Tom's Random Reviews

[Tom]

Title: Koi... mil gaya
Year: 2003
Director: Rakesh Roshan
Rating: FSK-6
Length: 166 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35
Audio: German: Dolby Digital Stereo, Hindi: Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: German

Stars:
Rekha
Hrithik Roshan
Preity Zinta
Prem Chopra
Rajiv Verma

Plot:
Rakesk Roshan's Kol Mil Gaya is the story of Rohit Mehra (Hrithik Roshan) who shows the world that friendship is truly universal. Sanjay Mehra (Rakesh Roshan) is a scientist obsessed with establishing contact with extraterrestrial life. He invents many innovative gadgets till he finally succeeds in creating a computer that can transmit messages to space.

His foresight becomes reality when as a response to his signals, a spaceship is sighted in the sky. But before Sanjay can enjoy his success, his wife Sonia (Rekha) and he meet with a horrific accident where Sonia survives but Sanjay loses his life.

Sanjay's son Rohit is born, a mentally challenged child who faces ridicule in every phase of his life. His lone companion is Nisha (Preity Zinta) whose compassion draws her towards Rohit.

One day Rohit discovers his father's old computer and calls Nisha to help him use it. Both of them are completely fascinated by the images and instructions that appear on the screen and relentlessly experiment with the gadget, not realizing the impact this would have.

The whole town witnesses a blackout and a bizarre phenomenon... in an incandescent glowing sky... a colossal spaceship is sighted. However, more strange findings were in store for Rohit's town - a pair of footprints not belonging to man or animal is found. What do Rohit and Nisha find out? Is danger lurking somewhere close? A nation holds its breath...

'Kol Mil Gaya' is the first sci-fi film made in Hindi, with the finest special effects ever created in Indian cinema. With 'Kol Mil Gaya', Rakesh Roshan has once again created history after the phenomenal success of 'Kaho Naa - Pyaar Hai', which catapulted Hrithik Roshan to dizzying heights.

Awards:

Filmfare Awards	2004	Won	Best Actor Award	Hrithik Roshan
Filmfare Awards	2004	Nominated	Best Actress Award	Preity Zinta
Filmfare Awards	2004	Won	Best Choreography Award	Farah Khan
Filmfare Awards	2004	Won	Best Movie Award
Filmfare Awards	2004	Nominated	Best Music Director Award	Rajesh Roshan
Filmfare Awards	2004	Nominated	Best Supporting Actress Award	Rekha
Filmfare Awards	2004	Won	Critics Award for Best Performance	Hrithik Roshan
IIFA Awards	2004	Won	Best Actor	Hrithik Roshan
IIFA Awards	2004	Won	Best Director	Rakesh Roshan

Extras:
Music Videos
Poster
Scene Access
Trailers

My Thoughts:

I have watched again "Koi... mil gaya". I wanted to show it to my brother. First he was not keen on it because of the length. I made him a deal then. Bollywood movies (at least the ones I have seen so far), have an intermission almost exactly halfway through, which nicely divides the story into two parts. At that point it would easily be possible to cut the movie into two separate movies. I said to my brother, that if he doesn't like the first part, we stop. And if he likes it, we will continue with the second part later on. We have watched the second part today
I still enjoyed the movie just as much as the first time around. In my first review I said, that the songs were forgettable. I do not agree with that statement anymore. I really enjoyed them this time around, except for one. As a matter of fact I purchased now the song "Koi mil gaya" on iTunes. I liked this one the best of the bunch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ljX-fp5rm0

Rating:

[Tom]

I have "upgraded" my last comment for Krrish to a second review.

[Tom]

Title: Veer-Zaara
Year: 2004
Director: Yash Chopra
Rating: FSK-6
Length: 190 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35
Audio: German: Dolby Digital Stereo, Hindi: Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: German

Stars:
Shahrukh Khan
Rani Mukerji
Preity Zinta
Kirron Kher
Divya Dutta

Plot:
Squadron Leader Veer Pratap Singh is a rescue pilot with the Indian Air Force, who risks his own life to save the lives of others. One day, on duty, he comes across a stranded Zaara... a girl from Pakistan. Zaara, a carefree, sprightly girl has come to India to fulfill her surrogate mother's dying wish. She meets with a bus accident leaving her stranded in a foreign land.

