Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna - Movie Review

KABHI ALVIDA NA KEHNA - MOVIE REVIEW

HE SAID:

Is it me or have filmmakers lost any vestige of social consciousness, if they had any to begin with. Is this the message that needs to be sent to young couples in India? Are they not already confused by the onslaught of American culture? If all our parents had decided that they needed love in order to stay married, we would all come from broken homes.

Amitabh Bachan is classy as the philandering father, but he needs to be careful about what he endorses. Being the legend that he is, he does not want to send the wrong message to his audience.

Shah Rukh Khan is stale as the husband who is a failure due to fate. He really needs to learn new moves. His usual overacting is getting tiresome.

Preity Zinta as the highly-driven successful wife to Shah Rukh Khan, has got nothing much to do except look pretty and dance, both of which she does quite well.

Abhishek Bachan as the overly affectionate husband is truly excellent. His understated humour and strong emoting skills sparkle. In places he looks and sounds exactly like his dad.

Rani Mukherjee as the wife unable to handle overt affection of Abhishek, is wooden. All through the movie she looks confused and towards the end her makeup less tear streaked face becomes a fixture. It almost seems like the director - Karan Johar had promised her a big part and that is why she gets a meaty role but is unable to deliver.

Kirron Kher - note the extra "r" in her name. Some numerologist made a lot of money on that one. She however, continues to act superbly, as Shah Rukh's mom.

Are there too many close up shots of the actors, or do I just feel that way, because I sat on the front row on opening night?

The few saving graces for this movie are Abhishek Bachan, New York and the humour in the first half. Abhishek, we have already talked about. I just can't believe that he is thought of as an unlucky actor. New York, at least as shown in the beautiful camera of the movie, is breathtaking. Of course as those of us who have visited New York know, it is a dirty, vicious, dangerous city.

Finally, I read somewhere that Amitabh Bachan sent a bouquet of flowers to the director. I am thinking that if Amitabh really agreed with the sentiments of the movie, he would not have stayed married to Jeya for so long.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 6.

SHE SAID:

What a disgusting movie. What started out as a funny, smart film, starts to become rotten in the second half. Up until the point where Rani and Shah Rukh sleep together, I was waiting and hoping for the two of them to realise their mistakes and go back to their spouses.

What is the world coming to? I am very disappointed.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 3.

Basic - Movie Review

BASIC - MOVIE REVIEW

HE SAID:

A classic whodunnit, where a person who is hated by everyone, dies. All the people who hate this person become suspects. There are so many twists in the tale that it becomes difficult to hold on to the plot thread after a while. This movie is still a very good thriller. The actors have done a fantastic job. John Travolta is his brash overconfident self. Samuel Jackson kicks ass as the man everyone loves to hate. Connie Nielsen is excellent as the local officer being passed over in favour of an outsider. Timothy Daly of Wings fame is adequate.

All in all an explosive movie. On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I
give this movie a 8.

SHE SAID:

John Travolta is cute and he is such a great actor too. But for his presence this movie would have been one more loser consigned to the hell of late night reruns.

Worth a watch once. On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this
movie a 4.

Changing Lanes - Movie Review

CHANGING LANES - MOVIE REVIEW

HE SAID:

What a mind blowing journey through the venal landscape that is modern law! And what a blistering portrayal of a father with lots of problems trying to hang on to his children and family! The actors are amazing. Each and every line of dialog is sculpted so beautifully. In short a sleeper hit. The film resonates so closely with our life that we are constantly agreeing with how the characters feel.

Samuel L. Jackson is a fantastic actor, who brings a lot of vigour and enthusiasm to his roles. Ben Affleck is surprisingly good and delivers a performance way beyond his usual wooden self.

Definitely worth watching.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 8.

SHE SAID:

Nothing special. A decent movie with a good performance by Ben Affleck. The methods the two protagonists use to get even with each other is interesting.

Worth watching once.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 5.

Insomnia - Movie Review

INSOMNIA - MOVIE REVIEW

HE SAID:

An excellent movie, which analyses the nature of evil, by looking at the slippery slope on which police detectives live every day. It is so easy for cops to make small dishonest decisions, which can then accumulate and one day accelerate them inexorably towards the pits of hell. Al Pacino once again proves that he deserves a spot on the "Top 10 Actors of all time" list. He is nothing short of amazing. The true genius of an actor lies in their ability to portray intensely personal feelings on screen for all to see. Robin Williams is good as the villain. Hillary Swank is excellent as the star-struck police person, who is terribly let down to find how things are in the real world. The Alaskan landscape is stark and brutal.

A brilliant movie, in the "must see" category.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 8.

SHE SAID:

In my opinion, this movie was not something to write home about. It was most definitely a good entertainer, but that is where it stopped for me. The actors were adequate, the locations stunning and the story interesting.

Worth watching if there was no favourite TV show on.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 5.

Imsai Arasan 23am Pulikesi - Movie review

IMSAI ARASAN 23am PULIKESI - MOVIE REVIEW

HE SAID:

Your first thought as you sit to see this movie is, "How successful can Vadivelu be as a hero?" Then as you sit through the movie, you are pleasantly surprised. Vadivelu is actually not bad as a hero. For one thing, it is nice to see an old fashioned raja rani movie after such a long time. The dialogue is pleasing to the ears. After violent movies like pudhupettai, pattiyal and thiruttu payale, ImsaiArasan brings a breath of fresh air to the scorched tamil movie scene.

Overall, a good family entertainer. Now the question becomes, what next for vadivelu. Will he go back to playing comedy roles, or will he try one more movie as a hero? We will wait with bated breath for the answer to that riddle.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 7.

