New Release-Boss Engira Bhaskaran

Boss Engira Bhaskaran

Critic's Rating: *** Cast: Arya, Nayanthara, Santhanam, Subbu Panchu, Ashwin Raja Direction: M Rajesh Readers Rating: ***1/2Rate this movie 1 (Poor) 1.5 (Below average) 2 (Average) 2.5 (Above average) 3 (Good) 3.5 (Good +) 4 (Very good) 4.5 (Very good +) 5 (Outstanding)

Movie Review: A multi-star cast, a whisper of a plot and plenty of one-liners that will keep you laughing at regular intervals.

Director Rajesh has hit upon a surefire formula to get families audience tripping into theatres during the holiday weekend. It is a also a film that takes a slight dig at the formulaic films. Like the line which has Santhanam wondering why when everyone has many friends he constantly gets into trouble having just one. Most heroes have four or five friends, as we all know. The refrain, 'nanbenda' (friend), pronounced so, is sure to be heard around college campuses.

And it is as much a story on friendship as it is on romance. Kumbakonam-based Boss (aka) Bhaskaran is a carefree guy from an average family who is preparing to clear, for the fifth time, his arrears in college, while Nallathambi (Santhanam) owns ThalaThalapathy (a reference to Ajith and Vijay) hair dressing saloon. When Chandrika (Nayanthara) interferes in Boss' life as the invigilator who seizes his 'bit' papers (to copy from), Boss is not angry, but ends up telling her that he is going to marry her. Chandrika, amused at his approach, keeps saying 'pardon' and Nallathambi obligingly tells him the word means 'paadein' (sing). While their romance is kept light, with plenty of tongue-in-cheek references to Tamil films, Boss' brother Saravanan, a veterinarian, falls in love and marries Nandini ('Friends' Vijayalakshmi), who is Chandrika's sister. When Nandini raises the question of Boss' eligibility to marry her sister, the story takes a turn, and humour, which had been predominant in the first half, takes a back seat.

When the director shows Boss watching 'Annamalai' on TV and getting inspired, you are not surprised. But his excuses, when facing various career options, make Boss an original. The tutorial college angle may be predictable, but soon humour is back on track, and it is enjoyable. You will also come away with some amazing performances. Panchu Arunachalam's son who debuts as Saravanan bowls you over with his modulation and Ashwin Raja, as Paul Raj the much-failed student, makes a mark.

Good time pass.

New Release-Ogo Bodhu Sundori

Babul and Sreelekha in Ogo Bodhu Sundori

Critic's Rating: **1/2 Cast: Babul Supriyo, Sreelekha Mitra, Monami Ghosh, Kharaj Mukherjee, Sabitri Chatterjee, Haradhan Bandopadhyay, Arnab and others Direction: Sunanda Mitra Readers Rating: ***Rate this movie 1 (Poor) 1.5 (Below average) 2 (Average) 2.5 (Above average) 3 (Good) 3.5 (Good +) 4 (Very good) 4.5 (Very good +) 5 (Outstanding)

Movie Review: Enough has been debated over the copyright issues related to Sunanda Mitra's "Ogo Bodhu Sundori" that gives a spin to Salil Dutta's film starring Uttam Kumar, Sumitra Mukherjee, Moushumi Chatterjee, Ranjit Mallick and Santosh Datta. While the court is yet to give the verdict on the copyright issues regarding Bappi Lahiri's songs, the film has already been released after an out-of-court settlement. For most Bengalis who have seen the Uttam Kumar movie, there are some things that's going to strike the eye once the credits start rolling.

Firstly, the production quality of Sunanda's film is at par with that of the Uttam Kumar movie. The film has the same old-world look and has nothing in terms of the gloss that contemporary Bengali movies boast of. Secondly, the twist in the tale at the fad end of the film, which, in some ways, also acts as a disclaimer should anyone have any comment on Sunanda making an unauthorised copy of the Uttam Kumar film. Thirdly, the curious introduction of a lesbian wedding scene that is supposedly meant to add 'comic relief' to the film! As far as the storyline goes, the narrative is pretty straight, what with Babul Supriyo playing professor Uttam Kumar and Sreelekha Mitra his aggrieved wife.

