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Glass Onion (2022)
Exciting, worthy Knives Out sequel!
Glass Onion is a clever, show-offy and stylish serious detective movie. With more action, this sequel is a worthy one. It's a Daniel Craig and Janelle Monáe killer detective flick. The camera work is mind-blowing, it's been a while that I have seen a fun detective ride that doesn't feed you too much because it is becomes such an easy watch over time. Simply put, Glass Onion has a lot to pack and offer, and you are in for a ride if you are choosing this during an evening with your loved ones. The music is good too! Everything about the movie's plot just feels so fresh and refreshing. I wish I could watch this in theatres. Enjoy! What a ride.
What next?
Ted Lasso (2020)
A 10 after ages.
That's right. I didn't watch Ted Lasso for a long time but now that I did, it should be out there: This show is epic, because it isn't just good but because you can see that with time it will get better.
A lot has been said for Ted Lasso. Positive. Witty. Inspiring. Human. Remarkable. I will just mention that there's a secret ingredient in the mix which is difficult to label, yet you just get the sense that it is there. And you yearn for it. Put faith on it. Wish for it to improve. On and off the field.
Trust me, when I say that this is one of the finest shows out there as of today. Polished performances and extremely good writing. The spirit of the game, the bonding of a beautiful community, the fact that it is all about that team effort which is becoming more and more important in today's world, these are bound to brighten up your day.
It works out well. I just cannot single out any actor in my review - all of them are in fantastic form. The writing is top-shelf and the direction is very mature.
Watch it before it becomes a template for successful drama-comedies of the future. Be the fan of what came first.
Now You See Me (2013)
Perfectly suited if you are looking for some solid weekend entertainment!
I suggest you people to go watch this movie as early as you can because 14th June is round the corner (MoS!) , and this movie is high on background score(Brian Tyler w00t w00t!), a decent plot, tricky direction and of course, smart performers.
The cast was so balanced. I have seen such a perfectly chosen ensemble after a really long time. Though Eisenberg should have been given some more screen space. And Isla Fisher is much more prettier than her 'Wedding Crashers' days.
The first half is not that slow, but actually not much is shown in the first half in comparison to the second half which manages to keep you at the edge of your seats, mounting to a satisfying climax in the end.
Morgan Freeman looked frail for the first time on screen-diluted pupils, weak mouthing of lines. And that made me really sad and worried.
People might end up hating the movie because of the simple fact that it lets out secrets as much as it elevates the magic trick in the next sequence, and so on and so on- which is a bold thing to pull off. The mythological connection should be explored more in the sequel if they make one(confused if they will or not) .
Overall, Eisenberg-Freeman-Fisher-Caine-Ruffalo & Co. will ensure you don't come out of the theater disappointed. The illusion-shots are superb. And please, don't keep guessing the ending before it comes. Let it grow and flow as designed. That's the key to enjoy a heist movie you know!
The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)
The way it connects with the viewers makes it the BEST SPIDER-MAN MOVIE EVER MADE!
For a concept that is familiar to everyone, they surely had to do what has not been done previously: Character-buildup. And that's where it scores so well.
The brilliant action sequences, speedy screenplay and intelligent direction makes it look so grand that I can easily tag this as THE BEST SPIDER-MAN MOVIE EVER MADE.
Andrew Garfield doesn't step into Tobey's shoes; he creates his own universe that makes Tobey forgettable. This spidey is swift , looks more intelligent and is equally vulnerable. A lot has been put to make this click, and you will never ever want to compare Tobey with him. Even if someone with you tries to do it, you would shut them off by saying, "don't bring that up shh! Lemme watch this treat" .
The high point of this movie was the way it connects to the viewers. The sense of cooperation that is displayed by the citizens of NY City in the end, is what a super-hero movie should be about. They are simply not the onlookers, but when our spidey needed them the most, they contribute their efforts to help him(won't act as a spoiler, so I will shut it here) . The background score makes the final 20 minutes of the movie a superb experience.
One forgivable low point would be the sheer need of keeping some aspects of the plot under shadows: Irrfan is definitely having some secrets as he keeps bossing around our Dr. Curt who is in the Cross Genetic research. I am hoping that he is coming back as the-- decide for yourself! And do sit through the first few minutes of the end credits.
