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An error has ocurred. Please try againWhat I would like to focus on is not the Entourage of Superstars, but the most befitting stars for the role, for that, a few parameters like physicality, acting skills, among other factors are taken into consideration to determine whether an actor fits the bill.
Reviews
Hanu Man (2024)
The Best Superhero movie since Spiderman: No Way Home!
If you are a Mythology buff this movie is for you. If you are a Superhero film fan, this movie is for you. If you are looking for artsy content, this movie is not for you.
THE ACTING:
Fortunately, we have gone past the era where simplest of acting skills were missing in lead actors. Almost everyone in this film did what was expected from them.
THE CONTENT(STORY):
Superhero origin stories are risky, usually missing the mark. This one was different. The story was engaging, comic relief was organic and certainly not over the top. The self-awareness of the characters and the situations around them kept the story grounded. The script was slightly fast paced and somewhat rushed in the second half(typical of Indian films). While the hero's screen time and character arc was well maintained, the antagonist's character was not completely developed. The love story sub plot was managed well.
Comedy does not seem imposed and is at no point in time offensive.
THE DIRECTION:
There were goosebump worthy moments which is a novelty in Indian Superhero films. You will clap a few times. The director certainly was not aiming for classic realism in a superhero film. It has very little artsy and way more mass entertainment. The director knows how to stir up the emotions when watching the film on big screen and he seems to be the right candidate for creating a Cinematic Universe.
CGI:
In a 20 Crore budget, you cannot expect Avenger level VFX. From the look of it, every single penny is spent judiciously. One would like to see more detailing in superhero fight scenes in the next movies of the Universe.
LASTLY:
If you are not really trying to be preachy and offensive, audience is smart enough to accept the story at its face value. It has not been the case on most occasions.
The way the makers have treated a sensitive topic is commendable..
Telugu and other South Indian story writers, actors and directors are way ahead of Bollywood.
Indian Myth is a Goldmine for marvellous stories which have been ignored, deliberately. And the adaptations have been disappointing. This movie proves that if unwarranted propaganda is not peddled through film and the content more than the messaging is prioritised, India can make engaging superhero films for the world. No offence, but a 1000 times better content than Bramhastra.
The Great Indian Family (2023)
watch the superior inspiration for this: Dharam Sankat Mein(2015)
I will not discuss the message. Depending on what your view of the world is, this can be seen as good or bad messaging. But, it was not original and the pattern is a little redundant. Dharam Sankat Mein had better actors and a tighter script despite a smaller budget.
This movie became too preachy and didn't stop preaching, through out. The topic as sensitive as this, if handled better could have made a difference in the messaging that the makers wanted to propagate.
Acting was not particularly good. Scenes were mostly lost. Humour did not land. Whatever moral lesson the makers wanted to give, was lost.
Few good moments from Manoj Pahwa and Kumud Mishra, but beyond that, the movie did not hit the mark.
Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani (2023)
If Vicky Donor had unlimited budget and a melodramatic script writer- this would be the result.
Flamboyant Punjabi and intellectual Bengali Rani fall in love despite their differences. That's Vicky Donor. Only this one is on steroids. And everyone has a Palace.
Story was ordinary.
Dialogues were cringe.
Messaging was outdated.
Comedy was below average.
Direction was acceptable as per the 90s standard.
Ranveer Singh was good. He is a way more gifted actor, so he was supposed to be good even though he was given an unreal role(Hindi Heartland movies are a thing Mr. Johar).
Alia Bhatt, I have been told looked drop dead sexy. Her character was a little predictable, the messaging given to her didn't land and she wasn't convincing.
Ranveer and Alia look good together, but somehow, they didn't seem to be giving their 100%. The chemistry was missing in many places.
Jaya Bachchan was brilliant. Everything about her performance was pitch perfect considering she was given an 80's character 40 years too late.
Shabana Azmi and Dharmendra didn't really have much to offer to weak characters given to them.
And these are the highlights of the acting unit.
Songs weren't chartbusters either. Not many memorable or unpredictable twist or even novel scenes.
