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

Chhota Bheem And The Curse Of Damyaan (Animation)

Chhota Bheem And The Curse Of Damyaan

Story: Damyaan, the evil snake of Sonpur, is simply a step away from being over powerful and immortal since he has access to the Book of Magi. What's stopping him? The curse that has him locked inside a palace for ages... a curse that shall be broken should the king of Dholakpur set him free. Now, the king does set him free (by mistake) and then chaos forms the order of the day. Can Chhota Bheem and team stop Damyaan from doing the unwanted? Can Chhota Bheem and his team make Dholakpur one happy place to live happily ever after in? 

Critic's Rating: 

Cast: Voice by Kaustav Ghosh, Rupa Bhimani

Direction: Rajiv Chilaka

Genre: Animation

Duration: 1 hour 27 minutes

Avg Readers Rating: 

Movie Review : Jham, jham, jhambhura! Now we know why our tweeny lot always maange more of Chhota Bheem. After all, our hero can do anything and everything that every Bollywood mainstream hero does. Chhota Bheem can save the girls from being kidnapped. Chhota Bheem can fight a dozen of bad guys at the same time. Chhota Bheem can fight tigers and snakes. And, most importantly, Chhota Bheem knows how to be in sync with the time - he can play (and win) the T20 cricket tournament in town. Not to miss out is his looks: Chhota Bheem is a hit with girls in his kingdom (He looks rather cute), and has a couple of pretty things hitting on him! 

Now for the movie. Talk of animation and it's bright and colourful, though not really sharp. 

Next, talk of music and there's ample to tap your foot. In fact, the theme track (sung by Shaan) works well. As for the fun, it's all in there to make our under-12s happy. Case in point, Chhota Bheem goes all dishum dishum with Damyaan, Bheem and his team being gifted with magical powers. However, the wait for fun unlimited is a bit too long. And if tween claps is what you are on the lookout for, there's ample scope particularly when our little hero fights one enemy after the other... all in a row: first the giant spider, then the tiger, then the MMA warrior, then the snake guy.... Finally, those into sci-fi stuff can have there share of time travel as well - of course, it's absoluetly desi in every sense of the word. 

Sadly it's the voice-over that just does not seem to connect well specially for a face like that of Chhota Bheem. But then you might choose to overlook that considering there is hardly happening entertainment for kids in desi cinema. Right bachcha party?

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.