Overall: This movie surely calls for a multiple viewing in theaters, with convincing action and scintillating CGI, The Amazing Spider-man is an amazing form of entertainment!
50/50 (2011)
Trying a cliché for a plot but succeeding in making a decent flick, 50/50 is all about introspection and livelihood
I had not really planned on seeing this one previously, but what sparked interest was the rave reviews I got from my friends. Running for the Golden Globe, they say. It deserves to be.
Because it is very rare nowadays that you come across movies which doesn't contain any mushy love story- of people kissing under moonlight, running around hand-in-hand, staring at each other for a long time in the rain- but yet they manage to make you have that similar feeling, of being replete with emotions by the end.
What I liked about this movie is that it doesn't make you sympathize with the protagonist-a sincere person in life, who is diagnosed with cancer-rather, it makes you walk with him, feel alienated, feel grateful and realize, that life can not be that bad no matter what happens.
With a dash of humor to keep the movie from falling into that pit of boredom, director Jonathan Levine has done a memorable work with his cast, and ensured that every viewer understands the possibilities explored.There are people in the protagonists' life who let him down, there are people who stand by him, and there are some who are co-passengers in his journey- and in one way or other,everybody contributes.
Not really showing what movies with such a theme usually offer(to start appreciating life all of a sudden,like never before)-since our hero is already a realist-50/50 will make to my list of movies which have titles like The Social Network, The Prestige etc.
Performance-wise, I would say that Joseph Gordon-Levitt knew what he had to show, and did justice to the role. I expect him to become one of the biggest actors of the industry, in near future. He did not overdo things, and at the same time, did not make things paltry too. The right kind of expressions he had, I would say.
Seth Rogen blends in well, as the quintessential friend who stays with you during tough times, but again, he is not like those typical sympathetic-he uses Levitt's medical condition to get girls-but by the end, he cares. I enjoyed Anna Kendrick's presence, and would really love to see her play in more movies.
In short, a beautiful movie with promise of some really good moments, 50/50 is a surprisingly strong contender for the 84th Annual Academy Awards(yes the nominations are yet to arrive but I am positive), and also, a nice weekend-watch.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 (2011)
The paranoid ones will be stunned for sure!!!
So well made,dark, totally exceeded expectations , tight screenplay and the splendid on-screen adaptation of The Prince's Tale, HP7.2 has finished a saga which kept us cheering and clapping in many of the jaw-dropping sequences...it was a first-day-first-show, and a house-full at IMAX 3D screen, and I was moved by the spirit of the people...the depressing Voldemort declaring Potter dead, brought a silence in the theater, but the next scene which followed, was so superbly shown that we were rooting: Go Harry! Daniel Radcliffe turned out to be a fine boy-wizard , his expressions were up-to-the-mark totally! Alan Rickman scored and Ralph Fiennes will forever be remembered as the darkest villain of all time! Not much to act by Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, but Matthew Lewis surprises( hit like striking a sixer by Sachin!)
A bit of imperfection was seen in the form of abruptness which Yates maintained...some scenes(mainly the important characters dying) needed some extra minutes, but I guess overall its passable as you cannot show each and every minute detail in a Finale...now those are complaining about such things, and hence calling the movie a disappointment, must know that, in this finale, each Potter-maniac is expectant of the action and if in view to achieve the book-readers' respect , the makers added every single details as given in the book, then the movie would have turned to be a disappointment(trust me, this review is being written by a person who grew up reading those novels) for sure. The winner in the movie are The Prince's Tale and the climax...the climax is the best one i have seen in any fantasy-movie so far, because it made us shudder even though we knew how it would end! Not only this would be a record-breaking commercial success, but I bet some Oscar nominations await too...respect for David Yates and Steve Kloves to keep this one the closest to the book!
Watch out for the pleasantly surprising epilogue and who knows? you might actually stand up and clap(like we did, yeah really), as you see the temporary blacked-out screen moments before end-credits roll... splendid end of an era... REPEAT-VIEWS, DEFINITELY!!!
And finally, a word of advise, people , don't be skeptical while watching this movie...just celebrate the ending and the aura of Harry Potter as it should be done for a franchise which lasted a decade and with which, most of us grew up...reading and watching alike!
Delhi Belly (2011)
S#!T Happens , and S#!T Excels!
