Befikre

Befikre is the fourth movie directed by Aditya Chopra in his career spanning more than 2 decades. When Aditya Chopra directs a movie, the expectations are always high as he directs one movie in 5 - 6 years. Also with him being the director of the longest running movie in Indian Cinema, expectations reach epic proportions. With the weight of these expectations what we get is perhaps the worst movie he has directed till date and maybe even including the future.

The problem with the movie is that it never gets the audience's attention in the way that it needs. With a poor first half where nothing seems to be happening the movie seems to be losing the plot. The technique of taking the story forward through current day scenes and flashbacks is good, but the weak plot does not help it. The second half does have some good moments but there are hardly 2 or 3 of them in the movie and the director already seems to have lost the plot by then. The dance sequence towards the end is perhaps the best scene of the movie. The movie needed more scenes with similar intensity throughout for it to engage the audience.

Ranveer Singh seems to be hamming through the movie, though at times he has acted well. Vaani Kapoor is better than Ranveer but nothing to remember about her acting, though she looks stunning throughout the movie. With just 2 main characters there is hardly anything left for anyone else, but the actors playing Vaani Kapoor's parents leave a mark.

Aditya Chopra is a very good director and an even better dialogue writer. But this movie fails him as a screenwriter and thus his direction and dialogues do not matter. However the direction is also not upto the mark as the scenes seem to lack imagination. Some dialogues in the second half are good but you do not remember them after coming out of the theatres. Aditya Chopra seems to have lost his magical touch with this movie.

The best part about the movie are its songs and the choreography. With Ranveer Singh and Vaani Kapoor being fantastic dancers the songs are wonderful to watch.

Overall the movie is not great as one expects it to be. With the movie's theme the family audience has stayed away and youngsters are finding the story ridiculous. Go watch this only if you are an Aditya Chopra movie fan.

Rating - 2.5 / 5

Arrival Review

I for one being an ardent believer in existence of aliens and that they are already visiting earth, was the reason I was eagerly waiting for this movie. So I was super excited to watch this movie.

I will start with the flaws of this movie. This movie is very slow in its narrative and all the events have been shown without the over the top drama that is usually associated with an alien contact movie. That is the only and biggest flaw that I could find with the movie and it prevents it from becoming a great movie. Now coming to what went right for the movie. The thing that works for the movie is the fact that it has been adapted from the short story "Story of You Life". The story's concept has been explained and shown well in the movie. The final reveal of the plot leaves an everlasting impact on the audience and raises the bar of the story. How the movie builds towards the final reveal is something to watch. Another high point of the movie are the scenes of human interactions with the aliens, which have been shown very well. Overall the good points of the movie overpower the movie's flaws.

Amy Adams as linguist Louise Banks has acted well and has been able to show all the characters emotions. Jeremy Renner is ok as he does not have much to do even though he is present throughout the movie. Forest Whitaker as the army Colonel is good.

The director, Denis Villenueve has directed the movie extremely well and even though it is slow in pace, the movie keeps the audience hooked. The way he has built up the scenes is very commendable and this makes for a great movie watching experience.

Overall the movie is great and you need to have patience till the end of the movie to be able to enjoy this movie. All Sci-Fi lovers should go and see this movie.

Rating - 3.5 / 5

Kahaani 2 Review

Kahaani 2 is the sequel to the successful movie Kahaani and brings back the pair of Vidya Balan and Sujoy Ghosh.

While Kahaani was a story of revenge, Kahaani 2 has an entirely different plot. The movie moves with a brisk pace and the interval seems to come all of a sudden when you realise that half of the movie has already gone. The second half of the movie also has a good pace to it and like in Kahaani, this movie too has a twist at the end. But I as an audience was disappointed with the twist as I could see it coming. Sujoy Ghosh should not have named the movie Kahaani 2 and instead should have gone ahead with the name of Durga Rani Singh as he had initially planned. Kahaani 2 is nowhere as good as Kahaani was, but if you at it like a separate movie, then it is certainly good. However the story could have been better.

Vidya Balan has once again given a good performance as is the life of this movie. Arjun Rampal has acted well and one justice to his role of a police officer. Jugal Hansraj was a surprise for me and he has played his part well. All others have given in a good performance.

Sujoy Ghosh has written and directed the movie well in the first half, but he seems to falter in the second half. The twist can be easily seen before it has actually been revealed and the ending is not as great as what one would have imagined it to be. He could have given the movie a better ending.

Overall the movie is good, but fails to meet our expectations. Those who like to see fast paced movies can go and see this movie.

Rating - 3 / 5

Dear Zindagi Review

Dear Zindagi is a movie about discovering a new way to live life - the right way and the movie shows it in an engaging way.

The movie is all about Kaira ( Alia Bhatt) overcoming her fears and discovering ways to live past it. She is helped by Dr. Jehangir Khan (Shah Rukh Khan) in her journey. The movie has shown all the problems that the character is going through without hyping it. The first part delves into how Kaira's life goes from good to terrible while the second half shows how she learns to deal with it. Both the halves are entertaining and even though the movie has a lot of messages in the second half, it does not seem preachy. The lightness with which movie has been handled never lets you get heavy with emotions and that works well for the movie.

Alia Bhatt in the role of Kaira looks similar to some of her other characters she has done in the past, but with her brilliant performance you do not seem to complain. She has looked and acted terrifically well in the movie and connects with the audience. Shah Rukh Khan in the second longest role of this movie plays his part of a psychiatrist well and does not go over the top. That is a job done well by both him and the screenwriter (Gauri Shinde) as he does not get the scope to go over the top. Other supporting cast including Kunaal Kapoor and Ali Zafar have played their parts well and with ease. Thus the acting in this movie is easy on the eye and senses.

