Khurram Bukhari's (Co-Founder of Film Junkeez) Top 5 movies of 2012 & Top 5 anticipated movies of 2013

5. Eik Tha Tiger

ETT (Eik Tha Tiger)  has broken all records and it's the highest grossing movie of 2012 for Bollywood.  Yes, it's cheesy, and certainly doesn't require much thinking. Yet Eik Tha Tiger kicks ass and more importantly, Salman Khan kicks Ass! ETT uses the Bond, Bourne and Mission Impossible recipe, yet adds the Bollywood ingredients.

4. Ted

Ted is one of those movies in which after watching it, most men would wish to have toy bear as their best friend.
-The movie Ted is one of a kind.  As funny as it may sound, the movie actually has a great theme, and a good message to it.
-The comedy gives touch competition to the likes of The Hangover & Super Bad.
-It takes a lot of balls for a major Hollywood studio to take a risk a on a concept that has never been done before.  Wahlberg delivers, Kunis is smoking hot, and McFarlane's voice as ted is just amazing.

3. Avengers

Not a big fan of the Captain America or Thor movies, yet Avengers raises the bar in comic book movies. ----Well written, well directed, and well acted!
-Not only did the movie have amazing special effects but also a great story and plot. Avengers delivered what Bay's Transformers couldn't!

2. Sky Fall

Sky Fall was not good as Casino Royale, yet it's not too far from it.  Sky Fall brought us closer to the fact that James Bond is only human, and he too can get hurt ( physically and emotionally). The past Bond movies have always steered away from showing a vulnerable Bond.  Bond has always been shown to be playboy / womanizer who wears nice suits and drive fast cars. Yet with Sky Fall, we see beyond the sex and the chase scenes.
-Bardem has delivered the best bond villain.  He's gay, evil, and angry!
-Daniel Craig not only delivers the punches, yet another great acting job.

1. Dark Knight Rises

Nolan started the journey with Batman Beings, The Dark Knight, and lands with Dark Knight Rises.  Bane was an awesome villain. Yes, he's not the joker, but that's what makes it even better.  We all know the Joker, and we all love the craziness of the Joker, yet Nolan took an unknown character of the Batman universe and made it amazing.
-Bale does an amazing job as Bruce Wayne; Like Daniel Craig as 007, Bale will go down in history as one of the best actors that played Bruce Wayne/ Batman.
-And yes, Nolan is boss! Joel Schumacher ( Batman Forever & Batman and Robin) had killed the franchise and buried it six feet under. And Nolan took the remaining and made a master piece!
-Nolan's movies took a comic book character and placed it the real world.  DKR was the best movie of 2012!

5. Kick-Ass 2

      Saw Kick Ass on netflix, and fell in love.  The movie took the comic book genre and twisted with some comedy and emotion.  Look forward to the sequel. 

4.  The Hangover Part 3

First one was awesome, second was decent, yet we all have high hopes for the 3rd.  

3.   Zero Dark Thirty

      Bigelow kicked butt with Hurt Locker, and now she aiming to do the same with the Bin Laden story.  

2.Iron Man 3

Just like Hangover, the first Iron Man was just amazing.  Director Faveru and Downey Jr had great chemistry for illustrated on the big screen.  Yet the sequel fell short..very short!  We're hoping that new director, Shane Black recreate the magic of the first movie and take a few lessons from Nolan to make an amazing movie. 

1.Man of Steel

Brett Ratner, Mc G, J.J Abrams, and Tim Burton were all up for the part of directing, yet Bryan Singer got the job.  Singer, who directed the first and second X-Men movies tried his best, yet fell short with Super Man Returns.  Eventhough Kevin Spacey is one of the best actors around, his Lex Luthor did not hit spot.  And to be honest, I'm not very fond of Man of Steel director Zack Synder ( 300 & Watchmen), yet the fact that Nolan is overlooking this project as the producer gives me a lot of hope. Not only Nolan is producing the movie, his pal David Goyer ( writer of the Batman Trilogy) is writing the screenplay.  The story is written by Christopher Nolan and David Goyer for which brings a great level of relief. 

