Movie Review: Highway (2014)

Movie Review: Highway (2014)

Plot:

Written and directed by Imtiaz Ali, Highway is an Indian film released in 2014 with high hopes and expectations towards Imtiaz’s story and A.R Rahman’s music.

Its a movie about a rich urban girl Veera Tripathi (Alia Bhatt) whose accidentally kidnapped a day before her wedding. As her captors come to know the truth about her father’s power and sources they panic. However, Mahabir Bhati (Randeep Hooda) would not let it slip easily from his hands and is all set to antagonize her family in order to avenge his hate towards the rich.

Everything that comes later on to the screen unfolds the extraordinary characters stuck into a situation which is unlikely but true.

By abducting Veera Mahabir has originally set her free. She is not afraid of her captor, instead she lives a life full of adventures and far from the heavy curtains of class oriented family which gave her nothing more than a troubled childhood. On the other hand Mahabir is a poor deprived village boy who saw his own mother being molested by a rich officer and bears only hate for the rich.

The movie is a clash of two different worlds but it flatly leaves the anomalies behind and creates a world of raw fantasy as the truck moves forward exploring the beauties of Highway.

Review:

Highway sends us home with an urge to live life in its purest form. To take off the mask of an urbanite and be free for at least once in life.

Imtiaz Ali has created a movie which is all slow serene and raw to its fullest, if you go with the critics you might not want to admit that aven after the low ratio of high pitched entertainment this movie is better than many. Highway is perfect as it is. Its not a typical lovestory, to be honest its a kind of cinema which has created two opinions. Its simplicity and unhurried details are a beauty to eyes. Highway cannot be considered as a streamlined road movie or a previously witnessed romantic thriller, it is a whole new experience on a long highway all the way up to the mountains.

If the best thing about movie is asked, there lies one name on top of everything that is Alia Bhatt. She was born to play Veera Tripathi. The life that she brought to the character is genuine. No matter how badly Karan Johar spoiled her acting skills in the good for nothing ‘Student Of The Year’ Alia managed to throw it all back with her outstanding performance of a girl who’s real, who doesn’t need any makeover to feed on to, who is wild, soft and raw at the same time. A thousand thumbs up and hats off to her!

Randeep Hooda as Mahabir Bhati was a hit choice by the director as he never leaves the feel of his character and the Haryanvi boy accent is commendable. All in all Mahabir becomes him!

The second best thing of Highway is the precious pure and perfect music! The duo of Imtiaz Ali and A.R Rahman striked again with a blow of chartbusting tracks like Patakha Guddi and Maahi Ve. Rahman also used the local folk singers they met on the way which adds to the feel of the movie. Cherry on top is a lullaby sung by Pakistani pop singer Zeb Bangash and Alia Bhatt called Sooha Saha.

It was frequently said that Highway is an unbelievable story, far from possibility. But what do they know about the strange things that happen on the way. Life is all about coincidence. Either we accept it or not Strange Things Do Happen.

Highway has the kind of happy ending we seldom see.

This movie is a must watch.

“I neither want to go back to the place from where you brought me, nor to the place where you are going to take me, but this road is very good, i don't want to leave it.” 

I loved the journey, so I will without any hesitation rate this movie:

****

Reviewed by Adina Farid

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Book Review : The Geography Of You And Me by Jennifer E. Smith

Book Review : The Geography Of You And Me 

by Jennifer E. Smith

“And this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart 

I carry your heart (I carry it in my heart)” -- E.E. Cummings

Book Synopsis:

Lucy and Owen meet somewhere between the tenth and eleventh floors of a New York City apartment building, on an elevator rendered useless by a citywide blackout. After they're rescued, they spend a single night together, wandering the darkened streets and marveling at the rare appearance of stars above Manhattan. But once the power is restored, so is reality. Lucy soon moves to Edinburgh with her parents, while Owen heads out west with his father.

Lucy and Owen's relationship plays out across the globe as they stay in touch through postcards, occasional e-mails, and -- finally -- a reunion in the city where they first met.

A carefully charted map of a long-distance relationship, Jennifer E. Smith's new novel shows that the center of the world isn't necessarily a place. It can be a person, too.

Review:

I started reading this book online today and completed it right now. There's something about this book that is addictive; I just couldn't stop reading it once I started. There was instantly something so simple, sweet and adorable about the entire scenario, getting stuck in a lift with someone, and how those few seconds’ difference could have made the biggest of changes, yet Lucy and Owen were such realistic characters, and they brought this naive and spontaneous nature to themselves that made the story what it was. There's something kind of wonderful about the thought of meeting someone in a lift, and being stuck with them and their company throughout what should have been one of the most scary experiences of somebody's life, and to then share that moment for a whole night, in the middle of a New York City blackout with defrosting ice cream and a sky full of stars, is just magical. Smith managed to make the whole thing so believable and almost like a conscious thought that I was so lost and wrapped up in the whole story from chapter one; I couldn't have asked for anything better.

Their story, written across the globe in miles and postcards, via lakes and rivers, from New York to the hills of Edinburgh, the Point Zero in Paris, London, the seaport of Seattle, right back to New York, to the night they met, for me, couldn't have been more perfect. 

