Book Review: Rider

This is one of the few Romantic or rather erotic fiction stories I have read. I chanced upon this book while playing with the Kindle app on my smartphone and it was free, and related to my favorite topic - motorcycles so decided to read it.

The book tells the story of a former marine (Fang aka ) who has returned wounded and physically broken from Afghanistan. Doctors at the VA are unable to provide him adequate pain relief with prescription drugs which sends him into the world of illegal drugs and into addiction. As he gets deeper and deeper into addiction he also gets entrenched into a motorcycle gang - The Damned. The only difference between this 1% motorcycle club and other outlaws is that this is an organization of ex-military people.

At some point Fang comes to realize the futility of addiction and living the biker life and decides to become a FBI informer. Things start heating up when an actual FBI agent, pretty Claire Powell is assigned as his partner to take down the drug dealing outlaw motorcycle gang that Fang is part of. Not only Claire is stunningly beautiful and sexy, she is also Fang's late friend Greg's wife. Even though Claire and Fang are drawn to each other they are both unsure of where this operation will lead them to. The rest of the book deals with some explicitly smoking hot sex and how the villain "Fatman" is taken down by FBI.

Author Helen Lucas has written a gripping, fast paced, and highly erotic tale of two wounded people, but the lack of attention to spelling and grammar comes as a surprise and in places shock. According to the biography page on Amazon, Lucas is a High School English teacher who writes "trashy books for classy people". I would definitely expect better quality of proof reading and editing from an English teacher or maybe in the era of mobile phones and texting, anything goes so long as the content is gripping enough to hold the reader from cover to cover.

This book is a easy and quick read. I was able to finish it in one sitting over couple of hours on my cellphone as I waited for my car get serviced. If you have some waiting to do in the doctors office or at the car repair place it may not be a bad idea to read this book. Be warned though, parts of this book is heavily punctuated by erotica and may leave you wanting to jump into bed with your significant other for a passionate love making session.

Movie Review : A Walk in the Woods

Image Source: Wikipedia

The great outdoors have been my passion since childhood and hence when this movie was released I naturally wanted to see it. This movie is about two senior citizens (men) attempting to hike the 2,000 mile plus long Appalachian Trail. The story starts with famous travel writer Bill Bryson (Robert Redford) being interviewed on TV once again.

He comes home and is informed of a funeral of one of his peers. He is a successful published writer with a great wife Cathy (Emma Thompson) and grandchildren who have come of age. He feels this void in life... something like a senior life crises. It makes him decide to embark on a one-in-a-lifetime hiking trip across the Appalachian. He shares the idea with his wife and children and is met with shock and surprise. They all try to dissuade him but he is persistent. Bill asks his son to help him shop for gear and of course they go to America's best outdoor store REI, where he outfits himself for the hike. As he continues preparations his wife realizing the futility of her attempts to dissuade him agrees to let him go only if he is accompanied by someone. He asks every one of his friends and contacts, most of them tell him that he is crazy to even think about such an adventure. Either his friends are not healthy enough or willing to join him on his odyssey.

Unexpectedly Bill gets a call from a long-lost friend Katz (Nick Nolte) who wants to accompany him on the trail. Even though he has his reservations about going with Katz, Bill is forced to agree simply because nobody else has expressed interest in the journey. Katz on the other hand is going on this trip to escape prison, and experience another adventure before he dies. Unlike Bill, Katz does not have any savings, career, retirement or family. As they progress on their sojourn they discover more about each other and learn to accept their flaws and idiosyncrasies.

The rest of the movie showcases the spectacular natural beauty of the Appalachian Trail and demonstrates to the world that despite all the modern advancement and development, there are parts of America that still host pristine natural beauty. There are few places in this world that offer such natural beauty. This movie is definitely worth watching at least once and for the fans of the Appalachian Trail, Nick Nolte or Robert Redford, it may be worth watching several times.

