Hamraaz Movie Review (older film, 1967 one) | Critique

We have all had felt some point in time in the past, “Dude, past Hindi thriller flicks have been pretty ordinary’?? Think again. Case in point being, 1967 flick Hamraaz starring Sunil Dutt, Raj Kumar aka Jaani and once-a-starlet Vimi.

The plot follows, superstar Kumar( Sunil Dutt) meets Meena (Vimi), and marries her. Few years of blissful marriage pass, but then Meena suddenly starts acting suspicious and nervous. Kumar investigates, but Meena gets murdered soon. What follows is a tight thriller from that point on.

Watch it through, and you’ll be surprised how well the film has been put together. Plot, Characters, lighting all are wonderfully done. Both cinematography and direction are top notch. Film moves through different genres, a-bollywood-romantic, a-murder-mystery, police-chasing-the-innocent, and it succeeds at all genres. Sunil Dutt looks his best in the movie and fits the part as a superstar. Raj Kumar has a smaller role but is spot on. Frankly, I didn’t know who directed it but little research (read Google) showed it to be BR Chopra film, and it is evident why he is considered as the finest directors in India

Lest I forget I need to mention its superb songs like “Tum agar saath dene ka waada karo” and “Neele gagan ke talle”.

Watch out for the scene in which Dutt sahib is performing at a stage play(which is set in colonial times), and unwittingly strangulates his co actress as he is disturbed by thoughts of his wife unfaithfulness. Also look out for kid Sarika (mother of new actress Shruti Hasan).

Hamraaz is in my list of top 20 Hindi suspense thrillers, right up there with my other favorite ‘Teesri Manzil’.

Rating– 3.5 stars.

Verdict- if you ever get your hands on a DVD or on TV do give it a chance, you’ll love it! A Must Watch.

Written By: Ali Naqvi

Korean "ACTION" Thrillers | Under Lens

The major reason Korean cinema attracts me is because of their style of making movies. They are very stylish & have a completely different way of showing things. This week, let’s focus on the thriller ones. Bringing into spotlight, I recommend you the following movies -

1. OLDBOY (2003) Have you watched 'Zinda'...did you like it? The treatment of the movie script, the action sequences...if yes, then please do watch this one to realize how bad a copy zinda was. The story is about a guy who is been kidnapped suddenly one night and is then kept in a secluded room with only a television. He however manages to escape & then hunts for people responsible for his condition, in the process discovering the reason & the main person behind everything. The movie is an awesome thriller & managed to keep me well engulfed even though I knew the story (to some extent although). It has a very bold concept (might be offensive for some), but all praises to the makers for presenting it in such a refined manner. It is based on manga tales & has been remade many times. The latest remake is by Steven Spielberg, starring Will Smith!

2. MEMORIES OF A MURDER (2003) Now this one is based on a true incident, & this one fact makes this movie really outstanding. This is one thriller in which I desperately wanted the hunt to continue on & on. The story deals with two detectives hunting for a serial killer but with no intentions to catch him, just doing duty, until they are accompanied by a special detective from another district,& then the series of events following them. The characters are fabulous and they very beautifully show the condition of Korea at that time. Another remarkable thing about this movie is its end, which I can't disclose so that you enjoy it the most! Korean movies are somewhat similar to bollywood in the sense that they show the existing political & judicial systems along with their weaknesses.

3. SHIRI (1999) This one is supposedly the first Korean 'hollywood-style' action thriller. The basic plot is that North Korea's 8th Special Forces hijacks a shipment of CTX, a potent new liquid explosive, and threatens South Korea as part of a plot to re-unify the two countries. Two special agents of South Korea's secret intelligence service Ryu and Lee, attempt to track down the terrorists and find the CTX. In parallel, Hee, the 8th's ultra-bad female sniper, creates disaster and haunts Ryu. The movie is tremendously stylish; however it loses grades in special effects at some places. It is supposedly the highest grosser in Korean film industry. After watching it, you may not consider it as one of the best movies you have seen, due to its weak script & characterization; however, it has all records in its favor.

Written By: Rishabh Shukla

Unveiling “Blue Notebook”

Blue Notebook is an expression that comes from two vague thoughts- ‘Blue’ signifying the vastness of sky and ‘Notebook’ signifying the zeal to work hard and achieve something in life. TheReelMag concatenated the thoughts and read it as ‘zeal to study the best of cinema’- our notion from day one.

But question remains- what “Blue Notebook” is in material? Blue Notebook is an annual celebration of Indian Hindi Cinema. The panelists will rate the movies on different parameter and the best will be recognized as Blue Notebook Note…

The event will be celebrated in the month of January. So, be prepared. Note that, suggestion will be incorporated because for us our readers are most valuable assets.

Blue Movie Review | Critique

One of the most awaited films BLUE has finally arrived in the cinema halls, making millions on the very first day. Lets look at whether it is a worthy watch.

Sanjay Dutt plays the role of Sagar, the fisheries businessman; Lara Dutta plays Mona, Sanjay’s girlfriend. Zayed plays younger brother of Sanjay. Akshay Kumar is the rich friend of the Sanjay. Akshay tries to convenience Sanjay Dutt to get to that ship as only he knows the clear location of the ship.

The biking scenes and the biker chase sequence filmed over Zayed are the coolest sequences of the film, but again the main USP of the film remains its under water scenes, for this the film must be given credit. Akshay merely acts as the narrator of the film. Lara Dutta is just the pretty doll in the film, adding glamour to the film and she succeeds in doing so.

Opening scene of the film is quite good. The film shows some of the finest under water photography in the Bollywood. The bike stunts, chase sequences are very good. The dialogues like “Duniya ka sabse bada nasha hai risk” add a little punch to the film. The overall film is quite good but the end is very simple, may be because of the budget or director has lost its grip over the film. The story is about the lost treasure of the ship “Lady Blue”. Lara Dutta has nothing to do in the film, except the skin show. The music of A.R. Rehman is ok. Kiley Minogue adds an international taste to the film.

Verdict - Blue can be watched once.
Why to watch: under water photography, biking stunts, Lara Dutta. ;)
Why not to watch: bad ending and waste of Akshay Kumar.

Written By Hemant Mishra.

Proof | Critique

Are you known by your father’s name in your locale than your own name? An individual! Or do you feel burdened by the legacy of your clan? Some movies beautifully explain the trauma of being a child with a bigger surname. Proof is one of them. The 2005 release, Proof is a drama of semi-thriller genre overshadowed by some exceptional performances by Gwyneth Paltrow and Anthony Hopkins, Directed by John Madden, scripted by Rebecca Miller based on David Auburn’s Pulitzer Prize winning play. Catherine (Paltrow) is a student of mathematics and daughter of exceptionally talented and worldwide recognized mathematician Robert, played by Anthony Hopkins. He is suffering from severe mental illness and dies. One day, she shows a notebook to her boy friend (also her father’s sincere student) Harold. It claims to contain proof of an important theorem and she claims it to be her work. Harold does not believe her as everything from the quality of work to her mediocre academic record, Robert’s success and fame to the cover of the notebook; speaks against her. They suggest her claims to be too tall to be believed. Meanwhile, Catherine’s sister, Claire arrives and supports the doubt. Question? Is Catherine lying? May be she is suffering from mental sickness inherited from her father. Paltrow, Hopkins and Hope Davis (Claire) are the highlights of the movie. Watch it, its worth it.

Written By: Sujoy Ghosh