We all know Tom Hardy is cast as Bane for Christopher Nolan’s third and final installment of his Batman series in The Dark Knight Rises. Bane is a primary villain in the Batman series and famously broke Batman’s back in one of the comics.
I found something startling the other day as I was watching Batman Begins. You know, that movie which gave us hope that the Batman franchise was still alive? That one. Apparently, Chris Nolan stuck Bane in the movie, and hoped no one would notice. Nolan always repeats his supporting cast (Tom Hardy was Eames in Inception) so I thought he put in Hardy just for the heck of it. But now, I find out that Hardy is Bane. I’m pretty sure The Dark Knight Rises will feature Bane coming from Arkham Asylum.
The scene: Batman has just decapitated Dr. Crane and his fellow goons and his rushing through Arkham, when he chooses to open the door of one the cellmates. He says, “Excuse Me” (or something like that). And we see this.
Here’s Tom Hardy.
Tom Hardy
And here’s Tom Hardy (the guy on the left).
Tom Hardy in Batman Begins
Correct me if I’m wrong, but that looks exactly like Tom Hardy. Well done, Chris Nolan. Well done.
Here’s a clip from the movie. All rights belong to Warner Bros.
Each year America churns out at least ten Oscar-worthy films, and we fail to do even half of that. I’m not saying a film will be good only if selected by the Academy, but my point here is the severe (and surprising) dearth of good solid cinema, even by good actors. One of the major problems with the Hindi Film Industry is the ridiculously large number of slapstick comedies they tend to make, most of them starring the one and only Rajiv Hari Om Bhatia.
Here’s a list of films which you may have passed off as worthless (probably because of the title); but I found these to be genuinely good and would definitely watch them again (and again). While not over-the-top like many films in the recent past, these go for subtlety and not extravaganza. Do read, watch and tell me how you liked them (in the comments section).
#5: Do Dooni Chaar (2010)
I’ll be frank: I wasn’t too excited about Do Dooni Chaar. It was produced by that long-haired management guru and was distributed by the geniuses behind Hannah Montana. Even the trailer looked like it was going to be a cheap comedy. But when my aunt (who’s an avid Alfred Hitchcock fan) recommended this to me, I was initially surprised. And when the movie was shown on Star One, it erased any doubts about the film’s credentials. Do Dooni Chaar accurately portrays an average middle-class household who wants to buy a car, but can’t afford it on a teacher’s salary. What follows is a rush to collect money for buying a car. One of the film’s greatest achievements is the great attention paid to the tiniest details in the backgrounds. The family’s house doesn’t look like a set at all. It looks… lived in for years. Despite the slightly disappointing ending, it’s one of the greatest films you’ll ever see.
#4: Kaminey (2009)
I don’t know how to put it, so I’ll just come out and say it. Kaminey is the best Hindi film in the past decade. It stands out for its fantastic originality and bold premise. The reason it’s not in the top three in the list is because some people actually went to watch it, although it was overshadowed by the much-less deserving 3 Idiots. Vishal Bhardwaj brings a Quentin Tarantino-esque madness into the film and even (somehow) molds Shahid Kapur into delivering a splendid performance, essaying a double role. He plays both: Charlie, a gangster, and Guddu, the st- st- stammering guy whose lives entwine as a result of wacky situations. Packed with many surprises, Kaminey elevates your soul to a new level, taking you to where you never thought was possible with Hindi cinema. Add to that an addictive soundtrack, and that just sweetens the deal. (Note to self: must find Kaminey Blu-Ray). My only grouse with Kaminey is some of the songs which I thought were dulling the film’s pace.
#3: Khosla Ka Ghosla (2006)
Jaideep Sahni’s epic script combined with Anupam Kher’s and Boman Irani’s superb acting skills turn this black comedy into a laugh riot for even for those with little knowledge about realty (read, me). Anupam Kher plays Mr. Khosla, whose land has been taken over by Khurana, and the film’s premise revolves around getting it back playing a well-engineered con. Khosla’s USA-bound son helps him to achieve this. This films marks the directorial début of Dibakar Banerjee who would later go on to make gems such as Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! and Love Sex Aur Dhokha. While it did do marginally well at the box office, it has since enjoyed many television reruns, and I make it a point to catch it when it’s on.
