Starring: Shaan, Iman Ali, Fawad Khan, Naseeurddin Shah, Austin Marie Sayre, Simi Raheal, Hameed Sheikh

Directed by Shoaib Mansoor, "Khuda Kay Liye" or "In the Name of God" is one of Pakistan's best films in its entire film history!

The film is about the paradox between liberal Muslims (and Pakistanis) being typecast as potential terrorists by the west on one hand and being condemned as heedless traitors to their culture and religion by Muslim fundamentalists on the other.

Shaan is a liberal Muslim from Pakistan who is living in the US when the tragedy of 9/11/2001 unfolds.  The film follows his life in the aftermath, not as a documentary, but a really well made, well directed, and very well acted drama.  It is an excellent comment on the torn state of liberal Muslims that takes a hard and unbiased look at the extremism in our cultures. 

Characters like Shaan's friend who turns fundamentalist add a very real flavor to the cast, which is not mean by any stretch of the imagination.  Stalwarts like Naseeruddin Shah and Simi Raheal have done an excellent job.

According to everyone who has been to see the movie in Pakistan, it is a movie that can revive Pakistani cinema if other directors and producers try to take some lessons from it. 

VERDICT: Opened in the US on November 21 in select theaters - DEFINITELY check it out!

Starring: Emraan Hashmi, Shriya Saran, Mrinalini Sharma, Ashutosh Rana

 You will mostly not find us reviewing Emraan Hashmi movies unless there's a good reason.  In this case, it happens to be Mahesh Bhatt's welcome fascination with Pakistani musicians and the fact that this movie is the third Bollywood flick to be released in Pakistani cinemas as well!  So the film industry continues to forge bonds between the two countries and Mahesh Bhatt, especially, seems to be on the front lines in this peace-not-war campaign!

This time, Mahesh  Bhatt has picked Roxen - a band made famous by their hit "Tau Phir Aao".  Their hit single is, of course, the theme song, touched with the Bollywood music style.  The film itself is love mixed with action mixed with international locations.  The direction is good, the tempo is fast, and the movie wraps up before you can get tired of it.  Oh, the heroine is of Pakistani origin too (just in the script though, she's actually Indian).  Pakistani audiences are rather enjoying the experience of beating the killer heat while actually watching a movie in an air-conditioned theater, instead of dozing off to the 157th Golden Jubilee week of some old "Lolly"wood flop.

We think Mahesh Bhatt is doing something great for Pakistani music.  He has commercialized it beyond the concert level for our bands, first putting Atif Aslam literally on the world map and now taking Roxen to that level. We've got immense talent and it just takes the right commercial platform which our film industry can sadly not provide.  So thank you Mahesh.  We will definitely watch this movie to support you!

VERDICT: Give it a shot!

Reviewed by Ayesha Azhar

Starring: Amitabh Bachchan, Tabu, Zohra Sehgal, Paresh Rawal

Mix 1.5 kg of sugarfree Amitabh, 999 grams of fresh Tabu , 2 teaspoons of spice-ridden Paresh Rawal and 5 ml of saucy  Zohra Sehgal and you’ll end up with about two and a half hours of a little bit of romance and a whole lot of sarcasm.

Someone once said, “Age is an illusion.”  I’m thinking it was the director of the forthcoming film, Cheeni Kum.  It’s not as if it’s unusual for an older man to marry a younger woman, especially in the South Asian culture, but isn’t it just a bit over the top when the man of your dreams happens to be a good 6 years older than your FATHER?  Then again, maybe it’s not.  It’s up to you to decide.  I have to admit I entered the theater with a little hesitation and a lot of skepticism about what I would encounter on the big screen. But I had nothing to fear. 

The recipe goes something like this.  Buddha (Amitabh Bachan) is an arrogant 64 year old restaurateur who runs “London’s top Indian restaurant” like a boot camp.  He lives with a mother who thoroughly enjoys wrestling and is best friends with a nine year old smartass named Sexy who is fighting cancer.  Nina (Tabu) is a 34 year old Indian woman who, shocking to say, is still unmarried.  What is the world coming to!  While there’s nothing particularly unique about her character itself, she does have a redeeming factor in the form of a Gandhi-obsessed father (Paresh Rawal). 

The minimalist background, the sharp dialogue and the unusual circumstances all result in a stupendously humorous and slightly thought provoking film. Performances are a mesh of deliberate immaturity, natural simplicity and sharp sarcasm.

Amitabh delivers his character’s lines with such a boyish charm you would think he’s still in his twenties.  Of course, his stylish wardrobe only adds to his character’s inner youth.  Tabu’s character, on the other hand, could have been meatier although the little she said went a long way.  Her colorful shawls and knee length kurtas were a perfect match for Nina’s mature mind and simple lifestyle.  Where Tabu fell short of my expectations, Paresh Rawal exceeded them.  His character’s sharp tongue, Gandhi get up and twisted philosophy only added to the film’s absurdity.  Zohra Sehgal as always made her presence felt.  But the real surprise was the 9 year old Sexy.  The child delivered her lines with an élan unexpected from such a young artist.  Throughout the film, she earned the right responses at the right time from her audience.  In one word, brilliant.
Writer-Director, R.Balki’s witty script and detailed direction were a pleasure to watch.  The background score was an added bonus.  Music Director Ilaiyaraaja’s pieces were perfectly timed to the relativity of the storyline.  “Cheeni Kum” was the best of the lot with its melodious tune and wispy voice.  Cinematography was average while editing could have been better. The film could easily have been shortened by a good 30 minutes resulting in a stronger production.

For those who like to hold the romance in a romantic comedy, Cheeni Kum will be right up your alley.  For those who might get a little queasy watching a father figure court his much much younger love interest, may I recommend the macho-infested Shootout at Lokhandwala playing next door .

VERDICT: Definitely check it out!!

Starring: Shilpa Shetty, Shiney Ahuja, Kay Kay Menon, Konkona Sen Sharma, Irfan Khan, and Dharmendra

Don't you just love movies that launch without hype yet take the box office by storm?  Isn't that how movies ought to be - less pomp and show upfront and more guts in the movie to actually make audiences rave about it?  Well, we do, and Metro is just one of these movies.

An original, released on May 11 without any buzz compared to stolen, remade, and otherwise regurgitated crappy movies that seem to be all the rage in Bollywood, Metro has clean bowled audiences and critics alike. 

