'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince' Movie Review

Rupert Grint, Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe in 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.'

The battle between good and evil almost takes a backseat to the angst of young love in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the sixth film of the Harry Potter series. These are dark times in the wizarding world, but for our young heroes it's also a time for flirting, a little romance, and some harmless snogging. Everyone knows the ultimate showdown between Harry Potter and Voldemort is fast approaching. The face-off between The Chosen One and The Dark Lord is no longer just something whispered about in dark corners or argued about over a butterbeer or two.

The air is thick and foreboding as Voldemort's an unseen, menacing presence hovering over Hogwarts. The Dark Lord's minions are no longer hiding out and instead are openly displaying their hatred for Muggles and those who follow Dumbledore. Much of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince takes place in the calm before the storm, excepting the last whirlwind half hour when events take place that forever alter the lives of our young wizard friends.

Yet even in these sinister days, time must be taken for teens to do what teens do – they explore relationship possibilities. And Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince devotes a good portion of its running time to fleshing out Harry, Ron, and Hermione's burgeoning love lives.

The Story

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince starts off with a rush of activity as the citizens of London come under attack by Death Eaters. Though they can't see the creatures wreaking havoc on the city, they feel the affects of each attack. Millennium Bridge collapses killing untold numbers, however no one outside of the wizarding world understands this is just the beginning of destruction should Voldemort fully return.

Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) knows time is running out and so he seeks out Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) to accompany him on an extremely important visit with Horace Slughorn (Jim Broadbent), a retired Hogwarts potions professor. Buried in Slughorn's memory is a conversation that took place with a teenaged Tom Riddle, a pivotal conversation in young Riddle's life and one that's vitally important to Dumbledore.

im Broadbent as Horace Slughorn and Michael Gambon as Professor Dumbledore in 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.'

Dumbledore plays on Slughorn's vanity, dangling the opportunity to get close to Hogwarts' most famous student as a means to get Slughorn back on staff. Slughorn 'collects' students from prestigious families or ones who've earned their own sort of fame, and the prospect of adding Harry to his elite Slug Club is too much for Slughorn to pass up. With Slughorn installed as the new potions teacher, Dumbledore tasks Harry with getting close to the professor and getting him to reveal the secret he's kept hidden for these long years.

While the forces of good are busy on their quest for knowledge, Voldemort's recruited Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton) for a very special mission, a mission Draco's mother, Narcissa (Helen McCrory), and Bellatrix Lestrange (Helena Bonham Carter) make Professor Snape (Alan Rickman) commit to an unbreakable pledge to assist with. Draco spends his days skulking about, sneaking off into the Room of Requirement and experimenting with a vanishing cabinet, looking nauseated, scared to death, and pissed off at the world all at the same time. It's not a task Draco relishes, but one he has no option but to carry out.

Meanwhile, the romantic yearnings of our favorite threesome of teen wizards provides welcome moments of comic relief. Harry's hot for Ron's younger sister, Ginny (Bonnie Wright), but Ginny's got a boyfriend. Ron's gotten himself involved in a relationship with Lavender Brown (Jessie Cave) and this is driving poor Hermione (Emma Watson) absolutely mad. She's miserable, but Ron either can't or chooses not to see what's so obvious to everyone else.

The relationship between Dumbledore and Harry Potter, built up over the course of five years together at Hogwarts, has reached a point in which the 150+ year old professor has come to rely heavily on his young student. Dumbledore confides more in Harry, sharing the memories he's collected over the years, and even takes Harry on a secret and perilous journey to collect an item hidden away by Voldemort. But when it comes time for a pivotal event in the battle between good and evil, Dumbledore orders Harry to hide and not intervene, leaving Harry to witness a devastating act that sets up the events in the last book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (which Warner Bros smartly chose to break into two films).

The Acting

The acting skills of Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint get better with each successive Harry Potter film. It's surreal to go back and watch Sorcerer's Stone and see just how young these guys were when the franchise kicked off back in 2001. It doesn't feel like it was all that long ago that Radcliffe, Watson and Grint first donned the red and gold of Gryffindor house. Now the three will, no matter what they go on to do, forever be associated with one of the biggest movie franchises of all time. Hopefully they'll come out of it in better shape than some actors who've headlined franchises...

Bonnie Wright and Daniel Radcliffe share a quiet moment.

The rest of the cast is top notch, from Michael Gambon to Jim Broadbent to Helena Bonham Carter as Bellatrix Lestrange (I love her in this role - perfect casting). Bonnie Wright and Tom Felton have expanded roles in this franchise entry, and are thoroughly up to the challenge. And as always Alan Rickman makes Snape someone you love to watch onscreen, despite how you actually feel about the character.

The Bottom Line

This is David Yates' second Harry Potter film and he's obviously comfortable in this world of wizards and Death Eaters and magical creatures created by J.K. Rowling. I'm anxious to see what Yates and returning screenwriter Steve Kloves (he only missed Order of the Phoenix) are able to do with Deathly Hallows.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince isn't the most action-packed Harry Potter film, but what it lacks in thrilling scenes of magical maneuverings, it makes up for in character development and emotional depth. The visual effects, while stunning, do not overwhelm and slip unobtrusively into scenes.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban remains my favorite Harry Potter film thus far. But Half-Blood Prince is a worthy addition to the Harry Potter franchise, one that will likely be loved more by those who've read the books than by those who only know the Harry PotterHalf-Blood Prince the book. universe from what they've seen onscreen. There are major chunks of Rowling's sixth book that didn't make the transition to the big screen, but what's there is perfectly in keeping with the tone and themes expressed in the Half-Blood Prince the book.

Courtesy:www.movies.about.com

Pattanathil Bhootham Movie Review

Johny Antony who has carved his own brand in Industry with colorful comedy entertainers, which are more appealable to children, is back with Megastar Mammootty.

Film’s story moves around like that of adventure tales in Balarama. Unlike the magazine which attracts children and elders, this film seems to maintain only the attention of kids.

An evil magician gets the power over a Bhootham. He plans to use it for his filthy activities. The sorcerer loses Bhootham in an accident and it gets into the hands of children in the circus tent. It was the time when a foul play has taken place over the ownership of this circus. Kavya arrives as the daughter of circus owner played by Janardhanan who gets killed. What follow is conflict between good and the evil.

Mammootty does a double act of Bhootham as well as Jimmy, the circus stunt man. Mammooty’s character Jimmy is eye candy while his second character won’t appeal much, mostly due to the childish voice which may get misidentified.

