16 Films in June

16. La bestia nel cuore (Italian) [Don't Tell] (8/10)
An excellent though a little disturbing film on the lines of Incendies, it is still powerful and very engaging with brilliant performances. Sabina has a good life but of late she has memories and nightmares about her childhood. To discover the truth behind those, she visits her brother in US. The secret that comes out has the potential to change things in her life and her interactions with her lover. Wonderful !

15. Like Crazy (4/10)
I had major expectations form the film. The reviews that I read online made me watch this film but it unfortunately did not fulfill the promises that it made. A British college student falls for an American student, only to be separated from him when she's banned from the U.S. after overstaying her visa. And then we see how they fall in and out of their relationship over a period of few years. They break up and they make up. While fighting customs and immigration battles, the couple must decide if their relationship is worth the distance and the hardship. Acting was good but I just failed to understand that in this modern world why would anyone go through so many hardships etc that these guys had to go through.

14. Mirror Mirror (5/10)
A fun fantasy trip to the classic Snow White tale. This film is done more targeting to kids and is directed with a humor tone and that was the best part of it unlike 'Snow White and the Huntsman' movie. Acting was pretty neat and over the top which was the need of the film. I thoroughly enjoyed it specially the song and dance number towards the end.

13. Chaar Din Ki Chandni (Hindi) (3.5/10)
Why do film makers keep making films on same age old formula where either the boy or girl goes to their Punjabi (Rajasthani) in this case, joint family, to make an impression on the family to marry their loved ones. How many times has this been done to death? This film offers nothing new. Over the top , forced jokes do not bring smile to anyone's faces. Kulraj Randhawa was the sonly decent thing in the film. And what the hell was Anita raj thinking making a comeback with this film?

12. City Of God (Brazil) (8/10)
Now this is what I call a film. What a brilliant film! No wonder I had heard of this film so many times and I am glad I finally got to see it. Brilliant story, brilliant direction and performances. As a viewer we are constantly glued to what's going to happen next. You have to watch the film with attention because there are so many characters and so many small small things going on. I bet you, you will like this film.

11. Jannat 2 (Hindi) (4/10)
My patience with hindi films has seriously gone down a lot. I really did not find anything novel or exciting about this film. Emraan Hashmi acted and looked the same as he does in every movie. Esha Gupta just looks pretty. Even the music somehow didn't resonate with me. Yeah, the concept maybe was a little novel and mafia dealing with weapons but still, this film just did not do it for me. If I have to fast forward a movie, to finish it; then it is not worth it.

10. Vicky Donor (Hindi) (6.5/10)
Fantastic film. Very new concept and a very great execution. I have given somewhat lower ratings because Annu Kapoor started to get on my nerves after a while in the movie when he tries to convince Vicky. This does not take away the fact that hew as brilliant along with Ayushman. And the more you talk about the mother and the grandma, the less it is. They were the real pillars of the film. Anyone who has spent time growing up in and around Delhi like me, will totally resonate with how real the movie characters seem to be. Excellent!

9. Rapt (French) (5.5/10)
A rich industrialist is brutally kidnapped. While he physically and mentally degenerates in imprisonment, the kidnappers, police and the board of the company of which he is director negotiate about the ransom of 50 million euro. The film was very interesting but somehow I cannot decide whether I really liked it or not. There were a lot of things that were left unanswered for me. It was slow as well. If the ending really meant what I think it meant, then I liked it. If not, then I failed to understand the point of the film.

8. The Christmas Tango (Greek) (4.5/10)
This film is tale of love and longing for love in a gloomy war period in middle of nowhere in Greece. The characters have not been defined enough to provide a convincing background to what happens in the film. A "strict" Colonel who is nothing else but strict, a "fragile" Colonel's wife who only needs love, a Lieutenant who is in love with the Colonel's wife in a ridiculously primitive way and a soldier who is in love with the Lieutenant. We see their interactions and what happens over a winter preparing for the christmas. It was an alright film but there was so much that was missing.

7. Año bisiesto (Mexico) [Leap Year] (6/10)
Laura's personal life consists of one affair after another. She meets Arturo, and the pair enter into an intense, violent sexual relationship. As days go by, Laura crosses out the days on a calendar, revealing her secret past to her lover. This has got to be the most sexual and sexually violent movie. I still can't believe how this movie came all about.

6. Shanghai (Hindi) (5.5/10)
I read almost uniform excellent reviews of this film and once again it proved that high expectations always prove you wrong when you go to watch a film. Emraan Hashmi was good, agreed but I think Abhay Deol's character had lot to be desired. I also think it was a little inconsistent. The sort unfolds slowly and you realize the politics being played in the small town. Also, shouldn't the director at least once in the film make reference to why the film was called Shanghai.

5. Haywire (4/10)
This is one of those usual summer action movies where the actress is wronged and has now to find the truth and take revenge back. Mallory is a freelance covert operative but when one of the operations goes wrong , she finds herself double crossed. The movie doesn't explain lot of events that happen in the film and how the hell does the protagonist get such easy access to all these men in various parts of the world. The only good (rather really good) thing is the way actions sequence are handled. They are very raw and real.

4. Snow White and the Huntsman (3/10)
Lets get one thing straight. Kristen Stewart cannot act. She just has the same expression on her face throughout. The only saving grace is Charlize Theron. In a twist to the fairy tale, the Huntsman ordered to take Snow White into the woods to be killed winds up becoming her protector and mentor in a quest to vanquish the Evil Queen. The film is shot beautifully but there is nothing much otherwise. Very ordinary, usual hollywood summer movies.

3. John Carter (1.5/10)
Transplanted to Mars, a Civil War vet discovers a lush planet inhabited by 12-foot tall barbarians. Finding himself a prisoner of these creatures, he escapes, only to encounter a princess who is in desperate need of a savior. Previews of this movie gave me high expectations but I was so let down. This was just a bad bad film.

2. Rowdy Rathore (Hindi) (6.5/10)
Full on entertainment. Exactly what you expected from the film, is what you get. A no brainer entertainment with action, emotion, songs, dances. This is what we call mass entertainment. The songs were awesome too. I loved it and had a smile on my face. 80s is back

1. Swades (Hindi) (7/10)
I saw this movie again knowing very feel how slow and preachy it was. But I still wanted to see it because it is one of those films, where SRK has actually done a scent job. I still enjoyed and loved the film as much as I did the first time even though it was still slow and preachy. Oh! and ho much I missed India after seeing this film.