In the Heart of the Sea

Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Benjamin Walker(Capt. Pollard), Cillian Murphy(Second mate), Tom Holland(Young Thomas), Brendan Gleeson(Old Thomas),Ben Whishaw(Herman Melville), Michelle Fairley(Wife of Thomas) and Charlotte Riley(Wife of Owen)
Director: Ron Howard
Genre: Adventure, Biography



A beautiful insight to a piece of history on an unsual business for whaling! Good watch!




You may look forward to:

• Undoubtedly Chris Hemsworth. He is the lead in the film as the 'First mate' of the ship, giving out majority of the commands and lead hunter in sea whaling for oil. Role highlighting bravery suits him and he easily gives his best without much effort 
• Benjamin Walker has a decent role as the Captain of the ship. He although a Captain, is a second fiddle to the lead :)
• This film is more about adventure, fantasy, myth Vs reality about Moby Dick, as well how the history of Nantucket,Massachusetts shaped during the early 19th century. Ron Howard presents it gracefully without boring the audience on survival techniques stranded in the sea, which we have seen in many films, nor the pace of the film slows down at any point of time
• Cillian Murphy and Tom Holland are in good supports
• Brendan Gleeson,Ben Whishaw, Michelle Fairley and Charlotte Riley are in short supports
• 3D quality is good, which makes it worth a watch in a theater

What you can sleep over:

Do not expect 'Life of Pi' in this film, although some parts of it will remind you of it. This one is rather more close to reality and not complete fantasy




The dampeners you should be aware of:

This film isn't a blockbuster and not many quality things to boast about. The film is good to watch but as well can be easily forgotten. It doesn't make much of any impact to last long in your memory




My Rating: 3/5

1- Poor  2-Average  3-Good  4-Very Good  5- Outstanding

Hate Story 3

Cast: Karan Singh Grover, Sharman Joshi, Zarine Khan, Daisy Shah(Kaya), Priyanshu Chatterjee(Vikram Diwan),Sanjay Gandhi(Manager of Saurav) and Prithvi Zutshi(Manager of Aditya)
Director: Vishal Pandya
Genre: Thriller



Genre and Title justified. Its not a bad show, adequate thriller for a weekend watch!



You may look forward to:

• The film doesn't bore, keeps the suspense alive till the end. Also lives up to its expectations of an intimate revengeful story. Given the low number of releases this month, its a definite watch
• Karan Singh Grover is exceptionally good. The role fits him pretty well and he does justice to the script written for him, apart from looking hot :)
• Zarine Khan and Daisy Shah, are the leading ladies of the film. Technically Daisy Shah has more screen presence than Zarine Khan. Nevertheless, both the ladies cant act, specially Zarine, holding a straight face, at all times expressionless. As yet i count them in plus, for they fulfill the requirement of hotness quotient just as genre of 'Hate Story' series demands :D Both the ladies wont disappoint you at that ;)
• Priyanshu Chatterjee, as usual has a cameo in the film, has a short appearance but notable
• Supporting roles Sanjay Gandhi and Prithvi Zutshi, do a good job

What you can sleep over:

• Sharman Joshi has a lucrative role, to which he delivers well, however there are times where attitude required for the role falls short on his stature and outlook
• Most of the music of the film is soothing, except for item numbers which were unbearable

The dampeners you should be aware of:

• Yes, the film doesn't give you a feeling of watching an upscale movie par Bollywood standards, it is a little sub standard. But since this is expected from a small scale movie like this, i wont say this or the incapability of the acting skills of the actors should come in the way for its overall rating
• There were certain cinematographic angles which did suck on graphics to be easily recognizable as unnatural to the naked eyes

My Rating: 3/5

1- Poor  2-Average  3-Good  4-Very Good  5- Outstanding

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2

Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson(Haymitch), Julianne Moore(Alma Coin),Donald Sutherland(Snow), Elizabeth Banks(Effie), Philip Seymour Hoffman(Plutarch), Sam Claflin(Finnick), Mahershala Ali(Bogs) and Patina Miller(Commander Paylor)
Director: Francis Lawrence
Genre: Adventure, Action, Thriller



Better than MockingJay Part I. If you have been following Hunger Games, no harm watching; if you haven't been following, you ain't missing anything not watching it :)




You may look forward to:

• This film picks up in its second half. There are lot of incidents and pace of the movie is good. The visuals are good too, for which 'Hunger Games' is famous, the ending is decent enough
• Jennifer Lawrence does a good job, less dialogues this time, thankfully. There are not many fancy dressing for her this instance, but she fairs well as 'Mockingjay' wherein she is used as a pivot but she doesn't fail her folks and successfully brings about due justice!
• Julianne Moore has a strong role. She is the one driving the movie after the lead of the film. I appreciate her role
• Some supporting roles who came out good were that of Sam Claflin, Mahershala Ali and Patina Miller
• Although action scenes were limited in the film, but one under the tunnel sequence was shot very well, some bit spooky and entertaining to watch

What you can sleep over:

• Action in the film is about ok. I expected a lot more action and outrage in its final series
• Feel pity on Liam Hemsworth, he could have done so much better, not a good script for him. He loses the hand of 'Katnis Everdeen' too easy
• Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks and Philip Seymour Hoffman have become predictable and boring. They have nothing new to do or to support in this film
• Donald Sutherland is projected much weaker in this movie, i never thought he will come as easy to be overtaken by 'Mockingjay' without much resistance
• The first half of the film drags in places with slow delivery and unwanted dialogues exchanges between 'Katnis Everdeen' and 'Peeta Mallark'. But thankfully second half escaped these boring exchanges

The dampeners you should be aware of:

• Expected a lot more from Josh Hutcherson as well. He was a curious factor as Part I ended, but this film he was wasted just in recovering back and adding no value
• The climax of the film is very predictable, when there were decisions made and Julianne Moore comes out strong. Mockingjay behaves just as expected, which never came out as a surprise. That spoilt the most important scene of the film. I am sure the book must be written in a better way than shown in the movie

My Rating: 2.5/5

1- Poor  2-Average  3-Good  4-Very Good  5- Outstanding

Tamasha

Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Javed Sheikh(Ved's Father), Vivek Mushran(Ved's Boss) and Piyush Mishra(Storyteller)
Director: Imtiaz Ali
Genre: Drama, Romance



Tamasha is a tamacha on the face of the audience expecting too high of this film. Save yourself from a headache, stay away from this flick!




You may look forward to:

• Beautiful locations of Corsica, France, which by the way is only half an hour of the film
• My only favorite character in the film is that of Piyush Mishra's. His storytelling, his explanations and his inferences, simply lovely!

