navreview Reviews

Messi's World Cup: The Rise of a Legend (2024– )

For Die Hard Messi Fans

[4/10 · 4 May 2024]

This series is strictly for die-hard Lionel Messi fans, if you're a neutral you will have some hits and many misses and if you're fan of any other football player be it modern day greats or yesteryears you won't like it. After watching this 3+ hours long series the word LEO has struck in my mind, it has been used way too much, in almost every line. If you have seen any other documentary or series or read about Messi you know his past and how he ended up in FC Barcelona, makers have simply put that in the series don't know why. Match of round of 16 and Semi finals against Croatia has been covered in maybe 5 minutes in total. With extensive focus on match against Netherlands and and how Messi was returning the abuse to Weghorst and Argentine people making rap about it and ofcourse of final. There is nothing negative or flaws shown about him except maybe in the first episode after loss to Saudi Arabia rather makers have shown how vulnerable he is by putting journalists and fanboys to put their perspective about Messi, silence on Emi Martinez and other players treatment of Mbappe who had virtually won the game France or penalty that were awarded to Argentina.

Glad I didn't supported Argentina in final and still believe in van Gaal statement.

Maidaan (2023)

Cheers For Indian Football

[9/10 · 11 April 2024]

A football biopic of a inspiring football coach who is determined to bring footballing glory for the country. Though movie start is sluggish makes little impatient to watch but builds up slow and steadily to end on a perfect emotional note.

The initial build up helps to understand state of football in country, politics in the sport ( ever present in any sporting association of the country), lack of basic kits ( players representing country barefooted) and internal battles and fighting with the system. What makes movie watchable is the overall winning spirit its packs in latter half of the movie and the match sequence- the emotions, thrills and jitters that it brings quite same as watching the match live on TV. The end is highly sentimental which stays to ignite the sporting fervour and cheer up for the Country.

The Great Indian Kapil Show (2024– )

Nothing New to Talk About.

[2/10 · 6 April 2024]

2 episodes down in this 15 episodes series( read in reports before episode 1 premiered) there is nothing new to talk about and if Netflix took a punt on Kapil Sharma, looks like will end up empty handed. First it wasn't a great idea to ditch tv for OTT, show was originally made for Indian hindi TV audience not for people in 190 or 192 countries. Ofcourse there are whole lot of Indian Diaspora but don't think everyone of those will connect to the show like the TV audience has connected here in India, were most of us habituated to watch the Comedy Nights with Kapil or The Kapil Sharma Show every Saturday and Sunday. Coming back to the content of the show it has nothing special or new to offer than the previous versions of the show. Characters look even lame than previous versions and jokes are flat, repeated or repackaged like Sunny Deol-Bobby Deol act by Kiku and Krushna in episode 1. There was excitement about Sunil Grover returning to the show and even more that it was on Netflix with hopes of comedy that will stand out but alas it hasn't met any of my expectations.

Hanu Man (2024)

Brilliant Movie

[10/10 · 27 March 2024]

This superhero is movie based on Lord Hanuman, is a treat to watch. Superb character development and brilliant story build up for later parts, the Writer-Director should be commended for coming up with this brilliant movie and that too with such low budget that will probably put big budget movies to shame.

Movie perfectly blends devotion into modern storytelling coupled with visual brilliance where a carefree aimless man is transformed into protector loaded with emotions.

Movie is just a glimpse of grandeur of Hindu Mythology and can transform into a cinematic universe unmatched by any other.

Jai Shri Ram Jai Hanuman.

Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya (2024)

Bollywood makes movie on robotics

[1/10 · 27 March 2024]

Bollywood makes movie on robotics, don't expect anything than a cringe fest. Typically Bollywood will mix story with unnecessary romance,comedy, songs and dance as if there is dearth of romantic-comedy mixed with songs and dance to show. If writer-director were serious about making a sci-fi movie they could have done some wonderful work but no they may have just put keywords like robots, Indian family, drama and etc in ChatGPT to prepare story line and wasted so many resources to come up with this cringe. Even a 5 year old would have more imagination on robots than these grown up adults.

Probably the fake collections of some movies in 2023 has now encouraged these movie makers to produce more such sh***. Wish there is a way to rate 0.

