Toronto 2012: Festival Director Piers Handling Expects Strong Film Market

Hot TIFF titles for U.S. buyers include the latest works by Robert Redford, Brian De Palma, Terrence Malick, Harmony Korine, Derek Cianfrance and Liz Garbus.

TORONTO - After lengthening its red carpets to help star-driven titles debut to foreign buyers, Toronto International Film Festival organizers are pumping up the volume on their unofficial market.

"I don’t think it's just going to be OK. I think it's going to be a very strong year," TIFF director Piers Handling told The Hollywood Reporter about the slew of sales companies headed to Toronto to close deals with key distributors from around the globe.

Robert Redford's The Company You Keep and Brian De Palma’s Passion will both arrive in Toronto for a North American debut without U.S. distribution, and, as things stand today, so too will Derek Cianfrance’s The Place Beyond The Pines and Harmony Korine’s Spring Breakers.

Despite a flat economy, Handling expects an exceptional year for film sales in Toronto, which is well on its way to recovering from the deep market trough experienced in 2008-09.

"There’s no question the industry has become more healthy. It certainly went into a deep drought and I don’t think it has come back out entirely,” Handling said.

As in past years, TIFF programmers are front-end loading the festival with sales titles, many of which are star-driven to boost buyer appeal.

These include: What Maisie Knew, by directors Scott McGhee and David Siegel; Shola Lynch’sFree Angela and All Political Prisoners; Liz Garbus’ Love, Marilyn, To the Wonder, by Terrence Malick; and Joss Whedon’s Much Ado About Nothing.

Handling insisted mid-range indie titles with budgets of between $20 million to $40 million, the range in which most international filmmakers screening in Toronto work, remain the most challenged in finding buyers.

"They’re not working with the big budgets, the tentpole summer films. And they’re not making the low-budget $10-million-dollar pictures. They’ve done that, been there, seen it. So they’re in the mid-range," Handling said of mid-budget indie filmmakers.

Other hot films for U.S. buyers include Mira Nair’s The Reluctant Fundamentalist, Deepa Mehta’sMidnight's Children, Sally Potter’s Ginger and Rosa, Mike Newell’s Great Expectations andThanks for Sharing, by Stuart Blumberg.

U.S. distributors will also have their pick of Ramaa Mosley’s Brass Teapot, the tennis doc Venus and Serena by Maiken Baird, Kon-Tiki, by directors Joachim Roenning and Espen Sandberg, Chinese director Hur Jin-Ho’s Dangerous Liaisons and Ariel Vromen’s The Iceman.

Mediaset Shares on the Rise on Rumors of Middle Eastern Buyers

Shares in the Silvio Berlusconi-controlled giant are up 15 percent over the last two sessions, the biggest two-day gain since 2008.

ROME – Mediaset shares closed with their biggest two-day gains in four years on speculation that a group of Middle East investors are acquiring shares with an eye toward becoming the company’s second leading shareholder after founder and Italian mogul Silvio Berlusconi.

Shares closed trading Friday at €1.61 ($1.98), up 14.9 percent since Wednesday’s close. Despite the dramatic increase, the shares are still down 26 percent since the start of the year, and only 11 trading days removed from a 52-week low of €1.17 ($1.44).

Trading in Mediaset shares had been unusually heavy earlier in the week, and reports circulated starting Wednesday that an unnamed group of Middle Eastern investors were discretely gobbling up shares to take a large minority stake in the company and perhaps earn one or two seats on the Mediaset board.

“It’s always hard to tell where this kind of speculation comes from, but it’s moving the share price and it’s very possible that will continue next week,” said Olivero Fiorini, an analyst with Milan’s ABS Securities.

Mediaset shares have been beaten down in recent months due to declining revenue from advertising due to the country’s economic malaise -- first half profits reported in July were down 74 percent from the previous year -- as well as speculation that Berlusconi has been distracted from the operations of the media giant he founded as he mulls another political run in 2013, in hopes of becoming prime minister again.

Mediaset is Italy’s largest media company, with three television networks in Italy and one in Spain, a large cinema production and distribution division, holdings in print media, and the country’s biggest advertising media buyer.

Book review - Bollywood's Top-20 Superstars of Indian Cinema

Now this is one book that leaves you with a sense of emptiness despite the fact that is loaded enough with as many as 20 write-ups on some of the most popular superstars in Bollywood. Even though it is quite word heavy, what with as many as 250 pages being dedicated to these superstars, the overall read is more literary than entertaining. This, when one is willing to ignore the fact that some of the most notable superstars have been missed from the 20 that Bhaichand Patel has compiled while entrusting other authors to pen down their thoughts for the respective actors.

