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Hanu Man (2024)
Splendid Cinematic Experience
Superb Direction.
Great Storytelling, screenplay, technique & BGM.
Watched Prasanth Varma's Zombie Reddy before but this time Prasanth Varma exceeded my expectations. Screenplay by Scriptsville is thoroughly engaging.
1. Script : The story behind this movie is an example of the creative team involved behind this. Hanu-Man is set in a contemporary parallel universe of Akhand Bharat where no British or Mughal invasion took place. Anjanadri is a fictional village set in that parallel world. Movie has a layered script with attention given to villain's back story,superhero's story,world building of Anjanadri & the emotional bonding between brother & sister.
2. Screenplay : I loved how Scriptsville designed the screenplay. It throughly engaging,lots of plot turns are there which keep on beating the viewers on what they expect to happen & what actually happens keep coming as a surprise. Starts with the backstory of villain in a dark tone,shifts between timelines & proceeds to the visually beautiful world of Anjanadri. The first half has comedy which works mostly,hero getting his superpowers,knowing his strengths & weakness & the pre-interval climax is superb. The second half is more emotional & climax is very very powerful. It not only creates goosebumps but sets the stage for what's about to come in the second part. The ending stays even after you leave the theatres.
Cinematography: A lot of creativity used in this department,for the villain's part, a red studio lighting has been used which is evident in the beginning as well as towards the end climax. The drone shots through the mountains & the waterfalls & especially the shot through the waters introducing Anjadri where the massive statue of lord Hanuman gets revealed looked mesmerising. The camerawork during the actions were superb.
VFX : Though very little budget,but still the CGI pulled off was beyond my expectations. Neat work of CGI,not the best but still at this budget, nothing better can be done. The shot under the ocean of Anjandri where the hero gets the powers looked great on big screen.
Action choreography: Terrific. Be it the hi-tech actions of the villain or the classical actions of the superhero, this is so diverse that it'll appeal to everyone. Treat for action lovers.
BGM : The bgm is thumpy & definitely elevates the experience in crucial scenes & the hanuman chalisa was on other level in the Climax.
Acting : Teja Sajja was really good,Varalaxmi Sarathkumar's acting & the character will leave an emotional footprint on everyone,she was superb. Amritha Ayer looked beautiful & was okayish ,villain's acting could've been better.
Overall, Hanu-Man is a big screen experience which will cater to the youth a lot because of the fresh concept carved out of Indian Mythology & also because of keeping a balance between hi-tech(villain's world) & traditional setting( superhero's world,Anjanadri).
It'll also appeal to mythology lovers & devotees because of the tribute it gave to Hindu Gods multiple times. All is well that ends well,Hanu-Man ends on a great note setting the stage for Part 2.
People of all ages should watch. Go & support this film. Must watch this Sankranti.
Kaun Pravin Tambe? (2022)
Kaun Pravin Tambe?A loser who never gave up
Some movies are made for entertainment whereas some movies remind you of the power that movies have & this film revives that power that helps restore belief in oneself.
The biopic does complete justice to the story of this amazing fighter who fulfilled his dream at the age of 41 ,something he's been dreaming of ever since he was 12 years old.
Backed by powerful performances from Shreyash Talpade,Parambrata & other supporting actors,the storytelling beautifully depicts the early life,personal life of Pravin Tambe in the first half followed by hard hitting drama in the second half. The cinematography was good too with the matches being displayed well.
Thanks to the fine direction ,we're exposed to the situation of Pravin very well. His closest ones stopping to believe in him,his friends calling him a mad man, it's full of social ironies that take place when a man fails to achieve something ,thereby building up to that moment when he hits it.
Overall a very inspiring movie which you can watch with whole family. I highly recommend not to miss this one. Take the message out of it,you'll remember the name Pravin Tambe for a long time!
Minnal Murali (2021)
Theatricality and Superpowers,I liked it!
With a budget of a film equivalent to that of a music album of big blockbusters,the saddest truth of Minnal Murali is evident throughout the runtime yet director Basil Joseph took it as a challenge & nailed it.
Following the events of a rare triangular planetary alignment,the protagonist gets struck by lightning and gains extended abilities;however without his knowledge someone else in the village is also experiencing the same. A superpower has two sides:- the good & the evil & director Basil Joseph managed to tell the origin story from both sides meticulously. There weren't unnecessary songs or scenes but the first half could've been faster. The storytelling & cinematography were very much justified for the budget. The ending scene action sequence was well choreographed.
As I said earlier,the biggest drawback of the film is its budget & u can see it here & there from cheap costumes to low quality CGI.
