SAMTHEBESTEST Reviews

Thunderball (1965)

James Bond goes underwater in the biggest 007 Hit of all time

[6/10 · 12 May 2024]

Thunderball (1965) : Brief Review -

James Bond goes underwater in the biggest 007 Hit of all time. Terence Young returns to the director's chair after missing out on the previous blockbuster of the Bond films, Goldfinger, only to smash its records. But does he smash the film quality? My answer is no (you might differ). Thunderball is longer compared to the previous Bond films, and that's why it seemed a bit slow. Bond is on a difficult mission again, but this time the crime was done underwater, keeping others clueless. We have a lady from the opponent's group helping him again, and we have one female enemy too. For a change, she is more dangerous and beautiful than all those previous female villains in this series. In one scene, James and she have a conversation about having sex, and Bond tells her that it was not for pleasure but for the country. "Any woman he wants, he would have her," reads one of the lines in the beginning credits song, and Bond proves why. "You don't waste time, do you?" She asks Bond. We have been through all this again and again, but every time we have a different chick (and all are sexy), Thunderball keeps the basic value intact to avoid the downfall of the Bond franchise, but fails to match the predecessors. Those underwater action sequences take too long, and that's what lengthens the film's runtime. Connery works as a saving grace and also increases sex appeal by going in shorts often. The bikini girl is played by Claudine Auger, even though she had a lot to do in that character, but the writer decided to get the skin show done more than anything else. Adolfo Celi is number 2, aka one-eyed villain, and it was a fair buildup from his side. As a whole, it's a complete Bond film by Terence Young, but not great. The box office numbers will tell you otherwise, but believe me. I don't get a penny out of that.

RATING - 6/10*

By - #samthebestest.

Goldfinger (1964)

Sexy, Spicy, Sassy, and perhaps the most technologically advanced Bond film at the time.

[7/10 · 11 May 2024]

Goldfinger (1964) : Brief Review -

Sexy, Spicy, Sassy, and perhaps the most technologically advanced Bond film at the time. Goldfinger, the third film in Sean Connery's James Bond franchise, was a box office smash globally. Let me finish the technology part first because I believe that was the most groundbreaking segment in the entire film, and I have also heard about the kind of rage it created in the mid-60s. People were crazy for Aston, and it was alright, but wanting that kind of mechanically and technologically advanced car like Bond was not alright. It was beyond a dream. The idea is fascinating, but watching Bond use those buttons-from oil to fog to ejecting the seat-was all a phenomenon back then. Secondly, Bond's structural development. We all know he is the Bond, so he can't be defeated; yes, he can be fooled or betrayed once or twice, but he comes back stronger. Similar cliches, or, better say, formulas, have been used here, and they are all modern. Having 3-4 sexy chicks around Bond was quite normal for audiences. At one moment, he is introducing himself to those sexy girls, and the next moment he is either kissing them or in bed with them. That's what Bond's charm was on celluloid. This is how you engineer his persona on the big screen. By the way, how many films used to be titled after the Antagonist back then? Goldfinger is titled after the villain; see. That's another good way to present a Bond movie. The film is fast-paced, well executed, and has some brilliant action sequences and immense glam appeal. Connery betters himself, and Honor Blackman, who suffers from low screen space, shares some good scenes with him. Overall, it's blockbuster entertainment, even for today's audience. Guy Hamilton has really thought of modern cinema of that time as well as future cinema.

RATING - 7/10*

By - #samthebestest.

The Westerner (1940)

Remarkably unlike any western from the early days with Walter Brennan's iconic role and record-setting Oscar win

[7/10 · 11 May 2024]

The Westerner (1940) : Brief Review -

Remarkably unlike any western from the early days with Walter Brennan's iconic role and record-setting Oscar win. Don't think any Western flick from the early days has gotten so serious and generous with its writing while exploring a character based on true events and a bit of a fictionalised history of Texas. The place, which later became the biggest... Well, the kiss stopped Cooper right there, but we know the sentence he was going to say. Walter Brennan played Justice Bean, a character from history whose tyrannical judgements destroyed many people's houses and made them lose their lands and crops. What he has done needs no further description, but just one. He deserved every single moment of that record-setting third Oscar win as the best supporting actor. This film is slightly eccentric in that way. The topic is serious, but the film is quite funny. That serious nature is hardly there for the 10 minutes in the ending. Those funny banters between Cole and Bean were cute. Whenever they spoke about Lillie Langtry, the moment was sealed in your heart. Especially that moment when Cole gives him that hair lock and he is desperately moving his fingers. That eagerness was so adorable. Brennan has done a wonderful job here, and so has Gary Cooper. It was one of his early main roles in a significant western, right? Well, he surely made me fall for him. Those lovely expressions by Doris Davenport during the cute romantic scenes with Gary took my heart away. William Miller had many great movies by that time, but making a great western was a different task altogether. The master knew it, and he gave full justice to his own and the genre's standards by reflecting on a major revolution in history through a mainstream entertainer.

RATING - 7.5/10*

By - #samthebestest.

From Russia with Love (1963)

James Bond and his suitcase beat the enemies, while enough spice and glamour add to the good follow-up.

[7/10 · 11 May 2024]

From Russia With Love (1963) : Brief Review -

James Bond and his suitcase beat the enemies, while enough spice and glamour add to the good follow-up. One good thing about James Bond movies is that he was never hooked on a single woman. Many spy movies-the Mission Impossible series, for instance-have been terribly boring with that one woman or losing that one woman freakish thing, but Bond was having a different table full of various spicy dishes in every film. In the previous film, Dr. No, the last frame had him kissing Honey Ryder, and in this film, we have no trace or even a mention of her. One girl from the previous film has one kissing scene with Bond, but he leaves quickly after having "food." We have a new setup of SPECTRE, a new leader, and a new girl in Bond's mission. Tania is given the task of being with Bond and providing him with lies in the form of truth. I wonder how she got to his room, and he didn't have any suspicions at that time. Anyways, the romance is sexy and stimulating, but it was all looking like a temporary dame or one-week-stand kind of stuff, and suddenly Tania said, "I love you. I love you. That's true," and I was like, "Why? How? And when did it happen?" Well, it usually happens in every Sean Connery's Bond movie, so I wouldn't waste my time finding logic. I'll just cut half a star from the rating and move forward. From Russia With Love has all trademark Bond segments, but this time we have a "suitcase." A unique weapon for sure, and the way it excels against an enemy when Bond is helpless truly defines the purpose of it. The screenplay is good, but the story lacks a good finale. I don't think that "Number 3" made any sort of powerful antagonist against Bond. She was mild and even generous enough to mention him as "The Bond" in front of her boss. All said and done, Terence Young serves another fine outing in the early James Bond series, and not to forget the text in the ending: "It's definitely not the end." He didn't direct Goldfinger (1965), but his confidence made it a better flick and a better sequel.

RATING - 6.5/10*

By - #samthebestest.

