Film Review - Wolf of Wall Street

                                                    

Money For Nothing 

Film: The Wolf of Wall Street

Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill

Directed by: Martin Scorsese

Duration: 2 hrs 54 mins

Rating: *  *  *  *

Based on a book by Jordan Belfort (inspired by his own true story) The Wolf of Wall Street, to begin with, proves that director Martin Scorsese is on the top of his game. A film of this caliber had to be made by someone special and Scorsese has delivered the knockout punch.

It also has a superb screenplay by television writer Terence Winter and even though the film clocks three hours (six minutes have been chopped off by the censors), they are the breeziest three hours you’ve encountered at the cinemas in a while. This is one helluva trip.  

Jordan (Leonardo DiCaprio) was just an ordinary guy till he got a break on Wall street as a dealer. Soon he branched off and started on his own and with a motley crue, it didn’t take him long to climb the ladder. Their modus operandi was simple – sell penny stocks to unsuspecting clients and make money. Soon he had so much that didn’t know what to do with it.

Apart from the love of money, there were other serious vices as well – drugs and women. In the form of tablets or powder Jordan was addicted to it and he also left his first wife and married a pretty woman (Margot Robbie). The chickens had to come to roost and greed may be good, but not for long as finally, the long arm of the law catches up with him.

Reflecting the high that Jordan has all the time, the pace of the film is relentless and every scene exudes so much energy. Scorsese has also laced it with humor which is not necessarily meant to be funny-you may let out a chuckle but the irony of the situation at times goes beyond the obvious humor. And that’s where Scorsese might also be trying to make a point about the perils of a fast life. He also doesn’t pass any judgment on the characters - it is all there for the audience to see.  

We don’t really know how much of Jordan’s claims are true and about the accuracy of what has been depicted. But that aside, what we do know is that Scorsese has made a film that will stay with you for a long time and you wouldn’t mind watching it again to admire his art.

Margot Robbie (who was also noticed in About Time recently) as the trophy wife not only looks pretty but acts with confidence. Jonah Hill as Jordan’s partner is aptly cast and the other supporting actors like Jean Dujardin and Matthew McConaughey make their presence felt. The film is also a triumph for Leonardo DiCaprio who has given an outstanding performance. Surely he is in the race for the Oscars with this film, not that it matters a lot.

The Wolf of Wall Street is one of the best films in recent times, don’t miss it.  

Published in The Navhind Times on 5th Jan 2014

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Film Review- Sholay 3D

   

     

Still The Greatest Story Ever Told

Film: Sholay (3D)

Cast: Seriously, you don’t know?

Directed by: Ramesh Sippy

Duration: 3 hrs 20 mins

The greatest story ever told is back on the big screen, this time in 3D. Over the years, reams have been written, hours have been spend discussing and dissecting Sholay which is not just a film, it is a part of our pop culture. The characters have become a part of folk lore and the dialogues are still so popular that you can virtually have a communication with someone using only the immortal lines penned by Salim-Javed.

The question to ask anyone is not if you have seen Sholay but how many times?

For those who have missed out watching it on the big screen, here is an opportunity of a life time. And the good news is that the 3D version is pretty neatly done, it may not add a great deal of value but it doesn’t take away anything either. Besides, there is nothing on earth can add any more value to Sholay.

This 3D release is the same as the original censored version with the ending that we all know of. Most film lovers are aware that Sholay was originally shot in 35mm and then blown to 70mm for theatres that were compatible for that format and there weren’t too many in those days. This version also fits the screen (like 70mm) and hence everything appears ‘closer’ in tight frames.

The background score has also been reworked with modern technology although I would have been perfectly happy to hear it in the original format. Some of the sound effects have been enhanced take for instance Gabbar Singh’s entry scene, the sound of his boots is almost scary.