Gary David's (Co-Founder of Film Junkeez) Top 5 movies of 2012 & Top 5 anticipated movies of 2013

Top 5 of 2012

1. Argo

I think it is official that we can now consider Ben Affleck to be a legitimate director. In 2007 he gave us Gone Baby Gone and then two years ago delivered big time with The Town. This year he upped the ante with Argo, a thriller about an undercover CIA operation involving rescuing hostages in Iran under the guise of a movie production, and my pick for the best film of the year. Argo is what you get when you mix a heavy dose of drama and suspense and throw in some action and a bit of comedy; all key ingredients for a great film. There is a lot of Oscar buzz surrounding this movie and in my opinion all of it is justified.






2. Marley

The first thing I have to say is if yo are not a fan of documentaries this may not be for you. The second thing I have to say is if you are not a fan of documentaries watching Marley may convert you. My choice for the second best film of the year is this excellent film about the life of reggae legend Bob Marley by director Kevin MacDonald. If tells the story of his life from his birth in a small Jamaica settlement, to stardom, through his battle with cancer, and everything in between. Complete with great interviews, archival footage, and an appropriate soundtrack filled with Marley's music this is a must watch.





 
3. 21 Jump Street

2012 may go down as the year of Channing Tatum but if you only see one of his 367 releases from this year make it 21 Jump Street. A remake/reboot/resurrection of the old TV show this comedy, also starring Jonah Hill, takes two youthful looking cops and places them undercover in a high school in order to stop a new lethal drug from spreading. As you guessed, nothing goes as panned and there are a lot of laughs a long the way. A sequel is already in development.








4. The Hunger Games

When it came down to having a fun time at the cinema this year checking out The Hunger Games would've been a good bet. The movie as literally everything: action, suspense, romance, laughter, mystery, etc.; and there are three more on the way! The movie follows Katniss Everdeen, played by Jennifer Lawrence, as she journeys from her small mining settlement to the nation's capital to compete to the death in a survival competition in a dystopian future. We watch her go through many emotions as she must train to kill while not losing her senses and be true to herself. And with the way this one ends we know the next three films will have many more trials in store for Katniss.





5. The Dark Knight Rises

After the huge success of The Dark Knight many wondered is Christopher Nolan and Co. could pull off another Batman flick on such a high level. And while I don't think they quite got there coming in a close second the previous installment is nothing to fret about. In The Dark Knight Rises we watch as the Caped Crusader is forced to will himself out of a self imposed social exile/retirement in order to save Gotham from terrorist, save his company from collapse, and save himself from deep depression. With some great action sequences and excellent supporting performances by Anne Hathaway (Catwoman) and Tom Hardy (Bane) you get everything you expect from this rebooted franchise and more.

Top 5 Most Anticipated of 2013

1. Gangster Squad

Ryan Gosling, Sean Penn, Josh Brolin, Emma Stone, Nick Nolte, Giovanni Ribisi, Anthony Mackie, and Michael Peña make out the star studded cast of this noir styled crime film. Set in LA, it tells the story of a group of police detectives doing everything it takes to keep the East Coast Mafia out of the city.

Release Date: January 11, 2013







2. The Great Gatsby

Baz Luhrmann is back and attempting to get his reputation back after 2008's Australia and can anyone think of a better way to do it than get Leo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan, Tobey McGuire, Isla Fisher, and Amitabh Bachchan to bring the Great American Novel to life. Though there have been big screen adaptations before none of them were done in the spirit or grandeur that this book deserves and only Luhrmann and his cast will be able to do it justice.

Release Date: May 10, 2013






3. Man of Steel

After seeing all the praise and popularity he's seen his friends Batman, The Avengers, the X-Men, Spiderman, and even the Fantastic Four enjoy Superman has finally decided to get back into the movie game after his disappointing 2006 effort Superman Returns. This time around Henry Cavill will play the titular character and directing is the rising Zack Snyder. With Christopher Nolan having the role of producer fans and myself are hoping this film delivers on the level of the recent Dark Knight franchise.

Release Date: June 14, 2013





4. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Here we go again. After the events of the first film Katniss is back to prove that the love she shared with Peeta in the first installment was not a rouse to win the games all the while a rebellion seems to be brewing against the tyrannical capital. Throw in the fact that it is the upcoming 75th anniversary of the games, and in every 25 games the rules are thrown out the window, this looks to be a very challenging year for our young heroine.

