In the animal kingdom, it’s the aggressive Alpha male of the pack that entices females in heat for procreation purposes. In other words, the rest of the males just don’t get any. Among humans, however, things have become a little more complex since the Neanderthal era, despite romantic fiction convincing readers that Alpha heroes reflect women’s ideals. In recent mass-market fiction, even Alpha heroes are required to develop modern-day Beta characteristics, like heightened sensitivity and emotions, thanks to the influence of the female heroine in the novel who ‘tames’ her man. But it isn’t always the case in the real world, such as in the case of a high powered modern woman who doesn’t need ‘rescuing.’ For her, Prince Charming may very well appear in the form of a relaxed Gamma, prepared to take the back seat or even be a stay-at-home dad in her castle. Are women and men necessarily as different as Venus and Mars? Not necessarily; according to popular classifications based on the Greek alphabet, we have more in common with our corresponding personality types in the opposite sex than we do with other categories within our own gender! However, men and women from the same categories often clash in relationships because they are too similar; for instance, two alphas may make a great match, but there’s also a power-struggle going on—a war waiting to happen. Similarly, opposite personality types are often strongly attracted to each other’s differences, whose personalities may conflict once the honeymoon period is over for ‘irreconcilable differences’ (the most commonly cited reason for divorce among celebrities). Realistically, most people fall under hybrids of two or more categories, which further divide into various other classifications (it’s enough to fill an encyclopaedia but this is just a blog entry so we won’t go there). Personality types can also change over the course of one’s life: a man could start out as a high powered Alpha athlete, executive or politician and end up a depressed, unemployed Omega later in life. Interested? Read on and share your own theories in the comment area below. Type Alpha:  Self assured, enterprising, outgoing. Alpha Male Also referred to as a ‘bad boy’ or ‘leader of the pack,’ this confident, aggressive, macho guy may be self centred, sexist, demanding and difficult to work with despite possessing charisma both in his personal life and at work. He can be attractive without having to be good-looking and usually has his pick of women to date or marry. Although he enjoys being chased, he finds it refreshing to be the one to do the chasing (i.e. hunting). Enterprising and outgoing, his pre-marital relationships tend to be very brief. Women do not get much comfort or support from a typical Alpha male; and the women who cheat on their non-Alpha partners usually do so by having affairs with Alpha men, like James Bond. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iwl33WbVGI]] Alpha Female Alpha females abound in any Angelina Jolie movie (her kick-ass characters and her bad-ass self). A super confident female who doesn’t appear to need men, Alpha women are the queen bees of their cliques, whether in social groups, school or college. They easily dominate other women and can be aggressive, bossy, and sarcastic in their competitive, high-powered careers, including political (Margaret Thatcher, Benazir Bhutto). They are usually sexy even when they aren’t conventionally beautiful, and don’t get intimidated around men. They may lack sensitivity and sympathy towards others and aren’t scared of making the first move when it comes to their romantic interests. They normally get what they want: even other Alpha males rarely reject them. Alpha women are thought to have cold, controlling personalities that aren’t very nurturing or relaxed. Type Beta: Moderate, reserved, and collaborative Beta Male Betas are reserved, responsible and moderate: your average Mr Nice Guy, nothing spectacular but likeable enough. Most modern men are Betas; they’re more sensitive, less aggressive, and better read than Alphas. They are easily nervous or embarrassed and play wingmen to their more suave Alpha friends. Betas make good friends and roommates, as they’re considerate and somewhat idealistic. Beta men are the least threatened by women who are more powerful or intelligent than them. A Beta man tends to be introvertive and kind of nerdy while growing up. Thoughtful by nature, women may consciously choose Beta men as better husband material, especially if they’ve been hurt by Alphas. However, they usually like Beta men as friends rather than fall in love with them. Beta Female Beta women make great BFFs.  They’re usually the imperfect Bridget Jones type characters we root for in movies. Beta women tend to be passive aggressive and can get annoyingly obsessed with their crushes. They are nurturing, insecure about their looks, and want to be pursued by the guys they like. If this doesn’t happen, they are nervous about competing with other women and often end up lonely or with their second or third choice in a mate. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQdy98B1nf0]] Type Omega: Neurotic, laid Back, eccentric Omega Male In popular culture, Omega men feature mainly in comedy movies like the overweight, unemployed video gamer in Knocked Up, the dork who literally seduced an American Pie, and most Ben Stiller movies. An Omega guy has nerdy habits, like collecting comic books or being a Trekkie, and lives blissfully in his own world. He is immature, irresponsible, lacks ambition and is easily picked on. In high school movies, he always lusts after an Alpha female and ends up getting her (they’re movies after all), only to reject her for his Beta best friend whom he hadn’t previously noticed. Among a group, the Omega guy is the least likely to take an initiative and is generally the lowest on the chain of command. Exaggerated metrosexuals and effete intellectuals may be Omegas too. Women generally find Omegas unattractive. As husbands, they are often happily reliant on their wife’s incomes and don’t help much around the house either. Omega Female The lead characters from the movies Bridemaids, Welcome to the Dollhouse and She’s All That (before the makeover) are all Omegas. They tend to be lazy, untidy, unattractive, have low self esteem, have dismal personal lives and are unambitious and unsuccessful in their careers. They could really benefit from a makeover in terms of style as well as life coaching skills and deserve sympathy. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JwJtq40-Wk]] Type Gamma: Restless, adventurous, fun Gamma Male and Female Adventurous, restless, fun-loving Gammas like to do their own thing and create their own rules without giving in to peer pressure. Alphas may mature into Gammas and become more considerate, socially conscious and relatively diplomatic than before. Gammas are aware of their needs and natures as well as those of the opposite sex. They demonstrate quintessentially feminine behaviors, values and expectations to win their partners’ trust and love. Gammas generally appear to lack assertiveness, freely demonstrate their emotions and aren’t very interested in status symbols and attaining popularity. They tend to put their family and community before their own ambitions. On TV, many characters from comedies like the Office, 30 Rock, Parks and Recreation and Glee are obvious Gamma types. Type Delta: Aloof, marginalised, resentful Delta Male & Female Deltas are withdrawn, private, and to some extent, disaffected. Deltas are often ‘has beens’ who were confident, successful, popular Alphas in their youth. The lowest rung in the hierarchy of personalities, Deltas tend to be subordinates who are ostracized by society. Type Sigma: Sardonic, outsiders, baffling Sigma Male & Female Sigmas are outsiders to the social game, yet manage to win at it anyhow, confusing everyone else in the process. They are also adept at socially challenging and ridiculing Alphas, to their infuriation. Sigmas tend to be contemptuous towards the opposite sex, even if they desire them.

