Accepted

Ratings : * Avoidable ** Average *** Good **** Must Watch

The plot begins with Bartleby Gaines (Justin Long), a high-school senior who, among other high-school pranks, creates fake IDs. He is stunned when he is rejected by every college he applies to. Bartleby, in an attempt to seek continued approval from his father, whose paternal position is that if Bartleby is not accepted into and subsequently graduates from an accredited institution of higher learning, would then be certainly doomed to complete failure in society, Bartleby seeks to create his own, fake college, the South Harmon Institute of Technology, to make his parents believe that he had been "Accepted" (hence the title of the film).

Having been accepted into the prestigious Harmon College Sherman Schrader III (Jonah Hill), who has been Bartleby's best friend and "partner in crime" since kindergarten, agrees to help out with setting up the scheme. The film's dialogue generally implies that both have always done everything together in life, and one particular line of dialogue suggests that there is an understanding between Bartleby and Schrader that Schrader caused Bartleby's younger sister Lizzie to be born as a result of the theft of Bartleby's mother's birth control pills.

Arriving at the conclusion that they will require a campus to continue the ruse, the group locates and leases an abandoned psychiatric hospital on realty adjacent to the campus of Harmon College, and proceeds to refurbish it. With everything remodeled, the broken-down hospital now satisfactorily resembles a college building. With a functional website, originally created by Schrader to help B mislead his father into believing in the authenticity of South Harmon, the "college" has subsequently been inadvertently accepting applicants, and much to the dismay of Bartleby, the campus is soon brimming with new students. Sherman confirms to Bartleby that the website tagline depicted in the website, "Acceptance is just a Click away!" he made, much to Bartleby's dismay, clickable, by not objecting when Bartleby exclaims "...yeah, but I didn't mean for you to make the link clickable!"

Subsequently, Bartleby, sensing that the group have now been placed under a duty to handle the students and begin the operations of the new "college", proceeds to explain the situation and secures the cooperation ofe Sherman's uncle, the intelligent, highly-educated, socially-conscious (but socially marginalized) Ben Lewis (Lewis Black), who, it is arguably implied in the plot, is (1) an alcoholic; and, (2) a disbarred lawyer (although neither of these plot assertions are depicted to any reasonable extent of certitude) to act as Dean of Students.

A subplot throughout the remainder of the film consists of Schrader attempting to be indoctrinated as a "legacy" into his fraternity house, going to the extreme of humiliating himself, as directed by his prospective fraternity brothers, but culminating in an instance of hazing whereby Schrader is coerced into revealing B's scheme as to South Harmon. Also, during this time, Bartleby's relationship with his high school crush Monica (Blake Lively) develops, as Monica has become disgusted with the conduct of her erstwhile fraternity-president boyfriend.

At one point, Bartleby's sister Lizzie arrives at the campus to "check up" on him and discovers the hoax they have created, but B successfully bribes Lizzie in order to secure her cooperation. Lizzie, after being unable to obtain twenty thousand dollars from B (a comment obviously made in jest as Lizzie, too, realizes Bartleby's duty as to the tuition money) quickly settles for a fake driver's license ("so I can vote") and a motorscooter.

With the few million dollars in tuition money contributed from the South Harmon students, Bartleby uses the funds to expand and upgrade the facility, including expanded dorm rooms and common areas, and also a lot of what initially seem to be entertainment systems, such as a "half pipe" for skateboarding and a large swimming pool, but which are subsequently demonstrated to comprise both an athletic facility and and engineering curriculum facility. Bartleby tells the South Harmon students to concoct additional curricula by describing whatever they feel like doing and listing these activities as their own class subjects, by writing these "subjects" on a whiteboard, depicting classes such as "Do Nothing 101" and "The Art of Sleeping".

The sole exception to this collectively lackadaisical approach is made by Bartleby's friend Glen, who, after having been invited into the scheme by co-conspirator Rory, creates a structured culinary arts curriculum through refurbishing the building's commercial-grade kitchen. One of the high points of the film's dialogue occurs when Glen, after a muffled explosion is heard emanating from the kitchen, emerges to exclaim to Bartleby and Monica that "I'm working with some very unstable herbs!"

Otherwise, however, the remainder of the entire student body is shown simply sitting around and partying all day. One such party was the "S.H.I.T. Party", which consists a huge party filled with dancing and music, and during this party the actual band, The Ringers, performed their song "Keepin' Your Head Up". Upon learning of the event, several of the Harmon fraternity members and their girlfriends arrive. They confront Monica, at Bartleby's side, and Hoyt trips the fire suppression system, which, upon raining water down on the S.H.I.T.-head revellers, collectively decide to have a "wet T-shirt party".

Word of this unauthorized campus, obstructing his aspiration of an adjacent park-like "buffer zone to keep intellect in and ignorance out" soon makes its way to the Dean of the nearby Harmon College, Dean Van Horne. Later, Bartleby is surprised when the parents of S.H.I.T. students arrive at the campus (a flyer had been distributed by Hoyt Ambrose of Harmon inviting the parents of South Harmon students to a "Parents' Day").
Still pursuing his agenda of an adjacent park-like setting to augment the Harmon campus, a falsely righteously indignant Van Horne then arrives. Also present are officers of the state police who observe the situation and determine that no criminal activity is in progress. Van Horne then proceeds to unilaterally and conclusorily announce to all of the parents and students present that the "school" is a scam.

Deferring to Van Horne's apparent, but ultimately-proven-to-be-illusory authority, Bartleby concedes to his parents the scheme about South Harmon, and the South Harmon students accompany their disappointed parents away. Disappointing his father once again, Bartleby feels that all hope is lost. He rides his bike to the now roped-off campus and stops to look through the various mailpieces placed on the "school's" front stoop. Bartleby discovers to his surprise that one of the envelopes contains a letter which is a notice of the scheduling of an accreditation hearing regarding South Harmon's petition before the Ohio Board of Accreditation. Schrader had secretly applied to the state board on behalf of South Harmon. He has decided that despite his skepticism, he now wants to be a part of South Harmon, or as Schrader puts it, "I want to be a S.H.I.T. head!".

The Ohio Board of Accreditation schedules an administrative tribunal to conduct a hearing to consider the merits of the application on behalf of South Harmon. During the hearing, at which Rory ensures the entire South Harmon student body is in attendance, Bartleby makes a speech about following their own dreams, and not being restricted to what the school allows them to do. He claims schools such as Harmon College are great--but they limit the creativity of students, whereas at South Harmon, students could find their talents and set their own goals.

The board, after deliberating on the various oratories of the South Harmon petitioners, collectively agrees, and grants the South Harmon Institute of Technology a one-year probation and supervision to further what the board characterizes as South Harmon's 'experimental programs'.

The film concludes with Bartleby being seen off by his family for a new semester at South Harmon, and with Schrader climbing the stairs on his way to teach "Advanced Skepticism 401." An epilogue scene has Van Horne walking to his empty BMW car which then explodes, mob-style, causing Van Horne's eyes to begin welling with tears, ostensibly in sorrow at the loss of his obviously beloved status-symbol vehicle, at which point the scene shifts to a shocked Bartleby next to his fellow South Harmon student (who previously indicated his curricular contribution to be "Learn to Blow Shit up with your Mind") (Freaky Student/Jaison Trumar) who, inexplicably, says to Bartleby, "Told ya."

My Rating : ***
Genre : Comedy/Drama
Director : Steve Pink
Cast : Justin Long, Jonah Hill, Lewis Black, Columbus Black

Saving Private Ryan

Ratings : * Avoidable ** Average *** Good **** Must Watch

An elderly veteran (Harrison Young) and his family visits the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in Normandy, France, where he collapses to one knee in front of a gravestone, overcome with emotion.

The scene changes to the beginning of the invasion of Normandy, with American soldiers landing on Omaha Beach and struggling against dug-in German Army infantry and machinegun nests. One of the men who survive the initial landing, Captain John H. Miller (Tom Hanks) of the 2nd Ranger Battalion, rallies a group of soldiers and slowly penetrates the German defenses leading to a breakout from the beach.

In the United States, General George C. Marshall discovers that three of the four brothers of the Ryan family have all died within days of each other and that their mother will receive all three notices on t he same day. He learns that the fourth son, Private First Class James Francis Ryan (Matt Damon) of the 1st Battalion 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment is missing in action somewhere in France. He orders that he be found and sent home immediately.