Gauri Shinde in her second movie has done a fine job as a director. Her handling of this movie is commendable as she does not let the emotional scenes get too heavy without belittling the impact that they have on you - mark of a great director.

The movie's songs are good and gel with the movie's mood. The background score is also very good and gives the movie the moos that it needs. 

Overall the movie is a good watch and everyone who wants to watch a good movie can go catch this movie at the theatres.

Rating - 3.5 / 5

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Review

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them introduces a new world of J. K. Rowling Wizardry and makes for a compelling watch for all Harry Potter fans.

This movie presents the world of wizardry in America much before the time of Harry Potter. Thus this movie has a lot of new things to explain which did not exist in the Harry Potter world or were not shown. This makes the first half of the movie a bit slow and tedious to watch. Even though you can see the story moving forward it does so at snail pace, and the audience seem to be getting disengaged with the movie in the first half hour. All this after the spectacular beginning and a good first 20 minutes or so. The second half is a bit more engaging, but due to the loss of audience's interest it does not matter. The movie may have been made a bit crispier. Thus even thought the movie is well written, the script suffers and this has affected the movie. 

The cast of the movie has done an average job with no one standing out. Eddie Redmayne as the hero is fresh, but does not shine on screen. Colin Farrell is the most recognised name in this movie and he comes off as a dull character, without having too many emotions. Thus he too falls flat on the audience. The best actor in the movie is Johnny Depp, who no one was expecting and even in the shortest role possible he has shone the brightest.

David Yates has directed the movie. The parts where he has introduced the audience to the many magical creatures have been directed well, but the other parts lack in imagination. Thus even though the movie is about magic, nothing magical seems to be happening in the movie. Had the movie taken the visual route of Doctor Strange, it would have been a very interesting watch.

The best thing about the movie are its CGI effects. However just that without proper direction cannot make a movie very good.

Overall the movie is an average fair and a Harry Potter world fan can go and watch the movie.

Rating - 3 / 5

Doctor Strange Review

Doctor Strange is a much awaited movie from the Marvel Cinematic Universe which takes you a step closer to The Infinity Wars story by introducing an Infinity stone. The movie has been successful in keeping the Marvel heights in line with other movies from the MCU.

Based on the Marvel Comics of Doctor Strange, this movie follows Doctor Stephen Strange from his days as a successful doctor to being incapacitated because of an accident to his becoming a world saving sorcerer. There is plenty that is good about the movie. The first is that the story is intriguing with the plot explanation starting from scene 1 and all the character including Doctor Strange being woven into the plot, rather that the plot being woven around the character of Doctor Strange. The movie is fast paced, but at times it feels that it is moving too fast in the scenes where Doctor Strange learns mystic arts. A bit more time to show how he learns would have been easier on the audience. However the movie has been able to bring out Doctor Strange's and Mordo's dilemma beautifully which add to the good points of the movie. The best part about the movie are its special effects, which are really mind boggling and very well done. The movie should be watched in the IMAX form to enjoy the scenes to the fullest. All of the action scenes have been showcased brilliantly and you cannot move your eyes away when the action is happening. The movie has woven humour with action, which is seen across all Marvel franchises, and it keeps the mood of the movie light. The villain in the movie certainly could have been better, as he does not feel like very powerful, and is easily defeated. However the way he has been defeated has been well thought through and that is why it does not look like a weak point.

Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange is very good and has brought in all the quirkiness to the character that is associated with him. Tilda Swinton as the Ancient One is convincing while Chiwetel Ejiofor is ok in his serious role. Rachel McAdams has a small role with not much to do in the movie. Mads Mikkelsen as the villain, has been shown very monotonous and thus no opportunity to act. Overall on acting the movie sways to and fro from good to poor.

Scott Derrickson. the director has done his best job till date with this movie. Though his other movies were also successful they were low budget and thus lower costs to recover. This was a movie which was a real test of his ability as a big budget director and he has proved his worth with this movie. Even though this is his best movie till date, it can certainly be said that he still has some way to go before becoming someone like a James Cameron or a JJ Abrams.

Overall the movie is a great watching experience on the big screen and all, whether comic book fan or not, should go and watch this movie for a mind boggling experience. Some scenes are bound to remind you of Inception.

Rating - 3.5 / 5

Ae Dil Hai Mushkil Review

Ae Dil Hai Mushkil is the second movie that released this Diwali and of the two movies, it is certainly the better one. This is a love story directed by Karan Johar which touches you at the right places for most of the movie.

Ae Dil Hai Mushkil is a movie about love, or as said in the movie, "One sided love". The first half of the movie is very pacy and introduces you to the characters and takes the story forward. The second half introduces the character of Aishwarya Rai and the movie continues to race at the same pace. However the latter half of the second half is a bit slow and may seem to drag a bit. This is the only poor thing about the movie. This part of the movie could have been shortened a bit by about 5 minutes to not feel draggy. At around 2 hours and 40 minutes, this movie is entertaining to watch and has all the elements that the younger audience will enjoy. This movie is an example of a movie where all the characters serve a purpose. This is because of the super tight script which does not leave many loop holes and this makes the movie very smooth to watch. I could not find many flaws with the movie except maybe the last half an hour. This is certainly a movie which will be liked by the younger audiences.

