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Jojo Rabbit (2019)
It's brilliant! And, I dare say, underrated and somewhat misunderstood.
Never have I ever seen something like this. When I began this movie, I figured from the opening 10 minutes or so that this one is going to be a funny, ridiculing take on the well documented WW2 Nazi Germany. Sure, the ironic and farcical elements were to the point and actually quite hilarious at times, but I thought that would be that. I'll have a good laugh, then question myself for laughing, and then I'll forget this movie and move on. When I was done with this one, I could hardly think about anything else, and I still can't. This movie is a genius piece of art that needs more appreciation and acknowledgement.
I thought the concept of looking at the WW2 Nazi Germany from a child's point of view, and especially, from a pro-Nazi kid who wants to join the army and fight alongside Hitler was a brilliant idea. This allows the movie to depict the massive propaganda and brainwashing that was done to the youth of Germany to train their minds into an absolute loathing and hatred of Jews. This is exactly why Adolf Hitler is here a funny and ridiculous character who is an imaginary friend of Jojo. This is what the kids felt in those times, they thought of Hitler as someone they liked and wanted to be friends with because of the way they were taught about him. However, the artistic brilliance is, despite a funny portrayal of him, Hitler in the movie is hardly qualified to become a role-model. He dressing sense is not heroic, rather really stupid and buffoonish, his temperament is childlike and devoid of sense, and he is also portrayed as scared of many things. The cheerful fashion in which the kids are trained to throw grenades and burn books and are told all sorts of devilish fantastical things about Jews which to them are creatures quite different, is funny and also extremely satirical. The humour in this movie is never too-forced, albeit it stretches to the ridiculous but that's not of bad taste, at least for me. Special mention to the "German-Shepherd" moment and also, Rockwell's comical personality as a whole.
The fascinating concept of the movie is backed up and at times lifted up further by amazing individual performances by each and every member of the cast, even Rebel Wilson, who is her usual eccentric self. Now, all this aside, the real show-stealer in the movie is the truly heartfelt emotional moments which takes this movie to a different level altogether. The incredibly powerful "shoe-scene", the relationship between Elsa and Jojo, the "they love ugly people" followed by Jojo's reflection of his own face in the mirror, and special mention to Sam Rockwell's final scene. This scene truly describes Waititi's idea of this movie. Rockwell's character, despite being a Nazi Officer and portraying the bad guy, actually helps Jojo and Elsa out of a tight situation and ultimately, saves Jojo's life. Therefore, although he perhaps has taken many innocent lives based on his character, he does save one life at the end. This could be seen in the light that even the most-cruel people are capable of change. I thought this sends a wonderful message to the audience. The contrasting scenes of Wilson sending a young boy to "hug" a Russian enemy with a bomb on his back and this final scene of Rockwell saving Jojo's life and dying right after made me really thinking.
Finally, the all-important purpose of the movie, which has divided opinions among critics. Some say this movie is too casual and lighthearted in its approach towards very dark times, some believe it miscommunicates the identity and personality of Hitler. However, watching the movie closely makes it clear that Waititi, despite all the humour and ridicule, sends a strong message: Love triumphs Hate no matter what. This is quite well documented through the course of the film and the ridiculous and farcical elements in the movie only makes this message more vividly visible. Now, the question remains, are you ready for it?
Joker (2019)
"I hope my death makes more cents than my life." - Arthur's diary of jokes
The aura of Joaquin Phoenix at work again in this standalone 'drama' by Todd Phillips. The word 'drama' is important for this movie in particular because if you're looking for the conventional madness and the psychopathetic phenomenon that the name "Joker" always brings, you would be disappointed. Joker is as much a movie about Arthur's fall as it is about Joker's rise. For the most part of the 121 minutes, we see this really poor and pathetic figure of Arthur Fleck, living with his single-mother in a not-so-pretty apartment, and working amidst continuous abuse and ignorance of the rich kids of Gotham City, while struggling to make it as a stand-up comedian. Arthur Fleck is the typical portrayal of the left-out loner, who is beaten down by the unforgiving capitalist society, and finally able to assert power and control by means of violence. This is not a new concept. But, the real deal is the way Phoenix makes the character his own. The whole movie is seen from Phoenix's (Arthur's) point of view, and I could not find a scene as such in which he is not present. It is not so easy to really convince the fans of 'The Dark Knight' trilogy that Joker could be someone other than the exceptional Heath. But, somehow, Joaquin Phoenix as Joker, right from its announcement, seemed right. He is phenomenal throughout the movie. The screeching laughter which looked physically very troubling for the actor to execute on so many occasions, is going to be remembered for sometime. Only someone as eccentric as Phoenix could've made this kind of a portrayal possible.
