Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked Movie Review

Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked is a decent comedy musical about 3 Chipmunks and 3 Chipettes who accidentally fly away from their cruise ship on a kite and reach a deserted island. Now, the real challenge begins for the naughty and irresponsible Alvin. He must now take responsibilities and organize everyone to accommodate the food and shelter for everyone. He soon starts realizing Dave’s situation, how hard he works for everyone and he, Alvin, just cause more and more painful troubles for him because of his erratic behavior.

Highlights:

1. Songs – As always, the songs are very cool with good music and better lyrics. The very famous Chipmunk voice is an attraction too.

2. Story/Screenplay – Not much of a story, but the twists and turns are amazing. The screenplay is also great, incorporating the comedy and occasional stunts.

Lowlight:

1. Visual Effects – Although this department has a done an average job but the scope was there do much better. A visual designer can do wonders if he is given an island with underwater stunts, a waterfall and an erupting volcano.

Overall it is a good one time watch. If you want to relax your brain and pass time by watching a light hearted comedy, then this movie is perfect for you. Hence, I rate it as follows:

Entertainment rating: 3

Critics rating: 3

Don2 Movie Review

Don2 is a pretty boring movie with not much of a story line to support it. There is neither enough comedy nor enough thrill to keep audience awake. Although, the movie has got a plenty of action sequences, stunts and car chases, but none thrilling or innovative enough to remember. The performances are also very ordinary.  

Only a single highlight is noticeable:
1. Cinematography - Jason West has done a nice job making the stunts, action sequences and car chases look........... well......... not despicable.

Lowlights:
1. Story - There is not much of a story to support the film. There are just a bunch of stunts, action sequences and car chases put together to pass the time and to entertain the audience, which they, very much, failed to do.
2. Music - Although there is a decent amount of background music present in the movie, all thanks to the innumerable stunts, action sequences and car chases, but there is nothing impressive enough to click. Neither it plays any part in making the scenes look any better nor does it succeed in catching the audience’s ears.
3. Performances - Everyone is a little below average, except Kunal Kapoor, even he is just a little above average, nothing like “Rang De Basanti”.

Overall, it is not even a one time watch. In fact, there is nothing to watch. Neither the story has got anything new to offer, nor the stars. As far as the stunts, action sequences and car chases are concerned, if you are fan of these things, then you must have seen a lot better than what this movie offers. Hence, I rate it as follows:
Entertainment rating: 2
Critics rating: 2

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol Movie Review

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol is a full on entertainer completed with breathtaking stunts and witty dialogs to keep the audience tensed and laughing at the same time. The stunts are more adventurous and much logical this time as compared to the last episode. The mission takes the audience to a variety of locations across the globe including Mumbai, India. There are no surprises where the story is concerned, it is pretty flat, completely dependent on the stunts to create the thrill, which they do successfully.

Highlights:
1. Screenplay - The stunts and dialogs are awesome and a must to watch. There are also many scenes which are written so brilliantly that speak for themselves without the presence of any dialogs.
2. Cinematography - Really amazing work is done during all the stunts and animations making them look stupendous.
3. Sound Mixing - The background score and the famous theme is integrated in many scenes and almost all the stunts making sound a lot better. The best part is that the dialogs and the original sound is not shadowed by the background score.
4. Makeup and Costume Design - A good job has been done by this department in preparing the various disguises.
5. Editing - Pretty cool job is done switching between the various locations and also between the past and the present.

Lowlight:
1. Story - Pretty flat, nothing new, no surprises at all. If it would not have been for the above mentioned highlights, the movie would have been quite boring.

Overall, it is completely worth the time and money. Unlike the bond movies, adventure and thrill lovers might enjoy it each and every time they watch it. A must watch for such audience. Hence, I rate it as follows:
Entertainment rating: 4
Critics rating: 3.5

New Year's Eve Movie Review

New Year’s Eve is a typical drama movie depicting seven different drama stories which interlink with each other on New Year’s Eve day (31 December, 2011) in New York City. The stories are as follows:

1. New York Times Square’s Vice President (Hilary Swank) has her job at stake, as the ball which is dropped every year is suspended half way (mid air) due to a technical glitch, which only a single person can fix. The issue is that this person has recently been fired.

