Keenly Anticipated Movies of 2021, which Surprisingly, Just About Made the Cut — From Strictly Average to Almost Disappointing

Welcome to mara-maari, mara-maari, and more mara-maari. Malayalam film Kala boasts some excellently choreographed, hand-to-hand fight scenes, and a goof message about animals to boot, but that's about it – there's literally nothing else in the movie. Basically, it's a simple, straightforward action film, which I wouldn't have had any issue with (I quite enjoy such action movies) had Director Rohith V. S. not tried to play the pretentious card and peddle it as something else. Thoughout the movie, he sets the narrative up for something earth-shattering lying in wait via dexterous camerawork, enchanting lighting, and brilliant sound effects, deliberately (not shrewdly like certain filmmakers do as they actually have something more to offer) leading us down multiple paths, none of which amount to anything. Alfred Hitchock had once said that it's all right to the distract audience with smart plot devices, but if you tease something suspenseful, you better deliver on that promise. Rohith teases and teases and teases, but delivers nothing. Also, I've no clue why people are raving about the violence or warning others about it; I've seen way more violent movies, and this doesn't come remotely close. Yes, this is a technical marvel; yes, Tovino Thomas and Sumesh Moor are riveting as the main and supporting lead; yes, the action is immensely entertaining, but it's almost like the Director didn't have confidence enough on his own film, and hence tried packaging it as something it certainly is not. If this was a Bollywood movie, many would've been question the pretentious and downright cheating tactics used to fool the audience, but only the positives are being focused on as it's a Malayalam movie. After all, isn't it fashionable now to say that if Bollywood does it, it's horrible, if the South or Hollywood do it, it's adorable?

2.5/5 stars

If Nithiin, Tamannaah, and Nabha Natesh's Maestro on Disney+ Hotstar is mostly a copy-paste (official) remake of Andhadhun, then what's the problem? Well, that's where the film serves as a case study at how direction can make or break the best of screenplays. The chasm between Sriram Raghavan and Merlapaka Gandhi's skills widens as the movie proceeds till the point where you wonder if the latter simply stationed a camera and called “action” and “cut”. All the marvelous shot-taking, knowing when to speed-up or slow proceedings, how long to longer the camera on a particular moment, how to ingeniously pan the camera and eke out angles that build suspense or evoke dark humour, all go missing from Maestro, fizzling it down to routine thriller, and a classic case of how a remake seldom matches up to the original despite it treading the same path, owing to the Director changing hands.

2.5/5 stars

Both Rumy Jafry's script (co-written with Ranjit Kapoor)and direction falters badly in the second half, with the last half hour almost appearing cartoonish, helped in no way by the poor VFX and Binod Pradhan's amateurish camerawork, which, together, annihilate any chance of creating a moody atmosphere of the forbiding location. Bodhaditya Banerjee's unimaginative, interminable editing skills are no better. The biggest drawback of Chehre is how it's main point, when revealed, appears frivolous and stretched for no reason, and how the plot then looks coerced to make us believe the retired protagonists are holier-than-thou do-gooders, when all they appear to be after that point are senile hounds of justice, unable to let go of their once glorious past. If not for the performances and first half, Chehre would have had hardly anything going for it.

2.5/5 stars

It's admirable that Nani has tried an out-an-out masala throwback movie to the village-centric Telugu movies of yore, but Amazon Prime's Tuck Jagadish eventually goes down as a formulaic, cliched masala vehicle that's surprisingly, even short of enough massy moments, and it's up to Natural Star Nani to save the day all the way. Thankfully, he's backed by a good buildup, competent performances from the rest of the cast and a handful of moments that manage to stand out.

2.5/5 stars

Uninspiring, unimaginative, pedestrian, one-dimensional, excessively formulaic, unbelievably cliched and surprisingly incomplete – Thalaivii is definitely not the biopic that a polarising figure of Jayalalithaa's stature demanded, and barring a handful of rousing moments, it's completely down to Kangana Ranaut's feminist power, Arvind Swami's retro charm, Raj Arjun's nasty persona and Nassar's slimy subtlety to save the day.

2.5/5 stars

If you really wish to get spooked with a couple of good horror movies seeped in the dark side of Jewish folklore, then I'd recommend the 2012 American film, The Possession, and it's equally scary 2017 Malayalam remake, Ezra. The Vigil barely touches the surface of spooks that those two evoked.

2.5/5 stars

The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It is certainly the weakest link of the three Conjuring movies, but I feel it has its moments, and isn't as bad as it's getting a rep for. Definitely misses Director James Wan's touch, and despite a more-than-competent story, Michael Chaves' direction bungles up the pacing, plotting, and some key scenes, making Wan's absence in The Conjuring 3 quite profound. The distinct lack of scares, barring a handful, can also be felt as can hitherto the whimpiest adversary in the entire Conjuring universe. Doesn't live up to The Conjuring billing, but still works a bit as a standalone horror film, just a but, IMO.

2.25/5 stars

Barring a couple of moments of true magic unfolding on screen and a handful of exciting sequences to boot, Raya and the Last Dragon looks nothing more than an attempt to outdo Dreamworks' How to Train Your Dragon and cash in on Indiana Jones-styled adventures for a modern-day audience who, the makers must've bet to not be well-versed with Harrison Ford's classics, but, ultimately, Disney's latest animated film falls way off the intended results on both counts. The biggest banes have got to be how derivative, predictable, easy, run-off-the-mill and uninspiring everything feels. This latest tale of a Disney Princess plays likes a poor step-cousin of How to Train Your Dragon and Indiana Jones.

2/5 stars

Keeping in mind the rehashed storyline we've seen a million times before in similar espionage action movies, Amazon Prime's Without Remorse needed some amazing fight sequences and jaw-dropping stunts to hold your interest, but alas, there's precious little spectacle here to stand out from the crowd. I mean, there are a few action sequences that had the potential to elevate this, but just when you think they're going to leap to another level, they flatter to deceive. With plot devices and twists that can be seen from a million miles away, Michael B. Jordan is the only aspect with visiting this film for, but try as he may, even he runs out of steam by the end trying to keep this regurgitation afloat. Even the setup for a potential sequel during a mid-credits scene isn't enough to overlook the flaws here. Want to watch some really good movies based on Tom Clancy's novels, try The Hunt for Red October, Clear and Present and Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit instead.

2/5 stars from my side (0.5 of that rating is solely for Michael B. Jordan's earnest act)

Irul, recently released on Netflix, is nothing but the Malayalam version of Urmila Matondkar, Manoj Bajpayee, and Sushant Singh's Kaun (1999), without the same finesses, suspense, and watertight execution brought about Ram Gopal Varma's direction (in his heydays). Barring Fahadh Faasil's performance, which is as much on the money as always, good support by Darshana Rajendran, and some tense moments sporadically creeping up, this one doesn't really cut it as a confined-space thriller, and Soubin Shahir's over-the-top act does it no favours either.

2/5 stars

Honestly speaking, popular modern horror/thriller filmmaker Alexandre Aja can be very hit or miss. While I loved his Crawl, High Tension and The Hills Have Eyes and Piranha remakes were strictly average for me, and I barely sat through Mirrors and Horns. His new Netflix thriller, Oxygen, again falls in the in-between category for me. It has a few good moments, but weren't it for Melanie Laurent's engaging performance, this could've so easily fallen off the rails. The biggest issue here, I feel, is Aja not milking the isolated, hyper-claustrophobic scenario, and instead getting stuck between two minds of whether to focus on the suspense or vague, existential sci-fi elements. Works in parts, but never comes together as a whole.

2/5 stars