the_horned_owl Reviews

Game of Thrones: The Iron Throne (2019) Season 8, Episode 6

The Worst Way to End a Finale

[4/10 · 20 May 2019]

Game of Thrones used to be the best TV show. Nobody expected it to turn into this mess. They made a mockery of everything we saw in the earlier 7 seasons. All the well-developed characters have been destroyed. Dozens of sub-plots that were introduced earlier were left unfinished. It seems that D & D wanted to work on that Star Wars deal as soon as possible. I hope they don't get to touch Star wars. They are the worst writers imaginable for something like Star Wars. RIP Game of Thrones. P.S - Please watch The Expanse. It is much better.

The Expanse: Triple Point (2018) Season 3, Episode 5

Holy Mother of God

[10/10 · 12 May 2019]

I have been watching this series because I was so disappointed by Game of Thrones season 8. The beginning of this series was slow and I almost stopped watching but then it got interesting. It keeps getting better and better with each season. So far, season 3 has been pretty amazing and this episode is pure insanity. The ending is just incredible. This is the best episode yet. I hope Amazon does not ruin it and turn it into another GoT.

Avengers: Endgame (2019)

My Best Cinema Experience Ever

[9/10 · 25 April 2019]

I have been with Marvel for the past decade and have loved their movies. After watching Infinity War, I was devastated. End Game is even better than that film in every way. I won't spoil the movie for you but I can assure you that you are going to love every single moment of this film. There are so many epic moments that you are going to witness. You will laugh and cry every now and then. It is a wild ride from beginning to end. It reminded me why I love movies. Just go and watch it on the biggest IMAX screen possible, if you can get the tickets.

The Shape of Water (2017)

A Wonderful Love Story

[9/10 · 29 January 2018]

The Shape of water starts in the same way as Pan's Labyrinth. The camera moves underwater and a person starts narrating the story of Elisa. This opening scene was enough to make me fall in love with the film. The camera moves through a narrow opening and stops in a big room where we see Elisa floating - unconscious. I think this scene literally shows you the Shape of Water. From the first scene itself, the cinematography hooks you in. The way the camera moves and the greenish color grading results in some beautiful shots. The work done by Cinematographer is top notch and I have come to expect that from Guillermo's movies. As the story progresses, you get to know the characters. There are some quirky moments in the film that will make you smile. There are some moments that I did not expect to be in this film. I thought this movie was suitable for kids but it isn't. Anyway, coming back to the topic, the first encounter between Elisa and the creature is pretty well done. It makes you feel something. And that creature looks like Abe Sapien from Hellboy.

The strongest part of The Shape of Water is the powerful performance from the lead actress Sally Hawkins. She gave it her everything. I have seen her in others films (she was good) and she completely nails the character of Elisa. As her character is mute, the whole film relied on her body language and physical performance. I can't imagine anyone else doing this role. It was made for her just like Wonder Woman was made for Gal Gadot. Also, another main character is an amphibian who can't speak so it relied on Doug Jones' physical performance too, and just like Sally Hawkins, he played his role wonderfully. But he has gotten used to playing animals and fantasy creatures, so it was not that hard for him. Sally was the underdog here.

But there are some other things that make The Shape of Water an amazing experience. The direction by Del Toro is outstanding. He knows how to get the best out of his actors. There is not a single moment in the film that didn't fit like a cog. The screenplay is also good. The cinematography, as I have already mentioned, is wonderful. I love those subtle camera moments and the color grading. It was eye-pleasing. Then there's the background music which perfectly fits the mood of the story. It is nothing groundbreaking but contributes more depth to every scene.

There are some shortcomings in the film but they may be ignored as the good things more than make-up for it. The shortcomings are nothing more than nitpicks, so I would not go into the details.

The Shape of Water is one of the best movies of 2017. It is also my second favorite Del Toro film after Pan's Labyrinth. It is good to see that he still has that magic with him. It has been nominated for 13 Academy Awards and will win many of them. It deserves some of those much-coveted trophies.

Padmaavat (2018)

A Nakshatra Jewellery Advertisement

[3/10 · 25 January 2018]

Let me start this review by accepting a fact - Sanjay Leela Bhansali is a very talented man; I will have to give him that. He can make anything look visually stunning. His movie sets are a work of art. That is why I think he could have become a great Interior Designer. Dude knows how to make his halls look bigger and grander.

Unfortunately, same can not be said about his abilities as a filmmaker and storyteller. His movies, though visually-appealing lack what makes a film, a film. On the outside, they are bright and full of colors but once you get into the core, you can see how hollow they actually are. Most of his films are marred by lackluster storytelling and are bereft of any redeeming attributes that should have been there to fill that huge void. Padmaavat is another one of those films.

There is a very popular Sanskrit Shloka - "Ati Sarvartra Varjayet"

Which translates to - Excess of anything is bad.

Padmaavat has an excess of three things (barring stupidity of course) - Jewellery, Huge Sets, and Ranveer Singh. After a while, you get tired of all these things. There is so much gold in this film that every single scene feels like a Nakshatra Jewellery advertisement. I don't know if the cinematographer deliberately used that warmer-yellowish color grading or it was the natural reflection of all that gold but it gave me headaches. I thought I was watching the movie on my Mac with night filter on. It may have been intentional but then there were some other choices made by the cinematographer that bugged me.

From the first scene, the DP tries to capture symmetric frames, maybe he was drunk and watched too much Wes Anderson or maybe he didn't know what he was doing. It looks good if you are Wes Anderson, and know how to use it properly but not in this case. Then he took another approach to make everything look grand - Low Angle Shots. Almost every shot in this film is the low angle. The camera then slowly moves up. However, I am sure the DP did this on Bhansali's instructions. It was excruciating to see the same shot again and again in each frame. Why can't you film normally man? I am not here to experience a psychedelic trip.

During the night scenes, the stars are not visible even though it is the 13th century and there's no such thing as pollution at that time; unless of course there's some guy cooking meth somewhere in that time. How can someone miss such an important detail? Bhansali was so engrossed with the huge sets and jewelry that he forgot small things like these.

Bhansali will have to understand that only good visuals and huge sets don't make a film. If they did, Avatar would have been the greatest film of all time and Valerian would not have bombed at Box Office. You must complement the visuals with a good screenplay, acting, cinematography, and dozens of other things. In short, one good thing does not make a good film. Anyone can make his films look visually stunning if he has the money to pay for the VFX. Anyway, I thought at least the war sequences would be good. But I was fooled, again.

We are shown tracking shots of Ranveer Singh entering the storm and Ranveer Singh coming out of the storm carrying a freaking head in his hand. I thought maybe the ending would have some great war sequences but nope. We have an army of thousands of people but just two of them fight because - BUDGET. I have never been fooled so many times by any film, ever. I can hear Bhansali having a sarcastic laugh and screaming - "Ullu Banaya, Bada Maja Aaaya."

Talking about acting, there is Ranveer Singh, who could have been the saving grace of the film. But he acts like a complete drunkard and over-the-top Khilji who gets high on the water. Half of the time he is trying to look into your soul. and another half of the time he is busy acting like a Clown whose pants are on fire. Did I mention two completely out of place dance sequences? I laughed so hard during those scenes that people started staring at me.

