The Hot Shots of 2012

As the year comes to a close, let's take a look at the people who had a successful or exciting year. The list is in alphabetical order.

Ben Affleck
Directing his third movie, Affleck chose a movie with a bigger scope and more locations than his two Boston-set crime thrillers. And he pulled it off quite well with a suspenseful but rather humorous political thriller/Hollywood satire. And with universal critical acclaim and strong box office returns, Affleck is proving that he is a directorial talent with a distinctive voice and staying power. 2012 was a good year for Affleck as he finds himself at the forefront of the 2012 Oscar race and deservedly so.

Jessica Chastain
She was on the list last year and again she earned a spot on this year's list. Chastain, fresh off her Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination for The Help last year, showed a different side with a comic voice performance in the animated hit Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted and then wowwed audiences with an acclaimed performance in Lawless. But her biggest achievement this year is again being at the forefront of the Oscar race with Zero Dark Thirty but this time her celebrated performance is the frontrunner to win Best Actress.

Zooey Deschanel and the cast of New Girl
Last year, I was impressed with Deschanel's work on New Girl. This year, with episodes like "Menzies," "Eggs," and "Santa" as well as many of the late season 1 episodes earlier this year, Deschanel proved that she is a brilliant comedian who effortlessly captures the existential crises of the late 20s set. But New Girl has turned into one of the best ensembles on TV as each cast member (Max Greenfield, Hannah Simone, Jake Johnson and Lamorne Morris) brings a fresh comic perspective to the show. New Girl was a star vehicle that morphed into a star-driven ensemble and it's become one of the best comedies for that reason.

Lena Dunham
As the creator, star, writer, director and producer of the HBO smash Girls, Dunham emerged as one of 2012's most intriguing talents. While her show is polarizing, there's no denying that it has a distinctive voice and point of view. With a film in the Criterion Collection and 4 Emmy nominations to her belt, Dunham haa risen out of nowhere and become one of the year's most interesting success stories.

Anne Hathaway
When Anne Hathaway was announced as playing Selina Kyle/Catwoman in Christopher Nolan's 3rd and final Batman film, the news was met with skepticism. She was too nice, too brainy for the slinky role. But girlfriend proved them wrong, garnering almost universal praise for her layered, funny and sexy portrayal as a woman torn between herself and the greater good. Hathaway is also getting acclaim for her role as Fantine in Les Miserables. Her rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream," first heard in the teaser trailer, already earmarked her for an Oscar nomination and she may be the frontrunner to win. Considering she began 2011 being ridiculed for her Oscar hosting gig, Hathaway turned it all around for herself in 2012.

Abraham Lincoln
The man died 147 years ago and yet he is still a topic of discussion. Considering his achievements as the 16th President, that is not really surprising. But while most Presidents get a biopic once in a while or an HBO miniseries every now and then, Lincoln was the subject of not one, but two mainstream movies. And both are wildly different. One envisioned Lincoln as a determined vampire hunter (Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter) and the other was one of the prestige pictures of 2012 and a frontrunner for most of the major Academy Awards.

Seth Macfarlane
Family Guy celebrated its 200th episode. Ted broke box office records for R-rated comedies. And he was asked to host the 2013 Oscars. It's been an incredible year for voice actor/show creator/director Seth Macfarlane, who's finally getting to shine for himself and not just for his talents as a voice actor. It's no surprise that his shows and movie were so popular (they're funny in a way that's hard to pull off--sweet, raunchy and just on the right side of off-color). But Macfarlane will be a great Oscar host because he both loves and is able to parody the best and worst of pop culture.

Matthew McConaughey 
No one really expected McConaughey to have a career resurrection but his reemergence as a viable actor capable of surprising performances was one of the best surprises of the year. With Bernie, Killer Joe and Magic Mike, McConaughey delivered a trio of varied, nuanced acting jobs that show he's more than a bland romantc-comedy hero. I especially liked him in Magic Mike, where he parodies his sunshine, carefree persona but shows a hint of danger and menace. Killer Joe is a bizarre trailer-park neonoir and he does great, intimidating work. I hope McConaughey keeps up the good work in 2013 and continues to surprise his audience.

Channing Tatum
The ChanMan released 5 movies this year. Three of which, The Vow, 21 Jump Street and Magic Mike, grossed over $100 million dollars at the box office. In an era where the box office draw of the A-list celebrity has come into doubt, Tatum proved them all wrong. Each of those hit movies played to a specific target audience and, more impressively, each had some crossover appeal. The common denominator is Tatum himself, a male sex symbol who has been accepted by both men and women. Only time will tell if the ChanMan's power at the box office will continue, but I have no doubts.

Joss Whedon and the Avengers team
Starting with Iron Man in 2008, the Marvel film universe has been rebooting itself with a new superhero movie every year or so. And it all led up to the magnum opus, The Avengers, which would feature everyone from Iron Man to Hawkeye. While pre-release buzz was high, no one could expect that The Avengers would be the mammoth box office hit it was. Of course writer/director/geek god Joss Whedon should get most credit. Wrangling diverse but powerful actors Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner,Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L Jackson, Cobie Smulders and Clark Gregg and their respective screen personas would have been tough but Whedon pulled it off. The Avengers is a fun, funny, exciting, and very cool superhero movie and rightly the highest grossing movie of the year.