It covered the aspect of growing away from people, moving on with life, taking what live throws at you, living your dreams and how your dreams aren't always what you want in the end. Something about family, the difference between having someone and not having someone, having something, somewhere, a part of you lost everywhere you've been and being happy with it. Owen and Lucy grew so much as people, growing as they learnt from their wrong relationships, growing into themselves and the journeys they took over nine months, growing as they learnt from each others’ lessons, and growing to meet each other once more.

There was something so honest and perfect about this story, something so sweet and lovable, something so amazing about trekking across the world to find that home isn't a place, it's a person, and a feeling, a pull to something better.

Some Great Quotes From the Book:

• “He was like one of her novels, still unfinished and best understood in the right place and at the right time. She already couldn’t wait to read the rest.”

•“Sometimes it seemed as if his whole life was an exercise in waiting; not waiting to leave, exactly, but simply waiting to go. He felt like one of those fish that had the capacity to grow in unimaginable ways if only the tank were big enough. But his tank had always been small, and as much as he loved his home- as much as he loved his family- he'd always felt himself bumping up against the edges of his own life.”

• “But there's no such thing as a completely fresh start. Everything new arrives on the heels of something old, and every beginning comes at the cost of an ending.”

•“There's a difference between loneliness and solitude.”

This book seems to be quite underrated but it took me places, and I enjoyed in the simplicity it offered.

 I’ll rate it with:

****

Reviewed by Fouzia Umer

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Movie Review : 2 States (2014)

Movie Review : 2 States (2014)

Plot: 

The story starts with Krish (Arjun Kapoor) met Ananya (Alia Bhatt) in IIM Ahmedabad where they both are in a canteen line where Krish offers his Ras Gulla to Ananya and their friendships start from there. Then Krish starts teaching Ananya Economics and both Fall in Love with each other. The both made up their mind to get married and here the story actually starts. Krish and Ananya call their parents at their convocation so they can meet up and they will get married easily. Is it this simple in movies? No! Not in this one too.

Krish belongs to a Punjabi Family and his Mom (Amrita Singh) is very conservative yet funny like other Punjabis, his Dad (Ronit Roy) is a retired Army Officer and has a not-so-good relation with his son. 

On Other hand, Ananya is Tamil and her parents are also very conservative and when the both family met at the convocation the fight starts between the 2 STATES.

Review:

2 States is based on a bestseller novel by "Chetan Bhagat" with the same name. Two more films were made from his novels 3 Idiots (5 Points Someone) and Kai Po Che (3 Mistakes Of My Life) and both were critically and commercially big hits. So, will this one be his hattrick or will be a let down? 

Its a successful fare yet another by UTV, Dharma Production , Arjun Kapoor & Alia Bhatt. Arjun Kapoor Previous movies has just showcased him as an Angry Young Man but this Act of his is just Mind blowing and he stands out as the top performer in the movie. Check him out confronting with psychiatrist in the whole movie, convincing both the parents, showing a different attitude towards his dad, being a simple yet lovable guy, a girl's dream guy, even playing a educated Punjabi boy with ease and that look suits him alot.

On Other hand the other lead, Alia Bhatt, this girl has something in her, she is so pretty that you cant took your eyes off her, her performance is top notch that you cant judge that's her third movie, after "Highway" she raised her standards and lived up to it. Amrita Singh is funny as hell but she played her part so good that you will hate and love her at the same time, playing a Punjabi mother and keep on pointing out mistakes of others, showing cheapness and all. She is perfect and will like to see her regularly in movies. Revathy, playing Alia Bhatt's mother, is too good but gets limited scope still she leave a mark. Ronit Roy appears in a Cameo and he is superb wish he had more role in the movie. Others also acted Good.

Abhishek Varman's first attempt as a director hits the bulls eye and surely he is going to handle some good offers from Producers. The Music of the movie is Brilliant and composed by the trio Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and they are back on track after some dull and boring music. Locha-e-Ulfat and Mast Magan are the pick of the lot, actually whole album is amazing. 

On the whole 2 States is a light hearted movie, which you can watch with your loved ones and you will enjoy it!

i will rate this Rom-Com :
****

Reviewed by Kelly Cutrone

Movie Review: Chasing Liberty (2004)

Movie Review: Chasing Liberty (2004)

Story:

An American romantic comedy with a Presidential twist!

Chasing Liberty is the story of Anna Foster (Mandy Moore) daughter of President of the United States James Foster (Mark Harmon). After Secret Service agents ruin a first date, Anna demands less supervision. For his upcoming trip to Prague, the president agrees to assign only two agents to watch over Anna, whose Secret Service codename is Liberty. In Prague, Anna and her friend Gabrielle La Clare (Beatrice Rosen) attend a concert, where Anna discovers numerous agents in the crowd. Believing her father has broken his promise, Anna eludes her protectors with Gabrielle's help. Outside the theater, she asks Ben Calder (Matthew Goode) for a ride on his motorbike. Unknown to Anna, Ben is a Secret Service agent, and he informs agents Alan Weiss (Jeremy Piven) and Cynthia Morales (Annabella Sciorra) where she can be found. When the president learns of her behavior, he instructs Ben to guard Anna without revealing his true identity, to give her the illusion of freedom with a guarantee of safety.

