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Mimi (2021)
Mimi is NahiNahi (NoNo)
Firstly, why isn't the Rating option for this Film available on the App itself? What games are these?
Second, the movie is absolute junk. Bollywood created Stereotypes are used to the fullest.
Stop promoting junk agendas in the name of Cinema.
Godzilla vs. Kong (2021)
Codes & more codes
All the movies Godzilla & Kong are filled with codes. This one was no exception. I loved every bit of it. Action sequences were well done. Story isn't new but i still enjoyed cause of all the new info that is profound for current times.
The Mistress (2012)
Soulful & Simple
This movie does have a story that has been told before, but somehow they still managed to make it fresh. The characters are fresh, there is a charm about the two main leads, who aren't really pretending or over acting. I liked the soulfulness of the work done by the them.
Sherni (2021)
Lomdhi should be the Title
Utterly Disappointed again. Bollywood is hell bent on conveniently changing narratives & making Sanatani Indians (or Hindus, as called by the West) look like they're criminals and thugs.
It's one thing taking the Liberty to make creative adjustments, but when facts are changed & made to target a particular community, thats just plain & simple propaganda.
I give this movie -100 on 10.
Will not recommend to anyone. Its a waste of time, energy & money.
Radhe (2021)
Minus 10 for this Rubbish
I am so pissed I dont even care about writing a review for this film. In fact im wasting time even writing this review.
SPOILER ALERT- Its a DABBA movie.
Sadak 2 (2020)
Don't torture yourself watching this piece of absolute Garbage
This film is absolutely Garbage. No story, Overacting, lack of direction, build up, unnecessary songs and just ghastly old concepts that were not given enough time to be explored.
If Mahesh Bhatt used his brain he would have used this boring story and created something more interesting by perhaps changing the sequences of the story, making it perhaps non-linear... and may be the story could have been slightly more appealing.
Like I said don't waste your time on this garbage. No No No.
Khuda Haafiz (2020)
Vidyut Jammwal's Career Best Film So Far...
My critique is based on my personal opinions as a Screenwriter and Editor.
Want to start of by giving the Director/Writer of the film, Faruk Kabir a shout out, since we went to the same University for our degree in Screenwriting & Filmmaking, New York Film Academy.
Within the first 5-10 minutes of the film thé premise is established. Every scene in the film was there to move the story forward, which is a pleasant change to see in a Bollywood film.
Vidyut Jammwal was really good. His reactions were justified and he didn't once try to over power or dominate any scene by over doing the emotion or action.
Usually actions scenes are designed to make the hero look like he is the king of the world, but the action sequences designed in the film didn't make Vidyut look like the trained martial artist that he is. How difficult it must have been for him to know how to defend himself and yet not be as reactive as he has trained himself to be. He literally does everything to make himself look like an everyday citizen - whether it is showing restraint in a situation where he's losing his cool and clearly upset, or taking a moment to figure out whether to jump from one building to the next to save himself from the goons. Because he was able to show such restraint he really earned my respect.
I personally thought this was his career best performance so far, after his debut Force.
The story is engaging. Every actor Annu Kapoor, Shiv Pandit, Aahna Kumra & Shivaleeka Oberoi all played their parts really well. No unnecessary characters were added to take away from the story. I could tell they put a lot of effort in establishing every moment in the film keeping in mind that it must move the story forward and keep everyone at the edge of their seats.
I remember a story that came out in the papers some years ago about an actual couple who went through the same ordeal. Really hits you in the gut, what people do to each other.
P.S. - Those of You wondering if Noman is a country, no there isn't any country named Noman, and they intelligently changed the name without causing any unnecessary issues.
The Morning Show (2019)
Unapologetically Bold, and Honest
I would hate to give any spoilers so I'd still to the performances, story telling.
Performances of the entire cast, protagonists and supporting characters alike are incredibly powerful.
