Movie Review: Star Wars: The Force Awakens..with renewed vigour

As you sit in the hall watching the beloved spectacle unfold on the screen, you are more and more convinced that this revival was the right thing to do. This franchise has captured the imagination of millions in its glory days and if you can do justice to it – then moving the franchise forward is simply the right thing to do. The great news is that with JJ Abrams at the helm – the early indications sure do look promising.

Taking the storyline itself into the future after Return of the Jedi was a bold and very risky move. There is a lot of nostalgia attached with the old characters and this would’ve been a sensitive one to negotiate. However, I think Abrams has done an admirable job of meshing the old and the new. It tugs at the heartstrings for just a bit but keeps the focus firmly on the action. So much so that this movie simply seems a continuation of the franchise. It is refreshing to see that Abrams is not trying to change much which seems to be the trend with all the reboots and story advances the other franchises are having these days.

The art direction and cinematography is excellent. You quickly get immersed in this distinctly different world and with the technological advances over the years, the action looks simply spectacular. Screen transitions are very much like the earlier movies as well. While the 3D is hardly there, you should catch this one in IMAX if you can, simply because the giant screen would make the action much more immersive. I wish though, that the sequels that follow are even shot in an Avatar-esque 3D camera – that would really be something.

The story has new characters albeit in familiar plotlines. There are references to what has already happened but not to such an extent that you can’t follow the plot without watching or more likely, still remembering the original storyline. There are some pretty large plot gaps and convenient twists that make this new story pretty average. The climax disappoints in terms of content but the visuals look even more spectacular. One does get the distinct feeling however that this movie is packaged to be an opener to a new chapter of the franchise with more explosive and story laden sequels to follow.

The focus of this movie is largely on the action and the visuals so there isn’t much acting to do per se. However, everybody including the newcomers to the franchise, do a decent job. BB8 is probably going to become the next beloved mascot of this new generation of the series.


I think this is a promising start to a new chapter of the franchise. By staying true to its roots, paying homage to its original story and characters, rather than trying to replace them, Abrams has made quite the fanboy movie and given the series the respect it deserves. May the Force be with him as he now takes on the even trickier job of building a complex plotline in the sequels that are bound to follow.

Movie Review: Spectre..casts a terrible shadow on the Bond franchise

Mr Mendes – let’s just face it. You don’t ‘get’ Bond. Either that, or the Bond that I’ve been a fan of - especially in the Pierce Brosnan era and post that in Casino Royale – the one that was like a guilty pleasure that took me on an action packed, escapist adventure albeit with a wafer thin plot – is more a matter of me not being mature enough and nothing to do with your seeming intent to kill everything that is beloved about this (so far) wonderful franchise. I sincerely doubt that is the case though.

I was appalled after watching Spectre and I wouldn’t recommend it to anybody – least of all fans of the action adventure Bond like myself. I had a sneaky suspicion post Skyfall itself – while the world was marveling at what Mr. Mendes had achieved – humanizing Bond and all that drivel – I saw it as a ‘wannabe Dark Knight’ that didn’t even come close and a homage to HomeAlone in its second half. Still, I wanted to give it the benefit of the doubt. Skyfall had its moments – maybe Sam Mendes too could do justice to Bond.

After sitting through an agonizing 2 hours 30 minutes of Spectre though, I am firmly convinced -if you want to save the Bond franchise, please hand over the reins to someone who understands him better. We might as well invite Mr Mendes to Bollywood though – what with true love, heroic rescues and even I love you moments, why he would fit right in.

Spectre doesn’t feel like a Bond movie. The start is promising – one explosive action sequence makes you sit up and take notice. And then, it all just dies a slow and painful death. Bond is supposed to be about Bond himself, his death defying stunts, his dogged single mindedness on the mission and his outlandish actions to stay on course with one action sequence leading into another – a web of deceit, espionage, sabotage and master plans galore. Instead Mr. Mendes will have you see the natural beauty, sights and sounds of the various places Bond ends up visiting. There will be slow ‘supposedly’ meaningful close up shots and as you gear up for something interesting to come, it’ll abruptly cut to the next scene leaving you wondering why was there a close up in the first place. This happens too many times to keep count.

The good and there is very little of it in my view, is the handful of action sequences that are shot well and keep you somewhat interested. There’s a ridiculous one involving a plane – I don’t allude to that one. In between, it also manages a street car race/chase which could easily have been straight out of the Fast and Furious franchise. Let’s ignore that one as well. The camera angles and cinematography is the other plus.

Daniel Craig is also in sleepwalk mode in his role. Christoph Waltz plays his act well and has commanding screen presence. Ralph Fiennes is a fine actor but he is wasted as the new M and the new Q is too much of a kid. Like so many of the Bollywood remakes of old movies, Mr. Mendes just seems intent on re-modelling Bond to the very opposite of all that it was, even if it shreds the very soul of the franchise in the process.

I guess Spectre is aptly named – it is truly a sinister apparition that threatens the Bond franchise to have the most painful of last memories. This is not how I want to see the Bond franchise end. He deserves a better farewell than this. There was some talk of Nolan taking over this franchise, before Mr. Mendes unfortunately decided to oblige us one more time. Maybe Nolan can provide some saving grace. Somebody, anybody – let’s do justice to Bond – get one more action packed adventure and let him have his moment in the sun one last time before he fades into the sunset.

Movie Review: Bridge of Spies..makes an ethereal connection

This one almost seemed a no brainer.  With Tom Hanks in the lead and the veteran Steven Spielberg directing it was a foregone conclusion that this was going to be good. The only question now was..how good..

However, as the movie began and leaning into the first 40 minutes or so you suddenly weren't so sure.  After the thrilling opening sequence,  the movie slows down to such an extent that one begins to have doubts. In fact, unless you really took a keen interest in the proceedings  you could even be excused of wanting to snooze every now and then. However, you can easily cast aside these concerns.

That's because Bridge of Spies is well and truly a director's movie. He has paced it the way he wants you to experience it.  if you still have  doubts just watch the way a plane crashes and shots are fired to be assured that this director knows what he's doing. I better not say any more at this point.

You can't plan to watch  Bridge of Spies hoping for a thriller - with tense car chases, cross and double cross, espionage, mystery and intrigue  at every turn.Bridge of Spies is none of the above. It has a unique storyline, a context that takes some connecting to and a tone and subtlety that not all will appreciate. Like a mature wine of a particular vintage it takes a true connoisseur to appreciate the richness of its texture.

Tom Hanks pulls off a relatively easier  character, given his acting talent, with a wonderfully restrained performance. A special word of mention to Mark Rylance who makes his presence felt despite the much shorter air time.

Bridge of Spies is not a must watch for all. However for the few who can appreciate it, it will certainly feature very high in that list. Go find out if it manages to make a connect with you.

Movie Review: Talvar…surgically cuts sharp and deep

I’ve been quite the ass. I know - Not the most self-promoting way to start a review but that’s exactly how I felt after watching what is probably the best movie of 2015, so late in the day. So affected was I by all the talk of this movie, though well made, being depressing and a mood spoiler, that I kept putting it off. However, one look at the trailer ( something I normally avoid) and I knew I had made a mistake.

Talvar cuts you deep – there is no doubt about that. It is unforgiving and relentless in its presentation. The camera does not shy away from showing the murder in its macabre form and the grieving parents played exquisitely by Konkana Sen Sharma and Neeraj Kabi will hit you hard. Parents will definitely find this one a difficult watch.

I am not going to debate whether the movie presents the case in the right light, whether it supports or refutes the actual events or whether it helps shed any kind of light on the proceedings at the time. Very aptly, the movie itself doesn’t direct you regarding that either (though it does lean very hard, on one version of events) – instead choosing to let you experience the events as they actually unfolded and arrive at your own conclusions.

