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Varathan (2018)
Watch it for last 15min (Minus the logic)
Let me start explaining why the movie is loved. It's because of the last 15min action sequence that resembles lot like Home Alone mixed with John Wick. Thanks to good choreography and brilliant acting by Fahad, the logical reasoning is ignored for fun and entertainment.
Amal Neerad is famous for making movies in slow motion even if that's not required. Varathan (Stranger) is an extreme version of that style. Someone is drinking coffee, it's shot in slow motion. Walking - slow motion, talking - slow motion, introduction of characters - slow motion. Slow motion in footsteps, running, climbing, talking, okay, may be I'm exaggerating but you get the point.
This movie should have been finished in 45 min because there is nothing to show for apart from the action sequence I mentioned. The character development is shallow. The relationship between the husband and wife is unclear. I mean they are husband and wife, but their equation cause lot of confusion. They at times are portrayed as very close and at times, distant. Most importantly the reason why they decided to settle in a remote village is not convincing.
Other characters, introduced in slow motion, have no background story. Group of youngsters, sexually depraved men,. are shown either drinking or being sexually attracted to the lead actress. As for why, god knows. May be youngsters are sexually depraved. Does this mean that there are no youngsters like the characters? Absolutely not. There are. The movie doesn't give the reason to why they are the way they are.
Mother in law character is wasted and so are few others. They are either in few shots or are deemed irrelevant.
If you throw the logic out of the window, then the action sequence will be enjoyed. If not, then few questions remains to be answered. How come an IT professional is an expert in fire arms? How does he know marital arts or some form of self defense technique? There are few more but spoilers will spoil your fun.
Have you watched home alone? Some of the techniques will remind you of those scenes, especially connecting electric current to the door handle. It's only that Hollywood has done a brilliant job of it, showing us detailed step. Amal just cut to the chase.
Overall, a decent movie with a good action sequence towards the end.
Sacred Games (2018)
Top Notch (9.5 star rating) Indian TV series
An amazing Season 1. This will bring Indian moving/drama making appeal to the level of top class TV series. It's not that we haven't produced or made top class movies or TV series, it's that the standard has stooped so low in this decade that creative and brilliant directors are sidelined for poor stories and scripts but steaming 'item' numbers, stardom, extravagant sets etc.
With Netflix launching it's first ever TV Series and letting Anurag Kashyap use his skills (not being stifled by the censor board), we witness the brilliance we knew he has.
Unlike typical Indian heroes, Sartaj Singh is not your typical hero. He is honest and scared. He fails to live up to his principles on occasions and when he does, he lands himself in trouble. The characterisation of Sartaj is top notch. Never during the series, he is seen changing from an ordinary cop to extra ordinary one in one step. The change is gradual and it's not like typical India soap opera. Saif Ali Khan lives up to his 'Langada Tyagi' reputation and does a brilliant job. After watching the series, I realize why we haven't seen the best of Saif. It's because he never got a chance. Thanks to Sacred Games, we see the best of Saif.
No words for Nawazuddin's performance. He is brilliance personified. His portrayal of local gangster will etch in human mind for years to come. It wouldn't come as a surprise if his role is a considered as a case study for acting classes. Just like Sartaj, Giatonde (Nawazuddin) is not a super villain. He is not physically strong and immune to harm. He is as normal as a human can get except that when comes to desire to succeed, Gaitonde has no limits.
Rahika Apte, wow. She has definitely singed a contract with Netflix and it's worth it. She gets to do brilliant roles and at the moment, in my book, she is top notch actress. As a RAW agent, she blends into the role with ease and delivers a punching performance.
Every other character is brilliantly (I might be over using 'brilliant' in the review and that's because I can't help it) portrayed all the actors involved. Sartah's constable's wife, the RAW agent computer geek, the police computer geek, TV actress and many more is portrayed by talented people.
Nudity and sex was a definite surprise and they didn't overdo it. Not every episode has nudity and when there is, it's not for prolonged period. It's included as part of story line and adds to the grit and raw image of Mumbai underworld dealing.
Everything about this series is wonderful and I just can't wait for S02. #love4sacredgames
Pacific Rim Uprising (2018)
Gaint Robot (TV), Tom & Jerry are still better
Hey ya all,
Go back to watching all those cartoon series from the 90s and I bet ya, you will enjoy it lot more than this one. This movie is a big budgeted version of all those cartoon series geared towards kids.
I wouldn't dare to say that I loved part 1, now that I have seen part 2, but I did. Part 1 didn't have the best story line in the business of SF but it did have emotional parts which we could connect to. Part 2 is all action with nothing to relate to the characters.
