Presented at Sundance 2008 film festival, the movie, directed by Geoffrey Haley is an impressive drama with a dark subject and some brilliant acting, especially from the part of Ray Romano (used here, effectively, in contre-emploi).

The director worked as camera operator for American Beauty (he shot the dance of the paper bag in the wind) and for Six Feet Under and it shows throughout the movie (the dark subject, brilliant black humor).

In short, the subject is as follows: Evan (Wes Bentley, perfect choice for the part) is a freelancer dealing with people who lost their last hope and who are trying to commit suicide. He writes for them their last goodbye note, in an artistic and poetic way. At the funeral of one of his clients, he meets Charlotte (Winona Ryder), the sister of the deceased and they begin a curious relationship. The most interesting part, in my opinion, is that of Abel, played by Ray Romano, a composer of waiting music and one of Evans clients. He also has the most hilarious lines in the entire movie (for example, talking about small babies, he states Just because they are short and chubby, doesnt mean they are not assholes).

The movie is brilliant up to the last 5 minutes. Unfortunately the ending is a disaster, it is like totally another movie. A bad one. I think it is typical for the Americans to come up with such lame endings. Had the movie been made in Europe, the story had been different. Please dont watch the last minutes and press STOP after Winona leaves with the giraffe. You wont regret it if you enjoy great endings…

