Aice in wonderland : Down the rabbit hole

This i think could well be my shortest review ever. Not because it was a bad movie but may be because i was just too bored to notice anything good or bad about the movie. The movie just didn't do anything for me. Neither the uni dimensional story nor the over the top performances. Neither the script (or the lack of it) nor the (unimaginitive) special effects. It was just all too boring to say the least. Do NOT watch.

Performances were too loud. Johny Depp was trying another Jack Sparrow but fails miserably. The only saving grace was a couple of laughters here and there with Helena Bonham Carter's portrayal of the Red Queen(which i earlier thought was natalie portman).

The story was more like an extension to the original Alice in Wonderland where from the time she arrives in wonderland what is going to happen in the end. And exactly what wa told in the beggining takes place. So no surprise factor here too. Alice is supposed to slay a dragon to win back the crown from the red queen and pass it on to the white queen. Yes, thats all. And nothing adventurous really happens through out the movie.

Special Effects were also too not special. And frankly after Lord of the Rings and Avatar, a 'wonderland' would never really be as amusing as you might expect it to. It all just looks too simplistic.

Overall : Don't go unless you are a 5 year old. (well, honestly dont go even if you are, coz there are some super duper animation movies which could kick this one's ass left right and center

Feel-O-Meter: 2/10 (Honeslty, i think that also is slightly high but still Zero dena accha nahi lagega) ;)

LSD: Go.. Snort!!!

The movie is impressive to say the least. It has everything that you look for in a movie. Edge of the seat excitement. Stories you can relate to. Different Treatment. Something new to offer. Gripping Performances. Almost everything works. There is nothing wrong anywhere but still when you come out, you feel 'something' was missing which you cant really describe. Nonetheless a must must watch especially if you like the new age cinema taking bollywood a couple of strides ahead.
The movie is as different that you cant really compare it with anything that ever happened in bollywood. First i thought, it was just trying to be different for the sake of being different and to generate a buzz that would pull the audience to the theaters. I was not all too excited about it, because first person camera angles and sleazy MMS scandals just didn't do it for me. I was almost proved right till the first 20 minutes and then did the narrative take a new leap or what. The movie just went in the top gear and stayed there almost till the end.
As the name suggests, the movie is about 3 different (but interlinked) tales about Love, Sex and Dhokha. The first one talks about a sweet couple who live in the dreams of bollywood, DDLJ and Aditya Chopra and run from their house to get married. The second is about the hundreds of MMS scandals that we have heard about. The Third is about the (usual) Sting Operations and the how media works type gyan. Well, on paper, thats hardly something interesting. It sounds as if the director was running short of ideas, so he thought why not have 3 stories (just like the forgettable Dus Kahaniyaan) rather than one. But towards the end of the movie you begin to realize how stupid you actually were thinking that. When the stories start getting linked and characters from one moving into the other. Kick Ass i say.
I would also like to highlight the way the 'objectification of women' have been portrayed in a very subtle manner. Be it honour killings, making MMS scandals to make some easy money or to use money as a use and throw option. It never went preachy anywhere. It was like watching a news bulletin in its true sense. Without taking sides. It just tells you that these things are happening, without shouting from the rooftop.
Performance were as top line as possible. The movie proves that you need 'Actors' and not stars. The whole cast looks like students doing acting courses through NSD, FTII, types. And are they good or what. Every single character was as amazing as it gets. From the loser lover boy to the sweet little thing who falls in love with him. From a run off the mill guy who is trying to make an MMS with his girlfriend to make some money to the girlfriend who just wants to be loved. From the Punjabi singer who wants to bed the girl who wants to do his music video to the cameraman who is trying hard to get this one sting operation over to make some money for his family. I repeat EVERYONE was phenomenal.
Full marks to the Dibakar to have thought outside the box and having the courage to experiment. To have made a different movie rather than only claiming its different. Although the camerawork might look shaky but thats the way its supposed to be. I am still not sure if i loved the camera work or got irritated but yes, i couldnt think of any other way the movie could have been shot too.
Overall: A 'Different' movie with almost no negatives.
Caveat : Dont go if you go hawwww hearing cuss words or are only interested in YRF ;)
Feel-o-Meter : 8/10 (Yes, i am deducting 2 for god knows what. I couldnt really find anything bad which i can describe in words. Just that it was not a 10/10 material. Too good nonetheless )