Movie Review: The Martian

Image Courtesy: Dankslate

America and China dominate Mars Exploration and Colonization

There are three predominant messages the producers seem to disseminate to the movie watchers:
1. America has colonized Mars and the red planet is their territory now!
2. American astronauts are not only brilliant space engineers but also agriculture experts and can grow potatoes in Martian soil with human feces.
3. China has better space technology than NASA

The movie starts off with an American Mars mission collecting specimens on the red planet. A mega storm hits them and in the process of evacuation they leave one of the astronauts (played by Matt Damon) behind thinking he is dead. But of course American heroes are immortal and nothing can kill them, be it a storm in Mars or a breached suit in outer space!

The protagonist of the movie goes through a variety of emotions, despair, anger, pain, and finally arrives at a resolve to live. Conveniently the man left behind in Mars is a botanist, so he decides to grow his own food and converts the space station into a green house, uses his own feces as manure with Martian soil and voila has a crop of potatoes.

He persists in his efforts to get in touch with earth and finally NASA decides to launch a mission to rescue him. But it takes 4 years for anyone to reach Mars from earth and our man doesn't have enough supplies to last him those many days. Meanwhile NASA attempts a mission to restock him with food which of course fails and that is when Chinese step in. They offer to give America their technology which will speed up the rockets and enable them to rescue the hero.

The rest of the story is how it is accomplished and how Matt Damon finally arrives back to earth and continues teaching budding astronauts. It is a novel concept and a good movie, but I wouldn't watch it twice.

Movie Review: Sky Fall

The latest Bond movie is an action film without the usual glitz, glamor, and gadgetry that is associated with this genre of movies. Sky fall is about an attack on the espionage headquarters of England. Sky Fall starts off with the British espionage agency's computer system getting hacked and a list of under cover agents who have infiltrated terrorist organizations is lost. Bond is in search of this list and the first part of the movie is perhaps the best. The chase involves a high speed automobile pursuit and then a motorcycle chase which ends on top of a train.

The chief of M6 gives an order to shoot to Bond's associate. Expectedly the shot hits Bond instead of the actual culprit. Bond goes underground in shock and is declared dead. Three months later the list is published on the internet and the terrorist organizations start killing the spies. Meanwhile there is an attack on the intelligence headquarters also.
Bond returns to London and reports to duty. His investigations take him to Shanghai and then to a private island where he discovers who the real culprit is. The rest of the movie is about how the culprit is subdued and eliminated.

Like I said earlier the best part of the movie is the chase sequence at the beginning. Surprisingly for a Bond movie there are very few titillating and sexually charged scenes in this movie. This James Bond actor is perhaps the least handsome of all. I wonder why British film industry couldn't find a better actor. Anyway this is what it will be for the next few years I guess.

Movie Review: Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter

Cover of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

This is one of the most outlandish movies I have ever seen - seriously the story and screenplay is much much more far fetched and unrealistic than any Hindi or even Kannada movie I have seen. The story features the growth of Abraham Lincoln, former president of America credited with the emancipation of slaves.

Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter starts off with young Abe witnessing his mother being killed by a vampire. He is constantly afraid of the dark and wants vengeance. What he doesn't know that the individual who killed his mother is a vampire. Anyway fast forward into youth, Lincoln goes after the killer and gets hurt. In the process he meets with Henry who becomes his guide, mentor and trainer in vampire hunting.

The rest of the story progresses with Lincoln's moving to Illnois and starting career as a lawyer while killing vampires for a hobby during the nights.

I think this movie has been made/ funded by some southerner who wants to redeem the image of pre-civil war plantation owners as kind, compassionate people. They want the audience to believe that those who meted out atrocities against Black people and Native Americans were not European white immigrants but the vampires. A spirited fictional effort which I sure hope doesn't become history.

In terms of entertainment value I'd give it a three stars on a five star rating.

Movie Review: Universal Soldier

I watched this movie just because it is one of Van Damme's action flicks and it was freely available on Youtube. I was definitely not disappointed. This movie is a modern version of Frankenstein, only here the scientist is resuscitating dead male soldiers. The resuscitated soldiers are technologically prepared to feel no pain, obey orders and destroy anything or kill anyone that comes in its way.

