18
G PLUS FEB 01 - FEB 07, 2014
Reviews
Asphalt 8: Airborne
Cast: Abhay Deol, Preeti Desai Director: Devika Bhagat
GAME REVIEW
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mit Sharma (Abhay Deol) is an easy going man has given into the mundane and has absolutely no qualms about leading a boring life. On the other hand, his girlfriend, Samara Patel (Preeti Desai) finds no end to her frustration after failing to make a mark as a dancer. How the two take the path of self discovery is what forms the rest of the film. With a very simply laid plot, ‘One By Two’ tracks down the lives of two protagonists, each caught up in their cobwebs in life, each wanting to get another step closer to the ultimate dream. What both of them lack, in their own distinct ways is the go-getter attitude and confidence to take over the big bad world. Isn’t that the case with most of us? The director effortlessly weaves the similarities in her characters with the stark differences in their personalities which is what makes the plot line so endearing to watch. The subtle undertone of the uncertainties that cloud the minds of most of the youth today is brilliantly dealt with. At no point does the director let the dialogues and treatment of the subject cross the line and sound preachy. By the looks of it, ‘One By Two’ may not pull as much crowd as others written by Devika Bhagat like ‘Bachna Ae Haseeno’ and ‘Ladies Vs Ricky Bahl’, but one just cannot ignore the luster ‘One By Two’ holds. It doesn’t boast of the Salman Khan masala, nor does it pretend to be a SRK romance. Staying to true to what it is,
A the film delivers what it promises and reaches out to its audiences even more. The characters are well etched and realistic. No melodrama, no sensationalism – only what you see I nthe real world. The way the director builds on the equations the two protagonists share make the confusion in their minds almost palpable. The theme is bound to remind you of Ayan Mukherjee’s ‘Wake Up Sid’ but by the end of the film, Devika Bhagat, the director manages to hold her own show. The effort is brilliant to say the least. Talking of the performances, Abhay Deol delivers one of the best performances of his career so far. He seems to be tailor made for the
role of a laid back, confused guy. Known for being very selective, Abhay Deol shows genuine compassion towards the character he plays and delves deep into its skin. For a newcomer, Preeti Desai is nothing short of a revelation. We’re glad she took to films for this is where she belongs it seems. She is a charmer all the way. The music by Shankar Ehsaan And Loy grows on you as the film progresses. With such renowned credibility, there is only a little we can say in praise of the trio. If Devika Bhagat juggles take the film on three dimensions, Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy ass a fourth one with the perfect music.
sphalt 8: Airborne, a popular trending racing game for mobiles and tablets, has now been made free to download for Windows Phone and Windows 8 platforms. The game, created by Gameloft, takes up a size of 800MB on Windows Phones and around 1GB for Windows 8. Asphalt 8: Airborne is the latest sequel in Gameloft’s superpopular arcade racing franchise, but this one has a new element that lets you get big air to perform tricks. The new
jumping mechanic is fairly well executed and adds to the excitement, but it becomes old hat pretty quickly. It’s important to note that arcade racers like this one differ from simulations like the Real Racing franchise, so don’t expect real-world physics and controls. This type of racer is meant to be much more fast-paced and entertaining than the sims, so racing purists might want to look elsewhere. With that said, Asphalt 8 is still a lot of fun.
Cast: Aaron Eckhart, Bill Nighy, Miranda Otto Director: Stuart Beattie
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f a list is ever compiled of the most embarrassing screen moments featuring otherwise talented actors, the scene a few minutes into ‘I, Frankenstein’ in which Miranda Otto announces, with a completely straight face, that she is Leonore, High Queen of the Gargoyle Order, must surely place somewhere near the top. But then, this excruciating 3D romp catching up with Mary Shelley’s literary creation 200 years after he first drew breath is little more than a long series of such nailbitingly awful moments, haphazardly stitched together. Aaron Eckhart plays the title character (the monster,
not the scientist, in case there’s any confusion), who becomes entangled in a war between the aforementioned sentient statuary (the goodies) and an army of hellspawn led by Bill Nighy’s demon prince Naberius (the baddies). Nothing about this works: the effects are dire, the mythology confused and idiotic, Aussie director Stuart Beattie’s direction is leaden-footed and the entire affair is devoid of humour (not that it isn’t funny, just not intentionally so). The ones who loved ‘Van helsing’ may like the movie as it is also a depiction of mythical characters in a more presentable way.
Publisher: Penguin Viking Author: Chitrita Banerji
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t is 1973. A newly independent Bangladesh is collapsing under the weight of impending famine, unemployment and political corruption. In the midst of this upheaval, Uma, a Bengali from Calcutta, moves to Dhaka with her husband Iqbal. As the young woman learns to make the new city her home, she faces upheavals of her own. Iqbal is a changed man, their mixed marriage raises too many eyebrows and
the charged atmosphere in Dhaka makes it impossible to trust anyone. Uma has never felt so utterly alone in her life, until she finds herself unexpectedly falling in love. Mirror City brilliantly captures the turbulent early days of Bangladesh, the slow breakdown of a marriage and a woman’s search to find herself. Nuanced, atmospheric and full of drama, this is an utterly compelling novel.