Summer Sequels:Kung Fu Panda 2

A few films can claim the titles like "The return of awesomeness" and manage to get away with it. Such a kind of movie is kung fu panda 2 , the kaboom of doom.A movie which uses the same ingredients in same amount with same execution and still not sounding repetitive, now that's pure genius . Jack Black voices the character of our beloved panda "Po" and the furious five return with a light cameo by master shifu .New villains, new scenarios and new jokes add spice to the movie which captures your attention in glorified 3D.

Here's a short synopsis to get your fist hungry -
Po is now living his dream as The Dragon Warrior, protecting the Valley of Peace alongside his friends and fellow kung fu masters, The Furious Five. But Po's new life of awesomeness is threatened by the emergence of a formidable villain, who plans to use a secret, unstoppable weapon to conquer China and destroy kung fu. He must look to his past and uncover the secrets of his mysterious origins; only then will Po be able to unlock the strength he needs to succeed .

The success of Kung Fu Panda 2 lies solely in its lovable character PO who mesmerizes us with his humility,humor and kick ass awesomeness.An imperfect hero thrown into a perfect world is just the right combination to keep you alive. Sometimes it reminds me of the quirky success Jackie Chan had entertaining us through action intertwined in Humor. Most scenes are memorable and share no resemblance with its predecessor , as the latter movie dealt with the relationship between Po and master shifu, while the sequel deals with Po's self discovery.Even the the Villain played by a fancy peacock and is minions are quite funny.In short its one heck of a ride into the world of awesomeness. This is one series i would like to see continue like the shrek and ice age series.Long live the Dragon warrior.

Details-
Directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson
Produced by Melissa Cobb
Guillermo del Toro (Executive)
Written by Jonathan Aibel
Glenn Berger
Starring Jack Black
Angelina Jolie
Gary Oldman
Dustin Hoffman
Jackie Chan
Seth Rogen
Lucy Liu
David Cross
James Hong
Michelle Yeoh
Danny McBride
Dennis Haysbert
Jean-Claude Van Damme
Victor Garber
Fred Tatasciore
Music by Hans Zimmer
John Powell
Editing by Clare Knight
Studio DreamWorks Animation
Distributed by Paramount Pictures
Release date(s) May 2011 (2011-05)
Running time 91 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $150 million
Gross revenue $572,723,91

Theater seen from- Escape cinemas, Chennai
Audience recommended to-All Kung fu panda lover, children of all ages , adults looking for a good weekend
3D rating - 4/5 awesome

Final word-
I am going for 3.5/5 for Paramount Pictures "Kung Fu Panda ", awesomeness has truly returned .

Summer Sequels:X-men: FIrst Class

Professor Xavier: "killing will not bring you peace"
Magneto : "peace was never the option"
These two strong line forms the very foundation of the 5th installment in the x men series after wolverine origin.Been a geeky comic book fan of both X men and Magneto , the ever eager film buff(me) hits the theater to catch first class(thankfully not in 3D). My hopes were not on their highest neither was my adrenaline levels cause of the promos and lackluster cast been employed(an X men movie without wolverine ,,,,comeon....),so as i embarked on my journey into the sequel that is actually the prequel to all the other X men movies .

Here's a short synopsis to bring out that mutation in you-
Before mutants had revealed themselves to the world, and before Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr took the names Professor X and Magneto, they were two young men discovering their powers for the first time. Not archenemies, they were instead at first the closest of friends, working together with other Mutants (some familiar, some new), to prevent nuclear Armageddon. In the process, a grave rift between them opened, which began the eternal war between Magneto's Brotherhood and Professor X's X-Men.

The main character of the movie is Erik Lensherr played by Michael Fassbender who for those of you don't know have appeared in movies like 300 and inglorious bastards, is the driving force behind first class. His characters dark past, his steely glare and his unending quest for vengeance just keeps you on the edge of your seat all the time, making you admire the steely resolve that will soon become magneto.

Charles Xavier on the other hand James McAvoy (whose acted in last king of Scotland) plays a cool, calm headed and compassionate Professor X ,who balances all the equations put out by magneto.The very fact there is a super villain in the form of Sebastian Shaw (kevin bacon) who can take on both Xavier and magneto together itself plays out superbly for the movie. The best scene is the one where our good old Mr claws (you know who i am talking about ) shows up just adds to the classiness of X men first class .The plot of the cold war and how mutants get entangled in it gets presented so perfectly that you don't find it cheesy even in the most world domination style schemes at all.

Details-
Directed by Matthew Vaughn
Produced by Gregory Goodman
Simon Kinberg
Lauren Shuler Donner
Bryan Singer
Screenplay by Ashley Edward Miller
Zack Stentz
Jane Goldman
Matthew Vaughn[1]
Story by Sheldon Turner
Bryan Singer
Starring James McAvoy
Michael Fassbender
Rose Byrne
January Jones
Jennifer Lawrence
Oliver Platt
Kevin Bacon
Music by Henry Jackman
Cinematography John Mathieson
Editing by Eddie Hamilton
Lee Smith
Studio Marvel Entertainment
Dune Entertainment
Bad Hat Harry Productions
Donners' Company
Distributed by 20th Century Fox
Release date(s) June 1, 2011 (2011-06-01) (United Kingdom)
June 3, 2011 (2011-06-03) (United States)
Running time 132 minutes
Country United States
United Kingdom
Language English
Budget $140–160 million
Gross revenue $336,815,632

Theater seen from- Calicut Crown
Audience recommended to- Every little kid,big adult, old senior you can find cause everyone's gonna enjoy this one.

Final word-
I am going for 4/5 for 20th century fox "X men first class" which indeed is first class

Summer Sequels:Pirates of the Caribbean- On Stranger Tides

"Your Forgetting one very important thing mate,am captain Jack sparrow" and also the fact that no matter how many movies the pirates franchise churns out, we all will flock out in hordes to catch captain jack in action again, wont we.So when Jerry Bruckheimer brought out pirates 4 , an over excited film buff (me) went for the first show of pirates , to catch our favorite pirate in the awesomeness of 3D.But as they say "with great power(fan following) comes great responsibility(putting on a good show).So did jack bring back the magic without the help of orlando bloom and keira knightly (both whom i detest in the other movies) . Well lets see-

Here's a small synopsis to make you walk the plank-
When Captain Jack Sparrow crosses paths with the enigmatic Angelica, he's not sure if it's love -- or if she's a ruthless con artist who's using him to find the fabled Fountain of Youth. When she forces him aboard the "Queen Anne's Revenge," the ship of the legendary pirate Blackbeard, Jack finds himself on an unexpected adventure in which he doesn't know whom to fear more: Blackbeard or Angelica, with whom he shares a mysterious past.

Stranger tides starts of with a new adventures of Jack sparrow on his own without the annoying pair of will turner and Ms swan,the aim of every pirates movie been a focus on adventure and laughter which track the escapades of Jack . All the ingredients seem to be right in this movie (zombies,mermaids,black beard,barbossa and the Spanish) and yet it seems to lack that magic.The main factor should also be attributed to the use of 3D in this movie, which finds itself as more of a liability making the whole movie look dull and hazy without adding to the special effects.Its a movie where you go expecting a lot out of it but ends up been a no show .But as they always this will be remembered as the time when jack sparrow almost flopped , i say again almost , cause Johnny depp just manages to single handly rescue the movie and the franchise(rumor mill: pirates 5 to come) .