SHE SAID:

Who would have thought that a full-length movie with Vadivelu would be worth sitting through? But surprisingly enough, it is quite good. Vadivelu has done an excellent job in a dual role. He enunciates his dialog well. He is versatile and displays a wide range of emotions quite well. Nasser tries to evoke M.N. Nambiar and Manorama is adequate as the queen mother.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 5.

Ice Age 2 - Movie Review

ICE AGE 2 - MOVIE REVIEW

HE SAID:

The graphics are obviously better than Ice Age 1. The usual band of characters have been augmented with Seann William Scott - Crash (voice), Josh Peck - Eddie (voice), Queen Latifah - Ellie (voice). They play two possums and a female wooly mammoth, who thinks that she is a possum. However, it is the character with no voice - the squirrel and his acorn, who steal the thunder. His antics have the audience rolling around on the floor. Manny the sloth comes in second in the comedy category.

It seems like the makers fell into the trap of the sequel and just relied on the success of the prequel to carry the sequel. There is not much of a story to speak of. Much of the middle of the movie is just held up by music!

Definitely a must see and a must own with the first Ice Age.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 7.

SHE SAID:

It is movies like these that make even people like me, who hate animated movies, sit up and enjoy them. Unbelievable story and the squirrel is priceless. Queen Latifah, who I am an immense fan of, is hilarious as the mammoth who thinks she is a possum.

If you have kids, do not miss this one.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 9.

Pattiayal - Movie review

PATTIYAL - MOVIE REVIEW

HE SAID:

The Mafia type assassin story has finally come to Kollywood. It became such a fashionable thing to make movies about mobsters, in Bollywood. Mobsters rule Bollywood in real life as well. South India was relatively free from such criminals for the longest time.

However recent events like the controversy in Kanchipuram have spotlighted the existence of criminal elements willing to kill for money.

The movie is very mediocre. The narration is choppy. The actors are inexperienced.

Have you ever noticed how movies never show people living by the gun/sword emerging successful? Must be some kind of code. It would not do any good to show killers and assassins living a cool life and getting away with murder. As it is, God knows how many youngsters living in slums all over Tamil Nadu are going to go away from this movie thinking how great it would be to become assassins.

Pooja and Padmapriya have done good jobs as the girlfriends of the heroes.

Nothing special, in spite of having a unique theme.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 4.

SHE SAID:

The first half of the movie is not bad and raises expectations. However, the second half is a total screw up.
Bharat has done a good job. Arya would be better off if he does less action roles and more of romance. Pooja is good. Padmapriya is adequate. Her performance is a step down from her excellent debut in "Thavamai Thavam Irunthu".

Worth watching once, if for nothing else than to show kids today that there are no short cuts to success.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 5.

Monsters' Ball - Movie Review

MONSTER'S BALL - MOVIE REVIEW

HE SAID:

A starkly realistic movie, dealing with racism, parent-child relationship and loneliness in the 20th century. But at times the pace is so slow, that it makes us wonder if our daily lives are so slow and boring.

Blacks in America. Are they a downtrodden race or is it just a case of white America suffering from a bit of reverse racism?

Parents can be really cruel to their children and then call it tradition or some such nonsense. I am not saying that we should all be New Age touchy feely while raising our children. At the same time we should be comfortable showing our love and other emotions o our children. Abused children become abusive parents. The chain reaction has to be stopped.

A simple powerful movie shedding light on a whole range of issues plaguing life in the modern world.

Although I would not consider it Oscar material, definitely a must see.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 6.

SHE SAID:

I am absolutely appalled by the fact that Halle Berry got an Oscar for her role in this movie. All she did was expose herself on screen. Does this mean that other than acting really well, a woman can get an Oscar for being naked?

When will a woman get roles and awards just on her acting prowess and not on her bust size?

That being said, I liked the way Billy Bob Thornton's character does a complete about face and starts feeling guilt for being bad father to his son.

Worth watching once.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 3.

Kovai Brothers - Movie review

KOVAI BROTHERS - MOVIE REVIEW

HE SAID:

We all agree that Sathyaraj is a very talented actor. However, his son is a different story. No matter how hard Satyaraj tries to position his son as a hero, unfortunately he is a zero. Sathyaraj should give us all a break and stop.

Immaterial of how many movies we have seen Satyaraj do comedy in, it never grows old. In Hollywood there is a separate category of films called spoofs, where they copy scenes from famous movies and ridicule them. Similarly, this movie does a wonderful job of spoofing some famous Tamil movies. Satyaraj is wonderful while he mimics famous actors. Kovai Sarala is his excellent partner in these spoofs.

Namitha is just short of being the blimp. Man she is fat.

A highly entertaining movie.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 6.

SHE SAID:

Nothing special. A decent comedy movie. Otherwise just another run of the mill Tamil movie.

Maybe worth a look.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 4.

Trapped - Movie Review

TRAPPED - MOVIE REVIEW

HE SAID:

In the midst of a glut of suspense movies, this movie is quite different. Charlize Theron is strikingly beautiful and her beauty overshadows any character she tries to play. Maybe this is the reason why she had to seriously deglamourise herself in movies like "Monster" and "North Country". This is not necessarily an advantage for an actress.

Kevin Bacon is such a versatile actor that he breezes through his role of the villain. It is not his fault that the story is so confusing that it is difficult to tell, if he is kidnapping for money or revenge.

Courtney Love proves that she is not called rockdom's wild child for nothing. She is a piece of work! The surprising thing is that she can act too. In fact quite well!

Dakota Fanning as the kidnapped child is highly precocious. She has a bright future ahead of her.

Stuart Townsend as the father with multiple skills is kind of wooden. He is unable to emote.

Surprisingly, definitely worth watching.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 6.