Of course the scientist begins to work for the terrorist boss after the government decides to scrap the project. The terrorist organization kidnaps the children of Russian prime minister and set forth a series of usual demands like release of their comrades, money, freedom for a particular region, etc. The government decides to wake up their own Frankensteins and deploy them against the super killer war machine the enemy has.

Now enter the hero into the picture. Van Damme is one such humanoid that the scientists are trying hard to reintroduce into society by training him to think and feel. He is taken back to the military lab and programmed to fight. Then follows the sequence of events that include excellently well staged fights, depicting lots of blood, gore, stunts and explosions.

It is definitely worth watching if you are an action movie fan.

English Movie Review: Death Warrant

I had watched the Hindi Remake of this movie starring Bollywood action hero Suniel Shetty - Vinashak (1998), but at that time I didn't know this little detail. Anyway Death Warrant starring Jean Calude Van Damme is one heck of an action-crime movie set totally in the prison of Canada. Detective Louis Burke is a very successful undercover cop who solves all the cases he is assigned to. He is now requested by the chief of police and the judge to investigate the deaths of several inmates and guards in a prison in a different part of Canada. The modus operandi would be to get arrested as a common armed robber and infiltrate the prison gangs and find out exactly what is going on. Amanda Beckett (Cynthia Gibb) is the liaison between him and the justice department.

Things take an ugly turn once inside the prison, Burke is targeted by the gangsters for death. He discovers some ugly truths in the prison system. A human organ smuggling gang is operating inside the prison, the doctor, warden and several of the guards are involved. The boss of the whole operation is someone else in civil life and is discovered at the end.

The Hindi movie Vinashak is pretty much a frame-by-frame remake of this movie except for the fact that there is a liberal dose of drama thrown in. Few songs featuring the otherwise role-less female co-star in skimpy clothes, gyrating to the tunes, then a rape scene where the hero's sister gets killed and so on.

In my opinion each of the movie was appropriately made for the respective audiences. I can't say one is better than the other because the specific action sequences in both movies have been well executed. As far as a straight forward plot with fast moving storyline is concerned the English movie is the winner. As far as real entertainment, drama, music and a decent pace of the movie are concerned the Hindi movie scores.

Movie Review: Hero Wanted

What happens when a trash truck driver falls madly in love with a beautiful bank teller? Is able to muster up the courage to go and talk to her? Or will he pull some stupid stunt and cause a whole bunch of trouble?

That is the story of this movie I watched on Youtube. Cuba Gooding plays the role of Liam Case a trash truck driver who has recently lost his pregnant wife in an accident. One day Case is on his lunch break mulling over wife's memory he witnesses an accident in which a little girl is trapped inside a burning car. He jumps in and rescues the girl and becomes an instant Hero.

Case is madly infatuated with a bank teller and he devises a complicated plan to win her affection. He requests his friend to cause some trouble in the bank and he would scare him away and become a hero in front of her. This would help him win her affection and thus get his stable life back. Things go wrong, Case is double crossed and in the scuffle few people get hurt including the love of his life. An enraged Case starts taking revenge by eliminating the four people who were involved in the robbery.

What happens is the rest of the story. Is Case successful in getting his revenge? Will he win the love of his life? Will he get his life back in control? Watch the movie to know more. It is available free on Youtube.

Hindi Movie Review: Karma

This movie starring Jackie Shroff, Anil Kapoor and Naseeruddin Shah was released in 1986 and was a moderate hit at that time. The movie follows the theme of the legendary movie Sholay. Dilip Kumar plays the role of a compassionate jailer, Anupam Kher plays notorious terrorist commander Dr. Deng who gets arrested and placed the former's jail. In one of the interactions Dilip Kumar slaps Dr. Deng and earns his enemity. An angry Dr. Deng organizes his terrorist group and massacres the entire jail residents and Dilip Kumar's family.

In response Dilip Kumar decides to take revenge and he picks up three convicts in jail and trains them into fighting machines. Together they destroy Dr. Deng's empire and camps and eliminate him. Thus eliminating all the threats to India. This is one of the formula movies of Bollywood. Three heroes, two heroines, a villain and supporting actor. Five songs, couple of attempted rape scenes, etc. It is worth watching once and does definitely inflame passions for the country.

