up version.

The exhilarating action sequences have been beautifully choreographed. The battle sequences are full of gory decapitations and numerous gruesome killings, giving a truly authentic feel. the artistic and ballet-like use of spear, sword and sheild coupled with a killer background score, the battle sequences are an absolute treat!

Those who think that 300 is only about action, are mistaken, for the movie dedicates a considerable portion of its storyline to depict the political games that were rampant in the "democracy" of Ancient Greece. One can't help but think if the evils rampant in our present democratic scenario were are fact seeded in this era....

Gerard Butler as the Spartan King Leonidis is convincing as a leader and warrior, but I couldn't help but notice his thick accent on many occassions. Dominic West as the cunning politician Theron does a great job. The casting of Rodrigo Santoro as Xerxes may sound absurd but is pulled of brilliantly on-screen.

The visuals in the movie are breathtaking.Although most of the sequences have been rendered by CGI. The rampant use of color to highlight the background are probably to recreate the comic-book experience and are aesthetic.

The movie is a must watch to witness some of the most best battle sequences in recent times.
My verdict *** 1/2 stars

Movie Review-Black Friday

12^th March 1993 ...a date that will live in infamy. Twelve blasts at key points across the Mumbai metropolis,killing over 300 and injuring around 800, shocked the nation and the entire world, and marked a bloody day in the history of Mumbai City.

Capturing this event in a motion picture, would be a challenge for anyone. But Anurag Kashyap not only accepts the challenge but does a commendable job executing it!Based on the book of the same name, the movie follows the namesake chapter by chapter.
After two years of controversies and several censor cuts later, the highly anticipated movie from Anurag Kashyap does not disappoint, not one bit! Black Friday brings into light the days before the incident and the aftermath, meticulously detailing the planning, the conspirators and the reasons behind the blasts.

The movie begins with the actual blasts and the grotesqueness that followed. The movie then swings between the past and the present capturing several aspects of the blasts. The main chapters include the search for the accused (The first arrest), the interrogation of the conspirators (Arrests and Interrogations), the plight of the accused as they are left to fend for themselves (On the run) , the uncovering of the remnant explosives (The RDX), the voluntary disclosure of the entire planning by one of the accused ( The Conspiracy) and the motivation to plan the blasts (What is past is prologue).The movie gives a very unbiased perspective of the blasts and the aftermath, no one is portrayed as a hero or villain, purely victims of circumstances.

The story-telling is somewhat confusing at times with the timelines not being followed chronologically. But it allows for a more attentive film-viewing experience. Despite being a movie on a very serious topic, the director manages to blend in some well-timed humor. An added bonus is how Anurag seamlessly weaves the actual news segments that followed the lasts with his movie to give it an authentic feel.

Performances by everyone are par excellence. The dialogues are well written and brilliantly executed by the cast. Among those that were a class apart were by Kay Kay Menon and Pawan Malhotra.

Black Friday is a movie that must be watched by every Indian and especially every Mumbaikar. Not only because it is a brilliant movie but because it tells the true story of probably the most devastating terrorist attack on Indian soil.

My verdict, Cinema at its best!