Film Review: Sarbjit

Once upon a time there was Sunny Deol's dhai kilo ka haath, which uprooted a hand pump to scare off the entire Pakistan Army. Today there is Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's index finger.

To be fair, Sarbjit is not the unrelenting screamfest that Gadar was, but Deol's film came to mind as the former Miss World held up her famous slender digit to intimidate an armed Pakistani security official. She did this right after delivering a loud speech to a Pakistani mob about how Pakistanis stab us Indians in the back while we bravely fight them face to face. As expected, the gun-bearing Pakistani meekly moves aside, and she proceeds to grandly walk past him as only Indian movie stars can when up against the dreaded dushman from across the border.

Sarbjit

Director: Omung Kumar

Cast: Randeep Hooda, Darshan Kumar, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Richa Chaddha

Rating: 1.5/5

   That Sarbjit favours emotional manipulation over restraint or logic is evident at several points, but one moment in particular stands out. After years of incarceration in a Pakistani jail, Sarbjit Singh is finally to be set free. We see him emerge smiling from behind the guards at the border and cross over to the Indian side. As his sister, Dalbir (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan), wife, Sukhpreet (Richa Chadha) and daughters rejoice, he kisses the ground. Then, without any noticeable change of perspective, we see a different person standing where he was. The Pakistanis have released another prisoner in his place, Sarbjit’s still in prison, and the scene we’ve witnessed is a lie.

Based on the life of Sarabjit Singh, a farmer who was wrongfully convicted in Pakistan and died after a fatal assault inside jail, the movie Sarbjit focuses on his sister Dalbir Kaur’s fight against the system to prove his innocence.

However, given the very real context of the plot, the movie is an almost fictitious, drum-beating melodramatic saga that suffers from an overly-worked-up lead actor.

Applause is due for Aishwarya Rai Bachchan who plays the struggling Dalbir. But, in the same breath, the 42-year-old actor doesn’t manage to bring alive the character. Her lip-twisting, chest-thumping and shouting does not help either. Instead, the melodrama alienates us from an otherwise evocative character.

The constant harping on Indo-Pak relations – mostly about the sympathy people should show for innocent people, but at times digressing to more political and subtle anti-Pakistani sentiments – loses the plot. Simple humane moments focusing on the struggles of a family that has lost a member to an unfair system would’ve taken the movie much further.

It’s a movie, so melodrama and fiction is all right, but it does take some doing if the audience is expected to identify with characters using phrases like ‘Khauf ki badboo’ or burning their own effigies. Or accept the Pakistani advocate who faces attack for supporting Sarbjit (played by Randeep Hooda) and decides to join the violent crowd protesting against him! Because, apparently nobody knows what he looks like.

Randeep as Sarabjit evokes pity and sympathy. He is sweet as the brother and brings a smile on our face when he is with his family. The movie would have been much better, had director Omung Kumar given Randeep a little more space. The few sequences where we do see him make us teary-eyed, but the movie quickly moves on.

One of the rare engaging scenes is where Sarbjit’s family goes to meet him in jail. The frisking of the women in his family is disturbing and also offers a moment where Aishwarya looks authentic in the movie.

Richa Chaddha, yet another talented actor wasted in this star-driven plot, leaves her mark as the silent wife who painfully waits for her husband.

'X-Men: Apocalypse' movie reviews

There are two kinds of superhero films being made right now. The ones with the dark, gritty and 'end of the world' themes, and the good ones.

With so much superhero content out in theaters it becomes more a monthly exercise and less a 'movie event' for a film buff to watch a film from the genre.

X-Men: Apocalypse
Director - Bryan Singer

Cast - James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Sophie Turner, Tye Sheridan, Oscar Isaac

Rating - 2.5/5

X Men: Apocalypse is yet another dark and gritty superhero film with a villain proclaiming the end of the world, but thanks to Bryan Singer's direction and some unexpected horror themes it becomes a passably entertaining watch.

The long answer is that the rights to Quicksilver lie with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which is why he’s referred to by his human name, Peter Maximoff, in this, an X-Men Universe film. The short answer, of course, is that no one in their right mind should care. I’m glad they featured him in some form, because Peter is responsible for the best sequence in the movie, in which time seemingly freezes as he zips around saving people from a collapsing building. It’s an expanded version of a similar scene from X-Men: Days of Future Past—not the only borrowed idea in the movie, but done with humour and some style.

Picking up a few years after the events of Days of the Future Past, X Men: Apocalypse is both the final installment of a trilogy and the first installment of a new trilogy. Singer has probably realized that audiences are kind of tired of seeing Xavier, Magneto, Mystique and Wolverine so there's a whole new set of young mutants in this film, with an unsubtle hint towards future films with the new kids on the block.

En Sabah Nur, an ageing, ancient Egyptian mutant (hinted to be the world's first mutant) indulges in a weird occult ceremony inside a pyramid. With the help of some chants and four other mutants his soul is to be transferred to a young body. Right before the transformation takes place the pyramid collapses and the mutant is buried underground, until someone awakens him in the modern world.

Hard boiled film buffs will realize that this is the exact same plot as The Mummy. The awakened Sabah Nur rebrands himself as Apocalypse and like the Mummy, vows to destroy the entire human civilization with mystic powers.