#2: Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year (2009)
Image via Wikipedia
I know, I know. It is a Ranbir Kapoor film and oh boy is it good. In his best (yet most understated) performance yet, Rocket Singh stands out as one of the most sincere films in Hindi cinema. Another gem by Jaideep Sahni and director Shimit Amin sees wonderful characters developing enough to make you actually care for them. Never quite exploiting the ‘sardar’ angle (and thankfully so), Rocket Singh delivers thanks to compelling performances by an ensemble cast. Once again, the details here are too hard to ignore. Office parties with booze flowing in plastic cups and music playing from computer speakers are just few of them.
#1: Mithya (2008)
Surprised? Then Mithya has already succeeded in doing what it does best even before you’ve watched it. I’m willing to bet you haven’t heard of it. I wouldn’t have been lucky enough to witness this gem of a film if it wasn’t for good ol’ Jet Airways. Mithya was the only film I hadn’t watched from their in-flight movie collections, and boy was it awesome. Ranvir Shorey plays a struggling actor who bears and unfortunate (and uncanny) resemblance to a don, whose character he has to essay in real life. Packed with lots of little turns and twists and punctuated by stupendous performances from all the actors, Mithya delivers much more than it promises. Speaking more about it would be doing injustice to the entire movie-watching experience.
P.S: Welcome To Sajjanpur was left out because of too many songs.
P.P.S: Don’t expect this to be the first of a long series of posts. My blogging will remain as ‘frequent’ as it was in the last year. Sorry to disappoint!
P.P.P.S: Please leave some comments! And thank you for not unsubscribing.
When you first see the trailer for The Hangover, the first thought which will occur to your current will be “Damn. When will Hollywood learn to make original concepts? This is just another bachelor party gone bad.” And the average Douglas Adams fan will say “Poetry! They deserve poetry!“
But The Hangover stands out as a movie completely different from what you’ve expected. Directed by director Todd Phillips, The Hangover is the story of Doug’s bachelor party in Las Vegas with his friends Stuart, Phil and brother-in-law Alan. Stu had a bossy girlfriend and for her, he’s going to Wine County in Nevada, not to Vegas. Phil is a school teacher.
So off they go to Vegas in Doug’s father-in-law’s Mercedes. They rent a villa in Caesar’s Palace (which, for the record, is $4200 for the night). The script mysteriously cuts to the morning, where the four three wake up – without Doug – only to find the villa in complete mess. Not to mention a baby in the closet, a tiger in the bathroom and a chicken in the house. Stu’s missing a tooth, has a receipt of $800 from the Bellagio, and Phil has evidence that he’s been to a hospital. And they cannot remember the single thing. Now this is a premise many movies have used in the past as well, but what makes The Hangover different is that the trio tries to piece together the events in the reverse order, thus guaranteeing the screenplay writers a definite Oscar nomination.
Without revealing too much, I can safely say that the plot is unpredictable and never bores you for a single minute. There’s spice in every single scene and superb performances by all three leads make it even better. You can imagine the shock on their faces when they receive a police car instead of their Mercedes for the hotel’s car parking. Or Stu’s feelings when he realises that he’s given his to-be-engagement-ring post marriage to a stripper. In the end, they manage to find Doug in the wackiest of twist plots.
More than the plot, it is the movie-going experience you’re going to enjoy so much. The director focuses on the troubles of the actors, and not tryin to capture the tempting night-life which many other directors tend to do more often than not. The trio battle the Chinese mafia, a couple of police officers and have a trip down to a casino. The scene in the casino where Alan plays Blackjack is probably the most hilarious scene in the entire movie. There’s a cameo by boxing champion Mike Tyson as well, who does what he does best – punch out!
Bradley Cooper as the playboy Phil is excellent and so is Ed Helms, who plays a disgruntled Stuart Price. But the real star of the show is Zach Galifianakis who plays immature Alan Garner. His stupid one-liners and crazy acts (including one where he slices off his palm) are hilarious and done with effortless sincerity. The constant bickering and hilarious insults thrown at each other will leave you in splits, and there’s no surprise you’ll end up on the floor, rather than on the chair you’re sitting while watching The Hangover.