Details-
Directed by Rob Marshall
Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer
Screenplay by Terry Rossio
Ted Elliott
Based on On Stranger Tides by
Tim Powers
Starring Johnny Depp
Penélope Cruz
Ian McShane
Geoffrey Rush
Music by Hans Zimmer
Cinematography Dariusz Wolski
Editing by Michael Kahn
Studio Jerry Bruckheimer Films
Distributed by Walt Disney Pictures
Release date(s) May 18, 2011 (2011-05-18) (United Kingdom)
May 20, 2011 (2011-05-20) (United States/Canada)
Running time 137 minutes
Country United States
United Kingdom
Language English
Budget $150[4]–250 million
Gross revenue $1,012,136,968

Theater Seen from- Crown,Calicut city
3D effects- Below average

Final word-
I am going out of 2.5/5 for Walt Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean- On Stranger Tides" purely out of my love for Captain Jack Sparrow .

Summer Sequels:Fast Five

Well its that time of the year again between spring and summer, when the flowers bloom, the rainbows form and the movies come out in drizzles of golden showers.Its the time for sequels in Hollywood and no ones more merrier than the movie buff.Riding on the wave of sequels of fast and the furious,cars,pirates of the Caribbean,hangover,kungfu panda,X men(actually a prequel) and the transformer saga.Its just one of those film festivals enough to drive the movie manic into madness again.'So we start off with the high octane sequel to Fast and the furious "Fast Five".

There's a thing about fast cars and lots of biker babes that seems to attract the boyish urge that still resides in us , that feeling of one would describe as the need for speed .....That is the one driving factor for the fast and furious franchise. The franchise brings back Vin diesel and Paul walker to that winning throttle .

Here's a short synopsis to Drive you crazy....
Since Brian O'Conner and Mia Toretto broke Dom Toretto out of custody, they've blown across many borders to elude authorities. Now backed into a corner in Rio de Janeiro, they must pull one last job in order to gain their freedom. As they assemble their elite team of top racers, the unlikely allies know their only shot of getting out for good means confronting the corrupt businessman who wants them dead. But he's not the only one on their tail. Hard-nosed federal agent Luke Hobbs never misses his target. When he is assigned to track down Dom and Brian, he and his strike team launch an all-out assault to capture them. But as his men tear through Brazil, Hobbs learns he can't separate the good guys from the bad. Now, he must rely on his instincts to corner his prey... before someone else runs them down first.

The franchise takes you to Rio and involves more plot while still maintains the high octane action expected out of it.The stunt sequences are amazing and the fact that they didn't waste time trying to make it 3D just puts more raw action in your face.As usual there's little to the characters and more to the cars.The females provide you with enough eye candy and the director manages to squeeze in that all necessary scene of a bikini shot.The "Rock" Dwayne Johnson fills the shoes of the good yet bugging protagonist out to catch Walker and diesel .Their chemistry appealing to the macho man crowd and action sequences filling the thirst of the adolescent adult .

Details-
Directed by Justin Lin
Produced by Neal H. Moritz
Vin Diesel
Michael Fottrell
Written by Chris Morgan
Starring Vin Diesel
Paul Walker
Jordana Brewster
Dwayne Johnson
Music by Brian Tyler
Cinematography Stephen F. Windon
Editing by Kelly Matsumoto
Fred Raskin
Christian Wagner
Studio Original Film
One Race Films
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Release date(s) April 20, 2011 (Australia)
April 29, 2011 (United States)
Running time 130 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $125 million
Gross revenue $596,925,140

Theater seen from-Crown theater , Calicut
Crowd recommended to - The ultimate macho man , racer movie of the summer

Final word-
I am going for 3 out of 5 for Universal pictures "Fast five" ,a sequel which manages to carry the same good old wine in a new bottle.

I am number 4

Science Fiction movies are genre which time and time have upheld their standards in most times, so when you place your money and time on them your most likely to be on the safer side when inside the cinema hall.But in rarest of circumstances you end up glancing at the door with the exit sign. It was in such a predicament that i found myself in "I am number four". This movie is another addition to the fact that most movies are nowhere close to been good as the books they are based on.

Here's a short synopsis four(error intended ;) you-
An extraordinary young man, John Smith, is a fugitive on the run from ruthless enemies sent to destroy him. Changing his identity, moving from town to town with his guardian Henri, John is always the new kid with no ties to his past. In the small Ohio town he now calls home, John encounters unexpected, life-changing events -- his first love, powerful new abilities and a connection to the others who share his incredible destiny.

The plot which promises to be as good as any X men movie or one which promises a sequel as we expect these Super Humans each numbered kinda excites you as it suggest a series ahead. But once inside the movie hall all you do is wait for someone to just arrive and finish off the main character in the movie as the Film lacks any kinda of drive, action or pull to keep you engaged throughout.The important thing when your trying to build a franchise movie is that you build a bond between the audience and the central character which the X men series did successfully with Hugh Jackman as Wolverine . John Smith rarely impresses and the female lead which i guess was intended to bring about a twilight kinda of scenario is rarely worth it and the villains are preposterous . So don't bother ,even if your an ardent Sci-Fi Fan.

Details-
Directed by D. J. Caruso
Produced by Michael Bay
Steven Spielberg
Chris Bender
J. C. Spink
David Valdes
Screenplay by Alfred Gough
Miles Millar
Marti Noxon
Based on I Am Number Four by
Pittacus Lore (Jobie Hughes & James Frey)
Starring Alex Pettyfer
Timothy Olyphant
Dianna Agron
Kevin Durand
Teresa Palmer
Callan McAuliffe
Jake Abel
Music by Trevor Rabin
Cinematography Guillermo Navarro
Editing by Vince Filippone
Jim Page
Studio Reliance BIG Entertainment
Bay Films
DreamWorks
Distributed by Touchstone Pictures
Release date(s) February 18, 2011
Running time 114 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $50 million
Gross revenue $123,868,000

Audience recommended to-Really Jobless bums... and the occasional trapped Movie Buff
Theater seen from - Escape Cinemas, Chennai

Final word-
I am going for 1/5 for Dreamworks "I am number 4" . My advice , run away from that ticket counter while you can.

Red Riding Hood

Fairy tales, there's a funny twist to them isn't there . They are our favorites when we are growing up but once we reach a respectable age we show utter aversion to them in whatever form they might be. Thats one of the reasons why i was reluctant to watch Alice in wonderland even with Johnny Depp in it. But if you manage to bring a twist and a turn to an otherwise subtle and fairy plot of a fairy tale you might end up striking gold like The movie Tangled saw showed us earlier . So thats what exactly Catherine Hardwicke director of The Twilight movie did in new age adaptation of Red Riding Hood.

Here's a short synopsis to send you Riding into the movie-
For decades, the people of the village of Daggerhorn have maintained an uneasy truce with the werewolf, who prowls at every full moon, by offering the beast a monthly animal sacrifice to quench its appetite. But under a blood red moon, the wolf changes the stakes by taking the life of one of their own.

The victim is the older sister of Valerie, a beautiful, young woman, who has just found out that her parents have arranged for her to marry Henry, the scion of the town's wealthiest family. But Valerie wants only Peter, the poor woodcutter she has loved all her life. Unwilling to be parted, the couple was planning to run away together, but, in a horrifying instant, the wolf changes everything.

As the townspeople hunger for revenge, famed werewolf hunter Father Solomon is summoned to Daggerhorn to kill the beast once and for all. But Solomon's arrival brings only more turmoil as he warns everyone that the werewolf takes human form by day and could be any one of them. No one is above suspicion. Panic grips the town as the death toll rises with each red moon, tearing apart the once close-knit village. But it is Valerie who discovers she has a unique connection to the wolf that inexorably draws them together, making her both suspect... and bait.

