Reviews

This is peak fiction. AOT keeps going from strength to strength. The revelations hit hard, but it's a testament to Attack on Titan's tremendous character development. The contrast between the first interaction between Eren and the Beast Titan, versus where they're at now, is staggering.

This comedy special is as random as the title of this review but it's totally worth your time. Rahul Subramanian is naturally funny and he delivers one of the best comedy specials available on Amazon Prime India. Amazing unrelated jokes flowing seamlessly you won't even realise what point you started from (just like one of the jokes Rahul makes about 'Youtube Suggestions').

This film deserves a watch for the sake of the ambition itself even more so coming from Bollywood where films are only getting more generic. The acting and the fight sequences are the highlight. However at 127 minutes or so I felt the film to be dragging for almost half the runtime. If only they could have had more laugh out loud moments and a sturdy plot to keep me interested throughout. The climax is a winner and so are Abhimanyu, Radhika and Gulshan (in probably one of his best roles so far). Vasan Bala has shown promise and I hope they improve upon the shortcomings of this film in the teased sequel (if at all one gets made)

Azeem Banatwala really impressed me with this one. Very clever writing and especially the set-up at the beginning of the show where he sets a kind of to-do list for himself really pays off in the end. Surely one of the better stand up specials Amazon Prime has to offer. P.S. Watch it English subtitles. You won't regret it.

At the time of writing this review, there was only one review for this title and that too outright negative. Thus I went in with controlled expectations. According to the negative reviews, the first two sketches were 'bearble' and then it goes for a nosedive. Well in my opinion they were 'unbearble'. What I hadn't expected was what came after. The rest of the sketches were quite funny, smart and highly entertaining. I mean you may/may not like it but I did. I just don't want people to read that one 1 star review and don't end up watching it at all. Don't expect much and you might have a good time too.

Tamasha failed to impress the audiences and critics alike was a commercial and critical disaster. The only reason I can think of this happening is incorrect marketing. The promos sold the film as a rom-com which was just a layer of this cake. The movie subverted expectations and that probably did not go well with the audiences. The critics found the problems and the solutions of the film to be half baked. I do agree to an extent but it never bored me as most critics claimed. Definitely an A for effort for Imtiaz and team. And the music is the icing.

Story: 2/5 Screenplay: 3.25/5 Direction: 3.5/5 Performances: 3.25/5 Dialogues: 3/5 Music/BGM: 3.5/5 Technical Aspects: 3.5/5

Overall: 3/5

Critical Analysis

Script & Screenplay

There isn't much to talk about in this department as Befikre is more of a performance driven film where the actions of the characters decide how the events will unfold & for the first hour the film is surprisingly fresh in execution.To my surprise, it's also one film after a very long time which did not succumb to the 'curse of the second half'.Only towards the final act does the film take the same route as most other rom-coms with cliché written all over it. What is commendable about the film is the non-linear presentation of events in the first half which earns points for the screenplay department.The film can be divided into 3 equal parts.Only in the last act Befikre is out of ideas and concludes with a crazy climax which does not really round up things well.A layer of proper plotting could have taken the film to another level altogether

Direction

Befikre has been Aditya Chopra's highly anticipated film for more than 2 years now & it's a far cry from any of his previous work.I am still having troubles absorbing the fact that all the 2 hours worth of whacky and uninhibited fun was spearheaded by the man who gave us DDLJ.He has also intelligently steered away from the cornball climax of his previous films and kept this one under a tight leash in terms of run-time too.

With Befikre Aditya Chopra proves yet again that he is a great director who knows his job well and does not disappoint at all.

