Buddah Hoga Tera Baap - Movie Review!!

A geriatric hello, FreEk fellows!!

It is with fond remembrance, that most of us remember handcart driven chinese-outlet next to our college or first work place. These joints more often than not called "hungry eyes" or golden dragon" , having the nepali cook, to give us that "chinese-chef" feeling, served food in the filthiest of plates and surroundings, and quite of a few of us probably had a run to the loo after one of these meals, and yet such days are now remembered with fond nostalgia.

South director Jaganath Puri's masala flick starring none other than Amitabh Bachhan (AB) is somehow reminiscent of those meals!!

What it is: Buddah Hoga Tera Baap (BHTB) tells the tale of a retired gangster (AB) who returns to Mumbai to settle some scores, and kick -ass, all the while romancing much younger women and wearing enough blinding outfits to put an entire Manish Malhotra wedding collection to shame!

What works: Needless to say, this is AB's show all the way, the movie unabashedly recaptures his angry young man image, and dialogues, song tributes from his previous films are scattered throughout. Other actors such as Hema Malini, Raveena Tandon flitter around the screen in inconsequential roles. Perhaps the only inspired casting seems to be in Sonu Sood ( a dead ringer for the young AB) as an inspector, possibly as a tribute to AB's "cop movies" such as "Zanjeer".

What Doesn't: For a movie that doesn't pretend to provide anything other than unabashed AB adulation, BHTB certainly delivers. Yet having witnessed AB's acting forte in his recent works such as Cheeni Kum, Black and of course PAA, one wishes the character would have been better nuanced!

Verdict:


Three Freekies!!


Chutney on the side: As a child of the 80s, one vividly remembers the rise of AB into a one man industry. The biggest sign of his superstardom was the larger than life characters that he played in self-titled films such as "Toofan", "Ajooba", "Aaj Ka Arjun". As the the cine-world grew tired of the larger than life credo, his stardom failed, with "Mrityudaata" being the nail in the coffin. To his credit, and unlike recent aged Bollywood stars such as Dharmendra who still attempts to cavort nubile starlets (remember Tinku Jiya?) AB accepted his age limitations and churned out some modern day classics such as the above Cheeni Kum etc. BHTB, then is like a visit to that old chinese food stall, it brings back many memories, but you know why it is that you had chosen to move on.


FreEk

Dark Knight 2 - Bane Revealed!!!!

A Batty hello frEek fellows!

Shortly after last week's expose on the shooting of the Dark Knight Rises in Jodhpur Fort, comes this Bat-errific update:

Warner Brother's has quietly launched the website for the Dark Knight Rises , the website features a strange chanting going on, which probably has something to do with the "birth" of Bane from the Lazarus Pit.

The clincher however, is the first look at none other than BANE as portrayed by Tom Hardy...feast your eyes!

BANE baby!!

You heard it first here folks!!!

frEek!

India - The Home for Superheroes!!

A Mid-Week hello, frEek fellows!!

It seems of late, that our India has become home-ground to the shooting of the hottest upcoming superhero movies.

First up are set-photos (from Mehul Gohil) from the Jodhpur Fort of none other than "The Dark Knight Rises" being the latest in Christopher Nolan's acclaimed Batman Trilogy. Check them out..


The pictures of the "lake" below are being rumored to be the "Lazarus Pit" which gives R'as Al Ghul his immortality and power.

Set reports have also indicated that the shooting of a scene where a "bald headed" boy rises from the said lake. This boy probably grows up to be Batman's nemesis "Bane" who is trained by R'as Al Ghul. FanfrEeks will recollect that Tom-Hardy is scheduled to play Bane in this upcoming movie.

Actor Tom Hardy who will be playing Bane

The below photo shows Actor Tom Pence ( who plays the younger R'as Al Ghul) roaming around Jodhpur (India).

As if this wasn't enough to have us fanfrEeks wetting ourselves, come these set pictures from Alberquerue, where Marvel's super-hero extravaganza "THE AVENGERS" is being filmed.