The character arcs are well written. The motivation of every character is evident and quite clear from the beginning. Performances are thoroughly engaging and all the parts are given to artists that have done a remarkable job.
Direction is A++ even though the directors for each episode are different, there is cohesiveness in all the episodes and the vision of storytelling remains the same.
I don't want to put any spoilers so I'll just say I highly recommend the show. It's a must watch!
Black Is King (2020)
Raising the vibrations of the FIERCE NURTURING POWERFUL ABUNDANT DIVINE FEMININE AND MASCULINE
Visually Stunning, Black is King is gripping, exciting and very engaging from start to finish.
The Lion King as the Theme, infused with the richness and regalia of Black History. This movie is the story of the Divine Feminine and Masculine that live within, and how embracing that power and strength within can lead back to a space of Universal balance and peace.
Honestly I loved the concept. It's fresh, exciting and Beyoncé's new take on Black Lives Matter!
More power to the message! Black is Gold! Black is Good! Black is Power! Black is Beautiful! Black is Bold! Black is Royal!
Dil Bechara (2020)
Dil Bechara is a mood, Sushant is the Highlight
Hard to think Sushant is gone. But he leaves behind another epic film!
You can't take your eyes off him, the movie is amazing. It's easy breezy.
I think it's going to be hard to get into the technical details of the totality of the film but what's exceptionally clear is that you've got to Watch it for Sushant... he was made for the movies...
He knows his craft, you can sense his powerful presence in every scene, and that's the true mark of an efficient actor. The beauty is in the details - from getting the walk of the character right to setting the mood right, Sushant steals the show.
Saavat: A Hunt for Closure (2019)
A woman centric film that challenges social norms
What I love about the film is that it's a woman centric story. The protagonist and so called antagonist all women.
Without revealing much of the film I want to emphasize that it's not your everyday thriller films. It's mostly centered around the crime theme and has a social message attached to it. Very rarely do we see a filmmaker and writer in Indian cinema to make a film that's not just engaging in terms of script and idea, but also something that's dealt in a unique way.
Saavat is a uniquely designed film, everything is thought out to make the story compelling with a twist
Of a message in the end. It's almost tricking people into thinking it's a horror or thriller only to then reveal its social message about injustices committed against women in India.
I think if you choose to watch this film, do so with an open mind, it's a new interpretation of crime and thriller genre and I think it should definitely get some respect in terms of its uniqueness and new point of storytelling.
Forensic (2020)
Unnecessarily complicated
I get the idea of having a mind blowing plot twist but every time there was a reveal the story got a little less exciting and more annoying.
Too much happening, too many plot twists, too much cramped up with very rushed third act of the story where literally everything is being told to us rather than shown.
Im a screenwriter And honestly one of the most important rules of writing a screenplay Is to show and not tell, here we literally had a man who is narrating everything at the end. No way are we shown any of those aspects, who in the right mind would feel invested in a story where we literally see everything but the actual story of why the serial killer is killing.
Mind blown at the stupidity honestly.
Darkest Hour (2017)
Gary Oldman, what a terrific artist!
This man named Gary Oldman, we've seen him embrace and become so many different characters, but none have moved me as much as his role as Winston Churchill. What brilliance!!!
I couldn't find even the slightest of reflection of the man himself, it was like he had the power to transform into anyone he so desires.
I'd also applaud the work of the Director Joe Wright who is no short of brilliant a creator himself. What a marvel of a movie! Loved every minute of it.
I'm not going to ruin it for anyone I'd just say watch it for Gary Oldman.
The story has its ups and downs but the screen presence of Gary Oldman as Churchill makes it worth it.
Bulbbul (2020)
Engaging and Layered Story!
This movie is thoroughly engaging from the start. From the get go I was connected to Bulbbul and her story.
Many stories have been told about the turmoil of women but what works in this movie is the layered storyline as well as the characterization of all the characters in the story.