Minnal Murli is by far India's best superhero bet. But films like this deserve more support & appreciation. I hope this opens new doors for these kind of films in India & films like this get more budget support from big production banners.
U should definitely watch Minnal Murli at this new year and Christmas time & I'm sure u won't be disappointed.
Ghoul (2018)
Smart & modern horror screenplay in a visionary future
A British director and joint production with the famous Blumhouse studios makes it partly an Indian work yet Indian horror fans will be happy to note that after a long time Indian cast & Hindi language is seen in what can be called one of the smartest horror thrillers to be produced in India.The horror setting is completely different compared to those typical house horrors as the most part takes place in futuristic isolated Detention centers.The director does well to capture a near future India & gives a clear Idea about the scenario in the first episode.Right after that ,horror kicks in the second episode as there were some good moments without giving away much answers to the questions as most part has been kept for the final one.In the 3rd & final episode the storytelling has been very smart ,the plot twists have been revealed in typical Western filmmaking standards keeping balance with the horror.Only downside I felt is there could've been some more horror scenes and acting of some primary cast could've been better.
Apart from that,if you want some good writing,a completely different horror setting and original horror work partly produced by Indian banners,you should surely get a shot at this one.
Bajirao Mastani (2015)
Respects its disclaimer more than history!
Making a film on History,Action & Romance is different than making a film on Fantasy,drama & romance,the makers should get this thing correct before misleading the viewers.
The very beginning moments of the film boast of a grand canvas & visuals and keeps the story going right yet the details in battle formations & tactics were little taken care of.The storytelling gets interrupted after the first half an hour as songs start reeling one after the other as if it's a showcase of dance choreography than Bajirao's history.In doing so,the runtime stretches itself to almost 170 minutes for a story that can barely last 2 hrs.However what's worth appreciating is Ranveer Singh's performance,the dialogues & decent enough direction.Post interval,as the story tries to build up quite a bit it's again ruined by the final 30 minutes of the film.The last battle scene shows Bajirao racing away with a horse out of sheer rage towards his enemies constantly dodging hundreds of arrows,thereby showing how much less attention was given to the Action choreography in the film.Further in the film's concluding moments, history witnesses it's lines being blurred away into Bhansali's fantasy books.
If someone desperately wants to see the film,they can watch it for good visuals,Ranveer's commendable performance, historical romance and some lack a brain entertainment & actions, skipping it would be any day a wiser choice.
Dwitiyo Purush (2020)
Unplanned sequel failed miserably!
It didn't start that bad, infact good enough.Action chases in the beginning were well shot somehow eventually started losing its momentum.The last 20-25 minutes were painfully unbearable.Making changes to an already existing character just for the sake of a plot twist is simply pointless.
Ad Astra (2019)
Into the void in search of the lost thread
Astronaut Roy is sent into a mission to stop a mysterious power surge that threatens human life & what scientists believe to have come from Neptune as a result of the Lima project which began 30 years back under the command of Roy's father himself.What Roy confronted is the lost connection between him and his dad while traversing the immense void in a distinctive space film.
What initially impressed me is the screenplay itself.What appears to be a simple story is beautifully depicted through a storytelling that flashes through past and present events now and then in order to perfectly present the mental state of the protagonist,astronaut Roy here.The background score fits in beautifully as the director cleverly presented some outer space scenes in inaudible voices with just the music.Holding onto the mystery of the plot was also quite appreciating as it kept the viewers guessing till the very end.Given that it's a typical Brad Pitt film,other members of the cast played their parts pretty well.There were some good dialogues as well presenting a good example of script writing. Space travel, sci-fi blended with emotional connection between a father and son and a loose bond between Roy and his wife almost everything a space film lover would expect.
Undoubtedly one of the better scifi films of the year I would definitely recommend Ad Astra to any sci fi lover.
The Haunting of Hill House (2018)
Best Horror Screenplay I've seen as of now.Hands down!
With non linear storytelling and so much of depth it changed my perception about horror genre forever.
Besides the regular jumps & scares,the Shirley Jackson Novel which forms the basis of this series has so much to offer.
At times the screenplay challenges you as you look blank into the screen for even upto 10-15 mins and gradually the non linear story threads fit in swiftly like a jigsaw puzzle & all of a sudden every scene starts making sense,thanks to the brilliant free flowing direction.
The actors playing the main roles performed well bringing out the shades in each of the characters clearly. Some episodes have horror scenes that are creepy enough & totally new as well, the thing most horror fans want but besides there's so much more too.