8 stars out of 10

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London Dreams produced and directed by Vipul Shah, on a grand platform, looks like it is made by two directors. At some places, the movie is excellent with good grip on drama and smooth handling of comedy and at other places, it looks amateurish and unconvincing. Though the director of course is one, the script stills look the culprit here as it did for the other much-hyped Blue. Other than this, London Dreams is a good one-time watch, if you are able to digest the loopholes in the script. You can afford to have the devil may care attitude about logic in movies like All the Best, but movies like London Dreams and Blue, should have no room for errors Story of London Dreams London Dreams is inspired from the 1984 classic film Amadeus, which was a take on Mozart, and the story of two music directors. A similar kind of story was seen some years ago in the insipid Shakalaka Boom Boom. In that one, Bobby Deol had played the role that Ajay Devgan essays in this film, and Upens role has been played by Salman Khan Story of London Dreams: London Dreams revolves around the lives of two childhood kids Arjun (Ajay Devgan) and Mannu ( Salman Khan). Arjun has it in his DNA to be a musician and his dream is to perform at Londons Wembly Stadium, so that he could fulfill his grandfathers unfilled dreams. Mannu (Salman Khan) is a happy-go-lucky guy whose main interest lies in bedding women but at the same time, he is blessed with unique ability to create music. Arjun moves to London at a very young age and Mannu passes his time in Punjab. After Arjun attains success and forms a music group London Dreams(titled aimed at the NRI market, mind you), he comes to Punjab and witnesses Mannus mastery over music. He arranges him to come to London and join their group. The group tastes success but there comes a point in time, when Arjun sees that Mannu becomes super-popular with the crowd, and Arjun begins to detest this. He also sees his love Priya(Asin) falling in love with Mannu. Not able to digest this, Arjun then schemes with a confidante group member (Ranvijay) to bring Mannus fall-from-grace. Mannu who has decided to reform his womanizing for the sake of Priya, finds himself sinking in a concoction of drugs, and stumbles towards numbness. Plus points of London Dreams 1. Salman Khan: He is the main point of interest in the film. Salman Khan has been given the best lines in the film and the director makes Salman Khan live up to his signature image and trademark humor, that the crowd loves 2. Excellent characterization of Salman Khan: The director and the script writer Suresh Nair has characterized Salman Khans character well, right from the childhood to the end of the move. The same cannot be said about Ajay Devgans character though. 3. Opulence: The grandeur of London Dreams is amazing. The Wembley Stadiums mood and ambience is captured very well Minus Points of London Dreams There are many minus points in London Dreams, most of them related to script. Here goes: 1. Ajay Devgans characterization: Ajay Devgans character is established like that of a goal oriented and jealous person, but the script reduces him to foolish and indecisive especially at the end. He just seeks forgiveness from Salman Khan, as if he is sorry to steal his beer bottle. Instead, given the fact that he deeply relented for the way he destroyed Salmans career; the scene should have been more emotional from Ajays side. 2. Formation of Arjun (Ajay Devgans) band: It is stupid about the way his band is formed. He croones at London’s Trafalgar Square and suddenly Zohaib(Ranvijay) on the keyboard and Wasim (Aditya Kapoor with an acoustic guitar) join him. By the time, the song is over; a band is formed, voila! And Zohabi and Wasim are happy to announce Arjun as their leader. All in a matter of two minutes. 3. Nothing is shown about how Ajay Devgn becomes a success, the director decided to bypass the struggle phase. 4. Asins entry in the group is with the hopeless question”Main kya karun?”, to which Ranviay says Just go with the flow Asin dances and grooves along with the groove and they manages to impress the judges. 5. What is perhaps the worst part about London Dreams is the last few scenes especially the climax, when Ajay Devgan emotionally bursts at a huge crowd assembled at Wembley. The lines are pretty lame and do not sound convincing. Also, we get the feeling that he gives in too easily. Something doesnt gel: if the intense and non-compromising Ajay Devgan is so determined about seeing his performance at Wembley to success, why does he just go berserk and bursts when he sees Salman Khan? 6. Ranvijay who seems to be shaana(secretive) in the group spills the beans to Wasim and says he was the one who gave drugs to Salman Khan. Wasim never threatened him; Ranvijay just says it, why? Was the director ended in just wrapping it up? 7. Bad Music by Shankar Ehsaan Loy: Shankar Ehsaan Loy has disappointed with London Dreams. A musical movie like London Dreams has boring music, what can be more paradoxical? London Dreams is one of Shankar Ehsaan Loys worst albums, it may be critically ok, but London Dreams music should have been aimed at the youth and the mass. You cannot take Mozart seriously these days 8. One scene from London Dreams does look controversial, where the little Mannu wears reflectors on his shoes and follows girls so that he could see their undies on them. Such things shouldnt be encouraged because this concerns the innocence of kids. Best scenes of London Dreams Whenever Salman Khan comes in the movie, there is fun and obviously, the best scenes revolved around Salman Khan 1. Salman Khans cute double-innuendoes with the airhostess and then with Asin is very funny. 2. Asins dance mix of classical and hiphop in the saree, to emphasize on her background, is superb and invites applause from the audience. Best performances of London Dreams Salman Khan is the soul of London Dreams. Though he looks disorganized, his style and charisma works to the maximum in the movie. Asin, who is nicknamed Chennai Express looks beautiful, and shows promise in every scene. This girl is blessed with loads of talent and she should take more author-based roles to prove mettle. Ajay Devgan is miscast sadly, and though he acts his trademark intensity well in London Dreams, he does not seem cut-out for the role. The same Ajay Devgan who was superb in All the Best, the biggest hit of 2009, has his performance weighed down by lame lines and sad characterization in London Dreams. You cannot fault Ajay Devgan for his performance, but the guy needed better lines, especially at the climax and towards the end. To sum it up: London Dreams is an average movie made on grand scale. Take Salman Khan out, and the movie is nowhwere.

London Dreams produced and directed by Vipul Shah, on a grand platform, looks like it is made by two directors. At some places, the movie is excellent with good grip on drama and smooth handling of comedy and at other places, it looks amateurish and unconvincing. Though the director of course is one, the script stills look the culprit here as it did for the other much-hyped Blue. Other than this, London Dreams is a good one-time watch, if you are able to digest the loopholes in the script. You can afford to have the devil may care attitude about logic in movies like All the Best, but movies like London Dreams and Blue, should have no room for errors

Story of London Dreams

London Dreams is inspired from the 1984 classic film Amadeus, which was a take on Mozart, and the story of two music directors. A similar kind of story was seen some years ago in the insipid Shakalaka Boom Boom. In that one, Bobby Deol had played the role that Ajay Devgan essays in this film, and Upens role has been played by Salman Khan

Story of London Dreams:

London Dreams revolves around the lives of two childhood kids Arjun (Ajay Devgan) and Mannu ( Salman Khan). Arjun has it in his DNA to be a musician and his dream is to perform at Londons Wembly Stadium, so that he could fulfill his grandfathers unfilled dreams. Mannu (Salman Khan) is a happy-go-lucky guy whose main interest lies in bedding women but at the same time, he is blessed with unique ability to create music. Arjun moves to London at a very young age and Mannu passes his time in Punjab.