Believing she is finally free, Anna jumps into the Vltava River naked, mistaking it for the Danube, and she and Ben climb a rooftop to watch an Offenbach opera being shown in a plaza. The next morning, Anna calls her parents. Initially relieved that his daughter is safe, the President's tone changes when he is shown photos of her undressing. Outraged at her father's tone, Anna decides she will go to the Love Parade in Berlin. She and Ben board a train, where they meet Scotty McGruff (Martin Hancock), a flighty romantic who gives them a stack of Six Million Dollar Man stickers, instructing them to post them in random places, and one day when they are unhappy, they may come across one and it will make them smile. Ben discovers that they have boarded a Venice-bound train going in the opposite direction from Berlin.

In Venice, after checking in with agents Weiss and Morales—who are now growing closer romantically—Ben joins Anna and McGruff and together they explore the city. After McGruff leaves, Anna realizes he has stolen her wallet. When Anna is recognized by tourists, she and Ben flee. With no money, they tell a kind-hearted gondolier, Eugenio (Joseph Long), that they recently married against her parents' wishes. During the free gondola ride, Ben kisses Anna to hide her from their pursuers. When he learns the "newlyweds" have no place to stay, Eugenio invites them to his house, where they are welcomed by his mother, Maria (Miriam Margolyes). That night, thinking their kiss was heartfelt, Anna offers herself to Ben, but he rejects her advances.

The next day, Eugenio drives them to the Austrian border, as Weiss and Morales show up at Maria's house and learn from Maria that Anna and Ben are married, which is then reported to Anna's parents. Upset at Ben's rejection, Anna hitchhikes a ride in a truck, leaving Ben to chase her through the Austrian countryside. Anna comes to a bridge, where she meets the Jumping Germans, a bungee jumping group. Ben arrives just as Anna is being strapped into the harness, and insists on jumping with her.

Later that evening at the Jumping Germans' camp, one of the Germans asks Anna to share his tent for the night. She refuses and flirts with Ben, who rejects her advances again. Upset, she declares that she will share the German's tent after all; Ben finally admits his feelings for Anna and they spend the night together. At the Love Parade, as Ben explains his actions on the phone to his fellow agents, Anna discovers his identity. Enraged at the apparent betrayal, Anna runs off, only to be harassed by a group of men who recognize her. Ben rescues her, and Anna and her family return to the United States.

While preparing for college, Anna reveals to her mother that her heart is "a little bit broken." At college, with Weiss and Morales (who plan to marry) still protecting her, Anna sees a Six Million Dollar Man sticker which reminds her of her European adventure. During Christmas break Anna's father tells her that Ben resigned from the Secret Service and is working as a photographer in London. During an exchange program to Oxford University Anna visits Ben at the opera, where they kiss, reconcile, and escape on his motorbike.

Review:

Kind of a refreshing flick to lighten up the mood & take full pleasure in watching romance with a twist  on the beautiful grounds of Europe.

Mandy Moore is as good as ever & makes great couple with Mathew Goode.

Story and the feel of movie is happy and light. Its not a flick that you will remember forever or would stick to but it surely is worth watch. As life is not only about heavy dose of everything and we are not here to play Critics!

The movie maintains its charm & vanilla flavor throughout with nice to ears music & great great scenery.

If you are up to pass time without getting thunderbolted with drama, try this one!

Actors do justice to their characters & movie did justice to my time.

So I will rate this cute one:

***

Reviewed by Adina Farid

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Book Review : Paper Towns by John Green

Book Review : Paper Towns by John Green

Book Synopsis:

Paper Towns is the third young adult novel by John Green known for his famous YA novels “The Fault In Our Stars” and “Looking For Alaska”.

Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs back into his life—dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge—he follows.

After their all-nighter ends and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. But Q soon learns that there are clues—and they’re for him. Urged down a disconnected path, the closer he gets, the less Q sees of the girl he thought he knew. 

Review:

"Tonight, darling, we are going to right a lot of wrongs. And we are going to wrong some rights. The first shall be last; the last shall be first; the meek shall do some earth-inheriting. But before we can radically reshape the world, we need to shop." 

The first 80% of this book followed John Green’s usual (and usually successful) recipe: a smart, well-read and generally well-balanced boy ( “Both my parents are therapists, which means I am really goddamned well adjusted.” ) becomes obsessed with a beautiful, chaotic and self-destructive girl and, through his infatuation, learns about himself, life and adulthood. 

Quentin Jacobsen has been in love with his next door neighbor Margo Roth Spiegelman for as long as he can remember. Margo is everything: she is the most popular girl in school, she is smart, she is funny, she is restless. She has also been ignoring Q ever since they were old enough to have friends outside their neighborhood. Then, one night shortly before their graduation, Margo shows up at Quentin’s window and invites him along for a night or “righting some wrongs and wronging some rights”, after which she disappears, leaving only a few vague clues for Quentin to find. Instead of focusing on his finals and his upcoming graduation, Q becomes obsessed with finding Margo dead or alive (although dead seems more likely by the minute) and while searching, he learns the difference between Margo the dream and Margo the girl. 

There are many wonderful things I could say about this book, but above all, I appreciated that Green kept pointing out how extraordinarily self-centered each and every character was. I would love to say that this was limited to teens, as one expects teens to be completely egocentric, but it started with Margo’s parents and spread to everyone else involved.  This book was definitely a fun read and had some really good characters and witty comebacks.