The Indian film industry just copies ideas from wherever it can. Be it from China, Arab countries, Pakistan or the USA, Bollywood has turned in to mere replica. This is why I had to stop watching Indian movies. What happened to the good old days, when a movie was just based on a good story line and didn't have fancy animations? Recently I saw low-budget movies like 'Dou Dunni Char' and 'Love Express.' Now these films really have substance. They don't rely solely on dance and songs. Even high-cost comedies do not have any content these days. It is the low-budget Indian movies that really have something interesting and different to offer. This growing trend of shooting movies abroad and spending huge sums of money on promotion lead to growing excitement from the anxiously awaiting viewers. However, these films are unfortunately, most of the time, a let down. Plots have come to resemble movies previously seen, characters are one dimensional and the story-line is completely un-original. I recently saw 'Love Aaj Kal' and in the interval, I felt like fleeing the theatre. The movie repeated a love story that I have seen countless times. The only new things I saw were the songs, dances and the clothes. Correct me if I am wrong, but are music, choreography and the styling the reasons one goes to watch a movie? Why not watch a musical instead? I often wonder why these films generate so much money and why people even bother to watch them. High-budget films only work due to the advertising. Just because the audience knows its a Shahrukh Khan movie or that Salman is the hero, they flock to the theatres. Let me ask you this though; when was the last time you saw a movie as brilliant as Shahrukh Khan's "Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge' or Salman Khan's 'Andaz Apna Apna?' If you look at recent Shahrukh Khan releases they are just so repetitive. The super-star has fallen in to the trap of arrogance and simply stars in films for the money now. Salman's 'Dabangg' was good, but then again, it was copied. Indian movies that boast high costs do not teach us anything. Amir Khan is somehow an exception, but I can't say that the same holds true for other actors. Hollywood also makes high budget movies, but they still have a storyline and a concept that has not been seen a million times before. Just a few examples are 'Babel', 'My Sister's Keeper' and 'The Blind Side'. All three movies have completely different plots, they are all original, and a pleasure to watch. Can the same be said for Bodyguard? Indian media does not teach anything to our society. There are no lessons to be learnt from a Bollywood movie except that if you throw a man and a woman together, they will dance, sing, and fall in love. I am disappointed to say that Indian movies were nothing like this before. Sadly, these films are making a large impact on our youth, who are now going through every possible measure to be "dramatic" and fall in love. Did you hear about the boy who shot a girl and then himself because she refused to marry him? Does this sound like an Indian movie to you? Girls in Pakistan now just want to get married or engaged after graduating from high-school; they think that its a very big achievement. My plea to Bollywood is to make films that encourage our youth to achieve great things, to motivate them to be honest citizens, to light a fire in them to succeed. Did you watch the movie 'The Pursuit of Happyness?' Did it not inspire you and make you believe that anything is possible? Please Bollywood, make a movie like this - a movie worth watching.

In the 60s, Shabab and Evernew studios were considered the two best film studios in Lollywood. Any director in Lahore would want to shoot his films there. Like many legends of that era, the beautiful Shabnam also spent most of her time shooting at these locations. After 14 years, Shabnam returned to Pakistan last month. Although Shahab no longer exists and Evernew is not what it used to be, Shabnam’s fans were keen to have one more glimpse of her as she visited her colleagues in Lahore. Film technicians who had worked with Shabnam back in the day described her as a courteous, modest and good-natured lady who was friendly on the film sets. “When Aina was being shot in 1977, she came to Evernew Studio. I was serving as a helper with an assistant at that time,” recalls one such man, now a tailor, who had a chance to meet the legendary actress. “I once spoke to her while serving tea to the artists on the set. She asked us to pray for the success of her film, which later became a huge hit. She wasn't arrogant at all and spoke to us with great respect,” he added. Aina, a Pakistani film from 1977 which starred Shabnam and Nadeem, is said to be the longest running Pakistani film on record. It is also called “Pakistan’s only crown jubilee film” with a total running period of 401 weeks in all cinemas and 48 weeks in the main cinemas in Karachi. The film was a musical success with music composition by Robin Gosh (Shabnam’s husband). The playback singers for the films were Mehdi Hassan, Mehnaz, Alamgir, Nayyara Noor and Akhlaq Ahmed. As I reminisce the golden days with her return to Pakistan, I remember how mesmerising her performance was in this film. The song “Mujhe Dil Se Na Bhulana” shown in the video above is one of the most celebrated songs of Lollywood. Another excellent on-screen performance by Shabnam was in Andleeb. The Shabnam-Waheed Murad on screen duo did wonders at the box office and the film ran continuously for 56 weeks in Karachi. In this film, she performed another timeless hit called “Mere Dil Ki Mehfil”. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgUuHFW-UhM]] Another song featuring Shabnam that brought two great artists together was “Mili Gul Ko Khushboo” sung by Runa Laila for Shabnam in Naseeb Apna Apna - a black and white film from the 70s directed by Qamar Zaidi and produced by Waheed Murad. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfOBkGGoIts]] I can safely say that Shabnam has been an inspiration for the whole generation - there are over 150 films to her credit, dozens of which are unmatched in Lollywood. While artists in Lahore’s old studios eagerly waited for her visit, she said herself that she might not find those places to be the same as before. Shabnam’s last film was released some two decades ago; things have changed dramatically for the worse in Lollywood since then. However, I am positive after hearing her say that she will try her best to contribute something to Lollywood. The hope in my heart to see this Lollywood queen on the silver screen again has been rekindled. Will we get to see the talented Shabnam in Pakistani movies like Khuda Ke Liye and Bol? I surely hope so! Read more by Ali here. Correction: An earlier version of this post incorrectly stated that Shabnam performed in the song "Mein Jis Din Bhula Doon Tera Pyar". The error is regretted.

I am a big fan of Pakistani movies, and I am not embarrassed in the slightest to admit to this. However, for the past few years - like a decade or so - I have not come across many quality movies in terms of script, performance and concept. Khuda Ke Liye, Bol, Yeh Dil Aapka hua and few other movies were technically sound and showcased strong scripts and some impressive performances. The rest,  and I say this with deep regret, were typical in that they offered no quality content to the audience. A few days ago, I was enlightened about the trailer of Naach - a joint venture by Nasir Teherani and Manduck Collective Films. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSvCvjjyLvI]] It came as a complete surprise to me to watch a few of our finest actors delivering some great dialogues. I must add here that the Pakistani film industry once had amazingly potent dialogues back in the 60’s up till the early 90’s, but after this, they just fell flat. With Naach, I am hoping to see a revival in good dialogue. This movie will be the first ever to embark on a genre exploring the performing arts in Pakistan. It showcases the talents of Javed Sheikh, Shaan, Momal Sheikh, Noman Butt and Komal Rizvi, along with many other glittering stars. This movie is based on passion, dance, romance, inspiration and imagination. I am truly excited to see what is in store for us! The trailer of the movie itself is very appealing and interesting. It builds up the curiosity for the movie – which in itself is a generous victory for our film industry. Let us not dwell  over the debate over the originality of the concept or its inspirational adaptation. Just consider this movie as a move towards a brighter future for our cinema. Javed Sheikh is definitely amongst the finest actors of our country. I have liked him since the days of his television drama  'Shama'. The way he is seen delivering his dialogues in Naach is commendable; his voice and his gestures will undoubtedly impress you the way they have managed to impress me. Moving on, Shaan, I find is the most sensible actors that we have ever had. He has, undoubtedly done a remarkable job in maintaining and increasing the viewer-ship of Pakistani films. Whether it was Guns N Roses, Very Good Dunya Very Bad Log, Tere Pyar Mein, Ghoonghat, Khuda Ke Liye or Moosa Khan, Shaan has always tried to give a well composed and genuine performance as per his character's requirement. It is a shame that Pakistani directors fail to offer him roles that reflect his true calibre as an actor. Many will question the choice of mature and older actors like Shaan and Javed Sheikh in a movie about dance without once thinking that these actors actually have substance in their acting and are well versed in what they do. Why is that we didn't question Shah Rukh Khan's role as a hockey coach for a women's team? Aren't Al Pacino and Richard Gere still acting and taking up challenging roles? It is because these "old" and "mature" actors have way more experience and versatility than the few younger ones whose looks are more potent than their acting skills. To all those critics my humble advice is to try promoting Pakistani films especially when they are worthy of praise. It is our responsibility to help restore, respect and honour our film industry, especially when our country needs an avenue where Pakistan can be seen under a more positive light. I am ardently looking forward to this movie, and I hope those who appreciate quality movies stemming from Pakistani cinema are feel the same way. Read more by Shafiq here, or follow him on Twitter @shafiqulhasan81

