REVIEW: Transformers: Dark of the Moon AKA Transformers 3

DIRECTED BY: MICHAEL BAY

Its 3^rd part of transformers series directed by Michael Bay and starring Shia LaBeouf as key protagonist with Autobots.

Movie starts with a cybertronian spacecraft ARK crash on moon in 1961 which detected by NASA and some dark secrets behind moon mission of USA in 1969.

In present, Autobot have formed a military alliance with US. During a mission at Chernobyl site Optimus Prime discovers a fuel cell of that crashed ship ARK which activates Shockwave-a decepticon. After this Optimus Prime launches a mission to retrieve the pillars-a technology which can recreate and save Cybertron, from ARK and Sentinal Prime who was traveling on ARK. Optimus brings 5 pillars and Sentinal to earth where he re-activates him with the energy matrix. On the other hand defeated decepticon leader Megatron has plans to retrieve those pillars and create Cybertron with it on earth’s resources.

Sam tries helps Autobots and Govt. with likely plans of decepticons but first Govt. didn’t consider him and this leads to great disturbance on earth.

Movie has stunning action sequences (as expected) and if you go for 3D you can have an extra edge. It has more transformers than earlier and bigger scale specifically the climax part. Michael Bay has created it exceptionally well. (In Hindi edition we have Akshay Kumar voicing over for Optimus Prime.)

No need to say its worth watching. Just go and enjoy it.

RATING: 7 OUT OF 10           

REVIEW:GREEN LANTERN (2011)-A new breed of superhero is here.

Directed By:Martin Campbell

Starring: Ryan Reynolds AS Green Lantern.

This is the comic adaptation from DC comics’ character of same name called Green Lantern. First thing first, I went to see this with minimum expectations but it turned out to be super impressive (I liked the whole concept and character even better than Spider-man).

Millions of years ago a group called guardians of universe created Green Lantern corps with the help of green force of willpower. Each green lantern protects each sector of universe which is divided in 3600 sectors. In present time a fear essence-Parallax whom Abin Sur-one of the green lantern imprisoned, escapes from prison and after killing four lanterns attacks Abin Sur and wounds him. abin sur escapes to nearest planet (earth),and releases his ring to find suitable person to be green lantern in his place. The ring chooses Hal Jordan- an aircraft pilot. From here the whole adventure of finding himself and being a true Green Lantern for Jordan starts and ultimately finds why he was the chosen one.

 Plot may be familiar like saving universe from an evil and all but there is something in this character which differentiates him from other super hero and impress also. He was not looser kid like spider-man or not a born superhero from different planet like superman, here was a man who was fighting with his inner strengths and weaknesses which gave this an extra edge over others.

Action sequences are always life of superhero movies and this movie gets full marks on that ground. Ryan Reynolds as Green Lantern is impressive (especially after watched him playing soft loving characters in past-except in X-men:volverine).

It’s worth watching and paisa vasool entertainer specially for those who is tired of watching slapstick hindi movies.

RATINGS: 7 OUT OF 10

Review: THOR (2011)

Directed By: Kenneth Branagh

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins, Tom Hiddlestone

THOR-the god of thunder is based on a superhero character from MARVEL comics of the same name. It is meant to be summer blockbuster and so far has been successful. (Before anyone watches this movie, it is needed to have basic idea of the character and world around it)

It starts with Odin-King of Asgard(Hopkins) defeating Frost Giants of Jotunheim from conquering the Nine Realms including earth in 965AD. In present when son of Odin-THOR was about to be king of Asgard, the Frost Giants tries to get back the Casket of ancient winter which was ceased by Odin back when he defeated frost Giants. This leads to THOR overpowering his father’s order and he goes to Jotunheim with his brother Loki and his warrior friends. Odin interrupts the fight and ceases all powers of THOR for his insane and exiles him to earth with his hammer-Mjolnir protected by spell that a worthy person will be able to handle and use it.

On the other hand Loki finds that he is actually son of Leufi-leader of frost giants. He gives Frost giants chance to kill Odin but THOR’s worrier friends finds it and goes to earth to get Thor back. Thor also discovers what his father wanted to teach and get his hammer and power back and at the end defeating Frost Giants.

