Before Sunrise (1995)

Genre: Romance, Drama
*ing: Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy

Remember ... 'School of Rock' starring Jack Black ...well that was directed by 'Richard Linklater'. So now you know who is Richard Linklater ... well this guy is actually known for his works 'Before Sunrise' and sequel 'Before Sunset'. Brilliant style of direction, squeezing a 24 hours period is always a challenge I guess and Linklater somehow executes this task so well. Before Sunrise is a very simply straight love story of Ethan Hawke meeting Julie Delpy on a train ... Ethan is getting off at Vienna and has to take a flight back home next morning and is all out of money to spend a night in a hotel and he proposes Julie to give him company for a day, Julie agrees and the movie after that is an excellent work of chemistry between Ethan and Julie ... the chemistry between the two is so real. Linklater truly captures of Vienna in all shades and delivers a very promising love story that will make you feel warm and re-assure you faith in love. Positively a must watch. Oh ... BTW ... the climax is amazing ... Linklater very cleverly keeps the climax open ended and that's where he continues the story in 'Before Sunset'

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112471/
Rottentomatoes: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/before_sunrise/

Before Sunset (2004)

Genre: Romance, Drama
*ing: Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy

A man and a woman say good bye to each other at Vienna station in 1995 without exchanging any phone number, contact adress or email address ... they part on a promise, a hope and fast forward to 2004 Ethan and Julie now meet once again for a day's encouter in Paris. Once again Ethan has to fly off in a few hours and this time he has even lesser time till sunset to spend with Julie. Once again Richard Linklater delivers a sequel better than the Vienna love story (Before Sunrise). Needless to mention the chemistry between Ethan and Julie has not faded and is even more convincing than ever. Linklater once again does a terrific job of capturing the beauty of Paris while trying to narrate his tale of love. I say ... Before Sunrise and Before Sunset are truly a must watch. Trust me you will start respecting Richard Linklater as the guru of directing truly beleivable love stories on screen.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0381681/
Rottentomatoes: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/before_sunset/

Fucking Åmål (1999)

Genre: Romance, Drama
*ing: Alexandra Dahlström, Rebecka Liljeberg

A teenage love story between two 15 something year old girls. Well ... that's nothing new. I recently saw a similar movie titled 'Naissance des pieuvres ' a.k.a 'Water Lilies' ... so ... what sets 'Fucking Åmål' differnt? Well ... for starters I guess it's the whole treatement director and writer Lukas Moodysson give to his story. Moodysson's story may be an old one, but his sharp script refreshes old themes and presents a truly impressive tale of romance between teenage lovers of the same sex. I have to agree that most movies where the director has also written the screenplay somehow does a better job and comes up with better product. Elin and Agnes live in a small Swedish town name Åmål, where nothing exciting ever happens that in until Agnes and Elin cross their paths on Agnes's birthday ... the evening Agnes also slits her wrists in a botched suicide attempt to escape the monotony of life ... what transpire afterwards is truly and artistic worth watching presentation of teenage love. Considering the fact that this is a Moodysson's debut venture ... he sure has done a fantastic job. Honestly speaking most of the impressive lesbian tales of love I have watched have been directed/written by female directors/writers but a man encroaching their territory and coming up something like 'Fucking Åmål' is note worthy.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0150662/
Rottentomatoes: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/show_me_love/

West Is West (2010)

Genre: Drama, Comedy
*ing: Om Puri, Linda Bassett, Aqib Khan, Ila Arun

'East is East' was a fantastic movie that I guess we all enjoyed and if you still have't caught up that movie ... you better do it soon for you sure are missing an amazing movie. 'West is West' comes as the second installment ... albeit very different form East is East ... the only parallel is the characters that are retained ... otherwise the movie is a whole new ball game ... which is good ... makes it very interesting a watch. Om Puri now visits Pakistan with his youngest son in the hope of making a better man out of his youngest son and in comes Ila Arun his first wife and a whole lot of things the audience were never shown in the first installment. For once I truly truly loved a sequel :-) I am impressed with what I saw :) Fantastic writing and screenplay by Ayub Khan-Din, surprisingly it's not the same director who directed East is East. This one is directed by Andy DeEmmony who apparently has vast experience on small screen content so in all fairness he has done a pretty good job with 'West is West'. Final Verdict - +vely a must watch even if you missed the earlier installment.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1441956/
Rottentomatoes: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/west_is_west/

Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011)

Genre: Animation, Comedy, Action, Adventure
*ing: Voices of Jack Black, Angeline Jolie, Jackie Chan, Dustin Hoffman, Seth Rogen