Ranbir Kapoor has once again given a superior performance, though is not his best performance. He can however be seen to be repeating himself a bit as you can see glimpses of his character in Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani and Tamaasha. Anushka Sharma is easy on the eye and has acted her part well. Fawad Khan is OK in a small role. However the major points go to Aishwarya Rai Bachchan who has played a beautiful divorcee and looks very stunning in the movie. Though she appears only in the post interval portions of the movie, she leaves an indelible mark on the story. Like in all Karan Johar movies you get glimpses of many actors in supporting roles. In this movie too you can see supporting roles of Lisa Hayden, Alia Bhatt and Shah Rukh Khan. Overall on the acting front, this movie comes out on top.

Karan Johar is an established director whose best work till date has been Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and the script that he had written for Kal Ho Na ho was superb, though he did not direct it. After these two great movies, Karan Johar has been able to show his class in this movie. The script written by him made it easy for him to direct the movie as the movie does not slack at any place except maybe towards the end. This is perhaps his second best movie till date after Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. This is certainly a job well done.

The movie has mostly been shot in foreign locations which make the scenes look very beautiful. The cinematography is beautiful and it has been able to capture these locations beautifully. The music of the movie by Pritam was already on top of the charts, with the songs Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, Bulleya, Channa Mereya and The Breakup Song. These songs have also been woven very effectively into the story and thus make you like them even more. However the background score could have been better as it does not feel matching the mood of the movie at a few places.

Overall this is a movie which will gel with mostly with people ranging from teenagers to people who are around 30 years of age. If you fall under any of these brackets you should go and watch the movie. It is both enjoyable and emotional.

Rating - 3.5 / 5

Shivaay Review

This Diwali week has seen the release of two much awaited Hindi movies. Here is my review of one of them - Shivaay.

Shivaay tells the story of a daredevil mountaineer who falls in love with a Bulgarian tourist and the story traces what happens afterwards. The movie has lots of elements like love, father - daughter relationship and action thrown in. While there is a love story it has not been very well developed in the movie. You do not get how the two characters fall in love. The father - daughter relationship that has been shown is good but it too lacks a good storytelling due to which you are not very engaged in the relationship. The action sequences are all over the top but the movie fails to explain how the mountaineer is able to beat up so many guys at once. Does he know any martial art? No idea. Poor scripting and screenplay has once again let down a movie which could have been great. Barring the last 30 minutes, the movie is not very engaging and thus the audience is lost at what is happening in the first 2 hours and 20 minutes. The story is certainly new, but it has been told very poorly. The problem is that there is very poor connectivity between one scene and the next. The scenes seem to start abruptly due to which the audience is a bit lost about what is happening.

The actors on this movie have done a poor job. Ajay Devgn has not done justice to himself as an actor, but with so much action thrown in it was bound to happen as he is also donning the role of a director. He has not been able to handle his multiple roles and responsibilities in this movie. The other actors also have done an ok job but nothing to remember.

Ajay Devgn as the actor is bad, but he as the director is worse. This is his second movie as a director but he has not been able to bring the intensity required in the scenes. Poor script has also not helped him.

The music of the movie is average with the best of the lot being Bolo Har Har. This song has been effectively used in almost all action scenes. Background music of the movie also not very great. The only good thing bout the movie are the locations where they have been shot, and they have been shot beautifully. The action is very good and the stunts have not been seen before. However the movie has a lot of VFX, a lot of which appears tacky.

Overall what could have been a great movie turns out to be a dull affair. Watch this movie only if you do not have anything better to do.

Rating - 2.5 / 5 (I was thinking of giving this movie 2 stars. However I gave an extra .5 for the last half hour.)

Inferno Review

Based on the third bestselling book of the Robert Langdon series from author Dan Brown, this was a much awaited movie for all the fans of the series. The last two movies had mixed reactions from both critics and audiences alike. Let us look at how this movie has fared.

The movie is a thriller where Robert Langdon has to solve the clues in time to save half the earth's population from death. The format of the movie, which is based on the book, is the same as the last movie. So on the plot front not a lot of difference can be observed from the last movie. The movie has a good pace to it, with the story moving ahead and all the plots unfolding fast. Even though it is a good point for the movie, you cannot help but feel that something is amiss. In trying to bring the book to life, the director has made too much of an effort, and thus the movie lacks depth, both in screenplay and execution. The ending of the movie doe not live up to the expectations that the movie had created all along. Thus the movie lacks a solid late punch and this again feels like something is amiss. The best part of the movie is the twist towards the end. But for the people who had already read the book, that would not have been the best. Thus for people who have already read the book, the movie does not have much to offer.

Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon has done a good job at potraying the character for the third time on screen. Felicity Jones has failed in showing the two different kinds of character. While she is good when she is shown vulnerable, the other part which is strong does not come through very well. Our own Irrfan Khan in a short but important role has played his part well. Overall acting in the movie is mediocre to good at best.

Ron Howard is an award winning director. However in all the Dan Brown movies, he has not been able to showcase his best. Even in this movie, he has not been able to bring the intensity of the story to the screen. Thus he has not done his best job, what we know he can.

Overall the movie is watchable if you have not read the book. If you have read it, then I do not recommend watching the movie.

Rating - 3 / 5

M. S. Dhoni - The Untold Story Review

M. S. Doni - The Untold Story is inspired by the true events from the life of India's World Cup winning captain, as per the disclaimer in the beginning of the movie. The movie turns out to be one of the best made by Neeraj Pandey till date.

