25 February, 2013

Agro wins the best film award at the Oscars


Argo was judged as the Best picture at the glittering Oscar Awards Ceremony.
Here is the list of all other Oscar Awards for 2012
 argo
Best Picture
Argo
Best Actor
Daniel Day-Lewis for ‘Lincoln’
Best Actress
Jennifer Lawrence for ‘Silver Linings Playbook’
Best Direction
Ang Lee for ‘Life of Pi’
Best Actress in a Supporting Role -
Anne Hathaway for ‘Les Miserables’
Best Supporting Actor
Christoph for Best Supporting Actor for his role as bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz in writer/director Quentin Tarantino’s ‘Django Unchained’
Best Writing – Original Screenplay
Quentin Tarantino for ‘Django Unchained’
Best Writing – Adapted Screenplay
Chris Terrio for ‘Argo’
Best Cinematography
Claudio Miranda for ‘Life of Pi’
Best Film Editing
William Goldenberg for ‘Argo’
Best Visual Effects
‘Life of Pi’ – Bill Westenhofer, Guillaume Rocheron, Erik-Jan De Boer and Donald R. Elliott
Best Production Design
‘Lincoln’ – Rick Carter (Production Design), Jim Erickson (Set Decoration)
Best Animated Feature
Pixar’s adventure “Brave” for Best Animated Feature
Best Sound Editing (Tie)
Paul N.J. Ottosson for ‘Zero Dark Thirty’ and
Per Hallberg and Karen Baker Landers for ‘Skyfall
Best Make-Up and Hair Styling
Lisa Westcott and Julie Dartnell for ‘Les Misérables’
Best Sound Mixing
‘Les Miserables’ – Andy Nelson, Mark Paterson and Simon Hayes
Best Costume Design
Jacqueline Durran for ‘Anna Karenina’
Best Foreign Language Film
Amour
Best Original Score
Mychael Danna for ‘Life of Pi’
Best Original Song
Adele for ‘Skyfall’
Best Live Action Short Film
‘Curfew’
Best Documentary
‘Inocente’
Best Animated Short Film
‘Paperman’

Zila Ghaziabad


This action based film is about the gang wars in the hinterland between two rival groups of Satbir Gurjar and Mahender Fauji (a series of real life incidents) which ensued in Ghaziabad

Directed by Anand Kumar, whose previous film was Delhi Heights, Vivek Oberoi teams up with Sanjay Dutt and Arshad Warsi for the first time.
Zila Ghaziabad appears to be inspired from the super hit action features Omkara and Dabangg. Any occasion is greeted by trigger-happy gangsters. The film is filled with vendetta, gravity defying stunts, slitting throats, pumping bullets and the story begins with unnecessary use of action like exploding bombs in a song sequence as Arshad Warsi returns to Ghaziabad.

We have two rival groups, led by the local Chairman (Paresh Rawal) and Rashid (Ravi Kissen), respectively whose henchmen are active in gang war sort of incidents. Chairman has a soft corner for Satbir (Vivek Oberoi), as he often helps him in situations where paper work is involved. Chairman’s daughter (Charmy Kaur) has fallen for the school teacher. Fauji (Arshad Warsi) is the Chairman’s right hand man for carrying out all his dirty work.
It is the Chairman’s growing respect and preferences for Satbir which leaves the Chairman’s good-for-nothing brother-in-law (Sunil Grover) jealous and then he sows the seeds of distrust. The brother in law plans an attack on Fauji’s home, making it look like it was Satbir’s work.
Then the Chairman’s right hand man Fauji crosses over to Rashid’s faction, while the goody ‘ahinsa wadi’ school teacher Vivek Oberoi is forced to take to violence and indulge in bloodshed when his elder brother (Chandrachur Singh) is killed by Fauji who is misinformed by a shrewd character who intends to avenge Chairman’s (Paresh Raval) insults.
The battle lines are drawn and the Police department has no other option but to depute a brawny cop, Pritam Singh (Sanjay Dutt), to wipe off the gangsters and restore peace in Ghaziabad. Pritam Singh the cop who is known for use of force to eliminate the gangsters, this time uses his chess-board shrewdness to wipe off the baddies without straining his hands.
For complete review and more pics of Zila Ghaziabad - visit:   www.filmytown.com

22 February, 2013

Kai Po Che is for the urban audience


India is a country where for a billion people, cricket is religion. This is the story of three friends who hit upon a brilliant plan – to start a training academy that could produce India’s next sporting superstars!

Life is not always as we would want it to be. Then onwards what happens is without doubt the greatest adventure of their lives, as the trio attempt to navigate the big hurdles in the path of fulfilling their dreams.

A brilliant film filled with emotions. It isn't for the masses.

