Oscar nominated Up in the Air releases today

This week's biggest release is the Oscar nominated movie Up in the Air (from the makers of Juno). The film has managed to garner some rave reviews. The other Hollywood movie to release is Percy Jackson-The Lightening Thief. Bollywood has two releases this weekend: comedy movie, Toh Baat Pakki and horror movie, Click.

Hollywood-New Releases

Up in the Air

People I meet always ask if there is something wonderful to see at the movies. Now I have an answer. See Up in the Air, a transporting comedy from slump-resistant director Jason Reitman (Thank You for Smoking, Juno) that jet-fuels the Oscar race, rattles with romantic turbulence, rumbles with the terror of living in a cratering economy and takes a never-better George Clooney on the ride of his acting life. Rolling Stones

There are different ways into “Up in the Air,” which can be viewed as a well-timed snapshot of an economically flailing America, appreciated as a study in terminal narcissism or dismissed as a sentimental testament to traditional coupling. NY Times

Up in the Air is a witty, often delightful, adult love story that deserves most of the Oscar-love it will surely get. That it’s also glib will help rather than hinder its chances in March. Telegraph
View the trailer here

Percy Jackson: The lightening Thief

The film's scale is also grand, taking its demi-god teen hero from the mean streets of New York City to the fiery pits of Hades before ending up in the halls of Olympus, encountering a number of gods and goddesses (and a minotaur or two) along the way. Tonight

What is going to hurt the fans the most is that the movie is missing the true voice of the book. The way Riordan has realized Percy's sense of humor has given readers a sardonic delight. NY Breaking News
View the trailer here

Bollywood-New Releases

Toh Baat Pakki

Amidst romance flicks that are repetitive and comedies that are clichéd, the romantic comedy Toh Baat Pakki comes as a breath of fresh air as much as the breezy and fancy hill-station of Palanpur that it’s set in. Indiatimes

On the whole, Toh Baat Pakki has a few interesting moments, but not enough to keep you hooked. It will have to rely on a strong word of mouth, especially from family audiences, to stay afloat. Oneindia

View the trailer here

Click

The very first dialogue of the film says, “ Exposure ka matlab bare exposure nahi hota ” (exposure doesn’t mean bare exposure). Only if director Sangeeth Sivan could appreciate the opening line of his film, Click could have been a much better flick. Indiatimes

Many of our filmmakers, quite unfairly, are certain the Indian audience isn’t ready for real horror - only embarrassingly bland thrills that pass off for scares. In Click, the scare quotient dips to a new low, matched only by Ramsay’s productions that were unintentionally comic. Sify

Shreyas Talpade has exactly two good lines, but he delivers them in an utter vacuum. He is a terrific actor, but there's little he can do to cover the cavernous gaps in logic in the script. Adding further to the film's misery is the galling, over the top background score that tries too hard to shock. India.com

View the trailer here

DVD Recommendation

If all you are planning to do is laze around at home during the weekend, then Stuff India recommends Rocket Singh's DVD.

Rocket Singh 

Shimit Amin yet again manages to keep it simple and sweet. And I can say the same for the brilliant video and audio transfer. The colours are rich and the visuals will pop at you. This is without doubt the best Bollywood DVD release yet. (Recommendation by Yatish Suvarna, technical editor, Stuff India)

View the trailer here