Performances

Befikre is not a ground-breaking by any standards but at the same time it's highly watchable for the sheer audacity of the leading pair.Kudos to Vani-Ranveer fleshing out the characters Aditya Chopra had in his mind and how!Their chemistry is the USP of the film. Ranveer's Dharam is a stand-up comedian from Delhi was called in Paris to work at his friend's club. Vaani plays Shyra who is a French tour guide(and a lot of other things too) born to Indian parents. When they start off their lusty hookup, it was all fire and passion. However, a year's passage cools things up.We get to the now the characters well and Ranveer's goofy antics and Vaani's sharp moves fuels the film. Ranveer's flamboyance makes you believe that he is in fact, Dharam and he has emerged a champion with this one too. Vaani might not look the same as she did in 'Shudh Desi Romance' but she has certainly delivered an even better performance while also delivering dollops of hotness.

The supporting cast does their work well too but other than the lead characters there isn't any scope for a standout performance

Dialogues, Music & Technical Aspects

The dialogues have been penned by Sharat Katariya of 'Zor Laga ke Haisha' fame and they are very enjoyable especially the one liners of Dharam's character which provide comic relief throughout.

Music by Vishal-Shekhar is a winner all the way with lots of foot tapping tunes totally suited to the film.The background score by Mikey McCleary also compliments the film well. The cinematography is top notch highlighting the gorgeous Paris in full glory.The movie has been shot a grand budget extensively in Paris with full of eye candy locations.YRF being a leading production banner always has the tech department sorted and Befikre is no exception.

Final Verdict:

Plot holes are plenty & the film does not break any new ground either but it's very watchable for the sheer no holds barred entertainment that the leading pair has to offer.Highly recommended for people who are young at heart.

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Marvel's Doctor Strange is as formulaic in plotting and execution as an origin story can become, but they still deliver thoroughly exciting and occasionally mind-bending entertainment. The plot follows the story of the talented neurosurgeon Doctor Stephen Strange who, after a tragic car accident, must put ego aside and learn the secrets of a hidden world of mysticism and alternate dimensions. Based in New York City's Greenwich Village, Doctor Strange must act as an intermediary between the real world and what lies beyond, utilizing a vast array of metaphysical abilities and artifacts to protect the Marvel cinematic universe.The action shifts from New York to Kathmandu to multiverses to sanctums to Hong Kong and finally to the dark realms.The pace is slick and you will almost feel like you are on LSD or any other psychedelic drug if you will. The film revolves around magic and mysticism which transcend the bounds of time.If only the makers would have put in an effort to transcend their bounds yet we still have at our hands a superhero film unlike any other and this is Doctor Strange's biggest win. While comparisons to Inception are obvious, with cities bending and folding into themselves, this goes way beyond that. The colors, the upside-down, fight-on-the-wall, jump-to-this-dimension action; the way the mystical powers they use enhance everything even further, it all left me astounded by how awesome it was to watch on the big screen. I don't even know how they pulled it off, nor do I care, I was so caught up in what I was watching that I didn't even need to think about what filmmaking trickery they were using Benedict Cumberbatch owns this film totally immersing himself into the initially arrogant and egotistical Doctor(yeah shades of Sherlock) and later a gifted and mature sorcerer.Suave in dialogue delivery and brilliance in action scenes, he leaves a lasting impact. Chiwetel Ejiofor impresses as the strong-willed master sorcerer Modo & Tilda Swindon is brilliant cast as the complicated and seemingly immortal Sorcerer Supreme. Rachel McAdams leaves her mark in the similar capacity as did Pepper to Tony and Jane to Thor. Mads Mikkelson plays the primary antagonist Kaecilius playing the generic not-so-powerful Marvel villain and the role doesn't do justice to his talent. While Marvel fans got a taste of what to expect with the kaleidoscopic Quantum Realm at the end of Ant-Man, Derrickson's movie cranks that up at every opportunity, and it's honestly breathtaking. In an early sequence, The Ancient One rockets a skeptical Doctor Strange through a series of alternate dimensions, and as the Ancient One narrates through voice over the display of infinite universes, you can't help but be just as hypnotically stunned as the arrogant surgeon Clear inspiration is drawn from the beautiful work of Steve Ditko in the character's earliest comics, and it's brought to life in a stunning fashion with awesome visual effects that just weren't cinematically available up until now Much more than just portal-hopping, the film utilizes what is called "the Mirror Dimension" to create what is essentially a most surreal interpretation of the real world where cityscapes can be shifted and turned at will and gravity flipped (all of it imperceptible to the non-magically inclined). These sequences, along with a finale that utilizes time manipulation in amazing ways truly make Doctor Strange stand out as one of the most visually inventive and incredible films put out by Marvel Studios.. If there was ever a film that needed to be seen in 3D, it's certainly Doctor Strange. Marvel has stepped up their 3D game to no end, and while there's still elements that need a little more tweaking, the usage of the format really does carry this film out of this world, and into the next. Don't hesitate to book an IMAX 3D if you will, as the aspect ratio and sound tweaks in large format really do go well with this 3D masterwork. This a must watch (theatrical) for Marvel aficionados.Experiences and interpretations with this movie will be different for everyone, and casual movie goers might not connect with Strange's story as deeply as MCU followers would.Nevertheless, everyone is sure to be blown away by how totally stunning this vibrant, visual extravaganza is.