What you can sleep over:

• I feel pity for Deepika Padukone, this movie is made for Ranbir Kapoor, although Deepika gives her best, but she doesn't have any potential role in this film. She just looks like one smart but desperate woman running after one man blindly for years together, hopelessly
• Javed Sheikh and Vivek Mushran, are in insignificant supporting roles

The dampeners you should be aware of:

• The biggest let down of the film is Imtiaz Ali. How experimentally can you present the same old cliche story concept of '3 Idiots' once again, with a new face of Ranbir Kapoor! Honestly, this story just doesn't fit into the 'Romance' genre. If you are excited about Ranbir-Deepika pairing and expect great chemistry, then you are in for a disappointment,there is nothing romantic about the film. This film  belongs to Ranbir Kapoor. All along the film, you keep wondering what are you watching and why!!!! I almost got a headache looking at an mentally unstable character of Ranbir Kapoor who just doesn't know how to vent out his anger and in which direction. The film miserably fails to make any impact at all
• To top it, music by AR Rehman and the presentation of those songs and the singers! Boy O Boy! Its like testing you patience if you can sit through the film until completion
• Ranbir Kapoor performs but certainly he is slowly and gradually losing his fan base. He is way too experimental with his roles. Where John Abraham never repeated the mistake of 'No Smoking', Ranbir Kapoor doesnt seem to accept his defeat, he keeps repeating his mistakes
• Bottomline, we got the point way back with '3 Idiots' and many similar films to follow that a child should be allowed to follow his dream, and not force studies on him. Please don't torture the audience any further with more films of such kind and even bigger disaster selling it in the name of romance!

My Rating: 1.5/5

1- Poor  2-Average  3-Good  4-Very Good  5- Outstanding

Spectre

Cast: Daniel Craig, Christoph Waltz, Léa Seydoux(Dr.Swann), Ben Whishaw(Q), Naomie Harris(Moneypenny), Dave Bautista(Mr. Hinx), Andrew Scott(C), Monica Bellucci(Lucia),Ralph Fiennes(Gareth Mallory) and Jesper Christensen(Mr. White)
Director: Sam Mendes
Genre: Action, Thriller, Adventure




This film lives by its genre, clear entertainment!




You may look forward to:

• Daniel Craig never been presented as sexy before. He is not just a man of style and courage, but also a big time womanizer :) He delivers you an action packed movie at every step, less dialogues more on delivery. Certain combats and car chases are mind blowing. The insight towards Bond's personal life which attaches strings to the current world threats tried giving the role of Bond a touch which is larger than just an agent. It took time sinking in Daniel Craig as 'Bond', but he earned it
• Sam Mendes delivers as promised. The first half of the film is very engaging, right from the Bond films customary first scene - Mexico, the Day of the Dead, the sets and celebrations are  really grand and not something you would see every day. The action sequence on the chopper is crazy awesome, it lives upto the hype talked about. He presents some breath taking locations of around 5 countries from around the world, just awe inspiring back drop and BOND! I personally loved the credit scene in the beginning of the film too
• Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris and Ralph Fiennes are the very important positive characters of the film, that are big time supports to Bond
• Dave Bautista and Andrew Scott are the parallel villains, they do a regular job
• Monica Bellucci and Jesper Christensen, are the neutral supports to the film. Monica Bellucci is still hot! :)

What you can sleep over:

• Christoph Waltz feels pretty cliche for a bad man. The same old funda of trying to control the world, doesn't make him look any extra ordinary villain
• Léa Seydoux as the 'Bond Girl' doesn't exactly fit in right. I remember her from 'MI: Ghost Protocol', she can be so much more than just an arm candy whom Bond has to save. She is under utilized

The dampeners you should be aware of:

• Where the movie fails the expectations of its viewers is that this is not anymore a standalone franchise who sells movies highlighting life of a secret agent :) When 007 was launched, there were not many movies featuring 'Secret Agents', unlike today- you've plenty of them, and more or less now it requires a series like 'Avengers' which releases larger than life like characters with interconnected stories more often, staying fresh in the mind of its viewers. Even though they show the same cliche stories, they are still a hit, while Bond is slowly getting lost in the shadows. Nevertheless, this film is still a piece of thrilling entertainment, and is a good watch in the theaters for all the action sequences
• Although, for all the viewers who like films uncut, beware there are many scenes censored out for the heat of the context, in India :P

My Rating: 3.5/5 (Worth for the action scenes)

1- Poor  2-Average  3-Good  4-Very Good  5- Outstanding

Prem Ratan Dhan Payo

Cast: Salman Khan, Sonam Kapoor,Neil Nitin Mukesh, Anupam Kher, Armaan Kohli(Chirag Singh), Swara Bhaskar(Chandrika), Aashika Bhatia(Radhika), Deepraj Rana(Sanjay),Deepak Dobriyal (Kanhaiya) and Samaira Rao(Sameera)
Director: Sooraj R. Barjatya
Genre: Drama, Romance, Comedy




Keep your expectations low, prepare to be surprised, enjoy and come back :)




You may look forward to:

• Very unlikely of Rajashri films, this one has many English dialogues, quite a few hinting to not so clean jokes and lots of action. I am surprised already :) I was expecting over the top cheezy dialogues, undigestible storyline with every character like an avatar of god himself. But Sooraj Barjatya did surprise me pleasantly
• The story line of the film is not boring, there is a mix of suspense, some thriller, some family time, some drama and a flavor of romance mixed in  a solution of humor. The grandeur of the sets and palaces and forts are worth appreciating and good on big screens
• You get plenty of Salman Khan in this film. He is his usual bubbly self, he exhibits exuberant outlook with an aura of an innocent and charming guy. He makes you laugh at his tinder jokes, he gives you lot of goody moments minus a huge family but all on his shoulder. This film projects Salman at the center, there are not many important roles, except for him, so its him everywhere!
• Sonam Kapoor looks astonishingly beautiful and royal. This is her second film where i like how she looks, this suits her. Her chemistry with Salman is imminent and looks good on screen
• Anupam Kher, Swara Bhaskar, Aashika Bhatia, Deepraj Rana and Deepak Dobriyal have the important supporting roles. Unlike other Sooraj Barjatya family films where the family members are all big castings and equally important, here you have a plethora of supporting roles, all of them does a good job

What you can sleep over:

• Music in the film is just omnipresent, they should as well categorize this movie under Musical genre. The music just never takes a breather, thankfully they are not ear sores, they are doable provided you are already prepared for it :)
• Neil Nitin Mukesh is wasted in the film, he hardly has any role. He looked pretty impressive in his entry scenes, but later he was just lost only to appear in the end where he hardly had anything to perform
• Armaan Kohli and Samaira Rao were more or less wasted too. They could have had better roles. I personally like the personality of Armaan Kohli, Alas! his role couldn't make a lot of impact, blame on the script

The dampeners you should be aware of:

This film is a no brainer, leave your brains back home, if you intend to enjoy the film. There are not very good critical views on this film, but i personally did not hate it. Its very much watchable. Agreed the space that was created for its release in Diwali clearing 2 weekends before its release, raised a lot of hopes on this one, it cant meet the hysteria created around it, but standalone, it qualifies for a good family entertainment






My Rating: 3/5

1- Poor  2-Average  3-Good  4-Very Good  5- Outstanding

Main Aur Charles

Cast: Randeep Hooda, Adil Hussain(Amod),Richa Chadda, Alexx O'Nell(Richard), Nandu Madhav(Madhukar), Saurabh Sarkar(Bajrang), Sandeep Punia(Satpal), Tisca Chopra and Vipin Sharma(Jailor)
Director: Prawaal Raman
Genre: Biography, Crime



The presentation of the film is questionable but watch the film for its story and Randeep Hooda!




