Mud (2013) Review by Shivom Oza – Muddled Up!

2/5 Stars

Matthew McConaughey is a fine actor. He pulls off these understated, brooding characters really effortlessly. However, is he engaging enough for the audiences? Not quite!

In the film, ‘Mud’, the actor plays a lost-in-thought, lonely, distressed man, Mud. The story revolves around his equation with two unsuspecting 14-year-olds, who come to his rescue.

Everybody has acted well in this film. The actors, who play the two kids, deliver delightful performances. McConaughey too, is fine. However, what really brings the film down is its awful pace, lack of a proper conflict and the terrible climactic sequences. There are several sparkling moments in the second half, but overall, the film is below-par.

Two adventurous 14-year-old kids, Ellis (Tye Sheridan) and Neckbone (Jacob Lofland), set out to an island on the Mississippi River, where the latter has found a boat, suspended atop a tree. Here, they meet Mud (Matthew McConaughey), who is on the run after having committed a murder.

Matthew wants to reconnect with his ladylove, Juniper (Reese Witherspoon) and so, he approached the two kids to help him elope with her!

The story is quite simple, right? NO!

There are needless characters that enter the plot – the track involving Ellis’ parents, Neckbone’s uncle, Ellis’ crush, Mud’s nemeses, Mud’s father-figure etc.

Not that, it’s not alright to have so many characters in one film, but their presence should be justified. 

The film scores in two departments – the kids – their characters, dialogues and performances are absolutely brilliant, and so is the music. The actor, who plays Ellis’ friend, Jacob, is amazing as Neckbone. Watch out for this character, if you do end up watching the film.

‘Mud’, on the outset, comprises one element – the concept of love. There’s hardly anything happening in the awfully slow first-half. It’s in the latter part, when the film actually picks up. Ellis’ character strives hard to find the true definition of ‘love’. While it’s not clear if he eventually manages to figure it out, we, the viewers, do end up getting our own interpretations dented.

Totally muddled up! Pun intended! 

Shivom Oza

Iron Man 3 (2013) Review by Shivom Oza – ‘Stark’ly Delightful!

3/5 Stars

The third installment in the ‘Iron Man’ series, ‘Iron Man 3’ revolves around how Tony Stark battles the dreaded Mandarin, and tries to prevent him from causing havoc.

Even for someone who is not a big fan of superhero/adventure/science-fiction movies (me!), ‘Iron Man 3’ is immensely enjoyable. The film is all – Robert Downey, Jr., as expected. His one-liners and his affable charm, which works wonders for the franchise, have been utilized to their fullest yet again. While it is a visual spectacle, the 3D once again dilutes the impact (a trifle!).

The plot continues from where ‘The Avengers’ ended. A much-troubled Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) has been going through a rough time with his girlfriend, Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), owing to his unrequited obsession with his Iron Man suits.

Stark recollects an incident from 1999 in Bern, Switzerland, when he, along with a scientist Maya Hansen (Rebecca Hall), ignores feelers from the crippled Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce) about creating Advanced Idea Mechanics (a terrorist organization), which in turn will manufacture viruses.

As it turns out, Killian joins hands with a dreaded terrorist Mandarin (Ben Kingsley), over a decade later. In one of the bombings orchestrated by the duo, Happy Hogan, the security chief of Stark Industries, goes comatose. This enrages Stark, who issues a televised threat to the perpetrators and even lets out his address in the media so that the terrorists could get him!

If I tell you more about the film, you’ll cry ‘spoiler’! So, let’s cut this short and get down to how the film fares. There are a couple of jaw-dropping twists in the plot, which manage to make the film engaging enough over its 130-minute-duration.

The action scenes are very well choreographed and Tony, along with War Machine (James Rupert "Rhodey" Rhodes), do a great job pulling them off. The entire team behind the visuals (cinematography, VFX, editing etc.) has done an awesome job. Some of the scenes, especially the one in which Mandarin attacks Iron Man’s Malibu mansion, are absolutely breath-taking (despite the irritating 3D).

Robert Downey, Jr. plays Robert Downey Jr., and the rest of the cast members do well in their limited parts. Director Shane Black and Drew Pearce reinvent the audacious character of Tony Stark with this film. The entire track between Stark and Harley (12-year-old Ty Sympkins) is absolutely delightful! Watch out for the little boy, who does a wonderful job in this small role.

There’s a small funny bit after the end credits roll. The problem is that the credits roll for about 5-6 minutes. So, you’ll have to wait for that long. Besides the fact that you should go for the film anyway!

Shivom Oza

Deewaar (1975) Review by Shivom Oza – Must Watch For Its Performances And Dialogues!

