Bollywood World

Rating : 7/10
Release Date : 25th September, 2015
Time : 121 minutes
Director, Writer : Nancy Meyers; Music : Theodore Shapiro
Starring : Robert De Niro, Anne Hathaway, Rene Russo, Anders Holm, JoJo Kushner, Andrew Rannellls, Adam DeVine, Zack Pearlman, Jason Orley, Christina Scherer



Do we tend to write people off when they are retired ? Are women, who�re heading major companies, treated differently by society versus men ?

This is about a senior citizen, Robert De Niro, at the spry age of 70, taking up a job as an intern in an ecommerce clothing company, and getting assigned to work with Anne Hathaway, who founded and runs the company.


The reason why this is happening, the company is hiring senior citizens (they hire 2 other senior interns) aren�t totally clear but the video that Robert makes, outlining his reasons for wanting to join, makes for compelling viewing.


Anne is also a bit over her head, trying to manage the rapid growth over the past two years, making sure the company stays on track especially with the VCs pushing for more experienced management. She has a notoriously short attention span (her meetings are slotted by her assistant, Christina, for 3 minutes or 5 and the really long ones last 15) and is also trying to manage her work-life balance with her very cute daughter, JoJo, and stay-at-home husband, Anders.


The office has an interesting mix of people � Andrew, Adam, Jason among others � and Zack is the normal intern ie of normal age. Rene Russo is the office masseuse (something like that could get me back to corporate life) and definitely gets Robert�s attention in more ways than one.


In such a scenario, Robert, who�s worked over 40 years before retiring, with his suit / tie / calculator / vintage briefcase, has to figure out ways to be useful and get the attention of his harum-scarum boss�


What I found fascinating is that despite a) Nothing major happening over the course of the film b) Or him He doing anything extraordinary (doesn�t turn into an all kowing superman, yet via conversations, normal day-to-day situations (a driver who plays hooky, a father who falls sick) we experience what it�s like to interact with seniors � their values, thoughts (some old-fashioned), way of working.


It makes us question whether we as a society really do tap into the vast knowledge bank of our retirees, whether we could use them more fruitfully rather than writing them off, being dismissive. Also, looking at Anne�s rise and her family situation, it raises questions re the glass ceiling, how supportive we are of full-time working moms. And as the snide remarks of the school moms, illustrate, whether we�re really ready for the stay-at-home dad scenario ?


I�m not sure I agree with all that was shown � Anne�s need for a father figure was perhaps a bit too convenient, Robert�s rise in her eyes a bit too rapid and by giving her certain frailities (tears, needing company on a business trip to San Francisco) we perhaps are only reinforcing some stereotypes about women at work. But overall, aided by a peppy soundtrack and snappy dialogue, it�s a hugely enjoyable watch.

Rating : 7/10
Release Date : 3rd July, 2015
Time : 127 minutes
Director: Alan Taylor; Writer s: Laeta Kalogridis, Patrick Lussier based on the characters create by James Cameron and Gale Anne Hurd; Music : Lorna Balfe with Hans Zimmer as Executive Music Producer
Starring : Arnold Schwarznegger, Emilia Clarke, Jai Courtney, Jason Clarke, JK Simmons, Byung-hun Lee

PS : Neither the film nor the review will make complete sense if you�ve been hiding under a rock, watching civilization pass you by and have never seen a Terminator film so far



�Old�but not obsolete� Arnold Schwarznegger is back�in the role that made him a superstar.




Two other actors I really like � the expressive Emilia Clarke, Khaleesi / Mother of the Dragons in Game of Thrones, and the jaunty Jai Courtney (from Jack Reacher) � join forces, as the younger Sarah Connors / Kyle Reese, to travel back and forth in time and prevent Skynet from ever taking over.



Jason Clarke (as John Connor), shortly after leading his troops to victory over the machines, somewhere in the future, realizes that they had sent a robot back to 1984 to kill his mother. To protect her, in a phase where he felt she would be at her most vulnerable, he sends his most trusted lieutenant, Jai (Kyle Reese) to do the job. But Jai, when he arrives, and meets Emilia (Sarah), finds things are anything but as predicted� with various killer robot models criss-crossing back and forth in time � Arnold Schwarznegger, Byung-Hun Lee, to name just two � you�re never sure who is really what they claim to be�




Arnold is a treat to watch � they tackle his ageing in a most delightful way � and his interactions with Emilia and Jai are well-written, especially a fake, polite smile he puts on, in an effort to blend in. Emilia and Jai are both excellent in their roles, bringing one half vulnerability, one half spunk to their characters. Jason Clarke is very good too, as is JK Simmons (the cop, finally seeking some answers), and Byung-hun (quietly menacing).