To sum it up, I can say that The Hangover is the best comedy film this year, and deserves all the awards it is getting. Sharply written, surprising, exhilarating, unpredictable, hilarious and mind-blowing to leave you flabbergasting (and rolling on the floor), The Hangover is an amazing film. A few explicit scenes puts me off though, but overall, I recommend The Hangover for every (teenage) person . It’ll help forget all your worries and will go down in your memory as the best comedy film. Ever.
Detailed Ratings [Out of 10]
Plot: ∞
Acting: ∞
Screenplay: ∞
Direction: ∞
Feel: ∞
Overall Rating: 5∞/10
Oh, and don’t give me that nonsense about not being able to multiply with infinity and all that. Chuck Norris can do it, Jack Bauer can do it, and so can Todd Philips. Once you’ll The Hangover, you’ll agree with me.
3 Idiots was definitely the most anticipated film of the year. As usual, Aamir Khan went forward with his plans for world domination by publicizing the movie at a huge level, thus raising the expectations of the masses. But most importantly, the Aamir Khan-Raju Hirani partnership was seen as the harbinger of the revival of the Bollywood economy, which had taken a plunge in 2009.
3 Idiots has an ingenious plot which does seem weird at sometimes, but is acceptable, nevertheless. Aamir Khan plays Ranchoddas “Rancho” Shyamaldas Chanchad, who becomes an idol for his friends and roommates Raju (played by S-her-man Joshi) and, especially, Farhan (played by Mad-havan), in the Imperial College of Engineering (based loosely on the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi). All three friends are from different backgrounds and are in the college (which has Boman Irani playing Viru, the dean) for their own reasons – both Raju and Farhan “first aana chahte hain“, and Rancho comes for the sole purpose of becoming a good engineer. Towards the middle of the film, Rancho mysteriously disappears, and is hunted down by Raju and Farhan.
As you can see, I didn’t mention Kareena Kapoor anywhere in the plot. Why? Because it’s not important. That’s why. If her character had been ripped apart from the film completely, 3 Idiots would have been considerably shorter by at least twenty minutes, and thus, more enjoyable. In fact, Kareena Kapoor exists because there’s an unwritten rule in Bollywood.
A Bollywood film cannot be a commercial success unless it stars a female lead who plays the male lead’s love interest.
Rajkumar Hirani uses that trademark feel-good-film style direction which we were acquainted with in his successful Munnabhai series. The plot swiftly alternates between light and heavy moments, without boring you one bit. Most of the jokes are clichéd, but the sheer performance given by the film’s cast pulls off even cheap and amateurish jokes superbly, leaving you in splits. Boman Irani is in fine form as the typical college dean, complete with a lifp and high-waist trousers. The fine actor he is, Aamir Khan pulls off the easy-going, happy-go-lucky Rancho’s character effortlessly, without letting you have the impression that he is forty, and is playing a character of nearly half his age. Madhavan and and Sharman Joshi deliver good performances too, as does Kareena Kapoor, although she has a small role to play).
He's so obsessed with Math, that he's mastered a parabolic smile
But 3 Idiots suffers from some weird WTF (pardon my French) moments. Rancho’s “All Iz Well” [sic] mantra appears to be a nice little way to calm your heart and deal with situations, but it is taken a tad
Very Inconspicuous
too far, where the mere utterance of the word causes a baby to kick in its mother’s tummy. There’s a scene involving a paralyzed man being driven on a scooter to hospital without considering the fact that some infection will lead to certain death. Not only that, but the scooter rams straight into Fortis Hospital, into the patients’ ward, brushing security as if it were trivial to concentrate on such matters. As even the Father of the Internet pointed out, it showcases how “important” security is for Fortis. There are shots where the camera deliberately hangs over a Fortis sign, or an AirTel USB Internet modem (twice). But the most unbelievable bit of all was the delivery of a table using a vacuum cleaner running on car batteries on a ping-pong table. Yes. You heard it. A ping-pong table, which, incidentally, also fell apart during one of the scenes in the film. Rancho’s character is far too perfect for the real world. He goes on to become the most successful of them all, despite his happy-go-lucky attitude. He tops the class, wins everybody’s hearts, makes parents happy, forces Farhan to change his entire career, becomes a super-successful scientist and still gets the girl? I don’t think so.
