Bollywood Diwali Specials - Acid Factory

Genre: Action Thriller

Director: Suparn Verma

Star Cast: Fardeen Khan, Danny Denzongpa, Irrfan Khan, Manoj Bajpai, Dino Morea, Aftab Shivdasani, Dia Mirza

Music Director: Shamir Tandon, Gourav Dasgupta, Bappa Lahiri, Manasi Scott

One line summary – An edge of the seat thriller with erased memories, heist, murder and fear thrown in.

Release Date: October 9

Bollywood Diwali Specials - Wake Up Sid

Genre: Romance/Comedy

Director: Ayaan Mukherjee

Star Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Rahul Khanna, Konkona Sen Sharma, Naseeruddin Shah, Anupam Kher

Music Director: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy

One line summary – A romantic comedy on a lazy, irresponsible young man’s journey to find his life’s purpose.

Release Date: October 2

Bollywood Diwali Specials - Do Knot Disturb

Genre: Comedy

Director: David Dhawan

Star Cast: Govinda, Ritesh, Deshmukh, Sushmita Sen, Lara Dutta, Sohail Khan, Ranvir Shorey, Rajpal Yadav

Music Director: Nadeem-Shravan

One line summary - A comedy of errors on extra marital affairs with a cast who has had a successful run in the comedy genre.

Release Date: October 2

The NeXt Generation is here - Reva NXG bullies all at Frankfurt

For all those who knew that an Indian company named Reva Electric Car Company existed: the Reva electric car will have a stunning stable mate by 2011. Take a look at the image. It’s the Reva NXG that broke cover at the Frankfurt Autoshow and the name is an obvious hint at the “next generation” design.

It doesn’t require too much of scratch marks on your head to realize who designed this tiny monster. Dilip Chabbria’s lines are all over it. From the colour scheme to the grey inserts, the huge mesh-design plate in the fascia, DC’s trademark swooping lines, and the cab forward stance; NXG is DC all the way.

As for the pricing, it’s steep for a small car. 23,000 euros is not a tiny sum for a tiny car. NXG is claimed to be better than the current car as it offers 125 miles range and 80mph top speed. The looks are tempting, but as the wise man once said, looks can be deceptive too. Whatever the case may be, I just hope the design is maintained till it makes it to production.

My take on the Summer Blockbusters

Terminator Salvation

Director: McG

Theatre visits: 2

What’s it about: A continuation of the Terminator story, set in a war-torn 2018, with a grown up John Connor and the Resistance fighting Skynet’s robot army. Contrary to expectations, Connor isn’t the decision maker of the Resistance fighters, but one of the lead soldiers. The appearance of Marcus Wright, a drifter who goes on to do his part in the war for humanity’s survival, forms the core of this post apocalyptic action fest. The android-human relationship comes into play and the question of making choices is a major theme followed.

Whistles: Sam Worthington’s Marcus Wright, the post apocalyptic world, the gritty realism in the frames, excellent sound design, cinematography, exceptional production designing, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s cameo (though it was CGI), the terminator machines (especially Mototerminator), Christian Bale’s aggression as John Connor, the twists and turns (a bit predictable but delivers).

Boos: Christian Bale’s performance looked similar to his role as Batman in TDK, the death of Sam Worthington’s character, human element subdued a tad.

Verdict: Excellent effort from McG. Makes it hard to believe that this was directed by the same guy who directed Charlie’s Angels and its sequel. Regardless of its failure at the box office, I think this is a better movie overall when compared to the other robot actioner, Transformers 2.

Sequel Suggestions: Reduce the budget to $150 million, take some consultation from James Cameron, bring back Sam Worthington and send Christian Bale to an anger management class. The dissemination of the audio file of his verbal assault was one of the reasons why the movie’s popularity nosedived.

My take on the Summer Blockbusters

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra

Director: Stephen Sommers

Theatre visits: 1

What’s it about: An elite team of covert operations specialists chosen from around the globe fight to wade off a megalomaniac weapons manufacturer and his mad scientist. The movie tracks the rise of the Cobra terrorist organization and is the first live action feature film based on the G.I. Joe toy line/comic series.

Whistles: Finally a live-action movie on G.I. Joe, Joseph Gordon Lewitt’s Cobra Commander, special effects in pieces, the chase scene in Paris, Marlon Wayans’ Ripcord (I was surprised to see that he was good.), Snake Eyes, connecting flashbacks, Storm Shadow-Snake Eyes duel, Arnold Vosloo’s cool-and-cold Zartan, the hotties Sienna Miller and Rachel Nichols, the cliffhanger.

Boos: Relentless pace, terrible and unpolished CGI in many sections (I doubt whether they actually spent $175 million making this movie or not), Channing Tatum’s Duke, Breaker (is he gay?), failure to cash in on major action sequences, the illogical scene of polar ice packs sinking (ice doesn’t sink in water…even toddlers know that)

Verdict: Not bad. I’m forced to like it as I love the G.I. Joe characters so much. Stephen Sommers disappointed. I’d like to see a sequel though with more characters and some quality special effects. Gore Verbinski is my recommendation for the director's chair.