Those are picks for the hot shots of 2012. What are yours?

The Trouble with 'Hitchcock': A Rear Window View of Hollywood's Most Notorious Psycho

Based on the book Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho by film critic/author Stephen Rebello, Hitchcock is the narrative feature debut by Emmy-winning documentarian Sacha Gervasi. The biopic stars Anthony Hopkins as the Master of Suspense and Helen Mirren as his wife and collaborator Alma Reville and the movie focuses on how the making of Psycho caused a major strain on their relationship.

The film has a large supporting cast of recognizable names including Scarlett Johansson as Janet Leigh, Toni Collette as Hitch's assistant Peggy Robertson, Jessica Biel as Vera Miles, Danny Huston as Strangers on a Train screenwriter Whitfield Cook, Michael Stuhlberg as Hitch's agent Lew Wasserman, James D'Arcy as Anthony Perkins, Kurtwood Smith as MPAA director Geoffrey Shurlock and Ralph Macchio as Psycho screenwriter Joseph Stefano. 

After the success of North by Northwest, Hitchcock was asked by a pesky reporter if he should quit while he was ahead. Desperate to prove he's still relevant, Hitchcock finds the ghastly pulp novel Psycho and decides to make that his next project. His circle of friends and colleagues balk at the idea but Hitchcock ignores them and starts setting up the production. Hitchcock casts America's sweetheart Janet Leigh, teen heartthrob Anthony Perkins and no-nonsense Vera Miles in the lead roles. He battles the censors for various graphic details in the book and battles his own health issues. Meanwhile, Alma furthers her friendship/writing partnership with Whitfield Cook both out of jealousy over Hitchcock's admirations for his icy blondes and out of a desire to carve out her own creative identity. Alma's new friendship ignites jealousy in Hitch and the two start to reevaluate their place in each other's lives.

I knew going in that Hitchcock was going to focus more on the Hitch and Alma love story. It's a love story that deserves to be told. The two of them were partners and collaborators, amazingly in tune with each other both behind the camera and at home. But the trouble with Hitchcock is that Alma's partnership with Cook isn't particularly interesting. Danny Huston plays Cook as the stereotypical rascal who hits on married women by being disingenuously charming and Mirren plays Alma Reville as being too smart to fall for such nonsense. So basically there's no tension or suspense because at the end of the day, this friendship doesn't stand a chance of being turned into an affair.

The other trouble with Hitchcock is that Gervasi and screenwriter John J. McLaughlin chose to feature Hitchcock having imaginary conversations with the serial killer who inspired Norman Bates, Ed Gein (Michel Wincott, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly). These scenes are utterly pointless because they depict Hitchcock as some sort of sexually-repressed psychopath (like Gein and Bates). It's too on the nose to be believable (like Hitch having a peep hole into an actress's dressing room) and it contradicts the rest of the film's depiction of Hitch as a determined but maybe a little mad genius.

Having said that, however, Hitchcock is an amazingly strong movie when it focuses on the making of Psycho. It's somewhat rewarding to see Hitch and Alma fight for what they believe in and put everything on the line for this passion project. We know Psycho goes on to become a game-changer in Hollywood and Hitch's most recognizable film. It's fun to see his naysayers doubt him, knowing that Hitch always knows what's right when it comes to filmmaking.

I already mentioned that this film has an incredible supporting cast. Scarlett Johansson plays Janet Leigh with respect and affection, portraying the Oscar-nominated actress as warm, funny and extremely professional. There are a lot of great stories about her in Rebello's commentary on the Psycho DVD and they made it into the movie. I also liked Jessica Biel's performance as Vera Miles. Miles and Hitch shared a frosty relationship and it's fun to watch Biel and Hopkins sniping at each other. James D'Arcy looks just like Anthony Perkins and has his nervous energy. There's a joke where Perkins, one of Hollywood's many closeted actors, says he liked both Rope and Strangers on a Train which are known to be Hitchcock's two gay films. It's the best of the in-jokes for Hitchcock fans. Toni Collette and Michael Stuhlberg are terrific as Hitch's two biggest supporters but I wish more time had been allotted for their screen time.

Stars Anthony Hopkins and Helen Mirren are such legendary actors that they don't need much praise. Hopkins is wonderfully droll and sarcastic as Hitchcock, giving the man a zesty love of cinema and its audiences. Helen Mirren also offers a layered, lived-in performance of a woman questioning her own self-worth.

Hitchcock isn't perfect. Gervasi's direction can be a little drab and his documentarian style doesn't really suit Hitchcock's love of creative cinematic techniques. The script is witty and emotionally honest for the most part, but some of the scenes fall flat (especially the Cook and Gein scenes). But if you can look past that and if you love movies about movies, then Hitchcock is a small but rather enjoyable film about the making of one of the landmark achievements of American cinema.