Back in France, Miller receives orders from Lieutenant Colonel Walter Anderson (Dennis Farina) to find Private Ryan, and assembles a squad of seven Rangers, plus one man detailed from the 29th Infantry Division (Tom Sizemore, Edward Burns, Barry Pepper, Vin Diesel, Giovanni Ribisi, Adam Goldberg and Jeremy Davies as the man from the 29th) to accomplish this task. With no information about Ryan's whereabouts, Miller and his men move from town to town, rendezvousing with other American units and trading information while venturing deeper into enemy territory. Following several false leads and the loss of Caparzo (Diesel) at the hands of a sniper, Miller locates a friend of Ryan’s, who reveals that Ryan is defending a strategically-important bridge over the Merderet River in the fictional town of Ramelle.

Along the Journey, Miller decides to take the opportunity to neutralize a small German machine gun position close to an abandoned radar station. In the ensuing skirmish the squad's medic, Wade (Ribisi) is fatally wounded. The last surviving German incurs the wrath of the squad members, except for Upham (Davies) who he befriends. Miller decides to let the German walk away and surrender himself to the next allied patrol, a decision viewed by Reiben (Burns) as letting the enemy go free. No longer confident in the leadership of Miller, Reiben declares his intention to desert, prompting a tense confrontation with Horvath (Sizemore) that threatens to tear the squad apart until Miller resolves the situation and Reiben decides to stay. The squad finally arrives on the outskirts of Ramell e where they destroy a German reconnaissance unit with the help of some American soldiers, one of them Ryan. The unit regroups in Ramelle, joining with the American paratroopers defending the town, where Captain Miller informs Ryan of his brothers' deaths and of their mission to bring him home. Ryan adamantly refuses to leave his makeshift unit, demanding that he remain to help defend the bridge against an impending German counter-attack. Miller reluctantly agrees and orders his unit to help defend the bridge in the upcoming battle, taking command and setting up the defense with what little manpower they have.

The Germans arrive in force supported by tanks and armored vehicles. Miller leads the defense but in spite of inflicting significant German casualties most of his remaining squad members are killed and the American unit is slowly pushed back by superior numbers and firepower. The defenders retreat across the bridge, suffering further casualties, pursued by gunfire and an advancing German Tiger Tank. In the middle of an American attempt to blow the bridge Miller is shot and fatally wounded. Just before the Tiger reaches the bridge, an American P-51 Mustang swoops down and destroys the tank, followed by more Mustang fighters and advancing American infantry who assault the town and rout the remaining German forces. Ryan, Reiben and Upham are the only main characters to survive the battle. Ryan is with Miller as he dies and hears his last words, "James... earn this. Earn it."

Back in the present, the elderly veteran is revealed to be Ryan and the grave Miller's. Ryan asks his wife to confirm that he has been a 'good man' and thus worthy of Miller's and the other's sacrifice as the camera pans down the gravestones to the American flag and fades out.

My Rating : ****
Genre : Action/War
Director : Steven Spielberg
Cast : Tom Hanks, Edward Burns, Tom Sizemore, Barry Pepper, Vin Diesel, Matt Damon.

Troy

Ratings : * Avoidable ** Average *** Good **** Must Watch

Agamemnon of Mycenae and his army are in Thessaly, Greece, looking to expand their military might and empire. His army prepares to engage in combat against a host of soldiers under Thessaly's king, Triopas. Rather than suffer great losses, the King of Thessaly agrees to avoid unnecessary deaths by settling the matter through a decisive match between the heroes of the opposing armies. The King of Thessaly summons his greatest and most accomplished warrior, Boagrius. Agamemnon shouts for Achilles, who is still at a small village. A messenger is sent out to get him. Achilles arrives and defeats Boagrius, killing him with a single sword thrust. Accepting defeat, the King of Thessaly presents Achilles with a scepter as a token for his King, which he refuses saying "He's not my king."

Agamemnon has to call upon Achilles again when his brother Menelaus seeks revenge on the Trojan Prince Paris for eloping with his wife, Helen of Sparta. Paris' warrior brother—Hector—is not pleased to learn of this affair and when he returns to Troy, he urges their father, King Priam, to return the young woman to Sparta. But Priam puts too much faith in his high priests and their interpretation of how Apollo will react. Accordingly—and with Agamemnon realizing that a victory over Troy would give him complete control over the Aegean—the Greeks amass the largest naval force ever known to man and set sail for Troy. It is also Thetis wh o tells Achilles of a prophecy she had learned of that stated that if he does not go to the war he will find peace and have a family of his own but he will eventually be forgotten. If he chooses to go to Troy, his name will last for eternity but he will die there. Achilles cannot resist the glory of such fame and heads for Troy.

The Trojan Horse The Greeks land at Troy and are able to take control of the beach on the first day of the war. Achilles and the Myrmidons are able to defeat many Trojans but also desecrate the Trojan temple of Apollo and kill the unarmed priests that reside there. Briseis, a member of the Trojan royal family who has chosen to dedicate her live to service to the gods, is captured and serves as a prize for Achilles, though she is far from a willing captive. After the battle, Achilles is annoyed that, though he and his Myrmidons spearheaded the battle, the other kings who serve Agamemnon pay him tribute in honor of 'his' (Agamemnon's) great victory. Offended by what he sees as Achilles' disrespectful and disobedient attitude, Agamemnon unwisely deliberately humiliates Achilles by using his authority as the high king to take Briseis from him and repeatedly telling him that there is nothing he can do about it and he, Agamemnon, is more powerful and important than Achilles. Only Briseis' pleas stop Achilles from slaughtering Agamemnon and his men right there (foolishly, Agamemnon taunts him as being humbled by a female slave.) Achilles leaves, but before going, promises Agamemnon to his face he will see Agamemnon dead before his own life ends.

When the Greek army marches upon Troy, it is without Achilles and the Myrmidons; Achilles, fed up with Agamemnon, refuses to fight or allow the Myrmidons to fight until Agamemnon regrets belittling him. With the Trojan army beneath the walls of Troy and the Greek army surrounding it, Paris, feeling guilt for having brought the threat of war upon Troy, challenges Menelaus to a duel. Paris battles with Menelaus but loses badly. Paris, terrified of dying, crawls back to Hector's feet. Menelaus intends to kill Paris at Hector's feet but Hector steps in to protect his brother and kills Menelaus - guaranteeing that the war will continue. Hector kills Ajax and the increasingly energized Trojans press their attack against the uncoordinated Greeks. Without Achilles and his Myrmidons, and with the Trojan archers upon the walls of Troy free to shower arrows upon the Greeks, the battle quickly turns against the Greeks. With command of the battle lost, Agamemnon grudgingly bows to Odysseus's pleas to withdraw, and the Greeks retreat to the beach.

Briseis has been given to some men by the king after their poor performance in battle as a "morale booster". Achilles saves her from being raped and branded. He then takes her back to his tent. Achilles attempts to clean her wounds but she fights him away. Briseis considers killing Achilles as he sleeps. However, she does not carry it through because Achilles sexually tempts her by pulling her on his bed and lifting her skirt. Achilles penetrates Briseis and they end up sleeping together. The next night the two are in bed talking, when Achilles tells her that he is leaving in the morning.

The Trojans attack the Greek camp at dawn. Frustrated at not getting a chance to fight, Patroclus takes Achilles' armor and joins the battle. He brings courage to the Greeks, as they mistake him for Achilles, and eventually fights man-to-man against Hector. In the fight with Hector, Patroclus' throat is cut: this energizes the Trojans and dismays the Greeks, until Hector, sensing something wrong, pulls Achilles's helmet off and finds Patroclus, a young boy, dying slowly because of the nature of his wound. Grieved at having slain one so young, Hector gives him a killing blow out of mercy. When Achilles finds out, he is consumed by grief and rage, and walks toward the beach. T he next day he and Hector gear up to fight each other. Achilles marches toward the Trojan gates to fight Hector. Hector stops the city's archers from opening fire and goes down to face Achilles in battle. Ultimately, Achilles wins when he does a 360 degree spin and spears Hector in the chest; then delivers the final blow. He then ties Hector's body to the back of his chariot and drags it along the dirt. That night King Priam goes to the Greek army's camp to get Hector's body back. Achilles agrees and lets Priam take Briseis back as well. He assures Priam that 12 days are allowed for a proper funeral service for Prince Hector.

