With an enveloping direction and a beautifully engineered screenplay, Sonchiriya hits all the right targets.

Abhishek Chaubey has a niche audience to cater to; one which is not quite looking for over-the-top action and dialogue punches but for an authentically accurate atmosphere. You may not relate to it by watching through a glass of realism but you do accommodate into his world for entire film’s duration. He can promise you a good time; good time here doesn’t necessarily mean a comfortable time. The opening shot in Sonchiriya of a cut-open animal carcass with insects humming around is a proof of the fact that Chaubey is least interested in creating a comfortable setting. It is a dusty and abrasive world of rebels, ravines, guns, blood and gore set in 1975 Emergency. Sonchiriya is a film based on Chambal bandits who fight for a cause; something which the film does not spell out in crystal clear words. However, their actions quite tell you what a baaghi dharma is. Chaubey’s last film Udta Punjab showed parallel storylines about four characters who were associated with drugs in some way or the other. However, Sonchiriya gives you a quite different perspective. It does change the stereotypical thought that bandits are wicked by making us believe that bandits are simply debilitated by rigid social structures

Manoj Bajpayee is Maan Singh, the leader of the dacoits and also a humane person. He is quite antithetical to what normally we think of a bandit. When he loots a wedding ceremony, he is adamant on not touching the jewellery the bride is wearing. Infact he also tells one of his aides to give her some money as a blessing. Sushant Singh Rajput is Lakhan who is the prime weightlifter of the story. He slips into the character effectively which makes us forget his previous debacles and admire the treasured actor in him. All the characters in Sonchiriya have some weight to carry and each of them is perfect-fit for the job. Ranveer Shorey’s hot-headed Vakil and Bhumi Pednekar’s Indumati make the screenplay complete. Even in this drama driven by masculinity, Bhumi Pednekar makes her mark in the story. She is a feisty woman determined to carry the victimized little girl to a medical aid. The film delves deep into the rugged exterior and gives u a glance at the raw emotions of salvation and suffering. The characters see the ghosts of their past, a burden on their conscience, and question their morality. With brilliant cinematography from Anuj Rajesh Dhawan, the film maintains its authenticity by giving characters a Bundelkhandi dialect to speak. (It might be uneasy for people to keep looking at the subtitles, especially if they are not accustomed to watching foreign films).

The film has myriad shades of caste inequality, gender bias, politics, redemption and emotion. Sonchiriya refers to a golden bird and bandits are determined to search for the golden bird; something which might relieve them of their guilty conscience. Comparisons to Pan Singh Tomar are evident and film doesn’t quite live upto the Tighmanshu Dhulia directed classic. However, there is an immersive experience awaiting the viewers in drama from Western cinematic universe and Chaubey makes them look beyond the obvious. Here, I would like to specially mention Ashutosh Rana whose character Gujjar, a policeman has easily emerged the best performance of the film. He is brutal and nasty and yet we see his softer side towards end. The film is an ideological take on baaghi dharma and showcases its colours of spirituality and philosophy. With an enveloping direction and a beautifully engineered screenplay, Sonchiriya hits all the right targets.

3.5 on 5 stars

Uri : The Surgical Strike – Kaushal is the best fit in the story which switches quickly from facts to fiction

War films in Hindi cinema are fueled by strong patriotic vehemence rather than an assemblage of true facts for a subtle edge of seat thriller. We have examples of excellent war films which have stood the test of time; May it be Terrence Mallick’s Thin Red Line or Oliver Stone’s Platoon. Films on armed forces are expected to plunge into their psychological, emotional as well as physical realms of the men in uniform and keep audiences psyche hooked to theirs. However in Indian cinema, patriotic dialogues are thrown at higher decibels to create high spirits and sense of thrill. As character Major Vikram Shergill asks his commandos in Uri: the Surgical Strike “How’s the josh”. The answer is pretty much high for both the people on the screen as well as the ones sitting in the audience. Uri: the Surgical Strike had all the ingredients for a crisp procedural but it follows a more mainstream and a banal approach. Vicky Kaushal is the strong muscle of the film and he fits in the role like an electric plug to the socket. He is convincing as Major Vikram Shergill, tall muscular man with guts of steel and having requisite tactical skills as we meet him on his first mission on Indo Myanmar border as he leads the operation to wipe off the terrorists. He is the character, audiences could strongly root for.

Uri: the Surgical Strike oscillates continuously from facts to fiction. There is a hunger for revenge amongst the protagonist, the protagonist is given two fist fight scenes (something which Bollywood is not ready to shed off) and punchy dialogues. These are elements which make up almost every Hindi film and Uri was not an exception. However, it could easily have been one taking into consideration the inspirations it draws. Major Vihaan Shergill takes up a desk job so that he can take care of his mother afflicted by Alzheimer’s. He realizes his true calling back to the battlefield when a relative gets killed in a terrorist attack; a concept of vengeance which has been twisted & turned and thrown back at audience many times in past. The Pakistani terrorists enter the army barracks and shoot the officers in their sleep; an attack which charges up the Ministry to resort to extreme measures of a surgical strike. The film draws strong impressions from Zero Dark Thirty and Hurt Locker (both helmed by Oscar winning director Kathryn Bigelow). Paresh Rawal plays Govind sir whose character has resemblance to National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. He leads the operation from the Ministry and he is completely convincing. Director of photography Mithesh Mirchandani has done a fantastic job with scouting appropriate locations to add visually to the film. However, film lacks immensely at the scripting stage. The flow is unnecessarily divided into chapters which remain far from being dichotomous. They share a similar tone which itself negates the purpose of creating a chapter wise execution. The makers have done a terrific job with action making it slick and ruthless. With predictable outcomes, there is still a sense of dread as we see executions and explosions in night vision as men on mission go systematically from one safe house to other gunning down the terrorists.