There is a lot of mumbo-jumbo about Quantum Mechanics, memory from two alternate lives, Magnetism. The logic behind a lot of events is highly questionable- and I�m being polite here � but we�re given a good, fun joyride � great repartee, engaging characters, scintillating special effects, a great (familiar) soundtrack and awesome action sequences � all of which ensures we walk out in a great frame of mind...

Rating : 7/10
Release Date : 26th June, 2015
Time : 94 minutes
Directors, Writers : Pete Docter, Ronaldo Del Carmen; Music : Michael Giacchino
Starring : (voices of) : Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Bill Hader, Lewis Black, Mindy Kaling, Richard Kind, Kaitlyn Dias, Diane Lane, Kyle MacLachlan




Which are the different emotions that guide us, interplay inside our head ? What really does happen in there ? Wouldn�t we just want to be happy all the time ? Could we ? It�s always fun when an animated movie raises such fundamental questions�and answers them in its own simplistic style�



Inside little Riley�s head run five emotions � Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust and Sadness � and they�ve been with her since she was born. She�s an only child, happy, bouncy, loved by her parents, enjoying a normal existence in Minnesota, when suddenly, at the tender age of eleven, her first major crisis arrives. They have to move to San Francisco, due to her father�s work. Now she, and her five emotions, have to navigate through a new city, new home, new school, new friends�the works�



There is an extended sequence, which takes us out of Riley�s mental control room, and shows us other portions of the mind � a quite fascinating take on how our mind is organized, it�s different components, memories, islands etc. This part does go on for a little bit too long, drags a bit but is also when some fundamental realizations are made�



This isn�t one of those laugh out loud movies. There are a few moments of slapstick humour but most of the movie is funny in a more subtle way. Though a brief look at Riley�s parents inner minds is assured to bring on more than just a smile. Do stay for the end-credits, where they do a swift tour of some of the movie�s supporting cast. Events wise, there is nothing dramatic that really occurs, it�s all quite normal day-to-day stuff in our lives, - but then isn�t there a lot of depth to be found even in the most mundane of activities ?




PS : Whatever you do, do not arrive late for the film, as it�s preceded by a most beautiful, touching short (also by Pixar) called Lava�

Rating : 6/10
Release Date : 29th May, 2015
Time : 114 minutes
Director : Brad Peyton; Writer : Andre Fabrizio, Jeremy Passmore; Music : Andrew Lockington
Starring : Dwayne Johnson, Alexandra Daddario, Carla Gugino, Paul Giamatti, Archie Panjabi, Hugo Johnstone-Burt, Art Parkinson, Ioan Gruffudd



Watch it for an adrenalin rush, super special effects, the reassuring presence of Dwayne Johnson and the lovely persona of Alexandra (of Percy Jackson fame).

Don�t watch it if you like your films to be totally logical, things to make sense, be neatly tied up and you don�t like the main characters becoming almost super-heroes.




Right from opening sequence its clear that your heart is going to get a good workout and that Dwayne is going to be Captain Splendid. He captains a rescue chopper in LA. And when the chips are down he is the man you want on your side. Though his soon-to-be ex-wife, Carla, doesn�t think so as she is about to move in with her Richie Rich boyfriend, Ioan, having tried to make their relationship work after the an unfortunate accident but finally giving up. Alexandra, their daughter, is very attached to both parents, a bit of a Daddy�s Girl but cant say no when Ioan offers to drop her to Frisco when Dwayne is suddenly called away on an emergency�a seismic event at the Hoover Dam, where there are no known fault lines�and where Paul Giamatti, a seismology expert, is trying to verify his theory about earthquake prediction�



And that�s just the beginning�


It was nice to see Archie Panjabi in a prominent role, as a TV reporter � had liked her in A Good Year too. Carla is good, as always, and Hugo and Art are very good as brothers who befriend Alexandra while she is in San Francisco. Paul�s role is surprisingly miniscule. The dialogue is nothing to write home about � full of �Hurry Up� or �Are You Ok?� or a slight variant of that �Are You Hurt?��but the true beauty of the film lies in its glorious life-like effects � whether it�s the buildings collapsing or waters flooding or the helicopter action sequences�and the most spectacular one for me was the fault line in the middle of the road�incredibly real and equally scary�



I like the way most American movies showcasing mega-cataclysmic events manage to make it about certain individuals and families � the rest of the the people. This is one of them. It also tries to sanitize disaster � you don�t see the really ugly side. And nothing bad happens to good folk, nothing really bad anyways