There is no reason to complain though for the ones who have been selected and those who have been missed in the Top-20. After all, it is a compiler's individual prerogative and there is no point expecting your list to match with his. However, what one does complain about is the uneven narrative that the entire book takes with many chapters being plain boring that leads to severe dissatisfaction. 



Of course the authors may argue that in ~10 pages that they were allotted to them for a particular superstar, there was limitation imposed on what to detail and what to omit. Still, as a reader, you do expect good meat in that limited space as well. The one who does best in this endeavour is Avijit Ghosh who comes up with a brilliant account of Rajesh Khanna in the shortest possible span and space. Interestingly worded and effectively told, it is a good tribute to the man who was pretty much alive when the book had hit the stands. 

On the other hand the write up on the most popular superstar of all times, Amitabh Bachchan, hardly matches the standards set by Avijit. It seems like just a quick compilation and one has all the right reasons to sense the emptiness because several books have already been written on the legend. In a way Siddharth Bhatia too was handicapped due to this very factor but then when the situation is tough, it is all the more reason for an author to turn imaginative. 

This is something that Shefalee Vasudev tries for Madhuri Dixit, though to severely amusing results. She just goes on and on in her heroine worship for Madhuri as Mohini (of Tezaab fame) and the entire write up just revolves around this very single factor with hardly anything interesting for the audience to revel on. 

The earlier generation of Bollywood (when the industry wasn't named so) is covered as well with the likes of K.L. Saigal, Devika Rani, Ashok Kumar, Nargis, Suraiya, Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor, Dev Anand, Madhubala, Meena Kumari, Shammi Kapoor and Waheeda Rehman being covered. Well, this again turns out to be a mixed bag as most of the tales of the ones who were seen in the early days of cinema are mainly hear-say than being supported by documented evidence. Also, many amongst them have already seen books being dedicated for them and when most of them couldn't satiate a reader's hunger in the past, it is all the more tough to imagine a 10 page write up to do the job. 

There are a few interesting lesser known factors thrown in thought that still manage to keep the interest alive. For example, not many would be aware of the fact that Nargis was charged with once shoplifting at a Marks & Spencer store in London. Or before Kajol (yes, she also finds a place as one of the Top-20 superstars!) arrived on the scene with Bekhudi, she was actually being directed by her mother Tanuja in a film, which was eventually shelved. 

Many such interesting tales in the lives of Hema Malini, Aamir Khan or Kareena Kapoor could have added further weight (no pun intended) to the book but sadly, it doesn't quite happen. At best, it turns out to be a haphazard read that only takes a sudden twist at certain instances, case in point being Namrata Joshi's write up on Shahrukh where she starts off well but as an afterthought suddenly positions his Bollywood status as someone who is 'losing his stardom'. 

Well, doesn't that by itself make one further apprehensive about the real value add that the book brings? 

Price: Rs. 599

Rating: **1/2

Ketan Mehta creates short film as a tribute to Aamir's Satyamev Jayate

Ketan Mehta and Aamir Khan go a long way. The actor has been a part of Mehta's directorial ventures such asHoli and Mangal Pandey: The Rising in the past. Now as a friendly gesture of sorts, Ketan Mehta has made a 7 minute short film as a tribute of sorts to Aamir's much talked about TV show 'Satyamev Jayate'.Mehta feels that 'Satyamev Jayate' transformed the way TV was used as a medium for the greater good of the society and hence through his company Maya (which specializes in animation and visual effects), the director created a short film as a tribute to the show. The short film captures various tweets from various influential people from all walks of life and their reactions to the show and the 7 minute film has been uploaded across social media platforms.

Group Using Obama's Hollywood Supporters in Campaign Against Him (Video)

Former military and CIA officers employ images of Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg and Kathryn Bigelow in new effort to derail Obama reelection.

A group of former military and C.I.A. officers kicked off a campaign to malign President Barack Obama over alleged security leaks by appearing on seven TV shows on Thursday. The backbone of their effort, though, is a 22-minute video that has been viewed about 400,000 times since it posted Wednesday on YouTube.

While the administration and liberal organizations quickly denounced the group, known as OPSEC, as a clone of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth that helped derail the 2004 presidential campaign of Sen. John Kerry, the OPSEC team differs in at least one way: it is using Hollywood figures in the campaign against the Democratic president.

A component of OPSEC’s effort is the accusation from some Republican lawmakers that director Kathryn Bigelow and writer Mark Boal were afforded access to classified details about the killing of Osama bin Laden, which is the subject of Zero Dark Thirty, a feature film Sony will release in December.