After Arjun attains success and forms a music group London Dreams(titled aimed at the NRI market, mind you), he comes to Punjab and witnesses Mannus mastery over music. He arranges him to come to London and join their group. The group tastes success but there comes a point in time, when Arjun sees that Mannu becomes super-popular with the crowd, and Arjun begins to detest this. He also sees his love Priya(Asin) falling in love with Mannu. Not able to digest this, Arjun then schemes with a confidante group member (Ranvijay) to bring Mannus fall-from-grace. Mannu who has decided to reform his womanizing for the sake of Priya, finds himself sinking in a concoction of drugs, and stumbles towards numbness.

Plus points of London Dreams

1. Salman Khan: He is the main point of interest in the film. Salman Khan has been given the best lines in the film and the director makes Salman Khan live up to his signature image and trademark humor, that the crowd loves

2. Excellent characterization of Salman Khan: The director and the script writer Suresh Nair has characterized Salman Khans character well, right from the childhood to the end of the move. The same cannot be said about Ajay Devgans character though.

3. Opulence: The grandeur of London Dreams is amazing. The Wembley Stadiums mood and ambience is captured very well

Minus Points of London Dreams

There are many minus points in London Dreams, most of them related to script. Here goes:

1. Ajay Devgans characterization: Ajay Devgans character is established like that of a goal oriented and jealous person, but the script reduces him to foolish and indecisive especially at the end. He just seeks forgiveness from Salman Khan, as if he is sorry to steal his beer bottle. Instead, given the fact that he deeply relented for the way he destroyed Salmans career; the scene should have been more emotional from Ajays side.

2. Formation of Arjun (Ajay Devgans) band: It is stupid about the way his band is formed. He croones at London’s Trafalgar Square and suddenly Zohaib(Ranvijay) on the keyboard and Wasim (Aditya Kapoor with an acoustic guitar) join him. By the time, the song is over; a band is formed, voila! And Zohabi and Wasim are happy to announce Arjun as their leader. All in a matter of two minutes.

3. Nothing is shown about how Ajay Devgn becomes a success, the director decided to bypass the struggle phase.

4. Asins entry in the group is with the hopeless question”Main kya karun?”, to which Ranviay says Just go with the flow Asin dances and grooves along with the groove and they manages to impress the judges.

5. What is perhaps the worst part about London Dreams is the last few scenes especially the climax, when Ajay Devgan emotionally bursts at a huge crowd assembled at Wembley. The lines are pretty lame and do not sound convincing. Also, we get the feeling that he gives in too easily. Something doesnt gel: if the intense and non-compromising Ajay Devgan is so determined about seeing his performance at Wembley to success, why does he just go berserk and bursts when he sees Salman Khan?

6. Ranvijay who seems to be shaana(secretive) in the group spills the beans to Wasim and says he was the one who gave drugs to Salman Khan. Wasim never threatened him; Ranvijay just says it, why? Was the director ended in just wrapping it up?

7. Bad Music by Shankar Ehsaan Loy: Shankar Ehsaan Loy has disappointed with London Dreams. A musical movie like London Dreams has boring music, what can be more paradoxical? London Dreams is one of Shankar Ehsaan Loys worst albums, it may be critically ok, but London Dreams music should have been aimed at the youth and the mass. You cannot take Mozart seriously these days

8. One scene from London Dreams does look controversial, where the little Mannu wears reflectors on his shoes and follows girls so that he could see their undies on them. Such things shouldnt be encouraged because this concerns the innocence of kids.

Best scenes of London Dreams

Whenever Salman Khan comes in the movie, there is fun and obviously, the best scenes revolved around Salman Khan

1. Salman Khans cute double-innuendoes with the airhostess and then with Asin is very funny.

2. Asins dance mix of classical and hiphop in the saree, to emphasize on her background, is superb and invites applause from the audience.

