Topic: Tom's Random Reviews

[Tom]

Yes Boss (1997/India) IMDb | Wikipedia Tip Top (United Kingdom) Director: Aziz Mirza Writing: Sanjay Chel (Screenwriter), Mangesh Kulkarni (Screenwriter), Sanjay Chhel (Screenwriter), Aziz Mirza (Story By) Length: 164 min. Video: Widescreen 1.66 Audio: Hindi: Dolby Digital 5.1 Subtitles: English

Stars:
Aditya Pancholi as Siddarth Chaudhry
Shah Rukh Khan as Rahul
Juhi Chawla as Seema
Kashmira Shah as Shiela
Kulbhushan Kharbanda

Plot:
Rahul is a middle-class youth with high ambitions of striking it rich in the corporate world. He's willing to bend his ethics to prove his loyalty to his boss, Siddharth who he sees as his key to scaling the ladders of success. To please Siddharth, he has to do his dirty jobs like bringing girls for Siddharth to exercise his not insubstantial charms on. Matters become complicated when Siddharth's eyes fall on Seema, a girl Rahul secretly loves. Seema too wishes to take the shortcut to success by serenading a rich man. Initially she falls for Siddharth's charms and even believes his sob stories when she comes to know he's married. But then as his devious ways are revealed to her and she finds her heart being drawn to the simple Rahul, she seeks to escape from Siddharth's clutches.

Awards:
Won:

Filmfare Awards (1998)

Best Male Playback Award ("Mai Koi Aisa Geet": Abhijeet)

Nominated:

Filmfare Awards (1998)		Best Actor Award (Shah Rukh Khan)
Filmfare Awards (1998)		Best Actress Award (Juhi Chawla)
Filmfare Awards (1998)		Best Lyricist Award ("Chand Taare": Javed Akhtar)
Filmfare Awards (1998)		Best Music Director Award (Jatin-Lalit)
Filmfare Awards (1998)		Best Villain Award (Aditya Pancholi)

Extras:

• Scene Access

My Thoughts:

I was a bit vary of this one. 90s Bollywood movies are generally not as good as later ones and added to that, this one has not so good reviews. But surprisingly I really enjoyed it. The enjoyment suffered little by the bad video quality of this DVD though.

Rating:

[Tom]

Paa (2009/India) IMDb | Wikipedia Reliance BIG Home Video (India) Director: R Balki Writing: R Balki (Writer) Length: 136 min. Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35 Audio: Hindi: Dolby Digital 5.1, Hindi: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo Subtitles: English

Stars:
Amitabh Bachchan as Auro
Abhishek Bachchan as Amil
Vidya Balan as Vidya

Plot:
Auro (Amitabh Bachchan) is an intelligent, witty 13 year old boy with an extremely rare genetic defect that causes accelerated ageing. Mentally, he is a normal, happy 13 year old boy, but physically he looks 5 times older. He lives with his mother Vidya (Vidya Balan), who is a gynaecologist.

Amol Arte (Abhishek Bachchan), is a young, progressive politician. He is out to prove to the world that 'politics' is not a bad word. He is a man with a mission. Auro is Amol's son.

Paa is a 'rare' father-son, son-father story.

Awards:
Won:

Filmfare Awards (2010)		Best Actor (Amitabh Bachchan)
Filmfare Awards (2010)		Best Actress (Vidya Balan)
IIFA Awards (2010)		Best Actor (Amitabh Bachchan)
IIFA Awards (2010)		Best Make up Artist (Christien Tinsley, Domini Till)

Nominated:

Filmfare Awards (2010)		Best Director (R Balki)
Filmfare Awards (2010)		Best Female Playback Singer ("Mudi Mudi": Shilpa Rao)
Filmfare Awards (2010)		Best Film
Filmfare Awards (2010)		Best Screenplay (R. Balki)
Filmfare Awards (2010)		Best Supporting Actress (Arundhati)
IIFA Awards (2010)		Best Actress (Vidya Balan)
IIFA Awards (2010)		Best Director (R.Balki)
IIFA Awards (2010)		Best Female Playback ("Moodi Moodi": Shilpa Rao)
IIFA Awards (2010)		Best Movie (Sunil Manchanda, AB Corp)
IIFA Awards (2010)		Best Story (R.Balki)
IIFA Awards (2010)		Best Supporting Actor (Abhishek Bachchan)
IIFA Awards (2010)		Best Supporting Actress (Arundhati Naag)