SHE SAID:

A highly enjoyable thriller with very good acting by Charlize Theron. It would be very wrong to overthink this movie. It is an entertainer with lot of plot holes. But who cares? The ultimate effect is enjoyable.

Definitely a must see.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 8.

The Exorcism of Emily Rose - Movie Review

THE EXORCISM OF EMILY ROSE - MOVIE REVIEW

HE SAID:

A truly scary movie after quite some time, made all the more spine chilling when we find out that it is based on a true story. The trend in Hollywood in recent times seems to be "based on a true story" movies.

This movie forces us to confront the existence of a spirit world populated by angels and demons. Today, surrounded by all the technological marvels that have proliferated our existence, we might find the notion of demons roaming the earth amongst us, extremely funny. However, strange unexplained events occur every day all around the world.

The other important question raised by this film is about the nature of evil. Does evil merely exist in human thoughts and deeds or does it exist as an entity external to us?

Once again we are shown that there is nothing more scary than fear. Not all the blood, gore and ghosts can equal the effect of making the audience feel the fear and paranoia of the characters on screen.

The movie is understated and low on flashy special effects. It relies on good old fashioned story telling. While we who are watching the movie may not believe in Christianity or the existence of the spirit world, it is extremely difficult to discount the evidence described. There is something more than what we see around us. Man with all his technological advances is unable to explain so many phenomenon.

Laura Linney is brilliant as the agnostic, high-profile lawyer who progressively starts believing in God and realises that lie is not all about chasing the almighty dollar. Tom Wilkinson as the priest accused of negligent homicide of Emily Rose is very convincing. Emily Rose played by Jennifer Carpenter has gone through hell to perform this role. The fabulous contortions that her body is put through are sure to scar her for life.

Ultimately the message here is to prove God's existence by showing the existence of the devil.

A must see movie for everyone. Not for the faint of heart.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 8.

SHE SAID:

Very Scary! My God! I could not sleep properly and when I woke up in the middle of the night for a trip to the toilet, I could not help looking over my shoulders.

I was not too impressed by a any statement that this movie was trying to make. It is a good scary movie made all the more scary by the possible that it could be a true story.

Definitely worth watching if you want to get really and truly sleepless with fear.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 4.

The Majestic - Movie Review

THE MAJESTIC - MOVIE REVIEW

HE SAID:

What a movie! Set against the backdrop of the McCarthy witch hunts, it portrays a beautiful tale of mistaken identity changing a man and through him helping a community torn by losses of young men to the war. America is the only country in the world built on an idea. It is all the more poignant to watch this movie now in 2006, where Bush and his right-wing bullies have once again proved that through might, it is possible to destroy the idea of America.

Who would have thought that within Jim Carrey existed such depth of acting ability? What a performance! Martin Landau as the aging father of the war hero, who is blinded by desperate need to believe that his son has returned after being lost for nine and a half years, is amazing!

The beauty of the film lies in its ability in capturing the mood of a nation that is trying to recover from a war, the McCarthy trials, Jazz and the sense of new hope. It is very rare for Art to capture a sense of a nation.

A strong must see.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a resounding 8.

SHE SAID:

I enjoyed the movie, although it was slow, almost like a documentary. It was confusing at times. It does not play like a commercial movie, but more like a Art house movie.

Good acting by all the actors involved.

I would see it once.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a resounding 5.

The Polar Express - Movie Review

THE POLAR EXPRESS - MOVIE REVIEW

HE SAID:

Wow! I would say that actors all around the world need to start shivering in their boots. This movie has definitively proved that it is not necessary to have live actors to make a gripping movie. Animators with their computers can do the job. Techies have even been experimenting with using long dead actors in brand new movies. Now imagine, if we could have any actor act in our movie, without having to worry about tempers, ego, tantrums etc.

An amazing movie that is as good as, or better than a live action movie. Even you are not a Christian like me, you will still enjoy it and treasure it's message.

Definitely worth watching and owning.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 8.

SHE SAID:

A highly enjoyable movie. I hate cartoons, but movies like this convince me otherwise. A lovely story that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike. It has a message of hope.

Worth watching for sure.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 7.

Astronauts Wife - Movie Review

ASTRONAUTS WIFE - MOVIE REVIEW

HE SAID:

Am I the only one seeing this or what? Does anyone else find that the weirdest dude in Hollywood is Johnny Depp? The moment you find out that he is in a film, you can immediately expect things to get strange. Charlize Theron is increasingly becoming the female Johnny Depp. So what do you get when you put them both together? One weird movie.

While the story of an astronaut picking up an alien life form in space, is not new, this movie handles this theme very well with good special effects thrown in. There are quite a few sequences that run as if the cameraman was on an acid trip.

Definitely worth watching once.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 6.

SHE SAID:

While I like Johnny Depp very much, I do not like the weirdness of his roles. That goes for this movie too. Charlize Theron was ok.

Overall, a very forgettable movie.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 3.

Cheaper by the Dozen - Movie Review

CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN - MOVIE REVIEW

HE SAID:

A romp in the park! Funny while tackling a serious issue affecting all of us. It is about work-life balance, in a family where both the parents are working. Ultimately it is about a question of what is important, money or family. How much money is enough?

Steve Martin is one of my favourites. He can play just about any part and make it look effortless. This movie is a walk in the park for him. Numerous directors have used his comedy to display weighty issues.

Bonnie Hunt is excellent. She has always been under rated. She is a very good actress who can prove herself given half the chance. The kids are numerous and quite good.

A very interesting sidebar. The main actor who plays Superman in the TV series Smallville - Tom Welling, is the eldest son of the Bakers in this movie. To make a ever bigger coincidence, on of the brothers, who are the heros in the hit TV series Supernatural - Jared Padalecki, is the kid in school, giving Superman a hard time. Talk about coincidences.

