Hollywood Movies Twlight: Eclipse (2010) Reviews

The  first "Eclipse" trailer offers an interesting look at the direction the film is going to take. Sure, we've  hypothesized a bit about what we thought could and should make its way into the first teaser, and we've got to admit that we're a little bit let down.

Maybe it's because we already know the story of Bella Swan and Edward Cullen inside and out that it seems a little "uh-duh" when the trailer goes into an in depth explanation of how, still, Bella needs to make a decision whether to become a vampire or not. Less emphasis is placed on the love triangle between Edward, Bella and Jacob and more on the fact that each represents a different choice.

For starters, Bella wants to turn into a vampire so she can live the rest of her eternal days with Edward. But Edward doesn't want Bella to become a vampire because he knows the repercussions of that decision and he loves her too much to let that happen. This idea is emphasized by shots of Bella with her dad and mom and the narration over the scene saying, "After a few decades, everyone you know will be dead."

And then there's Jacob to the rescue, saying, "You wouldn't have to change for me, Bella." He even challenges Edward with, "You have to consider the idea that I might be better for her than you are." And it's the truth: Jacob is the smarter choice for Bella, but he's not the one she wants.

Then toss in some shots of the Volturi commenting that Bella was supposed to be a vampire by now, and our first shot of Bryce Dallas Howard in a horrendously curly red wig — almost bad at the one used on Kristen Stewart to cover up her Joan Jett 'do. You'd think after the mishap that was Taylor Lautner's wig in "New Moon" that Summit would have hired someone a bit better at wig-making this time around, but I guess not.

But the main problem with this trailer — the first trailer — is that it's for the fans, not the general public. And yes while the "Twilight" fan base is enough to break records in the opening weekend of its release, it's not enough to sustain the films to more than double that box office draw in the weeks after (yes, I am referencing "New Moon" here).

And "Eclipse" really does have the possibility of drawing in a wider audience. I have a feeling Summit is going to miss out on an opportunity to convince the rest of the film community that "The Twilight Saga" is more than just homage to the fans of the series, but they have already started out on a bad foot. Plus, even for the fans, there wasn't enough to really go nuts over. A kiss maybe? Please? Pretty please?

Hollywood Movies Daybreakers Reviews

Daybreakers” is a horror/sci-fi movie from the brothers Spierig, two Aussie siblings that burst onto the genre scene almost six years ago with the low-budget horror/sci-fi “Undead”, a movie about zombies, aliens, and other assorted weirdness. “Undead” was a movie that I both appreciated and disliked; I embraced its excellent visuals, produced on a tight budget, but couldn’t stand the film’s insufferable characters. “Daybreakers”, the sophomore effort from the brothers, has been a long time coming, with the film announced almost two years ago. I wish I could tell you that all the waiting was worth it, but honestly, while “Daybreakers” is a step up in terms of visuals (thanks, Hollywood budget!), the film is a step back in terms of everything else, including thrills, chills, and just general whoop-ass. There is not a lot of whoop-ass here, I’m afraid.
As the film opens, we’re informed that it’s been ten years since the “outbreak” of vampirism that turned most of the world’s population into vampires. Unexpectedly, life goes on – or, actually, undead life goes on. Sure, most of society may have become vampires, but that doesn’t mean they still don’t have jobs to get to. Rush hour is now at midnight, and pan handlers still nag them, except now they’re begging for blood. You know, same-o, except with more exposed (and pretty much useless) fangs. At the top of this new food chain is Charles Bromley (Sam Neill), the head of a pharmaceuticals company that is attempting to make synthetic blood for the populace. Why synthetic blood? Well as it turns out, vampires, like us humans, are unable to moderate their appetite, and humanity has now been all but extinguished, with the few remaining farmed in high-tech labs for their blood. Think “The Matrix’s” human-battery farm fields.