Extras:

• Deleted Scenes
• Interviews
• Music Videos
• Scene Access

My Thoughts:

Amitabh Bachchan ("Black") plays a 13 year old boy with a rare genetic disease where the body ages faster than normal. He has the look of an old man. This movie is obviously inspired by "Jack".
Contrary what I thought this movie would be about, this movie has not the disease and the problems associated with it as the big focus. It is more about the relationship to his father (Abhishek Bachchan), both of which do not know about each other in the beginning. And about the estranged relationship of his father to his mother.
Essentially the movie could have been done with another terminal illness for the child. That this disease is used allows the gimmick that the father plays the son of his son. All the three main character did a great job.
I really enjoyed this movie. Should you be curious about it but are afraid of Bollywood musical numbers. Fear not, there aren't any dance numbers. Of course there is a little music, but in which movie isn't?

Rating:

[Tom]

Kleines Arschloch (1997/Germany) IMDb | Wikipedia BMG Video (Germany) Director: Michael Schaack, Veit Vollmer Writing: Walter Moers (Screenwriter) Length: 76 min. Video: Widescreen 1.85 Audio: German: Dolby Digital 5.1 Subtitles:

Stars:
Ilona Schulz as Kleines Arschloch (voice)
Helge Schneider as Alter Sack (voice)
Arne Elsholtz as Vater (voice)
Kathrin Ackermann as Mutter (voice)
Claudia Lössl as Schwester (voice)

Extras:

• Music Videos
• Scene Access

My Thoughts:

Based on a famous German comic book character "Das kleine Arschloch"/"The Little Asshole" by Walter Moers. This movie is politically incorrect to the extreme. I like it. I enjoy this one a lot more than its sequel. Mainly because "Das kleine Arschloch" is the main character in this one and "Der alte Sack" voice by Helge Schneider has only a minor role. A lot of the enjoyment I also get from the music. Ilona Schulz did a great job as the voice of "Das kleine Arschloch". She really makes the character work.

Rating:

[Tom]

Shock Treatment (1981/United States) IMDb | Wikipedia Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (United States) Director: Jim Sharman Writing: Richard O'Brien (Writer), Richard O'Brien (Screenwriter), Jim Sharman (Screenwriter) Length: 92 min. Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85 Audio: English: Dolby Digital 5.1, English: Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround, Spanish: Dolby Digital 1 Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Stars:
Jessica Harper as Janet Majors
Cliff De Young as Farley Flavors
Cliff De Young as Brad Majors
Richard O'Brien as Cosmo McKinley
Patricia Quinn as Nation McKinley

Plot:
The musical madness and mayhem continue in this sumptuous "sequel" to 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show' -- on DVD for the first time ever!

In the continuing adventure of Brad and Janet Majors (Cliff De Young and Jessica Harper), their suburban hometown, Denton, U.S.A., has been transformed into a giant TV studio, where the brainwashed citizens remain happily glued to an endless series of soap operas, variety acts and game shows. But before you can say, "We'll be right back after this," the station's unscrupulous sponsor has locked Brad up in a mental hospital and recruited Janet to be the sexy star of her own hit show. Stay tuned for a shocking lineup of maniacal characters, biting satire and all-out fun!

Extras:

• Closed Captioned
• Commentary
• Featurettes
• Scene Access
• Trailers

My Thoughts:

This is a kind of a sequel to Rocky Horror Picture Show. I like Rocky Horror much more. Shock Treatment has nothing to do with it besides having the same two main characters (by name only) and some of the other actors. The music was much more catchy and memorable in Rocky Horror.
As a stand-alone movie this movie offers some enjoyment though. Just don't expect to like it, if you like Rocky Horror.