As a reminder, here's my world-famous ratings system:
1. Buy it on Blu-Ray (must see ASAP)
2. Redbox the DVD (highly recommended)
3. Save it for HBO (deserves commercial-free viewing)
4. Catch it on TBS (doesn't deserve commercial-free viewing)
5. Don't touch it with a 10 foot pole (speaks for itself)

As for Hitchcock, I think you should Redbox the DVD. 

Why I Don't Miss Lata Mangeshkar in 'Jab Tak Hai Jaan'

Legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar has been the voice for Yash Raj Films for decades now, singing almost every song in Yash Chopra's films and even some in son Aditya Chopra's films since at least the 1970s. For the most part, Mangeshkar has had a monopoly over Yash Raj Films singing for a variety of actresses in the Yash Raj production house including Sridevi, Rekha, Karishma Kapoor, Juhi Chawla, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Preity Zinta, Jaya Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit and Kajol.

That all changed with Jab Tak Hai Jaan, Yash Chopra's last film, which was released posthumously (Chopra passed away just a few weeks before the Diwali release date.) Chopra enlisted Academy Award-winning composer A.R. Rahman for the new film and cast hot young actresses Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma alongside Shah Rukh Khan.

Like with every Rahman soundtrack, I wondered who would be behind the mike. Rahman has always been terrific at finding the perfect singers for each track whether its an old-school Alka Yagnik and Hariharan track in Guru or bringing newcomer Rashid Ali to open the Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na sountrack with Kabhi Kabhi Aditi.

And so I wondered whether Mangeshkar would sing for JTHJ. Mangeshkar doesn't seem like a good fit for either Anushka Sharma or Katrina Kaif. In fact, Mangeshkar singing for Kaif is such a laughably bad idea that even if the movie did everything else right, it would be overshadowed by the mismatched actress/singer pair. Even Sharma, who is admittedly closer to a traditional Yash Raj heroine than Kaif, is too young for Lata Mangeshkar.

I'm not denying that Mangeshkar had a versatile voice during her decades as Bollywood's top singer. But something happened at the end of the 90s and her voice no longer suited the latest crop of actresses. If her voice worked for Preity Zinta in Veer-Zaara it was because that film was a far more classical Bollywood romance. Bollywood heroines are different now; they're more assertive and independent. They're not idealized as filmi goddesses but instead are presented as three dimensional people with flaws and wants and needs.

Compare Lata Mangeshkar singing "Darwaza band karlo" for Juhi Chawla in Darr...


...to Mangeshkar singing "Kaise piya se" for Kareena Kapoor in Bewafaa (which is not a perfect movie and not even a good example of Kapoor's screen persona but I do what I can).


Not a good fit, right?

I'm curious about how the decision to exclude Lata Mangeshkar from Jab Tak Hai Jaan came about. Was it a mutual decision between the filmmaker and the composer? Or did A.R. Rahman have to fight to include lesser known singers Shakthisree Gopalan, Neeti Mohan and Harshdeep Kaur in their respective songs? I should mention that all three sing their tracks excellently, their young voices giving passionate, raw performances. Even a more established singer like Shreya Ghoshal or rising star Shilpa Rao offer something new to their songs. Had the entire soundtrack been sung by one singer (even if that one singer had been Shreya Ghoshal or Alka Yagnik), each song would lose some of its uniqueness.

It should be mentioned that even the male singers are fresh names. Rabbi Shergill and Raghav Mathur are two lesser known singers but they get prominent songs as do more established singers Javed Ali and Mohit Chauhan.  Something would have been lost if each song was sung by Udit Narayan or Sonu Nigam.

While I agree that Lata Mangeshkar and Yash Chopra go together like hot chocolate and marshmallows, I'm glad that she is not featured on the Jab Tak Hai Jaan soundtrack for 2 reasons. 1), it gives young singers a chance to shine; and 2), her voice doesn't fit either actress at all.The Jab Tak Hai Jaan soundtrack is fresh and innovative, heartfelt but experimental. Lata Mangeshkar's pure, more traditional voice would not have meshed well with it.

13 Craziest Halloween Flicks

With Halloween just around the corner, it's time to look at some good Halloween flicks. You'll notice that some tried and true scare flicks are missing in this list like The Shining and Rosemary's Baby. In their stead, I chose some non-traditional Halloween movies, some that have a morbid sense of humor or a trippy, mind-bending suspense quality to them. I hope you enjoy these movies this coming Halloween season.

Alien (1979; Ridley Scott)
It's a haunted house movie--IN SPACE!! Instead of a psychopath wearing a scary (silly?) mask, you have a monstrous alien lurking about in the air ducts, looking to kill the members of the Nostromo crew. What's great about this movie is how minimalist the set is, using editing, music and cinematography to convey the terror going on. With slow-burning scares, a running theme of horrific rape, a fearless performance by Sigourney Weaver and the weirdest birthing scene of all time, Alien is a true horror classic.

Beetlejuice (1988; Tim Burton)
Laced with the kind of macabre sense of humor Tim Burton is known for, this 80s twist on the haunted house brand of horror is really funny. Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis are terrific as two ghosts trying to run the Deetz family out of the house which they haunt. The cheap-looking special effects add a bizarre timelessness as this movie looks like something you remember from your childhood. To be honest, I don't really care for Michael Keaton as Betelgeuse but the rest of the movie makes him slightly more bearable.

