WhereCity.com - Articles - Just Go With It

Adapted from a French play ‘Fleur de cactus’, Just Go With is about plastic surgeon Danny Maccabee (Adam Sandler) with a foxy move for picking up women; he feigns an unhappy marriage. When he meets hot math teacher Palmer or ‘the one’ (Brooklyn Decker) however, he finds himself in a fix. When she insists on meeting his soon-to-be ex wife, Danny begs his frumpy assistant Katherine Murphy (Jennifer Aniston) to pretend to be his snooty, cheating wife. Things snowball with Katherine’s children and Danny’s cousin getting involved. The unlikely bunch takes their madness to Hawaii where the truth eventually spills out.

The duo Adam Sandler and director Dennis Dugan are not known for their serious cinema (Happy Gilmore and Big Daddy). They however, take their toilet humor to another level with Just Go With It and it is not even funny. The film has nothing, actually, going for it.

Don’t be surprised if you find yourself sitting stone faced as Danny’s cousin and Katherine’s fake lover Eddie (Nick Swardson) tries to give CPR to a sheep or when Katherine’s son poops on Eddie’s hand. Read more...

WhereCity.com - Articles - Rio

Blu (Jesse Eisenberg) belongs to a rare species of bird known as the Spix Macaw. Neatly tucked into an urban lifestyle in snowy Minnesota with bookstore owner Linda (Leslie Mann), Blu is a far away from home — the jungles of Rio de Janeiro. Domesticated Blu, can brush his teeth and read a book but does not know how to fly.

Soon enough, Blu’s species is on the decline and he has to mate. Linda and Blu who have led a sheltered life, take the plunge and travel to Rio where Blu meets a female Spix Macaw, Jewel (Anne Hathaway). As cultures clash, it’s hate at first sight. The two bond however, while escaping the clutches of poachers who try to make a quick buck by selling exotic birds.

Rio starts with a bang. Exotic birds swoosh in front of your eyes, thanks to the 3D graphics. The rest of the film is in the similar vein — musical and fast-paced. Read more...

WhereCity.com - Articles - Game

The game begins when reclusive business tycoon Kabir Malhotra (Anupam Kher) invites four strangers from around the world to the Greek island of Samos- his home. The players are a corrupt prime ministerial candidate from Thailand (Boman Irani), a Bollywood star with a dark past (Jimmy Shergill), a drug runner from Istanbul (Abhishek Bachchan) and a young journalist from London (Shahana Goswami). Each has a common skeleton in their closet.

But when the game turns into a closed-door murder mystery, Interpol cop Sia Agnihotri (Kangana Ranaut) is brought in to pull the plug and inspect the pieces. Can she fit the clues to the crime as well as she fits in those suits? Can we mute the screen when she reiterates the obvious and leads us down blind alleys?

And is the game really over for our players? Read More

WhereCity.com - Articles - 127 Hours

‘There must be some kind of chemical that makes us different from animals’, sings the title track of the film. For the next 90 minutes, and 127 hours of Aron Ralston’s life, we are going to discover exactly what that is. Read more...

WhereCity.com - Articles - Burlesque

This is the kind of film that has mass appeal. Teen queens and women will love the sequins, raunchy costumes and OTT make-up; these are the kind of shiny beads-n-cotton candy fabrics that haunt the dreams of little girls. Men will love the titillating song-n-dance routines with barely hidden flesh. There’s a campy story somewhere in the background read more...

WhereCity.com - Articles - Dhobi Ghat

Dhobi Ghat tells 4 parallel stories with one common connection - Mumbai. A reclusive painter Arun (Amir Khan) has a one night stand with Shai (Monica Dogra), a banker in America who is back in Mumbai on a sabbatical. The morning after the night of passion gets awkward as Arun prefers being a loner. Shai, consequently befriends Munna (Prateik Babbar), a dhobi and a wannabe actor.

Munna’s infatuation for Shai grows while she’s busy chasing Arun. Meanwhile, Arun finds some video tapes of previous tenants in his house. The tapes turn out to be letters from a small town girl Yasmin (Kriti Malhotra) who comes to Mumbai with her husband. Read more...

Turning 30!!!

The terror of the torturous Turning 30 

Runaway as fast as you can! Not because you might be turning 30 but because you just saw a glimpse of the gawky film Turning 30. 

Naina (Gul Panag) has everything in perfect order. She turns 30 in two weeks, is up for a promotion and a proposal from her boyfriend –Rishab (Siddharth Makkar) is due. Life is great until, her lover decides to marry a rich someone else (Ira Dubey) and she is on the verge of losing her job. Then, on the rebound, she indulges in an affair with former boyfriend Jai (Purab Kohli) but soon ditches him for she still harbours feelings for Rishabh. All through these tumultuous days, her friends Malini (Tillotama Shome) and Rukhsana (Jeneva Talwar ) support her Read more...

