Toy story 3? Watch it..

Had a super long weekend here and decided to simply laze on the beach, read a book, catch a movie and eat out!!!!

Did all that with wavering grades of satisfaction. The beach was the best (free and beautiful, every time) till the time I was in water but the oppressive weather made me long for the air-conditioned confines of my home. Instead traded for the air-conditioned confines of the movies.

Watched Toy Story 3 in 3D. Liked the movie, loved the story idea but loathed the adverts before the movie. Too much, way too much adverts! Was almost about to doze off but the loud Dolby stereo kept shaking me out of my stupor.

I haven’t seen the previous two installments but Toy Story 3 had a good enough stand-alone story. I loved the idea of toys always wanting to be played and getting royally ignored. I hate the fact that my daughter barely touches her big Kitchen complete with a microwave, an oven and a sink or her beautiful dollhouse. Pity I didn’t get any of that when I was a kid. I remember having only one toy, a tea set. We were a group of nearly 10-15 kids who would play “REAL” games versus “REALITY” based games. Ahh but the fun we used to have!!! I remember always being Kapil Dev, my neighbour Vaishali used to be Ravi Shastri and her younger sister Purvi, Sunil Gavaskar. We were a team! Always together.

The movie gave several good messages but it’s a waste considering most kids in the audience have way too many toys and too little friends to care about anything. Some of the moments were hilarious like the Barbie-Ken meeting, “Buzz” in his Spanish mode. Otherwise the movie tries to tug at your heart, gets it right, Almost!

Go watch it but save the money on 3D if you can!

Also caught up with Chetan Bhagat’s Five point someone. If V.V. Chopra says the movie was just ‘inspired’ by the book, its a downright lie.  Most of the incidences in the movie 3 Idiots were a direct lift from the book. The only thing that one can say for the movie maker is that the add-ons in the script were mostly good and augmented the story thereby taking the movie to a higher level than the book.

The book would appeal only to IITians / premium institute engineers, but the movie appeals to everyone who is/was a student. The movie is definitely better than the book. The movie, however had million bucks behind it.

Chetan Bhagat should have been given credit to the story. No wonder not very many original writers exist in Bollywood! I believe Chetan Bhagat will surely have a tough time to survive in tinsel town now that he has offended BIG people and B Town folks stick together.

There goes my vision of becoming a top writer. Poof!

3 Idiots? Liked it but dunno if I luv it.

Watched 3 Idiots…And I liked what I saw. Whether I love it or not depends on how much I enjoy it when I watch it the second time round.

However I don’t really understand the hysteria over the movie..People are saying and writing that they absolutely went crazy over it. Must congratulate the marketing team for a job well done.

The basic premise was similar to the Munnabhai Series, espically Munnabhai MBBS. 3I scrutinises the engineering/education system and MMBBS the medical studies/medical care system in India.

Both movies make very valid points about our beloved engineers and doctors. Nowadays doctors can’t even identify viral fever without ordering 3000 bucks worth tests. And Engineers!!!! Least said about them is better. No matter what stream they study, they all end up as IT consultants. And what do they really do? Work as glorified maintenance and support engineers to systems designed, made and used by the West.

Uff lets get back to the movie.

3I is hillarious and I am sure all students staying in hostels can identify with the first part of the movie. I am glad this movie finally talks about passion for what you are studying versus making a career out of whatever you are studying.

It is well acted and the dialogues are great. I am sure everyone will agree Chatur’s speech takes the cake. Aamir and Sharman convince us that they are students but Madhavan looks old and doesn’t really fit into the student mode. Kareena is alright if you ignore her wide eyed, close mouthed face in every scene.

What takes this movie a few paces behind is the over Bollywoodisation.. Boman acts well on his lisp but is it necessary to give him that bird’s nest hairstyle and 40s style pants. Professors aren’t the best dressed around but most are definitely decently dressed. The entire scene of Aamir delivering Mona’s baby was stupid and unnecessary. And the salt over the injury was when the baby responds to All izz well. That in effect spoilt what could have been a masterpiece.

Munnabhai MBBS was a masterpiece because at all times it was grounded to reality. By showing that a Gunda can enter an institute but can not and should not play with people’s lives, is what made that movie an all time great.

3I on the other hand, talks about a genius who can anyways be successful. What do mediocre students do? Do they have any option but to tow the line of rote and vomit?

Finally dear dear Mr Chetan Bhagat. He is kind of an icon among writers because he is the only one of his generation whose books are being embraced by mainstream Bollywood. And he cries for credit when all is done?!! As an IIM B graduate, I am sure, he must have been taught about getting good lawyers to legally back good deals. Why didn’t he cry then? He may be right in his stand but he loses ground because he only protested after the movie is declared a success. He should have made his stand clear right at the beginning in public, then VVC wouldn’t have dared to toy with him.

And I am not going to comment on the strangle hold of established producers/directors/actors on talent. It is pointless…