What this movie does wonderfully well is to have a sense of balance. It is easy for any film maker, especially for such a subject, to take the audience deeper into the dark abyss that sets the movie’s context and show the utter hopelessness of the situation from different angles. However, the film goes a step further and brings in wry humor and comic relief, especially after intense scenes. The combination works particularly well and gut-wrenching thought the storyline is, there are welcome moments of relief every now and then. Further, the movie makes no attempt to dramatize beyond what is necessary preferring to make sequences more realistic than oriented towards commercial impact.

The first half of Talvar is taut and gripping. You want to hang on to every word, look through every clue and follow the investigation. In the second half the movie dips a bit with the final analysis coming across as farcical and unusually light. However, one glimpse at the parents is all it takes you to relegate you back to a state of despondency.

Irrfan puts in a stellar performance – his passion and anguish coming across particularly well on the screen. Special hat tip to Konkana Sen Sharma and Neeraj Kabi for agreeing to play such a heart-wrenching role in the first place. Not once do the two stalwarts look like they are putting on an act.

Despite its controversial subject and presentation – Talvar is an indication of a grand leap forward by Bollywood – one that should be applauded and promoted. Scarcely does one get to witness such a well made movie without the unnecessary razzmatazz. There’s scathing commentary of the state of affairs of our police and investigative departments, the adverse impact of clashing egos and the futile attempt to fight a corrupt system – without actually saying any of those in words.

The content is depressing no doubt, but you still can’t miss it. After all, these events have actually occurred even if the truth and facts around them are blurred. At the very least, the movie will have you wanting to go back and re-examine the facts of the case, that’s the kind of impact Talvar leaves you with.

Movie Review: The Walk…truly one to remember

The Walk, while very well directed, is much less a movie than it is an experience. As you watch through the opening and how the movie develops, you can’t help but feel that this is all just really a build up – fillers leading up to a grand finale that will simply take your breath away – and take your breath away it does.

While the 3D effect isn’t amplifed, The Walk is still very much an IMAX movie since the scale at which things are happening, you need to watch it on the largest screen possible. However, don’t go expecting things to pop out too often, or the feeling of vertigo due to the dizzying heights the camera pans through – and that is still very much okay because in hindsight I think too much 3D would’ve actually made the experience less surreal than it ends up being.

Though things tend to drag a bit in the second half with some scenes unnecessarily stretched to created some less needed tense moments, The Walk reserves its best act for the grand finale.
What you get to witness is sheer poetry in motion, a symphony at its most fundamental level - with a light smile playing about his lips in quiet pride, Phillipe pulls off the most extraordinary of artistic maneuvers ever. You might be a tad disappointed that it gets over all too soon, but Phillipe has more tricks up his sleeves so rest assured you’ll get more that your money’s worth.

Joseph Gordon Levitt probably pulls off his best performance till date fitting into the shoes of passionate artist Philippe with the ease of a veteran. He is truly, in spirit, Philippe himself as he overcomes various obstacles to pull off ‘The Coup’. What The Walk does particularly well, is bring out the soul of the artist, ably supported by Levitt’s performance. The Walk is a spectacle in itself and the movie is ambitious enough to stand its own. However, the way Zemeckis brings through the story, the fierce passion, the single mindedness of purpose for what is Philippe’s ‘dream’ is what really adds depth to what could’ve just been great visuals. Having Philippe narrate his own experience is a masterstroke and you get a true glimpse of the altogether different ‘level’ genius operates on.

That’s not to say that things are all too perfect. The background score for majority of the movie is light and comic, too often leaning towards a heist like tone – like you are watching Oceans 11 rather than The Walk. However, when it matters – during The Walk itself – the score also lifts things to another level. The real appreciation here though, is reserved for the director – who creates ‘moments’ that will stay with you long after you’ve left the movie – the visual depiction of clouding out everything else, the rope that creates itself in the mind of the artist, the way Philippe bows down to his audience and a few others shows just why Robert Zemeckis is such a great director. The cinematography is astounding in the finale and how they achieved what they did is a marvel in itself.

I wouldn’t classify the entire movie as a must watch. However, simply for the spell binding last half hour, The Walk gets elevated to heights (quite literally) none would’ve believed possible. For that alone, you have to witness this ‘coup’ at the largest screen and don’t be surprised when you look at tall buildings and your imagination starts playing tricks on you – such is the surreal experience you have with The Walk.

Movie Review: The Martian…delivers with all cylinders firing

The only aspect of The Martian that would be disappointing as you exit the theater, after a well spent 2 hours and 21 minutes is that it isn’t after all a true story or based on one. The inspirational and uplifting tale of human will, that you have just witnessed, is at the end of the day, fiction and not an actual ordeal even though it feels like one and you wish it were. Other than that, The Martian delivers on all fronts.

As you start the movie, catching it at breakneck speed right in the middle of an intense mission and witness what follows you begin to wonder if Ridley Scott may have missed a trick – that the movie may be rushing through its key moments rather than building up to them. But fear not, there is enough firepower in the thrusters of this particular ship to give you a thrilling ride and given all it has to showcase, it couldn’t have been directed better.

For some insane reason the movie is not playing at IMAX and my first reaction to the opening scene was – this movie shouldn’t have been shown on any other screen. However, as it plays out, the soul of this movie is not in its visuals, its wide angles of the desolate and bleakly ‘red’ landscape of Mars or the 3D effects of the dust storms on the planet. Those are merely elements in an otherwise complex compound of intelligence, emotions and the will to survive. While beautifully rendered and worthy of a real 3D experience, there is much more to appreciate about The Martian than just that.

Good writing with wry humor injected into even the most hopeless situations adds much appreciated thrust to an already powerful script and the combination is satisfying to say the least. Especially the dialogues towards the end of the movie, delivered in a no nonsense fashion resonate what each of us would have felt and taken away as lessons from the movie, despite sounding preachy or pontificating.

The performances of each and every member of this particular star studded crew – led from the front by Matt Damon but including Jessica Chastain, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Jeff Daniels to name a few do full justice to their characters. However, the real praise lies for the director. After a visually impressive but otherwise forgettable expedition with Prometheus, Ridley Scott gets right back in the driver’s seat and gets this spacecraft to lift off with ease. The movie is edited to a fault – not one scene feels out of place or forced and this – when there is a fair amount of techno-babble at the beginning of the movie.

I know I said it runs for 2 hours and 21 minutes but you needn’t worry about that – the director manages to get you fully absorbed and invested in its story and characters. In fact, as the tension mounts and the journey reaches its satisfying conclusion, it builds enough momentum and emotional attachment to feel as if you as the audience have, as well, lived this experience – a feat few movies can manage.

To put it simply, the Martian is an incredible story that is extremely well told and probably the best 2015 has had to offer thus far – blast off to the theaters before you miss the chance of watching it.

Movie Review: The Intern..very much ‘with the times’

The times, they certainly are ‘a-changing’ given the setting of the movie The Intern, but the heartening thing is that instead of repressing, resisting or questioning these changes, it openly embraces them. A little too openly even and that is still a good thing.

While it boasts a great performance from veteran Robert De Niro and a decent performance from the gorgeous Anne Hathaway, the real reason to watch ‘The Intern’ is its intent and purpose – the message it wishes to convey. While there has been a lot of talk around the changing workplace, ageing demographics, gender equality and the start up buzz, few movies put it all into perspective ever so neatly as The Intern does – for that alone, it is worth your time.

The start of the movie is particularly impressive, as it sets the context so beautifully, that it raises expectations of what is to follow. That said, the movie does tend to slump every now and then but thankfully it gets right back up either with some madcap comedy or a major revelation, that keeps your attention going. You could still find several faults with the story progression – of over-simplifying things, of being just a feel-good movie or of not having very well etched out characters – and you would be right. Still, that is not where the essence of this movie lies

Its no Devil Wears Prada but it has its own charm and freshness. There’s a lot of subtle and understated social commentary – the kind that’ll bring a wry smile to your face every now and then, as you recognize the message. The movie doesn’t take many things to a defined closure, the kind you’ll expect in a movie like this and that’s precisely what brings a freshness to the proceedings. The ending is one that convinces you of what really the director is choosing to do and I thought that was just right.