However, there are a couple of things which needs to be addressed here. Firstly, the divided opinions about the movie, with many of the critics questioning the negative message that this movie sends to the audience. The argument of the nihilistic portrayal and making violence fashionable through this movie is really devoid of sense. This is not the first movie and won't be the last to portray violence. Secondly, and this makes more sense than the previous, the movie does not really have much in it besides Phoenix's brilliance. Not much happens for the most part of the movie, except for Arthur's painful laughter and somewhat catchy dance-moves. That being said, the movie does end on a high with the metamorphosis of Arthur into Joker taking centre stage and chaos unleashed.
This one leaves us with hope for something bigger and surely, the next installment will see the Joker we all saw and loved through the years.
This is not a movie about Joker, it is a movie about Arthur. Remember this and you'll love it.
Murder on the Orient Express (2017)
A visual treat devoid of precision
To begin with, 'Murder on the Orient Express', in general, is an absolute treat to the eyes for its cinematography, the acting and the music score. It creates that dramatic flair that good movies have in tthem. However, for those who have read the book of the same name by the genius, Agatha Christie, the movie is definitely a step down in terms of content. Nothwithstanding the fact that it is not possible to include every little detail of the book into the movie, but it did feel as if the movie missed out on certain key moments which was quite an important part of the book. The movie began really strongly, with a precise portrayal of the famous Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot, the colourful visual setting and certain other nits and bits did altogether set the stage for a truly pleasing next 100 minutes or so. Tha being said, once the characters were introduced and settled and the movie really picked pace, ironically, it somehow was inconsistent in its approach. It changed pace quite bizzarely and almost rushed too quickly to the end, leaving lots of important moments to the book only. On the brighter side, the performance of Kenneth Branagh, who also is the director of the movie, was really impressive and I never had any difficulties picturing him as the Hercule Poirot, so much loved in the book. He did carry the movie on his shoulders throughout the middle portion. Great support from Penelope Cruz, Daisy Ridley, Judy Dench and co. provided with some sort of flair to the movie. One slight blemish that kind of stuck out like a sour thumb was Johnny Depp's performance. In general, I rate him very highly as an actor, and he had treated us with some outstanding performances over the years, but, and it's just a personal inference, he in his recent movies, his acting has becoma quite monotonous and predictable. His voice always takes me back to the Jack Sparrow days and sometimes it helps me liking him more in the movie, but on this particular film, it was more a nuisance than a relief. The movie has it's fair share of inconsistencies, but it all faded away during the final moments, especially in the final couple of scenes. The way it has been put forward is a visual treat and is largely responsible for making this movie from a "onetime thing" to a geniunely good movie.
To sum up the movie in a sentence, it is good, but less than its potential.