The hero of our tale is Edward Dalton (Ethan Hawke), the top scientist at Bromley’s company and the man in charge of finding the blood substitute. Edward never really wanted to become a vampire (he was betrayed into becoming one), and so his loyalties lie with the few remaining humans still battling to keep from becoming unwilling blood donors. Edward gets his chance to go over to the other side when he literally runs into human freedom fighter Audrey (Claudia Karvan), who takes him to see Elvis (Willem Dafoe), another freedom fighter with a very special condition: he used to be a vampire, but after a car accident, found himself human again. With Edward’s help, the humans hope to repeat the events that led to Elvis’ transformation. That is, unless the vampire army, led by Edward’s dear little brother Frankie (Michael Dorman) doesn’t get to them first.
You might have noticed that it took me over two paragraphs to tell the plot of “Daybreakers”. That’s because there is a lot of exposition in the movie, which results in less than exciting scenes of people sitting around discussing things. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of action (some incredibly gruesome) in “Daybreakers”, they just aren’t overly exceptional. With new toys and more money to play with, the Spierigs are free to fully envision their vampire world in all its dark and fangy glory. In that respect, the film works, because there’s just something odd, and yet very exciting about seeing a world run by vampires that remains, essentially, the same world as we know it. Of course, the scientific stuff is laughable, but that’s to be expected. We also never really get any explanation as to why vampires are still invisible in mirrors, why they can’t survive sunlight, or why they suddenly burst spectacularly into CG flames when staked through the heart.

Where the Spierigs succeed in bringing their “vampires are just like us” vision to life, they forgot to make the rest of the film worth staying overnight to explore. After a while, all the groovy little differences between our world and the vampire world (since the sun can kill you, the vampires have come up with neat gadgets to ensure they don’t get burned to a crisp) fades, and we’re left with a movie featuring an ineffectual leading man running around trying to find a cure. Alas, that “cure” is pretty silly, and comes so easily that you’re kind of glad the Spierigs, who also penned the script, didn’t make it the central part of their movie. Let’s face it, the Spierigs had an idea to render a vampire society, and they’ve done that; it’s everything else that they didn’t really pay too much attention to.
I hate to say it, especially from the guys that gave us “Undead”, but the action in “Daybreakers” is run-of-the-mill. Since the vampire army is high-tech and the humans essentially run around with crossbows, there’s really not a whole lot of excitement when the two sides clash. Yeah, machineguns versus arrows, I wonder who is gonna win this one. As the Third Act rolls around, the Spierigs reach back to their “Undead” glory days for a gory, bloody 20 or so minutes to close things out. There are a couple of ghastly sequences during this time that will make viewers think someone has secretly switched a splatter film on them. The suddenly amped up violence is somewhat disturbing, especially when they come across as so gratuitous, as if the brothers didn’t know how to end the movie and so decided to just throw buckets of blood on the screen and hope no one noticed.

Another area where the script falters is with the characters. Edward Dalton is not exactly the world’s most heroic leading man, and Ethan Hawke plays him as bored yuppie going through a mid-life crisis. Given that Dalton is a vampire who never wanted to become one in the first place, and his mind is full of sad thoughts for the fate of the human species, you can understand why he’s such dull dinner conversation. Then again, maybe they should have given this role to secondary character, and not make him the leading man. I’m just saying. Hawke’s listless performance is doubly distracting because Sam Neill is chewing scenery as the evil Bromley, while an amusing Willem Dafoe shows up to do just enough to justify his name in the credits. I’m not saying he phones it in, but let’s face it, Dafoe didn’t have a whole lot to work with here, and as a result lets his wardrobe do most of the acting for him. Claudia Karvan, as the comely resistance fighter, makes the most of her time onscreen.
Don’t get me wrong, “Daybreakers” is not an entirely bad movie. Had the Spierigs stuck to revealing what a society would be like if almost everyone was a vampire, we might have had a decent, even thought-providing drama in the guise of a horror film. The problem is that “Daybreakers” is being sold as an action-horror movie, and in that respect it comes up short. There is an action scene here, an action scene there, but the film just never quite takes it up to that other level that would have made “Daybreakers” more than just a one-concept pony. It’s a good second effort by the Spierigs, and I look forward to seeing what they do next. Hopefully next time the novel concept will be justified with some better chills, thrills, and general whoop-ass.