Robert De Niro is in fine form and graces the screen with his presence each time. Anne Hathaway looks spectacular (special credits to the costume design for this one) but her performance is a little erratic. The two together though, really complement each other.

Kudos for Meyers to taking up such a topic and giving it such beautiful treatment. I have no reason not to recommend this one to you – if you are a teenager or a young adult whose reality is the kind shown in the movie, a career man/ woman who loves what they do for a living or even, no especially, if you are retired, confused about the new generation taking over and wondering what’s next – each of you will find something fresh and new to take away from The Intern.

Movie Review: Black Mass..is dead weight

Few of my reviews have such short and not-so-sweet titles. However, when you’ve just seen a movie like Black Mass this stuff happens naturally. There are few, if any, reasons I would recommend watching a movie like Black Mass. After a drought filled month with nothing remotely good to beckon one to the cinemas, the combination of Johnny Depp and Benedict Cumberbatch seemed promising. However, the dull and dreary literal biography that is Black Mass has only deepened the disappointment and one wishes that the drought had simply continued instead.

Have you heard about a guy named James ‘Whitey’ Bulger? If you have, then maybe this movie could be of some interest to you. For the rest of us, you’ll wonder who this guy is and why was it anybody’s worth to make this film throughout the runtime of 2 hours and 2 minutes – since the director has chosen to tell us about it right at the very end. I am not even concerned about ‘giving anything away’ because this entire movie doesn’t have any stuff like that – and yet they managed to drag it to its agonizing 2 hours and 2 minutes

Don’t be surprised if you are heavily tempted to leave the theater mid-way at the interval stage. I would urge you to resist that temptation though, since after having endured what you do in a boring and conversation filled first half, where you’ll look at the watch at least a dozen times, post interval things at least start getting somewhat interesting. There are 3-4 sequences which will hold your attention and most of it is in the second half – the rest of it struggles to leave any mark.

I am not sure what director Scott Cooper was going for with his story build up around Bulger. I have seen Bollywood movies that have created more personality and allure around a gangster protagonist than this one does. Despite the big names, the casting seems like a miscast. Depp is heavily made up to look like Bulger which makes one wonder why it had to be Depp in the first place – its not like it’s a majorly complex character that only he could’ve pulled off. Cumberbatch has such a minor role that I am not sure why he accepted in the first place. Joel Edgerton, does a decent job as John Connolly who in my view, is the other main character in this story

And…well, that’s it. I have nothing more to tell you. If you can’t resist temptation the two line description of the movie on IMDB summarizes exactly what you’ll get to watch over 2 hours. I normally wouldn’t advise you to sneak a peek at it, but in this case I’ll make an exception. I think its time well saved.

Movie Review: Mission Impossible 5: Rogue Nation..not nearly impossible enough

In and of itself, Rogue Nation is a perfectly acceptable action movie. However, when this is the Mission Impossible franchise we are talking about, that isn’t nearly enough.

Up to around the half way mark in the movie, the plot builds with a natural flow and whatever action there is, is done well. Then inexplicably there are plot jumps to situations and developments with holes that you could drive a four by four through. Some of the stuff is downright amateurish with less than thrilling use of masks, and the indestructible phenomenon that is Ethan Hunt. With 4 movies under its belt ranging from supremely entertaining to moderately thought through, one would hope that there was a little more thought given to those sequences.

To appreciate the action in this movie you have to watch it in IMAX. That’s the only way you will recognize and applaud the high quality cinematography, especially during the chase sequences that really set the pulse racing. The much publicized airplane scene is something of a missed opportunity – while it holds your attention, its place in the overall plotline could’ve been better. The jump, that is again characteristic of the franchise, is also there but this time, it isn't as exciting - I wouldn't really hold my breath for it.

The big issue is that, there needs to be that tension and excitement, those jaw dropping moments that are characteristic of the Mission Impossible franchise and those quite simply and sadly, just aren’t there. Also, the movie isn’t clear what context it wants to set – get rid of the fancy stuff and show just basic action done well (like the 4th one) or use all sorts of fancy gadgetry to retain the super spy angle (2nd and 3rd installment)

What Mission Impossible 5 gets dead on target is the absolutely arresting presence of Rebecca Ferguson and her very complex character. Mr. Hunt almost gets relegated to the sidelines once she is in the frame – and when that’s Tom Cruise, its not an easy stunt to pull off. However Ferguson does that with consummate ease and every time she glides in and out of frames, she captures your attention. As for Cruise, his age had begun to show in the 4th installment itself, so the fact that he can pull off a convincing act in this 5th installment is a marvel all by itself. The movie tries to retain the subtle humor that was a refreshing addition to the last one, and though its not as successful, still provides a few chuckles

Mission Impossible has been a franchise that has always had that spark that went down to the wire and stood for explosive and jaw dropping action and has done so fairly consistently as well. While Rogue Nation still shows you a good time, it seems to be on its last sticks of dynamite and one wonders if there are any more ‘impossibilities’ left for it to explore. As for this one, go for it, only in IMAX but keep the expectations low this time around.

Movie Review: Drishyam..thrilling vision but loose presentation

Storywise, Drishyam is certainly an illusion worth witnessing. In fact, the plotline of Drishyam and sense of hypnotism with which it has the potential to sweep its audience held tremendous promise. Tightly packaged and with slick direction it could’ve been a real cracker. However, its loose presentation means it lacks sheen and a gripping tale on paper becomes a slow and frustrating ordeal at its long runtime of 2 hours and 45 minutes.

Drishyam leaves you with a rather despondent feeling of having not witnessed the brilliance it could’ve had with such a solid plot in place. I haven’t seen the Mohanlal original that this one is a remake of and it is amiss of me to presume that the original had the same wearied presentation and runtime. However, the over-the-top drama and over-emphasis on background score rather than quality of writing makes me suspect that to be the case – and those are precisely the issues with Drishyam. That, and the handful of disturbing scenes that could’ve been much more tastefully presented or outright removed, especially when the script didn’t actually demand them.

There are a handful of scenes that will take your breath away as well and you never get the feeling that the story itself is weak. Yet, there is more than one scene where you shake your head in disbelief at the fine mess the director has made of what could’ve been a good thing.

Initially one feels that the slow build up is necessary to connect better with the characters as the plot gathers momentum – and that is even true in many cases. However, the over extended scenes of interrogation and unnecessary drama end up leaving more of a bad taste in the mouth than any appreciation of the predicament of the story’s characters

It is quite clear that for Drishyam the story is king and that shows in the way its characters are handled as well. While Ajay Devgn does complete justice to his role, despite being the protagonist of the story, his character lacks dimensions even though its plain that there ought to be many layers to it. Tabu being the accomplished actress she is, is again practically wasted in a character that doesn’t really need her range of performance as is Rajat Kapoor – am still wondering why his character was needed in the first place.

In the hands of a more able director like Sujoy Ghosh, Drishyam had the plot to be another ‘Kahaani’. However, as it stands, it is only an illusion to believe that the movie does justice. Drishyam could’ve been so much more

Movie Review: Ant-man..not that big a deal

When I first heard of a movie titled Ant-man, I hoped it was some sort of metaphorical title and that it wasn’t meant literally. If you’ve seen the trailers by now, you know otherwise. Unfortunately, if you’ve seen the trailers you’ve also seen most of the interesting stuff and pretty much know the story – because beyond that the movie doesn’t offer all that much.

If you must watch Ant-man go with low expectations, to watch a movie that on the face of it doesn’t ask to be taken too seriously and has more than a healthy dose of humor. Those are the best reasons to watch Ant-man. Sure they’ve done a lot of talking trying to establish depth and meaning to its characters and storyline but it all seems superficial and one doesn’t really build connect.Those are not the reasons to watch this one.