Laakhon Mein Ek (2017)
Promising story-line, encouraging performances, a real eye-opener for the youths and the respective parents
Akash Gupta, a mimicry artist by heart, a mediocre student in science, sent on a difficult path of IIT coaching in high hopes by his parents (more his father, than mother), is an important and a realistic character among the youth of India. In our society, the 10th Board Exam is like an entrance exam for pursuing science. Here, taking anything other than Science after 10th generally means the student couldn't get into Science, therefore, he/she has to stuck commerce/arts instead. There is strong unanimity among the parents here about pushing their off-springs to science, and if possible IIT. This very misconception about education and the subsequent things that it leads to has been beautifully pictured in this one-season series.Then comes the self-decorated IIT coaching institutes. While, it seems rather a good and wise move to send their children to institutions like such, the inside story of these places can prove to be quite a shock for the guardians, if disclosed. In this show, Akash, despite getting only 55% in his 10th exams, has been sent to one of such institutes by his parents in the hopes that it will surely help him cracking IIT. When he reaches there, he finds that the students who are likely to be selected for IIT are separated from the rest in every aspect. It creates a big divide in the minds of the students. Although, Akash tries very hard to improve his understanding of science and the subjects taught there, he is unable to get results. He figures out quite early that Science is not his thing, but he carries on trying just so that his father doesn't end up disappointed. In the pressure of providing good results, he resolves into cheating. While, he starts getting better marks, he is not very happy with the fact that he cheated. One day, the Principal of the Institution learns about the cheating and subsequently also learns that students are indulged into smuggling food items and alcohol within the institution. These leads to unpleasantness and results in the expulsion of a student, Chudail, who has become a really good friend of Akash. Being the reason behind Chudail's expulsion, as it was Akash who succumbed to pressure and gave the Principal Chudail's name, Akash goes into depression, which goes as far as him trying to commit suicide on the terrace, only to be rescued by another friend, Bakri. The whole atmosphere inside the institution leans towards realism and we cant deny the fact that indeed these kind of treatment does happen in India. Its important for the parents to know how the institutions like these work and how its not really going to help a student who is not very good in Science, to get into IIT. Personally, I would love to see a second season of this show, which could show Akash's journey after getting expelled and his subsequent running away from home, the scene which finishes the ultimate episode of the first season. Its a really good show and everyone should watch it and become aware of the harsh reality of Indian education system.
Dhananjay (2017)
An important revelation that could've been sensational, given more care.
The Dhananjay Chatterjee story is one which has been on since like forever. This story has unfolded so many astonishing aspects about the society and people around us. It's fair to say, the story, the closer inspection of it, needed to be put forward in front of the masses. For all these years, we had a completely different view of the story. I am pretty certain this movie will bring some change to it. Now, if we concentrate on the movie making side of it, its merely average. The acting overall isn't worth cherishing. It will bug a viewer throughout the movie that it could've been way so much better still. That being said, Kaushik Sen gave a strong performance, though he was playing second fiddle to Mimi Chakraborty. The courtroom procedures could've been a lot more precise. There is sometimes too much drama in the way a normal conversation was taking place. The best scene of the movie has to be the one just before Dhananjay's hanging. Him asking his friend to sing him a Manna Dey song before he takes his leave from life is enthralling. There is so much pain in that scene that one couldn't help feeling empty from inside for a moment or two. How a poor and an innocent person got crushed under the wheels of the rich favoring and politically motivated society is what the movie wants to portray. It succeeds in doing so to some extent. Overall, I have to admit, although a really good movie, this story deserved a better interpretation.
Meri Pyaari Bindu (2017)
Old wine in a new bottle.
Gone are the days when love began with childhood friendship. Getting less attached once a grown-up, is not a new invention. In a world full of surprises and innovations, 'Meri Pyaari Bindu' takes you back to the 80s when love indeed was that perfect. A really encouraging first half. Lots of layers binding together the story that remains to be unfolded in the second half of the film. The film gets a bit monotonous, not because of Pareeniti Chopra, rather because of Bindu. Her character, on some level, tries to represent the present day youth. She wants to discover herself, to see where life takes her. She doesn't want a settled single-phased life. Yet, somehow, it feels as if the character takes this perception too far to realism. Abhimanyu(Ayushhmann), on the other hand, is a lovely character. Sensible and responsible. Ayushhmann played a big part in taking this movie out of the stuck theme of ignorance and escapism. The tune throughout the movie protects it from boredom. Now, the ending makes it interesting. Its not another "and they lived happily ever after" movie. That is indeed very refreshing, albeit not so perfect. Its an average movie lifted by some really impressive performances by the two leads and a soothing, somewhat, cheerful retro tune, which ends in a not so conventional manner. Throughout the film, it felt as if the movie will ultimately bring the two together, and it did, but not how everyone predicted. In a nutshell, its one of those movies, in which you should ignore the ratings and watch it anyway. Not disappointed.
Zulfiqar (2016)
The story had promise, but at the end, it was rather dull
A modern underworld adaptation of Shakespeare's two of the best,the plot was ready to offer a biggie. The movie started pretty energetically, there was a vibrant cinematic feel to it and the underworld was put forward in a fearful yet attractive kind of way. But, as the movie progressed, it started getting very dull and boring and it looked out of place. A few of the characters could have been played much more impressively by the cast and therefore its fair to say, it was disappointing. The movie has many layers to it and its a good thing, but the balance is important for it to work and I feel Srijit Mukherjee got it wrong there. It meant to create the same reaction as it did for 'Rajkahini' but it ended up being an average movie with too many stars to handle. A so-so for me.
