Archive for January 2012

Despite a worthy fact-based story and obvious good intentions, Red Tails suffers from one-dimensional characters, corny dialogue, and heaps of clichés.....Read Full Review

Entertainment Weekly: By Owen Gleiberman 

Grade: B-

As long as it stays in the air, Red Tails is a compelling sky-war pageant of a movie. On the ground, it's a far shakier experience: dutiful and prosaic, with thinly scripted episodes that don't add up to a satisfying story.....Read Full Review

Substitute 1940s fighters for spaceships, move them closer to Earth, and you have the audience appeal of this movie......Read Full Review

The New York Times: By Stephen Holden 

Rating: 3/5 (Readers)

The movie’s most exciting moments are its heavily computer-generated aerial battle sequences. The movie is very blunt about racism, which extends from the top down. The mostly happy ending is as satisfying as a snack of milk and cookies after a ninth grade softball game.....Read Full Review

The actors fly, but Red Tails never soars. If virtue was the sole or primary criterion for judging a movie’s worth, then Red Tails would score an easy four stars. Virtue aside, however, Red Tails is a lousy film. Not wincingly bad, mind you, just mediocre.....Read Full Review

'Red Tails' biopic doesn't reach heights of WWII unit. The Tuskegee Airmen were serious heroes, on a number of levels. They deserve a serious movie. "Red Tails" is not that movie.....Read Full Review

Red Tails could get shot down as one of the biggest disappointments of 2012. With such an inspiring source story, a roster of talented actors, and one of the most profitable production companies backing the film, it’s genuinely hard to imagine where it all went wrong......Read Full Review

There's more vapid action and less story in Underworld Awakening than previous installments, making the whole affair feel inconsequential.....Read Full Review

Underworld Awakening has enough and more spellbinding action to keep you engaged. Frightening stunts and special effects are worth that theatre ticket.....Read Full Review

Kate Beckinsale is back in fighting and spandex form in the vampire-werewolves series. "Awakening" the best movie in the burgeoning "Underworld" franchise or the worst, depending, I suppose, on how deeply you value the series' previous strained attempts at myth-making.....Read Full Review

What’s Good: The action sequences; the visual and special effects; Kate Beckinsale’s performance.

What’s Bad: The lack of emotional connect between the audience and the film’s characters; the wafer-thin plot; the excessive violence and bloodshed that may put off some viewers.

Verdict: Underworld: Awakening is a good action fare that will do fair business in select multiplexes in the Indian cities.....Read Full Review

Alas, even the sight of Beckinsale in her black catsuit ceases to delight after a while, since most of Underworld: Awakening is shot in the dark, made all the more so by the damned 3-D glasses.....Read Full Review

Death is in vogue in Underworld: Awakening, but only insofar as it can be leveraged to shock and awe the desensitized living. The only thing that manages to outpace Underworld: Awakening's ineptitude is its utter soullessness, its nihilistic glamour amounting to little more than trendy feminism and lip service to maternal drive....Read Full Review

Watch the film if you've been a fan of the franchise, but be prepared for a lot of ho-hum moments between the actions sequences. And if slashing, biting and stabbing floats your boat, you might just end up enjoying this one. Sadly, my boat is still struggling to stay afloat.....Read Full Review

If you’re a fan of the first Underworld film, but thought the sequel (Evolution) and the prequel (Rise of the Lycans) were diminished efforts, you won’t find redemption in this fourth installment. However, if you’ve enjoyed all of the films for what they are, you’ll probably get a bit of enjoyment out of this one as well.....Read Full Review

Underworld: Awakening could have been head and shoulders better than the other entries in the series. Instead, it’s just marginally better, which to fans and action enthusiasts will probably be as fulfilling as watching a few Lycan throats get ripped out, MacGruber style....Read Full Review

Rotten Tomatoes: By Flixter 

Rating: 5.4/10

It's more entertaining than your average January action thriller, but that isn't enough to excuse Contraband's lack of originality and unnecessarily convoluted plot.....Read Full Review