Deepika is always busy flaunting her Jewellery. Shahid is wearing the same serious expression throughout the film and screaming those irritating dialogues -

Chinta ko Talwar ki dhaar pe rakhe wo Rajput...I would add one more - Dimag ko side me rakh ke decision le wo Rajput. Without his dumb decisions, everyone would have been alive and they would have lived happily ever after. The movie would not have been made and we wouldn't have had this much violence in the name of protests.

Padmaavat isn't the film I was expecting to see. It is a huge disappointment that could have been much better. It is visually pleasing but if you ignore all the beautiful sets, there is nothing much to it.

Justice League (2017)

Doesn't Do Justice to DCEU

[6/10 · 23 January 2018]

I think DC is going through an Identity crisis. They are in a big quandary. They have no idea what they should do with their films. They used to make dark films (One of the reasons I prefer DC over Marvel) but critics were not too happy with that, so now they are going the Marvel way, making films with colours and a lighter tone. Marvel has excelled the art of making such films and it works most of the time. That is exactly what DC is trying to do here. Unfortunately, it did not work. Some of the jokes were good but most of them were cringeworthy. Justice League is not that bad but it could have been much better. I mean, It is the first Justice League movie. Who was not excited for this? I loved the animated JL and was really pumped up for this. That is why was a big letdown for me. It was too cliched and weak. I have two big problems with this film. The villain is too generic - just like Marvel villains (Marvel villains are pretty weak. Hela was amazing though). Steppenwolf is another one of those I-am-going-to-destroy-the-world kind. He is a powerful villain in the comics, the movie version sucked. Say what you want to say about Man of Steel but Zod was an amazing villain. One of the most well developed villains in superhero films ever. Another problem with this film is that the characters are not well developed. I think they should have made the solo films first. First Avengers came out after Iron Man, Spiderman, Captain America, Hulk and Thor. We knew most of those characters. That can not be said about this film. We had three new characters without any development. The Flash, Aquaman and Cyborg. They were all flat and one dimensional. I have loved Ben Affleck as Batman in the previous films but his acting was pretty wooden in this one. It seemed to me that he was not interested. Same is the case with Gal Gadot. She is fine but she was much better in her solo film. Director matters when it comes to getting the best out of your actors. Too bad Jenkins did not direct it and Snyder left in the middle. There were other minor issues with the film. The CGI was pretty video-gamish. You can deliver a much better experience for $300 Million. I have no idea what they spent that amount on. Also, the background score was totally forgettable. I could recognise the Batman, WW and Superman themes and that was all. Now the good things. The Amazonians fighting Steppenwolf is pretty well done. Overall, Justice League is another forgettable flick from DC. It is not as vomit-inducing as Suicide Squad but it is not great either.

The VVitch: A New-England Folktale (2015)

One of the Best Horrors of 21st Century

[10/10 · 17 January 2018]

Writer-Director Robert Eggers' debut film The Witch redefines horror filmmaking. It is not that scary and there is no gore but the atmosphere he creates for the film is so tense that you keep thinking something macabre is going to happen. That, in my opinion, is an achievement. The meaning of Horror has changed over time. Earlier, we had films like Rosemary's Baby, Suspiria and The Shinning which relied heavily on the atmosphere, music, and story rather than monsters behind the closets. But nowadays, almost every single horror film relies on cheap tricks to scare the audience which may or may not be good depending on who you ask it to. These movies are so frantic and desperate to scare the audience that they don't focus on the other elements of the film. Sometimes, it may be effective but most of the time, it isn't. It has become old, cliched and predictable. The most important aspect of a film is storytelling, and if you fail at that, if you sacrifice that, then there's no point in making a film. Fortunately, we have seen some brave attempts in the last few years from some passionate filmmakers. The Babadook, it Follows, and, The Cabin in the Woods were amazing films that were not completely hollow and bereft of emotions. The Witch is another such gem from A24.

Based on the Salem Witch trials which took place in the early 17th century, The Witch tells the story of a Puritan family. They (Husband, Wife and Five Children including an infant) are banished from their village over some disagreement with the community. They decide to live at the edge of the Woods thinking of it as a gift from the God, only to find themselves the target of an unnerving terror that lays in the woods. Soon, their infant disappears and things take an ugly turn. Once is starts terrorizing them, they can't make heads and tails of it. Weird things start happening in the midst of this paranoia, the family members turn on each other. Is it the work of a Witch? Are they being hunted by the Devil? Is the God punishing them?

Reviewing a film like this is very difficult. Most of the people won't like it because it sells itself as horror and people are going to be disappointed as there isn't much horror in the film, at least not in the way people expect. That is the reason it is rated 6.8 on IMDb whereas the RottenTomatoes ratings are at 91%. People don't like slow movies (most of them). They expect something to happen every second so that they can keep devouring their popcorn. The Witch is completely opposite of that. It will be loved by those who see filmmaking as an expression of art and not just mere entertainment. The Witch excels at technical things and it gets most of the things right. The atmosphere in this film is creepy. I have never seen anything like that in any other horror film.

The cinematography is gorgeous. Every frame has been crafted with great precision to aid in building the atmosphere. Some shots are long and the camera keeps zooming in, which kind of makes you feel uncomfortable and uneasy. The camera does not make any sudden movements, it moves slowly, zooming in, zooming out, immersing you in this whole madness. The greyish color grading makes everything look lifeless and bleak, which adds to the horror element. The shots in the woods often include the actors at the bottom half so the trees look enormous, symbolizing how insignificant and helpless the family really is. The walks in the woods make up for some really tense moments.

In one of the early shots, the camera shows the family sitting on the ground and praying. They think their prayers have been answered and they have found a perfect place to settle down. Then the camera keeps zooming in towards the woods before fading into black, almost soaking you in this inevitable dread and hysteria that follows. It's scenes like this that make The Witch an absolute joy to watch.

Some choices are very interesting and thoughtful. During one of the scenes, we see Thomasin (Anya Taylor Joy) and her brother Caleb (Harvey Scrimshow) sitting near a pond. This scene serves two purposes. It shows that there is a pond/creek nearby where they get their water from. It also tells you more about the story. I can't spoil what happens during this scene but it is there for a reason. Also, look at the color grading and how grey things look.

The night scenes are filmed with the minimal use of artificial lights. Most of the time, candles are used and the scenes are dimly lit. You can't help but think about something evil lurking in the dark. It is the fear of that unknown that scares you. It also results in some beautifully crafted shots such as the one attached below. the witch haunting

But that being said, the most frightening character in The Witch is the atmosphere. Especially, The woods which is the resting place for the witches and other devilish things. That is what makes it relentlessly terrifying. Just take a look at the below pic for example. Thomasin (Anya Taylor Joy) is stuck in the woods and it is starting to frighten her. The Cinematographer captures that feeling of dread by filming the huge trees in the background. He does not show the full view. Not knowing how high the trees go and how deep the woods are is what scares us. She looks helpless as everything seems much bigger than her.

This whole atmospheric treatment results in the feeling of paranoia, which will linger with you till the end. It also does not shy away from filming some vomit-inducing scenes.