The movie traces the story of Mahendra Singh Dhoni from his school days when his talent was discovered to the World Cup win in 2011. The  movie can be clearly distinguished into two parts - the first half is all about his struggle to get into the Indian Cricket Team and the second half is about his personal life and some cricketing achievements. I actually expected the second half to be more about cricket with stories about the controversies that he faced as a captain, but they were passed off as just some news stories in between. Any effect that these controversies had in his life are not a part of the movie. This I felt was one of the misses of the movie. How he handled these controversies would have helped the audience delve deeper into the mind of the cricketer as a person. The movie does trace his love life, which has been shown beautifully, and gives the audience a different part of his character that they had not yet seen. Thus even though the controversies are missed, it does not really hamper the movie. The movie is is entertaining and leaves you on a high.

Shushant Singh Rajput as Mahendra Singh Dhoni is superb. Seeing him on screen feels like you are watching M. S. Dhoni on screen. He has captured all of the cricketers mannerisms wonderfully and credit should be given to him. All the supporting cast including Anupam Kher as the father, Bhumika Chawla as the sister, Kiara Advani as Sakshi and Disha Patani as his first love interest are good, which helps in lending credibility to the story.

Neeraj Pandey as the director has brought to life the story of Mahendra Singh Dhoni with his taught direction and crisp storyline. This is one of the best movies that he has directed so far, only behind A Wednesday in terms of the impact it makes on the audience.

The music of the movie is good and it takes the story forward. Pick of the lot are Kaun Tujhe and Jab Tak which capture the essence of the love story really well. The editing is also very good with the real match scenes being intermingled with the storyline.

Overall the movie is a very good watch and all cricketing fans should go and watch the movie to get to know the story if the man's success.

Rating - 4 / 5

Pink Review

Pink is movie about the hypocrisy of our society towards the women and girls. It attempts to bring out how we are the ones who are making it difficult for the women in our society to lead normal lives.

Pink tells the story of three working girls, one of whom is charged with attempt to murder a guy and the movie is about whether they are able to prove their innocence. Pink is brilliant in the way it captures what many Indian women go through in their daily lives. The scenes are so effective that you feel scared with the characters. The characters of the three ladies have been showcased so well that you feel empathy for them. This movie deserves a thumbs up for bringing out a social issue in a very commercial way and succeeding at it. The movies first half is very brisk where it tells the story of how the girls are strong and stand against the boys and at the same time are very vulnerable. The second half with all the courtroom scenes are also very well directed. The dialogues in the courtroom scenes should be lauded as without them the scenes would have felt blank. This movie does well in almost all the departments and thus can be called a brilliant movie.

The three girls Taapsee Pannu, Kirti Kulhari and Andrea Tariang have acted very well in bringing out the vulnerabilities of the modern women. Amitabh Bacchan as the lawyer is also very good and has carried out his role without much of the drama that he is usually known for. Full marks to him for being able to do this at this age. Piyush Mishra as the prosecutor is also very good. With his acting he is able to repel all the viewers away from him and towards the defandant side. Full marks again to one more actor of this movie. Thus acting wise, this is a gold mine.

The director, Aniruddha Roy Chowdhuri, has directed several Bengali movies in the past. This is his first attempt at a Hindi movie. And I must say if his Bengali movies are anything like this, then I must watch all his movies. He had done fabulously well at directing this movie. Even though the movie moves quietly, it stirs you a lot inside. A thumbs up to the director too.

Overall this is movie for one and all as it not only talks about the girls in the movie, but about girls in general and what are the problems and the stereotypes that they face. Watch this movie for its all the good things that I have already said.

Rating - 4 / 5

Sully Review

Sully is based on the true incident of Captain Chesley Sullenberg landing a plane on the Hudson river due to double engine failure and is based on the autobiography Highest Duty. The movie traces the investigation of the incident that followed the crash.

The movie has a brisk pace about it which you do not find in most of Clint Eastwood directed movies. The events unfold so fast that you may miss the essence of a scene if you even blink for a second. The movie is amazing to say the least and the best part about the movie are its dialogues and its screenplay. Even though there is not much happening in the movie, it is the dialogues which take the movie ahead. Even the way in which the movie is made with flashbacks acting as a way to take the story ahead is brilliant. The movie comes forward as both a drama and slight thriller which captures your imagination. The movie's duration of 90 minutes makes the movie go by fast. A pat on the backs of the editors as they have done a fine job.

Tom Hanks as Captain Sullenberg is first rate. He acts out the character with ease and you don't for a second think that you are watching Tom Hanks. Aaron Eckhart is also very good in a supporting role as the co-pilot of the crash. These are the two actors who remain with you after the movie and I must say it is a job well done.

Clint Eastwood, as I have already said, has directed the movie very well. Mixing both drama with thrills, he has been able to engage you like never before. At times Clint Eastwood's movies do appear to be a bit draggy, but this one is not one of those. The ending scene of the movie is also superb and the way he has ended the movie is commendable, as other directors may have had the urge to shoot one more scene before the end of the movie, which would have been a waste of time.

Overall watch the movie for its good screenplay and acting. A full thumbs up for the movie.

Rating - 3.5 / 5

Don't Breathe Review

Don't Breathe is a thriller with only 4 main characters and most of it is set in a house. Even with these limitations this movie comes off as one of the best thrillers in the recent times.