 Kirti Kulhari and Yami Gautam do not have much of the heavy lifting to do as they serve to be mere cardboard characters. The factual information is clearly distorted and at points even narrative feels a bit bizarre. We see an intern in a DRDO who has a lion’s share to play in the surgical strike when Govind sir discards the DRDO approved gadgets over his bird-like surveillance drone  (something which is hard to digest if we take into account massive planning that actually went in for the surgical strike). The film is a treat for mainstream audience who wish to go in for another strong dose of patriotism. However for someone who wants to actually delve into the specifics and facts of surgical strike, a documentary would suffice.

2.5 on 5 stars

Dunkirk : Christopher Nolan's war epic is a Spectacular Tour de Force.

Dunkirk opens up with six privates walking on a deserted street in Northern France. We see one of them pausing to take a smoke only to be showered by an onslaught of bullets. Germans have successfully pushed French and British to the beaches while the trapped 400,000 men have limited means of escape. This is all the film stands on. Completely devoid of backstory and the historical specifics of World War II, Dunkirk puts us right in the moment. The plot is simple but the execution is not. Writer-director Christopher Nolan writes a screenplay fueled by claustrophobia and a powerful urge to survive the battle. His past films radiate his non-linear storytelling with the accurate blend of emotion and suspense. However, here he chooses to play with time instead. The audience is unburdened by unnecessary plot-twists and overwritten dialogues. Instead their mind is trained to adjust to the temporal complexities that distinguish between the movements on land, air and sea against the Hans Zimmer's sound mixing that act as a lament to the overwhelming terror.

Shot on a large format film, we see the young soldiers scattered on the beach, evading the bomb explosions and bullets. There is no blood and gore but the image of terror itself is a gut-wrenching experience. The film gives you a picture of the suffering and the immense pressure which is generated by their deepest desire to live. It is not a sight of defeat and chagrin but a celebration of the triumph in getting the wounded and the stranded out of the war zone. References to Prime Minister Churchill are the mere indications of his growing concern over the ebbing military muscle. Named 'Operation Dynamo', the 1940 evacuation had its share of contributors. The British Navy requisitioned civilian boats for the rescue operation wherein we meet Mark Rylance as Dawson, an old-timer who lost his eldest son during the early weeks of war. Aided by his son Peter and a young hand named George, he is determined in bringing the desolate back home safely amidst the resistance from a rescued shell-shocked soldier. The skies are patrolled by SpitFires; one of which is piloted by RAF pilot Farrier (Tom Hardy) who at the risk of degrading fuel, keeps the enemy jets from dismantling the destitution that lay beneath. Then there was towering persona Admiral Bolton played by Kenneth Branagh who was the pier-master during evacuation. These were men who ran the show. However, the biggest contributor here is Christopher Nolan. He has handpicked a compressed yet significant incident of the war and subjected it to a complex yet a visceral treatment. He disposes of the use of CGI and keeps the dialogue minimal to give the visual portrait of isolation, fear and distress. He has craftily managed to give you three individual tales taking place in their own time zones and locations converging only at one point; survival.

When it comes war movies, I have a very selective list which includes the likes of Oliver Hirschbiegel's Downfall ,  Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket and Steven Speilberg's Saving Private Ryan. However Dunkirk provides a more realistic imagery of war in a much smaller space.

9 on 10 stars 

High on ambition but low on craft , Bahubali 2 brushes greatness but fails to embrace it.

Bahubali 2: The Conclusion was always on people's mind after the the prequel left them dangling with a question which inspired tons of memes and jokes. S Rajamouli's Bahubali 2 puts an end to this very question ' Katappa ne Bahubali ko kyu maara ? '. The film looks magnificent enough to attract hordes of crowds to cinema houses. It is a known fact that the cash registers are set to overflow with the release of this film. However, as a cinephile, I wanted a thorough examination of the film's structure as I wore the monocle of a critic to make a deep diagnosis into the plot.

Bahubali 2 is coruscant creation of Rajamouli. He is not scared to dream the impossible and he uses all the tools at his disposal to make the film grander than its prequel. There are slow motion shots and dialogues delivered at a higher decibel enough to fuel the gut-wrenching feel among the audience. Mahishmathi kingdom, created through computer graphics is an eye candy and generates a sense of wonder. There are palm trees used as sheer catapults, bulls charging at the enemy with their flamed horns and a ship which flies. There is no limit to Rajamouli's horizons as he conducts a surreal visual treatment of the frames. Though it seem bizarre in the real world, you are filled with nothing except pure delight .The film keeps you grounded as the plot delves into the life of a warrior Amrendra Bahubali (Prabhas). Amrendra is good-hearted man and a sinewy fighter, a very rare but potent mixture of power and goodness. He can control an elephant, fire three arrows at a time, lift up a carriage all by himself and I must say Kudos to Prabhas. Nothing that Bahubali does seems impossible and all thanks to his realistic portrayal.