And despite all the follies- there is a addictive element that makes this a multi-watch movie. I start 15 minutes in and end right before it becomes a rant on society.
Definitely a propaganda movie, but, doesn't do much to hurt sentiments.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)
Individuality of the film was missing.
You are telling me, the next big villain of the decade(in some form) was defeated by Ant-Man and his team of misfits, alone? Where does that leave the MCU and why so dark, it is quantum realm not underworld...!
Too much of MCU references and far too boring story line. This should have been a weboseries.
Now let us address the elephant in the room: MCU is getting far too much overloaded with references and information from other movies. The individuality of a film is missing and the MCU definition of fun is getting old and tiresome.
Paul Rudd did not impress, and it wasn't his acting, but something, amongst many other things did not feel quite right. The plot seemed disjoined and in cohesive in many ways. Characters weren't properly built.
This has been a worrying trend in the films lately, they do not build the story the way Nolan used to, back in the day or for that case even the first few Marvel movies used to. In the first five minutes they are already in the midst of epic trouble and the entire story is all about fights and unwarranted funny references.
With last 4 out of the five solo superhero films tanking, it is not wrong to suggest: Marvel should take a break.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023)
Could have been way better.
There are far too many Marvel movies, too connected through the cinematic universe to be a little irrelevant as a movie at times. DC is supposed to be different. Shazam is supposed to be the game changer, but it does not quite succeed.
Places where it failed:
1. The villains were vague, weak and their backstory was mismanaged. Further more, we never got to meet the main antagonist. Atlas should have evolved in some form towards the end for a epic fight. Instead Hespera and Athea seemed unwilling to fight.
2. Shazam is supposed to be about Billy and his magical powers, it was ok till Freddy getting powers, but there are far too many with power. It seems like an Avenger team up against the bad guys who aren't that engaging.
3. Billy is the protagonist and somehow, his story and the multiple moving parts around it seemed very disjoined.
4. With Black Adam rebooted, with Superman(cameo) from last film gone, this seemed very lost and the only thing that could have saved it was a good story.
Despite that, this was a good watch and a refreshing one too. Marvel and its multiverse saga overload has left most of us dazed. Shazam is different, it is magic, it's alter-ego backstory is unique and its doesn't have the sombre undertone that is trademark of DC's.
The poor jokes were fun. The actors did their bit. The cameos worked and the end-credit worked!
I wanted a break from Marvel and this was the perfect antidote. But it should have been longer, meatier plot and better directed.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
Missed the Boss even in a Good Movie!
For most of us, the Black Panther will not be the same. Chadwick was a perfect fit for the Panther. Now that he is gone, they had to do something to move the story forward and the story tellers have done their jobs, the actors almost did their jobs, the director did the job well too, but the x-factor was missing.
After a long time- Marvel has approached an MCU movie in a stand alone manner. This was all about Panther's Wakanda and the.world of Nemor- it didn't have much interventions from the MCU, no star cameo, no unnecessary superhero entrances.
But somehow, the journey of the characters didn't feel very satisfying. May be we missed T'Challa.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
Sam Raimi brings old school charms to a complex story and makes it entertaining.
The Good:
Simplicity and fun manner, in which, the concept of MCU's famed Multiverse was introduced through this movie.
Actors, obviously, Cumberbacth and Olsen were expected to be at their best, but everyone else delivered perfectly well.
The story. This is a good story, that was told well. The plot felt like it moved fast, unlike DC, which allows audience to soak in all the goods bit by bit.
Without going into the spoiler-zone, be prepared to be pleasantly surprised with all the new things you are going to see in the multiverse of Madness.
The Bad:
Humour seemed forced on occasions.
Plot-holes are there, some of them, apparent.
And a lot of opportunities were missed.
This, unlike Spider-man No Way Home, wasn't as well organised and seemed more like a Fan Service.
Sanak (2021)
Almost a good movie!