The movie starts off slowly with the plot being unravelled and the three of the main characters enter the house within the first 20 minutes of the movie. After that the movie starts to take off and keeps you at the edge of your seat for the entire remaining 70 minutes. This movie is only 90 minutes long and this was a good decision as a longer movie would have felt like a drag. The script of the movie is very good and along with really well written characters the movie gets that additional depth that it required. The movie's villain looks very frightening and at times can give you goosebumps. Most of the movie happens inside a house and you can see a lot happening in the movie. This is a true mark of a great screenplay. This is a great thriller where till the end you cannot figure out what is going to happen next. With a lot of twists and turns in the chase between the characters, this is the.edge of the seat thriller that the audiences were yearning for.

In these kind of movies it is very easy for actors to go over the top trying to enact the scenes where they are scared. That really kills a good script and the audience are left laughing out loud. This is what is really good about the movie. Jane Levy, Dylan Minnette and Daniel Zovatto have essayed their roles very well and this makes the scenes look very scary. However the high point is Stephen Lang, who is known for playing the villain in James Cameron's Avatar. He plays the blind villain and scares you to the fullest. Full points to the actors and the director on this one.

The director, Fred Alvarez, has earlier directed the remake of Evil Dead which is said to be one of the best movies in the horror genre. This movie will now be called one of the best in the thriller genre. This is how well it has been directed. With two trump cards in his first two movies he is sure to be one of the top directors in the horror / thriller genre.

Overall all thriller and horror fans should go and watch this movie. It is a joyride of a lifetime.

Rating - 3.5 / 5

Rustom Review

Rustom, starring Akshay Kumar in the lead role, is a movie inspired from the true story of Naval Officer K.M. Nanavati who had murdered his wife's lover. The movie's begining however informs you that it is a work of fiction as the story has been modified to turn into a thriller.

Rustom is another fine feather in the illustrious cap of Akshay Kumar. It is a fine movie with a good plot and a thriller in the true sense. The movie has a brisk first half and the story unfolds within the first fifteen minutes of the movie. No time has been wasted in the movie. The murder happens within the first half an hour and the story just picks its pace from an already brisk one. The second half where most of the court room sequences have been shot is also pacy. The court room sequences in particular have been very well shot. These scenes have their share of humour which keeps these scenes alive.

The second good part of the movie is the acting. Be it Akshay Kumar, Ileana D'Cruz, Arjan Bajwa, Esha Gupta or Pawan Malhotra - all have played their roles very well. Of the lot, Akshay Kumar and Pawan Malhotra set the scene alive with their presence. Ileana D'Cru and Esha Gupta look terrific on screen and have also acted well.

The director Tinu Suresh Desai looks to be a fine director, just into his second movie. Though I have not seen his first movie, he seems to have a good touch on the Thriller genre and should be given more such movies. He has directed the movie and the actors very well and makes the movie into an enjoyable experience. Kudos to him for that.

The music of the movie is average. Though it does not matter as this movie did not need songs. The dialogues are superb. And the art direction and costumes give you the feel of the 50's. The cinematography is nothing to rave about, but this can be overlooked in a movie where the script is the king and most of the scenes have been shot indoors.

Overall this is a fine movie which can be seen with you family and friends. So go ahead and enjoy this thriller.

Rating - 3.5 / 5

Dishoom Review

Dishoom was a much awaited movie because of the interesting storyline of a top cricketer being kidnapped before the final match. The setting was interesting, but lets have a look at how the movie has turned up.

This movie had all the elements to become a craze at the box office. The trailers looked awesome and the songs were superb. However the movie dies a horrid death because of its poor script. This movie is proof as to why it is important to have a tight script. It can make poor stories extraordinary and can turn excellent stories into poor movies. The movie starts off well and one begins to get involved with the movie. The movie starts to build pace in the first half but then loses its grip because the scenes seem to have been placed just for some laughs and action. There are many loopholes and poor connectivity from one scene to the next. Things just seem to happen haphazardly in the movie, with no explanation. In the second half though the movie keeps its pace, the script is so bad that in the end of the movie you wonder what really happened in the movie. From the trailers, Akshay Khanna looked like an awesome villain, but in the movie he has been made to look ordinary. This is one of the major flaws in the movie. Had the villain been as awesome as in the trailer, it would have worked wonders for the movie.

All the actors have done a poor job in the movie. John Abraham seems to have just one expression. Varun Dhawan tries hard to make you laugh. Akshay Khanna seems to have been confused with his character from Race. And Mukul Dev in a short role looks menacing. The only refreshing thing in the movie is Jacqueline Fernandez who looks gorgeous. Akshay Kumar and Parineeti also are something to look out for, though they are hardly seen for 5 min.

Rohit Dhawan as the director does a poor job at bringing the movie and its characters to life. He hasn't been able to provide depth and character to the characters. He needs to improve his art of direction. His last outing Desi boys was better.

The best thing about this movie are its songs. All the songs are racy and have a party mood. Pritam has once again done a fine job at his music. Sau Tarah Ke is the best song of the lot and it has also been picturised beautifully. Janeman Aa at the end of the movie also lends some cheer to the movie's end. Other than in the songs, the cinematography is average. 

Overall this was a high potential movie which ends up in a disaster. You may as well want to miss this one.

Rating - 2.5 / 5

Sultan Review

Sultan, starring the superstar Salman Khan, released this Eid and has taken the box office by storm. It has already broken many records. Here's a review of this movie.

