sanwit Reviews

Ludo (2020)

Anurag Basu finally delivers!

[8/10 · 13 November 2020]

Ludo delivers on the expectations I had from Barfi. Where Barfi fell flat, Ludo soars. Very fun to watch! Pankaj Tripathi, sir, take a bow! This man is a chameleon. He shape-shifts into different roles with so much ease, and commands every scene he is in! Abhishekh brings some memories from his 'Yuva' days, but he melds into his role as the movie progresses. The cute little sweetheart with Abhishekh steals the show! Aditya, Sania, Rajkummar, Fatima - all are well cast, and keep the movie going. You kind of expect what will happen in the end, but there are lots of twists and turns to keep the audience guessing and entertained!

All Together Now (2020)

Too sweet. Honest!

[6/10 · 29 August 2020]

Do not watch this movie if you are diabetic. If you are not, this might make you one! Seriously, this movie is TOO sweet. And so unbecoming of 2020, right? This year being what it is... Anyways, this made me cry...a lot! Don't watch this expecting anything. This movie just spins a simple tale, and doesn't try to do anything else. It doesn't try to spin half-complete storylines for a sequel. Yes, all those people like me who I know will shed some tears watching this movie, this takes the pain away, ain't I right?!! Give it a watch, will you? And keep the tissues close.

Ford v Ferrari (2019)

This is a rom-com...only it's about cars!

[9/10 · 1 March 2020]

I was trembling after the win at Daytona. I was angry after Le Mans. I went through a lot of emotions watching this movie, and I loved it. And then there's Christian Bale. This was a Matt Damon movie, you know, till Bale comes on-screen. He swoops in like the thief he is, and steals the screen from Damon! If you love your car, love how this machine becomes one with you, understands even the little bits of adjustments you make, and obeys, this movie is for you. If you just let your car run free, let it be the master, you will love this movie. Hell, if you don't love cars, I dare say you will love this movie.

Unbelievable (2019– )

1 word...powerful!

[8/10 · 21 September 2019]

1 word...powerful. Very, very powerful. I don't want to come by as someone who doesn't emphatize. I really do. A lot of thought went into this one. This is one beautifully-scripted series which is powerful at both being a crime procedural and at trying to describe the tremendous pain these victims have to endure, pain they have to relive multiple times, and you begin to wonder - How come the law works like this? Does it need to change? I vote for change. Every actor is at the top of their game, but Kaitlyn Dever deserves a special mention, for portraying the distraught girl, the girl in pain, the girl confused at the troubles people throw at her everyday, the girl whose innocence just shines through. And she is just perfect. Kudos to people responsible for casting. Spot on people.

Typewriter (2019)

India's very own Stranger Things?

[6/10 · 20 July 2019]

Sujoy Ghosh pulls a lot of bunnies from his magician's hat in this one. There's the main protagonist who has a dog a la Tintin and Snowy. There's Bardez Villa, which looks a bit like Marlinspike Hall. There's a carnival with an ominous soundtrack, much like the fair at the end of Stranger Things. Bardez Villa has this creepy long corridors full of shadows like that house in The Haunting of Hill House. THe main storyline follows Fakeer who has just one trick up his sleeve, and it kinda gets repetitive after some time. But the series keeps moving at a moderate pace. I am sure Sujoy Ghosh can do better than this!

Arctic (2018)

A simple tale of survival expertly told! Loved it

[9/10 · 14 April 2019]

Mads Mikkelsen is a great actor. We know that. He is capable of great performances. In Arctic, he delivers. But lets just take a moment and think about the movie I just watched. This is a simple story of survival, of hope, of despair, of regrets. And it achieves something very endearing. It will take hold of you and make you a part of the movie. I loved it. Just watch it, okay?

Star Trek: Discovery: New Eden (2019) Season 2, Episode 2

Today's Episode S02E02 was the best so far

[8/10 · 25 January 2019]

I couldn't believe it when the credits started to roll that it had ended. I honestly was so transfixed on the screen. I loved this episode. Overall, a good series. But this season has taken it up a notch with regards to production value, production design, VFX, and now, the storyline. Hope I didn't jinx it, and it keeps getting better!

Ready Player One (2018)

Can't-take-my-eyes-off kind of AWESOME!!!

[9/10 · 31 March 2018]

DISCLOSURE: I am awed by awesome stuff! This movie is a geek's paradise. Haven't watched it yet and reading this review? Stop! Go and watch the movie. I am okay with the changes from the book to the reel. The ending was kinda cheesy, but that lasts only a few seconds. So, no big deal. Spielberg went all out on the climax, and the sequence is so jam-packed with references that you will miss a lot of them even if you blink once! Goosebumps guaranteed!! I missed out on a lot of the references, but boy did I enjoy the movie!