The story is told in a non-linear timeline which is another reason why it works. Had it been a story told in a linear fashion from start to finish, it wouldn't have been as engaging. I love how the different sequences were all jumbled up to convey the message beautifully.
If I could ask a question to the Director, Producer or Writer of the story I'd love to know if the story was written the same way or did they decide to jumble it up to make it more engaging.
The cinematography is spectacular. There was a creepy and disturbing undertone to the film from the start. The reason why they use the red tones throughout the film becomes clear in the end when Satya's character tells his brother that the Blood ties them all together. That was a stroke of genius right there.
Honestly I love writing horror genre the most, as a screenwriter I feel that it's one of the best genres and unfortunately the most abused one too. There are very few horror stories truly this engaging and Bulbull ticks the boxes of horror, mystery and psychological thriller elements.
Extraction (2020)
A really slick and stylish Action Film with multinational star cast
It's so good to see a film with such a diverse cast of actors. Honestly, this is what it means to make a truly International Film.
The things that work for the film -
1) The diverse cast and crew - only a dull person would not appreciate such diversity!
2) The Action - The fact that Sam Hargrave was on the Director's Chair I expected nothing short of brilliant action sequences. After all he is the Brain behind the action stunts Of many Action/ Superhero Films.
3) The background score - It's edgy, it keeps you active and engrossed in the film.
4) The story - it's engaging, I like the character development. Of course there are things that could be improved on but I'm in no mood to complain today. So I'm just going to appreciate.
I really enjoyed the chemistry of Chris Hemsworth and the young Rudraksh Jaiswal. A job well done there!
5) Location - This film proves that you don't need the Swiss Alps and Dubai skyscrapers to make a good film. The premise is focused and it's good to see that the makers didn't compromise on it by trying to make things look pretty.
Also, I am so happy for Randeep Hooda, I read in an old interview of his (think it was in 2013) that he went to university in Australia to pursue a career in Acting in Hollywood but things fell apart. And here comes Extraction - with an Actor from Australia and a Hollywood based project! How perfect to see someone being able to accomplish their dreams. ( I hope his mentor Naseeruddin Shah is really proud of him too).
I'd give this film a 9/10 because well there is room for improvement and I'm also feeling really good about seeing a thoroughly engaging action film, that isn't a super hero movie.
Mother! (2017)
Poetry!
This film is poetry!
It's deep, engaging and breaks your heart into a million pieces. While it's a slow burner and may not be for everyone - but I think people who enjoy watching films that have captivating and rare storytelling techniques Mother! is a must watch!
Nacido en Siria (2016)
The Documentary is ALL HEART!
How does one rate a documentary that discusses the realties of life and the people living those lives.
It's eye opening, heartbreaking and makes you want to get up and do something to help.
I am wondering is there a way to reach out any of the kids and their families in the documentary to offer help?!
Yeh Saali Aashiqui (2019)
Story is fresh, But the Film on the whole could have been better
So I was super intrigued to watch this film after seeing the Trailer. It's a classic who done it (who is being truthful in the case of this film).
While the point of view and storytelling is fresh, I thought there were portions of the film that were either underwhelming or overwhelming.
Underwhelming parts were in the first half of the film - we have no idea why Mitee is the way she is. No backstory or explanation given at any point in the film. While we know she uses people, we are never told at any point of time what brought her to that point, considering her parents were rather simple people who went all out trying to be there for her daughter and giving her the best they could under their given circumstances.
Then in the second half we are suddenly thrown a bunch of information about how she manipulates her way to the top - mmm I just felt cheated as an audience that I was being given all this information and didn't really have the chance to experience her character's journey.
As a Filmmaker and Screenwriter I felt the story completely missed the point of showing rather than telling. The entire story is basically told to the audience, instead of letting them experience the moments.
Now the overwhelming parts, the acting of Vardan was good, until he played the negative bits where I felt he went slightly towards over performing. The actress on the other hand was quite average in the first half and got a little better in the second half. A lot of the secondary characters were really bad and it felt almost gimmicky.