E Pattanathil Bhootham is Kavya Madhavan’s maiden film released after her marriage. Kavya has only a limited role in the film, though she plays an important character.

Animation done in film is visible to the eyes of every other viewer who are watching visual amusements round the clock. Story line, characters, situations are all predictable and it is ok for a fantasy film like this. But it should have bound the viewers with its visual extravaganza.The film makes us remember Sakshal Sreeman Chathunni by Anil Babu.

Comedy by Suraj and Salim Kumar works well. Music by Shaan suits to film but is unimpressive.

Johny Antony’s E Pattanathil Bhootham was expected to release earlier during the school vacation but was postponed due to its pending post production works. The late release may hamper the film in many counts. The film has got every element to entertain the audience but somewhere it got lost in transition.

Johny Antony and his team have taken great effort in building up this two hour forty minute output. Young citizens can get ready to be amused.

Courtesy:www.zonkerala.com

2009 Theatrical Release Dates - Hollywood Films

JANUARY 9, 2009

BRIDE WARS - Starring Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway
GRAN TORINO - Starring Clint Eastwood and Bee Vang
NOT EASILY BROKEN - Starring Morris Chestnut and Taraji P Henson
THE READER - Starring Kate Winslet and David Kross
THE UNBORN - Starring Odette Yustman and Meagan Good

JANUARY 16, 2009

CHANDNI CHOWK TO CHINA - Starring Akshay Kumar and Deepika Padukone
DEFIANCE - Starring Daniel Craig and Liev Schreiber
HOTEL FOR DOGS - Starring Emma Roberts and Jake T Austin
LAST CHANCE HARVEY - Starring Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson
MY BLOODY VALENTINE 3D - Starring Jensen Ackles and Jaime King
NOTORIOUS - Starring Jamal Woolard and Derek Luke
PAUL BLART: MALL COP - Starring Kevin James and Jayma Mays

JANUARY 23, 2009

THE DARK KNIGHT (Re-release) - Starring Christian Bale and Heath Ledger
FROST/NIXON (Wide Release) - Starring Frank Langella and Michael Sheen
INKHEART - Starring Brendan Fraser and Paul Bettany
REVOLUTIONARY ROAD - Starring Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio
UNDERWORLD: RISE OF THE LYCANS - Starring Rhona Mitra and Michael Sheen

JANUARY 30, 2009

NEW IN TOWN - Starring Renee Zellweger and Harry Connick Jr
TAKEN - Starring Liam Neeson and Maggie Grace
THE UNINVITED - Starring Elizabeth Banks and Emily Browning

FEBRUARY 6, 2009

CORALINE - Featuring the Voices of Teri Hatcher and Dakota Fanning
FANBOYS - Starring Jay Baruchel and Kristen Bell
HE'S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU - Starring Drew Barrymore and Jennifer Aniston
THE PINK PANTHER 2 - Starring Steve Martin and Andy Garcia
PUSH - Starring Chris Evans and Dakota Fanning

FEBRUARY 13, 2009

CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHOLIC - Starring Isla Fisher and Hugh Dancy
FRIDAY THE 13TH - Starring Jared Padalecki and Amanda Righetti
THE INTERNATIONAL - Starring Clive Owen and Naomi Watts
UNDER THE SEA - Narrated by Jim Carrey

FEBRUARY 20, 2009

FIRED UP - Starring Molly Sims and Sarah Roemer

FEBRUARY 27, 2009

CROSSING OVER - Starring Harrison Ford and Jim Sturgess
JONAS BROTHERS: THE 3D CONCERT EXPERIENCE - Starring Kevin, Nick and Joe Jonas
STREET FIGHTER: THE LEGEND OF CHUN LI - Starring Kristin Kreuk and Chris Klein

MARCH 6, 2009

PHOEBE IN WONDERLAND (Limited) - Starring Felicity Huffman and Elle Fanning
WATCHMEN - Starring Billy Crudup and Malin Akerman

MARCH 13, 2009

THE CAKE EATERS (Limited) - Starring Kristen Stewart and Aaron Stanford
THE EDGE OF LOVE (Limited) - Starring Keira Knightley and Cillian Murphy
THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT - Starring Sara Paxton and Tony Goldwyn
RACE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN - Starring Dwayne Johnson and Carla Gugino
SUNSHINE CLEANING - Starring Amy Adams and Emily Blunt

MARCH 20, 2009

DUPLICITY - Starring Clive Owen and Julia Roberts
I LOVE YOU, MAN - Starring Paul Rudd and Jason Segel
KNOWING - Starring Nicolas Cage and Rose Byrne

MARCH 27, 2009

12 ROUNDS - Starring John Cena and Ashley Scott
THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT - Starring Virginia Madsen and Elias Koteas
MONSTERS VS ALIENS - Starring Reese Witherspoon and Hugh Laurie

APRIL 3, 2009

ADVENTURELAND - Starring Kristen Stewart and Ryan Reynolds
FAST AND FURIOUS - Starring Paul Walker and Vin Diesel

APRIL 10, 2009

DRAGONBALL: EVOLUTION - Starring Justin Chatwin and Emmy Rossum
HANNAH MONTANA: THE MOVIE - Starring Miley Cyrus and Emily Osment
OBSERVE AND REPORT - Starring Seth Rogen and Ray Liotta

APRIL 17, 2009

17 AGAIN - Starring Zac Efron and Matthew Perry
CRANK HIGH VOLTAGE - Starring Jason Statham and Amy Smart
STATE OF PLAY - Starring Russell Crowe and Ben Affleck

APRIL 24, 2009

FIGHTING - Starring Channing Tatum and Terrence Howard
THE INFORMERS - Starring Billy Bob Thornton and Mickey Rourke
OBSESSED - Starring Ali Larter and Beyonce Knowles
THE SOLOIST - Starring Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey Jr

MAY 1, 2009

BATTLE FOR TERRA - Featuring the Voices of Evan Rachel Wood and Luke Wilson
GHOSTS OF GIRLFRIENDS PAST - Starring Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Garner
X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE - Starring Hugh Jackman and Liev Schreiber

MAY 8, 2009

LITTLE ASHES - Starring Robert Pattinson and Javier Beltran
NEXT DAY AIR - Starring Donald Faison and Mos Def
STAR TREK - Starring Chris Pine and Anton Yelchin

MAY 15, 2009

ANGELS AND DEMONS - Starring Tom Hanks and Ewan McGregor
THE BROTHERS BLOOM - Starring Adrien Brody and Mark Ruffalo
MANAGEMENT - Starring Jennifer Aniston and Steve Zahn