Though it's unfair to compare series with films but I really liked this more than modern masterpieces like Hereditary,A quiet place etc
Lastly -"Fear is the relinquishment of logic, the willing relinquishing of reasonable patterns. We yield to it or we fight it, but we cannot meet it halfway." A must watch for core horror fans.
La La Land (2016)
For dying jazz, brilliant choreography , beautiful cinematography and those who dream
La la land isn't just a movie, it's an experience to remember.Damien Chazelle's musical romance is a dazzling beauty that will never be forgotten.
The movie is about the love affair between a jazz pianist and an actress who are struggling hard to chase their dreams. Through the cycle of seasons, their love affair develops and their lives too keep on moving but their dreams could hardly be fulfilled in the city of stars.Finally as Sebastian starts to settle while Mia could make even that much,they are ripped apart each after their own dreams.
The movie has moments to remember : the first time when Mia and Sebastian met and through some beautiful dance moves they exchange what they feel about each other ,it was o so beautiful. Another favourite moment of mine was when Mia saw Sebastian five years later , both being equally successful then, and Sebastian played their love note over the piano and Mia imagined how their life had been if they both would've been together.The cinematography and the set design here was something to remember.
Talking about the screenplay,unlike most other romantic dramas,La la land races away in 120 minutes.
The music was excellent with meaningful lyrics.'City of stars', being the special one.
Finally La la land leaves with a message : To chase dreams , one must make a sacrifice.
To handle so much of things in a fashionable way, Damien Chazelle must be applauded for a wonderful direction.
In two hours, La la land offers more than you would expect.Almost everything you can expect from a film.
This musical masterpiece will be remembered even in years to come.
M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story (2016)
Neeraj Pandey's mediocre is still a good Bollywood flick
Neeraj Pandey's latest sticks exactly to what the film says "the man you know,the journey you don't".Rising above all the achievements and controversial issues of the skipper's life,the film puts forward the untold journey of a boy from a small town & how he went on to become the man we know now.
The film begins with a stylish screenplay depicting the night of 2011 world cup final at the Wahkhede stadium.Then a look back into the early life of MS Dhoni making it a very engaging first half.With greater details, it takes a deeper look into the childhood of the skipper,his teenage achievements as a budding cricketer and the dilemma he faced while choosing his career opportunities.Not to forget the early meet of Dhoni and Yuvraj in the CoochBihar trophy.All that ends in a promising manner until a flawed 2nd half decides to continue.A look into the romantic life of the wicket-keeper batsman was the weakest part of the film. 2 back to back relationships studded with songs made the film loose its momentum.Somehow in the final minutes the film managed to come back into the game and it seemed as if India was lifting the world cup for a second time.
I agree it's flawed but there are still many good parts of the film. An incredible performance from Sushant Singh Rajput.The matches were beautifully portrayed with the director taking care of copying every single piece of action of Dhoni from real to reel.Seemed like Dhoni just came up with a plastic surgery!!Yet the film could have been made shorter and more focused.
Overall a feel good factor works throughout with a whole lot of stories to tell. Cricket fans won't be disappointed!!
Wazir (2016)
Feel it or not, Wazir doesn't care
A pawn and rook game checkmates the king but never learns to mind the surroundings...
There's so much to appreciate about this film but somehow it falls short of being perfect.
The good things first.Director Bejoy Nambiar choose the perfect cast for the film and manages to deliver a brilliant screenplay.The film starts off in style with a slow motion video song portraying the life of Daanish Ali(Farhan Akhtar) and his family.Right after it takes up the pace of a thriller.A cop and a chess grand master separated by time & connected by a similar tragedy meet together to hunt down their common evil king in this intelligent thriller.
The plot is the most powerful part of this film.It uses the real life characters metaphorically with the chess pieces on a chessboard. Vidhu Vinod Chopra's story was exceptional in Bollywood.The film packs itself up in only 105 minutes which is quite rare in Bollywood.But its short duration and fast pace is its advantage as well as its disadvantage.The film runs apace and never waits for emotions to build up correctly.The presence or absence of the characters make no difference but the selfish plot keeps going.If only the director gave the movie a little more run time.
Besides all other things are very impressive.The technique is a class in this movie and so are its dialogues.The music is also good.
A rare duration & stylish screenplay make Wazir a unique film,some bonus stars for the intellectual plot; somehow I felt it is underrated.
A must watch for those who often criticize Bolly movie plots.I bet you'll never be disappointed.
The Walk (2015)
Beautiful Tribute to Philippe's guts
He never even says this word 'death'..But who is he?41 years later,Robert Zemeckis & his team gave him & his art a worldwide recognition..