Part of the movie is in Chinese and we know why. It's a huge market and having few of the characters will add allure. The third part, I'm sure, will have Indians and Japanese.
Another problem is that the story line is predictable. You can assume what's gonna happen and all you can wait for is for the CGI to kick in. The CGI is good and that's the only part of the movie I could watch without being disinterested.
There are tons of loopholes and laughable moments, but I'm not gonna spend time explaining all that. Enjoy a brainless action packed expensive cartoon movie.
Solo (2017)
A beautiful concept
It was not until the movie came in Netflix that I saw the movie and glad I did. The movie is a combination of 4 different short movies with each one not connected to another. Each movie has a different story line and different characters. The shining star of the series is Dulquer Salman and the failing star is all the lead actresses.
The first short movie, based on Water is about a blind woman falling in love with a guy who has stuttering issue. Dulquer's hair is beautiful, had to say about it. The story revolves around how the couple fall in love and what happens later. I loved the way it is shot and the confusion it creates in the mind of one watching. Since there is back and forth movement in the story line, it is easy to get lost, trying to think if the event is in present or in the past.
Dulquer as a college boy, an unemployed youth dons the role very well. It's easy to get connected to him and his emotions. Dhansika, is probably better than all other lead actresses and hence, one may feel she has done a good job. In reality, if observed alone, Dhansika does a poor job of enacting a blind girl. It's tough to look at her and say, 'Hey, she is blind'. There is a moment of her doing a stunt with sticks and it looked really cool. Apart from that, she was pretty bland throughout the movie.
Wind is my favorite. I can't dwell into the story line for the fear of accidentally revealing the plot. It's filled with twists and turns and even could have been a full blown movie. Dulquer plays his role with ease and perfection. The role he portrays is consistent across the short story. It's a must watch. The lead actress falls well short of expectations. It's not that she does a bad role, it's that she doesn't do much either. A pretty doll, like the rest of them.
The 3rd part, I forgot which element it was, is where Dulquer plays the role of a don. In the entire short story, he doesn't have a dialogue and yet we get a convincing performance of a don. The lead singer from Thaikuddam Bridge plays the role of Dulquer's compatriot and he looks the part. It's unfortunate that Manoj K Jayan didn't have much to do in the movie apart from looking as the care taker of Dulquer. He does any role handed over to him with ease and thank the God's for having him in Malayalam movie industry. The actress, who plays the Lover/Girlfriend/Mistress, fails to connect with the audience as a distraught women. There is no background story as to why she is so pissed with Dulquer's character.
The 4th part, which has a stellar cast, is the one that let me down. It depends on how you take the story. I found it unclear on why the leading lady decided to stay out of touch with her boyfriend for so long time (While there is a background to it, I found it unconvincing). There is also the twist which I found it difficult to absorb. It's not that the twist was surprise for me, to come at a moment as in the movie, I have my doubts. With Suhasini Manirathnam, Nasar at the lead, the story could have involved the acting prowess of these actors a lot more. May be it was shortage of time that forced the director to show little of these actors. The actress was pretty lame. Apart from looking like a doll, the actress had nothing to show for as a skill. The boxing fight was bad. If the guy, as said in the movie, is a national boxing champion, then let me tell you, he knows nothing of boxing. The basic hand holding posture is wrong and so are the movements. I can understand they didn't want to spend time and money choreographing a sequence that lasts only few seconds, yet, it was a letdown.
Overall the entire series is an experiment that's worth watching. You may or may not love the entire story line but you will definitely leave the theatre/Netflix thinking about part of the stories and how different it could have happened.
The Commuter (2018)
Quite an exciting ride
I had to write a review after I saw Tommen Baratheon as the son of Mike (Liam Neeson). For the whole movie, I just couldn't get who the guy was until the last shot and wow, wasn't I amazed. He is alive and well.
Now to the movie. Just like Classic Liam, the movie is fast paced, decent story line and drama. It's a clear cut cat and mouse chase movie. Liam does what he does best, be the action hero.
I'm amazed at how a 60 yrs old Mike (Liam) could do the stunts that he is seen doing without injuring any major muscle part of his body. I'm 35 and I ruptured my ligament while playing football. Mike, I'm sure, will have no issues playing rugby at this age.
There is nothing more to write about the movie apart from the fact that it's a fun ride to watch and proves why only Liam can pull of these movies at this age. His voice reminds you constantly of 'I don't know who you are..' dialogue. His facial expression revolves around from a normal office going insurance guy to a trained assassin, which I believe, is not so cool point. But, who cares, it's Liam and just enjoy watching him.
Fan of Liam, watch it.
