What I loved most: Vibrant animation

What I really hated: None

Sony Animation's latest offering is a cautionary tale on the dangers of greed and excess under the guise of a simple and charming children animation. It tells the story of an avid scientist, Flint, who invented a machine which generates food from water but things took a turn for the worse when the machine was overworked, resulting in a highly destructive food storm. Presented in appealing kaleidoscopic imagery and iridescent pastel colours, the massive food storm in the climax of the story looks good enough to eat. The characters are quirky and dysfunctional, which makes them immensely entertaining. The film is also so knowing, with a dark sense of humour that you cannot help but be amused by it.There is also a sweet and affecting father-and-son subplot which gives the film emotional depth. This is one scrumptious original.

What I loved most: Excellent cast

What I really hated: Nil

Julia Child revolutionized the American palate with her introduction of French cooking to post-war homes via her culinary programmes and went on to become a household name and legendary figure in the world of French cuisine and American TV. Julie Powell is a woman on the verge of turning 30, suffering through a mid-life crisis as she vexed over the lack of achievement in her life thus far. Looking to Julia Child for inspiration, she resolves to master French cooking in a year and blogs about her progress, hoping to emulate her idol. Both characters embody such a fervent passion for French cooking that audiences can but helplessly fall in love with the intricate nature of the craft and all credits go to the two superb leads. Meryl Streep delivers a larger-than-life performance as the 6-foot-2 chef, complete with Child's vivacity, indomitable spirit and breezy demeanor. Her portrayal of Child, with her sprite-like falsetto and whirlwind gusto in the kitchen is nothing short of divine. Amy Adams shines as well. Her engaging turn as Julie keeps audiences rapt with wonder as she explores the art of French cooking and crackling with laughter at her numerous foiled attempts in the kitchen. It is a pity that the leads do not share screen time, as had been a tradition for Nora Ephron's films from "Sleepless In Seattle" and "You've Got Mail". It would have been interesting to see these two commendable actresses pit their acting chops against each other. This film is as much a tribute to Julia Child as it is a love affair with French cooking, with close-ups on the various mouth-watering dishes presented spectacularly. The score by Alexandre Desplat is sublime and the Parisian settings are picturesque. The co-stars, Stanley Tucci and Chris Messina, in the role of their spouses, provide sweet and tender intimacy which is truly affecting and deconstructs the notion of institutional marriage. The plot may be slight but the message behind it isn't. The themes on attaining fulfillment and realizing one's true worth are timeless and transcendent. In short, "Julie and Julia" is a rare gem of a gastronomical delight, one which warrants a second helping. Bon appetit!

What I loved most: Nothing

What I really hated: Overbearing male protagonist

"The Ugly Truth" is a fallacious and spurious analysis of the dynamics in a relationship. It propagates a rather clinical and detached view on the concept of love though some may feel this is just a good and harsh dose of cynicism that quixotic couples need. Most of the 'insights' to what makes for a good relationship comes from Mike Chadway (Gerard Butler), a smug and obnoxious TV personality who dishes out psychobabble and relationship advice like he is a love guru. He encounters his nemesis in the form of TV producer Abby Richter, a neurotic and uptight lady who creates a checklist based on her ideal partner. They strike a deal and Mike goes on to assist Abby to snag her dreamy neighbour (Eric Winter) in return for her cooperation in work. Being a rom-com, it cannot escape the formulaic treatment and prosaic ending so it is not much of a surprise when both characters, initially at loggerheads with each other find true love. The predictability of the conclusion should warrant a good dose of cynicism itself. Furthermore, it is difficult to develop an affection for both characters as they are just so sour and prickly, not to mention the lack of redeeming qualities apart from their comely countenance. Heigl tried her best to connect with her co-star Butler and it shows. However, the lack of chemistry is due in large part to Butler's perfunctory and nondescript performance, making for a downright vapid and insipid couple. The supporting male lead Eric Winter only serves the function of eye-candy judging by the fact that he is gratuitously shirtless for most of his scenes. The ribaldry and raunchy sexual references would make any self-respecting person cringe in embarrassment and does little to boost the slender plot. In short, this film is far from the truth but it is indeed ugly.