Gone are the days when Die Hard and Speed franchise of films used to create stir. Now-a-days if you do not make a water-tight action movie like John Wick or Nobody, people will loose interest half way in and on OTT, they would just move on.
Sanak is not that bad... but it lacked the x-factor. And it certainly missed the bull's eyes.
This was a Vidyut Jamwal movie and it is obvious from the trailer till the end of the film. The cast and crew did a decent job, nothing out of the ordinary really. I am told by those who know a thing or two about action that- both the stunt-master who coordinated the action scenes and the DOP who shot them are rare talent. The Director did his job well with a story which didn't really have anything substantial or new.
Also, the bad guys really lacked a motivation that can be said to be realist.
Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl (2020)
I watched it hoping it is a movie on a beloved War-hero, turns out is was more about Pankaj Tripathi essaying the role of the Father of the War Hero.
What you do with a good script speaks a lot about how well you did justice to the story. The very reason biopics like Bhag Milkha Bhag or MS Dhoni were loved so much is because the actor justified the character. The reason why Vicky Kaushal and Amit Sadh were so convincing in their roles in ri and Avrodh respectively is because of the homework they did on the role. Not just with the acting part, but also with the body language and the physical transformation for the role.
This felt less like a movie on woman empowerment and more a film to celebrate father's day.
Jhanvi Kapoor, nepotism debate apart, is not the right actor for the role. Worse, she seemed uninterested and indifferent even with the dialogue delivery. Bluntly put; she lacks the range required for this role. The only thing that went her way was that everyone else was doing their job far too well for the audience to focus less on what she lacks and more on where the story is going. That work in situations where the story is a sure shot recipe for success. Keeping that in mind, the script seemed to be focused more on how to accommodate a new actor with a limited range. The direction seemed underwhelming.
Pankaj Tripathy was masterly, Angad Bedi didn't really get a lot to do and worse, Bedi's character was far stereotyped.
It pains me to say that- Jhanvi lacked the body language of an airforce pilot and that was even more apparent in the bites of the real Gunjan at the end of the film.
With a movie like Uri: The surgical strike or Avrodh or for that case Family Man and it is clear what are the things you can show in a movie basis on a war and about war heroes. Body language and preparation is essential for such films.
When Vicky Kaushal played Maj. Vihaan Shergill in Uri: The Surgical Strike, you could sense that the actor has transformed into a Commando. When Amit Sadh essayed the role of Maj. Videep Singh, you could feel a Para-military hero on screen. When Vidyut Jamwal plays the character of Karanveer Dogra, it is clear he can do things which only a Black Cat is trained to do. Simple things like the way camera gets the liberty to capture them in impossible stunt sequences prove how well some actors prepare for the role and then essay the role to perfection. If your preparation is proper, the director can show a lot more of fight sequences and tough training sequences in a film, which in turn makes the experience of watching believable and enjoyable. If not, they have to put the onus on the father of the lead character to do the heavy lifting.
In Gunjan Saxena, every time Jhanvi Kapoor had to run or do some stunts which are normal in movies on- military heroes, they shot slow motion and that too it's not as many scenes as required for a movie like that. You cannot make a movie on Kargil and show only one scene from the Kargil War.
I cannot speak for what one felt watching the movie, but somehow I didn't like the film and this I say without prejudice towards star-kids.
Betaal (2020)
Felt a lot like Purani Haveli got a VFX and undead upgrade.
Prime is winning... Netflix on the other hand is deep in the pockets of Bollywood lobby!
First things first, this is not something out of the box. Most Indian horror movies used to have ghosts whose physical presence and psychedelic effects they had on their victims were the highlights of the show. The story does not offer anything new.
Massive waste of opportunity. This is a genre that has been immensely sucessful elsewhere. This could have been the beginning of Zombie Film/Series culture in India. At least, the free hand with which the project is funded- would suggest the makers had a few noble goals in mind.
What fails for me is that there is no thrill factor, no suspense as promised, imporant plot enablers are thrown away, plot construction is unimpressive, writing is ordinary and acting is really bad.
