BEST MOVIES OF YEAR(JAN-JUNE 2013)

So, I probably thought why not remind you of the best movies of the first-half of this year?? Lets find out......

HIGHEST GROSSING MOVIES OF THE YEAR 

(JAN-JUNE 2013)

YE JAWAANI HAI DEEWANI
Dir : Ayan Mukerji
Ranbir Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Kalki Koechlin, Aditya Roy Kapoor
187 Crores


RACE 2
Dir : Abbas-Mustan
Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone, John Abraham, Jaqueline Fernandes, Anil Kapoor, Amisha Patel
Lifetime Gross : 102 Crores


AASHIQUI 2
Dir : Mohit Suri
Aditya Roy Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor
Lifetime Gross : 82 Crores


SPECIAL 26
Dir : Neeraj Pandey
Akshay Kumar, Anupam Kher, Manoj Bajpayee, Jimmy Shergill, Kajal Aggarwal
Lifetime Gross : 70 Crores


SHOOTOUT AT WADALA
Dir : Sanjay Gupta
John Abraham, Tusshar Kapoor, Anil Kapoor, Kangana Ranaut
Lifetime Gross : 62 Crores


KAI PO CHE!
Dir : Abhishek Kapoor
Sushant Singh Rajput, Amit Sadh, Rajkumar Yadav, Amrita Puri
Lifetime Gross : 50 Crores


RANJHANNA*
Dir : Anand L Rai
Dhanush, Sonam Kapoor, Abhay Deol
Lifetime Gross : 48.60 Crores


ABCD - ANYBODY CAN DANCE
Dir : Remo D' Souza
Prabhu Deva, KK, Dharmesh Yelande, Salman Yousuf Khan, Lauren Gottllieb
Lifetime Gross : 45.50 Crores


HIMMATWALA
Dir : Sajid Khan
Ajay Devgann, Tamanna, Mahesh Manjrekar
Lifetime Gross : 45 Crores


MATRU KI BIJLEE KA MANDOLA
Dir : Vishal Bharadwaj
Imran Khan, Anushka Sharma, Pankaj Kapoor, Shabana Azmi, Arya Babbar
Lifetime Gross : 42 Crores

MOVIES CONSIDERED THE BEST OF THE FIRST HALF

(JAN-JUNE 2013)

Special list by Pratyush Saran

1. SPECIAL 26

2. KAI PO CHE!

3. AASHIQUI 2

4. YE JAWAANI HAI DEEWANI

5. GHANCHAKKAR

6. FUKREY

7. RANJHANNA

8. ABCD- ANYBODY CAN DANCE

9. GO GOA GONE

10. BOMBAY TALKIES

BADTAMEEZ DIL MANE NAA!!

YE JAWAANI HAI DEEWANI

DIR : AYAN MUKERJI

You should watch this film for basically three reasons: Ranbir-Deepika chemistry(which is mind-blowing);Choreography; and RANBIR KAPOOR.

Yes, Ranbir Kapoor is officially now the superstar. He has the looks, the charm and the talent which is necessary for any star. This film relies entirely on his shoulders and he never lets you down. Ayan Mukerji has delivered a blockbuster and that is evident from the box-office collections, it is now the third highest grossing film of all time, with its four week end run of approx. 187 crores and is the milestone for other films to catch up.

Starting off, the film starts off with a dance number from Madhuri Dixit, titled Ghaghara, and it was nice to see Mahuri back in action after a a really long time.
Deepika's character is a shy nerd who always wears her glasses and is depicted as a bookaholic. She tries to get away from her normal boring routine and enlists herself as a participant in a group of travellers for a trek in Manali, the same group which already has Ranbir Kapoor, Aditya Roy Kapoor and Kalki Koechlin as the participants.

This starts as a roller coaster ride for the actors and the first half is paisa-vasool. Somewhere down the road, Bunny aka Ranbir starts liking Deepika but does not tell her because he is going to America to get his degree. Balam Pichkari, a foot-tapping number appears in between and is a full-on fun song.