As it a superhero movie it is meant to be full of action and superhero stuffs. So it is there in it with superb visuals. The actor portraying THOR,Chris Hemsworth is visually perfect and portrays well. Hopkins, Portman and Tom have also done well with their respective characters. Kenneth Branagh as we know is very good  actor-director, has justified with the movie. 

All in all it’s worth watching and I think specially kids will love it.

RATINGS: 6.75 OUT OF 10.   

REVIEW: SUCKER PUNCH (2011)

DIRECTED BY: ZACK SNYDER

The movie is an Action-Fantasy directed by Zack Snyder (who earlier made '300' and 'WATCHMEN') and consists Female Star cast in lead.

its about a girl who is sent to mental asylum by her stepfather after her mother's death where she will undergo lobotomy in 5days. so she plans to runaway in next 5 days from mental asylum. here she travels in to an imaginary world where she is a dancer of a club and she gets help of fellow dancer girls to escape from the place and for that she and other girls has to perform certain tasks.(Don't get confused with girl's parallel imaginary worlds,just enjoy)

Its a mixture of Dark world with imaginary world around 50's time. the movie is A VISUAL EXTRAVAGANZA with spectacular action sequences with  some very good background music. those who liked 300 and watchmen will sure love it. its a worth watch for those fantastic visuals and beautiful star cast.

RATING: 6.5 OUT OF 10.

LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (1962) ..... A VISUAL TREAT

Directed by: David Lean

LAWRENCE OF ARABIA is 1962 British EPIC movie based on the life of T.A.LAWRENCE and his experiences in Arabia during 1^st world war. Movie is directed by David Lean and it stars Peter O’Toole in title role of T.A.LAWRENCE. The film has other leading stars like Anthony Quinn, Omar Sharif, Alec Jiuness and Anthony Quayle.

 Lawrence who is a British army lieutenant is posted in Cairo during 1^st world war, he is only known for his unorthodox behavior and his knowledge. He is sent to find the prince faisal and analyze the situation of revolt against Turks. It moves on with how he gets the people of different communities in Arabia to get together and fight for their land. He does some of the unbelievable tasks which were looked impossible. His struggle with his own identity is also important aspect in the movie.   

One word to describe this movie “HUGE”, yes to make this scale of movie is no child’s play. This is made on bigger scale real locations (almost 60% movie is shot in desert) so many long shots covering many people and camels. It has running time of almost 215 minutes (generally movies don’t have running time like this) and it was shot with advanced technology of coming age. If this would have been made today it surely would have been biggest budget movie by far.

Movie is visually superb. Excellent camera work. And background music is excellent and has been used effectively. All the actors did very well especially Peter O’Toole and Omar Sharif.

A good option to watch at home on weekend this classic.

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THE WILD BUNCH (1969)

Directed By: Sam Peckinpah

The Wild Bunch is 1969 American-Western movie. The movie is about a bunch of crooks on Texas-Mexico border. The group was lead by Pike-an old outlaw who wants to make a final shoot with the last robbery. They plan to rob a railroad office containing silver but they didn’t know that they were trapped. Thorton-a former partner of Pike helps authority to trap them. This results in to a failed robbery by Pike and his group as they find what they rob was steel dishwashers not silver. So he decided to move ahead on Mexico border where a train with ammunitions was to come, so they make a deal with a Mexican General to rob the rain for them. On the other hand Thorton was sent to get Pike and all his associates for American authorities.

This movie contains lots of chasing on horse and gun fight, especially in climax. A worth watching western movie.

APOCALYPSE NOW (1979)

Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola

Starring: Martin Sheen

Marlon Brando

Robert Duvall

Laurence Fishburne

Dennis Hopper

Harrison Ford

Movie is set during the Vietnam War. Story is about two US army officers Capt. Willard (Martin sheen) and Colonel Kurtz (Marlon Brando). Capt. Willard is given a special mission to assassin Col. Kurtz. Martin Sheen is given mission by intelligence officers to journey through the Nung River into the Cambodia and find col. Kurtz who according to them has gone out of control and commanding his own troops in the jungle. They also tells him that he was once top ranking officer and considered future General.

