#80: The Matador

There has to be such a thing as the 'Curse of James Bond'. It's almost certain that once you play James Bond on-screen you are not going to be remembered for much else. For instance, in my friends circle I am yet to meet anyone who can name a non-Bond movie that a Timothy Dalton or a Roger Moore has done. We know Daniel Craig more for Casino Royale than La4er Cake- a movie that's as good as any Bond movie can aspire to be. Sean Connery could be the only borderline exception to this and yet somehow the moment I think of Sean Connery I imagine the Dr. No poster in my head. Not so much The Untouchables or The Hunt for Red October. I can't judge by what Pierce Brosnan has done so far as to whether he's got the wrong end of the curse but what we can vouch for sure is that the man sure tries to keep his roles as different as possible.

The Matador is a movie that released in 2005- three years after Brosnan's last 007 role in Die Another Day. He plays hitman Julian Noble and over an innocuous conversation in the company of dos margaritas in Mexico makes friends with businessman Danny Wright at a bar (Greg Kinnear). Both men are on a mission- one to kill and one to close a deal. Julian is going through a mid-life crisis. He's made no friends over the past few years when he's globe trotting assassinating people and finds an emotional comfort in the company of Danny. Danny on the other hand has started a new business and is anxious about how it will pan out. The men seperate from the Mexico meeting and the next we see is Julian landing up at Danny's doorstep after a few months. This time he wants family man Danny's help for one last job. Will the plain jane Danny be his accomplice in a cold-blooded murder? One can't say whether The Matador makes the answer to that question interesting enough for a watch.

It is the kind of movie that is almost there. It is almost stylish and the performances by Kinnear and Brosnan almost make it worth it. Although, one must commend Brosnan for his casual killer turn. Kinnear, as the docile submissive friend, is only repeating what we've seen him in movies like As Good As it Gets before.

Writer-director Richard Shepard actually gets the right sort of ingredients in The Matador to get a cracker of a movie going but doesn't get the mix right. If you were to choose a good buddy-bonding-over-a-crime kind of movie, you have better choices out there. Leave aside QT here-that man is from another planet in this genre-I am thinking something like In Bruges. The problem with the Matador is that it can't decide for itself whether it wants to be a crime thriller or a comedy. In trying to achieve a balance of both, it manages neither. It's a respectable effort nonetheless. But it did lose on that chance to become an admirable one.

Rating:5.8/10

#79: The Last Word

The Last Word is a 2008 romantic comedy written and directed by Geoffrey Haley. I like these guys who write and direct their own movies- there's something puritanical about this breed. For one, the reins of the movie lies completely with the original visionary of the story. Sabotage of any creative kind by any other person on the film set can hence be practically overruled. The writer wrote it and he directed it. Over the years men like Woody Allen, Warren Beatty, Charlie Chaplin, Satyajit Ray, Akira Kurosawa have brought great credit to this breed. Geoffrey Haley might be far from this elite list but suffice to say he has taken the first assured steps towards this end. Given that he has also been on camera and electrical department of movies such as The Hangover also means that he brings a wealth of experience to the table.

The movie is the story of Evan (Wes Bentley), an expert suicide-note writer and Charlotte (Winona Ryder), whose brother Matt's suicide note was written by Evan. In a chance meeting at Matt's burial, Evan and Charlotte get talking and Charlotte takes an instant liking to Evan. Reluctant at first, the quite and shy Evan gets drawn to the bubbly Charlotte after a couple of dates. In a harmless moment, Evan ends up lying to her that he had met Matt at Cornell. In the meantime Evan is also helping music composer Abel (Ray Romano) write his last words before he takes the death plunge. Through a screenplay that's as cheerful as depressing at times, Geoffrey Haley takes us a journey where the viewer is ultimately told as to whether Evan and Rachel continue their relationship and whether Abel ends up commiting suicide.

At 94 minutes the movie's pace is a breeze. This is a story about Evan the writer and what happens around him. Wes Bentley does well with his turn as the introvert Evan and sits easy in his role. While Winona Ryder has a soothing presence throughout with her pretty looks, Ray Romano's cameo is nothing short of brilliant. He has got lines after lines to keep you laughing. The fact that he is a depressed composer on the verge of taking his own life adds to the humor. His meetings with Wes Bentley border on the hilarious.

The Last Word is a delightfully easy movie to watch with a quirky ending. It takes something brave to not go down the tried and tested method of a romantic comedy and that quirky touch by Geoffrey Haley keeps the movie a notch above some of the run-of-the-mill stuff you get to see in movies like When in Rome and The Ugly Truth. A good romantic comedy should have an eye-pleasing couple, a comic actor who can come up with funny lines and an ending that should make it unique. My 'Last Word' in this review is that it delivers on all those three counts.

Rating: 7/10

#78: Angel-A

The fantasy genre has never been a favorite and it always takes an extra effort on my part to pick one up. But given that this was a Luc Besson movie, I didn't think it would be a compromise of any sort to select this one. After all Besson, a seasoned filmmaker with gems such as Leon and La Femme Nikita to his credit, was to me a filmmaker who knew how to mix substance with style.Angel-A was a movie he made in 2005, much after he had stamped his mark as someone who would be taken seriously around the globe. And so he thought perhaps this was the time to have some fun, be a bit casual with a story, take a few liberties with the script and see if he got away with it.

It's the story of Andre (Jamel Debbouze), a fraudster down on his luck and 50,000 Euros in debt and about to commit suicide. He runs into Angela (Rie Rasmussen), a tall blonde, who is also on the verge of taking her own life. The two start talking and there's a sense of camaraderie that builds as they walk through the streets of Paris devising ways to get rid of Andre's creditors. Andre's scepticism steadily wears out and Angela is able to help him rather easily. She infuses a sense of purpose in his life and can honestly pinpoint where he's going wrong in his dealings.

The problem with the movie is that after this first part is set up, you're expecting something to happen and the twist that comes across is not so much a twist as much as a mere insignificant detour towards the second half. If the movie begins on a scale of 10, it ends on a scale of 2. Debbouze as the weak-willed Andre fits the bill perfectly while Rasmussen seems to try too hard. Her definitive long legs contribute only so much to her acting and that doesn't carry the movie far. The black and white tinge of the movie, however, is trademark Besson and is a feast for the eyes in some of the scenes. His old collaborator D.O.P. Thierry Arbogast brings back some of the magic from Leon.

Angel-A is nowhere near Besson's best work. But he succeeds in maintaining a keen sense of anticipation in the viewer's mind about the next twist in the movie. It's another matter that the climax barely lives up to it all but Andre's helplessness merits attention and the drama around it nearly draws the curtains with an applause. Any other filmmaker would've screwed this up even further. Besson atleast takes the path of least damage and makes you believe that the time spent watching Angela-A wasn't entirely wasted.

Rating:6.2/10

#77: Tees Maar Khan

A con movie is one of the most difficult genres to put together. Tees Maar Khan shows how easy it is to botch one up. And wait, this isn't even an original.

There's no doubt that this is the kind of movie that insults the intelligence of the average movie-goer. What's more aggravating is the thought that once you've entered the hall, how do you get back at the filmmakers?

I am happy for Akshay Kumar. A mediocre actor like him must keep knowing how much farther can he sink.

Shirish Kunder is that puny stain on a white sheet of paper that is so insignificant that it doesn't merit any attention but is so irritating to bear that you end up shredding the paper.

A few movies are bearable in fast forward. This is not one of those.

Sajid Khan used to do a show on DD Metro called 'Kehne mein Kya Harz hai?'. One of the segments used to show a scene in which an actor would be hamming away to glory. If Sajid Khan decided on a comeback for the show, this movie will give him enough material to air the show thrice a day, 52 weeks a year.

And here's the red cherry on this cake. Sheila ki Jawani is not a shade of Beedi jalai le or Munni Badnaan Hui. Any thoroughbred movie-goer will see the difference. Sheila... is a pompously marketed song that stuck in our heads because of a gyrating woman. Katrina Kaif was hotter in many songs before and after this. And apart from her, there was nothing in the song unlike the other two masterpieces.

Rating: 1/10 (Out of which .5 is for keeping the movie only at 2 hours 5 minutes on the DVD.)