In the video, titled Dishonorable Disclosures, OPSEC memberFred Rustamann, a 24-year veteran of the C.I.A., complains of Obama taking credit for killing bin Laden, then he says:

“Days after the raid, Hollywood was invited into the White House so that they could receive a briefing on exactly how the raid took place, what kind of sources we had, what kind of methods we use.”

As he speaks, Barbra Streisand is shown presenting to Bigelow the Oscar she won for directing The Hurt Locker. More suggestively, Obama is seen speaking to a room full of Hollywood notables just as Rustamann delivers his line about a presidential briefing.

The image, though, is an official White House photo taken in March 2010, of Obama speaking in the Family Theater of the White House before a screening of the HBO miniseries The Pacific. Sitting in the front row are Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, two of the miniseries' executive producers.

The entire video is embedded below. The portion about Hollywood begins at the 11:50 mark.

While using stock footage and B-roll video is a hallmark of documentary filmmaking, Spielberg and Hanks likey won't appreciate that their likenesses are being used as a battering ram against Obama, given their support for the president. Spielberg, for example, has donated $35,800 to the Obama Victory Fund 2012 while Hanks stars in a 17-minute video promoting the re-election of Obama.

OPSEC, military shorthand for “operational security,” is also shorthand for the full name of the group, which is Special Operations OPSEC Education Fund. The nonprofit group bills itself as nonpartisan, though some members have been involved with conservative Tea Party groups and OPSEC memberScott Taylor, a former Navy SEAL, ran unsuccessfully as a Republican candidate for Congress in 2010.

Dishonorable Disclosures begins with several well-known journalists and opinion-makers reporting on security leaks. Chris Matthews asks on MSNBC, for example, “Drip, drip, drip. What’s with all this leaking during the first year of the Obama administration?”

Beyond the video, the group’s website lays out several specific complaints of classified information they say came from the White House that, if known by terrorists, would get American military personnel injured or killed.

A sort of slideshow on the site lists 10 alleged damages as the result of leaks. “Damage #4” reads: “Obama administration gave Hollywood special access to DOD and C.I.A. details of the operation.”

The slide also contains a couple of lines from a Maureen Dowd column in the New York Times, one reading, “The moviemakers are getting top-level access to the most classified mission in history,” and the other reading, “It was clear that the White House had outsourced the job of manning up the president’s image to Hollywood when Boal got welcomed to the upper echelons of the White House and the Pentagon and showed up recently – to the surprise of some military officers – at a C.I.A. ceremony celebrating the hero SEALs.”

Vivek Oberoi's producers now fight over music

Looks like the fight between the producers for Vivek's film is far than over. With Amit Chandrra's KISMET LOVE PAISA DILLI (KLPD) and Kumar Taurani'sJAYANTA BHAI KI LUV STORY (JBKLS) releasing on the same date i.e. 5th October, the makers seem to have taken the fight to another level.



Producer Amit Chandrra (of KLPD) and Kumar Taurani of (JBKLS) have roped in singers Mika and Atif Aslam to croon for their respective films. What's interesting is that both Mika (of 'Ganpat' fame from SHOOTOUT AT LOKHANDWALA) and Atif Aslam (of 'Tere Liye' fame from PRINCE) have had a successful partnership with Vivek. That's why it's interesting to see Taurani and Amit get these two singers in their films. The idea behind roping them is clear: both producers want to upstage each other with hit numbers.Vivek oberoi has worked hard on both the films, and as an actor he can't favour any one producer so he is completely out of it.

Amit on his part has gone one step ahead by teaming up Mika with Vivek for a special video. Today the singer will be canning the title number along with the actor at filmcity.

On touching base with Amit he stated that Mika and Vivek have a 100 percent track record. Plus the film being Delhi based and Vivek, Mika both being Punjabi, it made more sense to have Mika on board. He further added that he is sure that Mika has done a better job than 'Ganpat' with our songs. While KISMET LOVE PAISA DILLI features Mallika Sherawat and Ashutosh Rana alongside Vivek, JAYANTABHAI KI LUV STORY will see Neha Sharma. 

Ashok Mehta: Ace cinematographer who refined the contours of film making

Cinematographers generally are the faceless entities associated with film making, but veteran cinematographer Ashok Mehta who died of lung cancer, was one of the select few who made his presence felt both through his work as also through his persona. The signature statement of Ashok Mehta was his western cowboy hat which he always used to sport.



