Captain Phillips

Captain Phillips is a movie inspired from the memoirs of Captain Richard Phillip (merchant mariner) – “A Captain’s Duty” which is based on Captain Phillip’s personal experience and ordeal as a hostage during the Maersk Alabama hijacking of 2009. It is an impressively directed movie and superbly enacted. This movie belongs as much to the villain as to the hero. Barkhad Abdi who plays a Somalian pirate deserves as much praise as Tom Hanks. It is not easy to make a real life story come alive, but this one has hit the bull’s eye… Sit tight as this ship is about to set sail......

Richard Phillips (Tom Hanks) takes command of MV Maersk Alabama, a cargo ship, at a port in Oman, and orders to sail through the Gulf of Aden to Mombasa. Right at the onset of the journey, he senses a pirate intrusion off the Somalian coast and orders all security precautions on the vessel. Soon they realise that the ship is being chased by two Somalian boats. Phillips quick thinking and courage manages to foil the first attempt made by the pirates. However, the very next day they are chased again by one of the boats, led by Abduwali Muse (Barkhad Abdi), a Somali fisherman. Muse is frail and lean but comes across as a ferocious leader who can not be misread for a naïve fisherman. He looks mean and vicious, but has his reasons which are shown over the course of the movie. He is acting under the direct orders from a warlord. This only compels us to think about the desperate situation of the Somalian life. He must take control of the ship as ordered! Despite the crew’s efforts, the pirates are able to board the ship and take control. Muse hopes to use the ship and its crew for ransom but Phillips sound thinking manages to foil their plans. This sudden turn of events and resistance from the captain and the crew, foils the pirates plan. They take off with the Captain in a life boat and this time ask for millions of dollars for his safety. As the lifeboat heads for the shore, situation gets worse for the pirates as they lose communication with their warlord and startfighting amongst themselves. They are soon followed by the US Navy. What will be the fate of Phillips? Will they actually negotiate? Well surely not to be given away like this…you know how to find out....

The movie is little slow in the second half but the story keeps you engaged. It is always spell binding to see Tom Hanks perform. Tom Hanks is hands down the best choice for this role and this time he takes his performance a notch higher. He is brilliant as Captain Phillips and his portrayal of the character is as real as it can get. I loved watching him in each frame and especially in the last sequence where he is being taken for a check- up. The fear and the shock he portrays in the same minute is palpable. When he cried, I cried with him too… Barkhad Abdi also deserves a special mention for his performance. He is brilliant as the pirate. He is focused and knows what he wants. I like the scene when Phillips tries to convince Muse but he refuses stating that “he has come too far and will not surrender”. It makes one think that the meaning of survival is not same for everyone….There are different definitions for different people. This is a MUST watch for all the movie buffs who like some good entertainment and an equally good story. Definitely worth a watch!!!
In terms of story, performances, direction, entertainment and characterisation, I rate this movie as 5/5.

Nidhi

The Lunchbox

“Sometimes a wrong train can take you to the right place” – this is the essence captured in this brilliant movie, The Lunchbox. It is a story of a beautiful relationship between two strangers and how love can evolve in an unusual situation. An excellent execution of a simple love story between a young housewife and a middle-aged man. This story is one of its kind and breaks new boundaries in Indian Cinema.

Sajan Fernandez (Irrfan Khan) is a lonely widower and is close to his retirement. He has a mundane routine which for him is his world. He is punctual and immaculate. On the other hand there is an unhappy housewife Ila (Nimrat Kaur) who is trying to spice up her boring marriage with her exquisite culinary skills. One day there is a mistake in the delivery made by the dabbawala. They deliver the dabba to Sajan mistaking him to be Ila's husband, who she is trying to win back. It seems her husband has not missed her sumptuous food while Sajan is surprised by the food prepared by the local eatery. Soon Ila realises something’s amiss and it also does not take long for Sajan to discover the same. It is from here the story takes a new course and gets interesting. Ila and Sajan start exchanging letters and forge a friendship. They regularly exchange letters, their dreams and the emptiness in their respective lives. Just when Sajan is soaking in a new bond, he is given the responsibility to train his replacement Shaikh (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) who is young, vibrant and talkative. He often tells small lies but is harmless and has his own story to share. All in all, he is a very likeable character. Soon Shaikh & Sajan develop a camaraderie between them. But do Ila & Sajan eventually meet? Do they stay in touch or are they separated by circumstances? It does not have an ending which one may have thought of while watching the movie, but it is still likable.

