The Best of Me

There is soppy cinema and there is really really really soppy cinema.  Michael Hoffman’s The Best of Me falls in the latter category – and quite comfortably at that.  Hoffman’s track record includes the George Clooney RomCom called One Fine Day.  He now forays into mainstream romance with a writer who is without doubt the King of Sop – Nicholas Sparks (The Notebook, Message in a Bottle).

Nightcrawler

Written by Dan Gilroy (Bourne Legacy, Real Steel), Nightcrawler, also happens to be his first attempt as a director.  And for a first attempt, Gilroy has done a pretty good job.  It isn’t perfect by a mile but Nightcrawler is the dark horse for this week.  Not too many people may pick it for the weekend but I would strongly advise that you give it a shot.  You may not regret it.

Fury

A very philosophical statement half way down David Ayer’s second movie of the year (The forgettable Sabotage starring Arnold Schwarzenegger was released earlier this year) is probably the high point of Fury.  Seargent Don “Wardaddy” Collier (Brad Pitt) tells Private Norman Ellison, “Ideals are peaceful.  History is violent”.

Ouija

So everyone around the Ouija (wee-juh / wee-jaa / wee-jee) board places their hands on the planchette (http://macsstuff.net/photobov/ouija-board-planchette). Circle the board depending on the number of people at the board.  So 5 people would mean 5 circles.  Then say

Sex Tape

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Happy New Year (2014) (Hindi)

Recipe for a successful Farah Khan Movie

Sonali Cable

Sonali Cable is a movie meant for the common man, the aam aadmi or the mango people as it is hep to call them these days.  It is one story that represents the millions of small business owners across the length and breadth of this country.  And to see a story written about one of these in a positive light is definitely one thing that they got right.

What If

It is not often that you see theatre properties being taken to the big screen.  I haven’t had the opportunity to see the play by T J Dawe & Michael Rinaldi called Toothpaste & Cigars (and probably never will).  Screen adaptations of plays are usually not as good.  With that thumb rule, I would guess that T&C will definitely be worth a dekko.  What if, however, can be seen on DVD.

Dracula Untold

I was really really really looking forward to this one because like many out there, I have a fascination with the count.  And like many out there who would have seen the “Untold” story of Dracula by now, I walked out quite – disappointed.

Honeymoon (2014) (English)

Rose Leslie (Ygritte from Game of Thrones) is probably the only person I could identify in this hardcore Indie movie that aims to challenge Happy New Year this Diwali in India.  That being said, both Rose and her opposite number Harry Treadaway come out of this otherwise disastrous attempt at horror, unscathed in terms of questions regarding their capabilities.

The Judge

The simplest of stories, with the right casting and writing can turn themselves into extremely intense and “must watch” movies.  The Judge is just one example of such a movie.  Director David Dobkin didn’t have much to work with, in terms of a story that had shades of “Devil’s Advocate” without the Devil of course.  It is a simple family drama. But at the end of it, you feel ever so slightly overwhelmed.

Kill The Messenger

Gary Webb (Jeremy Renner) died a very unhappy man in 2004.  He spent the last 7-8 years of his life chasing a story that was “too true to be told” as one of his sources put it.  A story that the government (read CIA) was aware (not complicit in as many words) about of the explosion of Crack Cocaine in  Los Angeles and how it was used to fund the Contra rebels of Nicaragua.

Ekkees Topon Ki Salaami

While my first movie of the day (Tamanchey) had very little even remotely good, my 2^nd one yesterday was almost the opposite.  I say almost because like a lot of cinema these days, it had a lot going for it but the finishing was just not there.  It left me with mixed feelings but definitely more good than bad.

Tamanchey – Pyaar Mein Dil Pe Maar De Goli

Let’s start off with the good stuff in “Tamanchey – Pyar Mein Dil Pe Maar De Goli” (TPMDPMDG) because that is the easy part.  There is very little to talk about and can be done with really quick.  I must remember to thank newbie director Suryaveer Singh Bhullar and editor Mahesh Jaitley who ensured that the movie was kept to an hour and forty minutes.  I would have cut a further hour and forty minutes to be absolutely sure but what the heck.  Good job Mahesh Jaitley!!!

Bang Bang! (Hindi) (2014)

Bang Bang! lost me about 30 seconds into the movie. A senior intelligence officer, Colonel Viren Nanda (Jimmy Shergill) walks into the MI6 headquarters to collect a gift – Omar (Danny Denzongpa).  Along the way through 253 layers of security, the colonel asks, “Woh London mein kya kar raha thha”? If there could have been anything more insulting to the Indian Secret Service (ISS) I would really like to know.

Haider

There could be many of you out there who haven’t read what is probably William Shakespeare’s most popular tragedy – Hamlet.  It was the bard’s longest play and has been the subject of many a movie. For those unaware of the story, you MUST read this section before you walk into watch Haider http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamlet#Plot.