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