Whatever scope was available to explore this rich premise were just wasted by the script writers. I was so disappointed with the series that- I went back for another screening of World War Z after this just to restore my faith on the genre.
Sounds a lot like many other Indian series on Netflix.
For a change, however, it was neither overtly Leftist in its tone, or hell bent on communalising or polarising like other India Netflix Original Series.
Section 375 (2019)
Practice Law, not Justice: Appropriate Tagline for Agenda that the movie proposes
A rather debatable and controversial propaganda has been championed in this movie.
A word about the script movement, dialogue, camera, acting, direction- technically and from an artistic perspective- splendid. A true courtroom drama which was more shot inside the courtroom than roam around everywhere else, but the court! Most of the focus was on Akshaye Khanna, and Richa Chaddha who should have been give as much of build up was somewhat forgotten.
Now, the movie hailed by many for the perception it introduces about a rape case, to me, seemed- both conflicting as well as disturbing.
The movie states that use of power at your disposal to abuse someone sexually does not qualify as rape and must not be treated that way.
It goes on to say that, that was the reason- the victim played some clever tricks to trap the culprit in a case of rape by forging evidences and narrative- and extract revenge.
It then goes on to trivialise the entire situation by sympathising with the culprit by the end of the film.
And then, finally concludes that justice was not served instead the legal system was outraged by a revenge.
Underlying problem is washed away, like it did not deserve a chance.
Remember, this was not the story of false rape accusation out of malice; in fact- there was sexual abuse involved, which was inspired by real life, as per the film makers- thus my concerns-
1. Why are those actions which are nothing less than rape, not enlisted as rape and treated likewise?
2. Why do we have to trivialize trauma which is not aggressive but as overwhelming and disturbing or at times, even worse?
3. Why see the victim who still had to go through forced sexual abuse, as some sort of plotting villain? Was it just to extract climactic thrills?
4. Is Bollywood trying not to recognise the impact that something as sinister as sexual abuse has- on the life of a victim by depicting them as grey characters?
5. We all want to make movies that larger audience would love... but do movies based on social issues have to appease, at the cost of ethics and moralities?
Lastly, if the right laws, that as per the movie, are not there in place, had been in place, should the victim had to create a trap in the first place?
Where are we going with messages we send through our movies?
Think!
Bard of Blood (2019)
1.5/5 Stars to the Creative Head of Netflix.
While Sacred Game and Selection Day are class acts, there are other inspired, at times half baked stories which Netflix selects to produce which casts a shadow over its consistency and its credibility.
Acting was just about good, despite a talented star cast. Upscaled cinematography, direction and acting skills- best seen recently, in Uri: The Surgical Strikes has set our expectations from military and espionage movies- high.
A water-tight "logical" story that can withstand the prying eyes of the critics and the intelligent audience is a necessity. This story is dependent on creative liberty to connect the dots.
Bard of Blood may not be a very bad story. But it certainly is not meant to be aired on Netflix or Prime or other popular OTTs.
Key takeaways from Bard of Blood
1. RAW Agents lack emotional intelligence and can be duped into sabbatical and retirements by almost anyone in the game.
2. RAW Agents are stupid as well, they can't stop exposing their cover all over the enemy territory.
3. Storytelling is all about the liberty to use "convenience" over and above logic.
4. ISI is way more smarter and prompt and has a reason and logic to be the way it is.
5. Everyone is trying to talk in a language they are not good at.
6. Spies go to foreign countries only to fall in love or seek revenge- a disservice to the rigorous training that makes one a spy.
7. Should you get into a sticky situation with the border patrol officer at an international border, the only way to solve the problem is to kill an entire team of security forces and hope that it does not set off any alarms about your covert operation.
8. If you are a RAW Agent and a woman, you do not necessarily need to know how to use weapons. It is as if there is no difference between office clerks and spies- anyone can qualify for the job.
You are responsible artists must not be too impressed by adolescent imagination of an amatuer writer and make a OTT Debut with it. Art should not be taken that lightly.
