Escape from Tomorrow (2013)

My Ratings: 3.5/5.

Escape from Tomorrow is a unique film. It not only defies the conventional family-drama genre but also is the ultimate textbook for guerrilla film-makers.

The whole film is shot on location in both Disney World (Florida) and Disneyland (California) without permission!

‘Bad things happen everywhere’ as the film says.

Oh yes – a twisted, dark comedy shot beautifully in black and white with the help of three Canon DSLRs and that too in guerrilla style.

The crew carried the entire script in their iPhones!

Hats off to the director Randy Moore and his crew for such innovative efforts since they had to plan and time each shot months before according to the position of the sun.

Now i wish i could appreciate the film as much as i did the making part of it.

Escape from Tomorrow is the story of Jim (Roy Abramsohn) whose mid-life crisis and pervert thoughts perfectly compliment each other.

A trip to Disneyland/Disney World with his family and believe me, being a father of two young kids and the husband of a not-so attractive/understanding woman doesn’t help Jim’s situation at all.

Escape from Tomorrow mainly revolves around Jim’s weird fantasies about females of all ages and sizes.

Full of symbolism (that doesn’t often make sense), surreal and desperately trying to be a psychological trip, the film unfortunately fails to hit the awesome mark.

I guess ordinary performances and the lack of a watertight script steals the brilliance of Escape from Tomorrow.

Not a masterpiece but overall a decent film.

Especially for film lovers this is a must watch just to believe that it’s actually possible to make a film the way they made Escape from Tomorrow.

Film trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nfU_5NWBoE

Kick (2014)

Written by Abhikendu Deb Roy

Ratings: 3.7/5

There are actors. There are stars. There are superstars. And then there is Salman Khan.

Every Salman Khan movie sells by the brand power of the superstar himself and Kick is no exception. However this time the film is actually based on a story and a bit of the script does strike a chord with the viewers – for a change.

Sitting in a single screen theatre with a crowd of Salman-worshippers on a Saturday morning show, you get to experience the sheer star power that drives such films like Kick. Salman Khan – his usual enigmatic screen presence, the chiseled body, pumped up muscles, some ceeti-taali dialogues and a whole lot of action. Kick is synonymous with Salman.

Produced by Sajid Nadiadwala, Kick is also a remake of a Tamil film of the same name like most of the recent films of Salman Khan.

Like every other Khan movie’s heroine, Jacqueline Fernandez has to look beautiful and she does look exquisite. However, she adds nothing to the act.

Randeep Hooda does justice to his role of a police officer with scope of improvement in some scenes. To share screen space with Salman Khan and to grab our attention away from the superstar is almost next to impossible. Now that has been successfully executed by Nawaazuddin Siddiqui. His villainous eyes, his strikingly haunting laughter and his dialogue delivery leave us in awe.

Our very own Mithun Chakraborty is still so young at heart and enthusiastic that you want more of him.

One must never forget an item number in a hardcore commercial film like Kick. Nargis Fakhri appears in one such item song and serves the desired purpose.

Commercial masala films run mainly on the star power. But to have a consistent run at the box office, you need hi-tech action sequences and visual effects. Prime Focus Pvt. Ltd does the job efficiently. Over-the-top, not-so-believable action scenes shot in Poland and Delhi; cinematographer Ayananka Bose must be plauded for capturing some beautiful frames of these two cities.

Surprisingly Kick does have minute traces of, what we call, a story. Additional screenplay has been worked upon by Chetan Bhagat; his second collaboration with Salman Khan after ‘Hello’. Chetan is slowly understanding the pulse of the mass of India for sure.

All the elements of an action drama are present throughout with several usage of Salman’s brand power every now and then. References to “Being Human” and “Pandeyji” (Dabangg déjà-vu, anyone?) are also there which receive the maximum number of hoots.

Several questions on the present day society have evolved from the plot as well. However, one thing that still remains unanswered and pretty much haunts me is that, in a film worth 125 crore rupees, why couldn’t they spend a few more bucks to show blood stains after several glass-window breakage and car accidents?

A conglomeration of music composers – Himesh Reshammiya, Yo Yo Honey Singh and Meet Bros. Anjan do well with their original compositions for a masala movie. Jumme Ki Raat and Yaar Na Mile find a place in our hearts for the beats. Salman has attempted to sing for the first time with “Hangover” and can be given a thumbs-up for that.