It was Shashi Kapoor who had given him the break in 36 CHOWRANGEE LANE and those who have seen it would vouch for the fact the manner in which the film has been lit has made it a cult film for all times to come. Though he had made his debut with LAL KOTHI in 1978, it was 36 CHOWRANGEE LANE that catapulted him to the category of ace cinematographer. It was followed by Shyam Benegal's TRIKAL and MANDI, Shekhar Kapoor's BANDIT QUEEN and Subhash Ghai's RAM LAKHAN, SAUDAGAR, KISNA etc.

Were it not for Ashok Mehta who added depth to BANDIT QUEEN, Shekhar Kapoor would not have got the acceptance by the western audience, as the rugged terrain of Chambal was photographed in such a manner that it further accentuated the ruggedness, especially the scenes on the waterfront where the boats have to be rowed indeed added depth to the beauty of the landscape. In the same manner a period film like UTSAV would not have been authentic where it not for the imaginative manner in which Ashok Mehta had picturised the film. The golden glow of UTSAV which conveyed a sense of warmth was the effect that Mehta had created by sing oil lamps to light the landscape. Or TRIKAAL which was shot mostly under the candle light, but never did the lack of light in any way lessened the presence of light in the shots of the film. The period that Shyam Benegal wanted to create for TRIKAAL of the era when there was no electricity was captured with magic. It was the same effect with BANDIT QUEEN as well.

His commercial sojourn began when he became a cinematographer for RAM LAKHAN and it was Rakhee Guljar who had recommended him for the job after seeing his work in PAROMA. In all the films that Ashok Mehta did for Ghai, be it RAM LAKHAN, SAUDAGAR, KHALNAYAK or KISNA it is the landscape that mesmerizes and adds depth to the visual presence.

Ashok Mehta also became a director and gave to the world of Hindi cinema an actor in the form of Arjun Rampal  through his maiden effort MOKSHA. He was a master of lights, who took the element of contrast as a visual element to commanding heights. For a man who never went to any school of cinematography to reach such commanding heights indeed is a tribute to the acumen of the man who had mastered the usage of light in all forms. May his soul rest in 'lighted' peace. 

Salman's EK THA TIGER banned in Pakistan

The Pakistan Censor Board has reportedly banned Salman Khan's latest releaseEK THA TIGER (ETT) in the country.

Replying to a fan's query on Twitter, director Kabir Khan posted: "True... @BeingTeJan: #EkThaTiger gets banned in Pakistan.It ws abt peace & friendship between Indo-Pak."

"Pak censor said No @o_chandio: please confirm us is E.T.T releasing In pakistan...sIr Buht pareshaan hoon," he tweeted confirming the news to another fan.





Khan said the Pakistan Censor Board did not give any reason for banning the film.

"They didn't give any reason @niinja41: bt why they said no," he replied to a follower on the micro-blogging site.

He said there is not the slightest chance for the release of the movie in the neighbouring country.

"Sorry :-( @RiaaSheikh: Is there some hope? thoda sa bhi nahi? :( We waited for almost a year for the movie," Khan posted for another fan. 

The film was to release with 35 prints in Pakistan on Eid and, as per trade analysts, could have made a business of Rs 10 crore in the country.

The film was initially declared anti-Pakistan film, for which the concerned authorities banned the screening of the film. Later the film received a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for a special screening for the members of the Pakistan Censor Board.

Pertinently, EK THA TIGER, which was released in India on Aug 15, made a business of Rs. 32 crore on the opening day itself.

The film starring Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif in the leads is based on the activities of Indian and Pakistan spy agencies -RAW and ISI. 

Man Sentenced in British Piracy Case Attacks Copyright Group

Anton Vickerman, the first U.K. citizen sentenced to prison for linking to pirated content, criticizes the Federation Against Copyright Theft, which is financed by the film industry.

LONDON - The British man sentenced earlier this week to four years in prison for running web site Surfthechannel.com, which linked to pirated films and TV shows, has attacked the methods of the U.K. film industry-supported anti-piracy group that prosecuted him.

The man, Anton Vickerman, became the first British person to get a prison sentence for providing online links to pirated content.

The Guardian reported that Vickerman, who is expected to appeal, has lashed out at the evidence gathering techniques of the Federation Against Copyright Theft (Fact), which is financed by the film industry. In an 18,000-word blog post, the 38-year-old claimed that Fact at first wrongly complained to police that he was criminally distributing DVDs from home. That led to a search warrant the prosecutors used to seize computers at his house in 2008, he argued.

"If you were looking for an example of British justice in all its shining glory then you weren't going to find it here," the Guardian quoted Vickerman as saying on his blog. Surfthechannel "did not, nor has it ever" streamed content itself, he added.

The paper said evidence was also gathered at a meeting that saw an undercover Fact agent posing as an investor in Vickerman's web site.