Most of the story is told in a flashback form, with Farhan reciting the story and skipping over to reality at regular intervals. The suspense of what happens next keeps you hooked on.
But you know what really saves 3 Idiots? You know what? Not only the light-hearted moments, but the real star and revelation Omi Vaidya, who plays Chatur Ramalingam, and is the butt of most jokes. An NRI whose knowledge of Hindi language is negligible, Chatur is the serious guy in the class, always studying and aiming to become the champion. In addition to his arresting performance, 3 Idiots works because it makes an emotional connection with the audience, and wittily stressing at pointed jabs towards our grading system. The message it ultimately delivers is true, and something that we need to think about. Which is why, friends, 3 Idiots is a movie you simply have to watch for the sheer entertainment it offers. Rajkumar Hirani has made better films, and I have seen better films.
Watch the 3 Idiots Theatrical Trailer
Detailed Ratings [Out of 10]
Plot: 7
Acting: 10
Screenplay: 8
Direction: 8
Feel: 9
Overall Rating: 8.4/10 (Very Good)
And, by the way, 3 Idiots has become so famous, BoingBoing has a post about it, urging readers to go and see it, even if they don’t speak English.
When was the last time you saw a film which had you awed, and you thought about it even days later? When was the last time you saw something so divine, and saw flawless, that you felt like applauding? Probably, the last time that happened for me was when I saw Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Never. Ever. Before. Has a movie been made like Avatar, which combines an extremely high budget ($230 million plus $150 million for promotion), great acting and a fairly good plot along with a message to make a thundering impact on the souls of all viewers? I doubt it.
Avatar has taken India by storm. Tickets had been booked a day in advance, and watching the current show in 3D is out of question, unless you plan it a day in advance. I saw Avatar at PVR Plaza in Rajiv Chowk, and the cinema hall was jam-packed.
The main character, Jake Sully, is a crippled US Marine who signs up for an Avatar programme which involves mining this mineral called Unobtanium, so that an energy crisis gripping the earth can be solved. (For those who don’t know, Unobtanium is a name given to any material which is “un-obtainable” to run anything. For example, an unobtanium-made-pulley may be frictionless, which is pretty impossible). This wicked stuff is available on a moon (Pandora) which orbits a planet which further orbits Alpha Centauri. This stone can be obtained only with the cooperation of the Na ‘vi, tall, blue-skinned inhabitants of Pandora. They’re primitive as compared to the humans, but more physically capable. They also have these USB ports in their hair, which they can plug into trees and horses. Badass, this.
Basically, the main character, Jake Sully, is on Pandora to control an “avatar” of himself, and become a Na ‘vi mentally, when physically wired up in a bunker. He’s got to convince the Na ‘vi to give him the Unobtanium, but finally realises that the humans are wrong. And he fights (in the end; this was inevitable) for the Na ‘vi against the humans.
You’ll notice that the plot is simple, and even predictable in some parts. But it’s not the plot you’re basically concentrating on here. It’s the visual effects. Of course, there are movies in the pastwhich have made exactly the same blunder, thus compromising on other aspects and some who focus more on the plot, and not just visual effects. But Cameron does both, and makes a surprisingly good balance between both. The fact that Avatar is so visually pleasing, makes you forget the plot and think more about how Cameron made the environment? Remember: it’s a whole new world, and all new creatures, so it has to be made from scratch. Hundreds of people cannot by physically dyed blue, so that had to be CGI as well. What James Cameron has created and visualised is not mere scenery – it’s an entire universe, like the Middle Earth in LOTR, and unlike it as well, as Avatar cannot simply be shot in New Zealand. Cameron attached probes to all of his actors and used revolutionary new motion capture technology.
