Kabul Express (2006)

A film for India's SUNDANCE.

Written and Directed by: Kabir Khan.
Starring: Arshad Warsi, John Abrahm.

Kabul Express starts with two men, Suhel (John Abraham) and Jai (Arshad Warsi) being dropped off a chopper on a deserted place middle of somewhere in Afghanistan. First thing they come across is a question, how to get to Taliban? They are two reporters on an assignment from India to interview Taliban. A guy in a military uniform, Khyber, sees them and calls for help. Help arrives in the form of an army tank which is the first conveyance that gives Suhel and Jai the ride to their destination. Well as per the popular saying "its about the journey". They come across things that they have not read about in news papers. Or may be they did but to have a face-to-face experience shocks them. Do they find Taliban? Do they get a chance to interview them? Well like I said its about the "journey".

Kabir Khan has penned and picturised an interesting tale. Right from the title it has interesting moments. Like the scene where they come across military men eating chocolates. This is the cinema for the changed-mind-audience of India. May be they want to see something else other than Chick Flicks and songs. This is for the Indian SUNDANCE film festival. But if you are aware of independent and experimental cinema then you are aware that being experimental doesn't necessarily make it a quality cinema. Same goes with Kabul Express. In the end it is possible to face yourself with the question that Ah Ok, so what? Because this tale has parameters that may not be seen or heard in news papers but those parameters don't create a flow.

Arshad Warsi is perhaps the only thing that keeps you glued to your seat. He may not have the best lines all the time but he delivers them honestly. His scared and disagreeable with people attitude has been performed nicely. Thanx to him.

Linda Arsenio as Jessica, another reporter but from USA, is a candy for sour eyes. She is a good actress. But I dont know what Kabir Khan was proving when there was a peek-a-boo. If I will see him I am gonna ask if that peek-a-boo was another cliche he picked up from the independant movies he saw say for instance Transamerica (2005) or Masked and Anonymous (2003). John Abraham is a mistake. He is just a model that flaunts jeans, jackets and t-shirts. Khyber and Imran Khan are good as characters. Few moments are interesting as the scene with Imran's daughter. This movie raises questions but the first one I had was how can they keep on driving for 2 days without refuelling the Kabul Express?

Kabul Express is a good attempt but don't get excited. Expectations will surely ruin your movie watching experience.

4/10.

Vivah (2006).

Another Arranged Marriage but with a fresh new couple.
Starring: Amrita Rao, Shahid Kapoor.
Written and Directed By: Sooraj Barjatya

Poonam (Amrita Rao) is a pretty, beautiful, sweet, honest, obedient and a "I-want-a-daughter-like-her" typical Indian country girl. She is the sunshine of her father's (Alok Nath) eyes. A family friend notices her as a perfect fit for one of his friend's (Anupam Kher) son. Well who is this chosen groom? Well his name is Prem (Shahid Kapoor). He is also obedient, good looking, honest, educated blah blah. I guess you get the point. Of course he is instantly attracted to Poonam when he looks at her picture. A typical Indian private meeting is arranged. The candidates approve each other and then begins the journey from engagement to marriage. This is a new installment by the king of family movies Sooraj Barjatya.

The director has brought in all the usual flavors of romance to this treat. A pair of fiancee that will be approved by every audience member, their romance that is expressed with first-hesitant-then-cheesy-confident looks, conversations through smiles, choosing the matching dresses, secret rendezvous and almost every single thing that has seen and heard till today. As per the trademark there are also the family parameters into this equation. Father daughter relationship reminiscent of Maine Pyar Kiya (1989), girl loss of her mother at young age seen previously in Hum Aapke Hain Koun (1994), teenage romance from maine pyar kiya, rural lives and nature's beauty and family values perhaps tackled in almost every other movie of Barjatya. In and all this is a perfect rated-PG family movie that is bound to be approved by everybody. And just like every Barjatya movie it starts with goody-goodies and has a little twist near the end that would be a probable reason that might jeopardise the "build-up-too-much-cheesy-romance" relationship. But everyone knows that this movie was made for those two people and they would end up being together forever and ever. Of course they do so.