Stranger Things (2016–2025)

Watch this if you like Spielberg ET Super8!

[9/10 · 16 July 2016]

Enjoyable is how I would describe this. Really loved the premise, the actors, and how well-made and polished this looks. Binge-watched it in a day. This is one of those things that you cannot let go once you have started watching, and even when the 8 episodes(totaling almost to 8 hours)do end, you wish it could be longer. I am already looking forward to the next season(Please Netflix, say you are too!)! So, all those sci-fi crazed fans like me, go ahead and watch this. There is an overall shroud of mystery that fits the story-line. The town of Hawkins, with its rain-drenched roads, and dark forests, is tailor-made to host the finale which will leave you wanting for more! Happy binging folks!

Independence Day: Resurgence (2016)

The original was way better

[4/10 · 24 June 2016]

'Idiotic' is the first thing that comes to my mind when talking about this movie.Only 1 ship had landed 20 years back,but it only gets investigated 20 years later when the lights come back on. Liam Helmsworth almost crashes an ultra-expensive weapon, then saves it, but nobody bats an eyelid. He asks everyone to exit the hangar, and everyone just...does. He steals a craft, comes to Earth, goes back to the moon, and then back to Earth, but nobody arrests him. An array of alien-tech weapons surrounding the Earth is remembered at the last possible moment. Last time, they needed lots of modifications to be able to pilot the alien crafts, but this time around, they seem to be tailor-made for humans. The alien mega-ship lands on water and starts to drill in the middle of the ocean, when it could easily have landed over land(It would have killed a lot more of us, and that is what they want, right?). Heroic fight sequences ensue, where not one of the central characters can be hit by the aliens(It does, however, prove that the aliens did not produce this!). The current POTUS addresses the ex-POTUS as President. The Queen can activate huge ships from light-years away. She can control small alien crafts but decides to get hit a few times first. Liam Helmsworth loves the 2 words 'fusion drive' very much and thinks they are the solution to everything. Small alien crafts can supposedly escape the Queen's control if they fly too high, and keep escaping even when they are close again!!! A lot of the scenes are there which are almost the same as the original movie(with better VFX). After making sure they have set up one(or more) sequels, the movie finally ends.....don't complain if you have a headache. It's NORMAL!

Bajirao Mastani (2015)

Faux historical with some great acting!

[6/10 · 20 December 2015]

This is undoubtedly one of the better movies to come out of Bollywood this year. And that's saying something, since this year is almost at its end. Tremendous acting from Ranveer's Peshwa Bajirao. This is a pure work of fiction, with some borrowed historical elements. However, Bhansali manages to recreate a believable world, and the actors back him up. Being a musical, the music is from the director himself, and suits the movie. Priyanka as Kashi Bai, and Deepika as Mastani also give no cause for complaints. But Bhansali is getting repetitive with the endings in his movies. No spoilers, but it's always great to watch something new, and not to go to the movie hoping it would not play out like some other movie :(

Dilwale (2015)

Zero substance...zero fun...what a mess!

[1/10 · 20 December 2015]

The lone star I give the movie is due to 2 causes. a.I can't rate it a zero, and, b.Kajol looks awesome in this movie. That is also, by the way, the only positive thing in this joke of a movie. That a movie like this has got such a wide release is in itself a miracle. This movie has a non-existential plot, stuff keeps happening due to no reason at all, and it just looks like everyone came to the set looking happy, just to bide the hours, and collect their paychecks. SRK may be a big star, and he is capable of good acting, but that has to wait for another day. This is utter rubbish. Looks like Rohit Shetty doesn't have any funny bones left in him anymore. He should either try and reinvent himself, or look for other career opportunities. You should not watch this, IMHO.

Jurassic World (2015)

This Park is indeed open!!!