8/10 Sully based on 'The Miracle at Hudson' is itself no less than an miracle of a film.Guided by excellent direction from Clint Eastwood and immaculately performed by Tom Hanks, the man who makes you believe that he was in fact in Sully himself. The plot follows the true story of pilot Sully co-pilot Jeff and 153 passengers who survived without a scratch on an A320 which landed on icy Lake Hudson on January 15 2009. And also the intricately detailed aftermath that ensued.The narrative is non-linear yet relentless with a slick pace. Sully does not overstay either with a run-time of about 1 hour 40.minutes or so.A true hero story which deserved retelling and Sully does total justice to it.

Starring: Tom Hanks, Felicity Jones, Irrfan Khan, Omar Sy, Ben Foster, Sidse Babett Knudsen

Director: Ron Howard

Screenplay: David Koepp (based on 'Inferno' by Dan Brown) Music: Hans Zimmer Cinematography: Salvatore Totino Editing: Dan Hanley, Tom Elkins

Running time: 121 minutes

Story: 1.5 Screenplay: 2 Direction: 3 Performances: 3 Music/BGM: 2.5 Technical Aspects: 3.5

Overall: 2.5

Critical Analysis

Script & Screenplay

Inferno is the third and the latest entry into the Robert Langdon movie franchise and even though David Koepp manages to capture the essence of Inferno, the script does differ in major plot points from the novels and the racy pace and 120 minutes of runtime are no justice to the actual material.

On top of that, the source material itself isn't that impressive or sensational as the previous Brown novels and it gets only worse when the proceedings are generally preposterous and pseudo-intellectual.

Dan Brown novels are heavily criticised for following the same basic structure over and over again and this only adds to a poor cinematic experience.It seems to me that the Robert Langdon film series might not see a fourth film from here.

Direction

Ron Howard yet again treats the film with utmost sincerity with color grading reminiscent of the 90s as he embarks on a romance with Florence in the midst of a turbulent plot.The film is shot brilliantly and never loses pace at all however direction falls flat in the (anti)climax and the blame also goes to the script which differs from the original (and surprising) climax in the book.

The threat isn't threatening enough, the assassins are not intimidating enough and even the thrills aren't just thrilling enough (which is where Angels and Demons excelled for me).

Performances

Tom Hanks' Langdon looks the least expressive this time around with amnesia and has very less to do as compared to the previous films and even the changes made to the characters of Sienna , The Provost and Zobrist and their respective fates make the film look rushed and one-dimensional.

Felicity Jones looks confused and it is only because her character is written poorly.Same is the case Irrfan Khan who delivers a solid performance but the his character fails to bring out his best.Rest of the cast is just filler.

Music & Technical Aspects

Hans Zimmer sleepwalks his role here and the background music while it isn't bad, it ain't original either.It sounds like a recycled amalgam of the Da-Vinci Code and Angels and Demons and does not offer anything new.Nevertheless it suits the film just fine.

Salvatore Totino is a winner with his impressive cinematography and this only increases the anticipation for his other work 'Spider-Man: Homecoming'.The production values are high and the action and VFX is apt.