A movie about the fast paced life of large metropolitan cities (hence the name) and how it robs people of the time it takes to truly build a relationship with one another, Metro is remarkably enjoyable and well made. The cast is excellent; all the big names of non-conventional commercial cinema are there: Shiney Ahuja, Kay Kay Menon, Konkona Sen Sharma, and Irfan Khan.  This one has the added spice of an otherwise conventionally commercial actress, Shilpa, and a yesteryear icon, Dharmendra.  The movie is seen as representative of metro life in any big city in the world, and has premiered in several large metros like Dubai, Sydney, London, and of course Mumbai.  Audiences love the plot, the acting, and the excecution of the film.  Having opened to limited audiences, the movie raked in Rs.6.6 crores in just 4 days, owing primarily to word-of-mouth publicity!

VERDICT: Definitely check it out!!

Starring: Aishwarya Rai, Naveen Andrews, Robbie Coltrane, Miranda Richardson, Nandita Das, Rebecca Pidgeon, Steve Mcfadden

Provoked is based on the true story of a woman from the Indian Punjab, who moved to the UK after marrying an Indian already settled there.  Things were fine at first but gradually the husband's darker side emerged.  He violently beat up his wife and had illicit relations with other women. The violence got to a point where the wife could not take it any more and she killed her husband.  Jailed for life and separated from her two children, her cause was picked up by an NGO, who fought for her and eventually got her justice.

In Provoked, the lead role (Kiranjit) is played by none other than Aishwarya Rai.  The psycho, drunk, wife-beating, cheating husband Deepak is played by Naveen Andrews.  The cast includes veteran British actors Miranda Richardson and Robbie Coltrane, as well as Bollywood stalwarts like Nandita Das.  From all accounts, the movie is clearly a hard one to watch, for all of the gruesome and violent acts it highlights from the Ahluwalia marriage.  However, it is, in some way, uplifting as well, from the perspective of helpless women who find desperate means to get out of their hellish marriages. Aishwarya Rai plays a far from glamorous role but also proves the point that beauty is not the only thing men go after, or her husband would have definitely stayed glued to her side.  She does a fairly good job, as does everyone else on the cast. 

VERDICT: A must see - whether in the theater or on DVD is entirely up to you!

Starring: Saif Ali Khan, Rani Mukherjee, Javed Jaffery

TaRaRumPum is a light hearted, feel good movie about families who stick together no matter what.  Saif plays a race car driver whose fame on the tracks is only rivalled by immense marital bliss with wife Rani, plus their two lovely (albeit precocious) children.  A twist of fate puts Saif off the track and into a very tight financial situation.  Not having the heart to tell the children how they've lost everything they had, Saif and Rani pretend that they are taking part in a reality show to win a grand prize.  Hence the move from riches to rags goes down somewhat easy on the kids.  Another twist brings Saif back on the racing track but whether he can stake the claim on his lost fortune or if the reality show will unwind quite brutally for the children is something we will let you see for yourself!

There isn't anything striking about this movie except it has a good soul and the Saif-Rani pairing always brings some entertainment.  The music is so-so.

VERDICT: Definitely a DVD flick!

Starring: Kal Penn, Tabu, Jacinda Barrett, Zuleikha Robinson, Irfan Khan

Directed by Mira Nair, The Namesake is based on Jhumpa Lahiri's book.  It is the story of Ashoke (Irfan Khan) and Ashima (Tabu), who immigrate to New York from India to raise a family. They have a son whom they name Gogal (played by Kal Penn) after Ashoke's favorite author; and a daughter who they name Sonia (Sahira Nair). Both children grow up completely Americanized and confused about Indian culture and customs. Gogal grows up resenting his name and later on changes it to Nikhil or Nick. He becomes an architect and has a love interest with a white American girl Maxine (played by Jacinda Barrett). Although his parents are not fond of the relationship, they don't want to interfere in his personal affairs, until a twist of fate brings the family closer together. Gogal/Nick starts to see his world in a different light and begins to understand the Indian culture more. Whether that helps or hurts is something we’ll let you see for yourself. The film showcases the strength of family ties despite cultural differences that may come about between immigrant parents and their children.

The film is a bit depressing but the situations resonate with immigrants, especially South Asians. The plot and story are quite good.

VERDICT: Check it out, but maybe on DVD!

Starring: Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif, Rishi Kapoor, Javed Sheikh, Upen Patel

This is a movie about cultural extremes who consider cultural assimilation a sin at heart, even if they condone immigration for economic reasons.  Katrina is the British born, naturally westernized daughter of Rishi Kapoor, an Indian immigrant who cannot let go of his roots, even though he has hardly ever been or exposed Katrina to India. Katrina grows up to be, well, quite British as one would naturally expect.  Ignoring how his own upbringing may have influenced her to be so detached to India, Rishi forces Katrina into a marriage with a very rural Akshay Kumar.  Katrina accepts the marriage but what follows is a war of the cultures with a very predictable end. 

The movie itself may have a good heart and soul but we really don't understand what is the real message. Extremes are just that, extremes!! Immigrants whose children hate or have no connection with their parents' heritage are probably a minority, not the norm.  But making a movie about extremes implies that they are the norm, which is not true, and perpetuates the stereotype that all children born to desi parents who live abroad are disconnected and detached from their roots, which is as stupid and unfair as the stereotype that all middle eastern or desi people are chauvinistic illiterate terrorists!  Anyway, who really expects realism or responsibility from movies!!!

For us, the only attraction is to see Javed Sheikh, one of the most popular Pakistani film and TV actors, play a role in this Bollywood flick so we may indulge in the DVD when it comes out!

VERDICT: Wait for the DVD

Pakistani actor Javed Sheikh (R) with Upen Patel

Starring: Fardeen Khan, Esha Deol, Bikram Saluja, Perizaad Zorabian Irani, Sadia Siddique, Mukul Dev, Kirron Kher, Saitish Shah, Tarina Patel, Raj Zutshi

The story of a young couple who enter an arranged marriage and then struggle to gain that comfort level where they can be each other's friends as well as, well, consummate the marriage.  The friendship part comes easier than the rest, bringing some tension and stress for the groom, and creating as harsh a twist as this otherwise sweet and colorful movie can have.  The movie is filmed in a very colorful way and is enjoyable just for that reason.  The story is simple and slice-of-life, without any violence or other harshness.  Not a bad one to rent for the weekend, but worth $10 in the theater? Maybe not!

VERDICT: Wait for the DVD

Starring: Amitabh Bachchan, Jiah Khan, Revathy, Nasir, Shradha Arya

Quite in contrast from last week's Grant and Barrymore flick, this Ram Gopal Verma love story is hard to understand, or so the byline says.  Amitabh is 60 and Jiah Khan is 18.  She is his daughter's friend and visiting their house when Amitabh develops some feelings for her and vice versa.  The feelings deepen and in a sudden, unexpected Bollywood twist, they are discovered by Amitabh's brother-in-law. Inspired by Lolita, Nishabd is another one of RGV's adapted, yet original, movies.  But while his spin on Godfather (Sarkar) may have been more apt for eastern audiences, Nishabd is questionable.  In the east, 60 year old men don't publicly acknowledge lusting after 18 year old girls.  They may marry them, have affairs, etc. but probably won't like to be seen going to a movie that condones such bad behavior!!  No surprise the box office figures were miserable.  However, critics seem to like the movie and even some of the audience praised Amitabh's performance.