During the 12 days that Troy mourns Hector's death, the Greeks devise a plan to enter the city, using a hollowed-out wooden horse, devised by Odysseus. The Greeks leave the horse on their camp site then withdraw leaving the horse on the beach in the remains of their camp. Paris warns Priam about the horse, but Priam neglects his warning and brings the horse into Troy for celebration. However a Trojan scout sees the Greeks still at the bay but gets shot by an arrow before he can deliver the news. Assuming victory, the Trojans, against the advice of Paris (who says to burn it), take the horse into the city and celebrate. That night, the Greeks, hidden inside the horse, launch a surprise attack and open the gates of Troy to allow the Greek army inside the city walls. Paris refuses to leave and hands the Sword of Troy to Aeneas, quoting his father by telling Aeneas that as long as the Sword of Troy remains in the hands of a Trojan, the people have a future. Priam yells to the Greeks who break statues in the temple and says "Have you no honor?" but is killed by Agamemnon.

Achilles frantically searches for Briseis, who is at the shrine of Apollo being threatened by Agamemnon. Agamemnon tells her that she will be his sexual slave. She kills him with a concealed knife, and is saved from Agamemnon's guards when Achilles reaches her. Paris, who manages to find Achilles and Briseis, shoots an arrow that goes straight through Achilles' heel. He shoots Achilles full of arrows, mortally wounding him. Achilles, after pulling out every arrow in his body (save the one piercing his heel,) then delivers his last words, "You gave me peace in a lifetime of war." as he passes into death. Briseis tearfully leaves the city with Paris after Achilles assures her that "Everything's all right, go."

After a last disorganized and futile attempt by surviving Trojan soldiers to repel the invaders, the battle ends and the Greeks storm the inner palace only to find that Achilles has died just a few moments earlier. They perform the funeral rituals for him the next morning.

My Rating : ***

Genre : Action/Epic

Director : Wolfgang Petersen

Cast : Brad Pitt, Eric Bana, Orlando Bloom, Brian Cox, Sean Bean, Dian Kruger.

Phone Booth

Ratings : * Avoidable ** Average *** Good **** Must Watch

The narrator begins by mentioning all the phone calls made every day. Enter Stu Shepard (Farrell), an arrogant, selfish, lying, foul-mouthed publicist, who contemplates cheating on his wife Kelly (Mitchell). Every day after work he calls Pam (Holmes), a young actress whom Stu fancies, and only pretends to be making a star out of, from the phone booth between 53rd and 8th. When a pizza guy tries to deliver a pizza to the booth Stu rudely dismisses him.

Stu calls Pam, and says that he'd love to introduce her to some important people but is told she doesn't have time. After the phone call, the phone rings and Stu answers it.

The caller is a man (Sutherland) who says that he should've accepted the pizza, and also that he should not leave the booth. When Stu asks who it is, the man says "Someone who enjoys watching you". S tu soon realizes that the man he's talking to can see him and looks around the many windows surrounding him. The man says that he'll say hi to his wife Kelly for him, then hangs up. The man soon calls back to tell Stu that he must tell Kelly and Pam the truth; that he's cheating. The man calls Pam and puts Stu on speaker phone, and tells her that Stu is married, that he doesn't want anything with Pam except to sleep with her. He then tells Stu to call his wife and tell her the truth. An angry Stu does so. Kelly says that a guy just called to say Stu would call her from a booth to tell her something important and Stu is distracted by two prostitutes who want to use the phone. He becomes so confused that he finally hangs up on his wife and yells to the dancers. He then tells the man he's had enough—and is told that if he hangs up, the man will shoot him. Stu doesn't believe him, but is convinced when the man cocks his gun. Stu gets scared, warning him that if he shoots the cops will arrive. However, the sniper proves him to be wrong by shooting a toy robot next to the booth without anyone noticing.

The situation escalates when the prostitutes get their pimp, Leon to approach the booth and try to ask Stu nicely to leave, but the terrified Stu refuses. The impasse between the two escalates to the point of Leon breaking into the booth with a bat and attacking Stu. The sniper tells Stu he can help and Stu reluctantly agrees. Leon is shot in the back by th e sniper and shortly after dying the police arrive and Stu is instantly the suspect. Captain Ed Ramey (Whitaker) tries to negotiate with Stu but he replies 'It's an important call'. Ramey then asks him who he's talking to, and Stu answers "My psychiatrist". The press arrives and the sniper says that Stu should be glad for all the attention he's getting. Kelly arrives and the sniper makes him confess to her about his infidelity. Pam then shows up and the sniper says that one of them can take Stu's place but Stu pleads with the sniper and manages to secretly inform Captain Ramey of his situation using his cellphone. Soon the sniper makes Stu confess his sins in front of the crowd.

Forrest Whitaker outside the boothThe police finally track down the sniper by tracing the call the sniper made to Kelly, and Ramey tells Stu through a cryptic message that they have done so. Stu triumphantly informs the sniper that the cops are coming to kill him and the sniper chooses to take Kelly with him, but Stu takes a gun planted in the ceiling by the sniper, runs out of the booth and yells "it's me you want!". A cop shoots him with a rubber bullet at the same time as the police officers reach the hotel room where the sniper is. There they find the corpse of the pizza guy. The audience is led to believe that this was the sniper all along and has committed suicide when he heard the cops coming.

When Stu is falling asleep in an ambulance minutes later due to a morphine dose, however, a man in a coat walks up to him, says that he's sorry for the pizza guy, and warns Stu that if his new-found honesty does not last, he'll be hearing from him again. Then the real sniper walks away from the scene as a voice over repeats his first words to Stu: "Isn't it funny - you hear a phone ringing and it could be anybody. But a ringing phone has to be answered, doesn't it?"
The film ends with the sound of another phone ringing, followed by a man answering, "Hello?".

My Rating : ***

Genre : Thriller

Director : Joel Schumacher

Cast : Collin Farrell, Kiefer Sutherland, Forest Whitaker, Radha Mitchell.

Chak De India

Ratings : * Avoidable ** Average *** Good **** Must Watch

Chak De India begins with the final minutes of a game between the Indian and Pakistani National Hockey Teams. Pakistan is leading 1 - 0 when Kabir is fouled. Although he did not have the ball, he is captain of the team and elects to take the penalty shot himself. However, his strike flies just above the goal, and India suffers a crushing defeat.

When a press photographer takes a picture of Kabir accepting a handshake from the head of the Pakistani team, Indian fans are outraged. Although the loss resulted only from a bad play, Kabir is accused of taking a bribe or deliberately throwing the game in sympathy with his co-religionists. An investigation is launched and Kabir is drummed out of the game. He collects his mother from the home his grandfather built, locks up the house amid cries of "Traitor" from his neighbors and disappears from public view. Seven years later, Indian sport officials have reluctantly decided to create an Indian Women's Hockey Team. No one wants to coach, and one of Kabir's former teammates is encouraged to accept the job so that he and his wife can get a free trip abroad. But unbeknownst to the officials, Kabir is waiting in reception and he is eager to take the job. Since there are no other candidates, Kabir is appointed coach.

For political reasons, the best female players from each Indian state have been chosen, without regard to the position each normally plays. Most have had to fight their family in order to join the team, and all are more loyal to their home state than to India. There is a funny "who's on first" routine between the stadium manager and some players from remote parts of India.

Kabir begins the difficult process of shaping them into a team by punishing a player who arrives late to the first practice and tossing out everyone who says she plays for her own state instead of India when introducing herself. Nevertheless, as soon as they enter the dormitory, the oldest players attempt to reintroduce the same old regional segregation, and there is much infighting.

Kabir sets a grueling training regimen, including 4 a.m., 10 k runs, speed tests and biting criticism of their performance in an effort to make them work together. He benches every player who gets into a fight or refuses to play the position he assigns her. In short order, five girls are benched. Only when they apologize are they permitted to play. The most experienced player, Bindia Naik (Shilpa Shukla), who resents being taken out of the forward line, sits on the bench for seven days before the other player from her state, who has also been benched, persuades Bindia to relent.

A couple of the players are also faced with ongoing family objections. The goalie is married, and her husband's parents are pressuring her to quit. And Preeti (Segarika Ghatge), a forward from the Railways Team, is engaged to the newly-appointed Vice-Captain of the Indian National Cricket Team. He makes no secret of his opinion that women's hockey is trivial, that only cricket is important, and that his fiancée should start living in the fast lane by giving up her inconsequential game and marrying him.