Sudani from Nigeria (2018)
A wonderful rural story of a fanatic football fan
The movie is set in the city of Malappuram where 7s Football is a craze. ( A background: 1) While football is played with 11 players in one team, 7s have only 7 players on one team. The ground is small than the normal ones. Think of 7s as a bridge between Futsal and Football. 2) Malappuram is a small town in the state of Kerala, India. Football is a craze there. Think the place of as a mini Brazil/Spain/German state of football fans).
Majeed is an unmarried young man, who is managing a Football team. He only source of income is from winning games. Due to his 'unemployment' status, getting a girl becomes difficult. (A background: Arrange marriage is still the norm in major parts of India. A steady income for the groom to be is a must for families)
Majeed is dedicated to football and to his club. To strengthen his squad, he brings in players from Nigeria (A background: A lot of Africans play in these 7s league in Kerala). The stars seem to shine on him as he starts to win thanks to his newly joined players, especially Samuel. Samuel steals the heart of the football fanatics and becomes the top scorer for his team.
Since most of the people from Malappuram are not quite sure of the geographical layout of Africa, they start to call Samuel as Sudani. While Samuel makes an effort to correct them by stating that he is from Nigeria, people started to address him as Sudani from Nigeria (It's similar to calling someone a German from England or an Asian from America). Samuel decides to stick to what people call him.
An accident to Samuel/Sudani makes him unfit. Compounding the problem, it seems the time to recover is long and as Samuel's sponsor, the responsibility falls on Majeed's shoulder. With no money to entrust Samuel/Sudani in the hospital, Majeed has to make a decision.
This movie is not an action packed thriller or a suspense drama flick. It's an evenly paced simple movie. I have to stress this for the fact that people might watch this movie with the wrong set of expectations and that will spoil the mood.
For those who have watched Thondimuthalam Drikshakashiryum (another wonderful movie), this one is of the same genre.
The setting, selection of actors (most of whom I'm watching for the first time), the music, direction, acting is brilliant. Subish, the actor who plays Majeeed, seem to pick all the right roles. He started playing comedy roles and have picked up roles that fit within, what he thinks, is his range of suitable roles. Thanks to him, we are able to see the emotion behind an ordinary 'unemployed' football manager.
While the movie is connected to Football, the actual action of the movie is outside of the field. Majeed's struggle. Sudani's struggle post injury, his background story and more. Humor is a constant companion. Most of the characters seem to have some humor induced in them and it's wonderfully executed. Majeed, in one scene, compares himself to his struggles and to that of Zidane. In one way, both have the same problems, the primary difference being money and attention each get.
Who stole the show? While Subish aka Majeed does a brilliant job, for me, it was Majeed's mother. What a wonderful actress. She portrays the role of a loving mom, who burns inside for his son is executed in an exquisite way. My sincere apologies for getting your hopes high if you haven't watched the movie. I just couldn't control showering praise on her. Now, don't watch expecting an Al Pacino style acting. Nah! This is a perfect reflection of how a muslim woman, who, in a patriarchal world, responds. She gets you emotionally hooked.
Her neighbor friend is equally wonderful. Loved her way of looking at the ** (hidden due to spoiler) when they come and how she taunts them.
The cameo by the actor who portrays yesteryear martial artist is also a treat. Even though he comes and goes in a blink of an eye, to entertain such a character is what makes the movie a treat of watch. All the side characters are so part of the movie and it makes the movie whole.
I want to refrain form calling this movie amazing, fantastic and such superlatives, because the movie is soul-felt (if there is such a word). Go in to experience a simple movie delivered in a minimalist (borrowing a tech phrase) manner.
Ozark (2017)
Exceptional
It's one the best shows of all time and definitely of 2017. Emotional, tense, dramatic and above all a wonderful story line.
Marty Byrde convinces the cartel that he can launder their money from a remote city called Ozark. What he doesn't know yet is, how?
Brilliant with numbers, Marty starts on a new venture to protect himself and his family and along the way he meets with up different people with their own agendas.
The characterization for the entire series is wonderful. All the characters have been written clearly and no one them change their behaviour during the time of the series. For me that's the key part. We don't want someone to suddenly turn into heroes or villain for no reason. There are no such rapid turn of events in this series.
The series slowly builds itself like an opera. The start of which is soft and slow and the pace builds up evenly. The music is wonderful. In the last episode, which involves the priest, the piano is timed in an exquisite way.
What about the actors? They are brilliant. Jason Bateman as Mr Byrde is just brilliant. He just doesn't get ruffled by or show any emotion during high stress situation. He eases into the character and engages the audience to take a ride into the life of Marty Byrde.
Laura Linney is amazing as a wife who is sure and not sure about being with Marty. What she does with her life is for you to see during the series but she does a wonderful job as a wife who is pissed of at her husband and yet want to support him in his endeavor.