However a closer look at the set pictures reveal that the shop signs are in Hindi, which leads to speculation on whether a portion of the film will be set in India, however it could well be Pakistan or Afghanistan as fan-frEeks will remember the capture of Tony Stark in the first Iron-Man movie by the terrorist Raza in Afghanistan.

Nevertheless, it's fun to see an "Adarsh Mithaiwalla" billboard in a superhero film!!

Till next time...stay freEeked!!

THOR - Movie Review!

A Nordic Hello, FreEk Fellows!

The latest offering from the studios of Marvel comics "THOR" hits the theatres this weekend. Following in the footsteps of previous Marvel Films such as IRONMAN, and being a precursor to Marvel's Magnum Opus superhero movie "THE AVENGERS".

yeh reshmi zulfein.....

What it is?: Thor, being perhaps the most "difficult" of comic books being brought to cinematic adaptation, as it tells the tale of the Norse God Thor (Chris Hemsworth), who is punished by his father the almighty Odin (Anthony Hopkins) to earth. Stripped of his powers, Thor learns the meaning of selflessness,sacrifice and courage as he battles monsters unleashed upon earth by his evil brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston)

YEH FEVICOL KA JOD HAI KYA??

What Works?: Set between the heavenly abodes of ASGARD and earth, THOR is perhaps the most lavish of superhero movies in a long time, and it utilises its CGI well! Chris Hemsworth lights up the screen as the macho yet disarming THOR. There abound surprise cameos from various actors including Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury) and Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye) make things more interesting

What Doesn't: Despite all its lavish settings and CGI Brouhaha, THOR never manages an emotional connect with the audience, Natalie Portman fails miserably in the role of astrophysicist Jane Foster, Tom Hiddleston's LOKI looks convoluted and never and Anthony Hopkins barely passes muster as an out-of-shape ODIN.

Verdict: Thor comes about as a necessary link between Marvel's superhero movies such as IRONMAN and the forthcoming Captain America, in the aforesaid runup to the Avengers, THOR comes about as a weak link, quite knowingly then the end credits mention that THOR will return in the Avengers Movie; as the chances of the character having its own sequel are very thin!!

Rating:


a dismal two FrEekies!!

127 Hours review: Filming the impossible!

A high altitude hello, frEek fellows!!

British wonder-director was ushered into the collective psyche of Indian cinegoers through "Slumdog Millionaire", Slumdog's global success resulted in Boyle taking on a film which he had been planning for over four years; based on the book "Between a rock and a hard place" by mountaineer Aaron Ralston. The resulting movie was of course, 127 hours.

What it is: 127 Hours recounts the life of adrenaline junkie and free-spirit Aaron Ralston (played by James Franco), who while traversing the canyons in Robber's Roost - Utah, falls into a deep crevice, resulting in his hand getting lodged underneath a boulder. What follows, is a gut wrenching tale of courage, as Ralston desperately tries to dislodge his hand from the boulder; resulting in him spending the titular 127 hours in a mountain crevice! With dwindling food supplies and very little water, Ralston is forced to take the horrendous decision to amputate his lodged arm; things take a turn for the worse when he realises that the pocket knife tool he has carried with with him, is not sharp enough to cut through his arm!

What Works: Danny Boyle described his screenplay as an "action film that goes nowhere". Truly,the plot faces several disadvantages in that it focuses for the most part on one character, and that too stuck in one location; even so, Boyle lets his creative genius shine in this impossible film. At the very onset, we are made to understand Ralston's free-spirit and his willingness to be with nature, as the story progresses on to where Ralston is trapped; Boyle uses innovative cuts to give the viewers a glimpse of Ralston's imagination. This movie, marks the global heralding of actor James Franco who dials in a brilliant performance as the free-spirited Ralston; In a performance where the camera solely focuses on his face, for a major part of the film; Franco brings an easygoing charm, that never lets go of the viewer's attention. Truly, an Oscar worthy performance!