Release Date: November 22, 2013
 





5. Oz the Great and Powerful

A prequel to the events that take place in 1939's The Wizard of Oz sees James Franco, Mila Kunis, Michelle Williams, and Rachel Weisz tell the story of how the Wizard of Oz came to be. With Sam Raimi directing this Disney production expect this movie to look as vibrant and grand as it sounds. I have a feeling if this one does well we may see a sequel.

Release Date: March 8, 2013

What Do These Movie Posters Have in Common...

 

Who says Hollywood doesn't have any more original ideas?

TRAILER: Imran, Anushka in Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola

The Hollywood Reporter, EW, L.A. Times andSalon Say The Walking Dead Among Year's Best

 

This week, top publications such asThe Hollywood Reporter,Entertainment Weekly, the Los Angeles Times, Salon and more callThe Walking Dead one of the year's best TV shows. Plus, Lost's co-creator Damon Lindelof talks withCollider.com about The Walking Dead's success. Read on for more:

• The Walking Dead is one of The Hollywood Reporter's top shows of the year: "Season three firmly elevated this series to the upper tier of television. Massively popular and acclaimed, it is hitting its creative stride. A series you should not miss." The Hollywood Reporter also names "cable breakouts" like The Walking Dead as one of this year's TV winners.

• Entertainment Weekly names The Walking Dead one of 2012's top 20 TV shows, remarking that the drama's reason for existence -- the question "what does it mean to be human?" -- is "intact, throbbing with life."

• The Los Angeles Times includes The Walking Dead in its "Year of Awesome," as the drama "shattered ratings" in the first half of Season 3.

• Salon's Blue Glow Awards ranks The Walking Dead at No. 7 (tied with HBO's Game of Thrones).

• In its list of 2012's best TV, Wired applauds The Walking Dead because "the characters and the show grew tougher, faster and more ruthless, engaged in a constant life-or-death hustle that always felt barely an inch ahead of the zombie maw."

• The New Hampshire Union Leader calls The Walking Dead the year's best TV show, citing that "the show goes to dark places and keeps you guessing because no character is safe and nothing is off limits."

• MTV honors Season 3 as one of its Heroes of the Year, concluding, "With the story moving along so fast, and with so many characters in so many interesting places, I simply cannot wait for the second half of season three to start in February."

• Damon Lindelof, co-creator of Lost, talks to Collider.com about The Walking Dead, praising the drama for "doing a tremendous amount of things very, very right."

• ComicBook.com lists the five biggest shockers of Season 3 so far, while noting that Season 3 "looks to be shaping up as the best season so far."

• New York highlights a Christmas card featuring Michonne, her pets and this greeting: "Walkers in a winter wonderland."

• According to The Hollywood Reporter, Gale Anne Hurd is slated to help develop Gaiking, about giant robots, into a feature film.

• Patch reports that Madison Lintz (Sophia) has a part in Parental Guidance, Billy Crystal's latest film.

Happy Holidays from the Stark Family!

"THE AVENGERS," "DARK KNIGHT RISES," "THE WALKING DEAD" AMONG 2012'S MOST-PIRATED

2012 was an incredible year for comic book movies, as Joss Whedon's "The Avengers" became the #3 highest grossing film of all time and Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight Rises" hitting #7 on the highest grossing list. AMC's "The Walking Dead" continued to break cable records on television, garnering critical acclaim in the back half of its second season and the front half of its third.

 

 

However, all three of these beloved comic book adaptations have also earned another dubious honor: ranking on the list of top ten most pirated movies or television shows of 2012. Torrent Freak has compiled a list of the top ten most pirated films and television shows downloaded via filesharing service BitTorrent. On the television side, "The Walking Dead" ranked sixth on the list with 2.55 million downloads. "The Walking Dead" had the second highest number of U.S. TV viewers this year, numbering 10.87 million. Interestingly enough the number of downloads for "Game of Thrones," the most pirated television show of 2012, actually surpassed the number of estimated U.S. television viewers by 80,000.

Equally as interesting is the most pirated films list, where "The Dark Knight Rises" beat out "The Avengers" for most pirated film. The end of Nolan's Batman epic ranked third with 8.23 million downloads, while "The Avengers" fell to fourth place with 8.11 million downloads.