Definitely worth a look. A light breezy look at a big emotional issue.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 7.

SHE SAID:

A good family movie. Other than that I am not too sure that they are dealing with any issue in the movie. Most of the time it is a big confused mess of kids running in and out of frames.

Steve Martin has class. This is as clear as daylight.

A good movie to watch if you had no other choice.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 5.

Bruce Almighty - Movie Review

BRUCE ALMIGHTY - MOVIE REVIEW

HE SAID:

What an absolutely delightful movie with a powerful message. Even God himself cannot mess with man's free will. Even He cannot make somebody fall in love.

Opens up a whole new can of worms. What is free will? Is there really such an animal? It really goes back to the existence of God.

Anyway, a highly entertaining movie with a very amusing what if. Jim Carrey has out done himself. Morgan Freeman is a very convincing God with a quirky sense of humour. Jennifer Anniston is vapid and not fully there in her role.

I would almost say that this is one for the collection.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 8.

SHE SAID:

A very entertaining movie that can be enjoyed by the entire family. This type of movie is getting to a rarity these days with movies targeting niche audiences.

I would say don't over think the movie but just go along for the ride. Jim Carrey makes the movie very funny and pretty much carries it on his shoulders.

Worth a watch.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 6.

Stitch the Movie - Movie Review

STITCH THE MOVIE - MOVIE REVIEW

HE SAID:

An absolute blast! What fun! I love cartoons and I just can't get enough of Lilo & Stitch. The zany humour is absolutely great. Disney has done it again! The thing about Lilo & Stitch is that adults have as many delights as kids.

This movie continues the adventures of Lilo and Stitch as they try to get Stitch to connect with all his cousins - the other 625 experiments.

This is one for the collection.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 8.

SHE SAID:

I hate cartoons. I think they are bad even for kids let alone for adults. So I did not fancy this movie much.

I would not give this one even a look.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 1.

Thambi - Movie review

THAMBI - MOVIE REVIEW

HE SAID:

This movie is a perfect example of the premise that, even if the message is good, if it is presented badly, it will not get through to the audience. The message is a perfectly good one, but the poor handling of the movie leaves one doubting that there ever was a point to this movie.

The message is, that the pointless vendetta and revenge have to stop some where and that the most effective way to deal with an enemy is by being kind to him.

Madhavan has shot himself in the foot with this role. He has made such a fool of himself with his antics that there is no need for Vadivel. Too bad that his efforts at building a good physique and performing the action sequences very well have been overshadowed by his mannerisms.

His dialogue delivery is horrible. One can hardly understand his speech. Our advice to Madhavan is "Stick to the kadhal hero roles, leave the action roles to others better suited for it".

Pooja does a good job, although her diction leaves a lot to be desired. The rest of the cast is adequate.

Worth seeing once.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 4.

SHE SAID:

Madhavan has acted very well. He is very effective in getting the message across. Although initially, his mannerisms are a bit funny, as the movie progresses, he gets better. Pooja has done well.

What really got me was, that I had read somewhere that this movie was advertised as a family movie. Nothing could be further from the truth. The sheer violence will scar any children viewing this movie.

Definitely worth seeing.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 7.

Fida - Movie Review

FIDA - MOVIE REVIEW

HE SAID:

A really slick movie, which plays out like a Hollywood action blockbuster. However there is something missing. The movie is soul less. The actors perform very well. Fardeen Khan, Shahid Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor all redeem themselves well.

The locales are exotic. At an instinctual level, the film fall way short of being a good movie.

Worth watching once.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 6.

SHE SAID:

A very enjoyable movie, although I did not fancy the heroine being one of the bad guys. Something about that portrayal rubs me the wrong way.

Otherwise worth watching once.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 7.

Madrasi - Movie review

MADRASI - MOVIE REVIEW

HE SAID:

Here is the surprising thing about this movie. One would normally dismiss an Arjun movie as action masala. But stop! This one is actually good. Is it because of Jegapathy Babu? Or is it because maybe this movie is a remake? Whatever the reason, Arjun has woken up and finally given us a good quality action movie.

It looks like Arjun has joined the long line of actors who want to make it big in politics. It is fairly evident in the dialogue and in aping MGR in a song.

The story is crisp and evokes anticipation in the viewer as to what will occur next. Jegapathy Babu is fantastic! He demonstrates the reason why he is a top hero in Telugu movies. The villains are more than caricatures and actually display normal human tendencies.

All in all a good action flick, definitely worth watching.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 5.

SHE SAID:

I like Arjun quite a bit. So I enjoyed this movie. The added bonus was Jegapathy Babu, who has spoken the Tamil dialogues very well. The new heroine looks pretty. Gajala has improved her acting.

A good movie definitely worth watching.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 7.

June R - Movie review

JUNE R - MOVIE REVIEW

HE SAID:

Hmmmmm. With Saritha, Khushboo and Jyotika in the movie one would expect it to be a feminist propaganda vehicle. However, it turns out to be low on propaganda and high on entertainment. It is a good story although a bit predictable. If Saritha was any fatter, she would be a hot-air balloon. Khushboo looks all lawerly and in command. Maybe she is the next person to start running for the Chief Ministership of tamil Nadu after Arjun. Jyotika is bubbly and emotional when called for. It is amazing how she continues to do well, when she is not beautiful in the conventional sense.

What is the big deal with Surya doing a guest appearance? Once his name appears in the titles as a guest role, it does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that he is the mysterious suitor of Jyotika.

Not bad. Worth a look.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 5.

SHE SAID:

I loved the movie. It was totally enjoyable. A very emotional story of an orphan finding a mother who is ignored by her own son.

