Ice Age 4 Movie Review (English)

ICE AGE: Continental Drift

Story: When Manny ( Ray Romano), Diego ( Denis Leary) and Sid ( John Leguizamo) break away from their continent, sailing all over the ocean on an iceberg, little do they know what lies ahead....

Critic's Rating: 

Cast: Voice of Denis Leary, John Leguizamo, Peter Dinklage, Jennifer Lopez, Keke Palmer, Queen Latifah, Ray Romano

Direction: Steve Martino and Mike Thurmeier

Genre: Animation

Duration: 1 hour 28 minutes

Avg Readers Rating: 

Movie Review: If Ice Age: Continental Drift is anything to go by, love is in the air... for everybody! Peaches ( Keke Palmer) is in love with Ethan (Drake). Louis (Josh Gad) is in love with Peaches. Diego is in love with Shira ( Jennifer Lopez). You, of course, are (and will once again be) in love with the Ice Age series.

ICE AGE: Continental Drift Official Trailer (HD)

The franchise carries on showcasing its brilliant art work, its warm and vibrant characters and its straight-from-the-heart story of team spirit and survival, of not only the fittest, but the weakest too. Not to miss out are the lessons for life you get to re-learn: Never leave a friend behind. But before that there are loads of goodies for all you kidos... and biggies alike.

Now what really sets this sequel apart from the earlier versions is the action unlimited. There isn't a single second when the screen is not ablaze with fights, battles and survival-of-the-fittest drama. Add to that some witty one liners and a couple of memorable moments. Case in point, the tidal waves, deadly sea creatures, avalanches, crabs, water infested by pirates headed by Captain Gutt ( Peter Dinklage), a war battalion, leaves turned into fighter planes, sharks... and water, water everywhere. Special mention: Peaches as the rebellious teen who is just too tired of her parents controlling her life and the blue whale who steals the show, literally. And in case you wondering whatever happened to Scratte, here goes: Scratte, as always, manages to create utter mayhem on screen... and add that extra dose of laughter.

Yes, Ice Age 4 is a fitting sequel to the animal saga that turned out to be a moving human parable when it was first released in 2002. Excellent in 3-D and eminently watchable in 2-D too, Ice Age 4 is indeed alluring fare for the family this weekend.


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Courtesy: The Times Of India

StreetDance 2 Movie Review (English)

DANCING GALA: StreetDance 2

Story: Street dancer Ash wants to give it back to the Invincible dance troupe post a humiliating stint. Just one problem: The dancer is just a popcorn seller.

Critic's Rating:  

Cast: Falk Hentschel, Sofia Boutella, Tom Conti, George Sampson

Direction: Max Giwa and Dania Pasquini

Genre: Musical

Duration: 1 hour 25 minutes

Movie Review: Who said boxing rings are all about power punches, sucker blows and jab! Try the Samba, Tango, Salsa... and rest assured, the challenge will be worth it. Just like it is for Ash ( Falk Hentschel) who forms a dance troupe from scratch... from nothing at all. Now, that is when we know StreetDance 2 is going to be pretty different from it's prequel. Get ready for a trip round the world -- London, Paris, New York, Amsterdam -- as the dance master is all out to select the best of them all. And once the team is in place, you shall have no reason to complain, specially if you are into (street) dancing. The finale at the European Dance Competition is worth the effort.

Now, for the storyline. There is nothing much to boast about, but then movies like these were never meant to be high on the intellectual quotient; it needs to give you the high as far as the moves go. And that it does. There is break dance, freeze, hip hop. There is also popping, locking, slouching.

But then more than the moves, it's the multi-talented, multi-cultural and multi-indigenous troupe that needs to be applauded here. Not to miss out is the fusion: StreetDance (2010) was all about the Street dance-Ballet combo; StreetDance (2012) is about the Street dance-Latino effect. Special mention: The thumping music.

So, here's calling all you movers and shakers out there, if dance is your food of life, step on...

For more Bollywood and Hollywood movie reviews, click here.

Courtesy: The Times Of India

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel Movie Review (English)

THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL

Story : A couple of British retirees have their own share of problems to deal with. It's only after they reach a not-so-happening hotel in India that life turns into a roller coaster ride... 