3/5 Stars

‘Deewaar’, the Yash Chopra film made in 1975, is a classic tale about two brothers, who get caught on either side of the law.  

The principal characters of the film, labour union leader Anand Verma (Satyendra Kapoor), his wife Sumitra Devi (Nirupa Roy), elder son Vijay Verma (Amitabh Bachchan), younger son Ravi Verma (Shashi Kapoor) and Vijay’s love interest Anita (Parveen Babi), are essentially victims of circumstances.

Anand Verma is an upright labourer who stands up for his colleagues. However, circumstances force him to go against his principles, and wrong the people that he once stood for. The consequences of Anand’s actions are faced by his family.

Troubled by the constant taunts and humiliation from Anand’s (who eventually runs away) nemeses, wife Sumitra Devi is forced to move from their hometown to Bombay city. Here too, she finds it difficult to earn enough to bring her two children up. So much so, that Sumitra and Vijay have to go on about their menial jobs, just so that they can earn enough to send Ravi to school.

Vijay, who goes through the turbulent experience of having ‘mera baap chor hai’ (My father is a thief) inked on his forearm, gets deeply disturbed by all that happened to his family, and starts holding their poverty responsible for their family’s condition. He even refuses to go to the temple, as he has lost all faith in God!

The two sons grow up and while Ravi ends up becoming a police inspector, Vijay, owing to fate, gets on the wrong side of the law. ‘Deewaar’ is about how the drama unfolds between the two siblings!

The film captures several realities that we associate with the 1970s – the real estate boom, labour strikes, clout of the underworld, victimization of the poor etc. However, the basic essence of the film is about how there is no clear ‘wrong’ or ‘right’ on show. We may think of Vijay Verma as the villain of the story, but the crux lies in what forced him to do what he did!

The dialogues and the one-liners in the film are the scene-stealers. Who can forget the iconic ‘mere paas maa hai’ dialogue? The confrontation scenes between the Verma brothers are ‘power-packed’, not just for Salim-Javed’s writing but also owing to Bachchan and Kapoor’s performances.

Amitabh Bachchan, Shashi Kapoor and Nirupa Roy are terrific in their respective roles. Neetu Singh does a good job in her limited part. Parveen Babi, who plays Amitabh’s love interest, is shown as a liberated Indian woman who smokes, drinks, gets into relationships and is modern-in-thought and spirit.

Watch out for A.K. Hangal’s cameo in the film. The minor sequence, involving him, leaves a huge impact on the viewer’s mind.

The songs of the film are good, but certainly not extraordinary. ‘Keh Doon Tumhein’, sung by Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhosle, is a nice, peppy track and the pick of the lot! The plot may seem a bit bizarre at some portions, but considering that the film was made in 1975 and has been a reference point for so many screenplays written since then, ‘Deewaar’ should be watched!

‘Deewaar’ is not Yash Chopra’s best film. However, there are a couple of elements in it which should not be missed – performances and dialogues!

Shivom Oza

Lessons In Forgetting (2013) Review by Shivom Oza – The Good Kind Of Different!

3/5 Stars

Based on Anita Nair’s book of the same name, ‘Lessons In Forgetting’ revolves around a middle-aged, divorced man, J.A. Krishnamurthy, trying to discover the truth behind a fatal accident involving his estranged 19-year-old daughter, Smriti. In the process, the father encounters several inconvenient truths about his daughter.

The story of the film, a portion of which deals with the issue of female foeticide, is very relevant and poignant. Adil Hussain (we’ve seen him before in ‘Agent Vinod’, ‘English Vinglish’ and ‘Life Of Pi’) delivers a strong performance as the beleaguered father, who is trying to come to terms with his daughter’s rebellious past and tumultuous present. The rest of the cast, comprising Maya Tideman, Roshni Achreja, Raaghav Chanana among others, do a fine job. While the film has its share of flaws, it is socially relevant and offers a very different kind of treatment to the story. ‘Lessons In Forgetting’ is different (of the good kind!).

A middle-aged, divorced man, J.A Krishnamurthy (Adil Hussain) comes to know that his estranged daughter, Smriti (Maya Tideman), has been found severely injured near the beach at a small town in Tamil Nadu. The 19-year-old girl, found in a near-dead-state, is almost paralyzed and thus, bedridden and taken care of by a full-time nurse. 

J.A. Krishnamurthy, who is devastated after finding about his daughter’s fatal accident and her present medical condition, wants to find out the truth. So, he starts looking for clues that will lead him to find out what actually happened to his daughter. In the meantime, he crosses paths with a middle-aged woman, Meera, who has been going through a tumultuous time herself after being abandoned by her husband, and left behind to take care of her two children and her mother and grandmother all by herself.