Bollywood Movies Halla Bol Reviews

In the 1990s, rape, violence, power, crime, fraud and abuse -- issues that concern us daily, nationally as well as internationally, were being depicted on the Hindi screen with unfailing regularity. Films that raised a voice and raised an issue faded into oblivion because a different genre [comedy] gradually took over. The issues concerning the common man remained dormant on the Hindi screen.

But Rajkumar Santoshi raises one pertinent issue with Halla Bol. A lot has been said and written about the film bearing an uncanny resemblance to the Jessica Lal murder case. Does Halla Bol attempt to recreate the ghastly incident on celluloid? More on that later!

What's noteworthy is that Santoshi succeeds in stirring and pricking your conscience. The accomplished storyteller, who started off with a bang with Ghayal, Damini and Ghatak, films that raised a voice and issues, lost his touch in between, although he appealed greatly in The Legend Of Bhagat Singh in the intervening period. With Halla Bol, Santoshi is back with what he's best at -- hard-hitting drama.

Halla Bol is atypical Santoshi product, which re-opens wounds, is raw and hard-hitting and has life-like situations, with a savior who pricks your conscience. Frankly, Halla Bol is, without an iota of doubt, a film that reflects the current times. You can easily draw parallels with real life. Of course, there're cinematic liberties; it's not a dry film.

In short, we've had enough of meetha [comedies] since the past few weeks, it's time to have something teekha [hard-hitting drama] for a change. Halla Bol leaves that kind of an impact!

Ashfaque [Ajay Devgan] is a small-town boy aspiring to be a film star in the Hindi film industry. He joins a street theatre group run by a reformed dacoit Sidhu [Pankaj Kapur], who uses street theatre as a medium to bring about an awakening in the masses.

Ashfaque's determined struggle pays off and he gets a break in films. He gets a new screen name -- Sameer Khan. With the passage of time, the roles start becoming better and he moves up the success ladder in a very short time. Soon, he becomes Sameer Khan the superstar -- one who can enact any role with finesse, get under the skin of any and every character with ease and walk away with audience applause.

Sadly, amidst all adulation and applause, he slowly loses his own identity. He forgets his real self and imbibes all characteristics of the various roles essayed by him on screen. Corruption takes over his entire system, alienating him from all loved ones, including his wife Sneha [Vidya Balan].

A shocking incident at a party changes everything, rocking Sameer's lifestyle. He gets caught between his human self on one side and his corrupted superstar image on the other.

Rajkumar Santoshi interweaves a lot of plots in those 2 + hours. It tells you about the degenerating of a small-town person who gets swayed by money and power as he grows big in stature. It tells you about the games the rich and powerful play. It tells you that corruption has become a part of our everyday life. It tells you that a lone voice [raised against injustice] can multiply into millions gradually. It tells you that all's not lost, that honesty, integrity and courage still have an upper hand. What starts off as a movie about a self-obsessed star changes tracks within 20 minutes of the start, when the rich, spoilt brats shoot a young girl at a well-attended party and everyone stands there as mute spectators. The sequence is simply hair-raising! The gradual change in Ajay's attitude is also well built and the film actually gathers momentum at the intermission point when Ajay decides to testify against the culprits.

But the story actually takes off after the intermission when Ajay, aided by Pankaj Kapur, wages a war against the unscrupulous elements.

The sequence at the minister's palatial residence, when Ajay urinates on the carpet, is an outstanding, clapworthy sequence. The viewers would go in a frenzy at this sequence! Note another scene: The media persons are grilling Ajay if his wife has walked out on him and Vidya shoots back, giving the media a fitting reply. Note yet another sequence: The corrupt minister's sidekick [Abhay Bhargava] trying to bribe Pankaj Kapur and Pankaj's reply. And here's another gem: Pankaj Kapur's lengthy outburst when Ajay lies in the hospital. Brilliant sequences all, which bear the stamp of a genius!