Critic's Rating: 

Cast: Judi Dench, Tom Wilkinson, Hugh Dickson, Bill Nighy, Maggie Smith

Direction: John Madden

Genre: Drama

Duration: 2 hours 4 minutes

Avg Readers Rating: 

Movie Review : Life begins at 60... at least for a group of seven 'old and beautiful' lot in this British film. Of course, there's a pretty tough ride they've got to first undertake. 
1) Evelyn Greenslade (Judi Dench) is stuck with her broadband connection since it's in her late husband's name. 2) Muriel Donnelly ( Maggie Smith) is on the lookout for a cheap hip replacement. But then the doctor, for her, has to be English. 3 & 4) Douglas and Jean Ainslie (Bill Nighy and Penelope Wilton) who have made their unhappy marriage work just for the fear of society now have a financial crisis to deal with. 5) Retired judge Graham Dashwood ( Tom Wilkinson) wants to get back to India in search of his love. 6) Madge Hardcastle (Celia Imrie) is out in search of companionship, while 7) Norman Cousins (Ronald Pickup) is all desperate to find someone for a one-night stand. What next? Destination: India calling. To be precise, it's the Best Exotic Marigold hotel -- a hotel for the old and beautiful -- at Udaipur. 

Now just when you think this one is going to be yet another when-Hollywood-meets-India story, director John Madden proves you wrong. It's more about hope (Evelyn at 60 is on the lookout for a BPO job). It's all about the need to keep trying (Muriel not only gives up her wheel chair, but finds a new purpose in life). It's all about diving into India -- a riot of noise and colour (Graham finds true joy in playing galli cricket with the local kids). Needless to say, all this would actually seem been-there-seen-that had it not been for the performances of the seven veterans. So much so, even the subplot of a budding romance, topped with an over-protective mom (Dev Patel-Lillete Dubey) seems unwanted. In fact, you can't really tell who (amongst the seven) is better than the other. And it's not just serious stuff we're talking about. Watch the bonding amidst some heart-felt emotions, dialogues, respective tales, fears... and English wit. 

But then, it's the desi wit with its typical cliches -- roads full of camels, elephants; a bumpy crowded bus ride, a photoshop-ed hotel full of pigeons and cockroaches; the untouchable domestic help... that somewhat forces you to ask this: Does this (still) happen in India 2012? 

Seven people. Seven stories. Seven problems. Seven different reasons to travel to India... a country, as the movie says, where everything will be alright in the end. And alright it is! 
Now, that (surely) happens only in India! 

Tip off: Only for those who think age (and the pace of a movie) is no bar when it comes to living life all over again... falling in love all over again... and above all bonding with India all over again.


Courtesy: The Times Of India

The Raven Movie Review (English)

THE RAVEN MOVIE REVIEW

Story: It does not take long for Edgar Allen Poe's murder mystery tales to turn into reality, courtesy a serial killer. Now, what will it take to stop those gruesome murders? 

Critic's Rating: 

Cast: John Cusack, Alice Eve, Luke Evans, Brendan Gleeson

Direction: James McTeigue

Genre: Thriller

Duration: 1 hour 50 minutes

Avg Readers Rating: 

Movie Review: Those into Edgar Allen Poe shall be left satisfied. The first shot of the movie tells you this one is possibly on the lines of a biography: There have been lots of theories as to how Poe died; The Raven adds a new dimension. Those into his tales of mystery too shall have no reason to complain. The Raven is an amalgamation of a couple of whodunnit tales from the greatest inventor of the detective genre. And those into neither, can treat The Raven as your usual dose of murder, mystery and thrill. 

THE RAVEN OFFICIAL TRAILER (HD)

First, it's two women who are murdered in a locked room. Enter detective Emmett Fields ( Luke Evans) who traces it back to Poe's The Murders in the Rue Morgue. Next, a man is discovered sliced into two, just as in Poe's The Pit and the Pendulum. Enter detective Fields... this time with Edgar Allen Poe (John Cusack) himself. Interestingly, it's Poe himself who ends up solving his own murder mysteries. But then you've got to pay the price. In this case, blood, gore and soul-stirring crime, specially when the pendulum cuts the man into two. As for John Cusack, he is bang on as Poe when it comes to the looks. As for Poe's character, it comes rather naturally to the actor. 