As long as the story of Apocalypse continues, the film is a riveting watch. Horror film fans will appreciate the body horror and surprising amount of gore and brutality in the film. This is a monster film, quite different in tone from the previous X Men movies, in a good way. Apocalypse's powers are insane and his presence, despite his crappy blue costume makes an impact. He turns some teenage mutants into ninja mutants by giving them greater powers. This guy has some serious amount of power and looks invincible.

The problems arise when we're taken away from Apocalypse and back to the rusty relationship between Xavier (James McAvoy) and Magneto (Fassbender). Once again there's Magneto dealing with contrived hate for humanity, Xavier once again unsuccessfully trying to persuade him to join the good side, and Mystique once again hogging unnecessary screen time because she's played by Jennifer Lawrence.

This story has been told five times before and going back for the sixth time is a real stretch, no matter how good the visual effects are. Both McAvoy and Fassbender are terrific actors, but you can't help but wish the film focused more on other superheroes in the X Men universe.

The younger set of mutants are a bit more interesting. It's nice to see Sophie Turner (aka Sansa Stark from Game of Thrones) as Jean Grey, Tye Sheridan as Cyclops and Kodi Smith as Nightcrawler. All three characters were given lousy screen time in the previous X Men films and it looks like they'll finally get their due in the future films.

Evan Peters as Quicksilver is once again the highlight of the film. If you enjoyed his slow motion Deus Ex Machina in the previous movie you'll be satisfied with an extended version of the same trope in this one. If the makers of X Men are smart enough, they'll put Deadpool and Quicksilver in the same film some day.

Salman Khan to tie the knot on December 27

After the pictures of Salman Khan and Iulia Vantur at Preity Zinta-Gene Goodenough's reception went viral, Salman's relatives and near and dear ones started sending him congratulatory messages at his home.

Salman Khan and Iulia Vantur might have not made it official, but speculations are rife that the Sultan actor is all set to get married to his rumoured girlfriend by the end of this year. Salman's entry with Iulia at Preity Zinta-Gene Goodenough's wedding reception sent the fans into a tizzy and further added fuel to the rumours.

After the pictures of them at the reception went viral, Salman's near and dear ones started sending him congratulatory messages at his home. According to a report in Pinkvilla, the Bajrangi Bhaijaan actor's house has been filled with bouquets and gifts and he is quite embarrassed about the attention he has been getting.

There were reports that Salman has also introduced Iulia to his close friends at Preity's reception including Shah Rukh Khan and Abhishek Bachchan. The rumours of them getting married first sparked when a blind item in Mumbai Mirror suggested that Salman's mother has not been keeping well and wants him to get settled by the end of this year.

And Iulia was also recently been spotted with Salma Khan at the airport taking care of her. Salman's relationship with Iulia has been the daily fodder for the gossip mills for quite some time now. But Salman has always remained tight-lipped about his relationship status all this while.

On the work front, Salman Khan will next be seen in Ali Abbas Zafar's Sultan. The film will hit the screens on Eid this year.

source : http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/salman-khan-iulia-vantur-marriage-is-salman-embarrassed-with-congratulatory-messages/1/670308.html

Azhar movie review

If you go by the initial disclaimers (yes, there are several, filling the entire screen) you will know that what you are about to watch is a ‘kaalpanik chitra’ (imaginary film) which is based on the ‘vibhinna ghatnaon’ (many episodes) of the life of a disgraced captain of the Indian cricket team; that any resemblance to any real event is ‘matra ek sanyog’ (a mere coincidence), and that it doesn’t intend to ‘hurt’ any ‘sanstha’ (organization) or ‘corporate’.

Phew.

Why bother calling it ‘Azhar’ then? Why not Sachin or Ajay or Manoj or Ravi, or any of the other ‘imaginary’ players of the Indian cricket team, who were compatriots of the cricketer who faced a `life-time ban’ on the charges of match-fixing?

Using only first names as a dissembling tactic while referring to actual events and dates and places and times, is silly enough. Such is the extent of craven-ness on display that one of the most gripping cricketing stories of our time, featuring one of the most colourful captains of the Indian cricket team, is turned into a dull, dispirited tale.

‘Azhar’ was presumably made because it had such a controversial figure at its centre, arising out of the fixing-matches-for-money controversy itself, which had such a deep-seated impact on the game not just nationally but internationally.

You can also see that it’s been made to clear the real player’s name: a court did over-turn the ban but the whole process took so long that it became besides the point. The film remains strangely ambivalent about its hero while mouthing ‘seeti-maar’ dialogue about ‘desh’ and ‘qaum’: to have made the point the way it needed to be made, the film needed to have been braver and sharper. Alas, this bio-pic has no teeth. Oops, sorry, this ain’t no bio-pic, ‘coz, look momma, it names no names.

Not only is there a parade of Kapils and Sachins (no, gasp, Dev or Tendulkar), the eponymous hero is not, double gasp, Mohammad Azharduddin but `Azhar Mohd’ who just happens to be a Hyderabad lad, whose affections for a Bollywood starlet lead him to abandon his first wife, and whose accidental dealings with a bookie leads him into abyss.