However, the film can do with some trimming in the second hour. A few sequences can be trimmed for a much stronger impact. Also, the climax could've been more powerful.

Santoshi is in form after a gap. The film brings back memories of Santoshi's earlier works. Sukhwinder's music is okay. 'Na Guzre Huwe Pal' is a wonderful track, while the cry of war, the title track, enthuses you. Cinematography [N. Nataraja Subramaniam] is perfect. Dialogues [Santoshi, Ranjit Kapoor] are raw, but appealing. In fact, there are a number of clap-trap lines in the enterprise.

Every performance in Halla Bol stays etched in your memory. Ajay proves yet again that he's a magnificent actor. He conveys a lot through his expressions. Here's yet another award-worthy performance from one of the finest actors of the country. Vidya's role may not be as substantial as Ajay and Pankaj Kapur, but she's fiery in the sequences. Pankaj is awesome yet again. A power-packed performance. In fact, he's to Halla Bol what Sunny Deol was to Damini. Darshan Jariwala is superb, changing expressions like a chameleon.

Anjan Srivastava manages to create an impact. Abhay Bhargava is efficient. The actress enacting the role of the victim's sister is very good.

The film has a host of stars making appearances, which include Tusshar Kapoor, Jackie Shroff, Sridevi and Boney Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor, Neeraj Vora and Aarti Chhabria.

On the whole, Halla Bol is a powerful film that has its heart in the right place. At the box-office, Halla Bol has the power to grow with a strong word of mouth.

Bollywood Movies Race Reviews

Post Khiladi and Baazigar, Abbas-Mustan rightfully earned the tag of being the undisputed Badshaahs of Thrillers. They made a series of films thereafter -- of varied genres -- but every time they attempted a thriller, the comparisons with Khiladi and Baazigar  were inevitable. That's because Abbas-Mustan couldn"t outdo these two films ever.

The director duo's latest offering Race, which packs glitz, glam and style with A-listers [on and off screen], carries the baggage of tremendous expectations. The stars, the stunning locales, the breath-taking visuals, the mesmeric songs, the electrifying chase, the chic styling -- everything you see on screen resembles an international flick.

But the million dollar question is, does it live up to the humungous expectations? Does it have its heart in the right place? Thankfully, it does!

Race is Abbas-Mustan's most accomplished work, after Baazigar. Any thriller works if and only if the story has the edge-of-the-seat moments and which catches you unawares as the reels unfold. Race has that quality. The story moves in a serpentine manner, there"s a twist every fifteen minutes and it's impossible to guess what the culmination would be.

In a nutshell, Race is a first-rate product all the way. It's not just style, but there's substance as well. It has the merits to get catapulted to the Bests of 2008, when you reflect on the year. Bravo!

Ranvir [Saif Ali Khan] and Rajiv [Akshaye Khanna] are step-brothers who own a huge stud farm in Durban, South Africa. They breed horses on their huge ranch house and are also the biggest bookies in the horse racing circuit. Ranvir, the elder of the two, is known to be a very shrewd man. He is very aggressive and is always on the move. Rajiv, on the other hand, is very laidback and is also a chronic alcoholic.

Sophia [Katrina Kaif] is Ranvir's personal secretary. She adores her boss and loves him. Ranvir is totally unaware of her feeling and regards her adoration as her efficiency. Sonia [Bipasha Basu] is an upcoming Indian ramp model in Durban.

Sonia loves Ranvir, but through a twist of fate gets married to Rajiv. When she discovers that Rajiv is a chronic alcoholic, her world is shattered. Ranvir too is disturbed as he has sacrificed his love for his younger brother because Rajiv had promised him that if he gets married to Sonia, he will leave alcohol forever.

After marriage, Rajiv breaks his promise and the story starts getting complicated. In a weak moment, Ranvir and Sonia come very close to each other and an affair starts between the younger brother's wife and the elder brother. When the younger brother starts suspecting his wife, all hell breaks loose.