The movie is well directed and it holds the audience's attention throughout the movie. The characters are well sketched and the actors have been aptly chosen. Rarely do we get to see two powerhouse performers like Irrfan Khan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui in the same shot........ and with what brilliance!!! They seemed so natural and look every bit their respective character. Irrfan Khan’s expressions, mannerism, his body language speaks volumes of him being a great actor. As for the debutant Nimrat Kaur, she is a delight to watch. She makes the character Ila look real. It shows sheer dedication and the hardwork put in by all. There are some real dabbawalas that we get to see in the movie in minor roles. There are some great moments in the movie. I specially like the blind man gag followed by a momentary silence by Irrfan. The story makes you think about the little things in life which are worth living for. This genre of movie may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I still strongly recommend this movie to all who appreciate the nuances of simple film making. I am a believer of such simple cinema and subtle love stories. This one is certainly not to be missed. A great love story is the one which is treated well and is minimalistic in its approach and is yet be able to deliver a heart-warming experience. It is not every day we see a movie that is worth the time and money spent.

In terms of story, performance, direction, importance to details given to characterisation, their appearances, mannerisms and entertainment, I rate this movie as 5/5.

Nidhi

Madras Cafe

Madras Cafe is an Indian political thriller set in the backdrop of the Sri Lankan civil war and assassination of the former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. The subject matter of the film is one which has not been dealt with in the past and thus gives us an insight into the sensitive political ties that we share with our "other" neighbour (besides Pakistan). It depicts the story of Sri Lankan war and the tension that arose from this conflict, which many young viewers would not have known. The story is well directed and superbly narrated. The movie does not take much time to get on with the story and starts to unfold right from the word ‘go’. This is race against time. This is a smart movie and leaves you engaged throughout.

The movie is set in the late 80’s and early 90’s. Vikram Singh (John Abraham) is an Indian Army Officer who is selected for a covert mission in Jaffna. He is sent to Sri Lanka to fight LTF militants who call themselves revolutionaries. The situation gets intense and every strategy of the Indian Peace force, that has been sent to resolve the pressing matters, seems to backfire. As things proceed Vikram finds himself embroiled in a conspiracy. He realises that there is something wrong within the team and all details are being leaked to LTF. During his mission he meets a British war journalist Jaya Sahni (Nargis Fakri) who wants to cover the war and uncover the truth behind the on-going war. She helps Vikram with some information that changes the course of his mission. But before he can act on it, he is kidnapped. Why has Vikram been kidnapped and who is behind the information leaks?

Performances are impressive. John Abraham justifies his role and is commendable. The fear, tension and the situations faced by the protagonist look real. This time I feel Nargis Fakri has been given a role that suits her best. She is best suited as British journalist. It was also a welcome change to see the veteran quiz master Siddharth Basu and ad man Piyush Pandey in important roles. They played their part well and looked real while dealing with the crisis as RAW Chief and Cabinet Secretary respectively. Overall performances are good. There is not a dull moment in the movie. There is only one aspect that is unclear…. It does not explain clearly why John Abraham is secluded and lives in oblivion. Or the reason behind his apathy and his confession in the church. I would certainly recommend this movie as a must watch and as money well spent. Surely to be watched in theatres.

From now on I will be rating movies basis the factors such as story/plot, performances, entertainment quotient and length of the movie. Keeping these factors in mind, I would rate the movie 4.5/5

Nidhi

Once Upon A Time In Mumbai Dobaara

The most famous and stylish gangsta is back in Mumbai…Once Upon a Time in Mumbai Dobaara (OUTIMD) is a sequel to the 2010 hit Once Upon A Time in Mumbai. It is always interesting to watch underworld and mafia movies. They have an aura of their own and keep the audience involved. But this time, OUTIMD fails to create the same magic as its prequel. The story is dull and the characters are seen dealing with their own emotions and personal dilemmas. There is lots of drama and a lot of unimpressive dialogues. Some characters are undefined and leave us wondering about the purpose of their role. The movie will be disappointing for the fans of the original movie who may be looking forward to some more gangster action.

