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Reviews
Family Star (2024)
It's time for THE Vijay to take a break and get back his script sense.
Govardhan is an middle class family man, looking after the joint family by being the sole earner. His eldest brother is a drunkard and his other brother is yet to get financially stable. This leaves Govardhan with a low earning job, to be an authoritarian but when it comes to protecting his family, he turns into THE hero tollywood approves. Indu is the tenant in his house's first floor and both fall in love until he figures out that she just mingled with him and his family to write a thesis on middle class family for her degree. Govardhan starts hating her and his behavior towards her turns her love into hatred. What happens when he joins a high earning job, only to be revealed that Indhu is the CEO of that company, forms rest of the story.
THE Family Star has a passable first half. The family scenes despite underwritten characters help the narrative to go in a smooth pace and the timely addition of two action scenes allow the hero to typically shine. The conflict points however are weakly written and the film starts losing it's steam. The interval block with Govardhan realising what Indhu had done and his instant reaction was okay. But the film gets derailed entirely in the second half with a terrible screenplay. The entire second half runs without head and tail forgetting the family angle whereas the love story along with the attempted comedy simply turns out to be super cringe.
Songs aren't memorable and everything in the second half looks forced and deliberate. Unnecessarily a villain is included too only for the conflict to be resolved instantly. The dialogues fall flat like "I love you means I love your family" and the addition of silly scenes in the name of comedy just ends up making Govardhan's character annoying. If the screenplay in the second half included the family sentiment rather than using it randomly as a plot tool in the third act, there was some chance to salvage the mess but turning it into a rom-com by increasing the cringe factor only ended up harming the film. The Vijay Devarakonda wants to be a brand and it was his script selection that set him apart from the rest. It's about time he realizes it and gets back his script sense.
Shiti Hanta (2024)
Pervy Aladdin!
Story straight out of late 70s and 80s, Ryo Saeba also known as City Hunter is a ladies man, a sleazy one at that. He and his partner are on a case to find a missing girl, simultaneously there are random cases of people getting super strength, acting strange before dying. The missing girl they are searching for too has super strength and soon it is revealed that she is a victim of human trial where Angel dust drug was experimented on her. With the police struggling to get anywhere close to solve this case, it is upto City Hunter along with a new partner to save the girl and also bring the baddies to his own form of justice.
I had fun watching the Jackie Chan version of City Hunter when I was a kid. Now, I am not much of a fan and neither I am any aware of the Manga series. This film belonged to the 80s and setting the story in the current time simply doesn't work for it. The action choreography is decent enough but being self aware alone is of no help as the film jumps from being corny to silly to cringe throughout. This one is strictly for the fans of source material and for the rest, it barely provides any engaging story to get invested in.
Tillu Square (2024)
Atluntadhi Manathoni².
Tillu has set up Tillu events and is leading a happy life. He even signs up to play at an event on his birthday week for an hefty amount. In the meantime, he meets up with Lilly, falling for her instantly and both have an one night stand. Lilly leaves in the morning to his disappointment and a month later, they bump into each other at an hospital. She tells him about her pregnancy and amidst his shock, their wedding is fixed. On his birthday night, he is invited to a familiar apartment by Lilly and she reveals herself to be Rohit's sister. With his past catching up, Tillu realizes he has once again fallen into a trap. Once Lilly's true intentions are revealed, Tillu being the scapegoat, how does he save himself from another mess, forms rest of the story.
Like DJ Tillu, even the sequel relies on Siddu's performance and comic timing. When it comes to that, (Tillu)² is a total entertainer. Logic has no place in this franchise and the director plays to it's strength wisely. The first half has enough fun moments and doesn't drag much till the interval where the story actually begins. Unlike DJ Tillu, the second half here works better, giving ample scope for Siddu to entertain. Even Radhika's brief cameo leads for an hilarious segment. It might not boast of any repeat value yet with the slight improvement in the second half, (Tillu)² is a much better entertainer than it's prequel.
Amar Singh Chamkila (2024)
Imtiaz Ali back in form in Style with his tribute to Chamkila.