Vickerman also suggested that the "chain of evidence" of data collection from his computer to the material presented in court was not complete and that a secret hearing with an unidentified witness further turned the judge in his case against him.

"It became clear to me even at this stage that I was not going to receive a fair trial," he wrote in his blog post, the Guardiansaid.

Fact declined to comment on Vickerman's claims. "He is a convicted criminal, though he's entitled to say what he wants," a spokesman told the Guardian. "But it should be remembered that this case has been through an eight-week criminal trial with a verdict decided by a jury."

Culinary Cinema Makes Debut at Transatlantyk Film & Music Festival

The popular Berlinale sidebar kicks off in Poznan, Poland with “Mugaritz B.S.O.,” a meditation on food and music from Spanish director Felipe Ugarte.

Programmers of the second annual Transatlantyk Film & Music Festival couldn’t have asked for a more appropriate film to launch the event’s first foray into Culinary Cinema.

The sidebar, which launched at the Berlin International Film Festival six years ago under the guidance of curator Thomas Struck, got underway Thursday evening with a screening of Spanish helmer Felipe Ugarte’s Mugaritz B.S.O, a meditative look at the relationship between food and music.

Given the Transatlantyk festival’s focus on film music and the mandate from composer and creative director Jan Kaczmarekthat the event be a “festival of ideas,” Ugarte’s documentary appeared to be tailor-made for the Poznan, Poland-based event.

The film chronicles Ugarte’s attempts to create musical representations of some of the dishes found on the menu of the Basque country restaurant called Mugaritz. Through conversations with Mugaritz chefAndoni Luis Aduriz Ugarte, who has a background in music accompaniment to a variety of dishes, traveling as far as Peru and Ethiopia to record indigenous music.

On hand for the screening in Poznan, Ugarte said he was inspired to make the film when it occurred to him that food and music would often have a similar effect on him.

“I think like a lot of people when I was having a very bad time or a very good time I turned to either food or music,” Ugarte told The Hollywood and Bollywood Data base. “When I ate at Mugaritz I would feel like I was in love, so I told Andoni we need to make a musical project based on this connection to food.”

As is the custom with the Culinary Cinema sidebar, the Mugaritz screening was followed by a four course dinner inspired by the film. Local chef Krzystof Rabek prepared a menu for fest goers that included steak tartar, rainbow trout and pig cheek.

For curator Struck, the Culinary Cinema program is about more than simply a good meal - it’s about a global film industry that he says has become too much like fast food.

“With the mass production of food there is a loss of diversity,” Struck told TheHBDb.  “And it is the same for film. So for a film festival that is interested in cultural diversity it is not possible without biological diversity. Movies are much more about food than you would think - they provide ‘food for thought,’ and we are losing the importance of the motion picture because we only think of the business aspect.” 

'Ek Tha Tiger' Fri to Tue trends!

Where is EK THA TIGER headed after a mind-boggling start on Wednesday [32.93 cr] and a dip in business on Thursday [14.50 cr]? Well, let's look at the 2-day totals from India and Overseas…
India [Wed + Thu] - 47.43 cr
U.S.A. [Wed + Thu] - 1.90 cr [some screens yet to report] 
U.K. [Wed + Thu] - 1.25 cr
Australia [Wed + Thu] - 65.73 lacs
U.A.E. [Wed + Thu] - 1.96 crNew Zealand [Thu] - 10.40 lacs

FRIDAY TO TUESDAY TRENDS

A further dip in business is expected today [Friday]. But the film should gather momentum towards evening/night shows, again. The business is expected to shoot upwards on Saturday and Sunday, while the Eid festivities on Monday and Tuesday is sure to witness incredible numbers. Like I keep saying, picture abhi baaki hain! 

WILL IT OVERTAKE SALMAN'S HITS? 

The one question on everyone's lips is [and my Twitter timeline is full with it], will EK THA TIGER overtake the lifetime business of DABANGG [147 cr] and BODYGUARD [148 cr]? Of course, it will. Just wait and watch! The Saturday to Tuesday business of EK THA TIGER will take the film to dizzy heights, for sure. Also, at the end of Week 1 [9 days], hopefully, EK THA TIGER will be able to cross the lifetime business of both these films. Yes, you read it right! 

Akshay as Lord Krishna in OMG Oh My God

By now its common knowledge that Akshay Kumar will be playing God in his home production OMG! Oh My God! that also stars Paresh Rawal in the lead role. However what's interesting is that Akshay's character is that of Lord Krishna who descends on Earth to help Paresh Rawal solve his problems.

