Biggest Disappointments/Highlights of 2010...

Overall 2010 was a very weak year for movies...honestly and sadly it was.  But the few highlights that we did get was worth it.  Sure we had to go through films like Dulha Mil Gaya and Chance Pe Dance, but all in all I still looked forward to every release with a big grin on  my face!


Disappointments of 2010:

1. My Name Is Khan (2nd  Half)
Believe me when I say this ... I worship the ground that this man walks on ... but the 2nd half of MNIK killed what could have been my favorite film of the year.  As much as i debated with myself on this issue, I still can't forgive KJo for his very offensive portrayal of African Americans.  It's not just that but after intermission everything is just a hot mess.  


If you're still interested in watching this film, I would more than gladly recommend the International version of this film, which completely and successfully cuts out the "Katrina" scenes out.  

2. Kites (Barbara Mori)
As a Latina infatuated, fascinated, or obsessed (as some might like to say) by the Hindi film industry; any attempt at representing the Latin community on the filmi big screen I would fully support.  Therefore, upon hearing that Barbara Mori would be in this film, already a fan of her Spanish novelas, I was a quite excited.  I always get a bit worried when Latinas are portrayed on non-Spanish outlets, it's always the same stereotypes.  And of course it was no different here ... which is why my disappointment mostly came from this.

3. Housefull, Action Replayy, Tees Maar Khan (Akshay Kumar)
Oh Akki, my golden man ... how I love thee!  All I can say is that I have seen every single one of his films since I first watched him in Tashan ... and will continue to do so.  I just really hope he does much better this year, I won't say that these were horrible films but they weren't great either.  Akki you need to get your mojo back!


Still love ya though!


Highlights of 2010:

1. Dabangg (SalMan Khan)
Ummm .... have you seen this film?!?!? ... 'nuff said!

2.  Tees Maar Khan (Katrina Kaif)
This girl just amazed me, and no i'm not talking about her acting...she looks AMAZING!   Anyways ... it took me some time to get on the Kat is Awesome train but now i'm on it.  I've got to give Katrina credit...she is hands down the hardest working actress in the industry!  And she deserves all the praise she gets... I mean someone of her background; couldn't speak Hindi and questionable acting skills ... has become one of the most bankable heroines in the Hindi film industry ... all i can say is You Go Girl!

3.  Ishqiya (Arshad Warsi)
This was my favorite film of the year, but Arshad really stood out in this film.  I had previously enjoyed his work in the Golmaal franchise, but his portrayal of Babban really put him on my radar, I can't wait to see what he brings for us in 2011.

Favorite Songs of 2010!

Can you believe its already the end ?!?!? ... SO many memories, regrets, and SONGS!
I will eventually get to films but for now these are my top songs of this year.  I based this list solely on how many times it was played on my ipod, so enjoy!


10. Song:  Aila Re Aila
      Film:  Khatta Meetha
What's not to love about this song?!? Akshay looks adorable in his newspaper boy 'Man' outfit.  I must also add that over time I have become a hardcore Pritam Fangirl, so most of what he does never disappoints me... 



9. Song: Uff Teri Adaa
    Film: Karthik Calling Karthik
I remember when I first heard this song, I was hooked ....but then {dramatic music}I saw the pictuarization and was left very disappointed.  Thankfully i'm only judging the song and not the video.  Even though I was disappointed with the video I fell in LOVE with Deepika's hair-do so much that I even got myself a Deepika inspired cut, which I might get again!



8. Song: Kilimanjaro
    Film: Robot {Hindi}
This songs is awesome Period!



7. Song: I Hate Luv Stories
    Film: I Hate Luv Stories
Absolutely one of the catchiest songs of the year!



6. Song: Sheila Ki Jawani
    Film: Tees Maar Khan
Katrina = Bahut Sexy! 'nuff said.



5. Song: Ainvayi Ainvayi
    Film: Band Baaja Baarat
This song rocks my world, I have seen this promo more than 50 times ... I love it that much.  It may also have to do with the fact that I am in love with Anushka and her eyebrows! 



4. Song: Bombay Bombay Tararam Pam
    Film: Striker
I still have yet to see this movie, even with its questionable ending, as a Siddarth fan I must see it! Plus, it's an Amit Trivedi gem!



