Reviews

By this point of the series, you are already pretty intrigued by the story line: the mystery surrounding the enigmatic but strange new Father Paul, Lisa's's miracle, the bad omen found on the beaches, the strange sightings all around the island ; but not quite convinced if this show is worth your time.

If you were still on the edge of where you stood at the start of this episode, I guarantee that by the end of this episode, you will taken hook, line and sinker.

This episodes literally makes you draw in your breathe, and hold it. The last few scenes are explosive and the realisation of the reveal makes you sit dumbfounded gaping at the screen.

One particular shot in this episode stayed in mind for months. I have to say on second watching, Mike Flanagan's Midnight Mass is even better than the first time around.

The episode picks up in the last 20 mins, once you get to this point, I guarantee you will want to binge all the way till the end..

Damian Lewis, later of Black Sails and Band of Brothers fame stars in this quirky English film as the affable lead who is an assassin searching for love. He makes his way to Gwynfyd where he decides to try his hand at baking. The townspeople of Gwynfyd themselves are an odd bunch and Milo, our would be assassin tries to fit in.

A movie that is reminiscent of A Knights Tale, in that it does not take itself seriously, pokes fun at itself, the main leads back then are next to nobodys when the movie was made and overall, a light-hearted silly film that you can enjoy once. It certainly wont win any awards but is worth a watch on a night in when you dont want anything too serious or intense.

It really does please the soul to find good horror movies. Happy to say that this sequel definitely exceeds the previous movie in the newer installment.

While Evil Dead Rise does honour the original series, it does also add its own lore to the series, while I am not sure how I feel about that yet, its certainly added its own spin to the whole franchise, as this is the first film in an urban setting, which is refreshing.

The suspense and horror are delightful I have to say, with good sprinklings of the usual expected jumpscares. Everyone's favourite callback of the Evil Dead franchise is also included in the movie, which pleased me no end.

The homage to a famous scene from The Shining is also well shot. And indeed, there are quite a few homages to the original movies, as well as to other horror classics, you only have to look for them.

Have to add that the scenes in the finale are so reminiscent of the original film, you can almost see Bruce Campell onscreen, which makes up for him not being onscreen.

What stands out in this film, is that it is well made as a movie. Not just a horror movie, but as a movie on the whole. It takes a while to get into, but once its starts, its really enjoyable. This was an evening well spent.

Loved this one 7.5/10.

I was looking forward to Ghosted.. which is what makes this review even more disappointing. From the first five minutes, you could tell this was going downhill and fast. Some movies are bad but still enjoyable, because there is usually something salvaging the film. Sorry to say but this movie missed not a few of its marks, but ALL of its marks. From both the leads having no chemistry whatsoever, to Ana just being out of place as a super spy, to Chris just being so incredibly unbelievable as a farmer, to the music, nothing about this film worked. It had all the parts required for the makings of an enjoyable popcorn flick, but damn it just bombed. Even the cameos were lacklustre and forced.

I really wanted to like this but even Chris Evans could in no way make this movie work.

Although I have heard a lot of good things about this show, so far its been slightly better than average. However, E05 at the halfway mark, is the first episode that really feels deserving of the fame that Sacred Games has garnered.

More than once in the duration of the episode, I have felt the need to pause and exhale and then continue watching. Both the parellel journeys are equally gripping and interesting and nothing short of thrilling, with the modern storyline definitely being my favourite in this episode. You can feel the weight of Inspector Sartaj's decision as he finally comes to terms with his inner turmoil from the beginning of the show. RAW officer Anjali Mathur also has to face the consequences of her decisions and everything comes to a head in the climax. Ganesh's story progresses with equal drama and action, with his monologue tying in nearly with the modern storyline.

I really hope the following episodes keep up this level of energy. I cant wait to see more.

Slightly surprised to see this episode rated as low as the others, this is definite 4/5 stars from me.

This is episode is *probably* why the show got so famous.

Let me break it down for you.

By this seventh episode, we know our characters, we know their backgrounds, their motivations, their frustrations. We also know their relationships and dynamics in the restaurant really well by now.

By this episode, we see the kitchen coming into its own, everyone has a place and knows their role, and it seems Finally, there is calm coming to The Beef. It almost feels like there should be a lull to the rest of the series now, but no. Absolutely not. This is by far, the BEST episode of the series.

Infact, this episode explodes. Like literally explodes onto your screens. When the episode started, I noticed it was only 20 minutes long and also realised for whatever reason, the show creators decided this was the episode to include an opening credits segments in. Didnt feel very wise. Feels we were being robbed of precious screentime. But after 20 minutes, you realise why they did this.

It is because the show HITS in this episode.