On the bright side, the special effects are right up there. They had to be – else it would’ve been one dizzying ride with the camera zooming in every now and then. The action, for the most part, runs at a speed where you are able to follow what’s happening and that’s good because plenty of it actually happens at a scale that would otherwise be too hard to notice. On the downside though, the 3D is practically non-existent and I think that’s a missed opportunity – especially given the context of this particular superhero.

The ant support, as it were, is a good idea but with ants being the main subject, it makes a for a very creepy crawly affair. What this movie desperately misses is those moments of disbelief when you say - No..that didn’t just happen. Unfortunately, that never happens. To make matters worse, the storyline of this movie is predictable to a fault and there is nothing that surprises you..ever.

The joke on its own Avengers is a brave move and comes off really well – adding to the many laugh out loud moments the movie manages. The acting is decent as well, though to be fair, the kind of characters the movie has – it didn’t require really great acts to begin with – and veterans like Michael Douglas can now probably do this stuff in their sleep.

Ant-man then is a predictable bite sized adventure that does all it can despite its weak foundation. While it may not be a great addition to the franchise, in its own right it still gives you a fun ride and plenty of laughs. Go for a fun time but don’t expect to be blown away.

Movie Review: Masaan..burns a little too slow

Much like its funeral pyres which are strewn liberally across this movie, Masaan (which is literally another word for shamshaan) takes a long time to burn through what it intends to portray and by the time it is ashes, you’re sure to have lost interest. There are a few embers here and there, but plot-wise its mostly just smoke. The movie is technically sound so that may explain where some of its awards are coming from, but if you are thinking this is path breaking cinema with a definitive plotline – clearly you’ve been misled

Having seen a slew of such films now, I am beginning to have a grudge of sorts, against this ‘realism for the sake of realism’ genre that is increasingly permeating our silver screen today. The realism part is good, and the right direction, but devoid of a solid plot one wonders what is the intent of such portrayals in the first place. I am just gonna rip off the band-aid in one go – Masaan has no storyline whatsoever unless of course, following the lives of two random people is now a plotline

That really is the curse of this otherwise well made movie. That and the excruciating pace it slows down to extinguishing any spark of interest. The movie has an interesting, even unique, context. There are precisely two points, story wise that can be said to have some impact. However, with no structure to prop them in place, they too become meaningless in the larger scheme of things. Instead, you are forced to sit through scenes, where the director should’ve ideally yelled ‘cut’ 15 minutes ago and sadly this happens over and over again

What you can watch Masaan for is the good cinematography with some great shots of the ghats, the Ganges and the rising and setting sun. The performances are also quite good – The newbies more than do justice especially Vicky Kaushal who puts in a very natural act and the chemistry between him and Shweta Tripathi create some of the most innocent and fine moments in the film. Richa Chadha puts in a good restrained performance but her character lacks critical depth and Sanjay Mishra is particularly impressive as the pandit father.

There is one powerful message this movie has about the stark reality that is life, though I am not sure if the director particularly intended to pass that on, since its never mentioned through the roughly 2 hour presentation.

Masaan had potential to be ground breaking. If it would’ve had a good plot and storyline that burned brightly all through, even at the cost of bringing a touch of the poetic and dreamy, it could well have been worth it. Such as it is, I wouldn’t go far as to say that if you still want to go – its your funeral, but prepare for a pretty dull time in the hall.

Movie Review: Minions..a million disappointments

Ever since a dear friend of mine forced me into watching the beautiful Finding Nemo and introduced me to this beloved genre, I don’t think I’ve had occasion to say that I saw a bad animation movie. Having seen Minions today, sadly I can’t say that any longer.

Despicable Me had offered a glimpse of what the minions could do. Much like the Penguins of Madagascar they became the center of attraction even though they were just a side act. They were smart, funny, goofy, adorable and unpredictable all at the same time and you wished there was more of them. However, that was when they were intelligently written, within a smart plot context and had some meaning in what they portrayed. When you replace the same with a bad sense of humor, lazy writing, unnecessary screen time and just a blatant disregard for the audience, you end up with this ‘despicably bad’ second act of Minions.

These Minions are not remotely funny. They are slapstick, rely on their unintelligible language and obsession with banana to bring the laughs and spin a by the minute even cornier yarn to tell what can’t even be called a story. Its supposed to be a prequel but apart from the start and the end – there’s no hint of any story as such. Seriously, except for the quality of animation itself, everything is to blame here. You cringe, groan inwardly in desperation, plead for it to end and then when all is lost, even shout out loud in frustration. The first 10 minutes and maybe some of the final act is practically the most you’ll laugh in the entire runtime.

It pains me to write such a scathing review for what I thought was one of the smartest character franchises brought forward by animation in recent times. Complete with their own language and countless intelligent memes doing the rounds, Minions should’ve truly been a force to reckon with. Nobody expected a deep, moving and touching story. All you hoped for was intelligent humor, situational comedy – minions doing what they supposedly do best. Instead, these minions (and there are only 3 of them for the most part) are tired, boring and simply unacceptable. If anything, it’s the cultural references to the 60s New York, England and related events that catch your attention.

A truly great villain not unlike Gru himself could’ve really spiced things up – but however great Sandra Bullock is as an actress – Scarlet Overkill is exactly that – overkill. She doesn’t make sense most of the time and her character itself goes all over the place. Even the end-credits don’t provide any respite and there are no laughs to be had – no point sticking around for them

I still think the Minions franchise has potential. Only, the next one needs to be given deep thought, be truly funny and show the Minions in better light – they definitely deserve better

Movie Review: Terminator Genisys…about time this program got terminated

I am sure I have upset a huge fan following of this popular franchise by making such a statement – but let’s face it, Terminator has had its day in the sun. This is not the time to hit the reset button. Instead, like the T-800 realized it was time to go, in Judgment Day , so too must the franchise now willingly melt down into its own extinction. But – I don’t make them – so we have yet another version of it to sit through

Except, that Genisys isn’t exactly a remake. Somehow the creative teams of all these popular franchises seem to believe, that those who did it earlier, didn’t tell the story well enough or take it in the right direction. So now, we have reboots that tell alternate storylines.

Despite being a simple enough premise, the storyline for the Terminator series has gotten more and more convoluted. In the initial part, this ‘reboot’ gets it somewhat right – paying homage to the first two movies on multiple occasions, owning up to the fact that they’ve made it all too complicated and then just like the unpredictable programming of the terminators themselves, it goes completely off track and introduce new angles that add to the confusion as well as the frustration.

Genisys isn’t sure what it wants to focus on – how the story could’ve been different or the relationship between man and machine or the quality of special effects that make for such engaging action – so it ends up giving a bit to everything and as a result leads you nowhere. The movie starts off on the right note and the action and effects all appear in sync. But one bizarre twist after another and you soon wonder what really you are meant to appreciate.

If it was all mindless action, I guess there are still the masses it would appeal to but with so much dialogue and explanation crammed in, it isolates even that section of its audience. Emily Clarke is a very unconvincing Sarah Connors especially after what we’ve seen in T1 and T2. While she plays the tough act, she looks too dainty and delicate to be convincing, despite her  best attempts. If she had dragons at her command (she plays Daenerys Targaryen, the Mother of Dragons in Game of Thrones in case you’ve’ been living under a rock) she could still appear menacing but with only her doing the pump action shotgun routine – it doesn’t cut it. Arnold Schwarzenegger, on the other hand seems completely at ease, playing the mechanised machine he is now so accustomed to, especially since he admittedly plays an older version of it.

While Arnold’s character repeatedly claims in the movie that he may be old, but he is not obsolete, I think its about time we took a hard look at this franchise. At the very least it needs new characters, a fresh storyline – this terminator has been thrashed around too many times and has lost its core – physical as well as emotional – its time it was shutdown for good.

Movie Review: Inside Out..is ‘joyously’ brilliant

Pixar has always been a class apart. Ever since Toy Story, they have always stood for thinking that bit extra, putting in that extra effort and using novel concepts and ideas in the movies they bring to life. While Monster Inc. was amongst the finest, its sequel didn’t delight as much and you could’ve ‘feared’ and been ‘disgusted’ that Pixar too has begun to lower its standards. With Inside Out though, there is no more room for such ‘sadness’. You can literally jump for ‘joy’ – cause they have quite simply, done it again. And how.