Fighter (2024)

Siddharth Anand was right

[2/10 · 23 March 2024]

Siddharth Anand was right, It is very difficult to understand this movie, which looks like copy of Top Gun Maverick initially mixed with unnecessary romance where actor is haunted by his previous experience yet doesn't want to learn from his mistakes and continue to defy orders of his senior officer who has grudge against him because he has lost his younger sister due to the actions of the hero, further movie is inspired by ter00r attacks on Indian Army and ensuing events and action taken by Indian Air Force and their brave pilots, shown with artistic or cinematic liberty which does not honour the Armed forces. Lead Actress is fighting the social stigma and has to fight her father and over acting done by junior actors is too much to comprehend.

Good I don't have the cinematic skills/knowledge to understand these kinds of movie.

The Fall of the House of Usher (2023)

Brilliant Binge Worthy Series

[8/10 · 29 February 2024]

Though not a huge fan of horror movies and series, this particular series recommended to me, kept me hooked on it and watched it start to end in one go, it was so engaging to know why, what and how events will happen. Greed for power and money, repentance for your deeds is the core mantra of the series. Though one character named Verna is the mystery, makers should have shed more light on her character as she appears and then disappears in thin air is only point that beyond comprehensible. Still is a brilliant series which keeps us engaged in want to know what will happen next and how the characters will die. Hats off to makers for making me engaged on a horror series and now I'm looking forward to watch their other works.

Sam Bahadur (2023)

This should have been a WEB SERIES.

[6/10 · 27 January 2024]

Makers of this movie in 2 hours and 30 minutes have tried to cover every aspect of Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw's life by showing short 5-10 segment of each event which literally fails to do the justice to the persona that Sam Manekshaw carried. From birth till retirement that should have shown in 10 episodes of a web series to aptly showcase the character and that would have been a far better way to give tribute to the legend of Sam Manekshaw.

This looks more like a documentary than a movie and probably the movie makers could have focused more on one event probably 1971 war that would have made story a whole lot better.

Indian Police Force (2024– )

Boring and Unbearable

[1/10 · 21 January 2024]

Bollywood from past has relied on coping it was story, music, action sequences and many other things,Now they coping universe concept of Marvel with Cop verse, Spy verse, stree verse and don't know what they are hiding. And Rohit Shetty is certainly first one to copy that. If Sooryavanshi was bad this series is the worst, probably the worst of Rohit Shetty. Don't think there was any need to create this series. Just to add another chapter Rohit Shetty has wasted so many resources and precious time of his audiences. This series should be categorized as an epic failure and should sound bell of collapse of first cinematic universe of India unless upcoming Singham movie recreates its magic.

End Rohit Shetty Cinemaverse.

Sapne Vs Everyone (2023– )

Dreams

[10/10 · 26 December 2023]

Three episodes down and this has to be one of the best 3 episodes of a webseries that I have seen and can't wait for the remaining episodes. Seriously this one makes you feel like every thing that you are watching on the screen is related to your own life. We all are dreamers, chases them to eternity, some of us get them, some of us continue to chase but we never let go that dream.

This webseries is for all of us The Dreamers, how successful we are in achieving them certainly depends on how we have tackle the everyone that we face.

Note of appreciation for TVF, you guys never disappoints one bit. Amazing acting especially by Ambrish Verma and Paramvir Cheema, both of them made look Jimmy and Prashant real characters and Navin Kasturia from Naveen Bansal to Abhilash Sharma to Sumit Sir you are a gem.

SAPNE V EVERYONE.

Animal (I) (2023)

Family Drama Derailed.

[2/10 · 1 December 2023]

Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice ( actually fifth time ) shame on me.

Bollywood has tried to do different (with a Director-Writer actually coming from Tollywood) which again hyped by trailer released to create a troubled father-son relationship but some how falls flat particular in the second half which feels like endless.

Sandeep Reddy Vanga has some serious problems with women who has once again (Arjun Reddy and Kabir Singh for the past reference) has presented a 3 hours and 21 minutes long movie comprised of bloodshed, testosterone and blatant misogyny to glorify the alpha Male-esque tale.

Though trailer and songs have portrayed a movie filled with violence but some how father-son relationship shown in trailer is lost and the protagonist has become saviour of the family with whom we have sympathise as he is a love less child who takes refuge in bestiality as he didn't get attention of his rich and always busy PAPA whereas affection showered by MOTHER and SISTER means nothing.