The other important aspect of The Witch that helps build the atmosphere is the music. It perfectly complements the visuals and adds another layer of horror to it. We must thank Mark Korven for that. The music in the Witch is spooky and terrifying. I can't find the perfect words to describe it but it scared me more than the visuals. The music during the climax scene is so intense that I do not think I have a heart strong enough to download that soundtrack. The best way to describe it would be - Think of all the sounds from your scariest nightmares and put them all together in a single clip. It is dissonant and pretty unique. It will not give you jumpscares but is unsettling, nonetheless. You will keep thinking about it long after you've seen the film, that is if you are into music and know what good music means. It captures the whole essence of the film.

Talking about acting, everyone is pretty solid but the child actors steal the show. They make the film what it is. half of the time I wanted to kick them because they irritated me beyond my tolerance limit and that is what the director was trying to do. Anya Taylor Joy is great as Thomasin. The father and mother are equally good. Harvey Scrimshaw has delivered a brilliant performance as Caleb, the son who is guilty about commiting a sin. His acting in this film blows everything Adam Sandler has ever done, away. How could he be so good?

Eggers' direction is solid throughout the film. His storytelling abilities are amazing. He calls The Witch, A New England Folktale and that is what he turned it into. The tension and atmosphere in this film are what I expect from a horror film. It maintains the same atmosphere throughout the film and never lets go. It all builds up to an ending that hits you like a hammer to the face. I bet no one will be able to guess the ending. At first, I thought it was not that great. But the more I think about it, the more sense it makes.

The reason I hold The Witch in such a high regard is because after watching the film, I had a feeling that I had consumed something evil and it was disturbing my inner-peace. Despite sharing my thoughts about the film, I am still not sure why I liked it so much that it may be one of my favourite horror films of all time. I guess, that's what good movies do to you. You don't know why you love them. One more thing that baffles me is how well researched the whole thing is. They even used the old English which is a bit difficult to grasp even with subtitles, especially for non-native speakers. But it results in a realistic film.

The Witch is a film made with passion, by a passionate filmmaker, for passionate Cinephiles who don't mind an artistic horror film. It's not easy to watch and most of the people won't like it since they'll be expecting jump scares but if pulverizing babies is your thing then, do give it a try because it is a masterpiece of Horror filmmaking. I didn't like it as much in the first viewing but it kept making me think about it and now that I have seen it around 6 times, I can say that it is one of the best horror movies of the 21st century.I doubt anyone is going to make a horror film like that in the near future.

P.S - If jump scares are your thing and you hate artistic films then leave it. It isn't scary.

Coco (I) (2017)

Pixar Redeems Itself

[9/10 · 25 November 2017]

Pixar is a brand that is often associated with amazing, thought-provoking films. They have been the best animation studio for quite a while now (Studio Ghibli isn't making films). Most of my favorite movies are made by Pixar. But the quality of their films has been going downhill for the past couple of years. The last brilliant film they made was Inside Out and after that, they released The Good Dinosaur, Finding Dory and Cars 3. These films were unnecessary and people were beginning to think that Pixar is not the same company it used to be.

With Coco, Pixar has finally redeemed itself. It is a wonderful film from start to finish. The animation is dazzling, the music is good and almost everything is spot on. I am not going to talk about the story but let me tell you, it is a good film. Go and watch it.

P.S - I hated the short film they showed before Coco. It was not made by Pixar. It was made by Disney.

Dunkirk (2017)

Christopher Nolan at His Absolute Best

[10/10 · 18 July 2017]

When Christopher Nolan announced that his next movie was going to be about World War II, people were skeptical; they had their doubts. But people had their doubts when Heath Ledger was cast as The Joker and Nolan proved them wrong.

With Dunkirk, Christopher Nolan has hit the bull's eye. He has proved once again that no matter what his films are about, they are always going to be an amazing experience.

Dunkirk is a film about the Dunkirk Evacuation ( Operation Dynamo ) that took place during the World War II. In 1940, more than 4,00,000 soldiers were evacuated on the beaches of Dunkirk, a small French town. Dunkirk is a story about that miraculous event.

It is an unusual film. What I mean by that is, any moviegoer going into the movie would not expect the kind of film he would see. Most of you may have seen Saving Private Ryan and will be hoping for something similar but Dunkirk will throw you off balance. It is the complete opposite of Saving Private Ryan and that is why it shines so much.

It is an experience and not a story about some individuals. There are no character backstories, so you won't get to know much about the characters. **You are in the battle from the first scene itself and you are going to stay there for the next 107 minutes.** You feel like a ghost watching the brutality of world war with your own eyes (Thank god, most of the war is bloodless).** There is very less dialogue, which you may hate, but it is also a unique thing about this masterpiece.** It is a no bull crap approach towards war. The war is not forgiving; you won't get time to shave your beard or shake hands with your friends or talk about your high school crush when each step you take may decide your fate. It is war and it translates to death if you are not careful. It is about people fighting for their lives and wondering if they will be able to make it through.

The lack of character backstories and dialogue may be a shortcoming of the film but the more I think about it, the more sense it makes.** It results in a film that is thrilling, intense and nerve- wracking from beginning to end; there are no scenes that kill the tension.** Also, It does not politicize or glorify anything. It just shows you the war in its most raw form. It is terrorizing from the first scene till the last. There is almost no CGI; the IMAX cameras were placed on real airplanes and the film was shot, It makes my jaw drop in awe.

***Dunkirk is the most realistic depiction of war I have ever seen on screen.***

The cinematography is gorgeous and you will wonder how the DOP Hoyte van Hoytema was able to film it. The sound editing and mixing is on spot (Hans Zimmer's name is enough). The bullets sound exactly like bullets and the explosions are like real explosions; you won't get the feeling that Michael Bay is trying to blow things up. Last but not the least, what to say about the genius - Christopher Nolan. Most of his recent films have focused more on the crazy ideas and visual wonders but **Dunkirk proves that apart from being a person who has some amazing ideas, Nolan is a great storyteller too.** His storytelling abilities shine in Dunkirk. He himself is the writer and without his writing, it would not have been the film it is. he uses the nonlinear narrative and plays with the concept of time, again in a very effective way.

***With Dunkirk, Nolan has established himself as one of the greatest filmmakers of all time.***

It is the best film he has made since Inception. It is a strong contender for the Academy Award for best picture and Nolan himself may get nominated for Best Director, a recognition that he truly deserves. With Dunkirk, Christopher Nolan has hit the bull's eye. He has proved that no matter what his films are about, they are always going to be an amazing experience. Just go and make sure you watch it on an IMAX screen.

Wonder Woman (2017)

Gal Gadot is Wonder Woman

[9/10 · 6 June 2017]

I had been waiting for this film for over a year. I had my exam yesterday but I was more worried about making it to the theater on time. I finished the exam within an hour and 15 minutes and rushed to the IMAX. I was not disappointed. I cleared the exam and the movie was good.

Wonder Women is the best DCEU movie till date.

It hooks you right from the beginning. You see the beautiful world of Themyscira and want to join the beautiful ladies in their quest. The CGI sequence telling the story of Zeus and Ares is brilliantly done. I hate Slow-Mo but Wonder Woman used it in a good way. It was a thrilling experience to watch it on an IMAX screen. It made me wonder if I was really watching a DC film. It did not feel like a DC film at all.

