Destined To Doom Movies Of 2013, Which Were Surprisingly Good Or Maybe Just About Average!
Every year we predict certain turkeys of films, because they simply stink in all departments right from the day they are conceived on the drawing board. But there's no more an exhilarating felling, than when these type of films shockingly end up being really good. While some just about make the cut, few others, and very few others might ultimately achieve cult-classic status too. So I hope this list will be informative to you'll, and yes, adulation & criticism are both appreciated, but please make your comments coherent and.....well.....just plain logical!!
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- DirectorSubhash KapoorStarsArshad WarsiAmrita RaoBoman IraniWanting to earn fame and fortune, a small time lawyer files a PIL for an infamous hit-and-run, and thus learns what it really is like to be a lawyer.Best courtroom drama from Bollywood after the classic 'Damini' - period! The entire cast is fabulous, but Boman Irani steals the show with his sublimely sinister act. Arshad Warsi, though not leading man material, does manage to shoulder the protagonist's act and delivers a competent portrayal of his character. The film will last with you long after you've left the theater.
- DirectorAtul SabharwalStarsArjun KapoorZahrah S KhanPrithviraj SukumaranKingship knows no Kinship and there can be only one Emperor in Aurangzeb's world. In Gurgaon, to bring down a criminal the law has to think like one.Great crime saga. Two great crime films have come out of Bollywood in the first half of this year, a complete rarity (Bollywood seldom dishes out a decent crime film even once in three years). If "Special 26" reveled in a light crackling heist, "Aurangzeb" succinctly explores the murkiness, dirtiness, harsh realities, and grime of the underbelly of crime. Moreover, it effectively coagulates the diabolical nexus between white collared and black collared criminals, and how one needs to desperately dig deep in order to uphold your ethics and maintain your sanity. The watertight script is backed by crisp direction and some hard-hitting, resonant one-liners. As far as the performances are concerned, Arjun Kapoor expectantly just manages to stay afloat and Sasha Aagha is on screen solely for eye-candy, even though her role is a bit meaty. Tanvi Azmi, Jackie Shroff, and Amrita Singh are all delightful to watch; Prithviraj packs a strong, competent punch, but ultimately, its the old warhorse Rishi Kapoor who inadvertently and effortlessly completely overshadows everybody else. His show-stealing performance should merit him another supporting actor nominee come awards season.
- DirectorSohail TatariStarsKay Kay MenonVisshesh TiwariTisca ChopraA highly reputed doctor makes a small mistake, which costs the life of a kid Ankur Arora. Will he succeed in hiding his mistake or will the mother of the kid get Justice.This came out of nowhere and almost vanished without a trace. But those who caught it, would realize how lucky they were not to miss this unheralded gem of movie. Based on a true story, its a gripping and hard-hitting dram that takes control of your senses from the word go and refuse to let up till the very end. If the medical procedure build up the anticipation and adequately pays fine attention to detail and authenticity, then the engrossing courtroom machinations in the second half are sure to invigorate your pulses and keep you hooked in anticipation of what shall transpire. The entire cast does a fabulous job, with special mention needing to be bestowed on Tisca Chopra and Paoli Dam. But predictably, its Kay Kay Menon who elevates this already riveting drama to stupendous heights, with his callous, smug, obnoxious, and and delectably mean act. Ultimately, you leave the film with a resonating message, that no amount of success and achievement gives one the right to do and escape with whatever they feel fit.
- DirectorEric StylesStarsScott AdkinsDolph LundgrenYi HuangA team travels to China to capture a primeval creature that is not supposed to exist.Exciting, adrenaline-pumping action adventure flick that can be enjoyed by all age groups. The production values, CGI, and VFX are quite spectacular for a low-budget, independent, B-movie like this. It's also a detour of sorts from Scott and Dolph's regular, hardcore, combat styled action films, but boy, what a welcome surprise it is! Both the action stars bring their dynamic personalities to the fore even without their staple fight scenes and the rest of the cast is also pleasing to the eye. Director Eric Styles does a great job in crafting a thoroughly engaging action adventure film that not only keeps you glued to your seat in excitement, but also has great repeat value for lazy afternoons or cozy evening dates.