Acting is good, music is also very good but for 201 odd minutes it's a endless loop.

Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani (2023)

Waste of Resources

[1/10 · 28 July 2023]

Bollywood is past its glory days, another terrible movie from the vault has been presented in front of the audiences based on repetitive story which looks like a mash up of all the movies produced by Dharma, YRF, Barjatya, Bhanshali and others in the name of family comedy drama or whatever the writer-director-producer wants to call it. Funda of Bollywood movie makers is simple just use repetition and remix and doesn't care about bringing something new to the audience as if art of storytelling is vanished altogether. Yesteryears actors along with some of the new age actors should retire for good, don't think they are doing anything new that they haven't done in past. Disrespecting the audiences is certainly new mantra of Bollywood along with being repetitive and banking on stardom.

School of Lies (2023– )

Stupidity at its Highest

[1/10 · 22 July 2023]

Didn't read any reviews or premises for this webseries and I was left totally disappointed, though I wasn't expecting anything superlative, it was totally 180 degrees opposite to what I thought it would be. I mean seriously if you yourself are the victim of child sex abuse, you tends to be vocal about it not go on making victims by yourself or to keep quiet to protect the others. And what about justice for the boy, why the counsellor hasn't told especially to the mother what the convict has confessed to her on the hospital bed. Parents are totally ignorant towards their child as father is searching spirituality and mother is in search of quite time to **** her boyfriend and why there have to be an infidelity in an Indian webseries/movies to show liberation of woman.

Don't know why I am stupid enough to fall for Bollywood crap everytime. Guess losing subscription to ott apps is the way to come out of all these.

Sandeep Bhaiya (2023)

Just a TVF thing.

[10/10 · 7 July 2023]

Wow what a series so far. Watching this will make you totally feel motivated to do better. Sandeep Ohlan is now not a character, He is the guiding light, a true inspiration. He will motivate you to achieve excellence. Never thought I will come across such a inspiring character who will make me think did I achieve what I want and make me cry for failure of someone who didn't exist in real life.

Hats off to the writer, director and actors to bring this amazing series and to TVF, you guys are always setting bar a notch above everyone else.

The only thing I hate is the presence of Unacademy but at same time understand that finances also important to bring forward such gems to life.

Ted Lasso (2020–2023)

Believe

[10/10 · 11 June 2023]

Watched the series from season 1 to 3 in one go and I ask myself question why haven't watched it earlier. This series got better and better after very episode and every subsequent season is better than the previous one.

For me Ted Lasso have been a perfect escape into happiness and joy and would definitely love be the part of the Diamond Dogs for good little suggestions/solution of the problems faced every day at work, in personal life.

This series defines relationships especially friendship a whole different way and how important they are in our lives. How it is important for us to have a positive perspective about every thing we face in our lives.

This gem from Apple+ genuinely radiates positivity and warmth in our life through the screen that we miss dearly.

Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)

Battle of Survival

[6/10 · 23 May 2023]

Avatar The Way of Water is a battle of survival for Jack Sully & his new family against the returning enemy who also survives in the end probably to inflict more pain on the family in upcoming movie sequels and also for audiences watching the movie. Visually the movie is absolutely stunning, beyond words to describe, use of vfx and graphics is absolutely mesmerising but somewhere in between the world renowned director James Cameron has forgotten to add the a proper story matching the visuals in the movie. It feels at some point like watching a National Geographic or any other visually stunning documentary on ocean and oceanic creatures living in the reef.

This movie has definitely worked on the hype created by the first movie and stature of the director. Watching this 3 hour long movie is not easy hats off to those who watched this in theaters.

Air (I) (2023)

Good but not great

[8/10 · 14 May 2023]

This movie is about Nike and it's shoe sales agent Sonny Vaccaro in pursuit to sign a rookie athlete who is believed as the greatest player in the making in US Basketball league. Though it is entertaining and keeps thing intriguing to show how Nike managed to beat its competitors to sign the athlete , who at one point was hell bent to sign with a rival in Addidas. The stories of Phil Knight, Rob Strasser about his daughter and king's speech is motivating but certainly not all inspiring.

We definitely came to know how sports contract has evolved to become what it is today by the way negotiation done by Michael Jordan's mother Deloris Jordan and numbers shown in the end of the movie breaking the expectations that even Phil Knight has 8n this nearly 2 hours long movie.