Has the film dated over the years? Not at all. Maybe a couple of scenes like Jaya Bhaduri’s flashback for instance could be trimmed but otherwise the whole 204 minutes of it is still a treasured gem. Right from the opening bars of R.D Burman’s memorable theme music to the end, this is one heck of trip. The fight sequence on the train is still one of the best ever and even with all the CGI, none of the contemporary films can match that.

Basanti in kutto ke samne mat nachna, tere kya hoga kaliya, tumhara naam kya hain basanti, Loha hi lohe ko kat ta hain, yeh haat mujhe de de thakur, Bahut yaraana lagta hai, Kitne aadmi they?, Hum angrezon ke zamaane ke jailor hain, Arre O Saambha,  Itna Sannata kyo hai bhai? There is perhaps no other film in the universe which has lines that are so popular like the ones mentioned above.

So ahead, make you day. Again.   

Published in The Navhind Times on 5th Jan 2014

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Film Review - Timepass

Straight From The Heart

Film: Timepass (Marathi)

Cast: Prathamesh Parab, Ketaki Mategaonkar, Vaibhav Mangale

Directed by: Ravi Jadhav

Duration: 2 hrs 20 mins

Rating: * * *

Director Ravi Jadhav scored at the box office with Balak Palak and his latest venture Timepass is more than just what the title suggests. It offers some solid entertainment and also makes some valid points about the society.

If the Nagraj Manjule’s brilliant Fandry was about the caste divide, Timepass delves on class but with a slightly lesser intensity. There is also common link between Sujay Dakahe’s Shaala, Fandry and this film – they all have an adolescent love story around which everything else revolves.

Dagadu (Prathamesh Parab who also acted in Jadhav’s Balak Palak) is a young guy who has failed repeatedly in Std. X. His father who drives and auto rickshaw to make ends meet, kicks him out of the house and Dagadu becomes a newspaper delivery boy. One day he sees Prajakta (Ketaki Mategaonkar, playing a similar role to the one in Shaala) and instantly falls in love.

Now Dagadu is not the ‘smartest’ guy around, he is more like what is conventionally referred to as a tapori. But he is a sincere and earnest boy who wears his heart on his sleeve and that’s the reason the girl falls for him. Her background couldn’t be more contrasting though – her father (Vaibhav Mangale) is a disciplinarian who wants to raise his daughter with ‘traditional values’. Interestingly though, in a conversation with the rickshaw driver, he mentions that doesn’t believe in the class divide but is more concerned because the boy whom his daughter loves is uneducated and coarse in the way he speaks.  

For most parts, the film will have you in splits and that is primarily because of Dagadu’s character and his lines, which are some what similar to Munnabhai’s lingo. It is only in the last lap that the film looks a bit stretched and labors a bit.

Technically, the film is quite polished and the songs are well shot and integrated in the story. Prathamesh Parab deserves an A for his acting and has a terrific sense of comic timing. Ketaki Mategaonkar has been there done that but it has to be done again and she fares well.

Timepass offers some wholesome entertainment and is eminently worth a watch.

Published in The Navhind Times on 5th Jan 2014

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Film Review -The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Just Do It

Film: The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Cast: Ben Stiller, Kristen Wiig

Directed by: Ben Stiller

Duration: 1 hr 54 mins

Rating: * * 1 /2

Based on the short story of the same name by James Thurber, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is the second feature film, the first was made 1947. Incidentally, both films are made by Samuel Goldwyn productions.

This is a modern day adaptation that has its moments, but on the whole the film is a bit too ‘bookish’ – you can almost feel turning the pages as the story progresses. Ben Stiller who has directed the film (after the enjoyable Tropic Thunder) plays the lead role of Walter Mitty who is a negative assets manager at the Life magazine. Since the film is set in 2011 (there is a reference to the volcano in Greenland which erupted couple of years ago) I can only assume that the photographer referred to in the film still used film role and didn’t go digital.