Dr. No (1962)

Not thrilling, but too HOT to handle as the first James Bond film on silver screen

[6/10 · 10 May 2024]

Dr. No (1962) : Brief Review -

Not thrilling, but too HOT to handle as the first James Bond film on silver screen. 9 years after the British novel, James Bond came to the silver screen to wow the audience. To start with, it's not a thrilling or extraordinary affair by any means, but it's definitely too hot for a Bond film. People didn't know what kind of sex appeal James Bond's persona would have because they had only read him on paper and not seen him on the screen. It must have been quite a shock to see such high sex and glam appeal in the early 1960s film (2 decades before movie code changed) and what a lavish affair it was. If I were a young boy in the 1960s and saw Dr. No in the cinema hall, then I would have hated Bond for destroying the male and that studboy ego of the entire generation. Every 15 minutes, he has a new dame beside him, and all were super hot chicks. His first conversation with them would be an intro, or just hi, or him trying to seduce them, and then the next moment they were both either half naked or entangled in an intimate moment. Surprisingly, it had more surprises with dames than with the with the villain and his tasks. Somehow, that kept the stimulation on, and I couldn't take my eyes off the screen. The way Honey Ryder asked him, "Do you have women of your own?" I tell you, I had my sultry moment there, even though they didn't do any such thing on the screen at that moment. Honey and James' first kiss took place in the last frame of the film, but the sexual tension was built very nicely until that moment. Dr. No lacks trademark Bond thrill moments and plays with an overprotective nature, losing its repeat value. Yet, it was an entertaining affair as a whole for the first film in the world-famous James Bond series, followed by even better scripts. Terence Young gave Sean Connery a stamp never to be erased from our memories.

RATING - 6.5/10*

By - samthebestest.

The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939)

Great love torn between a queen's duties and a man's pride

[7/10 · 10 May 2024]

The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939) : Brief Review -

Great love torn between a queen's duties and a man's pride. This may be a fictionalised account of Elizabeth and Essex's lives, but master Michael Curtiz has made sure that you can't hate it. It's portrayed as a great love story and a tragic love story, and you can feel both of them, truly and from the bottom of your heart. Bette Davis plays Queen Elizabeth, who truly loves Essex (played by Errol Flynn), the man with pride and courage. Everyone in the kingdom and the court knows that Elizabeth fancies Essex, and that's why she has to be harsh on him. Well, it hurts the man's ego, and they quarrel frequently. The other desperate people in the court try to take advantage of the queen's love and the man's pride to keep them apart, and they even plan some conspiracies that make the quarrel even more serious. Essex and Elizabeth both know that their duties are above their love, and had it not been for the posts they wear, they would have made a great couple. Curtiz keeps you hooked with this engaging love story, which is trying to tackle and play with every trick and conflict. Moreover, the conversations between them escalate your interest in the film. Bette Davis plays an unconventional queen with that odd makeup and all, but dare anyone speak of her acting? She is phenomenal here. Curtiz brought his favourite Olivia De Havilland, but Davis overshadowed her despite that "I am old" concern. Errol has done a fab job in the leading role. He is the man I bow down to. No silly notions about love, just the simple pride that you cannot hate. The supporting cast, including most of the negative characters, looked fine. Michael Curtiz has made me fall in love with the film, which belongs to a genre that I hate the most: romance. How? You see for yourself. Don't miss it.

RATING - 7/10*

By - samthebestest.

Casino Royale (2006)

The return of the Classic Bond after a decade!

[7/10 · 8 May 2024]

Casino Royale (2006) : Brief Review -

The return of the Classic Bond after a decade. Daniel Craig has been part of all those billion-dollar James Bond movies, which convinced the entire world that Bond was, is, and will be the classiest spy on the silver screen. The most popular and most acclaimed Bond movies before this were Sean Connery movies from the 1960s, such as Dr. No, Goldfinger, and Thunderball, followed by Brosnan's Golden Eye in the 90s. For over a decade, there was no classy or highly acclaimed Bond movie, and then came Craig's Casino Royale, directed by Martin Campbell. I remember watching this movie on television in pieces, so surprises were fewer. However, the scale and the intensity felt much better in one-go viewing. Casino Royale totally convinced me that it could be argued to be the best 007 movie ever, only to slip a little in the climax. So, Bond wins the money, the villain is killed, and there are still 20-24 minutes left in the film's runtime. Even a kid can guess that the lady-love is going to play a femme fatale here. Like M says, "You should have picked on it," and I was scratching my head much before she said it. I mean, come on, a world-class spy like Bond can't be that typical. It's just unacceptable, and that also drags the entire anti-climax portion for a while. Rest, no complaints. It's a classy show, all the way. From sexy looks, hot chicks, bikini babes, dashing Bond, smashing action set pieces, fantastic background score, to thrilling narrative-you name it, and Casino Royale has it. Craig has redefined Bond's charisma-not that I am ever going to forget Conner, but in his own way, he has done a commendable job. Eva Green was born to play such sexy roles. Mads Mikkelsen has come a long way from playing Bond's villain to what he is now, but people do and will remember his part in this movie. Dench had a small role, but it was an apt choice. Martin's direction shows a new vision for Bond movies and how big they can be. All the next films in the franchise are even bigger, but this has its own magic of being the first in its category.

RATING - 7/10*

By - #samthebestest.

Howl's Moving Castle (2004)

Hayao Miyazaki's fascinating world of war, love, sorcery, and curse. I enjoyed it more than his other works.

[7/10 · 7 May 2024]

Howl's Moving Castle (2004) : Brief Review -

Hayao Miyazaki's fascinating world of war, love, sorcery, and curse. I enjoyed it more than his other works. Miyazaki needs no further introduction; he is a world-famous director for his animated films that have been hailed as universal classics (not that I agree). I personally didn't like those films-that is, as classics. That doesn't mean they were bad. That's one of the reasons that kept me away from Howl's Moving Castle, because I failed to understand the hype around his other films that I watched with high expectations but didn't reach that certain level. I get it; it's some kind of phenomenon in Japanese cinema and animation cinema, and rightfully so, but that isn't enough to get such high ratings. Anyways, I still made my way to watch Howl's Moving Castle, and thankfully, this one did not disappoint. Out of all the Miyazaki films I have seen, I enjoyed this one the most. It's fascinating, it's mystical, it's magical, and despite having all those theories of sorcery, demons, witches, curses, love, kisses, and time travel, Howl's story has something of its own. Maybe, heart. I am not being technical here, but logically, the story had a heart and moving drama in the right amount. The visual effects were great. That castle thing was really nice to see. Not just that, but those battleships, Queen's crystal globe, Howl's bird version, and Calcifer-we have a lot of things to cherish. The screenplay has a grip, despite some slow portions in the middle, and then there is an action-packed finale to enthral us with its cinematic appeal. The characters have been structured smartly. Sophie has three looks, sometimes mixed, and that's what we call the entanglement of multiple personalities in one character. The same goes for Howl's character. When you have so many things well established and constructed, it's too much for an animated flick, I guess. Miyazaki believed in the same.

RATING - 7.5/10*

By - #samthebestest.