Rameshwar S. Bhagat, the editor, could have done away with some sequences and made this 146 minutes long commercial flick more compact. The climax does touch your heart and also reminds you of the real life “Human Being” Salman Khan actually is.

For those who expect a meaningful cinema with Salman’s presence shoudn’t take the risk of watching Kick. For the rest who have faith in Salman and want sheer two and a half hours of hardcore action, comedy, drama, and above all, entertainment can give it a try. You will not be disappointed.

“Knock knock, 300 crores here.”

Film trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-j1nx_HY5o

Pizza (2014)

My ratings: 2.5/5

I never would have guessed that ghosts are so fond of pizza especially when it’s cold and rotten with delicious maggots and fungus toppings!

Yes, the Pizza guy Kunal (Akshay Oberoi) gets trapped in a haunted house while delivering Pizza and the ghost-family have a great time scaring the shit out of him while relishing their Pizza.

Kunal desperately tries to call his pregnant wife Nikita (Parvathy Omanakuttan), his boss who owns the Pizza shop (Rajesh Sharma) and also the police but the clever and imaginative ghosts seems to get the better of him.

Pizza is supposed to be a horror film … and unfortunately it got stuck in that ‘supposed to be’ category.

Predictable scary moments that gets repetitive after a while and that too unnecessarily in 3D –  if there wasn’t the unpredictable twist in the end of the film i would have given Pizza a 1 or 1.5 rating.

Personally i haven’t seen neither the 2012 original Tamil version Pizza (which according to many people is really good) nor i have seen the recent 2014 Bengali remake of it Golpo holeo Shotti (which again seems to be better than this one).

Debutant director Akshay Akkineni tries his best to scare the audience, the cast and the acting is also decent – the comic timings of Rajesh Sharma make you laugh a few times. Other than that the music, the editing or the camera doesn’t help the film.

Overall the impact of a decent horror film is missing here. Honestly i think instead of going for Pizza, ordering a pizza at home and devouring it while watching some horror classic would have been a better option.

But if you are a sucker for horror films like me then you can surely check out Pizza; you never know the unexpected ending can make it worth watching for you.

Film trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGYXzAHjnUo 

Hrid Majhare (2014)

Written by – Abhikendu Deb Roy.

“Iss dil se bachke rehna, ajeeb aur gareeb khel khelta rehta hai yeh zaalim” – These words resonate in your mind with every passing frame of Hrid Majhare.

The story line remains linear in the beginning but as the film progresses, the complexities develop in many underlying layers. At a night of inclement weather Abhijit (Abir Chatterjee), a Mathematics Professor encounters Debjani (Raima Sen), who is a cardiologist, and predictably enough they soon fall in love. But fate has something else written for them, the doomsday arriving soon.

For the first time director Ranjan Ghosh, Hrid Majhare was the test of his life. To be a visionary and to execute the vision on screen are two very different jobs, which the Whistling Woods pass-out handles quite amazingly.

The casting has been apt and looks appealing on screen. Abir and Raima complement each other beautifully; this being their second film together, post Baishe Srabon.

Abhijit and Debjani’s love flows on the undercurrent of a prophecy, examining their togetherness, questioning their endearments every now and then. The constant conflict between fate and logic which goes on in Abhijit’s mind is portrayed with a certain sense of calmness by director Ranjan Ghosh.

As their love in the film is testified and goes through several ups and downs, the moments of stress are notably plausible.

Indrasish Roy looks highly endearing with his tall dark handsome looks with such a conceivable baritone.

Sohag Sen with hardly five minutes of screen time is the one to look out for. This master of acting, who conducts acting workshops for veteran actors of T-Town, can never go wrong and you so want her to be there for some more time on screen. You cannot simply forget her character, even after the film has ended – such is her impact, such is her charisma.

Barun Chanda is as usual impressive with his voice and powerful acting.

Hrid Majhare is extensively shot both in Kolkata and Andaman.

Correctly addressed as the real hero of the film by the director himself, Sirsha Ray, the Director of Photography gifts us with a visual treat. Collaborating with the art director Nafisa Mondal, Sirsha Ray helps us get a picturesque view of the many indoor scenes in the film.