Rating:

[Tom]

3 Idiots (2009/India) IMDb | Wikipedia Reliance BIG Entertainment (United Kingdom) Director: Rajkumar Hirani Writing: Abhijat Joshi (Story By), Rajkumar Hirani (Story By), Abhijat Joshi (Screenwriter), Rajkumar Hirani (Screenwriter), Chetan Bhagat (Original Material By) Length: 170 min. Video: Anamorphic Widescreen Audio: Hindi: Dolby Digital 5.1, Hindi: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo Subtitles: Arabic, English, French, Spanish

Stars:
Aamir Khan as Rancho
Kareena Kapoor as Pia
R. Madhavan as Farhan
Sharman Joshi as Raju
Omi as Chatur

Plot:
Two friends [R Madhavan and Sharman Joshi] embark on a quest for a lost buddy. On this journey, they encounter a long forgotten bet, a wedding they must crash, and a funeryl that goes impossibly out of control. As they make their way through the perilous landscape, another journey begins: their inner journey through memory lane and the story of their friend -- the irrepressible free-thinker Rancho [Aamir Khan], who in his unique way, touched and changed their lives. It's a story of their hostel days that swings between Rancho's romance with the spirited Pia [Kareena Kapoor], and his clash with an oppressive mentor, Viru Sahastrabudhhe [Boman Irani]. And then one day, suddenly, Rancho vanishes... Who was he? Where did he cotme from? Why did he leave?

The friend who influenced and inspired them to think creatively and independently, even as the conformist world called them three idiots. Where is the original idiot now? Finally, in misty mountains of unparalleled beauty, the friends find the key to the secret.

Three Idiots is a comedy of ideas that is as provocative as it is funny, as wildly entertaining as it is insightful. A laugh-riot that talks about the most important of human pursuits: self-actualization.

Awards:
Won:

Filmfare Awards (2010)		Best Dialogue (Abhijat Joshi, Rajkumar Hirani)
Filmfare Awards (2010)		Best Director (Rajkumar Hirani)
Filmfare Awards (2010)		Best Film
Filmfare Awards (2010)		Best Screenplay (Rajkumar Hirani, Vidhu Chopra, Abhijat Joshi)
Filmfare Awards (2010)		Best Story (Abhijat Joshi, Rajkumar Hirani)
Filmfare Awards (2010)		Best Supporting Actor (Boman Irani)
IIFA Awards (2010)		Best Actress (Kareena Kapoor)
IIFA Awards (2010)		Best Background Score (Sanjay Wandrekar, Atul Raninga, Shantanu Moitra)
IIFA Awards (2010)		Best Cinematography (C.K. Muraleedharan)
IIFA Awards (2010)		Best Dialogue (Rajkumar Hirani, Abhijat Joshi)
IIFA Awards (2010)		Best Director (Rajkumar Hirani)
IIFA Awards (2010)		Best Editing (Rajkumar Hirani)
IIFA Awards (2010)		Best Lyricist (Swanand Kirkire)
IIFA Awards (2010)		Best Male Playback ("Behti Hawa Sa Tha Who": Shaan)
IIFA Awards (2010)		Best Movie (Vidu Vinod Chopra)
IIFA Awards (2010)		Best Screenplay (Abhijat Joshi, Rajkumar Hirani, Vidhu Vinod Chopra)
IIFA Awards (2010)		Best Song Recording (Bishwadeep Chatterjee, Sachi K Sanghvi)
IIFA Awards (2010)		Best Sound Recording (Bishwadeep Chatterjee, Nihal Ranjan Samel)
IIFA Awards (2010)		Best Sound Re-Recording (Anup Dev)
IIFA Awards (2010)		Best Story (Abhijat Joshi, Raj Kumar Hirani, Vidu Vinod Chopra)
IIFA Awards (2010)		Best Supporting Actor (Sharman Joshi)
IIFA Awards (2010)		Best Villain (Boman Irani)

Nominated:

