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Friday, January 21, 2011

Crook (2010)


It is a story of Indian name Jai (Emran Hashmi), a guy who seems to have a dark underground living (at the beginning, the movie portrays him recording a movie for piracy) but have a lovely father (a police). Jai has been sent to Australia so that his works does not generate more trouble. He meets Suhani (Neha Sharma), an Indian Australian. The problem starts to occurs when Jai finds himself trapped in an issue of racism between Indian and Australian. A story of love suddenly deals with racism as the story goes to the end.

Keseluruhannya, Crook tenggelam timbul dengan dua isu yang bercampur (cinta dan racism). Fasa pertama filem, we seems to have been pushed to watch a love story between Suhani and Jai (which seems to much – the balance of both issue is lost). Yet, at the second half (it’s time for redemption), the movie focuses on the racial issue. But, it seems to be more exciting when the finale revealed something that is beyond imagination (which is good – i like the ending so much!). Well, it seems to me that this film is good on issue but the balancing is not well.

Isu racism bukan isu biasa bagi filem Bolly. Kebanyakannya always deal with love, and some fantasy love. A good effort!. In a nutshell, CROOK deals with a reality. Mahesh Bhatt nampak bijak mengendalikan persoalan siapa perlu dipersalahkan. Antara India dan Australia, siapa sebenarnya yang salah dalam mewujudkan isu ini? Paparan adegan akhir sebenarnya jelas menunjukkan kesedaran yang mendalam untuk rakyat India. Menarik!

Yea for sure, this film is not suitable for kids. It contains lot of kissing and (for adult) korang boleh tengok naked woman lagi! Terrible but fun! Ha3.. But, CROOK is a It is all about changing your life (so, filem ni cuba nak tunjuk realiti lah konon - seks bebas sebagai jalan penyelesaian masalah). In my opinion, CROOK is not just a normal entertainment film. It is more than meets the eye (ceewah ayat!). CROOK is a story with just a normal pace at the beginning of the film, but turn psychopathic/thriller (adegan Samarth naik berang dan culik Nicole,seorang gadis Australia) at the end. Pritam’s music is just on path. A normal scoring butnot hit my ears (but Chhala is quite interesting track to hum). With great issue and Emran Hashmi good acting, Crook seems to attract my attention. What about yours?

3/5

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Knock Out (2010)


It is not a taboo for Bollywood producer to copy some idea from Hollywood (even Hollywood pun tiru filem Asia pe!). After so many movies released throughout years, I may say that Bolly sometime need refreshment of the idea. For that reason their targeted Hollywood to get such idea to make nowadays Bollywood movie. KNOCK OUT bergerak atas dasar yang sama. Melihat filem ini, sudah tentu anda bakal mengingati lakonan Collin Farrell dalam filem thriller satu situasi, Phone Booth (dengan jayanya dilakonkan juga oleh Kiefer Sutherland). It is agreeable if I say that the film made by Joel Shumacher is great in telling an event (I never thought what I will do if I was in the situation). 2010, the idea now belong to Mani Shankar. He used the same idea (phone booth as a place of incident that can change history) but to illustrate other issue (which is closer to the Indian society).

KNOCK OUT is a story lingers around an incident inside a phone booth in the middle of Mumbai City. A day of a man will change forever. A sniper (Sanjay Dutt) targeting a man, Tony Khoshla (Irfan Khan) for one secret reason. Situation is getting worse when the sniper shoot a citizen outside the phone booth. As the story goes, the anchor woman, Nidhi Srivastav (Kangna Ranaut) came after and realise the fishy situation behind the incident. With the help of a honest police, they trying as best as they can to set Tony Khoshla out from the phone booth and faces the political agenda that lead to this incident.

In my opinion the plot is well plan (the idea is there with the right issue to portray). I like the plot construction even there are some hiccup at the middle of the movie. Seriously, this film has no driveable plot. As 1 hour and 50 minutes running, the film focus is just on the phone booth (of course there are some flashback and other setting, but not too much). I not have any word to say about the beginning (how Tony trapped inside the phone booth) because the reason is very tough (no doubt! The reason is there!). But, when come to the Indian ‘future technology’ (the spy helicopter and some gadget used by the sniper), this make this film does not have the intention to stay on reality (fictional item is helping the movement of the plot).

Overall, KNOCK OUT is railing on the same path with PHONE BOOTH (tengok! asyik cakap pasal dua filem ni jer!). Surely I can’t keep watching this film as single Bolly movie as some scene really a copycat from that Hollywood movie. But, I am quite proud of the way Mani Shankar blend in the issue of politic corruption in the film. Korupsi memang selalu sangat dipaparkan dalam filem India. But, when Mani Shankar convert the same theme with different approaches, I like!. Furthermore, with the great casting (Irfan is a top notch actor – his acting very real and good). Sanjay Dutt as the sniper, a culprit (at the beginning) turns hero also delivers good acting. On the whole, KNOCK OUT is a nice movie on theme. But, I don't think that all viewers can cope with this kind of idea.