Most of the DCEU movies have suffered from the same problem. They take things too seriously. I mean, I love Batman and I love the dark atmosphere they create in those films but what's the problem with one or two good jokes? Most of their films maintain the same dark tone throughout the run-time. When they decided to go the Marvel in Suicide Squad, it turned out to be a big turd. Fortunately, Wonder Woman does not suffer from the same problem. It works on multiple levels. It has got style with substance. It has got action and emotions. It has a got a good foundation, over which multiple layers are placed beautifully. There is character development and you get to see how Wonder Woman becomes Wonder Woman. Now, this may sound like I am exaggerating but DC has disappointed me so much in the past that WoW feels like a breath of fresh air.

Acting wise, Chris Pine was brilliant but it is Gal Gadot who stole the show. She was made for this role. Her transformation throughout the film is brilliant. To be honest, watching her kicking some butt on the big screen was worth the money and wait.

It isn't without faults though. The biggest problem with the film is the climax; I saw it coming from a mile away. Also, the ending is a bit too much CGI and made me feel like I was watching a Michael Bay or Snyder film, which kind of ruins an otherwise amazing experience.

So Wonder Woman is a good film and I would suggest you watch it on the big screen. With this film, DC has finally understood what they need to do in order to make a good film. It has given them a much-needed start. I just hope they don't mess it up in future. Now, I am excited for Justice League.

Baahubali 2: The Conclusion (2017)

Baahubali 2 is a shallow yet satisfying end to the saga

[6/10 · 27 April 2017]

So finally we get to see why Katappa killed baahubali. This was the question that was on everyone's tongue. Baahubali 2 answers the question but it may or may not satisfy you. In fact, there are many twists in this film.

Baahubali: The Beginning was a good experience. It was a milestone in terms of VFX. The story line though clichéd was good, the background score was powerful and the cinematography was beautiful. Baahubali 2 is more of what you saw in Baahubali but it fades in comparison. Yes, the fight scenes are on a larger scale than the first one. You may have guessed that from the trailer. Yes, there is a fight scene that we all have been waiting to see. Yes, there are some scenes that would give you an adrenaline rush but in the midst of all this chaos, you feel that something is not right. Something is missing and you don't know what it is.

Baahubali: The Beginning was the first film that made us believe that we were able to produce such films. That film single-handedly intrigued us and maybe that is the reason Baahubali 2 does not feel like an original work anymore. It feels like a copy paste of the original without any soul. The screenwriters try to make it work by giving us back stories but some part of it does not fit.

Acting performances are okay with most of the good performances coming from prabhas, duggubati and Anushka. Some of the actors are over the top just like the first film.

It is also longer than Baahubali which is a treat for the fans. I mean, they deserve it, after all, they have been waiting for two years to see it on the big screen. To the serious movie-goers though, it is a big let down since most of the film could have been edited to make it shorter and to-the-point. Most of the time is wasted on the same things that were the problems with Baahubali - the unnecessary romance and songs. I know, we Indians are used to watching songs but for god's sake, stop doing it. songs do not add any value to the story and they are cringe-worthy. You are making a film that is supposed to be compared with Hollywood's behemoths and then you add a dance sequence to it? That's utterly stupid. It seems to me that this film didn't really need a sequel (but everyone wanted to know why Katappa killed Baahubali). It could have worked as a single film without all the dance and romance.

In the end, I would like to say that Baahubali 2 is what fans have been waiting for. They will definitely be happy with the package. It's nothing exceptional though and so some moviegoers might be disappointed. But no matter how well the film is made or how many shortcomings it has, I would still request you to go and watch this film. You need to support it because if it isn't a hit, no one in future will think about taking risks and we'll have to watch the same old Bollywood films for the rest of our lives. Can you tolerate another Happy New Year or Hamshakals?

Kubo and the Two Strings (2016)

Laika Deserves the Oscar This Year

[9/10 · 17 February 2017]

I can't tell you how happy I am after watching Laika's latest offering- Kubo and the Two Strings. It is without an iota of doubt, one of the best films of 2016. Laika has come a far way since Coraline. Despite having difficulties in turning their movies into profits, Laika is still around and making films. This is good because there are very few people who still work with stop-motion. It's very tough to make a stop motion film as it requires patience and hard-work. Most of the studios do not bother about it as they have CGI to do their job. As a result, stop-motion is almost non-existent.

Laika is different though. With Kubo and the Two Strings, they are trying to tell you that the art of stop-motion is not dead and they are the flag bearers when it comes to making such films. This film sets the bar for stop motion even higher. It feels like a CG animated film. So much hard-work has gone into making this film. Lets talk about the film now.

First of all, I would say that this film is more suitable for adults (like most of Laika's films) than children. Children may get scared because some of the parts are very dark and scary. In fact, I got scared during many scenes. The film begins with the following lines. "If you must blink, do it now. Pay careful attention to everything you see and hear, no matter how unusual it may seem. And please be warned. If you fidget, if you look away, if you forget any part of what I tell you, even for an instant, then our hero will surely perish" The opening lines are enough to give you a hint of what's coming. It sets the dark tone of the film. As if these lines were not enough to chill you to the bones, the film starts with a night sky, a full moon, thunderstorms, heavy rains and a tumultuous sea. In the midst of all this, we see a woman on a boat trying to cross the sea and take her infant to safety. She uses the magic to defeat the waves but gets hit on the head by a rock. She is swept off to the sand and we get to see a glimpse of the infant (Kubo).

Fast forward a few years and we see that Kubo has grown up and takes care of his mother who is not well. He lives in a village and earns the bread by performing with his magical origami and instrument. One day, he accidentally summons two spirits from the past. These spirits are of his aunts from his mother's side. Now, I must warn you that these twisted sisters are the scariest part of the film. When an animated film is able to scare you, you know the animator has done a great job. To defeat the spirits, Kubo must find three things. The rest of the film is about that. But there is much more than just that

Kubo and the Two Strings works on many levels. It does lose some of the charm in the third act but the bucolic setting and dazzling animation make up for it. Honestly, I would have given it a solid 10 but the third act is a bit, lets just say – underwhelming. Overall, Kubo and the two strings is one of the best movies of the year. I seriously wish this film takes home the Best Animated Picture Oscar. It has got a great story, good voice acting and eye-popping animation. But I know, Zootopia will give it a very tough competition. No matter which film wins, I just hope Laika keeps doing what they do best- keep making such awesome flicks.

Raees (2017)

A Wasted Potential

[2/10 · 24 January 2017]

Raees is going to earn huge. Afterall, it is an SRK film. But there are some big problems with Raees that I feared would be there. It is good that he is trying to do something different from the other Bollywood films in recent times but it just doesn't work the way it was supposed to be. When you are working on a script like Raees, you need to be extra careful as the script that you are working with is sensitive. You need to handle it carefully. Give it an honest look. (It also shows resemblance with a real life person). But alas, Bollywood it seems is not bothered with that at all. It keeps repeating the same formula again and again with huge success, minting crores. Raees suffers from many problems that most of the Bollywood films suffer from. It is a good subject but the focus is more upon the star rather than the material at hand. It had the potential to become a good film but failed. Firstly, I am tired of seeing unnecessary songs and dance sequences in films. I know they are crowd pleasers but at least leave thrillers and mysteries alone. They are meant to be taken seriously. A dance sequence in the middle of a serious film looks laughable and doesn't let us connect with the film. It is stupid and annoying. Second, I am tired of seeing the lead actor delivering over the top dialogues. Give it a realistic feel. Third, I don't need to see romance in every film. Some films are better when there is no romance. Fourth, Zack Snyder must be feeling bad for popularizing the slow motion sequences with his 300, they are not fun anymore. Fifth, there is no need to glorify the criminals. Give the script and honest view. Yes, Raees is a Robinhood wannabe but he is also a criminal. Raees is another of those films that claim to be different but aren't. Some things are inspired from Godfather and scarface but those films showed every shade of the characters. Some of the good films about this film are Nawaz, and the Cinematography.

xXx: Return of Xander Cage (2017)

Awful Crap That You Can't Unsee

[1/10 · 13 January 2017]

How do you make a hit film? It's simple. Cast some of the biggest stars in the industry and you are halfway through, add a lot of mindless action, do some promotional stunts (like Vin wearing a Lungi and dancing on a Hindi song) and you are done. Audiences are bound to go crazy.