Veer saves her life... and his life is never the same again...
Twenty-two years later, Saamiya Siddiqui, a Pakistani lawyer on her first case, finds herself face-to-face with an ageing Veer Pratap Singh. He has languished in a Pakistan jail cell for 22 years and has not spoken to anyone all these years - and no one knows why.

Her mission is to discover the truth about Veer and see to it that justice is served. And thus starts her journey to unveil the truth... the story of Veer and his life...

Why has Veer been silent for 22 years?
Why is he in a jail in Pakistan?
Where is Zaara?
What happened to her?


God has written the destinies of Veer and Zaara, such that they can never be joined together. Saamiya has come to change that... to join Veer and Zaara together... forever...

Veer-Zaara is not an ordinary story - it is a Love Legend... Veer and Zaara's love legend. This is a saga of love, separation, courage and sacrifice. A love that is divine, a love that is whole-hearted, a love that is completely consuming, a love that grows with separation, deepens with sacrifice.

A love that is an inspiration... and will remain a legend forever.

Awards:

Filmfare Awards	2005	Nominated	Best Actor Award	Shahrukh Khan
Filmfare Awards	2005	Nominated	Best Actress Award	Preity Zinta
Filmfare Awards	2005	Won	Best Dialogue Award	Aditya Chopra
Filmfare Awards	2005	Nominated	Best Director Award	Yash Chopra
Filmfare Awards	2005	Won	Best Movie Award
Filmfare Awards	2005	Nominated	Best Music Director Award	Madan Mohan
Filmfare Awards	2005	Won	Best Story Award	Aditya Chopra
Filmfare Awards	2005	Nominated	Best Supporting Actor Award	Amitabh Bachchan
Filmfare Awards	2005	Nominated	Best Supporting Actress Award	Rani Mukerji
Filmfare Awards	2005	Nominated	Best Supporting Actress Award	Divya Dutta
IIFA Awards	2005	Won	Best Actor	Shahrukh Khan
IIFA Awards	2005	Won	Best Director	Yash Chopra
IIFA Awards	2005	Won	Best Movie
IIFA Awards	2005	Won	Best Music Director	Madan Mohan
IIFA Awards	2005	Won	Best Supporting Actress	Rani Mukerji

Extras:
Scene Access

My Thoughts:

Wow, great love story. It completely captivated me. The sacrifice Veer and Zaara made in the name of love is really tremendous.
This movie again stars Shahrukh Khan and the always lovely Preity Zinta. Also a lot of other familiar faces appeared again, like Amitabh Bachchan, who played in here and in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham adoptive fathers to Shahrukh Khan.

Rating:

[Jimmy]

Title: Koi... mil gaya

Tom do you want a second entry in the review list for this movie or do you want that I change the link from your previous one?

[Tom]

Title: Koi... mil gaya

Tom do you want a second entry in the review list for this movie or do you want that I change the link from your previous one?

I see it as a second review (where just the time in-between reviews of the same movie was shorte than usual).

[Tom]

Title: Kuch Kuch Hota Hai
Year: 1998
Director: Karan Johar
Rating: FSK-6
Length: 177 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35
Audio: German: Dolby Digital Stereo, Hindi: Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: German

Stars:
Shahrukh Khan
Kajol
Rani Mukherji
Farida Jalal
Reema

Plot:
Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (Something is Happening) is a story of 2 best friends at college. Rahul (Shahrukh Khan) and tomboy Anjali (Kajol).

Unknown to Rahul, Anjali has fallen in love with him - When Rahul confesses that he is in love with Tina (Rani Mukherji), Anjali is heartbroken and decides to leave the college so that Rahul and Tina can get together.