A murder is committed, a contract killing is issued, double crossings become the order of the day… A sharp-tongued investigative officer R.D. [Anil Kapoor] starts an investigation with his brainless assistant Mini [Sameera Reddy].

Director duo Abbas-Mustan are in complete command this time around. Everything is so well synchronized that the end result leaves you awe-struck. The 2 + hours of your precious life that you've spent on this film are absolutely worth your while. In 36 China Town and Naqaab specifically, one disagreed with the climax. But the penultimate reels of Race are foolproof.

Abbas-Mustan get it right this time. Right from the choice of subject, to the choice of actors, to the thrilling moments, music and locales, this thrill-a-minute saga works big time. The game of one-upmanship indulged by the two brothers is electrifying and easily the hallmark of the enterprise.

Writer Shiraz Ahmed's screenplay has several moments that merit a mention. The best part is, the writing is full of energy and surprises, not once does it take the been-there-seen-that route. It would be foolhardy to single out a few sequences since the film gathers speed from its inception itself. One of its USPs is that every character is out to double cross the other, each character has grey shades and the dangerous games they indulge in make it an exhilarating cinematic experience.

Ravi Yadav's cinematography is topnotch. The stunning locales of Durban, Dubai and India are captured lucidly by the DoP. But, most importantly, the movement of the camera at several places deserves the highest praise. Note the very start of the film [the aerial view, right till the gruesome accident] or the car chase in the climax [never seen before on the Hindi screen], the camerawork is stunning.

Pritam's music rocks. Generally, in most thrillers, the music takes a backseat, but not here. 'Allah Duhai Hai' [foot-tapping], 'Pehli Nazar Mein' [with soulful rendition by Atif Aslam], 'Touch Me' [very saucy] and 'Sexy Lady' [the new track; trendy] are terrific compositions all and their filming and choreography are masterly. The fact that the yuppie crowd has taken to the songs in a big way, says it all. The Race at the start and the chase in the climax [Allan Amin] are fantastic. You haven't witnessed something like this ever before on the Hindi screen, that's for sure! Hussain Burmawala's editing is razor-sharp. It's one of the best edited works!

Dialogues [Anuraag Prapanna, Jitendra Parmar] are excellent. Styling [Anaita Shroff Adajania] is superb. Background score [Salim-Sulaiman] has the international feel. Choreography [Bosco-Caesar and Ganesh Acharya] is top class.

Every actor in Race puts his/her best foot forward. Saif has been coming up with sparkling portrayals and films like Kal Ho Naa Ho, Ek Hasina Thi, Hum Tum, Salaam | Namaste, Omkara and Eklavya – the royal guard portrayed the actor's acting skills to the fullest. Now add Race to his illustrious repertoire. He's marvelous all through and the bearded look suits him very much.

Akshaye is so perfect. To carry off a difficult character like this is a Herculean task and the supremely talented actor handles it with aplomb. He's like a chameleon; he slips into various roles with remarkable ease. But the fact cannot be denied that Abbas-Mustan bring out the best in Akshaye. Watch his body of work and you'd agree that Akshaye's performances in the director duo's films have always stood out.

Anil Kapoor comes at the interval point, but takes charge in the post-interval portions. With such serious characters in the film, Anil's role comes as a big relief. Sure, the viewers may find some of his dialogues crass, but the masses will take to his performance in a big way.

Bipasha looks stunning and delivers her best work so far. She's superb. Katrina is a complete surprise. The actress looks gorgeous, but most importantly, her character gives her ample opportunity to shine in the latter half. Sameera excels as the dumb girl. Actually, it's a tough job and she does it well. Johny Lever is there for one sequence and his role is aimed at the hoi polloi.

On the whole, Race is a superb entertainer all the way. It's not just style, it has substance as well. At the box-office, the tremendous hype coupled with the holidays in the opening week as well as the extensive release will ensure huge numbers in the initial week. But, most importantly, the film has legs to enjoy a spirited run at the box-office. Smash Hit
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