Entertainment Weekly: By Owen Gleiberman 

Grade: B

If all of Contraband were that clever, it might have been an honorable entry in the action-heist genre. And the plot hangs on one too many blink-and-you'll-miss-'em coincidences. Yet Contraband, while often grungy and far-fetched, does keep you watching. And in January, that's recommendation enough.....Read Full eview 

Rolling Stone: By Peter Travers 

Rating: 2/4

Just the idea of Mark Wahlberg playing a smuggler unable to go straight sounds like a dream popcorn movie. Wahlberg could sleepwalk through this role, and does. See this movie and you'll surely follow his lead.....Read Full Review

The New York Times: By Manohla Dargis 

Rating: 3.5/5(Readers)

The absurdity of the story in the largely thrill-free thriller “Contraband,” its hairpin twists and outrageous coincidences, may keep even hungry action fans away. That’s too bad because the story doesn’t matter. (It rarely does.)....Read Full Review

The Detroit News: By Tom Long 

Grade: C+

Efficient, energetic Mark Wahlberg action flick 'Contraband' lacks character. Yes, "Contraband" comes off the factory floor with its engine running and ready to drive. But the ride feels overly familiar.....Read Full Review

The Globe And Mail: By Stephen Cole 

Rating: 2.5/4

Though it never quite has us by the lapels, the film is a solid, workmanlike action flick. Although one could argue it would go down better at home on a DVD with your feet up on the coffee table....Read Full Review

News Day: By Rafer Guzman 

Rating: 1.5/4

Substandard fare, with more moodiness than action and Wahlberg wasted in a do-nothing role....Read Full Review

Rotten Tomatoes: By Flixter

Rating: 8.2/10

Enchanting, sweepingly romantic, and featuring plenty of wonderful musical numbers, Beauty and the Beast is one of Disney's most elegant animated offerings.....Read Full Review

Entertainment Weekly: By Lisa Schwarzbaum 

Grade: B+

The 3-D version ''dimensionalizes'' the hand-drawn film to intensify the viewer's emotional responses, ideally without drawing attention to the visual jiggering involved. To this animation lover, the variation is more akin to colorization — making the movie something it inherently is not....Read Full Review

Fused Film: By Brett Nachman

If you’re going to the film expecting Gaston to hold out his flaming torch over the audience, then you will be sorely disappointed, but if you want to re-live the magic of the movie in the theatres once more, then Beauty and the Beast will fail to underwhelm. This is the rare “tale as old as time” that remains timeless to this day.....Read Full Review

Inside Pulse: By Jenny Rebekah 

Rating: 4/4

Beauty and the Beast is really a joy to see on the big screen again, and it’s just even more beautiful in 3D. Beauty and the Beast 3D is definitely worth the cost; seeing a Disney film on the big screen is an experience not to miss.

The Globe and Mail: By Jennie Punter 

Rating: 4/4

The 3-D pops out to enhance the drama or energy of scenes in which settings are large and integral to the action. Yet despite the splendid new visual presentation, the main attraction of Beauty and the Beast remains its smart, courageous heroine – a “take-charge kind of gal,”....Read Full Review

Slant Magazine: By Jaime N. Christley 

Rating: 1.5/4

Better remembered than seen. Mostly, though, it's just strikingly lousy work in almost every frame, to the point where you realize that, at that point in its timeline, Disney's dark days weren't yet fully in the rear-view mirror.....Read Full Review

To give the credit where it's due, CHAALIS CHAURAASI has an attention-grabbing premise and some truly wonderful scenes, but the writing lacks the energy and dynamism to keep you hooked. On the whole, CHAALIS CHAURAASI is inconsistent. It could've done with a better script!......Read Full review

The cast of Naseeruddin Shah, Kay Kay Menon, Atul Kulkarni, Ravi Kissen and Zakir Hussain is enough to carry this non descript drama of Chaalis Chaurasi to dramatic heights, carrying you through several unpredictable twists and turns that you rarely find in run-of-the-mill cinema. Go, enjoy a refreshing new genre of comedy.....Read Full Review