The movie starts with a scene of Jungle and a song in the background called “this is the end” with series of explosions in the jungle and then shows face close up of Martin sheen who is not feeling good with civilian life and drinks extensively. This is the kind of start which impressed me and which I found quit unique than the other war movies. Movie I felt engaging despite of its slow pace because of Coppola’s way of narration of story, like how Sheen’s character keep on understanding the character of Brando from documents given to him,One after one posts which he visits and how he lost his crew members one by one on his way to hunt Kurtz, And finally the view around the Kurtz’s outpost,The scene in which Sheen meets Brando.

Movie is a unique experience for war movie lovers because this is not usual war movie where bombing and firing happens on two fronts and scenes where soldiers loose their life and others show extreme emotions on the loss of fellow soldiers. NO, but this one has something different to offer. After watching one will find why this movie is considered a CLASSIC.

Definitely WORTH experiencing.

KNIGHT and DAY (a nightmare for Cruise and Diaz) -- REVIEW

STARRING: TOM CRUISE as Roy Miller

                     CAMERON DIAZ as June Havens

Knight and Day starts with tom cruise(an FBI agent) waiting for his flight to take-off. On the airport he meets Cameron Diaz who is on the same flight. Tom was escaping from FBI with a Battery which is kind of only one and very useful. He smartly uses Diaz’s luggage to carry that battery on the flight. Real stuff starts after the flight takes off with so much fight and bit of light comedy (which we have seen so many times in ‘spy movies’). The FBI , the Mafia are all behind him for that battery but he is the hero and he knows every thing right from the how to land a plane, to swim big rivers, to fight with enemy without getting wounded even once, he knows every thing without any gadget(except one I-phone). And at the end after so much running, chasing and fight FBI got to know that he was actually saving the Battery from Bad Guys. All well ends well.

What was director or producer thinking before making the movie? They might have thought that what ever the story could be Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz will save the movie. But sorry this time it’s not like that, movie falls flat on the storyline. There is nothing new in this and both lead actors are wasted on this storyline. Both leading actors gave their 100% but it didn’t work this time.

The movie had few stunts and few comic scenes, apart from this nothing special. The producers may recover the cost but the movie is not worth the money spent.

For me it’s strictly average.

RATING: 4.75 OUT OF 10

The A-Team- REVIEW

DIRECTED BY: JOE CARNAHAN

STARRING: LIAM NEESON as HANNIBAL SMITH
BRADLEY COOPER as FACE
QUINTON JACKSON as BARACUS
SHARLTO COPLEY as MURDOCK
JESSICA BEIL as SOSA

This week’s Hollywood flick A-Team is based on 80s television show of the same name. This movie is from start to end hardcore action flick.

Cal. Smith and his team are known for their bravery and to complete impossible missions. After serving for many years to country they are trapped in a mission and as a result they got court-martialed from Army and sent to prison. But nothing can stop them they flew out from prison to prove that they were trapped and to take revenge from those who were behind all that unlawful act. Meanwhile in all this process you enjoy lots and lots of mind-cracking action.

This is for hardcore action lovers and I am confident that they will enjoy it. Superb stunts and really rocking climax makes this movie a must watch. The movie is thoroughly entertaining.

The movie is high on style and looks. All five lead actors have performed their part superbly.

I highly recommend to watch this if like guns and bullets and lots of Action.

RATING: 7.5 OUT OF 10.

THE KARATE KID

STARRING: JADEN SMITH (SON OF WILL SMITH)

                      JACKIE CHAN

Last movie got released for kids before the summer vacation gets over, THE KARATE KID. This is the remake of 1984 film of the same name.

Story is of a 12 year old kid who has moved to china from USA with his mother. As soon as he reaches Beijing he finds himself in to trouble by taking the attention of school bullies. The kid gets beaten down by those bullies and finds difficult to defend himself until one day Mr.Han (Jackie Chan) comes to help him out. Here starts kid’s journey to learn kung fu and defeating those bullies in the Kung Fu tournament.

This time the lead cast (the kid and those bullies) has been kept much younger than the original movie to attract the teen audience and this will differentiate this from the 80’s movie.