But I must warn you that this movie has an ending that was rather unnecessary. The first-night scene might have been important by Barjatya but that rather made this tale a total turn down. This is something like going to the smokey mountains, enjoy the scenery, breathe the fresh air and then slip from the highest cliff and fall in the valley. Sooraj had the recipe. But I guess he was hallucinatng the success of the movie already and right when he was finishing cooking "Vivah" he added salt thinking it is sugar.

On another plus side the couple looks good on screen. Amrita, if I may say so, has done a better portrayal of a wannabe rural girl than Shahid's urban boy portrayal. Songs are good. Some scenes such as Prem's first gift to Poonam, their meeting on the roof, their chemistry has been picturised well. In the end I can say that if you want to enjoy a weekend with your family then take them to this movie.

Rating: 6/10.

Casino Royale (2006)

Bond is back.

Starring: Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Eva Green.

Directed by: Martin Campbell.

Screenplay: Neal Purvis, Robert Wade.

"Name is Bond, James Bond".
For almost half a century this line has been a victim of praise and criticism. Starting from Dr No (1962) starring Sean Connery Bond movies have always been on the lists of top action flicks. New movie's arrival is always awaited. At the same time signing up of a new bond has never escaped controversy. Daniel Craig is no exception to the "New James Bond" controversy. If you have heard, during the golden era of Hollywood, that included screwball comedies and Frank Sinatra, the actors were popular for their grace and their image among the audiences. Perhaps acting department was not on their to do list. Then came Marlon Brando in On the Waterfront (1954). He was never worried about how he looked or his social image among the viewers. Not only people accepted him but he was honoured with his first Academy Award. What Daniel Craig has done for James Bond is exactly what Marlon Brando did for the movies. Until Daniel Craig all the actors who played bond used their grace and style to play the character. But Daniel's presence in the action and the acting department has given this new Bond a really never before seen look.

Is this new Bond capable of what we think? Well as the story advances we come to know that Craig's promotion makes him James Bond but there are no gadgets and just one leather dashboard Ashton Martin (well let's give him one). We never know clearly till the end what his job is. All we know vaguely that he has to stop a banker from winning a casino Hold 'em tournament and suposedly funding a terrorist organization. Well the first few sequences not just prove that Daniel is capable but he is rather the only bond who is convincing in his job as a secret agent, ever. Daniel has changed all the parameters of James Bond which makes this movie a must see.

Although there are times when the movie drags a little bit, feels like a holiday romantic movie. But that's not what you remember when it ends. The screenplay is filled with humor, pace, romance and one liners. Perfect for an action thriller. As per the original myths and conventions two ladies add to the story. Not to mention swimsuits and cocktail dresses. In the movie the writers almost were going to reveal M's real name but it ended up being another humorous addition. On a final note I would like to mention that last year Batman Begins (2005) portrayed Bruce Wayne's quest to become the superhero. In Spiderman-2 (2004) Peter Parker's character study was done. Seems like James Bond has gone under the same treatment of character study. Thats why this is a must see.

Rating: 7/10.

Don - The chase begins again (2006).

Farhan Akhtar's comeback after Dil Chahta Hai.

Starring: Shahrukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Boman Irani.

Written and Directed by: Farhan Akhtar.

Story: Salim Khan, Javed Akhtar.

"Ek Baat Samajh lo. Don ko pakadna mushkil hi nahi namumkin hai".

When translated, "Remember. It is not just difficult but rather impossible to catch Don".

As Don (Shahrukh Khan) says his famous line to Kamini (Kareena Kapoor) it ignites memories of Mr Bachchan's 1978 portrayal of Don. Don is an international mafia boss who is fast, agile, tough and most importantly intelligent. He has been on the most wanted list of Malaysia, India and almost every other country including UK. He acquires illegal drugs and similar substances from India and Pakistan and sells them in UK. He has two other main companions Singhania and Wardhan. Though Singhania and Don's profile with picture is on the records, Wardhan is still a mystery. One day cops get a tip on Don. Cop D'Silva (Boman Irani) is on a high speed chase with Don and Don gets injured in a car crash. In the hospital Don dies. D'Silva remembers a guy, Vijay, who looks like Don. With an idea and a plan he manages to get new Don into the hostile territory. Will Don be able to help D'Silva? What happens next? Who is Wardhan? Well Farhan Akhtar (director) has all the answers.