The second-half is actually a wedding half, quite literally. Kalki Koechlin is going to marry, Kunaal Roy Kapoor who appears in a cameo role. This wedding is the highlight of this film. Ranbir comes to India and dances off brilliantly to a marvellous song Badtameez Dil, which is in fact, Remo D'Souza's masterpiece.

I needn't say about the acting coz' everyone in this film is brilliant. Be it Aditya Roy Kapoor's effortless depiction of a friend gone wrong or be it Kalki's fun character, everyone in this movie, is very good.

The thing which is a major bad in this film is its story and running time. The story is quite starightforward and does not require you indulge your brains in it. The running time is more than 2 hours and you begin to move in your chair uncomfortably after a certain point of time. This, I thought could be bettered.

But, all in all, this film, as I already wrote that, is raking in a lot of moolah and is already a blockbuster.

7 out of 10 stars for this good film.

YOU SHOULDN'T PROBABLY MISS THIS ONE:)

IRON MAN 3

DIR: SHANE BLACK

Ok, so the latest and perhaps the final installment of the Iron Man series is here. And damn, the movie is a hell of a ride.

First of all, this movie is not for those who want to take their girlfriends or boyfriends to this movie. This is for just a group of guys or girls that can appreciate this film in their own ways. Be it hooting for the damn smart and comedic Robert Downey Jr. or shout for the beautiful yet simple Gwyneth Paltrow. 

There were two movies to choose from, Aashiqui 2 and Iron Man 3. So, I decided for the latter sequel.

The story is different from the other two Iron Man films but is quite superior. This time a new villain called Mandarin comes into spotlight and Iron man has to deal with him. I just thiught the director, Shane Black didn't utilise the full potential of Sir Ben Kingsley as Mandarin and instead projected Guy Pearce as the villain.

The technology showcased was to die for. I, particularly, am fond of technologies and Iron Man 3 didn't disappoint me.

The 3D effects were good and it will definitely be exciting for the viewers, especially young ones.

Acting and Screenplay. Well, we all know what Robert is able to do. He is one of my favoutite actors and that speaks a lot!!Gywneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts has pulled out this role very nicely and her part is fantastic. Don Cheadle in a cameo is fantastic. His physique is really to look out. SIr Ben Kingsley is under-utilised and Guy Pearce is extremely well.

Iron Man 3 is one film that is going to be a blockbuster and perhaps the last chance to see Iron Man being alive on screen with Robert Downey Jr. being comedic and stylistic at the same time under the suit(apart from Avengers Assemble, comig out in last quarter of 2013).

So, my rating for Iron Man 3 would be 8.5 out of 10.

YOU CAN'T FORGET THIS MORNING, NOON AND NIGHT!

MORNING, NOON AND NIGHT

SIDNEY SHELDON

My friends used to read Sidney Sheldon novels that they issued from the library and recommended him to me but alas, I never took that opportunity. Now that I read his novel, I don't think why I had been that foolish.This book, I got in surprise. I was browsing through my brother's old novels and I found this book in a corner. Nicely kept, it had that aura of that kind of bookish charm you get when you see a nice and readable book. I kept it in my bag and rest is history.

This book is about a family weaved in a web of conspiracies. A wealthy billionaire dies on a yacht and he divides his fortune equally to his three children. At his funeral, another girl comes forward and claims a part of his fortune. Is she real or is she just a imposter. Well, to know that you have to read the sory.The beginning is good with the reader enjoying it as though it is a beginning of a film. He introduces Harry Stanford, the wealthiest billionaire of the world who is accompanied by his bodyguard, his lover and his pet dog. After some time, he falls overboard from his yacht and this starts a series of roller coaster rides. The book is enjoyable and can be read over a nice long weekend. That was not the case in me as I read it in a long, very long train journey. What I liked the most was that Sheldon kept it really simple which can be read even by a child(who is literate enough!)And the ending is superb, the ultimate surprise Sidney Sheldon ending. So directors and producers, its time to really get up and make a movie on this one, cause its gonna fetch you millions, you bet!!My rating is 7 stars out of 10. 

NO GOOD, SORCERER'S APPRENTICE!!