With the scorching heat and indefinite amounts of loadshedding hours, summer is not exactly the best of seasons here in Pakistan.  However, there is always a silver lining and in spite of such gruesome circumstances, there are always reasons to shun away the cynicism that the three hours of loadshedding might bring. Here are just a few of them. The musical treats by "Coke Studio" No matter what the naysayers might say, "Coke Studio" is and will remain one of the best things to have ever happened to the Pakistani music industry. Never in the history of Pakistani music have people followed folk and qawali with such fervour as "Coke Studio" has made them do. Every summer, Rohail Hyatt brings you the best of present and upcoming music in Pakistan. Unconventional duets, out of the box compositions and mash-ups of the best of cultural music with a hint of modern music is what has made "Coke Studio" the phenomenon it has become today amongst the youth. "Coke Studio" is in its fifth year of production, and releases a series of five episodes every summer leaving its fans wanting for more. What better way is there to kill time and combat the heat than to indulge in some lyrical brilliance? After all, where else can you enjoy Meesha Shafi and Atif Aslam without paying a fee for a ticket? The succulent splurge of fruit Summer fruit; they are healthy and delicious. How many of us can say the same about the carbohydrate filled junk we love to devour all year long? We, fortunately have the best of summer fruit available to us - a blessing many regions of the world can't boast of. A slice of melon, a glass of mango milkshake or a box of cherries is all you need to cope with the heat or to quench that unsettling thirst. Summer marks the arrival of some of the most delicious fruit of the year. Water melons, cherries, plums, apricots, peaches, leaches, pineapples, and the king of all fruits - mangoes. The variety of fruit available is innumerable. So ditch those toasts, eggs and parathas you gallop down every morning and replace them with a slice of mango, some cherries and freshly squeezed melon juice and you will notice the difference yourself! A time to go on holiday For those of us who are still studying, the summer time has vacation stamped all over it. After a gruelling season of assignments, quizzes and mid-term exams, summer always comes as a welcome relief. It provides one with a much needed break. So, instead of wasting your days simply lounging around in your pyjamas, go for a splash! Make the best of this free time at hand; pick up a new hobby, travel, read and just enjoy life. The endless list of summer blockbusters The summer of 2008 gave us The Dark Knight to our eager pleasure. I can safely assume that I am speaking for the most of us when I say that we will never forget the antics of late Heath Ledger as Joker and Christian Bale's intoxicating persona as Batman in the movie. Hollywood's summer releases always contain some of the most anticipated sequels and action-packed movies of the year. This year's lineup is equally drool-worthy. Our favourite, Chris Hemsworth (Thor) and Kristen Stewart (Twilight) stared in a role so interesting that will have the biggest of Twilight haters want to go to cinema to catch The Snow White and the Huntsman. Andrew Garfield in The Amazing Spiderman looks equally promising. And which sane movie buff on earth is not waiting for The Dark Knight Rises to release? So, I say don't go for the cheap buzz killing cinema print DVD's and enjoy all the Hollywood's best on the big screen; there's nothing like a evening spent experiencing a paisa-vasool (money's worth) film at a multiplex. So, after all these fabulous perks of the Summer, I can safely say that the summer time is 'the most wonderful time of the year!' PHOTO: KOHI MARRI, PUBLICITY, REUTERS, AFP Follow Usama on Twitter @Usama_Hamayun

I love gaming. We gamers don’t just play games for the sake of venting our frustration on remote control buttons and enjoying the graphics of a particular game; we follow the storylines as well and the characters become idols. Don’t believe me? Consider the example of a cousin of mine who came to meet me after many months. The first thing he did - without any greeting whatsoever - was blurt out,

“Arey yaar Zain Bhai, apko pata hai Walking Dead mien Lori mar gayi?” (Oh man, Zain Bhai do you that Lori from Walking Dead died?)

I don’t remember watching a Pakistani film growing up. I was way too busy being smothered by Shahrukh Khan’s movies that everyone back then just had to watch — with the entire family. People would memorise lines, know the dance steps of each song by heart and would fantasise about Bollywood happening to them in real life. It never did. When Pakistan came out with films like Khuda Ke Liye and Bol, the content was too ‘heavy’ to appeal to the masses. Critics called the plot convoluted. The treatment contrived and termed the subject matter as just way too overwhelming for a single feature-length film. This was the time that rumours about Pakistan’s film industry being dead were gaining strength. The formulaic underdog-actor-coming-to-the-rescue-of-the-shrieking-heroine narrative of yesteryear was no longer getting the common man to the cinemas — at least, not in as large a number. It’s when people realised that film-makers had something to say — for a change, that the word ‘revival’ came about. Khuda Ke Lyie and Bol touched a nerve. They were way too close to home to be considered pleasant and yet, the originality was refreshing. The fact that it stemmed from real issues and wasn’t just a derivative of Hollywood, Bollywood and everything in between was a novelty. We didn’t have to wait for a movie to happen to us. It was already happening. The newer product of the industry, Chambaili also played on a topic that was relevant — elections. Back then, nothing else mattered. Even though, how the film was shot and technically treated left much to be desired, it didn’t borrow from content that was alien to the people and for that very fact, it worked. The number of Pakistani films you have seen in the last five years hardly amount to a double-figure and yet, I fail to accept that the industry is dead. As long as it has a voice that sets it apart from any other medium, for me it’s doing exactly what it’s supposed to. Maybe consider it dead, when it has nothing to say at all. Read more by Riffat here, or follow her on Twitter @RiffyR