Turning towards the negative parts of the film, I would first pick the narrative. It is banal and written with convenience rather than smartness. On the other hand, you will be overly satisfied because it is a bit too much. Rajamouli must have been adamant on finishing this project anyhow that he simply stuffed the plot in 2 hour 50 minute duration. It is completely exhausting after a point and could have been avoided. Bahubali and Devasena's ( Anushka Shetty) romance takes too much of the screen time and it is not pleasing too. It is slapstick and at some points just plain stupid. The film does boast of strong female characters Sivgami (played by Ramya Krishnan) and Devasena. Their conflicting ideologies are the sole foundation of the story.  Underneath the magnificence of Mahishmati lies the sinister plan; a conspiracy to overthrow Bahubali and make Bhallaldeva (Rana), the ruler. Rana Dagubatti as the villain Bhallaldeva is convincing but he doesn't make an impact as great as Prabhas. He is tyrannical with his evil mind games to meet his objectives. He even stoops to perfidy of attacking his own mother Sivgami. The characters are strong but plot sticks to the formula. It is not an experimental movie as the sky-high budget sure discourages experiments too. And now, the unsolved mystery for which the footfalls in the theatre will increase dramatically isnt solved promisingly. Infact with a little sensibility, you can spot it from a mile away.

 Bahubali 2 might be excessively long but it isn't lacklustre. It sure goes down in the list of my guilt-pleasures.


Rating: 5 on 10 stars

The Lobster : A methaphorical concept oozes uncontrollably out of bounds

Yorgos Lanthimos, the Greek mastermind,  is a fantastic visualizer, He has stepped out of zone where the mainstreams directors have comfortably rooted their feet in and created a dystopian world where being a loner is perceived as an awful crime. Loners are taken to a hotel where they have to find a partner within 45 days, failing to do so will result them in being turned into an animal. His fecund brain has taken us unpredictably to places we cannot imagine. However, this fantasized dramatic world possibly oozes out of bounds in the latter interim and that is where my problem as a viewer starts.

The Lobster begins with David (Colin Farell) being betrayed and cheated on by his wife. A bespectacled, thick mustached man, devoid of emotion, his speech and his blank look overly reflects the same. He doesn't cry, he doesn't smile. He is a whimsical and quirky in front of this tyrannical absurdist backdrop. He, along with his collie-turned-brother, is taken to the hotel to find a partner for himself. With the narrative of Rachel Weisz, this film assimilates the viewer and keeps him wide-eyed gripped to the marvelous plotline.

The canvas is ready and you see the characters flooring it with their eccentric behavior and the vital additions to set the screenplay going. There is group of people who throw a degrading glance at the loners and there are rebels who oppose this very idea of forced relationships. 45 days before one is transfigured into a beast can be extended if one tranquilizes the loners who have escaped into the forests. Amidst all this satirical madness, David ,too like some, escape into the woods to meet up with radical group led by Lea Seydoux. The radicals think exact opposite of the Hotel consider singlehood as an ornament to be worn with dignity and relationships as a blemish. The first half ends and that is when monotony begins symbolizing that director possibly ran short of ideas.

As a viewer and lover of satires, I always wanted to know what happens to David after 45 days. I always imagined the hotel to be the reference point to the entire story and not David. However, profuse exaggeration and predictable cliches formed the foundation of the second interim and what formed my sheer discontent. The characters speak with sheer lack of expression  and you begin to think ' Will the future actually end up being so colourless?' Rachel Weiz, whose narrative was the strong foothold since beginning of film, is brilliant in her own ways and gave a terrific performance; my favourite apart from Lea Seydoux.


6 on 10

An irrefutable triumph in storytelling and imagination, Babel is a unique film

Once there was a time when all had a common language. This defied the very odds God had set for man to overcome. So, he decided to confuse them with babel. Babel is confusion; an ambiguous situation when different people speaking different languages cannot communicate through words. Alexandro Inarrtiu's masterpiece was a triumph in the creation of this world; a world of chaos. Babel is not just a cinema. It is a deep insight into raw naked human emotions and portrayal of harsh reality. It is a story spanning Morocco, United States of America, Japan & Mexico where one naive thoughtless act of child creates an an unavoidable chain of events leading to disastrous results worldwide.

Putting the pieces of story together, a Moroccan goat herder gives a rifle to his sons to practice shooting jackals. In a playful bet, the younger one ends up shooting a tourist bus. Meanwhile Richard (Brad Pitt) and Susan (Cate Blanchett) are on a vacation in Morocco to cope with the sudden death of their son. The couple are travelling in the same tourist bus which gets shot at. The shot hits Susan in the shoulder. America unhesitatingly brands this as an act of terrorism. The rifle used is traced back to a Japanese hunter who is struggling between some difficult times in his life, fighting the sorrow of his wife's death as well as the sexual longing of his daughter Chieko (Rinku Kikuchi). Susan is taken to a local village where the villagers try to get the best medical aid possible. Morocco refuse bringing an ambulance as they don't perceive it to be a terrorist act. Richard calls the nanny, who is looking after their kids in America, to cancel her son's wedding so that she can attend to the kids during this emergency. The nanny, hopeless and desperate to be at the wedding, asks her nephew Santiago (Gael García Bernal) to drive the three of them to Mexico. While their return from the ceremony, the inebriated Santiago breaks the police barrier at USA-Mexican border when the police try to arrest him for drunk-driving and carrying the kids without the permission of their parents.