Quotes That Made Me Think:

-Isn't it also that on some fundamental level we find it difficult to understand that other people are human beings in the same way that we are? We idealize them as gods or dismiss them as animals.

-What a treacherous thing to believe that a person is more than a person.

-I'm starting to realize that people lack good mirrors. It's so hard for anyone to show us how we look, and so hard for us to show anyone how we feel.

-As much as life can suck, it always beats the alternative.

-“That's always seemed so ridiculous to me, that people want to be around someone because they're pretty. It's like picking your breakfeast cereals based on color instead of taste.”

Rating :

There is something about Green’s humor that just sits well with me.

I’ll rate this book: 

***1/2 

Movie Lovers Treat:

“Paper Towns” is being made into a movie by the team of “The Fault In Our Stars” and Natt Wolf has been casted as Quentin who is going to appear in TFIOS as Isaac.

Reviewed by Fouzia Umer

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Official Song: Mast Magan (2 States)

Official Song: Mast Magan (2 States)

While Offo and Locha-e-Ulfat capture Alia and Arjun's budding romance, 2 State's latest song Mast Magan, a slow and melodious number, gives a peep into the sensitive side of Krish and Ananya's love story.

n Mast Magan, Alia Bhatt and Arjun Kapoor are preparing for what looks like a pre-wedding ritual. Alia is not just getting better with every movie, she's getting better with every song. She is lively as well as intense in Mast Magan. Arjun is completely in sync with Alia and they make one of the best pairs we have seen of late.

The lyrics and music of the song stay with you long after the number is over.

With the right mix of masala quotient and youth appeal, 2 States is expected to strike a chord with viewers as it gets set to release on April 18.

To be directed by Abhishek Varman, the film is the silver-screen adaptation of Chetan Bhagat's best-selling book by the same name.



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Book Review : Dash & Lily's Book of Dares

Book Review : Dash & Lily's Book of Dares

By Rachel Cohn , David Levithan

Plot:

“I’ve left some clues for you.

If you want them, turn the page.

If you don’t, put the book back on the shelf, please.”

So begins the latest whirlwind romance from the New York Times bestselling authors of Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? Or are Dash and Lily only destined to trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations across New York? Could their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions? Or will they be a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions?

Review: 

Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares is the perfect Christmas read. It took me around New York in the busiest time of the year with Dash’s abhorrence versus Lily’s ecstasy for the holidays. Dash and Lily are the total opposites. Dash never recovered from his parents’ nasty divorce; Lily stayed at home while her parents celebrated their second honeymoon in Fiji. Dash reveled in being alone; Lily is scared of not having anybody. Dash is articulate; Lily is stumped on how to talk to boys (and girls!) her age. But they do have something in common – they love to read. and they wanted to believe that there is someone out there existing just for them. So cute.

I loved Dash‘s character more than Lily’s. His has a certain sadness and hope at the same time. I relished reading his POV because it’s very entertaining to see the switch of his train of thought from simple things to contemplative ones. I loved the scenes where,

 (1) he’s feeling up Santa,
 (2) he’s being interrogated by Aunt Ida, and
(3) he’s being lectured by Boomer, of all people. 

Dash is very charming in this unobtrusive way that makes being snarly so endearing.

Lily is the odd girl. Wearing her school uniform even during weekends with her worn chucks, she already accepted her eccentricity years ago. But after reading Dash’s writings in her notebook, she thought that maybe it’s time to get out of her family’s comfort and venture to a normal teenage life. I found it funny that she’s this dogwalker who also loves hanging out with her Grandpa’s friends but can give the middle finger on a whim.

Boomer, Aunt Ida, and Mark are secondary characters that made me laugh in more ways i thought possible. I love how they are solid and yet they do not overpower the main characters.

Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares is a story of what could be the machinings of first love set in snow-capped New York. Dash & Lily’s mismatches left me light-hearted and hopeful. I just felt good after reading it.

Some Awesome Qoutes From The Book :

-“You think fairy tales are only for girls? Here's a hint - ask yourself who wrote them. I assure you, it wasn't just the women. It's the great male fantasy - all it takes is one dance to know that she's the one. All it takes is the sound of her song from the tower, or a look at her sleeping face. And right away you know - this is the girl in your head, sleeping or dancing or singing in front of you. Yes, girls want their princes, but boys want their princesses just as much. And they don't want a very long courtships. They want to know immediately.”

-“The important people in our lives leave imprints. They may stay or go in the physical realm, but they are always there in your heart, because they helped form your heart. There's no getting over that.”

-“But isn't this a dance? Isn't all of this a dance? Isn't that what we do with words? Isn't that what we do when we talk, when we spar, when we make plans or leave it to chance? Some of it's choreographed. Some of the steps have been done for ages. And the rest -- the rest is spontaneous. The rest has to be decided on the floor, in the moment, before the music ends.”

I will rate this Book
****

Review by Fouzia Umer

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TV Series Review: Love struck - The Musical

Tv Series Review: Love struck - The Musical

Plot:

A girly flick just right for the girls night in. This musical tv film is most entertaining with a fairytale touch.