What Doesn't: 127 Hours, is a film that lacks Slumdog's larger-than-life canvas; even though it far vividly portrays the triumph of the human spirit. There have been known cases of audience fainting during the "arm-amputation" sequence - hence if you are the queasy type, be advised!!

Verdict: Film Critic extraordinaire Roger Ebert called 127 hours, "an exercise in impossibility" and I cannot think of a better term to describe this movie, that despite it's constraints, manages to herald the triumph of the human spirit, and in so doing, never once lets go of its vice grip on the viewer's emotions!

A Full Five FreEkies - A modern masterpiece!



Chutney on the side: A.R. Rahman provides a melodious score, but his duet with Dido; tries hard to do an "Enya" from Lord of the Rings but fails!!

BLACK SWAN - movie review!!

A lazy weekend hello, frEek fellows!!!

While 2010 wasn't a great year for cinema, with many hyped up biggies both in Bollywood (Tees Maar Khan) and Hollywood (TRON: LEGACY) failing to live upto expectations. There was momentary respite through brilliant films such as PEEPLI LIVE and INCEPTION. Closing out the year came the much hyped Darren Aronofsky's "BLACK SWAN"

What it is: As previously covered by yours truly, BLACK SWAN is Aronofsky's (Requiem for a Dream, the Wrestler and the Fountain) darkly told tale of a ballerina played by Natalie Portman, who egged on by her overbearing mother played by Barbara Hershey vies for the lead role in a new ballet production, by the leading ballet producer portrayed by Vincent Cassel, coping with her mother's ambitions, the director's sexual advances and the threat of another ballerina (Mila Kunis) usurping her role, Portman's character slowly slips into delirium and starts seeing terrifying visions..or is it all true??

What Works: Aronofsky who arrived on the global cinema circuit through the eery, claustrophobic "requiem for a dream" and inched closer to Oscar Glory last year when "the wrestler" got nominated, uses his trademark, mindf*ck style with claustrophobic camera angles, eery lighting, and did-i-just-see-that shots; and makes it all work! Black Swan plummets into the ardurous lifestyle of a Ballerina as we see Portman suffer broken toes, sleepless nights and anorexia to put up with her schedule. Barbara Hershey as her overbearing mother reinvents creepiness, and will make kids lock their doors from their mothers for a long time! Mila Kunis playing a sexually adventurous ballerina, sizzles with the right amount of oomph on screen and Vincent Cassel, thrives in his role as a lecherous ballet producer.

Me Fair....You Lovely??

What Doesn't: Aronofsky's cinema thrives on putting its protagonists in situation where their psyche is tried, tested and ripped apart. To this effect, he has often used the above mentioned camera angles and brooding lighting; and for someone who has followed his other movies, this comes across as a tad repetitive. But really, I am just nitpicking here.

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall..

Verdict: The Black Swan was a great way to cap off the cinematic year, and we may well see Portman, up on stage, come award time!

Four FrEekies!


Chutney on the side: Aronofsky, first intended to have the Wrestler as a love story between a wrestler and a ballerina, however as that was considered too complex a plot, the Ballet story was hived off into..Black Swan

Na Munni Na Sheila..2010 Ki Item Girl Hai..

A jhatka matka hello, frEek fellows!!

While 2010 wasn't a happy year for Bollywood, what with biggies such as Kites and Guzaarish flopping, it certainly marked the return of that staple known as the ITEM NUMBER!


With the release of Salman Khan's curry masala "Dabangg" came the rustic chart topper "Munni Badnaam" giving us a the gyrating dewar-saali duo of Malaika Arora and Salman Khan, added for extra measure were lookalikes of Saif Ali Khan and Amitabh Bacchhan.




Soon after, were we treated to the Beyoncesque gyrations of a barely clad Katrina Kaif, who flaunted the results of her low carbohydrate diet for all and sundry to see; in Tees Maar Khan's " Sheila Ki Jawani" .