Sultan tells the story of ups and downs in the love story of two wrestlers and brings in lots of action together with it. The movie has a good storyline with all the elements of romance, action and emotions in plenty, which are a sure success with the family audience. The best part about the movie is its emotional storyline, which is bound to touch everyone's hearts. The action is also good, but at times it looks too good to be true. I expected the movie to end a bit differently from which it actually ended, which would have been a fresh thing for a Salman movie, but it ends in a similar fashion to most Salman movies. The ending was what was different for Bajrangi Bhaijan from normal Salman movies, which made it that extra special. This movie too needed that extra push for it to become great. Nonetheless the movie is a clear winner with the masses and families, which ensures a good run at the box office.

Salman Khan has done a decent job in the movie and looks intense in the action scenes. He also looks adorable speaking in Haryanvi. However he looks to be repeating himself in each movie. Anushka Sharma has a smaller role in the movie, but she has acted well. Even she doesn't seem to bring anything new to her role, though she has performed well in her wrestling scenes and looks believable as a wrestler. Amit Sadh and Randeep Hooda have done a good job in the small roles that have been given to them and remain with you even after the movie. Overall on the acting terms it is a decent movie with no extra ordinary performances.

Ali Abbas Zafar has done a good job in directing the movie and has made both the characters and and the scenes memorable. The cinematography is average. The music is good with the song Jag Ghoomeya really touching your heart and Baby ko Bass Pasand hai making you dance. The action choreography is good but still has a long way to go for matching the action movies across the globe.

Overall the movie is great to watch and one can enjoy it with friends and family. So all Salman lovers please go ahead and enjoy this movie

Rating - 3.5 / 5

Finding Dory Review

Finding Dory is the sequel to the landmark animated movie Finding Nemo, which is one of the best animated movies to be released post 2000. Due to this there were huge anticipations from the movie before its release.

Finding Nemo is still remembered because of its unforgettable characters. Finding Dory takes advantage of the same three lovable characters of Marlin, Nemo and Dory. However the other characters are not so well developed and they do not seem to add on to the Finding Nemo universe. This is one of the weaknesses of the movie which bears heavily on the movie. However the movie has a good story and the same kind of funny moments like the first part which works well for the movie. With the same premise of finding someone, the sequences of the movie move from one location to other, which keeps interest of the audience. The movie may be liked the young audience, but the older audience who has seen the first part may not be very satisfied with the movie.

The movie's animation is good but we have already seen the same in the first part and you do not get anything new. 

Overall the movie is entertaining and certainly a one time watch. One of the things that I observed was that a lot of grown ups had come for the movie, which is a rarity nowadays for an animated movie. So you can go and enjoy this movie either with you kids or alone, since it brings back memories of your childhood.

Rating - 3 / 5

Independence Day - Resurgence Review

Independence Day - Resurgence is a sequel to a movie which is a cornerstone for alien attack movies and had to match high standards set by its predecessor.

The movie is set 20 years after the first alien attack on planet earth and brings the story of a second alien attack. The movie has an interesting start and the movie races ahead at a high pace. Once the alien spaceship reaches earth, the visuals are just amazing and you cannot take your eyes off the screen. However after the alien spaceship's landing, the movie loses grip on its story telling and falls apart. The team has tried to bring in new angles to the storyline, but has not been able to create the same magic as the first part. While the first part refrained from showing actual aliens, thus movie has shown them in plenty. And in a way this has pulled back the intensity of the movie. The writing needed to be better for the movie as though it starts on a high note, but the writing lets it down in the latter half. The ending of the movie is also a problem as it all seems very easy and unrealistic. Due to this the ending of the movie will not last very long in one's memory. There are a lot of plot holes through the movie which has affected the movie.

Acting wise all the actors have done a decent job, but no one deserves a special mention. Roland Emmerich's direction is ok and nothing to rave about. He lacks imagination in this movie. The movie's special effects are great and are the one thing that is really make the movie watchable. All the destruction in the first hour looks very real and that is the only high point of the movie.

Overall the movie has been made to make lots of money, but not a lot of thought has gone into the writing. All the first part lovers can watch it if they want to. But watch it as a mindless masala movie.

Rating - 3 / 5

Udta Punjab Review

Udta Punjab is one if those rare movies that has been allowed a release with none of the cuss words censored. Kudos to the Udta Punjab team for this achievement.

Udta Punjab is a movie about two things - drugs and Punjab. It is a movie about how drugs is affecting the youth and how politics of the area is entrenched into it. The movie is successful in showing the problem of drugs and mixes it with humour, which is the best thing that the writers could have done to this otherwise serious movie. The four main characters are extremely well written and they remain with you even after the movie is over. The movie has a pacy first half and an equally pacy second half, with three different stories progressing simultaneously. The three stories finally culminate together at the end of the movie. The movie works because of its story, its humour and its characters.

All the four main actors should be given due credit for their acting. Shahid Kapoor is phenomenal as a drug addict pop superstar who is trying to redeem himself. He has enacted his part effortlessly and makes the character come alive on screen. Alia Bhatt is also phenomenal in her role of a Bihari girl. She has done a role what no one would have thought she can do. Even though she doesn't have a glamorous look in the movie, her acting is superb and it makes you wait for her next scene. Kareena Kapoor has essayed her role of a doctor who wants to stop drug addiction in Punjab, with ease. She looks lovely in the movie and one can't help but fall in love with the character because of her simplicity. The character of Diljit Dosanjh is also simple and this makes you like the character. He has done a good job at his first Hindi movie and should be given more roles I future movies. The other actors have also played their part beautifully and make the movie a memorable one to watch.