Everything you see here, is computer generated.
The acting is also great, although there is not much scope of acting. The emotions do come out well, especially in those scenes when the Na ‘vi’s homes are felled cruelly by the army. Their cries will echo even after a long, long time. Its that brief period of emotional connections that probably sets the pace for the next hour of the movie.
Something else is the totally believable universe Avatar is set in. I mean, the technology is not something which can make you go “Come on!”. Its something humans are close to achieving. In the end, it also gives an important message about saving the environment, and not getting into energy crises (which is not very far). But all this is unimportant; where Avatar really trumps is the overall experience of it. Of how everything seems to be there in the movie. Love, action, drama, emotion, jealousy, power, and so on. It may not be the best film ever, but it’s certainly one of the most complete and entertaining film. Do watch it, and do so in 3D, as that is how Cameron would like you to experience it. Looks like the huge $230 million dollar gamble, like Titanic, paid off.
Here’s the theatrical trailer for Avatar. Do watch it in full screen HD.
Unfortunately, not all have the convience to download movies via torrents. Lets face it: torrents do take time to download an entire movie to your HDD. Also, you may want to watch only a portion of a movie. So download the entire freakin’ clip?
This is where QuickSilverScreen (or QSS, as they’d like to call themselves) comes in. Its great for watching new movies, with respectable video quality, especially if they’re atleast a week old.
The service is just so amazingly fast, you wouldn’t even realise you’re actually through. No sign-in and other hassles required at all! And most importantly, its free.
In case you’re wondering, this is not a sponsored post.
First of all, you must know that District 9 was made on a measly budget of $50 million (thats about Rs. 144 Crores) only, which is about 4 times lesser than Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen‘s budget of $200 million (Rs 962 Crores. Yikes). And, District 9 is approximately four times better than the latter. It puts big-budget films like Transformers to shame, with a cast and director not widely known at all.
District 9 is a movie based around an alien invasion. It’s not at all like your stereotypicalalien-invasionfilm. In fact, it stands out distinctly. District 9 is does not focus on the alien invasion itself, but on the way it affects the entire society. But first, I must tell you about the simple, yet gripping plot.
An alien ship arrives in the 1980s, hovering over Johannesburg (South Africa), but instead of launching a hostile attack, it simply stays there.
The "prawn" spaceship hovering in Johannesburg
Further observation within the ship reveals that it consists only of a number of malnourished aliens (nicknamed “prawns”), who are too weak to attack. The SA government decides to throw them in some camp in Jo’burg, which eventually turns into a slum, courtesy MNU
Fast-forward to present day South Africa. People accept them as a part of their lives and (dis)integrate them into their society, and you often catch glimpses of hilarious signs, which is an obvious indication of the mindset of the people – Chuck. Prawns. Out.
Signs of Their Times
Multinational United (MNU) has been put in-charge of the aliens, although the name sounds more like a soccer club. MNU is responsible for turning District 9 into a slum. And now, things get sinister when Head of Operations Wikus van der Merwe (Sharlto Copley) gets infected, and begin transforming into a prawn. Superbly directed by Neill, District 9 always keeps you on the edge of your seats, even when the entire cinema hall is empty and the popcorn tastes revolting (I was a victim). It is clear that all humans want from the aliens is their sophisticated weapons, which work only with their DNA, where renders any human incapable of operating it. MNU uses employee Wikus to their own advantage – to operate weapons, and rip apart his heart and bone marrow to transfer the DNA to other individuals.
I don’t want to reveal any more of this plot, but I can safely say that basing this film in South Africa was very ingenious indeed, as it reminds you of the apartheid system. Aliens bound in chains by the MNU and the government, who rip apart their houses at will. Of course, there is a message from the movie, but unlike others, you grasp it without it being dinned into your head.
Also, the way the characters are written also makes the movie an engaging watch. Look out for Copley, who acts superbly as Wikus. The pain he has to go through is so severe and so well depicted, that you feel it too. Watch out for the alien scientist Christopher as well, and the odd bond which develops between Wikus and Christopher. Director Neill Bolmkamp has also paid great attention to detail, showing how the crime never stays clear of slums, and how locals take advantage of the aliens, by enticing them with their favourite cat food.