What's even more intriguing is when the downloads are converted into actual dollars for the two films. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the average ticket price around that time in the U.S. was about $8.12. If the pirated copies were translated into dollars, it's $66.82 million for "The Dark Knight Rises" and $65.85 million for "The Avengers." However, TorrentFreak notes that while it's still unclear whether unauthorized downloads are a serious threat to revenue for films, it's likely to have an impact on DVD sales, rentals and on-demand movies.

Check out TorrentFreak's rankings below.

Most Downloaded Movies on BitTorrent, 2012

 

rank	movie	est. downloads	worldwide grosses
1	Project X	8,720,000	$100,931,865
2	Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol	8,500,000	$694,713,380
3	The Dark Knight Rises	8,230,000	$1,081,041,287
4	The Avengers	8,110,000	$1,511,757,910
5	Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows	7,850,000	$543,848,418
6	21 Jump Street	7,590,000	$201,585,328
7	The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo	7,420,000	$232,617,430
8	The Dictator	7,330,000	$177,547,352
9	Ice Age: Continental Drift	6,960,000	$875,093,094
10	The Twilight Saga Breaking Dawn Part 1	6,740,000	$712,171,856

Most Downloaded Television Shows on BitTorrent, 2012

rank	show	downloads	est. US TV viewers
1	Game of Thrones	4,280,000	4,200,000
2	Dexter	3,850,000	2,750,000
3	The Big Bang Theory	3,200,000	15,820,000
4	How I Met Your Mother	2,960,000	10,140,000
5	Breaking Bad	2,580,000	2,980,000
6	The Walking Dead	2,550,000	10,870,000
7	Homeland	2,400,000	2,360,000
8	House	2,340,000	9,780,000
9	Fringe	2,280,000	3,120,000
10	Revolution	2,130,000	11,650,000

Happy Birthday to Salman Khan

Some call him 'enfant terrible', 'box-office juggernaut' and 'Sly Stallone of Bollywood', while others deploy epithets like 'munificent', 'unpretentious' and 'destiny's child' to describe him. Salman Khan is one of the most successful actors, and compelling characters, Bollywood has ever seen. The fact that he is ruling the roost from the last 24 years is a trenchant testament of his longevity, colossal stardom and unswerving popularity.



                         


There was a time when the Khan trinity was led by Shah Rukh Khan but last two years have made Salman Khan the undisputed king of Bollywood. Every film is increasing his lead over the others, which Salman celebrates with more colourful statements in media. The recent was when he said that he will marry after the Jodhpur and Mumbai courts' verdicts, isn't it obvious what he meant!

                        




In the current scenario, he's hailed as a man with the Midas touch. All of his last five movies - Dabangg, Ready, Bodyguard, Ek Tha Tiger and Dabanng 2 - have been monumental blockbusters raking in moolah in spades. He has delivered the biggest hits of last three years - Dabangg (145 crore, 2010), Bodyguard (150 crore, 2011) and Ek Tha Tiger (199.3 crore, 2012) - and this unprecedented success has propelled him in a league of his own where is way ahead of his contemporaries. He's competing with himself at the box-office, defying all the tenets of cinema and shaterring his own records.

          
   


More than the phenomenal success of his movies, it's his maddening fame among all quarters of the audience which is astonishing. His name evokes untramelled euphoria and mass hysteria. People go berserk to catch a glimpse of his and flock to theatres just to watch their 'Bhai' pulling off stunning action sequences, pummeling baddies with uninhibited belligerence, mouthing zany one-liners with charismatic ease, and romancing the heroine with sprightly nonchalance. He becomes larger than the movie and all the other finer nuances like screenplay, rationale and coherence are reduced to being periphery. His dazzling screen presence and unmatched charisma take over the movie, and conveniently camouflage all the loopholes. Critics may crib about the quality of his movies but his every dialogue and distinct dance move is widely emulated and become national rage.

Here's some interesting trivia of Bollywood's favorite bad boy - undisputed champ: Salman khan:

• Salman Khan is Son of Writer/ Director Salim Khan.  Salim Khan has written some of the biggest Bollywood box office hits of the 70's and 80's.
• In his early days as a struggling actor he never used his father's name and influence like many other heroes with relatives in the industry. He used to visit producers on his own and audition for roles.