Hriday Shetty's latest release Chaalis Chauraasi doesn't offer anything drastically unconventional. Aiming at an over-the-top climax, the director only succeeds in prolonging the film with amateurish, badly executed action. Chaalis Chaurasi is a one-time watch for its stellar performances.....Read Full Review

'4084' establishes the fact that ultimately it's the story and the acting which make any film a good watch. An average thriller but good acting can make you stay throughout the film.....Read Full review

To sum up 4084 only adds up to be a forgettable experience and you feel cheated because the director has wasted a talented cast and missed a fantastic opportunity to create a film that would be paisa vasool. Give this one a miss for the sake of your sanity.....Read Full review

Chaalis Chaurasi is a dhamaal entertainer, with suspense and comedy thrown in at crucial moments to spice up the events that happen in one night. The ratings are for the screenplay, camaraderie between the four main characters, the plot which is smartly woven, the suspense and the right dose of comedy.....Read Full Review

What’s Good: The performances; a few comic scenes.

What’s Bad: The lack of superb comedy so necessary in a film like this; implausible plot because it rests on a weak foundation; its TV serial-like feel.

Verdict: Chaalis Chauraasi is a dull fare with only the performances of the actors as its real plus point. But that’s just not enough. Considering its budget, it will entail a big loss.....Read Full Review

On the whole, Chaalis Chaurasi is surely a one-time watch which promises to tickle your funny bone. Music, look of the film, screenplay are the weak points.....Read Full Review

Chaalis Chaurasi begins on a very interesting note portraying good camaraderie between the lead characters. The climax fight sequence looks utterly stupid and the makers have tried to put in all the necessary masala and so Chaalis Chaurasi despite of having a talented star cast fails to impress....Read Full Review

Bollywood Hungama: By Taran Adarsh 

Rating: 1.5/5

The problem with GHOST is that the scares are scarce, despite some twists and turns injected in the plotline. On the whole, the scares in GHOST are inadequate and ineffectual. One expected so much more from the scary movie.....Read Full Review

CNN IBN: By Rajeev Masand 

Rating: 0.5/5

No, it's utterly and entirely painful and tiring to sit through, because every inconsequential detail is repeated over and over again, and all that the characters in this film do is state the obvious. I'm going with a generous half out of five, yes half out of five for Ghost. Its a miracle films like this get made!....Read Full review

DNA: By Blessy Chettiar 

Rating: Gone with the ghost(0/5)

Ghost is so effective, it left this reviewer mentally scarred. Like most horror films, this is a revenge drama. And the ‘ghost’ is a wronged firang. If adventure is your thing, go on, have a good laugh but don’t complain you weren’t warned.....Read Full Review

Glamsham: By Martin D'Souza 

Rating: 1/5

This GHOST is a nuisance. The directors needs to learn the ABC of scripting before venturing into a horror story. What he does know is to keep the lighting low and make scary background sounds. This one is comical in its approach.....Read Full review

Dainik Bhaskar: By Daily Bhaskar 

Rating: 2/5

What seems like a simple story about deceit and revenge, turns out to be a pure example of stuffing myriad thoughts which distort the original script. Ghost is not recommended for those who don’t appreciate gross brutality on screen. Shiney Ahuja’s fans, who have been missing him won’t find anything spectacular to take home.....Read Full Review

SuperGoodMovies.com: By SuperGoodMovies 

Rating: 1/5

A comedy yet again as expected in the name of Horror, ‘Ghost’ is a complete non-entertainer. There is nothing that the film can boast about in its favour. The love story injected totally makes no sense and the director seems amateurish in her craft.....Read Full Review

CNN IBN: By Rajeev Masand 

Rating: 2.5/5

'Players' is a fast-paced khichdi. It's not all bad! This fast-paced khichdi of two previous 'Italian Job' movies and the director duo's own last film 'Race' has so much going on all at once that you're left with little time to dwell on the gaping plot holes, the laughable dialogue, and the wooden performances.....Read Full Review