- DirectorGary FlederStarsJason StathamJames FrancoWinona RyderA former DEA agent moves his family to a quiet town, where he soon tangles with a local meth druglord.Old-school 80's & 90's style action that never really gets old when done right. Sit back, relax, and revel in a fist-pumping action assemble that seems straight out of a bygone era. James Franco is reliable as ever and Jason Statham rocks as usual.
- DirectorMike MendezStarsGreg GrunbergLin ShayeRuben PlaA giant alien spider escapes from a military lab and rampages the city of Los Angeles. When a massive military strike fails, it is up to a team of scientists and one clever exterminator to kill the creature before the city is destroyed.One of the coolest, funniest, wackiest, zaniest, and most exciting giant monster/sci-fi mash-ups I've come across.
- DirectorAdam WingardStarsSharni VinsonJoe SwanbergAJ BowenWhen the Davison family comes under attack during their wedding anniversary getaway, the gang of mysterious killers soon learns that one of the victims harbors a secret talent for fighting back.Profoundly visceral and supremely tense with edge-of-the-seat suspense, heart-pounding moments, and unexpected startling twists that are guaranteed to blow your mind apart.
- DirectorLuc BessonStarsRobert De NiroMichelle PfeifferDianna AgronThe Manzoni family, a notorious Mafia clan, is relocated to Normandy, France, under the Witness Protection Program, where fitting in soon becomes challenging as their old habits die hard.A terrific crime comedy in the league of such classics as "Fargo", "The Big Lebowski", "True Romance", and "Delhi Belly", among others. Director Luc Besson, maintains a steady equilibrium between the gritty, gory, violence and the caustic, black-humored dialogues. Robert De Niro is in familiar territory and brings out his A-game as a leading man after ages. Michelle Pfeiffer and Tommy Lee Jones are reliable as ever, and even Dianna Agron and John D'Leo, who essay the roles of De Niro's kids, do a fine job. This R-rated gangster mayhem is ridiculous fun and provides an extremely entertaining ride.
- DirectorIndra KumarStarsRiteish DeshmukhVivek OberoiAftab ShivdasaniMeet, Prem, and Amar look to have a blast at their college reunion, though they soon find themselves in another predicament.Great news! India now officially has two excellent adult comedy franchises (the first being the "Kya Kool Hai Hum" series). Hilarious like its predecessor from start to finish. A few plot holes and continuity errors can easily be overlooked when you're having such a good time. The prudes and other so-called moral guardians can keep sneering, those who feel the need to please these prudes and appear pseudo-matured can kid themselves and miss out on some real fun, while the rest of us can care a damn and have a blast with some dirty, naughty, romping, rib-tickling, "masti".
- DirectorAdam McKayStarsWill FerrellChristina ApplegatePaul RuddWith the 1970s behind him, Ron Burgundy, San Diego's former top-rated newsreader, returns to take New York City's first twenty-four-hour news channel by storm.Silly fun at its mercurial best. An instant classic comedy that is sure to tickle your funny bone even with repeated viewings. Loads better than the overrated and at best, average first installment.
- DirectorKeanu ReevesStarsTiger Hu ChenKeanu ReevesKaren MokA young martial artist's unparalleled Tai Chi skills land him in a highly lucrative underworld fight club.Awesome martial-arts action film with an interesting plot and narrative to boot. The plot and certain character arcs could have been developed even further, but overall, its a very good directorial debut from star Keanu Reeves. Performance wise, the actors don't portray much depth, but both Keanu (as usual) and the main protagonist have a strong screen presence. The only bone of contention which I have with this movie is that it goes overboard in its endeavor to propagate Tai Chi as the supreme martial-arts skill of all, when in reality there are far better combat and even disciplinary martial-arts skills out there like Wing Chun, Muay Thai (Kick-Boxing), Kung Fu, Jujutsu (the Samurai way), and Ninjutsu (the Ninja style). Still, "Man Of Tai Chi" is a treat for fans of martial-arts action movies all over.
- DirectorMohit SuriStarsAditya Roy KapoorShraddha KapoorShaad RandhawaRahul loses his fans and fame due to alcoholism. But he then decides to turn a small time singer into a rising star.A romantic film done right after eons. In fact, along with "Silver Linings Playbook", this is the best romantic film in a long, long time. Beautiful music, a great script, well directed and produced, plus good performances from the ensemble cast. Aditya Roy Kapoor is decent, but its Sharaddha Kapoor who really steals the show here. This is one actress to keep a look out for in the future. "Aashiqi 2" boldly does what few other films have seldom attempted to do. It explores the pain, angst, and sacrifice of love - the not so rosy part of a romance. The first half does tender to meander in certain places, but the narrative really becomes fluid and coherent in the second half and packs a punch right till the gut-wrenching climax. For anyone who's ever been in love, who's in love, who's gone through a shattering heartbreak, or who just believes in love - do your selves a favor and don't miss 'Aashiqui 2".