The concept of Inside Out isn’t hard to wrap your head around (quite literally so). However, the simplicity with which it is presented, is quite astounding. I don’t want to spoil anything for you so I am afraid I can tell you even lesser than usual. Suffice it to say that the concept and plot development will have you plenty engaged and the going only gets better as the story progresses

While it is an animation movie, this one is even lesser for the kids. There are no goofy scenes and slapstick drama. This one plays hard on the emotions – all of them. Simple lessons are shared through meaningful dialogue and a delightful story emerges. There is more of a psychological focus in the narrative and certain dialogues and scenes have a deeper root. The animation is top notch as per the Pixar standard but don’t be surprised if you don’t notice much of it. You are bound to be more keen on how such a unique concept is taken forward and everything else takes a back seat.

The voice acting is perfected to a fault. There are no big names, yet they perform their role adequately. Emotions are portrayed brilliantly by each of the character models – animation can’t really be faulted when you talk about Pixar anyways. There isn’t a single song and while the runtime is only 1 hour 45 minutes, you’ll feel you’ve spent longer in the theater having had such a wholesome experience. Barring one silly sequence towards the climax, there isn’t one thing out of place. The movie truly has a ‘personality’ of its own and ‘feels’ like a Pixar creation

I don’t watch horror movies so don’t expect a review of Insidious 3 to come up. For me, I’ve seen the movie of the week and I am pretty convinced I won’t watch a better animation movie for the remainder of this year at least. I truly hope this convinces you to go and watch it. Oh, and the quotes in this review are no accident – but to understand that you need to go out and watch the film.

Movie Review: Dil Dhadakne Do..won’t make your heart miss a beat

Much like the waves of the sea in which its cruise ship sails, there are crests and troughs to Dil Dhadakne Do. Unfortunately, the crests don’t really take your breath away and the trough bring down whatever good was done, literally with an anchor

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara had that touch of subtlety about it. In sharp contrast, Dil Dhadakne Do chooses to be over the top and boisterous. There is more than one sequence, wherein a point is made in the subtle manner it should. And then suddenly from nowhere there is a need to reinforce it with all that subtlety of a steam train. Club that with an over the top climax which leads you to wonder if Zoya is even the captain of this particular ship any more and it doesn’t add up to a memorable voyage, overall.

While suitably glossy in its visuals as well as the context of its plot, it lacks depth in its content and a story of this kind should ideally have been told at a faster pace and in shorter length. At 171 minutes Zoya takes too long to tell a predictable story. It starts off on the wrong foot, taking too long to introduce all its characters and that too with boring descriptions. Aamir Khan and the dog are a nice touch but they get too repetitive and preachy despite their good intent.

Then as the plot warms up, the dialogues take too long to be delivered and the camera lingers unnecessarily where it could’ve and should’ve easily been snappier. The humor seems forced and lacks the innocence of her previous offerings.

If the ship manages to stay afloat for its rather long journey it is in large measure due to its ensemble starcast – who all show up to the party in top form. Anil Kapoor pulls off an act with a maturity that makes you wonder why he has to do movies like Slumdog Millionaire and pander to Hollywood when he has this kind of acting capability. Shefali Shah isn’t as impressive but is equal to the task. Ranvir Singh is in his comfort role yet again and does a really impressive job. However, the real scene stealer standing tall amidst this glitterati is Priyanka Chopra. She is simply stunning in both her looks as well as her performance and lights up every frame she is in with amazing screen presence. The combination of Priyanka Chopra and Ranvir Singh is explosive and their scenes together are amongst the best.

So much so, that Anushka Sharma almost looks like a minnow amongst these stalwarts – particularly so in one dance sequence where she’s struggling to find her steps and Priyanka Chopra doesn’t miss a single one. Farhan Akhtar is completely under-utilized, let’s just leave it at that

The top notch performances make the journey seem shorter than it is and is a major boost to an otherwise average movie. The ending in particular is highly disappointing especially the ‘message’ if you can call it that – much like Finding Fanny, it makes little sense and is an unconvincing justification of the movie title. It’s a far cry from the soulful and heartwarming ending of ZNMD.

If Zoya Akhtar hadn’t shown us what she can do with ZNMD, we might still have excused all or at least, most. But given that we’ve been witness to what she is capable of, such pedestrian fare becomes disappointing. Here’s hoping her next one can truly make the heart miss a beat.

Movie Review: Tanu weds Manu Returns..with quite the swagger

This is how sequels should be made. But before I go on and wax lyrical on how well Aanand L Rai has told the story right from where he’d left it off in the original, pop quiz time – Have you seen the original? You see I wasn’t as impressed as the world was with Tanu weds Manu (in fact, it gave me a headache when I saw it in a flight on the laptop) but at least I’d seen it. The trouble is, if you haven’t seen it, you won’t connect with the sequel as much. And the original movie isn’t that great. If you ask me, a visit to the plot section of Tanu weds Manu on Wikipedia is very much warranted.

For Tanu weds Manu returns is every bit worth the sequel it is – clearly better than the original in my opinion. A large measure of the praise goes to the reigning queen of Bollywood, Kangana Ranaut – who is in sublime form and there’s twice of her this time. The Harayanvi act is particularly impressive and she manages to give a plain looking girl a ‘swagger’ of her own and will have you rooting for her. Kangana carries the film on her shoulders and puts up a near flawless double performance. There isn’t much room for anyone else in this well crafted plot.

That’s not to say the others haven’t done a great job because they surely have. Madhavan looks a little out of sorts in the hilarious opening, but becomes his familiar self as the movie progresses. Deepak Dobriyal provides much comic relief and while he is a bit over the top, his lines are well written and provide much laughter. The new additions are welcome ones as well in the form of Swara Bhaskar and Zeeshan, old cohorts of the Aanand L Rai stable. Almost missed mentioning Jimmy Shergill and while there isn’t much room for him to perform, his character is quite pivotal to the whole storyline and he does his usual, dependable job.

Writing was a very strong point in Ranjhanaa, Aanand L Rai’s best so far, and Returns..again features some good writing. The second half is a little extra dramatized with an extended climax that can make you weary and wonder why the director is spoiling things after doing such a good job so far. Clocking at around two and a half hours, the movie exceeds its acceptable runtime somewhat and could’ve easily done without some melodrama and a few songs. That said, the second half also brings some monologues on important social issues, delivered with panache.

Making a good sequel itself is a tough act. First, the main characters have already been established by the original and told a story of their own. There is quite a tightrope to walk between that and bringing in new characters and storyline as well as maintaining connect with all that had happened previously. Aanand L Rai does this to near perfection and joins the rather short list of dependable directors in Bollywood. He had already demonstrated his ability to tell a good story with Ranjhanaa, but with this one he cements his place.

Oh and don’t leave your seats till the end credits. The last scene is sure to have you in splits and wishing there was more of this. Nice way to do it Mr. Rai if you ever wanna plan a ‘re-returns’'

Movie Review: Bombay Velvet…not as lacklustre as its being made out to be

Bombay Velvet, Anurag Kashyap’s magnum opus (considering this is the largest budget he’s worked with for a film thus far) is an exquisitely made film from a quality of film perspective. The script though, falls short of the monumental effort that has gone into other aspects of the film. The second half, in particular, succumbs to the pressure and goes the predictable clichéd route. That said, it isn’t half-bad a watch. Definitely not as bad as people are making it out to be.

There’s plenty to appreciate about this film - the visuals are dazzling, you feel as you have been teleported to the 60s – every little detail has been thought through and given painstaking attention. From the newspapers, to the cars, to the trams to even the match box and bus banners – everything looks apt. The music is jazz all throughout and while it isn’t particularly memorable, it remains faithful to its genre.