You may look forward to:

• Randeep Hooda is a curious choice to play 'Charles Shobhraj' and very interestingly he does an incredible job at it. He looks hot, smart and very close to the real 'Charles'. His accent is pretty much put up, but he pulls the role with great aplomb! 'Charles' is known to be a Bikini killer, innumerous escapades with women, ever stylish, learned person with notable skills of convincing people. He is as charming as much dangerous. This film belongs to Randeep Hooda!
• Adil Hussain is the next important role in the film, this guy is a good actor, the movie talks a lot about his personal traits as well apart from the legal aspects! He is good to watch :)
• Richa Chadda and Alexx O'Nell, are the two very important supports in the story of 'Charles', in the portion of his life which is captured in this movie. I never liked the weird accent of Richa Chadda, nevertheless both of them do a pretty good job
• Rest of the cast have minor roles, to which they cater well
• This film is all about style. The various filmy dons and criminals you come across seem decorated, to which we generally don't relate, but the story of 'Charles' is am sure very much a dream for every other man barring the end he meets. The second half of the film specially is engaging and an open ending to it prompts you to go google the actual truth about the real guy!

What you can sleep over:

Randeep Hooda's put up accent and Richa Chaddha's natural accent :P




The dampeners you should be aware of:

The first half of the film fails to engage the audience. The direction of the film is not very impressive and it shows up in its first half which is a let down. With Randeep Hooda's put up accent, half the dialogues are unclear, teamed up with slow pace and not many incidents, you are very likely to not last until interval. Although the film catches up a lot in its second half which is in fact the part that earns the film its final rating!






My Rating: 3/5

1- Poor  2-Average  3-Good  4-Very Good  5- Outstanding

Burnt

Cast: Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller(Helene), Omar Sy(Michel), Daniel Brühl(Tony) and Emma Thompson(Doctor)
Director: John Wells
Genre: Drama



A relaxed weekend watch. Watch it for Bradley Cooper :)




You may look forward to:

• This film may seem in the lines of 'Chef', but it is not very related. However, the backdrop is a culinary delight, but the film is more about the caricature and story of 'Adam Jones'. You will love the eye popping presentation of food as well the role of Bradley Cooper
• Bradley Cooper is certainly the face of the film as well the central role of the film :) His story is a lot to deal with 'Adam Jones's' personal  attitude and human behavior, his success and failures, a very self centric role, his hits and his misses, as well his popularity among men and women equally ;P I love this guy Bradley for the way he looks and his every expression! :)
• Sienna Miller is the true female lead of the film. She has a very real life like role, not a smooth one but yet a pleasant character given 'Helene's' spirit which never dampens
• Omar Sy and Emma Thompson, have good and significant roles. Specially that of Omar Sy, surprise element and shrewd attitude, well done!

What you can sleep over:

Although i loved the role of Daniel Brühl, but yet hated the fact that he was under utilized. He is perhaps not meant for petite roles like this. I love this man personally!




The dampeners you should be aware of:

No apparent catch with the quality or direction of the flick. It is a light weekend watch.
John Wells makes a good film :)





My Rating: 3/5

1- Poor  2-Average  3-Good  4-Very Good  5- Outstanding

Titli

Cast: Shashank Arora(Titli), Shivani Raghuvanshi(Neelu), Ranvir Shorey, Amit Sial(Pradeep), Prashant Singh(Prince), Lalit Behl(Father) and Sumit Gulati(Pintu)
Director: Kanu Behl
Genre: Crime, Drama




This one is a Director's film, a plot which is not meant for entertainment. Quality of the film is the reason why you should hit the theater




You may look forward to:

• A film coming from Dibakar Banerjee and Kanu Behl. The names are enough to raise an interest. They present a gory and depressing reality of the lives of lower middle class gentry of Delhi, particular one family who has criminal background. The film is depressing and it attacks your mind which leaves you with no scope but to wonder if such kind of life does exist in the chawl areas of our country
• Shashank Arora gives out a power pact performance in this film. Not seen in any commercial movie before, but definitely makes an impact with this one. He has a complicated role, which is way too complex. He displays a character who chooses to be the black sheep of the family, at the same time does show various shades of ruthless criminal side of him coming from his family background. He is the kind of example where society churns a good soul to do wrong things. Amazingly played caricature, applauds!
• Shivani Raghuvanshi again, one of the many debutants, giving out commendable performance. Her role is strong enough that she overshadows some known actors in the film. She represents the sort of women who are not fragile, and are mentally strong to take on things that you would yourself never expect happening with you!
• Ranvir Shorey and Amit Sial, have the significant supporting roles. Ranvir Shorey's role is very well defined, his every dialogue and action is beautifully executed. Though there is no definite conclusion to their roles by the end of the film
• Prashant Singh, Lalit Behl and Sumit Gulati are the second level supports in the film. They don't have much of screen presence, yet well written roles and executed good

What you can sleep over:

Couldn't appreciate the fact that the case of Ranvir Shorey and Amit Sial were left unattended as the movie ends on 'Titli'





The dampeners you should be aware of:

This is one category of film which can get you to feel depressed. Certainly not meant for all audience. What i would like to question is, what do the writers and director want to achieve showing stories of such kinds to the multiplex audience!!! This film neither entertains nor does set any social message. This is just another film showing some hard hitting realities of a city's under belly in India. However a quality make, do not quite appreciate plots like this!






My Rating: 3.5/5

1- Poor  2-Average  3-Good  4-Very Good  5- Outstanding

Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension

Cast: Chris J. Murray(Ryan), Brit Shaw(Emily), Dan Gill(Mike), Ivy George(Leila),Olivia Taylor Dudley(Skyler) and Michael Krawic(Father Todd)
Director: Gregory Plotkin
Genre: Horror



Nothing very different from its early series. Pass time!




You may look forward to:

• The second half of the film is a lot more happening than its 1st half. This film wont bore you, but at the same time i wont say its very spooky and a good entertainer
• The main character of the film is the kid Ivy George and she does a pretty commendable job at it, although nothing extraordinary
• The male cast of the film viz, Chris J. Murray, Dan Gill and Michael Krawic are more of supporting roles, amongst which Chris and Dan do the significant jobs

What you can sleep over:

The ladies in the film Brit Shaw and Olivia Taylor Dudley are more or less wasted, they don't have much to do in the movie





The dampeners you should be aware of:

The first half of the film feels draggy with low or no content from one incident to another as they divide the film in terms of nights spent and recordings. The story tends to repeat itself, although this one still has a quantifiable conclusion, if at all they make a continuation to this film, i may have something to look forward to. Else, this is more or less a passe movie, nothing very interesting to drag you to theaters





My Rating: 2/5

1- Poor  2-Average  3-Good  4-Very Good  5- Outstanding

The Last Witch Hunter

Cast: Vin Diesel, Rose Leslie(Chloe), Elijah Wood(Dolan), Michael Caine(Dolan),Julie Engelbrecht(Witch Queen), Ólafur Darri Ólafsson(Belial) and Isaach De Bankolé(Max)
Director: Breck Eisner
Genre: Fantasy, Horror, Action



Weekend pastime watch!



You may look forward to:

• Vin Diesel is sexy as is! Immortal over ages, i love his every look in the film. Though he doesn't have all that many scope of action, he is anyway the star of the film, without whom no one would hit the theater for this film! :D
• Rose Leslie is technically the female lead of the film, she has some decent content for her
• Michael Caine and Isaach De Bankolé were in short but significant supporting roles
• Julie Engelbrecht and Ólafur Darri Ólafsson are the real essence of the film :D Without the evil, this film is nothing but trash. I like the get up of the witch :)
• Content of the film is very passive. The pace is normal and doesn't bore. A typical sit back, relax and forget kind of film :)

What you can sleep over:

Elijah Wood after a long time, he is more or less wasted. I expected a little more significant role for him!