As for the outdoor scenes which are few in number, Sirsha brings to us a totally different Andaman to what has been generally portrayed in films. The nooks and corners of the busy streets of Port Blair captured in a time lapse, the never ending beaches with the sunlight emanating from the horizon – experimentations have been carried out successfully in this 2 hours 2 minutes feature film.

The editing, by Bodhaditya Banerjee, could have been crisper, which could have helped to portray the distress more effectively.

What works wonders for this film is the background music. The film would not have left such an impact without it. Thanks to Mayookh Bhaumik.

The songs have been used pretty intelligently without being typical song-and-dance sequences in a romantic pot-boiler.

Overall Hrid Majhare is a decent film to watch, especially for the fans of the on-screen couple Raima and Abir.

Film trailer link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrcoSaBZsl0

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)

My Ratings: 4/5.

The recent release Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is an effort that you can not ignore. 

Directed by Matt Reeves, superbly shot and visualized by Michael Seresin, powered by Michael Giacchino‘s compositions and outstanding use of motion capture technology by Weta Digital.  

A salute to Adam Serkis and his entire team for making the film so believable. Especially the character of Caesar, the leading ape (that Adam Serkis has played himself) is probably more real than the humans in the film.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes shows another chapter of Caesar’s life.

I hope you still remember Caesar, the famous talking monkey (i mean the genetically evolved ape) who was brought up by none other than James Franco.

In the last film ‘The rise of the planet of the apes’ we have seen Caesar realizing his genius and leading a revolution against the unkind mankind. A violent fight that finally gave the apes their own territory – the Redwood Forest.

This current film Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is supposed to be the ‘and they lived happily ever after’ part of the ape community.

But unfortunately the audience wants more VFX action films.

This time Caesar is matured enough to condemn all forms of fighting and speaks heavy words like ‘trust’ and ‘family’ like any super-intelligent ape should at his age.

Then the humans arrive. (Jason Clarke leading the team)

Though only a few hundreds/thousands are left (didn’t you know -the simian flue almost wiped away the entire human existence) but these few trigger-happy humans unintentionally as always, are enough to start a war of such epic proportions that i guess we have to wait for another sequel for a satisfactory conclusion.

But of course the humans alone cannot be responsible for the war. Anybody from the ape side who wants to volunteer big? What about you – yes, the ugly one?

Like one rotten apple that spoils the whole basket, there was one wicked ape responsible for the collapse of Caesar’s peaceful ape-empire.

No matter how many times Caesar repeats in his patented stop-motion accent – ‘Apes. Do not. Want. War!’, but the war was inevitable.

Apart from the visual effects, the best part of the film Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is the characterizations of each and every individuals (especially the ape characters). Their emotions, their anger and even their treachery are so close to our human world that we can instantly connect with them. 

If you like films where apes talk, ride horses and shoot people then this film will be an orgasmic treat for you.

A must for Gary Oldman fans (if any).

Film trailer link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sHMCRaS3ao

Charlie Chaplin and his image of ‘The tramp.’

Charlie Chaplin and his image of ‘The tramp.’

written by Souranath Banerjee.

Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin popularly known as Charlie Chaplin was a man of all trades and also a master of them all!

Mordern times posterCharlie Chaplin was an actor (his screen persona of ‘the tramp’ is globally recognized), a director (one of the best in the world), writer, producer, editor and also a brilliant music composer.

Classic Charlie Chaplin films like City LightsThe Gold RushModern Times, The Kid and The Great Dictator always make the list of the greatest films ever made. Our all time favorites.

I doubt if any other personality in the history of world cinema is capable of such versatility and success.

the kid posterBut the best of Charlie Chaplin comedies are no ordinary slapstick laugh riots.

They have this rare quality of reaching out to us in layers more than we can comprehend in a conscious level. They evoke such profound sympathy for the poor/funny tramp that we cannot help but shed a few tears in the midst of all the apparent laughter.

We can never forget scenes like the one from his film Gold Rush when the Tramp tries his best to impress his lady friends at the dinner table.

And I am sure you remember the famous scene of Charlie’s despair when Jackie Coogan (the kid in the film The Kid) cries out for his father (Charlie Chaplin) while being forcibly taken away by the ‘County Orphan Asylum’ men.