Another sequel that lives up to all expectations ... well ... atleast it lived it up to all my expectations ... if it does not live up to yours ... well ... what do I say .... you are way too demanding :) Lets start with the flop side ... well the number of laughs are almost as good as not there ... but somehow the absence of laughter is not really felt thanks to the flip side which is a incredible animation, the colors and hues of yellow, gold, orange, reds etc create a very different cinematic experience plus this one's 3D ... albeit ... I watched 2D ... I am sure the 3D is a game changer. Infact I would say the whole animation takes you by so much of an awe that you fail to notice the absence of laughter, absence of a solid screenplay and the absence of an equally solid soundtrack and music score. So ... if you really want to watch the best in 3D and 2D animation ... this is the movie you should be watching. Last not the least ... the Tag-line of the movie says 'Twice as better' ... well ... personally speaking ... I don't buy that ... Kung Fu Pandu 2 is a good watch and very entertaining compared to it's predecessor but it surely is not Twice as good.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1302011/
Rottentomatoes: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/kung_fu_panda_the_kaboom_of_doom/

Bheja Fry 2 (2011)

Genre: Comedy, Drama
*ing: Vinay Pathak, Kay Kay Menon, Suresh Menon

The tag-line of the movie says 'The Original Idiot is back' ... well he sure is back ... but he is not as funny as the Original Idiot in Bheja Fry. The chemistry that Vinay Pathak had with Rajat Kapoor is simply missing with Kay Kay and Suresh as his side kicks to deliver the punch ... even a guest appearance by Amol Gupte fails to deliver the punch original 'Bheja Fry' had. Having said that 'Bheja Fry 2' is not a disappointment. It still lives up to most basic expectations ... however ... it quite disappoints me because I feel actors like Vinay Pathak, Kay Kay, Suresh Menon and Amole Gupte are very talented and versatile to deliver a good laughable venture. Somehow Sagar Ballary seems to have lost his magic in direction as well as writing the screenplay. What does our Idiot do this time??? Well Vinay Pathak wins a cruise in a TV game show and boards a cruise and that's when all the fun begins to unfold :) Bottom-line: Not a must watch ... if you like watching silly comedies that make no sense what so ever ... watch this one ... you will love it ... else ... miss this one and you won't be missing much.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1939654/
Rottentomatoes: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/bheja_fry_2/

Sleepers (1996)

Genre: Thriller, Drama
*ing: Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman, Kevin Bacon and Brad Pitt

With a cast like Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman, Kevin Bacon, Brad Pitt and other talented guys ... there is little that can go wrong. Direction and Screenplay comes from Barry Levinson ... the same guy behind movies titled 'Sphere' and 'Bugsy'. I actually wanted to watch Bugsy and I got reading about Barry Levinson and I stumbled upon Sleepers and I'll be damned how on earth I missed such a powerful movie. Okay ... this is what it's all about. 4 juvenile kids in the rough neighbourhoods of New York find themselves in a Juvenile home for boys (read prison for juveniles) after one of their pranks goes horribly wrong. In comes Kevin Bacon who plays Sean Nokes, a real ruff tyrant warden who turns the boys from innocent playful young ones to something else ... fast forward to 13yrs the boys are now grown up and living separate lives until one day Kevin Bacon is murdered in cold blood. What follows next is the one of the best direction and screenplay I have seen in recent times. Positively a must watch, trust me these kinda movies don't happen often ... you miss one and your missed it forever. BTW, watch out for the music and scores ... very impressive I say :)

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117665/
Rottentomatoes: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1073595-sleepers/

Henry's Crime (2010)

Genre: Drama, Crime
*ing: Keanu Reeves, James Caan, Vera Farmiga

Henry does jail time for a crime he does not commit. Out he comes from the jail and now his only mission is to commit the crime for which he did jail-time. That's it, that's what this movie is all about. It's all about one guys sole motto to simply commit the crime ... no justifications or reasons what so ever. However, a well convincing script, screenplay, direction and performances by the leading cast deliver a pretty interesting movie to watch that sure makes a decent impression on you as an audience. BTW ... every time I see Vera Farmiga, the Ukrainian descent actress I kinda like her, she is not hot and sexy like say a Catherine Zeta Jones or Salma Hayek or Penelope Cruz or an Audrey Tautou but there something about Vera that I quite like ... maybe her eyes. Anyway, to sum it up ... Henry's Crime is a pretty forgetful Keanu Reaves movie that being said I am not saying it's a trashy movie. It's say ... Average Plus in terms of rating. Positively worth a watch, won't let you down.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1220888/
Rottentomatoes: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/henrys_crime_2010/

Big Fish (2003)