The dampeners you should be aware of: 

These films never aim high on box office, they are built for an average entertainer. No visible dampener as such, except for the fact that the fantasy was not stirring enough





My Rating: 2.5/5

1- Poor  2-Average  3-Good  4-Very Good  5- Outstanding

Shaandaar

Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Pankaj Kapur, Sanjay Kapoor,Niki Aneja Walia (Vipin's Wife), Sanah Kapoor(Isha), Vikas Verma(Robin), Sushma Seth(Mummy Ji) and Karan Johar
Director: Vikas Bahl
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance



Absolute waste of time and money. It doesn't fit in any of its proclaimed genre!




You may look forward to:

• Shahid Kapoor looks refreshed. Do not exactly remember which was his last movie, but in this one he definitely returns his boyish charm back with a pinch of manhood with that beard :)
• Alia Bhatt is the only good reason to watch this film. Not for her acting skills, but for her bubbly appearance. She is like a fresh wave after all the mature movies she has been doing, this one certainly puts her back on the list of teenage boys :)
• I liked the pairing of the duo Pankaj Kapur and Niki Aneja Walia. Pankaj Kapoor is undoubtedly cute oldie. Niki Aneja bearing uncanny resemblances to Madhuri Dixit, every inch a flavor of a rich woman :D
• Sanah Kapoor and Vikas Verma are in the category of sweet casting :) Sanah is adorable while Vikas Verma is exactly as the caricature for him, a dumb-ass!
• Sushma Seth and Karan Johar, are appealing appearances, don't have elaborate roles but are good to the eyes. I personally loved the cameo of Karan Johar :)
• Music of the movie may not be chartbusters, but they look pretty grand on screen, as well the costumes and choreography, along with amazing cinematography, is a treat to the eyes! After all, when the movie is based on wedding theme, music of the film gotto be looking good :)

What you can sleep over:

One cast of the film, which on the face of it is a dampener is that of Sanjay Kapoor. Although i wont count him as one, since he doesn't appear to be a difficult bite to digest given the fact the story itself is trash!





The dampeners you should be aware of:

The biggest and the only reason why you shouldn't go for this movie even after all those pluses is the lack of a story. With all the star cast and grand sets and loads of money wasted, this film fails to entertain. There is not much chemistry or romance between the lead couple which would make them stand out! There are certain scenes in which you actually would want to kill yourself for watching it! This film is a classic example of how can things go wrong if you forget to add content!






My Rating: 2.5/5 (Only for fresh faces and music)

1- Poor  2-Average  3-Good  4-Very Good  5- Outstanding

Crimson Peak

Cast: Mia Wasikowska(Edith), Jessica Chastain(Lady Lucille), Tom Hiddleston(Sir Thomas), Charlie Hunnam(Dr. Alan) and Jim Beaver(Edith's Father)
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Genre: Horror, Fantasy, Thriller



This film makes a deep spooky impact. Although expect low, since this one is more of a fantasy horror than a pure horror film!



You may look forward to:

• What holds your attention in the film is the set and the backdrop of the address 'Crimson Peak'. Its spooky beyond admittance, the sheer silence or the dreadful noise of weather, or be it paranormal activity, its your sense and perception that you see/hear and perceive that makes this film a horror! The credit goes to Guillermo del Toro for his direction
  
• Jessica Chastain is a lead lady in my eyes. Her cold and erratically possessive behavior raises eyebrows. Her presence in the film in itself is a hair raising feeling. She is the real devil of the film!
• Tom Hiddleston has some kind of conspicuous aura about him, you may dislike him but you just cant ignore him. He secretly steals your heart even without your knowledge
• Charlie Hunnam is an important supporting role. He has a significant portion to which he delivers well
• Jim Beaver has a very brief supporting role, notable!

What you can sleep over:

Mia Wasikowska is the proclaimed lead lady of the film. She is the one victimized and the success story where she survives unlike many other victims. She has a fair screen presence to which she delivers ably, however she doesn't make much impact. But i absolutely love her costumes in the film!




The dampeners you should be aware of:

Against the normal expectations where you expect ghosts to be ghostly, its the other way around in here. You will appreciate ghostly apparitions but they don't scare you enough!





My Rating: 3/5

1- Poor  2-Average  3-Good  4-Very Good  5- Outstanding

Bridge of Spies

Cast: Tom Hanks, Mark Rylance(Abel), Amy Ryan(Wife of Donovan), Austin Stowell(Powers), Sebastian Koch (Vogel) and Will Rogers(Pryor)
Director: Steven Spielberg
Genre: Biography, Crime, History




Brilliant quality movie! For all those fans of Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, its a must watch!




You may look forward to:

• Its a Tom Hanks movie, by and large. He overshadows every other being in this motion picture. Very ably so, there are a few forgotten heroes who may not have fought in any combat but have done some remarkable jobs in their time. Tom Hanks as 'James Donovan' is remarkably outstanding in his performance. Witty and calm, he talks it out to two nations with a unforgettable caliber and impeccable negotiations skills. Applauds!
• Mark Rylance, Austin Stowell and Will Rogers, were the next more important people who were dealt with. The most composed character of them all being that of Mark's.
• Amy Ryan and Sebastian Koch, have very short roles. The significant one was that of Sebastian Koch
• Steven Spielberg presents the story with great subtlety but with a lot of impact. You wont see great sets and amazing chases in this film, the appreciating factor about Steven Spielberg in this film is plain and simple-'Subtle' but impactful :)

What you can sleep over:

If you are going for the movie with this in mind that it will unfold lots of unheard or seldom talked about history from the times of Cold War, you are likely to be disappointed. The story is very very focused to this one incident, there are no side dishes!





The dampeners you should be aware of:

This movie is not made for an entertainment purpose, and hence it is not for all audience. This film will appeal only to a handful of audience!






My Rating: 3.5/5

1- Poor  2-Average  3-Good  4-Very Good  5- Outstanding

Pyaar ka punchanama 2

Cast: Kartik Aaryan(Gogo), Nushrat Bharucha(Chiku), Sunny Singh (Chauka), Sonalli Sehgall(Supriya), Ishita Raj(Kusum), Omkar Kapoor(Thakur) and Manvir Singh(Sunny)
Director: Luv Ranjan
Genre: Comedy, Romance, Drama



Fresh Punchanama on the most favorite topic: Love :) If you liked the first, you will like this one too :) Better than my expectations!




