MOVIE REVIEW

FINDING FANNY

Director: Homi Adajania
Writers:  Homi Adajania and Kersi Khambatta's
Stars: Nasseruddin Shah, Pankaj Kapoor, Dimple Kapadia, Deepika Padukone, Arjun Kapoor
Strength: Brilliant acting and direction
Runtime: 93 minutes
Rating: 4/5
Plot: The story revolves around five characters and is set in a village called Pokolim in Goa where life is slow and simple. Their needs are minimal and they live a retired life. A young widow Angie (Deepika Padukone) decides to help the old postman of the village Fredie (Naseeruddin Shah) to find his long lost love.
Review: When you cast Pankaj Kapoor and Naseeruddin Shah in a film together, you know you can't go too wrong with script. The film also features Deepika Padukone, who is in top form after four back-to-back hits, Arjun Kapoor and Dimple Kapadia. The film's trailers have generated quite a bit of curiosity around the film and the makers, who made the film in English. It won't be fair to judge Finding Fanny with the same barometer as the regular commercial fare doled out by Bollywood. Writer-Director Homi Adajania has dared to break all conventional rules and managed to serve an absorbing and entertaining story that keeps you interested throughout the film. It will surely appeal to the target group of a discerning audience that values sensible entertainment. On the whole, it is commendable With a big name like Deepika Padukone getting associated with this film and then Arjun Kapoor (scoring well at the Box Office) bringing in eye balls too, the movie has enough curiosity around it. The actors will leave you speechless. Each of them puts up a performance to be remembered and cherished. The veteran trio is a class apart and the youngsters are gearing up to match their caliber. If you're tired of the nonsensical fare doled out by Bollywood week after week and have a palate for unusual entertainment, then Finding Fanny will fill your heart with joy.

Reviewed by Broti Rahman

***

A MILLION WAYS TO DIE IN THE WEST

Director: Seth MacFarlane
Writers:  Seth MacFarlane, Alec Sulkin
Stars: Seth MacFarlane, Charlize Theron, Liam Neeson
Runtime: 116 minutes
Strength: Humour, dialogue
Weakness: Story, predictable plot
Rating: 2.5/5
Plot: As a cowardly farmer begins to fall for the mysterious new woman in town, he must put his new-found courage to the test when her husband, a notorious gun-slinger, announces his arrival.
Review: Set in 1882 in the American west, Albert is a lowly farmer with a nice girlfriend. But when she leaves him for the more successful and handsome owner of a moustachery store, Albert returns to his lonely daily life of trying to avoid death. Then the mysterious Anna rides into town and captures Albert's interest and heart, but with her deadly husband in tow, Albert is going to have to become the western gun-slinging hero he never was. It won't be easy because there are a million ways to die in the west, as the name suggests. Although marketed as from the guy who brought you Ted, the comedy in this movie isn't half as good as it was in Ted, in terms of wit or physical humour. The only thing that's similar is the crude nature of the film – the humour in this one is strictly for adults (and adults only!). Seth MacFarlane did not hit it out of the park with this one. This is the first time we see him in a live action lead role. The writing was just not all that creative. The best and most watchable element in the film is Charlize Theron, who carried the film from the first scene she is in. Liam Neeson played his part well. Almost every supporting actor was somewhat flat in their roles, with the exception of Neil Patrick Harris, whose character reeks of what Barney Stinson would be like if he was born in the late 1800s. Most of the comedy relies on racism, and some of it too overdone to be funny. It's watchable on a slow weekend, when you don't want your brain to work too hard and just want some half-hearted laughs. But watch out for two unexpected very short cameos which are by far the two most interesting scenes in the entire film!

Reviewed by Mohammad Haque

***

CLASSIC REVIEW

THE BLUES BROTHERS (1980)

Director: John Landis
Writers:  Dan Aykroyd, John Landis
Stars: John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Cab Calloway
Runtime: 133 minutes
Strength: Great car chases, astounding comedy and mesmerizing soundtrack
Weakness: Overdependence on car chases may not be to everyone's liking
Plot: Jake Blues, just out from prison, puts together his old band to save the Catholic home where he and brother Elwood were raised.
Review: No one makes films with cop cars flying through the air and crashing in mounds any more. Maybe CGI undermined the currency, or maybe modern auto design makes them more difficult to stack. The film stars a slim line Dan Aykroyd and an alive John Belushi as the Butch-and-Sundance of white R&B. They are "Joliet" Jake and Elwood Blues, a couple of deadpan guys who dress in dark suits and sunglasses, trying to reform their band and earn enough money to save the Chicago orphanage where they were raised. "Are you the police?” asks a baffled boarding-house landlady with the unfamiliar-sounding name of Mrs Tarantino. (They mishear it as "Toronto".) "No, ma'am, we're musicians." Their adventures include run-ins with suburban cops, good ol' boys, and Nazis who are trying to stage a demonstration. One of the intriguing things about this movie is the way it borrows so freely and literally from news events. The plot develops into a sort of musical Mad Mad Mad Mad World, with the Blues Brothers being pursued at the same time by avenging cops, Nazis, and an enraged country and western band led by Charles Napier, that character actor with the smile like Jaws. The chase is interrupted from time to time for musical numbers, which are mostly very good and filled with high-powered energy. The mere spectacle of Elwood and Jake in their shades isn't quite as giggle-inducing as it presumably was back in 1980, but the stunts are still awe-inspiring, and there are plenty of laughs. They really were thinking big. Must watch for those who love movies surrounding music as the central theme, and of course, for those who love car chase movies!

Reviewed by S.M. Intisab Shahriyar