Now, nine years have passed and Rahul is a single parent after Tina's demise.

Kuch Kuch Hota Hai is a story of best friends.... Now they are falling in love.

Awards:

Filmfare Awards	1999	Won	Best Actor Award	Shahrukh Khan
Filmfare Awards	1999	Won	Best Actress Award	Kajol
Filmfare Awards	1999	Won	Best Art Direction Award	Sharmishta Roy
Filmfare Awards	1999	Won	Best Director Award	Karan Johar
Filmfare Awards	1999	Won	Best Movie Award
Filmfare Awards	1999	Nominated	Best Music Director Award	Jatin Lalit
Filmfare Awards	1999	Won	Best Screenplay Award	Karan Johar
Filmfare Awards	1999	Won	Best Supporting Actor Award	Salman Khan
Filmfare Awards	1999	Won	Best Supporting Actress Award	Rani Mukerji

Extras:
Scene Access

My Thoughts:

An OK film, but so far the weakest Shahrukh Khan movie that I have watched. I liked the second half better than the first half. I didn't like Shahrukh Khan's character in the flashback in the first half of the movie, which plays in the college years of the main characters. I think it is not really obvious why both women fell for him. In the present time, he plays his usual likable guy persona as I know him from the other movies. Kajol did a good portraying both the tomboyish Anjali and later on the more feminine Anjali.
This movie is from the same director as Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham and the three main stars of this movie all appeared in that one also.

Rating:

[Tom]

Title: Mujhse Dosti Karoge
Year: 2002
Director: Kunal Kohli
Rating: FSK-6
Length: 145 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35
Audio: German: Dolby Digital Stereo, Hindi: Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: German

Stars:
Hrithik Roshan
Rani Mukherjee
Kareena Kapoor
Satish Shah
Kiran Kumar

Plot:
What would you do if the one you loved was actually not the one you loved? What would you do if your best friend was in love with the one you love? What would you do if you knew your best friends are sacrificing their love for you?

Meet Raj (Hrithik Roshan), Pooja (Rani Mukherji) and Tina (Kareena Kapoor) - three best friends thrown into situations that time, letters, love and separation have created for them.

A friendship that starts off in the picturesque, hilly town of Shimla and ends or rather continues in London. Much like Raj, Pooja and Tina, traditional in their values, yet modern in their approach and outlook to life.

Friendship, the beginning of every relationship, ends in love. And love, well, it can only have two endings - a happy and a sad one - or can there be a third ending for these three friends?

MUJHSE DOSTI KAROGE! Is a story of three friends who truly know the meaning of the word 'Dosti'!

MUJHSE DOSTI KAROGE! has music by Rahul Sharma, lyrics by (late) Anand Bakshi, cinematography by Gopal Shah, choreography by Ahmed Khan and art direction by Sharmishtha Roy.

Extras:
Featurettes
Scene Access
Trailers

My Thoughts:

I really liked the first half of the movie. The second half dragged a little and the male main character seemed a little too much of an asshole with the way he was trying to resolve the situation. Rani Mukerji as Pooja was great though. After Preity Zinta she is becoming my second favorite Bollywood actress. She is in almost all Bollywood movies I have seen so far. The most memorable to me is her appearence in Veer-Zaara.

Rating:

[Tom]

Title: Get Smart
Year: 2008
Director: Peter Segal
Rating: 12
Length: 110 Min.
Video: Widescreen 1.78
Audio: English: Dolby Digital 5.1, Audio Descriptive: Dolby Digital Stereo, French: Dolby Digital 5.1, German: Dolby Digital 5.1, Italian: Dolby Digital 5.1, Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: Chinese, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Korean, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish

Stars:
Steve Carell
Anne Hathaway
Dwayne Johnson
Alan Arkin
Terence Stamp

Plot:
Steve Carell is in CONTROL as Maxwell Smart, the novice agent often out of his depth but never out of options in this action comedy, pitting him against the nuclear scheme of the evil spy group KAOS. Anne Hathaway partners with Max as ever-capable Agent 99. And director Peter Segal (The Longest Yard) guides his stars (including Dwayne Johnson and Alan Arkin) through the dangerous realm of molar radios, multifunction pocketknives, exploding dental floss and more.