You may look forward to:

• All the leading boys: Kartik Aaryan, Sunny Singh and Omkar Kapoor, do a fab job. While Aaryan is a known face continued from the first part, so is Sunny Singh from the same franchise 'Akaash Vani', but Om Kapoor is a brand new face. Sunny Singh surprised me with his acting who otherwise dons a cold face, low on expressions. He is rather hilarious in this film. Om Kapoor is defined in one word: 'HOT' :) Aaryan is our regular guy carrying boy next door charm, someone who can believably fall in the love trap with wrong women :) His efforts are fabulously put for the one signature dialogue that he doles out, this time even more longer than the first part!
• The leading women: Nushrat Bharucha,Sonalli Sehgall and Ishita Raj, do good jobs too. Though all the ladies are re cast from the first part, but the most amazing makeover was that of Ishita Raj's, again, the only one word that defines her in this film is 'Sexy'. 
• Manvir Singh is cute and is in a good supporting role :)
• Luv Ranjan does a clean job in keeping the audience entertained. Though its clearly evident that he barely manages to break the expectations after the first part. Certainly, the first part was more hilarious with a far reaching story. Be it the relevance of the signature dialogue by Kartik Aaryan, or be it the annoyance meter of the girls, and even the comedy, all barely crossed the bar in this flick, its rather a safe take. :) This film if not better than the first, doesn't disappoint either!
• Music of the film is much better than the first part. They actually are lively and fun and don't totally feel out of place

What you can sleep over:

• Sonalli Sehgall can only be cast hot, she doesn't look like a girl coming from  a conservative family, nor does she exactly dress like one as 'Supriya' with all the short skirts while with her family. She should have been given a more suitable role
• Another stupid factor being the exaggerated pay scale of software engineer, that too coming from TCS :P The reality is not even close to 1/10th of the depicted pay scale :P

The dampeners you should be aware of:

• Nushrat Bharucha could easily be replaced with anybody more charming. I believe this coupling of Nushrat and Aaryan is considered lucky for this franchise. Otherwise, even after the best of the dressing and make up, she looks very average. Her acting, nothing extraordinary either
• There was this intensity that was lacking in this film, as compared to the first part. In the first part when the men leave the women, you actually do want that to happen, cos the story touches the threshold of respective endurance of the men. The script of this film, doesn't really touch the limits of annoyance created by the women. And this is where comedy apart, the moves loses its charm!

My Rating: 3/5

1- Poor  2-Average  3-Good  4-Very Good  5- Outstanding
            

The Walk

Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ben Kingsley(Papa Rudy), Charlotte Le Bon(Annie), Clément Sibomy(Photographer), César Domboy(Jeff), James Badge Dale(Electronics Salesman), Ben Schwartz(Albert), Benedict Samuel(David) and Steve Valentine(Barry)
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Genre: Biography, Adventure, Comedy



One biography which makes you feel light and happy! No serious plot unlike the subjects of typical biographies. Go for it and enjoy :)




You may look forward to:

• Some acts performed by people like 'Phillipe Petit' are not just brave and real but as well unbelievable portrayal of passion and determination. Joseph Gordon-Levitt does an amazing job at it. Shooting for this one, i am sure wasn't a piece of cake, neither banking just on acting skills can do a justice. He makes you sweat, at the same time makes you laugh. Brilliant work!
• Robert Zemeckis's Direction is the specific catch in the film. A story of a rope walker perhaps would never pick mass audience, if not for his direction. He has built the movie on the base of comedy. The script transports you back to a story telling atmosphere from early 70's. He portrays the film as a fantasy story which is by the way all real. Very commendable job by Robert Zemeckis
• Ben Kingsley, hardly recognizable. Perfect make up and perfect accent. He is just the very needed support to the lead :) Although the screen space to him is limited
• Charlotte Le Bon and Clément Sibomy, were the two very very important supports to the lead. One being the love interest of 'Phillipe' and the other the typical best friend who never leaves you come what may
• Another set of important supports without whom 'Phillipe' could never have successfully put the act together are César Domboy and James Badge Dale, crucial roles...followed by Ben Schwartz and Benedict Samuel, the two comic fools of the story and Steve Valentine for his contribution

The dampeners you should be aware of:


When you are watching this film, its feels like you are in a circus :) You don't want to look at flaws or doubt a thing, you just want to believe what you see :) No dampeners






My Rating: 3.5/5

1- Poor  2-Average  3-Good  4-Very Good  5- Outstanding

Sicario

Cast: Emily Blunt, Benicio del Toro(Alejandro), Josh Brolin(Matt), Daniel Kaluuya(Reggie), Maximiliano Hernández(Silvio), Victor Garber(Dave), Jon Bernthal(Ted) and Julio Cedillo(Fausto Alarcon)
Director: Denis Villeneuve
Genre: Crime, Action, Thriller



Its a crime thriller based out of Mexico. An engaging watch!




You may look forward to:

• Benicio del Toro and Josh Brolin are the real leads of the movie. They are rough and  no non sense characters. They carry a defiant nature which is deceptive as well. The duo create a very mystifying environment and keeps you hooked. They are the only reason why you should go for this film
• Maximiliano Hernández, Victor Garber, Jon Bernthal and Julio Cedillo, have very short supporting roles, but are noticeable
• Denis Villeneuve showcases some very inherent and root politics of the underworld drug cartels thriving in the very heart of the US. An enthralling watch!
• The aerial shots in the film are mind blowing. The camera work is equally good!

What you can sleep over:

Daniel Kaluuya has a very insignificant supporting role, could have been much stronger!




The dampeners you should be aware of:

Emily Blunt is more than confused in the entire film. She was played upon, agreed! But she hardly ever displays any skills of an FBI agent. She appears not just confused, but as well weak, one who goes by the rule books till the very end. Not a very strong character to be the face of the film






My Rating: 3/5

1- Poor  2-Average  3-Good  4-Very Good  5- Outstanding

Jazbaa

Cast: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Irrfan Khan, Shabana Azmi, Chandan Roy Sanyal(Niyaz), Jackie Shroff, Atul Kulkarni(Prosecution Lawyer), Siddhanth Kapoor(Sam), Priya Banerjee(Sia), Sara Arjun (Anuradha's Daughter) and Abhimanyu Singh(Abbas)
Director: Sanjay Gupta
Genre: Thriller, Crime, Drama



This a season for Bollywood thrillers, dont miss it! :)




You may look forward to:

• Aishwarya Rai picks an apt story for her comeback. Unlike many heroines who do not make a successful career once taken a break for motherhood, Aishwarya proves it that the right script chosen keeping in mind the time lapsed, can work cordially for you. She performs good, slight over acting from one scene to another, most of it she pulls it off with aplomb. Cheers!
• Irrfan Khan is slowly graduating to a lady killer :) Very catchy dialogues, delivered impeccably cool, though you may catch certain dialogues came from the jokes some or other time you may have received on your phone as a forward :D Nonetheless, Irrfan Khan gives out a rocking performance back to back from 'Talvar' to 'Jazbaa'
• Shabana Azmi has an incredible role in this film, very unlikely of the roles you will expect out of her. She is playing a serious, no non sense role and holds a pot of surprises for you, difficult to predict
• Sanjay Gupta does a pretty good job in engaging all the lead characters very aptly and yet keeping Aishwarya as the center of the focus. He gives out a thriller worth enjoying and looking out for!
• Rest of the starcast viz.; Chandan Roy Sanyal, Siddhanth Kapoor, Priya Banerjee, Sara Arjun and Abhimanyu Singh have very petite roles, but they do good in their respective positions

What you can sleep over:

• Jackie Shroff and Atul Kulkarni, did not get their due in this film. Very short and not so precise roles at the backdrop of the story centering Aishwarya
• This film bears similarities in the story with 'Talvar' which is so fresh in the memory in this week. Nature of investigation is different but a completely different outlook to an apparent open and shut case of murder, in its second half, has a direct connection with the way 'Talvar' was presented
• One item song by 'Badshaah' in the film is already doing rounds, rest of the numbers were not required, felt very forced

The dampeners you should be aware of:

One particular scene which sort of defies logic in an otherwise carefully written story is the part where 'Anuradha' wins the case for 'Niyaaz', based upon the confession of 'Sam' in the court. Does a court accept confessions from someone who is mentally unstable? I wonder! This was a very major scene and i was a little disappointed at the conclusion of an otherwise intelligent criminal case in the film





My Rating: 3.5/5

1- Poor  2-Average  3-Good  4-Very Good  5- Outstanding

Kis Kisko Pyaar Karu

Cast: Kapil Sharma, Elli Avram(Deepika), Simran Kaur Mundi(Simran), Manjari Phadnis(Juhi), Sai Lokur(Anjali), Arbaaz Khan(Tiger Bhai), Supriya Pathak (Shiv's Mother), Sharat Saxena(Shiv's Father), Varun Sharma(Karan), Manoj Joshi(Deepika's Father) and Jamie Lever(Champa)
Director: Abbas Alibhai-Mastan
Genre: Comedy, Drama



Pass time entertaining watch!