THE SORCERER'S APPRENTICE

DIR : JON TURTELTAUB

I never expected this from Nicolas Cage, atleast. Firing off, I would say The Sorcerer's Apprentice is not bad as a movie, but its story and acting are a a bit so-so. Jay Baruchel (the apprentice), especially, will lead to his doom. His acting, oh my god, is s**t. I don't know, whether it was his idea or the director, but his dialogue delivery really sucks.

The story starts off, when Merlin, the head sorcerer, appoints three apprentices, Balthazar Blake, Veronica and Maxim Horvath. . Balthazar and Maxim both love Veronica and therefore both become fierce enemies. Balthazar is good, and Maxim is bad, the usual stuff. Morgana is another character who has already killed Merlin and is trying to raise all the evil from the dead. 
Balthazar has taken Morgana under control and somehow, by mistake, Veronica is also trapped under the same doll in which Morgana is already trapped. Here comes, the apprentice, who can only defeat Morgana and Maxim with the help of his master and tutor, Balthazar.

The story is not excellent but the angle of magic certainly does play its part. The visual effects in the film is mind-blowing. Just the Harry Potter stuff, you know. All is possible now, with the help of CGI now(Remember Life of Pi, the tiger)......Ok, where was I??Oh, the film...right. So, the visual effects are certainly awesome but you know, somehow, story dosen' work out in its favour and the Sorcerer's apprentice falls apart. Judging by its trailer, this was a must watch but really, it dosen't worked out.

The female characters are just for show and the real story is on the shoulders of Nicolas Cage. He is awesome, by the way. He has does his part fantastically. Alfred Molina is really good. We have seen him in many films, playing his parts like an expert. So, you don't need to worry about him. All you have to care for is Jay Baruchel, as I said earlier. However, he fits in the role of a science nerd exactly(if you know what I mean).

All in All, 6.5 stars out of 10 for this visually appealing and the effects, watch for Nicolas Cage. And you can really invest your money in a direct-to-home movie if its available. Dont care for the DVDs.

ZERO ARE THEY WHO DIDN'T READ THIS!!

TOWARDS ZERO

AGATHA CHRISTIE

What is the connection between a failed suicide attempt, a wrongful accusation of theft against a scholgirl and the romantic life of a famous tennis player? To the casual observer, apparently nothing. But when a houseparty gathers at Gull's point, the seaside house of an elderly widow, earlier events come to a dramatic head. As Superitendent Battle discovers, it is all part of a carefully laid plan ...of a murder.

Fantastic, isn't it. It is, and that too in an amazing sort of way. I have often said(or haven't I?) that Agatha Christie is my favourite author. Her name alone is enough for me to buy her book, whatever the price may be(I am a little price conscious though). So, Towards Zero was the choice for the day.

Starting off, Towards Zero is just like any other novel. The earlier events, which I talked about, take place and have no connection whatsoever with the murder. Murder, however comes at a very late time when you already have read 100 pages or so. Also, the romantic life of the tennis player is also very, very elaborated with unnecessary dialogues between man and wife. So, your attention, sort of, you know, gets dwindling. But, when the murder occurs and the police proceedings are in full form, you try to get back in the action.

The climax is extremely well put and one of the best I have read in a Agatha Christie novel. I have totally dumbstruck when I get to know about the murder, and especially the METHOD of murder. That was totally unexpected. Whats  more, the connection of the events are fantastically connected and you get to know why Christie is called "QUEEN OF CRIME".

Ok, so enough of preaching, my verdict for Towards Zero, 7.5 outta 10 for this extremely well crafted murder mystery and masterly storytelling of the Queen Of Crime.

317 PAGES OF AWESOMENESS!!

AND THEN THERE WERE NONE

AGATHA CHRISTIE

Ok, first and foremost. This book is a gem. It is one of its kind. Its mindblowing. Its awesome and what not. The moment you start reading it, you can't help but read it in one sitting. Whats more, its gripping and chilling storyline dosen't let you keep the book down. 

Here's why you should it. It is the world' best selling mystery, to say the least. It has sold more than 100 million copies worldwide. And it is one of the most widely adapted work of anyone, probably, let alone Agatha Christie, for television, or radio or any tv show. 
Here's why you shouldn't. No such thing.

