Movie Review: Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani

The last time Ayan Mukerji and Ranbir Kapoor got together, they produced the real and extra likable Wake Up Sid (a very different Dharma Productions film).  I remember being very impressed by the pair of them back in 2009.  This time as they are back for Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, the real is missing her but instead we have great leads and supporting players who deliver some great moments of friendship, laughter and good times.

Naina (Deepika Padukone) is the stereotypical straitlaced girl in most films who is scholarly when she wears glasses and sheds her inhibitions once the glasses are off.  Kabir aka Bunny (Ranbir Kapoor) is her opposite, who loves to experience life and wants to explore the world.  She is happy with who she is, where she is.  Meanwhile Bunny can't stay in one place for too long and is always longing for more adventures.

Yet these two meet on a trek to Manali which Naina tags along at the last minute to experience some fun and spontaneity in her life.  Also on the trip are Aditi (Kalki Koechlin) and Avi (Aditya Roy Kapur) who along with Bunny are best friends. Along the way, hijinks ensue, songs are sung and Naina and Bunny begin their journey of falling in love.

But of course, they must part only to meet again and realize what they really want. This obstacle doesn't make that much sense and seems forced in the screenplay only to be solved quite neatly in a sequence set in a palace wedding in Udaipur.  No, really! This is a Dharma Productions film, what did you expect? The majority of the songs are extremely pleasing to the eyes and ears and only 'Dilliwaali Girlfriend' seemed unnecessary.

Ranbir and Deepika's chemistry is crackling and their moments onscreen are hilarious and very endearing.  Ranbir is super charming (sigh) and absolutely effortless in any kind of scene one can throw at him. You'd fall in love with him too.  Deepika surprised me.  She really has improved film to film.  Kalki Koechlin also seems quite different in the film and I especially enjoyed how real and gritty the friendships between Avi, Aditi and Bunny felt.

This is where the true strength of the film lies and not in the romance it's marketed to be.  All in all, it's an enjoyable trip to the cinema especially if you're a Ranbir Kapoor fan which I'm guessing many people are.

PS-Kunal Roy Kapur has a small role in the film but he totally shines every moment he's onscreen.

Directed by Ayan Mukerji; Screenplay by Ayan Mukerji; Cinematography by V. Manikandan; Editing by Akiv Ali; Music by Pritam

Additional cast: Farooque Sheikh, Dolly Ahluwalia, Poorna Jagannathan

Rating: (an extra gold DVD for Ranbir)

Movie Review: Side Effects

Side Effects is dark, twisty and completely mesmerizing.  There's never a dull moment in it.  Director Steven Soderbergh's last few films have been quite in form and it's hard to accept the fact that this film might very well be his last big screen movie.  He hasn't ruled out television (see Behind the Candelabra) so we still have hope.

As the film opens, we get closer and closer to a nondescript building as we enter the apartment of a young couple, Emily (Rooney Mara) and Martin (Channing Tatum), to immerse ourselves into their troubled lives.  We get information about their lives through them and well-meaning outsiders who just want the best for them.  Martin is recently released from prison for insider trading and trying to get his life together again.  His wife, we're told and shown, is depressed.

After a failed suicide attempt, Emily is advised by the hospital psychiatrist Dr. Banks (Jude Law) to come in for therapy and on some medication.  Still she remains melancholy and in a decision that comes back to haunt major characters later, gets prescribed to a new and powerful drug Ablixa.  And then Emily while sleepwalking, a side effect of the drug, kills Martin and goes back to sleep.

Here's where the story picks up as the case heads to trial and Dr. Banks gets his life thrown upside down and later does his best to regroup and get back together again.  Those closeup and random throwaway shots that we get a glimpse of early in the film gain greater meaning as more and more information is revealed. An early shot of Emily glancing at her distorted reflection in the mirror by the bar says so much on so many levels.

Soderbergh does well to reveal each piece of the puzzle to us.  The only time I felt he faltered was at the obligatory flashback at the end of the film.  He handles the actors deftly and draws a fascinating performance out of Rooney Mara. She never picks uninteresting roles.  But eventually Jude Law, as the bewildered doctor, Channing Tatum, as the clueless husband and Catherine Zeta-Jones are the former psychiatrist are basically in supporting players to Mara's Emily.

This film has many Hitchcockian elements, a man wrongly accused, a scary sequence with a knife and several moments where the characters withhold information again and again which might frustrate some.  But this is a good thing, trust me, it makes it far interesting for us, the audience.  It also works well as a dark commentary of the dangers of anti-depressants and the reliance on medication that we as a society now have.

Side Effects didn't do well in its theatrical run but I have a feeling it will do better in this word of mouth format as it makes the DVD rounds.  Do it give a chance, you'll definitely be rewarded with a layered, thrilling drama.