The romantic comedy begins when Monami Ghosh (Phulmoni Murmu) enters Uttam's life and is adequately tutored to learn etiquette and the ways of genteel society. As Sreelekha goes green with envy mistaking that her husband is in love with the tribal girl and the subplot builds up the tension between Sreelekha's grandmother, Sabitri Chatterjee (Nityakali), and Babul's grandfather, Haradhan Bandopadhyay (Provonjon), Mitra adds a new twist to the tale that comes as a pleasant surprise.

As far as acting goes, Monami bravely takes up the challenge of portraying a role that has been perfected on-screen by none other than Moushumi Chatterjee. Sreelekha too tries hard to match up to the performance of Sumitra Mukherjee. The toughest role, however, has been given to Babul Supriyo. By singing the songs immortalized by Kishore Kumar, comparisons are bound to happen. Babul does a fairly good job here. Besides the hard work, Babul needs to be more experienced as an actor to pull of a role which is bound to be compared with the Mahanayak's performance. While Haradhan Bandopadhyay does a swell job, Sabitri Chatterjee could have looked more the part had she not been given to sport a weird wig. Kharaj Mukherjee sure has enough talent in him to play a role that's not as engaging as the ones he usually portrays in other Bengali movies. Music for the film is a high point. Sanjay Basu's title track, which has been penned by the director himself, is pleasing to the ears. Apart from Babul's rendition of "Nari choritro" and "Ei toh jibon", Alka Yagnik and Aneshwa Dutta Gupta do a neat job when they sing "Tui joto phul" and "Akashbhora surjotara" respectively.

Check out

Alka Yagnik's rendition of Asha Bhosle's 'Tui jato phul dis ne kene'

Director Sunanda Mitra has penned the lyrics for the title track

India's first on-screen lesbian marriage scene.

New Release-Utt Pataang

A still from the movie More Pics

Critic's Rating: **1/2 Cast: Vinay Pathak, Mahi Gill, Mona Singh, Saurabh Shukla Direction: Shrikanth Velagaleti Genre: Crime Duration: 2 hours Readers Rating: **Rate this movie 1 (Poor) 1.5 (Below average) 2 (Average) 2.5 (Above average) 3 (Good) 3.5 (Good +) 4 (Very good) 4.5 (Very good +) 5 (Outstanding)

More from Utt Pataang

Trailer

Photogallery

Story : On the eve of splitting with girlfriend, Mahi Gill, Vinay Pathak meets up with Mona Singh who is heartbroken too. But that's just the beginning of his troubles as he gets embroiled in a crime racket with a look-alike gangster, a detective friend (Saurabh Shukla) and a lost bag of crisp moolah.

Movie Review: A bag bursting with bank notes always creates big trouble, both in real and reel life. There's always a lot of people running around in knotty circles to grab it and there's always a low premium on honesty and fair play. So get ready for another fair is foul-foul is fair drama that has energetic bits and pieces amidst some mediocre stuff. Questionable too is the narrative structure which might seem innovative to few but gets clunky and incoherent for the average viewer who might just lose patience trying to keep pace with the back and forth jumps.

So what's engaging? Ordinary bloke Vinay Pathak's interludes with mysterious stranger Mona Singh. But the same Vinay Pathak simply blows it as the Pink Panther-like gangster with his unfunny French and his overdone gigs. Equally disengaging is Mahi Gill's moll act which strangely lacks all the spark she displayed in Dev D. Sadly, the actor is still looking for a foothold in Bollywood despite an impressive debut.

Intermittently interesting, Utt Pataang has a problem of plenty. You've seen this so many times in experimental gangster noir.

