Friday 30 November 2012

Talaash - Takes off with Hype but Crash Lands - 2 / 5

As I put it before, making a movie is a great task where thousands of man hours are put to work and it is easy to pass criticism.

However, as an end-user of the product, thought I do have rights to put across my impressions more as a feedback.

Aamir, please note pre release hype kills the movie. The reason is it increase the expectations to high level and that has more vulnerability to back fire. It has exactly happened to Talaash.

The first half, slowly unfolds and investigative pattern quite interesting. Full Marks

But then the mess happens.

Character Rosy (Kareena) interaction with Shekawat (Amir khan) totally deviates and hotel room sequence irritates more like a never ending soap opera serials. Rani Mukerji character never ever gels with the movie.

What should have been a typical Sherlock Holmes type of unravelling the mystery finally crash lands as a half baked and immature ending which cannot be termed as suspense.

The bench mark with which I went to see the movie was:

1. Malayalam film - CBI detective series (Acted by mammotty as Sethurama Iyer CBI - typical Indian Sherlock Holmes)

2.Malayalam Detective (Suresh Gopi)

3. Tamil Movie - Mounam sammatham (Mammotty)

But got disappointed.

Investigative thriller is like walking in sword edge.  But Talaash - Having build up the suspense but ending  immature leaves a kind of void in the mind.

As fars as Ratings, my workings are simple -

Rating 2 is only for Aamir khan acting (superb in the end where he sobs on shore of the lake)

Aamir, Better luck next time

Saturday 17 November 2012

Mixpherion - Movie Review - Thuppakki - 4 / 5

Dear all,

Just watched Thuppakki (Tamil film released for Diwali starring Vijay)

It is quite interesting and more refreshing to watch this investigative thriller, with right dosage of suspense and action.

It is a welcome trend in Tamil films to have such investigative thrillers, similar to Malayalam movies like Commissioner, Bharatchandran IPS, Detective, Tiger - all Suresh Gopi action series and CBI series of Mammotty acting as Indian Sherlock Holmes.

Vijay aptly fits in the role of Indian Army Officer and mention also to be made by the actor who portrayed Villain - even if the villain comes in limited scenes he is stylish and leave mark.

Vijay carries the film on his shoulder easily and one biggest improvement in this film is - Vijay's body language - He is suave and all his action emulates the image of a very serious man targeting only his mission.

His action, coupled with sequencing of action frames by AR Murugadoss is awesome in two occassions:

1. When Jagdish (Vijay) and his team, started following and logically splitting in tracking the sleeper cell terrorists and gun them all at one stroke in different locations.

2. When Terrorists, start kidnapping the sisters of army officers team how Jagdish(Vijay) manipulate and track them and save - excellent cat and mouse game.

Kajal, Jayram, sathyan characters are seems to be imposed just for some formality sake as none of them add value and substance to the story sequence.

Harris Jayraj music is a damp squib - and his background score never ever comes to a standard of what needs to be given to a investigative thriller.

Except the Introduction song all the other songs serve as a biggest speed breaker to this movie which irritates when the viewers are at the edge of their seats eagerly waiting as how the next scene would unfold.

Many audience behind me, shouted and booed whenever a song sequence started.

AR Murugadoss, should note a point, that in these investigative thrillers, once the Mission sequence start rolling, no interruption in the form of songs should come - That will mar the beauty of story telling of this genre.

My workings for rating this movie (My opinion only)

Investigative Thriller and Action Genre     1.50
Vijay Charisma                                        2.00
AR Murugadoss package                         1.00
Fight sequences                                        1.00
                                                             ---------
Total                                                        5.50

Less: Kajal, Jayram, Sathyan       0.50
         Harris Jayraj Music            1.00       1.50
                                                             --------
                                                                 4.00
                                                              --------

Quite Watchable within the constraints of - Kajal,Jayram,Sathyan scenes and Music

I am fully aware as how difficult is to make a movie which includes thousands and thousands of man hours are put in and passing sly judgement or criticism is very easy.

But as an end user of a product - i.e. the Audience I thought I too can register my views more as a feedback. Thats it.  This does not in anyway relate to the hard work put on by all who worked for making this movie. Wishing the Thuppakki team Good luck.


Regards,

Vivek



Tuesday 13 November 2012

Jab Tak Hai Jaan - Movie Review - 3.85 / 5.00

Dear all,

Just watched the eagerly awaited movie Jab Tak Hai Jaan.

Overall, like every Yash chopra film, this film also has yash chopra stamp in bringing the emotions of Romance. It is quite pleasant to watch.

Shahrukhan's Charisma is the life line for the movie.  

His entry in Royal Enfield bullet as Samar Anand of Indian Army - Bomb diffusing squad -was amazing.  Whistles went like thunder in chennai theatre where I saw - which was similar to a MGR / Rajini film.