Hindi Movie Review: Haqeekat

Haqeekat, starring Ajay Devgan, and Tabbu in the lead role with Amrish Puri, Johnny Lever and a group of villain actors is one of those typical bollywood potboilers. Shiva (Ajay Devgan) is an orphan who owes his gratitude to the local underworld don for having raised him. The Don is assigned the task of eliminating the Chief minister of the state by his competitor and quite expectedly Shiva is asked to execute it. Things go wrong and the Chief Minister survives and police start searching for Shiva.

Fearing for his life his boss sends him off to Mumbai and tells him that he will be known as Ajay in future. The actual story begins here. Ajay starts living in Mrs. David's home as a paying guest. Tabbu lives in the same apartment and one day some local hooligans attempt to rape her. Ajay saves her from them and love blossoms between the two. Later it is revealed that Tabbu is a widow and her sister-in-law prevents her from meeting Ajay. Amrish Puri the assistant commissioner of police intervenes and marries the love birds.

Ajay decides to go straight and give up the life of crime and opens up a car garage. Just when things seem to be settling down his past catches up with him. His former boss comes looking for him and asks him to return to the underworld. Ajay refuses and says he is now turned a new leaf and doesn't want a life of crime. His boss reveals that Ajay is the one responsible for the death of Tabbu's first husband and this leads to marital discord.

The next turn of events make the bulk of the story and it involves another attempt to assassinate the chief minister. How Ajay successfully eliminates his enemies and regains his love is interesting to watch. There are many loopholes in the story but that is quite expected I guess, it is after all movie showbiz.

It is worth watching once if you are an Ajay Devgan fan... I love the scene when Amrish Puri refuses to accept a bribe from the local politician. That is by far one of the best scenes in the movie.

Movie Review: The Eight Legged Freaks

Image via Wikipedia

I had watched part of this movie several years ago in India and had forgotten about it. Out of the blue I somehow remembered the movie about larger than life spiders and searched for it on Youtube and found it. So now I can say that I have watched the complete movie The Eight Legged Freaks.

The movie takes places in a small mining town in American heartland.  A chemical spill leads the local creek getting polluted. Close at hand is the home-cum-laboratory of spider researcher Mike. The spiders consume insects from the creek, caught by mike and grow into disproportionate sizes. They first eat the scientist himself and start attacking life in the town. Cats, dogs, chicken and other small animals begin to disappear and the people of the town are perplexed. One day the phone lines go dead and the spiders attack the town killing and eating everything moving people, cattle, even cars. Nothing and no one is spared.

How the town reacts and how they get over the spider menace forms the rest of the story. There are small sidelines which deal with the deputy sheriff's family. How her teenage daughter and geeky young son handle the situation. Her estranged lover returns and they how they make up and get together again. There are some interesting off road motorcycle riding scenes. It is definitely worth watching and a completely family movie at that.

Movie Review: Fatal Desire

What happens when a beautiful woman is stalked by two men, one handsome and reckless, another creative, and business savvy? Who does she choose to be with? What is the outcome of such a love triangle? Is there really love or just plain convenience and lust? These are the questions that come to one's mind when you watch this movie. Directed by Roberto Schlosser, Fatal Desire is a 100-minute romantic thriller with a dash of erotica, starring Wendy Guess (Sue), Pierre Perea (Rick) and Jordan Williams (Ben).

Ben is a movie producer on whose sets a stuntwoman is killed on sets and he is facing charges of negligence. Ben has other problems, his trophy wife Sue - beautiful and sexy - is having an affair. Ben sets a private detective to follow her and get evidence. Meanwhile Rick the man who Sue is cheating with devises a plan to eliminate Ben and make it look like an accident. This way their obstacles will be cleared and they also get to collect the $2 million Ben's life insurance money. Initially hesitant, Sue agrees and the duo execute the plan. Something goes horribly wrong and Sue is being stalked by a stranger on a big motorcycle.

The end of the movie is quite surprising and goes on to show how a manipulative, and beautiful woman can get away with everything and emerge winner. I'd recommend this movie to adults and older teens. It is definitely not a family movie.