MAY 21, 2009

TERMINATOR SALVATION - Starring Christian Bale and Sam Worthington

MAY 22, 2009

DANCE FLICK - Starring Marlon Wayans and Damon Wayans Jr
THE LIMITS OF CONTROL (Limited) - Starring Tilda Swinton and Gael Garcia Bernal
NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM: BATTLE OF THE SMITHSONIAN - Starring Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson

MAY 29, 2009

DRAG ME TO HELL - Starring Alison Lohman and Justin Long
UP - Featuring the Voices of Ed Asner and Christopher Plummer

JUNE 5, 2009

AWAY WE GO - Starring John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph
THE HANGOVER - Starring Bradley Cooper and Ed Helms
LAND OF THE LOST - Starring Will Ferrell and Danny McBride

JUNE 12, 2009

IMAGINE THAT - Starring Eddie Murphy and Thomas Haden Church
MOON (Limited) - Starring Sam Rockwell and Dominique McElligott
THE TAKING OF PELHAM 1 2 3 - Starring Denzel Washington and John Travolta

JUNE 19, 2009

THE PROPOSAL - Starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds
WHATEVER WORKS - Starring Evan Rachel Wood and Larry David
YEAR ONE - Starring Jack Black and Michael Cera

JUNE 24, 2009

TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN - Starring Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox

JUNE 26, 2009

THE HURT LOCKER - Starring Jeremy Renner and Guy Pearce
MY SISTER'S KEEPER - Starring Cameron Diaz and Abigail Breslin

JULY 1, 2009

ICE AGE: DAWN OF THE DINOSAURS - Featuring the Voices of John Leguizamo and Denis Leary
PUBLIC ENEMIES - Starring Johnny Depp and Christian Bale

JULY 10, 2009

BRUNO - Starring Sacha Baron Cohen
I LOVE YOU, BETH COOPER - Starring Hayden Panettiere and Lauren London

JULY 15, 2009

HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE - Starring Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint

JULY 17, 2009

500 DAYS OF SUMMER - Starring Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt

JULY 24, 2009

G-FORCE - Featuring the Voices of Nicolas Cage and Penelope Cruz
ORPHAN - Starring Vera Farmiga and Peter Sarsgaard
THE UGLY TRUTH - Starring Gerard Butler and Katherine Heigl

JULY 29, 2009

ADAM - Starring Hugh Dancy and Rose Byrne

JULY 31, 2009

ALIENS IN THE ATTIC - Starring Ashley Tisdale and Robert Hoffman
FUNNY PEOPLE - Starring Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen

AUGUST 7, 2009

G.I. JOE - Starring Channing Tatum and Rachel Nichols
JULIE & JULIA - Starring Amy Adams and Meryl Streep

AUGUST 14, 2009

A PERFECT GETAWAY - Starring Milla Jovovich and Steve Zahn
DISTRICT 9 - Starring Sharlto Copley and David James
THE TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE - Starring Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams

AUGUST 21, 2009

INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS - Starring Brad Pitt and Diane Kruger
POST GRAD - Starring Alexis Bledel and Rodrigo Santoro
SHORTS - Starring Kat Dennings and William H Macy

AUGUST 28, 2009

THE FINAL DESTINATION - Starring Bobby Campo and Shantel VanSanten
TAKING WOODSTOCK - Starring Emile Hirsch and Eugene Levy

SEPTEMBER 4, 2009

GAMER - Starring Gerard Butler and Milo Ventimiglia

SEPTEMBER 9, 2009

9 - Featuring the Voices of Elijah Wood and Jennifer Connelly

SEPTEMBER 11, 2009

SORORITY ROW - Starring Briana Evigan and Rumer Willis
WHITEOUT - Starring Kate Beckinsale and Gabriel Macht

SEPTEMBER 18, 2009

CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS - Featuring the Voices of Anna Faris and Bill Hader
THE INFORMANT - Starring Matt Damon and Melanie Lynskey
LOVE HAPPENS - Starring Jennifer Aniston and Aaron Eckhart
PANDORUM - Starring Dennis Quaid and Ben Foster

SEPTEMBER 25, 2009

FAME - Starring Debbie Allen and Bebe Neuwirth
SURROGATES - Starring Bruce Willis and Radha Mitchell

OCTOBER 2, 2009

SHUTTER ISLAND - Starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Ruffalo

OCTOBER 9, 2009

COUPLES RETREAT - Starring Vince Vaughn and Malin Akerman

OCTOBER 16, 2009

THE ROAD - Starring Viggo Mortensen and Catherine Keener
WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE - Starring Mark Ruffalo and Catherine Keener

OCTOBER 23, 2009

AMELIA - Starring Hilary Swank and Ewan McGregor

OCTOBER 30, 2009

THE BOX - Starring Cameron Diaz and James Marsden

NOVEMBER 6, 2009

A CHRISTMAS CAROL - Starring Jim Carrey and Colin Firth
THE WOLFMAN - Starring Benicio Del Toro and Emily Blunt

NOVEMBER 13, 2009

2012 - Starring John Cusack and Amanda Peet

NOVEMBER 20, 2009

NEW MOON - Starring Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson

NOVEMBER 25, 2009

NINE - Starring Daniel Day-Lewis and Penelope Cruz
OLD DOGS - Starring John Travolta and Robin Williams

DECEMBER 4, 2009

BROTHERS - Starring Tobey Maguire and Jake Gyllenhaal

DECEMBER 11, 2009

THE LOVELY BONES - Starring Saoirse Ronan and Mark Wahlberg

DECEMBER 18, 2009

AVATAR - Starring Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana

DECEMBER 25, 2009

ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: THE SQUEAKUEL - Starring Jason Lee and Justin Long
SHERLOCK HOLMES - Starring Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law

'The Proposal' Movie Review

Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock in 'The Proposal.

Sometimes chemistry can trump originality, as in the case of The Proposal . This romantic comedy from Peter Chiarelli and directed by Anne Fletcher is rife with rom com clichés down to its 'wrapped up in a tidy bow' Hollywood ending any novice to the genre could have seen coming a mile away. Yet despite the fact The Proposal is predictable and
stuffed with recycled schtick, it's surprisingly enjoyable and completely charming. If it was a baby, you'd want to pinch its little cheek - it's that cute. Sandra Bullockhad all but sworn off romantic comedies, but fans of the genre should feel fortunate she gave in and did The Proposal. It's been a while since Bullock played a character this much fun to watch. Teaming up with Ryan Reynolds for the first time brought out the best in Bullock, and it made Reynolds come across as even more charismatic than usual.