The directorial touch is plain for all to see. There’s plenty of gloss that the script demanded – yet that too has a distinct sheen in the way its presented. The context is built slowly and with deliberate attention – might even remind you of Gangs of Wasseypur at times – and while the love story is central to the plot, the context becomes a perfect backdrop to the sequences that follow. Bombay Velvet is a picture perfect title to the context that is built in the movie. The intermission is a little bit of a letdown and unfortunately post that at least story wise it doesn’t really get much better.

There are plenty of clichés and some might even strike the emotional chord. However, it doesn’t seem to be an Anurag Kashyap presentation especially after the first half. This kind of emotional drama simply isn’t his style and one wonders where all this comes from in a story that should’ve ideally taken a very different route. Kashyap is known for his realistic grey or even dark grey characters. Here, its much easier to paint them in black and white.

While the characters aren’t that great, the performances certainly are. Ranbir Kapoor seems to be trying a little too hard and it is actually Anushka Sharma who seems more convincing in the earlier parts. However, as his character develops Ranbir shows us exactly why he is miles ahead of any of his contemporaries. Karan Johar makes a decent debut though his dialogue delivery leaves a lot to be desired. KK Menon is completely wasted given his acting prowess.

With a better second half and less predictable storyline, Bombay Velvet could’ve been a smooth as silk presentation, through and through. As it stands though, while its film-making has a distinct velvety texture, as an overall package, it does end up being more than a bit rough around the edges.

Movie Review: Mad Max–Fury Road…insane metal action but not much else

Hollywood critics be damned..all of them. I usually don’t bother with reviews and general perception of a movie before deciding to watch it. Mad Max was an exception. My instinct told me it isn’t my kind of movie and yet so warmly did the hollywood critic fraternity praise this film, I ended up watching it anyway.. Next time, am listening only to my instinct.

Set in a dystopian future, Mad Max may be all that previous die hard fans would’ve hoped for. For the uninitiated, this is a reboot of an already popular franchise, though its taken 30 years for them to make this reboot. From a pure action perspective, Mad Max is not only good – it significantly raises the bar. The realism of the action, without any bullet time and slow mo sequences is a credit to the quality of direction and cinematography. However, that can’t be all there is to a good movie.

All that talk of Mad Max being in a league of its own, one of the best movies of 2015, a movie that can teach other superhero movies a thing or two about storyline and depth is simply nonsense. I can only imagine this is homage of current die hard fans who understand this genre and kind of storyline and who’ve received much more than they expected. For us, unsuspecting newbies the movie does very little and while the action doesn’t stop one bit, one frequently looks at the watch and finds themselves yawning, wondering how much more of this they will have to endure.

I’d talk about the acting, if there was any acting to talk about. There are precious few dialogues. Most of the focus of the movie is on the action. It stars Charlize Thereon and Tom Hardy, but it could well have taken debutante actors for all the ‘acting’ it demands. If this were a video game, it’d make far more sense. Voice actors in character driven video games have more and better lines than those offered to these established actors in this movie. The background score is really good but ill-placed. An action sequence in the middle of the movie will have you believing this is the climax, if you went by the background score alone. The weird electric guitarist featured in the movie doesn't help matters either

There is virtually no plot or storyline. The only thing to appreciate is the action and visuals. Great wide angle shots and precious attention to detail make this dystopian setting believable and a grim reminder to the future we might all be headed to, in generations to come. There was potential for some depth and subtle messages or some dark humor at the very least. Instead you get one chase sequence after another, the movie is relentless with those. There’s gasoline, retro-fitted muscle cars, lots of explosions, the sound of metal hitting metal, a desert landscape and lots of sand. That’s all that’ll stay with you after Mad Max closes.

If Mad Max is a great film then so is the entire Transformers series, the Fast and Furious Series and the king of them all, Pacific Rim. So if these movies took your breath away then sure, go and experience the manic nature of Mad Max. For all others who look for some kind of substance in a good film – stay away from this one

Movie Review: Piku Motion Se Hi Emotion..a clear albeit not so clean drama

I have waited for Piku with a great sense of anticipation and a certain amount of trepidation as well. While Vicky Donor was an unexpected hit and most sang praises of it, I wasn’t as impressed especially with the second half of the movie. The trailers of Piku weren’t that promising either, with a fair amount of focus on ‘motion’ rather than emotion, to attract its audience. The good news is that Piku delivers on most fronts – though one wishes it had been a tad shorter and snappier

From its opening moments it becomes abundantly clear that there isn’t going to be much of a storyline to Piku. This one focuses on the characters and the writing more than anything else and the constant bickering between its main characters makes for all the laughs. Further it handles sensitive issues in a refreshingly direct manner. Two lines is all it takes to make its point and then that’s it – no unnecessary melodrama or exaggerated effect. In fact, its in the attempts to impress by literally saying it out loud where Piku actually falls flat

The over-focus on motion itself is perhaps a subtle message to be less prejudiced and more open about one of our most natural and normal activities. One could argue that the movie over-does it, though I wouldn’t really go so far as to label it as toilet humor of the Delhi Belly variety. Despite it coming up in every few dialogues there is still an air of subtlety about the way its done – a feature that extends across the movie – right to its product placements as well

Piku is very clear about how it wants to portray and address certain issues and in those terms deserves all the applause. It doesn’t beat around the bush, tells it like it is and covers a decent amount of ground – the right argument for women’s liberation, the mutual responsibility of children and parents towards each other (this is exactly where Baghban made a mess of things) – all very neatly done.

Deepika Padukone dresses in plain clothes throughout the movie with minimal make-up. However she looks gorgeous and her natural beauty shines through. Her expression is near-perfect as ever and there is even the hint of modulation to her dialogue delivery so things might finally be looking up for her as an actress as well. There are moments of hysteria or panic which she still makes a mess of though, screeching rather than sounding over-wrought. Big B makes no such mistake and delivers his customary solid performance. Irrfan has possibly the best character and the best lines and he delivers them in his trademark no-nonsense fashion, which suits the movie perfectly.

Despite all the good news, the stuff that irks the most is those long passages of time which do nothing for the story, yet they are just there. The movie veers off course a bit, but there’s nothing to be achieved by doing so – its meandering path is puzzling and disappointing and makes for the many moments that add to the drag in its run-time despite being fairly short by Bollywood standards at 2 hours and 5 minutes. That’s a real bummer because otherwise it offers quite the joy ride

There are many who would object to the ending of the movie but in my view it was perfectly apt given the context. To say more would be to say too much.

Despite being a bit of a drag towards the end, Piku is definitely recommended as a watch. It balances both its motion and its emotion really well and will keep you entertained for most of its journey - twenty minutes shorter and it would've been a real cracker. Oh well, we can't have it all...

Movie Review: Avengers: The Age of Ultron..not the mightiest anymore..

Ah! The curse of the sequel. There are few who have mastered it and even fewer who will. Given, that is, the relentless focus on making a good thing, count time and again, even if it doesn’t shine as bright, even if it doesn’t have the same spirit – as long as it brings the money.

The Age of Ultron is not a bad movie per se. So aren’t any of those in the Ironman series, the X-Men First class sequel or any of those with the individual members of the Avengers team, in the lead. You see where I am headed with this..The Avengers is a good Marvel franchise movie. It doesn’t go beyond and become greater than the sum of its parts, as its origin movie did and that is principally what is wrong with the Age of Ultron

For starters, Ultron goes about the story in a horribly wrong way. Using a done to death plot angle to create an unconvincing villain, despite James Spader’s best efforts, drives the the first nail in the coffin. He tries his best to appear menacing and doesn't give away much, but while sounding deep and sombre, it all ultimately falls flat. It wasn’t like Loki was too menacing either. But at least he was coherent. He had a plan and he executed it. Herein, the plan itself seems either missing, or being thought up on the fly…not a great plan.