#76: Out of the Past

The name is noir. Film noir.

A most undefinable yet an instantly recognizable genre. One that gets it's expression in low light, elusive women and bleak endings. Where mystery is a way of life and smart innocent men are chased for no fault. Like in The Maltese Falcon, there might be something invaluable to pursue or like in Chinatown there might be a massive cover up. Either way, the mysticism is meant to be gratifying. Out of the Past, a movie made in 1947, by Jacques Tourneur was the archetypical film noir of it's age and symbolized all the elements that go into making the movies of this genre, which if done well, are extremely absorbing to follow.

It begins sleepily with car mechanic Jeff Bailey (Robert Mitchum) and his girlfriend Ann (Virginia Huston) daydreaming in a field in remote California. Just when it seems all's right with their world, we are soon made aware that Jeff used to be a private eye not so long ago and was involved in pursuing a lady called Kathie Moffat (Jane Greer) at the behest of a client Whit Sterling (Kirk Douglas). Back then, Jeff's pursuits had given way to an ineseperable attraction towards Kathie - a fact Jeff tried best to keep away from Whit even as both Jeff and Kathie eloped to a faraway town to lead a life of happily ever after.

Fate strikes with the proverbial alternate plan when Whit's colleague, Joe lands up at the couple's doorstep in a hope to extract some money by blackmailing them. Kathie in a bid to thwart Joe ends up killing him. She flees before Jeff can gather his senses and leaves Jeff fending for himself as a murder accused. Jeff too flees from the scene of crime. Cut to present and Whit has not only tracked Jeff down but he has also called for him again. Will Jeff go to Whit? What could it be for? Will this lead to Kathie again? Will Jeff leave his current girlfriend for Kathie, a flame he stoked passionately in the past? Well, the name is noir. Film noir!

The genre can be so tantalizing, it can put sex to shame. And Out of the Past is as good as any in this genre. The plus point is clearly the story that comes across in multiple flashbacks and is narrated to us through Jeff's voice. The air of mystery is so generously engulfing Kathie, one has a hard time figuring if she is a femme fatale or a woman wronged. Writer Daniel Mainwaring, however reserves his best for the last, putting together a mean ending, one that's as ironic as stark. One that will fulfil your appetite as a viewer but still make you wish things could've turned differently for the characters.

Out of the Past is the kind of movie where the story is so perenially ahead of the characters actions that one can't pay much attention to 'how' an actor is performing. Because 'what' the character is doing assumes preeminence. And that is always a good thing. Let me just end this by saying, if film-noir is your thing, you must dig this 'Out of the Past'!

Rating: 7.4/10

#75: Hamlet

I wonder if there might be any confirmed number to this but it is almost certain that Hamlet is the most favorite of Shakespearean plays that filmmakers have adapted on film over the years. So when acclaimed director Franco Zeffirelli decided to direct his own version of the play in 1990, he was merely reaffirming his affection for the complex story, just like many of his ilk. What he was also doing is following a tough act. After all, the 1948 adaptation by Laurence Olivier stands very tall amongst all Shakespearean movies. What must've worked in Zeffirelli's favor was the fact that he had previously adapted both The Taming of the Shrew and Romeo and Juliet for the screen and thus wasn't unknown to the depth that a Shakespearean adaptation demands. And thus, he experiments with his Hamlet and gets away with it. And getting away is not always an escapist bad thing.

The movie stars Mel Gibson as the prince of Denmark who wants to avenge his father's death. He suspects his own uncle Claudius (Alan Bates) for the King's death. Claudius, on the other hand, quickly assumes the throne and doesn't waste any time in marrying Hamlet's mother Gertrude (Glenn Close). When his father appears as a ghost and lets Hamlet know about how he was killed by Claudius, Hamlet comes up with a nifty ploy that would either negate or confirm his suspicions once and for all. His obsession for revenge meanwhile takes his away from the love of his life Ophelia (Helena Bonham Carter). In a fit of rage, when Hamlet unknowingly ends up killing Ophelia's father Polonius, she becomes insane. When her brother Laertes (Nathaniel Parker) returns to the castle to find his sister dead, he places the responsibility of his sister's and father's death on Hamlet and demands revenge. The climax that culminates in a sword fight between Laertes and Hamlet is a befitting end to a story that has revenge as it's central theme.

Since the original play had too many layers of drama, Zifferelli chooses to focus only on the key plot points from the movie. Thus, Hamlet's rage bordering on insanity makes for most of the movie's focus. Mel Gibson is not the tragic brooding hero that a most faithful adaptation would've let us see. Instead, he is energetic and purposeful, at times even humorous. Gibson's intent comes across convincingly and in spite of his image as a happy-go-lucky action hero in the early 90s, his portrayal as the Prince of Denmark is solid. With the exception of Nathaniel Parker who seems to be uncomfortable in a role as important as Laertes, the rest of cast turns in equally strong performances.

Personally, I never liked Hamlet as much as some of the other works from the master's stable. This 1990 adaptation is the kind of movie you could pick up on a lazy Sunday afternoon. It's mostly faithful, deviant in trickles but robust overall and hence very much worthy of that lazy Sunday afternoon. And if you're a movie lover, this would be a good reference point to see how Olivier's 1948 version and Brannagh's 1996 version are different

Rating: 6.7/10

#74: The King's Speech

The greatest movies are those that have in them an interplay of relationship, a sort of give-and-take, between two characters. And greater the difference in the relative standing between the two characters, better the drama. It's the classic screenwriting tool. And David Seidler, the screenplay writer of The King's Speech, employs it to perfection while telling us the story of Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush), a commoner, failed theater actor, speech therapist and King George VI (Colin Firth), the monarch of Britain.

In director Tom Hooper's (his previous movie was the excellent The Damned United) able hands, The King's Speech plays out as a movie that tells about their friendship and their differences. Every movie has a pursuit laid out for the protagonist and in this one all King George VI is trying to do is get rid of his stammer with Logue's help.Less than 3 minutes into the movie, we learn of the King's impediment in public speaking. And in another 3 minutes, Lionel Logue is introduced. It is such crisp writing that adorns The King's Speech- a film that narrates the events of the royal family from 1934 to 1936. This includes the passing away of King George V, the abdication of the throne by his elder son, the presence of Winston Churchill as a political figure and most importantly the role Lionel Logue played in the life of King George VI.

The movie is the closest a motion picture can come to being poetic. The scenes play out with such nonchalant minimalism, the effect lingers on after a dialogue has been uttered. Much of the film's substance stems from the relationship between Logue and George VI - reminiscent of the kind of conversations Jeeves and Wooster would be party to. Logue is Jeeves- suave with his manners, unmindful but not irreverent of royalty and unabashedly witty. Geoffrey Rush is a picture of composed elegance in his character. Even with his middle-class background, he doesn't hesitate to put the King in his rightful place and that becomes a source of great mirth for the viewers. It's a pity he ran into Christian Bale for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar this year. If he was second in the race, it wasn't by much.

Colin Firth, the reluctant heir to the throne, plays the King with the right amount of anxiety and assurance. As the doting husband and father he has everything in his life except that his job requires a great deal of public speaking and he can't. His performance will stay with you because he's the one person in the movie who goes through the maximum range of emotions. Dealing with his father's death, his brother's abdication and the cheeky Logue don't come easy to him. Uneasy does lie the head that wears the crown but it's sits brilliantly on Colin Firth, the actor. His verbal one-upmanship with Geoffrey Rush is laced with such witty gems, it would've made P.G Wodehouse proud. Helena Bonham Carter, as the caring wife plays the perfect foil to her husband. The movie stands out because even though this is about the most famous family in England, it is not about royalty- for that you must watch The Queen. A word on the photography, which is surprisingly kept dark and morose. This is a movie about hope and inspiration and many times, during the movie, I thought the lighting could've been better. In a particular scene over dinner, you will barely be able to see the faces of the attendees. Having said that, there's not much you could find fault with in the movie.

The King's Speech is a masterful rendition of a true story. It's elegance will thrill you, and it's simplicity will amuse you. And it's straddles these two disparate worlds with such ease, the movie will become a memorable experience for you. The movie does owe a lot to it's two shining stars, Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush, who dazzle in their roles. Without them, the movie would've been still watchable, but I doubt if it would've been this compelling.

