jen-122-636160 Reviews

Sholay (1975)

This is why I love Indian movies

[9/10 · 16 February 2015]

They even do spaghetti westerns better than we do!!!

Despite a couple of sloppy visual mistakes (you can see the coupling towing a motorcycle and towards the end an assistant peeks his head up behind a bush behind a very pivotal scene), this is an excellent movie.

The acting is fabulous. The plot line engaging. The horse chases are amazing. There is a horse chase with a train, horse chasing carriages, bridges being destroyed. A guy taking a horse down with his bare hands!

It is filmed in a location with large rock formations - like the Vasquez rocks where so many US westerns were filmed so that the shootouts have that same western feel. It even has an Ennio Morricone style soundtrack! But I don't ever remember being this emotionally engaged - on the edge of my seat biting my fingernails with tension engaged - watching a Sergio Leone movie. And I love Sergio Leone.

The bad guy is crazy bad. The good guy is crazy too - his final scene where he fights the bad guy unarmed - you would NEVER see that in a US movie.

The story is heartbreaking at the end - I cried. Not as much as I do when reading a Zane Grey novel - but still - it's pretty heartbreaking and so well acted!!!

My one request is for someone good, like Vinod Chopra, to remake this movie starring Abhishek and Faran Akhtar. And I know this movie is so good no one wants to remake it, but ... the remake of Don with SRK is excellent and even better than the original. And I hear the remake of Agneepath is excellent too. With the right director and cast - yeah - I totally want to see what Abhishek does with the role!! And Faran - yeah- him too! What would make my fantasy remake of this movie complete? Amitabh in the role of Thukar.

This movie is a perfect example of why I've pretty much stopped watching western movies. Indian movies are better. Even their westerns are better!

Lingaa (2014)

Enjoyable

[8/10 · 23 December 2014]

Rajnikanth is getting up in years - but this was a very enjoyable story.

I loved how it played out and the characters. I loved the building of the dam. I was a bit disappointed that Rajnikanth's dancing was so limited, but he is getting up there in age, so that's to be expected.

I was totally invested in the story line. It delivered enough classic Rajnikanth moments to satisfy. And the final action sequence - while totally over the top - which is what I want in a superstar film, was delightful. I was hooting and cheering like everyone else in the theater.

Is this his best film? No. But it's still a very solid picture and very enjoyable.

The women in this movie are excellent Sonakshi Sinha is wonderful in her role. Anushka Shetty is equally enchanting. I even loved Lauren Irwin - who played the wife of the bad guy.

Very enjoyable movie. Glad I saw it.

Highway (I) (2014)

Worth Watching

[10/10 · 22 December 2014]

My dad has discovered Indian movies- thanks to my obsession. For Christmas, he asked me to buy him an Indian movie I thought he should watch. I bought him this one. He thought it was brilliant.

There is a lot of trepidation about Indian movies in the west. They are sometimes viewed as light fluffy silly movies where people break out into song and dance.

If you wanted to know what Indian cinema is capable of - watch this movie. It will leave you with no doubt as to the quality of film making currently taking place in India.

This is a stunningly beautiful movie. There is a scene on a salt flat that will take your breath away - and is the reason this movie should be seen on the big screen.

The highway is obviously one of the main characters, and the movie is almost a travelogue.

The characters and the plot and the problems that the characters are dealing with are really very heavy. The way this story unfolds and how we learn about who these characters are and what their back stories are is extremely well done.

The horror of it all doesn't become apparent until we understand what the freedom of the highway really is for these characters.

This is hands down one of my favorite Indian movies. As soon as I saw it - I knew I needed to see it again - and again and that I would probably never tire of it. It is that good.

If you only see one Indian film. See this one. It's worth watching.

PK (2014)

Wow - I was not expecting this.

[9/10 · 22 December 2014]

This is a comedy about a guy who is naked in the middle of nowhere in a desert along some railroad tracks with nothing but a boom-box who is struggling, like so many of us do, with the failed promises of religion. All he wants ... is his remote back.

I am a huge Aamir Khan fan and I loved 3 Idiots. In fact, I have the love song Zoobie Doobie as my ring tone. So - as soon as they announced this movie - I knew I wanted to see it. The marketing campaign only peaked my interest more. Why is Aamir naked in the middle of the desert with a boom-box? This is the question even my son was asking. Why? Who is his character. Then - they put out the posters - and - who the heck is this PK character.