You may look forward to:

• Kapil Sharma fans can comment better on his performance in the film. I have not been following him really. Nevertheless, he at least doesn't look like a misfit in his attempt to enact a romantic lead for a film. He pulls it off appropriately, be it his forte in humor, or his casing in romantic songs and rapping. He makes you laugh as well, gives you enough dose of drama
• The women in the film were charming, viz; Elli Avram, Simran Kaur Mundi, Manjari Phadnis and Sai Lokur. All the ladies had particular characteristics. While Elli was the most charming of all, Simran Kaur added the dose for the oomph factor while Manjari in her bubbly best
• The main supporting cast viz; Arbaaz Khan, Supriya Pathak and Sharat Saxena, were amazing. They contributed to a major chunk of humor in the film
• Varun Sharma, Manoj Joshi and Jamie Lever, were by no means any less. Their presence in itself created lighter moments of giggle and laughter
• The story of the film reminds you of those typical Govinda movies, also some shades of Salman Khan starer Biwi No. 1, as well Housefull 2. This is a khichdi of them all, but thankfully does not feel copied. You will cackle and laugh through out the movie

What you can sleep over:

• Sai Lokur could have looked better, she doesn't exactly fit into the bandwagon of women in the film, be it her costumes or the look or the acting!
• The songs of the movie aren't anything that you will remember going along, but they fit in fine to the context of the film and don't sound odd

The dampeners you should be aware of:

If you loved the trailer, you will be disappointed to learn, 50% of the quality comedy of the film is covered in the trailers. Rest of the 50% is more drama mixed with some light humor. On a Kapil Sharma standard, this is not 100% pure comedy





My Rating: 3/5

1- Poor  2-Average  3-Good  4-Very Good  5- Outstanding

The Martian

Cast: Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain(Melissa), Jeff Daniels(Head of NASA), Michael Peña(Rick, Astronaut), Kate Mara(Beth, Astronaut), Sebastian Stan(Chris, Astronaut), Aksel Hennie(Alex, Astronaut), Sean Bean(Mitch, Hemes Flight Director), Chiwetel Ejiofor(Vincent), Donald Glover(Rich, NASA Astronomer), Benedict Wong(Director, JPL), Eddy Ko(Chief Scientist, CSNA) and Chen Shu(Deputy Chief Scientist, CSNA)
Director: Ridley Scott
Genre: Sci-Fi, Adventure



A warm Sci-Fi adventure story. You must not give it a miss if you enjoy Sci-Fi!




You may look forward to:

• Matt Damon is the leading man having most of the movie riding solo on his shoulders. He gives out a good performance, with most of the explanations easy to understand for a layman. His bout of optimism and hopeful journey in an unknown planet far from any approachable help is commendable!
• Ridley Scott does a good job in presenting a Sci-Fi flick which is not far too ambitious nor way too scientific for ordinary people to grasp. He uses simple techniques and plain explanations for its not so scientific audience to enjoy
• Jessica Chastain and her crew viz, Michael Peña, Kate Mara, Sebastian Stan, Aksel Hennie have limited screen space, but they have notable roles to play. Specially that of Jessica's role by the end of the film
• Jeff Daniels, Sean Bean, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Donald Glover, the key drivers of Mars mission from NASA have notable jobs again back from earth in covering up as well answering press
• Benedict Wong, Eddy Ko and Chen Shu have very limited contributions in terms of screen presence but the story have them contribute significantly

What you can sleep over:

This movie is primarily an entertainer, unlike a Christopher Nolan film, which is far fetched intelligent. This movie may make you feel surviving on Mars is no rocket science :D But i am sure it ain't a piece of cake either :)

The dampeners you should be aware of:

• Certain aspects which looked incomplete and slightly too idealistic, is the over the top optimism of the Mars survivor 'Mark Watney'. Over the entire duration, he never shows up any sign of losing hope, he at all times appears optimistic. Though he admits in the film otherwise!
• Again there were not many internal tussles with NASA in going out of the way for saving a lone astronaut while risking the others. Internal politics were more or less suppressed and looked pretty much smooth sailing, kind of unlikely!

My Rating: 3.5/5

1- Poor  2-Average  3-Good  4-Very Good  5- Outstanding

Talvar

Cast: Irrfan Khan, Neeraj Kabi(Shruti's Father), Konkona Sen Sharma(Shruti's Mother), Sohum Shah(ACP Vedant), Gajraj Rao(Inspector), Atul Kumar(Paul), Sumit Gulati(Kanhaiya), Prakash Belawadi(Swamy), Shishir Sharma(JK Dixit), Ayesha Parveen(Shruti) and Tabu
Director: Meghna Gulzar
Genre: Crime, Thriller




One heck of a thriller. Its a must watch movie!




You may look forward to:

• Meghna Gulzar has literally bought the actual case alive with this film. Frame by frame every piece very carefully handled and written by Vishal Bhardwaj. Its not just a movie, but much more than that. Its a hinting tight slap on the face of our judicial system, and even more importantly the most trusted bureau of India, CBI
• Irrfan Khan is a class apart actor, and he proves it every time. He makes the real man of the Arushi Story- 'Arun Kumar' look like a hero. Incredible performance, impeccably done!
• Neeraj Kabi and Konkona Sen Sharma are outright amazing. They leave no stone unturned in giving the most complex expressions with every scene, where you wait to read their expressions to decide its a truth or a lie
• The rest of the supporting cast, who were equally important consitutes of Sohum Shah, Gajraj Rao, Atul Kumar, Prakash Belawadi and Shishir Sharma. Each one of them play very specific role and they portray the real face of our law enforcing system, behind the scene
• Sumit Gulati gives out his best performance. We have seen him in short appearances here and there. This guy is the key accomplice or so it seems who purely by luck escapes scot-free, when the rest of the clowns were busy with state politics

What you can sleep over:

Do not expect a lot from Ayesha Parveen and Tabu, as one of them seem to be the central character and the other a big name. They have very restricted screen presence





The dampeners you should be aware of:

The only dampener or so as it may seem is the end of the movie. Those who are not attached to the actual story and are visiting only for the thriller, may just come out dis satisfied wondering who is the culprit after all. In disguise, that throws a clear hint towards how our judicial system as well covered it up without any clear evidence


My dear sympathies to the victims and the family, who do not seem to be deserving what they have gone through and are going through, including the posthumous character assassination of a teenage child





My Rating: 4.5/5

1- Poor  2-Average  3-Good  4-Very Good  5- Outstanding

Singh Is Bling

Cast: Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson, Kay Kay Menon, Lara Dutta, Anil Mange(Pappi), Arfi Lamba(Pompi), Rati Agnihotri(Rafar's Mother), Yograj Singh(Raftar's Father) and Mahru Sheikh(Sara's Mother)
Director: Prabhudheva
Genre: Comedy, Action, Drama



I can now officially deem this movie as Akshay's worst comedy film ever! Do not dare enter the theater!




