The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor

Director: Ron Cohen; Cast: Brendan Fraser, Jet Li, Maria Bello, Michelle Yeoh, Luke Ford
Rating: *

There have already been quite a few summer action blockbuster movies this year, and the 'The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor' tries to sneak in and make an impact. It is not going to succeed.

With 'The Dark Knight' already getting incredible critical and box office success, any other movie following that one is doomed, at the best, to be mediocre.

The Mummy franchise returns for a third time and the tragedy of this instalment is just how much of a good thing it squanders. It had millions of dollars and some semblance of an interesting story. But it is unforgivable for the way it wastes some very fine Asian actors like Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh.

The film makers chose to ignore any kind of story and the potential good acting at hand, and chose to just go for as many explosions and as much noise as possible. The plot seems to be at the service of action and some exotic locales.

It takes us to the deserts of China, the Himalayas and even allows us to encounter some snow animals called yeti.

Even the dependable actor, Brendan Fraser, gets very little from the script to build on. Another fine actress, Maria Bello, is not allowed to sink her teeth into the role.

There is no chemistry between these two lead actors or between Fraser and Luke Ford, who plays his son. Ford could go down as the most bland character in an action movie this year.

The movie starts with a flashback from history of an ancient emperor along with his army being turned to clay by a spell cast by a woman.

The woman is in love with another man and the emperor is against this union. Fast forward a few thousand years and Luke Ford's character has discovered this tomb, and well, all hell breaks loose after this.

This is also the point where the movies starts losing its wheels and just rambles on, taking us for an inconsequential ride.

The only good thing about this movie is the action. It delivers in some way.

There is nothing new in terms of technique or filming, but it does strive hard to thrill. Pre-teens may find this appealing and adults looking for a good break from anything cerebral might also appreciate the explosions.

The director Rob Cohen might have understood this a little too well and thinks he doesn't have to offer anything more than that.

The writers, Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, are not interested in coming up with anything fresh or even aware of the sheer acting potential in all their actors. Each of these actors has won rave reviews for at least one other performance in other movies. They could have been given much more to handle in this one.

This movie works best when there are no expectations and demands. For the sake of pure thrill and mindless fun with action in exotic locales, this movie will satisfy.

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Singh Is Kinng

Just a word of caution before you watch this film: Singh Is Kinng is not for the intellectuals or those pretending to be one. It's not for the hard-nosed critics either.

Now read on…

Vipul Shah. Anees Bazmee. Akshay Kumar. Katrina Kaif. Four names for whom success has become a habit. That makes Singh Is Kinng the most awaited movie of the season. Must add, the wait was worth it!

You know the rules when you watch a hardcore entertainer: Just don't look for logic. If you do, too bad for you, for you would never enjoy a film of this genre and more specifically, Singh Is Kinng.

Anees Bazmee's films are very high on entertainment. The plotline may be paper-thin, perhaps ludicrous and farcical, but when did Bazmee ever promise a SCHINDLER'S LIST or a SAVING PRIVATE RYAN? Singh Is Kinng works because it delivers what it promises: Full on entertainment!

Bazmee has the knack of making immensely watchable fares that cater to the aam junta. Singh Is Kinng isn't a laughathon in entirety. Comedy, romance, action and drama, everything is well synchronised in those 2.10 hours here.

But, wait, Singh Is Kinng isn't a foolproof product. It has its share of flaws, the turn of events aren't captivating at times, but Singh Is Kinng moves so fast and packs in so much, there's no time to think or analyze.

The final word? Singh Is Kinng is a delicious and scrumptious pav-bhaji served in the finest cutlery. Your taste buds are sure to relish it... and ask for more!

Lakhan Singh aka Lucky (Sonu Sood) is the King of the Australian underworld, accompanied by his associates (played by Javed Jaffrey, Neha Dhupia, Manoj Pahwa, Yashpal Sharma, Kamal Chopra and Sudhanshu Pande). Far away, in a small village in Punjab, where Lucky was born, there exists someone more notorious than him - Happy Singh (Akshay Kumar).

The village is fed up of Happy's magnanimity, which has resulted in a number of hilariously disastrous situations. Out of desperation, they decide to send him on a long trip (that will keep him out of the village for a while!) to bring Lucky back to Punjab, as his despicable deeds were maligning their image in Australia.