Emraan Hashmi, usually so watchable, is buried under the inept script, which hints at shadowy dons and the guilty parties in a fuzzy, indistinct manner. But Hashmi is earnest, and the only saving grace here. Prachi Desai is rouged and demure and distressed, Nargis Fakhri as Sangeeta (not, never, Bijlani) is pouty, Lara Dutta as the lawyer for the cricket council (not, never, BCCI), is svelte but miscast, and Roy Kapur struggles with a bad wig and exaggerated accent.

This could have been a great cautionary tale about a great sport at a time when it was just becoming the arena it has grown into—full of big money and glamour, bigger endorsements and never-ending temptations: it is, instead, an inept ‘tamasha’, not very different from the stuff Bollywood churns out, the cricket just the superstructure for tired song-and-dance and melodrama, in living rooms and courtrooms.

Nope, this ‘Azhar’ doesn’t hit it out of the stadium.

Cast: Emraan Hashmi, Kunaal Roy Kapur, Prachi Desai, Nargis Fakhri, Lara Dutta, Kulbhushan Kharbanda

Director : Tony D’Souza

One and a half stars.

Fan Movie Review: Shah Rukh Khan is back in form

Fan Movie Review:  Shah Rukh Khan is back in form with  his finest unconventional movie

Just when you thought Shah Rukh Khan is losing his edge, he makes a comeback. And how! Going back to his early acting days, where twisted characters gave him his big break, Bollywood’s king of romance still has what it takes to give you the creeps.

Movie : Fan 

Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Waluscha de Sousa, Sayani Gupta

Director: Maneesh Sharma

Rating: 3.5/5

'Fan' is a brave attempt by Maneesh Sharma. You have to watch it for stellar performance by Shah Rukh Khan.

Though one of the better Shah Rukh Khan scripts in years, Fan is not devoid of loopholes, but it still makes for a thrilling watch. With the actor playing the two main characters in the film, especially two that are at such odds with each other, it can’t be easy to keep a smooth narrative. However, Fan may just well be an inwar journey for Shah Rukh Khan where his large celebrity persona meets the humble old him that represents the thousands of his fans.

It’s not a subject that’s new or unique. Yet there is a certain charm about the way Maneesh Sharma has scripted the film – it reflects inferences drawn from Shah Rukh Khan’s career and life. The first half zips past thanks to the engrossing screenplay. The characters of both Gaurav and Aryan are well established with each one coming with his own perspective. In fact, that is Sharma’s big triumph .

 He doesn’t give the viewer a chance to decide who’s right and who’s wrong. Directorially also, the first half casts its distinctive spell. Sharma has captured the first meeting between Aryan and Gaurav brilliantly – it’s a scene that will stay with you. Watch out also for the scene towards the climax when Aryan pretends to be Gaurav – it’s a masterstroke. It’s brave to attempt a film like Fan – with SRK playing the protagonist and antagonist both and break all the rules of commercial filmmaking by doing away with songs and any ‘relief’ tracks. As a film, Fanis dark, moody, disturbing and definitely unconventional. And this time, the lead actor’s contribution is just as much as the director’s. Shah Rukh Khan is at his finest – this is easily his best performance in recent years. He makes Gaurav’s obsession just as effective as Aryan’s restlessness. Most importantly, even though Aryan’s character is based on his real self, he doesn’t shy away from the cracks at his superstardom. The scene where Aryan is in front of the mirror checking out his aging skin is a bravura act – not many stars would have the courage to do that. As an actor, Fan is a definite game-changer for SRK.

WHAT’S NOT:

Fan succumbs badly to the second-half syndrome and that is its undoing. It’s almost like the first and the second half are two different films. Sharma (who has also written the film) leads towards a problem very well in the pre-intermission part. But after that, he goes awry when he illustrates it further. Even the obsession in Darr (from where Fan is inspired) seems far too real to what Sharma has conveyed. Everything in the second half is unbelievable – a middle-class Delhi boy travelling to foreign countries and getting the better of a reigning Bollywood superstar should have at least been handled better. Long, drawn-out action scenes will have you squirming in your seat. Aryan’s character suddenly becomes more of a caricature. The climax is exhausting and the film ends on a low, which is sad. You also miss the support of other fine actors after a point – Shriya Pilgaonkar, Deepika Amin, and Waluscha D’Souza really have nothing to offer.

WHAT TO DO:

Fan is a not a great film, it is a brave film. Watch it still for Shah Rukh Khan’s outstanding portrayal (an extra star only for him).

Shahid Kapoor first look in Udta Punjab

Shahid Kapoor surprises fans with his never-seen-before look in 'Udta Punjab

'Is that really you, Shahid Kapoor?'

That's exactly how you'll react as soon as you catch the first glimpse of his look in the much-talked about film 'Udta Punjab'.

The actor, who plays a Punjabi rock star Tommy Singh, is almost unrecognisable in long locks and thick beard.

Going by the first look that is out, he has successfully managed to transform into a character that won't be forgotten that easily.

Directed by Abhishek Chaubey, the film releases on June 17, and features Kareena Kapoor Khan, Alia Bhatt and Diljit Dosanjh.