The film also comprises a touch of the ‘Save the Girl Child’ issue. The social issue has been excellently tailored into the plot of the movie. There’s not a single moment, when you may find the film overtly educative/preachy! ‘Lessons In Forgetting’ is about several more aspects; parent-child relationships, life after separation, abandonment, teenage angst etc.

All the characters have been well-written, with the exception of Meera. Her backstory was not necessary at all. Although the actress playing this character (Roshni) has done a great job, Meera wasn’t required in the film at all. Her side of the story has been introduced in an elaborate manner, but left untouched thereafter. A few scenes in the film do make you introspect about certain things. You may reconsider the way you behave with your parents/children after watching the film. It strikes a chord there! Other notable aspects about the film are; the absolutely terrific opening credits of the film and the excellent background score (Kumaresh Ganesh). The dialogue delivery of the actors was very good, which is a rarity for English-language films made in India! However, subtitles could have been compiled in a better manner (as there are a few portions in Tamil).

‘Lessons In Forgetting’, ultimately, is about how you strive so hard to know the truth, but once you know it; you desperately want to forget it (makes sense?). Anyway, watch the film! Take a bow, director Unni Vijayan.

Shivom Oza

The Croods (2013) Review by Shivom Oza – Clichéd, But Entertaining!

3/5 Stars

The Croods are a good mix of ‘The Flintstones’ and the recently-released film, ‘Hotel Transylvania’. The film is about how the ‘world’s first family’ had to give up on their trusted shelter (the caves) to look for a new roof on their heads. In the process, they end up discovering the ‘new world’, which they had been hiding away from since time immemorial.

The film has a clichéd storyline. The plot has oft been used for several animated movies in the past. Although the concept works yet again, it makes the story a bit predictable. Also, the 3D was a big let-down. However, despite these two ‘big’ drawbacks, the film emerges as a thoroughly entertaining watch!

Armed with old-world sensibilities, the father Grug (Nicolas Cage) does not allow his daughter Eep (Emma Stone), to venture out into the open, fearing that she could be harmed. The daughter, whose rebelliousness increases with the number of restrictions imposed on her, ends up going out anyway. She discovers a new world, much different from what her ‘orthodox’ father had imagined. She meets and falls for the mysterious young boy, called Guy (Ryan Reynolds), from the new world. Trouble ensues when the caves are on the verge of destruction and the family has to look for a new home!

The animation is terrific, but the 3D is disappointing. The characters and their dialogues are well-written. Watch out for the banter between Grug and Guy, Grug and his mother-in-law and the camaraderie amongst ‘The Croods’! Although the first half moves along at a sluggish pace, the second half picks up pace and manages to keep you engaged. The kids will love these terrific characters and the over-simplified story.

It’s a clichéd story, but it entertains!

Shivom Oza

Scary Movie 5 (2013) Review by Shivom Oza – WATCH, Only If You Prefer This Genre!

3/5 Stars

‘Scary Movie 5’ is the fifth film in the ‘Scary Movie’ series. Presenting its brand of unbridled crass humour, the film spoofs renowned names such as ‘Paranormal Activity’, ‘Mama’, ‘The Cabin In The Woods’, ‘Evil Dead’, ‘Inception’, ‘Sinister’, ‘Black Swan’, ‘Rise of the Planet of the Apes’, ‘Insidious’ and ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’.

I frankly believe that the ‘Scary Movie’ series is not supposed to be taken seriously. So, those looking for cinematic brilliance, go watch something else. The film encompasses innumerable cringe-worthy scenes, abundant toilet humour, fair amount of obscenity and the lamest of gags. However, they do manage to entertain. So, the purpose is served. You will find this film immensely funny, if you have a fair idea about the aforementioned sources, which have been parodied.

There’s a small gag at the beginning of the film, involving Charlie Sheen and Lindsay Lohan. This is a fairly silly, yet funny, rip-off of the ‘Paranormal Activity’ series. Lohan gets possessed and ends up killing Charlie. The couple’s 3 children are trapped inside the dingy-looking ‘Cabin in the Woods’. They are encountered by Snoop Dogg and Mac Miller, who initially visit the Cabin hoping to score some fine weed.

The kids, who have grown to become a bit animal-like and eerie in their mannerisms under the influence of their ‘Mama’, are taken in by their uncle Dan Sanders (Simon Rex) and his partner Jody Sanders (Ashley Tisdale). Thereafter, most of the film is a take-off on the Jessica Chastain horror film, with the occasional tribute (?) thrown in to films such as ‘Inception’, ‘Black Swan’ etc.