The movie probably appealed to me more than it should be cause i went in with my very low expectations and also maybe that i have a weakness for werewolf movies. At first i didnt even think there would be an actual werewolf but more of a serial killer. But (spoiler alert) there is an actual werewolf and a very mean one too, so this one's good for your money. With a deep background score and an exciting quest of trying to guess which of the villagers might be the actual werewolf keep you engaged throughout the movie . I personally loved the way the movie ended, the way every fairy tale should in happily ever after but in a very weird and dark sense of way.

Details-
Directed by Catherine Hardwicke
Produced by Leonardo DiCaprio
Jennifer Davisson Killoran
Julie Yorn
Written by David Leslie Johnson
Starring Amanda Seyfried
Gary Oldman
Billy Burke
Shiloh Fernandez
Max Irons
Virginia Madsen
Lukas Haas
Julie Christie
Music by Brian Reitzell
Alex Heffes
Cinematography Mandy Walker
Studio Appian Way Productions
Distributed by Warner Bros.
Release date(s) March 11, 2011
Running time 100 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $42 million
Gross revenue $32,043,889

Theater seen from- Escape Cinemas, Chennai
Audience Recommended to- Couples mainly and also twilight fans and the occasional bored movie buff

Final word-
I am going for 2.5/5 for Warner Bros. Red Riding Hood cause it manages to take the fairy-ness out of the fairy tale and still ends up been worthwhile .

Hall Pass

The ever perennial question of why comedy and sex go together so well .Well one of the reasons maybe that sex is so well hidden in our society , its nice to see certain people use it as a means of breaking the ice on the issue or the fact that sexual jokes have a sense of thrill and mischief when you crack them. Whatever be the reason , they are quite good fodder to keep the cinema halls as the series of american pie movies have demonstrated till now. But after sometime , such movies just became a sleaze fest losing their bearings from epic movies such as Euro Trip which epitomized the sleaze comedy Genre . Most sequels ended up been a far-cry from their originals.So now that brings us to Hall pass , another sure to thrill you sleaze comic movie starring owen wilson.

Here's a short synopsis to pass your time-
Rick(wilson) and Fred are best friends who have a lot in common, including the fact that they have each been married for many years. But when the two men begin to show signs of restlessness at home, their wives take a bold approach to revitalizing their marriages: granting them a "hall pass," one week of freedom to do whatever they want... no questions asked. At first, it sounds like a dream come true for Rick and Fred. But it isn't long before they discover that their expectations of the single life--and themselves--are completely, and hilariously, out of sync with reality.

Here's why i think hall pass has got what it takes to be a winner-
1. Its the exact oppsite of a chick flic , its a dude comedy, a one to enjoy with the Bubs
2. It combines the humour of movies like hangover into an american pie style storyline
3. Maintains the perfect sleaze ratio, eye candy with the right amount of storyline and morals
4. Pure entertainer and relaxing time pass at the best like Grown Ups

so now you know what my 4 reasons were to put hall pass on my checklist . I wouldnt recommend watching it with your parents or you nieces/nephews but other than that a great movie to catch alone, with your buds or your Girlfriend/soul-mate.

Details-
Directed by Bobby & Peter Farrelly
Produced by Charles B. Wessler
Bradley Thomas
Benjamin Waisbren
Written by Bobby & Peter Farrelly
Pete Jones
Kevin Barnett
Starring Owen Wilson
Jason Sudeikis
Stephen Merchant
Jenna Fischer
Christina Applegate
Studio Virtual Studios
Distributed by New Line Cinema
Warner Bros.
Release date(s) February 25, 2011
Country United States
Language English
Budget $36 million
Gross revenue US $47,777,779

Theater seen from- Escape Cinemas, Chennai
Audience recommended to- The Dudes, The Gangs and the one with the ladies.

Final word-
I am going for 3/5 for this sleaze fest comedy which manages to reignite the once lost Genre.

Morning Glory

There are some movies or in most cases a lot of great movies that just slip under the belt and are left unseen by most audiences cause they lack either the necessary promotion or they are timed badly along with other huge Budget movies.One of that kind of a movie is Morning Glory.Like i mentioned earlier my persuasive weakness for romantic comedies brought me to Morning Glory.But unlike the other Great romantic comedies this one was quite different.

Here's a short synopsis to wake you upto morning Glory-
When hard-working TV producer Becky Fuller is fired from a local news program, her career begins to look as bleak as her hapless love life. Stumbling into a job at "Daybreak" (the last-place national morning news show), Becky decides to revitalize the show by bringing on legendary TV anchor Mike Pomeroy. Unfortunately, Pomeroy refuses to cover morning show staples like celebrity gossip, weather, fashion and crafts - let alone work with his new co-host, Colleen Peck, a former beauty queen and longtime morning show personality who is more than happy covering morning "news." As Mike and Colleen clash, first behind the scenes and then on the air, Becky's blossoming love affair with fellow producer, Adam Bennett begins to unravel - and soon Becky is struggling to save her relationship, her reputation, her job and ultimately, the show itself.

Becky played by Rachael McAdams is the main driving force behind the movie and turns out to be the inspiring female lead just like her character in the movie. The surprise in the movie is the presence of Harrison Ford , our dear little old Indy or han solo or even the president , but here in this movie we see Ford playing a shrewd , irritated and highly successful new reporter something like Larry king been forced to come down to meagre show like a morning new program called Morning glory. At first he's the worst charcter in the movie but at the end of the movie , Mr Ford just steals the show with his amazing Frittata ( something you will find out if you watch the movie).Morning Glory is not meant for the high octane evening watch but its meant for the lazy sunday afternoon watch preferably with your wife or your girlfriend.A quite predictable story line but somewhat sweet movie in a nice package.

Details-
Directed by Roger Michell
Produced by J. J. Abrams
Bryan Burk
Written by Aline Brosh McKenna
Starring Rachel McAdams
Harrison Ford
Diane Keaton
Patrick Wilson
Ty Burrell
Jeff Goldblum
Music by David Arnold
Cinematography Alwin H. Kuchler
Editing by Dan Farrell
Nick Moore
Steven Weisberg
Studio Bad Robot Productions
Distributed by Paramount Pictures
Release date(s) November 10, 2010
Running time 107 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $40 million
Gross revenue $51,099,386

Audience recommended to- Feminists, Ladies looking for inspiration and a job and guys who love romantic comedies.

Final word-
I am going for 2.5/5 for Paramount pictures Morning Glory . Its a Chick flick which can be enjoyed by also the Guys.

TRON:Legacy

Video games , movies and gadgets are a man's best friend(forget dogs when you live in the era of the aibo ;).... Well combine all of these and you should get a kick ass movie right.But sometimes the mixture of ingredients don't match up and ends up making a terrible concoction such as movies like Resident evil 3 and house of the dead. Movies based on video games have always been around classics such as mortal kombat and street fighter and then there's the Dumps such as Dragon Ball Z and DOOM. So TRON is a movie whose story is based on life within a video game, where users go into the Game. TRON legacy is the sequel to higly appreciated movie that was TRON.

Here's a small synopsis of the first movie(1982) for those you who weren't even born at that time-
A video game designer trying to prove a big time executive stole his idea is sucked into a corporation's mainframe where programs are personified counterparts of their writers and "users" are subjects of religious faith. A well-crafted and scripted metaphor, TRON benefits from breakthrough computer animation.Jeff Bridges amazingly appears in both movies as kevin flynn and Clu .