Salman Khan Movie Sultan Official Teaser HD Watch

Auluck: Sultan Official Teaser | Trailer | Salman Khan

The movie is releasing on the famous festival EID. Alike the Salman’s movie Kick, this time also “Apni Eidi Lene Aa Rahe Hain“.

The movie story is based on a wrestler (Salman Khan) Sultan Ali Khan who has a problem in his life. He faced some problems in early about the profession and personal life.

Sultan is releasing along with Shahrukh Khan movie Raees. SRK Raees releasing date is 3 July. So, there is only three days of gap in the two Khan’s blockbuster films of the year 2016.

Recently, the Production company released the official poster and now the first teaser is also released. Take a look at the official poster of Sultan.

There are lots of Salman Khan’s Fan eagerly waiting for this movie. And I think Salman Khan is the most popular Actor of Indian film Industry at this time.

If you are a real Salman Khan fan, the do watch the first-day first show of Sultan. Don’t forget to watch the Teaser Video of Sultan.

Thank you for being with us. Hope you have liked the Teaser video of movie. Stay  tuned with us for more updates over Sultan and other Bollywood movie.

Auluck : Fan Movie Trailer

Fan (film)

Fan is an upcoming 2016 Indian thriller film[1] directed by Maneesh Sharma and featuring Shah Rukh Khan in the lead role.[2][3] The film is produced by Aditya Chopra under the banner of Yash Raj Films.[4] The soundtrack album and original score are composed by both Vishal–Shekhar and Andrea Guerra.[5] The film is scheduled for release on 15 April 2016.

Cast

• Shah Rukh Khan as Gaurav / Aryan Khanna
• Waluscha de Sousa
• Shriya Pilgaonkar
• Deepika Amin as Gaurav's mother
• Yogendra Tiku as Gaurav's father
• Sayani Gupta

Auluck: Love Games Movie Trailer

Love Games (film)

Love Games is an upcoming Indian urban-thriller film directed by Vikram Bhatt and produced by Mukesh Bhatt and Mahesh Bhatt. The cast of the film includes Patralekha, Gaurav Arora and Tara Alisha Berry. It will be released on 8 April 2016.

Auluck : The Jungle Book 2016 Movie Trailer

The Jungle Book (2016 film)

The Jungle Book is a 2016 American fantasy adventure film directed by Jon Favreau, written by Justin Marks, and produced by Walt Disney Pictures. Based on Rudyard Kipling's eponymous collective works, the film is a live-action/CGI reimagining of Walt Disney's 1967 animated film of the same name.[2][3] The film stars and introduces Neel Sethi as Mowgli and features the voices of Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley, Idris Elba, Lupita Nyong'o, Scarlett Johansson, Giancarlo Esposito and Christopher Walken. The film is scheduled to be released in the Disney Digital 3D, RealD 3D and IMAX 3D formats on April 15, 2016.

Auluck: The BFG 2016 film

The BFG (2016 film) Movie Trailer

The BFG is an upcoming American fantasy adventure film directed and co-produced by Steven Spielberg and written by Melissa Mathison, based on the novel of the same name by Roald Dahl. The film stars Mark Rylance, Ruby Barnhill, Penelope Wilton, Rebecca Hall, Bill Hader, Rafe Spall and Jemaine Clement. Principal photography on the film began on March 23, 2015. The film is co-produced by Walt Disney Pictures, DreamWorks Pictures, Amblin Entertainment, and Walden Media, and is scheduled to be released in the Disney Digital 3-D and RealD 3D formats on July 1, 2016.

AULUCK: TOP Box Office Clashes Of 2016

Sarbjit-TE3N, Sultan-Raees, Rustom-Dangal: 8 Maha Box Office Clashes Of 2016

Year 2016 started with big clashes at the box office and such has been the norm across January and February. With two of the most anticipated films Sultan and Raees releasing on the same day, the box office reports are sure to be exciting. The recent most movies to join the bandwagon of big movie clashes are Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's Sarbjit and Amitabh Bachchan's TE3N. It is the first time that their movies will stand together in an arena of face off on May 20. Here are the big upcoming clashes this year.

1. Great Grand Masti, Rocky Handsome (March 24)

The adult comedy film 'Great Grand Masti' is the third installment of the popular franchise Masti which stars Aftab Shivdasani, Vivek Oberoi, Riteish Deshmukh in lead roles. It will mark the Bollywood debut of model Kangna Sharma, who was the runner-up in the Miss Maxim 2014 contest. It also features Kaanchi actress Mishti Chakraborty and Miss Universe 2015 contestant Urvashi Rautela as the leading ladies.

Rocky Handsome on the contrary is an action film starring John Abraham and Shruti Haasan. The film is directed by Nishikant Kamat.

2. Ki and Ka, Love Games (April 1)

R. Balki’s directorial Ki and Ka will feature Arjun Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor Khan on the big screen for the first time. Arjun will essay the role of a house husband, while Kareena will be seen playing an ambitious career-oriented woman in the movie. The movie will also see a cameo by megastar Amitabh Bachchan and his wife Jaya Bachchan.

Love Games starring Patralekhaa is a movie based on love, sex and revenge. The film which is being produced under the Bhatt camp also marks the debut of model Gaurav Arora. It will be a clash of two completely different genres.