Lootera is one Bollywood flick that seems to have drawn very strong reactions for people – they either love it or hate it – and both situations are actually understandable! As per the synopsis, the film is set in the years 1953-54. Pakhi (Sonakshi Sinha) is a young Bengali girl, living with her father, a zamindar, in an aristocratic world. Here enters an archaeologist, Varun (Ranveer Singh), seeking help from the zamindar with a letter from the Archaeological Society of India. With his remarkable knowledge of books, music, and expertise in his own field, Varun impresses the zamindar, sneaking his way into the life of the family and the heart of Pakhi as love between them blossoms. But soon a shocking revelation shatters their world leading them to some unanticipated circumstances. A part of the film is inspired from O Henry's short story "The Last Leaf"". Overall, Lootera is an uplifting story of two lovers - a story of heartbreak, betrayal and ultimate redemption. It is a simple story that has been told dozens of times on screen. But what makes Lootera stand out from all the other Mills & Boons romantic flicks we have seen is how Motwane has treated the story. Lootera is a movie which shows cinematic brilliance on screen and each frame is immaculately shot. The locale and scenery will absorb you. The direction is a clear winner and the movie moves at an effortless (though sometimes slow) pace. Silence plays a crucial role in this movie. In real life we often use silence to convey thousands of emotions and this whole movie unfolds in classic moments of silence - eyes, facial expressions, gestures, visuals, surroundings and last but most important, the background score. Silence truly speaks a thousand words in Lootera. The music of Lootera is another gem – and both the songs and the background score compliment the story to perfection. Top marks to Amit Trivedi for giving us tracks like Shikayatein, Zinda and Ankahee! Full marks must be given to Sonakshi and Ranveer as both the actors shed away the loud, over-the-top characters of their previous movies and present themselves in a totally new image, establishing the fact that they can act well. Sonakshi Sinha is the real star of the show. She effortlessly portrays the depths of her character and brings out vivid moods with brilliant skill. She indubitably is a revelation, who (surprisingly) looks pretty nice too. Ranveer Singh gives a good performance – however I do wish he showed a wider range of expressions that Varun’s character needed.  I also felt that the onscreen chemistry between Ranveer and Sonakshi was a bit ‘thanda’ given the passionate story! Barun Chanda, Vikrant Massey, Divya Dutta and the brilliant Adil Hussain are perfect for their respective roles. Do yourself a favour by not missing Lootera on the big screen. But if you have loved Bodyguards or Son of Sardars, Bhatt factory products, or other Salman Khan/Akshay Kumar stuff or if you are excited about SRK's Eid release - chances are you would abhor this one so you may not want to go! Verdict: Vikramaditya Motwane's Lootera is a visual painting, an ode to love with sheer brilliance and magic woven on celluloid. With a strong narrative and exceptional performances, especially from Sonakshi Sinha, this film can easily claim to be a plush masterpiece. Lootera is a must must watch for those who are seeking good cinema within the mainstream domain. Read more by Samra here or follow her on Twitter @samramuslim

“Khandani Badmaash, Bewaqoof, Sharabi, Wehshi Badmaash, Ujrati, Charsi, Dama, Mastay Jenakai, Gandagir!”

Having seen this world up close and personal, I decided to reject it and build my own reality – a reality that was filled with movies, funny pictures of cats and a pinch of tobacco. These have been my friends and have given me much-needed hours of pleasure and escape from the insanity of this world. Although some of these movies gave me only temporary respite, others lingered long after I had watched them. Some made it necessary for me to look back at life from a different perspective and so, movies have been, for lack of a better word, good teachers. Some movies that made it to my personal Top-10 list in 2013 are: 10. The Way Way Back This is Sam Rockwell’s movie through and through. Well it really is not, but it is his performance that carries it. We find Duncan (Liam James), a lonely boy, on the receiving end of his mother’s idiotic boyfriend’s verbal abuse. The family goes on a vacation where Duncan is his usual awkward, lonely self. But he finds an unexpected friend in Owen (Sam Rockwell) who is the manager of the Water Wizz water park. Owen takes Duncan under his wing and shows him the ways of the world. [embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x11jgsq_the-way-way-back_shortfilms[/embed] Further into the movie, the boy falls in love, gets into a fight and before we know it the boy is a man. Although not a regular summer blockbuster, we see characters who are each flawed but real and recognisable. And perhaps, this is why this movie has a somewhat calming effect on the viewer. And believe me, we Pakistanis, need some ‘calming effects’ in our lives. 9. 2 Guns In 2 Guns you see Robert Trench (Denzel Washington) – an undercover DEA agent – and Michael Stigman (Mark Wahlberg) – a naval officer – in the middle of a robbery gone wrong. The duo find themselves hunted by both sides of the law – the CIA, Mexican cartels, FBI, naval intelligence and even the police, for good measure. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] The movie had the old-school charm of cop movies from the 80s, thrilling action and a fast pace. Photo: Publicity[/caption] The story moved fast and the action was visible and thrilling, not to mention the old-school charm of cop movies from the 80s. Although not really liked by the critics, it had a decent box office showing. 8. Iron Man 3 I think that Robert Downey Junior who plays Tony Stark aka Iron Man is the Salman Khan of Hollywood. Like Salman, RDJ can make a bad movie and it will still be a hit. Also like Salman, he has served time in jail. But Iron man 3 is a good movie about a broken superhero who cannot fathom the events of The Avengers. Nevertheless, he gets up, dusts himself and as usual saves the day. And Gwyneth Paltrow…well, she is a lovely actress, isn’t she? [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Iron Man 3, like most superhero movies, did not really care what the critics thought. Photo: File[/caption] At the end of the day, superhero movies do not really care what the critics say and Iron Man 3 is similar. Some critics did enjoy it and it made $372 million at the box office. 7. The Great Gatsby Please just give Leonardo DiCaprio an Oscar already. The guy will not stop doing good movies. And that’s great for movie-lovers like me. The Great Gatsby revolves around the ‘great American dream’ with all its grandeur, beauty, power and ultimate loss. And it is not just the storyline and DiCaprio’s acting. The cinematography and the sets of this movie are simply breath taking. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] With beautiful cinematography and sets, The Great Gatsby was a memorable watch. Photo: Official Facebook page[/caption] Critics did not really like it but what do they know? The box office was not too impressed either but hey, I liked it. My recommendation – watch it on an HDTV screen because this movie requires a mighty canvass. 6. Drug War This is a Chinese government propaganda movie about the ill effects of meth and how good the Chinese police is at catching the bad guys. But I enjoyed it because it had a strong storyline, good acting and realism. Similar to South Korean cinema, Johnnie To – the director – made a beautiful movie after his underrated Triad Election in 2006. [embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x12aip0_%EB%8F%85%EC%A0%84-%E6%AF%92%E6%88%B0-%EB%A7%88%EC%95%BD%EC%A0%84%EC%9F%81-drug-war-2013-2_shortfilms[/embed] Drug War was well received by the critics and made good money in China. 5. Ram-Leela And Sanjay Leela Bhansali did it again! The cinematic experience was just brilliant. And who would mind looking at beautiful people cracking silly jokes? I know I did not. Although it was simply a re-telling of Romeo and Juliet in the desert of Rajastan, Deepika Padukone’s expressions, Ranvir Singh’s transformation from ‘bad boy’ to emotional lover and a strong leader and of course, the absolutely breath taking cinematography and sets made Ram-Leela a treat to watch. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] The songs, the sets, the acting - everything about Ram-Leela was grand. Photo: Publicity[/caption] A word of advice – do not watch it on cable. Go to the cinema, sit back, relax and enter the world of Bollywood fairy tale song-and-dance. The critics gave Ram-Leela mixed reviews but the audience absolutely loved it and it was a box office champion. Indian film critic, Taran Adarsh, even went so far as to say,

“Sanjay Leela’s best work so far.”