Ten strangers are lured to an isolated island mansion off the Devon coast by mysterious person naming himself as "U.N.Owen". At dinner a recorded message accuses each of them in turn of having a guilty secret, and by the end one of the guests is dead. Stranded by a violent storm and haunted by an ancient nursery rhyme counting down, one by one, as one by one they begin to die. At the end, there remains no one and all are dead. 

BEST SELLING MYSTERY OF ALL TIME

So, I started the book just reading that above para on the back of this book. This was enough to get me going, adding the "best selling mystery" part. Therefore, I was sure something was on the cards, and I was about to get that in my upcoming roller coaster ride of crime, thriller and mystery.

So, whats good in the book is I really liked the way the author had characterised each of the persons on that island. The way each character in the book reveals his or her past is mind-blowing. Finest, I should say, till date. And, and not to forget, the climax, is just out of the roof. The real killer is mind you, NOT OBVIOUS. You would surely be thunderstruck, if not flabbergasted.

The book itself is so good, that you really cant afford to have a loo break. And, this was the most diificult mysteries I have ever read. So, this enough should be able to get you out of the streets and get this book. Beg, borrow or steal, I don't care. 

Watched Gumnaam, ever??That Manoj Kumar movie? Well, that movie was adapted from this book online. For anyone, who had not watched the movie, I would recommend those 'lucky' people to read the book first. Its awesome(in highlights:-D) 


I would really like to say this. AND THEN THERE WERE NONE IS A MASTERPIECE.  You just can't afford to miss it.

10 on 10 to this perfect, amazing and mindblowing locked room mystery.

I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS CODE!!

THE DA VINCI CODE

DAN BROWN

Well, to say the least, The Da Vinci Code is all Christian and a normal Indian person would find it very difficult to understand. But, BUT, don't underestimate it. It has got layers and layers of mystery attached to Christ and when you get to know the revelations, that too, amazing, you can't help but read one more and one more page of it.

Harvard Professor Robert Langdon recieves an urgent late-night phone call while on business in Paris, the elderly curator of the Louvre has been brutally murdered inside the museum. Alongside the body, police have found a series of baffling codes. As Langdon and a gifted French cryptologist Sophie Neveu, begin to sort throught the bizarre riddles, they are stunned to find a trail that leads back to the works of Leonardo Da Vinci-and suggests the answer to a a mystery that stretches deep into the vault of history. 

Starting off, I found The Da Vinci Code as difficult as Mathematics to understand. I could not make head nor tail of it. Actually, it was a gift to my elder brother from one of his friends and I can see noticeably that he had read one or two chapters and dumped it. He even underlined the difficult words!!But, coming to Chapter 1, I was like, oh my gosh, what did just happened??

If you haven't read the book prior to the film(TOM HANKS movie), I would recommend to all those out there, that reading the book first will help to watch the movie with much sincerity and (before)knowledge. Sure, the book is a bit English, but you can't help reading after you have noticed the extremely good reviews of this book. Wanna see the examples??Here they are:

"Intrigue and menace mingle in one of the finest mysteries I have ever read"

"An exhilaratingly brainy thriller"

"Fascinating and absorbing"

Yea, these are some of the praises showered upon The Da Vinci Code. The more I read, the more I had to read.

All in All, The Da Vinci Code is simultaneousy fast-paced, intelligent and intricately layered with remarkable research and detail. Therefore, I would recommend to every and each reader out there who are a fan of lightning paced mysteries and thriller. 9 stars out of 10 this extremely engaging book.

THE MECHANIC DOES HIS JOB PERFECTLY!!

THE MECHANIC

DIR: SIMON WEST

As I am a huge fan of JASON STATHAM and particulary his voice(yea, you heard that right), I caught a telecast of The Mechanic on Fox Action Movies(they are particularly inclined to Statham ; they showed his three most famous films back to back).