Well - let me just say - I had no idea that this was going to be the plot. Wow. Let's start with the disclaimer - we don't intend to offend anyone's religion. I'm thinking - OK - I wonder what that's all about. Well, that disclaimer has to go down in history as one of the biggest understatements in all of film history.

Then the opening sequence. And, I'm thinking - wow - this is REALLY a) mind blowing and b) humanistic. Being a Humanist, I loved it - but it seemed a bit extreme for an Indian movie given that India is such a religious country. Having such a science based opening with the philosophy that goes with it - was a bit shocking. I loved it, but it was totally unexpected because it was so expansive.

The foundation of this film is the struggle of someone to come to terms with the failed promises of religion. And it's REALLY funny. I saw it in a nearly sold out theater in America and people were applauding some of the most pointed critiques of religious practice - not because they were anti-religious - but because it was pro-human.

There are some really funny moments in this movie, like Aamir trying to bring wine into a mosque had the entire audience laughing. Again, not because it was making fun of Muslims, but because of how clueless the character PK is. It's also heartbreaking - stunningly so. And as I've been digesting this movie over the past day or so - I realize that the artistic choices to break our hearts in the way this movie does - was incredibly well done. It's so sudden and unexpected that it's perfect for the story line and the social point they are making.

Even the ending is really astonishing. Aamir is just staring at a shoe in his hand, and yet, what is happening around him is creating so much tension. And you know how it's going to end, but that doesn't make you any less tense hoping that it will end how you want it to. They built the tension up and released it perfectly and Aamir's performance, as understated as it was - because he was just looking at a shoe, was amazing.

I was shocked by this film, but in a really good way. If you are a Humanist, you really need to see this film. If you are religious, but frustrated with the con men speaking on behalf of your faith - see this film. You won't be disappointed. As someone said as I passed by - it's about time someone said what we have all been thinking.

Bhoothnath Returns (2014)

Mixed Review

[5/10 · 30 November 2014]

I liked this film. My son - who was very excited to see it because he LOVED Bhoothnath - hated it. He would only give it one star. Here's why.

It's not funny. This is a political film. It's not a children's film. Sure, it was promoted as a children's film. My son (who was 8 when this released) was hoping to see it in the theaters(which I'm glad we didn't as he couldn't sit through it - it was that boring for him).

The problem is, this is most definitely NOT a children's film. This isn't to say there is anything in the movie a child shouldn't see, it's just that the original Bhoothnath was filled with slapstick and a very touching relationship between the boy and the ghost.

This movie is modern Indian political commentary wrapped around a beloved character/actor, which kind of ruins the character. Now - the adult in me - liked the film. There is nothing not to like about Amitabh playing a ghost, even if the ghost becomes a politician. The plot was interesting, but engaging in an intellectual way, rather than an emotional way.

I really don't think you can understand the 2014 Indian election of Modi if you haven't see this movie. Because - this movie - probably had an impact on that election. It certainly impact Bollywood's discussion about the importance of voting in the election. So, if you are interested in understanding what the heck is going on in Indian politics, this movie is worth watching.

If you want to see another Bhoothnath movie - this one will seriously disappoint you.

Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram Leela (2013)

Really really liked this

[9/10 · 6 November 2014]

Obviously - this is Romeo (Ram) and Juliet (Leela), done as a Bollywood extravaganza. I really liked it. They stayed true to the original story line but also borrowed heavily from West Side Story in a way that made for a really nice blend. In fact, the dominant influence appeared to be West Side Story - and not just because it's a musical.

It was also VERY sexy. But in a comical way. Our main characters would roll about in a state of near undress kissing, and then burst into song & dance. It's a Bollywood movie - it is what it is.

I have to say - I loved Ranveer's look. Nearly naked, he looks like Adonis, and his mustache was wonderful. It's a really good look for him. More men should wear mustaches like that and I am not normally a mustache fan. He's made me one. His opening dance sequence was over the top fabulous.

I enjoyed how they would occasionally speak in rhyme - basically translating some of the most famous lines from Romeo & Juliet into Hindi poetry. I thought that worked really well and it was delightful and helped anchor the movie as a proper retelling of Romeo & Juliet. When you see Romeo & Juliet - there are certain moments you need to hear. Certain lines that are classic and oft quoted, and they provided those moments in this movie with those bits of poetic rhyme. I thought it was an excellent artistic choice and again, helped to ensure that we knew we were watching Romeo & Juliet as Ram & Leela.

I also liked the fact that the head of the "Capulet" family in this movie was a woman. She was nasty and mean and sympathetic and extremely well acted by Supriya Pathak Kapur.