3. Mirzya, Azhar (May 13)

Mirzya is Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's first love story and his next after Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. The film will launch Anil Kapoor's son and Sonam Kapoor's younger brother Harshvardhan Kapoor. Tanvi Azmi’s niece, Saiyami Kher who will be romancing Harshvardhan in the film, is also marking her foray into Bollywood with ‘Mirzya’. Set in Rajasthan, ‘Mirzya’ is an epic love story, that plays out in contemporary times, inspired by the folk tale of ‘the legend of Mirza – Sahiban’. The film is said to have heightened drama and action-packed sequences.

Emraan Hashmi will be seen playing Mohammed Azharuddin in Azhar, which is a biopic on the former Indian cricketer. Prachi Desai will be portraying the role of Azharuddin’s first wife Naureen in the film. Directed by Tony D’Souza, ‘Azhar’ also stars Lara Dutta and Huma Qureshi in pivotal roles and is slated for a worldwide release on May 13, 2016.

4. Sarbjit, TE3N (May 20)

Sarbjit is based on Sarabjit Singh, an Indian farmer who was convicted of terrorism and spying in Pakistan and was sentenced to death. He was attacked by inmates at a prison in Lahore in April 2013 and died a few days later. The film features actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, who will be seen playing the role of Sarabjit’s sister Dalbir Kaur and the title role will be played by Randeep Hooda.

Also releasing on the same day will be her father-in-law Amitabh Bachchan's TE3N. The film is being directed by Sujoy Ghosh and it also stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Vidya Balan. It could give tough competition to Aishwarya Rai starrer.

5. Housefull 3, Jagga Jasoos, Raaz Rebooted (June 3)

The third installment of the successful comedy franchise 'Housefull' will see a huge ensemble cast of Akshay Kumar, Abhishek Bachchan, Riteish Deshmukh along with Jacqueline Fernandez, Nargis Fakhri and Lisa Haydon. Director Sajid Nadiadwala's previous installments Housefull and Housefull 2 were loved by all.

Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif, who have recently broken up, will be seen sharing screen space for the third time in Jagga Jasoos. After Barfi, this is Ranbir Kapoor's second outing with director Anurag Basu. The movie's shoot is still on and June 3 is a tentative date for its release.

Raaz Rebooted is another sequel to the famous Emraan Hashmi franchisee Raaz. Directed by Vikram Bhatt, it will be the fourth part of the supernatural thriller. This time Emraan will be seen romancing Kannada actress Kriti Kharbanda in the film.

6. Raees, Sultan (July 3)

This will be the baap of all clashes this year when old friends SRK and Salman's films will release this Eid making it grander than ever. Shah Rukh Khan in and as Raees will be playing a Gujarati don who comes in prominence due to his illegal alcohol trade. Shah Rukh Khan's bespectacled and bearded avatar has wooed all and connected the audience at a large level. Directed by Rahul Dholakia, the film also stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui who plays a tough policeman and Pakistani actress Mahira Khan in the lead role.

In Sultan, Salman Khan will play the role of a wrestler from Haryana, Kesari Sultan. The movie is being directed by Ali Abbas Zafar and the film's shoot has already begun in Mumbai.

7. Rustom, Dangal, Mohenjo Daro (August 12)

Akshay Kumar starrer Rustom's first look has already impressed his fans. The actor, who will be seen playing a Naval officer, is seen sporting a thin moustache. Directed by Tinu Suresh Desai, the film will release on August 12.

Aamir Khan's Dangal is also one of the most anticipated films of the year. The actor who will be seen in the role of a wrestler has worked very hard for the film and has beefed up for the role. The film has mainly been shot in Haryana. But makers have still not decided on the release date.

Hrithik Roshan will be seen fighting with tigers in Ashutosh Gowarikar’s Mohenjo Daro. The movie is an epic love story set in the Indus Valley civilization. It is being extensively shot in Bhuj and will have Hrithik romancing debutante Pooja Hegde.

8. Shivaay, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (October 28)

‘Shivaay’ is a high-octane action drama movie which stars Ajay Devgn in the lead. Sayesha Saigal, grand niece of legendary actors Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu, will be seen making her debut in the film. Apart from playing the lead role in the movie, Ajay Devgn is also directing the film and will be seen doing some high flying action sequences in the film.

Filmmaker Karan Johar's next directorial venture Ae Dil Hai Mushkil will feature Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka Sharma and Fawad Khan in pivotal roles.

Auluck: X-MEN 2 APOCALYPSE OFFICIAL TRAILER (2016)

X-MEN: APOCALYPSE SECOND OFFICIAL TRAILER (2016)

X-Men: Apocalypse Official Trailer #2 (2016) - Jennifer Lawrence, Oscar Isaac Movie HD

With the emergence of the world's first mutant, Apocalypse, the X-Men must unite to defeat his extinction level plan.

The Fandango MOVIECLIPS Trailers channel is your destination for the hottest new trailers the second they drop. Whether it's the latest studio release, an indie horror flick, an evocative documentary, or that new RomCom you've been waiting for, the Fandango MOVIECLIPS team is here day and night to make sure all the best new movie trailers are here for you the moment they're released.