Here's a synopsis of the sequel that is the legacy of tron -
Sam Flynn, a rebellious 27-year-old, is haunted by the mysterious disappearance of his father Kevin Flynn, a man once known as the world's leading video-game developer. When Sam investigates a strange signal sent from the old Flynn's Arcade -- a signal that could only come from his father -- he finds himself pulled into a digital world where Kevin has been trapped for 20 years. With the help of the fearless warrior Quorra, father and son embark on a life-and-death journey across a visually-stunning cyber universe -- a universe created by Kevin himself that has become far more advanced with never-before-imagined vehicles, weapons, landscapes and a ruthless villain who will stop at nothing to prevent their escape.

So now you know the backdrop of Tron , it goes without saying this is one cool movie, lots of graphical environment, a compelling soundtrack and great background story makes sure that tron is every guys weekend blockbuster especially for the super nerd. Sure to some Tron might seem like a kiddish movie with all the light shaped discs and light cycles (bikes which leave behind a trail of destructive light) , but hey wasn't another certain franchise used the similar gimmicks by TRON to captivate audiences for decades AKA the STAR WARS . So i think we should overlook all its immaturity and learn to enjoy the awesomeness that is TRON.

Details-
Directed by Joseph Kosinski
Produced by Sean Bailey
Jeffrey Silver
Steven Lisberger
Screenplay by Adam Horowitz
Edward Kitsis
Story by Adam Horowitz
Edward Kitsis
Brian Klugman
Lee Sternthal
Based on Characters by
Steven Lisberger
Bonnie MacBird
Starring Jeff Bridges
Garrett Hedlund
Bruce Boxleitner
Olivia Wilde
Michael Sheen
James Frain
Beau Garrett
Music by Daft Punk
Cinematography Claudio Miranda
Editing by James Haygood
Studio LivePlanet
Sean Bailey Productions
Distributed by Walt Disney Pictures
Release date(s) December 17, 2010
Running time 127 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $170 million
Gross revenue $397,090,201

Audience recommended to-All sci-fi nerds, total Dude movie alert and the kids of all ages.

Final word-
I am going for 3/5 for Walt disney's TRON:Legacy cause any movie inspiring enough to come out with an Ipod dock by its name has to have look .Long live the nerd revolution and please when you watch this movie , watch it with a mind of a child you were once and be awed by the perfection of the Grid.

Battle: Los Angeles

2012,Independence day,Armageddon,Deep Impact,The day after tomorrow,I am legend and the list goes on , movies which portray the will power of man and his ever lasting fight for survival against an external agent either an alien , zombie or even nature in certain scenarios. These movies even though might have that predictable cliche ending but with a right mix of CGI and soundtrack and that timely inspiring speech always makes it up for all the sufferance in the plot. Then there's movies like Skyline, war of the worlds and AVP2 which just take the same plot and leaves it in Dire straits . So when Battle: LA came out with its high octane trailer , i had to see which way the coin would fall especially with Aaron Eckhart leading the team.

Here's a short synopsis to battle with-
For years, there have been documented cases of UFO sightings around the world -- Buenos Aires, Seoul, France, Germany, China. But in 2011, what were once just sightings will become a terrifying reality when Earth is attacked by unknown forces. As people everywhere watch the world's great cities fall, Los Angeles becomes the last stand for mankind in a battle no one expected. It's up to a Marine staff sergeant and his new platoon to draw a line in the sand as they take on an enemy unlike any they've ever encountered before.

So now you know the plot and i hope you have seen the trailer , so here' what i suggest , do no more . Yes thats right Dont even think about going out with your best buds to your nearest multiplex to catch this Bummer of a movie . Sure it promises a lot but lets just say it kills the movie buff in you. Here's one action movie where you literally beg the director to bring some sense of conflict and use of CGI to bring out the glory that is idea of Alien invasion. Aaron Eckhart's Brilliance is wasted by the director by placing the all time favorite mankind inspiring speech right when they see their entire base destroyed and all hope is lost and a band of 7 marines have to save L.A . The same group who cant even protect 7 civilians they are assigned to. Even the penultimate scenes of glory produce more smirks than inspiration. The turn of tides in battle especially reminded me of Tom Clancy's novels where no matter what the Odds , America would always win. I was hoping for a District , kind of a movie but ended up getting another Skyline from this outing.
Details-
Directed by Jonathan Liebesman
Produced by Jeffrey Chernov
Neal H. Moritz
Ori Marmur
Written by Christopher Bertolini
Starring Aaron Eckhart
Michelle Rodriguez
Will Rothhaar
Ramón Rodríguez
Bridget Moynahan
Ne-Yo
James Hiroyuki Liao
Michael Peña
Music by Brian Tyler
Cinematography Lukas Ettlin
Editing by Christian Wagner
Studio Relativity Media
Original Film[1]
Distributed by Columbia Pictures[1]
Release date(s) March 11, 2011 (2011-03-11)
Running time 116 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $70 million

Theater seen from- Crown theater , Calicut
Audience recommended to- Really jobless people on the weekend. Sci fi nerds and people who saw the trailer and cant resist and Believers of the alien invasion theory.

Final Word-
I am going for 1.5/5 for Columbia Pictures Battle:Los Angeles , all i have to say that this movie is Black hawk Down meets Skyline and that too in a bad way.

Return of the Blogger- Love and other Drugs

Movies based on novels can be great, they might be fictional such as Jurassic park or even fairy tales such as Alice in wonderland. But when somebody makes a romantic comedy based on a novel , you have to take a peek into what the director will have to offer and am not talking about mushy romantic movies like twilight. So Love and other Drugs based on the book-Hard Sell: The Evolution of a Viagra Salesman(yes its about the wonder drug) by Jamie Reidy was definelty on my checklist especially since it starred the beautiful Anne Hathaway.

Here's a short synopsis to get you drugged with-
Maggie is an alluring free spirit who won't let anything, including a formidable personal challenge, tie her down. But she meets her match in Jamie Randall, whose relentless and nearly infallible charm serve him well with the ladies and in the cutthroat world of pharmaceutical sales. Maggie and Jamie's evolving relationship takes them both by surprise, as they find themselves under the influence of the ultimate drug: love.

Maggie played by Anne Hathaway is a chronic patient suffering from Parkinson's Disorder and Jamie played by Jake Gyllenhaal (the Guy from prince of Persia) is hard core Drug salesman . The movie tells us the tale of Maggie's struggle with the disease and Jamie's ambition to make it to the top league . The Movie manages to capture the emotions of the partially disabled and frustrated Anne Hathaway beautifully or also as they joked about at the Oscars , she's the naked girl from Love and other Drugs(YES she is fully naked in this picture , warning Do not watch with parents or kids cause you might face really awkward questions later on in both cases). This is one love story or movie you want to take that special Girl out for a date for , cause i can guarantee you this once this movie is done she will be all Hugs.Also for all the Anne Hathaway fans she's also starring in the sequel to The Dark Knight titled The Dark Knight Rises(Giving you more reasons to love her;)

Details-
Directed by Edward Zwick
Produced by Edward Zwick
Scott Stuber
Marshall Herskovitz
Charles Randolph
Pieter Jan Brugge
Screenplay by Edward Zwick
Charles Randolph
Marshall Herskovitz
Based on Hard Sell: The Evolution of a Viagra Salesman by
Jamie Reidy
Starring Jake Gyllenhaal
Anne Hathaway
Josh Gad
Hank Azaria
Music by James Newton Howard
Cinematography Steven Fierberg
Editing by Steven Rosenblum
Studio Regency Enterprises
New Regency
Stuber Pictures
Bedford Falls
Distributed by 20th Century Fox
Release date(s) November 24, 2010
Running time 112 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $30 million[
Gross revenue $93,567,005

Audience recommended to - All the lovely couples out there.