Deepika is wonderful, but she's Juliet - so her job is to fawn over Ram and be constrained by her family. She does it well - and her - are you coming to bed now that we are married sultry bed dance in white scene - wow - she is a REALLY good dancer. That was her main stand out moment.

Richa Chadda - as Leela's sister in law (the Rita Moreno character in West Side Story) was also excellent. The women in this movie carried the movie. Aside from Ram - all the other men were basically interchangeable. Anyway - Richa's big moment - looking for Ram but getting harassed by Ram's men is straight out of West Side Story and again, I thought they captured the look and feel of that really well - it was a great echo of West Side Story - that sets us up for the rumble to come.

The rumble was well realized and beautifully shot. How the heads of family are turned to call off the fighting and the tragic deaths of Ram & Leela had me crying at the end. Any movie that makes me cry is a good movie as far as I am concerned.

Happy New Year (I) (2014)

Flawless

[10/10 · 25 October 2014]

Farah Khan made a flawless movie. Every single bit of this entertainer is perfect. It's an entertainer. Not a deep movie. And it entertains extremely well.

1st SRK - Farah directs him wonderfully. There are no cringe worthy moments in this film. She gives us the gratuitous shots of SRK early on and 1 ups herself from the Darr de Disco sequence in Om Shanti Om. And once again it was hysterically funny, provided for character development and was superb eye candy all at the same time. This was a wonderful role for SRK.

Abhishek - Farah uses his talents perfectly. And I mean perfectly! Wow! Double role! The guy is a chameleon and completely inhabits every role he plays. Put him in a new costume and he is that new person. He is a superb actor and was wonderful and watching him play off SRK was delightful.

Deepika - This is one of the best performances I've seen from her. She is a fabulous actress, but this role required a surprising emotional depth from her and Farah was able to get that and capture that wonderfully.

Boman Irani - I love the role she wrote for him. He played it perfectly and, again Farah nailed it both in terms of direction, actor choice and - well everything.

Sonu Sood - His job is action star eye candy. He gets type cast a lot. Still - he was wonderful in it. At some point I would like to see him given a meatier role as he is capable of so much more than just being eye candy. But again, hats off to Farah for exploiting the eye candy thing within the movie itself.

Jackie Shroff - he's perfect in his role. I love watching him act. He's great.

Vivaan Shah - youngest of our crew - I was not familiar with him before. He was good and delivered the performance he was supposed to (he's more of a supporting role and given the high octane actors who was playing with in ensemble, he got a bit lost - but I don't think that's Farah's fault. He had plenty of scenes where he was the scene and he played them extremely well.

Choreography. I love Farah's choreography. I love that she got Prabhudeva to do a cameo & the entire gotta dance montage was beautiful! The final dance sequence was amazing and left me wishing I had been rich enough to fly to one of the cities to see these people perform it live on stage during the slam tour. Realized I am going to go to my grave regretting that I didn't.

Action sequences - Sonu Sood's early battle is fabulous. I'm curious to know why steam was coming out of only one ear. But this scene took every Hindi battle sequence ever made where our hero is surrounded, and put it up a notch. It was funny, it was cool, it was sexy - I love Farah! How she got the shirt off Sonu was really really funny. I like that she is able to deliver everything we want in a movie with grace, humor and in a way that forwards character development - for the entire ensemble!

I can't believe she did used Kung Fu Fighting at one point (the song) but I loved the way she borrowed from the ending of Don (with SRK) for this sequence - especially since she had Boman in an onlooker role for the sequence. It was funny and scary and beautifully shot and the Jackie Chan sequence with the table that the borrowed was again, beautifully done.

They say the best artists know who to steal from. Farah does. And with movies, it's not what you steal, it's how you steal it and make it your own. Farah is a MASTER! She is even at the point where she can steal from herself (with the ballroom sequence from Om Shanti Om - which is nothing like that except that she steals the music and the rotation - and has Deepika and SRK in the center of everything).

This was a flawless movie. Everything about it was perfect. It was hysterically funny, well made, a fabulous ensemble and I left the movie positively giddy. I haven't felt this way coming out of a movie since I saw Streets of Fire when I was a teen. Well done Farah! Thank you for making this movie.

Army (1996)

Wow

[9/10 · 6 October 2014]

I didn't realize Sridevi starred in this - because it was billed as a SRK movie. So happy - as I love her. SRK has a bit part. He's good in it - typical romantic comedy SRK. But this movie is ALL about Sridevi in a hell hath no fury revenge role. Yay - women power.