You may look forward to:

• This movie ain't about the Singh in the film, its about Amy Jackson. She is the one leading the film. She is the one with a story and does all the action. Minus her Singh does not exist. Though the lady has very fewer dialogues in the film, barring a repeating expression of "hmmmm", another entry in Bollywood who doesn't exactly fit in. You can yet watch out for her!
• The elderly actors do a decent job viz, Rati Agnihotri, Yograj Singh and Mahru Sheikh

What you can sleep over:

• Anil Mange and Arfi Lamba, are the accessory comedians in the flick. It doesn't really matter whether they feature in the film or they dont!
• There are no charbusting musical number in this film unlike 'Singh is King', in fact some songs are ridiculous attempt of funny!

The dampeners you should be aware of:

• Akshay Kumar is the biggest let down in this film for his fans. I wonder why was he even cast in the film. He practically does nothing. He fails to make you laugh, he does no action, he is just a complete waste. What made him on sign on this film!
• I had some level of respect for Kay Kay Menon, which is lost after this film. He is a ludicrous product which makes you wonder what the hell is he trying to do after all, a subject of mockery!
• I could not recognize Lara Dutta for quite some time. Just could not believe my eyes that this is what has become of her! She is not even worth a mention for this film!
• The story of the film is a trash! It has no content worth remembering or even recalling. I have no idea what was Prabhudeva thinking while he directed this flick so hopelessly a tragedy

My Rating: 1.5/5

1- Poor  2-Average  3-Good  4-Very Good  5- Outstanding

Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials

Cast: Dylan O'Brien, Kaya Scodelario(Teresa), Thomas Brodie-Sangster(Newt), Ki Hong Lee(Minho), Jacob Lofland(Aris), Alexander Flores(Winston), Rosa Salazar(Brenda), Giancarlo Esposito(Jorge), Barry Pepper(Vince), Lili Taylor(Mary), Aidan Gillen(Janson) and Patricia Clarkson(Ava)
Director: Wes Ball
Genre: Sci-Fi, Action, Adventure, Horror



This film lives upto its expectations. Certainly even better than its first part!




You may look forward to:

• The credit for this movie goes primarily to its director Wes Ball. He impresses with multiple characters, shoots with amazing cinematography while startling you time to time with spooky zombies and thrilling action. The best part of the movie is its last scene, which gives a whole new turn for its next flick to its series!
• Dylan O'Brien is a star in the making. Very suggestively as the film ends, he is the one going to be leading the troop, and fight back as resistance to the threatening and dominating organization. He works as a team in this film, and proves himself ably
• Guys from the original surviving team viz, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Ki Hong Lee and Alexander Flores do a good job, with Alexander ending his journey with this film. A new addition is Jacob Lofland, another survivor from another team, who is a silent spectator and a rather intelligent one
• Rosa Salazar and Giancarlo Esposito gives a push to the dying hopes of the surviving team, they are good supports. So are Barry Pepper and Lili Taylor, though Lili has a rather short role, but can expect to see the rest of them in the next of its series
• The main antagonists of the film Aidan Gillen and Patricia Clarkson, are more of chasers, involving many hit and run scenes. They do their job good within their limitations

What you can sleep over:

Kaya Scodelario is the predictable element in the film. She does not really come out as a surprise, which was otherwise intended to.





The dampeners you should be aware of:

Second half of the movie feels lengthy and dragging directionless for sometime. You have already seen plenty of action, what dampens a bit is continued action without a direction where the story is heading to. There is a continuous array of getting hope alive and then killing that hope. Though the last scene makes up for it, clearly showing the intention behind dragging, by displaying the despair of the people trying to shift from one location to another that of which is a never ending torture leading to no permanent solution, and then laying a foundation for a true uprising






My Rating: 3.5/5

1- Poor  2-Average  3-Good  4-Very Good  5- Outstanding

The Intern

Cast: Robert De Niro, Anne Hathaway, Rene Russo(Fiona), Anders Holm(Matt), Adam DeVine(Jason), Zack Pearlman(Davis), Jason Orley(Lewis), Christina Scherer(Becky) and JoJo Kushner(Paige)
Director: Nancy Meyers
Genre: Comedy, Drama




Soothing weekend watch, low on cholestrol and good for your heart :)




You may look forward to:

• Robert De Niro in this film is an absolutely charm. You wont meet a more charismatic old man as him. He is the odd one in the office and he is an absolute gentleman, i.e he is every bit gentle and a man :D He is young at heart, a mature friend and has his own taste in women. The character played by him will steal your heart!
• Anne Hathaway is a role model for all those bizz women out there. Her take on family life, busy yet sensitive. The chemistry she shares with Robert De Niro is very magnetizing. Its slowly developing relationship with a definite pull
• Anders Holm has a grey shade to his role which is very close to real and yet somewhere so ideal a husband. He is like the trend setting role who is a dream of every ambitious working woman
• Adam DeVine, Zack Pearlman, Jason Orley are the three naughty supporting characters who helps filling fun and frolic in the film, breaking seriousness wherever that applies
• Rene Russo, Christina Scherer and JoJo Kushner are the other three females, who are equally hot, adorable and cute respectively :)
• Nancy Meyers makes a very a pleasant movie, which soothes your mind and gives you light hearted moments filled with laughter. If you are tired of action and thrillers, you have gotto watch this one!

What you can sleep over:

The second half of the film, has certain segments which were not as important to the story but harmlessly added on. Nevertheless, the second half is equally good as its first half, if not any less!





The dampeners you should be aware of:

Some movies are just to go, enjoy and get back. This one is one such movie which is not built for criticism. Given most of the credits to Robert De Niro for his more than charming presence in the film! :)






My Rating: 3.5/5

1- Poor  2-Average  3-Good  4-Very Good  5- Outstanding

Calendar Girls

Cast: Akanksha Puri(Nandita), Avani Modi(Nazneen),Kyra Dutt(Sharon), Ruhi Singh(Mayuri), Satarupa Pyne(Paroma), Rohit Roy, Keith Sequeira(Pinaki), Vikram Sakhalkar(Harsh Narang), Atul Parchure(Mayuri's Manager), Rushad Rana(Anirudh) and Indraneil Sengupta(Shashank)
Director: Madhur Bhandarkar
Genre: Drama



A good story, with wrong casting and make! Watchable!