Perfect Strangers (2016)

7 Friends, 7 Strangers, Multiple Facts, Several Lies, Yet Pointless.

[5/10 · 7 May 2024]

Perfetti Sconosciuti / Perfect Strangers (2016) : Brief Review -

7 Friends, 7 Strangers, Multiple Facts, Several Lies, Yet Pointless. Back in time, Hollywood attempted a similar idea in 1933 with "Dinner at Eight," but it was mostly occupied by the pre-dinner segments and social activities. "12 Angry Men" (1957) brought several men together for a roundtable and discussed different perspectives. The Italian flick Perfetti sconosciuti has the same set-up but a completely different story and screenplay. The idea is typical but really intriguing. You get 7 friends together on a dinner table (3 couples and 1 single guy) and play a weird game of keeping your mobile phone open for all. Mobile phones have updated our lifestyle, but they have destroyed our lives and the way we used to share things with our loved ones. You might have heard one or two dialogues, or even a monologue, on the same in many movies, but Perfect Strangers uses this point to define its entire narrative. Did that stop people from using mobiles, or even the characters in the film? No. Then faak it. Your point is useless. It happens with many socially important things, so that's okay. However, Perfect Strangers is not entirely about mobile phones, but about human nature and its insights. These 7 people think that they are friends and have nothing to hide from each other, but by the end, everyone is exposed, and to a very shameful level. It doesn't change anything, though. They are back to their lives with a lot of lies, so again, the point of the film is at fault here. Moreover, it's an extremely vulgar movie. They openly talk about booobs, sexual affairs, cheating, and whatnot. All the private discussion becomes open for a while, and the game turns into a serious reality. Now that's only until the climax, when they go back to their previous versions, as if nothing happened. That doesn't make sense from one point of view, but the other side of it makes good sense, as they all understand how cheap and bad they are. Overall, unique but pointless.

RATING - 5/10*

By - #samthebestest.

The Thin Man Goes Home (1944)

Even the best detective in the business had to prove his worth to his father

[7/10 · 6 May 2024]

The Thin Man Goes Home (1944) : Brief Review -

Even the best detective in the business had to prove his worth to his father. This is a very common issue in families: a successful son has to showcase his skills to his father. Sometimes they don't understand, or rather, don't know, what their son has achieved. That cold war between what the father wanted his son to become and what the son wanted himself to become lasts for years, and that's why even the great success of the son becomes invisible. The Thin Man Goes Home shows that story again, applied to Nick Charles. His father wanted him to become a doctor and help him with his hospital, but Nick ran away and became the best detective in the business. Mr. And Mrs. Charles travel to Nick's hometown for a vacation, and there you have it. As the doctor says, "Every place he goes, he finds dead bodies." Yeah, we all agree. Hasn't it been the same for every Thin Man movie? However, this time Nick has to prove it to his father, even if he doesn't show that nervousness out. Nora is more concerned about it-verbally, I mean. Junior Charles and Lt. Abrams were missing, and I missed them a lot. Although the case is tricky and there are a lot of angles to it, Nick solves it alright. The one thing that he wanted the most in his life was that pat on his back from his father. Well, he gets it. Nora, as expected, stands for him, and you know her chatterbox nature when it comes to praising her handsome and intelligent husband. William Powell has done well once again, and he didn't get tired of it. The entire supporting cast was a good surprise, while Asta has very little to do again. A man knocks on the door, begins to talk, and is shot dead. Nick just looks at Asta, and that fury detective runs right outside the house to catch the killer. That's some understanding of the characters themselves. Writers had a sense, I believe. Richard Thorpe served as the first director to direct The Thin Man film after Duke's demise, and this was a humble tribute, I would say.

RATING - 7/10*

By - #samthebestest.

The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958)

Had I seen it as a child, this would have been a nostalgic and fascinating adventure for a lifetime.

[7/10 · 6 May 2024]

The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958) : Brief Review -

Had I seen it as a child, this would have been a nostalgic and fascinating adventure for a lifetime. I remember hearing such fascinating fantasy stories from Granny in childhood, but I was born in the 90s. So, things like Aladdin and The Lion King are my nostalgia, even though the stories date back a long time. The same way, Sinbad's stories have fascinated those generations, and this Nathan H. Juran's fantasy adventure is a live presentation of the same on the silver screen. What a visual treat it is! Can't say pathbreaking since the likes of The Lost World (1925), King Kong (1933), and The Shrinking Man (1956) had already achieved those groundbreaking visual effects, but this was surely visually phenomenal. The giant monster, the little genie, the colossal two-headed bird, the dragon, and whatnot. The 7th Voyage of Sinbad is a complete fantasy adventure course in itself. The same effects may look cartoonish today, but for 1958, they were simply gorgeous. The film lasts for 88 minutes and gives you no moment to get up and have a drink, even if it is water. Sinbad must go to Colossa Island to make his shrink princess normal again, but magician Sokurah has an agenda. It was expected to see Sokurah turning into a villain; otherwise, the narrative would have been pointless. Kerwin Mathews plays the iconic Sinbad, a brave, generous, courageous, and handsome swordman and captain. The gorgeous princess Parisa is portrayed by Kathryn Grant, and she looks cute all the time. Torin Thatcher's Sokurah was fine. He had that scary look and eyes that could make children fear him. Not to forget the cute little Genie played by Richard Eyer. This was a surprise for me. I never expected a little boy to play the genie, but here he was, proving me wrong all the way. Juran's vision was truly magnificent for a film made with a budget lower than $1 million at the time. It's just too good considering that, and it does have a nostalgic feel, and how strong.

RATING - 7.5/10*

By - #samthebestest.

Another Thin Man (1939)

Another multiple murder hunch, and this time Charles himself was suspected of one.

[7/10 · 6 May 2024]

Another Thin Man (1939) : Brief Review -

Another multiple murder hunch, and this time Charles himself was suspected of one. WS Van Dyke, William Powell, and Myrna Loy's trio join hands for the third film in The Thin Man series, "Another Thin Man." This time they were accompanied by junior Charles, who also played an important role in the climax, if not throughout the film. Mr. And Mrs. Charles are invited to spend a weekend on an island where an old fella is murdered. The first theory is, of course, his property and will, but amidst the primary investigation, there is another murder. We don't have that old lieutenant Abrams, who is a friend of Charles and therefore wouldn't suspect him, so these two new investigating officers do make the mistake of suspecting Charles for the murder. Nick Charles wants to leave and go back to New York, but as always, his wife, Nora, keeps him there. The case takes longer than expected because there are no visible clues-not because Nick finds them anyway, but because it's all about tricks. Having a gun shot at a man and seeing things all over the floor gives a basic idea of struggle, but what if there was no struggle? Nick proves it at the end, and that too, with the help of science and electricity. The murderer is unpredictable here, for sure. In murder mysteries and detective movies, the actual fun is to see who the killer is and how the detective got to him or her. Another Thin Man lacks some of those trademark comedy scenes, even with Asta, and that's why the narrative does not look funny. However, the murder and trick parts are there and very nicely filmed too. Powell and Loy's chemistry works again, and the Jr. Was cute too. W. S. Van Dyke cooks another fine detective comedy with a new bunch, and having a female killer somehow adds something extra. You know what I mean.