Rating: 7.7/10

P.S.: The story of how The King's Speech came about as a story makes for an interesting reading and you must look it up on Wiki if you liked the movie. Or actually even if you didn't.

#73: Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Forgetting Sarah Marshall is the story of how a composer Peter (Jason Segel who has also written the script) comes to terms with breaking up with his more popular girlfriend, Sarah (Kristen Bell). Sarah is the star of a sexual crime TV show that seems to be a spoof of the popular series Criminal Minds.

Sarah dumps Peter for pop sensation Aldous Snow (Russell Brand) and the two set off to Hawaii for a vacation. Peter who is in depression also ends up going to same resort in Hawaii to cheer himself up. He bumps into the couple and at first has great difficulty accepting his new single status. Sarah's relationship with the wild Aldous is a source of major grief and envy but that begins to change after he makes friends with the hotel receptionist Rachel (Mila Kunis). Lame right? Well, that would be a good place to start the movie review.

This is a movie that's scored 7.4 on Imdb and it is so much of a mystery to me, I even asked a couple of friends if I would be wrong in criticizing this one. Was there a stroke of genius that I missed. Apparently not, so here it is. Forgetting Sarah Marshall is a crass, puerile and an abject comedy. Apart from Jason Segel who genuinely comes across as a depressed forlorn lover trying to recover from a bad relationship, there is no other redeeming feature in the movie. Having said that, it is best that Jason Segel stick to acting and not subject us to his pathetic writing. This is a comedy that doesn't have any smart lines that stand out nor any set-piece situations that make you laugh.

The movie's at best an average attempt at comedy. An attempt so weak it can demoralize a movie goer's faith in the comedy genre. It will shake your belief that a good comedy can be made with a small budget with no big stars. The surprising bit though is that apart from the so-called critical acclaim it garnered, the movie even made over a $100mn in box office. And to understand this, I intend to dig deeper as to how a movie so shallow can impress so many people. Maybe I could pitch this as a subject for Levitt and Dubner - the hows and whys of it.

In a way, the aptly titled Forgetting Sarah Marshall will take some forgetting. It leaves such a deep dent on the bedrock of logic, it will take another fact-finding mission from yours truly to seal this review but rest assured in the greater interest of the movie-going humanity, it will be done.

Rating: 3/10

#72: True Grit

The 2010 True Grit is a remake of the 1959 version that had won John Wayne his only Oscar. Both movies are adapted from the same Charles Portis novel that had at it's center a 14 year old setting out to seek revenge against her father's killer. The 2010 version of movie was nominated for 10 Oscar nominations this year and didn't win any.

With it's simple storyline, True Grit begins with a narration of how Mattie Ross' (Hailee Steinfeld) father was killed by an outlaw named Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin). With a singularly studious intent to nail Tom Chaney down, Mattie hires a grumpy old one-eyed U.S Marshal Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges). Rooster Cogburn is known for his violent approach and we're introduced to his ways in a courtroom scene where he is seen casually defending some of his recent killings. It is a tried and tested method of introducing a character and in no time we know that Cogburn has scant disregard for law and believes in dispensing justice with his gun more than anything else. This suits Mattie's quest. Enter LeBeouf (Matt Damon) who is a Texas ranger who also is on the heels of Chaney. The story is about the three setting off in Chaney's pursuits through the wild west.

It is commendable that the Coen Brothers take a most cliched storyline and turn it into a money-spinning movie. Except that the entire chase that should've been a highlight ends up being hollow. How Rooster and Mattie end up landing at the exact house where Chaney and team are supposed to come at night is flimsy. How out of all the brooks in the region Mattie goes up to the exact spot where Chaney is drinking water is another inexplicable twist.

Inspite of these basic flaws, there are three things that make True Grit an almost enjoyable watch- the first of them being Jeff Bridges' and Hailee Steinfeld's performances. As Rooster goes about his business to track down Chaney, his steadily building affection towards Mattie gives the movie a likeable dimension. Rooster's dont-give-a-damn attitude is stereotypically western but fun to watch. The second is Roger Deakins' cinematography which is extremely evocative. Images from the courtroom scene, the closing shot and the climax scene are extraordinarily done. The third is the climax as Rooster Cogburn single-handedly takes on 4 outlaws against the backdrop of a desolate terrain. It is gooood old western action in it's raw form and it is gooooood!

True Grit just happens to be a movie in which Coen Brothers' reputation precedes itself. The failing of the movie is in it's story that offers no new twist. The redemption comes does come in the form of the climax but it only just about hovers around greatness, never pushing the limit, never enthralling but still zesty enough to be an agreeable watch.

Rating: 6.5/10

#71: The Merchant of Venice

Michael Radford, the Oscar-nominated director for Il Postino, put together an adaptation of this classic Shakespearean play for film in 2004. Wikipedia lists this as the first full-length sound film adaptation of a Shakespeare play since most other versions were videotaped for television. What I can vouch for sure is that director Michael Redford keeps the dialogues very close to the actual material of the play thus giving it a very authentic 17th century feel with phrases such as 'Hear thee', 'inexecreable cur' amongst others. It would be fair to admit that if you studied in ICSE in India, the movie is a constant throwback to the Selina Publishers textbook of the play that you would've had in the X Std.

While The Merchant of Venice counts as a comedy in Shakespearean history, there is an unmistakeable layer of tragedy that strikes the two key characters in the play. In one of the first opening scenes we learn how Antonio (Jeremy Irons)is 'aweary of the world' and Shylock (Al Pacino), a moneylending jew is reviled on the street because of the nature of his trade. Bassanio (Joseph Fiennes) and Portia (Lynn Collins) complete the main cast. The humor in the play is derived from the quibbles between the supporting characters of Gratiano, Salerio and Lancelot. While the film is extremely faithful to the play's content, director Michael Redford makes a slight tweak in presenting the context of the play in the beginning of the movie. So we're told about how even in a city as liberal as Venice the Jews were looked down upon by Christians. Consequently, Shylock's action in extracting his pound of flesh while cruel, is given a strong and a justifiable reasoning of revenge.

This particular definition of context makes the movie rich in it's form. Al Pacino as Shylock delivers an outstanding performance. His mannerisms, motivations and his sense of humor are touched upon with such grace by Pacino's skills that the director's objective to present Shylock as a victim is effortlessly achieved. Al Pacino delivers nothing less than a spell of magic in the scene in which he asks a judge about the difference between a Christian and Jew. Jeremy Irons is the other noteworthy performer in the movie. Irons' brooding portrayal of Antonio is disarmingly simple and moving. Joseph Fiennes and Lynn Collins fail to impress in their roles except putting on the right costumes.

The story obviously has it's share of humor, drama and romance like any Shakespearean comedy but this movie is all about Al Pacino. Very early in the movie when Shylock cunningly tricks Antonio into signing an unusual bond, we know the plot is set. Al Pacino then elevates the viewing experience with his performance making this one well worth your time.

Rating: 6.8/10

#70: Never Talk To Strangers

Antonio Banderas and Rebecca De Mornay star in this 1995 movie made by Peter Hall. Dr. Sarah(Rebecca) who deals with hardened criminals as a police psychiatrist runs into Tony (Antonio) at a mall who asks her out. Dr. Sarah takes time but does say yes to the persisting Tony who is portrayed as a smooth and suave worker who knows his red wine from white.

In a predictable turn of affairs, Tony's seductive wares become too strong for Sarah to resist and she gives in. Soon enough, she starts receiving threatening anonymous phone calls and letters and her pet cat is also murdered. The disturbing trend hits a peak when her own obituary is placed in a newspaper. The movie is about how Dr. Sarah comes to terms with this anonymous person who seems hell bent on throwing her life out of order.

It is a plot that has been done to death and only a brilliant climax could've saved the day for Never Talk to Strangers. As a viewer though, you knew it wasn't going to happen. And so the movie just about goes into the drain. Antonio has played a character like this in many movies before and while I knew little about Rebecca De Mornay before this, she is the only saving grace of the movie. Her fears are genuine and you do empathise with her harmless character who is being harrowed.