I hadn't heard about Amar Singh Chamkila till Diljit's Jodi was announced and a friend of mine shared the articles, stories about Chamkila. This biographical drama sheds light on Chamkila's life, covering all the important moments of it which involved his growth as the best selling Punjabi singer. The controversy around his songs which were deemed vulgar due to the lyrics whereas the very songs making him the star he was and the other set of songs which put him under the fire with the police.
Imtiaz Ali is finally back to form and it was a treat to watch him in full control of this script. The narrative which happens via other people's pov, was a clever touch. He was a misunderstood star and at the crucial juncture, not able to truly understand what went through his mind when cornered really worked in the film's favor. The dramatic impact it had, ensured that any direct melodrama involving the Chamkila couple was not needed here. It celebrated his rise in popularity and even during his toughest phase, didn't stop celebrating him.
Diljit Dosanjh lived this character and Parineeti Chopra lent able support. Kudos to the team for recreating so much of the footage with finesse. It's shameful that the 80s was so terrible for Punjab and how including this murder case, many others remained unsolved till date. Imtiaz Ali rather providing the commentary, superbly showcases what being cornered by all sides does to a human. Chamkila was truly a fearless man towards the end and he chose the path he believed in. His music lives on and rightfully so.
Laapataa Ladies (2023)
Jagtey Raho!
Deepak marries Phool Kumari and Jaya is married to Pradeep. Both the couples take the same crowded train to their respective villages. Deepak accidentally alights the train with Jaya, leaving Phool Kumar stranded at the train station. Deepak is in love with Phool whereas Pradeep is in love with the dowry Jaya's family gave him. Set in 2001, how does Deepak re-unite with Phool while Jaya dreams for her freedom, forms rest of the story.
First things first, Laapataa Ladies is a must watch film. The narrative keeps everything simple and it remains heartwarming throughout. No unnecessary increase in the melodrama as Kiran Rao efficiently establishes the story through her strong characters. The writing and execution simply stands out, connecting with the characters instantly. Special mention to Ravi Kishan's character which in a filmy way owns the climax scene.
The film had several standout scenes and Deepak - Phool yearning for each other while Phool learns a bit to survive in the real world. Then there is Jaya who dreams to study organic farming and live the life she wants, without being forced into a life she loathes. As Deepak - Phool's story remains as innocent as possible, Jaya's story is that of hope and has more emotional depth. The actors live their characters and kudos to Kiran Rao and team for getting those performances from them.
The Greatest Hits (2024)
Falls way short of expectations.
Harriet is mourning her boyfriend Max and is unable to move on. She meets David at a support group and learns he is coping losing his parents. They form a bond but Harriet is unable to pursue it further as she is constantly time travelling to the past memories with Max whenever she listens to hit songs associated with Max. Would she go back in time to save Max or would she learn to find the strength required to move on, makes up rest of the story.
This definitely had an intriguing idea and the right person to direct it considering I am kind of a Sucker for time travel stories and I immensely liked Ned Benson's all 3 versions of The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby. It just made me have expectations which this film didn't meet. The narrative isn't truly engaging and turns repetitive way too soon. The love story not working, both Harriet - Max and Harriet - David, as much as it should have, hurt the film the most. This simply lacked the magic it needed to work.
The Bricklayer (2023)
A dull spy!
Aaron Eckhart plays Vail who used to be former CIA operative but now a bricklayer. He is brought in on a case involving the murders of journalists, putting the blame on CIA and the suspect being Radek who is also former CIA asset whom Vail had taken care off. As Vail was Radek's friend, CIA assigns Kate to get Vail to track and stop Radek, who has gone rogue after his cover got exposed costing him his family. How does Vail succeed in stopping Radek and his personal vendetta while uncovering more mystery about the people involved, forms rest of the story.
This is by far the dullest spy film I have seen in recent times where the film stays flat right from the beginning. None of the action scenes stand out, the characters including Eckhart's Vail despite the hype remains well dull. The suspense is barely there considering how Radek is introduced and there is barely any mystery to solve. At 1hr 50mins, the film drags on with the brooding hero, trying it's best make him appear cool throughout while offering him nothing writing wise.
Njan Prakashan (2018)
An endearing Fahadh Faasil carries this slice of life story.