Extras:
Deleted Scenes
Featurettes
Outtakes
Scene Access

My Thoughts:

Mostly full of tired and rather unfunny spy movie parody jokes. Only executed slower than in other run-of-the-mill spy parody movies. There were a few fun scenes, but they were far between. I liked Anne Hathaway though. It's a different kind of role for her and she did a good job.

Rating:

[Tom]

Title: Main Hoon Na
Year: 2004
Director: Farah Khan
Rating: FSK-12
Length: 179 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35
Audio: German: Dolby Digital Stereo, Hindi: Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: German

Stars:
Shah Rukh Khan
Suniel Shetty
Sushmita Sen
Amrita Rao
Zayed Khan

Plot:
To your very surprise, the film is based on the current-favorite Bollywood theme of Indo-Pak relations and formulated as a mission film. Of course it's loaded with dollops of fun, humor, romance, action and emotions as well. In Bollywood slang - a complete masala film! Major Ram Prasad Sharma (Shahrukh Khan) yearns to see the ambitious project Mission Milaap become a reality. A mission that will prove to be the dawn of a new tomorrow! Where long standing enmity between two countries will begin to see its end. But some forces do not want that dawn to come. One of them is Raghavan (Sunil Shetty) who will do anything to prevent the strategic move. For this reason his devious shadow looms large over General Amarjeet Bakshi's daughter Sanjana (Amrita Rao) , whose life is in danger. Every drop of Ram Prasad's blood glistens with the shine of pride for his country and he will not allow dark actions to create an eclipse in its bright future. To protect Sanjana, he goes to her school as a student - indeed 'Back to School'! Here fun and frolic conceal his real intent. Will anyone here guess that he has just lit funeral pyre of his martyr father Brigadier Shekhar Sharma (Naseeruddin Shah) . The ashes have emerged but the fire has not subsided. For he has to fulfill his fathers last wish. Strangely, the fulfillment of his wish also lies in this very school - completing this mission will be no easy task. For it involves intense emotions and long - standing misunderstandings. These two missions are now his life-blood. The weapon of one mission is Gun and that of the other is Love. But the road to both is that of Truth. The only option is victory. The only man is Ram Prasad Sharma. And the only mantra is Main Hoon Na!

Awards:

Filmfare Awards	2005	Nominated	Best Actor Award	Shahrukh Khan
Filmfare Awards	2005	Nominated	Best Director Award	Farah Khan
Filmfare Awards	2005	Nominated	Best Movie Award
Filmfare Awards	2005	Won	Best Music Director Award	Anu Malik
Filmfare Awards	2005	Nominated	Best Supporting Actor Award	Zayed Khan
Filmfare Awards	2005	Nominated	Best Supporting Actress Award	Amrita Rao
Filmfare Awards	2005	Nominated	Best Villain Award	Sunil Shetty

Extras:
Music Videos
Scene Access
Trailers

My Thoughts:

I had the urge to watch another Bollywood movie, but because of the late hour, I didn't have time to watch a complete one. But the great thing about these movies is, that they have an intermission exactly half-way through, so it is easy, to start watching one nonetheless.
So here my thoughts on the first half:
I was really surprised how much I enjoy this one. I did expect a little different movie. Going by the cover I expected something more serious. But this is a really great action comedy so far. I even enjoyed the Matrix parodies. Usually I am tired of those because everybody is doing it, but here I had to laugh out loud on it.
I also the feared it to be completely ridiculous because the German cover text states that the main character goes undercover as a senior in high school. But luckily this is not correct. He goes undercover as a student at a college and his cover story is, that he is just finishing his studies after having token a break from college for ten years for family reasons.
Also we have a familiar face here: The character's father is played by the same actor, who played the villain in Krrish.