Final word-
I am going for 3/5 for 20th Century Fox Love and other drugs cause this one is a heart touching movie which truly makes you believe in the power of love ( Am i been too mushy, go see the movie and you'll know why :)

Return of the Blogger- Paranormal activity 2

For those of you who haven't caught the Horror sensational hit that was paranormal activity , here's a few essentials you need to know about the movie series .
1.Its a kinda of a blair witch project but in the bedroom rather than in the forest(Strange right)
2.Its one of the most grossing horror films of all time considering the amount made to make the movie less than a honda civic.
3.It claims to be real life inspired ( just to give you more creeps)
4. A poltergeist or a Demon is the Main subject of interest.
5. The Film talks of the story of katie and her boyfriend Micah ( who buys the camera which ultimately tapes his own death)spoiler alert, sorry.

SO now that you know all the facts about Paranormal activity , lets dwell into the world of the second part or the sequel which exactly what the movie is not. Its a prequel to the other movie kinda like how the star wars was released.This movie shot in the same eerie Handy cam or home video style brings to the house of Dan rey and kristie , Katie's sister.

Here's a short synopsis to activate your paranormal self-
Just as Dan and Kristi welcome a newborn baby into their home, a demonic presence begins terrorizing them, tearing apart their perfect world and turning it into an inescapable nightmare. Security cameras capture the torment, making every minute horrifyingly real.

Well thats all what i should reveal right now, otherwise it just kills the story. One advice do watch the first one before you watch this one, and i am kinda of disappointed with the outcome of this movie other than the last scene this movie kinda of didn't have the originality of the original (Duh). But this does shed a lot of light into the story of the series (yes there is third part coming soon). Also For your kind information , i caught this at the imax theater in qatar and it felt like i was living amongst the family . Quite creepy........

Details-
Directed by Tod Williams
Produced by Oren Peli
Jason Blum
Akiva Goldsman
Screenplay by Michael R. Perry
Christopher Landon
Tom Pabst
Oren Peli
Story by Michael R. Perry
Based on Characters by
Oren Peli
Starring Brian Boland
Molly Ephraim
Katie Featherston
Seth Ginsberg
Sprague Grayden
Micah Sloat
Cinematography Michael Simmonds
Editing by Gregory Plotkin
Distributed by Paramount Pictures
Release date(s) October 20, 2010 (France)
October 22, 2010 (United States)
Running time 91 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $3,000,000
Gross revenue $171,768,448

Theater Seen from- Imax , Doha
Audience recommended to - Not for Children ,People with heart conditions and wusses.
Final word-
I am going for 2.5/5 for Paranormal activity 2. Even though they did up the ante on the Budget somewhere along the line they lost the thrill that was scene in the First installment.

Return of the Blogger- Despicable Me

Well like i said animation movies are kinda of my Achilles heel,so its no wonder Universal pictures got me running to the theater to catch Despicable Me. This movie again like megamind has the Villain as the protagonist. The story involves the life of self declared super villain or thief Gru who faces the challenge of facing a new supervillain who ends up stealing the pyramids and so the race begins for the title of world's greatest theif. I know it sounds corny but trust me you will love the ride.

Here's a short synopsis surely despicable-

In a happy suburban neighborhood surrounded by white picket fences with flowering rose bushes, sits a black house with a dead lawn. Unbeknownst to the neighbors, hidden beneath this home is a vast secret hideout. Surrounded by a small army of minions, we discover Gru planning the biggest heist in the history of the world. He is going to steal the moon, yes, the moon. Gru delights in all things wicked. Armed with his arsenal of shrink rays, freeze rays, and battle-ready vehicles for land and air, he vanquishes all who stand in his way. Until the day he encounters the immense will of three little orphaned girls who look at him and see something that no one else has ever seen: a potential Dad. The world's greatest villain has just met his greatest challenge: three little girls named Margo, Edith and Agnes.

This movies greatest moments are livened up by Gru's one eyed minions who just make you he he all over the place with their goofiness and lackadaisical organisation.This one might not impress the oscar jury like Up did but this one's a keeper for the hearts of both the kids and parents.It delivers the all essential message that we all need to remember from time to time in our busy lives. There's kid hiding within us and sometimes you need to let the kid out to play.

Details-
Directed by Pierre Coffin
Chris Renaud
Produced by John Cohen
Janet Healy
Chris Meledandri
Written by Ken Daurio
Cinco Paul
Story by Sergio Pablos
Starring Steve Carell
Jason Segel
Russell Brand
Julie Andrews
Will Arnett
Kristen Wiig
Miranda Cosgrove
Dana Gaier
Elsie Fisher
Music by Pharrell Williams
Heitor Pereira
Editing by Gregory Perler
Pam Ziegenhagen
Studio Illumination Entertainment
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Release date(s) July 9, 2010
Running time 95 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $69 million
Gross revenue $527,858,058

Theater seen from- Qatar multiplex , Doha
Audience recommended to - All ages from 4-80 yrs

Final word-
I am going for 3/5 for universal pictures .This one is not despicable .

Return of the Blogger- Megamind

Animated movies.....ah they just are too irresistible i say. Each time i see one of them am sure too catch it in spectacular 3D.So when Paramount pictures brought out megamind i knew i had my sights set and left on that spectacular journey into the world of megamind. Superhero's and animation just rock remember the incredible's movie . So i was sure there would be no disappointments and they weren't any.

Here's a short synopsis that mind boggles you-
Megamind is the most brilliant super-villain the world has ever known... and the least successful. Over the years, he has tried to conquer Metro City in every imaginable way -- Each attempt, a colossal failure thanks to the caped superhero known as "Metro Man," until the day Megamind actually defeats him in the throes of one of his botched evil plans. Suddenly, the fate of Metro City is threatened when a new villain arrives and chaos runs rampant, leaving everyone to wonder: Can the world's biggest "mind" actually be the one to save the day?

This movie has great comic relief to it with the villain been the center of attraction and the superhero just been an add on . Will ferrells voice does wonders for megaminds character as he commits more and more blunders mistakes on his road to world domination and the disapperance of metro man his arch nemesis drives him into insanity producing more fun for the city and the film. Enough said go watch the movie.

Details-
Directed by Tom McGrath
Produced by Lara Breay
Denise Nolan Cascino
Executive producers
Ben Stiller
Stuart Cornfeld
Written by Alan J. Schoolcraft
Brent Simons
Starring Will Ferrell
Tina Fey
Jonah Hill
David Cross
Brad Pitt
Ben Stiller
Music by Hans Zimmer
Lorne Balfe
Cinematography Phil "Captain 3D" McNally
Studio DreamWorks Animation
Pacific Data Images
Red Hour Productions
Distributed by Paramount Pictures
Release date(s) October 28, 2010 (2010-10-28) (Russia)
November 5, 2010 (2010-11-05) (United States)
Running time 96 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $130 million
Gross revenue $318,846,220

Final word-
I am going for 3/5 for megamind a movie which you can take your kids too and quietly enjoy it with them.

Return of the Blogger- Due Date

When you think Robert Downey Jr(Iron man) and Zach Galifianakis (yes the fat jesus guy from Hangover) staring together in a movie you think its gonna be a high action comedy probably two of them been cops essentially but when i went for the Due date it was not at all what i had expected. The two actors are both known for the versatility and for been true to their identities characters.Our dear Iron man been the pompous over powering actor who gulps up screen time and Our hangover man been the ultimate no hold barred pea brained comic relief without any sort of sense what he's upto. Usually such big combinations end up been a bust on your face but director Todd Phillips somehow has managed to find the perfect balance between humour and Drama in this wonderful movie.