Prakashan is qualified to be a male nurse but he dislikes getting into that profession. He desires to go to Germany to make money. He is a son of school teacher yet his moral values are questionable as he cannot think beyond himself. He even tries to trick his ex-girlfriend in order to fulfill his dream of moving to Germany. How Prakashan evolves as a person after meeting Tina and being her nurse, forms rest of the story.
This light hearted dramedy has the perfect protagonist in the form of Fahadh Faasil. This is the film with that famous scene of him eating at a wedding. He aces the comedy just with his timing and keeping it as simple as possible. The first half is slow and focuses on his greed, ending on a fun interval point. It is the second half where the story truly begins and Fahadh Faasil - Devika Sanjay's bonding has come out well. The film belongs to Fahadh Faasil and he brings Prakshan into life.
Ae Watan Mere Watan (2024)
The unsung hero is the greatest of all heroes.
I don't want to call this as a missed opportunity as nobody should ever miss any opportunity like this in the first place. This is the times where false propaganda is getting sold all over and rarely comes an inspiring riveting tale from our history, based on the real life events of Usha Mehta who along with her friends broadcasted Congress Radio at a time when the transmission was banned. It inspired to reignite the quit India movement. A tale like this must be narrated and definitely not in this way.
Dharmatic aiming for the film to be an OTT release is no excuse to keep everything this basic in the first place. The melodrama is amplified to no effect. The performances and the dialogues including the dialogue delivery somehow didn't raise above an ordinary play, school/college level. I will not call the performances to be bad but the talent involved were simply capable of lot better. For a powerful story like this, there were barely a moment that gave the chills. Using of technology to enhance the communication through underground network while the British struggle to find the source of broadcast was a gold subject and the makers just wasted it.
Murder Mubarak (2024)
Do you know what happened with Padam once?
There's been a death at RDC, the victim turns out to be the club's gym instructor Leo. With all the richie rich around, Leo is revealed to be an habitual blackmailer and majority of the club members have been his victims, turning them all into suspects. ACP Bhavani Singh is assigned this high profile case and has 10 days to solve the mystery, catch the culprit. The murder mystery also has another mystery i.e. A love story. How does the sane Bhavani Singh catch the real culprit among all these wacky bunch forms rest of the story.
This whodunit murder mystery is largely a social satire and the characters too are designed that way. Even the main reveal in the end has to do with the social status of the rich and how they see the poor. The tone of the narrative is however wacky and pretty much self aware. There are bunch of characters who are suspects, each holding onto their own but sadly not all of them get the screentime they deserve which includes Karisma Kapoor, Dimple Kapadia and Sanjay Kapoor. The backstory of Ajay Kumar and Ganga too is just a mere information passed on.
The other main characters, Bambi and Akash, apart from being actively involved in solving the murder mystery, also have a love story which needed better treatment. But this bit still worked for me and I do feel, Sara Ali Khan honestly tries hard at the characters she signs but this time, her character demanded bit too much from her. The film as a satire definitely works and with all the right build up, fronted by ever dependent Pankaj Tripathi, all hyped climax with all the suspects put in a room ends with mixed results. The strength of this film were it's various characters and if their arcs were better focused then Murder Mubarak could have been a better film.
Monkey Man (2024)
Jai Bajrang Bali aka Hail Monkey Man!
Bobby is the monkey-masked fighter who gets paid to throw away his matches. He feels he deserves the pain as part of his version of punishment. He lost his mother as a kid and all he has her fond memories where she narrates the story of Hanuman, as well as the painful final moments of her. He seeks revenge on her mother's killers, who are now the powerful in the system. To achieve his revenge, first he must truly know his purpose and figure out his true self. How he achieves that and earn the strength to exact his revenge forms rest of the story.
Monkey Man is a straight up revenge actioner, a thorough Indian film masquerading as an Hollywood film. The emotions resonate instantly and the specific scenes with the villain raising from being a greedy fake saint to a politician, clubbed with the montage of the real violence against the Indian minority, I could understand why this film was not released in theaters in India. Having said that, this is pretty much a straight forward revenge tale with a pedestrian screenplay, leaving nothing surprising in it's entire runtime. Where it wins is in the visual narrative and ofcourse one of the best use of Zakir Hussain's cameo.