I have never been a fan of any of the XXX films but this one I watched for Deepika. But Oh My God, what was I thinking? This film is awful beyond measure. There is nothing to watch. I mean it's the same thing you must have seen at least a hundred times by now. Same clichéd story, same mindless action sequences and people reading their lines like they are mannequins who have been brought to life my some magic. Even the origami did a way better job in Kubo and the two strings and they are made out of paper, mind you.

People are saying Deepika was good and I completely disagree. I can say that she did a good job with action sequences but her acting was pathetic. In fact there were only one or two people who actually tried to act.

So, don't waste your money on this awful experience. If you are watching it for Deepika then drop your plans. The screen time she gets is longer than I anticipated but nothing good comes out of it. It is another of those meaningless action films that you forget the moment you walk out of the Cinema. There are better movies playing in theaters that deserve your money instead of this crap. Do something meaningful with your money.

Arrival (II) (2016)

Arrival is Villeneuve's Magnum Opus

[10/10 · 21 December 2016]

Arrival is a rare gem from Denis Velleneuve, who has proved many times that he is the next big thing. If you look at his track record, you won't find anything bad. He is an amazing director who has the ability to create tension and make you uncomfortable. If you do not believe me, go and watch Incendies, Prisoners or Sicario. With Arrival, he tried his hands on a new genre and did he deliver? He absolutely did.

Arrival is a Science Fiction featuring Aliens (duh). But while most of the Alien invasion films focus more on the Aliens and visual spectacles, Arrival is the exact opposite. It focuses more on the humans instead of the Aliens. It is the story of Louise (Amy Adams) who is a linguist and is grief stricken by the death of her daughter. One day, 12 Alien Pods appear out of nowhere at 12 different locations on earth. They do not wreak havoc like they do in most of the Hollywood films. We are tired of seeing that countless times, thanks to Independence day. They just appear and that's all. Now the big question is why are they here? Well, that is the plot of the film, even the poster has it written at the center, in all caps. The whole movie is about finding the answer to this question. I would not spoil it for you but let me tell you one thing; If you love challenging films, this film is a treat for you. If you do not and hate slow movies then skip it, please. This movie explores many interesting ideas and is quite thought provoking. It also deals with many themes, especially of free will vs fate. The way the Aliens communicate in this film is very interesting too. Their language is made up of weird circles that they form using their tentacles. It results in some very interesting ideas about time. OK, I am revealing too much so I'll just stop here.

The cinematography is gorgeous. The first shot that shows the Pod for the first time in its full view is breathtaking; most of the shots are. Bradford Young has done a brilliant job in creating tension with the help of visuals. But it could not have been possible without the amazing music by Johann Johannsson. Man, that background score scared me more than the visuals. It was kind of …..different?

Now, lets talk about Amy Adams who delivers a powerhouse of a performance here. No one gets five Oscar nods for nothing. She is one of my favorite actresses and her work in this film is tremendous. She played her role of a grief stricken mother perfectly, no complains at all. It's only because of her performance that this film becomes much more than a Sci-Fi. It has an emotional impact on you. Jeremmy Renner did not have much to do but he was good at whatever he did.

So, I can say that Arrival is one of the best Science Fiction films of the decade, if not the best. I loved is mostly because it was different. It is a Science Fiction with a soul. I have watched a film after four or five months and I am happy that I watched this.

Fan (I) (2016)

FAN is for FANS

[3/10 · 14 April 2016]

Well it is that time of year when we get to see a lot of films. This has to be the best year for movies (At least for Hollywood). So SRK is doing two movies this year - FAN and RAEES. The trailer for Fan was good however id had an eerie similarity to a Hollywood film. Yes you got it right. This film is clearly inspired from Robert De Niro's The Fan. The basic premises is same even though it is a bit different. SRK does a good job as the FAN (Not so good as the STAR he plays). Yes, it is better than his previous movies but I wouldn't say it is a very good film. Mediocre at best. Would have appreciated it more if the idea was original but alas we can not expect that from Bollywood . At least not from big names in the industry. This fan is for fans only.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

Dawn of Justice is not that Great but It Isn't That Bad Either

[7/10 · 14 April 2016]

I was really pumped up to watch this film. I had been waiting for it for more than 2 years. Afterall, It was one of the biggest releases of the year. I went to this Multiplex and it was houseful, not one empty seat. For the first time in my life, I have seen a houseful show. I live in India and I have never seen a houseful show in a multiplex, not even for a Hindi film. The best thing is that it was the English show. The Hindi show must have been houseful too. I booked the last remaining seat at 2AM in the night. So let's talk about the film now.

What the Movie Got Right?

Batman. Yes, Batman is brilliant in this film. This Batman is very different from Nolan's Batman. Nolan changed Batman a lot. One of the biggest shortcoming of Nolan's batman was the fight scenes that involved Batman. They were not, let's just say – How batman fights. Christian Bale was amazing but the fight sequences were somehow not that spectacular. The films were great but this was the only shortcoming. This Batman however, is much more closer to the comic version of Batman. Batman is also known as "The greatest detective in the world". In Nolan's batman we did not see that, he did not show much of his detective skills. In Snyder's Batman we see him working as a detective and what a detective he is. Ben Affleck definitely shut up his critics with his portrayal of Batman. The actions sequences are brilliantly done. This is how batman is supposed to fight. These action sequences were a reminiscent of Arkham Asylum video game. So Snyder got Batman right in this film. When he beats Superman, you can just see his rage, his anger, his fury, the way he unleashes punches after punches on Superman's face. This Batman is much more darker and broody than Nolan's Batman. This might be the best Batman on screen. The fighting scene between Batman and Superman is also well done. I mean, everyone knows Superman can kill Batman in a fraction of a second (This is coming from a huge Batman fan) but Snyder gave Superman a reason not to. We see in the film that Superman did not want to kill Batman. Superman does not kill for no reason. Yes, he had a reason but he wanted to negotiate with and not kill Batman. This is the reason the fight took place in the first place otherwise Batman would have been dead before it even started. He even says these lines - "If I wanted it, you'd be dead already". I also loved the more darker tone of the film. It was a problem for critics but I loved it. This is the greatest gladiator match in the history. Bat of Gotham is fighting God of Krypton, are we supposed to throw jokes here and there like Marvel does? Remember than dance scene at the end of GOTG? It was humorous but stupid. This movie has just the right amount of humor. Lex Luther ensures that you get a laugh or two every now and then. The funniest scene is when Batman is out of punches and he knows that Superman is going to beat him really bad he starts running and who can forget the following lines? Superman: Is she with you? Batman: I thought she was with you. Another thing that I liked was Wonder Woman's entry. Yes, the trailers ruined it but it was spectacular anyway. The crowd cheered when she appeared on screen. Her theme music was brilliantly done. I am really pumped up for her solo film now. Gal Gadot was great as WW. Jesse Eisenberg was good as Lex though some people might hate him. The new Lex is given a more twisted character. He is half mad.