I have always been a big fan of Khushboo. So I thoroughly enjoyed her masterly performance. Saritha is excellent in her role as the long suffering mother. Jyothika is absolutely fabulous.

This movie is a definite must see, maybe even a keeper for the home movie collection.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 9.

Kalvanin Kadhali - Movie review

KALVANIN KADHALI - MOVIE REVIEW

HE SAID:

How can someone so ugly be a hero in Tamil cinema? Are there no minimum standards? How do persons like Dhanush, S.J. Surya and so on become heros? And worse how do they get a fan following? Just goes to show that the population in India, especially in Tamil Nadu is large enough that any entertainer no matter how good or bad they are can get a fan following. The Tamil people are that hard up for entertainment. At the same time they will stay away from movies that have a different formula from the usual. It is very difficult to gauge the likes and dislikes of the Tamil cinema going public.

To be fair to SJ Surya, he was not a bad director. His "Khushi" was quite good. Why did he not stick to doing what he was good at instead of being something he could never hope to be? This seems to be the trend these days in Tamil cinema. Producers wanting to act, actors wanting to sing or direct and so on.

What is up with Vivek. He too tried to change from a comedian to a hero and did not do too well. Although he has great potential as a comedian, he wastes his time in bashing a particular community all the time. Wake up Vivek! Whatever injustices done by that community were a long time ago and they have paid for them many times over. Focus on what is holding the nation back from achieving its potential.

Finally coming to the movie itself, it is a piece of crap. No matter who the heroine is, or how glamorous the songs are, the bottom line is that the story is worthless. Nayanthara is wasting her time. Given time she can be a good actor, but the funny thing is that given time a donkey can be a good actor too.

I would give this movie a complete miss.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 1.

SHE SAID:

I enjoyed the movie. SJ Surya is continuing to make vulgar movies. Nayanthara is quite good. Vivek is not bad.

Definitely worth seeing once.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 5.

Hostel - Movie Review

HOSTEL - MOVIE REVIEW

HE SAID:

Can you say "YUCK"? Every time there is a successful film, it is immediately followed by clones expecting to cash in. I cannot quite identify the original in this case, but there has been a whole raft of movies like WolfCreek, Saw I & II, Creep and so on and on and on.....

Hostel just continues this trend of cutting up people for amusement. Although there was a lot of hype surrounding this movie, if one carefully checked the credits, one would see that Quentin Tarrantino is the presenter. What does that even mean? This is just another way that Hollywood tries to cash in on famous people.

The other side of the story is that Slovakia has been absolutely trashed and they have expressed strong resentment at being portrayed in an unflattering manner.

I am big horror aficionado and I have to say that this one stinks up the big one.

A must miss movie, if there was ever one.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 1.

SHE SAID:

I generally stay away from horror movies and I hated this one. It was completely horrible. From what little I know of the horror genre, the best kind of horror is the one where very little happens on screen but a lot happens in the mind of the viewer. Which was why Blair Witch Project was such a good horror movie.

By that count, this movie leaves nothing to the imagination. There is only so much blood and gore that a mind can take. We become desensitised after a while and the intention of the makers to shock just fall flat.

I would recommend that this movie be given a wide berth.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 2.

Memoirs of a Geisha - Movie Review

MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA - MOVIE REVIEW

HE SAID:

I have not read the famous book of the same name from which the movie was made. But I can tell you that, if the movie is so good, then the book must be superb indeed. The movie is a rich visual treat with heart stopping panoramas of Japan on the brink of war. The colours are bright and make you thankful for your eyesight. It is a magnificent opus similar to movies like THE LAST EMPEROR.

Ziyi Zhang as Sayuri the protagonist of the movie is brilliant. She has finally arrived in Hollywood. She is not just the girl doing gravity-defying martial art stunts in foreign movies. She has proved that she has got what it takes to be a star.

The rest of the cast is excellent as well. All the controversy about non-Japanese actors playing Japanese characters is just irrelevant as the end result is so appealing.

One for the collection! Not to be missed.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 9.

SHE SAID:

Nothing to write home about. Nice visuals but the story was so so. I have not read the book either, but to me it does not matter if the film remains faithful to the book, as I was not impressed with the film anyway.

Why should Asian actors conform to Hollywood? Why can't the Asians have their own Hollywood and come up with magnificent movies which can then be aped by the rest of the world?

Worth a look.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 3.

Kalabha Kadhalan - Movie review

KALABHA KADHALAN - MOVIE REVIEW

HE SAID:

Another weird story after Vaali. This time it is the sister-in-law lusting after her brother-in-law. Arya, Akshaya and Renuka Menon as the husband, sister-in-law and the wife are adequate. There is nothing spectacular from their performances that stands out in your mind.

Another lacklustre movie although one with an unusual plot.

Worth seeing once, barely.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 3.

SHE SAID:

A good movie with well done performances by Arya and Akshaya. Akshaya as the sister-in-law with a big ego, who is lusting for her brother-in-law, does a decent job. In this day and age, such a thing happening is not far fetched.

Arya is coming along very nicely and maturing as an actor.

Overall an enjoyable movie.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 6.

Amirtham - Movie review

AMIRTHAM - MOVIE REVIEW

HE SAID:

Although this movie feels like a documentary, it is sufficiently different from the run of the mill Tamil movie for us to sit up and take note.

There are some very good words of advice from the characters played by Girish Karnad and Rajeev. They have both done excellently.

This is one of those rare Tamil movies where everything is not about the love story and there is actually an issue here that is worth fighting for. The oil find in the village has the government wanting to relocate the population of the village. We have seen this happen time and again in real life, where rich corporations or governments want to move people out of their ancestral homes for various selfish reasons.

Navya Nair who plays the eponymous heroine is adequate in spite of her not so conventional facial features.