My thoughts on the second half:
Though not as good as the first half, I still enjoyed it. Although I think it went too fast getting both couples together. But this is probably because they wanted to focus on the action part of the story here.

Rating:

[Tom]

Title: Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai
Year: 2000
Director: Rakesh Roshan
Rating: 15
Length: 171 Min.
Video: Widescreen 1.85
Audio: Hindi: Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English

Stars:
Hrithik Roshan
Amisha Patel
Anupam Kher
Dalip Tahil
Mohnish Behl

Plot:
Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai is a tender-hearted love story about an upright young man who brings cheer, music & warmth into the life of a sweet-natured girl. Separated by circumstances beyond their control, the girl is in a state of shock and travels across the seven seas in a bid to erase her dream-like memories. Far away from home she encounters a young man who has the same face that she had given her heart and soul to. Can he succeed in erasing the traumatic memories that continue to assail her? Can they make a fresh beginning?

Awards:

Filmfare Awards	2001	Won	Best Actor Award	Hrithik Roshan
Filmfare Awards	2001	Won	Best Choreography Award	Farah Khan
Filmfare Awards	2001	Won	Best Director Award	Rakesh Roshan
Filmfare Awards	2001	Won	Best Male Debut Award	Hrithik Roshan
Filmfare Awards	2001	Won	Best Male Playback Award	Lucky Ali
Filmfare Awards	2001	Won	Best Movie Award
Filmfare Awards	2001	Won	Best Music Director Award	Rajesh Roshan
Filmfare Awards	2001	Won	Best Screenplay Award	Honey Irani
IIFA Awards	2001	Won	Best Actor	Hrithik Roshan
IIFA Awards	2001	Won	Best Director	Rakesh Roshan
IIFA Awards	2001	Won	Best Female Playback	Alka Yagnik
IIFA Awards	2001	Won	Best Male Playback	Lucky Ali
IIFA Awards	2001	Won	Best Movie
IIFA Awards	2001	Won	Best Music Director	Rajesh Roshan

Extras:
Music Videos
Scene Access

My Thoughts:

This is the movie which made Hrithik a star. I was really disappointed with the first half of the movie. It got a little better with the second half, but it was still rather uneven.

Rating:

[Tom]

Title: Night Watch
Year: 2004
Director: Timur Bekmambetov
Rating: 15
Length: 114 Min.
Video: Widescreen 1.85
Audio: Russian: Dolby Digital TrueHD, Russian: DTS 5.1, English: Dolby Digital 5.1, German: Dolby Digital 5.1, French: Dolby Digital 5.1, Commentary: Dolby Digital Stereo
Subtitles: Commentary, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Norwegian, Swedish

Stars:
Konstantin Khabensky
Vladimir Menshov
Valery Zolotukhin
Maria Poroshina
Galina Tunina

Plot:
The forces of light and darkness have co-existed in a delicate balance for hundreds of years...until now. Even as the Night Watch polices the Dark Others - among them vampires, witches and shape-shifters - a chain of mysterious events triggers a dreaded, age-old prophecy: An immortal with special powers will come to switch sides, shattering the balance and unleashing an apocalyptic war unlike any the world has ever known!

Extras:
Commentary
Deleted Scenes
Featurettes
Photo Gallery
Scene Access

My Thoughts:

A well-done movie with an interesting story but which dragged on a little. I was surprised by the quality of the special effects.

Rating:

[Tom]

Title: Paheli
Year: 2005
Director: Amol Palekar
Rating: U
Length: 134 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35
Audio: Hindi: Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English

Stars:
Shah Rukh Khan
Rani Mukherji
Anupam Kher
Dilip Prabhawalkar
Neena Kulkarni

Plot:
Paheli is a love story based on "Duvidha". Vijaydan Dethan's re-telling of a classic Rajasthani folktale. In true fairytale style it tells the story of Lachchi (Rani Mukherjee), an innocent girl married to Kisham, whose only real interest is money. On the night of their marrage, he leaves to persue his business interests. However, a ghost (Shah Rukh Khan) has fallen in love with Lachchi and when Kishan goes away he takes on his appearance and wins everyone's hearts. When the real Kishan finally returns five years later, confusion understandably abounds until finally a wise old shepherd (Amitabh Bachchan) devises the three tests to resolve the "paheli" that has baffled everyone.