Genre: Drama
*ing: Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney, Billy Crudup, Jessica Lange

I guess most of you guys may have already seen this movie. I had seen it big screen way back in 2003 when it was released ... however these are the kinda movie that you like watching it again and again once in a while. For all ya people who have not seen this wonderful movie. Well, it's one of the finest father - son stories every told on celluloid. A son who realises that all the stories his father used to tell him and other around him a hundred and a million times were not just some fancy fairy tales or a figment of his imagination ... some were a bit of a flight of fancy ... however most were very true which he misunderstood only to realise the truth in the final moments as his father lays on a bed breathing his last. There are moments in this movie where one may cry ... I quite did not ... so there ... if you get touchy and don't like ... maybe you better skip this one. But ... whatever be the case ... if you haven't watched this one for whatever XYZ reasons you are missing one of the finest movies ever. You better take some time out and watch this one.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0319061/
Rottentomatoes: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1127787-big_fish/

Ready (2011)

Genre: 100% pure unadulterated Bollywood Masala
*ing: Salman Khan, Asin and a plethora of actors like it happens in most masala movies

A movie meant only for the die-hard Bollywood Masala movie freaks. If you liked Dabaang which I liked it for all the wrong reasons and I have to shamelessly accept I quite liked Ready too ... okay not as much as Dabaang ... but then again ... why am I comparing them? Not fair na? I don't quite get it ... on one hand I have a huge liking and a taste for really matured Hollywood and World Movies that sweep the critics off their feet and I truly appreciate them as much as the critics do ... some times appreciating more than the critics do and on the other hand I also love to watch these absolute trashy loud Bollywood Masala movies that violate every rule in the so called theoretical rule book that is followed by some of the finest movie makers in the world. What TF is wrong with me??? Why do I find myself liking a movie like 'Ready'?? Anyway ... while I figure out what's wrong or right with me ... if you are a Masala movie freak and and someone who drools at Sallu ... this is one movie you simply can not afford to miss.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1708532/

Beautiful Lies (2010)

De vrais mensonges (original title)

Genre: Romance, Comedy, Drama
*ing: Audrey Tautou, Nathalie Baye and Sami Bouajila

Not one of the best movies starring Audrey Tautou... but nonetheless a very nice feel good romantic comedy about a daughter and her depressed mother. Audrey plans a hair stylist owning and managing a salon and one fine day she gets a passionate love letter from a Mr. Anonymous. In a flash of a moment she re-writes the same passionate love letter to her mother who has been living very depressed after a separation and that sets things in motion ... after this point the movie is a delightful waltz to watch :) I really like the script, the chemistry looks real and very convincing, direction-wise it could have been a shade better but no complains on that front anyway. Audrey looks good but I somehow found Nathalie Baye steals the show in some places :) Sami ... well ... he is raw ... but maybe the gurlz may find him drool-worthy for his raw looks. Bottom-line: A nice light hearted romantic comedy that won't disappoint you, provided you have already watched a dozen or more French movies.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1529569/
Rottentomatoes: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/full_treatment/

The Adjustment Bureau (2011)

Genre: Thriller, Sci-Fi
*ing: Matt Damon, Emily Blunt

After a long time I really across a very interesting sci-fi thriller ... even Inception does not remotely come close to this one. Anyway ... I am not comparing this one to Inception. The Adjustment Bureau is a different league altogether. If you love sci-fi thrillers this is one movie you simply can not afford to ignore. Like it or not that is a different issue, you can't ignore this one. What's the movie all about? Well ... it's a bit complicated like the Matrix to explain in a few lines but to give you the idea lets just say there are people who are controlling each and every move of us and humans as a race as if it's a real-time strategy game being played out. There is a strategic plan behind what we do and what we do not do as individuals and if we try deviating from the pre-defined plan the Adjustment guys kick in to rectify the course to make sure everything goes as per a master plan. If that sounds interesting ... you really have to watch this one to else skip it like one of my friend who could not sit through even half the movie and was desperately waiting for the movie to get over. Loved the chemistry between Matt Damon and Emily Blunt, Matt sure has delivered brilliant performance ... I say better than Bourne albeit Matt now looks a bit oldish ... but what the heck I loved the movie. Fast moving script, brilliant direction and oh wait a min ... Thomas Newman delivers music for the movie ... you know the first thing I did after I watched the movie was go hunting for the OST and finally laid my hands on the soundtrack ... truly mind-blowing music :-)
Final-word: Must watch if you love sci-fi Matrix, Inception kinda movies ... else ... skip it ... not worth your time and money.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1385826/
Rottentomatoes: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/adjustment_bureau/