Sequel suggestions: TF2 league CGI, more screen time for Joseph Gordon Lewitt, Arnold Vosloo and Dennis Quaid. And give Brendan Fraser a major role. He has immense popularity in the Asia Pacific. How else do you think Mummy 3 survived? Bring in some actors from other nations in guest or major roles. The latest incarnation of G.I. Joe proclaims it as an international team anyway. Put that line to good use.

My take on the Summer Blockbusters

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Director: Michael Bay

Theatre visits: 3

What’s it about: Sam becomes the unwilling hero as he wants a normal life without being in the midst of a robot civil war. But the Decepticons especially Megatron and his master the Fallen find him a high-profile target as the location of an energy source gets embedded in his mind accidentally. At the hands of the bad guys, it can bring the world as we know to a quick end - "end of world stuff" as the movie guys call it. So for Sam, Autobots and the military it’s battle time with more fights, explosions and twisted metal as the fate of the world rest on them.

Whistles: Bigger with more robots and a greater dose of action, better CGI and sound, more dialogues for the robots, stunt choreography, Optimus Prime’s speeches and fights, Bumblebee’s antics, the military hardware parade, Megan Fox’s glamour quotient.

Boos: Avoidable sleazy references, 50+ bloopers, no character development, tiny climatic battle between Optimus and Fallen, no fights for “weapons specialist” Ironhide, perverted Wheelie, things that Megan Fox had to do, weak dialogues, abundant plot holes.

Verdict: It’s an “all nonsense, keep your brains at home” summer actioner. So don’t think, just watch. Pop-corn muncher’s delight and do rush to an ear specialist after the show.

Sequel suggestions: Script, dialogues, attention to detail in the plotline, cohesiveness, continuity – there are many areas to look into. And keep those sleazy dialogues to a minimum. At times it gets indigestible. Don’t even think about loading up some more robots and some more action to garner audience. Take some time to chat with the executive producer, Steven Spielberg for some bright ideas. Spielberg had suggested that "a boy and his car" should be the focus of the film. It would be better if his idea is kept in mind while brainstorming about the sequel.

My take on the Summer Blockbusters

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs

Director: Carlos Saldanha

Co-director: Mike Thurmeier

Theatre visits: 2

What's it about: Rifts form in the unlikely gang of the mammoth, the sabretooth cat and the sloth. Diego and Sid part ways with Manfred as he has got his own family now. Sid wanders off into a treacherous prehistoric world under the ground and the rest follow to save him. A smooth talking-crazy weasel named Buck who inhabits the same place joins them in the rescue mission.

Whistles: Laugh riot all the way, thrice the fun and humour, action-packed (I can’t believe I just said that. But it has so much of action), the new entry – Buck (a mix of Jack Sparrow and Tarzan), amazing detail in animation, Scrat (how could we forget him!) and She-Scrat

Boos: Nothing much to boo. Some may argue that it doesn’t have the soul of the first movie. The statement is right. But doesn’t really matter if you are in the mood to watch a fun flick.

A big boooooo for making it the last movie of the series. We can’t get enough of the unlikely gang. Can we have one more?

Verdict: Watch it and when it comes out on DVD, own it. It’s a sure go for kids and kids at heart.

Sequel Suggestions: Please…please…please…make one. Bring in Buck too. Not as part of the family, but as the 911 emergency response for the gang synonymous with trouble.

My take on the Summer Blockbusters

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian

Director: Shawn Levy

Theatre visits: 1

What’s it about: The museum night watchman starts a new company and moves on with the good money. But the news of his friends being packed off to the Smithsonian Museum makes him put on the watchman’s uniform again to bring them back to where they belong. To make that job a ride through hell, an ancient Egyptian ruler resurrects (courtesy: the magical slab) with plans to take over the world. Watchman puts together a team of new friends from the Smithsonian Museum to spoil the party and to save us all from doom.

Whistles: Bigger with the Smithsonian Museum as its backdrop, the funny men brigade, the laughs, bubbly Amy Adams.

Boos: Gets a bit boring after a while. Stiller looks tired of the role.

Verdict: A clean family entertainer. Got the laughs and the gags. Kids will love it.

Sequel suggestions: Ask Stiller whether he is interested; let’s not have the story revolving around that magical life-giving gold slab and try not to make it look like a reworked script of the first and second movies.

My take on the Summer Blockbusters

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Director: Gavin Hood

Theatre visits: 1

What’s it about: The past of the claw wielding Wolverine which was not clearly explored in the X-Men movies. It’s about his troubled relationship with his brother Sabretooth, the betrayal that he faced from the woman he loved, his involvement in the Weapon X programme and how he got the Adamandium claws from the one person who he hates the most – Col. William Stryker.

Whistles: Hugh Jackman, the last fight with Deadpool, Liev Schreiber’s Sabretooth, Ryan Reynolds’ Wade Wilson, the action sequences, visual effects in some parts.

Boos: Visual effects in some sections, not gripping enough, not in X2 league

Verdict: Good watch. Needs a sequel with tighter script.

Sequel suggestions: We don’t need the sequel to be too dark, but do give Wolverine the intensity that his character demands. Trace his history on how he continued his journey before he reached that cage fight in X-men. Hire a CGI team who can blend the effects seamlessly with the real footage.