The Story

In a scene reminiscent of Meryl Streep's grand entry in The Devil wears Prada, the witchy, bitchy Margaret (Bullock) makes her way through the office as her employees cower in terror. Margaret's one of the most powerful book editors in the business and she doesn't tolerate anything less from perfection from her underlings. And it's her personal assistant, Andrew (Reynolds), who suffers the brunt of Margaret's wrath when things are even slightly out of line.

For three, long, grueling years in which he worked weekends, missed out on family gatherings, and was generally miserable as hell, Andrew suffered and put up with everything Margaret dished out, all the while holding out hope that one day it would all be worthwhile when she promotes him to editor. But nothing in those three incredibly difficult years prepared Andrew for Margaret's latest and greatest demand: marry her or lose his job. Seems Margaret is Canadian and she's been working in this country without the proper visa. In order to keep her high-powered position in the firm - and to stay in NY - she tells her bosses she and Andrew have secretly been dating and are now engaged to be married.

Oscar Nunez and Sandra Bullock in 'The Proposal.'

Once Andrew recovers from shock, he agrees to be Margaret's partner in crime but with a few stipulations of his own. First, he wants the manuscript he's been pushing to be published. And he wants a guarantee that he'll be promoted in the very near future. And finally, he wants Margaret to get down on her knees in public to ask for his hand in marriage. Margaret agrees, and it's off to Sitka, Alaska to meet her future in-laws.

The weekend getaway will also provide the 'engaged' couple with the opportunity to share personal details they'll need to know about each other in order to effectively convince the immigration investigator their relationship's not a sham. But, since this is a rom com, once in Alaska Margaret's icy facade begins to melt. And Andrew, who has real issues with his dad, emerges as someone Margaret could actually care for. Throw in a sassy 90 year old grandmother who wants to see her only grandchild married before she passes away along with Margaret's growing affection for the guy she's bossed around for years, and this mini-vacation turns out to be so much more complicated and confusing than the work-obsessed illegal alien had ever anticipated.

The Cast

Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds make for a formidable team in The Proposal. These two play so well off of each other, we can only hope they'll find another project in which to share the screen - though preferably in one not quite so formulaic. Any decent adult comedy (even of the non-romantic type) would benefit from a Bullock/Reynolds pairing.

W.C. Fields' saying should be amended to "never work with kids, animals or Betty White." In The Proposal White's a scene-stealing senior citizen who pulls the rug out from underneath her co-stars while playing a snappy, spunky, irrepressible granny. Mary Steenburgen and Craig T Nelson are good as Andrew's parents, and Malin Akerman livens up the romantic storyline by showing up in a few scattered scenes as Andrew's ex. Also showing up here and there throughout the film is The Office's Oscar Nuñez . Nuñez is a jack of all trades in The Proposal, playing waiter, store clerk, and the only stripper in the town of Sitka. He's terrific and doesn't overdo it, not even when he's performing nearly naked in Bullock's face, giving her an eye-full of Oscar she'll likely never forget.

Betty White gets touchy-feely with Sandra Bullock in 'The Proposal.

The Bottom Line

The Proposal is everything those who hate romantic comedies loathe. But for moviegoers who like their films light and fluffy - and don't care if a movie doesn't reinvent the wheel in the process of being entertaining - then The Proposal is just the ticket. A great date movie that's not too sappy, The Proposal is pure escapist fun.

GRADE: B

The Proposal was directed by Anne Fletcher and is rated PG-13 for sexual content, nudity and language.

Theatrical Release Date: June 19, 2009

Courtesy: www.movies.about.com

'Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen' - Movie Review

Megan Fox in 'Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.'

More so than the first film, 'Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen' is all about the robots. Yes, there are lots of scenes with flesh and blood actors, but really, who cares about them when you've got cars and trucks and planes and kitchen appliances changing into machines whose sole purpose appears to be to fight with other metallic objects? Even Megan Fox in all of her pouting, posing glory is no match for Megatron and Optimus Prime doing battle.

And oh yes, Michael Bay does put Megan Fox's Physical Assets to use in this Transformers film. Clad in leather biker gear or shorts and skimpy tops, Bay must have given Fox just one simple direction: "Don't bother acting, just look sexy." And if that's what sets your engine revving, then fine. Bay fulfills fanboys' fantasies by making Fox's Mikaela into a pin-up girl who talks but doesn't say anything interesting. Her character's only purpose in the film - aside from providing eye candy - is to try and get Shia LaBeouf as Sam Witwicky to say he loves her. Even one of the lessor Transformers points out Mikaela's lack of intellect, saying, "You're hot, but you're not too bright."

Nice work there, Bay. As if most of your female audience wasn't already offended by your film's only female character's (outside of the supporting performance by Julie White as Sam Witwicky's pot brownie-eating mom) one-dimensional personality. Personally, I could have done with less Fox and more robots. I'd have even settled for more John Turturro or the tag team of Josh Duhamel and Tyrese Gibson over the silly 'romantic' scenes in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen between Shia Labeuof and Megan Fox.

Bumblebee in 'Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.'

The Story

2007's Transformers set up the story of the Autobots versus Decepticons for TransformersTransformers: Revenge of the Fallen doesn't even really attempt to follow more than the most threadbare of storylines. The Decepticons want to blow up our sun, the Autobots want to protect us, the Army guys are fully behind the Autobots, Sam Witwicky is at the heart of the problem/solution, and there's a government idiot who tries to block the good guys from helping us fight the bad guys. Nutshell, meet Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. newbies like myself, and then served up a semi-decent plot along with a whole lot of action.

The Bottom Line

Michael Bay ups the ante this time, bringing in bigger robots, bigger explosions, and longer fight scenes taking place in more exotic locations. It's Transformers on steroids. Even the humor of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is bigger, with Sam Witwicky's parents doing an empty nest syndrome display of emotions taken to the nth degree. Bay even throws in 'twin' transformers with personalities lifted straight from badly written urban sitcoms. You'll either find these two characters offensive or flat-out funny; there will be no middle of the road reaction to Skids and Mudflap. And, of course, Turturro can be counted on for a laugh or two or three or four. Remember, everything is bigger in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - even Turturro.

A scene from 'Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.'