This is one of the most thrilling biopics I've ever seen.From the very beginning the narrative style is certainly a eye catcher. Zemeckis had in this film a stylish storytelling & compact direction.Joseph looked splendid as a high wire artist & played his part just the way wanted.Each & every person involved in accomplishing his dream were mentioned & throughout it was great to see how they all supported him to pull this off. The walk through the void was visually stunning.Philippe did the impossible & with Zemeckis's support he will certainly be remembered as one of the greatest wire artists in the history of mankind..
Great story but what was even greater was the idea to turn it into a film...
Fight Club (1999)
Absorbing,unusual,One of the best I've ever seen!!!
Before watching this,I never knew why was I waiting for & what was I waiting for?Despite being in my watch list for months,hardly did I take any interest in watching it...it happened only after one my friends insisted..& now I've the answer.
What do u call a movie which has got the perfect acting,perfect plot & perfect direction?I call it Fight Club.
Brad Pitt & Norton made every minute count.
David Fincher has once again proved himself to be one of the most talented directors of his era,he put up the much needed quality direction making every moment unpredictable and leaving viewers confused.
This movie has undoubtedly got one of the most valuable plots important for every man.What made me wonder is the wide range through which the story oscillated throughout the duration!Was that a smart way of dealing with depression or knowing your other side U were never aware of?Or about letting it go?Or about fighting your depression off with your unknown self?Fight Club is something even much more.
What I just saw was a rare visual marvel that made me continue to loose track of the reality even minutes later the movie ended.
So what are u waiting for?Its not about the fight you know but about something more u don't know.If u haven't seen it yet go for it & get ready to get lost.
PK (2014)
Despite few flaws,PK was thoughtful enough
Albeit PK received overwhelming reviews,I somehow felt that Rajkumar Hirani failed to hit bulls-eye this time.After watching the film,I came out with a bag of mixed emotions.
Firstly acting was superb. Aamir Khan as alien was delightful throughout the movie,followed by powerful cast support from Anushka Sharma & Sanjay Dutt. Direction was undoubtedly well but storytelling could have been better.
What both disappointed as well as satisfied me was the plot.I somehow felt that the sarcasm of human beliefs and an alien story was a mismatch.The technical & logical presentation of an alien seemed weak.For e.g :P.k needed to touch someone's hand to both learn the language & read his/her mind.But when P.k touched the prostitute's hand to learn Bhojpuri why didn't he read her mind too when touching her hand was the common functioning?In other words how could he control the two functions when the play button was the same?Again how did p.k remain unwound-ed and well alive being in the proximity of the blast in the train?Also the sudden falling in love of Jaggu on just meeting some beautiful man seemed quite dreamy.Besides,several questions raised on religious issues were quite intellectual & thought provoking.
Coming to music,other than 'Chaar Kadam' & 'love is a waste of time' rest were forgettable.
RHF films should try & improve the technical parts.
Overall to me,PK was a decent watch from start to end.For an Aamir Khan fan ,its quite satisfying but as a movie Pk isn't powerful enough rather its over-hyped.
Interstellar (2014)
Unbelievable!!!!Nolan crosses his mark!!!
By making interstellar , Nolan traveled the farthest into the unknown than any filmmaker of his time!!Probably even he doesn't know what he has made..An incredible insight that leaves us think and rethink the entire day.Starting from storytelling, it was his simplest till date but the plot was the most sophisticated.When someone brings into visuals extra dimensional concepts you are obviously left wandering for the rest of the day!!!A powerful acting stirs your emotions and 2 hours in outer space delivers your eyes some of the most stunning visuals!!We come to know about the most astonishing facts of interstellar travel and an unbelievable future of mankind!!!But behind all these there is that 1 man to whom most of the credit goes..U know who!!
Each time he makes 1 movie..it seems he himself is making and breaking his own records!!!I am really very excited to think what he is about to deliver next!!He once again proved himself to be 1 of the best filmmakers of our time!!He took the level of sci-f movies 1 step further again!!!Irrespective of what he does next his interstellar will be remembered and cherished forever as 1 of the most ahead of time sci-f flicks.
Whether mankind has it or not Nolan surely has a future among the stars!!!!!
Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
One of the rarest Cinematic Experiences ever
The man who wrote the plot must be someone more than a genius.The very first few minutes made me confused about whether I am watching a movie or playing an action game.When a new theory is involved in a plot and we need to accept a lot of things we never saw before,we know what we are watching is quite sophisticated.Presenting such kind of a plot in front of the viewers in an unexpectedly clean way is worth appreciating.Added to that when a powerful star cast is involved the movie is nothing short of a complete package.