3.5/5

Thursday, January 13, 2011

No Problem (2010)


Looking at the title, surely I have no idea what this movie is all about. ‘No Problem’ for what? What is the problem? The title itself is so wide to be interpreted. Tapi, lepas tonton pun, aku masih terkial kial, apa kaitan ‘No Problem’ dengan kisah diamond stealing? Filem ni nampaknya macam ada rencah filem Bolly 90an dengan gaya masala (dua tiga plot bergabung lalu membentuk keadaan huru hara yang membangkitkan komedi situasi). This movie reminds me to one of the movie that has the same issue (seingat aku tahun 1999 kot) entitled Awara Paagal Dewana.

Kisah berkisar pada 2 plot yang bercantum di tengah filem (separuh masa kedua filem). Kisah bermula dengan Yash (Sanjay Dutt) dan Raj (Akshaye Khanna) merompak bank di First Village Bank di Robin Village (yang mana selepas ditembak papan tanda, Robin terus jadi Rob – kreatif!). Tuan punya bank, Zandulal (Paresh Rawal) berangkat ke Durban untuk mencari Yash dan Raj sebab dipersalahkan oleh orang kampung. Another story in Durban, a bungling cop, Arjun (Anil Kapoor) on his mission to catch a most wanted criminal who stole a million dollar diamond, Marcos (Suniel Shetty). Now, start a game of catch and mouse as the story goes.

Apapun, No Problem nampaknya ada juga babak yang lawak. Namun, hampir half of the movie contain wasted comedy. Pada aku, tak banyak babak yang boleh buat aku gelak. Adegan akhir nampaknya macam tak masuk akal (tiba tiba je gorilla yang muncul sebagai cameo pada awal filem muncul jadi hero tanpa disangka sangka) tetapi menarik. Karakter lelaki yang nak bunuh diri tetapi selalu terselamat tu nampak wasted. Idea menarik namun tak berapa menjadi untuk membentuk komedi. Pritam comes with great track. My favourite track is ‘We Are Innocent’. Other track is just average. On the whole, No Problem is not great movie at all. A film with great cast, but not well crafted.

3/5

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Guzaarish (2010)


Dua bintang besar dalam satu filem pengarah tersohor, Sanjay Leela Bansali. Jawapannya, sebuah filem yang cukup hebat. Hrithik Roshan yang cukup bersahaja, bergandingan dengan Ratu India, Aishwarya Rai akhirnya membentuk satu lagi filem mega penuh emosi. When discussing about Sanjay Leela Bansali’s work, my mind recalled his notable masterpiece Devdas, starring once again Aishwarya Rai and SRK. Karyanya memang menarik. Pergerakan filemnya teliti dan kemas. Penuh dengan dialog sederhana tetapi ada jiwa. Once again, a salutation to this latest masterpiece of SLB. I like it so much.

Hrithik Roshan stars as Ethan, a magician turned radio DJ who suffered spinal-cord injury after accidentally fall from high while presenting his magic trick (disabotaj member sendiri yang jeles). After living in bed for 14 years, Ethan finally decided it is the time for him to meet death. He finally invented a project called Euthanasia Project, a project which will fight the court to allowed Mercy Killing, a suicide for his own good. With the help of his nurse and his new apprentice, Ethan fights for it. Will he get a chance to die?

First of all, in all notable SLB works, this great director made a huge effort to portray such nice cinematography in each of his movie. Aku suka gaya cinematografinya yang cukup cantik. Even if i made a comparison between SLB and RGV (Ram Gopal Varma), both were in the same level (but in the different genre of film). From the well-known Devdas (tengok beberapa kali) to Saawariya (yang ni tak tonton) and Black (yang ni pun tak berkesempatan tonton), he is the master of beautifulness. From the beginning to the end, Guzaarish stand as a beautiful movie with great issue.

Guzaarish punya babak yang boleh menyentap. Pertama, babak bagaimana alam sendiri menduga Ethan yang lumpuh dengan menitikkan air hujan dari bumbung rumah cukup menarik. Dipaparkan patung Jesus di luar rumah yang berdiri diam di dalam hujan yang lebat. Simbol yang cukup menarik untuk mengaitkan agama dan ujian Tuhan. Babak ending, semasa ‘the last dinner’ (kenapa, tontonlah), di situ ada emosi yang cukup hebat. Dialog Hrithik cukup meruntun emosi. Oh, satu lagi, bila Ethan nyanyi lagu What A Wonderful World semasa ibunya dimakamkan (yang mana mengingatkan penonton bagaimana Ethan mula bermain magik) menarik.

Gandingan Aishwarya dan Hrithik nampaknya berbeza. Hrithik yang lumpuh punya bisa yang cukup menarik. Lakonannya, emosinya dan segala dialognya menarik. Terbaik!. Aishwarya nampaknya cuba dibina SLB supaya menjadi nurse cliché (yang mana pembantu magician nampaknya taklah secantik nurse) tetapi punya emosi lebih dari seorang nurse (jiwa cinta, sayang dan kekasih hati). Keseluruhannya, filem ni perfect dan patut ditonton. On the whole, Guzaarish will stand as another masterpiece of Sanjay Leela Bansali with great casting and story.

