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!!

THOR TRAILER!!!!

A Superheroic hello freEk fellows.

The trailer for the latest in Marvel Comic's onslaught of superhero films : THOR, just hit the net, following worthy predecessors such as IRON MAN, HULK; THOR is the tale of THOR (Chris Middlesworth), who is banished to Earth as punishment by his father ODIN (Anthony Hopkins). Will this prove to be a worthy contender in the previous superhero Marvel releases, only time will tell

Thor Trailer from WatDaDickens.com on Vimeo.

Can's wait when all of Marvel's medley superheroes will appear on screen together in the AVENGERS ( 2012)


Stay frEeked!!!

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!!

The Fighter - A Knockout at the Oscars?

A Punching Hello, frEeK fellows!!!

The trailer for David O' Russel's " The Fighter" hits the internet today. The Fighter tells the true life story of Irish boxer Mickey Ward (Mark Wahlberg) who, coached by his brother played by Christian Bale, went on to become a boxing legend. Bale's character is an ex-boxer who succumbs to drug addiction and to his credit Bale looks the part of a recovering drug addict! Mark Wahlberg, reportedly trained for two years to get the fighting skills required for this movie.




The Fighter, is not a very new story, but what will set it apart, is the performance of its lead cast, and accordingly is being released in December, to be close to the Oscars.
Will it score a knockout at the Oscars? time will tell...


FreEk!

DABANGG - Return of the Man!!!

A Macho hello, freEk fellows!

Wet N' Wild Sallu!

For years, Bollywood cinema was dominated by stock character, the gareeb gaon ki gori, the evil (rich) zamindar/thakur/neta and of course the macho, boorish hero..who smashed the evil zamindar and swooped away the lovely gori all in a days work. When the Johars and Chopras of the world intervened and Bollywood shifted its focus to NRI cinema, where men in Armani wooed women in Gucci and the village background was replaced by the Golden Gate/Venice/Eiffel Tower etc. Finally, after what seems like an eternity, Abhinav Kashyap's "Dabangg" threatens to return the macho hero of yore to his throne in Bollywood; does it succeed? read on...
What works: Dabangg is a rehash of the old gaon-in-distress story that Bollywood overkilled in the 70s-80s. Salman Khan plays Chulbul Pandey a boorish corrupt yet lovable cop who doesn't mind doing his job, as long he gets to make some moolah on the side. A misunderstanding leads to Chulbul seperating from his brother Makhanchand (Arbaaz Khan) and step father Prajapati (Vinod Khanna). Chulbul is also at loggerheads with Chedi Singh played by Sonu Sood. To add some meetha to this masala mix, walks in Rajjo (Sonakshi Sinha) to steal Chulbul's heart. While the plot is nothing new, its the little details that make this movie special. Chedi carries with him in his entourage a photographer, to capture his exploits! Chulbul manages to a dance sequence while bashing goons to a pulp! and yes, Sallu's bhabhi; the sizzling Malaika drops in to gyrate for the new national anthem.."Munni Badnaam"!

Bhala Mera cleavage, aapke cleavage se zyada kaise??

What Doesn't: The plot is old wine, in an older bottle, and actors such as Anupam Kher, Om Puri and Mahi Gill are wasted in slightly incosequential roles. But hey, I am just nitpicking here!

Verdict: Dabangg, rises over the maar-dhaad movies of yore due to one factor, and one factor alone: SALMAN KHAN! Sallu who previously portrayed the muscled buffoon in movies such as Wanted takes Chulbul Pandey a step further, from his tongue in cheek dailogue to his rippling muscles, he brings to screen a character worth remembering for a long time ( seriously in the recent past, after Munnabhai, which other Bollywood character is worth remembering?). The over the top action sequences ( apparently as much time was spent shooting them as a regular movie) and the pulsating movie add to this maar-dhaad-pyaar-vyaar-khichdi! Southern India always acclaimed Rajni as the king of the over the top films, where the hero performs superhuman stunts, passes ribald dialogue and has a laugh with the audience in doing so; with Dabangg, Bollywood has a Rajni of its own!! Critics always complained about Salman's lack of acting skills that put him notches below the acclaimed Aamir Khan, with Dabangg, Salman proves to the world, he may not be much of an actor, but he is the STAR!!

extra frEeky: I have a feeling Dabangg 2 will be upon us soon!!