movie reviews

Film: “Tere Bin Laden”; Director: Abhishek Sharma; Cast: Ali Zafar, Pradhuman Singh, Sugandha Garg, Piyush Mishra; Rating: ** 1/2

Hear this. A small-time Pakistani reporter dreams of a bite from Big Apple. So what does he do? He sends a tape with an Osama lookalike threatening mayhem in the US.

“Tere Bin Laden” is one of those whacked-out satires that sounds far funnier in theory than it finally is on screen… For no fault of the lead actor, one might add.

Film: “Lamhaa”; Starring: Sanjay Dutt, Bipasha Basu, Kunal Kapoor, Anupam Kher; Written & Directed by: Rahul Dholakia; Rating: *** ½

Everyone, says someone important in this searing document of our times, is playing politics in the Kashmir Valley. In a milieu of all-pervasive politics, thank the lord for a creative voice that can look into the burning Valley with dispassionate compassion.

Film: 'Khatta Meetha'; Starring: Akshay Kumar, introducing Trishna Krishnan, Kulbhushan Kharbanda; Directed by: Priyadarshan; Rating: ***

First things first. This is not, repeat not, a comedy. Not by any yardstick. For those expecting a typical Priyadarshan-Akshay Kumar comedy 'Khatta Meetha' is not your cup of tee-hee. For those who know there's a more reflective and ruminative side to both the prolific director and the leading man, here's the thing.

Film: 'Raavan'; Director: Mani Ratnam; Cast: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Vikram; Rating: *** 1/2

A wounded bird snarled viciously on the dry branches of a tree. A cold-blooded vulture looks leery-eyed at his prey. A film by Mani Ratnam is an experience of a lifetime.

By jove, Mani knows how to tell a story! In 'Raavan' he transports us into a forest of untamed sights, sounds and emotions that tumble out, creating a spiral of vibrant, sensuous images.

Film: 'A Single Man'; Director: Tom Ford; Cast: Colin Firth, Julianne Moore, Nocholas Hoult, Matthew Goode; Rating: ****

People walk into our lives, share a few good laughs and leave. Or worse, they die. And we live on, to be haunted by their memories. Most are strong enough to move on. A few find it impossible to live without the ones they loved. 'A Single Man' is a hauntingly beautiful film about one day in the life of one such man who suffers from the loss of a loved one.

Film: “Sex and the city 2?; Director: Michael Patrick King; Cast: Sarah Jessica Parker, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon, Kim Cattrall; Rating: *

It must be good for a filmmaker to not have much to live up to and yet be assured of good returns at the box office. The first instalment of the film had nothing to talk about and with a predecessor like that, you can expect what the sequel would be like — worse.

By Satyen K. Bordoloi
Film: “The Karate Kid”; Cast: Jaden Smith, Jackie Chan, Taraji Henson, Rongguang Yu

Rating: *** and 1/2

Cinema and the underdog have made a delightful couple. Cinema has ensured that the underdog mostly wins, while the underdog stories have usually ensured a good box office run.

In “The Karate Kid”, we witness the rebirth of the ultimate American teenage underdog story.

Film: ‘Robin Hood’; Cast: Russell Crowe, Cate Blanchett, William Hurt, Matthew Macfadyen; Director: Ridley Scott; Rating: *** 1/2

Once there was a man who challenged law in the name of true justice. The man died, but his legend that stands for justice against the oppression of the rich but unjust survives. And everyone, from crusaders of the medieval era to Maoists today have laid claim to the idea behind the name of Robin Hood.

Film: ‘Raavanan’; Director: Mani Rathnam; Cast: Vikram, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Prithviraj, Prabhu, Karthick, Priyamani and others.

Rating: *** 1/2

An innocent woman caught in a fierce clash between the system and the people — Mani Rathnam’s ‘Raavanan’ is all about the plight of a modern-day Sita and more.

Veerayya alias Veera (Vikram) is the head of a tribal community inhabiting the forest areas. He is seen as the saviour by the people while the police force sees him as a criminal.

New Delhi, June 21 (IANS) First-time director Pravesh Bhardwaj is entering the world of Hindi films with “Mr. Singh Mrs. Mehta”, a new story on marital infidelity. Releasing Friday, the movie will show how circumstances force married people into relationships outside wedlock.

Based in London, the film stars Prashant Narayanan and British-Indian actress Aruna Shields in lead roles along with Lucy Hassan and Naved Aslam. Grammy-nominated sitarist Ustad Shujaat Hussain Khan has composed music for this extramarital saga by UTV Motion Pictures.