Ganesh who plays the hero, once again proves that one does not need any good looks to be a hero in the Tamil film industry.

Overall, a nice change of pace from masala. Can be seen once.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 5.

SHE SAID:

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. Navya Nair is great. The story is different. In spite of the documentary feel to it the movie is definitely worth watching.

Once again, let us support filmmakers who do different movies and help create an environment where it is financially viable to do different movies, rather than loudly proclaiming the need for something different and then going out to see masala movies.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 7.

Idhaya Thirudan - Movie review

IDHAYA THIRUDAN - MOVIE REVIEW

HE SAID:

Here's another movie that masquerades as a "different" movie. What is "different" anyway? Is it having a completely new story? There is no such thing.

Anyway this movie has a heroine, who is pretty much the villain. She is an egotistic, rich, spoilt girl who makes a game of getting people in trouble. The hero Ravi becomes a prey to her machinations and instead of hating her, falls in love with her.

Throw in the powerful mother, the corrupt/ambitious cop and the bad guy related to the hero, you have Idhaya Thirudan. Yet another brilliant piece of acting by Prakash Raj and Nasser. These two are part of the group of actors who are excellent, who act in all movies and who are never remarked upon. They are the work horses on whose broad shoulders the Tamil movie industry rests squarely.

A forgettable movie not worth even watching once.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a weak 2.

SHE SAID:

A new approach to the old love story formula. Fast paced movie. Jeyam Ravi has matured as an actor. Kamna Jethmalani as the heroine has a long way to go. Vani Viswanath as the heroine's powerful mother is making a good come back. Prakash Raj and Nasser are their usual best.

Worth watching once.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 5.

Dishoom - Movie review

DISHOOM - MOVIE REVIEW

HE SAID:

Looks like a good movie for Jeeva to do after Raam. He handles the role of stuntman very well. It is not his fault, if the story line is not very strong. However due credit must be given to the makers for trying something new.

Kadhal Sandya is mediocre as the friend who very reluctantly turns into a lover.

Jeeva has clearly demonstrated that he can act and that he did not get the job just because his father is a producer.

We need more movies that break the mould and are different.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 5.

SHE SAID:

I liked Jeeva's performance. It was classy. And I most definitely liked the story. It was different. People keep saying that Tamil movies are boring. That they are the same over and over again. But when something new is tried out, these same people refuse to lend their support to the makers. How then do they expect new things to come out when the same old stories keep making money at the box office?

Definitely must see movie.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 8.

Pirates of the Caribbean - The Curse of the Black Pearl - Movie Review

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN - MOVIE REVIEW

HE SAID:

A delicious romp, a meal comprised of just dessert. An awesome film. It has all the ingredients to make it a great movie.

Johnny Depp has got to be the best and most eccentric actor ever to come out of Hollywood. He shines in his role as Captain Jack Sparrow, whose complete focus is on getting his ship back from the mutineers.

Kiera Knightly as Elizabeth Swann has done a fair job of playing a girl fighting her inner demons as she falls for Will Turner.

Will Turner is played by an effeminate Orlando Bloom, who looks like he will break into pieces during the rigorous action sequences.

Geoggrey Rush as Captain Barbossa proves yet again that he has a villainous streak in his real life persona. He makes a superlative bad guy. You can see the delight he takes in doing bad shining through.

All in all, a strong story, beautiful locales, great graphics and a strong cast makes this a movie not to be missed. Pure entertainment all the way.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 9.

SHE SAID:

What's with all the fantastic pirates and curse routine? It's a bit too strong for my taste. I prefer films rooted in reality.

I would have to say that this is must miss movie for me. I could barely sit through all of it.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 1.

The Haunted Mansion - Movie Review

THE HAUNTED MANSION - MOVIE REVIEW

HE SAID:

It is yet another movie with no substantial story trying to ride the coat tails of a big name - Eddy Murphy in this case. We have seen graphics evolve to such a high level of excellence that we have become blase about it. So if you take away Eddie Murphy and the great graphics, you are left with nothing but fluff.

I do have to agree that it was fun to watch and entertaining. It cannot be classified as a horror movie by any stretch, which is probably why it is rated PG.

Eddie Murphy is his usual funny self, although he is starting to look a bit tired of it all.

I would say that this movie is one of the numberless many that you would rent if you had nothing else to see.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 3.

SHE SAID:

This was a fun movie that I could watch with my kid without having worry about what might come up on screen that a child should not see.

Eddie Murphy is hilarious as one half of a driven real estate agent couple.

This is great family movie, definitely worth watching.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 8.

Raam - Movie Review

RAAM - MOVIE REVIEW

HE SAID:

Just when you thought that this movie was going to be the one, the one that would be different from all the other Tamil movies, the one that would break the mould, the one that would end the curse of the Tamil movie formula, you are totally, utterly let down yet again.

You are gripped by the start of the movie. There is a distinct Hollywood thriller feel to it. The location is misty and dark. The shots are crisp. The opening is a shocking aftermath of a gruesome murder. You grab on to your seat as you slide to the edge. Maybe, you tell yourself, this would be the movie that is going to show the world, that we too can make world-class quality movies and that we will not be the laughing stock of the movie world anymore with our five songs, two rapes and six fights formulae.

You are not disappointed for the first half hour. The viewer is taken on a dark, Sherlock Holmes whodunit. You ask yourself along with the movie, what happened to this kid, who looks normal enough, to make him snap and kill the woman lying in a pool of blood on the floor.

The makers of Raam slowly, inexorably lose control of the plot and the movie ends up being a confused hodge-podge of efforts to make the hero out as a mentally disturbed person with a very simple view of what is right and wrong. Too bad they could not maintain the taut screenplay of the initial half hour throughout.
This movie created a lot of expectation for Jeeva. Too bad for him that it backfired. He has shown unexpected depths to his acting that one would not have suspected from watching his efforts up to now.
Charanya as Raam's mother has done an outstanding job. It is amazing how she attracts such weird offbeat roles and aces them. She should keep doing such roles.