VERDICT: Entirely up to you!

Starring: Hugh Grant, Drew Barrymore, Brad Garrett, Kristen Johnston, Campbell Scott, Haley Bennett

Hugh Grant plays a washed up 80s pop star, who receives an unexpected offer from a pop diva to record a duet with her.  Not having put the proverbial pen to paper in many years, Grant is at a complete loss for what to do when Drew Barrymore walks in to help with her flair for words.  She's on a rebound from a relationship with yummy Scott Campbell and Hugh Grant, as ever, is commitment phobic.  The movie is predictably about the two of them falling in love inspite of themselves and their fears.  Whether it is something so predictable that it will make you yawn, or predictable in the warm familiar smell of mom's cookies kind of way, we'll leave it up to you to decide!

VERDICT: Give it a shot, at least on DVD!

Starring: Abhay Deol,Minissha,Shabana Azmi,Boman Irani,Amisha Patel,Raima Sen,Kay Kay Menon,Sandhya Mridul,Vikram Chatwal Karan Khanna,Ranvir Shorey,Dia Mirza,Arjun Rampal,Suzanne Bernert

Co-produced by Farhan Akhtar (Dil Chahta Hai), Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd. is a story of six new couples on their, you guessed it, honeymoon! They don't know each other, but they have all signed up for a honeymoon package with the same tour company, to Goa.  The movie is a slice-of-life (Bollywood style) comedy/lovestory/drama with a variety of flavors to choose from.  You will see twelve people with different expectations about their marriages thrust together with veterans like Boman Irani and Shabana Azmi adding a helluva lot of spice to this tasty Goan delight.

VERDICT: Don't miss it!

Starring: Amitabh Bachchan, Sharmila Tagore, Sanjay Dutt, Saif Ali Khan, Boman Irani, Vidya Balan, Raima Sen, Jacki Shroff

This is a movie to watch! The director of Parinda and 1942: A Love Story, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, is back behind the camera after a hiatus of 7 years.  (FYI, he didn't just sit around these 7 years, he was busy writing and co-producing mega hits like Parineeta and Munna Bhai MBBS!) And he has returned with a movie that is not only getting rave reviews in India, but even publications like New York Times and the Guardian have given it excellent reviews.

Set in contemporary Rajhastan, Eklavya is the story of a ninth generation royal guard, Amitabh Bachchan, who is still devoted to guarding the family of Boman Irani (the king) and Sharmila Tagore (the queen).  Even though the family's heir, Saif Ali Khan, has given up and moved to England, Amitabh stays loyal to the royalty.  A sudden twist brings Saif home and exposes Boman Irani and his brother, Jackie Shroff, for their atrocities.  The king receives a death threat, bringing in Sanjay Dutt, an otherwise insignificant police officer.  The peace and quiet of the small kingdom is shattered and what ensues is no different from any contemporary thriller with a very unique, retro ambience that gives this movie a rare, unique flavor amidst all the remakes and high-tech nonsense being dished out of Bollywood lately.

VERDICT: Don't miss it!

Starring: Salman Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Anil Kapoor, Juhi Chawla, Akshaye Khanna, Ayesha Takia, John Abraham, Vidya Balan, Govinda, Sohail Khan, Perizaad Zorabian, Shannon Esra, Aroon Bakshi, Anjana Sukhani

A multi-starrer, big budget, lots of guts movie with a romantic theme and a light hearted tone.  It's a story of six couples and the twelve different lives they represent, with their own unique issues and challenges.  The music is good, the movie has enough actors for you to like at least some!  The John Abraham-Vidya Balan duo has caused some stirs.  All in all, it's not a bad movie to check out but maybe not so good that you should spend $10 on it!

VERDICT: Rent it on DVD!

Starring: Will Ferrell, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Queen Latifah, Emma Thompson, Dustin Hoffman

It will probably be the most serious side of Will Ferrell that you will ever see. The story revolves around Harold Crick (Ferrell) who works as an IRS agent. One fine morning, he discovers that a voice is narrating his every move (from the number of toothbrush strokes to the number of seconds he waits at the bus stop). The voice narrating states that Crick will soon face death. This leaves Crick disturbed and determined to find out where the voice is coming from and how he can prevent his death from occurring. He falls in love with a bakery owner on whom he was conducting an audit. He struggles to find out where the voice is coming from and seeks the help of Professor Hilbert. While on a visit to his office, he overhears the voice of an author on television and recognizes it as the voice of the woman narrating in his head. The voice is of the famous author Karen Eiffel, who writes tragedies and in which the main characters always die. Crick finds Eiffel and tries to convince her to alter the story so that he may live.

Not your typical story line, very different and interesting concept for a movie.

VERDICT: Rent it on DVD!

Starring: Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai, Vidya Balan, and Madhavan

Guru's foremost claim to fame is that it's the first Bollywood movie to solely premiere at an international venue, in this case Toronto, Canada.  Aishwarya and Abhishek attended the premiere attended by the who's who of Toronto, thronged by thousands of fans, some of who paid up to $500 to see the premiere with the stars.  According to the Toronto Sun, the screaming fans could be heard up to 10 blocks away.

Guru is the rag to riches story of an Indian villager (Bachchan), who goes from being an ordinary peasant to one of the richest men in India.  Due to its striking similarities with his real life story, the movie was thought to inspired by Dirubhai Ambani (the founder of the famous Reliance Group).  Even the lead character's slogan "think big, think ahead, think fast" is word for word the Reliance Group corporate motto.  However, Mani Ratnam (director) and the movie's producers deny that Guru is the story of any one person.  They say it can be the story of any Indian who went from nothing to being a mega name in the corporate world.

The movie opened to packed houses in India, so far getting an excellent viewer response, especially for Abhishek's performance.  It has created a new level of international acclaim for Bollywood by its Toronto debut.  What remains to be seen is whether it will go down in history as just a newsmaker or a Bollywood classic.

VERDICT: Definitely check it out!

Starring: Cameron Diaz, Jude Law, Kate Winslet, and Jack Black

Diaz and Winslet are two women who meet online on a home exchange website and trade homes during the holiday season to escape their disastrous relationships.

Diaz is a successful movie-trailer maker who lives lavishly in Los Angeles, while Winslet is a columnist for the Daily Telegraph who lives in a quiet neighborhood outside London.   One is in love with a man who is marrying another woman and the other's boyfriend is unfaithful. When they switch homes, Diaz has a hard time adjusting until Winslet’s younger brother (Jude Law) enters the scene.   On the other hand, Winslet adjusts quickly to the comfort of Diaz's home and also makes friends with an acquaintance of Diaz (Jack Black), which later turns into a romance.  And so the story goes on...