2. A very old man (Robert DeNiro), dying on a hospital bed, who might not live to see the first sun rise of 2012, makes the wish to be taken to the roof of the hospital to see the ball drop. The issue here is that taking patients to the roof is strictly denied in the hospital’s policy. Now, all is up to his nurse (Halle Berry).

3. A hunk (Ashton Kutcher) hates New Year’s Eve. He is struck in an elevator with a young and pretty attractive lady who teaches her that it is not a day to complaint but to enjoy.

4. A mom (Sarah Jessica Parker) is trying to protect her young daughter (16) from going to the Times Square alone and unaccompanied.

5. A teenager (Zac Efron) is trying to win passes to a rock concert by helping an old lady (Michelle Pfeiffer) fulfill her new year’s resolutions.

6. A very renowned singer (Jon Bon Jovi) is trying to win his love back, which he lost because he got cold feet in the name of marriage and went on a tour, leaving the girl alone.

7. A couple is trying to win $25,000 by giving birth to the first baby of the hospital of 2012.

Highlights:

1. Story – There is a lot of content to show. The stories are all very nice and the interlinking is done brilliantly.

2. Editing – Just amount of focus has been given to all the stories and not one seems too stretched or too compressed.

3. Music – Mostly thanks to Jon Bon Jovi for his rock songs. Others are pretty decent as well.

Lowlights:

1. Performances – The best of the actors have given their near worst of the performances. Zac Efron was the only one which showed some energy and enthusiasm, rest all were way below par.

Overall it is a little below average romantic-drama movie. Hence, I rate it as follows:

Entertainment rating: 2.5

Critics rating: 3

Ladies vs Ricky Bahl Movie Review

Ladies vs Ricky Bahl is an average Yash Raj movie with pretty good music, average comedy and poor performances by the leads. The story is also quite predictable with no major surprises. Although, the movie is not boring due to the presence of an entertaining supporting cast (Parineeti Chopra). As usually noticed in majority Yash Raj movies, the songs (including the music, lyrics and choreography) were pretty amazing.

Highlights:
1. Music - Be it in the songs or out of the songs (background score). Salim-Suleman has led their department to outperform all others.
2. Cinematography - Due to lack of action sequences, the major focus is placed on the songs. Although, there are many regular scenes as well where the work of Aseem Mishra is well noticeable.
3. Choreography - All the dances are well choreographed, and with a little help of Aseem’s cinematography, are looking spectacular.

Lowlights:
1. Performances - One of my good friends warned me against Ranveer’s performance, but I still gave it a shot considering he has performed at par with his last performance (in Band Baaja Baaraat) and Anushka being at her average, is acceptable. After watching the movie I realized that my consideration was a big mistake as this movie witnessed the personal worst of both the leading stars. Although Parineeti Chopra’s performance is a surprise gift.

2. Story/Screenplay - Aditya Chopra and Devika Bhagat are just not able to come up with enough material to put up a 140 minute movie. Combined with the absence of the surprise factor, the outcome is distressing.
3. Direction - Maneesh Sharma was not just able to maintain the standard he set with Band Baaja Baaraat. One word: Disappointing.

Overall, there is nothing much to enjoy in the movie (except a couple of songs). It is hardly worth a single watch. Hence, I rate it as follows:
Entertainment rating: 2.5
Critics rating: 2.5

Puss In Boots Movie Review

Puss In Boots is a just another animated comedy movie with awe inspiring 3D effect in the first half. The story focuses around a brave and gallant cat which steals from the nastiest of humans. One day it while hunting it’s score it comes across another cat just as brave and gallant as him but wicked fast and efficient in stealing. It turns out that it is not he but she. Hence, continues their adventures together against two of the most dangerous humans alive.

