The Biased* Lens

*towards good cinema

[thebiasedlens]

Half Year Movie Report 2017 (English)

It’s been a while since I posted my Half Year Movie Report 2017 (Indian). And finally, I have found some time to put this one together. 

Here are my favorite Hollywood movies so far. (January - June) 

Top 10 English Movies: 

1. Logan - 5/5

Is Logan:

a). The best Wolverine movie?

b). The best X-Men movie?

c). The best superhero movie?

Answer: All of the above.

2. Get Out - 5/5

Get Out is a MUST watch! It is a Mystery, Comedy like no other. It is not just scary and funny, but also super relevant in this Trump’s America.

3. Baby Driver - 4.5/5

I loved Baby Driver. It lived up to the hype. From the get go, to the last frame, the movie is covered with outstanding soundtrack that synchronizes perfectly with each frame. And I loved every moment of it. What a shot of adrenaline it was!

4. Wonder Woman - 4.5/5 

Patty Jenkins is the superhero D.C. Comics needed, and Wonder Woman is the superhero D.C. Comics fans deserve. Finally, after the disaster of Man of Steel, Batman v Superman and Suicide Squad, DC Comics got this one right. 

5. John Wick: Chapter 2 - 4/5

The boogeyman returned, and yes, he continued shooting people in the face, and I loved it. It’s Keanu Reeves’ best sequel. Chapter 2 was extremely captivating and enthralling. It was two hours of pure entertainment.

6. Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol.2 - 4/5

Another sequel, another movie filled with entertainment. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2 was such a fun ride. 

Baby Groot is everything!

Cannot wait for them to team up with the Avengers in Infinity War. 

6. Split - 4/5

With Split M. Night Shyamalan proves that he’s still got it. What a surprise of the year this was. And man oh man what an outstanding performance by James McAvoy. He better get an Oscar Nomination for this role(s).

8. The Lego Batman Movie - 4/5

This was the Best Batman movie since Nolan’s trilogy. 

It was just pure entertainer. 

It was not at par with The Lego Movie, but it was still a solid entertainer. 

9. Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie - 4/5

This was another surprise of the year for me. I just went to see another animated movie, but was pleasantly surprised by it. 

It’s a shame more people did not see it. 

Hopefully It gets some award nominations, and get more exposure.

Looking forward to the sequel. 

10. Colossal - 3.5/5

Colossal is a small brave movie. It is a Comedy, Si-Fi like no other. 

I honestly don’t want to say what it is about, and encourage that you watch it without even watching the trailer - Trust me, you will enjoy the movie even more this way.

[thebiasedlens]

GoT - The Queen’s Justice

Game of Thrones Season 7 Episode 3 was so damn good. I’ve been thinking about it, and man, what outstanding writing. It was full of Symbolisms, Foreshadowing, Callbacks, and Prophecies.

Warning: 

If you have NOT seen this week’s GoT then STOP right here and GO WATCH THE EPISODE FIRST.

Beware: 

1. 

Jon Snow to Tyrion: “I’m not a Stark”

*Drogon flew past him*

Symbolizing that yes, he is not a Stark. He is a Targaryen. Son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark. Adding another clue to R + L = J fan theory.

2. 

Melisandre to Varys: “ Oh, I will return dear Spider. One last time. I have to die in this strange country, just like you.”

*Hinting that she knows how he will die, and also how she will die*

This is callback to 3 different scenes from 2 different seasons.

First: In season 3 Varys told Tyrion how he was castrated. And the guy who did the deed used some fire magic. And then he heard a whisper in the flames. We don’t know what the whisper was.

Second: In season 6, another red priestess Kinvara had told Varys that she knows what the voice said and who it was. But she doesn’t tell him (still keeping us in suspense). Was the voice Melisandre’s? Or did she also see the person and head the voice in the flames? Either way, Melisandre knows how Varys will die.

Third: She also knows how she will herself die. In season 3 she (in a philosophical way) told Arya that she will join the ‘faceless cult’ and she sees ”..brown eyes, blue eyes, green eyes. Eyes sealed shut forever.“ And then she said that they will meet again. And right after that Arya added Melisandre to her kill list. So maybe she knows that in the future, Arya will kill her?

3. 

Littlefinger to Sansa: “Fight every battle everywhere, always, in your mind. Everyone is your enemy, everyone is your friend. Every possible series of events is happening all at once. Live that way and nothing will surprise you. Everything that happens will be something that you’ve seen before.”

*Bran aka The Three Eyed Raven comes back to Winterfell*

The Three Eyed Raven can see “every possible series of event (that) is happening all at once”. “Everything that happens” is something that ‘The Three Eyed Raven’ had “seen before”.

4.

Sansa to Bran: “I wish Jon was here” Bran: “Me too. I need to talk to him.”

*Another clue for R + L = J*

Bran as The Three Eyed Raven now knows that Jon is actually a Targaryen, and wants to tell him about his true lineage. 