RATING - 7/10*

By - #samthebestest.

The Magnificent Seven (1960)

John Surges makes a solid Western remake of Kurosawa's Japanese classic "Seven Samurai."

[7/10 · 5 May 2024]

The Magnificent Seven (1960) : Brief Review -

John Surges makes a solid Western remake of Kurosawa's Japanese classic "Seven Samurai." Sturges had made several Western flicks before remaking Akira Kurosawa's cult classic, which particularly helped him to get the Western nuances right with this difficult story. Seven Samurai was almost 3 hours long, and Sturges' remake is a little over 2 hours. That was a good trick. He knew that people had already seen the Japanese flick, so let's not make a long film again. People are aware of the story and the climax, so let's give them entertainment without taking much of their time. The Magnificent Seve ln does not have long action sequences like the original Japanese film. It has only 2 or 3 action scenes, exactly the ones that are needed, so somehow it shrinks the impact you have in mind. It does have some classic Western segments, though. Kurosawa's film literally took the entire last hour to define the war scenario between the villagers and samurais, but here, Sturges managed all that within 10 or 15 minutes. The seven cowboys were pretty tough and rough. The narrative didn't give them enough time to form a bond of friendship or brotherhood, and that's why the emotional touch in the ending didn't feel very impactful. Yet, the idea of "victory belonging to someone else" has been captured very well here too. Instead of peasants, the word is farmers. Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, Robert Vaughn, Horst Buchholz, James Coburn, and Brad Dexter-what a fantastic selection of cast members! Not to forget Eli Wallach as Calvera, the main antagonist, and Vladimir Sokoloff as the old man in the village. Some of the dialogues give that kick the audience has been expecting, and the cinematography is excellent. This isn't John Sturges' best work, but surely amongst the top 10, or maybe the top 5. The awkward silence and acceptance of the pyrrhic victory are captured beautifully by the remake too.

RATING - 7/10*

By - #samthebestest.

Godzilla Minus One (2023)

Japanese Cinama's tribute to the 1998 Godzilla with the powerful conflict of World War II.

[6/10 · 5 May 2024]

Godzilla Minus One (2023) : Brief Review -

Japanese Cinama's tribute to the 1998 Godzilla with the powerful conflict of World War II. I don't know how many of you are fans of "Godzilla" (1998), but I always look at that film as a complete Godzilla film. We have a monster destroying the city, and the rescue teams finally manage to kill him. The recent Godzilla films have kept him alive and brought about some kind of peace treaty. I personally don't find it as fascinating as the 1998 flick. In my opinion, the Japanese monster flick Godzilla Minus One is like a tribute to that original 1998 flick. The same formula: We have a monster constantly attacking cities, and the rescue team kills it. What amplifies the narrative is the powerful conflict of World War II and how it made some humans become losers in their own eyes. "The war is not over yet," he says, because the Japanese had lost World War II after the atomic attack and had lost hope of a better and brighter future. This film is set in the 1940s, so it breaks all the contacts with mordern technologies and weapons, unlike the recent monster flicks. Having a disturbed and enraged protagonist who is seeking revenge after being a coward all his life is what gives it an emotional human touch. The film, however, lacks stupendous explosions and action scenes and somewhere feels dragged in the second half before coming to the finale fight. Also, it is hard to believe Godzilla having such destructive powers/rays back in the 1940s. I mean, the world had just met the atomic bomb then, so it was like an overly catastrophic thing to imagine. Nonetheless, the idea of an unbeatable monster is convincing, and that's all that matters in such films. The performances were pretty good, the cinematography and visuals were okay, and the direction was fairly good. Thanks to Takashi Yamazaki for going back to roots, and this is just the beginning. Remember? The 1998 flick left us with eggs, and this one's sort of on the same lines. Lips sealed.

RATING - 6.5/10*

By - #samthebestest.

Manjummel Boys (2024)

A much-needed survival and rescue thriller for youth.

[7/10 · 5 May 2024]

Manjummel Boys (2024) : Brief Review -

A much-needed survival and rescue thriller for youth. Malayalam cinema has become a brand for content-driven cinema, and in the last 7-8 years, it hasn't been matched by any other cinema industry in India. Survival and rescue thrillers have been made for years in Hollywood, French, and German cinema, some of which include jailbreak thrillers too. Manjummel Boys comes as a new kind of thriller because it is made for the youth and is made from the youth. No unnecessary life trouble drama, no romance, no middle-class issues or blasphemy-just a pure rescue thriller with no other masala elements locked beside it. Recently, Akshay Kumar's "The Great India Rescue" (2023) came and met with a disastrous fate. Why? Because it was stuck to decade-old theories of human drama and impure social conscience. Manjummel Boys does not bother about any such things and gets straight to the point, and that is what's needed from those boys' lives. 40 minutes into the picture, and we still don't know what this film is about. After that, there is the first conflict, and then the entire narrative revolves around only and only that conflict. That's a simple and plain formula for sticking to the main point. Yet, the film takes 15 minutes more than what was needed, and maybe a few songs are responsible for that. To counter that, I believe those songs were needed to set the vibes going for youth, as they are all about friendship. So, maybe some 10 minutes of those haunting frames, dark score, and top views of mountains, caves, and gorges could have been trimmed. Also, the comedy factor, which was making the film very entertaining in the beginning, dies soon after that. That rope sequence was smartly designed. The boys aren't good at it from the start, but when it comes to saving one of them, the same lost-game category suddenly becomes their best weapon. Overall, a nice survival thriller for youth. Half a star extra for the top-class cinematography and nostalgic feel.

RATING - 7/10*

By - #samthebestest.

Khamoshi the Musical (1996)

Silences more than half of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's filmography.

[7/10 · 4 May 2024]