Then there’s the writing. Another gem in the original’s armour, this time round most of it falls flat and seems forced. Put simply, the movie lacks flow, a natural progression to the proceedings. Its almost like Whedon’s not in charge any more, except for some of the humor. You get the impression that he’s done this one in a rush. Not giving time for the script to breathe, come into its own and craft its own journey, as he did with the first one.

Avengers had one big advantage. It had to introduce all its characters and could take time building the underlying tension in the movie. Then of course, was the grand finale, the battleground. Such a complete movie for any superhero fanboy. The sequel though, is anything but. The quality of action, effects and visuals needs to be seen to be believed – no doubt about that. But the thrill is missing. That adrenalin rush you felt in the first movie, is simply not there.

There are some great pieces, but the way they are put together it just seems awkward – its like the pieces don’t fit and have instead been forced together. The unconvincing romance, dark tales and multiple back stories and the techno babble melded with might and magic – none of it really fits into the ensemble as it should

The most refreshing part are the additions – the Enhanced (not saying more). In terms of making this a true sequel, they have a brief but pivotal part to play and they meld into the fabric quite well. In the acting department, the performances of course, are top notch, with such veterans in charge. For a change, even Cap. looks like he fits – either the overall standard has dropped down to such an extent or he significantly upped his game. I sincerely can’t be sure which one it is, though I suspect it’s a bit of both.

A few years ago, Earth’s mightiest superheroes came together and became a force to reckon with. Their second outing however, does not retain their ungodly status. Instead, it’s a bitter reminder that the man at the helm, however fantastic he may seem, is only human. Let’s hope the next installments deliver better.

Movie Review: Detective Byomkesh Bakshy…a case of rare brilliance

There are few movies that can measure up in the detective, thriller, mystery genre in the bollywood context. Most are either shameless rip-offs from Hollywood or too feeble to make an impact. Detective Byomkesh Bakshy is one of those rare exceptions that not only leave their mark but have a signature style of their own..creating their unique brand and identity.

Firstly, and refreshingly so, let go of all fears and assumptions that this one will try and copy the established Mr. Holmes in any manner whatsoever. Byomkesh strives for greatness in its own way and while it may not seem so in the beginning or even as the movie progresses, once you leave the theater you will be in no doubt of the quality of movie, story, direction and presentation you have just witnessed.

Very few movies try and even less are successful to truly create ‘the world’ of its characters. One where you are drawn in to their world, witness proceedings from that perspective and are in no hurry to come back to reality and the present day scenario. With a masterclass in direction, Dibakar Banerjee accomplishes exactly that. From the production design to the very look of our detective, everything has been thought through in painful detail and the effort shows.

The movie starts off slow and for a while you wonder if perhaps Mr. Banerjee may have spent too much time in creating ‘the world’ than to give shape and substance to the plot. In fact, don’t go expecting a case, clues, suspects, questioning etc. the standard modus operandi for a detective story. Instead, just be willing to let go and witness the world and events from the eyes of Byomkesh Bakshi..not yet an established master detective, and neither one that is trying hopelessly to prove his point. The rest..you just need to witness for yourself

Barely recognizable as himself, with the enhanced unibrow, Sushant Singh Rajput does a credible job of playing Byomkesh Bakshy. To pull off this character required a restrained performance and that is exactly what he delivers. The weak links from an acting and performance standpoint are the women – Swastika Mukherjee has some chance to emote given her character, but that doesn’t happen. Divya Menon has a simpler role but doesn’t have a lasting presence. Some more established names could perhaps have lifted this already great movie, even more

But majority of the credit goes to the man pulling all the strings – Dibakar Banerjee. While already an established name, he takes things to a different level – using heavy metal as part of the background score, re-creating Calcutta in the era the movie is set, cutting across scenes and frames to keep a complex story coherent and keeping his audience engaged all through.

If you haven’t figured it by now – Byomkesh Bakshy is highly recommended. In fact, as the movie ends it points to the possibility of a sequel – I sure hope that’s gonna happen. Its not going to be easy, but after watching this one, I am pretty convinced that if anyone can do justice to it – its Dibakar Banerjee.

Movie Review: Dum Laga Ke Haisha…a delightfully light, little gem

When you read the title Dum laga ke Haisha and get to know the context of the movie, the words ‘light’ and ‘little’ will probably not be the first words that come to mind. However, once you emerge from the hall, after a breezy 1 hour 51 minutes (yes, you read that right) with a smile on your face and the satisfied look of having seen a good one, you would agree that it’s the best way to describe what you just saw.

I have always maintained that grandeur and movie stars aren’t what makes a good movie. It’s the story and the way its told – that makes for good cinema. Dum Lagake Haisha adds further credence to this belief. It’s a simple premise, that unfolds with rustic yester-year visuals that completely suit the plot. The title opening has a stereotypical Yash Raj feel to it and you might groan inwardly. However, this is probably the most ‘un-Yash Raj’ movie you would have seen till date.

With generous dollops of laughs credited to some smart writing, particularly for the side actors, comprising the family from both sides and a realistic, even relatable unfolding of events – you hardly notice the time till the movie intermissions – in fact, you get a sense that it almost happened too soon. Thankfully, the movie doesn’t slow things down post interval. If anything, it becomes even more entertaining, another rarity in bollywood cinema

What is particularly satisfying is how the movie handles drama. One extra frame and the movie could’ve bordered on the cheesy, preachy or plain frustrating. However, instead Dum Lagake..is smartly edited and directed, cutting off drama just at the right spot – probably the time when you’d mutter ‘cut’ under your breath, hoping it stops there. It does.

Without giving anything away, Dum Lagake Haisha implies a social commentary on a host of issues but doesn’t specifically articulate any of them, leaving it for the viewer to decide whether to go down that road at all. The film’s visuals are superbly original and authentic, bound to give you a trip down memory lane. The songs are one too many though none slow down the tempo of the story

Nothing close to a sparkling starcast, Dum Lagake…has Ayushmann Khurrana and an absolute newcomer Bhumi Pednekar as its central characters. Ayushmann’s is a mixed bag kind of performance. He doesn’t look the part, its clear that he is acting, he doesn’t get the accent right but in a moment of outburst, where most actors tend to falter, he truly shines. While in her debut role, Bhumi Pednekar does a credible job and more than holds her own against Ayushmann, with a wonderful restrained performance.

While it certainly wasn't first on my list to watch this week, Dum Lagake..is every bit worth your time and you must watch it. It is bound to become a TV staple once it moves away from the halls but I would urge you  - 'make the effort' and watch this one as soon as you can.

Movie Review: Kingsman: The Secret Service..pretty much a royal disappointment

Pop quiz time again. Did you like Wanted? (The Bollywoodish Hollywood mindless action bonanza) Did you like Hot Fuzz (The senseless parody of many films). If the answer to the above two questions is yes – then rest assured you will like Kingsman..even though I am about to tear it apart in the rest of this review

Matthew Vaughn – I have a lot of respect for this director since he made X-Men First Class. While I had gone with low expectations, he had dazzled me with his grasp of the content, the strong emotional bond he was able to build and the exhilarating action in a thrilling climax made for repeat viewings. I knew Kingsman..would be quite different. The trailers scared me quite a bit – giving away much of what to expect and I didn’t like what I saw. Yet, I gave Vaughn the benefit of the doubt and still went for it..I shouldn’t have

The only way I can make sense of what happened in the 2 hours 10 minutes that this movie swung like a pendulum from the crackling and witty to the insanely cheesy and inane, time and again, is that Mr. Vaughn or his scriptwriter – more specifically, was writing two scripts – one that was serious, had a lot of depth, built connect with its audience and emotionally drew them and the other, which would just be weird, cheesy, irreverent fun and parody/ pay homage (take your pick) to James Bond, Star Wars, Quentin Tarantino’s blood lust and a host of others. Finally, he decided to just merge the two and hoped that the audience could make any sense of it

Kingsman starts off promising. Despite the hugely familiar premise, with some good dialogues, well-edited action sequences and well-aimed potshots at popular action franchises, Kingsman assures that its not gonna be ‘just another movie’. For the most part, that turns out to be true but unfortunately, not in a good way.