And when he does, we will get the final missing part of the R + L = J fan theory. Jon will then finally be both, Fire & Ice. Aka The “Prince or Princess” that was promised. Aka Azor Ahai.

5. 

Olenna Tyrel to Jaime: [referring to Joffrey’s murder] “Tell Cersei, I want her to know it was me.”

*Starts the process in Jamie’s head go against Cersei*

Jamie now knows for sure that Tyrion is 100% innocent. 

Prediction: Cersei will still want Tyrion dead. Jamie will refuse, and to stop her and save Tyrion, kill Cersei. 

Hence the final prophecy of the witch will come true- “And when your tears have drowned you, the Valonqar shall wrap his hands about your pale white throat and choke the life from you.”

[thebiasedlens]

My Review - Dunkirk

Dunkirk is not a perfect movie.

*Brace For Fan Bashing*

But it most definitely is a solid movie. It is beautifully shot on IMAX 65MM, and if you watch it in IMAX 70MM you will feel like you are right there in the middle of the war, being shot at, drowning, fighting, and surviving. And that is what Dunkirk is essentially about. Survival.

Now I honestly don't know my history that well, so I was a bit lost and disconnected about the significance of Dunkirk, and that I feel took away from the experience. So if your history knowledge is as poor as mine, I would highly recommend visiting Dunkirk wiki page prior to watching it.

But apart from that, everything about this movie was on point. The aerial fight sequences are choreographed to ensure that your heart is pumping through your chest, and the water sequences are executed to make you keep gasping for air.

The cinematography (as is always the case with Nolan movies) was breathtaking. Every shot oozed of perfection. The 65MM camera captures that extra 25% on screen, and it is worth it. 

The sound mixing and soundtrack are perfectly in sync. In fact the soundtrack is one if the biggest plus points of this movie. There are very few dialogues in this movie. Out of the 120 page script, dialogues were only 20 pages. The rest of the movie is fueled by its strong background score.  And it works wonders.

The only issue I actually had with the movie was the story. With most movies based on real/ true events, the director has two options:

A. Stick with reality.

B. Add some fiction to it.

Nolan has for most parts chosen to stick to the facts. Hence, what you get is just a piece of the war. More like an extended TV episode shot with a movie budget. There is no spoon feeding. Nolan expects you to come with full knowledge of Dunkirk and its significance in World War ll.

Also, unlike other war movies, here, there is no hokiness like, oh look this character is dying, feel sad. Instead, Nolan just lets you be. He lets you feel the emptiness of war. You see these nameless soldiers, all terrified, trying to not die and you feel that. You want to reach out and save them. And that human emotion is what drives this movie.

So in order to enjoy Dunkirk, I suggest that you adjust your expectations. Remember this is not Inception, or Interstellar, or Batman Trilogy. Not every Nolan movie has to be a particular way. 

Yes, it is not the best Nolan movie. But it's also like no other war movie. There may not be a 70MM screen near you, but you should definitely experience it in IMAX. It's worth the extra fee.

Also side note: What is Nolan’s obsession with keeping Tom Hardy’s fcae covered? 

4/5

[thebiasedlens]

Half Year Movie Report 2017 (Indian)

It's July. Half the year has come and gone, hence it's time for my half-year movie report. 

So like every year, there will be two lists, one for my favorite Indian movies, and then another for my favorite Hollywood movies so far. 

Lets start with Indian movies first!

Top 10 Indian Movies: 

1. Trapped - 4/5 

Trapped was a survival tale like no other. Movies like Cast Away and 127 Hours were set-up in unpopulated areas, but Trapped on the other hand was set-up in the center of Mumbai city. A city that is filled with people, but can at the same time make you feel like the loneliest person on earth.

I thoroughly enjoyed this experience. 

2. A Death In The Gunj - 4/5 

I managed to see this movie just few days back thanks to Amazon Prime. 

What a movie. Every frame was oozing poetry. 

This is renowned actress Konkona Sen Sharma’s first outing as a director, but it feels like she has been doing this for a while. She has a firm grip on humans, and human emotions, that transpires through the screen.

Cant wait to see what she has to offer next.

3. Baahubali 2 - 4/5 

Baahubali 2 was a huge achievement for Indian cinema. It was not just entertaining, but also one of the most technically sound movie to come out of India.

It was a visual treat. Yes, it had flaws, but one must remember, this was a $200 million ambition movie, made with the budget of not even $50 million.

And that itself is a big achievement. 

4. Mostly Sunny - 4/5 

I saw this documentary at the New York Indian Film Festival. Going in I was a bit skeptical as to what to expect from this movie. 

But boy was I surprised. This documentary gives you an honest and unbiased narration of Sunny Leone, the Canadian-born, American-bred adult film star who is pursuing her dreams of Bollywood stardom.