3. Song:Parda Parda Ha Parda
    Film: Once Upon A Time In Mumbai
This song did 70s sooo well, unlike {cough} Action Replayy {cough}



2. Song: Gal Mitthi Mitthi Bole
    Film: Aisha
What Amit Trivedi did this song?!? ... It was just meant to be ... even with my dear Abhay's horrible no dancing skills ...



1. Song: Munni Badnaam Hui Darling
    Film: Dabanng
Ummm ... duh! of course this is number 1. Malaika is an Item Girl Goddess!



Honorable Mentions:


Song: Walla Re Walla
Film: Tees Maar Khan
I can't help it if Salu all of a sudden makes me smile :D



Song: Thok Di Killi
Film: Raavan {Hindi}
I don't care what anyone says I loved Abhi in this film! And he even convinced me that he could maybe even dance in this song ... so i give him an A for effort.

Guilty Pleasures of the Month...

I have have been off for a while, at first it was because of finals but then I just got lazy...sorry ya'll.  But now I'm back and hopefully I can keep up with weekly posts.  Right now I have about 5 reviews that I have written, but I have just gotten so lazy with typing them...it may be due to the fact that my summer job requires me to be in front of the computer all day, and so when I get home I really don't get the urge to type anything.


Anyways, I had been pondering with this topic for quite some time...but I was finally inspired to go for it after reading Shell's fabulous post of her most guiltiest pleasures.  I hope I can post on different topics but around the same theme, we'll see how far I can go with this.  This months topic is guiltiest song pictuarizations, and believe me there are a lot that I have but I shall name my top 5.  Here goes:


#5 Shamma Shamma - Mere Baap Phele Aap


I would say that ANY song  from this film is a guilty pleasure, and yes I have purchased this OST from itunes...you know, i would actually consider the actual film a guilty pleasure.  All in all it's a bad film but I had fun watching it.



#4 Aayega Maza Ab Barsaat Ka - Andaaz


I always get embarrassed watching this song in public...it's soft core porn at it's filmi finest.  I Love the song, but the picturization is soo wrong, but yet soo right!



#3 Bhangra Pale - Taalash: The Hunt Begins


Nahin!!! Another Akshay "Golden Man" song...anyways Bebo's outfit is not the business, and that high pitched singer's voice ...wow! ...the first time I was exposed to the high pitched voice of Hindi Cinema I was taken aback, but I eventually got used to it, but when I heard this song...it took high pitch to a whole 'notha level!



#2 My Name Is Ali - Dhoom 2


Uday {Eewday} Chopra is one of the guiltiest pleasures in Bollywood.  But it's not essentially his dancing that's wrong but also the fact that I have no idea what the song is really saying... I mean please, can someone actually translate the meaning of "Excuse me too please!"



#1 Genie Rap - Aladin


Does this really need an explanation??? 

Sita, A Lesson Well Learned --- A Review Of Sita Sings The Blues

I remember when I first heard of this video in December of '09, I was on Roger Ebert's website, reading movie reviews is a hobby of mine, I know...total dork!  Anyways, so I happened to see his review for this film, and I knew I had to check it out,  *angels sing* and I LOVED IT!!!

The story of Sita Sings the Blues is not a new one, it tells the mythological tale of the Ramayana.  What makes this telling of this story so unique is the way it was made, stunning graphics, super bright and colorful.  What I enjoyed most about this were the actual story tellers that added the comedic ingredient that made this film so much better.  Very much reminiscent of the vase painting ladies from Disney's Hercules.

There is also another story intertwined into the telling of the Ramayana story and that runs parallel to this story.  The story of a modern day couple who experiences separation and rejection.

This aspect of the film reminded me so much of Hum Tum, in which we watch to different stories occur and sort of come together in the end.

Another unique thing which could be viewed as a good or bad thing is the fact that we have musical pictuarizations, but for me it got a little a boring due to the fact that all the songs were from the same artist and they were not your most up beat songs.  They were from a yesteryear jazz star from the 20s and 30s named Annette Hanshaw.  The songs were not bad, in fact they were beautiful songs, but because those songs are pretty slow it makes the film feel like its going at a very slow pace at times.

The story begins...