In addition to being the #1 Movie Trailers Channel on YouTube, we deliver amazing and engaging original videos each week. Watch our exclusive Ultimate Trailers, Showdowns, Instant Trailer Reviews, Monthly MashUps, Movie News, and so much more to keep you in the know.

AULUCK : Ki and Ka movie review:

Ki and Ka movie review: Kareena’s character is spot on, Arjun is victim of confusion

AThe problem is the film’s unwillingness to go the mile and really explore what that ‘nikamma’ could do to the male ego. Ka, poor fellow, is a victim of confusion. He may say he wants to be like his mummy. He may adorn his wrist with a ‘mangalsutra’, hoho, but has no problem in using his legs to kick louts. He is shown hosting kitty parties and urging fat aunties into shape: huge stereotypes, dear director and writer, connecting all your jolly housewives and ‘kitties’, and stay-at-home ladies and bulges; tsk. When Ka is not doing all of the above, he is busy wheeling his trike (yes, trike) up and down certain heavy-traffic bearing Delhi roads – these are roads, any Dilliwala will tell you, where only trucks and buses and cars carrying passengers will traverse. Couldn’t they find a residential colony?

Ki is better drawn. The director is an ad man, so Kareena’s character is spot on. She plays it familiar but is svelte and lively enough. The office is just so, but I could not shake off the feeling that the Ka-Ki home was basically an overdressed set.

Plus, Arjun and Kareena give off precious little steam, despite all the canoodling on display. That takes some off the edge of the couple. Or is all that sibling-like matter-of-factness a thing these days? And then there is the incessant chatter about men and women, and this is what ‘they’ do, and this is what ‘they’ must not do. All too message-y.

Good to see the premise– send a woman out, keep a man in, and reverse gender expectations- on screen: it just needed to have been sharper and deeper.

Cast: Kareena Kapoor, Arjun Kapoor, Rajit Kapur, Swaroop Sampat

Director : R Balki

Two stars

Auluck : Movie Review Ambarsariya

'Ambarsariya' review: Keeps you on the edge of your seat for the most part

Cast: Diljit Dosanjh, Gul Panag, Lauren Gottileb, Navneet Kaur Dhillon, Monica Gill, Ranbir Rana, Gurpreet Ghuggi

Director: Mandeep Kumar

Rating: 4/5

Whether you have a strong penchant for films that fall in the supernatural genre, romantic comedies or ordinary action projects, films that come with the core concept - good triumphing over evil, and inspirational messages embedded in them invariably win huge applause and find several takers.

Diljit Dosanjh's latest outing 'Ambarsariya' is impressive as it puts romance, humour, optimism and nationalistic fervour to good use and offer a complete experience to the fans.

The film revolves around Diljit aka Ambarsariya who is a RAW agent in the garb of a life insurance agent. Deputed on a mission to save Home Minister's life, he can't afford to take any clue non-seriously. According to the information available to RAW, the Home Minister will be killed by drug mafia on April 13. And Diljit does virtually everything to chase his suspects and draw strategies to avert drug mafia's plan. The interest with which he does his job is understandable from the applause he gets from boss (Gul Panag) and senior colleague Navneet Kaur Dhillon.

While he is a thorough professional, he is also a true charmer, which is why he is the star of the film. Impressing a girl may seem difficult to others, but it isn't as hard as it seems for Diljit.

He makes girls laugh, makes them feel beautiful, and believe that they are the only woman in the world worth speaking to. But next moment, he is off to the next woman.

While Diljit wins every girl's wrath initially, he manages to get their attention by doing simple things and uses the process of falling in love as a mystery. He doesn't miss even a single opportunity to showcase his unique talents and resources.

He sets the tone for this comedy thriller. He is incredibly understated as the RAW agent, who is invariably thinking on his feet, and it is fun to watch him take on the goons single-handedly.

Built from a gripping script that's convincing on plot, the film comes with hilarious dialogues and crackling chemistry - particularly the one Diljit shares with kid Jaanu.

What makes the film incredible is how Diljit infuses humour into the most tense scenes, giving us a thriller that's both unpredictable and enjoyable. As Diljit tries to complete his mission, we are introduced to a string of funny characters that bring something new to the palette.

Actress Gul Panag as RAW officer is neither ruthless nor unpredictable. While Gul instructs Diljit to complete the mission, she plays a docile wife who carries household chores in personal life.

Thankfully, dependable performances by Gurpreet Ghuggi, Ranbir Rana, Navneet Kaur Dhillon, Monic Gill and Lauren Gottileb keep the viewers consistently engaged. Navneet doesn't pretend to be a strict, horrible boss at a life insurance company, gets the tone perfect. Lauren looks convincing as Canada-returned documentary filmmaker. However, her Punjabi accent isn't completely flawless. Monica Gill is quick to take digs at Diljit and quite impressive at it.

This one sequence which begins with Diljit turning a Yoga instructor and ends with Ranbir Rana-Gurpreet Ghuggi's tiff liven up the story, as does a group of kids taking jabs at the protagonist.

The cinematography - with aerial shots of Amritsar - deserves a mention. This slick, fast-paced comic thriller delivers what it promises to offer. It never reveals all its cards at once.