However, you will never miss the action and violence. There is plenty. A lot of heads are severed from the bodies and crushed upon my walking people. Aliens and humans are electrocuted alike, with blood and flesh falling on camera.
Of course, District 9 does have its fair share of worries. But the best part is, they may never seem to intrigue you. The film starts off more like a documentary, which may lead to slight boredom. Also, the ending of the film may not please you, as Wikus is stuck as a prawn forever. (Did I mention a spoiler warning?)
In the end, District 9 turns out to be an excellent film. See it for sure, as it is a mixture of a superb plot and stunning visual effects as well as sincere acting. Most of which other big budget films lack.
Director: Michael Bay Producer: Steven Spielberg Cast: Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf)
Mikaela Banes (Megan Fox)
ExPlOsIoNs!!!!!!11111111111!!!1!1
Review: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen was probably the most awaited movie of this year. Probably even more than Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. It is a sequel to Michael Bay’s super duper hit Transformers, as you may already know. However, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen fails to capitalize on the superb head start it knows it gets from its prequel.
The movie starts off with Optimus Prime (leader of the Autobots) telling a story in that monotonous robotic-cum-human voice of his. You come to know that the Autobots have formed an alliance with the Americans to destroy Decepticons hidden in parts of the world to help prevent resurrection of Megatron, whom Optimus destroyed and threw into the ocean. Funnily enough, the Decepticons are simply lying there and doing nothing, not even hurting a fly, when the Autobots show up and tear them to shreds. Poor guys. Er… robots.
And the best part is that all this Autobot-American-friendship thingy is supposed to be a secret. They’re actually doing a very, very good job actually. I mean, come on. Who’s going to notice ten-odd twenty-foot robots ripping apart Shanghai to search for another twenty-foot dormant robot, and destroy him in a major explosion? No one, of course.
Meanwhile, Sam Witwicky is going to an expensive collage, and still loves Megan Fox, who still works as a mechanic in her dad’s garage. Now as usual, Megan Fox is hot and sexy, but still has no trace of emotion on her face. She is as expressive as a very beautiful block of wood. Shia, meanwhile, is 0.1% better than her (I measured), but still doesn’t manage to impress you a lot. Its only his cuteness which will make a couple of you go “Aww… He’s cho cute!”, but that’s it.
Coming back to the ridiculous plot now. There are only two parts of the All Spark cube left, as it was destroyed while destroying Megatron. The Decepticons use one of them to resurrect Megatron. When Optimus Prime dies, and Sam still has access to the All Spark shard, it doesn’t even strike that kid to use it to resurrect Optimus. No! Let us do it the hard way. That’s the only way we can make a movie out of this crazy plot. Our friend Sam, while mourning Prime’s death, attends collage, and starts drawing all sorts of strange symbols. A Decepticon-seductress tries to kill him there for no apparent reason. His eccentric room mate takes him to that Sector Seven guy Agent Simmons, who now owns some kind of bakery/cookie shop, who takes them to some museum, where they find Jetfire so that he could read the symbols, who teleports them to Egypt, where they learn about the legend of the Fallen and some Matrix key. Only Jetfire the Old could read the symbols. Not even Bumblebee could, so should be more educated.
Lets keep the plot at that. You would have realised the flaws in it. There are more, but then that’s another post novel altogether. The last half-hour of the movie are merely explosions. Boom ka-boom is all you hear.
The screenplay is a bit wacky as well. You may often tend to get confused between scenes, and will ask the guy beside you about what just happened and why it is happening. But its not that bad. Not as bad as the plot, at least.
But what actually saves the film, is an excellent soundtrack, featuring those great songs – New Divide by Linkin Park and 21 Guns by Green Day. The filmmakers had to turn to someone other than themselves to rely on making a movie a success. It does work. You’ll hum those tunes for a long time.