“He is still dead but he is getting warmer.”

 “To err is human, so err.”

“He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. “

In the last few months, screenings of movies with a strong Pakistani connection has surged in the United States. It has been culturally very exciting and rewarding to watch these fantastic films and afterwards attend interactive sessions with their directors and crew-members.  Saving Face, These Birds Walk, Without Shepherd, The Waves, Night Life, Lamha (Seedlings), The Reluctant Fundamentalist, Zinda Bhaag, Torn, Wounds of Waziristan, Good Morning Karachi and Anima State were presented at different film festivals in the United States. A few also went into commercial distribution. While movies like Waar and Main Hoon Shahid Afridi did create a buzz in the Pakistani cinema market, most of the internationally released movies were overlooked by the mainstream Pakistani media. What is the reason behind this phenomenon of about a dozen Pakistani independent movies suddenly appearing in the US? There are, of course, multiple factors causing this recent surge, but my best guess is that it was influenced the most after Saving Face won the Academy Award (Oscar) for best short movie in early 2012. [embed width="620"]http://vimeo.com/37342298[/embed] An independent process was going on in the creative minds of local and international filmmakers who did not follow Lollywood techniques or the local mindset. These artists, with their unique vision and experimental style, are young and most probably grew up watching Pakistani TV dramas in the 80’s, during its zenith. They have been inspired by high standards of the past but are using the big screen to fight against the inertia of the social and political status quo. These movies cover various genres such as drama, romance, documentary, musical, comedy, tragedy, action and thriller. They also cover a wide variety of emotional topics like poverty, terrorism, corruption, love, peace, wealth, art and cultural heritage. Cultural critics of these movies often object to the negative portrayal of Pakistan, such as the abuse of women, homeless children and terrorism. This criticism often comes from people who have not seen these movies but have only heard or read about them. Like any other area of art and creativity, movies present the view of the director. One may agree or disagree with the message but this should not mean that the director has to present a flowery picture of the country. Saadat Hasan Manto once said,

“If you cannot bear to hear my stories then your society is unbearable.”

When we talk about the Oscars, we mean good, quality films. During the previous year, we have seen some of the best cinema ever made. Topics that had not been dared to be produced before have admirably been made in recent works on the celluloid. Some movies provide great entertainment while others create such an intimate bond with the audience that they almost blur their vision of reality. This year’s nominations have both these types covered, which makes me all the more excited about them. Earlier this year, we witnessed many substantial award ceremonies. But the Academy Awards (Oscars) are yet to come. Although, their nominations are out, here are some predictions about who will win the Oscars this year. And if these come true, then you’d know that you have found the next Nostradamus. Just kidding. The nomination list for this year’s Oscars is seemingly very competitive. Leonardo Dicaprio of The Wolf of Wall Street is always amazing. We have Christian Bale of American Hustle, who has incredible acting talent. Alongside these, we have Chiwetel Ejiofor, with his careers best performance in the heart touching autobiography by Solomon Northup 12 years a slave. Also, Bruce Dern was incredibly outstanding in Alexander Payne’s Nebraska. However, I see a competition between Leonardo Dicaprio and Chiwetel Ejiofor for the final win. My prophecy: Chiwetel Ejiofor. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="620"] Chiwetel Ejiofor. Photo: Reuters[/caption] So many beautiful faces, in addition to some very extraordinary acting talents, these ladies have won the hearts of many cinema goers. Since the nominees are out, the fight for the Oscars has become a lot tougher. There is Amy Adams of American Hustle, Sandra Bullock of Gravity and Meryl Streep of August: Osage County is present too, to fight for the Oscars, along with Judi Dench of Philomena and Cate Blanchett of Blue Jasmine. I hold my heart while I make such a difficult decision, my pick would be Cate Blanchett. She has done some really amazing work in the movie and hence she is worthy of winning for her performance. My prophecy: Cate Blanchette [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Cate Blanchett. Photo: Reuters[/caption] Jared Leto had never been as astonishing with his acting abilities as he was in Dallas Buyers Club, I’ll have to give him that. But, by looking at the other nominations, it seems that this battle too will not be an easy one. This year’s Oscar for this category will probably go to Barkhad Abdi, for his amazing performance in Captain Phillips. My prophecy: Barkhad Abdi [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Barkhad Abdi. Photo: Reuters[/caption] This category’s nominations include our very own Julia Roberts, for her role in August: Osage County, but I don’t think she’s going to win. Regardless of her outstanding performance in Blue Jasmine, Sally Hawkins too has a low chance of winning this award. My pick for Best Actress in a Supporting Role category would be Jennifer Lawrence for American Hustle. My prophecy: Jennifer Lawrence [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Jennifer Lawrence. Photo: Reuters[/caption] To predict the best picture of the year, I am a little nervous. It would be an injustice to pick one movie out of nine outstanding ones that have been nominated for this year’s Oscar. But we have to pick one, right? So the decision has to be made. These films include edgy thrillers like Gravity and Captain Phillips and have some marvellous stories like 12 Years a Slave, Nebraska, The Wolf of Wall Street and Dallas Buyers Club. We have had emotional masterpieces like Philomena and Her, and entertainment packed punches with the likes of the American Hustle. If I were the jury, I would pick Nebraska. But this post is not about my choices but rather about my predictions, and hence I feel that 12 years a slave will win the title this year. This real life story has this mindboggling charm and that charm has won this movie many awards this year, including the Golden Globes for best picture as well as the Bafta awards. My prophecy: 12 years a slave [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] 12 years a slave. Photo: AFP[/caption] Every nomination in this category has its own inspiring charm that could win them this award. However, instead of funny animations like Despicable Me 2 and The Croods, I think Frozen is going to sweep this category. My prophecy: Frozen [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Frozen. Photo: Reuters[/caption] Although The Grand Master, Nebraska and Prisoners were all awesome movies, Emmanuel Lubezki’s Gravity has done mind-blowing work and hence should win the award for this category. My prophecy: Gravity [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Gravity. Photo: Publicity[/caption] Only one movie comes to my mind in this category – My prophecy: The American Hustle. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] The American Hustle. Photo: Reuters[/caption] This category has big names like Alfonso Cuaron for Gravity, David O. Russel for The American Hustle and Martin Scorsese for The Wolf of Wall Street. The award here should go to Alfonso Cuaron for his astonishing work in the space thriller. My prophecy:  Alfonso Cuaron Christopher Rouse has done a great job in Captain Phillips as a film editor. I think he should be awarded the Oscar. My prophecy: Christopher Rouse [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Captain Philips. Photo: Publicity[/caption] This one should go to William Butler and Owen Pallett, for Her. My prophecy: William Butler [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="304"] Her. Photo: Publicity[/caption] No doubts about it, My prophecy: Let It Go from Frozen. How can anyone decide which movie has the best visual effects if the choices include movies like The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug’, Gravity, Star Trek Into Darkness and Iron Man 3? Well, after much consideration, My prophecy is: Gravity. My prophecy: John Ridley for 12 Years a Slave will surely win. This category includes American Hustle and Her, amongst other marvellous screenplays, but again, the winner is always one and so, My prophecy is: Bob Nelson for Nebraska. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Nebraska. Photo: Publicity[/caption] So these were my predictions for the Oscars this year. I can’t wait to watch the stars walk the red carpet and to finally hear the verdict. My prophecy: Tonight’s gonna be a good good night!