Extras:
Featurettes
Interviews
Scene Access

My Thoughts:

A nice romantic fairy tale movie. Rani Mukherji is lovely again.

Most of the Bollywood movies I have are German releases from the publisher Rapid Eye Movies, which generally are okay releases. Picture quality could be better but acceptable for three hour movies on one disc. But this movie I have bought from the UK (because the German release didn't have the original Hindi track) from the publisher "Eros International". It's the second movie from this publisher that I have. The first one wasn't even anamorphic (even though the packaging does state it). And although this one is anamorphic, the video quality again is below average. And also the audio quality is bad. And this publisher constantly has "Eros" shown in the upper left corner of the picture. I still have one movie of theirs on the way, but it will be the last one from this publisher that I will have bought. Even their mastering seems a little off. The movies seem to be divided into two title tracks which resets the time display to zero when it switches to the second track (but for some reason the chapters are continuous).
Now I have written a lot about the release itself instead of the movie
I just wanted to get my displeasure for this publisher out of the way. After the last movie I thought it may be a one-time thing, but it seems to be the norm for them.

Rating:

[Tom]

Title: Lakshya
Year: 2004
Director: Farhan Akhtar
Rating: FSK-16
Length: 178 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35
Audio: German: Dolby Digital 5.1, Hindi: Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: German

Stars:
Amitabh Bachchan
Hrithik Roshan
Preity Zinta
Om Puri
Sharad S. Kapoor

Plot:
'You never know where life will take you.' These words could not have been more true than in the case of Karan Shergill, the protagonist of Lakshya. Karan Shergill, born to rich, affluent parents, lives life not worrying about tomorrow. In most case, one can only be worried if they know what they want to do. Karan hasn't a clue! He is forever at the crossroads of life. The only thing stable in his life is Romila Dutta, a bright and ambitious, young woman. Romi, as she is known, loves Karan and believes that someday, he will find his calling.

Here begins his journey.

A journey that will test Karan, physically, mentally and emotionally.
A journey that will stretch him far beyond his limitations.
A journey that will force him to make bitter choices.
A journey that he will start as a boy but will end as a man.

Awards:

Filmfare Awards	2005	Nominated	Best Actor Award	Hrithik Roshan
Filmfare Awards	2005	Won	Best Choreography Award	Prabhu Deva
Filmfare Awards	2005	Won	Best Cinematographer Award	Christopher Popp
Filmfare Awards	2005	Nominated	Best Director Award	Farhan Akhtar
Filmfare Awards	2005	Nominated	Best Story Award	Javed Akhtar

Extras:
Deleted Scenes
Featurettes
Music Videos
Photo Gallery
Scene Access
Trailers

My Thoughts:

This is a war drama based on the real-life Kargil War, a conflict between India and Pakistan in 1999. I enjoyed the movie very much. Suprising how fitting the music numbers they used are in a war drama. They do not detract at all from the movie.
The movie reflects how highly regarded the army is for India, but does not shy away from criticizing their actions. The Pakistanis are portrayed a rather faceless enemy but reading up the history behind this conflict, it is understandable.

Rating:

[Tom]

Lakshya had another song which I wanted to buy on iTunes. Sadly it's not available. It is a patriotic song sung by the soldiers on their way to their first mission. I think it's very catchy.
I couldn't find a clip from the movie with this song (which I think is well done). Here is another YouTube clip, which uses this song (and as you can see it is so patroitic, that it is used for stuff like this).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57ghi0RaQ5Q

[Tom]

I couldn't find a clip from the movie with this song (which I think is well done).

I found one.
It begins at minute 8 here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZUGY6Ji12A
and continures here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCBW1Xe2o7w