5. Sachin -  A Billion Dreams - 4/5 

Unlike Mostly Sunny, Sachin’s documentary shared verry little that we as cricket fans don’t already know. Yet, despite that, this documentary works as a nostalgic trip down memory lane. 

If you are a cricket fan, this movie is a must watch.

6. Poorna - 3.5/5

Poorna is another movie I managed to see recently thanks to Amazon Prime.

It is a true story of a young 13 year old girl, who against all odds of poverty, patriarchy, and red tape, manages to become the youngest girl in history to climb Mount Everest. 

Directed by Rahul Bose, Poorna is a sweet and honest movie. 

Bose manages to tell an underdog story, that perhaps we have heard many a times in many different forms, yet Poorna is a pleasant watch that never fells dull for a moment.

7. Hindi Medium - 3.5/5 

Hindi Medium, a movie about the Indian education system, and what we are putting children through, was a brave movie.

I just wish the director and producer would have made it without the pressure of Box Office, and removed the unnecessary songs from the movie.

Still this movie works for the message it is trying to give, all thanks to the now and only Irrfan Khan. Yet again he manages to mesmerize you, every time he is onscreen. 

8. Rangoon - 3.5/5 

Rangoon was a frustrating watch for me. Not because it was a bad movie, but because there were parts of this movie that were so well done, and then there were parts that were just outright stupid. This is a movie that could have been excellent, but ends up being good. And that’s a shame because director Vishal Bhardwaj has in the past delivered masterpieces like Omkara with Saif Ali Khan and Haider with Shahid Kapoor. And my expectation from this movie was to get a similar result.

But despite all this, Rangoon was a marvelous movie. It was an ambitious attempt, and for that I give points to Bharadwaj. The production design and set design were of grand scale.But what made Rangoon worth a watch were the performances by its lead actors. They pour their hearts and souls into these characters, and fleshed out layers that were just astounding.

9. Jolly LLLB 2 - 3.5/5 

I had my apprehensions regarding this movie. 

I really liked the first movie with Arshad Warsi, mostly for its small budget feel and the honesty that comes with it. So when I heard that the producers have replaced him with Akshay Kumar to make it “more appealing” I was worried that they will mess things up.

I was half right and half wrong. 

Like Hindi Medium, the issue in this movie was also the unnecessary songs, constantly interrupting the narrative. But Akshay Kumar ensures that he puts his heart to this role, and keeps the core drama alive. 

10. Raees - 3/5 

Raees was a throwback to the 70’s masala movies, and had an inherent Salim-Javed kind of storytelling to it. And Shah Rukh Khan’s role was very reminiscent of The Original Angry Young Man roles portrayed by Mr. Amitabh Bachchan in movies like Deewar, Hum, and Agneepath, where the protagonist is on the wrong side of the law, but on the right side of humanity.

The interactions between SRK and Nawazuddin were the lifelines of the movie. To watch these two actors play off each other and deliver the dialogue-baazi was a sheer pleasure. It was evident that both SRK and Nawazuddin refused to let SRK’s superstardom come in the way of their performances. And that was a big win for Raees.

[thebiasedlens]

My Review - Baby Driver

I loved Baby Driver. What a shot of adrenaline it was!

From the get go, to the last frame, the movie is covered with outstanding soundtrack that synchronizes perfectly with each frame. And what it does is, it makes you sit up in anticipation of something magical to come, and doesn't let go till the end credits.

Baby Driver is a lot of things put together. It is a musical. It is an action movie about robbery and car chase sequences. And it is also at times, a love story. But what it is primarily, is pure entertainment. 

Yes, the story itself is a bit straightforward. And that is the only tiny issue I had with this movie. But as soon as you realize director Edgar Wright's vision, and give in, you forgive the movie for that one small flaw. 

Lead man Ansel Elgort has this innocent charm that adds perfectly to Baby's character. Supporting him is a cast that consists of an interesting bunch of actors. In the movie they play even more interesting characters. There is an always confronting Jamie Fox, a mysterious but charming Jon Hamm. Throw in a sexy & deadly Eiza Gonzalez, and mysterious till the end Kevin Spacey. Now sprinkle it with with Jon Bernthal’s madness, and what you get is a bunch of crazy, ready to explode. 

Lily James aka Lady Rose from Downton Abbey plays Baby's love interest. Her character is perhaps the weakest written among them all, but she still manages to bring a charm to the screen with her acting. 

What worked more than anything else for me in this movie was how amazingly the chase scenes were choreographed to the soundtrack. Each frame matched perfectly to each lyric. It felt like that particular line of that particular song was written for that particular moment. It was that good. 

Go watch Baby Driver. Thank me later! 

 4.5/5

[thebiasedlens]

My Review - Wonder Woman

Patty Jenkins is the superhero D.C. Comics needed, and Wonder Woman is the superhero D.C. Comics fans deserve.