Kabir deliberately exhausts the women in the hope that if they all hate him, they will bond with each other. Unfortunately, his plan works too well, and they all sign a petition to have him removed as coach. He tells them that their attitude is a loss for India and resigns. But before he leaves, he invites his staff and the players to lunch at McDonalds. None of the women will sit with Kabir or the staff. But when a rude young man makes a pass at one of the players, she slaps him. The boy retaliates, and the team rallies to fight back. Soon, all the young men in the restaurant join in, but they are overwhelmed by the players. Kabir repeatedly prevents the staff from intervening because this is finally a bonding moment for the women. Kabir's only action is to prevent a man from striking one of the women with a cricket bat from behind, which Kabir says is not fair play.
The men are trounced and the players are finally united. Haltingly, and without actually saying so, they indicate that they want Kabir to stay as their coach. He agrees and orders them to report for practice at 5 a.m. the next day.

Just when things are looking up, the government officials decide that they will not send the women to the World Cup after all. Kabir's ex-teammate demands that they admit they intend to use that money for the men's team. But Kabir proposes a challenge: The women will play the men's team, and if the women win, they get to go to the World Cup. The match is set for the next day.

The men are stunned when they discover they are to play the women. The men quickly score 3 goals in the first half. The two most chauvinistic of the sport officials are thrilled. One of them comes onto the field at half-time as Kabir is trying to reenergize the women. The official repeats a litany of disparaging remarks about the proper place of women in Indian society (at home, in the kitchen) and their abilities (always inferior to men). This gives the women new strength, and they are able to score two goals against the men. In the final minutes, Komal (Chitrashi Rawat), another star forward who is smallest player on the team, refuses to pass the ball to Preeti, who is in scoring position, because neither will ever pass to the other. Koumal's shot is foiled, and the women lose. They are devastated.

But the men's captain honors the women, and the rest of the men's team follows suit. Then, most of the officials, who are the only spectators, rise and applaud, and the women show good sportsmanship by honoring the victors. The two chauvinistic officials have no choice but to agree to let the women go to the World Cup. The team's problems are not over, however. The team arrives in Australia, and there is real culture shock when they see the state-of-the-art training facilities and the scanty bathing suits worn by players from other countries. Worse still, the very first match is against the Australian team, which has won the Cup six times. The Australians play hard and score within the first minute, a new record.

One of the Indian players argues (in Panjabi) with an Australian referee and is given a penalty card. Another is unable to follow the referee's instructions because the player doesn't understand English. She, too, gets a penalty. Meanwhile, the Australians make a goal on every penalty shot, as well as other goals. Preeti and Komal continue to refuse to pass to each other, and this costs India. Australia wins, 7 - 0.

Moreover, Bindia is still not cooperating because she is angry that the goalie has been made team captain. She even propositions Kabir in an effort to be named team captain, but he refuses, letting her know that it is this very attitude that has caused her not to be chosen. Bindia is relegated to keeping the team water bottles full. In order to stay in the competition, India must win the next day against England. The first half is played to a 0 - 0 score. Then India manages to score in the second half and holds the lead, for a surprising victory.

The Indian team withstands tough play against Germany and returns the dirty tricks of the Argentine team tit for tat, although Preeti and Komal still refuse to work together, much to Kabir's frustration. As the Indian team wins one surprising victory after another, press and fans become more and more excited. One night, Kabir watches in awe as an Australian worker raises the Indian flag above the field. It's the first time Kabir has ever seen a "white man" raise the Indian flag, and Kabir feels enormous pride.

Then India must defeat Korea. The Korean team uses man-to-man marking, which Preeti, Komal, and the other forwards don't know how to overcome. Kabir tells Bindia that there is a job that only she can do for the team. Bindia goes into the game, and the Koreans are no match for her aggressive and experienced style of play. Now India will face Australia again in the finals. There is worldwide excitement about these underdogs who came back from the worst rout in World Cup history to reach the finals. Crates of new equipment arrive unexpectedly from the makers of athletic equipment. Kabir receives universal respect from his international peers. A special dinner is held for the two finalist teams the night before the big match. The Indian team enters demurely in matching saris marked with the national colors. The Australians parade in black evening gowns, each one different. But the matching saris cannot conceal the fact that the Indian team is still not unified the way the Australians are.

Preeti and Komal are lured onto the field by misleading messages. As each accuses the other of calling her out, Kabir appears. He tells them that India is going to lose the Cup the next day because there are two Indian players who will be playing for Australia, not India. He tells them that the Australians are not blind. They see that Preeti and Komal will not pass to each other. After he leaves, Preeti, who has so far scored more goals than Komal, insists that she, Preeti, will finish with more goals no matter what. Preeti feels she must do this in order to prove herself to her husband's parents.

The next day, India shocks the Australians by achieving an early goal, but poor teamwork by India allows the Australians to score two goals. In the final minutes, Komal has the ball and the Australians are sure she won't pass to Preeti. But Komal rises above her personal desires, passes to Preeti, and the score is tied. There is no score in extra time, so each side gets five strikes. Kabir picks Preeti among the five strikers, but she defers to Komal.

India must go first, but the strike is blocked. Unfortunately, the Australians score against the Indian goalie. The same thing happens with the second shot for each side. Then Koumal makes a brilliant strike that goes in the net, and the score is now 4 - 3 Australia. The Australian strike is blocked. The results for the fourth strike are the same for both sides as for the third strike. Bindia takes the final strike for India and it is perfect. India leads 5 - 4, but the Australians have one more strike.

Kabir watches the Australian striker and sees where she intends to place the ball. Through force of will, he gets his goalie to look at him moments before the shot and signals to her where it will go. The shot is blocked by the Indian team captain, the same post Kabir held when his shot cost India the match against Pakistan seven years earlier, and he is redeemed. India triumphs.

All India goes wild. The returning victors are mobbed by press and fans. The captain/goalie's husband tells her how proud his parents are and Komal's father, who disliked her joining the team, gives her a new hockey stick and advises her to hit any man who objects to his daughter playing hockey in the head with the new stick. Preeti's (forward) fiancé arrives with his own media following. Although he was furious that she refused to abandon competing for the Cup because it conflicted with the date he and her father had chosen for her wedding without ever consulting her, the fiancé now intends to propose to her again, in front of the entire world. He won't entertain the idea that she might refuse him. Of course, she does refuse him, telling him that now that everyone knows her name, she doesn't need to marry him, and he should try to learn some sportsmanship.

The players emerge and everyone calls for Kabir. The press report on his past playing skill with nothing but praise, as if he had never been forced out of the game by negative public opinion and journalistic irresponsibility. However, Kabir he is nowhere to be found. He has slipped away to rejoin his mother and bring her back home. As he reopens his house, the neighbors who called him "Traitor" gather quietly. He watches as a young Sikh boy scratches the hateful graffiti from the wall in front of his house. He gives him his old hockey stick and he runs off, filled with joy. The neighbors begin to applaud. Kabir is vindicated. He enters his house and closes the doors. He is home.

My Rating : ****

Genre : Sports/Drama

Director : Shimit Amin

Cast : Shahrukh Khan, Vidhya Malvade, Sagarika Ghatge, Shilpa Shukla.

Hotel Rwanda

Ratings : * Avoidable ** Average *** Good **** Must Watch

The film Hotel Rwanda, set in 1994, is based on the genocide in Rwanda, in which millions died due to an abusive government and a non-intervening outside world. In the film, tensions between the Hutu and Tutsi people lead to a civil war in which the Tutsis are massacred for their former rule over the nation. Paul Rusabagina (portrayed by Don Cheadle), the manager of Sabena Hôtel des Mille Collines, is torn between the sides, as he is Hutu while his wife, Tatiana (Okonedo), is Tutsi, a relationship that has him deemed a traitor by fellow Hutu, including George Rutaganda, a supplier of items to the hotel and Hutu extremist who unsuccessfully presses Paul to join the Interahamwe, an extremist anti-Tutsi group.

Upon the eve of the civil war, Paul’s neighbors and family look to him for leadership, and with the sacking of his own home, he must deliver this group from the ruthless Hutu who are determined to wipe out the entirety of the Tutsis. After bartering with a high-ranking officer for the safety of his friends and family, Paul brings them to his hotel. Over time, more refugees flood into the hotel, as the UN's refugee camp has become either too crowded or too dangerous to journey to. With time, the hotel becomes overcrowded, and Paul must handle diverting the Hutu soldiers, caring for the refugees, and maintaining the hotel.

The UN Peacekeeping forces, led by Colonel Oliver (Nick Nolte), is present as well, but despite Oliver's constant attempts to help Paul, his sympathy towards the refugees, and his disdain for the non-caring world powers, the forces are ineffectual against the Interhamwe (as evidenced by their willingness to murder UN soldiers).