One could refer to Never Talk To Strangers as a bankrupt man's Roman Polanksi thriller. It's got all the elments there - anonymity, murder,femme fatale- but none so well-placed to thrill you. It is a movie so average, it could make average movies seem brilliant.

Rating: 3.5/10

#69: The Fighter

The Fighter is a story about boxer Micky (Mark Wahlberg) and his trainer and half-brother Dick (Christian Bale) who had been a one time aspiring boxing champ and a local legend in his home town of Lowell in Massachussets. As the movie begins, we learn of Dicky's drug addiction that often plays truant with Mick's practice sessions. The other key member in Micky's support staff is his mother Ellis (Mellisa Leo)- a self-appointed manager of Micky's affairs who isn't exactly the epitome of a sports marketing shark who would be out there selling his career prospects. Instead she prefers to run her business from the confines of her home with her husband George (Jack McGee) while taking care of their 7 daughters. The lack of professionalism that is missing in Micky's boxing career is disturbing for him even as he chooses to live with it. While the family loves Micky and hopes to see him as the champion boxer he always wanted to be, what he gets from his family is talk and errant practice sessions.

Enter Sharleen (Amy Adams)- a neighborhood bartender who is too attractive for Mickey to ignore. In a scene that's laced with as much innocence as cheekiness, Micky asks her out and gets her phone number. Sharleen soons starts taking interests in Micky's career and it doesn't take her long to figure out that she has to get him out of the clutch of his family for him to fare any better. She knows Dicky self-destructed as a boxer and she is not going to allow for a repeat of this pattern in Mickey's career. Even if she comes across as a bitch to his family. That doesn't take long for her to achieve. Thus, The Fighter becomes a story of not just Micky's boxing career but his fight to stay close to his loved ones and yet aspire to be a champion. The movie's advancement as a drama derives much of it's content from this personal conflict in Micky's life and that is one of the three reasons why The Fighter is a strong movie.

In Christian Bale, Amy Adams and Mellisa Leo, the movie's support cast is as solid as any ensemble cast and their brilliant performances holds the movie cohesively. A special mention for Christian Bale who with his extra lean look will remind you of his frame in The Illusionist. Just like in that role, Bale put himself through another phase of abstinence from eating to lose the extra pounds. And that is just the physical appearance part of it. His character Dicky makes you laugh with his antics, amuses you with his hollow lectures to his brother and yet when he decides to take the rein of Micky's last fight in his hands, his resolve will move you. His goofy but well-intentioned performance actually steals the show from Mark Wahlberg and that is exactly the kind of character Dick Eklund was in real life. A scene in which Dick is on the telephone in a prison while waiting to hear about the outcome of his brother's match is so spendidly done it will leave a lump in your throat. All this with just the accompaniment of a stirring background score. We all knew Amy Adams could act but having seen her as a nun in The Doubt and the sweet Julie in Julie and Julia, it was a revelation to see her as the tough-as-nails Sharleen.


The third reason why The Fighter will in a manner of speaking knock you out is the way the boxing fights have been shot. Mark Wahlberg who was also a producer on this project had mentioned in an interview as early as 2007 that he didn't think the fight scenes seemed real even in great boxing movies like The Raging Bull and The Rocky . Well, let's just say, Mark along with David O. Russell, cinematographer Hoytema and the screenplay writing team of Tamasy, Johnson and Silver have set a new benchmark in filming boxing bouts. There's is nothing to say except that when a fight is on in the movie, the viewer is transformed being in a seat in a theater to that of a ringside seat in a boxing arena. Truth be told, it is a bit surprising to not see D.O.P. Hoytema to be not nominated for the Oscars.

To finally cut to the chase now. If you're sports movies nut, you have to see this before you die. If you're a movies freak, you must see this to know how much more can be achieved from a sports movie. And if you are not into movies at all, The Fighter would be a great place to start.

Rating: 7.7/10

P.S.: The Fighter has been nominated for 7 Oscars. With strong contenders like The King's Speech and The Social Network, the Best Picture, Editing and Director ones are practically ruled out. The best it can do is pick up Oscars for Amy Adams and Christian Bale - the former is a favorite in my books and latter, a the dark horse.

#68: The Killer Inside Me

The Killer Inside Me is a story set in Texas is about a local sheriff Lou (Casey Affleck) who is a compulsive lady killer. He woos women and just about when he has to commit to them, he kills them. Adapted from a 1952 Jim Thompson novel of the same name, the movie is a weak tale of a psychopath's obsession with women.

The movie is so short of substance I've little else to add to what I have said in the first paragraph. To make matters worse, inherently weak movies like these have something cool about them - maybe the cinematography, one mind-numbing performance or maybe just any one single scene. The Killer Inside Me has nothing.

For a movie that's about sex crimes, even the sex is underwhelming. Jessica Alba and Kate Hudson sleepwalk through their roles getting spanked even as the movie drags from one murder to another. Stanley Kubrick had mentioned once that the story of The Killer Inside Me 'was the most chilling and believable first person story of a criminally warped mind' that he had encountered. Well, let's just say for his sake we all should be relieved that he didn't live to see what director Michael Winterbottom dished out under the garb of a movie. Some of the violence that is unleashed on women in the movie is downright contemptuous. The only thing that soothes your senses as a viewer is the bunch of the good old country tracks that the movie's soundtrack consists of. I can't help but mention here that as I am writing this Faron Young's Shame on you... in wafting through my head.

The movie actually does have a story that once had even Quentin Tarantino interested in leading the project but it got shelved. The sad thing is Winterbottom's version leaves us to wonder about one simple question - If the story of a novel is so good, how can it be so bad on film ? This 2010 version might not answer the question directly but does signify how bad it could get.

Rating: 2/10

#67: Death and the Maiden

I had briefly mentioned in my review of The Ghost Writer on this blog about the longevity and the endurance of Roman Polanksi as a filmmaker. Death and the Maiden is a 1994 Polanksi thriller (his preferred genre) and is based on a 1990 Ariel Dorfman play. The movie serves yet another example of Polanski's rich body of work. The unique thing about the story is that it has all of 3 characters and is set in a single location.

The story begins as a fascist regime in South America comes to an end and a famous lawyer Gerardo (Stuart Wilson) is handed the reins to investigate war crimes on the country's citizens. His wife Paulina (Sigourney Weaver) has been one of the victims herself and still hasn't come out of her fearing self. On a stormy night, Gerardo and a visitor Dr. Miranda (Ben Kingsley) casually start talking. This strangely upsets Paulina as she recognizes the Doctor as someone who had tortured her during the days of the regime. Paulina now wants her revenge. Dr. Miranda pleads innocence and Gerardo is stuck in between as the confused husband who has to figure out what the truth really is. The movie has a steady buildup that escalates to a point of immense dramatic tension. Paulina is obstinate in her demand for justice and uses Dr. Miranda's unpreparedness as a guest to her advantage to extract the truth from him at gunpoint. With one staggering revelation after other, she lays down all the information on the table that seems to indict Dr. Miranda. Gerardo, however, as the rightful lawyer wouldn't let Paulina have her way without sufficient evidence. The suspense of whether Paulina is right or wrong is what makes Death and The Maiden an arresting watch.

Stuart Wilson as the helpless husband who has been confronted with painful stories of Paulina's tortures performs credibly. Sigourney Weaver, though a bit stiff, does reach out to a viewer with her pain and her need to dispense justice. She has been wronged is out to scorn Dr. Miranda and has the right level of vengeful attitude in her turn. The performance of the movie, though clearly comes from Ben Kingsley. He is erudite and polished and his body language and dialogues only add to his persona. The mystery and intrigue that is so much a part of Polanksi's films finds the perfect springboard in the character of Dr. Miranda who is the proverbial tough nut. With all the action being filmed inside a house on a stormy night, the movie has the right ambience to keep you hooked. The action is purposely claustrophobia-inducing and keeps you glued till the denouement. The last ten minutes however might just puncture a bit all the tension that had been built up till then and is probably the only weak spot in the movie.

