rezwanabbas Reviews

Shamitabh (2015)

A proof that a bad script will always equal to a bad movie regardless the stardom of the actors

[3/10 · 8 February 2015]

Bollywood isn't stranger to movies where the lead actor is handicapped. From Khamoshi to the recent Barfi, movies have portrayed that with the right will no handicap can stop you.

This movie is about Danish who is a mute. Like the thousands that are born in India who apparently only has three professions to choose from (i.e. Engineer/Cricketer/Actor), he shared a passion to be a film star. He goes straight to the film city where he understandably gets a beating from the guards before being saved by Assistant Director Akshara. Now I'm sure she must've seen hundreds knocking the door of film city to get an opportunity to be in a film. Despite that she grows sympathy towards Danish's cause and decides to help him in anyway possible. Even if that means sending him to Finland and paying for what I'd imagine is a very expensive experimental operation to install a fancy speaker into Danish's mouth. Through that speaker anyone's voice will come out through Danish.

Now comes the part to find that perfect voice. Enter Mr. Amitabh. Ironically it was his voice that apparently stopped him from making it in the film industry himself and made him an alcoholic. Now if you are a mute that needs to hide the fact to the world that his own voice is being borrowed from someone else, would you choose someone who is a drunk and could be dead from natural cause or otherwise in a not so distant future? You would if you are working with a bad script. Because if Danish chose someone who is more sensible, sober, and maybe a bit younger, the movie would've ended right there. I understand they chose Amitabh because his voice made Danish stand out from everyone else, but I refuse to believe that they couldn't have find someone else with equally distinct voice that also matched those criteria.

Also if your entire career depended on the guy giving you voice, wouldn't you treat him with a bit more respect and not as a servant? Well again, in order to create unnecessary drama and move the plot forward Danish doesn't.

So the failed actor Amitabh starts to get jealous that Danish is getting all the fame even though without his voice Danish is nothing. Danish feels that without his acting, Amitabh who couldn't become anything will go back to being nothing. Ego clashes and both goes their separate ways. Of course that doesn't work out. Akshara then takes them to school literally, to teach them the importance of team work.

Is that the happy ending then? Nope. The bad script becomes even worse. Like the Masala movies where the hero comes back to life despite being shot 50 times and kills the villain and leaves with the heroine and his mother, this movie ends in a car crash where, hold on to your seat, Amitabh now loses the ability to speak. Oh the irony huh. And Danish? Well what is Danish without his voice? Dead. Yep.

On an end note, this movie also introduces us to Akshara Hassan who comes from a family of movie stars. She is just terrible. Another proof that acting isn't born in the family. You either know how to act or don't.

To be fair this movie gives you a hint of its terrible nature in the title where the best way the director tried to show the Yin and the Yang is by combining the two lead stars names.

Dolly Ki Doli (2015)

It' not as bad as the critics are saying

[4/10 · 25 January 2015]

This movie shares similarity between Daawat-e-Ishq and Ladies vs Ricky Bahl. In the movie, Sonam Kapoor and her accomplishes arrange fake weddings and robs the potential in-laws of everything. Apparently despite pulling off dozens of this fake weddings no one has a decent picture of the bride or her team. Although the movie tries to explain this obvious flaw by mentioning that the photographer is also part of the scam. Unfortunately this is a dumb explanation as everyone these day walks around with a camera. The movie could've solve this problem by setting it in the late 90's when digital camera and smart-phone boom was still a few years to come. Also I would've preferred the scammers targeting rich families in rural areas. That way the news of bride robbing families wouldn't make much national news. I also find it hard to believe that not one of her would be robbed husband got on any bases with Sonam Kapoor. I don't care what excuse is given by my hot wife, I am getting at least a kiss on my wedding night.

The ending is also pretty boring. Apparently the reason sweet and innocent looking Sonam Kapoor becomes bandit queen is because she had her heart broken by the love of her life. I mean COME ON. That's just lazy writing. The songs are pretty boring too. The director should really stop putting his wife in every item song of his movies.

This movie deserve a one time watch. Despite its long list of flaws, it's still a much better affair than R..Rajkumar, Action Jackson and Tevar.