But the main forte of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is the visual effects. Spectacular stuff. Amazingly created robots and explosion, with an accurate reproduction of reflections, scratches and dirt on their metal bodies. Especially those few slow-motion action sequence will make you go “Whoaaaaaa”. This saves the film from becoming a complete fiasco. The visual effects are just so bloody awesome, that they are beyond description.
In the end, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is just an average film. But the amazing visual effects make it a must watch. This is just an entertainer to make your mind stress free.
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Trailer. Do watch it in Full Screen HD.
Director: David Yates Cast:
Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe)
Ronald Weasley (Rupert Grint)
Hermione Granger (Emma Watson)
Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore (Michael Gambon)
Horace Slughorn (Jim Broadbent)
Severus Snape (Alan Rickman)
Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton)
Heavy British Accent (Everybody)
Review:
Exams finished on the 21st of July, and I rushed (yes, literally. I ran from school) to Fun Cinemas, Pitampura to catch Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
The movie starts off with the Dementors/Death Eaters wrecking havoc around the streets of England. That perfectly rendered scene, especially the one in which that bridge collapses, is superb to watch. Inevitably, it sets the tone for the entire movie. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince doesn’t deviate much from the book, but it does a little, which may disappoint you to an extent.
The film actually starts off when Dumbledore takes Harry away to persuade former Potions professor Horace Slughorn to return to Hogwarts. Then follows the scene in which Snape makes the unbreakable vow with Narcissa Malfoy, to take care of her son, and assist him the job the Dark Lord has asked him to perform.
Now this is the film in which Harry and his friends actually grow up. They start noticing girls/guys, and begin to kiss them in public in broad daylight as well. Even in corridors. I really wouldn’t like to use the cliched “raging hormones” which you’ve probably heard of in every movie review.
Harry begins to develop an affection for Ginny, and Ron for Lavender, of which Hermione is particularly jealous of. Now the film has been directed in an excellent manner by David Yates, using all the characters to throw in just the right amount of comedy and sincerity in the characters they play in the same time. All actors perform their roles fabulously, especially Rupert Grint as Ron, who is exceptional. He really steals the show more than Daniel or Emma does, although they do seem to share the limelight for most of the time. Watch that scene in which Ron accidentally consumes Love Potion, and that one too, when he goes out for Beater tryouts. Daniel isn’t bad either. I particularly liked that scene in which Hermione accuses him of mixing a potion in Ron’s juice, so that he feels more confident, and Harry admits he didn’t. Alan Rickman and Jim Broadbent as Snape and Slughorn are nice as well. Michael Gambon does perfect justice to Dumbledore’s character, which is, in my opinion, one of the most important one in the film.
All the special effects are done pretty well. Especially the Apparation scenes, the Inferi, the Dark Mark and the scene in which Harry travels with Dumbledore to the dark cave. These are the main forte of the film, and make up for some of the bad parts, which I will discuss later.
Draco Malfoy is involved with a Vanishing Cabinet in the Room of Requirement, which he eventually uses to get all the Death Eaters to Hogwarts, and eventually kill Dumbledore. Now, the ever-inquisitive Harry must find out what his enemy is up to, and this often leads to eye-to-eye face-offs with each other. The enemity is a treat to watch, and their acting is so convincing, that you can actually sense the loathing they have for each other. Watch that spectacular scene in which Harry and Draco are involved in a raging conflict in the bathroom.
Now to the plot. David Yates’s direction is pretty convincing, but you simply cannot ignore the film’s plot problems. There are many things not mentioned from the book, the most important ones being Marvolo Gaunt’s memory and the entire Quidditch Cup season, which all the movies just seem to ignore almost completely. Also, some scenes, such as the awesome Bellatrix-Harry chase scene in a wheat field is completely pointless, as both Bellatrix and Fenrir Greyback (the werewolf) do not succeed in killing Harry, and do not achieve much in burning down Ron’s house, which struck me as pointless. Also, the entire Dumbledore burial scene is skipped! That was the most emotional part of the book, and brought me to tears, which very few books do.
The film has an extremely long running time of two-and-a-half-hours, and becomes really, really boring in a few handpicked scenes. The first half is fantastic, and you will never know when the time flies (unless you have an empty stomach). But even when you’re munching on butter popcorn and sipping Coke, the second half seems to drag on. Yates tries to finish of the film in a hurry, when the detials are actually required.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Theatrical Trailer. Do watch it in full screen HD.