Despite the formulaic nature of this film, I found it REALLY moving. I cried. A lot. Sobbing at the end actually.

Yes, there were lots of WTF plot hole moments in it that make you scream out - WTF!!! Like - dude - could you not check to make sure your gun had bullets in it BEFORE you put your elaborate plan into action to corner the bad guy? And how the heck did the bad guy - who was outnumbered and cornered on the stairs with a broken leg manage to escape!!! There were several moments where - I was literally screaming at the screen - just kill him already. Stop talking and KILL HIM!!!! And - considering I consider myself a bit of a pacifist - I was truly totally invested in this movie.

Danny Denzongpa is absolutely fabulous as the bad guy. You don't really get a sense of just how good he is until he becomes truly vulnerable at the end.

The songs are really nice. The story lines for our 5 recruits who aid Sridevi are fleshed out enough that you care about them and cry when they cry. But again, this is all about Sridevi seeking revenge. And her performance knocked this out of the park for me.

The only "odd" moment - where I was distanced from the plot because of an artistic choice - was when Sridevi was being tortured. On the one hand, this is the only song in the movie where we get to see the fabulous Sridevi dance. On the other hand - having a torture scene done as interpretive dance - no matter how well done - and it was done well - is odd. Despite the odd nature of this scene/song, the emotional depth Sridevi brings to the scene and what was going on for her character was evident and yeah - I cried despite part of my brain thinking - am I really seeing this? I mean - it's a frigging dance number!!!!

I loved this movie. I LOVED this movie. I love Sridevi. She is an amazing talent. I loved the plot - and I don't normally like revenge movies. I loved everything about it - included the odd dance number towards the end. Despite the formulaic nature of the movie. I loved it. Sridevi is a goddess. And the part where she goes full Mifune on a horse with a sword? Wow.

Haider (2014)

Wonderful until the end - and not for the reasons you think.

[8/10 · 5 October 2014]

OK - so spoiler - this is based on Hamlet - pretty much everyone dies in the end. We all know that going in.

I really enjoyed this movie up until the end. Not because everyone died, but because of how they died and how the director's artistic decisions about those deaths detached me from the emotional impact of what was happening.

I was totally with Haider's emotional journey up until that point. Shahid does an amazing job in this movie. The pacing of this movie was fabulous. Even at 2 hours 40 ish minutes - I honestly felt like I was only there for about an hour. The movie flows really really well.

The extra time given to the back story really helps cement the emotional impact of what is happening in this story. I was in tears halfway through this movie. The part that is "technically" Hamlet starts in earnest in the 2nd half of this movie.

According to a friend, the India release had 41 segments edited out to please Indian censors - which means the movie we saw in America is not the movie shown in India. I really hope that when this comes out on video - we get the Indian release, because what was edited out - would probably make this movie better. Had it not been for the ending, I probably would have given this movie 10 stars. I honestly feel cheated by the ending I saw.

*spoiler* I should have been emotionally moved by the final confrontation between Haider and his uncle. Instead, I was wondering why Vishal (the director) choose to steal from Star Wars III where Anakin is crawling legless up a hill on that lava planet. Which means when Haider finally is forced to decide to revenge his father or not, I was totally divorced emotionally from what was happening because my focus was on the fact that the uncle had lost his legs pretty gratuitously. It was a bad artistic choice because my focus should have been on the emotional decision Haider was making.

Again, this was the only part of the movie I didn't like. Unfortunately, this choice basically ruined the ending. The entire rest of the movie was perfect, even if a bit violently gratuitous.

I also enjoyed the western style love scene between Haider and Ashree/Ophelia. I'm sure Indians didn't get to see that because it was positively pornographic by Indian standards. But from a western viewpoint - it was VERY sexy and helped to give context to how Haider feels about Ashree/Ophelia so that we better understand his reaction to her death later.

I did feel that we were cheated of his response to her funeral a bit too because the duel between Hamlet and Ophelia's brother happens right at the funeral in this movie and Haider isn't given much time to grieve. But I did think that the duel was well realized.

This was an absolutely fabulous movie with the exception of the last 5 minutes of the film, which could be easily fixed if the distraction of the loss of the uncles legs is edited out. Don't let that stop you from seeing this movie, just try to see the Indian censored version if you do.

Chennai Express (2013)

The audience I saw this with howled with laughter.