Likewise, Netflix should stop converting amateur's stories into expensive Webseries. To the contrary, despite being controversial, The Family Man, released a week before, at least measures up to the high standards of Web content.
Joker (2019)
Mesmerizing and Disturbing at the same time!
If I have to speak about acting after you have scrolled down the star cast section, I would do a disservice to the actors and the director.
So, we would talk about the outstanding story, wonderful script writing, surprising cinematography and marvelous character development- things that we do not talk about that often.
This movie shows how you can make a Shawshank Redemption kind of film from a comic book character.
Make Todd Phillips the creative head of DCEU and you will have more such masterpieces.
Article 15 (2019)
If it was inspired by true events, this one was a good attempt, but lacked a lot as well.
ARTICLE 15: First things first, the topic of rapes, honour killing and supression in rural India- had to be raised and talked about...
Definite inspiration: True Detective Season 01- the tone, the treatment, cinematography, color scheme and the protagonist's prep- all gives it away.
The Badaun Rape Case was about: Powerful people in powerful position can have their ways and influence justice. The treatment can be described as misfired. The real incident was completely different- wish that was shown more honestly.
The Movie- "Article 15" is testament of selective criticism. I won't go on to call it propaganda, primarily because, the concern raised, if not addressed- in the movie as serious, genuine and very important for the change to come in our society. In that sense, the film was pretty good- but just like most such films, the makers digressed from the main theme- to appease their specific audience base.
Anubhav Sinha is a known propagandist, for- his movies to leave a mark on matters of rape and suppression must be seen as a very positive move towards good film making. Ayushmann Khurrana has done a great job, yet again, carrying the film despite being amidst such talented cast who must be commended
Having said everything, let us also accept that vilifying some people fiercely is not the way to go, the nation, the society is trying to change- as we speak- change is much more complicated than see things as either black or white. Not everyone in the advantageous group is an absolute villain- to alienate them all with generic vilification is not healthy. We must not forget that heinous crimes are not a trait that can be pinned on particular group, but must be considered as individual wrongdoings.
Gully Boy (2019)
The theme of the movie "Overcoming challenge against colossal odds" is a universal phenomena, its too generic to be termed "inspired"- this film is just a tribute to te theme.
Gully Boy tells the inspirational story of an underdog without creating a victim out of his socio-political circumstances.
The director focuses on the protagonist's challenging journey instead of making it about his communal identity and thereafter, builds the story around that- one man's fight against the odds which is a theme most of us can correlate with in many ways.
I am not a fan of musicals or dance films, but this one had more to it than just baseless songs and mindless dance sequences... it had a gigantic story with a universal message...
Here circumstance, not ideologies, for a change, is depicted as the real villain.
This kind of story telling, helps "polarized" people understand and accept the other side of the divide. On either side of the ideological divide, we are people at the end of the day.
Movies like Mulk, series like Leila, point a few out as villains exaggerate things about them and demonize them, and further the socio-cultural rift by such polarization...
Gully Boy on the other hand, flips the perception upside down, presents it as a more universal underdog story, creates a sense of empathy for the protagonist, in a very subtle manner furthers the idea of inclusion and most people love it.
Spider-Man: Far from Home (2019)
After Endgame and Spiderman Into the Spider-Verse, this one is just alright! Do wait for the end credits!
This is not a film for those who are not so very well into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Being the last movie of the Phase 3, this movie was supposed to deliver lot more than it actual does. Won't get into technicality of acting and special effects... MCU takes care of those things very professionally. That leaves us with the story and the unanswered questions: The movie, doesn't answer many of the questions that have been making the round since Endgame.
It breaks everything conventional that was left of "Spiderman" we know- from the comics and cartoons... The secret identity, the old Aunt May(Homecoming), the dead Uncle Ben, the punchlines, even MJ is not Mary Jane anymore and there is no Harry Osborn yet.
This Spiderman is a lost adolescent going through a lot, he is a confused teenager unlike the previous Spidermen... Having said that, he still has all the ingredients of a solid Superhero- that is kind of dichotomy.