Initially the action scenes don't meet the expectations and the dialogues were kind of a letdown, by dialogues I mean the English dialogues. But the second half is where the film redeems itself and the pre-climax + climax action scenes work really well. Almost all the characters are too one dimensional and that reflects on their performances including Dev Patel. Still the team is pretty much dedicated throughout and it reflects on the end product. This may not boast of any repeat value, for what it's worth, it does make for a decent one time watch.
Knox Goes Away (2023)
Knox indeed goes away.
John Knox is a contract killer who is diagnosed with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, a fast moving version of alzheimers. He has merely six weeks before losing out to the disease and tries to do one last hit before taking his retirement. His condition gets him to accidentally kill his own friend and later his estranged son knocks on his door, asking for his help. With time running against him, Knox comes up with an elobrated scheme to execute his retirement plan. How does he do it forms rest of the story.
Apart from the basic character outline of John Knox, there isn't much depth provided to this character study. This results in a slightly tedious watch despite the starcast. The performances too are good but the character dynamics is absent. We know the father and son are estranged, also have a bitter relationship yet the emotional core isn't properly established. The ending does get predictable and that is was John's plan all along, yet be it his relationship with Annie or his helpful boss Xavier, none of these relationships get their due.
Late Night with the Devil (2023)
It is sweeps week afterall!
Jack Delroy is the host of Night Owls show which is in it's sixth season. After enjoying the fame due to show's popularity, it's viewership has faced a steep downfall and in his personal life too, Jack Delroy has lost his beloved wife to cancer. It is the time where supernatural belief was at it's peak and on Oct 31st 1977, night of Halloween, Jack has planned a special episode touted to be the ratings booster. The shows guests include Lilly who claims to be possessed and her caretaker Dr. June, along with Carmichael who is there to disprove the supernatural claims and the psychic Christou. What happened on that episode along with uncut behind the scenes footage is screened with documentary + found footage style narrative.
I am not too much into found footage films anymore and this became an exception since I watched it's trailer. Though I didn't find the film to be any exceptional within this particular genre, with a runtime of 90 odd minutes, it succeeds in delivering an engaging watch. It starts of slow with backstory of Jack Delroy and then the segment involving psychic Christou doesn't do much. The film picks up with the entry of Lilly and Dr. June, creating enough interesting moments to keep the intrigue intact till the final act. The story is predictable as it is, so the final reveal felt decent at best.
Abraham Ozler (2024)
A Devil's alternative!
ACP Abraham Ozler has faced a personal tragedy where his wife and daughter had been murdered. 3 years after the incident, the culprit is in prison and has failed to identify the place where he buried them. A case of serial murders is being investigated by Ozler where the victims have no connection to each other but their parents do. How does Ozler solve the case and unwrap the mystery behind the killer dubbed as Birthday killer, forms rest of the story.
"Nothing makes sense" is what Ozler says and we can rest assured that the details will be spoonfed to us. Abraham Ozler is an old school revenge drama masquerading as a thriller. The screenplay and the disappointing dialogues rely on the usual folklore to wrap up the tale and an emotional flashback to justify the killings. Sadly, the film fizzles out in the first half itself as the narrative fails to evoke interest. Jayaram is good as Ozler and Mammootty with his screen presence alone contributes but they deserved a better screenplay.
Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver (2024)
Irredeemable Rebellion!
Kora and her fellow warriors make it back to the village Veldt. They are happy to announce the death of Admiral Noble, without knowing that he is alive. Veldt is told to deliver the grains in 5 days and this makes them suspect Noble is still alive considering they are ready to break the protocol on their way to Veldt. Now the villagers have mere 5 days to prove their worth to fight while the warriors train them. How does Kora and the warriors succeed in saving the village makes up for the rest of the story with a twist in the end.
This could've been included in the part 1 itself as it feels like an extended episode rather justify to be an entire film. The flashback bit falls flat and a village full of farmers with handful of warriors to train them, fighting back not just a small army, needed a far more convincing narrative than just slow motion action set pieces. The predictable writing continues to pull down this film and it has the same issues as the first film. The action is shifted to Veldt only but even that proves to be not enough to salvage the mess.