It is indeed a chaotic world where each culture tries to quell the violent outbursts of circumstances leading to a scarring misdemeanor. Rinku Kikuchi plays the role of prurient adolescent who is going through hormonal changes. She desperately tries for a sexual encounter even if it means trying to seduce her much older dentist. The climactic scene where Chieko stands on the commodious glass balcony, naked and vulnerable, is touching and remains as a depressing picture in your mind. While Pitt's Richard acts as a catalyst for the film playing a uxorious husband as well as taciturn human being sometimes to the very hosts who are helping Susan to recover, and we cant actually blame him for being afraid for his wife.

The film is so designed that every other individual creates a mark of his own. Alexandro handles the horror & emotional tension between the changing time-frames, carefully creating a surreal and imagination-rich experience. A network of different cultural backgrounds woven together by one tragedy, Babel is Inarrtiu's anomalous creation.

9 on 10

Fan : The king card played very well by Maneesh Sharma

When the first trailer of Maneesh-Shah Rukh collaboration FAN was out, it strongly tried to state a story wherein a crazy obsessed fan idolizes a superstar enough to go to any unimaginable heights to meet him and maybe he even does. But, the second trailer gave away a novel concept, something which compensates for Khan's last masala movies, which critics didn't approve of. Shah Rukh Khan gives out a salute-worthy performance in a duo role of a superstar and his dangerously obsessed doppelganger.

The film begins with the archival footage of Shah Rukh khan's resurgent life with portrayal of a fan who considers himself the star's biggest follower. Possessing an unbridled love for superstar Aryan Khanna (played by Shah Rukh Khan ), look-alike bourgeois fan Gaurav Chandna ( again played by Khan himself) sets out to meet his idol amidst the shouting and screaming mob outside his sea-facing mansion. When his plans to meet the star are thwarted much to obvious reasons, Gaurav tries to bend things his way to attract the star's attention, instead pulling his frown. Aryan Khanna summons cops to knock in some reality into the little fan. What he fails to realize is that if a fan can create a superstar, he so much can bring him to the ground of apocalyptic failure. Distraught Chandna sets out to haunt the star he always loved, making him a living nightmare for the Aryan. The acts which Gaurav never understands the enormity of it being internecine.

Fan isn't a perfect script. But Maneesh's execution amalgamated with Shah Rukh Khan's never-seen-before acting glue together its torn parts. SRK is excellent and laudable as he evidently blurs the lines that separate the arrogant Aryan with spooky Gaurav. He has created a discernible behavior for both and you can vividly notice the way both Shah Rukhs run, walk and talk. Fan is a victory, for the reasons it has no unnecessary romantic angles and songs which have likelihood to deviate the plots. It shows colors of thriller and emotion on the celluloid and the credit goes to Sharma's efficacious mindset. He makes Fan, a germane thriller and a conspicuous winner.

7 on 10 stars

Painted with blood and snow, Quentin Tarantino's 'The Hateful Eight' is a perfect portrait

Tarantino's 8th movie ' The Hateful Eight' is a inveigling tale of eight gunslingers trapped in a Wyoming cabin to evade blizzard in the mountains. A film which hugely relies on Tarantino's expressive story-telling as he toys with the idea of cowboys and lawmen indulging in a verbal and pistol-cocking blood-splashing duel. It is a nihilistic picture of betrayal and bloodbath with 187 minutes of promising aeonian experience.


A blizzard is chasing a carriage; a carriage with two occupants and a driver. Inside the carriage, John Ruth (Kurt Russel), the hangman is handcuffed to the prisoner Daisy Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh)  who he is taking to Red Rock to hang. The carriage is stopped in its tracks by bounty hunter Major Marquis Warren (Samuel Jackson) who is looking for a lift to Red Rock. The carriage (later occupied by sherrif Chris Mannix) is taken to Minnie's Haberdashery, a lodge inhabited by four strangers; someone among who Ruth believes to be a traitor sent to free Domergue.


Tarantino has scripted the story amazingly as he helplessly crams the racial political tension into the extravagantly smooth dialogue. However he has managed to achieve some nail-biting moments without viceral music. For instance, Domergue is handcuffed to the poisoned Ruth as she helplessly tries to grab a gun far away from her reach to defend herself from her attackers.


As a director, Tarantino makes the unputdownable film etch in your mind even as you walk home from the theatre. He has managed to bring everyone into the spotlight, armed with smart dialogues and credible acting. However Samuel Jackson happens to be the show-stealer as he overshadows his costars with his gritty and piquant portrayal of Major Marquis Warren.


A quirky story post The Civil War, The Hateful Eight can be relished and digested by hardcore cinephiles. For masala movie-lovers, Kindly avoid.

7 on 10 stars

Wazir: An idea with loopholes however the performances save the day...

Bejoy Nambiar's Wazir trailer had sparked an interest about what the film really stands for. A malevolent Wazir (Neil Nitin Mukesh) is an invisible horror; a dread which the two protagonists feel is what I understood from the trailer. The questions popped deliberately in my mind after seeing the trailer were answered by the film but not to my total satisfaction. Wazir is like an incomplete meal. You are not starving but you aren't contended either .