As the Interhamwe advance on the hotel, the stress begins to take its toll on Paul and his family. The UN forces attempt to lead an escape for several of the refugees, including Paul's family, but are turned back after an altercation with the Interhamwe. In a last ditch effort to save the refugees, Paul speaks Hutu army general, Augustin Bizimun gu (Fana Mokoena) and attempts to blackmail him with threats of being tried as a war criminal with no hope of salvation beyond Paul's testimony, which he will only give in response to the safe passage of the refugees to the UN refugee camp. Bizimungu agrees and they return to the hotel, only to find it under siege. Bizimungu's forces bring an end to the chaos as Paul frantically looks for his wife and family, whom he had earlier advised to jump from the roof of the hotel should anything go wrong. After several minutes of searching, Paul finds them hiding in a bathroom and they and the refugees leave in a UN convoy. Despite a brief moment of panic wherein the Hutu approach the convoy, ready to strike, the convoy reaches its destination behind rebel lines, ensuring the safety of Paul and the refugees. As the film concludes, Paul finds his two young nieces, whose parents had been slain earlier in the film, and takes them along with his family on a bus departing the country.

My Rating : ***

Genre : Drama

Director : Terry George

Cast : Don Cheadle, Sophie Okonedo, Ahmed Panchbaya, Nick Nolte, Jean Reno

SAW IV

Ratings : * Avoidable ** Average *** Good **** Must Watch

The film opens with the autopsy of the Jigsaw Killer and the discovery of a wax-coated microcassette in his stomach, which, when played for Detective Hoffman, promises that "the games have just begun." It then cuts to a mausoleum, where Trevor and Art are chained to a large device. Trevor's eyes have been sewn together, and Art's mouth has been sewn shut, making communication between them impossible. When the device begins pulling them together, they panic, and Art murders Trevor to retrieve a key from his collar.

Meanwhile, the police discover the corpse of Detective Kerry. After cautioning Lieutenant Rigg for barging through an unsecured door, Hoffman is introduced to FBI Agents Strahm and Perez, who deduce that Amanda Young, Jigsaw's apprentice, would need assistance with Kerry's death, indicating that there is another accomplice to the murder.

That evening, Rigg and Hoffman are kidnapped. Rigg is told that Detective Matthews is in fact still alive, and is given ninety minutes to save him. He is then given his first test, where he finds Brenda is slowly being scalped. He rescues her, although he is warned not to, and Brenda later attempts to stab Rigg; Rigg subdues her and learns that Brenda was told that Rigg was there to arrest her for prostitution.

Rigg's next test is at a motel, where he is instructed to abduct the manager, Ivan, revealed to be a serial rapist. Angered by seeing videos of Ivan's exploits, Rigg forces Ivan into a prearranged trap, which dismembers him. Rigg's next test occurs in a school where Rigg attacked a man acquitted of abusing his family, though Rigg's career was saved by Hoffman. In one of the classrooms, Rigg discovers the husband and wife impaled to a pole, with the man dead and the woman clinging to life. Rigg tells the woman that she must remove the spikes herself before leaving, pulling a fire alarm as he does.

Strahm and Perez arrive on the scene, where it is learned that all of the victims were defended by Art, who is also the lawyer of Jill Tuck, Jigsaw's ex-wife. After a photographer is accidentally killed on the scene, Perez finds Billy, Jigsaw's puppet, in the office. She is told that Strahm will "soon take the life of an innocent man" and that her "next step is critical". Ignoring past clues that she is in danger, Perez continues with the investigation before Billy explodes; she is rushed to the hospital in critical condition. Furious, Strahm interrogates Jill, who recounts Jigsaw's backstory. She was once pregnant with a boy to be named Gideon, but the baby was lost when Cecil Adams robbed the clinic at which she was employed and he slammed a door into her stomach. She and her husband grew apart and divorced. After learning that he had cancer and only a short while to live, Jigsaw placed Cecil in a trap which collapsed prematurely; Cecil then lunged at Jigsaw, but fell into a mesh of barbed wire. Strahm makes connections from Jill's story to the Gideon Meat Factory, the scene of Rigg's final test.

Strahm arrives but finds himself lost, accidentally trailing Jeff Reinhart, thus revealing the transpiring events to be happening concurrently to Saw III. Rigg, meanwhile, approaches his final test. In the next room are Art, Matthews, and Hoffman; it was revealed earlier that if the door was opened before Rigg's time was up, Matthews' head would be crushed between two ice blocks and Hoffman would be electrocuted by a complex device. Rigg charges through the door with one second to spare; despite Matthews' attempts to stop Rigg by shooting him, he is killed. Rigg shoots Art while, in another room, Strahm faces off with Jeff, who brandishes a gun, unaware that Jeff is frantically searching for his daughter. Strahm kills Jeff while Hoffman, who was never in any danger and is Jigsaw's other apprentice, rises and seals an injured Rigg and a bewildered Strahm in the factory.

The film then replays the autopsy scene from the beginning, revealing it to have occurred after the events of the film. Hoffman again hears that the games have just begun, and that he himself should not expect to go untested.

My Rating : ***
Genre : Horror/Thriller
Director : Darren Lynn Bousman
Cast : Tobin Bell, Scott Patterson, Lyriq Bent, Costas Mandylor, Betsy Russel, Donnie Whalberg.

SAW III

Ratings : * Avoidable ** Average *** Good **** Must Watch

This film begins immediately after the end of Saw II, with Detective Eric Matthews (Donnie Wahlberg) escaping the bathroom he was left in by breaking his foot to slip out of his ankle chain. Later flashbacks depict his vicious fight with Amanda Young (Shawnee Smith), who eventually overcomes him and leaves him for dead. Before she leaves, Matthews shouts several angry parting comments, calling Amanda a "junkie bitch" and telling her she is nothing compared to Jigsaw, causing her evident distress. What she does next is not revealed at this time. Other flashbacks show that Amanda had been working with John Kramer, the Jigsaw Killer (Tobin Bell), prior to the events of the first film, and had been the one who actually instigated the abduction of Adam under Jigsaw's orders. After the events of the first film, it is revealed, she had suffocated Adam in a mercy killing.


The film's present is set six months after Matthews' capture; he has been missing this entire time. Detective Allison Kerry (Dina Meyer), Lieutenant Rigg (Lyriq Bent) and Forensic Hoffman (Costas Mandylor) are investigating the corpse of Jigsaw's latest victim Troy (J. Larose), intrigued by the fact that his trap was inescapable (a break in Jigsaw's M.O.). When Kerry returns home, she is kidnapped and finds herself in a trap of her own. When the escape method given fails and Amanda arrives, Kerry realizes this trap is also inescapable and is killed.

Meanwhile, a dying Jigsaw orders the abduction of two more victims: a skilled but depressed doctor named Lynn Denlon (Bahar Soomekh) and Jeff Reinhart (Angus Macfadyen), a father obsessed with revenge against the driver that killed his son. A collar holding five loaded shotgun shell mounts, wirelessly connected to Jigsaw's heart monitor, is locked around Lynn’s throat by Amanda. The game is simple - keep John alive until Jeff completes his tests. If she tries to leave the area or fails, flatline indicator on the monitor will instantly arm and fire the collar device. Jeff is led through an abandoned meat packing plant where he is given the choice of rescuing three prime targets of revenge from a variety of temporal traps. His initial hesitancy in each case ultimately dooms each one; even though he does save the lenient Judge Halden (Barry Flatman), his attempt to save his son’s killer Timothy Young (Mpho Koaho) leads to the deaths of both Timothy and Halden. After Jeff completes his tests, he continues forward to finally meet the maker of his torment.

Lynn succeeds in keeping John alive, but during the course of an improvised brain surgery, he semi-consciously professes his love for a woman named Jill during a dream. Amanda believes his words are directed toward Lynn. After the operation, Lynn and John talk privately and it is revealed that Lynn's ordeal has given her a new appreciation of her life and family.

Now disillusioned with John's attempts to change his victims' perspective, Amanda admits to him that she set up the inescapable traps for Troy and Kerry. She refuses to release Lynn, despite John's pleading, and instead shoots her in the back. Lynn falls into Jeff's arms as he enters the room, whereupon he shoots and fatally wounds Amanda using a gun he has picked up in the warehouse. As Amanda bleeds to death, John tells her that she has failed the test he set up for her: "Your will is being tested--your will to keep someone alive." These words, spoken as if meant for Lynn, were instead directed toward Amanda, who had not known until this point that Jeff and Lynn were married.