So Mr. Mitty is an introvert who works hard and does his job well. Till he discovers that a particular negative sent by the top photographer Sean (Sean Penn) is missing. In order to trace the same, Mitty has to get in touch with Sean who is globe trotting without a phone or email. Using clues from the other negatives, Mitty embarks on a journey that takes him to Greenland, Iceland and then to the Himalayas all in search of that one picture.

The larger message here about being adventurous in life and living it king size becomes apparent in the second half, especially after the numerous conversations that he has with the representative of a dating website.

Kristen Wiig plays his romantic interest and it is always good to see the lovely Shirley Maclaine who plays Mitty’s mom. It takes a while to figure out the direction in which the film is going. But once that is clear, there aren’t too many surprises left. So all you have to do is enjoy the gorgeous landscapes because there is precious little otherwise as far as the story is concerned, which takes it self a bit too seriously. 

Published in The Navhind Times on 5th Jan 2014

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Film Review - 47 Ronin

The Last Samurais

Film: 47 Ronin

Cast: Keanu Reeves, Hiroyuki Sanada

Directed by: Carl Rinsch

Duration: 1 hr 58 mins

Rating: * * 1 / 2

The legend of the 47 Ronin is quite popular in Japan and the tale is somewhat similar to 300 by Frank Miller. The difference of course is that the latter is a fictional account while the former is an 18^th century event that took place in Japan.

There have been a few films on this story, the most notable one being Kenji Mizoguchi’s two part epic made in 1941. Subsequently, other Japanese directors have also made an effort but in vain and this is the first big budget Hollywood version that attempts to recreate the tale.

Even though considerable money has been spent (close to $175 million) this film doesn’t really click, thanks to a debutant director and very average writing.

Keanu Reeves plays Kai, an orphan who is an outcast because his father was a British sailor and the mother was Japanese. Incidentally, this character is fictional and not a part of the original story. A group of Samurai led by Oishi (Hiroyuki Sanada) are left to fend for themselves after their leader is forced to commit sepuuku which is a similar ritual to hara-kiri.

The bunch of Ronin regroup to take on the villain of the piece Kira who is protected by a witch Mizuki (Rinko Kikuchi of Pacific Rim and Babel fame). Having shunned Kai, Oishi has a change of heart and mind and realizes that he would have to take the lead in salvaging the situation. Kai meanwhile has more that one reason to join the cause - he is in love with the slain leader’s daughter.

While the visuals and production design catches the eye, it’s the screenplay which hits a few bumps. You never really empathize with the characters because the focus is more on Kai rather than the 47 Ronins and within them, it’s mostly about Oishi. There are a few dull moments in the second half, when you want the director to really get on with it.  

Making the film in 3D was totally unnecessary and hopefully it will serve as a deterrent for the big studios to avoid this format. Apparently Universal Studios are likely to incur huge losses on the film and it is not too hard to see why.

Published in The Navhind Times on 5th Jan 2014

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Film Review - Mr. Joe B. Carvalho

Thanks, But No Thanks

Film: Mr. Joe B. Carvalho

Cast: Arshad Warsi, Javed Jaffery, Soha Ali Khan

Directed by: Samir Tiwari

Duration: 2 hrs 10 mins

Rating: * 1 / 2

Mr. Joe B. Carvalho is one of those mind numbing movies made for those with an I.Q of a single digit. A bumbling detective can actually make for a few laughs and more as we have seen in the case of Inspector Jacques Clouseau but this Carvalho is anything but funny.

To say that the plot is hare brained would actually be praising it. Arshad Warsi plays a detective who lives with his rather fashionable mother who happens to be blind. She keeps tripping over all the time in some not so funny slapstick humor. Soha Ali Khan is a Chulbul Pandey like police inspector and his ex-girlfriend, who is hot on the chase of an international terrorist Carlos (Javed Jaffery, the only silver lining in the dark cloud) who can disguise himself as a blonde or as a bai. “Maut, potti aur Carlos kahin bhi aa sakte hain” he says introducing himself.