Black Swan (2010; Darren Aronofsky)
What says "happy Halloween" better than a ballerina going violently insane from her own unexplored sexuality? Nothing! Natalie Portman won an Oscar for her performance in this over-the-top, melodramatic psycho-horror-sex-thriller that can be alternately ludicrous and legitimately scary. With sinister, mysterious supporting turns from Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel, Winona Ryder and Barbara Hershey, Black Swan makes for a solid funhouse mirror version of every ballet movie ever made.

Coraline (2009; Henry Selick)
Imagine a place where everything is what you desire it to be and yet unnervingly off-kilter. Coraline Jones (voiced by Dakota Fanning) finds that the Other World is a happy refuge from her disaffected real world but, as it usually does, happiness turns to horror. What I like about this movie is that it takes some real childhood issues--feelings of isolation and neglect--and puts a creepy spin on it, making Coraline an effective horror movies for both kids and adults. It is legitimately terrifying but also really beautiful in its animation. Its Oscar loss is one of the dumbest mistakes in Oscar history.

Diabolique (1955; Henri-Georges Clouzot)
Admittedly, Diabolique is more an exercise in slow building suspense than true horror and that might make it an unsatisfying experience for a viewer looking to be terrified out of his or her mind. But it's a fun movie to watch because a lot of the scenes are really tense and suspenseful. Filmed in a sleek, mysterious black and white, the movie takes a typical noir plot and turns it on its head, mixing in some elements of the supernatural. The twists at the end are good even if decades of horror/suspense may have spoiled them for a first time watcher.

The Game (1997; David Fincher)
While The Game isn't your typical Halloween fare, it works as a twist on the haunted house theme where the haunted house is actually the outside world. Michael Douglas' Nick Van Orten has to travel to different locations each even more terrorizing than the last. Fincher's signature visual style makes this an unnerving experience backed by an outstanding performance from Douglas. As the movie piles on twist after twist, the sense of paranoia reaches an unbearable height until the satisfying but bizarre ending.

Halloween (1978; John Carpenter)
This one is probably the most traditional Halloween movie on this list for obvious reasons. Though the legacy of Halloween has been tarnished by dumb sequels and an unnecessary remake, the impact of the movie is still fresh after 30+ years. The movie is scary, utilizing dread and silences to their max effect. Jamie Lee Curtis, daughter of Psycho star Janet Leigh, shot to fame as a "scream queen" and her layered performance carries the movie. Unlike most modern slasher movies, this one isn't too violent but it's much better for it.

House (1977; Nobuhiku Obayashi)
This Japanese fever dreamlike film is like a psychadelic head trip filled with sinister cats, young teenage girls with names like Gorgeous, Kung Fu and Melody, attacking mattresses and carnivorous pianos. No kidding. Not so much scary as morbid, creepy and downright weird. The movie, about a group of girls who visit a house with a mind of its own, is funny and disturbing and often in the same frame. House is a movie that relies on the viewer just going with it; it's a fun ride especially because of the frenetic editing and creepy sound design.

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993; Henry Selick)
Stop-motion animation seems like a perfect fit for Halloween-themed movies as seen above with Coraline and Bettlejuice and below with ParaNorman. This whimsical blending of Halloween mischief and Christmas values is a film that has a lot of heart, wonder and magic but it doesn't lose its scares and jumps. With creative songs, a cool visual flair and terrific voice cast, The Nightmare Before Christmas is an enduring classic that works on both holidays.

ParaNorman (2012; Sam Fell and Chris Butler)
Strangely released in mid-August (probably to avoid competition with other animated movies Hotel Transylvania and Frankenweenie) ParaNorman will unfortunately just miss the Halloween 2012 season with a Blu-ray release in November. But I think it will develop a small cult following in the future because it works as a loving parody of old school zombie movies. This is a joke-filled movie with lots of heart and some genuine scares. Deconstructing the cliches that come with ghosts, zombies and witches, ParaNorman is fresh and affectionate with a terrific message and voice cast.

Psycho (1960; Alfred Hitchcock)
I watch Psycho every Halloween. Well I have since 2010 and I intend to continue the tradition. Psycho is generally considered the father of the slasher movie and it definitely started the trend of violent but sexy movies with low budgets and a cast of sexy but relatively unknown actors (the most famous cast member being Janet Leigh, mother of Halloween star Jamie Lee Curtis). While decades of inferior clones and film criticism may have spoiled the ending, Psycho remains an effective horror movie and that is due to the confident direction by Master of Suspense Alfred Hitchcock and of course Bernard Herrmann's iconic score.

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971; Mel Stuart)
Okay, not exactly a traditional Halloween movie. But it has a morbid sense of humor and the Oompa Loompas are foreboding enough to give you nightmares. And the way the kids are dispensed with throughout the movie is like the way the cast of a more traditional horror movie is killed off, with Charlie Bucket as the "final girl." Find me someone who wasn't and isn't still scared by the boat ride scene and I'll show you a liar. This movie is whimsical with a dash of the sinister and macabre and it's a fun movie to watch on Halloween, especially since it's a classic without a designated month for premium viewing (like Ben Hur on Easter).