But be that as it may, Death and the Maiden has got all the right ingredients for a time well spent. It's biggest strength of this movie that plays out like a symphony is that it has a master conductor like Polanksi as it's guide. He sculpts an unyielding film out of an already impressive story whose suspense will keep you guessing until the final credits start rolling.

Rating: 7.1/10

#66: The French Connection

Touted to be a classic, The French Connection is the true story of the New York Narcotics Bureau and the Federal Bureau of Narcotics busting a case of heroin trade in 1962. While in real life, there were a number of investigative agencies involved over a span of 2 years, the movie focusses on the role of these two agencies. In particular, the movie narrates in under two hours how two cops assigned on the case finally managed to crack the French Connection with regard to the trade. Incidentally, both the divisions shown in the movie are no longer operational.

Popeye Doyle (Gene Hackman) and Buddy Russo (Roy Scheider) are regular undercover cops on the lookout for drug stakeouts. In a chance drink over a bar, Doyle notices something unusually extravagant about the lifestyle of Sal Boca - a bakery owner and coaxes his partner Russo to trail him, Elsewhere in Marseilles, Alain Charnier (Fernando Rey)- a rich French shipyard owner has got an undercover cop killed through his henchman Nicoli. In a seperate meeting with a TV star who is on his way to US, Charnier convinces the star to take his Lincoln along with him on the ship to New York. Both the stories run alongside for a while until a thread connects Sal Boca to Charnier in New York and Doyle gets additional manpower to tail them all. The movie is a taut and a tense account of this surveillance that has been unleashed by Doyle on Charnier and Sal Boca and what it eventually leads to. In terms of a plot, there is a constant feeling that a big clash is inevitable between the law enforcement agencies and Charnier's men and that justifiably serves as the catalyst for the climax.

Gene Hackman is uninhibited as cop Doyle- someone who sleeps recklessly around with women and yet always has an eye out for his partner. Roy Scheider's calm demeanor, on the other hand, contrasts but blends well as Doyle's assured partner. The fact that Gene Hackman won an Oscar for this is apt reward for his portrayal as a merciless cop and gives you your monies worth. The other high point in the movie is of course the much celebrated chase scene. For six minutes and fifty-three seconds, you can be assured that you won't move an inch from your seat as an old Pontiac, battered and bruised along the way, gives an elevated city train a maniacal chase in an extraordinary exhibition of filming. You can carve this sequence out and pit it against any other car chase scene you've seen in recent years and this one will still take the cherry.

For the story, director William Friedkin does really well to keep the account as close as possible to the actual events. He even had the two real cops supervising and giving their inputs on the movie on the sets. A particular scene that has a Lincoln being torn down uses the same car mechanic who tore the car down in real life. Such resemblance to real-life events keeps the movie's atmosphere extremely gritty. Whether it's the tailing of Charnier or the eventual bust, Friedkin succeeds in building a very taut screenplay that is brimming with pressure in spite of minimal dialogue.

Simply put, The French Connection is an intelligent crime thriller that will have you hooked from the word go. It is a tantalizing account of a true story whose storytelling is accentuated by some brilliantly tense background music. What you get with it is paisa-vasool action, commendable performances and the satisfaction that you saw something that actually happened and is not fabricated. For all those for who believe in the old adage that truth is stranger than fiction, The French Connection is just about the perfect cop movie.

Rating: 7.5/10

#65: This Film is Not Rated

This Film Is Not Rated is 2006 documentary based on the ratings system that the MPAA accords to any movie released in the US. Kirby Dick who is an accomplished documentary filmmaker in his own right made this movie after his more popular Twist of Faith that got nominated for the Academy Awards in 2005.

It is a narration of how the MPAA functions like an autocratic body without any accountability. At one point, it mentions that the sense of secrecy is so high that apart from CIA there's no other organization that could match it's veiled authority. The movie begins with a nice set of opening credits with some of the controversial scenes in movies playing as the credits roll out. The point it tries to make is established very clearly in the first ten minutes of the movie and as a viewer I bought into it completely. What t does from there on is a bit 'filmy' as we call it here in India- Kirby Dick hires an investigative agency to find out who the people behind the agency really are. So we end up sitting through the movie until we get to know that. And that's that. The same point is repeated to be drilled into our heads until kingdom come.

Where the documentary also fails is the fact that in spite of such a universal topic that affects practically every filmmaker in the US however big or small, the movie doesn't take opinions of any stalwarts. Through the movie, it doesn't speak to more than 3 filmmakers, does it's own snooping around and indicts the system. While it's absolutely right in it's verdict, the journey is less than fulfilling. Kirby Dick also isn't the smartest guy around. In a shot where he has to react spontaneously to a lawyer, he fumbles miserably.

This Film Is Not Rated is a weak attempt at unearthing the ills of a system that was established first in 1968. It takes off beautifully, stutters midway and makes a landing that's far from smooth. It tackles a highly relevant topic for filmmakers and serves it so half-heartedly that you will miss Michael Moore. And that's not always a good thing.

Rating: 5/10

#64: How Do You Know

In this James L. Brooks 2010 comedy, protagonists George (Paul Rudd) and Lisa (Reese Witherspoon) find themselves in two difficult professional situations and try to work their way out of the mess. While George is being targeted by the US Govt. for inflating his company's accounts, Lisa who is a national softball player is dropped from the team in favor of some fresh blood. In an unrelated incident, Lisa's friend sets her up with George for a date and the two make some sort of a connection over a dinner without being explicit about it.

Enter the smart and popular baseball player Matty (Owen Wilson) who is seeing Lisa. Matty is the guy who is looking to settle down, be 'monogamous' and sees in Lisa that someone to go the distance with. Lisa, on the other hand is still trying to come to terms with her recent disappointment. In Matty, she finds someone she can sleep her worries with but his constant approval-seeking behavior isn't comforting for her. Meanwhile, George has to figure out the source of the financial irregularities being investigated against him even as his father (Jack Nicholson)constantly keeps reminding innocent George to own up to the crime. With a simple linear narrative, we go through these issues in the lives of these four characters.

With a steady progression, the movie entices you towards the problems of Lisa and George, particularly the latter. As a viewer, you stay interested to know how the situation is going to get resolved and in that lies the movie's strength. James L. Brooks who in the past has made some delightful gems like As Good As It Gets, nearly gets it right with a subtle handling of the issue of relationships between mature people and a father and a son. Paul Rudd is entirely believable in his character while Owen Wilson as the zealous boyfriend will irk you with his mannerisms which means that he has done a good job. Reese does what she does best and that is to bring sincerity to her role. It is a pity though that Jack Nicholson has been wasted in his role as George's conniving father.

The movie doesn't bore you because it has enough warmth to keep you engaged. It could've been easy to fall to a cliche in resolving some of the conflicts in the movie but James L. Brooks' typically nuanced writing will see you through satisfied by the end of it. That said, the movie could've been 20 minutes shorter to make it crisper instead of the drooling pace it operates at. Also, I didn't find anything exceptional for the movie to justify a $120mn budget. Did it need a Jack Nicholson or a Reese Witherspoon for these characters to drive home the point- surely not.

How Do You Know is a different but not exactly a fresh look at a love triangle between three characters with an additional sub-plot. With a few smart lines sprinkled to tug your heart and some tidy performances, it makes an honest attempt to win you over. But since it's nothing new, you won't exactly be bowled over by it. It still deserves a watch because we all know what James L. Brooks can do when he nails it. Well, this one got away but it still has got his special touch.

Rating: 6.6/10

#63: Peepli Live

A satire based on the media frenzy that can engulf a topic as serious as farmer suicides, Peepli Live is a wonderful tale of wit and irony.

Set in the fictional state of Mukhya Pradesh, it tells us the story of Natha (Omkar Das) whose family comprising his wife, mother and brother Budhia (Raghubir Yadav) are on the verge of losing their land due to non-repayment of loan they had taken from a bank. A meeting with a local politician makes Natha realise that if he commits suicide the loan will be waived off. In a scene that manifests Budhia's deft conniving skills even as the brothers discuss the best way to save their land, Natha volunteers for the suicide. A local reporter Rakesh (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) gets wind of this news and becomes the first to report this in the press. This sets off a wildfire in the media community as national channels descend on the non-descript village that Peepli is and start broadcasting state of affairs from Peepli live for their viewers. Local politicians, central ministers, Natha's neighbors and his immediate family become the source of immense entertainment as each gives their take on the subject of Natha's suicide.