Khamoshi: The Musical (1996) : Movie Review -

Silences more than half of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's filmography. SLB's career will always be divided into two categories: content-driven cinema and larger-than-life spectacles. The content category will have Khamoshi, Black, and Guzaarish, while the likes of HDDCS, Devdas, Bajirao Mastani, and Padmaavat will lie in the second category. Khamoshi has to be his most close-to-tragedy conflict coming from a human angle because I feel that situations like Black, and Guzaarish are quite rare to find (that's what makes them better, actually). The metaphor in Khamoshi is pretty clear to everyone who's watching it, but SLB didn't present it verbally. "Beyond Silence" too suffered from the same problem, I guess. Having a normal child is the happiest thing for deaf and mute parents, but that can be the saddest thing too, because it separates her/him from their problematic world. So, sometimes it is better to have a disabled child because he/she can at least be with you forever, and they can carry on with life with the same problems. Khamoshi uses music and love/marriage to highlight the same issue, just like Beyond Silence; otherwise, it's a totally different and much more diverse movie than the OG German film. Indian films should always be superior because the use of songs gives them an edge. For instance, Hollywood and Bollywood can both make visual grandeurs. Let's say Hollywood has Ben-Hur (1959) and we have "Mughal-e-Azam" (1960). Both are huge, but MEA has evergreen music and video songs that Ben-Hur didn't have. That's one thing where we are ahead. With the right use of it, we can overtake any original film with a remake. Beyond Silence could use nudity, and Khamoshi couldn't. That's not my issue, anyway. The problem is that a film like Khamoshi, a story, which is set in a small village/beach/house, shouldn't go big with its scale. Now, that vision of SLB spoils the generalism and reliability of Khamoshi. The best scenes in the film don't have any big scales or sets. The musical touch boosts the metaphor further because it's a very sensitive human conflict perfectly matched with parental issues. The daughter wants to make a career in music because she is normal, but sadly, her parents can never hear her music. The idea of romance is quite different in Khamoshi than what we saw in Beyond Silence. This one's pure and slightly misjudged romance, and that too because we have such dramatic situations. Whatever flaws it has are covered by the emotional segments in the film-there are four major emotionally engaging scenes in this film, and that Nana's speech in the church in the climax surpasses them all. It's a genius idea to have the speech verbally delivered by another man. It can never create the same emotional impact when the character himself narrates it. What's overdone is the pregnancy routine of the girl, which has been too dated for Hindi movies. "Mujhse galti ho gayi.. Bachcha gira do." I mean, that stuff has been pushed even before Bhansali was born. Nana Patekar gives another striking performance. Nothing much challenging was left for him after the kind of films and roles he had done before Khamoshi, but still, he discovered a new soft side of him as an actor. Koirala is superb in those emotionally challenging scenes, while Seema Biswas did make me believe that she was deaf and mute. Salman looked young and handsome in a typical chocolate boy role, but somehow he got that one of the most important emotional scenes at the end of the film. SLB should work with talents like Nana, Seema, and Raghubir again instead of working with today's mediocre bunch of supporting actors, and he should also go back into that content-cinema zone again, even though his last three such films didn't do well at the box office. That's sheer bad luck, man. Let him earn money with big-scale movies with mediocre content so that he can save money to spend them on such high quality projects. I am always there, silently waiting for him to come back.

RATING - 7/10*

By - #samthebestest.

The Human Comedy (1943)

Another Clarence Brown trademark beauty! Childhood, teenagehood, manhood, and old age-4 steps of human life amidst war presented in a heartwarming manner.

[7/10 · 3 May 2024]

The Human Comedy (1943) : Brief Review -

Another Clarence Brown trademark beauty! Childhood, teenagehood, manhood, and old age-4 steps of human life amidst war presented in a heartwarming manner. Brown has to be the king of human drama and coming-of-age dramas for some people, and you can count me among those "some." I was expecting The Human Comedy to be a comedy drama because of its title, but it came out as a moving human drama. This was a shock, but a pleasant one. Brown has given me another human drama to remember. Another human that I can relate to in 4 different age groups of my own life. Therefore, it's a film that can be watched by 3 different generations together in one family, and even in that last generation, you can see two categories, like teenage and childhood. The Human Comedy has a teenage boy taking on the responsibility of the family after his elder brother has left for war. Hia younger brother is living his childhood, and then we have a spirit of their father taking to us about life and how he is still alive even after his demise. The schooltime lesson is there. That small but life-changing conversation between the student and his teacher, who encourages him to be civilised and never forget him, touched me. The 5-year-old boy going to steal at a garden and that old man teasing them from the window/house brought tears of joy to my eyes. I could feel my childhood (past) and old-age days (future) in that one moment. The little one asking his mother about death and war and the way she answered him took me back to my childhood days when I used to ask a lot of questions to my mother, and she used to teach me many good things with her answers. Those young soldiers going to a movie with beautiful girls in the rain and then happily saying good-bye, without looking back and enjoying their own time, was a perfect way to celebrate youth. That's not all. There's more in the film. Just watch and feel it. I can't go on because I am in tears at the moment.

RATING - 7/10*

By - #samthebestest.

Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar (2024– )

SLB and Netflix Find Scale But Not Soul

[4/10 · 3 May 2024]

Heeramandi (2024) : Series Review -

Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Netflix's ambitious Heeramandi has been making headlines since Pandemic and finally got released on May 1, 2024. It's been 4 years or maybe more since SLB has been trying to make it happen, but sadly, his grand-scale story of the royal brothel had to go on the small screen. It's still a pleasure to see someone bringing such a large spectacle to a small screen in India because we have only heard of Americans doing so in Hollywood. Heeramandi has been blessed with SLB's usual grand sets, some amazing performances, dialogues, and enough masala, but where is the story and where is the soul? That's what this 7-7.5-hour series hasn't got, and that's the most essential part of a series or movie.

Set in the pre-independence era of somewhere around the 1920s and 1930s, Heeramandi tells the story of a place called Heeramandi-a famous brothel for courtesans. Mallikajaan (Manisha Koirala) is the queen of the area and invites all the rich nawabs to enjoy courtesan's singing and dancing performances at Shahi Mahal. She has a terrible past, a murder, which puts her up against Fareedan (Sonakshi Sinha), whose mother was killed by Mallika. Bibbojaan (Aditi Rao Hydari) is the most popular performer in Mallika's Heeramandi, who also works as a secret revolutionist against British rule. Lajjo (Richa Chadha) is betrayed by Zoravar (Adhyayan Suman), while Waheeba (Sanjeeda Sheikh) wants the mansion from her sister, Mallika. Tajdar (Taha Shah Badussha), a son of a rich nawab family, returns from Oxford and falls in love with Alamzeb (Sharmin Segal), Mallika's daughter. Tajdar also joins the Indian revolutionists and must choose between love and nation when Fareedan is busy playing her tricks to destroy Mallikajaan, which also involves Tajdar and Alam's love story. All these characters are linked to each other in one way or another, and we see a fair compilation of drama, suspense, love, emotions, betrayal, and revenge.

Heeramandi has a total of 8 episodes, counting for around 7 and a half hours (excluding end credits). Somebody should hang the editor for cutting 1-hour episodes (except two). This is much longer than a standard runtime, and it becomes tedious to watch those slow movements and tortoise-paced songs. I shouted, "Are Bhai ye toh khatam ho nahi ho rahi" (an exactly opposite reaction to what Circuit said in Munna Bhai MBBS). The concern of the Indian revolution during the freedom fight isn't shown the way it deserves to be. I mean, India's freedom fight can't be so related and dependent on someone's love story and family issues. The cops can do whatever they want and whenever they want, but when it comes to that particular character, a bunch of notes or sexual pleasure can solve legal things within minutes. Alam and Tajdar's first meeting is far from what they call pure love or true love. Just imagine that the boy has seen the girl from a distance, and the next moment he is trying to seduce her by smelling her neck. Mallikajaan speaks about respecting women, and there I saw lustful desires without any hi, hello, or formal introduction. Heeramandi suffers from several impractical and insensitive things like these in its screenplay and ends up being a soul-less series because it fails to generate feelings and empathetic gestures towards the characters, who are anyway not socially approved. On the positive side, it doesn't reach a headache level, but it's a long ride, I tell you.