Young Frankenstein (1974; Mel Brooks)

Brooks' affectionate parody of 1930s horror movies is a great movie to watch if you're not into the whole "being scared" thing. Timeless gags, wacky supporting characters and a brilliantly unhinged performance by Gene Wilder make this a comedy classic. Made in black and white, Young Frankenstein recreates the mood and the cheap special effects of the 1930s with winking sex jokes that are totally 1970s. This is definitely a comedy that you can watch over and over.

Some other hits: Repulsion, Peeping Tom, The Birds, The Ring, The Woman in Black

I hope you liked my list. I definintely had fun writing it up. Let me know what you think in the comments. Have a happy Halloween!

End of Watch: Character Over Action

When I first saw the trailer for End of Watch, to be honest, I had zero interest in it. For one thing, the trailer went on a little long and didn't do much to make the movie seem like more than your standard "cops deal with South Central LA crime." But the pre-release buzz was strong and positive, the reviews were solid (it currently holds an 85% on Rotten Tomatoes). So I rolled with it. And I'm glad I did.

End of Watch is better than your average movie about "cops deal with South Central LA crime." It has a beating heart and an intelligent, dialogue-based script that gives the audience plenty of rich character moments. Starring Jake Gyllenhaal (Love and Other Drugs, Source Code), Michael Pena (Tower Heist, The Lincoln Lawyer), Anna Kendrick (50/50, Up in the Air) and David Harbour (Quantum of Solace, State of Play). Written and directed by David Ayer (Training Day, Street Kings), the film was made off a miniscule $7 million budget, making almost four times that during the two weeks it's been out in theatres.

Brian Taylor (Gyllenhaal) and Mike Zavala (Pena) are two best friends working as partners in the LAPD. Working on a film class project, Brian records his daily duties with Mike on handheld camera and he chronicles (sometimes without permission) his and Mike's dealings with a gang/drug cartel. Mike's wife Gabby (relative newcomer Natalie Martinez) is expecting their first child and Brian starts dating graduate student Janet (Kendrick). As Mike and Brian try to understand just how dangerous this gang and their drug actitivies can be, the gang itself sets out to kill them both.

For the most part, End of Watch is a brilliant movie. When it focuses on Brian and Mike's friendship, as well as their relationships with women, the movie soars. It has an effortless feel; the scenes and the dialogue feel authentic and natural. The movie serves as a "behind the scenes" look at police life; scenes set at the precinct with Harbour as an embittered veteran cop and America Ferrera (Ugly Betty) and Cody Horn (Magic Mike) as two policewomen on the force ring true. Admittedly, though, the dynamic between Mike and Brian and the two policewomen is a little cliche (two goof-off guys balanced with two serious and competent women). I found that this portion of the movie is really strong.

Which is why it is such a disappointment when the movie indulges in cop-drama cliches like a rivalry between Brian and Mike and the gangsters. You know, if Ayer wanted to include that but found a unique and compelling way to show it, then that would have been fine. But the scenes with the gang, which sometimes break away from Brian and Mike, are so full of gangster cliches that it is hard to enjoy. The actors chosen to play the gangsters are really bad, choosing to interpret "dangerous" as "curses a lot."

Breaking away from Brian and Mike to focus on the gang and their drug activities is a mistake. It takes away from the real-life feel of the movie. One of the best scenes is Brian and Janet's wedding, where Gabby gives a drunken and risque mini-monologue about what it's like to be a cop's wife. It's funny, it's interesting and it really develops the characters to make them feel authentic. All the scenes in Brian and Mike's patrol car are excellent too, showing friendship and history between the two men.

Performances from the lead cast are exceptionally strong. Gyllenhaal, with his boyish good looks and rascal charm, is a really strong actor and his performance as Brian emerges as one of his better ones. Pena, one of Hollywood's most dependable character actors, does outstanding work in the movie. He offers a lived-in performance, one that I hope doesn't get overlooked come awards season. The chemistry between the two guys is outstanding. Anna Kendrick turns in a strong supporting role, breathing life into a small part. Same for Natalie Martinez.

Cinematography and editing are both pretty interesting, jumping back and forth between handheld camerawork and conventional camerawork. Ayer's script and direction, as said before, is strong in some parts but weaker in others. At the end of the day, the positive points definitely outweigh whatever criticisms I have about it. It's a strong, unique movie that deserves to be seen.

As a reminder, here's my world-famous ratings system:
1. Buy it on Blu-Ray (must se ASAP)
2. Redbox the DVD (highly recommended)
3. Save it for HBO (deserves commercial-free viewing)
4. Catch it on TBS (doesn't deserve commercial-free viewing)
5. Don't touch it with a 10 foot pole (speaks for itself).

End of Watch: Redbox the DVD, for sure.