Kannada Movie Review: Indra

I have started watching Kannada movies only after moving to the US. I could say that I started watching movies itself after moving here, because when I was in India every minute of my free time was spent reading about adventure travel or participating in outdoor activities. So my movie reviews may not come across as professional but just the opinion of viewers.

Indra features Darshan and Namitha in lead roles and it is the story of an educated individual who would have given up his white collar career to become a rowdy following the brutal killing of his entire family. The movie starts off with the killing of an industrialist in Mumbai close to the Gateway of India and immediately scene shifts to the Agrahara (Brahmin's colony) in SriRangapatna town in Karnataka. Indra (Darshan) is the focus in both settings. In Mumbai he is the killer and in SriRangapatna he comes to Rama Shastri's home seeking employment as a clerk in the temple.

Indra's good nature and silent demeanor captures the hearts of Rama Shastri's family members and the neighbors. Time passes on and one day Indra hears about the release of rowdy sheeter Cat Rama from the jail. This becomes the turning point of the movie when Indra murders Cat Rama in cold blood in full view of Rama Shastri. Then there is a dramatic scene in front of the Shastri residence when Indra's background is explained and shown as flash back.

The rest of the movie is how Indra eliminates all the bad elements of the state and emerges victorious. The movie deserves one time viewing and nothing more. There is no role for the heroine, her role could have as well been eliminated. Songs are totally unnecessary in this movie. The movie can be watched with family except small children who would be better off without watching all that blood and gore.

Movie Review: Bad Reputation

High School is the age when children are undergoing transformation into adults. This is the time when students indulge in lots of reckless behavior, sexual experimentation, rebellious outbursts, etc. In the United States the High School years are held in high esteem by most people. While most people come out of high school happy and hopeful, a few unfortunate individuals suffer the brunt of bullying, exploitation, date rapes, etc and are damaged for life. The movie Bad Reputation is the story of one such girl who is wronged and branded as the 'high school slut' by peers. She embraces the Bad Reputation, transforms herself into a flirty, bold dressing individual and takes revenge on those who had wronged her.

Meet Michelle, a shy high school student who has been a nobody at her school. One day the most popular guy in school, Aaron invites her to a party at his home. She attends the party where the host Aaron is attracted by her looks. He gets her completely drunk and takes her to his room in a weakened state and rapes her. His friends Jake and Steve help him in holding her down and guarding the door. Michelle passes out and the when she comes to she is tied up to a tree in the yard and everyone is calling her a slut who slept with the three guys. Aaron's girlfriend is specially mad at Michelle for attempting to steal her boyfriend.

The next day when Michelle gets to school there is graffiti all over calling her a slut and all kinds of demeaning names. She goes to the school counsellor in a bid to get some support, but he makes a pass at her too. Michelle's depression makes her mad and she decides to embrace her new found Bad Reputation and take revenge on the people who destroyed her life.

This is not a family movie, definitely not for children under 15, at the same time a must watch for parents and high school kids. The movie convey's a social message about high school and how things go very very wrong when alcohol, and drugs are involved in unrestrained parties.

Movie Review: Caught Up!

B-Grade Hollywood Action Movie
 
Caught up is a movie about how one can get stuck and fall into bad times even when the intentions are good. This is the story of Daryl Allen, a former drug peddler who is out of jail, living with mom. He has decided to go straight and do everything legal from now on. He comes to know that his girlfriend is pregnant with his child which makes him all the more motivated to turn a new leaf.
 
He wants to start a classy club and run an honest business. He is short of money, his friend who is still in drug peddling business promises to help him and asks him to drive to the bank so he can withdraw the money. Daryl believes him and they head to the bank. The friend steps in to get the money while Daryl relaxes in the car. The next thing we see is a lot of shooting and Daryl's friend comes running with the money chased by the bank's security guard. Quite predictably there is a car chase which ends in his friend getting killed and Daryl being arrested for bank robbery. He is sentenced to 5 years in jail.
 
when Daryl gets out of jail after 5 years. things have changed. His mother has passed on, his girlfriend has moved on and married someone, and much as he tries he can't find a job. On top of all this there the probationary officer breathing down his neck, keeping track of everything he is doing. Meanwhile Daryl bumps into Vanessa, a look-alike of his former girlfriend and gets attracted to her. As he is leaving he coffee shop with Vanessa a gunman shoots at them and Daryl is scared. He thinks it is someone after Vanessa and confronts her for the truth. She says it is her former boyfriend how is psychotic and she is out of the relationship.
 