No One Killed Jessica

There is hardly anyone in the county who hasn’t heard Jessica Lall’s story and for those (measly in number) who haven’t, should watch No One Killed Jessica. 

Rajkumar Gupta portrays the high profile murder in Delhi which stirred the nation and put the judiciary system of India in a tight spot, with a lot of honesty and poise, on screen. 

Jessica Lall, a model who was working as a celebrity bartender in Bina Ramani’sparty was shot dead by Manu Sharma Read more...

Guzaarish

Ethan Mascarenhas (Hrithik Roshan), a magican is confined to living a life of a quadriplegic after a freak accident renders his spine unworthy of holding up anything except his head.  After many years of fighting it and surviving he petitions for euthanasia (Ethan-asia as he suggests) much to everyone’s surprise.  

 

Roshan plays his part with utmost sincerity and grace. His wit and charm is almost flawless and convincing as his shrivelled body amassed in the chair/bed. The sexual overtures ,especially between his alluring, caring and  possessive nurse Sophia  D’souza (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) is a bit surprising Read more...

Action Replayy

No replay of this action please.

 

All had warned not to venture for this colorful movie.  But the advertisements beckoned and the dialogue ‘Awaaz neeche’ seemed funny in the trailers. Having faith that the scriptwriters had worked to create more funnies, I proceeded to the theater. I should have listened, but it was too late. With the first scene of the movie I was convinced of the film’s lack of convincing power. 

 

Akshay Kumar (Kishen)as a submissive hotel owner and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan(Mala) as a shopaholic might be bearable but their tiffs as husband and wife Read more...

The Social Network

What makes David Fincher – the masterful hand behind thriller greats likeSe7en, Fight Club and Zodiac – take on the seemingly pedestrian story of a dotcom success? What makes Aaron Sorkin – the guy who penned “you can’t handle the truth”, and crisp witted TV dramas like The West Wing and Studio 60– write lines for a geeky programmer kid? Is it just because the movie’s aboutFacebook?

Hardly. The movie’s hardly about Facebook.

It’s about Generation 2.0. It’s about Mark Zuckerberg Read more...

Due Date

After the resounding success that Hangover got him, Todd Philips strikes again but less hard this time. Due Date follows a tried and tested formula of contrast characters on a crazy cross country road trip. Peter Highman (Robert Downy Jr.), an irritated architect and expectant father has to fly from Atlanta to LA to be with his heavily pregnant wife. Various incidents land him in the no fly list and Peter is forced to take a ride with Ethan Tremblay Read more...

Golmaal 3

It’s an unwritten rule broken only by stellar exceptions. Sequels don’t do well. Three-quels, more so. Is Golmaal 3 really that exceptional?

For the first half, it is.

Consider the formula. Sand, surf, skin and swaying hips, unbelievable wire stunts, crashing cars, heists and hijinks, a borrowed plot, inept hooligans, smart-ass loafers, a superhuman Ajay Devgn, a mute Tusshar Kapoor (thank God?) and a snake-tattooed Vrajesh Hirjee. That’s the story of Golmaal 1, 2 and 3. If you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all. Not much worse than the last, but not always much better.

Except that Golmaal 3 dares to do a few things differently.

Sequels follow Darwinian evolution. What works for the first generation is retained and magnified, Read more...

Iron Man 2- Movie Review

Not as good.

Genre: Action / Adventure / Sci-Fi / Thriller

Release Date: May 7, 2010

Runtime: 124 min

Director: Jon Favreau

Writers: Justin Theroux (screenplay), Stan Lee (Marvel Comics)

Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Don Cheadle, Scarlet Johansson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Mickey Rourke, Samuel L. Jackson, Jon Favreau, Sam Rockwell

Language: English

Rating: 3 / 5 *

Robert Downey Jr. returns as Iron Man, the superhero with pizzazz, in the much anticipated action-packed sequel. The opening scene itself has the bio-mechanical wonder revealing his true identity. Tony Stark, being the champagne-drinking, limo-riding playboy that he is, does so in front of a live audience complete with cheerleaders and fireworks. However, this time he decides to bring a few friends along which include Natalie Rushman (Johansson) a lethal redhead lawyer and his close pal Lt. Col. Rhodey (Terrence Howard who played the role in the first film is now replaced by the talented Don Cheadle). Tony learns that the iron core keeping him alive is also killing him, just about the same time the US Government orders him to hand over his suit. Unfortunately, Ivan Vanko (Rourke) who builds a similar iron suit decides to show up too. Armed with a pair of beautiful but deadly whips, he demands retribution for his father’s sorrow. To Read the rest of the review, fly over to: http://www.wherecity.com/articles/iron-man-2-85.html

A Jihad for Love- Documentary at Prithvi Theatre, Mumbai

A Jihad for Love

A Jihad for Love (2007) is the world’s first documentary film on the co-existence of Islam and homosexuality. Directed by Parvez Sharma, a Muslim gay filmmaker who refuses to associate homosexuality with shame.

Read More.

The Bounty Hunter - Movie Review

Un-Wanted!!