Back to the murder and thrill. There are tense moments, chases, one puzzle leading to the other. There's also a Victorian setting, a serial-killer, his tricks... and of course, Edgar Allen Poe's macabre tales.

The Lucky One Movie Review (English)

Story: Logan Thibault walks all the way from Colorado to Hampton in search of the woman he thinks was his lucky charm while he was serving as war soldier in Iraq...

Critic's Rating: 

Cast: Zac Efron, Taylor Schilling, Blythe Danner, Riley Thomas Stewart, Jay R. Ferguson

Direction: Scott Hicks

Genre: Romance

Duration: 1 hour 41 minutes

Avg Readers Rating: 

Movie Review: The problem with screen adaptations of novels written by Nicholas Sparks is that if it's not bang on (in story and spirit), it might get Nicholas fans a little disappointed. Remember Nights in Rodanthe? And if it's minor changes in the plot that we're talking about, as in The Lucky One, we don't really know how Nicholas fans are set to react. 

Logan Thibault ( Zac Efron), a marine having served three tours in the Iraq war finally decides to call it quits. But before that he has an unfinished task: He is hell bent on finding the woman whose picture he has been carrying all throughout the war. For the record, his friend and now he himself, feels that it's Beth's picture which has been saving grace, literally. So out he is on a mission to find his lady luck, meet her and as Dame Fortune would have it, fall for her. But then love, as we know, has never really been that simple. 

The setting is perfect: the woody countryside, streams running into nowhere and a laidback life led by the inhabitants. Coming from one of the best selling contemporary romantic authors, this romantic plot is nothing short of perfect. The performances good: Zac, like Logan in the pages, is a man of few words, seldom smiles and is pretty cool at his job -- walking the dogs. Taylor Schilling's Beth, again like the pages, has her highs and lows as she goes about proclaiming to be a 'damn-good-mother'. 

The Lucky One Movie Official Trailer (HD)

But all said and done, something still seems to be missing out there. Now what is it? Is it Logan who in the very first meeting with Beth (unlike the book) is ready to play plot spoiler? Or is it director Scott Hicks who (unlike the book) does not let the romance and Sparks-ian mush brew between the two love birds? Or is it the bonding (unlike the book) between the nanny and her granddaughter that never really happens? Or finally, is it Zeus (the loyal dog) who (unlike the book) barely has screen time, leave alone being the hero in the end? Yes, the hero is someone else here. 

Now, don't go looking for The Notebook and A Walk to Remember, and you might not end up complaining.

Information Courtesy: The Times Of India

Hugo Movie Review (English)

Story : Once upon a time there was boy named Hugo Cabret who lived in a train station. Despite being single and young, he searched hard to find a secret message from his father. The message, like magic, reached all the way to the right person, till dreams were re-lived. 

Critic's Rating: 

Direction: Martin Scorsese

Cast: Ben Kingsley, Asa Butterfield, Chloe Grace Moretz, Jude Law, Sacha Baron Cohen

Genre: Drama

Duration: 2 hours 6 minutes

Avg Readers Rating: 

Movie Review: For the time being, let's keep all this aside: After having released in the U.S last year, Hugo finally releases in India today. Hugo went on to nab 11 nominations and five Oscars this year. With Hugo, directorMartin Scorsese for the first time ever enters three-dimensional territory. Instead, let's talk of this: The Eiffel Tower of the 1930s has never looked so inviting; the snow falling atop the wooden roofs and window panes of old France has never looked so mesmerizing; the world of clocks has never seemed so hi-tech. For starters, Hugo is a visual treat. And now we know why it grabbed the Oscar for Best Visual Effect this year. 