'Ek Main aur Ekk Tu' and the Evolution of the Bollywood Romantic Comedy

Romantic comedies in Bollywood have experienced a major resurrection in the past decade. While comedy and romance have always been a major part of the Bollywood tradition, there has been an upswing in quality, a change in tone and a more progressive outlook on topics like sex, family and the place of the youth in the world.

When I saw the Kareena Kapoor-Imran Khan film Ek Main aur Ekk Tu (2012), I thought it was yet another fresh, imaginative, funny film in the tradition of recent Bollywood rom-com hits like Band Baaja Baaraat (2010), Wake Up Sid (2009), Love Aaj Kal (2009), Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na (2008), Aisha (2010), Bachna Ae Haseeno (2008), I Hate Luv Storys (2010), Jab We Met (2007), Salaam Namaste (2006) and the film that started the trend Hum Tum (2004) among a few others.

While I hesitate to call this emergence of sophisticated romantic comedies a full-fledged "Golden Age," the last 8 years or so do have all the markings of one. There is a shift towards imaginative filmmaking, nuanced scripts with imperfect but three-dimensional characters, innovative soundtracks and perfect casting. That shift in Bollywood filmmaking began I think with Hum Tum, itself a loosely adapted Indian remake of the 1989 romantic comedy classic When Harry Met Sally.

Ek Main aur Ekk Tu continues the trend set by Hum Tum, Wake Up Sid, Band Baaja Baaraat and the rest. It tells the story of two people, straitlaced architect Rahul (Imran Khan) and free-spirited hairstylist Riana (Kareena Kapoor) who happen upon each other in Las Vegas, get drunk together and wake up married. The film spans the two weeks it takes for the annulment to go through and the pair get to know each other, help each other out and become friends.

The movie takes a typical rom-com setup--an uptight guy and a Manic Pixie Dream Girl forced together by alcohol and coincidences (mostly alcohol)--and infuses it with energy, wit and richly drawn characters. Now, okay, before you start screaming JAB WE MET!!! at me, I admit there are a few similarities between this film and the earlier one.

But EMAET is sort of a wiser, more cynical version of Jab We Met. While JWM's Geet was optimistic to the point of naivete, Riana is damaged but stronger for it. She's seen the worst of the world but hasn't lost her resolve to survive against it. Kareena Kapoor plays Riana with the same energy, winking sense of humor and intelligence as she did with Geet but this time around, there's a lot of pain and suffering behind the jokes, the sarcasm, the party-girl attitude. I could easily picture Riana at 22 being the same as Geet but now she's 27 and she's experienced a whole lot. In some ways, I like EMAET more than Jab We Met for that reason.

Imran Khan plays his character with a repression that's about to burst open; he's innocent but dying to lose that preciousness and break from his strict parents' set of rules and expectations. He finds that chance with Riana but their journey isn't as straightforward as Geet and Aditya's (Shahid Kapur) was in Jab We Met. While the premise isn't exactly unique, the execution should be praised for avoiding conventions. Even the ending defies all romantic comedy traditions that came before it without being clever for the sake of being clever.

Another new direction that these Bollywood romantic comedies are going is a move towards more progressive attitudes about love, sex, family and friendships. Riana's open and liberal family is a direct contrast to Rahul's strict and buttoned up family. Riana's family reminded me a lot of Shruti Kakkar's (Anushka Sharma) family in Band Baaja Baaraat. In that film, Shruti's family had no problem that she was platonically sleeping in the same bed as her male business partner Bittoo (Ranveer Singh). Same goes for Sid's (Ranbir Kapoor) parents in Wake Up Sid, who seemed to be okay that he was living with a young woman (Konkona Sensharma).

Another way these new-age romantic comedies defy convention is the way they present their musical numbers. While they all have at least one full-fledged song and dance number, for the most part they utilize the musical montage. Even when the movies do the full-fledged song and dance number, it's on their terms. Take for instance the subtly subversive "Aunty ji" from Ek Main aur Ekk Tu:



In a more traditional movie, the big number would probably go at this point in the narrative. Post-intermission, when the hero admits to himself that he's in love with the heroine and now we're meeting her family (think "Mehndi Lagake Rakhna" or Saif/Karisma in "Mhare Hiwda Mein Naache Mor").

But there are a few interesting things about "Aunty ji." 1) The song isn't a love song between the two leads, nor does the song have any thematic relation to the movie at all; 2) the song itself is depicted as an already hit song and everyone already knows the lyrics and signature steps; 3) the song may or may not be a sly joke about how Kareena Kapoor is older than Imran Khan both in real life and in character; and 4) the song is photographed with amazingly fluid camerawork, the choreography is exciting but simple and the video is energetic and zany to match the big band Amit Trivedi-composed song.

Speaking of "bands," Band Baaja Baaraat (a weak transition, I know) is perhaps the best example of this new trend of young filmmakers taking Bollywood traditions and making them their own. The love song, "Aadha Ishq" (embedded below), is a great example of this. In a more traditional film, the song would be an full-on dream sequence but the song seamlessly cuts between Shruti's romantic fantasies and real life (Band Baaja Baaraat is nothing if not an incredible achievement in film editing). In her fantasy, she and Bittoo are happy and in love. In real life, however, Bittoo's inevitable rejection of her is written all over his face. He's uncomfortable around her but she's too blinded by puppy love to notice.