Here's a short synopsis to set your dates right-
Peter Highman is an expectant first-time father whose wife's due date is a mere five days away. As Peter hurries to catch a flight home from Atlanta to be at her side for the birth, his best intentions go completely awry when a chance encounter with aspiring actor Ethan Tremblay forces Peter to hitch a ride with Ethan--on what turns out to be a cross-country road trip that will ultimately destroy several cars, numerous friendships and Peter's last nerve.

Peter played by Robert Downing essentially represents the modern man or the adult in the movie , always worried about commitments and work and what not and Ethan played by Zach represents the child within all of us innocent hopeful and having great expectations from the world around him. Both of them together make a great pair in this comedy with a touching message at the end . The best scene can be traced to their Plane conversation which gets them put on the no fly list. This movies packs enough Humour, Drama and storyline to get you through the toughest of your days.

Details-
Directed by Todd Phillips
Produced by Todd Phillips
Daniel Goldberg
Susan Downey
Screenplay by Alan R. Cohen
Alan Freedland
Adam Sztykiel
Todd Phillips
Story by Alan R. Cohen
Alan Freedland
Starring Robert Downey Jr.
Zach Galifianakis
Music by Christophe Beck
Cinematography Lawrence Sher
Editing by Debra Neil-Fisher
Studio Legendary Pictures
Green Hat Films
Distributed by Warner Bros.
Release date(s) October 31, 2010 (Night Visions Film Festival)
November 5, 2010 (United States)
Country United States
Language English
Budget $65 million
Gross revenue $209,739,043

Theater seen from- Inox theater, Bangalore
Audience recommended- Everyone of all ages

Final word-
I am going for 3.5/5 for Warner Bros Due Date because sometimes in life you have to sit back and learn to laugh at it once in a while.

Return of the Blogger- Devil

M. Night Shyamalan, for those of who you don't know the M stands for Manoj and the fact his dad was a malayali may just be one of the hidden reason why i continue to watch each everyone of his weird yet somehow distinguished movies. But this movie was different , i don't know whether it was the bare title or the concept of 5 strangers stuck in a lift and one of them been the devil , it could happen to any of us , think about it (except maybe the devil part). So i set out to catch this intriguingly titled movie and hoping not to be a partisan to the ethnicity of M.night shyamalan .

Here's a short synopsis that devil may care about-
The movie starts off with a narration by a stranger who re accounts of a bed time story his mother used to narrate when he was a child, how the devil would visit the planet to seek the souls of those who have sinned ( what a cruel mother ;) and then the movie starts with an amazing scene of suicide and you know your in for a ride.The main theme of the movie is set inside the lift which entraps 5 strangers who are stuck and left to wait it out for help to arrive. In the midst of all this confusion , is when the realization comes to the point when the lights go off each one of them is mystifyingly executed one by one. So the trick of the movie is you have to make a first guess in your mind who the devil is and play a game with your friends and see who wins even before the first person dies.

I know the plot line sounds kinda narrow but M.Night shyamalan does wonders with the concept and director John Erick Dowdle makes the thriller an absolute roller coaster as your put on the edge trying to figure out who the devil is. This movie unlike the other nights's movies doesn't have a complex puzzle or long back story to be narrated , it just keeps it simple and brain teasing at the same time . I think Night might have just found the perfect balance he was looking for after sixth sense. The movie's soundtrack and compelling narration make it a nail bitter same as the movie phone booth with a bit of horror element. The weirdest part was that when i watched this movie the lights kept going off in the theater too, which added to the effect created by the director . In short i had one hell of a chill after this one. As for claustrophobic people , kindly stay as far as from this movie , cause you will never enter a lift after this show is done.

Details-
Directed by John Erick Dowdle
Produced by John Erick Dowdle
Drew Dowdle
M. Night Shyamalan
Sam Mercer
Screenplay by Brian Nelson
Story by M. Night Shyamalan
Starring Chris Messina
Bojana Novakovic
Bokeem Woodbine
Logan Marshall-Green
Jenny O'Hara
Geoffrey Arend
Music by Fernando Velázquez
Cinematography Tak Fujimoto
Editing by Elliot Greenberg
Studio Media Rights Capital
The Night Chronicles
Blinding Edge Pictures
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Release date(s) September 17, 2010
Running time 80 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $10 million
Gross revenue $57,417,973

Theater seen from- PVR cinemas , Bangalore
Audience recommended to - ALL except claustrophobic people and wusses .

Final word-
I am going for 3.5 /5 for M.Night shyamalan's DEVIL . This movie might just be his best work yet.

Return of the Blogger- Rakhta Charitra 2

Well so we continue our journey through Pratap Ravi's life through the second movie but the difference is that in this movie Surya is the main character and as the movie starts of it recounts what happened in the first movie, and the first scene is iconic with the entry of Surya , walking in with a face of a lion ready to avenge the wrongdoings done on him. After this the movie just loses the plot and it becomes all music and silent gestures and loses the sense of thrill the first had.

Here's the plot line set to race you blood pressure a bit-
Following upto the prequel this story shows us the dark side of Pratap as it shifts focus to Surya , born out of similar circumstance as Pratap, Surya fueled by venegence against pratap for the death of his family . The rage of surya drives this movie. As Prataps futile efforts to end Surya's life fail , the whole movie revolves around their rivalry. But inspite of all the right ingredients, this movie fails to find the right mix that the first did. Sure it has lot of memorable scenes such as the attempted assassination of Surya in court and also the powerful scenes of Surya recounting of his parents death , but all of this mulled out by RGV's need for music background and unnecessary usage of slow motion scenes just kills the concept of the movie . A letdown compared to the first. But as the saying goes the first is not complete without this movie , so if you have watched the Prequel then you have to catch this one to complete the storyline of Pratap Ravi. This movie has a strong message to it , even though circumstance make a man, our will has a lot to play in shaping who we are.

Theater seen from- Coronation Theater, Calicut city
Audience recommended to - People who have seen part 1 , Surya Fans and people who just love violence

Details-
A History of Blood
Directed by Ram Gopal Varma
Produced by Madhu
Mantena Sheetal Vinod Talwar
Chinna Vasudeva Reddy
Rajkumar
Written by Prashant Pandey
Starring
Surya
Vivek Oberoi
Sudeep
Shatrughan Sinha
Kota Srinivasa Rao
Abhimanyu Singh
Priyamani
Radhika Apte
Music by Imran-Vikram
Dharam-Sandeep
Bappi-Tutul
Sukhwinder Singh
Cinematography Amol Rathod
Editing by Nipun Ashok Gupta
Studio Cinergy Pictures
Distributed by Vistaar Religare
Cloud Nine Movies
Release date(s) Part 1:
22 October 2010
Part 2:
3 December 2010
Country India
Language Hindi
Tamil
Telugu
Budget 30 crore

Final word-
I am going for 2.5/5 for The sequel to Rakhta Charitra. This movie is an essential part of the Rakhta Charitra Series , see it for Actor Surya's compelling performance and nothing more.(PS watch the last scene carefully , its amazing how it corelates with what has really happend this year )

Return of the Blogger- Rakht Charitra -1

There's a certain movie which tends to define a director or an actor . For example we all hear George Lucas and we think star wars , Titanic spring into mind when we hear James Cameroon, Jurassic park brings Steven speilberg into the picture. So Ram Gopal Varma or RGV as he is called is well remembered for his work on the movie The Company and Sathya. After that RGV was written off as he did a string of Horrible movies, so horrendous his so called factory started churning out creations meant to tarnish his image. But that all changed when Rakht Charitra got released, both Vivek oberoi and RGV got back their mojo with this movie.

