Tag Archives: Naperville Sun

Movie Review: Sarkar Raj (2008)

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Zero Stars (out of 4)

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The considerable acting talents of Bollywood’s royal family, the Bachchans (Abhishek, wife Aishwarya Rai, and father Amitabh), are wasted in Sarkar Raj, a sequel to the 2005 gangster flick Sarkar. Absent a compelling script, director Ram Gopal Varma has to alert the audience when anything of even minor significance happens, using absurdly dramatic music and close-up shots of the actors’ most mundane reactions. Varma’s homage to The Godfather is as subtle as a horse head in your bed.

This review originally appeared in The Naperville Sun on June 12, 2008

Movie Review: Rock On!! (2008)

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3.5 Stars (out of 4)

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Ten years ago, the rock band Magik broke up as they were on the brink of stardom. After moving on with their lives, the band members reunite for a second chance at glory. Rock On!! thoughtfully explores the compromises people make in the name of security and family — and the danger of giving up on your dreams. Anyone who ever left a band for a “real job” will appreciate this film. The music’s good, too.

Rated PG; 150 minutes

This review originally appeared in The Naperville Sun on September 4, 2008

Movie Review: Bachna Ae Haseeno (2008)

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4 Stars (out of 4)

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Serial heartbreaker Raj (Ranbir Kapoor) gets a taste of his own medicine when he falls for Gayatri (Deepika Padukone), a beautiful, independent woman who’s not ready to settle down. The cast members, including Minissha Lamba and Bipasha Basu as Raj’s jilted ex-girlfriends, give authentic emotional performances in a romantic comedy that draws from classic Bollywood love stories and more recent Hollywood films. Stunning locations, lavish dance numbers, and a charming story help make Bachna Ae Haseeno the most polished movie to come out of India this year.

No Rating; 152 minutes

This review originally appeared in The Naperville Sun on August 21, 2008

Movie Review: Singh Is Kinng (2008)

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2 Stars (out of 4)

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There’s nothing subtle about this romantic comedy. Akshay Kumar overacts as a clumsy villager impersonating a mafia don impersonating a servant, as part of a convoluted plot to reunite the real don with his family. Gun fights and chase scenes are loud and frequent, but not very exciting. The film’s highlight is a music video featuring rapper Snoop Dogg, who gives a shout out to “the ladies hangin’ out in Mumbai” during the closing credits.

No Rating (violence); 135 minutes

This review originally appeared in The Naperville Sun on August 14, 2008

Movie Review: Bhoothnath (2008)

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2 Stars (out of 4)

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Part supernatural family comedy and part melodrama, Bhoothnath unsuccessfully tries to appeal to everyone. In the amusing first half, a young boy named Banku befriends a ghost named Nath, played by Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan. A schoolyard showdown reminiscent of Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” video is particularly entertaining. The second half drags, as the ghost’s backstory becomes a bizarre parable warning adult children of the dire consequences of moving away from their childhood homes.

No Rating; 136 minutes

This review originally appeared in The Naperville Sun on May 15, 2008

Movie Review: Tashan (2008)

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3 Stars (out of 4)

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When a mobster (Anil Kapoor) hires call-center operator Jimmy Cliff (Saif Ali Khan) as an English tutor, Jimmy gets into trouble and winds up on a wacky road-trip with a beautiful thief (Kareena Kapoor) and a sneering thug. Akshay Kumar is hilarious as the thug who resents Jimmy, a man frequently praised for speaking “just like George Bush.” Tashan‘s jokes, many of which are in English, are funny and make up for the clumsy action sequences.

No Rating (violence, language); 148 minutes

This review originally appeared in The Naperville Sun on May 1, 2008

Movie Review: Krazzy 4 (2008)

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0.5 Star (out of 4)

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In this humorless remake of the 1989 Michael Keaton comedy, The Dream Team, four mental patients on an excursion in Mumbai must fend for themselves, after their doctor is kidnapped. Every character is a stereotype, and the violent main character, Raja, is totally unsympathetic. American audiences may not understand the film’s many jokes that rely on knowledge of famous figures from the Indian independence movement. And Krazzy 4‘s other gags just aren’t funny.

No Rating (violence, language); 130 minutes

This review originally appeared in The Naperville Sun on April 18, 2008

Movie Review: U Me Aur Hum (2008)

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3.5 Stars (out of 4)

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U Me Aur Hum feels like two movies in one. The first half is an amusing romantic comedy about a couple falling in love on a cruise ship. What follows is a heartbreaking drama about the responsibilities that come with love. The sophisticated storytelling is emotionally effective, and the film’s star, Ajay Devgan, succeeds in his first attempt at writing and directing. His co-star (and real-life wife), Kajol, is the best actress Bollywood has to offer.

No rating; 150 minutes

This review originally appeared in The Naperville Sun on April 18, 2008

Movie Review: Race (2008)

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1.5 Stars (out of 4)

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Saif Ali Khan and Akshaye Khanna play two brothers vying for an inheritance who try to kill each other in complicated ways that ignore both logic and physics. The plot twists are ridiculous, and their retroactive explanations are even worse. The stunts are more laughable than exciting, as when one character bungee jumps into a moving car. Not even Anil Kapoor’s humorous portrayal of a quirky, fruit-eating detective can save Race. Given how detestable both brothers are, it hardly matters which survives.

No Rating (language, violence); 154 minutes

This review originally appeared in The Naperville Sun on March 28, 2008

Movie Review: Jodhaa Akbar (2008)

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3.5 Stars (out of 4)

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The controversial marriage of 16th-century Mughal emperor Jalaluddin (Hrithik Roshan) to Hindu princess Jodhaa (Aishwarya Rai) exposes the deep division between the Indian populace and its Muslim conquerors. Director Ashutosh Gowariker devotes equal time to the empire’s political intrigue and the love story of Jodhaa and Jalaluddin, justifying the movie’s long run time. Jodhaa Akbar is gorgeous, and hundreds of real actors give its battle scenes more authenticity than today’s CGI-heavy Hollywood epics.

No rating (violence); 193 minutes

This review originally appeared in The Naperville Sun on February 22, 2008