Highlights:

1. Special Effects – 3D effects are really great in the beginning of the movie and pretty good afterwards. Animation is also among one of the good ones we see now a days.

2. Background score – It is very much noticeable throughout the movie and is very catchy during a dance fight.

Lowlights:

1. Editing – It was OK, but could have been much better as the stories split up in the end and sometimes the focus was mostly around the lead and the other stories got lost.

2. Screenplay – The screenplay was also not very impressive. The movie was lagging in impressive dialogs. Although, credit must be given as the scenes were pretty much self explanatory and were looking good with the help of the background score.

Overall it was a good one time watch and fun to hang out with friends. Hence, I rate it as follows:

Entertainment rating: 3.5

Critics rating: 3.5

The Dirty Picture Movie Review

The Dirty Picture is nearly flawless and a very raunchy entertainer. Vidya Balan being the heart of the movie, as depicted by the posters, is pushing the lecherousness quotient of the movie to the extreme limits. Even her dialogues are at the height vulgarness.

Besides Vidya Balan, everything else in the movie is also near to perfection. I am quite sure that the critics will be leaving the auditoriums without much criticism. 

Everything is a highlight of the movie. Still I would like to detail those highlights as follows:
1. Performances - Vidya Balan is simply awesome and is very well supported by Naseeruddin Shah, Emran Hashmi and Tusshar Kapoor. Even the performers with the smallest of the roles have done their best.
2. Cinematography - It is the second best thing you will notice about the movie. I agree that Bobby Singh’s work was not very hard, but the outcome is simply amazing. The close ups, the stills and the scenes which will make you bet that they are shot by a handheld camera.
3. Editing - I have never liked the black screens during the movie, but Akiv Ali showed me what all a back screen can do. It is used 4 to 5 times and each time to a great effect. May it be using the background voices or just for the fun of delaying the next scene, but again the outcome is pretty lovable.
4. Background score - It has done what it was supposed to do. Filled the long gaps between dialogs, depicted the seriousness of the scene and even added the fun flavor to some scenes. Even a pathetic spectator can decide his emotions towards the scene per the background score.
5. Costume design - Even if Vidya Balan did leave some voids in playing Silk, then those voids are covered by her wardrobe. Most of the male audience will be watching her with their eyes about to pop out and their jaws dropping to the floor. Most of female audience will be hoping to get their hands on all of them and just observe their lovers’s expressions, when they wear those for them.
Despite Vidya Balan, Naseeruddin Shah looked exactly like the superstar of 80s, with his wardrobe full of flashy shirts and tight pants. And Tusshar Kapoor looks like he has mistaken his dad’s (Jeetendra’s) wardrobe for his own, seriously.
6. Art direction/Set decoration - This department had a pretty tough task to perform and they have done an amazingly remarkable job performing it. The sets are really giving you the feel that you are watching some good 80s movie.
7. Story/Screenplay - The dialogs are brilliant. They are one of the most entertaining parts of the movie. The audience loved them so much, that some were even clapping on a few dialogs.
Although, the story is moving at a steady pace from beginning to the end, but the screenplay kept the movie alive for almost 3 quarters. The final quarter gets a bit boring as it is deprived of the obsceneness, both audio and visual, but the ending is pretty convincing. It might not be to some audience, but to me it is.
8. Direction - Last but not the least, the ring master of the circus. Milan Luthria has done an outstanding job. Each and everything is so near to perfection that it seems like he used retake the scene even if a single leaf must have been blowing without his consent. Too good.

There are no lowlights in the movie. Overall, it is a great entertainer. In Silk’s words “log picture sirf 3 reasons ke liye dekhne aate hain ‘Entertainment’, ‘Entertainment’ and ‘Entertainment’, aur main Entertainment hoon” (I might not be word to word correct). Hence, I rate it as follows:
Entertainment rating: 4
Critics rating: 4.5