4/5

Friday, January 7, 2011

Khatta Meetha (2010)

Jangan terkejut tonton filem ni sebab ada lagu yang guna perkataan 'bullshit' (yang diulang byk kali dalam satu lagu) tanpa disensor. Nampak kasar tetapi diluluskan jugak untuk tayangan. Apapun, Khatta Meetha adalah satu lagi filem Priyadashan yang menarik tetapi taklah sehebat De Dana Dan. Pada aku, filem ni bukan untuk hiburan semata mata. Priyadarshan cuba untuk membentuk satira for the sake of his beloved India. Ke'satira'an ini nampak jelas sebab lagunya nampak kasar dan memang jelas pun mengkritik kerajaan dan juga korupsi yang dilakukan. Cannot imagine la kalau filem ni filem Malaysia. Sah sah kena banned!

Sachin Tichkule (Akshay Kumar) adalah kontraktor paling bernasib malang dalam keluarganya sebab tidak sehebat adik beradiknya yang lain yang dapat banyak projek (guna rasuah). Nak dijadikan cerita, pegawai tinggi kat kawasannya pula adalah bekas awek si Sachin (Trisha) yang membencinya sebab kisah lampau. Kisah berkisar mengenai bagaimana Sachin cuba mengubah nasibnya namun tak berjaya. Dalam masa sama, Sachin mula mendedahkan korupsi yang dilakukan abang-abangnya dalam mendapatkan projek apabila seorang mangsa jambatan runtuh (jambatan tu dibina abangnya) membantu mendapatkan maklumat.

Nampak sinopsis macam serius. Tapi, filem ni santai. Walaupun isunya nampak macam bukan untuk hiburan (yela, mana ada orang buat filem pasal kontraktor), filem ni ada part untuk gelak gelak. That is the best thing when we talk about Priyadarshan's movie. Dia punya komik komedi memang the best. Musik dari Pritam best jugak! Trek modern dan tradisi nampak masyuk!. Tambahan pulak ada Johnny Lever dalam filem ni. Tambah luculah jadinya. Sebuah filem yang menarik untuk hiburan dewasa mahupun kanak-kanak. Tetapi, mak bapak dicadangkan untuk tolong tutup filem selepas habis saja final scene filem ni. Nanti tak pasal pasal diorang nyanyi lagu 'bullshit' tu, sape yang susah?

3/5

Soch Lo (2010)


Filem ini bukan tampilkan nama besar dah gah. Cukup sekadar paras rupa macam budak mentah dalam dunia bolly jer yang membarisi takhta pelakon dalam filem ini. Kisah yang bermula dengan seorang lelaki yang tak dikenali terdampar di tengah gurun yang hilang identity. Dibantu Pali (Barkha Madan), akhirnya dia mencari semula identity berbekalkan satu saja memorinya iaitu ketika dia berbulan madu dengan isterinya (yang dikahwini atas pilihan keluarga). Pembongkaran ingatan akhirnya membawa kepada detik penting apabila dia mengetahui bahawa isterinya, Basu (Nishan Naniah) diculik teman lelakinya yang psiko.

Soch Lo memang membosankan pada first half. Terlalu clueless sehinggakan menguap nguap mintak bantal dan katil. Second half nampak lebih menarik. Menjangkakan ending yang lebih tense tetapi malangnya sederhana. Sebuah filem genre thriller psiko yang ideanya luar biasa tetapi garapannya kurang sikit. Rasanya cukup menarik untuk ditonton dalam olahan lain. Olahan ini nampaknya cukup tak menarik. Kurang bisa, kurang pedas dan kurang segala galanya. Lakonan pengarahnya sendiri, Sartaj Singh Pannu nampak biasa. Sebuah filem yang perlu fikir dua kali sebelum tonton.

1.5/5

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Kushti (2010)


Kisah cinta dengan approach yang berbeza. Tak ada yang istimewa tentang filem ini. Sekali lagi, kisah cinta dengan approach berbeza. Kushti menampilkan barisan pelakon sekadar biasa, Rajpal Yadav sebagai teraju utama. Penampilannya kali ini sebagai posmen di sebuah daerah yang menjadikan sukan gusti sebagai sukan utama yang jatuh hati dengan anak kepada salah seorang guru gusti di perkampungan tersebut. Ditakdirkan cinta mereka dihalang kerana sikap bapa si gadis yang mempunyai masalah dengan satu lagi guru gusti di daerah tersebut. Kisah cinta yang kecil ni kemudiannya menjadi besar apabila Chandher terpaksa menghadapi lawan bapanya (penampilan khas The Great Khali dari WWE) untuk memenangi cinta hatinya. Keseluruhannya, file mini nampak tak seimbang. 30 minit awal, penonton masih terkebil kebil apa benda yang nak cuba disampaikan. Lakonan Rajpal Yadav klise macam filemnya sebelum ini. Oh ya, babak akhir menjangkakan The Great Khali memberikan penampilan hebat, tetapi malang, mengecewakan.