Though it is hard not to compare Shahrukh's Don to Mr Bachchan's I guess you can always appreciate Farhan's contribution to this remake. Farhan has kept the original script by Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar. He has added a little tinge of citrus that not only adds a little flavor but also it smells different. Few sequences as the one with Kamini,were unchangeable. Farhan has written the closing scene and this is a classic example of character study. Very intelligent and to the exact point. No writing contribution from Farhan for Lakshya (2004) was very evident. Farhan totally went with his Father's (Javed) script on Lakshya. This time for Don he took over and his attempts are evident and are an essential part of the movie. Brilliant!

Sharukh Khan has done a great job in portraying the ruthless Don and the average Joe Vijay. Shahrukh knows that he cannot escape comparison with the original Don. But he has managed to get the attitude. Good job.

Besides being a remake this movie makes a lot of homages. The Fast and the Furious, Kill Bill, Mission Impossible, Entrapment and Matrix. Thanks to Farhan for that as well. Boman Irani is believable as a tough cop after cheesy roles of Munnabhai series. Priyanka Chopra as Roma is a good fit for her beauty. She does some fight sequences as well. Not bad. Arjun Rampal as Jasjeet should have been reconsidered. Shankar-Ehasaan-Loy's music is good to the ears. Their contribution to the basic tunes is appreciable. Overall this movie is quite above the average bollywood movie. Should be viewed at least once.

My rating: 7/10.

SAW III (2006)

Feed Your Screams.

Starring: Tobin Bell, Shawnee Smith.

Directed by: Darren Lynn Bousman.

Written by: Leigh Whannell.

There was a time when Hitchcock shook the theatre with Janet Leigh's scream in Psycho (1960). People were unaware of the gore and gritty atmosphere of Hitchcok's creation. Perhaps this was the movie that created a new trend in the Horror/Thriller genre. Then it was The Exorcist (1973) when Linda Blair walked down the stairs on her hand and feet while lifting her body in a backward arch. This was the beginning of yet another trend. I believe then came SAW (2003) to create something you have never sen before. A serial killer with a gift of forgiveness only when his victims escape the traps he sets up. SAW has created a whole new meaning to Horror/Thriller. This movie fed to the new generations' needs of pure gore. SAW III stands to its expectations of blood, gore, cracking of bones, hacking of flesh, peeling of skin and crushing of skulls. I seriously do not believe how this movie escaped NC-17 rating. The last NC-17 movie I saw was Haute Tension by Alexandra Aja, another member of "The Splat Pack" along with Darren Lynn Bousman. The opening scene in this movie has similarity to one of the scenes from SAW I. But it has a "little" more outcome than it had in SAW I. With that little more I mean a sound effect and when it happened everybody in the auditorium went AWWWW. It was a "Ladies and Gentlemen your attention please".

The acting department? I would be highly insensitive to comment on acting. Nobody expects acting from SAW franchise. What I can do is perhaps compare with SAW I. There is a flaw in the direction. Darren may not make you glued to your seat. The traps are new but they are designed for something else other than just for the victims to try and escape. I would say Darren has managed to make those 1hr 40 minutes interesting enough for a thriller with a non-linear screenplay by Leigh Whannell and the gore content.

The twist is little unexpected. But it is something that only a few people would care for. At least SAW franchise has no ghost stories, UFOs or witches that create something supernatural. This is a movie that could come up with some explanations to stand for. Thats why I would choose this one over The Grudge or Silent Hill any day of the week.

So if you are having a bad day and want to go and scream your guts out then I suggest go watch this. This will feed your emotions.

Omkara (2006)

The Indian Neo-Noir Director's gloriously dark creation.

Starring: Saif Ali Khan, Ajay Devgan, Konkana Sen-Sharma.
Written and Directed by: Vishal Bharadwaj.