Directed by Steven Soderbergh; Screenplay by Scott Z. Burns, Cinematography by Peter Andrews (Steven Soderbergh); Editing by Mary Ann Bernard; Music by Thomas Newman

Additional cast: Vinessa Shaw, Ann Dowd

Rating:

Movie Review: Star Trek Into Darkness

Every film in a franchise comes with big expectations and Star Trek Into Darkness is no exception.  However this time, the weight of those mighty expectations rest more onto director J.J. Abrams who has recently been named director of the upcoming Star Wars Episode VII as well.  As we have yet to see how Abrams will handle the Star Wars universe, let’s take a look at his second outing in the Star Trek universe.

Star Trek Into Darkness opens with a wonderful sequence on a primitive planet that shows us the differing approaches between Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) and First Officer Spock (Zachary Quinto) of the Starship Enterprise.  Of course, the crew of the Enterprise hangs just over the edge until it gets that boost and rights itself back on the correct path.  That's the fun of space adventure according to Captain Kirk.

But Spock's Vulcan instincts ground the crew until two horrific terrorist attack on Starfleet put Kirk and his crew right back in the middle of action pursuing a crazed maniac, John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch) in the worst kept secret of the film.  Yes, he is exactly who you suspected him of being.  Yet Cumberbatch fits those sinister boots well, all pale and deeply intense with his voice.  

The crew, of course, are all back from the first film. Uhura (Zoe Saldana), Chekov (Anton Yelchin), Dr. Bones (Karl Urban), Scotty (Simon Pegg) and Sulu (John Cho) are the dependable glue on which the ship stands.  Speaking of the Enterprise, the ship also gets some great footage in 3D as it hurtles through space at warp speed. Unfortunately, this comes at the expense of some character development of the Enterprise crew and the core trio of Kirk, Spock and Uhura. I had hoped for a larger role in the film for Saldana than that of constant worrying girlfriend.

There are some great interactions early on between Kirk and Spock and again of the two with Uhura which had me chuckling with affection but then the film got intense, fast.  The action sequences were surprisingly good for post-conversion and had me jumping in my seat at times.  Overall, the film is enjoyable trip to the cinema for Trekkies and Abrams most likely last directorial venture in this film universe (I hope not!) will leaves us wanting more at the end of the film. 

Directed by J.J. Abrams; Screenplay by Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman and Damon Lindelof; Based on 'Star Trek' created by Gene Roddenberry; Cinematography by Daniel Mindel; Editing by Maryann Brandon and Mary Jo Markey; Music by Michael Giacchino

Additional cast: Bruce Greenwood, Peter Weller, Alice Eve, Noel Clarke

Rating:

Movie Review: Iron Man Three

A year ago, The Avengers came, saw and conquered the box office and its fans.  Iron Man Three sure looks to follow its path as Tony Stark is back in an all-new Iron Man adventure packed with enormous effects, many sidekicks and lots of quippy dialogue delivered in a style is uniquely Robert Downey Jr.'s.

The events in New York that leaves the world and Tony Stark unsettled and that is not the place Stark hopes to find himself in.  He has high anxiety if anyone even mentions the city of New York and spends nights he should be sleeping working on the perfect version of the Iron Man.  He is too involved in his personal demons but as we know trouble always manages to find our superheroes.

In this case, trouble is called The Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) who takes responsibility for terrorist attacks against the United States.  And when Happy (Jon Favreau), Stark's head of security, ends up in the hospital after a bomb explodes at the Chinese Theater, Tony just has to get involved. This time it ends up getting really personal as The Mandarin blows up his home to smithereens.

That's when the Iron Man emerges, when all his chips are down and he is reduced to back to being, as he calls himself 'a mechanic'.  He must research what The Mandarin's true intentions are, save his friends and find out what his past has to do with his present.  Robert Downey Jr. was made for this role and it shows.  He knows this character like the back of his hand.

The rest of the cast do their part in aiding Iron Man as both the Iron Patriot (Don Cheadle) and Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) step up to saving the day.  Stark also gets a wee sidekick for a little while which leads to great bit about a Dora the Explorer watch. It's hilarious. 

Guy Pearce also does well as crazed scientist Aldrich Killian.  I enjoyed James Badge Dale's turn as an evil henchman and Happy Endings' Adam Pally as super-enthusiastic Stark fan.  But the real scene-stealer of the film is Ben Kingsley who takes it to new heights as The Mandarin.  You'll want to watch it again mainly for him.

Just as Joss Whedon's second film The Avengers kicked off the summer season, so does director Shane Black's second film that just sparkles with some great dialogues and explosive climax. Sometimes a Marvel movie is just what the summer doctor ordered.  Take a friend and enjoy the start of summer at the movies. 