Kucch Luv Jaisaa (2011)

Genre: Drama, Romance
*ing: Rahul Bose, Shefaali Shah, Om Puri

Another classic example of screen talent being wasted by a rookie director. Rahul Bose can act, Shefaali Shah can act and Om Puri ... oh hell ya .. he can act. So you have 3 actors who can act but their talents go waste why because the man behind the whole project simply is not talented to squeeze the actors worth from them. Scriptwise it's a decent concept ... story of a middle aged lady who is dedicated home maker managing her household, her kids and her husband until come 29th Feb and her husband forgets her birthday ... a date that happens only once in every 4 years. Lady of the house gets mighty pissed and takes off to enjoy a carefree day all by herself and kinda enjoys a rather adventurous day. Sounds good right? Yes it does ... give this set of actors and this script to a talented director and you will have a movie that will sweep critics off their feet. However our man Barnali Shukla who directs this venture leaves this movie rather bland and rather unpalatable. I hate to see such movies go to waste, anyway ... I still kinda enjoyed the movie and would give it 3.5 stars out of 5 ... but then again I am being very liberal.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1942905/

Ceremony (2011)

Genre: Boring ...really I think there should be a genre called Boring for such movies
*ing: Michael Angarano, Uma Thurman

The only reason why I even decided to watch this movie was Uma Thurman and it hurts to see her wasted in such a manner in a directorial debut of someone called Max Winkler. I have no idea what Max Winkler had in mind before he set off writing and directing this movie ... whatever be the case he managed to cook up something that is disastrous. In terms of script ... it's a pretty good one. In terms of casting ... well ... it could have been better but the existing cast looks good Michael Angarano is not a big name but he is a decent enough actor, Uma needs to introduction. Its the story of a man who who gate crashes at his ex's wedding to win her back into his life. I see nothing good to write about this movie ... all I can say is these are the kind of movie best avoided even if you are huge fan of Uma Thurman.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1341341/
Rottentomatoes: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ceremony_2010/

Unknown (2011)

Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Drama
*ing: Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger, January Jones

Deja Vu ... that's the feeling I got the moment I started watching this movie. I have a dirty feeling I have seen a similar movie somewhere in the past, I can't recall which movie it was ... or ... for that matter I am not even sure if I am right ... for all we know this movie maybe a first and there may not have been a similar movie in the past ... anyway ... that's me. Considering the fact it was a Deja Vu feeling for me, the movie still kept me quite engrossed and interested. The story of a man who falls into coma for 4 days and wakes up to find his identity been taken by someone else and now he is clueless so as to who he is and why things have changed almost overnight. Okay ... I get it ... I think this movie has some parallels to Bourne trilogy and maybe that is why the sense of Deja Vu. Anyway ... Bottom-line ... worth watching movie. A decent entertaining thriller that is reasonably fast paced ... positively your monies worth kinda movie.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1401152/
Rottentomatoes: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/unknown_white_male/

The Painted Veil (2006)

Genre: Drama, Romance
*ing: Edward Norton, Naomi Watts

This movie came highly recommended from one of my very trusted friends and I knew this one gotta be good and it quite lived up to my expectations. Well ...  I seriously think this movie should have been titled 'Love in the time of Cholera' ... albeit a similar titled movie was released a year later in 2007. I think I guess away what the movie plot is all about ... if you have not guessed it till now ... it's the movie of Edward Norton and Naomi Watts discovering love in their wedlock in the midst of fighting Cholera. Edward Norton is a bacteriologist (don't ask me, google it) and find himself in a remote Chinese village trying to learn more about a Cholera outbreak, his wife played by Naomi Watts is not really in love with Norton however the Cholera outbreak brings them closer to each other only to end their love story on a tragic note. What I really liked about the movie? Amazing cinematography, great music, good performances by Watts and Norton. Naomi looks stunning like always :) ... she kinda makes me go drooll!! ;-) My verdict? +vely a must watch for its an impressive story of love.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0446755/
Rottentomatoes: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/painted_veil/

Happythankyoumoreplease (2010)

Genre: Drama, Comedy
*ing: Josh Radnor, Kate Mara, Malin Akerman, Zoe Kazan, Tony Hale