Although the movie is at times predictable and slow, if you’re in the mood for a romantic comedy with a great cast, then this is the movie to see!

VERDICT: Give it a shot, if not in theaters, then on DVD

Starring: Matt Damon, Robert De Niro, Angelina Jolie

The untold story of the birth of the (in)famous CIA and the man behind it.  Edward Wilson (played by Damon) loved America so much that he would give up anything and everything (including the people he loved) to protect it.  He believed in the USA and the CIA.

Directed by Robert De Niro, The Good Shepherd is very well made, laying more emphasis on building the characters and conveying an underlying sense of what is going on, through them.  As such, this isn't a movie where you can loudly munch on your popcorn or run to the restroom one too many times.  As long as you give it your undivided attention, you will get the beauty of it.  Of course, having some knowledge of American history won't hurt, as the depiction of events like the Bay of Pigs may not make a whole lot of sense if you think the Bay of Pigs is some wild stop in Disney's Animal Kingdom!  The movie keeps you in suspense on more than one account, most of which is whether this is a fictionalized account of how the CIA was born or the Bay of Pigs debacle.  A safe approach to not overly confuse yourself would be to consider it the story of Edward Wilson as he goes through situations inspired by true events.  All in all, this is definitely a movie to watch, but may be better viewed in the privacy and quiet of your home, on DVD.

VERDICT: Wait for the DVD!

Starring: Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini, Rani Mukherjee, Salman Khan, John Abraham, and Om Puri

From the makers of Baghban, another multi-starrer, with the magnetic duo Amitabh and Hema playing their age.  The youngsters in the cast are also great.  But when will Indian movie makers learn their lesson?  Casting Amitabh as an angelic old man over and over will get boring no matter what.

In Baabul, Amitabh is striving for his daughter-in-law, widowed when his son Salman dies, to have a normal, happy life.  To find love again.  Clean family drama.  No vulgarity, no nanga dances.  How shweet.  In fact, that is precisely what is wrong with this movie...it is too sweet.  The acting is fine but the movie does not evoke many emotions other than a desperate need for a fast forward button.  The direction is so-so. We think it all boils down to trying to replicate the sweetness of Baghban, which was kind of novel the first time around, especially seeing Hema and Amitabh as a couple after so long, but now it's all old news.

VERDICT: Yawn!

Starring: Hrithik Roshan, Aishwarya Rai, Abhishek Bachchan, Uday Chopra, and Bipasha Basu

A sequel to the original Dhoom, this is a high action, high thrill, multi-starrer blockbuster not to be missed.  The plot is simple enough - Hrithik and Aishwarya are the bad guys (they even got sued in real life for being bad on screen - see our gossip section!) Abhishek, Uday, and Bipasha are the good guys.  The bad guys are planning a heist a la Mission Impossible in an adulterous combo with The Thomas Crown Affair.  The good guys are doing their best to stop it. But it all happens in a glitzy, thrilling, action-packed, musical, festive way from start to finish. 

Oh, and the babes have set forth a new fashion trend in India and Pakistan with this movie - no more straight ironed looks! Check out the big curls, mega body hairdos on Ash and Bips. 

The movie is getting mixed reviews but with all the lookers together on screen (with Uday Chopra the antidote for evil eyes), it is a movie you must catch on the big screen.

VERDICT: Check it out!

Starring: Denzel Washington, Val Kilmer

A futuristic thriller, Deja Vu explores the notion that the feeling you've seen something before may not be a mere trick of the mind.  Denzel Washington plays an ATF agent, investigating a ferry explosion in New Orleans.  He joins hands with the FBI to use a new technology that can look back up to four and a half days into the past, as part of his investigation.  He is struck by the potential use of the surveillance device to actually travel back in time, but doesn't fully realize the "whole truth" about the device/technology itself.  The plot is twisty (maybe a little too much for some people), the execution is fast paced and thrilling, Washington's acting is as usual superb, and the setting, Katrina-ravaged New Orleans, screams for restoring the city back to what it used to be!

VERDICT: Okay to wait for DVD

Starring: Sacha Baron Cohen and many Americans

Expanded from British comedian Cohen's character in Da Ali G Show, Borat is one of the most hilarious movies of recent years.  Critics and viewers alike are raving about the lunacy that makes dumb Borat very, very smart.

Cohen plays a Kazakh journalist, who is on a government mission: "Although Kazakhstan a glorious country, it have a problem, too: economic, social and Jew. This why Ministry of Information have decide to send me to U S and A greatest country in a world! to learn a lessons for Kazakhstan" says Borat right as the movie begins. What ensues is a series of encounters that clueless Borat has with equally, if not more, clueless Americans.  The dialog between Borat and his new acquaintances is nothing short of hilarious, if you have an ear for satire.  For example, if you didn't find the opening dialog bone-tickling enough to want to watch this movie, forget it. 

The only problem with Borat is that it is playing to audiences who comprise many of the clueless people he featured in the movie.  So whether they get the underlying meaning or take the movie at face value will determine whether Borat succeeds in its goal to shatter stereotypes or actually ends up promoting them.

VERDICT: In Borat's words, "Please come see my film - if it not success, I will be execute!"

Animated, starring the voices of: Robin Williams, Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, Elijah Wood, and Brittany Murphy

After last year's surprise hit, "March of the Penguins", we are being treated to an animated movie starring, well, a whole penguin nation.  Another in the new wave of photo-realistic animated features, "Happy Feet" is a movie about being true to yourself, no matter what the norms dictate. The movie tells the tale of Mumble, a little penguin, a fantastic tap dancer, but terrible singer.  His inability to sing is a major issue in the clan of Emperor Penguins, for whom singing is not only a way of life, but also the key to finding and winning true love.  Given Mumble's "disability", he is chucked out of the Emperor Penguin clan.  In exile, he meets up with a posse of non-Emperor penguins led by Ramon (played by Robin Williams), who take Mumble in and truly appreciate his tap dancing talent.  With his posse, Mumble finds his way to self discovery and true love. 

Happy Feet opened almost $1 million ahead of Casino Royale in the US, grossing over $42 million.  Talk about the spending power of American kids!

VERDICT: If you have kids (or yourself are mentally) between 4-10 years of age, definitely take them to Happy Feet.