What could have been a genuinely funny film with spoofs ends up being a nonsensical slapstick comedy. Javed Jaffery tries salvage the situation and occasionally makes you chuckle. Arshad Warsi looks least bit interested and just goes through the motions, much like Soha Ali Khan. But when you see good old Ranjeet play a frisky man who ‘feels’ the detectives hands, you know that the film maker was desperately short of ideas.

Published in The Navhind Times

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Film Review - Dhoom 3

                              

                                         The Dhoomsday Conspiracy

Film: Dhoom 3

Cast: Aamir Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Katrina Kaif, Uday Chopra

Directed by: Vijay Krishna Acharya

Duration: 2 hr 52 mins

Rating: * *

Going by the hype and frenzy of Dhoom 3, you would assume that the previous two films were cult classics but nothing could be farther from the truth. It is just that the franchise has got a name for itself and more over, this film stars Aamir Khan and in the last few years, everything that he has touched has turned to gold.

Dhoom 3 has already offered the film makers gold at the box office but beyond that there is not a great deal to gloat about. Clocking almost three hours, the plot is more labored than the labor room of the government medical hospital on a particularly busy day. Yes, it is a very slick film with lots of action but most of it is ineffective, pretty much like the Zimbabwean currency. Moreover, the screenplay doesn't make an effort to be convincing and there is a lot of ‘inspiration' that is drawn here. If imitation is the best form of flattery, Christopher Nolan will be mighty pleased to see Dhoom 3.    

Rewind to circa 1990 in Chicago where an Indian magician (Jackie Shroff) is having a tough time repaying the bank loan to keep his Great Indian Circus going. Looks like they don't want EMI's, they want the whole sum back which leads to him taking drastic measures.

His magician son Saahir (Aamir Khan) grows seeking vendetta against this particular bank. He vows not to rest in peace till he brings the bank and the owner whose name is Warren Anderson, to their knees.You may have heard of the rupee being floated by our V for vendetta guy believes in robbing the bank and lets those green backs fall from the sky. Now if you rob a bank will you try to make a quiet getaway or try your best to draw as much attention as you can so that you can race the cops on the bike? In this film, the answer is the latter. Especially considering that the bike he has a Transformer type BMW that can change its shape and also become a speed boat. I hope we get such bikes in India, might come in handy considering the traffic.

Speaking of India, we meet Inspector Jai (Abhishek Bachchan) who makes a grand entry in what is the most strongly built auto rickshaw ever, beating up baddies along with his side kick Ali (Uday Chopra). I can't remember the last time when we saw the same vehicle pass through so many walls.  

Considering the ineptitude of the Chicago police in tracking the culprit, the Indian police are summoned to crack the case. "Do we know who's responsible for the robbery?" asks the bank owner. "At this point, all we know is that he was a thief." says the policeman. Such an enlightening conversation.

Katrina Kaif is also seen a minuscule role, she auditions to be a part of the circus by showing her dancing skills and by impressing Saahir with the several layers of clothing she wears.  She becomes a part of the circus all right and they also get a standing ovation in America for singing Hindi songs in front of the audience.

The film makers have spent considerable amount of effort and money in making the film look good, except in the writing department. Aamir Khan's character drawing attention after a theft once can be pardoned once but to see the same thing every time, you would need a bottle of Hajmola to digest that.

A bit of tongue in cheek action is fine but mixing that up with a serious plot doesn't yield good results - for instance Samar's intention of shutting the bank are serious and so is the cops objective. As a result, most of the humor generated is unintentional except where Ali is involved to provide comic relief.

The cinematography by Sudeep Chatterjee is from the top draw, the editing though could have been sharper, minus all the flashbacks. This may not be Aamir Khans most memorable performance but still he manages to carry the film through by adding that zing to his character.

If it was shorter, Dhoom 3 would have made it to the so-bad-that-it-is-good category but at three hours no bad film can be deemed as good. 

Published in The Navhind Times

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