Road, Move: RED Light

Road, Movie (Hope you notice the comma between the two words) is one of new age movies for the 'Intellectual' audience. One where the movie is not made only to be seen but interpreted and understood as well. The ideation was good but execution was not. The characterization was interesting but performances were not. The movie is like a painting, you can't just look at it and enjoy unless you understand what it stands for. I am very disappointed that such a good idea has just gone wasted due to poor execution. The director forgot that its a 'Movie' and not a narrative. The Audience wants to get 'entertained' also apart from 'Intellectual Stimulation. It falls in the trap of being too arty to the extent of being boring in most parts.
All through the movie you keep guessing, what is the movie all about, what is the central plot, where is it leading, to the extent that you start asking what the hell is going on here? Suddenly the movie ends and you come out of the cinema hall thinking what actually happened in there. Well, Thats not a nice feeling i tell you If you are not in a mood to exercise your brains and only watch a movie for its entertainment value. Don't waste your time.
The Plot: Road, Movie on the surface is a one line story of a guy who doesn't want to sell hair oil likehis father and goes on a road trip to leave an old truck to its destination and enroute meets 3 different people who first become his co-passangers and then friends. The movie moves forward (or atleast tries to) with the background of water smuggling in rajasthan, a mela, corrupt cops and a couple of other sub plots. As i said, the movie is not about witnessing a story but in trying to figure out director's interpretation of the plot.
My Interpretation: Road,Movie according to me tries to depit life as a journey (read: a road trip) where you meet strangers who end up becoming your friends. Its a tribute to 'cinema' per se. Whenever you are down on that road and meet obstacles or problems, movies provide you the relief that you are looking for. At the weekend when you watch a movie. you forget about all your worries and cinema actually takes you in a different world altogether. Movies are like 'Tel Malish', whenever you are stressed, Movies work as the champi which takes all your worries away. On papers, i think it was one of the most powerful and subtle parallels that could have been drawn between life and cinema. But, sadly it just did not have the same impact on screen.
The Irony: Ironically, the movie talks about Movies working as stress reliever and the audience actually has a head ache trying to understand what the movie was all about. According to the movie, A Movie is supposed to entertain the audience taking one in a different world altogether where one does not care about the problems of one's life and just gets engrossed and comes out relieved and stressfree. But it does exactly the opposite. It was more like a puzzle you are trying to solve rather than 'enjoying' a movie. You hardly get entertained in any of the sequences. There is no 'happy' feeling when you come out of the cinema hall. Infact, it actually gives you more stress when you are trying hard to understand the director's vision. Performances: It was a big disappointment for me from all the actors. Just nothing to mention. Everybody was just very average.
Miscellaneous: Direction was loose. Just like the characters' journey in the movie, the movie itself was lost during most of the narrative. You just did not know where the movie was heading or what point the director was trying to prove. Script was weak. Scenes just seemed to spring from nowhere. Suddenly characters were being introduced from every nook and corner. Dacoits suddenly started having a change of heart after using a hair oil. It was just too arbit and random. Apart from the strong 'idea' the only thing worth mentioning is cinematography. The colors hae been captured very beautifully. Even the night sequences had just the right effect. Kudos to the cinematographer.
Positives: ' The Thought', Cinematography.
Negatives: Everything except the two mentioned above.
Overall : Go if you are the 'intelletual cinema goer' types and do not care about 'entertainment'
Feel-O-Meter: 4/10