Dune: Part Two (2024)
Paul's transition from Usul to Lisan al Gaib!
Continuing from Part 1, the sequel showcases Usul getting to be part of the Fremen while they aren't entirely ready to accept him. As Paul is determined to be the protector he wants to be, which Chani approves, things eventually move ahead with the prophecy. With his mother drinking the water of life and becoming the all-knowing reverend mother, Paul has to walk the path and drink the water of life. How he becomes the Lisan al Gaib for the Fremen and get his rightful throne forms rest of the story.
I am going to keep this simple and short. I liked the music and the visuals, despite the overdose of sandstorm with lesser sand giants. The politics work and the villains are partly generic. Overall, the film did look stunning with the cinematography standing out. The problem I had is the same as the one with Part 1 as well, as I just couldn't invest myself emotionally to the story or the character. I hoped for this to change with the 2nd film but it didn't happen.
This story deserved to be told in multiple sequels, that is the only way to do justice to the source material. It takes it's time and both the films' narrative doesn't look rushed at any point and for that credit has to be given. For an epic story, this narrative is a must and I would've appreciated this film a lot more if I had connected with the character atleast. I still look forward to the third film.
Civil War (2024)
STOP! I need a quote.
United States government is at a civil war against it's own rebellious states. The loyal soldiers of the government are at war with the militants, who are trying to take over Washington D. C. and famous war photojournalist Lee Smith saves Jessie, a newbie photojournalist during a suicide bombing. Lee and her colleagues Joel and Sammy, make a plan to drive to Washington D. C. to capture the exclusive moment when the city falls while conducting a final interview of the President. Jessie joins the group, against Lee's wishes and soon Lee turns into her mentor as they travel through various hurdles. How they bond over the short period of time and how Will they ensure to take the photographs so that others can ask the right question, forms rest of the story.
Civil War is an extremely well shot film and choosing to watch it on IMAX was the best decision I made. Cinematographer and also the action director needs to be lauded as the film has several stunning as well as chilling moments captured and the action scenes are top notch. Civil War is definitely not an easy watch and it is not even a surprise that the world they show in, looks so believable. The segment with the small town having complete normalcy looked odd whereas everything else looked normal, which again makes up for sad truth. The performances stand out too, leading with Kirsten Dunst and Civil War easily is the top contender for one of the best films of this year.
Strongly recommended.
Yugoeui Nal (2023)
The genius child and a caring man child.
Kim Myung-joon is desperate to save his ill daughter who is in need of a surgery and Kim Myung-joon desperate for money to pay for the surgery. His ex-wife Seo Hye-eun, suggests him to kidnap Choi Roo-hee who is a 11 year old girl and daughter to rich parents. As he clumsily tries to be a kidnapper, he finds Roo-hee appear infront of his car and collapsing. Taking her to his home, he realizes she has amnesia and assumes him to be her father. To make things worse, Roo-hee's parents are found murdered thus forcing Kim Myung-joon to go on the run with Roo-hee who just happens to be a genius child. How does he protect the girl while a bigger conspiracy gets unveiled around her parents murder, forms rest of the story.
With 12 episodes, Jeon Yu-na as Choi Roo-hee is the star of the show and the bonding she shares with Yoon Kye-sang as Kim Myung-joon remains the highlight throughout. It is their story that captivates the viewers while the murder mystery and the bigger conspiracy is the usual K-drama with a bunch of honest cops led by the promising Park Sung-hoon as detective Park Sang-yoon. While the initial 4 episodes succeeds in making us root for the two main characters, it also succeeds in establishing the narrative firmly for the mystery to unveil.
The final episode is a brave choice with pitting the antagonist against the girl and the episode is entirely driven by emotions. The show had plenty of chases and fight scenes but to go with a proper dramatic take for the last episode was a good choice and the performances stand out. The humor is well executed whereas the heart touching moments keep coming at the right time. Driven by standout performances and a engaging story, The Kidnapping Day despite it's minor flaws, makes up for a worthy watch.
Yijae, Got Jookseummida (2023)
Death's Game with 12 Lives.