Genre: Romance / Comedy
Release Date: April 23, 2010
Runtime: 110 min
Director: Andy Tennant
Writer: Sarah Thorp
Cast:  Jennifer Aniston, Gerard Butler, Gio Perez, Joel Garland, Jason Kolotouros, Matt Malloy, Jason Sudeikis, Adam Rose, Christine Baranski, Dorian Missick
Language: English Rating: 1.5 / 5 *

Milo (Butler) is down in the dumps; he has not only lost his marriage but also his job as a police officer and is forced to become a bounty hunter. His ex-wife Nicole (Aniston) is still smokin’ hot and excels at being an investigative journalist. So what do you think happens when Milo is given the job to arrest his ex and imprison her? The answer is simple – a real bad movie! The plot is so bare that calling it formulistic would be an over-statement. What the movie lacks in its story should have made up in action, humour and chemistry. However the cast manages to screw up on a trifecta. There is no action, the humour is sparse and Gerard Butler and Jennifer Aniston have zero visual chemistry. 

The climax of the film is.....

To read the rest of the review, run to:

http://www.wherecity.com/articles/the-bounty-hunter-73.html

Phoonk 2- Movie Review

Phoonk, which released in 2008, was a movie based on black magic, where a perfect sitcom family endures tremendous trauma when an ex-employee Madhu casts a spell upon them. In the sequel, the ghost of Madhu returns to their life, about the time when the family is relocating to a new home. The movie commences in typical RGV style with twisted camera angles, haunting musical scores and sudden false alarms.

Madhu initially plays around with the family, by frightening the children through a doll, teasing the wife by making menacing sounds and giving the kaam-waali bai constant chills. In the second half, Madhu.... Read More.

How to train your dragon - Movie Review

Not just for kids! Genre: Animation / Adventure / Comedy / Family / Fantasy

Release Date: April 16, 2010

Runtime: 98 min

Directors: Dean DeBlois, Chris Sanders

Writers: Cressida Cowell (novel), Dean DeBlois (screenplay)

Cast (Voices): Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse

Language: English

Rating: 3.5 / 5 *

Based on the novel by Cressida Cowell bearing the same name, How to Train Your Dragon is the newest DreamWorks offering. Prepare to be transported into the Viking life of Hiccup, an accident-prone teenager. This dream-filled adolescent wants to be just like his dad – in this case, it implies slaying dragons for a living! Hiccup’s life is filled with constant ridicule and embarrassment. This all changes one night, when he accidentally shoots Night Fury, a stealthy, supersonic dragon feared by all. However, he feels empathy for the wounded, helpless creature. Instead of becoming a dragon slayer, he befriends it.

The timing of the 3D effects is impressive. No headache-inducing, in-your-face moments of 3-Dimensionality; instead, flights and landscapes are seasoned with effects to up the ante

To Read the review for How to train your dragon, fly over to:

http://www.wherecity.com/articles/-how-to-train-your-dragon-68.html

The Hurt Locker- Movie Review

Hand-held camera war movie
Genre: Action / Drama / War
Release Date: April 9, 2010
Runtime: 131 min
Director: Kathryn Bigelow
Writer: Mark Boal
Cast: Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie
Language: English
Rating: 3.5 / 5 *

 

REVIEW

“War is a drug”, warns the title shot. Indeed, and it comes with a jarring rush, a shaky perspective on things and the feeling that something just beyond your limited point of view is ominously ticking down to go BOOM at any moment. Kathryn Bigelow’s hand-held camera war movie is not for the fainthearted or those prone to vertigo.

If you can get used to it, the discomfort of looking through this excited point of view photography has an upside besides just cloaking the story in documentary realism. In its best minutes, it can translate directly to your senses.....

To Read the rest of the review, check out:

http://www.wherecity.com/articles/the-hurt-locker-48.html

Green Zone - Movie Review

Raw is not always War!

 

Genre: Action / Thriller / War

Release Date: April 9, 2010

Runtime: 115 min

Director: Paul Greengrass

Writers: Brian Helgeland, Rajiv Chandrasekaran (book)

Cast: Matt Damon, Greg Kinnear

Language: English

Rating: 2.5 / 5 *

 

REVIEW
The American search for non-existent WMDs in Iraq is a bit of a joke by now. Everybody knows the story behind the story, and about the aftermath of political insurgency that continues to plague the region. For those who slept through it, here is yet another Iraq war movie. You cannot sleep through this one. It’s too loud to ignore and simple enough to follow with your eyes closed.

Officer Roy Miller’s team has been turning up turkeys at every WMD site they receive intel on, and nobody wants to ask why. Miller takes it upon himself to investigate the truth. Thankfully, for the half-brained army jock, the conspiracies dare not tread the intricateSyriana territory. Here, the bad guys are all earmarked and contained within the setting. All Miller and his team have to do is......

To Read the rest of review, check out:

http://www.wherecity.com/articles/green-zone-56.html