While this was a good attempt from the point of storytelling, I think if they hadn't tried to rush the idea and actually chunked out the beats properly they could have skipped through some unnecessary parts and actually focused on establishing the characters and their motivations better.
Celluloid Man (2012)
Fascinating story of Indian Film Archivist Nair Saab
Nair Saab has always fascinated me. I've tried to gather as much information about him and his work in the field archiving as I possibly can. So to my delight when I came across this documentary on Netflix I had to watch it right away.
It's amazing to hear the tales of his life from his own recollection and that of others. A legendary man who is solely responsible for starting the system of archiving films in India.
If only I could meet the man himself I would love to talk films and know his opinions and share mine. I'm a filmmaker and screenwriter so a person like him who is so well-versed in the craft would be an experience of a lifetime.
You've got to see the documentary to understand how important he is to the film world.
Ladies Up (2020)
Watch it to support the Women stand up comedians in India.
So I think my favorite set was Prashasti's. I just love her personality and sass. I thought her set was well written and well performed.
Was a little disappointed seeing Kaneez's set because she's a talented stand up comedian and somehow her material just didn't work as well. I did like that her family was there to support her ( mum and grandma) and she was actually making jokes about them. I can see that comfort level between the ladies in her life and I loved that but well that really doesn't have anything to do with this Netflix special but I just thought I'd mention it.
Supriya Joshi was good. I don't think she was brilliant but her physical comedy gives her that edge and I have always enjoyed seeing that aspect of her routines.
Niveditha - It was my first time seeing her perform. I don't have any prior performance to compare her to so it's hard to say if she could have done better but I felt like her performance was slightly all over the place. I wasn't quite sure what the set was about until she kept talking about repeated Tamil men repeatedly. Honestly I was a bit underwhelmed but i would like to check out other performances by her so I can get a sense of who she is and what her voice is as a writer and comedian.
I'm giving this a 5/10 simply because I love that there are more women stand up comedians in India now and I just want to support them and encourage them even if they're unable to make an impact every time they perform. I think these ladies deserve a chance and from one stand up comedian to the 4 ladies in the special I just want to say I'm proud of you for putting yourselves out there.
A Fall from Grace (2020)
Interesting story, but terrible execution.
I think giving this movie a 5 is me being lenient. Tyler Perry is an interesting filmmaker, while his stories can be compelling and really interesting, the execution of it can be a little questionable.
I thought the concept was great. We had some good actors in the film, some not so much that kind of ruined the experience for me.
I get that the subject matter was meant to be hard hitting, but when you deliver a project that seems almost too comical in it's approach, or may be it's just the actors that did a terrible job ( I think it's both, but anyway) one can't really appreciate the initial intent of the very project.
Really disappointed, that's all I've got to say.
All the Bright Places (2020)
Watch it for what it silently says, watch it for the experience!
This ain't a 10/10 film but I really can't find any issues with the film.
Haven't read the book, will definitely do that now. Having said that, this movie is an experience, and experiences can't be quantified and so I struggled quite a bit to give a number attached to how this film made me feel.
I score it a 8 on 10 for now because I want to read the book, hence I want to leave a little room to change my mind, may be or may be not. But in all certainty I will give this movie a go again after im done reading the book - so may be the scores here would change, may be the review would change too, who knows.
This review isn't a spoiler, but I just want to say that you've got to watch this movie and experience the message it's trying to convey, the unspoken pain, and the moment of letting go.
Guilty (2020)
Kiara Advani steals the show in this one!
Okay so Kiara Advani blew my mind in this one. I think she was what was so good about this film. You could understand the complexity behind who she was. Her pain was visible in every frame she was a part of. She truly looked like the broken one and carried the film on her shoulders.
Now the story was compelling and they did a pretty good job in terms of not revealing if the guy was guilty or not, and the girl accusing him was being honest or not.
While those parts were what I appreciated about the film, there were also things that didn't work for me.