- DirectorSyed Ali Raza UsamaStarsNoman HabibHumayun SaeedMahnoor BalochYoung boy's dream to become Shahid AfridiLittle known Pakistani gem that I was fortunate to just chance upon. Drama, emotions, comedy, romance, cliches, inspiration, heartbreak, and triumph all rolled into one against the backdrop of cricket. A true underdog story and full-blown masala entertainment. The best Pakistani film I've seen until now; even better that "Khuda Ke Liye"
- DirectorJoe LynchStarsRyan KwantenSteve ZahnPeter DinklageLive-action role players conjure up a demon from Hell by mistake and they must deal with the consequences.An absolute treat for anybody who's loved playing video games or still enjoy playing video games (avid gamer geeks and casual gamers alike). It combines all the geeky elements and timeless lingo of classic video games along with an enthralling fantasy plot (derived from a an immensely popular RPG), to deliver an instantaneous cult film that's high on excitement, thrills, action, humor, and pure adrenaline. The multitalented cast boasting of a couple of well-known names is another advantage to boot. In the standard of traditional gaming echelons, there's just one word to describe "Knights of Badassdom" - "Legendary"!
- DirectorRob MeltzerStarsJean-Claude Van DammeAdam BrodyRob HuebelA company retreat on a tropical island goes terribly awry.Rib-tickling comedy. The plot is wacky, the narration is spot-on, and all the actors do a fine job. And, we finally get to see that legendary action star Van Damme has a delightfully funny side too.
- DirectorMitchell AltieriStarsEmma GreenwellJoe EgenderBrendan McCarthyOn the trail of her missing sister, Charlotte enlists the help of Wayne, an ex-Marine and alcoholic, to infiltrate the Church of One Accord - a community of snake-handlers who risk their lives seeking salvation in the Holy Ghost.Oohhh.....don't you just love when you chance upon that rare indie that neatly comes together and simply blows your socks away. "Holy Ghost People" is the quintessential example of such an indie. The script grips your attention from the word go and never lets up, the direction unobtrusively mounts the tension, and the performances are just top-notch (especially Joe Egender). We are treated to a terrific thriller that intensely scrutinizes the dark and disturbing world of religious cults.
- DirectorKlay HallStarsCarlos AlazraquiDane CookStacy KeachA cropdusting plane with a fear of heights lives his dream of competing in a famous around-the-world aerial race.Yes it's unabashedly derivative and cliched, but who's complaining when the movie is so inspiring and wholly entertaining. Everybody loves a true underdog story in which the protagonist rises above all odds, and who better than Disney to portray it once again. "Planes" is a really joyous and triumphant ride that manages to soar above the cliches in its short run time.
- DirectorHenry SaineStarsMatthew MarsdenKristanna LokenChristian PitreBounty killers compete for body count, fame and a fat stack of cash. They're ending the plague of corporate greed and providing the survivors of the apocalypse with retribution. This is the age of the BOUNTY KILLER.Gritty, gory, sexy, exhilarating, cool action flick. In fact, if certain scenes weren't so rushed and greater care was shown in narrating a few other back-stories, this could have been today's generation's herald into a modern "Mad Max" franchise.
- DirectorRohit ShettyStarsDeepika PadukoneShah Rukh KhanSathyarajA man travelling to Rameswaram via Chennai express for his late grandfather's ashes immersion finds himself in trouble after helping a don's daughter and her cousins board the train.Say what you want about Rohit Shetty, but the man sure does know to mindlessly entertain you, unlike many of his clones spawned over the past few years, who just numb your senses with their weak endeavors in trying to ape his brand of easygoing, risk-free cinema. "Chennai Express" is actually his best work since "All The Best" (though nothing compared to "All The Best"), and does have a semblance of plot and even some heart, which is usually not the case with most of his projects. The film exceeds expectations for the mere fact that it entertains you for most its duration. For his part, SRK necessarily hams it up delightfully to the hilt and renders a slightly tweaked and caricatured version of his now famous "Rahul" persona. And Deepika's acting is finally showing signs of real improvement. She literally shines in some scenes of the movie. "Chennai Express" is melodramatic and over-the-top, but it certainly isn't tedious and long-drawn like most other wannabe masala films. Most of the dialogues and gags are actually humorous and the action at the end at least makes the hero feel human (something that can't be said for the other staple masala heroes like Salman and Ajay). At the end of the day, if you don't analyze "Chennai Express" too much, you'll actually end up having quite an entertaining 140-minute ride.