New Release-Yeh Saali Zindagi

A still from the movie More Pics

Critic's Rating: ***1/2 Cast: Irrfan Khan, Arunoday Singh, Chitrangda Singh, Aditi Rao Hyadri, Saurabh Shukla, Sushant Singh Direction: Sudhir Mishra Genre: Thriller Duration: 2 hours 10 minutes Readers Rating: ****1/2Rate this movie 1 (Poor) 1.5 (Below average) 2 (Average) 2.5 (Above average) 3 (Good) 3.5 (Good +) 4 (Very good) 4.5 (Very good +) 5 (Outstanding)

More from Yeh Saali Zindagi

Trailer

Photogallery

Story : Arun (Irrfan Khan) and Kuldeep (Arunoday Singh), two gangsters commit the biggest blunder. They get their love life entangled with their criminal misdemeanours. End result? A guns and roses story where everybody gets enmeshed in a dangerous web of fraud, treachery and kidnapping. Can anybody break the vicious circle?

Movie Review : Sudhir Mishra ain't no stranger to gangster rap. He has already proved his prowess at tackling Bollywood's favourite theme in an earlier cult thriller, Is Raat Ki Subah Nahin, where love exploded against the violent backdrop of the Mumbai underworld. This time, emotions go ballistic in the seamy alleys and shady suburbs of Delhi's underbelly. And yes, the backdrop simply takes your breath away. Mishra's canvas -- and cinematographer (Sachin Kumar Krishnan) -- captures the Capital and it's alluring adjuncts with love and caress, creating stunning visuals of a city that's tranquil in turmoil.

But the picturesque visuals are just one part of the story. More important is the story itself. Mishra's script not only keeps you entertained with its umpteen twists and turns, it also pays due respect to the intelligence of the viewer. Like Kaminey, Yeh Saali Zindagi too expects the viewer to shake off his lethargy, catch the stray dialogue, understand the intonations and figure out the nuances of a screenplay that doesn't believe in spilling all the beans, all at once. The crime thriller unfolds as a narration by lead player, Irrfan Khan, a gangster who works for shady Saurabh Shukla but loses his heart to crooner, Chitrangda. It's a one-sided, totally irrational love affair that not only creates a storm in his ordered life but catapults him towards doom. Equally messed up and running on a parallel track is henchman Arunoday Singh's life, which oscillates between passionate encounters with harried wife, Aditi Rao Hyadri and double-edged dealings with two gangster brothers, Yashpal Sharma and Prashant Narayanan. Add to this a corrupt cop, Sushant Singh, and you have an entire circus of crooks trying to hoodwink each other for the final picking.

It does sound a bit confusing but if you're alert and attentive, you're going to love this merry-go-round. Specially since the ensemble cast breathes fire and passion in their performances. If Irrfan Khan leads the pack with his individual charisma, then Arunoday Singh isn't a step behind with his maverick charms. Both Chitrangda and Aditi too are mercurial with their moves, while Saurabh Shukla's archetypal Delhi-fixer act is fun to watch. Of course, it's hard to ignore another important facet of the film: the music. Swanand Kirkire's lyrics and Nishat Khan's music is not only a constant refrain, it adds leverage too.

Dark, devious and different, Yeh Saali Zindagi is brain-and-brawn drama. Wish the Censor hadn't beeped so much.

New Release-Sanctum

A still from the movie More Pics

Critic's Rating: ** Cast: Ioan Gruffudd, Richard Roxburg, Alice Parkinson, Rhys Wakefield Direction: Alister Grierson Genre: Adventure Duration: 1 hour 49 minutes Readers Rating: **Rate this movie 1 (Poor) 1.5 (Below average) 2 (Average) 2.5 (Above average) 3 (Good) 3.5 (Good +) 4 (Very good) 4.5 (Very good +) 5 (Outstanding)

More from Sanctum

Trailer

Photogallery Official Website

Story: The film explores the adventures of a bunch of underwater cave divers who undertake an expedition to Esa-Ala, one of the most treacherous and unexplored cave systems in the South Pacific. The explorers must survive a deathly flash flood which cuts off all their escape routes. So, what's the casualty list going to look like?