There are moments in Kingsman..that take your breath away. Moments..where you get flashbacks of First Class and its quality..certain sequences wonderfully executed, others that bring out some emotion..but as soon as you begin to hope…it all comes crashing down in another medley of inane action or childish dialogue. Another issue is that the movie rushes through too much, too intent to show all that it wants to, at the expense of building any connect with its protagonists. I think editing could’ve made a key difference in this one.

If you must watch this movie, and I’d push you hard not to, but if you must- watch it for Colin Firth. The man is a revelation in his unique avatar and takes to it with an ease that showcases his versatility as an actor. Samuel L Jacksons lisps to near perfection, but given the kind of role he has, he needed a much stronger character. The other kid on the block, Taron Egerton has an accent that’s hard to follow, but otherwise does a good job.

As the movie built up, I was wondering if a Kingsman 2 ought to be in the offing. Once it concluded though, even the post credits scene made me impatient. Matthew Vaughn has shown us he can do much better. Let’s hope the next one picks up from First Class rather than Kingsman

Movie Review: Badlapur..a dream start but not a great journey

Badlapur could’ve been a landmark movie. The first 15 minutes quite rightly emphasised as critical, certainly showed the potential. Yes, the first 15 minutes are critical and no, you cannot afford to miss them. However, its not so much that you won’t be able to understand what follows if you don’t. While they certainly prop the remainder of the story, a more pressing reason to not miss the first 15 minutes is that they are amongst the most shining moments of the film. I don’t think anybody else, could’ve done better with those scenes, either within Bollywood or outside it

Unfortunately, after that – everybody seems lost. ’Badlapur is said to have a brilliant plot. I think a key problem is that the plot, as a whole, is anything but brilliant. In parts, it glitters and has its moments but as an overall package – it seems terribly contrived and doesn’t deliver the goods.

Badlapur is certainly bold – both literally and figuratively. It’s a big change from a standard revenge saga and for the most part, the change is for the better. It breaks new ground in some aspects but offers some unexpected unsavory scenes as well. This movie is certainly not at all for kids, so make sure its an adults only audience if you end up watching this one

While Varun Dhawan really lifts his game and delivers a fine performance for his limited experience, one wonders if this movie could’ve been a little better if a more veteran actor had taken on this role. While he looks the part, most of the time, his voice lacks the edge it should and his crazed look lacks conviction. Nawazuddin Siddique on the other hand, delivers a convincing performance. That said, a lot of the blame should actually go to the characters themselves – while a lot of time is spent on them – its hard to understand them or connect with them – even towards the end of the movie. A word for Radhika Apte who plays her unique role quite convincingly and makes her presence felt. Huma Qureshi also does justice to her role. Yami Gautam looks pretty as a picture but doesn't get much in the way of dialogues.

Sriram Raghavan is an exciting director. He treads off the beaten path and has a few smart tricks up his sleeve in all his movies. While the first 15 minutes (and maybe a few glimpses post that) stamp his authority, Badlapur sorely misses the tight packaging of an Ek Hasina Thi or a Johnny Gaddaar

While there is only a fleeting reference to trains in the movie, this sums up the experience of  Badlapur - The journey to Badlapur starts smooth as silk, then encounters a few rough spots here and there. The train itself slows down, taking in vast expanses of empty space. Then it enters a few dark tunnels that end up being dead ends. However, because the driver and its passengers are particularly keen on having us on board we still go along for the ride.. If only the ride could’ve been shorter with a great destination in mind, the journey would’ve truly been memorable

Movie Review: Shamitabh…doesn't shine despite its lead 'mixture'

Shamitabh managed the near perfect ‘mixture’ – you can’t ask for a more compelling combination than the legendary Amitabh Bachan and Dhanush (if you still haven’t seen Raanjhanaa, you have to watch it). Given the unique, albeit extremely unlikely premise, the plotline is based on, you couldn’t have give them better roles either. All they needed now to create their magic was a strong, taut and well written script. And that’s what causes this particular house of dream cards to topple down to its very foundations

Things are merely setting up in practically the entire first half. The combination of Shamitabh is quite unsettling as the movie starts and you don’t quite connect. How the combination of Shamitabh comes to be is even more of a disconnect. However, you are willing to take that leap of faith in exchange for some crackling dialogue, witty exchanges and a compelling plotline with well realized characters. While it manages some gems, here and there – the whisky and water (though it gets over-used) and ‘Shamitabh main bhi hoon’ examples being particularly pithy, the writing isn’t all that great. To make matters worse there are large spaces of nothingness every now and then. While these may underscore the performance and showcase the repertoire of the stalwart actors (primarily Bachan), they do nothing to give direction and meaning to the story and simply add to the over-extended run-time. Add to that more than its share of product placements and ‘piddly’ songs – it doesn’t make for a pretty picture or even ‘mixture’

The unique relationship between Amitabh and Dhanush is what could have really set this one up – with both having deeply etched out, complex characters and their bond undergoing its own transition. Unfortunately, as it plays out, you don’t end up warming to either of the two. Most of the time you are just confused about their behaviors, motivations and values as well as their relationship.

The only reason why Shamitabh works somewhat is because its lead ‘mixture’ is perfectly in sync and on top of their performance. While by no means equal to the stupendous presence and baritone of Big B, Dhanush maintains his own and portrays perfect expression especially in the first half. If he seems a stereotypical or lesser performer in the second half, more blame goes to his badly developed character than his performance. The Big B and his baritone are absolute winners but the director focuses on them so much that it loses its charm. The third musketeer in this  story is played by debutante Akshara Haasan who while she tries, is simply given a character that is beyond her limited range just yet. With a monotone dialogue delivery and singular expresion regardless of the context, she is not able to do justice to her small but critical role

Shamitabh had every opportunity to shine. It was the perfect recipe that could have scripted a story of two iconic characters performed by two stalwart actors. As it stands though, Shamitabh is long drawn, confused and finally disappointing, despite an uplifting performance by its leads.

Movie Review: Birdman..takes flight in a metaphorical universe

 
There are some movies that you simply ‘don’t get’ – either the director is too confused about what he wants to showcase and points a finger in all possible directions, or the message itself is heavily cloaked – you have to unravel the layers, listen to the unspoken to get at the root of what the movie is trying to convey. While in some scenes you may think it’s the former, its mostly the latter reason that majority of us (self included) may not completely ‘get’ Birdman

Is it a parody? Is it trying to portray a journey through self reflection? Is it pointing a finger at its audience or is it actually ‘sticking it’ to Hollywood itself? There’s no straight answer, and its best not to look for one. This is clearly not a movie for one and all. Certainly not for those who think this is the next in a long line of superhero movies that have become all the rage these days. By the way, Birdman, also has an alternate title – The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance. Honestly, even if you cut through it all, you definitely don’t ‘get’ how this title figures in the potpourri of portrayals that is Birdman

What you do ‘get’ loud and clear though is the high quality performances. Michael Keating has a tough role to pull with a very complex character to portray, many shades of whom are not clear even as you exit the theater post the movie, but he does so with panache. Emma Stone delivers one monologue which stamps her authority so well, you look forward to more of her in the remainder of the movie. But it is Edward Norton, who has the real screen presence, even though his character has probably half the screen-time as that of the protagonist. He slips into his character with a quiet ease and despite such stellar performances by his rather accomplished peers, he manages to steal the show. Oh, and there’s also Zach Galifianakis who is nothing like his comedic avatars thus far

If you would let it, there are many things that would puzzle you about Birdman once you leave the theaters. Unfortunately, the particular style of movie making it adopts, isn’t favourable to too many repeat viewings. The pacing of the movie is slow. Despite the energetic jazz drumbeats throughout its runtime, it’ll take an effort for you to stay interested. So you are just gonna have to do with whatever you do take away from it.

Don’t get misled by the rave reviews. For those who can appreciate it, this movie might well blow them away. For most others though, its not going to ‘fly’ – quite literally.