Filmfare Awards (2010)		Best Actor (Aamir Khan)
Filmfare Awards (2010)		Best Actress (Kareena Kapoor)
Filmfare Awards (2010)		Best Female Playback Singer ("Zoobi Doobi": Shreya Ghoshal)
Filmfare Awards (2010)		Best Supporting Actor (R Madhavan)
Filmfare Awards (2010)		Best Supporting Actor (Sharman Joshi)
IIFA Awards (2010)		Best Actor (Aamir Khan)
IIFA Awards (2010)		Best Comedian (Omi Vaidya)
IIFA Awards (2010)		Best Female Playback ("Zoobi Doobi": Shreya Ghoshal)
IIFA Awards (2010)		Best Music Director (Shantanu Moitra)
IIFA Awards (2010)		Best Supporting Actor (R. Madhavan)

Extras:

• Outtakes
• Photo Gallery
• Scene Access
• Trailers

My Thoughts:

An highly acclaimed movie and currently India's highest crossing at that (breaking the record set by Ghajini, also with Aamir Khan). I really enjoyed it. Aamir Khan did a great performance as usual. His character reminded me a little bit of a mix of his characters in "Taare Zameen Par" and "Lagaan". Kareena Kapoor had not much to do. She was okay. Though for some reason glasses do not work for her in my opinion. She doesn't seem natural with them.
Despite what the title and the cover alludes, these are not idiots. Especially not the kind of "Dumb and Dumber". These are Engineering students striking up a friendship with the free-spirited and outside-of-the-box thinking Rancho, played by Aamir Khan.

Rating:

[Tom]

Ghulam (1998/India) IMDb | Wikipedia Eros International (United Kingdom) Director: Writing: Anjum Rajabali (Writer) Length: 162 min. Video: Widescreen 1.85 Audio: Hindi: Dolby Digital 5.1 Subtitles: English

Stars:
Aamir Khan as Sidharth
Rani Mukherjee as Alisha
Rajit Kapoor as Jai
Meeta Vashishta
Deepak Tijori as Charlie

Plot:
Sidharth (Aamir Khan), is a boxing champion. His older brother, Jai (Rajit Kapoor) works with Raunak Singh (Sharat Saxena), who rules their estate through terrorising its people and collecting ransoms from local merchants. Sidharth idolized his father, a freedom fighter, whom he saw falling to his death as a child. This effects Sidharth through his adult life. Sidharth meets a young girl, Alisha (Ranee Mukherjee), who rides with a motorcycle gang and Charlie (Deepak Tijori), the gang's leader. Sidharth also meets Hari, whose idealism reminds him of his father. Hari's social work in the community possess a threat to Raunak Singh's evil empire. What happens to Hari changes Sidharth's life forever. How Sidharth breaks Raunak Singh's chains of "Ghulami" around the community forms the crux of the story. Featuring the superhit song "Aati Kya Khandala" sung by Aamir Khan.

Awards:
Won:

Filmfare Awards (1999)

Best Scene of the Year

Nominated:

Filmfare Awards (1999)		Best Actor Award (Aamir Khan)
Filmfare Awards (1999)		Best Director Award (Vikram Bhatt)
Filmfare Awards (1999)		Best Male Playback Award ("Aati Kya Khandala": Aamir Khan)
Filmfare Awards (1999)		Best Movie Award
Filmfare Awards (1999)		Best Villain Award (Sharat Saxena)

Extras:

• Bonus Trailers
• Music Videos
• Scene Access

My Thoughts:

This movie came to my attention because one song was referenced in Kabhi Khuchi Khabie Gham. Seems that this song was a very popular song in India in the 90s. After checking out (and liking) this song on YouTube, I ordered the movie (it was cheap).
This movie was surprisingly good. Seems like it is a remake of Marlon Brandon's "One the Waterfront" (never seen it myself).
Two interesting tidbits: Aamir Khan did the stunt where he runs toward a fast-moving train himself. He was almost hit by it. He later critizied himself for being so reckless.
Also this is an early movie with Rani Mukherji. The director decided to dub her voice in this one (shame on him). Luckily the next director didn't follow suit and let Rani's distinctive voice in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. Now her voice is her trademark.