While the promos itself praised Sheila as the sexiest item song ever, it seemed to have been inspired from sources as wide as Beyonce to Kimi Katkar from "Jhumma Chumma".


It is however the frEek's opinion that the item girl of 2010, was not a munni or a sheila, but that dark damsel from videshi shores who wowed us with her spontaneous dance skills, all when her husband wowed India with his charm, that's right folks, I am talking about none other than Michelle Obama!!




So there you have it folks...2010 main Munni badnaam hui, aur Sheila jawaan, but it was Michelle that took our votes!!


Stay frEEked!!

TRON: LEGACY unfulfilled

A Sci-fi hello, frEek fellows,

This week saw the release of Disney's much anticipated sequel to its 1984 TRON. Coming nearly thirty years after its path-breaking predecessor; TRON: LEGACY promises the next step in Graphic Imaging.. the future of cinema after Avatar's path breaking effects, does it deliver, well freeking read on...

What it is? : Tron Legacy tells the tale of Kevin Flynn (Garett Hedlund) who is the son of TRON's protagonist Sam Flynn ( Jeff Bridges), Kevin a maverick hacker decides to investigate his father Sam's disappearance and ends up following him into the digitized universe known as TRON. Neon suits, lightcycles and techno music follow!!

Glow Baby Glow!!!

What Works: TRON: LEGACY, promised the next level in cinematic effects, and it manages to live upto that promise in part. The Lightcycle battles are truly amazing experience to watch on screen. Tron: Legacy also features Jeff Bridges in two roles, and he tries valiantly, to succeed in both while succeeding. Tron: Legacy also enjoys the collective presence of beauties such as Olivia Wilde, Beau Garett and YaYa Dacosta and Serinda Swan..or better explained in the below picture!!!

go buy your ticket...now!!!

What doesn't: TRON, released in 1984 had all the hallmarks of a typical Walt Disney movie; namely a good looking hero who is capable of extreme physical action and at the same time can hack into the most complex of computer systems in a matter of seconds. An over the top bad guy, a sympathetic, ultra-hot yet tough female lead and of course the uber-cool lightcycle. Where TRON-LEGACY majorly falters is that in upgrading the cinematic effects, it neglects to upgrade the story line and ends up in a laughable plot with some laugahble lines. Jeff Bridges in his two roles as the genius scientist Sam flynn, is left mouthing 70s lingo such as "cool" "radical" and wait for this.."knock on the sky..man!" to distinguish himself from his evil clone CLU (a CGI generated younger Jeff Bridges).

The Verdict: TRON: Legacy, was hailed as the next Avatar, and instead it ends up resulting in being a half-hearted mish mash of its predecessor. A lesson that fancy-packaging cannot disguise an empty soul...now doesn't that sound like something Sam Flynn would say!!



A disappointing two FreEkies!!

TRANSFORMERS 3 - TRAILER!!

A weekend hello, frEeK fellows,

Apologies for having logged out for so long, this episode of Film freEk brings to you the trailer for the final part in Michael Bay's TRANSFORMER's trilogy, called : TRANSFORMERS - THE DARK OF THE MOON.


with the second part coming in for a lot of criticism regarding its CGI overkill and the lack of a coherent plotline, BAY appears to have taken a Spielbergish approach and attempted a suspenseful feel to the movie, although that will vanish within the first 15 minutes of the movie, to be filled in with the usual images of giant robots, and Shia Laboeuf running aroung screaming "nonononononono!!!"

Transformers: Dark Of The Moon Teaser Trl from Kellvin Chavez on Vimeo.

Oh well, what's the use, I know you'll be there!!


stay frEeked!!

AMOL PALEKAR KI INCEPTION!!

A much delayed hello my FrEek fellows,

Heartfelt apologies for staying away from my blog so long. If you are half the freEk i think you are, you have already been overwhelmed by what the critics have called the greatest movie in the last five year; INCEPTION!!!