...When Rama was about to be crowned as king he is banished by his father to the forest for 14 years, due to one of his fathers wives'.

Rama being married to Sita,explains to her that he must go alone, but Sita insistes that a wife's place is by her husband and therefore goes into exile with him.  Rama warns Sita about the dangers in the forest but she insists on accompanying him.

So after Rama defeats all the monsters in the forest, all is well...until!... {Dramatic Music} Ravana forms a plan to capture the beautiful Sita and make her his wife.

Ravana uses a magical deer to distract Rama and leave Sita unprotected.

And of course the plan works and Sita is kidnapped and taken to Ramayan's kingdom in Lanka {Present day Sri Lanka}.

 I still think that the sexiest Ravana is Akshay "Golden Man" Kumar in Tashan.  {Don't mind my fantasies}

Now back to the story, Sita has been kidnapped! {Gasp!}

Rama is left sad, not knowing what happened to Sita...until! Hanuman comes to the rescue.  He Helps Rama find Sita and saves her from Ravana.

 

They reach Lanka, save Sita, and defeat Ramayan.  But this the twist in the tale, so far Sita has been known to be pure, but now that she has been in another mans house {given the fact that she was forcibly taken from her home}, Rama doubts Sita's purity and longer wants her with him.  And of course it is up to her to prove him wrong.

She is then forced to go through a test called the trial by fire in order to prove her pureness.  

!!!INTERMISSION!!!

{There actually was an intermission!}

 !!!INTERMISSION OVER!!!

Part II Coming Soon... 

Here's the YouTube Link so you guys can be caught up when I post part 2 of the story...

14 Day's of Pyaar ... Valentine's Day Filmi Style (Day 8)

I will go on record saying that this is not a good movie, but I did have fun watching it.  I also really liked the music, there is one song that's sort of a guilty pleasure for me...it's so bad it's good kind of song called Bhangra Paa Le.  Maybe I should make a post on my guiltiest pleasures relating to Bollywood songs...OK! no one steal my idea...jk


Day 8: Yaar Badal Naa Jana - Taalash: The Hunt Begins

*Kareena Kapoor
*Akshay Kumar

Bebo + Akki jodi rock my world!!!

14 Day's of Pyaar ... Valentine's Day Filmi Style (Day 5)

Tashan...The Ishtyle...The Good Luck...The Pharmoola, God! I love this movie.  I'm sure that after reading some of my posts you have realized that the Kareena + Akshay jodi is one of my all time favorite on screen couples.

Day 5: Falak Tak - Tashan

*Kareena Kapoor {Bebo}
*Akshay Kumar
*Saif Ali Khan

I would like to make a Public Service Announcement: If anyone wants to learn how to swoon a woman take advice from Bachchan Pande {Akshay Kumar} on how to propose to her ... "I may not be good looking, I may not be too quick.  I know I laugh {a little funnily} ... in fact I am a bit of a d!ck.  And nothing will ever change it, if you'll be mine forever more.  Like Beckham 'I will bend it ever and ever forever!'"

14 Day's of Pyaar ... Valentine's Day Filmi Style (Day 2)

Second Day of my special Valentine Day post.  No post would be complete with out including the Oh! So Sexy Akshay Kumar.  This is one of my favorite films it has and the soundtrack is one of the best I've heard.

Day 2: Dil Ne Ye Kaha Hain Dil Se --- Dhadkan

* Akshay Kumar
*Shilpa Shetty
*Sunil Shetty

I'm a sucker for love triangle stories.

Show Me Your An Animal Raj!...A Review of Aitraaz

Give me an Akki + Bebo jodi, I'm in! Add to that a sexually frustrated Priyanka who tries to sexually exploit our Akshay, I'm so there!!! This is as good of a cast as it gets.

This film belongs entirely to Priyanka. I love this film because it plays well into challenging gender norms, but of course it also does a good job of reinforcing them as well, but I focus mostly on the good aspects of this film. The basic story of Aitraaz is of the sexually unsatisfied wife of business mogul/owner of Voice Mobile Ranjeet Roi, played by Amrish Puri in a non-bad guy avatar, played brilliantly by Priyanka Chopra. Sonia whom tries to bribe Raj, played by the Sexy Akshay Kumar, an engineer who works for Voice Mobile into a having a sexual relationship with her, even though he's already married to Anjali, played by Kareena Kapoor {Bebo}.