Akki managed to get in character completely for the role and was styled by wifey dearest Twinkle Khanna. The necklace and wrist-band sported by Akki are made of peacock feathers while the Bansuri being played by him was gifted to him by one of his fans during a religious trip to Vaishnodevi temple few years back. 

OMG! Oh My God! written and directed by Umesh Shukla is slated to release on September 28. 

Priyanka Chopra shoots item number for Bokadia's film

In the latest development in the release plans for K C Bokadia's Deewana Main Deewana, Priyanka Chopra has come forward to help in the film's smooth release in every way possible.

Priyanka has apparently shot a special item song for Bokadia's film. The song, a new adaptation of the popular Punjabi-folk number 'Kala Doriya', was freshly recorded in Sundhi Chauhan and Ila Arun's voice.

Confirming these developments the grateful producer K C Bokadia says, "God has been kind. Every producer goes through ups and downs. Priyanka Chopra is a gem of an artiste. She has offered to help in every way possible. You mark my words 'Kala Doriya' would do to Priyanka's reputation as a dancer what the song 'Gori Hai Kalaiyan' in my film Aaj Ka Arjun did for Jaya Prada."

Reminiscing about the ups and downs in his career Bokadia says, "When I made Pyar Jhukta Nahin with Mithun Chakraborty distributors discouraged me saying he was a disco-dancer and an action hero. I stuck to my guns and signed him in a romantic role. The film ran for 50 weeks. I completed Teri Meherbaniyan in 3 months. It had a dog playing the lead. I braved competition from Ramesh Sippy's Sagar. My film was a super-hit. So what if Deewana Main Deewana is delayed? I've a gut feeling it would revive Govinda's career and take Priyanka to another level."

Dropping his earlier plans of releasing his film alongside Anurag Basu Barfi, Bokadia plans to release his film on September 28. "I know my product. I know it's potential. I am sure it will find an audience."

Circuit-wise breakup of 'Ek Tha Tiger' Day 1

All India Territories	Wednesday 15th Aug'12 Indpendence Day
MUMBAI	11.96
DELHI - U.P	6.21
PUNJAB	3.00
RAJASTHAN	1.90
NIZAM-ANDHRA	1.50
BENGAL	1.70
BIHAR	0.72
ASSAM	0.16
ORISSA	0.38
C.P	1.75
C.I	1.40
MYSORE	1.70
TAMIL NADU- KERALA	0.55
TOTAL	32.93 Cr

Review: The Expendables 2

Expendables 2 is the endearingly and pleasurably rubbish film that the first one promised but failed to be. It is terrible but, by the end of this lazy and indulgent celebration of something that didn’t really deserve to be celebrated.

I had to concede that it had made me smile and chuckle (often intentionally) enough to count as a good time.

Expendables 2 is the endearingly and pleasurably rubbish film that the first one promised but failed to be. It is terrible but, by the end of this lazy and indulgent celebration of something that didn’t really deserve to be celebrated.

Again the film harks back to simpler times, the pre-CGI era when men were steroid-ravaged parodies of masculinity and nobody outside Hong Kong expected any effort, thought or style to be put into action movies. This one is better because this time Schwarzenegger and Willis join in properly, it doesn’t take over an hour to get going and is played entirely for laughs. Having established in the first film that these Expendables were, in fact, Indestructibles, there is no way Stallone could try to peddle any of the maudlin self-pity that dragged down the first one.

The cast is so packed to bursting with famous faces that, instead of a plot, the film is simply a series of unconnected ‘Ta Da’ moments in which every conflict or setback is resolved by the appearance of the next cameo appearance. Possibly the pick of the new faces is Van Damme, looking like a defrocked pantomime dame as the villain; the worst is surely Chuck Norris – the use of The Good, The Bad and The Ugly music to introduce his every appearance is just insulting.

Stallone has got a proper director in this time, Simon (Con Air) West rather than have a go himself – so at least a couple of the action sequences have a bit of zip and life to them. Overall, the film looks even worse than the first one. Everything looks murky and grey and, seen on a full-size central London screen, the picture quality looks like something that has been downloaded illegally off the Internet and run through a projector. I guess this is to disquise the last legs nature of the cast: Dolph Lundgren resembles Tommy Cooper playing Boris Johnson.

Most of the action scenes are just geriatric turkey shoots; the title sequence to Dad’s Army with heavy artillery and a body count as the lads stumble forward and mow down hundreds of henchmen who fling themselves to the floor in approximate synchronicity with a weapon being waved in their direction or explode like they were giant blood-filled balloons.