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is what it is: a big-budget spectacle with an incredible amount of action, a frivolous plot, and one hot chick. The robot on robot fight scenes are fantastic (even if you can't tell who is who), the visual effects are absolutely terrific, and the sound effects will nearly have you bouncing out of your seat.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen goes on too long (at least a half an hour too long), but it never attempts to be anything other than what it is - a big, bombastic, brainless summer action movie. If it's wit and depth and gritty performances you're looking for, then you're looking in the wrong place. But if all you want is to spend a few hours in a theater getting your ears pummeled and feasting your eyes on over-the-top but totally entertaining fight scenes, then Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is like Christmas or Hanukkah (or whatever winter holiday you celebrate) in June.

GRADE: C

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen was directed by Michael Bay and is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi action violence, language, some crude and sexual material, and brief drug material.

Courtesy: www.movies.about.com

'Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian' -Movie Review

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian has bigger effects and the setting is of a much grander scale than 2006's night at the museum. There's more room to stage chase scenes and many more historical figures/pieces of art available to come alive by moving the film's venue from New York's Museum of National History to the Smithsonian complex in Washington D.C. 20th Century Fox accomplished the near impossible by being allowed to film inside the Smithsonian, yet they failed to take full advantage of the setting.

With so much new to play around with, there should be no reason for Night at the Museum #2 to feel like a rerun of Museum #1, right? Wrong. There's even a lengthy monkey-slapping scene in #2, just like there was in the first movie. Granted, this time there are two monkeys. And twice the monkeys should equal twice the fun, but not so with Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian.

The Smithsonian setting does allow a few really quirky, cute interactions with famous works of art. The most engaging of these being our hero Larry escaping with his helper Amelia Earhart into the famous Alfred Eisenstaedt photo of a soldier planting a kiss on a nurse in Times Square on V-J Day. That, and a touching scene with the Tuskegee Airmen thanking Amelia Earhart for her groundbreaking accomplishments, do set this one apart from the original. But there's a lot of retreaded material in here that seems just barely reworked for this sequel.

The Story

Amy Adams as Amelia Earhart in 'Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian.'

We catch up with Larry the Night Watchman after he's moved on from his job at the museum to being a rich inventor of semi-useful products. He's pretty much forgotten about his friends at the museum, but when his old buddies are crated up to be shipped to the Smithsonian's warehouse where they'll languish for eternity (or until someone cleans the place and tosses them out), Larry comes to their rescue. The tablet that brought them to life in NY didn't make the trip, but as luck would have it there's another tablet already housed in the Smithsonian's warehouse that has the same magical powers. Unfortunately, the guy who possesses this tablet, Kahmunrah (the older brother of NY's tablet owner), uses its powers for evil.

Kahmunrah's collecting henchmen (i.e. Napoleon, Ivan the Terrible, Al Capone) to help him open up a passageway between worlds so he can bring forth his army of bird warriors. The gang from NY are ready to fight, but they're being held prisoner in a shipping container for most of the film. Meanwhile Larry, Amelia Earhart, the monkeys, some Einstein bobble heads, and the Statue of Abraham Lincoln are left to figure out how to stop Kahmunrah and save the day.

The Cast

Ben Stiller slips into his night watchman uniform once again, delivering pretty much the same level of performance as in the first Night at the Museum movie. If you liked him in that, you'll like him in this. If not, well then why watch this sequel? It's more Larry-centric than the first movie so if Stiller's not your cup of tea, pass on Museum 2.

Robin Williams is back but barely used,Owen Wilson and Steve Coogan have expanded roles as the tiny cowboy and Roman soldier tag team, and even Ricky Gervais puts in an appearance again as the curator of NY's museum. And they all do what you expect them to do with the material, though Wilson and Coogan don't seem to be having as much fun this time around.

From just checking out the trailers I thought Hank Azaria was going to annoy me to no end as the Egyptian Kahmunrah, but he's actually more entertaining to watch than Stiller or the rest of the returning Night cast. However, his performance doesn't hold a candle to Amy Adams as Amelia Earhart. I don't know if Adams is playing her anything like the real Amelia, but it's a blast to watch Adams get all sassy as the world's most famous female aviator.

Owen Wilson and Hank Azaria in 'Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian.'

The Bottom Line

There's a batch of other actors thrown into the mix (Christopher Guest, Alain Chabat, Bill Hader, etc) without being given much to do, and way too much time is spent on scenes that are only sort of cute but go absolutely nowhere. Two different scenes have Stiller being threatened if he crosses an imaginary line when one would have been just fine. And we've seen the Easter Island statue or whatever it is make rhymes out of dum dum a couple of times already so enough is enough. With so little time to devote to so many new characters, chopping out a few dum dums wouldn't have harmed the movie whatsoever. I know I'm nitpicking, but I wanted something fresh, something original out of this sequel, and instead it's mostly recycled material.

Kids should still get a kick out of this Museum, but adults may have a harder time finding something worth laughing at this time around.

GRADE: C

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian was directed by Shawn Levy and is rated PG for mild action and brief language.

Courtesy: www.movies.about.com

'Ghosts of Girlfriends Past' Movie Review

Matthew McConaughey in 'Ghosts of Girlfriends Past'.

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past is a spirited twist on the Dickens story A Christmas Carol that had me laughing more than any other comedy released (thus far) in 2009. It's smart, charming, sticky sweet in places, and it's got a bit more of a bite to it than most romantic comedies. Plus, it has Mc Conaughey playing a total cad, a role which the rom com veteran was able to slip into quite nicely.

Definitely one just for the ladies, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past hits theaters the same day as Hugh Jackman's X-men-origins:Wolverine. It's a good, strategic move to place Ghosts opposite a film that skews toward the men as women won't feel bad about leaving their males to fend for themselves while they take in this above average chick flick.

The Story

Connor Mead is a professional photographer who likes his women beautiful, easy, and not too clingy. Connor's got no desire whatsoever to settle down having learned at a young age from his now deceased playboy uncle, Wayne (Michael Douglas), that there's no need to settle for one fish when there's so many in the sea to choose from. Connor's a one night stand kind of guy who has no intention of changing.

Emma Stone and Matthew McConaughey in 'Ghosts of Girlfriends Past.'

© New Line Cinema

But as in A Christmas Carol, someone needs to learn a hard lesson and in this rendition of the classic Dickens story it's Connor's turn to take a romp through his past, get a peak at the present without anyone knowing he's there, and see what the future holds in store for him if he doesn't change his ways. All this happens after he gives his baby brother one of the worst rehearsal dinner toasts ever uttered by a human being. Uncle Wayne appears, tells him to pay attention to three spectral visitors, and wise up before it's too late. Uncle Wayne was a party animal to the end, which Connor appreciates and emulates, but he died a lonely man because he never found love. Wayne doesn't want that to happen to his nephew and is willing to go to great lengths to make sure Connor's eyes are opened to the possibility of romance and true love.