Danish Ali (Farhan Akthar) an ATS officer, rebellious and brave, devoted so much to his duty to even care about his little daughter while going on a shooting spree with the terrorists. Ruhana Ali (Aditi Rao Hydari) holds him to responsible for their daughter's uncalled death, punishing him with solitude and depression. The void in Danish's heart is filled by Omkarnath Dhar (Amitabh Bachchan) when they both realize that they share the same tragedy. They meet, talk and drink over the game of chess and this happens on a regular basis and they bond so much so that Danish absorbs himself completely in Panditji's problems. That is where Wazir (Neil Nitin Mukesh) jumps in; an entity who lurks in the shadows spying on the protagonists, sending them death threats; something that showcases more of masqueraded theatrics than terror.


Wazir boasts of strong and intriguing performances by Farhan Akthar and Amitabh Bachchan and you slowly realize that its the acting that has kept you gripped more than plot which is thin, loose and predictable. Scenes are linked logically but gnawed at some places with chess becoming the soul of the film for no apparent reason and excessive usage of chess metaphors adhere to the fact.


Wazir is a psychological thriller with a sprinkle of emotional flavour to nourish it. Not the best one but certainly not the worst.

6 on 10 stars

Farhadi's 'A Separation' gives you a clear vision to look closely at human emotions and modern Iran...

Asghar Farhadi's Iranian classic bestows on the audience, the vision to look at a family life which gives powerful responses when it flows beyond the social limits. 'A Separation' is the writer-director's take on how a mistaken judgement can give impulsive results. A man torn of between his wife's urge to relocate out of Tehran and his father who is suffering from Alzheimer.

Simin wants to move out of Iran where her daughter Termeh would have many opportunities to carve her future. Nader wants to stay in Iran to look after his diseased and ill father. This difference in opinion causes an escalation finally calling for a separation. Asghar Farhad has carefully put his mind in the screenplay which reflects an ideal family situation where a divorce brings uncanny scenarios plunging the family into a depressed stage. In absence of wife, Nader hires Razieh to take care of his father and do the chores. Razieh is a strict at her religious beliefs to the extent that she has to confirm with the elderly if she is allowed to change the old man's pants.

Nader finds one day that Razieh tied his father to the bed and verged out of the house for her personal work. This is unforgivable to Nader and we cant help but agree with him. He dismisses pregnant Razieh and under the pretext of making her to leave the house, he pushes her. Razieh and her husband Hodjat files a case for manslaughter. The tensed situations and a depressed social life finally make their way towards the courtroom.

Farhadi paints us a beautiful but complicated portrait of human emotions, religious beliefs and modern -day scenarios we can completely relate to. The children are the soul of the film as they are silent observers to the trouble surrounding them. A Separation is one of the bechmarks of the drama genre and something which can keep you engrossed.


8 on 10 stars

Gratifying feel of dread and an outstanding ‘Gift’ from Edgerton

A family moves into a quaint locality in Los Angeles. As they get accustomed to their new life in the dainty new house, a malevolent entity from the past sets its destructive gaze on family’s happily cultivated life. Joel Edgerton’s self directed ‘The Gift’ is a piece of authentic psychological thrill that gives you a sense of terror and chill.

Simon (Jason Bateman) and wife Robyn (Rebecca Hall) move into a lavishly looking house in L.A from Chicago. While they are shopping for the new house supplies, Simon meets Gordo (Joel Edgerton), who he was in high school with. Gordo looks polite and generous but you can’t help notice the profane and danger concealed beneath his gifts and his apparently selfless visits.

The first half promises a gratifying feel of dread. Jason Bateman as Simon is attentive and passionate husband to Robyn (Rebecca) who is emotionally fragile and sympathetic. Following the unwanted visits to Robyn when she is usually home alone, Simon tells Gordo that he can no longer see the couple only to invite more peril in their lives.  The dog vanishes, the fishes in pond are poisoned and Robyn is always looked at secretly and with immense voyeur.

The Gift is not about an ideal theme of good triumphing over evil. Infact it has a slight flavour of retribution to it.  The second half is less of scares but more of the fact on who is right and who is wrong.

The Gift has feel of Hitchcock coupled with a genuine story of how far a person can go to prove his might and how it can scar your soul for lifetime.

7 on 10 stars

Rain Man is fascinating, poignant and beautiful; undoubtedly the best movie of late 80's

An autistic victim has certain bounds. There lie limitations beyond which they cannot verge as a world lies above their understanding & imagination. They are simple, creative and extremely dedicated to their beloved.

Reprising the role of an autistic savant, Dustin Hoffman as Raymond Babbit displays innocence that lie beneath the layers of mental & emotional handicap. Head titled to one side, blank look on his face & speaking in a lunatic accent, Raymond Babbit has captivated immensely over the essence of Barry Levinson’s Rain Man.

Rain Man’s incunabula shows Tom Cruise as Charlie Babbit desperately striking car deals with the clients. He learns that his father who he had not seen since a noticeably long time has passed away leaving him with rose bushes and a 1949 convertible Roadmaster whereas the 3 million dollar property is left to his brother Raymond whose existence Charlie was completely unaware of. With a clumsy plan and a girlfriend, he takes off with Raymond to Los Angeles to prove himself as his sole guardian so as to acquire his half.