Bollywood Hungama: By Taran Adarsh 

Rating: 2/5

On the whole, PLAYERS rides mainly on the clout of its credible director duo [Abbas-Mustan], daredevil stunts and stunning visuals. But, most importantly, it is deficient of a captivating screenplay. Also, the film could have done with judicious trimming for an enhanced impact. I for one went in with colossal expectations, but came out feeling downcast and disheartened.....Read Full Review

Times of india: By Nikhat Kazmi 

Rating: 3.5/5

Italian Job has been entertaining its viewers as amongst Hollywood's most fascinating thriller films. Can you expect something like this from our desi Players, a supposedly Indian vision of the Italian Job? Indian filmmakers, do pick up classics, but first, get a bit classic yourself and learn about cult film making which is so much different from commercial cinema. You'll find the difference.....Read Full Review

Rediff: By Sukanya Verma 

Rating: 2/5

Players is lacklustre and unimaginative. Director duo Abbas-Mustan stick to their set formula and staid sensibilities to helm Players -- a badly-botched up mess.....Read Full Review

Yahoo! Movies: By Kunal Guha 

Rating: Game Over

Desi versions of Hollywood thrillers are like ‘first copy’ bootlegs from Thailand. They initially look approximately the same but later the threads begin to wriggle out. So looking grim is a ritual observed throughout the audience. Remake of Italian Job Players is definitely a job taken not so seriously.....Read Full Review

Indian Express: By Shubhra Gupta 

Rating: 1.5/5

'Players’ comes off as a dismal first for Abbas-Mustan, with a flat script, flatter action scenes, and the flattest bunch of actors, all milling about in one film. Characters with loose morals, women with too-tight, too-few clothes, item numbers where the twain twine. But the sharpness, the badass-ness, and the fun is missing.....Read Full Review

NDTV: By Piyali Dasgupta 

Rating: 3/5

Players, the official remake of Hollywood’s heist flick The Italian Job (itself a remake of a British caper film of the same name) is no frame-by-frame copy. There’s enough desi masala to make it an entertaining action flick.Players ends up as a fun weekend flick, especially for action buffs.....Read Full Review

DNA: By Soumyadipta Banerjee 

Rating: 2/5

Well, Abbas-Mustan are those students who indeed copy from a topper, and still manage to fail. The duo would have been better off making their own original film. Because when you've watched the original, there are some expectations, and Players fails to even deliver a decent Bollywood version of the original......Read Full Review

Bollywoodlife.com: By Prathamesh Jadhav 

Thumbs: down

All set to lose the game. Abbas-Mustan’s mega action-thriller Players, unlike their previous outing Race, doesn’t have many twists and turns initially but once they start spilling there’s no stopping them, turning an already boring film into a laughable and cringe-worthy affair.....Read Full Review

Koimoi: By Komal Nahta 

Rating: 1/5

What’s Good: The train robbery sequence; some comedy in the second half; Omi Vaidya and Neil Nitin Mukesh’s acting.

What’s Bad: The loose and uninteresting screenplay; the poor music; the dull acting of Abhishek, Sonam and Bobby.

Verdict: All that glitters is not gold. This gold rush adventure will not see people rushing to the cinemas.....Read Full Review

Dainik Bhaskar: By dailybhaskar.com 

Rating: 3/5

Direction by Abbas-Mustan, cinematography and an edgy plotline are the strong points. Music, dialogues and performances (besides Bipasha and Neil's performance) are the weak points.

On the whole, Players is not flawless, but can be surely given a shot.....Read Full Review

Rotten Tomatoes: By Flixter 

Rating: 6.1/10

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows is a good yarn thanks to its well-matched leading men but overall stumbles duplicating the well-oiled thrills of the original.....Read Full Review

Entertainment Weekly: By Owen Gleiberman 

Grade: B-

The movie's perversely cheeky design is that it throws away its own cleverness. Director Guy Ritchie loves whooshy, rapid-fire speed shifts, and uses them for hypnotic sequences.....Read Full Review

Times of India: By Nikhat Kazmi 

Rating: 3.5/5

The film is a relentless action experience which gives enough to adrenaline hunters to get an overdose. Other than that is the atmospherics of the film that are admirable. But Too much action, infact it seems there is only action.....Read Full Review