[7/10 · 4 October 2014]

I saw Chennai Express in the theater when it opened in August 2013. It's a very funny movie and the audience howled with laughter throughout. The thing is, to understand half of the jokes, you have to have seen Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. To understand the other half of the jokes, you have to understand both Hindi and Tamil – because there are a lot of jokes about language confusion. Fortunately, I was sitting next to an Indian who helped me understand the jokes I missed.

But if you speak neither Hindi nor Tamil, this movie is still highly enjoyable. Just, make sure to see Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge first because this movie is essentially a remake of that movie. My bollywood friends didn't see it that way, but it has the same plot SO, I'm not sure why they didn't make the connection. Especially given that the introduction of our two lovers is exactly the same and uses the same exact same music for comic effect, and for really really obvious foreshadowing, and again, did I mention that the plot is basically the same.

What is the plot? Boy and girl meet on a train and they fall in love. Unfortunately, the girl is engaged to a bad ass guy who is completely wrong for her. Boy has to go to the middle of nowhere rural India and fight the bad ass guy to win the girl. Or, at least that was the plot of Dilwale. Filmed in 1995 by Aditya Chopra. Shahrukh was still young then, only 30 years old. He was still capable of playing a teenager in love.

SRK was 48 when Chennai Express was filmed and he desperately needs to stop playing teenagers in love. The problem is he's not a very good dramatic actor. What he does well is puppy love and comedy and it's kind of unseemly for a middle aged guy to be in puppy love. Which is where Chennai Express comes in.

In Chennai Express, SRK basically gets to redo Dilwaye Dulhania but as a 40 year old who has never had a girlfriend and has never been married (because he grandparents never approved), which means he can play someone near his age and yet still get to fall in love on screen – which is what all us SRK fans want to see.

This remake is silly, but it works precisely because it can be a love story standing on it's own and a remake of a classic and an homage to SRK's career and a send up of his entire comedic career, with elements of a Rajnikanth movie (Tamil language star) all at the same time. Which is why the audience I was in was laughing so hard throughout this movie.

This movie is directed by Rohit Shetty, who I'm not a huge fan of. He's an action director, but his movies tend to lack humanism. So while I am entertained by his movies, I'm also a little annoyed by the morality of it all. I liked this one because Rohit was constrained by SRK romance rules, which require a strict adherence to certain moral codes, which is why our hero has to fight for the girl at the end.. The other thing Rohit did well in this movie was constrain SRK's tendency to overact. I realize now that part of the problem SRK has is that other directors linger on his close ups and if you cut away sooner, it's not as cringe worthy. So good job Rohit. There was only one slight cringe in this movie and Rohit, thankfully, didn't linger on it.

What I liked. Our heroine, played by Deepika Podukone, is kick ass. At no point is she helpless. SRK is really in his element and quite funny in this movie. The songs are fun, but not memorable, so, the music didn't really stick with me in the same way that the music in Dilwale does. Mostly what I remember music wise is the reuse of famous songs from other SRK movies. The scene where SRK and Deepika are singing famous songs but changing the lyrics so that they can discuss their predicament without the Tamil thugs knowing what they are saying is hysterical.

The final, get your ass kicked for love fight scene is well done, even though the product placement elements of it are over the top funny. For instance, at one point SRK is completely covered in blood, except for the label on his undershirt, which is clean and cleverly placed for us to see it so that we know which famous designer made it. And for some reason during the fight scene, you hear the sound of the TARDIS. I was half expecting The Doctor to show up.

Conclusion: This is a very funny movie. But to enjoy it fully and to understand what the film makers were doing, you really do need to see Dilwale Dulhania first.

R... Rajkumar (2013)

Show me more Sonu!!!!

[4/10 · 4 October 2014]

This movie delivers everything you expect it to deliver from the previews. Shahid is adorable and wonderful. Sonakshi is wonderful and beautiful and fierce. And Sonu Sood is a) incredibly handsome and b) too handsome and beautifully handsome to be the evil villain he plays. He does a great job, but his handsomeness was a bit distracting for me.

Dancing: This movie is written, directed and choreographed by Prabhu Deva, so the dancing is amazing and technical. If you are a dancer, watch this movie. Seriously. Some of the stuff Shahid was doing is nothing short of amazing and of course Prabhu has a cameo in one of the songs (Gandi Beat). It was nice to see that Prabhu is capable of dialing it back when he needs to as the "we both just realized we are in love fantasy dance sequence" was low key, and beautiful without all the complex technical moves of the other numbers.