Tells the story of Harper (Jane Seymour), one of the best dancers to hit Broadway. But an injury caused her to leave the spotlight, become a choreographer, and raise her daughter, Mirabella (Sara Paxton). When Mirabella, the star of Harper's next big production, decides to quit the show to get married, her mother is determined to put a stop to the wedding and show Mirabella that she cannot give up her career for love, especially to marry playboy Marco (Alexander DiPersia). After the long flight to the Italian wedding site, Harper takes a swig from a strange bottle that is supposed to dull the pain of an old dance injury. Instead, the elixir magically turns Harper 30 years younger.

Harper's younger appearance (Chelsea Staub plays Young Harper) allows her to secretly infiltrate the wedding - only to confront a huge obstacle in Mirabella's father, Ryan (Tom Wopat), who can recognize his ex-wife in any form. After he too experiences the reverse-aging effects of the elixir (Drew Seeley plays Young Ryan), Ryan teams with Harper to reverse the damage she's done to Mirabella and Marco's relationship, hopefully in time to save the wedding.

Review:

Whatta flick! The songs, the ambience, the dance and young Harper everything set up to lighten your mood and brighten your day.

It will get your feet to the floor as you marvel at Chelsea dancing to the beat of ‘I wanna dance with somebody’.

The wow factor in this movie touches peak when you get to hear the all time favorite ‘DJ got us falling in love again’ with a mindblowing performance by the stars.

It might not be a good one for a critic but is all packed up for fantasy lovers with music to die for!!

I would rate it

***1/2

Reviewed by : Adina Farid

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Movie Review: The Notebook (2004)

Movie Review: The Notebook (2004)

IMDB Rating : 8.0/10

Plot:

The Notebook is based on one of the most beautiful romantic story ever told. A novel by the the legendary Nicholas Sparks. The movie first takes you to a nursing home where an elderly man opens an old Notebook and reads out romantic tale to her fellow patient, an old woman. The story is about a local country boy who falls in love with a heiress one summer but they are soon separated by the girl’s parents as they thought of the boy as trash.

The Girl, Allie, then moves back to his house away from Noah leaving only the memories and promises of teenage love behind.

Noah enlists for the army to fight in World War II where Allie becomes a volunteer nurse in a hospital for wounded soldiers, where she meets an officer named Lon Hammond, Jr. a young lawyer who is handsome, sophisticated, charming and comes from old Southern money. The two eventually become engaged, to the delight of Allie's parents, but Allie sees Noah's face when Lon asks her to marry him.

When Noah returns home from the war, he discovers his father has sold their home so that Noah can buy the abandoned house, fulfilling his lifelong dream to buy it for the departed Allie, whom by now he hasn't seen for several years. While visiting Charleston, Noah witnesses Allie and Lon kissing at a restaurant; he convinces himself that if he restores the house, Allie will come back to him. Later, Allie is startled to read in the newspaper that Noah has completed the house, and she visits him in Seabrook.

In the present, it is made clear that the elderly woman is in fact Allie, who is suffering from dementia and cannot remember any of the events being read to her. Duke, the man who is reading to her, is her husband, but Allie cannot recognize him.

Back in the forties, Allie returns to Seabrook. She and Noah renew their relationship and make love at Noah's now restored house. In the morning, Allie's mother appears on Noah's doorstep, warning Allie that a jealous Lon has followed her to Seabrook. Allie confesses to Lon that she has been spending time with Noah. He is upset but says that he still loves her. Allie tells him she knows she should be with him, but she remains indecisive.

In the present, Allie becomes briefly lucid and remembers that the story Duke is reading is the story of how they met. Young Allie appears at Noah's doorstep, having left Lon at the hotel. Elderly Allie suddenly remembers her past; after finding out about her illness, she herself wrote their story in the notebook with instructions for Noah to "read this to me, and I'll come back to you". But Allie soon relapses, losing her memories of Noah. She panics, not understanding who he is, and has to be sedated. That same night Noah is hospitalized with what seems to be another heart attack.

When released from the hospital, Elderly Noah ("Duke") goes to Allie's room to find her lucid again. Allie questions Noah about what will happen to them when she loses her memory completely, and he reassures her that he will never leave her. She asks him if he thinks their love for each other is strong enough to "take them away together"; he replies that he thinks their love could do anything. After telling each other that they love one another, they both go to sleep in Allie's bed. The next morning, a nurse finds they have died in each other's arms.

Review:

This movie is undoubtedly one of the most heart touching lovestory till date. The beauty lies in the story where two soulmates are separated for no other reason than society barriers. But love finds its way.

If you ever want to see a flawless example of a movie which is redeemed from mediocrity solely through the cast, there is hardly a better one than this.

Noah and Allie being the most awesome couple and Nick Cassavetes being the greatest director created something worth watching with your partner but be sure to stack a pile of tissue papers.

This movie has set a trend of Notebooking people as an alternative of emotional blackmail.

But still the ratio of enjoying a heavy movie like this one depends deeply on viewer’s mood. If you’re not in for teary climax, this one isn’t for you.

The Notebook has moments which makes it memorable and the magic doesn’t die even after watching it again and again.

A potently rich story about the power of love, The Notebook is heartbreakingly beautiful and achingly real.

Notebook is not about How you get your Love, its all about How You Keep It.

From performances to music to dressing each and every detail is perfect. Well for me it is.