Many people are comparing the newly released X-Men: Days of Future Past to Bryan Singer’s previous trilogy, which had hit the screens almost a decade ago. This comparison is kind of unfair, since the same visuals and special effects couldn’t possibly have been present in the early 2000s. What can be compared, however, is their entertainment level. And was the Days of Future Past better than the X-Men trilogy? Yes, by a record margin. [embed width="620"]http://vimeo.com/90080988[/embed] The past few X-Men movies haven’t received the same international fame or attention as Marvel’s other movies have. Sure, The Wolverine did make amends for the lacklustre X-Men Origins, and the X-Men First Class served as a great prequel to the series but Michael Fassbender’s Magneto isn’t at the same level of popularity as Robert Downey Jr’s Iron Man. Even a box office comparison between X-Men First Class and one of the Avengers’ films highlights that X-Men had to do a lot to hit off the same way as the Avengers has. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="540"] Magneto, played by Michael Fassbender. Photo: X-Men Movies Official Facebook Page[/caption] However, that’s all in the past now. The X-Men are back in the Days of Future Past, which is more thrilling and definitely worth-watching. And this time, those complaints of Wolverine being the centre of attention are all nullified. In fact, Hugh Jackman has been more or less pushed out of the limelight by the totally awesome Magneto and Mystique, played by The Hunger Games’ Jennifer Lawrence. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="540"] Wolverine, played by Hugh Jackman. Photo: X-Men Movies Official Facebook Page[/caption] Also, while the latest in the X-Men movie has a strong continuity with virtually all of its predecessors, Mystique, in particular, gets a total revamp from the trilogy; while in the previous movies she’s basically nothing more than one of Magneto’s inherently evil pawns, in this part of the series she retains her Catwoman-like neutrality. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="540"] Mystique, played by Jennifer Lawrence. Photo: X-Men Movies Official Facebook Page[/caption] None of the mutants are really inherently evil, or simplistic in that sense this time around, and the conflict between Professor X and Magneto is not in their objectives but in their methods of achieving those objectives. However, there are still some disappointments. The older X-Men, like Storm and Iceman, get very little screen-time and since the conventional Cyclops and Jean Grey are dead in the series, it would’ve been nice to see more of the old faces do something more, other than just run away from the Sentinels. The Professor X of the past, played by James McAvoy, is incredibly unlikable, and isn’t very consistent with the honourable Charles Xavier of the First Class. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="540"] Professor Charles Xavier, played by James McAvoy. Photo: X-Men Movies Official Facebook Page[/caption] The amazing characters that were introduced in the First Class have been killed off-screen, in the interlude between First Class and Days of Future Past. Characters such as the fans’ favourite and Professor X’s rival, Emma Frost, played by Mad Men’s January Jones, have also been cut-off. New characters have very little plot surrounding them, which could be a precedent for future films to build on. Peter Dinklage also makes for a dull antagonist, being a very shabby competition for other superhero villains like Loki. There are plenty of allusions for die-hard fans to ponder on as well. Quicksilver, Magneto’s illegitimate son in the comics (which is only hinted at in the movie) is definitely a new character that stands out. His sister, Wanda, who will be played by Elizabeth Olsen as one of the heroes in Avengers 2 as the Scarlet Witch, also makes a cameo as a toddler. All in all, this is one fun film to watch, and while this isn’t a mind-blowing Nolanesque superhero flick, it’s definitely worth watching.

This movie has been a long time coming. Brought to you by Legendary Pictures – the same studio that brought another monster-kaiju movie last year, Pacific Rim – Godzilla hits all the right chords for everyone, whether it is the die-hard Godzilla fan or the casual movie goer. Unlike the 1998 box office failure of the same name, this movie remake can stand on its own two feet; it has a back-to-basics approach that gives the origin story of the monster and then some. [embed width="620"]http://vimeo.com/81531563[/embed] While paying homage to the original cult classic of 1954, Godzilla (2014) builds on a more realistic story arch that makes the whole notion of such a behemoth monster to ever exist much more plausible. Instead of just going for excessive computer-generated imagery (CGI) visuals, which has become part and parcel of many big-budgeted Hollywood movies and often takes precedence over the storyline itself, director Gareth Edwards has chosen the latter to be the driving force of the whole movie. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="300"] Director Gareth Edwards. Photo: Godzilla official Facebook page[/caption] While there are spectacular visuals in this summer blockbuster, the human element, tragedy and drama are ever present, and dominant in somewhat of an undiminished capacity. The movie takes its time to unveil the star of the show (around 40 minutes in), which we are all anxiously waiting to see, but rest assured, the wait is worth your while. Apart from the main monstrosity Godzilla, we have the MUTO (Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organism) in the movie as well. However, for the sake of not spoiling the story in general, one must regress from delving into the details as to what are they doing in the film since Godzilla is the main protagonist of the movie itself. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Godzilla official Facebook page[/caption] In its totality, out of the total running time (123 minutes) of the movie, Godzilla has about 20-25 minutes of screen time. The director attributes this lack of screen time with building tension and hype; teasing the beast itself until unveiling it in its full glory in the final hour of the movie. This has an added effect which is compounded more effectively rather than giving up the movie’s best asset earlier on. It would be a shame to not to mention Godzilla’s signature roar, and luckily, they got it right this time as opposed to the 1998 flick that had a shrieking roar reminiscent of the beast in agonising pain – it just didn’t feel right. This time around, it has its own distinctive roar, unlike any other. Chances are, if you are going to see this movie it’ll be in a cinema and when you hear the roar for the first time, it’ll hit your eardrums with a potent percussive might. The end note of the roar will get you confused about whether it is an added musical note (familiar to a dub-step or a techno note) to create the hype or the echo of the beast itself. With context to the actors involved, there is various A grade talent at display here, but Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) is of special mention here. He single-handedly accounts for the human element and emotional drama that is largely missing in these kinds of summer blockbuster movies, where the humans take a back seat in terms of the story. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Bryan Cranston poses at the premiere of "Godzilla". Photo: Reuters[/caption] Other cast members include Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Kickass 1 and 2), Elizabeth Olsen, Ken Watanabe, Sally Hawkins, Juliette Binoche and David Strathairn. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Salman Junejo[/caption] If it is playing at a cinema near you, I’d say go and watch it. Feel the monstrosity yourself. [poll id="342"]