For more reviews and pics of bollywood films visit:
www.filmytown.com

20 February, 2013

I went shopping for Robert De Niro -Anupam Kher’s maiden directorial venture


Anupam Kher announces his next directorial venture; I Went Shopping For Robert De Niro, a 29 minute short film, in honour of his Oscar Nominated Silver Linings Playbook co star. He has also produced the film under his banner Actor Prepares Mumbai, named after his acting school.
shoppingforrobert3
“I have been wanting to direct a film for the past one year. When I came back from the USA after completing Silver Lining’s Playbook, Yamini, the writer of the short film, narrated the concept to me and I thought it is a wonderful story and I wanted to tell it. I decided to direct and produce it.” says Kher who is currently riding high on the success of Special 26.
Everyone from the cast and crew is a huge fan of Robert De Niro and has worked with gritty passion to pay their respects to the star. I went Shopping for Robert De Niro is a story of two girls at the crossroads of their lives and what happens to them on that particular day when they go shopping for Robert De Niro. Yamini Kshirsagar and Rimal Arora play the lead roles in the film.
They are also the girls who actually went shopping for the gift for De Niro before Kher travelled to Philadelphia for the shooting of Silver Linings Playbook, making the film part autobiography and part fiction.
shoppingforrobert2
Anupam Kher says, “With this film we tell the story of millions of people who come to the city of Mumbai to fulfil their dreams. It reminded me of the days of my life when I shifted to Mumbai to pursue my career as an actor. Similarly Silver Linings Playbook reminded me of the excitement I experienced when I signed my first film ever and I went shopping for Robert De Niro reminded me of my first days in Mumbai.
Nostalgia drove me to be a part of both these stories. In one sense going to celebrate Silver Linings Playbook at the Oscars brings this entire journey as full circle for me as being a part of the project gave birth to the short film”
For more articles on Hollywood / Bollywood visit:  www.filmytown.com

19 February, 2013

Mai - If you love your mother....


Asha Bhosle plays the role of a mother suffering from Alzheimer’s. Mai is the story of an helpless mother and her ungrateful and insensitive children.. The subject is cliched, but it is Asha Bhosle’s performance which is the highlight of the film.

It is wonderful to see Asha Tai taking personal interest in this touching film where she is in front of the camera. And she has played the role of an ageing mother very naturally. This is the highlight of this film.
In Baghban we had the aged parents whose children weren’t willing to take care of them. In this film it is the 65 year old mother of three daughters and a son. The son is much involved in his personal problems that he is least interested in taking care of his mother.
The eldest daughter Madhu (Padmini Kolhapure) is the only one who cares for her mother, and then she finds out that Mai has Alzheimer’s. Madhu wants to keep and look after Mai, which is not so positively taken by her husband Subhash (Ram Kapoor) and her daughter.
 If you love your mother....do not miss this film.

Full review and more pics of the film Mai is at:
http://www.filmytown.com/movies/mai

17 February, 2013

Jayantabhai Ki Luv Story



A crime-romantic film that follows the life of Jayantabhai (Vivek Oberoi), a small time gangster falls unexpectedly in love with Simran (Neha Sharma) his neighbor. The film is produced by Kumar S. Taurani and directed by Vinnil Markan.

It is the story about how people unexpectedly fall in love with the people whom they had least expected to even in their dreams.

Jayantabhai is a street-thug who lives in Mumbai, a happy-go-lucky and a complacent single guy. Just staying opposite to his door is another tenant – Simran, who is a simple young girl, a go-getter and a rebel. 

They are worlds apart.

Here is a light and frothy romantic comedy of a small time gangster and a simple, jobless damsel who has 
come to Mumbai for a job. Simran comes to Mumbai and stays in a rented apartment, and it has Jayantabhai as her neighbour.

Full review of Jayantabhai... and more pics on :  www.filmytown.com

Murder 3 - A gripping thriller.


Murder 3 is an official adaptation of the Colombian thriller ‘The Hidden Face’.

‘This Valentine’s Love Will be Murdered’ the tagline of this film describes the film in a gist. Producers of this film – Vishesh Films and Fox Star Studios have officially acquired the rights of the film which was directed by Andres Baiz.

‘Murder 3’ marks the directorial debut of Vishesh Bhatt and it stars Randeep Hooda, Aditi Rao Hydari and Sara Loren

Vikram (Randeep Hooda) is a hot-shot fashion and wildlife photographer. He gets into a relationship with Nisha (Sara Loren) and then she moves in with him in his palatial house on the outskirts of the city.

This old world house, made almost a century ago is as beautiful as it is scary. It is well maintained and also holds many secrets which Nisha is soon to unearth.