The Cast

Matthew McConaughey has done his share of romantic comedies, most recently a generic rom com that didn't sit well with audiences (the disappointing Fool's Gold). But Ghosts of Girlfriends Past steps outside the cookie cutter mold and lets McConaughey pour all of his considerable charm into the role of a player who, despite his raffish behavior, is deep down a guy who wants to be in a relationship - although it takes three ghosts to get him to recognize the fact.

Jennifer Garner, also a veteran of the genre, is the perfect yin to McConaughey's yang. Garner's Jenny (the only woman Connor ever lasted more than a few days dating) is solid and responsible. McConaughey's Connor's got a devil may care attitude and is completely unreliable. Both actors fit snugly in these roles which seem taylor made for their talents. And they have a surprising amount of chemistry - I would never have pictured these two together prior to Ghosts but it actually works well.

The supporting cast includes Breckin Meyer as McConaughey's monogamist brother who is the only one that wants Connor around for the wedding, Lacey Chabert as Meyer's bride-to-be who gets into bridezilla mode as Connor screws up the wedding plans, and Noureen DeWulf as Connor's patient, long-suffering assistant - the one female who doesn't succumb to Connor's charms. All are given their moments to shine, but it's Emma Stone as the Ghost of Girlfriends Past who absolutely steals this film away from everyone, including McConaughey and Garner. When Stone's on the screen, Ghosts is at its brightest and funniest. As an over-the-top, lost in the '80s dynamo, Stone chews up the scenery and makes the best of every single second of her screen time.

The Bottom Line

Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Garner in 'Ghosts of Girlfriends Past.'

© New Line Cinema

Timing-wise, the beginning of May isn't a bad time to drop a romantic comedy into theaters. But it is a little strange that this one has Christmas release written all over it and yet we're seeing it at the start of summer. The snowy setting is understandable as it's a take off on A Christmas Carol and in fact one of the most memorable lines from the film involves McConaughey waking up after his ghostly visits, throwing open his window and yelling down to a boy shoveling snow - a scene lifted from A Christmas Carol - but the boy's response is priceless and unique to Ghosts.

Yes, this is a boy meets girl, boy loses girl (actually boy leaves girl), and boy tries his best to get girl back story. But there's more to it than that. The writing is impressive and snappy, and McConaughey and Garner make for quite an onscreen team. Director Mark Waters (Freaky Friday, Mean Girls) keeps the tone light even when the subject matter turns heavy. Waters doesn't let Ghosts of Girlfriends Past take itself too seriously, while at the same time he never plays down to his target audience. We don't see McConaughey roaming around needlessly shirtless. The jokes aren't cheap and don't come at the expense of a generic romantic comedy supporting player.

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past goes from lightheartedly fluffy comedy to a bittersweet tale of love lost and love found without ever turning sappy. Ghosts of Girlfriends Past is fun, fast-paced, and a refreshingly different sort of romantic comedy.

GRADE: A-

Rated PG-13 sexual content throughout, some language & a drug reference

Courtesy: www.movies.about.com

'17 Again'- Movie Review

The seriously cute, seriously corny 17 again is Zac Efron's first real challenge as an actor outside the safety of the High school musical cocoon. Sure, he played the heartthrob in Hairspray, but that role didn’t require him to stretch his acting muscles. He sang well and provided teen girls with some eye candy, and that was pretty much all that was required of him. But with 17 Again, Efron actually proves he can handle the lead in a non-musical. Surprise, surprise.

17 Again isn’t ground-breaking cinema. The story’s been done many, many times before and in some cases much, much better. Still, the moral is an important one and if it gets through to even 10% of Efron’s fanbase, then I guess you could say its recycled premise was worth revisiting.

The Story

Matthew Perry plays Mike O’Donnell, a man disappointed with every choice he's made since one fateful day in high school. Sad and bitter, Mike just got passed over for a promotion at work and he’s in the process of divorcing Scarlet (Leslie Mann), his wife of 20 years. The two were high school sweethearts but now Mike seems to believe it’s all Scarlet’s fault he didn't follow his dreams and has become, at least in his mind, a failure.

At 17, Mike was a basketball stud on the verge of earning a scholarship to college. However the day the college scouts showed up to watch him play was the same day Scarlet told him she was pregnant. Mike chose to wed his pregnant girlfriend instead of grabbing his one chance at a future in hoops, and has regretted passing up his shot at being something ever since.

Zac Efron and Thomas Lennon in '17 Again.'

Now 37, Mike makes a wish that he could be young again and voila, a ‘spirit guide’/high school custodian makes that wish a reality. Mike wakes up as Zac Efron (because this is a fantasy tale we have to just go with the idea that Perry looked like Efron at 17). Totally confused and weirded out, Mike seeks help from his lifelong best friend, Ned. Ned’s a geeky billionaire with no social life and a house filled with the sort of movie memorabilia every comic book fanboy would kill to own. After a battle involving light sabers and other props, Ned comes to terms with Mike’s sudden regression. Ned thinks the best way to deal with the bizarre transformation is to enroll in the same high school they attended growing up - the same high school where Mike’s two kids now spend their days.

At first Mike’s convinced he’s been sent back to change his own destiny. But soon after enrolling in school Mike gets to talk to - really talk to, not talk at - his kids and quickly learns he really knows nothing about them. He also figures out that maybe helping them through the trials and tribulations of their teen years is what his spirit guide actually meant for him to do. That insight leads him back to his old home and back into the life of his soon-to-be-ex-wife who sees an astonishing resemblance between this new kid and the guy she dated in high school. And you just know that all this interaction with his family leads to everyone involved learning significant lessons about life and doing what’s right.

The Cast

Efron’s terrific as Mike, engaging and sweet, and showing real comedic timing. Plus, he actually pulls off the more dramatic moments with surprising success. Thomas Lennon plays nerdy Ned with a lot of gusto, and truth be told Ned’s the most fascinating character of the bunch. 17 Again would have only benefited from more shared screen time between Lennon and Efron. The always dependable Leslie Mann once again shows why audiences just adore her onscreen. Mann helps keep the film real and grounded, playing a strong, determined mom who’s tried her best to save her marriage but who’s prepared to move on when she realizes it’s a lost cause.