Finally, after the disaster of Man of Steel, Batman v Superman and Suicide Squad, DC Comics have got it right. And what did it entail? Less of Nolan, and more of Marvel. Less of a gloomy dark screen with EMO lead, and more of cheerful lead with hope and love.

Despite being 2 hours and 21 minutes long, director Patty Jenkins, writer Allan Heinberg, and editor Martin Walsh ensure that the movie never once feels sluggish or draggy. In fact, I was having so much fun, that I was immediately ready for Wonder Woman 2.

The cinematography is just breathtaking. The music is very well orchestrated. The Wonder Woman theme FINALLY gave me the goosebumps that I was expecting it to give me in Batman v Superman. The production design, art direction, set design and costumes are all on point.  

While the story has a very Captain America: The First Avenger feel to it, Gal Gadot's character has a very Superman and Iron Man mixed together feel. On the topic of Gal Gadot, man she is a Goddess! When we first saw her as Wonder Woman in Batman v Superman, she was this independent woman full of confidence and a bit of cynicism. But here we get to see the innocent, more idealistic side. She wants to save the world WITH LOVE. And "God" knows that in this world of Trump, Putin, and Kim Jong Un, we need more heroes who believe in such ideology.

Supporting her is Chris Pine, who is excellent here. He never tries to overshadow, and alway supports. With time and age he is doing better movies, and improving tremendously as an actor. I thoroughly enjoyed his performance here, as I did in the Star Trek trilogy. David Thewlis aka Professor Lupin is always a pleasure to watch. He brings this charisma and mystery to his character that is utterly mesmerizing. But the one performance that surprised me, and I wish we got to see more of her here was Lucy Davis as Chris's secretary. She was hilarious. Here's hoping there is another Wonder Woman movie, and she has a bigger role in it.

The action sequences are choreographed to do one thing, i.e. make your jaw drop. And it is captured brilliantly with the combination of amazing camerawork, and cutting in and out of slow motion. Add to that, some state of the art special effects, and you have one of the best superhero action sequences to come out of D.C.  The effects always enhanced the scenes, and never felt overbearing. Well almost never. I had issues with the end fight. It was the only time I was reminded that this movie is part of the Extended D.C. Universe. And that kinda took me out of the movie for a second.

But there are others things that director Patty Jenkins has incorporated and owned in this movie that make for it. She has taken risks, and of gone to the depths where the stakes are high, and has then not shied away from the consequences. She has ensured that her female lead is keeping all the important characteristics of the comic book superhero, while at the same time breaking a lot of barriers and stereotypes. And for that I thank her, and applaud her.

WONDER WOMAN IS A MUST WATCH POPCORN SUMMER BLOCKBUSTER!

4.5/5

[thebiasedlens]

My Review - Baahubali 2: The Conclusion

The wait is finally over. Baahubali 2: The Conclusion is here to answer the question the nation has been waiting to know for two long years- Kattappa ne Baahubali ko kyu mara? 

Relax- No spoilers here! You have to go, and watch the movie to find out, just like the rest of us did. 

 But when you go to watch Baahubali 2, remind yourself of few things- 

1. This is a sequel to Baahubali: The Beginning, so either re-watch that movie, or read the story on Wikipedia, to remind yourself of the story and characters. (If you have not seen that movie, go watch it first. Duh!) 

2. If you have seen Baahubali, you know what exactly to expect from this sequel. It is a Telugu movie (irrespective of which dubbed version you see), so the storytelling is inherently grandiosely in nature. So the hero's will have heroic scenes and dialogues, and the villains will have over-the-top background music with extreme close ups to show you the villainy in them. 

3. This is a $200 million ambition movie, made with the budget of not even $50 million. So the VFX will at times be with par with international cinema, and at times be extremely patchy. Forgive it for that. ‪

So I ask you give in, and allow director S. S. Rajamouli to take you on this EPIC journey.‬ Yes, the story is a bit been there seen that, but the screenplay is very cleverly written to still keep you entertained and hooked for good three hours. ‪And that is a big win for the director and writer V Prasad.

The production and set design are huge, and beautiful (yes, some of it is CGI, but still a great combination). The action sequences are very well choreographed, and have been attempted at international movie level. The art design, and cinematography are breathtaking. The costumes, and make-up are on point. The soundtrack is soulful, and takes the story forward, instead of breaking the narrative. But better than the soundtrack is the background music. What fabulous work, especially for the scene just before the interval, outstanding stuff. ‬ 

Acting wise, everyone in the ensemble cast has done a fabulous job. ‪Rama Krishna as the ego-stricken mother, Sathyaraj as Kattappa the loyal protector looking for redemption, Nassar as the cunning father, and Rana Daggubati as the vengeful brother, have all delivered great performances. ‬ 

But the two people who stand out tall in this movie are ‪Prabhas ‬plying the original Baahubali and ‪Anushka Shetty‬ playing his love interest. If you liked Baahubali the son, you will love Baahubali the father. The son version was just a small shadow of what the father is. He is everything you expect a "Hero" to be. He has the swagger, flamboyance, and charisma, a "Hero" should have. 

