Silver Linings Playbook(2012)

Silver Linings Playbook movie -- Another David O. Russell comedy which derives all it's elements from the real life scenarios, nothing too glitzy, nothing very flashy but still maintains a brisk pace and an overall feel good mood. Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper gave career best performances in the title roles of two mentally unstable people searching for their silver linings, and Anupam Kher shined in the little yet important space provided to him. The quirky camera angles and sharp movements gave the film a rough yet substantial edge. It definitely deserves all the accolades it's getting primarily for not being a cheesy rom-com which it so easily could have been. The movie walked the thin line between being funny and being offensive as it dealt with a sensitive topic of mental illness and depression. But kudos to the creative team and the cast that they passed with flying colours as the film provided us with light funny moments as well as a chance to empathize with the characters. 

Skyfall(2012)

Skyfall -- Bond goes "classic" in his newest mission where M's past comes back to haunt(hunt) her and Bond himself has to confront his past to fight the villain who is not only an ace hacker but also a previous MI6 super-spy.. The action set-pieces were brilliant as usual but what made this film different from most others was it's character development and considerable inclination towards giving an emotional background to the story, a phenomenon silently put forth to action ever since Daniel Craig donned the Bond suit. A special mention to the Adele number and opening sequence, which really set the momentum of the film. Overall the sound effects and the cinematography were brilliant too.

If anyone watches the last part of the film isolated, it would be very difficult for him/her to associate it with any other previous Bond film. Here we sympathize for the villain, doubt the capabilities of the hero, feel the vulnerability of the whole situation while the feelings try to sink in midst the usual bullet fires and humongous blasts. All in all, this was an action thriller with an emotional edge, making it arguably the best Bond film ever. 

Lincoln (2012)

Lincoln -- When Steven Speilberg and Daniel Day-Lewis combine, you can rest assured that the final outcome would be quite extraordinary.. The whole movie revolved around the last few years of Lincoln's life, his strife to pass the 13th amendment up-to his assassination at the Ford theater.. To be honest i felt the first hour to be a little dragged, delving too much into the political intricacies, but when the human side of the legend started to emerge, those still expressive eyes of DDL showed that behind all that power there still lived a vulnerable person who loved his son and cared for his wife, the film reached a whole new zenith. Can't think of anyone else taking home the best actor Oscar. 

I can't vouch for historical accuracy but I felt that some characters were exaggerated for the sake of cinematic appeal. But the film had the power to make the viewer feel about what was happening out there. When the vote was taking place to decide whether or not to pass the amendment, I secretly cheered for the Republicans. And when they won, I felt myself joining the celebrations. That is the point of a movie, right? To make you feel along with the characters, to laugh with them and cry with them. In this regard, Lincoln was an astounding success. 

Somewhere Dutta Vs Dutta lyrics

I know there'll be pain everywhere

and i know there'll always be despair

and there always will be fighting for no rhyme or reason

but I know that i'll find you somehwere

there will be someone dying on the road

and there'll be someone carrying all the load

and i know that this whole world will never ever care

but i know that I'll find you somewhere

somewhere in the darkness of defeat

somewhere on a lonely crugged street

somewhere when there's nowhere to turn to and care

yes i know that i'll find u somewhere

somewhere in the shadows there is care

I have seen the love in the eyes that are scared

yes i know that there's a home somewhere inside the hatred

yes I know that i'll find you somewhere....

(Lyrics of the song Somewhere by Neel Dutt in the movie Dutta Vs Dutta)

Zero Dark Thirty

Zero Dark Thirty-- The hunt for the most 'remarkable' terrorist of our times, Bin Laden, finds a dramatic (mostly over-dramatic) conclusion in this Kathryn Bigelow action-adventure. Right from the beginning it was a film begging for attention, trying to poke at the already controversial and over-hyped topic. On the plus side, Jessica Chastain pulled off the role of a dedicated CIA agent who was responsible for the capture of Laden almost to perfection. And if Bigelow deserved an oscar for The Hurt Locker, she atleast deserved a nomination for this one, as she seems to be growing as a director, but still very far from a great one...

Cloud Atlas

Cloud Atlas -- Six intermingled and inter-weaved stories spanned across several centuries that basically deal with the eternity of the soul and how the repercussions of a simple act of kindness reverberates across time and space. This is a film which transcended genres, turning from sci-fi to drama to comedy to thriller with effortless fluidity as the stories darted back and forth from one into the other, bound seamlessly. The people behind The Matrix , The Wachowskis with a budget of over 100 million dollars created a visionary masterpiece which has and will redefine the word epic for times to come. The ensemble cast comprising of Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Hugh Grant and many other veterans gave power packed performances in one of the best films of 2012. The only deterrent while watching this is that it may seem very complex at times, but in the end everything falls into place..