It is the kind of story that doesn't come too often from Bollywood's stable- realistic, humorous and didactic. While the focus of the plot is Natha's imminent suicide, it plays up the media circus in the country that has truly descended itself to absurdist levels. With liberal doses of humor, writer-director and debutante Anusha Rizvi approaches the subject with the manner of someone who has seen it all. Her background of having been a journalist helps her bring the inside-goings of a TV channel in an era of cut-throat competition to the fore. While taking digs at these channels and the politicians, there is always a subtle undertone that actually magnifies the irony of the situation. The performers are brilliant in their roles. Omkar Das, the sacrificial lamb, barely speaks ten lines in the movie but his expressions alone reflect the mood of any scene he's in. The supporting cast rallies around this central character. Their oddities are enhanced by some sharp dialogues and make the movie an absorbing watch.

There are no two ways to say this- Peepli Live is a fantastic movie. A movie like this can renew your faith in Bollywood- a lesson that good cinema is not a destination beyond us. It was India's nomination for the Oscars that saw some needless rants from Anurag Kashyap about how the movie's in the spotlight because it is an Aamir Khan production.

If you ask me, it was India's best bet in 2010. And I would've said the same thing even if it came from the production house of Manikchand Gutka.

Rating: 8/10

#62: After Hours

Scorcese ! One of the most versatile, enduring and awe-inspiring directors of our times had a terribly tough time in 1985. This was when his project, The Last Temptation of Christ wasn't getting off the ground because of the controversial subject it was tackling. He wasn't finding any financiers for the project when he was approached with the script of After Hours. It was a tough time for Marty particularly because this was a subject very close to his heart and letting it go nearly brought him to depression.In an extra feature on the DVD, Marty expresses how After Hours came at this opportune time and helped him focus his energies constructively.

It is the story of Paul(Griffin Dunne) a word processing executive whose life beyond work is as banal as it could get. In a chance meeting, when he's dining alone, he strikes up a conversation with Marcy(Rosanna Arquette) in a restaurant. A natural chemistry results in Paul soon finding himself in the company of Kiki (Linda Fiorentino), Marcy's room-mate in an apartment. It's the story of how Paul survives a night that has full of surprises packed for him.

The movie is extremely engrossing to begin with building a sense of intrigue about the characters of Kiki and Marcy. All you know by the first 20 minutes is that Paul is a simpleton looking to have a good time. As the story unfolds, Paul senses that things aren't turning out the way they were supposed to be and wants to get back home. But a series of incidents start paving the way for a hellish night for Paul. The movie is a heady concoction of eccentric characters in realistic situations working in unison to prevent Paul from heading back home.

At 97 minutes, After Hours is a mix of some neat performances stitched together by some tight direction. A scene of a bunch of keys falling from the top floor of a building right onto Paul's feet is a sign of dexterous minds at work and is one of the many scenes that will leave a lasting imprint on your memory. The ending of the movie though is a tad underwhelming and might leave you disenchanted.

Made at a fairly restricted budget, After Hours is undoubtedly a reliable movie. It's strength is the constant stream of surprises that keep coming at you. What we should be really grateful for is that more than anything else, the movie kept Marty alive and kicking. In his own words, this was the cinematic equivalent of hope and resurgence of faith in his career. And sure enough, he did return with The Last Temptation of Christ,just three years later.

Rating:6.8/10

#61: My Name is Khan

I will review this but like Vijay Verma in Deewar, I want some answers. And uske baad tum jis kaagaz pe bologe, main us par apna review likh doonga.

If his name is Rizwan Khan and in a normal world when we all address each other by our first names, why does he insist on calling himself Kkhhaaan or Ghhaaan or Kaaahn or whatever it is. How about simply Rizwan?

Why does looking down through the movie a symbol of excellent acting? Is there any other mannerism that you remember that he tried to inculcate? Now think of Dustin Hoffman in Rainman or Sridevi in Sadma.

Seriously, if you want to watch the after effects of 9/11 on the lives of normal people why not pick up a Khuda Ke Liye? Or Shoot at Sight or even New York ?

How much does the flood sequence contribute to the story ? Why is it there ?

This one's for all Bollywood movies shot abroad - how come the psychologist, the reporters who want to save him and their boss all turn out to be people who can speak perfect Hindi?

Why is Jimmy Shergill there in the movie? One good reason will suffice.

If any other director had made the same movie with any other actor, would Times of India still have given it 4 stars in it's review? Or was it 5.

What specific scene between Kajol and Shahrukh made any viewer feel there was any of the so-called electric chemistry between the two?

Couldn't they come up with any better than 'Mama Jenny'?

So Rizwan Khan ends up meeting Barack Obama in the end. Who does he think he is- Forrest Gump?

#60: Mirch

Vinay Shukla writes and directs this 2010 drama that is a collection of four stories centered around the theme of women sexuality. With an ensemble cast and an innovative narrative style, the stories come at you one after the other in entirely different contexts. However, in what is a departure from common anthologies of this genre, the stories are not inter-related.

The freshness of the narrative will keep you interested as the stories unfold. The 'sutradhaar' is Maanav (Arunoday Singh) a struggling script writer who in the course of convincing a producer about his script takes us through these stories. What veteran Vinay Shukla manages well is to put together a veritable lead cast, most of whom can carry a movie on their shoulders going solo. Boman Irani, Shreyas Talpade, Konkona Sen Sharma, Raima Sen, Saurabh Shukla, Rajpal Yadav, Sushant Singh and Shahana Goswami are formidable in their roles in these stories. Two of the four stories have excellent plot twists towards the end and make for enjoyable viewing. The fact that a couple of the stories are also set in different ages adds to the freshness of the movie.

At 105 minutes, the movie never tends to bore you though seeing Arunoday Singh in between each of the stories is a bit of an eyesore. The lad easily has the best wooden expressions in town going for himself. In a scene in which he loses his cool, he manages to startle you not with his anger but the inept nature of his acting skill. The weakest link in the story is infact his meeting with the producer - the course of which is as predictable as the days in the week.

Mirch is excellent in parts and mediocre in patches. It might not be a rock solid movie but is surely an entertaining watch. It is nice to see Vinay Shukla tackle a serious subject with a dose of humor. Watch it for the liberal idea that it wants to stand for and some good old natural storytelling.

Rating:6.5/10

#59: Good Luck Chuck

Made in 2007, Good Luck Chuck is the story of Chuck (Dane Cook), a dentist who gets cursed by his school mate about never finding true love in life during a game in his childhood. If this sounded bizarre, try gulping down this- the extension of the curse is that any girl Chuck lands up with is guaranteed to find true love in her next relationship.

At first, Chuck is a bit bothered about the effects of the curse but goaded by his horny best friend Stu (Dan Fogler), he decides to make the most of it. So all he does is sleep with women beyond, before and after his working hours. All is fine until he runs into Cam (Jessica Alba) a penguin lover, so passionate, her only ambition in life is to meet Howard, a world renowned penguin expert. While Cam takes no initial liking to Chuck, it is only a matter of time before they start seeing each other. Chuck, convinced that this is the girl of his dreams wants to do everything right in this relationship and tries his best to ward off the curse with help from his friend Stu. A misunderstanding then leads to a supposedly comical situation that eventually leads to the climax. I can assure you this is not a script written by sane minds at work. Mark Helfrich, the director was a primary editor on movies such as Rush Hour, After the Sunset and Red Dragon. How and why he came about directing a movie as inferior as Good Luck Chuck is anybody's guess.

Dane Cook's macho demeanor and expertise in bedding women is very ordinary acting fare. The charm that typically exudes such a character is missing. Instead, what we have is crass lines being substituted for wit and some below-the-belt humor being flogged around by Stu. Jessica Alba, though, is a saving grace. Her smile and natural screen presence as the vivacious and accident-prone Cam is the only stuff brings a smile to your face. What would've worked better is if the pair had some natural chemistry going like Dane Cook and Kate Hudson did in the 2008 flick - My Best Friend's Girl. .