There are a lot of movies/games/software out there, which may be unknown to a majority of people. People are hardly interested in this kind of stuff, and ignore it purely based on public reactions. I don’t think they’re bad at all.
PS: I’ve included a Criticism characterisitc with each topic to explain why it is criticised by people, and my counter-point as well.
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
The Metal Gear Solid [MGS] series by Hideo Kojima of Konami Computer Entertainment Japan is quite famous. But this is one of the games on the series you just have to try out. It was initially planned for the PlayStation 3, but released for its predecessor due to launch delay. So you can imagine how great the graphics will be. Cinematic cutscenes with a movable-and-zoom camera option, superb music, brilliant physics and an amazing storyline make Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater one of the coolest, if not best, PlayStation 2 game ever made. The game does have it flaws though. The O button is the X button and vice-verca, so you have to press O to accept and X to cancel. Camera controls are cumbersome too. However, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater makes you realise that the PlayStation 2 has pressure-sensitive controls! Pressing O lightly will suffocate an enemy, while hammering it will sever his throat with your knife. Criticism: Metal Gear Solid games are no different than movies.
True. Quite true. And this is often a line used by MGS haters. But play the game and you realise “Hey… This is like a movie, but I can haz like to be a hero in the movie!!11111111!!!” Who wouldn’t want to play a lead role in films? Metal Gear Solid 3 allows you to do just that.
Burnout Dominator
Burnout Dominator
I reviewed Burnout Dominator in the past, and gave it about 8/10. Burnout Dominator isn’t a bad game at all. Its absolutely amazing. However, it leaves you disappointed only because you’d have expected more from the successor of such an awesome game like Burnout Revenge.
Criticism:Burnout Dominator is extremely difficult, and hence, is a pain to play. It may be tougher than its predecessors, but difficulty is the major criteria for playing! Anybody with amateurish driving skills can rule Burnout Revenge overnight, but it requires gaming expertise and concentration and determination to achieve the same for Burnout Dominator. Only a hardcore gamer can do this.
Phineas and Ferb
Phineas and Ferb
Phineas and Ferb aired on Disney Channel a couple of months ago, and is probably the best cartoon I have seen in a long time. The lead characters Phineas and Ferb are extremely cute and always have some of the naugtiest inventions up their sleeves. In fact, their title track says it all:
Building a rocket or fighting a mummy
Or climbing up the Eiffel tower
Discovering something that doesn’t exist
Or giving a monkey a shower
Yes. They really do all that. Without their parents getting to know. But their nosey sister tries to bust them, but always fails. Also, there’s a song in every episode, which is not at all childish. In fact, all of them are catchy, especially the title track. It also involves a side plot, where Phineas and Ferb’s pet platypus doubles up as a secret agent to foil the evil scientist Heinz Doofenshmirtz’s plans.
Criticism: Phineas and Ferb is a cartoon for kids. You’re a baby if you watch that crap!
Wrong. Completely. Wrong. Its like you’re saying South Park is for kids. Phineas and Ferb may not be that vulgar, but is certainly witty. Kids can watch it as well, but people of all ages must give it a shot. In fact, its got all those witty takes on many fields, such as fashion, reality shows (such as one named as “America’s Next Teen Pop Star Idol!” taking a dig at ridiculously named reality shows. The winner even performs a one-hit wonder. Phenomenons only adults or teenagers can understand), evil scientists, and even mammals. You must see the season opener episode “Rollercoaster” which I’ll put up here.
Rebecca
Rebecca
Rebecca is an Alfred Hitchcock film made entirely in black and white. Its that old. Many enthusiasts may already know about this one, but many don’t. Rebecca won the Oscar for Best Picture in 1940, but chances are it’ll win any year. The actors deliver spectacular performances, and the horror will really freak you out. It may not be as gory or deadly as your Grudges or Hannibals, but it is Hitchcock’s superior directorial skills which will keep you glued to the edge of your seats.