Chris Nolan's masterpiece has everything going for it, a great cast, amazing visuals, a stirring starcast, and yes, a less than simple plotline!!!! Without spoiling much, it suffices to say, that you will have been left scratching your head, there are a lot of webpages that have sprung up, trying to explain the convulted web of dreams..

still confused? fret not folks!! for Bollywood's favourite friendly man, Amol Palekar has taken upon himself to explain the cinematic twists and turns of Inception, and that too in sing-song manner!!!

don't believe me?? take a look!!

Think about it, wasn't Inception after all "Sapne main dekha Sapna" phenomenon? Trust the great Amol Palekar to helps us out of this cinematic mess!!

Stay freEked!!

The Avengers : The Biggest Superhero Movie Ever!

A Super-heroic hello, my freEk fellows!!!

Over the last few years, comic-book giant Marvel has got its act together and taken creative control of the screen adaptations of its comic book properties. As a result, we got to see the the reboot of the Incredible Hulk, the awesome Iron Man and its sequel. but Marvel isn't done yet!!

Those who have watched the above movies will clearly remember the cameo by Tony Stark
(Robert Downey Jr) in the Hulk movie, which went something like this...

Tony makes the mention of the "Avengers Initiative" in his brief yet snappy cameo! freEks will also remember my previous post where I had scooped out the presence of another superhero in the Incredible Hulk, that superhero being none other than Captain America! take a look...

Not to be content with one Captain America cameo, Marvel also shoved Captain America's trademark shield in both the iron man movies...
IRON MAN 1:

IRON MAN 2:

If that's not all, IRON MAN 2 contained a post-credits scene hinting at the arrival of yet another superhero: THOR!!

Check out Thor's Hammer in the last frame!

The Avengers Movie:
What does this crossover brouhaha mean you ask? Well, the frEek has all the answers! Marvel will shortly roll out movies featuring Thor directed by Kenneth Branagh and starring Chris Helmsworth, the first image has already been leaked out...

chris hemsworth as Thor

The next on the block is of course Captain America directed by Joe Johnston and starring Chris Evans.

Actor Chris Evans will star as Captain America

As a final coup-de-grace, Marvel plans to unite all these characters in what will be known as the "Avengers" movie which in turn is modelled on the comic book superhero team of the same name. Marvel has gone ahead and signed sci-fi director extraordinaire Joss Whedon as the director for the same. Still don't believe it? here's further proof:

The above picture, is a capture from Iron - Man 2 showing a map of "super -powered" individuals across the globe, as indicated from the circles on various continents. These are the superheros that Nick-Fury (Samuel Jackson) wants to unite as the Avengers. Apart from the circles in the Americas ( Iron Man, Hulk) of particular note are the ones in the North Pole (being the frozen Captain America) as well as one in the middle of the ocean could

this be a secret nod to yet the introduction of "NAMOR" who is Marvel's underwater superhero? time will tell!! So there you have it folks, an exclusive freEk-peek at the superhero extravangza starring Hulk, Iron Man, Captain America, Thor and a slew of smaller superheros!

Will this be the greatest cinematic miracle since buttered popcorn or a mish-mash of many genres? We can only wait and freEking watch!!

That Extra FreEky: You always hear it here, first folks!!

IRON MAN 2 review: Suit to Thrill!!

A metal suited hello my freEk fellows!!

When Marvel released the first Iron Man a couple of years ago, the brilliance of this movie with Jon Favreau's crackling direction and Robert Downey Jr's bang-on portrayal of Tony Stark was all but overshadowed by another superhero flick released at that time, which went on to become the 2nd highest grossing film of all time ( yes, we are talking about the Dark Knight). With a bigger budget and the inclusion of some major acting talent IRON MAN 2 seems placed to deliver a knock-out punch to all it previous competiton, does it deliver the goods? read on...

Ok, which one of u farted??