As for ‪Anushka‬, she is the strong female character I wanted ‪Tamannaah Bhatia ‬to be in the first movie. Anushka is strong, and does not back down from her ideals and beliefs, no matter who is on the other side. That's kickass. Bollywood is gonna go ga-ga over these two. 

Yes, the movie is not perfect. It has its flaws. There are some continuity faults that I caught. The narrative sometimes becomes a bit self indulgent and looses focus. The climax is not as epic as I expected it to be. And like I said above, the VFX is not perfect. Also, some of the extras insisted on hamming their scenes.

But despite these flaws, Baahubali is a huge achievement. It's not just entertaining, it's also one of the most technically sound movie to come out of India. And just for that, you should go watch, enjoy, and support this magnanimously ambitious project. 

4/5

[thebiasedlens]

My Review - The Fate Of The Furious

The Fast And The Furious team returns for the Eighth time, Seven more than Jesus did. *moving on from the easter joke*

The eighth edition, called The Fate Of The Furious, delivers exactly what is expected of it, i.e. Fast Cars, one line plot, and crazy OVER-THE-TOP action. Anything else you expect from this movie, is on you.

It’s clear from the get go that director F. Gary Gray had a checklist from the studio that he has to diligently follow, but he makes sure that even while doing so, he keeps the entertainment factor alive. 

What these movies demand is at least one street racing, one or two chase sequences, some fight scenes (Jason Statham kills it in one such sequence), and lots of “Are You Kidding Me?” green screen moments.

All that, this movie delivers!

The acting, as usual, is monotone. But this series, obviously does not expect or demand any oscar level performances. 

So Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson run through their lines like the submarine runs through the cars in one sequence (this is in the trailer so NO this does not count as a Spoiler). 

Michelle Rodriguez continues to blindly love and trust in Vin. Tyrese Gibson and Ludacris provide most of the jokes by trying to woo Nathalie Emmanuel, while she continues to shrug them off. 

Kurt Russell as “Mr Nobody” has a “No Good” role that could’ve been played by anyone, but he is there just to add another star power to the already long list, so you don't really care.

After the Furious 7, the studio could’ve just finished the series beautifully, but who wants to say no to millions of dollars, amirite? 

So it’s clear that this movie is like a placeholder, that takes these characters forward with a new storyline, along with a new badass antagonist portrayed by Charlize Theron. Although she has little to do here in terms of action, the Mad Max fan in me is hoping that she gets to kick some ass in the next one.

3/5

[thebiasedlens]

My Review - Colossal

Please go watch, and support Colossal if it's playing in a theatre near you. 

It's an ambitious small Indie film that is being sidelined by shitty giant corporate money-spinners like The Boss Baby, Power Rangers and Beauty And The Beast, but it deserves more.

I honestly don't want to say what it is about, and encourage that you watch it without even watching the trailer - Trust me, you will enjoy the movie even more this way. 

All I will say is that it is a Comedy, Si-Fi like you have never seen before.

The screenplay has some loopholes, but it is so smartly written that you let go of them, and just have fun with what is being presented to you. 

Director/ Writter Nacho Vagabond throws these stereotypical scenarios your way, but always manages to convert them into curve balls. 

What also helps is that the movie never takes itself seriously, and always constantly entertains.

Kudos to Anne Hathaway and Jason Sudeikis for taking up this small movie. They have acted the shit out of their characters, and have done something you have never seen them do before. 

Nacho has made a movie that deserves to be a “Sleeper Hit” of the year!

3.5/5

[thebiasedlens]

My Review - Naam Shabana

Naam Shabana is no Baby, but it's still a decent watch. It is a prequel to Baby. It is both, the origin story, and first mission of one of their feisty agents in the Baby mission, Shabana Khan, played brilliantly by Tapsee Pannu.

It feels like director Shivam Nair, and writer Neeraj Pandey wrote two really good movies, but couldn't decide which one to make, so merged them both. And in doing so, convoluted the screenplay that runs incoherent for a long 2 hours and 30 minutes.

Pre-interval, the story revolves around establishing who Shabana is, what is her history, who all are in her life, and what was the incident that lead her to become an agent. 

Director Nair takes way too long to create the set-up with long scenes that could’ve been edited into short crisp scenes, slow-motion frames that would’ve been more effective in real time, and unnecessary romance that feels a bit out of place in an action crime thriller. And to make things worse he also throws in a love song. Why? When will Bollywood learn? Ugh!

Anyway, moving on, once Manoj Bajpayee contacts her, and helps her take her revenge, things get interesting. Both her test mission, and revenge segments were very well shot, and helped bring my interest in the movie back on track.