[8/10 · 13 June 2015]

Jurassic World pays a lot of homages to Jurassic Park. So let's get that out of the way! This movie wastes no time going over other subplots but takes you directly to the Park (or is it the World now?!) You have all watched the trailers, and you all know that this kid and his brother go on a trip to Jurassic World, and turns out that they are both nephews of Claire Dennings (Bryce Dallas Howard), the Park Operations Manager. This movie takes place on Isla Nublar where Jurassic Park was staged. The old park also makes a fleeting appearance in this movie. Irrfan (Simon Masrani) is one of the richest men on the Earth and he practically owns InGen, and he is the one who still has the dream of John Hammond alive in his eyes. Well, we are greeted with lots of (Samsung) displays in (ahem…!) the 'Samsung Innovation Centre', and when the camera zooms in on a kid brushing dust out of dinosaur bones, God, I miss Sam Neill & Laura Dern! Soon, we are greeted by a few people in suits and, no, while they are not lawyers, they are the PR team from Verizon who want to sponsor an animal, and (drumroll!!!) we are greeted to the Indominus Rex. People who are on Verizon, be warned, not the least due to the fact that the Park has bad reception! Anyways, with that out of the way, we are introduced to Star Lord (oops), I meant Chris Pratt, who is sort of the ringmaster for raptors, and then hell (or should I say Indominus Rex) breaks loose. The movie is a fun ride but I need to make a few observations. Kids nowadays get scared easily compared to those from '93. I mean, yeah, they are acting, but Jurassic Park had much more thrills and suspense than this one. We are reminded this is a sequel, sometimes when they turn up the original Jurassic Park theme, sometimes by familiar faces like Henry Wu. Last time, Dennis Nedry (the computer guy), had a nefarious agenda. This time also, there is a subplot, which opens the storyline to possible sequels, but does not really go anywhere in this movie. It is a lot to demand of a movie when you put it alongside a movie that you grew up loving, but Jurassic World tries, and partly succeeds, in holding its own. The kids at the plex enjoyed the movie, and I dare say I would too, if I hadn't watched Jurassic Park first. And yeah, if any of the people who worked on this movie are reading this, I do prefer the T. Rex to the Indominus. The T. Rex still rules!

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

Grim never looked so good

[8/10 · 30 May 2015]

Fury Road brings jaw-dropping dystopian landscapes, and you gotta hand it to the people who dreamed them up. The first storm sequence of the movie which Furiosa enters on the large gasoline truck is just WOW! This movie is about a very grim future, but boy does it look great! Hope hasn't looked so good, and despair so sickening. Theron's Furiosa is a driven individual with hope, hope for a home where she was born, the land of the Mothers. She is one of the prize breeders of Immortan Joe. In fact, all women have been reduced to just that in this world. Furiosa escapes with the rest of Joe's prize breeders, and we get this chase of a movie. I personally favor movies with CGI that blends with the environment so much so that it doesn't look like CGI anymore, and Mad Max Fury Road achieves that, and I love it. Good performances all around also help. Hugh Keays-Byrne's Immortan Joe is adequate and played with appropriate fury! Theron's Furiosa drives the movie, and the parts that she doesn't, Tom Hardy's Max and Nicholas Hoult's Nux take up the job. Overall, a great movie, definitely worth a watch.

Big Game (2014)

Nick Fury loses his way!!!

[1/10 · 25 May 2015]

Each movie of Samuel L. Jackson I watch, he keeps getting worse and worse. This is the worst so far. Samuel Jackson is POTUS and, he soon manages to land in a forest in Norway where he is hunted by some people...(sic). When they manage to catch him, they put him in a freezer...alive, because apparently they need the body fresh(Seriously?). Yes people, Samuel Jackson outside a freezer is not considered 'fresh' anymore. However, nobody seems to find it demeaning and the story moves forward without any particular direction. There is nothing unique to this movie, and everything seems to be picked up from somewhere and pasted into a meaningless screenplay with awful performances and an almost non-existent story. This movie is devoid of any plot twists...in fact, no one seemed to have put any particular thought to making this movie. Do not watch this if you have want to have any sanity left.

Tomorrowland (2015)

We are dreamers!

[6/10 · 24 May 2015]

This is one of those movies which will put a smile on your face within 5 minutes of the beginning, and it will make you think about it long after it ends. Tomorrowland is an exhibit of a world without politics, red tape...bureaucracy. It is a land where anything is possible, and it looks amazing. Britt Robertson in the lead is quite good, but Raffey Cassidy as Athena steals the show, shining even in scenes with veteran Clooney. The sequences of Casey catching glimpses of Tomorrowland when she touches the pin are brilliantly executed and they are awesome(my 2nd fav place right now after Hogwarts (: )! But it is a letdown that there isn't much more of that later. The movie falls abruptly into storytelling mode after that and keeps explaining stuff till the end! I mean, yeah, tachyons are pretty nifty things, but we fell in love with Tomorrowland because of the gleaming skyscrapers, gravity-defying trains, jetpacks, and I really did miss that in the second half. Well, I do hope there's a sequel to this, and we get to see much more of the future, because anything is possible!!!