Here's a short synopsis that will splatters blood on the storyline-
The story involves the true life telling of the story of Paritala Ravindra,a well known political leader of andhra pradesh . Played by Vivek oberio , Pratap ravi emabarks on a journey of Vengeance( which is the main theme of the movie) and the incidents which later unfold and lead to his death are been discussed in the two part series of Rakht Charitra . The first part is told from the View point of Vivek Oberio's character and the second part is narrated from the point of view of Surya Narayanareddy a congress leader played by tamil actor Surya .

The greatest strength of Rakhta Charitra is that is the style of story telling adopted by RGV . It brings a sense of greatness to the history and one is pulled into the narration from the start. There are some amazing scenes in Rk-1 that surely will boil the blood in your veins , it just makes you scream for Vengence as Pratap Ravis life is torn into pieces with the incidents taking place in anathpur . The other thing that makes it a great watch is the super villain in the movie in the form of Pukka Reddy who really epitomizes evil in his character. As goes ahead plundering the town and as he continues to violate the modesty of the innocent women in the town. Vivek Oberoi plays his character to perfection as he dons the costume of both naxalite and politician and the entry of Shatrughan Sinha as Shivaji Rao brings the much needed twist to the story.This truly is critically acclaimed movie of year 2010.

Details-
Directed by Ram Gopal Varma
Produced by Madhu
Mantena Sheetal Vinod Talwar
Chinna Vasudeva Reddy
Rajkumar
Written by Prashant Pandey
Starring

* Surya
* Vivek Oberoi
* Sudeep
* Shatrughan Sinha
* Kota Srinivasa Rao
* Abhimanyu Singh
* Priyamani
* Radhika Apte

Music by Imran-Vikram
Dharam-Sandeep
Bappi-Tutul
Sukhwinder Singh
Cinematography Amol Rathod
Editing by Nipun Ashok Gupta
Studio Cinergy Pictures
Distributed by Vistaar Religare
Cloud Nine Movies
Release date(s) Part 1:
22 October 2010 (2010-10-22)
Part 2:
3 December 2010 (2010-12-03)
Country India
Language Hindi
Tamil
Telugu
Budget Indian Rupee ₹30 crore

Theatre seen from - Pvr Cinemas bangalore
Audience recommended- the strong hearted, RGV fans, people enjoying gore and fans of historical biographies .

Final word-
I go for 4/5 for RGV's Raktha Charitra , because this ladies and gentleman might just be the most violent movie India has ever made.

Return of the Blogger- The Green hornet

Here's the thing about super hero movies, is that they have this great capacity to allure young men into their web of action adventure and mystery.Well sometimes that web turns out to be nice suprise , but sometimes it turns out your in a big spider waiting to be devoured by the fake promise of that tight panted superhero. So its not suprising i decided to go for the The Green Hornet the very day it was released and Boy was i caught in that spider's web.Am sure many of you like me wouldnt even have known the Green hornet existed before this movie got released.

Here's a short synopsis to horn out Your Brains-
Britt Reid, son and heir to Los Angeles' largest newspaper fortune, is a rich, spoiled playboy who has been happy to maintain a direction-less existence. When his father James Reid dies, Britt meets an impressive and resourceful company employee, Kato. They realize that they have the resources to do something worthwhile with their lives and finally step out of James Reid's shadow. Kato builds the ultimate weapon, The Black Beauty, an indestructible car with every weapon imaginable and Britt decides that in order to be heroes, they will pose as villains. With the help of Britt's new secretary, Lenore Case, they learn that the chief criminal in the city is named Benjamin Chudnofsky. He has united all the gangs under his power, and he quickly sees that the Green Hornet is a direct threat to the prosperous criminal underworld he controls.

Here's the problem with this movie it tries so hard to be everything- Funny , Action packed , deep seated mystery about the hero , a beautiful lass to save and all the materials you need for a great movie. But at the end of the day Seth rogen's kills the movie along with the villian (omg the villan sucks , i know spoilers right ). Cameron diaz provides atleast a bit of eye candy reminiscent of her role in the Mask . Other than that you just get bored with all the comical style direction and poor slapstick humour.

Movie Details-
Directed by Michel Gondry
Produced by Neal H. Moritz
Written by Seth Rogen
Evan Goldberg
Based on The Green Hornet by
George W. Trendle
Fran Striker
Starring Seth Rogen
Jay Chou
Christoph Waltz
Cameron Diaz
Music by James Newton Howard
Cinematography John Schwartzman
Editing by Michael Tronick
Studio Original Film
Distributed by Columbia Pictures
Release date(s) January 14, 2011 (2011-01-14)
Running time 119 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $120 million
Gross revenue $217,249,389

Theater seen from- Crown theater , Calicut city
Audience recommended to- Die hard Green hornet Fans( if there are any), Die hard Seth Rogen fans( who after this movie don't exist) and really bored people and also die hard Cameron diaz fans ( am sure there are millions)

Final word-
I am going for 2/5 for this movie . Go for this for the only reason imaginable - Cameron Diaz ( oh yeah ;).

Return of the Blogger- 127 hours

There's a certain problem with hollywood you see , it follows a trend at a time like all movie industries. Someone releases a great action movies and then its all action movie ...and so with all the other genres. For example , the action movie genre involving a team brought out - Expendables, macgruber, The A team and the losers and all other low budget movies on the same theme. Thats what happened with apocalypto brought out 10,000 BC and the Viking . So when both sanctum and 127 hours were released on nearby dates i was skeptical . But after hearing a lot of good reviews of 127 hours , me and Brother decided to drive to the nearest multiplex (a cool 120 km off my college). Boy did we not know what we were getting into.

Here's a short synopsis to get you through 127 hours-
Centers on Aron Ralston, an American climber whose arm got trapped under a boulder while hiking in Utah, and who, after waiting five days, decided the only chance he had for survival was to amputate his own arm.

Now you must be wondering why i have given such a short synopsis , well thats all its there to the story of the movie. The movie is recorded by the view point of Aron who survives the 127 hours in that Rock formation and how he comes to realize his destiny in that time . Sure the movie has a certain amount of gripping scenes, but it fails to keep your full attention on Aron ,at first sure there's a feeling of what if it was me scenario but after sometime even that wears off , then his stages of delirium are sure to drive you nuts . And the scenes where he drinks his own urine are sure to cause disgust than sympathy . Then The grande finale is the cutting of his own arm, which it seems is what has got the critics going Ga Ga over , even our highly acclaimed critic and my mentor Rajeev masand going out and giving 4/5 for 127 hours. As i described to my friend this movie is like the story of "The Emperors New Clothes" where just because everyone says its good doesn't mean it really is. Face the truth , this is nothing more than sad survival story more to inspire only the Mountaineers and adventurers than your normal urban man . As for the self mutilation scene , i think we have seen lot of those in the saw series.