Apart from the opening sequence, the episode is shot in one single take. Which I am ashamed to say I didnt even realise until it was pointed out to me by some one else, because I was that engrossed in the drama unfolding on the screen.

When the episode concludes, and you see the title card for the first time at the end, it is nothing short of incredible.

Showrunners, you did well. Sorry that I doubted you. 5/5.

This has to be one of Jane Campion's best work. I dont believe any of her recent work has come even close to the beauty and sensuality depicted in this film.

From the lush backdrop of New Zealand, to the beautiful music, this movie is visually stunning from its opening scenes, right down to its final scenes, and it is a treat to experience. It tells the tale of a mute mother, with a talent and passion for her beloved piano, who along with her daughter are shipped off to New Zealand to be wed to a man she has never met. The story that then unfolds is

Anna Paquin is a delight to watch and it is no surprise regarding her nomination and Oscar win. Holly Hunter steals the movie however, even against her two male leads. Without speaking a single word in the film, she is able to express volumes.

In 2022, very few films actually surprise, and even fewer horror films can shock you and be good. Infact, they are so rare, they can be counted on a single hand.

Barbarian, is not only refreshing, it is nail bitingly, heart poundingly good. The film has distinct acts and even upon rewatching, I'm willing to bet that each individual act is absolutely stand out. The movie is ten different kinds of sick and I'm here for it.

Also props to the guys who made the trailer. In today's day and age, where watching a trailer is essentially watching the entire film in 90 seconds, the trailer for this film was such an absolute red herring, it gave next to nothing away and even led me to believe this was a comedy film with Justin Long being himself. Because no one would be crazy to do another horror after having Jeepers Creepers AND Tusk under your belt, correct? WRONG. I dont think we give enough credit to Justin Long's acting prowess.

I wont say much more. But I had to note that as a serious movie-goer where horror is concerned, I am EXTREMELY impressed with Zach Creggar. 4/5 from me.

I know when the trailer came out, we were all thinking of the GOOD 90s flick with lions in it, but, sorry, this is not The Ghost and the Darkness.

While this isnt in the same league, I am going to be honest and say I really enjoyed it. Its pretty entertaining, decent cinematography, good background music, half way decent jumpscares and thrilling scenes, overall I got a good evening out of it.

Just leave your brains out the door, because you have Mr. Idris Elba try and literally punch a lion in this film.

So fair warning, its a popcorn film, but a decent one in that. 3.5/5.

I am here just to review the last scene of this show. Where most of the show is slightly cheesy, comedic, silly, action packed, the rare time they do do emotions on Supernatural, it kind of takes your breath away. We dont expect too much from our lead actors in this series, but its scenes like this that confirm Jensen Ackles truly understands the nature and character of Dean Winchester. The performance he gave in the last 3 minutes of this show is certainly worth an Emmy nod, if not worth the Emmy itself.

The premise of the episode is excellent as well, with twists you wont expect.

8/10.

This is the first absolutely smashing episode of Daredevil. Dont get me wrong, while its been great so far, this episode from start to finish has been just shy of flawless.

There is no scene in this episode that isnt well executed. From the introduction of Finn, the Irish mob boss's entry in the cold open, to the near 10 minute monologue of the Punisher towards the end, which is soo superbly acted by Bernthal, the director must have cried, to the closing startling scene which screams to the audience that something is badly wrong through the use of silence, the music, action, dialogue and sound in this episode is impressive and standout even to a novice.

We are only 4 episodes in and this is going to be a great season!

Its been a while since I reviewed a movie, but this one had me sharpening my pencils. I went in expecting the usual horror movie flick aimed at young audiences with jumpscares, bad dialogues, the usual trope with a decent twist thrown in at the end (The Descent, Cabin in the Woods, Eden City anyone?). Dont get me wrong, all decent films but forgotten soon enough. With the Ritual instead, what we got was a rare horror masterpiece, very refreshing and artfully done, its definitely going to stay at the back of my mind for a while.

The Ritual is a harmonious cross between The VVitch and Midsomar. It tells the unfortunate tale of 4 friends who go on a hike trip to Sweden. What is absolutely haunting, and definitely its most standout feature, is the cinematography. The cinematography here is equal parts haunting and stunning, desolate and beautiful. Its most winning feature along with the camera work and music, is used in the film as a mechanism to increase the foreboding of the viewer. The cinematography in this film alone is worth watching for believe me.

While praising it, I can also see why this film might not have sat well with mainstream audiences. So long as the movie kept the plot a secret, you are free to believe the worst. The mystery is unraveled in the final 30 mins of the movie, and this is where I believe the film might have lost its audience. I wont say much beyond this, but The Ritual is artful, and haunting and superbly executed.