There was one thing on my mind when I was on my way to Omkara, "can't get Maqbool out of my head yet".

Omkara starts with two men sitting on a small hill talking in the "local dialect" on a sunny day. By the time you realize what is going on, you just have a kick start to the movie. This was an introduction to Saif Ali Khan's character Langda Tyagi who works for Omi (Omkara). Omkara is in love with Dolly, played by Kareena Kapoor. As story unfolds we get introduced to Vivek Oberoi, who is also working with Omkara, Konkana Sen-Sharma wife of Langda, and the Sabse-Bade-Ladaiya" Omkara's "skepticism". For those who have read Othello, what I have heard is it is very similar. I do not want to spoil the story anyway.

Vishal Bharadwaj deserves good credit. Very few directors can create a dark movie and still be glorious. Vishal shows his potential as the only Indian Neo-Noir director. There is one scene in the movie at night. Its about a conversation between Omi and Langda in front of a train that was stopped earlier on purpose and its raining. Drneched silhouettes are magnificent. The only light that has been used is the headlight on the train. It is executed to the perfection. I had faith in Vishal and he stands "almost" up to his status. I said almost because I actually was waiting for another mind blower like Maqbool. But it wasn't. The screen writing is highly appreciable. But during the end of the movie I guess at may be 1 or 2 occasions it looses its string. I wanted to see a little more conversation between Omi and Dolly but doesn't happen. May be Shakespeare never wrote any. One more thing about the script that, for me at few occasions local dialect was quite hard so actually I used to read the subtitles. So subtitles are recommended but not required. But other than that script is beautiful. Kudos to Vishal.

The whole experience of watching Omkara was made amazing by Langda Tyagi. Saif Ali Khan has proved again that he is one of the most talented actors who is privileged to get signed by commercial movie makers as well. His performance actually reminded me of Satya. In satya the character that you remember is not Satya but Bhiku Mhatre. same goes with Omkara. Saif delivers the hard local dialect with nothing but simplicity. His whole attitude throughout the movie makes this one a must see.

Next up would be the player of Omkara. Ajay is good. He makes justice to his character very well. His struggle between power and his own personal life is achieved very finely. Good performance.Konkana Sen-sharma stands out as well. Her ability to get under the skin of the character makes me curious about her next movie. Her role is short but she makes it stand out. Kareena is alright. At least not the usual she plays, for instance Chup Chup Ke. But I had hopes from her as well. Unfortunately she doesn't have much to accumulate. Except for the last line she says hugging Omi. Music is good. In the constraints of the movie it fits admirably. Especially "naina thag lenge". Vivek has the same face that he had for past 18-20 of his movies. Not much to say.

In and all Omkara was a good experience. I would recommend you guys to watch it at least once. If you haven't seen Maqbool then I would say watch it after Omkara. You will enjoy that as well.

My Rating: 9/10

The Prestige (2006)

Christopher Nolan's brilliant MAGIC act.

Starring: Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman, Michael Caine.

Written and Directed by: Christopher Nolan.

"Every great magic trick consists of three acts. The first act is called "The Pledge"; The magician shows you something ordinary, but of course... it probably isn't. The second act is called "The Turn"; The magician makes his ordinary some thing do something extraordinary. Now if you're looking for the secret... you won't find it, that's why there's a third act called, "The Prestige"; this is the part with the twists and turns, where lives hang in the balance, and you see something shocking you've never seen before." - Christopher Nolan.

The above quote is yet another example of a case of delicate and extraordinary screen writing. Guess what, this movie stands to its expectations raised in first few minutes. This is not just about magic but the life behind the acts. As Cutter (Michael Caine) narrates above quotes we see a magician performing on stage. A strange thing happens during his act (which of course I am not going to spoil) which takes you right to the core of what this story is all about. That opening scene creates a lot of questions. But interesting as it has been it makes you create your own theories. Its for you to find out what happens next.