Father Salim Khan and Salman Khan

• People magazine ( India) named Salman Khan as the sexiest man alive.

• Was voted 7th best-looking man in the world by People Magazine.

• Highest paid Bollywood Star.

• Holds the record for having the highest grossing film of the year 8 times, a feat no other actor has yet achieved.
• He is the only actor to have had four back to back 100 crore plus films. Dabangg (2010), Ready (2011), Bodyguard (2011) and Ek Tha Tiger (2012). His film Wanted (2009) grossed around 100 Crore plus at the Indian Box Office and even did great business at the International Box Office. 

• Madame Tussauds created a wax replica of Salman Khan in 2011.

• Was the first Bollywood Star to work in the Hollywood film industry and his debut film was Marigold: An Adventure In India.

• Turned down a part in Baywatch

• Good friends with Hollywood Icon Sylvester Stallone

• Known to be a philanthropist - Being Human

Khan has been involved in several charities during his career.He has started an NGO called Being Human which will sell T-shirts and other products online and in stores. A portion of the sales will go to a worthy cause supporting the underprivileged. Being Human Foundation is a registered charitable trust set up by Salman Khan for helping the cause of the underprivileged. In its early days, Salman Khan set up and funded the Foundation using his own money. The Foundation has two focus areas: Education and Healthcare. To increase the reach and corpus of the Foundation, Salman Khan has undertaken initiatives such as Being Human Art; Being Human merchandise; and Being Human Gitanjali Gold Coins.

Salman and Friend / Fellow Actor Aamir Khan donating blood.

Khan with Sisters and Parents

His golden run at the box-office started with Dabangg in 2010 and he pushed the envelope with his every subsequent movie. His flicks like Wanted (2009) and Dabangg (2010) gave a new lease of life to single screen theaters, which were on the cusp of becoming obsolete, and brought back the masala potboilers in vogue. The post-Dabangg phase is deemed as the best in Salman's illustrious career. Though he has been a superstar ever since the release of Maine Pyaar Kiya (1989), and has belted out some of the biggest blockbusters in last 25 years, an aura of glorious invincibility eluded him for a variety of reasons.



There's no denying the fact that his personal and professional life have turned over a new leaf in last four years. Earlier the spate of hits were followd by a few bummers which would neutralize his success. His long list of controversies and abrasive equation with the media the didn't help matters either. Despite his movies becoming massive hits, he was more in the news for unwarranted reasons rather than his professional attainments. Discretion, discipline and diplomacy were never his watchwords. Media had a field day writing reams about his infamous affair and spats while calling him names.

Fans standing in front of Khan's residence to wish him a happy birthday.

Khan waving to his fans

When one looks back at Salman's career, it is amazing to see what he has achieved despite so many factors stacked against him. Though he's a fine actors who has toyed with variety of genres - romantic, comedy and action - with eximious success, his acting finesse is not in the league of great actors. He weathered an avalanche of controversies and lull patches with implacable resolve and always emerged stronger than before. His pluck and chivalry are well-documented and helped him to see through the rough phases. Despite making several awful career choices, his fame, inexplicably, didn't falter. His connect with the audience has always remained intact. Perhaps, everyone sees himself/herself in him - a mischievous kid who is innocent and kind at heart but refuses to grow up.

Fan / Up and coming Actor Omar Khan

One of Salman Khan's biggest Fan, Omar Khan from New York talks about his hero / idol: 

"It was Salman Khan that made me want to become an actor and entertainer.  I was very thin as a child, and being a fan of Salmans', I was inspired to work out and live a healthy life style.  Salman Khan is not only my inspiration for body building, and fashion, yet his humanitarian  acts have also inspired me".  Khan also adds "Yes Shahrukh and Aamir are great actors, yet Salman is a pioneer and a maverick that has changed the face of Bollywood movies forever. No matter what, Salman Khan will always being my no.1.

At 47, he remains India's most eligible bachelor, most successful superstar and the biggest brand. He has attained everything working on his on terms and conditions without compromising on his principles. He is an entertainer in its truest sense whose enigma lies in his loyal fans

Here at Film Junkeez, we wish Salman Khan a very happy birthday!