Manisha Koirala has just shown the world what a late-age comeback means. Her attitude, body language, and that voice tone prove her own saying, "Mallikajaan tawaif KAAMAL ki thi." What a lady, and what a stunning performance with some exquisite looks. Nobody would have expected this earlier, but Sharmin Segal has the second-most screen space after Manisha Koirala. Segal's character is dumbly written, but her performance overcomes that fault. A wannabe poetess turns into a traitor for the British and then an impregnant woman with a tragedy. So many layers, so many shades, but no human connect. Sonakshi Sinha appears late but does a fine job in this unstable character full of grey shades. Aditi Rao Hydari is the cutest one, while Richa Chadha was seen mostly drunk in her cameo appearance. Taha Shah Badussha has had the best presentation of his career so far, and he was impressive. Adhayayan Suman and Shekhar Suman keep appearing for a few moments after certain intervals in fairly written and fairly performed roles. Indresh Malik, Jason Shah, Shruti Sharma, Vaishnavi Ganatra, Farida Jalal, Nasirr Khan, Nityanshi Goel, and others were decent in the supporting roles.

Heeramandi is indeed another visual spectacle from Bhansali. It falters on paper more than on screen. Basically, you shouldn't go ahead with the film or series unless you have a waterproof story on paper that can't be faulty at all. Bhansali could have worked on a story and made it better before spending so much time and money on this project. The motive seems missing here. What is it, actually? A drama about courtesans, a love story, a revenge story, a tragedy, or a freedom fight stuck amidst the Heeramandi area? Adding to the positives, the web series has fine cinematography, good music, and some fantastic dialogue. You might hate the vulgarity and the ideology of those characters since they lack purity, but those who have liked Gangubai Kathiawadi and Bajirao Mastani kinds of things shouldn't have any problems with that.

In reality, "Gangu R**n thi," but in the SLB movie, "Gangu Chaand thi." The over-purification of some characters and areas can be so fake and forced sometimes. The same way, Heeramandi characters constantly speak about themselves as "artists" and "respecting women," but in their lives, they are busy finding new saahabs, sleeping with different men, selling girls, and also being the top prostitutes in the area. Is that how they were going to teach somebody how to "respect a woman?" Or is that a part of their so-called "art?" Shockingly, the film has only two kinds of people in that particular society. One is Heeramandi, full of prostitutes, courtesans, and troubled women, and the other is Nawaabs. Where are the common people, by the way? The one that contributes the most to society, the middle-class working people? "Khuda mard ko Aisa husn de to aurat jo hayaa na de." Now, that's a very intimate and sexy dialogue, and it feels somewhat funny too, but the problem is that it comes from a 70-year-old grandmother to her grandson. That's where it loses its purity. Sonakshi Sinha's character is seen regretting about four men (dogs) raping a woman, but the problem is that it comes when she herself is sleeping with N...th new man. Irony is that those who talk about purity are impure in their lives. Now that's a big contradiction to the point you are trying to make. "Heeramandi me bhale hum jaise auratein ho par aulade to aap jaise nawabo ki hi palti hai"-now that reminded me of "Pakeezah" (1972), while many of the dialogues try to be as ethnic as "Mirza Galib" (1954). If you are trying to sell me old classics after 7 decades, then you definitely need to upgrade yourself.

In almost every film of this kind, we see a prostitute falling in love with a decent man, who eventually abandons her. Well, a highly creative genius like Federico Fellini and tremendously talented artist Giulietta Masina did that way back in 1957 with "Nights of Cabiria," when we were making inspiring woman-oriented films like "Mother India" and "Sharda." So, please stop selling the same shiit to us in 2024. You are too late, even with cinematic grandeur. I'd better watch those old films within the same time I had to spend on this new re-hash, and they will still feel 10 times better even after 10 decades. Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar could have been so many things, but it decided to be a crap adaptation of old ideas that have become classics for my grandpa's generation. Sadly, even my grandpa wouldn't show any interest in it today, so forget the new generation.

RATING - 4/10*

Exhuma (2024)

Another Chilling Folk Horror Phenomenon From Korean Cinema

[6/10 · 2 May 2024]

Exhuma (2024 : Movie Review:

Korean cinema is definitely redefining the horror genre for modern cinema lovers. Jang Jae-hyun's Exhuma is another fine example of it. The film has turned out to be a huge hit at the box office, and I don't wonder. Such new and intense attempts at story-telling deserve audiences' support. I am glad that Korean audiences and critics gave Exhuma what it deserved. Na Hong-jin's "The Wailing" received universal acclaim, and it remains the best horror flick in recent times, not just in Korean cinema but all over the world. Exhuma isn't that good, but certainly close to it, and believe me, it's an achievement in itself in today's time.

Renowned Korean shaman Hwa-rim (Kim Go-eun) and her protégé, Bong-gil (Lee Do-hyun), are called by a wealthy Korean American family to identify the mysterious illness of the family's newborn son, who is struggling in the hospital. Hwa-rim uncovers the curse to be a 'Grave's Call', a vengeful ancestor's spirit haunting them. The family's patriarch, Park Ji-Yong, entrusts them to relocate the grave to appease the ancestor, his grandfather. Hwa-rim enlists colleagues, a Feng shui master, Kim Sang-deok (Choi Min-sik), and a mortician, Yeong-geun (Yoo Hae-jin). The coffin is opened by mistake, and the soul is freed from it to take the lives of other family members. After burning that coffin, the team finds an even more vicious soul, which was buried at the same place and is guarding the place. It's neither human nor animal, and it can't be eliminated. Will the team be able to get a hold of this new Japanese soul/monster who is fighting a war for the land?

Exhuma is a little long if we have to consider the overall grip of the narrative. I would have liked it to be 120 minutes instead of 130 minutes. Those 10 minutes felt over. Rest, no complaints about the screenplay. It's chilling, terrifying, and damn intriguing. You don't get to see those ghostly faces again and again; you see them only two or three times, but they do scare the hell outta you. That's one reason to love Korean cinema. They don't overdo supernatural stuff and keep it to a minimum so that we value them more. Seeing the same monster again and again reduces the fear factor. Exhuma has enough surprises, such as folk horror, family curses, land issues, haunting supernatural stuff, etc. The dialogues could have been better, I guess. The whole idea of the monster, the killing, and revenge could have been more brutal verbally. They missed that chance. Rest, it's a superb narrative in a new-age horror zone.

I am not very familiar with the Korean actors and their previous works, so I'll only speak about this film in particular. Choi Min-sik, Kim Go-eun, Yoo Hae-jin, and Lee Do-hyun looked fantastic in their roles. Kim Sun-young, Kim Jae-cheol, and Kim Ji-an did pretty well in the supporting roles. In horror movies, the most important part is those frightening expressions, which were captured by these people in the film. There are no various shades, but one zone-horror. That's too difficult sometimes and too easy sometimes for some people. Exhuma's did everything they could with their characters, even though it takes time to get to the pickup point.