- DirectorWayne KramerStarsPaul WalkerNorman ReedusElijah WoodAn anthology of stories involving meth addicted white supremacists, a man looking for his kidnapped wife and an Elvis impersonator.Extremely entertaining action-comedy. To boot, this little known independent film has an eclectic mix of some popular stars including, Brendan Fraser, Matt Dillon, Paul Walker, and Elijah Wood, who all put in pitch-perfect performances.
- DirectorDilip GhoshStarsVidyut JammwalHsieh Chang HaiNelson Liao Sheng HuaKaran, a disavowed Indian commando, helps protect a woman from a local thug who is hellbent on forcing her to marry him.Even though the movie is riddled with flaws, when you get a hero with such a macho on-screen persona, a manly base voice, and real fighting abilities, along with a decent plot-line, all is forgiven. Intense, fluid, and more importantly believable fight scenes, daring, edge-of-the-seat stunts, hard-hitting and memorable one-liners, Pooja Chopra's refreshing effervescence, Jaideep Ahlawat's convincing malice laced with mean humor (unlike Prakash Raj's umpteen failed endeavors to successfully portray these two traits in cringe-worthy villainous avatars), a convincing narrative arc, and above all, Vidyut Jamwal's awe-inspiring rendition of a tough-as-nails action hero make this movie a complete blast. If only this film had done away with some of its narrative blunders, it could have been an instant action classic. Nevertheless, its still a thrilling ride that no action fan should miss. Indian Cinema has finally got its next big action hero after Dharmendra, Amitabh Bachchan, and Akshay Kumar.
- DirectorJames DeMonacoStarsEthan HawkeLena HeadeyMax BurkholderA wealthy family is held hostage for harboring the target of a murderous syndicate during the Purge, a 12-hour period in which any and all crime is legal.Decent horror effort. The concept is highly innovative and extremely plausible in our own future. The performances, suspense, and plenty of tense moments; keep your gripped and on the edge of your seat. A slightly better effort towards the climax and a tad better direction to tie up certain loose ends, would have made this scare feature even more savory. Nevertheless, it shouldn't be missed as we seldom get such intensely pleasurable horror films nowadays.
- DirectorMichael BayStarsMark WahlbergDwayne JohnsonAnthony MackieA trio of bodybuilders in Florida get caught up in an extortion ring and a kidnapping scheme that goes terribly wrong.Michael Bay's first decent movie since 1998's cult-classic sci-fi "Armageddon", elevated really by the wonderful performances from Mark Wahlberg and The Rock. "Pain & Gain" could have done with some pruning, but it's still a decent, enjoyable, thought-provoking, and most essentially, a relevant movie in today's times.
- DirectorJeff RenfroeStarsKevin ZegersLaurence FishburneBill PaxtonForced underground by the next ice age, a struggling outpost of survivors must fight to preserve humanity against a threat even more savage than nature.Gripping, taut, and neatly planned horror film. A well-planned layout, some tensely directed moments, and a pertinent plot-line with a foreseeable scenario, make "The Colony" more than worth your while.
- DirectorRemo D'SouzaStarsPrabhu DevaGanesh AcharyaKay Kay MenonWhen a capable dancer is provoked by the evil design of his employer, naturally he will be out to prove his mettle.I am not a dance fan by any stretch of the imagination & haven't liked a single dance film till now except "Dirty Dancing". But this film took me completely by surprise. Its emotional, inspirational, invigorating, and very, very entertaining. Seems like Remo D'Souza will be the first choreographer to make a successful transition onto the Director's podium (unlike the grossly overrated Farah Khan). "ABCD" is a true underdog story done really well. Highly recommended for everybody, including those not even remotely interested in dancing.