Abhishek Chaubey has made a movie which deals with a social issue but narrates the story with humour. Most directors would have gone the way of satire to move the story ahead. But he focuses on the characters due to which all can relate to the characters. This movie is a job well done. He is a director good at making humorous movies out of serious settings and should continue doing this. 

The music of the movie gels well with the story and adds to the narrative. Even though none of the songs are superb, their placement in the movie makes them worth both hearing and watching.

Overall the movie is a great watch and all adults should enjoy this at the theatres. After all the producers have done a good job at fighting for their movie and its rights by getting it into release with only 1 cut. So people please go for this movie.

Rating - 3.5 / 5

The Conjuring 2 Review

The Conjuring 2 is the second instalment of Ed and Lorrain Warren after The Conjuring. Comparisons with The Conjuring is inevitable. While it is not as great as The Conjuring, it still holds a high place in terms of horror movies.

Like The Conjuring, the second instalment is as scary in the first half and gives you the chills you are looking for. But the second half is not so scary, though it is very scary at a few places. The problem is that they give a face to the thing that scares you after which the fear factor goes down. The story and the script are well written and the locations and sets lend credibility to the movie.

Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga have again given their best to their characters. All the main actors have a done a god job at potraying their characters. Special mention needs to be given to the children who have done a good job at making you feel frightened. 

James Wan is a master at horror movies and he once again proves his mettle at this genre. Watching one James Wan movie makes you want to watch all of his movies.  That is a sign of great talent.

Overall the movie is very good and all horror fans will certainly enjoy it.

Rating - 3.5 / 5

Housefull 3 Review

Housefull 3 is the third instalment of the Houseful franchise. While the first movie had some original elements, the second part did not contribute anything new. The same goes with the third part.

The movie has its share of funny moments, but at most times the humour seems forced. The movie also has a similar storyline like the first two parts and thus there is no novelty. The team should try something new if they make another instalment. The same theme will all characters congregating at the same house does not seem to work anymore.

Among the actors, Ritesh Deshmukh and Akshay Kumar have put in some effort into their characters and it shows on screen. Abhishek Bacchhan does not bring in any originality and thus is the weakest character. Jacqueline, Diana Hayden and Nargis Fakhri do not have much to do except look sexy. And Boman Irani seems to be repeating his character from past movies. The only good point of the movie is Jacky Shroff as he brings the screen on fire whenever he is on screen. Even after so many years, he still has the aura to sizzle on screen. He should have been given a longer role.

This movie has been directed by Farhad - Sajid instead of Sajid Khan who directed the earlier two parts. But in the treatment it does not seem to be any different from a Sajid Khan movie. He may as well have directed this part too. The direction is at best fine and does not bring anything new to the table.

The music of the movie is not very great and it only acts as a stoppage to the story line. Some of the songs could have been removed to help the storyline. The editing does not help the movie as it seems a bit long.

Overall, if you have seen Housefull 1 and 2, you can give this movie a miss. If you are going for this movie then keep your brains away.

Rating - 2.5 / 5

Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice Review

Batman v Superman was one of the most awaited movies of 2016 and it finally arrived. But the movie turns out to be somewhat disappointing. I have tried to analyse what went wrong with the movie. And to say the least - it is in plenty.

The movie is sequel to Man of Steel and takes off from the ending fight sequence between Superman and Zod with Bruce Wayne watching on the destruction. This is the scene which lays foundation for the movie and forms the basis for the differences between the characters of Superman and Batman. From the movies point of view, all is well till this point and till a bit further in the movie. But the movie loses its effectiveness once the movie tries to show why Batman is against Superman as it lacks the required punch. The movie is also interlaced with a lot of scenes that seem hanging and this confuses the audience. Problem here is the editing as it feels that a lot of scenes just come and go but they have not been very well woven into the plot. The action scenes are good but they are not very memorable like the action scene in Man of Steel between Superman and Zod. Another problem is the supervillain Doomsday. He comes very late in the movie and the script fails to make him a very fearsome character even though he beats up all the superheroes. The movie ends up a bit wanting on the scripting levels and on connecting the dots.

Henry Cavill and Ben Affleck do lend credibility to their roles with a good performance. Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor does a remarkable job and proves once again what a wonderful actor he is. But acting performances alone can't make the movie better without a gripping script.

The director Zack Snyder was given a super plot, which every comic book fan wants to see. But he has not been able to do a good job at bringing to life the what the people wanted to see. He has had some well directed movies in the past like 300 and Watchmen, but with this movie he fails to come close to them as a director.

Visual effects are good but you end up failing to see a lot of the stuff due to the on screen movements. It looks like the FX guys tried to present a lot of their skills at the same time and it seems like they have overdone it to the point of visual confusion.

Overall the movie is OK to watch but not what you expect it to be. All DC comic fans can certainly go and watch this, but they may end up unsatisfied with what they see.

Rating - 3 / 5

Race (2016) Review

Race is a biographical movie about Jesse Owens who had won 4 gold medals at the Berlin Olympics in 1936.

The movie traces the journey of Jesse Owens from his college days to him winning the gold medals at the Olympics. The movie has its mix of drama and realism which lets the audience connect with the movie. The audience feels the same emotions as is being felt by the character. This is the best point about the movie. The movie has lots of drama in the form of hatred for the blacks in United States and Jewish oppression in Germany. The movie has tried to showcase both of these elements and they form an integral part of the movie. The movie also showcases the politics between the Olympic committees of US and Germany for Olympic games participation. All of this make this movie an interesting watch. With the character of Jesse Owens, the movie has tried to show the superiority of USA over the Nazi's. So at times it does not feel like a biography, but an effort to give a boost to one's ego. This is the only shortfall of this movie.

Stephen James essaying the role of Jesse Owens has performed the character really well and is very convincing as an Olympic runner. Jason Sudekis as Owens' coach is superb and Jeremy Irons as Avery Brundage, the Olympic committee member who gets US to vote for entering into the Berlin Olympics, is also first rate. This movie belongs to all these three characters.

Stephen Hopkins has given the movie the right look of the 1930s and has directed the movie very well. The movie is very tight in narrative and all credit goes to the director. He has been able to give the larger than life feel to the olympic scenes and this adds to the narrative of the movie.

Overall the movie is a worthy watch and one of the better biographies to have been made in the recent times.

Rating - 3.5 / 5

London Has Fallen Review

London Has Fallen is an action packed movie with the running length of only one and a half hours. However even with this advantage the movie does not have much to offer to the audience.

The movie is very fast in narrative and the events unfold so fast that if you blink you may miss something. However the movie has not much to offer with the storyline. There is nothing new in the story with the hero being a super man who kills a lot of people and saves the president. Again. If you talk of action, it is very good but falls short of innovative action sequences that we have seen in other similar movies like Live Free or Die Hard. Thus the movie becomes an average affair and one does not retain the sequences long after the movie.

Gerard Butler as the secret service agent in charge of the President's security, is good in his role. He has a very good screen presence in this movie like all his movies. He also has his jab of serious humour in this movie, which he is known for. This movie is a boon for Gerard Butler fans because you see him throughout the movie, doing what he does best. Aaron Eckhart as the President of USA is good, but his role does not have any layers. This does not give him any scope to show his acting skills. Morgan Freeman seems to have been wasted in the movie.

This is director, Babak Najafi's first English movie. Before this he has directed several Swedish movies, which I haven't heard of. His direction is poor in this movie. The action scenes have been well directed, but he has been hampered by a weak script.

Overall, the movie does not have much to offer other than action and Gerard Butler. One can go for the movie to catch the movie's action and if one wants to see London destroyed in seconds, he should go ahead and watch it.

Rating - 2.5 / 5

Jai Gangajal Review

Jai Gangajal is another movie from Prakash Jha that handles the social issue of criminal sentences by the public. At the outset I should say that this movie is not as good as Gangajal. I felt that the first half of the movie is pacy and good to watch. The second half is a bit of a let down as it does not give the main character of Priyanka Chopra much to do except recite dialogues on law and justice. If the character had been given more to do this movie could have been another feather in the illustrious cap of Prakash Jha. The script should have been tweaked for the betterment of the movie.

Priyanka Chopra's acting feels average due to the fact that she has not been given a very challenging role as an actor. Though she has done a lot of stunts in the movie but at times they do not look very convincing. This also makes the fight scenes look flimsy. Whatever scope was provided to Priyanka Chopra, she has done a decent job at that. However the movie belongs to the other characters. Prakash Jha himself as a police officer has given a very good performance. Ninad Kamat and Manav Kaul as the bad guys have also put in very good performances.

Prakash Jha as director however is not at his best. Though he manages to give the movie a constant mood of seriousness, but the loopholes in the script do not let the director give his best. The same seriousness may not be liked by many movie goers as the movie does not have light moments.

There are very few songs in the movie but they are poor and slow down the movie's pace. They could have been omitted which would have reduced the length of the movie, which at 2 and a half hours is a bit long for such an intense movie.

Overall thought the movie's intensity is right for the theme but it does not make the desires impact. However you can watch it if you are a Prakash Jha fan.

Rating - 3 / 5

The Revenant Review

The Revenant has already been nominated for 12 Academy Awards. So writing a review for the movie is very difficult and kind of irrelevant. Still I will try to do justice to the movie with this review.

The Revenant is a movie about survival and revenge.  The movie starts off with a bang with its beginning reminding you of the beginning of Saving Private Ryan, though with lesser blood and limb shed. After the beginning the pace of the movie slows down but it still progresses at a continuous pace. The pace is right for this kind of a movie, but at 2 hours and 30 minutes, the movie seems a bit long. You cannot help but feel that with a few cuts and smart editing the movie could have been made more interesting. What is commendable about this movie are the locations where it have been shot. These locations give the feel of the 19th century and lend credibility to the story. The movie has gruesome violence which may turn your stomach while watching it.

Alejandro G. Inarritu, the director of this movie, has already won an Academy Award last year for Birdman, which was one of the finest directions I have seen on screen. Compared to Birdman, the director seem to fall short of the expectations from him. However if we look at this movie in isolation, then the director has done a very good job at directing this movie. He has made the movie on a huge scale with every scene speaking of magnanimity. The cinematography is superb and makes you gape in awe at the screen. The dream sequences of Leonardo De Caprio leave a mark on you, though they seem to be inspired from Gladiator. Alejandro has created another gem with this movie, though it is not his best.

This movie has one of the best performances from Leonardo De Caprio till date and this movie is made worth watching because of his acting prowess. This movie is about Leonardo as he is seen in the frame for most of the movie. However the other characters do not seem to be fleshed out well due to which other actors do not have much scope for acting.

Having already read and heard a lot about this movie I would urge all Leonardo fans to go for this movie experience. You will not regret it.

Rating - 3.5 / 5