So without further ado I would rate this one of my favorite:

****1/2

Reviewed By : Adina Farid

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Movie Review: Hasee Toh Phasee

Movie Review: Hasee Toh Phasee

Synopsis:

This movie is about a boy Nikhil (Siddharth Malhotra) and Meeta(Parineeti Chopra ) who live in two completely different cities, in two completely different environments. Meeta is a slightly eccentric girl whose actions are totally unpredictable, she plays pranks, steals from her own father,runs away from her house, speaks Chinese, eats toothpaste and speaks in the terms of Physics and Chemistry. She is crazy but still completely adorable. Whereas Nikhil is a boy having second thoughts about his career. He is engaged to Meeta’s sister Karishma (Adah Sharma) who treats him like a personal assistant and breaks up with him on little things. But he doesn’t do breakups. Just like a common man he is afraid of change; Changing his career or relationship. 

Summary:

This movie takes place over a decade where the childhood of both the main characters is shown followed by the time when Nikhil comes to Mumbai to attend a wedding and bumps into tomboy Meeta, who is running away from her house. He is intrigued by her personality but forgets everything when he lays his eyes on the gorgeous Karishma. Seven years later he is getting engaged to Karishma. He also has some money problems and gets warned by her fiancee to arrange for it or otherwise there won’t be anywedding. Enters Meeta with long hair and a weird expression on her face; she is Karishma’s sister who everyone hates because she ran away and never came back. Karishma asks Nikhil to hide Meeta in a guest house or something but he brings her home after knowing the truth of her family background. Then there are a lot of humorous and senti scenes. Meeta actually steals all thetoothpaste in the house, charges a car battery using a laptop charger. There are also some CID jokes to add to the plate. 
After realizing how much supportive Nikhil is of her, she falls for him and bluntly asks him to marry her in a public bus. Meeta is a mixture of crazy and cute. Her unpredictable nature,blunt honesty and Sheldon Cooper gibberish makes Nikhil fall for her too. But there is a slight problem. The Chinese are after her, she wants to steal and run away again; also Nikhil is getting married to her sister in a day. Ooops! 

Review:

This romantic comedy mirrors the quirks in human nature subtly and provides humour in everyday situations; in the family and amongst friends. Parineeti's relationship with her father(Manoj Joshi) strikes the right emotional chord.
The songs are pretty good and add zing to an otherwise simple narrative. Parineeti who has come to represent the power-house performer passes with flying colours. And, Sidharth, whose good-looks distract, shows a definitive growth in his second outing as an actor after Student of the Year.

If you're looking to rediscover the magic of goofy love around Valentines, give Hasee Toh Phasee a shot.

My rating for this delightful rom-com is:

****

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Book Review: Where She Went by Gayle Forman

Book Review: Where She Went (If I Stay II)

by Gayle Forman

Plot Summary:

Adam’s Promise: If you stay, I’ll do whatever you want. I’ll quit the band; go with you to New York. But if you need me to go away, I’ll do that too. .. And that would suck, but I’ll do it. I can lose you like that, if I don’t lose you today. I’ll let you go. If you stay.

It's been three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life. And three years he's spent wondering why. When their paths cross again in New York City, Adam and Mia are brought back together for one life-changing night. Adam finally has the opportunity to ask Mia the questions that have been haunting him. But will a few hours in this magical city be enough to lay their past to rest, for good - or can you really have a second chance at first love?

Fans of If I Stay who thought the story concluded after Mia’s choice will experience the post trauma that not only changed her life, but altered Adam’s happiness. In Where She Went, we face the aftermath of the recovery and begin to wonder whether Mia really survived the crash as it becomes evident that choosing to live is only half the battle. As a result Adam must face the pain of honoring a promise that was made to hold on to the one he loves.

This story takes place three years after the crash and Mia’s physical recovery. She’s a rising star at Juilliard and Adam is a celebrity of the rock band Shooting Star that finds himself at a crossroads. The story is told in Adam’s perspective and begins the night he makes a choice to revisit the muse of his success. 

Review:

Where She Went is the much anticipated sequel to a much beloved story. But this time it's told through Adams eyes. 

This is his story, his journey, his memories through flashbacks of the past with Mia, and without. We get to see the man that Adam as become, and what he wants to be. We see his devastation, watch his rising fame, and share an open-wound that is healed by music, but never fully closed. 

But most importantly, we get to walk with Mia and Adam through the streets of New York and witness a love so beautiful and alive that it has once again touched me in a way that I will never ever forget.

Gayle Foreman has done it all over again! She gave her fans everything you could ever want in a sequel and more. Her words are filled with so much passion and compassion. I can safely say that I loved this one even more then the first.

"Ever hear the one about that dog that spent it's life chasing cars and finally caught one - and had no idea what to do with it?

I'm that dog."

This book was so amazing! Adam is amazing! And all I want to do is hug him!

Adam's story is filled with so much emotional and physical energy. It's raw and powerful and exposed and vulnerable. The things he says, the things he only admits to himself, is what really broke me. You can feel his destruction. Even the lyrics to his songs were both inspiring and haunting.

Mia is a character that has lived through the worse kind of hell, so I was surprised how far she's come and proud of the way she survived. What she admits to Adam shocked me, but like Adam, I finally got it. 

I had a flood of emotions while reading this. I cringed, I cried. I smiled a goofy-ass-grin-to-grin smile all the way through.

Adam and Mia will always be one of my all time greats!