This Spiderman is relatable, he is a hero in making and he is not the stereotype superhero we get to see elsewhere. And he is easily duped by a villain whose history has been cleverly reshuffled for the silver screen.
This storyline is such a popular one that, it doesn't surprise one, when the truth is finally unearthed. It doesn't pack a punch and that is where the story writers fail. Despite so much of reimagining, they still miss the aim.
Shocks:
I went-in, hoping that there would be a multi-verse convergence as the trailers had suggested... that turns out to be a Mysterio gimmick.
You ask me, I had some Spiderman: Into the Spider-verse like high expectations from this film, that falls flat!
Also, Peter's identity, one of the things that was so fiercely guarded- that is gone!
What Surprised Me:
The next few Superhero films are about the Kree-Skrull War, or at least have a lot to do with the Skrull Invasion storyline. That much is clear from the post credits.
Mysterio managed to star as the lead antagonist for an entire film- all alone- that too, so convincingly... that counts for something. The way he announced his evil intent though was lame.
Spidey is the next Iron Man in making, it's kind of nice feeling.
Sam Raimi's JJ and Daily Bugle are back.
MJ and Peter are in a stable relationship... for now!
Happy and Aunt May have a thing!
The post credits are way more exciting than the movie itself.
Disappointment:
Was hoping to see Normal Osborn, or some other titular villain show up, at least in the post-credit.
I so much wanted Amazing Spiderman to turn up in this one from another earth... that is not happening, but there is a chance that Toby may show up in future.
Didn't answer most of the questions, about Endgame!
Ribbon (2017)
Talks about topics we need to talk about.
N a polarised world, we often ignore the ghastly truths that common people have to suffer on a regular basis.
An ordinary, "ambitious" middle class family, weighed by the loans and tasking private jobs, unable to find time for small pleasures of life- wakes up to a shocking incident. That's the regular Joe's life in a metro. This is what keeps the urban middle class up all night.
Middle class is not affected by the political or religious concerns, they are too busy weaving their own nest, their own life. What matters to them is the family and the system that surrounds them.
Great acting, not that it was any surprise. Great direction and cinematography. Wonderful story telling, in a world of goal drive stories, this one stands out for its treatment.
Improvements:
a) the pace at which the story was running- and-
b) the aloofness from the cultural reality of an Indian society. It was as if this movie was revolving in a cocoon of its own.
Leila (2019)
This is a dark world which stokes the Leftists' misanthrope.
Dystopian Worlds are for real! Some outfits elsewhere are said to be relentlessly attempting to create a dreamland. It is in the international news now and then.
Different religions, different stadards. Salman Rushdie was made to leave India for something similar. Prayag Akbar's Dystopian novel, now a Netflix Saga is marred by excessive political overtone.
The balance was missing, which was not as much the case in the book. The unabashed imposition of ideological preachings is disturbing and keeps distracting the audience from the story. The treatment seems quite inspired by the Handmaid's Tale.
Having said that, the story is told very artistically, that makes the pace slow but, that's alright. Acting is powerful, narrative gripping and agenda imposed with a clear intent.
Luka Chuppi (2019)
Interesting Concept, Ordinary Treatment
First things first, the borrowed songs were good.
Second, the story was interesting, it did explore a social stigma.
Third, it fails in addressing the problem statement.
Everything else was not justified. It seemed as if the sole intent of the movie was to bring Karthik Aryan and Kriti Shanon together on screen and only hope that Barailey Ki Barfi magic works again. But the difference was- Raj Kumar Rao and Aayushman Khurranna
Chernobyl (2019)
It felt real and horrifying.
Chernobyl leaves you numb, and devastated. It also teaches you a lot about human nature, flawed ideologies and some things about Totalitarian Governments. As an outsider, it would have been difficult to understand Chernobyl without the genius of the makers of the series. Raw, precise and enigmatic.
The dark USSR environment was created in a very subtle yet honest manner.
The exemplary acting only complemented to the in-depth research and analysis that has gone in- in the backdrop. Splendid work in the department of direction, cinematography, costume design, script and dialogue writing.