I would recommend seeing this movie once as a lesson for what not to do, if you want to make a different movie.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 4.

SHE SAID:

I like Jeeva in this unconventional role. Although I did not like the story line, Jeeva should be commended for trying something new. He has definitively answered the question of whether he had any talent with a resounding YES!

Why should we resort to blood and gore violence to be different? Is there no other genre that can be tapped?

Anyway, this movie is worth watching once.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 5.

Munich - Movie Review

MUNICH - MOVIE REVIEW

HE SAID:

I once read that the true measure of success of a book or movie, is if it changes the way you look at the world around you. By that measure, Munich is an astounding success. It makes us question when it is correct to kill someone. Is it ok if you are a soldier and fight to defend your nation? Or is it ok to kill some one to defend your family. Where does it stop? It is an ethical slippery slope down which, all people who are put in the situation of killing find themselves falling.

Whatever the circumstances may be, taking a human life will leave serious scars on one's psyche, as ably depicted by Eric Bana in the movie. He has portrayed superbly the hell that a normally decent person, would go through when made to take lives, although on behalf of a nation state.

The questions raised by this movie are like layers of an onion. First you question the madness of the Palestinian's execution of the Israeli athletes. Then you question the Israelis decision to use the kidon - small groups of assassins, to eliminate all the Palestinians responsible for the Munich Olympic massacre. Is it right for a country to sanction such activities, no matter what the provocation? What about the legal justice system? Is it just for show?

The genius of Steven Spielberg lies in depicting an actual event as factually as possible and then using the characters to question every angle of the incident and the response to the incident. This way he lays out all the moral questions for the viewer to chew over and ruminate. Although it is true that Spielberg is Jew and as such does show a little bias, he is faithful to the human issues facing the characters rather than take sides.

All the covert violence in European cities, harkens back to the days of the Cold War and really illustrates how it must have been back in those days where agents from rival nations routinely "sanctioned" each other. I guess we have swapped that hell for the current one filled with terrorists and the people fighting them. The more things change the more they stay the same!

There is a very poignant moment at the end of the movie, where Geoffrey Rush's character, who is the case officer for Eric Bana's character, refuses Eric Bana's offer to go to his home and break bread with him. What could be the possible reasons for Geoffrey Rush's refusal? Could it be that he does not want to get too close to the man who could be killed by the Mossad for becoming a nuisance and a security threat? Or could it be because Geoffrey Rush finds it morally repugnant to break bread with a killer, no matter how noble or sanctioned by the state his motives are for killing? The questions are endless and the issue is open.

Must see movie for all movie buffs.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 9.

SHE SAID:

I just do not see what all this violence has to do with displaying the moral dilemma facing ordinary men when they are forced by circumstances to kill other men. They could have shown it a bit more tastefully.

I guess it has become a Spielberg trademark to overkill on the emotional angle. All in all a movie that can be watched once. Eric Bana does a great sensitive guy who can cry, when overwhelmed by emotions. That is a change from the tough guys that have populated movies for the longest time.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 3.

Paramasivan - Movie review

PARAMASIVAN - MOVIE REVIEW

HE SAID:

What the hell happened to Ajith? Has he been diagnosed with some disease? Why is he so thin and awkward? The plot for the movie is straight out of an old English film. Having said that, performances by Prakash Raj and Jeyaram are at their consistent best.

Laila as the eccentric girl who falls for the hero is getting to be ridiculous. She can obviously act if given good roles. What we cannot figure out is, why she keeps doing these lousy roles.

We do not need more movies like these. If Tamil cinema is to rise above the level of front-bench trash, we need movies with good stories. Like they say in real estate, where it is all about location, location, location, in cinema it is all about story, story, story.

If you have a good story to tell, all other aspects of movies making such as actors, editing, direction and so on will become secondary. There is enough evidence for my theory. If we look back at the history of cinema, we will find that the best movies, did not all have excellent actors or editing or direction. But we will find that they had a good story to tell.

This movie is a must avoid.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 1.

SHE SAID:

If this is the kind of movies that the people want Ajith acting in, what is wrong in giving them what they want. Cinema is meant to be an entertainment. We should come out of a movie feeling happy. We don't need heavy themes that make us cry. we have enough of that in real life. The common man is overwhelmed by the reality of his life and tries to escape this reality for a couple of hours in a cinema being entertained by magical worlds other than the one he lives in.

So I say more power to Ajith and movies like Paramasivan.

Go see this movie, if you are looking to pass your time.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 4.

Aathi - Movie review

AATHI - MOVIE REVIEW

HE SAID:

When will Vijay realize that he has to stop doing the same kind of movie over and over, no matter how much his fans want to see him in such a role all the time. If he ever plans to mature as an actor, and I use the term mature very loosely here, he better start doing something, anything different.

I do not particularly fancy Vijay. However, I like Gilli a lot. Since then I have used Gilli as a yard stick to measure any movie of Vijay's. Using that measure, Aathi is a miserable shadow compared to Gilli. The story starts out being very interesting and then winds up being the typical masala fare that we have become used to expecting from Vijay.

Trisha breezes through her role as the vindictive girl/woman, who is trying to kill all the people involved in destroying her family, a long time ago, with the assistance of her uncle, yet again brilliantly played by Nasser.

I definitely would not recommend this movie to anyone.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 2.