The incident, in which a female bus conductor in India was beaten up, on June 6, only proves that the country has learnt from history that it has learnt nothing from history. Even after the global hue and cry over the gang rape of the student in 2012, the Indian male populations’ attitude towards women hasn’t undergone any significant transformation. In fact, it has gotten worse where even the politicians are desensitised to the extent of calling rape ‘right in some cases and wrong in others’, as stated by Babulal Gaur, the home minister of Madhya Pradesh. Given that caste mentality still rampant in India today, this probably means that rape is ‘right’ when it occurs to a woman of the lower caste and ‘wrong’ when the victim belongs to a higher, more acceptable class. A number of reasons stand out when attempting to assess the possible reasons behind the grave desensitisation to rape in India. For instance, if the caste system, and the humility that this class is subjected to, makes every injustice towards them correct, it will be a long time until the Indians get anywhere in getting legislation related to rape acted upon by the population. While the politicians duly devise legislation to control the menace, the policemen directly concerned with registering the cases and moving them forward, duly refuse to do so. If any legislation regarding rape in India had really been effective, the guy beating up the bus conductor would have had second thoughts. Also, none of the male passengers came to help her. In fact, the conductor from the other bus who came to her aid was also a woman. All this goes to show, and reiterate, that the male psyche in the country continues to consider people from the fairer-sex worthless and lowly despite the country’s rise to the status of the third largest economy in the world. Obviously, the culture has yet to catch up with the economic boom. The Indian law professor Ratna Kapur calls sexual violence in India an ‘epidemic’ where ‘women will continue to be nothing more than disposable lives’. According to the Times of India, 95 per cent of women in Delhi and nearby areas do not feel safe outdoors. The general male psyche in the country not only includes the population but, sadly, encompasses the politicians of the country as well. In yet another case, two girls from an ‘untouchable caste’ were raped at night when they ventured into a nearby field of chili plants to answer the call of nature. The next morning, they were found hanging from a mango tree. In fact, when a journalist broached the topic in front of Akhilesh Yadav, the chief minister in Uttar Pradesh, he responded saying,

“You’re not facing any danger, are you? Then why are you worried? What’s it to you?”

“Boys will be boys. They commit mistakes.”

From the day that the trailer for Edge of Tomorrow was revealed, it was surrounded by a buzz. With Tom Cruise playing the lead and the amazing visual effects, I was sure we were in for a mega summer blockbuster; in fact, the day the film was released in Pakistan, all the shows were sold out! That, in itself, seemed thoroughly promising. [embed width="620"]http://vimeo.com/93601543[/embed] Boy was I disappointed. There was absolutely nothing extraordinary about the movie, in fact, in my opinion, it lacked a power-punch packed script and failed to keep the audience engaged in the overall plot. Its slogan, ‘Live, Die, Repeat’ pretty much sums it up; that is literally all I thought was going on throughout. This big-budget Cruise movie failed for me and here are four reasons why, [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="327"] Photo: IMDb[/caption] 1. Too much repetition The movie repeats the same scene so many times that after a little while, I couldn’t take it anymore. Halfway through the movie and I had lost all interest. Cruise’s dreams portray his future actions which he carries out once he wakes up – now, if remember correctly, Inception did something similar, but I do not recall being bored. Anyhow, so in the film he gets killed, wakes up from his dream and starts all over, dies and starts again; this cycle of waking up from his dreams and repeating the same actions again and again made the film unbearably monotonous.  Perhaps, the director thought this was a good way to get the movie to run two hours. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="599"] Photo: IMDb[/caption] 2. Overdose of action What is an action movie without Cruise’s stunts? Yes, I understand that we love the whole Mission Impossible persona Cruise carries with him, and I never thought I would say this, but sometimes, we really need to put a cap on the amount of action sequences permitted per movie; with or without Tom Cruise. The lack of a solid storyline stood out like a sore thumb in every (overdone) war incident, killing and terror scene in the film. Too much action and no content is one of the factors that contributed to this movie’s failure in my eyes. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="599"] Photo: IMDb[/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="599"] Photo: IMDb[/caption] [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="593"] Photo: IMDb[/caption] 3. Ordinary 3D effects Considering this was the next big sci-fi movie to hit the screens, the 3D effects were surprisingly average. With the advancement of technology and all that shebang, it was expected that such a big budget movie, famed for being 3D, would not only blow us away with the 3D effects, they would bring us things we had never seen before. Unfortunately, Edge of Tomorrow failed on both accounts. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="593"] Photo: IMDb[/caption] Spoiler alert! 4. What the hell was that ending? As the movie came to an end, I thought, ‘this is it, this is where they make this all worth the while’ and then bam, fell flat on the ground. If I had known that this movie was about a US major who was going to turn all his ‘dreams into reality’ through an alien mission, I would’ve just stopped right there. I mean, where is the creativity? [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="598"] Photo: IMDb[/caption] Sadly, the weak ending was just the cherry on top of the cake. This movie, in my opinion, is not worth the time or the money, so don’t waste either on it. To sum up my experience, all I can say is, those are two hours of my life I am never getting back and I wish I hadn’t wasted them on this.