What it Got Wrong?

To be honest, the first half of the film is highly incoherent and weirdly stuck together. We get to follow so many plot lines in the beginning that we forget where we started and what is happening. The movie starts on a high note, we get to see how Batman became Batman (yeah, they killed his parents again). The dream sequence in the beginning is really well done. The how-Batman-comes- to-hate-Superman sequence is good too. We get to see everything from Batman's perspective. He sees Superman as a threat to the world. He sees Superman as an alien, he thinks he is not a human. But after that, it tries to follow so many things and it results in confusion specially for those who have not read the comics. Also, there is a lot of CGI and people might not buy that. Also there are some MacGuffins and some of the choices that the characters make are a bit illogical. Overall, it is not a great film but it is not bad either, surely not as bad as critics are saying it is. It is a good 7/10 for me. It might even be an 8, not up to the expectations but not as bad as I expected it to be after reading the reviews. So go without any expectations and you will enjoy it.

Ship of Theseus (2012)

Humane, Thought-Provoking and Philosophical

[9/10 · 14 April 2016]

Not everyone will enjoy this film. It might be dry for someone's taste because they won't get item songs, comedy, cheesy dialogues and gravity defying action scenes. So go through the review once, if you don't like serious art house films. This movie is very different from the other Indian films that I have ever seen. It is not for everyone because not everyone enjoys serious cinema or artistic films. This film challenges the viewer's mind by giving them some food for thought.

It is the best Indian Indie-film (Along with The Lunchbox) I have ever seen and one of the few Indian films that can compete with foreign films when it comes to artistic and aesthetic values.

Ship of Theseus is a story about three different persons. The first story is about a blind girl who uses her hearing and imagination to click photographs. But then she gets an eye-transplant and everything changes. She can not use her hearing and imagination anymore because her eyes keep distracting her. She is not the same person she used to be or is she? If your body parts are replaced, are you still the same person?

The second story is about a monk who is an animal rights activist and is fighting the case against animal cruelty and torture in medical laboratories. Once he gets ill and refuses to take medicines at first because they were made by the same medical labs that torture animals. He gets stuck in a moral dilemma and in the end he decides to take the medication. It is clear that he changed his rules and morals. He also gets an organ transplant. So, is he still the same person?

The third story is about a stock-broker who is interested in money only. He gets a kidney transplant and finds out that his kidney might have been stolen from a poor guy. he feels guilty and tries to help the person. In this process, he comes to know that his kidney was not a stolen one. So he tries to find the person who is having the poor guy's kidney. He is hell bent on fighting for the justice for the poor person. In the end, we see a changed stock-broker who is not all about the money. So is he the same guy? In all the three stories, the central character is in a quandary and seeks answers to his questions. The film deals with the questions of Identity, Justice, Morals, Life and death with the help of these three stories which seem disjointed.

These questions are asked again and again and that is why Ship of Theseus is brilliant. In the end, we see all the protagonists sitting together and enjoying a movie about the person whose organs were donated to them. That person happens to be a cave explorer. So these three protagonists are having the organs which were harvested from the same person. The first one is having his eyes, the second one is having a different organ and the third one is having his kidney. There were more people sitting with them so almost all of his organs were donated to different people. Now, recall the Ship of Theseus paradox and you will find something interesting. This is a spellbinding climax which stays with you for a very long time.

Ship of Theseus shows that we have the potential to make great films. Anand Sharma deserves a standing ovation for this film. The way he captures everything is mesmerizing. It gave me the similar feeling that Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life did. You can not really complain about anything because you will not find a fault with this film. The cinematography is beautiful and one of the best I have seen in Indian films albeit they didn't use any expensive camera. Camera techniques used by the DOP are brilliant. Kudos to Pankaj Kumar for scoring a perfect 10 here. The guy surely does know his work.

The direction is flawless, The screenplay is engrossing and all the actors do a great job, specially Neeraj Kabi as the ailing monk. However the story is the soul of this film which makes it spectacular. It explores the Ship of Theseus Paradox artistically (It is not a completely accurate depiction but serves the message anyway).

Whats riveting about Ship of Theseus is that seldom do you see Indian films speaking the language of pure cinema (atleast nowadays) instead of narrating and spoon feeding everything to the audience. Ship of Theseus does that without any hurdles. The director does not spoon feed you everything. He shows you the imagery and wants you to know what is going on inside the heads of those characters with the help of their expressions.

Every crew member deserves applause for making such a great film. They made a film which is much more thought-provoking and meaningful than what Bollywood has put forward in last 20 years or so and they did this with the help of a DLSR camera? and a debutant director did this? Anand Sharma has a bright future ahead of him. In the end, I would like to say that movies like The Lunchbox, Ankhon Dekhi and Ship of Theseus have rebuilt my hope for Indian cinema. I hope they keep making such films.

Princess Mononoke (1997)

Princess Mononoke is the greatest animated movie I have ever seen.

[10/10 · 14 April 2016]

If I had to summarize this movie in a few words, I would say – Breathtaking, Magnificent, and Brilliant. It is one of my top ten favorite films. One of the many things that make this film great is the story. The film is set up in the Iron Age in ancient Japan when the humans used to live in harmony with nature. But the discovery of Iron and selfish nature of humans led to the mass production of weapons which altered this balance. Princess Mononoke is a movie about Nature versus Humans. It also takes elements from Japanese myths and folklore and shows us the great ancient Japanese culture.

The opening scene of Princess Mononoke is jaw-dropping. In the beginning, we see a strange creature and thousands of snakes (or whatever it was) coming out of his whole body. This strange creature goes berserk and tries to wreak havoc upon a nearby village. A young lad named Ashitaka tries to stop him from going to the village and send him back to the forest but things go wrong and Ashitaka kills the Creature. The strange snakes grab Ashitaka's hand and leave a mark before vanishing into thin air. It turns out that the creature was a giant Boar who turned into a Demon God. He was cursed and the curse of the Demon God was now transferred to Ashitaka.

They find a metal piece in the remains of the Boar and come to know that someone shot the boar with a gun and that is why his agony and hate for humans turned him into a Demon God. Ashitaka, knowing that he has only a few days to live, goes out on a journey to find the person who shot the Boar and was responsible for this heinous act. This journey leads him to the west. There he meets Lady Eboshi who rules a piece of land called Ironworks and was responsible for the Boar's death and Ashitaka's curse. She has thousands of workers working under her. She knows how to make gunpowder and weapons which were responsible for the Boar's death. She does not hesitate to kill anyone who tries to stop her. She wants to rule the forest but is she a bad person? You will have to decide for yourselves because Miyazaki does not let you judge the characters easily.

Ashitaka also meets Princess Mononoke or Mononokehime – a wolf-girl, born human and raised by wolves. She despises humans because she thinks that humans are filthy, selfish and pathetic creatures. She has vowed to kill the humans and take back the land of Ironworks that once belonged to the forest. She is always looking for the ways to kill Lady Eboshi and her people. Now what happens, you will have to watch that for yourselves. I am not going to spoil the film for you.

