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Article 370 (2024)
A case study, an emotion!
This one is a solid case study on how the national security is assured, both on the ground and from within the government. Indeed,'Article 370' is a well crafted, well executed, and adrenaline-rush movie. The references to real events make it more stronger. And this is a thousand times better than what garbage avg. Mainstream cine-makers vomit in the name of cinema. Kudos to Aditya Dhar, Aditya Suhas Jambhale and all who were involved in the making of 'Article 370'. Yami Gautam Dhar and Priya Mani Raj carries the movie forward like the real heroes. Would love to see what next this team will create. Jay Hind!
Doctor G (2022)
Serene and confident direction
This calm stroy flows naturally, without getting loud at any point. Anubhuti Kashyap's direction is full of serenity. It's hard to find such sound movie nowadays which takes its own time to unfold the story. The take on medical ethics also seems something fresh. Hopping to see more amazing cinema from Anubhuti Kashyap.
This calm stroy flows naturally, without getting loud at any point. Anubhuti Kashyap's direction is full of serenity. It's hard to find such sound movie nowadays which takes its own time to unfold the story. The take on medical ethics also seems something fresh. Hopping to see more amazing cinema from Anubhuti Kashyap.
An Action Hero (2022)
Poor writing, bad Humour
The story is very flawed and twists are forcefully added to move the plot forward. It lacks the strong character and protagonist is almost like a cardboard character here. There is no dept, no dimensions to his character. Anand L. Ray's production is known to produce quality entertainers with unique stories, but this one is very poorly written and poorly executed.
The story is very flawed and twists are forcefully added to move the plot forward. It lacks the strong character and protagonist is almost like a cardboard character here. There is no dept, no dimensions to his character. Anand L. Ray's production is known to produce quality entertainers with unique stories, but this one is very poorly written and poorly executed.
Oppenheimer (2023)
breathtaking!
I thoroughly enjoyed this breathtaking political thriller (which, in my opinion, is mistakenly marketed as psychological horror movie)! As a form, it is very close to Nolan's 'The Prestige.' The rivalry gradually unfolds, and at the end, we get the whole picture. Best suited for those who have some interest and understanding of the development of Physics during World War II and the political scenario of America at that time. And if you are a lover of good old style drama and Christopher Nolan's work, I think that three hours runtime is not too long for a story of this scale! The story material has potential for a mini-series as well.
The Last Duel (2021)
good watch
Ridley Scott is acclaimed as a man of grandeur. To some extent, the film is in the lineup of his previous creation, but it fails to take off. Rashomon style of storytelling makes it interesting, it lacks the effects of the drama. It feels like Ridley Scott tries giving a modern interpretation (#metoo) of the real historical incidents so as to make it an Oscar-bait movie. Although, the film is a good watch and can generate healthy debate.
Modern Family (2009)
Extraordinary, beautiful and memorable
Extraordinary, beautiful and memorable in every way! No words to describe its marvel in simplicity and deep impact on so many emotional levels. What we see and hear is not merely acting, it's a fraction of real life, real emotions that actors bring into the stories. It is an enjoyable ride into the complex human psyche in regards to family relationships, which deals with all those entangled and mixed thoughts and tries to balance while juggling with them. Love the show so so much! Going into a list of my favorite sitcoms.
Working Girl (1988)
hidden beautiful gem
For me, watching and enjoying it was like finding a hidden beautiful gem from the lost decades. Sigourney Weaver is the HERO! What a charming performance. Harrison Ford too is terrific. Kudos to the makers.
Flashdance (1983)
Lovely!
The movie was ahead of its time. Well crafted with very subtle writing, and beautiful music with energetic dance sequences. Can't take eyes off from Jennifer Beals. She is has a mesmerizing face and smiel.
Hellaro (2019)
Flagship of Gujarati cinema
One of the best and mesmerizing movie from Gujarati cinema. It's full of power, emotions and excellence. Kudos to the makers.
Barot House (2019)
'whodunit' finely turns to the psychological thriller!
The ambiance of Daman is captured smartly. Merely an opening sequence is capable to grab our total attention. It starts as 'whodunit' movie but then it finely turns to the psychological thriller genre. The performances are brilliant! The kid Aaryan Menghji would surely win your heart.