Starring: Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Mads Mikkelsen, Judi Dench

 Review by Rehaan Iftikhar

If you enjoyed Borat, the next talk of the town is going to be "Casino Royale".  True to the Bond tradition, CR has lots of action.  The first action scene is very interesting and almost looks like it was inspired by some Indian movie! This movie has less car chases and action scenes involving cars, but they destroyed Aston Martin's new car DBS (see below right). While Casino Royale has yet to make its world premiere, it has already broken a Guinness World Record.  The James Bond production team staged a dramatic car crash that saw 007's Aston Martin roll seven times — a Guinness World Record for a single take! 

VERDICT: You cannot (repeat) CANNOT miss seeing a Bond movie in the theater!!

Starring: Shahid Kapur, Amrita Rao, Anupam Kher, Manoj Josh, Alok Nath, Seema Biswas

Vivah (Marriage) is a Sooraj Barjatya movie (known for movies Hum Apke Hain Koun, Maine Pyar Kiya, and Hum Sath Sath Hain).  That means there is some very traditional eastern setting for the romance.  Yes, in this case, the couple (Shahid and Amrita) are actually entering an arranged marriage, proposed in the old, orthodox tradition of arranged marriage through a match maker.  However, they are engaged for six months and get to know each other.  All is hunky dorey until right before the wedding when a twist throws their love - and commitment - to the test!  If nothing, this movie has an eastern touch to it, which is refreshing given the new trend of filming 0.0001% of the eastern society.  And hey, at least it's not a remake!

VERDICT: Watch it in theaters if you are dying to reward originality; else wait for the DVD!

Starring: Aishwarya Rai, Abhishek Bachchan, Shabana Azmi, Khulbhushan Kharbanda, Sunil Shetty, Puru Raj Kumar

In the flurry of remakes comes the one that turned Rekha, already a superstar, into a timeless legend - Umrao Jaan, a girl whose life is a series of unfortunate events.

The story is set in 19th century Lucknow, where Amiran (played by Aishwarya) is abducted as a young girl and sold into a Lucknow brothel house (Kotha), where she is renamed Umrao Jaan by Khanum Sahib (Shabana Azmi), the eldest resident (Madam) of the brothel house. It is in the brothel, as used to be the tradition then, that Umrao learns her ettiquette, dancing, singing, and the Urdu language from Maulvi Sahib (played by Kharbanda).   The day she performs her first mujra, she catches the eye and steals the heart of Nawab Sultan (Abhishek Bachchan).   Both fall so deeply in love that Nawab Sultan leaves the riches of his father to be with Umrao, and Umrao is willing to rebel against Khanum Sahib.   But Nawab Sultan, now a poor man doesn’t meet Khanum’s criteria for letting go of her girls.  To further complicate matters, Faiz Ali (Sunil Shetty), a criminal, disguises himself as a Nawab and offers the highest bid for Umrao.  There are no more pleasant moments in the remake than there were original.

As with remakes, leave your cynicism at home - go enjoy the beautiful Ms. Rai's onscreen glamor in 19th century costumes, and evaluate the chemistry between her and real life boyfriend Abhishek. The music, sad to report, is nothing compared to the original!

VERDICT: Interesting but okay to wait for the DVD

Starring: Shahrukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Kareena Kapoor, Isha Koppikar, Arjun Rampal, Boman Irani, and Om Puri

Since its opening on Oct. 20, Don has been playing to full houses all over the world.  A much anticipated movie with some of today's top billed actors, the movie is well made, thrilling, fun to watch, and the music is great!

Having said that, Don is the remake of Amitabh Bachchan's 1978 classic, co-starring Zeenat Aman, Pran, and Helen - some pretty big shoes to fill!  Farhan Akhtar dared to take on the challenge picking Shahrukh (who else) to play Don. 

Has he come through?  In absolute terms, yes!  There are a lot of twists, making for some interesting differences from the original.  Casting is better where possible (Arjun Rampal looks more credible in an action role than paunchy Pran).  But don't forget those big shoes or shall we say the "Big B" shoes.  As one viewer said, "Nobody should try to mess with Amitabh Bachchan, not even Shahrukh Khan!" Kareena has done exceptionally well in Helen's old role, including her scantily clad dance to the famous number (remixed for the remake) "Yeh Mera Dil, Pyar Ka Deewana" where "she almost came on par with Helen" says another viewer.

So, if you don't quite remember the original, didn't see it, or were not born yet, you'll probably love the movie; but if you are one of those who watched Don 20 times, maybe not as much as the original, but you will still enjoy watching it!

VERDICT: Worth the price of admission - even better if you give it a chance on its own merit!

Starring: Edward Norton, Paul Giamatti, Jessica Biel

"Nothing is what it seems!" says the byline. The movie is based on Eisenheim, the Illusionist, a short story by the Pulitzer Prize winning author Steven Millhauser. Eisenheim, played by Edward Norton, is a magician in the turn of the century Vienna. He is tempted by love to use his conjuring skills to lure and woo the woman he loves. The movie has got fab reviews from critics and viewers alike. The setting is wonderfully magical, the kind that takes you away from what is to what can be! Edward Norton's performance is really good.

VERDICT: Okay to wait for the DVD!

Starring: Jack Nicholson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, Alec Baldwin

Martin Scorsese's The Departed (a mob tale) debuted as the weekend's top movie at the box office with $27-million (U.S.).  This is a record opening for Scorsese, whose best thus far was Cape Fear in 1991, with a $10.3-million opening.  The movie is a remake of a Hong Kong flick called Infernal Affairs. 

The plot revolves around the Irish mafia in Massachussetts; the mob places a mole in the police department (Matt Damon) while the police department places a mole within the mob (Leonardo DiCaprio).  The moles continue to serve their keepers but get exceedingly torn between their original occupation and the one they have adopted.  As mole sniffers within the respective organizations begin to squeal, each mole must make a run to reveal the other before he himself is caught, going through several conflicts and questions of loyalty along the way. 

The movie is thrilling, suspenseful, well acted, and extremely well directed. In the face of other films that are currently playing, you would be well served to spend your money on Departed.

VERDICT: A must see!

Starring: Ajay Devgan, Saif Ali Khan, Vivek Oberoi, Kareena Kapoor, Bipasha Basu, and Naseeruddin Shah

Omkara is an adaptation of Shakespeare's Othello, set in an anonymous village in India. Ajay Devgan plays the main man, with Kareena as his love interest. The movie revolves around the games men play to get ahead of one another.  Each main character personifies traits that lead men to their own and others' devastation - Ajay is suspicious, Vivek is volatile and immature, and Saif is treacherous and conniving.  The women are nowhere near Saif in his ability to craft scandals and uproot anyone he feels is getting in his way.  Ajay is impressionable and insecure, despite his stronghold in the community.  Vivek makes the mistake of upsetting Saif's plans.  What unfolds after that is a treat to watch, in a morbid sort of way. It is not a movie to watch if you are already depressed or recently deceived by a close friend! But it's definitely a lesson in life for when you are in that introspective mood!