Raymond Babbit may appear as a simpleton but trust me he is one of rarest and sharpest know-it-all to be ever witnessed in the real world. He can count square roots of gigantic numbers in a jiffy, he can large number of toothpicks fallen on ground in a flash of light and also he can memorize half of phone directory overnight. There is a vast distinction in the way he approaches life. He doesn’t care about how much wealth he is left with but he does get perturbed if his daily routine suffers a nebulous drift.

Charlie, however, shows indignation to Raymond’s different behaviour. The movie takes you on a road trip which gradually changes his impertinence to a refined attitude and caring for his brother, unveiling a compelling story of love & affection.

Barry Levinson’s Rain Man has a credible storyline which is decorated by the adept screenplay and effective acting by the lead. Rain Man is a fascinating tale of two brother magnetically opposite to each other but bounded together by destiny. One of the best movie from the late 80’s.

7 on 10 stars

Replete with thrills and chills, Mission Impossible 5 makes you crave for more....

The latest instalment of Mission impossible franchise celebrates Tom Cruise (Ethan Hunt) as an action hero more than the story which itself provides a structure to Ethan Hunt’s ways of working with fictional organization IMF( Impossible Mission Force). Directed by the screenwriter of ‘The Usual Suspects’, it is hard to believe that Christopher McQuarrie ever had some brilliant ideas. Honestly as a viewer I was dissatisfied with the screenplay. However the edge-of-the-seat action sequences acted as a savior in disguise.

The story involves a wicked replica of the IMF called ‘The Syndicate’, a criminal organization trained to bring down the IMF, as they stealthily go on killing leaders in bombings and assassinations to bring about the ‘change’ in the world. A Senate committee meanwhile dissolves the IMF, availing the efforts of William Brandt and granting the leftover assets to the CIA with Ethan Hunt on their prime target list. Now Hunt is left with only one job that is to prove that The Syndicate falls within the bounds of realism and is not merely the creation of his own. The Syndicate controlled by bespectacled and spooky Solomon Lane who is pursued by Ethan with his old sidekick tech-expert Benji and gorgeous Ilsa Faust to bring The Syndicate to ground.

Mission Impossible: The Rogue Nation provides the viewers with a glitzy appeal taking on a tour to Vienna, Casablanca and London and some promisingly heart-wrenching stunts and fights. Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt faces more serious and complicated obstacles to reach his coveted aim. He keeps you startled as he holds to a flying plane and his dear life waiting for Benji to open its door. He jumps in thousands of gallons of pressurized water to change to break into the data facility; he pursues on bike in high speed chase sequences and really keeps you engaged till the very end.

MI 5 was pure adrenaline as McQuarrie succeeded brilliantly in keeping the weak script concealed behind the nail-biting thrills that gratify the action-movie lovers to the extent that they certainly crave for the sixth installment. I personally think it should have connected well to the past ventures apart from the characters. However the film takes care of everything that MI series has boasted of in the past including flashy tech gadgets and stunts. And lastly, the credit to MI5 being an unarguably successful installment goes to Tom Cruise who has defied age and fueled the execution of the screenplay brilliantly.  

6 on 10 stars 

Baahubali stuns and surprises but fails to connect emotionally

SS Rajamouli's magnum opus Baahubali: The Beginning follows a stereotypical concept of disputes between two brothers which spans two generations. The mammoth canvas was readied to set up the glitzy visuals that gradually formed the plot of the film. SS Rajamouli's excellent imagination was engineered by high CGI and outstanding performances by the actors.

A child found on the river banks is raised by a tribal women. All of his adolescence, he seeks to verge beyond the gigantic waterfall that will connect him to his past. Failed attempts finally prove to be a success one day when young Sivudu scales the rocks and mountains lured by the beauty of Avanthika. Finally brought by destiny to doorstep of his perilous past, Sivudu finally encounters series of events which unveil the answers to his very existence. A child separated from his fate, a prisoner tied in shackles of suffering and endless wait, high graphic war scenes and demonic antagonist Bhalaldev all form the elements of Baahubali.

The film has an ocular spectacle with a predictable storytelling. SS Rajamouli has convincingly created the fictional empire of Mahismathi and predictably showcased the greed and lust to seize kingdom and power. However, film might be visually great but it loses track abruptly at several places to lead to sheer nothingness. An incomplete climax points to the second part of the ambitious project and makes numerous questions pop in minds of audience.

6 on 10 stars

Badlapur: New revenge formula for Raghavan's skookum venture

"If you prick us do we not bleed? 
 If you tickle us do we not laugh? 
 If you poison us do we not die? 
 And if you wrong us shall we not revenge?"
                                                                  - William Shakespeare

Script penned by Arijit Biswas & Sriram Raghavan, Badlapur is lucid and powerfully driven along its neatly crafted plotline. One of the Raghavan's skookum ventures, Badlapur is a fascinating tale of vengeance and hatred as the film plays a cicerone to the darker shades of his direction.

The first interim is about a bank robbery gone awry and Raghu's wife (Yami Gautam) and son getting trapped in the chaotic situation that follows. The escaped duo of robbers turn pillagers as Raghu's wife is shot and his son is thrown out of the moving car. The wild cat-mouse chase between cops and the thieves end with Liak (Nawazzudin Siddiqui) getting incarcerated for 20 years and his partner-in-crime fleeing with the weapon and the looted cash. A heartbroken and devastated Raghu (Varun Dhawan) takes shelter in a town called 'Badlapur' far away from the memories of his cherished past; his emotions fueled with hatred, revenge and anger.