Choi Yi-jae witnesses death caused by accident, while on his way to a job interview and distracted by the incident, he messes up the interview. He struggles to find a job after this and is depressed with the hardships he has been facing, blaming that accident victim. He breaksup with his lover and decides to end his life, considering the death to be just a means to end all his pain. This triggers death and she wants to teach him a lesson by punishing him with 12 lives, where he is re-incarnatated 12 times in the bodies who are about to die. Rules are simple, save the body he is in and live the rest of that person's life. What's in the store for Choi, when he starts reincarnating and whether he will be able to beat death in her own game, forms rest of the story.
It took an entire episode to get used to this story and the narrative kept getting better with the second episode onwards. The twists paid off really well and that is solely due to the writing. 8 episodes was perfect for this particular K-Drama as opposed to the usual 16 episodes. The action and visual effects stood put but the characters getting introduced with each episode had a gripping storyline which ensured I was invested with each of these subplots which gets tied up pretty well. Just when I thought, the story is getting relied on beating the protagonist, the episodes 7 and 8 stand out with the twist that got me surprised. The emotional 8th episode truly won me over and though I wished the climax to have ended with the last life, followed by his surrender to death, I wouldn't pick on the climax much as overall, this was an extremely satisfying watch and I strongly recommend this K-Drama to everyone.
Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024)
Ska-blam!
In the fourth installment, Po has opened a new restaurant for his two fathers and he is happy being the Dragon Warrior at the Valley of Peace. Master Shifu suggests Po that it is time to select his successor and get promoted as a spiritual leader but Po doesn't want to give up on being the Dragon Warrior. A fox bandit named Zhen tries to steal ancient weapons at Jade Palace and Po stops her. As per her information, Po goes on a mission to stop a Chameleon at Juniper City after knowing she is a shape-shifting sorcerer wanting to steal the Kung-Fu techniques. How does Po stop her and will he be able to find his successor, forms rest of the story.
Without the Furious Five, somehow this straight forward good vs evil story doesn't elevate itself above it's predictable screenplay. Jack Black as Po tries to entertain along with Awkwafina as Zhen. Some of the humor does work but the rest come out as generic. That extra fun element from the last 3 films is missing here, despite the threat from the villain being established well. The reason for Po being asked to give up his duty as Dragon Warrior by Master Shifu is not justified. Also, much effort should've been put in presenting Zhen apart from the basic character arc. Visually too the film doesn't stand out like it's predecessors and without the Furious Five, the action too appear repetitive. I am still going with a lenient rating because of the voice cast and couple of new characters who didn't get their due. If another sequel is made, I hope the makers concentrate more on the writing.
Aavesham (2024)
Be happy, Rowdy Ranga!
Aju, Bibi and Shanthan newly join their engineering college in Bengaluru. As they try to stand up against their seniors, they end up getting badly thrashed and humiliated by Kutty and gang. Seeking revenge, Aju comes up with an idea to get local support and all three search for a local goon to help them beat down Kutty and gang, by visiting the local bars. They befriend the Kannadiga Malayali goon Ranga. A simple plan gets Ranga encroach their lives and have a bad influence on them. What turns do their life take, in and outside college, forms rest of the story.
How does Malayalam cinema does it? 2024 truly belongs to Malayalam cinema and Jithu Madhavan after last year's Romancham, proves his worth once again with Aavesham. Setting The story in Bengaluru again and specifically highlighting Kundalahalli, it is Fahadh Faasil as Ranga who drives this film till the end. As simple as the story is, it is the narrative that is the winner. First half introduces to the three boys and their predicament. There was barely a dull moment in the first half as once Ranga character is introduced, it is one laugh riot until that terrific interval block.
It is the 2nd half screenplay where things get serious, showcases Jithu Madhavan's calibre. The story deserved to get serious with the boys understanding the repercussions and it is supremely handled. The last 15mins completely belongs to Fahadh Faasil and he nails his character with a standout performance. The way both the serious drama and humor is balanced here is highly commendable. Like the first half, here too there were clapworthy moments and Aavesham is a complete paisa vasool entertainer. Special shout out to Sushin Shyam for his music.
Sherlock Jr. (1924)
Truly a Masterpiece!