The happy-go-lucky bumpkin, taking his mission a bit too seriously, embarks on his journey, accompanied by his friend, Rangeela (Om Puri), who hates Happy for dragging him into it.

The high point of his journey is his chance meeting with Sonia (Katrina Kaif), with whom he falls in love, but upon reaching his destination, things take a precarious turn as he runs into a series of comic misadventures, leaving him penniless. He is fortunate to find warmth and affection in an elderly lady (Kirron Kher).



>Following the altercation, Lucky lands up in hospital paralyzed and Happy, unexpectedly, finds the tables turned on him when he is expected to assume the role of the new King.

Few minutes into the film and you know that Singh Is Kinng is a lavish spectacle that's high on entertainment. Sonu Sood chasing a gora assassin at the very start or minutes later, Akshay chasing a hen - Singh Is Kinng starts with gusto.

And Bazmee doesn't let you wear your thinking caps all through the first hour. From India to Egypt to Australia, from the comforts of his home in Punjab, to the humble abode of a woman selling flowers in Sydney (Kirron Kher), Singh Is Kinng involves you in the journey.

And then Akshay becomes the King. Oh, how he becomes the King is equally hilarious. The sequence at the hospital (Sonu Sood is diagnosed with a weird disorder) is simply hilarious. There's a twist in the tale at the intermission point and the second hour, therefore, shifts gears - it changes from kabhi funny, kabhi drama to a prem kahani.

It's smooth sailing till there's another twist towards the pre-climax (wouldn't like to reveal it, since it would act as a spoiler). But, frankly, the film could've done without this track. The narrative, thankfully, is back on tracks soon after.

Anees Bazmee has a flair for writing great entertainers that work big time with the masala-loving junta. If you've loved NO ENTRY and WELCOME, you'd love Singh Is Kinng too.

This time, Bazmee shares the writing credits with Suresh Nair and the duo come up with some real wacky episodes. In terms of production design, this is Bazmee's most lavish fare so far. It's a grandiose product.

Pritam's music is already popular and it compliments the goings-on completely. 'Bhootni Ke', 'Jee Karda' and the title track stand out, while 'Teri Ore' is easy on the nerves. Ben Nott and Sanjay Gupta's cinematography is top notch.

Akshay Kumar takes rapid strides with Singh Is Kinng. Sure, you've seen him in comic fares time and again and perhaps, there might be a doubt, Will he carry it off yet again? Oh yes, he does!

There's no saturation point as far as this actor is concerned. He holds your attention in every sequence, irrespective of how strong the scene is, and that's the biggest compliment for any actor. Singh Is Kinng without Akki is like an ocean without marine life. Akshay rules!

The camera loves Katrina Kaif and it shows in Singh Is Kinng too. She looks bewitching and enacts her part with tremendous confidence. Kirron Kher is superb and so is Om Puri. Terrific performances!

They compliment Akki so well. Ranvir Shorey is first-rate. Sonu Sood is another actor who's finally getting his due in Hindi films. Javed Jaffrey's character works big time till he does a somersault in the pre-climax.

Neha Dhupia is engaging. The nok-jhonk between Sudhanshu Pandey and Yashpal Sharma is perfect. Manoj Pahwa is good.

On the whole, Singh Is Kinng lives up to the hype and hoopla. Want a joyride without taxing your brains? Board the Singh Is Kinng wagon.

At the box-office, the film will fetch a hurricane-like start. The paid previews, the opening weekend, the first week business, everything will be record-shattering.

Notwithstanding the new oppositions in the weeks to come, Singh Is Kinng will rule the hearts of the aam junta (whose verdict matters the most) as also the box-office, proving a record holder in the final tally. Blockbuster Hit!

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Deols helped me when I was a nobody

In her two releases in August God Tussi Great Ho and Chamku within two weeks Priyanka continues her quest to look physically different for each part.

"Not that I planned for God, Tussi… and Chamku to come one after another. But fortunately I look very different in both. In God… I'm dressed in shorts and jeans. I wear a nose-ring throughout the film…a very hip and 'today' thing to do. In Chamku I'm a school teacher. So I dress in a saree."

She is all gooey-eyed about her Chamku co-star. "Bobby and I go back a long way. He and Sunnyji are a part of my initial phase in Mumbai. Sunnyji did my first film The Hero with me when I was a nobody. He didn't have to.