Perhaps that is what it takes to pull off something astonishing.
My heart goes out for the victims of the disaster and their families. My heart also goes out for the animals who had to suffer and then die for no fault of theirs or mother nature's.
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Of justice, revenge, heart breaks and dreams coming true ***Spoilers***
People had been speculating over what has happened, and what will happen.
Some were bang on, others missed it by whiskers and despite all the ideas out there, the film manages to surprise.
Then you realize this grand send off, has so much to offer as a movie that it becomes a milestone.
Can it get better from here on? You never know, 2012 Avengers 1 was kind of the perfect film, until some other great films rocked our imagination.
The first half was a bit dragged. The second half was too filled with awesome moments.
The best for me was when Captain America lifts Thor's Hammer and goes up against Thanos. The heart break moment was of course Iron Man though even Black Widow attained martyrdom.
All in on a spectacle for those who started with Iron man and saw all the films up to this one!
Badla (2019)
I sincerely hope, it is an official remake of the Invisible Guest.
Just when you thought Bollywood has moved away from the plagiarism/inspiration era- comes this one- a promising star cast, an enticing story, and a crazy ending, all ripped off from a pretty recent Spanish film- the Invisible Guest (2016).
Even after that, this is a rather ordinary attempt. The ending in particular was predictable. Though the pace of the narrative was good, and the acting seemed to be alright, the film left us wanting for a lot more.
With someone as stellar as Amitabh Bachchan in the lead and as talented as Tapasee Pannu to support him, the makers could have added some more complications to spice things up.
Shazam! (2019)
Supremely Entertaining. Best Origin Story in a decade. Consider DCEU Reborn.
If you know something about DC Comics and Cartoon and go in with some expectations- this one will deliver the goods. This perhaps is the best interpretation of the character Shazam! The first half leaves you in splits, the second half in awe and the last few minutes is like nothing seen in any Comic Book Cinematic Universe thus far. The DCEU Cultural references and the comic timing makes it just unforeseen and in a good way.
Most origin stories do not focus a lot on the Superhero Origin and instead go on to make room for a grand build-up to launch the Super-villain. This technique works wonders for this story. Also, I liked the way this film masters the art of grounding the fantastic world of comics in reality. You don't really get such things in superhero films as much. It is like reading a comic-book. There are a few negligible flaws, but the movie entertained so very well that one doesn't feel like exploring the negatives.
People have been saying this and rightly so- Zachary Levi was born to play this role. Jack Dylan Grazer is brilliant and Asher Angel impresses as Billy. The rest of the cast is decent. Special salutation to David F. Sandberg, DC has unearthed a gem in this guy.
For Marvel fans- think of this as the PG13 version of- "Deadpool + Thor- jam-packed into one 2 hours film... and if that was not sufficient, the film maker, craftily adds a "Stranger Thing" undertone to glue it all. It could not get better.
Captain Marvel (2019)
The X-Factor was missing.
I was super excited about this film. Captain Marvel is one of the heroes I had been waiting to see on the silver screen. Bree Larson taking up the mantle- only spiced things up... and you had Sam L Jackson in the Lead... And yet, it felt blanched and lifeless.
Maybe Marvel has given us far too powerful storylines and far too big villains in the past and this out of the box story without a big villain didn't really go well with the expectations.
Maybe the expectations were to see a lot more unearthed in a origin story film.
Something was not right and it felt that way from the beginning and stayed that way till the very end. More like Dr. Strange.We went in with such expectations that the out of the box origin story fell short of our expectations.
Nothing was wrong- it was the bridge that would lead us to Endgame and yet, nothing felt right.
The jokes were poor. Marvel never makes a movie with poor jokes.
Selection Day (2018)
Can't really pin point what was wrong, but didn't feel perfect
This was meant to be a single season mini-series- what intrigues is why only 6 episodes. At times it seems a bit draggy. Acting was good and with the star caste, it looks like Netflix and Prime bring a chance for the theatre artists.