Reviewed: Let Me In [2010]

Let Me In is a remake of the successful Swedish horror Let The Right One In [2008] and despite not having seen this I am led to believe sticks to the storyline extremely closely. This is not what I would call your typical vampire movie with the vampire taking shape in the form of a 12 year old girl Abby (Chloe Moretz) and not a wooden stake to be seen. If anything it is more of an emotional love story.
We start, as is the growing trend these days at some unspecified point in the future with a man being rushed to hospital finding out along the way that he is the prime suspect in several murders occurring around the sleepy backwater town of Los Alamos, New Mexico. Whilst is left alone in his hospital room he jumps from the window to his death.
Rewind two weeks where we are introduced to Owen (Kodi Smit-McPhee) a boy who is bullied at school by three of his peers and whose parents are currently going through a divorce leaving him somewhat of an introvert and lacking confidence. The director is clever in that the father is never seen and the mother is only in scenes briefly so we do not get to know her which means we really only get to know Owen and hence share his loneliness. With the arrival of Abby and her father though, he finds happiness in her company and the pair create a friendship that Mortez and Smit-McPhee act out excellently.
Alongside this growing friendship is the more sinister hunt for fresh blood which leads to the disappearance of some locals and the police search that ensues. Where many vampire movies head down the vicious mass murdering group who go around killing for fun this paints the picture of a much more calculated sect who kill to survive and are aware that many killings will lead to too many questions being asked and them eventually being found. It is a means to survive nothing else.
There were some well crafted pieces of cinematography with one scene in particular involving a car crash making up for the poor use of CGI and special effects (that were thankfully infrequent) which would be more in line with a lower budget production.
The background and history of Abby and her father is kept vague for most of the movie which invites the viewer to create their own past for them, suffice to say that we are assume they have been around a long time. This leads to an interesting question that wasn't really answered- if Abby had been around a long time trapped in a 12 year old body surely her mind would have grown up? Yes there is a sense of maturity surrounding her but at the same time she never really shakes off that sense of still actually being an innocent kid. Perhaps this was intentional and shows the innocence of youth prevailing over the evil within. Either way Mortez is fantastic at depicting her character showing us that she has a very bright future in the industry.
When I sat down to watch Let Me In I was not expecting what was served up before me. Luckily though it was a pleasant surprise as the movie gets you hooked at the start and thanks to the great on screen chemistry between Mortez and Smit-McPhee keeps you engaged right up until the credits start rolling. Definitely worth a watch.

Reviewed: Hall Pass [2011]

The premise for this movie is an interesting one and brought with it the chance to lay down some solid comedy. With the Farrelly brothers producing the likes of Dumb and Dumber and There's Something About Mary, hopes were higher than usual for this type of film. Rick (Owen Wilson) is married along with all his closest friends but this doesn't stop him and his mates sharing a jovial joke or two about what they would be getting up to if they weren't with the other half. In fact the first half an hour of the movie you will spend wondering whether you have happened upon sex crazed teenagers trapped adult bodies given how horny they all seem to be.
Rick and Fred (Jason Sudeikis) believe that they have honed their abilities to leer at women with extreme subtlety and are sure that they are never caught in the act. Their spouses however are well aware of their antics and on most occasions spot or overhear their husbands. After going just that bit too far both Rick and Fred are granted a 'hall pass' from their wives. An entire week to spend doing whatever or whomever they want.
The movie is broken down into the 7 days that they have and the mischief that they get up to. For the first few days Rick and Fred are joined by their mates who watch as they talk the talk but don't walk the walk. Even after copious amounts of alcohol and a quick read up on the latest internet chat-up lines neither one is bringing their A-game to the table. Parallel to this however are the wives who both go to Cape Cod for the week and being spouse free themselves find that male attention is quite easy to come by. Rick and Fred's friends who include Stephen Merchant (am not sure how they managed to get him in this but he should probably have given it a wide berth) are not engaging and except for a golf scene involving brownies laced with weed they don't contribute to either the plot line or the comedy.
The Farrelly brothers have gone the way of lude and crude and for some that will cater to their comedy needs. 'Over the top' and 'gross-out comedy' have been muttered when talking about this movie and I would agree wholeheartedly. For me though there is only so much laddish humour I can take before it starts to become a bit repetitive. There are some good moments hidden away in a sea of average especially towards the end but they are fewer and farther in between than I would have liked.
It's a shame the movie didn't begin half way through because this is when I felt it started to stutter into life and even after the credits started rolling there was still some laughing to be had. Hall Pass has set itself up to cater for a certain type of viewer and it will be one of these movies that you either end up loving or hating. I'm usually a fan of toilet humour and a bit of banter but this just didn't quite cut it.