The New York Times: By A. O. Scott 

Rating: 3/5 (Readers)

Poor Sherlock. He is so desperate for attention, so needy — perhaps because of the competition from the likes of Tom Cruise and Tintin — that you are likely to reach the point of exasperation long before Watson does.....Read Full Review

Rediff: By Raja Sen 

Rating: 4/5

Ideal holiday entertainment. This film has nothing whatsoever to do with the Sherlock Holmes character or the books, no matter how clumsily it tries to make Reichenbach Falls jokes. As self-indulgent rolls-in-the-hay go, it's a fair bit of fun.....Read Full Review

CNN: By Tom Charity 

Thumbs: up 

This Holmes is more likely to get physical than his predecessors, he's even a bit of a boor, but he's still a more cerebral action hero than we find in most blockbusters. No matter the movie has more than its share of good gags "Game of Shadows" is at least as much fun as its predecessor.....Read Full Review

Koimoi: By Roshni Devi 

Rating: 2/5

What’s Good: The engaging action scenes; the scenes of one-upmanship between Robert Downey, Jr. and Jared Harris; the cinematography; the dialogues.

What’s Bad: The confusing plot and the story which seems to stretch a bit, both towards the end.

Verdict: Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows is a fair entertainer which will do good business....Read Full Review

Rolling Stone: By Peter Travers 

Rating: 2/4

Director Guy Ritchie has done it again. He's wasted Robert Downey Jr. – an actor with the perfect verbal dexterity to play Sherlock Holmes. 2009's Sherlock Holmes was lousy, but it was also a big hit. So the sequel, A Game of Shadows, is more of the stupid same.....Read Full Review

Rotten Tomatoes: By Flixter

Rating: 7.6/10

Stylish, fast-paced, and loaded with gripping set pieces, the fourth Mission: Impossible is big-budget popcorn entertainment that really works......Read Full Review

Entertainment Weekly: By Owen Gleiberman

Grade: A

 Tom Cruise makes his way across the surface of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai — the world's tallest skyscraper — while clinging to the building's glass panels with a pair of electrified adhesive gloves.....Read Full Review

Times of India: By Nikhat Kazmi

Rating: 4/5

The film is essentially a relentless roller-coaster ride that doesn't give you a moment to sit back and keeps the adrenalin pumping to dizzy heights......Read Full Review

The New York Times: By Manohla Dargis

Rating: 4/5(Readers)

What makes Tom Cruise run — run harder and run faster, leaping from one building and dangling off another, the world’s tallest — as he does to exhausting, unnerving effect in “Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol”.....Read Full Review

Rolling Stone: By Peter Travers

Rating: 3.5/4

If someone asks you what a true movie star is, point to Cruise. He has it all. And he's found an ideal collaborator in Bird. You leave Mission: Impossible–Ghost Protocol thinking that these guys can do anything.....Read Full Review

Rediff: By Sukanya Verma

Rating: 3/5

Director Brad Bird, for most part, lends Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol a sense of splendid urgency with fast-moving impulses and ambitious set pieces but lacks the smarts to wholly approve....Read Full Review

CNN IBN: By Rajeev Masand

Rating: 3.5/5

'Ghost Protocol' is easily the most enjoyable of the four Mission Impossible movies, not least because it borrows the best elements of each of the previous films and fuses them to create a fast-paced, clever, and – believe it or not – humorous adventure.....Read Full Review

Koimoi: By Mrigank Dhaniwala

Rating: 2/5

What’s Good: A few action and stunt sequences; the performances of Tom Cruise and Simon Pegg; the scale of the film.

What’s Bad: The lacklustre script; the slow pace of the drama.

Verdict: Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol is an average fare but.....Read Full Review

NDTV: By Daniel Pinto

Rating: 3/5

Luckily for Tom Cruise, Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocolis one of his finest action flicks, just what's needed to potentially restore some of this fallen star's box-office bankability. Bird does it so well, you don't really care how impossible it all is.....Read Full Review