The movie is extremely well made - the acting is superb, especially that of Saif.  He has excelled in this role and we continue to be more and more impressed with his versatility.  The songs are outstanding - they go with the movie and are totally download-worthy!

VERDICT: A must see!

Starring: Rahul Bose, Mallika Sherawat

A light hearted comedy about the age old male dilemma - to commit or not to!  Rahul Bose plays the lead role of Sid, who is completely in love with Trisha (Mallika), a runaway bride, but cannot bring himself to commit. And when he finally does, he gets a gazillion reminders of why he never wanted to commit in the first place.  Some misunderstandings cause the couple to break up and Mallika goes back to her ex-fiance.  Realization hits Sid/Rahul and he starts pining for Mallika.  The movie takes on a slightly different turn, but stays comedic and entertaining throughout.

The music is okay, maybe just for a couple of turns on your CD player.  But the movie is not bad at all!

VERDICT: DVD material

Starring: Sanjay Dutt, Arshad Warsi, Vidya Balan, Boman Irani, Jimmy Shergill, Diya Mirza

This is the second in the series of Munna Bhai MBBS, a movie that stole every viewer's heart just a couple of years ago.  It's not a sequel, though. Think Pink Panther or Austin Powers.  The central characters remain the same, i.e. Munna Bhai (Sanjay) and Circuit (Arshad Warsi).  Boman Irani comes back as Lucky Singh, a vicious builder.  But the story is different and as good, if not better, than the first.  The movie is getting rave reviews and people who have seen it, love it!

This time around Munna Bhai, flourishing as a goon, takes a fancy to radio show host Jhanvi (Vidya Balan).  He also encounters Mahatama Gandhi who becomes his Yoda of a spiritual kind.  With Gandhi's teachings on his mind, Munna Bhai takes us through a wild ride that promises many laughs, and even some tears.  Apparently the movie is about finding the Gandhi in all of us, but is executed in a completely non-sermonistic way.

The music is good, the acting excellent, and the movie promises to be fun for the whole family.

VERDICT: A must see!

Starring: Amitabh Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan, Rani Mukherjee, Abhishek Bachchan, Priety Zinta, Kirron Kher

Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna (KANK) is billed as a "story of relationships". With historic advance booking, this Karan Johar film is headed for cinematic history like some of its predecessors (Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham, Kal Ho Naa Ho, etc.)

KANK's story is something like this - Shahrukh is married to Priety and Abhishek and Rani are a couple. Both couples are seemingly happy until they meet each other and sparks fly between Rani and Shahrukh. They start to feel something special and take a second look at their marriages. Whether committment wins over love or vice versa, is the crux of this movie and we can't say anything so as not to spoil the climax for you! Amitabh plays Abhishek's father and Kirron plays Shahrukh's mom.

VERDICT: A must see!

Starring: Ajay Devgan, Arshad Warsi, Sharman Joshi, Tushaar Kapoor, Rimi Sen and Paresh Rawal

Before you read on, please note that "unlimited fun" is not our caption for this movie, but the producers' own tag line. In this fun movie, the four "hunks" to your right play "college friends". Why the sarcastic quotation marks, you ask? Well, ahem, it's not the kind that had been friends in college 10 years ago, but the kind who are still in college!!! And not because they've "gone back to school after 15 years of work"!!! (Has the casting director recently visited and seen what most college students look like????)

Anyway, these "youngsters" get in trouble with some goons and take refuge in a blind couple's house (the husband played by Paresh Rawal). The couple's been waiting for their grandson to return from somewhere so Ajay Devgan decides to pretend and oblige. Meanwhile some people are after the old blind couple to rob them. Rimi Sen is also somewhere in the movie as the common love interest of the four "young boys". The rest of the movie is a hodge podge of comedic situations among all these characters.

Anyways, casting aside the casting atrocities, we've heard that the movie is fun to watch, Ajay Devgan does a good job in a comedy role, Arshad Warsi and Paresh Rawal do not disappoint, and the rest are all inconsequential.

VERDICT: Check it out when the DVD comes out.

Starring: Brandon Routh, Kate Bosworth, Kevin Spacey, James Marsden, Frank Langella, Eva Marie Saint, Parker Posey

Whatever you say, there is no superhero like Superman.  Once you believe that, there is no Superman movie that you will utterly dislike.  Sure, there will be some that you will like more, and the rest which you will just like watching because they are about your favorite superhero.  Superman Returns is sort of in the second category.

In Superman Returns, Superman comes back to earth after a five year absence (which is really 19 movie-going years, as the last Superman movie was released in 1987).  He has been visiting Krypton, his home planet, in the hopes of finding some remaining life.  He comes back to see that in general, the world hasn't changed; people are still violent, crimes are still rampant, and the planet does need a savior as much as it did before he left.  But he also finds out that his own world has changed a lot.  Lois Lane, the woman he loves, both as Clark Kent and Superman, has kind of moved on.  Lex Luthor is back from prison and back to his imperialistic ways, armed with some very dangerous knowledge.  The movie is about how Superman fights Lex on the one hand, but more noticeably, how he tries to reconcile with the reality of his changed love life.

The movie does a good job of setting the stage for sequels, reintroducing the old characters, adding a special "little" character (we won't give it away if you haven't yet seen the movie), and leaving some loose ends between Luthor and Superman. 

From the opening credits to the very end, the mood and ambience in the movie are very true to the originals, almost making you feel like you saw them recently.  Other than cell phones and digital SLRs, you can't really pin the time period.  Brandon Routh makes a good Superman.  You will dearly miss the late Christopher Reeve, but not because Routh is bad, but because Routh looks quite like him and yet, he's not Reeve.  Just like there is no better superhero than Superman, there can't be a Superman better than Reeve.

VERDICT: How can you even think of missing a Superman movie?!?

Starring: Hrithik Roshan, Priyanka Chopra, Naseeruddin Shah

Krrish is a sequel to "Koi Mil Gaya", in which Hrithik  Sr. made contact with I.E.T. (Indian ET), who quickly changed his name to Jadoo to appeal to Bollywood audiences.  While IET stole Hrithik's heart, he wasn't very pretty, so in the end, the victor of Hrithik's undying love was Priety (Zinta).  Apparently, they got married, even though Hrithik Sr. was a little soft in the head, and had Hrithik Jr.

In Krrish (remember to stress the extra R), Hrithik plays his own son, Krishna, who has inherited everything from the father except the softness in the cerebral areas.  In fact, he can fly like a bird, run like a train, and so on.  (Seems to us like maybe IET and Priety had something going on while soft-headed Hrithik Sr. was out playing with the neighborhood kids). 