Melora Hardin as the high school principal and newfound object of Ned’s affection is good though underused. Michelle Trachtenberg as Mike’s kind of wild daughter and Sterling Knight as Mike’s introverted son who blossoms under his 17 year old father’s tutelage are fine in supporting roles.

The Bottom Line

17 Again starts off with a man coping with his failures, living with regret, and dealing with the serious issue of divorce. Then the film goes through a screwball comedy period as Mike pops back into his 17 year old body with unexpected side effects (the boy can’t stop eating, has too much energy, etc.).

Leslie Mann and Zac Efron in '17 Again.'

Things turn a bit creepy as his female classmates compete for his attention, his own daughter hits on him, and he discovers he’s still got deep, deep feelings for his soon to be ex-wife that as a 17 year old are highly inappropriate. And then when the lesson has obviously been learned, 17 Again gets all serious and wraps up with a gooey, sweet scene that brings the film back full circle. It’s a predictable story littered with clichéd characters and a few downright ridiculous scenes (no high school bully is going to stand still while the new kid in school delivers a 10 minute monologue on why he’s just a loser hiding behind a thick layer of bravado). But Efron’s got a presence on screen that saves the film from being just another toss-away teen comedy.

Director Burr Steers does a decent job of taking an old concept and making it maybe not feel new, but at least sincere. Still, there’s something stagey about the production that made 17 Again not work for me. Maybe it was kicking the movie off with a basketball game in which Mike joins the cheerleaders for a high energy dance number right before the biggest game of his high school career...

Despite its shortfalls, the teens in the preview audience were into the film, applauding the second Efron appeared onscreen and laughing at the appropriate moments. The adults...well, there were a few chuckles from the non-Zac Efron-adoring crowd.

If all you're looking for is silly escapist entertainment, you could do a lot worse.

GRADE: B-/C+

17 Again is rated PG-13 for language, some sexual material and teen partying.

Courtesy: www.movies.about.com

Public Enemies (2009) -Movie Review

In reality… I hate Public Enemies. It’s everything that’s wrong with films. Michael Mann’s spastic directing and inability to make his main characters come to life is about as inspiring as watching a five-hundred pound fat dude stand up for the first time in 10 years. You really just want to shove them down again. While the main part of the movie is an abysmal montage of tommy gun muzzle fire, shaky camera work, and lighting that leaves you literally in the dark for half the film, there’s something in the middle of this movie that actually works… and it’s not anything you might have seen in the trailers.

Public Enemies is an Untouchables-esque story and “biopic” chronicling the life of John Dillinger. Just as The Untouchables had Scarface, Public Enemies has Dillinger (Johnny Depp), a bank robbing ladies’ man. Just as The Untouchables had Eliot Ness, Public Enemies has Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale), the dedicated FBI agent whose mission it is to track down Dillinger. The film exists in the space between reality and movies, glamorizing a person who was basically a mindless thug who wanted money and prostitutes. The film turns Dillinger into a hero… into someone who isn’t worthy of being gunned down in front of a movie theater, but it’s all so unbelievable, and handled in a manner that feels like a caricature of serious movie. Public Enemies wants the viewer to look at Dillinger and say, “That guy’s cool. Don’t kill his ass.” It wants you to look at Dillinger and Purvis and see a Ness/Capone type relationship. But the fact of the movie is that everything it wants to do is butchered by bad directing… and some bad acting

Michael Mann isn’t someone that I would call a great director. His only successes were Heat and The Last of the Mohicans. His later flicks were glitzy bullshit that seem to be copied from the Michael Bay book of directing, choppy bits of fluff sandwiched in between bad humor and big-name stars big-time stinking it up. Public Enemies isn’t all that different from Mann’s directing on films like Miami Vice and Collateral. Public Enemies is violently choppy, super loud, and ultimately not as enjoyable as it should be. Every time there is a shootout, this is what happens: Guy stands in front of window. Guy fires tommy gun which we see from behind his back. Muzzle flare lights up darkness, occasionally showing us the actor’s face. Repeat for five to ten minutes and you’ve got yourself a Public Enemies shootout. If you like your shootouts confusing and indefinite, maybe you’ll love this shit. At least the sound was great.

One thing that Mann does right, and this is amid horrible characterizations for the main characters, is that he manages to salvage what could have been a stinker of a movie with an excellent and beautiful subplot. In the film, John Dillnger falls for a dame by the name of Billie Frechette. Mann’s ability to capture the essence of the character and turn what is obviously a fictionalized version of a historic relationship into something epic is surprising to say the least. Who knew the man that did Miami Vice could actually pull off a heartfelt moment? The end of the film is definitely the highlight of the flick, but it’s a shame that you have to sit through two and a half hours of Johnny Depp and Christian Bale being Johnny Depp and Christian Bale to get to it.

Speaking of which, the acting on this shit is atrocious. But what would you expect from any movie that has The Dancing Dude, Channing Tatum, in it? Granted he gets killed in the first ten minutes of the movie, but his crapitude is only replaced by the crapitude of other actors who should know better. Christian Bale, who has for all intents and purposes lost any respect for himself or the acting profession, is complete garbage yet again in this film. This performance might not be as bad as Terminator: Salvation, but it’s still not good. Thankfully, Bale doesn’t have another movie scheduled for release until 2011, which gives us a year to forget his 1930’s American gentleman accent, which had me snickering in the theater. Johnny Depp is less infuriating, but he doesn’t feel like anything special either. His performance is solid, yet vacuous enough to be forgettable. Honestly, when he was picking up Ms. Frechette, it felt like he was playing Cry-Baby again… only without the humor. Depp brings nothing to the character, except more of “badass” Johnny Depp (That’s sarcasm.)… and a really ugly looking moustache. The true star of the film is Marion Cotillard as Billie Frechette. Frechette gives the only energetic performance in the film and her character arc is amazing. I feel like Mann was using her character to clue the audience into how they are supposed to feel about Dillinger’s character, which is awestruck and in love. However, the character inspires none of this and Cotillard’s ability to act like he inspired this in her character is truly a success.

Public Enemies is a nightmare from a direction standpoint, and without the Billie Frechette subplot, I would probably give this thing a three. But it’s in there, and it’s worth wading through all the bullshit that comes with Bale, Depp, and Mann to get to it.

Final Synopsis: I really like a portion of this movie a lot, but most of it is mindless drivel.