This is just the basic plot of the film and let me tell you that the storyline is much more complex than this. There are so many characters and subplots and all the characters are well developed. Ashitaka's character has the proper depth, warmth, kindness, wisdom and courage whereas San's character is developed as an angry soul who just wants revenge. Lady Eboshi's character is given different personalities so you won't be able to judge her. You will also get to see the Deer God AKA the Forest God, The Spirits of the Forest, Humans, Wolves, Villagers, Boars, Apes and other creatures. Princess Mononoke is a story about how messing up with nature can lead to devastating results and it delivers the message successfully. The story is epic and the scale is huge, but the storytelling is what makes it brilliant. Miyazaki takes you to this great journey where you can feel everything. Any other director would not be able to achieve such depth and beauty. Miyazaki had a great understanding of animated films and that is why the people at Pixar and Disney worship him and see him as their idol.

The animation work in Princess Mononoke is hand drawn and the result is breathtaking. The scenes that take place in the forest are outstanding. Each and every frame is having great details and beautiful colors. They pop out of the screen and make you want to live in the world you are seeing. At the top of that, the 3D rendering adds more depth and beauty to the handmade drawings. You don't just see the world of Princess Mononoke, you experience it and live in it during the whole runtime.

The score of Princess Mononoke is one of the best scores I have ever heard in a film (The Lord of The Rings and Princess Mononoke are my favorite). I have seen this film more than 5 times and I cry every time I listen to the Theme. Joe Hisaishi, you are a genius. Overall, Princess Mononoke is a once in a lifetime experience. I loved it the first time I watched it. Then I listened to the OST and watched it again and loved it even more. I love it more and more every time I watch it. So it is a kind of movie that grows on you after multiple viewings. I was not a lucky guy because I couldn't watch it on big screen but I seriously want to watch this in theaters even if it costs a hefty amount. You cannot go wrong with Miyazaki, can you? May his soul Rest in Peace.

Song of the Sea (2014)

A Film that Puts Majority of Animated Films to Shame

[10/10 · 1 November 2015]

I have seen The Secret of Kells and loved it. I had never seen such kind of animation before at that time. When I heard that the same director was going to make another animated film based on a folklore, I was eager to watch it. I can say that it was worth the wait. This film is made with a budget of $5-$10 million and still puts $150+ millions films to shame. The visuals are spectacular. I would have given it a 10 just for the visuals. However what makes it excellent is not just the visuals but everything about this film is great. Be it music, voice acting ,pace and storytelling. Moore tells the story in a beautiful way which are reminiscent of Miyazaki films. Miyazaki got the ideas from Japanese folklore and tales and put them on screen. Moore did the same thing with The Song of the Sea. It is a brilliantly made fantasy film. I will be looking forward to other films by Moore.

The Martian (2015)

Captivating and Thrilling

[8/10 · 1 November 2015]

Every cinephile is familiar with Ridley Scott's name. He has made two of the greatest Sci-Fi films we have ever seen i.e. Blade Runner, and Alien. He also made the historical drama film Gladiator, which was a critical and financial success. His filmography is filled with great and awful films. He is a great director, but he hasn't done anything great for years now. He made Prometheus but it wasn't that good and we all know how mediocre Exodus was. He needed a good film and The Martian is just that, a film that Ridley needed to revive his career and put him back on track. It is a well-made film with great visuals and fantastic story.

Plot - Imagine a planet, where you are the only being alive. There is no water and the land is not fertile. Your supplies won't last for more than 60-70 days. You know that you can escape the planet only after 800-900 days, but you have to stay alive. There are so many things you have to take care of –

If you run out of food, you die. If you run out of the water, you die. If you go outside, you die. If you don't do something, you die. If you lose hope, you die. Most importantly, the feeling of loneliness will definitely kill you. We all have seen what loneliness can do to people. If you haven't, then watch Taxi Driver.

Now, what would you do? Would you lose hope and die even before the supplies end or will you start finding ways to solve the problems? Does your mind work or does your body become numb? How would you keep your mind in control? How would you live? Well, that's What happens in The Martian.

"The Martian is a story about some astronauts working on NASA's ARES III mission on Mars. They are hit by a storm and one of their team members (Mark Watney) gets lost. Presuming that he is dead, the remaining team members leave the planet. Mark Watney was not dead, he was hit by an antenna. He wakes up to find himself alone and stranded on this red planet. He has supplies that could last for a few days. He tries to communicate to NASA, but the communication system was destroyed by the storm. Now he has to face all the odds, find a way to communicate back to earth and survive until someone comes and saves him. Does he make it back to earth?"

The film is based on a novel by "Andy Weir". It is a simple story but works on multiple levels. Drew Goddard (The Screenwriter) did a fantastic job of converting words into action. The screenplay is simple and doesn't hold many surprises. The runtime is 141 minutes, but the pace is so perfect that you don't feel that something is being dragged. As the plot drives forward, the protagonist is presented with more and more problems which present threats to his life, He tries to overcome these hurdles by using his wits, spirit, and skills. The whole process is very exciting, exhilarating and thrilling. This is a perfect example of smart and witty writing supported by good filmmaking. The Martian is a character-driven film where out protagonist is in a bad situation, but he does not lose hope and makes full use of his skills and wits. This is a film about hope, fighting the odds, Optimism, courage and willpower.

There is only one shortcoming that I could think of. I wanted to see more of Watney's (Matt Damon) character. He was such a fascinating character and always a delight to watch. I would have loved it more if they had explored more depths of his character. The used the humor really well, but all his emotional conflicts were not shown. His internal struggles, pessimistic and optimistic character shifts and emotional conflicts would have added more depth to his character. But you can't really complain as it would have added another 20-30 minutes to the runtime.

Performances/Cinematography/Visuals - This has to be one of the best acting performances of Matt Damon's career. He is an excellent actor and he did a fantastic job in The Martian. He portrayed every emotion perfectly and effortlessly.

The supporting cast is equally good. Jessica Chastain didn't have much to do, but she did complete justice to her role. Sean Bean was good, but I was disappointed because he didn't die.

The cinematography is gorgeous and some of the shots are spectacular, especially the climax scene. If you are going to watch this film, make sure you go for the 3D as it adds more depth to the scenes. You can feel the atmosphere created by the Cinematographer.

Final Thoughts - The Martian is a must watch. Go and watch it as soon as you can because it is one of the top 3 movies of 2015. Some people might be put off by the Sci-Fi tag but believe me, it's The Shawshank Redemption set in space. It is the journey of a man who tries to survive against, all odds, using his wits, willpower and courage.

Shaandaar (2015)

Name is "Shaandar" but the Film is "Awful"

[1/10 · 23 October 2015]

Queen is one of my favorite Hindi films of all time. It was brilliant from beginning to end. The pace was perfect, the acting was top notch and the music was refreshing though the idea was clichéd. Queen put Kangana and Vikas on the top. So it was obvious that everyone was expecting a good film from Bahl.

After watching the trailer, people were really happy (It seems that people go crazy after every new trailer) but I was disappointed. Stil, I wanted to give it a try. I went to watch the film and I swear, I was disappointed. This film is a piece of crap from beginning to end. You will be tortured for the whole runtime. Those who go to pass their time might enjoy this flick but it is awful. I wont waste my time by writing a long review. Do not spend your hard earned money on this flick.