Buster Keaton is a protectionist who is baffled by the detective novels. He buys a box of chocolates for $1 for his girl, which is all he could afford and lies it to be priced $4. He has a rival, the local Sheik and he too doesn't have money. The Sheik steals the girl's father's pocket watch and pawns it for $4. He competes with Buster in order to impress the girl and when the father notices the stolen watch, Buster steps in to find the culprit but gets outsmarted by the Sheik whi proves Buster to be the thief. Disappointed Buster escapes into the world of cinema through his dreams in order to get things right.
Filmmaking wise, all I could do was give a standing ovation and be mesmerized at the on screen tricks which were pulled off. Buster gets a likable role as both the protectionist as well as the greatest detective Sherlock Jr and he aces both the roles. The film's real beauty starts with the dream sequence where Buster Keaton separates himself from the real Keaton to enter into the screen. What follows after is sheer genius filmmaking which even after 100 years, worth of making people awestruck at how it got pulled off. This by far is the best Buster Keaton film and a must watch for everyone. Hats off to the creativity of the entire team.
The General (1926)
An instant classic!
Train engineer Johnnie Graves loves his train The General and his lover Annabelle. During American Civil War, Annabelle's father and brother enlist to the army whereas Johnnie is rejected. A slight misunderstanding leads to Annabelle thinking he never tried to enlist and she asks him never to speak to her again until he is in an uniform. When the enemy steals the train and hold Annabelle hostage, Johnnie becomes the one man army to bring back his beloved The General as well as Annabelle. While doing so, how does Johnnie help South in thwarting North's devious plan forms rest of the story.
Based on the book "The Great Locomotive Chase", this expensive venture does full justice in capturing the historical event and pull off the dangerous stunts efficiently. As the focus is entirely on Johnnie handling the locomotive engine all by himself while being chased, it still makes way for enough comedic gems along with the dangerous stunts. The General truly is one of Buster Keaton's best works and it literally shows in the final cut here. While first half is about him chasing the north soldiers, the second half has him being chased. The epic stunts keep coming one after another and the entire team must be lauded for pulling this off. A must watch.
Kingu Kongu tai Gojira (1962)
Electricity gives Kong his powers. Like Popeye's spinach.
A pharmaceutical company head is not happy with the television ratings and wants to boost it with the help of a giant monster at Faro Island which is none other than King Kong. Meanwhile, an American submarine named Seahawk crashes into an iceberg freeing Godzilla. As Godzilla moves towards Japan, even King Kong is being brought to Japan. Circumstances make way for an unplanned wrestling match between King Kong and Godzilla. Who emerges as the winner and what new lesson Japanese learn out of this battle, forms rest of the story.
For all the hype, it's fascinating to see the makers pull this off back in 1962. The human characters especially the the pharmaceutical company head was cartoonish and over the top. It is when the monsters are introduced that film gets interesting and the gigantic octopus scene with Kong stood out. King Kong capturing a girl is again repeated here for a brief period, before setting him on the path of Godzilla. However the electricity powering Kong was not something I could get onboard with and it happens twice. Barring that, the film is all about the wrestling match and the humans picking their sides without betting. All in all, it delivers on the fun and is a decent watch.
Gojira (1954)
Introducing Gojira!
A Japanese freighter ship gets destroyed near Odo Island and the ship which was sent to investigate, also meets with the same fate. Even the fishermen notice there aren't any fishes for them to catch and the village elderly fears the ancient creature Gojira has arrived. As most dismiss his concerns as a fairytale as creatures of that era are all long extinct. Soon the villagers witness the creature and further investigation reveal it to be Gojira, revived from the constant H-bomb testing. A scientist Serizawa has invented a perfect weapon but he is afraid it will be misused. Will the Japanese be able to stop Gojira from wreaking even more havoc forms rest of the story.
Finally I got to watch the original Japanese version of Godzilla. The screentime of Godzilla is as expected less and it is made up by the grim tone of the narrative which focuses mainly the Japanese perspective. Godzilla is used as a symbol of destruction as well as the creation of humans evil inventions. There is a love story between Emiko and Ogata is underdeveloped but it doesn't impact the proceedings much, as the scenes with Serizawa are important. The build up to the climax after the big destruction caused by Godzilla is well executed. Overall, for the first ever entry of the classic monster on screen, Godzilla is a must watch.