This film is what you would call ‘time pass’ in colloquial terms. Certainly, this film would be a better bet than watching a big-budget drag of a sci-fi film or a listless, meandering, meaningful (self-proclaimed) motion picture. Watch out for the rip-roaring sequences involving the couple’s Hispanic house-help, Maria (Lidia Porto). The lead actress of the film, Ashley Tisdale looks stunning and is absolutely hilarious. The take-offs on ‘Black Swan’ are also certain to evoke guffaws from the audiences. The special appearances (Snoop Dogg, Mike Tyson, Usher, Bow Wow among others) perfectly get tailored into the insane plot. There’s humour involving sex, dope, faeces, ghosts, amputated body parts, the works!

This film was unabashedly, and unapologetically, silly.  Yet, it was funny. Plus, it’s only 86 minutes!

Shivom Oza

Commando (2013) Review by Shivom Oza – Lights, Camera and ACTION!

2.5/5 Stars

Commando, produced by Vipul Shah, projects itself as an out-and-out action film, with unbelievable stunt sequences performed by Vidyut Jammwal of Force fame. The makers have also maintained that while it is an action film, there is a lot of emotion (in the form of romance, music, song-and-dance etc.) inherent in the screenplay. The film keeps its promises on most counts. To put it briefly, the plot revolves around how Captain Karanvir Dogra, a commando, rescues Simrit from the stranglehold of the local goon, Amrit Kanwal Singh (colloquially referred to as AK74, since he was born in the year 1974!), and his men.

Your opinion of the film will depend a lot on your expectations. So to lay it out for you, here's what you should expect from Commando - unbelievable action (never-seen-before in Hindi cinema), Vidyut Jammwal's electrifying screen presence, Pooja Chopra's decent acting performance on debut, hummable music, corny (most of them being cringe-worthy) dialogues, a villain with clownish tendencies, bizarre plot points, wonderful cinematography and one abominable, sleazy, unwanted item number.

Commando is a complete 'masala' film. There will be several moments during the film, when you will look around wondering, 'Who came up with that?'. So, expect all the aforementioned aspects and you might just end up liking it. Luckily, action remains a very dominant part of the film, and doesn't get overshadowed by other embellishments.

Commando of the Indian army, Karanvir Dogra (Vidyut Jammwal) escapes from China (where he was in the custody of the Chinese army after being falsely implicated as an Indian spy and mercilessly tortured thereafter) to India (albeit in miraculous circumstances). Here, at a small town close to the Punjab-Himachal Pradesh border, he bumps into Simrit (Pooja Chopra), who has run away from her home after facing a lot of harassment from the eccentric and much-feared local politician, AK74 (Jaideep Ahlawat). Thus begins the action extravaganza!

We get to see Vidyut perform innumerable and breathtaking stunt sequences, and mouth rip-roaring one-liners. The actor is sublime when it comes to flaunting his brawny side. The perfectly toned physique and the charming dialogue delivery, works wonders for the young actor's screen presence. Pooja performs very well, for someone who is making her acting debut. One wishes that her character had been written in a better manner (perhaps toned down its effervescence a trifle), but Pooja does well with what she had to do. Jaideep Ahlawat, who plays the villain, is absolutely marvelous. The actor plays the comical villain to the hilt and evokes chills and guffaws in equal measure. Jaideep is a real find, and should definitely be seen in more films. The supporting cast members deliver passable performances.

Mannan Shaah's music is pleasant and hummable. The song 'Saawan Bairi', sung by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, is as beautiful as its video, which features Vidyut and Pooja. Sejal Shah's cinematography is at its best during the shoot of this particular song. Sejal's camerawork is one of the highlights of the film. There's an unwanted item number in the film. This dance number screams 'sleazy' and almost withers away a fairly enjoyable movie-watching experience. Vidyut and Pooja have got terrific screen presence and are fine dancers as well. Hence, the songs, barring that apology of an item number, don't really slow the film down or spoil the screenplay. The dialogues of the film are outright corny. At times, one does wonder if this is really how people, or on a more widespread level, army people talk! The lines have been written in order to bring in the whistles, but sadly, not all of them work! Dilip Ghosh's attempt to make a movie like this, which seems like a good amalgamation of the realistic and the commercial, almost succeeds.

However, as already mentioned before, Commando is not everybody's cup of tea. Although the makers have moderated their sensibilities considerably for this film, Commando remains a 'masala' potboiler and only those who enjoy this genre will like it. Prasad Sasthe's background score deserves special mention.

If you're a fan of action films, go for Commando. However, remember that the film comprises many more elements, which one usually associates with 'masala' potboilers. So, keep that thought in mind!

Shivom Oza