Each and every frame - Yash Chopra had carved Shahrukhan at his best.

A simple story of an Indian Army officer - who had a past when he was a carefree young musician in London and how is his relationship with two women who come across his life - the story telling and the unfoldment of Scenes are precise and excellent.

Camera work is splendid and this is something which YRF always concentrates - The beauty of Ladak, Kashmir and also London suburbs - is a visual treat.

My Likes in the Movie

1. Shahrukhan get-up as Indian Army officer and Young guitar player - amazing contrast with realism.

2. The Role of Anushka Sharma - Akira as a bubbling young girl to achieve and it is her pep-up energy in her acting brings more life to the role. Frequently calling shahrukhan as  - "Hey soldier" is really quite nice to watch.

3.The twist of Shahrukhan getting into retrograde amnesia during second accident, and his impulsive recollection during the bomb alert in London Railway station where he diffuses the bomb with the instinct of his past skill is a DELIGHT to watch.

My Opinion in - either could be avoided or focused well in the Movie

1. Katrina Kaif, smoking scenes should have been avoided. This is not gelling with the movie.

2. Katrina Kaif, could have performed a bit more better on the --- dominant, assertive, in-decisive women character. Nevertheless, She manages.

3. Anupam Kher, Rishi kapoor, Neetu singh, have very less impact in the movie and story line.

My Dislike in the Movie

In my opinion, the biggest drawback, as I would like to put it is - Music by AR Rahman. Totally out of tune, banging the ears, and none of the songs have soul in it except some Artificial Rusty Rumbling sounds tearing your ear drums and thrashing the nerve cells of your brain.

Considering the songs of Darr, Silsila, Veer-Zara, the music of ARR both songs and background score is very below standards.  Why ARR was careless, God only Knows!

These are my opinions as a viewer after viewing the film.

I know, how difficult it is to make a film - which is the work of thousands and thousands of man hours dedicated work and passing judgement/criticize is very easy.

But still as an end-user of the product i.e. viewer, I felt that I too can register my impressions about the Film after watching it.  More like a feedback.

The workings of ratings (My opinion) - in the scale of 5.00

------ Shahrukhan's Charisma                                2.00
------ Yash Chopra Stamp                                    1.85
-------Camera - Visual extravaganza                      1.00
-------Twists in second half                                    1.00
                                                                         ------
Total                                                                  5.85

------Less: AR Rahman Music                              2.00
                                                                       -------
                                                                         3.85
                                                                         ------

Dear Yash Chopra, we will definitely miss you as henceforth there is nobody like you to guide and prompt to focus emotions and carve it to films in a watchable way----Any way you will always be with us, through your master pieces you had created for us.

Praying, for your Soul be rested in the feet of God Eternally.

Regards,

Vivek


Thursday 8 November 2012

You Tube Content ID Sanction - A Moral Turpitude

Dear all,

My views on copyright claims is always clear. We should not act in contrary to the claims by copyright owners.

Now, in a mass portal like YouTube  where millions upload million videos, it is highly impossible to get the prior approval from the respective copyright owners and in most cases we may not even know who the current copyright owners are.

However, YouTube have a automated triggering system - which gives an alert saying - your videos may contain contents owned by xyz ltd and you press the acknowledge button - it is recorded as acknowledged claims and YouTube status says - your video is fully available and status is not in anyway affected.

Good. that is a practical way of both acknowledging and indirectly regularizing the claims.

Secondly, some times you get content ID penalization and message comes - Your video is blocked world wide and content ID is turned red and when you delete the video it is restored to green.

These two are perfect mutually understanding the transaction, where both the copyright owners and the up-loaders interact and a joint action is performed.

Now the cases where the copyright ID sanction strike and removal of video suomoto by copyright owners cannot be acceptable.  We may not know who is real owners, who are fake owners and You-tube claims as per US law if strike is 3 - YouTube account be terminated.

Now, how come this be considered legal. This is an one sided action, by a person without consulting the up loader goes and strike and mess up his channel.   How can you-tube support this.

Does not the you tube has the responsibilities of considering the interests of up-loaders (many are non-profit persons posting for just fun and sharing amongst the friends)

If we post under non-profit channel - then why you tube flash advertisements on that......why it is acting contrary to the category in which it is posted.

Many have painful experiences where they develop, say  a channel and nurture it for 2 years with a views of 7 million with 410 subscribers - suddenly is messed within 3 seconds by some unknown copyright owner claim and the account get terminated.

You-tube policy has to change else it is involving in a moral turpitude harming the interest of viewers and the very purpose of you-tube had become mockery.

All I request is - remove the copyright ID sanction strike -  Retain the other two, to ensure channel is safe and secure.

Play a fair game, don't take viewers/up loaders for granted.

Will Google do it ------ Let us wait and watch.