Vanessa helps Daryl find a job as a limousine driver with one of her friends. The limo service is a shady operation which offers high-priced taxi service for people to exchange goods such as drugs, contraband, etc. The gunman is still after them and Daryl doesn't understand why? Later Vanessa reveals that she is in possession of a very valuable diamond that belonged to her former boyfriend and that is why he is after her.
 
Things begin to heat up after this. There is conspiracy, treachery and action all packed in the last 20 mins of the movie. It is a movie that the directors and team hoped it would hit off with all the action, but it simply doesn't have what it takes to become a hit. So I would say it is worth watching once but not worth searching for it. You can find it on Youtube's movie channel and watch it there for FREE.

Movie Review: Hot Fuzz

What happens when a hot shot police constable is transferred from London Metro area to a small sleepy village on promotion? His life goes crazy trying to enforce law and he finds out that the sleepy village is indeed not so, there is something going on and a secret society is bent upon murdering everyone who is not in with their agenda. Meet Nicholas Angel (Simon Pegg) who is the best policeman in London, he is so good that his colleagues are being questioned about their efficiency. They conspire and get him transferred to a small village out in the country on a promotion as a Sargent. He protests but he has to go.

Once there he is paired with a new recruit who is more interested in eating that anything else. The village community seems to be peaceful and there is no crime at all. Sargent Angel is not convinced, his gut feeling tells him something is amiss. Then there are a series of murders starting with an actor and then a local businessman and then the city newspaper editor. Sargent Angel is working on the case and there seems to be no leads whatsoever.

The motive and murderer's identity remains a mystery till the end. The mystery is good but it is the comedy that is the hallmark of this film. I'd recommend it to everyone, it is a complete family entertainer so you can watch it with your kids and parents and everyone.

Movie Review: The Mechanic

Action Packed Corporate Gangster Movie

I love action movies of all kinds - Western, Military, War, Police, Crime - you name it and I will watch it. However I don't like endless gore and blood on the screen. Watching explosions, gun fights and fist cuffs are fine but then when these get meaningless the movie clearly doesn't have a story but is trying to appeal to the primitive sense of humans.

Anyway I chanced upon this movie The Mechanic at the college library and picked it up so I can pass some time during the break. The Mechanic features Jason Statham as Arthur Bishop and Ben Foster as Steve and Donald Sutherland as Harry as the main characters. Arthur is a professional hit man who is hired to eliminate high profile individuals across the world. The movie begins with Arthur eliminating a drug lord.

Arthur's mentor cum friend Harry is the main conduit man who is one of the bosses in the enterprise that eliminates people. Harry is disappointed with his son Steve and confides that with Arthur. There is a small twist at this time Harry is murdered. Steve wants revenge and so Arthur trains him to become a killer. Now both are on the pursuit of the target - Harry's killer. From here on there is a load of violence, car chases, fist fights, etc. The end is rather different. Watch it and you will not be disappointed.

Expendables - Movie Review

I have been wanting to watch this movie ever since it was being promoted couple of years ago. I am a big fan of Stallone so I will like his movies even though they might have bombed at the box office. Anyway this movie was being promoted for its mega action star cast and also the presence of Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger. If you are expecting all these mega action stars to work shoulder to shoulder, forget it. Willis and Schwarzenegger only appear in one short scene, suited and booted in a church. Absolutely no action for them.

Anyways the movie is about Stallone (Barney Ross) and his band of mercenaries who would do anything for money or so they say. Everyone rides a fancy motorcycle, choppers, sports, crotch rockets, etc. They charge millions of $$$s for their jobs and generally lead a low profile but comfortable lives. They are approached by one Mr. Church (Willis) who wants them to travel to the island of Vilena in South America and eliminate the military dictator.