The cartel, landlord, neighbors, FBI and everyone else does an amazing job. It does say how much they have scrutinized to select people to play these characters. Hats off to the casting team.
Can't wait for Season 2.
Lost in Space: Impact (2018)
Wonderful pilot episode
I have never read the book or don't even know if this is an adaptation before I started on the first episode.
The episode begins with Robinson family on a space fleet called Jupiter heading to a pre-coordinated destination. As we already know about the fate of their journey, the family crashes into an unknown Island that seems to be suitable for human living.
There is no explanation as to why the atmosphere of the universe is compatible for Humans. It states that there is 1 in a million chances and yet, we take it. We don't bother as long as humans can live is an unknown planet as long as it's 'safe'.
The episode then dives into the first barrier the Robinson family has to go through once they land in an alien planet. The story then moves back and forth between their current life and the events that led to their 'journey'.
The special effects is amazing. Top notch for a TV. What they hell, it even bests some of the 'million' dollar movies like '1000 BC', 'Snakes on a stupid plane' and stuff like that. The effects are clean and crisp.
The first episode keeps one engaging through out and it's an excellent watch.
PS: When I saw Mrs Robinson, I knew that I have seen some other series. I just didn't know which one. Then, I got it. Jackie Sharp from house of Cards. No wonder she looked so familiar.
Jessica Jones (2015)
Review of Season 2 Jessica Jones
I'm confused, pissed and wondering what the hell just happened to the writers of the series.
Writing with lose ends, no real villain to speak off, lot of charged up (no nudity) sex and a bikini shot of Jessica sums up the whole series for me.The badass character is seen in her emotional avatar and it ruins the entire plot for me.
Rather than taking the series to next level, it has dropped one down and it's disappointing. So, what happened?
*SPOILERS*
There are couple of moments that really threw me off to call this show a failure than a success. In one scene, at Jessica's apartment, the killer, Jessica and another PI is in the same room. Jessica takes the other PI to the next room, closes the door and speaks in hush tone. The tone is so hush that the killer can easily hear what they are conversing. So stupid. Jessica then dials the cop to set the killer to run away. Classic.
Another shot - The talented Jessica breaks into a house and fails to notice the motion sensor. How come?
Bikini Jessica in tears - Why does Jessica have to be in a bikini kind of wear to speak to her mom and that too when she is emotionally distressed? I agree that there is a build up to that scene but it doesn't just make sense. I didn't mind seeing her awesome body but for what?
No nudity sex - This was quite obvious in the show. I get that people want sex, but for this show, to come up with so many so such scenes doesn't add merit.
The reason as to why she turned the killer in is a mixed bag. Some would say that she needed the right reason and some would say, 'that was crazy'. I form part of the latter group.
My thoughts on what the show runner wanted to achieve - They wanted to show the emotional side of a badass character. Why she got to be the way she is and what she has to go through to get more badass. The execution falls flat because the scenes are boring and doesn't draw the emotional connect the writers would have expected.
However, all is not lost for this series and there are few bright points.
Rachael Taylor (Trish Walker) comes across as a brilliant actress and I wish she gets a show on her own with some super powers. It will add to the women list of super people and justify her acting abilities. She gets a good amount of screen time and that's good to see.
Eda Darville is amazing in this series. It's quite clear that he has developed a muscular body and resonates with the story line that he is clean for few years.
Ohhh, how I liked the Kill Grave moments. It's cute to have a badass villain back for few moments.
There are moments that can be called as classic Jessica Moments that gets few chuckles.
Overall, skim watch this one, just like you will skim read the second part of a very popular novel.
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010)
Don't waste your time
I had very high expectations with this one, I was looking for visual effects in full flow, dragon fights and lots more, in the end I felt disappointing. After I read the reviews by others, I guess I m in the minority list but I have not intention of holding on to my feelings.
The movie is about a voyage and they could have done that in no time, there was little exploration of human feelings and there was no attempt for it. The visual effects was not something we have not seen. It went flat.
The book is much better than the movie because it explores the visual side of what cannot be seen in the book. This one fails flat.
Sorry Narnia fans, I loved the earlier versions much better.
Unstoppable (2010)
Its a good movie
The movie gets into the plot right from the beginning and moves at a good pace till the end. Considering that one goes to watch action, you are not disappointed. There is not much Denzel and others had to do emotionally but whatever little time they get to show their emotional side, they do it well. On the action part, the director has hit the right button, they are full of adrenaline and hard stuff. What makes the movie even more entertaining is that the events are based on true story. When on thinks that there are heroes in real life, we feel lucky to be part of the world.
My advice, watch this one.