In addition to fleshed-out characters and a realistic plot, the twisted ending to the perfectly interweaved storyline and screenplay (by Dheeraj Ratan) makes 'Ambarsariya' a must watch. The climax - featuring Diljit who talks about Udham Singh's motivation to kill perpetrators of Jalianwala Bagh in Amritsar - is well shot. Since the killing of the modern-day Michael O'Dwyer is executed by kid Jaanu it stands for a much powerful message. The message it sends out is about how the power lies within the hands of the young generation of Punjab to annihilate those who are a threat to its peace and prosperity.

Auluck: Rocky Handsome review

Silent killer John Abraham misses the target

Cast: John Abraham, Nishikant Kamat, Diya Chalwad, Nathalia Kaur, Sharad Kelkar, Teddy Maurya, Shruti Haasan

Director: Nishikant Kamat

Rating: 2/5 

Goa is the new north India for the Hindi film industry. Filmmakers know the formula: Sinister-looking foreigners, local gangsters wearing floral shirts, drug trafficking and bars with Russian boards. All they need to throw in is one or two peppy dance numbers and slow motion action sequences. And yes, that old Goa church is mandatory. Mix the ingredients according to your choice and you’re ready with another morally upright, vengeful hero ready to take on the world. The director’s job gets even more defined if he is a fan of Korean films or secretly loves Jason Bourne.

Kabir Ahlawat (John Abraham) likes body-hugging suits and runs a pawn show in Goa. Anna (a super sultry Nathalia Kaur) and her daughter Nayomi (Diya Chalwad) are his neighbours, but drugs are ruining their lives. Brothers Kevin (Nishikant Kamat) and Luke Ferreira (Teddy Maurya) are the force behind this racket, and they won’t let go of their empire at any cost. As expected, the little child gets trapped in the middle of this chaos and all hell breaks loose.

Is it just me or you also are reminded of Leon The Professional (1994)? You’re still getting settled in your seat while watching lovey-dovey wife Rukshida (Shruti Haasan) pouting with Kabir in Seychelles, and it begins abruptly. The moment Kabir lands on a car’s bonnet like a true Batman fan, you know what you are up to.

Here’s a child who loves nail art, a club dancer mother and a man with no apparent history. Basically, a fast and furious guy has stood up to the dreaded traffickers for reasons extremely personal, but can a predictable, video game-inspired actioner hold your attention for 130-minutes? Looks like a daunting task after the first 30 minutes.

There are moments when you see director Kamat bringing out a different side of the gangsters. In one of the most captivating scenes of Rocky Handsome, we see local don Maanto sadistically slapping Kevin, and the latter not flinching a bit. He spits blood only after everybody leaves the scene and the ordeal is over. The bad guy’s grit is visible. But then, it all goes in vein when too much focus gets attached to choreographing a Kill Bil-style action sequence with one person against the whole army. And, you know how weird it looks when in the middle of a showdown everybody throws their weapon away and resorts to a fistfight. They don’t forget to tear apart their own shirts. In short, masala takes over the centre-stage.

Some slow motion long shots are worth watching, especially those taken in the rain. But how can these supplement for the lack of a coherent theme?

Abraham’s Kabir is a silent and strong guy who cannot paddle a rehashed film forward just on his own. Madras Café and Force gave him the chance to explore a similar territory but those roles were way more nuanced. Here, too many players make his stroll bumpy. Luke, Maantu and other over-the-top gangsters simply stop you from taking the proceedings seriously. Goa isn’t Mexico.

A great affection for drama and theatrics dilutes the most interesting parts of the film: The inside view of the drugs business in Goa. Just when you start noticing the detailed research, it again goes back to illogical bloodshed and miming, over hyped assassins.

Shanker Raman’s breathtaking cinematography or Sharad Kelkar’s supporting hands are not expected to rescue an average film. There is a limit to putting the guns and goons to task, no? And just how much of Abraham’s murderous rage can you tolerate? But who is to blame for the weak storyline? Abraham himself is the producer of the film.

Rocky Handsome may seem a jumbled up version of Abraham to some, and this is the third time he is playing Kabir. Too much of self-introspection and alter ego, eh?

Abraham … err … Rocky Handsome is a very average film with some finely executed action sequences on display. But, make no mistake: Don’t expect anything more from this film.

Auluck: Batman v Superman review

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

Director: Zack Snyder

Cast: Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot, Jesse Eisenberg, Amy Adams

Rating: 2/5

The most difficult thing about all this is accepting the hard fact that Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice simply isn’t a good movie. But once that hurdle has been crossed, it’s as if the floodgates have opened. Suddenly, nothing is sacred. All your hopes and dreams were destroyed an hour ago in a giant CG fireball and it left you angrier than a recently orphaned Bruce Wayne.
Batman v Superman is not so much a superhero movie as it is a story about two mamma’s boys measuring the length of their capes, finding that they disagree, and proceeding to poke each other with threats of ‘you wanna go first?’ for a solid two-and-a-half hours.
Don’t get me wrong: The film has its moments, but there comes a point when you can’t justify it to yourself any longer. There is only so much grim brooding one movie can accommodate, and Ben Affleck uses that quota up in the very first scene, which, either on purpose or by complete fluke, foreshadows the self-contradictory nature of this movie.