Directed by Shane Black; Screenplay by Shane Black and Drew Pearce; Cinematography by John Toll; Editing by Peter S. Elliot and and Jeffrey Ford; Music by Brian Tyler.

Additional cast: Paul Bettany, Rebecca Hall, Ty Simpkins and William Sadler

Rating:

Top 5 Films for Mother's Day

In most parts of the world today, Mother's Day is celebrated.  And as I'm sitting at home sick (having given my own mother the flu), I got to recalling some of my favorite films that feature great, moving and memorable mother-daughter relationships with her.

5. Brave - One of the few animated feature films that contains a solid relationship between a mother and daughter.  In most animated feature films (see Disney films), the mother doesn't make past the first fifteen minutes.  However, in Brave (co-directed by Brenda Chapman), headstrong Princess Merida and Queen Elinor learn to finally listen to each other and what they wish for their lives. In the end, like every fairy tale, all's well that ends well.

4. One True Thing - Meryl Streep, who excels in most mother's roles, plays the long-suffering wife and mother to a novelist husband (William Hurt) and her writer daughter Ellen (Renee Zellweger).  In the film, Ellen comes to realized how unfairly she's treated her mother and comes to share a closer relationship as her mother is diagnosed with cancer.  Keep the tissues handy as Streep, of course, absolutely brings it.  And if you're still longing for some weepy films, check out Steel Magnolias or Terms of Endearment.  Don't say I didn't warn you.

3. Freaky Friday (1976) and Freaky Friday (2003) - This is the ultimate mother-daughter movie.  What could get a mother-daughter who don't see eye to eye than spending a day in each other's shoes? Literally!  These two Disney films are classic entertainment with Jodie Foster and Lindsay Lohan (before her downfall) playing the daughters.  But the newer version needs to be seen for Jamie Lee Curtis' absolutely fearless performance. 

2. Stepmom - This one never fails to bring on the waterworks.  And I always have an urge to sing 'Ain't No Mountain High Enough' afterwards.  Susan Sarandon and Julia Roberts are at their best when they become part of one big large happy family when Roberts marries into the family.  The last scene is so good between the two women who each have fears and insecurities for their children.  I can watch this film anytime.

1. Imitation of Life (1934) and Imitation of Life (1959) - My final recommendation features strong performances from the actresses in both films. Similar to the recent HBO mini-series Mildred Pierce starring Kate Winslet, the films features lasting friendships between white widow, her black housekeeper and their heartbreaking relationships with their daughters.  Watch these if you can.

News Update: Cinderella, Elizabeth Bennett fights Zombies and JJ Abrams visits Downton Abbey!

Meet the new Cinderella!  Walt Disney Pictures' new live action film on Cinderella cast its lead actress in Lily James (Downton Abbey) after their first choice Emma Watson passed on it.  The film has 2014 release and features Cate Blanchett as James' evil stepmother and will be directed by Kenneth Branagh.  Although my personal favorite Cinderella film still remains 1998's Ever After: A Cinderella Story featuring a kickass Drew Barrymore (bad English accent notwithstanding) in the Cinderella role and Angelica Huston as her stepmother.

The zombies live to see another day!  The Universe does want to see Elizabeth Bennett and her beloved Darcy become zombie hunters. And I will get to see a Regency zombie apocalypse.  Huzzah! Lily Collins (formerly Snow White in Disney's Mirror Mirror) will star and director Burr Steers (17 Again, Charlie St. Cloud) will helm Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, based on Seth Grahame-Smith's best-selling novel. 

He reinvented Star Trek and he's on his way to do the same to Star Wars, so what's filmmaker extraordinaire J.J. Abrams doing in the Downton Abbey kitchen? Can he introduce time travel into the show and bring back Matthew Crawley? Pretty please!!!

First clip of Pixar's upcoming short The Blue Umbrella

Here's a first clip from Disney Pixar's new short, The Blue Umbrella, due to debut in front of Monsters University this June. The official description says:

It is just another evening commute until the rain starts to fall, and the city comes alive to the sound of dripping rain pipes, whistling awnings and gurgling gutters. And in the midst, two umbrellas—one blue, one not—fall eternally in love.

I can hear the 'awws' in the theater already!  And it's also eerily reminiscent of the yellow umbrella scene from How I Met Your Mother.  Umbrellas and love, go figure!

Directed by Saschka Unseld, the short will make use of the studio's newest technology that gives the film a "photorealistic" look largely because of new algorithms and lots of global illumination.  The result as you can see for yourself is absolutely stunning. 

(Photo: Wall Street Journal)

Glad to see Pixar experimenting with animation technology to create bold and unique shorts that still touch our hearts.  Might we see a Pixar full length feature one day in this manner? I'm sure the geniuses over at Pixar are already hard at work at it.