Krrish is the alterego of Krishna, who has innocently followed his beloved Priyanka Chopra (thank God it wasn't an alien!) to Singapore.  There he meets Naseeruddin Shah (Dr. Arya), who is intent on destroying the world.  And from there on out starts the most expensive, and most successful movie in recent Bollywood history.

Inspite of the weird, unspoken extraterrestrial gene pool, Krrish will give you stunts and special effects to really marvel at.  In fact, the movie is giving Superman Returns a run for its money (if only Clark Kent knew how to sing and dance!).  It has opened to full houses all over India, is breaking box office records all over, including UK, US, and UAE. 

VERDICT: Oh, go watch it...what do we know!!

Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor, Neha Dhupia, Paresh Rawal, Rajpal Yadav, Om Puri, Anupam Kher

The plot of the movie is original: Shahid Kapoor, a small town guy, decides to take his life so that the money from his life insurance policy can come in handy for his dad.  Instead of succeeding, he is saved by a fisherman, Paresh Rawal.  He is presumed deaf and dumb and taken to Kolkatta.  The rest is not so great.  The movie is intended to be a comedy of errors, or one lie spurs a thousand lies, whatever you want to call it.  Basically it's a one thing leads to another, everyone gets caught up,  and (here's the unoriginal part), nobody can see what's going on.  Regardless, the movie is full of people with a huge amount of comedic talent, and will not fail to entertain!

VERDICT: Check it out, but maybe on DVD!

Starring: Paresh Rawal, Akshay Kumar, Sunil Shetty, Bipasha Basu, Rimi Sen, Johnny Lever, Rajpal Yadav

This movie is a sequel to the hilarious "Hera Pheri" where Baburao (Paresh Rawal) acquires two tenants, Akshay and Sunil, and the three go on a wild adventure all on the phone.  Gratefully, at the end they go from paupers to princes, as their mish mash of a very bad "con the conman" plan unravels.

The sequel has the trio living their rich and famous (maybe not) lifestyle, when Akshay is hit with yet another "smart" idea.  Inspite of Sunil's warnings, Baburao indulges (greedy as he was), and the movie takes us through another hilarious journey of what happens to them.

We can't say you'll love it as much as the original, which was a complete surprise and maybe that is why it was so funny! This time, you know the characters and their antics.  Whether the addition of Bipasha and Rimi on the glamor front, and Johnny Lever and Rajpal Yadav on the comedy front, do anything to spark a new chemistry with moviegoers, only time will tell.  So far, the movie is getting solid viewer response and is highly recommended.

VERDICT: Don't miss it!

Starring: Bipasha Basu, Minissha, Sameer Dattani, Kay Kay Menon, Payal Rohtagi, Raj Babbar, Harsh Chayya, Rajat Kapoor

From the director of Page 3, Madhur Bhandarkar, comes the second one in his trilogy about life in Mumbai: Corporate. The movie is about two leading industrialists, engaged in a battle of supremacy in the wake of international competition.

The cast is an interesting ensemble. Bollywood has evolved in a certain respect, which is the ability of art film actors to cross over to commercial cinema and vice versa. For example in movies like Sarkar, Company, Thakshak, and even Chameli, actors like Kay Kay, Rahul Bose, Ajay Devgan, and Kareena Kapoor have all played strong acting roles in movies that had a strong commercial appeal as well. While Page 3 was not as mass-audience friendly, it seems like Corporate may be making that leap with this cast of well known actors.

The theme seems understandable enough for the masses as well...nothing too complicated in industrial feuds. Let's see how the movie does once it is released.

VERDICT: Sounds promising!

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, Ian McKellen, Famke Janssen, Rebecca Romijn, Patrick Stewart

The last of the trilogy, X-Men 3 takes us through the challenge faced by all mutants as a mutant-parent uses his laboratories and an Anti-Mutant child to develop a "cure" for the mutant gene.  Once shot with the cure, mutant genes are zapped forever, turning mutants into homosapiens.  Magneto takes the brute force approach while Xavier and his students want to follow the tempered approach.  A fight ensues between the triumvirate of homosapiens, good mutants, and evil mutants.  We won't tell you who wins and how, because this movie is worth watching!  There are new characters and defining moments between old characters.  Some will die, others will live, and some will live without their powers...or will they?

The movie opened strong, grossing over $120 million on the opening weekend.  Movies like X-Men 3 always mean something different to their fans than their critics.  As a fan, you would love watching all your favorite mutants, doing their thing as the plot unravels.  As a critic, one can't ignore the weak character building, complete waste of some new characters who don't go far with the plot, and an almost unintelligent, muscle-flexing strategy underlying the whole conflict.  The movie is more like a 1980s flick, with many lost opportunities to show how the intelligence and imagination of the good mutants could overcome the evil mutants without indulging in waterfights and boxing matches.

VERDICT: Fans of X-Men must see this movie!

Starring: Aamir Khan, Kajol, Tabu, Kirron Kher

What a disappointment.  You walk in thinking "Fanaa" is about love and romance, or maybe about the Sufi definition of "Fanaa", i.e. "annihilation of evil deeds from the mind and body".  But you realize midway that the title is really about annihilation of another kind.  Aamir Khan goes from being a street side Romeo madly in love with the blind Kajol, trying to show her the world through his eyes to a mad, raging terrorist who kills people by the dozen.  Kajol, meanwhile, transforms from a blind beauty to a sighted but heartbroken sleuth who helps the authorities capture Aamir Khan.  Both actors play Kashmiri Muslims, Rehan Qadri and Zooni Ali Beg, so the terrorism plot leaves you with the additional "Uggh" feeling that has become so tiring.  Can movies with Muslim characters please start showing the 99% non-terrorist Muslim population?  All in all, this movie is a shameful waste of time and money, both for the producers and for audiences.  To think they went all the way to Poland to film the movie (yes, the Kashmir landscape is actually Polish). Songs are mediocre.  Acting is not bad, but all in all, this movie is a disaster.

VERDICT: If you must watch it, wait for the DVD!

Starring: Akshay Khanna, Kareena Kapoor, Shahid Kapoor, Paresh Rawal, Johnny Lever

Two words: Funny and Suspenseful. The story revolves around a missing child, whose mother has proposed a reward for 25 lakh to whoever can find him. Kareena Kapoor plays Priya and Shahid Kapoor is Raj. Both are strangers and simultaneously come across the child. They decide to split the reward. Upon returning the child to his mother, they discover her murdered at her house. Shocked and panic stricken, they decide to flee the scene; leaving Priya’s suitcase behind. This leads them to be prime suspects in the investigation that follows. Nice acting, charming characters, and comic relief with Paresh Rawal and Johnny Lever make this movie an interesting prospect.

VERDICT: Worth watching!