The Martian (2015)
Terrific visualization of a true rescue mission where everyone played their part.
First of all, it got nominated for 7 Oscars, so it must have something special in it right? It starts on the middle of a mission. Everything is going great and according to plan, when suddenly a storm hits the astronauts and Mark Watney (Matt Damon) gets separated from his crew. They did attempt a search for him but the situation prohibited them from spending too much time on it and so they presumed him to be dead and they returned home. But, he wasn't dead yet and he started making efforts to survive and he was doing great, occasionally hit by one or two bumps. When NASA finally got to know about his survival, they did all they can to put forward a rescue mission for him. The rescue mission is thrilling and it involves some intense decision making and unified cooperation. The last 20 minutes was particularly very intense. The scene when commander Lewis went out herself to rescue Watney and when he was coming to her and there was this anxiety that one single mistake could make him lost forever into nothingness could literally get goosebumps. A great film and brilliant acting by Matt Damon. He is just a treat to watch
Pink (2016)
This is SOME MOVIE! Best till date in 2016
I heard a lot of good things about this movie. I took a while to get myself the opportunity to watch this film. The trailer promised something new, something intense. I would say, it gave us that and it gave us a lot more. Firstly, the plot, the story, its as close to real as it could get in a Hindi movie. It just exposed the nature of a present working Indian society. It says that's its developing, but then again there are more than a few instances where it can be observed that its actually not developing as much as we think it is. The centre of the story, the incident around which everything is happening throughout the movie hasn't been made entirely clear until the second half, and I felt, that's a brilliant move. People were guessing about the possible scenarios and it kept the thrill intact. The next essential thing about the movie which stood out is the court scenes. In Hindi movies, we are accustomed to watching court scenes being melodramatic and unrealistic. This one had an entirely different presentation. The court scenes were very much realistic and yet it didn't lose the intensity that's required to make it work in a movie.Although, there are many notable scenes throughout the movie, I would have to point out the scene where Mr. Sehgal proves the 'Superwoman' wrong in front of the court was exceptionally crafted and it was flawless. The second half got more intense naturally and the final 15-20 minutes were like literally heart pumping scenes. The final arguments and the last scene where Amitabh talked about the word "NO" and its true meaning is strong enough to raise people up and clap for this guy and for PINK. To sum it up, and I am finding way too hard to sum up a movie of this quality, I would say... Its Oscar material. 10/10 For me. Its a movie and a half folks.
Raman Raghav 2.0 (2016)
An above average movie made a great one by Nawaz and his glasses.
It started off very energetically. There was that chilly feel to it. The protagonist who is actually a psycho killer, roaming around the streets unnoticed. Then he goes on to murder people whom he doesn't like or if someone comes in his way. In the latter stages, it got kinda confusing as it was hard to relate Ramanna(Nawazuddin) and his actions with the troubled cop Raghavan. Though there were some indications which suggested that there will be, at some point of the story, a clash between the two. The final 15 minutes cleared all the confusions and brought a not so happy but an ending to the film. It's quite natural to not have a happy ending when the protagonist is actually on the negative side. The film could have turned out boring if not for Nawaz's easy, natural acting. He stole the show with his attitude. To sum it up, one could say that its a movie where you feel bad for the victims but you do enjoy the actions of the villain( well, in this case the hero). Good movie. Worth a watch
Mohenjo Daro (2016)
Not up to the mark. Didn't leave up to the expectations
To be honest, I was disappointed with this movie a bit. It showed promise before its release, but the movie itself was a bit boring and unrealistic. It didn't put forward the history of Mohenjo Daro as much. It had one or two shiny moments but as a whole, Not up to the mark.Hrithik was not at his very best, though the scene with the two man eaters was very dramatic and I liked how the fight scene was executed. Pooja Hegde looked gorgeous in those prehistoric royal attires, but as one of the leading characters of the movie, she didn't do as much as was asked of her I feel. Definitely, with Hrithik and Ashutosh reuniting again after the success of Jodha Akhbar, the expectations were very high. But I must say, it didn't live up to the expectations.