What works: IRON MAN 2 was given a substantially larger budget to operate from and it shows! more explosions, bigger baddie robots and a beautifully shot fight against the monaco grand prix, make this the perfect popcorn flick!! Robert Downey Jr. (RDJ) brings his game on as the eccentric genius that is Tony Stark, it is hard to imagine any other actor bring such quirkiness into even a tiny scene such as where Tony eats a box of strawberries that he buys by offering the seller, his Jaeger Le Couture watch! Sam Rockwell (SR) as Justin Hammer, Tony's rival dials in a brilliant performance bringing equal parts goofiness and evil, frEeks might remember that SR was at one time in the reckoning for the role of Tony Stark ( which was utlimately played by RDJ) and it is interesting to see how he fleshes this character (Justin Hammer), who in many ways tries ( failingly) to model himself after Tony Stark. Who can forget Scarlett Johansson's smoking hot turn as Tony's lawyer / Secret Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. Her supple yet lethal fight scene where she fights off a dozen baddies is a treat to watch!

What doesn't: fanFrEeks had high expectations when Mickey Rourke was signed on to play Ivan Vanko, the crazed russian inventor with a historical grudge against Tony, while Rourke definetly looks the crazy part, he is just not given enough screen time! The "birth" of the superhero "War Machine" when Col. Rhodes decides to borrow Iron Man's spare armour to deal with Tony's alcoholism, is true to the comic book storyline but is an unusual plot nevertheless!

Bhala mera armour, tere armour se safed kaisa??

Verdict: Despite it's strecthed plotlines, IRON MAN 2 is the definitive summer blockbuster, and you would be one messed up frEek to miss this one!

extra freEky: Iron Man's suit is actually a gold-titanium alloy!!

bollywood tribute to twitter!

A tweeted hellos, my freEky fellows!

With its limited vocabulary of 140 characters or less, it has managed to keep celebs in touch with their salivating fans and more revently...dethrone ministers, uncover scams and if word is to believed Mumbai Police will be forming their own tweet-cell to help them uncover corruption (just kidding!!)

That's right folks the phenomenon that is TWITTER is indeed here to stay, and as a tribute to this chirpy little wonder, we present Bollywood's first song tribute to Twittter...

That's right folks, Bollywood's greatest showman; Raj Kapoor had predicted the phemonenon that Twittter would be, way before its actual existence (he just mis-spelled a few alphabets that's all)!!


Bollywood - will its wonders never cease!!!!

fReEk

My name is....(an open letter to SRK)

Dear Mr. Khan,

my name is (never mind, that's what got you into all ths trouble in the first place didn't it?) and I am a big fan of your work. I am really saddened by the news that your latesht film "My Name is Khan" may not be seen in Mumbai due to the Marathi manoo's backlash against your "foot-in-mouth" disease syndrome.

While it be far from me to adjudge the veracity of this issue (I can picture the Sainiks burning printouts of my blog!) , I am very keen to see your latesht picture release in aamchi Mumbai
(which counts for 20-25% of the movie's gross, I heard you say on a leading channel), and as your most humble fan, suggest that a slight change of title might work, in appealing towards one and all, before closing this blessed blog, hear me out, for I present to you not one but three alternate titles, which mught help in finally releasing this movie..

a) My name is KHANolkar:

Khanlokar is a typical maharashtrian name, and it will please the marathi manoos no end, that they have finally got a movie with a maharashtrian leading character; after all the gujjus got one with that film called "Gandhi".

b) My Name is Thackeray:

Sir, surely you realise that both your political tormentors (the MNS and the Shiv Sena) share one thing in common ( besides the penchant for burning your posters) is the surname Thackeray! and what better way than to appease these two birds than with this dramatic change in name, Although I cannot rule out political clashes between these two parties, on which Thackeray it is that you claim to be!

c) My Name is KHAN (3-D)