The Mechanic is a remake of a 1972 Charles Bronson film, about a hit-man who takes as apprentice the son of a man he has killed. The two bond over target practice and other lessons in the art of murder. The whole time, the son doesn’t know that his guru is his father’s murderer. I haven’t seen the original film but in the remake, but this becomes a  reasonably interesting story.Bodies are broken, sliced, pierced and shot in every way possible and lots of vehicles blow up in slow motion. I do not know of others but I will definitely recommend this movie to those who like it violent!

Jason Statham has a solid action movie hero look, and he does his job perfectly in the movie and his side hero, Ben Foster has also done a pretty decent job. This movie has also the potential to kick-start another franchise(just like The Transporter).

Directors like this must be very good, regardless of whether their films are worth making in the first place. Audiences have been drilled to accept noise and movement as entertainment. Considering, The Mechanic wasn't a hit in US grossing a measly 51 million USD as compared to its budget of 40 million USD.

I would like to give The Mechanic 7 stars out of 10 and would be in the safe side of ranking this film as a not so good and not so bad picture. See if you must!!

A STUDY WORTH REMEMBERING!!!

A STUDY IN SCARLET

ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE

Now, this was a change. Actually, I have a secret to tell. I bought this some 3- or 4 years ago but couldn't read it then since I was quite illiterate to English then!! Though I never had the time to read a Sherlock Holmes book in its physical form, but last Saturday I made up my mind to read the complete novel and know how the greatest detective of all time, made his way into every mystery lovers' hearts.

The story starts off on a fantastic note. Sherlock Holmes is called to the scene when a man is found dead in an abandoned home. His body, left without wounds that imply violence, is sprawled beneath the word rache (or revenge in German) painted in blood on the wall. 

I had mixed feelings about this one. While I can definitely say that Doyle is a talented writer and certainly had the smarts to invent such a character, I found the sudden change in narrative and the long, detailed excerpts a bit taxing.

Actually, I even skipped the Mormons part, that is the insertion of the past lives of the criminals was a bit long and taxing, as I said earlier. I only read the crime and the last part, wherein tells about how the crime was done.

Also, suffice to say if you're reading this after having seen the BBC A Study in Pink version(Sherlock played by the excellent BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH) the two are very different and yet complementary. A Study in Pink having taken elements from the original story and then flipped them around.

The first part is the more interesting, with the legendary meeting between the detective and the doctor, and an introduction to the characters as well as to the murder mystery. It is definitely awkward in its construction. Arthur Conan Doyle, ought to make this novel a wonderful read but has failed to do so, or so I think.

Also, my book had JEREMY BRETT on its cover, so I always had him in mind whenever I thought of Sherlock Holmes.

Therefore, I would not recommend this book to many but would give this book 5 stars out of 10. You might want to dump that book and pick up an Agatha Christie novel instead!

SOURCE CODE

SOURCE CODE

DIR : DUNCAN JONES

"Finding the human story amidst the action, director Duncan Jones and charming Jake Gyllenhaal craft a smart, satisfying sci-fi thriller"- Matt Kohltof

"This movie really rejuvenates old time sci-fi films" - Metacritic 

 Well, these are few of the most excellent and good-to-hear reviews, which were awarded to this intricated and confusing-to-many movie, Source Code.What appealed to me as a viewer, though this a sci-fi thriller, that it had director Duncan Jones at its helm(director of the famous movie MOON) directing JAKE GYLLENHAAL and the very cute MICHELLE MONAGHAN. Yes, I am a big fan of their acting skills(remember BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN or THE HEARTBREAK KID???). Therefore, I loaded this movie into my lappy and surprisingly, this movie had me and my few other friends hooked from the very first scene itself.

The movie starts with Capt. Colter Stevens(Gyllenhaal) being in a state of oblivion as he opens his eyes in a train. He notices a very pretty lady Christina Warren(Monaghan) talking and addressing him as 'Sean". He, nevertheless, tells the lady(who is actually the girlfriend of Sean) that he is a captain and he flies helicopters for the U.S. Army in Afghanistan. Christina dosen't believe that because Sean is a teacher. Confused by all the surroundings around him, he rushes to the washroom and sees another man in his body. As he comes to grip this revelation, the train explodes, killing everyone onboard.