THE EXPENDABLES 2 (15)

Director: Simon West

Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jean Claude Van Damme, Chuck Norris, Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger

Length: 103 mins

Tigress Katrina is EK THA TIGER's surprise package

Tiger as an animal lord in the jungle and those who are fortunate enough to see him in his natural splendor are considered blessed. Same is the case with Salman Khan who lords over the box office and his fans, and is condescending enough to grant an audience to them after every six months or so through a film to increase the quotient of anticipation to the next higher level. While it may have been unconsciously named as EK THA TIGER the film underlines the awe and reverence associated with TIGER.





When you have the tigress along with the Tiger on the screen then it is a double whammy, and for the audience Katrina Kaif is the surprise package of EK THA TIGER, more so in the daring stunts that she has performed on the screen and the latent restraint that she has displayed of keeping her emotions and love for the character of Tiger under a leash. The love that blossoms in EK THA TIGER is in the form of a plant which tries to eke out its struggle perched between the crevices of two big boulders, on the semblance of a soil bed. The love story between the TIGER and the TIGRESS is the binding chord for EK THA TIGER which rises like a silver lining above the clouds of violence that is the domineering theme of the spy story. Katrina Kaif has raised her performance to a new level by using her eyes to convey the emotions without letting the facial expressions also to convey the same emotions, and she has underlined the fact that given the script she can rise to the occasion.

Indian spy stories have always enthralled the audience, for that matter, any spy story enthralls as it flirts with danger and provides one the occasion to flirt with exquisite action, enchanting locales and imaginative use of gadgets to create an element of miasma around the character. Same has been done in EK THA TIGER which has been shot in exquisite locales in Ireland, and imaginatively enough has chosen nuances of the Arabic culture, the belly dance of Katrina Kaif in the song 'Mashallah' in particular to cater to the taste of the audience in and around gulf countries on the eve of Eid. The action has been shot by the Hollywood stunt coordinator Conrad Palmisamo, and there was not an iota of doubt that Salman Khan would sail through in flying colors in action sequences, but the surprise package is Katrina Kaif who matches action for action and stunt for stunt with Salman Khan in EK THA TIGER.

Romance in spy films always presents the existentialist dilemma where the spy inevitably has the love interest who represents the enemy country, and EK THA TIGER is no exception where romance starts off-setting against the commitment to serve the nation. Salman Khan exudes class in EK THA TIGER and one only hopes that henceforth he would strive to maintain the standards that he has set himself in the film. Yash Raj films have been presented with an opportunity through EK THA TIGER to dabble in the genre of action as well, which was their forte in the heydays when Big B was the main hero. They have been able to revive the genre of violence centric films through DHOOM series, but with the success of Salman Khan as the solo hero in EK THA TIGER, the era of single star in action films under Yash Raj Banner could be given a new lease of life.

Bipasha to thrill her fans with RAAZ 3 & AATMA

The sultry Bong beauty, Bipasha Basu, made a striking start with her all mysterious and bold role in AJNABEE (2001), which saw her essaying a dark/negative but very important character. In fact in a multi-starrer like Abbas Mustan's mystery thriller AJNABEE, which also starred Kareena Kapoor, it was Bipasha who stole the show and stood out with an outstanding portrayal, full of oomph, sensuality and confidence.

However it was Vikram Bhatt's horror flick, RAAZ  (2002), which was successful in catapulting Bipasha's career to a new high. The film was a super duper hit and there was no doubt that haunting Bips had arrived big time in Bollywood.



Quite a few forgettable films later, it was Mahesh Bhatt's JISM which saw Bipasha make an impression. Yet again it was a role that was full of mystery and had plenty of oomph and sex factor.

Almost a decade later the trend has continues with the makers and audience accepting the haunting and mysterious Bipasha Basu with open arms. And the good news for the fans of Bipasha Basu is that Bipasha is back and all set to claim her position after a series of setbacks. 

The film that is sure to see her make a grand comeback is RAAZ 3, the bone chilling trailers of which are doing the round all over the net world and television channels. RAAZ 3 reunites Bips with Vikram Bhatt and above all sees her in yet again another haunting, mysterious 'avatar' that is so loved by all. But wait, there is more.

Bips will be seen in yet another horror flick Suparn Verma's AATMA. When we asked the young and highly talented director Suparn about Bips he told, 'Once you see Bipasha in AATMA, you will realise that she is unbelievable!''

But more of that later. As of now, we can only assure our patrons that RAAZ 3 andAATMA are films that will definitely take Bips in to the top league again. 

Neetu Chandra performs martial arts for Tamil film AADHI BHAGAVAN

After training in martial arts for 11 years, actress Neetu Chandra couldn't have been more excited to actually put her training to use as she shot for her next Tamil film AADHI BHAGAVAN.