Action: Speaking of choreography, this is an action flick. And some of the fight sequences are beautifully choreographed as well. Most of them are jump cut so the flow doesn't allow you to see extended sequences and they could very easily just film individual action shots and cut them together. But there is a fight scene in the middle of the movie where Shahid is fighting 60 guys, and we get a long sequence of uncut moves that are really well done.

The final battle between Shahid and Sonu is in sepia tone – to give it more gravitas. It's hokey. They may have chosen that to hide flaws in Shahid's make up because at this point his character had been stabbed twice, beat up and buried alive before heading into the final battle, so... he had a lot of fake blood on him and it might not have looked right in regular color.

The battle itself reminded me a bit of the final battle in the 3rd Musashi movie except without the swords. They rush at each other. Fight a bit. Rush at each other and eventually, Shahid, after nearly dying 3 times in the battle manages to land a punch to the throat and they just stand there. For a long while. And no – I'm not giving anything away – obviously Shahid was going to win this battle – duh. Anyway, I thought it was a nice touch and used the main elements that everyone remembers from the final Musashi battle well.

Technical Details: As for what I didn't really like. Some of the editing was really odd and distracting. One of the first expository scenes is jump cut with odd angles of the faces talking, ending with extreme close ups. I found it distracting and annoying, especially since I was trying to read subtitles.

The other odd choice was a jiggling earthquake effect on the film at a pivotal moment. It was distracting and didn't really add to the scene. Those were the only two moments where this was done. The rest of the movie was well done.

The love story was OK – I have mixed feelings about the first half since it involved Shahid stalking Sonakshi and having been a victim of a stalking, it didn't sit well with me. I don't normally get that sort of reaction from other movies where this "following" happens. Normally, I think – ahhh. But I did react badly here so I think they missed the mark.

My conclusion: If you like rough action masala – this movie is great. If you like amazing dancing. This movie is really great. Love story? Meh. Really handsome actor – Oh YEAH! Sonu!!!! Music – fun. Worth seeing? Probably.

Karz (1980)

I understand now

[8/10 · 4 October 2014]

Please be aware, I watched Karz 2008 (which is a remake of this movie) before seeing this version of the story. And I enjoyed the 2008 version. But it also meant - I already knew the story and how it was going to play out. For me, viewing this movie was an exercise in seeing someone else's vision of this story play out. Which is always a fun geek experience - if you like the story, which I do.

The other thing you need to know is that the only Hindi language movie I own on blue ray is Om Shanti Om. Because I love that movie.

Why is this important? Because - Farah Khan - who directed Om Shanti Om - borrowed heavily from Karz 1980 for Om Shanti Om. In fact, Om Shanti Om is clearly Farah's reimagining of the story. And I had no idea until just now - having just finished watching Karz 1980. And now that I've seen the original Karz - I have a much better understanding of Farah's brilliance. Keep in mind, I already thought she was brilliant. This just seals the deal.

I tell you all this because it's impossible for me to review this movie without referencing the other 2 movies since they are all related. Om Shanti Om is basically a reimagining of Karz 1980 by Farah Khan. And ... I had no idea that Om Shanti Om had anything to do with Karz while I was watching Karz 2008.

So let's talk about this version of Karz (1980)

1st - The is the best thing I've seen Rishi Kapoor in. I don't like him that much. I like his wife and his son a lot. But him. meh. Like in Chandni - I found him really annoying even though I totally loved Sridevi and enjoyed the movie. I understood I was supposed to root for him in the love triangle, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. Neither could my dad who saw it with me. I don't like how rough Rishi is with his dancing partners and he's not a very good dancer. Even in this movie - there were times when it looked painful how awkwardly and roughly he was pulling his partner into a spin. Granted, I did like Rishi in Kabhi Kabhie - but I still found him - odd. This movie - I was with him and rooting for him the whole time - and yes - his acting was so good in a pivotal scene - it made me cry.

2nd - the music. I own the soundtrack to Om Shanti Om - and LOVE that music. So - hearing the original songs that the writers for Om Shanti Om were stealing from - was awesome. Really enjoyed it. And again - it points to the artistry of the writers for Karz that they could write melodies that would be so haunting and so adaptable to a different style. And to the artists who wrote and sang the music for Om Shanti Om - for stealing from Karz directly - and yet creating something entirely new. Brilliant.