Best performances of London Dreams

Salman Khan is the soul of London Dreams. Though he looks disorganized, his style and charisma works to the maximum in the movie. Asin, who is nicknamed Chennai Express looks beautiful, and shows promise in every scene. This girl is blessed with loads of talent and she should take more author-based roles to prove mettle. Ajay Devgan is miscast sadly, and though he acts his trademark intensity well in London Dreams, he does not seem cut-out for the role. The same Ajay Devgan who was superb in All the Best, the biggest hit of 2009, has his performance weighed down by lame lines and sad characterization in London Dreams. You cannot fault Ajay Devgan for his performance, but the guy needed better lines, especially at the climax and towards the end.

To sum it up: London Dreams is an average movie made on grand scale. Take Salman Khan out, and the movie is nowhwere.

YEAR ONE REVIEW

6 out of 10

Year One, a prehistoric stoner age comedy starring Jack Black and Michael Cera is an amusing at best comedy that never quite gels or deliver big laughs. You might chuckle a bit, but thats all. Dont get me wrong, Year One isnt a terrible movie, its just not a great one either. I expect more from director Harold Ramis, one of the geniuses behind the funniest movie ever (in my opinion), Ghostbusters. Then again Ramis has always been sort of hit or miss; for every Groundhogs Day there is a Bedazzled. The main problem with Year One is that it plays as a series of different sketches and never coheres into one definitive film.

Black and Cera play two bumbling cavemen who dont quite fit in with their tribe. The first portion of the movie takes place at their village with the other tribesman and truth be told, it is a painful experience (for the viewer). In that setting, the modern lingo of both Black and Cera feels very out of place and doesnt quite work (later on it works better). After about twenty minutes the pair are exiled from the tribe when Black takes a bite of forbidden fruit and are forced to leave the village (thank God). It is here that the movie becomes sort of good. As they travel the new world they begin to meet biblical characters such as Cain and Abel and Abraham among others and this is where Year One begins to shine (albeit dimly). Once Black and Cera begin to interact with characters who arent cavemen, Year One starts to come off as an updated version of Mel Brooks classic History of the World Part 1, just not nearly as funny. Obviously, Year One was meant to be silly and silly it is, but not in a laugh out loud kind of way. Each scene is played for big laughs but most times the jokes fall flat and may leave you with a slight smile, if anything.

Jack Black basically plays Jack Black as a caveman and for the most part it works. He is all wide-eyed optimism as they encounter one ridiculous scenario after another and he dutifully keeps the tone silly an irreverent. There is a certain joy in watching Black ride in a horse drawn cart for the first time and act as if he is on a roller coaster. Black brings high energy (as he always does) to the movie, and pairing him with Michael Cera and his usual, nerdy, passive comedic style probably seemed like a good idea on paper, but lacks some spark. Cera basically plays the same character he perfected on the celebrated, but criminally under-watched Arrested Development; the prissy, sensitive boy/man this time as a caveman. Only in Year One it doesnt come off as well. I understand that the contradiction of a caveman as a nerdy, nebbish, pushover is supposed to be riotously funny, but in the end, with his long, scraggly hair and loincloth, Cera comes off as a little too wimpy.

There are many cameos from wonderful comedic actors in Year One, but none of them help to elevate the material to its comedic potential. Theres David Cross and Paul Rudd as feuding brothers Cain and Abel! Watch Hank Azaria tear it up as Abraham! Casting such as this should have led to an inspired comedy, but again it is all just slightly amusing. My suspicions are that the actors had more laughs filming this than audiences will have watching. In fact, the funniest part of the movie is the blooper reels playing over the end credits. It should be mentioned that Oliver Platt is actually quite hysterical as the over-sexed, sexually confused high priest of Sodom and when he forces Cera to rub his hairy chest and belly with oil, you will cringe with delight. Bill Hader of SNL also has an inspired cameo as the shaman of the tribe and Ive said it before and Ill say it again, he is going to be a big star.

In these days of push the envelope comedies such as Borat, The Hangover and any of Judd Apatows films, Year One feels kind of quaint and yes, prehistoric. To sum it up, Year One isnt a disaster of biblical proportions but it certainly isnt a comedy miracle either.