Today where the filmmakers stick to the stereotype formula of hardcore action and crowd-whistling dialogues for revenge stories, Raghavan attempts to deviate from it to add a gritty and raw touch to the characters. He portrays Raghu's switcheroo from a beamish to a rugged look quite beautifully. Huma Qureshi, as a prostitute Jhumli, was flamboyant yet simple. Vinay Pathak, Radhika Apte & Divya Dutta make a short but an impactful appearance. However the limelight stealer of the film is Nawazuddin who makes Liak appear natural and stays true to his onscreen character throughout. 

Badlapur buys your vision for the its entire duration and keeps you gripped and thrilled. One of Raghavan's best films, Badlapur gives a new sphere to Dhawan's acting performance.


7 on 10 stars

Interstellar : More than a director, it is made by a DREAMER

Christopher Nolan's comprehensive Weltanschauung ( conception of universe and human's analogy to it ) Interstellar is his most endearing, audacious and expertly scripted venture. A script which once was developed by Jonathan Nolan for Steven Spielberg finally ended in the helms of his brother Chris. A sheer ocular pleasure, when viewed on 75 mm screen, this movie based intergalactic space voyage smells of ambition, emotion and beauty. The viewer doesn't needs to suspend his incredulity inspite of the film being a piece of fiction, owing to the fact that it is one of Nolan's strongest narrative.

An enthralling and distinct start to movie reminding us of social documentaries which pictures blight-induced earth as a dust bowl with last shades of humanity left, earth has become inhabitable over time with increasing crop failure and frequent dust storms. Amidst the scenario comes Cooper (McConaughey), a widowed engineer-turned-pilot-turned-farmer who is prompted by some ghostly forces ( who send coded messages) to visit NASA facility in the outskirts of his village.  The facility led by Dr John Brand (Micheal Caine) reveals Cooper about a secret mission in search of a habitable planet beyond the solar system and he asks Cooper to pilot the space ark 'Endurance' with the team. Devastated at the thought of her father leaving her, Murph (Mackenzie Foy) is filled with discontent and hatred for him.

The film tracks Cooper's odyssey along with the NASA team and two robots CASE and TARS as they travel through the wormholes to discover a sustainable living environment while Dr Brand and grown-up Murph (Jessica Chastain) try and solve the inevitable problem of gravity. The direction is accurate and film balances well between different time zones as Cooper and his accomplices verge many light years ahead.

Unavoidable comparisons with Gravity and 2001: a Space Odyssey, Interstellar thinks more about the future than focusing all its attention on the present and past. A graphically rich special effects packaged with a mammoth script which reflects a large time devoted to research and a great casting, Interstellar might be specious and flawed at places but it doesn't stop the movie from being a winner.


8 on 10 stars

Western Drama so distilled and refined, One of the best I have ever seen...

One of the pioneers of cinema, Sergio Leone's directorial venture' The Good The Bad The Ugly 'urged me to gain high amount of cinematic fanaticism by watching one of his most critically lauded ' Once Upon A Time in The West'. The film gets succesfully enlisted among one of the most terrific performances ever by the ensemble cast.

The movie opens up with a deadly gun duel between a harmonica playing bloke (Charles Bronson) and three men dressed in a cowboy outfit. Bronson plays the enigmatic nameless person (called 'Harmonica' in the film because of his ability to play harmonica in an eerie fashion even when things appear to look serious ) being the only good guy in the film. He helms the task of protecting Brett McBain's widow Jill McBain against Frank and his fellow gangsters after the villains mercilessly massacre McBain and his children. Joining Harmonica in his mission to kill Frank is Cheyenne , the bearded bandit who is falsely framed by Frank in murder of Brett McBain. Thus, Harmonica along with the ruffian Cheyenne set out to bring down the most dreaded assassin Frank. However retribution remains their sole purpose.

The film is slow-paced and the viewer is clueless about the real reason behind McBain's murder even after the half time of the movie has passed. There are bloodless fights, revenge, intimate scenes, land rights, shootouts, trains and you are only required to eat what Leone gives you, simply without questioning the plot. Things perfectly fall in place in the latter half of the movie as you get to know that Leone exhibits complete veracity while directing the Western drama. The action scenes are carefully designed and they can surely put the modern day jumbled action to utter shame. The film was bankrolled with plenty of money as it had elaborate sets, brilliant casting and fantastically executed duels.

One of the most amazing western dramas I have ever seen, Once Upon A Time In The West is as distilled, refined and clear as it appears to be.


9 on 10 stars

Tenebrous and Austere, De-Niro gets into a miscreant character for Cape Fear

                                     

                                         " Sam Bowden has always provided for the family's fortune.
                                           But the past is coming back to haunt them  "


The remake of J.Lee Thompson's 1962 project of the same name, Cape Fear is a dark and austere tale of  retribution starring veteran actor Robert De-Niro and Nick Nolte. Directed by experienced Martin Scorsese, the film starts with Max Cady (De-Niro) released from the prison after completing his tenure of 14 years. Following his release, Max Cady sets off to avenge his punishment and he chooses not to target the judge or the DA but his very own lawyer Sam Bowden (Nick Nolte) who he believes has voluntarily declared him guilty by performing a lousy defense.