John now offers Jeff the chance to forgive him or take revenge, since he is responsible for Jeff's torment throughout this game. If Jeff forgives, John will call an ambulance to save Lynn. As Jeff says, "I forgive you," he picks up a circular saw and slashes John's throat, causing Lynn's collar to detonate and kill her as the door to the room closes and locks. A microcassette recorder in John's hand delivers the message that he himself was the final test of forgiveness; by killing him, Jeff has failed. In addition, John is the only person who knows where Jeff's daughter Corbett is hidden, and Jeff will have to play another game in order to find her before her air supply runs out. He is left screaming in despair.

My Rating : ***
Genre : Horror/Thriller
Director : Darren Lynn Bousman
Cast : Tobin Bell, Shwanee Smith, Donnie Whalberg, Bahar Soomekh, Angus Mcfadyen

SAW II

Ratings : * Avoidable ** Average *** Good **** Must Watch

After an argument with his rebellious teenage son Daniel, Detective Eric Matthews (Donnie Wahlberg) is called to the scene of yet another death perpetrated by the Jigsaw Killer (Tobin Bell). Following clues from the scene, he is able to trace Jigsaw's lair to an abandoned steel factory. In a control room therein a set of computer monitors shows several people trapped in a mysterious house, among them Daniel and Amanda Y oung (Shawnee Smith), Jigsaw's only known survivor. Jigsaw himself is present in the factory, though considerably weakened by cancer. He promises that Matthews will see his son in a "safe, secure state" if he will converse with him patiently.

In the house, the eight learn from a microcassette that, though the doors to the house will open in three hours, a toxic nerve gas which will kill them in two hours is leaking into the house and that they must find antidotes, one of which is in a nearby safe. Gus is soon killed by a shotgun when he and Xavier test the rules that Jigsaw has presented.

The story now intercuts between Jigsaw's lair as Matthews talks with him in an attempt to buy time while the video signal is traced, and the captives in the house trying to secure antidotes. Obi (Tim Burd), an accessory to the other victims' kidnappings, is burned alive while attempting to retrieve two antidotes in a furnace. The group later finds a pit filled with thousands of hypodermic syringes, with a key to an antidote hidden within. Xavier, the intended victim, throws Amanda into the pit rather than search for the key himself. Amanda retrieves the key, but Xavier fumbles with it and fails to unlock the door to the antidote before its timer runs out.

Meanwhile, Jigsaw explains his evolution into a criminal to Matthews and reveals to him that the victims trapped in the house are criminals that Matthews has framed, and that his son is in danger should his identity be discovered. Matthews, growing impatient with Jigsaw's philosophical ramblings, trashes the models and plans but fails to move Jigsaw.

Xavier, having abandoned the others, realizes that one number of the combination to the safe has been written on the back each of the victims' necks. After killing Jonas, he begins stalking the remaining four, who have been made aware that Daniel is the son of their arresting officer. Laura soon dies from gas exposure, and Addison's arms become trapped in a glass box containing razors.

Matthews, meanwhile, loses control and violently assaults Jigsaw, eventually forcing him to take him to the house at gunpoint. As they depart, the tech team discovers the signal and follows it. In the house, Xavier pursues Amanda and Daniel through a hidden basement, which leads to the bathroom of the first film, where Daniel then collapses. Amanda remarks that Xavier has no way of learning his own number, and he slices off a piece of skin from the back of his neck to read it. After he threatens Amanda, Daniel, who is revealed to have been playing possum, cuts Xavier's throat open with a hacksaw.The SWAT team arrives at the location of the video signal, but it is not the same house that has been shown on the monitors in Jigsaw's lair; the events in the house took place on a previous occasion, and were broadcast from tape. Matthews then enters the bathroom, now empty, and is injected in the leg by an unknown assailant and quickly loses consciousness. At the abandoned lair, a timer expires and a safe opens, revealing a hyperventilating Daniel inside wearing an oxygen mask. Matthews awakens to find himself chained to a pipe. An audio tape lying next to him reveals that Amanda has put him there. In a series of flashbacks, we learn that Amanda has become Jigsaw's protégé. Amanda appears in the door and says "Game over," before closing the bathroom door, Matthews screaming threats and abuse; though different characters, the scene is otherwise identical to the ending of the first film. Outside the house, a badly beaten Jigsaw slowly forms a smile.

My Rating : **

Genre : Horror/Thriller

Director : Darren Lynn Bousman

Cast : Donnie Whalberg, Tobin Bell, Shwanee Smith, Erik Knudsen, Franky G, Glenn Plummer, Timothy Burd

SAW

Ratings : * Avoidable ** Average *** Good **** Must Watch

Saw opens in an industrial washroom, where photographer Adam Faulkner (Leigh Whannell) and Dr. Lawrence Gordon (Cary Elwes) are chained by their ankles to pipes at opposite corners. Between them is a corpse (Tobin Bell) holding a revolver. From a microcassette, Lawrence is told that he must kill Adam in eight hours, or his wife and daughter will die and he will be left in the bathroom. Hacksaws are soon discovered; neither is sufficiently sharp to cut through chain, and Adam accidentally snaps his in frustration. Lawrence realizes that they are meant instead for their own feet.

He realizes that their captor is the Jigsaw Killer, named due to his practice of cutting piec es of skin in the shape of a jigsaw puzzle piece from his victims, though Lawrence comments that the name is a misnomer, as he never directly murders anyone and his intentions are for his victims to survive with a better appreciation of life. We are presented with flashbacks of his previous victims, including his only known survivor, a highly traumatized heroin addict named Amanda Young (Shawnee Smith), who believes that her experience in the test has made her a better person in the end.

As Adam and Lawrence search for alternative escape routes, Zep Hindle (Michael Emerson) breaks into the Gordon house and captures Lawrence's wife, Alison (Monica Potter), and daughter, Diana (Makenzie Vega). Through flashback, we learn that Zep is an orderly at Lawrence's hospital who witnessed Lawrence coldly informing an elderly patient, John Kramer, that he had terminal brain cancer. (We also recognize John as the corpse in the bathroom.) While psychologically toying with Alison and Diana, Zep monitors Adam and Lawrence through video surveillance.

He is unaware, however, that the house is being observed by Detective David Tapp (Danny Glover). Tapp grew unhealthily obsessed with the Jigsaw case after hearing Amanda's testimony, and, following a lead, he and his partner, Steven Sing (Ken Leung), illegally broke into a warehouse that turned out to be one of Jigsaw's lairs, where they saved a man from being killed by drills. Before they could secure Jigsaw's arrest, however, Sing was gunned down by a booby trap, and Jigsaw escaped. Tapp was later disbarred from the police force, and is now stalking Lawrence, convinced from planted evidence that he is the Jigsaw Killer.

Meanwhile, Adam attempts to stage his death, but a strong electric shock is sent through his chains, foiling the ruse. Lawrence later finds a cell phone that cannot make calls, but receives one from Alison, who warns Lawrence that Adam knows more than he is telling. Adam explains that he had been paid by Tapp to trail and photograph Lawrence and shows him a pile of photographs that he found with the hacksaws. He then turns from defensive to offensive, showing Lawrence evidence that he has been cheating on his wife. The two begin arguing, but are distracted when Lawrence notices a picture of Zep in his house. They deduce that Zep has placed them in the bathroom. Just as this realization is made, however, Adam realizes that it is six o'clock, the deadline.

Tobin Bell as John Kramer, the corpse in the bathroom.Allison frees herself from Zep, and a struggle ensues. Gunshots are fired, which attract the attention of Tapp, who distracts Zep long enough for Alison and her daughter to flee. Zep shoots Tapp fatally and races to the sewers, intent on killing Lawrence, who is only aware of the sounds of gunfire and screaming. Flung into desperation, he uses his hacksaw to cut off his foot and shoots Adam with John's revolver. Zep arrives to find Lawrence in tears. Before Zep can kill him, however, Adam springs from the floor, as his wound was in fact nonfatal, and beats Zep to death with a toilet tank cover. Lawrence crawls away to find help, despite Adam's pleas not to leave.

Adam searches Zep's body for a key, but finds another microcassette player. As the series theme, "Hello Zepp", begins to play, Adam learns that Zep was only a pawn in Jigsaw's game who acted under threat of death. He then hears a moan behind him and turns to see John slowly rising to his feet. Adam reaches for Zep's handgun, but John stuns him with another remote-controlled electrical current. As he flicks off the lights, he asks Adam if he is now grateful to have been alive. He then shouts, "Game over!" before slamming the door, sealing Adam in the bathroom as he screams in despair.