Starring: Sushmita Sen, Mithun Chakraborty, Anuj Sawhney, Ila Arun
Written & Directed by Kalpana Lajmi

Chingari is the story of a prostitute and what her life is like in rural India. The lead is played by Sushmita Sen. The story revolves around a brothel house in the village and what goes on there.It highlights the injustices of the caste system in India. Mithun plays the villanous role of the head priest. He manipulates the villagers into making them believe that he is a supreme being. He considers the prostitutes a low caste and yet he visits the brothel often to see Basanti (Shushmita Sen). He treats her very badly yet he is jealous of the postman for taking interest in her. He considers her his possession.

The villagers are an uneducated lot, and the only people literate are the postmen. There are two in the village: one who is retired and Anuj Sawhney, the new young one. He  realizes what the priest is doing and stands against the injustices and rules of the priest. Basanti and the postman fall in love and plan to get married. What happens after that is the turning point of the movie.

Overall, the movie contains explicit scenes and drags a lot.  Sushmita has been praised for her role in this movie, but frankly we don't think she was suited for this role.  She doesn't look like a traditional Indian villager and her dialogue delivery was just OK.

VERDICT:

This movie gets a D for DRAG!!

Starring: David Spade, Jon Heder, Rob Schneider 

The cast is what makes the movie. A rich man wants revenge on the bullies that ruined his childhood, and now are doing the same to his son.  He arranges for a team that would play against the most malicious little league baseball teams out there. He hires three equally amusing and clumsy men, all who faced bully trouble during their school years.  They are given an opportunity gain their confidence by getting even with the meanest kids around.  The rich man promises the team who beats the threesome baseball team a real-deal stadium worth millions.  It’s not as predictable as it may seem! 

VERDICT:

Worth it if you are willing to let yourself get amused by an adult baseball team who is taking revenge on little mean kids…or maybe you have a fetish for Jon Heder (who played hilarious and awkward Napolean Dynamite). B-

Starring: Saif Ali Khan, Dimple Kapadia, Naseerudin Shah, Boman Irani, Tina Sethna and Manoj Pawah.

It’s a serious one folks. This movie displays intricate relationships and the motives behind certain relationships. Saif Ali Khan plays the role of Cyrus, who has arrived in Panchgani to learn pottery from Dinshaw Sethna. Cyrus develops an intimate relationship with Sethna’s wife, using her as a medium for communicating with her father in law. All relationships within the movie are plotted or significant because each character has their own incentive to murder the old father in law. Despite being a somewhat serious and thought provoking film, it offers some humor.   

VERDICT:

If you have appreciation for artsy and/or serious films, you should definitely see it.  C+

Starring: Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew McConaughey

Tripp, a thirty some year old man living with his parents finds himself living the good life where he is provided with free food, laundry services and a decent room. His parents decide he is old enough to move out on his own and stop living off of them; however the problem is that they cannot get the idea across to him. Paula, played by Sarah Jessica Parker, professionally works with parents to have their thirty year olds move out of the house. She follows a precise process in which she pretends to fall in love and proves to the man that he needs his own place. During this process of falling in love, she finds herself falling for him, and conflict arises when he finds out his parents have paid her to help him move out of their house. People's Sexiest Man Alive, and the Emmy award winner Sarah Jessica Parker make this romantic comedy a must see.

VERDICT: Depends if you're in the mood for a romantic chick flick. Funny and awkward scenes with Tripp's family members make this movie worthwhile. Overall, it gets a B.

Starring: John Abraham and Nana Patekar

From previews, this movie looks scary similar to Collateral (Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx). From the producer's account, it seems to have its own plot. It's a movie about Nana Patekar, playing the cabbie, who needs to make Rs.30,000 within a day, and John Abraham, an heir apparent to his father's Rs.300 crore fortune. Both have a lot to accomplish and each has his own agenda. The movie is bound to be interesting with Nana Patekar's role being a blend of sarcasm, seriousness, urgency, and humor. We are not sure about John's acting talent as much as we are of his good looks. But the movie has a great soundtrack and good visual sequences, as well as a plot, even if bits of it may be inspired wholly or partially by Hollywood.

VERDICT: Take a ride in Taxi No. 9211!

Starring: Sohail Khan, Zayed Khan, Dino Morea, Rahul Dev, Dia Mirza, Neha Dhupia

Another unoriginal movie with a brazen attempt to hijack a Hollywood plot. It's the kind of movie that makes you ask "whodunnit" so you can teach them a thing or two. Actor/producer Sohail Khan (Salman Khan's brother) should seriously give up movies. However, since we owe it to you, we'll give you a story summary.

Four friends form a fight club, to help people settle old scores with borrowed muscle. Everything stays hunky dory (there are a couple of hunks in the cast after all) until someone important is killed. Real villains enter the scene to make the hooligans disguised as heros look a little better by comparison. Lots of fights follow and while Bollywood's technology comes in handy for some good visual sequences, most of the time you want to rent the cast to beat the cr*p out of everyone who had anything to do with the movie, including themselves.

VERDICT: Stay away!

Starring: Aamir khan, Madhavan, Soha Ali Khan, Kunal Kapoor, Siddharth, Sharman Joshi and Alice Patten

The story is about an English film maker Sue, who stumbles upon the diary of her late grandfather who was a British officer in India before 1947. She comes to India to make a film based on what she has learned from his notes about Indian freedom fighters, like Chandrashekhar Azad, Bhagat Singh and Ashfak. In her quest for the right actors, her friend Sonia (Soha Ali Khan) introduces her to a group of friends in whom she sees the characters of her documentary. The group consists of DJ (Aamir Khan), Aslam (Kunal Kapoor), Karan (Siddharth) and Sukhi (Sharman Joshi). None of the friends is serious enough to be a part of Sue’s documentary. To them values like patriotism, sacrificing oneself for the sake of country are empty words. Even as the five friends agree to be a part of her movie, they still cannot accept the virtues of the characters (of the freedom fighters) they play. But then, an incident turns around their lives. Sonia's boyfriend Ajay dies in a MIG crash. DJ, Aslam, Karan, Sukhi, Sonia, Ajay’s mother (Waheeda Rahman) and Pandey (Atul Kulkarni) lead the protest against the Defense Minister to get Ajay the honor he deserved. How the friends react to this incident changes the whole mood of the film. From fun loving and easy spirited young university students in the first half of the movie, they are transformed into serious patriotic freedom fighters in the second half. Parallels are drawn between the characters in the two time periods and as the story moves towards its finale, the wall of time begins to dissolve and the characters become one in courage and spirit. The movie keeps transforming the same actors into characters from the past. The music and cinematography is brilliant. The music goes well with the film and is not your run of the mill music. This movie brings out the much needed patriotism that we all lack.

VERDICT: A must see film!