Looking back at Good Luck Chuck, there's little else to write home about. Some of the gags are in such low taste (such as the Stu's girlfriend who has three boobs) that even a cringe is not good enough to help you get rid of it. The best you can say about Good Luck Chuck is that while you're watching it you feel happy that they cast Jessica Alba in it; everything else will give you a sore eye.

Rating: 2.8/10

#58: No Strings Attached

I find it remarkable that Jason Reitman who has written and directed delightful movies like Up in the Air, Thank You For Smoking and Juno is the son of Ivan Reitman - who is better known for his average comedies. If you consider their contrasting movies, Jason Reitman is actually a clear case of a sequel being better than the original in real life.

Where Ivan Reitman surely deserves praise is his role as a producer in Hollywood. Again, he has not made any groundbreaking movies with his production house outside of Up in the Air but it is nice to see someone taking over the challenging mantle of being a producer after beginning as a director. I say this because at his age he really should give up as a director. Because his last two movies were the passable My Super-Ex Girlfriend and Evolution and his latest release of No Strings Attached is yet another shining example of his mediocrity.

It has one of the most random beginnings - that spans 15 years in 10 minutes during which the lead characters Emma (Natalie Portman) and Adam (Ashton Kutcher) meet thrice. There is no apparent connection and yet in their fourth meeting they end up having sex. Emma is an unemotional but intelligent doctor while Adam is a struggling script writer. For no rhyme or reason they conveniently decide to be sex friends. Adam's dad Alvin (Kevin Kline) meanwhile hooks up with Adam's-ex and that becomes a source of major grief for Adam. While his sex with Emma is going great, Adam does see a future with her without being explicit about it. Emma, on the other hand, sees no reason to take her sexual liaison with Adam to another level. How they reconcile this difference is the central plot of No Strings Attached.

It is a plot that conjures itself out of thin air and struggles to keep pace with itself in spite of the liberties it takes. Kevin Kline is a joke in the movie and it was stupid on his part to take on this facetious role. A man who was a part of a classic such as A Fish Called Wanda should've known better. Ashton Kutcher is nothing more than a robot who can't emote to save his life. Natalie Portman is the only sight of relief in this movie that fails to get any laugh-out-loud moments going in what is a supposed to be a comedy. The story is as flat and predictable as it could get. You'll find it harder to predict second Saturdays in a month.

For the clumsy effort that it is, No Strings Attached deserves to be denounced no-holds-barred. Shut off the projector, bring down the curtain and close the entry gates to the screens that is showing the movie. Don't be lured by Natalie Portman's perfectly curvy legs in the promotional poster- it's an example of how one should never judge a movie by it's poster. This is nothing more than a tale that is as uninspiring as insipid. Use it as a pill if you have trouble sleeping at night - nothing more, nothing less.

Rating: 3.5/10

#57: The Kids Are All Right

Two lesbian moms, their sperm donor and their kids come together in The Kids Are All Right to create the proverbial magic of the movies. The kinds that sweeps us off our feet, evokes myriad emotions and makes us wonder what is it that makes a flawless movie. Does it take fabulously written characters, does it take brilliant actors to enact those characters or does it take a refreshingly innovative script? Well, the fact of the matter is, when all three work in unison, what you have us is a movie like The Kids Are All Right.

Nic (Annette Bening) and Jules (Julianne Moore) play a middle-aged lesbian couple, as their kids Joni and Laser live the typical teenager life, who furtively dope and have unexpressed crushes. Being 15 and 18 respectively, a sense of rebellion is building up in them towards their Mums and specifically towards Nic. Between Jules and Nic, the latter is presented as the partner who wears the pants in this family; the assertive Mom who doesn't miss a chance to remind her children about simple things like writing Thank You notes. Nic likes being in control and wouldn't yield any of it- whether it's to her children or Jules. Enter Paul (Mark Ruffalo), whose sperm the couple had used eighteen years back to have their kids. Prodded on by her step-brother, Joni gets in touch with Paul and thus begins a new chapter for their family .The kids take a liking to the smooth and suave Paul who runs his own restaurant and rides a bike- things their Mums would never agree to. The newly formed bond between the kids and Paul begins to irk Nic but things take a turn for the worse when Jules takes up a landscaping assignment for Paul's restaurant. The story is the progression of the changing dynamics of the relationship the 5 of them share.

Annette Bening with her act as the domineering Nic is fabulous. She's perky, emotional, rude, affectionate, possessive and more, while delivering what should count as her best performance ever. When she is hurting, you feel the pain. Her protective aura around her family is the most definitive trait of her character and the story uses this as the fulcrum to build drama. Julianne Moore and Mark Ruffalo round up an immaculate performance by the cast whose company you'll thoroughly enjoy. Josh Hutcherson and Mia Wachikowska are equally adept in their roles as the teenage 'kids'.

A word for the writers - Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Bloomberg- whose brilliant screenplay beautifully brings out a few subtle nuances in the beginning of the story that later go on to become critical plot determinants. The character traits are etched with such precision that I will be mighty surprised if this doesn't win the Oscar for Best Original Writing. Here's a trivia- Lisa had put off working on this movie as she herself had got pregnant through an anonymous sperm donor in 2006 and eventually resumed work on the project only in 2009. Maybe this break did her good because this is actually the kind of script for which the phrase - 'no praise is enough' was originally coined for.

I am finally going to cap this one off with a confession. In the last 10 years, only 4 Hollywood productions have touched me to the point of breaking down while watching the movie. The Pursuit of Happyness, Julie and Julia, Up in the Air and Up. The Kids Are All Right came very close to being a very worthy addition to that list.

Rating: 8.5/10

#56: Grown Ups

Grown Ups is a 2010 Hollywood comedy about 5 childhood friends who meet many years later on the occassion of the funeral of their high school basketball coach. They extend their reunion to spend some time over a weekend with one another and their families.

Big shot Hollywood agent Lenny (Adam Sandler), furniture store owner Eric (Kevin James), dutiful husband Kurt (Chris Rock), the jobless Marcus (David Spade) and Rob (Rob Schneider) play the five friends all of whom were on the school basketball team and have an old bonding going between them. The fact the guys were meeting those many years later has no impact on their interactions as each pulls the other's legs like they've never been out of touch. As they go about drinking beer and talking, we learn more about these characters and the lives they've been leading. Lenny's wife Roxanne (Salma Hayek) has a fashion show coming up for which he has to leave with his family sooner than anyone else from the lake house that he has rented for the weekend. Kurt is clearly the wife in the family as it's his wife who earns the bread for the family. Eric has issues with his furniture store back home but he wants to come across as someone who is financially secure. Rob, on the other hand, is married thrice and yet is not sure how to deal with his wife.

Director Dennis Dugan who is a favored Sandler collaborator ( they also worked in You Don't Mess With The Zohan, Big Daddy and just finished Just Go With it) deals with these pent up feelings of his characters with a liberal sprinkling of banter. The humor reflects in some superbly written lines and comebacks that the friends use while they're either nostalgic about their school or while they're taking digs at each other. The best ones are reserved for Lenny, Eric and Marcus. The low point of the movie though are the few parts where situations are forcefully contrived to to give way to humor of the slapstick variety. A breastfeeding scene and a loud Steve Buscemi guest appearance are completely needless. Inspite of these what saves the movie is a final basketball game between these friends and their old school nemesis' team. The climax is all about Sandler and he shows exactly why he's a special actor and a notch above the rest of the cast. With his typicaly casual demeanour he takes the lead in this final game and performs his part with an ease that reflects as much of nonchalance as brilliance. In the process, the movie's comes out a winner.

If you ever been in a school team and have bonded with your mates years after that. this is an unmissable flick. The camaraderie and the humor is such situations is meant be drive nostalgia and the movie will surely transport you back to those days. This also means that the humor which at times comes across as crass isn't univerally appealing. But that doesn't take away anything away from this comedy about buddies. It is meant to be just that and delivers the laughs to make it just about a memorable watch.

Rating: 7/10

#55: Aisha

Aisha is a 2010 rom-com about Aisha (Sonam Kapoor), her elite lifestyle, her tryst of romance with her childhood friend and the relationship she shares with her loved ones.