It's a brilliant setup: juxtaposing the sweet and romantic Bittoo in Shruti's dream world with the awkward and hesitant one in the real life. It isn't until Shruti experiences a truly romantic, filmi moment in real life--and Bittoo, finally seeing that look in her eyes, rejects her wordlessly--that the two worlds collide and heartbreak wins. This song, which normally would have broken the flow of the narrative, allows for the plot to advance while also giving the audience some insight into the main characters' feelings and mindset.

Both "Aunty ji" and "Aadha Ishq" take well-worn Bollywood conventions--the big dance number and the love song--and play with them to create a new form of musical storytelling, one that both fulfills expectations and defies them.

That's really what these new romantic comedies are about. The genre itself is not inherently surprising. People go see romantic comedies in order to see a typical romance play out with likable leads and some dashes of comedy. But these young filmmakers take that expectation and weave some nuanced and subversive tales without even calling attention to their own cleverness.

With Hum Tum planting the seeds all the way back in 2004, the Bollywood romantic comedy has grown and morphed into one of Bollywood's most progressive and interesting genres. Ek Main aur Ekk Tu is the latest example of a new-age romantic comedy that acknowledges Bollywood conventions but refuses to bend to it. I certainly hope the genre continues to grow so we can see how these young filmmakers can push the envelopes while working within the system.

The Most Legen--Wait for It--Dary Episodes of How I Met Your Mother (part 2)

In part one of this blog about the best episodes of How I Met Your Mother I looked at the first three seasons of the show. That was when the show was still finding its audience and not exactly the big hit it is now. Starting with season 4, the show rose in popularity and even got an Emmy nomination for Best Comedy Series.

While the show did lose some of its precocious innocence, I actually think the show is better for it. When you hit your 30s, you're not precociously innocent anymore (well, I assume so) and it would have been impossible to maintain that level of freshness. So here are the best episodes of seasons 4, 5, 6 and 7.

Season 4, Episode 12: Benefits
While almost every sitcom has done the "friends with benefits" thing, HIMYM subverted the sitcom trope during Ted and Robin's experience with it. Normally, one of them would have fallen for the other and it would lead to one of them getting hurt. But it's actually Barney who gets hurt because of his crush on Robin. Sure, Ted and Robin do experience some awkwardness but Barney is the emotional backbone of the show, smashing TVs for cathartic purposes. Marshall's plot about not wanting to go to the bathroom at work is realistic and funny and it's probably the only time I enjoyed seeing Kim Kardashian on the screen (and quoting Shakespeare!).

Season 4, Episode 13: Three Days of Snow
One thing that drew me to the show when it first aired was that it took romance and love seriously. The show wasn't afraid to have heartwarming and gooey scenes with high romantic value. Three Days of Snow is one such episode, with that ending airport scene as a major season 4 highlight. Marshall and Lily's relationship is the focus as they figure out whether to hold on to their many adorable rituals. This episode also features one of the coolest "Barney and Ted bro-ing about town" plots with their opening of Puzzles Bar. It's great stuff especially since Marshall and Robin get to have some scenes together.

Season 4, Episode 17: The Front Porch
I never realized how strong season 4 is until just now when I had to narrow the 24 episodes down to 3. There are so many classic ones. But The Front Porch takes the cake simply for all the Robin scenes in background of Ted and Lily's fight. Whether you like this episode really depends on your thoughts on Lily: meddlesome but well-intentioned or horrifically manipulative? I belong in the former camp simply because she does know what's best for everyone (especially Ted who is a danger to himself romantically). Marshall and Barney and their love for nightshirts is classic, especially with the great The Big Lebowski references. This episode is really funny (Laura Prepon as the horrible Karen is a delight) and ends with a great Ted and Robin scene.

Other season 4 highlights: The Fight, Shelter Island, As Fast As She Can, Murtaugh and Wooo!.

Season 5, Episode 15: Rabbit or Duck
This episode has one of the best group scenes in How I Met Your Mother history: the intense, almost violent debate of rabbits vs. ducks. Obviously, ducks are better, Marshall! I like when the show has these random discussions (like season 4's 50 reasons to have sex or season 2's candy euphemisms for breasts). Robin's hate-crush on Don is entertaining especially because Don is such an annoyingly charming and charmingly annoying guy. Barney's magic phone is really funny, a fun way to see him suffer the consequences of his sex schemes. Ted's desire for an arranged marriage is perfect for him, the frustrated hopeless romantic. Marshall and Lily are great when they act like his parents.

Season 5, Episode 17: Of Course
Stunt casting can be poisonous to a show. When a celebrity guest star takes over the show, leaving the core cast to play second fiddle, it can be really irritating and insulting to the audience. But Jennifer Lopez's turn as Anita in this episode is a great use of the stunt casting. She's the catalyst for the plot, sure, but she doesn't overshadow the episode. The emotional backbone of the show is the guys realizing that, yes, Robin did mourn over her relationship with Barney and that she kept it private in face of Barney parading bimbos in front of her. Marshall's new song" I said-a bang bang bangitty-bang" is so catchy and hilarious. I also liked the "Super Date" song, a reminder that this show can be sweet and satirical at the same time. And I think we can all agree that JLo is not only smoking hot but really good in this episode.