But then adding life to all that eye candy is Hugo Cabret (Asa Butterfield), the orphan boy in town, who lives in a railway station, steals croissants, and gets his five minutes of laughter when he spots the odd ones out at the station when peeping from the huge clock tower. Like all restless kids, Hugo too is on the lookout for his 'purpose' which in this case is understanding the secret message his dad (an unfortunately hardly-there Jude Law cameo) brought forth by an old piece of automaton. Helping him in his purpose is yet another kid, Isabella (Chloe Grace Moretz). For her, the 'purpose' is rather simple: adventure calling. Fun while the two are out coding and decoding messages, sketches, and looking out for the right key to get the automaton started. Once functional, you realise there is much more to the movie -- the true story of turn-of-the-century French pioneer filmmaker Georges Melies, all his surviving films, his collection of mechanical models called automata, his determination of making dreams (filmmaking) come true.

Watch Hugo Official Movie Trailer (HD)

Now, for the ideation. Hugo lives up to the pages it owes its creation to - Brian Selznick's The Invention of Hugo Cabret. And why just the plot, Martin Scorsese ensures even the feel of the movie is in sync with the literary version. With 284 pictures between the 533 pages, the book appeals to all for its words as well as pictures. With hardly any dialogues, the movie depends equally on its performance as it does on the picturesque setting. Asa Butterfield and Chloe Grace Moretz are quite successful in taking you back to the Dickensian era... and perhaps a 1930 version of Potter's 9-3-4 platform. Watch Asa go all out to give Chloe her first taste of real adventure - they sneak into a cinema hall. Watch Chloe kiss Asa for the first time ever on his cheeks - something that makes our kid grow up. But the real winner is Ben Kingsley who, as the owner of a small toy shop, 'fixes' whatever little seems to be amiss, both when it comes to machines... and the silent pauses. 

Tip off : If the tick-tock of clocks (Hugo is quite low on dialogues) sounds like music to your ears, and the huffing-puffing of steam engines (Hugo brings to life the old French charm) looks like wizardry to your eyes, you are sure to like this one.


Courtesy: The Times Of India

Movie Review: Safe (English)

Story: Mei (Catherine Chan) is wanted by all -- the Triads... The Russian mob... The NYC super and corrupt cops. Why? She has the secret code to the safe. Enter Luke Wright (Jason Statham), her protector... and the one who ultimately gets access to the safe. 

Critic's Rating: 

Direction: Boaz Yakin

Cast: Jason Statham, Catherine Chan, Chris Sarandon, James Hong

Genre: Action

Duration: 1 hour 34 minutes

Avg Readers Rating: 

Movie Review : It's a Jason Statham movie where the actor is once again seen paving his way to victory while sorting the good from the bad. So no prizes for guessing what lies in store: gun firing in loads and fist fights in aplenty. Add to that some Statham-ism and there's no looking back. Now, how many actors do we have out there who pick up call girls in NYC, pay them plenty of that dollar, get an entry into a sizzling restaurant and ask them to leave immediately. Or for that matter, how many Medowlands (New Jersey) ex-fighters do we have dressed in an executive suit breaking tracheas of the bad guys. Statham fans, there's enough of the suave in here. 

A still from the movie

But then, Jason Statham has competition in Safe. And this competition is a pretty tough one for it comes from the little Catherine Chan. With hardly any dialogues (in English) to herself, Chan actually keeps you asking for more each time she (or Statham) are missing in action. In fact, it's not just her computerised memory that helps her remember all important bank transactions in the Chinese world, it's her ultimate understanding of the big bad biz world (she excels in distinguishing between good business and the bad one) that takes you by surprise. Make sure you catch Catherine's Mei calling the shots - in every way - in the last sequence. 

Of course, the two (Statham and Catherine) together make this gang war for the green bills in the bustling narrow bylanes of New York's China Town worth a watch. The action, on the other hand, is crispy and smart. As for the storyline, guess it was always meant to tread on safe ground... nothing that you have never seen before.

Courtesy: Movie Reviews @ Times Of India

Movie Review: 21 Jump Street (English)

Story: Nothing gives two not-so-happening cops a kick of their life more than an opportunity to bust a drug racket on college campus.