1) The supporting cast - I was a little disappointed with the supporting casts performances. Now this is my personal opinion. I felt the characters lacked depth, of course some of them were meant to say despicable and vile things, the character work wasn't well chunked our in the story. They were made to look important but we know absolutely nothing about them. Also, the acting in some places was a bit much for me. The lingo was given more importance, the characters of friends almost always spoke alike, if they had one friend instead of like 4 the story would have still worked because well we know nothing about them.
2) So, my biggest issue with the script or story is that the girl accused just one guy of the crime and there is almost no inclusion of the friends in the entire story. The role they played is not given any credibility. I was quite shocked that they would tell a story like this one and make such a blunder in the end.
3) The court scenes were barely there, i understand that perhaps they didn't want to go that route, but we don't really get to see the Lawyers in the courtroom while they end up being prominent parts of the story.
4) again, I keep coming back to secondary character storylines, we know absolutely nothing about no one in the story. Kiara's character is the most chunked out and yet we see that she's dealing with issues and I could tell it had to do with her own past but we never get any visuals from the past. The makers are constantly telling us, rather than showing us.
And if there is one rule in screenwriting or filmmaking it is to Show, and not Tell.
But having said that. I think the music is unique and splendid. Kiara did a fab job. The story is definitely compelling and it's worth watching for an earnest attempt from Dharma (Dharmatic) Productions, to tell a new story, or at least their take on it. Also, watch it for Kiara!
Good Newwz (2019)
Solid performances, great humor quotient.
The movie saw some solid performances from the cast. Akshay and Diljeet of course had a major chunk of the comedic lines, but I think the ladies were exceptional. They definitely added more layers to the story that could have become a bit of a mockery.
The supporting cast was quite good as well.
I did however feel that the trailer gave us the information that Diljeet and Kiara were also leading characters but they ended up being kind of supporting characters. I was disappointed their storyline was not well established and that's something I wish they looked into more. They sometimes felt like protagonists but then lack of information about their personal lives or that about their backstory just gave the feeling like their stories were not even considered important.
I wanted to know more about them, may be that's just me but when you invest so much time in a story you want to have all the information so you could root for the characters.
It was a good entertainer.
Student of the Year 2 (2019)
Why did they have to make another Student movie?
I am a Screenwriter and Director so I don't really like to be harsh with my opinions because I know what effort goes behind making films.
I also know for a fact that a script goes through multiple changes in the course of the making of a film. Obviously at the start their is a script and then the director brings in his sensibilities that change the script. Actors add their own ideas as well, and in the final stage of editing, the editor along with the director make final changes to the story and it is then that we get the end product.
I'm giving this backstory because in most cases this is how a film gradually progresses to it's Final Cut, but I can't seem to find it in my heart to say this for SOTY2.
I wish there was an option for no stars because if there was, that's what I'd give to this film.
First, I don't understand why the indian film makers want to keep making terrible versions of the same film over and over again. Second, the concept had no new quotient to it, so why the hell bother making another film.
Except 2 songs, all the songs were rubbish. Again, what's with the constant remakes. I'm really bored with this culture. The direction is awful. Acting I wouldn't even like to comment on because the less I talk about it the better. There is definitely potential in the artists in the film but they were underutilized. The characters barely had an arc, unnecessary storyline and confusion created that makes the film look like the work of an amateur.
I wish Ananya and Tara started their career with different films so we could actually see their talent. ( I do think given good roles and good direction they could do well)
Tiger was doing a repeat of things he does and He looked really bored doing the same thing. Cut the guy some slack and give him something good to do - like please!
Also I feel terrible for actors like Gul Panag who were just an absolute mockery in the film. Not to miss Will Smith who chose this film of all the films to fulfil his wish to be part of a Bollywood number - wish someone had warned him what he was getting himself into.
Like I said I want to give the film a 0/10 but since I don't have that option I'd give it a 1/10.