Picks and Piques/Snippet Film reviews 7th March2014/Johnson Thomas

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Picks and Piques/Snippet Film reviews 7^th March2014/Johnson Thomas

Gulaab Gang(Hindi) Rating: *  * ½ An unacknowledged contemporary real life inspiration is given the traditional bollywood song and dance treatment replete with vitriol spewing dialogues and fusty exchanges between the two leads.  But for Juhi’s stunning turn and Madhuri’s effective one, this would have been a damp squib all the way! 

Queen(Hindi) Rating: *  * ½ Elevating but not meaty enough. Kangana is heart-touchingly sincere and earnest in her performance!

Total Siyappa(Hindi) Rating: * Too deliberate and off-kilter to be funny. Tedious is more like it!

August: Osage County(English)Rating: *  *  * ½  We saw a similar story happen in Mrinal Sen’s ‘Ek Din Achanak.’ But this film is based on the darkly humorous Pulitzer and Tony-winning play by Tracy Letts and directed by John Wells, this unexaggerated film version mostly captures the stormy interplay between family members essayed with corrosive aplomb by a top-notch ensemble of actors.

 

300: Rise of an Empire(English/3D/IMAX) Rating: *  * ½ Striking but not stirring.  Stylised blood-letting and Stunning artistic CGI can do little to make-up for a weak and opportunistic plot-line. Caricaturist character contouring and  Casting choices that lack in performance power make it a debit in terms of entertainment value!.

Dhag(Marathi)Rating:*  *  * ½ Dhag scored Best Director for Shivaji Lotan Patil, Best Actress for Usha Jadhav and a Special Jury mention for performance by a child actor for Hansraj Jagtap, at the last National Awards and it’s clear why.  The stunningly nuanced interplay of a low-caste boy’s struggle to shed his demeaning heritage comes alive with powerful emphasis because of the above-mentioned immersive involvement. A not to be missed film!