Reviewed: Limitless [2011]

Soon to be released on the 23rd of March, Limitless focuses around the life of writer Eddie Morra (Bradley Cooper) a man who is heading nowhere fast in life; he is most definitely in the slow lane. The book he's currently working on has reached healthy zero words after an extended spell of writers block and his love life is trending down a similar road.
Cue a chance encounter with an old acquaintance and the discovery of a way to escape the mundane world that he is currently calling his life. The way you ask? Take a pill, a simple clear pill that will solve all his problems. It has the ability to open up access to all of his brain function rather than his current 20% and release the boundaries and confines that he was once restricted to. Realising that nothing can get much worse than it already is he uses it and things immediately become easy for him. The only slight issue being he does not have an endless supply and that unsurprisingly he is not the only one who knows of its existence.
Whether meant to be ironic or not the first time you see Eddie you could be forgiven for thinking he was on drugs and as the movie progresses along with his life thanks to the help of the drug, NZT-48 he cleans up his act. Cooper does a good job of self narrating the well written script that gives us some funny moments and dry wit to boot whilst his ability to move between the two altering personalities while he is on and off the drug is impressive.
De Niro and Cornish play their parts well but are not given enough screen time to develop their characters into noteworthy performances as most of the focus is kept on Eddie. This leads me into my only slight disappointment with the movie in that the secondary characters seem to get no mention, then appear for ten to fifteen minutes before disappearing never to be seen or referenced to again making the plot slightly disjointed to say the least.
This is countered by the fact that I absolutely love the cinematography and the way that this movie has been constructed. The effect carried out at the opening credits as the camera continuously tunnel zooms through the urban nightlife sets the standard for the rest of the film. When on the drug everything is brighter, people are well groomed and then when off it everything is gloomier/darker so as to visualise the emotions and state of mood being felt in Eddie's mind. Not only that but you can feel the heightened effect the drug is having as more things are put on screen to engage the viewer and get you thinking while at the same time the camera flits about the place as the tempo is increased to indicate Eddie's enhanced brain activity.
All in all Limitless was a very enjoyable film that kept me entertained for its duration. The drug effects on the world around Eddie were cleverly depicted as was most on the CGI letting you feel the drug with him and although I felt they could have pushed the boundaries slightly further and explored the drugs side of things a bit more I was glad to have watched this fun flick.

Guzaarish Movie Review: Completely Off The Mark

While Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Guzaarish leaves no stone unturned to make you feel the pain of a quadriplegic man and even sways you to some extent, this highly intimate film strangely maintains a certain kind of distance that never allows you to become a part of the journey.
Guzaarish Story
After a super dud called Saawariya, Bhansali returns with the done to death basic formula that has been the source of his cinematic existence and even though Guzaarish ventures into overdrive mode every now and then it, thankfully, treads cautiously. Exploring the trails of Ethan Mascarenhas (Hrithik Roshan), a former magician who meets with an accident that confines him to a wheelchair for a better part of his life, the film starts off rather well and gets into the thick of things without wasting any time. After fourteen long years of suffering a spinal injury and his health deteriorating, Ethan decides to end his life. Much to the shock of his doctor (Suhel Seth) and the anger of caretaker Sofia (Aishwariya Rai-Bachchan) Ethan asks his lawyer, Devyani Dutta (Shernaz Patel), to file a plea for euthanasia. In between hosting his own radio show and going about everyday life that includes a liberal dose of flirting with Sofia, Ethan also decides to teach magic to Omar Siddique (Aditya Roy Kapoor), a Raj Kapooresque tramp like character who arrives unannounced at the Mascarenhas House.
The initial brisk twenty minutes done Guzaarish jumps between sequences that don't really add anything substantial to the basic plot. A series of flashbacks inter-cut with lyrically choreographed shots through the Portuguese mansion Ethan resides in reveal snippets- his mother, his ex-flame, etc. from Ethan's life follow and just bon the basis of that we are supposed to fall in love with his man. Ethan who had inspired millions since his accident through his radio show and writing a book, starts using his show to garner public support in his favor before challenging the court's order that dismissed his plea. People from all walks of Goan life call in and inspire him to carry on while he tries to find someone who will understand his plight. True to the rules of high drama the approval comes in the form of Estella (a finely carved piece of wood called Monikangana Dutta), his ex-flame who had left him on his request and Mama Isabel Mascarenhas (Nafisa Ali) who suddenly and surreally reappears.
Pitfalls in Guzaarish
No one portrays suffering better than Sanjay Leela Bhansal but to think that watching the anguish of a wheelchair bound Hrithik Roshan for two hours is reason good enough for Guzaarish to work is completely off the mark. Roshan's acting skills do immensely contribute to Bhansali's vision of Ethan but one wished there were something more than a handful of scenes that would help the viewer feel the man's pain. Yes there are scenes like an unattended Ethan falling off the bed, rain drops from the roof drenching a helpless Ethan and an Ethan lying next to his dead mother who dies as unexpectedly as she has appeared but these moments are fleeting and few.
One of the good things about Guzaarish that works like a charm is the sheer chemistry between Hrithik Roshan and Aishwariya Rai-Bachchan. These two actors are so tuned in that Bhansali is not only able to create wonderful moments between the two but also uses them liberally in montages peppered throughout the film. On her own Rai-Bachchan looks unlike a nurse and over emotes while Roshan constantly reminds himself to be the uber cool full of beans Ethan who will live it up no matter what. Shernaz Patel mostly gets it right but Seth goes from bad to worse as the film progresses. Annoying at times but passable, Aditya Roy Kapoor is like the classic Sanjay Leela Bhansli hero; a cross between Salman Khan from Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Ranbir Kapoor in Saawariya.