Or the heart wrenching last scene of City Lights when Virginia Cherrill (the blind girl) finally recognizes the tramp who helped her get back her eyesight.

In one of his earlier films The Circus Charlie Chaplin had set the trend by playing the part of the poor lover boy who sacrifices his the-circus posterunexpressed love and takes initiative to let the girl go with some other guy only for the sake of their happiness. Ever since this theme has been a success formula for innumerable films across the world.

A visionary who made us laugh and cry at the same time, a legend to whom we are indebted for films that we absolutely love and will keep on cherishing for generations to come.

I’m emotional about most things but objective about my work. I don’t get satisfaction out of it, I get relief’.—Charlie Chaplin, New Yorker interview, 1950. 

Also check out a rare documentary ‘The Chaplin Puzzle‘ narrated by Burgess Meredith.

Most anticipated world films of 2014 (Part 2)

And here comes the Part 2 of the most anticipated world films of 2014 yet to release. The trailers are convincing enough to make us impatient but all in good time.

For Most anticipated world films of 2014 (Part 1) click the link below:http://www.cinemaforensic.com/most-anticipated-world-films-of-2014/

Here follows a list of another Ten films that promises awesome entertainment. Do enjoy the trailers for now and make sure you don’t miss any of these on the big screen.

Let the fun begin.

A walk among the Tombstones (releasing on 19th Sept)

Film trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HDQ_PEVgwI

a walk among the tombstones

A private investigator is engaged in a dangerous hunt to find a drug lord’s wife who has been kidnapped and killed.

Scott Frank‘s direction – by the look of the trailer the film looks like a perfect thriller in every sense.

And according to me in such suspense-action films Liam Neeson simply can’t go wrong. Let’s wait and watch.

Interstellar (releasing on 7th Nov)

Film trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WzHXI5HizQ

interstellar

This year Christopher Nolan comes up with a Sci-Fi thriller that looks superb (as the trailer goes till now).

With talented actors like Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain i bet the film will make enough waves all around the globe.  

A newly discovered wormhole! And a voyage in the space! An interstellar Voyage!! – Bring it on.

The hundred-foot journey (releasing on 8th Aug)

Film trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6H8pAKKkgQ

the-hundred-foot-journey

Lasse Hallström is the director who has given amazing films like ‘Chocolat‘ and ‘What’s eating Gilbert Grape‘. 

And on top of that this film has such an Indian connection.

An Indian family opens an eatery in France right across a French restaurant. Helen Mirren, Om Puri,  Rohan ChandCharlotte Le Bon – all look just perfect for the film.

Good people (releasing on 26th Sept)

Film trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rC17twr50WU

good-people

A couple in the time of financial crisis discovers a bag full of money. And they decide to keep it.

Soon enough they find themselves trapped and become the target of both the police as well as some deadly thief who knows all about it.

Starring James Franco and Kate Hudson, even good people make mistakes in the time of crisis and has to pay their price.

St.Vincent (releasing on 24th Oct)

Film trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5BVn-eyAxA

st.vincent

The main attraction of this film is none other than Bill Murray.

Of course it’s a comedy and according to the trailer it looks like a good one.

It’s about a little boy’s friendship with an unlikely old man who is completely wrong as a mentor to the child. Melissa McCarthy and Naomi Watts are also starring in the film. 

The Equalizer (releasing on 26th Sept)

Film trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qt0GkVZK8zA

the equalizer

An innocent girl as a victim, Denzel Washington, an ex commando is the savior and a lot of Russian gangsters.

What more can you possibly need for an action packed entertainer.

Antoine Fuqua‘s direction and the trailer looks damn cool.

I am sure this film will clench the thirst of all the action film lovers.

Unbroken (releasing on 25th Dec)

Film trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebHji2c_ciU

unbrokenDirected by Angelina Jolie and written by the Cohen brothers.

The film is about an Olympic runner  by the name of Louis Zamperini who was taken prisoner by the Japanese army during WW2 but he never give up his hope to come back. 

The trailer undoubtedly looks interesting and inspirational. All the best Angelina.

Jessabelle (releasing on 29th Aug)

Film trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoBCEdt_BC8

jessabelleA horror flick that looks decent enough to make you sit in the edge of your seat. 