Hands down one of the best book that I've ever read. I adored this book. I loved this book. And I will always treasure these characters. I'm not going to spoil anything by telling you if they get there happily ever after, but I will say that this was worth it. I finally got the closure I desperate needed. Fans of If I Stay will not be disappointed, this is one journey your not going to want to miss out on.

Simply put. It's utterly Brilliant!!!

Quotes that moved me:

-‘I want to cut through the space that separates us, measured in feet – not miles, not continents, not years - and I want to touch her to make sure it’s really her... but I can’t touch her, it’s a privilege that’s been revoked. Against my will but still.’
-‘I battle with invisible waves and imaginary vortexes and demons that are all too real and of my own making, I actually feel something in my chest open, a feeling so intense, it’s like my heart’s about to burst. And I just let it. I just let it out.’

-‘I needed to hate someone and you’re the one I love the most, so it fell on you.’ 

-‘Then she lost the battle and started to cry…All my annoyance melted. “You dumb-ass,” I crooned, kissing her on the forehead. “You don’t share me. You own me.” ’

My rating for this epic sequel to a great book is:

****1/2

Reviewed By : Fouzia Umer

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Movie Review: Upside Down

Movie Review: Upside Down

Plot:

French-Canadian romantic science fiction film written and directed by Juan Diego Solanas, starring Jim Sturgess and Kirsten Dunst.

To watch this film, these things must be understood :

Hero Adam lives in a two-planet home world, unique from other planets or planetary systems as it is the only one that has "dual gravity". This phenomenon of dual gravity allows the two planets to orbit each other in what would otherwise be impossibly close proximity. There are three immutable laws of gravity for this two-planet system:

1. All matter is pulled by the gravity of the world that it comes from, and not the other.

2. An object's weight can be offset using matter from the opposite world (inverse matter).

3. After a few hours of contact, matter in contact with inverse matter burns.

The societies of the two worlds are segregated by law. While the upper world (Up Above) is rich and prosperous, the lower (Down Below) is poor. Up Above buys cheap oil from Down Below and sells electricity back to Down Below at higher prices. A person from Down Below going Up Above (or having contact with anyone from Up Above) is strictly forbidden and can be punishable by incarceration or death. People from Up Above regularly visit Down Below to experience novelties like dancing on ceilings. The only physical connection linking the two worlds is the headquarters of the "TransWorld" company.

This movie is a lovestory with gravitational twist. Adam lives in the Down Below which is relatively poor and fells in love with Eden from the Up Above.

They meet on the mountains and Adam uses a rope to pull Eden towards Down, and they head to the woods for a stroll. They are later discovered, and while Adam frantically releases Eden back to her world, he catches a bullet in his arm and drops her. Helpless, he watches Eden lying motionless on the ground as blood oozes from her head. When he returns home, his aunt Becky is arrested and her home is put to the torch.

After ten years we see Adam working on a beauty cream when he sees Eden on a television show whom he assumed dead for so long. After watching her alive and working in transworld he makes an attempt to go Up Above by getting a job in Trans World.

With the help of Bob, Adam meets Eden by putting Up-material in his clothes to disguise himself as a worker from Up, using Bob's name as his own. But Eden doesn't recognize him because of amnesia from the accident as a teen. The Up-material in Adam's clothes starts to burn so he has to return to Down. Later on, Bob is fired but as he leaves, he secretly gives Adam his ID to help him exit the TransWorld building and into Up. Later, by calling Eden through Bob's phone, Adam manages to get a date.

Meanwhile, his cosmetic cream becomes of great importance to the company. While Adam is doing a presentation of the cream, Eden enters the lecture hall and discovers his true identity. After she flees the auditorium Adam runs to find her but Bob's ID, having been terminated, lands him in trouble. He escapes to Bob's house. He shows him that mixing liquids from both gravity fields can make a hybrid solution that resists both gravitational fields and simply floats between the two. Adam then reveals that he didn't give TransWorld the main secret ingredient of his compound, leaving the company unable to manufacture the product without him.

With Bob's help, he goes back to the restaurant where he met with Eden before and finds out she has begun to recover old memories of him. But the police arrive and he has to run. Upon returning to his planet he goes to the mountain top where he met Eden. Eden comes to find him and they meet again as they did long ago. But police are on their trail and, as they fail to escape, Eden is arrested while Adam falls the remaining distance between worlds. But he survives because of a vest containing inverse matter which he still had strapped to his torso. TransWorld agrees to drop the charges against Eden if Adam gives them his formula and never contacts Eden again.

Now Adam has gone back to his old life, believing he will never see Eden again. But Eden, not so easily dissuaded, goes to Bob for help. Bob finds Adam and surprises him by showing he can stay Down without the help of the opposite-matter accoutrements; Bob has been able to use Adam's methods to create a way to negate the effect of gravity. Bob tells him he had purchased the patent of his beauty cream before TransWorld attempted to do so. He finishes by informing him that Adam also has a "date" with someone.

The film ends with Eden revealing she has become pregnant with twins. Adam tells of their act and how it has changed their societies forever, the two worlds now in permanent physical contact and equalized in wealth and status as well.

Review:

This Lovestory with a gravitational twist is a little hard to digest with all that physics involved. However it’s a creative move and the special effects are outstanding.