Bollywood has taken a big bold step with this movie , and once again , it was Aamir Khan who showed the way! He not only gave a movie that will be talked about for quite a long time , but again came to Imran's rescue, to give him a re-launch he desperately needed!
Every thing new has been tried , with the language being 90% English , the occasional Hindi comes out in the forms of those "terms of endearment" , and the lingo is something that we all dig! This one has fresh comedy, is stylish , and is worth a repeat view! All the performances were worth-watching ,especially the trio and Vijay Raaz 's !
Watch out for the "Ja Churail" number, its frigging hilarious!! And the one-liners too!
The Fall (2006)
"Expressionism , creativity , art of story-telling wrapped up with the qualities of a child's sheer innocence and the flare of a suicidal heart-broke..."
First of all, let me tell you: the line written above is just not enough for praising a film like this. If you are into art-films , then you can't just avoid this one(and i wish you won't).This is not a movie which is like many others which inter-twin complexity with passion...nor is it like those movies which portrays daily happenings in a different way....this movie succeeds because it has a story to tell that we don't come across generally...and yet succeeds in binding you till you see the end.
I have always been supportive of and recommend my friends those movies which has a plot to watch out for.And after watching this movie I realized that how simple the director Tarsem Singh made it look like , and managed to uphold such a strong plot! It is true that imagination can heal your sufferings , with the susceptibility it possesses. And this is the basic idea of the plot. Our protagonists,Alexandria (Catinca Untaru) , a five-yr old girl who is admitted to a hospital following some mishap is a daydreamer who finds companionship in Roy(Lee Pace) , a movie-star who is in the same hospital, bedridden and possibly paralyzed after a jump he took in his first film.
He tells her a tale of five heroes who all have a common enemy , Governor Odious , and vow to avenge him together. Owing to her vivid imagination , Alexandria starts visualizing the tale and takes deep interest , which Roy cashes to gain his own motives of attempting a suicide , even as the story of the characters start resembling Roy's life and the lives of people around him more and more , thus resulting into the thin line of fact and fiction dissolve and become blurred in due course of the movie , with an interesting ending.
Not much of the performances to look out for, except that Alexandria was played earnestly and with utmost simplicity by Catinca . Actually , the story-telling through lenses is done in such an amazing way by the director, that you feast on the beauty each scene has to offer.
Some scenes were pretty appreciable("Wallace with the Americana exotica" scene , "Otta Banga on a bed of arrows -a rendition of Bheeshm Pitamaha from Mahabharata dying" scene , "The Stony-faced Priest(sic) dissolving to the landscape" scene , "Alexandria regaining senses from the fall "etc.) , and for this reason, i am watching out for Tarsem Singh's upcoming movie : "Immortals" . An encomium!
Lastly, the silent movies shown in the end is a symbol of tribute being paid by the makers to the era that started all this whole idea of movie-making and watching them!
So i am not promising you a movie full of entertainment, but for the qualities it possesses , this movie surely must not be missed.
Changeling (2008)
Some movies are made just for commercial purposes,while some are made to set examples and leave a mark....
At times, it is seen that the latter ones turn out to be absolute classics. And Changeling is one of those movies.
Firstly, the plot. Inspired from real-life events in Los Angeles in late 1920s, the plot slowly and carefully depicts the social standards of people and the civil services of that period. Especially, it focuses on the inefficient LAPD and this aspect plays an essential antagonistic role in the movie.
The story is primarily about a single, working mother , Christine Collins (played by Angelina Jolie) who comes home one night, late from work, only to find that her only son is missing from the house.
She checks everywhere she possibly could, and eventually reports the LAPD about the incident. As months pass by, there's no sign of her son as the LAPD fails to find even a single trace of the boy.At this point, the viewer connects with the characters pretty well, sympathizing with Mrs.Collins and forming hatred for the LAPD. The story takes a twist, when, after a span of 5 months, they LAPD , in a glorified fashion in front of the media, reunites Christine Collins with her lost son, showing that the department can ensure safety of the people. Well, this is a very significant event, considering the fact that the boy is not the son her mother was looking for. And, as she speaks of the fact, the LAPD chief insists her that she might have been wrong, owing to the inner emotional conflicts and the time her son was away from her. She is forced to accept in front of the media this falsehood. Later on, she finds out vital proofs that the boy is not her son. And thus starts a journey and sequence of incidents of a mother who just fights to want her son back, and the dirty politics she faces played-off by the LAPD , let alone the dire consequences, the torture(being send off to a mental asylum forcibly etc.).In the meantime, a huge incident of homicide unearths in another part of the country, and this big incident ultimately connects to the prime story smoothly by the second-half.