The rating of 6.3 awarded to the film here is nonsense. 4 on 5 from me.

Jungle Cruise starring Dwayne Johnson and Emily Bluny, and a surprising Jack Whitehall, is a movie that kinda bit off a bit more than it could chew, but it still overall works.. if you are willing to leave your sensibilities at the door.

The plot and concept are executed very well, the cinematography is just lovely and breathtaking, the animation bringing the creatures to life for every other cut scene is just super, and believe me you will notice it! The music is standout, but what does not work in this films favour is the length of the movie itself and the chemistry between the two leads. You simply cant believe there is any real chemistry between the two. Heck, Jack Whitehall had more chemistry with the big cat in the film than Blunt and Johnson. But nearly everything is done well by Disney in this case and I recommend this one for the kids and family on a Sunday night in.

The movie takes the backdrop of a fashion empire in 1970s London lead by the Baroness, played by Emma Thompson (in a manner very similar to Meryl in Devil Wears Prada). Enter young Cruella, played by Emma Stone. Similar to Joker, this movies takes a well known villain and paints a backstory to give the character credence as a lovable protagonist. The various outfits and clothing extravaganza is once again very reminiscent of Devil Wears Prada and enjoyable.

Cruella plays homage to the original animated film in the most subtlest of ways, and only if you are looking for it. The few callbacks it does have will put a small smile on your face. Its certainly an interesting and unexpected twist on the origins of the villain.

I particularly was not looking forward to Stone's accent as a Londoner, and if you allow yourself, you might be able to give it a pass. Apart from this one downfall of an American with a not so very passable accent playing a Londoner, the movie is quite enjoyable and certainly entertaining, but really nothing to write home about. Its certainly is a unique take on the original classic, and worth watching once, but just the once. 7/10 for me.

Alright, finally an episode this season that I really truly enjoyed!

Not sure what went wrong this entire season, but I found this season quite lacklustre when compared to season 1. Not because the plot wasnt engaging, its fantastic. Great supporting cast as well, fantastic music and overall execution. However, it sadly feels like something has been missing the whole time. But this episode finally delivers the Fargo factor. Absolutely enjoyed this episode, probably the best episode this entire season so far!

Cant wait to see who comes out on top at the end.

Very surprised this episode is rated so low..!

While it is still an overall slow episode, some previously subtly hinted at revelations are starting to come to the forefront, and if you figure it out before they explicitly tell you, hats off to you for paying attention right from the start.

The previous episode ends on a high point, and this episode is still much better than the previous, which should tell you just what an excellently written episode this. The episode picks up six months down the line, with the viewers being introduced to the outcome of the shootout for each of the police investigators and how none of them were particularly satisfied at how the aftermath was handled. We also see that things have taken a downturn for Frank Semyon, played by a very gritty Vince Vaughn.

The series on a whole is a very slow burn, but the story has finally started getting going for real now.

I am hooked, line and sinker and I cant wait to keep watching the rest of the series. Shout out to the music and excellent writing and top notch lead actors.

So you might have already heard that season two of the Haunting series by Mike Flanagan, that is The Haunting of Bly Manor does not hold up to the ratings of Hill House and the reason for that is Bly Manor is more of a love story than a ghost story; and hence if what you are looking for is horror, dont bother with it.

I finished Bly Manor last night, and after sleeping on it, I can say screw the naysayers.

Bly Manor may not be as eerily creepy or have an explosive family feud that comes to a head in a raging climax (and who can forget that midseason high with the Two Storms episodes). What it does have instead is a gothic landscape that will fulfill any and all creepy dreams you may have of a beautiful but haunted English countryside and such beautifully and yet painfully portrayed characters that will tug at your heart, long after the series is over.

It makes up for horror and jump-scares, by offering instead an intelligent and painfully gothic tale, with a very unique concept which I dont wish to give away too much of. When you realise the ending and how it comes back to the beginning, and believe me, you will, the writers are just too clever for us, it will make you sit up straight and leave your mouth open.

I cant applaud the team behind this enough, MIke Flanagan, the writers, the make up artists, the cinematographers, the directors, the casting!!, and of course the actors. I have to say, nearly every actor will leave hole in your heart by their portrayal of characters so broken yet trying to do the best they can.

So let me say it again. Bly Manor is not a ghost story, though it does have its fair share of ghosts. It does happen to be a love story, but one that will still haunt you for longer than you think.

I am going to be honest here. I tend to find most mainstream Indian movies leave a bad taste in my mouth, and therefore reserve watching only those movies that come highly recommended. Vikram Vedha was one such movie that was recommended to me a while back.