The second half is all about her first mission, and who she has to help the agency kill. But again my logical brain asked why? 

SPOILER AHEAD! Skip to next paragraph to avoid.

The villain is suppose to be one of the most dangerous guys they have been trying to track. They have managed to track him twice, and twice he has managed to outdo the agents sent to kill him. So why do they send Shabana? She is an agent in training. You have no other active female agent? And why is Askhay Kumar “One of their best” agent only there to help her, and not actually leading the mission? I know they wanted to make a female lead movie, but had little confidence in her, so added Akshay Kumar for safety net? 

Also in a scene Manoj tells Tapsee that one of the reasons why they chose her was because of her religion. But never do they use her in that context. They just wanted to add a religious aspect to the movie to tick of another check box of relevant issues?

Before the main mission, there is a very interesting scene, with a twist that although I saw coming from a mile away, but still enjoyed it because it was well shot, and added good entertainment value. 

The final mission, again was both a bit illogical, but at the same time very well shot. So for the sake of entertainment, I let go of a lot of loopholes. 

The climax seems rushed, and the movie just ended abruptly. It was almost like the director said chalo bass ab bahut ho gaya. Lets go home. 

In the acting department, Manjoj Bajpayee has been given a very underwritten role, which he manages to lift up, and make it interesting, because thats what great actors do. Anupam Kher and Danny come in for small cameos along with an extended cameo by Akshay Kumar. And every time they come on screen, they demand attention, and deliver on entertainment.

Apart from all this, the rest of the movie is heavily placed on the shoulders of Tapsee Pannu. She strongly lifts it till the end, and proves that she didn't need the safety net of Akshay Kumar in the first place. She is force to be reckoned with. After her much talked about fight scene in Baby, and outstanding acting in Pink, here again she delivers an ace performance. If nothing, go watch this movie for her.

3/5

[thebiasedlens]

My Review - Life

Life was a good watch. Surprisingly, I liked it more than I thought I would. It is a product you will get if Alien and Gravity are to be mixed together. The storyline I felt was a bit straightforward, and I kinda saw the end coming, but it was still very entertaining, and well executed. The opening scene was very well shot, and immediately puts you, the viewer, at the edge of the seat. And that is where you remain till the end.

More than anything else, the special effects were very well carried out. The editing in the end made the pace feel a bit rushed, but overall did a good job of keeping it short, crisp, and to the point. At 1 hour and 45 minutes, the runtime felt just right for this kindda movie. The sound mix, and background score were very well composed, and effectively layered into the screenplay.

Life is very well casted. There are 6 actors in this movie, 3 of them big Hollywood stars, but they all have acted as part of the ensemble, instead of trying to outdo each other, and that is a big win for the movie. Acting wise, everyone does a tremendous job of executing rather thinly written characters. Jack Gyllenhaal and Rebecca Ferguson are more efficient than others, but still I was very impressed with the fact that Ryan Reynolds chose to take up this role. Though I feel he did it more as a favor to writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, who also wrote Deadpool.

Brownie points to Director Daniel Espinosa for taking a story which feels like "been there seen that" and executing it into something that feels new and fresh. You know shits gonna go down, and it does, but how he has implemented the when it will, how it will, and to whom it will, is what works in favor of this movie.

I walked in expecting to walk out indifferent towards Life, but I actually walked out quite entertained. So much so, that I am now looking forward to the sequel.

3.5/5

[thebiasedlens]

My Review - Phillauri

Phillauri is a sweet one time watch. My expectations from this movie were much higher, but I'll still take this, just for the attempt.

Debutant director Anshan Lal, and Writer Anvita Dutt had great material to work with, but instead of digging deep, they chose to stick to the surface. It is at its heart, a love story, with a new treatment. There are two timelines in the movie, one deals with a love story in 2017, and the other in 1919.

The movie is about two hours and twenty minutes, and the screenplay is a bit sluggish. The storytelling is somewhat inconsistent, and definitely needed major editing. Most of the movie is half explained, and has a "chalta hai" attitude. And maybe another jab at re-writing some of it could have helped overcome that.

The first half is basically set-up. It is mostly fun, and breezy with a lot of comedy, and no major developments. The interval point itself feels very blah. There is a post-interval scene witch feels more like what should’ve been the interval point. The movie picks up in the second half, and things start moving forward in terms of story. The second half has most of the meat of the movie, and a better, tighter pacing.

Having said that, there are a lot of good things to like in this movie. The set-design, and art direction are both top notch. The cinematography is immaculate, especially for the 1919 timeline. The music is nice and peppy. The VFX done for Anushka as the ghost is also very well done.