Critic's Rating: 

Direction: Phil Lord and Chris Miller

Cast: Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill, Dave Franco, Brie Larson

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 1 hour 49 minutes

Avg Readers Rating: 

Movie Review: You know this one's about two cops who are all out to make high school teens say no to drugs. So you obviously know what to expect -- car chases, gun shots and swearing unlimited. But then what you really do not expect turns out to be the highpoint of 21 Jump Street. Ghosts from the past, in this case one's college life, staring right into the face. What does one do? Still remain the cool cop who has everything under control? Or think a zillion times before asking a girl out on a prom night? Can't really blame the boys - Jenko ( Channing Tatum) and Schmidt ( Jonah Hill) - for they have their share of rejections to deal with. But before that, it's some unfinished task.

21 Jump Street is the place where the men in uniform decide to do something more fruitful. And what better way to nab the drug peddlars on campus than by being a part of the campus. Once within the campus, things fall in place and the brain behind all that nefarious activities is exposed. Who is that? We don't really care for this time it's all about how the boys gel well with teens on campus... and how the boys resist all that temptation. Get your dose of haha moments from here; get your I've-been-through-that-in-college-too moments here. All this and more as Channing and Jonah actually seem to have a ball of a time. They find it too hard to follow the rules of the undercover programme. First, no sexual relations with students, no getting them drunk. But what can they do when the teachers of this high school are rather high on the libido quotient. Next is no trying out HFS (the drug) themselves. But what can they do when peer pressure is the driving force. They do it and then tounges go waggling, Peter Pan goes texty, iconic bond in the chemistry class becomes the four letter word and the rest is all laughter. Finally, no nightout for buddies when mom and dad are away. But what can they do if friends drop by. Enjoy, get drunk, get naughty and when stabbed (all that hot blooded stuff post a couple of tequilla shots), just say 'it's awesome'.

The back to school cops, Channing and Jonah, fit the campus bill with ease. Not only do they look like they belong to the Justin Bieber-Miley Cyrus looking generation and live their teenage angst all over again, but eventually do what they ought to - get all to stay away from deadly drugs.

21 Jump Street (2012) clearly says cops Jenko and Schmidt have got to revive an undercover police programme of the 1980s. Remember Johnny Depp's television series by the same name? Incidentally it ends up reviving more - laughter and teen insecurities.


Courtesy: Movie Reviews @ Times Of India

Review: The Avengers (English)

Story: Global catastrophe is round the corner. And the onus of saving citizens on Earth lies with Nick Fury. But how does he go about it? Time to chalk out a super plan. But then looks like it'll take him something more super than just a plan....

Critic's Rating: 

Cast: Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Samuel L. Jackson, Tom Hiddleston

Direction: Joss Whedon

Genre: Action

Duration: 2 hours 26 minutes

Avg Readers Rating: 

Movie Review: What do you expect when six mighty super heroes - Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Hulk - 'assemble' together on the silver screen for one common purpose? Action unlimited. High voltage drama. Larger-than-life effects. Throw in some smart one liners (humorous, of course) and you maybe in for some push button video gaming fantasy.


Nick Fury ( Samuel L. Jackson), director of S.H.I.E.L.D, an international peace keeping agency, goes out of his way to save Planet Earth from impending doom, courtesy Loki (Tom Hiddleston). Loki, of course, is on the look out for the Tesseract, the cube that has all the power to swallow the planet... and get its inhabitants to bow before the evil one. That's when Fury thinks the best way to save Planet Earth is by handing charge to the evergreen power personalities. And that's precisely when Whedon creates an assembled six-in-one pack - The Avengers -- to wage war on screen. Yes, the story is rather simple. But then with testosterone swelling and bullets whizzing here, there, everywhere, we don't mind missing out on a breath-taking script.

The Avengers is not just your typical good versus evil kind of super hero flick. Here, before all scores are settled, it's the good-versus-good hungama that keeps you glued to your seat. Blame it on the big egos of the superstars. After all, they are all super in their own rights, have never worked as a team to ward off evil... and never taken instructions from other super guys. Naturally then, fireworks and action cuts are bound to follow.