SHE SAID:

I am a big fan of Vijay. However, I have to say that I did not like Aathi at all. Just because I am fan does not mean that I have to like all the movies that he makes. I feel that a true fan is one who lets the idol know when he his making a mistake. And Vijay's mistake is that he keeps on doing action movies.

Vijay has got a lot of talent and can play any role with ease. Directors and producers must take a chance with Vijay and let him do no-action roles. Vijay has become a prisoner of his image with his fans.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 3.

Beauty Shop - Movie Review

BEAUTY SHOP - MOVIE REVIEW

HE SAID:

How many times have we seen the Cinderella story, set in different ethnic backgrounds, using different genders, set in different time periods? They are all the same - the protagonist is stuck in a bad situation, then they get out of the situation and try to make it on their own. They overcome a series of heartbreaks and persevere in their quest and finally win in the end.

In this version it is a black woman hairdresser (Queen Latifah), who is Cinderella in today's Atlanta, Georgia, USA. I do have to agree that she has a lot of atyle and verve.

However the story is one we have seen a million times before. We know that the heroine will come out successful in the end, no matter how bad it looks in the middle of the story.

Boring. Maybe hard-core Queen Latifah fans might sit through the film to see their idol do a Cinderella movie. Otherwise, I would give this one a miss.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 4.

SHE SAID:

I loved this movie! Queen Latifah is my favorite and she is absolutely fabulous in this film. The confidence that she exudes in her every move is just simply amazing.

Queen Latifah carries this movie on her wide shoulders and keeps it interesting. I just can't get enough of her.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 9.

The Perfect Catch - Movie Review

THE PERFECT CATCH - MOVIE REVIEW

HE SAID:

Although, as a rule, I don't see chick flicks, I had an instinct about this one. So I bit the bullet and sat through it. And guess what? It was fantastic. The key factor in my loving the movie, was the way they dealt with the highly problematic issue of how men are fanatics about sports and whether this quality can come in between them and their perfect woman.

Jimmy Fallon plays the part of a high school teacher who lives and breathes the Boston Red Sox, brilliantly. He conveys the all consuming passion that a person can have for a sports team.

Drew Barrymore is adequate as the driven workaholic woman who deigns to date a school teacher. Her coterie of friends are yuppies with highly paid jobs or partners with the same.

The beautiful part in the movie come when Drew Barrymore realises that her passion and commitment to her work is similar to Jim Fallon's passion for the Boston Red Sox, and it would not be right for her to ask him to give up his team for her love.

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 7.

SHE SAID:

What were the filmmakers thinking, when they made a chick flick, which appealed to the guys? Obviously, about the box-office returns. But this will win them no love from the chicks.

It is ridiculous for Drew Barrymore to have to give up important meetings to be with Jim Fallon. Why does it always have to be the woman who gives up things to accommodate a relationship? When will it be the guy's turn?

On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 3.

Rang De Basanti - Movie Review

RANG DE BASANTI - MOVIE REVIEW

HE SAID:

Brilliant movie, although a bit confused looking. The primary messages seem to be:

1. If the need arises, the youth of today's India will rise to the occasion and achieve what ever is necessary ala the independence got for us by our forefathers. They are shiftless today due to a lack of purpose - something greater than themselves to work towards.

2. The reason for a person to resort to terrorism is when he lives in a society that does not provide some kind of justice for his woes. When he can turn to no one and do nothing else, he starts picking up the gun as a means to get results.

The effort to be modern, while essaying a serious tale of the freedom struggle, while novel, makes for a very messy movie to watch. The point that a British girl sees more in India than our own youth is not to be missed.

Another subtle message of the movie is that the punjabis are very patriotic and no matter what difficulty they may have had in the last decade, constitute a strong part of our nation.

The songs put to music by A.R. Rahman have turned out very well. It is very difficult to get them out of your head, especially the title track.

Aamir Khan is getting too old for the wild college boy roles. He is very good when he is emoting and one cannot help feeling young when he gets ready to pull some stupid prank with that wild half grin on his face.

Sidharth needs special mention. He has shown that he is capable of doing well when given meaty roles. A piece of advice for him - put out that cigarette until you learn how to smoke it correctly.

Kunal Kapoor has played the role of a Muslim caught between his strict family and his carefree friends, with zest. His male model good looks do nothing to reduce the seriousness of his acting.

Sharman Joshi has played the role of the dumb but funny college jock quite well, leading us to wonder if his real-life persona is similar to his on-screen one.

Atul Kulkarni has transcended his image of the angry young man that he has played in almost all his roles until now. A superb performance.

Alice Patten is outstanding in the main role in the movie. Her persona just radiates love for India and everything Indian. Her anguish at not being able to fire up Indian youth and make them understand the sacrifices that the freedom fighters went through, is amazing.

Madhavan has done his guest role with restraint. It should be pointed out that it is getting more difficult to stomach him in the role of a recently graduated college boy, hanging out with other kids. He is showing maturity in his acting.

Soha Ali Khan plays the role of a modern Indian girl with aplomb. The part where she says "kill him" is a little weak, but that is not her fault. It is a hole in the script.

Overall, the movie presents a very encouraging message of hope. It says that even if India's youth might be Americanised and seemingly aimless, they have it in them to rise to the occasion if the situation demands it.

Definitely must see. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 8.

SHE SAID:

What does the title 'Rang de basanti' have to do with the movie? No connection.

Absolutely hate the potrayal of Indian youth as bumbling idiots, who need a foreigner to tell them that they do not appreciate their country better.

Spending a large portion of the movie trashing Indians and then presenting a short optimistic message at the end of the movie does not constitute an overall positive message from the film.

Was it really necessary for the protagonists to turn to violence, when their friend dies and is bad-mouthed by the concerned politician? Was there no other recourse open to them? It seems a bit extreme, just to make a point.

On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, I give this movie a 2.