Cast is good but performance wise this movie is a let down.

"In spite of its wonderfully unusual premise and talented cast, Upside Down fails to offer much in the way of compelling drama to anchor its admittedly dazzling visuals."

The whole concept of dual gravity is brilliant and so much could be done to enhance its attraction but blending it into a romance that dull was just like wasting the bright idea.

This movie is an eye-candy if regarded to its visuals but story wise it fails every criteria.

Performance Ratings:

Adam:

Jim Sturgess.

What a mess. He looked more like a puppy in need of shelter than a man who owns a formula of a golden fate.

More to your disgrace he wore the Worst Hair-style ever!

**½

Eden:

Kristen Dunst.

Even though she has done well but there is always some unknown nagging thing about her that you never like.

Not at her best here.

***

Bob:

Timothy Spall.

Best as ever.

One can never say negative about his performance.

****

My Rating For This Love Tale Is: 
**1/2

Reviewed By : Adina Farid

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Movie Review: A Walk to Remember

A Walk to Remember

Cast :

Shane West as Landon Rollins Carter

Mandy Moore as Jamie Elizabeth Sullivan-Carter

Peter Coyote as Reverend Hegbert Sullivan

Daryl Hannah as Cynthia Carter

Lauren German as Belinda

Clayne Crawford as Dean

Al Thompson as Eric

Paz De La Huerta as Tracy

David Lee Smith as Dr. Carter

Jonathan Parks Jordan as Walker

Matt Lutz as Clay Gephardt

Plot:

“You have to promise you won't fall in love with me.” 

One of the most touching romantic movie ever, ‘A walk to remember’ is a tale of teenage love and promises which makes you believe that miracles do happen. It released and spreaded love in year 2002.

Adaptation of Nicholas Spark’s out of this world novel this movie conveys a story of young and popular Landon Carter who never thought of falling in love with an introvert and Reverend Sullivan’s daughter Jamie Sullivan. After playing a dangerous prank on his classmate, Landon is forced to spend time in various after-school activities, such as tutoring disadvantaged children and performing in the drama club's spring musical. 

For the first time in her life Jamie approaches Landon and asks for his help for charity work while they are acting together in a school play.

Landon being the most popular boy in the bunch tries to avoid her company and makes fun of her by adding sarcastic comments. In answer to that Jamie refuses to help her with script and somehow he manages to learn it on his own.

During the play, Jamie astounds Landon and the entire audience with her beauty and voice. Landon kisses Jamie during the play, which was not in the script, and Landon tries to get close to Jamie, but she repeatedly rejects him. Soon thereafter, however, Landon's friends publicly humiliate Jamie by altering a photograph of her and placing her head on the body of a scantily clad woman. Landon angrily confronts his former friend, punching him and publicly siding with Jamie. Afterwards, Landon and Jamie begin a relationship in which Landon dedicates most of his time to her. He discovers that she has a wish list, and sets out to make all her ambitions come true, such as taking her to a state border so that she can stand on either side of the line and, thus, be in two places at once. 

She warns Landon not to fall in love with her and finally tells him about her serious medical condition that she is suffering from terminal Leukemia and has no hope.

Her disease gets worse by the time and she collapses in her father’s arm and is taken to hospital where Landon learns that his father is going to pay for her medical attention which will be given to her at her own home. He goes to his father and breaks down in tears and makes up with him after a very long time.

Jamie believes that Landon is an angel from Heaven sent down for her relief and thanks God in every condition. Landon however is sad and angry with God for taking away the only precious gift of his life, his Love. He goes on fulfilling Jamie’s wishlist.

In the end he asks Reverend Sullivan to marry his daughter and he agrees. They are married in the same chapel as Jamie’s parents where she makes a ‘walk to remember’ by walking down the aisle in a poor health but living the most precious moment of her short termed life.

After Jamie’s death Landon spends his life just like Jamie wanted to. In the end when he says that Jamie never got his miracle, Reverend Sullivan tells him that he is her miracle.

“she did get her miracle, Landon.

Her miracle was you.” 

Review:

This is a kind of movie you can never express in a negative way. It won’t only leave you tearful but also longing to see more of this charming couple.Another best feature of this movie is its sound. Mandy Moore has captivated many souls by singing ‘Only Hope’ the way only a true believer can.Although it’s an old flick but the magic can never fade. It leaves you awestruck just Landon when he sees Jamie in school play costume blooming like a rose.

Last but never the least is the ‘Walk’. You can actually feel that burden of Jamie’s ill being on your heart as she takes step towards Landon and clutches your heart with a never ending feeling of true and unconditional love.

Just like me anyone who sees the movie will thank the person who recommended it.

But before you see it, prepare your hearts for a romance-full heart attack!!

“It was, I remembered thinking, the most difficult walk anyone ever had to make. 

In every way, a walk to remember.” 

Performance Ratings:

Mandy Moore (Jamie Sullivan) :

Kind, wonderful, beautiful and gentle. For once you believe the girl on your screen is the real Jamie Sullivan and she is actually going to die!

Hats-off!

As for the songs; Mandy sang magic.

****½

Shane West (Landon Carter) :

Shane West has done a commendable job with Landon’s character summoning the ‘bad-boy-falling-in-love’ attitude!

****

Now as for the Overall rating:

****½

Reviewed by : Adina Farid

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