When Raj rejects Sonia's advances, she accuses him of attempted rape. Anjali eventually discovers what happened and tells Raj that she's behind him and that he should fight for the truth. So now Raj would sue Sonia for sexual harassment. This of course angers Ranjeet, and this issue is then taken to court.

What's so awesome about this is that after watching Paresh Rawal do so many comedies is that I finally got a chance to see him play a sort of serious hard ass lawyer and I LOVED IT!!!

During the court procedures, news reporters made it seem as though this act committed by a woman was just unimaginable, I mean how could a woman ever be capable of doing such things.

Even during court proceedings the defense attorney gives this as his opening statement, “It is said in the scriptures, that a woman is like a river. If she remains in the boundaries of her banks she brings happiness and prosperity. And if she breaks the boundaries of her banks all she brings is destruction.”

When the original defense lawyer for Raj is unable to protect him from prison it's up to, the Good Wife, Anjali to protect her man/husband. And of course Anjali succeeds, she protects her husband from the evil woman Sonia {and prison}.

I remember a quote used by Chotlani, the prosecuting attorney, “Do you know why I lost this case? Because no lawyer was defending you. It was your wife. And when a faithful wife defends her husband, she can bring back life to him from the Lord Yama too.”

The music is Ok, not really anything to write home about. I really enjoyed the pictuarization of the song Tala Tum and Voh Tassavur {Kareena looks fantastic!}. The end song is nice, but forgettable. Overall the film was very enjoyable, but I would rent it first unless your a hardcore Akki fan I wouldn't recommend buying this film.

My heart beats for you...A Review of Dhadkan

The film is about wealthy Anjali, played fantastically by Shilpa Shetty, and poor Dev, played by Hot Uncle Sunil Shetty. When Anjali introduces Dev to her parents, they are less than pleased that this is whom their princess has chosen as her life partner. In their mission to get Anjali married to their chosen groom, Anjali's parents {mostly her father} successfully blackmail her to leave Dev and marry, the very wealthy, Ram, played by Akshay Kumar.

Eventually Anjali falls in love with Ram. Trouble brews when Dev returns to their life, now a very wealthy and successful businessman with partner Sheetal, played by Mahima Choudary, in hand as well.

I will confess that I watched this film during my Love Akshay period, and of course this was one of the first romantic films I had seen, besides Tashan {which is kind of romantic film}, and of course I fell in love with his portrayal of Ram.

I will say that upon my various viewings of this film, I have come to really dislike Ram's overall niceness... he's just too damn nice!!! Besides this fault, I very much enjoyed the film. I absolutely loved the Shilpa + Akshay jodi, I believe that this was their second film together.

The music, WoW, what can I say it's fantastic. It just flows so well with the film. My favorite would have to be Dil Ne Yea Kaha Dil Se {I must point out that Akshay's comb-over was a bit of a turn off, but he still managed to grab my attention} and Dulhe Ka Sehra. Shilpa looks amazing in the bridal dress!!!

2010 Dabboo Ratnani Calendar Pix!!!!

I remember hearing about this photographer, Dabboo Ratnani last year, when I came across a fantastic picture of Akshay Kumar. I really need to get my hands on this calendar...I really enjoyed this years pix. These are just some of my favorites {In order}:

#1 Shahrukh Khan: In my eyes, this man can do no wrong!!!

#2 Kareena Kapoor {Bebo}: I pretty much worship this woman!!!

#3 Akshay Kumar: Golden Man Akshay...come one look at that bod...

#4 Vidya Balan: ...looking absolutely stunning.

#5 Arjun Rampal: There's just something intoxicatingly beautiful about this picture...

#6 Katrina Kaif: Looking as beautiful as ever...

#7 Ranbir Kapoor: ...*melts*...

#8 Deepika Padukone: Love it!!!

#9 Abhishek Bachchan: I just love him with his beard!!! I really wish he had it when they took this picture...*sigh*

#10 Genelia D'Souza: This girl is just adorable...I just love her!

{All Pictures Courtesy of http://www.dabbooratnani.com}