Stevens regains consciousness in an unfamiliar cockpit who is then talked to a certain Capt.Goodwin(Vera Farmiga), and she tells him that he is been operating under a Source Code. The Source Code allows its user to experience the last eight minutes of another compatible person's life within an alternative reality. Capt. Stevens has to find the bomber who has planted the bomb in the train within that 8 minutes as this explosion is a precursor to a larger dirty bomb that is going to be detonated later in downtown Chicago.

Actingwise, the lead and the supporting actors did a pretty good job as to make the story look real. Duncan Jones has created quite a smart, strong and fascinating sci-fi movie. I was quite thoughtful about the possibility of the concept of Source Code in the real world scenario. We would to be able to stop the bomb just as shown in the movie, we can stop the natural calamities and what not. Source Code has unending applications in real life.

However, the ending is a little bit far fetched. The bombing is stopped and all the passengers come out safely. But it is evident from the movie that the bombing was real and all the boarded persons got killed. This I could not understand, and it is only the little niggle in an otherwise perfect story.

The director has done pretty handsome job in this movie and the result was quite evident. Made on a small budget of 32 million USD, the film grossed more than 147 million USD worldwide. It recieved highly positive reviews from everywhere and Duncan Jones was nominated in the prestigious HUGO Awards. 

All in All, Source Code is a good sci-fi movie with great acting, great score and great screenplay. I would give 8 stars out of 10, to this extremely entertaining movie and would advise you, readers, to must watch this movie.

THE BODY IN THE LIBRARY

Well, to say, this is an entirely new blog by me which tells my reviews and views on a particular movie or a book, which I have watched or read lately. All the views expressed are of my own and do not bear any resemblance to any particular review of somebody else(WHAT THE HECK AM I WRITING??)...........

So the very first book that I am gonna write about is THE BODY IN THE LIBRARY by AGATHA CHRISTIE(THE QUEEN OF CRIME). She is my favourite author, BTW. I just finished this book and I am quite blown away by it, literally.

THE BODY IN THE LIBRARY

AGATHA CHRISTIE

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Well, I never dreamed that I would buy this book for a whopping Rs.175, as my mother dosen't usually allow me to buy these crime and mystery books for such an amount. Instead, she urges me to buy a book by APJ Abdul Kalam(I don't wanna read it, seriously)......Well, I was all alone at the station(I was about to board a train from NEW DELHI to VARANASI) and therefore, I managed to buy this book in just the nick of time as the train was about to move.

Also, I never wanted to buy A Miss Marple book(the detective) and instead I had my eyes fixed on a more powerful book by Christie. But, my insane heart, who is in love with the crime books written by Dame Agatha Christie, made my hand pick up this book and pay the necessary amount to the bookseller.

Judging by its cover, THE BODY IN THE LIBRARY, wasn't very fascinating or never had an aura of a perfect crime thriller as is always in a Christie novel, but a short preview of the story, which was attached to the back of the book, gave me a start and hooked me onto it from the very first page.

The crime is detected only in the very first page of the book, which kind of gave me a shock, as none of the detective books I have read so far(And I have read many), had a murder on the very first or second page of the novel.The body which is murdered is found in the library of a retired colonel, some Mr.ARTHUR BANTRY. He dosen't know whose body is it and has never been attached to the girl whose body is found lying ruthlessly strangled in his huge library.

As the plot thickens, there is unveiling of layers upon layers of mystery which is attached to the body. The story is a little slow paced for persons who like it fast and furious in a crime novel(just like me), but it is a ingeniously and intelligent crafted story. You may want to keep it down and sleep, but somehow, that sound from your heart about who the damn killer is will never let you keep your book down.

So, a good and short story, which I read in three days(All my 175 spent in 3 days!), with the main detective coming in flashes, and the police doing most of the investigation part, is sure to grab your attention and you may want to treasure this book in your so called "LIBRARY"(Look, there is a body in your library!!!)

Therefore, 7.5 stars out of 10 for the dazzling mystery, those quirky comedic moments and yes, that elegant and nice, our own MISS JANE MARPLE!!!