But he encouraged a newcomer. I'll never forget that. As for Bobby we've done two films together before. I'd do anything for the Deols' banner Vijeta Films anytime."

Is that why she agreed to be in Chamko although it's an out-and-out Bobby vehicle?

"It's Bobby's film. But I've a substantial role. I am the shoulder he cries on. Sometimes it's good to be a shoulder instead of shouldering a film, " she chuckles.

As for Salman, "We really had a good time shooting God Tussi Great Ho. That sense of enjoyment shows up on screen."

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Revealed: Why Aamir dislikes Ramu

Ram Gopal Varma and Aamir Khan had worked together only in Rangeela (1995) which was a super duper success at the box office but despite that they never worked with each other.

There was a verbal war of words that had ensued between the two just a few months after its release following which they were considered arch enemies in the industry till date.

But almost 13 years later, Ram Gopal Varma has come out with the disclosure of what actually happened and how senior journalist cum film critic turned filmmaker, Khalid Mohammed is responsible for it all.

Ramu in his personal blog has stated, "The famous controversy between me and Aamir happened 6 to 7 months after Rangeela released.

Khalid Mohammed (he was then the editor of FILMFARE magazine) was doing an interview with me in which I was giving an explanation that the audience can rarely understand the difference between a character and an actor. I cited the scene in Rangeela when Aamir takes Urmila to restaurant.

Now the waiter being a Five Star Hotel steward is higher in social status than Munna but being a waiter he has no choice but to serve him. But on a human being level he can barely hide his disgust hearing Munna's lines.

So I told Khalid that the lines are being delivered by Aamir but the look on the waiter's face is what is making the audience laugh. So it calls for more complex acting on the waiter's part compared to Aamir in that particular scene.

Khalid who apparently had a personal axe to grind with Aamir went ahead and printed this article which read like as if I said "The waiter was better than Aamir".

By the time the article came out I was off on a Telugu film shoot in interior Andhra Pradesh.

Aamir tried to contact me and those days there were no cell phones. The fact that I was not getting in touch with him and him not knowing where I was, he thought I was avoiding him and as the media was hounding him to react he went ahead and reacted and the media blew up the thing into a full scale war.

The moment I realized what happened I met Aamir and explained it to him. He wanted me to give a statement in print against Khalid that I was misquoted to which I said I can't because all those things I did say, it's just that it's too technical for a layman at that time to understand and I should not have spoken to a man like Khalid about that and that was a mistake.

Some cold vibes still remained with good reason till years later we met at a party and had a long chat and since then we are cordial. So whatever happened between me and Aamir was completely 100% my fault and I am saying this now here because I was not trusting any journalist to put it across in the correct perspective."

But now if you fans of Ramu Aamir - Rangeela have started jumping with joy that the two shall get back together to create yet another memorable film you are in for a disappointment as Ramu further writes, "Before some minds out there jump to this conclusion that this is an effort on my part to patch up with him in order to do a film with him I want to categorically state here that I will never ever do a film with him and the reasons for that are:

(a). I am not as sincere or as committed as him.
(b). I don't have his patience.
(c). Above all I truly think he is a far better filmmaker than me."

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Papa, Kangana doesn't Love me

Actor Shekhar Suman's son Adhyaman Suman doesn't seem to have got over his crush for his Raaz 2 co-star Kangana Ranaut even after she is learnt to have given him a cold shoulder where it comes to having a relationship between them.

Story goes that the newcomer had fallen head over heels in love with Kangana after they started shooting together for Bhatt Productions' Raaz 2 directed by Mohit Suri.

They both play lovers in the film who are shown having a live in relationship. But in real life, Adhayaman's love remained a one sided affair as Kangana with her own messed up love life was totally disinterested in Adhyaman.

She continued to maintain just a professional relationship with him while on the sets and nothing beyond it.

Unit insiders have now revealed to us that Adhyaman who is nursing a broken heart is just not getting over her. He keeps coming on sets even on days when he is not required to shoot. He just keeps starring at her from long distance and tries to hang around with her as much he can.

Its high time Adhyaman realizes highs efforts are not going to yield any results as winning the heart of the unattainable Kangana is simply next to impossible for him and that he should rather concentrate on his career that has already begun on a very bad foot what with the flopping of his debut film, Haal-E-Dil and the criticism he faced for his acting skills.

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Hot bathing Scene

watch this yester year's bollywood hot bath scene followed by zabardasti (the usual way )

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