Young at heart and seasoned with emotions is how one would best describe the ingredients of the movie Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania. There are films that cine-fans want to watch over and over again, and this is one such movie for sure. Needless to say, the movie is the outcome of the hard work of a great production house, promising debutante director Shashank Khaitan, and actors Varun Dhawan, Alia Bhatt and Siddharth Shukla. What else could one expect from such an attempt? [embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1wsmcg_humpty-sharma-ki-dulhania-official-trailer-%E1%B4%B4%E1%B4%B0_shortfilms[/embed] This is the typical story of a soon-to-be-wed girl, Kavya (Alia Bhatt), trying to live her life to the fullest before marriage. She makes a trip to Delhi to buy her Kareena Kapoor style designer lehenga for her big day and to live life on her own terms for a while. In Delhi, she meets Humpty (Varun Dhawan), becomes really good friends with him and unknowingly falls in love with him. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="595"] Photo: Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania Facebook page[/caption] As all good things must come to an end, so does her vacation and she sets back towards her home in Ambala. Humpty, realising how much he loves her, follows her with his friends in an attempt to convince her strict and stubborn father that he is the man for his daughter. After listening to Humpty’s plea, Kavya’s father, Singh Sir (Ashutosh Rana), gives him a chance to compete with Kavya’s fiancé Angad Bedi (Siddharth Shukla) and prove himself to be the perfect match for his daughter. The rest is an amazing series of events that follow. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="598"] Photo: Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania Facebook page[/caption] Varun and Alia debuted together in 2012’s block buster Student of the Year. It is evident from their new production that they have great on-screen chemistry and complement each other perfectly and naturally. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="595"] Photo: Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania Facebook page[/caption] Varun portrays the typical sweet boy’s and oozes out charm. He knows his forte and can easily turn any dialogue to his favour, impressing the audience with his performance. Girls loved him and guys applauded his acting skills. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="450"] Photo: Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania Facebook page[/caption] Alia is sizzling, sweet and her dialogue in the movie – “main paida hi hot hui thi” (I was born hot) – describes her character the best. After her intense role in Highway, she is back with a more comfortable, power-packed, carefree and emotional role in this film. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="450"] Photo: Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania Facebook page[/caption] Siddharth is not a new name but is an established actor in Bollywood. He is confident, comfortable and always gives an incredibly heartfelt performance. In some of the sequences in this movie, he really looks like ‘Mr Perfect’; in my opinion, given that he makes the right choices, I see a great future in acting for him. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="539"] Photo: Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania Facebook page[/caption] It is a treat to watch Ashutosh in a light role with a dash of intensity when the moment calls for it. He is enacts both, the friendly and angry, roles perfectly. Both the actors casted for the roles of Varun’s friends Shonty (Gaurav Pandey) and Poplu (Sahil Vaid) give an exceptional performance. Pandey, however, has what it takes to be a main lead one day – voice, personality, attitude and a notable screen presence. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="595"] Photo: Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania Facebook page[/caption] Performance wise, the movie had the perfect casted; not a single actor seemed out of place in the role he or she was playing. Some of the scenes worth watching include Humpty’s birthday, when Humpty snaps at Singh Sir and calls him Poplu, and when Kavya and Humpty blackmail the cool hunk who happens to be the principal’s son. The music falls between average and good. The three songs that stand out in particular are “Main Tenu Samjhawan”, “Saturday Saturday” and “Emotional Fool”. [embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1zbzwo_samjhawan-humpty-sharma-ki-dulhania-hd-video-song-arijit-singh-shreya-ghoshal_music[/embed] [embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1yupco_saturday-saturday-hd-video-song-humpty-sharma-ki-dulhania-2014_music[/embed] Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania is a must watch for all those who have fallen in love at one point or the other in their lives. It’s cute, romantic, light-hearted and one emotional ride. Remember Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge and Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai? Well, this is a reel back and one you wouldn’t mind watching again and again. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="595"] Photo: Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania Facebook page[/caption] On the basis of performances, script and direction, it deserves a good four out of five rating. A heartfelt and absolute entertainer!

Director Brett Ratner, who has previously directed the Rush Hour trilogy, X-Men: The Last Stand, and Horrible Bosses, brings Hercules, an action-packed movie with Greek muscles written all over it. [embed width="620"]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1jounb_hercules-international-trailer_shortfilms[/embed] Pumping the action in the lead role is former World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) superstar, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, who is seen clad in leather attire while swinging his swords and clubs at his enemies with Greek conviction. Unlike the Greek mythology, where Hercules is the son of Zeus, the movie doesn’t bode that connection as this time the story is somewhat different. Hercules (Dwayne Johnson) is the leader of the mercenaries and although he is regarded as the demigod son of Zeus, the story portrays him as a human. Nevertheless, it did not bother Hercules for he has acquired training to take down beasts twice his size. Moreover, the story narrates the reason why Hercules became mortal. To know this, the viewers must watch the movie. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: IMDb[/caption] The story is quite straightforward, where Hercules is asked by Lord Cotys of Thrace (John Hurt) to provide his army with ample training to defend the Thracian Kingdom against Rheseus (Tobias Santelmann). Those following Hercules in his band of mercenary are Amphiaraus (Ian McShane), Autolycus (Rufus Sewell), Tydeus (Aksel Hennie), Atalanta (Ingrid Bolso Berdal) and  Iolaus (Reece Ritchie). All are experts in particular domains of warfare. Iolaus, however, is Hercules’ nephew and the one who narrates the story. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="593"] Still of Rufus Sewell, Aksel Hennie, Dwayne Johnson, Ingrid Bolso Berdal and Reece Ritchie. Photo: IMDb[/caption] To keep the story simple, the narrative explains that Hercules did complete the Twelve Labours, a feat that made him a legend. However, the story doesn’t dwell on these achievements. Only glimpses of his success were shown in the opening scenes of the movie, which set the pace with special effects of battle scenes shot to suit Herculean might. Though the movie is set in Greek times, one can relate the story to on-going modern day conflicts among countries and in particular regions, as Lord Cotys is aggressively pursuing to expand his kingdom while Hercules and his men are preventing him from doing so. Ring any bells? It was Lord Cotys’ daughter, Ergenia (Rebecca Ferguson), who delivered his father’s message to Hercules. He did have a brief moment of romance with Ergenia, however, it was a decent attempt not to prolong the affair because the movie is about muscles, fights and an adrenaline rush that shows why Johnson is a rising action star. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="590"] Photo: IMDb[/caption] In the previous versions of Hercules, it was portrayed that in time of need, Hercules would call upon his father, Zeus, for help. The ruler of Mount Olympus would send his soldiers or would change the weather to beat the enemy to save Hercules. However, in this version, since the demigod son is human, he must therefore complete all the tasks on his own. This, however, adds spice to the story, as the viewer’s know that Hercules will be in action this time and not Zeus. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: IMDb[/caption] Johnson began preparing for the role months before the shooting began. Although he was always in top shape because of his wrestling career and later turned into an action star, he needed to go an extra mile to turn himself into Hercules. According to Johnson, he trained himself in Budapest where he would begin his workouts at three in the morning. For nearly eight months, he followed a schedule of working out for hours in the gym, consuming a strong three course diet and shooting for the film that could go on for 12 hours. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="594"] Photo: IMDb[/caption] Ratner’s professional graph will take a giant leap for he has never done a movie based on a Greek character and his past projects belonged to the genre of fantasy, science fiction, comedy or drama. After directing X-Men: The Last Stand (2005), which wasn’t as big a success as the other movies of the X-Men franchise, Ratner was in pursuit of a movie that could establish his directorial skills, and Hercules certainly is his best work yet. It has catapulted both Ratner and Johnson’s careers to new heights. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="593"] Photo: IMDb[/caption] With a story as big as Hercules’, the running time of the movie is 98 minutes. Ratner and producers, Barry Levine and Beau Flynn have done a good job summing up the story with breath-taking action sequences within a time span of 100 minutes. The 3D effects bring action to life as Hercules’ weapons and his battles become prominent along with the special effects that are just what the viewers want to see. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="593"] Photo: IMDb[/caption] Even though the film has action and a smooth story, it seems as if the sword wielding scenes were honed down for some reason. The movie is adapted from the graphic novel of the same name and those who have read the novel must be wondering why similar graphic content wasn’t shown in its scenes. Being an avid fan of Johnson, this is perhaps my only criticism. Besides that, the movie is a good watch that would appeal more to male viewers for its testosterone-fuelled fights.