Movie Review: The tag line says this one's from the maker of Titanic and Avatar. Don't be duped. There isn't anything about the film that has the stamp of James Cameron, billed as the executive producer of the film. Was Cameron on holiday, scuba diving in the Bahamas while the film was being shot in the Esa-Ala? And that too in 3-D, which again is a ruse. Nothing pops and jumps at you, not even the adventurers who happily take the bottomless drop into the abyss.

The film follows the tried and tested formula of a disaster movie, where everything is predictable: the deaths, the accidents, the squabbles and the survivor spirit. The only spark in this grim-dim drama is the dysfunctional father-son relationship between ruthless explorer Frank McGuire and his disgruntled son Josh. There, in the midst of approaching doom, the duo share a Kodak moment and set aside all their acrimony to hug and make up after a heartfelt confessional.

Touching, but not enough to give you the requisite adrenalin rush

New Release-Alpha & Omega

A still from the movie More Pics

Critic's Rating: ** Cast: Voice of Justin Long, Hayden Panettiere, Dennis Hopper, Danny Glover Direction: Anthony Bell, Ben Gluck Genre: Animation Duration: 1 hour 28 minutes Readers Rating: **Rate this movie 1 (Poor) 1.5 (Below average) 2 (Average) 2.5 (Above average) 3 (Good) 3.5 (Good +) 4 (Very good) 4.5 (Very good +) 5 (Outstanding)

More from Alpha & Omega

Trailer

Photogallery Official Website

Story: Can an Omega fall in love with an Alfa in the wolves' pecking order? No. So trouble brews when they actually do. Do these howlers hop across the class divide?

Movie Review: This one's quite indeterminate. Neither cute enough for kids, nor smart enough for adults, the wolfish affair has nothing much to offer to anyone. Both Alfa and Omega aren't hero material: a mandatory fact for animation fables.

Despite fighting a class war and sharing a few popsicle moments in their flight from a national park in Idaho to the minus-human wilds, the wolves don't have too much of a story to tell. Also, there's hardly anything to justify the 3-D tag. Actually all this 3-D business is getting quite tiresome, what with stained, heavy and headachy goggles, pressing down your nose for no reason at all

New Release-Biutiful

A still from the movie More Pics

Critic's Rating: ***1/2 Cast: Javier Bardem, Bianca Portillo Direction: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu Genre: Drama Duration: 2 hours 27 minutes Readers Rating: Rate this movie 1 (Poor) 1.5 (Below average) 2 (Average) 2.5 (Above average) 3 (Good) 3.5 (Good +) 4 (Very good) 4.5 (Very good +) 5 (Outstanding)

More from Biutiful

Trailer

Photogallery Official Website

Story: Uxbal (Javier Bardem) wants to set everything right in his messed up life in seedy Barcelona. He wants to save the Chinese immigrants who work in the sweatshops from exploitation. He wants to keep the bothersome cops away from the African street vendors. He wants to look after his two young kids single-handedly. He wants to make some money that would secure their future. And he wants to fight fast-approaching death. Will the desperate man find deliverance?

Movie Review: There's mood. Oodles of it. And there's the man. Javier Bardem, an actor who transforms the screen into a living-breathing canvas, brimming over with emotions. Biutiful is a gritty ode to the human spirit which never does give up, even if all the odds are piled up against it.

Bardem's gruelling fight to clean up his life before curtain call touches your heart and fills you with sadness as you watch the dying man go through the entire gamut....Anger at his helplessness, rage at social injustice, pleasure in parenting, sorrow at having to let go, it's all there, in plenty. Whether he's battling institutional decay or a life-threatening disease, the actor showcases gladiatorial talent. No wonder he figures in the sundry award nominations for Best Actor. Watch him feeding his kids an imaginary breakfast or driving away their fears in the dead of night, even though he's mighty afraid himself....Beautiful stuff.