Secondly, the performance(s). Until now, we have seen Jolie in glamorous,action-packed roles, those which have very little scope of drama.But in this movie, she surprises by showing her real acting talents, of what she can be capable of. The way she manages to connect with the viewer is simply amazing. In fact, the movie is able to jerk tears in some sequences. Hats-off to Jolie. We would want to see more of her in such roles in the upcoming years.
Almost all the actors in other roles manage to pull off a fine show, although i think the role of the Reverend could have been played better by Michael Caine. But apart from that, everything about performances is fine.
Thirdly , the direction. Eastwood fan, anyone? Well I bet there are many, but if you are not, you will be added to the list, and would want to watch more and more of his movies, that's my bet! Making the film move in such a smooth pace(you never feel bored at any point of time), narrating the story of each and every character in such a delicate fashion, Clint Eastwood deserves to have a standing ovation for his work.
So all in all, a perfect movie, that leaves you mesmerized in the end, and makes you feel and understand the agony of the protagonist. A serious drama, suitable for a repeat viewing.
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)
"A light-watch movie, with scintillating performances . Don't die for watching it in theaters, although , if you are a Depp fan, then its another story !"
Capt. Jack Sparrow is back , and this time , a good ensemble cast follows him...each character , be it Barbossa, Angelica or Blackbeard - each one has their own story to tell , and, as they all follow the quest for the Fountain Of Youth, they enchant you with their stylish performances!
Especially, a note for Geoffrey Rush : What a fine actor he is! Hard to imagine that this very person had delivered a serious role of a speech therapist in "The King's Speech"....he is funny, witty and is able to churn out something classy whenever he enters a scene.
Penelope Cruz was as enticing as ever-seductive and sensible. it was impressive to see her pull off those fight sequences amazingly. And seriously, I am bowled over by her accent!
Johnny Depp was as splendid . He really has a thing for playing weird characters on-screen(we are talking Edward Scissorhands , Sweeney Todd, The Mad-Hatter, and of course, Jack Sparrow , among many others.. ). The way he delivers those one-liners, his expressions and ability to put eccentricity in the character, is simply amazing. Got to say, Jack Sparrow flows in his veins!
Ian McShane was appropriate as Blackbeard, although his relatively smaller screen space seems to be responsible in failing to showcase him as the most dangerous pirate ever lived(the viewers are just made to assume that fact when he first takes entry in the movie). A little bit more , perhaps , could have just done the trick.
For the plot, well, don't expect anything grand here, as it might be a disappointment then. Just sit back , (relax if you want to!! :P) and enjoy as the top-billed actors play around the whole time. The low point of the movie is, I would say, the plot. It seems a drag many a times in the movie , and this fact remains there since the third part. They makers are not at all working on the plots of the franchise but are solely depending on the casts (primarily on Depp) to pull off the show, else this would have been a treat for both easy-goers and critics alike. A little lesser action than the previous ones, POTC: 4 lags at its plot, way too much, after all this hype and hoopla.
Not much effort was put in the 3D facet, with very less CGI effects to watch out for. Although it was a treat to watch some scenes- Jack playing with a dewdrop , the brandishing of sword by Blackbeard, Jack jumping off the cliffs and the climax sequence etc. Plus , 100 bucks for 3D, i won't mind! ;)
Finally, a special word of accolade for Hans Zimmer : HE HAS CREATED A MASTER-PIECE OF A THEME-TUNE! I mean, at the end of each installment, I would wait for the ending credits to roll, and when the tune follows, it simply gives me goosebumps!
The conclusion: Watch the movie if you are a Depp fan, more if you are a Jack Sparrow follower. Don't expect much in the action or the plot. And watch out the slapstick and witty humor of the movie ,(the hollow peg leg scene, the stealth sequences , the escape sequence etc.) and the one-liners. Sequel is a possibility(sit through the credits and in the end, you will get the hint!). And for the fun,it gives you!