3rd - the cinematography. They made use of a lot of spinning and camera rotation throughout this film. From the record player in the Om Shanti Om sequence to the pivotal scene where they get Kamini to confess. I would have said it was a bit much - since it was everywhere. But ... it only happens when someone is experiencing a flashback moment where the present and the past are colliding. And it's surprisingly effective at conveying the confusion and mixed emotions of those moments. And again, it's really amazing to see how Farah adapted the rotation element into Om Shanti Om and more importantly why she did. It also helps me make sense of the climatic scene in Veer-Zaara where this same rotation occurs, melding past and present emotionally and physically in space.

4th - the ballad of Om Shanti Om. OK - in Karz - it's not called that. But it's basically the same scene and the base melody is the same AND the outfit our girl is wearing is echoed in what Farah did with that exact same scene in Om Shanti Om. I LOVED seeing the version in Karz 1980 as a result. It was just as powerful for me, probably because I could see the two movies (Karz and Om Shanti Om) juxtaposed on each other. It was seriously cool and again - speaks to the brilliance of Farah that she could steal so blatantly and make it her own and yet be so totally overt that she was stealing and what she was stealing from.

5th - the house. Yeah - the set where the ballad of Om Shanti Om is shot in Om Shanti Om - makes sense now. As does the fire element. Again - brilliance how Farah stole those from Karz and how she used the differently.

To summarize: I understand now more of what Farah was doing with Om Shanti Om. Is Karz 1980 worth watching on it's own? Yes! It is. Totally. It's a good story and Rishi is great it in and the music is great and its a very good movie. It's just all the more awesome when you have the added layers of film making future and past mixing in your head while you watch it.

Gudgudee (1997)

Very enjoyable

[7/10 · 2 October 2014]

It's rare to see Anupam Kher in a lead role like this. He is normally a supporting player.

So it was really nice to see him carry an entire movie all by himself. And he does. A lot of the movie is just him. Thinking. Which doesn't sound entertaining when you write it - but it's actually quite fun because Anupam is a wonderful actor and the movie is about his thoughts, worries, delights, fears and insecurities. And he is able to display those emotions well.

The plot revolves around his going to a wedding and meeting a pretty young woman who seems (to him) to be interested in him. So he has fantasies and well, the rest is comedy.

It's a really sweet movie.

Jab Tak Hai Jaan (2012)

Transitional movie for SRK

[9/10 · 2 October 2014]

This was an interesting movie.

First - I really enjoyed it. It is well done. It's Yash Chopra's last film. And ... it's some of SRK's best acting. Which is saying something as dramatic acting isn't his strong suit as he is primarily a comic romance actor. But he does this well.

The whole way the story is told and is put together and unfolds is good. The character development for the main character likewise unfolds in a really nice and rather surprising way.

Scenery - amazing. Songs, wonderful - but not memorable. Dancing - wonderful. Love story - totally satisfying.

Why do I think this is a turning point movie for SRK. Well, let's be honest. The guy is getting older and he can't pull off teenager or even young man in love anymore and ... that's what we like seeing him do. It's pretty much the only thing we like seeing him do as his dramatic acting is cringe worthy. He needs to find a way to transition to more mature roles with more substance and this one did that for him.

The next bit contains spoilers. But there is no way to explain why this movie was so good without them.

So - the rules of Bollywood are - if they kiss, something bad has to happen. SRK not only kisses, he wakes up in bed. Naked. With a woman engaged to someone else. This is not a situation SRK is ever in in a movie! Predictably - he has to die. Not just once, but twice. Doesn't matter this is his true love. Those are the rules.

Because he loses his love, and doesn't want to live without her, he becomes an embittered guy who is trying to kill himself by becoming a bomb defuser. And this sets up his character's development through the rest of the movie.

And - SRK is REALLY believable as an embittered old guy. I was kind of shocked really as - again, most of his dramatic acting is cringe-worthy. He hit all the notes right on this portrayal and he was totally believable for the entire movie. There were no - oh god, he just overacted again cringe moments in this film.

Which is why I think this movie is going to be seen as a turning point for him as to what is possible as he ages out of his normal romantic lead type roles. (Granted his next two movies have him against Deepika as a romantic lead - but - an older romantic lead - and it's seeming to work for him). Still - I loved the grizzle of this character and I would like to see SRK take on more roles like this.

Kochadaiiyaan (2014)

Wonderful story - well told

[8/10 · 2 October 2014]

My son, who was 8 when this came out, loved this movie. He had been excited to see it as soon as the trailers started appearing in 2013. We saw it in 3D in Hindi which was not our preference, but it was all that was available in our area.

