Movie review compilations from my Facebook

Okay fellas, since I have been writing only on Facebook these days, I thought of compiling some of my work on movie reviews and moving them to my beloved blog. Enjoy reading.

1. Raanjhanaa (Hindi) 'Raanjhanaa' is well performed but shoddily written thanks to a half-baked plot. It beats me how the hero forgets to attend his own marriage because he's madly in love with the heroine. Sometimes logic goes for a toss as the screenplay takes a bumpy ride in the second hour. Blips like these cast serious doubts on the director's earnestness or the lack of it in crafting a compelling love story. Pardon my stereotyping cos even though the purists may take a dig or two at Dhanush's diction, it's simply amazing to see a Tamil hero speaking difficult hindi in a convincing manner. So, it's Dhanush who indeed saves Raanjhanaa from attaining mediocrity, with a dazzling performance that's up there with his best efforts. Sonam Kapoor, who probably lands her best written role till date, does her part well. Abhay Deol is wasted in a meek role and on top of it, deliberately underplays his character. Swara Bhaskar who plays Bindya comes out with a refreshing performance. Raanjhanaa on the whole is different but lacks the authenticity and simplicity of the director's debut film, 'Tanu Weds Manu'. That said, thanks to Dhanush, the film turns out to be not-so-disappointing. 2. Mumbai Police (Malayalam) There sure are some gaping holes in the script penned by Bobby and Sanjay but the conviction with which Rosshan shot 'Mumbai Police' makes it a genuinely daring experiment. Prithviraj comes up with another spellbinding performance that would assure his place firmly above the rest of his generation. I believe 'Antony Moses' is a statement that goes on the lines of "yes, I'm one of the most secured actors in the country" and sure he is. With a theme untouched, performances unmatched and direction unparalleled, Mumbai Police stands out like a precious gem in a heap of mediocrities we so often bump into. 3. Kai Po Che (Hindi) 'Kai Po Che' indeed makes a cut well above Chetan Bhagat's mediocre novel which failed to strike an emotional chord. Kudos to Abhishek Kapoor for crafting a movie that's deeply engaging and has some glittering performances. 4. Celluloid (Malayalam) 'Celluloid' filmed by Kamal and starring Prithviraj is a cinematic masterstroke about the birth of Malayalam Cinema that's set in the early 1900s. Prithviraj has blazed the celluloid with a career best performance that simply drubs any baseless bashing from the so called critics. As a performer, he's a good yard or two ahead of anyone of his generation simply because he's able to prevent himself from being typecasted and get out of the comfort zone. Back to the film, one would feel remorseful after watching the tragic tale of J.C Daniel unravel in a form conceived by the man himself. As a moviegoer, it was hard for me to accept the fact that the prolific movie industry of Kerala was built on a taint of social injustice but was equally rewarding to see truth finding its way out of the mess. Kamal has reinvented himself after a series of . lacklusture offerings and the lead girls impress in a film that's beautifully shot by ace cameraman Venu. On the whole, 'Celluloid' is one of a kind that's simply way too good to be missed. 5. Special 26 (Hindi) Subtle humour, immaculate detailing of the 80s and a believable plot (true story after all) make Neeraj Pandey's 'Special Chabbis' a likeable film. I wouldn't go so far to brand it an overwhelming experience because the grand heist could have been crispier and editing tighter. And ofcourse the heroine and songs pop up at the wrong time all the time thereby playing huge spoilsports. Yet, the film is not meant for the masses as the uncompromising attitude of the director is evident in every frame. Akshay Kumar needs to be credited for finally doing a down to earth character after a string of larger than life roles but it's Anupam Kher who is the real scene stealer here. He continues from where he left off in 'A Wednesday' which was the director's debut outing. In short, Special Chabbis is courageous filmmaking coupled with refinement. 6. David (Tamil) My biggest grouse with Bejoy Nambiar's 'David' is that Vikram's character is poorly written as it lacks depth and is clearly one dimensional. On the contrary, Jeeva gets to emote in a meaty role and he comes out with a layered performance that's simply the best of his career. Nevertheless, the scripting falls that as there's nothing dramatic to narrate and the sequences lack conviction. On the whole, 'David' looks contrived and is a lame attempt at sending the "path of the righteous" message, if indeed that's what the director intended. 7. Neethane En Ponvasantham (Tamil) So what if the characters don't speak mind numbing formulaic dialogues, what if the frames are not graced by breath taking locales, what if the movie is deprived of shocking plot twists.......NEP is a brilliantly written piece about pure unadulterated love narrated in the most simplistic of ways. The characters are complex though as they go on a spiral laced with ego, conflicts and futilities but then why are we surprised? Aren't these elements integral to most relationships? And I can't praise Samantha enough for literally carrying the movie on her shoulders but she's fortunate to land such a well written author backed role so early in her career. I am a huge fan of the maestro like all of you but the music doesn't gel with the Gautham-esque narration and is a huge let down. I so wish Gautham had picked up his phone and dialed a certain Harris Jayaraj. Nevertheless, NEP works. 8. Talaash (Hindi) We have celebrated 'the sixth sense' and 'the others' citing unconventional scripting as a pleasantly surprising yet an intelligent route to adapt. But I can perfectly understand why the opinions about 'Talaash' are divided. As a stand alone film, Talaash scores on various levels yet crippled largely by the high expectations created by the hype. Also, Aamir's plight as a father somehow fails to evoke the level of sympathy that Reema would have hoped for. Yet, the dialogues are brilliant, performances top notch and music a huge favor. Don't expect an unravelling of a crime thriller as you are likely to connect the dots an hour into the film. It's still an easy watch provided you are ready to accept cinematic liberties. 9. Usthad Hotel (Malayalam) Finally watched 'Usthad Hotel'. I must say I am not overwhelmed by the feel good factor even though the movie doesn't take itself too seriously. It can be wrapped up as a one-liner and that's about it. Thilakan's performance was a revelation because with restricted body movements, the actor was able to bring out the best of emotions with ease. Anjali Menon's scripting revolves around a wafer thin plot but that's fine if the characters are well etched out. To her credit, she even gives ample scope for Dulquer Salman to perform but he can hardly emote despite passing the eye-candy test. On the whole, a better actor portraying the central character of Faizi would have elevated Usthad Hotel to a cult status. 10. Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi (Hindi) 'Shirin Farhad Ki toh nikal padi' (uff such a long name) is a film with a disjointed script that often gets into mundanity. The characters aren't immensely likeable in a so called character driven film because the characterization itself has taken a royal beating. Trapped by the predictability factor and devoid of grassroot realism, the film tries too hard to evoke sympathy for its lead pair leading to a plastic lovestory at the core. Songs, that too some forgettable ones, hamper the mood further even though Bomman's gags do bring smile. Farah Khan should stick to what she's good at cos front of the camera is not the place for he