Returning to her home a girl finds some tapes and eventually comes in contact with a spirit that was waiting especially for her.

I wish the film turns out to be at least half as good as the trailer. I like horror films but unfortunately they never seem to scare me. Sad.

Before i go to sleep (releasing on 8th Aug)

Film trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9QNAJm8E5g

before-i-go-to-sleep

Nicole KidmanColin FirthMark Strong – all look stunning in this mysterious trailer. 

A woman wakes up everyday without any memory of her past – it’s a matter of who she can trust.

The concept sounds familiar but hopefully the treatment will be different and better.

Dumb and Dumber To (releasing on 14th Nov)

Film trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMxwcRck9TI

dumb-and-dumber 2

After 20 years they are back and probably more dumb than ever (if that’s humanly possible).

Our all time favorite Jim Carrey and the hilarious Jeff Daniels team up again to make us laugh even harder at their brainless comedy.

This time they are going in an adventure trip to find one of their long lost children with the motive of gaining a kidney.

For Most anticipated world films of 2014 (Part 1) click the link below: http://www.cinemaforensic.com/most-anticipated-world-films-of-2014/

Most anticipated world films of 2014 (Part 1)

Most anticipated world films of 2014 yet to release. The trailers are convincing enough to make us impatient but all in good time.

Here follows a list of Ten films that promises awesome entertainment. Do enjoy the trailers for now and make sure you don’t miss any of these on the big screen.

Let the fun begin.

1. Sin City: A dame to kill for (releasing on 22nd Aug)

Film trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zhu32sdAGbo

Sin_city a dame to kill for

Finally Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez teams up again for the second installment of a tour of the city where it’s permissible to sin.

Sexy and stylized as usual, adopted from the famous graphic novel, and guaranteed out-of-the-world action.

Jessica Alba, Eva Green, Mickey Rourke, Bruce Willis just to name a few. A must watch.

2. Exodus: Gods and Kings (releasing on 12th Dec)

Film trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6G1vRbvgiU

Exodus-Gods-and-Kings

Christian Bale and Aaron Paul together in Ridley Scott‘s next – a historic drama.

Seems like the film is based in Egypt, the grandeur of the sets and the detailing of the period looks amazing in the trailer.

It’s the story of Mosses, how he was responsible to lead the Israelite slaves from Egypt. A film to check out for sure.

3. Fury (releasing on 14th Nov)

Film trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OGvZoIrXpg

fury

World War 2 as the backdrop, Brad Pitt in his army-crew-cut hairstyle leads his small team of men to attack Germany against incredible odds.

Focused on tanks as the weapon of choice i am sure this is going to be the best war film of the year.

Directed by David Ayer of ‘End of Watch’ fame – also starring  Shia LaBeouf and Logan Lerman.  

4. Birdman (releasing on 10th Oct)

Film trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-umj5cxtgBA

birdman

The name Alejandro González Iñárritu as a director should be enough to stir up curiosity for a film.

And with a star cast of Michael Keaton, Edward Norton, Zach Galifianakis, Emma Stone, Naomi Watts this film is probably the most awaited release this year.

It’s about how an actor who played the part of a superhero controls his ego in his real life.

5. Horible bosses 2 (releasing on 26th Nov)

Film trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B45XU3v9sPw

Horribel bosses 2

Remember the first time you met the most horrible bosses and what fun you had!

Well, here is an opportunity to meet them again – Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Spacey and a especial addition of Christoph Waltz.

The trailer is hilarious and hopefully the director Sean Anders has done a great job. I am sure it will be an enjoyable laugh riot.

6. Gone girl (releasing on 3rd Oct)

Film trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ym3LB0lOJ0o

gone girl

After ‘The Social Network‘ and ‘The girl with the dragon tattoo‘ my favorite director David Fincher‘s next – a suspense thriller about a girl who’s gone missing.

Ben Affleck, the husband who is also a suspect tries his best to prove his innocence but no body knows what really happened.

Unless of course you watch the film – so wait till it’s released.

7. The Interview (releasing on 10th Oct)

Film trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnalZzJ-XS4

The Interview

A deadly plan to assassinate North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un but unfortunately the least qualified men are chosen by the CIA for the mission.  

Who else but Seth Rogen and James Franco. The more they try to be serious the more they look funny.