Everyone has acted very well. Anushka is a fabulous actor. She is sweet, and lovable here. Her performance as the lost in time ghost is funny, and the poetry-writer lover in the 1919 timeline is all heart. Diljit has the smallest role, but has the most character arc. He manages to deliver a performance that is earnest, and you find yourself invested, and rooting for his character. Suraj Sharma from Life of Pie, and Mehrene Pirzada playing his fiancée, are both cute, and have done a decent job. But my favorite character was Suraj's whiskey loving grandmother. She bought on most of the needed laughs in the movie.

If you are a sucker for love stories then this is a movie for you. You will, if nothing else, walk out of the theater with a smile. 

 3/5

[thebiasedlens]

My Review - Trapped

Trapped is a survival tale like no other. Movies like Cast Away and 127 Hours were set-up in unpopulated areas, but Trapped on the other hand is set-up in the center of Mumbai city. A city that is filled with people, but can at the same time make you feel like the loneliest person on earth.

The story itself is very straightforward. A man is trapped in an empty high rise without food, water or electricity. How and why is what makes Trapped. So then all the pressure falls onto other elements to make sure that the movie elevates from just another survival tale to something more. And it does.

Rajkummar Rao is a brilliant actor. And if you ever doubted that, well you won’t after watching this movie. He has quite literally carried this movie singlehandedly on his shoulder. There are a few other characters in the movie, but they are just there for support. Rest of the movie is just him and his psychedelic performance. Few actors can pull off what he has. Mark my words, his acting in this movie is going to get him a lot of awards. Yes, it is that good. The character graph that he portrays in 105 minutes is just unbelievable. The transformation you will see will blow your mind. 

If you have seen the trailer and have had questions like what happened to his cell phone charger? Why is there no food in the house? Where are the neighbours? Does he eventually get out? Well, I’m happy to report that Director Vikramaditya Motwane answers ALL these questions, and does so logically. 

All the departments come together to create an experience worth your while and money. Writers Amit Joshi, and Hardik Mehta add layers that tackle arranged marriage, beef ban, religion, and morality. The background score is just unbelievable. It keeps you alert and invested throughout the movie. The cinematography and set design create a realistic and claustrophobic environment. You want to reach out and help the protagonist, but feel as helpless as him. The sensible and restrained screenplay and editing keeps the runtime to 105 minutes only. There are no unnecessary songs, and more importantly there is no interval to break the narrative. Thank the lord.

These are all risky decisions that director Vikramaditya Motwane and producer Anurag Kashyap have taken, but I am glad that they did. It is one step forward for Indian cinema towards international storytelling. Hence, it is imperative that you go watch this movie and support it.

4/5

[thebiasedlens]

My Review - Badrinath Ki Dulhania

Badrinath Ki Dulhania is a confused movie to say the least. Every time director Shashank Khaitan showed something positive, he also showed something negative, hence negating the positive. In the movie there is a lot of talk about of how a "modern guy" should treat women, and let her have a career, etc, but at the same time it also tells the Indian men- Hey forget what Mr. Amithabh said in Pink, if she says no keep trying and eventually she will say yes. The movie keeps talking about how it's wrong to ask for dowry, but doesn't talk about the fact that it is equally wrong to give dowry. Unlike in Sultaan, here the heroine doesn't give up on her dream to have a career - positive. But she runs away to purse her career in such an unnecessary and bizarre manner, that it makes little sense. Okay fine, she didn't care about the hero, or his family, or her family who has not been supporting her, and giving her ‘tanas’, but what wrong had her sister done to deserve this on her wedding day? 

The movie is too long with too many unnecessary songs. Especially in the second half. So Vaidehi has run away to Singapore for her training to become an air hostess, and Badri has followed her there. And while trying to kidnap her, threaten her, getting arrested, creating a scene outside her work and house, the director decides to take a break from the storyline and take us for sightseeing, and for no good reason break into the Tamma Tamma song. Why? 

Also there is this bizarre scene in the second half where Varun and Alia are in an alley and find themselves surrounded by masked men. It looks like they are either gonna get mugged or something. So our hero tries to protect the heroin. But it turns out that the masked men are actually interested in Badri. So suddenly the tone of the scene turns from serious to comedy. And I'm like excuse me? It's still a molestation/ rape scene. How has this suddenly become funny? And what was that scene where after everything Alia has done to get where she is, she starts giving Varun all the credit for it? 

Acting wise both Alia and Varun have done a decent job. Apart from them, Sahil Vaid who plays Varun's friend is the only one trying to put in an effort, but the rest of the cast seems to sleepwalk through the movie. The music is good, but most of the times unnecessary. The cinematography captures both, the essence of small towns in the first half, and beauty of Singapore in the second half quit well. The editing however is very patchy, and the screenplay overindulgent. Also there has been zero eff’s given to maintain any kind of continuity, especially when it comes to their accents. 

But in the end our hero Badri FINALLY grows up and grows some balls to stand up to his misogynistic father, and calls out on everything that's wrong in the movie. And for that I guess the movie earns some redeeming points. On paper BKD must have sounded like a good movie, but in the process of trying to also make it commercial, the execution has resulted in a half baked product. It is, if you must, Feminist Lite. 