I will admit, I started the film with a fair amount of skepticism. While the usual Bollywood/south Indian tropes of film-making are strongly prevalent in this film, the storyline is very impressive.

The story is told in various separate flashback series that involve a very interesting game of cat and mouse between a local warlord and a brutal but honest cop. As the story progresses you find yourself more and more immersed in the plot, but the ending will still surprise you.

Not sure how Tamil movies are normally, I did the find the dialogues in this movie quite fast paced and sharp, which was refreshing. Vijay Sethupathi was great and so was Madhavan, although I think Vijay may have outshone Madhavan here.

If you are not a usual Bollyood movie goer, be prepared for a lot of flashy action scenes, but great material and story. If are a usual Bollywood movie goer, give this movie a chance, it will leave you very impressed!

I read the book last week and quite enjoyed it. Naturally, the next step was to watch the movie. I was hoping more than anything, that the movie did justice to the book and the circus era of America. And I am happy to say, it delivered, the magic of the circuses came alive in the film.

An otherwise mediocre movie, the movie shines best when the scenes involve the circus and the animals therein. From the very start, with our first view of the circus train, till the surprising climax, the circus scenes are the best in the entire film. It will simply delight you. Shout out to Rosie the elephant, who was adorable.

The movie transports the viewer to when they were 7 years old and gives you the joyous sense of wonder and magic that you can feel when you are only 7 and visit the circus. It gives you a wholesome appreciation of how majestic and jaw dropping circuses must have been 70 years ago.

Robert Pattinson gives a very believable and likable performance, which I am sure will surprise everyone who remember him only from his Twilight days. But he has come a long way since then, and his performance is second only to Christopher Waltz. Waltz steals every movie he is and this movie was no exception. He is a treat to watch in almost every scene he is in and you dislike him quite palpably by the end. Sadly, Reese Witherspoon gave the weakest performance of the entire cast. A wholly disappointing casting choice and even disappointing performance, you simply fail to connect with her character at all.

7/10 for this. The movie stayed very true to the book and is a delightful adaptation. It is definitely a movie you only watch once but you will enjoy it nonetheless.

While I wouldnt say the show as a whole requires a disclaimer or a trigger warning, the premise of the crime itself is unsettling. Keeping that in mind, the series is fantastic by Indian standards and even holds its ground by International standards. It is a gritty show that doesnt shy away from the realness of crime, trauma and politics that lie in the heart of Delhi. The show at times is overwhelming and at times leaves you incredibly angry at what has happened.

Shefali Shah as DCP Vartika is standout. Rajesh Tailang alongside her as her second in command has also given a good performance and so have the rest of the cast.

This show has definitely set the standard high for Indian crime TV series.

After 7 episodes, the climax comes rushing on amidst political tension and the threat of a Naxalite attack on the team on the ground in Bihar. While the ending itself is an anti-climax, it allows for the viewer to come to terms with the fateful night in reality and not just in the TV series.

I have to say, I enjoyed this show thoroughly. It has set a high standard for Indian television series.

While this episode seemingly goes nowhere, you can sense the hopelessness and helpless situation the inspectors are in. Whats more, the DCP gets further pressurized by her seniors and the media to react. Her frustration is aggravated further by the lack of progress made by her teams who are on the ground following possible leads in search of the last two perpetrators.

At this point, you can not wait to see how the finale turns out. The setting of the entire series upto this point has been leading to finding and charging the 6 culprits with a horrendous crime. Cant wait to see how this ends.

Personally I found this to be the weakest episode of the series so far. Primarily because the plot seems to choose to focus slightly more on the political power-play that is occurring between the higher ups in the Police Commission and the Home Minister's adamant demand for a fall guy in the public's eye.

Meanwhile, hot on the chase of the remaining two culprits, the police team seemingly are reaching nowhere. Sub Inspector and his chosen team are further put in danger by continuing their investigation in Naxalite regions, which makes for an interesting turn of events.

During this episode we the beginnings of the public prosecution in a court that hinders the Delhi Police in their jobs. We also see the behind-the-scenes power-play of the politicians, who are looking for a scapegoat.

The plot is certainly getting thicker, however the chances of the case getting solved are starting to seem slim with more time passing since the perpetration of the crime occurring.

The plot gets more interesting in this episode as the police officers make progress with the investigation. While the case is picking up momentum, it takes an interesting turn of events when one of the culprits confirms a suspicion Inspector Bhupendra had previously.

Mridul Sharma as the first apprehended suspect of the case deserves a shout out. His portrayal as Jai Singh will simultaneously have you questioning his innocence (not for long though) and hating him with every fibre you possess. The episode has strong performances by many of the supporting cast as well. The use of sound in the episode is well used too.

Cant wait to keep watching this!