It is based on the concept and research by Mr. Praful Shah, who always is in search of true and moving stories. The basic plot is simple. Few children are killed in one locality and no one knows who the culprit is. But, the treatment elevates the story to the next level.
'Barot House' is definitely entertaining and must watch for those who enjoy good mystery & thrillers. Applause for the makers. Congratulations & best wishes to Praful Shah for further adventures in screenwriting!
('Barot House' has received three Filmfare nominations in OTT category including 'Best Film: Web Original'.)
Fortune Cookie (1991)
Loved it!
A smartly made, polished and yet very simple film in its own little budget.
Young Sheldon: Graduation (2020)
Transitions are hard
The premier of 4th season couldn't get any better! This barely 18 minutes piece of sweetness addresses the issue of transition, which is-no matter small or big-never easy at any stage of life. We all have been there. Changing of surrounding or living style causes a little nervousness; but that doesn't stop us from making progress.
I am really very glad watching Sheldon appreciating the importance of people around him, which includes naming his child after his brother from another mother, Leonard Hofstadter.
The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019)
Pure Legit Gold!
Drawing the inspiration from great American literature of Mark Twain and referencing Nobel winning, William Golding's 'Lord of the Flies', this movie deserves a big round of applause for such a pleasing story, use of unseen parts of its country and honest performances.
"Am I going to die?"
"Yeah, you're going to die. It's a matter of time. That ain't the question. The question is, whether they're going to have a good story to tell about you when you're gone."
Knight of Cups (2015)
captivating
If you are looking for the story, it will bore you to death; otherwise, the visuals and sounds are captivating. After six movies, I can at least understand how to enjoy Terrence Malick's cinema. It is called poetic cinema for a reason. We don't read poems to find beginning-middle-end stories within it, we read them to make sure that our heart still can sense and get moved by the emotional appeal from words.
Days of Heaven (1978)
beautiful, charismatic and romantic; a masterpiece of masterpieces.
Days of Heaven (1978)
Can a person be in love with cinematic lens? Yes, I love telephoto lens! I think I always did even before I knew about it. I really like that one dimension called 'distance' to be disappeared from scenery, so that the eyes could closely embrace them.
Overnight, this became my most-most-most favorite movie. It felt like my life has completed a circle. Locusts swarm was a part of the first, still unknown to me, dystopian novel I read in high school. I will never be able to know its title or author; but, 'Days of Heaven' felt like the exact story I read in that novel, and later romanticize in my imagination. It also gave me some gooseflesh, when the concept of (false) incest met with locusts swarm's incident and reminded me about the ending of Marquez's great novel, 'One hundred days of solitude'.
I am very pro-digital and I don't like when people talk about the smell of books to insult digital form of reading; but, when it comes to cinema, I would always prefer to watch the movies shot on celluloid films rather than shot digitally. I know, on laptop, the celluloid one is also in a digital form, but that grainy and vintage quality of celluloid is really-really magical! We usually don't see life as a soft and smooth flow; we see it rough and hard. And Days of Heaven's, shot during 'golden hour' scenes are indescribably beautiful, charismatic and romantic. And something is truly gnostic about the holy uninterrupted land and sky up to the horizon!
I have seen the poster of this movie like hundred times on various platforms, but it was such a long journey from downloading it to really watching it. Terrence Malick, you are the great! I knew that Christopher Nolan has stolen some cinematic techniques from you, but I was totally unaware that he has stolen the whole set-up and ambiance from Days of Heaven! You genius!
Earlier, another movie from 70s stole my heart. It was 'Picnic at Hanging Rock'. Now, I really need to dig into that era to find some more gems!
Contagion (2011)
Genius!
It should be dubbed in all the major languages around the world by govt.s and shown to the people for free.
Ali and Nino (2016)
Splendid visuals
Splendid visuals! Asif Kapadia really has an eye for landscape beauty! I loved his 'The Warrior' (2001) and I was meaning to watch this since like ages. (Cinematography: Gökhan Tiryaki)
Mission Mangal (2019)
ISRO should have sue the makers and use that profite in its reseach
Why ISRO allowed such stupidity? Most bogus movie of the year. Not even a bit of the excellence that ISRO possessed got reflected in the story.