 2.5/5

[thebiasedlens]

My Review - Kong: Skull Island

Kong: Skull Island is your usual, run-of-the-mill, studio backed, cheesy popcorn movie. It relays on a one line story, and a whole lot of (spectacularly executed) special effects. It is not the same as other King Kong movies. There is no New York or Empire State Building. It all take a place at the Skull Island as the title suggests.

In the acting front, the CGI Kong delivers more personality than most of the other live actors. Both Tom H and Brie L characters seem out of place here. Brie is supposed to be the official photographer of the group, but you see others taking photographs and make videos, so you wonder why is she needed? And Tom is supposed to be a professional tracker, leading (among others) a guy who has been on the island for 30 years. What? It's like I'm driving in my neighborhood, and my friend visiting from out of town is giving me direction to my house. 

What also doesn't work is the patchy screenplay, and outdated one liner dialogues. The story goes from one point to another without any surprises. It just moves along.

On the other hand, what works is the upbeat music, picturesque cinematography, snappy editing and extremely well done action sequences. The one fight scene in the end between Kong and the "Skull Crawler" is especially well done. This is where you will get value for money.

All in all, Kong: Skull island is a one time entertainment.

3/5

[thebiasedlens]

My Review - Logan

Is Logan,

a). The best Wolverine movie? b). The best X-Men movie? c). The best superhero movie?

Answer: All of the above.

Irrespective of whether you agree or disagree with me on that, what you will agree on is the fact that Logan is the X-Men movie us fans deserve.

No, it does not have excessive violence like some critics are saying. In fact, for the first time, it has appropriate amount of violence an X-Men movie is supposed to have. X-Men movies were never meant to be PG-13. The comics have always been R rated, and the movies should also be R rated. And thanks to Deadpool, for the first time 20th Century Fox has allowed it to be so.

So if you move past the violence, you will see that director James Mangold has paid attention to small details. Like when Wolverine stabs someone, the claws come out from the other side. There is blood splatter. And yes, the wounds heal, but the blood stains remain. Details like these makes Logan the much needed and munch deserved X-Men movie for us fans.

Logan is not your usual superhero movie. It is dark, yet poetic. The world is not getting destroyed by Aliens or Supervillains here. This is a more intimate, personal and human story. And that is such a welcome change. The cinematography immaculately captures the loneliness of this broken Logan. The action sequences are choreographed rhythmically and showcase Logan's anger and frustration. And the special effects are just top notch. The editing is seamless and helps the screenplay to flow.

It is set in the near future, where Logan is now old, not healing as fast, but there is still fire in him. It’s dim, but it’s still lethal. He is keeping it alive to take care of Charles. And to ignite that fire comes X-23. Who is she? Why does she need Logan’s protection? Who are the bad guys after her? To get answers to these questions you will have to go see Logan. It is a movie that deserves to be experienced.

17 years ago I went into a theater to watch this new movie called X-Men, not knowing that I'm about to fall in love with a new universe like no other. Cut to, its 2017 and I now have to say goodbye to my favorite superhero portrayal by an immensely talented actor. The X-Men Universe will not be the same without Hugh Jackman in it. He is, and shall always remain, The Wolverine. Logan is a perfect goodbye.

5/5

3 things- 1. Go watch it in Dolby Atmos at AMC if you can. Otherwise, go watch it in IMAX. 2. Get to the theater early. You don’t want to miss the beginning. 3. There is NO post credit scene.

[thebiasedlens]

My Review - Get Out!

Get Out is a MUST watch! It is a Mystery, Comedy like no other. I had ZERO expectations from this movie. I had seen the trailer when it came out and had no interest in watching the movie. 

But then I saw that it was 100% on the Tomatometer with over 100 reviews, so just out of curiosity I went to watch it. I wanted to see what the fuss was all about. 

And my oh my, was I blown away!

Acting wise, everyone is just brilliant. It’s good to see Daniel Kaluuya (Black Morror S1E2) and Allison Williams (Girls) play leads here. 

But LilRel Howery steals the show in few small scenes he is in. That guy got me good.

On IMDB you will get a one line story for this movie - A young African-American man visits his Caucasian girlfriend's mysterious family estate. And that is all you should know before you go watch this movie. SERIOUSLY, DO NOT TRY TO FIND OUT ANYTHING ELSE!

Just go to the theater and let director Jordan Peele take you on this strange, yet satisfying journey. 

It is not just scary and funny, but also super relevant in this Trump’s America.

5/5

Get this:

Get Out was 100% on Tomatometer till yesterday, and today it dropped to 99% because of ONE bad review by Armond White. 

Who is Armond White? 

He is the same ASS who gave a negative review for Toy Story 3 and made that movie’s rating drop to 99%.