Set in Delhi, the movie captures a phase in Aisha's life who is in her early 20s. A simple match-making exercise that she undertakes to hook up a distant relative's daughter Shefali (Amrita Puri) with Randhir (Cyrus Sahukar) lands her into an emotional turmoil. During the course of this exercise she ends upsetting the very few people who were close to her. Her best friend Pinky, played by the spunky Ira Dubey falls out with her even as Aisha's childhood friend Arjun (Abhay Deol) tries to explain to her the mistakes she is making. While she goes through these changes in her relationship with her close friends calmly in the beginning, it soon dawns on her that she has to change something about herself to bring back the magic of the good old times. Aisha is the story of that transformation in her character.

One has to commend Aisha for that specific chick-flick look and style it adopts uniformly throughout the movie. Whether it's Sonam's head-turning-rich-brat-symbol of the Yellow VW Beetle that she drives or the designer shops that the characters visit, it doesn't take more than a couple of frames for the viewers to realize that this is a story set in the creamy echelons of South Delhi. Ira Dubey and Sonam Kapoor could give many a girl a sleepless night with those perfect waistlines, impeccable dresses and fancy paraphernalia of ladies bags and the like. Midway, through the movie, I hoped this was a movie made by a lady, for anything towards the contrary would've given me a sleepless night.

Apart from the packaging, director Rajshri Ojha manages to extract worthy performances from Abhay Deol and Ira Dubey in this story that's loosely based on a Jane Austen novel. While the Abhay Deol is in a league by himself, he is undermined because of a lack of depth in his character. Ira Dubey pleasantly surprises us with her sparkling screen presence. Her mother's natural grace that's reflected in her manners is not to be missed. Sonam Kapoor and Arunoday Singh, who plays Dhruv, Aisha's brief love interest, are wooden and have a long way to go before we could even begin to write anything about their acting skills. Between the two, while Sonam is the perfect example as to why star kids continue to be the butt of jokes in the industry, Arunoday is a bit of a shame considering he can't act even though he's got a politician's genes in his blood. Amrita Puri and Cyrus Sahukar, however, are likable as performers with both displaying adequate ease in slipping in their respective characters. Amit Trivedi's music is refreshingly apt for the milieu and Javed Akhtar's words are the proverbial cherry on the cake. The absolutely soothing Shaam bhi koi, jaisi hai nadi... was probably the year's best song in Bollywood.

After the first half, the story meanders a bit too much that and by the time the climax arrives, you're left wondering if the movie could've been 15 minutes shorter. While all the story threads are fairly addressed, the evident lack of chemistry between Abhay Deol and Sonam Kapoor fails to capture your imagination towards the end. In the final scene, there are traces of a copybook imitation scene from Pretty Woman that will surely disappoint you. Aisha succeeds in laying claim as Bollywood's first indigenous chick-flick and to that end it is a respectable effort by Rajshri Ojha. It could've set the benchmark for movies in this genre with a far better performance from the lead actress and a more lucid storytelling approach. What it lacks in substance, it tries to make up in style and we all know that's never enough in the craft of filmmaking.

Rating: 6.1/10

#54: A Streetcar Named Desire

A Streetcar Named Desire is based on the 1947 Pulitzer-prize winning play of the same name. The producers tried to retain as much of the core team from the play to work in the movie. As a result, playwright Tennessee Williams co-wrote the screenplay with Oscar Saul, Elia Kazan directed the movie as he did the play and the cast members had all worked either on a Broadway or a West End production of the play.

The fulcrum of the story is the life of the emotionally unstable Blanche DuBois (Vivien Leigh) who visits her sister Stella (Kim Hunter) and brother-in-law Stanley Kowalski (Marlon Brando). The apparent reason for her visit is the loss of her apartment to moneylenders that ends up mentally disturbing her. Stanley suspects that Blanche is only trying to fib her way through the money that she might've made by selling the house. This leads to an uneasy confrontation between the two but with the moderation of Stella things do not escalate. But this was just the tip of the iceberg. In the days to follow, Stanley grows increasingly suspicious of Blanche's ways and never misses a chance to confront her with references to her character in the past. This even while Stanley's friend Mitch (Karl Malden) takes a liking to Blanche and wants to marry her. The story is about how Blanche DuBois' life eventually shapes up during this stay at her sister's house.

The higlight of the movie is Marlon Brando's animalistic portrayal of the character of Stanley. As the short-tempered factory worker, Brando is a fire-cracker waiting to be lit with a matchstick. He explodes without warning and is rude without getting provoked. His ill-mannered, drunk and abusive ways have become a way of life for Stella - his meek and ever-forgiving wife. Some of the scenes in which Brando takes off on in anger seem like outbursts so natural, you could sense the trepidation of the recipients- including his wife Stella. As a character Stella is wedged between love for her sister and the inherent submissiveness she's built towards her husband. Kim Hunter performs her part commendably as the doting sister and wife often making you feel as to what wrong she has done to deserve what she goes through. Vivien Leigh is equally convincing as the distraught and disturbed Blanche - her mood swings and eccentricities and revelations at different points of time is what keeps you hooked to the story. In an Oscar- winning performance, she nails her character by bringing out her fears both through her body language and her speech. Her underlying need to be attracted to strangers is whimsical but a necessary part of her character and this eccentricity adds depth to her portrayal. Karl Malden who also won an Oscar for his role as Blanche's comforting friend Mitch comes across as a nice guy who is purposeful but not exactly admirable.

A Streetcar Named Desire is a fascinating watch for the performances of each of its leading characters. I am not sure if Karl Malden was in the same league as the others but Brando, Leigh and Hunter put in exemplary turns. As a story, it might've outlived itself but it does absorb you. What was lacking in the movie was that the whole mystery that was building around Blanche DuBois was never exploited fully. So when one finally gets to know what had happened to her in the past, it doesn't work as a 'wow' moment and that to me was a failing. A Streetcar Named Desire is hailed as an all-time great movie. It surely didn't do that much for me as a viewer but it did hover around comfortably around the periphery of greatness.

Rating: 6.8/10

#53: Inside Job

Inside Job is a 2010 documentary about the US financial crisis that shook the western markets that evenutally led to dreadful repercussions all around the globe.

It begins with an example of Iceland's economy being in doldrums and how it got there in the first place. This intro works as an apt aperitif for the sumptuous main course that is to follow in the movie that describes the events that paved the ill-trodden path towards the disastrous sub-prime crisis. Shot in a slick style, the movie consists of 5 parts- each telling us the origins and the hows and the whys of the crisis. The chronological order of narration works brilliantly as far as assimilation of information for the viewer is concerned. Director Charles Ferguson (No End in Sight) manages to get some of the best names from fields as diverse as international politics, bureaucracy and academics to lobbyists, prostitution (this is not a typo in this review) and corporate honchos. These include people with impressive titles such as the Finance Minister of France, US Secretary of Treasury, the Singapore PM and the Dean of Columbia School of Business. Ferguson then manages to break it down all for us by simplifying the meaning of arcane financial terms such as CDO's and Derivatives with the patience akin to that of a teacher.

In doing so, he is exemplarily transparent in analysing the ills of the financial system and lays down all his cards on the table with panache. So whether he's taking on Alan Greenspan or Barack Obama, he makes it a point to pull back no punches. With the help of the smooth voice of narrator Matt Damon, he creates an universe that explains all the machinations of the crisis, particularly focussing on two critical segments those about the corporate lobbying that influences policy-making in the US and the nexus between Wall Street and the field of academics.

The Inside Job is a brilliant documentary because of two main reasons. First, it takes a contemporary subject that affected us all in some way or the other and that makes it very easy to relate to it. It then takes a simple route to play out the movie, that of taking interviews. So unlike Michael Moore's documentaries that have his inferences splattered through the movie along with the interviews, the narrator here tells you a fact through an actual interview with a person and then lets you make your own conclusion. The latter is what makes the Inside Job an extremely engrossing watch.

To sum it up, if ever a documentary called a spade a spade, this is it. If ever you shouldn't miss out on a documentary, this is it.

Rating: 8.2/10