Take #2 : Godzilla (2014)

Where do I begin ? Since it has very good ratings all round, I need to be suitably circumspect here. 

But seriously, if I were given bits of metal and a workbench, I'd probably produce miniature versions of the MUTOs, who at the villains of this particular piece of high-tech cinema. (Massive Underwater Terrestrial Organism or something.....a clear dragonfly-Transformers crossbreed).

There's a hero too - and surprise, it's Godzilla himself !

Everyone else has bit parts.

If you decide to see the film, please see it as a disaster, end-of-world flick and not a King Kong picture, and you'll really be entertained. There ARE a couple of phenomenal sequences.

The movie's mostly shot in the dark, which is a good thing, because the grey bits in the storyline merge in beautifully.

There are some things that technology can't replace; for everything else there's Mastercard.......duh.....I don't think !

Take #1: 2 States

With this, I start a new section on my blog - movie reviews.

A word to the extent - my reviews aren't really reviews : no long rendition of the story line, no erudite comments on the lineage of the director, no comparisons with other films of the genre.

Just a straightforward, shoot-from-the-hip opinion : take it or leave it.

Hope you like the concept, if not necessarily the reviews themselves.

"2 States" is the first Hindi film of this century which leaves you more impressed by the parents than the children in the film.

Not sure whose fault that was, though - Alia had very little to do other than look like a siren in the first twenty minutes and like a Madrasi female for the rest of the movie. I don't know about you, but Deepika Padukone is already my favourite Madrasi-babe act for evermore; and Bollywood is like the Fire Department - never starved for sirens.

That's ok, Alia needn't worry - her histrionic talent has already been established, and for those who were watching Hooda or the Himalayas in Highway, we are reminded that she has these beautiful luminous brown eyes that would turn a Golden Retriever green with envy.

Ronit Roy was a really pleasant surprise, and we were reminded that Amrita Singh needs to appear on screen more often. Arjun Kapoor displayed the panache and the restraint of a crack addict on rehab......but having said that, he really wasn't bad, in parts; we need to see more to decide.

SEL's music can never be bad - those three are the matinée music muses of Mumbai - but I think they slipped a wee bit here.

And finally - the movie really, really, really needed to be 115 minutes and not 149.

Still, the film is far better than the book, the screen adaptation definitely had its high points.

You need to see this movie if you had a hard time with your folks over your spouse, or if you think your kids are going to have a hard time with you over theirs !

Otherwise, just switch to Romedy Now and crack open a beer. Far more value for time and money.