The movie is probably the rarest in its plot progress:it seems as if we are playing a sci-fiction action game where we need to complete a mission and once we fail it again starts from the beginning but this time u know what's going to happen and u proceed faster than before.Probably none ever thought of fighting a war in this way!!!!Even haters of Tom Cruise can't help but silently applauding this rare visual narration.Even the duration of the movie defined its compactness.
Conceptually brilliant and a very absorbing insight.Highly recommended for those who haven't seen it yet and a must for game lovers..U will see how it feels living on the edge of the happening..!!!
Mystic River (2003)
Was this worth 2 Oscars?
Neither too good nor too bad,just OK. Expected a lot more but was disappointed. The movie started off well with a hint of mystery and a bit of tragedy.Unfortunately, it failed to keep up the good work till the end.In fact it rather seemed boring at parts.Plot was good but progress was quite slow.As the movie progressed and the cops were trying to join the thread of every little incident to arrive at the climax,I somehow felt that the thrill was missing.Moreover its very strange when the story-writer makes a character unnecessarily suspicious only to make the movie keep going and leave the viewers guessing.Alas!we realize it only at the climax point.
Besides, the acting was good rather superb.Sean Penn stole the show among the three buddies.The supporting casts were also satisfying.
The director also did a good job.But the dialogues seemed quite loose at many parts.
The ending of the movie was also quite ordinary and forgettable.
But this is not what we call a brilliant piece of cinema.If you are trying to find it in mystic river,I am afraid you may be proved wrong.I feel that its over-hyped!!!
Raanjhanaa (2013)
Dhanush Wins,Raanjhanaa Doesn't...
This is a kind of movie which promises to deliver but unfortunately failed to deliver.If the good points are considered at first,then it must be Dhanush and the plot of the movie.Baring the little and blunt narration Dhanush was superb with his acting followed by good support from Sonam Kapoor and Abhay Deol.The plot was powerful but somehow I felt that it was not presented well.The first half was wacky while the second half had much to deliver.Again there were scenes which we had to accept but they were actually very incomplete.Hence a lot of questions were left behind in our minds.Kundan eloped with Zoya from hospital..But How?We don't know..Jasjeet died..But How?We again don't know.We are simply introduced to the mourning ceremony of a man who was on his way to recovery the previous moment.Yet there were certain twists and turns which kept us guessing.Apart from all this,the script is quite different from the love stories we usually see.Direction was not that good either,that's why ended up in a haphazard and clumsy movie.Thumbs up for the music.Good work from A.R Rahman. I don't know how people were overwhelmed seeing this movie.Hence, I expected much more but was disappointed.To me its just an above average entertainer. Watch it for Dhanush and an unusual plot.Forget the rest of it.
Brave (2012)
Is The Movie Brave Enough?
When an inspiring message needs to be told,very rarely a human story pops up.But quite often we end up with a fantasy script to describe what we are actually up to . Well, that is what Brave,the movie wanted to prove.Pixar came up with a great message but failed to put up a memorable plot.A beautiful message was supported by a fairytale,lacking in logic,thereby becoming just an entertainment.A kiddish plot failed to cope up with the momentum of the message.Several times,the plot seemed very irrelevant with the title of the movie. So, Go for the movie just to learn the message and forget the rest of it. Thus,a potentially big movie became just a movie.
Lootera (2013)
Inspired from O. Henry's "The Last Leaf", Lootera is the uplifting story of two lovers. Of heartbreak, betrayalÂ… and ultimate redemption.
A Gem amongst Bollywood Romantic Movies
Lootera is another beautiful movie from the Udaan man.Unlike the traditional Bollywood romantic movies,this movie casts a magical spell that makes you get lost in the 1950s unknowingly.The first half of the movie is top notch,from direction to plot progress and acting...while the second half takes a different turn and establishes a poetic connection between Bhil Raja's parrot and the last leaf of the winter tree.Only one thing which may be considered a flaw is the setting of the movie in the second half.I still wonder and would be wondering how snowfall used to occur in Dalhousie in the 1950s..Never knew that!!! Barring this,the movie is simply awesome.The proper timing of the music is also worth mentioning. I know that many avoided the movie because of the star cast but trust me or not there cannot be a better acting than that put up by Ranveer and Sonakshi for the movie.I think this is a movie which an Indian can proudly place among the list of Hollywood romantic classics. Go for it...its a Great work!!you will get to see something new!!!