Captain America 2011

Captain America released on the Indian Independence Day weekend was irony enough. The story of digitally shrunk Steve Rogers turning into the six packed Captain America should have been a fun watch, instead, after the first half of building up, it turns into a campy, corny almost Captain Vijaykanth type of B movie.

Steve Rogers is the impossibly tiny. asthmatic guy with the proverbial heart of gold, never give up attitude and can take punches all day long. Please remember because they keep irritatingly recurring throughout the movie. He is spotted giving an impassioned speech about joining the army after 4 failed tries by Stanley Tucci's character and immediately drafted into a special programme that ultimately hopes to create super soldiers. Perfect backstory for a villian nowadays, but this is Captain America. He is first used as a PR tool to sell war bonds. Then the heroine tells him he is meant for bigger things so he goes to rescue a group of captive soldiers. Meanwhile Mr. Smith/ V / Elrond /Megatron who is also the Red Skull finds some blue coloured cube that we the audience has no idea about. Then he keeps running from Captain America although he is strong enough to kick  his ass. In between he also tears away his skin and bleeds through his ear.  Then the futuristic weapons and multitude of super soldiers have one glaring weakness. They can never shoot straight. Even Captain Vijaykanth puts in some bullets scraping him. The blah blah and he crashes in the arctic to save the world and wakes up in Voila! 2011.
There is some peggy female with impeccable lipstick too. She is the only woman around and some feminist lines are spewed, but everybody is too busy staring at her curves and siren pout.

I have no clue how it got so many good reviews. At its best, its a backstory for the Avengers movie.

4/10

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara 2011

I didn't want to watch this movie. Hrithik Roshan makes me slightly nauseous. But since Zoya Akhtar had given a decent Luck By chance, I decided to take a chance on this one. It was a fun movie. The usual three protagonists and Ray Ban, Mountain Dew, Canon and of course Spain Tourism. The product placements were obvious, so was the plot and so were the characters. It was like skimming across the lives of three good looking men two of whom had problems that stemmed with having too much money [give me those problems anyday] and the other one had daddy issues. Spain is gorgeous, so is Hrithik and Katrina. Farhan Akhtar is talented and for some weird reason Abhay Deol looks gay. Though he does have guts dancing with the stupendous Hrithik and the above average Farhan. Kalki Koechlin is believable as a rich spoilt girl. The only time the film rises above its good looks is when Farhan Akhtar recites those beautiful lines written by his father. If only he could deliver them without that cutesy lisp and gravelly voice.

5/10

Delhi Belly 2011

Wriiten by Akshat Verma and directed by Abhinay Deo, Delhi Belly is an irreverent look at life. Done and finessed by a number of Hollywood and European films, but new to India. Three protagonists, two women, lots of toilet scenes, one bag of diamonds and ofcourse the sadistic yet funny villain. A few scenes are original, the women are not brainless imps, except the one who is supposed to be a brainless imp and the pace is fun and fast. All in all, a great effort!

7/10