ltejas Reviews

The Old Man & the Gun (2018)

Charming

[8/10 · 14 August 2022]

If you like what you do, you'll love Old Man & The Gun (2018) - a delightful yet understated cat-and-mouse tale with heartfelt acting and the timeless charm of Robert Redford.

If you don't like what you do, watch it to experience the passion you miss. 7.5/10.

Sherni (2021)

Growl rather than a roar

[6/10 · 18 July 2021]

Just because you have shot it, doesn't mean you have to show it. But Sherni insists you understand the trifling nuances of every character that prowls on screen irrespective of it's clawing impact on the narrative. And hence fails to roar.

The Disciple (2020)

Success in failure

[7/10 · 20 June 2021]

Movies, about artists, that trace their journey to fame, or their fall from pinnacle are not uncommon. The Disciple, however, attempts to create a stark view of a devoted, disciplined yet failed artist. And there the film succeeds.

Tenet (2020)

Intensely plateaued

[7/10 · 18 May 2021]

Tenet is probably Christopher Nolan's most fervid opus yet - almost no intensity reliefs through the 150 mins of another convoluted plot means that you are still trying to gather the earlier scene while seeing the current. The movie may have fared better though with a more experienced actor as the protagonist - the lead character plateaued throughout the movie, probably even dropping the graph in the climax. As with some Nolan (and Scorsese) movies, might improve my rating after the second watch :)

Marriage Story (2019)

Theatre styled classic

[8/10 · 15 May 2021]

From emotive monologues and dead frames to pastiche songs, Marriage Story is scripted, directed, acted and shot like it's a private screening of a theatre play. Book prime sofa seats to watch this Netflix.

Special OPS (2020– )

Slick despite misnumbered priorities

[7/10 · 3 October 2020]

Minus the slow moving long takes that fail to add any drama, Special OPs is a slickly made series despite its misnumbered priorities - four exotic locations, three plotting scriptwriters, two artistic directors, but just one good actor - Kay Kay Menon

Hachi: A Dog's Tale (2009)

2 reasons to watch

[8/10 · 23 May 2020]

If you are a dog lover, watch 'Hachi: A Dog's Tale'. It'll make you go wait at the station till a dog finds you. If you are not a dog lover, watch it too. It'll make you one. 8/10

Chhapaak (2020)

Talvar style didn't work

[7/10 · 28 March 2020]

Chhapaak is a film that needed to be made, but could've been made differently. @meghnagulzar seems torn whether to alarm the audience about the social issue or to showcase the victim's triumph, eventually succeeding at neither. A quest-style storytelling (rather than the current journey-style a la Talvar) would've begot both aims and caused a splash rather than a mere plop.

Super 30 (2019)

Artistic collusion

[8/10 · 24 August 2019]

When a director makes a seasoned actor puts up his best ever performance, but colludes with the script so that the actor is still outweighed by a bunch of newbies... quite aptly named Super 30!

Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood (2019)

Self-indulgent

[6/10 · 24 August 2019]

Quentin Tarantino is like a self-indulgent author who writes for the pleasure of writing - pens sections not relevant to the book, composes anticlimactic chapters, twists history - readers be damned. This upon a time, despite vivid illustrations, it duds. 6/10

Super 30 (2019)

quite aptly named...

[8/10 · 23 July 2019]

...when a seasoned actor puts up his best ever performance, but is still outweighed by a bunch of newbies.

Andhadhun (2018)

You see?

[8/10 · 4 November 2018]

Andhadhun is an acting masterclass. Ayushmann acts as if he can't see what he can see. Tabu acts as if she can see that Ayushmann can see. Radhika first acts as if she can't see that Ayushmann can see, then as if she'd rather not see what she can see. But he can't see. Must see! 8/10