Sir, James Cameron's 3-D extravangza Avatar has been smashing local box office records, and I see huge potential in upgrading your latesht picture in this manner, although the sight of the hatti-katti Kajol in 3-D may not be for the faint hearted!!

d) My name is Khanna:
Do you remember that recent Salman Khan starrer called "Main Aur Mrs. Khanna"? no?...well neither does anyone else! by this change of title of your movie, you can pass this off as the sequel to that imminently forgettable film, and avoid all controversy!!

e) The 4th Idiot:

Sir, at the risk of being politically incorrect, we all know that you play a "special" (read idiot) in the film, and what better way than this to ride on the success wave of your close friend ( read rival) Aamir's blockbuster 3 idiots! Didn't Aamir ensure that Ghajini lookalikes flooded the theatre during the release of your "Rab ne Bana di Jodi"

I hope the suggestion of a name change, does not anger you. "What's in a name..." Shakespeare had once said, and surely you will agree, for haven't you played the same character in so many different movies, with different names? what's in a name indeed!

your most humble fan

film frEek!

cc: Mr. Karan Johar

And the Oscar goes to...

a new year's hello! ( freEky fellows)

The Oscar season is breathing down our neck, and as witness to some of the better works of the year ( thank you, video piracy!) the frEek scratches his balls ( i meant crystal, what were u thinking!) and comes up with who/what will take away Oscar glory this year, so with further ado...

Best Picture:

The Hurt Locker:

From the lady director (Kathryn Bigelow) who gaves us "Point Break" the defining action movie of the 80s, comes this gritty masterpiece about a bomb demolition expert serving in Iraq, carrying dollops of nail biting moments, this gem gets you as close to the battlefield and as deep into the mind of a demolition expert, as most of us will ever be. Jeremy Renner ( as the renegade expert) and Anthony Mackie as his reluctant partner have already been heralded as new stars to watch out for. While Avatar (James Cameron) has been raking in the big bucks, and has won the Golden Globe, Hurt Locker has won almost every other critical award, and I really hope it prevails upon the Oscar jury to award this better movie.
ironically...Kathryn and James Cameron were once married!

Best Actor

George Clooney - Up in the Air

For years we have seen two Clooney charm our pants off in his various movies: the suave Clooney in films such as Ocean's 11 and the disturbed conscientious Clooney in films such as Syriana. Jason Reitman's "Up in the Air" gives us a curious amalgam of both these Clooney translating into perhaps his best performance yet. Clooney lays on equal amounts of charm and conscience as a layoff expert, who is paired with a younger colleague who may soon be filling in Clooney's shoes herself. I will also predict Clooney's Oscar speech will focus on generating aid for the Haiti disaster.

Best Actress
Sandra Bullock - Up in the Air

Every once in a while, the Oscar committee for presents awards for actors portraying schmaltzy , sugary roles, where the box office of the movie is of equal importance as the actual acting credo of the award winner. Previous winners in this category include Julia Roberts ( Pretty Woman, Erin Brockovich), Gwyenth Paltrow (Shakespeare in Love), Marisa Tomei - (My Cousin Vinny). The academy in all probability will do a repeat this year to that long standing mistress of cuteness : Sandra Bullock for her portrayal as the feisty rich socialite who adopts a black kid and helps him become a football star.

Best Director:

James Cameron - Avatar

All said and done, you cannot but award this guy for the sheer technical genius involved in his latest labour of love: AVATAR


Best Foreign Film

The White Ribbon / The Prophet (Une Prophete)

This is a tough one, there is a huge hype behind the eery thriller "The White Ribbon" which takes us through the days preceding the first world war and is part historical/part horror ( and of course a lot of hype!)

I would personally pick "Une Prophete" which tells the story of a muslim boy, leading his way into a french prison, and forced to choose sides between warring groups ( all the while having his own agenda) - this is a sheer work of genius!

So there you have it folks, what do you think of the freEk's picks? agree, disagree? let me hear you on:

the filmfreek@gmail.com