You may look forward to:

• Unlike 'Heroine' which was some level of exaggeration, this film has a much better story that you can relate to as you hear from the bizz news. The film stars five new girls, mostly models, there are individual stories and are edited well. The pace of the film and the inter connectivity is good. You wont get bored and entertainment is in its place
• All the lead females of the film displays vivid characteristics. As rightly said in the film, its not about the industry, its the individual choices. Akanksha Puri gets a situational role model to play, where most the things are not in her control; Avani Modi ably plays the plight of a woman caught in religious tangles and how wrong decisions can wrong your life irreversibly; Kyra Dutt plays a very head strong woman, most of the time sorted; Ruhi Singh plays a very focussed woman with a tunnel vision and Satarupa Pyne plays an unsteady character who is more vulnerable to love and easily falls into trap if emotionally weakened, not otherwise! All of them do a just job to their respective roles, kudos!
• All the men in the film viz, Rohit Roy, Keith Sequeira, Vikram Sakhalkar, Atul Parchure, Rushad Rana and Indraneil Sengupta dont really have a lead role in the female centric film, but they have apt supporting roles. Again a fine balance portraying each person is different in characteristics and attitude, no typecasting men in general!

What you can sleep over:

• The music of the film is average. It doesn't irritate!
• If you are expecting oomph factor in the film with loads of skin show, you are in for a disappointment!

The dampeners you should be aware of:

• Quality in Madhur Bhandarkar movies has certainly gone down. The presentation of the film felt kind of B grade, with the actresses just budding out of the shell, with okay acting skills, really fails to make any impact. Such films, no matter the story line can pick up only if there are stars in it, the videography to top it, is a big let down!
• This film is way out of date for the plot. There was a time when calendar girls were a big thing, but not anymore. This film is at least a decade old, out of its time. Right time, with right star cast could have given Madhur Bhandarkar his due hit

My Rating: 3/5

1- Poor  2-Average  3-Good  4-Very Good  5- Outstanding

Pawn Sacrifice

Cast: Tobey Maguire, Liev Schreiber(Spassky),Lily Rabe(Sister Joan), Peter Sarsgaard(Priest), Michael Stuhlbarg(Paul), Robin Weigert(Mother Regina) and Évelyne Brochu (Donna)
Director: Edward Zwick
Genre: Biography, Drama



A very performance oriented film. A quality watch!




You may look forward to:

• Tobey Maguire gives out a phenomenal performance as 'Bobby Fischer'. This guy is much more than a Spidey thing. We have seen him in some more serious roles, but this one is entirely his baby. The silent and spooky aura that he displays is remarkable. The role he plays is not just eccentric but equally intelligent, you will tend to hate the character 'Fischer' and wont really care he wins or he loses. But this caricature definitely will leave a mark on your conscience
• I love this guy, Liev Schreiber. Another amazing performer. He always have had this magnetic personality since the 'X Men' days. In here his composed nature with abruptly erupting finicky, is cold as well funny. He is a man with a very serious outlook in the film playing world renowned 'Spassky'
• The story of the film and the presentation is all credited to Edward Zwick for his potentially good work. The tense times of cold war and the repercussion of young American Fischer taking over the well established Russians, which made Chesss board look like a real war zone among nations, is very carefully handled. By the end of the film, you sure would want to dig out your chess board from your attic and play a round. :)
• Peter Sarsgaard and Michael Stuhlbarg, were the important supporting roles. Their support to Fischer was not an easy job, the moral boost and handling his eccentricity along with his out of the way demands are by no means an easy job to manage
• Lily Rabe, Robin Weigert and Évelyne Brochu, were the handful of women Fischer had, as depicted during this particular phase of his life. Notable work done by the ladies

What you can sleep over:

Even if you do know chess, you may not be as smart to catch half the many moves shown in the film or the mind calculations shown while he played the game without a board. Though it may intrigue you, you will not understand quite a few moments of the film involving the actual game Chess





The dampeners you should be aware of:

The considerably slow pace and the subject of the film is not really a crowd puller, but this cannot really be counted as a dampener per say, when it comes to the quality of the film





My Rating: 4/5

1- Poor  2-Average  3-Good  4-Very Good  5- Outstanding

Everest

Cast: Jason Clarke(Rob), Jake Gyllenhaal,Josh Brolin(Weathers), John Hawkes(Doug), Sam Worthington(Cotter), Robin Wright(Weather's Wife),Keira Knightley, Emily Watson(Helen),Elizabeth Debicki(Doctor Caroline), Naoko Mori(Namba)
Director: Baltasar Kormákur
Genre: Adventure, Biography



Heart rendering story from the very heart of the mountain Everest! Any of those who has been a part of adventure or mountain climbing will absolutely love it.



You may look forward to:   

• Whether you have ever climbed a mountain or not before, this film is still worth a watch. Most of the credit goes to Baltasar Kormákur for an invigorating presentation of the film. Such movies are usually slow and boring, but this story is far more tense with much events for a good and engaging movie watching experience, always keeping you at the edge of your seat
• Jason Clarke has an incredible job playing the tole of 'Rob'. Feel at a tremendous loss for the real guy 'Rob' who lost his life
• Josh Brolin, John Hawkes, Sam Worthington and Naoko Mori were among the climbers and few among these who survived absolutely on will power and some of luck while others couldn't make it. Good lesson is that no matter how experienced or tough you are, must never take wild nature for granted
• Robin Wright, Keira Knightley, Emily Watson and Elizabeth Debicki, have short but decent supporting roles in their respective blocks

What you can sleep over:

Jake Gyllenhaal is wasted. I hoped till the end that he might have been chosen for something better, but nothing much really came up of him



The dampeners you should be aware of:

The director doesn't give much scope for the regular audience to catch many dampening issues. Though the high altitude hikers may have a different opinion :)




My Rating: 3.5/5

1- Poor  2-Average  3-Good  4-Very Good  5- Outstanding

Katti Batti

Cast: Imran Khan, Kangana Ranaut, Vivan Bhatena(Rocky), Mithila Palkar(Koyal) and Suhaas Ahuja(Roger)
Director: Nikhil Advani
Genre: Romance, Drama, Comedy



A disappointing movie. The last half an hour of the film is the salvaging part!




You may look forward to:

• Agreed Imran Khan's choice of movies have worked against his career ever since his debut hit. This movie doesn't work much in his favor either. Nevertheless, i count him in plus, because he is not a bad actor after all. He can potentially make you cry in its second half
• Kangana Ranaut is her usual, she gets to don multiple looks, dressing mostly chic or diseased :) She looks old in many places especially where she needed to look her best, old age seems to be dawning on her earlier than expected. She by no means look a college going girl, yet she is the deserving lead of the film
• Vivan Bhatena is quite a common face is recent movies. He has a decent role in this film
• Mithila Palkar and Suhaas Ahuja are the supporting roles, although they don't really have much to play. Mithila Palkar as 'Koyal' confuses more than she does good. Difficult to say she is a positive character or negative, as she is always seen talking rude to 'Payal', before or after recognizing Cancer
• Thanks to the last half an hour, you at least don't come out of the theater hurling tomatoes and eggs on the screen

What you can sleep over:

The music of the movie is so so. It doesn't irritate, nor are any charting numbers




The dampeners you should be aware of:

• I expected a hell lot better from Nikhil Advani. I have no idea what was he upto in its first half of the film. Not that 2nd half was any better, but the story, the direction is very weak. It doesn't qualify for a comedy film, it never made me laugh, a few scenes which are good, were already covered as a part of trailer
• More than an Imran film, it disappoints as a Kangna Ranaut's film

My Rating: 2.5/5 (Only for its last half an hour)

1- Poor  2-Average  3-Good  4-Very Good  5- Outstanding