Rating:

[Tom]

If anyone is curious, here the song I was referring to:




And here reference to it in Kabhi Khuchi Kabhie Gham:


What I think is funny is, that Aamir Khan (first video) and Amitabh Bachchan (second video) are the only two Bollywood actors who regularly sing a song or two in their movies themselves (usually the singing voice in Bollywood movies are done by professional singers).
In these two videos both did their own singing.
What's even funnier is, that Rani Mukherji is in both. I wonder if her reaction when the other two start to sing the song through which she became famous was an intentional inside gag or just a coincidence.

[Tom]

Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year (2009/India) IMDb | Wikipedia Rapid Eye Movies, Universum Film (Germany) Director: Shimit Amin Writing: Jaideep Sahni (Story By), Jaideep Sahni (Screenwriter) Length: 154 min. Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35 Audio: German: Dolby Digital 5.1, Hindi: Dolby Digital 5.1 Subtitles: German

Stars:
Ranbir Kapoor as Singh
Prem Chopra as P.S. Bedi
Mukesh Bhatt as Chhotelal
Dsantosh as Girish
Gauahar Khan as Koena

Plot:
Harpreet Singh Bedi (Ranbir Kapoor) has just graduated, and his marks are, well, let's say a little embarrassing. But marks never stopped him from dreaming of an exciting and adventurous career, and they never will. 'Rocket Singh - Salesman of the Year' is the sometimes thoughtless, sometimes thoughtful story of a fresh graduate trying to find a balance between the maddening demands of the 'professional' way, and the way of his heart - and stumbling upon a crazy way which turned his world upside down, and his career right side up. Welcome to the world of sales, boss!

Awards:
Won:

Filmfare Awards (2010)

Critics Award for Best Performance (Ranbir Kapoor)

Nominated:

Filmfare Awards (2010)		Best Dialogue (Jaideep Sahni)
Filmfare Awards (2010)		Best Story (Jaideep Sahni)

Extras:

• Deleted Scenes
• Featurettes
• Music Videos
• Scene Access
• Trailers

My Thoughts:

A nice comedy with the usual fairy tale storyline: Nice guy starts to work at a company whose methods he doesn't like and decides to do it better. Which means he secretly starts a competing company and gets other co-worker of him to join.
Ranbir Kapoor seems to always play the same kind of guy. Nice, but lazy, guy getting his act together. See "Bachna Ae Haseeno" and "Wake up S!d". Only this time he plays him as a Sikh.
Worth a watch.

Rating:

[Tom]

It's a Wonderful Afterlife (2010/United Kingdom) IMDb | Wikipedia Icon Home Entertainment (United Kingdom) Director: Gurinder Chadha Writing: Gurinder Chadha (Writer), Paul Mayeda Berges (Writer) Length: 96 min. Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.40 Audio: English: Dolby Digital 5.1 Subtitles: English

Stars:
Shabana Azmi
Sendhil Ramamurthy as D S Murphy
Goldy Notay
Sally Hawkins
Jimi Mistry

Plot:
My Big Fat Greek Wedding meets Shaun of the Dead in this fun, heart-warming comedy about a mother whose match making efforts turn deadly when she tries to marry off her daughter Roopi (Goldy Nolay, Sex and the City 2).

A frighteningly feel-good comedy romp from the director of Bend It Like Beckham. Starring Sendhil Ramamurthy (Heroes), Sally Hawkins (Happy Go Lucky), Jimi Mistry (East is East), Mark Addy (The Full Monty) and Shabana Azmi (Fire, Godmother, Arth).

Extras:

• Bonus Trailers
• Deleted Scenes
• Featurettes
• Interviews
• Scene Access
• Trailers

My Thoughts:

From the director of "Bend It Like Beckham" and "Bride & Prejudice". I didn't enjoy this one as much as those two. Nice idea and some fun scenes but overall they could have done more out of this. I wonder if the idea of the ghosts is taken from "Stardust". They have a similar look to them.
The movie stars the Indian guy from Heroes. I never really liked him on Heroes but here he was okay. Sally Hawkins also has fun supporting roles as one of the main character's best friend who just came from a vacation in India and now thinks she is Indian.
There was also a guy who I thought sounded and looked like the guy from "Ella Enchanted" who was trapped in a book. And it was him.
The mother who is doing the killings is played by an actress who I know from a few Bollywood movies. For example was she the star in "Fire", the only lesbian Indian movie I know of.

