I know it is suuuuuper late, and probably pointless right now - but finishing what I started. So here goes.
Andhadhun
Sriram Raghavan is back in his element! Its’ really nice to
see the director get back to form – if ‘Badlapur’ showed that he was getting
his groove back, ‘Andhadhun’ is a realization of the enormous potential of the
director. With a slick script, a great cast who fully commit to the material
(impeccable casting by Mukesh Chhabra), brilliant editing and Raghavan’s
trademark exploration of the grey shades in character, this is a suspense
thriller/black comedy that really works. Special props to Tabu, who is
absolutely wonderful as the
morally ambiguous Simi – it is clear to see why she was Raghavan’s only choice
for the role.
If you haven’t seen ‘Andhadhun’ yet, definitely make time
for it. It is one of the movies that showcase the brave new directions that
Bollywood is taking. Streaming on Netflix.
Badhaai Ho
‘Badhaai Ho’ is a sweet, charming family entertainer that
tells the story of a middle-class family whose lives are turned around when the
middle-aged parents get pregnant. The firm works primarily on account of its
witty script which captures the lives of middle-class Delhi folk beautifully,
crackling dialogue and the cast – while Ayushmann Khurana gives a good performance
as expected, the senior actors Neena Gupta, Gajraj Rao and Surekha Sikri are
the ones who steal the show.
Highly recommended if you have not seen it yet. Streaming on
Hotstar.
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
Even the most ardent fans of the Harry Potter universe (is
that a thing?), who are in tune with the lore of the series, would have to
admit that ‘Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald’ is quite dense and tries
to jam in a lot of plot points, references, easter eggs and mythos into its
run-time – resulting in a bloated, convoluted and over-complicated movie. And in
this, the movie loses out on the wonder and the magical feel that the movie
should have – the result is a dull experience which would alienate viewers new
to the franchise, and also perhaps disappoint even the Pot-heads. No matter
what criticisms people had on the first ‘Fantastic Beasts’ movie, it did
deliver on the promise of the wondrous aspect of the world.
All in all, this
installment was a disappointment for me; and I hope the makers can get back to
the roots of what made the earlier movies work.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Wow! There probably isn’t a more apt reaction for
‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’. I had been waiting for this one for a
while; but even despite my pretty lofty expectations, this movie impressed me a
lot. I saw this one on an IMAX screen, in all its artistic glory, and the
results were absolutely outstanding. This is one of those rare movies that
really does push the envelope in terms of what animation can actually achieve –
it gives you the feel of an actual comic book, which is amazing. The animation
is complemented by everything else – a great storyline (you need to pay
attention or else you would find yourself confused and disoriented quite
often), excellent dialogues and voice acting all around, a killer
soundtrack and amazing editing, to name a few. If you missed watching this one on the big screen, you actually did miss something special.
Would definitely recommend a
watch once it does become available on streaming.
2.0
Shankar is back with the sequel of his super successful
‘Enthiran’. Despite a lot of hype and positive reviews, I went to the theatre
with tempered expectations. And I wanted to like the movie – I really did. But,
the paper-thin plot, mostly senseless screenplay and lack of an emotional core
really didn’t work for me. Though the special effects are good (great use of
3D), it became overkill for most of the movie. Even the star-power of
Rajinikanth did not really work for me – this was not a Rajini mass movie, so
to speak – it was a Shankar extravaganza with Rajini as the hero.
On the whole,
I was disappointed and, surprisingly, bored during a lot of the movie. Probably
an unpopular opinion, but I think Shankar’s vision could have been complemented
with a better script.
Aquaman
‘Aquaman’ is now DC’s most successful movie – I think one of
the main reasons for this is that after ‘Wonder Woman’, this is the DCEU’s most
tonally consistent movie. This coupled with the strategy of moving away from
the doom and gloom palette Zack Snyder had created in the previous movies.
Director James Wan, famous for his horror movies, does a good job to create a
visually stunning world, and the screenplay has a goofy, fun take on the
superhero which works very well. And of course, Jason Mamoa is a charismatic
leading man who is clearly having fun with the character. Despite quite a few
shortcomings like an overcrowded plot, the standard busy and CGI heavy third
act and a lack of emotional investment in the characters, the movie works for
the large part.
For those who were looking for a DC revival, this might not be
the movie they deserve, but is the one they need.
Ralph Breaks the Internet
If you liked its prequel ‘Wreck-It Ralph’, chances are you
will like ‘Ralph Breaks the Internet’. This is a delightful movie that takes
the characters from the first movie and puts them into the new age of the
internet. This premise has a lot of promise, with the leads in a
fish-out-of-water scenario as they try to navigate the vast expanse of the
internet. The humour is spot-on, and there are some observations which make you
stop and think while laughing. And of course, Disney takes a jab at, and
sprinkles easter eggs all over the place, from its vast pool of properties. The
highlight, of course, is the scene where Vanellope meets and interacts with
other Disney princesses – the scene is hilarious and Disney sportingly makes
fun of itself as well.
On the whole, this one is a fun ride for young ones and
adults alike – definitely worth a watch.
Bird Box
This was a weird one – while the Netflix movie ‘Bird Box’ is
definitely not a complete disappointment, it doesn’t work as well as it should.
Like most disaster movies, this one also creates a sense of dread and impending
doom. The plot is broken into two parts – one which talks about how the
protagonist tries to cope with some fellow survivors, and the other which talks
about how she has to navigate a river with two children to get to safety, while
being blindfolded. An inconsistent tone, an underwhelming ending, and mostly
unlikable characters are some of the issues with the movie. And while Sandra
Bullock is as reliable as ever, on the whole, this was definitely not the best
output that could have come out.
Bandersnatch
‘Bandersnatch’ was, for me at least, a cinematic event that
really heralded something new. While the concept of the consumer taking the
plot forward is not new (there are a few interactive video games where the plot
moves forward based on the choices of the players – and this is the main plot
of ‘Bandersnatch’ as well), ‘Bandersnatch’ has really run with the idea. While
this may not be the best ‘Black Mirror’ product, it definitely works – not just
for the novelty of the choice based storytelling, but also how the makers are
self-aware and drive the whole point home with apt themes of choice and free
will; multiple endings; easter eggs; breaking the fourth wall; and dark humour
as well.
This is definitely something that was unique and beautiful, and I hope
Netflix continues to challenge the status quo, experiment more and come up with
new and interesting templates and concepts.
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