Details-
Directed by Danny Boyle
Produced by Christian Colson
John Smithson
Danny Boyle
Screenplay by Danny Boyle
Simon Beaufoy
Based on Between a Rock and a Hard Place by
Aron Ralston
Starring James Franco
Music by A. R. Rahman
Cinematography Anthony Dod Mantle
Enrique Chediak[1]
Editing by Jon Harris
Studio Film4 Productions
HandMade Films
Distributed by Fox Searchlight Pictures (US)
Pathé (UK/France)
Release date(s) September 4, 2010 (Telluride)
November 5, 2010 (United States)
Running time 94 minutes
Language English
Budget $18 million[2]
Gross revenue $42,932,116[2

Theater seen from- Oberon mall multiplex, Kochi
Audience recommended to- Sadists,Survival story fans, Drama queens

Final word-
I am going for 2/5 for Danny boyle's critically acclaimed movie 127 hours because at the end of the day it teaches us one thing life is about surviving or in this case surviving this movie

Return of the Blogger- The Dilemma

Yet another romantic comedy under the list is Vince Vaughn's dilemma . Here's the reason why i enjoy romantic comedies - 1. they smooth your mind 2. they remind you of that special girl , 3. they make you happy and at the end of the day thats what matters. So when when both Vince Vaughn and kevin james (popular since the will smith starrer hitch) teams i am sure not to miss it as it promises to be a roller coaster ride of laughter. Vince Vaughn's has the necessary elements in his acting to hold together a proper comedy film and get away with it (except for the Movie break up with jennifer aniston which bombed).This movie brings up two beautiful female leads played by my favorite Jennifer Connely known for her role in Di Caprio's blood diamond and very raunchy Winona Ryder.

Here's a short synopsis that leaves you in a dilemma-
Since college, confirmed bachelor Ronny and happily married Nick have been through thick and thin. Now partners in an auto design firm, the two pals are vying to land a dream project that would launch their company. With Ronny's girlfriend, Beth, and Nick's wife, Geneva, by their sides, they're unbeatable. But Ronny's world is turned upside down when he inadvertently sees Geneva out with another man and makes it his mission to get answers. As the amateur investigation dissolves his world into comic mayhem, he learns that Nick has a few secrets of his own. Now, with the clock ticking and pressure mounting on the biggest presentation of their careers, Ronny must decide what will happen if he reveals the truth to his best friend.

The entire movie gives spotlight to Vaughn's character who has to decide between work and friendship and ultimate truth . There a lot of enjoyable scenes such as the break into Geneva's boyfriends house and one where they plan an intervention for Vaughn's at his house. This movie combines slapstick humor along with moral to make this a perfect watch for both couples and friends looking for some fun. The movie keeps the flow of comedy at such a rate that your not falling of your chair laughing or are you held up waiting for that big laughter scene.

Details-
Directed by Ron Howard
Produced by Brian Grazer
Vince Vaughn
Written by Allan Loeb
Starring Vince Vaughn
Kevin James
Music by Hans Zimmer
Lorne Balfe
Cinematography Salvatore Totino
Editing by Mike Hill
Dan Hanley
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Release date(s) January 14, 2011
Running time 118 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $70–75 million
Gross revenue $61,828,070

Theatre- Dubai mall Multiplex, Uae

Final word-
I am going for 3/5 for Universal pictures Dilemma. Guys and Gals let there be no Dilemma in watching this movie cause its sure to entertain.

Return of the Blogger- No strings attached

So its that time of the year again ...you know what i am talking about ...Valentine's day... a day where hearts get broken and love gets made at the same time....So it was only perfect i caught one of the highly anticipated romantic comedy of the year - no strings attached . Sure each year valentines day makes Hollywood churns out their drum roll of such movies , but no strings attached proves its a bit different from the lot. The combination of ashton kutcher and natalie portman makes all the magic work in this wonderful romantic comedy . The movie has a lot of sexual content and most of the humour is based around sexual activity , so i wouldnt recommend this for take your kids out for a movie day, but would recommend this for all the new couples and the old ones looking for a come back. This movie nonetheless gets you in the mood.( Unfortunately i watched with 4 dudes so it was kinda of a bummer).

Here's a short synopsis for you to string the story together -
Emma and Adam are life-long friends who almost ruin everything by having sex one morning. In order to protect their friendship, they make a pact to keep their relationship strictly "no strings attached." "No strings" means no jealousy, no expectations, no fighting, no flowers, no baby voices. It means they can do whatever they want, whenever they want, in whatever public place they want, as long as they don't fall in love. The question becomes -- who's going to fall first? And can their friendship survive?

Natalie portman gets on your nerve in certain scenes where you just wish kutcher would dump her, but her crazy acts make way for more cute and humorous touches in the movie . As for Kutcher he play his role to perfection , the ultimate chocolate boy. This movies brings back the genre of good romantic comedies or chick flicks as some may refer to it. A perfect movie to take your girlfriend out to or the chick you want to propose to or the girl who you want to make the natalie portman of your life (ie an everlasting one night stand ),

Theater seen from - Inox Bangalore

Details -
Directed by Ivan Reitman
Produced by Jeffrey Clifford
Joe Medjuck
Ivan Reitman
Screenplay by Elizabeth Meriwether
Story by Elizabeth Meriwether
Mike Samonek
Starring Natalie Portman
Ashton Kutcher
Music by John Debney
Cinematography Rogier Stoffers
Editing by Dana E. Glauberman
Studio Paramount Pictures
Release date(s) January 21, 2011
Running time 110 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $25 million[1]
Gross revenue $88.4 million[2

Final word-
I am going with 3/5 for paramount pictures "No strings Attached" because sometimes you dont listen to the critics , sometimes you just follow you heart and go for that romantic comedy whether they call it a chick flick or not .
PS - make sure you watch it with your girlfriend/wife and not a guy cause otherwise you might end up missing her a lot during this movie or missing that girl you like (as in my case;).

Return of the Blogger- Season of the Witch

Okay here i am back again after what seems to be ages , am sure my post have stopped but not my habit of been engaged in the art of movie watching. Well now this movie is one of the several movies i caught in the theater over the last month.

So i begin my grand comeback with none other than nicholas cage's season of the witch. A much awaited movie by me but not by the rest of the audiences . In times where movies like orphan and uninvited try to spook you with their eerie depictions of children as per se ghosts and the truimph of paranormal activity in scaring people out of their seats with nothing less than a camcorder footage surely seems to click these days, but still the good old days of horror mixed with action seemed to be missing. Reminiscing the good old days of the evil dead series , where the main lead our hero battles forces of evil and zombies across time lines seemed to be the write amount of popcorn crunching horror we needed those days and thats what exactly the season of the witch delivers.

Here's a small synopsis which leaves you bewitched -
A medieval knight undertakes a mission pitting him against a devious witch and making him the last hope for the world against an ancient and dark force. His faith broken by years of battle as a crusader, Behmen returns to central Europe to find his homeland decimated by the Black Plague. While searching for food and supplies at the Palace at Marburg, Behmen and his trusted companion, Felson are apprehended and ordered by the dying Cardinal to deliver a young peasant girl - believed to be the witch responsible for the Plague - to a remote abbey where her powers can be destroyed. Behmen agrees to the assignment but only if the peasant girl is granted a fair trial. As he and five others set off on this dangerous journey, they realize with mounting dread that the cunning girl is no ordinary human, and that their mission will pit them against an evil that even in these dark times they never could have imagined.

Well now that you know the plot line , here's why i suggest you go watch the movie-
1.Your a die hard Nicholas Cage fan (like me)
2.Your really turned on by witches
3.You just love horror movies
4.You have a girlfriend and want to take her out for a spook
5.Your a movie buff like me

Details
Directed by Dominic Sena
Produced by Alex Gartner
Charles Roven
Screenplay by Bragi F. Schut
Starring Nicolas Cage
Ron Perlman
Music by Atli Örvarsson
Cinematography Amir Mokri
Editing by Mark Helfrich
Dan Zimmerman
Studio Relativity Media
Release date(s) January 7, 2011
Running time 98 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget US$40 million[1]
Gross revenue $68.4 million

Final word-
I am going with 2.5/5 for the season of the witch, surely it doesn't leave you pissing in your pants like some of those japanese horror movie but it provides the right amount of horror and action in its running time , after all guys who wants to go home scared right.