My Rating : ***

Genre : Horror/Thriller

Director : James Wan

Cast : Cary Elwes, Leigh Wannel, Danny Glover, Monica Potter, Michael Emerson, Tobin Bell.

Hostel II

Ratings : * Avoidable ** Average *** Good **** Must Watch


Beginning where Hostel ended, Paxton (Jay Hernandez), now in seclusion with his girlfriend Stephanie (Jordan Ladd), disregards her pleas to report his friends' deaths. In the morning, Stephanie discovers Paxton's decapitated body in the kitchen. In Slovakia, a mysterious package is delivered to Sasha (Milan Kňažko). In Italy, art students Beth (Lauren German), Whitney (Bijou Phillips) and Lorna (Heather Matarazzo) are convinced by Axelle (Vera Jordanova) to join her on a spa vacation.

The party travels to a small S lovak village and checks into the local hostel and retires to their rooms, allowing the desk clerk time to upload their passport photos to an online auction website, where American businessman Todd (Richard Burgi) bids on and wins Whitney and Beth, for himself and his best friend Stuart (Roger Bart).

Later that night at the village's "Harvest Festival," as the girls socialize with the locals, Lorna discovers that Beth previously inherited a vast fortune from her mother. As Todd and Stuart observe the girls from across the river, Stuart approaches Beth and the two share a friendly if awkward conversation before separating. An intoxicated Lorna leaves with Roman, a charismatic local, on a boat ride to a secluded shore, where Lorna is kidnapped by Roman and two accomplices. Beth and Whitney leave the party, while Axelle volunteers to wait for Lorna.

The next morning the three girls, assuming Lorna is enjoying Roman's company, travel to the local spa. Meanwhile, a naked Lorna is shackled upside-down in a large room, where a woman (Monika Malacova) enters, named Elizabeth Báthory in reference to the infamous serial killer. She undresses and lies beneath Lorna in a candlelit recess. After ripping into Lorna's body with a scythe and bathing in her blood, she slits Lorna's throat with a sickle. At the spa, Beth awakes to find herself alone and her belongings stolen. As she looks for her friends, she notices two men approaching her, and escapes into the forest, where she is ambushed by the "Bubblegum Gang" before being rescued by Axelle and Sasha. As Beth is taken to Sasha's mansion, she realizes that Sasha and Axelle are responsible for Whitney and Lorna's disappearances and tries to hide, uncovering a room filled with severed heads, including Paxton's, before being kidnapped.

Deep inside the factory, a sobbing Whitney is strapped to a chair in a cell and teased by Todd with a circular saw. Overwhelmed with excitement, Todd accidentally maims her face and in his ensuing panic and revulsion refuses to kill her, prompting the guards to kill him for violating his contract. The guards bandage Whitney and show her photograph to other clients in adjoining cells, offering her at a discount. Stuart, now torturing Beth, accepts the offer and kills Whitney. As he returns to Beth, she tricks him into releasing her and traps him in the chair. After inadvertently activating the alarm, summoning both the security guards and Sasha to the cell, Beth offers to buy her freedom with part of her inheritance. When Sasha explains to her that she must kill somebody to leave, Beth cuts Stuart's genitalia off and tosses it to the guard dogs who eat them, and then she leaves him to bleed to death. Per the standard contract, Beth is given an Elite Hunting tattoo. In the closing sequence, Axelle is lured from the village festival into the woods by the Bubblegum Gang, where Beth surprises and decapitates her, allowing the gang to play soccer with her head.

My Rating : **
Genre : Horror/Thriller
Director : Eli Roth
Cast : Lauren German, Bijou Philips, Heather Matarazzo, Jay Hernandez, Jordan Ladd, Roger Bart, Richard Burgi

Hostel

Ratings : * Avoidable ** Average *** Good **** Must Watch

In Amsterdam, backpackers Paxton (Jay Hernandez), Josh (Derek Richardson) and Icelandic Óli (Eyþór Guðjónsson) meet Alexei (Lubomir Bukovy), a Russian man who tells them about a Slovak hostel filled with American-loving, promiscuous women. The backpackers board a train to Slovakia, where they meet a Dutch businessman (Jan Vlasák) long enough to be unnerved by his bizarre behavior. Upon arriving in the small village, the backpackers check into the local hostel and find themselves sharing a room with Natalya (Barbara Nedeljáková) and Svetlana (Jana Kadeřábková), two attractive, single women who entice the backpackers to a spa and a disco before sleeping with them.

The next morning, Óli is missing. A young Japanese backpacker named Kana (Jennifer Lim) also reports that her friend Yuki (Keiko Seiko) has disappeared. A MMS photo sent from Yuki's phone shows Yuki and Óli beneath a smokestack of an abandoned factory, the word Sayonara written beneath it. Paxton and Josh decide to leave Bratislava with Kana the following day. Later that night, while partying with Natalya and Svetlana, Paxton and Josh succumb to the effects of alcohol. Josh stumbles back to the hostel while Paxton passes out in the disco's storage room. Hours later, Josh wakes up handcuffed to a chair in a dungeon-like room surrounded by power tools and weapons. The Dutch businessman enters in a leather apron and gloves and begins torturing Josh, explaining his unfulfilled dreams of being a surgeon. Despite Josh's pleas for his release, the businessman continues to torture him before finally murdering him.

Across town, Paxton awakens and returns to the hostel to find both Josh and Kana missing. In his room are a different pair of beautiful women inviting him to a spa, eerily similar to Natalya's and Svetlana's offer from before. When the local police chief (Miroslav Táborský) proves unhelpful, Paxton locates Natalya and Svetlana and demands to be taken to his friends. They drive to a factory on the outskirts of the town where inside, Paxton is ambushed by thugs who drag him past cells filled with other backpackers being tortured by various clients. Paxton is taken to his own cell and restrained to a chair, joined minutes later by a German client (Petr Janiš) who as he begins torturing Paxton, inadvertently saws off Paxton's handcuffs along with his index and middle finger before slipping on the blood from Paxton's injury onto the floor. Paxton breaks free, shoots the client with a nearby gun and conceals himself in the client's outfit before escaping to the upper levels of the factory, where outside he can see police officers conspiring with the factory men. Paxton dresses himself in the clothes of the previous client when he discovers a business card for Elite Hunting, now revealed as a secret, worldwide, murder-for-profi t organization. An American businessman (Rick Hoffman) arrives and believing Paxton to be another client, discusses his intended victim and asks Paxton whether to kill her quickly or slowly. Paxton advises administering a quick death, but the American businessman disagrees and decides to resort to torturing, leaving behind a no longer needed firearm before exiting. Paxton steals the firearm and escapes to the courtyard when he hears a woman scream. Unable to ignore it, he returns to the factory and kills the American, now in the middle of burning Kana's face with a blowtorch.

Paxton and Kana flee the factory in a stolen car and drive to the railway station, now filled with waiting policemen and factory guards. Kana, who notices the disfigured reflection of her missing eye, is unable to live with her hideous scars and throws herself into the path of an incoming train, distracting the guards and allowing Paxton to escape aboard another train. Once aboard, Paxton hears the familiar voice of Josh's torturer, the Dutch businessman. As the train stops in Vienna, Austria, Paxton follows him to a public restroom and throws the Elite Hunting's card under his stall. When the Dutch businessman reaches down to pick it up, Paxton grabs some of his fingers from the outside and cuts them off. He then breaks in the stall and nearly drowns the Dutch businessman in the toilet bowl before slitting his throat, killing him. Paxton then leaves to board another train out of Austria.

My Rating : **

Genre : Horror/Thriller

Director : Eli Roth

Cast : Jay Hernandez, Derek Richardson

Taare Zameen Par

Ratings : * Avoidable ** Average *** Good **** Must Watch

Ishaan Awasthi, an eight-year old dyslexic child has difficulties in reading, and spelling. His world is filled with wonders that no one else seems to appreciate; colours, fish, dogs and kites are just not important in the world of adults, who are much more interested in things like homework, marks and neatness. And Ishaan just cannot seem to get anything right in class. For this, he gets punished time and again.

In contrast to this, Ishaan's elder brother, Yohaan is always at the top, be it in sports or studies. However, Yohaan is supportive of his brother. When Ishaan's academic report sinks to a level too low for his parents (specifically his father) to bear, he is packed off to a boarding school to be 'disciplined'. Things start turning out no different at his new school though, and Ishaan has to contend with the added trauma of separation from his family.