Full review of the film plus more pics at: www.filmytown.com

11 February, 2013

The 2013 Sundance Film Festival in Retrospect


By Editorial



sundance

Film festivals are indeed a great way to showcase one’s work as well as provide credence to a film made well. The Sundance Film Festival 2013, held recently, is one of the biggest in the US and was attended by some of the biggest names of Hollywood. Over 120 films were showcased in the 11-day run of this year’s festival.
Ryan Coogler’s ‘Fruitvale’ bagged the coveted American jury grand prize for dramatics and the U.S. dramatic audience award amidst a standing ovation from the crowd. This was the first time since 2009’s Precious wherein the same movie was adjudged the best both by the jury as well as the audience. The film is a dramatic depiction of the BART shooting that took place in 2009, and is also a debut for the filmmaker.
Among the showcased films, there were movies by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, David Gordon Green and Richard Linklater among other renowned as well as first-time directors Steve Hoover’s ‘Blood Brother’, which won hands down in the documentary section with both the Grand Jury Price and the Audience Award. This documentary tracks the journey of Rocky Braat, Hoover’s friend, as he works at an orphanage in India with children suffering from HIV/AIDS.
Other recognised films in the festival include A.C.O.D, a comedy directed by Stu Zicherman; and After Tiller, a documentary by Martha Shane and Lana Wilson. Jill Soloway won the prestigious ‘Directing Award: US Dramatics’ for Afternoon Delight, a movie about a woman who invites a dancer from a strip club to become her child’s nanny. Another movie that earned praise from critics and audiences alike in the festival was ‘Before Midnight’, the sequel to Before Sunrise and Before Sunset.
‘Blackfish’, a documentary film directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite, was successful in making a strong case against the captivity of wild animals, while the crime drama ‘Blue Caprice’ was acclaimed to be a ‘beautifully shot, sensitively acted drama.’ Another comedy ‘Computer Chess’ by Andrew Bujalski about a weekend chess tournament between a man and machine won the Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize.
Many other movies were successful in making their mark in the festival this year which include ‘Concussion’ by Stacie Passon, ‘Crystal Fairy’ by Sebastian Silva, ‘The East’ by Zal Batmanglij, ‘In a World’ by Lake Bell, ‘Jobs’ by Joshua Michael Stern, and ‘May in the Summer’ by Cherian Dabis. The 2013 Sundance Film Festival has lent a winning start to many movies and directors, making them strong contenders for the Oscars this year.
While many outstanding movies were showcased at the festival, most of them will also be among the DVD new releases at Tesco, which is certainly great news for movie enthusiasts.

Full news at: www.filmytown.com 

04 February, 2013

One Stop-Shop for filming in Dubai


burj-al-arab-Dubai
The Dubai Film and TV Commission, instituted earlier this year, launched its website yesterday with details of its products and services intended to increase local production and attract international players from the film and TV sectors.

“The idea of creating the Commission was to introduce a proper framework to control and manage local production and give local companies an edge,” explained Jamal Al Sharif, chairman, Dubai Film and TV Commission.

The Commission requires international companies filming in Dubai to hire a local production company. “We’re not stipulating percentages of local hires as Dubai’s a free market, but we are actively encouraging local companies, even universities to engage their students with film units as interns or volunteers.”

In addition to simplifying the process of securing permits to film, the Commission serves as a one-stop shop for international film crews and has also regularised the private location fees that were earlier unregulated. “You want to film at iconic Dubai landmarks? We’ve fixed the rate for all private venues

[such as Burj Khalifa, Burj Al Arab, Arabian Ranches] at AED15,000 per day (that is roughly Rs 2,25,000 per day) and we sort out the permissions,” added Al Sharif.

burj al khalifa
Since MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE GHOST PROTOCOL, interest in Dubai as a location has skyrocketed with several big-budget and blockbuster films from Bollywood, China and South India and popular Arab TV dramas filming in the emirate, and although Al Sharif is keen on bringing back “another MISSION:IMPOSSIBLE type film”, he wants the Commission to help nurture Emirati film production as well.

“There’s no industry if we can’t help the local film-makers. The immediate strategy is to help them meet with the right fund sources and introduce more training and talent development programmes and of course, the goal of attracting high-profile international projects is also to involve local crews and increase opportunities for them,” he said.
On the web
Log on to the Dubai Film and TV Commission website
on dubaifilmcommission.ae

full article on:  www.filmytown.com

Gangoobai - The original Santu Rangeeli is back as Gangoobai



NFDC (an Indian Government body) now funds a film about a simpleton titled ‘Gangoobai’ who is an aged Maharashtrian maid servant, a resident of Matheran, in Maharashtra, India.
Gangoobai is a childless, elderly widow, who have lived her life in the hill station of Matheran, near Mumbai. Old enough to be a grand mother in a typical conservative Indian lifestyle.
She loves tending to flowers in the garden where she is working as domestic help. She is concerned about tending to her beloved flowers and working as domestic help in a few homes. One of the weekend bungalows in Matheran is owned by the wealthy Hodiwala family.

This lady falls instantly in love with an exotic, custom-made saree – Gara saree, when she sees the daughter of her land lady and yearns to own one in her lifetime. 
For full review and more pics of this film, visiti - www.filmytown.com