The plot seems to be hilarious, I am sure this film will be a perfect political satire to look forward.

8. The Judge (releasing on 10th Oct)

Film trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBvK6ni97W8

the judge

A mystery to be unsolved, a family drama to experience and a father-son relationship to be revived.

Robert Downey JR, a big shot lawyer find his father (Robert Duvall) a judge to be suspected of murder.

The plot sounds interesting enough to become curious and with actors of such caliber it does raises our hopes.

9. Magic in the moonlight (releasing on 25th July)

Film trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MG71z-AP524

magic in the moonlight

Woody Allen is back and this time it’s a romantic comedy casting  Emma StoneColin FirthMarcia Gay Harden.

A girl’s authenticity who seems to possess some special power needs to be verified by an English magician.

The trailer looks as funny and quick-witted as any Woody Allen film promises to be.

10. Guardians of the galaxy (releasing on 1st Aug)

Film trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89q_HH-3ghk

guardians of the galaxy

Bradley Copper, John C. Reilly, Chris Pratt, Vin Diesel, Zoe Saldana – all are part of this entertaining space movie.

Directed by James Gunn; the trailer looks cool and funny, high in visual effects and packed with action.

They call themselves the guardians of the galaxy – now lets wait and watch if they can really keep their words and protect our planets.

For Most anticipated world films of 2014 (Part 2) click the link below: http://www.cinemaforensic.com/most-anticipated-world-films-of-2014-2/

Best of Bollywood in 2014

Best of Bollywood in 2014.

written by Souranath Banerjee.

Time flies by and we are already halfway through this year. Here comes the list – the best of Bollywood in 2014 yet released (till June end).

I feel 2014 is turning out to be a great year for Bollywood and these movies are enough to prove it. A perfect balance of entertaining and meaningful cinema.

If by chance you have missed any of these awesome films please do the needful as soon as possible.

Ok then, sit back and let’s hit the rewind button.

10. 2 States (April 2014)

2 states

Adopted from Chetan Bhagat’s autobiographical bestseller novel (of the same name), probably one of the best entertaining commercial films of this year.

(Click to see the film review)

Alia Bhatt and Arjun Kapoor not only have a brilliant chemistry but also a set of parents who are culturally poles apart. Good music and it’s fun to watch.

Film trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGyAaR2aWcA

9. Hawaa Hawaai (May 2014)

Hawaa Hawaai

Amole Gupte (director) and Partho Gupte (actor) – the father-son duo gave us this superb emotional drama.

(Click to see the film review)

A boy with limited financial means had the courage to dream and also the strength to achieve it.

Roller skating is taken to new heights, overall brilliant performances; this film is a celebration of innocence.

Film trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8WEqUvoJw4

8. Kya Dilli kya Lahore (May 2014)

Kya dilli kya lahore

Debutant director Vijay Raaz came up with a completely different take on India-Pakistan war films – a fresh outlook and an interesting script.

(Click to see the film review)

Fine performances by Vijay Raj himself and Manu Rishi Chadha and the brilliant poetic lyrics by Gulzar. A daring film to attempt i must say.

Film trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H91RXZ0nRv4

7. Filmistaan (July 2014)

filmistaan

A fresh take on the popularity of Bollywood and also the India-Pakistan tension.

(Click to see the film review)

Filmistaan deals with pretty sensitive issues but always with a divine comic touch.

Great acting performances overall; especially the dynamic and hilarious Sharib Hashmi.

Film trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-0LWnz8Ut0

6. Citylights (May 2014)

CityLights

After the National Award winning film Shahid, (director) Hansal Mehta and (actor) Rajkummar Rao comes together with yet another promising film.

(Click for the film review)

A remake of the British film Metro Manila, uncomfortably real and raw, the film forces us to look at poverty and despair from disturbing proximity.

Film trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fyO8OFK9yw

5. Highway (Feb 2014)

highway

Brilliant performance by Alia Bhatt – so natural and spontaneous that she has even managed to eclipse a much senior actor like Randeep Hooda.

(click for the film review)

The film takes you in a tour of the whole North India; the combination of Imtiaz Ali’s direction and A.R.Rahman’s soulful music – a treat for film lovers.