Manjhi: The Mountain Man (2015)

All Barks and No Bite, Manjhi is overly Melodramatic

[4/10 · 22 August 2015]

Nawazuddin is one of the finest actors in India. He has given some of his greatest performances in the past and Manjhi is no exception. Nawazuddin Siddiqui shines in Manjhi: The Mountain Man and that is the best thing about this film albeit this performance does not match up to some of the other performances that he has given. He shines in the second half because the first half is comical. Radhika Apte is average, all the other actors show exaggerated emotions.

Apart from that, there is nothing else that makes this film worth watching. Yes, it is INSPIRED by a true story of Dashrath Manjhi who broke a mountain to shorten the distance between his village and the hospital. I am saying "INSPIRED" because it does not show the actual events that happened. Many things have been changed from the real story just for the sake of making it melodramatic. Had they followed the actual events and made it less dramatic, it would have resulted in a much better film. There are so many dumb moments such as hiding in mud (really? How dumb can you get?) or Radhika Apte slapping Manjhi because he tried to beat the person who was harassing her. Then there are unnecessary half- baked subplots, the overly dramatic scenes dealing with the issue of untouchability).

The walk to Delhi which could have been done in a better way is shown within 3-4 minutes which serves nothing to the film. It could have been impressive if done in a better way. Some of the dialogues are really good and some of them are laughable. The Direction is average and nothing great here. The screenplay is messy at times because it runs back and forth between flashback and present time. The dream sequences are not done in a good way. The background music is dull. This results in mediocre at best film.

Manjhi had the potential of becoming a great film but the bad storytelling and fictional elements ruined it.Some people are still praising it because it has Nawazuddin in the main role and the guy has a big following. We Indians are really sensitive when it comes to voting on IMDb. We either give it a 1 or 10. Learn to accept the criticism. Anyone can give a bad film, there is nothing wrong in admitting that. Seems like the makers of Manjhi were more interested in making it more audience friendly rather than telling the story of Manjhi.

Baahubali: The Beginning (2015)

Baahubali is Indian Grand Spectacle

[8/10 · 9 July 2015]

I was eagerly waiting for this film and I was not disappointed.

Baahubali is one of the most visually impressive films that have come from India. Everything about this film is good - Story, direction, beautiful cinematography, haunting score and amazing visuals (though they lack some details at some places).

I didn't know who Rajamouli was, basically because I am from North India and I don't follow south Indian cinema. But I am sure he is someone you should know about. SS Rajamouli is amazing. He has made something that we can be proud of. I was sure that the VFX would be good however I had a doubt about the story. Rajamouli proved me wrong with this film. The story and the execution is really good. Story takes elements from Indian mythologies (specially from the life of Lord Krishna) . You can not expect more. He took a big risk and made it big. This is what we need, good quality cinema. Salman fans should learn something from it.

All the actors are good and perform their part really well(except Tamanna. She tries too hard but fails miserably). In fact, Tamanna has been used as a plot device (A MacGuffin as Alfred Hitchcock used to call it). Prabhas is okay in the beginning but transforms into a behemoth during the second half. This guy is a natural. He doesn't act exceptionaly but his presence is enough to give you the feels.

The background score needs special mention because it is amazing. It is different from anything you have ever heard in India. The score that plays during war is haunting. (Clearly inspired from the LotR)

I would be lying if I didn't say that Rajamouli spent a lot of time watching The Lord of The Rings. Yes, some scenes will remind you of 300 and the Lord of The Rings but believe me it is completely different. He doesn't copy anything, he uses it as a source of inspiration. There is only one scene that I remember from LotR which has been used in Baahubali. But denying that he was influenced by Peter Jackson would be a big lie. Its a great thing that he was influenced by such a great film otherwise we wouldn't have Baahubali.

The quality of graphics work is very good. In fact its insane for such a cheap price given that Hollywood uses big budget for the same. The battle sequence is SPECTACULAR and reminded me of Battle of Helm's Deep and Pelennor fields from LotR.

But the movie is not without some minor problems. There are unnecessary songs which ruin the experience (I laughed so hard when Prabhas started dancing randomly. Everyone was looking at me.) and some parts are dragged (specially the first half) . Also there are continuity problems and some actors are over-the-top. Cut down the songs and edit the movie and voilà we will have a SPECTACULAR film.

Baahubali is not the answer to 300, Gladiator or The Lord of The Rings because saying so would be foolish. Don't compare this movie to the Hollywood ones because we still have a long way to go. It's not the Indian 300, its Indian "Baahubali".

So in the end, I would like to say - Go and watch it instead of watching the crap that Bollywood has been producing lately. Its something to be proud of. Book your tickets and watch this Indian grand spectacle. You wont regret it. P.S: I want to see Rajamouli doing "Mahabharata" next.

Any Body Can Dance 2 (2015)

Its not a Film, Its 2.5 hours of "Dance India Dance"

[2/10 · 20 June 2015]

Let me tell you something first - I could hardly survive the "Step Up" films even though the dance sequences in those films were spectacular and those films had a story, no matter how bad the story was.

This film does not even have a story. Its just 2.5 hours of "people dancing". OK, I get the point - Its a dance film but still it is a FILM. It must have at least an iota of story. Unfortunately this film struggles with the story. They made it just to earn money and it paid off. It has already collected 14 crores on the very first day despite heavy Rains in many parts of India and Ramadan.

Now, let me tell you more about the film. It stars Varun Dhawan (who is yet to impress me because he was bad in every movie I have seen him in), Shraddha Kapoor and Prabhudeva (You sir, are a good dancer but why are you trying to become an actor?). So we have 3 stars but none of them gives a good performance. Either they did this film just for money or they were bored with all the "Dance thing".

The story of this film is ordinary and has been done to death before by countless movies in different ways - A group of wannabes join hands with an instructor to help them achieve their goal.

The dance sequences are good (I will have to give them that) but why did you make a movie just to show dance? There is too much dance in this film. Even Michael Jackson did not dance this much in his lifetime. They could have easily shortened the length of this movie by at least 40 minutes. The length of this film is god awful 2.5 hours (You can watch 2 animated movies in 2.5 hours). So you get 2.5 hours of dance sequences for 300 bucks. Now, thats a deal no one can refuse (Just joking).

The characters are thrown into the movie from god-knows-where without any kind of character development, so you get half-baked characters. Half of the people in theater were trying to understand them but it doesn't matter. You know why? because all they do is - Dance, so you need not worry about them. There are so many sub-plots and they don't add anything to the story. There are some scenes that are so annoying that you want to throw your bucket of popcorn onto the screen. These scenes exist because they had to show something in between the dance sequences otherwise there would only be dance sequences.

"Poor acting" by almost every character adds up to the frustration and makes you feel like vomiting.

The screenplay is bad, direction is sloppy and writing is awful.

The only good thing about this film is - Dance, but there is too much of it. None of us wants to see this much dance in one go.

So if you are hoping for a good story then you will be disappointed. This film does not deliver, it does not know what it is trying to be. I am giving it more than 1 because of the "good choreography" otherwise I would have given it "1". So watch it only if you are interested in watching "Dance".