Naturally Barney wants to go and recon the area before taking up the job. Once on the island they are met with the beautiful Sandra who shows them around and they get into trouble with the soldiers. Later it is revealed that Sandra is none other than the General's daughter. There is an American businessman who is trying to cultivate cocaine and transport it back to the States to be sold on the street and make billions of $$$s.Smelling something fishy Barney refuses the job but the memory of the girl continues to haunt him. So he decides to go and then all hell breaks loose.

One thing I don't understand about this movie is that though Barney lives in US of A, there are no cops in the streets they roam around. Nobody turns up when a bunch of assassins surround Barney and his friend shooting on city streets. Where are the cops??? The other day my car stalled at an intersection and there was a cop within 15 mins there. Strangely this movie doesn't show any American police, I wonder why.

When I see such movies I get the feeling that Hollywood is slowly but surely getting its inspiration from Bollywood or other Indian film industries. There are too many gaping holes in the plot to go unnoticed.....

It is an entertainer nevertheless, watch it once if you can get hold of the DVD free, like I did from the library.

Ashoka - Kannada Movie Review

Image via WikipediaAction Packed Story of modern day Robin Hood

I try and watch Kannada movies on Youtube and other online sources as and when I have some spare time on hand. I have noticed that while the overall quality of the movies are getting better there are still many many formula-based movies in Sandalwood. I wish the directors stopped making these movies, this will give a fillip to the industry and enhance the reputation of our state.

Anyway this movie also follows the typical storyline. A poor lowly police constable dreams of making his only son an IPS officer. The son Ashok (Shivrajkumar) is also a very straightforward, law abiding, diligent student and active in NCC and other extra curricular activities. The hero Ashok gets into trouble with the underworld just before becoming an IPS officer and his father throws him out of the house.

Enraged Ashoka becomes an underworld Don and starts getting into all kinds of businesses: Real estate, transport, extortion, kidnapping, etc. You name it and Ashoka is the king in that industry, but he is slowly and surely eliminating all the existing rowdy elements. At the end of the movie like in almost all Indian movies there is a huge confrontation between Ashoka and the real underworld Dons and it is anybody's guess who wins.

There is some emotional drama when Ashoka's father comes to know his son's true identity from the police officers who are pleased with Ashoka's work without a uniform or authority. There is a family reunion and of course the reason for the confrontation is Ashoka's girlfriend who discovers a scandal and reports on it. Will anybody make a movie in India without a heroine and few duets??? No way... similarly Ashoka also has two heroines and there are some suet songs and an orgy song :)... Ashoka dances and sings with two heroines instead of one.

My final verdict on this movie is - pass it unless you have a lot of time on hand. Shivrajkumar has delivered much better performances and has acted in movies with great storylines - go watch them.

Singam - Hindi Movie Review

Action Packed Flick with Powerful Performances

I had watched the Tamil version of this movie while I was in the US and knew the plot pretty much. Then the much promoted Hindi movie released when I landed in Bangalore and I thought I should take a look and see what Ajay Devgan has done. Whether the Hindi version was better or the Tamil one was more entertaining. Well after watching the movie I must say I enjoyed the Hindi version better, simply because I understood what was being said and the superior technical details. Performance wise the stars in both languages have delivered equally well.

The story is a typical Good cop versus corrupt police department and their political and rowdy henchmen. A honest inspector has a tangle with a politically well connected underworld don and that starts off an ego issue between them. The cop gets transferred to the big bad city where every one in the police department is corrupt and hand-in-glove with the thugs and politicians. The rest of the story is about how the cop combats his frustrations and eliminates the rowdy elements of the big city.

There was no need for a heroine in this movie and I don't know why good film makers see the need to include a pretty face even though the script doesn't demand one. If only Indian film makers were to see the potential of movies without song and dance routines, and heroines showing off their curves and skin I am pretty sure the industry would be able to attain new heights. But I guess right now the industry is still not mature enough... maybe the audience isn't also...