Rating:

[samuelrichardscott]

Have you seen Anita & Me? Not a Bollywood film but a great film dealing with the clash of Indian/UK culture based around a young girl in the 60's. Worth checking out IMO.

[Tom]

No, haven't heard of it. Looks interesting. Thanks for the tip!

[samuelrichardscott]

No woories. It's written by Meera Syal who was a great BBC Indian sketch show called Goodness Gracious Me. I need to buy the GGM releases but they are OOP and hitting £20 used.

[Tom]

Let Me In (2010/United States) IMDb | Wikipedia Icon Home Entertainment (United Kingdom) Director: Matt Reeves Writing: Matt Reeves (Screenwriter), John Ajvide Lindqvist (Original Material by) Length: 110 min. Video: Widescreen 2.40 Audio: English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1, Commentary: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo Subtitles: English

Stars:
Chloë Grace Moretz as Abby
Kodi Smit-McPhee as Owen

Plot:
A haunting and provocative thriller written and directed by Matt Reeves (Cloverfield), based on the best-selling Swedish novel (Let The Right One In). Chloë Grace Moretz (Hit Girl in Kick-Ass) stars as Abby, a mysterious girl who moves next door to Owen (Kodi Smit-McPhee, The Road), a social outcast who is viciously bullied at school. In his loneliness, Owen forms a profound bond with Abby, but as a string of grisly murders grips his wintry New Mexico town, he begins to realise that Abby is anything but 'the girl next-door'.

Extras:

• Bonus Trailers
• Commentary
• Deleted Scenes
• Featurettes
• Photo Gallery
• Picture-in-picture
• Scene Access

My Thoughts:

This is an unnecessary remake. I was hoping more of a difference to the original Swedish movie, but it is almost exactly the same only less good. I probably would have given it an higher rating if I hadn't seen the excellent original. I enjoyed it, but it was too unoriginal to warrant a remake after such a short time. It was obviously made for American audiences so they don't have to read subtitles.
The actors did a great job though. And as I said, if this movie would have been here first, I would have given it a higher rating.

Rating:

[Achim]

Really weird, isn't it. I watched it at the cinema, because I knew I wouldn't want to buy the Blu-ray for the remake; if I want to watch this story at home, I will always go for the Swedish film.

[Tom]

Wasting Away (2007/United States) IMDb Kaleidoscope Home Entertainment (United Kingdom) Director: Matthew Kohnen Writing: Matthew Kohnen (Writer), Sean Kohnen (Writer) Length: 87 min. Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78 Audio: English: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo Subtitles:

Stars:
Matthew Davis as Mike
Julianna Robinson as Vanessa
Michael Grant Terry as Tim
Betsy Beutler as Cindy
Colby French as Nick Steele

Plot:
When a military bio-weapons truck is involved in an accident, its top secret cargo of toxic green goo finds its way into the self-serve ice cream at a bowling alley. And when four friends enjoy luminous green sundaes, they are transformed into the Walking Dead with a craving for brains!

The world looks very different through their eyes as zombies, and it seems like everyone else has gone mad. Confused, scared and convinced they're the only sane ones in a sea of infected humans, the friends struggle to set things right.

In their search for the 'truth', they may be completely unaware of their rotting un-deadness, but, they do find that life only begins at death...

Awards:
Won:

Screamfest (2007)

Audience Award - Best Film (Matthew Kohnen, Sean Kohnen)

Extras:

• Scene Access
• Trailers

My Thoughts:

An interesting spin to a zombie movie. It is told from the zombie's point of view. Scenes from the normal people's point of view is in black-and-white. Scenes from the zombies' view is in color. The zombies' at first don't notice that something wrong with them, but they think it is the rest of the world which are affected by something.
Not in the same league as "Shaun of the Dead" but an enjoyable movie. Even though the "zombie acting" could have been better.

Rating: