Star Wars - The Last Jedi Review

This sequel to the critically acclaimed and box office super grosser Star Wars - The Force Awakens was one of the most awaited movies of 2017. And it didn't dissappont most of the fans of the franchise. Why I say most of the fans is because some fans hate this storyline. However lets look at how good or bad is the movie.

The Last Jedi is the longest movie of the franchise till date and at times it does feel like a drag, mostly towards the end where the movie could have ended in multiple situations but it goes on. However the last 45 minutes of the movie are what make it memorable as it has many twists and scenes that have not been seen in other episodes of the franchise. Thus by the movie's end you do not feel the length as a drag. The best part of the movie is its different take on a lot of aspects of the original franchise and this has not gone down well with a few die hard fans of the franchise. Though the way the story has been shaped augurs well for the future instalments. The movie has some remarkable and breathtaking scenes which remain with you even after the movie has ended. The visual effects are superb and the way the action sequences have been presented are also a first for the franchise.

Daisey Ridley as Rey, Adam Driver as Kylo Ren, John Boyega as Finn and Oscar Isaac as Poe have played their rolea well and have been able to bring out the dilemma being faced by them. But the star of the show is Mark Hamill who is returning as Luke Skywalker who seems to essay the role with ease.

Rian Johnson has made the movie in his own way and has successfully changed a lot of the aspects of the franchise's storytelling. He has made this movie his own and one cannot wait to see how he brings the story to a culmination and what all surprises he has in store for the audience.

The locations have been captured very beautifully and lend their depth to the storytelling. The background score is also good keeping it in sync with the franchise.

Overall this is a movie for all science fiction fans which should not be missed.

Rating - 3.5 / 5

Secret Superstar Review

I am writing a movie review after many days and after having seen a few movies since my last review. Finally have got some time to write a review. So here it goes.

Secret Superstar is the second movie of Zaira Wasim, of Dangal fame. She has again collaborated with Amir Khan for a movie and this is her first movie as a lead. The movie has been well made with the issue of girl and women empowerment as the central theme. The movie portrays the problems faced by a family with a patriarch dominated household with dreams of the women and girls in the family being written off by the head of family. The movie has a good first half and a better second half with Amir Khan entering the story in the second half. With two good halves the movie keeps you engrossed for the full 155 minutes. I just realised that the movie is so long. But the ongoings do not make you realise the movie's length. Full marks to the makers for this. The only problem is the movie feels to good to be true, which can be said about most movies. A touch of reality could have made the movie better.

Zaira Wasim is the strength of this movie. She has again put up a brilliant performance as the girl with big dreams who does not get her due in the household. She has improved leaps and bounds to play this role. Amir Khan is at his best in playing the character of an over the top music director. He makes you laugh with his antics. I never believed he could plat such a role. Meher Vij as Zaira's mother is also very good in portraying her character.

Advait Chandan has made a good movie and is sure to go a long way if he keeps getting good projects.

The songs are ok with Main Kaun Hun being the best of the lot and it has also been picturised well. Some brownie points for the cinematographer.

Overall this is a good movie to go watch with your family this Diwali.

Rating - 3.5 / 5

A Billion Color Story Review

I rarely cry after seeing a movie. I do not even remember which was the last movie which made me cry. But after seeing this movie I had tears in my eyes.

The movie is about both tolerance and intolerance that exists in India. And this does not only relate to religious issues but even to social issues like domestic violence, live in relationships and the like. The movie has a lighter tone to it, similar to Ship of Thesus, but is dark in its theme. The movie potrays that both helplessness and hope exist together and one only has to reach out to any one of both for the feeling. The movie begins in black and white which is very clever as it makes iy very clear that the color in the title refers to the diversity that exists in India. The movie becomes color at the greatest point of hopelessness in the movie but it is another masterstroke as it conveys that India is not all black and white but there is still some hope left.

The movie scores in its writing and performances. The movie is engaging to watch even though one does not know what is going to happen next. It moves from its situations of hope for the main characters to their helplessness from one scene to next and this goes on till the end of the movie. This keeps you glued to the ongoings. The movies runtime of 115 minutes also helps as it does not bire you with lengthy sequences. The movie is also not preachy, which is another plus for it.

The movie has been written and directed very well by N. Padmakumar as he has been able to cover so many aspects of intolerance in so short a time. This is only his first film but I hipe he directs many such wonderful movies in the future.

I watched the movie on Star Gold Select yesterday night and any avid movie lover should catch hold of this movie.

Rating - 4/5

Dunkirk Movie Review

Dunkirk is a much awaited movie from the critically acclaimed director Christopher Nolan and it being a movie based on the true events during World War 2, fans were waiting to see how Nolan managed to handle this as this is something he has not tried before. I must tell you that he has made this genre his own.

The movie has all the elements that make Nolan's movies a treat to watch. It has superb sequences from the movie's first scene to the last which is a rarity in movies. The movie moves swiftly from one scene to the next and from one perspective to the next that the audience is just glued to his seat for the whole 2 hours of the runtime. Even though.this is a war movie and something we would have not expected from Nolan, he has included his elements brilliantly. The background score is superb which creates a constant tension and excitement throughout the movie. The movie also has a few scenes which are shown more than once but with the perspective of different characters. This truly is reminiscent of Nolan and his work. The IMAX version adds to the scenes of plane warfare as it makes you feel like you are living the movie. The movie truly heightens your senses and is great to watch. The movie does lack a bit of political drama that one would have expected in this kind of movie, but no one is complaining. The politics might actually have weakened the plot.

All the actors have done a good job. Fion Whitehead as the british soldier trying to escape Dunkirk, Mark Rylance as the mariner whose small boat is commissioned and Cillian Murphy as the shipwrecked soldier deserve a special mention for a good rendition of the troubles faced by their characters. Overall Nolan outclasses every other actor with his direction.

What else can be said about Nolan that I have not already said? One will be short of words to describe his directorial effort in this movie. He has taken a simple story and made it into an engaging movie like only he could do.

Overall this is the best movie of the year so far and should garner several oscar nominations. Everyone should go and watch this superb movie. If possible do watch it in IMAX.

Rating - 4 / 5

Wonder Woman Review

Wonder Woman is the third movie of the DC and the Justice League universe and people were of the opinin that this will disapppint like the previous DC outings but this one is the best of the lot and does not disappoint.

The movie charts the course of Diana's journey from the hidden island of Themyscira where she was the Queen's prodigal daughter well trained in the art of fighting to World War 2 where she fights like a hero. This journey has been shown really well on screen and is intertwined with World War 2 politics which makes for an even better storyline. The movie is fast paced and takes you from one situation to the next in the batting of an eyelid. Thought the ending could have been better, overall the movie is entertaining to watch. Though the movie has tried to develop the characters, but still with the limitations of time it has not been able to do full justice.

Gal Gadot as Diana (Wonder Woman) is very good and betters her performance from Batman V Superman - Dawn of Justice. She looks believable as Wonder Woman and that is half the battle already won. Chris Pine as Steve Trevor has also given a very good performance and makes you laugh throughout the movie. All the other actors lend the film the credibility of the 1910's.

Patty Jenkins has directed the movie well and that can be seen on screen. The movie's script has also been penned very well and that has the movie what it is. Full marks to the screenwriter.

Overall the movie is wonderful to watch anr all DC fans should go and watch this movie.

Rating - 3.5 / 5

Ghost in the Shell Review

Ghost in the Shell is based on the Japanese Manga by the same name and is a treat for all the lovers of the anime series but the problem is it doesn't try to go beyond that.

Ghost in the Shell has been made for the fans of the series, who are fewer in number compared to them who have not seen or read it. If this movie was made to appeal to a larger audience it would have been a better fare. The movie does not try anything new and that is where it fails. The fans of the series will not find anything more than what they have already seen. So even though they remain true to the series, they have lost out on a big opportunity. The best part about the movie is its visual effects involving the city's look and feel. It could not have been done better. The action scenes are also good and are something to watch out for.

Scarlet Johansson plays the lead role but there is nothing spectacular about her performance, other than the action scenes which are well performed. Juliette Binoche has a small role and performs it well. The other actors have performed their roles decently.

The director, Rupert Sanders, has not been able to bring the Japanese Manga to life as it lacks a good execution. Other than bringing the futuristic city to life, there is not much to look for in thi movie.

Overall, one can give this movie a miss and watch the anime series by the same name.

Rating - 2.5 / 5

Beauty and the Beast Review

Beauty and the Beast was one of the most awaited movies of the year from Disney. It has certainly not dissapointed the audience.

The movie is a good remake of the classic   tale. The movie moves very fast and thus does not give you much time to think. Even though it is more than 2 hours long, the movie does not seem long. However the pace is what brings drawbacks for the movie. The movie is about romance, but the romance buildup has not been captured very well in the movie. Why the beauty falls for the beast has not been shown very well in the movie. Other than that the movie has been made beautifully with all its grandeur. The visuals are one of the high points of the movie and make the movie breathtaking.

Dan Stevens plays the character of the Beast very well and make you believe of the kind hearted beast. Emma Watson plays her part well, thought she still looks very young like a child. Overall the acting is good.

Bill Condon has done a good job at directing the movie and has made it fast paced. He has also been able to bring the magnificient palace and its residents to life which is a job well done.

The visual effects are spectacular and they take the movie to greater heights. The whole movie looks like a beautiful canvas which was the need for this story which is very well known.

Overall the movie is an enthralling watch . So go with your family and enjoy this experience.

Rating - 3 / 5

Raees Review

Raees was one of the much awaited movies at the beginning of 2017 and it had a good level of curiosity as it starred one of the biggest superstars of our generation, Shah Rukh Khan, whose recent movies had not been able to create enough rumble at the box office. Here's a look at what has worked for the movie and what has not.

Raees is another of those movies where he has tried to do something different. The first half of the movie plays like any commercial potboiler and is thoroughly enjoyable with one plot leading to the other. The second half however tries to do too much and the plot seems to have been lost somewhere. Since the movie is based on real life incidents, the movie tries to bring in all the events and thus fails in compelling storytelling. Thus by the end of the movie you feel a bit confused regarding the objectives of the movie.

Shah Rukh Khan as the title character Raees is good, but not great as we have seen him play other roles in a similar tone in his recent movies. Mahira Khan is refreshing and is the glam quotient of the movie. Her.acting skills are OK but she overshadows her acting by her beauty. Nawazuddin Siddiqui is very good as the cop and you wait for him to appear on screen. His scenes with Shah Rukh are spectacular and praiseworthy. Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub as Shah Ruth's friend and confidante is good. Overall the acting in this movie is easy on the eyes.

Rahul Dholakia has directed the first half well but fails to give it the same level of intensity in the second half. Overall not a bad effort but could have been better.

Among the songs Laila Main Laila is the best both in terms of song and picturization with Sunny Leone providing for a lot of eyeballs.  Zaalima is the other song that is good to the ears. Other songs are just passable.

Overall the movie is a good one time watch for any Shah Rukh fan.

Rating - 3 / 5

Dangal Review

Dangal was one of the most awaited movies of 2016 and it turns out to be one of the best movies to have been released in Bollywood this year.

Dangal is inspired by the true story of India's first woman wrestler who won a gold medal for India in international competitions at the Indian Commonwealth Games in 2010. But this us not just her story, but also her father, Mahavir Singh Phogat's, story who trained his daughters to wrestle. The movie is just awesome as it tells the tale of all the hardships that they faced in their journey and most of the times in a humorous way. But do not think that the movie is humorous. The humour is used very effectively in the movie and helps in easing out the serious narrative. The movie runs at a fast pace and you cannot find any boring moments in the movie. The equation between the father and daughters has been shown very well and this is something which keeps you glued to the plot. However the best part of the movie are the wrestling sequences which have been choreographed and filmed so well that you get Goosebumps during those sequences, especially during the last 3 wrestling sequences. Credit should be given to the team for achieving this. The movie has turned out to be better than expected.

The entire cast of the movie has done spectacular job in bringing the characters to life. Amir Khan as always is very good and totally gives the feel of a wrestler and a father harbouring a dream. Sakshi Tanvar as Mahavir Singh Phogat's wife also lends credibility to the movie with a controlled performance. Fatima Sana Shaikh as Geeta Phogat has acted well and is superb in the wrestling scenes. Sanya Malhotra as Babita Phogat is also good, though she has a smaller role. The real stars of the movie are however the younger actors, Zaira Wasim and Suhani Bhatnagar who have played younger Geeta and Babita respectively. At this young age they have done an incredible job in not only acting but also in wrestling scenes.

This is Nitesh Tiwari's third movie as a director. His first movie as a director, Chillar Party, is really good and he had extracted good performances from the kids. No wonder he has done the same with the two young girls in this movie. Overall, his direction is superb, especially in the wrestling scenes. He is certainly one of the better directors we have.

The music of the movie really fits well into the narrative. The cinematography is great as it captures all the wrestling moves without confusing the audience. the dialogues are also well written. Overall this movie is spectacular in all the departments.

Everyone should watch this movie - be it with friends or family, to experience the euphoria of India winning the gold medal.

Rating - 4 / 5