Season 5, Episode 22: Robots versus Wrestlers
A major theme of HIMYM is selling out and how sometimes it's kind of okay. Marshall takes a corporate job to support his future family. Ted becomes a professor instead of small business owner. Robin chooses her new boyfriend over her best friends (two of which are her ex-boyfriends). But this episode is about not forgetting that it's also okay to go back to your sillier, goofier side. As Ted parties with other intellectuals (including Arianna Huffington and Peter Bogdanovich), he leaves his more low-brow friends behind. But Ted can't deny the awesomeness of Robots versus Wrestlers for too long and neither can Robin. This silly episode gets some emotional weight with Lily and Marshall secretly making a plan to start a family.

Other season 5 highlights: Home Wreckers, The Sexless Innkeeper, Girls versus Suits (the 100th), Jenkins and The Playbook.

Season 6, Episode 14: Last Words
Man, it was extremely hard to choose 3 top episodes of season 6. It's my favorite season; almost every episode is a winner (episode 20, The Exploding Meatball Sub is mediocre). Last Words is another example of HIMYM's fearless decision to keep the proceedings as emotionally rich as possible as a nice balance to absurd humor. As Marshall struggles with his dad's death, Lily attempts to make peace with her disapproving mother-in-law and Robin becomes the woman who literally has everything you could possibly need in her bag. Both of those subplots are excellent. Ted and Barney trying to get Marshall to laugh is inappropriate but realistic in that sometimes you don't know what to do in these situations. This episode has some solid laughs for sure; it manages to be sad and melancholy without being completely depressing.

Season 6, Episode 15: Oh Honey
Like JLo in season 5, Katy Perry's turn in this episode is another good use of celebrity guest casting.  She has some solid scenes but she's not the main point of the episode, which is the story of Ted and Zoey's first kiss. It's romantic, it's funny, it's zany--episodes like this really make you feel like a part of the gang. One of my favorite parts of the episode: how the gang expects each other to hate whoever they hate. Also, Marshall's family getting involved in the romantic problems of Ted. Katy Perry herself is so innocently naive and beautiful, it's hard not to love her. The "who's your daddy" scene between she and Barney is terrific.

Season 6, Episode 19: Legendaddy
I always found it funny that Barney depends on daddy issues to get laid because he has a mountain of them. In this episode, we meet Jerome played by an exceptional John Lithgow. He's Barney's dad but he's not the cool cat Barney hoped him to be. Barney's transformation from sex-crazed sociopath to a fully functioning adult has been a recurring theme of the show, dating all the way back to season 3. This episode was a landmark one for the character, as he gets to work out some of his issues. The B-plot has the other characters talking about holes in their intelligence (Robin not believing in the North Pole, etc) and like always, it's always fun to see the gang riffing off each other and cracking jokes.

Other season 6 highlights: Blitzgiving, A Change of Heart, Glitter, The Perfect Cocktail and Hopeless

Season 7, Episode 3: Ducky Tie
We last saw Victoria six years ago and her return in this episode is both surprising and welcome. The episode is great because of its narrative style--Ted tries to tell the story of his and Victoria's encounter and the gang keeps getting distracted. This episode has some great running gags. While most if not all episodes are really funny, there are a few special few that just keep on piling on the jokes, the gags and the callbacks. This episode is one of them. Barney betting that he can see and/or touch Lily's breasts--it's so funny and typical. I think season 7, while it has some hiccups, is a lot stronger than some people gave it credit for during its airing.

Season 7, Episode 12: Symphony of Illumination
This episode abandons Bob Saget narrating as Older Ted in favor of Robin narrating to her imagined kids. Like Last Words and Nothing Good Happens After 2 A.M., the episode is emotionally grounded, maybe more so than usual. I thought this was a risky, bold episode but it pays off. Only a show like HIMYM could pull off a show like this; on any other sitcom, it would come off as trying too hard to be deep or a cheap attempt to get some awards attention. But Symphony of Illumination is a beautifully melancholy episode, one that works because of the audience's attachment to the characters. I could have done without the silly Marshall subplot but comic relief is necessary I guess.

Season 7, Episode 20: Trilogy Time
There have been times when I think about what I thought as a high school student about what I'd be doing in my 20s. I'd laugh because those old goals were impossibly high and I'd realize that I'm also satisfied doing what I'm doing now. That's what Trilogy Time was about--the gang was looking back to when the present was the future. It's an interesting narrative device, allowing for some hysterical imagined flash-forwards that are both ludicrous and plausible. This episode is a good example of how the show can find the nuances of being an almost adult and portray them authentically and hilariously.

Other season 7 highlights: The Drunk Train, No Pressure, History vs. Mystery, Tailgate and The Best Man.

Hope you enjoyed my list! I can't wait for the premiere tomorrow! Leave your comments below.