This is a good story, it's well told and yes, the animation is a bit stilted, which is odd considering it's motion capture.

However, the highly stylized look of the film works because it is a myth/fantasy/saga.

It was also really wonderful to see Rajnikanth in this sort of role again, which he can't play anymore in live action due to his age. Rajnikanth is great in this as is Deepika.

The story is solid. The fight sequences wonderful. The look and feel of the entire piece is fantastical. And my son loved it. He thought it was one of the better movies he saw this past year. I really enjoyed it too.

Time Traveller (2010)

I ended up really liking this movie

[8/10 · 2 October 2014]

I watched this mostly to not watch a Hindi movie. I've become obsessed with Hindi movies and I really thought I needed to go watch some other cinema too.

I ended up really liking it.

It started out poorly. I didn't really like the character and the point of it and plot seemed really thin. But I stuck with it and was rewarded with a very satisfying movie.

The movie is well acted. The plot twists - unseen, but then obvious.

It is an odd movie, but it works. It wasn't what I expected, but that's OK. I ended up enjoying it anyway. And it made a nice break from Bollywood and helped to remind me that other countries are also making movies worth watching.

We Are Family (2010)

Wonderful movie - total tearjerker

[9/10 · 2 October 2014]

I loved this movie.

This is basically - all about the women. It's a remake of Stepmom. As with most Bollywood movies, you know where the plot is going and where it has to go. It's the ride there that is satisfying.

This movie pairs Kareena Kapoor Khan (who was just Kareena Kapoor at the time) and Kajol. Both women are fabulous actors.

This is all about the relationships and the women deliver. The dance at the bar with both Kareena and Kajol was my favorite part of the movie. They are wonderful together.

This is a solid movie and if you have a heart - it will make you cry. What more can you ask of a movie.

Fruit & Nut (2009)

Just give yourself over to it.

[8/10 · 2 October 2014]

This is a silly movie. Super silly. And I loved it. Laughed through the whole thing. This is the movie that made me realize - if I like even the obviously crappy Bollywood movies - I'm seriously addicted to Bollywood.

With certain movies, you just have to give yourself over to it. This is one of those movies.

Here is how I would describe this film - caution - it does contain spoilers.

Doofus bumbles through an underworld plot to take over the city. Includes a great transvestite dance sequence and an old man evil old guy dance sequence that is really worth watching.

This movie is funny, IF you just give yourself over to it and allow yourself to enjoy it.

Yamla Pagla Deewana 2 (2013)

This was seriously fun

[8/10 · 2 October 2014]

This is not a high brow movie. It's a silly fun romp. And as a fun romp, it's a wonderfully delightful and funny movie. If you like Bollywood movies and you like silly comedies you will probably like this movie. This is one of those movies you just have to give yourself over to.

Sunny and Bobby Deol are wonderful in their roles. I'm not used to seeing Sunny so clean and his beard was so beautiful and his smile. (sigh) However, the actor who surprised me the most was Anupam Kher as Dude-G. I had no idea that man has such range - which I realize is a strange thing to say for a movie - that's basically a lot of set pieces/spoofs on other movies loosely woven around a fairly predictable plot line. However, he was great - really owned his role and again, I didn't know he had that sort of range. And Jhonny Lever is always funny, and he delivered exactly what you want from J. Lever.

So, why did I like this movie if it was so over the top and silly. It delivered. It was a bit disjointed at first and I had trouble following who everyone was. However, once the story lines converge - it's all romp from there. I liked the plot. It was simple and went exactly where I wanted and needed it to go. I like to be surprised to - but there is something to be said for a simple plot.

The references to other movies - really funny. And yes, you do need to know who Salman Khan is to get a lot of the jokes. I laughed through this whole movie. The Orangutan Einstein was funny, surprisingly necessary to the plot, and I was howling during the My Name is Sheila sequence.

The final battle was wonderful and funny and, for me, the whole movie held together well. Yes. It's over the top. Yes, it's silly. Yes, it makes a LOT of references to other movies. Yes, it's totally unbelievable. Still, I thought it was well acted and I was totally engaged in the love stories - even though it was obvious how they were going to end. That's one of the things that I love about Hindi cinema. It delivers what you want it to - and this movie does. If you don't know going into the movie that it's going to be over the top silly based on the poster which features a man in a bad orangutan suit, well, there is no helping you.

PS - I was telling my husband about it and my 9 year old son is now quite eager to see it (he likes Hindi movies too - start them young). So we will be watching it again shortly.