Thursday, May 19, 2011

The Weekual Thursday PP: Sorry for my lack of posts/ reviews

THE 5TH WEEKUAL THURSDAY PP

A guilty conscience is piercing needles into my brain, because I've been really bad at writing reviews or other interesting posts this month. This week, my weekly post is even the only post I'm writing.

Hopefully, you don't get bored and tired of visiting my blog, though - I promise you, there will be something different coming up on Sunday.

And now to the releasing films of Friday - that I haven't heard about before, for a change:

It says "thriller" on indiafm... = ?
Hindi/ Bengali period drama based on Tagore-novel directed by Rituparno Ghosh... YES!!!
Fun or embarrassment, that is the question.

404
Director: Prawaal Raman (Darna Mana/ Zaroori Hai)

So, my first impression of the poster didn't prove wrong: The trailer is everything but scary. It looks like something my friends and I would do for a school project.

I wonder why there are so many horror releases in Mumbai right now... Is this the typical horror season, or what? Help me out, because I haven't been as into following the latest releases as I am now.

There's not even a real story... It seems to be the old "forbidden, haunted chamber"-thing, which has already been used in the Disney Channel kids series "Hotel Zack & Cody". 

I don't think this film will be able to convince me at all.







Kashmakash
Director: Rituparno Ghosh (Chokher Bali/ Raincoat/ The Last Year)

He's not everyone's synonym for entertaining cinema, many find his works boring and long-drawn - but to me, Rituparno Ghosh is a favorite, whose films I truly enjoy. Especially the adaptions of Rabindranath Tagore's novels.

I like the simplicity and calmness of his directing, his selection of actors, and the way he tells those stories.

You must now, that I'm very in to history, especially Middle Age, Rococo, the Romantic Era and the 1910s - 1970s. So, naturally, this also applies to my filmic taste.

However, it doesn't mean I like period films, only because they're "period". 
But I don't think I'll ever be disappointed by Rituparno Ghosh.

He also never uses good-looking actors, so the focus is really on the film itself (which is not a frequent phenomena)...


Pyaar Ka Punchnama
Director: Luv Ranjan (debuting)

Can you believe this? The guy is called "Luv"! (Taking a deep breath)... I'd say this is a hint to "embarrassing", but all right, it might not be his fault (if that's his real name).

Surprisingly, the trailer doesn't look that bad... The boy with the glasses is a bit overdone, and annoying, but especially the girls are fun.

A hint towards "fun"? I can only guess, but: I hope so.













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And as a little candy on the side, I've made this list of films discussed previously in this feature, showing how well my predictions were (until now - most films are still running):

Dum Maaro Dum (2011)
"I'm scared it might be stylish only."
Boxofficeindia.com says: Flop
IMDB says: 6.9
I've heard that: It's entertaining, but very overstyled.

Zokkomon (2011)
"Please, dear God, let this not be as horrible as it looks like in my first impression."
Boxofficeindia.com says: Nothing = probably a disaster
IMDB says: 1.7
I've heard that: I've heard nothing. Which means no one saw the film.
PS: The film is already out on DVD - I just found out!

Shor In The City (2011) 
"...my curiosity was awakened - and still is, off course."
Boxofficeindia.com says: Flop
IMDB says: 7.4
I've heard that: it's really good.

Chalo Dilli  (2011)
"...smells like fun and entertainment all the way to little Denmark."
Boxofficeindia.com says: Below Average
IMDB says: 6.7/10
I've heard: nothing yet.

I Am (2010/11)
"I'm even more excited for "I Am", than for "Dhobi Ghat" "
Boxofficeindia.com says: Nothing
IMDB says: 6.4/ 10
I've heard that: it's impressive and really good.

Men Will Be Men (2011)
"I can't find more words for this soon-releasing-box-office-desaster."
Boxofficeindia.com says: Nothing
IMDB says: Nothing
This means that: NO ONE saw the film.

Naughty @ 40 (2011)
"This is one of the rare films, where I'd say "no, thanks" to someone offering me a free ticket for it."
Boxofficeindia.com says: Nothing
IMDB says: 5.1/ 10
I've heard that: some people were actually excited for this one.

Haunted 3D (2011) 
"Haunted, honestly, looks like some very bad collage of the "best" scenes from Hollywood Horror hits..."
Boxofficeindia.com says: Semi Hit (what the... ?)
IMDB says: 7.0 /10
My new verdict: want-to-watch to make own opinion

Luv Ka the End (2011)
 "It doesn't look genuine, but more like some very through-thought commercial teeny production, that is supposed to make YR films look younger and more successful."
Boxofficeindia.com says: Too new to have verdict yet
IMDB says: 4.5/ 10
I've heard that: people have very different opinions on this one

I won't write about last week's releases yet

Thank you for reading
Mette M. K.

6 comments:

  1. Kashmakash looks like something I might enjoy.

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  2. Yeah, I agree with BT.
    Kashmakash is the only one I could see myself watching really.

    btw, I've been meaning to ask, how long do these films generally take to be released on DVD, as not one Cinema around where I live will be screening them, DVD is the only way is could see them.

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  3. @ Bonjour Tristesse: Just what I think - it's the most promising of these three. Or you could say, the only promising, because I'm not very sure about PKP.

    @ Jack L: As a crazy fan of Hindi films, I'd watch almost everything I get my hands on, but the best thing, off course, are rather good films. I think that Kashmakash will be great, and it's the only one I could see myself enjoying really :).

    About the DVD releases: there's a lot of diversity here. Some DVDs (mostly the very unsuccessful ones, get released already 5 weeks after the Cinema Release. The "normal" ones take about 2 months, and the very successful ones maybe 3 or 4 months. But that's just a general rule. For example, I'm still waiting for the promising experimental "Dhobi Ghat", but though it wasn't successful at the B-O, it hasn't released yet, after almost 5 months.

    I can recommend induna.com, nehaflix.com and also amazon.com for shopping, whereas induna is the most inexpensive online shop, shipping directly from India.

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  4. Thanks for the info,very helpful.

    I'll be sure to keep an eye out for some of the films you mention from now on.

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  5. I would recommend downloading the music for Pyaar Ka Punchnama... the film may turn out to be rubbish but the music is half decent. I saw 404 featured on Bollywood Business on Zee TV and the director said people said after watching it that they couldn't specify a genre for it. Too me it looks like plain horror. But we'll see.

    Jack L check out my blog if you haven't already: http://bollyhooha.blogspot.com

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  6. @ Jack L: You're very welcome.

    @ The Bolly Hood: I'll make sure to listen to the music. 404, well, we'll see. To me, it looks like horror that may be funny without wanting to.

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Let the discussion begin!