The film is devoid of any macho heroes to save the day. However, it has the evil Cady as an iron-pumping redneck whose body shows dire biblical warnings. However his intentions remain highly profane. To avenge his punishment, Cady stalks Bowden's family, lurks in the shadows outside their abode and even intoxicates their pet dog. His actions magnify in ambiguity and austerity as the film lurches forward. He even rapes the girl with whom Bowden is having extra-martial with, gets intimate with Nolte's daughter Danielle and despicably harms the family emotionally and physically too.

Its Scorsese's fame and mastery that has brought Universal Studios and Amblin Entertainment in collaboration with Steven Spielberg to work as the production team for Cape Fear. The film has big stars, monstrous special effects and big production values to enrich the experience

The film shows Robert De-Niro in a never-seen-before look. Nick Nolte is fabulous with his comely onscreen wife played by Jessica Lange. One of the most acclaimed movies of the 90's , Cape Fear (1991) will put to display the ominous within the heart of the vulnerable to a extent that it leads to perpetual destruction of the victimized living souls.  


8 on 10 stars

Bahl's spectacular sophomore; Kangana Ranaut's Queen is an acclaim magnet

Indian middle class girls having a simple lifestyle often get rejected by their to-be soul mates for their innocence, ability to establish firm decisions and lack of exposure to the outside world. Vikas Bahl's second directorial venture 'Queen' portrays the self depreciating star (after her role in Krrish 3 & Rajjo) Kagnana Ranaut in a never-seen-before avatar of Rani; a simpleton girl from Delhi aspiring to have a simple and contended married life ahead with her lover Vijay (Rajkummar Rao).

However, her dreams get shattered terribly when Vijay cancels the marriage just a day before stating the fact that he doesn't think that this relationship will progress favourably. A depressed and anguished Rani sets out on a solo honeymoon to Paris & Amsterdam; a journey which initially wraps her in a solitude and depression, a journey which on every step serves as a strong reminder of her hateful past which she is reluctant to forget. 

But, the loneliness doesn't stay for long as Rani is introduced to an amicable VijayLakshmi; a half-Indian, sensuous and audacious hotel-employee who takes Rani out of the realms of pain and agony into a world of impetuosity with pure vigor in its air; an eccentric disco scene where an inebriated Rani sheds of her inhibitions and lets go of all the seemingly unbearable dolour in her heart as she grooves lifelessly on the foot-tapping Bollywood beats.

Vikas Bahl's queen is a fine, prudent and an excellent piece of Hindi cinema. The film introduces some of the flourishing characters throughout the film including a trio of boys which Rani befriends and the hotel chef, who offers Rani an opportunity to prove herself to the world, all having the same moral code of kindness and purity. Bahl creates a befitting milieu for Rani who is locked in a conflict with her inner self. Moreover the one-woman show in the film has proved to be a magnet for acclaims and laurels as Ranaut puts total brilliance in Rani who portrays her unique transformation from a passive personality to an endearing and adventurous girl of a modern lifestyle.

A tale of a girl trapped in the dimensions of her own agony & misfortune sets out to explore the world; the one which assuages her effusive anguish. Needless to say, Queen is surely a delight to watch.

8 on 10 stars

Thrilling & Riveting; Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho creates an impact greater than most of his epic noirs.

The way films shot in black-and-white portrays itself to the audience and materialise into something more than just a critical acclaimed film is surely alluring to experience. Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho might not be my first movie I watched from the 60’s era but it’s definitely the one creating a greater impact than the other. The movie has pure visceral feel and induces a thrill so powerful that you might find yourself quite intrigued by it.

Psycho opens up with a scene with Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) and Sam Loomis (John Gavin) in a rented room of cheap hotel in Pheonix. Their apparent actions and conversations give vivid impression that both are currently having an intense love affair and want to get married soon but are unable to do so since they can’t afford the expenses involved. Marion is working in an estate agent’s office and meets with a client who gives her 40,000 dollars to buy a house for his daughter.

A desperate Marion steals 40,000 dollars from the client and flees from the town.  Marion, on the run takes refuge in a motel called as Bates Motel, whose business appeared to be in total shambles. Even being strongly confronted by his dominant mother, the owner of the motel Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) warmly welcomes Marion with warm dinner and cosy room to spend the night in. Things turned horribly ugly when Marion gets murdered in the room of the motel by an unknown entity as she gets stabbed multiple times. The unknown entity in the movie will somewhat be perceived by the audience as ‘Psycho’ and the overall objective of cold-blooded murder however remains a mystery.

Based on the novel of the same name by Robert Bloch, Psycho is a mystery thriller with the suspense not being kept on hold for long and becomes quite flagrant. Alfred Hitchcock has made an audacious effort to make such a thriller in which the title of being the ‘protagonist’ vacillates from one person to another quite impressively. You may not be sure who the lead character actually is but you are pretty sure that the film is not a bizarre scramble of sheer ambiguity. A cinephile’s experience will spring to life if he doesn’t have the prescience of the suspense before. The film is capricious but still thrilling and fantastically riveting.

Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho is worth the encomium and claps.

9 on 10 stars