The movie takes a leap from the prequel and brings us to a time where Shoaib (Akshay Kumar) is the undisputed king of Mumbai underworld and has also expanded his territory beyond Mumbai. He handpicks his men. One such apprentice is Aslam (Imraan Khan), picked from the slums of Mumbai. Aslam believes in everything that Shoaib does and will die for him. Shoaib has his set of enemies who challenge his rule over Mumbai. They are willing to go to any extend to overthrow his reign. Amongst the nasty fights and the messy dealings with the police, there is something that catches Shoaib’s attention. He begins to fancy an upcoming actress Jasmine (Sonakshi Sinha). The story takes a turn from here and shifts gears to become a love story. While the Don is set to win over his damsel, there is someone else he has to fight with to win her. It is Aslam. Jasmine finds a fan in Aslam too. Aslam is equally smitten by her. But what does Jasmine want? Is she really in love and who is her choice? There are no prizes for guessing here…but the wait is a test of patience.

This is the first time when I am not sure of the positives in a movie (if any). The movie is lengthy and slow. The plot stretches unneccesarily for 160 min and has some lousy direction. I kept wondering as to why the essence of the series had been taken away in the sequel? The story has no connection to its prequel. There are some meaningless dialogues and stereotyped performances. There is no match for Ajay Devgan when it comes to such genres. Ajay Devgan was phenomenal in the prequel and could carry off the heavy dialogues with panache. Imran Khan is too suave to be a gangster. It does not suit his persona. As for Sonakshi Sinha, she did a decent job. Personally for me Akshay Kumar was the only saving grace in the movie. He is a fine actor and is only getting better with age. But I would like to see him in a more thrilling action movie or a comedy. Unfortunately the movie did not work for me and would not recommend it to anyone. However... I leave it to your discretion and judgement.

Nidhi

Chennai Express

The much awaited journey has begun with Chennai Express being finally released.... and with much fanfare. This has been one of the most awaited movies especially for Shah Rukh Khan fans...I have been personally awaiting its arrival for sometime now as I am a self confessed SRK fan. Chennai Express is an action comedy movie with it's fair share of drama, humour, love and action. The movie showcases the journey of the protaganist Rahul (Shah Rukh Khan) from Mumbai to Rameshwaram. What makes it interesting are the incidents that occur on this journey.

The story begins with Rahul who is still a bachelor at 40 and is still staying with his grandparents. His life revolves around them and vice-versa. His grandfather however passes away on his 100th birthday and to fulfill his last wish of immersing his ashes in Rameshwaram, Rahul sets off on a journey in Chennai Express. But his plans are soon ruined by a Tamilian damsel Meenama (Deepika Padukone) who has been kidnapped and is being held captive by her cousins. Her father, it turns out, is a very well-known don in Komban village. While trying to escape Rahul witnesses a murder and is forcefully taken to the village. As for Meenama, Rahul is all that she has to help her escape from her village and her impending wedding to Tangaballi (Nikitin Dheer). What follows next is not hard to guess... but fun to watch.

Chennai Express is a likable movie. It starts off well with good humour and is engaging but gradually loose it's plot and gets slow in its approach. Deepika delivers a great performance while Shah Rukh Khan is charming as ever. Deepika looks lovely and her accent only adds to her overall performance. SRK is surely the undisputed King when it comes to romantic movies. He has proved that he can still play romantic roles at 40 without faltering. The movie has some beautiful locales and great cinematography. A disclaimer - the movie is PURELY for SRK loyalists and for those who like masala action movies. It is a one-time watch with low expectations. And if you watch it without being cynical, it is fun. It may sound biased but I would still say…GET ON THE TRAIN BABY!!!

Nidhi

The Wolverine

It may be a little late for the review but I think it is still worth sharing the story. For the uninitiated, Wolverine is a superhero (from the Marvel comics) and is the most iconic character of the X-Men series. This time around, the movie has been shot extensively in Japan and has some thrilling action sequences. The most loved clawed mutant is back… so here it goes....