But still after watching the movie there is a feeling that it could have more than this.

Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan (2023)

One More Remake

[1/10 · 21 April 2023]

Bollywood lacks originality and creativity that should be no secret now. It is surviving on remakes and star power of the so called superstars.

This movie is no different, it is remake of Veeram and tries to bank on Salman Khan's star power to pull the audience without thinking about story and character development.

Movie looks like from 80's and to show Salman is Mega Star, he is shown as A to Z of the movie, and ironically it's not the audience who whistles on his entry but the junior actors working along side him who whistles and they have give been the role to just chant Bhai-Jan, Bhai-Jan in the entire movie.

Salman, like Bollywood is falling from the grace by choosing to make remakes and not to work on original scripts.

And Farhad Samji, he is not a director and after hearing he will be directing Hera Pheri 3, I am worried about the movie.

This movie is one heck of nearly 3 hours long banal and boring affair which tries to make north meet south but fails in every aspect.

Concluding words of Salman as Bhai-Jan in the movie is something like 'Done to Death' exactly my thoughts about the movie.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)

Slow burner.

[5/10 · 3 February 2023]

When the trailer was out it looked very promising - a good movie coming out from Marvel studios after the disappointments from Moon knight, Shang Chi, Eternals and Ms. Marvel but in the end it was another disappointment. Yes it was an emotional tribute to the Chadwick Bosman the original black panther, but could have been way- way better. It is slow and lengthy with lack of depth in the story and at some point you feel sleepy. Well you do get some surprises in form of Michael B Jordan but it in the end you get another average movie in the fourth phase probably the worst of phase in the "Marvel Cinematic Universe".

Enola Holmes 2 (2022)

Fun and Enjoyable to watch.

[10/10 · 7 November 2022]

Enola Holmes 2 sequel to the 2020 movie is one the finest movie that I have watched in 2022, probably 2nd best movie of 2022 after Top Gun: Maverick. Also one the best movie on the Netflix. This movie was even better than the original movie of 2020. It was a fun ride without any dull moment and no one should give a miss to this adventure of the Holmes siblings.

Story progresses with out any hippcups and acting is also good which is well supported by the music in the movie .

Henry Cavill as Sherlock Holmes looks very well suited in his character who has been given much longer screen time than the first movie and Millie Bobby Brown as Enola Holmes is fun to watch.

Overall I will suggest everyone to watch and enjoy this detective adventure filled with lots of fun.

Shamshera (2022)

Outdated and Boring

[1/10 · 23 July 2022]

Movie is probably 30-35 years late in release with the story it has come up. Bollywood movie makers need to understand time has changed people are looking for a decent story not the superstar name.

Ms. Marvel (2022)

Marvel is in worst phase

[1/10 · 15 June 2022]

This series is a disgrace in the super hero series. It is clearly have one perception that is not entertaining at all. I have been a Marvel fan but it's clearly time to move on.

Bye bye Marvel.

The Kashmir Files (2022)

Could have been great

[7/10 · 2 June 2022]

I feel this movie made out by taking many incidents happened in Kashmir to showcase the horrific suffering of the Kashmiri Pandits and Hindus and to show youth like Krishna that they are brainwashed by left ideology but fails to showcase all the suffering that pandits and hindus have gone through in Kashmir. It also pointed complete fault at particular political party and state government at that time but completely ignored to show that the central government was at fault as well.

Acting wise Mithun Chakraborty, Anupam kher and Pallavi Josh stood out and Dharshan Kumar could have done more.

It's a good attempt to show suffering and horrors faced by Kashmiri Pandits and Hindus yet also leaves with something better way all the horrors could have been shown.

The Sex Lives of College Girls (2021– )

Surprisingly Good

[9/10 · 2 June 2022]

Suggested to watch this series, hesitated initially but gone through entire season and it didn't disappoint at all. Felt songs used were the best thing in the series with lives of girls unfolding around. Bela's character stood out for me. Hopefully there will be a second season and as good as first one.

K.G.F: Chapter 2 (2022)

Worth the hype definitely

[10/10 · 17 April 2022]

After Chapter 1, Chapter 2 continues to take the KGF series to the height it deserved. Full on action and full of entertainment- a must watch. Best thing the Director-Producer has done is to release the movie in different languages taking remake out of scope for Bollywood to destroy the movie.