Horrible Bosses 2 (2014)

Kinda Like 22 Jump Street But Not Quite

[5/10 · 11 December 2014]

For starter all the main characters in the movie play a more dumber version of themselves compared to the first movie. I guess they kinda have to in order to make the dull and predictable plot work. It's not a surprise that there's a sequel, since the first one made money and of course comedy movies have smaller budget, meaning less risk. So it follows the same path the Hangover series did or the recent Jump Street series.

For movies that weren't meant to have sequels, it gets real awkward watching the writers and the directors try to create one. But if the studio wants it then the studio gets it. It's not limited to comedy either. Case in point, Taken.

Just like 22 Jump Street this movie makes it obvious that it's trying to recreate the magic of the first movie verbatim. So it follows similar jokes from the first but with minor variation. It knows the people paying to watch it in theatre don't care for the story-line. They just want to be entertained. However, is it entertaining? Well that'll depend on individuals. As mentioned in the beginning, the obvious dumbing down of the characters to make the plot work is very distracting. It didn't work for me but it might for others.

At the end of the day, nothing would be amiss in Hollywood if this movie didn't exist. Unfortunately it does. So watch it if you want to see a movie on its knee begging you to laugh at their jokes. Even if it means the laughter's are fake.

Bang Bang (I) (2014)

Dhoom + Ek tha Tiger = Bang Bang

[5/10 · 2 October 2014]

The formula to make a blockbuster is very easy. Some action, some romance, some comedy, mix in some songs and a beautiful cast, and voilà. See how there's no mention of the story-line. Because a masala movie don't really require one. That's not an issue however. Sometimes people just want to be entertained.

Unfortunately movies like Bang Bang are made every year. The formula remains the same, only the cast changes. People who knows the formula watches the bootleg version online or waits couple of months to watch it on TV. People who are bored on the weekend go and watches it in theatre. And the success of these type of movie means people will continue to do so year after year. All I have to do is copy and paste this review every year.

If I never watched a Hollywood movie, then I'll be as amazed as half the target audience who don't understand and watch English language films. Unfortunately Hollywood inspired or adapted Bollywood movies loses its charm when you saw the original many of times. Again not a problem for the producer and the director because they know exactly who their movie audience is. So keep an eye out every year for unoriginal masala movies to reign in box offices. It's up to you if you want to directly fund the next unoriginal journey. So what'll it be? Bootleg, TV, or theatre?

Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania (2014)

A homage to DDLJ but did anyone asked for one?

[5/10 · 24 September 2014]

This movie doesn't hide the fact that it's paying a tribute to one of the best bollywood romantic movie ever made. The problem is since the release of DDLJ in 1995, countless movies have done the same. The lack of originality in the movie is pretty evident from the get go. Alia's father is against love marriage because his elder daughter's love marriage didn't work out. Ironically the father, played wonderfully by Ashutosh Rana, himself married love of his life. So it's hard to understand why he'd completely flip on the idea that love can lead to a successful marriage.

Of course despite knowing her father's stance on love, she falls in one with Varun only a few weeks before her arranged marriage to a NRI. So begins Varun's effort to win over the father heart. If DDLJ was never released this movie probably wouldn't have looked so bad. Unfortunately when you know exactly how a movie is going to turn out, it takes away the joy of wonderment.

I love Varun. I think he'll fit in wonderfully playing characters that need a blend of humour and action. Alia despite not being my favourite amongst the rush of newcomers, has potential to play wide range of characters.

I think it's understandable that not all actors and actresses can find movies with unique storyline. This is especially difficult for newcomers who wants to do as many movies as they can to establish themselves in the industry but also wants to do good movies to establish their range and not be a typecast.

Unfortunately unless the producers and directors decide to make good movies, it's the newcomers who'll face the problem of lack of creativity.

R... Rajkumar (2013)

What is the purpose of this movie?

[4/10 · 12 December 2013]

This movie doesn't give us anything that we haven't seen a million times before. A hero that can give Superman a run for the money, who don't care for any rules, and is willing to do anything for his love. The matching of Sahid and Sonakshi in this movie is just wrong. No real chemistry between those two. The songs are barely above average. Overall a mindless time filler.