What I loved most: None

What I really hated: About everything else

This remake of the 1980's award winning musical has fresh new faces and pleasant musical numbers and that is all there is to it. Sadly, this "Fame" is lame and it is an outright sacrilege to the legacy left behind by Irene Cara, who must be shedding angry tears right now regarding the butchering of the source material. "Fame" has none of the spirit, angst and inspiration of its predecessor and feels more like an inferior copy of High School Musical. It unabashedly plagiarizes the casting and plot premises of the Disney hit musical, obviously hoping to ride upon its popularity. A young white couple croons love songs to each other. Talents are stifled by parental objection. The lunch crowd suddenly breaks into dance at the cafeteria. It certainly rings a bell since these are reminiscent of plot elements in High School Musical, though I would rather endure Troy and Gabrielle singing those mushy and cloyingly saccharine songs to each other. The acting is lacklustre and the vocals are mediocre at best, with some truly flawed tonal quality and weak singing. The choppy editing and disjointed scenes gives the film narrative hiccups. For a movie that strives on ambition and passion for the arts, these kids spend appallingly little time on their craft. If only the film managed to sustain the enrgy captured in its finale, it could have been redeemed. The attempt at diversity did not favors and only resulted in cardboard thin and one-dimensional characters who are easily forgettable and dispensable. Ironically, a line from "Fame" theme song goes like "Remember my name...". Hate to break this to them, but I don't. The only saving grace probably comes in the form of Naturi Naughton's quietly moving rendition of "Out Here On My Own" and that scene almost managed to stir my feelings. Almost.

What I loved most: Excellent acting

What I really hated: nothing

Director Quentin Tarantino is at heart, a movie geek and his latest venture truly shows the extent of his passion for films. In 'Inglourious Basterds', he has decided to recreate history and paint a world in which Hitler's assassination came to fruition. The titular motley crew of resistance soldiers deploy guerrilla tactics in a bid to cripple Hitler's forces and they have no compunction about resorting to extreme violence. Lt. Aldo Raine, a swastika-wielding hillbilly played by Brad Pitt is an entertaining presence with his heavily accented American slang and perpetual sneer. Even though hampered by a lack of screen time, leading actress Diane Kruger is surprisingly memorable in her portrayal of double agent cum actress Bridget Von Hammersmark, delivering her lines with the requisite alacrity and coquettishness of a lady who employs her feminine wiles to the same lethal effect as her male counterparts who carry the big guns. Still, the best performance comes in the form of Christopher Waltz's Colonel Landa whom he plays with cold-eyed intelligence and calculation. His chilling slurs and penetrating stares are unnervingly disturbing, conveying a gleefully menacing and malevolent entity beneath his aplomb. In short, the casting is sublime and could not have been better and their stupendous efforts complemented the witty and sharp dialogue seamlessly. However, at hindsight, one would feel that Tarantino has actually been a tad self- indulgent and so absorbed in the development of his characters that the narrative tends to sag a bit, resulting in a protracted run-time of 153 minutes. At times, the film could get a little talky with some superfluous scenes, and one cannot help but wonder about the obvious lack of action in a war epic, not forgetting cultural discount regarding French cinema's iconic figures and their relevance to the plot. Nonetheless, it is difficult not to be impressed by a film which makes astute use of the power of knowledge over languages as an offensive and recognize it as a force to be reckoned with. The sapience and sophistication of the plot cannot be denied.

What I loved most: Nil

What I really hated: Some rather nasty gore

If you are looking for plot and characterization in this gore-fest, you are definitely watching the wrong show . Fans who are familiar with The Final Destination franchise's modus operandi will know by now that all the characters in this thin-slip excuse for a plot are just potential victims to freak accidents, most of whom will truly have rested in pieces by the time this sadistic exploration on the various ways to suffer a grisly demise has ended. Well, at least the previous attempts to shock and revile viewers have been marginally successful with some nail-bitingly tense before-death suspense and the numerous inventive ways of termination. This latest Final Destination excursion however, is more or less of the same-old, with more guts and blood, not to forget the 3-D factor. So much for the grand scheme of death. On the other hand, if you are seriously in need of blood and gore while waiting for Saw VI to hit the screens, this could serve as a temporary reprieve, and the eye-candy certainly does not hurt either.