Final Verdict:

Ron Howard's Inferno isn't an improvement on the Dan Brown's Inferno and considering that the novel itself wasn't that great … you can follow my drift.For those who haven't read the book and have interest in the esoteric are in for a forgettable decent action film.

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Cast: Sushant Singh Rajput , Disha Patani , Anupam Kher Herry Tangri, Kiara Advani , Bhumika Chawla , Rajesh Sharma

Director: Neeraj Pandey Screenplay: Neeraj Pandey, Nandu Kamte Dialogue: Dilip Jha Music:Amaal Malik

Story: 3.5 Screenplay: 3 Direction: 3.75 Performances: 4 Dialogues: 3.5 Music/BGM: 3 Technical Aspects: 3.75

Overall: 3.5

Verdict:

The film begins with the climatic portions of Ind v SL World Cup 2011 final as MSD gears up to promoting himself in a surprise decision.And we all know how it ended.This strong shot kicks the tires for the film which then switches all the way back to 7 July 1981 where Papa Dhoni is anxiously waiting in the maternity ward with his daughter. Little does he know that a legend was in the making.

The film spans a good 180 minutes and makes best use of the first 90 delivering the 'untold' and 'unknown' fragments of the childhood and teenage years of MSD.Director Neeraj Pandey spends ample time churning out small and big details with equal ease.

Mahi a lanky school kid in Ranchi, who actually wanted to play football, crashes into destiny with Dhoni's school coach discovering his talents at wicket keeping, his father's initial reluctance and later acceptance of the fact that his son is better off as a cricketer than as a Government employee and Dhoni's own struggles to make it to the Indian team, as he works as a TTE at Kharagpur station.

The film moves breezily in the first half from one incident to another, as we get invested in Dhoni's life and career. Several moments stand out like Dhoni seeing his father wake up in the night to water the ground, his first match with his future rival Yuvraj Singh, and him not coping with his railway duties. And yes Sushant Singh Rajput is terrific.

The film then takes a gear backwards in the second half which I believe is what hindered this otherwise great film from escalating to levels of absolute brilliance.The script begins to flood us with the romantic interests and exotic locations and plentiful songs.A lot has already been documented regarding the love-affairs of MSD and it did not warrant as much screen-time as it got which slackened the pace of matters.'

The makers skim over the MSD who we have known as 'Captain Cool' and all the controversies his decisions led him into.Neither do we get to look into the mind of the master-strategist whose ingenious abilities of assessing a problem while keeping his nerves and then literally hitting them out of the park is unrivaled.We even don't get a proper glimpse at Dhoni the athlete, the cricketer which is also a downer.

But then apart of this the film basically gets everything else bang-on. The strength of the film is in its beautiful characters played so brilliantly by each one of them.The bigger story is of the people who supported Dhoni to become what he is.

The direction is fabulous and kudos to Pandey for keeping the film so real and so grounded especially when it comes to a bio-pic of such an ultra popular figure.The film seamlessly blends actual figures with the film's re-enactment which is a huge plus.

Sushant Singh Rajput has undergone massive physical and mental changes and the end result is that he could easily pass as MSD on any day.An absolutely terrific performance and might just be career-defining.In fact the level of acting from all actors is so high that it seldom feels like a bio-pic and more of a documentary almost like a mirrored reality.

The dialogues are well written and suit the tone of the film and the brilliant production values(especially the quality of cricketing depicted) along with the spectacular background score make sure your eyes remained glued to the screen.

The film does idolize Dhoni in a many-a-places but then doesn't leave many opportunities to prove that he is just like us.. an ordinary man who just did n0t give up.The film ends on a high with the conclusive moments of the world cup finale.These are the very moments that are etched in our collective memories and Pandey pushes the right triggers to evoke national pride.

In conclusion the film should not be missed by anyone who has ever admired Dhoni nor by Sushant fans.Others can still watch it for being a wholesome family product albeit with some patience.

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