The Hangover 2 Movie Review: Hang Over and Move On!

Research has proved that if persisted with, the human brain has no problem in accepting something that never happened as the truth. But no matter how hard you try the bad reality of The Hangover 2 just doesn't leave your mind.
The Hangover 2 Story
It's been two years since that wild night in Las Vegas where the guys bought the house down with the mother of all bachelor parties. Now Stu's (Ed Helms) getting married in Thailand and Phil (Bradley Cooper) can't get past the idea of a 'Bachelor Branch' at a family diner. He and Doug (Justin Bartha) give in provided Stu invites Alan (Zach Galifianakis) for the marriage.
Stu agrees reluctantly and the 'wolfpack' heads east. In spite of keeping a check on the partying Stu, Alan and Phil along with Stu's future prodigy of a brother in law and old pal Mr. Chow (Ken Jeong) end up half way across the country in a seedy hotel room. Putting the pieces together the three run around Bangkok with a capuchin monkey on their backs reliving the memories of the wild night they were all fearing!
The original Hangover was surprisingly a smash hit no one expected but it's hardly surprising that the sequel isn't up to the mark. When you work in the shadow of a film that raked in $ 467 million USD everything seems doubly tough and there is only so much you can experiment with a template that simply goes: night of wild partying- morning of no recollection of what happened--afternoon of putting the pieces together--evening of running from bad guys you accidentally pissed off- night of musing--second morning of taking stock--afternoon of confrontation and evening of being older and wiser.
Final Words on The Hangover 2
On its own The Hangover 2 is quite bearable and even gets the laughs but in the grander scheme of things it's just not 'up there'. The one big problem with this sequel is that it simply keeps waiting to take off and when it does it has no destination in mind. Todd Phillips' writing along with Scot Armstrong and Craig Mazin preps you up to the point where the wolfpack would descend into the night but as familiarity breeds contempt you are hardly on the ride. Just like all the characters in the film, you too will, no doubt, keep thinking that this one's not as crazy as the first one. Bradley Cooper and Ed Helms have their moments but it's Zach Galifianikis who in some wrapped manner just about makes The Hangover 2 worth it with the best line in the film that comes almost at the end!

Documentary: Still Standing - How to Never Say 'I Give Up'!