Horror movies are very much dependent on the sound design that helps build up the atmosphere and devilish scare around you. Exhuma has been blessed with a perfect score and sound design for the horror genre. That continuous background score in the last 15 minutes gets on your nerves, and there are some moments that get too loud to shake you from inside. The film has been blessed by another powerful aspect, and that's its terrific cinematography. Those cut-to scenes, blackouts, and shaking frames tell you what the real horror motion picture means. Just don't blink in those intense and terrifying moments. The locations of the mountains, old mansion, grave, and gorge are beautiful. Jang Jae-hyun has done a commendable job as a director. He has a solid grip on the whole narrative, and he doesn't really let you go out of that shaman and burial world. A few flawed and slow moments could have been avoided, but they don't hurt much to the overall viewing experience. As a whole, Exhuma is a chilling and phenomenal horror flick in new-age filmmaking that borrows old formulas only to redevelop them for modern audiences. If you are looking for a real horror thriller, then this one's the latest version of it.

RATING - 6/10*

Shadow of the Thin Man (1941)

And the most humorous detective of all time solves another tricky murder case in style.

[7/10 · 1 May 2024]

Shadow of the Thin Man (1941) : Brief Review -

And the most humorous detective of all time solves another tricky murder case in style. Those who are aware of the Thin Man series need no further introduction to how humorous William Powell's detective, Nick Charles, has been in the previous three films. Shadow of the Thin Man comes as the fourth film in the series and manages to pull off an equally brilliant or on-par film compared to the other three films made before. This one's ahead in a few terms if we have to talk in details, but that'd cost you many spoilers, and you surely don't want that. So, Nick Charles is busy entertaining Mrs. Charles and Jr. Charles, when he comes across two murders. He doesn't want to get his hands on it but is forced to do so by Nora or circumstances. He begins to discover several facts, but the case still has a lot to unfold. In the climax, we have him bring all the suspects together in one room and let them talk more and more until one of them spills the beans. "There is one thing about murder. The more you let people talk, sooner or later, someone will spill the beans," says our beloved detective Charles, and he wins you all over again. The humour is not that high, but pretty enough. I liked the characters more than the comedy, which isn't high anyway. Asta, the dog, is damn funny. "The dog will fight the tiger for me," says Charles, and the next moment we see the dog running away from a cat. The same doggie hides underneath a cover when there is a gun threat in the end, and there are so many other instances where Asta makes you laugh. One more funny character is Lieutenant Abrams. He has that fake ego and fake reputation, but he is not ashamed to surrender in front of Charles. That voice tone and attitude he shows when Charles helps him, and the next moment he doesn't know that's happening? Too good! Powell and Loy sparkle the screen yet again with their charismatic screen presence. W. S. Van Dyke provides enough, or, better say, exactly what's asked.

RATING - 7/10*

By - #samthebestest.

Beyond Silence (1996)

A great conflict between blood relatives, but could have been more engrossing and tactical.

[6/10 · 1 May 2024]

Jenseits der Stille/Beyond Silence (1996): Brief Review -

A great conflict between blood relatives, but could have been more engrossing and tactical. Beyond Silence explores a great conflict between deaf parents and their music-loving daughter. The daughter wants to pursue a career in music (her instrument is the clarinet), but her parents can't hear, so it becomes difficult for her. Her main duty for her parents, which is to be their interpreter, somehow starts annoying her, and she begins to dislike her father. I remember watching a similar topic in "CODA" recently, but the humour and comedy were far better there. Beyond Silence is mute in the comedy zone and deaf in humor. The plot lacks dramatic sequences and engrossing moments, which usually lift such dramas. Remember what The Miracle Worker did with those intense moments with a child? I was expecting something like that from this movie, but it fell flat there. The love story, arguments, and family disliking all seemed rushed. It's not a long film, but it still has many slow films, and I was happy to use the fast-forward button time and again. The screenplay could have been faster than this, especially when you have fewer dialogues and more subtitles to read. Maybe that's one of the reasons why the film doesn't have heavy dramatic sequences. For that, you need long monologues, and here, two of the main characters couldn't have those verbal conversations and arguments due to disability. Also, I feel that the climax was too typical for the 90s. Sylvie Testud and Tatjana Trieb play teenage and childhood Lara, respectively, and both have done a great job. Howie Seago was amazing, and Emmanuelle Laborit looked so cute. I had a feeling that Sibylle Canonica was turning out to be a good villain, and then there was a fine reformation in the ending. By the way, she was too beautiful to become a villain. Caroline Link's story might not be that good, but her direction skills were notably good. Overall, a fine flick on a challenging conflict, but couldn't see its own potential of becoming a path-breaking film.

RATING - 6/10*

By - #samthebestest.

The Fall Guy (2024)

David Leitch Has Just Made His "Tees Maar Khan"

[4/10 · 30 April 2024]

The Fall Guy (2024) : Movie Review -

David Leitch and Ryan Gosling flash on the screen in the very first frame and pay their homage to all the stuntmen who do the "real job." But does that all matter when the movie starts or ends? No. With The Fall Guy, David Leitch falls again. Back in 2022, he put a bullet in my brain and busted it with "Bullet Train," and now I just witnessed my creative fallback as his viewer. "It's high noon on the edge of the universe"-Thank god, Fred Zinnemann and Gary Cooper are not alive to see the "High Noon" word being used parodically like this. You don't have to love "Notting Hill" just because someone says so. Slap me for saying this, but I guess Leitch has cooked a mixed dish of Star Wars and Dune meeting Notting Hill to get the results of "Tees Maar Khan."

Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling) is one of the best stuntmen in Hollywood, and he primarily works as the stunt double for a famous action star, Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson). One day, he gets severely injured while performing a "jump from high" stunt and quits the job. Colt quits his girlfriend, Jody (Emily Blunt), and abandons himself from social life and friends because he thinks that he is not special anymore. Cut to 18 months later, the same movie producer calls him and asks him to rejoin as a stuntman for a movie directed by his ex-girlfriend. To make things up with his ex, Colt comes back, and there begins a boring drama of two lovers trying to rekindle their lost romance. Halfway through, the boredom gets over as Colts finds himself stuck in the middle of a conspiracy, and now he must find a getaway to clean his name from this mess.

Just like Bullet Train, The Fall Guy also uses absurdity as the main tool for comedy and somewhat succeeds in it. It's the yawning romance that puts you to sleep, and you are like, "Come on, get over it. Let the film move forward." Even I asked myself, "Why didn't Leitch use absurdity in romance?". Imagine two lovers meeting after one and a half years, and the next moment they are back to the old days, hugging and kissing each other. This way, he could have made a comic caper or that old-school screwball rom-com, but no. He had to be stubborn enough to destroy his own film with a boring romance. The "happy ending" shiit ain't working anymore if the director himself isn't looking for other options. The Fall Guy lacks creative ideas in the script, but more harmful is the childish plotting in the second half that causes a big-blow extinction of your expectations. What happens in the last 30 minutes is totally out of context, totally rubbish, and highly irritating. Some extraordinary stunts are eye-pleasing, and a few comic punches hit the right chords. That "John and Amber" joke didn't get noisy laughs in the cinema hall, but I was cracked up alright. Maybe it went over the head for others. There are a couple of more instances like this that are too smart to catch, but otherwise, it's just a fairly entertaining comedy-nothing great.