The movie starts in the World War 2 era, where Logan, the Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) is a POW in Japan near Nagasaki. A bomb attack by America leaves everything destroyed. He manages to rescue a Japanese soldier, Yashida (Haruhiko Yamanouchi) and exposes his abilities to the young soldier. The story then shifts to present day. Logan is living somewhere in the forests in isolation, struggling with his past. He has taken a vow to be non-violent and is secluded from the world. He is followed and tracked by a young girl Yukio ( Rila Fukushima) who convinces him to come to Japan, where, her master Yashida is on his death bed and wishes to meet Logan to say Goodbye. Yashida tries to convince Logan to transfer his mutant powers and immortality to him. Logan declines this request and is all set to leave the next day. His plans however change when Yashida dies and he stays back to attend his funeral. He soon realises that he is caught in the middle of a family feud. Logan ends up becoming the bodyguard of Mariko (Tao Okamoto), Yashida’s grand daughter, whose life is threatened. Why does Yashida want Logan’s power? Why is Mariko in danger? All these questions get answered....eventually...

The movie is well executed and engaging. Hugh Jackman is AMAZINGLY awesome as the Wolverine and is almost synonym with the character. He seems to have worked really hard on physique and appearance. He knows the character well and has a flair for these kind of action movies. There are some breath taking action sequences like the fight on a bullet train or fight between Logan and a mechanical Samurai. He is well equipped to handle all the troubles by himself…well he does have claws for a good reason;) Even the two heroines have performed some great action stunts.This one is to be surely watched by all the X-men series fans and the action movie buffs. A word of caution - This time the movie depicts more of Wolverine’s own feelings and his past rather than the out-and-out action that one has come to expect from the X-Men series. Overall it is a good movie and is sure to entertain all.

PS: Please sit through till the end of the credits as there is a surprise element which should not be missed.

Nidhi

Bhaag Milkha Bhaag

AWE-INSPIRING is the story of our “Flying Sikh” - Milkha Singh, an Indian athlete who was a world champion runner and Olympian. His hard work and dedication is unbeatable and moving. His life has been one of endless struggles, a fact which was unknown to most of us. And with equal zeal and hard work his story has been interpreted on the big screen. The movie covers all the aspects of his life beautifully. It is a flawless film with a simple narration and just the perfect amount of emotions, drama, humour and sorrow. There is no comparison here - Farhan Akhtar is hands down the best Milkha Singh anyone could have portrayed. His depiction of Milkha Singh is inspirational and authentic.

The film starts with the 1960 Rome Olympic Games where, while leading in the race he is suddenly haunted by some painful memories of his childhood, because of which he eventually falls to the fourth place. The movie goes into a flashback to the time of partition of India which had caused a lot of chaos in Punjab. This leaves a huge impact on Milkha Singh. The events of the partition make Milkha numb and disjointed from the world for a brief period. He grows up and joins the Indian army in his youth, where he gets noticed by Havaldar Gurudev Singh (Pawan Malhotra). He taps Milkha’s strenghth and perseverance. Gurudev Singh mentors him for his first race for service commission where he gets selected. He trains hard with grit and determination with the aim of winning the Olympics. There is no looking back for Milkha Singh from here. For Melbourne Olympics he is trained by the Indian Coach Ranveer Singh (Yograj Singh). He loses the race in the qualifiers itself, beats himself for it and starts to train hard once again. In the turn of events a friendly match is organised between India & Pakistan which is to be led by Milkha Singh on India’s behalf. He refuses at the very mention of it. What is it that is holding him back? Well what happens is not hard to guess…. but is worth a watch.

Then movie is well crafted and superbly performed. It is kept simple and not unnecessarily glorified. Every actor has an important role and has done full justice to his character. Farhan Akhtar deserves an applause for his performance. He is stupendous and is believable as Milkha Singh. The rigorous training that he has undergone to play this part is quite obvious. Personally for me, he is the epitome of perfection. There are some great moments in the movie which are over-whelming. I particularly liked the scene in which Farhan Akhtar returns with his medals to his base and dedicates his victory and medals to his Guruji (Pawan Malhotra). The transition from sepia tone to current time is effectively done.The movie may seem a little slow to some, but the story and the performances keep you involved. Bhaag Milkha Bhaag is clearly one of the best movies this summer. This one is mandatorily to be watched in theatres. I have not rated any movie in my blog till now. But for this great effort I rate it as 5/5 from my side.

Nidhi