Imagine being bedridden for a quarter of a century and yet being unstoppable. Rajinder Johar is one such man who has spent the best years of his life on a bed and never let his disability come in the way of living a full life.
Still Standing A Documentary on Rajinder Johar
A documentary exploring the life of Rajinder Johar, 'Still Standing' is one of the most awe- inspiring tales you'd ever experience. Shot as a result of a professionally rivalry in 1986, Rajinder Johar was pronounced hundred percent disabled by doctors in the months following the unfortunate incident. Mulling over the cold blooded heinous action on the part of a former colleague, questioning destiny, blaming God and falling in the deep recesses of the darkness of one's own heart life could have been over for Johar but he chose not to fall prey to anything like that.
Instead Rajinder Johar decided to change the way the world looked at disability.
Written, directed and produced by Pankaj Johar, Still Standing explores how the filmmaker's father has been working relentless to help other disabled people stand on their feet. Uplifting not only their spirits but transforming their lives by guiding them to become self-reliant, the documentary shows how one man has single-handedly helped changed mindsets.
Worth Noticing in Still Standing
A highly emotional film Still Standing is one of the most poignant documentaries you'd see and yet it never becomes preachy. Working on two parallels Still Standing, besides being the story of a father and a shining beacon of hope for thousands of people, also follows a group of disabled individuals and highlights the changes in their lives once they come in contact with Rajinder Johar and the effect it has on their lives.
What separates Still Standing from most of the documentaries made by family members is that somewhere they tend to become overtly familiar. Even though a son would know his father best and a son, undoubtedly, would be the best person to chronicle the life of a father, a son could also be the wrong person to make such a film due to his proximity with the subject.
Pankaj Johar's biggest achievement has been his strength to view his own father's life and work from a very objective point of view. Never once do you get a feeling about the sheer difficulties the family would have gone through and yet you know the pain that close and immediate family would have suffered. Rather the entire journey of Rajinder Johar's life and his work in the disability sector has been told more like a personal reportage more than anything else.
A nation where the majority of its 60 million disabled population survives below the poverty line; Rajinder Johar is not only a phenomenon but also an inspiration. He started with the thought of doing something for someone who was in a similar situation and today with the help of his family and friends runs Family of Disabled, a foundation that not only counsels the physically challenged but also helps them in starting up their own trade, providing their children access to education and guiding them to find their rightful place in this world.
Someone once famously mentioned, "It doesn't matter who my father was; it matters who I remember he was." In Pankaj Johar's case it's equally important to everyone to know the man his father really is. A self-financed documentary that is a labor of love, Still Standing is a celebration of a life that didn't let anything stop it from living.

Kucch Love Jaisaa Movie Review

The story of a disregarded housewife, who decides to start the rest of her life on her birthday and a jilted criminal on the run from the police sounds like a pretty interesting idea on paper. After you survive producer Vipul Shah's Kucch Love Jaisaa, you'd want to time travel a la Action Replayy and destroy the piece of paper from which this film escaped.
Kucch Love Jaisaa Story
Madhu Saxena (Shefali Shah), is tired of her I-Know-It-All advertising guy of a husband Shravan (Sumeet Raghavan) and decides to take charge of her life. She puts on new clothes, new shoes, new make-up and well... a new attitude. The new Madhu chats up a stranger Raghav (Rahul Bose) in a café and takes off with him convinced that he is a private eye on a case. Raghav, a man of crime and everything that the Pali Hill based Madhu isn't, has been double-crossed by his starlet of a girlfriend (Neetu Chandra) and needs a decoy so he entertains Madhu's wild fantasy. In the course of the day, the odd couple realizes what it actually means to be alive and eventually end up sorting each other's lives.
There is a scene early on in Kucch Love Jaisaa, where the ignored housewife transforms herself into a hottie and chastises the waiter of a café who thinks that she'd prefer the non-smoking section. The woman dives into a soliloquy educating the waiter that one shouldn't judge a book by its cover and yet ends up doing the same number with the quite stranger. At a basic level there's nothing wrong with the idea of Kucch Love Jaisaa and its odd couple paring but the execution is what makes it one difficult film to endure.
Everything about Kucch Love Jaisaa is painted in extremes--the husband mocks his wife, the wife feels left out, the children love mommy but can't save her; the boss ridicules his staff, the low life goon orders chaas (buttermilk) in an Italian café and what have you, but this isn't the problem with the film. It's the manner in which it seemingly breaks the formulaic shackles of life that dampens the spirits. Shefali Shah fits the film like a glove but even though she tries hard, too hard at times, her Madhu stays at a distance and as for Mr. Bose he sleepwalks through Raghav. No, not in that sense of the word; his Raghav looks sleepy most of the times but will only sleep when he's dead or caught. In addition, he oscillates between mumbling and talking with food in his mouth, remains quietly ponderous and burps and does everything else like gaze at imaginary flies that a dedicated actor would do to play a low life hardened by the unforgiving corners of the mean streets of Mumbai.
Final Words on Kucch Love Jaisaa
Kucch Love Jaisaa is so clichéd that when the street smart Raghav orders coffee, Barnali Ray Shukla's screenplay shamelessly rehashes the iconic Munna-Waiter conversation from Rangeela. There are the jeevan darshan laden songs that blare at every opportune moment; such as the couple getting inside one room and Madhu looking at the single bed and other such so you know this is an important moment for you to react. Pritam's music is too loud, the lyrics are overbearing and everything sounds so Life in a Metro reject.