 To go forward we must first revisit 2013, the year this movie’s predecessor Man of Steel came out. Its 45-minute action finale that destroyed half a city and left thousands dead was controversial. Perpetual Boy Scout Superman’s decision to make out with Lois Lane, literally against the backdrop of murder and chaos, was met with quite a few raised eyebrows. Director Zack Snyder promised to address that violence in this movie; a decision I’m convinced was an afterthought, one that struck him two seconds after the realisation that he had, indeed, gone overboard with the mayhem after all.
We open with Bruce Wayne hightailing it to a Metropolis that inconveniently finds itself in the middle of an alien duel. He has friends there, colleagues and businesses that are in direct line of fire. He is chased by loud explosions and an even louder Hans Zimmer ft. Junkie XL score as he rushes to their rescue.
Snyder’s way of directly addressing the criticisms of the previous movie is by stranding you in the middle of the exact same scene in this one. Only this time, we are looking at it from a completely different perspective. The scene is effectively convincing: Not for one second do you doubt Bruce Wayne’s hatred towards Superman, and what caused it. His actions have just killed countless men, women and children. Of course Bruce would consider him a threat.
Unfortunately, this is where the movie peaks. And a wise man once said: It’s never good when a movie peaks in its first scene.
We jump ahead 18 months. Things are getting back to normal. Superman is being tried in a senate hearing for his part in a recent African fiasco. Lois Lane is pretending to be a Vice correspondent, mouthing off to discount Boko Haram warlords. Perry White (Clark’s editor at the Daily Planet) has suddenly turned into J Jonah Jameson, visualising the next big headline on an imaginary page in front of his face. Meanwhile, Bruce Wayne has taken it upon himself to investigate Superman, for the first time cinematically, living up to the tag of ‘greatest detective in the world.’ Across town in Metropolis, the psychopathic Lex Luthor is arranging to have a recently unearthed chunk of Kryptonite (the mineral from Superman’s home planet that messes up his powers and plays the MacGuffin in this movie) imported.
Already, there are too many moving parts in this picture. In an effort to give due screen time to these disparate storylines, Snyder and writers Chris Terrio and David S Goyer can never really take their time fleshing out their characters. A lot of their legwork has already been done by history. Both the Superman and Batman origin stories are as well known as the tale of our independence. But Snyder gives you one anyway, probably in an attempt to give a twist later in the movie’s emotional impact. It doesn’t. No matter how much of it he decides to shoot in his trademark slow motion, it can’t help but feel unnecessary.
In a way, the needless inclusion of this scene sums up the rest of the film. Too much time is spent on building up to the clash of the titans, only for the movie to pull a fast one on you when ‘fight night’ finally rolls around. I’m being very careful about spoilers here, but let me put it this way: They didn’t leave much out in the trailers.
Oddly, despite being largely messy and mostly incoherent, the film moves at a rather brisk pace. It’s never dull, just disappointing. It feels clumsily edited, with plots remaining half-explored and scenes ending either too soon or lasting too long.
As I watched, for more than an hour, neither Bruce nor Clark spend any significant time as Batman or Superman, and as I tried to make sense of a pedestrian chase sequence that had no business being anything less than spectacular, considering it counted the Batmobile as the vehicle doing the chasing, I wondered: “Perhaps my expectations were too high.”
Batman v Superman is Zack Snyder’s worst film. And this comes from someone who absolutely adores Sucker Punch and considers both 300 and Watchmen to be minor classics. He was always reverential about comics. He treated these crazy characters with the respect that they deserve. But this is a joyless film, much too serious for its own good. Ignoring what was wrong with Man of Steel altogether, Snyder once again defaults to loud, unending, curiously isolated CGI action. What’s confusing is that this isn’t even his default setting.
Ben Affleck’s one note performance doesn’t help. Especially since he spends most of the movie as Bruce and not Batman. Henry Cavill manages to make Kal-El edgier this time, but in doing so, loses the character’s inherent humanity. Clark is supposed to be optimistic, not forlorn. He finds beauty in darkest places. But here, he just seems to be fighting a losing scowling battle against Affleck. Christian Bale and Christopher Nolan need not worry.
And then there’s Jesse Eisenberg’s categorically outrageous performance as Lex Luthor. You thought Gene Hackman and Kevin Spacey were deranged? You ain’t seen nothing yet. Eisenberg plays Luthor like a psychotic version of his Mark Zuckerberg character from The Social Network and it sticks out like Spider-Man in the Justice League.
Here’s a film that’ll leave both fans and casual moviegoers unsatisfied. And since it isn’t breaking any new ground story-wise, this is quite unforgivable, considering especially the excellent work Marvel is doing. I still can’t figure out how a movie that liberally takes from both Superman (Death of Superman) and Batman’s (The Dark Knight Returns) most famous comics arcs can be so misguided. But there you go.
The one bright spark, however, is Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman. She seems perfect for the role and her solo movie is now just as high on my radar as Suicide Squad. But for Justice League, I’m officially worried.
Acceptance is the first step they say. I’ve accepted that Batman v Superman is not a good film. There are 11 steps more to go until I can put this disappointment behind me.