Ryan Gosling plays a handsome fella who has every quality of a perfect boyfriend. The swag and looks have tremendous sex appeal, but the comedy part isn't that good from his side. Emily Blunt's accent wasn't appropriate, even though she felt innocent and cute with it on some occasions. Her chemistry with Ryan doesn't spark the screen, and that's the saddest part about this pairing. Those desperate, long conversations were only causing small headache attacks. Aaron Taylor-Johnson's cool and swaggery superstar was fairly good, but the role was cut short. The typical funny-friend-of-the-hero is played very well by Winston Duke, whereas Hannah Waddingham makes her presence felt strongly. Teresa Palmer, Stephanie Hsu, and the other supporting cast members didn't seem very visible here.

Watching the TV series The Fall Guy back in the 80s must have been a different experience, but for today, it's definitely outdated. With someone like David Lietch, who doesn't believe in intelligent cinema, it becomes even more problematic. The idea of absurd comedy works fine with today's youth, but there has to be some merit to it. Using some movie titles, star names, and PJ won't bring genuine laughter. The Fall Guy couldn't overcome its thin plot and dead screenplay, and moreover, David Lietch Touch (not similar to Lubitsch Touch for sure) makes it fall lower. Despite good efforts by the stunt, action, VFX, and camera teams, The Fall Guy fails to provide enough. Eight and a half rolls are always welcome, but we need a two and a half-star storyline as well. Overall, it's another dead game by David Leitch after Bullet Train, and I wish he finds some good air next time. Nobody hated him as a producer of "Nobody," but I hope, fast and furiously, he will find his "High Noon" and stay away from "Tees Maar Khan."

RATING - 4/10*

Ride the Pink Horse (1947)

Most probably, the best work by Robert Montgomery, as a director and actor both

[7/10 · 28 April 2024]

Ride The Pink Horse (1947) : Brief Review -

Most probably, the best work by Robert Montgomery, as a director and actor both. Finally, I have my most favourite film by Robert Montgomery. What's been missing in his other movies, I got everything right here. Much of its credit goes to the genre, I guess. The "film noir" genre has something alcoholic in it that makes you groove, sometimes slowly, sometimes quickly. Ride the Pink Horse is one more fine example of it. It starts gripping you in the 15th minute or so and never lets you get out of it. The dark world is really gritty and engrossing. There is no suspense or mystery, yet you are hooked on it and eager to know what's going to happen next. Lucky Gagin arrives in a rural town to blackmail a mobster as retribution for the death of his best friend. The mobster tries to kill him and get what he wants, but Gagin is protected by a cop and a young girl. That's all the plot you have here, and still, there is so much in the screenplay. Montgomery's smart story-telling is responsible for that. He compiles intriguing situations with terrific dialogue and serves you with classy crime noir. The climax of his trip may be predictable, but he added a nice touch of human feeling to the ending scene. It's true; it's very difficult to say "good-bye," even if you are a brave man. You sense a love story, but it can't be. It would have been childish then. So, Montgomery makes it a smart ending with the final goodbye, which becomes somewhat emotional. Robert Montgomery has done a brilliant job as a director and actor. Wanda Hendrix has totally surprised me. That reluctant smile on her face in the ending scene.. I can't forget that easily. Thomas Gomez as Pancho is delightful. Whatever, but this film belongs to Robert Montgomery's genius. The idea of disillusioned soldiers was getting mainstream then, and he used it so smartly. In short, a film noir for those who understand this genre.

RATING - 7.5/10*

By - #samthebestest.

The China Syndrome (1979)

A nuclear catastrophe and a journalism thriller for people with stomachs and nerves.

[7/10 · 28 April 2024]

The China Syndrome (1979) : Brief Review -

A nuclear catastrophe and a journalism thriller for people with stomachs and nerves. If you ever have to see just one film in James Bridges' filmography, then make sure you watch this. But before that, make sure you have the stomach and nerves to control the thrill factor and have enough brains to understand the basics of nuclear power. The China Syndrome is based on a possible nuclear threat that hasn't been taken seriously but can affect many lives. There is a journalism angle to it, providing the people's point of view on the same story, and they both make a solid combo. What makes this film special is the intensity of the scenes. We don't see many explosions or such stuff that really defines nuclear power or its danger, but instead, we see several tensed and chocked moments. Those conversations get on your nerves, and they test your nerves to see how much you can take. The background score fills the void between ordinary cinematography and a lack of disturbing graphics. Jack Lemmon plays the scientist and supervisor, who walks away with most of the best scenes in the film. The atmosphere around him and his expression do make you feel the insights and tension of those moments. The talented Jane Fonda gets to play the honest and wannabe investigative journalist, and she has done tremendously well. Only a few films have shown journalism in a bright light, and this happens to be one of them. If you remember Alan Pakula's "All The President's Men" (1976) and liked it, then I guess The China Syndrome is your kind of film. The Neo-Noir touch in the end only boosts the narrative and takes it to a new level. James Bridges makes sure that you are thrilled for two hours and don't feel bored. Not entirely, but a few scenes in the film really pump you up for a moment. I did the same to me, and I ain't an easy man to be pumped up by a movie.

RATING - 7.5/10*

By - #samthebestest.

Monkey Man (2024)

To hell with those who hailed it.

[5/10 · 27 April 2024]

Monkey Man (2024) : Brief Review -

To hell with those who hailed it. Dev Patel's action thriller, Monkey Man, jumps like a dead monkey on the tree. It strikes decently as a dated revenge action drama but has nothing thrilling or special about it. Just a few weeks back, I saw foreign critics raving about it and was excited to watch it. But all I got was disappointment. The film is about an orphan whose mother was killed by a cop. He can't get over that childhood trauma in adulthood and is unable to make any success out of himself. He is burning inside in rage for revenge and has been planning for it for a long time. For his livelihood, he works as a dead monkey boxer who gets money for getting beaten up. He joins the kitchen staff at an expensive hotel owned by the wife of the cop who killed his mother. A few attempts to get even with the villain fail, and he is left injured. As expected, as we all know, the hero first gets the beating and then rises to victory. Monkey Man follows the same old formula, advanced by some dark atmosphere, obscenity, and vulgarity. The spiritual touch of Lord Hanuman was totally unnecessary here. MM is wild and vulgar, and that's definitely not the way to tell the story of Lord Hanuman. This match doesn't fit well, and it might hurt the sentiments of many people too. The screenplay lacks grip, as nothing holds you on the edge of your seat since everything has been seen before in many movies. Some action-set pieces are entertaining, though. Dev Patel as the underdog was more convincing than the action hero. Sobhita plays a sex doll, Makrand is a cheap villain, and Sikander Kher is still the same old villain from any OTT masala flick. MM's dialogues are suited for OTT audiences, not family audiences. Too many abusive words don't help in providing the context because, after all, it was just a regular revenge drama, not a film noir or hard-hitting realistic drama. Overall, a strictly average that's been hailed for no valid reasons.

RATING - 5/10*

By - #samthebestest.