Film trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o66nNnGZ5Rg

4. Children of war (May 2014)

Children of War

History often gets blurred with time but such courageous films revive them and voices the truth.

(Click to see the film review)

The film successfully recreates the horrific crimes orchestrated by Pakistan over the Bangladeshi (Bengali) people in the pre-independence era of Bangladesh in 1971. Great effort by director Mrityunjay Devvrat.

Film trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzIa0wYfUwU

3. Miss Lovely (Jan 2014)

Miss Lovely

The underground sleazy film industry of the 1980’s is never been explored before in such gritty details.

Ashim Ahluwalia (the director) has captured the dark underbelly of the C grade industry with brilliant realism.

Anil GeorgeNawazuddin Siddiqui and Niharika Singh have all given superb performances.

film trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzoAOoHdACk

2. Queen (March 2014)

queen

Most entertaining film of the year and an award winning performance by Kangana Ranaut.

(Click for the film review)

Girl power punched with fun and friendship.

Awesome music by Amit Trivedi’s, Vikas Vahl’s superb direction – a great story of a girl who learns to live her life Queen style!

film trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGC6vl3lzf0

1. Ankhon Dekhi (March 2014)

Ankhon dekhi

This film deserves a lot more appreciation, a beautiful story of a man with a strange conviction – he wants to believe only what he sees with his own eyes!

Rajat Kapoor skillfully directs this family drama and Sanjay Mishra gives the best performance of his life.

A rare gem – entertaining and thoughtful cinema.

film trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3yKUHI2mE4

and (The ‘+1′ film is not necessarily the best but certainly the most crazy one. A must watch)

+1. Lakhsmi (March 2014)

lakshmiLakshmi – the young village girl who stood up alone in the court against a prostitution racket in Hyderabad.

A film that is both disturbing and real (based on a true story) and truly courageous.

Nagesh Kukunoor directs this dark film that shows us the horrors of human trafficking, the torturous lives of girls who are forced to prostitution.

Film trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wf4hOMpKlEI

Bobby Jasoos (2014)

My Ratings: 2.5/5

Bobby Jasoos can be enjoyed as a film only if you don’t take it too seriously.

Check out Bidya Balan’s effortless acting, get tickled by the innumerable disguises she puts on, have a feel of Hyderabad and its cuisines, some funny moments here and there, a dose of family drama and the predictable romance.

If somehow the film has given the idea that there will be an actual detective drama or some kind of logical mystery/suspense to be solved by Bobby Jasoos, let me burst the bubble for you – there isn’t.

The story line is as simple and uncomplicated as the cases of Bobby Jasoos.

Bilqis aka Bobby (Vidya Balan) aspires to become the best detective in Mughalpura area (old city of Hyderabad). She has a supportive mother (Supriya Pathak), a non-cooperative father (Rajendra Gupta) and no success in her profession.

Then enters the mysterious Anees Khan (Kiran Kumar). He offers Bobby Jasoos loads of money to track down two young girls and a not-so-young boy for him.

Though Bobby Jasoos with her innovative ideas succeeds in finding the girls but soon she becomes suspicious of Anees Khan. Why is he in search of these young souls and more importantly why are these girls missing right after he has found them?

And why does Anees Khan need to carry a gun? (this is one of the many mysteries I am still trying to solve).

Never mind, I feel the ideal target audience for Bobby Jasoos should be the kids (although the film is not marketed keeping them in mind).

The funny title of the film, the cartoonish title track, the protagonist (Vidya Balan) being a caricature of a prototype detective who unnecessarily fiddles with magnifying glasses and binoculars and then the surprisingly sugar-coated climax –  undoubtedly it’s made for the little innocent hearts who still believes in happy-happy endings.

Vidya Balan obviously taking the spot light but there are many other good performances in the film. Ali Fazal, Tanvi Azmi, Arjan Bajwa, Prasad Barve, Akash Dahiya, Benaf Dadachanji  have all done justice to their characters.

Debutant director Samar Shaikh has tried his best to make a perfect family entertainment. Vishal Sinha did a good job with the camera. But the music (the unnecessary song sequences) doesn’t help the film at all – we expect much better from Shantanu Moitra.

I sincerely hope that the kids enjoy Bobby Jasoos and for the adults – watch your favorite Vidya Balan (that’ your only option).

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHTTNn_XEtE