Bollywood World

Rating : 5/10
Release Date : 15th January, 2016
Time : 167 minutes (in India); 187 minutes (in other countries that don�t believe in silly censorship)
Director, Writer: Quentin Tarantino; Music : Ennio Morricone
Starring : Kurt Russell, Samuel L Jackson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Walton Goggins, Bruce Dern, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, James Parks, Demian Bichir, Channing Tatum




For large stretches of the movie, it seems the characters are going to talk you to death. They go on, and on, and on � covering almost every topic under the sun, including the recently ended civil war, race relations etc. And then, finally, just before the interval, the first gunshot fires loudly, blood spatters�and the film enters familiar Tarantino territory and the violence doesn�t stop for most of the second half



In snowy conditions, with a blizzard fast approaching, Kurt Russell, a bounty hunter, is taking his latest catch, a dangerous outlaw, Jennifer, to the nearest town to be hanged. Samuel Jackson, another bounty hunter, is taking three culprits too, only difference being his are dead. Walton, a former renegade, is trying to make it to the town as well, to take up a new position there. Their paths converge, and with the blizzard almost upon them, Kurt, despite being deeply suspicious, almost paranoid, about his prisoner escaping / getting help from outside, is forced to take refuge, along with Samuel and Walton, in a well known haberdashery. Where a few other nefarious characters are present, also escaping from the blizzard. A retired Southern General, Bruce Dern. A cowboy on his way home, Michael Madsen. A Mexican, Demian Bichir. And an Englishman, who has an unusual vocation, Tim Roth.


Racial tensions lead to battle lines being drawn pretty swiftly, in an atmosphere already charged up with suspicion, distrust thanks to Kurt�s paranoia and with all the simmering anger, resentment, this situational powder keg is primed for explosion�


There are too many flaws in the story, though. There were surely easier ways for objectives to be achieved versus the complicated path chosen ? And did the build-up have to be so slow ?



Fans looking for a classic Tarantino gore fest will not be disappointed in the second half, despite our censors best efforts. But for those looking for something deeper to takeaway, even if it�s a memorable character, will leave feeling shortchanged. This one felt a bit lazy, a little loose around the edges, despite the deliciousness of its premise and a cameo by Channing Tatum.

Rating : 6/10
Release Date : 11th June, 2015
Time : 124 minutes
Director : Colin Trevorrow; Writers : Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, based on the characters created by Michael Crichton; Music : Michael Giacchino
Starring : Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Vincent D�Onofrio, Ty Simpkins, Nick Robinson, Irrfan Khan, Jake Hohnson, Omar Sy, Judy Greeer, BD Wong



It�s entertaining, it�s fun, it�s scary, it�s spectacular.
It�s also highly implausible, soul-less, and lacks a real differing opinion or ideological conflict.


Jurassic World has opened up as a major tourist attraction on Isla Nublar, the same venue as the first epic film. It draws in thousands of visitors, is owned by Irrfan Khan, run by Bryce , who happens to have her nephews Ty & Nick, visiting. The park relies on new species or dinosaur attractions every few years to keep tourist interest alive. And towards this end they have created a genetic hybrid � a new species, Indominous Rex � which, as per the brief is scarier, tougher, bigger�.and cooler !






Chris Pratt is the tough army types who is working on a special program to train velociraptors to obey his commands, Vincent D�Onofrio is the greedy, army type who has an ulterior motive.


And when the Indominous escapes from its cage�things fall back to as they were, 65 million years ago...

I liked the way they kept bringing up the spirit of Jurassic Park � showing the locales where the action for that film had happened � using a similar storyline (nephews out in the wild, dinosaur on the loose, owner, manager and tough guy out trying to rescue them) and even stray action sequences towards the end which were reminiscent�



It was also fascinating to see things like a petting zoo and a water attraction � both involving dinosaurs � which does raise the question if sometimes we, humans, really understand the forces we are dealing with?


However � you felt nothing really for any of the characters. No one really made any impression on you (lacked star power too, possibly), and did or said anything that truly stayed with you. There was no real emotion, no feelings which stood out � and no moments of real humour. Lots of things here didn�t make sense either � unlike the first, where everything seemed actually possible. And there was no real ideological conflict � a slight moral one perhaps- but again nothing like the �life will find a way� theory expounded in Michael Crichton�s seminal novel.


You need to watch it though, for some great special effects, truly hair-raising, goose-bumpy moments and super action sequences, including an epic fight towards the end. At the end of the day, a really expensive film to give you some cheap thrills�

Rating : 7/10
Release Date : 7th November, 2014
Time : 117 minutes
Director, Writer: Dan Gilroy; Music : James Newton Howard
Starring : Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Riz Ahmad, Bill Paxton



Jake is eerily creepy as the accidental Nightcrawler, a colloquial term used for those freelancers who stay up all night, film scenes of urban crime and then sell any such exclusives to networks. He is determined to climb up the ladder of success and, thanks to the internet, he is armed with all the knowledge he needs to be able to do so.



Rene Russo is one of the network executives who spots something in Jake and its fascinating to see how this symbiotic relationship progresses. Bill Paxton is Jake�s competitor, who unfortunately passes up an opportunity to hire him when he had the chance. And Riz Ahmed is Jake�s mostly terrified employee � who struggles to cope with his drive and also morality � as Jake isn�t about to flinch while cutting a few corners and expects the same from his employees.




Jake, with his slouch, his strange kind of bookish English, his gaunt frame and burning eyes, is most definitely not the kind of guy you would want to cross paths with. He owns the movie, is there in almost every frame and you are riveted as you watch him try to be one step ahead of everyone else. He celebrates the fact that he is single and so is able to do as he chooses. It is fascinating to watch how he negotiates, the insidious way he makes himself indispensable to the network, ingratiates himself with the people working there, realizing the perfect opportunity to pounce or to give up.



It�s a strange world we live in� This film is most of all about the thin line separating right from wrong and how many, in their headlong rush towards success, knowingly cross it many a time. Networks in their chase for ratings, freelancers in their quest to get an exclusive, a close-up of blood to go with your breakfast� There is a sense of foreboding, something sinister throughout this movie and I can assure you, its not entirely misplaced