Okay .. for starters I am really impressed with this guy Josh Radnor. He is the director, writer and protagonist of the movie. No wonder he created a bit of a stir when this movie was featured in 2010 Sundance Film Festival. BTW ... HappyThankyouMorePLease is his directorial debut venture and he sure has done a great job. I really loved the script, directionwise this does not really come across as a hats off kinda work but the script, casting and performances make it an amazing movie to watch. I toh am maha-impressed with the movie. It's a pretty sad thing that the movie did not quite click at other movie festivals, I am not sure what went wrong ... may be it was not promoted well or the critics were too unfair and trashed it. What's the movie all about? Well a story of 6 New Yorkers, it's a tale of their lives. Considering it's a debut directorial venture I give full credits for this movie, I liked it. Hell with the snobby critics who write about movie to earn a living. I live to write and not write to live.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1481572/
Rottentomatoes: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/happythankyoumoreplease/

The Untouchables (1987)

Genre: Drama
*ing: Kevin Costner, Sean Connery, Andy Garcia and Robert De Niro

If you still haven't watched this 1987 classic ... you are really missing one of the finest American gangster movies ever centred on the notorious Al Capone ... albeit ... most of the original story of Al Capone's arrest has been fictionalised for I guess a better cinematic experience. If you don't know who was Al Capone ... boy ... you need some serious education. Brilliant performances by Kevin Costner, Sean Connery, Andy Garcia, Robert De Niro and fantastic direction by Brian De Palma makes this movie a pleasure to watch. It's a somewhat fictional account of Agent Eliot Ness, played by Kevin Costner who sets out to capture Al Capone (played by Robert De Niro). Agent Ness befriends Sean Connery and ordinary beat cop serving Chicago police and how the two work out a plan to get the most elusive man in Chicago. Why should you watch this movie? Well ... it's a classic ... it's one of the best movies ever and it's evergreen ... excellent performances by some of the best actors Hollywood ever produced ... what else do you want me to say?

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094226/
Rotten Tomatoes: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/untouchables/

Talk to Her (2002)

Hable con ella (original title)

Genre: Drama
*ing: Rosario Flores, Javier Cámara and Darío Grandinetti

Two men whose lady loves are in a state of coma and admitted in the same hospital strike a strange friendship, while their ladies remain in a vegetative state, eventually 2 die and the surviving 2 drift in a different direction ... brilliant movie. Brilliant in terms of script and direction. I wish to rate the acting as something to watch for ... however ... quite honestly speaking ... the cast seems to have done an average job ... maybe a better cast with more impressive performances would have made this movie more interesting. Also, I did like the script and it's quite well executed ... I wouldn't say it's flawless execution ... script is riddled with holes .... but for reason ... you don't quite see the holes and it still keeps you interested in the movie. The script keeps moving back and forth, left and right, up and down in the lives of the four characters and yet manages to tell you a story that keeps you interested ... I guess that's because of the awesome direction by Pedro Almodovar and some editing work at the edit table. Bottom-Line ... very impressive cinematic experience. Must watch.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0287467/
Rotten Tomatoes: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/talk_to_her/

Water For Elephants (2011)

Genre: Drama
*ing: Robert Pattinson, Reese Witherspoon & Christoph Waltz

Okay ... either I had way too many expectations from this movie ... or ... this movie is just another very average, simply over-hyped just another Hollywood flick. Quite frankly ... nothing impressive about this movie in terms of script, direction, editing, music, acting or what ever ... scores average in almost all departments. I wonder why this movie is being talked about so much. A love story between a young boy studying to be a vet has to abandon his studies after his parents death and just happens to jump on-board the circus wagon and love happens with Reese Witherspoon who plays the star attraction of the circus and is also the wife of the circus owner and manager ... there ... typical Bollywood masala movie script ... except the boring songs in foreign locales are missing. My take??? Skip if wanna skip this movie ... skip it ... however ... if your girlfriend or wife is insisting on watching this one ... wear a plastic smile and tell her you loved the movie ... guaranteed you will get sex on the bed ;-)

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1067583/
Rotten Tomatoes: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/water_for_elephants/

Burning Palms (2010)

Genre: Drama, Thriller
*ing: Various Artists ... too many to be named

IMDB says ... Genre ... Comedy ... no ways!! Absolutely no ways ... okay there are couple of comic scenes but that is not enough to qualify this movie as a comedy. One of the most twisted movies I have come across. A compilation of 5 short stories that are not related to one another, written and directed by Christopher Landon. Each story is one really twisted tale ... I am not good with words hence can't really elaborate what I mean by twisted ... but you gotta watch one of the 5 stories in this movie and you'll know what I am talking. Each story is impossible to predict ... every minute there is a revelation you never expected. What really surprises me is the very poor rating this movie has managed amongst critics ... anyway .. screw critics ... I say ... you really gotta watch this one movie ... I am impressed with Christopher Landon ... will sure try to get my hands on more of his works and watch them.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1283887/

Rotten Tomatoes: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/burning-palms/