But what else to expect from Pravudeva. He's been recycling materials from south and found a niche following in Bollywood. He's obviously very impressed with Sonakshi as he's been signing her for a lot of his projects. Problem with his movie is that those bits have been done by others before him long before. So watching a movie where the hero breaks the laws of physics gets old real quick. Sahid just don't fit into this kind of role, something that Salman and Akshay have been doing for a while.

Student of the Year (2012)

Typical entertaining bollywood movie from Karan Johar with romance and heart break

[21 October 2012]

You could've guess the storyline of the movie from the trailers. Two head strong boys fighting towards their destiny and a girl is involved to make things even more complicated.

You've got to hand it to KJ for making a movie with three new comers. He could've gone the previous routes of making a romantic movie with his best pal Shahrukh Khan, but I guess ran out of storyline that he didn't try with him before.

I won't lie, I went in the movie waiting for it to become a disaster but it didn't turn that bad. I liked the performances of all the characters but didn't really care for all the fourth wall breaking. Also the main movie event, competition for the student of the year, was flawed from the get go which was addressed at the end of the movie but for something that's been going on for 25 years, you'd think someone would've mention it long before.

The movie borrows a lot from many old bollywood movies. For example, Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander, 3 Idiots, etc. The songs in KJ movies are always beautiful with this one being no exception.

Overall I felt like this movie builds up your anticipation but just fizzles at the end. I was waiting for a more wholesome ending but it never came. I also don't think the two male lead will have a solid career in bollywood, other than the girl but only cause she's the daughter of Mahesh Bhatt.

6.5/10

Ocean's Thirteen (2007)

better than the second one, as good as the first one

[10/10 · 27 November 2007]

I was really disappointed at the last ocean's movie series. I really didn't had any high hopes for this one either but I gotta tell you, this one is a good one. I am not gonna go into any details but if you've seen the first one (Ocean's Eleven), you'll love this one for sure. This movie has almost the same humor as the first one but the evil master-plan is certainly the best one out of all three. This one starts with a plot and executes it unlike the last one (Ocean's Twelve) where the execution fails miserably. All the major characters play their role very well although I was missing some of the female opposites.

10/10 for me anyway.

Om Shanti Om (2007)

A film that makes bollywood what it is

[6/10 · 17 November 2007]

Farah Khan sure knows how to entertain her audiences. This is a great Indian movie with mix, and masala. It starts with Shahrukh Khan(SRK) being a junior artist who is in deep love with Deepika Padukone(DP). SRK's dream finally comes true when both of them get to know each other. But luck will have it, DP is already married and is pregnant with Arjun Rampal's child. Arjun can't accept DP is pregnant as it'll crush his plan of becoming rich over night. So he traps her in a movie set and kills her. SRK's effort to save her goes in vain and he also finds the deadly end. It's not the end for the love story because SRK comes back in life where he is already a blockbuster superstar. As he finds his memory back he is determined to bring justice of the death of DP and take revenge on Arjun Rampal. SRK tricks Arjun and brings him back to the place where everything turned to ashes. With the help of his old friend, his mother, and reincarnation of DP, Arjun finally gets what he deserve.

The reason I liked the movie is because it didn't try to be something it's not. No flashy story, action, or kisses. It's simple bollywood movie with a simple story, great characters, great songs, and a happy ending.

SRK's performance was great. So was DP's acting. Not bad for a new comer. I liked the song 'Akhon me teri...', and 'Darde disco wasn't bad either though Farah's creativity didn't really shine there.

Overall a fantastic movie with a job well done by Shahrukh Khan and Farah Khan.

Rang De Basanti (2006)

Aamir Khan + Patriotic act + British lady = Enough already

[2/10 · 17 March 2006]

Come on, haven't we saw enough of Aamir Khan playing patriotic character who is rebellious and also is loved by a British lady. We know LAGAAN was a great movie but everything that followed this genre plain sucked; The Rising: Ballad of Mangal Pandey and now this. I start watching this movie and 10 minutes later I found myself watching BLUFFMASTER cause RANG DE BASANTI had nothing new. Aamir's acting was so so. I saw much better performance from him in his past movies. I did like Soha Ali Khan's performance. Alice Patten did a wonderful job both in acting and speaking Hindi. Music by A.R. Rehman was pretty good too. Other than that a crappy crappy movie. Aamir Khan should work on some new scripts and stay away from anything that has any connection with British people.