Several scenes in the film required her to perform different forms of martial arts and given her expertise at it, Neetu managed to deliver like a pro.

Confirms Neetu Chandra, ''It was a nostalgic moment for me as I have completed martial arts at a national level. When I found out that stunts in the film would allow me to do martial arts, I was super excited. The film is an action love story and I had to train for 20 days and got to train with experts from around the world.''

I have a huge task in hand for Tiger, says Sabbir Khan

He started his career as a director with KAMBAKKHT ISHQ, a film which till date holds the distinction of being the only Bollywood affair to have been shot so extensively in Hollywood studios. It got the film's leads Akshay Kumar  andKareena Kapoor  their biggest opening ever and made moolah for producer Sajid Nadiadwala. Now as the director-producer reunite for HEROPANTI that marks the launch-pad of Tiger Shroff, son of veteran actor Jackie Shroff, Sabbir is excited that he also has an added responsibility of giving a fillip to someone's career.





''I remember meeting Tiger around a year or so back when he knew nothing about movies or the film industry. At that time I was scripting this film about a young boy and was totally open to any actor who would eventually be cast in it. However, Tiger's personality continued to play in mind. I felt that the very fact that he was so raw coupled with the way he looked brought certain uniqueness to him'', says Sabbir Khan.

''I spoke to Sajid (Nadiadwala) about him and both of us felt that that since the story was about a young and unique boy and Tiger was so different from those belonging to his ilk, it would be good idea to consider him'', reveals Sabbir who admits that once the decision was made, he had a task in hand. 

''Yes, even though the script was locked, it is always a great responsibility to ensure that it goes well with the actor who features in the film. More so when it is the launch pad of someone'', says Sabbir, ''Today he is a blank page and totally impressionable and though he would be on his own tomorrow, right now I have a huge task shaping his mindset as an actor.''

We are sure you are up for the challenge Sabbir. 

Death By China: Film Review

The Bottom Line

Doc offers plenty of good reasons to worry about China, but is astonishingly heavy-handed.

Opens

Friday, August 17

Director

Peter Navarro

Martin Sheen narrates writer Peter Navarro's fear stoking documentary about China's economic and military power.

Full of legitimate, even urgent concerns but so garish in tone it encourages viewers to view it as propaganda, Peter Navarro's Death By China does a disservice to its message. Its collection of bullet points about U.S.-Sino relations makes for a useful summary of reasons to worry; while mainstream auds will find it too much, the doc could be a niche hit with support from the right members of the politics/commentary class. Its lack of subtlety will appeal to many of them.

Writer/director Navarro, adapting his book of the same name, dates most of his worries to 2001, when China entered the WTO. (The date is repeated so many times, it's the one number in this stat-happy film viewers won't forget.) Narrator Martin Sheenwarns upfront that it's important to "distinguish clearly between the good and hard-working people of China, and their repressive Communist government victimizing American and Chinese citizens alike." Those words might be lost underneath the accompanying graphic: a stars-and-stripes-colored U.S., toppling to the ground and being stabbed by a serrated knife -- blood spurting out as we see the words "made in China" on the blade.

Imagery gets less gruesome but more heavy-handed from there. As Navarro describes the ways China built up economic power at U.S. expense, CG animation visualizes everything in terms of warfare. "China's Weapons of Job Destruction" are shown raining explosive terror across the heartland, blowing up factories.

It isn't as if the real, non-metaphorical effects of China's policies aren't sufficiently worrisome. Navarro offers details about currency manipulation and prison labor; explains how Chinese piracy extends far beyond DVD bootlegging; and runs down the familiar list of tainted-food and toxic-toys scandals. He has particular scorn for "The Great Wall of Mart," claiming that 91 percent of everything Walmart sells is made in China.

While he's demonizing this new Red Menace, Navarro has plenty to say about American politicians and multinational corporations as well. He traces the arguments policymakers offered for expanded trade in the early days, then shows how few of the predicted benefits materialized. He takes pains to find fault among members of both parties, and manages to get both Democratic and Republican congressmen to speak on camera, but the overall low recognition-factor of the film's interviewees furthers the impression of agit-prop that famous scholars and officials refused to participate in.

Production Company: DBC Productions
Director-Producer-Screenwriter: Peter Navarro
Producers: Joe Zarinko, Michael Addis, Greg Autry
Executive producers: Peter Navarro
Director of photography: Kasey Kirby
Music: Christophe Eagleton
Editor: John W. Carr, Michael Addis, Peter Navarro
No rating, 79 minutes.