Nostalghia (1983)
Uncovering the reality within the dreamlike state
This is Andrei Tarkovsky's struggle to uncover and translate the sense of life of a particular time-space; and his optimal artistry transfers that sense, on a very spacious spectrum, with a very little loss of meaning.
The Spy (2019)
Mildly thrilling with a moving end
Based on the life of Eli Cohen, a Mossad spy during 60s, it's mildly thrilling with a moving end. It also underlines the emotional suffering of those who are attached with the person of this line of work. It has very little scope to address the struggle of Spy's two personalities, but that aspect is played well as a tool to provide a base for the narrative. The show is criticized for taking the liberty with facts, but it's a story and hero should be celebrated by showing that his endeavor changed the course of history/a part of history.
Veep (2012)
The best thing on recent politics
Selina, surrounded by some incompetent allies, looks as a self-destructive person at first, but then the opportunity hits her and she emerges as a politician who is kind of a nightmare for any democracy. Self-centric Selina, as if her personality were there to reinforce her dwarf-like figure, is the face of many politicians of modern age, to the world who are merely a two dimensional cut-out deliberately nurtured with the help of the media.
She really doesn't value the people she relies on. Many a time she needs her bagman Gary to feed the information in her ears about the person she is talking with, even during the conversation with her own daughter. That is just pathetic.
Despite all these, undeserving and ungrateful Selina is not an evil like Underwood from House of Cards. S03E03 is a key episode for her journey, which shows her compromising with one thing she likes to care for to gain some advantages. It's not new in politics, but crossing the border of satire, it really hits hard. At one point, she is confronted by one of her most close allies, Amy, who tells her: "You have achieved nothing, apart from one thing. The fact that you are a woman means we will have no more women presidents, because we tried one and she fucking sucked!"
Like in every best sitcom, there is an eccentric character here; poor thing Jonah Ryan is hated by everyone. Always anxious Amy, a strange combination of "lacking self-worth and narcissism", is such a charm! Gary is stupidly blind worshiper of Selina. His innocence makes him sort of a wallflower in the deceitful environment. ("A 12 year boy trapped in the body of 12 year girl.") All the characters in VEEP are in such a fine balance. Hats off to Julia Louis-Dreyfus for pulling 'Selina' marvelously.
Marriage Story (2019)
Excellent drama!
Excellent drama! I found few similarities with the dearest 'Annie Hall' by Woody Allen, which I later confirmed by googling. The conflict between NY and LA life-style works as a catalyst to develop the character arches for both the main leads in Marriage Story, which comes in Annie Hall's third act. One may question: where is the originality in today's referential storytelling? I think it is in subtlety rather that structures and formats.
A Rainy Day in New York (2019)
fumbles to reach to the point of clarity
What it says about postmodernism is right, that it is very referential; not that anything is wrong with it. Protagonist's name, Gatsby catches the attention. A single name can suggest the whole social philosophy and Woody Allen uses one of the most popular characters of American literature to convey the theme. Later I also got why female protagonist is shown in excessive radiant yellow light; she might resemble Daisy. Nevertheless, movie fumbles to reach to the point of clarity and fails to impress.
Ad Astra (2019)
Terrence Malick?!
Throughout it, it feels like we are in Terrence Malick's world, as James Gray's direction is pretty much influenced by him. Malick's signatures are: protagonist's deep philosophical voice over (called streams of consciousness in the literature), which gives the story kind of a melancholic biblical touch (which I enjoy), and intercuts of the emotional moments which Nolan also used in his earlier works. The beauty of this type of storytelling lies in the additional layers and subtexts providing the scope for multiple interpretations.
Hoyte Hoytema's cinematography also serves the vision of story. For who are interested in lenses and lightning, he gave some details how he shoot that splendid scenes-
The Two Popes (2019)
arises from the need and urgency of the situations
Some movies are the reflection of its time, arises from the need and urgency of the situations, so as for the people to make sense of the world and its problems. If viewed as an allegory, this is one of those movies. The brilliant scenes of arguments! I don't understand the acting too much, but the performances of both the actors will surely draw anyone into this, unusually humorous and tragic during some sequences, story. (One is the great Anthony Hopkins and the other is The High Sparrow from Game of Thrones, Jonathan Pryce! :D) This seems those Oscar bait movies the big studios make and I don't know in how much amount the truth is diluted, but as a piece of cinema, this does its magic!