Movie stars Jaden Smith (whom we have seen giving heart touching performance in PERSUIT OF HAPPYNESS with his father WILL SMITH) and Jackie Chan. These two has managed to keep the movie enjoyable till the end, even if the end was predictable. The training sessions of kung fu between these two are high point of the movie. The tournament part was also enjoyable. This time I have seen Jackie Chan in much matured way than his usual comic roles. But the one who impress the most is Jaden Smith, the kid has given a good screen time and proven to be an entertainer.

Those who have not seen the 80’s THE KARATE KID will like this one and those who have seen the original will not dislike and kids (for whom the movie is made for) will enjoy this.

All in all a good movie.

RATING: 6 OUT OF 10.

PRINCE OF PERSIA: THE SANDS OF TIME ( review)

STARRING: JACK GYLLENHALL, BEN KINGSLEY, GEMMA ARTERTON,

                      ALFRED MOLINA  

Here is a movie which is made for summer vacation especially for teen audience. The movie is based on the video game franchise of prince of Persia.  

Story evolves around a magical dagger, which has ability to take the holder of it in the past. The adopted son of king of Persia –Dastan and his two brothers attacks the holy city where he finds that dagger whose safety was responsibility of princess of the holy city. Soon Dastan gets falsely accused of murdering his father, so to prove himself innocent he just runs away from that place with princess. In the journey he finds the power of the Dagger and soon also finds how he was trapped in to his father’s murder. When he came to know that how important the dagger is for the whole humanity he and the princess goes on to save the dagger from the evil people.

This is non-stop action packed ride with so much of sword fight, running, jumping and all those high energy stuff which teen audience will surely love to watch. There is nothing to show how intense actor you are but to show how you can entertain the audience with some excellent visuals and movie makes mark in that with ALL AND ONLY PURE ENTERTAINMENT nothing else.

Jack was good with all his action sequences; Ben Kingsley and Gemma were decent. Alfred was also Ok.

All in all this is for those who loves fantasy movies like THE MUMMY franchise and those who are looking for a good time-pass with some great action. An enjoyable movie without putting pressure on your mind.

Rating: 6 out of 10

FIGHT CLUB (1999) (BRAD PITT & EDWARD NORTON)

(IT WOULD BE DEPEND ON TEST OF YOURS FOR MOVIE VIEWING. AND THIS MOVIE IF OF MY TASTE...)

DIRECTED BY:  David Fincher

HERE THE LEAD ACTOR (NORTON) IS SUFFERING FROM INSOMNIA AND DISCONTENTED WITH HIS JOB. ONE DAY DURING HIS BUSINESS VISIT HE MEETS A STRANGE GUY (BRAD PITT) WHO GIVES HIM HIS VISITING CARD. WHEN NORTON REACHES HOME HE FINDS HIS HOUSE HAS JUST BLOWN IN TO FIRE. HE CALLS TYLER (BRAD PITT) FOR HELP.

DURING THEIR MEET THEY CAME TO AN IDEA OF CREATING A 'FIGHT CLUB' WHERE SELECTED PEOPLE COME AND FIGHT WITH EACH OTHER WITHOUT ANY REASON. BUT THERE WERE RULES TO FOLLOW.

SOON THEY BECOME MORE POPULAR THAT SO MANY FIGHT CLUBS WERE FORMED ALL OVER COUNTRY. MEANWHILE THEIR ACTIVITIES GOT VERY VIOLENT. TYLER HAD DIFFERENT PLANS WHERE AS NORTON WAS STILL DISASSOCIATED WITH ALL ACTIVITIES. WHEN HE TRIES TO FIND OUT IN DETAIL ABOUT ALL ACTIVITIES HE FINDS TYLER MAKING A PLAN TO BLOW SOME GOVT. BUILDINGS. BUT IT WAS TO LATE HE CANT STOP TYLER BECAUSE THERE WAS SOMETHING VERY STRANGE FACT THAT IS PROVOKING NORTON...AND the rest a viewer need to find out on their own. that is the beauty of this movie.

MOVIE is narrated differently. It needs deep passions. NORTON AND BRAD PITT were superb.
story is not as simple as it is seen.

GET THE MOVIE FROM NEAREST STORE OR LIBRARY AND WATCH IT.

FULL MARKS FOR THIS CULT CLASSIC.100%