This is a story about Robert Angier(Hugh Jackman)and Alfred Borden (Christian Bale) who are working as assistants for a magician Michael Caine. Every single act they watch of their own master and other magicians, they become curious about the acts and try and break those in their heads. As the story continues the situations arise when they rival against each other. That turns into a quest. A quest for the creation of the greatest magic act ever. All you have to do is just sit back and enjoy this unbelievable ride into the world of MAGIC.

First accolade for the movie goes to Christopher Nolan, who was my immediate favorite the day I watched "Following". He has an uncanny ability to present. He is a master story-teller. The movie has a lot of pace. Though I saw the twist an hour earlier but it rather made me look for an explanation and Nolan has one that fits right in. He gives yet another fantastic screenplay after Memento and Batman Begins. Non-linearly written, based on Jonathan Nolan's short story, this saga glues you to your seat.

The performances were fine. Especially Christian Bale. His acting gives this project a real life. This movie shows us his talent beyond the action scenes of Bruce Wayne' other half. Hugh Jackman wasn't far behind him. He delivers his performance with much intensity as well. Their rivalry keeps you guessing and thinking all the time. Next up is Michael Caine. He fits quite admirably in the character of Cutter. Singing legend David Bowie is memorable in his short performance as Tesla. Scarlett Johansson looks stunning as usual.

This movie is dark, tricky, illusionary, intense and of course has something that I have never seen before. Applause to Mr Nolan.

Rating: 10/10

Dor (2006) Review

Interesting flight with some turbulence and a bad landing.

Starring: Ayesha Takia, Shreyas Talpade, Gul Panag.

Written and Directed by: Nagesh Kuknoor.

I watched Dor last night and I would say that this is one of Kuknoor's other movies where his attempts are genuine but still you feel something missing. This is a story about Meera (Ayesha Takia) and Zeenat (Gul Panag) total strangers to each other. After showing their stories in parallel for first 20 minutes they are connected by an event. This event makes Zeenet to go search for Meera. On her journey Zeenat meets a Behrupiya (Shreyas Talpade). The journey has a known destination but the route is hazy. What happens next is always a question. Does Dor have an answer to it? Well I never got one.

Nagesh Kuknoor has come up with interesting storylines almost everytime. Dor's storyline is interesting enough to keep you glued. The authenticity is well maintained in the locals, environment and the costumes. What is missing is a point to the movie. I was pulled back to 3 Deewarein so many times due to its slow pace. 3 Deewarein gave a shocker in the last 1/2 hour. unfortunately this time Kuknoor never comes up with an ending that works. Instead the last scene of the movie is as dramatic as the last scene of DDLJ when Kajol runs for Shahrukh on the train platform. It was totally unnecessary. Before this "dramatic" finale there was no convincing answer to Meera's decision. Also there was no need to show the usual rural woman's plight which has been shown a million times already.

On a positive note the best thing that happened to Dor is Ayesha Takia. I admired her beauty in her previous "teen" flicks. But this time she has proved that she is the beauty with the brains. Her portrayal of Meera is a complete surprise. I atleast want to thank Kuknoor for choosing her. Her daring to take this job is applaudable. She not only is comfortable with the character she is playing but she takes her character to the next level which I believe even Kuknoor would have appreciated. If only Kuknoor would have come up with a better ending, this package would have been a fantastic ride.

Shreyas Talpade mimicking bollywood stars is the next thing to look for. He almost sounds and acts like those stars. He was very funny and it was a good experience to hear him talk after his previous deaf-n-dumb character Iqbal obsessed with cricket.

Gul Panag couldn't have asked for a better role than Zeenat, a young and confident woman with a wish to go to any extent to save someone she loves. I am afraid she appeared to have just stand and say her lines instead of playing the character. Gul was a total turn down.
From time to time Kuknoor has shown his directorial skills including this one. The department that I wanted him to work was the script. It is slow paced with few interesting moments. Do not want to mention about the end again.

Girish Karnad is good. It was good to see Pratiksha Lonkar after a long time. Unfortunately she doesnt have much scope. The cinematography gives this movie a nice look. Salim Sulaiman has come up with yet another impressive music score. One star each for cinematography, basic plot, music score and Shreyas Talpade and two stars for Ayesha Takia. So my rating 6/10.