One day a new temporary art teacher Ram Shankar Nikumbh(Aamir Khan) joins Ishan's boarding school. Nikumbh, with his characteristic teaching style that is markedly different that his strict predecessor, soon becomes popular among the students. Nikumbh soon notices that Ishaan is unhappy, and a non-contributor to activities in the class despite the atmosphere in the class that actively seeks contribution from the students. He sets out to discover why.

Nikumbh approaches his parents and tries to convince them about Ishaan's condition. He tries to underscore that Ishaan is a perfectly normal child who needs only a helping hand from teachers and some patience to improve his grades. To support this argument, Nikumbh highlights Ishaan's artistic ability as demonstrated by his many paintings and creative works-of-art. Ishaan's father remains skeptical and continues to brood over how Ishaan might not do well in the outside world where earning money is considered important for faring well in life, and not "useless" artistic skills. Undaunted, Nikumbh pleads to the school principal for some additional time and effort from school staff for boosting Ishaan's development. The principal finally gives in with a condition that these efforts must bear fruit by the end of the semester, otherwise he will have no choice but to expel Ishaan.

With the Principal's assent thus secured, Nikumbh takes it upon himself to develop and improve Ishaan's reading and writing abilities. With Nikumbh's unique style of teaching, Ishaan soon develops interest in language and mathematical skills to the point of mastering these skills. To jumpstart an interest in painting and art in general, Nikumbh organizes an art fair for staff and students alike. Ishaan, with his strikingly creative style is declared the winner, while his teacher, Nikumbh (who paints Ishaan's portrait) is declared the runner up.
At the end of the year, when Ishaan's parents meet the teachers, they are speechless to see the change in Ishaan. Ishaan has an above average grades in all of the subjects and has a commendable grade in painting. Ishaan's father is in tears upon seeing this change, and realizes his mistake. Before leaving for the holidays, Ishaan runs to hug his teacher who tosses him in the air.

My Rating : ****
Genre : Drama
Director : Aamir Khan
Cast : Aamir Khan, Darsheel Safary, Tisca Chopra

The Bourne Ultimatum

Ratings : * Avoidable ** Average *** Good **** Must Watch

The movie begins immediately after Bourne apologizes to Neski's daughter. Wounded from the Bourne Supremacy car chase, Jason Bourne is still evading the Moscow police. Cornered by two officers while breaking into a medical clinic to treat his wounds, Bourne overpowers the officers and leaves them alive as he escapes, saying to one that his argument is not with them.

The story continues six weeks later as Simon Ross, a security reporter for The Guardian, meets with Neal Daniels, the CIA station chief in Madrid, to discuss Treadstone and looking for information on Jason Bourne. Bourne goes to Paris to tell Marie's brother, Martin, of her death, then heads to London by train and reads an article in The Guardian where Ross describes Jason Bourne as a CIA officer. Bourne arranges to meet Ross in London at the south entrance of Waterloo Station. Ross, however, is under surveillance because his use of the word "Operation Blackbriar" in a phone call to his editor was tracked by ECHELON, alerting the CIA. CIA section chief Noah Vosen alerts his staff to find out any information on Ross, believing that Operation Blackbriar (a renamed Treadstone proposed by Ward Abbott at the end of The Bourne Identity) has been compromised.

After receiving a phone call from Bourne, Ross takes a taxi to Waterloo Station and is followed by the CIA, who believe him to be meeting his source there. At the station, Bourne sees CIA officers following Ross and places a prepaid mobile phone on him; through it, Bourne instructs the frightened journalist on how to dodge the station's surveillance, while knocking out the CIA agents attempting to kidnap Ross. However, Vosen orders their asset, an assassin named Paz, to kill Ross and his source. Vosen's team identifies Bourne on a security camera and recognize him as the original Treadstone assassin, assuming he must be Ross's source. Bourne advises Ross to remain hidden, but Ross panics and reveals himself, giving Paz a clear kill shot. In the ensuing chaos, Bourne steals Ross's notes from his body; the notes reveal Ross' source to be Daniels.

Deputy Director Pamela Landy is asked to help capture Bourne. With Landy's help, Vosen and his team realize that Daniels is Ross' source. They decide to send a team to Daniels' office in Madrid, but Bourne arrives first, finding only one photograph in an otherwise empty safe as Daniels has already left. Bourne attacks the CIA team when they enter the office and, just as he finishes mopping up the CIA agents, Nicky Parsons enters the office. Nicky tells him that she was reassigned to Madrid after Berlin, and that Daniels has fled to Tangier. She helps him escape the CIA reinforcements by telling Vosen that Bourne had already left the office. Bourne calls the police to report the sound of gunfighting; they arrive just as the second CIA team piles out of their vehicles, guns drawn, in front of the office. Wh en Bourne asks Nicky why she is helping him, Nicky only hints vaguely at something before Bourne's amnesia ("It was difficult for me... with you.(long pause) You really don't remember anything?"). While in Tangier, they realize the CIA has sent assassin Desh Bouksani to eliminate Daniels. Nicky uses her official clearance access to send Desh a message, telling him to meet her for a new phone, thus allowing Bourne to follow Desh to his target. When Vosen realizes Nicky's deceit he orders Desh to kill Nicky and Bourne after terminating Daniels. Landy is outraged at Vosen's willingness to indiscriminately kill CIA personnel and quits the operation.

Bourne shortly before confronting Desh in Tangier.Bourne follows Desh and is unable to save Daniels, who dies from Desh's planted bomb. When Desh returns for Nicky, Bourne outruns the Tangier police and fights Desh, eventually strangling him with a towel. Bourne accompanies Nicky to a bus station where she begins her own separate life on the run from the CIA. At the Tangier morgue, Bourne examines Daniels' charred papers and finds the address of the CIA substation in New York City. Bourne takes a flight to New York City, and on arrival deliberately uses a passport that alerts Landy to his presence. Bourne calls Landy while observing her and Vosen from across the street. The ending of The Bourne Supremacy is repeated: Landy tells him his real name is David Webb and that he was born on "4/15/71", a code for the address of the Treadstone facility at 415 East 71st Street. Bourne sends a text message to Landy to arrange a meeting. Vosen and his team intercept the message and follow Landy as she leaves the building. Bourne's meeting however is simply a diversion to allow him to enter Vosen's office and steal classified Blackbriar documents.

Vosen realizes the diversion after a phone call from Bourne to get a recording of his voice - the key to unlocking the safe. Bourne states he is in Vosen's office, and a desperate Vosen frantically orders CIA officers back to his office to capture Bourne. Bourne escapes and enters into a car chase with CIA officers and Paz. Emerging victorious from his vehicular duel with Paz, Bourne chooses not to kill him. Just outside the Treadstone facility, Bourne meets Landy and gives her the stolen documents from Vosen's office before entering the building. Inside, he meets Dr. Albert Hirsch, who ran Treadstone's psychological conditioning program. With his help, Bourne remembers that - as Captain David Webb - he volunteered for the program and assassinated a man in the same room. Horrified by the memory of what he did to complete his conditioning and to assume the Jason Bourne identity, he tells Hirsch, "I remember everything. I'm no longer Jason Bourne."

On his way back to the substation, Vosen eventually works out that Landy gave Bourne an address in code when Landy gave Bourne his date of birth. Vosen races to the facility and confronts Landy as she finishes faxing away his documents that Bourne stole. She looks at Vosen coldly and says, "You better get yourself a good lawyer." Meanwhile, Bourne is cornered on the facility's rooftop by Paz. Paz holds Bourne at gunpoint and demands to know why Bourne spared his life. Bourne asks if Paz knows why he was ordered to kill him. "Look at us. Look at what they make you give," says Bourne, repeating the dying words of the Treadstone assassin called The Professor from The Bourne Identity. Paz lowers his weapon, but Vosen appears and fires on Bourne just as he jumps from the roof into the East River 10 floors below.

Some time later, Nicky sees a news report noting the exposure of Blackbriar, the arrests of Hirsch and Vosen, that CIA Director Ezra Kramer is the subject of a United States Senate hearing regarding his conduct, and that David Webb (Bourne's real name), fell into the East River. The report notes that after a three-day search, Bourne's body is yet to be found: at which Nicky smiles. The movie cuts back to Bourne, floating motionless in the water; after a long moment he starts to move, and swims away into darkness.

My Rating : ****

Genre : Action/Thriller

Director : Paul Greengrass

Cast : Matt Damon, Julia Stiles, David Strathairn, Scott Glenn, Paddy Considine, Edgar Ramirez, Albert Finney, Joan Allen, Daniel Bruhl.