Cut to the performances. Robert Downey Jr's Stark not just delivers his lines with panache in his typical 'playboy' avatar, he keeps the action going-literally - on screen. Chris Evans' Captain America as always makes it on time just when you are about to give up on all that mess. Thor (Chris Hemsworth) comes across as the perfect brother who is torn between the right and the wrong amidst lightening power and battles. Black Widow's ( Scarlett Johansson) mind games leave you simply asking for more. Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye) is once again seen doing what he does best -- play around with his bow and arrows. Finally, it's Mark Ruffalo, first spotted in the bylanes of Kolkata, who gives you ample opportunity to clap when he turns into what he calls 'the other guys' (Hulk). Special mention: Tom Hiddleston who surprisingly stands tall as the bad guy in a group of otherwise good samaritans.

So here's what you've got to do: Just settle down with your 3D glasses for some bang-bang stuff where special effects speak louder than guns and the super guys have nothing to fall back on, other than their muscles, reflexes and of course, their super powers...


Courtesy: The Times Of India

Review: Mirror Mirror (English)

Story: The evil Queen is all out to ruthlessly rule her kingdom. Till Princess Snow White - along with her prince charming and the seven dwarfs - takes control. 

Critic's Rating: 

Cast: Julia Roberts, Lily Collins, Armie Hammer

Direction: Tarsem Singh

Genre: Adventure

Duration: 1 hour 46 minutes

Avg Readers Rating: 

Movie Review: Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all? Well, this time it's not Snow White, but the evil Queen herself. Yes, there have been many Snow White fairly tales that have cast their spell on Hollywood's silver screen in the past, but then never ever have we witnessed this fairy tale from the POV of the evil Queen. This is perhaps your chance to know what happens to the not-so-fairy-Queen ( Julia Roberts) in fairyland. 

The Queen has cast a spell on the king, she now wants to marry a young Prince... who just can't take his eyes of Princess Snow White (Lily Collins). Snow White is on a mission to save her kingdom from the evil shackles of the Queen, of course with the help of the seven dwarfs and the love of her life, Prince Alcott ( Armie Hammer). This is what we know. Now for what we do not know. Prince Alcott and Princess Snow White in the new ice age meet in a rather 'compromising' situation. The Queen stammers and just cannot take her eyes off the young Prince each time he appears shirtless. Snow White takes pride in defeating her Prince Charming in a battle of the swords -- if need be she is all out to punch him too. Though a figure of utmost righteousness, Snow White does not hesitate to 'steal' (read kidnap) her Mr Right to lip lock for the first time ever, and ultimately settle down in marriage. Lastly, no one here seems to believe in the most apt fairy tale concept of living peacefully ever after. It's naach gaana Bollywood style, courtesy desi director Tarsem Singh, that finally brings an end to the great royal tamasha. Different. Contemporary. Interesting. 

But then how apt is Julia as the epitome of a conniving Queen? Well, her evilness comes with a sense of humour. Though her costumes give her the need-of-the-hour royale touch (ironically she looks prettier than the princess), for most of the time you end up thinking this: Is this Queen straight out of the pages of My Best Friend's Wedding? Case in point, she going weak in the knee each time she spots her prince charming in a semi nude (read shirtless) avatar. More than being hated for being evil - she's barely vicious -- you actually end up sympathising (and laughing) with her specially when she just can't get her man to love her... and sleep with her. In fact, it is her mirror image and the final shot with the forbidden fruit in hand that somewhat sends a chill down your spine. Next is Lily Collins, who in her urge to I-can-fight-my-battle-alone syndrome, loses out on the little nuances of a perfect fairy tale heroine. She is not shy. She is not coy. She is not dainty. As for Armie's Prince Alcott, a love potion gone wrong is more than what he (and you) can perhaps take. He turns into a puppy kinda figure with a knack to lick all things human... and pant around. Lastly, wonder what is it about the dwarfs that we just can't get ourselves to say 'oh-so-cute'. 

Agreed it's new. Agreed it's different. Agreed it's year 2012. And agreed it's the fairy tale from the evil Queen's perspective. But then is this Hollywood's Snow White tale really the fairest of them all? Got to wait and watch, specially when there's another Snow White (and the Huntsman) coming soon....