Points Lost: -1 for extreme close-ups too much of the time, -1 for excessive shaky cam, -1 for poorly shot shottouts that lack impact, -1 for the fictionalization and glamorizing of a scumbag, -1 for Christian Bale and his accent, -1 for Johnny Depp’s Cry-Baby revisited

Bonus Points: +1 for Marion Cotillard, +1 for bangin’ sound effects

Lesson Learned: Never trust a hooker.

Burning Question: Wouldn’t this movie be better if it were titled Public Enemas?

Courtesy:www.moviecynics.com

Ivar Vivahitharayal -Review

If you have been looking forward to to gain some priceless insights into the intricate mechanics of matrimony from Saji Surendran's debut film, you are likely to be let down. It's an unfortunate assortment of terrible choices, wasted chances and a real squander of a fine cast.

The day his final exams are over in college, Vivek (Jayasurya) decides that he wants to get married. He confesses to his closest mate Tresa (Samvrutha Sunil) that he has been having a tough time lately with his dreams, with almost every other gorgeous woman on and off the block making an appearance in them as his wife. Back home, he manages to convince his parents and ties the knot with a Radio jockey with an acid tongue, Kavya (Bhama) who's apprehension personified when it comes to her groom.

The hypothetical insinuation on the title that tops it up with a question mark at the end totally went over my head. I mean, they are very well married leaving no space around for those ifs and buts. Why the doubt then, why the speculation?

I have got some serious issues with films that claim to be all gung-ho with regard to modernism. All that talk about women's lib and more of that flows in profusion from the RJ's mouth before she bangs the phone down in disgust at the chauvinist boar at the other end. For a moment, we think the girl has got her head in the right place and then she gets married. And immediately turns out to be a green-eyed, nagging monster who can't bear to see her hubby dear chatting up with his bestest girl friend.

Almost all the assumptions that the film bases itself on are infantile. And most of the characters in it are still in their adolescence even though they are well past their prime. Take Vivek's parents for instance who have been estranged for a while, but who spend their miserable lives in opposite apartments, so that their lad would never know what it is to have separated parents. So you have the dad-son-in-extreme-ecstasy picture donning the living room in Flat 9A and mom-son-on-a-joyride pic hung up for good in Flat 9B. And sonny flitting between the apartments on alternate nights.

The most astonishing thing about the film is that there isn't a moment when your heart goes out to the pair-in-distress. How on earth does one sympathize with a moron who has done his MBA with not a clue as to how an onion looks like? If you ask me, the writer's attempts to make Vivek look like a lamb-on-a-hot-air-balloon crash-land disastrously. As it is, he comes across as an idiot who could very well do with some spanking that he had obviously missed out some time earlier on.

The final revelation that Vivek throws on Kavya's face along with yours, is a catastrophe. I have been trying to push myself into believing that the guy isn't as unripe as the whole world believes him to be. And then he goes about delivering on why have wanted to tie the knot in the first place, (that's a spoiler, if you could call it that) and boy, it was even funnier than all of Suraj's antics put together.

It's then that we realize that it was a grave mistake that the kid got married. Seriously, he ought to be in kindergarten, if his mind works like that at 22.

Saji Surendran's film looks picture perfect, if you steer your gaze away from the interiors that resemble playschools. It has been beautifully shot, and his eye for visual detail finds a noteworthy expression in the song sequences, which are undoubtedly among the best in recent years. Performances are pretty fine through out, though a script as this neither insists on spectacular feats nor extracts histrionic delights from its actors.

'Ivar Vivahitharayal' beats a dead horse for a good three hours, and appears rather dull despite all the happenings in it all the while. A knock-off on several triumphant marriage capers that have preceded it, it boasts neither of their sparkle nor shine.

Courtesy:www.nowrunning.com

Bhramaram -Review

As the monsoon showers down in torrents, Blessey concerns himself with the spirit of redemption that hovers around a bitter truth. Bhramaram is more of a sticky assemblage of hysterical high-points than a touching, emotional indictment on the profound sense of loss.

Unni (Suresh Menon), a stock broker by profession is surprised when a high school mate Sivankutty (Mohanlal) lands on him like an avalanche, one fine day. A good twenty five years having passed, Unni is barely able to recognize him, and is bewildered by his intentions. When Sivan coerces him to come visit his family, Unni realizes that a deliberately forgotten past is fast catching up on him.

It takes quite a bit of sputtering before the engine gathers enough verve to move forward. The initial obscurity that lingers over Sivankutty does tickle our curio nerve once in a while, but very soon gets tiresome. Particularly after the revelation that finally puts up a period firmly in place of the long series of question marks.

Touted as a road movie, the film suffers tremendous ruin once it hits the road. Unlike every appealing film in the genre, Bhramaram has no solid plot development to cash in on as its odd characters make a journey to their destination. Most of the tale has already been told and the rest of it could be deduced even before the ride starts.

It's here that Blessey decides to fuel up a bit, and vainly tries to bring in an extra little effect by cooking up fights on a roadside dhaba or by flashing a quick placard on the dismal plight of pubic lavatories. These frantic attempts come a full circle with the lead man taking a leak by the roadside, and an avid leaker-by taking a look and whimsically commenting that appearances could be illusory.

The climactic breakdown that has almost become routine in Blessey's films is exaggeratedly preserved in Bhramaram. Essentially the central character in Blessey's films deals with death and intense deprivation, and it's the same here as well, with every weep and wail faithfully retained. Somehow though, the melodramatic machinations appear all the more contrived with every new film. In plain words, it simply seems to be getting worse.

Mohanlal's acute performance as the man who has been repeatedly wronged is as best as it possibly could get. At times restrained and at times overwhelmingly disorderly, the man who has taken a severe battering from life, is safe in the actor's hands. An admirable feat indeed, since Lal continually jumps over the trap holes in the script and tries to make do with what he's truly capable of.

However, the true champion of the hour would be Ajayan Vincent who has drawn up some of the best rustic and urban visuals, through his exemplary cinematography. His camera that seems to have grown feet of its own occupies all sorts of vantage positions, whether it be hovering around a speeding cab, or busily crouching to an unobtrusive corner of the room as the door opens from outside. Much thought-out and elaborately planned, there are any number of stunning instances in the film that are watch worthy only on account of the technique that has captured it on film.

The incessant buzzing of the bumble bee that acts as an aural metaphor to all emotions that exemplify vengeance goes on and on. As it peaks for one last time in the closing shot, I wonder if the suggestion is that the most primeval of man's instincts doesn't ever wither off. After a brief interlude, it would most likely surface again, and articulate itself through more bouts of madness.

Courtesy:www.nowrunning.com